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Hit/Miss
CHAPTER THREE

Author: eklipsej
Rating: PG for now... will up that if necessary.
Disclaimer: All Buffy characters were created by and unfortunately belong to the creators of BtVS, other characters that might pop up are mine.
Note: Thoughts in italics.


Tightening her grip on the box of colored pencils, the redhead sighed.

"Hi, I'm Willow, Rosenberg. Willow Rosenberg, that's me." She spoke out loud. "What's your name? Where are you from? Can I get your number?"

Running her hand through her hair, Willow moved to the window.

"Three excellent questions." Willow set the pencils down on the nearby table and positioned herself at her laptop. "So why couldn't I get any of them out? I go on and on about white out but I can't ask a simple question and now I'm talking to myself. Maybe I really am insane."

Willow had been sitting at her desk for hours, trying to put the finishing touches on the program she had been working on during her extended layover in Chicago. But try as she might, Willow could not concentrate. Working on the program only served to remind her of the soft-spoken girl who was nice enough to offer her colored pencils.

Definitely a better system... Willow thought to herself as her fingers slid the thin case of pencils from its protective box. Though she had taken the case out repeatedly, she still hadn't opened it since taking it from the blonde at the airport. The flight from Chicago to New York had been rocky at best, and because the captain had to keep the fasten seatbelt sign lit through most of the flight Willow was forced to keep her laptop turned off. I was too nauseous to do anything anyway... Besides, wouldn't want to use them all up...

Why do I have to be such a doofus... With a groan, Willow replayed the few minutes she had spent talking to the blond girl, editing out the memories of that rude girl eating with her mouth open...


"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh." The blond apologized quickly. "It's just, that... that's adorable."

"What? Adorable? What?" Willow was so busy chastising herself for letting her babbling get out of hand that she wasn't sure she had heard correctly.

Good job Rosenberg, now she's laughing at you too. But the blond girl had not been laughing her, not really. Willow could see it in the other girl's eyes. She's amused... she thinks I'm amusing, not crazy! Yay me!

"Three excellent questions." The blond said. "That... the babbling. When you do it... it's... you're adorable."

Willow's eyes widened at the girl's teasing, and she felt a blush spreading across her cheeks. She thinks I'm adorable? SHE thinks I'M adorable? SHE THINKS I'M ADORABLE? Three excellent questions indeed.

For a split second that felt like forever all Willow could do was gape, but just as she managed to compose herself the airport intercom came to life.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. THE WEATHER IS EASING UP AND WE HAVE RECEIVED WORD THAT WE CAN RESUME DEPARTURES. THEREFORE AT THIS TIME WE WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 231 TO NEW YORK LAGUARDIA AIRPORT IS NOW BOARDING AT GATE B15. UNITED FLIGHT 231 TO NEW YORK LAGUARDIA IS BOARDING AT GATE 15B."

After she had regained her hearing, Willow smiled sheepishly.

Come on Willow, ask her name, get her number!!! But all Willow could say was, "That's me..."

As she made a move to return the pencils, the blond held out her hand, resting her palm on top of Willow's fingers. Gently, she pushed Willow's hand back.

"K-keep it." She whispered, shaking her head.

"I-I couldn't, really." Willow tried to refuse, but something in the other girl's eyes made Willow suspect that this girl would refuse any refusal she tried to make. "Are you sure?"

"I-it's okay. Really." The blond said, shrugging and smiling just a little. "It's a better system." She repeated.

Willow nodded and was about to ask the girl's name when again she was cutoff.

"ONCE AGAIN LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. AT THIS TIME WE ARE BOARDING UNITED FLIGHT 231 AT GATE B15. AGAIN, UNITED FLIGHT 231 IS NOW BOARDING AT GATE B15."

"That's me..." You already said that... Willow mentally slapped her forehead.

The blond however just nodded and kept smiling.

"I should go." Willow said, pointing to the napkin-covered tabletop.

"Yeah, you, um, you wouldn't w-want to m-m-miss your flight."

"No, that would be bad..." No, no, it would be good, then I could stay here and talk to you and ask you your name and get your phone number.

"Yeah, I should, um, I sh-should go too." Willow's heart skipped a beat at the blonde's words. Oh, what if she's on my flight? We could sit next to each other and... oh... whoever gets the window seat would have to climb over the other person every time she wants to get up. Hmm...

But Willow's hopes were soon dashed.

"I should g-get ready too, in c-case they c-c-all my f-flight soon too."

And so both girls had moved to their tables, packed up their belongings, and headed in opposite directions, with Willow clutching the pencil box in her hand.


The shrill sound of a doorbell and a raised voice brought Willow out of her reverie.

"Hey Red, open up will ya? This pizza's hot you know!"

Laughing, Willow stood.

"Hold on, I'll be right there!" She slid the case back into the protective box and placed the box into her desk drawer. "You better not have started eating on your way here!" Willow called out as she moved to unlock the door.

"After the hell you put me through last time? Nah, I learned my lesson." The voice answered as Willow opened the door. "I still can't believe you made me go back and get more."

"Sweetie, you ate three slices on your way back from the pizza place." Folding her arms across her chest she laughed at the girl holding the pizza box and leaning in her doorway. "It's only three blocks away and there were six of us sharing one pie."

"Well, I learned my lesson... Never again babe, I promise." The brunette flashed Willow a smile. "And hey, I got that funky pizza with the slices of chicken breast." She said as she slid past Willow and made a beeline for the coffee table.

"Yay! My favorite." Shutting the door behind her, Willow followed the brown-haired girl into her living room.

"I know." The girl said, raising her eyebrows at Willow as the redhead dropped her weight onto the couch. She giggled as Willow poked her in the ribs in response to her mild teasing. "So what's up? Did you finish that program?"

"Nah, too distracted I guess..." Willow shrugged. "But you got here just in time, I'm starving." She picked up a slice of pizza, folded it down the middle, and took a big bite, moaning around a mouthful of chicken, crust, and cheese.

"Good pizza?" The girl sitting on the floor asked.

Willow nodded, taking another bite of pizza. "The best. You're a lifesaver Faith."

"You know it, Red... So tell me about your trip... how's Buffy?" Faith asked, digging into her own slice.

"Cut right to the chase, don't you?" Willow laughed. "Now why is it you only call her Buffy when you're asking me about her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. So really, how is she?"


Continue to Hit/Miss Chapter Four


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