The ringing phone stopped the trio from leaving the
apartment. Sending Buffy an look Xander answered the phone.
"Xander, did it really work? Let me talk to her."
Was the voice that greeted him. Xander noted that the voice lacked the
usual lift. The magic was gone out if it, she sounded like Willow.
Silently he handed Buffy the phone and went to stand
behind next to Dawn.
"Hello Will,"
Xander could not hear Willow's words, but he could
tell by Buffy's face it was not what she wanted to hear.
"We are going for breakfast, we will come over after
Giles gets here." With that Buffy hung up on Willow and went over to Xander.
"Let's go."
With those words Xander opened the doors and followed
the girls to the car.
"She will be over later with Giles. I guess he is flying back today." Willow said with a groan as Tara opened the shade.
Hearing the groan Tara quickly shut the shade again and swallowed the comment she was about to make. "There is some Tylenol on the night table hun," was what she told her instead.
Willow took the Tylenol and watched as Tara began to fold Buffy's clothes. She could smell the comforting smell of Snuggle and feel the heat still cling to the clothes straight out of the dryer.
"I need to call a few more people Tara, could you leave me alone for a bit?"
Tara looked surprised at the request but nodded
her agreement. "I'll be downstairs." She told her as she left the room.
Worried about Willow she sat outside the door and listened to the call.
"Hey Cordelia is Angel around?"
"Yes it is important, I wouldn't call if it wasn't"
"Angel, Buffy is alive."
"I know I told you only days ago that…but I
found a spell she is alive. You have to come."
"No, she didn't ask to see you, but I'm sure that"
"What do you mean?"
Obviously Willow did not hear anything that she
wanted to from Angel Tara thought as she heard the phone being thrown against
the wall. Sighing she stood up and headed downstairs worried about the
events Willow was trying to control.
Up in their room Willow began pacing the floor angrily.
Making a decision she grabbed a pair of sunglasses and went to Buffy's
room. Going over to the window she slid it open and climbed down to the
ground. Once there she turned in the direction of Xander's apartment wanting
a glimpse of Buffy.
She was not disappointed, when she got there she
saw them coming back from wherever they went for breakfast. Dawn came out
first holding the bags of food; Willow remembered the spell and promised
herself to find another one.
Next came Buffy wearing jeans and one of Xander shirts. Willow saw
her smile as she said something back into the car, but she also saw the
pale color of her skin and the way she rubbing her hands over her arms..
Finally was Xander, Willow thought that she had never seen him happier then he was at that moment. As he walked around the car he took the food from Dawn, giving her the keys to the apartment. He then went over to Buffy and wrapped his free arm around her waist. Willow saw the way she melted into his arm as they went into the house. She watched as Xander kicked the door to the apartment complex closed his arms still around Buffy.
While she watched this Willow, was unaware that the
ground at her feet had blackened as she stood there. She was also unaware
of the man that stood watching her a few feet away. After she left he ground
the cigarette he was smoking into the ground an evil smile on his face
as he continued to watch the building.