Title: Beer Very Bad (originally titled "One Night Stand")
Author: Golden Waffles
Rating: PG-13. For now, at least. Mentions of sex. But not in this chapter.
Description: It's kind of an alternate ending to "Something Blue." That night Willow gets drunk at the Bronze, something a little different happens, involving a certain blonde girl.
Disclaimer: Of course I don't own the characters or settings of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Just the situations I put them in here.

A/N: This chapter is some stuff I just feel needs to be said before we go on. I have to admit, this kind of story is not my usual fare. I'm usually more of an "innocence and snuggles" kind of person, especially with this ship. I just wanted to go somewhere new for a change, and for some reason this is the story I decided to post here. I am extremely grateful that it's been so well received. Thank you, all of you who responded. And don't worry- things will start to pick up between our girls soon.

Chapter 2:

Him

Willow burst through the heavy double doors and into the waxing morning sunlight. She could feel that the air was still damp with morning fog, but realized that she didn't actually know what time it was. She had been too distracted to look at the clock, and she didn't think she had a watch on her. The sun was still pretty low in the sky. It was probably around seven o'clock, if she had to guess. On a college campus on a Saturday, that meant that no one would be up for another three or four hours, at least. She still had some time.

Shivering, she crossed her arms against the morning chill and decided to walk to Stevenson as quickly and inconspicuously as possible. Unfortunately, she wasn't entirely sure where she was. The sign next to the doors she had just exited labeled the dormitory as Kresge Hall. She vaguely recognized the name. A quick scan of her surroundings reminded her why- it was right next to Erickson Hall, Oz's old dorm. In hindsight, it should have been obvious- the dark-walled dorms were all on the east side of campus. She even recognized the trees that stood along the sidewalks, offering shade from the inescapable Southern California sun. She didn't realize that she had begun moving until she saw her hand pushing the door to Erickson open, apparently beyond her control.

After the morning she had just had, walking through those doors was like stepping back in time. It was impossible to believe that she had just been here yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. How many times had she walked through this hallway and waited under these fluorescent lights? Dozens? Hundreds? Her feet traced the familiar path, and she was inexplicably grateful for the familiar motions. She reached his dorm room- former dorm room- in less than a minute. It was locked. Before her mind could come up with a more logical solution to this problem, or even talk her out of the visit entirely, she was already trying to unlock it with magic. She felt a shudder run down her spine as the magic burned through her, exactly as wild and unstable as her emotions. Under her grip, the metal handle suddenly become very hot, and the lock emitted a very disconcerting hissing sound, like ice dropped into a frying pan. As she reflexively jerked her hand away from the heat and noise, the door slid open with it. Well, close enough. She cautiously stepped in, giving the handle a wide berth- she had a sinking feeling that some part of it was now either melted or on fire. Or both.

His room- no, the room- was empty. Still empty. The pictures of them together, his band posters, his sheets, his clothes- all still gone. She sank down on his bed, alone, and lay her head on her knees.

What about Oz? This wasn't a new question. It had been rolling around in her head, popping up when she least expected it, ever since he left. Heck, even before he left. College was so different from high school. They were different. Their relationship had been different ever since they started at UC-Sunnydale. No, earlier. Since graduation. Maybe even earlier. Since the fluke. Or since he became a werewolf. Maybe things had never been easy between them. Even without the cheating. All of the cheating. Her with Xander, him with Veruca, and now her with this girl. If that could even be called cheating. Are we still together? Can you really be considered to be dating someone if you haven't spoken in over a month and don't even know what hemisphere he's in? Even after he cheated on you and left you?

She sighed wearily, raising her head and looking around the room. It didn't even look like his room anymore. Nothing of his was left in it, not even his scent. His presence was fading fast. How did this happen? How did it all happen so easily? Shouldn't it be harder to do that to someone you really love?

It was strange. They had worked so well together in the beginning. They balanced each other out, she had always thought. Where she was babbling and exuberant and spazzy, he was understated and subdued and cool. He was always funny, usually smart, and occasionally sweet. And she was his. Ever since he had begun taking an interest in her, his presence had seemed so essential. He liked her. Loved her, even. Supported her when he felt like he could- although not when it came to magic. That kind of attention didn't happen to her every day, especially not back then.

She still missed him, even given everything that had happened between them. Things were just harder now. More complicated. A lot more complicated. In the end, she just didn't want to be always left waiting around for him while he disappeared over and over again. Like she always was. Like she was now- left, alone, waiting, wondering where he was, what he was doing, if he was okay, if he was thinking about her, if he was ever coming back, if she even really wanted him to come back. She could feel it eating at her, making her doubt herself, making her feel helpless, making her feel alone. It was no way to live. She didn't deserve that, and she knew it.

She stood up. It was time to go. She had already been here for too long, and it wasn't her place anymore. She couldn't be absolutely sure of anything on a day like today, but she was pretty confident in this: if Oz wanted any hope of being in her life, he would have to come back and stay in it so that they could work through it all. And there wasn't much of a chance of that happening. With shaky legs, but a look of resolve, she walked out the door, leaving the lock broken behind her.