Title: Returning
Author: Kylia
Email: kylia_bug@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: Nobody belongs to me, unfortunately. They belong to Joss & Mutant Enemy, and a few other people I don’t know.
Rating: PG13 (for now, although that may change)
Spoilers:
Category: Willow/Spike
Summary: Willow and Spike are forced to return to Sunnydale when Angelus returns.
Distribution: Fire & Ice, WitchFanFic, anyone else, ask, and you shall receive
Author's Notes: This takes place a few years into the future.
Dedication: For Elka & Inell for providing me with a never-ending Fic fix!

Anya opened her eyes, and quietly left her bed. She walked out onto the terrace and looked up into the night sky. Every muscle in her body was tense, every hair standing on edge. She hadn’t felt this leery since she had become mortal. A change was coming, she could feel it. She inhaled deeply, trying to gage the air. Trying to see if there was something different about it. She could smell it. The stench. It was unmistakable.

“L’Liarion.” She whispered, hoping she was wrong, but knowing she wasn’t.

Anya walked in from outside and realized that her past was coming back to haunt her. It had been three centuries since she had seen him, but he was always with her. The memory was always haunting her. She could still remember the smell of the charred flesh. She could still remember the screams. She could still remember the sight of the bodies. People she had killed. The innocents that had died, because she had granted the wish. It was the only time she had ever regretted her job. It was the only time she had ever been sorry she had met D’Hoffryn. It was the only time when she would have welcomed death. It was also the only time when the wish wouldn’t be granted.

Anya shook herself out of her memories, refusing to let him get the better of her. She needed to get out, and warn someone that L’Larion had returned. That couldn’t be good. She knew just who to tell.

Xander came out of the bedroom just as she was walking out the door.

“Anya? Where are you going?” It’s the middle of the night.” Anya stopped in front of the door, and wished, for the second time in two days that she slept alone.

“Out. I have something I need to do.” She didn’t wait for him to question her further. Instead, she walked out the door, and headed towards the only person in Sunnydale she felt she could trust at that moment.

Willow arrived at Buffy’s house two hours after she had spoken to the slayer. She didn’t know what she was expecting to happen. She didn’t know what Buffy’s dream had been about, or what she could tell her to make her fell better.

She had spent the past two hours trying to figure out what had happened. What had caused Angel to revert to his former glory? What was causing Buffy’s nightmares, and most important, what they could do about them.

When she entered Buffy’s living room, she found the slayer asleep on the couch. She sat down on the edge, and put her hands on either side of Buffy’s head. She used her mind to reach inside the slayers. She knew that she shouldn’t. What she was doing was a violation, but she needed to know what they were up against. What Buffy had seen in her head?

As she pushed forward with her mind, she was flooded with images. At first they were moving so quickly, they were fuzzy, and unorganized. The further into the slayer’s mind she went, the clearer the images. The changed rapidly, but she kept coming back to one in particular. Acathla. It had been nine years since Angelus had almost awakened the stone demon. Willow found it strange that this particular image was haunting the girl.

As she pushed further into her old friend’s subconscious, she was assaulted by memories. Angelus. He was taunting her, terrorizing her. And if that wasn’t enough she was being bombarded with visions of Angel’s time in hell. Willow didn’t know how Buffy would know anything bout his experiences there. He had never discussed with her, but yet, here they were.

As she pushed further, past Angel’s memories, came her own betrayal. Vivid recollections of the event that had changed all their lives. Willow saw what had happened, as Buffy had seen it, and was astonished at the lack of understanding the found there.

She abruptly cut off the connection and ran out of the house before Buffy even knew she had been there.

Druscilla awoke to a pounding at the front door. She got out of bed and walked to the door. When she opened the door, she was surprised to find someone she recognized. Not from ever having met the girl before, but from seeing her inside her head, in her visions.

The girl stepped into the house, without waiting for an invitiation. She looked at Druscilla strangely for a moment.

“Little tree isn’t here.” Druscilla told her, as she followed the girl into the living room.

Anya turned around and stared at the vampiress. “Little who? Oh, you mean Willow? I’ll wait.” She flopped down on the couch and stared straight ahead at some point that wasn’t readily apparent.

Druscilla shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She walked back down the hall to her room, leaving the former demon alone.

Willow ran home. She couldn’t get the images out of her head. The memories Buffy had of her betrayal. But it wasn’t a betrayal. It was a choice. The only one she could make at the time. The only one she would make, still.

Willow remembered the hurt and shock in her friends’ voice when she had first told her she was leaving with Spike. They didn’t understand. None of them had. She had accepted that a long time ago, and had chosen not to dwell on her loss. She had closed that part of her life six years ago.

When she left Sunnydale, she believed she wouldn’t hear from any of them again. And she didn’t, not for almost a year. But then the Watcher’s Council had sent an assassin to kill Buffy and Giles’, and Angel had asked for her help gaining access to their files. She had gone to visit him in Los Angeles. And while there, she had renewed her friendship with the vampire with a soul.

At first it was tense. Angel didn’t understand her reason’s for leaving any more than the other’s did. He didn’t understand why she would choose to live with a killer. To become a mistress to a clan of vampires, when she was still mortal. Or maybe he did understand. Maybe he understood a little too well. They had reached an understanding. It was nice having someone to talk to. Someone who had known her… before.

It was Angel who finally got her to agree to speak with Giles’. He still didn’t understand her decision, but respected her wishes. Since that time they had spoken once a month. If Willow had heard some news she felt Giles’ would need, she passed it along. Giles’ took it gratefully, avoiding the questions in his mind about how she had gained her information.

Eventually Buffy had come around. She had called her, and wanted to rebuild their relationship. It was difficult. There were so many things they couldn’t discuss. Buffy didn’t want to talk about Spike, nor did she wish to discuss her job as the slayer. So, what had started out as several conversations over a months time, dwindled down to a couple of phone calls a year. Willow didn’t blame her. She knew that it was difficult for her old friend. But she believed her difficulties lay with Willow’s new life, and not with what had led her to it. She had been wrong. Willow now realized exactly how wrong she had been.

Willow entered the house quietly. It was still early, by her time clock, but she knew that Druscilla was still weakened from the healing and hadn’t gone hunting with the boys. She knew she was sleeping. She could sense it. Something had happened in the last venture into the vampires' mind. She had given something of herself to the now-sane vampiress. And in return she shared a connection with the woman. It was a side effect, but one worth the price.

She walked into the kitchen, planning on fixing herself something to eat. She found Thomas sitting at the table, reading an old volume of the master’s prophecies. He found them to be… entertaining. Of all of their servants, Willow liked Thomas the best. He shared her love of books, and he understood most of what he read. Spike had once compared to him to Dalton, but since Willow had never really known the vampire, the comparison didn’t mean much to her.

“Mistress.” Thomas looked up from his book. “How was your visit with the Slayer?” His voice was laced with distaste as he said the last word.

Willow smiled. “It was… educational.”

Thomas noticed the strange tone in Willow’s voice, and decided to change the subject.

“Mistress, you have a visitor.”

Willow’s eyes shot up, a curious glance gracing her pale features.

“She said her name is Anya. Lady Druscilla let her in.”

Willow nodded and stood up and wandered out to the living room, where she found Anya pacing around the center of the room, wearing little footprints into the green carpet.

“Anya. Is something wrong?” Willow asked as she sat down on one of the couches. Anya startled at the sound of her name. She looked relieved to see Willow.

“No. Yes. I don’t know.” She seemed more flustered than Willow could ever recall seeing her.

“Sit down.” Willow instructed her, “What’s wrong? Is it Xander?” Willow felt her concern grow. He was still her friend, even if he refused to speak to her. Anya rolled her eyes. Willow laughed. “Trouble in paradise?” She asked, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

Anya stood back up again. “I don’t really want to talk about it. That’s not why I’m here.”

“Why are you here?”

Angelus walked along the streets of Sunnydale, looking at everything with a different perspective. Things had changed. That was a good thing. He hadn’t been able to see things for what they were, before. But now he was back. And things could be the way they were supposed to be.

He heard the unmistakable beating of a heart from not too far away. He moved further into the shadows so as not to alert his victim. He watched as a young woman started walking through the park. He was too far away, to see her clearly, but there was something familiar about her, but he could quite place it. He sniffed the air for a moment, and almost froze when he realized who it was. He knew why she was here. She had come looking for him. He wasn’t ready for the game to be over just yet, so he called out to her. “Cordelia.”

Xander couldn’t get back to sleep. Anya had left several hours ago, and she still hadn’t come home, or even called. She had been acting strange for the past couple of days. If he was being completely honest, things hadn’t been right with them for several years. Everything had changed when Willow had left. Or more precisely, when she had changed. When that creature had tainted her, and stolen her away from all of them. She no longer made any kind of sense. She had stopped seeing things rationally. She had sided with the enemy. Even Deadboy had been shocked. Nothing had been the same since that night.

At the time, Xander believed that it was just a phase. Willow would eventually leave her demon lover. But she hadn’t. It had been nearly seven years, and still she was with him. She hadn’t returned to Sunnydale since that night. That hurt. She hadn’t tried to call. She hadn’t tried to come and see him. Nothing. It was like she had closed the door on her old life. Like she didn’t care anymore. That wasn’t something he was willing, or able to forgive.

In addition to Losing Willow that night, he had lost some part of Anya as well. Something had happened to her that night. Something she wouldn’t discuss, with anyone. He had tried, but she didn’t trust him, or at least that was what he believed. She didn’t share things with him anymore. Things had been really good between them for awhile, but gradually, over the years, they had grown apart.

It was only now, in thinking back on the loss of Willow, that Xander realized that his separation from Anya had all started on that night. The night their world came crashing down.

"Angel?" Cordelia looked up in surprise. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

Angelus smiled reassuringly. "I could ask you the same question."

Cordelia shrugged. "I was worried. We hadn't heard from you, and then Spike came looking for you. We followed him here. What's going on?"

Angelus thought quickly. He wasn't sure what was going on. "I'm not sure, yet. Why don't we get out of the cold?" He asked as he led her towards the car.

Cordelia followed him, trying to figure out why his behavior was raising the hairs on the back of her neck.

"Why am I here?" Anya repeated Willow's question, and then sighed. "It all started about four hundred years ago. I was cursing a young man who had cheated on both his wife and mistress. Anyway, there was a demon there. L'larion. Nasty fellow. He's actually an underling of a hellspawn from one of the demon dimensions." She paused to gauge Willow's reaction to everything she had said so far. When she didn't seemed disturbed, Anya continued.

"L'larion is here. Now. I can feel him. His… stench is in the air."

Willow stood up and walked around the living room slowly, "Why do you think he's here?"

"To free his master. That's pretty much his only purpose."

"But why here? Why now?" Willow asked, more to herself than to Anya.

"Daddy" Dru's lilting voice came from behind Willow.

"Druscilla? What do you know?" Willow asked patiently.

Druscilla smiled as she came into the room and sat in one of the heavy chairs. "The nasty demon. He brought daddy back. He wants daddy to suck the world into hell, like before."

"Acathla" Willow whispered, as she left the two women in the living room.

She walked into the kitchen and picked up the telephone. She dialed an overseas number and waited while someone picked up on the other end.

"Peter?" She asked into the line. "Listen I need some information."

Cordelia was trying to figure out what it was about Angel that was bothering her. It wasn't anything he said, or did even. He just seemed off somehow. She tried to sort through her thoughts as he drove her back to her hotel room.

"Is Doyle with you?" Angelus asked casually.

"Yes." She paused, "Angel, Is something wrong?"

"No, why do you ask? He eyed her suspiciously as they pulled into the parking lot.

"You seem… different."

Angelus chuckled as they climbed out of the car and walked into the building. Once they had reached the relative safety of the elevator, he turned to his secretary.

"Oh, Cordelia. I was really hoping I wasn't going to have to do this." He smirked.

Cordelia backed up against the far wall of the elevator. "Angelus." She breathed.

"See, I always knew you were smart. Now the question is, what are you going to do? And be aware your answer could cost you your life." He threatened.

A million different thoughts swept through Cordelia's mind. Not the least of which was that she was going to die. At this point that was pretty much a guarantee. She found herself asking the one question which kept popping into her fear addled brain.

"Why are you here?"

"Excuse me?" He was confused. He was expecting her to beg for her life, cry maybe. Although thinking back on the last few years of his souled existence, he wasn't sure why. Cordelia Chase was nothing if not balsy.

"What are you doing here? What's your master plan? I mean, you must have one, otherwise why come here? Why not wreak havoc in LA?"

Angelus thought for a moment before he burst out in a wide grin. "You know, I like you. Always have. I think I'll let you live." He chuckled as he exited the elevator.

"Well, well, what do we have here, pet? A party? And nobody sent out the invitations?" Spike winked at his mate as he entered the living room.

"Ooh, a Party? Can we have one, Little Tree? With lots of pretty flowers?" Druscilla asked, as her eyes lit up with happiness.

"Soon." She smiled at the vampiress before turning to Spike, "But right now, we have trouble."

"What sort of trouble?' Spike asked as he noticed the concern etched on Willow's face.

"I've found out who brought Angelus back, and why." Willow told him.

"Oh? Why?" Angelus' silky voice wafted through the house as he entered. His eyes flew over the group assembled in the livingroom, finally landing on Anya. "Anyanka. It's been… an age. 1786 wasn't it?"

Anya smiled, surprised that he had remembered. "Actually, It's only been a few hours."

Angelus chuckled. "So it has."

Willow rolled her eyes. "I hate to break up this tender reunion, but we have more important things to discuss."

Angelus put up his hands in mock surrender. "Very well, Red." He sat down leisurely on the couch next to where Anya was sitting. "What do we know?"

Willow filled everyone in on what Anya had told her as her mind tried to connect the dots between L'larion and Buffy's dreams. When she felt cold hands on the sides of her head, Willow realized she had quit speaking and everyone was staring at her expectantly. "What?" She asked. "How long have I been gone?"

"Not long, Little tree." Drusilla's soothing voice spoke from her right side. "What do you see? Is there trouble coming?"

Anya looked curiously at willow. "Are you all right?"

Willow smiled tenderly at Anya and then turned her attention to Angelus. "He wants you to finish what you started. He wants you to open the vortex."




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