But i decided to slink out of lurkdom for a sec to post the first part of my new fic. I hope you guys like it. 
What If…?
Part 1
Rating: Between PG and PG-13 I guess.
Disclaimers: The characters in this story do not belong to me. Nor do the actors/actresses (unfortunately). They are the property of Mutant Enemy, UPN and the man himself, Joss Whedon.
Summary: What if things had been a little different in Sunnydale? What if Sunnydale didn’t exist?
**********
Willow Rosenberg rushed through the front doors of Darwin High School, bag slung over her shoulder and a determined look on her face. The crowd of people packing into the corridor parted to let her through and some tried to slink into the shadows, afraid it was them she was looking for. The fire in the girl’s eyes was as read as her hair, and enough to make a grown man shake with terror. Willow pushed past a small group of people in her way and grinned evilly when she saw her target. Jonathon Levingson was collecting books from his locker, when the door to it slammed shut and a shadow was suddenly cast over him. He turned around as quick as lightening and swallowed hard when he saw the person in front of him.
Willow: Good morning, Jonathon.
Jonathon: H-hey Willow.
Willow: How are you this morning?
The “small for his age” boy nodded, shakily.
Jonathon: Fine thanks.
Willow stood there, expectant, while Jonathon stared blankly at her, still terrified. His eyes widened when he realised why Willow was looking at him the way she was.
Jonathon: H-how are you?
Willow: Me? I’m kind of annoyed actually. You see, I was out last night with the gang, minding my own business, when a cop car pulled up beside me. The nice police man got out of the car and asked me if I had anything to do with the Hemery incident. You know the one. Warren Hemery was taking into hospital after someone beat him up?
Jonathon nodded.
Willow: You wouldn’t have anything to do with them questioning me, would you?
The boy began to shake his head vigorously.
Jonathon: No! N-no I w-wouldn’t d-do-
Willow slammed her hand onto the locker and moved even closer to Jonathon.
Willow: You better not be lying to me, Johnny. Because if you are….
Willow’s voice was threatening and full of warning.
Jonathon: I’m-I’m not.
The redhead backed off and smiled and Jonathon.
Willow: Good.
She punched his chin lightly and walked off. Eyes of everyone in the corridor followed her.
**********
The beel rang, signalling first period, and willow got up off the couch in the corner of the sitting area. As she started to walk down towards the science block, she caught site of her best friend and called out to the taller girl, who was about to pummel “Mr Popular”, Percy West.
Willow: Hey Faith!
The brunette looked up and smiled. Shoving Percy into the row of lockers behind him, faith’s smile grew wider as she walked towards Willow.
Faith: Will, looking great as always.
Faith growled and winked at Willow, who just stood there shaking her head and smiling.
Faith: What’s with all the leather anyway?
Willow: I decided a change of wardrobe was in order.
Faith grinned and put her arm around Willow’s shoulders as they started to walk down the corridor.
Faith: Welcome to my world.
Willow rolled her eyes.
Faith: Did you have that talk with Johnny-boy?
Willow: Yeah. He didn’t blab.
Faith: You think he’d tell you if he did.
Willow: Well, no, probably not. Doesn’t matter anyway. Warren’s in hospital. That’ll be the last time he tries to cut my arm with a broken glass bottle.
Faith: Still can’t believe he did that. Never thought he had any guts. Plus, starting a fight with you, even I wouldn’t do that.
Willow: Damn straight.
Out of the blue, a voice surfaced behind them.
Voice: What’s on today’s agenda?
Both girls turned around and came face to face with a short, spiky-haired, solemn looking boy.
Faith: Oz, man! Where’ve you been hiding?
Oz: I stay under my rock a lot nowadays.
Willow: Oh really?
Oz: well, when the trout hasn’t got me locked in the basement for something I didn’t do.
Willow and Faith looked at each other, then at Oz.
Faith: Trout?
Oz: Yeah. You know, like salmon.
Oz turned and casually walked into the classroom, leaving Willow and Faith looking confused.
Faith: Oz has an evil pet trout that locks him in his basement?
Willow: I think he meant his mom.
Willow stared blankly ahead.
Willow: I think.
**********
Willow tapped her pen on the table, rhythmically and yawned. History first period equalled hell in her books. Willow looked up when she felt something hit her on the side of the head. Faith was sitting in her usual seat across from her, next to Oz, looking at her. She mouthed sorry and pointed to the floor. Looking down, Willow saw a paper aeroplane. She raised her eyebrow questioningly and looked at Faith again. The brunette rolled her eyes and scribbled something down on another piece of paper. She held it up so Willow could see.
“Open it.”
Nodding, Willow bent down and picked up the paper aeroplane and unfolded it. Faith had written something on the inside.
“Wills, the Oz-man just told me that
Percy West wants to ask you out on a date!”
Willow frowned and began writing her reply. She sent it flying back to Faith and the brunette opened it.
“Why does he want to ask me out?
And weren’t you getting ready to pummel
Him this morning?”
Faith chuckled quietly and sent the plane back once she’d wrote on it.
“Yeah. But only cuz he tried to
Grope me in the lunch line yesterday. And
What do you mean ‘why does he want
To ask me out’? Have you
Looked in the mirror lately?”
Willow raised her eyebrows at Faith, who held her hands up in defence and indicated Oz. The spiky-haired boy nodded his head in agreement. Willow scrawled down an answer and sent the plane back, wonder how the teacher hadn’t caught them yet.
“What do you think I should say?”
Faith rolled her eyes again and looked at Willow who shrugged. She wrote a reply and sent the aeroplane flying again. Jonathon sat in the corner of the room watching the interaction between the two.
“Hell, I’d say go for it. I’d bag him if I
didn’t swing the other way.”
Willow covered her mouth to stop a laugh escaping and Faith stuck her tongue out at her.
“I don’t know. Sure, he’s honey…
But you heard what happened with him
And Cordelia. He asked her out, they
Went on a few dates, next thing she new
Rumours about him, her and the back seat
Of a car were flying around the school.
And everyone knows Percy made them up.”
This time when Willow sent the plane back, Faith wasn’t ready and it flew into the back of her head. She jumped, startled and almost yelped. Giving Willow a mock angry look, she picked up the plan and read Willow’s reply, writing one of her own and sending it back.
“Then I’ll get Oz-man to tell him no.
don’t worry about it. He isn’t worth
the hassle anyway. And you’re way
too good for him.”
The plane took off one last time and Willow smiled when she read what Faith had put. She mouthed ‘thank you’ before putting the paper plane in her bag and began tapping her pencil on the table again. Someone knocking on the classroom door made Willow look up. She watched as the teacher walked to the door and accepted a note of the person standing outside. He read in and told the person to come in.
Teacher: Well class, it seems we have a new student joining us today. Tara Maclay.
Willow saw Faith’s eyebrows shoot up as the girl walked into the room and she turned to Willow. She made panting gestures and Willow tried hard not to laugh. Tara dropped her head and Willow watched as the girl’s blonde hair covered her face. Her head tilted to one side, Willow continued to look at the girl until Faith threw a paper ball at her head, making Willow look up. While they mouthed out a conversation, Tara’s eyes swept over the room, looking for a place to sit. There was a table at the very back of the room, where no one was sitting. Walking down the length of the classroom, Tara sat down in the seat. The desk was three chairs back and one across from where Willow was sitting, the same as Faith’s. Only Faith’s was three in front and one across. Willow glanced behind her too look at Tara. The girl’s head was drooped again and she was reading from a study book just like the one Willow was supposed to be studying from. After Faith managed to catch Willow’s attention with another paper ball, she wiggled her eyebrow and made more panting gestures. Willow rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her book.
**********
Students flooded out of classrooms all around them. Willow and Faith walked out of their history room, talking.
Faith: Did ya see the new girl?
Willow: You know I did.
Faith: Hot or what?
Willow: Yeah.
Faith stopped and turned to Willow, arching an eyebrow.
Faith: Yeah? If I’d asked you something like that yesterday, you would have been all; Faith! You can’t ask me that! In fact… you did say that yesterday.
Willow: Okay, one; I do not talk like that. Two;
Willow was interrupted by Oz. Who had just appeared behind the two girls.
Oz: What’s the dilemma?
Faith: Willow’s converting.
Oz: Oh. Have fun with that. I’ll catch you guys later.
Silently, and somewhat calmly, Oz walked off in the direction of his next class and Willow turned to Faith.
Willow: I am not converting!
Willow’s voice was a strained whisper. Faith just laughed and pursed her lips.
Faith: Whatever.
Willow: Faith….
The brunette began to walk off and Willow followed her.
Faith: Hey, I said whatever.
Willow: You don’t believe me, do you?
Faith: My gaydar must be off today.
Willow: Faith!
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Tara: Things fall apart.... they fall apart so hard. You can't ever put them back the way they were.
at: 5/6/02 4:15:04 am
Love the fic. 
Excellent job....I love this.