Fic: Subterfuge (30/?)

[inell@xxxxxxx]

Title:Subterfuge
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
Feedback would be greatly appreciated
To anyone that missed me....


SUBTERFUGE (30/?)


Willow flipped through the channels on the remote control, unable to find 
anything worthy of her concentration. She had been sitting on the sofa for 
over an hour, since Buffy had left. She had been rather relieved to receivea 
phone call from Dawn not half an hour before asking for permission to go to 
her friend Rebecca's house to study for a test, permission that Willow had 
gladly given. She hadn't want to involve Dawn in the mess that she was in, 
knowing that she and Buffy would have to talk when the slayer returned. The 
less Dawn knew about Glory and the poisoned roses, the better. She found 
herself wondering where Buffy had gone, what she was thinking, when she would 
return. She also found herself thinking about Glory, wishing they knew the 
way to destroy the demon. Maybe some of Giles' contacts would have the 
information. Something good had to happen eventually, didn't it?


Willow continued to flip channels and think until she heard the front door 
open. She froze, not sure what was going to happen next. She fought the 
impulse to run upstairs and hide, instead turning to face her best friend. 
She couldn't read Buffy's eyes, the slayer looking at her with a small smile 
as she came into the living room. "I stayed."


Buffy smiled shyly when she heard Willow's whispered words, nodding, "I'm 
glad."


"We need to talk," both girls said at the same time, laughter easing the 
stress slightly as Buffy moved to sit beside Willow on the couch.


"You first," Willow offered, wanting to know what the blonde had decided in 
regards to the entire Glory situation. 


"I was afraid you'd say that," Buffy said as she sat down. Her hand moved 
through her hair as she tried to figure out exactly what to say. She'd spent 
the entire walk home imagining the most eloquent way to tell Willow the 
truth, trying to be as poetic as she could. Now, though, looking into 
Willow's beautiful green eyes, the words left her mind. Finally, she opened 
her mouth, hoping the speech would come to her. Instead, she said, "I love 
you, Willow."


Willow froze, not sure exactly what kind of love her friend was speaking of. 
Hesitantly, she said softly, "I love you, too, Buffy."


Buffy shook her head, "You don't get it. I *love* you, Willow." The slayer 
took Willow's hand as she faced her best friend, "I had this great speech 
prepared before I walked inside. It was about how you're the bright spot in 
my life, my reason for living, the reason that I haven't been killed yet, my 
love, my hope, my future. I can't remember any of it now. All I can remember 
is that I love you, and I am *not* going to lose you and I really hope that 
you meant the same kind of love earlier because all I want to do right now is 
kiss you and hold you and never let you go."


"Buffy," Willow stopped, not at all sure how to respond. She was in shock, 
unable to believe that, after everything that had happened, Buffy could love 
her. It was unbelievable. Willow had never felt such intense emotion before 
and it was shocking and scary and wonderful. But, before she could be happy, 
she had to ask, "What about Glory?"


Buffy’s eyes narrowed as she promised, "I won’t let her hurt anyone that I 
love. I don’t know how, but we will stop her. Giles is working on it now. 
Together, we will destroy her. About the other thing, about you not telling 
me the truth, I won’t lie and tell you that it doesn’t hurt, Willow. It 
does. I hate that you weren’t honest with me from the start. But, Ican’t 
lose you. I won’t lose you. From now on, though, no more secrets between us. 
Okay?"


"Okay," Willow said softly, hating herself for hurting Buffy. She realized 
that she hadn’t responded to Buffy’s brave declaration of love, having been 
too worried that her friend hated her for the Glory mess. Glory could wait a 
couple more hours, Willow decided as she looked at Buffy. With an innocent 
smile, she said, "I almost forgot to tell you. Dawn called earlier. She’s 
gone to Becca’s for dinner and to study for some test. I told her to be home 
by ten."


"Oh," Buffy said, wondering if she had been wrong, if maybe Willow did love 
her only like a friend. Since she admitted her feelings, the redhead had 
brought up Glory and now Dawn. Suddenly insecure, her eyes moved to look at 
the carpet as she decided that she had misread the situation.


"You know what that means, don’t you Buffy?" Willow asked in what she hoped 
was a flirtatious manner as she moved her finger across Buffy’s hand. She 
watched as hazel eyes swung to meet hers, "I think you mentioned something 
about a kiss……"


Buffy smiled with pleasure as she realized that they had the house to 
themselves for a couple of hours. She saw the lust and love in Willow’s eyes 
and found herself wondering how she had gotten so lucky, deciding finally 
that she could up with the negatives of slaying if she got to come home every 
night to find Willow waiting for her. She licked her lips as she huskily 
said, "I love you, Willow. You’re my everything."


"I love you, too, Buffy," Willow said with a smile. "Now, shut up and kiss 
me!"