A Night in the "Love is Tough" Chatroom
by Mnemosyne

Disclaimer: I don't own them.  They all

belong to the WB, etc, etc.  I WISH I owned them

sometimes, but we all know that ain't gonna happen.

Summary: Two girls in different parts of the

country chat online about their love troubles.

Category: Let's call this a...crossover,

shall we?  I shan't say with what, because that would

give away the surprise!  Let's just say...another WB series.  ;)

Rating: G, baby!  Everyone can read this puppy!

Spoilers: Nada

Distribution: Ask me first!  I'll be happy

to send you a copy!

Email: Nice comments only, please!  I have a

fragile ego.  :)  [email protected]

Notes: This is just a bit of silliness that

came to me last night for some INEXPLICABLE reason as

I was brushing my teeth and humming "I Will Follow

Him."  Don't even ASK about the correlation between

that and this story, because I can tell you right now,

even *I* don't know where it came from! :)  Have fun!

For background, I listened quite constantly to the

soundtrack to "Simply Irresistible."  Happy reading! 

sunnychick: Hey, anybody out there?  I'd luv to chat!  :)

The girl's head snapped up from her chemistry

homework as the words floated across her computer

screen.  It was 6:30pm, half an hour before she had to

be to work for the nightshift at the Crashdown Cafe.

It was also not exactly prime chatting hour for this

particular room.  She never thought anyone else would

show!  Setting aside the heavy textbook, she tapped

out a reply and hit SEND.

aria51: Hey there!  I think we're all alone

in here.  *sigh*  What u gotta chat about?

A quick moment passed, then a reply appeared.

sunnychick: Great!  Another person!  Guy problems.

The girl grinned, typed out a brief message, and

hit SEND once more.

******

aria51: Is there another kind?

sunnychick: LOL!  No, guess not.  Same boat?

aria51:  Oh yeah.  What's up with you?

sunnychick:  *sigh*  I'm....Well, you see, I

think I'm kinda...well....IN LOVE with this guy, but

the relationship...It just couldn't ever work.

aria51:  How do you know?

sunnychick:  *tapping out reasons on

fingers* I'm a day person, he's a night person.  I'm a

people person, he's more of a loner.  I'm wrapped up

with my work, he likes to suck...all the marrow out of

life. We're just opposites in so many ways!

aria51:  *with sympathy*  SOMETHING must

draw you to him.  What is it?

sunnychick: He's so.....intense.  He looks

at me, and I feel my legs turn to jelly!  He has the

most amazing eyes! It's like a lifetime's worth of

pain and experience are in those eyes.

aria51: *raising eyebrows* So he's an OLDER man?

sunnychick: *giggling* You could say that. 

aria51: *winking*  I say go for it!  If you

can be so affected by him despite all his differences,

then there MUST be something there!

sunnychick: My friends would kill me! :)

aria51: WARNING: CLICHE APPROACHING!  Follow your heart.  ;)

sunnychick: *laughing* Maybe I will!  Now,

'nuff about me.  What about you?  Trouble on the guyfront?

aria51: Yep.  *sigh*  Lot like you, actually.  Great guy. 

AMAZING eyes.  Relationship just won't work.

sunnychick: To repeat your question, why not?

aria51:  Well, he's kinda....spacey.  I'm

very much down-to-earth.  And hanging out with him--it feels...dangerous.

sunnychick: *puzzled*  Why?

aria51:  Can't really explain.  It just

does.  But despite that feeling, I want to be with him

more and more.  Is that normal?

sunnychick: *thoughtful pause*  I think

you've just solved BOTH of our problems.

 

aria51: Say wha'?

sunnychick: *smiling* It IS normal.  Just be

CAREFUL.  Don't rush into anything.  My advice?  A]

Follow your heart ;)  and B] Sometimes you have to

walk on the edge of danger in order to make it safe. 

aria51: *eyes wide*  OHMYGOSH!  That's an EPIPHANY!

sunnychick: *grinning* I try to be epiphinical as often as possible.

aria51: Thank you SO MUCH, sunnychick!

sunnychick: You too, aria51!  I think we've

both worked out some stuff here, don't you?

aria51:  Big time!  *glancing at watch*

Uh-oh!  Gotta dash!  Work in fifteen minutes!  Thanks so much again!

sunnychick: No problem!  And back at ya!

I'd better go, too.  Work, work, work!  I'm a busy little bee!

aria51:  Bye!

 

sunnychick: By-ee!

 

******

Maria Deluca switched off her monitor and pushed

back from her computer desk.  She couldn't stop

smiling.  "Follow your heart," she murmured.

Still grinning like an idiot, she hurriedly

switched into her Crashdown uniform.  Aww, man!  A

glance at the clock told her it was now ten of seven.

She'd have to rush to get to work at least SEMI ontime.

It seemed to take her forever to get to her little

red car and then out onto the open road towards the

center of town-- now she'd DEFINITELY be late.  But

that couldn't dull her spirits.  It was Friday.

Michael Guerin ALWAYS came in on Fridays, for a hot

dog and a Coke.  Maria would be sure SHE got his table

this time.  And she wouldn't even make him ask for the Tabasco.

******

In the room she shared with Willow Rosenberg at UC

Sunnydale, Buffy Summers sighed as she shut down her

roommate's laptop.  A quick glance out the window

showed a full, silver moon in a star studded sky.

Good slayage weather-- high visibility.

Standing quickly, she checked to be sure all ten

stakes were secured within her skin tight jeans and

sleeveless tank top.  It always amazed her friends

that she could hide so many instruments of death on

her person without them showing.  "Talent," she'd told

them numerous times, "and a well honed ability to make

lots of clothes fit in a tiny closet."

Locking the door behind her and starting down the

hall, Buffy thought back on her conversation with

aria51.  "What a username!" she chuckled.  I wonder

if she's one of those people who believes the whole Roswell thing!

But the other girl's advice still echoed in Buffy's

memory. Follow your heart.  "I can do that," she said softly.

It was a full moon.  He always looked best in a

full moon-- it glinted on his platinum blonde hair.

With new determination, Buffy slipped out into the

night, and prayed that tonight would be the night

William the Bloody, better known as Spike, would

choose to stir up some trouble.

The End

HAH!  Gotcha!  Betcha thought it was Liz chatting

about Max, right?  And if that didn't throw ya, I

betcha thought Buffy was thinking about Angel, right?

Well, much as I love BOTH of those couples, THESE two

(Maria/Michael and Buffy/Spike) are my favorites.

Heheheh.... Till next time!