Email: nalia98@yahoo.com
Summary: short little fic, just was inspired when one of my fave
songs came on the radio
Disclaimer: All the Buffy characters, are, unfortunately for me,
the sole property of Joss Whedon and Fox. "Just the Way You
Are" is
property of Milky and who ever owns her....not making a dime off
it! :)
Feedback: Give it to me! I'm a glutton for punishment! ;)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Willow didn't want to go to the funeral. But she knew that she
had
to. To deliver the message.
"Rose was a great woman. She lived a long and prosperous
life. She watched to world go through many changes. She
was an
inspiration to all she met. It is through her that so many lives
have found something to live for."
Willow waited until the people began to leave. She walked over
to
the man still standing beside the grave. She knew that this was
Will, Rose's husband. She took his hand and placed a small angel
in
it and silently walked away.
Will looked at the young woman as she walked away; she didn't look
familiar. Slowly, he opened his hand and knew that even in death,
his Rose was comforting him.
Willow was sitting in the diner. A place she never thought she
would be again. It had been 5 years since she had left this town.
Five long, hard years. And now she had to come back to deliver
that
message. She hadn't wanted to come here, but she couldn't fight
it. She should have already been back at her hotel room but she
was
so hungry that she decided to come to the diner. It looked exactly
the same as it did the day she left. The day she quietly left
her
home and friends behind.
Since it was a weekday (and 9 in the morning), she doubted that she
would run into anyone she knew. She figured that anyone she had
known would have moved away after school and she definitely didn't
think that any of them would have recognized her anyway.
She was wrong.
Angel couldn't explain it, but he felt like something was calling
out his name...it was like he could hear it, but it was muffled.
He
threw on some clothes and began to walk around Sunnydale, following
the sound of his name.
As Willow waited for her blueberry waffles (which was her
favorite!), she began thinking about him...her Angel. Well, he
wasn't her Angel in real life, just in her dreams. In reality,
he
was Buffy's soul mate. She hoped that they were having a great
life
together. She missed them both, as well as Xander. Willing
herself
not to cry, Willow began to sing to herself.
'The way you walk
The way you understand me
The way you move
The way you just whisper me
The way you touch
The way you used to kiss me
I want to just
just the way you are'
Angel walked around, following whatever was calling him. He made
it
to Main Street and had the overwhelming urge to put his hands over
his ears. Angel stopped in front of the diner and drew in an
unneeded breath. All he saw was red...the red locks of his
love...she was sitting in the diner. It had to be her, but why
was
she here now? Where had she been? She was sitting by herself
and
had her head down, like she was studying something on the table.
He
wanted to run to her and take her in his arms, but he didn't.
Instead, he entered the diner and walked over to her, afraid that
maybe it wasn't her. As he neared her table, he saw that indeed
it
was Willow Ann Rosenberg.
"Willow?" he asked tentatively.
"Hmmm?" was all he heard.
"Is it really you? Please say that it is really you! I can't
stand
dreaming this anymore!" he said angrily.
"Wh..what? Y..ye...yes, it's m...me. What are you talking
about
and who are you?" Willow asked, concentrating on her coffee.
Ignoring her questions, he slid into the seat across from her.
"So,
how are you? I...we've all missed you. Are you just visiting
or did
you come back for good?" he asked, staring at her still bent head.
"I....had to come back.....to deliver something to someone.....it's
what I do now....so, I guess I am visiting, because I am not
planning on staying here at all. I just wanted to eat before
I
left. You still haven't told me who you are....." she said, letting
him know that she knew who he was, but there was a part of her that
needed to know if he still had his soul.
"It's me, Angel," he replied, smiling slightly.
"Oh," was all she said.
"Please, Willow, look at me. It's been so long since I've seen
you. Plus, I want you to see the new me," he said, proudly.
She slowly raised her head and took in the sight before her.
She
let out a small gasp. Before her was the most handsome man (ok,
vampire) that she had ever seen. It was Angel, only he had a
tan.
He was still wearing his trademark leather jacket, but he was
wearing a blue cotton button-down shirt with blue jeans! He looked
so relaxed and casual, he could have been mistaken for a college
kid. He looked so yummy....(bad thoughts, Willow, he's Buffy's!)!
All she could say was, "WOW!"
Angel could tell that she approved of the 'new' him. He was glad.
Then he realized that he had never told her thank you. "Willow,
I
want to thank you for everything you did. Making me 'sun-proof'
was
the best gift ever! I almost feel normal. And I owe it
all to
you. But I never got to tell you thank you; you left so suddenly,"
he said, looking deep into her eyes.
"Oh, well, um, you're welcome," Willow averted her eyes and began
babbling, "I mean, you deserve it...you more than earned to have
some happiness! And I wanted to give you more than just a permanent
soul, I mean, I just wanted you to be able to experience the beauty
of the sun again. Not that it's better than the moon, 'cause
it's
not; they are equally wonderful and important and ok, I am shutting
up now!" she said, catching her breath.
He couldn't help but chuckle. She hadn't changed all that much.
It
took him a minute to process everything she had said. Finally,
the
words sank in.... "hey, what did you say was permanent?" he asked.
"Your soul," she replied.
"When, how, why, what...." Angel sputtered, shocked.
"When - when I performed the curse that made you soul permanent and
made you 'sun-proofed' as you like to say. How - I removed the
happiness clause. Why - duh! What -Didn't Buffy tell you
and
Giles?"
"Um, no. I found out about the sun when I tried to....um, after
you
left, everything kinda fell apart and I...we all got really confused
with you gone and I couldn't take it anymore, but all I got was sun
burn....." he said sadly.
"Oh, Angel, I am sooo sorry. And all this time, you have been
keeping away from the one that made you happy....because you didn't
know that the soul was permanent....I am sorry, but, Angel, you can
be with Buffy now, in the biblical sense....and no more Angelus!"
she told him, her heart breaking.
"Well, Buffy and I have....come to an understanding; we aren't in
love anymore. I mean, we still love each other, but there's no
way
around the fact that I am a vampire and she is a slayer. And
we
couldn't pretend anymore that we 'belong to each other'; besides I
am in love with someone else and I think that Buffy knows that and
that also prompted us to just be friends," he said, dropping his
head to his hands. "I can't believe that she didn't tell me.
Why?"
"Um, I don't know," was all Willow could squeak out.
Just then her waffles arrived....complete with whipped cream and
syrup. Angel looked as she began to eat hungrily....'Man, she
looks
like she hasn't eaten in weeks, no months!' he though to himself.
Soon, an amused grin crept onto his face.
"So, who is this person you are in love with? Demon, vampire,
human? Anyone I know?" Willow asked between bites.
"Uh, yeah, I guess you could say you know her..." he said, smiling.
"Then tell me who it is," she demanded.
"I am afraid to even say her name...she...deserves better than
me....and I can love her without her having her love me back, but to
know that she doesn't love me, would hurt too much," Angel said, his
smile fading somewhat.
"No! Angel don't say that. You deserve the best!" Willow said
angrily. 'Why does he always have to denying himself?' Willow
thought.
"No, you do....why did you leave us anyway?" he asked, changing the
subject.
"Because I had to," she said, finishing off one waffle and starting
on the next one.
"No, you are going to tell me why because I....we were all worried
about you, and since you seem starved, I'll wait until you are done
eating and then you can tell me," Angel said, firmly, leaving no
room for arguing.
She took her time eating, savoring each bite as if it were her last
meal. He watched her eat. They sat in silence. Finally,
she was
down to the last bite. She finished chewing and wiped her mouth
with her napkin. She was just about to start her long explanation,
when Angel spoke up.
"Willow, before you explain, I need to tell you something I should
have told you long ago, before I lost my soul, before you gave it
back, before you left me...us. I love you, more than I have ever
loved anyone, I didn't think I could tell you, for fear that you
would laugh, but I realize now that I had to tell you, so you would
know that I will always protect you and be there for you. I was
so
mad when you left, I moped, I screamed, I broke things in my
apartment, I refused to talk to anyone, even Giles tried to help me,
but I pushed him away too. Buffy figured it out and tried to
help
me find you... we looked everywhere but our leads never panned out.
Now that I think about it, I think she did say something about my
soul, but I was so out of it that I didn't even pay attention.
When
I walked in here today, I was so glad to see you sitting here, I
just want you to know that I can't live without you in my life,
whether it is as friends or something more. I know you probably
don't want me.....as.....this monster....as a vampire....but I love
you and have missed you so much and I am babbling, so I am shutting
up now," Angel said, smiling uncomfortably; he had just bared his
soul to his one and only object of desire.
Willow sat there staring at Angel. She had heard what he said,
but
it didn't make sense....what about Buffy......how did he know that
he loved......what the hell was going on.....and the next thing
Willow knew, she heard her self reply, "I left because I loved you
and I knew that I couldn't be with you. I wanted you to be happy,
but it was too hard to sit and watch someone else make you happy.
I
can't believe that you love me, I mean, I am just Willow....plain,
ole Willow....research girl, net chick.....not Buffy...." she
whispered, tears threatening to fall.
"Willow, I want you, all of you, and you are more than just plain,
ole Willow. You are intelligent, smart, courteous, considerate, and
patient. You have a great sense of humor and the wisdom of beyond
your years. You are the sun and moon for me, you complete me.
Without you, I am nothing," he said, passionately.
She looked at him and smiled a shy smile. His own smile grew as
he
looked at her. She stood up to leave. He grabbed her hand.
"No, please, don't leave me again. Please let me love you like
you
deserve to be loved, that is, if you want to be loved by me....not
a
man, but a vampire....who...." Angel began before she leaned over
and placed a kiss on his lips. Just then someone put some money
in
the jukebox and a song began to play.
Dururu duruduruddu..
Dururu duruduruddu..
( and it goes )
We're still the same
Don't ever change
I want to just the way you are
every day now
say you stay
don't go away
I love you just the way you are
the way you are
Dururu duruduruddu..
Dururu duruduruddu..
( and it goes )
the way you talk
the way you movin' closer
the way you kiss
the way you did beside me
cause every time
Every time I think about you
I want you just
just the way you are
just the way you are
just the way you are
just the way you are
Willow pulled back and smiled...... "I like you just the way you
are."
The End