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Disclaimer - All characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Twentieth Century Fox, Mutant Enemy and anyone else involved with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Basic plot - Willow and Xander get a little closer in England. The first in a to be collection.
“I love you.” She whispered to him, her heart pounding within her chest the drums around them were even pounding less. It was the first time she’d spoken it to him, she’d thought it endless times, told Buffy endless times, but never said it to him.
He turned to her trying to ignore the commotion going on around them; his eyes were ablaze with passion. “I’ve never heard you say that.” He said.
She shrugged. “Well now were dating and all I figured it was about time I did, after all it is true, I do love you.” She repeated, only to prompt a reply from him, preferably something like. ‘I love you too,’ or ‘I feel the same,’ would even do.
He smiled heartily then turned back to the street to watch the parade. “Some place huh? England?” He asked and took her hand in his.
“Oh yeah, some place.” She agreed a little downheartedly. * Shame about the unloving company. * She thought to herself meanly.
England was a nice place and it was definitely different from California, very different, the weather being highest on the different scale of one to ten. Luckily at the moment it wasn’t raining, it was quite warm.
They were in England due to Giles; he’d said that he was going back for a week or so to visit his family. Buffy had asked him to get her a plane ticket too as she’d always wanted to visit. So Willow had suggested to Xander they go too.
Xander had been enthusiastic all the way on the plane; he’d also always wanted to go after he’d met Giles, interested in where the G-man originated.
So far Willow liked it in England, the countryside was beautiful and some of the towns were so quaint, unfortunately only a few, most were towns with loads of shops.
She’d started dragging Xander to castles and old houses from the second day; she knew he was fed up by now but he followed her about regardless trying to enjoy himself. And for that she was actually thankful.
“Hey, Will!” Xander suddenly ceased her other hand excitedly. “Maybe we could do something more fun tonight, like I pick for once.”
She couldn’t help but sigh in defeat. “What have you got in mind? Nothing too exciting I hope. Say for example skydiving?”
“Jeez Will, I’m not that loopy. God, I’d never do that, that’s just mad. It can be a surprise okay, but firstly I want to take you shopping.” He smiled and flashed his brand-new credit card in front of her.
Now that was different, Xander spending money on someone else, and her. “You want to take me shopping? For what?”
“Stuff.” He replied bluntly and led her away from the street and into a shopping center. “Nice stuff.”
“Stuff doesn’t really explain it.” She said as they walked past the tens of clothes stores. A particularly nice dress caught her eye as they were passing one store. “Ooh, stop.” She pulled him to a halt and peered into the window.
The dress was knee length, pink, with tiny white and blue embroidered flowers, and silver stems. Beneath it sat a pair of silver stilettos with a blue flower to fasten them.
“Oh wow.” She whispered beneath her breath. “That’s so… it’s so-”
“You like it?” Xander asked and began to drag her from the window.
“Like, more than like, I love it.” She said taking one last glance to the window before starting to walk back through the shopping center. “Shame I can’t afford it, I didn’t think of bringing enough money for anything fancy.”
Xander grasped her hand tightly and pulled her into the store. “If you want it you can have it.” He said and stopped in the center of the store.
“But Xander it’s your money I can’t spend it, not on a dress I really can’t.” She flashed him a nervous smile.
Xander wasn’t going to have any of it; she was going to leave the store with that dress if she wanted it. “I’m not leaving until you’ve tried it on at least, Will.” He said sternly and folded his arms across his chest.
“I’m not gonna win am I?” Willow asked and began walking over to where the dress was hung. Xander shook his head. “Didn’t think so.”
* * *
After about two hours Xander had bought Willow two dresses, a shirt, a skirt, two pairs of jeans, and three pairs of shoes. He did actually consider buying another suitcase to put it all in, but Willow convinced him she could fit it the one she had already.
“Okay there’s one last thing I want to buy for you.” He said as they passed a bakery. “Ooh cookies.” His attention was quickly diverted by the smell of pastries.
Willow giggled, it was definitely the real Xander he hadn’t been taken over by aliens or anything. “You don’t need to buy me anything else really.”
“I do!” He replied and tried to ignore the scent of doughnuts floating in the air. “Tell you what. You just go and buy some cookies, okay. And I’ll just get that other thing I wanted to buy for you.” He was about to hand her some money but she stopped him.
“I’ll buy the cookies, it’s the least I can do after all the stuff you bought me. I’ll see you back here in a few minutes okay.” Willow started over to the bakery.
“Sure.” Xander smiled and jogged off in the other direction only to run straight into the infamous Buff.
“Xander, hey!” She exclaimed emerald eyes glittering. “Where have you guys been, I’ve been trying to find you for the last hour? Where’s Willow?”
“Buying cookies, umm I gotta run something important I need to fetch.” He said and started back in the direction of his destination.
“I’ll come with.” Buffy said and followed him.
He kept walking until he came to a jeweler, stopping for a moment he examined the jewelry in the window and then he spotted it, the perfect thing. “Okay, won’t be a sec Buffy.”
“What are you buying?” She asked curiously while studying the array of crosses in the window. “Do you think I should buy a new cross while I’m here?” She turned to Xander for an answer to see that she was talking to some guy in a knee length leather jacket.
“You don’t live here?” He asked slight sarcasm in his tone, he then smiled and snatched her hand to shake it. “Well I guess you weren’t talking to me right? But still, my names Jake.”
Buffy stared open mouthed a little unsure at what to say to him. “I’m Buffy.” She replied shakily eventually.
“Well…” He paused and pushed his chestnut hair from his eyes. “It’s nice to not answer your question. Talking to your boyfriend huh?”
“Oh no, not my boyfriend, a close friend.” She stood up straight and fiddled with the handle of her straw bag. “Umm, do you live around here?”
“Yep, and by the sounds of it I’d say you’re from the States, correct?” Buffy nodded in reply, so he continued. “Americans, you’re the first one I’ve spoken too.”
“First time for everything.” Buffy answered then noticed Xander step from within the jewelers. “Well I have to go…” She gestured to Xander. “My close friend.”
Jake blinked his ice blue eyes and smiled. “’Kay, maybe I’ll see you around… Buffy.”
She nodded. “That’d be nice.” A smile began to make its way across her face; she quickly tried to hide it and followed Xander towards a bench. “Yeah… nice.” She whispered.
“Who’s the Brit?” Xander asked and pulled a tiny jewelry case from a plastic bag. Buffy became curious of the contents.
“His name was Jake. What’s in the bag? Anything I’d like?” She peered over the top of her shades and bit her lower lip. “Like a necklace with a cross?”
“Sorry Buff, nothing for you. Just something for…” He opened the box to reveal a diamond ring. “Willow.”
Buffy nearly choked. “Oh my, is it a real diamond?” She asked quickly. It was a silly question; it was obvious it was, a beautifully cut diamond in a heart shape surrounded by tiny rubies.
“Yeah it’s real.” He responded and snapped the case shut then slipped it back into the bag. “Well let’s go and find the Willster.” Xander started back towards the bakery.
“You astonish me Xander Harris, forever changing.” Said Buffy as she followed him. “I can’t believe you just bought that… and for Willow.”
“What’s wrong with buying something for Willow?” He asked a little aggravated. “Buffy, I just don’t think you’ve come to terms with us dating yet, ‘’cause it’s so weird’ in your words-”
“I want you to know I was a little stressed at the time I said that and wasn’t expecting to hear that, okay. You know all the Angel stuff left me a little flustered and I wasn’t thinking straight, but now I want you to have my blessings upon the relationship.”
Xander turned to her and laughed. “Glad you approve, it’s nice to know I have my friends permission.”
“Sorry.” Buffy muttered as they came across Willow munching on a cream cake. “Stuffing the calories in are we, Will?”
Willow turned to them and nearly dropped the cake onto her lap; luckily it fell on the floor instead. She giggled and licked the sugar from around her lips. “Oops.”
“Xander I think you’ve created a cake eating monster.” Buffy stated and removed her shades from upon her nose. “She’s beginning to act like you, this is dangerous.”
“Nah.” Xander disagreed and gave Willow a hug. “Will’s a secret cake eater, you just didn’t know, I knew all along. Right, Will?” He asked her.
Willow nodded overenthusiastically. “Cream cakes, secret fetish of mine. We have cream cake pig-outs in the night sometimes. It’s lots of fun.” She grinned and popped half a cookie in her mouth.
* * *
Willow opened her eyes abruptly as she felt someone shaking her; Xander’s chocolaty eyes met her gaze. She nearly leaped a mile, but decided against it, as she’d get lost in England. Sitting up slowly she managed a faint smile. “What time is it? Why are you in our room? Is the hotel on fire?” She whispered.
“Two, to fetch you, and no.” Xander grinned and slung her her jeans and a shirt. “Get dressed we’re going out.” A mischievous glint played in his eyes.
Willow raised her eyebrows and clambered from beneath her snugly sheets. “What are you planning Xander Harris?” She asked with anxiety.
He stared at her, and blinked a few times trying to take in the image before him. “Willow nakedness.” He muttered under his breath.
She giggled softly. “I am wearing clothes, or are you blind?”
“It’s just you’re not wearing a lot of clothes, not a state I’m used too.” He started to the door then turned back. “Hurry up!” He pushed and grabbed her denim jacket from the hanger on the door.
“Okay.” She whispered and pulled her jeans on, then slid her shirt on, she smiled. “You better get used to it, you’ll be seeing a whole lot more of it from now on.”
Xander nearly choked. “If you say so, Will.” He tried to smile, although he just felt like leaping around the room screaming.
She grinned at him and did up the top button on her shirt, then changed her mind. “Do you wanna do this? Get the practice in?” She laughed, Xander just smiled back. “Okay lets go then.” She said as she did her shirt up.
* * *
“So where are we going then?” Willow asked as they walked down the street from the hotel. The cold nights wind blew around them, Willow hugged herself tightly.
Xander put his arm around her waist. “We are going to the park, my sweet little Willster.”
“You mean you dragged me out of bed at two in the morning to walk through a park? Right, you’ve officially lost it Xander.” She laughed and pouted at him as he frowned. “Sorry, I’m sure it will be great after all I’m with you.”
“Of course it’ll be great Will.” He took her hand and pulled her through the park gate. The park itself was quite big and very well lit in the darkness of early morning.
After about ten minutes of walking and talking Xander told Willow to sit down on a bench, as he wanted to tell her something, she did and waited patiently for him to say what he wanted to say.
“I’m gonna say this quickly ‘cause I’m dead nervous, so there won’t be a speech or anything, I will think of one soon though.” He looked up to the sky took a deep breath then looked down at her, slowly getting down to his knee he pulled out his best purchase of the day out of his pocket. “Willow, you’re the only person I’ve ever loved truly and I want you to know-hey speech appearing here! Anyway, would you…” He paused and let out a long breath. “Willow, will you marry me?”
Willow felt her eyes nearly pop out of her head, and her heart started beating faster. “Oh…I don’t know what to say…Xander…” She just couldn’t find the words she wanted, actually she was having trouble finding any words at all.
He looked at her shocked expression and smiled. “I take it this is a surprise then?” She nodded. “You don’t have to answer now if you don’t want to, I mean I can wait for as long as you want.”
Taking a breath Willow tucked her hair behind her ears. “Yes.” She whispered.
Xander got back up and took her hand. “Let’s walk for a bit, okay?”
“No!” Willow protested. “I didn’t mean yes I want time, I meant…yes I want to marry you.” She grinned. “I really want to marry you. I want a huge white wedding with loads of guests and pretty flowers, and I want…to kiss you, right now!”
“Not gonna stop you.” Xander muttered just before she pressed her lips against his.
* * *
Beams of early morning sun shone through the crack in the curtains, and Starlings chirped outside the windowpane in the branches of an oak tree. Willow glanced to the window for a moment then back to her boyfriend…no, fiancée. An hour or so ago Willow had opened her eyes thinking she’d been dreaming, that was until she’d noticed Xander sleeping silently beside her. He was still sleeping, dreaming of her she hoped.
Slowly sitting up she slid her legs from beneath the white cotton sheets and stepped onto the fur rug beside the bed, the room was still in darkness, well it was dull. She made her way to the window and pulled open the curtains to reveal the glorious day outside, beads of jew glistened on the grass below.
A light tap at the door quickly interrupted her admiring; she walked over and swung the door open. Buffy stood before her dressed ready for winter, a woollen hat adorned her curled blonde hair and a pair of striped mittens covered her manicured nails.
“Buffy?!” Willow exclaimed, and then glanced down at herself, she was dressed in her underwear with one of Xander’s shirts draped over her shoulders. “Hi?” She whispered and pulled the shirt protectively around herself.
Buffy raised both eyebrows and stifled a laugh. “Hi yourself. Well I did come to see if Xander knew where you were, but I don’t think I need to ask him now do I?” Willow shrugged and smiled shyly, Buffy continued. “Things warming up between you then?”
Willow stepped out into the hallway and shut the door behind her. “Things are more than warming up, things are boiling over Buffy. God I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”
“That’s good.” Buffy grinned. “I’m glad Xander finally came to his senses.”
“Believe me, I am too. Very pleased. Ecstatic.” Willow said a little too excitedly, Buffy picked up on it immediately and glanced at her curiously. “Well I am.”
“Has something happened I need to know? Say for example hours of love making?” Buffy giggled.
Willow took a deep breath. “Well yeah, something has happened you need to know”
“Do tell, please.”
“Well last night Xander snuck into our room to get me and took me to the park. While we were in the park he...he..." She paused.
"He what?" Buffy squealed.
"He proposed to me, we're going to get married!"
The End
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