Wishful Thinking (3/5) Version A

["D.R. Garcia" <dr_garcia@xxxxxxxxx>]

Version A

Ok, well, my homework isn't done but I want to post
this already. This was a dead toss-up on songs, so I'm
posting both versions. The versions are exactly the
same, word for word minus the actual song. So tell me
what song fits the story better. I really don't want
to give away anything, but do know that everything
left out was done on purpose. I really hope this
works.

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

Wishful Thinking
Part 3 - Hot Summer Nights

Disclaimers: It has been made clear that no matter how
much I beg and plead, not one of these characters will
ever be mine. I tried tricking them into leaving with
me but they said they'd stay with Joss. Anyway, they
said we could still be friends so here they are having
a little fun again. They will never be mine and I
still ain't making anything off of any of this.

Music: Tonight's music is being provided by 'Toad The
Wet Sprocket.' Off their album 'Dulcinea' we have
'Listen.' Again, this was a toss-up with another song
so I've posted them both. Tell me, what song really
fits what's going on.

Picking up where we left off: It's been two years
since that fateful day when Buffy first met Willow.
Now, I don't want to give away anything so I'll just
wait until the end to clear up any confusion. Just
remember that in the last part Buffy was trying to get
Xander's help in telling Willow something very
important. And what doesn't Buffy know about Willow?
Xander seemed to think it was pretty important.

Spoilers: I must admit that I only remember a few
episodes that I've seen. So if there are any spoilers,
which I really doubt, I'm sorry I didn't warn before.
Hopefully I've stayed away from anything major.

Love/Sex Warning: Buffy wants Willow. If you find
anything wrong with that, the door is down the hall
and to your left. For those of you remaining, like I
said "If I ain't having it then neither are they."

Rating: PG

Feedback is greatly appreciated.

- Indicates background music -
[ Let?s you know what the character is thinking ]
{Let?s you read along with the character}

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Wishful Thinking (3/5)
Hot Summer Nights
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As the night starts to approach...

- Well I wonder
Do we learn
Seems we?re making
The same wrong turn -

"Hey Buffy."

"Hey Will."

"So. How are you?"

"Good and yourself?"

"Oh me, I?m fine."

"Well that?s good. So, did you need something or...?"

"Yeah, well actually. I just came by to see if you
wanted to go catch a movie or something. My birthday's
tomorrow and my parents are taking me out of town. I
just, kind of, wanted to be with my friends the day
before."

"Oh man. You know what? I'd love to, I really would,
but my mom said she was stopping by tonight. I haven't
seen her and..."

"It?s ok, I understand. You need to see your mom
Buffy."

"Yeah well...well could I get a raincheck?"

"Sure Buffy, that?s cool."

-Call you sacred
Call you obscene
Call you faithless
Call you anything -

"Ok then. I...I guess I?ll see you when you get back.
Do you know when it?ll be?"

"No, I?m not sure yet. But I?ll see you then."

"Ok Will."

"Good-bye Buffy. I love you," Willow said with a sad
look as she began to leave.

"Yeah, love you too Will," Buffy answered, "love you
so much," she finished quietly to herself as she shut
the door.

As Willow reached the walkway a tear came to her eye
as she repeated to herself, "I love you Buffy."

But emotions could not get in her way tonight. Calming
herself she wiped the tear away and head down the
street with a new purpose. Giles had already given her
specific directions on tonight?s activities even what
time to arrive.

"Well, maybe I can get in a little practice before
anything else." And with that Willow headed off in the
direction of the Giles' house.

Back at home Buffy remained sitting just inside the
door. As Willow left there was nothing she could do to
stop her tears. She loved Willow, of that there was no
doubt, but everything had been so sudden. She had
thought that she really new her friend, but apparently
Xander had been right.

- Call and you Listen
Listen
Listen
Listen -

Later that night...

"Hello. Xander?"

"Buffy?"

"Yeah."

"What?s up?"

"Well, everyone?s gone and my uncle said I had the
house to myself. So I just wanted to see if you wanted
to come over. You know, watch a movie or two?"

"I thought Will told me your mom was coming by?"

"Yeah, well I told Will that."

"Why Buffy?"

"Xander. You wouldn?t understand."

"Try me, or am I not your friend either?"

"Don?t be like that Xander."

"And how would 'that' be Buffy? The way you?ve been
treating Will lately?"

"That was a low shot Xander."

"Really? How funny, I only see it as the truth."

- So I?m a liar
So it seems
My desire
Could justify anything -

"You don?t know how much this is hurting me Xander. I
really thought I knew her."

"Don?t know? I, don?t know?! Believe me, I know DAMN
well how it feels. She?s been my other half all my
life Buffy. And you don?t think I know?"

"Xander..."

"No! You listen to me for just a second. Giles took
her from me, everything was fine until he came along.
And you know what Buffy? It hurt like hell. He took
away what was most important in my life. But I didn?t
act like you?ve been acting. I love her and all I can
do is try to protect her when I can."

"Xander, I?m sorry I didn?t mean..."

"Yeah I know. You?ve been sorry a lot lately."

"Xander."

"You know what, suddenly I need to go. I DID promise
Will I?d catch up with her at Giles? tonight."

"Xander I..."

"Bye Buffy."

Click.


Now Buffy sat alone on the living room rug. There was
no t.v., no music, nothing at all. Anything would be
useless now, her friend was already gone. She felt so
very alone. It hadn?t even been a half hour since she
had talked with Xander, but it seemed like forever.

- So is there nothing
That lies in between
This cold silence
And a scream -

At Giles?...

"Giles! Willow! Hey you guys!" Xander tried yelling in
through a window. He had been knocking at the door
without an answer. At first he thought they may have
been in the back working on something. But after still
not receiving an answer he became worried.

Giles was always home and if Willow said she?d be
there she always was. He searched the mailbox and
anywhere else they may have left him anything, but
there was no note left anywhere indicating for him to
meet them elsewhere. Quickly withdrawing a spare key
from his pocket he was forced to enter. Giles had
always told him to use it in case of emergencies.

"Well, please be decent Giles if you are home,"? and
with that he pushed open the door.

As soon as Xander crossed the threshold into the house
all the hairs on his body stood on end. His blood
raced as an urgent fear spread throughout his being.
All the lights were out and nothing could be heard
anywhere in the house. Something was wrong and he knew
it.

"Willow where are you?" he asked into the empty house.

Turning on the light and rushing over to the desk,
Xander still attempted to find anything that would
inform him of their whereabouts. Finally in the papers
scattered across the desk he found something. Lifting
up the envelope something still didn?t feel right. All
it had was 'Xander' written across it so he quickly
opened it and began to read.

"Oh Will."

{Xander,

You?re my best friend, I hope you always remember
that. Also remember that I love you, on that never
doubt. The time has finally come. I go meet Giles in
about an hour. I just want you to know that even with
all this, I would never change anything in my life. I
would be to scared to miss the chance to be your
friend. Tonight decides a lot of things for all of us.
I just wanted to tell you to be careful and take care
of yourself. Tell Buffy I love her too. Now you?ll
need to take care of each other.

I love you both so much,
Willow}

Hundreds of thoughts ran circles through Xander?s
mind. But the one that stood out immediately from the
blur was, "Buffy."

- Scream Listen
Listen Listen
Listen Listen
Listen Listen -

Cordelia?s house...

KNOCK!-KNOCK!-KNOCK!

"Xander?"

"Buffy, I?m so happy I found you. Come on, we need to
go quickly."

"Xander, what?s wrong?"

"There?s no time to explain, but it?s Will."

And with those few words all fear left Buffy. She knew
that Xander didn?t like it when her and Willow got
upset, but this was going to far. [More than likely
Xander?s got some crazy idea thought up to get me and
Will together again. Well, I ain?t falling for it this
time.]

"Oh dear. Poor Will must be terrified."

"Yes. Buffy, she?s probably alone right now. She
probably feels lonely and terrified."

"Oh my. Good thing she?s got Prince Xander here to
protect her."

"Wha...what?!" Xander could not believe what he was
hearing.

- Caught in
Headlines
We are frozen
Cannot hide -

"Drop it Xander. I know you want me and Will all
buddy-buddy again but this ain?t working on me. I
tried, I really did. If she?s sorry and wants to talk
to me she can call and tell me herself."

"What?! Buffy, Will is in great Danger right now. She
could be hurt or, or even dead by now."

"My Lord, whatever shall we do?" Buffy asked her voice
dripping with sarcasm, 'How about 'Is there a doctor
in the house?' that usually works," she finished with
no emotion in her voice at all.

"Buffy! I understand that you?re upset right now but
that doesn?t change anything. I am not messing around,
trying to pull a fast one on you. Will is seriously...
Buffy I went to Giles? and there was no one. I looked
but..."

Now seeing the fear and desperation in her friends
eyes Buffy knew he wasn?t lying, "Xander, What?s
wrong? Where's Will, Xander?"

"I...I don?t know," responded the frightened young
man. "They took her Buffy. They took Will."

Fear was now the only thing Buffy felt, "Xander, I
don?t think I..."

"She loves you Buffy, you know that. I know that she
would want you there." Taking the letter from his
pocket he continued, "Look, she left me this. Look at
the way the letters are trembling Buffy. You?re the
most important person to her. She needs you with her,
now."

- There?s no time
If you can
I might
Listen -

Buffy quickly read the scribed text. It was clearly
her friends hand and just like Xander pointed out the
words appeared to be trembling. Finishing she looked
up into the scared eyes of her friend and fear gripped
at her heart again. She didn?t need time to think it
over, she had made her decision.

"Xander, it says here that it?s time. Time for what
Xander?"

"I really don?t know, she never told me. But I know it
has to be something about the slaying thing. All she
ever told me was that she needed to be tested in order
to continue her path?"

"What?"

"Yeah, and she always said that when the time came she
would tell me. I would always persist on a straight
answer but she never gave me one. She would simply
look at me with these sad eyes and tell me all she
wanted was to spend the day before with her friends."

As Xander finished explaining the words came back and
hit Buffy like a ton of bricks, [...with my friends
the day before.]

"Xander, we need to find her now."

"But where? She could be anywhere in this hellhole of
a town."

"Think Xander, after her graveyard shift where has she
been checking lately?"

"The warehouse, duh."

"Since when?"

"Well just recently...oh God."

"Exactly, I don?t even doubt it. We need to go now."

"But Buffy..."

"It?ll have to wait Xander because Willow can?t."

And with that both teens headed out the door.

- Call and you
Listen Listen
Listen Listen
Listen Listen -

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So are we still on the same page? Buffy and Willow
seem to be at odds about Willow being the current
slayer. But what else are they upset about? Did Buffy
fess up yet? And now we have Buffy and Xander heading
out to the rescue. I'm sorry for leaving out a lot of
things, but do know everything will be cleared up in
Part 5 which I?ll be posting right away.


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