FIC: Learning to live pt 13

["jend1205" <jend2002@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well I got this part finished. It took me a lot longer to get done 
and I am not sure I am happy. I had a few technical difficulties. 
First my son threw a temper tantrum so I went to beat him( Joke no 
beating in my house), then when I went to sit down and the leg fell 
of the desk chair. I am too old to be falling on the floor, I could 
break a hip. Luckily though just bruised and scrapped my elbow. To 
top it all off the whole time I have been writing this my ex-
girlfriend had been IM me about the fight she had with her boyfriend 
today. So please have mercy on me if it sucks.

Author: Jen D
Disclaimer: I don't own just like it. Garth Brooks owns Learning
to 
live again. Norah Jones owns Long Day is over. 
Rating: G-R and all points between mostly language and violence
Pairing: Willow/other - Willow/ Buffy eventually
Spoilers: Season 6 maybe others somewhere down the road
Summery: Giles brings someone in to help after everything happens in 
season 6. Sorry I suck at this part.
Author notes: I have never written anything before this, so please 
tell me what you think. 




The club was hopping by the time gang got there. Sara took Buffy 
to meet all the guys she would be working with. The rest went to 
the `quiet room'. There was a very big man standing guard at
the 
door. "Good evening, Gail", He said.
"Hello Tony", Gail answered and pulled him to the side. Gail
went to 
go get drinks after speaking to Tony. Anya and Xander went to dance. 

"Hey Dawn, wanna go play some pool", Jen asked.
"Cool do you think it is ok".
"I am pretty sure that Tony there just got put on babysitting
duty 
tonight, so yeah", Jen giggled and thought `poor guy'.
Dawn and Jen took off for the pool tables and sure enough Tony 
followed close behind.

"So Willow how are feeling", Giles asked after watching the
girls go 
off with their bodyguard.
"Sara and I had a good talk today. Giles I want to tell how sorry
I 
am for everything that happened. I know I have said it before but I 
know that it can't make up for the horrible things that I did.
Sara 
told me that I had to figure out how to forgive myself, that you guys 
have; now it was my turn. We talked about my parents today Giles, and 
I realized something about you. My dad has been leaving me since I 
was twelve and it never hurt as much as when you left. In all since 
of purposes you are my father. I don't know if I have ever told
you 
that I love you but I do. I know that all kids screw up and make big 
mistakes. Sara wants me to take some tests; she thinks I may have 
bipolar disorder. She thinks that I may have been self medicating 
with the magic. I know that it doesn't give me an excuse to have 
acted that way I did but maybe it does give me a reason. It can be 
controlled and I can be helped. I think knowing that helps. It takes 
some of the worry off of me. If I can control the reason then I can 
control the addiction. I won't need the magic to make it go away.
I 
know that the addiction will still be there but I know that there is 
something better to help. Giles, do you really forgive me?"
Willow 
asked through the tears that had appeared half way through her speech.
"The minute Xander brought you through the front door"; Giles
said 
not even trying to hide the tears.
"Good then I forgive myself", Willow got up and walked over
to Giles. 
She wiped a tear from his cheek and hugged him.
"I love you too, Willow and I am proud to call you my daughter.
You 
are all the children I never had".
"Hey is this a private hug or can anyone join", Dawn asked.
"Nope not private, come here Dawnie. Dad here was just telling me
how 
much he loves us", Willow asked pulling Dawn in to the hug.
"Awwww, how cute, I am feeling left out though", Jen smirked.
"Well come on then", Giles laughed and made room for Jen in
the hug. 
Just than two more sets of arms came from behind.
"I don't know what the group hug is for but I like it",
Xander said.
"Dad here loves us", Dawn muffled having been caught in the
middle.
"Aww G-man we love you too", Xander said and a had to wipe a
tear 
from his eye, "Ok enough mush. Willow dance with me". Xander
grabbed 
her hand before she could protest and steered her to the dance floor. 
The group heard her complaining all the way and had to laugh. 

Buffy and Sara were sitting on the wall around the dance floor 
watching people come and go. To Buffy surprise there really were 
people dancing in the cages. Every couple of songs they would lower 
them and a new set of people would go up. Buffy did have to admit 
that it did look like fun. ` I myself wouldn't do it but she
could 
see why other people would', Buffy thought. Buffy saw Xander drag 
Willow on to the dance floor and chuckled. She could almost hear 
Willow arguing with him. She also noticed that Sara had saw them too.
Sara jumped down and yelled over the music, "Buffy would you
excuse 
me for a minute," Buffy watched her go over to the DJ and decided
to 
sit and see what the ex-slayer was up to. She watched Willow and 
Xander dance. Willow really was a beautiful woman. She thought about 
her conversation with Sara this afternoon, `Do I love Willow. I
can't 
love her like that can I? I'm not gay, I don't think. Am I? I
don't 
even want to deal with that. It doesn't bother me that she is gay
why 
is it bothering me that I might be? Could she love me too? No of 
course she doesn't, she would have told me. God I have been
around 
her too long I am babbling in my head now', Buffy thought.
`Besides 
she has already lost one lover and lets face it I could go anytime. 
She didn't deserve that. She needed someone who didn't go out
every 
night and try to find trouble. She deserved to know that her 
girlfriend was going to come home at night. Sara could give her 
that.' Buffy had already asked Sara to go patrol tonight but she
had 
told her no. `Buffy, I glad you trust me to go but I have to much
at 
home to risk going out with you. My fight is over. I have a 
responsibility to Jen to come home at night', Sara had told
Buffy. 
That was what Willow needed, stability and that was not something 
Buffy could give her. Buffy saw Sara walk away from the DJ and stand 
to the side of the dance floor.

Sara stood and waited for the song to end, ` what the hell am I 
doing'. `Going after what you want', Sara inner voice
told her. The 
song ended and Sara made her way to Willow and Xander. "Ok
folks", 
the DJ started " The boss has made a request. She said to
apologize 
to everyone for her choice of music but she wanted to slow things 
down for a minute".
Sara walked to Willow, "Would you like to dance, Willow"?
"I would love to". Just then Willow heard the sounds of a
guitar fill 
the room. She smiled as the first verse started to play.
"I thought it was perfect for you", Sara said.
"Learning to live again, yes it is perfect. Sara, I want to thank
you 
for what you did for Buffy today".
Sara lifted Willow chin and looked in to her green eyes, " Did it 
make you happy"?
"More than you will ever know", Willow replied and put her
head on 
Sara shoulder.
"Then that just made it worth it", Sara said and pulled
Willow 
closer. They didn't say another word, just enjoyed the music and
the 
feel of being in each other arms. Neither of them noticed the smiles 
on their friends and family watching. The song was almost over when 
Willow looked up in to the brown eyes of the ex-slayer. Willow traced 
Sara cheek with her finger. Sara ran her fingers through Willow hair 
and pulled her head closer. Both girls jumped when the dance music 
started back up.
"Willow", Sara whispered in to Willow ear.
"I know but we had better go check on everybody".


Sara and Willow made their way back just as Gail brought in another 
round of drinks. Willow grabbed one of the cokes, "I propose a
toast. 
To Anya, I will never understand you in a million years but you make 
Xander happy. He deserves to be happy for a long time and I think you 
are just the right woman for the job. Xander I let you get away with 
leaving her once, next time I break out the shovel. Buffy, I know you 
will make us proud. Giles, thank you for coming home and saving the 
world again. Dawn I am proud of how much you have grown up this 
summer. And finally to Gail, Jen, and Sara, welcome to the
family".
"Here, here" came the shouts of the scoobies, old and new.

Tony walked in holding a guy by the collar, " Hey boss"?
"Yeah", Sara and Buffy answered at the same time.
"Sara I'm sorry", Buffy said.
"No Buffy, your right. I am your boss, you are his boss. Hell
I'm 
happy that you are taking this so seriously. By all means handle
it".
"This guys wants to know if he can dance with you", Tony said 
pointing at Buffy.
"Well if I say yes will you be joining us or will you let him
down", 
Buffy teased. 
"No I will let him go, boss", Tony said with a very serious
look.
"Note to self, first order of business on Monday find this guy a 
sense of humor", Buffy laughed and then grabbed the guy and
headed 
for the dance floor.

At midnight Sara noticed Jen yawn followed by Dawn, "Well guys I 
think it is time to get these girls home", pointing to Jen and
Dawn. 
Xander and Anya decided to stay for a little bit and Buffy was going 
to go patrol then ride back with them. Gail was going to stay and 
close the club.

"Night mom", Jen said and hugged her mom, "Night Will and
Giles"
"Night, Willow, Giles, Sara", Dawn managed through a yawn.
"Good night you two".
"Night girls", Willow said and hugged both girls.
" Good night, Ladies", Giles replied. 
" Giles might I interest you in some tea", Sara asked Giles.
"No I think I will be off to bed myself", Giles said and
after saying 
good night headed for his room.
"Well Will just me and you. Want would like to do bed or
talk", Sara 
said blushed at the double meaning of her question. 
"Talk, you said you had a bed in the office. I didn't see a
bed. 
Where have you been sleeping", Willow asked?
"Come on I'll show you", Sara said and took Willow hand
in to hers. 
Sara led Willow through the office, to a door by the bookcase. Behind 
the door was a large room with a king size bed in the middle of it. 
Willow sat down in a chair while Sara turned on the cd player. The 
woman singing was mesmerizing to Willow.
"Would you like a coke, Willow"
"Yes please". Sara got a coke and a beer from the small
fridge in the 
corner.
"Doc, who is this", Willow asked.
"Norah Jones `long day is over'. Why do you call me
Doc"?
"I like it and you are one, you know".
"Yes I am", Sara said and pulled Willow up. Sara pulled
Willow close 
and stared in to her eyes.
"Willow, I have never gotten involved with someone I was helping 
before but I think I like you, I think I like you a lot. All I want 
to do right now is to kiss you". Willow put her hand on the back
of 
Sara head and pulled her in to a long slow kiss. Sara wasn't
sure 
how long they kissed but she knew if she didn't stop now she
wouldn't 
be able too.
"Willow, as much as I am enjoying this, I think we need to slow 
down", Sara whispered.
"I think you're right", Willow said and kissed her one
last, " good 
night, Doc".
"Good night, Will"

Willow crawled in to her bed and thought about Sara, "Wow",
and first 
time since Tara death fell right to sleep. 

Sara sat in a chair in her room thinking about the kiss with Willow 
and the only thing that came to mind was, "Wow"