Here's this chapter. Sorry about the wait.

Definitely Unexpected

The first time that Willow acknowledged what had happened was when she watched Buffy walk upstairs slowly. As she stared at her, four words moved quickly into her mind and settled there like an anchor; I can't do this.

It was simple, but after everything that had happened, how difficult her life had suddenly become, she was glad that it was. There was no regret within her; not one thought about how she'd take it back had crossed her mind and she realized that there was a reason for that. Buffy needed to know that she wouldn't take back her actions. There was no reason to but she'd trade the world just for her friend to look at her again. The way she used to. Before her words had been silenced with a kiss and before the world had become so confusing.

"Buffy," she said quietly, surprised that she was able to make her voice sound so stable. "Could we, um…talk?"

Buffy stopped in her tracks, not looking down at Willow. "Uh, sure. My room?" Willow nodded and began up the stairs after her.

It would have to be in her room, Buffy decided. She knew what was coming; rejection. Willow would sit her down and apologize, telling her that she regretted what had happened. She would say that she hoped to forget it and move on. Then she would leave and Buffy would be torn. She wouldn't be able to go through that while sitting on the bed where…where it had begun.

The silence surrounded them as they sat down on Buffy's bed. Willow's pajama pants crinkled as they slid across the bedspread and the sound of it was maddening. The silence didn't last long, but it seemed to be forever. Willow opened her mouth to speak slowly, and it took so long for the words to come out that Buffy recalled how to pray for something she really wanted.

"Listen, Buffy—" Or didn't want. "—about last night—"

Buffy shook her head, cutting Willow off. "You don't have to say it, Will. I get it."

"You do?"

"Let's just forget it and move on. Act like nothing's wrong. That's what you want, isn't it?" she asked, almost accusingly.

Willow was silent for a few moments, a million thoughts coursing through her mind as she stared at Buffy, trying desperately to find her voice. "Buffy, that's not what…" She trailed off and looked down. "It's not that I…L-last night was…" She stopped again, sighing in frustration and closing her eyes for a few moments. "I don't regret last night, Buffy. You've…a-always had this way of…making it better; making me better." She opened her eyes and stared Buffy down. "It was more than that, though. Before, when I went all—"

"Willow, you don't have to—"

Willow held up a hand to silence her. "Hang on." She shook her head a few times. "It's okay to talk about it." She sighed again and looked back down. "Since then, I was…disconnected from everyone. By choice, I should add. I didn't want to feel the guilt that came with what I'd done…so I hid. You've always had this amazing way of pulling me out again, of silencing the thunder behind the clouds. And you did that last night, Buff. So, no, I don't regret it. I can't. Not ever."

Buffy took a few minutes to gather her thoughts. "I understand," she said quietly. "After everything with S-Spike…I just n-needed to…connect with someone I did care about…someone who cared about me. I'm…just so…relieved it was you." She locked her gaze with Willow's and smiled at her sadly. "I don't think I could ever regret it either."

A small smile grew on Willow's face. "Really?"

"Of course not." Buffy shook her head. "It's definitely unexpected, but now way, no how. I have one question, though."

"Shoot."

"What…W-what does this mean…for us?"

The silence took control again and they sat thinking over the question for a long time, neither sure how to go about finding an answer. Willow opened her mouth to speak first. "Let's…Let's just anchor each other down. Keep one another…c-connected to everyone else. It's just…T-T-T…" She stopped and closed her eyes, wincing as the name passed her lips. "Tara's gone and…sh-she'd want me to move on." She opened her eyes and grabbed Buffy's hand. "I think being with you has helped a great deal."

Buffy smiled and nodded. "So, could…could I…?" Willow furrowed her eyebrows, trying to make sense of the unfinished question. She nodded finally when she'd figured out what that meant. Buffy smiled slightly before leaning forward and kissing Willow's lips gently, moving to frame the other girl's face with her hands. After a few minutes, she pulled away and smiled again. "So…If I wanted to call you…?"

The grins and laughter that followed felt like miracles.

I know that was short and…I don't think it was realistic. However, I felt that I must move on with the story, able to rectify the character's mistakes in the most realistic way as possible or not.