Writers Note: This takes place in the third season between 'Homecoming' and 'Lover's Walk'. This is my first BTVS fanfic so be kind. Oh, and the poem that's in this chapter is A Dream Within a Dream by Edgar Allen Poe.
Willow Rosenberg applauded as her boyfriend, Oz Osbourne's, band finished the last song for the night. Willow inhaled the scent of coffee and 17 year-olds' musk with a relieved smile on her face. It had been ages since she'd been able to see 'Dingoes Ate My Baby' play, on account of the piles of homework/helping Buffy slay vamps she'd been doing lately. It'd actually been ages since she's been to the 'Bronze'. She was just happy to be relaxing.
"Hey honey…" Oz said as he reached her table. He reached for her glass of Pepsi and took a long swig. "I didn't expect you to stay through all eight songs."
"Of course I'm going to stay. I haven't seen you play in a while." Oz sat down next to her as he draped his arm around her.
"We don't sound any different."
"Sure you do. You sound better. Not that you didn't sound great in the first place. You just improved the sound of greatness. And you can stop me anytime." Oz smiled as he kissed Willow gently.
"Hey honey, maybe you should head home. It's getting kinda late." Willow shrugged.
"Well, ok. Tomorrow's Monday. Wouldn't wanna be sleepy for school."
"Do you want me to drive you home?"
"Aw, no. I'll be fine." Willow grabbed her bag as she stood up.
"See you tomorrow."
"Ok…" He kissed her once more before she left.
Willow glanced at her watch as she walked home, 1:30 P.M. only 6 more hours till school. Only six hours of sleep. Willow rubbed her forehead. Headache, a side-effect of the sleepiness.
She'd been a little over worked the past couple of weeks. At least she didn't have to work so hard now that Buffy had returned from L.A. There weren't as many blood-sucking fiends walking around Sunnydale now that she was back.
Willow had a strange feeling in her gut. Like some one/something was watching her. Maybe it was just that scone she ate, but had that weird feeling. She quickly pulled a stake from her bag and quickened her pace.
She finally made it home, not a vamp to be seen. Willow sleepily changed into an old T-shirt and hopped into bed.
But she didn't notice the pair of eyes gazing outside her window as she turned off the light.
Ring….Ring….Ring…
"Hello?" Willow answered the phone, freshly awakened.
"Hey Will, it's Xander. Um, are you busy?" Xander Harris asked, a hint of five cups of coffee in his voice
"Well, Xander. It's a Monday, and on Monday's there's usually school and…" Willow paused as she noticed a beautiful piece of stationary resting on top of the covers.
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet, if Hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore, the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream
"Will, are you still there?" Willow was so captivated by the poem, she barely remembered she was still on the phone.
"Oh, um, yeah. What?"
"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to play hooky with me. Since we barely go to any of the classes anyways, why don't you and me go do something. Just you and me…"
"Oh, Xander I…" Ever since their kiss, things have been…weird. Willow had all ways loved Xander. And just when things were going great with Oz, he decided to realize that she exists? She would just tell him to get over it, but she still really liked him. Her feeling for him couldn't easily be forgotten.
"Come on Will. Please? You could come over to my place and we could have a Mel Brooks marathon. You bring the Young Frankenstein and I'll provide Spaceballs."
"Well, ok. I'll be over there in a little while." Willow hung up without saying a goodbye.
She examined the poem. Who could have written it? Oz? Well, he's not exactly a poet. Well, he does write some of the songs for the band…Could it be Xander? Na...
Willow got up from her bed and looked around her room for maybe more evidence.
She didn't see anything unusual, which was unusual. But she'd have to ponder it later, she had to get ready!
"Giles, I'm here and I brought doughnuts!" Buffy Summers called as she walked into the school's library.
Giles poked his head outside his office. "Oh, hello. I told you yesterday that today's your day off. Remember?"
"Oh no, I skipped my first class for nothing?" Giles shrugged. "Oh well. I'll just sit here for a while and watch you work." Buffy said as she sat down at the desk that was covered in a bunch of boring books about demons and what not. The usual.
"Have you seen Willow or Xander? They were supposed to meet me in the front of the building a half n' hour ago."
"No, sorry." Giles called from inside his office where he was organizing his 'private collection'.
"Hmm, I wonder where they could be?"
"That Barf kills me. He is the best thing in Spaceballs." Xander stated as he leaned back on the couch where Willow and him were lounging. They were hanging out in his basement. When Willow and Xander were kids they used to live down there. Good times…
"Hmmm?"
"Willow, distant much? Where's you're mind today?"
Willow shrugged. "Um, the usual place. It never left."
Xander's eyebrow's turned into a 'V' as he sat up, "Willow, I know what's going on inside your head. You're worried about Oz."
Willow looked up, "Hmm? Why would you say that?"
"Well, this isn't exactly like our usual 'hang outs'. I'm kinda considering this to be, I dunno, a date. Is it just me or…"
"I don't know, maybe. I guess this is sorta a date but…" Willow took her eyes off of the TV and looked at him. His eyebrows had developed into a 'W'. Willow smiled, he was just too cute.
He looked at her with a happy/giddy/confused smile on his face, then slowly leaned towards her. She could feel his hands go up her shoulders, through her hair. Her hands moved up his chest and to his neck. Their lips met, and…wow.
Willow felt like she'd just had an electric shock, not in a bad way…a good way. Willow could feel him smile as the kiss grew longer, deeper, harsher.
She could feel his body slowly elevate her till he was lying ontop her. His lips moved away from hers and down her neck. Her fingers caressed his hair as he ran his hands up her waist.
Suddenly an image of Oz flashed through her head.
"Xander?"
"Hmm?" Xander replied as he kissed her again. She slowly pushed back.
"This is wrong."
"What? How can you say this is wrong? It feels so right."
"Haven't you thought about Cordy at all?" Xander looked her in the eye.
"Honestly, no. Not at all. Well, until now…" Xander sat up, and pulled Willow up with him.
"I'm sorry, but I feel so bad. It's just…"
"Oz knows." Willow's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"What!"
"Well, not literally. But he knew that you liked me, and that we've known each other all of our lives. This was bound to happen sometime. And if he finds out, he'll understand." Xander explained, his hand slowly moved up her knee.
"I don't quite get your twisted logic, and I'm pretty sure he won't understand. But…"
Xander smiled as he almost pounced her. This would take a lot of understanding…
"I'm getting worried Giles. I haven't seen them all day." Buffy stated as she butterfly kicked the punching bag Giles was standing behind.
"Well, it's only 12:30. Hmph…" Giles moaned as Buffy continued to beat the heck out of the lifeless piece of rubber.
"It's not like Willow to be late. And when she is late, she usual calls and tells us how sorry she is that she is late. I think I'm gonna call… "
"Has anyone seen Xander?" Cordelia Chase asked as she walked into the library. "I can't find him anywhere. And I'm tired of looking, so I figured that the magnificent Buffy would have a clue."
Buffy took a break from her training and met Cordelia at the desk in the middle of the library.
"Sorry but no. I've been looking for Willow too. Have you seen her?" Cordelia shrugged.
"Why would I know where Willow is? Gosh, I've been hanging out with you guys too much, now you think I like to. I'm just gonna call Xander. He probably just skipped school, or over slept or something." Cordelia reached into her trendy handbag and pulled out her pink cellphone.
"What!" Xander, annoyed with the interruption, answered the phone a little out of breathe.
"Xander? What are you doing? Why didn't you come to school?" Cordy motioned to Buffy that he was home.
"Um, well, I'm kinda busy. And, um, I gotta go." Cordelia heard a 'click'.
"Xander just hung up on me!" Cordelia whined in shock.
"What did he say?" Buffy asked as she helped Giles clean up her training tools.
"Well, he said he was busy. But he sounded kinda out of breath or something. I think I should go check up on him."
"Do you think he's in trouble?" Giles asked.
"I don't know. But how about I go check on him." Cordy shrugged as Buffy started out the door.
"I know what you mean, this does feel so right." Willow said with a smile as she and Xander reclined on his couch bed. Willow's head rested on Xander's chest as he stroked her hair. They were finishing watching 'Young Frankenstein'. But neither of them were really paying attention to the movie.
"Well, I don't know if we can explain this one…" Willow looked at him with a smile, and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
"Xander, you're my…you're my first. Am I yours or have you and Cordy already…."
"No, you're my first. And I wouldn't have it any other way." Willow grinned as she stroked his chest.
"Willow," She looked up at him. "What would be so bad about them knowing. I mean, I think we could make this work…"
Suddenly there was a knock on the door.
"Oh my God!" Willow yelped jumping up from the couch bed. "Who is it?" Xander asked as he started to put his pants back on.
"It's Buffy. What's going on in there?" Willow frantically tried putting her clothes back on, while looking at Xander with questioning eyes.
"Um, I'm…um…working out. Yeah…" Xander motioned for Willow to hide in the small closet, Willow grabbed the ends of the sheet that she was wrapped up in and nearly leaped into it.
Suddenly the door opened.
"You're working out to Mel Brooks?" Buffy asked as she walked into the room.
"Um, sure. Don't you? What do you want?"
"Well, Cordy and I were worried about you and Willow. Do you know where she is?" Xander nervously looked around the room, to make sure there wasn't any evidence.
"Um, not a clue. Have you checked in with Oz?"
"Not really. But…hey. What's this…" Buffy slowly pulled Willow's bra out from under the couch bed's covers.
"Uh…that's Cordy's." Buffy raised an eyebrow.
"Really? I didn't know if you guys had gotten that far yet…"
"Well, now you know. Bye..." Xander started to push her towards the door.
"Wait, would you help me find Willow?"
"Um, well, sure. How about you go look at her house, and I'll go search some other places after I get my shirt on."
Buffy's eyebrow was still raised, but shrugged and started to walk out of the door, "Well, ok. But call me in an hour to report back. Ok?"
"Okie dokie, bye!" Xander finally pushed her out of the door, and locked it.
Willow slowly peeked her head through the closet door. "Whoa, that was close."
Xander collapsed on the bed and heaved a sigh. Willow sat down next to him, and pushed some hair out of her face as reached down to retrieve her bra that was lying on the floor.
"I better go…"
"No! Will, stay with me. We could just show up in an hour and say that you were…at a gay bar or something." Willow raised an eyebrow.
"Like that would ever happen. No, I gotta go."
Xander gave her his puppy-dog eyes as she got off of the bed. "Come on Will? We haven't even finished the movie yet!"
"No, I gotta go. By the way, did you happen to leave…I don't know, a love poem on my bed?" Xander's puppy-dog eyes turned into confused-Xander eyes.
"Um, no. There was a poem on your bed? I only get those little chocolates…"
"Well, I found this morning. I don't think Oz left it. He's not much of a poet. And now that I think about it, neither are you..."
"Well, then who could have left it?" Willow shrugged as she put on her jeans.
"Do you have any clue as to who could have done this? Maybe we should bring this up with the rest of the Scoobies. Maybe you're in danger. Maybe you're…" Willow, with an eye roll, kissed him quickly. They both collapsed on the couch bed, again.
"Xander," Willow said lying ontop of him, "do I smell a hint of jealousy?"
Xander shrugged, running his fingers through her hair. "The only men who can have you is your boyfriend and me. Who does this freak think he is?"
"Well, that's what I'd like to find out."
"I found her." Xander stated as he and Willow walked through the library doors.
"Where was she?" Buffy asked getting up from her desk chair.
"She was at a gay bar." Willow elbowed Xander in the stomach as they approached the library desk.
"So seriously, where were you?" Cordelia asked examining her nails.
"I was, uh…" Willow didn't deal with nervousness very well. There was stuttering and various twitching involved.
"She was…um…walking her dog." Xander said, trying to help.
"Willow, you don't have a dog." Buffy stated, her eyebrow still raised.
"Um, not her dog. Her neighbors dog."
"Yes, I'm thinking of starting a career in dog walking."
"Ok, what's up with you two? Why are you so jumpy?"
Willow looked at Xander, trying to keep her cool. "Nothing…nothing is wrong with us. I just had a lot of coffee."
"Both of us actually. A lot of coffee." Xander said as he put his arm around Willow, which she immediately slapped off.
"O….k."
"So what's with the gloomy demon books? Is it a normal day or are there no monsters to be seen?" Xander asked as he sat down next to Cordy.
"I'm afraid that there is a new vampire in town. And he's not your average one either." Giles replied as came out of his office with his head buried in a book.
"What's his story?" Buffy asked, still a little weirded out by Willow and Xander.
"His name is Lark and he has lived for over 500 years. The odd thing is, he doesn't feed on humans. He only feeds when it is necessary, and he only drinks pig's blood. He claims that he is waiting to drink of his 'soul mate'. He claims he will arrive in the Hellmouth when he has found his soul mate."
"So why has he come up all of a sudden. He doesn't sound that dangerous." Cordelia asked, still examining her nails.
"He is to his 'soul mate'."
"How can he have a soul mate. He doesn't have a soul, does he?" Buffy asked.
"I don't believe so. But he believes he does. Lately I've heard things about a very strange vampire who has recently arrived here. And I wouldn't be surprised to find out that it was him. Just be on the lookout."
"Will do Giles. But I agree with Cordelia. He doesn't sound very dangerous. And how does he decide who's his soul mate anyway?"
"I'm quite certain, but we better do some research."
"But why…"
"Enough with the questions! Just open a book or something…" Giles said a little frustrated as he started to clean his glasses.
"What's with you, Giles? Cranky much?"
"I apologize…" Giles slightly muttered as he walked to his office.
"Hey guys, whats going on?" Oz had just entered the library and went immediately towards Willow.
"Um, hi Oz." Willow stuttered. Xander gave her the, 'be cool' look as Oz bent down and kissed her.
"There's a new sissy vampire in town." Cordelia informed him.
"I don't think he's 'sissy'. He's kinda sweet and sensitive in a disturbing way…" Willow said as Oz rested his hands on her shoulders.
"Say, Willow. Didn't you leave some of those very interesting demonic books at my house. How about you and me go get em?" Xander said with a wink.
"Sure…" Willow nervously got up and started walking towards the doors with Xander.
"Wait, I thought you and I had a date tonight." Cordelia stated.
"Um, tonight's not good for me. I gotta…" Xander's eyes were locked on Willow's. "…study."