Disclaimer: I don't anything but my words.
Author's Note: I borrowed Staind's lyrics to "Home".

He had come back once again. To face everything he had left, his band, his family, his education, his life, but more importantly, her. His redheaded goddess. He had left her to sort things out and had come previously for her, but she had turned him down for another woman. So once again he had left. But to once again find himself here, in this hellhole but why, for her.

He approached the house discreetly hoping no one would spot him.

"Holy crap man why the hell are you here". The voice had sounded familiar; he hadn't heard since the first time he left, he didn't think to greet him earlier when he came back, the first time

"Hey... Devon," he had almost forgotten his name, "I was, uh, you know, just lookin around." The tall man seemed a bit angry.

"Yeah right", Devon was in denial that Oz was just lookin around, "why are you really here."

"Alright, uh, I came back to rejoin the group and also see how everyone was doin'. Oh and life traveling from motel room to van to plane back to van is sorta' starting to suck." Oz tried to pull off that lie non-chalantly.

"Oh, whatever", Devon seemed a little confused by what Oz was saying,"uh well we have a replacement guitarist and he's living in your room now."

"Oh", Oz was disappointed that either a really bad guitarist or a really good one had replaced him, "I had thought that I could, you know, rejoin. Is he any good?"

"Oh yea he rules man he could hit those chords like there's no tommorrow."Devon forgetting Oz was there. "Hey but maybe you could play one last gig with us."

Oz was surprised at what Devon had said, not that he had never heard it before but the fact that, that had been the smartest thing he has ever said."Hey well sure, that'd be great. When would this be."

"Uhhhhhhh," of course he was still a little slow, "tomorrow night."

"Okay, tomorrow it is."

Oz had spent the next day tuning his guitar and writing a new song, for later that night. He had been disappointed that Willow had left him over the recreation of his mind. Of course she was free for the taking.

After all of the preparation he went to go take a little visit to an old friend.

His friend's mother had let him in and he knocked on the friend's door.

"It's open", the voice called.

Oz was nervous; he didn't know what to do. It had been long since he last saw him. Which was about half a year ago. He remembered it clearly. He had said that she didn't have a guy yet. He twisted the doorknob remembering everything.

"Hey." Oz said, firmly, but inside he felt like caving in. He never in his life would he think of coming back after what trail of messes he had left behind, along with the memories.

"Oh my dear lord, it's you, it's you again," the brunette man seemed surprised at the site of the short, now blue-headed man, "what are you doing here."

"Heh sorta' funny I get that a lot now. Uh, well I came back to fix everything that fucked up." Telling the truth this time. "And to see her again."

"Oh but of course," Xander knowing the act already, "how could I forget. Isn't it a regular routine already."

"Very funny", Oz said in his sarcastic voice.

"Thank you for the compliment. So anyway what's new how's life." He said interested.

"Everything has gone bad, she's with her, the band's got a new guy, and god I don't want to know the rest", but inside he really did.

"Damn, well pop some popcorn and pull up a chair, you still have an enormous amount to learn", Xander said with a twinkle in his eye.

Over 4 hours later Oz learned that now Xander works in an ice cream truck, Spike had been turned into a dead human bunny, Anya and Xander's relationship had been getting deeper, and so had Buffy and Riley's. Of course that's not all that he learned. He also learned that Willow and Tara's relationship was based mainly on friendship and witchery.

"Damn, that is a lot," Oz was surprised that there was a lot he didn't know, "oh crap, hey Xander it's been cool talking to you again but I gotta go okay."

"Alright man see around," Xander waved as the young man traveled his way upstairs, "Oh did you want me to tell Will you're here."

"No", Oz exclaimed, "Hell no."

"Okay I got that", Xander waved again, "Bye."

The Bronze of course was blaring with music and at one of the small tables sat the Scooby gang and then some.

"Wow this is great", the young redheaded girl say over the crowd, "this is is, uh, overwhelming."

"They said one of the old bands is back. Hmm, I wonder who it is", said the slayer.

"Huh, I wonder who it could be considering I've only been here a few time's", Tara said shyly then went back to looking at her hands again.

"Yeah, I wonder", knowing already who it is, Xander pulled off to the side to catch up with Oz.

"Hey where'd Xander go asked", Anya in a demanding way, "I want him here."

"Just wait for him, please, you've become to attached to him it's making me sick", Willow replied wit a good comeback.

"Good comeback Will", Buffy said raising her hand for a high five.

Willow slapped her five just as Anya said, "Whatever."

Xander approached the backstage looking for Oz, "Oh there you are, are you on yet."

"In five minutes", Oz said in a nervous tone.

"Okay see you on stage", Xander said loudly over the crowds, "Later man."

"Later."

Just as Xander came back to the table with drinks a little after an argument broke out between Willow and Anya. He tried to calm it down but only made it worst.

"Yeah well at least I don't go looking around for him all day," Willow argued back.

"Well at least I didn't lose anyone or whatever", Anya said not making any sense.

"What?" said the other four simultaneously.

"Nothing, just trying to sound good", Anya said with a cocked brow.

"Oh hey look the bands coming on", Xander exclaimed.

"Hello everyone out there this band is one of our best, they played and played and never asked for money", the announcer said trying to crack a joke, " but anyway here is 'Dingoes Ate My Baby'."

The crowd jeered as they came on. And Willow had seem to notice a figure that seemed so, familiar. Including his voice.

"Hey everyone were back or at least I am and we have a new song that we will perform, it's called 'Home', so here goes."

Yes it was him Oz the boy, man she had fallen in love with months before. It still hurt to look at him even if it wasn't in the eye, it hurt tremendously and she couldn't stand it. But she listened as Oz sang.

I force myself through another day
Can't explain the way today just fell apart like everything
Right in my face
And I try to be the one
I can't accept this all because of you I've had to walk away
From everything

I'm afraid to be alone
Afraid you'll leave me when I'm gone
I'm afraid to come back home

Another sleepless night again
Hotel room my only friend and friends like that just don't add up
To anything
And I try so hard to be
Everything that I could never take away from you again
I heard you say

I'm afraid to be alone
Afraid you'll leave me when I'm gone
I'm afraid to come back home

I cannot forget
I live with regret
I live through this
I can't see through this
I can't do this anymore
I'm afraid to be alone
Afraid you'll leave me when I'm gone
I'm afraid to come back home

He had sung the lyrics clearly and Willow understood everything. She wanted to say how sorry she was but she knew was not what he wanted. But still she was shocked at the sight of him and his blue head.

"Oh my goddess", Willow said surprisingly, "Oz is here again."

"Wow and he's got a blue head", Buffy had examined Oz's blue head.

"Yea."

"Well we better get going now", announced Buffy.

"Well we are going to start heading out too", meaning him and Anya.

"Wait where is Will", Buffy asked.

"Talking to Oz", Anya replied, "Come on Xander let's go."

"Well I must tend to her needs bye Buff", said Xander waving.

They exchanged their goodbyes and left while Buffy went looking for Willow and caught her talking to Oz just as Anya said. She didn't want to interrupt so she sat there and watched.

"Hey"

"Oh, hey"

"Pretty good set, huh"

"Yeah pretty good"

"So you wrote that song 'Home'"

"Yea"

"Oh"

There was a moment of silence as Oz loaded his things in.

"Oz??"

"Yea"

"Why'd you come back"?

"To fix everything I left behind"

"Your not finished"

"What do you mean"?

"You need to fix us still"

"Yea"

"Oz, maybe your can't be with me but isn't it enough to have this unconditional friendship you just can't break. I still love you no matter what even if you break my heart one million times I'll still love you no matter what." tears started to well up in her eyes, she tried to blink them back but they fell like rain, "I've been waiting for this moment for so long, can't you see that. But all you do is leave. Don't you understand."?

Those were the words that Oz was waiting for. She still loved him. But it wasn't enough for him; he wanted to have the feeling of complete within. He couldn't seem to move on, and he hated it.

"I love you too", that was all he could say.

He turned around and got into his van he wanted to bail again.

"Hey where are you going, don't tell me for leaving again," she was barely audible and Oz couldn't take it he burst into his own tears, "Oz, please stay home."

"Okay, okay", his gathered his strength and gave her a hug, "I'll stay, but I can't bare to see you with her."

"Then have to get used to it", hugging him back.