Sequel to: Come Rain Or Come Shine Couple: Willow/Graham
Rating: T (Because some situations are not intended for a younger audience)
Disclaimer: Anything related to B: TVS belongs to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and a whole yatta other people. The song was written by, Robert Byrne and Alan Schulman. I own the ideas behind the story and a really big bag of Peanut Butter M&Ms!
Spoilers: Season Four Stuff, set during and after "New Moon Rising"
Summary: Willow and Graham's relationship is public knowledge. But what happens when Oz comes back?
Note: I transcribed the lyrics by listening to the song, many times, on the Forester Sister's Album "Talkin' 'Bout Men".
Note 2: Yes, another W/Gr songfic from me! I swear these things help me with overcoming my writer's block! Really, they do!
Note 3: Alright, I caved! Despite claiming that "A Girl Like You" would not be a series... I wrote a sequel, and this has now become a series . For right now, I'm just calling it "Songs for Secret Lovers"... unless someone else can come up with a catchier title.
Note 4: Song lyrics were between the /
Note 5: As always, thoughts are within the
Dedication: To Angel's Nutmeg, 'cause she likes this series. And to everyone else who's sent me feedback this week... See? I'm a big ol' marshmallow!
/Lyrics were here./
Willow sat next to Tara on the bar stools near Giles' kitchen, and held her friend's hand as she heard about the appallingly small numbers of demons on Buffy's patrol the previous evening. She managed to keep her boredom reigned in, but felt Tara squeeze her hand in understanding. Willow raised her head to smile at her friend and fellow Wicca. Thank the Goddess that Tara is here for me. No way would I have been able to handle this alone. It's like the rest of them have decided since I kept my relationship with Graham a secret, they can treat me like dirt. Thank the Goddess for Forrest! Willow snorted at her thoughts, and Tara looked over at her.
"You okay, Willow?" she whispered, as the rest of the Scooby Gang was ignoring them.
"Yeah, I guess. But why do I feel like I'm being punished for wanting to keep Graham to myself for a while. I mean Forrest is taking it better than Buffy, Riley, and Xander."
Tara got a confused look on her face. "Forrest? I thought he was against 'civilians putting themselves in danger, when there are perfectly trained marines to do the job'. Or has he changed his mind?"
"Not really. But he likes me more than he ever did Buffy. I think it's my coloring."
Tara snorted, then looked over to see that none of the others were paying them any attention. "It's probably also the fact that you really aren't a threat to his place in Graham's life. I think that because for the first five months of your relationship you and Graham kept it a secret, and no one was the wiser, it says he can trust you. And isn't Graham making sure he hangs out with his friends, and you hang out with yours?"
"Yeah, and except for Riley, we really don't mix the two groups. We don't count friends from classes."
"A wise decision." Tara glanced over and noticed the others were starting to get ready to leave. "So, you wanna come over for a while? Or run straight to Lowell and Graham?"
Willow scrubbed a hand over her face and then looked at Tara. "I'll give Graham a call from your place. I think he has patrol tonight, anyway."
"Okay. Let's get out of here before they decide they want us patrol or something equally as bad."
"I hear that. I think there's a bag of popcorn calling my name from your microwave." The two Wiccan began to collect their things, and just as they are getting ready to leave, Willow happened to glance at the door.
Oz? What's he doing here? Can anyone else see him? Please let someone else see him! Willow noticed that the others were also staring at the front door. She took a few steps closer to him. "When did you get back?"
"Pretty much now."
Xander stepped forward and began talking, and Willow smiled gratefully at her oldest friend. "Oz, man. Hate to sound grandma, but... you don't call, you don't write."
"Yeah. Sorry." He kept looking at Willow, as if waiting to see how she would react.
Willow shifted, uncomfortable under Oz's intense stare. Anya Bless her, spoke up, "Everyone's uncomfortable now."
Willow shot a look over to her friend, practically begging Tara to get her out of this. Tara stepped forward, showed more courage than she every had in front of the other Scoobies, grabbed Willow's arm and pulled her towards the door. "Come on, Wills. We've got a lot to do before dinner."
"Right, dinner. That meal which I am eating later. It was nice seeing you, Oz. We should talk."
"How about I come by tonight?"
"Tonight..." Willow's voice trailed off as she bit her bottom lip and looked over at Riley. Riley nodded his head at her silent question, and Willow turned back to look at Oz. "Tonight would be fine. You remember where my dorm is? Good. Come on, Tara."
/Lyrics were here./
Willow was staring at her ceiling and contemplating her life. Okay. Graham knows Oz is here and wants to talk to me, alone. He's not happy with that fact, but he understands why I am. Thank the Goddess for understanding boyfriends! A knock sounded at her door and she got off the bed, heading for it. Just before she reached the door, her knees buckled and she fell to the floor. Oh Goddess! What's wrong with me?
She heard another set of knocks, then Oz's voice. "Willow? Answer the door, Wills. I know you're there."
"Oz?" She couldn't keep the pain out of her voice.
"Wills? Are you okay?"
"I'm not sure. But the door's unlocked."
Oz opened the door and found her on the floor, tears streaming down her face, and her arms wrapped around herself. "Wills!" He put his arms around her, trying to comfort her.
Willow shoved him away with more force than she thought she possessed. "Oh, Goddess! Something's happened, something not good. Why hasn't anyone called yet?"
The phone rang and Willow called it to her with a single gesture. Pushing the activation switch, she put it to her ear. "Hello?"
"Willow?"
Willow tensed up when she heard who was calling her. Chad never calls me. Or at least not when something good is happening. Oh GODDESS! "Yes, it's me, Chad. What happened?"
"Graham's patrol was attacked by unknown HSTs. According to initial reports they were vaguely human, but mostly wolf."
Werewolves? But then that would mean the moon is full, or nearly full. And Oz is sitting here in my bedroom as himself. Oh Goddess! He managed to conquer the wolf! Breath, girl, breath. She looked over at Oz, a question in her eyes, but she concentrated on her phone call. "Was anyone bit, Chad?"
"I don't know if I should..."
"WAS anyone bit?"
"No, just some scratches. They're keeping Graham and Forrest overnight for observation. Commander Finn won't be told until tomorrow morning. I'm not even supposed to be telling you, but Graham and Forrest insisted that you be told tonight."
"Thank you, Chad. I'll see you Thursday in lab, right?"
"You bet, Partner."
Willow kept the phone to her ear, even after the dial tone began to buzz in her ear. She hung the phone back up, and moved away from Oz. "How?"
"How can I be here on the night of a wolf moon as myself?" Willow just nodded. "Well it all started when I drove down towards Mexico..."
/Lyrics were here./
Oz and Willow managed to talk all night, without talking about her current love life. Willow eyed the man across the bed from her, and let herself get lost in thought for a moment. He hasn't asked me about my love life. Does he think I waited all this time? He better not have! It took Graham until after New Year's to convince me that he wasn't going to be another Oz, and that I could trust him. Oh Goddess! Graham was hurt last night on patrol! Oh wait, Oz is waiting for an answer about something. Willow rewound the conversation in her mind and gave the appropriate response. "Well, I believe a manly-sized breakfast is in order, don't you?"
Oz gave her this look, as if he had expected a different answer. "Or we could just... sleep a little while. Whatever you want."
"I'll have the less confusing waffles right now." Because Goddess knows that Graham would skin you alive and then yell at me if I chose the sleeping option. Willow moved to grab her toiletries from the sink, and made the appropriate excuse to leave her own room.
After brushing her teeth, she walked back into her room to see Oz and a bandaged Graham both sitting there, staring at each other. Willow closed her eyes and let her breath out slowly. She put her toiletry bag back in its place and smiled at Graham. "Morning, Tiger!"
He stood up and wrapped her in a hug. "Good morning, Scarlett." He placed a kiss on the top of her head and turned to look at Oz. "This who I think it is?"
"Yup. But he does have a name, Tiger!" She punched him lightly in the side, and immediately felt guilty when he cringed. "Oh Goddess! You're injured there, aren't you?"
Graham looked at her. "Yeah. What gave me away?"
Willow kissed his nose, and pulled back to look at him. "I think it was the way you cringed at my punch. Something you've never done before." She pulled him towards Buffy's bed and sat down beside him, ignoring Oz who was still sitting on her bed. "What did the docs have to say?"
Graham reached up and massaged the back of his neck, feeling the anger being directed his way from Oz, even if Willow couldn't. "They told me to take it easy for the next few days. No more than five miles for my run, and to keep away from the carbs... I need proteins to heal."
"Sounds sensible enough. What about patrols?" She raised an eyebrow at him.
He ducked his head and immediately looked contrite. "I've been rotated off of the schedule for active patrol, but I've got some training and weapons work to do instead."
"Good, glad that Colonel of yours has more sense than the previous commander. Now, I want you to go back to the house and rest. I'll check on you later, okay?"
"That's something to look forward to, Scarlett." He got to his feet and pulled her up as well. He kissed her on the forehead and said, "I'll even tell Forrest you wish him a speedy recovery."
"You do that, Tiger." She hugged him again and turned to Oz when the door closed behind Graham. "What?"
"I talked to Xander, and he said you didn't have a new guy."
"Well, Xander is living in the state of denial. I hear it's quite comfortable this time of year." Willow flippantly responded as she began to gather the things she would need to go out to breakfast.
Oz grabbed her upper arm and forced her to look at him. "Is Xander lying, or are you?"
Willow rolled her eyes and then looked at Oz. "Use your brain, Oz! You were gone, I had no idea when, or even if, you were coming back! I had to move on with my life. Some of it, you know, was me telling myself I hated you, and cursing your name. Not literally."
"Well, thanks for that."
"But most of it, I admit, was the two new relationships I forged. One with Tara, the blond I left Giles' with yesterday, and the other with Graham... the guy that just left here."
"So you're screwing them both?" His eyes began to blacken in anger.
Willow's eyes flashed golden for a moment as she stared at him. "Maybe. It doesn't matter one way or the other. You weren't actually expecting me to still be waiting for you, did you?" She stared at him again, her face showing what she thought of that idea. "Goddess! You actually did!" She walked to her door and opened it. "Get out."
"What?"
"You heard me. Get. Out. I'm not the person I was back in November, Oz, and I'm certainly not the person you were expecting. So, get out of my room." She turned her back on him and waited for him to leave her room. When she heard the door close behind her, she breathed a sigh of relief and moved to call Tara.
/Lyrics were here./
Willow found Graham several hours later. He was sitting under a tree in the main quad, watching others play frisbee. He hadn't noticed her yet, so she spoke. "Wishing you could join them?"
Graham turned at smiled up at her, then patted the grass next to him. "A little. But it's better to sit and talk to my girl."
Willow sat and kissed him, very briefly. She smiled at his moan when she pulled away. "I love it when you get all possessive on me."
"You're just lucky I didn't try anything this morning while Oz was in your room."
"Oh right. I'd love to explain that one to Buffy. 'Sorry about the mess, Buffy. But Oz and Graham decided to see who had more testosterone in his body.' Oh, yeah, that would have gone over well."
Graham wrapped his left arm around her and pulled her into his side. "So what did the two of you talk about last night?"
"Just about everything."
"Just about? What did you leave out?"
"My love life. Seems Xander told him that I wasn't seeing anyone else."
Willow blinked as Graham began to curse in several languages. He settled down and raised an eyebrow. "Xander just isn't going to accept us anytime soon, is he?"
"Nope. I think he feels threatened because both Buffy and I have our own snuggle-commandos, while he hasn't found a purpose in life yet." She put her head on his shoulder, content to just be in the moment.
"He'll find his way. He's only what? Nineteen?" He felt Willow nod against his shoulder. "That's plenty of time to decide on his future. He just needs to get some exposure to the outside world first."
"Yeah, he needs more than Sunnydale and Oxnard."
"Oxnard?"
"Yeah, instead of traveling the country last summer like he'd planned to... he ended up washing dishes at a ladies nightclub in Oxnard."
Graham began chuckling. "Poor Xander. I've had to wash dishes as punishment, it isn't any fun."
"Mmmm..." Willow sounded non-commitally.
Graham grew quiet, just letting the sun relax them both. When Tara ran up to them a few minutes later, both sprang to their feet. Willow held her panting friend and Graham handed her a bottle of water.
"Oz..."
"Oz what, Tara?"
"Oz... They've got Oz..."
"Who does?"
Tara looked right at Graham as she answered Willow's question. "The Initiative."
"Oh Goddess! Do the others know?"
"Yes, I just ran here from Giles'. They um..." she looked over at Graham and grew silent.
Graham looked at his girlfriend. "Why would the Initiative capture Oz, Willow?"
"Because he's a werewolf, Graham. Just like those things that attacked your patrol last night were werewolves. But it's the middle of the day! How did they know he was a werewolf, Tara?"
Tara looked between her closest friend and said friend's boyfriend. This is going to piss them both off. I can tell. "He smelled you on me."
"But that's because I lent you my sweater. Why would he? Oh, Oh! I'll skin him alive!" Willow turned to look at Graham. "Get back to base. You need to have a solid alibi when I think what's about to happen, happens. Do some paperwork or something, okay?"
Graham blinked at the near command his girlfriend gave him. Okay, status check. Oz, my girlfriend's ex, is a werewolf. Somehow he turned into his werewolf self during the day, something that had apparently never happened before. The Initiative captured him because they think he was one of the Hostiles that attacked me last night. But he was with Willow all night. I'll have to ask her about that later. Okay, now Willow's friends are planning some sort of rescue mission, and Willow doesn't want me involved. I can live with that. He grabbed Willow about the waist and pulled her flush up against him. "Fine. But you better come by tonight and let me know what happened, okay?"
"Of course I'll come see you later, Tiger! We're just going to do some girl stuff, right Tara?"
Tara blinked at what Willow said. Oh right! Other people are around, and we want to give the Initiative no reason to suspect us. Well, all Buffy and Xander wanted us to do was cast a protection spell anyway. We just have to be seen by lots of people before and after we do this. "Yup, just some girly stuff. We might even empower ourselves with some Lemon Bundt cake."
Willow and Tara began laughing and were soon having to hold each other up. Graham just stared at them. "Right. I'll catch you later, Scarlett. Always a pleasure, Tara." Then he walked away.
Tara and Willow finally calmed down enough to admire the way he walked away from them. Tara spoke to Willow, while still watching Graham's butt. "I can see why you were attracted to him, Wills. That butt! Goddess! It should be illegal!"
"Don't forget that presence he has. You know, the one that practically screams, 'Here I am, for your viewing pleasure'!"
"Uh-huh. And those blue eyes, very yummy. Is the rest of him as good?"
"Oh yeah. But don't think you'll get to see more than everyone else."
Tara turned to look at Willow when Graham finally disappeared from view. "Aw, Come on, Willow! Let me be in a torrid threesome with you and Graham!" Tara steered her friend away from the quad to a small courtyard near the entrance Spike had found.
Willow shook her head. "Nope. Nothing doing. Find your own Commando boy to drool over."
"But you and Buffy already got the two best ones!"
"First come, first serve." Their laughter rang out and they got to the serious business of spell casting.
/Lyrics were here./
Willow sat in the front seat of Oz's van, just staring at the man that had seen her into adulthood. Gotta remember what he looks like, because I highly doubt he'll ever be back again. She shifted in her seat. "What are you gonna do?"
"I think I better take off."
"When?"
"Pretty much now."
Willow closed her eyes, to block the raw pain in his gaze from herself. "I understand. I'm just glad I got a chance to say goodbye this time. I love you, Oz, some part of me always will."
"But you love him more."
"Not more, just different. I don't know what's going to happen between Graham and I, not tomorrow or a month from now. But I want to find out. Otherwise, I may as well have stayed that broken, depressed girl Graham first met. He made me see that there was life after you. And I like the person I became with him. Okay not the secretive thing, but that was mostly my fault anyway."
"Willow, you don't have to explain it to me. I understand that you moved on. But I need to leave because having you around brings the wolf out, and until I can control him completely I'm not safe around other people and especially not you."
Willow leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Take care of yourself, Daniel Osbourne. I expect the occasional postcard this time, all right?"
Oz turned and kissed her inner wrist. "I promise. See you around."
Willow climbed out of his van and watched it pull away. Well, there goes the last shred of my childhood. Goddess! Morbid much, Willow? I need to see Graham. She began the walk towards campus, her mind racing through what she could say to him.
/Lyrics were here./
She stood outside his door and knocked. When the door opened, he was shirtless and merely raised an eyebrow at her. "May I come in?" He stepped back from the door and let her pass him. She turned to face him and noticed the look he was giving her. She closed her eyes, gathering her courage. "I brought a candle," she said as she held it before her.
"I can see that, Willow. Why are you here? I thought you'd be with the man you love."
"I'm with the man I love, Graham." She moved closer to him, managing to move him towards his bed.
Graham let her lead him towards his own bed. He looked into her eyes, seeing only a slight bit more freedom and happiness than had been there two days before. "You better not be dicking me around, Scarlett. I won't be your consolation prize."
Willow sighed and put the candle on a safe surface, then she moved to stand in front of him. She placed her hands on his shoulders, pushed him onto his bed, then she straddled his waist. "You're not the consolation prize, Graham. I got over Oz a long time ago, thanks to you. You're also not the rebound guy. You're stuck with me for a while yet, Tiger."
Graham ran his hands up her thighs to her waist and smiled at her. "A while, huh? I can live with that."
"Good." Willow kissed him, letting her body know exactly how she felt.
/Lyrics were here./
