Pairing: W/S
Rating: R
Summary: Willow must leave Sunnydale in secret
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: If you'd like it ask and I'll let you take it.
Feedback: Please
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 1~
"Gee Will, " Buffy said looking in from the kitchen, " give it a break. You've been at that computer all day."
Willow gave a guilty jump and looked up. "It's not my fault that I have two papers due on Friday, " she said turning back to the glowing screen.
Buffy shook her head and returned to making Dawn's lunch.
Willow stared at the screen. The words glared back, the same words that she'd been staring at all night.
'Willow
You must leave Sunnydale as soon as possible. It is imperative that you tell no you are leaving. Buffy, Dawn and the rest are in deadly danger as long as you remain. I will be expecting you at the country house.
Please hurry.
Giles'
She'd discovered the email that morning. She had gotten out of the habit of checking the account that Giles had set up for her when she was ready to return home. Giles had told her that she could always get a message to him if things began to get too much for her. She'd used it several times in the first few months. Pouring out her uncertainties and fears to him had been good therapy and she'd treasured his calm and encouraging responses. She owed him so much. She owed him everything.
Willow knew what she had to do.
She yawned as Buffy walked in from the kitchen.
"I guess I'll call it a day, " she said closing her laptop.
"A day and half a night, ' Buffy replied with a grin.
She continued, " why don't you stay over? You look beat and we could have some Ben & Jerry's chocolate chip cookie dough and Letterman. That beats the hell out of psych and lit papers. I know it beats dusting vamps and making PB&J sandwiches."
Willow shook her head as she reached for her backpack, " sounds great, but I really have to finish these papers."
Buffy looked disappointed, " Will, you don't have to be super student, you really don't."
Buffy followed her friend to the door, " OK brain girl, but those papers are due tomorrow afternoon, so I expect you here for dinner tomorrow night."
Willow's face froze for a moment.
"Don't worry, I'm not cooking. Dawn has the hots for the new pizza delivery boy." The blond gave an evil grin, " he's got the cutest little .."
"Buffy!" Willow said.
"OK Will, you can be the chaperone, you can make sure he gets out alive, or at least with his pants on."
Willow colored for a moment then paled quickly, " sure Buffy I'll see you then."
~~~*~~~
It was midnight by the time Willow made the reservations. By six AM, she was in a cab on her way to the LA airport.
Two figures emerged from the shadows as the cab turned the corner. The two men dressed in black were at the Rosenberg door in a moment and a second later were inside. They quickly made their way up the stairs to Willow's bedroom. One off them pulled the bedclothes from her bed and the other turned over a table and two chairs and swept several photographs onto the floor.
They stopped and surveyed the room; the one by the dresser gave a slight nod. The second reached into his pocket and removed a small bottle. He twisted off the lid and emptied it onto the rumpled bedclothes. The coppery smell of fresh blood filled the room.
~~~*~~~
The slim blond gazed out the window, " why did we have to come to this God forsaken place? At least in London there'd be some action."
"That's one of the reasons we came here actually," the British voice from behind her explained. "Slayer training and disco's don't mix."
The girl pulled a sour face, " God, how old are you? Disco's?"
"And," the voice proceeded not acknowledging her comment, " the second reason should be arriving tomorrow."
~Part: 2~
Buffy checked the kitchen clock. She was a little surprised that she hadn't heard from Willow. She should have dropped the papers off at school hours ago.
Shrugging, she headed for the stairs. Willow must have run into someone and lost track of time, she thought. She stopped for a moment as a picture of Spike flashed in her head.
"Spike?' she asked herself, "what made me think of him?"
She shook her head and continued up the stairs, " Dawn, what are you doing up there?"
Opening her sister's bedroom door, she saw the answer to her question.
Dawn stood in front of her mirror. She was in her underwear surrounded by what looked like every outfit she owned.
"What the hell?" Buffy said taking in the scene of destruction.
"I don't have anything to wear, ' Dawn complained.
Buffy moved a small pile of clothes and sat on the bed.
"It's only Willow, Dawn. I don't think she'll care all that much."
Dawn made a face at her sister and picked up a leather mini skirt.
Buffy gave her sister an innocent look, "oh, this couldn't all be for someone else could it? Gee, I wonder …… It couldn't be the pizza boy with the tight jeans could it?"
Dawn gave her sister the death stare and held up the skirt.
"The hooker look is in again I see, ' Buffy said. "Where did you get that slutty thing?"
"In the back of your closet, ' Dawn said with a satisfied smile.
Her sister looked down and took a deep breath, " Ok sis, truce."
Dawn nodded, " how about this?" she asked holding up a pair of low rider jeans and a 70's style crop top.
Buffy nodded, " I think that's it, you'll look cute."
She got up and headed for the door, " this is going to go to waste if I don't make the call soon."
Pausing at the door, she looked back, " you still could go with the bra and panty look."
Buffy heard the thump of something hitting the door as she quickly closed it.
~~~*~~~
The man in black sat patiently behind the wheel across from the Rosenberg house. His companion was sheltered in a clump of bushes behind a neighboring house where he had an unobstructed view of the rear of the house.
As the sun dropped below the horizon, the man in the car clicked the 'speak' button on the miniature 2-way radio he held. His partner returned the signal.
A few moments later, a dark shape came through the shadows in Willow's backyard and approached the backdoor. The figure bent to retrieve something from the planter next to the door. In a moment's time, the door was open and the figure disappeared inside.
The watcher in the bushes clicked the speak button and whispered, "now."
The man in the car picked up a cell phone from the seat. The phone was connected by a short cable to another small box with a miniature keypad. He punched a number into the box and another one into the phone and pushed the send button. When the phone was connected, he rapped the phone against the dash and pushed the end button. Then he started the car and rolled toward the corner where he stopped to pick up his companion and accelerated away.
~~~*~~~
Dawn was coming down the stairs when the phone rang. She jumped down the last three steps and sprinted across the room.
"I'll get it, " she shouted as she picked up the receiver.
"Who is it?" Buffy asked looking in from the kitchen.
Dawn gave her a puzzled look, " I don't know. There was some kind of a bang and then the line went dead."
"Hit caller ID, " Buffy instructed.
Dawn looked frightened, " it's Willow's number."
"Call Xander and have him meet me at Willow's, " Buffy called out as she headed for the door. She stopped with a hand on the knob, " only Xander, I want you to be here to greet pizza boy, OK?"
~~~*~~~
Xander's car slid to the curb next to Buffy.
She gestured for him to get out and follow her to the Rosenberg front door.
She quickly mounted the porch and slipped her key into the lock and opened the door.
Inside, they could hear someone moving around upstairs.
Buffy put a finger to her lips and crept toward the stairs with Xander close behind her.
The noise was coming from Willow's darkened bedroom.
Buffy took a deep breath and launched herself through the partially open door.
She collided with a dark figure and knocked it to the ground.
"Xander get the lights, " she cried tightening her hold on the figure she was holding facedown on the carpet.
She blinked at the brightness of the lights and took a good look at just who she was squeezing.
"Bloody hell Slayer, what the hell are you playing at?" said a familiar but partially muffled voice.
"Spike!" Xander and Buffy both said at once.
"In the slightly bruised flesh. Come on Slayer, loosen up a bit or I might forget myself and do you a mischief."
Xander loomed over the pair, " listen dead boy, consider yourself lucky you're not blowing down the street. Now, where is Willow, what have you done with her?"
"That's what I want to know, " the British vamp said as Buffy loosened her grip a little and he managed to sit up.
"Not that I've done anything to her, I want to know where she is. She should be home."
"Are you keeping her schedule now?" Xander sneered.
"No, but I told her I might stop by and …."
"Hold it, " Buffy called out holding the corner of Willow's bedspread.
She held it up to Xander, "blood, it's blood you lousy …"
"Stop it Xander, " Buffy directed. Hold onto him while I look around.
"With pleasure, " Xander snarled as he held Spike with a stake across his throat.
"There's more over here, " Buffy called out from across the room.
She turned with hatred in her eyes and Xander tightened his grip.
Spike waited until Buffy was turned away again.
"This is gonna hurt me more than you, " he said under his breath as he twisted Xander's arm away and wincing pulled himself free.
He took two steps and was through the French doors. He jumped from the balcony and disappeared into the shadows.
Buffy helped Xander to his feet.
"Where is she?" he pleaded.
An unsmiling Buffy picked up the strake Xander had dropped.
"I don't know, but I do know that this is the end for Spike.
~Part: 3~
"Yeah, I think I have seen you around school," the boy said leaning against the kitchen counter next to Dawn.
He'd arrived about ten minutes after Buffy had gone. Everything had seemed normal; the same as it was every time he'd delivered to the house. He was cute, there was no doubt about that. Dawn had flirted a bit, in a shy way. This time, however, there was no Buffy to step in and pay sending him on his way. Dawn always felt a little angry at her sister, she seemed to break things up just when they seemed to be going somewhere. Tonight, she was beginning to miss the interference.
"What are you a freshman, sophomore?" he asked sliding closer to a now apprehensive Dawn.
He traced a finger softy across her bare midriff and she shivered, " don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you now that big sis isn't here."
He hooked a finger into the waistband of her jeans and pulled her toward him, " at least nothing that we both don't want to happen."
The boy's eyes grew wide as he felt a cold hand grip his neck from behind.
"Shouldn't you be going home to have your nappy changed little boy, " Spike said in a conversational tone.
"Now get your fingers out of places they don't belong before I break them off and shove them in a very uncomfortable place."
The boy dropped his hands to his sides as Spike lifted him a few inches off the floor, " now apologize nicely to the lady."
"I'm sorry, really sorry, " he said tears coming to his eyes.
Spike dropped him and spun him around, "I think you should be on your way and be grateful you little wanker I've left you something to wank."
As the frightened boy ran for the door, Dawn turned to hide her smile.
"Thanks, Spike, I'm sure I could have handled him myself but, thanks anyway, " Dawn said with confidence she didn't feel.
"I'm sure that you could, little one. Just glad I could help, " Spike said as he sat down at the kitchen table.
"Buffy's not here, ' Dawn began, " something happened at Willow's and I called Xander to meet her there."
Spike motioned for her to sit as well.
"I know Buffy was at Willow's, so was I." Spike told Dawn what he'd seen when he'd arrived and what had happened when Buffy and Xander arrived.
"They can't think that you would do anything to hurt Willow, " Dawn protested.
Spike smiled wanly, " everyone doesn't have the same high opinion of yours bloody truly."
Dawn thought for a moment, " what were you doing at Willow's anyway?"
Spike looked down, " ah, I've been dropping by most evenings and we talk and keep each other company and …"
"Wait a minute, " Dawn said with disbelief, " you and Willow?"
Dawn's face colored, " don't tell me you and Willow have been…"
Spike grinned, " OK, I won't tell you."
~~~*~~~
Willow emerged into the whirl of the reception lobby at Heathrow. She glanced around looking for a familiar face. She settled on a very British looking chauffer in a neat black uniform holding a sign with "Rosenberg" printed in large black letters. Pulling her suitcase behind her, she approached him.
When he caught sight of her, he seemed to come to attention, " Ms. Willow Rosenberg?" he said more as a statement than a question.
She nodded as he deftly took her bag and directed her toward a set of automatic doors. Once outside, he ushered her toward a two toned gray Rolls Royce. He opened the door and she slid in.
"Hello Willow, " the passenger sitting in the front seat said turning to face her.
"Ethan!" Willow said in astonishment. "What are you doing here, where is Giles?"
"Calm down my dear, " Ethan said evenly, " Giles sent me to bring you to him. He's at the council's safe house near Dartmoor, I believe you know it."
Willow nodded, " but what's going on, why did I have to come and why such secrecy?"
"Don't fret, ' he said as the driver got behind the wheel and they smoothly rolled away from the curb, " as they say in the mystery stories, all will be revealed before long."
He continued, " it's quite a drive and you must be tired from your flight, please try and rest on the way."
Willow nodded and leaned back against the soft leather upholstery. She was asleep before they left the airport drive.
"Harold, " Ethan said to the driver, " the gas was quite a success."
"Yes sir, the individual rear air vents made it quite simple." He smiled and squeezed the wheel, " the best in British engineering."
Ethan looked down and noticed the green razor sharp talons protruding from the driver's gray leather gloves.
"Harold, " he said gesturing to the driver's hands, " you must be more careful, it wouldn't do to reveal ourselves to our guest of honor too soon would it?"
~~~*~~~
Spike looked up, " I think I hear meat boy's car."
He stepped toward the back door, " remember let me know anything you can about Willow."
"But Spike, where will you go, what will you do?" Dawn asked.
"Don't worry about me."
Dawn gave him a sad look as they heard car doors slam.
"Don't worry, I'll find her. I have to," he said as he disappeared into the shadows outside the backdoor.
~Part: 5~
Dawn reached the living room just in time to see her sister and Xander come through the door. To be honest, she heard them more than she saw them.
"You should have staked him when you had the chance, " Xander complained.
"If you hadn't let him slip through your fingers, " Buffy retorted.
After this exchange, they both sat silently scowling at one another.
"Hi, did you see Willow?" Dawn asked.
Neither of them answered.
"Come on, " Dawn asked, " what's going on?"
Buffy sighed, " we don't know, she wasn't there. Things were kinda in a mess, like she might have left in a hurry."
"But where would she go?" Dawn continued.
Xander spoke up, " no idea, I just don't know. Her car was still there, the doors were locked." He shook his head and looked over at Buffy.
"How about Giles, shouldn't we call him?" Xander asked.
Buffy brightened a bit, " good idea, " she said motioning for Xander to follow her to the kitchen.
"Hey, what am I supposed to do?" Dawn complained.
Buffy turned, " it's way past your bed time, you …"
Her sister started to complain again, but was stopped by the expression on Buffy's face.
It wasn't anger or frustration; those she'd faced many times before. It was one of sadness with an edge of fear; she'd never seen her sister afraid.
After changing to her pajamas, Dawn was sitting on her bed debating whether to tell her sister about Spike's visit. She knew he didn't want her to, but with Willow missing and her sister actually frightened, she just didn't know.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a low buzzing noise. Dawn tilted her head listening to try and locate the unfamiliar sound. It seemed to be coming from the tangled pile of clothes she'd discarded on the floor.
She found the cell phone in the pocket of her jeans. She flipped it open and pressed a key.
"Hello bit, how do you like the cell?" Spike said.
"Where did …" Dawn started.
"Slipped it into your pocket while you were distracted by your little friend, " he continued.
Her face felt hot as she remembered the scene with the delivery boy, then she reddened further thinking of Spike slipping his hand into her pocket.
"I wanted to give us a way to communicate without big sister interfering. What did she and donut boy have to say?"
Dawn told him all she could remember, finishing with the decision to call Giles.
The other end of the line was silent.
"Spike are you still there?"
"Giles, maybe, " he thought out loud, " what if she left on her own?"
"Spike, what are you…"
He interrupted her, " find out if they get Giles and what he says if they do, ok?"
Dawn waited for a moment, " Spike, if you don't tell me what the hell is going on around here, I swear I will stake you myself!"
"Ok, Ok don't get your knickers in a twist. I've been checking out the local vamp demon underground. No one knows anything, not a whisper. Then I thought what if she left on her own and the rest was just window dressing? Who could get her to leave without telling anyone?"
"Giles, " Dawn answered, " she'd do it for him."
~~~*~~~
Willow groaned and tried to sit up.
"How do you feel?" a voice said.
She squinted and managed to focus on the speaker, "Ethan, what happened? The last thing I remember was leaving the airport."
"Ripper was right, they're either desperate or overconfident. Attacking us in broad daylight like that."
"Who, what attack…" Willow stammered.
She swung her feet onto the floor and sat up on the sofa.
She shook her head in an attempt to clear some of the cobwebs, " what happened?"
Looking at her surroundings, she added, " and where are we, this isn't the manor where I was supposed to meet Giles.
Ethan quickly told her of being hedged in by several vehicles on the road from the airport and being forced to the side of the road.
"I'm not sure exactly who they were, " Ethan said, " obviously not vampires, but possibly demons who could pass as humans. They tossed cylinders of gas into the car. The one in the rear went off and you were out in a matter of seconds. The driver and I were luckier, the cylinder they tossed into the front misfired. Hawkins managed to pull across the median and we spent a rather exciting few moments speeding north down the south bound lane."
Willow interrupted, "Ok, but where is Giles and why are we here?"
Ethan's manner became solemn, " when we were out of danger, I made a few mobile calls. At the same time we were attacked, there was a terrific explosion at the manor."
"Giles?" Willow asked softly.
Ethan didn't reply, but turned toward a TV/VCR unit perched on the table in front of them. He pressed a button on the remote and Rupert Giles appeared on the screen.
"Willow, if you are watching this tape, the enemy has proved stronger than I feared. You must continue the fight with Ethan's help, now that I am dead.
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