Spike walked into the watcher's living room, not surprised to see everyone
already researching. He sat down, not sure exactly what to say. He cleared
his throat, catching their attention. "Drusilla is in Sunnydale."
 

"What?" Buffy demanded. "How do you know?"
 

Spike looked away from them, feeling Willow beside him. "I was told."
 

"By who?" Angel asked. He hadn't felt his daughter's arrival. "What aren't
you telling us Spike?"
 

"Fuck it." Spike said. "Willow told me."
 

"Not funny" Xander said, glaring at Spike.
 

"It's not meant to be" Spike said, looking at them. "She's been haunting me
since a week after her death. She's here now in fact."
 

"No...you're lying" Buffy said, hurt that her friend had shown herself to
Spike and not to her.
 

"Why hasn't she moved on?" Cordelia asked, confused.
 

"It wasn't her time....Buffy was supposed to arrive and save her but well, you
know what happened" Spike said, his eyes flickering over both Angel and
Cordelia's faces.
 

Angel blanched, remembering all too well what had happened. He and Cordelia
had been about to die. The demon had them before Willow called out to it,
diverting it away. She had run, trying to save them. The demon had followed,
killing her before Spike or Buffy could reach it.
 

"She was given a chance...six years to spend with a chosen one...." Spike ran
a hand over his face. "I have to kill Drusilla before the six years is up or
Willow's soul is damned for eternity."
 

"What?" Riley asked.
 

"Why Dru?" Anya asked.
 

"Dru is the one that sent the demon....she wanted Willow dead" Spike said,
his voice emotionless.
 

"Why?" Giles asked.
 

Spike looked at him, guilt in his blue eyes. "Because, Dru knew I loved
Willow more than I ever loved her. She felt threatened."
 

"Damn" Buffy said, "You're the one that has to kill Dru to save Willow's
soul?"
 

"Yes" Spike said, glossing over the details. He was the one who was going to
kill Dru, maybe not the one that had to. The slayer didn't need to know that.
 

"I don't like this" Angel said. "In Delia's vision, Dru was about to kill
you."
 

"She'll be going with me if she does" Spike said, his eyes fixed on his
sire's face. "I won't let Willow be damned."
 

"And I won't let you committ suicide...alone" Angel said, his own face
determined.
 

"We can still help. We can divert her so you can kill the loony bitch" Buffy
said.
 

"NO! Willow said that it has to be me against Dru. Anyone else being around
could affect her soul." Spike said, saying what he and Willow had decided on.
 

"I can't let her soul suffer" Xander said, looking hopelessly at Buffy.
 

"Me either" Buffy agreed. She looked at Spike. "Damn it. Why didn't you tell
us? Six years....and she was here."
 

"It wasn't my place. The only reason she said anything now was to save your
sorry ass" Spike said gruffly.
 

"When her soul is safe..she leaves?" Riley asked.
 

"Yes" Spike said, the word sounding sad.
 

"God...I'm so sorry" Anya said, her hand on his arm.
 

Spike shrugged, "I had six years with her. She has to go."
 

Xander couldn't believe that Willow had been around all this time. Suddenly,
a few things made sense. The feeling he would get sometimes that he was being
watched. The times he could have sworn he saw a glimpse of red hair. She had
been looking after him. He smiled softly, wishing she were still alive. He
missed her so much. Every day something would happen that he wished he could
tell her. He didn't know how Spike was going to be able to make it. The last
time, the blonde had seriously been a threat to his own safety. Now, he had
had six more years to fall deeper in love. Xander was worried about his
friend but he knew the stubborn ass wouldn't listen to him. "When are you
going after Dru?"
 

"I don't know. I've been looking for her for over a month. Now, suddenly, she
shows up here. Just seems a bit odd to me" Spike said, frowning.
 

"She must know" Giles said. His other words were stopped as the door flew
open. Joyce ran inside, Jesse in her arms. Anne and Andrew followed her, both
their faces covered with tears.
 

"Is he here?" Joyce demanded, fear and anxiety covering her face.
 

"What?" they asked.
 

"Dear lord" Joyce said, sinking into a chair as Anya took Jesse.
"William...he's gone."
 

"What?" Xander demanded, fear going through him. He looked outside and saw
the moon.
 

"The evil witch has him" Anne said, crying. She looked into the empty air
beside Spike. "You have to save him."
 

"The witch?" Buffy said, holding onto Andrew tightly.
 

Andrew nodded, his own eyes looking into emptiness. "She's so mean. She tried
to get us but he told us to run. He said to find you...that you'd save him
like he'd save you."
 

"Someone took William?" Cordelia said, not following the children's words.
 

"Princess...please save him....the witch is going to kill him" Anne said,
holding her hand out towards Willow as tears streaked down her chubby cheeks.
 

"Princess?" Xander said confused. Why was she talking to a character from
William's stories? He froze as before his eyes a shape was revealed. A
familiar redhead stood in the space that was empty seconds before. Her hand
held out to Anne's as she looked at Spike, her green eyes sad. Xander said
softly, wondering if the others could see her too, "Willow."

next