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Disclamer:I have no rights whatsoever on anything Joss & co came up with first.
Setting: Just after the events of 'Something Blue
"I've let you down, haven't I" Willow asked, handing Giles the last of the soapy plates "I-I mean you've always told me to be careful with the magics, I know and that spell was way too advanced. It's just," she paused, searching for the right words "it hurt so much, you know, Oz leaving like that and it-it felt like I just had to try something, anything to make it better"
"Yes, well, after blinding me, nearly marrying Buffy off to Spike, not to mention almost getting everyone killed, I think the expression ?don't do it again' is a tad redundant, don't you?" Giles replied giving her a look of gentle reproach as he dried the dripping piece of crockery.
Willow hung her head, feeling the blood start to colour her cheeks as the enormity of what she had so nearly caused finally sunk in. She felt her eyes start to sting and moisten as the emotions unwound inside her, searching for an outlet. Finally unable to hold it back any longer she allowed the tears to come, letting the grief and the shame take her.
"Oh Giles I've made such a mess of everything" she sobbed "All I seem able to do is hurt the people I love, just drive them all away from me. "
Giles turned her gently towards him smoothing the hair out of her face "That's nonsense Willow" he said tenderly "Using the magics like that was unwise, certainly, but it was also extremely understandable. As no-one was seriously hurt I should think that the whole matter will soon be forgiven and forgotten" He smiled down at her reassuringly "And as for Oz I can assure you that you certainly did not drive him away. That was a decision he made for and by himself to protect the people he loved, including you."
She looked up at him and a meek smile crept across her tear stained face "how do you do that?" She sniffed "How do you always know what to say to make me feel better?"
"Because I know you of course" he replied "It's over four years now since I first saw you walk through the doors of the school library. In that time I've watched you grow from the shy and somewhat? awkward child I saw then into a warm, giving, wonderful person," He moved a stray lock of hair from her face "a wonderful woman. You've matured so much in the time I've known you Willow and you've faced more than most women your age could dream of. The fact that you have experienced, first hand, the evil in this world and yet remain so free of cynicism is a testament to you as a person. I'm proud of what you've become Willow? I'm proud of you"
She sobbed again as his words hit home, a fresh storm of emotions breaking inside her. Reaching out to him she embraced him desperately, clinging to him, pressing her face against the comforting roughness of his sweater.
"It's just? It's all been so hard, you know, and no-one seemed to notice, everyone seemed to be too busy with their own stuff. All I wanted to do was make it better, to stop it hurting"
Giles found his own arms falling round the slender form of the young woman, his hand gently rubbing her back in a slow comforting rhythm.
"Unfortunately there is no quick fix for what you're feeling. It takes time, and patience and hard work to force yourself back into the world; but you will get there." With one hand he lifted her chin, raising her eyes to meet his. "I can tell you this Willow; you will love again. You will find someone who will take care of you, who will treat you as you deserve, someone who will be there for you"
"And how can you know that?" she said, staring up into his kind brown eyes. So wise, she thought, so gentle, but so sad.
His smile broadened "Because you're such a unique and remarkable young woman. Any man would count himself lucky to find someone like you"
She became suddenly conscious of how much the distance between them had closed, how his body supported and enveloped her own, how their faces were now only inches apart.
"Any man" she said, letting herself fall into those strong sad eyes, losing herself in his protective embrace.
He seemed unable to answer as she lifted her face to his and kissed him softly, his body frozen with painful indecision. They stayed like that for a brief endless moment and then he was kissing her back, holding her to him, and she was warm and she was safe and it was all going to be alright.
Disclamer:I have no rights whatsoever on anything Joss & co came up with first.
Setting: Just after the events of 'Something Blue
"I've let you down, haven't I" Willow asked, handing Giles the last of the soapy plates "I-I mean you've always told me to be careful with the magics, I know and that spell was way too advanced. It's just," she paused, searching for the right words "it hurt so much, you know, Oz leaving like that and it-it felt like I just had to try something, anything to make it better"
"Yes, well, after blinding me, nearly marrying Buffy off to Spike, not to mention almost getting everyone killed, I think the expression ?don't do it again' is a tad redundant, don't you?" Giles replied giving her a look of gentle reproach as he dried the dripping piece of crockery.
Willow hung her head, feeling the blood start to colour her cheeks as the enormity of what she had so nearly caused finally sunk in. She felt her eyes start to sting and moisten as the emotions unwound inside her, searching for an outlet. Finally unable to hold it back any longer she allowed the tears to come, letting the grief and the shame take her.
"Oh Giles I've made such a mess of everything" she sobbed "All I seem able to do is hurt the people I love, just drive them all away from me. "
Giles turned her gently towards him smoothing the hair out of her face "That's nonsense Willow" he said tenderly "Using the magics like that was unwise, certainly, but it was also extremely understandable. As no-one was seriously hurt I should think that the whole matter will soon be forgiven and forgotten" He smiled down at her reassuringly "And as for Oz I can assure you that you certainly did not drive him away. That was a decision he made for and by himself to protect the people he loved, including you."
She looked up at him and a meek smile crept across her tear stained face "how do you do that?" She sniffed "How do you always know what to say to make me feel better?"
"Because I know you of course" he replied "It's over four years now since I first saw you walk through the doors of the school library. In that time I've watched you grow from the shy and somewhat? awkward child I saw then into a warm, giving, wonderful person," He moved a stray lock of hair from her face "a wonderful woman. You've matured so much in the time I've known you Willow and you've faced more than most women your age could dream of. The fact that you have experienced, first hand, the evil in this world and yet remain so free of cynicism is a testament to you as a person. I'm proud of what you've become Willow? I'm proud of you"
She sobbed again as his words hit home, a fresh storm of emotions breaking inside her. Reaching out to him she embraced him desperately, clinging to him, pressing her face against the comforting roughness of his sweater.
"It's just? It's all been so hard, you know, and no-one seemed to notice, everyone seemed to be too busy with their own stuff. All I wanted to do was make it better, to stop it hurting"
Giles found his own arms falling round the slender form of the young woman, his hand gently rubbing her back in a slow comforting rhythm.
"Unfortunately there is no quick fix for what you're feeling. It takes time, and patience and hard work to force yourself back into the world; but you will get there." With one hand he lifted her chin, raising her eyes to meet his. "I can tell you this Willow; you will love again. You will find someone who will take care of you, who will treat you as you deserve, someone who will be there for you"
"And how can you know that?" she said, staring up into his kind brown eyes. So wise, she thought, so gentle, but so sad.
His smile broadened "Because you're such a unique and remarkable young woman. Any man would count himself lucky to find someone like you"
She became suddenly conscious of how much the distance between them had closed, how his body supported and enveloped her own, how their faces were now only inches apart.
"Any man" she said, letting herself fall into those strong sad eyes, losing herself in his protective embrace.
He seemed unable to answer as she lifted her face to his and kissed him softly, his body frozen with painful indecision. They stayed like that for a brief endless moment and then he was kissing her back, holding her to him, and she was warm and she was safe and it was all going to be alright.