Buffy pulled back from the kiss to look deeply into Willow's eyes and was startled to see tears shining there.
"What's wrong?" she asked, stroking Willow's soft cheek with the tips of her fingers.
"Nothing. I'm just happy," the redhead replied, smiling.
"Good."
The blonde girl leaned in to steal another kiss and just managed to brush Willow's warm lips with hers when she heard a shout from downstairs.
"Buffy! Do you girls want something to drink?"
They both jumped and blushed heavily. Buffy peeked over at Willow and began to giggle. The redheaded witch looked at her quizzically for a moment before she, too, began to giggle. The giggles turned into laughter and for a few minutes both girls sat on the window seat, leaning against each other as they laughed. Each time they began to calm down they looked at each other and began giggling again.
Eventually Buffy forced the smile off her face and turned away from Willow. "Ok, what was so funny again?"
"I don't know," Willow replied breathlessly, also attempting to calm down. "But it seemed . . ."
She trailed off into another round of giggles as Buffy turned to face her.
"Buffy? Do you want anything to drink?" This time Joyce's voice was much closer.
"Do you want anything?" Willow asked.
Buffy shook her head. "I want to get out of here. I haven't been out for a few days. How do mochas sound? My treat?"
"Sounds good."
They grinned at each other and Buffy stood stiffly, stretching leisurely to work out the stiffness in her muscles. When she was finished she turned to Willow, still sitting down, and caught a guilty flush before the redheaded girl smiled up at her.
"What?" she asked, holding out a hand to help her up.
Willow took the proffered hand and allowed herself to be pulled up, incidentally ending up barely inches away from Buffy. "Nothing."
"That was not a nothing look."
She blushed. "It-it . . . uh, maybe not. I might have been, sort of, uh, admiring the view."
"The view . . . oh." The blonde girl grinned. "Why I do believe that was a compliment."
"Maybe." Willow quickly brushed Buffy's lips with her own and then stepped back. "Mochas? Before your mom investigates?"
"Good plan."
"I thought so."
They met Joyce part way up the stairs and she looked at them curiously. "Where are you two going?"
"Just to the Espresso Pump," Buffy said lightly, edging past her mother. "We feel the need for sugar and caffeine."
"Honey, it's raining out there."
"We'll take umbrellas."
"Sometimes I think I'll never understand you."
The Slayer kissed her mother on the cheek and ran lightly down the remaining stairs. "It would be no fun if you did."
Joyce sighed and smiled at her happy daughter.
Buffy pulled down her leather coat from a peg and handed Willow her green raincoat. Somehow, and it was definitely not an accident, Buffy managed to lightly squeeze the redhead's hand as she gave it to her and they shared a quiet smile.
"Are you sure you want to go out?" Joyce asked, breaking into the moment. "The forecast is that the weather will get worse."
"I'm sure. See? Umbrellas. Raincoats. We'll be fine."
With that the Slayer opened the door walked out. The rain hit her face and lashed at her coat but she barely noticed because Willow was peeking out of the door with a doubtful expression. She put up her sturdy umbrella and motioned the hacker to join her. Willow took a deep breath and dashed out of the door and to the safety of the umbrella as quickly as possible.
The walked through the town together, close enough to brush shoulders as they went but resisting the temptation to hold hands - just. Instead they cast sidelong glances at each other and it became almost a game to try and catch each other looking. They ran the final few metres to the warm safety of the coffee shop and Buffy took a deep, appreciative breath of the coffee-laden air and turned to Willow.
"I'll buy, you find a seat?" she asked, eyeing up some chocolate muffins on the counter.
"Sure."
"What do you want?"
"Surprise me."
Buffy flashed her an evil grin and Willow almost took back her impulsive words, but the Slayer was already at the counter, so with a philosophical sigh she began looking for a seat. The shop was crowded and it took her a while to spot the little table hidden away in a corner at the back. The low hum of people talking and the smell of baking goodies were a comforting blend and with the warm glow of the lamps chasing away the dark dampness of the storm it was almost possible to imagine that nothing existed outside the shop. Willow wove her way through the tables, chairs and gossiping customers to the little table at the back, hoping that Buffy was not so distracted by the chocolatey goodness at the counter that she would miss where Willow had gone. Taking off her soggy coat, she hung it on a peg on the wall and sat down to wait.
One of the good things about her secluded perch was that she could do some Buffy-watching without fear of being too obvious. The Slayer was leaning against the counter, staring intently at the menu board, and Willow smiled softly at the sight. I still can't believe it, she thought with wonder. She loves me! And she wants to be with me. She was actually broken-hearted at the thought of not being with me. We're a couple - at least, I think we are. What do we do now? Well, I have some very nice ideas, but realistically where do we go from here? After all, I want this to be right and if we rush anything it could turn into a whole big mess. And how do we tell our friends? What do we tell them? And Buffy's mom . . . and the college and . . . oh! Living arrangements next year! This is all getting complicated already.
"Stop," a voice said from above her and she looked up to see Buffy standing next to her, a serious expression on her face and a tray in her hands.
"Stop what?"
"Will, I know that look on your face. You're worrying."
"I wasn't . . . much."
Buffy set her tray on the table and sat down. "I thought we had a deal that if we started to have doubts or fears we'd talk about it."
"I'm being silly. You know me - silly Willow worrying about nothing important."
"Then tell me. I promise not to laugh."
Willow looked down at the table and began tracing patterns on it with a fingernail. "It's nothing really. I just suddenly realised . . . well, we're a couple, right?"
Buffy smiled at her. "It's what people in a relationship normally are."
Inwardly, Willow heaved a sigh of relief. "Good. Well, then, I sort of realised that I'm not sure what this means. How much does this change things? What are we going to tell everyone? How do we act around each other? And then there's college. And living stuff - I mean we lived together last year and that was ok but now everything's different. And there's your mom and-"
"One day at a time," Buffy cut in, and took on of the witch's hands in hers. "We work things out one day at a time."
"Oh."
"This is newer to me than it is to you; you've been with Tara while I've only been with . . ."
"But it's still new to me. I've never been in a relationship with my best friend before."
There was silence for a moment as both girls thought.
"I think one day at a time is the best plan," Buffy said eventually. "No rushing, taking our time and trying not plan the future. Around here we can't do that."
Willow looked at her for a moment and smiled.
"What?" Buffy asked. "Do I have something on my nose?"
"No. It's just that I hardly ever get to see rational-Buffy."
"What am I normally?"
She thought for a moment, trying to find a way to say what she wanted without offending her friend. "You're usually very emotional. Not that it's a bad thing, sometimes, but sometimes you're over-emotional when you should be more, uh, sensible."
"I think I'd drop that issue while you're ahead."
"Ok. What did you get me?"
Buffy handed her a steaming cup and placed a plate in front of her. Willow sniffed the cup dubiously and then took a sip. Her face lit up with pleasure.
"Thank you," she said, taking another sip of the chocolatey, creamy coffee. "Did you get them to put extra chocolate in this?"
Buffy looked momentarily guilty. "Maybe."
"Thanks."
Willow turned her attention to the large, double chocolate chip cookie sitting on the plate in front of and looked inquiringly at the blonde girl.
"I haven't eaten much lately, and I wouldn't want you to feel left out," Buffy justified. "Anyway, what is a mocha without a chocolaty treat?"
"Fewer calories?"
"Will, you don't need to lose weight. You look just right to me."
She flushed with pleasure.
"And anyway, I'm the one who should be feeling guilty about the amount I'm eating."
For the first time Willow took a good look at what Buffy had in front of her and she had to blink twice to convince herself she was not seeing things. The blonde Slayer had a cookie like Willow's, but she also had a sandwich, a plate with a couple of poached eggs on toast and a bowl of chicken soup.
"Hungry?" Willow asked mildly.
"A little," Buffy admitted as she cut a neat square of toast and egg.
For a while there was silence as Willow slowly sipped her mocha and Buffy devoured everything in sight. Eventually the blonde girl put down her knife and fork and sat back with a contented sigh to nibble on her cookie.
"Better?" asked Willow.
"Much," Buffy said happily. "I feel alive for the first time in . . . well, for the first time in a long time."
"Good."
"Are you patrolling tonight?"
Buffy grimaced. "I guess I should. I've been a little distracted lately."
"Want some company?"
"Sure you can cope with hanging out in a rainy cemetery?"
"Only when I'm with you."
They exchanged happy smiles and Buffy reached over to cover Willow's hand with hers.
"So, what's going on?" a voice said from behind them.
Buffy immediately snatched her hand back and looked behind her to see Xander. She could imagine the blush that was probably spreading across Willow's face so she pulled his attention away from her friend.
"What's going on where?" she asked. "And with who?"
"I was just wondering why you disappeared for a week," Xander said. "And now I find you in a coffee shop, in a bad storm, which apart from being a little strange is a fortuitous coincidence."
Buffy stared at him, wide-eyed with surprise.
"He's been hanging around Giles all week," Anya said with a sigh. "You shouldn't let him do that."
"Sorry Xand. I kinda had things on my mind."
"And those things were so earth shattering you couldn't even pick up the phone?"
"Xander, she needed some time to think," Willow spoke up in defence of Buffy, receiving a grateful look from the Slayer. "I seem to recall you doing the same a few times."
Xander managed to look embarrassed. "Sorry, Buffy."
"It's ok. I didn't mean to do such a disappearing act." Buffy smiled at him. "Why were you hanging with Giles?"
"Oh, just having a temporary rent-dispute with my parents," he said lightly.
Anya glared at him. "In other words he's been locked out until he pays the rent. And Giles won't give up his bed so we can have sex so I want you to tell him to pay up."
"I though we'd talked about what should and shouldn't be discussed in public?" Xander said, flushing.
"It's not like I told them about mffph mffphh," Anya finished as Xander firmly clamped a hand over her wayward mouth.
"We're leaving now," he announced.
He pulled Anya out of the shop with him and Willow looked at Buffy, trying to contain a smirk.
"Sounds fun," Buffy noted, before giggling.
"She's good for him, in a strange way," Willow added.
Buffy checked out of the window. "The rain's easing off a little. Wanna try and get in a sweep before it starts up again?"
The hacker nodded and they both stood and walked out into the blustery night.
***
Laughing, Buffy and Willow ran up the final street to the Rosenberg house although their speed made no difference; they were both soaked to the skin. The storm had unleashed as they went round the final graveyard and it was raining harder than it had earlier. Willow fumbled in her pocket and found the key but her hands were so stiff from the cold that she could not manage to get it into the lock. Buffy took the key from her and unlocked the door, holding it open and bowing her love inside. The redheaded witch giggled and stepped inside, shaking her head to send droplets of water flying everywhere.
"Oops," she giggled as she noticed the water droplets now covering the walls, floor and hall mirror.
"It'll dry," Buffy said, closing the door behind her. "We'd better get you out of those clothes."
Willow looked at her.
"And into dry ones," the blonde girl added, feeling a blush creeping its way up her face.
Without warning, Willow pulled Buffy into a tight hug and kissed her, whispering, "I love you."
Then she released the surprised Slayer and ran lightly upstairs.
Buffy stood still for a few minutes, feeling the tingle in her lips from the kiss, and then she grinned. She was about to follow the redhead upstairs when the phone rang.
"Buffy, can you get that?" Willow called down.
It took her moment to locate the phone and she dripped more water through the hall as she did so.
"Hello?"
"Buffy? Is that you?" Joyce's voice echoed strangely down crackling line due to the interference from the storm.
"Yeah, mom, it's me. What's up?"
"I've been looking for you everywhere. You didn't tell me you'd be out so late, and then I spoke to Mr Giles and he said you were patrolling. In this weather!"
"Mom, it was only a quick sweep and the weather wasn't that bad when we set out."
"Buffy, that storm out there just brought down three trees in Mrs Pinnkersill's garden."
"I know. That's why I'm at Willow's - it was closer than trying to come home."
"Are you all right?"
"Well I'm soaked through and cold, but otherwise I'm of the good. Thanks."
Joyce paused. "Are you going to stay there?"
"Unless the storm lets up I'll have to. We've got pizza, and videos, and Will's finding me some dry clothes, so we'll be fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure."
"You don't want me to come out and get you?"
"Five minutes ago you were telling me about how worried you were that I was out in the storm and how somebody's trees have fallen over. Why would you want to come out and get me? Is everything ok?"
"Oh, uh, no reason. I guess I just don't like not knowing where my daughter is when there's a bad storm."
"Well, you know now. I'm fine, or I will be when I'm dry. I'll see you tomorrow."
Buffy could hear her mother sighing down the phone. "Ok, honey. Good night."
Willow walked past as Buffy put down the receiver and handed her a towel. "Who was that?"
"Mom, freaked out about the storm," she replied, towelling her hair.
"Oh. Is everything ok?"
"I think so," Buffy said uncertainly. "She sounded a bit weird, but it's probably nothing."
"There's some clean clothes in the bathroom if you want to change," Willow offered. "Then I've got some pizza in the freezer."
"Sounds good."
***
Much later the remains of the pizza lay on plates on the coffee table in the lounge, along with the carton from a tub of ice cream. Willow was curled up in a corner of the sofa while Buffy scanned the shelf of videos looking for something to watch.
"Parenting: A psychologists guide?" she asked, looking a particularly dull video.
"It makes them feel like they're taking an interest."
Buffy pulled down to boxes. "Ok, 'Notting Hill' or 'The Man in the Iron Mask'?"
Willow thought for a moment. "My vote goes for 'Notting Hill' - I'm in a mushy mood."
"Cool." Buffy pushed the video into the machine and grabbed the remote before sitting down on the sofa next to Willow. "Ready?"
The redheaded girl looked at her for a moment and shook her head.
"What's missing?"
"This." Willow shifted and pulled Buffy towards her, not satisfied until they were comfortably curled up against each other with Buffy's head resting on her shoulder. "Much better."
"No argument here."
The Slayer started the video and for five minutes she was absorbed in the tale. Then her eyes slowly drooped until she eventually fell asleep with a contented smile on her face. Willow looked down at the softly sleeping girl and smiled before also falling into a deep sleep.
***
Buffy woke up wondering why one side of her was snugly warm and yet there were shivers down her other side. She reached round to pull the covers closer and froze when, instead of feeling a quilt, she found warm skin beneath her fingers. Shifting slightly, and stifling a groan as stiff muscles protested the movement, she turned her head to look up.
And met Willow amused green eyes. The warm flesh her fingers had touched turned out to be the hacker's soft neck and she quirked a grin at Buffy.
"Morning," she said quietly, her throat husky from sleep.
Buffy looked up at her and the events of the previous day replayed through her mind. "Morning."
For a long moment they lay there, looking in each other's eyes, until Buffy nervously licked her lips and said, "Would it be ok to kiss you?"
"Buff, you never need to ask. It's always ok. Unless we're in the middle of a fight, or distractions would be really bad or Giles is around or-"
The Slayer cut her off by kissing her. It was a gentle kiss, full of the love she felt, and she softly kissed and nibbled at the other girl's lips. Willow sighed, the warm air flowing across Buffy's cheek, and returned the kiss. Buffy felt as though she was floating away in the gentle warmth of the kiss and she smiled slightly as she felt rather than heard Willow give a low moan. And then the redhead nipped her lip and she felt heat rush through her.
As the kiss turned from gentle to passionate Buffy knew she had to stop. It was so tempting to continue but she knew if they did things would get out of hand and they could end up regretting it. When they took that step, she wanted it to be right, without any doubts, so now was not the time.
Reluctantly she pulled back, darting back for one final taste, but forcing herself to sit up and put some distance between her and temptation. Willow gave a tiny whimper of protest and opened her eyes.
Buffy tucked her blonde hair behind her ears and looked at her. "We should probably get up. Because it's day and that's what people do in the day."
"Are you ok?" Willow asked.
"Sure I am."
Willow looked at her uncertainly.
"I'm fine," Buffy said. "I just think that in view of our one day at a time rule we shouldn't rush anything. And that was definitely leading up to some rushing."
The hacker nodded her understanding. "So everything's all right?"
"More than all right. I love you, y'know?"
"You might have mentioned it once or twice."
Buffy stood and held out a hand. "I should get going. Mom sounded a bit weird last night so I'd better get back and find out what's going on."
Willow took the proffered hand and allowed herself to be pulled up. "Can't you stay for breakfast?"
For a moment Buffy hesitated, weighing the delights of breakfast with her girlfriend against breakfast with her mother. There was really no contest. "Ok. But then I really have to leave."
Smiling, Willow bounced out of the room and headed towards the kitchen. "What do you want? I've got cereal, and Pop Tarts, and toast, and I think there might be some bacon, or you could have yoghurt or there's fruit or I could make waffles or pancakes or-"
"Will, relax. I've had breakfast here loads of time," Buffy said, shaking her head at her overexcited hacker.
"Yeah, I know, but it's never been . . . breakfast. Together." She paused. "Did that make any sense to you? Because I think I got lost somewhere."
"It made sense. It's the first time you've made me breakfast when it means more than normal breakfast."
"Right. So, what do you want?"
They settled on cereal and toast and Buffy had to force herself not to deliberately eat slowly so she had more time with Willow. Neither of them spoke much, but that did not matter because sometimes there are things that cannot be said with words.
Eventually, Buffy forced herself to admit that she was just time wasting to put off the moment when she had to leave and drank down the last of her juice.
"Guess I'd better get home," she said.
"Yeah."
They walked out into the hall and Willow handed her the pile of damp clothing she had worn the previous night.
"Thanks."
They stood awkwardly in the hall for a moment, looking at each other, and then Buffy took a handful of her girlfriend's shirt so she could pull her in for a kiss. It was more of a reassurance that she would be back than the lazy passion they had shared earlier but they were both breathing faster when they separated.
"I'll call you when I get in," Buffy promised.
"I'll be waiting."
"Bye then."
"Yeah."
With that Buffy opened the door and walked out.
***
The house was quiet when she walked in and she dumped the damp clothing on the staircase before heading towards the kitchen in search of her mother. Joyce was sitting at the breakfast bar with a cup of coffee and the paper but she looked up as her daughter entered.
"Buffy," she greeted. "I though you'd be back earlier than this."
"Yeah, sorry mom. We kinda woke up late."
"Oh."
For a long time Joyce looked at Buffy closely and the blonde Slayer squirmed under the knowing look. As soon as the older woman looked away Buffy walked to the fridge and began searching for some more juice.
"So, did you have a nice time with Willow?" Joyce asked.
"Uh-huh. Watched videos, ate pizza - you know, girly stuff."
"Good." Joyce paused awkwardly. "I know about you."
"Pardon?"
"I know about you and Willow."
*finis*