Fic: Of Slayers and Angels Part 10/?

["frank_8281" <frank_8281@xxxxxxxxx>]

Part 10

Buffy's POV

Okay, Will's parents have been talking, and not in English, for 
almost ten minutes now and Willow's almost in tears!

"All right that's enough! Speak English please!"

That got their attention at least. Of course they're staring at me 
now like I've got three heads.

"Buffy&"

"No Will. If they wanna talk TO us it's gonna have to be in English 
so that we can all participate. Otherwise they're just talking ABOUT 
us and that is so not gonna work."

Willow's mother gives me a sour look but nods and says; "She's right 
Ira, we're not going to get anywhere if we exclude Bunny from our 
discussion."

God, is this woman EVER gonna remember my name!

"Mama, her name is Buffy not Bunny." Will says.

"Look, what exactly has got you so upset?" I ask.

Mr. Rosenberg answers; "Five days ago we received this in Prague. As 
soon as we saw the contents we cancelled the rest of our lectures and 
came home immediately."

He slides an envelope across the coffee table and several photographs 
slip out. Photos of Willow and I, in different places around 
Sunnydale. Holding hands, hugging, mostly kissing. Damn! I know 
Willow didn't want to tell her parents about us yet because she was 
afraid of their reaction and them finding out like this is only gonna 
make things worse. If I& WHEN I find out who sent these& I'm gonna 
pummel them into a greasy stain!

Willow's POV

I stare at the pictures for what seems like a long time. I look at 
Mama and Papa then at Buffy. She looks like she's going to explode 
any second. I take her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. 

"Is this true, Willow? Are you `involved' with this girl?" Papa asks.

Buffy opens her mouth to say something but I interrupt; "I'm in love 
with her Papa."

"Oh Willow!" Mama says disapprovingly.

"You know what the teachings of our people say about this& unnatural 
liaison don't you?"

"I know."

"Then you know that you cannot continue this relationship, that you 
must give her up."

"Never." I say softly.

"What did you say?" He snaps.

"I will NEVER give her up! Buffy is my everything! And nothing you 
can say or do will EVER change that Papa!"

He just sits there for a moment, a stunned expression on his face. 
Then he rises up out of the armchair, his face twisting in rage.

"You defy your Papa! Turn your back on your people! Your faith!"

He turns to Buffy before I can answer. "You! This is your doing! 
Before she met you Willow was a good girl! Not some obscene&"

Buffy's up and in his face before he can finish.

"That's enough! I don't give a damn who you are; NOBODY talks to my 
Willow like that! I love your daughter Mr. Rosenberg and I fully 
intend to spend the rest of my life trying to make her happy. And if 
you can't handle that I'm sorry. But Willow is my life, my heart and 
soul and I won't let ANYONE hurt her."

Papa looks past Buffy at me and says; "Willow, if you persist in this 
relationship you will no longer be welcome in this house. Is that 
what you want?"

"Ira!" Mama wails

"No Sheila, if she wants to live here she must obey me in this. Well 
Willow?"

For an instant time seems to stop. Mama staring at Papa with a 
horrified look on her face. Papa staring at me with a disapproving 
glare. And Buffy looking at me out of the corner of her eye because 
the Slayer in her won't let her take her full attention off of a 
perceived threat. 

I stand up and take Buffy's hand in mine. "Papa, I'm sorry you feel 
that way. I'll have someone come pick up my things."

I feel a little numb as I lead Buffy out the door and down the 
street. She doesn't say anything at first and I can't say anything. 
If I do, the tears are gonna start and I don't know if I can make 
them stop.

Faith's POV

> From the look on Red's face her parents must've finally gotten my 
little `care package'. About time, I only sent the fuckin' thing 
three weeks ago! Wish I could have been a fly on that wall. I am so 
glad that I swung by that place where Red and B went in last night. I 
wouldn't have missed this for anything! I got there just as they got 
in the cab. Thought I was gonna lose `em for sure. But I just managed 
to keep `em in sight long enough to figure out where they were goin'. 
Then I ran through the back alleys until I got here to the cemetery 
down the street from Red's house. Her old man called `em into the 
house just as I got settled in my perch in the tree. 

I've been up here before. Watchin Red's house. Got a couple of
different places around here I can watch from. One with a really good 
view of the living room but they're too close with B there. She'd 
know I was here and that would spoil the surprise. I've even been in 
the house before. That's how I found out where to mail the pictures. 
Awfully nice of them to leave that calendar complete with mailing 
addresses on the fridge.

Buffy's POV

Willow hasn't let go of my hand since we left her house. She hasn't 
said anything either. I'm afraid she might be in shock. I remember 
how I felt when Mom kicked me out last year. Well, when I let myself 
stop long enough to feel, anyway. Of course by that time I was in 
L.A. I'm really hoping Will says something soon. Cause she's starting 
to scare the hell out of me.

"Willow, we need to turn soon, if we're going to my house that is?"

Still no answer, but she turned, in the right direction even. So at 
least she can hear me, that's a good sign. Isn't it? I wish she'd say 
something!

"Will, Baby, you're starting to give me the wiggins here. Can you say 
something, please?"

For long moments she doesn't answer, then so softly that even with 
Slayer hearing I almost miss it she says; "Not yet."

Willow's POV

It's all I can do to keep going. One foot in front of the other. I 
almost miss the turn to Buffy's house but she reminds me.

"Willow, we need to turn soon, if we're going to my house that is."

I don't answer but I make the turn. After what feels like a long time 
she speaks to me again.

"Will, Baby, your starting to give me the wiggins here. Can you say 
something please?"

I don't answer right away cause I'm afraid I might be sick if I do. 
But finally I whisper; "Not yet."

Finally we reach Buffy's house and go inside. Then for some reason 
the floor comes up and slaps me in the face.

Buffy's POV

Neither of us says a word the rest of the way to my house. I keep 
glancing at Will but I can't read her expression. It's sort of a 
cross between her `resolve face' and `please god don't let me puke'! 
Then we get to my house, she opens the door we go inside and her eyes 
roll back in her head and she faints! I try to catch her but she goes 
from upright and mobile to boneless on the floor so fast that I'm 
caught off guard.

"Shit! Mom!" I yell as I drop to the floor and pull Willow into my 
lap. "Oh God! She's ice cold." 

"Buffy? What's wrong. What happened to Willow?"

"I don't know. Her parents& they found out& about us, she wouldn't 
leave me when they told her to. And her dad he& Mom, he told her that 
if she didn't give me up she couldn't live there anymore! Then we 
came here and she just collapsed! Mom, she's so cold!"

Joyce's POV

I feel Willow's forehead and she's very cold and clammy. From what 
Buffy just said she's probably in shock. Being kicked out by her 
parents must have been horribly& traumatic. I glance guiltily at 
Buffy, remembering my own less than stellar reaction when I found out 
Buffy was the Slayer.

"Buffy, I'm going to call Mr. Giles. Right now we have to keep Willow 
warm. Can you take her upstairs and put her into bed?"

She nods her head in answer, then stands up still holding Willow and 
carries her effortlessly up the stairs. I don't think I'll ever get 
used to how strong she is. Well I've got to call Mr. Giles and we've 
got to work out a plan to deal with Willow's situation. 

Buffy's POV

I carry Will up to my room and get her under the covers. I crawl into 
bed next her and pull her into my arms. Rocking her gently I smooth 
her hair away from her face and whisper into her ear,

"It's gonna be alright Will. It's gonna be okay, I promise. Just wake 
up Willow, please just wake up and come back. Oh Will, please come 
back to me."

We lay there for a long time and finally she begins to stir.

"Will, Baby? Please, Wake up."

"Um, Buffy?" Thank you God! She's awake!

"Will? How do you feel Baby?" I ask.

"Buffy, how did we get in your bed?" 

Uh oh, that doesn't sound good. Fortunately Mom chooses that moment 
to poke her head around my door.

"Buffy I& oh Willow, you're awake! How do you feel sweetie?" She 
crosses the room to sit on the edge of the bed and feel Will's 
forehead.

"Well, you certainly don't feel as clammy as you did downstairs. Do 
you remember what happened?"

"Mom&" I start but Will interrupts me.

"No, Buffy. I remember most of it. My parents, their ultimatum, you 
jumping up to protect me and them kicking me out. How we got here, 
I'm a little fuzzy on." She says.

We sit up in the bed and I put my arm around her shoulders. Willow 
looks down at her lap.

"Well, you lead me here, you barely said two words, and as soon as we 
got in the door, you passed out. That's about the it. Are you sure 
you're okay Willow? I don't mind saying, you passing out gave me a 
maxi wig."

She said softly, "I'm okay." With the chin trembling and the tears 
welling up in her eyes. Yeah, she's fine.

"Baby, that is not the sound of `okay Willow'."

And that's all it takes. She throws her arms around my neck, buries 
her face in my chest and starts to sob. I put my arms around her and 
whisper soothing noises in her ear till she calms down enough to talk.

"Oh, Buffy, w-what am I-I  g-gonna d-do? My p-parents h-HATE me!"

Mom sees the look on my face and jumps in before I can tell Willow 
what I think about them right now.

"Willow, honey, they don't hate you."

Will looks at her. "They don't?"

"No, sweetie. They're a little& confused right now, that's all."

"You& you don't understand. Right now, they're probably calling all 
our relatives and& and t-telling them I-I'm&" She starts sobbing 
again like her hearts been ripped out and trampled on. And that's the 
LEAST I'm gonna do to whoever caused my Willow to be hurt like this!

"What, Baby? What are they telling your family?" I ask.

She looks up at me through tear filled eyes and says softly. "That 
I'm dead."

"What! Will, that doesn't make any sense! Why would they&" Mom puts 
her hand on my arm and shakes her head.

"It's their religion isn't it Willow?" She asks.

Will nods her head. "In the Jewish faith, if a child goes against the 
teachings of the torah. The family, if the transgression is serious 
enough, can basically declare that person dead in the eyes of God. 
They go through all the rituals of mourning. Some even have funerals. 
And the rest of the family is forbidden to speak to the person or 
have any contact with them at all."

As she explains the enormity of the consequences of this afternoons 
confrontation it finally sinks in just what Willow gave up for me and 
I can't let it happen. My heart sinks as I realize that she has given 
up her WHOLE family for ME! And I won't let her do it. It's just too 
much.

I get off the bed and go to the window. I can't look at her as I 
say; "Willow, go home."

"Buffy?" God, she sounds so hurt!

"Go home Will." My voice cracks. "Tell him he was right and you were 
w-wrong. Tell him you won't see me any more. Maybe he won't&"

I can't talk any more. The only reason I'm still upright is because 
I'm hanging onto the window frame with all the strength I can muster. 
I feel a hand on my shoulder but I don't turn around. Cause if I do 
I'll wrap my arms around her and I won't be able to let her go. She 
wraps her arms around my waist and puts her chin on my shoulder.

"Hey." She says. I don't answer. I can't. I don't trust my voice.

"I told them, now I'm telling you, so you better be listening. I. 
Will. Never. Give. You. Up. Never, Buffy. You're my everything. 
Nothing they or anyone else can do to us will EVER change that!"

Somehow I find my voice. "I can't let you, not for me. I'm not&"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence Buffy! You are the other half of 
me. And I can't live without you. I don't care if I end up living in 
a cardboard box! I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you no 
matter what anyone thinks."

I turn and put my arms around her. "Have I told you lately how much I 
love you Willow Rosenberg?"

She looks thoughtful for a moment. "Uh huh. Just now, when you tried 
to do what you thought was best for me. Just remember next time that 
you ARE what's best for me. You hear me, Missy?"

"Yes ma'am! I love it when you get all commandery on me Will."

I pull Willow towards me for a kiss, but "Ahem." Oops! Forgot Mom was 
still in the room.

"As much as I hate to interrupt this tender moment. We still have 
some things to talk about. I spoke to Rupert earlier, and he says he 
knows of a family court judge that might be able to help us." Rupert? 
Since when is my Mom on a first name basis with Giles.

"Help us how, Mrs. Summers?" Will asks.

"Please, honey call me Joyce. Well, he thinks that we can have the 
court appoint me your legal guardian. That way you can stay here and 
still go to school. If that's all right that is."

Will looks at my mother with tears welling up in her eyes and lunges 
across the room at her crying all over again. This time though, she's 
crying happy tears. And I stand there watching my mother hold my 
lover and I try to hold back my own tears of rage. One thought runs 
through my mind over and over. I am gonna kill whoever the FUCK did 
this to my Willow and I'm gonna make it HURT!

TBC&





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Willow: "It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."
Buffy:  "I kinda love you."
                     'Choices'

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