Ch. 12-

After storming out of the library with Madeliene I went home. Madeliene was strangely quiet. As I was stepping inside she said suddenly,

"Willow you have to let me help. If I don't, the bad guys will win. I have to help." She ended with a shortnod.

"How do you know this?" I asked her distractedly, still seething at Buffy and Giles.

"I see it in my head. I see how it will be." She saidmatter-of-factly.

This was interesting. Immediately I was pulled back to Earth and had to think about this.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. If you get premonitions, then I should..." Concentrating, I focused on the the cat walking by our door and oh my God she froze mid-walk!!!It was unbelievable. With great effort I unfroze the feline and leaned agaist the wall todigest these new findings.

Finding myself unable to concentrate, I went to the phone to call Oz, but realized that he was at band practice. Defeated, I made dinner for Madeliene, then put on Mulan for her in my room. Downstairs, I put in Stepmom, with Susan Saranden< sorry for butchering the spelling > and Julia Roberts. Though it was only 7:00, I was very tired. Soon after my favorite part in the movie, where Isabel is telling Anna how to tell offBrad, I fell asleep.

***********

Ch. 13-

~Band Practice~

"So, Oz, why are ya still with that redhead, Wendy or something. I mean, this kind of situation is akin to the girl being pregnant. She just won't be fun anymore. She'll have responsibility, and baby-sitters, and she's gonna start saying that sweet little Maddy comes first and that she needs a break from you. Man, why are you wasting your time on her?" Deven asked his friend with the usual lack of tact and sympathy.

Oz thought darkly, but answered, "Cause I love her. And Madeliene's pretty sweet. I doubt that she will be too much of a problem. Besides, I know that Willow won't do that. By the way, her name is Willow and not Wendy. When willyou learn?"

"Don't count on it buddy. And don't forget the band. You've been taking enough time off as it is without adding the girlfriend's kid's ballet recitals or baseball games or whatever she'll do. Face it. You're gonna be like a dad to the kid. And if you take too much time off we're gonna have to let you go." Devensaid, very sure of himself.

"Look, Deven, I appreciate the, um, dating advice given, but I'm staying with Willow, 'kay? Don't worry about Oz, just worry about Deven." Oz told the lead singer icily. He didn't like people telling him to dump Willow, and many guys had done just that. Even his parents had come to his apartment and told him that dating a young woman with a child was not wise. He would never consider it any other way!!

Looking at his watch, he saw that it was 9:00.

"Sorry, guys, but I have to go." Oz said, thinkinghe'd go see Willow.

"You're gonna cut practice short to see that chick, huh? Man, the only one with his own place and no curfew is putting the mommy girlfriend ahead of the band!!" The drummer, Evan, accused.

"Look, guys, she's all alone with a five year old. I need to make sure she's all right. What if your girlfriend for a year and a half......oh, that's right. None of you date a girl for more than 6 weeks as a rule. I guess you wouldn't understand. But we've been practicing for 3 and a half hours and I need a rest. see ya tomorrow." Oz said while starting to load some of his equipment into his van. In almost no timehe was at Willow's.

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

Ch. 14-

Knocking on the door, he got no answer, so he used his key(again) and found me asleep in the living room. Gently shaking me, I woke up from a troubled sleep.

"Oz!! I'm so glad you're here!!"I said excitedly, giving him a kiss. "I missed you so much."

I proceeded to tell him about the argument in the library. By the end of the story I was in his lap andhe was stroking my hair.

"What if something happend to her, Oz?? I don't have any other family. Not in the whole world. I can't bear to lose her." With that statement having been said, I gave him a soft kiss, then got up to check on Madeliene. I found myself doing that several times a night. I was so afraid of losing her. Turning to go back to Oz, I found that he had followed me.

"Worried about Madeliene?" He asked me, leading medown the stairs.

"I'm just so afraid. What if I come up here and she's gone? What if she's here but I find her drained or something? I don't want to lose her. I can't bear it." By then we had reached the living room, and therefore, the couch. With a soft whimper, I sat down, trying not to cry. Oz sat down next to me and held me in his arms. I felt so loved. Resting with my head on Oz's shoulder, I said quietly, "Sorry. I guess I shouldn't worry. Thanks for coming over.

"No problem. But about not wanting Madeliene to fight. You saw how she was with Giles. She was powerful. And she told you about how she saw the mayor win if she didn't help. Just think about it. But it might not beyour choice."

Gently I shifted around until I could see Oz's face. Bending down, he kissed me softly.

"Have I told you that I loved you lately?" Oz askedme.

"Not in the past few minutes." I answered him slyly, lifting myself up to kiss him. Deciding to stay in my boyfriend's lap I began gently stroking the back ofhis neck.

"Well, Willow Anne Rosenburg, I love you more than life itself." He told me, then met my lips with his.

I thought, kissing him back. It wasn't often we made out, since we were more into on talking, holding, and hugging. Not that we didn't when we got the chance. And here was A Chance.

Kissing him more passionately, I rested my hands on his back, while Oz wound one hand in my hair and with the other stroked my cheek. Then, I'm not sure what happened, but we were lying on the couch side by side. It was kinda weird, but at the same time felt so right. I found myself pressed very tightly against Oz. I was about to lose it completely when I heard andear-peicing shriek.

Pulling away from Oz very quickly we both knew that it was Madeliene. Getting to her room in record time, we found Madeliene clutching her blankie and looking veryscared.

Rushing to her side, I asked, "Sweetie, what happened?? Did you see a vampire or anything likethat?"

Wide-eyed, she asked me, "How did Mommy and Daddydie??"

"They, um, well, their brakes on the car failed. They went off a cliff." I told her, stunned by herquestion.

"In my dream, that's what happened. They were driving, and Mommy heard a *pop* and she wanted Daddy to look at it and he tried to stop and he couldn't and they went over a rail and Mommy screamed and Daddy screamed and Mommy wanted me and she said Madeliene and I miss her. I was so afraid. Are you going to leave me Willow? Please don't leave." By now her was hanging on to me for dear life and crying her eyes out. Oz sat next to me as I tried to comfort Madeliene.

"Shhhh. It's all right. I will never leave you. I love you. I will always take care of you. There there." I whispered to her, rubbing small circles in to her back. I had moved my way into Oz's arms as I soothed Madeliene. After a while she calmed down. Setting on The Aristocats (at her request) Oz and I went back downstairs. He went for the door but I stopped him.

"Could you stay for a while longer? I don't want to be here by myself." I asked tentatively.

"Of course, baby." Oz told me.

Putting on Practical Magic I layed down next to Oz on the couch. Soon I was asleep, feeling very at ease inhis arms.

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

Ch. 15-

I felt myself being rocked from side to side. When I opened my eyes I saw Madeliene insistantly shaking me. Trying to get up I found myself circled in two arms. Cursing softly, I firmly wished I was a morning person, but alas, I was bearly getting the sense ofhearing back.

Slowly my mind came back to me. Had a fight with Buffy and Giles, bad thing. Oz staying over, good thing. Madeliene waking me up early, very bad thing. Buffy on the phone for me?? Could be good thing. Removing myself from Oz, I got up and went to the kitchen before I realized I could have just taken the cordless phone from Madeliene(I told you I wasn't a morning person.) Bringing it to myself telekinetically, igroggily croaked, "Hello?"

"Will, I'm sooooo soory for last night. I didn't really know what I was saying, ya know??" Buffy said.

"I understand. Sorry for freaking out. I was juststressed." I told her.

"Great. Now that that's settled, tell me why Madeliene said that she had to go downstairs to get you cause that's where you and Oz were? Is there something you haven't been telling me?" Buffy teased.

"Okay, he did stay the night, but because I asked him to. I was scared." And the fact that there were noparents to say he couldn't.

"Is that what you told him? I knew you were really a deceptive evil mastermind behind all that Catholic school girl act. What happened?" She asked, crazy fordetails.

"I'll tell you when you come over today. He's just in the next room. I have to go. Mad needs breakfast, I need a shower, and then I have to wake Oz up. Hope Xander doesn't come over," I said jokingly. "He'd throw a fit if he saw me fresh from the shower and Oz asleep on the couch. Anyway, see ya at 1:00. Bye."

"Mmmkay. Bye." Buffy replied, then hung up.

10 minutes later, I had had my shower. There. Now I could funtion. I had just started brushing out my hair when I could have sworn I hear yelling downstairs. Putting my hairbrush down I when downstairs. I did NOTlike what I saw.

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

Ch. 16-

"What the *HELL* is that supposed to mean, 'It's not up to you?' ? Will's my best friend, I have a right to know why you forced your way into staying the night, cause I sure as hell know she didn't ask you to. You a such a bastard. And with a little kid in the house too. I should just break youir little neck right now."

Maybe I wasn't as together as I thought. Hearing Xander talk like that really hit a nerve, and as I said before I was not a happy morning person.

"ALEXANDER LAVELLE HARRIS!!" I yelled at the top of my voice. "Shut up and sit on the couch right now!!" I thought as I wisked an angry Xander somewhat shakily to thecouch.

In a much quieter and softer voice, I asked Oz to sit on the opposite couch, then asked Madeliene to go to her room and what a video. Wasn't this going to be afun problem to sort out?

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

Author's Notes:

sorry it's taken so long. i just couln't get it right. but it's good now. so let me know what ya think of it, or if you have any suggestions. thanx!!

-capricorn

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