Xander put the receiver back its stand lightly. Then he stood there staring at the phone for a while. “Well,” he said eventually, “Ms. S was also up at the crack o’ dawn this morning.”
“What?” Giles and Angel turned their heads at the same time and said the word in unison as well. They both strode over to Xander.
“She said she was up early?” Angel started.
“Yep, just like the rest of us.”
“And she was alert,” Giles said assumingly.
“She sounded pretty alert, yeah,” Xander responded fully.
“Why did you call her?” Angel inquired.
“I didn’t. Willow suddenly jumped up, pretty much like you two did, and called Buffy’s house. Then she just started freaking out. Oz took her away, and I finished the conversation.” Xander pointed to the weeping Willow who was still sobbing uncontrollably despite Oz’s and Cordelia’s best efforts.
Giles and Angel both got some emotion back in their eyes, and they went over to Willow. It seemed like they had just noticed that Willow was upset despite all the noise she was making. Xander thought they were going to try to comfort her as well, but while clearly feeling for the girl, the two gentlemen started inquiring her.
“Willow,” Angel began, “is your throat burning?”
Xander had now joined Oz and Cordelia in trying to comfort the girl, but now they all exchanged looks. To Xander’s amazement, this was the only question she would answer from any of them.
“No,” she said between sobs, and then added, “Not yet.”
Xander decided to intervene. “Okay, guys…”
Giles interrupted. “Did Joyce see Buffy’s face?”
“I don’t know,” she said. She started to calm down now that the right questions were being asked. She started to feel better. “She said Buffy looked fine, so… I doubt it.”
“Hey,” Xander started again.
“What was the last thing she said before you let Xander handle it, do you remember?”
“Angel!” Xander’s address to Angel instead of some other term referring to Angel’s vampness startled Angel and Giles to bring their attention away from Willow, who was now just sniffling. “There’s clearly something going on that you, Giles and Willow are in the loop about. I, and probably Cordy and Oz, on the other hand, have no idea. So why don’t you stop with the sleuthing for just a moment to fill us in, and then we can all help.”
Angel stood up, suddenly angry, and Xander found himself shivering at the cold look on Angel’s face and how much it reminded him of when the vampire had no soul. “There’s clearly something going on here,” Angel said. “You were right about that. Giles and I know what it is. Willow has no idea, but she knows the answers to our questions. It doesn’t concern you, Oz, or Cordelia.”
“Okay, stepping in here,” Oz said coolly. “It concerns me if Willow is upset. If your questions weren’t helping her feel better for some unknown reason, then you and I would have a serious problem.”
Giles stepped into the mix. “Oz, you may care about Willow a great deal, but there is no way that you are a part of this, so you and the others should just stay out of business you don’t belong in.”
“I’m not really one of the others, so am I out of the loop, too?” Cordelia interjected.
“HEY!” Willow’s sudden yelling made everyone look in shock at her. “Er, sorry. But arguing isn’t going to help. I think that you and Angel should fill the others in, Giles. Maybe not now, but soon, because we all know that it’s going to take everyone to save Buffy. So, all of you, just… chill.”
Willow stopped talking and breathed for a moment. There were still tearstains on her face, and Oz wanted very much to make it so she wasn’t sad anymore, but he understood all at once that Giles’ questions were going to help her feel better, and not much else was.
“Okay,” Willow said after a few moments. “Angel and Giles are going to ask me their questions again. BEFORE…” Willow held up a hand as Angel and Giles both began to put her back in the chair. “…that happens, they will tell Oz, Xander and Cordelia how they can help. I will answer any questions, and then Giles and Angel will explain what’s going on and what we need to do to make sure Buffy doesn’t die. Is everybody clear?” The five nodded. “Excellent,” Willow said with authority. “Begin.” She sat back down in her chair and waited until she was needed again.
Giles and Angel glanced at each other. Giles sighed and started talking. “What Willow said is true. Buffy is in grave danger. Again. There are, however, other forces involved. You three have to go to Buffy’s house and get Joyce out of there.” Giles turned away and went back to Willow.
Angel seemed to have a clearer head than Giles, so he elaborated so they wouldn’t get killed. “If you see anything—and I mean anything, not just this demon we’re looking around about—wrong with the scenario, leave. I mean anything. If the air looks strange, if there’s someone there that doesn’t live there, and if Joyce looks strange at all, unconscious or even if she’s just sleepy, just go. If Joyce is fine, get her out of there, but most importantly, avoid Buffy at all costs. That is the most important thing. Do NOT let her fool you into thinking she’s all right.” Angel’s gaze switched for a moment into utmost worry. Then his tone softened has he launched into a vampire-style apology. “I acted poorly. Willow’s right; we’re all extremely important to the cause. Now, hurry. I’ll try to explain once you come back.” Angel turned and crouched down in front of Willow right beside Giles. “And be careful,” he shouted as the trio left the library.
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