~*Part 8*~

*The song is On the Sea by Vertical Horizon.  BTW, this is from their CD, There and Back Again.  On verse was chopped out.*

June 26, 2001

Willow threw everything into her suitcase as fast as she could.  She was hurt.  She wasn't going to go through this again.  Thinking

about him, knowing he couldn't be with her.  It was just like when he left almost two years ago...  She had to get out of there, and

back to Sunnydale.  Where could she go where she wouldn't remember him?  Fresh tears fell down her face as she remembered

what she had seen this morning.  Oz had moved on, right when she really wanted him.  She felt selfish.  How could she just expect

him to wait for her forever...she hadn't.

Willow looked around the room to make sure she had everything, and left.  She walked down the hallway to the elevator, and set her

suitcase down.  She heard someone pounding on doors down the hall, and then yelling.  She turned around and went to see what

was going on.  Oz was down the hall knocking on doors, asking for her.  Through everything he still wanted her.

**No fog clear in the moonlight

The stars shine so bright now's the time**

"Oz, stop."

He turned at the sound of her voice.  "Willow?"

"What are you doing?"

Oz was confused.  "Looking for you."

She shook her head.  "Oz, don't do this.  You have someone else, someone who loves you."

"I love *you*."

**I close my eyes - soft wind touch my face

Cool sand upon the place where I once kissed you**

"No.  You can't just give up everything..."

Oz interrupted her.  "Solace broke up with me."

Willow stopped and looked at him, sadly.  "Why?"

"She said we were still in love with each other.  That we're meant to be."

 

**And held you close

Now I will reach for the stars

Because Oh my love, that's where you are**

She could hear the determination in his voice.  "Meant to be?"  She looked at him, feeling sad that he still believed they could be

together.  "How can that be?  All the things we've gone through, that have pushed us apart.  And you still believe...in us?"

"You don't?"  She shook her head fiercely, trying not to let him see what she actually felt inside.  "Why are you trying to push me

away?"

"I-I'm not."  She tried to hold her ground.

Oz looked her in the eyes.  "You are."

**Though the storms of black night rage on

I still see your face

I still feel your lips on mine

And though my heart feels all alone without you

I still hear you sing to me

I still hear your voice on the sea**

She didn't know what to say.  "Good-bye, Oz."  She stepped into the elevator, and the doors closed behind her.  As soon as she

was free from his sight, she let all the emotion go.  *I won't ever see him again...*  A few tears slipped down her cheeks.  The

elevator dinged to alert her that she was in the lobby.  She quickly wiped away her tears, so they weren't visible.  Out of the elevator

she went straight to the front desk to sign out.  She had to use all of her strength to not turn around and run back upstairs.

**

Waves crash break the silence

Gulls cry a song of lament

I walk on through the stormy night

The air cries flash of anger

Dark night enshrouds the stranger all alone without you

Now I will reach for the stars

Because Oh my love, that's where you are **

Oz watched the elevator doors close.  It was happening again.  He was losing her, again.  He wouldn't let her go this time.  She had

come to him.  Even if she wouldn't admit it.  They needed each other.  He had to go after her.  Oz ran to the emergency stairs.

"Willow!"  She wouldn't turn around.  "Willow, wait.  Please."

**Lay you, lay you down

Lay you, lay you down

Lay you, lay you down

Lay you, lay you down

Lay you, lay you down

Lay you, lay you down

Lay you, lay you down

Lay you, lay you down**

He grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around.  He stood looking at her.  Waiting.  She stood looking at him.  Waiting.  There

were both waiting for an eternity, for someone to make a move.

He hesitated for a moment, and leaned into a full force kiss.  God, it had been so long.  Everything he hadn't done with her for two

years came in full passion.  His arms wrapped around her and he pulled her tightly against him.  In the back of his mind he realized

she wasn't pulling away, and that was good.  This was the way everything was supposed to be.  After a minute they slowly parted,

and looked around.  Everyone in the hotel was looking at them.

"Oz?"  Willow called him.

"Hm..?"

"I still haven't turned in my room key."  Oz turned around eyeing her.  What was she suggesting?  She leaned over and whispered in

his ear, softly.  "You want to go upstairs?"

Oz blushed behind his ears and nodded.  Willow smiled.  Oz was back, and their relationship was back.  They both hurried hand in

hand up to her room.

 

******

Next Morning

June 27, 2001

**No fog clear in the moonlight

The stars shine so bright now's the time

I close my eyes - soft wind touching my face

Cool sand upon the place where I once kissed you

And held you close

Now I will reach for the stars

Because Oh my love, that's where you are**

Willow lay in Oz's arms.  She felt warm, tingly, and completely safe.  Oz was still asleep, but she liked watching him sleep.  Her

eyes caught on a green stone with red flecks tied on a leather cord around his neck.  She hadn't noticed it when they had been

busy...with other things...  She sat up, careful not to wake him.  It looked like a bloodstone.

A voice startled her out of her thoughts.  "It's a bloodstone."

Willow smiled.  "Good morning.  Or is it afternoon?"

Oz pulled her back down with him.  "Afternoon."

"Where did you get it?"  She asked, looking at the green stone.

Oz looked at it as if it reminded him of something sad.  "A woman in Tibet offered to burn an herb for me, and let me keep this stone

as part of it."

"What did you burn an herb for?"  Willow asked curious.

**Though the storms of black night rage on

I still see your face

I still feel your lips on mine

And though my heart feels all alone without you

I still hear you sing to me

I still hear your voice on the sea **

"I burned it for you."  At Willow's look, he clarified.  "It was almost Christmas, and I wanted to come back to you, but I knew I wasn't

ready.  I thought you would be sad, missing me.  And I wanted you to be happy.  So, I burned a cypress herb for you."

Willow nodded.  "What did you use the bloodstone for?"

Oz didn't understand.  "Happiness..."

Willow shook her head.  "Cypress is for happiness, but bloodstone isn't."

"I don't know.  Aradia said..."

"Aradia?"  Oz nodded.  He could see Willow was surprised at something, and thinking.  He grabbed her hand, and she looked him in

the eyes.  "Aradia is...uh...the protectress of Witches.  And...bloodstone it's used a lot to...to renew relationships...help them

flourish.  Aradia...she didn't do anything strange, or..."

"She disappeared."

Willow smiled.  "Wow.  She must've helped me figure out what I really wanted..."  She trailed off, and sat next to him.  "Oz?  I..I

need to tell you something.  Before you left..I was ready to be with you forever.  I loved you.  But, I was unsure and scared that

maybe I was missing something.  That maybe I was supposed to be with someone else.  I didn't want any regrets."  She paused to

see what he was thinking.  She was hurting him.  She knew if she didn't continue, she wouldn't be able to finish.  "Then, Tara came

along, and I felt strongly about her.  As strong as our relationship.  I had to take the chance and see if my relationship with Tara

would work.  I never meant to hurt you, but now...I'm ready for you.  No regrets."

**Though the storms of black night rage on

I still see your face

I still feel your lips on mine

And though my heart feels all alone without you

I still hear you sing to me

I still hear your voice on the sea....**

"Are you sure?"  He asked sadly.

"Yes.  I guess...Aradia helped us out?  We should thank her."

"Later."  Oz grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back down on top of him as Willow laughed.  "We're busy right now."

 

THE END

 

Whatcha think?  Finally, the end?