Love and everything that goes with it
by Bwriter
Twenty four
[reviews]
Part twenty four
As Willow went to move around Buffy, the Vampire blocked her path.
"Buffy..."
Buffy shook her head no. She wasn't letting Willow out of her sight.
Willow blew out a frustrated breath and tried again to get around her lover.
"Damnit Buffy! Let me out."
Willow locked eyes with her lover, and for once, she lost the staring contest.
"You're not going anywhere without me. It's not safe."
Willow looked at her like she had two heads.
"He's my father! No matter how much he wants me away from you, he's not going to hurt me!"
Buffy drew back as if Willow had slapped her.
Would it not hurt if they were separated?
Everything inside her was screaming at her to keep Willow with her.
When Buffy realised her arm had moved of its own accord and that she was gripping Willow's arm tight enough to cause the girl to wince, Buffy pulled back.
Turning her back on her lover, Buffy's voice sounded hollow when she spoke.
"Fine. Go. But take one of the others with you."
The only answer she got was the closing of the door.
/Damnit! You always mess up/
'you do realise what we did right?'
/she is our Mate. It happens/
'not to her. She's not some vamp whore you can boss around'
/especially considering I'm not in control/
'my point is, we hurt her - I hurt her'
That was why she had to let her leave.
She couldn't risk hurting the girl, anymore than she just had.
-----
Willow looked at Xander out of the corner of her eye.
"Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"
Xander shrugged before really looking at his best friend. Sighing, he steered her over to a bench and sat her down, kneeling down in front of her.
"Your doing what you feel is right, Buffy will understand that. She may not like it, but she'll understand."
He turned to look at the man approaching them.
"That, or she'll kill me for helping you do this."
Willow looked up as the man sat down beside her.
"Hi Dad."
-----
Buffy hadn't left her room since Willow left, and that was two hours ago.
Angel had dropped in to let her know that Xander had went with Willow, and to bring her some food.
Looking at the bed that still held the scent or her lover on it, Buffy sighed.
/stop brooding/
Buffy ignored her demon and lifted the now cold blood to her lips, taking a sip and wincing at the coldness of it.
/if you had let me eat when he first brought it, it wouldn't taste half as bad as it does now/
Buffy abruptly stood up.
She couldn't take sitting around and doing nothing.
Leaving her room, she made her way to the basement, to the full gym Angel had there.
She had been taking all her anger out on the punching bag for about thirty minutes when she felt his presence.
"Buffy."
Buffy stopped the bag and turned to face her Sire.
"Yeah?"
"What's going on?"
Buffy looked away from him and shrugged her shoulders.
"Nothing."
Growling at his childe, Angel stalked over to her and gave the bag a half hearted punch.
"I've never seen Willow move as fast as she did today when she was leaving. What happened?"
He was unprepared for the tears she saw cursing down Buffy cheeks.
"I told her about her dad, she freaked, I freaked, she left."
Angel frowned and squatted down until they were eye level.
"How did you freak?"
The shame in Buffy's eyes had him worried.
"Buffy, what did you do?"
"I hurt her."
Angel cursed and moved away from her.
"Damnit Buffy. Was she okay? She never stopped to talk to anyone, just ran out, Xander running after her."
"It doesn't matter. I hurt her."
Angel just shook his head at her and wrapped her up in a hug.
They were interrupted by Xander calling for Buffy.
Buffy was off up the stairs like a shot.
"Where's Will?" There was no mistaking the worry in her voice.
Xander looked uncomfortable and it made Buffy tense, even more so when he moved closer to Faith.
"She's talking with her dad."
It if could have been possible, Buffy could have swore she felt her heart lurch in her chest.
With dead calm she walked up to Xander and stretched to look him in the eye.
"Would you please repeat that."
Xander gulped and repeated what he had said.
A million thoughts ran through Buffy's head, the main one being that she was going to lose Willow.
-----
Willow watched the man across from her as he fidgeted with his coffee cup.
"Dad, why? Just tell me why."
Iris raised his head, and Willow didn't recognise the man that had raised her.
"It's obvious why. Do you know how society treats people like you?"
Willow drew back as if he had hit her.
"People like me? You mean because I happen to be in love with another girl?"
Iris banged the table top, causing a few other costumers to look over in their direction.
"You are not in love with that thing! Never mind that it is a girl, Willow, it is a Vampire."
Willow stood up and stared her father out, her resolve face firmly in place.
"Buffy is not an It. Until you can learn to accept her in my life, I don't want you in it."
Iris stood up to protest but the look his daughter sent him made him stop.
"You are my father. Your supposed to love me no matter who I choose to be, or who I choose to be with."
She waited, hoping for some sort of sign that he did love her, no matter what.
Tears slipped from her eyes as she backed away.
"Call me when you grow up."
She turned and fled, leaving a stunned father behind.
-----
Buffy was pacing. She had been for the last hour and it was driving those present crazy.
Angel was about to put a stop to it, when Buffy's head snapped up and she moved towards the garden doors, mindful of the suns rays.
A second later, a redhead flew into her arms, sobbing and clinging on as if her life depended on it.
Buffy lifted her Mate up and began a gentle purr s she made the way back to their room.
Buffy kicked the door closed and carried her bundle to the bed, easing them both down gently.
"Baby, talk to me. What happened?"
All she got in reply was more sobs.
Pulling Willow with her, Buffy lay down and spooned against her Mate, her purr becoming louder.
After a half hour, Willow's breathing changed, letting Buffy know that she was asleep.
Looking up as the door opened, she let out a warning growl, not wanting anyone to intrude on them just yet.
Angel poked his head around the door, but took heed of her warning and didn't enter.
"Is she okay?"
Buffy shook her head no.
"Can I get you anything?"
Again, she shook her head no.
Seeing that he wasn't going to get more than that, he left them alone and went to join his own Mate.
Buffy curled herself tighter around her Mate, smiling as Willow snuggled into her.
Finally, Buffy closed her eyes, thanking whatever higher power led her to Willow.
Tbc
Ps, thank you to everyone who has given feedback.