The man cursed as he switched on his car radio.

* Another sissy pretty-boy whining about unrequited love. Like he knows anything about it. Me, now I know what pain love can cause you. *

He changed the radio station with disgust. Yes, he * did * know a thing or two about pain. But it didn't matter; she would soon be his once more.

He checked his face in the mirror again. The familiar handsome young vision grinned back at him.

* 519 years old and I still look DAMN good! *

Next week it would be 500 years since Marigold had been gone. But he had found her again. He could find * her * anywhere. And on the 500th anniversary, he would have her back. It was just a matter of time.

A new song blasted from the radio.

* Ah, now THIS is more like it! This kid's full of pep! *

He began to sing along, "Upside, inside out, she's livin' la vida loca! She'll push and pull you down, livin' la vida loca..."

* Gotta love that Latin sound! *

He slowed slightly after passing the sign:

WELCOME TO SUNNYDALE

* Just 7 more days, love. Just 7. *

*****

"Oohh, Willow. Check out the new muffin!" Buffy squealed to the hacker sitting in front of her.

Willow turned 6 different shades of crimson before answering. "I'm not in the market for a new muffin. I'm perfectly happy with my current one."

"Oh, c'mon. You don't have to abandon Oz. Just LOOK!"

Willow gave in to the demands of her pleading friend and turned to the young man sitting at the table behind them. “Oh… wow.”

“Omigod, OMIGOD!! Willow, he saw you! He’s getting up… he’s coming to our table!”

“What do I do?!”

“Just act natural.” Buffy pushed her lunch tray aside.

“OK, natural is good. Calm. I’m cool.”

“Hi,” said the boy, rather nervously, “I’m, uh, Matt.”

* Oh, good one. Matt. Very original. Very unlike every other name she’s ever heard. *

“Uh… I’m… er… my…”

“Willow!” Buffy hissed.

“I’m Willow.”

* No! Oz! Oz thoughts… OK… PEZ, guitar, hair dye, wolf, Oz… all right, I’m good. *

“Willow? That’s a nice name.”

* How suiting. She looks just the same. Fiery hair, green eyes. Just the same… *

“Um, I’m Buffy.” The slayer offered, aware that it didn’t matter anyway. As far as this guy was concerned, Willow was the only carbon-based life form on the planet.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you guys around. Willow and, um… Puffy?”

“Buffy.”

“Yeah, right. Buffy.”

* Willow. She’s perfect. And she’s mine. *

*****

“Hi Oz!” Willow chirped a little too eagerly at the sight of her boyfriend in the library.

* It’s OK, Willow. Play it cool. You didn’t cheat on him or anything, you were just checking out that really cute… guy… No! Oz. Here. Me. And I with him. *

“Hi… Willow.” Oz said carefully, not entirely sure what was going on in his girlfriend’s head. “Everything OK?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be? I mean you. I. Library. Smoochies may ensue. Hint, hint.”

“I see.” Oz grinned as she pulled him behind a large stack of books. “Now, what would your definition of ‘smoochies’ be? Like this?” he kissed her lightly on the cheek, “Or like this?” he brushed his lips across her nose. “Or perhaps you’d prefer something a little different.” he pulled her close to him for a deep kiss.

“Oh, yeah? And what would that…AAHHH! Oh, Matt you scared me!” She and Oz jumped out of each other’s arms.

“Oh! Willow… uh, sorry I just, um needed some books. Y’know, this being the library and all…”

* Who the hell is this little runt she’s kissing?! Doesn’t she know me? *

“Hey, I’m Oz. Matt, is it?” Oz growled softly. There was something *really* wrong with this guy, he just couldn’t put his finger on it. He wasn’t a demon; he would have been able to tell right away. But he sure wasn’t normal. And he didn’t like this way he was looking at Willow. He slid his arm around Willow’s waist, subtly hinting that she belonged to him.

“Oz? What’s that stand for?” This guy was * not * good for her at all. No guy with a name like ‘Oz’ could possibly be good. This punk was probably on crack, or even worse, in a band. * He * was the only one who deserved her.

Willow sensed the tension between them and quickly changed the subject. “You can see G- uh, Mr. Giles about your books, Matt. He’s right over there.” She pointed in the direction of his office.

“Thanks. I’ll see you later, Willow and… AZ.” He remembered the kid’s name. He’d just said ‘Az’ to piss him off. Apparently it worked.

* I hope Willow’s not too attached to that Oz guy. She may be terribly upset when I kill him. *

*****

"Willow, I don't see *oof!* what the problem is. You just *ooh!* LOOKED at the guy! Is Oz upset?" Buffy asked while staking the 4th vamp of the evening. She walked to the now-open grave that Willow was standing near.

"But you don't get it Buffy! I didn't just LOOK at Matt, it was a lust-look. My eyes were being naughty. They were bad. Bad eyes! And I think... Oz GROWLED at him. Oz never growls! I mean, OK. Once or twice at Xander when he makes those stupid dog comments. That I can understand. But he just took one look at Matt and it was like something was really wrong, y'know? W-what if he's a DEMON or something, and he wants to KILL us and..."

Buffy held up a hand to stop Willow's babbling. "Willow... Oz was just being a guy. The wolf in him probably didn't want some guy lust-looking at his Willow."

Willow couldn't hide her smile. "He was lust-looking at me?"

"Oh, yeah. Huge. He had the whole naughty eye thing going at lunch."

"Well, he can look all he wants. I'm only lusting at Oz now. I wonder what Oz is doing, anyway. His gig must be over."

*****

"See ya Wednesday, Devon."

"Later Oz-man. Thanks for the van. I promise I won't speed again. Or at least I won’t get caught."

Oz sighed and began the trek home. It was stupid, he knew, to be walking alone at night in Sunnydale. He patted the stake in his back pocket. Then again, he should be OK. Unfortunatly, he realized he was wrong as two hands grabbed him from behind and roughly shoved him into an alley and up agaisnt a wall.

"What the..." He stopped short as he felt the cold metal of a knife being pressed against his throat. He squinted and was barely able to make out his attacker. "Matt?"

*****

“Matt, what the hell are you doing? What’s going on?” Oz made his voice sound calm, though he was genuinely frightened. A vampire or demon was nothing. Just stake ‘n go. But he couldn’t just kill another person. This time he was really in trouble.

“Shut up.” Matt hissed, pushing the knife closer to his throat. “Just listen. I want you to stay away from Willow. You’ll ruin everything I’ve waited so long for!”

“What are you planning?” He’d kill him if he touched Willow. Oz mentally sized this guy up. He could probably take him. Oz was small, but being a werewolf had given him more strength that most people. Of course, most people weren’t knife-wielding lunatics who attacked people in alleys.

Matt scoffed. “You couldn’t possibly understand. Just. Stay. Away. Got it?”

Oz sighed deeply. “All right.” He’d explain this to Willow. She’d understand. He just couldn’t take the risk of her getting hurt.

Matt glared at Oz for a minute. Then let go of him and stuffed the knife into his back pocket. “Good.” He stalked off to the waiting car right outside the alley, and sped off.

Oz watched the car leave, and rubbed his neck. There was a small cut from Matt’s knife, nothing life-threatening. What was this guy doing?

*****

It was late by the time Oz got home, so calling Willow was out. He hoped that he’d have time tomorrow to talk with her about Matt. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the chance. It seemed that wherever Willow was, Matt was right behind. Oz could feel his eyes burning holes into his back. It was heartbreaking for him not to speak to Willow, but he knew it was necessary. He was at least able to slip her a note that read simply:

“Meet me in the library after school.
We need to talk.”

He gathered his books for the last class of the day. He wondered for about the thousandth time what Matt was up to. He’d find out.

*****

As Oz stood outside the library, he could hear Willow crying to Buffy.

“Why does Oz hate me so much? He’s been avoiding me all day, and then he gave me this note… Is it about Matt? I haven’t even GLANCED at him! Oh God, Buffy, he’s going to break up with me, I know it! I just love him so much…”

Oz could feel his heart tear in two as he listened to her sob about how much she thought he hated her. He couldn’t stand it anymore. He rushed in and scooped her into his arms.

“I’m so sorry, babe.” He murmured into her hair. “I hated doing that to you, but I had to. Please forgive me, I still love you. I always will.” He held tight, wanting to hold her forever, to keep her safe.

“I love you too, Oz. But why? What was wrong?”

Oz let her go, and explained what had happened the night before. “I don’t know what he was talking about, Will, but I couldn’t let anything happen to you.”

“We should find out what Matt was up to.” Buffy spoke up. “I’ll go look for him. You guys stay here. If you need to you can use the weapons in there.”

“OK.” Oz squeezed Willow’s hand. “We’ll be fine.”

*****

Hours later, Willow and Oz were still in the library. Buffy had long since gone home, after seeing no sign of Matt. Yet, they had decided to stay and do research. It gave them comfort to be together in a familiar place. And they had weapons handy.

Willow was searching the stacks of books when she heard a muffled cry behind her. “Oz?” She called out, her heart thumping in her chest. She ran out from the stacks of books and nearly screamed.

Oz was lying unconscious on the floor, bleeding from a large gash on his forehead. Standing above him with a knife in his hand and rage in his eyes, was Matt. Willow looked desperately around the room for a weapon, and picked up Buffy’s crossbow. Matt raised the knife, ready to kill him, when Willow raised the bow and shot him in the heart.

Matt staggered to her, gasping, before collapsing at her feet. He looked up into her eyes, and asked in a shaking voice, “Why didn’t you remember me?”

Willow knelt beside him. “What? Who are you? Why did you do this?”

“500 years ago, I loved a Wicca named Marigold. We were engaged. The day before our wedding, we went on a hunting party, and she was shot in the heart by an arrow. Just before she died, she put a spell on us. I would live for 500 more years, and on the anniversary of her death, I was to find her reincarnation. We were to die together. Today is the anniversary, Willow, and YOU are her reincarnation. The only way to break the spell was if you fell in love with another. That’s why I tried to kill him. I just loved you so much. I’m sorry.” A tear traveled down his cheek. “I’m… sorry.” He whispered again.

He took Willow’s hand and kissed it gently. He murmured Marigold’s name softly, and stared into space. Willow knew that he was looking at someone far away. At someone he had loved for 500 years. Someone that he had waited for so long. His hand went limp, and she knew that they were together again.

*****

EPILOGUE

“So he loved Marigold so much that he waited 500 years just to die with her?” Oz asked.

Willow nodded. She and Oz were sitting outside underneath their tree. Oz suffered only a minor concussion from the previous night’s events. The police had passed Matt’s death off as an accident with the crossbow. They actually thought Matt had been stupid enough to point a crossbow directly at his heart and ‘accidentally’ shoot himself with it. They never even questioned *where* he had gotten a crossbow in a library anyway. So much for Sunnydale’s finest.

“Yeah.” She said. “ The only way to break the spell was if I had found a new love.”

“Really?” He teased. “So who is this true love of yours?”

She giggled at him. “I think you know.”

---

The End
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