No_truer

Rating: PG - some TV-acceptable cursing but nothing major
Spoilers: Mostly Becoming 2, a few references to other episodes but nothing
major.
Summary: When Willow realizes that Xander's professed his love for her, she finds that there's no truer love than the one they share...but it's not what you think at all.
Feedback: Positive feedback and logically composed criticism will be well received. Flames _shall_ be cast into the fiery pit, there to languish for ever and ever, or at least until they appear back on Earth due to popular demand.
Distribution: Sure, just make sure to email me.
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all associate characters and likeness thereof are property of Joss, Fox, the WB, Kuzui, Sandollar, and Mutant Enemy. In layman's terms, this is for the sake of writing, and not money.
Author's Note: Writing this started as a means of catharsis. I've been in Xander's situation before, and while I've never done anything quite like he did, or does in this story, I've put my heart and soul into this one. (Ergo, the flame warning.) It's kinda what I wished I could have said and worked out had I been this wise in high school. And oh yeah, <> marks indicate thoughts. Finally, kudos to the writers of Conduct Unbecoming, Mediancat and Danielle, for first addressing this topic in a story and providing a basis for this one to stand on.

No Truer Love
by Palaskar

   "So Oz, when did you first realize you were in love with me?" Willow asked. It was a loaded question, of course; there was no really good way to answer it; but she felt playful.
    "Two moments. First time, when I saw you in your Eskimo costume that night at the Bronze. You were so cute. Second one, Halloween. You were in this skimpy leather and velvet outfit. Total hottie. Both times, I just wondered, 'Who _is_ that girl?'" He smiled at her. "That's when I fell in love with you. Not once, twice."
    Willow tried to take this all in, as he turned the tables on her. "So, what about you?"
    "Huh?" she asked.
    "When did you know? " he explained.
    "I guess it all started when I was in a coma, and you woke me up by saying, 'I love you.' It was like a fairy tale. Sleeping Beauty and Prince Charming."
    Oz paused. "That's the sweetest thing anybody's ever said to me."
    "But I didn't say a thing," he continued. "You must have dreamt it all."
    "No, I'm sure of it. I was in a coma, and there was this voice..." she pondered.
    Just then, Xander walked by, arm-in-arm with Cordelia.
    "Hey Will -- " the rest of the sentence was drowned out as memories fell into place.
    "No." Willow said. "No, _no_, NO!"
    "Ok, we don't have to go to the Bronze. I'm always up for some frozen yogurt..." Xander recovered.
    "Willow, hon, are you alright?" asked Oz.
    <Alright? How in Hell could she be alright?>
    "Xander Harris, how dare you you tell me, 'I love you,' after everything we've been through?!" Willow cried.
    And then, everything went to Hell.

    "Whoa, whoa! Easy, girl," said Cordy. "Xander, what the hell is she talking about?" Then, for his ears only, "It isn't true, is it?"
    Oz was just in shock. Dully, he realized that it was Xander who had brought her out the coma.
    Xander who loved her.
    Who had probably always loved her.
    Oz stood there, thinking these things, watching coolly, feeling his heart break into little tiny Willow-shaped pieces.
    "He knows perfectly well what I'm talking about!" Distantly, Oz realized that Willow was still angry. She stomped her little foot in the cutest way.
    "When we were in the hospital..." Xander began.
    Cordelia swore internally.
    "And Willow was on her deathbed, and we weren't sure she'd ever wake up again..." he went on. Cordy stared at him in a mixture of impatience, fascination, horror, and rage.
    "I started talking about how much worse my life would be without her."
    "How much I cared about her."
    "How much I loved her." *     Cordy's brain gagged on the thought, and the consequences. <I'm going to be dumped by the school loser,> she thought.<Could my social life get any worse?> What was even worse was that she was about to get dumped by the only guy she thought of as more than just a cheap thrill. <Wait,> she paused. <Did I just think that?>
    "So you tell me that you love me, something I've waited practically my entire life to hear, exactly when we're both in stable relationships?" Willow was still going.
    "Gee Xander, GREAT TIMING!" Her voice was bitter with sarcasm and hurt.
    "I thought enchanting every girl in Sunnydale to fall madly in love with you was the dumbest thing you have _ever_ done, but this FAR and AWAY takes the cake!"
    "You are a COMPLETE IDIOT!"
    Xander heard those words again, and something just snapped, brushing away all his fears and insecurities like dust. He grabbed Willow by the wrist, roughly, and spoke.
    "C'mon. We need to talk. Boy, do we _ever_ need to talk." Willow started to protest, but he was already hauling her off.
    "Where are we going?" she asked.
    "To the only place in this school where there's any privacy," he replied.
    "Hey, waitaminit, I'm not done with you!" protested Cordelia.
    Oz put a gentle but weary hand on her shoulder.
    "They have to work this out by themselves, " he sa