The Future

Part Seven: Weeping Willow, Stodgy Old Man, and Ramblings of the Handy Man.

Posted: April 12, 2004

Author's notes: Well, nobody seems to be reading these, but it's better to get it over with. Here are the last short stories to this. If anybody wants me to continue, I will try, but I see no interest, so I have lost my muse for this one. She refuses to write. Sorry.

I'm writing this story, because I'm afraid people will freak about what I did in the short story, The Wedding, and I just feel like I need to clean it up.

Not that anybody is reviewing. Or reading. I have no idea if anybody even cares, but oh well. I'm not doing this for you guys, but for me. This is an outlet.

DON'T TOUCH!

You'll get electrocuted! I told you it was an outlet!

This is actually a few smaller stories rolled into one. Enjoy. Please read and review!

Weeping Willow

She sat at her computer table, where she did her best work, and thought. Her emotions were so jumbled, and she really needed to sort them out, or else she'd be of no use to anyone. Besides that her powers seemed to be tied to her emotions, and if she couldn't understand them, then who knew what manifestation could occur.

Part of her was ecstatic for her best friend. She had just read an email from Buffy; she was still in Ireland, out in the country somewhere, but that was what remote access was for. She sounded really happy, and there were no explicit details about what she had been up to, But she was an adult and could figure it out. Out in the middle of nowhere, with your soul mate. She could think of things she'd want to do, and they didn't have anything to do with a chess board.

Another part of her was blue, and not just for one reason, really. Sometime over the years, her feelings had deepened for her best friend. She was still a best friend first and foremost, though, and she knew that nothing could ever come of her feelings, so they would just be that: empty feelings. But she was still blue.

Another major reason was her long time, off and on relationship with Kennedy. She enjoyed being with her, the younger slayer was a party animal, and spunky, but she was moving, and there was no way she could go with her. Besides that she still longed for Tara. The feelings between her and Kennedy just weren't the same as those between her and Tara. She wondered if she'd ever feel that way again.

But Tara hadn't been her first lover, and these thoughts just led to a dead end and confusion. Daniel Ozborne, Oz. He had been her first boyfriend, and she still cared deeply for him. They had been through a lot together, including that dark time with Angelus. Could things have been different, if she had ignored her feelings for Tara, and gotten back together with Oz?

But what about the others? Oz had been the first to return her feelings, but he wasn't her first crush. What about Xander, her best friend and secret crush since . . . . . .5th grade? Before that? They had shared a brief . . . . .fling, but Xander had lost Cordy, and she almost lost Oz, and he had been the most important person to her, at that point in time. But occasionally, her best friend would say or do something, like the Snoopy Dance, and she'd feel that twinge of crush.

How could a girl feel good about herself, when she didn't even know her sexuality anymore?!

But other than that, things were good. Faith was a great teacher, in that she had been a rebel, and she was still unpredictable, so the class was forced to keep their attention of her, to watch out for themselves.

Wesley had taken over Angel's class as well, just for the meantime, and it was shocking seeing him again after so long. He was so much more assured in his work than he had been, and he looked completely different. To his spindly-ness in Sunnydale, he was ruggedly handsome and he had matured in other ways as well. He was forever British, though.

Cordy, Fred, Gunn, and Lorne had gone back to L.A right after the wedding, complaining that an evil law firm had to be watched at all times, and the employees had no time what so ever to take off, even if it was the owner's wedding, and he was getting married to his true love.

It had been great seeing Cordelia again. She had also changed. Gone was the bitchy cheerleader from high school, and to stay was a mature, self assured woman. She had seemed sad, though, at the wedding. But it had never really been Willow's place to ask, and all in all, she was happy to see the former Queen of Sunnydale go.

But where did that leave her?

She sighed, putting her head onto her arms on the desk. Sorting through her emotions was so hard!

Stodgy Old Men

Giles finished tidying his desk, and sat back. It had been three weeks since his slayer had gotten married.

He was ecstatic for her, after the life she had been forced to live.

In the beginning, he had found her tiresome and annoying. But as time went by, she gave and gave, and gave some more. She ended up giving everything to her duty, including her life, and way more than he had originally thought possible for a teenaged girl such as her.

But dying that second time, and coming back as she had, and still accepting her duty to fight? That had been the most courageous thing he had ever seen. Sure, she had made mistakes, they all did. That girl deserved every good thing sent her way.

They all did, really. Buffy, Willow, Xander, even Angel. Giles had had his problem with the ex-vampire in the past, and he had never totally trust him. But he had made his own sacrifices. And he made her happy. Giles had seen her with plenty of guys, and he was the only one that could have that impression on her. When he was around, she lit up, rather like a Christmas tree. No matter what was going on, she was happier with him around.

He was most impressed with Willow and Xander. They had grown up so much in the years he had known them. They had matured so much. Each had also made their sacrifices to the cause; Willow, her lover, Xander his eye, as well as his lover. And both had made the ultimate sacrifices, their childhood.

Buffy had done the same, but she had had no choice in the matter.

As he looked around, he couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't noticed it sooner: they were all growing up. Even Dawn, the pain in the butt she had been as a child. She was in college, and she seemed to have a pretty steady boyfriend, if things he had heard were true. She went to school all year, and then when she got here, what did she do? She dove right in and helped. Willow needed an extra pair of hands, she was there. He needed someone he trusted to get a very obscure reference, she was there. Faith needed a sparring partner, she was there. She was just as remarkable as her older sister.

Faith. That was a big topic. He was so proud of that girl. She had begun taking night classes at the pre-release center, and had graduated from high school in November. That girl was really smart, she just needed the discipline and the push in the right direction. And not only had she been doing exceptional in her studies, she was allowed to teach a self defense course at a local health club. And her relationship with Robin was just what she needed, someone solid and steady, who would bend, but never break.

He was saddened to see Willow and Kennedy parting ways, the young slayer gave the witch so much confidence in herself. But he had known it couldn't last forever. Kennedy didn't like to sit still, and Willow tended to be grounded, and mellow. She certainly had the temper that went with her hair, but she rarely had the excuse to use it, and was a sweet girl. Woman. She had certainly matured, even more than she had been in high school, if at all possible. And her powers were always growing.

Occasionally he would hear her, up late, doing a spell, what some might call dabbling, but he knew that she was just trying to find her limit. Having no magic of his own, she has surpassed him long ago, and he could not help her, but he wished he could. He certainly trusted her enough to know that she was always careful.

There was a knock on his door, and he was shaken out of his reverie. He sat up straight, as a proper British man and a principal should, and called admittance. Back to work, and the real world.

Ramblings of the Handyman

Xander sat alone in his room, with a stray beer on the table, in close reach. The wedding had gotten him down. He knew his failures, as a friend, a lover, and a man, but he didn't like to be reminded of them. And his wedding was a big reminder of all three.

He had thought, over the years, that he had gotten over her. He hadn't started dating yet, but it took time. But now . . . . .Buffy was off and married, and happy. That was what should really matter, not his own self wallowing. If either of his two best friends could see him now, they wouldn't recognize their laugh in the face of danger friend.

He couldn't help but wonder where he had gone wrong? He knew he had loved her. Why were things not meant to be between them? Why had she died? Why did she have to decide to become danger gal and sacrifice herself for Andrew?

God, he missed her so much!

Sometimes, he didn't know how he got through the day. He hadn't thought about her in awhile, and that made him feel guilty. She had been willing to marry him, with all his faults, and here he was forgetting her? How dare he?!

He sighed, and took a sip of his beer. He was in for some serious thinking tonight, and then a serious hangover tomorrow...