Willow enters her bedroom solemnly, closing the door behind her and throws her keys on the nightstand as she switches on the lamp. Her heart is heavy as she takes off her jacket and throws it across the room, not caring where it lands. She sits at the end of her bed and allows her body to fall backwards, her head connecting with the soft mattress as her eyes slide closed, the last few hours replaying in her mind. The scene with Oz had not been a pretty one. She had never known she could hurt someone so completely, and her head hurts with guilt and pain, and she feels like the worst person in the world.
And then she feels it.
She opens her eyes and sits up straight again, somehow already knowing that he's there before she sees the shadow outside of the exterior door from her room. He comes into view and her heart stops. She sees him and everything is okay.
She gets to her feet and approaches the door, her eyes never leaving his, as he puts his hand flat against the glass outside door. She mimics his movement, their hands burning at the contact, even though the pane of glass separates them. She moves her hand to unlock the door and stands back when she opens it, their eyes still connected.
Xander walks into her room and the world stands still. She looks at him and she's pale and weary from the lack of sleep he knows she's suffered from, like he has, and he puts his hand to her face, the urge that he's had since the night before when they had parted to touch her smooth alabaster skin suddenly becoming overwhelming at her close proximity, and he feels her hold her breath at his touch. He uses his free hand to run through her silky red tresses and folds her into his arms.
Willow willingly lets him touch her, because she knows that he needs it, and she needs it too. She wraps her arms tight around him and they both know that everything they've been through has been worth it for this. This is what they had been fighting for for so long, even if they hadn't known it at the time. She buries her head in the crook of his neck, the smell of his deodorant and washing detergent on his clothes filling her senses and she feels her eyes fill with tears, because she feels so many things. Relief and joy and a sense of being complete, but no more guilt and pain and sadness. She brings her hands to his face, the day-old stubble there slightly rough to her smooth fingers and palms as she lifts her head to look at him, feeling like he might disappear if she can't see him.
He relishes the feel of her hands on his skin and he closes his eyes, bringing his head down to brush her lips with his own. He feels her lips are cold from being outside, and chapped and rough on his, but he likes it because it's Willow. He draws away from her, his hands holding onto her hips so that she can't leave him. "Hi," he whispers.
"Hi," she whispers back, her hands still on his face, her fingers trailing over his lips. "I'm glad you came," she tells him.
"I had to see you," he says. "I just couldn't stay away."
"I know," she says, her voice still barely above a whisper. "I went to Oz's," she tells him.
"I guessed that's where you'd be," he says. "How did he take it?"
She doesn't have the words for him. She just sadly shakes her head and lets out a small breath.
"It's okay," he tells her, seeing the pain in her eyes at the reminder. "I understand."
"Cordelia?" she asks, already knowing the answer.
He nods at her, that sad half-smile playing on his face as he takes her hands in his.
"Do you…" she begins, uncertain and afraid. "Do you think that we made a mistake?" she asks.
"Yeah," he says. "But I think it's the best mistake we ever made."
She smiles at him as she moves back towards the bed, pulling him ever so gently with her. "Are we being monumentally stupid?" she asks him.
"How can something that feels so right be wrong?" he counters. "I know we've hurt a lot of people to get here, but I can't help but be glad that we did."
She sits on the bed and lays herself down, bringing him with her as she refuses to let go of his hand, and she feels his arms around her. She leans over and switches off the lamp on the nightstand, and she lays her head on his chest.
As they lay together, they feel at peace. They know that things are going to be hard for them, especially with the added bonus of the Hellmouth working against them, but they know where they belong.
With each other.
The End
