Worth It

Chapter Two

The following Tuesday Willow's bags were packed and she was sitting in Giles' stuffy little living room, with it's drab off-white walls and the rather thread bare sofa, rounded off with the faded floral print chair that Giles himself was sitting in. Willow was crowded in along with Buffy, Dawn, Xander and shockingly enough, Spike.

The bleach-blonde vampire had been hanging around at Xander's flat, above the carpentry shop the young man now owned, when Giles had rung to pass on the news of Willow's emigration to Scotland. Despite the fact that the two males had never really been comfortable with each other prior to the defeat of the First, after Spike's sacrifice and subsequent resurrection Xander had grudgingly tolerated the British nuisance that seemed determined to 'help' him deal with Anya's death. An endurance that had led to tentative friendship, even if it did mean occasionally finding bagged blood in the freezer.

When Xander had hung up the phone after Giles' call, looking distinctly like he had been diagnosed with cancer of the puppy, it had been Spike that had pried out of him the news that his best friend since kindergarten would now be living on an entirely different continent. Ever since then Spike seemed to have made it his latest mission to stick with Xander, including the trip to Giles' house to say goodbye to Willow.

"Don't credit –yourself- or nothin' Xander," he had said, "I just gotta give my respects to the witch. She's the only one of you buggers that was ever worth bitin'."

Which brought them to where they were now; squashed into Giles' small living room. Willow, Buffy and Xander had monopolised the sofa, though they only just fitted on it. None of them minded. It was unspoken between them, but they were all three enjoying the closeness. The three original Scoobies didn't know when they'd have a chance to be together again, and no-one was about to disrupt the precious time they had left.

Xander was trying to hold back tears, almost glad he had only the one eye to betray his emotions. My Willow, Wills, going to England. Shit, when did we all grow up? We weren't meant to have seen the things we have. I don't remember doing the normal stuff. Now she's leaving and I don't have the chance. He wrapped an arm around Willow, and pulled her closer to him, holding on as though he'd never get the chance to hug her again. God, I hope that's not true.

Buffy was trying to smile on the other side of Willow, telling herself that it was good for Willow to be leaving. We can go and visit. It'll be cool. We can go to Giles-land. Well, kinda north of Giles-land. But we'll see her. Which was my point. She shifted slightly as Willow leaned into Xander. I'm really gonna miss her.

Dawn had perched herself on the arm next to Buffy, and was leaning over, resting her arm on her sister's shoulders so some of her long brown hair ended up tickling Buffy's nose. Dawn was too busy quickly smudging the tears off her cheeks, only to have more replace them, to notice.

"We can come visit, right Wills? And you'll, like, visit us too? You know, when you can." She sniffed and scrubbed at her red eyes again.

Willow wriggled out of Xander's hug and pulled Dawn across Buffy so she could hug her. Dawn squeaked in surprise, echoing the complaint of the furniture, and smacked Buffy in the nose trying to keep her balance. Suddenly they were all laughing, their silent introspection broken by the sight of Buffy indignantly rubbing her nose, while Dawn was sprawled across her lap, legs awkwardly over the arm over the sofa, being viciously hugged by Willow.

"Hey, Giles, where's the sodding milk?" Spike's voice drifted in from the kitchen, where the vampire was currently raiding the cupboards and the 'fridge.

Willow stood up, and let Dawn fall into the sunken seat she had been occupying. Looking at the emotion on the faces of her friends, the people who had stood by her through everything that had been thrown at them, through everything –she- had thrown at them, she couldn't help wondering, for the fiftieth time, if she was doing the right thing. This time the doubts were fleeting and she brushed them aside. She was doing the right thing, proven by nothing more than the fact that the people in the room with her supported her in it.

"I love you guys, all of you…"

"Yeah? Didn't know you were driving stick again." Spike chipped in from the doorway where he was now lounging, drinking a cup of black coffee.

"Okay, first off; eew. Secondly, still gay here, but thanks for caring, Mr Bad-Ass-coffee-drinking vamp. And C, I'll miss you too."

Spike paused with his coffee cup half way to his lips. "Thirdly. We don't count in letters. First, second, third." Looking at his face, half hidden in the coffee cup, Willow could have sworn he'd looked rather pleased, and she smiled to herself thinking that given he'd wanted to kill them all when they had first met, Spike really had changed. Suddenly Giles stood up next to her, pulling her from her thoughts.

"It's time to go Willow."

So soon? But I haven't said all the goodbyes I wanted to yet! A rush of panic coursed through her. I needed to say stuff to people. The dull feeling of butterflies she'd had all day morphed into rats running around her stomach. Clog-dancing rats.

"So, this is it guys." The tension broke as the others all tried to hug her at once, and laughed again at the ensuing muddle. "Buff, if you need me to come back here and help out with anything, just let me know, yeah? And you'd better come and visit! With Dawnie." She turned to Xander.

"Hey, you know Wills, it's gonna be weird to not have my bestest best buddy around any more. Um," He paused awkwardly, "I guess I suck at goodbyes. Just take care?"

"Goddess, I love you Xan. Maybe not in a clothes fluke way any more, but you know there's always been that one little bit of me that's yours, right?" she sniffed, as tears finally threatened to spill down her cheeks. "You're my knight in shining armour. You saved me, Xan. I'm gonna miss you so much." The room was silent as the two oldest friends hugged, until a loud slurp from behind Spike's upturned coffee mug drew their attention.

"What?" He looked around blankly, "What'd I do?"

"Jeez Spike, touching moment here!" Buffy snapped, gesturing at Xander and Willow.

"I put a lot of sugar in it. You know what the sugar's like at the end. All gooey and coffee flavoured. Couldn't let it waste, could I slayer?"

Xander sighed and wandered over to take the coffee mug off the protesting vampire, before smacking him upside the head with his free hand, shrugging at Willow. She giggled at the look on Spike's face before turning back to Dawn and pulling her into another hug.

"I love you Dawnie, just cause I'm across the ocean doesn't mean I'll love you any less. Make sure you bug Buffy until she brings you to visit," she whispered in the girl's ear, "From what I've heard of this place, you're gonna go crazy over it!"

Willow looked Giles, giving her best determined face. "Are we ready?"

"I believe we are. I shall see you others soon."

On her way to the door Willow stopped by a sulking Spike, who tensed up at her attention. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna spoil your evil vamp image by hugging you. Just look after them for me Spike. I trust you to."

She was almost out of the door before he caught her arm. "Just wanted to say that I'll look after 'em and if you ever need help over there or anything, you know, need someone to translate the lingo for you or whatever, then just let me know."

She smiled up at him, "Thanks Spike," and disappeared into the bright sunshine bathing the LA streets.

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