Disclaimers - The characters of Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles and others from the show belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. No copyright infringement was intended.

Chapter 1

Bittersweet Memories

Buffy lay sprawled across Giles big overstuffed couch watching Willow at the desk Giles had set up for her and her computer.

Willow was in deep research mode, pounding away at the keyboard and staring intently at the glowing screen, the printer humming steadily reproducing the information Willow was finding in her boundless cyber-universe.

Sometimes Buffy found herself getting jealous of the time Willow spent with her computer it was hard not to, it was the only time that it seemed Willow forgot she existed. She shifted uneasily at her feelings.

<Get a grip girl.> she told herself. <>It's just a machine for gods sake.>

Buffy settled back and relaxed knowing it would be hours before she'd be able to pry ‘Computer Girl’ away from her workstation. She smiled lovingly at the petite redhead, to Buffy everything Willow did was adorable. She lay back and closed her eyes thinking of how much their lives had changed in the last three months. <It's funny,> she thought. <We thought it was tough admitting how we felt to each other, boy were we wrong.>

The first hurdle had been explaining their relationship to the gang but as it turned out the only one the least bit surprised was Giles. Everyone else's reaction had more or less about time. Apparently everybody knew how they felt about each other long before they'd realized it themselves.

***“Is that all you got us here for?” Cordelia said, “That's so old news, people don't even talk about it anymore.”

“What do you mean ‘old news’ ” Buffy asked more than a little perturbed by the strange turn of events.

“Well for one thing the two of you have been so gooey eyed over each other that even Giles noticed.” Cordelia laughed ignoring Xander's elbow nudging her in the ribs, “and you know if it's not written in some old dusty book Giles doesn't see it. I mean look how long it's taking him to realize that he and Buffy's mom have the hots for each other.”

“Cordy please!” Xander yelled at his tactless girlfriend trying to save the man any further embarrassment. “Nobody made you the ‘love police’.”

Giles was so shocked and flustered he couldn't speak.

“What are you talking about?” Buffy exclaimed “Giles and my mother, really?”

“That is neither here nor there.” Giles spoke up trying to regain some control over the conversation, “What Joyce and I feel or do not feel for each other is not the issue at here, the issue at hand is Buffy and Willow and how they want to deal with their relationship.”

“I think what the G-man is tryin' to say is,” Xander said attempting to translate, “now that you two have finally figured out how you feel about each other, which I think is great might I add. Are you going to try to hide it or are you going to out yourselves before someone does it for you?"

“Precisely,” Giles agreed, “If you are going to live your lives out in the open, then I would urge you to inform your parents first if for no other reason than respect for their feelings. This is not something they should learn from someone else.”

“Oh goddess.” Willow gasped “I forgot all about my parents.”

“Don't worry Will.” Xander reassured her almost too cheerfully “We're here for ya'.”

“Quite so.” Giles spoke up. “We ALL will give you what ever support you need.”

Giles and Xander both gave Cordelia a dirty look.

“Of course WE are,” she said defensively.

“Oh great,” Buffy muttered under her breath “With Cordy on our side how can we win.”***

Not all their friends had been quite so understanding. While Buffy didn't have many ‘friends’ to begin with, many of the people she had become friendly with since starting college suddenly didn't seem to remember who she was or had pressing business else where every time she was around. Some even made the mistake of getting aggressively hostile over the subject, a mistake they never made twice.

People she didn't even know would stare at her when she went by like she had two heads or something and she swore if she heard the words ‘fucking dyke’ whispered behind her back one more time she was going to hurt someone bad.

But as bad as it was for Buffy, it was many times worse for Willow. People that had been her friends since grade school had turned their backs on her. Buffy had spent several nights sitting up holding Willow while she wept over some mean spirited hurtful comment one of her supposed friends had said.

That was the time that it took every bit of restraint both Buffy and Xander had, to keep them from hunting the jerk down and giving them the beating they so richly deserved, but Willow wouldn't let them and she recruited Cordelia to help her, even though Cordy felt the same way they did.

She could understand why people would act that way about Buffy but even she couldn't figure out why anyone would hurt Willow on purpose. At the time Buffy couldn't see how things could get any worse for them.

She was wrong.

The next hurdle they decided to face was Buffy's mother. Taking advantage of Giles promise and his personal relationship with Joyce Summers they decided to have the conversation at Giles place, giving them a kind of home field advantage.

Buffy thought she'd remember that evening as long as she lived.

First the four of them went out for dinner then back to Giles townhouse for drinks.

*** “Have a seat Joyce.” Giles said indicating a large overstuffed leather chair, “Make yourself comfortable. Would you like something to drink?”

“A white wine would be nice Rupert if you have it.” She answered wearily.

“Certainly,” he said then turned to the two girls on the couch, “What would you two like, tea, soda, coffee?”

“A soda would be great.” Buffy said her voice actually cracking a little.

“Me too please.” Willow was so scared she squeaked.

When Giles had left the room Joyce turned to face her daughter and Willow.

“Alright you two,” she began “are you going t tell me what this is all about or do we sit here beating around the bush all night until I go crazy and beat the truth out of you. Before you answer remember you may be the high and mighty Slayer but I'm still your mother.”

They heard a glass break in the kitchen so they knew Giles had heard. The girls sat in stunned silence until Giles returned with their drinks and a large glass of scotch for himself, he foresaw a long night ahead.

Buffy took a long drink from her coke and a tight grip on Willow's hand.

“Well mom…you see..I,..ah,..we…” Buff began unsteadily. “I mean Willow and I well,..ah…we've been friends for a long time.”

“Yes, this I already know,” Joyce said firmly “get on with it young lady what has happened.”

<This is definitely not the way I planed this> Buffy thought frowning slightly, <Why can't I just say it.> “Just a minute, let me finish,” Buffy pleaded. “This isn't easy for me mom.”

Her mother heard the desperation in her daughter's voice and sat back trying not to push her too hard.

“Okay like I said,” Buffy began again. “We've been friends for a long time and well no matter how much stupid stuff I've done, running away, getting in trouble, blowing up stuff, even dating a vampire, and getting her hurt, Willow has always been there for me, taking care of me comforting me never judging me just backing me up and giving support and...”

“And Buffy's always done whatever she could for me too.” Willow added “So...”

She looked to Buffy and Joyce could see the love in that look and deep down she already knew where this was going.

“So,” Buffy took back over, “So while we didn't mean to, I mean nobody does this on purpose it's too hard, they'd have to be a moron to do this on purpose, what I'm trying to say is that sometime while all this was going on our feelings for each other changed, kind of evolved into something more than just best friends. What I'm trying to say is Willow and I…we…I mean,..she and I..”

“Love each other.” Joyce finished for her daughter.

Buffy could almost feel the silence that fell over the room at her mother's words. No one said anything for what seemed a very long time, the only sound any of them heard was their own heart beat pounding in their chest. “I wish..ah well..we..” Buffy stammered, then she stopped and took a deep breath.

<Get a grip girl!> she told hersel.f <Your the Slayer damn it, you've faced demons from hell and legions of the undead and your afraid to tell your mother you've found your one true love.>

“Buffy?” Willow whispered.

“It's alright baby I got it covered.” Buffy reassured her. “That's right mother, we love each other. I know it's not what you wanted for me and you probably don't approve but I'm hoping you of all people can see past that.”

“Is it that important to you Buffy?” her mother asked a slight catch in her voice. “Are you sure that this is what you really want? I mean you've never given any indication that you were anything other than a heterosexual.”

“It's not that mom.” Buffy explained. “I'd love Willow whether she was male or female. I've thought alot about it and talked to Wills about it and I think I've figured it out.”

Buffy had hoped her mother would let it go at that and not force her to explain any further.

“Okay honey tell me,” Joyce said leaning forward trying desperately to understand her daughter's choices. “I really do want to understand.”

“Putting sex aside, because it's really not all that important.” Buffy began ignoring Giles' and her mother's raised eyebrows. “I fell in love with Willow the person, she's smart, she's kind, she's sweet, she's caring she listens when I need to talk, she talks when I need to hear someone's voice, and when I wake up in the middle of the night screaming from the nightmares with this god forsaken destiny it's Wills that holds me in her arms and lets me know I'm loved and none of the nightmares can hurt me cause my Wills is there to protect me.”

Buffy stopped unable to continue overwhelmed by the love she felt for the petite girl beside her. She put her face in her hands trying to hide her tears from her mother.

Willow put her arms around Buffy and pulled her close trying to comfort her. She began rocking Buffy slightly and gently stroking her hair as she felt Buffy's body tremble and shake wracked by uncontrollable sobs.

“Hush now Buffy” Willow crooned softly to the crying girl, just like she did when Buffy had her nightmares. “It'll be alright now your Wills is here. I've got you sweetheart nothing can hurt you now.”

Tears flowed freely from Buffy's mother's eyes as she watched the two girls across the room. The honest open love she saw between them caused an ache in her chest. She felt Giles come over and sit on the arm of her chair and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“You know it's true Joyce.” Giles said softly enough so that only she could hear. “Look at them, have you ever seen so much devotion between two people, no man could ever love her half as much as Willow does. I know, I have watched her go from one relationship to another trying to find exactly what she has right now with Willow.”

“I can see that Rupert” Joyce told him. “It's just hard for a parent to see their child setting themselves up for as much heartache as those two are headed for. People they thought were friends will turn their backs on them, even people in their own families will reject and ridicule them. Knowing that I can't protect her from that is tearing my heart out right now but I don't know what to do.”

“Listen Joyce,” Giles began again “all you can do without losing your daughter is accept her as she is and support her in any way possible. That is the best and most you can do. As for their friends, I am proud to say they count me in that group, and believe me for the most part their true friends not accept them, most of them knew that Buffy loved Willow before the girls knew themselves and the girls came out to them so to speak and so far there have been few changes.”

“Please Mrs. Summers” Willow said so softly she could barely be heard. “Please don't hate us and don't turn away from us. Buffy needs you, I need you, Buffy and I have talked about this a lot and we know we will face some bad times with the way people are and all. I'm not even sure my parents will be able to accept it but we thought we could count on you. You already know about destinies and we learned that this was all a part of our joint destiny we thought you'd understand.”

 Buffy's mother pushed herself out of her chair and rushed over to the two girls and fell to her knees in front of them and put her arms around them both. She held them not saying a word. The three women stayed like that for several moments and Giles took that as his cue to leave. He slipped quietly out of the living room and went to his study.

After several tries Joyce found her voice. “I could never hate either of you Willow.” Joyce sniffed “It was just, well…a shock is all. You guys kind of sprung this on me. I mean I came in here afraid that my daughter was dating another vampire or was pregnant by some creature of the night. Give me a little time okay. If I can get used to being the mother of the Chosen One, getting used to you two being together will be a piece of cake. All I ask is that you're sure this is what you want and that you tell your parents Willow it wouldn't be fair to have them find out from someone else.” ****

That was all Buffy's mother said and within a week she was reasonably comfortable with her daughter and her red-haired lover, in fact she considered them both to be her daughters.

Chapter 2

Painful Revelations

Things settled down for awhile and Buffy and Willow decided that the time was right for the next logical step in their life together, telling Willow's parents.

Picking one of the rare instances when both her parents were home they waked hand in hand up to the Rosenberg front door. Things went down hill from there. Buffy never did find out whether it was because she was female, a gentile, a bad influence, her family being split, or her genetics but what ever it was, Willow's parents went totally off the deep end.

There was crying, screaming, yelling, recriminations, and finally the ultimatum. Willow's father told her that either she gave up Buffy and come home until they could arrange for her to transfer to another school far away, or she would pack her belongings and get out of his house and never come back.

Willow broke into tears and ran upstairs to her room, Buffy followed her but couldn't get past the door because Willow had locked it.

**** “Willow..baby talk to me.” Buffy called through the door her only answer was the sound of Willow crying. “I'll be right here if you need me.”

Buffy sat down on the hall floor and leaned back against the door. She could still hear Willow moving around in her room still crying and she could still hear Mr. Rosenberg ranting about how the godless gentiles were going to destroy the Jewish people by corrupting their young people, Mrs. Rosenberg was wailing hysterically wondering where she went wrong.

Finally Willow opened the door. Buffy stood up and looked into Willow's red rimmed green eyes. She saw the anguish of loss in those eyes, but also her resolve.

“Buffy can you help me?” Willow asked indicating three large suitcases on her bed. “If you'll get those I'll carry the backpack and duffle bag. I guess I'll have to rent a storage unit for the rest of my things.”

“It'll be alright Wills.” Buffy said reaching up to caress Willow's tear stained cheek. “We'll get this to mom's she's got plenty of room.”

Willow pulled back from the hand and went back into the room. They gathered Willow's things and went down stairs. When they got downstairs Willow stepped into the living room to face her parents one last time. “I'm leaving like you said father.” Willow said quietly and calmly “I'm sorry you both are too small minded to accept me as I am.”

She turned and left before either of her parents could say anything and Buffy took her place.

“What you're making her do is wrong Mr. Rosenberg,” Buffy said, contempt dripping like venom from her words “No one should have to do what you've forced Willow to do. She loves you both but that isn't enough for you.” ***

Buffy turned and hurried after Willow. That night when Buffy tried to go to their dorm room she found that some of their liberal minded fellow students had broken in and trashed their room. The university promised to look into it but Buffy could tell that none of the smirking campus cops were going to exert themselves but at least the university's insurance was going to pay for their personal belongings and their room would be fully repaired.

It didn't make them feel any better or safer, so at Buffy's mother's insistence they moved into her house and she drove them to classes every morning.

All this brought a change in Willow and not in a good way. Her normally bright and cheerful personality was gone, she didn't eat, she didn't sleep and what was worse was every time Buffy would reach out for her she would stiffen up and become totally unresponsive. After a while Buffy quit reaching for her and began sleeping on the couch in the living room.

 *** “I don't know what to do,” Buffy told Giles one afternoon after a particularly bad work out. “All she does is sit there staring out into space, she won't talk to me or let me do anything to help her. It's making me crazy, sometimes I just want to pick her up and shake her.”

“I doubt seriously if that would help.” Giles told her “All I can tell you is give her some time. She has suffered a devastating loss and that may take her a while to get over it. Be patient with her and love her she will come around soon enough. In the mean time pay attention to what you are doing so you will live that long.”

“Yeah right.” she answered absentmindedly. ****

The problem was not getting better and it was beginning to effect Buffy's slaying. Then came the day it almost killed her.

***The sun had been up for nearly an hour and still Buffy hadn't come home. Joyce was going crazy with worry. Someone starting pounding on the front door Joyce heard Willow say she would get it so she went ahead making breakfast for her wayward daughter.

“BUFFY” she heard Willow scream.

Joyce dropped the bowl of pancake batter on the floor and ran toward the sound. As she entered the living room she saw Xander carrying the limp form of her daughter to the couch and lay her down.

“I found her just outside the cemetery gate,” he said.

“Where were you?” Willow asked with a hard edge to her voice. “Weren't you supposed to patrol with her last night.”

“I did, I mean I was,” He explained quickly. “We finished our sweep and she sent me home. She said something about not wanting to go home yet and that she was going to take a walk. I just happened to go back because I forgot my jacket and I found her and got her to my car. I called Giles on the way over here and he said he'd be right over.”

“Alright you did the right thing, so lets get busy.” Willow said taking charge, “Xander you go get some hot water and cloths. I'll get the first-aid kit.”

 Joyce watched Willow take charge of everything and before she could go to her daughter's side Willow was back with a big military style first-aid bag. With an efficiency acquired through experience Willow began cutting away Buffy's blood soaked clothes from her wounds, exposing a bone deep cut down her side along her ribs some deep scratches all over her back and shoulders all of which were bloody but not serious.

The ones that worried Willow were the deep gash across Buffy's stomach and the large lump on the side of her head that was cut open and matted her soft blonde hair with blood.

Xander returned with a huge bowl of hot water and a pile of soft clean rags that had once been his shirt.

With the help of Buffy's mother Willow soon had the smaller wounds cleaned and dressed and was moving to the more serious ones, she began with the wound on Buffy's stomach cleaning it and putting in the necessary stitches like Giles and Brigit had taught her. Willow was just finishing cleaning Buffy's head wound when Giles walked in carrying some special medicines he and Willow had learned from the book they'd brought back with them.

 Willow stepped back to let Giles get to Buffy's side and finish treating her.

“Does this happen often?” Joyce asked after observing Willow's skill.

“Never this bad before.” Willow said her voice breaking “This is my fault.”

 Joyce stared at the girl as she backed out of the room and into the hallway. She kept backing until her back was against a wall then she slid down the wall to sit on the floor, she drew up her knees and hugged them tightly against her chest. She wept quietly, Xander heard her and tried his best to console her.

“No way Will,” he said. “If it's anybody's fault it's mine I shouldn't have left her alone no matter what she said.”

“No Xander,” Willow corrected him softly “I let her down. It's my place to be there for her, to help her face her enemies and I didn't. I was too busy feeling sorry for poor pitiful little me. I wasn't there for the one I love.”

“Your wrong Willow.” Xander scolded her “Buffy knew you were hurting, she told me herself. She said she was afraid she wasn't there for you because she couldn't seem to help you.”

Willow was shaking her head in denial. Xander slammed his fist into the floor. “DAMN IT!” Xander growled at his life long friend. “I'm so tired of both of you taking the blame for all this when you both know whose fault it really is.”

Willow looked up at him shocked by his unexpected outburst. “What are you saying?” Willow asked in a tiny frightened voice.

“You damn well know whose fault it is.” Xander said his voice low and full of deadly menace, “If your parents are such narrow minded bigots that they can't recognize that their daughter's in love just because she happened to fall in love with another woman. Face it Will, it's their fault.”

“No Xander,” Willow said softly, “you don't understand it was me. I'm supposed to be above all that and when things got a little rough I pulled away from her. I deserted Buffy and made her feel she wasn't important to me and that's my fault and no one else.”

Before Xander could answer Giles came out of the living room. “I have applied the medicine as the book instructed” he said, “All we can do now is wait and see.”

“Wills.” came a weak call from the living room.

Before anyone else could react Willow was off the floor and rushing to Buffy's side. She knelt on the floor beside the couch and took Buffy's hand. “I'm right here sweetheart.” Willow reassured her “I won't leave your side again. I'm sorry I let you down, it won't ever happen I swear it.”

“It's alright Wills, I'm gonna be fine” Buffy whispered. “It's not your fault, it's mine, you've given up so much for me. I'm sorry I cost you your family, I didn't mean to.”

“THAT"S IT!!! I've had just about enough!” Joyce snapped angrily. “Willow you stay here with Buffy you're all she needs right now. Xander you stay here and do whatever Willow tells you to. Rupert, you come with me, we have something to take care of that can't wait another second.”

Joyce grabbed her purse and with Giles in tow she swept out of the house. She was gone for almost four hours and when she returned she was closely followed by a very subdued and very apologetic Mr. and Mrs. Rosenberg.

At Joyce's suggestion Willow and her parents went into the dining room and had a long private talk. By the time they left they had made a happily beaming Willow promise that when Buffy was better they were come to dinner so they could get to know her better.

When Buffy questioned her mother about what she had said that had made them come around, she would smile mysteriously.

“Sometimes only another parent can explain the facts of life to a parent” she said vaguely, “and sometimes it takes an outsider to point out how truly lucky other people are.” *****

Epilogue

Buffy smiled slightly as she remembered that first ‘family’ dinner with the Rosenberg's.

Willow was nervous but Buffy was terrified. This was the first time she was doing something that was this important to her Wills and she was determined to make it perfect.

Her first problem was finding the right something to wear, she'd gone through her closet trying on everything she owned, none of them were quite right. The piles of clothes scattered all over her room testified to the frantic search.

Finally she and Willow gave up and went shopping and since the mall was her home ground they took Cordelia to help. After several hours and several stores and specialty shops the three of them came up with just the right outfit, even Cordy thought Buffy looked good.

Buffy's mother, understanding how important it was for the girls, sprung for a rare trip to the salon for both of them. When the time came two very nervous and very frightened but very beautiful young women stood at the door of the Rosenberg home.

They all sat down to dinner in the formal dinning room, and began eating in nervous silence, small snippets of polite conversation were all that broke up the steadily mounting tension. Everyone was afraid of saying the wrong thing. Finally Buffy looked over at Willow who gave her a pleading look and remembering something Willow had told her long ago she decided to try something different.

She left Mrs. Rosenberg to Willow, and concentrated on winning over Mr. Rosenberg.

***** “So, Mr. Rosenberg,” Buffy began crossing her fingers under the table, “Willow tells me you fish. I think some of my best times were going to the pier with my dad when I was a kid.” *****

It was the truth and it worked, she could see the man brighten up, knowing that she was on the right track and before the night was over, Buffy and Mr.R (as he insisted she call him, all his friends did.) were down in his work shop where he was teaching Buffy to tie flies.

Willow was so happy her face hurt from smiling. After that night Willow's parents warmed up to Buffy and soon she was taking off at least twice a month to go fishing with Mr. R and his other fishing buddies. Even Willow's mother would call Buffy by her name every once in a while instead of ‘that girl’ or ‘the other one’, Buffy's personal favorite.

Toward the end of the semester the rumor mill got bored with talking the openly affectionate couple, and with a few exceptions either accepted or ignored them. Which was just fine with them. Unfortunately those few exceptions felt it necessary to make their presence known and for the second their room was broken into and trashed but this time they didn't just destroy everything they painted extremely offensive and hateful sayings and names on the walls.

Once again the university promised a through investigation and they would of course replace all their damaged personal property. This time however Willow's parents were involved and after discussing it with Buffy's mother insisted the couple move into a condo in Giles complex, in fact they got them the place right next door to him.

It made both sets of parents feel better knowing he was there to ‘watch’ over their daughters. Buffy always laughed at their choice of words and how they seemed to make Giles uncomfortable every time he heard them.

They'd moved right in, using the insurance to furnish their new place. Everything met with their parent's approval with the possible exception of the huge king size bed for their room, they all seemed a little nervous any time anything about beds and sleeping arrangements come up so they avoided the subject when ever possible, which again was just fine with the girls.

Willow's training was coming along nicely, while she wasn't as strong or as fast as the Slayer, but she was combining the fighting techniques she learned from Giles and Buffy with her other powers.

She was fast becoming a formidable partner for Buffy in her constant battle against the Darkness, and to be honest Buffy found it was nice to have someone there always watching her back.

***** On their first official night out on patrol as equals they ran into the demon that had hurt Buffy so badly. Before Buffy could even challenge it, Willow stepped in front of her and pointed her staff at the hulking red demon.

“You will harm my love no more.” Willow said calmly. A bright neon green light shot from the emerald embedded in the head of the staff, it flashed across the space between her and the demon and wrapped around him several times binding him.

He roared in agony as she took another step forward.

“Go back to the hell that spawned you and plague us no more” she pronounced like a judge handing down a death sentence. She stabbed the ground with the iron-shod foot of the staff and a swirling black vortex opened in the ground beneath the immobile demon and he was sucked into it screaming in fear and pain then it closed over him leaving the ground undisturbed as if he had never existed.

Buffy was still starring slack jawed when Willow turned and looked at her with a shy embarrassed grin. “Whoa babe,” Buffy was finally able to say “remind me to never piss you off.”

“He hurt you” was all Willow said.

Buffy laughed and hugged the most precious thing in her life, for the first time Buffy felt 'safe' on patrol because now her Wills would always be there to protect her.

FINIS…for now