He couldn't believe it when she had asked him out. It had shocked him almost as much as her apology that day in the courtyard at school. But for shock value, the apology won out. She had appeared out of nowhere and startled him. He instantly recognized the similarities between this situation and the day she'd first asked him out to Buffy's party. His heart suddenly felt stuck in a time warp. He was again the Oz who thought she was beautiful and funny and loyal and smart and sweet. He liked this feeling. He missed it. "Hi," he offered, trying to get her to smile.

She'd responded with a quiet "Hi," of her own before she stared down at her feet. The untimely silence that settled between them reminded him that she wasn't that Willow and he wasn't that Oz anymore. She seemed lost in thought, and as he was about to inquire, she blurted out the apology he never expected. She apologized and said she was sorry about what she had done with Xander, how it had affected him and Cordelia and everything.

He absorbed her words in shocked silence. He looked into her eyes and saw the briefest flash of *something* there. He set his guitar aside, and was about to offer her a hug when she began speaking again in a rushed tone.

"And, I, uh, just wanted you to know that I'm glad you decided to stay friends with me after everything that's happened, and I, um, I want you to know that I'm really going to try to be worthy of your friendship, and hopefully, someday, your trust."

She stopped speaking and glanced at him. Oz's brow furrowed. Maybe the thing he thought he saw wasn't there. Maybe this was just something she needed to get off her chest. She repeated a soft, "I'm so sorry," and then took off, jogging across the grass before breaking into a full run once she'd reached the sidewalk. He could see her turn the corner, and he would swear, for the rest of his life, that he'd seen tears on her face.

He sat in stunned silence and stared at the spot on the grass she had occupied seconds before. "I still love you, Willow," he had murmured to the empty air in front of him.

Then, days later, just as they'd regained some equilibrium as friends, she'd done something even more perplexing.

They were at the Bronze. He had just asked her a question about the impending math test. She flipped though her textbook for a moment while she chewed on a straw, searching for the answer. And he found himself totally captivated by her mouth, the way it moved as she chewed, they way her lips curled around the straw. And Oz felt the familiar rush of the desire to kiss her. He marveled at how she could be sitting *so* close, and yet have no clue as to how much he loved her. Didn't the love radiate off his body and go straight into her heart? She looked up at him, and instead of being embarrassed and looking away, he followed his heart's cue and stared right back.

"Will you go out with me to the movies on Friday? Oz? On a date?" she asked. There was no uncertainty in her voice, just the simple request.

He examined her face and her eyes for a few seconds, reveling in the happiness he felt for the first time in weeks. She looked around in quiet desperation, and he very gently took her hand in his to be sure she wouldn't mistake his meaning. "Yes," he replied, lightly brushing his hand over her palm. "I would love to go out with you on a date to the movies on Friday."

She had given him a classic double-take look and then stared at his hand, playing with hers. She smiled, and Oz's heart had lit up like a Christmas tree when he saw the smile reach her eyes.

Now here he was, in his van, about to go out with Willow on a date, and feeling just as nervous as he had the first time. He cleared his throat and was about to step out of the van when she noticed he was there.

She stood up and walked slowly over the van, getting in and not pausing to let Oz jump out and open the door for her like he usually would have... before...

She brushed her hair back from her face and tucked the stands behind her ears in a nervous gesture. "Hi."

He reached for a strand that she'd missed and tucked it securely behind her ear as he replied, "Hey."

She nodded once, to thank him for the gesture and strapped her seatbelt on. "Did you pick a movie?" she asked, "Because I checked the paper and-"

"You know what?" he interrupted. "I'm not really in the mood for a movie tonight. I'd rather just find a place to talk. If that's okay-" he rushed on as he saw her worried expression.

"Um, yeah. That would be okay. Good. Um, where could we go?"

"I have just the place," Oz murmured, starting the engine and pulling out of her driveway. He carefully put the van in first gear and rolled to a stop beside the curb in front of her house. Satisfied, he shut off the engine.

Willow regarded him with a puzzled expression. "We're in front of my house."

"I know." Oz struggled to find the words to make this come out right. "This is where I feel most comfortable with you. All those nights after dates or patrol when I'd roll up to the curb here and then we'd talk and sometimes do...other stuff. I mean, the point is, this is where I got to know you, Willow. This is where I fell in love with you, and I think it's kind of fitting that we talk about everything here."

"Since because of what happened, you feel like you don't know me anymore?" she asked softly.

Oz shrugged. "Partly."

Willow sat in silence for a moment, staring at her hands. She was beginning to think this wasn't a good idea. That it was too soon for them to try and re-establish a relationship. No matter what her heart wanted. Wait! Fell in love with me?!

She looked at Oz, with wonder shining from her eyes. "You really loved me?" she asked, so softly he could barely hear her.

Oz stared into her eyes and felt himself falling into the soft green pools. "Yeah, I did," he replied softly. "I'm sorry I never said it out loud."

She heard the past tense in the sentence and let her hope falter. Willow shook her head and boldly reached forward to cup his face with her hand. "I knew. My heart knew. With the songs and the kisses and all. You did say it. Every day." She wanted to lean forward and kiss him right then. But it wouldn't be fair to him. Because he still didn't know why she'd done it. And how she felt now.

"Oz," she began softly. "You should know why it happened..."

"I know why," he interrupted. "You had to find out. You had to know what you were giving up by being with me."

She shook her head. "No. That's not just it. I mean, I felt like I was caught up in it and couldn't get out without hurting you and Cordelia and Xander. So I just kept covering it up and I felt worse and worse, and I couldn't stop it." Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. "I know you have no reason to believe anything I say anymore, but I really never meant to hurt anyone, especially you." Her voice broke and she let the tears fall.

Oz didn't even hesitate as he reached across the seat and gathered her into his arms. "I know, baby, I know," he murmured reassuringly, burying his face in her hair and inhaling the scent that was so unmistakably Willow.

"I'm sorry," she gasped out between breaths as she tried to explain more. "But Oz, the thing is, I didn't get to see what I was giving up by being with you." She leaned back and captured his gaze with her eyes. "I got to see what I gained by being with you." She smiled a little through the tears on her cheeks. "You gave me so much. You gave me love, and understanding and made me feel like I mattered to somebody. And I took all that and I selfishly shoved it aside to see what Xander could give me."

Oz felt a lump begin to form in his throat. His heart constricted painfully as he watched her struggle with her emotions. He didn't want her to suffer anymore. It was time for them to move forward.

"There's no excuse for what I did, Oz. I'm a horrible person who did a stupid thing. And I don't deserve you. I'm sorry."

She leaned forward then and seized his lips in a kiss. Oz's eyes widened for a second before his heart reacted. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her as close to his body as he could. After what seemed like a lifetime away to his heart, Willow was back in his arms. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else ever could.

The words she whispered next were so beautiful and her voice was so sincere that he wished he could make time stop for eternity. "I've missed you, Oz. I still love you." She kissed him again, softly, sweetly, as if she were trying to memorize what it felt like. "I always did keep loving you. The whole time." She pulled away, fresh tears making trails down her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "I have to go. Bye."

Oz watched in confused silence as she began fumbling out of his embrace and reached for the door handle. She had just stepped out the door when he recovered his wits. He jumped from his side of the van and ran around to catch her as she hurried up her front lawn. He lunged for her and grabbed her around the waist before she could put more distance between them. "Willow, wait! I know this is going to sound crazy, but in a way, I'm glad the thing with Xander happened. I'm glad you got to find out what it would be like instead of always wondering. I understand why it happened. And I know it would have happened sooner or later, no matter how we felt about each other. "

"But I shouldn't have done it!" she protested, turning in his iron grip to face him. She pushed on his chest lightly, encouraging him to release her, but her heart wasn't in it.

"No, you shouldn't have, but it happened, and I was mad. Thing is, I'm not anymore. I don't want to lose you again. Please. Just talk to me."

"Oz, please. Let me go."

"Why? What do I have to say to you? Why are you running away from me?"

"I don't know!" she cried, looking at him. "I can't do this right now. It hurts too much!"

"What hurts?" he asked, encouraging her to tell him more. He had to know how to fix it.

"Everything. The way I feel about you -- the way you used to feel about me! Everything!"

"Meaning what?" he demanded.

"Meaning I don't know if you still want me! If you still feel anything other than hate and disappointment for me! Because I can't go on just not knowing, Oz. I still love you! And not knowing what you feel now is killing me! We can't move on or anything until I know!" Weakly, she stopped struggling in his arms and looked into his face. "If you don't love me anymore, I'd understand. But I have to know."

"I still love you," he replied. The conviction in his voice shook her to her very core. "I can't lose you again Willow. I've missed you so much. Please. I can't."

She examined his heart's plea reflected in his eyes. And when she saw the love shining from them, she wanted to cry again. He still loved her. After all of it. It was incredible.

"Do you believe me?" she demanded in a choked voice. "Do you believe I love you?"

Oz looked at the love pouring from her eyes into his soul and he felt it. She loved him so much it was almost tangible. "I believe it," he murmured softly, moving closer and brushing his nose against hers before kissing her. His hands came up to grasp both sides of her face as their lips explored each other and their hearts began to dance.

Her arms wound around his neck and she pulled him close and held on for dear life. Words began to mingle with kisses as they urgently tried to make their love felt to each other.

"I missed you!" she blurted between kisses.

"I know baby, shhh. I missed you just as much."

"I missed sitting on your lap at lunch."

"I missed the way you go off on those wild babbling tangents."

"I missed you stopping me what I do that."

"I missed the way you smile."

"I missed your kisses."

"I missed the way your nose does that thing when you're confused."

Willow bestowed a deep, soul-shattering kiss on Oz and withdrew only slightly to murmur. "I missed being in love with you. I love you, Oz."

"I love you, too. We're gonna be okay now."

Finally, emotionally exhausted, yet with a satisfied heart, she pulled away and noticed their surroundings. "It's not very safe out here."

Oz chuckled low in his throat. "We're the Slayerettes, remember? I think the vampires have learned to avoid us."

She giggled and pressed her forehead into his cheek, reveling in the feel of his skin touching hers. "Oz?"

"Mmmm?"

"It won't happen again. Ever. I know exactly what I have to lose with you, and I'll never jeopardize it again."

He tilted her head so he could look at her face. "I know."

"I do love you," she said shyly, as she stared into his eyes.

"I love you too, Willow." He kissed her forehead and traced a line down the side of her face. His heart finally felt at peace. They were moving forward right this very second. As they mended and loved. They would get to the future. And they would do it together.