Thank You
by Shyfox
[reviews]
Disclaimer: These characters belong to Joss Whedon, and co. I wouldn't dream of making a profit from these works, merely simple words of praise.:-)
Subtext: You bet, two women in love here.
This story follows To be or not to be, the Slayer, in my Sappho's spell series.
Songs are borrowed quite without permission by Collin Raye and Tim McGraw.
summary: I figured Buffy and Willow needed a little R and R after everything that's been going on...this is my shot at giving them some peace and quiet.:-)
Thank you
Baby, I bought wine and roses on my way home.
Yeah I know we can't afford it but life doesn't last too long.
This world has gone half crazy,
And knocked us both to our knees.
I'm fumbling for the words to try to tell you,
I love you for hanging on to me.
When anyone else would have been long gone.
Packed it up and headed back home.
And not a soul would blame you after what I put you through.
Yeah, anyone else would have gone insane.
Called the game on account of rain.
Anyone else, anyone else, anyone but you.
Mayday baby, all the rivets popped loose, it's a total tailspin,
Too much grindstone, too little time with you,
Girl you know it's wearing thin.
Baby let's trade in these teardrops,
For warm kisses on skin.
You've got a drawer full of IOU's,
and it's high time you called those things in.
When anyone else would have been long gone.
Packed it up and headed back home.
And not a soul would blame you after what I put you through.
Yeah, anyone else would have gone insane.
Called the game on account of rain.
Anyone else, anyone else, anyone but you.
You've passed up so many chances,
To walk right out that door.
Instead of dodging a champagne cork.
And watching the wet clothes fall to the floor.
When anyone else would have been long gone.
Packed it up and headed back home.
And you can hide behind that Chesire cat grin,
But you know it's true.
Yeah, anyone else would have gone insane.
Called the game on account of rain.
Anyone else, anyone else...
Girl, anyone but you.
-- Collin Raye --
Buffy couldn't help the excited grin that insisted on shining on her face as she barreled into the house. Tonight, she was taking Willow out for the first time since the attack, and she swore that she was going to make it a memorable evening. She wanted everything to be perfect, from the candlelight dinner at their most favorite, romantic spot, to the wine-red roses she had bought, and whose scent brought back pleasant memories of a sand covered beach and a long white gown, not to mention the elusive beauty her wife had projected on that most wonderful day.
She hadn't told Willow where they were going, but she knew the red-head would recognize the place the instant she saw the Italian restaurant, after all, it was the place they'd held their wedding reception. Mario was certainly looking forward to seeing the red-head again. The rotund Italian had been so happy when Buffy had walked through the door to his establishment, so happy in fact that he had picked her up off of her feet and swung her around in a little circle.
"Bambina, you're okay!" He had cried out, in his thick Italian accent. He had seen the news footage of her falling off of the apartment building, and had been so worried about her that he had gone to mass and said several prayers for her recovery.
"Whooaah..I'm...fine...stop..cease..desist...check please!!" Buffy screeched happily as she was spun about.
Putting a dizzy Buffy back on the floor, he had looked at her critically, searching her body from head to foot for any sign of her injuries. Upon seeing her free from scars, the smile had reappeared on his face. "Ah, they have been treating you well at home, no?" The Italian had asked, a gentle gleam in his eyes.
"Couldn't have been treated better, Mario." Buffy had answered, a smile lighting her face. For once, the busy restaurant had been relatively free of customers, which Buffy had been grateful for, it would have been embarrassing to be swung around like that in a roomful of strangers.
"When are you going to bring, Little Willow in, eh? I have missed her so much." Mario asked, and Buffy could see the worry in his eyes. She felt guilty for not coming to see this sweet man sooner.
"Soon, Mario...I promise. Actually, that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. I need a favor...well, actually, two of them." Buffy started hesitantly.
Wisdom filled the older man's eyes as he nodded his head. "Sure, sure, why don't you have a seat, I'll bring you a plate of pasta, and then you can tell me what's troubling you." Mario said, before bustling off to the kitchen, not giving Buffy time to protest.
'Geez, that guy is always trying to feed me...' Buffy thought, rolling her eyes, though a chuckle escaped from her lips.
But it wasn't long before Mario had returned, and Buffy could spell out her worries, the tension easing from her shoulders as the older man's eyes had lit up with an inner gleam, and Mario had transformed her worries into a viable plan, the second part of which she would carry out tonight.
*****
Willow stared pensively at the reflection that stared back at her from the vanity mirror. She had tried on every dress that she had, the ones that had once lined her closet, yet were now strewn haphazardly about the room in a display of frazzled nerves and indecision. This was clearly a sign of the redhead's nervousness, for she never just let her clothes land anywhere, and yet she couldn't even really put her finger on why she felt this way. Except that everything that she had tried on had looked all wrong on her changed frame, and she couldn't help sighing in frustration in her thwarted attempt to look stunning for her spouse, something she had known was impossible from the beginning, and yet she couldn't help wanting to try.
When Buffy had asked her to go out tonight for a mysteriously special occasion, the redhead had felt butterflies start swimming in her belly, now they were doing the Cha cha, as she settled into the dark green dress she had finally decided on. Buffy liked her in green, and the color did enhance her eyes, her one feature she had never, at any time, felt self-conscious about.
"You look beautiful." Joyce's warm voice coming from the doorway startled her a little as she turned to look uncertainly at her mother-in-law.
"Do you really think so?" Willow asked, tugging self-consciously at the material before a hand settled around the rounded form she carried around her middle. "Does it cover...I mean...do you think Buffy will like it?"
Joyce smiled in sympathy at the young woman, who had never felt really attractive, that was until her daughter had turned her all consuming attention onto the redhead, and even then, Joyce had still seen flickering of self doubt emerge from time to time, although those had become few and far between. Until recently, that is, now that the baby was starting to grow more and more into focus on the redhead's slight frame. She hadn't gained much weight with the pregnancy, and Joyce had a feeling that had to do with the stress that Willow had been forced to undergo in the recent months. She was eating more healthy now, much to Joyce's relief, and she felt better now that Willow was back home where she could keep an eye on her.
"Honestly...I don't think Buffy will be able to help herself from falling all over you." Joyce answered, with a chuckle, predicting her daughter's response with an unwavering gleam in her eye, and took great pleasure in the blush that spread up the redhead's fair neck. "Honey, Buffy adores you. She's going to think that you're absolutely stunning."
"Thanks." Willow smiled, appreciating her mother-in-law's attempts to bolster her flagging nerves, before casting a quick, questioning glance back at the mirror, still not quite sure what Joyce saw that she didn't see. "Did Buffy say where she was going?" She asked, remembering her wife's quick dash out of the house about an hour earlier, with a hurried promise that she'd be back in time.
"No, just that she had to get something and would be back in plenty of time." Joyce said, shaking her head. Sometimes she didn't know what went through her daughter's head. Then she heard the sound of the door closing downstairs and Willow met her eyes with a quiet, "Eep."
Joyce smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "Take a deep breath and relax, I'll tell her your finishing up." She watched as Willow nodded, then turned to peruse her appearance once more. The older woman shook her head, chuckling to herself as she left the nervous atmosphere of her daughters' room. 'You would think this was their first date.' She thought as she made her way downstairs to where Buffy was standing, looking around nervously in the hallway.
"Buffy, you look wonderful, and roses...nice touch." Mrs. Summers said, with approval, as she came down the stairs and gave her daughter a once over.
Buffy blushed, looking down over her outfit. She didn't think she was wearing anything too overly special, just a pair of black slacks, and a white loose fitting shirt. But she had made sure she was wearing Willow's favorite perfume, so she guessed she looked okay. "Thanks, Mom." She answered, trying to beat back her blush, then looked around at the deserted living room before casting a curious glance toward the stairs. "Willow ready?"
"She's getting there. She's just finishing up with a few more touches and I think she'll be ready." Joyce answered, then bit her lip, trying to keep the teasing smirk off of her lips, but couldn't keep the humor out of her tone. "Buffy...I think it's so cute you two are going on a date."
"Mom!" Buffy protested, flushing scarlet. Joyce started giggling, while Buffy sent her a warning glare. "You don't want me teasing you about you going out with Giles." Buffy warned, watching her mother turn a little pink herself before she backed down.
"Okay...you win..." Joyce said, holding up a hand as she headed towards the kitchen. "...but I still think it's cute.", she said, just before the kitchen door swung in behind her.
Buffy shook her head, before chuckling silently to herself. 'Mothers.' She did think they were a crazy bunch at times, but then her favorite little mother made her entrance on top of the stairs and it took Buffy's breath away. 'Scratch that idea.' She thought to herself, as she watched a vision in green descend the stairs towards her. "Beautiful." She whispered, a smile lighting her face as she took in her wife's appearance.
Willow was all smiles as she saw her wife waiting for her in the hallway below. Seeing Buffy at the bottom of the stairs, smiling at her as if she were the only person in the world that mattered, made all of her effort worthwhile. 'I did this for her.' Willow thought, her eyes focused on the person that loved her and waited for her. 'She's all mine.' She thought suddenly, and not without a renewed sense of wonder. 'Wow.'
Buffy didn't take her eyes off her once as she made her way down the stairs, and the way that she stared caused Willow to wonder if she was dressed appropriately for their date. "Is this okay?" She asked, hints of the uncertain person she had once been filtering into her voice as she looked down over her dress, hesitantly. "I mean...you didn't tell me where we were going, just that it was special, and..."
"Okay?" Buffy asked, incredulity and her own desire causing her voice to squeak. "Willow, you look gorgeous." Buffy assured her in a whisper, tasting Willow's lipstick with her own lips.
"These are for you." Buffy said, handing her love the roses and trying not to blush as Willow gasped over them.
"Buffy...you didn't have to...these must have cost..." But Buffy cut her wife off before she could speculate further over how much they might have cost.
"I wanted to." She assured her, her eyes gazing seriously into the green ones she loved so much. "You deserve them, Will...after everything...I just wanted..." Buffy started and stopped so many times Willow thought her head was going to come off. "I needed to do something special for you."
"Thank you." Willow said, wisely choosing not to argue with her over whether her wife needed to do this or not...she was just glad that she had a wife that did, making her feel immensely special in the process. "I'll just put these in some water and then we can go to that place that you won't tell me anything about."
*****
Joyce watched Willow flutter around the kitchen, a satisfied grin tugging at her lips. It did her heart good seeing her two daughters so happy with each other again. During that whole mess with the accident and what happened afterwards, she'd had some serious doubts that she'd ever see them this happy and content again. But now, with that whole mess behind them, and Buffy looking to go into retirement of that whole Slayer nonsense, Joyce could see the future spreading out before them like a long white cloud, full of nothing but happiness and grandchildren.
"Have a good time." Joyce called to the departing pair, receiving jovial waves as they made their way out of the house. "And do stay out of trouble." She muttered a parting wish, before an evening alone in the house entered her mind and her thoughts immediately turned to Rupert. "Well..." She thought, mumbling to herself as she headed for the phone. "There's nothing that says I can't have a good time too."
*****
Willow gave a short screech of joy as the Jeep turned the corner and the familiar restaurant came into view. "Mario's!" Willow cried out, almost as excited about seeing the Italian the restaurant was named after as for the delicious food she knew her stomach would be enjoying shortly. "Italian food! Nummy, nummy!" She said, enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. "Baby thanks you too." And she leaned over the space between the two front seats and gave Buffy a short, but..invigorating nibble on the ear. Buffy concentrated very hard and missed the fire hydrant on the corner with a whopping three centimeters to spare.
"Anything for my family." Buffy grinned at her, letting out a sigh of relief as she brought the car to a stop, thrusting the gear into park before turning off the engine. She could sense that Willow just wanted to hop out of the car, but Buffy had something else in mind. "Hold on, a sec." She grinned again, before opening the car door, letting it slam behind her, as Willow watched in curiosity as she made her way over to her side.
"There you go, my lady." Buffy said, with a twinkle in her eye, trying not to giggle, as she helped her wife out of the car. She felt the raindrops trickle down over her face, and sent a quick, silent thank you, to her mom for letting them borrow the car. 'I can't imagine walking in this.' She thought, holding Willow's hand tightly as they dashed through the rain toward the front door.
Mario looked up as they dashed through the door, bringing a spattering of rain drops with them. A welcoming smile flared into life as he saw them, not wasting a moment as he stepped forward to greet them. "Ah, it does my heart good to see you." He greeted Willow warmly, swallowing the wiccan's smaller form inside of his massive embrace. "I trust you did not let her walk all the way here in this weather?" He asked, turning his attention to the Slayer.
Willow took great pleasure in the mild chastising Mario gave her young wife, grinning at her impishly from behind the man's elbow. Buffy saw the look and winked. "Nope." The Slayer grinned, quirking her thumb at the parking lot. "Mom's jeep is right outside."
"Good...good." Mario replied, smiling again, as he motioned someone forward to take their coats. "You're table is right this way. Follow me."
Mario wasn't one to make light of a task, so when Buffy asked for a romantic dinner for two that would take her wife's breath away, he put all of his effort into doing exactly that. In a secluded corner, an elegantly laid out table, the light of the candles mixing with the shadows casting an illusion of solitude over the table, a table that waited for just the two of them. He hadn't missed a detail, from the ornate, lacy white tablecloth to the fine crystal glasses, everything was set up to cast a romantic aura around the dining couple.
"Wow." Willow gasped, looking in awestruck wonder at the place setting, then turned wondering green eyes on the restaurant owner. "Mario, you didn't have to..." She started to protest, but the older Italian simply raised his hands in protest.
"I admit, I did the work, but the inspiration belongs solely to your wife. She wanted the best for you, and I could do no less." Mario answered, honestly, receiving an embarrassed grin from said wife, who herself was struck speechless by the simple elegance of his work.
Buffy simply shrugged when the green eyes turned her way. "Anything for you, love. I meant it." Buffy said, kissing Willow lightly on the lips before seating her at the table. She loved the sight of the redness creeping up on her wife's own cheeks, and caught a chuckle just in time.
Mario couldn't help but grin as he watched the exchange. 'Ah, this is what I like to see...two people so much in love.' He watched as Buffy seated her wife, then helped herself to the seat across from her, waiting patiently to take their orders. But there was something in the Slayer's appearance that he hadn't noticed the night before when they had talked about this excursion. "Bambina, what happened to your face?" He asked, noticing that both of their heads jerked up at the question.
Buffy shared a conspiratorial guilty look with her wife, then quirked an eyebrow at the older gentleman. "Would you believe I cut myself shaving?" She asked, sardonic humor in her tone.
"No." Mario replied, shaking his graying head.
Buffy hesitated, searching around for some plausible story that she could tell him, but there really wasn't anything she could say to explain the rapidly healing scratches away. "Would you believe I had a nasty encounter with a few blood suckers?" Meaning the vampire kind, and not the leaches found in some lakes.
"Yes." The older eyes blinked with awareness. "That I would believe." He finished, with a wink, surprising the Slayer who had expected a longer lecture on how she should be more careful.
Mario took their orders, and then, very wisely disappeared back to the kitchen, leaving the happy couple to themselves.
"So..." Willow started, taking a small sip from her water glass, while watching her partner carefully. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, because I'm not. This is definitely fun and yummy and not just a little bit romantic..." Willow teased her wife with her eyes, the green gleaming mischievously.
"But?..." Buffy prompted, fighting the blush that seemed determined to flare into her cheeks.
"But..." Willow continued, matching her wife's stare. "What's all of this for?"
'Well...you had to know that one was coming, didn't ya?' Buffy asked herself silently, taking a deep breath while letting herself think about how she was going to answer that one. "Well...actually..." Buffy started, then stopped, looking deep into her wife's eyes. 'Come on, damnit, this is your wife...your best friend, surely you can talk to her about what you're thinking about.' She cursed herself suddenly, wondering why she always had a hard time saying how she was feeling. "Umm...two reasons really." Then thought about it for a half a second. "Well, actually three...one, Mother's day is coming up. I wanted to do something nice for my favorite Mother-to-be." She said with a blush, noticing how Willow's eyes lit up in pleasure at that, even as her fair cheeks blossomed in rose.
'Heh, I got her with that one.' Buffy's mind chortled, even as she continued, now on a more serious and somber note. "And also...I..." Buffy started playing with her fork, her mind thinking furiously. 'Okay, one more time...take a deep breath and just let it out.' She instructed herself, from the calm side of her psyche. "I wanted to...thank you...for...I know the last few months haven't been easy." Buffy started slow, but finished in a rush.
Willow's eyes widened as she realized what her wife was trying to say. "Buffy..." She shook her head in protest, wanting to spare her wife the agony this must be causing her.
"No...wait...I want to finish this...please?" Buffy asked gently. All Willow could do was nod her head. "When I think about all you must have gone through after that fight with Faith...I can't help but think that you had every reason in the world to walk away...you could have left me at any time and I wouldn't have even known the difference." Buffy said, a bitter note of self-recrimination in her voice. She saw the jump of startled concern in her wife's eyes and gentled her remark's effects by adding, "And how deeply grateful I am that you didn't."
Willow watched the shadowed face across from her, lit by the jumping spark of the candle's flame and wondered, her heart aching in sympathy at the guilt that ghosted over her wife's face. She wondered not for the first time, at how much weight Buffy carried on her slim shoulders for that one single event. "How could I have left you?" She asked, finally, her voice quiet, in the secluded spot of the restuarant. "You are my life...my wife...I would have done anything to get you back." The words were said with conviction, the truth of it shining from the emerald gaze.
"Keeping your promises, huh?" Buffy asked, thinking back to another night spent in this very restaurant, and the promises that they had made to each other, right outside, on the night before their wedding. Not to mention the ones they had made on the very day itself.
"Always." Willow whispered, reaching across the table and taking one of her wife's hands into her own. "Not even Faith could destroy what we have, even though she tried really hard." The redhead acknowledged, a bitter smile pulling at her face before she shrugged the painful memories off, a determined look taking it's place. "I love you Buffy Rosenberg-Summers, and I'm never letting you go, again."
Buffy smiled, tears filling her eyes at the love, strength and determination in her wife's every move or gesture and wondered once more at the gift she had been so lucky to be granted with. "I love you too Willow Rosenberg-Summers." Buffy beamed, loving the way the name coming out of her mouth filled her with pride, and enjoying the soft look that it brought to her love's face.
Willow was caught up in the emotions of the moment, so it was slow to dawn on her that Buffy had only mentioned two of the reasons she had brought her here. "So...Buffy...you said there were three reasons you brought me here tonight, you've only mentioned two, what's the last one?"
"I just love it when you do the math." Buffy grinned, and was about to answer her question when a commotion near the front caught her attention.
"What do you mean we can't come in here?" An obviously very drunk man was shouting, drawing the attention of the diners filling the restaurant. "This is a restaurant isn't it?!"
"Yes sir, it is." Buffy could hear Mario replying to the besotted idiot as the man and his rowdy friends surrounded him menacingly. "But this is a family restaurant, and you're upsetting my other customers."
"We're paying customers and we demand food old man," The one in the lead, causing the most disturbance pulled out a knife at this point and started brandishing it towards Mario's rapidly paling face.
"Whoops, looks like you're going to see first hand." Buffy muttered to Willow as she slipped out of her seat silently and made her way towards the front of the restaurant, Willow looking on in concern.
"Is there a problem, here?" Buffy asked, projecting an air of menace as she stopped behind them, crossing her arms over her chest as they turned to look at her.
The drunk men gawked at her in befuddlement for a moment, before the confusion turned to lewd posturing. "It's really none of your business, baby, but if you want to stay I'm sure I can find some way for you to entertain me." Scum number one, said, grabbing his crotch suggestively, while his friends giggled in amusement.
Buffy tuned out the startled gasps of fear and horror coming from the patrons surrounding her, and even managed to block out Mario's face, which had gone from being relieved at her presence, to concerned for her safety, and examined the group of miscreants thouroughly, letting her senses honed as a Slayer pick up on the shifting of their bodies, the way their bodies smelled of alcohol, and a subtle tinge of anger or fear, she wasn't sure which. There were four in all, but they all seemed to be taking direction from a tall guy in a black leather jacket, a scar maring the left side of his face. He wore his hair in a crew cut, and his eyes were ice cold, almost soulless.
Buffy focused her attention on him, keeping watch on the other three from the corners of her eyes, as she smiled coldly on the leader. "I believe you were asked politely to leave. Now I'm gonna ask, and if you push me, it won't be polite."
"Yeah?" the leader grunted, showing smoke stained teeth. "What the fuck are you going to do about it, Bitch?" he asked, taking a step towards her, attempting to use his greater height to intimidate her.
Of course she had seen and fought much scarier things than him, so he didn't intimidate her in the slightest, but she could feel Willow's worried eyes boring into the skin of her back, and knew she had to end this quickly before her pregnant wife threw a conniption, or attempted to fling the scumbags magically through the window. Raising a blond eyebrow, her eyes frosting over, Buffy gave the leader a once over, letting him know he wasn't intimidating her at all. "First of all, get out of my face...your breath stinks." The leader rose an eyebrow in surprise, apparently not expecting her verbal attack, which Buffy found comical. "Second, I'm not going to ask you again, if you don't get yourself and your stinking drunk buddies out of here, you're going to be picking yourselves off of the sidewalk."
"Oh yeah?" the leader, retorted angrily, feeling frustrated that this witch wasn't backing down. Buffy rolled her eyes at his 'intelligent' remark. Obviously, not one of the world's greatest thinkers. "Well...I'm thinking I'd rather have you for dinner." The leader smiled dementedly.
'Oh...no...I was wrong...this guy isn't only stupid,' Buffy thought to herself, feeling revulsion crawl down her spine at the low humanity could sink to. 'He's sick.' "That's it." Buffy growled low in her throat, before swatting the knife out of the guy's hand, like she was swatting a fly. 'I asked nicely Mario, now I'm doing things my way.' Buffy thought as she grabbed the guy's thumb and twisted it back, hearing an audible pop before the guy screamed in agony, crumbling to his knees.
"YOU BITCH!!! You broke my thumb! OH GOD, you broke my thumb!" The thug cried, tears of pain streaming down his face. His friends circled the pair warily, unsure whether to help their friend or stay away from the psychotic woman who was much stronger than she looked.
Buffy turned her ice blue eyes in warning, halting them in their tracks. "Get out of here." she said, her voice dripping venom. "And take your buddy with you." She grabbed the man in her grasp by the back of his leather jacket and turned him so he was facing the door. One solid kick to the seat of his pants and he was flying toward the door, hitting the metallic frame, and sliding to the floor. She watched as they picked him up, feeling her composure returning as they carried him out, hearing him bawling about his thumb until they were a good ways down the street.
"Well, did I earn my dinner?" Buffy asked, a still shaken Mario, who was only just now starting to regain his color.
"I think you just earned a bonus." Mario said, the tremble still noticeable in his thick, Italian accent. "Thank you, Bambina...but please, be more careful. I didn't hire you as my Bouncer so that you could get hurt all over again."
Buffy raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Against those guys?" She asked, quirking a thumb toward the now vacant doorway. "Thanks, Mario...but they were nothing." Buffy said, with a chuckle. Risking a glance back towards her spouse, she winced as she swore she could almost see a cloud of steam rising about the redhead's head. 'Now that, on the other hand, is something to worry about.' Buffy thought, before she turned once more to the restaurant owner. "Thanks, but I better get back to my date and explain things before I become flame-broiled with her gaze."
Mario chuckled at the remark and sent her on her way, hoping that the redhead would understand that things like this didn't happen every day, just enough for him to feel the need to hire Buffy in the first place.
"Reason number three?" Willow asked, once Buffy had returned to the table.
"Uh...yeah...sorry about that. That wasn't quite the way I had envisioned telling you." Buffy answered, still seeing the anger and upset in her wife's gaze. "I told Mario about wanting to find a part-time job, I thought maybe he'd let me be a waitress or a cook, and then he told me about his need for a Bouncer and that it would be more pay, so..." Buffy shrugged as she trailed off, waiting for her wife's reply.
"From Slayer to Bouncer? Gee, Buffy that's quite a stretch." Willow replied, humor starting to dance in her eyes.
"Will..." Buffy started to protest, hoping her wife wouldn't be too upset.
Willow held up a hand to halt her. "Just promise me that you'll be careful."
Buffy grinned, feeling warmed at the concern and love that radiated from her wife. "I promise."
"Good. Now...can we eat please? I'm starving?" Willow asked, as she dug heartily into her food.
"Yes, ma'am." Buffy laughed, before digging into her own plate of pasta.
*****
When they arrived home the house was dark. "Mom?" Buffy called out, uneasy about the silence.
"Shh." Willow hushed her. "Maybe she's gone to bed." Buffy shrugged, taking their coats and putting them in the closet. "Or...maybe she went out?"
"How?" Buffy asked, as she wandered into the kitchen. "We have her car." Willow just shrugged, following her wife into the kitchen, and was the first to spot the note stuck under a magnet on the refrigerator. Buffy couldn't help laughing when she read what it said.
Hi honey,
After facing a night alone in the house, and deciding that I really didn't want to, I called Rupert and asked him to pick me up. Don't worry about me, I'll be home in the morning. I guess what they say about old dogs is wrong, they really can learn new tricks. Mom.
"Well, I guess that explains where mom went." Buffy said, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling that it left in her. For the most part, she'd come to terms with her mother's relationship with her Watcher. And she was even starting to acknowledge that their being together was good for them. But being asked to accept the more baser aspects of that relationship was still hard for Buffy to do.
"Does this mean we have the house to ourselves?" Willow asked, coyly, looking at her wife with a look that Buffy recognized instantly. A look that brought an instant grin to the Slayers face.
"I guess so...do you have something in mind?" Buffy asked, quite rhetorically actually, as the redhead led her, by the hand, to the living room.
Turning on the stereo, Willow turned to her, love shining in her eyes. "Dance with me?"
"Anytime." Buffy whispered, as she took her love gently into her arms, and started swaying to the music.
Dancing in the dark, middle of the night.
Taking your heart, and holding it tight.
Emotional touch, touching my skin.
And asking you to do what you've been doing all over again.
Oh, it's a beautiful thing, don't think I can keep it all in.
I just got to let you know what it is that wont let me go.
Willow was lost to the outside world, her total and complete focus centered on the woman who held her so tightly in her arms. It was her favorite place to be. Nothing else seemed to matter when Buffy held her.
It's your love, it just does something to me.
It sends a shock right through me.
I can't get enough.
And if you wonder about the spell I'm under.
It's your love.
As they danced the words of the song playing on the radio slowly permeated their brains. 'How appropriate.' Buffy thought to herself. 'That's exactly how she makes me feel. Like I'm under a spell...a spell she placed on me.' The wiccan had many powers, and she'd been growing stronger in her magic for quite some time, but Buffy had to say that this spell had to be her strongest one of all.
Better than I was, more than I am.
And all of this happened, by taking your hand.
'Also...the best day of my life.' Willow thought, a smile gracing her face as she nuzzled Buffy softly. Buffy was her strength, her protector, and though those roles frightened her for the harm they could, and did bring to her spouse, she knew Buffy would gladly die first before she'd give them up.
And who I am now, is who I wanted to be.
And now that we're together, I'm stronger than ever.
I'm happy and free.
Oh, it's a beautiful thing,
don't think I can keep it all in.
If you ask me why I've changed,
all I've got to do is speak your sweet name.
Married life was proving to be, amid all of the chaos and confusion, one of the greatest adventures she'd ever been on. Willow had changed her, changed her life in so many little and big ways that it was hard for her to count them all. But the changes were all for the better, she'd gained so much just by accepting this wonderful woman and the love that she held for her.
It's your love, it just does something to me.
It sends a shock right through me,
I can't get enough.
And if you wonder about the spell I'm under.
It's your love.
As the enchanted couple danced in the dimly lit room, both reflecting on the love that they shared, the night celebrated the young lovers, and even as the dancing changed, voices ringing out to the raftors in love and joy, the night smiled.