Part One
The sound of an owl echoed across the pond’s dark waters. The trees
surrounding the pond seemed to sigh in answer. The wind that flowed
through
the leaves danced with the long hair of the girl who sat on the
bench at the
water's edge. That same wind danced along her lips trying to entice
a smile
from them. Success was not achieved.
The full moon was reflected in the pond's water. Like an imperfect
mirror,
the water shone with the pure white light, a beacon to the creatures
of
fantasy that walked through the world.
*****
Willow sat in silence, her eyes staring with helpless anger at the
full moon.
The anger that filled her soul was like a lance of fire. It burned
red hot and
yet it seemed to fill her heart with shards of pain as cold as
ice. Her anger
was directed inwards, towards her own cowardice.
He was in love! With someone else!
The tears she had held back since he had declared his love for another
finally
fell. It was her own fault, she realized. If she had had the courage
to tell
him how she felt, then maybe circumstances would be different.
Maybe she would
be the one dancing with him now.
Him. She couldn't even bring herself to think his name, let alone
say it. It
hurt too much.
Suddenly, her anger crashed down under the weight of her pain. Great
sobs
wracked her body as the pain flooded her heart; a heart no longer
buffered by
her anger. Willow wrapped her arms around herself in a futile attempt
to
protect her heart.
The feel of a strong pair of arms wrapping themselves around her
momentarily
startled her out of her misery. Willow looked up and found she
was staring
into the eyes of a vampire, the eyes of a friend. Angel. The pain
on his face
mirrored the pain she knew was visible on her own face.
"Oh, Angel," she murmured, her heart breaking for the lonely, seemingly
young
man. "You saw her, didn't you?"
Angel didn't have to ask whom Willow referred to. There was only
one person
who could cause him this much sorrow: Buffy. Angel closed his eyes
in pain.
The gentle touch of Willow's hand on his face startled him. Very
few people
had acted gentle with him for, well, over a hundred years, not
since his
mother. He looked into Willow's eyes and was shocked to see the
concern and
worry in them.
"I'm so sorry, Angel. I know how much you care for her and
want her to be
happy," Willow said softly. With a slight laugh she continued,
"And you have
to admit, she does seem to be happy." She whispered, almost to
herself, "They
make each other happy, Angel, and that's all that really matters
when you
watch the one you love fall in love with someone else."
Willow smiled sadly as she realized that her words also applied
to her. Her
concerns for the man beside her overrode her own feelings of loss.
With this
concern came clarity and understanding. Xander was in love
with someone else
and that person made him happy. "Guess I should agree with the
validity of my
own argument, huh?"
"Oh, I don't know," Angel answered softly, "Nobody ever said love
was logical
or that it would follow the commands of our heads. Maybe this pain
is our
hearts’ way of telling us we should get up, go to the one we love,
and fight
for their love," Angel mused, but at the violent shaking of Willow's
head he
said, "Or maybe not."
Angel shifted on the bench until he and Willow were comfortable.
His arm was
around her shoulders and her head was leaning against one of his
shoulders.
Once they were comfortable, Angel started talking; "Maybe if we
talk about
them it won't hurt so much?" At Willow's hesitant nod he continued,
"I
remember the first time I saw Buffy..."
End Part One