"Willow!" Xander called, jogging to catch up with her.
"What?" She stopped and turned towards him.
"We need to talk. I know you're mad at me…"
She rolled her eyes. "Wow, you ARE insight guy!"
"Seriously." Xander said softly.
Willow saw that he was sincere, and it softened her anger. "Okay."
"Look, I know I disappointed you…when I didn't tell Buffy that you were going to try the curse again…maybe it would have changed things. She might have been able to hold out long enough to stop Angel…then again- from my point of view, it might have killed her."
"What do you mean?" Willow asked.
"It's one of those things where you just had to be there. And I'm not just saying that to get out of an explanation. There was this look in her eyes…I knew she could do it. She was ready; there were no doubts. She was so resolved. I was afraid if I told her I would shatter that, she might doubt. She might die."
Willow just looked at him, her eyes soft with understanding.
Xander took a breath and continued. "Even if that resolve was just a shell, it was her shield. I'm sorry I betrayed your trust."
Willow smiled. "I'm sorry too. I guess I just wanted someone to blame, even if it was you. I should have listened to you earlier." Just then, the warning bell rang out. "Xander, I know we're having this beautiful moment and everything, with me forgiving you and all, but we're going to be late to third hour!" They jumped up, and sprinted to class.
* * *
Buffy sat up suddenly, a gasp in her throat. Her breathing came heavy, as if she had been scared. Feeling her breathing calm, she ran a hand through her hair. < Be careful what you wish for. > She thought. She hadn't walked through her normal dreams, this time it had been worse. She flipped the covers back, and stood. She had to take a shower, and hoped the water was still turned on to Angel's apartment. It was. She let her thoughts go as she scrubbed herself with her peach colored sponge and soap. She saw Angel's shampoo sitting on the little shelf, and used it. It was a compulsive action, and it made her think of him. < So once we get him back…that is assuming we can, what will happen? God, > She found herself wishing with all her heart. < Don't let it be like my dream, please. > Then catching herself she thought < What difference does it make. If I'm going to stay out of everyone's lives, that includes his… > She sighed and she stepped out and toweled herself off. She wondered what time it was.
* * *
"Hey!" Cordelia walked into the library after school. "Sorry I didn't get here right away, but Mr. Neemer wanted to see me after class."
"Oh what about?" Willow asked, only paying half attention.
"Homework. He caught me doing it during class. I don't see why he can't give us time in class to do our homework!" She crossed her arms.
"Well, Cordy." Xander looked up from the book he held. "Not that I don't agree with you, but that IS why they call it homework."
"Oh," She said slowly, almost thoughtfully. "I guess I never thought about it before."
Willow sighed. "So did you hear?"
"I sure did- they finally put a Dillard's in the mall. That way I can find some decent dress clothes…"
"About Buffy." Xander felt his patience start to slip. She annoyed the hell out of him when she got like this…well, not usually. Usually, he loved her for her blond moments; he was sort of affectionate about it. "She's back."
"She is!" Cordelia's face lit up. "That's so great!" She looked around. "Where is she?"
"Sit down Cordelia." Xander motioned to an empty chair. "Yeah Buffy's back, there's a new vampire in town- Nightshape or something…"
"Nightshade," Willow interjected with out looking up from the book.
"Yeah, and she's here to get revenge for Spike as far as we can tell. And to stop us from getting Angel out of hell…"
"Angel- so Buffy didn't have to kill him."
"Actually," Willow looked up. "We think that she did- but she stabbed him with a sword, not a wooden stake, and sent him to hell when she closed Acathla's mouth."
"I found something!" Giles emerged from her his office. "Nightshade is…um, actually Spikes older sister. One of Darla's creations. When Nightshade had been alive- her human name being Anya, she poisoned her mother with…with nightshade. She was only 14 at the time. Both her and her brother William had a fascination with evil from an early age. She's mad- not…not the way Druscilla is. She wasn't driven crazy. She becomes so focused on her goals, they become her obsession. She will stop at absolutely nothing to…to uh destroy her target. She inspired Angel to create Druscilla." He looked up at the slayerettes. "She is extremely protective of William…or Spike as we know him. That's why she killed the last slayer…"
"So, she wants revenge on Buffy for 'hurting' Spike." Cordelia raised her eyebrows.
"Yes. I…I would assume so."
"Ditto." Xander looked at Giles. "This vamp was serious. She freaked Buffy out. Especially, when she brought up the whole 'Angel is in hell and I'm going to stop you from getting him out' thing. She said that she knew us, knew you. That she'd been watching us."
"But what would she care even if we can get Angel out?" Cordelia looked from Xander to Giles.
But it was Willow who spoke up. "She wants to hurt Buffy- right? Well, we all know the key to that, and if she's been watching us, so does she."
"Gulp." Cordelia said aloud.
"There is a ritual I seem to recall reading about… I think there is a way to get Angel out." Giles suggested.
"Would that be best?" Willow asked. "I mean maybe we should get rid of Nightshade before we get Angel."
"But Angel's help would be a plus right? And he might know her."
"Good thought Cordelia." Giles nodded to himself. "Well, I'll see if I can find that ritual."
"Please do." Buffy breezed into the room. "Willow- can you fill me in?"
"Yeah- no prob." Willow half smiled. < It was almost like old times. > Willow thought, < Almost. >
Buffy looked at Xander and Cordelia. "Uh…"
Xander realized that Buffy wanted to do more than catch up. "Hey Cordy, why don't we go help Giles..?"
"Why?" She looked at Buffy then at Xander. Then, "Ohhhh." The two walked away.
"Look," Buffy said softly. "I DO need an up-date, but I want to thank you Willow. If you hadn't tried the curse again, I wouldn't have been able to say goodbye."
"It must have been hard." Willow bit her bottom lip. "I don't wanna push Buffy, but, what happened?"
Buffy looked down. "I can't talk about it. Angel did regain his soul, that's why it's important we find out how to get him out of hell."
"Plus," Willow smiled. "Then you and Angel can be together again."
Buffy looked away, remembering her dream. "Yeah," She faked a smile. "It'll be…great."
"Well, here's the scoop on Nightshade…"
* * *
"So, she's dangerous. Well, I'm sure I can handle her, if we train for it Giles." Buffy looked up at her watcher. Although she would never admit it, she was inwardly pleased to see him smile.
"Um…" Giles set the book down on the table. "I have found the ritual. You have to do it Buffy. We'll have to go to…Acathla, and perform it there. You will have to do it alone, and it will be taxing. You will need to rest up, and even then you will be weak. It requires…"
"Wait." Buffy froze. And held a hand up, asking for silence. "Did you hear it?"
"No- hear what?" Just then a bookshelf crashed down, toppling over the railing.
"That!" She cried as they scattered, being narrowly missed. She used the fallen bookshelf as stairs, and scrambled up. All four vampires stood back, circling her, each looking apprehensive. < One of these days they're going to figure out to attack all at once, and I'm going to be in trouble. > "Are we going to just stand here gawking like idiots, or are we going to fight?"
"There won't be a fight, slayer! Only your death!" The vamp pushed another bookshelf over.
Buffy leapt up to avoid the falling shelf, then did a handspring off it, landing directly in front of the astounded vampire. She backhanded him with her fist. He tried to recover and grab her upper arm, but she stepped sideways, flipping him to his back, and kicking another vampire away at the same time. Sensing another vamp approaching, she staked the fallen vampire, reversed the motion and staked the one behind her. The last two had taken off running, and had made it down the stairs. She did a round-off off the railing, and kicked one of the fleeing vampires hard. "What? Leaving so soon? I thought you came for dinner." She said mockingly. While it was down, she went for the other. Coming behind her, the other vampire grabbed her by the neck. She threw herself backwards until they hit the counter. She punched him in the face, kicked him hard in the knee with the heel of her boot and staked him. She turned in time to see the library door swinging and heard the receding footsteps of the other vamp. "Shit!" She cursed. "It got away!" She turned to look at her friends. They all stared at her with a stupefied look on their faces.
"That earns a big WOW from me." Xander said, eyes big.
"What? They were vampires; I took care of them. Well most of them, anyway." Buffy shrugged. The truth was, sometimes she would look back on a fight, and remember the feelings of pleasure it gave her, to beat the crap out of them, and sometimes it scared her.
"You sure did." Cordelia nodded. "And I will never disagree with you again."
"And… you said you needed some training?" Giles cleared his throat.
"Yeah, like a tune up or something." She shrugged again, and walked over and set the table up, picking up the books that had fallen off. She was very aware of the looks her friends and watcher exchanged. < Good, > She thought. < It'll make it easier… > Then from out of no where the thought came, < Exactly what are they making easier? What is your whole point in even being here… > She didn't know.
* * *
"Where are the others?"
"It was the…the slayer. She killed the other three…"
"The slayer!" Her voice raised. "She knows you were there! You fool! I should lock you up in a cage and toss you out in the sun…wait. Did you get any information?"
"Your were right, mistress. They are going to perform the ritual!" The vampire said eagerly, trying to get away from the subject of a cage in the sun.
"What about it? Where will it be performed?" She gestured for him to sit.
"The watcher said they had to go to Acathla, and that the slayer would have to do it alone. That she would be weak afterwards…and there were three others…"
Nightshade sat silently for a moment. Then she threw her head back and laughed. "Yes, her pesky little friends. Don't worry, there's nothing they can do to stop us. It's her way of trying to live a normal life…and it will get them killed." She stood up. "I need to know when they are going to perform the ritual."
"I…I don't know." The vampire sank under her glowering emerald gaze.
She caught hold of a crystal goblet, and threw it at him. "Then find out." She hissed. He ducked impulsively, and it shattered against the back of his chair
He leapt up, and nearly ran through the door. "Yes, mistress. I won't fail you!"
"Good." She smiled sweetly. "The only excuse you have for coming back without the information I want is if you're a pile of ash. And if you do…well, it'll be the same fate."
"Yes mistress."
Nightshade sighed. She wondered how Spike could put up with these simplistic idiots for so long. All of her men were obedient and had a few brains. She laughed again. It was like talking about one's hunting dogs. In a sense they were. She sighed. "I'm going to kill her, and every vampire in Sunnydale will thank me, and bow down to me." She caught a hold of the dagger sitting on the table, turned and threw it. It stuck in the wall across the room, and her laughter rang through the old building.
* * *
The hot air burned her throat. As if all the oxygen had been burned away and there was nothing left to breathe. She felt crowded, like there was thousands, millions of THINGS pushing, probing. She tried to focus her mind, but she felt like she was trying to walk through a tunnel of fire. In the distance, she couldn't tell how far, she saw a cold blue circle. She focused on it, until she reached it and stepped inside. She fell to her knees coughing.
"Buffy?" She heard a voice, a familiar voice.
"It's me." She jumped up, her dream-self knowing what was going on. "C'mon. We have to get out of here, we don't have much time."
"Then go." Snapped the figure suddenly.
"But you have to come with me!" She felt her insides start to hurt, worse than the fiery air in her lungs.
"I don't want to come with you? Why should I? Why should I even look at you? There is no reason in the world that I should or will forgive you." It snarled. "That's what you hoped for, hu? That things would be just the way they were before. Well you're wrong. I'd rather spend the rest of my life in hell, than go with you…"
Buffy sat up suddenly in a cold sweat. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she heard a cold, heartless laughter. She shivered, and pulled the red covers tighter around her.