Fic... "Another Heart Ache" PG-13

["A.M. Glass" <glasswrks@xxxxxxxxx>]

Title: "Another Heart Ache"
Author: Angela
Copyright: February 2, 2000
E-Mail: glasswrks@xxxxxxxxx
Rating: 'PG-13"
Disclaimer: Joss owns the characters for "Buffy The
Vampire Slayer." I'm just borrowing them for a brief
interlude. No copyright infringement is intended or
inferred.
Summary: This is a sequel to my story called "Heart
Ache." It takes place later on the same day.
Thanks: To the people who sent me a kind word after
reading the first story, and to those of you who asked
about a sequel. Hey Pat, look I wrote it myself.
(inside joke)
Author's Note: I think it's still kind of angst
filled, so be forewarned.

***

Buffy watched as Tara left the front entrance of the
dorm, a smile on her face.

'Why wouldn't she smile? She has Willow.'

Sitting on the bench for another ten minutes, Buffy
finally worked up the courage to go inside.

"Alright. I *can* do this," she said to herself, as
she grabbed the door handle and entered the room.

Willow was on her bed, her eyes closed, a smile
gracing her features.

"Hey Will," she said.

Willow looked over to see Buffy closing the door.

"Hi Buffy. I didn't see you today. Everything all
right?"

"Oh, yeah. Fine. Everything's perfect," she muttered.

"So, do you have any plans for tonight?"

"No, Giles said I could have the night off. You
interested in doing something?"

"Well, we could go to the Grotto. I could watch you
get caffinated," Willow replied.

"Why not," Buffy said smiling.

"Deal. Let me call Tara, I told her I might get
together with her later on…"

"Will, if you've already have plans…"

"Buffy, I've hardly seen you. Nope, this is a night
for best buds, even if Xander isn't here to enjoy the
festivities."

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.

"For you, anything," Willow replied honestly.

Buffy felt a dull pain her in chest, and knew no
matter how much Willow believed what she said, Buffy
knew differently.

'I don't think so,' she told herself, as Willow went
to the phone and dialed Tara's number.


***

"Buffy, are you sure you're all right?" Willow asked
after noticing Buffy's distracted look, as they sat
next to each other on one of couches in the Grotto.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I'm sorry Will. I've got a lot on my
mind," she replied.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

"Umm… no. That's okay Will, but thanks for asking,"
she said.

"I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want
another mocha?" Willow asked.

"I'm fine."

"Be right back," she said, going over to the counter.

"God, what am I going to do?" Buffy asked herself,
watching her friend talk to the guy behind the
counter. She took a sip of her mocha and once more
lost herself. She thought about what had happened this
afternoon. She didn't know what she was going to do.
She couldn't bring it up; she'd have to wait until
Willow decided to let her know about her situation
with Tara.

"Hey."

"Oh, hi Riley," Buffy responded, shaking her head to
clear her thoughts.

"Mind if I join you?"

"No, have a seat."

"So, how have you been?" he asked sitting opposite
her.

"Fine. How are things going with you? Any more sub…
whatchamacallits?"

"No… not tonight," Riley replied laughing.

Willow turned around and saw Riley sitting next to
Buffy. She had hoped that Buffy and Riley might hit it
off, she didn't like it when Buffy seemed *so* alone.
Perhaps Riley could be the one to help pull Buffy out
of the funk she seemed to be in. She knew nothing she
did seemed to help, and that made her sad.

"Hi Riley," Willow said when she returned to her
place on the couch.

"Hi Willow. It's nice to see you again."

"Same here. So… are you tracking something grr like?"

"No, I was just telling Buffy that I had the night
off."

"Funny, so does Buffy. Isn't that right Buffy?"

"Yeah."

"I was wondering, maybe we could do something? Unless
you and Willow are tied up?" Riley asked.

"Oh… no. I'm sure Buffy would love to go out with
you. Wouldn't you Buffy?" Willow replied, jumping at
the chance at fixing them up.

"You don't mind Will?" Buffy asked. 'Please don't
make me… please,' she silently pleaded.

"Not at all. You two go have fun. Shoo… fun awaits."

"Thanks Will," Riley told her, standing up and
offering his hand to Buffy.

"Yeah, thanks Will," Buffy replied, slowly reaching
for Riley's hand and allowing him to help her to her
feet.

"You two behave out there," Willow said, bouncing
slightly.

"You have my word," Riley said smiling.

***

"I'm glad you called," Tara said as they walked on
one of the many paths on campus.

"So am I," Willow replied shyly.

Tara waited until they were in a secluded section of
the campus, when she took hold of Willow's hand in
hers. Willow looked at her and smiled.

"I… I care about you. You do know that don't you
Willow?" Tara asked suddenly.

"Of course I do."

"I know that you're not ready to tell anyone about
us… and I understand," she added as she noticed
Willow's reaction.

"What are you getting at Tara?" Willow asked, as she
stopped walking.

"I… um… you're probably going to think I'm stupid or
something," Tara said, staring at the ground.

Willow took Tara's face in her hand and raised it back
up.

"Tara, don't ever let me hear you call yourself
stupid again. Do you understand me?" she said.

Tara nodded.

"What did you want to tell me?"

"I… I um, actually. Here," she blurted out, as she
handed a small box to Willow.

"Tara, what's this?" Willow asked.

"Open it," she muttered. 'Stupid… stupid… stupid,'
she kept berating herself.

Willow carefully opened the small package.

"Oh… my."

"I'm sorry. You don't like it. I shouldn't have…"

Willow stopped Tara's ramblings with a kiss.

"Given it to you?" Tara finished after Willow kissed
her.

"It's beautiful, Tara. Thank you."

Willow took out the heart-shaped locket with a
matching gold chain and held it in her hand.

"Will you help me put it on?" Willow asked.

"Oh… yeah. Sure," Tara replied, reaching for the
locket. Her hands were shaking as she placed it around
Willow's neck. Willow turned around and smiled.

Tara's breath caught in her throat, Willow was
breathtaking.

"Thank you again Tara. I'll always treasure it."

"You don't have to say that Willow."

"I know I don't have to, but I mean it."

Tara could see the truth in Willow's statement.

"I think we should get going. It's late."

"You're right," Willow replied.


***

"Riley, I'm sorry, but I think I'd better head back,"
Buffy said.

"Hey, I understand. It's no problem."

"Thanks."

"Hey, isn't that Willow?" Riley asked as they reached
the dormitory.

"Yeah, it is. Hey Will."

"Hi guys. Tara, have you met Riley?"

"No I haven't. Hello."

"Hi."

"I was about to walk Tara back to her dorm…" Willow
said.

"I can do that for you Willow. It's late… you know,"
Riley told her.

"You wouldn't mind?" Willow asked.

"Not at all."

"Thanks Riley," Willow said, turning towards Tara.
"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'll stop by after class," Tara replied, resisting
the urge to hug Willow good-bye, but was pleasantly
surprised when Willow did. She relished the brief
contact.

Buffy had not said a word. Her entire attention was
focused on the heart-shaped locket Willow was wearing.
She could not recall seeing it before.

"Buffy?"

"What?"

"Riley was saying 'goodnight'," Willow told her.

"Oh… I'm sorry Riley. I'll see you in class."

"Right. Goodnight," he replied.

They watched as Riley and Tara went around the corner
before heading inside.

***

They hadn't said a word the entire time it took them
to get to their room.

"I'll be right back," Willow said, wondering why
Buffy seemed *so* quiet.

"No problem," Buffy answered. She sat on her bed for
a few seconds, then began pacing. Looking at the door
to her room, she knew what she had to do. "Will?" she
said after entering the bathroom.

"Yeah."

"I'll be right back. I'm… I'm going to take a walk,"
she said quickly and left before Willow could say
anything.

Willow stood there and hoped that whatever was
bothering Buffy would resolve itself.

***

Buffy came back to the room about two hours later. She
had dusted a few vamps she'd run into and it seemed to
take her mind off things for a brief while. She went
to her bed and sat on the edge before flopping down.

Twenty minutes went by and she couldn't sleep. She had
wanted to ask Willow about the locket, but couldn't.
She was certain that Tara had given it to Willow.
Slowly, she got off her bed and tip toed across the
room, and watched Willow sleep. She tilted her head
from one side then the other.

'Willow's pretty,' she thought suddenly.

As she moved closer, a single thought came to her mind
without hindrance. Something sure pure and deep, she
was hardly aware of anything else around her. Buffy's
eyebrows rose slowly. Her throat began to constrict
and her eyes filled with tears before they slid
silently down her cheeks as she watched Willow
sleeping peacefully.

'She's… *she's* beautiful,' she told herself.

Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her, as she
stared at her sleeping friend. Her hand reached out to
touch Willow when she snatched to back; she looked at
it in horror.

"What the hell am *I* doing?" she said to
herself.

"Buffy?"

"Go to sleep Will, go back to sleep. Everything's
okay," Buffy whispered, brushing a lock of hair away
from Willow's face. She bent down and ever so gently
brushed her lips against Willow's forehead. "I love
you Will," she whispered.

"Love you too," Willow muttered before drifting back
to sleep.

Buffy went back to her bed and from the safe distance,
kept watch over Willow.

And her heart.

The End
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