Heart’s Spell

Title: Heart’s Spell

Author: Casandra

Disclaimer: You guys know the drill. Joss created and owns them, along with Mutant Enemy, Fox, UPN, yada, yada, yada.

Rating: PG. I usually can’t write anything but mush.

Pairing: Buffy/Willow. If you know me you don’t even have to ask about the pairing.

Summary: Sort of a spin on the first season episode ‘The Witch’.

Spoilers: Well ‘The Witch’ was what, the third episode? So the spoilers aren’t all that plentiful, but if you haven’t seen ‘Welcome To The Hellmouth/The Harvest’ and ‘The Witch’ then you might be a bit spoiled.

Distribution: Sure take it, but please drop me a line and let me know where it’s going.

Feedback: Please. Anything you’d feel inclined to throw my way would be much appreciated.

Warning: If the idea of two consenting adult woman involved in a relationship bothers you, run far far away

Author’s Note: Well this is a short little fic that I felt compelled to write after watching ‘The Witch’ the other night. Willow just seemed so concerned for Buffy, especially considering it was only the third episode. It’s sorta told in Willow’s POV

Willow and Xander stared across the gym at the overenthusiastic Slayer, who at the moment was bounding her way through one of the pep cheers the Sunnydale High cheerleading squad was known for. Xander was towing a fine line between worry and arousal. Watching Buffy dance and gyrate to the pulsing beat was doing all sorts of naughty things to his 16 year old body. Unbeknownst to Xander, Willow was feeling the exact same storm of emotions, and it was scaring her more than any vampire had.

She realized that it seemed impossible to feel so strongly about a person she had only known such a short while. But yet she knew without question that she was falling head over feet in love with her petite friend. She was falling hard, and part of her didn’t want to stop the freefall into the world of trouble that loving her friend was sure to cause. As much as the feelings she possessed for Buffy were scary, they were just as wonderful. Her heart skipped a beat every time Buffy smiled at her. One of those pure Buffy smiles, not the Slayer, not the Chosen One, just Buffy. Willow noticed how her skin became tingly whenever she and Buffy managed to brush up against one another. She could feel Buffy’s warm soft skin on her hours after they had broken contact. She loved gazing into the Slayer’s eyes, getting lost in the vast depth of her rich green pools of warmth and caring. Willow loved Buffy’s eyes, everything Buffy was feeling could be read in her gentle, expressive green orbs.

Willow was broken out of her reverie when she heard Buffy’s sweet, gentle voice. Although she couldn’t quite remember ever hearing such a sugary sweet, happy hilt to her friend’s tone before.

“Willow! Xander! My buds are here! I love my buds!”

Buffy was waving enthusiastically and jumping up and down, her ponytail swishing her golden locks around, creating what Willow thought resembled a halo. Willow stopped her train of thought as she took in Buffy’s enthusiastic comment. Willow managed to pull herself out of her inner mind spurt just as Buffy threw the head cheerleader into the wall of the gym.

Xander and Willow rushed over to Buffy, who was trying her best not to get thrown off the squad. As Willow reached over to grab Buffy’s arm she instantly felt the tingle run through her, even though Buffy was wearing long sleeves. Willow looked back from the head cheerleader who she could have sworn was smoking at the ears, to Buffy who was grinning away and her and Xander. Willow broke herself away from her swoony thoughts once again, realizing that something was definitely off with her blonde friend. If Willow hadn’t known better she would have thought Buffy was tanked. Xander grabbed onto Buffy’s right arm while Willow clung to the left, making sure to support the wobbly Slayer as they walked out of the gym. Buffy seemed to have contracted Willow’s babble, because in her inebriated state she seemed to really enjoy the same thing Willow thought of as a curse.

“Do you have any idea why I love you so Xander?” Buffy rested her head on Xander’s shoulder, smiling that patented Buffy smile up at him. Willow felt a strong surge of jealousy flow through her.

“We gotta get her to a…..” Willow tried not to let her voice carry the jealousy and contempt she was suddenly feeling for her oldest friend. But Xander cut her off before she could finish.

“Let her speak” Xander had one of his goofy grins that, he thought, carried his good old Harris charm. Of course Willow had been swooning over those grins for nearly ten years. But as soon as Buffy had stepped into her life that day as she sipped from the water fountain, everything had changed.

“I’ll tell you. You’re not like the other guys at all. You’re completely and totally like one of the girls” Willow couldn’t help but chuckle at the expressions Xander’s face carried, he looked very unamused to say the least. Buffy continued on her explanation, but each word seemed like they were becoming more and more difficult. Suddenly she stopped wavering and stood stock still for a second. Willow’s worry level started hiking notch by notch with each passing moment.

“Oh, I don’t feel so good” And then she passed out and collapsed into Xander and Willow’s waiting arms.

“Buffy!” Willow’s worry skyrocketed off the chart when she felt her friend go limp in her protective embrace. Xander hoisted Buffy into his arms with Willow hanging onto her hand as they raced off to the library and Giles.

~~~~~

“We’ve got to get her to a hospital!” Willow’s worry and panic was evident in her tone. The wet rag she held on Buffy’s forehead was already warm and she could feel the droplets of sweat against her hand where it rested on Buffy’s neck. Willow looked imploringly at Giles, begging him with her eyes to save the girl she had fallen so desperately in love with,

“There’s nothing they can do………………” From then on Willow zoned out, focusing only on the girl who’s head she cradled in her hands. Willow kept staring down at the face in front of her, but was shook out of her trance when Buffy voiced the one thing she had been fearing the most.

“Kill”

“How much time do we have?!” Willow was in full panic mode now. But before she could get a answer from Giles, Buffy cut her off.

“Guys, I need to talk to Willow for a sec,” When she saw they made no effort to move she added non too subtlety “Alone” Buffy noticed the confused expression Willow’s gentle features wore and smiled slightly, knowing that she was about to change that look dramatically.

“What’s up Buffy?” Willow was more than curious and just a tad bit nervous as well. The Slayer carried a wistful expression and it confused the shy redhead.

“Willow” Buffy started reaching for her friend’s hand and guiding the hacker to kneel in front of her. When Willow gazed back up at Buffy her green eyes clouded with confusion. Buffy brushed a stray lock of auburn hair back behind Willow’s ear. “You know that if we don’t find Amy’s spell book in time, you know that I’ll, well I’ll” She couldn’t bring herself to voice the unspeakable truth. “Well you know what will happen”

“Buffy, don’t say that, please! We’ll find a way to reverse it, I’m not going to……….” Willow stopped herself just short of pouring out everything that had been keeping residence in her heart. Silent tears started to course their way down Willow’s cheek unchecked. Buffy smiled gently at her, wiping away the salty droplets with feather light touches. Willow unconsciously leaned into the caress, fearing that it would be one of the last moments she’d ever have with her friend.

“Willow, I need to tell you something. I know that if we can’t stop this that I’ll never have another chance with you” Buffy stopped to try and gauge Willow’s reaction so far. But she wasn’t giving anything away, she was just grasping Buffy’s hand tightly and listening intently to her friend’s every word. “Willow, I know we’ve only known each other a short time, but well, I feel really close to you”

“I feel close to you too Buffy. You’ve become my best friend,” Willow smiled sheepishly at her admission.

“Aww, Willow, I feel the same way. But there’s more” Willow cast her a curious gaze. “Willow, please don’t freak out on me here, but somehow I’ve managed to fall completely in love with you” Buffy didn’t dare chance a glance at her friend, so she continued, after all, the cat was already out of the bag, no need to hold back. “ I don’t know how or why it happened so fast, I just know what I feel. It’s not a crush, it’s not just infatuation or puppy love, it’s real, it’s totally and completely real. I’m consumed by thoughts of you Willow, how cute you looked in your jumper that first day we met. How adorable it is when you go on one of your babble sprees. How you tuck your hair behind your ear when you go into full research mode” Buffy stopped to tuck a strand of red hair behind Willow’s ear again, reveling in the silky touch of it. “I’ve dreamed almost every night this week what it would be like to………………….” Buffy trailed off, casting her eyes downward, keeping at least some things to the imagination. But she brought her eyes back up to meet Willow’s piercing gaze when she felt gentle fingertips cupping her chin and raising her head.

“Dreamed of this?” With that Willow slowly brought her lips up to meet the Slayer’s, placing feather light kisses over and over again on Buffy’s now swollen lips. Buffy returned each and every kiss with a lazy passion that she had dreamed about for weeks. Willow gently pulled away and looked Buffy in the eyes. “I will NOT lose you, not to this, not to anything. And do you know why?” Buffy absently shook her head in the negative. She was just as shocked about the kiss as she was about Willow’s new found confidence. “I love you Buffy. I don’t know how it happened so fast either, but I know that I’m head over heels in love with you. And I’m not going to let you go, not now, not ever. We WILL find a way” Willow hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. Buffy smiled resignedly at Willow, stroking her cheek unconsciously.

“Well if we don’t” Willow gave her a dubious look, Buffy had come to know it as the infamous ‘Willow resolve face’. “I just wanted you to know how I felt” Buffy dropped another kiss on Willow’s pink lips before she rose out of the chair and unsteadily walked out of Giles’ office, the Watcher suddenly appearing at her side and gently leading her towards the exit. As Buffy was being lead away from Willow she cast her one last loving glance, trying to convey all her feelings into that one gaze.

~~~~~

Willow sat in the library waiting for Buffy, not sure whether she was even dead or alive. But she didn’t have any kind of bad feeling, any sense of loss, so she thought that was at least a good sign. But the worry was really eating at her. As Willow sat almost shivering with nervousness and fear, the library doors swung open. Buffy came strolling in, a bright smile lighting up her gorgeous features. Willow looked up and immediately felt all the fear and worry wash away. She jumped form her seat and rushed over to Buffy, throwing herself into the Slayer’s waiting arms.

“Oh thank god, I was so worried! Are you ok? I mean, are you unwhammied, did you get the spell reversed?” Willow had almost launched into full babble mode.

“The only whammy on me is the one you put on my heart. And wow, was that not the cheesiest line? Sorry, I guess I’m still suffering a little bit of a cursy after effect” Willow blushed as Buffy stroked her cheek.

“I don’t care as long as you’re safe” Buffy leaned down and scooped Willow up and carried her to the table in the middle of the library. Willow tried to protest but Buffy could tell it was only half heartedly. When she placed her down on the table she dropped another gentle kiss on the hacker’s lips. Buffy pulled away with a contemplative look.

“I can’t pretend to know how I fell so fast, but I did. I just know that I love you and I want to be with you more than anything,” Buffy cast her eyes down, looking away shyly. Willow cupped her chin and again raised Buffy’s eyes to meet her gaze.

“Buffy, I want that too” Willow smiled before dropping a tender kiss on the Slayers lips. Buffy grasped her hand, pulling her off the table and leading her out of the library.

“Well at least it’ll never be boring with me,” Willow laughed and wrapped an arm around Buffy’s waist.

“Nope, that’s for sure. But I think my life was a little too sheltered anyway,” Buffy joined in her laughter as they walked out of the school, arms wrapped tightly around one another. They knew it was going to be a long road, but they also knew they would face it together.

THE END

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