FIC: Many Facets - Part II

[Kimber <kacoe@xxxxxxxx>]

Title: Many Facets (2/?)
Author: Kimber (kacoe@xxxxxxx)
Disclaimer: I am a gnat in the world that is the Joss (Hey! Watch it
with that fly swatter). All characters belong to him and Mutant
Enemy. I'm only borrowing the characters. I promise to put them back
when I'm done, a little more angsty perhaps, but none worse for wear. 
This is for fun and non-profit.
Summary: Rumors abound on the USC campus. How will Buffy and Willow
handle their peers thoughts on just what kind of relationship they have
behind closed doors.
Spoilers: Anything up to and including 'Wild at Heart' is fair game.
Distribution: Just drop me a line and it's yours to archive *eg* 
Author's Notes: Feedback = Food. Story probably still has to be
beta'd, any volunteers would be appreciated. Thoughts are enclosed in <
>
------------
Willow unlocked the door to their room. She made her way over to her
bed, after fighting with a few dust bunnies, she pulled out a first aid
kit.

"Will, really, I'm fine." Buffy protested. But Willow would have none
of it.

"Just let me look at you. Take off your shirt." Almost immediately,
Willow regretted her response. The events of the day dancing on the
fringes of her mind. "I mean, so I can look at you?I mean to see if
your shoulder's OK?if it's bruised?."

"It's OK, Will. I knew what you meant." Buffy tried to put on her
best comfort-face. She began to unbutton her shirt and flinched again.

"You are really hurt, aren't you?"

"I guess I hit harder than I thought. Damn vamps. Why can't they just
stay worm food." Ungracefully, even for a slayer, Buffy flopped down on
her bed, closed her eyes and gave a heavy sigh.

A minute or two past. Why she did it, what possessed her, she wasn't
quite sure. Even with every bone and muscle in her body screaming NO,
and her brain screaming even louder, Willow walked over to Buffy, knelt
down in front of her, and began unbuttoning her blouse. 

Buffy froze. Every muscle in her body tightened. She peered down in
front of her, to see her best friend before her, undressing her. 
<gulp. No?no gulp. This is Willow for Gods sakes. Not some stranger.
No gulping?this isn't a situation that merits gulping.>

Willow finished unbuttoning her blouse and moved around Buffy to kneel
on her bed. Carefully, she peeled back the material and came face to
face with a very large bruise with small gashes surrounding it. "See, I
told you that you were really hurt. You have little cuts all over your
shoulder and you're turning different colors."

"Great, just call me Rainbow Buffy, distant cousin of Rainbow Brite." 
She managed a smile and Willow joined suite.

As carefully as possible, Willow cleaned the wound and put a bandage
over it. "You're all set. A little battered, mind you, and the iodine
makes you smell funny, but better." She came around to sit next to
Buffy.

"Not only did you save me you also make quite the nursemaid Will,
thanks." Buffy smiled at her.

"Come on Buffy, I didn't save you. I helped, like I said before. I'll
always help you. I'm not only research girl you know, I've got
layers." Willow made a face. "Ugh, I think I just channeled Cordelia. 
I don't know where that came from." They both had a much needed laugh.

They sat in compatible silence for a while, then Buffy was the first to
speak. "Well, the night's not a total waste, right? I mean it's only 8
o'clock, we can grab a movie and some popcorn still, I mean, that is if
you still want to." She looked over at her best friend, hoping for a
yes.

"Um, sure. Why not. You need to rest anyway." Willow offered.

"Yeah, don't worry about it, I'll be practically healed in the
morning. Slayer-super-healing and all that." Buffy smiled, glad to have
the old Willow back.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

"Now who could that be?" Buffy wondered. She got up to answer the
door. Standing there was a tall, dark-haired, well build guy. "Yeah? 
Can I help you?"

"Jeff" Willow offered behind the slayer.

"Can I speak to you, alone?" He asked beyond Buffy, totally ignoring
her question.

"I don't think we've met. Hi, I'm Buffy," Anger seethed from every
fiber. <So this was Jeff. Mean, nasty, made-Willow-cry-Jeff.>

"Buffy. This is Jeff. He's, uh?..in my psych class?he's
here?.(looking at Jeff)?.you're here?.why are you here?" Classic
Willow.

"Listen, I wanted to talk to you, about this afternoon. Preferably
without an audience. Can we, I mean, go somewhere?" Jeff looked in her
direction.

Willow was torn. She didn't know what to do. Talk to Jeff, and risk
having to spill everything to Buffy?..or?.well?.stay here and have to
spill everything sooner.

"I don't think that's a good.." Buffy began

Willow cut her off, "No, Buffy, it's OK. (looking at Jeff) We can
talk, in the lounge." Willow gave her a look of reassurance. The last
thing Buffy remembered was the door closing.

<Unbelievable! How could she just go off with him like that? After
what he said and did to her.> Buffy was lost in thought. It had been
about ten minutes since Willow left, but it felt like ten hours. She
paced, and straightened, then paced some more. Finally she couldn't
take it anymore and decided to take some action. <That's it, I have to
see what's going on.>

Making her way, quietly, to the lounge, Buffy crouched behind a sofa. 
It was a good thing no one was around right now, she'd have some serious
explaining to do. She could see Jeff and Willow standing at the far end
of the lounge, but she couldn't hear anything. She poked her head out,
to see what was going on. It all went so fast. Jeff, putting his hand
on her shoulder, her shrugging it off, his hands flailing in front of
him, Willow shaking her head violently, he went for her shoulder and
turned her around, she was??she was crying. <Damn it! That's it?..no
more talking>

"Hey, get your hands off of her!" Buffy stood up, knocking over a
potted plant in the process.

They both jumped at the sound of the slayer's voice. "Buffy, what are
you doing here?" Willow asked.

"This doesn't concern you. Why don't you go away and let Willow and I
finish talking?" Jeff spoke through his teeth, hoping to scare off the
smaller girl.

Willow didn't know what to say. She wanted to get away from Jeff, away
from all the mean and hurtful things he'd said. She stood there,
looking out the window, overwhelmed by the knowledge of two very
piercing eyes upon her. Somewhere inside her, a little voice came
through. "Leave."

Immediately, Jeff turned to her then to Buffy, "Hear that Blondie? She
said?"

"Jeff. Leave. Leave me alone and don't come back." He was shocked. 
He began to say something, but she interrupted. "No, don't say another
word. Just leave. Get out."

"But Willow?" He protested.

"Get out!" She screamed.

<Go, Will, you tell him!> On the inside, Buffy was elated. She saw
the confusion on Jeff's face. He began to reach for her, but withdrew. 
Silently he walked out the door. Willow and Buffy were left standing
there, alone.

Buffy walked up behind her. She could see their reflections playing
against the glass. In the dark of night, she could see Willows
shoulders begin to shake, tears making their presence once again.

"Will, I?" She didn't know what to say. 

"I let him get to me. Oz, I mean?..not Jeff. As much as I'd love to
blame him for this, I can't. Not entirely, anyway." She sniffled and
wrapped her arms more tightly around herself. "He's?he was the drummer
in Veruca's band. I didn't recognize him at first, but then I
remembered. That night at the Bronze, when Giles showed up?..I remember
noticing him?.noticing me. I forgot about it." Sniffle. "He's?..Oz
was all that Veruca would talk about during their practices. Jeff took
great pleasure in telling me that. They met for lunch a few times?.Oz
and?..her." Sniffle. "He told her that?..that I was off doing stuff with
my friends, with you. She thought I was neglecting him?.can you believe
it? He never said anything??Jeff blames me, for Veruca dying. He
said??.h-he said that if I'd kept m-my boyfriend satisfied?then?.then he
wouldn't have?..he??." Sniffle..sniffle?whimper "Oh God, Buffy?.I made
him?..I pushed him towards her?.I?forced?..neglected him?." She
couldn't go on. The sobs were wracking her body, she was leaning
against the window now?.she looked like her knees would buckle any
minute. Then they did.

"Oh, Willow." It was all Buffy could squeak out before she saw her
friend slide down the wall to the ground. In two seconds she was at her
side, Willow crying softly into Buffy's shirt. Gathering up all of her
slayer strength, she lifted Willow off the ground and carried her back
to their room. She carefully laid her on the bed and went over to the
desk to get a box of tissues. This was going to be one long night.

Willow was weeping softly into her pillow. Buffy was beside herself,
she just didn't know what to do. After a few minutes, Willow calmed
down and looked over at her friend.

"Ugh?.I must look a mess." Buffy handed her a tissue. "Thanks. 
Before you say anything, I know it's not my fault?.Oz leaving?.him
sleeping with?.her." She couldn't bring herself to say Veruca's name. 
"I just?I let Jeff push my buttons?that's all. I shouldn't have let him
get to me like that?..with everything he said?.." Willow blew her nose
a few times. Buffy could see that there was more to this situation than
met the eye.

"Will. You hardly know him. How could he know how to push your
buttons? I don't understand how he got you so upset. And this
afternoon. I know he said something to you, something that made you so
upset that you'd run away from me??Please, Will?talk to me. Let me know
how I can help?.Let me know what I can do?.Please?.I hate seeing you
like this?" Buffy was at a loss.

"You." Willow whispered.

"What?" Buffy could barely make out what she was saying.

"You?he talked about you. He said that if I wasn't careful, that
people would start saying things about us. Things??like??more than what
they were saying now?.h-he said?.he saw us a few times??walking
together?..holding hands?.h-he told me t-that?..that people on campus
were?.were talking about us?.like we're?..a couple?..that?.it's why Oz
left?..because he couldn't??he didn't want to?..be?with
someone?..like?.THAT" The tears threatened again. Willow tried to
blink them away, but it was no use. "He said he??he'd make it go
away??t-that they'd stop talking?..if I went out with him?..He almost
had me convinced?..then you came in?..and?..well."

Buffy watched as a million different emotions played on her friends
face. Fear, anger, agitation, hate. All of it because of some nasty
rumors people started. Then she saw the tears slip from her beautiful
green eyes?.eyes that were very much like hers. Older and wiser than
eyes anyone their age had any right to have. It saddened her?made her
angry?.Mad at Jeff for doing this to her, at Oz for leaving?.at herself
for, well, for everything. 

"It scares me?" It was barely a whisper, but Buffy had heard it.

Will, there's nothing to be scared of. Who cares what they say?they
don't know anything about us, anything about?"

"No. That's not what I meant?..I meant?..what I meant to say
was?.living here, you get kind of used to all the hellmouthy things?.but
human emotion, base-crude-end-all-be-all-intentional
hurt?.well?.sometimes, I feel like I'd take the demons over the people
any day?.and I get so scared about?.you go patrolling?.you get all
banged up almost every night?.you could??God, you could die, Buffy?.I
couldn't?I wouldn't know how?..It would kill me too?..if anything
ever?..ever happened to you. And it scares me?..but?sometimes, not as
much as?"She didn't finish, she couldn't. She wasn't ready for it. 
Wasn't ready for it all to come bubbling to the surface. The thoughts,
the innuendo's, the feelings?it was all too much to bear at once.

"It scares me too, Will. More than I can say?..I just don't have the
words for all the fear I have inside sometimes." Buffy's eyes
threatened to spill over. "It's like?.When my mom gets a shipment in the
Gallery?.and she pulls out these paintings and ornaments and pottery and
stuff?..she could let other people handle the unpacking?but she doesn't
because she wants to be responsible for it?..like she has a duty to
protect what ever is in those boxes?.and that's how I feel??sometimes."

"You thing I'm like a box of dusty art?" Willow was quite confused. 
"Buffy, you're not responsible for me. I'm responsible for me and my
actions."

"That's not what I meant, Will. Angel explained it to me once??Love
and friendship go hand in hand?..and when you give someone
that?it's?it's as if your giving them a piece of yourself?.like handing
them an old vase or painting?..or your prized possession?.and when you
hand it over?it's like your saying 'here, this is for you. It's
priceless really, but I trust you enough to give it to you.' And if you
break it?.like if my mother breaks a piece of art?then it can be fixed,
but it'll never be the same?.you know?.it's a big responsibility to love
someone, and I get that. I think we get that. Will, if anything ever
happened to you. I don't know what I'd do?."

"Nothing's happened Buffy, really. I'm just on overload right now. 
Jeff talked to Oz. He called Jeff to see if he knew how I was doing. 
Why couldn't he call me himself? Are we so far past the point of no
return that I might not ever talk to him again? Jeff?.well, the things
he said were mean?.and?.they're not true?.so we shouldn't worry about
them, right?" Willow wasn't sure if she said it to comfort herself or
Buffy, or maybe even both. 

"Willow, what Jeff said?I mean about us?.is that?is that the stuff that
scares you? Because if it is?.then we could?I mean?we could lay off the
friendliness for a while?..if it makes you?.if your scared that?." 
Buffy's eyes won out and spilled over with tears. She couldn't believe
she was having this conversation with Willow. Willow! If it scared
her, if she was uncomfortable then it was up to Buffy to put things
right. "I mean, it'll be hard at first?but I could
find?..somewhere?..I'll call tomorrow??a single maybe??"

The last part registered with Willow and caught her off guard. "Buffy,
no. You wouldn't leave me, would you? You can't go?who would I?..I
don't want to?.you want to move out??..God, first Oz?..now?.you can't
go.." Willow was almost beside herself. Her eyes were wide with fear,
and pride be damned she was crying openly now at the thought of loosing
her best friend.

"If you want me to, I'll go?.you're uncomfortable??I can't?.I mean?..I
did this?." Buffy didn't get to finish her sentence?.Willow pulled her
into a crushing hug, afraid that she'd walk out the door right that
moment.

"Ok, Will?.OK?.I won't go, not unless you want me to" Buffy wrapped
her arms around the redhead, sobbing and shaken at the prospect of
leaving her alone.

"You can't go?.I need?.oh, Buffy?..I can't let you?.I don't know what
I'd do without you?.You're my best friend, my confidante my??.you can't
go?I don't want you to." That was all Willow managed to get out between
sobs.

"Will, I want to tell you something that I've never told anyone
before." Willow looked up and shook her head yes in response. "When
Angel?.Angelus went after you, he said something to me afterwards,
something that didn't make a whole lot of sense until now." Buffy
paused. She didn't know how to do this, she didn't know how to say what
had been on the fringes of her mind for almost 2 years now. "He went
after you, and he put you in the hospital?.he went after you because he
knew you were one of the only people he could go through to get to me." 
She paused and choked up. Grabbing a box of tissues, she blew her nose,
tried to compose herself and continued. "I went crazy when I found out
you were in the hospital. It was because of me. Angel used you against
me because he knew?..he knew how valuable you were?to everyone?.and
especially to me?..not as old reliable Willow, or research girl, or the
resident hacker, or dozens of other labels the gang and I have managed
to slap on you over the past four years?..valuable as my best friend
Willow, my sounding board Willow, my strength and courage Willow. I
don't know what I'd do without you in my life. And it scares me?.chills
me down to the core to even have a fleeting thought of what I'd do if
you weren't in my life??" The tears won out again. Buffy's face fell
into her hands and she cried?.cried like she couldn't remember every
crying before.

Willow sat there, dumbfounded. She couldn't believe what she just
heard, didn't want to believe it. She couldn't, wouldn't, give into all
the feelings dwelling deep inside. Buffy loved her. She had just about
said everything she could but that. Overwhelmed, she looked at the
slayer there on her bed, so vulnerable, so shaken. She reached out and
touched her shoulder. It was enough. Buffy bent to her touch and
placed her head in Willows lap while Willow rubbed her back. She
glanced over to the clock. <11 o'clock and all's not well>

After a few minutes, Willow shifted her position so she'd be more
comfortable. She laid down across the bed and Buffy followed suite. 
Willow gathered the slayer in her arms and continued to rub her back
reassuringly. They remained like that for a long time until they both
drifted off to sleep.


//I know, I know. I left ya hangin. Don't worry. I'll post the next
part tomorrow. It's pretty late now and lack of sleep kills brain
cells. ALL of my brain cells need to be alert and ready for action in
the next part.....if you know what I mean. *EG*//

Kimber
-- 
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Willow: It's horrible! That's me as a vampire? 
I'm so evil and... skanky. (aside to Buffy, worried) 
And I think I'm kinda gay.

Buffy: Willow, just remember, a vampire's personality 
has nothing to do with the person it was.

Angel: Well, actually... (gets a look from Buffy) 
uh, That's a good point.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Visit me! http://go.to/KimsCorner