FIC: Flying Without Wings (2/?)

["Red Demon" <eternal_light2000@xxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Flying Without Wings (2/?)
Author: Red Demon
Email: eternal_light2000@xxxxxxxxx
Disclaimer: Buffy and Company belong to Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th
Century Fox and the WB.
Pairing: Buffy/Willow
Rating: PG
Distribution: If you have a story of mine then your welcome to this
otherwise take it but provide me with a link.
Feedback: Always wanted. Always welcome.
Summary: Set in an alternate reality. Buffy is injured before
becoming the slayer causing a certain redhead to be called instead.

PART TWO

Everybody's looking for that something
One thing that makes it all complete
You find it in the strangest places
Places you never knew it could be
Some find it in the face of their children
Some find it in their lovers eyes
Who can't deny the joy it brings
When you've found that special thing
You're flying without wings
Some find it sharing every morning
Some in the solitary lives
You find it in the works of others
A simple line can make you laugh or cry
You find it in the deepest friendship
The kind you cherish all your life
And when you know how much that means
When you've found that special thing
You're flying without wings
So impossible as they may seem
You've got to fight for every dream
'Cos who's to know
Which one you let go
Would make you complete
~ Westlife, Flying Without Wings ~

Willow sat on top of the headstone long after Faith went to do
whatever it was that Faith did after patrol. Willow didn't want
to think about Faith's horny actions. It led to thoughts of
Buffy. She had barely met the blonde but her feelings were... well
she couldn't describe her feelings. And then there was the way
Giles had looked at Buffy. That had made her furious and she
wasn't
furious often. A shadow passed over her face and she stood up.

"Angel."

"Willow."

Angel stepped into the light. "Is there some dark prophecy you
want to warn me about?" Willow didn't really like the
brooding vampire who only showed up when something big was about to
happen usually resulting in bad things happening to her.

"Your friend has powers. She can see things...the future, the
past."

"My friend?" Willow asked in confusion.

"The crippled one."

"Buffy? How..."

Angel shrugged a slight smile spreading on his face. "I
lurk." The smile was gone within seconds of appearing and
moments later he had disappeared into the darkness.

"I hate it when he does that."

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Buffy took the grocery bag that Joyce was holding out for her and put
it on her lap before unlocking the wheels and rolling up the ramp
that led to the front door of their new house. Joyce had found the
huge house on one of her initial visits to Sunnydale after Buffy had
stabilized in the hospital. The rooms were spacious and it
hadn't taken a lot of convincing on Joyce's part to get the
landlord to remodel it to fit the needs of a disabled person. In
fact the tall dark haired owner had insisted that they do anything to
it that they needed.

"I don't know about you but I'm pooped." Buffy sat
the grocery bag on top of the counter. "I didn't realize
shopping could be so exhausting." Buffy rolled her shoulders
trying to relieve the ache that had formed halfway into the trip to
the store.

"You should have told me you were tired. I could've brought
you home and then gone back to finish."

"I thought you wanted me to go. To do more `normal'
things." Buffy saw the sadness pass over her mom's face and
instantly regretted saying that. Joyce had become almost like her
best friend and was with her through every moment of the recovery.
The good, the bad, and the downright ugly.

"Buffy that's not what I meant. I just don't want you
overdoing it. Now go get changed and I'll stretch you. Lunch
can wait." Buffy nodded and went through the kitchen doorway
knowing
not to argue with her mom.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"He said she can see things?" Giles came out of his kitchen
with two cups of tea. He handed one to Willow and then sat down in
the chair opposite her. "The past and the future."

"Giles you know how cryptic Angel can be." Willow accepted
the cup but didn't take a drink. It was almost eleven and Willow
was starting to wish that she hadn't visited Giles until that
afternoon. She needed to find Buffy's address and her watcher
kept asking the same questions over and over.

"Yes, well. I'm not sure what he means but Buffy's
powers could come in handy. See if you can find Angel on your patrol
tonight. I'd like to talk with him."

"I'll see what I can do." Willow handed Giles the cup
and practically ran out the door.

Giles watched the door slam behind Willow. "I'll never
understand those kids."

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Willow stood on the ramp in front of the mansion that Angel owned.
After hacking into the office files she found the address but now
that she was standing in front of the house, she wasn't sure that
it was a good idea. Gathering the strength from the inner force she
relied on as a slayer Willow walked up the ramp and rang the doorbell.

She was about ready to leave when the door opened revealing an older
woman who had to be Buffy's mom.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes. No, um, Yes." She laughed nervously at her sudden
inability to make sense. "I'm Willow. I'm a friend,
or... I want to be a friend, or... can I start over."

"That might be a good idea."

"Is Buffy home?"

"I'm Joyce and yes Buffy's home." Joyce opened the
door wider to let Willow in before leading her through the foyer and
into the living room. Some of the furniture had been moved to the
corner of the room and Buffy was on an exercise mat in the middle.

Buffy felt the energy in the room shift and she knew who had been at
the door. She rolled her upper body so she was in a position to see
the redhead. The sun glinted off Willow's hair creating a halo
of red and Buffy felt her breath catch in her throat.

Joyce noticed the look on her daughters face but decided not to ask
about it until they were alone. She hooked her arms underneath
Buffy's and pulled her into a bear hug. Buffy tried to fight the
panic that surged through her whenever she was being lifted. She had
no control of her body and the fear of being dropped was
overwhelming. She felt her breathing start to slow as Joyce lowered
her into the chair.

"I'll be in the kitchen."

Willow waited until Joyce disappeared through the doorway before she
gathered her nerves.

"Iwantedtoknowifyouwantedtogoeatlunchwithme?"


Buffy looked at Willow startled. She didn't know that someone
was capable of speaking that fast before she realized what Willow had
actually said. "Did you ask me to lunch?"

"Um, yeah that is if you want to go."

Buffy picked at her sweatpants. "I look like a mess."

"No. You look beautiful."

"What?"

"Nothing." Willow squeaked turning three shades of red
within a second.

Buffy glanced back at Willow, who was busy staring at the floor,
before disappearing down the hallway. Did she say that she was
beautiful? Was it possible that Willow liked her like that. Buffy
shook her head knowing that no one would like her in anyway other
than a friend. She just wouldn't get her hopes up that way she
wouldn't get hurt.

END PART TWO