July 1998.
Buffy walked slowly through the cemeteries, only half
heartedly patrolling. Willow was gone, missing for a
little over a month. The Rosenbergs had been given a
formal funeral, and a memorial service was held for
Willow. That's when it hit Buffy. Willow was most
likely dead. Buffy couldn't sleep at night, and was
falling behind in her classes. She lost her best
friend, and didn't know how to go on with her life.
Xander was not doing much better. In fact, he was
worse. Willow had been his best friend for 17 years,
and no one felt the loss as much as Xander did. Willow
was everything to him, and no one could seem to
comfort him, not his girlfriend, his family, or his
friends. He was devastated, and spent his spare time
wracking his brain of places she could be. Xander
refused to believe she was dead. He couldn't.
Cordelia Chase, Willow's tormentor for years, the
most popular girl at Sunnydale High, renounced her
popularity, and spent all her time with the Scooby
Gang. She didn't care about her image anymore. She
mourned the loss of Willow, the girl she spurned for
years. She and Willow had developed a budding
friendship, and Cordelia found it was nice to have a
true friend instead of sheep. Cordelia turned herself
around, became research girl, and acted the way Willow
would of wanted her to.
Giles also was at a loss. Willow was like a daughter
to him, and he mourned her memory, and was determined
to carry on her legacy: Help Buffy and the other
Slayerettes prevail over the Hellmouth.
"Hello, lover." Angelus said smoothly, leaning up
against a mausoleum, jarring Buffy out of her musings.
She narrowed her eyes. "What do you want, Angelus?"
Angelus blinked innocently. "Nothing, Slayer. Say,
how is the gang? You know, Xander, Giles, *Willow*,"
he said, stressing the last name.
Buffy started shaking. "What do you know about
Willow, Angelus?"
Angelus chuckled. "Her mom sure screamed loud while I
killed her. Too bad no one heard her."
Buffy launched herself at him. He easily deflected
her blows, knocking her against a crypt, before
disappearing into the night.
**********
Giles stared blankly at the text in front of him, not
really seeing it. Xander was sitting on the couch,
scuffing his shoe across the floor. Cordelia was
looking absentmindedly out the window. Buffy blew in
the front door, gasping for breath, shaking like a
leaf.
"Buffy!" he exclaimed, concerned. "What is it?"
"Angelus," she whispered. "He just told me, Giles."
"What?" Xander wanted to know.
"He killed the Rosenbergs." Buffy said softly.
Giles dropped the book he was holding. "Good God."
Cordelia glared at Buffy. "Hope your happy,
freakgirl. You couldn't stake your psycho boyfriend,
and he kills your best friend. Makes ya feel good,
huh?" Cordelia stated coldly.
"Cordy!" Xander gasped, shocked.
"Cordelia, that is quite enough!" Giles warned.
Buffy began to cry. "I feel great, Cordy. Fucking
fantastic. How the hell do you think I feel, Cordy? I
failed her. I failed my best friend. I neglected my
duties for love, and my friend had to pay with her
life. Innocent people died because of me. Happy now?"
Cordelia lowered her eyes. "Buffy. Look, I'm sorry. I
know you-"
Buffy cut her off. "Forget it. We're all on edge. The
only left to do is to stake the bastard, Angel or
not."
"Maybe not." Xander said quietly.
Giles glanced at him. "What are you implying,
Xander?"
Xander took a deep breath. "We restore his soul."
Everyone started talking at once. They quieted at
Xander's shrill whistle.
"Personally, I don't give a flying fuck about
Deadboy. We restore his soul to protect ourselves,
because we don't know who he'll come after next, and
because, he killed the Rosenbergs, and maybe Wills,
and staking him would free him, and I want him to
suffer for a long, long time."
Giles nodded. "I agree, with the first part. We need
to protect ourselves. I'll call Miss Calendar, and she
if she'll help. I believe she said she knows someone
who knows the spell."
Giles stood up to make the phone call.
**********
"Agveto Caarna Lumvis!" Jenny screamed, as the orb
glowed white hot. She slumped as the energy left her
body. "It's done." She wheezed.
"I'll go look for him." Buffy said, and left.
She found Angel 20 minutes later, sitting on a hill,
sobbing. She wordlessly walked up to him. He looked up
at Buffy's hard face. "We're going to Giles'." She
said woodenly, and started walking away. Angel got up
and followed.
**********
Angel looked around the Watcher's living room, at all
of the people he tormented over the past few months.
Giles spoke through clenched teeth. "We know you-I
mean, Angelus killed Willow's parents. How did you get
in the house?"
"Angelus told Mrs. Rosenberg he was one of Willow's
friends, and she invited him in. He killed her, and
then Willow's father walked in, and he killed him
too."
"What happened to Willow?" Jenny asked.
Angel looked at his hands. "Angelus had been stalking
her for months. He caught her walking home from the
library, chased her, took her into her house..."
"Then what?" Cordelia asked coldly.
Angel flinched. He was silent, and then spoke
hoarsely. "H-he raped her. He showed her her mother,
and gave her her father's head, and left her there."
He whispered brokenly.
All hell broke loose. Cordelia was crying, Xander was
screaming, Buffy was sobbing, and Jenny was shocked.
"Rupert, no!" She screamed, as Giles rushed Angel,
stake in hand, and prepared to stake him. Jenny
knocked into him, throwing his aim, embedding the
stake in Angel's shoulder, instead of his heart. Angel
flinched. Everyone stood still, staring at Giles.
"What the hell was that?!" Jenny shouted. "He's
Angel, not Angelus. You know that, Rupert. Angel's not
at fault."
Everyone turned to stare at Jenny.
Xander took a deep breath, and uttered two words.
"She's right."
Angel gaped at Xander.
Xander glared at him. "As much as I hate Deadboy,
Miss Calendar's right. Staking him won't solve
anything. Besides, I think Angel deserves to suffer."
"Xander!" Buffy gasped.
"The monster raped her! He killed her family! He
needs to suffer, not be pardoned!"
"Xander, shut the hell up!" Cordy screamed. "It
wasn't Angel. We need to accept that! I know I've been
less than nice to Angel, but he didn't do it! The
demon did." Cordy stalked out of the house, and
slammed the door.
Angel stood up. "I'm gonna go."
"Go wait for the sunrise?" Xander sneered.
Angel looked at Buffy. "No. I'm leaving Sunnydale."
Buffy felt herself tear up. He wasn't the souless
monster. He was Angel, *her* Angel. "Why?" She
whispered. "You can't leave! I need you."
Xander groaned. "I don't believe this. I'm gone." He
said, disgusted.
Angel looked at Buffy with grief strickened eyes. "I
have to."
"No! It wasn't you. It was your demon. Don't leave
me." she pleaded.
Angel touched her arm. "Buffy, everytime you look at
me, you're going to see the monster that destroyed
Willow. I need to grieve, try to atone for my
mistakes. Good bye." He turned around and left.
Buffy fell to the floor with a loud, despairing wail.
~Part 7~ The Stars Return
Present Day.
"Argh!" Buffy cried, and threw the book halfway
across the room. "I hate this!"
Angel put his hand on his girlfriend's arm. "Buffy,
calm down."
Cordelia nodded. "Yeah. Really, spaz-girl."
Xander rolled his eyes at Cordy.
Amy stood up and stretched. "Guys, Buffy's right. I
can't preform the spell unless I find it."
Giles had gotten word through the council that a
spell had been found to permanently anchor a soul.
Buffy was overjoyed, Giles was apprehensive, Xander
was less than thrilled, but he reasoned that Angel was
slightly better than Angelus.
Nobody really talked about Willow anymore. It had
been a little over two years since she vanished, and
was presumed dead. Buffy was still guilt ridden, Angel
blamed himself extensively, Xander was still mourning
the loss of his friend, Oz missed his ex-love, Amy
missed her friend, and fellow Wicca, Jenny missed
Willow, her student. It was still painful to talk
about the shy, red haired hacker who disappeared not
so long ago.
**********
"They look so happy." Willow commented, watching them
through the window. "Makes my stomach turn."
Spike put an arm around her waist. "I know, baby.
Sickening, isn't it?"
Willow nodded. "They don't deserve to be happy. Make
them bleed for me, Spike?"
Spike kissed her hand. "As I told you before, you
shall have their blood, Princess."
Willow smiled. "Thank you, my Spike."
"You wait right here, pet. Don't fancy having the
Slayer staking you."
Willow nodded. "Okay."
Spike grinned. "That's my girl." He kissed her again,
and left, heading towards the library.
**********
Faith, the Slayer that had been called after Kendra
was killed in an ambush, followed Mrs. Giles, formerly
Jenny Calendar, into the library carrying spellbooks.
Oz held the door open before going and sitting next to
Amy.
Giles smiled and kissed his wife, chuckling at the
groans uttered by the teenagers.
Oz put his arm around Amy's shoulders. "So, found the
spell yet?"
Amy shook her head. "Not yet."
Faith was sitting on the counter, chewing a wad of
purple bubble gum. She blew a large bubble. "So, let's
get cracking."
And with that, they prepared to look for the spell
that would anchor Angel's soul, permanently.
Or, that's what they were going to do, until the
doors swung open, and Spike strolled in.
**********
Everyone stood up abruptly at the site of their old
blonde nemisis.
"Spike! What are you doing here?" Buffy asked warily.
Faith's eyes snapped open. "*This* is Spike? Damn, B.
You didn't tell me he was so hot."
Everyone, even Spike, rolled their eyes.
Spike turned to the blond Slayer. "Well, it's simple,
Slutty," he said, causing Cordelia to snort, which
made Buffy shoot daggers at her. "The reason I'm here
is to kill you all."
Buffy sighed in exasperation. "Duh. You've tried how
many times to off us, and have you? That'd be a big
no."
Spike chuckled. "No, I promised someone awhile back
I'd make sure all of you are dead. Especially you,
Peaches." Spike added, glaring with hatred at his
sire.
Buffy glared at him. "What are you talking about, you
bleached blond idiot?"
Spike scowled, and opened his mouth to reply, but the
library doors opened again.
**********
The Scooby Gang collectively looked towards the
doors, and saw a tall, thin, red haired woman walk in.
She was wearing a beautiful flowing white dress. Her
head was bent, so they couldn't see her face.
Spike looked over his shoulder, and his cold eyes
immediately softened. He took the woman in his arms
and kissed her. "Baby, I thought I told you to wait
outside."
The woman shook her head. "I wanted to help." She
said softly.
Spike knew she was talking about the bloodletting and
laughed. "Okay, okay. You can help."
Buffy narrowed her eyes. "So, Spike, who's your
little friend?"
The woman looked up at Spike, and he nodded. Willow
brushed her hair out of her face, and lifted her head,
and turned to her former friends.
~Part 8~ The Stars Mourn
Everyone watched as the woman brushed the hair off
her face, and turned to them. Big emerald green eyes,
although something in them seemed a little off kilter.
Pale ivory skin. Crimson lips set in a half smirk.
"Willow?" Buffy breathed, eyes filled with joyful
tears.
Giles stood up, took off his glasses, and put them on
again, seeing if Willow was still there.
Xander sat in a stupor, mouth open in shock.
Cordelia watched the scene unfolding with wide eyes.
Oz sat, his arm still around Amy, watching Willow and
Spike closely. The wolf could tell she was no longer
human.
Amy nibbled on her bottom lip nervously, wondering
what was going on with Willow.
Faith sat, chewing her gum, watching the unexpected
reunion play out.
Angel sat motionless, looking at the girl he thought
his demon killed over two years ago.
Jenny stood behind Giles, watching Willow warily,
waiting for her to respond to Buffy's whispered
question.
Buffy took a step towards Willow, but Angel held her
back.
Angel realized she was one of his kind, in fact,
family. Spike's childe. His grandchilde. He stood up,
and walked towards her slowly, stopping abruptly when
she started shaking.
Spike, too, noticed Willow shaking. He rushed over to
her before she collapsed.
"Damn you, you bloody pillock!" Spike roared at
Angel, who backed up.
He gathered Willow in his arms. "It's okay, Princess.
I'm here. I've got you, baby..." Spike soothed as
Willow trembled against him.
Jenny watched, alarmed. "What's...what's wrong with
her? Rupert?"
Giles shook his head. "I don't know."
Spike glared murderously at Angel. "See what you've
done?" He asked coldly.
Buffy shook her head. "What?"
Spike ignored her, and wrapped his arm around his
beloved's waist, as she calmed down and turned to look
at the Slayer.
"Willow?" Buffy asked again, cautiously, not wanting
to set her friend off again.
Willow leaned against Spike. "I want you to die."
Buffy froze. "You won't kill me, Willow. You're still
Wills, my friend. W-why are you here? After all this
time?"
Spike sneered. "That's why we're here, you stupid
bint. To make you pay. To kill you."
Willow giggled. "All of you."
Spike smiled tenderly at her. "Not Angel. Save him
for last. Not the Slayer's, either. We'll keep both of
them around. Their blood will make you strong,
Princess."
"What? Why would you do this, Willow?" Jenny asked.
Willow smiled. "So pretty. The pretty stars told me
that if you die, all my bad dreams will stop. Angelus
will go away."
Angel watched her closely, silently.
"Willow, Angelus is gone. I restored his soul." Jenny
told her quietly, curious as to what exactly was wrong
with the redhead.
"No!" Willow shrieked. "He's still here. In my
dreams. He kills my family, he hurts me, over and over
again!" She paused. "Spike, I'm so cold..."
Spike smiled at her sadly, and wrapped his arms
around her slight frame.
Angel looked at his childe. "What's wrong with her?"
Spike's gaze hardened as he looked at his sire. "You.
You drove her insane, and killed her, you prick! When
I found her, she was like this! She was dying. I
turned her. I promised her you would suffer, all of
you." Spike grabbed Willow's hand, and led her out of
the library. He turned and looked at the occupants of
the room once again. "You'll all be dead within the
end of the week." And with that, they left.
~Part 9~ The Stars Glitter
Willow walked through the park, under the inky sky,
dotted with glittering stars. She was enjoying the
darkness. Spike had gone hunting. She stayed in the
park. She didn't feel like hunting. Spike said he'd be
back soon. She stopped when she heard a twig snap
behind her. She turned, smiling. "Spikey..." She
stopped abruptly when she saw who it was. Buffy.
"Slayer," she spat.
Buffy smiled warily. She wasn't sure how to approach
her friend. She didn't care what the others said.
Willow was still her friend. She was going to help
her, her friend. "H-hey Willow."
Willow narrowed her eyes. "Slayer", she repeated. She
turned to walk away.
Buffy frowned. She knew Willow was a vampire, but she
also knew Willow wouldn't hurt her. She hurried after
Willow's retreating figure. "Willow, wait!" She
grabbed the redhead's arm. Willow growled, her game
face masking her human features. "Don't touch me,
Slayer!" She raked her nails over Buffy's face,
drawing blood.
Buffy, the Slayer in her, instinctively reacted, and
flung Willow away. Buffy gasped as she watched
Willow's frail body hit a granite tombstone, and
bounce off with a sickening crack. She rushed over to
her fallen friend. Willow had a pool of blood under
her head, bleeding from a gash on her forehead,
running down her face, onto the ground.
Buffy knelt next to the vampire. Her eyes were
closed, unmoving. "Willow?" She whispered. Buffy never
saw Spike tackle her.
**********
Spike was heading back to the cemetary after he had
fed. It had been a nice kill. Willow said she wasn't
hungry, so he had left her in the park. He knew she'd
be fine. Or so he thought. He stiffened. The Slayer
was nearby. He could smell blood. He smirked.
Hopefully Slayer blood. Spike felt fear, true fear
that he hadn't felt in over a century, when he
recognized the scent of the blood. Willow's blood.
*His* Willow's blood. He growled, and ran towards it.
Nothing prepared him for the sight he saw before him.
His Princess was lying on the ground, eyes closed, in
a pool of blood. Her blood stained the grave marker
behind her. The Slayer knelt over Willow, stake in
hand. Spike snarled, and lunged for Buffy.
**********
Buffy knelt over Willow, concerned. She didn't mean
to hit Willow like that. Her Slayer instincts reacted.
She heard the crack of breaking bones when Willow hit
the tombstone, and was worried. She didn't mean to
hurt Willow. She heard a snarl, and was knocked onto
the ground. She glanced up, and a murderous Spike
picked her up by the throat.
"You bitch!" He hissed, squeezing her throat harder.
He growled, and threw her on the ground. Buffy groaned
and fell to her knees.
"You hurt my Princess." Spike said. He kneed Buffy in
the face, knocking her down. "You hurt my mate. Made
her bleed." He kicked her visiously in the side,
hearing the ribs crack. He smiled at that, and picked
her up, and threw her into a nearby oak tree. "Bitch."
The blonde Slayer landed, in an unmoving heap. Spike
raised his boot, ready to crush the Slayer's windpipe,
when he heard a soft whimper. Spike rushed over to his
redhead. He cradled her bloody hed in his arms. "Oh,
baby. You scared me."
Willow started to cry. "Icky Slayer hurt Princess.
Make her pay, my Spike?"
Spike sat her up, and moved her onto his lap.
"They'll pay, baby. They'll pay."
~Part 10~ The Stars Bloom
The stars told me so. They must all suffer. They must
all die. Painfully. I yearn to hear their screams,
taste their blood, feel their hearts stop. When that
happens, I'll be free. Slayer hit me, made me bleed.
She'll die slowest of all. Angel too. He was very,
very bad. Not nice to hurt Spikey's Princess. Once
their blood- Angel's blood, Slayer's blood- covers the
floor, I'll be free. Their deaths will cause the stars
to bloom, like pretty dark flowers. It won't be long
now. Spikey's coming back to me. He will take me home,
and we will plot who will die first. I know who will
die first. Xander's going to get a nice little
suprise. It's time, Spike says. Time to make them pay.
Well, old friends. Let the games begin. I warn you, I
never lose. Ever.