FIC: Destiny Achieved (2A/3); Thy Soul Has Laid To My Heart

[Crazzy_Nut@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Well here is Part 2 of Destiny Achieved. I hope you like it. And I?m really sorry that I had to post it in two sections. This isn?t a long part but my e-mail couldn?t handle it. I need to get a new one soon. But enough of my bitching, on with the story.


Destiny Achieved
Part 2A - Thy Soul Has Laid Claim To My Heart

Disclaimers: I do not own any part of Buffy and company. All characters on, or associated with BTVS belong to King Joss and his court at Mutant Enemy. I?m only taking them out to play for a while, we?re spending quality time together.

The music is also not mine. "Silent Legacy" belongs to Melissa Etheridge and comes from her album "Yes I Am."

Spoilers: Uh, umm...no, I really can?t think of anything.

Rated: PG-13 for mentions of same sex love. And I mean the actual love, no sex, yet.

Summary: Tara, no longer able to continue living a lie, has parted with Willow (She dumped her, can you believe that?). This only leaves Willow more confused than before. Finally, Willow and Buffy admit their true feelings to each other. All seems to be going right until Buffy announces that she has made a decision to leave. Willow is crushed, but Buffy is determined to get away. Where has Buffy gone and what is Willow to do?

Author?s Note: I doubt I mentioned this before, but this hasn?t been beta read. It?s been mildly edited for spelling and some punctuation errors. And, you know when I mentioned ?quality time? in the disclaimer? Well, I really meant it. For lack of a better location, I have brought Buffy to play in my back yard. So where are we at? You?ll see, I really hope she made the right turn. Also, before anyone says anything. I took Willow?s parents way out of character.

>>Indicate thought<<

Destiny Achieved
Part 2A - Thy Soul Has Laid Claim To My Heart
By: Crazzy Nut
* * * * * * *

~~ Giles? flat, Saturday morning ~~

The days seemed to crawl by as Willow grew increasingly worse. It had only been three days since Buffy?s departure but Giles could clearly see the effects it was having on the girl. It had been hard, but eventually the young girl told him what had happened between herself and Buffy. Giles had not even been phased by the news, he was just happy the girl trusted him enough to confide in him. In all truths he had suspected it all along. It was clear to all spectators that there was a special bond between the girls. Love was evident, there was no way that could be denied. Giles had just continued as if nothing, always thinking to himself >>They?ll tell me when they are ready<<.

What had been a shock was Willow?s involvement with Tara. That news had rattled everyone up, Buffy had taken it the hardest. Watching her as she sat across the room he could see the pain of her soul, her eyes hiding nothing from him. He loved her as his own child and his child was in pain. How he wished to take the pain away. Giles had always been a man of few words, a proper English gentleman, but that didn?t mean he didn?t feel. He had been with the teens though High School and now college. He had the privilege of watching them grow into the young adults they were now. He loved them all as his children even though he may not have said it, even Cordelia and now Anya.

Now another child of his was suffering, in pain--they all were all suffering, he corrected himself. His children hurt and he hurt for them. They had all grown so close, so dependent on the others, separated they fall apart. That is why he was almost ecstatic to find Willow at his doorstep that Saturday morning. She hadn?t slept much and it was evident that she was not eating, even though she would never admit it. She attempted a smile that didn?t reach high enough to cover the pain in her eyes. How his soul ached. How he wished he could just make the pain go away, and he had tried. He had tried everything in his power to locate the blond Slayer, everything and anything he could think of. From day one he had informed Angel and Cordelia, even though he highly doubted Buffy would go anywhere near L.A. Smiling back at the young woman Giles gently ushered her inside just as Xander and Anya were appearing in his living room.

Xander and Anya had moved in not long before. After Xander?s last fight with his father he knew he did not belong, he could never go back. Packing his things and heading towards Giles?, Xander didn?t even look back as he drove away. Now he was living with Giles, he was home. Adjustments were still being made as the trio adjusted to each other, but Giles wouldn?t have it any other way. 

* * * * * * *

As he entered the living room with Anya, Xander quickly noticed the appearance of his lifelong friend. He had known Willow?s feeling for Buffy long ago. Willow had confided in him since the first day, and now he could only imagine what she had to be feeling. Trying to give his friend a reassuring smile, Xander only felt worse when he saw the pain in her eyes. Willow had been his friend for as long as he could remember, they could always count and depend on each other. Now Xander felt helpless, his friend was in need and there was nothing he could do for her. Feeling Anya pulling him along only made him feel worse. He loved Anya, but how he wished she wasn?t there. He had someone, someone who loved him, Willow was still unsure if her love would return. >>Willow doesn?t deserve this<< was all he could think.

* * * * * * *

Breakfast was held in relative silence, the little conversation sporadically coming. The absence of the Slayer was felt by all even though no one would dare speak of it. Finally Willow could take it no more. Getting up in tears she headed for the back door. She just needed to be alone, she didn?t want the others to feel her pain.

"I better go...," began Giles.

"No need G-man," interrupted Xander as he stood up, "I?ll go."

"Xander, Giles already volunteered...," began an unemotional Anya, before being cut off.

"Anya, Willow is my best friend and she is hurting right now. Even though Giles volunteered, I am the one who needs to be with her right now," Xander calmly explained to his mate.

"I still don?t see why...," Anya attempted.

"Just because, O.K.? Just stay here and keep Giles company. I?ll be right back," Xander finished as he stepped outside before Anya could reply.

It didn?t surprise him when he found his friend sitting quietly on a bench crying.

"Hey Wills, how you doing?" he began weakly.

"Me, I?m fine, no problems, no cares. Life couldn?t be better," Willow babbled as she tried to stop the tears.

Xander knew better. "Come on now Will, this is Xander you?re talking to. You know you can tell me anything. Talk to me Will, I?m here for you."

Trying to stop the new tears that attempted to fall Willow finally began, "I love her so much Xander. I can?t even begin to explain what it is I?m feeling, how much I love her."

"I know you do," Xander began with much sympathy in his voice, "but all things happen for a reason. You know she loves you too, just give her time."

"Time?! I blew everything Xander. It?s my fault she left. I pushed her to it and when the time finally came I just let her go. I stood there!" answered a now sobbing Willow.

Xander put his arm around his friend trying desperately to comfort her. "Will, you know that none of this is your fault. Buffy just needs to think things through. You?ll see, everything will be fine. You love her and she know that. She also knows that she loves you, she?s just scared right now."

"She?s scared of me?" Willow asked.

"No, she could never be scared of you. She?s just scared that she?ll wake up one day alone. She?s never been so happy before, not even with...with, well him. She was hurt. Now she has you and she?s not sure what to do."

"I love her Xander. I would never hurt her," Willow cut in.

"I know Will, but her mom...she didn?t take it so well. Giles? has been trying to talk to her but she just won?t listen. I know that won?t stop Buffy, but it hurt her. She?ll come to her senses Will, she has to. She loves you." Xander finished quietly.

Willow had not known about Buffy?s mom. But now as her friend told her she got angry. "How can she Xander? How in the world can she really love me if she just left. She could?ve told me about her mom, especially after Tara and...and just everything. I hate her! I hate her so much! I wish she?d..."

"Whoa! there," Xander interrupted, "don?t start saying things you?ll regret latter. You don?t mean..."

"Yes I do Xander," Willow stated angrily.

"No you don?t," answered Xander almost as mad. "Willow, I have known you all my life, I know how you are. I know the real you. From day one you told me how much you loved her, or have you forgotten. You said that you loved her from the first day she crossed your path, perhaps even before. And now you?re telling me that you didn?t mean it. I know that you love her, and you know what else? You?re heart knows all of this too."

"No! Just no!" Willow almost yelled as she was again overcome by tears.

Seeing the tears come again Xander did the only thing he could think of. Not caring for his friends feeble attempts to pull away Xander held her tightly. He let her cry on his shoulder.

* * * * * * *

Giles and Anya hearing the commotion outside quickly rushed to see what was going on.

"Is everything all right? We heard..." Giles began as they exited the house.

Seeing Xander holding the girl only made his heart hurt more. Somehow he had to do something. After getting a signal from Xander, confirming everything was o.k., he took Anya back inside. >>Where are you Buffy?<< he thought to himself. >>If you could only see how much this is killing Willow.<<


~~ Castro District, San Francisco ~~

Buffy had been sitting at the Starbucks for almost an hour. How she got there, she really didn?t know or care. When she left Sunnydale three days before all she had done was drive. She had no destination, but didn?t want to risk a chance meeting with Angel in L.A., so she kept on north. She remembered getting to the Bay Area, but couldn?t remember how she had reached Castro. >>Must?ve made a wrong turn somewhere<< she kept telling herself. The turn would end up being the best thing she could?ve ever done. Reaching a motel nights before she was tired and didn?t care where she was. Little did she know that upon her next awakening she would see the world in a whole new light. Now, three days later she sat at the Starbucks, observing everything in this new light.

Paying her tab she walked onto the streets of Castro. Again she had no destination, she just walked. Earlier that day she had seen two men holding hands as they passed her by. She feared for them, thinking only the worse could come from such public displays of affection. It was a surprise to see nothing happen, contrary to her fears it appeared no one else cared. People carried on as if nothing, they were not gawking at them, there were no hateful comments being thrown at them, there was no fear, there was...there was acceptance. As tears threaten to show themselves, Buffy felt happy yet envious of the two. They had found their mate and she could not be with her own. Why couldn?t her mom see love for what it truly was, instead of applying it to only opposite genders?

Buffy grew confused as she continued to walk. She loved Willow, deep in her heart she knew she did, but did she love her ?that way?? As much as she hated to admit it, her mothers comments had voiced her own fears.

>>When Willow was with Tara I was jealous, wasn?t I?<< She had thought to herself. >>But what if I was just scared of losing my best friend?<< Buffy had never thought of that before and now she was scaring herself. Had she just been a jealous friend? Had she changed all their lives for nothing? Buffy continued walking, all the while thinking up the worst scenarios.

After walking for hours she found herself in front of a movie theater. Not in the mood for a solo movie, she was about to walk on until she saw them.

Standing in line was the most beautiful thing Buffy had ever seen in her young life. The two women were tall, well taller than her, one was blond and the other was a red head. Each was thin but the blonde clearly had a more defined, athletic frame. Next to her the red head looked almost fragile, her frame looked soft compared to the blonde?s. They were holding hands and talking. By the simple way they looked at each other Buffy could see how in love they were. Then the blonde leaned in close, she appeared to be whispering in the red head?s ear. Buffy could see the smile spread across the woman?s face as she responded telling the blond that she loved her. Then they both looked into each other?s eyes and smiled. They leaned into each other until they were forehead. Buffy read the blonde?s lips when she whispered, "I love you," before closing the gap and claiming the red head?s lips.

Buffy wanted to cry as she witnessed the scene play out before her. Love radiated from both women, they were happy. In that moment Buffy finally believed in all she felt, she loved Willow. She wanted to be with Willow for the rest of their lives. >>If you like it or not I will be with Willow, mom<< she thought to herself as she headed back to her motel room. >>I love Willow<< she kept repeating to herself as she quickened the pace back to her room.


~~ Giles? flat, Sunday night ~~

RING!-RING!-RING!

"Hello," came the groggy answer as Rupert Giles answered the phone.

"Giles. It?s me," came the almost whispered answer.

"Buffy? Where are you? How are you? Are you...?" began a anxious Giles.

"I?m fine Giles," answered the girl, "I just wanted to check in. You know, let you know all goes well and that you don?t have to worry about me."

"Buffy...Buffy you know we love you," began Giles again.

"Yeah Giles, I know," came the weak answer.

Giles could hear the pain in the girl?s voice, he knew that Buffy was hurting, "Yes well, have you...?"

"Yeah Giles, I have," came the quick reply, "I?m ready now."

"That?s...that?s really good," is all Giles could manage, he loved the girl so much.

"I?ll be home soon Giles," she said after hearing nothing more from her former watcher.

"Buffy..." Giles attempted.

"Just tell Will that I love her, okay?" Buffy added almost hesitantly.

"Buffy, where...?" Giles tried to ask.

"Please Giles, just tell her," Buffy almost pleaded.

"I...I will," was all he could say.

"Thanks Giles," came the meek reply.

"Take care of yourself Buffy," Giles added.

"I am Giles, don?t worry about me. But I better let you get back to bed," she said trying to end the call before she broke down.

"You?ll come...?" Giles attempted asking one last time.

"Yes Giles, I promise," she added trying to ease the man?s fears.

"Very well then young lady," he answered trying to be strong, "we?ll be waiting."

"Wouldn?t doubt it for a second," she replied trying to reassure the man.

"Goodnight then Buffy," he almost whispered.

"Yeah Giles, goodnight," she managed before hanging up.

-CLICK-

* * * * * * *

Rupert Giles now stood in the halls of his home, alone. Xander and Anya had gone to sleep long before. He still held the receiver in his hand. It had been a surprise, hearing Buffy?s voice over the line, he was still in a state of shock. He knew the Slayer could take care of herself, but he still worried. He had watched Buffy grow into the strong, young woman she was now. Buffy was his daughter, he loved her as a father should and like a father he worried. Hanging up the phone he went back to his bed. He knew he wouldn?t be getting back to sleep for awhile so he just lay there thinking. He had tried reasoning with Joyce, but she wouldn?t even listen. >>Must be where Buffy gets it<< he thought to himself as he smiled. Joyce was set in her ways, but there had to be some way for her to understand. >>Be safe Buffy<< was his last thought before falling back to sleep.

* * * * * * *


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