Summary: Willow has a dream that tells her about her life.
Spoilers: Through the third season, mild.
Disclaimer: They're Joss's.
Rating: PG13
This is for Karen.
Author's note: I just wrote this because sometimes people need a happy
ending after a turbulent time. :)
by: Amy
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Willow was walking in a meadow. It was calm, serene, and the grass and wildflowers were lightly brushing her knees. She looked across the meadow and smiled brightly, running to catch up with the three children playing there. They were about ten years old, and there were two dark haired boys and a girl with the same color of hair as she.
She caught up to them, all sitting and laughing on the grass, and knelt down. Her smile was bright, shining.
"Hi! Can I play with you?" She asked happily. They were silent, ignoring her. "Willow? Xander? Jesse? Can I play with you guys?"
Finally the little girl looked up and smiled a little. "We can't play with you anymore. We're not allowed to. You're going to leave us," she finished sorrowfully.
Willow began shaking her head in empty denial, but even as she was doing so, she found herself in the Bronze. Looking around, she realized that it was the first night of her freshman year. She sighed a little, reminiscing and approached herself at one of the tables. Her other self was sipping a Pepsi and humming quietly.
Willow hopped onto one of the chairs. "Hi! Do you want to talk?"
The other her shook her head. "Yes," she began quietly. "But you won't let me. Not anymore." Willow's eyes widened and she started to speak, but the other her shook her head. "It's okay. I promise. It's how it's supposed to be."
Again, Willow found herself suddenly walking. She saw Xander and herself ahead, walking by a cemetery, and understood that it was the summer night. < With the ice cream, > she thought happily. Like she remembered, she hopped onto a wall, and Xander almost kissed her, but didn't. A vampire didn't interfere this time, though, and he pulled back on his own. The other Willow's eyes widened in disappointment.
Willow tried to take her hand. "It's okay! Really, it's okay. You only love him like a friend, anyway. You just don't know that."
The other Willow's eyes pierced hers; shining, green, resolved. "No. *You* only love him like a friend. I'm in love with him. I always will be. We're very different. You changed us."
Before Willow could say anything to defend herself, she was in Buffy's room, and she somehow knew that it was right after Angel had lost his soul. Buffy was in tears, crying into her pillow, curled up into a ball. Willow gently sat down on the mattress next to her, and smoothed Buffy's hair back.
"Shh... It's okay, Buffy. He'll come back to you and be like he was before. Don't you see? Don't you know yet? I'll do the spell," she continued confidently when Buffy wouldn't stop weeping. "I know the spell and I'll do it. He loves you. We all love you. You're my best friend."
Buffy looked up and smiled sadly. "It's not time yet, Willow," she said. "Everything changes. Nothing stays the same. You can't fix anything that's been done. All you can do is..." Buffy fell silent and clasped her hand before she faded.
Willow blinked, and she was in the school. She watched Jenny at her computer, and her heart exploded happily. < Jenny! She's here! It can all be changed! > Jenny looked up, as if hearing her thoughts, but instead of saying anything to her, she looked past her with frightened eyes. Angelus sat there smugly, and before either of them said a word, Willow was being chased.
She ran through the halls frantically, knowing that Angelus was behind her, praying that she would get away. She managed to dodge him, and thought that she had lost him for good, but was shocked when she ran into his chest near the large window. Angelus captured her face tenderly in his hands, and suddenly he wasn't Angelus anymore. His face smoothed and he was her friend, touching her cheeks warmly. "Don't go back, Willow, even if you could. Don't want to. The only thing you can do is..."
He disappeared and Willow started crying. She was in a little room with no lights or windows, and she was all alone. The fear consumed her heart, the loneliness and pain. "All I can do is what?!" she begged the silence brokenly. "I'm all alone now! What can I do?"
And then Oz was there, and the room was lit with warm, soft lights. He took her hand, a reassuring hold, and rubbed it between both of his. "All you can do is learn, Baby. All you can do is let go and grow up. It's not that scary. I promise. It feels nice. And you're not all alone. We grow up with you. Everybody changes. It's a good thing. And I'll always be here when you need me."
Willow drifted closer to him, and he obligingly took her in his arms. She leaned against him, smelling his warm Oz-ness, searching his face for that smile she loved so much. It was there. Everything she needed was there.
"Are you sure?" she asked, almost certain.
"Well, I sound pretty sure, don't I?" He grinned.
Willow nodded, giggling, and leaned in to kiss him. She wanted so badly to kiss him. Everything that could heal her was in his kisses.
But he was gone. Willow looked around in shock.
"Oz? Oz, come back, Oz! Please?" She started crying again.
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A hand shook her shoulder, and she jolted awake, staring into his face. Oz leaned over her with a concerned expression, his chest lightly brushing her breasts. Willow blushed and smiled sleepily.
"Are you okay, Baby?" he asked, groggy. "You were calling for me so loud I woke up... Nightmare? What happened?"
Willow looked at him for a moment before pulling his face down to hers with both hands. Oz welcomed the sensation of the kiss, and pressed her into the mattress, his hands sliding down to her hips and belly and breasts, stroking them softly underneath the covers. Willow responded to him, arching herself against his body, and opening her mouth to his searching tongue. Oz finally pulled away, breathless.
He grinned, not releasing her from his hold. "Okay... *What* exactly happened?"
Willow stroked the back of his hair with her hands, relishing in the feel of it, the feel of him. "I grew up. I woke up and you were here," she explained softly. "And you're right. It does feel nice."
They kissed again, and again, and when Willow finally fell back to sleep, only good dreams were waiting for her.
The End
More of the witch and the wolf