To My BF, Jenn, who suggested the song. Love ya, hon.

Willow slipped the key into the lock.   She pushed the
door open and stepped inside the small apartment.
Some small part of her brain told her to turn around
and go home, but she moved down the hallway towards
his bedroom.   Pausing outside the door she listened
to the sounds coming from inside the room.  Slowly she
pushed the door open and stared at her boyfriend
fucking another girl.  She watched for a few moments
before she pushed away from the door jamb.

Oz paused mid-thrust when the girl below him gasped in
surprise.  “What?” he asked.

Willow walked over to the nightstand and picked up a
book she’d left there last week.  She smiled down at
them.  “Oh, don’t mind me.  I just needed to get this
book.”

“Willow!  Listen, I can explain,” Oz said in a panic.

She looked down at her naked boyfriend and his slut du
jour.  “Really?”

Oz had the decency to look ashamed.  “Um.  Okay, not
really.”

Willow picked up her book and shook her head at him.
“Don’t stress over it, Oz.  It’s been over for a
while.”  She turned and headed for the door.  “See
ya.”

He jumped up from the bed and followed her out the
door.  “Hey, wait a minute.”

She paused and turned back to him.  “Why?”

“Aren’t you going to get angry?” he asked.

“Why?”

“I thought you loved me?”

“I did, but it’s been over for a long time.  Hasn’t
it?” she asked as she hugged the book to her chest.

Oz sighed and ran his hand through his orange hair.
“This is exactly why I went to other women.  You are
so cold.”

“So your fucking other girls is my fault?” she asked,
shocked.

“Yeah.  If you weren’t so cold to me all the time, I
wouldn’t have to find it else where now, would I?” he
threw back in her face.

“Whatever.  You’d better get back to your friend so
she doesn’t get cold,” Willow said as she set the key
on the coffee table and left the apartment.

//squint your eyes and look closer
I'm not between you and your ambition
I am a poster girl with no poster
I am thirty-two flavors and then some
and I'm beyond your peripheral vision
so you might want to turn your head
cause someday you're going to get hungry
and eat most of the words you just said//

Willow sat at the table watching the Dingos set up
their equipment.  She tucked a lock of red hair behind
her ear as her eyes were drawn to Oz.  He made a few
minor adjustments to his amp as he avoided her gaze.
She knew that he had seen her.  It would have been
hard for him to miss her.  The Bronze wasn’t that
crowded.  The red head turned her attention to the
groupies standing around the stage flirting with the
band.  She didn’t see the blonde she’d caught him
fucking a month ago.  *On to bigger and better things,
Oz?* she thought as she sipped her cola.

//both my parents taught me about good will
and I have done well by their names
just the kindness I've lavished on strangers
is more than I can explain
still there's many who've turned out their porch
lights
just so I would think they were not home
and hid in the dark of their windows
til I'd passed and left them alone//

“Hey, Willow,”  Buffy said as she sat down.

“Hey, Buffy.”

The Slayer threw a quick glance at the stage.
“Dingoes are playing tonight?” she asked.

“Looks that way.”

“Aren’t you kind of weirded out by that?”

“That they actually have a gig?”

“No, that your ex is not more that twenty feet from
you,” Buffy said as she leaned forward.

“It’s not like he has a restraining order or anything.
 I’m fine with it.  It was his lose,” Willow said.

Buffy stared at her friend for a moment before
smiling.  “You are certainly a better woman than me.
I would be throwing a hissy fit right now.”

Willow glance at the entrance and smiled.  “Besides,
I’ve moved on to bigger and better things,” she said
as she stood.  “Much bigger and definitely better.”
She wrapped her arms around the new comer.  “Glad you
could make it.”

“Wouldn’t miss a date with you, pet,” Spike said as he
kissed her.

//and god help you if you are an ugly girl
course too pretty is also your doom
cause everyone harbors a secret hatred
for the prettiest girl in the room
and god help you if you are a phoenix
and you dare to rise up from the ash
a thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy
while you are just flying back//

Willow snuggled up to Spike as they danced together.
She could feel eyes burning holes into her back.  She
was well aware of the peroxide blonde’s sex appeal and
couldn’t blame the jealous stares she received.  The
red head actually relished in the jealousy, cuz she
had him and they didn’t.  With a satisfied sigh, she
playfully nipped at his neck.

“Better not start that, pet, unless you’re willing to
finish it,” Spike warned.

“Oh, I’m willing,” she whispered into his ear.

“Then what the hell are we standing her for?” he asked
as he pulled her after him.

//I'm not trying to give my life meaning
by demeaning you
and I would like to state for the record
I did everything that I could do
I'm not saying that I'm a saint
I just don't want to live that way
no, I will never be a saint
but I will always say//

Before they could reach the door, Oz stopped them.
“Willow.”

The red head paused at the hand on her arm.  “Oz.
What can I do for you?”

“Can we talk?” he asked.

Spike stood behind her and growled quietly.  “I’m kind
of busy right now.  Can it wait?”

“No, I think we should talk now,” Oz insisted.
Looking over her shoulder, he added,  “Alone.”

“Anything you have to say to me can be said in front
of Spike,” Willow explained.

The musician hesitated.  “Fine.  I’ve missed you.  And
I want you back.”

Willow squeezed Spike’s hand when he tried to step
forward.  “For how long?”

“Forever.”

“You’re forever doesn’t seem to last very long, Oz.
Look, I don’t want to be mean, but I just don’t think
it would work,” Willow said slowly.

“If this is because of my fooling around, I should
point out you fooled around first,” Oz said sharply.

Spike growled a little louder, but Willow kept him
from ripping the boy limb from limb.

“That has something to do with it.  And I realize I
did cheat first.  Although I didn’t actually have sex
with Xander, I can see your point on that one.”  She
let out a loud sigh.  “To be honest, Oz.  I don’t
think you deserve me.”

“What?!” he shouted.  “What kind of crap is that?”

“You.  Don’t.  Deserve.  Me,” she said more slowly.
“I’ve learned over the last few months that I have a
lot of love and attention to give.  And I should give
it to someone who deserves it.”

“And Spike deserves it?” Oz asked in amazement.  “He’s
a vampire, for God’s sake.”

Willow shrugged.  “What can I say?  He can see what
I’m worth.”

“Absolutely priceless, pet,” he whispered as he
nibbled on her earlobe.

“Until Drusilla comes back for him,” Oz said with a
sneer.

“Oh, she’s come and gone, Fido,” Spike said as he
wrapped an arm around Willow’s shoulders.  “Come on,
Red.  We’ve got better things to do.”

“Have a good set, Oz.  See ya around,” Willow called
over her shoulder.

//squint your eyes and look closer
I'm not between you and your ambition
I am a poster girl with no poster
I am thirty-two flavors and then some
And I'm beyond your peripheral vision
So you might want to turn your head
Cause someday you might find you're starving
and eating all of the words you said//

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