A/N: Reviews necessary if you want to live MWHAHAHA *insert maniacal laugh* Ahem jk, just PLEASE review. I would say if this was W/T or W/O, but that would give away the ending and I can't do that. ^_^ So you'll just have to review to encourage me to add more quickly!
Time Frame: After Hell's Bell's
Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer *said in Gile's voice*:
Oz: I'm gonna ask you to go out with me tomorrow night. And I'm kinda nervous about it, actually. It's interesting.
Willow: Oh. Well, if it helps at all, I'm gonna say yes.
Oz: Yeah, it helps. It-it creates a comfort zone. (Willow smiles) Do you wanna go out with me tomorrow night?
Willow: (cringes and slaps her hand to her forehead) Oh! I can't!
Oz: Well, see, I like that you're unpredictable.
Willow: Oh, it's just it's Buffy's birthday, and we're throwing her a surprise party.
Oz: It's okay.
Willow: But you could come. If you want to.
Oz: Well, I don't wanna crash.
Willow: No, it's fine! Well, you could be m... my date.
Oz: (nods) All right. I'm in. (smiles)
Oz: Aunt Maureen. Hey, it's me. Um, what? Oh! It's, uh... actually it's healing okay. That's pretty much the reason I called. Um, I wanted to ask you something. Is Jordy a werewolf? Uh-huh. And how long has that been going on? Uh-huh. What? No, no reason. Um... Thanks. Yeah, love to
Uncle Ken.
Oz: I didn't know what to say. I mean, it's not everyday you find out you're a werewolf. That's fairly freaksome. It may take a couple days
getting used to.
Willow: Yeah. It's a complication.
Oz: So... (hops off of the table and they walk) Maybe it'd be best if I just... sorta...
Willow: What?
Oz: Well, you know, like, stayed out of your way for awhile.
Willow: I don't know. I'm kind of okay with you being *in* my way.
Oz: (stops and faces her) You mean, you'd still...
Willow: Well, I like you. You're nice and you're funny. And you don't smoke. Yeah, okay, werewolf, but that's not all the time. I mean, three
days out of the month I'm not much fun to be around either.
Oz: You are quite the human.
Veruca : So this is why you called me here? To see your habittrail? (She walks up to him.) Right before sunset, I get a little buzzed, you know?
Oz : Come here.
Veruca : I'm not getting in that stupid cage with you, if that's what this is all about. We belong outside.
Oz : You can't run loose tonight. And not just because you might hurt somebody. I know people that'll be out there... Hunting for us.
Veruca : (Stepping closer.) So you're saying I should spend the whole night with you... Alone... Locked in a cage.
Oz : You'll be safe.
Veruca : Not from you. Isn't that the point of this cozy little arrangement? It's coming. Do you feel it? It's like blood boiling.
Oz : I feel it.
Veruca : (Leaning in towards him, haning on the the cage door.) I've wanted you even before I ever saw you. I sensed you. Did you sense me?
Oz : (Tensely.) Come in here.
Veruca : Did you?
He nods slightly. She steps in the cage and they kiss.
Cut to the morning. Willow is bounding down the stairs with a bag of food and a thermos. She cuts short as she sees Veruca and Oz, naked, limbs tangled asleep on the floor of the cage. The thermos and bag drop as she stares in shock. Oz wakes up and sees Willow. He starts to get up.
Oz : Willow... (He starts putting on his pants.)
Willow : Oh, my god. Oh, my god.
Oz : I know what you saw. It wasn't-- (Finishes putting on his pants.) I had to.
I had to lock her in there with me.
Willow : I bet.
Oz : She's like me. A wolf.
Willow : Well, I knew you two had a lot in common, but... (Oz tries to touch her.)Don't touch me! (She jerks back.)
Oz : She was gonna hurt somebody. I didn't have a choice.
Willow : But you did. You could've told somebody. Your solution... Just put you two together in a room all night?
Veruca : (Having woken up, stands up bearing all.) Girl's got a point.
Oz : (Angrily.) Leave.
Veruca : I'm just saying--
Oz : (Shouts) Now! I'm sorry. I know.
Willow : I knew, you jerk. And you sat there, and you told me everything was fine? And that's as bad as... As... (Now crying.)
Oz : I know how it feels. I remember.
Willow : Oh. So what, this is payback? I had this coming?
Oz : No. It's not--
Willow : Because I thought that was behind us. And you know, what happened with Xander, it doesn't compare. Not with what you and I had. Not with whatever you've been doing with her.
Oz : I don't know what Veruca and I have done. When I change, it's like, it's like I'm gone and the wolf takes over.
Willow : But you wanted her... Like in an animal way? Like...More than you wanted me? (She runs off, tears streaming down her face.)
Oz : Hi.
Willow : What are you doing?
Oz : I'm going.
Willow : Now?
Oz : Mm-hmm.
He zips the suitcase.
Willow : That's your solution?
Oz : That's my decision.
Willow : Don't I get any say in this?
Oz : No. Veruca was right about something. The wolf is inside me all the time, and I don't know where that line is anymore between me and it. And until I figure out what that means, I shouldn't be around you... Or anybody.
Willow : (Crying.) Well, that could be a problem 'cause people... Kind of a planetary epidemic.
Oz : I'll find someplace.
Willow : Well, how long?
Oz : I don't know.
Willow : Oz... Don't you love me?
Oz : (Holding her pressing his forehead to hers as she sobs.) My whole life... I've never loved anything else.
Willow: "You were there looking for me?"
Tara: "I thought maybe we could do a spell - make people talk again. I'I'd seen you in the group, the wicca group you were... you were
different than them. I mean they didn't seem to know..."
Willow: "What they were talking about."
Tara: "I think if they saw a witch they would run the other way."
Willow: "Really, I mean most of my potions come out soup. Besides... spells going awry, friends in danger... I'm definitely nothing special."
Tara: "No, you are."
Willow: I just like having something that's ... mine.
Tara: I am, you know. Yours.
OZ: Hey.
WILLOW: Oz.
TARA: Oz.
WILLOW: When, when did you get back?
OZ: Pretty much now.
WILLOW: Oz... This is all so weird. I-I-I feel like... this isn't really happening. Like it's a dream or, or something.
OZ: It's real. Look up.
WILLOW: What?
OZ: (smiling) Look at the sky.
(Willow looks up. The moon is full.)
OZ: I guess you stopped keeping track of 'em after I left.
WILLOW: Full moon.
OZ: Full moon.
OZ: I talked to Xander, and he said you didn't have a new guy.
WILLOW: No. No new... guy.
BUFFY: Yeah, I just - I don't wanna talk about it. I wanna hear about you and Oz. You saw him, right?
WILLOW: I was with him all night.
BUFFY: All night? Oh my god. Wait. Last night was a wolf moon, right?
WILLOW: Yup.
BUFFY: Either you're about to tell me something incredibly kinky, or-
WILLOW: No kink. He didn't change, Buffy. He said he was gonna
find a cure, and he did. In Tibet.
WILLOW: It's complicated... because of Tara.
OZ: Is that her sweater?
TARA: I just, I just hope that you guys'll be very ... happy.
OZ: You smell like her. She's all over you, do you know that?
TARA: I can't. I-I can't talk about this. (Tries to walk away. Oz grabs her
arm.)
OZ: But there's something to talk about? (Angrier) Are you two involved?!
TARA: I have, I, I, I have to go.
OZ: Cause she never said anything to me like that. We talked all night and she never- (Tara starts to walk away) No, stop! (Grabs her again. Tara
looks scared.)
OZ: (yelling) Is she in love with you? Tell me, is she?! (Shakes her by the shoulders. Then he lets her go. He's panting. They look down at his hand
and it grows fur and claws. Tara looks really scared.)
(Oz looks up. His face is half-wolfed and his eyes are black.)
OZ: Run.
OZ: I shouldn't have come back now.... I just thought I'd changed.
WILLOW: You have changed. (Smiles) You stopped the wolf from coming out. I saw it.
OZ: But I couldn't look at you. (He still can't.) I mean, it turns out... the one thing that brings it out in me is you... which falls under the heading of ironic in my book.
WILLOW: What are you gonna do?
OZ: I think I better take off.
WILLOW: When?
OZ: Pretty much now.
WILLOW: Tara, I have to tell you...
TARA: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.
WILLOW: (smiles) I am.
WILLOW: One among many, many fade to one-
TARA: (grabs her hand) What are you doing? Will?
WILLOW: I'm just gonna clear the crowd.
TARA: How?
WILLOW: I'll just shift everyone who isn't a fifteen-year-old girl into an alternate dimension. (smiling)
TARA: (horrified) What?
WILLOW: No, it'll be for like a fraction of a second. They won't even notice.
TARA: Will, no, you can't!
TARA: Willow, you are using too much magic. What do you want me to do, just, just sit back and keep my mouth shut?
WILLOW: Well, that'd be a good start.
TARA: If I didn't love you so damn much I would!
WILLOW: I, I'm sorry, okay?
TARA: It's not that easy.
WILLOW: Well, what do you want me to do? Reverse time and take it back? (small laugh) 'Cause I could probably-
Tara gives her a grim look.
WILLOW: Joke. I don't think I could really-
TARA: (angrily) You know what, can, can we not do this now? I'm tired. (gets into bed)
WILLOW: Okay. Let's just forget it ever happened.
Willow goes over to a side table, picks up a small piece of herb with a couple of flowers on it. She holds it in her palm.
WILLOW: (softly) Forget.
TARA: Do you think I'm stupid? I know you used that spell on me.
WILLOW: Tara, I'm sorry, I-
TARA: Don't! Just ... don't. (shakes head) There's nothing you can say.
WILLOW: Tara, I didn't mean to-
TARA: To what? Violate my mind like that? How could you, Willow? How could you after what Glory did to me?
WILLOW: Violate you? I ... I-I didn't ... mean anything like that, I-I, I just wanted us not to fight any more. I love you.
TARA: If you don't wanna fight, you don't fight. You don't use magic to make a fight disappear.
WILLOW: But I-I just wanted to make things better. Better for us.
TARA: But you don't get to decide what is better for us, Will. We're in a relationship, we are supposed to decide together.
WILLOW: Okay. I'm ... I realize I, I did it wrong.
TARA: You did it the way you're doing everything. When things get rough, you ... you don't even consider the options. You just ... you just do a spell. It's not good for you, Willow. And it's not what magic is for.
WILLOW: (anxious) But I ... I just wanna help people.
TARA: Maybe that's how it started, but ... you're helping yourself now, fixing things to your liking. Including me.
WILLOW: Tara, no!
Tara looks away.
TARA: (tearfully) I don't think this is gonna work.
WILLOW: Hey. It is, i-it's working. (Tara just looks at her, looks down) Tara, please. I need you, baby. I need you. I don't need magic, I-I don't, I ... let me prove it to you, okay? I, I will go a month without doing any magic. I won't do a single spell. I swear.
Tara looks at her, nods.
TARA: Go a week. One week without magic.
WILLOW: (excited) Fine. Fine, that's easy!
TARA: (nods, not convinced) Go a week, and then we'll see.
WILLOW: Are you saying you're gonna leave me?
(A/N: Sorry those quotes took so long, I just wanted a nice explanation of everything that happened in case you didn't know, etc. Now on to the fic.)
"We're sorry that we wasted your time."
"We're sorry that this happened."
"Please accept this gift as a thank you for coming."
The words rang through the wedding hall. Anya was off moping somewhere and Xander's whereabouts were an even larger mystery. Buffy, Willow, and the rest of the gang were trying to get all the people home and explain the wedding would not take place then.
No one knew if it would ever take place.
"It's so sad," Willow remarked to Tara as they were folding the fold-up chairs. "I mean they're so in love. I don't know what happened."
"Sometimes it happens when two people are in love but one won't listen to the other," Tara said, semi-harshly. Willow put her hand on Tara's, her face filled with concern.
"Tara, are you still mad? I've apologized endlessly and I thought things were getting better-"
"No, I'm not mad anymore. I'm mad you did what you did, but I don't hate you anymore, I was just saying that… love doesn't always go the way you plan," Tara said, interrupting her. Willow smiled.
"Good. I hate when you're mad at me," she said.
"I hate it too."
Willow sat in the comfortable chair that used to her's and Tara's. Now it was just hers. Tears dribbled from her eyes. Everynight it was like this, the sense of loss and hopelessness. She glanced over to the phone, contemplating whether to call her or not. She sighed and stared up at the ceiling. She just needed some will. She needed to be able to resist Tara. But for some reason, she couldn't.
Tara glanced to her phone and picked it up. She had been waiting by it all night, hoping almost that Willow would call. And then she'd hope Willow wouldn't. Yet she still wanted Willow to call. She missed Willow. Willow was her first true love, the only one that understood her. And Tara had thought Willow loved her.
"Hello?"
"H-hi, Tara? It's Willow."
"I know, I recognize the sound of your voice." Willow laughed nervously.
"Right, sorry, uh could you come over?" Willow asked, worriedly.
"Is anything wrong?" Tara asked.
"No, nothing like that," Willow said, intercepting Tara's thoughts. "I just think we should talk." Tara sighed.
"Willow..." she began, about to reject her.
"Please." She started to say no, but something about the innocence and willingness of Willow's voice made her stop.
"I'll be over within an hour," Tara whispered. Willow breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you," Willow said, as Tara hung up the phone.
What have I done? Tara wondered. She loved Willow, and even though things were going better, she still couldn't be with Willow. Not yet, it was just too soon. But she had fallen in love with the girl, and it seemed that she would do it over and over again. She would never be able to stop loving her.
"Willow?" Tara called, knocking on her bedroom door.
"Tara," she said, swinging open the door. "Come in."
"We need to talk about... us," Willow continued.
"Willow, there's nothing to talk about. I still love you, but it's too soon. I can't be with you yet," Tara said.
"Please Tara, just listen."
A/N: Cliffie! I'm trying to make this fic go real slow because I usually rush into these. So please review! Again, sorry for all the long *previously on Buffy*. I didn't mean for it to go that long, but I needed to make sure that everything was understood. REVIEW!!! ^_^ The more reviews, the faster I continue. ^^
Time Frame: After Hell's Bell's
Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer *said in Gile's voice*:
Oz: I'm gonna ask you to go out with me tomorrow night. And I'm kinda nervous about it, actually. It's interesting.
Willow: Oh. Well, if it helps at all, I'm gonna say yes.
Oz: Yeah, it helps. It-it creates a comfort zone. (Willow smiles) Do you wanna go out with me tomorrow night?
Willow: (cringes and slaps her hand to her forehead) Oh! I can't!
Oz: Well, see, I like that you're unpredictable.
Willow: Oh, it's just it's Buffy's birthday, and we're throwing her a surprise party.
Oz: It's okay.
Willow: But you could come. If you want to.
Oz: Well, I don't wanna crash.
Willow: No, it's fine! Well, you could be m... my date.
Oz: (nods) All right. I'm in. (smiles)
Oz: Aunt Maureen. Hey, it's me. Um, what? Oh! It's, uh... actually it's healing okay. That's pretty much the reason I called. Um, I wanted to ask you something. Is Jordy a werewolf? Uh-huh. And how long has that been going on? Uh-huh. What? No, no reason. Um... Thanks. Yeah, love to
Uncle Ken.
Oz: I didn't know what to say. I mean, it's not everyday you find out you're a werewolf. That's fairly freaksome. It may take a couple days
getting used to.
Willow: Yeah. It's a complication.
Oz: So... (hops off of the table and they walk) Maybe it'd be best if I just... sorta...
Willow: What?
Oz: Well, you know, like, stayed out of your way for awhile.
Willow: I don't know. I'm kind of okay with you being *in* my way.
Oz: (stops and faces her) You mean, you'd still...
Willow: Well, I like you. You're nice and you're funny. And you don't smoke. Yeah, okay, werewolf, but that's not all the time. I mean, three
days out of the month I'm not much fun to be around either.
Oz: You are quite the human.
Veruca : So this is why you called me here? To see your habittrail? (She walks up to him.) Right before sunset, I get a little buzzed, you know?
Oz : Come here.
Veruca : I'm not getting in that stupid cage with you, if that's what this is all about. We belong outside.
Oz : You can't run loose tonight. And not just because you might hurt somebody. I know people that'll be out there... Hunting for us.
Veruca : (Stepping closer.) So you're saying I should spend the whole night with you... Alone... Locked in a cage.
Oz : You'll be safe.
Veruca : Not from you. Isn't that the point of this cozy little arrangement? It's coming. Do you feel it? It's like blood boiling.
Oz : I feel it.
Veruca : (Leaning in towards him, haning on the the cage door.) I've wanted you even before I ever saw you. I sensed you. Did you sense me?
Oz : (Tensely.) Come in here.
Veruca : Did you?
He nods slightly. She steps in the cage and they kiss.
Cut to the morning. Willow is bounding down the stairs with a bag of food and a thermos. She cuts short as she sees Veruca and Oz, naked, limbs tangled asleep on the floor of the cage. The thermos and bag drop as she stares in shock. Oz wakes up and sees Willow. He starts to get up.
Oz : Willow... (He starts putting on his pants.)
Willow : Oh, my god. Oh, my god.
Oz : I know what you saw. It wasn't-- (Finishes putting on his pants.) I had to.
I had to lock her in there with me.
Willow : I bet.
Oz : She's like me. A wolf.
Willow : Well, I knew you two had a lot in common, but... (Oz tries to touch her.)Don't touch me! (She jerks back.)
Oz : She was gonna hurt somebody. I didn't have a choice.
Willow : But you did. You could've told somebody. Your solution... Just put you two together in a room all night?
Veruca : (Having woken up, stands up bearing all.) Girl's got a point.
Oz : (Angrily.) Leave.
Veruca : I'm just saying--
Oz : (Shouts) Now! I'm sorry. I know.
Willow : I knew, you jerk. And you sat there, and you told me everything was fine? And that's as bad as... As... (Now crying.)
Oz : I know how it feels. I remember.
Willow : Oh. So what, this is payback? I had this coming?
Oz : No. It's not--
Willow : Because I thought that was behind us. And you know, what happened with Xander, it doesn't compare. Not with what you and I had. Not with whatever you've been doing with her.
Oz : I don't know what Veruca and I have done. When I change, it's like, it's like I'm gone and the wolf takes over.
Willow : But you wanted her... Like in an animal way? Like...More than you wanted me? (She runs off, tears streaming down her face.)
Oz : Hi.
Willow : What are you doing?
Oz : I'm going.
Willow : Now?
Oz : Mm-hmm.
He zips the suitcase.
Willow : That's your solution?
Oz : That's my decision.
Willow : Don't I get any say in this?
Oz : No. Veruca was right about something. The wolf is inside me all the time, and I don't know where that line is anymore between me and it. And until I figure out what that means, I shouldn't be around you... Or anybody.
Willow : (Crying.) Well, that could be a problem 'cause people... Kind of a planetary epidemic.
Oz : I'll find someplace.
Willow : Well, how long?
Oz : I don't know.
Willow : Oz... Don't you love me?
Oz : (Holding her pressing his forehead to hers as she sobs.) My whole life... I've never loved anything else.
Willow: "You were there looking for me?"
Tara: "I thought maybe we could do a spell - make people talk again. I'I'd seen you in the group, the wicca group you were... you were
different than them. I mean they didn't seem to know..."
Willow: "What they were talking about."
Tara: "I think if they saw a witch they would run the other way."
Willow: "Really, I mean most of my potions come out soup. Besides... spells going awry, friends in danger... I'm definitely nothing special."
Tara: "No, you are."
Willow: I just like having something that's ... mine.
Tara: I am, you know. Yours.
OZ: Hey.
WILLOW: Oz.
TARA: Oz.
WILLOW: When, when did you get back?
OZ: Pretty much now.
WILLOW: Oz... This is all so weird. I-I-I feel like... this isn't really happening. Like it's a dream or, or something.
OZ: It's real. Look up.
WILLOW: What?
OZ: (smiling) Look at the sky.
(Willow looks up. The moon is full.)
OZ: I guess you stopped keeping track of 'em after I left.
WILLOW: Full moon.
OZ: Full moon.
OZ: I talked to Xander, and he said you didn't have a new guy.
WILLOW: No. No new... guy.
BUFFY: Yeah, I just - I don't wanna talk about it. I wanna hear about you and Oz. You saw him, right?
WILLOW: I was with him all night.
BUFFY: All night? Oh my god. Wait. Last night was a wolf moon, right?
WILLOW: Yup.
BUFFY: Either you're about to tell me something incredibly kinky, or-
WILLOW: No kink. He didn't change, Buffy. He said he was gonna
find a cure, and he did. In Tibet.
WILLOW: It's complicated... because of Tara.
OZ: Is that her sweater?
TARA: I just, I just hope that you guys'll be very ... happy.
OZ: You smell like her. She's all over you, do you know that?
TARA: I can't. I-I can't talk about this. (Tries to walk away. Oz grabs her
arm.)
OZ: But there's something to talk about? (Angrier) Are you two involved?!
TARA: I have, I, I, I have to go.
OZ: Cause she never said anything to me like that. We talked all night and she never- (Tara starts to walk away) No, stop! (Grabs her again. Tara
looks scared.)
OZ: (yelling) Is she in love with you? Tell me, is she?! (Shakes her by the shoulders. Then he lets her go. He's panting. They look down at his hand
and it grows fur and claws. Tara looks really scared.)
(Oz looks up. His face is half-wolfed and his eyes are black.)
OZ: Run.
OZ: I shouldn't have come back now.... I just thought I'd changed.
WILLOW: You have changed. (Smiles) You stopped the wolf from coming out. I saw it.
OZ: But I couldn't look at you. (He still can't.) I mean, it turns out... the one thing that brings it out in me is you... which falls under the heading of ironic in my book.
WILLOW: What are you gonna do?
OZ: I think I better take off.
WILLOW: When?
OZ: Pretty much now.
WILLOW: Tara, I have to tell you...
TARA: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.
WILLOW: (smiles) I am.
WILLOW: One among many, many fade to one-
TARA: (grabs her hand) What are you doing? Will?
WILLOW: I'm just gonna clear the crowd.
TARA: How?
WILLOW: I'll just shift everyone who isn't a fifteen-year-old girl into an alternate dimension. (smiling)
TARA: (horrified) What?
WILLOW: No, it'll be for like a fraction of a second. They won't even notice.
TARA: Will, no, you can't!
TARA: Willow, you are using too much magic. What do you want me to do, just, just sit back and keep my mouth shut?
WILLOW: Well, that'd be a good start.
TARA: If I didn't love you so damn much I would!
WILLOW: I, I'm sorry, okay?
TARA: It's not that easy.
WILLOW: Well, what do you want me to do? Reverse time and take it back? (small laugh) 'Cause I could probably-
Tara gives her a grim look.
WILLOW: Joke. I don't think I could really-
TARA: (angrily) You know what, can, can we not do this now? I'm tired. (gets into bed)
WILLOW: Okay. Let's just forget it ever happened.
Willow goes over to a side table, picks up a small piece of herb with a couple of flowers on it. She holds it in her palm.
WILLOW: (softly) Forget.
TARA: Do you think I'm stupid? I know you used that spell on me.
WILLOW: Tara, I'm sorry, I-
TARA: Don't! Just ... don't. (shakes head) There's nothing you can say.
WILLOW: Tara, I didn't mean to-
TARA: To what? Violate my mind like that? How could you, Willow? How could you after what Glory did to me?
WILLOW: Violate you? I ... I-I didn't ... mean anything like that, I-I, I just wanted us not to fight any more. I love you.
TARA: If you don't wanna fight, you don't fight. You don't use magic to make a fight disappear.
WILLOW: But I-I just wanted to make things better. Better for us.
TARA: But you don't get to decide what is better for us, Will. We're in a relationship, we are supposed to decide together.
WILLOW: Okay. I'm ... I realize I, I did it wrong.
TARA: You did it the way you're doing everything. When things get rough, you ... you don't even consider the options. You just ... you just do a spell. It's not good for you, Willow. And it's not what magic is for.
WILLOW: (anxious) But I ... I just wanna help people.
TARA: Maybe that's how it started, but ... you're helping yourself now, fixing things to your liking. Including me.
WILLOW: Tara, no!
Tara looks away.
TARA: (tearfully) I don't think this is gonna work.
WILLOW: Hey. It is, i-it's working. (Tara just looks at her, looks down) Tara, please. I need you, baby. I need you. I don't need magic, I-I don't, I ... let me prove it to you, okay? I, I will go a month without doing any magic. I won't do a single spell. I swear.
Tara looks at her, nods.
TARA: Go a week. One week without magic.
WILLOW: (excited) Fine. Fine, that's easy!
TARA: (nods, not convinced) Go a week, and then we'll see.
WILLOW: Are you saying you're gonna leave me?
(A/N: Sorry those quotes took so long, I just wanted a nice explanation of everything that happened in case you didn't know, etc. Now on to the fic.)
"We're sorry that we wasted your time."
"We're sorry that this happened."
"Please accept this gift as a thank you for coming."
The words rang through the wedding hall. Anya was off moping somewhere and Xander's whereabouts were an even larger mystery. Buffy, Willow, and the rest of the gang were trying to get all the people home and explain the wedding would not take place then.
No one knew if it would ever take place.
"It's so sad," Willow remarked to Tara as they were folding the fold-up chairs. "I mean they're so in love. I don't know what happened."
"Sometimes it happens when two people are in love but one won't listen to the other," Tara said, semi-harshly. Willow put her hand on Tara's, her face filled with concern.
"Tara, are you still mad? I've apologized endlessly and I thought things were getting better-"
"No, I'm not mad anymore. I'm mad you did what you did, but I don't hate you anymore, I was just saying that… love doesn't always go the way you plan," Tara said, interrupting her. Willow smiled.
"Good. I hate when you're mad at me," she said.
"I hate it too."
Willow sat in the comfortable chair that used to her's and Tara's. Now it was just hers. Tears dribbled from her eyes. Everynight it was like this, the sense of loss and hopelessness. She glanced over to the phone, contemplating whether to call her or not. She sighed and stared up at the ceiling. She just needed some will. She needed to be able to resist Tara. But for some reason, she couldn't.
Tara glanced to her phone and picked it up. She had been waiting by it all night, hoping almost that Willow would call. And then she'd hope Willow wouldn't. Yet she still wanted Willow to call. She missed Willow. Willow was her first true love, the only one that understood her. And Tara had thought Willow loved her.
"Hello?"
"H-hi, Tara? It's Willow."
"I know, I recognize the sound of your voice." Willow laughed nervously.
"Right, sorry, uh could you come over?" Willow asked, worriedly.
"Is anything wrong?" Tara asked.
"No, nothing like that," Willow said, intercepting Tara's thoughts. "I just think we should talk." Tara sighed.
"Willow..." she began, about to reject her.
"Please." She started to say no, but something about the innocence and willingness of Willow's voice made her stop.
"I'll be over within an hour," Tara whispered. Willow breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you," Willow said, as Tara hung up the phone.
What have I done? Tara wondered. She loved Willow, and even though things were going better, she still couldn't be with Willow. Not yet, it was just too soon. But she had fallen in love with the girl, and it seemed that she would do it over and over again. She would never be able to stop loving her.
"Willow?" Tara called, knocking on her bedroom door.
"Tara," she said, swinging open the door. "Come in."
"We need to talk about... us," Willow continued.
"Willow, there's nothing to talk about. I still love you, but it's too soon. I can't be with you yet," Tara said.
"Please Tara, just listen."
A/N: Cliffie! I'm trying to make this fic go real slow because I usually rush into these. So please review! Again, sorry for all the long *previously on Buffy*. I didn't mean for it to go that long, but I needed to make sure that everything was understood. REVIEW!!! ^_^ The more reviews, the faster I continue. ^^