Title: Truth and Consequences
 Author: Alex P. keeper444@webtv.net
 Rating: NC-17 or UK-18 **This story portrays a lesbian relationship between
 two consenting adults. If this isn't your thing or it is illegal where you
 live please delete this email, now.**
 Feedback: Please any comments or suggestions to: keeper444@webtv.net
 Summary: Sequel to A Higher Power
 Archived: http://www.angelfire.com/nj/stingray/Buffy.html Please ask.
 Spoilers: General Fourth Season. Takes off at the ending of A Higher Power.
 Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy Willow Giles and any others from BTVS
 are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy etc. No infringement of any
 kind intended.
 Notes: Bittersweet Memories.
 
 ***Denotes flashbacks***
 <>Thoughts<>
 
Truth and Consequences
By Alex P.
 
Buffy lay sprawled across Giles big overstuffed couch watching Willow at the
desk Giles had set up for her and her computer.
 
Willow was in deep research mode, pounding away at the keyboard and staring
intently at the glowing screen, the printer humming steadily reproducing the
information Willow was finding in her boundless cyber-universe.
 
Sometimes Buffy found herself getting jealous of the time Willow spent with
her computer, it was hard not to, it was the only time that it seemed Willow
forget she existed.
 
She shifted uneasily at her feelings.
 
<> Get a grip girl, <> she told herself. <> It's just a machine for gods'
sake. <>
 
Buffy settled back and relaxed knowing it would be hours before she'd be
able to pry "Computer Girl" away from her workstation.
 
She smiled lovingly at the petite red head, to Buffy everything Willow did
was adorable. She lay back and closed her eyes thinking of how much their
lives had changed in the last three months.
 
<> It's funny, <> she thought. <> We thought it was tough admitting how we
felt to each other, but wow it was hard telling everyone else, too. <>
 
The first hurdle had been explaining their relationship to the gang but as
it turned out the only one the least bit surprised was Giles.
 
Everyone else's reaction had more or less that it had been about time.
Apparently everybody knew how they felt about each other long before they'd
realized it themselves.
 
*****
 
"Is that all you got us here for?" Cordelia said. "That's news is so old
people don't even talk about it any more."
 
"What do you mean 'old news'?" Buffy asked more than a little perturbed by
the strange turn of events.
 
"Well for one thing, the two of you have been so gooey eyed over each other
that even Giles noticed." Cordelia laughed ignoring, Xander's elbow nudging
her in the ribs, "and you know if it's not written in some old dusty book
Giles doesn't see it. I mean look how long it's taking him to realize that
he and Buffy's mom have the hots for each other."
 
"Cordy please!" Xander yelled at his tactless girlfriend, trying to save the
man any further embarrassment. "Nobody made you the 'love police'."
 
Giles was so shocked and flustered he couldn't speak.
 
"What are you talking about?" Buffy exclaimed "Giles and my mother, really?"
 
"That is neither here nor there," Giles spoke up trying to regain some
control over the conversation. "What Joyce and I feel or do not feel for
each other is not the issue here, the issue at hand is Buffy and Willow and
how they want to deal with their relationship."
 
"I think what the G-man is tryin' to say," Xander said and began trying to
translate the Giles' speak. "Is now that you two have finally figured out
how you feel about each other, which I think is great might I add, are you
going to try to hide it? Have you guys thought about doing the "coming out"
thing yourselves before someone to does it for you?"
 
"Precisely," Giles agreed. "If you are going to live your lives out in the
open, then I would urge you to inform your parents first if for no other
reason than out of respect for their feelings. This is not something they
should learn from someone else."
 
"Oh goddess," Willow gasped. "I forgot all about my parents."
 
"Don't worry Will," Xander reassured her almost too cheerfully. "We're here
for ya'."
 
"Quite so," Giles spoke up. "We ALL will give you whatever support you
need."
 
Giles and Xander both gave Cordelia a dirty look.
 
"Of course WE will," she said defensively.
 
"Oh great," Buffy muttered under her breath. "With Cordy on our side how can
we win."
 
*****
 
 
Of course not all their friends were quite so understanding. While Buffy
didn't have many 'friends' to begin with, many of the people she had become
friendly with since starting college suddenly didn't seem to remember who
she was.
 
Some even made the mistake of getting aggressively hostile over the subject,
though they never made that mistake twice.
 
People she didn't even know would stare at her when she went by like she had
two heads. And the words 'fucking dyke' followed her everywhere she went.
 
Bad as it was for Buffy it was many times worse for Willow. Some of the
people that had been her friends since grade school had turned their backs
on her. Buffy had to spend several nights sitting up and holding Willow
while she wept over some mean spirited, hurtful, comment one of her supposed
friends had said.
 
Those were the times that it took every bit of restraint Buffy and Xander
had to keep themselves from hunting the jerks down.
 
Finally, Willow recruited Cordelia to help her, Cordy could understand why
people would act the way did about their relationship.
 
At the time Buffy couldn't see how things could get any worse for them.
 
She was wrong.
 
The next hurdle they decided to face was Buffy's mother. Taking advantage of
Giles promise and his personal relationship with Joyce Summers they decided
to have the conversation at Giles place. It was a comfortable to place for
both the girls and Joyce. Buffy thought she'd remember that evening as long
as she lived.
 
First the four of them went out for dinner then back to Giles' townhouse for
drinks.
 
*****
 
"Have a seat Joyce," Giles said indicating a large overstuffed leather
chair. "Make yourself comfortable. Would you like something to drink?"
 
"A little white wine would be nice, Rupert, if you have it?" she answered
wearily.
 
"Certainly," he said then turned to the two girls on the couch. "What would
you two like, tea, soda, coffee?"
 
"A soda would be great, Giles." Buffy said her voice actually cracking a
little.
 
"Me, too, please?" Willow was so scared she squeaked.
 
When Giles left the room Joyce turned to face her daughter and Willow.
 
"All right you two," she began, "are you going to tell me what this is all
about?" Two frightened faces quickly looked away from Buffy's mother. Joyce
let out a heavy sigh, <> This was going to be bad, <> she thought.
 
"Okay are we going to sit here beating around the bush all night or until I
go crazy or are you going to save your mother a heart attack and tell me?"
Buffy made the mistake of glancing towards her mother and saw the intense
glare that only Joyce Summers was capable of doing. "You remember that while
you may be the all mighty Slayer I'm still your mother."
 
They heard a glass break in the kitchen so they knew Giles had heard.
 
The girls sat in stunned silence until Giles returned with their drinks and
a large glass of scotch for himself, he foresaw a long night ahead.
 
Buffy took a long drink from her coke then grabbed Willow's hand in a tight
grip.
 
"Well, mom...you see...I...ah...we..." Buffy began unsteadily. She stopped
and took another long drink, <> Ye Gods, I can face down demons and I can't
face my mother? No, its not I can't face her-I just don't think I can stand
her disappointment. It feels too much like failure.... <> Buffy stopped
that thought immediately. Willow had been trying to help her with the
nightmares but all her failures-all the people she couldn't save-still came
visiting her in the night. Though the dreams were getting better and less
frequent they were still constantly in the back of her mind. <> Gods, what
would I have done without Willow? <>
 
She was brought back from her thoughts by Willow's hand squeezing hers
lightly. She looked up to see her mother worried questioning glance at
Giles and his slight reassuring nod. She sighed, <> mom's about to pull a
major wig, it's now or never! <>
 
"I mean Willow and I well...ah...we've been friends for a long time." Buffy
began again; still unable to look at her mother for fear of what she would
see in her eyes.
 
"Yes, this I already know," Joyce said firmly, "get on with it young lady,
what has happened?"
 
<> This is definitely not the way I planed this, <> Buffy thought, frowning
slightly. <> Just say it, Buffy! <>
 
"Just a minute, let me finish," Buffy pleaded, "this isn't easy for me mom."
 
Her mother heard the desperation in her daughter's voice and became even
more worried. She recognized the precarious hold Buffy had on her emotions
so she bit her tongue and sat back trying not to push the girl too hard.
 
"Okay like I said," Buffy began again. "We've been friends for a long time
and well no matter how much stupid stuff I've done, running away, getting in
trouble, blowing up stuff, even dating Angel, and getting her hurt, Willow
has always been there for me, taking care of me comforting me, never judging
me just backing me up and giving support and..." The last was said in a
whisper as Buffy ran out of steam.
 
"And Buffy's always done whatever she could for me, too." Willow picked up
for Buffy. "So..."
 
Willow looked to Buffy to be sure before she said the words. But when she
met Joyce's eyes she could tell that Buffy's mother already knew where this
was going.
 
"So," Buffy started again, taking Willow's hesitation to mean she wanted
Buffy to finish. "So while we didn't mean to, I mean nobody does this on
purpose it's too hard, they'd have to be a moron to do this on purpose, what
I'm trying to say is that sometime while all this was going on our feelings
for each other changed, kind of evolved into something more than just best
friends. What I'm trying to say is Willow and I...we...I mean...she and
I..."
 
"Love each other," Joyce finished for her daughter.
 
Buffy could feel tenseness as silence descended over the room at her
mother's words. No one said anything for what seemed a very long time, the
only sound any of them heard was their own heart beat pounding in their
chest.
 
"I wish...ah well...we..." Buffy stammered then she stopped and took another
deep breath.
 
<> Get a grip girl! <> She told herself. <> You're the Slayer damn it!
You've faced demons from hell and legions of the undead and you're afraid to
tell your mother you've found your one true love. <>
 
"Buffy?" Willow whispered
 
"It's all right baby I got it covered," Buffy reassured her. "That's right
mother, we love each other. I know it's not what you wanted for me and you
probably don't approve but I'm hoping you of all people can see past that."
 
"Is it that important to you Buffy?" her mother asked a slight catch in her
voice. "Are you sure that this is what you really want? I mean you've never
given any indication--you were always with boys."
 
"It's not that mom," Buffy explained. "I'd love Willow whether she was male
or female. I've thought alot about it and talked to Wills about it and I
think I've figured it out."
 
Buffy had hoped her mother would let it go at that and not force her to
explain any further. Her felt emotions were raw and exposed-she wished she
could look at her mother-but right now she was just barely holding it
together.
 
"Okay honey please tell me, " Joyce said leaning forward trying desperately
to understand her daughter's choices. "I really do want to understand."
 
"Putting sex aside, because it's really not all that important." Buffy began
ignoring Giles' raised eyebrows. "I fell in love with Willow the person,
she's smart, she's kind, she's sweet, she's caring, she listens when I need
to talk, she talks when I need to hear someone's voice, and when I wake up
in the middle of the night screaming from the nightmares...." Buffy had to
stop, at the mention of the nightmares; she had to get herself back until
control. She so desperately wanted her mother to understand that Willow,
through her love, was keeping her sane. "It's Wills, mom, it Wills that
holds me in her arms and lets me know I'm loved. That none of the
nightmares can hurt me cause my Wills is there to love me."
 
Buffy stopped unable to continue overwhelmed by the love she felt for the
petite girl beside her. She put her face in her hands trying to hide her
tears from her mother. Willow put her arms around Buffy and pulled her close
trying to comfort her. She began rocking Buffy slightly and gently stroking
her hair as she felt Buffy's body tremble and shake as she was wracked by
uncontrollable sobs.
 
"Hush now, Buffy," Willow crooned softly to the crying girl. Willow some
how knew just what Buffy needed--just like she instinctively knew what to do
when Buffy had her night terrors. "It'll be all right now, Your Wills is
here. I've got you sweetheart nothing can hurt you now."
 
Tears flowed freely from Buffy's mother's eyes as she watched the two girls
across the room. The honest open love she saw between them caused an ache in
her chest. She felt Giles come over and sit on the arm of her chair and put
a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
 
"You know it's true Joyce," Giles said softly enough so that only she could
hear. "Look at them, have you ever seen so much devotion between two people?
No man could ever love her half as much as Willow does. I know, I have
watched her go from one relationship to another trying to find exactly what
she has right now with Willow."
 
"I can see that Rupert, " Joyce told him. "It's just hard for a parent to
see their child setting themselves up for as much heartache as those two are
headed for. People they thought were friends will tun their backs on them,
even people in their own families will reject and ridicule them. Knowing
that I can't protect her from that is tearing my heart out right now but I
don't know what to do."
 
"Listen Joyce," Giles began again. "All you can do without loosing your
daughter is accept her as she is and support her in any way possible. That
is the best and most you can do. As for their friends, most of them knew
that Buffy loved Willow before the girls knew themselves! The girls came
out to them, so to speak, and so far there have been few changes."
 
"Please, Mrs.Summers," Willow said so softly she could barely be heard.
"Please don't hate us and don't turn away from us. Buffy needs you, I need
you! Buffy and I have talked about this a lot and we know we will face some
bad times, but Buffy needs you to try to understand." Willow paused to
gather her thoughts and then continued, "I'm not even sure my parents will
be able to accept it, so we need to count on you. You already know about
destinies and we learned that this was all a part of our joint destiny we
thought you'd understand."
 
Buffy's mother pushed herself out of her chair and rushed over to the two
girls and fell to her knees in front of them and put her arms around them
both. She held them not saying a word. The three women stayed like that for
several moments and Giles took that as his cue to leave. He slipped quietly
out of the living room and went to his study.
 
After several tries Joyce found her voice. "I could never hate either of
you, Willow." Joyce sniffed: "It was just...well...a shock is all. You guys
kind of sprung this on me. I mean I came in here afraid that my daughter was
dating another vampire or was pregnant by some creature of the night. Give
me a little time okay. If I can get used to being the mother of the Chosen
One, getting used to you two being together will be a piece of cake."
 
Joyce then lifted Buffy's chin making the frightened Slayer look into her
eyes so she would know the truth of her words.
 
"I love you, Buffy, and I'm so proud of you! All I ask is that you're sure
this is what you want." Joyce turned her head so that Willow was included
in her 'look' "That and you tell your parents, Willow. It wouldn't be fair
to have them find out from someone else."
 
*****
That was all Buffy's mother said and within a week she was reasonably
comfortable with her daughter and her red-haired lover, in fact she
considered them both to be her daughters.
 
 
 
 
After telling Buffy's mother things settled down for Buffy and Willow.
During a quiet time on the Hellmouth the two girls decided that the time was
right for the next logical step--telling Willow's parents.
 
Picking one of the rare instances when both her parents were home they waked
hand in hand up to the Rosenberg front door.
 
Things went down hill from there.
 
Buffy never did find out whether it was because she was female, a gentile, a
bad influence, her family being split, or her genetics but what ever it was
Willow's parents went totally off the deep end.
 
There was crying, screaming, yelling, recriminations, and finally the
ultimatum:
Willow's father told her that either she gave up Buffy and move home until
they could arrange for her to transfer to another school far away, or he
would disown her.
 
Willow broke into tears and ran upstairs to her room, Buffy followed her but
couldn't get past the door because Willow had locked it. Oh, sure, Buffy
could have easily broken it down, but under the circumstances she didn't
think that was wise.
 
*****
 
"Willow, baby talk to me," Buffy called through the door. She could hear the
sound of Willow crying through the door, so sighing, she sat down on the
floor prepared to wait her love out. "Okay, baby, I'll be right here when
you are ready."
 
While Buffy waited she couldn't help but hear Mr. Rosenberg ranting and Mrs.
Rosenberg wailing hysterically wondering where she went wrong, it was a sad
situation.
 
Finally, after what seemed like hours Willow opened the door. Buffy stood up
and looked into Willow's red rimed green eyes, she saw the anguish of loss
in those eyes but also saw Willow's resolve face.
 
"Buffy can you help me?" Willow asked indicating three large staircases on
her bed. "If you'll get those I'll carry the backpack and duffel bag. I
guess I'll have to rent a storage unit for the rest of my things."
 
"It'll be all right, Wills," Buffy said reaching up to caress Willow's tear
stained cheek. "We'll take everything to mom's she's got plenty of room."
 
Willow pulled back from the hand and went back into the room. They gathered
Willow's things and went down stairs.
 
When they got downstairs Willow stepped into the living room to face her
parents one last time.
 
"I'm leaving like you asked, father," Willow said quietly and calmly. "I'm
sorry you both are too small minded to accept me as I am."
 
She turned and left before either of her parents could say anything and
Buffy took her place.
 
"This is wrong Mr. Rosenberg," Buffy said contempt dripping like venom from
her words "No one should have to do what you've forced Willow to do. She
loves you both but that isn't enough for you, is it?"
 
Buffy turned and hurried after Willow. That night when Buffy tried to go to
their dorm room she found that some of their 'liberal minded' fellow
students had broken in and trashed their room.
 
The University promised to look into it but Buffy could tell that none of
the smirking campus cops were going to exert themselves. Their insurance
would pay for some of their personal belongings and their room would be
fully repaired. But it didn't make them feel any better or safer, so at
Buffy's mother's insistence they moved into her house and she drove them to
classes every morning.
 
All this brought a change in Willow and not in a good way.
 
Her normally bright and cheerful personality was gone, she didn't eat she
didn't sleep and what was worse was every time Buffy would reach out for her
she would shy away from her or would be unresponsive.
 
After a while Buffy quit reaching for her and began sleeping on the couch in
the living room.
 
"I don't know what to do," Buffy told Giles one afternoon after a
particularly bad work out. "All she does is sit there staring out into
space, she won't talk to me or let me do anything to help her. It's making
me crazy, sometimes I just want to pick her up and shake her."
 
"I doubt seriously if that would help," Giles told her. "All I can tell you
is give her some time. She has suffered a devastating loss and that may take
her a while to recover from it. Be patient with her and love her, she will
come around soon enough. In the mean time pay attention to what you are
doing so you will live that long."
 
"Yeah, right," she answered absentmindedly.
 
The problem was not getting better and it was beginning to effect Buffy's
slaying. Then came the day it almost killed her.
 
*****
 
The sun had been up for nearly an hour and still Buffy hadn't returned home
from the last night's patrol. Joyce was going crazy with worry. And when
Joyce was worried she cooked-so a huge breakfast was on tap for the morning.
 
Joyce vaguely heard someone knock on the front door but Willow said she
would get it so Joyce went back to stirring the pancake batter. She knew
Buffy would be starved when she got home-the Slayer was always starved-Joyce
thought.
 
"BUFFY!" she heard Willow scream.
 
Joyce dropped the bowl of pancake batter on the floor and ran to front of
the house. As she entered the living room she saw Xander carrying the limp
form of her daughter to the couch and lay her down.
 
"I found her just outside the cemetery gate," he said.
 
"Where were you?" Willow asked with a hard edge to her voice. "Weren't you
suppose to patrol with her last night."
 
"I did, I mean I was, " he explained quickly. "We finished our sweep and she
sent me home. She said something about not wanting to go home yet and that
she was going to take a walk. I just happened to go back because I forget my
jacket and I found her. I called Giles on the way over here and he said he'd
be right over."
 
"All right you did the right thing, so lets get busy," Willow said taking
charge "Xander you go get some hot water and cloths, I'll get the first aide
kit."
 
Joyce watched her daughter's lover take charge of everything and before she
could go to her daughter's side Willow was back with a big military style
first aid bag.
 
With efficiency acquired through experience Willow began cutting away
Buffy's blood soaked clothes from her wounds. Joyce gasped at the exposed
wounds. There was a bone deep cut on her daughter's side that stretched up
her ribs, there were deep scratches all over her back and shoulders all of
which were bloody. But, it was Buffy's stillness that almost threw her into
a panic attack-her daughter was always active-Joyce couldn't stand to see
her so quiet.
 
Willow glanced back at the white face of Buffy's mother, <> she probably
never seen her daughter like this. <>
 
"Mrs. Summers, Joyce, I need some blankets to keep her warm with, could you
go find some?" Willow asked just to get Joyce out of the room.
 
Of all the wounds on the tiny Slayer's body there were only two serious
ones. A deep gash across Buffy's stomach and the large busied cut on the
side of her head.
 
Xander returned with a huge bowl of hot water and a pile of soft clean rags
that had once been his shirt. He put them down on the floor next to Willow
and walked out of the room. He could never stand to see his friend injured
this way.
 
By that time Joyce had returned with an armload of blankets, she seemed to
be in better control of her emotions. So Willow decided to asked Joyce to
help her clean and bandage Buffy's smaller wounds so she could concentrate
on the two, more serious ones.
 
Joyce soon had the smaller wounds cleaned and dressed leaving Willow room by
the Slayer's side for her to start working. She began with the wound on
Buffy's stomach cleaning it and putting in the necessary stitches like Giles
and Brigit had taught her.
 
Willow was just finishing cleaning Buffy's head wound when Giles walked in
carrying some special medicines he and Willow had learned from the book
they'd brought back with them. Willow stepped back to let Giles get to
Buffy's side and finish treating her.
 
"Does this happen often?" Joyce asked after observing Willow's skill.
 
"Never this bad," Willow said her voice breaking. "This is my fault."
 
Joyce stared at the girl as she backed out of the room and into the hallway.
 
She kept backing until her back was against the wall then she slid down the
wall to sit on the floor, she drew up her knees and hugged them tightly
against her chest. She wept quietly, Xander hearing her tried his best to
console her.
 
"No way Will, " he said. "If it's anybody's fault it's mine I shouldn't have
left her alone no matter what she said."
 
"No Xander," Willow corrected him softly. "I let her down. It's my place to
be there for her, to help her face her enemies and I didn't. I was too busy
feeling sorry for poor pitiful little me. I wasn't there for the one I
love."
 
"You're wrong Willow," Xander scolded her. "Buffy knew you were hurting she
told me herself. She said she was afraid she wasn't there for you because
she couldn't seem to help you."
 
Willow was shaking her head in denial. Xander slammed his fist into the
floor.
 
"DAMN IT!" Xander growled at his life long friend. "I'm so tired of both of
you taking the blame for all this when you both know whose fault it really
is."
 
Willow looked up at him shocked by his unexpected outburst.
 
"What are you saying?" Willow asked in a tiny frightened voice.
 
"You damn well know whose fault all this is," Xander said, his voice low and
full of deadly menace. "If your parents weren't such narrow minded bigots
that they can't be happy that their daughter's in love--just because she
happened to be in love with another woman is crap. Face it Will, it's their
fault."
 
"No Xander," Willow said softly. "You don't understand. It was I. I'm
supposed to be above all that and when things got a little rough I pulled
away from her.
I deserted Buffy and made her feel like she wasn't important to me and
that's my fault and no one else."
 
Before Xander could answer Giles came out of the living room.
 
"I have applied the medicine as the book instructed," he said. "All we can
do now is wait and see."
 
"Wills?" A weak call came from the living room.
 
Before anyone else could react Willow was off the floor and rushing to
Buffy's side. She knelt on the floor beside the couch and took Buffy's hand.
 
"I'm right here sweetheart." Willow reassured her, "I won't leave your side
again. I'm sorry I let you down, it won't ever happen I swear it."
 
"It's all right Wills, I'm gonna be fine," Buffy whispered. "It's not your
fault, it's mine, you've given up so much for me. I'm sorry I cost you your
family, I didn't mean to."
 
"THAT'S IT! I've had just about enough!" Joyce snapped angrily. "Willow you
stay here with Buffy, you're all she needs right now. Xander you stay here
and do whatever Willow tells you to. Rupert, you come with me, we have
something to take care of that can't wait another second."
 
Joyce grabbed her purse and with Giles in tow she swept out of the house.
They were gone for hours. But, when she returned a very subdued and very
apologetic Mr. and Mrs. Rosenberg closely followed her.
 
At Joyce's suggestion Willow and her parents went into the dining room and
had a long private talk. By the time they left they had made a happily
beaming Willow promise that when Buffy was better they were come to dinner
so they could get to know her better.
 
When Buffy questioned her mother about what she had said that had made them
come around; she would only smile mysteriously.
 
"Sometimes it takes another parent can explain the facts of life to a
parent." She added vaguely, "and sometimes it takes an outsider to point out
how truly lucky other people are."
 
 
*****
 
 
 Buffy smiled slightly as she remembered that first 'family' dinner with the
Rosenberg's.
 
Willow was nervous but Buffy was terrified. This was the first time she was
doing something that was this important to her Wills and she was determined
to make it perfect
 
Her first problem was finding the right something to wear; she'd gone
through her closet trying on everything that she owned, none of them were
quite right. The piles of clothes scattered all over her room testified to
the frantic search.
 
Finally, she and Willow gave up and went shopping and since the mall was her
home ground they took Cordelia to help.
 
After several hours and several stores and specialty shops the three of them
came up with just the right outfit, even Cordy thought Buffy looked good.
 
Buffy's mother, understanding how important it was for the girls, sprung for
a rare trip to the salon for both of them.
 
When the time came two very nervous and very frightened but very beautiful
young women stood at the door of the Rosenberg home.
 
They all sat down to dinner in the formal dinning room, and began eating in
nervous silence, small snippets of polite conversation were all that broke
up the steadily mounting tension.
 
Everyone was afraid of saying the wrong thing.
 
Buffy looked over at Willow who gave her a pleading look and remembering
something Willow had told her long ago she decided to try something
different.
 
She left Mrs. Rosenberg to Willow, and concentrated on winning over Mr.
Rosenberg.
 
"So, Mr. Rosenberg," Buffy began crossing her fingers under the table.
"Willow tells me you fish. I think some of my best times were going to the
pier with my dad when I was a kid."
 
It was the truth and it worked, she could see the man brighten up, knowing
that she was on the right track and before the night was over, Buffy and Mr.
R (as he
insisted she call him) were down in his workshop where he was teaching Buffy
to tie flies.
 
Willow was so happy her face hurt from smiling.
 
After that night Willow's parents warmed up to Buffy and soon she was taking
off at least twice a month to go fishing with Mr. R and his other fishing
buddies.
 
Even Willow's mother would call Buffy by her name every once in a while,
instead of "that girl" or 'the other one', Buffy's personal favorite.
 
 
 
 
 
Toward the end of the semester the rumor mill got bored with talking the
openly affectionate couple and with a few exceptions either accepted or
ignored them. Which was just fine with them.
 
Unfortunately those few exceptions felt it necessary to make their presence
known and for the second time their room was broken into and trashed. But
this time they didn't just destroy everything they painted extremely
offensive and hateful sayings and names on the walls.
 
Once again the university promised a through investigation and that they
would of course replace all their damaged personal property.
 
This time however Willow's parents were involved an after discussing it with
Buffy's mother insisted the couple move into a condo in Giles complex, in
fact they got them the place right next door to him.
 
It made both sets of parent's feel better knowing he was there to 'watch'
over their daughters. Buffy always laughed at their choice of words and how
they seemed to make Giles uncomfortable every time he heard them.
 
They'd moved right in, using the insurance from their dormroom to furnish
their new place.
 
Everything met with their parent's approval with the possible exception of
the huge king-size bed for their room. They seemed a little nervous any
time anything about beds and sleeping arrangements came up so the girls
avoided the subject when ever possible.
 
Willow's physical training was coming along nicely; while she wasn't as
strong or as fast as the Slayer, she was combining the fighting techniques
she learned from Giles and Buffy with her other powers. She was fast
becoming a formidable partner for Buffy in her constant battle against the
Darkness, and to be honest Buffy found it was nice to have someone there
always watching her back.
 
*****
 
On their first official night out on patrol as equals they ran into the
demon that had hurt Buffy so badly. Before Buffy could even challenge it,
Willow stepped in front of her and pointed her staff at the hulking red
demon.
 
"You will harm my love no more," Willow said calmly. As bright neon green
light shot from the emerald embedded in the head of the staff. It flashed
across the space between her and the demon. Wrapping around him several
times binding him.
 
"Go back to the hell that spawned you and plague us no more," she pronounced
like a judge handing down a death sentence.
 
She stabbed the ground with the iron-shod foot of the staff and a swirling
black vortex opened beneath the demon and he was sucked into the ground as
if he had never existed.
 
Buffy was still starring slack jawed when Willow turned and looked at her
with a shy embarrassed grin.
 
"Whoa babe," Buffy was finally able to say. "Remind me to never piss you
off."
 
"He hurt you," Willow said simply.
 
Buffy laughed and hugged the most precious thing in her life, for the first
time Buffy felt 'safe' on patrol because now her Wills would always be there
to protect her.
 
 
 
Fiction