Changing Of The Guard: Part Eleven
by WillowSlay
I don't own anything. Not even the keyboard I'm typing this on, so don't even think about suing me because you'll get absolutely nothing out of it other than a hefty lawyer bill!



***

Oz pulled up in front of Willow's house. Xander got out and went to go fetch the girls. When he returned with Buffy, and no Willow, Oz began to worry all over again.

"Where's Willow?" he asked anxiously as they climbed in.

"She's at Giles'. She left before I woke up, and left a note." Relieved, Oz went and picked up Cordelia, then drove them all over to the Watcher's condo.

They filed into Giles' place when he answered the door. Willow was inside, and she looked happier than she had in days. She immediately got up and hugged Oz, and sat down next to him in one of Giles' big overstuffed chairs. Xander and Cordelia sat down on the couch, while Buffy hugged and very relieved Giles.

"Buffy, where did you go? We were worried sick about you. We didn't know what had happened. You could have left a note, or called, or-"

"Giles, I needed time to think. My mother kicked me out of the house and I had to kill my boyfriend. It was kinda traumatic, ya know?" she said, interrupting Giles' responsibility lecture. He looked a little flustered.

"Oh. Of course. Well, then, we're glad to have you back."

"Yeah, Sunnydale just ain't the same without the Slayer." Xander put in. Cordelia elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow!"

"Yeah, well, I got away for awhile. But I got a tip there might be trouble here, so here I am."

"Where'd you go?" Willow asked.

"L.A. I just wanted to get away from all of this. From everything that reminded me of Angel, and slaying and...well, everything." They all nodded sympathetically.

"You said you got a tip we were in trouble?" Oz asked.

"Yeah, and good thing for you." Willow looked at him quizzically, but he gestured that he'd fill her in later. Buffy continued:

"I was just bumming around with...some old friends, and that Whistler guy showed up. He said I should get back to Sunnydale pronto, because Oz and Willow were in danger. So I got back here as fast as the bus would take me. Found Oz under a pile of vampires and Willow was missing. I'm just glad I got here in time, and that neither of you were hurt."

"Would somebody please explain to me what's been going on?" Cordelia had been unusually quiet during the exchange. "I got a call, waking me up, at 11:30 saying that Oz and Xander were picking me up in a half an hour, and that we were going to Giles' house. Then, when they get there, late, I might add, there's Miss Skip-Town Buffy. And Willow was missing? What is going on here?"

"You didn't inform her of the evening's events?" Giles asked Xander.

"I must have forgot. I meant to!" Xander said. Cordelia rolled her eyes. Willow sighed.

"Do you want to fill her in now, or do I have to?" she asked Xander.

"Actually, Willow, we have a little more cross-referencing to do on that dream of yours. Oz, you should help us, I think." He looked at Willow, who nodded. "Xander can bring Cordelia up to speed on our dilemma, and Buffy," Giles stopped when he realized Buffy wasn't listening.

"Buffy?" She snapped back into reality.

"Sorry...off in my own little word there for a bit. What?"

"Could you listen to Xander as well? There are, ah things you should know as well." With that, he led Willow and Oz off to the books, leaving Xander to tell the girls what had been going on.


* * *
Giles muttered something about getting some tea, and left Oz and Willow alone in the book room.

"So, where do we start?" Oz asked, looking around at the stacks and piles of dusty old texts. Willow cleared her throat.

"Actually, we already figured it out. I just wanted to tell you first."

"Look, Willow, I know what your dream meant, and I know I'm not the vampire soul mate you're looking for, but I do love you."

"I know. And I love you. And that's why I wanted to tell you this privately."

"I mean, it's ok, if you wanna, like, look for him or something. I won't get in the way."

"No, Oz, just listen for a minute." Willow once again related the story of what had passed between her and Spike the night before. He listened calmly, and didn't say anything. She was afraid he would be mad at her, but he wasn't.

"And then last night I had another dream. It was the same as the last one, except this time it was Spike who died. And Devon killed him." Oz looked a little bewildered.

"That's kinda far-fetched. Devon doesn't even know about vampires. I'm sure he couldn't kill one, especially not one like Spike."

"I know. But in my dream, he did. It was the same soul mate dream, Oz. So when I came to Giles this morning and told him to whole story, we figured it out. Ranka, the being who sends the dreams, must have been confused, because Spike doesn't have a soul, and that means he can't be my soul mate."

"But he did. When he was human."

"Right. But when he became a vampire, the soul left his body, and the demon took over." Realization slowly crept onto Oz's face.

"Riiight...continue..."

"Spike's real soul would have been reincarnated by now. And it's you. You're his reincarnation. You're my soul mate." Oz let that sink in for a moment. Willow waited, watching him.

"Really?" he asked, disbelieving. Willow nodded. Oz smiled and picked her up in a spinning hug. She laughed and hugged him back.

"I love you, Oz."

"I love you too, Willow."


This story archived at: The Slayer\'s Fanfic Archive
The Slayer\\\\\\\\'s FanFic Archive - http://www.slayerfanfic.com/viewstory.php?sid=1483