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Changing Hearts Series - Connecting -- by Ruby
Rating: PG-13
Description: Willow loses her patience with Oz, sequel to Faded Dreams.
Note: Spoilers -- Wild at Heart, The Initiative.
Disclaimer: Joss owns all.
Oz kept his eyes firmly in front of him and Buffy's body between himself and Willow as they walked through the park. It had taken a great deal of self control to keep his mouth shut when the redhead had appeared at Giles' door, reeking of the blonde vampire.
Spike had managed to nail him with a smug, knowing look before Oz had quickly busied himself in shrugging on his jacket. But after an hour-long parade through the local cemeteries, sixty minutes of watching the vampire drape his arm over Willow's shoulder, reach for her hand, exchange soft snatches of conversation that even the wolf's sensitive ears could not decipher, all he really wanted to do was feel his fist connecting against the undead bastard's jaw. Realizing that such an action would only further weaken the already tenuous position he held in Willow's heart, Oz chose instead to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other as they headed back toward Giles' place, all the while wishing to hell he had opted out of this little hike around Sunnydale.
"You're quiet tonight, Oz," Buffy forced a tone of easy lightness into her voice in a desperate attempt to ease the obvious tension that stalked along beside them. "Cat got your tongue?"
"Pussy, more likely," Spike jeered just loudly enough for the wolf to hear. "What was her name? Formica?"
Oz's head snapped around as though he'd been struck, and he stared coldly at the vampire. The redhead squeezed his hand tightly and looked up at him, "Spike, don't--"
"Sorry, pet," he smiled down at her. "I'm just trying to figure out how he could turn away a beauty like you for a literal bitch."
"Shut the hell up," Oz's composure finally gave way.
"You don't have any idea what happened."
"You're probably right," Spike agreed casually. "You know, you could have just been suffering from a bad case of worms."
Buffy gasped as Oz stepped around her and slammed his fist into the blonde vampire's face. Spike reeled backward and regained his footing. He lunged at the wolf, and Oz planted his foot in Spike's chest, shoving him back as the vampire clutched his head, snarling in pain, and sank to his knees.
"Stop it!" Willow shouted, pushing the wolf away from Spike, and knelt down beside him to cradle his face in her hands.
Oz stared down at her, "You heard him! He started it! He--"
She glared back up at him, "Listen to yourself. You sound like a damned schoolboy. Leave him the hell alone."
"Leave him--" Oz stopped with an angry sigh and scrubbed his fingers through his hair. "Will, you know what happened between...."
"I know exactly what happened," she agreed icily.
"Then you know it wasn't like that," he told her.
She stood and took a step toward him, "I know what you told me. I've heard your excuses. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I just don't give a damn anymore?"
"No," he shook his head. "I don't believe that."
"Well, you'd better," she hissed. "And if you ever go after Spike again--"
"If I go after HIM!" Oz shouted. "Willow, I loved you! I still love you! I--"
She drew her hand back and slapped him with enough force to leave a red imprint on his left cheek. His mouth dropped open, and he stepped back a pace. "Don't ever speak those words to me again. Go back to Giles'. Go back to wherever it is you came from. Just GO!" she demanded.
"Will--"
"Oz," Buffy took his arm in a strong grip. "Come on."
"No. She has to listen to--"
"Not now," the slayer insisted, pulling him away as Spike rose to Willow's side.
"You're not leaving her alone with him," he protested.
"She's been alone with him more times than I can count," Buffy answered. "She'll be fine. Come on."
Willow's cold eyes followed him as Oz allowed Buffy to drag him away. She turned to look up at Spike.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm great," he grinned.
"That was nasty, Spike," she reprimanded him.
He chuckled and pulled her into his arms, "I know."
The End
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