I know its been a long time since I updated this, and to be truthful, I had pretty much forgotten about it. So I've finished it up- I know it might not be quite what you guys were hoping for, and I'm sorry for that. But it's an ending, which is better than nothing, right?

Chapter 3

The next evening, Willow hung around the entrance to the park, waiting for Angel. He didn't show. Willow immediately knew something was very wrong- Angel had never missed patrol. She headed to his apartment, but he wasn't in. She phoned all the others, but they hadn't seen him, so she headed for one other source.

            "We're closed." The bar man snapped. "Can't you read?"

            "I can read real good, actually Willy." Willow drawled. The barman swallowed.

            "Oh, Willow… I didn't realise it was you. What can I do ya for?"

            "What d'ya think? Info." She walked further in as Willy hurried round behind the counter, busying himself with cleaning.

            "Ooh, I got outta that game a long time ago."

Willow cocked her head to one side.

            "Uh-huh, and I'm the goddess Isis."

            "Look… what do you want to know?"

            "Good boy. Where's Angel?"

            "My buddy Angel? I dunno."

Willow rolled her eyes,

            "Don't make me hit you."

            "I swear I don't know!"

Willow hit him. Then someone grabbed her from behind. Willow spun, prepared to fight the attacker, but they both froze on seeing each other's face.

            "Kendra!"

            "Willow… what are ya doin' here?"

            "I was gonna ask you the same question! I'm looking for Angel."

            "Dis is a demon bar- Ay can smell it."

            "Well duh. Willy was about to tell me what happened to Angel."

            "What d'ya mean?"

            "Angel has disappeared." Willow turned away from the slayer, to where Willy was rubbing his bruise face. She raised her eye brows and her fist.

            "Ok, ok. There's some big shot vamp in town- far as I know, he's got Angel."

            "Where?"

            "… there's an old church…"

            "Show us." Willow snapped. Willy groaned, but didn't dare to refuse.

Angel and Dru were both strapped to a thick chain hanging from the ceiling, Angels hand also strapped up above them. As Willow, Kendra and the others they had called crept through the halls of the church, they spotted the row of vampires guarding the door. They had sent Willy away when they got there, and now they al drew weapons, and advanced. Suddenly Willow stuck out a hand, and shook her head,

            "If we rush right in like this, they can just block us out, bolt the door… we wont save Angel… we have to draw some of them away first." She whispered. Kendra nodded,

            "I conquer. But I still don't get your obsession with saving de vumpire."

The four vampires standing at the entrance to the church, before the closed door, looking around in boredom. Suddenly, a red head appeared round the corner, supported only by the wall, her eyes desperate,

"No, help me…" She moaned, before her eyes rolled back and she collapsed on the floor. The vamps looked at each other, and stepped cautiously forwards. One prodded her with a foot, but she didn't move, so they grinned,

"Dinner." One said gleefully. They surrounded the redhead, and in moments were surrounded them selves by a bunch of teenagers.

"Not tonight." Said their apparent meal, her head snapping up as her hand produced a stake. The others attacked, and in seconds there were no more guards. Willow stood up and stretched, "That was way to easy. Buffy woulda been appalled."

"She'd have been quipping right about now." Cordy agreed. The small force now burst through the church door, and fanned out. The rest of the vampires, except Dru and Spike of course, headed for them, and the fight began. Willow was constantly aware of the ritual taking place at the altar, and as soon as she could, she went for Spike.

"Stupid little bint!" Spike cried, beating her off with ease. She tripped backwards down the steps, looking up at him with an expression full of more anger than fear that to be truthful scared him a little. In his moments hesitation, a foot impacted the side of his head, and he crumpled. Kendra helped Willow up, before staking the blonde vampire. Willow spat on the ashes. Drusilla was still tied up, and Kendra dusted her no problem. Willow untied Angel, and supported him down the steps as the others finished the few remaining vamps.

            "Shows over." Cordy said, looking around.

            "Lets go home." Xander agreed.

            Willow sat on her little balcony in baby blue pyjamas, looking out over the dark town. It had been so long since she had been truly happy, so long since she had allowed herself to feel sadness, for she knew that her strength came from fury and loss, not some given power like the slayers. She feared that if she let her outer walls fall, she would be helpless, and she would lose the strength to fight in Buffy's place. She would fail her dead friend. Now a tear trickled down her cheek, as she watched the indifferent masses of SunnyDale. Few ventured out at this hour, but she knew that even less had the slightest clue what went on in their town, or how often strangers risked their lives to save the whole. Willow wiped away the tear, and swung her legs back over, closing the balcony door as she walked back to her bed and switched off the light. She lay there for a time she could not measure, and when she thought she had only just drifted off, she once again sat bolt upright. The room was dark, but a breeze told her the door was open again. The curtains billow in the light wind, and Willow squinted towards them. There was a silhouette in the doorway, short, slim, and… as the moon is silhouetted in an eclipse, there seemed to be a corona about the figure. It stepped into the room, still sheathed in darkness, but with that bizarre glow.

            "Who are you!?" Willow snapped, "What do you want?" Even then she was feeling beneath her pillow for the stake she always kept there. The figure kept moving, closer and closer, and as it reached her, Willow thrust with the stake. The figure caught her hand, gently, but with enough force to stop the blow. Willow's skin tingled where it touched, cold but warm at the same time. Willow's eyes were slowly adjusting to the light, and she saw the figure smile softly, and heard a faint,

            "Sssh." As it sat on her bed. Willow found her throat closing up, unable to speak as she gazed at the person sitting on her bed- the person who couldn't be sitting on her bed. "Ssh." It said again, reaching out with a hand to stroke Willow's hair, "Calm down. I wont hurt you."

            "But… Buffy?" She croaked, tears threatening again. The figure nodded with a wry smile,

            "Wiggy, huh?"

Willow choked a laugh.

            "How?"

            "Honestly, I really don't know. I can't stay for long… I just… I sorta heard you, calling… an' I came."

            "I miss you."

            "I know. I miss you too… but you guys are doin' just fine without me… better than fine."

            "But I don't want to do it without you… I don't know where you went, or what… what to do…"

            "Yeah you do, Will. You don't need me. An' me… I'm fine. I'm happy... in a weird way… I can just feel that you're all ok, an' I know you'll be ok… don't mourn for me. Don't feel sorry for me. Your strength is in you, not in me." She looked into the face of the sad teen, and reached out again, placing her hand over Willow's heart. She shook her head, "Don't let this go cold for me. You're a great person Will, all on your own, and you are capable of some amazing things…" She smiled, "Trust me. By all means fight… but do it for the people you are saving, like you've convinced everyone else that you do. Don't do it for me. I'm gone, and really, that's ok."

            "You're not lonely?"

            "Na. I can feel all you guys around me."

            "You're really ok?"

            "I'm fine."

            "I love you- you know that? You were the best friend ever."

            "I love ya too, Will, but Xander is your best friend, always was and always will be. Don't dwell on what isn't there any more." Buffy stood up, shadow closing on her face once more.

            "You're going?"

            "I'm already gone."

Willow woke up with a start, looking around desperately. The balcony window was open, a breeze playing with the curtains. Willow climbed out of bed and went to the balcony, looking out over the town. She sighed, feeling terribly alone but warm and loved at the same time…

            "She's gone." She murmured to herself, "Buffy's really gone."

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Hope that's ok with you, thanks for reading,

-Sam