Anya and Oz stood several feet behind the tree under
which Willow was studying.
"I'm not sure she's ready to listen to me, yet," he
said quietly, not wishing to attract the redhead's
attention.
Anya shrugged, "Maybe you're right. She and Spike have
gotten pretty close. She probably doesn't even care
what you think anymore."
"I can't believe that," he responded harshly. "I know
that I hurt her, but I can't believe she's completely
shut me out. Even if that bastard has managed to get
her into his bed, I know it only happened because
she's been alone and confused. I know she still cares
about me."
"Well, you know her better than I do. Come on," she
tugged him further away from the tree. "I have to get
going. Xander and I are have sex at four o'clock."
Oz froze for a second, still unused to her embarassing
bluntness. He shrugged his shirt sleeve out of her
grasp.
"No. I think I should talk to her. She's already spent
too much time with Spike. I need for her to know how
I
feel."
"Okay," she nodded and turned away, a smug grin
forming on her face as he headed toward Willow.
***
"Sorry I'm late," Willow said as she came through
Spike's door and banged it shut behind her.
The vampire rose from his chair and followed her into
the kitchen. She opened the fridge, and he leaned back
against the counter beside it as she took out a can of
soda and slammed the door shut.
"What is it, ducks?" he asked.
"Believe me, nothing you want to hear about," she
scowled.
He removed the can from her hand and set it on the
counter, then took her arms and pulled her in front of
him, "Yes, I do."
"Ohhh," she grumbled, leaning her forehead against his
chest. "Everything's going along just fine, and then
all of a sudden--wham!"
"Luv, what are you talking about? What happened?"
She took a deep breath and released it, "I was sitting
outside on campus, studying my notes--well, I was
doing more thinking about you than studying, really--"
He smiled and slid his hand through her hair and
softly rubbed the side of her cheek with his thumb.
"And all of a sudden, Oz appears beside me," she
continued. "He started in on how sorry he was, and I
told him--again--that 'I'm sorry' doesn't undo all the
pain that he caused. And then he said he just wanted
a
chance to prove it to me, and he missed me so much all
the time he was gone, and he would never want to be
with anyone else. And he went on and on until I almost
started feeling sorry for him. And then I got angry at
myself for feeling that way. And the more he talked,
the more I didn't know _how_ I felt. So I grabbed up
my things and practically ran away from him. And then
I stormed into the dorm room and just about tore
Buffy's head off, and she probably hates me now."
"I doubt that," Spike said, fighting a smile as the
little redhead breathed heavily in the wake of her
outburst.
"Oh, Spike. I don't know what I'm feeling. I just know
I love being with you, and I've come such a long way."
"Yes, you have," he agreed softly. "A very long way."
"And I don't want to go backward. I can't," she
insisted.
"You know what you need?"
She looked up at him, "A dozen tranquilizers?"
"No," he chuckled, reaching for the can of soda and
taking her hand.
He led her to the living room and sat down, pulling
her across his lap and cuddling her close to him.
"You need this," he told her and lowered his mouth to
hers.
The kiss was slow and fervent, and she relaxed against
him as she was drawn into it. He pulled away and
watched the smile that curved her reddened lips.
"That is what I need," she said. "Only a lot more."
He laughed softly and tapped a finger against the
soda. "This will go flat."
She took it from him and set it on the floor in front
of the sofa.
"I hope so," she whispered before drawing his mouth
back to hers.
End.