FIC: Off Course (2/7)

["Kimber" <kacoe@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

All previous disclaimers apply.

Chapter 2

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She saw the shadow move slightly and froze. Stalked. She knew she was being
stalked. And in a graveyard with, regrettably, no stake or holy water or
cross or anything. Good thing this wasn't the usual type of stalking where
there was running and dust and general havoc involved.

Willow rolled her eyes and muttered, "Wonderful." She turned around slowly
as if feigning loss of direction, muttered something incoherent, and a body
landed at her feet with a great thud.

A large body.

With dark brown hair and, "Nice to see you too, Will." Came the familiar
voice. "Think you could just yell out ?who's there?? next time?"

Xander smirked and stood with all the dignity he could manage after being
unceremoniously dumped in front of the red headed Wicca.

"Xander." Willow's eyes narrowed at her best friend "What are you doing
here?"

"I think I'll be asking myself that same question tomorrow when I wake up
sore." He rubbed the back of his head to emphasize the point. "Buffy sent
me. She was worried." He looked at her then dropped his head subtly. Kicking
at nothing in particular on the ground, he added softly. "We all are."

Willow tried to scowl, but it came off as more of a smirk. She crossed her
arms in front of herself and responded. "I'm fine, Xander. Really."

"Then what are you doing walking around a graveyard in the middle of the
night with no weapons?" He quirked his eyebrows up when he saw her get into
a defensive stance. "Don't. . .stand like that at me, Will. I know you. I
know you have the wiccy stuff on your side, but still. You're better safe
than sorry. Ya know?" He put on the full puppy-dog face for her.

She softened a bit. "I know, and," She stopped mid thought. It was crazy, he
was right. It was totally insane to be out here at this hour with no form of
protection other than spells. Especially since things had been so quiet.
Deathly quiet for weeks now. "Why not walk me back to the house?" She tilted
her head and smiled. "I'm done here." She gestured behind her.

His eyes couldn't help but go to where she'd gestured. The grave. The
headstone. All the fear and helplessness she must have felt. . . he suddenly
felt it too and was embarrassed for having intruded on her in the middle of
it. "I'm sorry, Will. I shouldn't have,"

"It's okay Xander. Really." She automatically took his hand and they walked
out of the cemetery in silence.

The headstone of Tara McClay stood against the full moonlight, sheltered
under a willow tree.

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Willow crept into the Summers' home and placed her keys on the table by the
door. She slid her shoes off and crept upstairs to check on Dawn. Once she
was satisfied Dawn was sound asleep, she crept back downstairs and towards
the back porch where she knew Buffy would be waiting.

Willow couldn't help but smile when she saw the Slayer. The screen door
opened with a moan and Buffy turned to regard the redhead. "Weaponless
much?"

Willow sighed and opted to sit down on the steps rather than the porch swing
next to Buffy. "I was fine, Buffy. You know that." She frowned a bit. "Why
do we always have to go through this?"

"We can stop going through it, Will, when you stop your death march every
month." Buffy responded a bit sharply. "Every month you wander off to that
graveyard without anything on you." Buffy got up and sat down next to her.
"Why?" She whispered.

Willow closed her eyes. She knew the Slayer still didn?t understand. "Buffy,
it's,"

"If you say it's complicated one more time, Will," She narrowed her eyes at
the Wicca. "What's so complicated about picking up a stake on your way out
of the house?"

"Buffy, I," She shook her head. Words were failing her once again. When Tara
was taken from them so suddenly. . .taken from her, she felt as if she'd
never be whole again. Then Willow was so stricken with grief she did what
she never thought she?d do. She turned against all of her friends and even
tried to end the world so as to end her own grief. In the months that
followed, Buffy, Dawn and Xander helped her cope. Dawn was amazing. She kept
Willow occupied with helping her with homework, teaching her the in's and
out's of geometry and physics. Buffy was great too, but a just a little
different. Stand offish. Distant. She didn't know what to make of it. Still
after all this time, it was a mystery. "I need to do things, my way, that?s
all. I don?t want to go there on my guard all the time. Besides, I have
magic on my side.? She shrugged. ?If you need confirmation of that why don?t
you go call Xander and ask him how his back is?? She turned to reguard the
Slayer. "I wish you would try to understand. Try to be my friend."

Buffy sighed. "I am your friend, Will. Your best friend." She reached her
hand out and placed it on top of Willows. "You know that, right?"

Willow nodded slightly and squeezed the slayer's hand. "I know." She
whispered quietly but broke the contact and distanced herself from the
Slayer. "Lets go to bed, okay? I'm tired and I have to be at the Magic Box
early tomorrow." She breathed in some fresh air and smiled at her friend.
"You all done with patrol?"

Buffy tried to rebound from the sudden loss of contact without showing the
Wicca it truely bothered her. "Patrol? What's that?" She scoffed. "This
place has been deader than deadville." The Slayer rose to her feet and
pulled the Wicca with her. "I suppose I should be thankful for the time off,
but we both know that something evil is just waiting to spring out of no
where while our guard is down. I think it's just a matter of time till we're
back on track."

Willow smiled. "That's my Buffy, cynical till the bitter end."

"Hey, I'm just being realistic." The Slayer shrugged as she opened the back
door for them to walk through. "And besides, I can't sit on my duff
forever." Buffy locked the door and turned again to reguard her friend. "You
okay?"

"Fine. I promise." The Wiccan responded. "Fine and. . .tired. I think I'm
gonna turn in."

Buffy nodded. "I'll go in a few. I promised Dawn I'd look over her homework
before I went to bed. And I still have to make her lunch."

"Have I told you lately how great of a 'mom' you've turned out to be?"
Willow commented warmly. "You've taken such good care of her."

"I've had some help you know."

"Well, allow me to be of some help again and remind you that your 'little'
sister is growing up fast and will be totally mortified if you pack her a
lunch." Willow smirked.

Buffy closed the refrigierator door and nodded. "Yeah, you're right. She'd
kill me. Bed then?"

Willow nodded and followed the Slayer up the stairs. Buffy took the room her
mother once had and Willow took Buffy's old room. It had been arranged after
Willow returned from England where she?d been studying with Giles and a
Coven.