Title: What? No Welcome Party? 1/?
Author: Beth Squires
E-mail: BethNirvanaChiWilliams@E-squires.freeserve.co.uk
Category: eventual B/O action
Rating: no idea yet!!!
Summary: Oz has left Sunnydale, but gets a girl-shaped visitor.
Disclaimer: This story hopefully doesn't infringe on the rights of the owners of Buffy or its writers. Well, it's not meant to anyway. Please don't sue I have v. little money.
Distribution: Post it anywhere you like, just tell me first please!
Feedback: This is my first EVER fic, so any encouragement or feedback is appreciated immensely!!!!
Spoilers: Season 4


''What the...?'

Daniel Osbourne woke to a loud ringing in his ears, and greeted his alarm clock by throwing it across the room. He tensed - waiting for the smash of glass and clock-parts scattering around the room.... but there was nothing, *huh?*. He gingerly opened one eye, and standing at the door with the undamaged clock in her hand was Buffy.

'What? No welcome party?'

Oz sat up, confused, this didn't *look* like his room at UC Sunnydale, yet sure enough standing across from him, sarcastic comments and all, was Buffy Anne Summers. He brushed the sleep from his eyes and took a double-take - yep, that was definitely the Slayer.

'Uh....Hi Buff....Thanks for saving my clock.'

'No Problem, my *Bat senses* went and I got here as fast as I could - little did I know that the life that you so evilly put in danger was that of a clock.' She remarked, referring to her prophetic dreams, as she crossed the room and placed the clock back on his table.

'Huh?'

'Don't worry Oz, I'll just go and make you some life-saving coffee to get you back to your normal laconic, but awake, self.'

With that, she turned and went across to the kitchen to make the sleep defying liquid. Oz stared after her, looking a little lost, but determined to get to the bottom of what was going on. He pulled on some pants and his 'New York City Yoga T-shirt and made his way to join Buffy in the kitchen.

'Hey, sleepy-head, how ya feelin'?'
She greeted him, as he shuffled his way to the counter.

'OK... I think....Look, I need to ask; what's going on, is it Willow?'
'Is *what* Willow?'
'Well, you have news - yeah?'
'Uh huh.'
'Well, is it good or bad?'

Buffy looked away.

'It's a bit of both.'
'Oh God, is she hurt?'

A pained look, expressed in his eyes only, was visible to Buffy and she felt a little bit guilty.

'What makes you automatically assume that it is about Willow?' She said, stalling for time.

'Uh, well, she's my girlfriend, I think... is it that she's met someone else?'

How did he *do* that?
'Well, now you come to mention it...'

'What does he look like, has he hurt her? God if he lays a finger on her, I'll kill him.'
Oz started to pace around the kitchen, spilling coffee as he went.

'Whoa there Oz. *OZ* Calm down.'
He slumped into a chair.
'Look, it's not a he.'
Oz jumped up again.
'It's a DEMON?'
'No..no. It's a she. A girl, Willow has fallen for a witch called Tara.'

Oz sunk down again, shell-shocked. Unable to speak. Buffy crossed over to him and sat on the arm of the chair, with her hand on his shoulder.

'I know it's hard to take at first, but you have to dig past those bad feelings and try to feel happy for her. I don't mean to sound harsh, Oz, but you hurt her a great deal when you left, I didn't know whether I'd ever see her laugh or even smile again.'

Oz looked down, trying to hide the fact that he was crying. Buffy reached across to the table and wiped his eyes with a tissue.

'I'm glad she's moved on...really.'
'You are?'
'No... but that was mature - right?' Oz confessed and Buffy smiled.
'Right. Now lets get you sorted out and we'll go for a walk and I can find out what you've been up to.'

Buffy got up and started to wash up the - now empty - coffee mugs.

'Buffy?'
'Yes, Oz?'
'Why are you doing this? You know, telling me this and helping me deal?'
'Because you have a right to know, Oz. I know that it hurts to be cheated on, I helped Willow deal and now I'm going to help you. No arguments.'

Oz seemed satisfied with that.

'OK.'
'Good, now go sort out your hair, I'm not being seen with you looking like that!'
She laughed as she regarded Oz's 'fluffy' hair and stubble. He smiled weakly back and walked into the bathroom. When he was out of sight she sighed, realising that the time to reveal her feelings to him was drawing nearer.... a voice interrupted her thoughts:

'Buffy?'
'huh?'
'A question - what was the good news?'

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