Part 2

Willow could feel Spike's eyes on her all night. It's been a week since she told him she was in heaven and she avoided him the whole time. She knew he had questions; it's just that she didn't want to answer them. Willow watched as Giles got up to answer the phone.

Xander and Anya immediately stopped working and started to talk about their upcoming wedding. Yes, they were finally getting married. Willow knew it would happen sooner or later. She knew they were happy together.

Buffy and Dawn went to the back to continue Dawn's training. Buffy thought it would be important for Dawn to start learning self defense. Dawn liked the idea to.

That left Willow alone with Spike. Spike stood up and walked past Willow letting his hand run across her shoulders. She saw him as head to the back door and willed herself not to follow. She was able to do it for a minute but then got up to follow him.

When Willow got outside she saw Spike light a cigarette in his mouth. "If you aren't already dead, I would say those were dangerous."

"It's a good thing you don't have to waste your breath then." Spike answered taking a drag. "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I haven't." Willow denied weakly.

"Uh huh" Spike said throwing the cigarette to the ground. He then threw his arm around Willows waist and pulled her close to him. "This…is not avoiding, Witch." He moved his free hand to the back of her head and tangled his fingers in her hair. "This is what I think we both have missed." He leered then pulled her closer and kissed her.

Willow had one hand on his chest and the other on his arm. She started to push him away when he pulled her hair to hard. Spike felt this and pulled his head back a little. "That hurt. You don't just get to hurt me when you feel like it. I'm not some demon"

"Oh I don't know, love." Spike smirked. "This chip prevents me from hurting anything but demons." That was a mistake because he didn't even see her arm pull back and punch him in the face. "Bloody Hell, Witch!" He yelled staggering back.

Willow didn't answer. She just turned and headed to the door. She didn't go far before Spike grabbed her arm and pulled her back causing her to fall to the ground. "Spike…"

"What? Spike what?" Spike snarled. "Don't go throwing punches if you can't handle it, Red."

"I didn't think I was going to be pushed around by coming out here tonight." Willow said standing up.

"You didn't know you were, but you like it. You get off on it." Spike said as he moved closer to her like the predator he really is. He smiled and stopped when she stepped back in fear. "You like the fear, the danger."

"I need to get back inside."

"Why? You're just going to lie to them more. What's the point? They don't care about you. They just care that their conscience is cleared."

"That's not true." Willow insisted.

"Then why aren't they doing anything to help?" Spike persisted. "Why did they pretend everything was normal a week after your return?"

"I moved in with Buffy. I don't go to work or school. I'm living off all of them. Xander…"

"Material, material" Spike shouted. "When was the last time they actually showed they cared? You know, without stuff?"

"You mean when was the last time one of them threw me against the wall and screwed me? Your right Spike, they haven't done that." Willow shouted back.

"Let me ask you this, Witch…who else knows you weren't in Hell? Which one of them has tried to help you through that minor detail?"

"They don't need to worry about that." Willow answered quietly. "They just need to live their lives."

Spike walked to the door and opened it. Willow stared for a moment then walked to it. Before she went through Spike stopped her. "And you're living the life you were never meant to live."

"What happened to you two?" Anya asked when she looked at Willow and Spikes disheveled appearances.

"Vampire" they muttered moving back to the table.

"Willow, I have a favor to ask of you." Giles said

"Sure Giles, what do you need?"

"That was Angel on the phone. He needs a book that I have. I was wondering if you could bring it to him."

Willow wasn't expecting that and was about to ask why her, but Spike beat her to it. "Why Red; should she really be left alone?"

Everyone was shocked at Spike's concern, but let it pass. It was common knowledge that he had a crush on her.

"I was thinking that she and Angel could talk about…" Giles couldn't say it, but Spike finished for him.

"Willow and Angel can have a nice chat about Hell…" He stressed the word Hell, "…over a cup of hot coffee and blood." He turned to Willow. "Are you going to tell the great Poof about your experience?"

"Whether I tell Angel or not doesn't matter. He needs something and I'll bring it to him." She turned to Giles. "When should I leave?"

"I was thinking tomorrow morning. It would be safer time to drive. Is that alright with you?" Giles said. Willow nodded. "You should go home now and get some rest then."

"Sounds good; I think I'll take the bus instead. I don't really feel like driving." Willow said getting up to gather her stuff.

She was putting her coat on when Giles came over. "I'm trying to help."

"I know, thank you." Willow said and was about to move when Giles touched her arm.

"Here…for the bus ticket." Giles said taking out his wallet.

"Giles…you don't…"

"Please take it Willow. I know you don't have much." Giles insisted putting money in her hand.

"I will pay you back…for everything." Willow said quietly looking down.

"Don't even worry about it Willow."

Willow took a deep breath then returned to the table. "I was going to leave on the early bus, so I'll see you guys when I get back."

"Hold up, pet." Spike said standing. "I'll walk you home. I'm bored here."

"Spike we could use your help here." Buffy said.

"I don't care." Spike answered heading to the door.

Neither Willow nor Spike spoke the entire way home. Willow was about to go inside when Spike grabbed her wrist. "Do you think he's going to help you?"

"I don't know how he will." Willow said pulling free. "Go home, Spike."

Spike stared at her for a moment eyebrows furrowing before turning to leave. When he reached the sidewalk he turned back to Will. "He's going to know about us, pet." He shouted. "He'll smell it."

Willow leaned her forehead against the door before pushing it open and slowly walking inside. Spike watched as Willows bedroom light went on. He didn't leave until he saw it go off.

Willow was putting a few last things in her bag when Buffy knocked on the door and came in. "Hey, are you almost ready to leave?" Buffy asked

"Yeah, almost" Willow said closing the bag

"Are you sure? Do you need anything else…more clothes, a toothbrush?"

"I'm only staying the night, mom. I'm 20. I think I'll be fine."

"I'm just worried. This is the first time you'll be on your own in awhile." Willow raised her eyebrows. "Okay, okay…" Buffy raised her hands in defeat. "Go to LA. Dance, party, have a baby. Don't be responsible." Buffy smiled. "How was that?"

"That's better, but again, one night. I don't think I'll have a baby."

"Well in any case…" The two friends hugged. When they pulled away Buffy finished. "…Angel can help more than any of us. He's been there."

"I know, it'll just be hard talking to him." Willow admitted sitting on the bed. "I consider him one of my closest friends, but we barely know each other."

"What do you mean?" Buffy wondered sitting next to Willow.

"I mean we've never really talked. When we have it's been about the end of the world and…you, to be honest. Our friendship is based on saving each other. He's saved me countless numbers of times and I gave him back his soul."

"Well I think that's a pretty good basis for friendship." Buffy said with a small smile. "He was there at…" She couldn't finish.

"My funeral; its okay, Buff, you can say it." Willow patted her friend's knee.

Buffy put her hand over Willow's. "I know when we're together it's always about us, but this time it wasn't. I've never seen his face so sad over someone he didn't care about, Will. Hell, I don't think I've ever seen his face like that. I wanted so badly to comfort him and he me, but neither of us could. Our minds, like everyone else's, were on you. I was keeping busy trying to help everyone else grieve that I barely talked to him. But when I did look over to him, he was sitting on the couch drawing something. Before he left he showed me. It was a drawing of you. You know the one by the fireplace? He said he wanted to remember the person that saved him. He said he never knew he could love someone so much without being in love with them. He always regretted never being able to repay you for his soul. I think we both did. I think he blames himself for not being there to help…to save you." When Buffy finished both girls had tears in their eyes.

"Wow" Willow choked out.

"Yeah," Buffy answered wiping her eyes. It was quiet for a moment before Buffy spoke, this time trying to sound chipper. "So what book are you bringing?"

Willow wiped her eyes. "Some book about demons and portals."

"Well you better get going. I want you back as soon as possible. Be sure you say goodbye to Dawn."

"Its not even seven, shouldn't you two be sleeping?"

"I was going to take you to the station. Dawn just wants to say goodbye."

"One day" Willow stressed

"Will…" They stopped outside Dawn's door. "Dawn feels responsible for your death." Buffy said quietly

"She shouldn't. I didn't give her a choice. I made the decision."

"You gave your life to save her. She's…no one, is ever going to forget that, especially me."

"I did it to save the world."

"And her"

Buffy and Dawn both drove Willow to the bus station. Willow was glad she wasn't driving the two hours to LA. She just wanted to sit and have some time to herself. The bus was pretty empty for which she was glad.

About twenty minutes into the ride Willow fell asleep and began to have dreams like she's been having since she came back.

4 Months Ago

Her eyes flew open to pitch-blackness. She couldn't see anything and she could barely breathe. When she tried to move her arms she felt something hard next to her. She moved her arms and legs around and realized she was in box. Out of fear and panic she began thrashing at the top of the box. Once she made it through the fabric she hit something hard. With all her strength she hit it over and over until it broke. That's when dirt started to fall on her. She clawed her way through the dirt and pulled her self up. She was about to pass out from the lack of air when her hand broke through something and into nothingness. With the last of her strength she pulled herself up and out of the ground. She began to catch her breath as she lay on the cold ground.

Once she could breath again she took in her surroundings. There were trees and bushes all around. There was a small lake by her that the moon reflected off. If circumstances were different she would think this place beautiful.

Still not realizing where or who she was, she looked directly in front of her. She moved forward to the headstone and traced the words with her finger.

Willow Rosenberg

1981-2001

"A True Friend and Hero to Everyone"

Willow fell back when memories began to bombard her. She remembered meeting Xander in kindergarten and Jesse a year later. She remembered meeting Buffy and learning about slayers and demons. She remembered fighting side by side with her friends. She remembered Dawn and Spike's faces as she turned from them and ran off the tower. She remembered her death.

Willow stood up on shaky legs and tried to decide what to do, where to go. Before she could thing of anything a demon on a motorcycle jumped out of the bushes. Willow began to move backwards and bumped into a tree. The demon saw her and smiled. He got off his bike and stalked over to Willow. Willow watched in horror and did the only thing she could. She screamed.

Buffy, Xander, Anya, and Tara were split up fighting in the forest. Anya and Tara went one way as Buffy and Xander went the other. Buffy and Xander were also split up as they fought.

Xander finished off a demon when he heard a scream. He knew that scream. He began ran as fast as he could back to the gravesite of his best friend.

When Xander got there he saw something that scared him more than anything ever before. He saw Willow alive. She was alive and held up against the tree about to be killed again by a demon. Xander quickly picked up a rock that was on the ground and hit the demon over the head with it knocking him out. Xander caught Willow as she fell to the ground.

"Willow! Willow! Please answer me. Wake up Willow?" Xander tried desperately. He heard the demon next to him begin to move so he picked Willow up and carried her to the end of the forest.

A little while later Xander found an alleyway that seemed empty so he set Willow down and tried to wake her up again. "Will, Willow, come on wake up…please." He gently started to shake her. "Don't do this to me." He said with tears falling down his cheeks. "Give me a sign that your there." He whispered. Xander got Willow in his arms again when he heard a motorcycle get close to them again. He was about to move when the bike cut them off. "I never thought I would be glad to see you."

Spike didn't answer him. He just stared at the girl in his arms.

Dawn jumped off the back of the bike and moved to Xander. "Oh my God." She whispered. "Willow, how?"

The three of them heard another motorcycle coming. Spike finally came out of his trance. "That doesn't matter right now. We need to get her out of here. Hand her over." He put his arms out to take her.

Xander hesitated a moment before setting Willow in front of Spike, deciding that it was the best thing for now. "Meet at the Magic Box."

Spike nodded and then took off. Xander watched them go and then took Dawns hand and pulled her with him.

Present

Willow awoke when the bus driver announced that they arrived at the LA bus station. She was supposed to call Angel a half hour before she got in but forgot. She decided to catch a cab instead of wait.

TBC