Oz spent the rest of the day in a daze. What he had overheard in the library
  was painful. Not only for him, but for Willow’s sake also.

  <Willow loves Xander. Deeply. I can tell that much> Oz thought, as he walked
  to his van after school.

  The day had been long, and he spent most of it thinking about Willow and her

  talk with Buffy. Oz loved Willow. She was great, kind, and utterly
  beautiful. Oz knew she cared for him, but he could also see the undying love
  for Xander she carried her in heart. And this was why he had to let her go.
  For her own sake. To let her have the guy she needed more than himself. It
  would be the hardest thing he ever had to do.

  But he would do it because he loved her that much.

  *******

  After school, Buffy caught up with Xander in the hall. "Xander, hey!" she
  called to him.

  "Hey Buff, what’s up?"

  "We need to talk," Buffy said, in full ‘I’m-The-Slayer-So-You-Listen-To Me’
  mode.

  "Oookay." Xander followed her to the deserted library. Sitting down in one
  of the chairs, he looked at Buffy expectantly. "So what’s going on? Whatever
  it is, I didn’t do it," he added playfully.

  Buffy cut right to the chase. "It’s about Willow."

  Xander’s smile faded quickly. "What’s wrong?" he asked, his brows furrowed.

  Buffy considered her words carefully. "She’s…she’s in pain, Xander," she
  finally told him.

  "In pain?" Xander demanded. "What happened?"

  He was getting worried, and Buffy noticed. She hurried to explain. "Xander,
  she’s in pain over you. Because of what happened last night."

  "Oh…" Xander was at a loss for words. <Why is she upset? She wanted
  this.>

  "Do you love her?" Buffy asked suddenly, interrupting his thoughts.

  "Huh?" Xander paused. "Buffy, I love Willow. She’s my best friend, you know
  that."

  "I don’t mean as a friend," Buffy told him quietly. Sitting down across from
  him, she looked at her friend and watched as he mentally seemed to come to
  a conclusion.

  Xander searched his mind frantically as he thought about what to say. Finally
  he sighed, and cast his eyes downward. "Yes," he whispered. "I love her.
  I…I try not to, but I can’t stop…and I can’t ignore it anymore."

  Buffy grinned, pleased. "And you know she loves you, right?"

  Xander looked up, and met her eyes. Buffy could have sworn she saw a flicker
  of hope in his eyes, but it was gone in a second and she once again she only saw pain.

  "I don’t know…maybe she used to…but she has Oz now. She only wants
  him," he added, slightly bitter.

  "Xander, she was in here earlier today crying because she thinks she’s lost
  you for good."

  "What? But I thought she wanted us apart. Because of Oz…and Cordelia,"
  Xander said, confused.

  Buffy considered his words. "I think she was only doing what she thought was
  right. But it’s causing her major grief." Buffy paused. "How do you feel
  towards Cordelia?"

  Xander gave her a pained look. "I broke up with her today, during our, um,
  closet meeting."

  "Excuse me?" Buffy asked, surprised.

  "I told her that I wasn’t good for her. And I’m not. I didn’t want to keep
  hurting her because of how I feel towards Willow."

  "Wow," Buffy breathed. "How’d she take it?"

  "Good, surprisingly. I think she knew somehow."

  "That’s good," Buffy said, surprising herself with the truth of her words.

  Xander’s mind raced. <Willow is upset? She still loves me? What about Oz?>

  "What about Oz?" he repeated out loud.

  "I don’t know. I’ll call her tonight, and talk to her." Buffy looked at
  Xander and gave him a small smile. "Everything will work out okay," she told
  him.

  "I hope so," Xander said to himself, giving Buffy a small, worried smile in
  return.