"This is weird."
Tara quickly glanced around to make sure no one heard her talking to herself. She'd left Willow sleeping at the motel, she seemed to need a lot of that having stayed up for... Tara wasn't exactly sure; whenever she'd try to recall what they had been doing before coming here it would be like trying to remember a dream; she'd almost get it, only to have it slip away, like some part of her didn't want to remember. Which was weird, but somehow seemed alright anyway.
She'd gone into town to get some supplies and find an ATM; they weren't completely out of cash, but would be soon. She'd found one, but it had rejected her card (which was a little weird, too) and the banks were closed, so she'd have to come back tomorrow. But then she'd walked past a video store, and "weird" had taken on a whole new meaning. At first she thought it was just her mind playing tricks on her, but when she went inside and looked closer there was no doubt. It was her, every detail. They wouldn't let Tara rent it without an address, so she came up with an authentic-sounding LA address and left with the tape in her bag.
Chapter 11: Two Of Us
In which Willow is brought home.
"This is weird."
Jonathan had done his part of the spell, and now he was all but forgotten by the others. He tried not to stare at Willow (no, not Willow, just a demon that looks like her, keep telling yourself that) as Angel tied her up and Xander laid down the law.
"OK, here's what's what. We need your help with something, and as long as you play nice, we'll send you right back when we're done. If you try anything, it's Dust City – and trust me, we're over the whole 'we-can't-kill-you-cause-you-look-like-her' thing. Are we clear?"
The vampire just glared at him, looking utterly miserable. Then... Jonathan wasn't sure, but he could have sworn she quickly looked at him. And winked.
They got her back to the house in the trunk of Xander's car. Once she was securely shackled in the basement and Angel and Jonathan had opened the first class of Magic For Dummies, Xander headed back to the car to take Anya back to his place. Giles was waiting for Xander by the door.
"How are you feeling?"
Xander shook his head. "Freaked. I'm still scared to death for Willow, and with that thing down there... it's like I don't know if I'm supposed to stake her or hug her."
"You have to remember that that's not Willow."
"But that's the scary part. Not that she's a vampire, I can handle that. But so much of her is exactly the Willow I've known all my life, only seriously, homicidally, Anthony-Perkins-on-drugs insane. Perverted."
Giles nodded. "I-I suppose for someone of Willow's intellect and personality to be turned into a monster... it must have been even more traumatic than it is for most people. Part of her would remember what she used to be, and -"
"Are we doing the right thing here, Giles?"
"Right?" Giles chuckled bitterly, and wouldn't lift his gaze from the floor. "No. Lord, no. Not by any stretch of the imagination. But I don't think there's a right way to do this. Once you grab a tiger by the tail, the worst thing you can do is let go."
Xander nodded. "I'll be back in a few hours. Will you be OK until then?"
"Y-yes... I'll be upstairs with Dawn. She shouldn't have to... to deal..." Giles looked like he wanted to say something, but then turned and slowly walked upstairs, looking closer to 70 than 50.
Downstairs, Jonathan had started his crash course in magic while Angel stood guard. Willow was having none of it, though. She sat there, staring blankly ahead, looking like a sad cocker spaniel. Angel finally had enough. He made himself slap her hard and force her to look at the book Jonathan was holding.
"Don't wanna. OW!" He hit her again.
"I don't care what you want. You will learn this."
"Can't. Hungry."
"You'll be fed when you cooperate."
Willow licked her own blood off her lip where he'd split it, somehow managing to pout at the same time. "But you know what it's like when your entire body screams out for it, puppy... you can't think straight, you just need to feel that sweet, warm taste, the way it spreads through you, fills you up, makes you tingle all over... Do you really want me to do magic when I'm so weak I don't know what I'm doing? 'Cause I might, y'know, accidentally destroy the world or something."
Some more of this followed, but Angel realised he was getting nowhere, and this had all happened so fast they hadn't had time to get any extra blood. He checked his watch; it was after sundown, and he should be able to run over to the butcher's and be back in a few minutes. "OK, I'll get you some blood. It will be pig, and if I hear one complaint about that, there will be no blood at all. Got me?" She nodded, pouting. Angel looked at Jonathan. "Keep an eye on her. Do NOT talk to her. If she so much as tries to get loose, don't be a hero. Run upstairs and bolt the door." And he was off. Jonathan sat down on the stairs and picked up the crossbow.
She smiled at him and leaned back as if she was lying in a soft bed, not chained to a wall. "Alone at last..."
"Jonathan?" No answer. He tried to look cool, fiddling with the crossbow and sneaking a glance at her now and then. "Jonathan, please just talk to me. I'm so lonely and confused, and he hurt me..."
"Shut up."
"Come on, Jonathan, it's me. How long have we known each other?"
"You're not Willow."
"No? You remember back in eighth grade, when you used to try and peek into the girls' locker room after gym class?"
He looked down, surprised and more than a little embarrassed. "You knew about that?"
"'Course I did. And you know, I was kinda flattered. I wasn't used to having boys notice me... wanting to see me naked..."
He shook his head. "Not buying it. You're evil."
"Well OK, sure, I am now, but I wasn't then. I know you, Jonathan. I know everyone always picked on you, never noticed you. Never saw who you really were, what you were capable of. But I always liked you, that's why you were the first I brought across... back in the real world."
"You what?" Jonathan stared at her, meeting her big green eyes... and she smiled at him like no woman ever had before.
"I sired you. Made you one of us. Made you strong. Powerful. And wicked sexy. Oh, we had so much fun together, you and I. You wouldn't believe the things we did to the popular kids... or the bullies who used to pick on us... or to each other."
Each other...? Oooo boy. "B-but aren't you... you know... into girls?"
"Oh, is that what she's told you?" The vampire rolled her eyes amusedly. "Sure, I don't mind a softer touch now and then... but that's one of the best things about this. There are no inhibitions, no rules, no strings attached... you get to do anything you want to anyone you want anytime you want. And you used to do me soooo good, Jonathan."
"Stop it."
An innocent smile. "Aw, baby, that's no fun, you never used to say that. You could never get enough. We ruled Sunnydale and you loved it, the power, the passion, I could barely keep up. You were like a..." – a brief pause as she searched for the right word – "...a supervillain."
She let him soak in that for a minute. And soak he did – God, when did it get so hot in here? Then she put on those big puppy-dog eyes again.
"Jonathan, I don't know why they brought me here, just that they wouldn't have done it unless they were really desperate. But after I do whatever it is they want me to do, they'll kill me."
"They said they'd send you back."
"Maybe they will, maybe they won't. Either way I'm dead. See, you saved my life, Jonathan. I was about to get killed when you pulled me into this world, and if your friends send me back, I have maybe half a second to live."
Jonathan was quiet.
"C'mon, I'm about to help you with something very important. Let's say I play along. All I'm asking in return is a chance to save myself afterwards. Then I'll go away and leave you to your comic books and Star Wars posters... or anything else you want. But hey, maybe you think it's fair, for me to help you out and then be murdered in cold blood?"
Jonathan looked at the floor for a while before shrugging. "I guess it's not."
Willow smiled, gazing up at him. "There's the Jonathan I know. Let's work some magic, then."