Part 4…Oz's Send-off
Daniel Osborne, Oz to his friends, stepped up to the podium next. After a moment of saying nothing, he began to speak.
"I'm not good at speaking. I'm a man of very few words," Oz began.
A few of the Scoobies cracked a smile. They knew Oz never said much. Usually when he did…it was important.
"I knew Xander from around school, but I never really got to know him until I started dating Willow. Most guys I understood, but Xander was different. He always kept you guessing. He was…cool."
Oz cast a look towards Willow.
"There was a time during our senior year that I hated Xander. After I caught him kissing Willow, I was upset with him. Then a few days before Christmas, we had a talk… I was setting up for a gig with Devon at the Bronze..."
****Flashback****
The Bronze
December 19, 1998
"So have you talked to Rosenberg yet," Devon asked.
"Not really," Oz said as he was hooking up an amp.
"I don't know why you're moping Oz-man…you could have any chick you want," Devon said.
"But Will was different."
"Oz," Xander said from behind him. "Can we talk?"
Oz turned and nodded. He and Xander went to the back of the club. Xander sat on the couch, while Oz sat in the chair next to it.
"What's up," Oz said in his monosyllabic way.
"A lot of things actually. Firstly…and I know I've said this a thousand times. I'm sorry for what I did. It was stupid and mistake."
"I know."
"Will's hurting. A lot. She wants to make this up to you."
"I know she does. Just need time."
"Time is good. Great even…but I know she loves you. Could you at least try and talk to her?"
"Why'd you do it," Oz asked simply.
"Honestly?"
Oz nodded.
"It was a lot of small things. Mostly our unresolved feelings for each other. Will use to have this big crush on me…while I didn't feel the same way, eventually she moved on to you. When I saw her in that Homecoming dress…I guess I finally saw Will as a girl and not my best friend since grade school. But it was no excuse. I feel terrible about what we did. If I could take it back I would."
"But you can't," Oz said.
"I know," Xander said softly. "Look, I know its gonna be hard for you to forgive Willow, but look at Cordy…she won't even talk to me. I know we're never going to get back together. But you and Willow can work through this."
"I don't know if I can."
"I know, just try and make it work again. She loves you…and you love her. I know you do. I just thought…I could make things better for her as a Christmas gift."
"Hannakah," Oz corrected.
"Yeah…I didn't get to do my Snoopy Dance this year with Will around. Dawn got to see it. I've never seen her laugh that much."
"I'll talk to Will at school tomorrow…see if we can TRY to work it out."
"It's all I ask," Xander said.
Xander stood and began to walk away.
"But things won't be good between us for awhile…I thought of you as my friend…and you hurt me by kissing my girlfriend."
"Thought of you as a friend too…I'll make it up to you some day."
"Maybe," Oz said.
With that, Xander left the Bronze.
****END Flashback****
"I managed to talk to Will and we worked things out. Because of him…because of Xander, Willow and I were able to work things out. Even though I'm never around anymore, I'll miss him. He was one of the best guy friends I've had."
Oz took a guitar pick out of his pocket and placed it in the casket.
"Stay cool Xand," Oz said. "Save a place for us up there."
Oz moved down and took his place in the row behind Cordelia and Wesley. As he sat, Wes made his way towards the front.
End Part 4
Daniel Osborne, Oz to his friends, stepped up to the podium next. After a moment of saying nothing, he began to speak.
"I'm not good at speaking. I'm a man of very few words," Oz began.
A few of the Scoobies cracked a smile. They knew Oz never said much. Usually when he did…it was important.
"I knew Xander from around school, but I never really got to know him until I started dating Willow. Most guys I understood, but Xander was different. He always kept you guessing. He was…cool."
Oz cast a look towards Willow.
"There was a time during our senior year that I hated Xander. After I caught him kissing Willow, I was upset with him. Then a few days before Christmas, we had a talk… I was setting up for a gig with Devon at the Bronze..."
****Flashback****
The Bronze
December 19, 1998
"So have you talked to Rosenberg yet," Devon asked.
"Not really," Oz said as he was hooking up an amp.
"I don't know why you're moping Oz-man…you could have any chick you want," Devon said.
"But Will was different."
"Oz," Xander said from behind him. "Can we talk?"
Oz turned and nodded. He and Xander went to the back of the club. Xander sat on the couch, while Oz sat in the chair next to it.
"What's up," Oz said in his monosyllabic way.
"A lot of things actually. Firstly…and I know I've said this a thousand times. I'm sorry for what I did. It was stupid and mistake."
"I know."
"Will's hurting. A lot. She wants to make this up to you."
"I know she does. Just need time."
"Time is good. Great even…but I know she loves you. Could you at least try and talk to her?"
"Why'd you do it," Oz asked simply.
"Honestly?"
Oz nodded.
"It was a lot of small things. Mostly our unresolved feelings for each other. Will use to have this big crush on me…while I didn't feel the same way, eventually she moved on to you. When I saw her in that Homecoming dress…I guess I finally saw Will as a girl and not my best friend since grade school. But it was no excuse. I feel terrible about what we did. If I could take it back I would."
"But you can't," Oz said.
"I know," Xander said softly. "Look, I know its gonna be hard for you to forgive Willow, but look at Cordy…she won't even talk to me. I know we're never going to get back together. But you and Willow can work through this."
"I don't know if I can."
"I know, just try and make it work again. She loves you…and you love her. I know you do. I just thought…I could make things better for her as a Christmas gift."
"Hannakah," Oz corrected.
"Yeah…I didn't get to do my Snoopy Dance this year with Will around. Dawn got to see it. I've never seen her laugh that much."
"I'll talk to Will at school tomorrow…see if we can TRY to work it out."
"It's all I ask," Xander said.
Xander stood and began to walk away.
"But things won't be good between us for awhile…I thought of you as my friend…and you hurt me by kissing my girlfriend."
"Thought of you as a friend too…I'll make it up to you some day."
"Maybe," Oz said.
With that, Xander left the Bronze.
****END Flashback****
"I managed to talk to Will and we worked things out. Because of him…because of Xander, Willow and I were able to work things out. Even though I'm never around anymore, I'll miss him. He was one of the best guy friends I've had."
Oz took a guitar pick out of his pocket and placed it in the casket.
"Stay cool Xand," Oz said. "Save a place for us up there."
Oz moved down and took his place in the row behind Cordelia and Wesley. As he sat, Wes made his way towards the front.
End Part 4