Distribution: Angel of Mine, TPWFLD, anyone else please ask first.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Angel, Willow and co. do not belong to me. They are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and the WB. All characters are used without permission. No copyright infringement intended.
Feedback: Yes please!!!! Or I may not write any more! :Hint. Hint:
Summery: Buffy's new gift uncovers a secret.
Spoilers/Warnings: Earshot.
< > Indicates thoughts.
\ \ Indicates what Buffy hears.
Authors Notes: Okay, Buffy and Angel never got back together and Oz and Willow never did either after the *incident.*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“She can read our minds? Our every impulse and fantasy?”
Xander, 'Earshot'.
The streets, the quiet of the deserted streets, walking through them, Buffy was relieved for the peace that they gave her mind. As she cut through the park Buffy’s mind wandered as she began to think of all the things she could do with her newfound gift, if it didn't drive her insane first that was.
<It could help my slaying so much, like a warning bell to tell me when vampires are coming. Plus it might be able to help me decipher Giles babbling. Of course I could also end up like Drucilla.> Buffy thought with a shudder.
As Buffy exited the park and walked down the street she found herself approaching Willow's house.
Deciding to pay her friend a surprise visit, Buffy quietly walked around to the back of house and looked up to find the doors to Willow's balcony open and Willow sitting on her bed reading.
Moving closer to the house, she was about to climb up onto the balcony to scare her when Willow suddenly checked her watch and jumped up off the bed.
Unable to stop herself, Buffy slowly started to feel Willow's thoughts enter her mind.
\Oh no, oh no, on no! Look at the time, how did it get so late? \
<Late? > Buffy thought. <What's she talking about? It's barley even eight o'clock.>
\Damn I never should have started that book!…even if he did give it to me. \
<Him? Oh, she must be talking about Oz. I wonder if she's late for a date with him? >
Buffy then proceeded to watch as Willow hurried about the room putting things away and checking her appearance in the mirror.
<Man, she's really getting worked up, > Buffy thought.
All of a sudden the doorbell went and Willow froze, although Buffy could hear her panic. \Oh god, He's here, he's here! \
Watching as Willow hurried out of her room and down the stairs Buffy took the opportunity to climb up to her balcony and hide in the shadows that lingered there. As Buffy waited for Willow to re-appear, she momentarily felt guilty about spying on her friend no matter how odd her behavior but soon cast her doubts aside as she heard Willow's voice float outside through the doors and Willow re-enter the room.
Buffy watched closely as she waited for Oz to enter the room behind Willow and was practically floored when she saw who, in fact, was behind her.
<Angel?!>
Buffy stood there stunned as Angel entered the room, closed the door behind him and walked over to embrace Willow.
"Hey," Angel said when they finally broke apart.
"Hey yourself."
As they stood there in silence staring at each other Buffy's mind reeled in shock.
<What the hell is going on here? Why is my boyfriend…ex-boyfriend at my best friend's house…hugging her? >
As the shock finally started to subside Buffy tried to think more rationally about what she had just seen.
<They’re friends that’s all. I mean Xander and I are friends and we hug each other. > As she continued to try to convince herself of her 'just friends' theory, Buffy became aware of thoughts in her head other than her own.
\She looks so beautiful. \ She heard Angel think, bringing her fully out of her thoughts.
\I wonder what he's thinking? \ She heard Willow ask herself.
"So Willow, you ready to go out tonight?"
"Um, I'm almost ready. I just have to put my shoes on," Willow said as she moved to her closet and removed her shoes from within.
"So, where are we going tonight Angel?" Willow asked pulling her shoes on.
"It's a surprise."
"Please?" Willow pleaded. "Just one little hint?"
"Hmm…No." Angel said with a satisfied smirk.
"But Angel!" Willow whined as she got up.
"No buts. Now, we'd better hurry or we'll be late and have to spend the evening at my place."
/Hmm, spending the evening at Angel's…remind me how this is bad? I could even get smoochies…or more…bad Willow, stop that. /
Despite the situation, Buffy couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips at Willow's train of thoughts.
<Hmm, it seems that our little hacker and Angel have a thing going on. Who'd have thought it. >
"Willow…Willow?!" Angel said, waving his hand in front of her.
"Huh…what?" Willow said, noticing that Angel was looking at her oddly. "Oh sorry, I was just thinking."
"Hmm," Angel said, pulling her to him. "Want to tell me what about?"
"Oh, nothing really. Just how I don't think it would be so bad to stay in tonight."
"Oh…is that right?"
"Uh huh," Willow said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.
\Well is suppose I could change my mind. \ Angel thought as he kissed Willow back.
Angel was about to deepen the kiss when Willow pulled away however.
"Come on Angel, we don't want to be late," She said, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the door.
"But I…I thought you wanted to stay in?" Angel said, thoroughly confused.
"What? And miss my surprise. You've got to be kidding. Come on lets go."
"But-"
"Angel," Willow said cutting, him off and hiding the smile that threatened to appear on her face. "You said no buts remember? Now lets move."
\Women, they’re all the same. Say one thing and do the other. I swear, I've been around for 250 years and I still don't understand them. \
"Besides, we can always go back to your place after," Willow said, waggling her eyebrows before turning around and heading down the stairs.
"Oh…"
"Uh huh. Now where are we going then."
"I told you I can't tell you. If I did……"
Willow and Angel's voices faded as they went down the stairs. Once they were out the door Buffy finally allowed the small laugh that she had been keeping in to escape at Angel's thoughts and Willow's actions.
<I just can't believe it. Angel and Willow. Talk about odd,> Buffy thought as she climbed off the balcony. <Hell, who am I to comment. Our relationship was even weirder. >
Even though she was upset that they had kept this from her, she could see that they were happy together and knew they would tell her when they were ready.
<Besides, who am I to stand in their way. I've moved on to someone new. Why can't they? >
Walking down the street, Buffy smiled happily to herself, realizing that this gift might not be so bad after all.
The End