Chapter 29: Two to Go

Hey guys. Sorry that this is a late update. I had to work for like two weeks straight, then I went on vacation. But now I'm back and finishing up this book to start the next one. I'm starting school soon so I won't have a lot of time to write, but I will always find time. I promise. As for this chapter, it continues on the story. Enjoy.

The gang was running again through the woods. Willow had a big head start. Buffy, Angel, Liam, and Delia were ahead of the group, running at almost full force. Buffy looked back and then she shot out a hand to stop the others.

Xander had stopped and was leaning against a tree. "I think I'm gonna be sick." Xander said.

"Again?" Anya asked.

"Xander, we don't have time." Buffy said.

"I know, it's just. What happened back there, the sounds of it. The smell." Xander said.

"I know."

"Willow did that."

"That's why we have to move." Angel said.

Liam also leaned on a tree and bowed his head. "I didn't want this. I didn't want any of this." Liam said. He was feeling so guilty. Every pulse in his head told him it wasn't his fault. Willow did this in the past before he even came. It shouldn't be his fault. But everything in his soul told him different. He could have stopped it. He should have stopped it. But he didn't.

Delia put a hand his shoulder to comfort him. "You did what you could." Delia said.

"Obviously not enough." Xander said looking at Liam. Liam stood up and turned to face Xander. "You knew she would do all of this. And you did nothing."

"I tried…" Liam tried to defend himself.

"Yeah. I get that. But I also think you wanted this to happen, just so that it could help you in your big master plan so that everything turns out better for the future. Even if it means fucking us over."

"Xander!" Buffy said.

"He knew she would turn evil!"

"You better watch what you say to my son." Angel threatened.

"You should be more worried about what he won't say and what new big bad comes and kills us."

"He won't let that happen."

"He let Willow turn evil!"

"He tried to stop it!" Buffy defended her son.

"STOP!" Liam yelled. Everyone turned to him and saw that he was on the verge of tears. "Everyone just stop. Please." Everyone was silent for a moment. Liam looked to Xander. "I'm sorry. Ok. I'm sorry that I didn't stop Willow. I really wanted to. But I had to deal with trying to save my family as well. I couldn't deal with every issue that's going on all at once."

"You couldn't take five minutes to kill the guy that killed Tara? I mean you knew he would do it." Xander said.

"Of course I knew. But I had to set my priorities. I had to save Connor and save my wife."

"You could have at least warned us."

"I had to save my family."

"Oh. So your family is just a little bit more important than the rest of us."

"That is not true."

"You let Tara die and Willow to turn evil."

"I wanted to save them."

"The hell you did."

While the testosterone fighting was going on, Buffy, Angel, and Anya were watching it happen. Delia however had enough of it. She walked up to both Xander and Liam and smacked them both on the back of the head. Immediately the fight stopped. They both looked at Delia. Delia looked frustrated with the both of them.

"Stop fighting." She said with determination. "We aren't going to save anyone if we fight amongst ourselves." She looked directly at Xander. "We knew. We're sorry we didn't say anything but to be honest, Willow turning evil isn't a big threat to the world's survival. I love Willow. And I would have loved to have saved her." She looked to Liam. "And I would have loved to have saved Tara. We tried and we failed. Sometimes we can't save everyone and that unfortunately includes people in the past. The only thing we can do is save as many lives as we can before shit is thrown at us. So store your dicks away for your pissing match another time. Right now we to stop Willow. Can you guys handle that?" Xander and Liam both looked at each other, each with a stunned expression at Delia's outburst. Liam had very rarely seen Delia take charge that way she just did, but when she did, she usually got people to do what she wanted. It was one of the reasons why he respected her.

Buffy put a hand on Xander's shoulder and they looked at each other. Xander nodded. Liam nodded too. They all started to walk fast.

"You heard what she said. 'One down.' " Buffy said.

"So, we're thinking 'two to go.' Jonathan and what's-his-face, the other guy?" Anya asked.

"Andrew. Both of them are just sitting in the county jail without a clue Willow's coming." Liam said.

"You don't think she's gonna kill them too? She wouldn't. There's no good reason."

"Will's got an addictive personality, and she's just tasted blood." Angel said.

"And she's a witch. One's bad enough. But both of those traits together….Might as well be dealing with a god." Liam said.

"She could be there already." Buffy said.

"No she couldn't. A witch at her level? She could only go airborne. It's a thing. Very flashy, impresses the locals, but it does take longer." Anya said.

"Longer than what?" Xander asked.

"Teleporting." With that Anya vanished in a whoosh of smoke.

"Right, Vengeance Demon. How could I... at least she'll get there first."

"And I'm counting the ways that could go wrong." Buffy said.

"Anya can handle herself."

"Against Willow, tonight? Don't be too sure." Delia said.

"She's got to come down sometime, doesn't she? I mean back there she was out of her head, running on grief and Magicks."

"Doesn't matter. Willow just killed somebody. Killing changes you. Believe me: I know." Angel said.

"Warren was a stone cold killer of women just getting warmed up. You ask me? Bastard had it coming."

"I don't disagree. But Johnathon and Andrew don't. They don't have blood on their hands." Liam said.

"This is still Willow we're dealing with right?"

"Diffidently, it's still Willow. But it'll be harder than dealing with a normal girl after a break-up. Whatever she's going through, we gotta stop her. And maybe we can if we get to the..." They stopped in front of Angel's car. It was almost ripped to shreds.

"Car." Buffy finished.

"Willow." Xander said.

"Looks like she wants to finish the job without us tagging along."

"Don't worry. She just took out dad's car." Liam said. He went over to some bushes. "Luckily I hid my car before we even…." He stopped as he saw the devastation that was his car. It was torn to shreds like his father's. He slowly turned to the rest of the gang with a surprised but angry look. "SON OF A BITCH!"

Buffy, Angel, Liam, and Delia were running through the streets.

"She wrecked my car! She wrecked my car!" Liam said for the umpteenth time while they were running.

"Would you shut up about the damn car." Delia told him off.

"It was my car."

"Angel's car was destroyed too. You don't hear him crying about it." Buffy pointed out.

"She wrecked my car." Angel said under his breathe.

Both Buffy and Delia scoffed. "Men." They said together.

The family reached Main Street and ran into the alley next to the police station. They all had their backs against the wall and the moved along it until Buffy reached the edge. They stopped and Buffy peered around the corner at the scene in front of the police station. Willow was standing surrounded by bricks and pieces of mortar, the crowd of cops were pointing guns at her and yelling, other cops were helping each other up off the ground.

"Sitrep?" Liam said.

"Willow's surrounded by cops and is trying to get Johnathon and Andrew out of the police station." Buffy said.

"She couldn't have bailed them out properly." Delia said.

"We'll need to get inside if we're going to rescue Johnathon and Andrew." Angel said.

"But how?" Delia asked.

"I know this is a little cliché, but there's always the side door." Liam said. Buffy, Angel, and Delia looked to where Liam pointed and saw the side door. Buffy walked over and turned the knob until it broke then pulled the door nearly off its hinges. They all entered the station house.

Willow was still looking up at the hole in the building as a crowd of cops gathered in front of her, pointing guns and yelling. Willow put her hands out down by her hips and lifted up into the air, floating toward the hole. She appeared right in front of the hole in the wall she created, grabbed the sides of it, and climbed inside. She looked inside and saw that the cell was empty. She saw that the cell bars have been bent aside, making a hole.

"Buffy." Willow said.

Anya was standing in the hallway just beyond the bars. "Willow, just stop for a second and listen to…" Willow lifted her hands and hit Anya with a blast of magic. Anya flew backward and hit the opposite wall. She fell down unconscious. Willow turned away and screamed a shrill, loud scream of anger.

The family led Andrew and Jonathan out the way they came. Delia had her sword drawn and Liam had his gun out. They raced into the alley. Suddenly an inhuman scream rang out. Their hands shot to their ears.

"Ahh! What is that sound? God it kills!" Andrew cried.

The screaming grew.

"We have to make a run for it." Buffy said.

"Are you kidding? She's like Dark Phoenix up there! And you expect us to just outrun her?" Andrew asked.

"Pretty much." Delia said.

Liam peered around the corner and saw the group of cops holding their guns and looking up at where Willow went. Some were holding their ears. "We need some wheels if we're going to get out of here." Liam said.

An SUV drove up next to them. Xander was in the driver's seat. "Get in." he said.

"That works." Buffy opened the back door and put the seat down to let Jonathan and Andrew in. Liam and Delia followed into the middle with Buffy. Angel was already on the passenger side. Xander drove forward. The police turned and yelled at them to stop. They didn't. They drove as fast as Xander would go.

They were now driving down a dark street.

"Is she coming?" Buffy asked.

Angel checked his mirror. "I don't see her."

"Nothing." Xander said checking his mirror.

"You guys all right?" Buffy asked Jonathan and Andrew. "Are you injured?"

"No. I, I don't think so." Jonathan said.

"Where are you taking us?" Andrew asked.

"We'll find someplace safe and keep you there until we can stop Willow." Buffy said.

"'Run and hide!' That's your brilliant plan?"

"I don't believe this!" Jonathan groaned.

"Boys? If you don't knock it off, I will pull this car over and you can just walk to your painful deaths from here." Xander said.

"I don't get it. Willow's a witch. Why doesn't she just, you know, wave her arms and make us dead?"

"She doesn't want you dead." Delia said.

"She wants to kill you." Liam finished.

"But we didn't do anything!" Andrew whined.

"You stole valuable items, aided and a bedded a murderer, tried to steal an armored car full of cash, and hung out with an asshole named Warren." Liam said and turned to face the two. "Tell me how you should be exempt from any punishment?" Both Johnathon and Warren looked sheepish and stayed quite.

"Hate to admit it, Buff, but Jonathan may have a point. Why isn't she right here right now?" Xander asked.

"Maybe, maybe she's just getting her mojo up and running, or maybe she hasn't figured out how much power she really has yet." Buffy answered.

"And neither have we." Angel said.

"Unless two people in this car are willing to share anything." Xander said looking into his rearview mirror at Liam and Delia. Buffy and Angel looked at them as well. Liam and Delia were quite for a moment.

"Willow doesn't know how much power she actually has now." Liam said finally. "But with the power she has, she doesn't have full control over it."

"She's pretty much a walking Chernobyl. Only she can direct where the blast goes." Delia said.

"So how do we stop her?" Andrew asked.

"Let's get you guys somewhere safe first before I tell you. We can't get much done driving in a SUV."

"Guess we keep running, huh?" Xander asked.

"I still can't believe that was Willow. I mean... I've known her almost as long as you guys. Willow was... you know. She packed her own lunches and wore floods and she was always... just Willow." Jonathan said.

Everyone was silent as they took what Jonathan had just said in. Willow was nothing like she was back in high school. She used to be so quiet and nice. But now she was evil and all to powerful. Liam had known Willow all his life and never once saw her evil side. He heard out it but never saw. He remembered how another red head that he loved was close to the brink, she was stopped by Willow herself. That was as close to a dark Rosenberg as he ever got, until now. The sound of a semi-truck came up behind them. They didn't think anything of it until the truck rammed them from behind.

"Geez it!" Jonathan cried.

"What was that?" Andrew asked.

"Just Willow." Xander said.

Willow was on top of the truck, driving it magically. Her eyes were all-black again. She held her hands in front of her, elbows extended, palms facing out. The driver looked confused and frustrated.

"Any ideas?" Xander asked.

"Drive faster." Everyone said. The car sped up and pulled ahead. But then the truck sped up and caught up again. Another hit. The bumper of the car came partly detached and scraped along the ground. The truck hit the car yet again. Everyone in the car looked scared.

"Well, this is faster." Xander said.

"She knows you guys are in this car too, right?" No one said anything. "Right?" Jonathan asked again. Buffy looked back and saw Willow on top of the truck. She was sweaty and she looked a exhausted. The bumpers separated.

"She's draining." Jonathan said from the back of the car.

"She's what-ing?" Xander asked.

"Just keep going." Liam ordered.

Willow grimaced and fell down to a sitting position on top of the truck. The car and truck rounded a corner onto a wide, deserted four-lane road. The car's bumper still dragged behind them, throwing up sparks. Xander concentrated on his driving. Willow was now on all fours and staring at the car, still grimacing. The truck driver yanked at the wheel and found it responding now. He swerved left, then right. The truck jack-knifed and came to a stop. The car continued speeding away.

"Cool!" Andrew said. Liam turned back and gave him a dirty look.

Dawn was still in Spike and Faith's apartment. She was holding Connor and sitting in a chair by the window. She hadn't left the apartment since Buffy left her there. But she was feeling restless. People were out there risking their lives and she couldn't do anything to help.

"Not like I'm knocking the nacho cheese ones, I like the taste." Clem said eating some snacks. He and Dawn were having a taste testing. "It's the texture I can't deal with. So gritty. Kinda hurts my tongue, so I'd give 'em... a seven. Seven-five maybe and you think this is dumb, don't you?"

"No! As taste tests go, this is definitely one of the better ones I've been to." Dawn said.

Clem sadly put the chips away. "I get it. No biggie. You guys wanna play cards?"

"Clem." Dawn said.

"I can be a real boredom-buster, if you just give me half a chance."

"It's not you."

"Still, I feel responsible. It's not fair, kid your age, cooped up in an apartment. Tell you what: let me get my hat and coat, I'll take you to a movie. We'll go nuts. PG-13!"

"Clem, look at me. Do I look weak to you? Or incapable?"

"Heck no!"

"So why am I stuck here?"

"Protect your nephew." Clem pointed out. Dawn looked down at a sleeping Connor and sighed. She did need to protect Connor. For Buffy, Angel, and Liam. Her family. But her family was out there risking their lives and she still felt like she needed to be out there. She needed to help her family. All of them. Clem sighed. "I'm still real sorry about what happened. If there's anything I can do to help, just name it."

"Anything?" Dawn asked.

"Aw, you're not going to get yourself in trouble now, are you? Or me? 'Cause Buffy's the Slayer; I'm a demon, that's real incentive to get along with her..."

"I need a demon to help me. Spike would have."

"Spike's gone."

"I know, that's why we need you."

"I'm going to regret this." Clem said as they headed out the door.

...

Anya unlocked the door to the magic shop and everyone ran in. Anya strode to the middle of the shop impatiently.

"Thanks Anya, for getting here so fast. It's a big help." Xander said.

"And once again we find Xander Harris needing the big help." Anya retorted.

"Whatever. So, can you still sense Willow? Knowing her location would be a real comfort right now."

"No. I can't. And that means whatever she's feeling, it's gone way beyond simple vengeance."

"Did I mention the me needing comfort?"

"Whatever we've got here, better grab it fast. This is going to be one of the first places Willow would think to look for us." Buffy said.

"Then what are we doing here?" Andrew asked. They all turned and looked at him. "You know, I could summon a demon to kill her."

"And I could smack you so hard your eyeballs switch sockets." Xander said.

"No one is getting killed. Now sit down and shut up." Liam ordered the nerds. Johnathon and Andrew sat down without retort.

Buffy turned to Anya. "We've got to find some kind of Magicks that'll stop Willow." Buffy said.

"But she drained the place." Angel said. "Took everything."

"Doesn't mean there still can't be something to stop her." Delia said. "Willow's strong but I doubt she could destroy or take everything that could repel Magic's."

"Exactly." Anya said. She reached under the counter with a key and unlocked a hidden door. She came back up with a small old book.

"What is it?" Xander asked.

"Book of protection spells. Anti-magick. Our last resort."

"Think you can work this stuff?"

Anya opened the book then looked back up at them. "Ah. Okay. The good news is: text is intact. Bad news is: I can't read a word of it. It's like in, ancient Sumerian or something."

"Can I take a look at…" Jonathan started.

"Shut up." Buffy and Angel cut him off.

"I just thought, you know, as long as you're protecting us, the least I could do is..."

"I'm not protecting you, Jonathan. None of us are. We're doing this for Willow. And the only reason it happens to be your lucky day is because if she kills you, a line gets crossed, I lose a friend. And I hate losing." Buffy said.

"She REALLY does." Angel said.

"So do I, but if this piece of shit knows how to do stuff we can't, our only option is to use him." Liam said.

"So what? We're going to let him take a look at spells to somehow get loose and kill us or Willow?" Buffy asked.

Liam moved over to Johnathon and held his gun up to his head. "You make the slightest move towards crossing us, and I'll put one in your lap first." He threatened. Johnathon looked very threatened.

"I get that. It's just... you know she's running out of power, right? I could tell, I could practically feel it. I've dabbled in the Magicks." Johnathon said.

"I'm thinking Willow's in a league of her own about now, dabble-boy." Xander said.

"But still, running that hot for so long. Just a matter of time before you gotta recharge. No matter how juiced up you are."

"Thank you. Now remember that thing we talk about?" Buffy asked Jonathan.

"About me shutting up?" Buffy nodded. Jonathan became quite again. Xander took Buffy, Angel, and Liam over to the side to talk to them. Delia still held her sword and looked upon Andrew and Johnathon like a lioness waiting for her prey to make the wrong move so as to pounce. This made the boys uncomfortable. Delia slightly smiled at their uneasiness.

Xander started to talk to the family. "Guys, say this works. And we stop Willow from working the hoodoo for a minute. What then?" Xander asked.

"We talk to her." Buffy answered.

"That's how it worked before." Liam said.

"How?" Angel asked.

"Not full on the details. All I know is that it was you guys, not you dad, but mom and Xander that got through to her."

"Great. So what do we say?"

"Whatever she's going to do, she starts with these two." Buffy said. "They're the line she cannot cross. And if she's running low on the Magicks, she's probably somewhere now trying to get it all back."

"Where?"

"I think I know." Xander got a look of realization. "Xander, Liam, stay here and watch the dead geeks walking. Angel and I are going to find Willow." Buffy said. She and Angel headed out and walked fast through the streets of Sunnydale.

"Rack's place was right around here last time..." Dawn said. She and Clem were walking down a deserted street near the edge of town. Dawn was still holding Connor in her arms.

"I don't feel anything. Oh well. Not here. Let's go home." Clem said.

"You don't feel anything because his place moves. I told you."

"Know why Rack moves all the time? Because he's shady. A bad element comes down here."

"I get that. But Willow's part of it now... She is the element. Rack may know where she is. Which is why we need to talk to him."

"We? In a face-to-face way?"

"Or I will. I'll go in without you."

"No, it's fine. It's just. Rack isn't partial to the floppy eared. He's got a thing. But I'm in. Absolutely."

"Either way, just get me there."

"Say Rack does know where Willow is. He's not going to tell you for nothing. He's gonna want something."

"I've got money."

"I don't think that's the kind of something he's gonna want. Rack likes little girls."

"I'm not a little girl."

"I just, I don't know if you two thought this through. I'm supposed to keep you both safe and this whole thing is. I mean, even if you guys find Willow, you really think you can stop her?" Dawn looked at Clem, not sure what to say.

Buffy and Angel were walking through the streets of Sunnydale near where Rack's place used to be and where Dawn and Clem are nearby.

"Are you getting anything?" Buffy asked.

"Not yet." Angel said.

"God. This suck's."

"We'll find her. Just have faith."

"If we don't find her."

"We will. Don't worry; she still had some bit of humanity in her. Maybe we can reach that. Liam said we can."

"Hope he's right. Really wish he could have warned us about all this."

"He probably didn't want us taking things into our own hands. We might mess up the future."

"Even more than it already is?"

"He just wants us to turn out ok."

"I get that. But he keeps secrets and doesn't tell us a whole lot. And when hell breaks loose, he usually has a hand in it."

"He's just collecting all the good cards to play out later."

"Just wish he could let us in more on his plans. You know, let us help."

"After everything we've been through, what we will go through, he probably just wants to spare us some of the stress."

"So that he can have all of it? No. No son of mine is going to kill himself over having to save the future."

"Well maybe after this we can talk to him about it."

In Rack's waiting room, Clem entered through the shimmery magic wall, looked around, and walked farther inside. Dawn appeared behind him holding Connor.

"Yay, Clem, making with the demon senses! I knew you'd find this place." Dawn cheered for Clem.

Clem looked around nervously. "It's not very clean." He said.

"Don't wig out on me again."

"It's just, I'm still not so sure you should be here. I'm not so sure 'I' should be here."

"It'll only take a minute. Here, watch him." Dawn handed Clem the sleeping Connor. "Wait here for me."

"If that works for you..." Clem said looking relieved.

"And don't do anything to him that would piss off Buffy." Dawn warned.

"Don't worry. I like kids." Dawn gave him a look. "Not that kind of like. You know the 'I like kids because they're fun and joyful'."

"Just watch him ok. Be right back." Dawn left Clem in the waiting room and opened the door to another room. Clem looked around and sighed nervously.

Dawn looked around the inner room. "Willow?" Dawn asked to the air. She turned slowly, and suddenly came face-to-face with Rack - hanging upside down, with his head at Dawn's eye-level, dead. Dawn screamed and whimpered. Then she turned frantically toward the door. But Willow was in the way.

"Hey, cutie." Willow said. Dawn stared in horror. Willow's hair was all black, her eyes were all black, and dark veins were visible all over her face. She gave a little smile. "Dawnie, what are you doing here? 'Cause if you're looking for me? Now's not a great time."

"You look terrible."

"Do I?" Willow started to move closer to Dawn.

"You're back on the magicks."

"No, honey. I am the magicks.

"Did you kill that guy?" Dawn asked as she backed away from Willow as she approached her.

Willow shrugged. "It's an improvement, believe me."

"I have to go." Dawn rushed past Willow and toward the door, then gave a little yelp of fear as Willow was in front of her again, blocking the door.

"Why? So you can run and tell Buffy?"

"Willow ... please, just listen to me."

"You don't have to talk. Just think real loud. I can hear you." Willow advanced again, and Dawn backed away.

"You're freaking me out.

"Oh, don't be like that. I'm just a little wired. And I have some things to do. I thought if anybody'd understand…"

"I miss Tara, too!" Willow stopped cold and glared. "But this? What you're doing here? This is not the way to go! You're only going to make things worse! But I promise, it's not too late to…"

"You miss her?" Willow interrupted.

"Yes." Dawn answered sounding shocked.

"Did you cry? Of course you did. I get that." Willow resumed walking toward Dawn, and Dawn resumed backing away.

"I understand the crying, you cry because you're human. But you weren't always."

"Yes, I was." Dawn said sounding hurt.

"No, please. You're telling me you don't remember? You used to be some ... mystic ball of energy. Maybe that's why you're crying all the time, Dawnie. 'Cause you don't belong here." Dawn backed away from Willow and was met by the wall. "Wanna go back? End the pain? You'll be happier. I'll be happier. We'll all be a lot happier without listening to the constant whining."

"Willow, stop..." Dawn pleaded with tears in her eyes.

"'Mom!' 'Buffy!' 'Tara!' 'Waah!'" Willow mocked Dawn. "It's time you go back to being a little energy ball." Dawn was very scared. "No more tears, Dawnie." Dawn whimpered and pressed her back up against the wall. Willow smiled a little and advanced right up to Dawn. There was a loud bang from behind her and Willow turned to see Buffy standing in the doorway.

"I think you need to get away from her." Buffy said. Dawn took her advantage and ran past Buffy where she was met by Angel holding Connor.

In the Magic Shop, Liam was by the door and peering out the closed blinds with his gun drawn. Delia was sitting at the round table, her chair leaned back and she was staring off into space. Anya sat behind the counter with the magic book open in front of her, a notebook next to her, and a pen in her hand. Xander stood right behind her looking at another book.

"You're too close." Anya said to Xander.

"How am I supposed to read?" Xander asked.

"I don't know, I'm staring right at this stuff and I can't read it."

"Well, how's the translation coming?" Anya gave a very annoyed look. "What have we got so far?

Anya sighed. "So far we've got 'the.' Well, either 'the' or 'towards,' I'm not really sure. I can't do this. I'm in retail. Stupid ancient Sumerian."

"I'm pretty sure it's Babylonian." Johnathon said form the other side of the counter. Anya and Xander looked up at him. "The text is similar, but the dialect is completely different."

"Great. Babylonian. Thanks a bushel. But unless you can read Babylonian, why don't you sit back down." Anya shot back. Jonathan went back to sit next to Andrew again.

"Why are you helping them?" Andrew asked softly.

"Because they're saving our lives, you moron." Johnathon said.

"Uh-huh. And what then? Even if they kill that Wicca bitch, you think they're just gonna let us walk? They own us."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Look around. You know magic. We're in a magic shop. We can take them." Jonathan looked at him incredulously. "The books are sucked dry, but so what? There's still like tons of supplies all around us. This is the best chance we're gonna get to make it out of here."

"And do what?"

"Start over. We can be a Duo. You and me. You can even be the leader, I swear, I'll take orders." Jonathan looked contemplative over Andrew's proposal. "I like taking orders. Just tell me what to do."

Jonathan looked like he's considering it. "You want an order?" Johnathon asked. Suddenly he jumped up, grabbed Andrew by the front of his shirt, and slammed him against a bookcase. "Grow up."

"Children, play nice, or I'll test out my new move on you two." Delia threatened not breaking her staring off into space look.

"And all of her moves end badly for the things she does them on." Liam said coming over. Jonathan let go of Andrew.

"And Willow will make you two boneless chickens skinless, too." Xander added.

"And then what? You think your little witch buddy's gonna stop with us?" Andrew shot back at all of them. Everyone glared at him. "You saw her! She's a truck-driving Magic Mama! And we've got maybe seconds before Darth Rosenberg grinds everybody into Jawa-burgers, and not one of you bunch has the midichlorians to stop her."

"Did he really just use some sorta Starwars reference on us?" Delia asked.

"Which means he hasn't had the tinniest bit of sex, have you? Xander asked.

"The annoying virgin has a point. What if Willow fillets their soles and then comes after us?" Anya asked.

"She won't."

"You don't know that."

"We're her friends, Anya. Her family. She would never hurt us."

"Don't count on it." Liam said. Xander and Anya looked at him. "The way you all told me the story, Willow was bent of vengeance that she didn't care if she hurt friend or foe. Civilian or not, she would move mountains literally if they were in her way."

"Right. Because Willow decided after her vengeance adventure, she would tell you just that." Xander said.

"Actually yes." Liam said. Xander looked a little surprised. Liam sighed before continuing. "You stopped her. You all did. Willow returned to normal and got help. When I was learning a little bit of magic, Willow told me the dangers of abusing magic and told us the story of her going dark. She kept reminding us every time she thought we would go over the edge. If it wasn't for her….let's just say the world would have ended a lot sooner if it wasn't for her teaching us right from wrong."

"I'm still a little bit blaming you for everything. You knew and coulda told us."

"So what? So you all could go off and kill him? To send him to jail so that he could break out again? Sorry Xander but neither of those options would have worked." Xander shook his head at Liam. Liam took a few steps towards him. "Xander…There is a lot that I'm trying to do, to save the future. To change it. But the one thing I don't want to change is you guys. What you've become. What you will be. You guys were my heroes. Especially you Xander." Xander looked at Liam stunned. So did Anya. "Xander you were the greatest hero out of everyone. You had no powers what so ever. And yet you face nightmares that other people could hardly dream about and you still crack a joke at the end of the day. You were so human and you helped save the world on so many occasions. You are what kept a lot of us grounded. You taught us to keep our humanity." Xander looked away from Liam to absorb everything that Liam just told him. He was a hero in the future. He had no powers and he was the greatest hero out of everyone. He never though in his dreams that he would be that kind of guy. Everyone else starred at Xander and Liam for what they just heard. Everyone was speechless.

"What are you guys talking about?" Andrew asked. Everyone looked towards him.

"Wait, you don't know?" Liam asked Andrew.

"Know what?" Johnathon asked. Liam snickered a bit.

"Wow, and here I thought you guys knew who I was."

"We saw you a few times, we never knew exactly who you were. But we all thought you were related to Angel in some way because you look so much like him." Andrew said.

"You're not wrong." Delia muttered under her breathe.

"But let's not worry about that right now." Xander said. "Right now, let's focus on saving Willow. How do we do it?"

"Like I said before, just talk to her." Liam said. "Even if it seems hopeless, even she doesn't want to talk or listen, you talk to her and she'll come back. Just gotta push it."

"Wow, that's very clear." Anya said sarcastically.

"Hey, my dad was cryptic and I got that from him."

Buffy was facing a dark Willow. Dawn had hurried behind Buffy to safety with Angel who was holding Connor. "You need to back down and think a minute Will." Buffy said.

"Wasn't gonna hurt her. Buzzkill." Willow said.

"She tried to turn me back." Dawn said.

"You're attacking the people who love you now?" Buffy asked.

"Only the ones in my way."

"That's not… you need help."

"Doing fine on my own, thanks."

"Angel take Dawn and Connor and get them out of here." Buffy ordered. Angel guided Dawn towards the door, but it slammed and locked.

"Don't we're all friends." Willow said.

"I know what you want to do, Willow, but listen to me: the forces inside you are incredibly powerful. They're strong, but you're stronger. Just remember, you're still Willow."

"Let me tell you something about Willow: she's a loser. And she always has been. Everyone picked on Willow in junior high, high school, up until college with her stupid mousy ways and now, Willow's a junkie."

"I can help. WE can help."

"The only thing Willow was ever good for, the only thing going for me, were those moments, when Tara would look at me and I was wonderful. And that will never happen again."

"I know this hurts. Bad. But Will, if you let loose with the Magicks now, it will never end."

"Promise?"

"You don't want that."

"Why not?"

"Because you lose everything. Your friends, yourself. You let this control you and the world goes away. That's not... Willow, there's so much to."

"Ack! Please! This is your pitch? You hate it here as much as I do. I'm just more honest about it."

"That's not true, not anymore."

"You're trying to sell me on the world. The one where you lie to your friends when you're not trying to kill them and you screwed a vampire just to feel and insane asylums are the comfy alternative. Then you go and get married cause you're pregnant with his kid! Oh, and let's not forget that your son comes back in time just to change the future from going to hell. Please! This world? Buffy, it's me! This world is full of pain. And I can stop it." The whole time Willow had been talking, the rooms had changed. "You know, with magic." Willow finished. Buffy and Angel looked around to find the Magic Box. Dawn was standing next to Buffy. "Sorry. It can be kind of a rough trip if you're, you know, not me."

Dawn staggered and fell to the floor. "Dawn." Buffy and Angel went to help her and they collapsed too. Connor woke up and started crying from the magic affecting him.

"Mom! Dad!" Liam yelled as soon as he saw them all appear. Xander, Anya, Delia, Johnathon, and Andrew were now all aware of the fact that four beings and baby suddenly appeared in the shop.

Willow spotted Jonathan and Andrew. She turned to them. "Jonathan, Andrew, you boys like magic, don't you?" Willow asked.

"I do." Liam responded and sent a telekinetic push at Willow, knocking her off her feet and she landed a few feet away. Delia and Xander rushed over to Buffy, Angel, and Dawn and helped them all up to their feet.

Willow got back up. "Sorry, I'm a solo girl myself." She said.

"Hope you don't mind competition." Liam said walking up the steps to Willow.

"Oh, I don't mind. I rather enjoy destroying my competition."

"Liam, she killed a warlock and stole his magic." Dawn warned Liam.

"Thanks, but I already know how this works." Liam said not breaking eye contact with Willow.

"Oh yeah, you're the one who knows everything about the past." Willow said.

"I like history."

"Well history's going to change."

"Don't I know it." Liam raised his hand just as Willow did the same. They both sent different magic blasts at each other. Willow sent a black light blast as Liam shot an energy ball. The magicks collided and sent a shockwave out that shook the entire shop.

"You're good. I'm better." Willow sent another blast at Liam and he ducked out of the way, rolled, pulled out his gun, and pointed it at Willow. "That won't work on me."

Liam smiled and fired his gun. He missed Willow and the bullet hit a bottle on the shelf right behind Willow. The bottle broke and liquid and glass splashed on Willow. She flinched and that gave Liam enough time to speed over and land a strong uppercut to Willow, lifting her up and she crashed into the shelves, breaking them. She slumped to the ground.

"You're stronger. I'm smarter." Liam said back. Willow got up and sent another blast at Liam.

Liam jumped out of the way. "Strike one." Willow sent another blast. Liam dodged again. "Strike two." Willow had enough. She used telekinesis and sent a book case at Liam. Liam dodged it without effort but it gave Willow an opening. She shot another blast at him and she hit home. Liam fell to the ground apparently dead.

"LIAM!" Buffy screamed.

"NO!" Delia yelled.

"Homerun." Willow said and turned her attention back to Johnathon and Andrew. "Now where was I? Oh right. Magic." Willow raised her hands and a dark light came from them "Abra Cadabra." Willow blasted them, but a magical shield blocked them. "Ok, I didn't see that coming." She stopped.

"W…What just happened?" Andrew asked.

"We're alive!" Jonathan exclaimed.

"You want to take it slow? I can do that too. Just ask Warren." Willow said.

"No." Buffy said. Willow shot at the guys again with the dark light, but she was blocked again. Anya was hiding in a nook around the corner, holding the magic book and muttering in Sumerian, or possibly Babylonian. She looked nervously around the corner and looked back down at the book, continuously chanting.

"Let's get out of here!" Jonathan said.

"No, no, stay." Willow said. She gestured to the training room door and it slammed shut. Jonathan and Andrew each grabbed a sword. "I mean we're just gettin' started. I got all kinds of big party plans."

Buffy collected her strength and stood up. "Will."

"Don't." Angel said, also getting warily to his feet.

"Guys... c'mon. I'm getting the wood for the violence here. And you know what they say: if at first you don't succeed..." Willow shot at Jonathan and Andrew again. Still, nothing happened to them. "Damn, this is one effective counter-spell. Won't keep you alive though."

Willow heard a clicking sound from behind her and turned around. Liam was standing behind her, completely unharmed from the blast she threw at him, with his gun pointed directly at her forehead. "Oops." He said before shooting her in the head. Willow's head jerked back and she crumpled to the ground. Liam lowered his gun and looked upon Willow's body. Everyone stared at the scene before them in shock.

"Did you…?" Dawn began to ask.

"That won't stop her for long." Liam said. Willow's eyes shot open and she stood up. The bullet that was lodged in her head came out through the hole and the wound healed.

"That won't stop her at all." Delia said.

"That….hurt!" Willow said.

"Was meant to." Liam said and threw another energy ball at Willow, hitting her in the stomach and making her stumble.

"This will hurt more." Willow sent a blast to Liam but nothing happened.

"Will, stop. You have to give this up, now." Buffy said.

Willow ignored her. "Oh, I get it. You boys put a spell on yourselves didn't you? On everyone here. Protecting you from harm from Magicks. That's cute." Buffy grabbed Willow, but she ignored the slayer and shrugged her off. "I used to be cute. Now I'm just incredibly powerful, so, whatever the problem is, I know it's not me."

Buffy stepped between Willow and the boys. "Will, back off before anybody else gets hurt."

"How bout I back off right after?" Willow looked at the boys. "So which one of you worked the mojo? Doesn't matter really. I'm just curious. Just because I can't do Magicks to you, doesn't mean I can't do 'em on myself." Willow looked down at herself. "DAH MEE-hee WIM." A black energy surrounded her and sent Buffy and Liam flying back into some bookshelves.

"Buffy!" Angel yelled.

"Liam!" Delia yelled.

"All right. Now, I'm pretty sure I'm strong enough..." Willow turned the table over, "to beat you to death."

Willow went for the boys, but Buffy came up and blocked her path. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Not a problem." Willow rushed at the boys, but stopped and spun back towards Buffy. She was trying to scare the boys a little.

"I said I didn't want to." Buffy punched Willow so hard that she went flying into the shelves that separated the table from the front of the shop. "Didn't say I wouldn't."

Willow looked up at Buffy in shock. Angel and Liam came to stand behind her. Buffy noticed Delia herding Xander, Connor, Dawn, Andrew, and Jonathan towards the door.

"Go get out. Xander take them somewhere safe." Delia said.

"Got it." Xander replied.

"What about Willow?" Jonathan asked.

"The Summers family can handle her."

"Are you sure?" Dawn asked.

"No, that's why we're leaving. Come on." Xander headed towards the door with them then turned to bring Anya too.

"I have to stay to keep the spell going on Willow." Anya said.

"But."

"Do something right!"

Willow saw them leave and she screamed, "No!" Xander looked back.

"Go." Angel told them.

Willow stood and faced the family. She smiled a little. "So, here we are."

"Are we really going to do this?" Buffy asked.

"COME ON! This is a huge deal for me. Six years as a sideman and now I get to be the slayer."

"A killer isn't a slayer. Being a slayer means something you can't conceive of."

"Oh, Buffy! You married a killer. Bred another. You're blind. You really need to have every square inch of your ass kicked."

Buffy looked at Angel, then at Liam, and then back at Willow. "Then show me what you got. And I'll show you what a slayer really is."

Willow attacked. She threw punch after punch at Buffy who blocked them. Willow tried to hit Angel, but Buffy caught her arm and spun her, nearly breaking her arm. Willow came back around and kicked Buffy into one of the side bookshelves. Then she looked at the ladder and it flew at Buffy, pinning her to the bookshelf. She tried to escape, but a barrage of books, statues, and a chair came flying at her. Angel jumped at Willow and brought her down as Liam helped get the ladder off of Buffy. Willow threw Angel away and Buffy had to dodge his flying body. Liam looked at Willow and began to fire his gun at her. The bullets ricochet off of Willow. Once he was empty, Willow threw and punch and Liam bent over backwards to dodge the blow. Buffy leaped over Liam bent form and flew into a tackle and brought Willow back to the floor. Buffy landed on top and Willow pushed her off.

"Get off super bitch!" Buffy stood up in time to receive a sidekick that flung her through the glass counter. Angel tossed Willow back and Buffy was up and grabbing onto Willow.

"I can help you stop." Buffy said.

"I thought you were going to show me what a slayer was." Willow said. Willow punched Buffy again and she went through the counter and the curtains revealing Anya casting the spell. Angel's and Liam's eyes widened and Angel rushed at Willow, but she flung him back magically, knocking him out.

"Dad!" Liam ran over to check on him.

"Well, hey. Isn't that interesting?" Willow said. Buffy stood to try to get between Anya and Willow. "Anya's still here." Willow shoved Buffy onto the front room table. ".chanting her little heart out. And I think I've been beating the wrong gal." Anya tried to run, but Willow grabbed her and lifted her up by the throat.

"HELP ME!" Anya cried.

"Can't block my spells if you can't chant. Can't chant if you're sleepin'." Willow threw Anya into the back wall of the Magic Box. Buffy stood and tried to rush Willow, but stopped short when the witch turned on her. "Buffy, I gotta tell ya: I get it now. The slayer thing really ISN'T about the violence. It's about the power." As Willow said this, a black energy formed around her and then she shot it at Buffy. Buffy soared into Giles' desk and went out for a few seconds.

"Mom!" Liam yelled.

"Dad's down. Mom's down. Let's add the son." Willow said. Liam stood up with a glare. Willow raised her hand and shot at Liam with a blast. Nothing happened. Willow was surprised that Liam wasn't affected. Liam smirked. "What? Who else is here chanting?"

"No one." Liam said and pulled out the amulet that he took off of the Romanian warlord back on his honeymoon. "Just an amulet."

"An amulet? Cliché much?"

"It's a classic."

"So I can't hit you with magic."

"No. But I can hit you." Liam raised his arm and shot a bolt of lightning at Willow, hitting her in the shoulder. She spun in the air before landing hard on her ass. "Thanks for the lessons by the way."

Willow got up to her feet. "So I taught you."

"Everything I know. Including how you went evil and how you never wanted that to happen again. You taught me the difference between right and wrong when it came to magic."

"Well here's a lesson for you. Never try to match the teacher."

"Oh I'm no longer the learner." Liam shot another blast at Willow and she went tumbling back over a table and smashing into so more bookcases. "It's your turn now." Willow got back up and faced Liam. Liam shot another blast of lightning at her and Willow blocked it with magic. The blast went back Liam but it didn't faze him. Willow ran at him and dodged another blast. She rolled on the floor and kicked Liam's feet, making him fall to the floor. Willow got up and tried to stop on his face but Liam rolled out of the way. Liam leaped up and both he and Willow exchanged blow after blow, blocking one another. Liam spun kick at Willow and she caught the foot. Liam used it as a step and hit willow with his other foot, sending her to the ground. She got up and smiled at Liam. "What are you looking so smug about?" Liam asked. Willow held up the amulet that Liam use to have around his neck. Liam's eyes grew wide. Willow crushed the amulet in her hand and it broke. "Oh shit." Willow shot a blast and Liam went flying into the opposite wall. He slumped to the ground unconscious.

"And there's no one in the world with the power to stop me now." Willow said. Buffy, Angel, and Liam looked up groggily just as Willow was hit by a green blast of energy. She went flying back onto the marble floor and slid to a stop. When she looked up, her nose was bleeding. Then she looked up at the door.

Everyone followed her eyes and saw Giles standing in the doorway. "I'd like to test that theory." He said.

Here endeth the chapter, and the story is just about finished. I'll try to post the very last chapter of this book before my school starts again. Expect a chapter sometime by Monday night or Tuesday at latest. Comment and Review.