I Never Want To Leave
by Acepilot
[reviews]
This came to me while writing Chapter 5 of 'Song' - hope you like.
Disclaimers: Joss Whedon owns the characters. The song 'Wild Horses' has been played and owned by just about every band on the planet at one point or another.
Pairing: Buffy/Willow
Rating: PG-13
Settings/Spoilers: AU for 'The Prom' (3.20), so there's season 3 spoilers.
Feedback: Please. If there's something you don't want to say in public, or just want to drop me a line, I'm at batoutofhell25@yahoo.com
Distribution: Anywhere is fine with me, just so long as I know about it.
Author's Notes: While busily working on "The Willow and Buffy Song", I was watching 'The Prom', and the result of that combination is this. It's somewhat AU (well, duh). It's inspired by 'Wild Horses'...and the lyrics used here may not be the ones found in the episode. I got so sick of trying to thumb them in, so I just got on the net and copied them out from there, but I couldn't remember who performed it on the show...right, I'm shutting up now.
Author's Notes 2: Seriously, I just hope you enjoy the fic. It's a nice change of pace for me...and I guess this makes it my second fic. Incidentally, this is in no way meant to accurately reflect the Prom episode's dialogue or anything...
I Never Want To Leave
Acepilot87
/Childhood living is easy to do
The things you wanted I bought them for you
Graceless lady you know who I am
You know I can't let you slide through my hands
Wild horses couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses, couldn't drag me away
I watched you suffer a dull aching pain
Now you decided to show me the same
No sweeping exits or offstage lines
Could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind
Wild horses couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses, couldn't drag me away
I know I dreamed you a sin and a lie
I have my freedom but I don't have much time
Faith has been broken, tears must be cried
Let's do some living after we die
Wild horses couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them some day\
Wild Horses
It was relatively pleasant.
Buffy was quite content, sitting at the long table, sipping her (very non-alcoholic) beverage (well, with Giles and Wesley chaperoning and Snyder residing, no-one was going to manage to spike the punch), and relaxing.
Sure, she was lonely, but who wasn't?
'The dozens of people out on the dance floor?'
She chastised the voice in her head. She wasn't meant to be with anyone - she was meant to be alone. The Slayer, as Giles might have put it once, was destined to live a life of solitude.
She was fine with that, she'd slowly ocme to realise. She was just dissappointed that she had been forced to find out that any relationship she had was doomed like she did - in a sewer, in a dreadful fight with the person she loved.
'Past tense.' She affirmed. 'All sorts of no longer loving.'
But, as her eye caught someone else, someone who was already on the dance floor, she had to wonder if she'd ever loved Angel at all.
Willow was seemingly enjoying herself, dancing with Oz, Xander and Anya. Her red hair was flowing around her as the four of them moved to the music. She had a massive smile on her face.
Just seeing that smile erased the entire week's worries. Gone from her mind were thoughts of the Mayor and his ascension, likewise any worries of Faith were banished. As those bright eyes sparkled in the gymnasium lights, there was nothing else in Buffy's world. Just Willow.
Of course, Willow had Oz.
'Great way to get yourself depressed again, Summers.' She told herself off sharply.
She was so lost in her observation of the red-head that she didn't notice Giles standing next to her until he tapped her on the shoulder...for about five minutes.
She finally looked up. "Giles. Hey. Sorry - got lost in the whole spirit of the night..."
Giles raised an eyebrow. "I don't think there is any possible way that you could convince me you were having a good time."
Buffy grimaced. "That obvious, huh?"
Giles sat down next to her. "I'm afraid you're just going to have to move on from Angel, Buffy. As much as it pains me to say it - I know how much you loved him - your relationsip just wasn't meant to be."
Buffy sighed. "Thank you for saying that as nicely as possible."
Giles slumped in his seat. "Look, I'm sorry, but I think that what you've got to do is find someone new - someone that you can see yourself living with for a...well, a while, at least."
Buffy perked up a little. "Someone who I won't be completely miserable with?"
Giles managed a slight smile. "That'd be the idea."
Buffy leaned in onto Giles' shoulder. "Thanks, Giles. I appreciate it."
They stood. Buffy reached behind Giles to grab her drink. "I should get out and pretend to have a good time, huh?"
"I think it would be appreciated." Giles said. "I do want to let you know how proud I am of you. You wouldn't let your friend's lose their moment of happiness - it shows true loyalty to the people you care for, Buffy."
Buffy smiled. "Well, I wasn't going to let Tucker ruin it for everyone else just because he's a complete moron. I really didn't think anyone could do that to other people." She held up her little umbrella. "And I even get a reward for it...from, ironically, a bunch of people who have done their best to ignore me for three years." She shrugged. "I guess people have a way of surprising you."
Giles' attention was suddenly attracted to something over Buffy's shoulder. "Yes, they do."
Buffy looked at his strange expression for a moment, before spinning around.
Standing there, looking resplendent in her glorious red dress, was Willow.
Giles subtely took his leave as the hacker approached the slayer.
"Hey, Will." Buffy managed to get out around her absolute amazement. She couldn't quite stop herself from bursting out with "You look amazing."
Will blushed slightly but managed a smile for her best friend. "Thanks, Buffy." She waved her hand up and down, indicating the other girl's own dress. "I could say the same about you."
'And you have no idea what that means to me.' "Thanks." Buffy had to force herself to make small talk, fearing she would stutter out something that she would regret later. "So, are you having a good time with Oz?" 'Good work, slayer. Keep your mind off her by keeping her mind on her boyfriend.'
Willow smiled faintly. "Yeah. But not really with Oz."
Buffy raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Willow shrugged. "We broke up."
Buffy wasn't quite sure how to handle this news. She figured absolute elation wouldn't be taken very well. "Oh, Will - I'm so sorry -"
Willow cut her off with a waving motion. "Don't worry about it. We just decided that it was time we went our seperate ways. Between the whole Xander thing, and then -" Willow seemed to catch herself. "And then with the Mayor and everything, we just decided that maybe it wasn't meant to be."
Buffy looked closely at Willow. "You weren't going to say The Mayor just then - what is it really?"
Willow squirmed under Buffy's inquisitive look. "It's nothing - just that he found out I was kind of into someone...like more than I was into him, so he decided he'd better bow out."
"Ooh - Will - got a new secret honey?" Buffy asked with a grin on her face, disguising the fact that, inside, her heart was shattering. Just when Oz was out of the picture...
"No...nothing like that..." Willow said. "I'm not actually with anyone."
'Good. Still got a shot.'
'Oh, who are you kidding. Willow wouldn't notice you if you even looked half as good as she does...'
"Okay." Buffy finally managed to get through over her bickering internal voices.
"Do you want to..." Willow went very bright red and sputtery, "do you want to dance?" She got out.
Buffy smiled. Really smiled. Even if this wasn't real...she was going to pretend it was. Give her heart at least some relief. "Sure."
The two of them made their way out on to the dance floor as the quick paced music allowed them to get into the crowd with ease. Buffy wouldn't have been able to tell anyone who walked past her what the song was at the moment - she was too caught up in the woman moving in front of her.
She was perfect.
Buffy was only vaguely aware that the song changed...she could manage to recognise this one as something she'd heard before...a ballad of some kind, slow and meaningful.
Beautiful.
Just like the vision before her. Willow had slowed to a halt as the music had, and was now trying to catch her breath...the rythmic movements of her body with something as simple as breathing still managed to entrance Buffy.
Without thinking, Buffy stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Willow's waist.
She was going to enjoy this to it's maximum, no matter what the consequences come the end of the night.
"Uh, Buffy?" Willow whispered in her ear. Buffy had pulled the hacker in close to her body, pressing them together.
"Yeah, Will?" Buffy whispered back.
"You do know that I'm not Angel, right?" Willow asked. The question seemed like a joke, but the seriousness with which Willow asked it puzzled Buffy.
"I know, Will." Buffy responded.
"Good. Just so long as that's clear." Willow wrapped her arms around the slayer's neck and joined in the blonde's movements, swaying with the music in barely percipitable steps. They were completely lost to each other's touch.
'Right Summers. It's now or never. You have her in your arms, your dancing to a beatuiful song, and it's an impossibly romantic atmosphere.' Buffy took a deep breath. "Will, I think I need to tell you something." She pulled her head up form where it rested against Willow's collarbone, and looked deep into the other girl's eyes.
There was something in those bright green orbs that told her that this wouldn't be as big a risk as she'd thought.
"Yes?" Willow whispered.
"I..." No - it was too big a step. She couldn't quite make it. "I can't say what I need to tell you."
But, somehow, Willow knew. She understood it all. "That's okay. You don't need to say it. I know it all the same."
Buffy raised herself up on her toes to, finally, press her lips to Willow's - and, for once, she didn't fear rejection, she didn't fear reprecussions.
If this was going to beg the only kiss that she ever got from Willow, she was going to enjoy every single bit of it. Right down to the last millisecond.
And those milliseconds streched into full seconds, and the red-head crushed their bodies even closer together. Tongues snaked out to meet each other, duelling calmly and collectiedly, neither trying to dominate, just slowly, luxuriously enjoying the contact.
Finally, it was a need for oxygen that split them apart - and that was massively against their respective wills.
All Willow could manage was a muttered, "Wow."
"Hear, hear." Buffy said. She took a deep breath. 'Try again. "I love you."
There was a distinct pause.
Buffy hadn't really intended to manage to say it. She'd thought she'd stumble over it again. But maybe the kiss had weakened her defences or something - whatever the reason, she had just come out - in more ways than one.
Just as she was beginning to fear that Willow - despite the mind-blowing kiss they'd shared less than a minute before - didn't reciprocate her feelings, she felt the red-head's breath in her ear. "I told you that you didn't need to say it."
Trying not to sigh in relief, Buffy shook her head gently. "Yes, I did. If not for you to know, then for me to make sure. I love you, Willow." She kissed the girl gently on the lips, very brief but somehow just as amazing as the several-minute long kiss they shared just a few moments ago - and whispered "I never want to leave you."
Willow looked down at her. "That's never going to be a worry. You try, and I'll just hit you with a club and drag you back to my cave."
Buffy said, "Now's not the time to joke," but couldn't quite contain her chuckle.
Willow held her close. "I love you too, Buffy. And you're right."
"What about?" She asked.
"Me either." They just swayed to the music for a moment, before Willow elaborated.
"I never want to leave."
(So, whaddya think? If it's lousy, take this into account - this was written between 11:33PM and 12:04AM where I am. I'm very tired.)