Chapter 6
It had not been hard for them to find out just where Willow was. Apparently, she was commonly known for her shop, Igneous. While everyone knew there was something she was hiding, no one knew what, or why she had moved and settled in Kitty Hawk. Even if they had not had the image of Fred to start conversations, people talked easily enough, and the pair soon found themselves walking to Willow's shop.
"She has done well for herself by human standards," Illyria said, still in the image of Fred. They stood across the street from the place where Willow sat.
"Yeah," Spike said, lighting up. "She's like that."
He watched, holding unneeded breath, as Illyria walked up to the shop. They had discussed this at length all day who should go in and talk to her. Spike was not sure how she would receive him. Last she had known, he was dead. Willow might have taken it the wrong way, or thought him to be the First back to haunt her and that was the last thing he wanted. Therefore, Illyria went, dressed up as Fred.
********
"Just how much crap do you have?” Susan asked. She was going through trying to match the inventory with the purchase order. It was long, tedious work, but she did not mind it...too much.
"Enough, more than enough," Willow said, groaning as she flipped through paper after paper. "I swear I didn't mean for it to get like this. I should've put it all on the computer when I first started out but...,"
Willow trailed off as she remembered how Giles filed things back at the Magic Box before Anya had taken over that portion of the business. There had always been papers everywhere and large old books filled with ledgers and numbers. Maybe, without realizing it, Willow had been trying to keep some part of that life with her.
"...I just, forgot," Willow finally said, finishing her sentence.
A moment later, the bells on the door jingled and both women hollered, "We're closed."
"Oh, I was just looking for a friend of mine," Illyria said, smiling that perfect Fred-like smile. "Her name is Willow. I heard she owned this shop."
It was as if timed slowed and then stopped for Willow. They had found her. Someone had found her. Willow saw Susan start to stand from her seat and turned to see whom it was that had found her and ruined her happy life.
"Stop!” Willow called out and both Susan and Illyria stopped dead in their tracks, looking to Willow to see just whom she was talking to.
It was all too much, however, for Willow to handle. Fred was there. Fred was there and knew who she was. Finally, Willow looked up at Fred. Her body screamed that something was wrong. 'Not Fred,' she thought. 'Not Fred!'
"Get out," Willow said soft and low.
"But, Willow," Illyria said, still in the guise of Fred. There was not much else the god could think to do. The human was obviously displeased with the proceedings, and yet she was still walking closer. There was power from the girl. More power, Illyria supposed, than the human knew what to do with. She looked up in time to hear Willow whispering something in Latin before her guise was stripped and she stood as Illyria.
No one heard as Susan asked question after question about what was going on, who the girl was that came in and why she was now blue.
"Get out, now," Willow said.
"Red! Wait!" a voice cried out from the doorway. Willow's head whipped around to see Spike standing there.
"How dare you!" she yelled, shutting the door in his face. Spike was dead...no way for him to be there. She thought it was just a trick of whatever was in front of her.
Spike had been thrown back to the pavement. She'd shut the door in his face, but he had to get in. Illyria was a ticking time bomb all her own, but add Willow into the mix and there was sure to be sparks. All through the trip, Illyria had been curious about Willow's power. Spike did not want to think about just what Illyria would do to provoke Willow into using it.
Pushing on the door, Spike got it open. The scene before him was not as bad as what he had thought he would find. No one was dead, and that was always a plus in his books these days, but there seemed to be some sort of stand off between Illyria and Willow while the human looked on shocked. Carefully, he tried to get the human's attention. Finally, she looked at him; her eyes were filled with wonder.
"Invite me in, Luv," Spike said softly.
The human just stood there, only when she was about to say something did Willow finally turn her attention to Spike.
"You are not invited in," Willow said. "How dare you come here with this...this thing!"
"I am a god," Illyria said, standing up straighter.
"I don't care what you are. Just get out," Willow said. "Or I'll force you out."
"You would-"
"Come on, Blue," Spike said softly from the doorway, cutting Illyria off.
"You came all this way to leave now?” Illyria asked.
"Got what we came for. We know she's fine. Let's leave her be, yeah?” Spike asked. He looked to Willow, but she was not looking at him. "Sorry, Red. Didn't mean to...bloody hell...Bit was worried was all. Begged me to look into it. I'll just let her know you're fine then an' leave you be."
"Don't tell her where I am," Willow said softly, looking down at the floor. In a gesture reminiscent of a younger her, she tucked her hair behind her ear and looked to her side, finally looking up at Spike. She wanted to go to him, touch him to see if he was real, but she was afraid that this was all an illusion. She was afraid to know that someone actually cared enough to hunt her down. Instead, she let herself believe that it was all an illusion. It was much easier that way.
Nodding, Spike motioned to Illyria, and together they left the little shop, heading back to the bed and breakfast they were staying at. Turning back quickly, Spike pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down the name and address of where they were staying and tossed it into the store. With one last look at Willow, he turned and left.
**********
It had taken more persuasion then she was used to needing to get Susan to leave. She had insisted that they call the police, or something, but Willow told her that the police would not believe them even if they did call. Besides, what could they have told the police? Some woman came into her shop, and once Willow had cast a revealing spell on her, she turned into some blue-eyed, blue-haired person claiming to be a god? No, that would not go over well.
Susan, however, was not doing as bad as Willow had expected, taking it, it seemed, in strides.
"So, you really can do all that magick stuff you stock in here?" she had asked after a cup of tea.
"Yeah," Willow said softly, twirling her spoon in her cup.
"Can you, I don't know, change your appearance?” Susan asked. It was innocent questioning, however, just the fact that all of that was real...she could not fathom. Moreover, that Willow could do it. Physically make things happen? Susan just had to know more.
"Yeah," Willow said. "It's a simple glamour spell. But, Susan, that's all beside the point. Look, I know...actually, I don't know anymore. I'm sorry you were in the middle of that."
"What? That? That was nothing. You should see when my father and my brother get together," Susan said, laughing softly and patting Willow on the back. "So, need I ask who they were?"
Staring into her tea, Willow wished it would give her the answers to give Susan. How could she explain who Fred was, or who she had once been? Willow was not sure who or what now inhabited Fred's body. She was not sure she wanted to know for that matter. And Spike...he had been dead. He had died to close the Hellmouth. How could he have been there, talking to her in that voice she remembered so well? Not that they were the best of friends, but Willow felt something for him, if nothing more then a sense of appreciation for saving all of their lives. Even with her spell to activate all of the Slayers, it would not have been enough to win the war if it had not been for Spike and the amulet Buffy had given him. He had known the risks, known what it was going to do to him, or at least, what it could do to him and he had taken it, taken that plunge, and died for them. A part of her was almost afraid to think that Spike was back. The other part was curious as to the how's and why's of it.
"Friends or they were friends," Willow said. She did not want to say anymore and she knew Susan would pry. There were things Willow could not tell her though, things Susan just would not understand or even believe. Hell, half the time Willow did not believe them herself. "I really...I don't want to talk about it."
"Alright," Susan said, surprising Willow. There were times for prying and times to let things be until the dust settled, and Susan recognized this was a time to let things be. There would be other talks, other questions, but they could wait.
"Will you at least come this weekend and see the house inland?” Susan asked.
"Maybe," Willow said. She was tired. It wasn't the spell she'd cast that had worn her out, it was that she now had to decide if she was going to stay, knowing that her friends now knew where she was, or if she was going to try to run again.
"Do you want me to stay? I can call Steve and let him know," Susan said, rubbing along Willow's back soothingly. She had never seen Willow so stressed out. And over seeing supposed old friends nonetheless. Susan silently wondered what had gone on that her friend would not be happy to see them.
"No, I'm fine. Go home and tuck your kids in." Willow just wanted time to think alone.
"Ok, but you know you can call me if you need to, right?"
"I know, Susan. Thank you. I just need to sleep I think. I'll be fine. It was just a...shock, you know?"
"Yeah, you can say that again."
"Thanks again," Willow said, standing up and giving Susan a hug. "I'll probably come with you this weekend. Just to prove I can."
Susan laughed, "You do that. Be good, Willow."
Walking towards the door, Susan stopped, bent down, and picked up a piece of paper. On it was scribbled the name of the bed and breakfast just down the road. Stan and Estelle owned it. Apparently, that was where Willow's friends were staying. Carefully, Susan slipped the piece of paper in her pocket and walked out the door. She figured if Willow would not do anything about them, then she would.
**********
Relieved when Susan left, Willow cleaned up the cups of tea and trekked upstairs. She needed a little stronger tea if she was ever going to sleep. Something spiced with a good shot of bourbon. She needed to dull the pain and panic that wanted to set in. Willow did not want to leave. She was comfortable here in the little seaside town. She had established a home and business. It was all hers and giving it up just had not been in the plans.
Grabbing a broom, Willow began to sweep her small upstairs apartment. Busy work was all it was. If she could think about getting the cobweb in that corner and making sure this was straight and tidy, then she would not worry about why Dawn had asked Spike to come find her, or even why Spike was traveling with that...Fred-like woman. Willow wondered just whom she was and why it seemed she had set off every single one of Willow's internal alarms, but none of the wards on the outside of the store. Then there was Spike. He had not come in. The barrier had prevented it. That meant he was not a ghost or something like that. Spike was real. Spike was alive or still dead at least. He was a vampire still. Willow could not comprehend it. It was all too much.
Sinking into the chair by the table, Willow placed her head in her arms and sighed. Too much, it was always too much. How had she survived her years in Sunnydale? Things like coming back from the dead and changing into something else always seemed almost like a daily event.
Willow opened her eyes and stared at the floor, willing it to open up and swallow her, take her away from everything. She could not go back to that lifestyle, she knew that much. No matter what any of them said, she just could not do it.
Leaning over, Willow spotted a piece of folded paper on the floor and picked it up. She did not remember ever seeing paper like it before. Thinking it must have fallen out of something, she opened up and read.
Dearest Willow,
The time has come, I fear, for if you have this in your possession then I am well and truly gone. However, I cannot say that it surprises me. With the risks I took with my life I can only be happy that it will be old age that takes me and not the underbelly of the world of which I've fought for most of my years.
I have sent you my most prized possessions. I know the council will be searching high and low for these, but I do feel they belong in your hands, not theirs. I know you, if no one else, will truly appreciate what has been recorded in these pages.
I do not pretend to know why you left for the reasons are your own, though I do hope you have found what you were searching for. I hope this finds you well.
You, of all the others, were truly like my very own daughter. Smart beyond your years and knowledgeable in everything. You made me proud Willow. I do not know if I have ever told you that and I regret that I will not be able to say so from my own lips. But I am. You have showed more life and vigor through everything than even I have at times. Thus, I do not fault you for trying to find a life outside of the circle of the Watcher's Council and away from Slayers. Just know that I love you, Willow.
Yours,
Rupert Giles
|
|
|
|
Rave
Barbie Girl (Becca)
biscuit07
Filmtheory (Jim)
Malice (Jess)
MebbtheScribe (MichaelB)
Reset (Allie)
Shay (Marrisa)
somnambulist29 (Shea)
Stephanie Loss
Wendyness (Wendy)
Questions?Contact Us
|
|
All stories on this site have been archived with the authors' consent. Do not copy these stories for your own uses without the express consent of the author themselves. Buffy the Vampire Slayer TM and Angel TM are © UPN, WB, Fox and its related entities. All photos on the site are © UPN, Fox, Warner Bros, and/or their respective owners. No profits are being made by use of these images.
Powered with the assitance of eFiction.
|
|
|
