~Part 1~
 

"Xander, if you put ice down my back again, I swear I'll kick your butt from here to school."

"Take it easy Will, I'm sorry. It's just so hot. All I wanted to do was cool you off a little, still friends?" he said with those soft sad brown eyes and that crooked smile.

She couldn't resist him in kindergarten and she still couldn't resist him now in eighth grade.

"OK, come back over, ' she said smiling back at him.

He walked over and sat on her blanket. Lying on her stomach, she snuggled down into the blanket and closed her eyes. She felt his hand lightly brush her shoulder and his other hand gently rub her back.

She started to feel warm and chilled all at the same time. The feeling made her wiggle her hips against the blanket, she could feel her nipples harden and press against her bra. She began to drift, her senses seemed to magnify the feeling of his hand on her back.

Sometimes at night just before she fell asleep, she would think about him. This was kinda like that but a hundred times better. He was really there and he was rubbing her back and she was feeling so good.

Too good, she remembered being in the shower and trying something she heard the other girl's whispering about. She'd never felt so good or so guilty in
her life. After less than thirty seconds, she was so scared by what she was feeling, she jumped out of the shower still soapy. She couldn't look at herself in the mirror for a week and every time her Mom looked at her, she turned bright red.

Those same feelings were stirring now, and the guilt was a lot less.

Still half-dreaming, she lifted up to say something. When she opened her eyes, he viciously twisted her onto her back and shifted his knees to pin her legs. He shoved one hand down her shorts and whispered, "how's that feel little girl?"

She tried to scream, but she couldn't. All she could think was, how could Xander do this to her, as she stared into his cold blue eyes.

They weren't Xander's eyes, it wasn't his face, but it was too shadowed to see clearly. Then she felt the pain.

Willow sat up whimpering, "no, no please, it hurts, " as she burst into tears.

Tara held her as the struggles slowed. In a few minutes, Tara gently lowered her still sleeping lover back onto the pillows.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tara was waiting outside the Magic Box when Buffy arrived for her morning training session.

Yawning, Buffy said, " is that you Tara? What are you doing up, if I didn't have a certain English pain in my"

Buffy was interrupted as Giles pulled the door open, " are you going to gossip the morning away out here or get to work? Your habits are deteriorating at an alarming rate even for you."

Looking him in the eye, Buffy continued, " as I was saying, ass!"

They walked past a puzzled Giles into the shop.

"I'll be ready for you in a few minutes he said disappearing into the back room.

"How's Will doing, " Buffy asked, " she over the flu yet?"

"That's why I'm here, she's not doing well and there is no flu, " Tara said.

"I don't understand, she told me she was coming down with something and she was gonna stay home in bed for a while."

"When was the last time Willow was too sick to go to school? When did she ever stay away from you and the rest of her friends? Tara asked, her voice
rising with emotion.

"I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking.."

"You weren't thinking, none of you ever think about her! She's just someone to do the boring work and look after Dawn and hold your hands and .. and.."

Tara broke into sobs, " and I don't know what's wrong with her, I feel so helpless."

Buffy held her while he cried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She sometimes just liked to sit and watch him sleep. His compact body excited her the way it was tangled in the sheets. He was a restless sleeper. His face was like a little boy's despite the shadow of beard stubble. She leaned over to kiss him.

"Oz, you're my sweet boy, " she whispered, her lips brushing his cheek.

She started as his eyes flew open just inches away.

His hands shot out grabbing her arms. His grip was painful, but she couldn't look away from those cold blue eyes. He slowly forced her down onto her back.

"Don't worry little girl, it's gonna be alright, " he said hoarsely.

She felt his hands between her legs, then she felt the pain.

She sat up wrapped in her comforter, rocking back and forth, tears rolled down her cheeks. She was whimpering, the sound of an injured trapped animal.
 

~Part 2~

Tara pulled a wad of tissues from her pocket and wiped at her eyes.

"Thank you, I know that wasn't easy for you Buffy, " she said still sniffling.

Buffy looked puzzled.

Tara continued, " I know I'm the outsider and the only reason any of you has anything to do with me is Willow.  I know you've been her friend for along time, Xander's been one forever; and I think you feel that somehow I stole her away.  You have to understand how much she means to me."

Buffy looked away, " I'm sorry, I'll try."

"Now, " Tara sighed, " what are we going to do?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Giles came out to see what was keeping Buffy, they filled him in on the situation with Willow.

"She has to get professional help, there must be a counselor associated with the University.  That's what she needs," Giles said.

"I've tried, she won't even talk about it, " Tara responded.

"Then our job is to convince her to get help; but we have to be very careful not to meddle to much and make things worse."

The phone interrupted their conversation and Giles answered it.

"Who is … Dawn, calm down what is it? " he paused listening intently.

"Try to keep her quiet, just sit with her.  Don't worry we're on our way."

A wave of his hand silenced their questions.

"Dawn is with Willow, she's acting strangely. Buffy put up the closed sign, let's go"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You are not going to cry and you will be calm, Dawn said to herself after she hung up the phone.

She turned and saw Willow wrapped in the bedclothes sitting up and rocking back and forth.  She took a deep breath.

"I'm here Willow nothing's gonna happen to you, " she said softly.

She knelt on the bed and held her, repeating, " I'm here, you're gonna be OK."

She was still there when Giles, Tara and Buffy arrived.

Giles looked at Tara, "how long has she been like this?"

Tara began to cry, "she was just upset about some recurring dreams and tired from not being able to sleep.  She was never like this."

Tara traded places with Dawn.

Dawn hugged her sister and began to cry, " I didn't know what to do.  I came by to say hello and she was rocking and whimpering, I was so scared."

Buffy and Giles comforted her. "Sis, you did good, ' Buffy whispered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giles and Buffy convinced Tara that Willow had to go to the hospital.  Tara packed a small bag and Giles carried her to the car.  Willow seemed not to
notice what was happening. She was admitted for observation.

Later, they sat in a corner of the waiting room.

"The dreams were about Xander and Oz, are you sure that's what she said?"

Tara nodded, "always the same two dreams, with the same endings."

Xander and Anya came through the door followed closely by Spike.

"We left as soon as you called, " Xander said, "how is she?"

"She's was admitted for observation.  What the hell is he doing here?" Buffy demanded gesturing at Spike.

"Hold on, " Spike responded, " I heard that red was taken sick and I was worried, what's so bloody awful about that?"

Giles asked Tara to describe the first of Willow's dreams to Xander.

"Whoa, I never did anything like that to Will.  Anyway, baby browns not baby blues remember?" Xander said lamely.

"So none of this happened?" Giles asked.

"No, some of it sounds familiar.  You think she said it was eighth grade? Let me think."

After a few moments, Xander began, " yeah, I think I do remember it.  It was in the summer, July I think.  Will was all excited because she made SJS.  I was trying to get her goat by dropping ice down her back."

He looked around at the disapproving faces.

"Cut me some slack, I was a kid and anything that made Will yell was fun. Anyway, I remember making up with her and sitting rubbing her back.  I think we both got carried away a little, " Xander blushed.

His voice softened and his eyes glistened, " I felt closer to her at that moment than I ever had before.  Oh hell, maybe it just felt that way because it was the last good day of that summer."

"What do you mean?" Giles asked.

"That afternoon one of our friends, a girl named Sara James, committed suicide," he said quietly.

"Will was devastated, she and Sara were close.  They had been on the SJS trip together just the week before."

"What is 'SJS'?" Tara asked.

Buffy spoke up, "Sunnydale Junior Scholar, it's some kind of ge…. I mean award for good students."

"Geek award, say it that's what you wanted to say, " Dawn said angrily.

"Sorry, I forgot you were in the running this year, I'm just upset I.. I'm sorry."

Dawn gave her sister a cold look and walked away.

"I gotta watch my mouth, I'll talk to her later, " Buffy said.

As the group continued to discuss things, Spike drifted away.

Dawn turned as Spike approached, " I'm glad you came."

"I'm glad that you talked me into that cloned cell phone.  Was it bad?"

Dawn nodded.

"You're a strong one kid and so is she, everything is going to be OK."

"Thanks, " Dawn said with a grateful smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She relaxed as Tara kissed her shoulder, she shivered as the kisses traveled down her back.  When they reached her waist, she turned and smiled up at her lover.  She stared into her cold blue eyes.

Willow heard a voice say, 'Don't worry little girl, it's gonna be alright.

But this time she didn't feel the pain, didn't feel the groping between her legs.  She opened her eyes and she saw two figures on the bed below, she heard a muffled scream.  It wasn't her scream and it wasn't her face she could see with eyes squeezed shut, it was Dawn.
 

~Part 3~

Giles and Buffy sat silently in the waiting room wrapped in thought.

Xander and Anya had taken Dawn back to their apartment, Tara was at the sedated Willow's bedside and Spike had quietly disappeared.

"Giles, what do you think of the dreams?"

"I think Willow may have some deeply suppressed memories of sexual abuse, " Giles said in a weary voice.

"I think so too."

Buffy continued, "I want to find the son of a bitch and I swear I'll kill him."

"I know you feel angry, I feel angry as well, but we have to help Willow get through this; that's the most important thing, not some dramatic act of
vengeance, " Giles cautioned.

"Right, I know, it's just . Oh hell, " she said with a sigh, " OK."

Ok, she thought to herself, no revenge, but I'm gonna find out who it was and I'll be ready when the time comes.

On the way back from the bathroom, she stopped at a payphone and punched in a long-distance number.

"Cordy, this is Buffy, I need a favor."

She told Cordelia about Willow and what they thought was the cause.

Cordelia was silent for a few moments, "I don't know what to say, what can I do?"

"I know Oz went to LA with his band, could you try and find him and get me his number. You must have some contacts with agents, maybe one of them will know where he is."

"OK, I might have something for you tomorrow, anything else?"

"Is ah .. Angel there?" Buffy asked nervously.

"Buffy? Cordelia said something's wrong with Willow. What can I do?"

"Is it possible that Spike was here in Sunnydale about six years ago?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Following Willow's admission to the hospital, the days fell into a routine. Even after the drugs were reduced, she remained unresponsive. At first, they all took turns sitting with her; but she seemed more comfortable with Tara and Dawn. Tara managed to arrange school so that she could be there mornings and early afternoons. Dawn would spell her later in the day, with Tara returning in the evening.

Buffy continued her personal investigation. Cordelia was true to her word and the next day she had Oz's number in LA.

"Oz, Willow's in the hospital, she started having some strange dreams and then she seemed to fall apart."

There was no response.

"Oz, did you hear me, are you still there?" Buffy said raising her voice.

"Yeah, I'm here. Was it about Xander and some summer in Junior High?" Oz said more as a statement than a question.

"Yeah, that one and one with you in it too."

"Me too . I guess I should have expected it."

Oz went on to describe the times when Willow experienced the Xander dream. When she was stressed, she would wake up screaming as if she were in pain mumbling something about cold blue eyes. He wasn't totally surprised that he was in another of the dreams. Sometimes she would wake up fighting him and staring into his eyes and yelling the same blue eyes stuff.

"I figured someone must have really hurt her and forced her to bury it deep in her unconscious. "

"What do you mean forced? We thought he just buried it herself, because it was so terrible."

"No it was more than that, sometimes before she would wake up she'd say things about having to forget everything like she was repeating what someone else was saying."

Buffy paused feeling her anger build, " and you did nothing you never told anyone? You just sat there and did nothing?"

"Buffy I know what you're thinking; but you know Willow. I talked with her and I fought with her. I did everything I could to get her to see someone or at least to talk it through with a friend. She refused to even discuss it. It made things different between us."

Buffy added, " and it's one of the reasons you two drifted apart at the end wasn't it?"

"That's not important now. Have you got any ideas about who it could have been? Let me know and I'll be there to get a piece of him."

"Nothing sure, but you were a big help, I'll let you know."

After the call with Oz, she phoned Giles.

"I know some vamps can make people feel defenseless and make them do things just by staring into their eyes, could they make someone forget something?

"Old and powerful vampires have the ability to control the minds of their victims especially when they're in the vampire's presence. I suppose that
would include something like a post hypnotic suggestion to forget something, maybe even the fact that they had been attacked. I think it's quite
possible, " Giles concluded.

"Thanks, " she said cutting off any further questions by hanging up.
 

~Part 4~

Beeeep, Beeep, Beeep, the electronic ringing cut across the music and noise in the smoky and crowded room.

"Is that you Spike? Jeez, I never figured you for a yuppie with a cell phone."

"Sod off Willie, I just keep it to raise the tone around this bloody joint," he said starting for the door.

Once outside he answered the phone.

"Hi Spike, I need a favor right away," Dawn said all in a rush.

"Slow down luv, now what do you want?"

"I got picked for SJS and we all go away this afternoon and .."

Spike interrupted, "congratulations little one, I knew you could do it."

"Thanks but I promised Tara I'd sit with Willow until 7 tonight. Could you go over and stay with her until Tara comes back, please?" Dawn begged.

"For you anything, I'll go over now."

"I love you Spike, I really do. I'll be up at Mr. Collins' ranch, it's some kind of big tradition for all the SJS's to have a sleepover and a barbecue up
here. Thanks again, oh I almost forgot, talk to Willow. It's not important what you say, just talking to her is supposed to help. Bye!"

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Giles I think it was Spike it all fits, the cold blue eyes, a violent history and the power to make Willow forget the whole thing, Also, I think he's a no good rotten bastard, but that's just me."

"Buffy, I admit there are some suspicious coincidences, but that doesn't prove anything. Spike has been very helpful since he received the chip."

"He had no choice, the only way he can satisfy his lust for violence is to turn on his own. That sure as hell doesn't make him a hero."

"Buffy, with the chip he couldn't hurt anyone now, so we can take our time and be sure about this."

"I've been thinking about that, what if he uses his mental power to convince some kid that what he wanted to do was OK, would the chip react to stop him? Would you bet your sister's future on it? Well, I'm sure not gonna bet my sisters. I'm gonna find him and get to the bottom of this now."

Giles hesitated, " I suppose you're right, I'll do what I can to help. Have you located him?"

"No, I even talked to that sleeze Willie, Spike was there earlier but he left about an hour ago."

Buffy checked his crypt and all the other places she could think of with no results. Disappointed, she checked back at the Magic Box.

"No luck Giles, have you heard anything?"

He shook his head, but was interrupted before he could add anything more by Xander's arrival.

"Why the long faces gang?" he asked with a grin.

"Have you seen Spike lately?"

"Yeah, he's probably with Tara at the hospital."

"Xander, " Buffy asked, " why do you think he's at the hospital?"

"He was going toward the front door when I drove by on my way here, I thought Tara was sitting with Willow."

"Tara's not at the hospital, " Giles said, " she was just here working on homework and she was going to get dinner before she relieved Dawn at the
hospital."

"Dawn's gone on that SJS trip, she's not there either."

"Hell, " Buffy said heading for the door, " she's there by herself with Spike."

All three of them piled into Giles' car and took off for Sunnydale General.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The nurse was running after them, " I'm sorry, all of you cannot visit Ms. Rosenberg at the same time, didn't you hear me?"

They hurried to her room disregarding the nurses warning; Buffy opened the door and stopped short.

The nurse caught up with them, "please can't you see that you're disturbing ..."

She stopped when she saw that the bed and the room were both empty.

Buffy checked the bathroom and the closet, no Willow, no Spike and her clothes were missing as well. Checking under the bed, she spotted a cell
phone lying between the bed and the bedside stand. She retrieved it and turned it on.

"Willie said Spike had a cell phone when he left the bar this afternoon," Buffy said almost to herself.

There was a number on the display, she dialed it and listened.

"Hello?" it was a woman's voice.

"Hello, this is Buffy Summers, who's this?"

"Buffy, it's Mrs. Collins, are you looking for your sister? He's still out on the nature walk, didn't her English friend tell you? When he called, she had just left. He seemed quite disappointed. Buffy, are you still there?"
 

~Part 5~

Spike peered around the hospital room door. Willow was lying quietly and her eyes were closed, he thought she might be sleeping.

"Hullo, it's me Spike your substitute minder, " he said as he pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed.

"The little one couldn't make it and she asked me to come by. Feeling any better luv?"

He didn't wait for a response but continued, " she's all excited, she didn't think she had a chance for that school club or whatever it is. She didn't
figure on having to go on this picnic trip so she drafted yours truly to sit in."

He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, he put one in his mouth, held up his lighter and looked around.

"Bloody hell, " he said noticing several no smoking signs and a smoke detector on the wall above his head, "This is going to be a fun evening, "
he complained tossing the cigarette on the bedside table.

"Our little pal is swanning around at some ranch with the geek patrol and here I am nothing to smoke for an another hour and, no offense red, nothing much to do."

He sat for a moment in silence, " at least you aren't going to argue with me or just be plain insulting like the slayer. There's one I could just .. Oh
hell, I'd just like to talk with her once without the anger. She can't really see past the vampire thing, I admit not a small thing, but again, it
wouldn't be the first time she had."

"Look at Dawn, she's gotten to know me and I think she likes me. Her sister though, if she thought we were seeing one another, she'd go ballistic. Now red, look into these baby blue eyes, could I hurt little Dawn? No I couldn't but the slayer would think I was some kind of child molester. She's in more danger on that damn ranch tonight than she'd be here with me all alone."

Spike failed to notice the effects of his words on Willow. When he first mentioned Dawn's absence, she shifted in her bed. At the mention of blue
eyes, her eyes flew open. By the time he was finished, she was trying to sit up.

"Hold on, " he said when he saw her efforts, " let me help."

He pulled her up and adjusted the bed so that they were on eye level. She began to make some throat clearing noises and he poured a glass of water from the pitcher on the bedside table.

"Here, try to drink a little of this, " he said putting the glass to her lips.

She slowly swallowed some water and coughed a bit when she tried to drink too much.

After a few false starts, she began, " Spike, is Dawn at the Collins' ranch with the SJS kids?"

Her voice was still hoarse, but he saw the urgency in her eyes.

He nodded.

"I don't have time to explain, but she's in danger, they all are, " she said glancing around the room.

"Damn, no phone, " she said shifting over to sit on the edge of the bed.

He smiled and pulled out his cell phone.

She instructed him to call information and get the Collins' number, call and get Dawn on the line and let her take it from there.

When he got through to the ranch, he spoke for a few moments and clicked the phone off.

"She's not there, she's on some kind of a hike. What kind of hike do you take in the dark, I ."

Willow pushed her self off the bed and nearly fell before Spike dropped the phone and caught her.

"Will, what are you trying to do, you're in no shape to "

She interrupted, " get me my clothes, " she gestured across the room to the closet door, " I'm getting dressed. Do you have a car?"

"No, I walked, not that it matters you aren't fit to go anywhere."

"Get a car, beg borrow or steal it, I don't care. Park by the side entrance, I'll be dressed by the time you get back."

He didn't move, staring as she struggled to get up.

She fixed him with her most determined look, " do you want to see Dawn hurt? Get a car."

"I'm changing now, if you want to watch go ahead, but I'd rather you spent your time helping us to get to Dawn before something happens."

He hurried out the door as she stepped out of her pajamas. Glancing back, he thought to himself, bloody hell, the things you never see that are right under your nose.

A few minutes later, he pulled up to the side entrance. He left the motor running and went inside.

He saw her leaning against the wall half way to the door.

"I guess I'm still a little weak, " she explained as he half carried her to the car.

When they were both in the car, he turned to her, "OK where to red, this is your show."

She gave him directions to the Collins' place, " it should take us an hour or so to get there."

He sped through the lot and turned right onto the state road.

"Be careful, you almost hit that guy running through the parking lot, " Willow squealed.

"You didn't want him to catch us did you?" he replied.

"Catch us, I don't Oh, " Willow said thoughtfully.

"You see, there was no one to borrow from and I'm no bloody good at begging, so .."

Willow sighed, " I guess we'll worry about that later. " she said with a yawn, " I think I'll just close my eyes and rest for just a ."

Spike could hear her regular breathing as she slept. He smiled to himself, wondering whether he'd ever tell her he really borrowed the car from Willie
and also wondering who the sodding idiot was running through the parking lot.
 

~Part 6~

Buffy, Giles and Xander pulled onto the state road from the hospital lot.

"Follow this road for about an hour and then follow the signs to the ranch, " Buffy directed.

"I might just be along for the ride, but what the hell is going on and where the hell are we going?" Xander demanded.

"I think Spike caused Willow's problems by molesting her the summer of her dream. I think he forced her to forget it, but over time it came back as
nightmares. He could also have caused that other girl's suicide. Now he's got Willow and he's after Dawn."

Xander tried to digest what he'd just heard.

"Ok I get the blue eyes and the mind power thing, but it seems kinda farfetched when you look at all of it together. Do we even know if Spike was
in Sunnydale then?"

Buffy hesitated, "Angel didn't know, but that doesn't mean he wasn't," she said defiantly.

Giles spoke up, " it doesn't mean that he was either."

"Ok, you tell me what he's up to if I'm so wrong?" Buffy snapped back.

Neither answered.

~~~~~~~~

"Red .. Red I think were there."

Willow jumped and opened her eyes.

"Where to?" Spike asked.

She looked around as they slowly pulled past dark outbuildings, reflected light was visible beyond a curve in the driveway.

"Pull over here and put out the lights, let me think."

Spike watched her as she tried to will back the terrible memories. With eyes squeezed shut, sweat ran down her face and she began to make faint whimpering sounds.

He reached over and shook her, " Will, stop, don't do this to yourself. There's got to be another way, please."

She opened her eyes and looked into his, " it's OK, I know where to go."

She leaned over and kissed him gently on the cheek, "thanks," she whispered.

Sitting back, she directed him to follow the road around to the curve and then take a left onto a narrow dirt road.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The lights are so bright, Dawn thought, how am I gonna sleep? She could only see a white glare and she felt like she was on a roller coaster. She closed her eyes again and swallowed, she could taste the barbecued chicken she had at the picnic. She heard a familiar voice.

"It's OK little girl, just lie back and breathe in, that's right, just breathe in."

She felt something close over her nose and mouth and smelled something mediciney, then nothing.

"Martha, get her positioned properly, we can't keep her under very long," the man directed his helper.

With the green gown, cap and mask, his only visible feature was a pair of cold blue eyes.

She was going to be sick, she tried to sit up. She pushed the mask off her nose and mouth and took a deep breath of fresh air. She opened her eyes and began to scream.

~~~~~~~~~~

As they pulled up to he small building, they heard Dawn's screams.

Spike slammed the car into park and jumped out. Willow, pulling strength from some hidden source, followed him.

They burst through the door into the brightly-lit room.

They saw a small but well equipped operating room, two green clad figures were huddled over a struggling third.

"Don't touch her you son of a bitch, " Willow cried out.

She turned to Spike just in time to see him brace himself and take off across the room.

He hit both of them, screaming with the pain from his implant. Still stiff with pain, he slammed them both against the wall and collapsed.

Willow was comforting Dawn, when she noticed the blue eyed man trying to get up.

She couldn't believe the SJS advisor and head of the Science Department had caused so much pain in so many lives.

"You're going to pay for all the pain you've caused and all the trust you've betrayed, I promise you, " Willow hissed.

She fixed on those eyes the eyes that had haunted her for so many years.

Her eyes flashed green fire and she seemed to grow to twice her size as she softly chanted a few words, " you will feel the terror the pain you've caused returned a hundred fold, returned a hundred fold."

There was a flash of green light and a bone-chilling scream as he ran blindly from the room.

Dawn was calmed down enough for Willow to tend to Spike. She didn't like what she saw. His skin tone was gray and a thick dark liquid was dripping from one ear.

"Thank God, you got the bastard yourself, good work, " a familiar voice said from the doorway.

Willow looked up and saw that Giles and Xander accompanied her.

"I haven't got time to explain, just listen. Buffy, take Dawn back to the ranch house and make sure the other kids are OK. Giles call 911 and take
charge of Mrs. Collins here, "she gestured to the unconscious green clad figure lying next to Spike. Xander, help me get Spike out of here before the EMT's arrive and start looking for a pulse."

They all stood staring at the slight redhead.

"Damn it, get a move on!" Willow shouted.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was hours later when Willow had a chance to explain the whole situation to Buffy and the rest.

She gave Spike all the credit for jogging her memory in the hospital, for getting her to the ranch in time to rescue Dawn and especially for risking
himself by attacking the evil pair despite his chip.

"What were they doing, I don't get the whole hospital thing?" Buffy asked.

Giles interrupted, " I spent some time with the Sheriff's men; it looks as if the Collins' were members of a white supremacist group that believed in
racial purity through genetics. They were harvesting eggs for use in some kind of superman breeding program. They evidently had been doing it for
years and freezing them."

A Sheriff's Deputy came to the door and beckoned to Giles.

After a whispered conversation, Giles returned to the group.

"They found Mr. Collins, he'd hung himself from a rafter in the stable. Unfortunately for him, the fall didn't kill him and he slowly suffocated," Giles said solemnly.

Willow's lips formed into a grim smile.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Sweetie, don't forget your counseling appointment at two, " Tara said as she left for class.

"OK, " Willow responded.

It broke her heart every time Tara did something loving or sweet for her. She still didn't know what she was going to do.

She walked upstairs to check on Spike.

She had been taking care of him since he rescued Dawn and every day she thought she loved him a little bit more.

She sat next to the bed and picked up his hand and gently kissed it.

Rosenberg, what are you going to do?
 

~Epilogue~

Walt Stevens looked up from his paper, "honey, what was the name of the guy on the internet who put us in contact with the adoption attorney?"

Emily paused, peanut butter covered knife in hand.

"Coleman, no, Collins, it was Collins I'm sure. Why do you ask? " she said slathering a piece of whole wheat toast.

"There's an item in the paper about someone named Collins who died in some kind of a police raid down by Sunnydale. Wasn't the internet guy a social worker or a teacher from down there?"

"Don't remember, five years is a long time, I do remember the lawyer was in LA though, Wolf or Hart or something like that, " she said walking to the back door.

"Sara, breakfast, " she called through the screen.

She walked over to her husband and put her arm around his shoulders and they watched their daughter, the child they never thought they would ever have come tumbling through the door.

They thought she was the most beautiful child in the world, from her freckles to her red hair to her beautiful deep green eyes.
 

END
 

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