This was the end, Giles could tell. Willow had had another seizure, and he could hear her breaths coming painful wheezes, and each time she paused between them he feared that they would stop.

Now she lay on the couch, shaking, pale and apparently asleep. Giles watched her, his face serious, emotionless, as though expressing anything would turn him into a teary mess.

She's a weapon, Miss Harkness had said, but the girl before him didn't look like a weapon at all.

Dawn had gone upstairs, worried that her own sobs would upset Willow in her final moments.

"Giles?" Willow whispered, and he knelt down, held her hand.

"I'm here, Willow."

She opened her eyes. They stared deliriously ahead of her, like she couldn't see Giles at all, "Giles, I wanna try it."

"Try what, Willow?"

"The curse. To re-ensoul Angel. I… I think I can do it."

Giles was almost speechless, flooded with too much emotion to form words, "Willow…"

"Please Giles. Let me try. I have to, for Buffy."

He found his voice: "Of course, Willow. You can do the spell."

"S-since Ms. Calendar is… I'm the only one. I h-have to try."

Giles choked on some despair that had been sitting in the back of his throat, "Of course,"

"A-and he… hurt… you," Willow said, "Why would anyone… hurt you?"

There was this look of confusion, of guilt on Willow's face, and Giles wondered if a part of her was remembering that she herself had tortured him for fun only months ago. He squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead.

Willow shuddered, "D-… Do you think I can do it, Giles?"

"Yes, Willow," he said, "I think you can do anything."

"No," she murmured, "I'm just Willow. I don't have much in the way of…" Her eyes slipped closed, overcome with exhaustion, "...power…"

Giles wasn't sure how to respond.

Suddenly lucid, Willow sucked in a painful gasp, eyes widening. She sat up with effort, "Giles, help me up."

"Willow, what are you—?"

"The power… It's not mine. Never was. And they can't take it from me, 'cause it's not mine. It's the Earth's." She took Giles' hand and stood, "I know what I have to do. I gotta get to Buffy."


Things were not going remotely well for the Slayer and the gang. Anya hummed angrily, still mouthless. Xander was pinned to the ceiling, writhing in pain, and Buffy was bleeding and nearly unconscious, twitching painfully as electricity from Catherine's fingers wracked her body.

"This is fun," laughed Amy, "I don't know why Willow gave this up."

"Amy, please," said Xander, "This isn't you."

"You're right," said Amy, "It's Willow ." She used her magic to drop him back to the floor.

Xander crawled onto his hands and knees and stood shakily, "Amy. I… I…" he smiled sheepishly, "Uh, I love you?"

Amy laughed and sent Xander back up to the ceiling.

"Was worth a shot," croaked Xander.


Giles helped Willow limp to the car. Willow glanced back at the house.

"Dawn will be fine," said Giles.

He helped Willow into the passenger's seat and got in himself on the driver's side. He started the car and pulled away quickly.

He glanced at her, briefly, her head turned away from him and leaning on the window. Last time they had driven through Sunnydale together… he'd been taking her to the airport.

"So what's your plan?" he asked. She didn't answer. "Willow?"

"Hmm?" Willow mumbled.

"Willow? Willow," he nudged her in the arm, "Willow, you must stay awake. What are you thinking? Why are we going to the crater?"

"Uh," said Willow, "My, uh… well, the coven says all power's from the Earth. So if I can just draw enough power… borrow enough to… uh…"

"Without your abilities, Willow," said Giles, "There is no way for you to draw remotely enough power to float a pencil, let alone stop the spell. You are… losing energy much faster than you can draw it. It won't keep you… from dying."

"But that's why… That's why it's the Hellmouth. I mean, if they are at the crater, it's chock full of energy. It's the perfect place to… it's just what I need."

"Hellmouth energy?" said Giles, "That won't be healthy."

"Neither's dying," said Willow, "And I… I think I don't wanna die. Just make sure I don't hurt anyone, okay?"

"But Willow," said Giles, "These women… have more power than any— than you could possibly draw in this state, even from the Hellmouth. It won't be enough to beat them."

"Well that's the thing—" Willow coughed, some blood splashing on the passenger side window, "—I don't have to beat them. No one knows Willow's power better than Willow. I gotta always think about it, to keep control. And they are trying to keep this really powerful Siphoning spell up, and there's two of 'em… If I can get one of them to slip for just a sec, to lose focus… And I… The amount of focus, of s-synchronicity, it takes for two people to… to keep up a spell together. Tara and me… If I can break that connection, drive a wedge between them… I should be able to use the Hellmouth's energy as a jumpstart, and I can use that to grab a little strand of my power and pull it all back. It should unravel like a ball of yarn. I dunno, Giles. Do you think it'll work? Do you think I can do it?"

"I think you can do anything, Willow," said Giles.

Willow smiled weakly. She changed positions and rested her head against Giles' shoulder. He reached for her hand, held it as he drove.


"Buff," groaned Xander, broken on the floor, "Now'd be a pretty great time to wake up and give these gals that ass kicking you were talking about."

But Buffy was out cold. Anya was magically paralyzed not far from her, and as Amy raised her arms, terrible red energy flying from her fingers, Xander was about ready to accept death himself.

"Don't look so sad, Xand," said Amy, "You'll be with your friends at least. Hey, tell Willow hi from me."

Willow's weak voice came, then, from the mouth of the cave: "Tell her yourself."

Amy looked up, could see the pale shell of the witch swaying at the entrance, the Watcher behind her. "You don't look so good, Will," said Amy, "Why don't you lie down ?" With a wave of her hand, Willow was falling into the pit with Giles.

Willow coughed as she hit the floor, seeing stars. She felt Giles checking her for injuries. What was she thinking? She couldn't do this.

"Amy," Willow choked, Giles helping pull her into a kneeling position. She looked around, saw the terrible states of her friends: Xander broken and bloody, Anya disfigured, and the Slayer unconscious and writhing in electric pain. Willow was filled with rage.

And normally that rage would paint her irises black, would fill her veins with darkness. This time, though, it was just rage, and it felt stronger than any of that.

Willow scoffed, "Look how low you've sunk, Amy,"

"How low?" spat Amy, "I was a rat . Feels like a step up to me. What, because of the torture and the murder? Doesn't seem too different from you, Will."

"No, not that," said Willow with a little smirk, "It's just…" she coughed, blood dripping from her mouth, "Oh, nothing."

"What?" said Amy.

"I mean, you're in league with her ? With your mother?" Willow nodded at Catherine, who still tortured Buffy with electricity, "Oh, come on, Amy. We've hated her since we were kids. Remember what she did to you? What makes you think she's not gonna turn on you again?"

"Well—" Amy stuttered, "Well, she can't. I mean, I have so much power—"

"You guys have the same power," said Willow, "The way I see it, it's just a matter of who stabs who first. But you wouldn't stab an ally in the back, would ya Amy? Oh right, you would. You have."

Catherine whipped around, then. "Hey, that's a good point. You always were a thankless little brat."

"Me?" said Amy, "You already stole my life once. How do I know you're not gonna steal from me again?"

"Quit your whining, Amy," snapped Catherine.

Willow could feel the energy of the Hellmouth beneath her, faint. She tried to find a strand of her stolen power to grasp onto, but they hadn't cracked yet.

"And here's the other thing," Willow stumbled, vision blurring and head spinning, but Giles caught her, "I'm dying. How much research did you guys do about this spell? I know it's a cheat, I know you're just siphoning my power. What do you think happens to that power when I croak? You sure you two won't be stuck in here, powerless in a room with an angry Slayer, Vengeance Demon, Watcher, and, uh, Xander after you just killed their best friend?"

"We're not powerless. We have our own power."

"Oh, you ran out of your own power ages ago. You're gonna have to recharge. Could take a while… long enough for the Slayer's fist to find your face. A stake to find your heart. Maybe."

Amy seemed hesitant.

"Don't listen to her, Amy," said Catherine, "She'll be dead within the hour, don't waste your energy on her."

"What?" said Amy, "So you can take it for yourself?"

"Ungrateful bitch," said Catherine, and Buffy started to recover as the older witch was distracted, "You wipe that look off your face before I do it for you. If I could have cast this spell on my own, I would have." She stalked towards Amy, "I don't want to kill the Slayer anymore," she said, "I want to kill you !"

Catherine shot electricity at Amy, and Amy was thrown to the ground, blood trickling from her nose. She didn't defend herself.

"Run out of power already?" said Catherine, "Amy, Amy, Amy. When will you learn?"

But Amy wasn't out of power. She stared at her mom, frozen in panic, paralyzed by trauma. As the woman came towards her, magick sparking on her hands. The years of abuse, of fear, of hiding in her room, at school… at Willow's house—it rushed back to her and manifested in terrified stillness.

There it was! The rift had opened, and the spell faltered, just for a moment. And Willow took that moment: she fell to one knee and forced her fingers into the wet dirt of the cave floor. She tapped into it, the power of the Hellmouth, and grasped the strand of magick Amy and her mother had let loose. Green light shot from her hand and snaked across the ground until it split and hit each of the other witches. Amy and Catherine each fell to their knees, wincing in pain.

Giles felt something go through him, suddenly. He couldn't explain it, couldn't dwell.

And only a moment later Amy and Catherine were each left sprawled on the ground, drained. Anya's mouth returned, whatever dastardly spells the witches had cast ending. Willow felt the power run up her arms, burn through her veins. She felt giddiness beneath her rage. After feeling so horrible, on the brink of death, she'd forgotten how good it felt to feel good. And now? She felt amazing.

Willow moved to stand, and Giles tried to help her. But Willow tore her arm away from him and stood on her own, with no difficulty whatsoever. Giles stepped back, afraid.

Buffy, Xander, and Anya watched from their distances, too. They were hesitant to move, for Willow's eyes were pitch black, and they could see darkness snaking through the veins in her hands and arms.

Willow felt dizzy with power. She stepped threateningly towards the slowly recovering witches, who looked at her with fear.

"Domi nun—" started Amy, holding a hand out weakly.

"—No," Willow raised a hand in return, shutting down Amy's weak spell before it was even finished.

Willow used her magicks to pull the two up and pin them to the cave wall with each hand. She was seething—her power; the Hellmouth; her rage sending images to her mind of everything she could do to these women without breaking a sweat.

"I should take your magicks," said Willow, "I won't cheat. I'll take them for real. You know what that feels like? It's like your blood is boiling, and it's like your mind is being picked apart, like the stuff keeping it together is on fire and you can't wait for it to be ash, 'cause then at least you won't know what's happening to you anymore." She turned suddenly, looking at Giles as he flinched, "It's agony." She spun back around to Amy and Catherine, shoving them harder against the wall, "I can take your magicks. You might die, witches like yourselves. You're not as powerful as me, though. You might just be insane, or an empty shell. It'll be worse than being a rat, I can tell you that."

"Willow," said Amy, "Willow, please. Please, you gotta understand. I… I… I mean, your power is… it's dark! I… I was corrupted I—"

"Shut up, Amy," said Willow, "What you guys did to my friends? How dare you."

"I mean, Will," said Amy, "It's not any different from what you—"

Willow used her telekinesis to shove her harder against the wall, "I coulda sworn I said 'shut up'." She took a deep breath, "It'd be better, y'know? Couple of psychos like you running around. You don't deserve magick—"

"Willow," said Giles.

She shook her head, like he was just a voice inside of it, a stray thought distracting her from the task at hand.

"I'm gonna take everything that makes you you," Willow muttered at the witches.

"Will, stop," Buffy ordered.

"Willow, let's talk and deal. Okay?" urged Xander.

"No, no," said Willow, "They're evil. They hurt you. I gotta…"

But that voice in her head, that sweet voice that she hadn't heard in 24 hours, it told her to stop, too. She came back to herself, felt compassion somewhere underneath her darkness. She let the two women fall to the ground.

"You know what power I have," said Willow softly to the witches, "You know what it's like, and you're the only ones who do." She knelt down, her eyes dancing between the two of them. Without magick, she shoved the women against the wall with each hand. "I can feel everything . And either of you use your magick to hurt anyone ever again… I'll know." She released them and turned away, the rush leaving her as she regained control, her eyes fading back to green.

Amy and Catherine sighed in relief, until Willow whipped around again and they both stiffened in fear.

"One more thing," said Willow, glaring at Amy, "The Hellmouth. Why are you trying to open it?"

Amy's face was a portrait of utter confusion, "What?"

"The altars," said Willow, "I know you've been coming to these craters and casting. Why are you trying to open the Hellmouth?"

"Open the Hellmouth?" Amy almost laughed, "Are you crazy? Ever since you killed Rack, I've had to get my hits another way. Just so happens the Hellmouth is the only thing with the right kinda power. I'm not opening the Hellmouth, I'm getting high off it. Okay? I know it's pathetic." Amy lowered her voice, so that only Willow could hear, "I couldn't open the Hellmouth even if I wanted to. The only person with that kinda power…" She smirked a little, despite her pain, "...is you."

A small dread settled in Willow's chest and she froze. "Get outta here," she said to the witches, and they scurried away on weak legs.

Willow knelt down by Xander. She pulled on some power and healed him, the wound on his head closing and his broken bones realigning.

"Good as new," said Xander, standing but falling back to the floor, "Okay, a little woozy but better."

Then Willow crawled over to Buffy, who had blood running from her nose and still seemed to twitch with electricity.

Willow healed her as well, and then Anya.

"I feel like I got struck by ten lightnings," said Buffy. She glanced at her reflection in a puddle. Her hair was frizzy from the currents that ran through her, "Hey Will, you couldn't do anything about the hair?"

Willow smiled at the joke, but didn't speak, still in a strange overpowered daze. The massive amount of healing had her nose leaking blood. She stood again, dizzy, looking at Giles and then turning away in shame.

She could sense Giles stepping towards her, and she braced herself to be scolded, screamed at.

But he embraced her in a warm hug. Tears fell from his eyes, and she warily hugged him back.

"Missed you too, Giles," Willow said.

"Don't you dare ," threatened Giles, "Don't you dare do that again." He pulled away from the hug, "If you were to… If something were to happen to you, Willow," he said, "I don't know what I'd do."

"You'd live," Willow said.


So they all climbed from the cavern and began the journey home, the day saved once again.

"Will, you okay?" said Buffy.

"Huh? Yeah, I got my magick back… plus a lil bonus from the Hellmouth I think. All re-powered and dandy… Lotsa healing, that's why the wobbly."

"Not that," said Buffy, "You look distracted."

"Oh," said Willow, "It's just… something Amy said."

"So I guess Amy's not our Hellmouth-opener?" said Xander, "Guess we're looking for something else entirely."

"Or someone," Willow muttered. I don't want to test their kindness . Giles' words echoed in her mind. "Are you guys all okay?"

"Mostly all healed," said Buffy, "Thanks, Will."

"Sorry I couldn't go all the way one-hundred percent with the healy. Limits and all that. Don't wanna faint or…" Willow paused; 'turn evil' felt better unsaid, "I can't believe you guys almost got killed for me."

"You can't?" said Xander, "We almost get killed for each other like every week. That's what Scoobies do."

"I, for one, did not appreciate having my mouth removed," said Anya, "That was completely unfair."

"Some of us actually enjoyed it," muttered Xander.

"Xander," warned Buffy.

"Kidding. Kidding!"

"Hey, was that true?" said Anya, turning to Willow, "That they'd lose the power if you died?"

Willow shrugged, "I dunno," she said, "Probably not. I improvised."

Buffy slowed her pace to walk alongside Willow. "Will," she said, "We were… I was really, really worried about you. Seeing you all sick… You're the strongest one here, and sometimes I forget you're… Seeing you like that was really scary. You're also my best friend, so…" Buffy stopped, hugged her, "Don't you dare—"

"Yeah, yeah," said Willow, "'Don't you dare do that again', already heard it from Giles."