Work Text:
Protection 2: Too Late
by Susanne
Willow sat in the fading afternoon sun, under a tree on the college campus, lost in thought listening to her Walkman. Her thoughts drifted to Oz and how he left her. Is it just me or are these words about my life. She thought. It had been a three weeks since that night in the motel with Spike, he had held her all night. She felt safe with. He had stroked her hair and rocked her soothing away her fears over the initiative and Adam. Something had happened that night between them; they had grown closer, closer than she ever thought two people could be, or at least a live person and an undead person. It had never been like with Oz, sure she loved him, they were close but that spark wasn't there that was with Spike. She was pretty sure Spike had felt it too. He had never mentioned any of it to the other, and they rarely spoke of it themselves, but her was always there, laying a hand on her shoulder, smiling that crooked smile at her, lighting her world when the darkness began to fall. He understood about Oz, and how she felt, hadn't Dru done the same to him? Well left him for another man. They never talked about it, but he always seemed to know when she was thinking of Oz and would put his arm around her shoulder and place her head on his shoulder and say "Aww Red, come on now." Can he read my mind? She wondered.
The song changed on the CD.
IT'S TOO LATE FOR US TO ARGUE NOW
AND IT'S TOO LATE FOR YOU TO CRY
AND IT'S TOO LATE FOR YOU TO ASK ME NOW
OH IT'S JUST TOO LATE TONIGHT.
Yeah it is too late. She thought. Oz is gone, over, kaput, get over it and move on. He left you.
AND IT'S TOO LATE FOR YOU TO FIND ME NOW
AND THE SWEET ROSE HAS BLOOMED AND DIED
AND MY FEELINGS FOR YOU HAVE CHANGED NOW
AND IT'S JUST TOO LATE TONIGHT.
It's over. The rose has bloomed and died. Bye bye Oz, hello Willow. Willow as shocked at her sudden feelings, My feeling for you have changed now. Yeah they have, the last time I actually thought about Oz was, a week ago. I have gone a whole week without thinking of him, without blaming myself for his leaving. God it feels good. It's way too late for you now Oz.
AND I TOLD YOU IT WOULD COME TO THIS
BUT WHEN I TALK TO YOU, YOU ALWAYS RESIST
BUT YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME
AND YOU ONLY SEE WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE.
Yeah sing it. Willow thought as she realised her true feelings. I wanted to talk, but no, you had to leave, wouldn't listen to me, about how much I loved you and wanted you to stay, you did what you wanted to do in the end. You left me, alone, rejected, what was I supposed to do? Bye bye Oz.
AND IT'S TOO LATE FOR QUESTIONS NOW
AND SO YOU SIT AND WONDER WHY
AND YOU'RE SEARCHING FOR ALL THE ANSWERS NOW
BUT IT'S JUST TOO LATE TONIGHT.
No more wondering, no more questions, I'm moving on. Spike never judges me, he accepts me for who I am, he's willing to talk to me about the pain you caused. Spike is twice the man you will ever be. Spike is so much more than you could ever be, it's like he completes me, our souls unite, ok technically he doesn't have a soul, but somewhere he does, and where ever the souls live they are connected, count on it mister.
IT'S TOO LATE TONIGHT
IT'S TOO LATE TONIGHT
IT'S TOO LATE TONIGHT.
Willow stood, turning off her Walkman humming the slow soulful tune to herself, she knew what she had to do. It's too late Oz. I don't want to belong to somebody; I want to be somebody. With Spike I can be somebody, I don't belong to him, I never will, he would never ask that of me, he would take me, love me unconditionally.
The sun was beginning to set as she walked through the cemetery to a place she had gotten to know well over the past few weeks. She pushed the door open and found it empty. Well it is just dark, he'll have gone out as soon as he could, he hates being couped up. She sat on his bed and waited for him. The lyrics to the song playing over in her head. The sweet rose has bloomed and died. The last lines of the song came to her.
EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU'S CHANGED
AND NOW OUR LIVES ARE REARRANGED
EVERY TIME WE TRY TO TALK
ALL YOU EVER DO IS WALK.
You did change, people do, my life is different now, I had to re-arrange it when you left, when you walked out. You had all the power in the relationship, not me; I should never have let that happen. I don't hate you Oz, I just don't love you like I used to, I never will.
The door opened, she looked up and was met with the bluest of blue eyes that could only belong to Spike. He smiled at her.
"Can I help you miss, are you lost?" He joked. Something in the look of Willows eyes made him step closer to her. Their eyes never left each other.
"I need you Spike. Forever."
That was all he needed to hear. He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her tenderly.
"Forever Red."
He traced his fingers down her check and smiled at her. "Forever" he mumbled as he lost himself to her caresses.
THE END.