Parts: 11 - 12
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~Part: 11~
Two weeks later
"No you can't go see Buffy." said Angelus firmly.
"She is my friend." Willow said gently.
"Did you forget if it weren't for her Jenny and Angel would still be alive?" asked Angelus."Of course neither would I."
"No I haven't but she didn't know about the happy clause and you know." frowned Willow.
"I don't care you are mine and you will do what I tell you." ordered Angelus firmly.
"But I need..." began Willow before her flow of words were cut off by the pressure of his lips against hers.
Three hours later......
Willow walked into the high school knowing that Buffy would be there training,feeling only alittle bit guilty about disobeying Angelus. He didn't know that even though he made her feel loved, cherish and happy there was still a big part of her that had missed her friends. Opening the doors quietly as she slipped inside the library she took in the scene before her. Buffy and a stranger were training in the training area while Giles and Xander were looking through some old books. She stepped forward letting the door shut behind her.
"Hey." smiled Willow uncertain of her reception.
The occupants of the room turned and stared at Willow like she was an apparatus of a ghost before propelling themselves across the room where each of them gave her a big hug.
"Guess this means you missed me?" laughed Willow.
"More than you know." replied Xander pulling her back into a hug.
"I am sorry about hitting you over the head Buffy." said Willow.
"Don't worry about it I have been hurt much worst." replied Buffy with a wave of her hand.
"Are you alright?" asked Giles with fatherly concern.
"Yes,Angelus treats me very well." answered Willow.
"Speaking of Angelus,where is he?" asked the stranger as he stepped forward.
"Who are you?"asked Willow with a puzzled frown."You look familiar."
"I am Joshua Reid nice to meet you Willow." Joshua replied formally.
"Nice to meet you too." smiled Willow holding her hand.
"Yes I can see why Angelus wanted you." Joshua said bowing down to kiss her hand.
"Thank you I think." blushed Willow.
"Willow we need to talk." said Buffy as she took Willows hand and led her to a corner.
Xander,Giles and Joshua watched as Buffy talked and Willow listened,each in lost in their own thoughts.
I hope she listens and agrees to the plan. Thought Xander watching Willow shaking her head no with a frown. You can't trust deadboy with or without a soul but at least with a soul they would be safer.
Sitting on the edge of a table Giles couldn't help but have his heart tear at the pain that Willow must be facing not only at having an evil demon as a lover but also being bonded with him forever. Add to the fact that they were asking her to betray that same demon who was known throughout history as a vicious killer. She had a tough decision ahead of her but he was confidant that she would chose the right choice.
While he didn't know her personally he hoped she was smart and as loyal to her friends as they made her out to be. While they didn't need her cooperation to go ahead with their plan it just made it easier. Joshua thought watching as Buffy and Willow walked up to them each with tears running down their faces.
~~~*~~~
"Willow we can give Angel back his soul." began Buffy once they were alone in a corner.
"What?"asked Willow
"We can give Angelus his soul back but this time permanently and we need your help." repeated Buffy.
"Are you asking me to kill the man I love?" asked Willow.
"Yes I guess I am."said Buffy."But I wouldn't exactly call it that."
"What would you call it then?"asked Willow with a frown.
"Look Willow when he was turned the man he had been was killed, so we aren't really killing him." replied Buffy gently."He would want that."
"I know he would."Willow said tearfully."It's just that I love him and I don't want to lose him."
"You won't, Joshua says you two will be bonded for life." Buffy said taking Willow into her arms."So you won't really be losing him but gaining a new and better Angel, one who isn't evil."
"But if he comes back won't it hurt you to see us together?"asked Willow.
"Willow we just weren't meant to be, imagine a vampire slayer and a vampire living together happily? Come on who are we kidding. Yes it will hurt at first but I love you both and if you are happy together then I am happy." laughed Buffy
"I'll do it." said Willow looking up into Buffy's face before they both cried into each others arms in a comrade of loss and love.
~Part: 12~
"Where is she?" demanded Angelus with a snarl as he paced in front of his minions.
"We thought she was here with her Master." replied one minion.
"As you can tell she isn't." said Angelus backhanding the minion across the room.
"Master the slayer and her friends have taken her!"yelled a minion as he ran into the room."And they said to tell you they are keeping her."
"Oh did they now,well we will see about that. Spike,Drusilla pick out ten minions and follow me. We have a naughty tree to get." Angelus smiled evilly.
~~~*~~~
"Ok, they should be here soon." said Buffy running into the library."Willow get into the cage and arm yourself,I don't want to take any chances."
"Gotcha." replied Willow walking to the cage and locking herself into it.
"Xander are you ready?" asked Buffy.
"Yes sir! All ready with my bag of trusty weapons." saluted Xander smartly.
"Wise guy." smiled Buffy."Joshua,Giles are you ready?"
"Yes." they replied each loaded with the traditional weapons of choice,holy water,stake,cross-bow,cross and a tranquilizer gun.
"Good because here they come now." said Buffy as her blood pumped in anticipation of a good fight.
"So soon?" gulped Xander as the doors burst wide open.
"I think you have something that belongs to me slayer."said Angelus.
"We do?" asked Buffy mockingly as she looked around the room."I don't see anything here that has your name on it."
"Willow belongs to me." replied Angelus."And I am taking her back with me."
"You and what army?" asked Buffy
"My army." laughed Angelus as the room filled with vampires.
"Good answer." said Xander as the room erupted into a fight for survival.
All Willow could do was stand in the locked caged watching the battle raging around her. Each side determined to win with the knowledge that only one side would walk away tonight.
"Watch out!"cried Willow as Drusilla came up behind Buffy.
Buffy turned around gracefully and brought her arm up and down, her aim true as it pierced her heart turning her into dust. With a cry of rage Spike charged only to be hit in the neck with a tranquilizer dart. Soon the room was filled dust and all that were left standing were the members of the Scooby gang while Angelus and Spike were lying on the floor knocked out.
"We should probably get them locked into the cage before they come around." suggested Buffy.
"Hmm? Oh yes of course,Xander go let Willow out of the cage." answered Giles."While we get these two into the cage."
"Just a thought but what are we going do to about Spike?" asked Xander.
"Give him his soul to."replied Joshua.
"Don't you need two orbs?" asked Giles.
"Yes and you have one on your desk." answered Joshua.
"That's right I have been using it as a paper weight." said Giles."This will make for a wonderful entry in my journal. Imaging giving two Master vampires their souls permanently,the possibilities are limited..."
Buffy and Willow looked at each other before bursting into laughter as Giles continued to talk to himself lost in the moment as they readied themselves for the spell.
"Is everyone ready?" asked Joshua looking around the room at their faces."Lets begin."
As Joshua chanted in the ancient language of the gypsies, Xander waved the herbs while Giles read the spell out loud in Latin. A slight wind came into the library and then both the orbs filled with a strange golden glow before going out.
"Oh God no!" cried Willow clutching her head."Make it stop!"
"What's wrong?"asked Buffy with concern.
"I thought this might happen." said Joshua
"What might happen!" demanded Buffy curling her hands around his shirt and shaking him.
"Now calm down. Remember they share a bond and what Willow is feeling and seeing are the memories of Angelus's past kills along with the guilt Angel now feels."explained Joshua.
"Can you stop it?" asked Giles.
"No I can't." replied Joshua shaking his head sadly."All you can do is wait and be there for them,Spike included."
"Do we have to be there for Spike? I mean wasn't he always evil,even when he was human?" complained Xander.
"No he wasn't,not at first." Joshua said.
"Would you care to explain yourself?"demanded Giles as he handed Buffy a cup of tea to help calm Willow down.
"I grew up with Spike and we were the best of friends until one day he fell into a bad crowd. This crowd introduced him to drinking,whoring,gambling you name it he did it. That was also around the time I discovered I was from a long line of warlocks,good I might add, whom helped the fight against the monsters of the night. One day a letter came to me from Spike asking me for my help but I was to late,Angelus had already turned him. I promised myself that I would find a way to help him and I have." explained Joshua.
"But how are you able to live this long,that was over two hundred years ago." asked Giles with interest.
"I found a spell one day that made me immortal." Joshua said simply."How could I help my friend if I died?"
"Where am I?" asked a weak voice from the cage.
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