author: Lucinda

content may be similar to the series, with violence involving humans and nonhumans, moderate sexuality, and alcohol, though it probably won't be as serious.

pairing: Willow/Doyle

fourth in 'Lucky Charm'

disclaimer: I own nobody from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel the Series.

distribution: WLS, NHA, Bite Me please, Wic, anyone else just ask.

note: AU. Hero never happened. Cordelia hooked up with Wesley, and Doyle's crush on her faded.

Willow glared at the calendar. She would have to go back to Sunnydale, and she didn't really want to. She'd rather stay here, in Los Angeles. There weren't the bad memories of her hopeless crushes, or the breakups with Oz and Tara. The people here didn't give her funny looks, like they expected her to burst into tears or fall apart. And Doyle was here.

But she still had to finish the quarter back at UC Sunnydale. If she wanted to transfer to UCLA, it wouldn't do to just drop in the middle of a quarter. She would need to do everything just right. She'd gone to the campus and picked up some papers earlier in the week, and they'd been filled out as much as she could.

"You look a bit unhappy. What did the calendar do?"

"It says I have to go back to Sunnydale." Willow replied, smiling sadly at Doyle. "I really don't want to, but I have to."

"It's not like you'll be gone forever, is it?" He asked, moving to stand beside her. One hand rubbed on her back. "You can still call, maybe visit, right?"

"I suppose so." Willow looked at him. "I think… You seem like a very likable guy."

He smiled, and clutched his hand to his chest. "I knew it! She loves me."

"No I don't." Willow giggled, amused by his antics. "At least, not right now. I think… Maybe I could, in time. I want to have that time to find out."

"That sounds good to me. But how does wanting to find out mean that you have to go away?" He settled on a chair.

"Because if I want to transfer to UCLA, then I have to do things right, which includes finishing the quarter at Sunnydale. The rest of my things are there. I'd need to give my friends a real goodbye." Willow sighed, and glared at the calendar. "I just wish things wouldn't take quite so long."

"I guess if you want things done right, it takes time." He shrugged, and reached out to touch her hand. "But that doesn't make it much easier."

"Maybe I'm just worried about what might go wrong. Every time it looks like things are going to be good for me, something happens to ruin it." Willow murmured.

"Hey now, don't focus so much on the bad parts." Doyle admonished, waving one finger at her. "Besides, we've got a pack of witches that we saved, and they promised to send some good luck our way. I can't see how it would be anything but good luck to have you join us here, so we're all set. They promised good luck, so good luck we will have."

Willow giggled, and moved to give him a quick hug. "Thanks for the encouragement."

"Anytime, sweetling," he replied.

As Willow went upstairs to pack her things for the return trip, she realized that she didn't feel quite so bad. Another month wouldn't be forever. They could still call, and send emails, and visit, demonic and hellmouthy problems permitting. She could do this after all.

"It's time that I stop being afraid of the future." She whispered, and smiled. "Besides, it's not like I'm going to be facing things alone."

Downstairs, Angel walked into the room where Doyle was staring at the calendar. "From that look, I assume Willow has to go back to Sunnydale?"

"That she does," Doyle agreed. "I understand why she's got to go back, but I'm not liking it."

"Willow took the bus to get here." Angel commented, leaning against the wall. "Maybe someone should drive her back to Sunnydale, to make certain she gets there safely."

"Hmmm…. Did you have someone in mind?" Doyle asked.

"Well, I can't, on account of a slight problem with sunlight. Cordelia has an audition tomorrow. That leaves you." Angel smiled, looking far more cheerful than usual. "I think we could all benefit from her moving here."

"So, you're not telling me to leave the poor girl free to find someone her own age?" Doyle queried.

"What I want is for her to be happy, to find someone who won't panic at some of the more colorful things in her life and her past. I think you might be good for her." Angel looked at Doyle before continuing. "And you're smart enough to know better than to cheat on her."

"There was an 'or else' at the end of that, wasn't there?" Doyle swallowed hard.

Angel just leaned against the wall, one corner of his mouth lifting up in an almost smile. "As I said, you're a smart man, Doyle. There didn't need to be one there. But if it ever became necessary… I don't want to see her get hurt. Ever."

"So, because we don't want her to get hurt, you want me to drive her back to the Hellmouth." Doyle shook his head. "Something about that sounds a bit backwards."

For a moment, the room was silent as the two men considered that statement. There was far too much truth in it for either of them to feel quite comfortable.

Then Willow came back down the stairs, shaking her head. "Cordelia and her shopping marathons. There's no way that I can get all of that to fit into any luggage to let me take it back to Sunnydale with me. For that matter, does the bus go there today?"

"No. It looks like someone needs to drive you back, and I'd be delighted to be that someone." Doyle replied, smiling once again.

Willow grinned back. "Thanks. I guess I get to see you for a while longer after all."

"I'm not that easy to get rid of," he teased. "I'll be staying in your life for a while. Hopefully a long while."

"Maybe that's just what I need?" Willow whispered, her hand sliding into his.

End Lucky Charms 4: Not the End of Luck.