Title- The Lonely Hearts Club 4/4
Author- Veronica
E-Mail- ronisimon@hotmail.com
Rating- G
Pairing- W/G Friendship
Spoilers- Season 7
Disclaimers- Joss and Mutant own all. I'm just borrowing them.
Distribution- Want it? Take it… just let me know where.
Feedback- Always a great thing to have.
Summery- Valentine's Day is coming, and everyone has the blues. But
Willow makes everything all better.
It had taken Willow some time and a lot of thought to come up with a gift for Giles. She knew what Giles wanted because it mirrored her feelings as well, but that particular gift was unattainable. So she settled for a picture instead of the real thing. Rifling through her photo albums, she came across only a couple pictures of Miss Calendar, and so she picked out the nicer of the two she found. She already knew which picture of Tara she wanted and looked until she found it. She pulled the picture out of its resting place and stared at it for a few moments as the loneliness and loss washed over her. She took her index finger and lightly traced the outline of Tara's hair and whispered the words, "I miss you?"
Forcing her thoughts back, she continued to look through the album until she found a picture with the gang and Giles. She stared at Giles and decided that he had the right expression on his face, and set it aside with the pictures of Tara and Miss Calendar. It only took her a moment to find an acceptable picture of herself, and then set off to work scanning all of them into the computer. Once done, she cropped the pictures and arranged them to suit her, then using a glossy paper, she printed out her creation and smiled.
`Phase one of making Giles happy complete. Now off to phase two'. She thought to herself as she grabbed a light jacket as she made her way down the stairs and out of the house, and headed to the photo shop. It had taken about an hours worth of browsing to find the perfect frame, but she finally found it and proceeded to the counter to pay for it.
* * * * * * * *
"Hey, Giles."
"Hello, Willow. Please, do come in." Giles replied as he gestured for the red head to enter. "I have a surprise for you. One that you've been waiting for." He said, and upon receiving a confused look from her, stepped aside allowing her to walk in. As she went in, she turned her attention from Giles and looked ahead to see Buffy and Spike standing in front of her, both dressed for a night on the town.
Buffy smiled shyly and looked down at her feet as she began to speak rather nervously.
"Will, I'm sorry about today, but… well, you were right. I was being selfish and making everyone else feel bad because of it."
"Buffy, its okay. Besides, I did it on purpose." She replied and the blonde slayer shot her head up to stare at Willow, trying to comprehend what it was that she just heard. "I knew if I didn't do something drastic you wouldn't have bothered doing anything about it. Just because you're the slayer doesn't mean you have to be alone… no matter what the Watcher's Counsel says."
"It must have been so hard for you to say what you did about Tara." Said Buffy as tears began to well up in her eyes.
"It was, but seeing my friends happy is worth a little pain." Willow smiled sadly. Buffy found that she was too choked up for words, instead she raced over to her friend and gave her a hug hoping Willow could somehow feel the love she had for her. "Go on, get outa here… before we both break down and cry. Besides, you have a date waiting for you."
Buffy let Willow go and headed towards the door. "Come on, Spike." She said, sobbing softly. "We don't want to be late."
Spike moved, but stopped in front of Willow and, raising a hand, gently wiped a tear from her cheek.
"I won't ever forget what you've done for me, Red. I owe you one."
"No, you don't owe me anything. Just be happy."
Spike smiled, `She's unbelievable' he thought to himself as he leaned down and placed a tender kiss upon her cheek.
"Right then," he said straightening and cleared his throat. "Let's go, Slayer… don't want to be late, now do we, Ducks." He finished and made his way to Buffy, and then both disappeared out the door.
Giles walked over to the young woman and tilted her head up with his forefinger to look into her face.
"You are an amazing woman, Miss Rosenberg." He said softly, his voice filled with awe. Willow stepped back, and while wiping the tears with the back of her hand, she held up a small package.
"This is for you. Happy Valentine's Day, Giles. I-I hope you like it." She said timidly as she waited for him to open it and gauge his reaction.
Giles accepted the package, moved himself to the couch and seated himself, then began to slowly open it. Willow waited in anticipation as Giles removed the gift-wrap, opened the lid of the box and stared. She shifted from one foot to the other as worry began to seep in watching Giles just stare at the picture that she carefully and lovingly made for him. It was a picture of Giles and Jenny, Tara and Willow… together.
Giles looked up from the picture to Willow, a sad smile on his lips.
"I'm sorry, Giles. I-I just thought that…"
"Willow, Willow… don't worry yourself about it. I-I love the picture."
"Really? I was a little worried about it. I-I just thought it would be nice if you and I had a picture of the two of us with… with the one's we love." She paused as a sob escaped, "I made myself one too."
"Its perfect, luv." He replied as he carefully took the silver frame out of the box and stood. Giles walked over to his desk and moved a group picture of the Scooby's over to the left, and put the one Willow had given him in its place. The red head walked over and stood by Giles, and stared at the picture along with him.
"I miss them both." Was all she could say, and Giles put an arm around her drawing her close to him.
"As do I, luv." He said as Willow rest her head against him, happy for the comfort that his arm around her gave. "I, too, have a gift for you. Come with me." He led the young woman back into the living room and seated her on the couch as curiosity filled her, leaving her to retrieve his gift for her. Moments later he was back with a package and handed it to her, then stood by and waited.
She looked down at the gift and moved her hands quickly to remove the paper covering it. Giles couldn't help chuckling as he watched her… she was as youthful as a five year old opening a birthday present with the wrapping flying everywhere. Willow opened the lid and gasped, her eyes widening as she looked upon her gift.
"Do you like it?" he asked timidly, and watched as the red head set the small box aside and leap up off the couch, only to end up wrapping her arms around him. In answer to his question, all she could do was nod her head as he stroked her hair.
"I did the same as you, made one for myself." He said as he pointed to the wall where his was hanging. Willow looked and saw the small wooden plaque hanging on the wall. "You gave me the idea, so I had someone I know make them. I realize it is nothing fancy, but I had only thought of it yesterday."
"Its wonderful, Giles… just the way it is." She replied as she closed her eyes and hugged him tighter. "Are you happy?"
"Yes, luv… that I am."
Written on the heart-shaped plaque was…
The Lonely Hearts Club
Founded By
Willow Rosenberg and Rupert Giles
The end