"Willow, I'm sorry I never told you that I loved you, but I did you know. I thought we'd have plenty of time. I didn't know that... I know that you won't care about bad ole' Spike when you wake up, but you never forget the taste of your first feeding. So, this way you'll never forget me, pet." He slit his wrist with his fangs and held it over her mouth, which he had to pry open. When he was done, he kissed her full on the lips again.
Angel stood in the doorway, "Spike it's..it's time," he said reluctantly. He had never seen Spike in so much pain. It was worse than after Dru had left him.
"No, I need more time with her, damnit. Just go tell the Master to sod off!" He roared. "This is too soon." he pleaded.
"I know, Spike. But this is the only way. What kind of life could she have here now? You know what the Master said was right, she needs a master. Without her soul, she would be too evil to listen to either of us, and with your chip, you couldn't teach her to hunt, and even if you could, the gang would be forced to kill her. She would be too powerful. You never saw the other Willow, Spike, I did. Within a matter of hours, she had taken over as Master. The minions followed her every order. If I were still Angelus, I would claimed her." Angel confided.
Spike growled up at him, "You just have to have every woman I love, don't you you bastard."
"Spike, I said if I were Angelus, I'm not. I love Buffy. Since when did you start loving Willow, anyway?"
"Since that time I kidnapped her. She's part of the reason I came back to Sunnydale." Spike confessed. "She never knew. If that damn Initiative hadn't put this blasted chip in my head, she would be my mate now, not that wanker downstairs. How...how did he treat Darla? I mean did he hurt her?" Spike reluctantly asked, his voice shaky.
"No, he was actually quite gentle with her, unless of course she disobeyed him. You know the usual punishing techniques, whips, chains, nothing every vampire hasn't heard of..." Angel stopped himself when he realized what he was saying.
Spike had taken to an almost phrenetic caressing of her face. He nuzzled his face into her neck. It was strangely like a mother with her child. Angel was speechless. He really didn't know what Spike was going to do when Willow left.
Meanwhile downstairs....
"Giles isn't there another way, can't we just restore her soul." Xander pleaded.
"No, I'm afraid not Xander, that was written specifically for Angel, and even if we could, it's not a blessing, it's a curse. Would you doom Willow to never being able to be happy?" Giles countered.
"Xander, we all want Willow back, but this is the only way she can be happy now, without us." Buffy cried tearfully. Riley went to comfort her and she shrank back from his touch.
He clenched his jaw. "Buffy, I know you all want what's best for Willow. I do to. But think about it, she knew what she was getting into when she started helping out. After all the years you guys have fought hostiles in this town, she had to have realized that there were going to be acceptable losses. This is one. Accept it."
That was the last thought he had before Buffy punched him out. "Oh, by the way, Riley, you're the one who's an acceptable loss. Strangely enough I have no problem accepting it. Gunn, I don't know you very well, but could you please take the trash out." Buffy huffed.
"No problem. You know you look like you could use some fresh air, Soldier Boy. Have some." Gunn taunted as he picked up the semi-conscious Riley and tossed him outside.
Angel and Spike came downstairs. Willow was wrapped in Spike's leather duster. Tears were streaming heavily down his face. "She'll wake up soon." Spike said sadly.
"Excellent!" the Master replied. "I have the most wonderful feast planned for her and afterwards she'll be most welcome back into my bed."
"I thought you usually slept in the sewer, Master." Angel replied haughtily.
"No, you see thanks to my world's pathetic Slayer, who has unfortunately died recently" he wiped his eyes laughingly, "vampires rule all of Sunnydale. The humans live in fear both night and day. We've managed to make our home right out in the open at the Bronze. Why there's scarcely a reason for us to lock our doors. We have nothing to fear in Sunnydale. No interfering Slayer and her pesky friends. My mate and I will rule together side by side for all eternity" he said dreamily.
Each word the Master spoke physically assaulted Spike. All those things the Master was going to do with his Red, he would never be able to do, not now. But then again, since she Spike was her first feeding and him being a vampire, when he got that damn chip out, he would go to her and stake a claim, even if it meant dying in the process. The first feeding is as strong a bond as a master to a child, but usually the first feeding was human and quickly dead, so that bond was rarely exercised. This would mean that he would belong to Willow, not the other way around, but he'd gladly submit himself for her. He didn't know if he would love her as much without her soul, but he did know that he would love her. He would find a way to remove that chip and then the Master would go down, one way or another. Spike smiled greedily.
"It's time for them to enter the circle." Anya announced. "Tara, are you ready?"
"I'm...I'm ready. It's just all so sad. She was my first real friend and she was my best friend." Tara cried.
"Mine too." Buffy said.
"Mine too" Xander responded.
They all smiled laughingly together.
"Hey, she stole my boyfriend, and I still call her a friend." Cordelia laughed sadly.
"Hey, I killed her fish and she restored my soul, literally." Angel offered.
"I kidnapped her and threatened to shove a bottle in her face and she saved me from offing myself." Spike added smiling.
"I was never what you would call her friend" Wesley began, "but I was highly impressed by her, so much so that before I was fired by the council, I recommended her as a Watcher." he said admiringly.
"A while ago, when Dracula was in town, I confided in her that I was planning on going back to England because I didn't feel needed anymore, and swore her to secrecy. She never revealed it, and she went out of her to make me feel needed, but the worse thing is when we all had those dreams, I dreamed of Willow, but I dreamed of her researching. I didn't see her as a person, just a resource and she deserved so much more than that. She deserved everything none of us gave her." Giles broke down. He ran to hug Willow, while Spike held her. Buffy ran to hug her too. Xander joined in. Then Angel and Cordelia. Eventually, everyone had formed a huddle around Willow, telling her how much they loved her and would miss her, and how she was their best friend, always. The entire room was covered in laughter and tears.
"As touching as all of this is, really" the Master broke in, "my mate and I really must be going. You're all welcome as our dinner guests any time, though." he laughed evilly. The group slowly broke apart, hatred in their eyes for the Master. Anya and Tara took their respective seats for the spell. The Master tried to pull Willow out of a heartbroken Spike's arms.
Spike repeated over and over again, "I can't do this. I can't do this. It's too soon. She deserved better. No, not Red. Not Red. He was so hysterical, Angel was forced to assist the Master in freeing Willow from Spike, he was holding on so tightly. When she was finally pulled from Spike's arms, he kept them in that same position, while he stared off into space.
The Master stood in the circle with Willow in his arms and in a flash he and the Willow Rosenburg everyone knew and loved were gone.
"Ah, I see my daughter is awake. Leave us." the Master informed his minions. They quickly scattered. Wide green eyes looked up at him in fear. "What's that smell. It's putrid. Fear, coming from a childe of mine.." he roared. He grabbed Willow roughly by the shoulders and shook her hard, nearly causing her to lose consciousness.
"What's going on? How can you be alive? How did I get here?" she whimpered.
"You have a soooooooooul! You little witch! How? he questioned.
Willow immediately responded. "I don't know" she lied convincingly.
"Is that so?" he taunted. He went to the door and whispered something to one of his minions. Two teenage girls was then thrown into the room. They screamed when they saw the Master. He picked one of them up by her throat and dragged him over to Willow. "Drain this one or I will drain them both." he ordered.
"No, I can't. I won't do it." Willow answered shakily.
"Very well, you leave me no choice." He drained both girls quickly as Willow howled in guilt and fear. "How many more will have to die before you decide to take a nibble I wonder, mmm?"
"What you did was not my fault. You're a vicious killer, whether I help you or not, you'll still be one.". she answered defiantly.
"Hmm, it's nice to know you're aware of what I really am. Like it or not, you're one too now. It's just a matter of 't you feel the hunger, permeating through every part of your body. You smell the girls' blood on me. You want a taste don't you."
"No, no I don't That's disgusting." she said unsurely.
"I do so love the fire in you my childe, I'll make it easy for you. You may feed on me, but only after you admit who you really are now, a vicious killer. Just like me." he laughed. He leaned over close to her face and offered his wrist to her. She felt her fangs distend instinctively, leaned over to him, and with force shoved his wrist away.
"Never, I'm nothing like you!" she screamed.
"You disobedient childe. You shall be properly trained in how to treat your Master." He leaned close to her "I can smell his blood on you. How dare he?!" he shouted. He dug his fingers into the flesh of her arms and dragged her towards the door. He ordered the minions to cage her up in Puppy's old cage. "See to it that she gets a proper punishing and nothing to eat until she learns to obey. Watch out for her, she is cunning as well as a witch. Never turn your back It goes without saying that she is not to be touched....for now.." He added the last part for effect. He wanted her to know that eventually, he would have his way. He tossed her to them. When she was far enough out of earshot, he ordered his other minions to find out as much as they could about how Puppy lost his soul.
They threw her into an empty cage, it had not so much as a bed. She sat with her head buried in her hands and cried bitterly for the life she had lost. For the life that she could never have with her friends and her family, and most of all with Spike. When she had finished her crying, she sat up and for the first time, noticed she was wearing Spike's duster. She took it off and wrapped it around herself. She inhaled deeply in the smell of him. The smell of cigarettes and passion. Strangely enough when she thought of him, it seemed she had a new connection to him somehow. She briefly wondered what it was, but it didn't matter. As long as she had a part of him with her, at least now, she could hope. Meanwhile, a minion looked on.
Two weeks later....
Buffy stared sadly at Willow's picture on her dresser for the millionth time. She still couldn't believe that her world could exist without her. Angel and the rest of the L.A. gang had stayed to help everyone through this. But Buffy, was quickly learning that there was no 'through this'. 'This' was all around them like some heavy black Hellmouthy cloud. How could she have failed her best friend like this? There had to be an explanation. This whole thing just came out of nowhere. How did he even get to Willow? The last Buffy knew, Willow was supposed to be at the dorm and would be heading to the Magick Shop later. When did Spike fall in love with her? It had seemed that he was stalking Buffy? But since that day, there was no doubt where Spike's heart lay and it wasn't with her or even Dru, it was with Willow.
She was pulled from her thoughts by the door opening. "Hi, I'm your new roommate. I'm sure administration told you all about me."
"New...new roommate. What are you talking about? I already have a room...I mean had." Buffy cried.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about your friends disappearance, but you know what they say, one person's loss... Who was she anyway?" The girl noticed the picture on the dresser. "Oh, I know her, that's that weird nerd girl my boyfriend Percy told me about. You know he actually seemed to care when she went missing. If you ask me she's just off somewhere feeling sorry for herself, she's so pathetic. I heard that musician guy Oz dumped her cos' she was so lousy in the...."
Buffy stood there tearfully and incredulously and for the second time that month, Buffy punched someone speechless. Only this time, her actions had consequences. The girl wound up with a mild concussion and Buffy was suspended from the dorm for the semester. She immediately went home to her mother.
"I'm so sorry, Buffy. This must be so hard on you. All this time, I've been worrying about my condition and then someone as young and wonderful as Willow has this happen to her. You must be going through so much. Do me a favor, honey. You grab onto whatever happiness you can, while you can."
"I'll try, Mom." she said blankly.
"Do more than that, Buffy" Joyce snapped, "there's something I never told you, something I'm ashamed of."
"You, Mom, what could you possibly have to be ashamed of." Buffy asked curiously and a little afraid of the answer.
"Well, dear, last year, when Angel moved to L.A. It wasn't his idea. It was mine." she said softly, while holding Buffy's hand shakily.
"You're? How could this be your idea, you're my mother! How could you do that to me? How could you wish all that pain on me?" Buffy cried hysterically.
Joyce went to hug her and Buffy pulled away. "I'm so sorry, honey. At that time, I thought I was doing what was best for you. Angel thought so too or he never would have gone along with it. I am so sorry. I know now, that's it better to grab your chance at happiness, no matter what. Please Buffy, go to him. Try to work this out. I know you still love him and I have a feeling that he still love you." Joyce pleaded.
Buffy looked into her mother's eyes and thought of her illness and how much she loved Angel and how she now saw how what Joyce was saying was right about grabbing your chance at happiness. She thought of Willow and Spike. "I forgive you, Mom. I think you're right. Angel has been so supportive since he came back. I think we might be able to work it out. Thank you, Mom."
"Thank you for forgiving me, Buffy. Do me a favor? Dawn has been so down since my illness and Willow leaving, could you take her with you, I know it would mean a lot to her?"
"Anything for you, Mom."
Buffy and Dawn arrived together at the Magick Shop. They looked around at another sad gathering that had exploded in confrontation and blame.
Xander shouted angrily at Anya, "If you hadn't created that damn universe, Willow would be alive right now". For the first time, Anya had no sarcastic retort for him. She just took in his words silently.
Cordelia rushed over to assist. "And if you hadn't kissed Willow, I wouldn't have wished for that place. So, I guess it's your fault. Are you going to blame Willow now too."
Xander took in what she said and immediately apologized to Anya. "I''m so sorry. I didn't know what I was saying. Can you please forgive me?"
"Well, ordinarily no" she laughed, "but given the circumstances of course". She pulled him into a life-giving hug.
"Yes, well we're all a little out of sorts these days" Giles interjected, "let's just try to keep our wits about us and try not to take this situation out on each other. We all know that that's the last thing that our Willow would want." he offered sadly as he wiped his eyes and looked away, his voice shaky.
Gunn went over to Cordelia, "Way to go there, guess you have more skills than just as a psychic, huh?"
"I told you Gunn, I don't like that word. It sounds too much like sidekick and I am an equal partner, I'll have you know." she joked.
"Point taken." Gunn answered with a smile.
"Hey gang" everyone looked up without much interest. "Um, I have something to tell you. I just got suspended from the semester today. It's a long story, but bottom line. I need your help. I have quite a lot of things of move. I...I wouldn't ask for me, but, of course, a lot of things in my room are Willow's. I...I uh, need you guys to collect them. I can't right now. I just can't..." she broke off. Angel ran over and held her close to him.
Most of the others couldn't go for the same reasons as Buffy. It was just too painful. So, Wesley, Anya, and Gunn volunteered.
The Master talked on the phone with one of his childer, "So, Angelus, experienced true happiness at his freedom. Well, I can't give her her freedom, so I'll just have to find a way to give her another form of true happiness. I shudder to think what her idea of happiness is with that damned soul. What was she doing in her cage? Wrapping the duster around herself? But she was already wearing it? Ah, I see. That's her weak point. Spike! Well, well, well, he was the only one alone with her, he must have performed the spell. Prepare the ritual again, I'm making a return trip. You've discovered a new method? Excellent, it's good to be king!" he laughed maniacly.
Spike entered the Magick Shop. He wasn't as imposing without his duster, but he was still Spike, sort of. He plopped down at the table and pulled a flask out. He immediately began drinking, not giving a damn about the disapproving looks he was getting. He knew if they'd let go of their goody-goody facades, they'd all be doing the same thing. What else were you going to do when it really was the end of the world and this time, Buffy and the Scoobies hadn't been able to stop it. Reluctantly, he looked toward Willow's computer and his eyes flashed yellow. "What the hell do you think you're doing!" He vamped out and dragged Dawn away from it. She screamed and Buffy ran to her aid.
"What are you doing, Spike!" she yelled.
"She was touching Red's computer. Nobody touches that, do you hear me."
"But Willow always let me use it. I have an English paper saved on it. Willow told me it was okay weeks ago." Dawn sobbed.
Spike turned back to human appearance and looked away sheepishly, without an apology, of course. Typical Spike.
"It's okay, Dawn. It's okay." Buffy said as she hugged her. "Shhh, shhhh. Spike didn't mean anything by it. He just misses Willow, you know. It's not anything personal and it's not going to happen again". She said pointedly. Dawn nodded her head in understanding. Spike took a long drink from his flask.
Angel moved towards Spike and put his hand on his shoulder. "Go away!" Spike shouted.
"But Spike.."
"Just sod off!" Spike roared and vamped out. That was the situation Wesley, Anya, and Gunn found them all in. Anya announced, "Hey guys, listen up. You're not going to believe this. There may be a way to save Willow!"
"Tell me now!" Spike ordered still in vamp face.
"Not until you put that away" she said saucily.
Spike un-vamped and pleaded with his eyes for her to tell him what the news was.
"Well, when I going through Willow's things at the dorm. I found this!" she held up a small blue journal.
"That's...that's Willow's diary. You had no right to read it!" Buffy shouted
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, berate me later. That's not the point. Listen. Willow knew this was going to happen to her!" Anya shouted excitedly.
"She knew, how?" Spike asked incredulously.
."Apparently, she had been having nightmares about the Master."
"If she was having nightmares, why didn't she tell us?" Giles queried.
"Well, after the whole 'as I will it' fiasco', she didn't think you guys would believe it was real, she didn't think you had much faith in her abilities" she said truthfully. The entire group shook their heads at their insensitivity to Willow.
"But, that's not the most important part, after a while she was so worried, that she started researching a way to restore her soul. She didn't find it, so she started working on a way to rewrite Angel's curse so that a soul could be anchored permanently. She wasn't sure if it would work, but she decided to try it, at least she had the day she was turned.
"Did she?" Spike asked hopefully.
"I don't know. That was her last entry. Just that she was planning on trying it out."
"Oh my God, we can get Willow back!" Xander shouted. "Is anyone getting a major happy right now, I know I am." he beamed.
"Now we just have to perform the ritual to send us back." Buffy offered.
"Buffy, uh, as excited as we all are. I believe we should have some sort of plan before embarking on this. After all, we know nothing about this other universe." Wesley explained.
"I do. It's dark and dangerous. Typical night on the Hellmouth." Anya said flippantly. "We have all the ingredients here. I just need another witch to perform the ritual. Damn, Tara isn't here. I guess she hasn't felt comfortable here since Willow left. I'll go get her." she shouted as she quickly disappeared. Gunn offered to escort her to the dorm safely.
Spike couldn't believe it. Just over a week ago, his world had ended and now it had begun again. He thought he would never be able to tell his Red how he felt, but now he would, first chance he got. He smiled giddily. Just then Dawn screamed. Standing in the middle of the shop, was the Master.
"Well, well, happy to see me again?" he teased. "I'm so sorry I didn't call first. The connection between universes is very bad, you know."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Spike asked. "Where's Red? What did you do to her?" he warned.
"Thanks to you, not nearly as much as I would like to. I know about the soul you gave to her. Trust me, she's being properly punished. You know, I've invented new techniques just for her. The typical holy water, whips, and chains, just don't seem to working. Perhaps I'll try more intimate means."
"Don't you touch her, you bastard. What are we waiting for, we know the soul spell worked. Let's kill the ugly bastard." Spike threatened.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You see I know how Puppy lost his soul. True happiness. The way to Willow's true happiness is you. So, I'm going to give you your wish, you'll be reunited with your love. I am taking you, Spike, and if any of you attempt to come to my world, I will make sure Willow sees daylight. Got it. Good. Now come along, boy." Before anyone could blink, the Master had grabbed ahold of Spike and touched an amulet around his neck and in a flash they were both gone.
Just then, Anya and Gunn returned with Tara in tow.
"Giles, what just happened here?" Xander asked stupefied.
"Well, from what I can gather, the Master thinks that if Spike and Willow are intimate, she will find true happiness and lose her soul. Lucky for us, Willow doesn't reciprocate his feelings. Especially, since we don't know if her reworking of the soul will last permanently. At least, this will give us time to come up with a plan."
"Uh oh, sorry to burst your bubbles guys, but that's not exactly true. According to Willow's diary - she's in love with Spike." Anya announced.
The whole room erupted in a collective gasp.