Part 7

Paige went out into the back yard feeling completely suffocated by the house.

It took her a minute to realise she wasn't alone. There was a red head smiling awkwardly at her. Normally she'd be on guard but it was overly obvious whoever she was, she was good. No freaky demon vibe came from her.

"Hey, I'm Willow. Rosenberg." She said reaching out her hand.

"Good to finally meet you." She said shaking her hand. They'd spoke on the phone a few times after her resurrection.

"You too." Willow added with a grin. "Sorry it had to be uhh... such nasty circumstances."

"So, the demon that done this to me. You've faced him before too?"

"One like it yeah." When Paige didn't say anything she found herself continuing, "Buffy got all freaked by it. She was in this asylum and her dead mum and no show dad were there, all coupley again. She really got the wiggins. Even tried to let the demon kill us."

Paige's face screwed up at the mention of murder. It didn't go unnoticed by Willow.

"What was it like for you?" She asked softly.

Paige shook her head. "I was evil. Really evil."

"Ah. Make with the flaying?"

Paige looked up at her shocked but comforted, she nodded. "Among other things. I murdered my family, I tortured them." The last part came out as barely a whisper.

Willow felt deep sympathy for the similarly red headed witch. "I'm sorry. I know what it feels like to lose your family, to kill."

"How?" It didn't come out accusingly, just curiously.

"I live on a hellmouth, I've lost a lot of people. People I love. My soul mate was killed last year. So I lost it and flayed the guy who killed her. I hurt everyone around me. So, I get how you feel." Willow explained.

Paige took a minute to process what Willow told her. Could the innocent looking girl really be capable of murder?

"How do you deal?" She asked eventually.

Willow sighed. "I don't know. I wish I did. I just try not to go all black eyed and veiny again." She looked directly at Paige. "You have to let it go, let it be nothing but a nightmare. You're family are right in there, worried sick. You didn't hurt any of them."

Paige understood that and knowing that Willow had been through so much worse and it was overly real put it perspective. But she still felt like shit.

"I had a nephew in that place. He was from the future, 15 years old. He was just as I always imagined Piper's kid to be. I killed him horribly. Then I mutilated his dead body in front of Prue and Piper. I wake up and he's not here."

"Wow, I'm sorry." Willow wasn't sure what to say after that. Instead they just sat in silence.

Prue came out into the garden and approached the two sullen women. "Willow, there's a guy at the door, says he's your ride." Prue frowned. "Then he laughed and said not that kind of ride cause you're a lesbian."

Willow blushed. "That's Xander. He's got this habit of making really stupid jokes. Sorry."

"It's ok. Phoebe seemed to think he was cute. You should probably get through there, she's been looking for a non demonic guy for a while."

"So has he." The redhead informed. "Anyway, I hope you get less other worldly soon." Willow said to Paige who just nodded.

"Thanks for everything." Paige said.

Willow headed inside but not before saying, "You know where we are if you ever need any help."

Prue watched her leave and quickly sat down beside her baby sister. She looked her over. Physically she was fine but her eyes told it all. She was losing patience with their life, losing hope in their fight. Prue took Paige's hand and said the only thing she thought would make it better.

"I love you."

Paige knew she meant it, she could see in her eyes. That's what hurt more. She pulled away and stood up.

"I-I just need some time alone. To think." She turned and walked off while Prue barely had time to react. She turned around and said. "I love you too." Before she was just gone and Prue was left alone in the yard.