"Here it is," Wesley finally announced, pointing to a section of the Prophecies that he had spent some time trying to translate the year before. "I had marked this passage before as one that I would need to look further into--the language and references used here are very archaic--but then I came across the references to Angel, and this sort of slipped my mind. I hadn't been able to translate much of it then, but what I did get was a reference to the Aiterion Scrolls, which was the reason I purchased them in the first place."
"And?" Gunn prompted.
"Well, the only thing I could get out of it at the time was a vague reference to what could be a second Warrior."
"A what?" Angel exclaimed.
"I know I should have mentioned something like this sooner, especially if this person is to have the same type of impact on events that you're destined to have, but the Prophecies of Aberjian don't go into much detail about this person. They simply make a vague reference to him, then mention the Aiterion Scrolls. I had wanted to get a bit more information before jumping to any conclusions, but with everything that's happened this past year..."
"No one's blaming you, Wes," Angel quickly interjected, "it's just, if Wolfram & Hart also have this information..."
"There's no telling what kind of havoc they could wreak," Cordelia understood Angel's unspoken thoughts.
"But how would this apply to what you just read from the Aiterion Scrolls?" Willow directed her question to Wesley.
Wesley exhaled as he looked back down at his translation. "Darkness and Light..." he murmured softly. "I can't be sure," he looked up to meet Angel's gaze, "it would seem to imply that the Warriors will be on opposing sides, but-"
"But you'd need the rest of the scroll to find out more," Angel finished for him. Wesley nodded.
"Well, the sun's down," Fred remarked.
"Yeah, I know. And I think it's high time I paid Lilah another visit."
***
"You know, I wondered how long it would be before you came barging through those doors," Lilah greeted Angel smugly as he entered her office, "but to be honest, I expected you to come charging in as soon as the sun set. Mind if I ask why the delay?"
"Actually, I do," Angel growled, stalking towards her desk. "And I'd prefer we cut right down to the chase. I want the scrolls back."
"Scrolls?" Lilah asked, feigning innocence.
"Don't mess with me, Lilah, not today."
"Well, aren't we in a bad mood? But then again, that's not really anything new, now is it?" At Angel's glare, Lilah snickered. "I'd like to help you, Angel, I really would, but you're going to have to be a bit more specific. I happen to have a lot of scrolls in my possession. Which set in particular are you looking for?"
"The ones you stole from my office today," Angel's words were clipped, "you know, when you left the dead body behind?"
"You know Angel, if you're going to insist on tossing around these baseless accusations--" Lilah was cut off as Angel picked up one of the chairs by her desk and hurled it across the room.
"I'm really not in the mood for your games tonight," Angel snarled.
"That was a very expensive piece of furniture you just destroyed," Lilah retorted.
"And I'll start in on those show-pieces over there if you don't hand over the Aiterion Scrolls."
"Is that what you're after?" Lilah's laughter was strained, "you should have just said so in the first place." Retrieving the scrolls from her desk drawer--where she had placed them just minutes before sunset--she waved them before Angel. "These?"
Lilah let out a gasp as Angel reached over and swiftly snatched the scrolls from her hand, not even giving her time to register his movement. Another moment passed, and Lilah was once more left alone in her office.
"You're welcome," she muttered to the absent vampire.
***
"Sunnydale?" Lilah raised a dubious eyebrow as she listened to Eugene's latest ramblings.
"Yes, yes, I'm quite certain that's what these scrolls are referring to," Eugene nodded his head emphatically, obviously quite pleased with himself for deciphering his latest puzzle.
"And how did you come to this brilliant conclusion?"
"You remember the section I was able to translate earlier? Well, it makes a reference to the 'Mouth of Hell'. Now, the word that I've interpreted here as 'mouth' has strong similarities to this word here," Eugene pointed to the characters written on the scrolls, "which translates to 'gate' or 'entrance.' So it would be practical to assume that in this context, 'mouth' would also refer to some type of gateway or entrance."
"So the 'Mouth of Hell' would be like an entrance to Hell?"
"Mouth, entrance, portal, whatever you wish to call it."
Lilah's face lit with realization, "And Sunnydale sits on top of a portal to Hell."
"Precisely."
"Why, Eugene, I do believe you've outdone yourself this time," Lilah smiled as she patted the man on the back.
Eugene blushed slightly at the compliment. "Well, there is one more theory that I've been working on."
"Enlighten me."
"The second half of that section, which I've translated as 'the Gate of Heaven will heed her call', also uses some rather tricky characters. It turns out that 'call' was a slightly inaccurate translation. I've cross-referenced that character with some others, and it seems to indicate something along the lines of 'summon'."
"Summon? In relation to Heaven? You mean like a spell-caster summoning a god?"
"Well, I'm not sure what was summoned, but if something *was* indeed summoned, then that would imply--"
"A witch!" Lilah exclaimed, cutting him off. "Oh, this is great! Eugene, you are a genius, and I am going to make sure that you are well-rewarded for this."
"But as I've said, this is just a theory--"
"A theory that makes sense. You told me earlier that the Prophecies of Aberjian say the Warriors are going to balance each other, right?"
"Yes..."
"Well, who better to balance someone with superhuman physical powers than someone with superhuman magickal ones?"
"I suppose."
"And if we're right about this, then all I need to do is get some psychic readers to hone in on Sunnydale and locate the most powerful witch in the vicinity."
"Witch?" a new voice asked from the doorway.
Lilah whirled around to face a rather pleased-looking Gavin Park. "What the hell do you want?" she scowled.
"Well actually, I've been looking for you," Gavin smiled, stepping into the room. "Apparently we have some things to discuss. What's this about witches?"
"None of your business."
"Is that so? Eugene?" Gavin directed his piercing gaze at the ancient texts translator.
Eugene gulped. It was bad enough having to deal with one of them at a time, but the two of them *together* was just terrifying. "Uh..." he trailed off as Lilah shot him a death glare. Why did these things always have to happen to him?
Fortunately, he was temporarily saved as Lilah cut in, "Why don't you just go back to issuing your little building code violations, and leave the real work to the professionals."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," Gavin's attention returned to the woman. "Either you tell me what's going on, or I report today's little incident to the Senior Partners."
"How did you find out about that?" Lilah's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"I have my ways."
"Spill it."
"I tell you what. I'll share my little secret if you share yours."
"All right then. You first."
Gavin smiled as he led her out of the room.
***
"Tell me, Lilah, do you understand now the full scope of what I've been doing these past few months?" Gavin asked snidely as Lilah gazed at all of the machines set up in the room.
"So you bugged the damn building," Lilah sneered, "you expect a medal?"
Gavin chose to ignore her comment and continued, "And imagine my surprise when I read this little transcription." He handed her a stack of papers.
"'Angel: Wesley and Fred are working on those scrolls, trying to get some clue as to what information they hold; Unknown Female: to try and find out why someone would want to steal them'," Lilah read the lines that Gavin had pointed to. "So that's how you found out."
"Yes," Gavin nodded, "though you really should read the rest of that. It was really quite amusing hearing them almost catch onto our little operation here, then completely miss the bulls-eye."
Lilah snorted as she quickly skimmed over the rest of the transcription.
"So," Gavin continued, "now that you know about my operation, let's hear about yours."
"Do you have any information on this new 'unknown female'?" Lilah asked instead, setting the papers down.
"Actually, no. A lot of the conversation was too blurred to transcribe. But let's try to stay on topic, shall we?"
Lilah paused for a moment before replying, "All right. You want to know about my operation? I'm headed to Sunnydale."
"Okay, there is not a single part of this that makes sense," Cordelia proclaimed from her seat next to Willow, "you wanna switch?"
Willow smiled as she acknowledged Cordelia's question, memories of late-night Sunnydale 'research parties' surfacing in her mind, and she realized that no matter how different things were for Angel and Cordelia in Los Angeles, there were still some things that hadn't changed.
It was very reassuring.
"Sure." The two exchanged their sections of the scroll, and Willow gaped as she read what Cordelia had translated so far. 'Fire.'
"That's all you've got?!" she exclaimed.
"And what part of 'there's not a single part of this that makes sense' did you not understand?" Cordelia replied.
Angel chuckled to himself as he listened in on the girls' verbal exchange. Though he doubted either of them would readily admit it, they seemed to be enjoying each other's company.
"And just what are *you* smirking at?" Angel, unaware that his amusement had been outwardly displayed, lifted his gaze to see Willow glaring playfully at him.
"Me?" Angel gave her his best innocent look.
"Do you see anyone *else* in this room smirking?"
"Uh..." Angel trailed off as he glanced in turn at his companions, and Willow followed his gaze. Wesley, Gunn, Fred, and Cordelia were all focused on the two of them, amused smiles lighting their faces.
"Ok, never mind then," Willow conceded.
"I'm guessing you guys did this a lot in Sunnydale," Gunn smiled at the redhead.
"You have no idea," Willow grinned back. Although she didn't know Gunn or Fred all that well yet, she was really enjoying getting to know them. For the first time since she had arrived, she was really beginning to feel that she had made the right decision in accepting Angel's offer to come to L.A.
Wesley looked slightly perplexed, "Strange, I don't seem to recall--"
"That's 'cause no one liked you," Cordelia cut in automatically, knowing what he was about to say.
"Well, except for you," Willow teasingly whispered to the brunette.
Gunn scoffed in disbelief, "Wait, you mean no liked *Wes*?"
"Why thank you, Gunn," Wesley's tone was grateful.
"It's just that...you were so different back then," Angel supplied.
Her curiosity peaked, Fred inquired, "Different how?"
"Oh, please, let's not discuss this right now...or ever, for that matter," Wesley pleaded.
"No, I wanna hear this," Gunn also voiced his interest.
"It's nothing big really," Cordelia spoke almost nonchalantly, "he was just one of those snobby, snooty, girly-man wimps."
"Again, coming from the girl who had the biggest crush on him," Willow grinned.
"Cordy and Wes?" Gunn exclaimed, "that is just weird!"
"I don't know," Fred shook her head, "I just can't picture Wesley the way you described him. I mean, he's just so..." she trailed off when she noticed the looks everyone was giving her. Blushing slightly, she finished, "Well, he's just very different now."
Wesley beamed at Fred's words. After finally getting his voice back, he attempted to get the discussion off of him. "As much as I really didn't appreciate this trip down memory lane, can we please get back to the issue of the scrolls?"
"Sure, ruin our fun," Cordelia retorted.
Wesley shot her a glare, but was promptly backed up by Angel. "Wesley's right. We really should get back to work."
"Fine, fine," Gunn sighed in disappointment. He had always been mildly interested in learning more about Sunnydale, considering his friends had such complicated histories rooted there, but no one ever seemed that willing to talk about it.
Still smiling from the group's brief bantering, Willow returned her attention to the task at hand. She sighed as she re-read the meager fruits of Cordelia's labor, then once again focused her mind on research mode. As tiring as it was, it still felt good to be able to concentrate on something other than her own problems.
Quickly losing all track of time, Willow immersed herself in the pile of scrolls and reference texts littered about the table, piecing together the translation bit by bit. However, as the meaning behind the complicated characters began to unravel, Willow felt herself growing inexplicably nervous...
'Gate'. A gate on fire? No, there was more to the phrase than that. Something else... The gate to a dimension, some type of hell dimension... Hell! Was the gate to hell on fire?
Butterflies began to form in the pit of her stomach, even as she continued her work.
Another gate, to another dimension. A peaceful dimension, a heavenly dimension. Heaven. The gate to Heaven.
Willow's heartbeat began to accelerate, yet she continued on.
A summons. The gate to Heaven, responding to a summon.
Willow's previously even breathing steadily transformed into shallow gasps as she stared in horror at the words written before her.
'When the gate to Hell is on fire, the gate of Heaven will obey her summons.'
Oh, Goddess. Sunnydale. Buffy. *Her* summons.
Pushing herself awkwardly to her feet, Willow fought to control her body's sudden violent shaking as she hurriedly made her way out of the room, panic, fear, and sorrow threatening to overwhelm her.
"Willow?" Angel's concerned voice reached her ears, but she couldn't bring herself to respond.
"Willow!" he called out again as she fled from him.
"Is she okay?" Fred's eyes were wide with worry as she watched the trembling girl half-run, half-stagger away from them.
"Willow!" Angel leapt to his feet and chased after her.
Cordelia stood as well, prepared to follow, but was stopped as Wesley placed a firm hand on her arm. "Wesley?" she questioned.
"Let Angel handle this."
Cordelia took one last look at the couple, watching as Angel gently ushered a shaken Willow into Wesley's office and closed the door behind them. She sighed as she sat back down, her eyes still fixed on the office door.
"What do you think just happened?" Gunn asked.
"I don't know," Cordelia's voice was laced with worry. "It was just..."
"Very sudden," Wesley nodded, his eyes mirroring her concern. "I wonder..." he trailed off as he gathered the materials Willow was working on, and began to read.
***
Angel was at a loss for words as sat in a rather awkward cross-legged position on the floor, holding the sobbing redhead in his arms. "Willow?" he gently prompted again as she pulled away from him a few minutes later, wiping away the last of her tears.
"I'm so sorry, Angel," her voice still shook as she spoke.
"You don't have anything to apologize for," Angel turned Willow back around to face him and took her hands in his own, "just please tell me what happened out there."
Willow stared into his eyes for a moment, letting his concern and friendship wash over her. Knowing she'd have to tell him sooner or later, she took a deep breath and tried to explain what she had no idea how to put into words.
"I think I know what Cordelia's visions were about," she began tentatively. "The pieces of the scroll I was working on...it was talking about that other Warrior that Wesley mentioned, and..."
When Willow didn't continue, Angel began to tenderly massage smooth circles over her hands with his thumbs, urging her to continue.
"And he said they'd be on opposite sides, and..."
"And what?"
"I'm not evil, am I?" Willow ended in a whisper.
Angel's brow furrowed in confusion as he heard her question. "Come again?"
"The scrolls, Angel!" Willow exclaimed as she suddenly wrenched her hands away from his. "They mention Sunnydale, a fire in Sunnydale, and this Warrior summoning someone from Heaven. Sounds vaguely familiar, doesn't it?" Her tone became almost venomous, and though she instantly regretted sounding that way, she couldn't seem to calm herself down.
"Willow, you must be mistaken--"
"I'm not!" she snapped again, getting to her feet. "When I did the spell to bring Buffy back to life, there were these biker demons that were rampaging around Sunnydale, and they practically set the entire town on fire. Those scrolls were talking about me, when I summoned Buffy out of Heaven."
"You don't know that," Angel, too, got to his feet and attempted to reason with the hysterical woman, "Sunnydale...who knows how many fires have happened in Sunnydale in the last however many years. And do you think that you're the only person who's ever tried to a spell like that? Especially on a place like the Hellmouth?"
"You're reaching, Angel," Willow shook her head sadly, having calmed down slightly. "Don't you think it's odd that Cordelia suddenly gets these strange visions about me, and at the same time you have this problem with some prophecy that talks about some evil Warrior that you're supposed to fight against? This Warrior that happens to be connected to the Hellmouth, that performs a spell to pull someone out of Heaven? Don't you see? Her visions were *warning* you about *me*!"
"No, Willow, you're wrong," Angel said firmly. "You're not evil. You never have been, and you never could be. Those scrolls are not talking about you. Cordelia's visions are not warning me about you."
"Then how do you explain this?"
"I can't," Angel shrugged slightly, "at least not yet. But we will figure this out, and you will see that this has nothing to do with you."
"I hope you're right," Willow's voice was much softer now. "But I just can't help feeling like things are about to go so horribly wrong. I thought I had hit rock bottom after everything that had happened with Dawn, but--"
"Ssshh," Angel hushed her, placing his arms around her and drawing her into his embrace. "I know this seems impossible, but just try not to think the worst. You're Willow, remember? One of the good guys. One of my best friends. Nothing's ever going to change that."
Hearing his words, Willow tightened her grip on the vampire as she tried to lose herself in the comfort of his arms. When had her life spun so dreadfully out of control? When had it gotten to the point that she could no longer tell who she was, or even who she was supposed to be? Could she really be this Warrior from the scrolls? Or was Angel right, and she was just jumping to conclusions? But it all seemed to make sense, and yet...she could never turn against her friends, right? She could never be evil...
No. Of course not. Angel was right: she was Willow. No matter how much she had changed over the years, deep down, that kind, innocent, compassionate young girl still lived inside of her, and as long as she remembered that, as long as she had friends like Angel and Buffy and Xander and Tara, she would be all right. As long as she held onto the belief in her friends, and in herself, everything would be all right.
Willow had no idea that those beliefs were about to be shattered.
PART EIGHT
Lilah sighed as she reclined against the seat of the car she and Kiren had rented to drive to Sunnydale. Although she had only been in Sunnydale for less than half-an-hour, she already couldn't wait to get the job done and get out. She hated the feeling of being back in a small town, and already her mind had begun to play memories long repressed...
Her mental drifting was interrupted as the shrill ring of her cellular phone cut into the silence. Quickly checking the number, Lilah noted the call was from Gavin, who had opted to stay behind to monitor developments in Los Angeles. Before she left, the two of them had contacted the people Wolfram & Hart had employed to handle cases involving high magicks, and had ordered them to have their psychics perform a trace on Sunnydale to locate the most powerful witch in the vicinity.
"Is the trace complete?" Lilah questioned immediately after answering her phone.
"Of course," Gavin replied smoothly. "We have the name, address, and a bit of information on our young witch. You ready?"
Lilah pulled out her pen and notepad as she asked, "And you're sure this is the strongest one in Sunnydale?"
"Positive. I have to admit I was a bit surprised, though. In a place like Sunnydale, I expected there to be more talent, but the psychics could only come up with a handful of people who had any real power. This one has the most."
"So she could very well be our girl."
"Yes, it's highly likely that she is," Gavin agreed.
After ending her call with Gavin, Lilah took a few minutes to review the information she had recorded, beginning with the witch's name.
Tara Maclay.
***
"Angel? May I have a word with you?" Wesley asked as he poked his head into his office and noticed Angel seated in the chair behind his desk.
"Of course," Angel smiled as he stood up, "it is your office after all."
"Yes, well, it's just, I wasn't sure if you needed a moment to yourself..." Wesley replied as he stepped fully inside the room. He had noted that Angel chose to remain in the office, even after Cordelia, Willow, and Fred had left the hotel for a 'girl's night' at Cordelia's place.
"It's alright," Angel reassured him again. "I was just doing some thinking." After Willow had left, Angel had mentally replayed their conversation. Although he hated to admit that Willow's theories made sense, he did not--could not--believe that she was connected to this mess.
"I see," Wesley's voice brought Angel out of this thoughts.
"I assume you wanted to talk?" Angel asked, re-focusing his mind.
"Yes, I did. But you're welcome so sit back down," Wesley indicated the chair Angel had just vacated.
"You sit. It's your desk. I'll just sit here," Angel motioned as he sat down in one of the chairs in front of Wesley's desk.
Wesley cleared his throat as he took his seat across from Angel, not quite sure how to begin the conversation he was itching to have with the vampire.
"You want to talk about Willow?" Angel began, noticing the ex-Watcher's discomfort.
"Yes," Wesley nodded, quickly lapsing into silence once again. Where did he begin? After reading the translations Willow had made, it became clear to Wesley *why* Willow had reacted--this Warrior was apparently associated with Sunnydale, and it could very well be that Willow knew who the person was--but it still didn't explain the *way* she reacted. Did she know something more? Or was it something else entirely? Did she discuss any of it with Angel? And was it even his place to ask? It was true that he had never gotten the chance to know Willow all that well, and that merely added to his uneasiness in dealing with issues that so intimately concerned the young woman.
"And you want to know what we talked about?" Angel continued, not finding it at all difficult to read what was on Wesley's mind.
"Is it that obvious?"
"It's not like there's much else going on," Angel shrugged.
"No, I suppose not. Is she alright?"
"She will be. I think this night at Cordy's will be good for her."
"That's good," Wesley smiled. After a pause, he decided to just jump right into the issue, "I'm sure you know that Willow may have a link to the Warrior mentioned in the scrolls."
Angel's eyes suddenly snapped to his, unsure of exactly how much Wesley knew. "You read the translation?" he asked, realizing that must have been Wesley's clue.
"Of course," Wesley explained, "and it mentioned the Hellmouth. So, what I'm wondering is whether or not Willow knows this person."
Angel opened his mouth to respond, then quickly shut it again after deciding that he couldn't really say anything. As much as he felt Wesley deserved to know the full truth as to what was going on with Willow in Sunnydale, he also understood that it was ultimately up to Willow to tell the others when she was ready. If Angel took it upon himself to explain to Wesley what he knew, he was fairly certain that Wesley would jump to the same conclusions that Willow had--a conclusion that Angel refused to accept.
Noticing his friend's pointed silence, Wesley sighed. "Look, Angel, I know that Willow's been dealing in fairly strong magicks these past few months. That, and the way she reacted just now...it's obvious that she knows something, and it's obvious she confided in you. You know that this is an extremely important matter -- we have no idea how much Wolfram and Hart already know about the subject, or even what they're planning this very moment."
"You're partially right," Angel finally relented a little, realizing that his friend had a point, "but there's more to it than that. And it involves some things that Willow really needs to tell you herself."
"And will she?" Wesley questioned. "It's obviously a very touchy subject, and it isn't as though I know her as well as you or even Cordelia."
"She will. When she's ready."
"And when will that be?" Wesley couldn't keep the slight trace of irritation out of his voice. What was so bad that Angel felt that he couldn't trust him with the knowledge? Why had they spent the last day chasing frantically after the meaning in the scrolls, if Angel was just going to sit back and tell him to wait for Willow to explain whatever was bothering her?
"I'm sorry, Wesley, I know this is frustrating for you--"
"We have to find this Warrior before Wolfram and Hart do."
"I know," Angel nodded. "Which is why, in the meantime, I think we should go through more of the scrolls, find out everything we can about this person."
Knowing that he wasn't going to get anything more out of Angel, Wesley merely exhaled and shrugged his agreement. "All right. I suppose it's all we can do at the moment."
"Thank you, Wes," Angel smiled at the man. He had done enough brooding for one night. Now was the time to begin searching for answers--answers he prayed would lead him far away from Willow.
***
"Can I help you?" Tara asked, warily eyeing the couple that was standing on her doorstep. She really wasn't in the mood for visitors. After Willow had left for Los Angeles, Tara found herself slowly slipping into a state of depression. Tara knew that when Willow had told of her plans to go, she had encouraged it, believing that the distance would do them some good, but the separation had been harder than she could have ever imagined. It was a good thing that Dawn, and occasionally Buffy, had a made a point to stop by frequently to spend some time with her. She really enjoyed the company, and at the moment it was the only thing keeping her from constantly dwelling on Willow's absence. In fact, she was expecting Dawn to stop by any minute.
"Hi, my name is Lilah Morgan," the brunette extended her hand to Tara, offering her an overly eager smile. Tara shook her hand a bit hesitantly, feeling that something wasn't quite right with the woman, and especially with the grim-featured man standing next to her.
"This may or may not sound very strange to you," Lilah continued, "but I work with a group of people who deal with... supernatural events, I suppose you could say."
Tara lifted an eyebrow, not quite sure where this was headed, but it wasn't everyday that someone showed up on her doorstep wanting to talk about the less-publicized aspects of life in Sunnydale.
"And?" she asked, trying her best to keep her tone friendly.
"Well, you see...could we come in?" Lilah suddenly asked. Sensing the girl's reluctance, she quickly added, "This really isn't something I'd prefer to discuss out here where anybody could happen to overhear us."
"I really don't think that's a good idea," Tara shook her head, not really sure why her mind was screaming at her in warning, "I just recently moved in and the place is a mess, so--"
"We don't mind," Lilah cut her off, "it's just that, well, we really need your help." During her conversation with Gavin, Lilah had learned that the girl had been involved with the Slayer, meaning that asking for her help would probably be the easiest way to get into her good graces. Considering that she had expected the witch to be partial to dark magicks, the knowledge that she was yet another do-gooder had confused Lilah. But she needed answers, and conversing with this girl was probably the only way to get them.
"My help?" Tara asked.
"I'd really rather not talk about this out here," Lilah once again pleaded, feigning earnestness.
Tara sighed as she stepped back and opened the door a bit wider. If these people really did need help, the she was obligated to do what she could, but a part of her wondered why they had come to *her* of all people.
"Thank you," Lilah smiled at the girl as she entered, casting a swift glance about the room. Her gaze fell on a picture, placed on a small writing desk next to the door, of the witch joyfully embracing another redheaded female. Lilah grinned slightly at the obvious meaning behind the photograph, but chose not to comment.
"Please, sit down," Tara offered as she motioned towards the couch.
After taking a seat, Lilah spoke, "I'm sure you'd prefer if I just got right down to business."
"It would help to know why you're here, yes," Tara responded.
"Okay. I wanted to talk to you about a certain group of demons that have been on a bit of a rampage recently. I've done some research on them, and it turns out that the only way to...subdue them is through the use of a fairly powerful spell."
Tara's face lit up in understanding, "And you need a witch."
"Exactly. We heard that there was a pretty powerful witch here in Sunnydale, so--"
"I'm sorry," Tara automatically cut the woman off, believing that she was there to talk to her about Willow, "but she isn't in town right now."
Lilah's curiosity was automatically peaked upon hearing her statement. She? Could it be that this was in fact the wrong girl, and that there was another, more powerful, witch in Sunnydale? Not one to miss a beat, though, she continued fluidly, "I'm sorry to hear that. Do you know where I could get in touch with her?"
Unable to explain her growing sense of unease, Tara replied, "No, I'm sorry."
"I see," Lilah purposely let her disappointment show. "Well, do you think it's possible for--" she was cut off by the ring of her cellular phone. "Ah, excuse me for a minute." She stood up and walked towards the door, answering the phone in hushed tones.
"Lilah, it's Gavin," her caller replied swiftly.
"What is it now?" she snapped at him.
"We have a small problem. The girl you're with isn't the one we're looking for."
"And how do you figure that?"
"Because, it turns out that the witch we're looking for happens to be shacked up with Angel at the moment."
"Please tell me you're joking," Lilah groaned at the news.
"Deadly serious. I've been watching our resident vampire, and he recently had quite an interesting conversation with a young redhead about her connection to the scrolls."
"Really?" Lilah's eyes traveled back to the photograph on the desk. "Could you give me a description?"
"Of the girl?" Gavin asked.
"Yes."
"Well, it's not like I have a detailed description, but I'd say shoulder-length red hair, average height, slender, green eyes--"
"That's perfect," Lilah smiled into the phone.
"Perfect? Have you forgotten that she's with Angel? Meaning that she's entirely inaccessible?"
"Not entirely," Lilah exchanged a meaningful glance with Kiren, who had remained stationed next to the door, and who interpreted the look with a knowing nod. "In fact, I think we've just stumbled upon the perfect opportunity."
"What are you talking about?" Gavin asked suspiciously.
"You'll find out when we get back," Lilah replied smugly, quickly ending the call. She was suddenly very glad that she had the forethought to bring Kiren along.
***
"Oh, god," Dawn breathed as she entered Tara's apartment, taking in
the sight before her. It was obvious there had been a struggle, and
Tara was nowhere in sight. "Buffy," she murmured, trying to keep
herself from panicking, "I have to get Buffy." And with that, she
took off towards home.
PART NINE
"Oh my gosh, Willow you are a *godsend*!" Cordelia squealed in delight as she stood leaning over Willow's shoulder and watching the actions the redhead was performing on her computer at the Angel Investigations office.
Willow smiled in relief, "It's good to know I've still got my touch with these babies."
"What's going on in here?" Gunn asked as he entered the hotel.
"Hey Gunn!" Cordelia greeted as she turned her head to give the man a brilliant smile, "Willow was just fixing up the computer."
"Damn, you're telling me this chic knows her way around magick *and* technology? Pretty dangerous combination if you ask me."
Willow's fingers froze momentarily over the keyboard as she heard Gunn. Forcing herself to take a deep--and quiet--breath, Willow reminded herself that it was just a joke. She wasn't dangerous.
"By the way, how'd the 'girls night' go?" Gunn continued.
"Oh, we had the best time!" Fred exclaimed, coming back into the room with a platter full of tacos. "We spent practically the whole night talking about--"
"--Our favorite movies," Cordelia suddenly cut in, giving Fred a slightly panicked look, "you know, those old classics?"
Catching Cordelia's meaning, Fred smiled as she added, "Right, 'cause, you know, it turns out we're all big movie fans."
"Uh-huh, movies, right," came Gunn's distracted reply. Willow turned to see him hungrily eyeing the tacos Fred was carrying. "Um, are you gonna eat all of those?" he finally asked.
Fred giggled as she placed the tray on a table and picked up a taco for herself. "No, silly, they're for all of us."
"Great," Gunn said, leaping forward, "'cause I am starved."
Cordelia, too, moved to grab a taco, but was stopped by the ringing of the telephone. "I'll get it," she sighed as she moved towards the phone, sending a forlorn glance at the tray of rapidly vanishing food.
"Angel Investigations, we help the--Buffy?"
Willow's attention automatically turned to Cordelia as she heard the name of her best friend.
"What's going on?" Cordelia asked, sounding concerned. Her eyes locked onto Willow's as she continued speaking into the phone, "Yeah, she's right here. Let me give her the phone."
"What is it?" Willow whispered as she stood and walked over to the brunette. Cordelia merely shrugged as she handed the receiver to Willow, whispering back, "Beats me, but she sounds upset."
"Buffy? What's wrong?" Willow questioned after taking the phone.
"Hey, Will," Buffy's voice was tight with worry. "You doing okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. What's going on?"
There was pause before Buffy finally answered, "I'm not quite sure how to say this, so I guess I'll just say it. Will...Tara's gone."
"Gone?" Willow's eyes widened in shock, and her heart began to beat just a bit faster, a feeling of panic gripping at her. "What do you mean 'gone'?"
"Dawn went over to her place--they had this thing planned for today--but when she got there, Tara was... She came to get me--*Dawn* came to get me--and, well, it looks like Tara was taken...by force."
"You're telling me Tara was kidnapped?" Willow's voice quivered.
"It looks like it," Buffy replied softly, "I'm sorry."
"But...by who?" Willow demanded. "Why would anyone be after Tara?"
"I don't know, Will," Buffy tried to offer any type of vocal comfort she could, "but we're doing everything we can to find that out. I just thought you should know. I figured you'd want to come back, help us search."
"Yeah," Willow nodded absent-mindedly, still reeling from the news. The memories of when Glory had robbed Tara of her sanity came floating back to her mind, but Willow found that she could not feel the emotions associated with those memories. Trapped in a numb state of shock, she simply stood there, clutching the phone tightly to her ear, fighting back the fear that she might never see Tara again.
Images of the many loving moments she and Tara had shared flashed in her mind: seeing Tara for the first time at that crazy Wicca group meeting; spending hours on end together in her dorm room, just talking about anything and everything that came to mind, simply enjoying each other's company; their first kiss; all the times they'd do simple spells together...
Spells.
Magick.
Buffy's resurrection.
The Aiterion Scrolls.
"Willow?" she could hear Buffy frantically trying to recapture her attention. "Willow, are you still there?"
Willow struggled to overcome the wave of panic and guilt that suddenly washed over her, but she found it too difficult.
Noticing the redhead's state of shock, Cordelia gently laid a hand on Willow's arm. "Willow?" she called softly to her.
Trapped in her own world of mental torment, Willow could not respond. Her fingers went slack as the receiver slipped from her grasp, the weight of it bringing the entire phone clattering to the ground with a resounding crash that echoed throughout the lobby of the silent hotel.
"Holy crap, Willow!" Cordelia put her arms out to steady the girl before she could collapse from shock.
"Tara's gone," Willow murmured as she leaned against Cordelia for the support her own body would not give her.
"What's happened?" Angel suddenly came racing down the stairs, brought by the sound of the phone crashing to the floor.
"It's Willow," Fred explained to him quietly, "she got a call from Buffy, something about--"
That was all Angel needed to hear as he ran towards Willow, taking her from Cordelia's arms. "I've got her," he reassured the brunette. "Willow, look at me," he commanded her gently as he began to lead her towards a chair.
"I'm so sorry," was all she could manage to say.
"Willow, you have to tell me what's happened," Angel told her, finding himself panicking by the grief-stricken expression on Willow's face.
"Buffy?" Cordelia whispered into the phone, having picked it back up. "What is going on?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Buffy exhaled in relief at finally hearing someone on the line, "what happened to Willow?"
Cordelia sent a quick glance to where Willow was seated, Angel kneeling before her, his hands holding her own as he tried to coax her out of her catatonic state. "She's in shock."
Buffy sighed sadly as she heard Cordelia. "I guess I picked the wrong way to break the news."
"If I heard Willow right, I don't think there was a right way to break that kind of news. Do you know what happened?"
"No," Buffy replied, "but I swear I'm gonna find out."
"Oh, god, Angel... this is all my fault!" Cordelia heard Willow cry out.
Deciding that having her attention divided between both Buffy and Willow was a bit much at the moment, Cordelia quickly spoke into the receiver, "Look, Buffy, why don't I give you a call in a little while, after Willow's calmed down a bit."
"Okay," Buffy agreed after a slight pause, desperately wanting to talk to Willow, but knowing that there was nothing she could say at the moment. "Take care of her."
"You know we will," Cordelia smiled before hanging up. Turning her attention back to the redhead, Cordelia watched as she cried softly against Angel's shoulder. She next shifted her gaze to Fred and Gunn, who were standing together a few feet away, looking slightly out of place. Walking over to them, she whispered, "Maybe we should give them a bit of privacy."
"Sounds good," Gunn nodded.
As the trio turned to leave, they saw Wesley enter the building and pause at the sight that greeted him. After sending a concerned glance in Willow and Angel's direction, he quickly moved towards the others, his face expressing the many questions that were running through his mind.
"Got a call from Sunnydale," Cordelia automatically began to explain to Wesley as he approached them. "Tara's apparently been taken by something."
"Tara? Willow's girlfriend?" Wesley asked, only vaguely recalling having heard that name before.
Cordelia nodded, her gaze once again drawn back to Willow and Angel. Willow seemed slightly more composed, and she was nodding in agreement at something Angel was saying to her. Angel then stood up and turned to face the rest of them, indicating that it was all right for them to come over.
The group shuffled almost nervously toward the pair, eyes darting quickly from one to the other.
"I have something that I really need to tell to all of you," Willow sniffled softly, fighting back the last of her tears. She had put this off long enough, and Tara had suffered the consequences. It was time to finally come clean, and maybe, just maybe, she could find some way out of this nightmare.
"What is it?" Fred asked, her voice filled with compassion.
Willow looked at each of them in turn, her gaze lingering on Cordelia for a moment before lastly falling onto Wesley. "It has to do with what happened last night, with the scrolls."
Wesley exchanged a silent glance with Angel as he prompted Willow to continue.
"There's actually a lot more to it," Willow began to explain hesitantly, "starting back when I performed the spell to bring Buffy back to life."
***
Nearly an hour later, the occupants of the hotel were seated in a small semi-circle, staring silently at anything except the tortured redhead who had finished her tale just minutes before.
"So you think Wolfram and Hart are behind Tara's disappearance?" Wesley finally asked.
"It makes sense, doesn't it?" Willow replied sadly. "I mean, from what Angel's told me about them, they're pretty ruthless, and they have all sorts of connections. Tara's a witch too, and she was there with me when we, when I... she was just always there with me."
Angel wrapped an arm across Willow's shoulders and drew her close to him reassuringly. "If they do have her, I promise you we'll get her back."
"Okay, is anyone else concerned about the fact that if Wolfram and Hart are behind this, they're gonna be coming after Willow with everything they've got?" Cordelia questioned.
"Let them try," Angel growled, "I'll kill every single one of those bastards before they can even lay a finger on Willow." Angel felt the demon stirring within him, and found he had to use more force than normal to push it back down again. Perhaps he had been too generous when he offered only a warning after they pulled the stunt with Cordelia's visions, because this time Wolfram and Hart had gone too far.
"Uh, Angel?" Gunn asked nervously, "I seriously hope you're not about to relapse."
"Relapse?" Fred inquired softly.
"It's a long story," Cordelia was quick to dismiss the still-touchy subject, "but I'm backing Angel up on this one."
Willow gave the ex-cheerleader a heartfelt smile. "Thanks, Cordy, but I really think we should concentrate on getting Tara back rather than keeping me safe. This whole thing is my fault anyway."
"I want you to stop saying that," Angel's tone was stern, "none of this is your fault."
"Angel, if I *am* the one in the scrolls--"
"Then we will handle it."
"But what if--"
"You're not evil," Angel cut her off again, knowing where she was headed with her self-deprecating arguing. "Nothing can make you evil."
"It just seems like everything has spiraled out of control," Willow sighed. Ever since she had learned that she had pulled Buffy out of Heaven, her life had become so unrecognizably twisted that she barely even recognized it anymore. She had allowed her own power to corrupt her, inadvertently betrayed her best friend, lost the woman she loved, sunk so far into depression that she had put her life in danger, ended up hurting the people closest to her, and now, now she was learning that she could end up becoming Angel's enemy, and even that *knowledge* was having its repercussions--on the very person she loved most in this world.
"I'm just so tired, Angel."
Angel was about to respond, but was interrupted by the telephone ringing once again. Assuming it was Buffy with more news, he squeezed Willow's hand gently in support before going to answer the call.
"Angel Investigations," he answered obligatorily.
"Angel, how are you today?" asked an unmistakably snide voice.
"Lilah," Angel snarled, "what the hell do you want?"
"Now, now, is that any way to talk to someone who's just trying to offer you an olive branch?"
Angel could practically envision the smug smirk plastered across the woman's face, and it irritated him to no end. "What are you talking about?"
"It's very simple, really. You see, you happen to have something that we're very interested in obtaining, and as it turns out, we happen to have something that I'm sure you're desperate to get back."
"Get to the point."
"All right then. I'm calling to propose a trade."
***
"Willow, are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" Angel asked, his hands on Willow's shoulders, his gaze pinning her attention to him.
"For the last time, Angel, I'm sure," Willow told him slowly, trying to emphasize her resolve. "I have to do this. I have to make sure Tara's safe."
"You know we can find some other way," Buffy stepped forward, speaking softly.
After Angel had received the phone call from Lilah, he had told Willow about the lawyer's demands. Willow had automatically agreed to the trade, and no amount of arguing from him, Cordelia, or even Wesley, could dissuade her. They had tried to warn her of all the possible ways this could go wrong, but Willow had held firmly to her decision, only agreeing to a mild compromise of calling Sunnydale first to let her friends know what was happening.
That phone call, of course, had brought Buffy and Xander running to Los Angeles, intent on providing what assistance they could to bring both Willow and Tara home safely. They, too, had made a futile attempt to talk Willow out of her decision. In the end, it was decided that Willow and Angel would go to the location specified for the trade, as Lilah had demanded, but that Buffy would come along secretly as backup, in case anything went wrong.
Shaking her head at Buffy, Willow replied, "What if something happens to Tara in the meantime? How would I live with that?"
"And if something happens to you?" both Buffy and Angel countered.
Willow sighed, her eyes downcast as she stared at the floor. "I know you guys don't want to see me get hurt," she looked up to gaze at both of them, "but I love Tara. I don't know what I'd ever do without her. And both of you know you'd be doing the exact same thing if it was someone you loved."
Buffy and Angel exchanged slightly uncomfortable glances, recognizing the truth in Willow's words.
"Alright," Angel finally relented completely. "But if I get even the *smallest* indication that you're in danger--"
"You can play the part of the White Knight that you're so used to," Willow smiled at him.
Buffy felt her heart constrict slightly as she watched the ease with which the two interacted. There had been a time when she and Angel had had that flowing connection, but it was a time so long ago. Even though she realized that a relationship with Angel could only remain as part of her past, she didn't understand why it still affected her every time she saw him. They had moved so far apart from each other, that had been revealed with painful clarity during their rendezvous, after Angel had learned she was back from the grave, and yet Buffy found that she could not let go of the small piece of him that still lived in her heart.
"We all set then?"
Willow's nervous question brought Buffy out of her thoughts, and she flashed her companions a smile filled with the confidence she didn't feel. "Ready. I'll be waiting here for Angel and Tara to come out, and if all goes well, we'll be back for you in no time."
"Good," Willow nodded, turning to Angel. "Let's go."
Angel sent once last look at Buffy, silently reminding her to keep her eyes and ears open for the slightest hint of danger, then moved to follow Willow into the abandoned warehouse.
***
"Ms. Rosenberg, may I say that it is a pleasure to finally meet you," Lilah greeted the couple standing before her.
"Too bad I can't say the same," Willow threw back at her.
"Really, Angel, must your associates always be so hostile?"
"We're here like you asked," Willow continued, her words clipped in anger. "Where's Tara?"
"Your girlfriend's on the way," Lilah stated, "You know, I really do think that the two of you make a cute couple."
"You said she'd be here," Angel stepped forward, his patience practically non-existent.
"And she will be. We simply had to make sure you'd keep up your end of the deal."
"You're the only one who'd pull a double-cross," Angel snarled.
"True," Lilah smiled, "but I've got to cover my bases."
Movement at the other end of the room caught Angel's attention, and he and Willow watched as several new figures appeared.
"Ah, and here's the little witch," Gavin announced as he appeared next to Lilah.
"Oh my god, Tara!" Willow suddenly rushed forward as she spotted her beloved hanging limply within the grasp of two commandoes. "What have you done to her?"
Just as Willow was within arm's length of Tara, a barrier erupted between the two, sending Willow flying back against the wall.
"Willow!" Angel's game face emerged as he growled and launched himself towards the men holding Tara captive. Unfortunately, he, too was sent sprawling backwards.
"What the hell are you trying to pull?" Willow snapped viciously at the five people standing before her as she rose to her feet, casting a swift glance in Angel's direction to make sure he was okay.
"Insurance," Lilah stated simply. "We happen to have a few of our own spell-casters, and this one here," the fifth figure stepped forward slightly, "has a barrier running around your girlfriend that also happens to prevent her from using her powers. Once you're safely in our...care, the barrier will be released."
Angel, who was once again standing protectively next to Willow, countered, "Or the barrier could close in on her and kill her. I happen to be familiar with how these work."
"We assure you that won't be the case," Gavin stepped in, "so long as Ms. Rosenberg refrains from using her own powers. We have no desire to see anyone die here tonight."
"You think I'm just going to accept your word on that? Release the barrier now," Angel commanded.
"You're not the one in a position to give orders here," Lilah replied. "As you yourself just pointed out, we could have her killed on a moment's notice."
"Try it and you all die," Willow's voice was pitched low, her eyes menacing. She was trying her best to keep the magick within her buried, but she even as she stood there, she could feel the desire to simply blast away everyone in the room building within her.
Lilah took an involuntary step back as she noted the gleam in the redhead's eyes. "As we've said, Ms. Rosenberg, so long as you refrain from using your powers, your girlfriend will be returned safe and sound."
"And me? What do you have in store for me?"
"We'd simply like to talk with you," Gavin answered smoothly.
"Talk? I really don't think you went through all this trouble just so we could sit down over a cup of coffee and *talk.*"
At that moment, a loud crash came from the entrance Willow and Angel had used earlier, and the occupants of the room whirled around to find a young blonde crashing through the door, bleeding from a bullet wound in her shoulder.
"What the hell is going on?" Lilah asked the commando who had stepped in behind her, his gun still trained on the girl.
"She was snooping around outside," he replied.
Buffy quickly regained her balance, glaring at the people in the room. "As I already told the not-so-nice man with the gun, I was just passing by."
"Passing by? Really?" Gavin raised en eyebrow, "Considering that you're the Slayer, I'd say that's quite a big coincidence."
"Oh, so you've heard of me?" Buffy flashed them a quick smile.
Unfortunately, her trademark flippant remarks weren't going to get her out of this mess, as Lilah smoothly commanded, "Kill her."
Buffy's eyes widened as she heard the order, and she turned quickly, lashing out with a spinning back kick to the commando behind her, disarming him.
And then all hell broke loose.
Buffy tackled one of the commandoes holding Tara, as Angel went after the one who had previously held his gun on Buffy. Willow, intent on getting to the psychic binding Tara, barely had time to react as bullets went flying through the room.
Quickly disposing of his opponent, Angel turned to see Willow advancing on the psychic. Moving quickly to her aid, he was distracted by the sight of the last commando preparing to fire at Buffy. Angel yelled in warning, allowing Buffy to evade the path of the bullet in time, but she ended up inadvertently brushing against the barrier around Tara, which sent her flying back. Angel threw himself at the other commando, the gun firing as their bodies collided.
A high-pitched shriek filled the air, and Willow sank to her knees as the body of the fallen psychic crumbled on top of her, shot by the stray bullet. A second, agonized scream joined the first, and Willow's eyes snapped up to see Tara writhing in pain against the confines of her barrier, which were rapidly closing in on her.
"Tara!" Willow's heart constricted painfully as she quickly scrambled to her feet, racing over to Tara. She knew she had sworn that she was finished with magick, but if it was the only way to save the woman she loved...
Willow's eyes flashed as she unleashed her power, her mind set upon breaking the barrier. But even as the invisible walls around Tara shattered, Willow knew it was too late.
"No!" she sobbed as she cradled Tara's limp body in her arms, "please, baby, open your eyes. Say something to me, please..."
When Tara still did not move, Willow began to grow hysterical, even as she continued to gently stroke the other woman's hair, coaxing her to do something to prove she was still alive. As the harsh reality of the situation finally sunk into Willow's grief-stricken mind, she realized it was over. Once again, she had lost the person she loved.
And there would be hell to pay.
PART TEN
"Oh my god," Buffy murmured as she stared at her best friend cradling Tara's body. Her hand clutched her chest as she struggled to keep breathing, yet she could not stop the trail of tears flowing down her cheeks. As much grief as she felt over the loss of someone she had come to love greatly, the sight of Willow and Tara's forms continually blurred and shifted into her own and that of her mother.
Another death.
Always death.
Still rooted to his spot near Buffy, Angel also stared at the sight before him, unable to speak. After a moment, he began moving slowly towards the redhead, despite not knowing what to say.
Lilah, Gavin, and the rest had used Tara's death as an opportunity to escape, and yet the anger he felt was smothered by the vision of Willow's frame hovering--completely still--over that of her lover.
"Willow?" he called out gently, desperately wanting her to look up at him.
A moment passed before Willow stirred slightly. Her shoulders straightened, and Angel could see her take a long, calming breath. She slowly lowered Tara's body to the ground, then stood up. After a long moment, she lifted her gaze and looked at the vampire.
Angel suddenly wished she hadn't.
Gone were the beautiful green orbs that Angel had become accustomed to seeing, and in their place was nothing but blackness. Willow's face was a cold mask of tightly restrained rage, the likes of which he hadn't seen in all his two-hundred-and-fifty years.
She was a vision of death, and it frightened him senseless.
As she began to move, Angel mentally kicked himself into gear. "Willow--" he attempted to sooth her back into her normal state, but his words were quickly sliced off.
"Shut up and move," she snarled, not missing a beat as she glided right past him.
"Willow, where are you going?" Buffy seemed to have snapped out of her own trance in time to see Willow's cool rejection of Angel.
"Out."
"Willow, wait! We have to talk!" Buffy pleaded, chasing after her friend.
When Willow paused her movements, Buffy hurriedly continued. "I know what you're feeling right now. I've been there--"
"So this about you?"
It wasn't the words that finally shattered the already fragmented pieces of her heart, but rather the complete lack of any emotion behind them. Buffy struggled to say something, anything, but the words escaped her.
"It's always about you, isn't it?" Willow turned to glare at the blonde, barely recognizing her own voice. "All of this started with you. And now it's ended with you."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Buffy's voice quivered at the accusation.
"You insisted on coming. You got caught. Tara's dead."
"Willow, I was trying to help--"
"If I had used my magick, all of this could have been prevented. But I swore otherwise to you, didn't I?"
"Willow, wait a minute," Angel stepped in, not liking where this was headed. If that was truly how Willow felt, if she blamed even her best friend, there was no telling what threat she could represent.
"You, too?" she turned her gaze to him, a slightly puzzled look being the only indication that she even distinguished his presence from Buffy's.
"What happened just now--"
"Will be dealt with."
"Of course. But not in this way, not at this cost. Please, just come with us--" Again, he was cut off.
"Sorry, some new plans just came up." With that, Willow turned around and continued towards the exit, but not before lifting her hand and motioning towards the two of them.
The blast of energy that shot from her fingers sent the both of them crashing back into the far wall, giving the witch ample opportunity to disappear into the night.
***
"Dear lord," Wesley breathed as he sank further into the cushions of his chair, his fingers massaging his temples as he attempted to sort through the information Angel and Buffy had just given him.
"And what, you just let her leave?" Xander exclaimed, his accusing stare pointed at Angel.
"We didn't exactly get much of a chance to stop her," Buffy interceded on the vampire's behalf.
"She could be anywhere!"
"We know," Cordelia placed a reassuring hand on Xander's shoulder. "But right now, all we can do is trust that Willow will come back, once she works through her grief."
Angel shook his head, "You didn't see her eyes, Cordy. She's not going to work through her grief. She can't, not in the state she's in. She's going to bury it, probably along with Wolfram & Hart."
"And this is a bad thing?" Gunn inquired from his position in the corner. For the most part, he had stayed out of the conversation, allowing Willow's closest friends to deal with their tragedies.
"If she takes human lives in vengeance--"
"The prophecy," Wesley's whispered words halted Angel's own. "It's beginning."
"But wait," Fred's normally quiet voice seemed to echo throughout the hotel, "why would Willow turn against Angel? I mean, the Warriors were supposed to be on opposing sides, and, okay, Willow's probably out for blood right now, but not ours... right?"
"Fred has a point," Cordelia turned to Wesley. "Willow may not be in a good place right now, but that doesn't necessarily mean she's going to become this Warrior."
Finally feeling some relief, Xander added in, "That's right. I mean, come on, this is Wills we're talking about. She wouldn't go that far."
"You'd be surprised how far down a person can go when they're grieving," Buffy's tone was filled with sorrow, "when they think they have nothing left to live for."
Upon hearing her words, Angel sent a quick glance in Buffy's direction. He knew all too well what she was referring to, and yet there seemed to be a hint of something more to her words.
"But Will has everything to live for," Xander continued to argue. "She has all of us."
"Xander's right," Angel finally spoke again. Then, as if registering his own words, he added, "this time, at least." Easily ignoring the youth's glare, he continued, "We have to find Willow and make sure she knows we're all here to help her through this."
"That's easier said than done," Wesley sighed.
"Okay, could you stop being Mr. Pessimist for like, two seconds?" Xander turned his anger onto the ex-Watcher.
"That's not fair," Fred spoke up again, "Wesley's just trying to be realistic."
"Well, he's not succeeding. He doesn't know anything about Willow--"
"Xander," Buffy's commanding tone served to quiet him down for the moment. "We're not getting anywhere by just standing around and arguing. We need to come up with some plan of action."
"She's my best friend," Xander's voice was much quieter now.
"Mine, too," Buffy's smile was a small one, but it did the trick.
"Where should we start?"
"I'll start with re-examining the prophecies," Wesley offered. "The more information we have, the better equipped we'll be to deal with any situation that may arise."
"I'll help," Fred volunteered.
Xander raised his hand, "Me, too. I'm not so great with the whole research thing, but I'll do whatever I can."
"We can always use the help," Wesley offered a conciliatory smile.
"Count me in, too," Cordelia shrugged.
"And me," Buffy chimed in, but was quickly silenced by Angel.
"You, Buffy, need to have your wound bandaged."
"What, this?" Buffy glanced down at the blood clot from the bullet wound on her arm. "It'll heal."
"Or you'll have to amputate," Gunn shrugged.
"Now you're getting it!" Cordelia proudly interjected.
At Buffy's puzzled look, Gunn just grinned and offered his hand to the Slayer. "Let's just say I went through the same thing earlier," he said, indicating the bandages on his other arm.
"Oh," Buffy nodded in understanding.
"How about I take you to the hospital? I'm sure even Slayers need medical treatment from time to time."
"No hospital," Buffy shook her head. "Don't you guys have any first aid stuff around here?"
"Do we!" Cordelia huffed, obviously exasperated at all the injuries she was forced to tend to.
Knowing that tone, Gunn simply smiled and offered, "How about I take you to them and help get you bandaged up?"
Still unsure, Buffy cast a worried glance to both Xander and Angel. After receiving encouraging nods from them both, she sighed and allowed Gunn to escort her out of the room.
"What about you, Angel?" Fred asked the brooding vampire.
After a slight pause, he simply stated, "I'm going to get help."
"From who?" Wesley inquired.
"Who else?" Angel shrugged before quickly exiting the building.
At the questioning look Xander gave her, Cordelia simply stated, "Psychic demon. Likes to sing."
"Ah," Xander nodded, then, as an afterthought, added, "I really hope he's not the kind to make people burst out into song and dance."
"Nah, just song," the brunette waved off his inquiry and headed towards the table where Wesley and Fred were already seated.
With an audible gulp, Xander followed.
***
"I don't believe this!" Lilah snarled in frustration as she threw the folder containing all the information she had collected on the Warrior across her office.
"Things did turn out pretty bad, didn't they?" Gavin asked calmly from a spot near the door, secure from the woman's wrath. Not that he was afraid.
"How dare you stand there acting all smug? This was *your* failure, too."
"My failure? As I recall, this whole project was completely and entirely yours. I was simply lending you a bit of assistance with my own--quite successful-project."
"Why you dirty little--"
"Temper, temper, Lilah," Gavin chided. "If I were you, I'd instead try and find a way out of this mess. You know the senior partners will *not* be pleased to learn that you've just turned an extremely powerful witch against us."
"Oh, but I'm sure they'll hear all about it, won't they?" Lilah crossed her arms over her chest.
"What can I say? Good news travels fast."
"Good news?" Lilah snorted.
"It all depends on your perspective," Gavin smirked as he opened the door to leave. "I'll be sure to check in with you later."
As the door swung shut behind him, Lilah exhaled and sank into her chair. Once again, she found herself considering her options. Survival being her strongest instinct, she took a deep breath before picking up the phone and dialing a now-familiar number.
"Kiren? I have an assignment for you, and this time, you better not fail me."
It was best to just neutralize the threat.
***
She was numb.
For the millionth time that night, Willow sat simply staring at her hands. The hands she had used against her own friends. The hands that had last touched the body of her lover. The hands that had violated the most basic law of nature.
And there was so much blood.
It was never supposed to be this way. She and Tara were supposed to have their happily ever after. But in a cruel twist of fate, it had all been wrenched from her grasp.
Again.
The vision of Tara's beautiful face floated to the surface of her mind: her shimmering eyes, her shy smile, the angelic melody of her voice. The memory of her butterfly touch, of the smoldering look she would give her in the throes of passion, of the whispered words during their tender moments, they all crushed her under a blanket of darkness.
And now matter how hard she tried, she couldn't cast that blanket off.
Once more, the events of the night played out before her eyes, and Willow's grief quickly fueled a new wave of anger. For the briefest moment, the raw pain of Tara's death had been dulled into a hollow ache, and so Willow grasped onto that sensation for dear life. She didn't want to feel the pain. Without Tara, she didn't want to feel anything.
Not even love.
Love for Buffy had compelled her to bring her back, to snatch her away from the only peace she'd ever known and restore her to a world filled with destruction, greed, pain, and, inevitably, death. And it was the same love for Tara that had sealed her fate, caused her to be used as nothing more than a pawn in a deadly game that she didn't even know the rules to.
A game set up and run by the bastards at Wolfram & Hart.
Willow's rage quickly escalated into a burning hatred, and for the second time that night, she forced herself to reign in her emotions. She was not so weak as to be ruled by her hatred. Rather, she was strong enough to harness it.
In one moment, everything that had remained untainted in her life had been stripped away, and now she was left with nothing. What, then, was the point in continuing her useless struggle? She couldn't use her magick to save Tara, so she would at least use it to avenge her. Yes, she would inflict the worst possible torture on the demons at Wolfram & Hart.
After all, if there was nothing left in this life for her, if it no longer had any meaning, then what did it matter to try and salvage the broken remnants of her existence? She had but one purpose now, and afterwards...
Afterwards, perhaps she would join Tara.
The numbness once again settled over her heart, clouding her mind. As Willow rose from her position, she glanced down once more at her hands, watching, fascinated, as the blood began to run over her palms, down her wrists, staining the ground around her in a light puddle of red.
It took her a while to realize that the rain, which had recently began pouring steadily, was washing the blood from her hands. As Willow lifted her head to gaze into the dark night sky--a sky void of any light, be it moon, star, or planet--she allowed a slow smile to spread across her face.
It was only appropriate that the Heavens would weep the tears that she could not.
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