DISCLAIMER: THE CHARACTERS AND CONCEPTS OF BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER DO NOT BELONG TO ME. THEY ARE THE PROPERTY OF JOSS WHEDON, THE WB, AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS I DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF.

It was summer. Willow could remember when summer meant hanging out with Xander and Jesse, doing kid things, having fun. This year, things would be different. This year, Jesse was dead, and Xander, the one boy she actually liked of all the guys at school, was obsessed over Buffy.

Buffy. She was gone for the summer, but her legacy remained. Willow now knew that the creatures of her nightmares were real. Vampires existed, and Buffy was the Slayer, the one chosen to fight them. For six months, Willow and Xander had helped Buffy and her Watcher, Giles, in that quest. Now, with Buffy gone and the Master destroyed, the excitement and danger which Willow had slowly become accustomed to, and actually begun to enjoy, were no longer a part of her life.

So this summer would be different. Jesse was dead, Xander was moping around over the loss of "his" Buffy (though Willow hoped he'd snap out of it by the end of the summer), and even Buffy, who always provided Willow with support and a little bit of a life, was gone. And, much as she enjoyed Giles' company, she rather doubted that he would want her hanging around him all summer.

Truly, this would be a lonely summer.

Willow was bored. She didn't feel like spending time on the computer, reading, or watching TV. Xander was still moping, and she didn't really have any other friends. Still, she felt the need for companionship. After changing her mind (and her clothes) fifteen times, Willow had made up her mind to go to the Bronze. Alone. She picked up her purse, then threw it back onto her bed. Oh, who was she kidding? <Go to the Bronze alone?> she thought. <I could never do that.>

Twenty minutes later, she walked into the club. The music pounded just as loudly as it did when she went with Buffy and Xander, there were just as many people dancing and milling around, but it just wasn't the same. She decided to leave, and turned, just as she heard a voice call out her name.

"Willow!" She turned to look, and saw Angel. Buffy's obsession, the vampire she loved. The one vampire with a soul.

"Angel!" she replied, smiling. This is the perfect opportunity to get to know him better, she decided. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, just - " he broke off abruptly, and smiled his little half-smile, half-grimace at her. "I guess I was just hoping Buffy would be here."

"Oh!" Willow said brightly. She wasn't sure if it was because Angel was a vampire, or just a great-looking guy, or both, but she always managed to sound like an idiot around him. "Well, she's gone. For the summer. To see her dad."

Angel nodded. "I'd heard, but I wasn't sure when she was supposed to leave. I didn't really expect to find her here, but..." he trailed off, and Willow noticed for the first time that he seemed, well, sad.

Someone bumped into her from behind, throwing her against Angel. Blushing, she peeled herself off his shirt. "Sorry about that," she managed to say despite her embarrassment.

Angel shrugged. "No big deal. It wasn't your fault anyway." He paused, then asked tentatively, "Do you maybe want to go for a walk?"

"With you?" Willow answered brightly. Willow noticed a flash of disappointment cross Angel's face, and hastened to reassure him. "I'd love to."

Once the two of them were walking down a nice, quiet, well-lit sidewalk, Angel resumed their conversation. "So, what were you doing there? You looked about ready to bolt before I called out to you."

Willow flushed. Being alone with Angel was definitely exciting. She could see why Buffy enjoyed spending time with him. "I was," she confessed bluntly. "I don't have many friends besides Buffy and Xander, and those I do have I'm not really close with anymore."

"Why not?" Angel asked.

Willow shrugged. "I guess because I haven't really made the effort to spend any time with them recently. Buffy came to town, and after that, well, my old life just didn't seem as exciting as my new one."

"Excitement's not always a good thing. Just spending time with your friends can be fun, too," Angel pointed out.

Willow stopped walking and looked at him. Really looked at him, in the eye and everything. "Angel, Buffy introduced vampires and demons and all sorts of other strange and paranormal creatures into my life, and Xander's. After all that we've gone through in the past six months, do you really think either of us can ever lead a normal life again? How can I possibly spend time with my friends, talking about schoolwork, when I'm worrying about whether or not a vampire will decide to snack on one of us later that night? How can I even think about normal teenage things like boys and hair and clothes, when I know that at any moment something strange is going to happen? And now, with Buffy gone..." Willow trailed off herself. She couldn't think of what else to say. She certainly hadn't meant to reveal so much to him.

Angel brushed his fingertips along her cheeks, wiping away the tears she hadn't even known she'd cried. "Sssh, it's okay," he murmured, reaching out for him. Willow broke down in tears, and allowed herself to be held by Angel. His arms felt wonderful around her, his hand stroked her hair, and he made soothing noises to comfort her. Willow didn't move, just cried. She cried for all the students she'd grown up with who were now dead, or, worse, turned into vampires themselves. She cried for her lost innocence, her security in knowing that all was right with the world, and that whatever happened, daddy could handle it. She cried for Xander, and the love she knew he did not yet return, and maybe never would. She cried for Buffy, who would never be able to have a normal life. She cried for Giles, who had watched his Slayer die, and would, in all likelihood, watch it happen again. And she cried for Angel, a monster with a soul, who had missed so much of his human life, and could not forgive himself for his inhuman one.

Eventually, Willow ran out of tears, and she pulled away from Angel. She wiped her eyes and face with the backs of her hands, trying to dry it off. Angel somehow produced a handkerchief, and pushed her hands away. Tenderly, he wiped her face, even insisting she blow her nose. He swiftly tossed the handkerchief in a nearby trash can. Willow looked at the ground, ashamed at her crying bout.

"I - I'm sorry, Angel," she stammered shakily. "I don't usually - "

Angel cut her off by wrapping one strong arm around her waist, and pulling her closer to him. Not as close as before, but close enough for Willow to feel her heart pounding against his chest, and to notice the lack of one in return. He raised his other hand to her chin, and forced her to tilt her head up so that she was once again looking him straight in the eye.

"Never apologize for crying, Willow," he said softly, as he bend his head over hers. His lips touched hers, hesitantly but firmly. Willow knew she could pull away, but she didn't. Instead, she relaxed, offering no resistance, in case he wanted to deepen the kiss.

He didn't. After a few seconds, he pulled away. Willow was relieved to notice that he had not vamped out during their little kiss. Angel smiled down at her, a real smile, and playfully tapped the end of her nose with his finger.

"You're beautiful," he told her. "And believe me, in ten years, you'll look back at this time with Buffy and Xander, and remember the fun times, not the tears. And you will have a normal life. Any boy would have to be blind not to notice how wonderful, smart, funny, and pretty you are. Hang in there, Willow. Things will get better." And with that, he was gone.

Willow slowly walked home, in a daze. Angel had kissed her! <But it wasn't a real kiss,> she told herself. <It was just a friendly kiss. A kiss between friends.> She smiled for the first time since summer vacation had begun. Angel was right. Things would get better. Xander would not spend the entire summer moping over Buffy, in fact, she would go over to his house tomorrow and drag him out to have fun with her. They could go to the park, to the library, to the zoo...<well, maybe not the zoo,> Willow amended, but there were lots of things the two of them could do together. <And you never know>, Willow thought, <by the time school starts again, Xander may have forgotten all about Buffy.> It was a pleasant thought, and kept her smiling all the way home. This summer might not turn out to be so lonely after all.