The dark haired vampire rose to his feet and pulled her into a massive hug. �Willow,� he said in relief. Willow hugged him back, eyes prickling with tears. He pulled back and stared into her eyes.
�How did you find me?�
�How could I not little one?� he smiled at her. �I can always tell when you�re near. One of the side effects, remember?�
Willow nodded. She had forgotten about that. When she had done the soul restoration spell, it made a connection between her and the vampire. In order for his soul to remain in power over the demon, her soul fed his. So while Buffy would always be his beloved, the little redhead was in fact his soul mate.
�And Gunn is a rabid wrestling fan,� Angel added, grinning. �He brought me one of your shirts. Interesting.�
�What are you doing here?� she whispered.
�How could I stay away?�
�Are you going to answer every question with a question?� she frowned at him. �Cause that is so annoying.�
Angel chuckled at her. �Same old Willow,� he smiled.
�I wish,� the redhead grumbled.
Angel pulled her into a seat. �So,� he started.
�So,� she repeated. �What�s up?�
�Oh nothing, just this friend of mine up and left one day,� Angel answered. �And just when we thought we would never see her again, she shows up on national television. On wrestling no less.�
�Sounds kind of unbelievable to me,� Willow giggled.
�Yeah, especially since she suffers from terrible stage fright,� Angel looked at her suspiciously. �And this one guy with multi-coloured hair is always hanging all over her.�
Willow rolled her eyes. �Relax big brother,� she admonished him. �I am an adult. I can handle guys hanging all over me.�
�Good, because that guy is so in love with you, he can�t see two inches in front of his face.�
Willow sighed and looked at the tabletop. �Is that what you came to tell me?� she asked. �Cause I kind of already knew that.�
�I came to see if you love him back.�
Willow frowned. �I think that�s a little personal.�
�Well, I�m asking anyway,� Angel looked her right in the eyes. �That guy could get seriously hurt. Could you do that Willow?�
�Look Angel, I�m not in the mood for lectures.�
�Well, I think you need one,� he interjected. �Willow, Tara is gone.�
�Don�t you think I know that?� Willow shook with immediate rage.
�I don�t think you do,� Angel replied softly. �You�re clinging to something that is gone. And if you aren�t careful, your Jeff is going to get emotionally scarred.�
Willow was silent.
�Do you care about him?�
�Yes,� was the whispered reply.
�Do you love him?�
�I don�t know. I don�t deserve to be loved-�
�Wait,� Angel held up his hand. �You never use to let me get away with that kind of self-loathing, I�m going to return the favour. If anyone on this earth deserves that kind of love, it�s you.�
Willow smiled at him. �Thanks.�
�You�re welcome. Now about Jeff.�
�He takes care of me,� Willow sighed. �It feels so nice. And he needs me; he clings to me like some sort of lifeline. I don�t know if I am in love with him, but I know I could be.�
�And?�
�And that makes me afraid.�
Angel nodded. �I know that you want to leave behind your old life, and I get that. And I won�t intrude any longer-�
�You�re not intruding,� Willow quickly interrupted.
�Yeah, that�s why you ran in here like the devil was on your trail,� he shot her a grin. �I understand clean breaks Willow. But I do want to leave you with some food for thought.�
He leaned in close. �That guy, Jeff, he loves you. I can see it from just watching television. You can�t fake that kind of love. And sometimes, just sometimes, I see you smiling around him. That makes me think you do love him back. But even if you think that isn�t enough to replace what you lost, know this. When Jeff looks at you, even from television, I can see that to him, you are the most wonderful creature on this earth.�
Willow paused at that. Angel leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead
�And before I forget, here you go,� Angel placed a bag of gifts in front of her.
�Oh Angel-�
�Please,� he held his hand again. �Do you think any of us would have forgotten your birthday?�
He placed another kiss on her head.
�Be happy Willow,� he advised her. �It�s the one thing we all want for you.�
And then he walked away, leaving Willow�s thoughts in turmoil.
***
Jeff watched as the mysterious man kissed his girl, not once but twice. He was twitching by the end of it. Matt just held onto his arm, shooting him warning looks. The whole group watched as the man put on his coat and walked away from Willow.
In passing, he stopped next to their table, giving all a brief glance. �Take care of her,� he told them. �And Jeff, if you hurt my friend, I will beat you to death with a shovel.�
And then he left.
***
�I�ll go,� Trish jumped up before any of the males could rise. She hurried over to her redheaded friend. Willow remained seated at the table where the strange man had left her. Trish took the seat beside her.
�Willow?�
The redhead glanced up at her. �Hey Trish,� she greeted. �And before you ask, that was Angel. A very old friend of mine. He came to check up on me.�
Trish nodded. �Jeff is about to explode,� Trish informed her.
Willow sighed and grabbed the bag Angel had handed her. �Let�s go calm him down.�
Trish rose to follow her when the blonde took notice of the bag. �Is it your birthday or something?� she joked, looking at the bag of
presents.
�Well...�
"Willow!� the blonde stopped in her tracks. �How could you not tell us your birthday was coming?�
�It�s not that important,� Willow protested feebly.
Trish rolled her eyes. �Yeah right. How old are you?�
�Twenty-two.�
�And you didn�t think to tell us?�
�Twenty-two is not a landmark age.�
�That�s besides the point!� Trish put her hands on her hips. �It�s your birthday and you didn�t even tell us.�
�It�s not-�
�Yes, it is,� Trish interrupted. �And you are so going to celebrate. I�m taking you shopping.�
�Fine,� Willow rolled her eyes. �Birthday shopping would be nice. Now, let�s go diffuse my boy- Jeff.�
Trish followed her, smirking at the near slip. Willow thought of Jeff as her boyfriend. Maybe there was hope for them after all.
***
�Trish, I�m have never been more tired in my life,� Willow complained. �You�re an evil shopper.�
�No, I�m an effective one,� Trish grinned at her. �You look about as worn out as Jeff�s credit card.�
Willow winced at that. �I�m going to pay him back,� she protested.
Trish scoffed. �Like he would let you,� the blonde rolled her eyes. �Boyfriends spend money on their girlfriends. They don�t expect reimbursements.�
�Is that why you maxed out Bubba�s Visa?� Willow needled her friend.
�He shouldn�t have given it to me if he didn�t want to run that risk,� Trish sniffed. �Besides, most of this stuff is for him to enjoy as well.� Trish hefted the Victoria�s Secret bag.
Willow grinned. �Yeah, he might be okay if you show him what you bought.�
�Definitely,� the blonde giggled. They turned down the hallway leading to their locker room. �I just hope he can wait until after the show.�
�He won�t have to,� Willow smirked. �Most of what you wear at ringside would make those look decent.�
Trish huffed and shoved at the giggling redhead. �This is the thanks I get for taking you shopping on your birthday,� the blonde wiped away a fake tear. �I�m so under appreciated.�
�Usually you�re just under Bubba,� Willow couldn�t help adding.
�Oh, like your Miss Restraint and Virtue around Jeff,� Trish raised an eyebrow. �Don�t you think I know what you two do all night long?�
�Look! We reached the locker room!� Willow beamed at her friend. �Let�s drop this conservation and go inside.�
Trish smiled at the redhead�s back. �Anything you say.�
***
Willow knew something was up when she entered the locker room to find it pitch dark. �What the f-�
�SURPRISE!� came a collective shout. Lights were turned down and various wrestlers came tumbling into her view. Willow froze. Her eyes flicked to the Happy Birthday sign strung across the wall. She took in the balloons and streamers, and the huge pile of gifts. She turned to Trish.
�What?� the blonde smirked. �You think you would have gotten off so easily?�
Willow smiled and hugged her friend. �Thank you,� she smiled. Drawing back, she whacked Trish on the arm. �But never do anything like this again!�
�Ooh, here come the boys!� Trish said, twirling her around.
Matt, Edge, and Bubba engulfed Willow into a large hug.
�Happy Birthday Red!� Matt grinned, planting a kiss on her cheek.
�We bought you an ice cream cake,� Edge informed her.
�How come I�m not surprised,� she replied dryly.
Bubba shrugged. �You know us too well, but not well enough. Otherwise, you would have seen this coming a mile away.�
Jeff pushed his way through the other men and took the redhead into his own arms. Planting a kiss on her lips, he grinned down at Willow. �Surprised?�
�Totally,� she gave him a smile. �But if you ever do this to me again, I�ll beat you to death with a shovel.�
Jeff faltered at her words.
She frowned at him. �What?�
�That�s the second time today I heard that,� he looked at her inquisitively. �Is that shovel thing something significant where you come from?�
Willow frowned and then understood. �Stupid overprotective vampire.�
Jeff just shot her another strange look. �What did you just say?�
Willow just smiled and kissed him. �Wouldn�t you like to know.�
***
Things were rushed after that. Lita, the redheaded companion to the Hardy Boys, returned a few weeks after Willow�s birthday. There was a bit of apprehension on Willow�s part. On one hand, Lita returning to retake her post would give Willow the perfect reason to leave. On the other hand, Willow didn�t want to leave. She didn�t analyze that feeling much. She just chalked it up to sex. Yup, Willow was staying for the nookie, not at all for the man who loved her like no tomorrow.
And if she told herself that enough, she would almost believe it. Then Jeff would wander into the room and do something to make her smile. A non-sexual thing to make her smile. Willow just liked being around him. As much as she fought it, she was in a relationship with the young daredevil. Anyway, her fears were unfounded. Lita returned and accepted the other redhead. In fact, Lita was added to Willow�s list of clients. And she was cool. Willow really appreciated Lita�s friendliness. The redhead incorporated Willow into the fold instead of rejecting her out of jealousy. And from what Willow had seen in the WWE, she had really been expecting the jealousy thing.
Though Trish remained possibly her best friend, Lita soon became another close friend. The three girls took to hanging out a lot. They had numerous sleepovers because none of the guys seemed to want to piss Lita off. Jeff and Matt lost the titles a little later. Those creeps from the NWO had stolen them. That big jerk off Kevin Nash had interfered, allowing X-Pac and Booker T to pick up the win. Willow had seethed for about a month. A minor feud between Team X-treme and the NWO developed. It ended when Kevin tried to drag Willow physically into it. Bubba and Edge gave him such a savage beat down; the big man had been out for a month. The rest of the goons backed off after that, but kept the titles. Ironically, they lost them to Billy and Chuck two weeks later. The Hardys were contenders for the titles. Things had almost come full circle.
Willow was comfortable. She wasn�t as easily depressed anymore. Her moods were cheerier. She took up babbling again. One knew that Willow Rosenburg was happy if she was babbling. Her friends thought it was hysterical. Jeff found it a turn on. Big surprise there. She could take up bottle collecting and he would find it sexy. The guy was one big hormone where it concerned Willow. Not that she was complaining or anything. She rather enjoyed it. She wasn�t use to having that kind of effect on guys. It was nice.
Things with Jeff were an all around nice. He even took her home for Christmas holidays. His family was great, especially his dad. Matt, being the considerate one, had brought her a menorah. Jeff one-upped him by taking Willow to a synagogue. He had sat next to her while she sat listening to the service. He didn�t understand a lot of it and plenty of the patrons were looking at him funny. He just held Willow�s hand. It made her heart do funny flitting things.
Things would have remained great if she hadn�t messed them up. But what could she do? Even though Willow liked her life here, it wasn�t real. None of her friends knew anything about her life prior to this. And she didn�t think they would understand. So this was temporary. At least it was supposed to be.
That changed one January morning. Trish had taken her shopping. They had been walking and chatting like they normally do when Willow caught a glimpse of multi-coloured hair. She did a double take.
�Is that Jeff?� she asked, edging closer to the shop she had seen him in.
�Ah, I don�t think so,� Trish denied nervously. �Let�s go-�
Willow didn�t hear the rest of her words. It was Jeff. He, Matt, and Lita were in a jewelry shop. She entered it quietly and then she heard them.
�Willow will love it,� she heard Lita assure Jeff. Willow�s eyes flicked to thing she would love. And her heart stopped. They were standing in front of a display of rings. Engagement rings. And Jeff was buying one for her.
She dropped her bags. Trish by that time had followed Willow in. The blonde was trying to get her to leave before the others noticed, but it was too late.
Jeff turned and saw her there. That�s when Willow got a good look at the ring. It was gorgeous. An emerald surrounded by diamonds. And it was for her.
�Willow, you weren�t-�
Willow didn�t hear the rest. She turned and ran out of the shop.
***
Willow raced into her hotel room, breathless. Edge and Bubba had tried to intercept her in the lobby, but she had pushed past them. No doubt they had gotten a call from Trish warning them of the incoming redhead.
Willow stumbled over to her bags. Jeff brought her an engagement ring. That meant he wanted to be engaged. That would mean this whole temporary thing would become permanent. That wasn�t right.
She hurriedly shoved clothes into her suitcases. She couldn�t marry Jeff. Jeff knew nothing about her. He didn�t know about Tara or Warren. He hasn�t seen the things that go bump in the night. He hasn�t been exposed to the amount of death Willow has. And he would be in no way safe from Willow if she ever went down that path again.
Tears blurred her vision. She couldn�t believe she had to leave because the man who loved her wanted to marry her. It was all backwards.
Willow angrily brushed her tears away. Crying wouldn�t solve anything. Crying wouldn�t bring Tara back, wouldn�t erase what she had done, and would in no way erase the pain she was about to cause. This was going to break Jeff, but it was for his own good. Willow was dangerous, poison to everything she touched. She was surprised things had been going so well. But it all came to an end now.
�Willow!� Jeff shot through the door. �You have to let me-� He stopped when he saw what she was doing. Willow�s heart broke at the
look on his face.
�No,� he whispered.
�Yes,� she replied firmly. �I let this carry on for too long. It�s over.�
�NO!� this time in a yell. �I can�t believe you�re leaving because I want to marry you.�
�Why do you want to marry me?� she countered. �Because you love me? You don�t know me!�
�Yes, I do!� Jeff�s eyes were frantic. �I do know you. You�re Willow. You hate frogs, are scared of spiders, and loved cookies and cream ice cream. You watch Scooby Doo when you�re depressed. You watch old vampire movies and chuckle about how they are so wrong. You babble when happy and go into stony silences when you�re not. You have stage fright, but you muster the courage to walk out in front of thousands. You�re fiercely loyal and you love your friends. And you�re running. You�ve been running for a long time.�
�And the pattern continues,� she muttered, eyes burning from his words.
�A year Willow,� he whispered. �You�ve been with me for a year. How can you throw it all away?�
�Have you ever stopped to think I don�t love you!� she shrieked. That was low, she knew it. But he wasn�t backing off so she called for drastic measures.
Jeff�s eyes darkened at that one. He moved towards her, gripping her face in his hands. �If you don�t love me, then why are you crying right now?� he demanded.
Willow was silent. She pushed him away and turned to look out the window.
�I can�t keep you here,� his voice broke the silence. �I�ve tried for a year, but that isn�t how I want it. I want you here with me because you want to be here. So, no more tricks, no more games. I love you and I want you to stay. And after a year, I hope that�s enough.�
Willow remained looking out the window. She didn�t trust herself to speak.
�I�m going to the arena,� he spoke again. �Either you�ll be here or you won�t.�
She heard him place something on the dresser. He picked up his wrestling gear and left.
Willow sunk to the floor and cried.
***
Jeff met his friends out in the hallway. �Let�s get to the arena,� he told them quietly.
�Jeff, let us talk to her,� Trish offered, pointing at herself and Lita. �We can-�
�No,� he interrupted. �This time it�s all Willow. She can stay or leave, it�s her choice. Time to see what she really wants. I can only pray she wants me.�
�It�ll be okay little brother,� Matt patted his arm. �She loves you. I know it.�
�It isn�t about her loving me,� Jeff whispered. �It�s about her letting go and staying with me.�
With that, he stalked off to the elevator. His friends followed sympathetically behind him. Matt shot a look at the closed hotel room door. He prayed Willow came to her senses. And fast. His brother�s heart couldn�t take much more of this.
***
Willow was still crying. She didn't know for how long, but she knew it had been a while. Things were kind of blurring together. Jeff had left for the arena and she was leaving. There was no way around it. Willow had to leave.
"Are you sure about that?"
Willow lifted her head at the sound of the familiar voice. Through the film of tears she saw the impossible. Willow jerked upright. "Oh great," she muttered. "Now I'm hallucinating."
Tara, or maybe just a vision of Tara, shrugged her shoulders. "It's entirely possible," the blonde witch agreed. "But then again, it's
also possible that you're just dreaming or the fact that I am here."
"You're not here," Willow whispered, broken. "You left me."
"I didn't leave you baby," Tara smiled at her. "I died, but I didn't leave you. Not in your heart. But that's not why I'm here."
"Why are you here?"
"To stop you from royally screwing up your life," Tara replied. She looked Willow straight in the eyes. "This isn't like you Willow."
"What? Jeff?" Willow was confused. "I guess I always knew I was more bisexual than gay-"
"Not that," Tara rolled her eyes. "I mean, running from him. Is that what you really want to do?"
"I have to do it," Willow replied evenly.
"No you don't," Tara shook her head. "You're drowning in despair baby. I don't want you to end up like that. I want you to happy. And if Jeff makes you happy, why are you running?"
"He doesn't know the truth-"
"You never told him the truth," Tara interrupted. "Do you really think it would change the way he feels about you?"
"Yes, murder changes everything!"
"You can't live in the past Willow," Tara looked at her with sadness. "You have to let it go. I'm gone baby, but you're still here. And people here love you. You weren't sent to Jeff by accident. I knew he would be the one to fill that hole you created inside yourself."
"So now you're taking responsibility for me and Jeff," Willow raised her eyebrows.
"Don't look at me like that," Tara admonished. "You know, that Trish woman was right. She's overly well endowed, but she was right. Fate has something more in store for you than a lifetime of loneliness and despair. But Fate can only do so much. You have to take some action on your own."
"What do you want me to do?" Willow moaned. "I can't forget about you-"
"No one asked you to," Tara interrupted once more. "Remember me always, but don't stop living on account of it."
Willow was silent.
"Answer me this: Do you love Jeff?"
"Yes," was the whispered reply.
"Then, isn't your choice made? Could you really lose him?�
"If it keeps him safe from me, yeah I could."
Tara shook her head. "Jeff was never in any danger from you," the blonde witch smiled at her former lover. "But if you really could stand to lose him, I'd check out the television right about now."
"What?" Willow looked confused.
"Call it a test," Tara shrugged. "Either way, by the end of the night, you should know where you stand."
And then the blonde witch disappeared from sight.
***
Willow sat on the hotel room floor. She wasn't sure if that was real or just some product of her mind. She didn't really want to know. Her eyes flicked to the television set in front of the bed. Resignedly, she flicked it on. Surprise, surprise, wrestling was on. Willow could hear JR and the King conversing.
"Damn those NWO jerks," she heard JR exclaim. "The Hardys had won their titles and then they did that!"
The camera flicked to a scene of carnage. Remnants of a broken table and scattered dented chairs littered the ringside area. Willow picked out a piece of blue hair amid the destruction.
"Jeff Hardy isn't moving," JR announced. Willow's heart constricted.
"God, I can't believe that!" the King exclaimed. "JR, I can't tell. Is he even breathing?"
Willow tore out of the room.
***
Willow hated hospitals. Nothing good ever happened if it involved the hospital. All those people who she had seen die in a hospital. Not to mention all the times she was in the hospital herself. Hospitals stank. She raced through the halls, skidding to a stop in front of the nurses� desk. When she had phoned Trish, the woman had informed Willow Jeff had been taken to the hospital for treatment. She didn't say what was wrong, just that he hadn't regained consciousness before he left. That didn't ease Willow's mind at all.
The cab ride over all Willow did was debate her actions. So she was going to see him, she never said she didn't care about him. And she didn't want him hurt. Of course, by leaving, she was inflicting a great amount of emotional hurt on him. But she did believe in some ways that it was best for him. Her thoughts went on and on in that pattern. Soon her head hurt too much for her to analyze any longer. Her goal had become to get to the hospital, to get to Jeff. And possibly breaking every bone in Kevin Nash's body. Bastard put Jeff through a table, and that was one of the pleasanter things he had done. Nash was really lucky she wasn't a practicing witch anymore.
At the nurses' desk, Willow hit a roadblock. "Where is Jeff Hardy?"
The nurse attending rolled her eyes. "Look miss, we understand that Mr. Hardy has quite a number of fans, but you cannot see him. That's restricted to family and friends."
Willow seethed. "I'm not some stupid fan!" she hissed at the nurse. "Now let me in!"
"If you're not a fan, then who are you?" the nurse demanded.
Willow stilled. She reached into her jacket pocket and squeezed the item there. Jeff had left it on the dresser. It was the ring, the engagement ring that had sent her into hysterics. And made her pack to leave. The nurse had a point. Who was she?
Coming to an answer after so long, Willow raised her eyes to meet the nurse. Pulling her Resolve Face to the front, Willow answered. "I'm his fianc�e."
***
Matt had seen Willow come in. His hopes went soaring. His brother had been so depressed after their fight. The only times he came to in the ride to the hospital were spent demanding for the redhead. It broke his heart to tell Jeff that she wasn't there. He had cried. Jeff Hardy had cried when he heard that Willow hadn't come. It made Matt so angry. He just left Jeff with Lita with the intention of finding Willow and yelling at her.
That's when he saw her come in. Her eyes were frantic, face paler than usual, and tears coming down her cheeks. He watched in silence the altercation between her and the nurse. And he heard the words. The words that convinced him that everything would be okay.
"I'm his fianc�e."
Matt had run out into the foyer and wrapped Willow up in his arms. The redhead was shocked but responded none the less. "Thank god," he mumbled into her hair. "I thought I was going to have to come after you."
"Well, I would have deserved it," Willow laughed. She pulled away from Matt, eyes worried. "Is he..."
"He's fine," Matt assured her. "Bruised ribs and a concussion, but that's it."
"That's it huh?" Willow raised her eyebrows. Matt grinned at her.
"You know us. He's actually had worse than this. Physically anyway."
Willow cast her eyes down. "Emotionally, I pretty much jerked him around," she finished shamefully.
"Willow, did you mean that?" Matt asked. "About being his fianc�e? Because if you didn't, I don't think I can let you in to see him."
The redhead nodded. "I meant it," she affirmed. "But the question remains whether or not he wants me to be."
Matt laughed at her. "Right, like that's a hard one. He'd walk through Hell and back to have you with him."
Willow grimaced at his choice of words. "I still have things to tell him," she told Matt. "And if he still wants to be with me by the end of it, then I'm staying."
"Well," Matt smiled at her. "Let me be the first to say, welcome to the family."
***
When Jeff came to, he was aware of a slight headache. Okay, he was aware that his head felt like someone had tried to crack it open with a nutcracker. He really hated being put through tables. Jeff turned to the side and caught a flash of red hair. His heart rose. Willow!
Hearing his movements, the redhead raised her head. His heart sank to see Lita smiling at him in relief. "Oh boy you had us worried!" Lita exclaimed, reaching over to give him a hug. He groaned a little when she put some pressure on his bruised ribs. "Oh right, sorry," she gave him an apologetic grimace.
"It's okay," he mumbled. He had his health, but no Willow. Oh well, he would survive. Yeah right.
Lita saw the look on his face and understood. "She's not here man," she whispered softly. Jeff nodded and felt a lump rising in his throat. He was too old to be crying over girls. "I mean, Edge and Bubba had to carry her out of here, but she will be back. Crazy girl. Spent the entire night here, not eating or sleeping-"
"Wait!" Jeff interrupted. "She was here?"
Lita gave him a devilish grin. "Of course she was here. And she wouldn't leave. Edge and Bubba slung her over their shoulders to take her back to the hotel. She just went to get a change of clothes and some food. Nearly drove herself insane all night at your bedside."
"She was here," Jeff whispered. He grinned like an idiot. "She was here!" he repeated louder.
Lita rolled her eyes. "That's what I said. Damn you boys are hard of hearing."
"When will she be back?" he demanded. Jeff didn't care that Lita was kidding with him; he just wanted his redhead right now.
"How's about now?" a soft voice came from the doorway. There framed by the figures of his friends stood Willow. She had stayed. "Can we get a minute?" Willow asked the others. They shuffled away from the door. Lita discreetly pulled the blinds shut and shut the door on her way out.
Willow and Jeff just stared at one another. He broke the silence first. "Come here."
She all but flew into his arms. He raised her up and pulled her down on his body. Their lips met in a furious kiss.
***
�Don�t,� came the warning from Lita. She shot Bubba a dirty look as the big man edged away from the door.
�It�s been a little while,� he whined. �I want to know what�s happening.�
�Use your imagination,� Edge waggled his eyebrows.
Lita turned a death glare on her friend.
�Oh come on,� he insisted. �What else would they be doing?�
�Maybe we should knock loudly or something,� Trish mused. �Wouldn�t want the doctor to walk in on some hanky panky.�
�No one is going in there,� Matt spoke up. �They need time.�
The other wrestlers settled down to wait on their friends.
***
Willow was kissing the hell out of Jeff. She straddled his front, hands tangled in his hair. He kissed her back ferociously, hands groping every part of her body he could get at. As his hand sidled up her shirt, Willow broke the kiss.
�Not the time or place for that,� she panted against her lips.
�You never know until you try,� he responded, pulling her back into the kiss. His hand resumed its journey. Willow giggled and pulled back again.
�We�re in a hospital and you�re not recovered,� she gave him a look.
�Am so recovered,� he protested. She poked his taped ribs and he couldn�t help but wince.
"Yeah right,� Willow shook her finger at him. �No nookie for you.�
�You don�t mean forever right?� Jeff looked decisively worried.
�No, just for now,� she grinned and tried to move off him. His hands latched onto her ass and held her in place.
�How about a dry hump then?� he asked, eyes twinkling.
�Always thinking with your libido,� Willow rolled her eyes. �What do you think I am? Some kind of nympho?�
He chuckled. �A man can dream.�
Willow gave him another poke in the ribs. He winced and let her go. She slid off and tucked herself into his side. Jeff was content to keep her there when he saw the ring on her finger.
�Does that mean yes?� he asked her.
Willow fingered her ring. �It does, it will,� she sighed and rose up to a sitting position.
Jeff groaned. �Don�t tell me that it isn�t going to happen, because a guy can only take so-�
�No,� she interrupted. �I want to marry you. I would like to marry you. Whether you still want to marry me, that remains to be decided.�
�Willow, I want to marry you,� Jeff held her hand and kissed her palm. �Nothing can make me change my mind.�
Willow sighed again and looked Jeff in the eye. �Let�s test that theory.�
***
Xander Harris and his wife Anya wandered into the Summers� house.
�Hello ladies!� he yelled into the hallway. �We come bearing gifts. Well, not gifts, but I brought in your mail.�
�We�re in the kitchen!� came the reply from Dawn.
�Come in, we have pancakes!� Buffy yelled as well.
�Ooh, pancakes,� Anya dumped the rest of the mail in Xander�s hands and wandered away.
�Women can�t even carry their own mail. But if you try to open a door for them, watch out!� Xander rolled his eyes. He dumped the letters on the coffee table, stopping when something caught his eye.
An envelope with all five of their names on it. Puzzled, Xander opened it. Inside there were two pieces of paper.
The first read:
You are cordially invited to the wedding of
Jeffery Nero Hardy
&
Willow Sasha Rosenburg
On May 30, 2003
Please RVSP by April 30.
The other read:
Please come. Engaged and nervous Willow needs you.
�Xander?�
He looked up and saw Anya, Buffy, and Dawn approaching him. Anya was looking at him in concern.
�Honey? You okay?�
He realized he was crying.
�Everything�s fine,� he answered, handing them the papers. Buffy grabbed them and the other two gathered around her. All three gave collective gasps. Xander smiled at them and gathered them into their arms.
�Everything�s okay,� he whispered. They all hugged him back, tears of joy streaming down their faces.
For the first time in a long time, everything was okay.
End