Secret's Out
By Little J
Concept - Set mainly during Season Six, about February 2002, all events which have happened on the show have happened, however over the Summer Dawn began dating a lad named Dave. WAH did happen, but differently to on the show, Oz left after killing Graham - NO Veruca!!! Also different events happened during NMR but with the same outcome. Willow and Tara were still together when Willow is going to see Rack, even though she has quit magick. Spoilers - Non-specific, mentions of Amends, GD 1 & 2, IWRY, NMR, Once More With Feeling, Wrecked and Dead Things. Events of Tabula Rasa did not happen. Nothing that could directly spoil an episode. Disclaimer - You know the deal by now, Joss and Mutant Enemy etc own all, I've just borrowed them for my own manipulation of his show.
*Summers Living Room, the girls are all sitting around talking* "So Dawnie how are things going with the infamous Dave? 9 months together, pretty impressed, things better not be going too far" Buffy asked her little sister, who by right now was blushing furiously. Not that they had done anything to be embarrassed about, well anything Buffy or Willow knew about.
"It's going great, we're going to see that new 'Scooby Doo' movie tomorrow, he says there's this girl that looks just like you Buffy" Tara lent towards Dawn and whispered;
"Like you're gonna actually see much of the flick anyway" both giggling like 5 year olds.
"WHAT!!" Buffy and Willow shouted simultaneously. Both doing their best to intimidate Dawn, not knowing that they had already overheard everything Dawn had told Tara earlier.
"Please, like all you guys didn't spend a lot of time getting off with lads in the back of a cinema, c'mon Buffy I caught you and Angel going at it like dogs in heat at the cemetery" Dawn pleaded, the other 3 looking nervously around. "I'll tell you about it if you tell me some of your stories first." She said smiling innocently. "Please?"
"I don't really have any stories, I barely met anyone in High School, plus by the time I was 17 I knew I was g-gggay," admitted Tara, "Although there was one guy I was seeing when I was 15, really shy and quiet just like me. Anyway one night we were walking back from the movies, laughing and joking, when we went b..back to his house, his parents were rarely there and we thought we'd be able to sleep with each other without getting ca-caught, what we didn't count on was sleeping through til the next morning and his par..par..arents caught us making out both of us only in our underwear."
Willow was looking at Tara, kinda shocked expression on her face "You've never told me about that" Tara looked her in the eyes "You never asked me about it, plus I guess to begin with I didn't want to bring up any potential Oz issues."< Oz >
"C'mon Will I know you've got some stories about Oz, Christmas, Graduation?, if you won't tell the stories I will" prodded Buffy, secretly knowing she was dying to tell everyone, she'd pretty much kept their relationship details secret and they all wanted to know. < God how can I talk about this now, not with thing the way they are, they'll be able to tell - I hate this. >
I don't even come here for the magic anymore that was how it started, the rest of them don't even know what I went through, and all they know is that I quit magic.
Then why am I here, temptation to use my power burning through my veins, it's because of him, Oz. Remember when he came back, able to control the wolf? He never mentioned the potent magicks he was channelling to do this.
He got addicted like me, I saw him sitting there the first time Amy bought me here, we helped each other through the struggle, grew really close again. We've both been clean for 6 months know. No one else knows that he's back, Xander suspects but he's too busy with Anya to really notice.
Seven months ago my life changed, in ways I could have never previously imagined, I saw HIM again. I've felt like I've been lying to Tara, dammit I have, not only that I'm cheating on her, and she's none the wiser. Spell casting therapy? You could call it that. He still has this way of looking at me like I'm the only other person in the whole world.
I don't know but since I stopped using magick Tara and I seemed to drift apart, she doesn't use magick around me anymore which I'm glad of most of the time, but it's him doing this to me, I hadn't seen or heard from him in almost two years, now he's everything to me again. I had no idea how much I'd missed him til I woke up in his arms again, feeling more loved than I ever have before.
We only meet here, we're not ready for the world yet, we can be ourselves here, and no one can catch us
"Er, Will you gonna tell us or not" the sound of Dawn's voice snapped her back into reality.
"Fine" she gave up < How do I do this without making it obvious > "You remember what graduation was like, the madness of the Ascension and all"
"I also remember that you were 10 minutes late to graduation" Buffy butted in. She sorta knew anyway, if Will never did actually tell her.
"So was Oz, lets just say, 20 minutes before you're meant to be at graduation - not a good idea to being having sex in the back of your boyfriends van!!!" < There I said it, I wonder if he's still got that van? Maybe we can put it to use sometime. >
"I knew it!!!" screamed Buffy, "and the night before weren't you, when you were meant to be researching while Angel was DYING!! am I right?"
"You're right, you know you are, cos I told you about it before." Willow was fidgeting nervously, she wanted out of there right that instant.
"Dawnie, want a lift over to Dave's?" < Please say yes, please say yes. >
"Shit, is that time already" She said looking at her watch. "Gotta go!! C ya later"
"You so get out of telling us stuff now, we wanna know everything we ya get back, we told you!!" Protested Buffy < Funny, I never got my turn either, maybe I'll tell Tara about the day that never was later. I totally trust her about the whole Spike thing, I guess I have to - I know she doesn't judge me, maybe she'll understand that too, I don't think anyone else could - I'm not sure even I do. > And with that the pair left, "So" began Tara "you want to f-ffinish the conversation now"
*In the Car*
< I'm glad to be out of there, the secrets are killing me, maybe if I'm clever I can sneak over to see Oz at Racks on the way back. Jesus Christ Willow, you're 21 god dammit, stop acting like some lovesick teenager! >
"Willow, can I ask you something?"
"Depends on what it is, but I think I already know." The red head responded.
"Ya do?" Dawn answered hopefully, her voice slightly higher than normal. "So you know he's back, that Dave is his younger brother" < Damn, why couldn't she have just said anything else, I knew the second I saw Dave. >
"Yeah I know he's back. Saw him about seven months ago. Please don't tell the others, I need to deal with this myself first, I don't want to hurt Tara more than I already am." A few tears trickled down her face, as she pulled onto the small street Dave Osbourne lived on. < What if he's here? We agreed to keep it secret, he doesn't know the whole story about Dawn being Buffy's sister, shit! What am I gonna do. >
*Back at the Summer's house*
"And he never told you, it never happened?"
"When I was in heaven I saw it all, thought it was a dream til I went to meet him again a few months back, he told me everything." Buffy admitted, "Why do you think there is so much cookie dough fudge mint chip in the fridge?"
She knew it was time, Buffy had to know < I have to tell someone > "H..he's back, ya know" Tara spoke quietly.
Buffy looked puzzled "The guy you got caught with?" < What!! >
"No not him, Buffy. Oz. I saw him a few days ago with Dave." She took a much needed deep breath, "Except that's not all of it, the first time he came back, he met up with me - twice - in secret. I knew hhhow to help him with his wolf transformations, but he didn't want Will to know, so he made sure he left again, which was why Willow HAD to chose me, things had to happen this way."
Flashback - Mid March 2000
"I need your help, you're the only one I trust with this, you know that right?" Oz asked.
"I did everything you asked while you were away, I mean EVERYTHING, she has no idea, she must never know, the pain was killing her, do you know how hard it was to stand there like I didn't know you? What was going to happen over those few days?" Tara sighed, when she agreed to do what he'd asked she never thought it would be so hard, they'd known each other for so long, when Oz admitted to her that he was the one who had killed Graham, she'd known that it was down to Will. The wolf bought out his most animal instincts to kill the so-called threat. Graham just didn't get it, Willow was taken, it pissed off Oz more than anything else ever had.
"The wolf, I can control it when I'm away from her, but my love for her, the wolf gets off on my deepest desires for her, then it gains control again. Did you sort out the magick stuff I asked for?" Oz inquired, pacing nervously around Tara's dorm room. The blond Wicca went over to the drawer and took out three bags and a small piece of folded paper.
"This guy," Tara handed Oz the paper, he unfolded it to see it simply read 'Rack', "Can help you, its dark stuff, way beyond the stuff you're using now. Get what you need to stop the wolf then stop all magicks, the power he uses is highly dangerous, terribly addictive too, if you stay too long the damage you'll do to yourself is incomprehensible." Oz took this in, he looked in the bags, a few charms and crystals, basically more powerful versions of what he'd had before were the only contents.
"How long will it take? When can I start it?"
"About a year, you can only do this on a f-f-full moon" Tara stated
"I understand, thank you, I mean that, I know this isn't easy for you" And with that Oz left.
"I guess it explains the weird atmosphere there's been around here lately, I would have never have made her talk about it if I'd known" the slayer admitted, Tara was crying by now, something Buffy had never seen her do.
*Osbourne Household*
She was here, I may not be a wolf anymore, but I can still sense her. I hate the deceit going on, I love her and I know she reciprocates the feeling. I hear the doorbell go and I know that this is my only chance, to do what I have to, what I want to. I grab my trainers and run down the stairs, knowing I still have a chance to catch her.
"Hi Dawn, bye Dave" Oz shouted as he ran past them and out the door.
He didn't even have to run far, her car was parked around the corner. His heart momentarily stopped as he saw her there. < Just like always >
All Willow heard was the gentle tap on the window, groggily she turned her head, knowing he was standing there, she rolled down the window.
"Hi" < Her mind was blank, they were out in the open so to speak >
"Can I get in?" no emotion showing in Oz's voice although his eyes were a different story. She didn't answer him, just leant over to the passenger seat and opened the door.
*Four Hours Later* (Dawn and Dave left alone decide not to go to the cinema, Oz and Willow are back at Willow's old house and Buffy and Tara and still at the Summer's House)
*Summers House - Willow and Tara's room*
"I can't lie anymore Buffy, I know she wants him, there are things happening which even I don't understand. Her and Oz have been having sex for the past 5 months, she can't even hear his name without blushing and looking like she's gonna explode. I'm leaving, I can't. Won't do this anymore. It's not fair to anyone, things were never meant to go this far." < If I leave, the past will never come out, those agreements, the secrets, the lies!! >
"I understand what you're saying, but please, don't go, I need a good friend around, we'll figure something out, and I think she realises she's gonna have to tell us sooner or later." Buffy said truthfully, she didn't want to lose a friend, not with everything the way it was. Things just weren't the same between her and Willow and she accepted that, plus Dawn trusted Tara as much as she did.
"I'll think about it, when she tells me the truth, tells all of us the truth." < Or when I speak the truth, one of us has to - sooner or later >
*Willows Old Room*
< God this brings back memories > Willow lay in Oz's arms, both of them grinning devilishly at one another, remembering their first time together all but 3 years ago.
"I love you Oz"
"I love you too, still more than you'll ever know" Oz replied.
"I'm gonna tell them tonight, Buffy and Tara. They deserve to know" Willow admitted, more to herself than to the guy lying next to her.
"Do you want me to come with you? I mean if you're gonna move out to live here with me, they might take it better." Oz hugged her possessively. Willow tensed slightly, but only out of nerves, not the fear she'd always expected.
"Lets go now, Dawn and Dave already know, it might go better if it's just the four of us." She paused for a moment. "Anyway, those two horny teens are probably taking advantage of that big empty house as we speak!!!"< And who could blame 'em >
*2 hours later*
The five minute drive seemed to only take a few seconds, as she took her key from her pocket Oz gripped her hand tightly, neither had ever been so happy or so scared in their lives.
"Buffy!!! Tara!!!" Willow shouted, shocked that there was no one down stairs. The two blonds came downstairs giggling, they knew what was coming, both interested in exactly how this would play out, knowing they needed to be shocked. Neither of them angry about what had happened, maybe a little pissed off about being lied to for so long.
Oz paced nervously, he knew Tara already knew and he lied to Will about it, it was what they had agreed on. < Make this go away please!! >
"Er, ok, I can do this, you see what happened was well…" Willow began
"Don't! Save yourself the bother we already know, I'm not even hurt anymore, the last five months have done that just enough thanks. I understand, seems strange doesn't it, but I do." Tara hissed, clearly pissed off yet strangely relieved somehow.
"Fine, I'll get my things and go, if you two want to talk, I'll be at my old house, with Oz, you both seem to know anyways so I'm gonna leave it at this."
"Hey all" Dawn chirped as she walked in, Dave not far behind.
"Bye all, I'll talk to you tomorrow" a tear of both joy and fear trickling down Willows face as she said it.
And with that, her and Oz left. The mood oddly sombre, very peaceful none of the awkwardness they'd expected.
*6 hours later - Rosenberg home*
The credits to the Matrix rolled, and the pair laid curled up, bodies entwined on the sofa.
Oz tilted her head and kissed her passionately, his tongue begging for entrance, which she granted, their tongues wrestled for a few minutes when Willow broke away and looked into his eyes. Those deep blue orbs that never lied to her, revealing the hidden depths of his feelings.
"I've waited 3 years to do this openly again" < God, how I've waited >
Oz kissed her forehead, murmuring a sweet 'I Love You' into her ear.
"Glad the secrets out?" Oz asked inquisitively. Arching an eyebrow suggestively.
"What do you think" she replied jokingly, the answer so blatantly obvious. Knowing what they both wanted from this moment. "Fancy repeating the summer of'99?" Oz smiled at her mischievously, the memories of the best summer of his life coming back to him.
"With you? Anytime." Oz sealed his words with a kiss. No doubt in his mind that night, he knew tomorrow wouldn't be easy, but things were the way they were always meant to be, the lies would surface, but they'd get through it, cos in the end their love would always prevail, against all odds - little did they know…..