Big Chance (Big day 2/3)
By
myrddin
TITLE: Big Chance
AUTHOR: Myrddin
EMAIL: private_beth@hotmail.com
DISTRIBUTION: Ask and you shall get
SPOILERS: No
FEEDBACK: Sure, but flamers will be hung, drawn and quatered, their remains will then be burnt and the ashes will be seperated into a hundred piles which will all be thrown into different parts of the sea..
DEDICATION: Alix who is slowly killing me (I've just realised I've been spelling it wrong all this time:-), but also for Andrea Toth who asked me to write this sequel, she's really the person who made me (and I reckon alot of others) a W/G 'Shipper so I reckon I owe her this.
DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Joss, WB, Fox etc. not me. Don't sue 'cos I don't have any money.
Willow and Oz drove up to their house, they'd just got back from the airport.
Oz had loved their honeymoon, but Willow had found that she'd had to brick up the momories of Giles from her wedding day just to prevent herself from breaking down and crying. As much as she loved Oz she wasn't sure she had made the right choice.
Willow stared at the house in front of her and it all came flooding back, the wall she had been building on their honeymoon melting leaving the memory of Giles face behind, his face as he knelt before her and his face after she had rejected his.
Will opened the door and stepped over the threshold. Oz came running in behind her.
"You know you really ought to have let me carry you across."
It was the last straw for Willow. She let her anger explode. It wasn't even Oz she was angry with, it was Rupert or perhaps herself. She knew Oz was innocent but still he was the one to feel her anger.
"For God's sake Oz. Why don't you just shut up? I've lived here for years, I don't need carrying across the bloody threshold. I'm tired and I'm going to bed - without you."
Oz looked after her as she stormed up the stairs. He'd never seen Willow so angry and he couldn't even work out what he'd done.
*****
After giving Willow some time to cool down, Oz went up stairs after her. He knocked softly on the bedroom door.
"Willow, can I come in?"
There was no reply so he went in anyway, afterall it was his room too.
Willow was lying curled up with her back to the door.
"Willow? Hon? I know you're tired, but we did arrange to have a party here tonight. I can't do it on my own."
Silence
Oz sat down on the bed beside her and put his hand on her shoulder.
"This should be a happy time Will. I don't know what I've done, but I'm so sorry if I've upset you. You know I'd do anything rather than let you be unhappy."
Willow gave in. After all this mess wan't his fault.
"O.K, I'll help with the party. Don't worry Oz, you haven't done anything." Willow turned to face him and smiled the warmest fake smile she could manage.
*****
She could have guessed that the first person to arrive would be the one person she couldn't handle being alone with. Rupert Giles.
Infact Giles wasn't just first, he was early. Willow was ready, but Oz was still shaving, so Oz asked her to go down and entertain him. She wished he had used any words but those. The images they invoked wheren't exactly the kind of thoughts a 'happily' married woman ought to be having.
"Rupert, it's great to see you. Shame you couldn't come to the wedding, but at least you came to the party."
Willow hadn't meant to be so hurtful and was immediatly sorry when she saw the look on Giles' face. She just couldn't afford to let Giles realise that she might have made a mistake in choosing Oz.
"You know why I couldn't come to the wedding Will" He replied, turning away from her, hoping to hide the hurt on his face.
"Would you like a drink Rupert?" Willow asked, trying to change the topic.
"Scotch, please."
She poured his drink and replaced the cap. Then she changed her mind and poured one for herself as well. Willow didn't usually like strong drinks but she felt that she probabaly couldn't make it though the next few minutes let alone the whole evening without one.
As Willow handed Giles his drink, her fingers brushed his. Willow felt a shiver run all the way down her spine. Giles looked up and caught her eye. He thought he saw something there, a spark, but he couldn't be sure.
"Will, is everything ready? The other guests will be arriving soon." Oz called down the stairs.
Willow turned away from Giles quickly, the call from her husband bringing her back the the real world. The real world was Oz not Giles and she just had to keep remembering that.
*****
Willow was in the kitchen taking the next batch of nibbles out of the oven. She felt a hand touch her shoulder and her body started to warm to it immediately recognising the touch from years of close association.
"Rupert" She greeted trying to keep the waver out of her voice and failing miserably.
"I've hardly seen you all evening. Have you been avoiding me?" She asked teasingly.
"No" Giles replied moving closer so that their bodies were touching. "But I think you've been avoiding me."
Willow looked up into Giles' eyes. There was no hiding anymore. She should have know she couldn't hide from him. He always had been able to tell what she was feeling. So as Willow looked up at him she opened up and let him see the depth of hurt and confusion in her.
Giles reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Bending down her kissed her softly. The kiss became more passionate, Giles tongue teasing till she opened up for him. Willow grabbed onto his shoulders knowing that her legs would give way any minute.
Giles heard the door open and quickly pulled away, not quickly enough though. It was Xander, they were safe this time. Xander took one look and left a smile spread on his face.
Willow wrapped her arms around Giles and wept. Why couldn't things just be easy? But they never were, were they?
