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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. I have no connection with it at all.Basic plot - It's set in the summer following season four. Anya and Xander have broken up. And Willow and Xander discover they still feel for each other.
Authors note - Hi, just one thing about this fic, well actually two! This was my first fic so if it's just crap don't go on about it, also the ending's kinda lame so please don't dis me about that either! And (I meant three things) I wrote this before I knew about the whole Willow-Tara thing so it doesn't really relate that much!
Willow stepped out onto her front step, the evening was dark and bitter cold. In Sunnydale, the town on the mouth of hell, it didn't matter if it was summer the weather remained much the same. The day had been quiet, she hadn't heard from Buffy and Tara hadn't contacted her since they'd left college. But Xander on the other hand seemed to be constantly on the phone or on the doorstep. A few weeks earlier he and Anya had broken up, Willow had no idea why but he'd been rather down about it, so it was her duty as a best friend to get him up again. Poor Xander, she thought. Even though she'd never been keen on Anya, Willow wished that they were still together, 'cause of Xander.Slowly Willow made her way down the driveway and started her long walk to the Espresso Pump. Xander had called an hour earlier and asked to meet her there, God knows why. But as her duty she was going to show, listen and try to make it better if she could that was. She'd try! No matter what it took, Xander was going to leave that place smiling, and not thinking about Anya.
* § *
Xander stared at the dark paved road, it was rather boring. He was sat on one of the old, beaten, easy chairs outside the Espresso Pump waiting for Willow. He hoped she'd show soon, Sunnydale was extra quiet. Take the Espresso Pump for example, there was one other person in there besides him, the street was deserted too. It looked like one of those towns from the old western movies. The clock struck midday and two men wearing ponchos and upturned hats stepped into the street. But that wasn't real, and it wasn't happening, nothing was happening. There was a light tap on his shoulder.
"Xander?" Willow asked sitting herself beside him.
He turned and looked at her almost shocked she was there.
"It's me. Is there anyone home?" She waved her hand back and forth in front of his face. "Hello?"
Xander blinked a few times and shook his head. "Sorry, Will."
"What were you thinking about?" Her eyes glittered as she asked.
"Not a lot." He replied and looked back at the road.
"So what's up? What did you want to meet me for?"
He looked back at her. "I've decided that...that..."
"That?" She pushed.
He blinked a few times again. "I'm over Anya, in fact I was long over her while I was still with her!"
"You were?" Willow's eyes widened. "So all the depression was just an act?"
"Not exactly. But that's not the point here. The point is that I'm officially back on the dating train."
"The dating train, huh?"
"Yep." He grinned his Xander grin and stood up. "In fact I'm going to get on with this journey now."
Willow shrugged and slowly got to her feet. "Where?"
"The Bronze is always a good place to start."
* § *
"So this is fun." Willow said sarcastically.
The Bronze was as quiet as the Espresso Pump, in fact the quickie mart on the corner was more happening. They were sat on one of the sofas listening to the band and watching the very few amount of people dancing. Not exactly an exiting time.
Xander turned to Willow and studied her a moment. "We could make it exciting."
"How?" Willow sighed and ran her hands through her freshly cut hair.
"Umm...I don't know. Sorry." He smiled sheepishly. "We could call Buffy."
"If we called Buffy she'd be with Riley, and if she came Riley would come and basically we'd be in the same position. A couple, and us." She screwed her nose up. "Let's stick to just us."
"If you say so Will."
She nodded then got to her feet grabbing his hand. "Let's dance."
He stared up at her for a second then stood up and walked to the dance floor with her. A moment later the band finished their song and started playing a ballad.
"Oh, that was a fun minute." Willow said and began to walk back to the sofa.
"Wait." Xander grabbed her hand and pulled her over to him. "Let's not stop dancing."
"But Xand-"
He placed his finger on her mouth. "Shh." Then pulled her close to him.
"Xander..." She began but trailed off as she melted into the moment. They slowly swayed to the music, and Willow felt herself grinning. It wasn't a 'I can't believe you Xander Harris' grin, it was a 'I could stay here forever' grin. It was something about the way he held her or maybe it was just the feeling of his arms around her. Security or love. But whatever it was it made her feel nice.
"Will, this is nice. Don't you think?"
She tried to nod.
Xander looked into her eyes and smiled softly. He took a step away and caressed her cheek gently. Willow smiled. Feelings were bubbling inside him, feelings of passion. Moving closer to her again he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. And she kissed him back, boy did she kiss him back, she was like a vacuum you couldn't turn off. Xander pulled away.
"That was...uh, new." He said breathlessly.
She smiled again. "But nice new."
"Very nice new."
She smiled shyly, rather different from how she'd been acting before. And there was a long silence between them. Eventually she broke it. "What do you want to do now?"
Xander shrugged.
* § *
Two days later Willow was sat at home exploring the net as usual, nothing had struck her attention as yet. A light tap came from her doorway.
"Come in." She said rather unenthusiastically.
"Hi." It was Buffy. "Sorry I haven't called for a while, I've been very busy."
"I bet you have." Willow remarked sarcastically. She didn't mean it to come out like that, but it just did.
"Have you seen Tara?" Buffy asked sitting on the edge of the bed.
Willow shook her head. "No. She hasn't called, and I don't have her number."
"Oh." Buffy glanced around nervously.
They hadn't seen each other for at least a fortnight, but still there was nothing to say.
"Have you done anything interesting?" Buffy leant forward to look at the computer screen. "Met anyone, been anywhere?"
"I went to the Bronze the other day."
"Alone?"
"No."
"No? Who did you go with?" It was as if Buffy had forgotten Xander all of a sudden.
"Xander."
"Oh right. I didn't think. Have fun?"
Willow smiled slyly. "Yes, a lot of fun."
"See anyone there?"
"Xander."
Buffy laughed quietly. "Anyone else?"
"I didn't really look, it was very quiet."
"So how come Xander wasn't with Anya?"
Willow turned and glared at her. "In the words of Xander-jeez Buff, where have you been?"
"Why what have I missed? It's not like I left Sunnydale, I was here with Riley."
"Exactly. Anya broke up with him."
"Why?" Buffy stood up and walked over to Willow.
"Nobody knows, not even Xander."
Buffy screwed her nose up and ran her hands through her hair. "I had no idea, is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's getting on with his life."
"As in getting on with dating again?"
"Yes."
"He has another girlfriend already?" Crouching down beside Willow she sighed. "Why can't we all get on with our lives like that?"
"Don't know." Willow whispered and scrolled down the information on her computer screen.
* § *
Xander sat on his sofa in his dark and dingy basement, it was dark outside and the moon cast an eerie glow through the room. He sat there for the next ten minutes looking out of the high windows watching occasional clouds passing over the moon. A gentle click came from the top of the stairs. He looked there and saw Willow on her way down the stairs.
"Hey, mind if I come in?" She asked stopping at the bottom step.
"Well you're already in. But if you weren't, no I don't mind."
She grinned and sat beside him. "I've been thinking about the other day-"
"I have too." He turned and looked at her.
"And I-I liked it a lot, so I think-"
"I know what you're thinking. We should date."
"Close." She looked at the floor for a moment then back at him. "I was thinking that maybe we should..."
"Should what?"
"Should." She paused. "You know what, I forgot!"
Xander didn't believe her. "So what do you want to do?"
"I guess I do want us to date. I mean, do you want to?"
"Okay, now there's a question. I..." Her took her hands in his. "I love you, Will."
She beamed. "I love you too."
He returned her smile and nodded. "I've never really stopped loving you, ever. I think I was in love with you when I was seven. But I didn't actually realize it, 'cause I was stupid and immature. And when I was sixteen even, I didn't realize. Now though, I know that...that I was stupid and immature. And I know that I love you, and that I will always love you no matter who I meet who I go out with I'll never stop loving you."
"Well, you always did act jealous."
"I never acted jealous-"
"Yes you did, all the time. Remember Malcom, umm Moloch, you were jealous."
"I was not-"
"Buffy told me." She laughed. "And when I started dating Oz."
"Okay I get the picture. Don't hassle me." He frowned.
"I'm not hassling you." Willow traced her hand across his cheek.
Xander stared at her and smiled. "I know. Do you want to stay over?"
Willow giggled and nodded. Then leant in and kissed him passionately.
* § *
Buffy waited at Willow's doorstep, it was eleven in the morning and the sun was scorching. There was no wind but the faint perfume of roses floated in the air, it was nice. The house seemed very quiet. Too quiet in fact. Where was Willow? Buffy waited another minute then decided to give up. Right, where would Willow be? She asked herself. There were only a few places she could be really. There was the Espresso Pump, Weatherly park, the magic store maybe...Xander's! Xander's, that's where she'd be, she had to be. Buffy turned on her heel and started walking to Xander's.
* § *
A tiny amount of sun streamed through the basement windows, letting the room be basked with bronze light. Willow nuzzled against Xander's shoulder as he stroked her hair. It was the first morning of their new lives together, no one would be able to separate them, ever.
"Xander?" Willow whispered.
"Yes." He said gently.
"Why didn't we ever get together before?" She asked and kissed his neck softly.
"I don't know, Will."
She smiled. "It's not important I just wondered."
They lay in silence again, curled up in each others arms on the bed. Just lying holding each other was nice, there was a feeling of security.
"Hi!" They both looked to the owner of the voice. "So you are here then, Willow."
"Buffy, hey." Xander said. "Nice of you to knock."
"Sorry." She said genuinely. "So what exactly is going on?"
Willow sat up and grinned.
"As if I couldn't guess." Buffy added. "Actually don't answer. So this so called new girlfriend is you, huh?" She asked looking at Willow.
"Yes."
"I knew it, it was the way you said it." She grinned. "Cool!"
* § *
An hour or so later Buffy had left them alone again.
"Will. Can I tell you something?" Xander asked.
"You can." She nodded.
"I feel that...I'll be yours always."
The End
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