It had been four days since she had sent the letters out.  The only person who called was Xander.  It was a quick message on her answering machine, saying he'd be there on the next flight out.  That was two hours ago.  Willow hoped that Cordelia and Oz had gotten the message.  They couldn't do this without them. Even though she knew how awkward it was all going to be.  She still missed Oz.  She missed him so much it hurt.  And it hurt to know that him and Cordelia were an item.  Willow had thought twice about bringing them in, simply because it would have been too painful to see him again, and with Cordelia Chase, it would be doubly painful.  But she needed them both. If she remembered correctly, Cordelia was as good as Jamie when she wanted to be.   Willow even read that nowadays Cordy did her own stunts.  She was called Hollywood's hottest Femme Fatale.

And Oz.  She had discovered something.  She had stayed away from witchcraft for quite some time, but she discovered something that might really help them.  And that's why they needed Oz. Oz had always been the cool backbone of the group. He had a calming effect on them that they needed desperately.  If Willow was going to make this work, she needed him.

 The door to the library creaked open slowly, and Willow jumped.  It was a Saturday, and no one was actually in school. She looked up expectantly.  An exquisitely manicured hand held it open, and then, almost hesitantly, Willow saw Cordelia Chase enter the library.
 

Cordelia hesitated before stepping into the place that held so many memories for her. It was hard for her to come back to this place.  She had been dreading the first steps into the library all the way here. She even tried to delay it first by checking into the hotel, (where she had to endure tons of autograph signings and a celebrity photo).  And now that she was here, she felt.... Anxious.  Her heart was beating rapidly, and she knew why.  Her old demons would come back to haunt her.  And if Willow had sent the bracelets, it must have been really serious. She let the door swing open the rest of the way and stepped completely inside. It was dark as night in here. Cordelia slowly pulled off her Ray Bans to allow what little light there was to get back into her eyes. She closed them and opened them again, before taking a breath and looking around.  It hadn't changed at all.  The musty library, smelling of dust and mothballs and just plain oldness, was still the exact same.  Cordelia blew out a deep
breath and thought of the memories that this place held.  This place had changed her life.

Her eyes swept the room, and then her eyes found Willow.

 Willow saw Cordelia stiffen as she saw her, her eyes lying naked before her.  It hurt Cordelia to be back then.  Willow couldn't blame her. And yet, hanging from her wrist, though Willow knew Cordelia had despised it, was the bronze bracelet. She rose calmly, and walked up to her, stopping a few feet away from her.

 "Hi, Cordelia." She said gently.  Cordelia just nodded, eyeing Willow with mixed feelings in her eyes.  Willow felt her heart drop.  Who'd have thought that she would ever have the power to hurt Cordelia Chase so much the woman was almost afraid of her? And yet there was a trace of warmness in Cordelia's eyes, almost as if she was almost glad to see Willow.  Willow smiled warmly,  "You look...."

 "Like an actress?"  Cordelia nodded briskly.  "It happens.  I see you haven't changed."  Willow almost winced.  The bitch attitude was back then.  Okay, Willow could play.

 "Not much has around here."

 "Is Jamie around?"

 "She's out of town, on business."  At Cordelia's questioning look, Willow just shrugged, pushing up her glasses to the bridge of her nose.  "I'll explain it later."

 Cordelia seemed to notice the glasses for the first time, because she squinted her nose as she looked at them.  "Those are the wrong shape for you, Willow, " she began cuttingly. "They make your head look like a great big circle, and I see your still shopping out of those catalogues-"

 Willow shook her head, swinging her chin length hair morosely.  "Sorry Cordy.  I'm not buying it.  You're not the bitch you were before.  And you can't go back to it."  Cordelia shut her mouth, and looked down, her hands shaking ever so slightly.

 "Well, they ARE the wrong shape."  She insisted after a minute, the venom gone from her voice.  Willow smiled sadly.

 "I know this is hard for you Cordelia.  I'm not going to say I'm sorry.  What's happened is happened.  We can't change the past.  But I do need you here. Maybe the most out of everyone."  Cordelia looked at her, and after a minute sighed, walking past Willow and settling in one of the chairs.  Willow smiled.  Cordelia, in her designer pants, and tank top still looked completely out of place in the library, and, and yet, her body was still lean, muscled, and trim, her movements graceful and strong, and she looked so completely at home. That was Cordelia Chase, a walking contradiction.

 "I don't hate you, Will's."  Cordelia said after a minute.  "If that's what you think.  I know what happened was....  under circumstances.  And you were my best friend.  Are... in a weirdo sort of way. But it still hurts.  It hurts to be here, it hurts to see you. I came because I made a promise to Buffy, to all of us.  But I'm not going to lie and say I'll be the happiest camper about it."

 "You came, that's enough." Willow said.  They had time.  She wanted to repair this friendship, because she had missed Cordelia too, sorely.  It was funny, in a way.  Jamie was probably Cordelia's biggest fan, and all Willow cared about was the Cordelia she knew before.  The one who had risked her life for her everyday. The Cordelia who had become like a sister to her.

    "Uh....  Has  Xa-...  the others come?"

 "Well, I haven't heard from Oz-"

 "He's on his way."  Cordelia answered absently, looking at the old markings on the table.  "On a flight. I talked to him about an hour ago."

 Willow's smile froze.  "Of course you did."  She muttered.  After a moment, she seemed to get over it, and looked up.  "Xander's coming.  He'll be here at 7:30."  Cordelia's eyebrow rose.

 "What airline?" she asked almost casually.

 "United, why?"  Cordelia stiffened, and then suddenly shrugged, as if she had been expecting that answer.

 With a resigned sigh, as if things couldn't get any worse, she said, "Cause that's the flight Oz is on."  She chuckled grimly to herself.  "Let's get ready for Uneasy Confrontation Number Two."
 

 Xander winced as the five year old kid behind him managed to smack him in the head for the fifth time.  He kept his irritation in check however, as he sat up trepidly and began to search the compartment above his in an attempt to find his suitcase.  It opened and he ducked away as the overfull compartment overloaded in the aisle.  He apologized sheepishly as the people around him gave him a dirty look and everyone began to search for their luggage. He was nervous.  He knew that.  He couldn't wait to see Willow, he had missed her, but he was still dreading this meeting.  If he had gotten the bracelet, that meant Cordelia and Oz had too.  And Xander didn't know if he could face the both of them.  He found his battered suitcase easily enough, and then waited his turn as everyone began to file out of the airplane.

He joined the line, and his eyes drifted lazily to the first class curtain as it jiggled.  Three flight attendants stepped out, each with huge smiles on their faces.  Xander looked curiously at what was causing these unusually happy expressions and then saw black
fingernails reach through with a guitar case clutched. Attached to the wrist was a black bracelet. Xander froze.  Oz smiled a polite thank you to the girls and then stepped out completely. He hadn't changed.  He looked older, but he was still the poster boy that all the girls in Xander's office ogled over.  He had asked them all what they saw in him, and they told him that he was just so cute.  He didn't seem cute now.  He seemed Oz.

 "Sir?  The line is moving, sir."  Xander looked forward at the attendant who was impatiently motioning for him to move.  He noticed that the voice had caught Oz's attention, and they locked eyes.  Oz's eyes were, as usual, unreadable. But recognizing him, he nodded ever so slightly.  Xander half smiled at him, and then motioned for him to go in front of him. Oz regarded him for a minute, and then walked in front of him.  They walked down the compartment that would carry them inside the airport side by side in silence.

 "So."

 "So."  Oz returned.

 "Um... How are you?"

  "Acid free.  You?"

 "The same."  Silence.

 "Listen, Oz-"

 "I'm cool, Xander." Oz cut in, a resigned sigh in his voice.  But the undertoning still screamed, Don't talk about it.  Xander decided to take the hint.

 "Yeah, me too."  They both let out relieved breaths and continued to walk.  That awkward meeting was over pretty quick, Xander thought.  They reached the terminal entry and Xander followed Oz out, immediately looking for a bob of red hair and a flash of glasses, that would signify Willow.  What caught his eyes instead was a tall brunette in a corner, dressed in designer clothing, dark glasses on, even though they were inside, managing to take over the room, even though she was  attempting to look as discrete as possible.  Xander felt his heart stop.  It had to be Cordelia.

 "Xander!"  Willow, who apparently hadn't seen Oz yet, smiled and waved at him. Xander smiled back and made his way through the crowd to her, motioning for Oz to follow. Oz felt his chest tighten. Willow still looked beautiful. The innocence that had surrounded her before was missing now, but it was replaced with a wisdom that was just as haunting. She was so amazing.

 She saw him then, and Cordelia stiffened.  Xander hadn't changed at all.  He still had that disarming smile, and his hair was cropped short, just how she had always loved it, because then she would be able to nibble at his ear and....   She felt her cheeks flush.  And God, he looked so good in that tie.  And then he moved toward and embraced Willow. Cordelia felt her heart drop.  Her eyes moved elsewhere and landed on Oz, and her heart flooded with relief.  For now not caring who saw her, she took off her sunglasses and pushed her way to him, smiling when he finally saw her.

 "Oz." She breathed.

 Oz looked up and saw Cordelia coming to him at a furious pace.  In her eyes he saw what he felt.  Haunted, hurt, and agony was running rampant in her hazel eyes.  And all because of what he saw, Xander and Willow.  He was so glad to see his best friend in the midst of all this craziness he dropped his guitar and opened his arms.  She flew into them.

   Holding her this close, he was the only one that heard the trace of a sob in her voice as she fought to control her feelings.  He held her tightly, letting her vent her frustration in the privacy of his arms.

 "I'm glad you're here." She whispered.  Oz slid his arms around her waist and buried his head in the crook of her neck, in an attempt to bury the rim of the tears that had just started to form.

 "I'm glad you're here."  He whispered back.
 

 Willow and Xander looked up to see Cordelia push past them and run straight into Oz's arms, and they watched as they both held each other tightly, as if desperate for each other's embrace.  Only Xander saw Willow's face almost crumple, and in his heart he felt such a rage of jealousy at Oz's position he almost moved to separate them.  But instead he squeezed Willow's hand and smiled supportively at her.  They would learn to deal with this. They would have to.
 

 Oz gently held the taller girl, and then squeezed her once softly.  "You okay?" he whispered, his cheek touching hers.  Cordelia shivered once, and then let him go easily.

 Staring into his eyes, she nodded quietly.   "Yeah, I think I'll be okay."  She whispered. "What about you?"

 Oz sighed. "I don't know, she's still so beautiful." He muttered to himself. Cordelia smiled sympathetically.

 "We'll be okay.  It's our business. We're entertainers.  Let's give them what they want."  Oz looked at her, and then smiled before hugging once again briefly.

 "Let's do it."  They both took a deep breath, and separated, both turning in unison to look at the couple that clasped hands a few feet away from them.

  Willow felt her heart beating faster.  As she noticed Cordelia and Oz clinging to each other, and her own hand clinging desperately to Xander's, she realized that this was how it was going to be. Xander was staring almost wistfully at Cordelia, who admittedly still was stunning.  Oz hadn't changed at all, and he still looked so beautiful.    It was hard, for all of them.  But there was no time to dwell on that.   Time was a luxury they didn't have, they had taken too much time already.

 With a breath, Willow stepped forward, in an attempt to close the distance between the two couples.

 "Hi, Oz."  She felt her voice almost waver, but kept it steady.  He looked at her, and smiled ever so slightly.

 "Hi, Willow."  Xander smiled at Cordelia, who was watching him with no expression.

 "So... the Ice Queen decided to grace us with her presence did she? You think the movie world will be able to hold on?"  Willow shot him a warning look, and swiveled to see Cordelia's reaction.  Cordelia almost winced, but maintained her composure.

 "Well, if the stock boy could get past his meager job, I guess I could too."  She bit back.  Xander smiled.  She still had the edge. Cameras flashed, and a crowd began to form, awed expressions on their faces as they began to circle around Cordelia and Oz. Willow inwardly groaned.

 "Come on, let's get out of here before more peoplel  recognize the two of you and we get a mob," Willow said, pulling Xander along, leaving the others to follow.  "We don't have much time."