Just a little note: Mai Wu is pronounced may-wu and the chant even though it is in English, well let's just pretend that it's in asian.
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Chapter 9- Return
Previously on What Happens Next: Rosie's friend, Orla, is killed and Rosie is returned to Wolfram & Hart.
The night continued to display its dazzling stars. Buffy was stood outside under them. She wasn't there to view the little pretty lights. She was waiting for someone, that someone was Mai Wu. She was a powerful known witch who lived in Asia. It took Angel all of fifteen minutes to locate her. Apparently she was going to arrive by teleportation.
That wasn't the only thing on her mind; Willow was ruling her brain at the moment. She missed her best friend. This was the first time that she actually saw Willow since Sunnydale became a crater; Buffy was in Rome, while Willow was astral projecting in Africa.
Come to think about it, it was the first time she had seen any of her old friends. Why did this have to happen? In the midst of thought, a breeze began swaying branches of near-by trees and out of the blue came a man. This came as a slight shock to Buffy. This man was familiar to her, very familiar, it was The Immortal.
An enthusiastic smile brewed in Buffy lips, she was unable to hold her happiness in. "Hi," Buffy said coyly. She ran up to him and gave him a cuddle. The Immortal didn't share her enthusiasm.
"Buffy! I missed you, but I'm just wondering… how did I get here?" The bride-to-be didn't know the answer why, but she was quite happy that he was there with her.
"He was brought by me," A whispering echo became visible as a beautiful Asian woman. She had silky black hair rolled into plaited bun on her head. She wasn't wearing a dress, but her outfit was silk, like the feeling of her hair. One question in the sea of questions in Buffy's mind surfaced.
"Why…" Buffy began. Mai Wu interrupted her.
"Why did I bring him here you ask? I am an empath; I derive my power from the people's feelings of love, well if I ran my power on the power of hate, I would turn into an evil version of Willow. I have heard of Willow, I must say that she is even more infamous than me! I knew that a slayer and her love should give me enough power and because there are lots of slayers," She didn't bother finishing her sentence.
Mai Wu gracefully entered Wolfram & Hart and walked into the Hospital Wing waiting room. It was as if she had been there before. Buffy and 'Immy' were still outside trying to understand what had happened. Buffy decided not to process the new information; she just wanted her Willow back.
Buffy following suit went into the Waiting Room with The Immortal trailing behind. Mai was talking to Angel; Buffy was a little surprised that he wasn't in his office. As soon as Buffy put her left foot into the room, Mai was falling to the floor, only to be caught by Angel.
"The heat! The intensity!" Mai whispered into Angel's ear. She quickly regained her form and straightened herself out. All was watching her with interest even Doctor Michigan, whose idea of interesting was reading about 'Space Exploration'.
"I have no need for The Immortal," Mai said- with regained voice. Mai double-clapped her hands and 'Immy' was gone. Everyone was thinking, Okay, what the hell was happening there? All except Spike who was thinking, she seems a lot like Dru! That is definitely something Dru would do, plus that Mai is hot!
They didn't ponder the questions that had arisen in their own heads.
Mai bowed her head to the crowd that was surrounding her. "I am Mai Wu, and you said something about a magick spell that needs to be performed, didn't you?" Angel, Buffy, Xander, Dawn, Faith and Giles stepped forward.
"Mai, my name is Giles; could I just talk to you for about a minute?" Giles asked politely. Mai nodded her head and the two of them walked into Angel's office.
"Okay, what the hell was that?" Gunn asked enquiringly as Mai and Giles entered Angel's office.
Mai Wu's POV
"Mr. Giles, nothing will go wrong." I said- assuring him that all would be safe.
I know what his mind is saying; it is like an open book. The book is full of knowledge and lessons. He is concerned about me losing my memory, as Willow had done, but I shall not be using my power alone. I will be using the power of feelings.
The blonde slayer and the ensouled vampire have so much energy; it washed over me like a wave, thus making me fall to the ground. It is so intense! Powerful! The thing that perplexes me however, the wave of love came from the petite slayer. I sensed that she was getting married to the Immortal; I assumed that she loved him. I get it, she's under a spell.
Mr. Giles has left the room. He has realized and knows that I can read minds, but I wonder if he knows that the blonde girl is under a love spell. It is not my business; my only business here is to cast a spell and leave.
I have just departed the office and there is a man with good cheekbones and has bleach blonde hair standing there with a cup of coffee. From what I can detect, he is an ensouled vampire like Angel and do you know what? I like him!
Normal POV
Mai accepted the cup of coffee and sat in a nearby chair and summoned another one for Spike to sit upon. Xander walked up to Mai and interrupted what Spike was saying.
"Have you got everything you need to perform the spell?" He asked- a little coldly to Mai's likings. Xander didn't want anything more to go wrong. He had already lost his closest friend, he just wanted her back.
"I will need this. Tell the others that I'm preparing and relaxing." Mai held out her hand and in it appeared a list on what looked to be papyrus paper. Xander grabbed it and walked back into the waiting room.
"Angel, that Mai person needs all that is on this list," Xander handed it over to the brunette vampire. "She is quote-unquote, 'preparing' and Spike is with her." He told to Buffy. She didn't actually seem phased, kind of happy actually. Xander then strolled to where Willow/Rosie was.
Xander's POV
I might finally get Willow back. It broke my heart when she didn't recognize me. It was almost as bad when Andrew told me Anya died. I've entered Willow's room. She is banging her head against the head-board and she is laughing.
"I just want to leave. Ha, ha, ha, but you can't leave, the crazy house says you can't. It says you have to die, but I want to live. I had a nice life. Ha, ha, ha! A pretty short one. I had a friend, and then the crazy house took her away. The crazy house will be the cause of my demise like everything else in this shit-hole."
Hearing Willow repeat those words over and over again, while banging her head and hysterically laughing brought tears to my eyes. How could this happen?
My Willow gone, there looks like here is no-one in there, just a shell of a person. She won't be nothing for long though.
"Rosie, What the hell is happening to you?" He asked demandingly.
"The pictures tell lies! They can't be me! There is no Willow Rosenberg, only Rosie. Only Rosie. Only Rosie." I am sitting by her side holding her hand.
Normal POV
Both had silver tears streaming down pale faces. Mai entered and carried a brown paper bag and placed it on the bedside table. She began to take out candles and started placing them in precise spots.
In came all the remaining slayers (from the battle) including Buffy and Faith. Angel was just in there to oversee the situation. Mai began speaking an Asian chant.
"The Keeper of the mind is lost,
With the power of the mighty slayer,
And the power of many mighty loves,
We search for the Keeper of Willow's mind,
Come back keeper,
Return the sanity,
Return to the mind,
Return,
RETURN!"
A glow appeared from all the slayers, and surprisingly Angel; the glows that were emitted went into Willow and the red-head gasped. Xander's eye opened more and took off the restraints. He hugged the very distressed Willow.
"Xan-der, it-'s me. I-'m ba-ck." Willow said weakly and faintly. Willow was back!
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To my Reviewers:-
My God you waited a long time for this update! Are you glad it is here or what? I can say with pride that this is the longest chapter to date in What Happens Next. I know it took me forever but I had the terrible disease called writers' block and lots and lots of assessment tests. Terrible thing that.
To my Reviewers:-
Princess tiara: Thanx for reviewing and thanx for the encouragement! I really did need to get off my ass and work! Hope u review again soon!
Moonjava: I'm on top of the world that you are enjoying my story!