Fic: When It Rains (2/?)

[ladyvyxen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

When It Rains, Part Two.
Comments/Criticism/Etc. to: ladyvyxen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

> Oh Man great story, I Hope you do a sequel, I'd Love 
> to see some ramifications from this sleepwalking incident.
> I would most defiantly love for you to take a crack at my story 
idea.

Anne-Lise gives Soren a strange look. "Every little word, from 
every lesson learned; I think I know why hearts are made of stone. 
Every little pain fans a bitter flame, but nothing will ever keep me 
from loving you. Can't you see that we belong? Oh, how I want it to 
be! Darling, do you feel the way I feel?"

Apologies for the short post, but life got in the way...

Anne-Lise.

--

Willow stood before the racks of cards. Birthday cards, Retirement 
cards. Cards for weddings, cards for births, and of course, cards for 
deaths. Pitifully small squares of cardboard that bore the 
message 'With Sympathy' printed in gold monogram. Tears dripped from 
her eyes as she surveyed the small column. The condolence cards took 
up a very small section in the ridiculously cheerful shop. Too 
cheerful.
Shouldn't the sky turn grey to match the ache in her heart? 
Shouldn't the neon lighting dim in respect for the dead? Willow 
rubbed at her eyes with the back of her sleeve and selected a pale 
grey card with a red rose on the front. A drop of colour in a puddle 
of black, lost in an ocean of rainbow.
The clerk at the counter cared little for the wan young woman 
dressed in purple with fiery red hair. Didn't she know that mixing 
red and purple together was a big no-no in the fashion world? The 
clerk frowned as she sort-of recognised Willow from her Sunnydale 
High School days. Hadn't she been one of the untouchables from the 
Geek Squad who'd been elevated in status by hanging around with 
Cordelia? If so, there was no excuse for that hair. Or that outfit.
Willow paid for the condolence card and a pure-black envelope then 
turned to leave. The hysterics came only when she saw the birthday 
wall-greetings, the one in particular that said 'Life begins at 
Forty.'

*

Buffy had finally reached the point where she'd no more tears left 
to cry. Even after she'd run away, she'd still found herself able to 
let loose with the waterworks on occassion. But not now.
"Are you okay?" Her sister Dawn stared at her with red-rimmed eyes. 
She too must have reached the point where she could no longer cry. 
Buffy opened her arms to her sister, and together they just clung to 
one another. Not thinking, not speaking, just holding each other in 
mutual support.
"I'm okay." Buffy affirmed, her eyes burning with grief, her stomach 
twisting with the lie.

*

Willow stood, alone and nervous, on Buffy's front porch. She'd been 
standing there for only a few minutes but it seemed like an eternity. 
Eventually she composed herself enough to knock. All the words she'd 
rehearsed, the speech she'd drafted and redrafted in her mind as 
she'd walked, everything disappeared when Buffy answered the door. 
Willow flew into her best friend's arms. Sometimes, words are 
unnecessary.

*

End Part 2.