FanFic: I only have eyes for.

[<n.holst@xxxxxxx>]

Hi everyone!

This has written itself without consulting me for most of the part. I
could not do anything else before I had it written down, so here it is:
Finally OFF my brain. The perspectives are weird and I'm not sure if it
works the way I intended it to work (so PLEASE feedback me on that), but
it's been a fun experiment!
Have fun!
Bye,
Lil'Witch

Some have a way with words - Some not have way... I are one of them!
http://lilwitch.cjb.net/ 

TITLE: I only have eyes for.
AUTHOR: Lil'Witch
DISCLAIMER: Not mine.
SUMMARY: An AU version of "I only have eyes for you"
RATING: PG-13


-The Summers' home

Buffy had been gone for a while now and Willow was starting to worry.
The whole thing with Angel and their school's poltergeist weighted
heavily on her friend and she had no idea how to make it all better. The
one thing she knew for certain was that just sitting there waiting for
her to come back wouldn't help anyone. 

She walked into the kitchen, already starting the question that
interested her the most. "Hey, Buffy, are you... okay?" she trailed off.
There was a piece of paper on the counter, a flyer from the Sadie
Hawkins Dance from 1955 and Willow knew without a doubt what it meant.

"Oh, God," she whispered and called for Giles who had already been on
his way to the kitchen. Thrusting the flyer into his hands all she could
do was gasp, "She went back."

~*~

-Outside of Sunnydale High

The swarm was just as terrible looking as it had been before. The gang
had followed Buffy back to the High School, unfortunately they had just
run out of plans on what to do next. 

"So what now? Not even a mega-vat of Raid's gonna do the trick here."
Xander voiced what everybody was thinking. More or less.

"I don't get it. Is she trying to be a big loner hero or something?"
Cordelia asked.

"No. I believe she's under the spirit's thrall. He's, he's calling her,"
Giles explained.

"But why?"

Giles looked as if he wanted to explain further, but Willow interrupted
him. "He needs us." Her voice was flat, emotionless and with awkward
looking steps Willow walked towards the school's entrance.

The rest of the scoobies took a second to just stare at their friend
uncomprehendingly before Giles took action. "Willow, what are you
doing?" he asked and took a step after her.

"He calls me. I have to go." She'd reached the swarm and to everyone's
astonishment the wasps parted before her, allowing her entrance. Xander
started to run after her, but as quickly as the swarm had opened it
closed again and the demonic insects' angry hissing made him step back.

"What the heck is going on?"

Giles looked speechless, but it didn't stop him from talking, "James
needs her and Buffy to re-enact everything that happened on the night
that he, he killed Ms. Newman. He wants to change things, make. make a
happy ending."

Cordelia turned to the watcher and stared at him, "Doesn't he know that
it can't ever happen? It always ends the same, which means Willow and
Buffy just went in there to get shot. And why them? Who is going to play
James in tonight version of 'Killing Mrs. Tingle'?"

"You are right, the school's deserted. There's no way for James to... 
to play his part. There's, there's no man inside for him to possess."

"So Buffy and Willow should be safe until we find a way to get them
out." Xander needed to make sure he'd understood him right and that his
friends were in no danger.

"Yeah. The scenario should not start the way it did the two previous
nights. Except."

"Except what?" Both Cordelia and Xander asked.

"What if they play it out together?"

~*~

Angelus had had no problem overcoming the wasp-barrier and now strolled
through Sunnydale High in search of an already dead slayer who just
needed him to bring the news of her demise. He could smell her. She was
around the next corner. He had a good opening line to deliver, all he
had to do was walk up to her and finish her once and for all. 

Just as he was about to step out of the shadows another person appeared.

~*~

Buffy waited in the hallway. She wasn't sure what she was waiting for,
but it would happen soon.

The voice came from behind her "What are you doing here James?"

"You're the only one. The only person I can talk to," she answered
quietly and turned around. In front of her stood Grace Newman, the woman
she loved more than life itself. The woman who'd broken her heart by
leaving her. 

~*~

Angelus remained in the shadows as Buffy and Willow stood facing each
other and all he could think was that soulboy's girlfriend was really
pathetic. Whatever was going on here was weird; he could feel the
supernatural presence in the room. He'd just wait and see what the
slayer had gotten herself into and then finish her off like he'd
planned. 

~*~

"You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over," James
screamed at Willow and she winced in sympathy. She felt his pain, it was
her own. But she had to do this, for his sake.

"I just want you to be able to have some kind of normal life. We can
never have that, don't you see?" she pleaded with him, but he could not
follow her reasoning.

"I don't give a *damn* about a normal life! I'm going crazy not seeing
you. I think about you every minute." Her heart broke just a little more
at his love. It was all for her and it had found a mate in her own
heart, they had found each other's love, but it could not be. She could
never allow it to be. In a moment of weakness she allowed herself to
ouch his cheek and his hand immediately covered hers. They could never
be.

"I know," she whispered. And she knew all about his pain. "But it's
over. It has to be!"

She turned around and started to leave, but he chased after her shouting
at her angrily. "Come back here! We're not finished!"

He grabs her by the arm and turns her back toward him. "You don't care
anymore, is that it?"

Willow started sobbing, "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter what I
feel."

Then he spoke the words that hit her the hardest. 

"Then tell me you don't love me!"

~*~

Buffy was angry. Grace did not react the way she'd hoped for. "Say it!"
she screamed through her hurt.

"Is that what you need to hear? Will that help? I don't."

Buffy gasped as her heart broke, but she wouldn't give up! They were
meant for each other; she'd make her see it. Their love was real.

"No. A person doesn't just wake up and stop loving somebody!"

~*~

Angelus felt that this was his perfect opportunity to make an entrance.
The line was just too good to pass up. He took a step and suddenly the
lockers behind him opened and strong arms reached for him, holding him
to the wall. An eerie voice drifted through his demonic mind "No
interruptions."

All he could do was watch as Buffy pointed a revolver at Willow. Well he
could watch AND enjoy the show.

~*~

It was her father's gun. He locked it away, but she'd found the key
years ago and took it tonight. It was her weapon. It was strong; if
anything could make Grace love her again it was the gun. Or it could
just end it all. Whatever happened tonight her heart would stop hurting
before dawn.

"Love is forever. I'm not afraid to use it, I swear! If I can't be with
you..." Her voice was but a small whisper tainted with trembling anger.

"Oh, my God!" her lover gasped, but then she turned around and started
running out of the hall toward the balcony. 

Buffy saw red. "DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME..."

~*~

"...BITCH!"

Willow's heart beat a hundred miles a minute as she came to a halt.
James words echoed not only through the hall, but also through her whole
body. Fear made her run, but James was chasing her. She barged through
the door out onto the balcony, James close behind her.

"Stop it!" he screamed as he followed her into the open. "Stop it! Don't
make me!"

She stopped, breathing heavily with fear. "All right. Just..."

~*~

Angelus reeled against the claws holding him back, he would not stay
there and miss the breaking of the slayer. If she really killed the
little tree. He knew with certainty that it would destroy his nemesis. 

And he would watch. With a satisfied scream and a grin he broke free and
followed he girls through the doors.

~*~

"You know you don't want to do this. Let's both... just calm down. Now
give me the gun." Grace out her hand as she pleaded with Buffy, but she
wasn't responding. 

"Don't. Don't do that, damn it! Don't talk to me like I'm some
stupid..." 

Several things happened at once. The gun went off just as Angelus burst
through the doors, which crashed into Buffy's shoulder. Startled, Buffy
taked a step forward changing the bullets path. Her motions those of
instinct, she crouches and uses Angelus momentum to hurl him over the
balcony's railing. With a deafening thud he lands on the stairs below. 

~*~

Buffy stared at the spot the body had just been, too afraid to do
anything she just whispered, "Grace?" After two painful heartbeats she
took two steps to the railing and peered down. There lay her love,
killed by her own hand.

~*~

Willow felt dazed. What had just happened? She looked around herself.
She was lying at the floor of the balcony in exactly the spot James had
shot Ms. Newman. Memories assaulted her. She'd followed Buffy into the
school, drawn there by James. They'd acted out the final moments of two
lovers and then. then it had changed, Buffy's shot had missed because of
Angelus' entrance and instead of Willow the vampire had gone over the
railing.

For the first time she noticed Buffy standing next to her. The look on
her face was unreadable as she slowly turned and slowly moves back into
the hall. Willow heard her murmuring. "I killed her. My Grace, my love."


The doors closed behind the slayer and Willow hurriedly got back to her
feet. The shooting of the gun had startled her so much that she had
tripped backwards, landing on the floor of the balcony. She looked over
the railing a shudder going through her body as she thought what could
have happened to her had she been standing a few steps closer to the
railing.

She saw Angelus on the steps. He seemed dead, but she since she knew
that that was usually the case for him, she did not judge his potential
danger by his appearance. Just as the thought passed through her mind
she saw him stir. She had to warn Buffy. She quickly turned and followed
her friend through the door.

"Buffy! Where did you go?" she called, but the only answer she got were
the lyrics of an old song.

My love must be a kind of blind love
I can't see anyone but you

"Oh my god, the music room! Buffy still thinks she is James, she's going
to kill herself." With that startling realisation the redhead started to
run.

~*~

Buffy stared at the gun. Everything else vanished. She needed to end it.
Be a man and face the consequences of your actions like her father
always said. Slowly she raised the gun.

~*~

Angelus woke up slowly. He felt disorientated. For a moment he'd been
possessed and he knew it. He could still feel the traces of the ghost's
mind in his body. His soulless body convulsed at the amount of love that
he had felt just a minute ago. With a cry of hatred and disgust he ran
off into the night to do something really violent until he felt better.

~*~

The moment Angelus woke fully and had shaken the remains of his ghost
possession Willow felt how her mind's freedom was taken away from her
again, but there was nothing she could do. Without stopping she ran to
the music room to safe her beloved James.

~*~

"Grace!" Buffy shouted as the doors opened to reveal the panting woman.

"Don't do this," her lover pleaded, but Buffy was too confused to
understand the words. She could only stammer.

"But-but I killed you."

Grace closed the distance between them and gently pried Buffy's hands
off the gun. "It was an accident. It wasn't your fault." Grace's voice
was calm and soothing and Buffy felt how she was drawn to the lips she'd
tasted so many times.

"Oh, it *is* my fault. How could I..." she protested weakly, still
unable to let go of her guilt.

~*~

Willow felt James' guilt and despair. It was her fault for letting him
believe that he was not worthy of her love, that he had indeed lost her.

"Shhh. I'm the one who should be sorry, James. You thought I stopped
loving you. But I never did. I loved you with my last breath."

James started sobbing and Willow could feel how he let go of his guilt
about her death. There was only one thing left to do.

"Shhh... No more tears."

She leaned in and her lips were met half-way.

~*~

James kissed Grace and drowned in her love. It cleansed him and he fell
into her as she fell into him. Their souls merged as they expressed a
love that had suffered for nearly half a century. The room glowed as
their love finally set them free.

~*~

They continued kissing as they felt their ghostly possessions leave them
free. Innocent close-mouthed kisses were exchanged as Willow allowed
Buffy to heal - to take comfort, to be weak, to be needy and to be lost
and to just be.

Buffy gently broke the kiss and looked at her best friend. "How?"

"I was drawn to you. Just like James needed forgiveness from Grace you
needed it, too. No matter how many times we told you that what has
happened to Angel wasn't your fault. you never really believed us, did
you?"

"No," Buffy admitted. "I always felt that by loving me he was somehow
poisoned- it's stupid, really."

Willow smiled serenely at her and then leaned in to kiss the blonde
softly on the lips again. After the quick peck Willow's hands came up to
hold Buffy's face. "Take it from somebody who loves you: There's nothing
poisonous about your love or about loving you. Loving you is the most
precious thing to me."

Buffy gasped, "How do you always know what to say?"

"I look at you and I love you and then I know."

"When did this happen?"

"When did what happen?" Willow asked and smoothed Buffy's hair back.

"When did I fall in love with you? My feelings for Angel were so.
intense. How could something like this happen without my knowledge?
First I loved Angel and now I hate Angelus. but you. You inspire
feelings in me- it's indescribable."

"I know, baby. I feel the same way," Willow admitted.

"But you seem so strong, so calm. I'm about to fall apart, Willow. I
don't know what to do." Buffy let her head fall forward so it rested
against Willow's shoulder and started crying softly.

"Hush, Buffy. There's no need to feel lost. I don't know what to do
either. All I know is that this is right. Don't you feel it?" She
wrapped her arms around the frightened girl, for once being the one who
protected and not the one who needed protection.

"Yeah," came the muffled reply and Buffy's arms rose to encircle
Willow's slim waist. They stood in each other embrace for long blissful
minutes. There was no space between their bodies until Buffy leaned back
to search Willow's eyes hesitantly.

"Tell me," Willow encouraged her.

"Can I kiss you again?" Buffy dashed through the question as she was
afraid to lose her nerve in the middle of it. 

"Of course." The last syllable had barely left her mouth as Buffy closed
the space between their lips. This time they left 'innocent' far behind
them. Neither was sure when they'd opened their mouths, but both enjoyed
the way their tongues brushed against each other. Their bodies became as
entangled as their mouths were as hands found their ways under clothing
to touch soft flesh.

"We have to stop," Willow moaned after she'd almost painfully pulled her
mouth from Buffy's.

"Too fast?" Buffy asking between panting breaths. 

"No. Giles and the other will be here soon. I need to talk to Oz before
we can tell them. Is that okay?" the redhead asked as she withdrew her
hand from under Buffy's top.

"Oh god, Oz! I forgot about him. Willow, I'm sorry. I never should have
kissed you! I didn't mean to ruin-"

"Buffy! As I recall there was quite a lot of kissing going on and you
couldn't have done it all your own. I need to talk to Oz. I like him and
given time I'm sure I could fall in love with him, if I had ever gotten
over you, that is." She winked at Buffy and the blonde audibly sighed.

"I just feel like all I do is taking from you while you give and give
and give. Willow are you sure about this?"

"Even if I wasn't Buffy: I have no choice. My heart has made its
decision and all I can do is hope it has chosen a place were it's safe.
Right now I feel very safe. Let's go find the others and tell them that
we're all right, then we'll go home, okay?"

Buffy nodded and slowly they each took a step back until their bodies
had separated, except for their clasped hands that seemed to stubbornly
remain interlocked.

With a soft tug, Willow encouraged Buffy to follow her and the two made
their way to their friends.

The End.

~*~