Willow checked out the car, then checked the sky. He wouldn't be inside, it's just before dusk, she thought. She looked through the window, expecting to see him huddled in the back seat. She knocked on the window to get his attention, and he looked up at her, quizzically. "I'll explain once you come inside," she mouthed. She could have used telepathy, but she wasn't sure if it would work. With that, she walked up the walk, and rang the bell; Paige let her in.
"This is a really nice house!" Willow commented, looking around the front hall.
"Yeah, though it's a bit big for the four, no wait, five of us. My oldest sister just had a baby," she explained.
"OOO! Baby?" Willow cooed.
"Yeah, that's the usual response," Paige laughed.
"Paige! You're finally here! There's someone here to speak with us…" Phoebe trailed off, seeing Willow.
"Hi, I'm Willow. I met Paige on the bus. She invited me home."
"She's also a witch." She looked at her sister, and flinched, "I know! I know! She was searching for a power here in the city. I thought we could help." Phoebe eyed Willow with distrust.
"Don't worry, I'm all good, well, except for that one time, but that was horrible, and I've repented. I'd never go through anything like that again."
"We can finish this conversation later, Paige, there's someone who want's to talk to us, all of us. She has info about the job." Willow caught a look go in between the two sisters. Something's up, she thought.
"Ok, Willow…"
"You can call me Will, everybody else does."
"Ok, Will…"
"Willow! What are you doing here?" Cordelia cried as she walked into the room.
"Can't I get a sentence finished?" Paige complained.
"Cordy! Well, that explains how Angel got here. Why are you here? It's a long story."
"Ditto! Lorne, demon, connections, said something strange was going on here. We came to check it out," she explained.
"I was meditating, and I felt a surge of power. I followed it here. We thought it might have something to do with the First."
"The First?"
"Oh, this years big bad, The First Evil."
"What's new is Sunnydale?"
"Well, I um, well, I became a little too enthusiastic with my magic last year, Tara was shot, and she died. I avenged Tara, and well, if it wasn't for Xander, we wouldn't be here right now, I can assure you of that. After that, I traveled to England, with Giles, and studied with a coven there, learning to use my new powers."
"What happened right after graduation? I've been out of the loop."
"Well, Harmony was dating Spike for awhile, but he killed her, I think. He got a chip implanted in his head by Buffy's old boyfriend, Riley, and the government."
"Harm? With Spike! That's hilarious!"
A knock sounded at the door.
"Oh, that's Angel," Cordy and Willow said together, as Paige went to open the door.
"We can catch up more later," Cordy promised Willow as if they were old friends.
"Ok, everyone, and I mean everyone," Phoebe looked at Angel, "into the living room, we all have to talk." Paige nodded Angel in, yet he stayed where he was.
"He needs a verbal invite," Cordy and Willow said in unison. They looked at each other, and smiled. Willow looked at the confused faces of their hostesses, "Don't worry, we'll explain."
"Ok, who should start?" Piper asked, once they were all situated in the living room.
"Well, I think that Angel, Cordelia and I should explain ourselves. We're the ones that barged into your house. I trust that everything will be kept on a need to know basis?" The Charmed ones looked at her funny. "My best friend sent me to check out the power I sensed, and I can't keep things from her. I'm a bad liar, and she knows me too well. But I will explain about her, though knowing would put you in danger."
They sat in awkward silence for a couple seconds, until Wyatt started to whimper.
"Leo, could you get me a bottle? I know they're for emergencies, but I'm not missing any of this!" He got up, and left the room. They sat in silence for a while more. He returned, and for a while the only sound that could be heard was the baby drinking greedily.
"Fine, I'll start!" Willow exclaimed, tired of the silence, it gave her too much time to argue with herself. "I grew up in Sunnydale, where your worst nightmares are real. And I'm not talking about showing up at school naked, or something like that. I'm talking about demons, and vampires, and witches, and spells. They're all real, but you already know that.
"What you don't know, and for a while, neither did we, is that Sunnydale is on a hellmouth, a portal of sorts from this dimension, to hell. It attracts a whole mess of demonic activity, who either live off the people, or to try to open the portal, releasing hell on Earth.
"The high school is actually built atop the hellmouth, it opens right underneath the stacks in the library. Well, it used to. The school was burned to the ground the day of our graduation. But it's been rebuilt, and now the Principal's Office is right above the opening.
"I went to school on the hellmouth for four years, so did Cordelia. In our sophomore year, a new girl moved to town. She was kicked out of her old school for burning down the gym. Her job is to stop these demons, these vampires, and she's stopped many, but when one is killed, three more seem to take it's place. She is the 'Chosen One'. The story goes: 'into each generation a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the strength and skill to fight the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers.' Her name's Buffy Summers, and she's my best friend.
"Nobody was supposed to know about her secret identity, none except her watcher, Rupert Giles, the old librarian at Sunnydale High. We, Xander and I, found out when she saved us from vampires, but our best friend Jesse..." a "Stupid dolt," was heard muttered by Cordelia, At this point, Paige went upstairs with her nephew, Willow thought to put him to sleep. She came back quickly. Willow continued once she got back. "He wasn't so lucky, he was turned into one of them, a horrible death.
"Slayers don't have a very long life expectancy. Mostly because they are in danger every second, and anyone who knows is in grave danger. She didn't want to be the slayer, but she didn't get a choice. Buffy's been killed twice, first time, when she was 16." Willow described in some detail about what had happened, "The second time was to save the world a few years later.
"I…I couldn't…I just couldn't deal with her death. She brought me out of my shell," she explained in a rush, to justify her actions. "I was the shyest, geekiest person you could have met, before Buffy. So I resurrected her. That led into my bad time. God, this is so hard to talk about!" She explained how she became addicted to magic. "I quit after Tara left, she couldn't handle it, she was afraid of what I had become. She came back to me, once I quit, but she was horribly murdered, right in front of me."
As she started telling about she had gone evil, she started crying. "I was set on revenge, not just from Tara's murderer, but from the whole world, it was like apart of me died with Tara." She explained how Xander saved her, helped her deal with her grief. Her tears were running freely down her cheeks. She brushed them away, and went on, "I went to England with Giles. I studied with a coven over there. I learned to control the powers I now posses. I won't use them, except for simple things. I guess, deep down inside, I'm afraid to use them, what if it happens again?" She asked, a shiver running down her spine.
"Every year, there seems to be a new evil. We defeated the first one, summer's calm, few vamps, few demons, and by September, there's a new evil, ready to take over, to try what it's predecessor failed at." She explained how they had blown up the high school, had defeated Adam, and faced Glory.
"This year, it's the First Evil. It's trying to take out the Slayer line, no more slayers, and demons run free and unhindered. We have gathered all of the living slayers-to-be, and we're training them." She went on to explain what had been going on since she returned from England, and why she came back. She also told of the difficulties they had been having, with so many girls under one roof.
She quickly told them of what had brought her to be sitting in their living room, "Don't worry, Paige only told me you were witches, she didn't tell me any more of your secrets, but I can feel it, this whole house has magic floating in the air. And there's something under the house itself, it's not really like the hellmouth, but it could really pack a wallop. It's a source of magic," Willow finished off her tale. She let them digest the information, the Halliwells, the whole thing, and whatever Angel and Cordy didn't know.
After a few minutes, she looked at first Cordy, then Angel, imploring one of them to go next. They looked at each other, and silently conversed, and Cordy decided to go next.
"Ok, I'm just going to add to Willow's story. Grew up in Sunnydale. I was popular. I sort of joined the group, during junior year, while I was dating Xander, worst mistake in my life. I helped out occasionally. After Graduation, I decided against college, and went to L.A. to become an actress. I met Angel there, and now I work for him. He owns Angel Investigations, and we handle the supernatural, things that the police wouldn't dream of dealing with, things they can't handle." She finished, and sat back, happy with herself, keeping her tale under ten minutes long.
"Ok, I have the strangest tale here. Please let me explain, before you jump to conclusions." He noticed how the oldest sister sat warily on the couch, "I am a vampire; I am over 240 years old. My story starts in Ireland, in the late 1700's. It's been so long, I don't remember the exact year," he quickly told them about his siring, "I took the name Angelus, meaning one with the Angelic face. I was the terror of Europe, branching into Asia from time to time."
"The gypsies, the Romani, have a thing for curses. During the late 1800's, I fed off one of their daughters, and they punished me by returning my human soul. I now remember every single person I killed in my years as a monster.
"I became the sorriest vampire ever. I fed off rats, lived in alleyways and sewers. But in 1996, I was taken to Buffy's calling." His eyes became clouded, and his voice changed, like he was back on that day, in that car, "She was just a kid, only 15, who was made to grow up so fast, in a world many don't realize exists. It's crazy, but I fell in love with her right there. I wanted to protect her with all my heart, I didn't want to see her hurt, but with her destiny, it's pretty easy to get hurt.'" While speaking, he had looked up, and he was staring them in the eyes, one by one.
He quietly told them about the bare details about Buffy's 17th birthday. "I learned then that one moment of complete happiness, and I would be unburdened of my curse. I would be turned back into the monster I was so long ago. Thankfully, Willow managed to recurse me.
"After that, we decided to just be friends, knowing what would happen if we gave into temptation again. But it didn't work, being friends, and shortly after her graduation, I ended up in LA, where I started Angel Investigations, with some prodding. One demon that works for me, an empathic demon, said that something was going on here, so I decided to check it out. It may not be my turf, but I thought I could offer my services to you.
"I found your information at the apartment of one of my old acquaintances. I'm sorry for barging in on you like this."
"Wh…what was his name, your friend? Where did you meet him?" Phoebe asked, horrified.
"His name was Cole. I met him at a bar, I was hurting, and he was hurting, and we drowned our sorrows together," he explained.
"You knew Cole?" Phoebe cried, the other two gasped in surprise. They both moved closer to her, as to comfort her, " No, I'm over him, I'm fine." She insisted, and they weren't back to their seats. She doesn't smell fine. This is hurting her inside. Just like it hurts me to think of Buffy. She loved him completely, but couldn't trust him. I'm surprised she ever trusted me again.
"Well, I guess we're next," Piper said, sighing. Just then, a loud, piteous wail sounded from upstairs. "OH!"
"Don't worry, I got him!" Leo said, and orbed upstairs.
"Angel!" Cordy cried, she started to shake.
"We'll explain that!" Piper said, silently cursing Leo, for scaring their guest, even if she was used to demonic activity.
"Your vision?" Angel asked in a low tone, leaning towards her, she hadn't gone into her visions, he wasn't sure if she wanted Willow to know. She knew that she would tell Xander and the others.
"Yes!" she hissed, "I thought he looked familiar! But it was just a glimpse that I got before!"
"What visions? Cordy, what is he talking about? You didn't have visions in high school," Willow asked, overhearing, the thought on most of their minds. "Or did you not tell us?" she accused, a hurt look on her face.
"It's ok, Angel, I'll tell her," Cordy said, before Angel defended her. "In L.A. there was this demon, well, I didn't know he was a demon at first. Before he died, he transferred his visions to me."
"Piper, he's hungry again." Leo orbed back in. He had his son propped up, resting on his shoulder. He had him sitting on his arm, with his other hand supporting his delicate head. The tail of the blanket was hanging down from under his arm.
"Angel! That's the symbol! This is definitly the place," Cordy said, sighing now that the pieces were fitting.
"Oh! Now I know where that's from, that the symbol stands for the Trinity! Cor, you really need to work on your drawing skills!" Angel teased.
Cor! Willow thought, then saw the tender way that Angel teased her. Oh my GOD! Buffy is going to freak!
You don't have to tell her.
She needs to know! It wouldn't be right for me not to tell her. She still loves him.
Well, maybe he's over her. She's protected you, so now it's your turn to protect her!
You're irrational. I am not speaking to you!
"Ok, let us explain. Leo, get another bottle. We'll just have to deal," she said to his look. She took her son from him as he left the room, he sometimes quieted when he was near her.
"No, I should explain my vision, you have a right to know about it, you were in it. I was reading, when I had it. I was in a solarium and there was a horned demon…" She went on to describe her vision.
"Ok, now it is our turn to explain. We come from a long line of witches. Using the powers that have been given to us, we protect the innocent. We each have special powers. I have the power to freezing time and blowing up things," Piper explained.
"I have the power of Premonition. I have visions of the past or future. My second power is levitation," Phoebe added.
"My powers come from my father's side. I don't share a father with Piper and Phoebe; my father was a whitelighter. I can orb, and I can orb objects to be, by naming them."
"Prue had the power of Telekinesis. She also could astral project. Her power of telekinesis couldn't be used when she was in her astral form, though," Piper said, her mood shifting, like it always did, when she talked about Prue. Angel sensed this change, as well as in the other sisters and Leo, but he didn't think Willow or Cordelia picked up on it. "She was killed by a demon, after saving me. It's a long story, too long and too painful to go into," she wiped away a tear.
"Hey! We dragged up our hideously painful memories!"
"Cordelia Chase! That was our decision. All we need to know was that she died! We don't need to know how!" Willow cried, ashamed at Cordelia. "I thought that you had changed! You're still the selfish, self-centered bitch that you were in high school! I couldn't see what Xander saw in you then, and I still don't!"
"Well, the truth comes out at last! I knew you despised me! Did you think that I didn't know about the 'We Hate Cordelia Club'? I knew you were jealous, because I was so popular! And you were such a geek! You still are!"
"If you are the role model for popular people, I'm glad I wasn't popular! And I'm glad of my geek status! It's nothing to be ashamed of! And it helped us out a ton, unlike your coolness."
"Yeah, but is being lesbian? Oh, or are you bi? Is that why Oz left you, because you were cheating on him, with a woman!"
"OH! Don't you bring Oz into this! He left long before I met Tara! I never would have met Tara if he hadn't, that and learned what a stupid bunch of ninnies the Wiccan group on Campus was! They had Bake sales! Who does bake sales anymore! They didn't even know how to meditate."
"Oh, don't go changing the subject! We still haven't talked about you stealing Xander from me! I tried, but how was I to know that was, the other you, from that strange dimension!"
"What?" Willow asked bewildered, "Oh, you tried to talk to vamp me? To bad she didn't bite you! She would have saved us a whole lot of trouble!"
"Well, if she had changed me, I would have come and bit you!"
"I would have staked you long before you got a chance, if Buffy hadn't first!" Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Leo, and Angel watched this heated exchange, afraid to interfere.
"Yeah, how many vamps have you ever staked? I remember, while Buffy was gone, while Angel was in hell, you couldn't stake a vamp to save your life! Neither could Oz!"
"I said leave him out of this! I didn't see you staking anybody either, oh, that's because you were THE BAIT! What did you ever do to help! Besides being bait, that is!"
"I helped in my own way, I had the car remember? I drove Buffy home, when she lost her powers, and she was freakin'."
"Oooo! Once! I didn't see you jumping to research!"
"Because I had a life! I'm not the geek remember? You are!"
"And it's not an insult! Get that through your thick head!"
"Uh, Willow, Cordelia, calm…" Angel tried.
"You stay out of this!" they yelled at him.
"Ok, thanks!" He turned to the Halliwells, "So, I think this will eventually play out, do you want to go somewhere else and talk? We can't do it very well in here," he whispered.
"Will they get mad? You know them better than we do," Leo commented.
"I don't think they'll notice," he replied. So they all quietly got up, and went into the Solarium.