Part Three

"Oh, my god!" Willow Osborne lunged forward, arms immediately wrapping around her old best friend as she squeezed him tight. "Look at you!"

Xander returned the hug just as viciously. "Wills! You're all grown up!"

Willow gave him a mock glare. "I've been grown up for a long time now, Xander." She pointed out. Oz came up from behind, toting a bag and a baby. A little girl hung onto his jacket lapel.

"Xander." He said, in his typical Oz way. Xander's face slid into a genuinely happy grin.

"Oz." The two men clasped hands, and somehow when they were released, Xander was holding the child.

"Woah. Hey there." The redhead baby only stared at him quizzically, one fist stuffed into his mouth. "You must be Rupert."

"Ruppy for short. "Willow supplied.

"Ruppy? Geez, can we get any cornier?" Willow's eyes flew immediately to behind Xander, and she felt her smile soften at the figure that was leaning in the doorway.

"Hey Cordelia." She said, her voice softer, her eyes gentle.

Cordelia's smile, though not as wide as it had been before, was sincere as she came forward to hug the hacker.

"It's good to see you, Willow." She said simply. The two women stared into each other’s eyes for one moment, and as if by some unspoken conversation, they released each other immediately, eyes hiding some glistening spots of moisture that weren't there before.

"Oz." Cordelia smiled at the shorter man, who was now sporting a goatee and the same lazy smile he always had.

"The Queen C." He returned nodding, his eyes twinkling. "You look great."

"Well, duh!" She cocked an eyebrow to look at the little girl hugging his leg. Willow smiled, walking forward, hand outstretched.

"Prissy, honey, come here, come meet Cordelia." Priscilla shook her head fiercely and dug her face into her father's thigh.

"She's shy." Oz said simply.

"It's okay. "Cordelia said, "I'm sure she'll warm up. Why don't you guys come in, It's hot out, isn't it?"

Oz nodded in agreement, dragging his clenching daughter in with him as he slid into the apartment. "Nice place." He commented.

Xander shrugged modestly. "Just a bachelor pad. We'll be moving soon."

Cordelia stiffened automatically, and Willow, feeling the movement, looked at her quickly. Cordelia ignored her.

Xander handed her the baby, which she took somewhat awkwardly, and smiled at Oz. "How about we set up the grill Oz. Do the manly men thing?"

Oz nodded. "I'm for it." Leaning down, he scooped up Priscilla and settled her neatly on his shoulders. "Come on, Pris. Let's do the manly thing."

Willow watched her husband go with an amused smile on her face. Xander turned back. "You gonna come watch, Will?"

Willow looked back to Cordelia, who purposely was engrossed in studying Willow's son.

"No, you go. I'm gonna help Cordy."

Cordelia looked up at the words, and turned into the kitchen. "You want anything?" She asked softly. "Coke, beer?"

"An iced tea if you have one. Here let me take him." Willow leaned forward and gently tried to pry Rupert away from Cordelia. It wasn't an easy task. The child had taken fiercely to Cordy and refused to budge.

"It's okay." Cordelia said with a half smile, affection already dancing in her eyes for the baby. "Let him stay."

Willow nodded, taking the iced tea that Cordelia managed to pour for her. They sat down at the kitchen table, neither knowing quite what to say.

"It's a nice day." Willow finally offered, sounding casual, although it was clear in her green eyes that she was filled with questions.

Cordelia's eyes floated to the window. "Yeah." She agreed, looking at the bright sunset. "One of the nice things about hooking up with a mortal guy, you get to have a great barbecue."

Willow's eyes had a surprised look at the careless tone that accompanied the words, but Cordelia merely shrugged coldly. "What? One of us had to mention it, better than have you work up the courage for the next three and a half days."

Willow's face lost it's smile, and slowly, she shook her head. "Cordelia-"

"What? This is the part where you get all curious, right Willow?" Cordelia's eyes bore into hers. "It's killing you, isn't it? You're dying to know."

Willow's eyes closed for a moment, forcing some semblance of calm. When she spoke, her words were soothing, without anger at the hurtful tone, no malice. "Okay. Yes." She admitted. "I’ve got to admit, Cordy. After all that happened, I was kind of surprised to get a call from Xander telling me that you and him were engaged, when up till about three months ago you were six months away from marrying-"

"Don't say his name." The interruption was harsh, and Cordelia looked near panic when she raised a hand to stop the word from coming out. "Please, Willow." Her voice broke a little, and Willow swallowed, watching her carefully, nodding.

Waiting a moment, she continued, gently, "What's going on, Cordelia. This isn't... what happened, Cordelia. You two... you seemed... I thought-"

"I thought this was what you wanted, Willow." Cordelia returned, though her voice was less accusing than before. "I'm with Xander now. Let's just leave it at that."

"I can't, Cordelia. I just-"

"Buffy is with Angel. Remember? Buffy and Angel?" Willow recoiled as Cordelia tossed her words back at her. What had happened to her? When Willow had last seen Cordelia, she had been happy, her eyes no longer held the hard edge that filled them today, she had seemed less Cordelia, and more... Cor. Now? There was some buried hurt in those hazel eyes, something that Xander hadn't told her about when he discussed Cordelia's coming back to him.

He had led her to believe that Cordelia was happier now, with him, even if he refused to name Angel, there was the implication that everyone thought things were better this way.

All it left Willow was confused. Normally she would have been inclined to believe Xander, after all , he was her best friend. But Willow had been there, she had seen the depth of Cordelia and Angel's love, and it didn't seem right somehow, that Cordelia and Angel could just break up and forget about things. But she had let it go, wishing, hoping that Xander was right, that everything was okay.

It wasn't. The truth lay in Cordelia's haunted eyes.

"Cordelia, I once told you that I was your friend. I more than anything want to be that now. But you're not making it easy. Please Cordy, I can understand, I can try and be there. If you'll let me. Don't close me out."

It almost seemed as if Cordelia's hands shook slightly for a minute before she tightened them around her glass and forced them to stop. It took a minute for her to look up to Willow's intense gaze, but when she did, it was clear that something had softened.

"I'm sorry, Willow. You don't deserve that. I just don't want to hear anything. I'm fine. Really. I love Xander."

"I believe you." Willow returned. "Can you at least tell me what happened?"

"I'm not sure I want to talk about it, Willow. I can't talk about it."

"I think you should."

"I know I shouldn't. Just, please, Willow. I can't. Not right now. Not ever." Tears threatened to flood her eyes as she rose, handing the child absently to Willow as she turned.

"Hey, princess." She froze at the sound of the voice from the entrance to the kitchen. For a minute, she thought she was dreaming, that her heart stopping for a full minute was just a figment of her imagination, but as she forced herself to turn, and her heart skipped another beat, and her eyes flooded with tears, she knew she wasn't.

"Doyle." She breathed.