Title: Goodbye?

Author: Sha

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

Summary: This is a challenge fic. Grace sent out a challenge that stated the following:

1)Oz has to say goodbye to somebody after leaving Willow.
It must be Xander or Buffy.

2)Buffy or Xander must say to Oz:

"Don't go. I need you here."

3)Somebody gets kissed, and someone is in tears.

4)Have fun.

I took a few liberties about the time frame.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Hitching a breath, Oz prepared to do the hardest thing in his life. Two years ago, when he had said goodbye to Willow, he had thought that was the hardest.Now, watching Buffy from across the room, he knew that saying goodbye to her would truly be the toughest.

Thinking back over the past two years, Oz saw in retrospect how much he had fallen for the tiny slayer.

He loved her in all aspects.Amazingly enough,even the animal in him did too.But, he knew she would never feel the same.

After Willow had been killed by Spike, Buffy looked to him to fill the role Willow had.

She was careful to give him his space and treat him as an individual though. No matter how much he had loved Willow, he knew,even back then, that at times,she didn't think of him as Oz. But instead as Oz, my boyfriend.

He had always respected Buffy for her ability to respect people for who they were,no matter what they may be.

After he had come back from Willow's funeral, he stayed for two reasons.

The first being he needed to make Spike pay for killing his love. After he and Buffy had done that though, he stayed for Buffy. Not because she needed him. Rather because she *didn't* need him.

Shaking his head at his own convoluted thoughts, he painfully made his way over to the table Buffy was studying at in the college library.

"Hey Buff, you busy?"

Looking up, Buffy smiled at Oz. Seeing him always brightened her day.

"I'm never too busy for you.What's up?"

He gave a brief thought to telling her here,but he thought too much of her to be such a coward.

"Um, could we go somewhere else? I need to talk to you."

Buffy felt a trickle of dread run through her. His face may be passive,but over the past two years she had learned to read him.And he was screaming 'Bad News'.

The last time he had sent off these vibes was a year ago when her mom had died.

Thinking back to that time,Buffy had to smile. Oz had been there for her non-stop.

Much to Devons disgust, he had canceled a few gigs too.

She didn't think she would have made it without him.Even though she had sworn not to,she had fallen in love with Oz. Funnily enough,even Wolf Oz.

After he had come back and decided to stay, he preferred being watched when he was locked up. Sometimes it would be Xander or Giles who would watch him when she couldn't. But she made sure it wasn't often. The more time she spent around Oz-wolf the more he seemed to reach out to her.To call to her almost.

But she knew that Oz himself would never love her like she did him,but she was just happy to know that he was near.

Pulling herself out of her thoughts,she returned her attention to Oz.

"Sure,let me put my books up and we can go."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The two left the library and headed for Buffy's apartment. After her mom passed away,Buffy sold the house and put the money in the bank and decided to rent her own place.She had enough of strange roommates. After a few months,Xander had moved in.Both to help with the bills and get out of his parents basement.

They both knew that Xander was out of town with Anya so they headed inside.

Sitting on the couch, he patted the spot next to him. After Buffy sat down.He turned to her, took a deep breath,and told her his news.

"Buffy, I'm leaving Sunnydale.I,I won't be coming back."

Stunned,Buffy sat in silence,trying to believe she didn't here what she did.

Taking her silence as a good thing,Oz continued.

"I want to stay,but there are things,reasons why I can't. I can't tell you what they are,but please know that my friendship to you will not end.We can write and maybe after a while, visit each other. Buffy? Say something."

Ignoring her pain, she tried to be understanding.That's what best friends did,right?

"I'll miss you a lot Oz,but I hope you are happy.Can you tell me where you're going?"

Swallowing his disappointment, he tried to smile."Um, I'm not sure yet. I can let you know after I get there.OK?"

Nodding,Buffy wished he would leave so she could cry. If he didn't do it soon, she was afraid that she would break down in front of him.

Oz felt as if he would cry if he sat there another minute.Getting up, he said a quick goodbye,before running out of the door.

So stunned that he was actually leaving her,Buffy didn't even register that he had gone. The starting of a vehicle and it's tires squealing as it took off started the flood of tears.

Sobbing until she was sick, she never heard the front door opening.

Oz, tears running down his face,rushed to her side.

"Buffy, please stop.I'm sorry, I can't ever seem to get my goodbyes right."

Grabbing Oz by his shirt, she pleaded with him as she never had before.

"Please Oz, don't go. I need you here. I was afraid to tell you before because I didn't want to lose you, but I find myself about to lose you anyway." Taking a needed breath, Buffy continued to pour out her heart." I love you Oz. I love you so much. I tried to not need you,I tried so hard.But I failed,if you leave, I don't think I can go on."


Feeling the greatest rush in his life, Oz started laughing helplessly.

Seeing that Buffy was misunderstanding his mirth, he smiled and explained,"I love you too Buffy. I have for a long time now.Like you,I was afraid to tell you.That's why I was leaving, I couldn't be around you and feel like this any more."

The two found themselves in each others arms almost magically.Hugging her tight,Oz looked deep into her eyes.He smiled, telling her,"What a pair we are huh? Think you could stand having me around for a while longer?"

Leaning forward, Buffy brushed her lips across his before saying,"Try to leave again and I'll have to chain you up next time."

Deciding that later was a great time to talk, the two healed each other again.This time with heated kisses.


The End