Part 1
"It just feels so weird," Amy murmured as she looked at herself in the
mirror
for what seemed like the hundredth time.
"Well, you were a rat for about a year," Willow reminded her.
"And I just
want to apologize again."
"Stop that," laughed Amy. "I am the one that decided to turn myself
into a
rat. It is not your fault that Giles couldn't find the notes
about the spell
I used. Let's just be happy that I am back to normal now."
"I know," said Willow. "It's just that not being able to derat
you hasn't
helped with my magic-ability-related-self-esteem."
"Don't be so hard on yourself," Amy assured Willow. "Think of
it this way;
without you I would still be a rat. I just regret not thinking
before
acting. I mean, my life was going so well a year ago. My
Dad and I were
getting along great and I had met a guy. Now I have to come up
with a story
to tell my Dad about why I disappeared for almost a year and the guy
is
probably long gone."
"Maybe not," encouraged Willow. "Didnâd™t you say that he went here to school?"
"That's how we met," Amy explained. "I took a summer course here,
a college
prep kind of thing and met him on campus. He was so nice and
sweet and so
very un-Sunnydale like. He was from the Midwest, I think.
We had a few
dates and I was really falling for him then *BAM* I freak out just
because I
am about to be burned at the stake and turn myself into a rat.
But enough
about dwelling on the past. What should we do now?"
"We can go to Gilesâ and surprise everyone," Willow smirked, adding,
"itâ?™s
been a while since a spell of mine went right and I feel the need to
gloat."
"That sounds like fun," Amy agreed. "I'm definitely in the mood
to do some
shocking. So anything I should know before we get there?
I'm sorta out of
the loop."
"I'll tell you on the way," replied Willow as she walked towards her
closet.
"First we need to get you dressed though."
"Clothes," breathed Amy with a smile on her face. "That sounds
wonderful.
You can only do so much with a fur coat."
"I can imagine," giggled Willow. "And to think of all the people
that would
kill for a fur coat."
"And all I want is some nice cotton or silk," continued Amy.
The girls laughed and joked as they found something for Amy to wear.
They
finally decided on a short, full green skirt and cropped black sweater.
After Amy took another few minutes to admire herself in the mirror
they
headed out to Gilesâ. Along the way Willow filled Amy in on Graduation,
the
Mayor, Faith, Angel leaving, the Oz/Veruca thing and the basics about
The
Initiative. She had just finished explaining what they knew about
Adam to
Amy when they reached Gilesâ.
"Wow," sighed Amy. "Sorta makes me glad I was a rat. Not
that I wouldn't
have helped or anything, but..."
"I know what you mean," Willow chuckled. "Sometimes I wished that
you had
changed me into a rat too. Well, here we are. Let me just
go in first and
set this whole thing up. I want ultimate shock value."
Amy laughed at the grinning Willow and nodded in agreement. She
stepped
beside the door and waited for Willow's little announcement.
"Hey everyone," Willow called as she entered Gilesâ?™. She
looked around and
noticed everyone there. Spike was on the sofa watching TV, Xander
and Anya
were in the kitchen and Giles, Buffy and Riley were sitting at the
table. "I
have a surprise for everyone."
"You brought junk food?" Xander piped up from the kitchen. "How
did you know
we were out?"
"Not junk food, Xander," Willow laughed. "This is better."
"Better then junk food?" Xander asked in disbelief.
"What is it Will?" Buffy asked curiously.
"Yea, Witch," Spike mumbled from the sofa. "You're taking away
from prime
soap opera time here."
"Oh pipe down, Biteless Wonder," Buffy sighed. "It's on a tape, pause it."
"I did a little spell today," Willow stated and waited for the expected
response. She wasn't disappointed as everyone started talking
at once.
Buffy, Spike and Xander and talking about the last spell she did while
Giles'
began his 'You-shouldn't-do-anything-without-me-there' lecture.
She waited
for everyone to calm down before continuing. "You're faith in
me is
wonderful as usual, but this time everything went fine. In fact,
the results
are right outside the door."
"Right outside the door?" Buffy asked in confusion.
"You conjured something?" Giles' asked in disbelief.
"Not exactly," Willow smiled. "Why don't I just show you.
Come here
results."
Amy walked through the door and couldn't help but laugh at the reaction
of
the people in the room. Her eyes scanned everyone face and she
laughed at
their shocked expressions until her eyes found the last face in the
room and
her smile froze.
"Riley?" Amy's voice squeaked out as she stared at him.
"Amy?" Riley choke out as his eyes looked with hers.
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