Rated: G
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer belong exclusively to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Warner Brothers. I'm just borrowing.
Summary: Set on the night Buffy tells Angel that she can't see him anymore in Lover's Walk. Willow and Angel meet up by chance in the park, and as they talk, they make an unprecedented discovery.
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Willow closed her eyes as she gently dug her feet into the soft soil beneath her feet, pushing half-heartedly off it so that the swing began to carry her slowly backwards and forwards. Her red hair whisped around her face in the night breeze. Tiny tears ran silently down her cheeks, her soul aching.
The swing beside her creaked quietly, and Willow turned, her eyes falling on Angel as they opened. He smiled at her, swinging beside her equally as slow as she was. "Do you want to talk about it?"
She shook her head, whispering, "If I knew what was wrong, then maybe..."
Angel nodded, "Sometimes I feel like that. Everything hurts, and I get lost in that, but I never really know what the source of it is. It's happened a few times. Since I came back."
"That's it. Exactly how I feel." Willow eyed him curiously, "You don't look happy either, Angel. Maybe I can help."
Now it was his turn to shake his head, "Not much that anyone can do... It's just... Buffy..." He sighed, "She came to see me tonight. She said that... That we couldn't see each other anymore..."
Realization touched Willow's face, "That explains Buffy. She's been kinda quiet." She thought for a moment, "I guess we're sharing some bad luck, Angel. Oz..." Another tear escaped her, "We broke up. Last night. I... I cheated on him." A quiet sob escaped her. Angel reached out and pat her gently on the shoulder...
Suddenly pulling his hand away, he whispered, "Wait a minute." He dug his feet into the ground to stop himself swinging, motioning for Willow to do the same. When she did, he asked, "Last night? You and Oz split up?" She nodded and he asked, "How did you feel?"
Confused, Willow responded quietly, "Just hurt. Really hurt. Everywhere."
"And tonight, how do you feel?"
She sighed, "Empty." Angel's face set sternly in thought, Willow had to shake his arm to get his attention. "What is it, Angel?"
He looked deeply into her eyes, "Tonight... Tonight Buffy came to me. To tell me... Before she came, it was like everything inside me hurt. Everything, and I didn't know why. And it started last night." He shook his head, almost disbelieving at the thoughts forming in his mind. "Then tonight, when she told me... I just felt empty. I didn't know what to say or do or think..."
Surprise filled Willow's face, "That's... T-that's how I feel. Right now..." Her own mind whirled through the very facts Angel's just had, and she gasped. "It just started tonight." She got up, running her fingers through her hair, confused. "Can we... Can we feel each other?"
Angel got up to stand beside her, "The gypsy woman who cursed me, she had this connection to me. She knew how I was feeling..."
Willow nodded, "That was how Jenny knew before... That you had... You know..."
"No, that wasn't Jenny. Her Uncle... He knew... It was something..." He shrugged, "I don't know exactly, but when the woman who cursed me died, that connection was passed on." He placed a gentle hand on Willow's arm, "She could feel what I was feeling, but she knew, somehow... She had a way to block it so she didn't feel it too. But you..."
Knowing filled Willow's eyes, "When you're sad, really sad and hurting and... I feel it."
"God... I must be making you miserable..." Hurt flashed into Angel's eyes.
Willow shook her head, processing the information. "Actually..." She smiled gently at him, "I kinda like knowing that... I mean, at least now I can explain it and..." She took Angel's hand in her own, "When we hurt, Angel... We... We... We could maybe... You know... H-help each other." She whispered, "Like friends do."
Caught by her tender smile, Angel whispered back, "I'd... I'd like that. To have a friend. I haven't really had one in a while." His face remained serious, "But Willow, we're going to find a way. To stop it. You're always so happy and I..." He smiled, "I like you like that. I don't want you unhappy because of me. However the Gypsy woman used to keep my emotions from becoming hers... We'll do that."
"But..."
Angel silenced her by pressing his fingers softly against her lips. "That's how it has to be, Willow. Please." She nodded under his fingers, "Thank you." Gratitude shone past the hurt in his eyes.
As he slowly moved his fingers away from her lips, Willow sighed inwardly, a familiar tingle spreading from her lips through to the rest of body, clutching at her heart. Buffy had always had her love to share with Angel, and in someways, Willow had been jealous. Despite herself, she'd always had some sort of feelings for Angel...
Still holding her hand, Angel asked, "Do you want me to walk you home? It's late. You have school in the morning, right?"
"Right..." She nodded, "School." She let him lead her along until she fell into step beside him. "Thanks. For walking me."
"You're welcome."
And as they walked together through Sunnydale's unnaturally quiet streets, Willow said a silent prayer to whoever might be listening. 'Please don't let there be a way to stop it... I want to share with Angel...' She added hopefully, 'Forever.'
The End