Friendship

Note: Text enclosed in < > represents thoughts or feelings. 

Willow couldn't muster the disbelief necessary to protest the absurdity of Giles' claim.  Somehow, it FELT right.  She recognized his words as true with numb acceptance.  Ironically, she found the truth appealed immensely to her rather wry--and sometimes sarcastic--sense of humor. <Of course!  HOW SILLY of me not to see THIS coming after everything else...> 

"That can't be!"  Buffy denied, obviously finding it harder to believe than Willow did.  "Giles, you've made a mistake!"  Buffy asserted, looking like she was gearing up for an argument.  She subconsciously assumed a fighting stance, looking prepared to solve this problem physically, if necessary. 

Willow sighed with weary stoicism.  <Might as well get comfortable for this...>  She  walked over to a chair near the encyclopedia section, sitting back to watch the fireworks.  <Gee, I wonder if Angel knows?> 

"No, I'm quite certain," Giles asserted forcefully, running a hand through his unruly hair.  "I've triple-checked for accuracy, and the result is the same every time.  Giles looked directly at Willow, attempting to bypass Buffy's opposition. 

Giles obviously expected some response.  Willow met his gaze calmly, for the life of her uncertain of what to say.  <I KNOW Angel knows... He HAS to!  I mean *IMAGINE* Angel (GASP!!!) keeping a secret!  Nothing will ever surprise me again... > 

"Then quadruple- or quintuple- or whatever!  Recheck it!!" Buffy ordered vehemently, drawing Giles' attention from Willow. 

Willow exhaled, grateful for the brief respite.  <Hadn't realized I was holding my breath...>  She frowned, annoyance with Angel's latest duplicity beginning to grow.  <If he does know about this...  Boy, is he going to get it when I get my hands on him!> 

"Buffy," Giles said gently, attempting to calm his distressed charge. "I could not believe it myself, at first.  However, it's quite clear." He gave Buffy a stern 'adult' stare of disapproval and parental authority.  It worked like a charm;  Buffy backed down. 

"Well, it's not clear to me!"  Buffy pouted, placing her hands on her hips.  She frowned, thinking.  Suddenly, her expression brightened visibly.  "Giles,  Angel killed his family!"  Buffy exclaimed cheerfully, finally finding a logical counter-argument. 

The school bell rang, signaling the beginning of the first lunch period.  Willow's stomach wailed like a banshee, proclaiming its terrible emptiness.  <So, why wouldn't he tell me?> 

"Yes, he did kill almost his entire family," Giles conceded. Buffy smirked in triumph.  "However, his youngest sister was visiting relatives on the Continent at the time."  Buffy's triumphant smile crashed into a frown. 

Giles continued, falling into 'lecture mode'.  "She was orphaned and raised by her aunt and uncle, who lived in Normandy.  I've traced Willow to her through matrilineal descent--there is no question of her legitimacy," Giles steamed right along like an Olympic athlete, showing off his awesome ability to talk without pausing for breath. 

Buffy sighed with resignation, recognizing a speech coming as Giles hit his stride.  She walked over and perched on a tabletop across from Willow while Giles paced between them. 

"It's rather interesting to note that--" 

"What was her name?"  Willow interrupted his monologue, trying to envision Angel with a little sister.  She smiled, easily imagining him as an over-protective big brother.  Still his secretiveness; his duplicity made her fume.  <He really needs to learn to be more forthcoming.  That honesty is the best policy!> 

Giles floundered in surprised silence for a moment, thrown off the lecture track by the unexpected question.  It took him a moment to figure out who Willow meant.  "Megan," he finally supplied. 

"Pretty name," Buffy commented, observantly watching the bizarre interplay of discordant expressions on Willow's face. 

Giles cleared his throat before jumping back into his speech. "Megan grew up to marry a landed noble and raise a large family.  Normally, marriage and birth records from that period are poorly maintained." Giles perked up a little as the subject changed to his primary passion--research.  "Fortunately, nobility tend to keep much better records of such things." 

"Angel was a noble?"  Willow exchanged a dreamy smile with Buffy.  Both girls' minds filled with images of castles, flowing gowns and charging horses. Willow felt thrilled.  <Oooh!  How romantic!  I wonder if Angel can dance?> 

"That's quite beside the point,"  Giles brusquely dismissed the question, his brisk British accent becoming rather clipped.  He pinned Willow with a penetrating stare; his tone emphasized the importance of what he said next.  "What IS important is that you should remain well away from Angel until we determine exactly what is going on." 

Giles paused, carefully considering his next words, before cautiously adding, "After all, in light of the circumstances, he may present a threat to you." 

Willow shook her head in denial, emotionally and mentally rejecting his implication.  "Giles, he wouldn't!"  Willow protested, disbelief painting her face.  "He couldn't!  They--vampires--revolt him!"  <Angel couldn't do that to anyone!  Let alone me...> 

Willow's gaze flew to Buffy seeking support; Buffy's face was pale. "Will," she said quietly, looking ill-at-ease.  "Angel was acting...weird last night.  I mean...he's never been attracted to you before, has he?" she asked. 

"Attracted?!"  Giles sputtered.  His pacing stopped as he came to a grinding halt.  "What do you mean?"  he demanded of Buffy.  "What does she mean?" he demanded of Willow before Buffy could answer. 

Suddenly, a terrible thought occurred to Willow.  "Does this mean?!" <OH MY GOD!>  "That we...?!  Incest?!"  She sputtered, unable to stop the horrified words from pouring out.  <HOW could I have said that?! INCEST?!  And we didn't even... yet.  I"m buying into my own deceptions!> 

Her thoughts spun wildly, disorientation throwing her own hidden assumptions and deeply buried desires into her face with a rude slap. Willow felt mortified and more than a little humiliated.  <I just 
assumed we would... eventually.>  Willow turned red. 

Giles looked ready to die; he stared at her.  His face warmed until his glasses steamed.  Carefully, he began, "Technically, incest involves sexual relations"  Giles carefully removed his glasses in order to 
polish them.  "between individuals so closely related that"  Giles trailed off.  "No,"  he said firmly.  "You're too far apart." 

"Why exactly do you ask?"  Giles asked using precise enunciation, his proper British modesty outraged beyond recovery.  Willow reddened even more.  <I'm going to dye myself this color!> 

Abruptly, the library doors slammed open.  Xander charged through, followed by Cordelia.  Willow nearly collapsed with relief.  <Saved! Thank-You, Lord!> 

"Oh, thank goodness," Giles uttered too softly for anyone but Buffy to hear.  Giles rubbed his temple with almost comical relief.  Buffy glanced at him sideways, suffering an amused smile at his expense. 

"Willow!"  Xander crossed the room to Willow in several quick, lengthy strides.  He hauled her up out of her chair into a crushing bear hug that lifted her off her feet.  His joy and relief were evident upon his face, in his voice, and in his arms surrounding her. 

"Xander!"  Willow peeped as his arms forced the air out of her lungs. She locked her arms around his neck, reveling in their closeness.  <Boy, he's happy to see me!  I should have Angel nab me more often!> 

"Did that bastard hurt you?!"  Xander demanded forcefully.  "I'm going to stake him where the sun doesn't shine!"  He threatened, rushing on before she could answer.  "There isn't going to be anything left that a Dust Buster won't fix!" 

He continued to crush Willow in a massive hug.  Willow sighed blissfully, her eyes drifting shut, her lips curling like a happy cat. Abruptly, she also became painfully conscious of their intimacy, of the sensual rub of his body against hers.  <I NEVER would have noticed THAT before last night!> 

Willow frantically squelched an evil little impulse to wiggle suggestively against Xander.  She suspected she now knew EXACTLY how to get his attention.  <Down girl!... But Xander is so sexy! BAD GIRL! > 

"EXCUUSSE ME!"  Cordelia's self-important whine interrupted her reverie.  "But no one seems to care about MY trauma; MY pain!  Willow's back now, so can we PUHLEASE just move on and get over it?!" 

Willow's eyes popped open and she glanced over Xander's shoulder toward the others.  Cordelia stood next to Giles, staring at her and Xander. The sight of  Buffy--also staring--brought her crashing back to earth instantly.  <I'm lusting after my best friend's man!> 

"Xander, put me down!"  Willow demanded, subconsciously using the same tone that Angel leapt to obey.  She found herself standing again on her own feet with satisfactory swiftness.  Xander stared at her, blinking in bafflement.  Willow felt her newly discovered confidence from earlier this morning returning.  <Poor Xander!  His Willow had no backbone!> 

Cordelia opened her mouth again... 

"Ah, yes, Cordelia.  What exactly is your trauma... again?" Giles inquired obligingly before Cordelia could begin another tirade.  Xander settled an arm around Willow's shoulders and turned to face the others. 

"That vampire that attacked me last night!"  Cordelia enunciated each word carefully for the benefit of the dullards present.  "If it weren't for Xander, I'd be seriously in need of a tanning booth right now." Cordy's voice and eyes softened noticeably as they settled on Xander, bestowing awed gratitude upon his oblivious person. 

Buffy continued to stare pointedly at Willow and Xander.  Willow self-consciously slid out from under Xander's arm and scuttled over to sit near Buffy.  Xander frowned, puzzled by Willow's physical rejection and retreat. 

Cordelia--seeing an opportunity--drifted closer to Xander.  Giles resumed pacing, oblivious to most everything except the ever-present vampire threat. 

"Cordelia, do we really need to hear about this again?!"  Buffy demanded sharply, her eyes narrowing aggressively as Cordelia drew closer to Xander.  <At least Buffy sees that Cordy is trying to get her claws into Xander.> 

Cordelia blew an impatient breath skyward, lifting her perfect bangs up off her perfect brow.  Out of everyone in the room, only Cordelia and Willow appeared well-groomed and well-rested.  Willow felt guilty about the trouble she'd caused and just a little smug.  She smashed the smugness, but it held on like a determined pit bull.  <Where is THAT coming from?!> 

Cordelia glared haughtily at Buffy, not liking her sarcasm. "Well maybe if someone was doing their job right... " she trailed off meaningfully.  Buffy gnashed her teeth, barely restraining herself from getting into it further with Cordelia. 

Dismissively, Cordelia turned her gaze back to Xander and directed a winning smile his way.  "Xander, did I ever thank you for saving my life?"  Her 'melt-in-my-mouth' tone warmed up the room as she slinked even closer to him. 

Willow and Buffy exchanged a knowing look.  Willow tried to offer her friend a supportive smile.  <Don't worry Buffy, you can count on Xander to be... oblivious.> 

"You know, it's funny, but a lot of people have been asking me that lately!"  Xander exclaimed.  Cordy's gratitude and sexy display slid off him like water off a duck.  Willow experienced a surge of relief.  <Good old Xander!  Some things never change!> 

Xander babbled on.  "I've been thinking of maybe contacting Hallmark and offering them the opportunity to make up a special limited-edition 'Thank Xander for saving--" 

Abruptly, the school's P.A. system crackled to life as the library speaker emitted a horrible squeal.  "Miss Willow Rosenburg, report to the principal's office immediately!  THAT MEANS NOW!"  Principal Snyder boomed. 

Silence descended on the library like a blanket of snow.  All heads rubber-necked to Willow in crash-syndrome fascination.  Willow gulped nervously, all color draining from her face.  <It's like being summoned to my own execution!> 

A long pause ensued... 

"We'll talk more when I get back?"  Willow squeaked.  "Gulp!  If I get back?" 

"Sure, Willow."  Xander stared mournfully at her, perhaps wondering what to wear to the funeral. 

"Good luck."  Buffy offered a supportive smile that looked more like a nitrogen-frozen grimace. 

"Don't worry!"  Cordelia added glibly, "I'm sure your spotless record will soften the sentence."  She frowned. "Of course, your open association with known troublemakers"  Cordelia waved a hand at Buffy. "will probably eliminate any mitigating circumstance that might have worked in your favor." 

Giles merely sent a pitying look Willow's way.  "I'm going to call Angel," he pronounced, spinning on his heel and retreating toward the desk. 

Willow stood and gathered her bag.  She sent the others a final look, which they returned in silence.  "Bye," she said softly, memorizing their dear faces for what might be the final time. 

"Bye," they chorused in unison, bidding a fond farewell to the soon-to-be-dearly-departed. 

Willow shuffled out the double doors.  She paused in the hall and--momentarily--considering running.  <I could make a break for it... Principal Snyder has short legs.>  Still, as tempting as flight might be...  <I need to accept responsibility for my actions...> 

Willow turned toward the principal's office, resuming her reluctant shuffle.  <Boy, is my life a mess right now...  And is it my imagination, or am I starting to see a sorta fuzzy "big picture" here with this whole vampire-and-Angel thing?> 

Buffy's vision disturbed Willow more than she cared to admit. Buffy's vision, Angel's tatoo, the vampires chasing her...  It was like a puzzle with missing pieces.  <Buffy's vision of a Phoenix, Angel's tatoo of a Phoenix...they fit.  But what could possibly be so horrible that I would commit suicide?!  And where does Angel being my ancestor fit into all this??> 

She passed a couple of acquaintances--not really friends, not really strangers--in the hall.  Willow absently offered them a friendly smile here, a slight nod there.  <Buffy's vision, Angel's tattoo are definitely related... Surely, Buffy has noticed; she's seen his tatoo, even if she doesn't know what it means...!> 

Abruptly, part of last night's conversation with Angel came back to her. 
        "I was chosen to kill the Watcher." 
        "Giles?!  You're supposed to kill Giles?!" 
        "Giles and any Watcher that comes along." 
        "Does Giles...Know?" 
        "Are you kidding?  Giles is enough of a wreck as it is, without adding that." 
        "But you wouldn't, right?" 
        He'd never answered her... 

Willow felt sick.  She sped up, not paying attention to her surroundings.  Suddenly, she slammed into a red-haired boy.  "Sorry," she apologized to him distractedly.  He opened his mouth, but before he could speak, she hurried around him and down the hall.  <HE WOULDN'T...would he..?!  OH GOD, what if he doesn't have a choice?!> 

Willow reached the doors to the administration office.  She pushed them open, still speeding recklessly.  <He called it 'The Phoenix Contract...' That implies it's binding!  I get the feeling that Angel is in a ton of trouble and doesn't trust anyone enough to ask for help.> 

She reached Principal Snyder's office.  Ms. Sanders, his secretary, was busy chatting on the phone with a parent.  Willow took a seat to wait. <One thing is for sure, I need to warn Giles!> 

Willow began fidgeting, feeling torn between two friends.  To remain silent was unthinkable; but by speaking she felt unreasonably guilty, as if she would betray Angel somehow.  <But wait!  Maybe Angel told me hoping I'd tell the others, so that he wouldn't have to 'cause he's got too much pride to ask for help and he knows that I'll be able to convince the others to help him without admitting that he needs help.> 

Ms. Sanders noticed Willow and waved her through. Willow rose and walked to Principal Snyder's closed door.   She knocked lightly on the door and waited for a response.  <God!  Men are so difficult!  Ok, that settles it.  I'll talk to Giles as soon as...!> 

A handsome black man wearing a dark suit opened the door.  He flashed her a friendly smile and settled a firm, but gentle hand on her shoulder.  Willow stared up at him blankly, feeling slight dazed as he urged her into the room.  She placidly allowed him to guide her in.  He pushed the door closed again behind them. 

Willow turned slightly toward Principal Snyder's desk.  Next to it stood a shorter, middle-aged white man, also wearing a dark suit.  He held a high-caliber gun to Principal Snyder's face.  The muzzle of the weapon shoved Snyder's snout back into his face, greatly increasing his resemblance to a pig. 

Snyder turned his beady eyes to Willow, sweat rolling off his brow. His voice quavered as he as informed her,  "Miss Rosenburg, these gentleman are here to see you."