A/N: Just a reminder, Gimpy72 has a book coming out on May 15th, it's a fantastic story and I recommend checking it out.

Thank you Matash21 for the cover photo for my story. Sorry it took so long to finally use it.

Chapter One: Following the Shadows

Dark Willow slid through the shadows in silence, watching the familiar forms running through the graveyard. She knew what each of them were going to do before they were even aware themselves. She had helped them long enough to know each plan of attack. She had watched them long enough after her departure from the group to know the changes in strategy.

Smiling cruelly, Dark Willow watched as her former lover snuck up behind a vampire and grabbed her, holding onto her as Giles and Xander tried to stake her. Anya and Dawn were wrestling with another vampire, trying to keep him from biting them as they attempted to plunge a sliver of wood into the vampire's heart.

The dark witch was enjoying the show, but part of her was curious. She didn't see Buffy anywhere and wondered where the slayer was and what she was doing. As Dark Willow stared down at the Scoobies, she didn't hear the footsteps until a hand grabbed her. Turning around, coal black eyes locked with cold hazel ones.

"What are you doing here?" Buffy demanded, glaring at the dark witch that use to be her best friend.

"Nice to see you too, Buff," Dark Willow said, a smirk forming on her lips.

"What are you doing here?" Buffy repeated, stepping towards the witch in anger.

"Now, Buffy, is that anyway to talk to an old friend?" Willow asked, smiling at the slayer in amusement as sarcasm dripped from her voice. "After all, we have been through so much together."

"What do you want?" Buffy snapped, losing her patience with the witch.

"Just came to see you and the others. Is that wrong?" Willow questioned, feigning innocence as she watched her former best friend glaring at her with contempt.

"What do you want? Did you come back to hurt us again?" Buffy wondered, her hands clenching into fists. "Nearly killing Dawn wasn't enough?"

"Relax, Buffy, I'm not here to fight. I just came to watch the show. It's always amusing to watch all of you struggle with the vampires. It gives me a nice laugh," Willow explained, looking away from the slayer and down at the still struggling Scoobies.

"We thought you left town. Actually, I was hoping you left town," Buffy told her, glaring at the witch's back. "You're not wanted here, Willow. I suggest you leave before I kill you just like I would any other evil being."

"Do you honestly think you could kill me? I mean come on, Buffy, you couldn't even stake the vampire version of me. What makes you think you can kill me now?"

"Because you are not Willow. The Willow I knew is long gone. You're just a monster," Buffy said, spitting the words at the witch.

"Oh, Buffy. I am Willow, at least some part of her still exists. Don't you get it. If Willow didn't exist anymore, you would have already been dead. Willow is the only reason you're still alive right now," Dark Willow announced.

Without another word, Buffy lunged at the witch the stake in her hands aimed at her former best friend's heart. However, instead of the force of contact stopping her forward motion, Buffy stumbled through air and caught herself as she turned, looking for the witch.

"Do you really think it's that easy, Buffy? You forget that Rack's and Amy's magics still flow through me. I'm not weak little Willow anymore. I am the magics now, Honey. You don't want to start a fight with me," Willow warned, her black eyes seeming to turn darker.

"I don't want to fight you. I want to kill you. You're not Willow. Willow would never have hurt Oz and Dawn the way you did."

"You see, that's what none of you get. I am Willow. I'm just more powerful. I'm not weak anymore," Willow told her, watching Buffy for a few moments before disappearing into the shadows.

Willow walked into her home and looked at her daughter. Jayden was still fast asleep, and Willow was grateful that her daughter was such a peaceful sleeper. Willow knew that if Jayden woke up while she wasn't there, then the young child might decide to find her mother and wonder outside of Willow's safety barrier.

Watching her daughter sleep, Willow smiled as she sat down on the edge of the bed and ran her fingers through her little girl's hair. "I love you so much, Baby Girl," Willow whispered, before leaning down to kiss her daughter's forehead.

"Mama?" Jayden muttered, opening her tired blue eyes to look at her mother.

"Hey, Sweetie. I'm sorry I woke you," Willow said, cupping her daughter's cheek as her black eyes lightened to green, the dark magicks retreating in her daughter's presence.

"It's okay," Jayden whispered, sitting up and climbing into her mother's lap. "I missed you, Mommy." Wrapping her arms around her mother's neck, Jayden hid her face in her mother's shoulder as she slowly started to fall back to sleep.

"I missed you, too, Baby," Willow told her, kissing her daughter's cheek.

"I love you, Mommy," Jayden said, falling fast asleep in her mother's arms.

Willow smiled sadly as she held her daughter for a few minutes before laying the little girl on the bed and laying down next to her daughter. She hated having to leave her daughter alone, hated hurting her little girl.

Closing her eyes, Willow allowed sleep to take her, knowing that if she slept, the darkness inside her would allow her to have a few extra moments of peace.

As morning descended on them, Willow awoke to the feel of movement beside her. Opening her eyes, she watched as her daughter shifted out of her arms and started to climb out of the bed.

"Where are you going, Jayden?" Willow asked as she sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes.

"I was hungry. I wanted to make breakfast," Jayden said, looking at her mother.

Moving her hands from her face, Willow waved them before her and watched as food appeared on the bed linen. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast, sausage, grits, and ham were spread across the bed, along with two plates and some silverware.

"Cool!" Jayden exclaimed, practically bouncing up and down on the bed.

"What do you want, Baby girl?" Willow questioned. As Jayden told her mother what she wanted, Willow made her daughter's plate quickly before handing it over. "Eat up, Sweetie."

"Mommy?" Jayden said softly, watching her mother as she ate.

"Hmm?" Willow asked, still trying to wake up.

"Will you teach me the magicks?" Jayden wondered, giving her mother a hopeful look as she waited for her mother's answer.

"No. It would not be good for you to learn magic. Its addicting and can lead you down a very dark path," Willow told her, frowning at her daughter before turning away.

"But you do it."

"Which is precisely the reason why you need to stay away from it. I'm not a good person anymore, Baby Girl. I've crossed too many lines because of magic that I don't know how to find my way back to who I use to be. I don't want you to become like me."

"Oh," Jayden said, staring at her mother in silence. "Mommy?"

"Yes, Baby?"

"Why are people afraid of you?" Jayden asked, frowning at her mother.

"What?"

"Why are people afraid of you?" Jayden repeated, curiosity filling her tone as she watched Willow.

Willow just stared at her daughter in silence, unable to think of a way to answer her child's question.

A/N: Thank you Gimpy72 for helping out and reading over everything and giving me ideas when I got stuck.