Rating: R
Summary: Willow makes a sudden decision to leave Sunnydale
Disclaimer: All characters and aspects of the fictional environment are property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox, et al. There is no intent, or remote possibility, of anyone profiting from this.
Distribution: The Willow Tree (http://www.angelfire.com/tv2/littleredenvy/), if you'd like it ask and I'll let you take it.
Feedback: Please
~Part: 1~
"Leaving, what are you talking about?" Buffy managed to ask after she recovered from her friend's announcement.
Willow continued to fold the clothes from the dresser and place them into the open suitcase, " it was an offer I couldn't refuse. An internship with one of the biggest computer research institutions on the East Coast."
"But Will, " Buffy protested, " you had offers from Oxford and Harvard and N.I.T. before and decided to stay at U.C. Sunnydale."
Willow stopped, "first, " she said, " it's M.I.T. and second, I've been thinking that maybe I didn't make the best decision back then."
Willow resumed packing.
~~~*~~~
"Xander, what are we going to do?" Buffy asked.
He looked at her in disbelief," are you sure she's serious?"
Buffy nodded, " she was packing when I left. She said she's leaving tomorrow."
"What did you do to her? " Dawn's angry voice cut through the room.
They turned as Dawn and Spike came through the door.
"It's because of the accident isn't it? You never forgave her did you?" the girl continued.
"Dawn, I didn't 'do' anything. I don't know why …."
Dawn collapsed into the nearest chair, " then it must be my fault, " she said hanging her head.
Spike put his hand on her shoulder, " come on little bit, you know she loves you."
She looked up at the vampire, " I slapped her. It was just that I was scared and hurt, I didn't mean it. I'm so sorry."
"We should all go and see her right now. Maybe we can talk her out of it," Xander said heading for the door.
~~~*~~~
Willow sat on her bed next to a half-filled suitcase. She had stopped packing when Buffy left. She'd only done it as a distraction during her visit. Without it, she was afraid she couldn't have gone through with it. She'd never lied very well. Tara used to laugh at her every time she tried, that is until she began to use magic instead.
She shuddered with the memory of what her magic addiction had almost done to her and her friends. It had cost her Tara and that was more than enough.
She sighed, all that and now this. She didn't know if she had the strength to carry it off, but she had to go, she had no options.
She jumped at the sound of the doorbell. She wiped her eyes and went down stairs.
"Will, " Buffy said when the door was opened, " we couldn't let you leave like this. Everyone wanted to come to say goodbye."
Willow turned and walked into the living room not even sparing a glance at the group following her.
"Ok, " she said as soon as had seated herself, " I know that you're here to talk me out of this. I'm going because I want to, not because of something that any of you have done or anything that's happened to me."
"I'm sorry Willow, " Dawn said with a catch in her voice, " I don't want you to go."
Willow smiled, " Dawn you haven't done anything to apologize for. I'll miss you very much."
It was Xander's turn next, " I know I've been obsessed with finding Anya and I haven't had a lot of time for you…"
"Why can't any of you just believe me. This is a great opportunity and I'm going to take it. I know it's sudden, but the position came open and they needed someone right away."
She glanced at Spike, but he avoided her eyes.
Buffy stood, " you know how I feel Will, but if you've made up your mind."
She hugged Willow followed by Dawn and Xander. Willow was following them toward the door when she felt a hand on her arm. Spike nodded toward the kitchen and Willow turned and followed him.
He searched her eyes, " maybe you weren't ready, we can always start over again."
"No I'm sorry," She whispered, " not seeing you will be the hardest part of leaving."
She hugged him briefly, " you'd better catch up before they get suspicious," she said with a sad grin.
He gave her a last questioning glance and hurried off.
She leaned against the wall. Glancing at the clock, she thought, only twelve more hours. She hoped she could keep it up.
She told him the truth, it would be hard to leave him. When she finally recognized the fact that Tara could only be a friend to her, she was devastated. She felt alone and unloved, she felt she might never be loved again. Everyone was so intent on supporting her withdrawl from addiction, they couldn't see the effect the loss of Tara had on her. Everyone that is except for Spike. He understood and he listened and as they got to know one another….
That's enough of that, she said to herself straightening up, I've got packing to finish.
She was closing the last suitcase when she heard movement behind her. Turning she saw Spike take a seat on her bed. She smiled but he didn't return it.
"What is it, " she asked nervously.
"When I held you, " he said, " I felt it, it took me a few minutes to realize what it was."
She felt behind her and sat heavily on her desk chair.
He sat forward, " how long have you been pregnant?"
~Part: 2~
Willow's shoulders slumped and she hung her head.
"There isn't any job in Boston either is there?" Spike continued.
She shook her head and looked up at him with red rimmed eyes.
"Yes I'm pregnant and yes there is no job offer. I just needed an excuse to run away and I made one up. Are you satisfied?" she said with the beginning of anger.
"You can tell who you want, I don't care any more. I'll be out of here in the morning, " she said with more feeling.
She stood and took a few steps toward him, " why don't you get out. Consider yourself lucky that you found out what kind of person I was before we got involved. That is unless you were just out to fuck the ugly duckling for a joke." She was breathing hard and her face was red by the time she finished.
Spikes eyes flashed and he was on her before she could react.
He held her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes, " don't try to fool me, I've been around too bloody long. I know what kind of a person you are. I knew the first time I met you. I know it now and it hasn't changed. That's why I fell in love with you."
She looked at him in amazement, " what did you say?"
"Don't make me repeat myself, " he said softly giving her shoulders a squeeze and dropping his hands.
She stepped back, " is that supposed to make me feel better? Well it doesn't, it makes me feel lousy. So why don't you go?"
He didn't flinch, he smiled, " you can't get rid of me that easily pet," he backed up and sat on the bed again.
She returned to her chair and they sat in silence.
"Do you want me to tell you?" she asked hesitantly.
"Only if you want to, " he said.
"It was after Xander's wedding, remember he disappeared and no one could find him? I did."
Xander was in a rundown hotel when she found him. She'd been unable to sleep and had gotten dressed and started to search for him. When she found him, he was pretty far-gone. He'd been drinking all night.
"What did I do today Will?" he asked unsteadily.
"I'll tell you what I did, I threw my life away, " he continued as if she weren't even there.
He slumped down on the bed, " when did it get so complicated?"
She sat next to him, " it wasn't so simple back then Xander, believe me."
He put his arm around her, " I know, I never saw what was right in front of me, " he kissed her on the cheek.
"Damn right, " she said with a grin.
He kept drinking despite her efforts to stop him. Eventually, he passed out and she got him out of the rented tuxedo and into bed.
She was physically and emotionally drained afterward. Yawning, she lay down on the bed next to him. She was just going to rest for a moment.
She awoke with his weight pressing her into the mattress. She tried to talk to him, but it was if he were somewhere else. He was so strong. He pulled her jeans down with a single violent motion and he was in her. He thrust a few times and called out Anya's name and it was over. He rolled away leaving her in shock.
She pulled her clothes on and fled. By the time she got home, she'd almost convinced herself that it had been a bad dream.
The next day, he didn't seem to remember any of it. He didn't remember she'd been there at all.
A month later, she was reminded that it did happen. She eventually went to a doctor in a nearby town. She was pregnant.
"So you decided to make up a story and leave, " Spike said.
She nodded.
"Now you know everything, the truth. Now you can go, " she added.
"I'm not going anywhere, except with you, " he said crossing to stand next to her chair.
"Where are we really going, " he asked glancing at the two suitcases.
~Part: 3~
Willow didn't think she could take another session with Buffy, Dawn or Xander. With Spike's help, she got her suitcases down to the car before sunrise.
They drove in silence, Willow behind the wheel and Spike slouched in the passenger seat with a blanket at the ready for the first hint of sun.
After ten minutes, her arms began to tremble. At first, it was hardly noticeable then the shaking increased until the car began to weave back and forth. Spike took the wheel and guided it toward the side of the road.
When the car was stopped, Willow slumped forward her head on folded arms on the wheel and began to cry. Spike put his arms around her and lifted her from behind the wheel. He slid her onto the passenger seat and when she was settled he took one glance at the brightening sky and scurried around the car and got behind the wheel.
With one eye still on the sky, he looked for a reasonable place to stop.
The Starlight Motor Inn wasn't the Ritz but it wasn't terrible either. The old man in the office didn't ask them if they wanted the hourly rate and the room was threadbare but clean. Spike helped Willow in and settled her on one of the two double beds. He lay on the other an unlit cigarette between his lips.
Willow cleared her throat, "I'm sorry. Everything just hit me all at once and I felt like I was suffocating."
"Just you and me in a cheap motel. It's a bleeding dream come true, " Spike said with a laugh.
Willow gave a weak smile, " thanks for everything."
"Would you like to talk about it?" Spike asked.
"Everything is so screwed up. Buffy and Dawn think I don't care or that I blame them somehow for my magic addiction. Xander hasn't been much help to Buffy since the wedding and now she won't have me, " she looked at Spike who nodded. "She won't have either one of us to help with slayage or even research.
Willow took a deep breath and let it out slowly, " and Xander and me, the only choice is going to be if we end up totally fucked up or only partially fucked up. If I tell him about it, the guilt would kill him. If I don't tell him, I have to lie to my best friend for the rest of his life. I also get to watch his child grow up without a father and maybe Xander growing old without a child."
"You're sure you want to go through with …"
"How could I look at myself or Xander if I didn't?"
She sighed and lay back, " how could one thing happen and cause so much unhappiness for so many people. You couldn't do any more damage if you planned it."
Spike looked up, " what did you say?"
"You mean how one thing could cause so much trouble?"
"No, the other thing."
"That you couldn't cause any more trouble if you tried?"
Spike nodded slowly.
~~~*~~~
The figure sat slumped in a straight chair partially obscured by swirling mists. A sickly green light pulsed half illuminating a hanging head.
"Daughter, you must be strong. Now that you have learned the true nature of mortals, you must make them pay. It is as it has always been, they are cruel and selfish. They are undeserving of your mercy. You should know that better than anyone."
The figure straightened, the back stiffened and the mouth in the veined face tightened into a cold and narrow slit.
~Part: 4~
Spike watched Willow sleep as he waited for sundown. He thought he knew what was happening. He didn't especially like Xander, but attacking Willow was way out of character for him. The odds of pregnancy should have been pretty slim too. Whatever Willow did, it would eventually destroy Xander. He'd seen vengeance curses before and this was one of the neatest. It had to be Anya and he had to find her and do it fast.
As soon as the sun dropped below the horizon, he made for the door. He paused to be sure Willow was still asleep. He smiled at the slender figure huddled under the covers and slipped through the door.
When she heard the lock click, Willow opened her eyes. She threw off the covers and sat up.
~~~*~~~
Spike spent most of the night trying to pick up some trace of Anya. He visited most of the likely demon gathering spots, but no one had seen her since the wedding fiasco. A few unhappy guests even asked pointedly about returned gifts.
About midnight, he decided to check in on Willow and try to think of some more ways to get a lead on Anya.
As soon as he entered the motel room, he could feel that she was gone. He turned on the lights and took the note he expected to find from the dresser.
"Spike,I appreciate what you're trying to do. This morning I let things get away from me and I'm glad you were there.
That's the problem someone is always there, Giles, Buffy, Xander, Tara and now you. It's time for that to stop. I've had to live on my own without my parents for a long while now. I tried to make things easier by depending on magic. I don't want to replace that with dependence on my friends. I have to take the next step and handle this, whatever this turns out to be, on my own.
I know I'll need help, but I want to be the one to decide what, when and who.That's why I left. Please don't try to follow me. When I think the time is right, I'll let you know where I am.
Willow
Spike, I didn't forget that you said you fell in love with me. I don't know what that can mean for either of us now. I have to think of what's fair for everyone involved, including Xander.
I will miss you,
W "
Spike slumped down into the cheap wooden chair in front of the dresser. He sat quietly for several minutes. Then he shook his head and carefully folded the letter and put it in his pocket.
He patted his pocket, "Xander's as good a place to start again as any, " he said to himself and headed for the door.
Spike approached the darkened apartment carefully. He didn't want to attract the neighbors or scare Xander, well not too much. He stood at the door and listened. His sensitive hearing began to pick up a few sounds.
He could just make out a rhythmic squeaking sound followed by a series of low groans from Xander.
His jaw muscles clenched and his eyes sparked fire. It couldn't be her, she wouldn't, he thought. Then he remembered how out of it she'd been this morning and that handling Xander was the last thing she'd written about in the letter.
His thoughts raced, she wouldn't, but would he? She did say that he'd attacked her once, and he hadn't believed her.
Taking the doorknob, he shoved the door open springing the lock and snapping the security chain.
He strode to the bed, "this is the last time you'll ever do something like this, " he snarled.
He knew he'd made a mistake when he saw that Xander's companion's hair was blond and not red, he began to realize how serious it was when he heard Anya's voice.
"I was that close to the first orgasm in a month and you, you cold ass blood sucking bleach blond excuse for…."
~Part: 5~
Spike backed away from the bed and turned his back as the couple tried to disengage, there were some things he didn't ever want to see and a naked aroused Xander was numbers one through ten on the list.
He hazarded a glance and saw that they both had wrapped themselves in sheets.
Turning back, he put up his hands in a gesture somewhere between hush and surrender.
He took advantage of Anya's need to take a breath, " listen give me a bloody minute, Willow's missing and I'm looking for her, I thought that she might be here and when I heard you two.."
"You thought Willow and I were.." Xander said with a mixture of amazement and anger.
Anya narrowed her eyes, " why would you think that?"
"It's a long story. Things have happened that made me think that a vengeance spell had been cast against Xander affecting Willow."
"You thought that I put a vengeance spell on Xander?" Anya asked.
"You or a friend, it's not like you didn't have the motive and the experience," Spike responded.
"No, " Xander added, " Anya could never have done something like that, right honey?"
Anya avoided his eyes, "well maybe for a fleeting second or day or two. I might have thought about making your thing fall off or turning you into a frog or something, but I got over that."
Xander seemed to shrink into himself.
"No, not now. No spells no vengeance. Anyway you know I don't want your thing to fall off anymore, right, " she said with a grin slipping a hand under his sheet.
Spike rolled his eyes.
~~~*~~~
When Spike was sure that a vengeance spell of Anya's or her friends' wasn't involved, he decided to tell them about Willow.
"She told you I did that?" Xander said quietly. Spike thought he was in shock.
"Wasn't Xander, " Anya said confidently. "He was holed up in his basement hideaway in his folk's house for 72 hours after the wedding. He wasn't in any hotel room with or without Willow."
Xander nodded.
Spike gestured for Anya to come closer, " you're sure that he was there the whole time?" he whispered.
She glanced back at Xander, " I still was considering my options then. I had a few of my old friends keep tabs on him. Believe me if he had been with Willow or anyone else, you'd be looking for him in the nearest swamp."
~~~*~~~
Willow walked back to the storefront she'd passed coming into town. The sign in the window had caught her attention. She'd been looking for an apartment for rent sign. She'd called from her cell to several likely places she'd seen in the local paper. She'd been too exhausted from the drive to think of anything but a motel for last night, but she needed a permanent place. It turned out that the apartment she'd been looking for was only a block away and was clean, large and reasonable. She'd taken it on the spot. Now she walked back to investigate the building and its interesting sign.
It was still there.
"Full time / part time - computer associate. Training / data entry / custom programming - inquire within. Cyber Shop."
Inside of an hour, she had a new job to go with her new apartment. Once she'd shown what she could do with a PC, the job was hers. The manager, Mr. Quinn, told her the hours could be flexible and the rate he quoted was generous. She promised to return bright and early the next day and headed back to her apartment.
"Quinn, " a thin voice said from the rear of the shop, " not so much enthusiasm. We don't want to scare her off, not after all the trouble we've taken to bring her this far."
The manager froze with a sickly expression on his face, sweat stood out on his forehead and his knees wobbled.
"You will do better tomorrow, won't you Quinn?" the voice continued.
The man breathed a sigh of relief, "yes sir things will be done exactly as you have specified. You can depend on me Mr. Hart, you can depend on me."
~Part: 6~
"How could you just lose her?" Buffy said with disgust.
"Wait an effing minute, " Spike responded, " I didn't lose her."
"Oh that's right, I forgot. You helped her sneak out of town, checked her into a cheap motel, " her eyes narrowed, " and then you lost her."
"It's not his fault, ' Xander interjected.
Buffy gave him a disbelieving look.
"I mean, it's not all his fault, " Xander corrected himself.
Spike turned away mumbling to himself.
"Xander's right, " Anya added, " in her condition she's liable to do anything, you know raging hormones."
Buffy looked blankly at Anya, " what do you mean her condition?"
Anya turned to Xander.
"Remember when we said we were going to keep a secret this afternoon?" Xander asked in a tone usually reserved for three-year-olds.
Anya's eyes widened, "right, we don't tell Buffy Willow's knocked up."
Xander looked at Buffy and shrugged.
He forced a smile and took Anya's hands, " you see when you say it out loud, the secret part isn't so much any more."
~~~*~~~
Willow, or Sarah as she was known here, was busy entering data when Mr. Quinn called her into his office.
"Sarah, " he started, " we have a client who's in need of some very special services. He's a collector of rare books. He's cataloging his collection and he needs someone to build up a searchable database with high security protection. He also would like some Internet searches done as well. What do you say?"
"It sounds like something I can do, " she responded.
"Good, " he said with relief, " I can take you there right now."
Willow looked puzzled.
"He'd like you to work in his library, he lives in a wonderful old house on the North side of town.
Willow nodded and followed him out of the office.
~~~*~~~
"Let me get this straight, " Buffy said after Spike finished his explanation, " she thinks Xander's the father, but he isn't and we don't know who is?"
Spike nodded, " or maybe what it is."
Anya spoke up, " it could have been some sort of shape shifting demon. It could have some weird breeding plan where Willow gives birth to hundreds of little devils. They might break out of her body in…"
Xander put an arm around Anya and put a finger across her lips.
"Sweetheart, let's not let our imagination run away, OK?"
Buffy stood wide eyed staring at Anya.
"You don't think.." Buffy said.
"Probably not, " Spike agreed, " but the sooner we find her the happier I'll be."
~~~*~~~
Willow gave a low whistle as they approached the house. It was a large Spanish style house surrounded by huge trees and what seemed like a square mile of lawn.
Somehow she wasn't shocked when a real English butler answered Mr. Quinn's knock and ushered them into the cool and dim tiled entrance hall.
A few moments after the butler disappeared down the corridor to the right, a motorized wheelchair emerged.
"Sarah, " Mr. Quinn said gesturing toward the man in the chair, " this is Mr. Hart."
Willow couldn't help but stare, the chair held the oldest man she'd ever seen.
He was so thin, he was nearly lost in the brown tweed suit he wore. His skin had a yellow cast and was stretched so tightly over the narrow sharp bones of his face that it seemed almost transparent. His nose was as narrow and sharp as a razor and his head was totally bald with a faint pattern of tan spots. When he smiled in greeting, his narrow lips stretched exposing large yellow teeth.
"The pleasure is all mine, " he said in thin voice.
Willow stumbled out a greeting. After a few minutes, she found herself following the wheelchair down the corridor and into the library.
It was something out of an old English movie, bookcases ran from floor to ceiling on every wall, the only gaps were two tall windows in window seat alcoves. There were even gleaming wood ladders that ran on polished brass rails along each wall for access to the highest shelves.
Willow's eye was drawn to the center of the room. Standing out from the antique wooden tables and leather chairs was a state of the art computer station.
She glanced at her host and he smiled thinly and gestured her toward the machine.
She smiled as she sat and flipped on the flat screen display.
~~~*~~~
Tara was the last to arrive, she took the coffee that Dawn held out and sat next to Xander and Anya on the sofa.
"Nearly a month gone and nothing, " Buffy said wearily.
She looked over at Spike, " nothing on the demon and vampire side?"
He shook his head.
Buffy looked around the room. Tara cleared her throat.
"I was thinking, " she said hesitantly, " that it had to be a really strong spell. The first thing I thought of, " she glanced sideways at Anya, " was a vengeance spell, because of the wedding and all. But we know Anya didn't so we looked at other things. I think maybe we were wrong," she said her voice dropping off.
Anya's face lit up, " you're right, it could have been a vengeance spell called up by someone else. A spell directed at Willow not Xander."
Tara blushed and nodded.
"What kind of a person would want to hurt Will that much?" Buffy asked the group.
Dawn's voice came from the kitchen doorway, " a rat, that's who."
~~~*~~~
Willow's days fell into a pleasant routine. She arrived at the Hart estate at nine each morning and worked steadily cataloging books until four each afternoon. At one, she stopped for lunch with her employer. Willow ate, usually a sandwich prepared by the cook, and Mr. Hart sat with her and told her some of the stories behind some of the rarest books in his collection.
"The Russian royal family owned three first editions, but during the Revolution…" the old man's thin voice began to fade.
Willow looked up, but she couldn't seem to focus.
"Sarah, are you all right?" she heard the thin voice ask. It was the last thing she heard before she fell to the floor.
"Sarah, can you hear me?" a strange voice asked.
Willow opened her eyes. She was in bed in a large wood paneled bedroom and the unfamiliar face of a middle-aged man was looking back at her.
The man smiled, " well young lady you gave Mr. Hart quite a scare today."
"What happened? I was eating lunch and then.."
"You had a little blood pressure episode. In your condition, things like this can happen."
Willow blushed, " I haven't told anyone about…"
"You can't fool an old country doctor, he said with a warm smile, " I could tell as soon as I saw that beautiful glowing face."
Willow yawned.
"You get some rest, I'll come by to see you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, " Willow objected, " I can't.."
As she closed her eyes, she heard the thin voice, " no, I insist that you stay with us as long as is necessary."
~~~*~~~
"How is she really, " Hart asked as he sat with the doctor in the library.
"She's fine. I told you that the drug would have no permanent affect. If we continue to administer a small daily maintenance dose, she'll remain weak and will tire easily. I think I'll use vitamin capsules."
Hart nodded, " how long can we continue the drug?"
"For at least a month, " the doctor replied.
"Very good, a month will be quite long enough for our purposes."
"After a month?"
"Then we will have no further need for Ms. Rosenberg, " Hart said in a chill voice, " when a vessel had been used it can be discarded."
~Part: 7~
"Amy always blamed Willow for not turning her back for so long, then when Willow turned her back on magic and her, I guess it was too much, " Tara explained.
"But a vengeance spell this powerful isn't all that easy to come by, believe me I know, " Anya objected.
Tara spoke up, "the reason I thought it might be a vengeance spell is that Willow's talisman was missing."
Everyone looked puzzled.
"Do you remember when Giles was blind and, ah, " she glanced at Buffy, " you and Spike were going to get married?"
Buffy and Spike both stiffened.
"Please, I've been trying to forget that, " Buffy said shuddering.
"No more than me, " Spike added making a sour face.
"Hey, you would have been lucky I was a better catch than you…"
Spike interrupted, " I'd rather kiss a slime demon than even think about that Buffy taste…"
"Ok, " Xander jumped in, " gloves down and back to neutral corners. Let's focus on Willow."
They glared at one another and then nodded.
Tara continued, " she cast a 'my will' spell that accidentally worked as a vengeance spell. It was such a good one that Willow was offered a chance to be a vengeance demon. She turned it down, but the head demon gave her a talisman to contact him if she changed her mind. I went through all the magic stuff Willow gave me when she ah, realized her problem, it wasn't there."
"Amy was in and out of her room after you left, " Dawn said.
Tara's face fell.
"No I don't think they ever.."
Buffy watched her sister's face turn red, " Will was just trying to help her adjust, then Amy pulled her over the edge."
After a few moments silence, Anya spoke.
"Boy, what an honor after her first vengeance spell to be asked into the inner circle. It took me five years to…"
"Is it possible Anya, " Buffy asked, "could it be Amy?"
~~~*~~~
Willow was sitting in an over stuffed chair in the now familiar bedroom. She felt better, but she still was weak and slept a lot. She was feeling guilty accepting Mr. Hart's hospitality without at least continuing with the cataloging.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door.
"Come in, " she said pulling her robe around her.
The door opened and a head peered into the room.
Willow thought it was a very nice head. A shock of curly dark hair and a good-looking face set off with a brilliant white smile. She thought he was about twenty and was curious to see if his body was as impressive. In a moment, she found that it was.
She colored at the thoughts running through her head and mumbled a greeting.
"Sorry to disturb you," he said fully entering the room. "When my grandfather said he had a beautiful young house guest, I had to come and check it out my self." My name is Jason, Jason Hart and you must be Sarah."
Willow thought his smile was more impressive close up when she could see the deep blue of his eyes.
"Yes, that must be me, " she said with a shy smile.
~~~*~~~
Tara and Anya were standing in the center of the room, they were holding hands forming a small circle around a piece of cloth containing a complex pattern with a fat black candle burning in its center.
They were each mumbling incantations. Then there was a blinding flash and Tara was standing alone.
~~~*~~~
Willow snuggled back into her pillow. Her stay here might be a lot more interesting than she thought. Jason was funny and sweet and handsome and sexy and she thought she'd better stop thinking about him.
She smiled as she drifted off.
Jason walked down the corridor toward the library. As he approached the door, his shoulders sagged and if someone had been there they would have noticed a certain fuzziness around his edges.
Safely inside, he turned to the waiting figure of the butler standing behind an empty wheelchair.
As his figure became more indistinct, he fell into the chair.
"I think we may have cut things too near this time, " the thin old man's voice said.
"I could hardly hold my shape," he said as his companion wrapped a blanket
around his thin and useless legs.
~Part: 8~
Anya opened her eyes to an old familiar scene of muted light and swirling mists.
"Daughter, " a voice boomed, " I knew you would return. It is a hard lesson, but one that must be learned. Mortals cannot be trusted."
His voiced softened, " we feel your pain, but think of the strength you've gained. Strength you can turn on them."
Anya's eyes found the familiar goatish face and shook her head, " I don't think you understand. I admit that I felt like making his thing fall off or his head explode, but that was just at first. When I began to think about it, I remembered the kindness, gentleness and love I'd been given by Xander and my other mortal friends. I asked myself if I'd have given it up to avoid the pain. The answer was no. A life without love and friendship without pain and heartache isn't really living."
She raised a hand cutting off any protest, "don't try and sell me on the beauty of balancing the books on the terrible things mortals have done. I was one of your best servants; I balanced books for over a thousand years and I saw the terrible consequences of vengeance. I won't stand by and see the lives of people I love ruined for your idea of justice."
"Where's Amy, " she demanded.
~~~*~~~
Buffy and Spike looked on as Xander and Dawn went through Willow's mail.
"She just doesn't want to be found, " Xander said. "No charges or phone calls since she left, we just don't have anything to go on."
"What's this? " Dawn said holding up a tan legal sized envelope.
"Just something for her mother from some town up in the hills, probably a job offer from some two bit community college or something, " Xander said dismissively.
"Let's find out, " Dawn said opening the envelope. After a moment, she handed the enclosed letter to Xander.
'Dear Ms. Rosenberg,
As indicated in the enclosed, your vehicle
was parked in violation of town laws.'
This was followed by a series of lines and boxes with a checkmark in one stating:
'Although your vehicle has been moved, the fines accrued are still owed the town'
In a blank at the end of the sheet was the handwritten 'total owed $100'.
Spike turned to Dawn, " the letter said there was something else."
Dawn fished in the envelope and pulled out a photo of Willow's car showing the license number with a date and address written across it.
Buffy spoke up, " Her car is registered in her Mom's name."
Spike took the picture, ' this date is a few days after she left. She must have at least stopped in this town long enough to get a ticket."
He put the letter and picture in his pocket, " who's up for a road trip?" he asked.
~~~*~~~
Xander and Spike drove in silence. With Buffy needed to keep an eye on the hell mouth and Dawn and Tara needed to help Anya return, Xander was elected to go with Spike.
"At least put the bleeding radio on, ' Spike protested.
"Broken, " Xander said.
"Bloody hell, ' Spike muttered as he leaned against the passenger door and closed his eyes.
When they arrived in Toland Hills, they made the round of motels with a picture of Willow.
"I'll tell them she's my run away sister and show them the picture, ' Xander told Spike.
"Effing brilliant, ' Spike said sarcastically.
"Just stay out of sight so we don't make them think it's a hold up," Xander said.
"Your just afraid they'll think were looking for an hourly rental sweetheart, " spike said blowing Xander a kiss.
Xander turned bright red and got out of the car and approached the motel office.
After seven stops, he hadn't had any luck. No one had recognized the picture.
At the eighth, he couldn't even get a straight answer.
"Our customers expect a certain amount of privacy, " the clerk said in a stiff voice.
"If you aren't the police, " he continued, " I suggest you vacate the premises or I'll call them myself."
Xander turned and left the office.
"Hey mister, " a voice with a slight Hispanic accent called out, " wait a minute."
Xander stopped and a slight dark figure emerged from the shadows outside the borders of the area lit by the motel sign.
"You looking for your sister?" she asked.
He hesitated looking into a pair of liquid brown eyes that shamed him with their concern.
"No, that's not true, " Xander admitted, " she's a friend and she's pregnant. She ran away because she was afraid. I want to find her and bring her home."
The girl smiled, ' I thought it was something like that. She was here all right. She stayed for two or three days."
"Do you have any idea where she went next?" Xander asked.
"Not exactly, but I think she was looking to rent an apartment. She kept the rental ads from the Sunday paper and she'd highlighted all the local places."
Xander thanked her and returned to the car.
~~~*~~~
"Ease up on the medicine, " the old man instructed.
The Doctor looked puzzled.
"I've decided to change my plans, why dispose of a perfectly good witch just to harvest what we need when we could induct her into our circle and get what we need willingly, even enthusiastically?"
'Are you sure that you're capable of …"
His voice trailed off as he began to gasp for breath. He clawed at his throat and collapsed onto the floor in front of this companion's wheelchair. His face took on a blue cast before he managed a deep ragged breath after which his face began to regain its color and he could breath easier.
"When I want your opinion of my abilities, I'll ask for them, " the high thin voice said without emotion.
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