Can't Fight the Moonlight

Willow snuck down a hallway and back to Snow's office at Sinners. She sank into a chair and sighed heavily. Marc's words haunted her thoughts and she couldn't stop thinking about what he said.

"Hey, Willow," Zoe said. "Are you hiding from someone?"

She sighed again. "Myself," she answered with her head in her hands. Zoe entered the room and pulled the door closed behind her. She took a seat across from Willow.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"What do you do if two guys like you?"

Zoe considered the question for a moment. "Are you attracted to them both?" Willow shook her head yes. "Have you slept with them?"

"No."

"So sleep with them both and then decide. They'll never know but you'll know who you have better chemistry with."

"What if their brothers?"

"Oh. That's a problem. Wait, are we talking about Jared?" Willow nodded slowly. "I didn't know you and Jared...." Zoe trailed off.

"We're not but something changed this summer and since he's been back in Charlotte, it's been different, more intense between us."

"Have you two talked about it?"

"No; I've been avoiding that."

Zoe nodded. "Which brother?"

"Marc," Willow admitted. "I barely know him but he gives me butterflies. Is that crazy?"

Zoe smiled. "Max gave me butterflies the second I laid eyes on him so no, I don't think that's crazy. If you like Marc though, you have to talk to Jared. Even if you're not sure; You don't want him to find out any other way but you. You have to do what's in your heart. Let it guide you."

Willow stood up and gave Zoe a hug. "Thanks for the advice, Zoe. Snow would just tell me to fuck them both and pick whoever had the biggest dick."

Zoe laughed. "Yes, I think that is exactly the advice she'd give you. I mean, you can do that but it might not be the decision that makes you happiest. Just remember that your happiness matters and that you can't make everyone else happy in this. It's hard but you're a smart girl. You'll figure it out."



Willow stayed in Snow's office for another ten minutes after Zoe left to gather her thoughts. When she got back upstairs, she found it packed with bodies. The Checkers had arrived. Willow spotted Jared's tall frame above his teammates and picked her way through them to get to him. She said hello to several of the other players when Jared spotted her heading towards him. His face broke out in an ear to ear smile and her heart slammed in her chest. Jared closed the distance between them and he picked Willow up in his arms and twirled her around in a hug. She giggled.

"Nice goal," she complimented him as he set her feet back on the ground, still holding her in his arms. He lowered his face to hers and kissed her, in front of everyone. She gasped in surprise when their lips touched but she melted against him in seconds. He hauled her closer, her breasts pressed into his chest, air ripped from her lungs. When he pulled away, she stared at him dumbfounded.

"Sweet Jesus, Jared," Willow breathed. "I think my heart just stopped."

He held her in his arms and grinned at her. "Mine too," he whispered back. She felt his grip tighten around her and then Eric's voice broke through the din of the club.

"I'm not sure if I should congratulate you on your goal tonight or that kiss," Eric joked.

"Probably both," Jared replied. He moved Willow to his side and kept his arm around her.

"He does now lead all Staal brothers in goals for the year," Willow teased. Jared grinned and kissed her again.

"That's my fan club," he said when he pulled back from her. Willow saw Marc then, his eyes dark and full of venom.

"Good game, Jare," Marc said tightly. Jared smirked at him and held Willow tighter. She fidgeted uncomfortably beside him, unable to meet Marc's eyes. When Jordan and Brynne made their way over, she escaped the group by offering to get more drinks from the bar with Brynne.

"What are you doing?" Brynne hissed as they waited at the bar.

Willow groaned. "I have no idea! Brynne, what is happening? I don't know how to deal with this."

"For starters, how about not leading them on?"

"I'm not trying to!"

"Willow, do you like Jared?"

"Of course I do. He's Jared."

"And Marc?"

"When he looks at me, when he kisses me, I just want to lock myself in a room with him and learn everything about him."

"You have to stop kissing them."

"If only it were that easy." She glanced over her shoulder at the brothers and sighed.

"Kiss someone else. How about Faulk? Or Nash?"

"Tempting but not what I want."

"You can't have them both."

"I know. I should just stay away; the sensible part of my brain tells me that. But the lusty teenage girl wants to run over and kiss him silly."

Brynne raised an eyebrow at her. "Him?" Heat crept into Willow's cheeks. "Willow, if you think you have feelings for one of them, you have to tell the other before this gets outta hand."

The girls collected their drinks and headed back to the group. Brynne squeezed in beside Jordan, who welcomed her back with a searing kiss. There were empty spaces beside both Jared and Marc. Willow hesitated, at Jared's inviting smile, at Marc's stare, and slipped in beside Eric. He put a casual arm around her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"Want me to tell them both to back off?" Eric whispered to her.

"It's fine," she whispered back.

"Really? Then why are you hiding over here with me? Unless you really do want to play doctor..." Willow blushed and Eric smiled. He took the beer from her hand, setting it on the table. He set his own beside it and wordlessly led her downstairs to the dance floor. "I'll be your buffer tonight but you have to talk to me. Maybe I can help you sort this out," Eric said in her ear as they danced.

"I don't want to put you in the middle of this," Willow answered.

"Too late for that."

Willow frowned. "Does Jared really call you and talk about me?"

Eric nodded. "We talk every couple of days but he texts all the time, especially right before he sees you and immediately after he sees you."

"For how long?"

Eric's smile softened. "You don't know?" Willow stared at him blankly. Eric took Willow's hand in his and silently led the way off the dance floor. He looked around for someplace to talk. Willow pointed at the doors that led to the back offices and Eric followed her back to Snow's office. They sat beside each other on the couch.

Willow turned to Eric expectantly. "What don't I know?"

"I'm not sure how much I should tell you."

"Please, Eric."

"Willow, Jared has had a crush on you since he met you and he's been trying to figure out a way to take things to the next level with you for the better part of the last two years. He didn't think you liked him like that and he valued your friendship so he didn't push. But he's in love with you; I'm positive about that."

Willow swallowed hard, a lump rising in her throat. "He's talked to you, about me, for the last two years?"

Eric nodded. "Even during the summer it would be Willow this or Willow that. I honestly wondered at one point if he had made you up to impress us but then there you were for 36 hours this summer. He would do anything for you."

"Oh fuck," Willow murmured, staring at the ground. "Fuck."

"Willow, what do you feel for Marc?"

Her eyes snapped up to look at Eric. "Fuck!" She swore again.

"You like Marc."

"I should not like Marc. I don't even know Marc. I know Jared and he is great, and he might be in love with me."

"Do you love him?"

"Of course I love Jared."

"Are you in love with him?"

"Maybe? I don't know."

"What do you know?"

"I know I could fall in love with your brother."

Eric smirked. "I won't let you off easy. Which brother?"

"Both," she answered truthfully. "If Marc wasn't here, this would be easy. I'd be with Jared. I'd give in to everything I feel, all the flirting and be with him. God I wish I hadn't met all of you this summer. If Marc hadn't kissed me back at Tumbleweeds this wouldn’t even be a conversation we’d be having."

"Marc did what at Tumbleweeds?"

Willow blushed. "He kissed me, right before we left that night. And again the next morning at Jordan's. And then tonight."

Eric groaned. "I should've known he had ulterior motives for suggesting we all come see Jared play. Damn it,” he swore. “Willow, you’re all Jared talked about after you left. He couldn’t wait for training camp and to get back here, to you. Whenever you two talked, even if it was just a text, he’d just smile like a dopey lab puppy for hours. And Marc knows that and its not going to stop him.”

"I have to pick between them, don't I?"

"Yep. You can choose neither and run away with me if you want though."

Willow giggled. "Thanks for the offer but I think I'll be better off if I choose none of you."

"Willow," he warned but she cut him off.

"I can't hurt either of them. Jared is one of my best friends and I love him but I like Marc too. I can't choose one and hurt the other."

"They're big boys, they can handle this."

"I don't know if I can."



Eric and Willow rejoined the group and Jared immediately caught her arm, turning her into him. "Are you okay?" He asked, concern etched in his features.

"I'm fine, Jared. I promise."

"Do you want me to take you home?"

"It's not far. I'll be fine walking."

"Not by yourself," Jared said with a shake of his head. "I'll walk with you. I need to know you got home safely." He kissed her forehead.

"Okay," she agreed.

"Let me go tell the guys I'm leaving, all right?" Willow nodded and Jared disappeared into the crowd.

"Are you leaving?" She heard Marc ask behind her. She turned to face him.

"Yes."

He frowned. "Are you leaving with him?"

"Jared is walking me home, yes."

"I can walk you home. Jared can stay here and celebrate with his teammates.” He reached for her but she pulled away and Willow shook her head no. “Why?"

"Why what?" Willow asked.

"Why are you leaving? Why Jared?"

"Marc, your brothers. Don't you get the place this puts me? I'm sorry but this isn't going to happen. Not with you, not with Jared. Go home and forget about me."



Jared left Willow to her thoughts on the walk through Uptown Charlotte to the condo she and Brynne rented together. She stopped at the front door of the building and turned to face Jared.

“Thanks for walking me,” she said softly.

“Willow, please talk to me. I need to know what’s going on in that head of yours.”

A tear slipped from her eye and Willow absently brushed it from her face. Jared pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She pushed away from him as if his touch burned her.

“Willow, its just us.”

“I need some space.” He stared at her and then his expression hardened.

“Is this about Marc?” She looked away from him. “Damn it, Willow. Look at me.” She turned and her eyes met his, tears threatening to fall. “I love you.”

“Jared...” she breathed. “Don’t. Please.”

“Don’t push me away, Willow. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I can’t do this, Jared. I won’t.” The tears began to slip down her cheeks.

“I’m not asking you to do anything, Willow. You’re my best friend. Please don’t cry. I just want you to be happy.”

She smiled weakly. “You make me happy.”

“That’s a start,” he said with a grin.

Willow reached out and touched his face. “I love your missing tooth.”

“Most girls don’t. That’s one of the reasons I like you because you don’t care.”

“They’re crazy, don’t know what they’re missing out on.”

“Let me walk you to your door.” Willow nodded and punched a code in, the door swinging open. Jared followed her to the elevator, pushing the up button and then the button for the seventh floor when they stepped inside. He took her hand in his when the elevator doors opened on her floor and they walked to her door. She struck her key in the door.

“Thanks for walking me home,” Willow said.

“I’m always here for you.”

“I know.”

“Willow, I...”She silenced him by placing a finger over his lips. She went on tiptoe and placed her lips over his, kissing him softly.

“I’ll call you,” Willow promised. Jared nodded. She turned the key in the door and opened the door, stepping inside.

“See you later, Tito,” she said with a small smile before closing the door.