PART 5

Willow stared into the blackness of the bedroom and forced back tears. For the first time since Buffy had killed her lover, she allowed herself to think about Tara. Her mind drifted back to their first meeting and the subsequent way their relationship had developed.

All the joy they'd shared in each others company and all the power she'd felt when joined with Tara while casting a spell - it was all a lie. Gradually, she allowed herself to remember the night she'd found everything out.

Was it really only four days ago? Four days since she had opened her door to find an extremely agitated Tara standing on her doorstep demanding to be let in as a demon was supposedly chasing her.

Frightened, Willow had shut and bolted the door after Tara had entered and reluctantly followed her lover down to the basement at her request.

"Why did you want to come down here?" Willow had asked in confusion. "If the demon gets in the house, we’ll be trapped down here. I think we should call Buffy."

At the last comment, Tara had turned to her angrily, "Oh! Buffy, Buffy, Buffy, that’s all I ever hear you say. I’m sick to death of her and her do-gooder ways."

"But Tara…" a surprised Willow had begun to object.

"But Tara, what?" the other girl had interrupted wrathfully. During the ensuing shocked silence, she had then adopted a Willowlike pose. Highering her voice in a mocking imitation of her lover she had goaded, "Oh Tara, please don’t speak about my wonderful, too good to be true friend like that."

Willow had frowned and began to get upset. "What’s the matter with you?" she asked in a hurt voice. "I don’t understand…"

"That’s your problem Willow," Tara had spat nastily. "You never understood anything." She had laughed disdainfully and begun to walk menacingly towards her. "God you were so easy to fool. My shy and awkward act reminded you of yourself didn't it, Willow?" she had goaded.

While talking, Tara had walked into a slightly shadowy area of the basement and Willow had begun to feel the first fingers of fear slowly creep up her spine as she heard Tara's voice suddenly become lower. When Tara had moved back out into the dim light, Willow and gasped and shrank back in horror at the ugly, demonic face that was once her love. Her eyes had turned white, her nose had lengthened and her mouth was wider revealing uneven teeth. Her skin had darkened and wrinkled her features beyond recognition.

Fear held Willow immobile as Tara came to stop right in front of her and grabbed hold of her arms. "What, no kiss?" the demon had asked and leaned in with an evil smile.

Willow had reacted then and, with a scream, had pushed against Tara with all her might whilst also kicking her hard on the shins. Taken by surprise, Tara had loosened her grip on Willow's arms enough for the girl to break free and make a run for the stairs. She had barely got three or four steps up, when she was grabbed from behind and virtually thrown across the room. She had landed in a heap by some old chairs, winded, but not hurt.

Tara walked towards her, malice in her every feature as she pulled out a small dagger. "What are you doing?" asked Willow as she looked fearfully at the weapon. "No. Please, don't hurt me."

The tears that started to run down Willow's cheeks just seemed to infuriate Tara even more. Without a word, she grabbed hold of Willow's t-shirt and pulled her upright. Willow struggled but Tara held her firm, then raised her arm in preparation for the kill.

Just as Willow thought she was sure to die, the door to the basement suddenly burst open and she had heard Buffy's voice calling her. She remembered that she had called back and then Tara had been pulled away from her suddenly. What occurred afterwards was still pretty much a blur.

A fight had ensued between Buffy and Tara, of that Willow was certain. But, how many blows were dealt she had no idea as she'd stared blankly at them wrapped in her own private misery. Then suddenly, a loud piercing scream had made her jump and brought her back to her senses. She had pushed her hands to her ears in a vain attempt to block out the sound and when the scream died away to silence, she had stared in shock at a heavily breathing Buffy who was standing over a very dead Tara.

She remembered crying at what she'd 'thought' she'd lost and now, as she lay in her lonely bed in the hotel, she began to cry for what she now 'knew' she'd lost. She just hoped and prayed that he wasn't lost for good.

***********************************************

Oz knocked on the door of Serena's office and, at the call of her invite, went in. She was writing in the club's account book and looked up to see who entered. Seeing it was Oz, she grinned and gestured for him to take the seat opposite her desk.

"Your friend's gone?" she asked shutting the book up and leaning back in her chair.

"Yeah, he had some things to do."

"Oh, I see. Well, what did you want to talk about? Are there problems with the band?" she asked getting down to what she thought would be business.

"There's always problems with the band," he replied dryly.

Serena raised her eyes expectantly and waited for him to continue.

"Look, how about we go out somewhere and get some coffee?" Oz asked suddenly. He gestured to the four walls of the office. "I feel like I'm back at high school and I've done something wrong."

Serena grinned and nodded her head in acceptance. "Come on, I know just the place," she said as she stood up. "It's dirty as sin and the waitresses are rude as hell but the coffee's excellent."

"You make it sound so tempting, I can't see how I can refuse." He grinned back at her and they left.

Ten minutes later, Serena led Oz into the worst café he'd ever seen. "Man, you weren't kidding," he said as he took in the various cracks in the wall and partially cleaned tables. He followed her to a table near the grimy window and they sat down facing each other.

"Cool, huh?" she chuckled, then looked up as a shadow fell over their table. "Two coffee's please," she told the gum chewing waitress.

"That all?"

"Yes, thanks."

The waitress blew a bubble and scribbled their order on her pad. Then she ripped the page off and put it on the table before giving Oz a dazzling smile and moving away.

"She liked you," Serena commented with an arch of her eyebrow.

"Must be my animal magnetism," he commented with a touch of irony.

Serena tilted her head to one side as she studied him intently. "You know what? I hadn't really noticed it before, but I think you're right. There is something…wild… almost dangerous about you."

Oz involuntarily glanced through the window and up at the moon, high in the black sky. "Yep, that's me," he said quietly, as he turned his gaze back to hers. "Wild and definitely dangerous."

Serena was shocked by the sudden chill that went down her spine as he uttered those words. Something told her that they weren't to be taken as lightly as he'd spoken them, but she couldn't work out why. His expression gave nothing away and he looked perfectly at ease, but still…there was something he was hiding. She was sure of it.

She was prevented from asking him anything further when the waitress reappeared and unceremoniously slapped their cups of coffee down on the table, the liquid slopping over the edge. "Enjoy," she commented as she walked away.

"How could we miss," Oz muttered humourously as he picked up the cup. "Cheers," he saluted before taking a sip. At Serena's questioning look, Oz nodded in approval. "You're right. It is the best coffee."

His friend smiled and took a sip from her own cup. "So, what did you want to discuss?" she asked curiously.

"It's not anything I want to discuss exactly," Oz replied. "More like, ask."

"OK, so what did you want to ask me?"

Oz hesitated slightly before replying. "Well, basically…out."

"Out?" Serena repeated with a puzzled frown.

"Yeah, like on a date. Out." At her shocked, open-mouthed expression and complete silence, Oz added. "Course, if you don't want to because of the club and everything…you know, what with me working there…then don't worry, that's cool.

"No…no, it's not that," she managed to reply in a weak voice. "It's just so…unexpected. I mean, I thought you…" She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts and then said, "I was under the impression that you still felt something for Willow."

Oz sighed and glanced out of the window again before looking her direct in the eyes. "Gypsy, I won’t lie to you. I think I’ll always feel something for…her, but I’m ready to move on. You make me want to move on." He covered her hand with his. "This is the first time I’ve felt like this anyone since I left Sunnydale. I…I like you"

Serena smiled felt a flush creep up her cheeks. "I like you too, Oz," she replied somewhat shyly.

"Is that a yes?" he asked hopefully.

She nodded and grinned. "That's a definite yes."

END PART 5