Part 2
Buffy stared at herself in the dingy, cracked mirror that hung in her bathroom. The reflection that glared back at her hardly resembled the girl that she once was. Her hair surely looked different, but her face had also gotten a lot thinner and no matter how hard she tried it was impossible to hide the dark circles under her sunken eyes. Once she finished applying a heavy coat of make-up she checked her appearance out in the mirror. The skin-tight blood red halter matched her lipstick perfectly. She thought to herself that she looked pretty damn good. The queasy feeling from earlier had still not passed but she decided to blame it on a cold or the flu. She turned slightly to check her back half. Her eyes wandered across the mirror looking for any sign of imperfection. They stopped and stared at the mark on her right shoulder. She slowly slid her fingers across the angel wings that permanently adorned her soft skin. They were always there to remind her. She could never forget. She could never forgive herself.
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Willow entered the dusty old building trepidly, trying to quell the hope that she had inside. She wanted so badly to walk in and find her missing-in-action best friend. It hadn't happened yet in all the times she'd been there but she continued anyway. Deep down she knew that it would never happen but hope kept her from ceasing the occasional visits. She also always prayed that she would find some clue that they had all missed before that would give them some idea as to what had happened that terrible night.
Cautiously she stepped into the main room, the room they had assumed the battle had taken place in. A quick glance around squashed her hope that Buffy was there. She walked into the room further just to make sure but still found nothing. Disappointment overwhelmed her as she closed her eyes, trying not to cry. As she stood there trying to gather herself she became aware that the room felt different than it had on her many precious trips. The air felt different. It felt cinged. And something else. Her eyes flew open at the small sound she heard coming from the far corner of the room. Willow squinted and tried to see what was there. It was probably just a mouse, but she couldn't really tell. Slowly she inched her way just a little closer. Then, as if magically, the clouds in the sky parted allowing a beam of moonlight to shine into the room illuminating just the spot she was trying to see. A slight gasp escaped her lips as there, 10 feet in front of her, cowering in the corner was a badly beaten and broken Angel.
The small noise that had eminated from her caused the vampire to turn his head slightly so that he was looking almost right at her. Fear racked every part of her and instinct told her to turn and run, but her body betrayed her. She stood there, mouth agape, staring at the figure before her. Thoughts raced through her mind endlessly. Angelus was back. And she was just standing there. She was sure that death was to immediately follow. But she still stood there. The brightness of the moonlight increased casting a yellow glow upon his face. The face of her best friend's one time love, the face of her one time friend, and the face of a beast who had killed and tortured people that she loved. Something struck her, though, about the face that was peering back at her. She looked into his eyes and saw not the dark pools of the vicious killer that had tormented her sleep but in their place were eyes filled with fear, sadness,...and love. Confusion filled her mind at the strange sight. Until she realized what it meant…the curse. She was not looking at Angelus, she was looking at Angel.
They continued to watch each other for what seemed like hours but had really only been a few minutes. Both were lost in the sight presented before them. It was until Willow heard her name being called out that she snapped out of her daze.
"Willow, where are you?" Oz shouted.
The loud sound caused Angel to jump and press himself further into the corner.
"There you are. I was afraid someth-," Oz stopped abruptly when he saw the look on Willow's face. "What's wrong," he asked worriedly.
Without answering Willow stepped out of the sight line so that Oz could see what it was that had stolen her ability to speak.
"Oh my god! Willow, we have to get out of her! Quick!" Oz said frantically as he went to grab his girlfriend's arm.
"No, Oz, its Angel, not Angelus," said Willow finally finding the words again.
"What? How?" Oz replied warily.
"I don't know. But I can see it in his eyes. That's Angel," Willow said softly.
"I think we should get out of here Will, we can't be sure of anything," stated Oz but he could also sense that this was not the beast who'd stalked them. And something told him that his Willow was not just going to walk away. Not if it meant getting some answers. He still worried though.
"Angel?" spoke Willow taking a few steps toward the shaking body.
The vampire turned his head back to look at the girl in front of him. He opened his mouth as if to speak but found that he could not do it. He could only look at her and stare. The look, though, told Willow more than enough. She could see that he recognized her but also that he was deathly terrified and badly injured. She reached out to touch his should but he pulled away and turned his head back into the corner.
Willow turned and looked at her boyfriend, tears forming in her eyes. "We need to get Giles, now."
Turning back to the cowering vampire she spoke again. "Angel, look at me, please. We have to go but we will be back. Will you please stay here and wait for us" I promise we'll be back."
After the vampire shook his head ever so slightly in agreement the red haired girl and her werewolf boyfriend slowly walked out of the mansion still in shock over what they had just been witness to. The entirety of the situation had yet to settle into the minds.
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Oz's van pulled up outside Sunnydale High both of its occupants to stunned to talk to each other. They had checked Giles' apartment but he hadn't been there so they assumed he was still at the library researching. Willow's head had not stopped spinning since leaving the mansion. She didn't know whether to be happy that Angel had returned or to be spewing hatred because of all that his alternate personality had done. She knew that she should despise him but she couldn't seem to force herself to feel that way. Yes, Angel had done some truly horrible things but at the same time that hadn't really been Angel. How could she blame him for things he had no control over. And if being nice to him and helping him meant finding out what happened to Buffy then she certainly planned on doing just that.
"Willow, we should go in and talk to Giles," Oz said softly.
"I know. He's not going to take this well," replied Willow, her voice shaky.
Slowly the two almost-lovers made their way out of the van and into the school. Oz grabbed a flashlight out of the back of the van to aide them in getting to the library. The storm had done serious damage to some important power generator and was going to take a few days to fix leaving Sunnydale in a virtual blackout. Thankfully, the storms clouds had finally receded allowing the moon to cast a hint of yellow all around them. Ever mindful of the dangers that presented themselves in Sunnydale, they made their way cautiously into the school. Both knew that informing their friend and leader that the creature bearing the same facade as the vicious animal that had killed his love had returned was going to be extremely tough. His first instinct would be to exact revenge on the demon and part of them knew he had every right but they also realized that it would do nothing to help them.
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Rupert Giles sat slouched in the chair rubbing his temples. He'd been through hoards of books and had yet to find anything at all hinting at the possible danger he and his troops were about to face. It just didn't make any sense to him. The Hellmouth had been relatively quiet since the night he lost his Slayer. That was something he was more than just a little grateful for. The others had done remarkably well filling in for Buffy but they weren't able or prepared to fight something big and powerful. It was that fact that scared him most about the email message. Whatever evil was coming they were not going to be able to fight or at least fight and win. Yet he still hoped that he could find some information regarding the message that would give them some glimmer of hope. So he forced himself to return his gaze to the mass of written word spread out before him. At the sound of the library doors opening and closing he looked up to find Willow and Oz standing before him both looking pale and wide-eyed.
"Willow, Oz, what are you doing....What's wrong?" Giles questioned rushing over to them once he had seen the looks on their faces.
"Uhh...well...," was all that Willow could stammer out.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" demanded Giles.
"We're fine, just...uh...well we have something that we need to tell you," Oz stated with more emotion than he typically expressed.
"Why do I get the feeling that this isn't something that I'm going to like," Giles said sarcastically.
"Because you're probably not. Maybe you should sit down Giles and promise me that you won't do anything until I'm finished," replied Willow hesitantly.
"Very well," answered Giles as he took a seat in the chair he'd been sitting in when they entered.
"Ok, here goes...Angel's back. We wen-" Willow started to explain.
"Dear Lord. Are you two all right? Did he threaten you?" Giles almost shouted as he leapt out of his chair and rushed over to the weapons closet.
"Giles, we're fine. He didn't do anything to us. You promised that you wouldn't do anything until I finished," stated Willow.
"What? But? Fine, fine," relented Giles seeing the look on her face that said she meant business.
"Don't worry Giles, I don't think we're in any danger. But, ok, well I've been going to the mansion every once in a while just...well, just because. I went tonight after we stopped researching. There was a really weird feeling in the air, I don't quite know how to explain it. But then I heard something else in the room with me. When I walked over toward it I saw Angel huddled in a corner. He was shaking and his body was covered in gashes and bruises. At first I was frozen in fear and shock but then I could tell. I could tell that I wasn't in any danger because it was Angel that I was looking at and not Angelus. The curse must have worked after all." Willow finished tears welling in her eyes.
"I don't understand. How could you know it was Angel and not Angelus?" asked Giles as the shock began to set in.
"I could see it in his eyes. They were so full of emotion. And just the way he acted, I knew it was Angel," Will said emphatically and flopped herself down into the chair across from Giles. Oz went and stood behind her, massaging her tension filled shoulders.
Inside his head, Giles was fighting a mental battle of epic proportions. The Ripper portion of his brain wanted to seek, find, and destroy the vampire for taking away his Jenny, but the sensible British Watcher in him knew that he couldn't do that. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, Angel returning from wherever had it usefulness. Regardless, he had no intention of being stupid.
"Where are you going Giles?" Willow asked.
"To get the crossbow," replied Giles succinctly.
"What? No! You can't hurt him. He might be able to help us," Willow almost screamed.
"Yes, I know Willow. I realize that he may be able to give us some answers. And as much as I would like to make him suffer, I won't. At the same time, we can't know for sure who is in control of his actions and we have to take the necessary precautions," Giles said as he gathered a few weapons and bandages in case they were needed.
"We should probably stop and get some blood somewhere," added Oz.
"You're probably right. Good thinking," responded Giles.
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