15824/Research Mode

Research Mode
Date of Scene:	22 November 2023
Location:	Dresden's Office
Synopsis:	Harry and Willow find common ground after a good arguement.
Cast of Characters:	Harry Dresden, Willow Rosenberg, Sabrina Spellman

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Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry is back in the living room and sorting through books. He frowns thoughtfully and takes a drink of one of Mac's microbrews, but it is cold. Mac would not be amused.

Mouse is sitting in the office area, just watching the people come and go. The mouth open, panting and created a nice pool of drool neat the door. Where is Mister? The large cat is sleeping, stretched out on the back of the couch.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
The fall was raring up with a vengeance. Rain. Cold winds. Most of the leave were gone, and those that remained looked like they had seen better days.

Willow came up to Harry's office with a huge bag of take off food, courtesy of one of her favourite Chinese restaurants. Most of what she had brought was vegetarian.. with the odd package marked for Harry.

Of course, she wasn't quite certain if she should know or let herself in.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Mouse stands up and chuffs when he sees Willow. Harry listens to the sound of footsteps and then reaches out. The wards at the door do not completely fall, rather they visibly (to her) open a seam for her to walk into.

"I'm in the back. You're always welcome here Willow and you know the release to the wards now." he calls. Mouse is, of course, waiting for the required scratches before letting her pass. There are importent rituals that must be seen through of course.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow's cheeks were pinked not only because of the cold when she came through. "I wasn't sure? I mean, I haven't got a lesson today? I just thought that maybe we could eat supper? I didn't know what you liked, so I got a bit of everything."

Taking the packages out of the bag, she continued, "There's a lot of vegetarian food here, but I figured that's normal, and I don't eat meat.. so.."

Putting out the chopsticks, forks and knives, and condiments, she nods to herself. "It's nicer to eat with someone, I think." Handing a knife, a fork, and chopsticks to Harry, she explains, "I didn't know what you were comfortable with, so I got them to put both in the bag. Tada! Dinner!"

Of course, Mouse is scritched. "I got them to include a bone. Do you eat bones? I should have asked you before."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry moves the books around she can put things down. A shake of his head and he assures her,"You can come through any time you want Willow. I can't promise you won't wander into something strange, dangerous, or at the very least uncomfortable. You are still welcome. Bob is in love you after all."

He watches her get the food out and takes the untinsels offered,"You're going to find my friend that food offered will very rarely be refused." He looks as Mouse circles her once and he laughs softly,"Oh he'll eat it yes. The only picky eater in this house..." he hooks a thumb towards the over grown cat,"...is sleeping."

Lastly he smiles a little, Harry smiles are happening a little more around her,"Thank you for bringing dinner. I didn't have time to mess with arranging anything and was probably just eating cold left over steak sandwich from two nights ago. Hot food sounds much better."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Cats always are picky." Willow giggles.

"The ones in the boxes with red are meat based." While Willow didn't eat meat, she did not believe that those around her should be vegetarian too. Thus the meat in some entrees. "I thought you might be tired of pizza."

Read: Willow was tired of pizza.

"What are you looking for? Looking at? Studying?" Placing the paper plates between them, she began to dish out her portion.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Once she gets the food settled he indicates she take a seat wherever, waving from the chairs to the couch next to him,"He is the epitome of feline behavior, but at least he lets us live here with him."

He goes through a few boxes and nods,"Pizza had been too much of a staple of late yes." He opens the meat based ones and inhales slowly. He considers the books and admits,"The trip to Mexico and the study of the ones that were brought back from there...they are just too strange and I am wondering if there is a pattern or if this is the beginning of a hose of strange creatures appearing in our lives."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow giggles. A lot.

"You are kidding, right?" She scoops up some vegetables and munches on them. "I'm used to them. You know, my best friend is the Slayer? Strange goes with the territory. What are you thinking of, though?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
He smirks a little and plates up some of the food. He leans back on the couch and remains mindful of the cat sleeping,"Hence you are always welcome. You're used to it." he tells her.

He looks to the books again and admits,"I am thinking if one of you has a strange dream like last time I need to know. There are a lot of cryptid creatures in the books and I am hoping finding those dogmen didn't open the door for us to discover more chaotic things."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Ah!"

That was a whole nother matter. "I am not really up on dreams. I mean I have them, but my scrying is mostly in the present. Having dreams of the future.." She shakes her head. "Buffy is more familiar. If you mean as a friend being drawn into your dreams.. kinda.. That.. hrm. I've gotten to know you since this whole thing started."

Willow crosses her legs and continues to eat. "The people who had the dreams, where did they know you from? Maybe that will help us figure the dreams out. If they are connected."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry nods,"Dreams are a world all their own." he agrees and sighs. He takes a bite of his food and chews it thoughtfully. He chases it with the last of his brew and gets up to get another,"I have some of Mac's microbrews and I might have a Pepsi left. I don't drink a lot of that so it might be a little flat." he offers for drinks.

"I have looked for patterns yes, but really Faith, you, Cassie, and Sabrina. I didn't know Cassie before. Sabrina was brought to me by a friend who needed help. I know Faith through the same circles as you."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"That's.. strange." Willow continues to eat with a furrow marking her brow. "I wonder why she was included. Mind you.." She stabs at a spring roll, "Before this, I really didn't know *know* you. You were just someone that was related to Thomas."

And despite Buffy having dated Thomas she wouldn't have said she knew him very well either.

Sabrina Spellman has posed:
Sabrina Spellman Comes into the place as she looks around she stops ' okay okay more pets I get it I get it " She kneels to give mouse the heavy petting he's demanding.. before she looks over " Oh hi willow " She beams a smile " Hi teach " .

Harry Dresden has posed:
"I have wondered if anyone else was included that I never heard from." Harry admits and brings back two bottles of microbrew. He pops the top on each and slides one to Willow,"Well I'd like to think I am a little more than just someone related to Thomas now. That's just hurtful." he teases.

Looking up when he sense the wards lower and raise again, then watches Mouse go to demand the petting tax he smirks when he hears Sabrina's voice,"Back here." he calls and takes another bite of the Chinese goodies that Willow brought with her.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"There are lots of reasons why. For example we knew you. Which we have discounted. Certain people are prone to these kinds of dreams - whether they were to interact with you, or not. For example, you may not have been the original recipient. They could have been trying to get anyone to listen to the dreams, and because you did they became you centric. Understand?"

As Sabrina comes in she nodded her head and smiles.

Sabrina Spellman has posed:
Sabrina Spellman Grins as she walks in and moves to take a seat " So what's going on? " she asks she hears some of what thier talking about but she dosn't want to add till she's sure what they are talking about it would be bad form otherwise

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry is surrounded by books. Mister is stretched out on the back of the couch sleeping. Mouse Follows Sabrina to the back room and then goes back to watch the office. Not that anyone is coming through without making noise, but he's going to make them regret it if they try.

"I had never met Cassie before. Satana had a form of the dream as well. I didn't know her well. I don't know if anyone else did. I have thought Zatanna would have, but she never said anything so I was just guessing anyway." He nods to Willow at the end and smirks,"I understand Obi-Wan." He is teasing her lightly because the whole situation is aggravating.

He nods to Sabrina and tells her,"I am wanting to get ahead of things if the trip to Mexico might happen the same or similar somewhere else. Satana has bodies and we studied them. They were...peculiar to say the very least. I think we are going to release the live one again in the desert and try to track it back to where if came from in hopes of getting to the bottom of things. Probably taking Satana, Jane, and Cassie for sure. I don't know if either of you or Thomas and Faith want to go on this one. It could become a blood bath or could be we run in circles."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow threw a green bean at Harry. "Think you know what I speak of, do you? Hrh?" In her best Yoda.

Listening, she frowned as he carries on. "Excuse-me! Why would you think I wouldn't?? Seriously, how many times do I have to repeat, I'm used to it. Just because some of the Scoobies think that I am not as good as they are.. I have helped the Justice League several times. I am a member there. The Titans too. Everyone except the Scoobies thinks I'm a bonafide member."

*grumbles*

Sabrina Spellman has posed:
Sabrina Spellman cocks her head " i'm up for helping you " she grins " your helping me get control of my other half powers.. I'm still a very strong witch none the less " she grins " So you know I'm willing to help " . She looks to willow and grins brightly " I think your a great witch willow "

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry smirks at the Yoda impression and shakes his head. When Willow gets after him he returns her Star Wars quote, quoting Han Solo,"Well it's gonna be rough pal." He nods to Sabrina when she speaks to the situation and tells them both,"I don't doubt either one of you, your abilites, and in honesty when things go sideways I'd rather have the two of you than most of the rest, though Cassie's raw strength alone makes having her along worthwhile."

He lets the two of them thing about it for a moment and adds,"When I say get rough I mean it may end up a hitsquad kill fest. I don't know what is going to happen. I didn't want to speak for either of you as it pertains to going into the situation as a life destroyer. What we did before was meant to run them off. What we're talking about now might very well just be a slaughter. I don't want to speak for either of you for something like that."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Did you ask them? Or did you just assume? And the way you approached it wasn't didn't sound like.. You know? Never mind. Why would I go to a blood bath."

Willow may /say/ that, but her voice was snarky.

Sabrina Spellman has posed:
Sabrina Spellman cocks her head and sighs seems her positive has been missed again ahh well .. she was raised human but she still dosn't get why people concentrate on the bad and ignore the good . She shrugs and seems to watch them " I'll come anyways I gotta protect you don't i " She says to harry

Harry Dresden has posed:
Taking a drink of his beer again, Harry sighs and tells Willow,"Satana yes, Jane's a gun for hire so she'll play along, and I don't have a way to reach Cassie yet so I don't know if she will come or not." he explains,"I should have given you the choice. I know that. Give me a little bit of a break, I am old and too set in my ways."

He looks to Sabrina and nods to her,"All right. If you want in you can go. I don't know how safe it will be, so that's your decision." he shakes his head,"Someone has to keep me alive you're right. Apparently I don't do the best job of it on my own."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"You don't get it, do you? You wouldn't have thought to keep anyone else safe from it. But you automatically put me aside because /you/ didn't think I would be ready, willing, or safe. You are like everybody else when it comes to it. Willow is is sooooooo powerful, but we better not include her because it might be terribly dangerous."

The 'sooooo' is drawn out so that the sarcasm can not be missed.

"Don't worry, I will help you make up your mind. You needn't bother inviting me." She puts her dinner down and excuses herself. "Nice to see you again, Sabrina." And takes herself away.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Willow is mad, Sabrina got called away, and the grumpy guy is finally welling up. Rather than let her just stalk out and rather than just going back to work his voice fills the apartment, hallway, and office,"FINE!" he all but roars and stands from the couch and stalks down the hall after her,"Do you want to hear it, I will say it. My first concern is your safety. Not just because you're apprenticed with me. There is more to it than that. You can leave here angry at me for the slights of the past and that's fine. You can leave here angry because you think you have the right."

He throws the carpet off the trap door that leads to the lab and opens the trap door,"You can go on carrying on like I am like everyone else in your past, but the ones in your past didn't bring you back here afraid that they were going to have to stake you if you were infected and gut twisted in the fact that would follow any of them around the rest of their lives."

He stalks down the steps into the lab and adds,"They don't question their feelings either. Not compromised by uncertainty." With that, he mutters,"Flicum biccus." and the candles in the lab light. Now she can be angry with him and he can be angry too, but there is a lot on his mind that he's shared with her.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Augh!!! Don't you dare say what I think you are circling around. It's not fair! Augh!!!"

Sabrina has slipped away, quickly and quietly because this seems to be a personal fight. And not know Willow, but knowing Harry, the fireworks could be extremely dangerous.

*stomp stomp stomp* to the top of the stairs.

"It wasn't your fault. I wasn't prepared to be.. sigh.." Some of her irritability faded. Just some. "When I have been with the Scoobies I.. Some of it has been my fault. They treated me one way, so I was that way. What happened at the graveyard was nobody's fault but mine."

As for the rest.. ooo.. that one.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry grunts something to himself and gets two books from the shelf next to Bob. For his part, Bob has the good sense to shut right up and not put his two cents in.

Mister looks up from the back of the couch, glaring down the hall at the sound of the voices. How dare they wake him from his beauty sleep? Mouse...well Mouse knows the best place to be. He watches Willow as she prepares to go, then cocks his head to one side as she turns around and goes back. A soft chuff from him throat might as well be an exasperated "humans" coming from him.

"It's different where I learned Willow. That you got hurt is my responsibility in my mind and as long as you are apprenticed to me, that's how it is. It's no different on that front than it was for Molly or is for Sabrina." He reaches up and places the books on the floor above and then goes around to blow out the candles. Climbing the stairs again he tells her softly,"Life isn't fair. Things happen and we don't mean for them to. I can think and feel as I do. It's not expected that you receipricate it or even let it effect you. As I stated, old man and old fashioned. Just ignore that and your life will be less complicated."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow just stares at Harry, aghast. Well, sorta.

"Wait a minute. Is it because I'm your student? Or something else?" Either way she isn't sure how to feel about that. But one thing she knows for certain, "And you aren't that much older than me! Sheeesh. What, you're 30?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
He closes the door if Willow isn't on the ladder,"It started out the first one. The second developed without my looking for it. I didn't realize anything until we were trying to keep you from getting infected and I realized you were a large portion of my life of a sudden."

Shaking his head he replies,"I just turned 34. So older than you think, but thank you for the compliment." He leaves the rug aside for now and picks up the books,"So did I complicate things enough for both of us?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow turns to take a seat, giving her some more time to think. Letting him close the door above the ladder. "I don't know." she admits quietly. "Every time I have tried to allow myself to be with someone? Something always goes wrong."

Of course everytime she did it was at the wrong time, or the wrong person, or.. or.. or..

"You didn't even know I was interested in boys.. well men as well as women. How do you know it's not a blow back from that? I mean, Willow? Plain old Willow? Come on, let's be honest here. You probably would pat me on the head as much as want to kiss me. It's not fair to do this to me. I'll be the one standing at." *sigh*

She couldn't even finish the sentence.

"If it helps, I think I was flirting with you in my brain. Wondering what you would be like as someone who would look at me as an equal. So."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Taking a seat as well, letting her vent because he earned it, Harry listens to her have her say. He shakes his head and tells her,"I have a fallen angel in my head that convinced me I was in a relationship with a Justice League member not so long ago. I know what I feel. I know you are sitting here and not a figment."

He nods to the hallway,"Mouse knows you're here and the fallen angel is going between deathly quiet and trying to distract me from you."

He finally reaches for one of the microbrews and takes a drink,"A man can be attracted to a woman or fall for a woman even if she isn't inclined to fall for him. That's just chemistry." he admits,"Though you told me a while back you were bi-sexual."

"Make no mistake. There is nothing plain about you. The only that doesn't see that is you." he warns softly. He smiles a little and admits,"I mean, if you were trying to hit me I might put my hand on your head so you couldn't reach me like in Spaceballs." He can be a dork for sure.

He smiles a little bit and admits,"That you might have some mutual thoughts is helpful of course." he agrees and then he asks,"Standing at what Willow. It's just the two of us. I don't bite, talk to me."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Oh boy. So many things to rearrange in her head to make sense of..

"Standing here by myself when you realise what a mistake you have made. It's hard enough thinking that you have those thoughts about me as a student. But I will admit some of that as me. I've created an aura about myself with the Scoobies that I am weak, vulnerable, and innocent. And I hate it."

She giggles nervously then. "Quit telling me that I am beautiful. I know I'm not. I look at the girls on campus - have found plenty who I would like to meet a second time - but put me in a lineup and I would be called last. And don't tell me to buy new clothes. Just don't."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"I don't make a habit of leaving anyone alone. No one left behind." he tells her softly,"I hae loved three women in my life. All three vanished for various reasons." he explains to her,"Make no mistake letting people think you are weak and vulnerable can have its strategic advantage."

Taking a drink of his brew he tells her,"I can see you how I want. I see you as beautiful. Beauty isn't about what other people think. It's about my perception of you as a person, physically, mentally, and your heart. You have more heart than anyone I know..." he looks down the hall,"I mean except for Mouse." From down the hall Mouse chuffs, a sound that could easily be translated as 'damn right'.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Okay, the whuffle of Mouse strikes Willow as funny.

Then she grows quiet again. "There is a difference between cultivating an aura, and being forced to accept one. When I began it seemed simpler. I didn't know magic at first. All I really could do is research. Vulnerable was a cloak I put on. It felt right."

"But not for very long. Suddenly I did know magic. My research was impeccable. I could scry. Make wards and sigils. I practiced my force lightning where they could see me. And the more I felt strong, the more I felt pressured to be just plain old Willow."

"I think I have loved many people, but Love? Maybe Xandar, but I know he doesn't return that love. Maybe I was almost falling for Pietro. But even he was into and out off my life without warning. I didn't even cry when it stopped. Maybe it wasn't Love. Maybe I was just needing to be wanted."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"You let someone else determine your worth." he replies bluntly,"You let those opinions enter into the equation of your own self worth." He chuckles softly and he nods,"It always starts out easier then you build on the complicated."

He looks at her seriously, not meeting her eyes for obvious reasons, but he tells her,"Now listen. Plain old Willow is just you in the past. You need to be careful, but you also need to step out of the shodow of the old you."

He nods,"I mean I loved my mother, my father, and my teacher even. I loved three women. One is on the balance between being human and red court. One disappeared without a trace. One nearly let me be killed because she was under the sway of another wizard."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"It sounds like you have had the kind of luck as I have.. You know what's weird?"

Willow looks over to Harry.

"I could close my eyes and pretend that we were lovers, and after we made love, we are talking just like this under the moonlight. Talking about our pasts. Talking about our futures. Tell me more?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Gloom, despair, and agony on me. Deep, dark depression. Excessive misery. If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Gloom, despair, and agony on me." he recites a strange verse in regards to their luck.

He takes another drink and listens to her talk. A nod at first and finally he tells her,"I mean the idea is sound. It could be done, close your eyes and pretend it's someone that it isn't. That or accept the person it is and talk as you say. Under the night sky speaking of past glories and contemplating future ones. Some day, probably a grand dream at this point, I want to be able to have a life. I'm going to live a long time. Not foreverm but barring an unforseen tragedy, many decades and into the century category too."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"You aren't selling me on you, you realize?"

But then again her brain has its own ideas about the fact that Harry might(?) love her, and more so that she might be returning the emotion. Up to now? Love and Willow did not get along. Take out some of the words that Harry used, and she could have sung a best seller.

"Wouldn't you want to bed me and be done with it? Wouldn't it be simpler?" For her.

Lately all the people she had gone out with fit into a category of people who were interested until.. And in truth, she hadn't tried to pick people who might be better fits with her.

Which category was Harry?

And would she regret not taking the chance?

Harry Dresden has posed:
Taking another drink, he puts the empty aside and turns towards her,"You realize I'm not for sale right?" he tells her with an even tone. He focuses on her nose, well just below her eyes. It's the best he can do, though he does meet her gaze now and then briefly.

He sighs softly and shakes his head,"My power is as old as time, as old as the primordial world. I am equally such. Were I not, then I would absolutely want to just bed you and be done with it. Simpler is...well easier."

He certainly has a way with words.

Is he noble? Stupid? A little of both? Regardless, he has a hill and he will die on it as it were.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow gapes at him.

"Didn't you hear me? I offered you to sleep with me. No strings attached. Isn't that what you want?"

Isn't that what everybody wanted??

"I don't get it." She understands a little bit about the power. She had had boyfriends, and girlfriends of every sort. And the fact of the matter was it was getting harder to have meaningful conversations with most of them. Between her schooling and her magic she had backed herself onto a tighter and tighter corner. Till the point where she didn't try to reach out amorously. Why bother?

Why was she doing this then?

"How come you don't look at me?" Though she supposed that he might be autistic. Heck, she might be.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"I hear you perfectly." he replies steadily and without a flinch in his voice,"If I wanted something like that I could find that. I am not the prettiest face in the world, but I could still do that if that's all I wanted."

Oh the magic question, the one that nobody should ever ask. He touches his third eye and replies,"Looking into your eyes for more than a few seconds will engage something more permanent and more self exposing than the third eye ever could. Your mind and mine would open to each other and we would see every good and evil thing that we have encountered. We would be connected in a way more intimate than sex could ever be. That's why."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Really? That's quite.." Willow unfocused her eyes as she thought about it. "That must be.. wonderful.. and hideous at the same time. You have to trust someone to be that open with them." and for some reason she doesn't mean just a lover.

Back to the bigger question: What to do about the elephant in the room.

"I used to sleep around more often." What, she was a pagan! For gosh's sakes! "Now it just seems too much to bother with all the hoopla. And, you know, you are pretty nice looking. Better than I am!"

Still she avoids the question.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"It's intimate and invasive in its own right." he tells her with a nod,"Trust comes with time and only my family at this time do I trust." That sounds really grim at first until he says,"I don't care whose DNA has recombined with whose. When everything goes to Hell, the people who stand by you without flinching, they are your family."

He shrugs and adds,"You have a right to a past same as me. I didn't always make the right choices in a lot ways. I used my power to obliterate a man that tried to kill me and my first love. It wasn't well receieved by those higher up in my magical society as it were."

He laughs softly and tells her,"I am a lot of things. Pretty too look at is rarely mentioned." He meets her eyes for a seconds, stopping before it opens, but saying,"You are a natural beauty Willow and that isn't just your appearance. You have a heart that never stops, a will stronger than most I have ever known."

He moves his eyes before they can open the gaze, though they can both feel the edge of it,"Talk to me. I laid it all out there for you. Tell me what you are thinking."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"I wanted to kill a man. I held him with my power. I don't know if he lived or died. He hurt Superman, and all that I could think about was to kill him and save Superman. I remember thinking that he was the basis of hope for mankind. How anybody could look up to him and be invigorated. I really didn't care if I died as long as he got out of there. I was so angry. Power flowed into and out of me."

"And my friends don't know that about me. Or that when I am not with them I'm so much, much more than what they see. I can't even tell them that their innocent Willow has deep, dark power bubbling just beneath the surface. You even thought that I needed help. With Mouse. I don't understand it myself."

Willow takes a deep breath. "I'm afraid? Of me. And a little bit of you." She looks up at him, and shrugs, as though to say, 'I don't know'.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"The thing about killing someone, it follows you around. I hope you never have to deal with that, but I am around to listen if you want to tell someone about that." he offers with a nod.

"Sometimes, the hardest things you carry, you carry within yourself because you don't want your loved ones to see the darkness that tries to seep in and escape through your power. I get that."

"As it comes to thinking you needed help, we're a team. That's how it works. I might not need help with something, but if you help anyway I appreciate that. I have stood next to someone I didn't care for in battle, but we were part of the team and that's a matter of watching each other's blind side. Understand I know you have power in there and I very much hope to see you realize your full potential, but even if you surpass me I will be watching your blind side in a battle."

Easing back just a little he tells her softly,"I can understand being afraid. Part of me is wary about you too. Hence I have been mindful of eye contact or opening my third eye around you. Maybe that fear is meant to draw us to each other, maybe some part of us is pushing against each other. Whether or not we let the fear control us is on us."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Teamwork.

That was something which was not with their group for a while now. And to tell the truth she had as much to do with it as they did. At least she could have bid them adieu and left the group long ago. At some level she wanted to wallow in that, rather than stick up for herself or leave.

Willow nods. "It might be fun to stand shoulder to shoulder to work magic. I mean together. It was sort of that way together with the shield we wrought. It would have been very solid that way.. And.."

A long sigh.

"You're taking a chance on me, aren't you? I always thought I would be the one who plowed right on in no matter what. I fell for a demon for gosh's sake. Or close to it." She moves closer and held out her hands. "Okay. I tried to leave. I tried to reason with myself. I even tried to offer you a way out. And I'm still here. Something tells me to give it a go. Probably we will find out all the reason why not after we try.. But.. yes."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"It was good to stand next to you on the battlefield." he agrees with a nod,"You are learning faster than you give yourself credit. Bob and I both feel the potential within you. Your power boosted and bound with mine in that shield and I could feel it."

Turning towards her again he replies,"Willow. We take a chance every time we leave the house. Everytime we drive. Certainly every time we choose to face the vampires out there or any other monster. The life we live is violent and potentially short if we aren't careful."

He shakes his head and adds,"I tried to make sure you stayed mad enough to leave and instead I made you mad enough to come back for another round. That tells me we both know there's something here." Considering he adds,"If we pursue it and things break, well we cross that bridge when we reach it. Yes?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"You did..what?!?"

Caught between a laugh, and round three of anger, she asks, "You actually tried to get me to leave in anger? What sense was that? You could have done nothing and achieved the same thing. Unless.."

And here Wlllow stop to think about it for a moment.

"You wanted me to come back - didn't you? You can say you didn't, but without telling me anything I still would have gone home. You hoped I would do this."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"We are sharing." he replies softly,"I am telling you the truth, difficult as that might be for me. If you were leaving I didn't want you to get the last word in. I figured if I said it you would leave and I wouldn't have to deal with feelings and such."

He's far from good at the relationship things himself, so she would likely be the more mature in a relationship at times.

He takes a deep breath and exhales,"I didn't want you to leave angry no. I mean as an angry student, that's one thing. This was something a ltitle deeper and a lot more slippery of a slope. Did you want to leave?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
This time, Willow had an answer.

"No. I don't. I mean I most likely will be angry with you as a student. Sometimes even as just plain old Willow. But, no, I don't wish to leave." A pause. "Are you saying you wish me to leave?"

Pot? Meet kettle.

As far as relationships go they are both pretty even as things go for awkwardness.

Harry Dresden has posed:
A soft laugh, not making fun of her, but rather himself and the situation,"Everyone gets angry. As a student, as a teacher, as friends, as enemies, and even as lovers." he assures her.

Shaking his head he admits to her,"There nothing in this world that I want less than for you to leave right now. You are always welcome here and welcome to stay when you need. I am telling you that you are welcome to stay tonight if you want to. Tonight and any other night."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow pretends to think through this. "It would be my third time.. then again, I suppose that you may want to sleep in your bed. I guess I could sleep on the couch."

Trying not to meet his eyes, lest she break out in laughter.

Harry Dresden has posed:
A smirk crosses his lips and he shakes his head,"You're a case Rosenberg." he teases mildly,"I mean if you really wanted to you could." He looks at the bed,"It's a little crowded. For all I know you steal covers and thrash around all night."

Patting the couch he hmms,"Not too comfortable."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"You don't have to sleep on the couch. I can move over enough to share with you. But I can't speak for the cover holding, it's been too long since I shared a bed. And no, you aren't under any obligation to do more than that. Deal?"

"And.." Willow huffs in laughter. "What do you mean, 'you're a case Rosenburg'?

Harry Dresden has posed:
"I appreciate that. The couch really does suck." he admits,"If you hog covers I'll just let Mouse hop on the bed and cover you up." he teases after. He reaches a hand out towards her and takes it gently as long as she doesn't object,"I mean you are something else. I wouldn't put you on the couch if we weren't talking this way. You're unpredictable. I appreciate that."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
She takes his hand, and rubs her thumb over his knuckles . "Good thing I wasn't exactly truthful.I mean, I could go home.." Of course, the bit about Mouse makes her smile. "I really don't remember the first time I passed out. The second time I remember waking up to Mouse curled about my knees."

With her free hand, Willow tucks strands of her hair behind her ear, though they refuse to stay. "You are getting a different angle of me. I calm, and relaxed, and I have no fears that you aren't going to pick me up and demand that I fit onto a square whole, when I really couldn't say if I was a dodecahedron instead. But really it's still me. Just more so."

Harry Dresden has posed:
The touch gets a nod, feeling her rub her thumb on his knuckles,"Mouse laid on your legs and they didn't break? You are tougher than anyone can ever understand." he laughs softly.

Watching her push the hair behind her ear he shrugs,"I think I am getting the most honest, straight forward part of you." he replies,"You fit where you fit. When I can fit there with you, I will. When I can't, well I'll be waiting for you to pass through the other side of the hole. I want to know Willow. The good, the bad, the ugly. It is unlikely you can scare me, but we could have fun finding out."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Sometimes? I scare me." Willow is blatantly honest about that. "I don't always know what I am doing, or why. Most times I've been lucky, it has all worked out. Sometimes that scares me too. Like this.It scares me, even though I have crossed over to the other side. Nothing will be the same way again."

Her mouths bows into a smile though, to let him know that she is calm about her decision.

"I think," Willow begins, "That I have known more about you than you about me. Remember, I have always been on the outside looking in. Thomas may give you a look. Let's face it the odds weren't for this. Even if you took away my laptop."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Sometimes we all scare ourselves." he tells seriously,"Nobody always knows what they are doing or why. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good."

Squeezing her hand he assures her,"This doesn't have to be scary. I can sleep on the couch really. You don't snore much so..." Last little bit a tease for sure. He smiles back at her so she knows things are ok either way.

"That might be." he admits,"Before the other night, I never really asked questions and didn't realize how much you were a part of my life. I don't do romantic gestures well, I am not the best of companions either, but I intend beat the odds on a regular basis. Once more, this one is more interesting to me, something I would want a lot more."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"I make cookies. It's how I show the world I care. Sometimes I buy takeout, and remember to include entree with meat, even though I don't eat meat. I don't know how to express myself. Not really. I brought you utensils - two types because I didn't know which you would prefer. I join you with your beer, because I like you. And a beer is a nice way to say your my.. friend. More than."

"Most of the time I read books, program, work on spells.. you can ask Buffy, I wander through my own little world. For me to bring you into it doesn't mean I won't do those things, but I will include. As it is, it will be a bit of a problem until I figure out where you fit.:

Willow lays her current schedule down, and almost all her free time.. isn't.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Hey I am not opposed to cookines." he admits and raises her hand to kiss the back of it lightly,"I am always appreciative for food. With meat is great, but I would be fine without." He nods and considers what she is telling him,"We have our ways. We just have to figure out how to line them up."

Pointing to the trap door he tells her,"I spend most of my free time down there. I don't let a lot of people in here, fewer in there." he explains,"You do the things you need to do and we will find our way."

He looks at her schedule and nods,"You are busy. So am I. That's how being an adult works. As I said, you are welcome here any time. You are one of four other than me with the ability to lower the wards on this place. Molly, Sabrina, and Thomas are the others. Mouse likes you, probably better than the rest of them."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Right. Don't go downstairs until invited. Then I guess it would be a good guess that before you come to my place you give me a heads up so that all my electronics are put away safely."

Willow giggles about Mouse. "I can't decide if he likes me for me, or because you like me. He's nice. My friend Amy is still changed into a rat. I haven't figured out the antidote..Oh for years now. At least she isn't tied into a regular rat's life." Which would have expired years ago, at the usual 2 to 3 years."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Shaking his head and he tells her,"No. You can go down there as well. Bob is always talking about you. You know how to get through the wards, past the vicious attack dog, and down to it. Just be careful. Like in any other lab. Never let Bob try to convince you to convince me to let him free. It's his thing."

Looking down the hall, Harry shakes his head,"Oh he likes you. I know plenty of people he isn't as fond of. Faith for one. Better than it was, but still." He frowns thoughtfully and suggests,"Go through the books downstairs. If you don't see something we can maybe come up with something to change her back together."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow didn't answer him with words. She thanked him with a kiss. Albeit a lingering kiss. But a kiss nonetheless.

Harry Dresden has posed:
The kiss surprises him a little. Probably he was thinking about the best way to approach that, then the would be shy and innocent one presses her lips to his. A trace of a smile forms against her lips and he forgets what he might have been thinking of pretty quickly.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
When one kiss is over, Willow reaches up to his face, feeling the five-o-clock shadow.. or, now, later. "Not bad. I think I could get used to it."

"We really should put the leftovers away. It's gotta be bedtime somewhere in the world.." Whatever she normally would be doing this night she already mentally shoved it in on the weekend. Someway she would worry about that then. "Put them in the fridge and I will meet you in bed."

Yes, now that she has made up her mind it became much easier to take the next step. At least this time.

Harry Dresden has posed:
A smirk as he feels her touch his cheek. Clearly happy with the touch she offers,"Let's hope so. I would hate to think I scared you off already."

The suggestion of putting things away snaps him to the more responsible self. Reluctantly he breaks away to gather things up to take to the ice box.

Animals are strange. Mister wakes up and immediately makes his way into the office area. Harry gets things put away and then feeds both animals. Once that is done, he moves back towards the living area to see where she is.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Of course, Willow is already in bed, wearing one of his shirts. He may not be a overly built man, but even so his shirt is much bigger than she is. Quietly she watches him look around wondering where she has gone. Almost giggling.

"Ahem?" Willow takes pity on him in the end. "I said I would share with you. Unless you /want/ to sleep on the couch."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry looks to the sound of her voice and smirks when he sees her there in the bed. Noting she is in his shirt he chuckles a bit and steps over to take a seat on the side of the bed and start to undress as well,"I have seen enough of that couch to last me the rest of the year. Particularly where there is a pretty redhead waiting for me here."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
That gets Willow laughing. "If I were on the couch I think you would come there too. Let's be honest."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Getting undressed, Harry pulls back the covers and slides into the covers with her. Looking at her for a few seconds he admits,"In all likelihood yes. I appreciate you opted for here." He leans forward enough to give her a kiss this time, taking a long moment with it.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow isn't quite the innocent in the bedroom as Harry finds out.. As the night wears down, Willow and Harry find other ways that they click. And as the birds begin to sing pre-morning songs, they are finally snuggling down for the last few hours of sleep, exhausted and happy.