Chapter Three
Sunnydale: January, 1998
"There is no humanity in him."
"I couldn't have said it better myself."
Willow awoke with a start, terror thick in her throat. Something was wrong. Something terrible had happened. Foggy images of a nightmare still hung in her mind but she couldn't understand them. All Willow knew was that something had gone horribly wrong.
Picking up her phone the redhead dialed Buffy's number. No answer. Looking at her clock she saw it was just past 11:00 pm. Buffy and Angel were probably still dealing with Spike and Drusilla's little birthday gift: the Judge. Feeling a bit more at ease Willow set the phone back in it's receiver and laid back down but all she kept thinking was: Something's wrong.
By the next morning Willow's mid-night fright attack had completely slipped her mind – she was more concerned with a very distraught Buffy. The normally bubbly, chatty Slayer had hardly uttered a word all and Willow was starting to seriously worry. Later in the afternoon she managed to get a couple of words from Buffy but knew, immediately, what the problem was after mentioning Angel – Buffy paled and went still for a minute before recovering herself and trying to brush it aside as nothing important.
Oh boy, Willow thought to herself.
"Have you talked to him today?"
Buffy shook her head.
"Well, he probably has some plan and he's trying to protect," Buffy glanced at the redhead hopefully. "I don't know the plan, 'cause I'm not in on it. It's his plan," Buffy's face dropped again and Willow quickly added, "But I'm sure there's a plan. I mean, this is Angel we're talking about."
Buffy made an excuse soon after to get away from her friends – she was hurting and not letting her friends help her. Sighing, Willow decided that the best way to take her mind off of Buffy was to do some more research on the Judge, who was apparently indestructible. Climbing the stairs into the stacks Willow didn't notice the couple sitting at the base of nearest bookshelf until she tripped over their legs. Looking down Willow saw Xander and Cordelia glued in a serious lip-lock and dropped the book she was holding.
Startled Xander and Cordelia looked up, Xander's face mimicking the horror he saw in Willow's. Unable to face the sight before her Willow turned and ran. Down the staircase and into the halls she ran, all the while Xander followed calling her name.
"Willow, wait," he called to the heartbroken redhead. "Come on, Wills stop."
"I don't want to talk to you right now Xander," Willow managed to say through her tears.
Finally, Xander caught up to Willow and forced her to face him. "What's the big deal? We were kissing. It doesn't mean that much."
"No," Willow spat harshly. "It just means that you'd rather be with someone you hate, then be with me."
Walking through the darkened hallways of Sunnydale High, her tears finally spent, Willow was slowly making her way back to the library – completely lost in her thoughts. Xander and Cordelia? How could he choose Cordelia over her? Willow was truly and utterly crushed. Sure, she and Oz were just starting to hit things off and she really did like Oz but Xander was her first love and her oldest friend. They had played in the sandbox together and he had tormented her Barbie's.
She loved Xander more than life itself and he had broken her heart without a care in the world.
"Wills."
Pausing, Willow turned to face Xander, her cheeks still stained with tears. Shaking her head lightly she met Xander's eyes and said, "Let's get this straight: I don't understand it. I don't want to understand it. You have gross emotional problems, and things are not okay between us. But," she added, "what's happening now is more important than that."
Nodding slowly Xander agreed, "Okay"
"So, where do we stand with the Judge?"
Rolling his eyes Xander sighed. "On a pile of really boring books that all say the same thing."
"No weapon forged…"
"You need an army…"
"Where's an army when you need one?"
Xander opened his mouth the respond then stopped, an odd look on his face. "Whoa. I think I'm having a thought. Yeah, yeah it's definitely a thought. Now I'm having a plan." Suddenly all the lights in the school shut off and both jumped, startled. "Now I'm having a wiggins."
Looking around Willow asked, "What's going on?"
Gripping her arm Xander started to pull Willow down the hall. "Let's get to the library."
"Willow," Angel spoke from the shadows, "Xander. What's with the lights?"
"I don't know," Xander said hastily. "But, look I think I have an idea."
"Forget about that now," Angel waved it away. "I've got something to show you."
"Show us?" Willow questioned.
"Yeah. Xander go get the others."
As Xander took off down the hall, towards the library, Willow approached Angel. "What is it?"
"It's amazing." Angel sounded different to the redhead but she didn't understand so she kept stepping closer to him.
"Willow get away from him," Ms. Calendar appeared behind her. "Walk to me," she instructed.
Turning, Willow asked, "What? What are you talking about – "
From behind her Angel gripped Willow by the throat, pressing her against his body. "I never could understand," he whispered so only Willow would hear him, "why that souled bastard would chose her when you have so much more fire."
"Angel?" Willow whimpered.
"He's not Angel anymore," Ms. Calendar said, Xander at her side. "Are you?"
"Oh my god," Xander breathed.
"Angelus," Willow shivered.
"I have a message for Buffy," he announced.
"Then why don't you give it to me yourself," Buffy stepped out of the shadows behind Angelus.
"Oh, it's not really the kind of message you tell. It sort of involves finding the bodies of all your friends."
Buffy starred at him disbelievingly. "Angel, this can't be you."
Angelus sighed. "I thought we already covered that subject."
"Leave Willow alone and deal with me," Buffy said.
"Oh, but she's so cute and helpless," Angelus touched her cheek. "Really a turn on." Grinning he lowered his head and whispered to the redhead, "I'll be back for you," then tossed her into Xander's arms. "Things are about to get very interesting," he smiled at Buffy before shoving her out of his way and walking away.
