Fic: Greatest Weakness (9-13/13)

[inell@xxxxxxx]

Title: Greatest Weakness
Author: Inell
Email: Inell@xxxxxxx
Disclaimer: Joss owns them all
Distribution: My site, Kiss or Kill, 
http://members.fortunecity.com/kissorkill Anyone that has permission, take. 
Otherwise, just ask
Rating: R
Pairing: Willow/Buffy
Notes: This is the first W/B fic that I wrote, over a year ago. I like to 
think that I've gotten better at this writing thing :) I thought I'd post it 
because maybe someone would enjoy it. Forgive any errors.
Set at the end of Season 2 then veers into my own verse
To Rod~just because :)


GREATEST WEAKNESS (9-13/13)


"You look good" Angel said softly, his eyes roaming over his love's face.

"You too." Buffy said, feeling so happy that he was OK. She did love him, 
just 
not as much as Willow. "I am so sorry."

"Shh." Angel said, taking her hands. "It's over and done. You had no choice. 
I 
understand that."

"You're too forgiving" Buffy said, whining slightly. When she heard that, she 
laughed, "OK. I'll accept and move on."

"So, you and Willow" Angel said, staring deep into her blue eyes.

Buffy smiled, "Yeah....she's my life. I love her so much....but, you knew 
that 
didn't you?"

"Before you ever did" he agreed softly.

"Yet, you still fell in love with me" Buffy said. "Why?"

"I couldn't control it. Not to sound too corny, but it was bigger than both 
of 
us." Angel smiled, "Maybe like Spike's feelings for Willow."

Buffy laughed, "Can you believe it? He adores her. Worships the ground she 
walks 
on. Hell, he puts up with me just to be around her."

"Lucky bastard" Angel said softly, his eyes caressing her laughing face.

"Angel" Buffy started. She paused, not really knowing what to say. "Can we 
beat 
the mayor?"

"Buffy, you can do anything you put your mind to. You've proven that to me 
over 
the years" Angel said. 

"I don't like Faith." She said sullenly.

"Well, she's definitely not you" he said, grimacing. "But, she's good at 
slaying 
and she cares about them all. Besides, she's scared of me. I rather enjoy it."

"Traces of Angelus still around I see" Buffy said, catching herself and 
blushing. "I'm so sorry."

Angel surprised her by laughing and pulling her in for a hug, "I've missed 
you 
Buffy. You and Willow and hell, even Spike. You have to stay with me while 
y'all 
are in town."

"OK. Are you sure?" Buffy asked, wondering if he had any idea what he would 
be 
getting into.

"Positive." Angel smiled, his love shining in his dark eyes. "Come on. Let's 
go 
rescue the others and head to the mansion. I can't wait to find out how Spike 
wormed his way into your house and into Willow's bed."

Buffy laughed, "Gawd, you're awful. I missed you too" she admitted softly 
before 
going into the library and joining Willow. 

**********

Willow looked at the clouds and sighed. The sun was high overhead as she laid 
on 
the grass outside the mansion. Buffy's head was laying on her stomach as they 
listened to the birds sing their songs. It was a lovely spring afternoon. 
They 
had been in Sunnydale for a week already. And they still had no definite plan 
to 
defeat the mayor. It almost seemed as if their presence wasn't needed, but 
their 
friends did seem happy to see them. Willow had noticed how Angel had even 
changed. His attitude much more light than it had been before. He still loved 
Buffy, but she was happy to see that he wasn't trying to get her back. He 
just 
wanted to be their friend. 

"I miss Freedom" Buffy said, her fingers playing in the dirt as she enjoyed 
the 
day with Willow.

"Me too...." Willow agreed. "I bet Mabel is cooking up a storm today. It's 
Sunday brunch at her house this weekend."

Buffy turned her head and looked at Willow. "We'll get home soon."

Willow smiled, "I know. It can't take that much longer to figure out how to 
defeat the mayor."

"Don't get me wrong...it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be...I sort 
of 
missed Sunnydale." Buffy said.

"But it isn't home anymore" Willow added, knowing what her lover was going to 
say.

Buffy smiled, "No, it isn't. Of course, home is wherever you are..if you 
wanted 
to stay..."

"No." Willow said. "I mean, it's nice to see everyone, but I couldn't move 
back. 
Freedom is our home now. We have lives and friends and work. We can enjoy the 
days like this, lounging in the sun, before we take care of the mayor. Then, 
it 
will be time to go home."

"Sort of like a mini vacation" Buffy said, smiling.

"Without the complimentary drinks" Willow said, laughing.

Buffy stared at her friend, "You're so beautiful. The way the sun lights your 
hair...it's like fire."

Willow giggled, "Thank you, sweets. Have I mentioned how much I love you 
today?"

"Not since this morning" Buffy said, smiling. 

"Well, I do" Willow added.

"I know. I do too." Buffy said, leaning over and kissing Willow before 
settling 
her head back down and looking at the clouds. 

Willow turned her attention to the sky also as they began to discuss possible 
attacks against the mayor. They both wanted to leave Sunnydale as soon as 
they 
could.

**********

"We got it" Giles said, rereading the passage in the book.

Buffy looked up. "You found it?"

"Right here. The way to defeat him." Giles said. He read the passage out loud 
and saw some confusion on the faces of the gang. 

Willow listened. They had now been in Sunnydale for two weeks. Finally, it 
seemed that they had a way to defeat the Mayor. Buffy was still having 
nightmares nightly about her death. Willow just wanted to get this battle 
fought 
and won so they could go back to Freedom. They had had so many months without 
a 
life threatening scenario. She hadn't realized until now just how nice that 
had 
been. "So, what do we do?"

"I think that Faith and Buffy can defeat him. The rest of us will go along to 
fight his men. I do know he has several vampires working for him, so we will 
be 
needed."

"I thought he was immortal now" Buffy said, wondering what she had missed.

"Now he is. But, in three days he will ascend. At that time, his immortality 
is 
no more." Angel explained, reading between the lines.

"Exactly. You and Faith should be able to fight him." Giles said.

"What does this demon look like?" Faith asked, worry in her voice. Over the 
last 
two weeks, she and Buffy had set outside their differences and trained 
together. 
Once she had learned that Buffy had no intention of coming back to Sunnydale 
and 
taking her place, she was fine with the blonde slayer. If she had anyone 
watching her back, it would be Buffy.

"Uh well...like this" Giles folded out a sheet of paper from the book.

"Fuck me....we're dead" Xander said, staring at the enormous creature that 
was 
sketched on the pages.

Willow took Buffy's hand and squeezed. Buffy flashed her a confident grin. 
She 
had never seen that creature in her dreams. Her fear for her life finally 
left 
her. Things would be fine. "So, three days? Faith and I have a date with a 
snake?"

"Why do I always seem to get snakes?" Faith asked with a cocky grin. 

"Just lucky I guess" Buffy shot back. This was good. She, Willow and Spike 
would 
be back in Freedom by the end of the week. 

"All right, luvs. Let's mosey on back to the mansion" Spike said, his arm 
around 
Willow. "You little ladies need your rest."

"Spike, I think you've been in Texas too long" Angel said dryly at his 
childe's 
failed attempt at a southern accent.

"Besides, if you got us in bed, who'd be resting?" Willow asked with an 
impish 
grin before kissing him.

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Let's go. We can think a bit about this plan and then 
get some sleep."

"Yes, mother" Willow and Spike said in unison, causing Buffy and Angel to 
laugh. 
The others just looked at them and shook their heads. They still didn't 
understand the dynamics of that threesome, and they doubted that they ever 
would.

**********

"Take this, Faith" Buffy yelled, throwing her fellow slayer a sword. She held 
her own and faced the snake that had been the mayor. She heard the sounds of 
fighting behind them and knew her friends were busy staking the dozens of 
vampires and various other demons the mayor had assisting him. Right now, she 
and Faith had weakened him drastically. She saw Angel moved opposite them, 
ready 
to strike. It was almost over.

"NOW!" she yelled, as all three attacked with vigor. The snake screamed as 
the 
magically enhanced swords cut into its scales. After several long moments of 
stabbing and cutting, she felt hands on her arms. She looked up at Angel and 
saw 
him smile. 

"He's gone." Angel said simply.

"Fuckin' A. We did it!" Faith said, high fiving Buffy. She grimaced and 
grabbed 
her arm, frowning at one of the many cuts and bruises on her body. 

"Come on. Let's get the others" Buffy said, smiling triumphantly. She felt 
Angel's arm go around her shoulders and she leaned on him. Her leg had been 
hurt 
after being thrown by the mayor. She was afraid she may have broken ankle. 

The three of them entered the courtyard of the Mayor's home. Ashes littered 
the 
space, stakes on the ground from being used. Buffy saw her friends huddled in 
a 
group and knew something was wrong. She moved quickly, the pain in her ankle 
forgotten. "What is it?"

Giles looked up at her, his eyes sad. "They all went after her...he must have 
told them that she was yours...."

Buffy looked at the broken figure laying in Spike's embrace and collapsed on 
the 
ground beside her. "NO!...Willow..."

Willow dragged in a breath, her ribs hurting. She opened her eyes and looked 
at 
Buffy. She smiled, "You got him."

Buffy blinked the tears from her eyes as she took Willow's hand, "You had 
better 
not die on me Willow Rosenberg. We have the Fourth of July picnic, remember?"

Willow tried to laugh but it hurt. She shook her head slowly, "Sorry, Buffy. 
You'll have to go alone....told you that you wouldn't die."

"Willow. I refuse to let you go!" Buffy said, her eyes taking on a desperate 
look. She looked at Spike who was watching silently, his arms tight around 
Willow, his eyes sad. "Change her!"

Spike shook his head, "I can't. She asked me not to."

"Fuck that. Change her!" Buffy cried out, her hands gripping Willow's 
tightly. 

"No!" Willow said. Buffy looked down at her, her face grief stricken. "Spike 
can't change me....he won't. I asked him not to. God, I love you Buffy."

"Why not? You can't leave me...what am I going to do without you...." Buffy 
asked, tears dripping down her face.

"Survive. You always survive." Willow said, smiling through the pain.

"Damn it. I kept you away from him and I still got you killed!" Buffy said, 
her 
head falling to Willow's chest. "I can't live without you, Willow."

"Buffy, don't talk like that" Willow said, coughing up blood. "Go to Freedom. 
Promise me you will go home."

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...I promise." Buffy said, her hand caressing her 
lover's face. "Why can't he change you? Please?"

Willow shook her head, "No. Spike can't change me. Let that idea go."

"I love you, Willow...so much...always." Buffy began to sob, her head moving 
beside Willow's on Spike's lap. She laid beside her lover, her arms going 
around 
her bloody form as she wept for what she was going to lose. She felt Spike's 
hand on her back, his touch reassuring somehow. She knew he was as upset as 
she 
was, he just couldn't demonstrate it the same way. Her friends sat down, the 
victory forgotten, grief on their faces as they listened to the slayer's 
weeping 
fill the silent night air. 

**********

Buffy smiled at Pops as she left the diner. She started the walk home, the 
sun 
beating down on her tired form. Home. She was back in Freedom. She looked at 
the 
sky, watching the clouds as she enjoyed the summer warmth. She had changed 
her 
shift at the diner, working days instead of nights. It made things much 
easier. 

She entered the house, the smell of chocolate assaulting her senses. "I'm 
home."

Spike looked up from his magazine. "Thanks for the warning, slayer."

"Shut up, dead boy" Buffy said, putting her bag down. "Do I smell chocolate 
cake?"

"For the Fourth of July picnic" Spike said, smiling slightly. He grinned as 
he 
winked, "There's even left over icing."

"Spike. Shh. That was a surprise" Willow said from the doorway.

Buffy looked at Willow and couldn't help the smile that spread across her 
face. 
After almost losing the girl those months before, every time she saw her she 
felt so lucky. She kissed her lover, the coolness of Willow's touch still 
something she was getting used to. "Morning sunshine."

"Buffy. How was work?" Willow asked, moving to sit down.

"Same old, same old" Buffy said. "A few people asking why they never see you 
during the day, but nothing major. They all seem use to it now."

"Good. So, they know that we'll be at the picnic tonight?" Willow asked, her 
head leaning against Spike.

"Yeah. Can't wait to see you. Oh, and Mabel wants to make sure that we bring 
both of our brothers." Buffy added, smiling at Angel as he walked out of the 
kitchen.

"Mabel huh? She going to give me some apple pie?" he asked, grinning. He had 
gone to Freedom with the three of them after they left Sunnydale. Laughing 
softly, he remembered being introduced to their old friends as Willow's older 
brother. He put his hands on Buffy's neck, beginning a light massage. 

"Too much pie makes you fat" Willow said, winking at Spike.

"Fat? I am not fat" Angel argued.

"Must be why you always wear black..slims you down" Spike said laughing.

"Impudent children" Angel scoffed, smiling at them both. He looked at Willow 
and 
felt pride. It had been Spike that had finally understood what Willow had 
been 
saying that night. He couldn't change her, but Angel could. After her soul 
had 
been restored, she had told the three of them that she couldn't have Spike 
change her. If she had, he would have a claim over her that would have 
interfered in her and Buffy's love. She couldn't do that to Buffy. She had 
almost died being a stubborn woman. But, luckily, Angel had been able to turn 
her quickly enough.

"I need a shower" Buffy said, moving from the comfy place on the couch.

Willow stood, taking her hand. "I'll help. You can tell me how everyone was 
today."

"You, me and a shower and you expect me to discuss friends?" Buffy said, 
laughter in her voice.

"Well, maybe after wards" Willow said, kissing Buffy gently.

Buffy just laughed as they went to their bedroom. Willow was still her 
weakness, 
but because of it, she now had a family that she would die for. She stripped 
her 
clothes off and joined her lover in the shower. She hoped that Angel had made 
some more of the raspberry cupcakes she was so fond of. Something to tide her 
over until the picnic. She met Willow's kiss, the picnic and cupcakes fleeing 
her mind. 




THE END