Part 13

Sauron came to a decision, they were going to do a direct attack. It seemed that Gandalf's luck was rubbing off on the others. How had Gwaihir gotten there so fast that he could have defeated the Nazgul?

Gwaihir always seemed to turn up for Gandalf when he was needed. He was there when Saruman had Gandalf on his tower with no escape and he was there in the fight against him when the Hobbit temporarily destroyed his power. He no longer needed a ring. He was powerful enough without it.

Glory had tried to ostracize him when he was weakened without the ring but she was still no match against his loyal followers.

Sauron turned to Dark Willow. "Tonight we attack. Do you think you're ready to go up against Gandalf and your friends?"

Dark Willow bristled, "They are HER friends not mine. I am no longer Willow just as I am no longer you."

Sauron smiled inwardly, he knew the reference to Willow would upset her. It would make her even more determined to destroy Xander and the others that had come through the portal.

"Of course they are, my dear. I just wanted to make sure that you had control over Willow. Wouldn't want her to make an appearance when she was least needed."

"I'll be fine." Dark Willow said through gritted teeth.

She knew that Willow was still a constant nudging in the back of her mind but she no longer was effective.

Or so she thought.

Willow paced back and forth in the small confined space that Dark Willow had relegated her to. She needed to contact Legolas maybe she could try Xander again. She just wanted to warn them that she would be coming but it wouldn't be her.

She knew that Buffy, Angel and Xander would try to save her because the shell was their friend Willow even if she had dark hair and eyes. They would be reluctant to hurt her. But they needed to. If an opportunity came to put her out of the fight they needed to take it. She was counting on Wesley and Legolas' friends. They wouldn't have emotional ties to her like the others did.

Willow concentrated and her dark space morphed into a wooded glen. She tilted her head up to the sun and closed her eyes. She loved the feel of the sun on her face.

She thought about Xander and all they'd been through together. She couldn't imagine her life without her best friend. It was still tough without Jesse. It had been three years since he'd been killed and she still had a hole in her heart where he had been. She knew if she ever lost Xander a limb would be missing. He was the other half of her soul. Not in a romantic soulmate way but the other half of her. There was a line in a Garth Brooks song that said love is thicker than blood. It described her relationship with Xander perfectly. They were family of the heart not by blood.

Willow smiled when she felt the familiar tingling of Xander in her special place. The soft spoken, "Wills?" had her opening her eyes.

Willow turned to face Xander and ran to jump in his arms.

Xander met her half way and tightly hugged her, "Oh god, Wills. You're here."

They held tightly to each other until Willow softly disentangled herself but she kept hold of his hand, "Xander I kept trying to get you to come here but Legolas kept popping in instead. Not that I'm complaining because he's been very nice and he is my link to you guys but god I missed you so much."

Xander smiled and led Willow to the side of the brook where they dipped their feet in. "I missed you, too. Legolas said you were fighting and that you were okay but I wanted to see with my own eyes that you're okay."

"I wish we could just sit here but I need to tell you that Sauron and I are going to attack you."

"We know, Wills. The Nazgul already came."

"NO! I mean me and Sauron are going to attack you, ourselves. You have to be prepared to hurt me Xander. If you see an opportunity to take me out take it."

"NO! I can't! I won't kill you."

Willow looked over at him, "Well duh! I don't you to kill me but you have to be able to hurt me. The other me will stop at nothing to hurt you. I know she won't kill you cause as much as she likes to think I'm not there I'm there. I can't guarantee she won't go after Wesley or Legolas' friends. I'll try as hard as I can to steer her away from killing but I don't know if I can. My bond with you, Buffy and Angel is so strong that I know she won't hurt you but Sauron will. He knows how much you guys mean to me and he knows it'll devastate me if you were critically hurt or killed."

Xander slipped his arm around Willow's shoulder, "Don't worry, Will. Years of fighting demons from hell coupled with Special Ops guy's memories running through my head I ought to be able to take the Big Bad."

"Special Ops guy?"

"Yeah, you remember Halloween when I turned into Soldier guy? Well, Aragorn helped me tap into him better through mediation and now I have his memories and training closer to the surface."

"I thought you seemed more confidant. I kind of like him on you."

"Yeah? Me too. I think I'll let him stay awhile."

Xander told her of how he, Angel and Wesley came to be here, how Buffy was doing and how Angel was human here but would turn back as soon as they left. He reassured her that everyone was all right. Sure they had taken injuries but when had they not when they fought the forces of darkness.

"Keep up the fighting, Willow. Your tip about Gwaihir was what saved us from the Nazgul. I mean Gandalf and Buffy could have done damage but Gwaihir definitely saved us."

Willow stood and gave Xander a hug. "You need to return I know, but god Xander I miss you." Silent tears fell, "Tell Buffy and Angel I miss them and thank the others for me. Your fighting has given me the strength to keep fighting. It would have been so easy to just let go but I knew I had to get back to you and know that you're fighting to get to me helps. A lot."

Xander kissed the top of her head before letting her go. "Should I be worried that Legolas actually looks forward to his zone out time with you?"

He laughed as he saw Willow's blush as he left her safe place and returned to the others.

Buffy looked over at Xander worriedly. He had been zoned out for twenty minutes. Legolas said that he was sure he was with Willow but if he didn't come back to himself in a few minutes Buffy was going to snap him out of it. Her body relaxed when she saw a small smile spread over Xander's face before his eyes blinked a few times.

"I saw her, Buff. She's okay."

Buffy's eyes filled with tears as she ran to hug Xander.

"Tell me everything."