1994
Willow roundhoused the vampire and smoothly transitioned into staking it. "I've still got it."
Jesse gasped disbelieving what he saw. "Willow? What just happened?"
"Oh, yeah, sorry. I should have told you years ago. Vampires are real, a lot of them live in Sunnydale. The PCP gangs that attack with barbeque forks, aren't PCP gangs and they use fangs not forks." Willow helped Jesse off the ground.
"How'd you learn how to fight like that?"
"That, Jesse, is a much longer and much more private story. Sorry."
"But you're not even fourteen. And you're a girl. And since when were vampires real?"
"Breathe, Jesse." Willow pat him on the chest. "Just so you know, if you ever say anything that misogynistic again, I'll kick your ass."
"Got it." Jesse scratched behind his ear. "Can you teach me some stuff? I mean if vampires are real and they're all around us, shouldn't you teach me how to protect myself?"
"Jesse, you failed gym. I can't make you something you aren't." Willow picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder. "Don't go anywhere alone after dark. And if you can get some muscle tone and learn some discipline, I'll teach you a few things."
1870
"Rose, you have to do better than that if you want to stake a vampire without magic," Angelus taunted. "I'm not going to save you and neither will Darla. Dru might, but what if you're outnumbered? Think! Feel the momentum, let it flow through you and for God's sake learn to follow through with your attacks!"
Blood dripped down from Willow's scalp and from the corner of her mouth. When he turned to continuing scorning her to the other two women, Willow kicked him in back of the knee. Once he was down, she hit him as hard as she could with the hilt of her sword. He collapsed unconscious. "Imbecile."
Darla smiled as she sipped her tea, and Drusilla clapped and laughed. "Daddy taught you well!"
"And the idiot forgets the things he's taught me." Willow picked up a napkin and wiped the blood and sweat off her face. "Tell me that's the tea from Harold's."
"Of course." Darla set her cup down and poured Willow a cup.
Drusilla dabbed the cut on Willow's temple that was still seeping. "Looks like it hurts."
Willow shrugged. "Head wounds bleed. I barely noticed it."
"You'd need a railroad spike drilled through your head to notice it," Drusilla said. "I want one."
"You'll get a Spike one day, Dru, but for now can we not talk about it? I'd rather not think about him." Willow drank some tea.
Darla studied the two other women. "One day the two of you must explain your cryptic conversations. I don't like not knowing what's going on around me."
Drusilla smiled sweetly and then bit down on the neck of the unconscious woman in her lap. Willow winced inside but kept her face blank. She'd always love and protect Dru, but she wasn't the biggest fan of vampires. With a couple gulps, Willow finished her tea. "I'm going to take a bath."
"You taste like honey. Can I join you?" Drusilla asked.
"When have I ever said no to you? Either of you?"
"Well, there was that time I was feeling like veal…" Darla lifted an eyebrow.
"Not that you listened. But I was talking about something more salacious."
"Invitation accepted." Darla stood up, her dressing gown flowing around her curves, enticing the other two women.
"Are we going to leave Angelus there then?" Drusilla asked as she stood up.
"If we think of it, we'll get him inside before dawn."
Arms around waists, the three women went inside.
1860
Willow and Drusilla were hiding in a church. "He'll never give up. Not even God can stop him."
"Angelus is nefarious. But you have to remain strong for me, Sylvia. We were delivered to a house of God. Holy water and crosses can hurt him. But if we're smart we won't need to even go that far." Willow looked over her shoulder into the gloom of the empty church. Gaslights from the street filtering through the stained glass, the only light. "We can't light any candles, but we can hide. The bell tower or the coal cellar would be best."
"The bell tower," Drusilla whispered.
"He'll know you wanted that, so you go to the coal cellar, and I'll take the bell tower. He'll find me but not you. Bury yourself in the coal, leaving just enough space to breathe. It'll confuse his senses. Go."
Drusilla turned and then back again. She hesitated and kissed Willow on the lips. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."
Willow grabbed Drusilla by the shoulders and kissed her deeply. "Yes, you should have. Now, go."
The stairs down to the cellar were pitch, and Drusilla worried about tripping but the craftsmanship of the stairs was impeccable. She made it down and felt her way into the coal bin. She did as Willow asked, all with the taste of honey on her lips.
In the bell tower, Angelus cornered Willow. "It's Rose, right?"
She didn't reply.
He drifted his fingers over her cheek. "Petal soft skin like a rose. Is the rose between your legs just as soft?"
She met his eyes. "If you're going to throw me off the roof, go ahead. If you're going to drain me, get it over with. Don't be tiresome with double entendres about my name."
"Given that you're my Drusilla's beloved, I'll not be taking that kind of mercy on you." Angelus wrapped his fingers around Willow's throat enough to keep her in place but not cutting off her air. She didn't even flinch. "Where is my Dru? I'd like her to watch."
"She's far enough away that you'll never find her before dawn sends you back to the shadows."
Angelus pressed his lips against hers and when she let out a small gasp he shoved his meaty tongue into her mouth. Willow promptly bit down as hard as she could. He howled in pain but didn't let her go. His spit was all blood, and it smeared across his face. "You'll live to regret that."
He began to choke her. She coughed and sputtered until her vision narrowed to nothing.
When Drusilla heard the bells chime in that familiar tune for the second time, she dug herself out of the bin and snuck out the side door without being seen. Rose always said if they got split up to meet back at her flat, so Drusilla headed there. But when she got there, it was cold and empty.
"Rose always says that she can handle what Angelus does to people. That he had no sway over her life. So I'll not worry. I'll not worry." Drusilla busied herself by starting a fire and cleaning up the dishes left over from supper. "She will be here. I just need to wait."
