Title: Broken Wing
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon.
Notes: Just a refresher of what the suite that Willow, Buffy, and Anya live in. There is a commone room which doubles as a living room/kitchen, coming off this room are two bedrooms, and a bathroom. Each bedroom and the common room all have doors that lead into the dorm hallway.
Part 12
"Where is she?" Xander asked rushing into 214 Stevenson.
"In her room," Buffy said moving from the sofa over to Willow's door with Xander.
"What happened?" He asked putting his ear up to Willow's closed door.
"We don't know," Anya said from the sofa, barely taking her eyes off the television to answer the question. She really didn't understand the concern over Willow. It was only a couple of classes after all.
"All I know is she came flying through here crying last night, then she locked herself in her room and hasn't come out since. Not even for her classes," Buffy said.
"She missed classes?" Xander stated more than questioned.
"Not just any classes, the first-day-of-class classes," Buffy said. "And they weren't regular old required classes, Xander, we're talking science classes. And she won't let anyone in. I tried all night, and all morning. This must be huge, whatever it is... maybe she'll let you in Xander, you've known her the longest."
"I'll try," Xander said listening through the door again for a minute before knocking. "Hey, Will, it's Xander, can I come in?"
"No! Go away!" Willow shouted.
"I'm not going away, Will," Xander said, "and if I have to, I'll break down the door."
"No you won't, we both know you can't do that, Xander," Willow said.
"Okay, you're right, I can't, but I can have Buffy break it down," he said. "If this door isn't unlocked by the time I count to three, I'm gonna have her do it," he said pausing briefly before starting his count. "One... Two and a quarter... Two and a half... Two and three quarters... Two and seven eights... Come on, Will, don't make me, make her do it... Three." Xander brought his foot back and kicked the door as a warning.
"Okay, okay, but only you," Willow said unlocking the door and letting Xander pass through.
"I could have broke my foot you know?" Xander said coming into the room limping slightly.
"I know," Willow said with a pout as she sat back down on her bed.
"Will, what's wrong?" He asked sitting down next to her.
"Nothing, I'm fine," Willow said putting on a fake smile.
"Yeah, cause people with tears running down their face are usually fine," Xander said.
"Tears? What tears? There are no tears coming from my eyes. I don't know what you're talking about."
"Well, how about these tears," Xander said cutting her off as she wiped his thumb across Willow's cheek, and showed her the wetness.
"Oh well, yeah, there are those, but technically, those are tears that have run, not tears that are running. You're really gonna have to be more specific," Willow said. "I mean what's the point of you coming in here to talk if we're just gonna run around the issues. If we did..."
"Will," Xander said putting his hand up stopping her, " What's wrong? Why are you so upset?"
"Xander I just want to pretend it never happened, okay?" Willow said looking down at her lap. It had been ages since she and Xander really talked like this, and she wasn't sure she wanted to start things up again by telling him something as huge as her current problem.
"Sure, you can pretend, but it won't work. Trust me, I know. Remember New Year's Eve when we were 12, and I came over to your house just before midnight? I had that black eye, and I told you I tripped and hit my face on a rock on the way over?"
"And we didn't have any steak, so I made you put salmon on it," Willow said smiling as she remembered how much Xander had baulked at her puttting the stinky fish on his face.
"Yeah, and even though we both knew what really happened we never talked about it. I carried that around for a lot of years, Will, because I wanted to pretend it didn't happen..."
"Xander, it did NOT smell THAT BAD! And besides, it was only for like... a week, nothing in the way of YEARS!"
"Will, I think we both know I wasn't talking about the fish... although it DID stink. I just don't want you to carry this problem around with you like I did mine. It's obvious you're upset, won't you please talk to me?" Xander pleaeded softly, squatting down in front of his friend and giving her a much needed hug. They had been through so much together, and not just demony apocolyptic stuff either, real life stuff, like Xander's dad hitting him that night, and Willow's parents never being around. They had always got through it together. They were always there for each other. 'This really isn't any different,' Willow thought. Sighing heavily, she let it all out.
"I don't know what happened," Willow said breaking down. "One minute we were talking, and everything was fine, and the next I was having all these feelings, and I said something stupid, and then I ran out."
"Uh... you gotta help me out here, Will. I'm not sure I understand," he said frowning.
"Okay, what if I had a secret," Willow said switching gears, " and I kept it from you for a long time, would you hate me?" Willow asked.
"We all have secrets Will, what on earth is this all about?" Xander asked more confused than ever.
"I'm not talking about 'stealing a cookie' kind of secret. I mean we're talking 'a humongous, in your face' kind of secret," Willow said.
"You're just confusing me more," Xander said. "What do secrets have to do with you crying?"
"Everything!" Willow said throwing her hands up in frustration as more tears started to flow.
"Hey, come on, spill it, what's the secret, Will?" Xander asked pulling her close.
"This isn't exactly the kind of secret one can just blab out. It's delicate," Willow sniffled.
"Well, then why don't we wrap you up in bubble-wrap, cause either you're gonna tell me the secret so I can help, or we're both wasting our time," Xander frowned, standing up as if he were going to leave.
"I'm gay," Willow blurted out.
"Yeah," Xander said.
"Yeah?" Willow said. "That's your reaction to the biggest news I've ever given you?"
"Yeah," Xander said shrugging his shoulders and sitting back down, "I kinda knew."
"What? You knew? How could you possibly know? Becasue I had no idea what so ever! And what's with all the fix ups if you knew? See? I knew this was something you wouldn't accept... and if you won't, how could I possibly expect Buffy or the others to? Now do you see why I'm so upset.. I mean."
"Will! Wait a sec! I said I kinda knew," Xander said. "I didn't know, know until you told me just now, and being the good friend I am, I would have continued to fix you up with guys until you told me you like girls. See I accept it, and so will everyone else."
"You do? You dont' hate me now?" Willow asked softly.
"Of course not," Xander said. "Will, we're best friends."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, and besides this is great, now I can fix you up with some hot chicks," Xander said smiling micheviously.
"Xander," Willow said playfully swatting his arm, "that's unnecessary."
"Because...?"
"Because," Willow said as she started to cry again when she remembered what happened, "because I already like someone, but I blew it."
"I'm sure it's not that bad," Xander said hugging Willow. She rested her head on his shoulder.
"No, it is. I ran from the room, we were just talking, and I ran out. She must hate me now."
"Nobody hates Willow, it's impossible," Xander said firmly. "You just freaked out, it happens."
"It does?" Willow asked lifting her head off his shoulder and sniffling.
"Yeah, it does," Xander said. "So, who's the vixen?"
"Tara."
"Oh, cute Tara from my math class?"
"That's the one," Willow said smiling as she wiped her eyes. She discovered it was impossible for her to talk or think about Tara without breaking into a smile.
"Excellent choice. Does she know?"
"Have you completely lost your mind? Of course she doesn't know," Willow said. "At least I don't think anyway. I told her she was beautiful. Oh God, Xander, you don't think she knows do you?"
"Easy there," Xander said putting his hands on Willow's shoulders to help calme her. "You've told Buffy she was beautiful before right?"
"Yeah, okay, right. It's a friend thing," Willow said momentarily relaxing and then, "promise me you won't tell ANYBODY, ANYTHING we talked about," Willow said in a bit of a panic.
"I promise," Xander said crossing his heart, "but why can't Buffy know?"
"Because she'll think she's helping and she'll do something and then Tara will find out I like her... and I don't even know if she likes girls, and if she does like girls, that doesn't mean she likes me. I mean boys like girls and boys don't like me, well that's not really true either cause not all boys like girls, some boys like boys just like some girls like girls, how do I know if she's a girl who likes girls?"
"Who Buffy?"
"NO! Tara," Willow said. "What if she finds out about me, and she hates me and we can't even be friends anymore."
"Relax," Xander said. "Nobody finds out until you tell them, okay?"
"Okay," Willow said taking a deep breath, "You're right, I'll tell people when I'm ready."
Cordelia stood in the dorm hall outside the door to Willow's room, her hand poised to knock. She had come over to beg for Willow's help on their first sociology project, but the knowledge she now had was far more valuable. She owned Willow.
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~Spencer~
"To the world, you may be one person; but to one person, you may be the world."
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Poor Tara thinking she did something wrong, her evil dad certainly got that thought in there good, grrrrr.
.
-Viv- 
will we get one soon??
. She definitly needs someone to hold her through those nightmares she has of home. I'll volunteer Willow for that job 
So not good that Cordelia overheard that...should be interesting to see what develops there. Thanks for the great update!
Cordelia 
It's a tight spot cuz she either follows with the demands or everyone finds out what she isn't ready to tell. Awwww, it's just so adorable when they're so shy around each other, and Willow in her pjs is very cute 
and 
her That'd be funny! 
No, that was just a joke, not that anybody thinks now violence solves everything. 
Need to know what happens