Kathy's Revenge

Chapter 23
Willows POV

Oz, Oz is here… what the hell? Okay why is it harder to contemplate Oz being here than is it to believe that Spike came back from the dead because The Powers didn’t want him to go to hell? And here was me thinking that telling Oz about Tara was hard, now its Faith… last he heard Faith was the scary rouge slayer who tried to kill us all a couple of times.

“’Cha thinking about?” Faith asks from the floor where she has been reading some guidebook about Cleveland.

“Can I lie or do I have to tell you the truth?” I ask trying to smile.

“Thinking about Wolf boy then?” She asks turning a page in the book.

“Can’t help it, it’s not like it’s anything about him specifically, like I wonna jump his bones or anything but he was a big part of my life and since we are all gonna be working together then we all need to get along right?” I don’t even pause to breathe. Have already entered babble mode. Does babble mode make me look guilty about thinking about Oz… ‘cause I really am not thinking naughty things about him. “So anyway last time he saw you or heard anything about you, you were all evil still and trying to kill us all and destroy the world and stuff. I don’t need his approval or anything but I still want us all to get along… I don’t want to hurt him with this, even though he hurt me I don’t wonna do that to him.”

“Breathe babe…” She says getting up off the floor to come sit on the bed with me. “He knows about us, could smell us and all that… he pulled me aside when you were saying bye to Spike. He seems okay with it, threatened to hurt me a lot if I hurt you.” She giggles as if to say ‘he couldn’t hurt me if I had my hands tied behind my back.’

I roll my eyes at her; she thinks she is so badass… I could so whip her ass… ooh whips… naughty, naughty thoughts Willow!

“Don’t worry about Oz, he will be fine… it’s B we need to worry about. Giles hasn’t called for like three days... She needs to get better.” She says actually meaning it… to think that only a few years ago we were mortal enemies.

“Giles said that he might not call for a while, they have gone with some watcher who used to be a psychologist or something to the country, try to get her to be all one with nature and to meditate and control the attacks. Sorta like they did with me I guess but less emphasis on the magic.” I stop for a while, should I call them just to see what’s going on? I never even thought to ask what was happening to Dawn whilst Giles and Buffy were away.

“I’m gonna go call them, see how they’re all doing, if I don’t call soon Dawn will be all pissed with me.” I say picking up the phone off the nightstand.

“I’m gonna go see what Xander is doing, leave you to be all girlie with the squirt.” Faith says walking out of the hotel door into the hallway.

After a few seconds of ringing the phone is picked up and a familiar British accent is carried across the country to the speaker in the phone.

“Giles! Hey, how’s stuff?”

“Willow, its great to hear your voice. I don’t think I can cope being in this house with these two anymore… they’re bickering worse than ever. I thought Dawn was going to go easy on Buffy!” Giles replies, the stress is audible in his voice.

“You do know that they are probably doing it just to piss you off right?” I ask smirking into the phone.

“I am quite aware of that fact Willow but it doesn’t stop it winding me up still.” I can hear him smiling slightly.

“So, how is Buffy going?” I ask finally getting to the point.

“We got back today form the retreat, she has been meditating a lot and learnt lots of breathing techniques to stop the attacks beating her when they happen. It seems that Buffy will never be totally free from these attacks, she may go for a good few years between attacks but they will never completely stop. She just has to learn how to manage stress and not to bottle everything up anymore.” He explains, I swear I can hear him cleaning his glasses from the other side of the country.

“Can I speak to her?”

“She is meditating at the moment, I could get her to call you when she is finished… I don’t want to interrupt her.” He replies.

I hear a door crash open on the other end of the phone.

“Sorry Giles” I hear Dawn say, she obviously still isn’t used to the slayer strength when opening a door. “Who’s on the phone?”

“Willow” I hear Giles answer with his hand over the receiver.

“Lemmie speak!” I hear her squeal before she audibly grabs the phone out of Giles’ hand. I hear Giles sigh and hear a door shut, signalling that he had left the room.

“Willow! How’s stuff in Cleveland? Have Andrew and Jen got together yet?” She asks quickly

“How did you know about those two?” I ask trying to think if Andrew or Jen would have told Dawn about liking each other.

“Got a total vibe off them, they are so hot for each other.”

“Yeah they did get together… and some other stuff has been happening… don’t worry, nothing bad. I will tell you about all of it when you and Buffy come.”

“Oh come on, tell me? I wont tell anyone… I promise!” She is literally begging, I guess she hasn’t had much teenage company since we all left.

“Fine but I tell you one thing that’s going on and you have to promise that you wont ask about anything else till you get here… okay?” Hehe dangling carrots is fun.

“Okay but this one better be good or I will kick your ass when I see you.” She really does think she is something else with the new slayer powers.

“Oz… he is here… as in he is in Cleveland and looks like we will all be working together, that is all I can tell you.”

I hear muffled talking but cant figure out who is speaking or what they are saying. Dawn shouts an “Ouch! Hey I was talking to Willow!” Then I hear Dawn storming off.

“Hey Will!” Buffy says in her very peppy manor down the phone at me.

“Buffy! How are you doing? How is everything going down there? Is Dawn eating right? Are you eating right? Hope you’re not too wiped out from the meditation, I know it can be a huge rush.” Okay so I am babbling again… I can’t stand lying… not that I am lying, I am just not telling her the whole truth about anything… I’m omitting certain details of the trip and who exactly is here in Cleveland. Why do I sound so guilty? I so can’t lie.

Buffy giggles down the phone at me. “Chill out Will, remember the de-caff rule, all is of the good. We are all eating fine and we are all okay in everyway… I think I am getting better, I have been doing some exercises for that entire panic attack thing and it is going okay. We should be able to come up with you guys in about a weeks time, depending what this watcher/doctor dude says.”

“Cool! Yay! Xander is going to be so pleased, he has totally missed you and Dawnie and I think even Giles… but I guess Giles is missed because of the lack of testosterone around here.”

“Well I better go, gotta get some sleep before the big meditation tomorrow.” Buffy states stifling a yawn.

“Yeah, it is getting late…” Something finally dawns on me. “Oh my god Buffy, I almost forgot to tell you… Oz is here! In Cleveland and yes I do want a big girlie chat about it with you but not right now, how about we wait for you to get here and we can all get filled in properly and have mochas and all the good stuff we used to do.” I really do need to breathe more.

“I think you have had enough of the caffeine variety beverages to last you a lifetime Will, do you ever stop being hyperactive?” I laugh at her, she is so right…

Goodbyes are exchanged and I hang up the phone. Time to find Xander and Faith to fill them in on the whole sitch.