Re: FIC: Never Free VIII

["bslayedw" <bslayed@xxxxxxx>]

So glad to see an update on this story! Looks like Willow is getting 
close to figuring out what's going on with Buffy. Update again soon!





--- In buffywantswillow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Jophes" <xenarip13@...> 
wrote:
>
> Please see part one for all disclaimers.
> 
> 
> Never Free VIII
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Kennedy left you and ended up with Faith?what happened to 
Robin?"  
> Buffy almost chokes on the last bite of her chicken.
> 
> "Buffy?please don't say anything?" Willow warns cautiously.
> 
> "No, I wasn't going to?I just don't understand."  Buffy holds her 
> hands up in surrender.
> 
> "Well, Robin was just Robin.  He wanted something Faith didn't.  
For 
> Faith, men are simply a fun ride?truth is most of the time women 
were 
> too, but sometimes she could get attached.  There have been two 
times 
> she has fallen in love and the second one loves her back."  Willow 
> begins explaining.
> 
> "Okay, first?that's not what I don't understand.  I don't 
understand 
> Kennedy leaving you for Faith.  I mean yeah Faith is with the 
wicked 
> hot and a great slayer, but she's not?well?just not your 
quality."  
> Buffy whispers the last part.
> 
> Blushing, Willow looks away, "Thank you, but it wasn't Kennedy's 
> fault.  I pushed her away like I did everyone.  She couldn't take 
the 
> distance.  She couldn't handle that I couldn't love her the way 
she 
> deserved.  She did the right thing for herself by leaving and 
> apparently for Faith.  I am happy for them.  They have both earned 
> that kind of love."
> 
> "Yeah?I suppose so?I just don't get what was so important that you 
> had to push her away?"
> 
> "You."  Willow says without hesitation, "You were that important 
to 
> us all?Faith left after you did and then Kennedy went with her.  
> Faith was hurting without you...she chose to fill your spot in 
Italy 
> instead of here."
> 
> "I?I didn't?Faith hurting?"  Buffy stammers.
> 
> "She loved you, Buffy, but she was willing to let go of you and 
now 
> she and Kennedy are happy.  It has all worked out.  You have no 
idea 
> how you affect people do you?"  Willow shakes her head.
> 
> "I shouldn't have?I don't deserve?.I can't do anything to make any 
of 
> this right?"
> 
> "Do you want to make it right, Buffy?  Do you want to?do want to 
> change how it is?"  Willow looks into the slayer's luminous blue 
eyes.
> "Oh, Willow?.you have no idea how I wish things were?how I wish I 
> could change so much," Buffy rasps out, "Look at me?.look at you?I 
> think constantly of how we could be?what we have both lost?what I 
> threw away?but I can't change any of it?"  Buffy heaves forward 
with 
> a wracking dry sob.
> 
> "Buffy, don't cry?please?you're here now?please?please?"  Willow 
> wants to hold her friend, but doesn't dare move to her.
> 
> "I can't cry Willow?it's another new change.  I can't even shed 
tears 
> for the pain I have caused."  Buffy puts her head down on the 
table.
> 
> "You don't have to cry, Buffy.  I can feel your pain?please stay 
and 
> let me help you?please don't leave me again."  Willow feels her 
> cheeks are wet, but she knows she is really crying the slayer's 
tears 
> not her own.
> 
> Buffy lifts her head and looks deep into Willow, "I keep hurting 
you?
> I don't want to do that?I don't want to hurt the others?I don't 
want 
> to go, but I may have to."
> 
> "I know.  I feel it."  Willow reaches her hand out, but doesn't 
try 
> to touch the blonde.
> 
> "Is it too late, Willow?"  Buffy reaches out toward the red-head's 
> hand, but doesn't touch it.
> 
> "I don't know Buffy, but goddess I hope not."  Willow watches as 
the 
> slayer nods and stands walking away.
> 
> "You reached something inside her Red."  Spike pops up behind the 
> witch.
> 
> "Damn it Spike."  Willow turns to him, "Tell me the truth and stop 
> with the cryptic.
> 
> "I can't?I'm sorry.  She is so close to telling you.  Keep 
chipping 
> at her pet, but hurry.  She has her own timetable."  Spike blinks 
out.
> 
> Willow closes her eyes against the 
> confusion.  `Spike...Buffy...sacrifice?death?'  Willow's mind 
> swirls.  `Why can't I put it together?  Balance?is something to do 
> with balance?but what has caused the imbalance?'  Willow rises 
> clearing the dishes from the table.
> 
> "Balance?"  Willow muses out loud, "Buffy died and I brought her 
back 
> creating the imbalance that allowed the First to come forth?but 
what 
> imbalance exists now?"
> 
> "Imbalance?"  Giles questions as he comes up out of the 
> basement, "What were you saying, Willow?"  Giles removes his 
glasses 
> to clean them.
> 
> Willow catches his nervous tick, `I'm onto something that he 
already 
> knows.'  Willow watches the watcher sit at the kitchen table.
> 
> "Something is not right with Buffy.  It doesn't take a genius to 
> figure that out, but I feel something is not adding up.  There is 
> more of an imbalance of power coming from the slayer than I have 
ever 
> felt before?a deep pain?darkness, but I have no idea what is 
causing 
> it.  I feel death?somewhere death is involved, but it can't be the 
> imbalance that we created when we?when I pulled her from heaven?so 
> what death?"  Willow lets flow from her to Giles.
> 
> "Imbalance?that is a good theory."  Giles says guardedly. "Buffy 
is 
> obviously carrying something dark to be changed as much as she is, 
> but death.  I couldn't begin to fathom what death would have to do 
> with this."
> 
> "I?everything about the balance of the slayer's powers revolve 
around 
> death just the same as good and evil.  It all has to do with 
death, 
> Giles.  Whether it is as a calling, an ending?a price?a price."  
> Willow stops abruptly.
> 
> "It is an interesting theory."  Giles smiles at the witch, "I 
can't 
> wait to hear the rest when you have it put together."  
> 
> `She is so close.  I hope she figures it out then she will have a 
> chance at truly helping Buffy and keeping her here with us.'  
Giles 
> watches as Willow leaves the kitchen deep in thought.
> 
> Outside, Buffy sits on the steps again watching the sun lower in 
the 
> sky.  `I don't want it to be too late, Willow.  I want nothing 
more 
> than to stay here and be with you if you would have me.  I would 
stay 
> here and be nothing more than your friend if that is all there is 
for 
> us, but I can't.  I can't bring this evil to you.  I can't let the 
> world lose you.  There are plenty of slayers now to save the 
world.  
> I made sure you did that and the least that I can do is take this 
> evil back to hell.  Then, the life debt will be paid and the 
balance 
> will be restored and perhaps if I am lucky I will get to watch 
over 
> you as you live out your days.'  Buffy dips her head into her head 
> into her hands as the sun dips behind the trees.
> 
> "Buffy, the girls are ready to go patrolling with you.  Do you 
want 
> me to send them out?" Dawn calls out the door.
> 
> Buffy pulls her hair back into a pony tail, stands with a deep 
> sigh, "Yeah, let's get rolling.  The faster they learn, the better 
> off they will be."
> 
> The blonde slayer watches as the girls come out with stakes and 
other 
> weapons.  As the last slayerette comes through the door, Buffy 
shakes 
> her head when the red head walks out the door as well.
> 
> "Where do you think you are going?"  Buffy demands.
> 
> "I am going to watch the girls patrol."  Willow answers coolly. 
> 
> "I don't think so.  Your strength isn't what it should be yet."
> 
> "Buffy, I don't think you have any right to tell me what I can and 
> cannot do.  Also, if my strength is so low, then I will just have 
to 
> count on you to protect me won't I."  Willow walks down the steps 
> past the slayer, "It will be like the old times.  You won't let 
> anything hurt me."
> 
> "Never."  The one word answer sends a brief shiver down the 
witch's 
> spine as Buffy comes down the steps to lead them into the night.
> 
> TBC
>




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

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