Distribution: TPWFLD; anyone else, if you really want it, keep my name attached and tell me where it's going.
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers: Up to Dopplegangland. Taken a few liberties.
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine. I'm just borrowing and promise to give them back...well maybe.
Feedback: I've discovered I'm just a feedback ho. It gives me happies. Plus it's the only way I'll send more.
Author's 1: This is my first W/A fic and is what happens when the mind wanders due to boring construction litigation.
Author's 2: I want to give a big thanks and lots of chocolate sauce to Carrie for betaing and Nate for the title ideas.
Thoughts are in <<>>.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 1~
<<Calm, Willow. Don't let them know,>> she told herself. She glanced at him as the others left to prepare for the ritual, her red lips curling up in a smile. They were going to send her back. She would be glad to return to her dark world. Yet, looking at him now, she wasn't entirely sure that she wanted to leave. Especially since she had seen him being staked just moments before she was pulled out of her world and into this one.
Looking at him now all, she wanted to do was stay here with him. In fact, she liked him better here. He was so dark. Dark hair, dark eyes that revealed a barely suppressed strength. <<He's stronger here,>> she thought to herself. He looked like he'd be very fun to play with and that he'd also enjoy playing the game.
She'd noticed the looks between him and her counterpart. Oh yes, the attraction was there just like it was in her world. <<If they're going to send me back, I may as well have some fun here before I go,>> she told herself. <<And he's the one I'm going to have fun with.>>
Turning openly to him, she looked him up and down appraisingly. "Bored now. Want to play?" she asked him huskily, pouting as she walked towards him.
"No, I don't," he said, turning his dark eyes to study her. She was slowly walking towards him. << No, not walking, that looks more like stalking,>> he said to himself. <<God, this is what Willow would be like if she were ever a vampire,>> he thought.
He was trying to deny just how sexy the thought of a Willow without inhibitions really was. And the leather. Dear God, when Willow put the outfit on for the charade at the Bronze, it was all he could do not to grab her and take her then and there.
And now, here was her vampire counterpart, in leather, giving him a look that was very hard to ignore.
"No?" she queried, looking into his eyes. "But why not? We could have fun," she purred as she ran her hands up his chest to rest on his shoulders.
"I said, no!" he growled at her, grabbing her hands and pushing her away.
"No? You're lying. You want to play. You want to play with her. I see it when you look at her. But she's weak and scared, where as I'm strong and confident. There's a lot we could do for fun," she told him, as she stood across from him, leaning back against the table in center of the room.
"What don't you understand about the word no?" he spat out, glaring at her. <<Damn, this is getting harder. She looks so much like our Willow. Would it be so wrong? Just this once? It's not like I'll ever have a chance really. Willow's got Oz...she doesn't want me,>> he thought to himself.
The redheaded vampire stalked back to stand in front of him. Reaching out with her hand, she ran a black polished nail down his check. "I know you want to play. I'm tempting, aren't I?" she questioned. "So much like her. But so much freer. You know, I was just like her once. Insecure, unnoticed, walked on...a mouse. No one paid any attention to me. Even my friends took me for granted. I was considered one of the smartest in town, and I was. That's why I welcomed the change and the power that came with it."
He looked down at her and knew he was lost when he saw her large green eyes and the unexpected reflected in them. Pain? From the memories of how she'd been treated? He wondered if this was how their Willow felt and knew it was.
He reached up to take hold of her hand, now resting on his jacket. Pulling her up against him, he growled. He watched as she snapped her gaze up to his momentarily startled, and then the cold smile appeared on her face.
"So, Puppy does want
to play?" he heard her ask before lowering his lips to hers.
~Part: 2~
The kiss was like an electric shock through his body. "Puppy?" he thought as their lips met, then the thought fled his mind. In fact, everything fled his mind except the thought of the redheaded vampiress and what they could do to each other.
The kiss continued, tongues dueling, fangs nipping. VWillow ‘s hands pushed the coat off his broad shoulders, her mouth trailing light kisses and nips along his jaw line. As her hands went to his shirt, her mouth found his throat. Quickly and easily finding his pulse point, she nipped at him, savoring the taste of his blood...the strength and the suppressed darkness. <<Need to bring that out,>> she thought. <<His darkness would be so much fun.>>
While VWillow was concentrating on his throat, Angel was occupied with learning all he could of her body. He felt guilty at what he knew was going to happen. He knew it wasn't her he wanted but he knew that he could never have what he wanted...who he wanted. This Willow was as close as he would ever get to his heart's desire, and he no longer cared if it was wrong...it was all he thought he'd ever have.
Her lips left a trail of fire on his skin. She really was driving him insane. His hands moving, over her body of their own accord, slowly sliding down her back, then kneading her ass and her hips. At her waist, his fingers lightly skimmed the waistband of her supple leather pants, undoing the top buttons, before moving to her close-fitting top. Here he slowed down, taking his time unfastening the ruffled leather top. At the same time, his lips and fangs were leaving a trail of wet kisses and shallow cuts down her throat and to the top of her breasts.
VWillow was quickly losing all sense of control...of herself and of the situation. What started as a fun game with this world's Angel had quickly spiraled into something much different. All she wanted was him...she couldn't get close enough...couldn't touch him enough. <<What the hell is happening to me? Is this really what's fated?>> she thought.
The answers were not forthcoming and the questions were pushed to the back of her mind when she felt Angel begin to nip at her right breast. He lightly bit into her breast and began to suckle at it. While doing this he worried the nipple on her left breast, first rolling it between his fingers, then pinching and twisting it.
<<That's it.>> VWillow thought. Her hands quickly found and opened the buttons of his jeans and released his erection. She grasped him in her hand and slowly skimmed her hand from the base to the head of his cock.
Angel growled as VWillow wrapped her legs around his hips, rubbing her wetness against him. He was lost and he knew it. Capturing her lips in a rough kiss, he thrust into her brutally, uncaring of anything but the feeling of being inside her. Breaking off the kiss he raised his eyes to hers...amber looking into amber. VWillow moved her head to the side exposing her throat to Angel. Lowering his mouth to her throat, Angel's fangs stung as they pierced the tender skin of her neck. VWillow could feel him rapidly approaching his orgasm as she bit him drawing his blood into her. They tasted the darkness that controlled them both at that moment, as well as their wonder at their reactions to each other. As they climaxed together, they drank hungrily from each other, both wanting to savor something they knew they would never again have.
As the redhead raised
her head from Angel's neck, she sees the door to the room quietly close.
But not before glimpsing her human counterpart turn to flee with a look
of shock on her face.
~Part: 3~
Willow quietly walked down the hall. Slipping into an empty room, she closed the door and slowly slid down to the floor, her back against the door. Her face pale as she stared unseeingly across the room.
<<Goddess>> she thought. <<I couldn't have just seen what I thought I did.>> But she knew she was just trying to delude herself. She knew becasue the moment she closed her eyes, she saw the scene she almost walked into. Her other self and Angel... <<No! Don't go there Willow.>> she admonished herself. <<Once was bad enough. You don't want to relive that.>>
She groaned. <<How could they? How could He? That was me. Well, not me but still she looked just like me, could be me...great Willow, confuse yourself .>>
<<Goddess, I cna't just stay in here. I'm supposed to get them and meet the others for the ritual to send her back.>>
Standing up, Willow turned, reached for the door handle and stopped. <<Oh, no>> she thought frantically <<How am I gonna be able to face them...face Angel? And Buffy? I just saw her honey have sex with me.>> Willow groaned once again, slowly knocking her forehead agaisnt the door.
Finally stopping her head banging, Willow took a deep breath. <<Might as well get this over with.>> She sighed, opened the door and began to walk down the hall, back to the room occupied by Angel and her counterpart, making as much noise as possible.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The red-headed vampiress allowed herself a frown as she saw this world's Willow quickly back out of the doorway. She couldn't understand the look on the girl's face. Okay, perhaps seeing the vampires feeding off each other and the peak of the sexual act wasn't an everyday occurrrence but still, didn't she undertand. He wants her...more than he's ever watned that Slayer.
She was pulled out of her toughts when she heard the other vampire pull away from her groaning "Oh God".
"God? Don't think he was involved." She told him with a sly grin on her face. "But we can always have another go again to be sure." She watched as he quickly dressed, barely even glancing at her.
"You know," she said, "you're really a lot more fun than Puppy. Not just darker and stronger. You know that sometimes you have to pay to get something. Even if it's only an illusion of what you really want."
"Just who is this Puppy?" Angel asked the red-head, glad to have something to think about other than what had just transpired between them.
"My Puppy?" she said, cocking her head slightly as she looked at him. "Why that's you. At least in my world he's you. But not you." She said frowning.
"Your's" Angel asked.
"Yes, mine. Though the Master didn't alwasy let me play with him. He came looking for the Slayer but she didn't come to Sunnydale. After the Master rose and made me, I decided Pupppy could cause trouble so I caught him. I played the most wonderful games with him. But he was so weak, he never fought except at the beginning. He didn't understand the game or how to really play it." Having dressed and arranged her clothes, Willow looked up at Angel and arched an eyebrow. "Wanna be my Puppy?"
"No!" Angel spat out, a look of distate on his face.
"But you want to be her's don't you?" The vampiress asked.
"What?" Angel stared at her, once again noticing how much like their Willow she looked at times.
"You want to be hers and you want her to be yours...your Willow." The vampiress sat on the table, her green eyes darkening, seemingly looking into his soul. "It's obvious...at least it is to me. So the question is, why haven't you gotten her, hmm?"
Angel glared at her. "And I should discuss this with you?"
"Of course you should."
~Part: 4~
Angel stared at VWillow in amazement. After a minute, he threw back his head and laughed. "You know, that really is funny. I should discuss Willow with you? What a joke," he said sarcastically.
"Yes, you should," VWillow pouted, seemingly upset at Angel's finding amusement at her suggestion.
"Why?" he questioned, still chuckling at the thought of telling the redhead anything. "Why would I discuss Willow with you?" Angel looked at her questioningly, a mixture of disgust and amusement in his eyes.
"Because I know her better than anyone else does," VWillow stated, shrugging her shoulders in an attempt throw off the hurt she was actually feeling. She was really trying to help him and his Willow. "I was her once. I was the smart one, the practical one, the shy one. Plus I'm going back to my world. So, who better to use as a sounding board than me? I know how she thinks and how she feels, and I won't be around to tell anyone your deep, dark secret feelings," VWillow stated, grinning slyly during the last part of her statement.
Angel watched her as she gave him her reasons why he should confide in her. He had to agree with her logic. It made perfect sense to talk to her about his feelings for Willow. She did know best how Willow would react to anything he did. <So what's the problem?> he questioned himself.
One look at her and he knew the answer. She may not be his Willow, but maybe she could have been in her world if things had happened differently. She may be a vicious, vampire but there was still something about her that screamed of the Willow he knew, and it had nothing to do with her looks. It was the sadness that sometimes appeared in her eyes when she thought no one was looking at her, the look of wanting to belong, of wanting to be in control, of wanting to be paid attention to.
This vampiress did have all the fears that his Willow had. He knew she had told him the truth earlier when she spoke of what she was like before being turned. And there was the problem. Examining his feelings, he knew that much of his reluctance to tell her anything, stemmed from his fear of being told that Willow would be horrified by his feelings towards her.
But this wasn't the only reason. There was still the voice in the back of his mind telling him that this redhead wasn't Willow. That this red-haired vampiress...this most horrible evil, nurtured by the Master, that could take the appearance of such innocence, was not the person he wanted her to be. Could she be trusted? With all her talk of playing, is this a game to her? Is she just wanting to see how much she could screw him over mentally...to mind fuck him? <<Damn, what do I do?>> He closed his eyes and took an unneeded, but soothing, deep breath.
Straightening and pulling himself up to his full height, he opened his eyes and found her intently watching him, an inquisitive gleam in her eye. Seeing through the intensity of her green eyes he made his decision.
"Well?" she questioned softly. "Will you confide in me? I might actually be able to help."
"Help?" he choked out. "I don't think so. There's nothing to say...nothing to be done."
"Such despair," she commented, a sad tone to her voice. "I don't understand it. You want her, don't you?"
"Yes. I have for a long time." he replied as he walked over to a chair at the table. Dropping into the chair, he slumped forward, his eyes staring unseeingly at a spot on the floor. "I was always drawn to her...from the moment I arrived in Sunnydale. I never understood that. I always felt a pull to protect her, but that's all it was. At least that's what I thought...until I lost my soul."
"What?" VWillow exclaimed, startled by the comment. "You lost your soul? But Puppy never..."
"Well, I did."
"You were Angelus again? I've heard stories about you from the Master and from Darla when she visited. I always wished I could have met him." VWillow said wistfully. " Is that what I sensed in you? Oh, tell me of the things you did. It must have been glorious." She was almost pleading, and when Angel glanced up at her he could have sworn she was bouncing on her toes.
"It was not my most glorious moment. If I could go back and change things..." he growled softly but forcefully at her.
"Oh, yes. You wouldn't think so now, seeing that you have your soul and all. Sorry, I forgot." She watched him return to his former state again, staring at the floor. "So, how did you lose your soul, and what does that have to do with your Willow?" she questioned.
"Short version. Moment of true happiness with Buffy and I became Angelus. Then I went after Buffy's friends, originally to hurt her before killing her. Somewhere along the line though, I started to obsess over Willow. I didn't even realize it at first. All the chances I had to kill her and I never did. I had an invitation into her home at one point and still didn't physically harm her. I remember watching her night after night. I played games with the Slayer and made Spike's life miserable...all to try to get her out of my head. It didn't work. I figured what better way to get rid of my obsession than to get the world sucked into hell. That didn't work. I almost succeeded. I opened Acathla, but my soul was restored to me, and Buffy sent me to hell, closing Acathla and saving the world."
"Soul restored...sent to hell?" VWillow gasped quietly, shock and disbelief showing on her face. "How?"
"How what?"
"How did you return from hell...with your soul? How did you get your soul restored?" She asked, fear tinging her voice.
"I still don't know how or why I was allowed out of hell. As for the soul restoration...that was Willow," he replied. VWillow almost didn't hear the last response, his voice barely a whisper.
"Willow?"
"Yes."
"So, she kept up her studies," VWillow mumbled to herself.
"Studies?"
"My turn now, huh?" Her eyes taking on a reflectiveness he hadn't seen before.
"Yup," he grinned at her, glad for the break away from the painful memories.
"The talent is a gift. I had it also. I still can recall the first spell I ever did. My proudest moment actually was the first time I levitated a pencil." She grimaced and then laughed. "I know, a silly thing but I was young, and I felt special...for the first time in a long time. After I was turned I lost the ability. I hadn't learned enough to keep hold of it after the change. It's one of the few things I really miss of my old life." VWillow finished, her red lips curling into a small, sad smile.
"Seems like you're a lot more like the human you once were than you'd like to admit," Angel said, looking at VWillow with a new understanding.
"No. I. Am. Not." VWillow spat out through clenched teeth. "The human was weak and needy, I'm neither." she said, a coldness invading her voice that had been absent during most of her conversation with Angel.
"Weak? Perhaps, physically. But as a human you would have had the same intelligence and strength spiritually. Our Willow keeps the group together; everyone looks to her for support," Angel countered, hoping that this Willow would understand the truth of what he was saying.
Raising eyes that had become cold and hard, she looked in his eyes. "That was no longer enough in my Sunnydale. Strength of the heart did not keep you alive after the Master rose. I was smart enough to figure out the best way to survive. Are you? Will you leave here, never telling her or showing her what you feel? What kind of unlife will you have then? I'll tell you. You won't...you'll simply be existing. I can see what you feel for her, your Willow. I can also see what she feels. If I were you I'd take action before you do lose her before you've even had her," she growled. By the time VWillow was done, the two vampires were standing facing each other in an almost confrontational stance.
"Or is she not worth your soul?" she sneered. "Are your feelings actually so shallow? Prove you're worthy."
As VWillow finished, she suddenly realized that she felt the tug of her other self. Turning she saw her twin standing in the doorway, her eyes skittering back and forth from her to Angel.
"Um..Angel?" Willow stammered. "We're ready to try the ritual." Willow's eyes leapt from one vampire to the other, avoiding looking at them in the eye, not knowing how to react to them after what she'd seen earlier. <<Pretend like you just got here. They don't know. Breathe,>> she thought. Looking at her vampiric self, she was startled to see sad eyes staring back at her.
"I guess that means
it's time for me to go home," VWillow said as she slowly began to walk
toward the door.
~Part: 5~
Abandoned Factory
VWillow looked on as the Watcher, his slayer and the rest of their gang prepared for the ritual that would send her back to her world. As much as she wanted to return home, she knew she'd miss this world. Oh, she wouldn't miss the Slayer or these hangers-on, but she would miss her human self and her puppy. Though she wouldn't admit it to anyone here, sometimes she missed that part of herself that made her the girl she was before becoming a vampire. She wished she could have retained some of what she was. But in her world, she couldn't have any compassion or wonder. To survive in her world, she had to lose all those qualities and become cold, ruthless and vicious.
Lost in her thoughts, VWillow didn't realize that it was almost time for the ritual until her human counterpart sat down next to her.
"It's almost time to send you back," Willow stated quietly, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Unfortunately," VWillow sighed.
"Unfort... oh," Willow stammered.
VWillow watched the redhead beside her. The girl seemed troubled by something. Watching Willow looking at those preparing for the ritual, Willow believed she knew what the problem was.
"How much did you see?" VWillow asked softly.
"What? I didn't see--"
"Willow, I know you saw us," VWillow stated bluntly, having interrupted Willow's protests. "I also know that you won't tell anyone about it. Thing is, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Not the watcher, not the wolf, and not the Slayer," the finality in her voice causing it to sound even harsher than usual.
"But Buffy--." Willow began.
"But Buffy nothing," VWillow hissed. "The Slayer has no part of this. The only opinions that matter are mine, yours and your Angel's."
"He's not my Angel, he's Buffy's. And why would my opinion matter?" Willow said quickly, almost tripping over the words.
"Willow, you forget who you're sitting next to. I'm you. I may be slightly different but--"
"Slightly?" Willow interjected, her voice rising. Noticing the looks she was receiving from the others, she lowered her voice and once more asked, "Slightly?"
"Okay a bit more than slightly," VWillow responded. Receiving a look of shock and exasperation from her human self, she softly acquiesced. "Alright, so I'm a vampire and evil, and you're not. We still aren't that different."
"Yeah sure. I go around seducing other girls' guys all the time," Willow shot back before she realized what she was saying. "And I just said that out loud, didn't I?" She asked in a resigned tone.
"Yup, sure did. But it's not like I never blurted out what I was thinking. Used to always do that. In fact, I still catch myself doing it. Especially lately," VWillow said as she grinned at Willow and winked.
"You did?"
"Constantly. Always embarrassed myself, usually in front of Xander and Jesse, though they hardly ever listened to me so..."
"Yeah, got you there. I so understand...completely."
Both redheads then sighed, a far away look in their eyes. As they realized what they had done, they just looked at each other and grinned.
Giggling, Willow leaned towards VWillow and whispered in her ear. "Guess you're right. Maybe we are alike in most ways."
"See, listen to your sister," VWillow said, grinning as she winked at the human.
"So, we're more alike than I wanted to admit. What good does that do me? I'm still plain old Willow. And what does it have to do with what you did earlier?" Willow asked, her voice getting quieter as she finished.
"Willow, I just told you we're more alike than not. What happened earlier has everything to do with our similarities." VWillow took an unnecessary breath and was about to continue when Willow cut her off.
"No it doesn't," Willow stated emphatically. "Nothing you do with Angel has anything to do with me."
VWillow sighed and shook her head. "Yes it does. It has more to do with you than you know."
"More to do with me? But how? I don't get it," Willow asked curiously, looking at her vampiric counterpart with more than a little confusion.
"Do you really want to know?" VWillow asked with a tinge of gentleness. "It's not a pretty story and that's my opinion. I'm sure you'll like it even less."
"Yes, I do want to hear it. At least as much of it as possible in the time we have. It's important, don't you think?" Willow stated with a quiet determination.
"You're right. It is important." VWillow leaned back and straightened her shoulders. "Shall I start from the beginning?" she asked, looking at her human twin.
Willow said nothing, only nodding slightly.
"I remember when I first saw Angel. There was something about him. I knew he was different. Sounds pretty cliched but it's true," VWillow began. "But I was just Willow, and I knew he'd never notice me. Eventually we did meet and once again I was right. I was the friend and nothing else. He always seemed to be looking for someone, that someone I found out much later was the Slayer. About two months after he arrived in town, the trouble really started. Sunnydale had never been safe but people were disappearing at an alarming rate. Then Angel began talking about the Harvest and the Master. Of course no one believed him. The people of Sunnydale have never exactly had a strong grip on what really goes on in this town. Any ways, no one believed him, including me. That is until I came across Colin. I assume he was here...they called him the Anointed One."
VWillow saw Willow nod her head in acknowledgment of the child vampire.
"When the brat got me, he took me to the Master, who didn't waste any time in turning me. It was only after this that I found out exactly who and what Angel was. Then came the Harvest. Such a wonderful time it was. The Master rose, and I managed to dispose of the brat the same night. I was now the Master's favorite.
The problem was that there wasn't much to do. I had all this power that I never dreamt of having but I was bored. There was no challenge. So I decided to go after the two things I wanted. One was Xander. Somehow he had managed to survive the Harvest. It really wasn't difficult to convince him to invite me into his house. And he did make a wonderful and vicious vampire. We were such a good team...just like I had always known we would be.
Unfortunately, there's only so much mayhem we could do in a town that was ruled by the vampires. Once again I was bored, so I went after the one other thing I wanted...Angel. I convinced the Master that he could cause us great trouble if not dealt with, so going after him was no problem. He put up a marvelous fight but I won. Darla once told me that I equaled Angelus in my viciousness. I suppose that if he hadn't had his soul, he wouldn't have lost...wouldn't have given up so easily. Because of who he was and my defeat of him, the Master allowed me to keep him. Such a wonderful Puppy we was too. I did so enjoy torturing him. Unfortunately, he just wouldn't play after a while."
Willow sat staring in shock at the vampiress. "Puppy? Wait a minute. Are you saying that you became a vampire, killed the Anointed One, turned Xander, then captured Angel, kept him as your pet and tortured him?"
"Yup. I always knew I was quick," VWillow grinned. "Puppy once told me that what hurt him most about his failures in Sunnydale was losing me to the Master. Xander heard him and laughed, telling Puppy that his lies would never convince me to release him. Xander was correct that I'd never let Puppy go, but he was wrong in the reason. I knew Puppy was telling the truth about his feelings for me. He gave up not because the Master rose, not because the Slayer never came to Sunnydale, but because he lost Willow. Though I never knew it at the time, he had been watching and protecting me since we met. The night Colin grabbed me was the first time he hadn't been shadowing me. He blamed himself. I never could make him understand that I liked being a vampire, that the Master gave me the choice and I chose to become a vampire. I tried to convince him that if he would only swear allegiance to the Master then I could release him and we could be together. His ‘conscience' wouldn't let him. And now I have nothing." VWillow stared off into the distance, her eyes shadowed with sadness and what appeared to be remorse.
"What happened?" Willow prodded gently, touching VWillow's arm to get her attention.
"The Slayer finally came to town," VWillow began, her voice turning cold. "She and the White Hats attacked. Somehow she had found and released Puppy. The Master and Xander were destroyed in the fight along with the Slayer."
"But wouldn't that have left you in charge if you survived. Then you could release him and ..."
"It was too late. He was destroyed too. I saw it. I felt nothing when the Master and Xander were destroyed. But when Puppy, when he..." VWillow faltered and began again. "Until that moment, I didn't realize that a part of me was still able to love and that I still had a heart could be broken. If I return to my world, I don't know what I have left to survive for. All I ever wanted no longer exists." VWillow paused taking an unnecessary breath.
"What you saw earlier, it was ‘my' one moment of happiness...of having what I know I will never really have. For Angel..." VWillow suddenly took Willow's hand in hers and looked intently at her. "Believe this if you believe nothing else I have told you. Angel and I grabbed a fantasy. Neither of us saw the other. I saw Puppy, my Angel, the man I first met, the vampire I loved and now mourn. Angel saw you, the woman he believes he can never have...the woman he loves."
"No," Willow sputtered, shaking her head quickly. "You're wrong. Angel loves Buffy. He's always loved Buffy. Me? I'm just his friend."
"And is that all you want to be?" the vampiress asked, before releasing Willow's hand. "You know I've seen you watching him. And if we're as alike as I believe we are, then your feelings for your Angel run as deeply as my feelings for mine."
"But he's Buffy's. I can't compete with her. And even if what you said about his feelings are true, I still can't do anything. Buffy's my best friend. I could never do that to her," Willow stated, sadness causing her voice to break.
"Willow, can you do me one favor? Please just think about this. In my world, Angel and Buffy were never together and when they finally were together, it only caused a lot of pain and death. I don't think they are meant to be together. A Slayer and a vampire? No higher being, good or evil, would allow such an unnatural relationship."
"But why would Angel and I be any better?" Willow asked, the confusion evident in her voice and in her eyes as she looked at her twin.
"Willow, you are a witch. Just as Angel spans both good and evil, so do you," VWillow replied. "And don't deny it. You know that the line dividing good and evil which you tread as a witch is narrow."
"Fine. I promise I'll think about what you've said. But that's all I'll do," Willow acquiesced to her counterparts request.
"That's all I ask for." VWillow grinned as she looked at her human twin, seeing so many possibilities for the girl's future and happiness.
Looking around, Willow was surprised that the others were not done with the preparations for returning the vampiress to her world. "I think maybe I better go see what's taking them so long. We should be ready to start by now."
At Willow's comment, VWillow surveyed the assembled group. As Willow got up to see what was causing the delay, she heard VWillow mutter softly to herself, "If only you knew how lucky you were to have a chance for happiness."
With these words
running through her mind, Willow began to form a plan that would change
all their lives.
~Part: 6~
Later that night
"Are you sure that this'll work?" the blonde slayer asked.
Willow looked at Buffy and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I'm positive. I looked over the spell with Anya and found what the problem was. We just had to change the order of some of the wording. Nothing much but it also meant that we needed a few extra supplies. If you don't trust me, just ask Giles." The redhead raced through the explanation, busily organizing the supplies for the ritual soon to be perform in the abandoned warehouse.
Willow's heart was racing. She was lying to Buffy, her best friend. And why? Because she had actually grown fond of her evil self. <<Have I gone insane?>> she thought to herself. <<Oh goddess, please let everything work out. If Giles or any of them ever find out what I'm planning to do, they'll think I'm possessed...or worse.>> Willow came out of her inner dialogue in time to hear Buffy's reply.
"No, no. I trust you, Willow," the words rushing out of Buffy's mouth in reassurance. "Of course I do. I'm just kinda spooked. I really want her back in her old world. I don't like the vampire you, she gives me the major wiggins." The slayer finished her explanation with a sugary smile belied by the visible shudder that passed through her as she glanced at VWillow.
Willow smiled slightly at Buffy. Turning around, she motioned to Anya. "How are your preparations coming?" she asked the demoness.
"Done," she sighed. "All we need to do is get everyone in place," she replied, a gleam in her eye unnoticed by everyone but the two redheads in the room.
Willow stood next to Anya as everyone assumed their places. "Are you sure this is going to work?" Anya asked Willow. "If your friends find out what we're doing, I am not taking responsibility," she warned the witch.
"Don't worry, I'm positive this will work," Willow replied with a certainty she wasn't feeling. "And once this is over with, we can work on getting your necklace back," the redhead grinned as she left Anya's side to ensure that everyone was where they should be.
"No, Xander," Willow sighed. "You're supposed to be next to Giles and opposite Anya."
Xander took his position and looked around at the people that formed a circle in the middle of the room. "So Willow, where are you gonna be?"
"I'm casting this so I'll be in the center," Willow stated.
"And what about Deadboy? And her?" he asked nervously, pointing at Willow's vampire counterpart.
"In the middle, of course," the vampiress said from across the room. "I am the guest of honor for this little spell, aren't I?" VWillow smirked and winked at Xander.
Xander gulped loudly and looked across at Buffy, his eyes glazing over with discomfort and fear.
"Willow, are you sure that you and Anya can do this?" Giles spoke up. The librarian seemed concerned though a bit distracted by the events that centered around the hacker and the appearance of her evil twin.
"Of course we know what we're doing," replied Anya disdainfully. "I have been around long enough to be able to modify a spell. And Willow's powerful enough to do this. Now if there are no more questions about our abilities?" the demoness glared at the Brit before sliding her gaze to Xander and then Oz. "Men," she muttered to herself, "not good for much of anything if they're allowed to think."
As everyone settled into their places, Willow reviewed her plan. <<I hope this works, and that Giles doesn't notice what some of the changes mean.>> She nervously glanced around, her gaze finally resting on Angel and thinking back to her conversation with her twin. <<If she was right, then all I'll have to do is find the courage to confront him. I should be able to do that, no problem. If she could do it then so can I. We are the same. I'd be a lot more like her without all my inhibitions. So all I have to do is make this work. C'mon Willow, you're a witch. If you brought her here, you can send her anywhere you want.>>
Finishing up her internal pep talk, Willow walked over to Angel and asked him to enter the circle.
"Tell me again why Angel has to be in the center with you?" Buffy asked in an annoying voice.
"I've already explained this to you Buffy," Willow said rolling her eyes at the Slayer. "Angel knows me...her...us in both worlds. He'll act as an anchor for me and a locator to send her back." Willow felt like beating Buffy upside the head with something as she had already explained everything to the Slayer three times that evening. <<How dense can she get?>> Willow thought to herself.
Willow cleared her thoughts and turned away from Buffy. She left Angel's side and walked over to her twin who still had not joined the group.
"Ready?" Willow asked, her voice not betraying any of her nervousness.
The vampiress nodded slowly, a sly smile forming on her face. "You've explained everything quite well, sister." Leaning in to Willow, the vampiress stated softly, "If this works, you have my promise that I'll hold up my end of our agreement. I know who to seek out."
The witch quietly responded, her voice audible only to her twin next to her, "I know this will work, and I expect to hear from you soon. Now let's make this good for the rest of them."
The redheads enter the circle made by the witch's friends. As Anya began lighting the bundle of herbs, the twin redheads faced each other. As Willow began the incantation, the temperature in the room dropped dramatically. Anya softly repeated Willow's words when a light slowly enveloped VWillow. As the light strengthened, becoming almost blinding, Willow leaned toward VWillow and whispered something to the vampiress. Willow then reached behind her towards Angel and tightly grasped his hand. Suddenly the light flashed brightly, encompassing both redheads, and just as suddenly faded. The space in the circle where VWillow stood was now vacant. Those remaining in the factory were all unconscious.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel slowly came to and sat up. Looking around the darkened room, he saw the that the rest of the group still unconscious and in a circle around him. Looking next to him he saw the redhead whose hand he still held. <<She doesn't look good.>> He thought to himself. <<This took a lot more out of her than any of us realized it would.>>
Gently he reached out to brush her hair out of her face with his free hand. His eyes darkened as he realized how faint her heartbeat was. "C'mon Willow, wake up. I'm not gonna lose you now. I don't know if I could handle losing you, not this soon after I finally understand just how much you mean to me," he whispered softly to her. Angel sat next to the redhead, softly stroking her cheek with his fingertips and praying to any god that would listen that she would be alright.
After a few moments, he sighed in relief when he heard her heartbeat strengthen.
~~~~~~~~~~
Willow slowly opened her eyes and saw Angel hovering over her. "Angel? Are you okay?" she asked, trying to reach her hand out to him before realizing that it was already being held captive by him.
"I'm fine," Angel answered her, the relief evident in his voice.
"Are you sure?" she asked hoarsely, her eyes and voice full of confusion. <<He looks like he's been crying,>> she thought to herself. <<If he's okay, why would he have been crying? Unless...no, he wouldn't have...over me?>>
"I'm positive. You had me scared there for a while," he smiled gently at her. "Do you think you can sit up?"
"I'm not sure. How about I just stay where I am for a few minutes?" the beginnings of a grin testifying to the fact that she was feeling much better than he had original thought. "How's everyone else?"
"They're okay. Still unconscious though."
Willow lay on the floor next to Angel, her mind racing over everything she had seen and learned that evening. Coming to a decision, she took a deep breath and looked up at the vampire sitting next to her. "Angel?"
"Yes, Willow."
"I think we need to talk," she said trying to sound confident and knowing she was failing miserably at it.
Angel looked down at her, his lips showing just a hint of a smile, and sighed. "I know, Willow. I know."
And the two remained where they were, silently waiting for their friends to awaken and for the discussion they both knew would change the dynamics of the group assembled in the warehouse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VWillow looked around as the light faded. <<Well, well, well. I do believe we pulled it off. >>
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