'Great romantic scene,' Oz thought to himself as he looked past his girl friend into the darkness of the cemetery. He was shocked - almost appalled - at his horrible choice of scenery. 'Of all the big events of life, this is the one that's happening in a grave yard.'

"Oz? Were you... going to say something?"

'Oh, yeah...' Oz's eyes focused back on Willow, and he unconsciously smiled. "Uh... yeah... I mean..." 'Oh God, I can't believe I'm doing this...' "What I'm trying to say is, would you..." 'Why am I so nervous? Oh yeah... because we're too young and I can't do this and... Oh God... I'm starting to think like Willow.' Once again Oz's eyes went past Willow's and focused on a tombstone, reading its text. "Bob Smith 1932-1984 Oh well, he died." Oz frowned.

"What are you frowning at? Is something wrong? Oz, you're worrying me." Willow had a not-too-unusual nervous tone.

"Oh, nothing. Sorry." He smiled again, this time a subtle, reassuring smile, and tried to remember to point out that headstone to her later. "What I'm trying to ask you is..." Oz punctuated the importance of his question - and how nervous he was - with a deep breath. "Willyoumarryme?"

"Um... what? Did you say what..."

"I asked if you'd marry me, Willow." It was almost as though it had suddenly become the most natural, normal question in the world.

For what seemed like an hour, the only response Oz got was a wide-eyed stare. Then, suddenly breaking the silence between them, Willow said a little too loudly, "I have to go. Mom needs me. Bye." She then stood up from the tombstone she was sitting on and ran towards home.

Oz continued staring at the space in which Willow's head once was, and whispered "Bye."

-----

Oz walked home slowly, thinking. The only problem with this thinking is that it was getting him no where. Maybe it was because he was confused. Maybe because he was scared. Maybe... well, he didn't know why thinking was completely and totally pointless tonight. Or if he did, he didn't want to think about it.

As he neared his house, Oz noticed how dark and quiet it seemed. 'She must be gone...' he thought absentmindedly, forgetting that his mom had gone out of town with her boyfriend of the week to enjoy the summer weather somewhere less... summery.

Continuing his slow pace, Oz walked up to the front door of his house and walked in. In the same pace, he made his way up to his room. Plopping down on his bed, he stared the strange cottage-cheese-like ceiling. 'I shoulda' taken the van. No point in walking after all.' He remembered earlier in the evening, deciding to walk because it was going to be more romantic for... after his meeting with Willow - when he had planned on them going to the same place. 'Oh well.' Various depressing thoughts ran through his mind. He tried to close his eyes and get to sleep, but the thoughts continued. 'Gunna' hafta' get up early in the morning... say goodbye to Willow...' Perhaps the night's events wouldn't have been so depressing if she wasn't leaving indefinitely tomorrow. If everything was as it always had been, well, they could wait a few days. See what happened. But not this time.

After much internal debate, Oz fell asleep, dreading the next morning.

-----

A knock at the door startled Oz awake. From his position on a living room chair, he could see that the sun was just beginning to rise. He, however, had risen hours before, only to fall asleep again while waiting for her. Oz quickly stood up, and then, realizing what was about to happen, walked slowly to the door. 'Well, here goes nothing.'

All my bags are packed
I'm ready to go
I'm standing here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin'
It's early morn
The taxi's waitin'
He's blowin' his horn
Already I'm so lonesome I could cry

As the door opened, Willow saw a half-asleep Oz. Half-asleep and still not seeming to have gotten enough sleep. 'Poor Oz,' she thought. 'I put him though this.' "Hi." She offered him a small sympathetic smile.

"Hey." He stared at her, the thought occurring to him that he must look horrible, especially compared to her flawless look so early in the morning. As she smiled, he wondered if she realized exactly what her smile did to him. How happy it made him... and how sad he was that he wouldn't see it for months.

The silence was killing her. They never just stood there in silence. Although, she decided, she wasn't that surprised, considering the circumstances. "We need to talk. There are a few things that I think we need to... talk about. I mean, I don't like this. This silence. It's eerie. And we... we need to talk. Don't you think?" Willow frowned at how everything was coming out, until she realized he was smiling at the same thing. "I'm babbling, aren't I?"

"Yeah." He grinned. "Wanna' come in?"

"Yeah, of course." As Willow turned towards the car that had brought her to Oz's, she waved, only to be answered by a harsh honk from a very tired Buffy. Excusing the sound as a response of sleepiness rather than true irritation, Willow walked through the door Oz held open for her. As he closed it she looked into his eyes. "I really don't want to leave."

"I know." He opened his arms to her. He was all she needed right now, and they both knew it. For awhile all they did was stand there and hold each other.

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe I hate to go

Although she hated to end the embrace, Willow realized she didn't have much time on her hands. "We have to talk," she whispered, her head still on his shoulder.

He pulled away, realizing that they probably didn't have much time. He sat down on the sofa, leaving enough room for her to sit next to him without being too close to talk.

His eyes always seemed so open to her, like he'd listen to anything she had to say. He had always been there for her. Always. She just hoped that somehow he realized how much she appreciated it, and hoped to be able to pay it back, even if just a little.

"You know, we've been through quite a bit, all things considered."

He continued to look at her intensely, silently begging her to go on.

"I mean, it's not normal, our lives. Vampires and demons and slayers and... witches and werewolves." She smiled a little bit, evoking a smile from him as well. "And then, things that have no excuse. Things that people have done... things that I have done." Her voice began to shake. "I just wanted to let you know..."

"I know Will. I know. We don't have to talk about it."

There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I've played around
I tell you now
They don't mean a thing

"Yes. We do. We never did and we do now. I have to let you know how sorry I am. So sorry I even thought some of the things I thought, let alone how sorry I am that I did the things I did. I'm so sorry... so very sorry." The tears could be seen in her eyes. "I can't believe I did them... I can't believe you forgave me. I... thank you. I'm so sorry... so very sorry." Her wet eyes finally moved from her hands to his eyes, pleading. She needed to hear it again.

"I know... you know I know. It's okay. We're okay." Oz reached over and took her hands in his own. "It's alright," he whispered in conclusion. Oddly enough, this was the first time he had completely and totally knew it. He believed it before - believed that it would all be right in the end - but it was only now that he knew it was alright.

Willow looked down to her hands in his. She still loved hands... just not as much as she used to. Now she loved all of him. "Oz, I..." Her eyes drifted back up to his again. "You're everything to me. You're my one. You're my only. I love you." Now that she had said it, after months of thinking about it, she knew it was true. It was a nice feeling.

The smile he gave her would have gone unnoticed to any bystander - it was a small smile that only she could detect. A smile that only she was meant to detect. "I love you too, Will. I always have."

"So, what I'm trying to say is..." She searched the room. A sudden feeling of guilt swept over her. Why hadn't she said it last night? The setting was perfect... everything was perfect. "I know I should have said it earlier, but... Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes."

"Yes." They both grinned ear to ear. Both of them knew that that was all that had to be said - that did it.

Every place I go
I think of you
Every song I sing
I sing for you
When I come back
I'll wear your wedding ring
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe I hate to go

A loud honk disturbed their quiet moment. As Willow looked at her watch, Oz turned to look out the window. The sun had completely risen. "I think I have to go..."

"Yeah, I think so too."

"So, I should go now." They both continued to sit, her hands in his. "I'm just about to go." Several seconds passed. "I don't want to go," Willow sobbed. She fell into him without thinking, just knowing that she didn't want to be alone.

"It's okay, baby." What else could he say? This wasn't some demon that could be killed... it was... life. And God knew that sometimes life could hurt more than any evil being. "It won't be that long." Would it? No, he'd visit her. Soon. They had plans to make. He kissed the top of her head, which seemed to direct her to look him in the eye again.

As her lips met his, she knew that this would be the last kiss they'd share in awhile. Too long of awhile, if you asked her, even if he was to come visit her soon. But it was a kiss, nonetheless. A long, sweet kiss. A goodbye kiss.

Now the time has come to leave you
One more time
Let me kiss you
Close your eyes
I'll be on my way
Dream about the days to come
When I won't have to leave alone
About the time when I don't have to say...

As their kiss ended they both stood up. "Oh! I almost forgot." Oz dug his hand into his pocket to dig out a ring still left from the night before. "I'm sorry. It's not too fancy... or in a box... but it's yours."

She looked down at her left hand as he slipped the ring on her finger. "It's beautiful," she said, in all sincerity. It wasn't a huge stone, but it was beautiful.

"I'm glad you like it."

Another sound came from the horn outside, this time louder, longer, and more obnoxious. "Hafta' go," she said simply.

"Yeah."

She stood in the doorway, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and ran out to the car.

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe I hate to go

-----

As soon as Willow had thrown herself into the car, Buffy sped off. "You took too much time, you know."

"Yeah."

"Ring?"

"Yeah."

"Damn good thing."

---

The End
e-mail the groovy author~make your own fun