Sacrifice

Author: Persephone

Summary: Willow’s death is only the beginning of the adventure.

Disclaimers: Don’t own them; if I did I wouldn’t be doing this.

Rating: R or NC-17

Author notes: I picked and matched story lines.  Jumped ahead and ignored others I didn’t like.  Reviews would be nice, but as long as you enjoy the story I am happy.

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~Prologue~

Willow Rosenberg hovered in the air far above Los Angeles.  The night was just beginning to fade and daylight was slowly bleeding across the horizon.  A small, sad smile touched her pale face, warming the fragile features.  Her bright green eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she watched the sunrise in front of her.  The suns rays turned back the night and gently embraced her.  All around her were the sounds of the earth once again waking up and the birds were beginning to sing.  For a moment her haunted eyes closed and she tilted her face towards the rising sun, allowing its warmth to sink into her as it began its slow ascent.

“One last time,” she whispered brokenly.  “I want to feel the sun one last time.”  Her eyes opened to watch the sun paint the sky in front of her.  Brilliant oranges, reds and yellows were streaking their way across the sky.  A warm breeze whistled through the air, wrapping its arms around her and her eyes drifted closed as she enjoyed the sensation.  Soon it would be time to begin.  The city was beginning to wake below her and she knew that everything would be in place.

Willow almost allowed herself to think about the events that had started her down this path, instead she pushed those memories firmly to the back of her mind.  She brushed her vibrant red hair behind her ear as she contemplated the morning sky.  When she had first come to LA two months ago she was convinced she was finally getting a chance to start over.  A smothered sob escaped her lips and she pressed her hands over her mouth.  It had been very stupid of her, Willow decided now.

Tears ran unheeded down her cheeks, even as she tried to stop.  Willow had promised herself that she was done with the crying and feeling betrayed.  Willow glanced down at the building below her; it helped bring her back under control.  Wolfram and Hart would not be in one piece by the end of the day.  She could see signs of life in the building and knew that this was it.  By the time she was done she would have made it a little easier on the people that she had once called friends.

As Willow began to lower herself to the ground, she really wished she could walk away.  Unfortunately, Willow knew that was no longer a possibility.  She had said her good byes to everyone and the only one who knew what she was doing was Giles and he was in England.  He would never be able to get here in time.  Willow smiled to herself as she gently landed in the alley behind Wolfram and Hart.  As she walked around to the front of the building and entered the front doors a song began to play in her head.

For a moment everything seemed to slow down as the song began its refrain in her head.  Willow was pretty sure it was Low by Kelly Clarkson and it seemed to fit perfectly with this situation.  She reached out for the magic that was so much a part of her and welcomed the numbness that came with it.  With her every step the song gained in volume, until her own lips began to move with the final verse and chorus.

I walk out of the Darkness
With no sense of regret
And I go with a clear conscience
We both know that you can’t say that
Here’s to show for all the times I loved you so
SOOOOO

Have you ever been low?
Have you ever had a friend that let you down so?
When the truth came out, were you the last to know?
Were you left out in the cold?
‘Cause what you did was Low.

Have you ever been low?
Have you ever had a friend that let you down so?
When the truth came out, were you the last to know?
Were you left out in the cold?
‘Cause what you did was Low.

As the magic began to well up inside of her, Willow knew that her eyes were as black as night.  With that security came the detachment that she needed to take the next step.  Willow stretched her reach to the hellmouth in Sunnydale and felt it come alive at her touch.  In an instant it was firmly under her control and her hair became black.  Her eyes closed and with a quick gesture a barrier slammed into place around the building.  She had to smile at the sense of satisfaction that gave her.

Her eyes opened and she smiled at the receptionist, who was scrambling for the telephone, as Willow slowly walked towards her.  Willow had to admit that somewhere deep inside of her she delighted in the fear coming from the receptionist.  No one would leave this building alive.  She heard shouts as one of the senior partners came running down the stairs.  Before her protective barrier was in place around her a bullet struck her shoulder and blood began to run down her arm.  Willow didn’t even break her stride with the music still thrumming through her and the magic filling up every part of her.

As Willow came to a stop in the center of the lobby, the sun was just beginning to pour into the windows, and she enjoyed watching the play of sun on the gleaming tile floor as her blood began to run across it.  Willow allowed a smile to touch her lips before she once again reached out for the hellmouth, only this time she reached out to every hellmouth in the world.  All of them began to react to her touch, coming alive within her.

Deep inside herself she could feel the magic gathering and begin to swirl in her and the air surrounding her crackled with the power.   She knew that there were several key employees’ that weren’t here.  However, all of them were tied to their contracts and those contracts were kept in the basement of this building.  Through those pieces of papers, signed in blood, Willow was going to kill everyone involved with Wolfram and Hart.  Not even the demons would be able to escape her wrath.

Willow felt the power suddenly congeal within her.  In that moment, Willow reached deep within the earth, finding the balance of all life there, and yanked it upwards.  The lobby of Wolfram and Hart split in two as the ground jumped beneath it.  Flames leapt high from the crevice that reached to the center of the earth.  Willow hovered in the air above the lobby floor, her lips still moving along with the song.

The ground in Los Angeles began to tremble.  People were thrown off their feet as it buckled and jumped.  Their screams hung in the air as the ground opened around them.  Willow remained unaffected, wrapped firmly in the embrace of her dark magic, floating above the sea of destruction she had caused. The song was still running in her head and as the chaos continued below her, she couldn’t help but sing along.

Everybody’s talking
But they don’t say a thing
They look at me with sad eyes
But I don’t want their sympathy
It’s cool that you didn’t want me
Sometimes you can’t go back
But why’d you have to go and make a mess like that?
I just have to say one thing before I let go

Have you ever been low?
Have you ever had a friend that let you down so?
When the truth came out
Were you the last to know?
Were you left out in the cold?
‘Cause what you did was low

No I don’t need your number
There’s nothing left to say
Except I never thought it would hurt this much to be saved
My friends are outside waiting
I’ve gotta go

Have you ever been low?
Have you ever had a friend that let you down so?
When the truth came out, were you the last to know?
Were you left out in the cold?
‘Cause what you did was Low.
What you did was Low
What you did was Low
What you did was Low

I walk out of the darkness
With no sense of regret
And I go with a clear conscience
We both know that you can’t say that
Here’s to show for all the time I loved you so
SOOOO

Have you ever been low?
Have you ever had a friend that let you down so?
When the truth came out, were you the last to know?
Were you left out in the cold?
‘Cause what you did was Low.

Have you ever been low?
Have you ever had a friend that let you down so?
When the truth came out, were you the last to know?
Were you left out in the cold?
‘Cause what you did was Low.

As the power continued to pour into Willow, she began to chant.  The spell that she had memorized came to her lips unbidden and as the words began to shake the very fabric of the world, Willow could only hear the song playing in her head.  Willow stared down at the people that were still alive and trying to find a way out of the building.  There were countless bodies strewn about in the decimated lobby.  Willow’s detached eyes watched as another quake shook the building and a pregnant woman tumbled into a new opening.

A tear slowly trickled down Willow’s cheek but the chanting continued.  When the spell was finished Willow was shining as brightly as the noonday sun.  White light poured from her as she raised her hands slowly above her head.  The light began to gather between her hands, as bright as the sun with a black center.

Lightening began to flash from the white orb.  Willow’s red hair was blowing gently in the non-existent breeze as she concentrated on pouring energy into the orb.  For each flash of lightening there was a death.  The lightening began to chase employees through the building.  Willow stared up at the ball, almost blinded by the brightness, even as she opened herself more fully to the magic coursing through her body.

Tears were running unheeded down her cheeks and her blood was slowly dripping into the pit below her.  Willow said one last good bye and then cast the glowing ball deep into the earth.  As the ball struck the earth flames shot straight up and the building began to tumble down around her.  Willow glanced up unconcernedly as a portion of the ceiling fell past her and crashed into the ever-widening pit.  Willow poured all of her magic into the ball that was continuing its trip into the center of the earth.

Suddenly she felt everything click into place.  The hellmouths were closed, the slayers were called into service and Willow couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face.  An explosion rocked the foundation of the building and Willow was quickly reminded that there was still something she needed to do.  Willow gathered her last bit of magic and began to chant again, using her blood she wrote quickly into the air.  With her last bit of strength she completed the last word and felt the snap as the hellmouths settled into her.  The ground began to shake again, and the building gave another groan.

Everything was coming down.  The building was beginning to crumble around her.  Willow felt her power slowly draining from her.  The hellmouths wrapped firmly inside her own soul and quiet.  A smile crossed her face, even as she began to fall.  Willow made no attempt to prevent the fall, instead welcoming the end of her fight.

The flames reached up to wrap around her and she could feel their searing heat.  “It is done,” she whispered right before she felt the flames close around her.  As the darkness was rolling over her, Willow felt strong arms catch her.  For an instant Willow felt like she was loved and safe.

Lips brushed across her forehead and a voice whispered to her, “sleep Willow.”  Willow gave up the battle against the darkness and it rolled over her in a huge wave and consumed her.  Willow Rosenberg was no more.

~Part: 1~

A heavy silence hung over the group sitting in the lobby of the Hyperion Hotel.  None of them seemed to want to break the silence or make eye contact as they remembered the night’s events.  It seemed so strange that just two days ago the Hotel had rang with the sounds of laughter and love.  And now there was nothing left but guilt, emptiness and a sense of foreboding.

Thunder and lightening suddenly filled the lobby.  A black cloud touched down in the center of the lobby.  For a moment hope took a root in the shape of the figure in the center of the cloud.  The hope died as the smoke cleared and an older gentleman stepped forward and looked around wildly.  His blue eyes were haunted and desperate as he looked at each member of the group.  “Where is she?” He gritted out when he did not see Willow with the group.

It was Angel that stepped forward, shaking off Buffy’s clinging hand, “Giles what….?”  Angel never got to finish his question before Giles was on him.

“Where’s Willow?”  Giles tightened his hand around Angel’s neck and gave him a shake.

The silence that descended was deadly.  Giles tried to meet the eyes that had suddenly found something fascinating on the floor.  Giles shook Angel roughly, “I am not kidding, Angel.  Where is Willow?”  Giles voice was tight and deliberate.

“We don’t know G-man,” Xanders voice broke in wearily.  Giles turned to look at Xander and realized that everything Willow had told him was true.  Xander looked destroyed and without hope.  Xander’s face was haunted and gaunt.  As Giles looked into the eyes of the boy he considered a son, he saw an unspeakable torment.  Giles released Angel and took a step towards Xander, wanting to comfort him and ease the boy’s pain.  As Giles took that step the ground suddenly bucked beneath him.

Screams rang through the hotel as the floor buckled and jumped beneath their feet.  The Hotel began to shake and jerk as things began to crumble.  Everyone was knocked to the floor as the ground continued to shake and moan beneath their feet.  Suddenly there was a huge explosion and then everything fell silent.  The whole experience was over as suddenly as it had begun and left everyone in the hotel stunned.

“Was it an earthquake?” Faith asked as Gunn helped her to her feet.  She cast a quick glance around the lobby and found that everyone was in one piece.

“No,” Giles replied as he and Xander stood.  “It was Willow.”

“What?” The entire group turned towards Giles.  He stood in the center of the destruction and his expression was of a man defeated.  A tear was making its way slowly down his cheek and Giles’ jaw was clenched tight.

“Giles I don’t understand,” Angel stated as he helped Buffy to her feet and then shrugged her off as she tried to cling to him.  “How…”

~Part: 2~

“I regret to inform you of the passing of Willow Rosenberg,” A voice boomed around the entire lobby and through each person present.  Everyone except Giles jumped at the voice.  Whistler stepped out of thin air and into the lobby.  He looked at Giles and inclined his head before looking at everyone else in the room.  For once Whistler wasn’t upbeat and bright, even his clothes were lacking their usual brilliance today despite all of their brightness.

“What do you mean ‘passing?” Xander asked suspiciously as he came forward.  He grabbed Whistler and shook him hard.  Xander could feel the tears beginning to spill down his cheeks.  There was an emptiness coming from deep inside him, from the spot that he had always labeled as Willow.  Whistler met his gaze and Xander could read the truth there, he fell to his knees.  Xander began to sob, his face pressed into his hands as began to murmur brokenly.  “Not Willow. Please Wills, don’t leave me here alone.”

Xander curled up on the floor, burying his face into his knees as the sobs shook his entire body.  He kept trying to tell himself that Willow wasn’t dead but he couldn’t deny the emptiness that was spreading through his body.

Everyone else watched Xander with shocked eyes.  Tears began to stream down cheeks as they watched the dark headed youth collapse.  Cordelia dropped down beside Xander and began to stroke his head and back, whispering nonsensical words of comfort.  Xander didn’t seem to notice as he continued to sob brokenly.

Whistler turned towards Angel with cold eyes.  For the first time in their acquaintance Angel had the feeling that he didn’t measure up in those eyes.  Angel shook his head in denial as Xander’s words finally penetrated.  It was a lesson, Angel told himself as he stared at Xanders’ sobbing form.  The PTB were trying to teach them all a lesson in how important the red headed witch was.  Angel didn’t need to be taught that lesson; he already knew how important Willow was.  He had allowed jealousy and rage blind him to what was in front of him.

Willow was a gift sent to him from the powers.  She had entered his home and had given him everything.  She had brought his son peace and united the AI gang in a way they had never been before.  Thinking of his son brought his gaze around to Conner.  As Angel met Conner’s gaze the rage and grief he saw burning in them almost brought him to his knees.  He hadn’t seen that look since Willow had forced Conner to sit down and listen.  This mistake couldn’t have cost him Willow and Conner; Angel took an involuntary step toward Conner his hand outstretched.  Angel’s hand dropped to his side as Conner turned from him and looked at Whistler.

“What happened to Mom?” Conner’s voice was cold and hard.  He wasn’t going to give into his grief yet.  There had to be a way around it, after all Mom had brought the Slayer back to life.  The very thought of the slayer brought a wave of hate and anger, that woman had destroyed his family.  And Angel had let her, Conner’s fist clenched.  His own father hadn’t said a word and had even agreed with the Slayer.  Conner battled the impulse to shake the answers he wanted out of Whistler and simply waited.

“Willow contacted us a couple of days ago,” Whistler explained, his own expression gaunt with grief.  “After the fight she decided to put into motion a plan that was never meant to see the light of day.”  Whistler paused for a moment and glanced around the room.  He wondered why the powers were even bothering with these people after everything they had done to Willow.

“Willow had a way of destroying the law firm, closing all of the hellmouths and calling to service every person born with the ability to be a slayer.”  Whistler glanced at Giles and nodded at him.  “Giles was the only one that Willow told in the world of the living.”

“I told you that she didn’t know the meaning of friendship,” Buffy said spitefully.  “She just wanted us to need her more.”

Conner was across the room before Buffy had finished speaking.  His fist slammed into her face and she went flying into the wall.  “You will shut up about my Mother,” Conner rasped out as he watched her struggling up from the floor.

“She hadn’t done it because it would call for her death and she had to have the blessing of the powers.”  Whistler glared at the Slayer.  “Willow was too important for the future of mankind to be allowed to die.”

“What do you mean?”  Xander asked from his position on the floor, his voice thick from his grief.

Whistler turned to look at him and his face softened as he took in the grief in Xander’s eyes.  “Willow was going to give birth to a child.  She and that child were going to save the world from total destruction.  Because of her death, it will be 1,000 years before a soul that pure will be born and the world is doomed to suffer for your jealousy and stupidity.”  Whistler turned back to Angel his lips twisting into a sneer as he saw the slayer snuggling up to Angel.

“Willow was destroyed by your betrayal.  She decided that it would be better if she was no longer in the picture.”  Whistler paused for a moment, his eyes clouding at the memory.  “Willow came to us and begged us to allow her to do this.  She told us that she was going to die, one way or another.  She just wanted to make sure that certain dangers were removed.”  Whistler turned back to Conner.  “She loved you very much and wanted to say good bye but knew you would stop her.  So she said good bye to Giles instead.”

A smile touched Whistlers’ lips.  “Willow knew that even if Giles went to the coven and got the power they would give him, he could never make it in time.  So she went to him and asked him for forgiveness for believing she deserved happiness.”  Whistler closed his eyes as the memory of it washed over him.  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more moving sight.  She begged Giles not to hold it against any of you, that it was her own fault for daring to believe she was good enough after everything she had done.”  Whistler shrugged and met Giles eyes sharing his grief with the other man.  “She told him everything and left.”  Whistler’s eyes returned to Conner, “She did leave you a message.”

Conner felt tears slipping down his cheeks.  He could easily picture Mom doing that.  He could feel his emptiness grow with every word that came from Whistlers mouth.  “What did she say?”

Whistler smiled and shook a finger at him chidingly, “you forget your mother was a witch.  I just have to do this.”  With a twist of his fingers there was a brilliant flash of light.

Everyone in the lobby blinked rapidly, trying to clear their streaming eyes.  When they were finally able to see again Willow was hanging in mid air in front of Conner.  Her red hair seemed to blow in an invisible breeze, swirling gently around her.  Her green eyes were warm and loving as she gazed down at Conner.  There were dried tear tracks on her cheeks and her dress was slightly tattered as it swirled around her legs.

“Mom,” Conner breathed as he reached up to touch her cheek.  His dark brown eyes locked on her image even as his fingers passed through it.

A smile suddenly touched her lips and she began to speak.  “Conner,” Willow’s voice filled the air, husky with grief and tears.  “I wanted to tell you that I couldn’t love you more if you had come from my own body.”  She paused and a tear made its way down her cheek.  “I’m sure that you disagree with what I’ve done, but believe me when I say it is for the best.  If I had stayed or even just walked away, everything would have blown up in my face.”  Willow paused and took a deep breath; her green eyes shifting to stare out into the distance. “I don’t want you to hate your father too much,” Willow reached out to touch his cheek.

Conner’s eyes closed and he could almost feel her fingers stroking his cheek.  He could feel the love that she had always shown him.  “When I look at you, I’m reminded that no matter how much I’ve messed up, there would always be someone who loved me.”  Conner’s eyes opened to see her smiling down at him.  “The situation with Angel was my own fault.  I knew that he didn’t love me like he loved Buffy.  But I selfishly though that my love would be enough for both of us.”  More tears dripped down her chin as she shrugged.  “It wasn’t.  I was stupid and naïve to believe that it would,” Willow made no attempt to wipe away the tears.  “But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t love you, Conner.  He loves you more than anything else.  Remember that for me Conner,” Willow cupped Conner’s face in her hands.  “Always remember that he and I love you so very much and even if I’m not here with you anymore I am no more than a thought away.”  Willow smiled and tilted his face up to brush a kiss across his forehead.  “Do not blame yourself.”

Willow straightened and stepped back, “I will always love you, my son.”  With that Willow was gone, leaving behind a silence that was broken only by sobs.

~Part: 3~

Whistler turned away from them and started to walk away only to pause, “I almost forgot.”  Whistler turned back to Angel, completely ignoring the shattered expression on Angel’s face.  “Your soul is no longer permanent.  With Willow’s death the clause is once again a factor.”  Whistler smiled at Angel’s confusion.  “Willow begged and bargained so that you could have a chance at happiness and a reason to fight,” Whistler shrugged carelessly at the tears forming in Angel’s eyes.  “The oracles agreed and let you have your soul on the condition that it was tied to hers.  The moment she died the deal became null and void.”  Whistler reached into his jacket and pulled out a tape.  He tossed it at Angel, “I’d suggest you watch the tape.  It’s from Wolfram and Hart’s security cameras.  The Powers figured you might want to watch Willow’s final moments.”  Whistler once again turned from the shattered group.  “Have a good day.”

Whistler was gone in the blink of an eye and left everyone staring at the tape in Angel’s hands.  For a long moment nobody spoke as they tried to figure out what to do next.  Finally Angel moved towards the television, his movements slow and defeated.  Everyone moved closer as the picture snapped into focus.

There were indrawn breaths when Willow walked into the picture.  Angel couldn’t tear his eyes away from his love as her eyes went black and she smiled at the receptionist.  He flinched in pain when the bullet struck her shoulder and she didn’t even blink.  He concentrated on memorizing Willow’s face and her expressions.

“What is she singing?” Lorne asked as he stared at Willow.  Angel blinked and realized that Lorne was right; Willow was singing something to herself as her hair went completely black.

“It’s ‘Low’,” Fred said as she picked up the rhythm.  “Willow loves that song.”

Angel couldn’t look away as Willow began to chant and a glowing ball began to form between her upraised hands.  Her figure was shining a brilliant white and lightening flashed from the ball.  Then she was casting the ball into the abyss underneath.  Angel couldn’t stop the anguished moan as he saw the tears and blood. Everyone watched as Willow regarded the falling debris with no expression on her face. An explosion caused the flames to leap even higher.  Suddenly her hand dipped into the blood running down her arm and she began to write in the air with her blood.

The ceiling began to collapse around Willow, and with a sweet smile on her face, began to fall into the pit.  Angel swallowed thickly, making no attempt to stop his own tears, as Willow tumbled into the flames below her.  A sob caught in his throat as the flames leapt to catch her and wrap around her before the tape came to a stop.

Conner was the first one to move after the tape ended.  He turned away from the images now burnt into his mind and the group, heading for the stairs.  He couldn’t stay in the same place as the people that had caused Willow’s death.  He was almost up the stairs when he felt a hand on his arm.  He turned to look and found himself staring into Xander’s eyes.  There were still tears running down his face and yet determination was there in the set of his chin.

“I want to go with you,” Xander told Conner, with a catch in his voice.  “Before you protest, remember that I love Willow as much as you do and I can’t be around them anymore than you can.”  Conner nodded and the two of them walked out into the sunshine of a new day.

Giles watched them go with a heavy heart.  The tape of Willow’s final moments was not something he ever wanted to see again.  To know that the young lady he considered a daughter had met her end that way was almost too much to deal with.  Giles dark blue gaze switched to Buffy and Angel and he really wanted to hate the two of them.  However, as he stared at Angel, Giles only saw a broken man.  Willow’s death had done what no big evil ever had.  The Scooby gang was broken and AI was in shambles.

His gaze focused on Buffy and his face tightened.  He had once loved Buffy as much as he would have loved his own child.  How could that bright girl have turned into this spiteful bitch?  Giles wasn’t sure but as he glanced around the room he realize it didn’t matter.

Spike, the one that had started this mess, was standing in the corner smoking a cigarette.  He was staring blankly at the wall, his face completely still and without expression.  Gunn and Fred were holding onto each other with tears still running down their faces.  Cordelia was still kneeling where Xander had curled up, staring down at her hands.  Lorne was standing in the center of the room, staring up at where Willow had appeared just moments before.

Giles still remembered how Willow had looked when she had appeared in his quarters at the watcher’s council.  Had it only been yesterday?  Her green eyes had been bruised and dead.  Tears had still been dripping down her cheeks and Giles couldn’t do anything but hold out his arms to the young girl.  Her face had completely crumbled as she threw herself in his arms.  As his arms had tightened around her, her sobs had almost brought him to his knees.

She had gasped out the entire story.  What she had done, how she thought that Angel had loved her and how her friends had completely destroyed her.  It had been too much; his head had been swimming with everything she had told him.  And then Willow had told Giles her plan.  She told him what it would do, how it would affect everyone and why she had to do it.

He could still hear her voice, “Buffy told me that I didn’t know what Friendship meant, Giles.  And she was right.”  Willow had stared up at him with her stricken, tear soaked eyes.  “I hadn’t taken that final step because I didn’t want to die.”  Giles rubbed warily at his eyes and shoveled his hand through his salt and pepper hair.  He had tried to convince her not to do it.  There had to be another way to handle everything but Willow had just shook her head and pulled away.  “Good bye Giles.  I just wanted to know that I love you and that you’ve always been a father to me.”  And with that she had been gone.

“Let go!”  The shout brought Giles out of his memories.  As Giles turned to see what the commotion was he was surprised to see Buffy flying through the air.  “You’ve caused me too much trouble already Buffy.  Just get the hell out of my life,” Angel growled at Buffy as his dark brown gaze flickered to gold.

“You can’t mean that Angel,” Buffy pleaded as she walked back towards him.  “Just because the clause is in effect doesn’t mean that we can’t work around it.  Besides this means we won’t have to listen to Willow’s whining because of us being together.”

“Just the hell up,” Angel spoke quietly and determinedly.  “I don’t want you in my house again.  Get the hell out of my life.  If I never see you again it would be too damn soon.”

“But Angel…” Buffy pleaded as she touched his arm.  His hand connected with her cheek with a resounding smack.

“You’ve caused the death of someone more precious to me than anything.  My own son has walked away.”  Angel looked down at his hands.  “I just don’t care about you any more.  In fact, I can’t say that I care about anything right now.”  Angel turned and retreated up the stairs to his room.  His steps echoed eerily in the following silence.

“He can’t mean it,” Buffy whispered.  Tears were beginning to fall down her cheeks as she pressed one of her hands against her cheek.  Her big blue eyes sparkled with tears as she turned to look at Giles.  “Giles?”  She whispered as she looked at him.  She expected him to hold her and tell her it was going to be okay.  Everything crashed down around her as Giles simply shook his head.  The disappointment on his face was enough to make everything she had done finally hit home.  “Oh my God,” she groaned and buried her face in her hands.  “What have I done?”

No one had an answer for her as they tried to make sense out of everything that had happened.  The only thing that everyone knew for sure was that nothing was ever going to be the same.

~Part: 4~

On the other side of the world, emerald green eyes blinked open to dazedly stare up at the night sky.  As the eyes began to slowly focus, bright green eyes met pale green eyes narrowed with concern.  “You okay Demi?”  A concerned voice asked as helpful hands eased her into a sitting position.

“I’m fine Kat,” Demi assured her best friend as she bit back a groan.  “What hit me?”

“The demon we were fighting got in a lucky punch,” Katrina told her as she sat back on her heels to study her friend.  “Are you sure you’re okay?  You still look queasy,” Katrina’s questioned anxiously as she pushed back a strand of bright red hair from Demi’s forehead.

“I’m fine,” Demi assured her with a bright smile as she waved a hand in the air.  Demi slowly rotated her head and then with a groan stood and stretched, wincing at the pull of muscles.  “Definitely going to need a rubdown though.” Demi grinned at Katrina as she rose to her feet beside Demi.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Katrina grinned and linked arms with Demi.  “In fact Maria’s inn is just ahead, what say we stay for the night and sleep in an actual bed for a change.”

“Sounds absolutely fabulous to me,” Demi assured her black haired friend as they began to walk down the dirt path.

“And since patrol went so well and we caught the demon we were looking for, I say we take the rest of the night off,” Katrina told Demi even as she continued to scan the night around them.

“Perfect,” Demi breathed as she laid her head on Katrina’s shoulder as they continued walking.  Katrina pressed a kiss to Demi’s head and Demi relaxed completely with the knowledge that she was loved and safe.

~~~*~~~

Katrina kept an eye out for any further trouble but there didn’t seem to be any demons around.  Katrina wasn’t quite sure how she knew that but it suddenly seemed like she could track demons and she was much stronger.  When that demon had sent Demi flying, everything in Katrina had stopped and when she had come to her senses the demon had been a bloody corpse before her.  She seemed to be faster and stronger.  In the morning she would bring it up to Demi and see what she thought was going on, but for tonight Katrina would let Demi sleep and recover.

When Katrina’s parents had died, there had been no one to take her in and her life had become a hellish blur of one foster home after another.  Then when she was eight Demi had appeared, with her bright red hair, green eyes and a loving nature.  With Demi she had found a reason to fight and someone to protect.  Katrina looked up into the night sky and thanked the powers and made a solemn vow that nothing would ever hurt Demi.

Demi sighed and relaxed even further into Katrina as they continued down the path.  Ordinarily she would be helping Katrina with scanning the night for danger, but tonight everything was spinning.  The hit she took from the demon had been a hard one.  Demi could remember the blow, the feeling of flying through the air and seeing the ground below rush up to meet her, but she didn’t remember hitting the ground.  In fact, when she had opened her eyes Demi had been convinced that there was supposed to be someone else there.

 But who else would there have been?  When it came down to it, Demi didn’t have anybody but Katrina and hadn’t since the day she had met Katrina when they were eight years old.  As the inn came into sight, Demi thanked the goddess for giving her Katrina.  She needed that one person who loved her unconditionally.

A figure watched the two girls from a distance.  After a few moments the figure turned and disappeared into the mist but not before whispering a final message into the night, “be happy.”

~Part: 5~

10 years later

The red tree will spread it’s branches and roots
The roots will bind all of hell in their tight embrace
The branches will offer life to heaven

The tree will fall
Forsaken by those called friends
The chosen one will became the Chosen ones
An army shall rise up from the tree’s ashes
All heading the tree’s call

From the trees’ tears shall be born another
The flame shall burn all away
United with the wind
Taking up the call
The two will stand before hell’s fury
United with the forsaken ones

The tree shall be reborn in hell’s fury
Sacrificing all to protect
The flame and the tree will decide
Life or death

Giles reread the text of the book that had just been delivered from the Watcher’s council.  His dark blue eyes blinked and he rubbed at his eyes, trying to deny what the text stated.  The letter with the book stated that the Council knew the team that was referred to and that the team would arrive in a week.

Giles was not thrilled with idea of telling Angel and the rest of the gang that there was a prophecy concerning their actions all those years ago.  His blue eyes stared unseeingly into the distance.  Had it really been 10 years since Willow’s death?  After that morning, the fight had gone out of the group left behind.  Buffy and Dawn had disappeared after the fight with Angel.  Conner and Xander checked in periodically, or at least Xander sent letters from time to time.

Giles had remained with the AI gang to help in LA.  If you could call what they did helping.  They did their best to prevent minor evils; most of the major players had been taken out with Willow’s sacrifice.  When you took into consideration the fact that everyone was going to have to come together to prevent another apocalypse, it was almost too much to deal with.   Giles sighed and shook his head.  Things had gone from unbearable to hellish in a blink of any eye.  With one last look at the prophecy he pushed away from his desk and went into search of the AI gang.

An hour later, Angel stared at Giles in silence.  His dark eyes pensive as he thought over what they had been told about the new prophecy and what it could mean.  Somehow, he had a feeling that they were missing something.  Of course trying to find everyone was going to be hard, but he had faith that they could find everyone.  What worried him was the line  “The tree shall be reborn in hell’s fury.”  For some reason, Angel knew that those words where the key to the entire prophecy.

“Angel?”  Giles’ hesitant voice broke into Angel’s thoughts.

“Yes?”

“What do you think?”

“I think that we are missing something obvious,” Angel told him as he dragged a hand through his hair.  “I’m not sure what it is, but I know that it’s important.”

“Perhaps we should do some research into the prophecy,” Wesley offered hesitantly.

“Good idea, Wes.”  Angle pushed himself away from the table.  “And then we need to spread the word that everyone needs to come back to LA.”

“I can do that,” Gunn offered.

“Thanks,” Angel smiled at everyone at the table before slowly walking away.

Everyone watched the dark vampire walk away, marveling at the changes the past decade had made.  Willow’s death had changed Angel in a way that no one had been expecting.  Now the search for redemption became the need to find salvation, so that in death Angel could be united with Willow.  He moved slower these days, as if he was feeling his age.  He could often be found sitting in his room, surrounded by Willow’s belonging, talking to her.

In the beginning this had caused some concern and the gang had watched Angel even more closely.  Fred had finally figured out that after these conversations, Angel was calmer and seemed happier.  Everyone had decided Angel needed this conversation to remind him why they fight and what his reward is going to be.  So they had pretended the conversations didn’t exist and someone always followed him when he made his annual trip to visit where Willow had died.

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