Not So Distant Relations

Title: Not So Distant Relations
Author: Jinni (druscilla@cox.net)
Rating: PG13
Pairing: W/Sam Seaborn
Genre: BtVS/West Wing Crossover.
Disclaimer: All things BtVS belong to Joss Whedon, et al. All things West Wing belong to Aaron Sorkin, et al.
Distribution: WLF, WLS, BMP, NHA, TTH, Aislin.
Author’s Note: This is my first try at this type of crossover. Be kind and give me lots of good feedback? *whimpers*
Notes2: In BtVS reality this takes place sometime in the future, when Willow is 24. She finally got a chance to finish her schooling. She was never in love with Tara and never went evil. Tara did get shot and it was sad, just not heartbreaking. In the world of the West Wing this takes place during the current Season (4). Any changes I make will become obvious. The only one I can think of currently is that Sam did not end up running for office, and Will Bailey did not become Deputy Communications Director.

~*~Part One~*~

Willow wrung her hands nervously, nearly wiping their sweat onto her dress before stopping herself with an angry sigh of self-contempt. She crossed the room to her dresser, grabbing the towel off of it and proceeding to divest her palms of sweat before returning to her near-frenzied pacing.

Only one hour to go.

One little . . .

Teeny. . .

Tiny . . .

Hour.

She growled and stopped in the middle of her room to take a deep breath, the kind where you close your eyes and just breathe, trying to think happy, calming thoughts. In and out. In and out. It was a silent mantra in her head as she tried to ease the stab of anxiety in the pit of her stomach.

Exhaling the last of her deep breaths, the young woman opened her eyes and turned to the mirror on the back of her door. A lot had happened in the last few years. Some good, some bad. But she couldn’t see that many changes in herself. Not nearly enough changes to signal what was going to happen today. If she were to be entirely critical, as though standing and looking at a complete stranger side by side with what she had looked at no more than three years ago, she would have to admit that there had been –some- changes.

For one, she no longer looked like a little kid in a grown-up’s world. When, where and how that had happened, she didn’t know – but it was the truth. She looked like a young woman, not the teenager that she had been forced to play the part of for so long. Her hair was longer, down to mid-back. Right now it was held back by a barrette, but it still managed to cascade in a way that Xander insisted looked very professional. Her eyes were still the same sparkling green and she hadn’t gained any weight, or height. She just looked –

“Grown-up, Wills. . . You look so grown-up,” she muttered to herself, smiling despite the implication that she was getting older, leaving her childhood behind. Wasn’t that what today was all about? A beginning and an end? Saying goodbye to the last vestiges of her childhood and teenage years to become, at last, and adult.

She smiled, and her reflection smiled back.

This was going to be fun.

Not nerve wracking.

Not in the least.

“Yeah right,” she smirked, shaking her head at her reflection before turning back to the bed. Her gown was there, and cap. A radiant gold, with a mantle of burgundy and gold to go around her neck. Her cap was beneath the gown since it would be the last thing she donned. This was It. The event she had been working towards for so long.

Finally Willow Rosenberg was going to graduate from college.

~*~*~

The sun seemed to be taking this day to make its presence known with a vengeance, no doubt in retaliation for any little infraction Willow and the rest of her graduation class had achieved during their tenure within the school. This was nature’s way of both punishing them and welcoming them into the ‘adult’ world.

The index cards in her hands were getting moist from the sweat that was accumulating there, and Willow worried that she would need them, despite having memorized the speech that she was to give. As the top of her class, it was her duty to say something to her classmates, just as it had been in high school when she was valedictorian. At least this time she could be reasonably sure that there would be no demonic attacks after she gave her speech, in fact the commencement speaker had to go after her, which was all for the better. Demons could wait until he spoke for all she cared.

The Dean was at the podium, and through the veil of nervous anxiety that was clouding her vision, Willow could see Buffy and Xander sitting in the front row. Her life long friends were holding each others’ hands, and Xander had a pained look on his face. Sometimes holding the Slayer’s hand during an important or scary moment could be a very bad thing.

They were happy for her, she could see it in the smiles on their faces that refused to leave no matter the fact that she knew they were just as uncomfortable as she was sitting in the heat. Why couldn’t Sunnydale be like most other US cities in May and still be just a little on the chilly side in the morning?

“And to present our Senior Class Speech, Miss Willow Rosenberg – who is graduating Magna Cum Laude with the highest average ever in the history of our institution.”

Her heart was all fluttery as she stood up and made her way to the podium. She licked her lips and smiled, determined to make this speech the best she ever gave.

She was graduating, after all.

~*~*~

“You didn’t tell me she was top of her class.”

Lips pressed in a tight smile that only marginally showed the happiness he was feeling, the man turned to his slightly younger companion, eyes sparkling with pride.

“I didn’t know.”

~*~*~

“. . .So, in closing, I remind you all to keep doing what we have been for the first part of our lives. Continue to learn and adjust, continue to make the world a better place. We are the future of this country, and whether or not we feel up to the task set before us – we are. We have persevered and have become stronger because of it. Let us not forget what those who came before us did to pave the way, but let us also not allow that to become a guideline for all we do. We are not our parents or our forefathers. We can change the world and set forces in motion to right the wrongs. All we have to do is try.”

She felt faint as the crowd’s applause washed over her, that smile still plastered on her lips. That was it. Her last graduating speech.

Well, except for when she finally graduated after getting her Master’s. Assuming she was top of her class, of course. She murmured a ‘thank you’ into the mic, shook the Dean’s hand and then sat back down with the rest of her class.

This would all be over soon.

~*~*~

“WILLOW!”

The red head barely had time to turn before she was engulfed in arms she knew so well. She melted into Xander’s embrace, only realizing a moment later that Buffy was there as well. They had pressed flowers into one of her hands. A mixture of daisies and some other wild flowers that she liked so well, tied with a ribbon from a local florist. They smelled wonderful, calming. And she needed calm at that moment, her stomach felt as if it could possibly revolt at any moment.

“You were great, Wills. A real star.”

“Really?” the graduate blushed, gripping her diploma tightly, afraid to let go for fear it would end this wonderful dream. She looked around, her smile faltering only slightly. Her parents weren’t here. No big shock there. She had just thought that, maybe, they would show up for her graduation from college. Sure, they hadn’t come to her high school graduation, either. . . But still, this was college. And she was top of her class. She had given a speech!

And they hadn’t come.

No shock.

Not at all.

Just disappointing.

~*~*~

“Your niece is quite the little speech writer. What was her major again?”

The two men were standing a short distance from Willow and her friends, watching with arms crossed as she was congratulated by those closest to her. Her inner circle. The ones that had helped her get this far.

“Political science – with a minor in computer science.”

“So, she’s a poli-sci major, your niece and an adept public speaker. . . we could be seeing her running for office one day?”

The older man cast a glare in the direction of his companion.

“I would hope not. She’s too delicate for that. Too shy.”

“She didn’t seem shy a few minutes ago.”

Another glare.

“Yes, well. She is. There will be no running for office for her. Ever.”

The younger of the two chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

“Is that your decision . . . or hers?”

~*~*~

“What’s wrong, Wills? Isn’t this the happy-time?”

Willow shrugged at Xander’s question, forcing her smile back on her lips.

“Just, you know, looking for mom and dad.”

“Ah.” The sentiment was echoed by both Buffy and Xander, with each instinctively reaching out to give her another hug.

“I’m sorry – they’re idiots, you know that.” Buffy offered helpfully, pushing a lock of hair back over Willow’s shoulder.

“I know – I just thought –“ She paused, her eyes catching sight of someone over her friends’ shoulders. She pushed past them without a word, running towards the last person she had expected to see here. Her face was alight with genuine happiness when she exclaimed joyously, running right into his waiting arms -

“Uncle Toby!!”

~*~End Part One~*~