Part 17

Willow sat next to the waterfall. Ever since waking up she felt a strong connection to the Earth and nature. Elrond had explained that it was the Elvish magick that was now a part of her. Elves were very much connected to the natural world.

"I seem to always find you by water."

Willow whipped her head around and quickly stood. She almost reached over to hug him but changed her mind. They may have 'met' before but they hadn't actually 'met'.

She smiled, "Hi, Legolas." She felt a little awkward. He had been her lifeline in her struggles against Sauron but this was different. She was different.

Legolas watched the emotions play over her very expressive face.  He indicated for Willow to sit and he sat next to her.

"We haven't really met. I'm Legolas of Mirkwood."

Willow seemed to relax. "And I'm Willow from Sunnydale." She glanced over at Legolas. "Thank you."

He looked confused, "For what?"

"For everything. For being there for me in my struggles and for making this awkward situation not so much."

A soft smile twitched his lips, "You are most welcome though I played but a small part."

"It's part of what kept me going." She softly said.

He looked into her forest green eyes, "You are stronger than you think, Willow. Even Gandalf commented that you had great inner strength and Galadriel wouldn't have gifted you with the magick of the ancients if she did not see something special in you."

Willow looked out over the waterfall and was silent.

Legolas began to worry when the silence stretched so long. Just as he was going to ask if she was well she turned to him.

"When we were fighting Glory in our dimension I tapped into some dark magick to help. For the first time in a long time I felt powerful. That I could do anything and I liked the feeling. I'm afraid when I go back to Sunnydale and Buffy needs my major mojo that I inherited, I'll be tempted to use the dark magick that Sauron gave me. What if I can't control it or worse if the Hellmouth corrupts it?"

Legolas couldn't answer her since he didn't know what a Hellmouth was but he could reassure her. "Willow, if you were going to give in to the power of the dark magick I think you wouldn't have fought as hard as you did to regain control of your body. I do not know what a Hellmouth is so I don't know if it would corrupt it but I have faith that you would be able to overcome anything that you set your mind to."

Xander quietly turned away with a smile. He had come in search of Willow and stayed when he heard her tell Legolas her fears. It was nice to hear someone else tell Willow how special she was. Maybe she'd believe it coming from a stranger.

~~~~

Buffy was talking to Gandalf about opening the portal back to Sunnydale. She wanted to make sure that her returning home wouldn't reverse her closing the portal with her blood.

"With the magick that now resides in Willow she'll be able to close the portal on your side without demons escaping or the use of Summers' blood. It was an Elvish portal and the only way a non-elf could use it was through the key." Gandalf reassured Buffy.

Buffy grew thoughtful. "We have a Hellmouth in our dimension."

But before Buffy could continue Gandalf interrupted. "It was one of the reasons Glory picked that dimension to go to. We banished her to a dimension called Pylea but she heard about the Hellmouth in yours so she escaped to go there." As if reading Buffy's mind, "The dark magick that Sauron released into Willow will be effected by the Hellmouth. I'm afraid that cannot be helped. But Galadriel's white magick will be an even stronger pull. She can defeat the temptation of darkness but only if she wishes. The white magick that resides in her will not stop her from using the dark magick if she so desires."

Buffy couldn't imagine any reason why Willow would want to use the dark magick unless it was to save one of them. That brought her up short. After Oz left her Willow, confessed that she had been tempted to use a dark spell to punish Veruca. But she hadn't. But what would happen if she or Giles were in trouble or especially Xander.

"Is Willow's white magick powerful enough to defeat someone with a lot of darkness?"

Gandalf smiled a little smile, "Are you asking me if Willow could defeat a demon with just her white magick without using the dark? Yes. The magick of the ancients is very powerful, she quite possibly is the most powerful witch in your dimension."

Buffy's relaxed at that. If the white magick was so powerful she didn't think that Willow would use the dark.

"She can still call upon the dark magick without temptation. It is there for her to use in combination with the white but if she uses just the dark and for malevolent reasons then I'm afraid she will become what Sauron wanted her to become."

"If it gets too much for her or if Giles can't teach her to control her magick will she be able to come back here with Elrond and Galadriel?"

Gandalf laid a comforting hand on Buffy's shoulder, "Of course my dear. Willow has the ability to travel interdimensionally with ease. Any time she wants to return to Middle Earth she may."

~~~~

Buffy found Willow and Legolas softly talking beside the waterfall. She didn't want to disturb them but it was time she returned to Sunnydale. She needed to get back to Dawnie and Willow needed to begin to heal with Angel's help.

Buffy softly said, "Willow."

Willow looked up and saw Buffy standing nearby. "Hey Buff. What's up?"

She sadly smiled at her friend, "I'm sorry, Willow but it's time."

Willow nodded as she stood. "O-okay." She tried to put on a brave front but she was trembling inside. She wasn't sure she was ready to go back yet . . . or if she ever would be. She wanted to go back but she was scared to see how the Hellmouth would react to the magick.

Legolas saw the slight trembling of Willow's hand and gently placed it in his own. "Elrond said that you can return at anytime, Willow. If you ever feel the need to return to Middle Earth you can."

Buffy placed her hand in Willow's other hand and all three walked toward where Angel and the others were waiting. Buffy lay her head on Willow's shoulder, "It'll be okay, Willow. Angel said he would take you to LA if the Hellmouth was too much for you at first. If not, he was going to stay until you were okay on your own. Wesley has become quite the demon fighter and has agreed to return to LA and head Angel Investigations if you and Angel decide to stay here. Which is what I'm hoping for 'cause I really want to see Cordy's face when Angel puts Wes in charge."

As much as Willow and Cordelia put aside their differences Willow would like to see Cordy's face, too when she got the news.

Xander smiled when he saw Willow flanked by Legolas and Buffy. He slipped his hand around Buffy's waist and the four of them entered the meadow where Gandalf waited.

Willow smiled at Angel. When he returned her smile her eyes glazed over and she had a look of horror on her face. Willow dropped Legolas and Buffy's hands with a cry of dismay, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot." She turned frantic eyes to Gandalf, "The place of the portal is in an open area outside and Angel will be a vampire again. What if it's daytime when we get back? I don't want him to go poof!"

Gandalf smiled at Willow, "Wesley already thought of that. Celebron made an amulet for Angel to wear in case it is daytime. It will disappear when moonlight strikes it. So he can wear it until nightfall when you return."

Willow breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Aragorn and Gimli.

"Thank you for all that you did for me."

Gimli said gruffly, "You're a brave lass and it was an honor to help you. I am sorry for the wound in your shoulder."

Willow's lips quirked, "And I'm sorry I stuck you in a magick bubble thingy."  

Aragorn held his hand out to clasp Willow's forearm in a warrior's greeting. "You have a brave heart, Lady Willow. Only in one other have I seen such courage."

Willow blushed at the compliment and smiled her thanks. She turned to Legolas and felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz when she said goodbye to the scarecrow. She was going to miss him most of all.

A silent tear fell from her eye as she approached Legolas. "This is not goodbye, wilwarin. We will meet again."

She pulled him into a hug and whispered, "thanks" before pulling back. Her brow knitted, "What does wilwarin mean?"

Legolas smiled, "Butterfly."

Willow smiled. That seemed appropriated. She felt like she had emerged from a cocoon. Of course a very dark and twisted cocoon but still a cocoon.

She turned and nodded to Gandalf who raised his staff. An unnatural wind began to howl and a small circle of light appeared before them. When it grew wide enough for a person to slide through Wesley went first. One by one they all went until all that was left was Angel and Willow. He held out his hand and she took it with a smile.

With a last look of goodbye over her shoulder she and Angel jumped into the portal.