Part 6

Willow closed her mouth. "I'm sorry. I just assumed they belonged to Albert."

Hannah just smiled, "Most people do. Albert's research is academic and mine is mystical. He does help me at times but I'm more of a believer than he is. He keeps me grounded with his skepticism."

Willow thought of Mulder and Scully except they were reversed.

Hannah moved further into the room and gave Albert a quick kiss. She whispered, "Thanks for trying to keep my secret, love." She indicated for Willow to join her on the couch.

"How did you come to our time period?" Hannah asked.

Okay, stick to as close to the truth as possible without revealing her witchcraft. "I think someone sent me into the past but I don't know who or why. I think it might have to do with a series of murders that will take place very soon. In my time they become infamous."

"But if you interfere won't you be changing the timeline for yourself and your reality?"

"That's the fine line I have to walk. I don't know if I changed the timeline originally and what occurs is supposed to occur or I am supposed to change the timeline now and other things occur."

"I understand your dilemma. Is it possible that you were supposed to meet someone here and that's why you got sent back?"

"Actually, I have thought of that." Willow paused not sure if she should tell them about her Giles or not.  Oh well, in for a penny in for a pound. "There is someone that means a great deal to me in my time that I think might become a relative of yours. I really don't think it was a coincidence that I met your husband that day and he kindly took me in."

Albert finally joined in the conversation, "So you think it was fate that brought you into my path? That because this person in your time means a great deal to you, you were thrust into the path of that person's ancestor. Meant to be sort of thing?"

"I think so, the odds alone of that happening have to be extraordinary. I think there is another hand in this." I just hope it is the goddess and not just the one that cast the spell, Willow thought to herself.

~~~~~~~

Ethan couldn't believe his luck. Malcolm had taken him under his wing. Ethan smirked, no wonder he later went by Jack the Ripper. Malcolm the Ripper doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

He and Malcolm were making quite the team. Ethan wasn't involved in the killings, he did have his standards but he did use his magick to subdue the victims. To be able to watch Malcolm's mind work was worth all this trouble. He had a manipulative personality that was poetry to watch. Ethan idly remembered HIS Ripper telling him once about a vampire named Angelus. How he loved to play mind games. Hmmm. I wonder where he is now. Malcolm and Angelus probably would make a very good team...or not. Maybe the egos would get in the way.

Tonight they were going to make their way to Buck's Row in Whitechapel. He had no idea what Polly Nichols looked like but he would let Malcolm pick out his victim. Fate would decide who it was. Ethan wasn't sure if he had already messed up his own timeline already or not. But he figured what the hell, you only got this opportunity once and he was going to play it to the end and not second guess himself.

~~~~

Willow and Hannah had spent the day in Whitechapel. Willow couldn't get over the amount of people that were jam packed into such a small area. Hannah had informed her that sometimes people, especially women, had to sleep in the streets because there was no room for them. Hannah also told her that the reason a lot the women of this time prostituted themselves was to get money so they could find a place to sleep.

"Aren't there shelters to help the poor in London?" Willow asked.

"Well there are workhouses and places like that but they aren't that much better than the streets."

No wonder Jack the Ripper had an easy time finding his victims even after there had been an outcry and people were aware. After walking around Whitechapel all day Willow had made up her mind that she was going back by herself and see what fate or the goddess had in store for her.

When they returned to the church to tell the vicar that they had finished, Willow looked through a box of clothing for the poor. She found some clothes that she thought would work and maybe she could blend in as a street urchin. While Hannah was distracting the vicar by speaking with him Willow quietly hid the clothes in a carpetbag that they had brought. Willow approached Hannah and the vicar and smiled, "Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to help."

"You are most welcome, Miss Rosen. We can always use another helping hand."

~~~~~~~

Willow waited until the entire house was asleep. She knew that Hannah and Albert were very concerned for her welfare but she finally convinced them that she could take care of herself and they reluctantly agreed to let her go to Whitechapel alone.

She dressed herself in the borrowed clothes that were too big for her and they made her look a lot younger than she was. Looking at her reflection in the mirror she laughed. She looked like she was about 16 and starving. The clothes just hung on her. Well I won't make an impression on anyone that is for sure, she thought. She checked for easy movement. If she had to fight hand to hand she would need easy movement.

Willow put a stake that she had made up her sleeve for easy access. She hadn't met up with any vampires so far but that didn't mean they weren't here. Whitechapel would be the perfect place to hunt. The poor disappeared and no one cared. As Spike said Happy Meals on legs and Whitechapel would be a veritable smorgasbord.

That was the first time she allowed herself to think of Spike since this whole thing began. She wondered where he had been in 1888 and what he would have been like. She knew that Dru had turned him in 1880 so he would still be a baby vamp. She grinned to herself thinking of his reaction to her baby vamp remark. He hadn't killed his first slayer until 1900 so he wouldn't be that powerful yet.

She quietly left the town house and made her way to Whitechapel. It was teeming with people and Willow got a little discouraged. There was no way she would be able to find Polly Nichols here and she wasn't going to just sit where she knew the murder would take place. That would be a little suspicious. So instead she concentrated on magick hoping that whoever cast the spell would be here as well and use magick. Hopefully she could catch him that way, kind of like a magick divining rod.

It was getting close to 3:30 in the morning when Willow felt a small magick pull in the direction of Bucks Row. Gotcha, she thought and went in that direction. As she turned the corner she spotted a man with curly brown hair ahead of her. She was pretty sure the descriptions of Jack the Ripper was that he was dark and in one instance Jewish looking. Which made no sense. What was Jewish looking? In her case it was red hair and green eyes and in the case of one of her friends it was blond hair and blue eyes. Go figure. She watched the man closely anyway just in case. She didn't feel magick from him but she did feel uneasy in his presence. When he walked under a street lamp he stopped and turned in her direction. She let out a gasp. She would recognize those cheekbones and eyes anywhere. SPIKE!

She began to panic. Oh my god . . . am I supposed to meet him now or later. Shit, I definitely don't want to screw up my timeline with Spike! There was no help for it he was coming her way.

She was no longer shy, scared Willow that had first met Spike in high school. She was badass Wicca Willow that almost sent the world to hell and helped him come out of his insanity so he better watch out. Maybe if she kept telling herself that she would begin to believe it too.

"Well, well. What have we here? Seems a little girl has lost her way." He said as he got closer to Willow.

She just rolled her eyes and thought next thing you know he'll be saying 'Look into my eyes '.

He made like he was sniffing the air, "Mmmm, just smell that delicious aroma of fear."

He had mistaken her fear of screwing up their timeline for the fear of a vampire. Ok, screw this. Time to show Spike what fear is.

Willow pretended to be afraid and ran into a dark alley knowing the thrill of the hunt would have Spike following. Plus she didn't want to do her magick under the street lamp where anyone could see.

"Come out, come out where ever you are. I know you're in here little girl."

Willow smirked, she'd show him little girl. She kicked her foot out to make noise so he could find her. He grabbed her arm and she screamed. Better to fool you my dear, she thought.

"Well, you'll make a nice tasty morsel."

"Wwhat do you mean tasty morsel?"

"You see, I'm a vampire and you're my meal", he said like he was talking to someone not quite bright.

"Who are you?" Willow wanted to know if he had gotten the nickname Spike yet. She didn't think so but she wasn't sure.

"I'm known as William the Bloody" he leered at her.

Willow tried not to laugh. She lowered her eyes like she was scared so he wouldn't see the twinkle. Once she got herself under control, she let some of her power slip forward so he could feel it.

"Well, William . . .Release."

With that William was no longer holding Willow. "Freeze" William stood frozen to the spot not being able to move.

"What the bloody hell is this?"

Willow just smirked.