They drove through the night quickly. Buffy watched as Sunnydale passed by her. Oz hummed one of his songs as he drove. He parked his van behind the Bronze and they waited for Anya and Angel to get out.

Oz kissed her and quickly removed his clothing. The shift was easy. Buffy grinned as she stroked his soft fur. He nuzzled his head into her chest and she fought back the urge to giggle. She knelt down and leaned her head against his powerful shoulder. They had to get moving. She knew it, but it was so hard to force herself out of the van.

"We gotta save Willow, then you and I are going to get everything else straightened out." She stroked Oz's canine head as he nodded.

Angel glowered at them as they emerged from the truck. He made no effort to hide his feelings and Buffy felt the anger and hurt bubbling up from within her.

"Don't you dare look at me, at us like that, Angel." Buffy's hands fell to her hips as she snarled. "If you hadn't been so damn selfish we wouldn't be in this situation. Willow might have been pissed, but she'd have moved on eventually. You've been around for a pretty long time, ever going to grow up?"

"He is a vampire. They don't do change well. Most can't even adapt to the simple changes in fashion." Anya said. Her chirpy, didactic tone reminded Buffy that they had more important things to do.

"He'll be a pile of dust if he doesn't learn this lesson quickly." Buffy met her ex boyfriend's gaze steadily. He merely nodded and turned away. Oz rubbed against her leg. "Let's get this show on the road."

Buffy followed Oz into the club with Angel and Anya at her back. There were naked people everywhere and she couldn't help the blush that rode her cheeks as Oz searched for Willow's scent.

"She really is quite powerful," Anaya remarked. "This kind of mayhem has consequences. I'm surprised, she hasn't been approached to join the ranks of vengeance demons. She'd be good at it."

"That's my friend you're talking about," Buffy said quietly.

"No, not anymore, not really. Even if you manage to get her back from this, it won't be the same. You'll never trust her fully again. You need to know that going in. Whatever happens your Willow is gone. Your best case scenario is turning her away from the darkness and giving her a chance at redemption. I'm sorry she won't just morph back into the person you knew, but look at what she has done. You don't come back from this, not easily." Anya touched Buffy's shoulder gently. It was an awkward attempt at comforting her.

"You seem to be handling humanity well enough." Buffy shrugged Anya's hand off of her shoulder.

"I miss it. Every minute of every day on this mortal plane, I miss what I used to be, what I could do. He misses the freedom and the joy of being soulless, too." Anya waved her hand at Angel. "The soul keeps him in check, but not perfectly. He chose to help your little friend, and he knew better. Any master vampire would know the consequences of blood magic."

Angel glared at the ex demon and moved further from them. Buffy watched him with narrowed eyes. He had never been the same Angel after he crawled his way out of hell. She had known it but looked the other way to alleviate her guilt. He needed to get out of her town. She didn't need to worry about him being footloose and soul free while her body swelled and changed. She pressed her hands against the sides of her belly just as Oz whirled and barked. He had found the trail.

Buffy trailed behind her mate with two formerly or not so formerly evil creatures and wondered how her world had become so complicated. She felt one of the twins shift inside her and pushed all the deeper thoughts away.

They would stop Willow and help her if they could. Their friendship was damaged, probably beyond repair. She closed her eyes for a moment, fighting back tears. Maybe, in time, they would grow back together. Friendships could grow and change just as the people in them did. She looked over at Anya. Her mind whirled and a truth became crystal clear.

"You didn't come to us to protect you," she said plainly. "It's a good excuse, self serving and believable, but not the truth."

Anya glared at her, but she could see the fear in the girl. It was there, a beacon to her slayer senses.

"No, I don't need your protection, but Xander does. He will never leave you. You're his friend, but you are also his hope for the world. He loves you. I would have seduced him by now if it weren't for you. I lost my amulet because I didn't want to make him suffer. I wasn't on my game and you and your merry band of misfits caught me." Anya looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"So sorry we foiled your plans," Buffy sneered.

"You've been so caught up in your own drama you never even noticed what your best friend was doing. Xander could have been killed." Anya paled as the angry words left her lips.

"You love him," Buffy said and tilted her head as she examined the pretty girl. Angel snorted.

"She was a demon for over a millennia. She can lie, Buffy." Angel's voice had regained its dominating edge.

"I couldn't figure that out for myself. Thanks so much." Buffy ground out as she turned toward the vampire. "How have I managed to survive without your constant sage advice?"

Oz walked around her legs and nipped at the clothes she was carrying. She looked up at City Hall with dread.

"What? Now, we have to fight city hall. Really?"Buffy looked into Oz's knowing eyes and headed to the cover of some bushes for him to change.