Summary: Willow gets some late night phone calls. :)
Spoilers: Umm, only (kinda) for Phases
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, no matter how much I wish they were. < sigh > They belong to Joss Whedon and the WB I have to live with borrowing them for my stories.
Rating: X. hehe. Alas, not really. It's fine for everyone.

Text in italics represents thoughts.

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Phone Calls was nominated for a 1999 Golden Frog Award in the category of Best Representation of WIllow Rosenberg.

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Phone Calls

by: Amy

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Willow sat at in front of her dresser as she combed her hair before going to bed. It was her nightly ritual, brushing her hair a hundred strokes and then washing her face. She critiqued herself in the mirror. Hmm. Not bad at all. How come you always look your best when no one is around to see you? She sighed and put down her brush, getting up to head to her bathroom when a soft ring of the phone stopped her.

She sidetracked on her course, and picked up the phone on the second ring. A pathetic voice caught her attention and she smiled, rolling her eyes.

"Wiiiloow..." Xander's voice was stuffy and the whine was hard to ignore.

"Yeah, Xand? Feeling any better?" She thought about reminding him that he had called her twice in the last half hour, but decided against it, her loyal side taking over. He sniffed hard.

"Nooo. I don't. How come you're not sick? I'm sick!" Willow sat down on her bed, knowing suddenly that he wasn't planning on letting her go anytime soon. She hoped she was wrong.

"Xander, I'm really sorry you don't feel good, but it's almost midnight! Why don't you take some tylenol and get some sleep?"

" 'Cause. I don't feeel good!" She smiled, realizing that she didn't need to talk him into taking anymore medication. "Will I feel better tomorrow? Pleease?"

Willow laughed and nodded, not really caring that he couldn't see her. "Yes, you will. I promise. You have to get some rest, though! Oh, and exactly how many of those antihistamines did you take?" Xander laughed softly, the sound coming out muffled, like a yawn had forced it's way in half way through.

"Only four. Not as many as I wanted, but I'm not allowed to take any more than that within twenty-four hours." Xander laughed again and the distinct sound of a soda opening came over the line.

"Xander!" Willow reprimanded. "You don't need sugar and caffeine right now! Go to sleep!" She rolled her eyes to the ceiling, praying that he would listen to her.

"Well, okay. But only 'cause you're nice, Wiwwo. You're my Wiwwo." He started laughing in a drug induced state of mind, too tired to realize that the only thing funny about the situation was that he was laughing. He tried the word again. "Wiwwo. Wiwwo!" He laughed in earnest, making Willow wince, knowing that he could be heard. She was suddenly grateful that his parents were heavy sleepers.

"Xander, that's enough now. Come on. Go to sleep, okay? For me?" He chuckled, settling down at her words but still drugged enough to give her a little bit of a hard time.

"No."

"No?"

"No," he repeated. "Not until you say it."

Willow coughed, choking back a laugh. "No!"

"No?"

"No."

"Then no." His voice rang out smug and stuffy at the same time. She sighed, realizing that while he was under the influence of that weird over the counter medication, she would never win a fight..

"Okay, okay. Do it for me. Do it for your Wiwwo?" He answered her plea with a self-satisfied sneeze and then a laugh that was probably accompanied by a sleepy nod.

"Okay, Wiwwo. Wiww." He laughed again, softer this time. "You'll call me later?"

"Yes, I'll call you. Feel better, and sleep tight, okay Xander?"

He gave a stuffy sounding affirmation and hung up the phone. Within seconds it rang again. Willow snatched up the receiver quickly, hoping that her parents hadn't heard anything. "Hello?" If it's Xander, I'm just going to calmly hang up and go over to his house so I can strangle him and put him out of his misery. An unexpected voice brought her out of her violent thoughts toward her best friend.

"Hey. Way too late? You sound a little tense." Willow immediately relaxed and loosened her grip on the phone.

"Hey! No, not really. It's just that Xander has called three times tonight..." Oz's laugh sounded warm and rich to her ears and Willow felt a flush start around her ears.

"I see. He still sick? Maybe we should just strangle him and put him out of his misery." Willow laughed at his words, unconsciously echoing her thoughts.

"You read my mind! You're so talented. Anything else about you that I don't know?" She snickered, settling into the game that they had developed over the past few months.

"Well, I can get pretty beast-like sometimes..." He chuckled.

"Well, I'm glad you told me... If you hadn't, it could've gotten... hairy." Willow burst into giggles as she heard a groan on the other end of the line.

"Oh, man, Will, that was bad." She giggled harder. "That was one of the worst... Even worse than when you compared my fur to a coat you felt. Uh, except that one was a little scary and disturbing. I think you're hanging around Xander far too much."

Willow caught her breath and let out another giggle before answering him. "I'm pretty sure you're right. Of course, maybe *you're* the bad influence. I never used to make werewolf jokes..." She exploded in another round of semi-hysterical laughter. Oz grinned to himself indulgently, again feeling the soft waves of that feeling he got whenever he heard her voice.... Or looked at her.... Or thought about her...

Willow, finally getting herself under control. noticed his silence on the other end and spoke gently. "Whatcha thinking?"

"Just about how you always make me feel good." His words, so sweet and obviously sincere made a blush of pleasure crawl up her cheeks. She sighed, resting her warm cheek against the receiver. He continued. "And thinking about your laugh... I love your laugh, have I ever told you that?" Willow's blush came faster this time, heating her whole face in seconds.

"No. Thank you. I happen to be pretty fond of your laugh as well." She could almost hear him smile as she returned the compliment. Feeling a little risky, she added quickly, "Also, it doesn't hurt anything that you're a fantastic kisser." Oz laughed loudly, surprised. She'll never cease to amaze you, will she, man?

He lowered his voice. It came out husky and a little rough with emotion. "Well, thanks. Then we fit. 'Cause you are the *most* fantastic kisser!" She grinned, feeling lucky to have a guy that made her feel so... lucky.

"I'm gonna let you go, honey. I love you."

Her eyes got moist as she answered back with the words she wasn't yet used to saying, much less feeling.... But the feeling was growing on her. "I love you, too."

"Bye..."

"I'll call you, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Bye..."

"Bye..." Willow beamed, knowing she would have to hang up first. She repeated "bye" one last time before gently replacing the receiver back in the cradle. She looked at it for a minute and then turned to get up when another ring stooped her.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Baby. I love you."

"I love you, too, Oz. I really do." Willow's smile was soft and warm on her face and she caught a glance of herself in the mirror, once again wondering why you had to be alone when you looked the best. Oz makes me look like that... "Were you aware that you make me pretty?" She sighed dreamily.

His answer came quickly, his honestly unquestionable. "I don't make you pretty. You're pretty because you're you. I only have helped you notice it..."

Willow smiled softly to herself and bit her lower lip before whispering goodbye for the last time. "Goodbye.."

"Bye."

Willow hung up the phone again and headed for the bathroom, turning back at the sound of ringing yet again. She picked up the phone, laughing. "I love you."

Xander's congested voice answered her. "Gee, Wowwo." He laughed. "Wooowoo. I love you too, Woowwoo." She giggled at his obviously impaired speech.

"Boy, Xand, how many drinks have you knocked back again?" He laughed a little, sourly.

"Ha ha. I still don't feel good! Sing to me?" Xander asked, pathetically. Willow sighed again and smiled, settling back into her pillows as she started to hum a song Oz had written for her.

Her mind wandered as she sang, and she found herself remembering when Oz had written it, the look he gave her, and how he had told he loved her for the first ti-- A loud snoring interrupted her dreaming. She grinned and murmured softly into the phone, "Night, Xander."

He mumbled something unintelligible and Willow placed the phone back in the cradle for the sixth time, this time taking the precaution to turn her ringer off. She needed to wash her face.

The End.

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