Willow woke up in a cold sweat, her body trembling from fright. She looked around her room, making sure no one lurked about as she tried to calm down.
“It was a dream,” she told herself. “Only a dream”.
She turned to her night stand and saw the large red numbers on her alarm clock. It was only three in the morning. Four hours until school. She didn’t want to go back to sleep. It meant she might dream. Dream the many nightmares that had bombarded her this past week. She was tired. Tired and sleepy. Her head began to hurt as her eyes drooped. They were soon closed and she drifted back to sleep, hoping the nightmare would not return.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Willow rubbed her red eyes. She had not been able to rest. She looked at the mirror in her locker and saw her puffy face. She needed rest. Sleep without fear. Buffy awaked her from her thoughts.
“Giles has wiged out. He’s called an emergency meeting tonight. He wants everyone at the library no later then seven.”
Willow looked at her catching the last part of what she had said.
“Are you O.K.?” Buffy asked a bit concerned.
“Couldn’t sleep.”
“Another nightmare?”
Willow closed her locker.
“Yeah”, she replied, not wanting to get into detail about it.
“The same one?” she asked her as they began to walk down the hall.
“No. It was another one. Just one though.”
“Not as bad as the first?”
“No..no not as bad,” she lied.
“It helps when..,” Buffy began to say.
“So why is Giles so wigged out?” Willow asked, hoping to change the subject.
Buffy understood. It was rare when she ever spoke to her about her own.
“I’m not sure. But it smells like another prophecy.”
“I hate those. There so..... cryptic.”
“I know, that would explain why he wants for all of us to come tonight. He even extended the invitation to Angel,” she told her with a grin.
“It’s serious then. How’s Angel?”
“Good. It’s been good”, she told her with a small smile.
“I’m happy”, she replied with a shaky smile, trying to hide her own disappointment and pain about her dismal love life.
“So did Mark ask you out?” Buffy asked, hope in her voice.
“He’s seeing someone,” she replied, avoiding her eyes.
“Oh...I thought he was solo...I could have...,” she said, trying to remember.
“I have to get to class Buffy. I’ll see tonight,” she told her and walked faster, disappearing down the hallway.
Buffy looked to see where she had gone, but it was to late, she was gone. <What happened last night with Mark?> She would talk to her tonight she decided as she headed off to class.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“So what do you think?” Xander asked her.
“What?” Willow asked coming out of her thoughts and sleepiness.
“Have you been listening?” he asked her as he ate his sandwich.
“Didn’t catch the last part,” she told him, not wanting to tell him she had missed it all.
“About Kim?”
“Oh yeah. I think so?” she replied, remembering he had asked some kind of question before.
“I’ve already accepted that Buffy doesn’t have the same feelings for me. I just never thought it could hurt so much when you’re thought of as only a friend.”
“It hurts. Hurts a lot,” she told him knowing exactly what he meant. <To love and never be corresponded>. She knew it too well.
“And Kim looks interested,” he told her with a smile.
Willow could hear her heart break once more as she held back tears.
“She does. She seems nice”, she told him softly.
“Hot is a better word, nice would be an added bonus.”
Her self-esteem crashed. It became a struggle for her to blink the fresh tears back.
“I’ll ask her then. A movie after Giles. Thanks Willow,” he told her as he got up and left.
Willow looked on in confusion, her eyes following him. He walked over to Kim,
taking a seat next to her. Then she remembered what he had told her, ‘after Giles’. She couldn’t help it. A tear ran down her cheek. She gathered her books and left to the bathroom in a rush.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Willow was the last person to arrive at the library. She had gotten home right after school, not wanting to see anyone. She had started her homework when she had drifted off into a light sleep. She awoke to semi-darkness, her clock flashing 6:55 p.m. She raced over to the school and crossed the doorway to the library at 7:15.
“It’s nice of you to join us”, Giles commented as he saw her enter.
She apologized and took her seat next to Amy. Giles started his speech over for Willow. She tried hard to listen closely to what he was saying, fighting back her yawns and drowsiness. The nap she had taken had not been enough.
“As I was saying. The prophecy is vague. But it mentions Buffy, so I need your help to de-crypt the rest”.
“What is the prophecy?” Willow asked.
“The crescent night will come. The golden arrow shall fly to strike her. And from the darkness she shall be born as the “Gifted” and rise to be united with the shadow. It shall open, making dark into light”, he recited from memory as he looked them.
Everyone remained quite, absorbing the words.
“Angel, have you heard this before?”, Giles asked him.
“No...not that I can remember.”
Giles looked desperate.
“The chosen is Buffy?” Amy asked.
“I believe so,” he told her.
“And the golden arrow...it’s going to kill her,” Xander asked concerned.
“Strike her,” Giles corrected him.
Buffy shuttered as Angel touched her hand.
“What about “she”?” Willow asked.
“Buffy reincarnated?” Amy commented.
“I don’t think so. Buffy isn’t the darkness. That’s want she fights against,” Giles told her.
“The “shadow”?” Xander asked.
“A second person,” Amy expressed. “I think”
“The darkness and the shadow unite,” Willow muttered.
“But aren’t they the same?” Buffy asked.
“Not necessarily,” Giles told her.
“Once they unite, it shall open, making dark into light,” Willow said as she looked at Giles for some explanation.
“So if the darkness and shadow unite, it will make dark into light,” Angel reasoned.
“What open’s?” Xander asked worried.
“Crescent night,” she told Giles, figuring out what it meant.
“In three days. That’s when we’ll have a crescent moon.”
“In three days!” Buffy said horrified. Angel squeezed her hand.
“That’s why I called the meeting tonight. We need to find out what this means and protect you, Buffy.”
“How can I hide from something I don’t know?” she asked him.
“Willow, would you mind searching the Internet to see if you can find anything about this?”, Giles asked her.
<Super nerd to the net> she thought.
“Right on it”, she replied and got up from her chair and headed to the computer.
“Everyone else, grab a book and start reading. We might be able to find something.”
They all agreed and began to read.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Willow couldn’t take it anymore. The words started to blur. She was tired. She looked at her watch. It was 9. She could hardly keep her eyes open. <One more search> she told herself. She typed in the word, but her head began to drip forward. She felt a hand on her shoulder shake her.
“Willow, are you O.K.?”, Angel asked.
Her head sprung up and looked at him.
“I’m fine. Just sleepy,” she told him as she gave him a little smile and took a deep breath.
“You look tired, maybe you should head home.”
“Yeah, I couldn’t find anything. Tell Giles I’ll come back tomorrow morning to look some more,” she said.
“Did you want Buffy and me to take you home?” he asked sensing she was very tired.
“No..no..I’ll go with Amy”, she told him.
She was not in the mood to walk with a happy couple. She said goodbye and walked over to Amy.
“I’m going. Did you want to join me?” she asked her.
Amy looked at her and placed down the book down.
“Definitely.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Willow how are you, really?” Amy asked as they walked down the street.
Willow fought whether or not to tell her.
“I keep on having the nightmares.”
“It’s been a week”.
“It’s terrible Amy. I can’t sleep. There horrible. I’m scared to go to sleep. There horrible....... Horrible”.
“You don’t know why you’re having them?” she asked concerned.
“I don’t know. I wish I could stop them”.
“I’m sorry, Willow. I wish there was something I could do”.
“Just listening to me is enough,” she told her.
“I wish there was more.”
“I know...”
Willow was cut off as they both jumped back as a vampire emerged from an alley. Amy looked on, too scared to move. Willow searched for her stake. He snarled his fangs at them and jumped after Willow. She pulled out her stake and told Amy to run. She did as she was told as Willow stabbed the vampire on the arm. That had not been her intention. The vampire stepped back in pain. Willow turned and ran. She searched for her second stake frantically as she heard the vampire cry out in pain. She looked back quickly and saw him pull out the stake from his arm. He would run after her. <They run quicker> she thought. She had no choose. She would not be able to make it back to the library in time. She found the second stake in her jacket and looked around for options, but found none. It was up to her. She stopped, turned around and saw the vampire snarl at her once more and began to move forward. She was too far, she thought, but she could not wait.
She threw the stake through the air as far as she could, then closed her eyes. <Please> she pleaded. She opened them and saw the stake land and the vampire combust. Her head began to throb and the world around her begin to spin, then heard her name. She turned around and saw Angel a few feet away. She felt exhausted. She closed her eyes and fell to the ground.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Angel couldn’t believe what he had seen. <It’s not possible> he thought. Willow had turned around and saw him, then fainted. He rushed over to her and gathered her in his arms, taking her back to the library where everyone had been relieved to see her alive and unhurt. Giles tried to wake her, but nothing seemed to work. Willow was in a deep sleep that no one could wake her from. Buffy elected to take her back home. She needed to sleep, she had told them, informing them that Willow was having trouble sleeping, not wanting to tell them why. Angel accompanied Buffy, helping in holding the petite redhead.
Angel felt odd about entering her room, without her knowing. She had invited him come in once, but he always like people knowing. Buffy tucked her in and Angel noticed something in top of her headboard, a dream catcher. He looked around the room and saw a large one on her door. His curiosity getting the better of him, he asked Buffy about them.
“Must be new. The only I’ve seen is the one on the door. We should get out of here.”
He hesitantly agreed and went out through the window, making sure not to wake her parents.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Angel lay in bed recalling the events of the evening. He had seen it with his own eyes. He had passed by Willow’s house after he had taken Buffy home. She had continued sleeping. He had waited for an hour, hoping she would wake, but she did not. He would talk to her tomorrow. Talk to her and see what had happened. How she had done it.
He had been there. Seen it. Willow had thrown the stake in the air, hitting the vampire, straight in the heart, dusting it. One shoot, right on target. The only problem was the distance between them. He was at least 10 feet away. It could be called luck, if only the vampire had not been running, making it close to impossible for anyone to see without a trained eye. Buffy never would have been able to make that shot. He was not sure he would have been able. Something was not right, he could feel it. <It’ll have to wait until tomorrow> he thought as sleep claimed him.
* * * * * * * * * * *
At exactly 6 a.m. Willow awoke screaming. She sat up, looking around, making sure no one was there. Her door suddenly opened, her mother rushing to her on the bed.
“Willow, are you all right?”, she asked her.
“A nightmare. Only a nightmare,” she told her, trying to catch her breath.
“It’s your fourth this week,” she reminded her.
Willow agreed, not wanting to tell her the real truth.
“What are they about Willow?” she asked her, holding her hand.
“I can’t really explain it. It’s a different time. People are suffering. They need help and I can’t help them. They call to me. I see the torture. The humiliations. Their faces.
"They’re suffering so much”, she told her in tears.
Her mother put her arms around her, cradling her in her arms.
<It can’t be> she thought, but all her mother had told her was coming true. After all the effort and struggles, it was happening.
“It’s going to be O.K.,” she told her as a tear fell. She had seen the signs. Noticed the patterns, but had ignored them. She had even gone as far as to repress them in her and Willow, but she was not strong enough.
“In the dream, what are they asking from you?” she asked, still holding on to the hope it was just another normal nightmare.
“They all look to me to save them. They ask for my help. I try..... but I can’t. I can’t move. I can’t see the person’s face. It’s hidden, but I see the torture. This time it was coming after me. I ran.... ran.... trying to get away, but the people circled me, asking for my help. Then it appeared. It wanted me dead. I knew it. Then I woke up”, she told her as she began to cry harder.
It was true, there was no way around it. She had tried to shelter her, but knew she would no longer be able to. <It is meant to be> she remembered her mother tell her. She would need to call her aunt in New York, and perhaps her sister. There was nothing she could do. She could, however, help stop the nightmares. She just hoped it was not too late.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Willow was at the library early by seven. After she had woken up from the nightmare, she had decided not to go back to bed. She got ready and headed to school.
The search ended as it had last night. She was not able to find anything. If the net had nothing perhaps the books did. She picked up one of the them hidden away in one of the piles on the floor. She skimmed the book, but did not find anything remotely interesting. She placed it back down and skimmed through the shelves. A blue book caughting her attention. She pulled it out and blow off the dust. She was about to skim through it when she heard someone come in.
“Giles?” she asked as she walked over to the stairs.
“Willow?”
She smiled once she saw him.
“How are you?”
“Better.”
“You scared us last night. You refused to wake up,” he told her as he put his things away.
“I was really tired. Then the vampire. It must have been pretty overwhelming,” she reasoned.
“It must have been. Buffy told us you were having problems sleeping. I hope it isn’t anything serious?”
“No..no I’ll be fine.”
“Good. Did you find anything?” he asked as he motioned to the computer.
“Nothing. Were you able to find anything?”, she asked hopeful.
“No.”
“I’m sure we’ll find something,” she encouraged..
“I hope so.”
“How’s Amy?”
“She looked rather scared last night, but once Angel brought you in, she seemed to calm down.”
“I’ll talk to her in class.”
“Talking about class. The second bell rang. If you don’t going, you’ll be late,” he told her.
She nodded and went on her way with the book in her hand.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Willow was able to speak to everyone in her classes. Buffy and Xander had been relieved to see her well. They even commented how rested she looked. Amy apologized for running and not staying to help. Willow did not accept it.
“You got help for me. You helped me”, she told her.
Throughout class, Xander spoke to her about Kim. It took all her strength not to break down and cry her heart out. Kim had said yes to his invitation to the movies. They had caught the late show last night. He spoke about her wonderful quality’s and then spoke about the kiss.
“It was magical”, he had told her.
She was glad Mr. Peterson stopped the conversation, threatening them with detention. He had even dumped her for lunch. Kim had invited him to a picnic on the grass. She was just irresistible, he had told her. Willow felt nauseous.
She went to eat lunch on the grass. She would have a change to skim through the book she had taken from the library.
She sat under a large tree and started her research.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Willow was anxious to get the library. Her last class wrapped up and she bolted to see Giles. To her surprise she found no one. She went back into the hall and began to look for people. She found Amy at her locker.
“Where’s everyone?”
“They decided last night to go to Angel’s apartment. He had some other books they could look through,” she replied as she closed her locker.
Giles had not bothered to tell her this morning, or anybody else. <No need for Willow the hacker if there’s no need for a computer> she thought.
“I found something,” she blurted out.
“Then we should join the party,” Amy told her with a smile.
* * * * * * * * * * *
It took them about two hours just to find out where he lived. Xander had informed Amy about the meeting during last period, but failed to tell her where he lived.
They looked through every notebook, paper pile, and book, searching for at least a phone number or address that might be Angel’s. There was no luck.
It was evident to Amy that Willow was angry. Angry at her friends abandonment. It wasn’t the first time they had done it. They seemed to have forgotten about her and she knew that had to hurt her, do it did not affect Amy . She was Willow’s friend.
Willow called her mother to see if anyone had called her. She informed her no one had.
“I’m glad you called Willow. I need you to come home early tonight. Maybe around eight. Your father and I have to go on a business trip.”
“I will mom.”
A second later the phone rang.
“Willow?”
“Giles?”
“We’ve been waiting for you.”
“I’ve been waiting for you”, she informed him.
“We’re at Angel’s apartment. I take no one told you,” he realized.
“No. I have no idea where Angel lives, ” she informed him.
“Write the address down..,” he told her.
She did and soon was on her way with Amy.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Willow felt a bit ackward about being in Angel’s apartment. It was her first time there and everyone seemed to have made themselves at home. Angel sensed her dilemma as she took a seat next to Xander on the leather sofa.
“I found something. It seems to be a continuation to the first prophecy,” she told them as she opened the book and turned to the page.
“The shadow shall protect the dark. Guide her in the open. The final fate shall decide - death or life, damnation or escape.”
They looked at her confused.
“So the first prophecy isn’t about Buffy?” Xander asked.
“I’m sure it does, but there might be two underlying tones to it. Two meanings,” Giles reasoned.
“That isn’t possible, Giles. She might be a part of it, but not the important one in the prophecy.”
“So she is being replaced for another Slayer to come?” Amy asked.
“It still doesn’t make sense. The Slayer fights the dark, doesn’t come from it,” Willow explained.
They continued on, searching for an answer.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Angel was not sure how to approach her. She was always very nice to him. She treated him like a person, unlike other people he knew. He needed to talk to her. There had to be an explanation. He had stepped out for a moment to get another book and when he returned Willow was gone. She had had a family event tonight and needed to get home. That eliminated any thoughts for a talk with her. That also meant he would not be able to go and visit her. He would talk to her tomorrow night, no matter what.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Willow’s parents would be gone for only a night. They had business to take care of in Los Angeles. They had dinner and played scrabble for a while. Her mother asked her to stay home for the rest of night and to call her on the cell if she needed her. By 10 they were on there way. They would be back by tomorrow night.
Willow felt energized. Such a difference from the past week. She wasn’t tired or sleepy. She took a bath, finished her homework, and picked her clothes for tomorrow. She didn’t fall asleep until 3 a.m. She only hoped she had this much energy tomorrow.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Willow woke up desperately needing to see him. To see him once more, to touch him one last time. To hold him until she could no longer. She pulled off the covers from her and walked to her closet to change clothing. She would not be able to present herself like this to him. Something green, yes green, the color he loved to see her in. She found a sweater and jeans. What would she do with her hair. She looked into the mirror and decided to leave it down. How many times had he not played with her loose hair. The feel of his fingers caressing it. She missed him so much. She hurried up and decided to leave through the window. It would be morning soon. She knew where he would be. She unlatched the French windows and went out, looking up into the sky, day not yet rising. She raced down the street, hoping to find him before the sky arose. She was not sure why, but her mind told her to hurry if she wished to see him so, one last time.
A pounding on the door stopped Angel in his tracks. A pounding that would not cease. He couldn’t tell who it was. It was a familiar scent, but it seemed two, yet only one heart beat. He went to the door, knowing the sun would soon arrive. He had just come back from patrolling with Buffy and was headed off to bed. The pounding increased with urgency. He went to the door and opened quickly. She entered his apartment quickly still not seeing who had opened the door. He stepped away, almost being trembled over by the personentering, he closed the door behind him, making sure the beginning rays of the sun did not enter.
“Willow,” he said as he turned around and saw her.
Her green eyes looked at him tenderly as a gentle smile appeared on her face. Her eyes had begun to water, making him look at her concerned.
“Willow are you O.K.?”
Her response shocked him.
“Is it really you?” she asked him, with an accent.
She stepped up to him, looking at him more attentively.
“What?...Willow are you O.K.?” he asked once more trying to find out what was wrong with her.
“It is you. I cannot believe it, ‘tis you Angel, my poor dear Angelus,” she said a tear escaping her eye.
She placed her hand carefully on his cheek, making sure it was really him in front of him. He pulled back a bit as he felt her hand on his cheek.
“After so long. You are here. Here in front of me,” her cracked voice said as more tears began to fall.
Angel did not know what to say. Why was she doing this?
“I can still remember the night you asked me? Remember, under the dowry tree? You were so nervous asking me? Did ‘cha think I would say no?” she asked him moving closer to him.
He moved back each time she moved forward.
“I can’t see how you would forget. Your father gave ‘ya a whipping that night for skipping your chores. You sat me down and fumbled with the bracelet and the words. I can still remember the way the sun set as you told me you loved me. That you loved me and how we would be together forever...it seems so long ago....,” she said as her voice began to fade with the memories.
She stopped moving toward Angel, realizing how painful the outcome was.
Angel was speechless. Something inside of him yearned. He was confused, but yet it seemed so familiar. Her accent, it sounded Irish. Irish.
“You grabbed my hand and kissed the inside of my palm. Then you slipped it on. It was so beautiful. You looked at me and asked me. I had no words to reply. I showed you. I kissed you”, she said as she closed her eyes, drifting off to that day, hunting the feel of his lips on hers.
Angel remained silent. It would not be. <Why is she doing this?> he asked himself as his eyes began to water.
“I never got to say good-bye to you,” she spoke as she opened her eyes, looking at him sadder then anyone had ever looked at him before.
“I miss you so much angel of mine. I never forgot you. I never will, you are my angelic light.”
He looked at her as soon as he heard those final words. It was not possible. No one had ever called him that, only once. A very long time ago. No one else knew. He was confused, not wanting to believe. Tears began to fall. He moved towards her. Not knowing what to expect. He placed his hands on her face.
“Victoria?” he asked, hoping perhaps.
“‘tis I my love”, she replied as she placed her hand on his wet cheek.
“How?...I lost you so long ago....if only...,” he began to say looking into her green eyes and seeing the love in them. It was her.
“‘tis not your fault. You could do nothing. Never blame yourself. I am here now. To see you one last time. To feel you once more”, she said.
He was overwhelmed with emotion. He loved her so much. He placed his lips over hers, kissing her passionately as she placed her arms around him. He let go of her lips reluctantly and placed his arms around her.
“I have looked for you so long,” she told him, hugging him tightly, never wanting to let him go.
“So much time,” he commented.
“I knew I would find you again. I saw you in my dreams before I left. I knew I would be able to see you one last time,” she told him, her head resting on his chest as she smiled.
“But how...I was still not......,” he was about to say but stopped.
“I know my love...I know. But I knew what you were to be, where you would come..I just did not know how long it would be,” she told him.
He tighten his hold on her. He did not want to let her go.
“I have searched long for you. So long and I have finally found you,” she told him.
“I have missed you so much”, his Irish accent resurfacing.
“Just to have seen you one last time,” she told him, knowing it would soon be time, time for peace.
“I do not want to let you go,” Angel told her, his heart breaking once more.
“I shall always be with you. When ever you need me, close your eyes and I shall be there my love, forever,” she told him as she pulled back to look into his dark brown eyes.
“Please do not leave,” he asked her, remembering this same conversation they had so long ago.
“Angel, I have come to ask for your help. My people, they are dying. A curse placed so long ago on them. You must help them. All will be gone and there souls trapped forever, as mine.”
Angel could see the panic in her eyes.
“You must stop the woman with bewitching eyes. If the last of my people die, her powers shall grow. Grow into something much too powerful. She shall have all our gifts and complete the curse. You must stop her. Stop her and set us free,” she told him.
“I shall, but how will I know,” he asked her caressing her cheek.
“The one you call, Willow. The person you see before you. She has the answers to all the questions you seek. Help her and she will help you. You both must defeat her my love. Only you can help me,” she said as she looked at him with love in her eyes.
“I will, I promise,” he told her. He leaned in and kissed her tenderly.
She pulled away, looking at him one last time and hugged him tightly once more. She laid her head on his chest and whispered.
“Everywhere I am, I shall always have my angelic light”.
He hugged her tightly as more tears came down his face. He felt her body go limp. He sobbed softly, knowing she was gone. He was not sure how much longer he held her for, standing in the middle of the living room. It didn’t matter to him. He had held her once more, kissed her a last time. There was nothing more he could ask for. He would keep his promise to her. He would not let her down.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Willow awoke hours later feeling satin sheets beneath her. She looked around the room and panicked, knowing she was not in her room.<It wasn’t a dream> she thought as she turned around and saw Angel lying next to her on the bed and ran her hands through her hair. It had all seemed like a dream, every touch, every word, she felt. <I kissed him> she thought, feeling guilty as she thought of Buffy. She would not believe it. She refused to. She crawled out of bed, making sure not to wake him. She raced out the door, and out the front door, to her house.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Willow, where have you been?” Xander asked as he saw go up the stairs to her house. She turned around with a guilty look on her face.
“I was...I was...sending off my parents...you know..long plane trip...I went to the airport with them..right,” she replied, hoping he had not noticed that her parents had left last night.
“Good enough of an excuse to miss school. So how long your parents out this time for?” he asked as he walked up the path to her house.
“Two days. Business,” she replied quickly.
“Don’t worry, two days aren’t anything,” he told her trying to comfort her. He knew how she hated her parents traveling.
“Yeah good...well I should go in...,” she told him, panicking a bit.
“So did you want to go to the Bronze?”
“Sure...I should change first,” she told him.
“You look nice, come on,” he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her with him.
She only hoped she didn’t see Buffy.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Angel awoke to an empty bed. He looked frantically around the house for her, but she was gone. He was not completely sure what had happened last night. If he was confused, he was sure Willow would be more. He looked at the watch on then nightstand, relieved to see it would only take ten minutes for the sun to set. He was not sure where to find her, but he was certain he needed to find her soon.
* * * * * * * * * * *
As they sat all around the Bronze, Willow felt rather strange. It got worse when she saw Buffy. She had a guilt in her she had never experienced before. They remained at the Bronze, playing pool. Willow was beginning to feel a bit more relaxed until she saw Angel enter the club. She tensed up, wondering what he was doing there. He seemed to be looking for someone. Buffy, she hoped, but wondered if it was for her. He came towards them and Willow looked away. He greeted Buffy, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“Hi Angel”, Buffy said turning around and greeting him with a hug.
She placed her arms around him, as he looked at Willow, noticing she had not changed since that morning.
“Hi Willow,” he said hoping to get her attention.
“Hi,” she muffled, still looking attentively at Xander.
“Right pocket,” he called out.
He hit the ball, but it did not seem to have enough speed. Willow looked on, wishing it went in, that way he could keep playing and distracting everyone, including herself.
“Wow,” he declared, surprised the ball went in with ease. The rest had been easy. He shoot balls into the holes effortlessly.
“Wow Xander, you might actually be getting good,” Buffy said surprised at his game.
“That or your cheating,” Cordelia told him.
Angel looked at Xander in surprise. There was no way half the shoots he took should have entered the pockets, unless he had help. He remained looking at Willow. She had not looked at him once since he had come in. He could sense she was nervous. Nervous and a bit scared. He needed to talk to her, but was not sure how with everyone around.
Willow felt tired. Her head had began to hurt a bit. It had to be sleep, the lack of, she thought. The game soon ended, deciding her time to leave. She looked at Xander, then at Buffy, averting Angel’s gaze which seemed to have been on her since the moment he had arrived.
“Well got to go,” she said, surprising everyone, then turning to leave.
Xander grabbed her by the hand, halting her escape.
“It’s early,” he said, then leaned in closer, making sure no one heard him, but her. “I know your sad about your parents leaving..”
“It’s O.K. Xander. I’m tired....didn’t sleep much,” she said out loud, blushing at the last comment.
She broke away from Xander and started heading for the exit.
“She shouldn’t go alone. I’ll walk her home,” Angel said quickly, pulling Buffy away from him and heading toward Willow.
Willow heard him and decided to change exits. <If only he could not see> she thought to herself. Then the lights went out. She thanked the miracle and changed directions and headed to the back door.
* * * * * * * * * * *
<What does he want?> she asked herself. She was confused. Every time she thought about what had happened with Angel she remembered fragments. Fragments she could not understand. It did not make sense. What was wrong with her? Why had she kissed him. Why had he been so willing? Then a name appeared. Victoria. Who was Victoria? She shook her head. She was going crazy at last. <It was a matter of time> she joked to herself.
She was half way home and deep in her thoughts
when a vampire surprised her, jumping from some bushes nearby. She jumped
back in surprise and pushed him forward or so she thought. She saw him
fall to the ground, but she remained where she had jumped to. She was scared
and turned around, bumping right into Angel. She jumped back a bit and
the same thing happened. Angel was pushed back and onto the ground. Willow
looked on with disbelief. <What is happening?> she asked herself. Turning
around, she noticed the vampire get back up. She just wanted for him to
leave her alone and from no where the vampire was pushed far away. She
didn’t understand. Her head throbbed. <How?> she asked as she saw the
vampire fly through the air. All she wanted to do was go home. Go home
and hide. <I had to go home> she thought as she began running, feeling
extremely tired. She did not get very far when she heard her name, which
was the last thing she heard before everything got dark.