Part 14

The water was warm, but difficult to see through. Willow lost Xander's hand almost immediatly, an action which almost drove her to panic when she realized she would never find it again.
<Good-bye>
She dove, hard and fast, until she reached the bottom.
The surface was not a pearl as it appeared to be, but a softer, more bubble like material. It shifted oilly beneath her fingers, but was not altogether unpleasent. She pushed slightly, like a child testing bath water.
<Now or never>
She swallowed what little air was left in her lungs and kicked hard.
***
"Oof," Willow landed hard on her left shoulder. Fire shot through it quickly, and it began to numb almost immeadiately.
"Hurts, doesn't it?" Buffy asked. Willow sat up. "I missed you so much, Will," she said, launching herself at her friend. Willow buried her face in Buffy's hair and held on for dear life.
"I didn't think I'd ever get to see you again." The weight of that burden fell away from Willow's heart. "There's so much to tell you."
Buffy swiped at her eyes. "You've got time. It moves so much slower here."
"Where are we?"
"I was half-hoping you could tell me."
The ground beneath them was solid, the air dark. Buffy's face was lit by the only light in the room: a white taper candle.
"I don't know,"she said. Her throat hurt and suddenly the emotions where just too much. Tears burst from her eyes.
Buffy drew her friend to her tightly. "Oh, Wills. It's going to be all right." She stroked her red hair softly.
"Oh, Buffy, I'm so confused. You won't believe everything that's happened. And all I've wanted to do is talk to you and now I can. . .it hurts to much." Willow raised her stained face from Buffy's lap. The other girl smiled sadly and wiped the water from her friend's pale cheeks.
"Willow, I know a lot more than you think."
She stiffened. "How much?"
"Enough."
Tears flowed anew. "I'm sorry, Buffy."
"For loving him?" She smiled melancholy. "I. . .a part of me. . ." She shook herself. "Willow, I always knew I wasn't going to live forever. I never thought I'd make it as far as I did. And when Angel and I got involved, I wondered how it would affect him when I died. He can be so self-punishing. . . I was afraid he'd go back to the place he was before," he voice choked. "That's a dark place, Willow, but you kept him out of it."
"I thought you'd hate me."
"Hate you? Willow, you saved him, in every way a person can be saved. I'll love you forever."
They embraced fiercely, both girls wracked by sobs.
"Thank-you," Willow whispered softly. "I don't think I ever would have really been able to. . .without feeling guilty."
Buffy wiped at her eyes. "I would give anything to hold him again."
Pain exploded in Willow's chest. "Buffy, I barely made it through this month. . .I can't live the rest of my life like this."
"You have to. We only get so long to do what we're meant to do. For me, it was shorter than usual. For you, it's longer."
"I feel. . ."
"I know. But listen: Time comes again. Live your life, and miss me, but please be happy. "
The ground beneath them shook. Suddenly, it was harder to hold Buffy, to feel her.
"No!" Willow screamed. "No, please, I don't want to let you go."
"They need you, Willow. Fight the darkness."
"Please, no," she sobbed. The last thing she felt was Buffy's lips coolly kissing her cheek.
"Time comes again. Good-bye, my friend."
***
Willow came to in Angel's arms.
"What did you do?" she demanded. "What did you do?!"
"Oh, Willow," he said, burying his face in her neck. "I had to. You weren't breathing. I thought," His breath was ragged against her skin, and her anger melted away. She stroked his hair.
"I found her," she whispered. He raised his face in disbelief. "She's alright. She'e going to be alright." He lowered his head again.
"I love you," he said, laying himself at her feet.
"I love you," she said. Darkness swirled around them. She looked at Giles, who was sitting three feet away, tears gliding down his face.
"Did you really. . ."
She nodded. He looked away and swallowed.
Willow disentangled herself from Angel's embrace. She climbed shakily to her feet and raised her hands above her head. Power rippled through the air, struck the energy around them. Fear clutched at her, but still she spread herself, opening her soul to the
<lose my mind goddess no>
evil. She called it into herself, and the pain was cruel. It was no match, though, for the aching lose it found there, and the anger that swelled against it.
The Hellmouth was open, she could feel it, and the vibrations it sent out struck her forcibly, but still she pushed, binding the darkness. She pictured it shrinking and crawling back into the hell it came out of. She heard a scream that was like a thousand babies dying, that ripped at the core of her being and brought her to her knees. . .
Then there was a tangible release and the air was still.
"I did it," she said, dumb-struck.
"You did it," Angel said, equally stupid.
Giles laughed breathlessly.
"I did it," she said again, launching herself at Angel. He held her tightly, joy bubbling through his blood. "She's free," Willow whispered against his neck.
He kissed her deeply, mouth gently claiming hers. "So are you," he whispered back.

Epilogue

Willow adjusted the last strap that was holding their luggage to the roof of the sedan Angel had recently purchased. . .and had limo tinting installed on.
"It looks so much better than black spray-paint," Willow had explained. "Welcome to the nineties."
"That's everything," She said as the sun set across the hills. Angel's arm, heavy and warm, slid around her waist.
"Are you ready?" he asked softly.
She swallowed. "Yes."
After many late-night talks in bed, her head cradled comfortingly against Angel's strong chest, she had decided there was nothing keeping her in Sunnydale.
"I can't breathe here," she had sobbed as his hands stroked her body comfortingly. "Everywhere I turn, it hurts."
"Then we'll leave," he had whispered, kissing her temple.
She turned to see Giles standing beside Joyce in the driveway. He was holding a small, department store-wrapped gift in his hands, which her handed to Willow.
"A house-warming gift," he explained. His eyes were sad. She hugged him tightly.
"We'll stay in touch," she said honestly and eagerly.
"Of course," he replied, removing his glasses.
"Mrs. Summers," Willow said, embracing her warmly.
"Good luck, sweetheart," she said, and Willow was happy to see that, slowly, peace was returning to the older woman's face.
Giles cleared his throat. "Willow, your parents. . ."
"They didn't take it very well."
"I know. My official reason for being here today is to talk you out of this, as was requested of me by your mother last night."
Willow gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry."
"No, I am. I wish they could see who you are, Willow, but they can't."
"Giles, about my leaving. . ." She took a deep breath. Giles was her watcher, her mentor, her father. His approval, especially considering the lack of her parents', was important to her. He was the one person who might actually be able to make her stay. She clearly saw her father's face, contorted with anger, insisting that they would starve, demanding to know who this man was, insisting that Willow was still a child. Angel patiently explaining his love and respect for Willow, his intentions on their relationship, his considerable bank account. Shelia asking if she was on drugs. Willow trying to tell them as much as she could, trying to make them see. . . then anger taking over.
"No," she had finally said. "I refuse to explain myself anymore if you're not even going to listen to me. Everything I've ever had has been taken away from me, and this is my one shot at being happy. I'm taking it. Don't you dare stand in my way, or you'll regret it." Then, Angel's hand grasped firmly in her own, fleeing.
"I wish you every happiness, Willow. Good luck." Giles smiled at her.
She smiled back.
The two men shook hands, and a silent message that Willow could not interpert seemed to pass between them.
She took a letter out of her back pocket. "Give this to Oz for me," she said, handing it to Giles. "He deserves some. . .closure, I guess. I nevwer meant to hurt him."
Giles accepted it with a nod.
Willow walked away slowly, climbed into the car. Angel started it and began to back out of the driveway. As she waved to Giles, ahe clutched her lover's hand tightly.
They drove off into the night.

go to the Sequel: The Daywalker Prophecy

Return