FIC: Off Course (1/7)

["Kimber" <kacoe@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi.

Remember me???? ::snicker::

-----

TITLE: Off Course
AUTHOR: Kimber (kacoe@xxxxxxxxxxx)
DISCLAIMER: All BTVS characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
Grr, argh.
SUMMARY: This diverges sometime in the future. No big baddies around
really. It?s mostly an angst filled relationship fic. ::evil grin:: And
you?d expect less from me in what lifetime???
SPOILERS: Everything. Plus my own plot deviances from season 7.
AUTHORS NOTE: This is my first attempted fic for anything having to do with
Season 7. . .or anything at all for that matter. Geez, it's been a long
time since I've written, hasn't it?? ::shrug::

-----

Chapter 1

-----

Dawn, Willow and Buffy sat in silence through breakfast, Buffy reading the
paper, Dawn going over her homework, and Willow eating a muffin and watching
the news on T.V.

"Hey, Buff?"

"Hmm? What is it Dawn?" Buffy responded without looking up from the paper.

"Would you and Willow mind if I walked to school today?"

Buffy looked up. "No. As long as Willow doesn't mind." The Slayer looked at
the wiccan for a response.

The phone rang and Willow rose to answer it. She had a perplexed expression
on her face when she came back to the table. "That was Xander. Anya doesn't
feel well, and since it's Friday, he wanted to know if she could take off.?
She shrugged then smiled. ?We may as well not open and then go in early
tomorrow. I deserve a day off every once in a while. "

"Yes you do.." Dawn smiled. "So, I can walk to school with my friends and
you two can hang out all day. Just like old times."

Before Buffy or Willow had the chance to object or process the information,
Dawn had her bookbag on her back and was at the door. "Love ya both!" The
door shut behind her.

"That was odd." Buffy scratched her head.

"To say the least, yeah." Willow agreed. "So no troubled teens to council
today??

"Actually, I took a personal day today. I have a date with three loads of
laundry, then there's the food mart for this weeks groceries, then I was
gonna give Giles a call around four, which is, uh, eleven his time. I
think." Buffy scratched her head. "I never can get the time difference
right."

"Oh." Was Willow's response. "Well, guess I'll go upstairs and read a book.
Or something." She half smiled and walked out of the kitchen.

Buffy kicked herself internally as she watched Willow climb the stairs. Dawn
was right. They should spend some quality time together. It had been such a
long time since it was just the two of them. So then why was Buffy all about
avoidance and less about bonding time with her best friend?

Without thinking about it any longer, Buffy strode up the steps and knocked
on Willow's door. When there wasn't an answer she opened the door slowly.
"Will?"

"Yeah, Buff?"

"Um. Either I need glasses or. . .where are you?" Buffy looked around the
room, perplexed.

Willow floated down in front of the Slayer. "Right here." She smiled.

"When looking for my best friend, trying the ceiling first does not fall
into the top five places to look." Buffy smirked.

Willow smiled warmly at that sentiment. She couldn?t remember the last time
Buffy refered to her as that.

"You should do that more often, Will."

"What?"

"Smile." The Slayer stated simply.

Willow shrugged and cast her eyes downward, a little embarassed. "So. Did
you need me for something?"

"Well, I was thinking, as I'm prone to do sometimes," Buffy began to pace a
little, "You know, having a brain and all and. . .I was thinking about what
Dawn said earlier and she's right, not that she's always right, I mean, that
would be like breaking a rule or something, you know, having a little sister
who's right all the time, and,"

"Buffy." Willow placed her hand on the Slayer's shoulder to stop her from
wearing a track in the carpet. "As much as I appreciate the great
impersonation, mind telling me what's up? Without the babblfest?"

The Slayer blushed. "Dawn. She said we should spend time together. Like we
used to. She's right." Buffy looked up at the Wiccan and smiled. "We haven't
been for ice cream or mochas or even had a halfway decent conversation in a
while." She shrugged. "I miss it." The normally brave Slayer ducked her head
a bit and whispered. ?I miss you.?

Willow was at the very least speachless. She wasn?t sure what to do or say
especially since she and Buffy had generally gone about their lives without
each other lately. ?Buffy, I. . .? She breathed deeply a moment. ?Sure. We
could, um, do something together if you want.?

?Yeah? You sure you don?t have anything else planned?? The Slayer looked
hopeful.

?Positive. Just let me grab my jacket.?

--------------

They had spent that entire day together shopping, going for iced cream and
mochas and even stopped by Xander's apartment to drop off some hot tea to
Anya. It was a very long and unsupernatural day, and neither could remember
the last time they had a day like that.

Willow had excused herself after they got back claiming she had forgotten to
do something while they were out. Buffy didn't think anything of it until
Dawn came home from her study group.

?Hey.? Dawn greeted her sister. ?Where?s Willow??

?She left a while ago.? Buffy peered out the kitchen window. ?She?s been
gone a few hours. I?m getting worried.? She turned to Dawn. ?I think I?m
gonna go find her.?

Dawn nodded and walked to the refrigerator. As she reached for the handle
she stopped and looked up at the calendar. ?Buffy. Do you remember what
today is??

Buffy walked over to her sister shaking her head. She looked to where Dawn
was pointing. ?Oh, god. How could I forget.?

The phone rang and Dawn picked it up. ?Buffy, it?s Xander. He?s looking for
Willow.?

Buffy took the phone from her sister. ?Xand. Yeah, she left like three hours
ago. I know, I know. I totally forgot. Yeah, call me when you find her.
Thanks.?

?Xander?s gonna go look for her. He called to see if she wanted company to.
. .? The Slayer sighed.

?Go visit Tara?s grave.? Dawn finished quietly.

?I?ll stay here in case she comes back.? Buffy said equally quietly and
returned to the window.

TBC...