Title: Hummingbird Impressions
Author: Ped
Feedback: Can be sent to sturdevk@calweb.com... feed the muse! S/he isn't
talking to me about "Hunting Grounds", "Friendly Visitations", nor the
planned sequel series to "Songs For Secret Lovers". I think lots of
feedback would draw hir back here for some quality time.
Website: http://pedfic.50megs.com
Distribution: List Archives, My site, Charity, Anyone else? Ask and ye
shall most likely receive
Rating: R
Spoilers: The Initiative (Early Season Four)
Disclaimer: I own nothing that seems remotely familiar to you, unless you
are a fan of my other W/Gr stories, then you might recognize Graham's
family. Even then, I still don't own the main characters, that honor
belongs to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all those other corporate
entities.
Notes: This came to me while the Interlude Muse was visiting recently. I
really wish s/he would bring hir sibling the Series Muse for a visit... I
haven't written anything new on FV in a year! And let's not mention
"Unexplored Depths", okay? (Oh wait, I already have).
Notes 2: Character thoughts are between the brackets []
Notes 3: This sucker was actually *WAY* longer, but it got all weird and
Willow went *WAY* OOC, when I don't deliberately write her that way (as in
HG).
Notes 4: This ain't beta'ed to any high degree, I've sent it to people for
light betaing, but not serious stuff. Just wanted to post some W/Gr
shippiness, hoping it'll lure my muses out of their hiding places.
Summary: Who's that girl? And why is she drawing Graham like a moth to a
flame?
Dedication: To my brother, who said the other day, "You write Buffy Fic?"
Then liked the idea of W/Gr, "I can see it. And I've liked Graham since
before we knew his name."


Willow stared out the classroom window, her mind barely focused on the
lecture she was sitting through. She blinked in surprise when the professor
stood in front of her and said, "My lecture on Forces not riveting enough
for you, Miss Rosenberg?"

"No, Dr. Freslin, it's just...."

"It's a beautiful Southern California autumn day and you want to be
outside?"

"No, Dr. Freslin...."

Dr. Freslin smiled at Willow. "It's perfectly all right, Miss Rosenberg.
The need for sunshine is a Force as well." Laughter erupted from everyone
in the physics lecture hall. "Well, seeing as my time is nearly up, I'll
let you folks go early today. Please remember we have a midterm next week,
and don't forget problem set twelve for the next lecture."

Willow smiled when she was basically let off the hook. She happened to
glance out the window and spotted Riley with two other guys. Her eyes
widened when she saw the tall brunette. [Goddess! I know it's not right to
ask for things from you, but can I have one of *those* for my Solstice
gift?] Laughing to herself, Willow gathered her things and left the lecture
hall.

* * *

Graham Miller walked along the path from the library to his frat house, a
cell phone plastered firmly to his ear. "Yes, Kat, I think Dad
over-reacted." He waited as the three-way call went on, both his sisters
speaking again. "No, Bella, I think Mom was right about the dress. You
sent me the digital photos last week, remember? Do you have any idea how
many heads I had to crack to keep it from getting further than it did on the
LAN for the house?"

He listened as the elder of his sisters responded to his statements. "What?
No, I'm not pandering to your ego, Isabelle. Why would I need to? You've
got enough men in your life to do that already."

Graham almost ran over a woman as his sisters began to yell at him again.
He looked down and was entranced by the greenest eyes he'd ever seen.
"Rugrats?" He waited for them to respond. "I need to go, I'm a danger to
my fellow pedestrians. I'll talk to you both tonight, and lay off Mom and
Dad, okay?" He smiled at whatever they said and hung up his phone. He
smiled again at the woman. "I'm sorry about that. My sisters decided that
yelling at me long distance about the injustices of our parents was the best
way to spend the afternoon before the first formal of the season."

Willow grinned at him. "It's no problem. Okay, it is. I could have fallen
and with the weight of my bag, I might not have gotten up again. Then I
would have yelled and it would have gotten ugly." Willow glanced at her
watch, eyes widening. "Oh jeez! Is that the time? I'm sorry for helping
you run into me, bye!" She dodged around him and ran off.

Graham watched her go and shook his head. [Head on getting back to the
house, Miller. Cute redheads aren't on the list right now. But damn! I
need to get some more exposure to women like that.] Shaking his head at his
thoughts, Graham walked the rest of the way to Lowell House.

* * *

Two days later, Willow was walking fast, trying her best to avoid people.
She looked up when she heard a call of, "Look out!"

Willow dropped her books and stopped the Frisbee from hitting her in the
face. She held the plastic discus, waiting for its owner to find her. She
smiled when she noticed the man in question run over to her. "Are you
deliberately trying to injure me? Or was this a remarkable coincidence?"

Graham smiled sheepishly. "I blame Forrest. He's the one that threw it."

Willow looked over at the other man. "Ah, I should blame the black guy.
Racist ideology aside, I just might." Aiming the Frisbee carefully she let
it loose, and it sailed in a perfect arc over to Forrest.

Graham bent over and helped Willow collect her books. "I think we need to
introduce ourselves so I can warn you better and you can yell at me properly
next time."

Willow grinned, accepting her books from him. "What makes you think we'll
meet each other again?"

"Fate?"

"Ah, but which aspect?"

"The trinity of Fate doesn't actually influence our lives directly, they
merely work our threads into the great tapestry. Graham Miller," he offered
her his hand.

Willow glanced over at Forrest and grinned to herself. [Hang onto your hat,
Graham Miller. I'm about to make your whole week.] She grabbed the hand
and pulled him into a hug. "Willow Rosenberg. Now, act like I've just
planted the wettest kiss in your life on you. Trust me, I know how guys'
minds work." Willow kissed him chastely on the lips. She pulled back and
grinned. "It's nice to meet you, Graham. See you around!" She ran off.

Graham snorted at the way Forrest was looking at him. [Okay, I so have to
meet Willow again. Maybe next time it'll be for a longer period of time.]

* * *

Willow sat on the bench and watched Buffy put another stake to its proper
use. "So, the next meeting was even freakier. I mean, is this guy totally
gunning for me? Or are the instances totally random acts of chance?"

Buffy brushed the vamp dust off her clothes and walked over to sit next to
her friend. "I dunno know, Wills. And why are you interested in this guy
anyway? I thought you were still miserable over Oz."

"I am, kinda. But there's no real harm in looking. Besides, he's
apparently been whipped to the proper consistency."

"Willow!"

"What?"

"You just...."

"What? Ew! Too many shades of the skanky, gay, vamp-me, Buffy Anne
Summers!"

"You know you liked the leather."

Willow pulled her friend up and they walked back to the Stevenson together.
"Well duh! I mean even *Angel* gave me a second look when I was wearing
it."

"Angel? *My* Angel?"

"I wasn't talking about Angel Lopez!"

"Wasn't he the guy that got gnawed on by the popcorn demon junior year?"

"No, that was Paddy Chisholm. Angel Lopez is the guy that had the terrific
ponytail."

"Oh yeah! What happened to him?"

"He got some kind of scholarship to William and Mary. I think it sucks that
someone like *that* got a scholarship to a big school. I mean, wasn't I
good enough?"

Buffy hugged her best friend and said. "Sure you are, Wills. But you
choose to come to UC Sunnydale with me."

"Can I change my mind?"

Buffy bumped shoulders with Willow and smiled. "Too late. We're already
running towards finals. You can try next year, even if I would miss you
horribly."

"The guilt card. Why do you always play it?"

"'Cause it works?"

"There is that."

"So, shall we?"

"We shall." The two women lock arms and bounce their way back to their
dorm.

* * *

Riley Finn smirked as his teammates spent most of the patrol annoying each
other. He nearly snorted when Forrest escalated the teasing again.

"I'm just saying that the redhead was very mattressable. And you really
should introduce me."

"She wouldn't give you the time of day, Forrest."

"And why not?"

"She blames *you* for the Frisbee nearly hitting her in the face."

"You're the one that missed it."

"Yes, but I'm the one that warned her."

"Are you two going to argue about this all night?"

Forrest turned to look at the unit commander. "Of course we are. I don't
see any hostiles around here, and Broomstick hair won't give me anymore
details about his ladyfriend."

"The mattressable redhead. I've heard about her all night. So who is she,
Graham? Inquiring minds want to know."

"A woman of complete mystery. She can quip easily and hints at knowing the
secrets to men. So she either went through puberty with a couple of close
male friends, or lots of brothers. And she has no use for Forrest."

"I like her already. I assume you *do* have a name for this enigma wrapped
in the cloak of a puzzle." Riley looked at him. "You know who she is,
right?"

"Willow," Graham bit out.

"Rosenberg?" Riley returned quickly.

Forrest jumped into the conversation. "You know Graham's mattressable
redhead, Finn?"

"Willow Rosenberg. Freshman. Stevenson Hall, room 214." Riley waited for
the others to make the connection.

Forrest doesn't disappoint. "The redhead that bowled us over and was
hanging out with the Hostile?"

"That's her. She's also Buffy's best friend."

"Sweet! Broomstick over there *finally* gets a girl interesting enough to
make me notice her, and she's connected with the girl you like. There's
something about those Sunnydale women."

"Must be, Forrest. Must be."

* * *

Willow glared at Riley. [Why is he looking at me? If I were in the mood to
be paranoid I'd say Graham mentioned me. But that's stupid. Graham would
have no reason to mention me to Riley, we've barely met. Goddess!] She
elbowed Buffy. "Blond TA eyeing one of us at two o'clock."

"Well, it could be you. You two struck it off well the first week of
school."

"But he likes you, Buffy."

"So you keep telling me. He hasn't tried anything."

"He will."

"Witchy ways?"

"Please. I am merely utilizing the Goddess' greatest gift to the species,
female intuition."

Buffy snorted and then made sure that Professor Walsh hadn't noticed her.
She added her glare to Willow's and Riley finally stopped staring openly at
them. She shook her head and whispered, "He was definitely staring at you.
Think he's doing some reconnaissance for his buddy Graham?"

"It's possible. But why? I'm not that memorable."

"Not according to you. But most women don't kiss perfect strangers when
they meet, telling them to embellish the kiss when they tell their friends
about it. I know I never have."

"You never had to. Besides, that Forrest *so* deserved it for the Frisbee
thing."

"You really don't like Forrest, do you?"

"He threw a Frisbee at me, and never apologized."

"Maybe he thought the kiss with Graham was apology enough."

Willow rolled her eyes and began gathering her things as Professor Walsh had
concluded the lecture. She practically ran out of the lecture hall,
colliding with a well-muscled body before she could make her complete
escape. "Sorry."

"It's no trouble, Willow. Although we really have to stop meeting like
this."

Willow cocked her head back a few centimeters and stared up at Graham. "Hi,
Graham. Incredible coincidence?"

"Something like that. Professor Walsh wanted to go over a paper with me,
and this was the only free time I had that matched up with hers."

"You're taking a class from Walsh?"

"I'm not stupid. They don't let people into university if they are." [Not
to mention the Special Forces or Officer Training.]

Willow rolled her eyes and grabbed Graham's hand steering him into a nearby
alcove. "Sorry, flow of traffic. And prying eyes."

"Oh?"

"You *did* notice the matching expressions of curiosity on Buffy and Riley's
faces, right?"

"Sure, but I was wondering how you did."

"I have eyes in the back of my head." She paused a moment and let that sink
in, before continuing. "Plus, I know how my best friend operates. At least
Buffy is better than Xander is. He'd probably be scheming ways to get you
tied to a chair, that's been bolted to the floor, so he can shine a bright
light in your face and ask you about your intentions."

"Can I borrow that? Some of the guys my sisters date are *so* not worthy of
them."

"How many sisters?"

"Twins, they turn sixteen in March. The Vernal Equinox."

"Then they are truly blessed by the Mother Goddess. I can only claim the
Summer Solstice as my day of birth."

"Better than Midwinter's... trust me."

"I suppose. So, we know each others birthdays, and we will apparently have
some exposure if Riley and Buffy ever get together."

"You're tired of the dance too?"

"Is grass green?"

"So, what's your plan? I'm assuming you have one."

"Oh, I do. We'll need help from Forrest, but I'm not going to like it.
Tell me, how fast can Riley get dressed?"

The End