I woke up expecting her to be here.  When she wasn't, I thought maybe she'd crashed with Giles.  Giles.  Last night.  Suddenly, it all came crashing back in waves of guilt and anguish.

I sent my best friend to another world.

Oh, Goddess, what I have done?  Why am I always messing up?!  Rationally, I know that I'm not completely to blame, and neither is Giles.  We were both eager to finish the spell to keep the portal closed.  The idea of another encounter with an alternate timeline wigs all of us, especially after this past spring.  But why didn't we slow down, double check the alignments and the calendars?  Why?  Why?  Why?

I rolled over and cried again when I remembered, cried so hard I thought my tear ducts might burst.  I drove Oz away, I made Buffy disappear.  And now there's a great big hole inside me, and I think I finally understand what Buffy meant when she said she couldn't breathe ...

My crying made me late for Psychology.  Walsh glared daggers at me as I slipped in and took my seat, but for once she didn't say anything.  I think the look on my face dissuaded her.  She did, however, keep glancing at the door.  At first I was confused, then I became achingly aware of the empty seat beside me -- she was looking for Buffy.

And she wasn't the only one.  Riley kept shooting me little looks when Walsh's back was turned.  When class was over and Buffy hadn't shown up, he caught up with me as I tried to make a break for the door.

Sweet Goddess, what am I supposed to say?

"Willow, wait."

I reached for her arm, holding her back.  She looked awful, like she'd lost her best friend ... and Buffy wasn't in class today.  Which seems strange, considering we had dinner last night before left to go see her mother.

"What's wrong?"

She looked up at me and tried to brush it off.  "Nothing, nothing's wrong, what could possibly be wrong ..." she babbled.

Buffy told me once that Willow babbles when she's scared or nervous.  Or both.  And she's babbling right now.

Something's wrong.

Very wrong.

And I think it's about Buffy.

Normally I would ream a student who came to class late.  But Rosenberg's face was ...  It's almost indescribable.  Fear, anger, anguish, guilt ... it was as if someone she cared for had died.  But if that were the case why was she even in class?

And Summers never showed up.  She and Rosenberg always come together; Riley told me they're best friends and roommates.  Clearly, something happened.

Ah, good, Riley caught her.  What the ... babbling?

"Miss Rosenberg ... Willow ... if there's a problem, you need to tell someone.  We can't help until you do."

The girl turned white as a sheet, and her eyes got even wider.  She looked like cornered deer and nearly started hyperventilating, but was startled out of it as the door opened.  Forrest and Graham stopped short, and looked confused.  I gestured for them to stay silent.

"Now, Willow ..."

Oh, Goddess, what do I say?

"Is something wrong with Buffy?" Riley asked.

I wanted to laugh, to cry, to rant and rave ... but I sat still and didn't say anything.  I must've made some indication though, because all of a sudden Riley was ... disturbed.

"What's happened?  Is Buffy okay?  Is she hurt?"  He shot out rapid fire questions before Walsh put a hand on his arm.

"Give her a few minutes, Riley," she murmured.

As I sat with my head in my hands, I peeked through my fingers.  Riley and Walsh were engaged in a low, but heated, conversation, and the other two were packing some things up for Walsh.  When I saw one of them pass a strange, square shaped device to the other I was momentarily confused.

But only momentarily.

I'd seen it before, on those commandoes at Halloween.  So, that meant ...

I've got to get out of here!

"Uhh ... "

I looked up to see Willow standing up, fidgeting with her bag.  "Riley, about your questions ..."

I nodded, hoping to reassure her.

"The answers ... " she took a deep breath.  "In order ... I can't tell you, I don't know and I don't know."

Before I could even wrap my mind around her words she bolted from the room.  Less than a minute later I raced after her, but she was nowhere to be seen.  Walsh came up behind me as I stood there.

"Agent Finn," she hissed quietly.

I turned, surprised that she used my rank so close to the other students.

"Riley," she said, her voice a little softer, but still firm.  "We'll find out what happened, but right now we have more immediate problems.  Team 2 may have spotted Hostile 17 last night ..."

"Oh, come on.  If he's more cryptic than you how will we even know if he's helping?" Cordelia asked.

Angel sighed.  "He likes Buffy, always has.  He'll help, I know he will."

"Are ye sure?" Doyle questioned.

"For the last time -- yes!"  Angel growled as he stomped toward the phone and started pushing buttons, nearly breaking the receiver.

Ring.  Ring.  Ring.  Ring.  Ring.  Ring.  Ri --

"What?" a heavily accented voice grumbled.

"Whistler," Angel said, "We have a problem ... "

"Will they hurt her?"

He had to go and ask that, didn't he?  Bloody hell, I know he's worried but I don't wanna answer that particular question.

"Spike?"

Bugger.  "What do you mean?"

"It's a simple question," he stated, his voice tight.  Shit, I didn't want the Watcher to get brassed at me during the day.  Looks like, Ripper, is that what they called him, is about to make an appearance.  "Will.  They.  Hurt.  Her?"

"They might."

A hiss.  "What?  Why?  How?"

"They might hurt her ... but they'll make damn sure she enjoys herself.  And I know, you know what I mean."

Silence.

Utter, complete silence ...

Shattered when the door flies open Red stumbles in.  Her eyes are wild as they circle the room, finally coming to rest on Giles.  "Riley ... commandos ... Walsh ... Buffy ... " she babbles.  As the Watcher quickly helps her to a nearby chair, her breathing becomes less labored.  Did she run all the way here?  And what's this about the commandos?

"Giles, we have a problem ... "

 

The End