"Love potion 12a?" Willow repeated, giving in finally and giggling. "You're
joking, right?"
 

"I have a very poor sense of humor," Madame Ruth said dryly. "I do not joke."
 

"Sorry, it's just," Willow laughed again, making a gesture with her hand that
encompassed her surroundings.
 

"When you have finished your attack of giggles, I will gladly continue,"
Madame Ruth said, taking her seat as she put the bottle of purple potion on
the table.
 

"You're serious, aren't you?" Willow said, frowning as she looked at the
older woman. Her green eyes looked at the bottle then at Madame Ruth. "You
honestly think that some sort of potion is really going to work?"
 

"I know that it will," Madame Ruth replied.
 

"This is crazy," Willow said, shaking her head. "I've learned in my studies
that love cannot be controlled. Sure, there are spells to use, but they
aren't real. They take away people's control and their ability to make their
own decisions. That isn't love. That's brainwashing."
 

"I agree," Madame Ruth said. "Love spells do not work. My potion, on the
other hand, does. It does not cloud a person's mind with visions of what they
should feel. Instead, it frees their minds and allows them to see what they
*do* feel. It is merely a way of seeing into one's own heart."
 

"You really believe that, don't you?" Willow said, shaking her head. "And
what if someone takes it and doesn't see anything? Would that mean that they
will never be in love?"
 

"No," Madame Ruth said patiently, wondering if this girl could possibly ask
any more questions. "It would just mean that they have not yet run across
their true love."
 

"So, I down that bottle and suddenly a light flashes and I see the face of
the man that is supposedly my true love?" Willow asked, her voice skeptical.
 

"Do you really think it is that easy?" Madame Ruth asked in amusement. "My
dear, it takes time for the potion to work. You may not even realize it is
doing anything until one day, you'll stop and everything will become clear.
There will be no more fuzzy edges or doubts. Clarity is a wonderful thing."
 

"Sounds foolish to me," Willow said, shaking her head.
 

"Take the potion, dear. You should have two spoonfuls every day until the
bottle is empty," Madame Ruth repeated, making sure Willow was paying
attention.
 

"What kind of spoon?" Willow asked, knowing that there was no way she was
going to take some potion without knowing what it contained. Not even true
love was worth trusting some weird old fortune teller.
 

"A normal kind of spoon," Madame Ruth said, her tone slightly impatient.
Taking a deep breath, she said calmly, "Forget your doubts for once, Willow,
and have faith. True love is close for you."
 

"Yeah, sure," Willow said, getting to her feet. "It's getting kind of late.
I'd really better get back home. I've been gone longer than I planned. My
roomy might be a bit worried."
 

"Good luck, my dear," Madame Ruth said, handing over the bottle of potion 12a.
 

"Yeah, and thanks," Willow said, putting the bottle in her purse and leaving
the house. She wondered if Spike would be worried. Probably not. He was too
busy watching that silly soccer game to care if she was laying dead
somewhere.

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