Author's Note: As of right now, I'm still writing my first fic, Not Just Oz Anymore. But after reading way too much fic, I felt like writing this. Be warned, it may not be what you're expecting if you've read my other story. I have various styles and appreciate diverse pairings. Like it or not, it's about to get a little girl-on-girl up in here.

A/N 2: I'm going to tweak things a bit, because it suits this story better. At the end of "Beauty and the Beasts" Willow is present when Angel makes his "grand" entrance. Thus, all the Scoobies, including Faith, know of Angels reappearance. Mostly the same reactions, except no one's pissed at the Buffster. Mmk?

Feedback: Why not? I don't especially care. Not really expecting it either. Up to you guys.

Spoilers: Season 3, between "Beauty and the Beasts" and "Homecoming." Angel is back, Cordy and Xander are still together, and Faith is hanging about. Mmmk, think that covers it. Here we go.

For the Best

"What are you saying?" her lip trembled, her gaze was cast to the ground, and at any moment she was likely to burst into tears. He cupped her chin and lifted it up, forcing the girl to meet his gaze. Her whole body trembled now. She couldn't take this, it was too much, not now. Not again.

"Buffy, I can't stay. I can't risk losing control again. If I ever hurt you-" he stopped, not allowing himself to go there mentally. How was he suppose to stay, when it was impossible for them to be together. He couldn't give her the normal life she deserved. The normal life she craved before meeting him.

"I don't care, Angel, I don't. I just got you back," Buffy broke down, it was too much, "I tried living without you, it didn't work. The pain was so unbearable, having to get up everyday, knowing that I was never going to see you again." She let out a painful sob, collapsing against the vampire's chest. He held her close, and spoke to her in a calming hushed tone.

"This is why I have to go. My demon will never be fully harnessed, it's a part of me. And if I stay here…I can't protect you from myself. I am Angelus, and he is me," Buffy started pounding on his chest, hard, her cries were long and sorrowful, but Angel wasn't changing his mind. Grabbing her fists, he looked at her once more, "I'm sorry Buffy, it's for the best. Goodbye," With a final soft, but all to quick kiss on her lips, Angel left, shouldering two duffel bags. He never said where he was going, never told her how to reach him if she needed to, he was just…gone.

Buffy fell to the floor of the mansion. Her grief was consuming, her eyes lacked any sign of life, even though she was very much animate. Hugging her knees tight to her chest, Buffy rocked back and forth, not leaving that position till several hours later.

Across town, a similar event was taking place…

~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~

Willow knocked softly on the wooden door. She had come to visit Oz, knowing that he was still shaken up about what happened with Pete and Debbie the week before. Oz lived by himself, having moved out of his parents' place the year before. The Osbourne's weren't the most affectionate family, and after learning of their son's "condition" they had become very hostile to the musician. He now resided in a small studio apartment, only about a mile from the school.

Having gotten no response, Willow removed the key Oz had given her to his apartment from her bag and opened the door. To say she was shocked at what she saw was an understatement. The room was bare. There were no posters on the walls, no clothes on the floor, no unmade sheets on the bed. Anything that may have given away that this place was inhabited was not in sight. On the nightstand lay a folded piece of paper with "Willow" written on the outside of it. Walking slowly to the stand, and sitting on the edge of the bed, Willow read her note.

Dear Willow,

I can explain my reasons for leaving. It's not that I don't think you would understand, it's that I don't think I understand it myself. The beast that I have become, this creature inside me, it never leaves. Even on nights when the moon isn't full, and I remain human, I can still feel it. I can always feel it.

After witnessing everything that Pete did, I can't help but wonder that one day, whether under my own control or not, that I might hurt you. Willow, you have to realize that I love you, I will always love you. You are my light, you are my world. I'm not the type to express many emotions, and you know that, but if there was anyway for me to convey everything I feel for you, I would.

Willow, there are many things I want for you. I want you to succeed in everything you do, as I know you will. I want you to stay sweet and innocent for as long as you can, even if we live on a Hellmouth. Mostly, I want you to be happy, I want you to be loved. I want you to be able to look into the night's sky, gazing at the full moon, in the arms of the person you love. I had hoped that I could be that person, but now that's hopeless.

I'm sorry for not saying goodbye, but I don't think I could look into your eyes and say this. I can't stand to see you cry, and I hate to think I'm hurting you. So as your tears streak down your face, and fall onto this paper know that I love you. Know that I'm safe, and I'm in good hands. I live for the day when I might see you again.

Love,

Oz

Willow sat as still as a board on the bed, crying silently and clasping the note to her chest. It was stained with her tears, just as Oz had said, but this wasn't on Willow's mind. The only thought running through her brain was that the first person to ever requite her feelings, was gone. He had left, and now she was alone, utterly alone. And that, is a very unsettling thought.

"Hey, B?" Faith called out, strolling her way into Angel's mansion, "You here, sista'?" Her voice rang out with the Bostonian accent causing Faith to drop those pesky 'r' sounds. "There you-" Faith cut herself off upon finding her fellow Slayer. Sitting on the floor, with her knees still tucked to her chest, was a miserable Buffy Summers. "Shit B," Faith exclaimed, "What's wrong? Where's Deadboy?" Faith had taken to Xander's nickname for the vampire. And Buffy, who normally would have laughed, just started crying again.

Faith knelt down next to the girl, and though she wasn't used to this kind of stuff, she lay a comforting hand on Buffy's back. Buffy, however, had other things in mind, as she through herself into the arms of the younger slayer, weeping on Faith's shoulder. Buffy nearly knocked the taller girl over with the force of the hug, but with her super strength, Faith managed to keep her balance. Suddenly taken over with motherly intuition, Faith reciprocated the embrace.

"Shhh, Buffy, it's okay. I'm here, just tell me what's going on," Faith encouraged, rubbing soft circles on the blondes back.

Slightly regaining her composure, Buffy responded, "Angel," she sobbed, "he left. He said that he didn't want to hurt me again, that he didn't trust himself around me. He left Faith, he left and he's not coming back. I don't even know where he is! What am I supposed to do? I love him, and he left me! What the hell am I suppose to do?" Buffy cried out, her emotions fully taking their toll on the already stressed out slayer. It wasn't helping that Faith was speechless.

"Oh, shit," the brunette breathed. This wasn't her thing. If it had happened back home, to one of the few friends she had in Southie, Faith would have just kicked the guy's ass. This was different, this was Buffy and Angel, and the worst part, was that Faith knew that vampire was right. But how do you explain that to a lovesick teenage girl? "Buffy, tell me what to do. Do you want me to call someone? Your mom?" Buffy shook her head, and Faith was getting exasperated. "Oh, come on B. How bout Red? Want me to call her?" Buffy didn't move for a moment as she thought over the idea, then eventually, nodded her head. "Okay, now just give me her number, okay?"

"Five-five-five, sixteen-twenty," Buffy responded in a shaky voice. Nodding, Faith stood up, removing the cell phone her former watcher had given her, and dialed Willow's home phone. It rang. And rang. And rang. No answer.

"Dammit. Okay, does she have a cell?" Faith asked the blonde on the floor, who shook her head in reply. "I'm gonna call someone else then, alright B? I could ask Cordelia to come get us?" Faith inquired, and Buffy made a noise that sounded like 'yes.' Faith dialed the cheerleader, already possessing her number since the night they all met. Cordy said it was incase she got killed, but Faith thought she maybe it was because Queen C was looking for a friend. Cordy picked up on the second ring.

"What?" her voice sounded in the phone.

"It's Faith," the slayer sighed out, knowing Cordelia was in a less than good mood from the sound of her voice.

"I repeat: What?"

"Need you to pick up me and Buffy." Faith replied

"What am I a fucking chauffeur?" Cordelia demanded. "First it's Willow, now you, I swear if Giles calls me tonight…"

"What do you mean about Red?" The slayer inquired, genuinely concerned. Buffy seemed to perk a bit at the mention of Willow.

"She called me, like ten minutes ago. Completely hysterical, mumbling crap about Oz leaving," Cordelia paused, and when she spoke again concern was evident in her tone, "I'm worried Faith, she didn't sound good. I'm driving to Oz's to pick her up. He didn't even say goodbye to her face, he just left a note. It didn't say where he was going, or anything. Now, what's so urgent with you and Buffy?"

"Angel left tonight, he didn't say where he was going," Faith responded, turning away from Buffy and lowering her voice. Neither liked the way things were turning out.

"Holy shit, okay, I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Bring Red, they need each other right now."

"I know, I'm on my way. Bye."

"Later," Faith hung up the phone, and returned to Buffy's side. Buffy looked at Faith with her sad hazel eyes.

"Willow's coming?" her voice cracked, now hoarse from hours of crying.

Faith nodded, drawing the girl back into her arms, "Cordelia's bringing her, every things gonna be all right now." Buffy nodded, then fell asleep minutes later, emotional exhaust taking her over.

~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~

Willow and Buffy sat on the bed in Buffy's room, with their backs against the headboard, and their heads resting on each other. Cordelia had showed up with Willow twenty minutes after her conversation with Faith. Buffy had woken up on the way home, briefly worried about where she was. But then thoughts of Angel returned, and she no longer cared what was happening, only that he was gone. She did notice an equally distraught girl to her left, her best friend, Willow, looking every bit as devastated as Buffy expected she looked herself. It wasn't until Cordelia and Faith, had dropped both girls off at Buffy's house, that either had told the other what happened.

Now they could only sit and be silent, as the effects of the day washed over them. Talking wasn't needed right now, just the fact that the other was there was enough for each girl. Buffy and Willow had already changed into their night clothes, Joyce had been nice enough to pick some things up for Willow. After learning from Faith what had occurred that evening, Ms. Summers didn't allow Willow to go home to her empty house. And so, the blonde and the redhead sat, hands intertwined, and staring blankly at the wall opposite Buffy's bed.

"I'm pretty sure one of us is suppose to be comforting the other," Willow said softly, eyes still glued to the wall, "but under the circumstances, I don't think either of us could be apt to do it."

"I could get ice cream?" Buffy offered, her voice still a little raw. Willow shook her head.

"I don't think I can ever eat again in my life," the witch responded.

"Well I can't think of anything else that might fill up the enormous hole in my gut," Buffy remarked. Willow tore her eyes from the wall to look at her friend.

"Buffy, things will get better."

"How do you know?"

"Because they have to," Willow stated matter-of-factly. Buffy let out a soft laugh.

"Even now, you're still optimistic," Willow pouted at the comment.

"Well, one of us has to be, Miss Cynical," the redhead retorted. Buffy shoved the girl playfully.

"Oh shush. I'm tired, do you want to go to sleep?" Buffy now looked at Willow, the softest smile playing at her lips. Willow nodded, and they both stood up. Buffy turned off the light, and her and Willow climbed into bed. They lay silent in the dark for several minutes, neither even close to falling asleep, even though both were beat.

"Buffy?" Willow called out softly.

"Yea, Will?" Buffy replied.

"I know this might seem odd, but could you hold me? I just, I just need someone. And I'd like it if it were you," Willow rambled a little. Buffy smiled into the darkness, her first full one of the night. She turned on her side, to spoon the redhead from behind.

"I don't mind at all," Buffy whispered into her friends ear, sending a shiver down Willow's back. Minutes later, both girls were dead to the world.