SETTING – S6, after 'Tabula Rasa' spell goes wrong. Spike is deep in thought, realizing it had a big effect on him. He was beginning to mourn the fact that he had never known his father. Willow is distraught from Tara leaving. Spike and Willow do a spell and Giles gets caught in the crossfire and ends up being sent back in time.

After Willows spell had backfired completely, Tara had left, and none of the other Scoobies were talking to her. She just needed to get her perspective back, so she decided to take a walk to clear her head.

Things just hadn't gone according to plan. She'd brought Buffy back from Heaven, and she'd upset Tara by doing too much magick. She just wanted to do a little spell, just so they'd forget the pain she'd both caused them. But, it had all gone wrong, and now she'd lost Tara, she had nothing left now.

She continued to walk, and get more upset with her friends, for not understanding her magickal prowess. She realized then, what was gone, and none of her friends cared anymore. She was free, and she could do whatever she wanted, and however much magick she wanted, without being judged.

She was so deep in thought, and happily intent with her new outlook on life, that she didn't see the vampire ahead standing her path, until it was too late.

"Well, hello there Red", he said, as he watched her jump, startled from being roused from her thoughts, and stop just two feet in front of him.

"Oh, hey. I didn't see you there. I was….", and she trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Looks like we're both out in the cold!", he said, flicking his cigarette butt away.

"Well yeah, I guess", commented Willow, but not really knowing what he meant.

"So, this way is it?", he said, turning and gesturing for Willow to continue walking, and giving her a small smile.

Willow resumed her pace, and watched Spike put his hands into his jean pockets, and fall into pace beside her. They continued to walk on in silence for several minutes.

"So, where we going Red?", he asked in a quiet voice.

"Well, I don't know, I mean, I hadn't planned. I just left to walk, you know".

"And, here we are", filled in Spike.

"So, where were you going?", she asked him.

"I don't know, no plans either. Just walking, out, thinking", he paused, then added in a more nonchalant tone, "Plus, the crypt gets kinda stuffy, and there's more air out 'ere".

"Ummm, I guess it would", agreed Willow.

They both carried on walking, and chatting away as they continued on. Willow talked about her not so successful spells, and how the littlest thing could make the whole spell just poof up in your face when you least expected it. Spike then went into a deep discussion, and listed the many reasons as to how grateful he was that Giles was not his dad, including the facts that he was 'a ponce, stiff, dull, a boring old fart, and a prissy twat!'.

"So, did you know your father then?", asked Willow.

"Not one bit, my mother never talked 'bout 'im. I used to catch her sometimes, deep in thought and twiddling her wedding ring. But, I guess it was too painful a memory to talk 'bout, so I never asked", Spike said with a shrug, and shoved his hands even deeper into his pockets.

"That's a shame, that you never got to know him", Willow said with a sad smile.

"Ahh, well, shit like that 'appens, dunnit!", he replied with another shrug.

They'd been so deep into conversation, and they hadn't even realised they'd walked to the Magic Box. They stopped at the entrance, and Willow had an idea.

"Hey, would you like to know him? Who he was I mean. Wouldn't that be neat if you could meet him?"

"Well, yeah. I've always wondered what the bugger looked like. What did you 'av in mind Red?"

"Come on, you'll see", she said, and produced some keys out of her jacket pocket. She started to unlock the Magic Box door, then paused, and looked back at Spike. Spike raised his eyebrows in a questioning manner.

"They're a spare set, incase Giles or Anya can't open, or lose theirs."

"Right, well, come on, let's get inside before anyone sees then, shall we?"

"Right", said Willow, and unlocked the door the rest of the way. They both walked inside, and Willow turned the lights on.

"So, what now?", asked Spike.

"Right, well, just give me a minute to gather the right things", and walked off in the direction of the stacks, and up the stairs.

Spike sat on the counter, lit a cigarette, and watched the witch make her way round the shop, bundling things in her arms as she went.

Before long Willow had spread out all kinds of things on the floor in a circle. She grabbed one of the many heavy spell books, and planted herself down inside one half of the circle. She gestured for Spike to sit down opposite her. He put out his cigarette in some kind of urn, and sat down opposite her inside the circle.

"So, what's all this then?", he asked gesturing around him.

Willow finished lighting the two small pillar candles she had in her hand, and passed one to Spike. She looked across at Spike, with a twinkle in her eye.

"We're not gonna forget stuff, are we?", he asked raising one eyebrow.

"No", said Willow wrinkling her nose.

"Are we gonna take a little trip?", he asked, raising his eyebrow again, with a twinkle in his own eye to match hers.

"Yes, and in more ways than one. We're going to see your father", she replied.

Meanwhile, Giles was getting ready to make his own trip. He'd packed up all his things, and was locking up the front door to his apartment. He was sad he was going, but there was really no reason for him to be here anymore. He decided to take one last look around the Magic Box before he left, and to leave a note for Anya detailing a few things about the shop he'd forgot to mention.

He made his way there, thinking about all the friends that were more of a family to him in many ways. He was deeply worried about leaving Willow, especially with the kind of trouble she'd kept getting herself into lately. He just wished he could help, but his thoughts were cut off. Because, as he pulled up alongside the Magic Box, he noticed there were some lights on inside. He knew Anya wasn't there, because she had left and locked up earlier on, to spend some time with Xander.

He made his way cautiously to the front window and peered in. He was surprised to notice Spike first, sitting down on the floor, holding a candle. Then he noticed the ring around him, and saw Willow for the first time. "Stupid girl", he said aloud, like he had a bad taste in his mouth. He watched the pair put down the candles they each had, on the floor beside them. He looked on as Spike and Willow took each others hands. He could see Willows lips moving, but he couldn't hear the words. Then, a small orb of blue light appeared between the pair, and he watched it as it pulsated and grew bigger.

In no time at all it had grown to the size of a football, and it was getting bigger. 'This has to stop', thought Giles, as he marched towards the door to the Magic Box.

Spike watched as the small round blue ball of light appeared and started to grow.

"Pretty", commented Willow.

"Well, yeah, but what now?" he asked.

"Look inside", said Willow.

Spike looked with a furrowed brow, then after a second, he gasped, "Cool, look, there's my mum!". He was shocked but pleased.

"I see her", said Willow, deep in concentration, and a little out of breath. "Okay, we just need to make it a little bigger, then we can go in".

Spike tore his eyes away from the beautiful image of his mother. "What do you mean go in? Do you mean what I think you mean? Willow, are we.."

But he was cut off by the front of the Magic Box opening and slamming against the wall.

"Don't!" shouted Willow. But it was too late, Spike had already let go of her hands.

Spike turned back to Willow, and they both watched, as the orb expanded, and a wave of pulsating blue light shot out and knocked them both out. Giles drew in his breath as the wave hit him, and he was knocked out too.

Spike was the first to wake. He pushed himself off the floor and shook his head to wake himself up. He looked over at Willow, and shook her shoulder, "Red, wake up! Are you alright?"

Willow stirred and put her hand to her head, "Urrgh, ow!"

"Yeah, knock backs a bitch! Come on, get up, and lets have a look at you", he said, taking Willow's elbow and helping her to stand up.

"Well, it would have been okay, if you hadn't have let go of my hand", she said, still clutching her head.

"Little things right!" Spike said, and smirked at her. "Couldn't help it. We got taken by surprise, didn't we!"

"Giles!" they both said in unison, and turned round, expecting to find him knocked out on the floor at the door.

"Where'd he go?" asked Willow in a small voice, looking at Spike.

Spike looked back at her, and raised an eyebrow, "On a little trip, I expect!"