bTitle/b: The Lawyer, the Witch, and the Weather
bAuthor/b: Lauren
bFeedback/b: If the PTB are willing...
bDistribution/b: You want it? It's yours.
bSpoilers/b: "To Shanshu in L.A." But Lindsey has his hand.
bContent/b: Lindsey/Willow
bRating/b: PG-13 to R
bDisclaimer/b: Joss Wheadon and many others own the characters of BtVS (lucky bastards).
But there are a few original minor characters that belong to me.
bNote/b: This was my first fan fic that I ever wrote. It was the response to "The Boredom
Challenge" at Lindsey McDonald Fan Fiction. And becaue I'm me, I decided to be daring by doing a
crossover.
bStatus/b: COMPLETE
bLength/b: 8 Chapters

+++++++++++++

Part 8: The Final Chapter
Rating: PG

font size=8 i[Saturday, November 12, 2000] /font /i

Angel, Wesley, Cordelia, and Spike sat in the Angel Investigations office all reading their own
separate pieces of literature. Willow was in the middle of the room pacing back and forth, his
mind racing about the events from the previous night.

"I can't believe we just left him there. We could have at least have waited until we found out
if he was going to be ok." Willow finally spoke up.

"He'll be fine." Angel answered her whining quickly, never even looking up from his book.

"But we don't even know!" She squealed.

"He didn't lose that much blood." Spike commented, never looking up from his paper either. "I
would know." He commented again, this time licking his lips.

"Even if he did, what's one less lawyer in the world?" Cordy jested, never taking her eyes off
the fashion section of the latest "Marie Clarie".

"I can't believe you guys are saying this." Willow sank to the floor, defeated by the
disinterest of her friends.

"Willow," Wesley said, being the first to look at her. "This is no way to spend your last day in
L.A. Relax. Your going to be leaving in a few hours, then you'll forget all about this mess
here."

Willow glared at Wesley with anger blazing in her eyes. "I'll never forget about what happened
here." She got up and stormed from the office into the now warm Los Angeles air.

Wesley looked back and forth at the people in the room. "Isn't anyone going to go after her?"
He asked exasperated.

"Just go back to reading, Wes." Angel said.

++++++++++++++++

A figure sat in the of Lindsey McDonald's hospital room. He had been unconsious since he was
brought in the previous night. The figure never moved; it did nothing but sit and stare, waiting f
or its savior to wake.

After an eternity of agony, watching the wounded lawyer, the figure rose from its corner and
approached the bed. "I'm so sorry." She said. "You shouldn't have done that for me." Willow
buried her head in the hospital bed and cried.

She cried for herself and her pain. But mostly she cried for Lindsey, who had made the ultimate
sacrifice for her and she had no way of paying him back for it.

Willow lifted her head from the bed and looked at Lindsey. She laughed slighty looking at a
piece of hair that hung in front of his eyes, which she moved away. She glanced at his shoulder. It was bandaged up but the center was bloody from the deep wound.

Her eyes filled with tears looking at the laceration. That's what made her realize that he
really did love her, but she couldn't do anything about it. Lindsey was in danger with her
there. She couldn't put him in jeopardy every time she was around.

Willow glanced at the clock. 3:45. It was time for her to leave. She stood up from beside and
the bed and leaned over Lindsey. "Thank you." She whispered, and softly kissed him on his
forehead.

Once again, her eyes filled with tears, as she took her final look at Lindsey. She grabbed her
coat and headed out to door in route to the airport.

+++++++++++++

"Well, thanks for the.... interesting time I've had here."

"Of course you did." Wesley nodded. He walked to Willow and gave her a hug. "Thank you for all
your help. We could never have done it without your help." He hugged her again. "And I'm sorry
about everything that has happened during your visit." He whispered in her ear.

"Thank you." Willow whispered back. She moved down the line to Spike. "Are you sure your not
going to reconsider coming back with me?"

"Nah. In case, those lawyers are Wolfram & Hart start with their bloody tricks again, I should
be around." Spike answered, folding his arms over his chest in an attempt to look manly. "They
need me here."

"Like Angel needs a hole in his leg." Cordy shot back at him. Angel glared at her for the
comment about his injury. "Well, someone's feeling like his usual self." She said with a smile,
patting Angel on the back.

Willow gave Spike a hug and moved down the line again to Cordelia. "Thanks for the
great...shopping adventures."

"Oh wait, that reminds me!" Cordy ran to a bench nearby and picked up a yellow shopping bag.
"This is for you." She handed the bag to Willow.

Willow took the bag and started fishing through, becoming very nervous about what she would
find at the bottom. She found the object hidden inside and pulled it out. It was a pair of hot
pink pleather pants.

"I knew you liked them, so I went and bought you a pair after you left this morning. Now you
can always think of us when you wear them." Her face beaming with her usual smile.

"Thanks." Willow said, still examining her gift. "I'll wear them as soon as I get home." She
smiled, trying not to show with her face how much she didn't want the pants. She hugged
Cordelia and moved to the final person in the line, Angel.

"Well, Angel...I guess this is goodbye."

"Well, for now at least." Angel looked at the floor and played with the carpet with his foot,
unsure of what he could say to her. "You could probably use a couple more spells in the future.
If your interested, of course."

"You know I am." Willow smiled at him and gave him a farewell hug. "Thanks for the book." She
reached under her arm and pulled "Love Torn" from underneath her arm. "A little onboard reading."

"But you already know the ending."

"Well," Willow said, quickly flipping through the pages of the book. "I think I need to read a
happy ending right now."

Angel nodded in agreement, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Have a good flight,
Will."

"Flight 771, for Sunnydale, leaving at 7 pm, is now boarding at Gate 15. Repeat, flight 771,
for Sunnydale, leaving at 7 pm, is now boarding at Gate 15. Thank you." The intercom echoed
through the airport.

"Okay. Bye guys." Willow bent down and picked up her carry-on and the shopping bag carrying the
newest edition to her wardrobe. She took her final look at her friends and headed for the gate.

"WAIT, WILLOW. STOP!" A voice called from behind. Willow turned to see who was calling for her.
It was Lindsey, limping towards the gate.

"Ohmigod, Lindsey." Willow dropped her bags and ran towards her as fast as her legs. Angel and
the rest of the crew, catching sight of this, ran to Lindsey as well. "Lindsey, are you
alright?" She let Lindsey use him for balance. He was still weak.

Willow led him over to a bench nearby and propped him against. Angel came by and moved Willow
out of the way. "What are you doing here?" He barked at Lindsey, never taking his eyes off of
his.

"Angel," Willow stepped in front of Angel and moved him away. "Please, just let me do this."

Angel looked into her swollen dark eyes. "Angel, Please!" she pleaded, her eyes filling with
tears. He couldn't hurt her like that. Angel stepped back from the wounded lawyer and left for
the exit. He wouldn't hurt Lindsey, but he didn't want to be there when they reconciled.

"Um..." Wesley looked from side. "Goodbye, Willow." He left quickly, not far behind Angel.

"We better get going too." Cordy commented, tugging on Spike's jacket.

"I think I might stay here for awhile." Spike stood over the couple, trying to stare down
Lindsey.

"LET'S GO, SPIKE!" Cordy grabbed Spike by his ear and dragged him around the corner towards the
exit. Wes and Angel were waiting for them to join, and the four headed for the exit, with Cordy
still holding onto Spike's ear.

"Let me go!" Spike yelled.

"God, you like such...a...baby!" Cordy shouted, letting him go. The two went into their usual
mode of getting into an argument.

"Would you please?" Wesley interrupted, trying to catch up with Angel's fast pace. "Do you
think it was a good idea for us to leave her there?"

"She doesn't need us, Wes." Angel fished through his pocket for his keys. "She needs him."

++++++++++

The music over the speaker echoed through the halls of the airport, making the concrete
building even more sad and empty then it already was.

center i"Open the window
Let the sunset in
If only for the last time
Let me see you smile again" /center /i

"Lindsey, how did you know how to find me here?" Willow asked, moving a piece of har hanging
his eyes.

"I knew you were leaving today." Lindsey answered breathlessly. "I couldn't let you leave again.
Not unless I got to see you again."

"But, how did - "

"The nurse told me that you left. I had to get out. They can't stop me."

center i"I'll take my records
You can have your books
I'm sorry I never read them
But it says so much about us.
p
Always trying
To make love out of care
The perfect recipe
But something wasn't there"/center /i

Willow looked at her folded hands in her lap. "You shouldn't have come. It's not right for you
to be here."

Lindsey took his hand and lifted her head. "Yes, it is." He took his thumb and wiped away a
tear that fell down her face. "Willow, I love you. I fell in love with you moment I saw you.
I was too stupid to realize that I was." He took his hand away from her face. "You're
everything I've ever wanted."

"Lindsey," She took his hand and held it with both of hers. "I love you too."

center i"And I wish you,
Sunrays and Saturdays
Perfect starry nights
Sweet dreams and moonbeams
And a love that's warm and bright" /center /i

"Really? You love me too?" Lindsey wanted to be sure that the one thing that he was hearing was
really true. She nodded, confirming that it was true. "Then this is great. You can stay here
with me. Everything's going to be perfect."

"No!" Willow burst into tears and held her head in her hands.

center i"Sunrays and Saturdays
Friendship strong and true
Oceans of blue and a room with a view
To live the life you choose"/center /i

"Lindsey, don't you get it? We can't! Look at you, you?hurt, all because of me!" She looked
into his ice blue eyes. The ones that she fell for the first moment she saw him. "I can't put
you through that."

"Flight 771, for Sunnydale, is making it's final boarding at Gate 15. Repeat, flight 771, for
Sunnydale, is making it's final boarding at Gate 15. Thank you." The intercom interrupted the
music.

center i"You'll write me letters
I'll call you on the phone
A wire away from touching
And never quite alone"/center /i

"I have to go, Lindsey." Willow got up from the bench and went to pick her things that she had
left in the middle of airport.

"Last call, miss." The steward shouted to her.

"I'll be right there." She struggled with her items as she tried to get herself organized.

"Willow," Lindsey had gotten up from his bench. "So, this is it? Nothing else?"

center i"We'll get to know ourselves again
And we'll heal our hearts
It's not that we're bad together
We're just better off apart"/center /i

"Lindsey, I love you, but you're in too much danger with me here. Please understand." She
leaned against him, careful not to put pressure on his wound. "I'm sorry."

He pulled her closer to him. "I'm not. I love you, Willow."

"I love you too, Lindsey." He leaned in to kiss her. She met his lips and for that one moment,
everything was perfect.

center i"Always trying
To have one and one make two
And even though it never worked
I still feel love for you" /center /i

She pulled away from his lips, from his arms, from him, forever. "Goodbye Lindsey." Willow
turned and head for the gate, where the steward was waiting for her. Willow looked at Lindsey
as she watched his figure disappear behind the heavy door.

center i"And I wish you,
Sunrays and Saturdays
Perfect starry nights
Sweet dreams and moonbeams
And a love that's warm and bright"/center /i

Lindsey lifted his hand and waved to her hoping for a moment of absolution, but it never came.
He hobbled over to the large glass window to watch the plane carrying the love of his life,
take off forever. He waved to the plane, hoping in someway that Willow would see him.

center i"Sunrays and Saturdays
Friendship strong and true
Oceans of blue and a room with a view
To live the life you
Live the life you
Live the life you choose"*/center /i

*******

"This way, Miss." The friendly steward moved her to her window seat, facing the airport. He took
her bag and placed it over the compartment. "Have a good flight."

Willow carried her book underneath her arm, getting ready for the flight home. She turned to
look at the airport. She lifted her arm to wave to Lindsey, even though she was postive he
couldn't see her.

"Hello, everyone. This is your captain speaking." The intercom interupted once again. "We're
about to take off now, so please fasten your seatbelts and thank you for flying the friendly
skies
with Cali-lines."

Willow took her final look at the airport as the plane's engines started. The plane took off
down the runway and lifted into the air. She watched the earth disappear and be replaced by
fluffy white clouds and a pink sky as the sun was started to set in the west. She reached up
to her eye and wiped a small tear from her eye, thinking about all she had left behind. She
reached underneath her seat for "Love Torn". She opened to the first page and started reading
to herself. 'Love is one of the most wonderful emotions in the world. But it can also be the
most painful...'
______________________________________________________

font size=8*"Sunrays and Saturdays" by Vertical Horizon /font