Lost Somewhere Inbetween
*~*~*~*~*
The gray clouds hanging soberly over Sunnydale rumbled and seemingly growled with anticipation for the coming storm as Oz’s van slowed to a halt before the Summer’s house. Oz peered out the window and the hosue on Revello Drive, so unchanging, so peaceful, and somehow, he knew, this place had changed beyond belief. Somehow he knew this wasn’t the same house he had visited so many years ago. And something told him it would welcome him back with open arms.
Oz slowly, carefully got out of the van as if he might not be safe stepping back onto the earth of Sunnydale again. As if the same force that had drove him so far away might again force him to flee. He took several deep breaths and took huge strides to the front door of the Summers’ house. He paused there, staring at the door, Buffy’s door. The door that would quite possibly slam in his face as soon as someone answered it. But Oz had come back from San Diego, hadn’t he? He had come here to see them, hadn’t he? He would keep an open mind and he would catch up with all his old friends and everything would be okay. He finally chalked up the nerve to knock. A young girl with dark, highlighted hair answered the door.
“Uh, hi, I’m Oz.”
*~*~*~*~*
“So, Buffy, you have a sister? That’s... new.” Oz had never felt more comfortable in his whole life, sitting there on the couch with Xander and Andrew. The current Scoob bergade was assembled around him, all regarding him with love and a little bit of confusion, but Oz was still felt like he was home and at ease.
“Yeah, kind of a long story,” Buffy shrugged.
“I’m not real,” Dawn stated.
“Apparently not that long.”
“And Anya, you’re... uh... still here?”
“Yes. I don’t see what’s wrong with that.”
“Oh, nothing. I just thought you’d plan vengance in another part of the state, is all.”
“You’re a werewolf, right?”
“Yeah. Who’s he?”
“Tucker’s brother.”
“Oh.”
“What’s it like, being a werewolf?”
“I dunno.”
“What do you mean, ‘You dunno’? You’re the only one would know.”
“I don’t know how to explain it.”
“So, Oz, where you been? I mean, you come back all unexpected like and Willlow’s kinda gay, that’s gotta be hard... Uh, sorry, what have you been doing?”
“Nothing much. I became sort of... no one. I was into it for awhile, but my life was seriously lacking, so I came back here. To see you guys. Where is Willow?”
“Sleeping, actually. She tried a spell...It took a lot out of her.”
“Oh. So, is there evil afoot recently in Sunnydale?”
“The worst kind. The orginal. The First.”
“As in The First that was trying to make Angel ‘grr’ again?”
“As in The First that was trying to make Angel ‘grr’ again.”
“Wow.”
“Uh-huh.”
“So, how’s that working out for you?”
“Not very good. We need Giles. Does everybody else think we need Giles?”
“Where is he?”
“In England.”
“Oh.”
Oz found all of it very confusing, but he was still following to the amasement of the group. Their conversation was interupted by the arrival of Spike from the basement.
“Spike?”
“Oz?”
“Aren’t you evil?”
“Er, no. I got a chip then I got a soul.”
“Wow. Chip, soul. Wow.”
“Yeah. What are you doing here?”
“Nothing.”
“Nice of you to stop by. Buffy, can I talk to you for a minute...” Spike stopped talking immediatly and looked at the front door. “They’re here, Buffy.”
Buffy turned to Spike and gave him a funny look. “Are you going crazy again because-”
“No, the ubervamps, they’re here! They’re outside! Two of ‘em!”
“Alright, everyone, load up. Faith as the Potentials far, far away, right?”
“Far, far away,” Dawn nodded.
“Oz, you might want to-”
“What’s an ubervamp?”
“Like these Neandrathal vampires, really. They’re very hard to kill. You have to cut off their heads or shove them in direct sunlight.”
“Going to be hard to find since it pouring rain,” Xander stated, peeking out of the curtains. “There *are* two of them. Does this have anything to do with the trigger?”
“No, it has to do with being a descendant of the Turok-Han.”
“Even creepier.”
“Okay, this should be the kick!” Just as Buffy said that, the first ubervamp kicked through the door. It splintered and admited one ubersized evil.
“Damn,” was all Oz could say.
*~*~*~*
Oz lay panting on the couch, Anya looking equally as strained next to him. The others had run off after the remaining Turok-Han.
“Hell of a battle.”
“I don’t like fighing at all. Kind of like I dislike bleu chesse.”
“All cheese is blue.”
“You know, I always wondered about that. It does come in those blue packages.”
“Yeah. I don’t really like chesse.”
“I do. I just don’t like bleu chesse. I like all sorts of chesse.”
“That’s great. Good to like... cheese.”
“You refrain from talking, don’t you?”
“Not refrain. Just omit needless words.”
“I don’t understand that.”
“Oh, it’s simple really. I talk very much like you do.”
“I see. How come you aren’t in any pictures? I’m in a lot. I never see any of you.”
“Photo friendly is photo free.”
“So you aren’t particularly photogenic?”
“No, I’m bad in pictures.”
“Xander is too. But he is too ego-centric not to get his picture taken often.”
“That’s interesting. Are you two still together?”
“Oh no. Harris and me? No. He left me at the alter.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You really don’t have to be. It’s not as if you told him to.”
“No, no, not really.”
“So why did you apoligize?”
“Because I feel badly that it didn’t work out for you two. It’s not guilt assioated pain. It’s love assioated pain.”
“You love us?”
“Yeah.”
“Huh.”
“Is that strange?”
“Well, yes. It is a strange thing to say.”
“I don’t think so. It’s just a strange thing to hear.”
“I suppose. I like the way you talk.”
“I like the way you talk, too.”
“Thank you. I can sing well too. Would you like to hear?”
“Alright.”
“Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little...” Anya stopped singing abruptly as Spike entered the house. “Hello, Spike.”
“Not even going to ask, mate.” Spike cocked and eyebrow at Oz and then clunked his way up the stairs.
“You’re the one who was singing to yourself! Or yourself was singing to yourself... Whatever, you were crazy!” Anya yelled after him.
“Spike? Crazy? Nah. He’s sardonic, yes. Murders people, uh-huh. But crazy, I don’t think so.” Anya giggled.
“You made me laugh!” She gave him a little push. “You made me laugh!”
“Is that a... bad thing?”
“No, but no one has made me laugh since... since my wedding diaster.”
“Glad to be the first. One.”
“I like you, Oz.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you like me?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you staying in Sunnydale long?”
“No. I just wanted to... catch up. I have to go back tomorrow to work.”
“Go back where?”
“San Deigo.”
“Long way away.”
“Seven hours, yeah. Long.”
“Well, since you’re staying one night.. Would you like to... Maybe...”
“Would I like to maybe what?”
“Spend the night? At my apartment?”
“Oh, Anya, I don’t-” Anya covered his hand with her own.
“I would really like you to.”
“I would really like to, but-”
“But?”
“Willow-”
“Is gay. She has sex with girls! And you’re kinda not a girl. But I am. And I want you to spend your *one* night in Sunnydale with me!”
“Okay.”
Oz let Anya lead him out of the house, hand in hand. Spike came down to hear the door slam, a battle ax in his hand. “Alright, I’m not thinking about it. Not thinking about it. Not thinking about Oz and Anya. Damn.”
*~*~*~*~*
Anya woke up and Oz was already gone. she ran out into the kitchen, wearing one of Xander’s oversized T-Shirts. On the counter was a note.
“Had to go. Hope you don’t mind that I didn’t wake you up. Thought you might need the rest. You’re a great girl, Anya. If I could, I would have. If I could. Sorry if I offended you last night, but I think if it’s worth doing, it’s worth waiting for. I’ll come back someday. I’ll come back for you.
Oz.”
The End!
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