Willow looked around the tiny airport just south of Sunnydale, her eyes scanning the crowd for anyone she knew, not suprised at all to see no one. She could tell immediately that she wasn't in Europe anymore just from everyday little things like the signs and the way people were dressed, and it made her miss the 'Old Country' even more. She missed the laid back lifestyle she had indulged in while overseas. The nights of room service and sightseeing. Just getting on the plane to come back to the US had been stressful.
"WILLS!"
The red head looked over in time to see a dark haired mass fly at her, arms outstretched, swooping her into a hug. She smiled, wrapping her arms around the man in front of her. She hadn't thought in a million years that anyone would come to meet them at the airport. Hadn't dared to dream that anyone would forgive her enough to greet her. Not even Xander.
But here he was.
"Miss me?" The red head asked quietly, relief evident in every line of her body, every whispered word. Of all the friends she had, losing Xander would hurt the most. He had been there for her when no one else had in her life - comforting her, holding her...just being there when she needed someone to laugh or cry with. He was truly her best friend in every sense of the word.
"More than you could ever know," the dark haired youth whispered, his voice catching with emotion. "Don't ever leave for that long again, please. I didn't know if you were ever coming back. I'm sorry I was so mean before you left. Just don't go that far away for that long anymore? Please forgive me?" He was crying now, the tears spilling slowly over his cheeks.
"Its ok, Xan," Willow whispered, touched by the tears in her childhood friend's eyes. "I forgave you a long time ago. Just don't let it happen again."
"Never," Xander grinned slightly, wiping the tears that had pooled at the corner of his eyes away with the palms of his hands. He turned, noticing the rest of Willow's group for the first time, suddenly embarassed by his little display. "Hey guys! Nice to see you back safe."
"Yeah, Chubs, we missed your goofy arse, too," Spike smirked. He moved quietly to stand behind Willow, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. He wasn't insecure about the affection the boy showed to his mate. Not in the least. He just wanted to remind him who she belonged to.
"Aw, Blondie, didn't realize you cared," Xander snickered. He nodded at the couple to the left of him, noting absently that they looked good together. "Hey Deadboy, Delia."
"Harris." Angel smiled softly. He had never been too fond of the comical youth, but for Willow's sake he would try to be nice - try to make friends, even.
Willow turned to Angel and Cordelia, favoring her dark haired lovers with a secret smile. She wanted to be in their arms with Spike, cuddling while they waited for the cab that would take them back to Sunnydale. But she couldn't - that wasn't something Xander would be able to handle yet. "Are you two going to leave for LA immediately or will you stay for a while."
Cordelia looked at her mate. She didn't want to leave the red head alone to face the Bitch, but it was hard to stay knowing it would be hell on all of them. Then again...it would mean more time getting to know Spike and the red head in intimate detail.... "I say we stay."
The dark haired vampire nodded, similar thoughts going through his own mind. Seeing Buffy wouldn't be a treat, but he wasn't eager for their happy little family to be broken apart either. "I think we should stay for moral support, Will."
The red head sighed, leaning back into her lover's embrace. Those were the words she had wanted to hear. That they weren't going to run off back to LA the second they got to Sunnydale....that they would stay a little while and make sure Buffy didn't try anything stupid....that they wouldn't want to end the happiness they had found in each other.
Spike grinned, knowing there would be at least a few more days of shagging between him and his Sire before the couple went home. But time was wasting, though, standing here talking about absolutly nothing important. There were many more enjoyable things they could be doing. "Drive us back to Sunnyhell, Chubs?"
** ** **
Willow swallowed, trying to push aside the nervousness she was feeling in the pit of her stomach. Standing outside the door of Giles' house she couldn't help but worry. The former librarian had made it clear that Buffy would probably come by some time during the visit and that there was little he could do to avoid it.
So here she was, with Cordelia, Angel, Spike and Xander at her back and still afraid to knock on the door.
"Pet...do you mind? Peaches and I dont fancy waiting around until the bloody sun rises."
Willow looked over at her mate, giving him a small smile. She wanted to see Giles, but her body was screaming for her to run far far away and not put herself through facing Buffy. Bracing herself, she knocked on the door. Her heart leapt with happiness at the first sight of the older man she was happy to think of as a father figure.
Holding out his arms to the red head, Giles enveloped her in a tight hug. He had missed her greatly during the months she had been gone - worrying constantly for her safety and wishing she would come home more than once. He had argued with Buffy numerous times, trying to make her see that there was nothing she could do to stop the foursome from being with whomever they chose - to no avail.
"Come in, all of you," He flashed everyone a small smile - even Angel and Spike as they crowded into the entryway of his small house. "Care for anything to drink?"
"Not unless you started keeping blood in the fridge, Watcher," Spike grinned good-naturedly, sitting on the couch next to Willow and putting his arm around her.
Giles smirked. "Heated or cold?"
Angel's jaw dropped open and he stared at the man in surprise. "Developed any weird new allergies we need to know about, Giles?"
Giles chuckled, heading into the kitchen. "I did know the two of you were coming, of course." He pulled open the refridgerator, grabbing a quart container. "Did you want any Angel?" He looked up in time to see the dark haired vampire shake his head. "Willow, Xander, Cordelia - tea, soda, water?"
Willow smiled, growing more at ease now that she was safe in Giles' home. He wouldn't let anything happen to them. He wouldn't let Buffy...
"I'm going to stake you both..."
The red head closed her eyes, hoping that the irate voice behind her was just a figment of her imagination. Surely Buffy hadn't come to spoil their time with Giles so soon? Opening her eyes, she turned slightly, seeing the blonde out of the corner of her eye. Nope. Not part of her imagination. She stood, stretching slightly, her heart thudding in her chest. "Buffy...how good to..."
"Can it Wills," the blonde snapped, glaring at the girl she had once considered her friend. "Why'd you even come back? There's nothing for you here, now. Right, Xander?"
Xander looked up at Buffy, his eyes reflecting his own weariness in the situation. He took a deep breath, standing up beside his long time friend and facing the Slayer. "Wrong."
"See, Wills...like I was saying...wait....'Wrong'?" She turned her glare on the young man who had dared to defy her. "Xander...she's dating a member of the living dead? Don't tell me you are forgiving her?"
The boy shrugged. "She's been my friends alot longer than you have Buffy. Spike isnt such a bad guy and damnit, Angel didn't do anything except date Cordelia. I'm not going to throw away friendships with all of them just because you think its the thing to do."
The blonde's eyes hardened and one thin arm reached up, pointing to the door. "Get out. All of you. You aren't welcome in my Watcher's house."
That was enough of that, as far as Giles was concerned. He stepped around the counter of the kitchen, coming to stand with Willow and Xander. "Young lady," he addressed Buffy, his eyes as hard as hers. "This is my house, and these are my guests. You will -not- tell them they are not welcome or I will bloody well take you out back and knock some sense into you myself."
Blanching, the Slayer backed towards the door. Her face was a mask of perfect shock as she regarded the room full of people who had suddenly turned against her. Couldn't they see she was just trying to do the right thing. "But...Giles...they're vampires."
The former librarian pinched the bridge of his nose, quietly praying for strength before speaking to her again. "You didn't have any problem with that when Spike was helping you or when you were dragging Angel off into any dark corner you could find. You are being a God awful hypocrit Buffy and I refuse to listen to it any longer." He fixed her with one long, steely stare before continuing. "Go home. We will talk about this later."
She nodded, mutely, tears forming at the edges of her eyes. How could Giles do this to her? She took a deep breath, gathering her wits. "Fine. We'll talk about it later, if I let you -have- a later." And in a flurry of motion she was gone.
Breathing out a long unnecessary sigh, Angel stood, placing a hand on Giles' shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to do that, Rupert."
Giles smiled briefly. "She'll be back. Tomorrow morning, ready to talk. I'm not worried about her." He turned to the group in the living room. "I am worried about Willow and Spike, however. They have to live in this town with her."
"You dont think...?" Willow let the question hang in the air, her face a mixture of anger at the Slayer and worry that Buffy would do something to harm her mate.
"I don't know, Willow. She doesn't seem to be able to see reason when it comes to the four of you." He sighed, looking into the tear-filled green eyes of the young witch. "As much as it pains me to say it, maybe you and Spike should move away - make a life somewhere else."
"No!" Xander cried. He looked at Willow, almost pleading. "You said you wouldn't leave again, Wills."
The red head sighed, hearing her best friends voice crack with emotion. "If I go anywhere it would just be to LA, Xan." She smiled at him. "And isn't it better to have me there than to have to worry about me running into Buffy and getting hurt?"
The young man nodded, wiping at the corners of his eyes. "I guess... Are you really going to go?"
"It would be for the best." Angel murmured, looking the three people he called his family. He grinned at Xander in a moment of playfulness. "Dont worry, Harris, I'll even let you come visit my city to see her sometime."
Xander chuckled, smirking at the vampire. "Thanks, Deadboy." He turned to Willow. "So...really?"
Willow looked at her mate and saw his small nod of agreement. "Yeah, Xan. It would be for the best."
"When?"
Spike, who had watched the emotional scene quietly, finally saw fit to interrupt. "We can be back in LA before dawn." He smirked at the crestfallen expression on the dark-haired boy before seeing the sadness in his mate's eyes. This was her best friend, the closest thing she had had to family before she met him.
Willow's brow furrowed in confusion as she watched Spike lean over to whisper to his Sire. She felt a familiar ache start between her legs at the sight of them in so close contact with each other. When the blonde straightened up again, he was smiling.
"Chubs - do you want to pack a bag and come stay a week or so? The Slayer isn't about to leave you alone, either."
Xander's mouth fell open. "Really?" He looked to Angel for confirmation and grinned even larger when the dark haired vampire nodded. "Thats great!" Picking Willow up, he twirled her around the room, happiness etched in every line of his face.
Giles sighed, content spreading through him. He wondered if Xander would even be coming back to Sunnydale. It was almost like watching his own children grow up and leave the house. "You had better start now if you hope to make it back to LA before sunup."
Willow nodded, hugging Giles. "Thank you for everything."
He patted her back. "Keep in touch."
"I will." The red head wiped tears from her eyes. "C'mon guys. We need to go get Angel's car from SPike's apartment then go by Xander's house."
"What about your stuff, ducks?" Spike purred, leading her towards the door as Xander said goodbye to Giles. He wondered silently if the Watcher knew that the boy would probably stay with them longer than a week - a lot longer.
Willow shrugged. "Everything important I took when I went to Europe..and I can always buy more clothes."
"Shopping?" Cordelia's eyes lit up and she squeezed Angel's hand.
"Yeah, pet. Lots of bloody shopping. We're going to have a whole apartment to furnish, you know." He smiled at his Sire wickedly.
"So...Wills," Xander grinned as they piled into his car. "How was Europe."
The red head smirked, leaning into the embrace of her lover and mate. She winked at Cordelia when the brunette turned to smile at her. There was no time like the present to let Xander in on the family feelings between the four of them.
"Well, Xan...let me tell you about Switzerland first."
~*~ End Series ~*~