Willow Rosenberg cuddled closer to Graham Miller. She giggled softly. He'd slipped his hand under her sweater, teasing the bottom of her spine with his fingertips. "Graham," she said softly, "stop it!"

He smiled down at the bundle of woman in his arms. "Why?"

"Cause!"

He chuckled, making his chest vibrate. She sighed against said chest, loving the hard feel of it.

Never in a million years did little Willow Rosenberg think that she would ever be attracted to someone as big and tall and beautiful as Graham Miller, but then, never in a million years did Willow think that Graham would be attracted back. Sure, Oz was wonderful to look at, but Graham was everything Oz wasn't. He was tall, had wide shoulders, and was strong. He had deep eyes, hair that stayed one color, and direction. Granted, Willow STILL wasn't thrilled with the whole Initiative angle in his life, but it was something. And he talked. He talked softly, and not much around people that he didn't know, but when he got going....

Sometimes Willow had to interrupt to get a word in edgewise. She liked that.

When Graham talked, it wasn't silly little small talk...no, not at all. Graham talked about philosophy and history, and things that made Willow think. She enjoyed talking to him. He had a brain and knew how to use it.

Willow and Graham had spent the total of ten hours together the entire time of their relationship. Three nights before, Willow had reluctantly followed Buffy over to Lowell House to watch movies with Riley. The red head really didn't want to go, but Buffy insisted. When they arrived, Graham was the only other person in the house with Riley. As they were walking in, they heard Graham say:

"So Buffy and her friend are coming? The little red head?"

"Yea," Riley replied. "Willow. She is adorable. I just...I love Willow to death, she's smart and funny and pretty. She's not Buffy, of course, but she's right up your alley."

Willow giggled softly. "He's very..."

"Delicious?" Buffy whispered.

"Not what I was going to say, but I do agree."

And twenty minutes later, while watching 'Bed of Roses' and having to practically blare the TV to cover the smooching noise Buffy and Riley were making, Willow stood up. "I'm going outside. Do you want to come with me? I can protect you from all that goes bump in the night."

Graham laughed, until he realized that she was serious. "You mean it."

"Of course. I know about this town, Graham, and I know you do too."

Graham glanced at Buffy and Riley, who were oblivious to everything else. "Willow, I think we should talk."

And as they sat on the porch, wrapped up in blankets, Graham told Willow about his time in the Initiative, and how he got involved with them. Willow told him about all the different things she'd experienced in her life, and how it made her grow into the very person that sat before him....a young woman, somewhat scared of life, but wanting to live it to the fullest.....a practicing Wicca....and alone.

Graham reached over at the beginning of their fifth hour of talking and took her hand. "You don't have to be alone anymore, Willow. Not if you don't want to be."

The second night, Willow and Buffy went patrolling with Riley, Forrest, and Graham. They made a good team, Willow and Buffy used themselves as bait more than once. They kept the tone light, and had a good time. Forrest and Riley exchanged glances - they knew Graham had it bad for Willow.

And now it was the third night. The guys were off, so the girls did a quick sweep of the town, and headed over to Lowell House. Riley and Buffy had excused themselves and went upstairs, while Graham and Willow curled up on the couch. He held her tightly, marveling at the way she fit against him. He was teasing her lower back, causing sensations to run all through her body - feelings she didn't even remember if Oz made her feel.

"Have you ever been in love?" she asked suddenly.

"Yes, once."

"Tell me about her," she said, propping herself up on his chest.

"Are you sure?"

"Yea, I'm cool. I was thinking last night, about all the contrasts of you and Oz - trust me, there are a lot, you are pretty much everything he isn't, and vice versa - and I'm curious. Am I anything like her?"

"Well...ok," he said softly. He closed his eyes and thought for a few moments. "She was beautiful, Willow. Beautiful in a dangerous way. Usually I don't like girls like that, but she was... exotic. Long straight black hair. She always wore tight clothing, flirted with EVERYONE. Everyone thought she treated me horrible, but she didn't really. She loved me with everything, but she was so scared. She didn't have a great life at home...that's why she ran away and joined the military. She was the first girl I was with, and there was passion.

"I met her at Boot Camp. She was there, running along side us men. Our affair last those three months, and then she finagled to get us stationed together in New York. We lived together the rest of the relationship. Then, when I was stationed in Sunnydale, nine months later, she didn't want to come. Said there were too many creepy things here. She went to Atlanta....I think she is still there. We kept in touch at first, but not really anymore. I love her, but I'm not in love with her anymore." He shrugged. "She is NOTHING like you, and I'm realizing that I like you a lot."

She blushed. "Thanks."

"What about you?"

"Oz, lead guitarist of the Dingoes."

"Hey, I've met him. The Dingoes are good. HE is your first love?"

"Yea, not what you would expect, huh?"

"Nope, not at all," Graham agreed.

"He was quiet. Totally and utterly quiet. When he talked, it was very little, but he cared about me a lot. He dyed his hair a different color every week. He was different and he didn't care. That taught me that it is ok to be different. Let's face it, Graham, I'm not your everyday typical girl."

"I'm glad," he said softly.

She smiled. "Um...Oz is a werewolf. It didn't bother me, I was in love after all. So we are dating, happy, and he gets hairy three nights a month. No problem. Until Veruca. Veruca was a singer, a werewolf, and wanted Oz. And they slept together."

"Damn," Graham said.

"Yea, it hurt. So she comes to me, and she's about to kill me. He comes in and at that point, they are both starting to change into wolves. When you are a wolf, you can't comprehend.... you just want food....blood....meat. They fight, Oz kills her. Then he turns on me. Obviously, Buffy ran in and shot him with the tranquilizer gun. The next day, he leaves. He has to go find out who he is and all that. Granted, once, I kissed Xander, because we thought we were going to die, but he SLEPT with someone. And he left, and I'm the one empty and hurting. It hurt so much, Graham, that D'Hofram asked me if I wanted to be a Vengeance Demon. He's this big demon guy."

"God, you poor baby," he whispered, holding her tight. "I could never ever...."

She looked up at him. "Somehow, I know that. I know you wouldn't." She blushed. "If we were dating and all that."

"Yea, if we were." He smiled, then closed his eyes. "Mmmm."

"What?" she asked.

"Just imagining you being my girlfriend, strolling through the campus, showing you off... How beautiful you look on my arm, all the guys dying of envy and jealousy." He chuckled.

"You are silly, Graham."

"Thanks, Will," he said. "So your friends, they helped you get over him? You seem much better now..."

"Not really....Buffy is always with Riley, and Xander and Anya are always having sex...but I have a new friend that was forced into the situation. He didn't want to be here....but he had to," Willow said softly.

"Who?"

"You have to promise...PROMISE that you won't hurt him."

Graham frowned. "What, do you have Hostile 17?" He laughed at the silly thought.

Willow bit her bottom lip and watched him.

He stopped laughing. "You do. Oh, god, you mean, the Slayer has had Hostile 17 under our noses the whole time? Under Riley's nose?"

"Y...yea?"

He stared at her for a minute, and then started laughing. "God, we are so stupid!"

"You aren't stupid!" Willow giggled. "I mean, sometimes you do things I don't understand, but I'm not military."

He chuckled. "We are stupid, trust me. Bunch of dressed in green idiots."

"But you are cute in all green," she teased.

"Don't tease," he pouted.

"But it's fun!"

"If you continue, I'll be forced to kiss you. When you tease, you have this impish grin and your eyes shine, and it makes me want to kiss you," he said softly.

"Would you now?"

"Maybe," he grinned.

"Mmm..." she giggled. "You are all slinking around Sunnydale, dressed all greeny, and you are looking for a blonde vampire that SO stands out in Sunnydale. And all that time you are looking, he's at the house where the girlfriend of your leader hangs out the most."

"Ahh, that was cruel. Gonna have to give you a long teasing kiss for that one," he promised.

She grinned. "Go ahead, if you think you are man enough."

"I like a woman who plays my games," he grinned before capturing her lips in a kiss.

The entire world fell away. There was nothing but Willow and Graham.

After a few minutes, they pulled away. "Woah," Willow whispered in awe.

"I'd have to agree," Graham purred.

She bit her bottom lip. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Willow, anything." He shifted so she was laying on top of him more than she was moments before.

"I don't want to do anything, you know, but well, can I stay here with you tonight? I haven't slept in the arms of a man in a long time, and I think that it might be nice to sleep in yours."

He smiled, running his fingers down her cheek. "I think I would like that a lot."

She snuggled to him, yawning softly. "Me too," she said sleepily.

Graham knew she was tired. He slipped his hand higher under her sweater and starting rubbing comforting circles on her back. She reached up and wrapped her tiny hand around his. She kissed his knuckles. "Thank you for letting me stay."

"Anytime, Pixie."

She looked up at him, curiosity in her sleep filled eyes. "Pixie?" she giggled.

"Well, you are tiny, like a pixie, and you are Wicca, you know, I thought it fit," he smiled.

"Pixie," she chuckled. "I like it. Graham's little Pixie." She closed her eyes.

He closed his eyes, holding her tight. "My little Pixie," he murmured before following the red head into dream land.

END

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