The next afternoon, Angel woke suddenly. He reached out to the space next to him, but only found cold sheets and rumpled blankets. He knew that something was missing, but in his half-awake, half-asleep state, Angel couldn't figure out what was gone. He forced his eyes open and half raised his head off the pillow, looking around the room. It slowly dawned on him what he was missing. Xander was no longer in bed with him.

Angel concentrated on the noises in the mansion, trying to narrow down where Xander was. He focused in on a strange voice that was oddly familiar. Concentrating, Angel realized that the voice was Oz. Angel finally remembered Xander inviting the boy over to talk the night before and was glad that they could help him out. He knew Oz would be hurting over Willow's actions and knew Xander would be the right person to make sure that he recovered with minimal scarring.

Angel threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, wobbling slightly on unsteady feet. He made his way to the bathroom where the shower called his name. He spent quite a bit of time in there, enjoying the warm water that had been lacking in the other realm. It had been hard to get clean there, and even rarer was warm water. He'd always appreciate modern technology that allowed him this luxury.

Finally tiring of the shower, Angel dried off and dressed in clothing. He wrinkled his nose at them; Angelus had really enjoyed the dark colors. After living with nothing but dark colors for hundreds of years, he really was going to enjoy shopping for some pastels.

After dressing, he wandered into the kitchen and found some blood which he heated up and drank. Preparing another cup, he decided to join the two in the study, one of the only rooms in the mansion that was livable. Making noise in the doorway, Angel entered the room. Xander looked over at him and his face lit up. "Good afternoon! I thought you were going to sleep until sunset."

"I would have, but someone left."

Xander laughed, "You know Oz was coming over."

"I know, but I still missed you."

Oz watched the two bantering back and forth. Maybe Xander was serious in his offer. Oz doubted that they would have let anyone else see this side of them. He saw two people not only in love, but who were also friends. They were comfortable in each other's presence and there was no dominant personality. They were equals. Something that he and Willow would never be and it was time to face that reality.

"Xander," Oz started and then stopped. He looked around and wouldn't make eye contact with either Angel or Xander.

"Yes?" Xander didn't push, knowing that Oz had made his decision and that it had to be all on his own terms or not at all.

"I'll come with. My test is Saturday and I can be ready to leave by sunset. The Dingoes will be traveling around a bit, but mostly in L.A. I was planning on going with them, but I really need help with my wolf." With that, Oz went quiet and seemed to shrink into himself a bit more than he already was.

Xander gave into temptation and hugged the hurting young man. "That'll be fine. Do you want us to pick you up at the house?"

Oz nodded and the two sat there for several minutes in silence, with Angel looking on. Finally Oz got up and almost shook himself. "I'm gonna go. I have a lot to finish up before Saturday."

Xander nodded and walked him to the door. "Remember, if you need to get away before then, you're always welcomed here. You don't need to even knock. Just come in and make yourself at home. Okay?"

Oz nodded and gave a small half smile. "Yeah, I know." He turned around and closed the door firmly behind him.

Xander jumped as cool arms wrapped around his waist. "Angel!"

"Yes?" Xander could feel the smile on his face.

"You know what." He grinned himself.

Angel just laughed. "I think Oz will be okay."

"Yeah, I think so too. I just hope he can make it to Saturday. Willow will corner him, I'm sure, and I don't know if he can handle that."

"Well, we could always make sure she doesn't."

Xander looked thoughtful. "You know, that might not be a bad idea. I'm going to go call Giles and see if he'll help out."

Xander pulled away from Angel, turning around to give him a quick kiss, then walked to the phone that was near the doorway. He called the Watcher up and arranged for Giles and Buffy to make sure that Willow stayed away from Oz. Giles had wondered if the boy would be able to pull himself away from the girl and the Hellmouth and felt better knowing that Xander and Angel had taken him in.

Giles knew Buffy wouldn't be much help, so instead asked the girls to fetch an artifact from a friend of his in San Francisco. He bought them tickets and sent them on their way. He called Xander back up and let him know that they were out of the city and that Willow really seemed to be taking stock of her life. She had left him a plate of cookies to try to make up for what she had done.

Xander thanked him but knew that Willow wasn't done yet. She knew that Oz was planning on leaving and he doubted that she'd let him go without a fight, even if she had been sent away.

The time went by quickly until it was Saturday. Xander decided that he'd go with Oz to the testing site and was glad he did. As he dropped Oz off at the door, he noticed Willow standing outside the school, watching the doorway. He pulled around back before the former witch noticed them and told Oz to stay inside and not worry about anything except for the test. Oz just nodded and quickly slipped inside, confident that Xander could handle the girl.

Xander parked the car, and then walked behind Willow. Tapping her on the shoulder, he started to speak. "What are you doing here?"

Startled, Willow whipped around and made a squeaking sound. "Xander! What are you doing here?"

"I asked you first. You know this is an important test for Oz and you're only distracting him by being here. In fact, what are you doing in town? Giles told me that he sent you and Buffy after something he needed."

Willow blushed and stammered, "I, I..I let Buffy go alone. I knew she could handle it and I needed to talk to Oz, but I couldn't find him until today."

"Willow, Oz does not want to talk to you. He mentioned that he told you he was going to get the GED and then tour with his band. You hurt him and before you two have any chance, you really have to change; to get better. You are not the same girl he fell in love with. You have to work to overcome the addiction. I've bound you from your magic, but the need, the craving is still there isn't it?"

Willow looked away, her face anguished. "Yes," she whispered, "yes, it's still there. But it'll get better if I just do a little bit, if I have just a little bit of skill left. Please, Xander? Help me?"

"No. You can never do magic again if you want to recover. Giles can and will help you. He's gone through the same thing. You need to change your attitude and your desires so that they don't revolve around magic. You can't see how much different you are than even from when I disappeared. Willow, you're scaring me with how much has changed. Now you need to change back or change to something different because this isn't right. This isn't you." Xander tried to reach the girl in some way. He really didn't want to lose his friend for good.

"I've changed!" she cried. Willow's hand reached toward Xander, but he shrugged it off. "You're punishing me and now I'm not only losing you but you're taking Oz with you! You've made everyone turn against me. How could you do this to me?!" By this time, the girl was shrieking at her oldest friend.

Xander knew that he had lost Willow. Maybe someday Giles would be able to call and let him know that Willow had recovered, but it would be a long time coming. Xander just stood there. He knew that no matter how much Willow changed, he'd never see his old friend again. He might find a different Willow, but the innocent, sweet girl he had made friends with as a child was forever gone. He blinked away tears that had rapidly appeared with this realization. For him, there was nothing else to say. He turned around and started walking away. Oz would be protected inside the school building; he had enough power to make sure of that.

Willow couldn't accept that Xander had given up on her; had basically thrown her away. "Where are you going? I'm not done talking with you! I can't believe you'd do this to me!" Willow threw out after him, disbelieving that her Xander would actually walk away from her.

"Well," Xander replied, looking over his shoulder as he walked away from a stunned Willow, "Sometimes, that's just the way things go."