Part Seven
The adults had gotten quiet. Too quiet. Connor, Ron, and Pandora
crowded as close to the doorway to the parlor as they could without
being seen. They had heard the sharp gasps after Willow had spoken her
spell, but nothing after that. "I'm calling, Dad," Ron whispered. He
pushed away from the wall and dug into his pocket for his phone. It
was for in case of emergencies only, but Ron decided this was an
emergency. He had a nagging feeling that his Mom was going to need
his Dad's support.
"Do you think we should go in there?" Connor whispered to Pandora
while Ron made his call. Even with his enhanced hearing he couldn't
hear anything - which meant nothing was being said. He was getting a
bit worried.
"Not yet," Pandora whispered back. "We'll stay here and if they start
arguing or something like that then we'll go in. I think they're all
just surprised. They did think she was dead."
"My Dad's on his way." Ron rejoined them. "Have they said anything
yet?" Pandora and Connor shook their heads and the three of them
settled in to wait.
*****
This was not how Willow pictured making her reappearance in her
friends' lives. She definitely hadn't wanted to confront them all at
once, she had hoped for more of a one-on-one situation. And this
wasn't exactly the reaction she had expected either. She had expected
yelling, recriminations, and disappointed disgust. Not silence. Of
course, she hadn't expected them to think she was dead. Willow smiled
shakily at Xander and was immediately enveloped in his arms again. She
felt his tears wet on her neck and started to cry herself. Xander
still loved her.
It was unbelievable. It was incredible. Xander had been right, Willow
wasn't dead. Angel grinned, his eye catching Cordelia's. She glowed
with happiness as well. It was amazing and wonderful. Willow was
back.
"Who are you?" Buffy's accusing voice cut through the air of
celebration.
"Buffy." Willow released Xander. She wiped at her tears and composed
herself. "It's me, Willow."
"Really? You introduced yourself as Aria MacDonald not even five
minutes ago. So, who are you?" Buffy moved with Slayer speed,
grabbing Willow's wrist and yanking her away from Xander. "Or should I
ask what are you? What kind of magic trick is this?"
"Buffy!" Angel's hand covered hers. This was Willow, he recognized
her scent now, but he understood Buffy's suspicions. He wouldn't let
her hurt Willow though. "Let Willow go."
"You can't believe that this is really Willow? Honestly, Angel, you're
the one who found the proof that she's dead! First she was one person
and now she's another and we're just supposed to take her word that
she's really Willow. Am I the only one who really lives in our world?"
Buffy's grasp on Willow's wrist tightened and she winced, a gasp of
pain hissing from her lips.
"Hey!" Ron yelled. He ran into the room and pushed his way between
Buffy and Willow. "Let her go. You leave my Mom alone." He glared
at Buffy and Angel. Buffy dropped Willow's wrist and Angel let go of
Buffy.
"It's okay, Ron, Buffy was just surprised to see me." Willow rubbed
her wrist. She petted her son's hair. "This is my son, Ron. Ron
these are my friends - the ones I told you about - Xander, Anya, Buffy,
and Spike. You already know Cordelia and Angel."
"Yes, he was here the other day with Connor." Angel smiled. Willow
was Ron's mother and it made perfect sense. Now that he saw them
together, he didn't know why he hadn't seen it before. The boy was so
much like her. Angel chose to ignore the fact that Lindsey MacDonald
was apparently the boy's father - now wasn't the time. He noticed
Connor and Pandora hovering in the doorway, guilty looks on their
faces. "Weren't you three supposed to be at the Halliwell's today
after school?"
"I think the children had their own plan for today." Willow smiled
back at Angel. He seemed to be okay with everything. He wasn't
visibly angry, but then he didn't know the whole story yet. "You
brought me here on purpose, didn't you, Ron?"
"Connor and his parents thought you were dead." Ron hung his head. "I
knew you wouldn't want them to think that so...we thought you should
come here and see them."
"Now that is one smart kid you got there, Little Buddy." Xander shook
hands with Ron and couldn't resist messing his hair. "I know you just
met me, but I demand to be called Uncle Xander. Your Mom and I go way
back."
"I know, you stole her Barbie." Ron grinned at Xander - his Uncle
Xander. He couldn't believe that he was actually meeting the people
from his mother's stories.
"Willow." Anya moved to Willow's side. "I'm happy you're back. We
missed you a lot." She impulsively hugged the girl who meant so much
to her husband. Tears prickled at her eyes.
"I'm sorry I missed your wedding." Willow hugged Anya back. She was a
bit stunned by the affection in her hug, Anya's usual reaction to her
and Xander's relationship had always been jealousy. "Are Brenden and
Michelle here too?"
Anya wiped at her tears and brightened at the mention of her children.
"No, but I have pictures." She immediately dug into her purse.
This was the way it was supposed to be. Angel exchanged a smile with
a tearful Cordelia. Willow was back with her friends where she
belonged. He watched as she exclaimed over the pictures of Xander and
Anya's kids. He couldn't help but wonder what she had been doing all
these years, who she had run from, and how Lindsey fit into the
picture. Angel had a lot of questions, but he realized now was not the
time to ask them. Willow would explain everything when she was ready
and until then he would just have to wait.
"You'll have to come back to Sunnydale and visit," Anya gushed
excitedly. She missed the sudden wary look in Willow's eyes, but Buffy
didn't.
"Willow can't come back to Sunnydale, can you?" Buffy's eyes narrowed
in suspicion. "The Hellmouth too much of a temptation? You
obviously haven't given up using magic."
"Magic is a part of being a witch, why would Mrs. MacDonald have to
give it up? It's a part of who she is." Pandora frowned as she tried
to find an answer to her own question. She slowly became aware that
she had caught the adults' attention and she blushed furiously and
ducked her head. "Sorry, I...read that in a book. A book about
magic."
"Pandora's read a lot of books about magic. She's really interested in
those kind of things," Connor covered quickly for his friend. He knew
that his parents wouldn't hurt her just because she was a witch and he
doubted that they would see her as a threat, but he wasn't so sure
about her parents. From some of the things Pandora had told them about
the demons the Source had sent after her, Connor gathered that her
parents wouldn't exactly trust a vampire - soul or not - or his child.
He didn't want to lose his friend.
Buffy shifted uncomfortably, as if just realizing that confronting her
friend wasn't the best idea while children were present. It really
wasn't the best idea at all. She didn't want to confront Willow. She
didn't want to see Willow. Buffy had been more than relieved when
Willow had left town because she had been afraid that she would end up
having to fight her best friend and kill her...or worse, not kill her.
Buffy didn't know if she could kill Willow if she was evil even to save
Dawn. That was what had scared her all those years ago. Dawn was her
sister, yes, because as the Key she needed to be protected and so those
memories were given to her, but Willow was her best friend and those
memories were real. It had been a load off her mind and heart when she
didn't have to make that choice. "Books don't always give you all the
information. Magic can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Some people
shouldn't use it ever."
"And some people shouldn't make assumptions about things they know
nothing about," an angry Lindsey MacDonald strode into the room. He
put a protective hand on Willow's shoulder and glared at the other
adults in the room. His harsh gaze settled on Angel and the vampire
met his stare, his eyes narrowing with a hint of yellow flashing in
their murky brown depths. The tension in the room shot up to an even
higher degree.
"Mac, it's okay." Willow cast a worried glance at Angel before turning
to reassure her husband. She offered him a brave smile. "I'm okay.
Really."
"So, Will, who's your new friend?" Xander eyed Lindsey with
best-friendly reserve. The guy was in his good books for defending
Willow, but Angel and Cordelia's less than pleasant reaction put his
character in doubt.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Willow put her hand on Lindsey's arm and faced her
friends. "Xander, Anya, Buffy...Spike, this is Lindsey MacDonald - my
husband. Lindsey, these are my friends from Sunnydale that I've told
you about. You already know Angel and Cordelia."
"Yes." Lindsey's gaze again flickered toward Angel and Cordelia before
deciding it would be better to focus on Xander. He held out his hand.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Xander. Willow's told me a lot of
stories about her childhood and you were in every one of them." He
smiled pleasantly at Anya as well, but didn't extend any such
pleasantries toward the others in the room.
"Your husband?" Buffy cut in before Xander could reply. She raised a
skeptical eyebrow. "Is that why you haven't asked about Tara and where
she is? You do remember Tara, right?"
This was more what Willow had expected - to be verbally attacked.
Although she hadn't expected her relationship with Lindsey to be
questioned. It had happened so slowly and she had needed him so much
that it hadn't seemed strange when their 'marriage' had become real.
Except for the fact that they had moved around the country like
fugitives, they seemed like a normal family and it hadn't occurred to
Willow that her friends would have reservations about her husband. It
wasn't like she had been exclusively gay her whole life. "Yes, I
remember Tara." Willow sighed. "And Oz." Buffy was going to jump on
every one of the inconsistencies in her life and she could already
feel the pressure of a headache. She felt Lindsey squeeze her
shoulders and it helped relieve the tension inside her.
"Say, Red, why don't you have hubby dearest take the little nippers
out for some ice cream? I would do it, but I have sun issues and I
must admit I'm a might curious to hear of your shenanigans," Spike
spoke for the first time. He smirked at Willow.
"No!" Lindsey and Ron objected immediately. They both moved even
closer to Willow in a concerted effort to protect her.
"I think Spike's suggestion is a good one." Willow moved her family
back a bit and lowered her voice. "I'm fine. It'll just be easier to
explain things to them if I don't have to worry about you guys." She
glanced at her son and then at Lindsey. Willow had been fairly honest
with Ron concerning his father and how he had been conceived. She had
figured that Rack would catch up with them eventually and would delight
in telling her son all the sordid details. She just didn't want Ron
exposed to the reaction of her friends to this news. She didn't want
him to ever hear someone even suggest that he was evil. She tried to
convey her concern to Lindsey with her eyes and thankfully he seemed to
catch on because he nodded slightly. "I can handle this. They're my
friends."
It took a great deal of effort for Angel to repress the snarl that
twitched at his lips. It was one thing to realize that Willow was
Lindsey MacDonald's wife in theory. It was quite another to be
confronted with it by having him paw at her like he owned her and
glaring at her friends like she needed protection from them - from
him. Lindsey's hands wandered from Willow's shoulders to her waist.
Angel wanted to rip Willow away from Evil Lawyer Boy and shove him out
of his home. And there was no way Connor was going anywhere with him.
Angel wasn't even sure he was going to let Willow and Ron leave with
him.
"Fred loves ice cream," Cordelia's falsely cheerful voice cut in.
"Connor, why don't you go find Fred and Gunn and they can take you kids
and Lindsey out for some ice cream while we talk."
"That's a great idea, Cordelia." Willow smiled gratefully and reached
up to give Lindsey a quick kiss. Cordelia just smiled wider. A weird
pang twinged her heart. She would never admit it, but back in the
day, she had entertained a small fantasy concerning one evil Wolfram
and Hart lawyer. In it Lindsey MacDonald chose the side of good and he
did it because of her. She would have to let it go now though because
he had chosen the side of good - because of Willow.
"Okay." Lindsey smiled at Willow. "Your mother is right, Ron. We have
to let her do this herself, although I could have used a little
warning."
"So could I. We have our son to thank for that. How did you figure
this out, Ron?"
"I don't know, Mom. First I had to eliminate all the vampires with a
soul named Angel who lived in Los Angeles and well, the rest was pretty
easy." Ron ducked as his Dad took a mock swipe at him and they each
gave Willow one last hug before following Connor and Pandora out of the
room.
"I don't know how, but he gets that from you." Willow grinned fondly
at Xander.
"The Xan-man's humor genes know no bounds." Xander shrugged. "It's
just one of those wonders of the world we all appreciate."
"So, Willow, why don't you sit down," Cordelia offered. She glanced at
Angel. She had heard his soft growling the whole time Lindsey and
Willow had been doing the family scene and he seemed calmer now. At
least the growling had stopped.
"Thanks." Willow took a seat. She chose one closer to the door and
slightly apart from the others who had resumed their previous seats.
She wasn't unaware of the significance of her choice. She didn't feel
like one of the Scooby Gang and she wasn't anymore. "I didn't ask
about Tara because I ran into her when we lived in Dallas a few years
ago. She recognized the magic of the glamor and I revealed myself. I
told her everything I'm about to tell you - I owed her that much - and
I asked her not to say anything to any of you. She was the one who
encouraged me to come back - her and Mac...Lindsey. Where do you want
me to start?"
"Why was your Marina Allen identity declared dead in that car
accident?" Angel asked.
At the same time, Cordelia asked, "How did you meet Lindsey?"
"Actually, that's the same story. Since you know about Marina Allen,
you must know that I was Alexandria Potter in New York."
"A friend of ours - Lorne - knows the Dispero demon who gave you that
identity," Angel explained.
Willow nodded. "I left New York and assumed the Marina Allen identity.
I met Lindsey and his wife - Aria - in a small town in West Virginia.
She worked as a nurse for the doctor. Lindsey worked at the garage.
They offered me a place to stay. A few months after Ron was born,
Aria got an early morning emergency call from the doctor. She grabbed
the wrong purse off the counter and she was in a car accident." Willow
paused as she remembered that day and the tidal wave of guilt that went
with it. It was because of Aria MacDonald that she and Ron had been
relatively safe. "The body was burned beyond recognition, but the
purse had been thrown from the car. It had my ID. Lindsey knew about
my past - we had run into a vampire when I was pregnant and confessed
to each other about how we each knew of their existence - he convinced
me that it would be best if I became Aria. If Rack was able to track
me as far as the Marina Allen identity, he would think I was dead.
Lindsey and I - as Aria MacDonald - officially adopted Ron and we left
town shortly after. We've been moving around ever since just in case
Rack still wants Ron."
"How do you know Willow's husband, Angel?" Buffy narrowed her eyes in
his direction. There was something off about this man Willow was
shacked up with.
"He used to live in L.A. We had business." Angel wasn't protecting
Lindsey. He was protecting Willow. The last thing she needed was to
answer for his sins.
"So, if your husband isn't Ron's father, then who is?" Xander asked
with a worried frown. He didn't like to think about his little buddy
alone in New York and turning to some strange guy for love.
That was the question Willow dreaded answering. She wasn't going to
bow her head in shame, she wasn't proud of what she had done, but she
was proud of her son. She was going to look her friends in the eye
when she told them, she just needed to pick the right one. It hurt
too much to look at Xander, she would end up crying. Buffy was too
hostile and wouldn't understand at all. Anya and Spike cared about the
answer only in relation to what it would do to their loved ones and it
would be a cop out to focus on one of them. Cordelia was too remote,
Willow had only spoken to her a handful of times since highschool.
Finally, Willow's gaze met Angel's. He would understand. Because of
his soul and demon and Connor. "Rack." She heard the gasp's of her
friends but didn't take her eyes off Angel. His expression hadn't
changed. He looked worried and compassionate. "The last time I saw
him - when I left Dawn in the waiting room - I traded my body for the
magic he gave me. I thought it was just sex that he wanted, but it
wasn't. When he came back, he isolated me from you guys. You were all
so mad and disappointed and scared that you wouldn't listen to me.
After a couple of weeks he felt that I was alienated enough to go along
with his plan. He informed me that it wasn't just magic withdrawal
that was making me sick. I was pregnant." The room was silent as
Willow paused to breathe. She couldn't risk looking at anyone but
Angel.
"What did he want to do with the baby?" Angel's voice was quiet, but a
deadly rage laced the calm.
"Offer him as a sacrifice to his Master. He said that he could give me
unimaginable power - so much that I would be able to open the Hellmouth
or seal it forever. He didn't really care what I did with my power
once he had his. I agreed to meet him that night to perform the
ritual, but I left instead. I couldn't let him kill my baby." Willow
hugged her abdomen, subconsciously shielding the life she had already
given birth to. "I took a bus to Milwaukee where I met up with Tanya -
the Dispero demon."
There was few minutes of silence while her friends digested what Willow
had told them. She didn't say anything, waiting for one of them to ask
a question or tell her to leave. "Why didn't you come to L.A.? I
would have protected you and your baby." Angel clenched his fists.
"I think you had enough to deal with at that time, Angel. Connor's
life was in enough danger without adding Rack to it."
"I still would have protected you," Angel insisted. "Didn't you trust
me?"
"Trust you?" Xander suddenly exploded, a little bit of the old rivalry
and jealous hatred for Angel showing up again. "What about me? I know
I'm no vampire with or without a soul or slayer with super-strength or
some amped up magic man, but I would have kept you and Ron safe. Rack
would have gotten to you over my dead body."
"I know. That's why I had to leave." Willow smiled sadly at Xander.
He was angry with her, but that was okay. She could deal with anger.
It was disappointment and disgust that she would have trouble with.
"But it wasn't the only reason. I couldn't do it. I couldn't sit
around and discuss my baby's potential evilness and whether or not we
should destroy him. I couldn't do it."
"Of course you couldn't." Cordelia nodded in sympathy. She remembered
how difficult the round-the-table discussions and seemingly endless
research sessions were before Connor was born. The big looming
question being whether they should kill Darla and her baby before it
was born or not. She glanced at Angel and knew from the grimace on his
face that he was remembering too.
"So, you took the chance that your baby could be evil and ran." Buffy
didn't know what to think or feel. She was mad. And sad. And
disgusted with herself and Willow. And relieved that her friend was
alive. And confused by everything. And terrified. Being mad was the
easiest to feel and express. "You risked bringing something into this
world that would kill us all?"
"If Ron had been anything other than a heathy baby, I would have
handled it before it became a problem." Willow stiffened. The rest of
them seemed to be taking things well, but that could be because of the
shock of her reappearance. What the hell was Buffy's problem? "As the
Key, Dawn is a potential threat to this world and you haven't destroyed
her."
"I knew it! I knew the minute I saw you that you were after the Key's
power." Buffy jumped up. "Why else would you suddenly reappear after
all these years? I won't let you hurt Dawn."
Buffy's advance was thwarted by Spike. He grabbed her around the
waist and pulled her back. "Red's not going to hurt Dawn. She was
just making a point."
"Great! You're on her side too." Buffy whirled around. "Fine,
Willow's not evil. She's still my sweet innocent best friend and not
some evil warlock's whore. But tell me this, if she's not evil where
did she get the money to disappear?" Buffy whipped back to face
Willow. She was desperate. She was not wrong to kick Willow out of
her house. She had been unpredictable and out of control. Her actions
proved it - the Willow she had known would not sell herself for magic.
She had just been protecting her sister. She was the Slayer and it was
her job to protect the Key. She was the Big Sister and it was her
duty to make sure that Dawn was safe. "Tell us, Willow, how did you
get the money to pay this Dispero demon? I know that your parents
cut you off completely after you told them about Tara. A new identity
can't come cheap. Or did you work out another trade deal, like the one
you did with Rack?"
"Buffy." Xander's eyes widened in shock. He heard Angel growl and
Cordelia murmur something in a soothing tone.
Willow paled. "I can't do this anymore. I have to go. I have to
leave. Mac...." She stumbled to her feet, unable to control her
trembling limbs. "Mac...."
A strong hand gripped her elbow and steadied her. She looked up at
Angel. "You're not going to leave Los Angeles, are you? Because I
really want you to stay."
Willow shook her head. "Ron likes it here. I just...I have to go
home. I'm sorry, Angel. Xander. I'll call you guys tomorrow."
"Why? Truth too much for you, Willow?" Buffy wished she could shut
the hell up. She wasn't sure where these words were coming from now.
Watching Willow tremble in Angel's arms made her realize that her
accusations were bordering on the insane, but she couldn't stop them.
For some reason she couldn't let go of this horrible anger toward her
best friend. "Answer my question?"
"What does it matter, Buffy? Trust me, I won't be setting foot in
Sunnydale, so you never have to see me again." Willow pulled herself
out of Angel's grasp. "I really will call you guys tomorrow. Right
now I'm going home to my husband and my son. Good-bye, Buffy." She
stalked out of the room and they heard the front door slam behind her.
"I gave her the money." Spike released Buffy and stepped back. "Red
came to me and told me about the jam she was in so I coughed up the
cash. Are you ready to go home now?"
Buffy nodded numbly. Where had it all gone wrong? What had happened
that would make Willow trust Spike more than she did her and Xander?
To be continued.....
HOLY LONG SCENE BATMAN!!!! Whew! Well, there it is folks, I hope it
was worth the wait. I had wanted to include some scenes with the
Halliwells and more on Lilah's nefarious plans but Willow and the Scoobs
took forever to work things out and they're not even finished yet!
T. C.
The adults had gotten quiet. Too quiet. Connor, Ron, and Pandora
crowded as close to the doorway to the parlor as they could without
being seen. They had heard the sharp gasps after Willow had spoken her
spell, but nothing after that. "I'm calling, Dad," Ron whispered. He
pushed away from the wall and dug into his pocket for his phone. It
was for in case of emergencies only, but Ron decided this was an
emergency. He had a nagging feeling that his Mom was going to need
his Dad's support.
"Do you think we should go in there?" Connor whispered to Pandora
while Ron made his call. Even with his enhanced hearing he couldn't
hear anything - which meant nothing was being said. He was getting a
bit worried.
"Not yet," Pandora whispered back. "We'll stay here and if they start
arguing or something like that then we'll go in. I think they're all
just surprised. They did think she was dead."
"My Dad's on his way." Ron rejoined them. "Have they said anything
yet?" Pandora and Connor shook their heads and the three of them
settled in to wait.
*****
This was not how Willow pictured making her reappearance in her
friends' lives. She definitely hadn't wanted to confront them all at
once, she had hoped for more of a one-on-one situation. And this
wasn't exactly the reaction she had expected either. She had expected
yelling, recriminations, and disappointed disgust. Not silence. Of
course, she hadn't expected them to think she was dead. Willow smiled
shakily at Xander and was immediately enveloped in his arms again. She
felt his tears wet on her neck and started to cry herself. Xander
still loved her.
It was unbelievable. It was incredible. Xander had been right, Willow
wasn't dead. Angel grinned, his eye catching Cordelia's. She glowed
with happiness as well. It was amazing and wonderful. Willow was
back.
"Who are you?" Buffy's accusing voice cut through the air of
celebration.
"Buffy." Willow released Xander. She wiped at her tears and composed
herself. "It's me, Willow."
"Really? You introduced yourself as Aria MacDonald not even five
minutes ago. So, who are you?" Buffy moved with Slayer speed,
grabbing Willow's wrist and yanking her away from Xander. "Or should I
ask what are you? What kind of magic trick is this?"
"Buffy!" Angel's hand covered hers. This was Willow, he recognized
her scent now, but he understood Buffy's suspicions. He wouldn't let
her hurt Willow though. "Let Willow go."
"You can't believe that this is really Willow? Honestly, Angel, you're
the one who found the proof that she's dead! First she was one person
and now she's another and we're just supposed to take her word that
she's really Willow. Am I the only one who really lives in our world?"
Buffy's grasp on Willow's wrist tightened and she winced, a gasp of
pain hissing from her lips.
"Hey!" Ron yelled. He ran into the room and pushed his way between
Buffy and Willow. "Let her go. You leave my Mom alone." He glared
at Buffy and Angel. Buffy dropped Willow's wrist and Angel let go of
Buffy.
"It's okay, Ron, Buffy was just surprised to see me." Willow rubbed
her wrist. She petted her son's hair. "This is my son, Ron. Ron
these are my friends - the ones I told you about - Xander, Anya, Buffy,
and Spike. You already know Cordelia and Angel."
"Yes, he was here the other day with Connor." Angel smiled. Willow
was Ron's mother and it made perfect sense. Now that he saw them
together, he didn't know why he hadn't seen it before. The boy was so
much like her. Angel chose to ignore the fact that Lindsey MacDonald
was apparently the boy's father - now wasn't the time. He noticed
Connor and Pandora hovering in the doorway, guilty looks on their
faces. "Weren't you three supposed to be at the Halliwell's today
after school?"
"I think the children had their own plan for today." Willow smiled
back at Angel. He seemed to be okay with everything. He wasn't
visibly angry, but then he didn't know the whole story yet. "You
brought me here on purpose, didn't you, Ron?"
"Connor and his parents thought you were dead." Ron hung his head. "I
knew you wouldn't want them to think that so...we thought you should
come here and see them."
"Now that is one smart kid you got there, Little Buddy." Xander shook
hands with Ron and couldn't resist messing his hair. "I know you just
met me, but I demand to be called Uncle Xander. Your Mom and I go way
back."
"I know, you stole her Barbie." Ron grinned at Xander - his Uncle
Xander. He couldn't believe that he was actually meeting the people
from his mother's stories.
"Willow." Anya moved to Willow's side. "I'm happy you're back. We
missed you a lot." She impulsively hugged the girl who meant so much
to her husband. Tears prickled at her eyes.
"I'm sorry I missed your wedding." Willow hugged Anya back. She was a
bit stunned by the affection in her hug, Anya's usual reaction to her
and Xander's relationship had always been jealousy. "Are Brenden and
Michelle here too?"
Anya wiped at her tears and brightened at the mention of her children.
"No, but I have pictures." She immediately dug into her purse.
This was the way it was supposed to be. Angel exchanged a smile with
a tearful Cordelia. Willow was back with her friends where she
belonged. He watched as she exclaimed over the pictures of Xander and
Anya's kids. He couldn't help but wonder what she had been doing all
these years, who she had run from, and how Lindsey fit into the
picture. Angel had a lot of questions, but he realized now was not the
time to ask them. Willow would explain everything when she was ready
and until then he would just have to wait.
"You'll have to come back to Sunnydale and visit," Anya gushed
excitedly. She missed the sudden wary look in Willow's eyes, but Buffy
didn't.
"Willow can't come back to Sunnydale, can you?" Buffy's eyes narrowed
in suspicion. "The Hellmouth too much of a temptation? You
obviously haven't given up using magic."
"Magic is a part of being a witch, why would Mrs. MacDonald have to
give it up? It's a part of who she is." Pandora frowned as she tried
to find an answer to her own question. She slowly became aware that
she had caught the adults' attention and she blushed furiously and
ducked her head. "Sorry, I...read that in a book. A book about
magic."
"Pandora's read a lot of books about magic. She's really interested in
those kind of things," Connor covered quickly for his friend. He knew
that his parents wouldn't hurt her just because she was a witch and he
doubted that they would see her as a threat, but he wasn't so sure
about her parents. From some of the things Pandora had told them about
the demons the Source had sent after her, Connor gathered that her
parents wouldn't exactly trust a vampire - soul or not - or his child.
He didn't want to lose his friend.
Buffy shifted uncomfortably, as if just realizing that confronting her
friend wasn't the best idea while children were present. It really
wasn't the best idea at all. She didn't want to confront Willow. She
didn't want to see Willow. Buffy had been more than relieved when
Willow had left town because she had been afraid that she would end up
having to fight her best friend and kill her...or worse, not kill her.
Buffy didn't know if she could kill Willow if she was evil even to save
Dawn. That was what had scared her all those years ago. Dawn was her
sister, yes, because as the Key she needed to be protected and so those
memories were given to her, but Willow was her best friend and those
memories were real. It had been a load off her mind and heart when she
didn't have to make that choice. "Books don't always give you all the
information. Magic can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Some people
shouldn't use it ever."
"And some people shouldn't make assumptions about things they know
nothing about," an angry Lindsey MacDonald strode into the room. He
put a protective hand on Willow's shoulder and glared at the other
adults in the room. His harsh gaze settled on Angel and the vampire
met his stare, his eyes narrowing with a hint of yellow flashing in
their murky brown depths. The tension in the room shot up to an even
higher degree.
"Mac, it's okay." Willow cast a worried glance at Angel before turning
to reassure her husband. She offered him a brave smile. "I'm okay.
Really."
"So, Will, who's your new friend?" Xander eyed Lindsey with
best-friendly reserve. The guy was in his good books for defending
Willow, but Angel and Cordelia's less than pleasant reaction put his
character in doubt.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Willow put her hand on Lindsey's arm and faced her
friends. "Xander, Anya, Buffy...Spike, this is Lindsey MacDonald - my
husband. Lindsey, these are my friends from Sunnydale that I've told
you about. You already know Angel and Cordelia."
"Yes." Lindsey's gaze again flickered toward Angel and Cordelia before
deciding it would be better to focus on Xander. He held out his hand.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Xander. Willow's told me a lot of
stories about her childhood and you were in every one of them." He
smiled pleasantly at Anya as well, but didn't extend any such
pleasantries toward the others in the room.
"Your husband?" Buffy cut in before Xander could reply. She raised a
skeptical eyebrow. "Is that why you haven't asked about Tara and where
she is? You do remember Tara, right?"
This was more what Willow had expected - to be verbally attacked.
Although she hadn't expected her relationship with Lindsey to be
questioned. It had happened so slowly and she had needed him so much
that it hadn't seemed strange when their 'marriage' had become real.
Except for the fact that they had moved around the country like
fugitives, they seemed like a normal family and it hadn't occurred to
Willow that her friends would have reservations about her husband. It
wasn't like she had been exclusively gay her whole life. "Yes, I
remember Tara." Willow sighed. "And Oz." Buffy was going to jump on
every one of the inconsistencies in her life and she could already
feel the pressure of a headache. She felt Lindsey squeeze her
shoulders and it helped relieve the tension inside her.
"Say, Red, why don't you have hubby dearest take the little nippers
out for some ice cream? I would do it, but I have sun issues and I
must admit I'm a might curious to hear of your shenanigans," Spike
spoke for the first time. He smirked at Willow.
"No!" Lindsey and Ron objected immediately. They both moved even
closer to Willow in a concerted effort to protect her.
"I think Spike's suggestion is a good one." Willow moved her family
back a bit and lowered her voice. "I'm fine. It'll just be easier to
explain things to them if I don't have to worry about you guys." She
glanced at her son and then at Lindsey. Willow had been fairly honest
with Ron concerning his father and how he had been conceived. She had
figured that Rack would catch up with them eventually and would delight
in telling her son all the sordid details. She just didn't want Ron
exposed to the reaction of her friends to this news. She didn't want
him to ever hear someone even suggest that he was evil. She tried to
convey her concern to Lindsey with her eyes and thankfully he seemed to
catch on because he nodded slightly. "I can handle this. They're my
friends."
It took a great deal of effort for Angel to repress the snarl that
twitched at his lips. It was one thing to realize that Willow was
Lindsey MacDonald's wife in theory. It was quite another to be
confronted with it by having him paw at her like he owned her and
glaring at her friends like she needed protection from them - from
him. Lindsey's hands wandered from Willow's shoulders to her waist.
Angel wanted to rip Willow away from Evil Lawyer Boy and shove him out
of his home. And there was no way Connor was going anywhere with him.
Angel wasn't even sure he was going to let Willow and Ron leave with
him.
"Fred loves ice cream," Cordelia's falsely cheerful voice cut in.
"Connor, why don't you go find Fred and Gunn and they can take you kids
and Lindsey out for some ice cream while we talk."
"That's a great idea, Cordelia." Willow smiled gratefully and reached
up to give Lindsey a quick kiss. Cordelia just smiled wider. A weird
pang twinged her heart. She would never admit it, but back in the
day, she had entertained a small fantasy concerning one evil Wolfram
and Hart lawyer. In it Lindsey MacDonald chose the side of good and he
did it because of her. She would have to let it go now though because
he had chosen the side of good - because of Willow.
"Okay." Lindsey smiled at Willow. "Your mother is right, Ron. We have
to let her do this herself, although I could have used a little
warning."
"So could I. We have our son to thank for that. How did you figure
this out, Ron?"
"I don't know, Mom. First I had to eliminate all the vampires with a
soul named Angel who lived in Los Angeles and well, the rest was pretty
easy." Ron ducked as his Dad took a mock swipe at him and they each
gave Willow one last hug before following Connor and Pandora out of the
room.
"I don't know how, but he gets that from you." Willow grinned fondly
at Xander.
"The Xan-man's humor genes know no bounds." Xander shrugged. "It's
just one of those wonders of the world we all appreciate."
"So, Willow, why don't you sit down," Cordelia offered. She glanced at
Angel. She had heard his soft growling the whole time Lindsey and
Willow had been doing the family scene and he seemed calmer now. At
least the growling had stopped.
"Thanks." Willow took a seat. She chose one closer to the door and
slightly apart from the others who had resumed their previous seats.
She wasn't unaware of the significance of her choice. She didn't feel
like one of the Scooby Gang and she wasn't anymore. "I didn't ask
about Tara because I ran into her when we lived in Dallas a few years
ago. She recognized the magic of the glamor and I revealed myself. I
told her everything I'm about to tell you - I owed her that much - and
I asked her not to say anything to any of you. She was the one who
encouraged me to come back - her and Mac...Lindsey. Where do you want
me to start?"
"Why was your Marina Allen identity declared dead in that car
accident?" Angel asked.
At the same time, Cordelia asked, "How did you meet Lindsey?"
"Actually, that's the same story. Since you know about Marina Allen,
you must know that I was Alexandria Potter in New York."
"A friend of ours - Lorne - knows the Dispero demon who gave you that
identity," Angel explained.
Willow nodded. "I left New York and assumed the Marina Allen identity.
I met Lindsey and his wife - Aria - in a small town in West Virginia.
She worked as a nurse for the doctor. Lindsey worked at the garage.
They offered me a place to stay. A few months after Ron was born,
Aria got an early morning emergency call from the doctor. She grabbed
the wrong purse off the counter and she was in a car accident." Willow
paused as she remembered that day and the tidal wave of guilt that went
with it. It was because of Aria MacDonald that she and Ron had been
relatively safe. "The body was burned beyond recognition, but the
purse had been thrown from the car. It had my ID. Lindsey knew about
my past - we had run into a vampire when I was pregnant and confessed
to each other about how we each knew of their existence - he convinced
me that it would be best if I became Aria. If Rack was able to track
me as far as the Marina Allen identity, he would think I was dead.
Lindsey and I - as Aria MacDonald - officially adopted Ron and we left
town shortly after. We've been moving around ever since just in case
Rack still wants Ron."
"How do you know Willow's husband, Angel?" Buffy narrowed her eyes in
his direction. There was something off about this man Willow was
shacked up with.
"He used to live in L.A. We had business." Angel wasn't protecting
Lindsey. He was protecting Willow. The last thing she needed was to
answer for his sins.
"So, if your husband isn't Ron's father, then who is?" Xander asked
with a worried frown. He didn't like to think about his little buddy
alone in New York and turning to some strange guy for love.
That was the question Willow dreaded answering. She wasn't going to
bow her head in shame, she wasn't proud of what she had done, but she
was proud of her son. She was going to look her friends in the eye
when she told them, she just needed to pick the right one. It hurt
too much to look at Xander, she would end up crying. Buffy was too
hostile and wouldn't understand at all. Anya and Spike cared about the
answer only in relation to what it would do to their loved ones and it
would be a cop out to focus on one of them. Cordelia was too remote,
Willow had only spoken to her a handful of times since highschool.
Finally, Willow's gaze met Angel's. He would understand. Because of
his soul and demon and Connor. "Rack." She heard the gasp's of her
friends but didn't take her eyes off Angel. His expression hadn't
changed. He looked worried and compassionate. "The last time I saw
him - when I left Dawn in the waiting room - I traded my body for the
magic he gave me. I thought it was just sex that he wanted, but it
wasn't. When he came back, he isolated me from you guys. You were all
so mad and disappointed and scared that you wouldn't listen to me.
After a couple of weeks he felt that I was alienated enough to go along
with his plan. He informed me that it wasn't just magic withdrawal
that was making me sick. I was pregnant." The room was silent as
Willow paused to breathe. She couldn't risk looking at anyone but
Angel.
"What did he want to do with the baby?" Angel's voice was quiet, but a
deadly rage laced the calm.
"Offer him as a sacrifice to his Master. He said that he could give me
unimaginable power - so much that I would be able to open the Hellmouth
or seal it forever. He didn't really care what I did with my power
once he had his. I agreed to meet him that night to perform the
ritual, but I left instead. I couldn't let him kill my baby." Willow
hugged her abdomen, subconsciously shielding the life she had already
given birth to. "I took a bus to Milwaukee where I met up with Tanya -
the Dispero demon."
There was few minutes of silence while her friends digested what Willow
had told them. She didn't say anything, waiting for one of them to ask
a question or tell her to leave. "Why didn't you come to L.A.? I
would have protected you and your baby." Angel clenched his fists.
"I think you had enough to deal with at that time, Angel. Connor's
life was in enough danger without adding Rack to it."
"I still would have protected you," Angel insisted. "Didn't you trust
me?"
"Trust you?" Xander suddenly exploded, a little bit of the old rivalry
and jealous hatred for Angel showing up again. "What about me? I know
I'm no vampire with or without a soul or slayer with super-strength or
some amped up magic man, but I would have kept you and Ron safe. Rack
would have gotten to you over my dead body."
"I know. That's why I had to leave." Willow smiled sadly at Xander.
He was angry with her, but that was okay. She could deal with anger.
It was disappointment and disgust that she would have trouble with.
"But it wasn't the only reason. I couldn't do it. I couldn't sit
around and discuss my baby's potential evilness and whether or not we
should destroy him. I couldn't do it."
"Of course you couldn't." Cordelia nodded in sympathy. She remembered
how difficult the round-the-table discussions and seemingly endless
research sessions were before Connor was born. The big looming
question being whether they should kill Darla and her baby before it
was born or not. She glanced at Angel and knew from the grimace on his
face that he was remembering too.
"So, you took the chance that your baby could be evil and ran." Buffy
didn't know what to think or feel. She was mad. And sad. And
disgusted with herself and Willow. And relieved that her friend was
alive. And confused by everything. And terrified. Being mad was the
easiest to feel and express. "You risked bringing something into this
world that would kill us all?"
"If Ron had been anything other than a heathy baby, I would have
handled it before it became a problem." Willow stiffened. The rest of
them seemed to be taking things well, but that could be because of the
shock of her reappearance. What the hell was Buffy's problem? "As the
Key, Dawn is a potential threat to this world and you haven't destroyed
her."
"I knew it! I knew the minute I saw you that you were after the Key's
power." Buffy jumped up. "Why else would you suddenly reappear after
all these years? I won't let you hurt Dawn."
Buffy's advance was thwarted by Spike. He grabbed her around the
waist and pulled her back. "Red's not going to hurt Dawn. She was
just making a point."
"Great! You're on her side too." Buffy whirled around. "Fine,
Willow's not evil. She's still my sweet innocent best friend and not
some evil warlock's whore. But tell me this, if she's not evil where
did she get the money to disappear?" Buffy whipped back to face
Willow. She was desperate. She was not wrong to kick Willow out of
her house. She had been unpredictable and out of control. Her actions
proved it - the Willow she had known would not sell herself for magic.
She had just been protecting her sister. She was the Slayer and it was
her job to protect the Key. She was the Big Sister and it was her
duty to make sure that Dawn was safe. "Tell us, Willow, how did you
get the money to pay this Dispero demon? I know that your parents
cut you off completely after you told them about Tara. A new identity
can't come cheap. Or did you work out another trade deal, like the one
you did with Rack?"
"Buffy." Xander's eyes widened in shock. He heard Angel growl and
Cordelia murmur something in a soothing tone.
Willow paled. "I can't do this anymore. I have to go. I have to
leave. Mac...." She stumbled to her feet, unable to control her
trembling limbs. "Mac...."
A strong hand gripped her elbow and steadied her. She looked up at
Angel. "You're not going to leave Los Angeles, are you? Because I
really want you to stay."
Willow shook her head. "Ron likes it here. I just...I have to go
home. I'm sorry, Angel. Xander. I'll call you guys tomorrow."
"Why? Truth too much for you, Willow?" Buffy wished she could shut
the hell up. She wasn't sure where these words were coming from now.
Watching Willow tremble in Angel's arms made her realize that her
accusations were bordering on the insane, but she couldn't stop them.
For some reason she couldn't let go of this horrible anger toward her
best friend. "Answer my question?"
"What does it matter, Buffy? Trust me, I won't be setting foot in
Sunnydale, so you never have to see me again." Willow pulled herself
out of Angel's grasp. "I really will call you guys tomorrow. Right
now I'm going home to my husband and my son. Good-bye, Buffy." She
stalked out of the room and they heard the front door slam behind her.
"I gave her the money." Spike released Buffy and stepped back. "Red
came to me and told me about the jam she was in so I coughed up the
cash. Are you ready to go home now?"
Buffy nodded numbly. Where had it all gone wrong? What had happened
that would make Willow trust Spike more than she did her and Xander?
To be continued.....
HOLY LONG SCENE BATMAN!!!! Whew! Well, there it is folks, I hope it
was worth the wait. I had wanted to include some scenes with the
Halliwells and more on Lilah's nefarious plans but Willow and the Scoobs
took forever to work things out and they're not even finished yet!
T. C.