Author's Notes: Starts at Halloween, and runs through Graduation. What were our heroes really thinking during seasons two and three?

Friendship
By Cobalite Ice

Willow shut the book, and paused for a second. "Eighteen? That's really weird." She took a closer look at the woman on the page. She started giggling as she walked out of the bathroom.

Xander gave her an odd look. "What was so funny in there?"

She handed him the book. "Guess who made an appearance on page 243?"

"Setsuna. What's she doing in here?" Xander stared at the picture, then noted the entry. "Angel."

"She was keeping an eye on him. I guess we didn't want him dying of syphilis before Darla found him." Willow sighed. "I'd better go return this."
****
Usagi dreamt, not of Mamoru or ice cream, but of darkness. Emptiness completely surrounded her. "Hello?" Her own voice echoed around the empty space.

Then a small far away voice answered her. "Promise me, Usagi."

"Angel? Where are you? You sound so far away." Usagi's voice drifted across the abyss.

"I did something, Usagi, and it's breaking the tethers of my soul. You have to stay away from Sunnydale until Buffy can get rid of me." He appeared before her, looking sadder than she'd ever seen him.

"No, she can't kill you! Willow remembers the curse, she can cast it again." Usagi grabbed for his arm, and her hands went through.

"You know that spell requires a lot of dark energy. It's not right for a white sorceress to work it, Usagi. You have to wait, you know I'll come back. This time, maybe Destiny will give you a human brother. Tell my friends, I'm sorry for whatever I'm about to do." He started to disappear.

"No! Angel!" Usagi felt the last vestiges of their mental link snap. She woke up with a scream on her lips. "ANGEL!" **** "Leave Willow alone, and deal with me." Buffy wonders how to get Willow free.

Angelus smiles. "But she's so cute and helpless." Xander gets closer. "Really a turn on."

Xander shoves the cross into Angelus' face from behind. He reels back and drops Willow. She cries out as she falls backward into Xander, and they collapse against the wall. Angelus turns to Jenny and wards her off with a hand as he starts to back down the hall. When he reaches Buffy he grabs her by the shoulders. She inhales in fright. He whispers, "Things are about to get *very* interesting." He kisses her, shoves her into the wall and backs out the door.

Willow and Xander are up again. "Buffy, you okay?" Buffy just stares at the door. "Buffy."

They head towards the library, and Willow and Xander stop outside the door. He pulls her into a hug. "What do we do, Wills?"

"I don't know. I..I can't deal with this. He made us promise him, Xander. He wanted us to kill him if this ever happened."

"Meet me at his old apartment tonight. I think I have a plan."
****
"You think this will work?" They stood outside the factory.

"Oh, it'll work." They wore no armor, but it was definitely Araumi and Kazeno in control. They wore their true faces, the ones they were born with a thousand years ago. Even if Spike and Dru saw them, they wouldn't be able to tell. They linked arms, and marched into the front room. Angelus was there, alone, pacing. He didn't notice them come in. Ara silently crossed her daggers, and whispered, "Poseidon's Prayer."

A blast of energy knocked Angelus into the wall. "What the hell!"

"Hello, Angelus." Kaze smiled at him as they moved farther into the room. He held up his blade. "I wouldn't do anything stupid. I'm not Xander, I could use this."

"So you're actually going to keep your promise?" Angelus got to his feet. "I'm not going out without a fight."

"We're not here to fight you. You're weakened without Angel soul, but you could still use Tranquility's power. I can't let you do that. I won't serve you, neither of us will." Ara grabbed his hand, and for the first time, the ring allowed itself to be removed. "You'd better hope Usagi doesn't come to Sunnydale, Angelus, because she'll do worse than kill you. She could use the crystal on you, and god knows if it would kill you or heal you."

"Without him, you're worthless. Just a demon. When the times comes, if the Slayer fails, we will kill you." Kaze brought the but of his sword down on Angelus' neck, and he fell to the floor. He looked Ara in the eyes. "We should kill him now, do as our prince wished."

"No, not yet."
****
Willow lay sprawled out on her bed, books pulled from subspace scattered around her. "We could do it. There's a lot of spell that would let us, but there's one problem."

"The dark energy." Xander sighed from his place on the floor. "When you cast it the first time you had all the soul energy from the dead to work with. When the gypsy's used it, they had the spirit of their strongest healer that wanted revenge. What do we have that would give us that much black magic that wouldn't kill us?"

"I don't think you'll like my idea." Willow peered over the edge at Xander. "Before I tell you, I want you to remember I loved the King just as much as you did."

"My father? What does he have to do with this." Xander's face suddenly went white. "Willow, you don't mean..."

"We buried the statue here. They want to put up some low rent housing in the area. We just make sure they find the statue. You know Dru, she can't resist a good world destruction plan."

"My father died to keep Alcatha from destroying our worlds. The portal that brought Alcatha here sucked him into a hell dimension. How can we unleash that on the world?"

"Even having it out of the stone casing would give me the power I need. Angelus would never have the chance to open the gate."

"Alright. Anything to get rid of that monster."
****
That night, they dreamed. Not their usual dreams of the past, this was something different. Willow and Xander stood face to face with their counterparts for the first time. "What's going on?"

Ara raised a hand, and silences her. Willow studied her true face for the first time. During a battle, there had never been time to look into a mirror, and their memories were always in the first person. Her hair was brown, rather than red, and she was dressed as a medieval noble woman. "We know what you are planning."

"It's wrong! Xander, our father died to seal Alcatha." Kaze looked crazed. He wore no armor, just leather pants and a peasant style shirt.

"He'll die if we don't do this. You don't have to help, but you can't stop us." Willow put her resolve face on.

"I will find a way to stop this." Kaze told them, and disappeared.

Xander disappeared as soon as Kaze did. In this place, their ancient souls held the power. "Kaze will come around, Willow. I want to help you, I want Tranquility back. If you let me perform the spell, we could combine our energies."

"We won't have to. I can arrange for Jenny to get the spell."

"Good. Is she strong enough?" Ara knew they would likely only have one chance.

"I think so." Willow paused before leaving. "The happiness clause?"

"A dead body isn't conducive for a soul. Happiness allows it to take flight, but it can't reach the afterlife. This wouldn't have happened to Terra, because she was still alive. I'll think on it. It's something we can always fix later."

"Okay." Willow almost disappeared. "Is it possible for us to merge, to coexist?"

"Yes, like the Senshi do. It's something I've been thinking about. Maybe after the spell, when you've had some time to think about it?"

"Yeah. It's just, I always feel like a part of me is missing."

"A part of you is. But it's possible to be whole again."

****
"He's a werewolf!"

"She's Cordelia! I have just as much right to move on as you do. You remember what you told Angel? Screw destiny, Xander. I waited for you long enough."

****
Willow's hands were shaking as she dialed Xander's number. Buffy was sitting a few feet away, slumped. "Xander, there's been...there's been a murder."

"Who?" His arm tightened around Cordelia. "Not Oz?" Buffy thought Angelus was targeting people close to her, and she wasn't wrong. But he also targeted people close to them.

"No. Jenny. He left her in Giles' bed, Xander." Willow wiped away a stray tear.

"This changes everything. Times up, Willow." He hoped Cordelia would take this as his typical anti-Angelus routine rather than what it really meant.

"I know." Her voice dropped to a whisper so Buffy couldn't hear. "We'll have to do it ourselves."

"Soon."
****
"If I decide to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one microsecond that you could stop me?"

"Maybe not. Maybe that security guard couldn't either. Or those cops... or the orderlies... But I'm kinda curious to find out. You game?"

Angelus pauses. "Buffy's White Knight. You still love her. It must just eat you up that I got there first."

Xander fights his nervousness. "You're gonna die. And I'm gonna be there. Cause that's the way we'll always be."

Angelus slaps the flowers against Xander's chest. "Tell her I stopped by." He gives Xander one final look and then goes back through the waiting room to the elevator.

Xander shudders, covers his mouth and lets out a breath of relief. "Old friend, I've never been her white knight. That's always been your job. Now, I keep her safe until Willow can bring you back to us."
****
Come on, Will. Look, you don't have a choice here. You gotta wake up. I need you, Will. I mean, how am I gonna pass trig, you know?" Xander chuckles. "And who am I gonna call every night... and talk about everything we did all day? You're my best friend. You've always..."

He looks at her for a long moment, looks away for an instant and then at her again, struggling with his emotions. "I love you." Her face twitches and her hand gives his a squeeze. Xander's eyes widen in hope. "Willow?"

She takes a few breaths before responding, with her eyes still closed. "Oz? Oz?" Xander leans away, taken aback.

Oz hears her as he walks into the room. "I'm here."

Xander looks back at Oz. "She's just starting to wake up." He gets up to let Oz go to her. Oz takes her hand and leans over the bed. Willow still has her eyes closed.

"Hey, baby."

Willow weakly mummers, "Hi."

"I'm gonna go get a doctor." Xander leaves, and in the hallway leans against the wall. "I waited too long. I waited too long, and I lost her."
****
Kaze had been entrusted to do this. Xander had given up his body so that Ara could draw from him while she performed the spell, and she'd sent him to warn the Slayer of her plans. "Willow. Uh, she told me to tell you..."

"Tell me what?"

Kaze pauses to think. What he's about to say will change his relationship with the soul forever. "Kick his ass."

Without a word she continues walking. Kaze pauses for a moment and then follows her.
****
For once, Usagi did as she was told, but the moment she felt his soul returned to him, and the knife enter his gut, she was heading for Sunnydale. Haruka had agreed to come with her, and piloted her private jet. "Haruka, will it distract you if I talk?"

"No more than usual, Odango." Haruka joked. "We want to thank you, Buffy, for telling us they're alive. You don't know what it was like for us, wondering."

"Promise you won't crash us into the ocean."

"Spit it out, Usagi."

"They don't remember you."

Haruka's hands closed around the wheel in a death grip. "What did you just say?"

"They don't remember you. Maybe he knows he has a sister, but he couldn't pick you out of a crowd. He doesn't look like Kaze, and Ara's a redhead. I didn't want to tell you this way, I wanted to see if they remembered you, but it's been a year. Mostly, they remember battles, each other, and the final days. Haruka, he may not remember you, but he remembers King Uranus."

"My father?"

"They know things we don't. After Galaxia left, I've gotten more back, but their memories are much clearer."

"It's alright. I'm not going to crash into the ocean." Haruka reassured her friend.

"Good." Usagi gave a relieved sigh.
****
Xander rested his head in Willow's lap. "He betrayed me."

"It'll be alright." Willow stroked his hair. "I don't know how yet, but it will be alright."

"My second soul betrayed the man he was sworn to protect, and there was nothing I could do! He told Buffy to kill him, Willow. I refuse to merge with him, Willow. I won't, I'll keep him caged. I can still use some of his power without transforming. I don't think I can ever trust him again." He tugged at the ring on his finger, and for the first time, it pulled off. "I don't think he wants to be in this body anymore either.

Willow sighed. "Then I won't either, Xander. But we'll find her, and find a way to bring him back." She too removed her ring, sadness filling her. 'This isn't over, not for us, Ara. We have to work together, if they won't.' A voice spoke back. Anytime.

"It would take a miracle."

The phone rang. "Hello? You're where? You brought who? Never mind! Thank god you're here. We'll meet you at the Bronze."

"Who was that?" Xander was a little upset about being displaced from his comfy Willow-pillow.

"That was our miracle." Willow bubbled with barely restrained enthusiasm. "Usagi's ten minutes away."

Xander saw a ray of hope.
****
Haruka had lost Usagi in the throng, and was working her way through a soda at the bar. A dejected looking boy sat down next to her. "You having one of those nights too?"

"Yeah." Xander sighed. "Ever been betrayed by yourself?"

"Once or twice. Did you see a blond with really long hair, and buns on the top?"

Xander stared. "You're here with Usagi?"

"Haruka. Ten'ou Haruka."

"Xander Harris." He shook her hand, and went into a memory flash.

I slam the door shut, and squeeze my eyes closed. I'm panting from running so fast. Ara looks up from her book. "Did you find them?"

I nod mutely.

"Well, what are they doing? It sounds like they're moving furniture." Ara notices I look pale. "Love, are you okay?"

There is a knock on the door. "Kaze, Kaze, Onni-san, come on, let me in."

"Go away." I start searching for a place to hide.

My sister forces the door open, and I can see she hadn't even stopped to get dressed. "Kaze, we need to talk."

I shake my head no. "I didn't see anything, honest. Next time I'll knock."

"And you won't tell Mother?"

How could I? She'd have a heart attack, and we've already lost one parent. "Not a peep." I sigh as she leaves.

Ara burst out laughing. "You walked in on her! But, if she's got someone in there, where's my sister?"

"She's-"

Xander shook himself back to the present. "I'd forgotten I had a sister."

Haruka was grateful he remembered her now. "You grew up good, Xander. Except, you used to be able to match."

"We aren't like the rest of you. The entirety of Kaze's soul is within me, even if we're not speaking. To blend in, all that we were was submersed."

"Everything?"

"I couldn't even shoot straight until Halloween." Xander was still shaking off the memory. "This was the first time I actually saw you in a memory."

"What was I doing?" Haruka always wondered about the little things that the crystal didn't deem important enough to remember.

"More like who you were doing, and no, I don't remember." Xander watched her go bright red. "But I take it you do."

Willow wandered over. "Xander, what would Cordelia say if she saw you?"

"Willow, this is Ten'ou Haruka. My sister! I have a sister!" Xander was almost bouncing on his chair.

"I remember you, I think. I know I thought of someone I called my sister right before I died, but I always thought I was talking about one of the Senshi. I'm Willow, it's nice to see you again, Lady Uranus."

"You're so formal." Haruka laughed. "Who's Cordelia?"

"My girlfriend." Xander knew what would come next. Considering his recent confession, he hoped Willow would field questions.

"You're not together? But... you two are soulmates." Haruka would have been less shocked if Usagi had chosen Seiya.

"Everything about us was locked away. I've got someone else too. We think it was to keep us safe in case we never needed to use our powers." Willow looked kind of sad. "Never mind about that, tell me about my sister."

Haruka pulled out her wallet, and handed her a picture. It was a picture of a seemingly normal family. A guy, (well, almost) a girl, and a baby. "Michiru Kaioh. I would have brought her with me but she had a concert."

"She played the violin?'" Willow saw a brief fragment of a duet. "Who's the little girl?"

"Not so little anymore. This was taken right after she was reborn. The baby is Tomeo Hotaru, Sailor Saturn."

"When were things so bad you needed Saturn?" Willow recalled waiting for her, praying not to die, but slipping away with a kiss. Then, pieces of her memory aligned with the picture. "Oh. Now I remember."

"Remember what?" Xander seemed confused, not realizing the implications of two women, one dressed as a man, raising a baby together.

Haruka sighed. Apparently, Kaze's quick mind had been repressed too. "Let's just say I'm the kind of sister you can take with you to cruise of chicks."

Now he got it.
****
Usagi turned the ring over in her palm. "Is he dead? Can I use the crystal to bring him back?"

"When Father was pulled into the vortex, two months went by before we could pull him out. By then..." Xander almost couldn't go on. "In this hell dimension, an hour equals a year. If Angel were human, he would already be dead."

"But he's not." Usagi stood, with a determined look on her face. The crystal filled her mind with knowledge of her ancient ancestors, and she knew what to do.

Haruka always hated that look. "Odango, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make a deal with the devil." She shifted to Serenity, and disappeared.
****
The First wore the form of a young brown hared woman that was once called Cathy. It was enjoying torturing the duel souls of Tranquility and Angel, lying separated in their respective bodies. It sensed the sudden presence of purity, and realized SHE had finally returned. No, not the God-Queen. This was her descendant, one it had battled before. "Child of Serenity, you have returned to us."

"Unlike my ancestors, I don't consider this a nice place to visit, or live." It was truly the Neo-Queen standing there. This would forever change Usagi, the bubbly airhead that had slowly been growing up had finally merged with the powerful princess in her.

"All the world began as a hell, so don't be petty, Moon child. Even the godlings make mistakes, or the Hellmouth wouldn't leak. I assume you come for your brother?"

"Show your true face. You are no more a child than I a normal girl."

It became a shapeless mass of black energy. It pulled away from the tables and Serenity could see what had been done. "How could you do this?"

"I've separated them. Isn't it wonderful? I made a mistake all those years ago, trying to take Terra. Tranquility would have been so much easier. But my pact with the godlings states I can not keep one of them hear against their will. You may take Tranquility, but the vampire stays here."

"They can't exist apart." Serenity slammed her fist on the stone altar. "You must give me both of them."

"You are not your ancestor. You don't have the power to take them by force as the souls of the first humans were once stolen."

"I defeated your puppet in the mortal world. I have come to hell, and I won't leave without both my brother and his carrier," And then Serenity said the First's true name, one now lost to mankind. "Metallia."

"Do not say that name so lightly. Alright, Lady Serenity, you may take both, on one condition." The First's energy seemed to smile.

"What condition?"

"They will both be returned, as one entity, when the Slayer loses all hope of his return."

"That could take years." Serenity was beyond anger at this point.

"Then take your brother and leave me the vampire."

Usagi swallowed. "Fine, I accept your condition."

"One other thing. If the vampire willingly defaults on his soul, it will be returned to me." A contract and a knife appeared in front of Serenity. "This must be signed in blood."

Her shaking hand picked up the knife.
****
"What did you do, Usagi?" Haruka bandaged her hand.

"I made a deal." Usagi looked to the two Warriors before her. "I have something to ask of you."

"Anything." Willow's eyes were shining again.

"Don't look so happy, you're not going to like it. When Buffy comes back, if she ever does, you have to convince her to let him go. That their love is dead, that she killed it."

"Usagi, are you insane? What good would that do Angel?" Xander wondered if signing the blood oath had done something to her mind.

"It wouldn't let me take him, Xander. Only Tranquility. It won't release him until Buffy gives up."

Willow was confused. "You're talking like their separate people."

"At the moment, they are. Tranquility is under Hotaru's care at home. She'll do her best, and when Angel comes back, we'll reunite their souls."

"What if she never gives up?"

"You'd better pray their love isn't that strong."
****
Giles examined the bruise on Cordelia's face. "I'm not letting you two patrol alone anymore. Take Xander and Willow with you tonight."

Cordelia winced. "How am I supposed to explain this to my friends? They'll think my geek is beating me."

Oz shrugged. "You killed the vampire."

"Besides, I haven't seen Xander in a few days. He's been acting strange."

A car pulled up out front, and what appeared to be a blond man in a leather jacket opened the door for a woman with long hair. He then got back into the car with a girl that could only be Willow.

Cordelia patted Oz's hand. "Looks like Willow prefers leather to chains."

Usagi knocked, and Giles opened the door. "May I help you?"

"Are you Rupert Giles?"

"Yes."

"I've come to help you while the Slayer is missing." Usagi was just waiting to spring this on him.

"And what makes you think you could?" Giles didn't think the small, thin girl could go toe to toe with Cordelia, let alone a vampire.

The crescent moon appeared on her forehead. "Because that's the way it's always been."

"Lady Serenity." Giles fell to his knees. "You're alive?"

"No, I'm her daughter. Could you ask the children to leave so we can talk?" She looked pointedly at Cordelia and Oz. "Your friend Willow is out in the car."

"I know when I'm not wanted. Come on, Oz." Cordelia dragged him out the door.
****
Haruka was hugging Willow goodbye when they came outside. "I'll give Michiru your email and phone number. She'll be glad to hear from you. Knowing you're alive, and knowing you are two different things."

"Maybe I can visit. Usagi said to come back in about half an hour, and then you'll be heading to the East Coast to pick up Mamoru." Willow smiled then said, "Be good to my sister."

"Or what? You'll beat me over the head with a shovel?" Haruka teased.

"Actually, that's a good idea. Mind if I borrow it?" Willow finally noticed the two coming up behind them. "You'd better go."

Cordelia let out a low whistle as Haruka peeled off. "Willow, who's the hottie?"

Willow giggled. "I didn't know you swung that way, Cordelia. I bet Xander will be shocked."

Both Oz and Cordelia gave her strange looks. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"That was Haruka. She's a girl." Willow laughed again when Cordelia turned green.

If one knew how to interpret Oz's non-expressions, he looked relieved. "Who's the girl inside?"
****
"The Council always assumed all the Senshi and Warriors perished. If you're alive, Lady, what about the others?" Giles continued to kneel.

Usagi rolled her eyes, and pulled him to his feet. "My name is Tsukino Usagi in this life, and I won't let you or anyone else bow to me. My friends all survived, it was Uranus who drove me here."

Giles face darkened. "And what of your traitorous brother?"

"Traitorous?" The Council had always had a problem with Terra's engagement to Tranquility, but he'd never been called a traitor.

"He served Queen Beryl, Lady Usagi. He brought her to the moon the morning of the attack, and killed her. It's obvious the Dark Kingdom wanted all the Inner Princes under its service."

"You think Tranquility was working for Beryl?" Usagi was shocked.

"Yes, and if he ever returns, every Council member has orders to kill on sight."

Usagi kept her temper under control, and told the appropriate lie to save her brother. "Well, you don't need to worry. My brother is quite dead without your help. Mamoru and I will stay help until he has to return to college at the end of the summer."

"Would you be willing to take Buffy's friends patrolling with you? They need the practice."

"Of course."
****
"Xander, you can't fight like this. You aren't strong enough, and he refuses to lend you any of his power." Willow dabbed at the slash mark in his thigh.

"I'm not transforming again, ever. Maybe I've just got trust issues, but I'd rather be the normal one than deal with that lying bastard."
****
Buffy slowly walks in from a side door to the spot where she slew Angel. She looks down at the floor, and the tears begin to come. She slowly crouches down, and looks at her Claddagh ring. "Goodbye." Gently she places the ring on the floor. She reflects for a moment before standing back up, looking at the great hall around her. She turns around and slowly starts to walk away toward the main door.
****
Angel struggles with the chain. He yanks at it with all of his weight. The bracket pulls free of the wall and crashes to the floor. Angel falls roughly onto his hands and knees. He quickly gets up, pulls the chain free of the bracket and runs out of the mansion.

He's still like an animal, but outside the grounds he smells something that stops him cold. "Hello, Angel. It's time." Tranquility reached out his hand, and faded into Angel. He opened his eyes. "Dammit, I'm still in control."
****
Willow huffs. "You don't know that. What about you and Cordelia?

Xander pulls on the tuxedo jacket. "Oh, a gentleman never talks about his conquests."

"Oh, yeah?" Willow steps out from behind the screen. "Well, since when did you become a..." They are both struck dumb when they see each other. She is wearing an elegant black, sleeveless, full-length dress. Xander is a tuxedo. They don't say anything for a long moment. Willow finally breaks the silence to finish her sentence. "Gentleman?" She smiles and giggles. She looks down at her dress, then back up at him and shrugs. "Uh, I know. Nice."

"I was gonna go with gorgeous." Xander steps toward her.

Willow smiles. "Really? You, too. I-in a guy way."

Xander smiles back and draws a breath. "Oz is very lucky."

"So is Cordelia... i-in a girl way." Suddenly Willow looks very worried. "I don't know if I can dance in this. I don't know if I can dance!"

"Come on. Piece of cake." He steps up to her and offers his hands to dance. "Here."

They take a few seconds to get positioned for a traditional slow waltz, and then start to dance. "Well, that seems to, um..." He looks down at their feet as they sway back and forth for a little while. Willow looks up at him, but tries not to look like she is.

"Yeah. This shouldn't be a... problem."

"No." They slowly inch closer to each other. "No problem." He slowly leans his head down to her, and she responds by angling hers up to him. They are soon very close, and kiss gently. The kiss goes on for several seconds before they realize what they are doing and quickly jump apart. Xander points at her. "That didn't just happen!"

"No!" Willow gestures nervously. "I mean, it did, but it didn't!"

"Because I respect you. And Oz. And I would never..."

Willow furrows her brow. "I would never, either! I-it must be the clothes. I-it's a fluke."

"It's a clothes fluke, that's what it is. And there'll be no more fluking."

"Not ever." They step closer again, and are about to kiss when they jump apart again.

"We gotta get out of these clothes!"

"Right now!" They quickly realize the implication of what they just said, and get all flustered and gesture wildly.

"Oh, I didn't mean..."

"I didn't... me, either!" She rushes back behind her screen. Xander hastens the other way.

As quickly as he can, he goes home and dials a phone number. "Haruka? I think I just did something bad."
****
"You will fix this Usagi. I can't do this anymore."

"Why? I'm doing the best I can? Tranquility, you just have to pretend to be Angel for a few more weeks."

"I think I'm starting to fall for her."

"I'll get right on it."
****
"You didn't think to tell us you were back?" Willow let herself into the mansion.

"I'm not."

"What?" Xander was close behind her. "You're standing right in front of us, Angel."

"I'm not Angel. It's me, Tranquility. Usagi did her best, but she couldn't heal his mind. I have to do it myself. I'm getting closer." Tranquility closed the book her was reading. "I wanted to bring him back before I told anyone."

"But we saw you kissing Buffy." Willow felt confused.

Tranquility sighed. "He's starting to affect my base personality."

Willow and Xander exchanged a heated look. "We can sympathize."
****
A motorcycle pulled up in front of Willow's house. A woman climbed off the back, and gave the driver a kiss. She knocked on the door, and Willow slowly opened it. "Michiru."

"Willow." She gave her little sister a hug. "How's he doing?"

Willow burst into tears. "It's all my fault. I've been communicating with Ara, and ever though I love Oz I just can't get Xander out of my heart. Cordelia almost died because of us!"

"This is the same thing that happened to Usagi. These days it seems like she's more Serenity than Odango." Michiru handed her a tissue. "You have to make a choice."

"He doesn't even speak to Kaze anymore. I don't belong with him. I love Oz, maybe more than I love Xander."

"You two share parts of each other's soul, and you'll be around a long time. Long after Oz and Cordelia are gone. You two will always have each other, even if you can't be what you should right now."

Willow laughed. "I want my hand mirror back. You're too wise."
****
He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Buffy hovered nervously. "Angel?"

He smiled. "Yeah."

Willow came over. "You were out for a few minutes."

"I'm gonna get you something to eat okay?" Buffy bounced up, toward the fridge.

"Tranq, are you okay?"

"When I said I was Angel, I meant it."

"Thank god." She hugged him, and he looked worried. "What?"

"Either he's a better actor than I am, or Tranquility's really falling for Buffy. I do not need two voices in my head screaming at me to go jump her." Angel rubbed his eyes. "My own is bad enough."
****
"I think we're making peace." Xander flipped through a comic book.

"You and Cordelia?" Angel put down his practice sword.

"No. Me and Kaze."

"Exactly what were you doing last night anyway?" Angel got closer, and sniffed. "Never mind, I don't want details."

"I know, I'm nuts. But it's not just the Faith thing. There was this guy, Jack, and he had this bomb."
****
"I thought you were dead." Angel massaged his temples. "I've never seen anything more frightening than you as a vampire."

"Don't forget she was keeping you as a pet." Willow pointed out. "At least Percy is behaving now."

"Just remember, Angel. Willow is much scarier evil than you ever were." Xander ducked as the pillow barreled towards his head.
****
"I came to say goodbye." Angel stood outside Willow's door, still looking ragged from the fight. "I...I couldn't talk to Buffy again, or I wouldn't be able to leave."

"We understand, but she won't. Spike was right, it will never be over between the two of you. Especially if all three of you agree she's the one." Xander stepped out, holding a backpack. His car is parked in the driveway. "I'm gonna go and find myself. See if we can't agree on something."

""You two take good care of her for me. I will be back someday." Angel gave them one of his smiles, and somehow that made it hurt less.

"Your getting a computer so we can keep in touch. That's an order from your second in command." Willow hugged him.

"Yeah. Don't forget to write, or call us occasionally." Xander shook his blood brother's hand, and it was over. Willow watched the two of the most important men in her life drive off in opposite directions.