"I am sorry, Will. I still can't believe Kennedy left." Buffy sighed as she took a sip of her soda.
"It's actually, okay. We weren't meant to be. We both knew that." Willow actually smiled. "I am really fine, perhaps a little lonely, but I was starting to feel lonely even when I was in the same room with her.
"Well I have just the thing. Last night, while patrolling I saw this rave new place that is opening tonight. It is a dance club. Looks like a lot of fun." Buffy smiled wide. "You and I are going trolling."
"Faith are you crazy?"
"I'm five-by-five and more importantly you are too." She smiled feral-ly as she looked at him from head to toe.
"Right. . . ." His tone sarcastic as he gestured to his eye.
"Xan, if I weren't actually trying to make a go with Woody I would be all over you. The patch makes you look rugged and sexy." She grinned at him again. "Trust me, the ladies won't be able to keep their hands to themselves . . . for that matter neither will the men."
"Faith?!"
Faith fixed the collar on Xander's shirt.
"How did I let you talk me in to going to a dance club?"
She gave him a stunning smile
"That's how." He muttered to himself.
"Buffy, why did I let you drag me here?" Willow was practically whining as she and Buffy entered the club.
"'Cause Willow you have to get back on the horse and so do I." She blushed when she realized how that sounded.
"We need to get you a guy...er...gal for you."
"Buffy it doesn't matter. Tara tried to tell me before. Love isn't about male or female. It is about the heart." She smiled sadly thinking of Tara.
"Faith, why did I let you drag me here?" Xander was whining and proud of it, as Faith dragged him into the club.
"Xan-man, you need confidence. Tonight you are going to get some."
For some reason Faith had taken it upon herself to build him back-up after the lost of his home, Anya, and his eye.
He smiled at her. "Willow's my first love, Cordy was my first girlfriend, you were my first, and I had Anya. Four amazing woman - - - Way above me, all of you, but it still tells me that 'I get all the good women,'" he ended in a bad Connor MacLeod impression.
She shook her head at him. "That was the past. Tonight is the future."
"I don't want a casual relationship. I want to be with someone I know I can always count on. I am not ready to go looking for that yet. I don't want to meet someone new."
"Well," Buffy gave the matter some thought. "How about someone old?"
"Old?"
"Yeah, like we could find Oz?"
"No, we hurt each other too much at the end. No."
"Giles?" Buffy asked her eyes shining mischievously.
"Buffy Anne Summers?! How can you ask me that?" She smiled in mock outrage. "Besides, I always thought you had a thing for him."
Buffy just blushed and shifted the subject away from her. "Wesley?"
"Could you honestly see me and Wesley as a couple?" Willow asked sarcastically.
"Sure, Wills, if anything you should be newly married and away on your honeymoon."
Willow just rolled her eyes. "Well, he is pretty cute."
"Willow have you ever considered Xander?"
"Look at that brunette." Faith pointed and let out a long whistle." Is she built or what?"
"Not my type."
Faith looked at him oddly for a moment. "Okay, how about that petite Blonde over there."
"Nope, not her either."
"Look at her, she is va-va-va-voom!" Faith grinned.
"Not my type either."
"Just what is your type?"
"Smart, funny in a shy way, likes my sense of humor, clever, patient with me, pretty. Did I mention pretty?" He smiled with a far-a-way look. "In short, someone way beyond me."
"Have you ever considered Willow?"
"Xander? Xander Harris?" Willow asked in surprise.
"No, Xander P. Keaton from that TV show."
"That was Alex!"
"See there is only one Xander, so answer my question. Have you ever thought about Xander?" She had that mischievous look again.
"Xander is my best friend. I don't think of him like that," her cheeks flushed slightly. "Besides even if I did see him like that, I know he doesn't see me like that anymore."
"Willow? My Willow? Willow Rosenburg?" Xander was taken back at the very thought that Faith would suggest Willow.
"Yeah, Red. Who else? I didn't mumble did I?"
"Problem One: 'Gay Now!'"
"Loosen up Boy-toy. Her past with the wolf-man shows she bats for both teams."
"Even if I believed that. . . . "
"What?"
"Look we tried that once and it ended badly." He grimaced at all the pain he caused her.
"I kind of got the idea that the attraction was mutual from what I heard and that the only reason you two didn't get together then was because you didn't want to hurt Wolfie or Cordelia."
"It doesn't matter. Even if you were right, Willow is my best friend. I don't think of her like that." He paused. "Well maybe I do, I am a guy after all, but I know she doesn't see me that way."
"Are you sure Wills?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah." She sighed.
"You don't sound happy about it."
"Look Buffy it isn't that way."
"Huh, maybe he just needs some persuading?"
"You think so, huh?"
"Oh yeah, made it quite clear. She isn't interested in the Xan-man that way." He said as he took a big drink of his beer.
"You don't sound like you are five-by-five about that?"
"Well . . . I guess. . .. Why do you say five-by five anyway? What does it mean?"
"It is radio talk, all the gages showed five meant. . . you know I bet Willow could explain it better than I can."
"Faith. . . "
"Look, all I am saying is maybe all Red needs is a little persuading."
"You really think he could be interested in me after all this time?" Willow asked sounding more like the shy hacker she once was.
"Wills couldn't be interested in me, like that. Not after everything could she?"
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Buffy smiled as she pointed to Xander and Faith's table.
"Only one way to find out, Boytoy." She gestured to where Buffy and Willow were sitting.
Both Willow and Xander turned and their eyes met. They stood walking over to each other. All their question and feelings were plain for the other to see.
Buffy smiled at Faith who returned with her own grin and a thumbs up. She'd have to tell the squirt that it looks like her plan worked.
"Wills?" "Oh, Xander." The succession of words could never have been deciphered by anyone but the two of them. "Could you?" "Could you?" "Do you?" "As much as you do I think." "We've been fools." "We've been us." "Same thing."
"Xander!" She playfully swatted him across the chest.
"May, I have this dance?" He smiled widely.
"Yes."
The music started playing and they both recognized the song. It was the theme song to a show with which they grew up.
"I bet we've been together for a million years" Xander sang into her ear.
Willow continued as softly, "And I bet we'll be together for a million more"
"Oh," Xander smiled as he wiped away a small tear from Willow's cheek. "It's like I started breathing on the day we meet."
"And I can't remember what I ever did before" Willow concluded.
They stopped singing and just held each other as the song continued.
"What would we do, baby, without us? What would we do, baby, without us?"
They looked into each other's eyes. "And there ain't no nothing we can't Love each other through. What would we do, baby, without us?"
Not sure it was ready for the public, but I hope someone enjoyed it. Thanks,
Teri (Garnet_TM[at]yahoo.com)
For those trying to remember the full lyrics are listed below:
"Without Us?
Sung by: Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
Music by: Tom Scott
Lyrics by: Jeff Barry
I bet we've been together for a million years
And I'll bet we'll be together for a million more
Oh It's like I started breathing on the night we kissed
And I can't remember what I ever did before
What would we do baby without us
What would we do baby without us
And there ain't no nothing we can't help each other through
What would we do baby without us
Sha-la-la-la
If it's absolutely perfect, the last puzzle piece
And it all just comes together like we had it planned
Ooh, It's like when we share a secret we could never tell
'Cause no one else but you and me could understand
What would we do baby without us
What would we do baby without us
And there ain't no nothing we can't help each other through
What would we do baby without us
Sha-la-la-la
You've got my number, and I know you know it
And I'm stickin' with you 'til the end
Ooh, I'm in trouble if I ever lost you
I'd spend my whole life looking for you again
What would we do baby without us
What would we do baby without us
And there ain't no nothing we can't help each other through
What would we do baby without us
Sha-la-la-la