For the Love of a Daughter -By izzy-volturi
Summery: Set in season 3 before Lovers Walk, but Willow and Oz are broken up. The school is having a Talent Contest but are a few students short, who will be picked and what is Willow hiding? Read to find out!
Disclaimer: The plot and any names you don't recognise belong to me, the rest belong to Joss Whedon, and the song belongs to Demi Lovato.
Enjoy!
"Hey guys" said an always cheerfull Willow Rosenberg sitting next to her friends in the assembly hall "So any idea what this assembly is about?"
"Not a clue" Replied Xander Harris, willow's best friend since kindergarden "Must be important thought they've never trapped us all in here at once before, maybe we should panick!"
"Relax Xand, it's probably about the talent show, I hope Snider doesn't make us sign up again that was so embarasing!" Complaind Buffy Summers, Willow's other best friend and the vampire slayer. The three and some of their other friends hunt and kill vampires and demons daily, needless to say they were often in danger.
"OR! The teachers are aliens and trapped us in here to probe us or eat us! AND I bet Snider is the leader I mean think about it he's bald, short, ugly and pure EVIL!" stated Xander, always the joker and the crazy one.
"As much as i agree with the parts about snider, I doubt he's an alien Xand!" Buffy told him, you see being the slayer, Buffy was the leader and tried to create a logical reason for things, most of the time there was, but other times she was just chasing the wind.
"Oh yeah? Let's ask Willow!" Xander then turned to his other best friend "Will what do you think?" He asked "Will? Will? Willow? WILLOW ROSENBERG!"
"Huh? what?" Asked Willow turning to them, finally realising they were trying to get her attention
"We just wanted to ask you something" Xander started, then continued when she nodded to go on "Who's right? I say that our dear principle Snider is an Alien, leader of the teachers, who are also aliens, and they put us in here to prob us! Where as Buffy say's he's just bald, ugly, short and pure evil, SO who's right?"
"Buffy" Willow said instantly without missing a beat.
"WHAT! Whhhyyy?" whined Xander
"Because!" She started while Buffy and Xander looked at her expectedly, expecting to get a really smart answer, they were suprised when they got "He doesn't have green skin" Willow then went back to her writing. You see Willow had a secret, one only she, her mum, her dad, her step dad, the Sunnydale police and Buffy's mum, Joyce Summers, knew about. The only reason Joyce knew was because sometimes when she needed to talk about the secret, she compared certain things to demons that they had faced and Joyce was the only one who comfort her in a motherly way and be understanding about the demons. She wasn't ready for her friends to know just yet.
"What you writing there Will?" Buffy asked leaning over to see, Buffy was rather noisy. It was quite annoying.
"Nothing!" Willow answered quickly while snapping the book shut
"AWW! Come on Will, you can trust us! puh-leeeassse!" Xander begged while failing a sad puppy face
Willow then turned to them "It's not that I don't trust you, It's jus-"
"ATTENTION" Came the voice of Principle Snider booming through the old, static sounding speakers. "Every face me, that means you as well Miss. Summers, Mr. Harris!" Buffy and Xander involenterily (sp?) turned to face the front
"later" Buffy wispered to her before fully turning to Snider.
"As you know, the anual 'Talent' Show is coming up in a week, and we are 3 acts short so we have had our computer club create a random name generator to fairly pick the three contestants, also if your name is picked you can have others go in a group with you. Now turn to the screen." Everyone groaned as Snider spoke.
"And the three new contestants are..." Snider began "Jacob Evans" There was a loud groan from the football player in the back. "Taylor Jones" The second smartest girl in the school, muttered angry words as her name was called
"And finally, the final contestant is... Cameron Mullen" Snider annonced "So the other contestants are.."
"Sarah Aims
Kaylee Valentine
Jazmine June
Nathan Grey
Coral Wells
Jackson Evans
Ryan Holmes
Holly Rogers
The Hip-Hop boy's
Girls in Red
Missy Davis
Tru Mary
Pheobe Mathews
Noah Parks
Boys 'R' Boys
The Stole Brothers
And Finally
Willow Rosenburg" He annonced "Dismissed" while everyone else poured out the hall, Buffy and Xander turned to Willow shocked.
"Uhhhh, Suprise?" She asked weakly
TIME SKIP:
After school - Libary
Buffy, Xander, Cordelia (Xander's girlfriend) and Oz (Willow's ex boyfriend, but still friend) stood around Willow, who was sat on a chair in the middle of the room
"Is all of this really necisary?" Asked Rupert Giles the slayers watcher and groups father figure "I'm sure Willow feels uncomfortable" Willow nodded at that
"Yes Mr. British Man, this is what she gets for keeping" Xander began than swung round quickly so he was directly in front of her face "SECRETS!"
"Okay, Xander that's a little overboard, don't cha think?" Asked Oz Willow's ex boyfriend, and werewolf, and the cool, calm one.
"Yeah Xander, go easy on her!" Cordelia, Xanders girlfriend and resident B-I-T-C-H, said
"But she didn't tell us!" Xand whined pouting
"Well remember when we started dating, we waited to tell everyone cause' we knew they wouldn't accept us, how would you have felt if they did this to us huh?" Said Cordelia, everyone was shocked at 'Queen C' but Willow just smiled at her and she smiled back and Xander stood up and steped back.
"You're right Cordy, sorry Will" Xander said with a shy smile
"It's okay" Willow said standing up, walking to the table, sitting down, grabbed her note book and writing in silence
Buffy was the first one to break the silence "So will what act will you be doing Will?" She asked sitting acroos from the red head.
"Singing and a short monologue" She answered without looking up
"Cool" Said Oz "What about the music for the song have you got a CD or something" he asked, curiously.
"No umm, it's mostly piano which I'll be doing, but uhh" Willow stopped writing and look up hopefully "Would the 'Dingos' mind doing the rest later in the song?"
"Yeah sure, no problem" Oz replied and looked over the music sheets she had given him and noticed there were no lyrics
Willow noticed the look on his face and told him "Oh don't worry about the lyrics, I want them to be a suprise" At that moment Snider walked in.
"Well well well, you're all still here, how suspicious" He said looking over them all with beady eyes.
"They're just helping me prepare for the talent show" Willow lied smoothly "In fact Oz's band 'Dingo's ate my baby' are doing the music for me"
"School spirit, that's what I like to see. Speaking of school spirit, Mr. Giles" Snider said turning to Giles "You will be the anouncer for the show." He then left without another word.
"Oh bloody hell!" Giles said while sitting down and cleaning his glasses.
"Relax Giles, atleast your not running it this time just saying who's turn it is a who wins" Buffy said trying to help
"I know, well it's late you should head home." Giles told them noticing it was 11pm
"Okay, well I'll do a quick patroll anyone wanna come along?" Buffy asked, every one said 'yes' excep Willow who said
"Can't, my mum and Ira are in town tonight, for 2 weeks and they will get home in half an hour" Willow explaind to her friends.
"Are they coming to the show?" Asked Cordy, and Willow nodded while collecting her stuff, you see, she told har friends long ago that Ira Rosenburg was her step dad not her real dad. But she didn't tell them that her real dad's name was Jared Fowler, the man arrested five years ago for child abuse, rape and attempted murder on his only daughter. She was 13 then but he's been abusing her since she was 4. He first left when she 5, then came back when she was 9 claiming to have changed, he hadn't though, he then left again when she was 10 and came back when she was 13. That night he was arrested after beating her, raping her and leaving her for dead.
"Right I best be off then, see you tomorrow" Willow said, with a fake chearful smile. Inside she was almost
"See ya" They all said waving goodbye. Well Giles didn't say 'See ya' he said a nice polite 'Goodbye'
TIME SKIP
11:30PM - Roseberg home
"Willow? sweetie were home!" Called Sheila Rosenberg, searching for her daughter.
"Mum?" Willow asked walking into the room "MUM!" She said excitedly giving her mother a hug. Her parents may be away alot but when they came she loved it, they have fun, most of the time.
"Hey honey, how have you been?" Sheila asked her daughter while returning the hug which Ira also joined.
"Good, I've missed you both so much, but other than that, I'm good. How about you, are you ok? I hope you are, I don't want you sad, you're not sad are you?" Willow babbled on.
"Ahh the mighty Willow babble, I've mised it" Said Ira pulling back from the hug smiling down at the girl he thought of as his own. "But before we get on with the movies, games etc. We have something to tell you and you might wanna sit down for this.
"What's wrong?" Willow asked while sitting down, suddenly concerned "Are either of you ill?"
"No were fine, It's about your father" Willow's eye widened as Sheila said this, No, please no "He's being let out for paroll" NO! Willow thought as the memory of the last time she saw her father filled her head
Flashback
Willow was home alone as her mum was on a date with her boyfriend Ira, he was nice and he love her and Willow. So she was fine with the fact that he was going to propose to Sheila tonight, she just hoped he mum would say yes, she deserved to be happy. Normally in this case, when her mother was out, her best friend Xander would sleep over, but he was grounded, so she was alone.
There was a knock on the door, I wonder who it could be ,she thought walking to the door. Her mum shouldn't be home for another hour or so. As she opened the door, she was shocked who she saw, Jared Fowler. Her poor excuse for a father, drunk out of his mind.
"Willow, let me in! " He slured demandingly
"No way" She said began to close the door but Jared slamed the door to the wall traping her hand and breaking 3 of her fingers.
"I said 'Let me in' BITCH!" He screamed drunkenly, pushing her to the floor, walking in, and slaming the door behind him. He grabbed her by her hair picking her up only to slam her into the wall.
Willow supressed a cry of pain, knowing if she let it out he would only hurt her more.
"Don't you know to respect your parents, huh?" He asked punching her square in the jaw, sending to the hard wood floor "GET UP" He screamed while pulling her up with her broken hand. It took evevything Willow had not to scream.
Jared pulled her into the kitchen and threw her into the table while grabbing a butchers knife out of the draw and walked over to her and shoving her roughly to floor. Willow's eyes widened in fear when she saw the knife and even more when he pulled down both of their trousers.
"NEXT TIME I TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, FUCKING DO IT!" He screamed into her ear. Suddenly Willow felt a sharp pain just bellow her rib cage and in her vagina, with each thrust Jared twisted the knife deaper into Willow. Sudenly, after what felt like forever, the knife was ripped out of Willow roughly as Jared stood up.
Willow couldn't hold it in anymore and she let out a loud cry of pain and instantly, the knife was sliced across her cheek.
"SHUT UP YOU WORTHLESS BITCH! YOUR MOTHER AND I SHOULD HAVE HAD AN ABORTION, IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU WE WOULD STILL BE TOGETHER YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!" He screamed at her while pulling his trousers up, he dropped the knife next to the sobbing red head lying on the floor, so close to death. Jared just left out the back door, not caring at all.
Willow's vision blurred and she could barely breath, 10 minutes later, She faintly heard the front door open, and her mum and Ira excitedly call out her name, excitment soon turned to worry, and when her mother found her, She screamed and Ira called an ambulance.
"Willow, Willow, sweetie come on, come on, Willow, Willow, Sweetie?" Her mothers tear-filled voice echoed in her ears as her mother repeated thoes words over and over all the way to the hospital.
The doctors said it was a miracle she was alive, and that after 2 months she was walking around fine. When Xander asked her what happened. She just told him, she had a bad flu, and because she was feeling dizzy she fell down the stairs. He didn't believe of course, she knew that, but he let it go.
End Flashback
"NO!" Willow cried "No, th-they can't let him out, n-not now, not so soon! w-w-why, h-how?" She stuttered before bursting into tears and running upstairs
Willow grabbed the phone and sat on her bed and dialed the number she knew off by heart
"Hello?" Asked the voice on the other line
"J-Joyce? I-it's Wil-low" She choked out through tears and sobs
"Willow? What's wrong honey?" Joyce asked in a comforting motherly voice
"My m-m-mum j-just told m-me th-that J-Ja-Jared is being l-let ou-out f-f-for p-p-parol" Willow sobbed out stuttering all the way.
"What, why?" Joyce asked motherly voice, but Willow knew she was very angry a bout this.
"I-I dont kn-kn-know" Willow said as more tear raced down her face, now as red as her hair from crying
"I have an idea how you can tell him how you feel without directly facing him" Joyce said and Willow knew she had a thoughtful look on her face
"How?" Willow asked eagerly
"Have you finished that song yet?"
Time Skip
1 week later, night of talent show - 1 hour before show - School Libary
"Good luck tonight Will, you'll do great!" Buffy said giving Willow a hug
"Yeah, break a leg!" Said Cordy smiling
"CORDYYYY!" whined Xander "I thought you were gonna be nice to my friends!"
"What? I am!" Cordy said defencively
"By telling her to 'break her leg' how is that ni-" Xand began to rant before being cut off by willow
"Xander, 'Break a leg' means 'Good luck' in show buisness!" She explained while giggling
"OHHH! Sorry sweetie" He said with an apologetic smile to Cordelia
"Uh hu" Was all she said, then Willow broke the short silence
"Welllll guys, I have something to tell you" Willow took a deep breath "About my father" Suddenly all eyes were on her "His name" Breath "Is" Breath "Jared Fowler" Cue gasps, all of their mouths fell open "I haven't seen him in 5 years, but he will be here tonight front row, next to Mum, who's next to Ira, who's next to you guys. The song is about him, the monolouge is not, I have to get changed, SEE YA!" She said while grabbing her back and running out of libary
Time Skip
3 hours later
"And that was Cameron Mullen, freestyle rapping, how... intresting" Giles said "And Now last but certainly not least, Willow Rosenburg featuring. Dingo's ate my Baby" Giles walk off the stage as the lights dimmed
Willow and the Dingo's walk on the stage, Willow was wearing a black stapless dess and black heals. Willow sat down at her piano, and put he fingers in place, she took a deep breath a began to play.
"Four years old with my back to the door
All I could hear was the family war
Your selfish hands always expecting more
Am I your child or just a charity ward" When the Scooby's heard this they glared at Jared for putting Willow through all that
"You have a hollowed out heart
But it's heavy in your ches
tI try so hard to fight it
But it's hopeless
Hopeless
You're hopeless
Oh father
Please father
I'd love to leave you alone
But I can't let you go
Oh father
Please father
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter" Jareds eye's filled with tears as he heard this, He often wished he never picked up the bottle in the first place.
"Oh It's been five years
Since we've spoken last
And you can't take back
What we never had
Oh, I can be manipulated
Only so many times
Before even I love you
Starts to sound like a lie"Long ago Jared realised what a terible man he was, Now he will devote his life to be there for Willow.
"You have a hollowed out heart
But it's heavy in your chest
I try so hard to fight it
But it's hopeless
Hopeless
You're hopeless" From that moment Jared vowed to get cleaned up and eventually, even if it takes forever, earn atleast a dot of trust from the girl he neglected and abused
"Oh father
Please father
I'd love to leave you alone
But I can't let you go
Oh father
Please father
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter
Don't you remember
I'm your baby girl
How could you push me out of your world
Lie to your flesh and your blood
Put your hands on the ones that you swore you loved
Don't you rememberI'm your baby girl
How could you throw me right out of your world
So young when the pain had begun
Now forever afraid of being loved"The Scooby's realised that this must be why she broke up with Oz, and knew Oz realised it as well and was determined to get her back. They could see that on the guitarists face on the stage, as he looked at the singing redhead with so much sadness, longing and most importantly Love.
"Oh father
Please father
I'd love to leave you alone
But I can't let you go
Oh father
Please father
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter
For the love of a daughter" The crowd burst into cheers and applause the second the music stopped.
Willow stood, tears rolling down her face, but she ignored them, instead walked to the front of the stage and began the monolouge.
"I am the girl that doesn't go to school dances, or games, and when I do go, I sit in a corner and read a book. I am the girl that people look through when I say something. I am the girl that spends most of her free time reading, writing, or doing other activities that most teenagers wouldn't call normal." The Scooby's and Joyce chuckled at that, what the did DEFENATELY wasn't normal.
"I am the girl that people call weird and a freak either behind my back or to my face. I am the girl that doesn't spend all her time on MySpace, or talking to a girlfriend on a cell phone or regular phone. I am the girl that hasn't been asked out in a year. I am the girl that has stopped to smell the flowers and jump and splash in the rain. BUT I am also the girl who knows and is proud to be who she is, doesn't care if people call her weird ,it's a compliment, who loves reading and writing and doing the things that no one seems to have the time to do any more, who loves and is obsessed with Twilight and Gone with the Wind, who can express herself better with words than actions, who doesn't need a guy to complete her, and knows the importance of the little things. Under your seat you will find a copy of this. Spred this message on, and add your name to the list, if you are anything like me, so the girls who are different and unique can know in their weakest time that they are unique but not alone. Thank you" Willow smiled as she saw lots of girls add their names to list, under the neatly printed: Willow Rosenberg.
Giles walked on stage with the other contestants and a card in hand. "The Judges have decided, The winner of this years annual Sunnydale High Talent Contest is... Willow Rosenburg featuring. Dingo's ate my Baby!" Giles announced. The crowd cheered and Willow screamed while throwing her arms around Oz's neck in a hug. Then let go when Giles brought over her trophy, with a smile on her face and a trophy in hand she waved goodbye to the crowd and walked off the stage happily.
"Thanks guys, SO much!" Willow thanked the dingos, the smile never leaving her face
"It's no problem, hey maybe you can sing with us again sometime" Offered Kyle, the drummer. Willow pretended to think about the offer
"Hmmm, sure. You know if I'm not busy planning my world tour" Willow joked, and she and the dingo's laughed.
"Cool. See you at rehersals tomorrow, Oz" Kyle said while walking out with the other Dingo's. It's time Oz decided I need to tell her I still love her
"Yeah, see ya then" Oz said then turned to Willow "Look, I need to tell yous som-" He was cut off by her lips on his, oh how he had missed this.
Willow pulled back blushing "Sorry, I shouldn't have don-" Now it was his turn to cut her off, he leaned in and kissed her passionatly. He wrapped his hands around her waist and she wraped hers around his neck. They were so caught up in the kiss that they didn't notice, the Scooby's, the Rosenberg's, Joyce and Jared walk in, well, atleast not until Xander fake coughed causing the couple to jump apart.
"Oh uhhh, Hi Mummy?" Willow said/asked nevously
"We'll descus this later, but for now congradulations sweetie." Sheila said with a smile.
"Thanks mum" Willow said happily, holding the trophy proudly in her hand.
"Willow" said Jared and she turned to him "I can't blame you for hating me, and I know you could never forgive me, and probably never trust me, at all. But trust that I am going to try to get better, and I'm taking this paroll as a chance to go to rehab, and get better. Hopefully, I'll see you around. Goodbye Willow." He said and turned and began to walk out.
"Goodbye dad" She said softly, but loud enough for him to hear. He stop for a second turned at her and gave her a smile, which she returned, before walking out again. Willow smile and snuggled into Oz, Maybe everything will be alright after all, Willow thought to her self.