Sunnydale Airport, 1400 hours.
Buffy, Giles, and Xander were at the airport baggage claim area waiting for Willow and Althanea to get out off the plane, which had made a stop in Los Angeles. Giles was looking at the screen which showed that the plane landed nearly ten minutes ago, and it had just arrived at the gate. He then glanced back over his shoulder at Buffy and Xander, the latter who was holding a 'Welcome Home' sign written with a yellow crayon and white paper. When asked why he wrote it in something that could barely be seen, Xander said that it had to do with a story about a yellow crayon that only Willow would know.
While everyone wanted to come to the airport and receive the redhead it was Joyce who said that it would be best if Giles, Xander, and Buffy went to pick her up instead given that they were the original members of the Scooby gang. She continued by saying that they would be at home where Graham and Riley would be helping plan take down Borzan with the others.
Back at the airport, Giles went back to stand with Xander and Buffy who were still waiting on the two of them. It was a few minutes later that a smile appeared on Buffy's lips as Willow walked down the walkway with Althanea by her side.
"Will," said Buffy taking a few steps forward before standing in front of the white haired young woman while Xander and Giles stood behind the Slayer, "are.. are… I mean, how are you?"
Willow looked into the Slayer's eyes, and imagined Buffy chocking. Willow was imagining using her telekinesis to create a solid ball in Buffy's windpipe while she smiled at the Slayer getting on her knees, and then falling to her side while gasping for air and reaching out to her. Once part of Willow was telling her to really do it, that she had the power in her body to do what needed to be done. She recalled finding Oz's body, and her reaction to Buffy the next day.
Taking a deep breathe, Willow closed her eyes and shook her head. Opening them again, she saw Buffy looking back at her.. and gave the Slayer a small smile.
"You remember me?" asked Buffy, her voice full of hope.
"I do, Buffy," said Willow as the Slayer sniffled before taking another step forward and hugging her best friend tight. Willow held on to Buffy by placing her hands on her back, and her chin on Buffy's shoulder.
"I missed you," Buffy whispered into Willow's ear before stepping back and placing her hand on her cheeks, "I missed you so much."
Willow nodded her head before looking over Buffy's shoulder at Xander, who was looking back at her sheepishly. The former redhead noticed the sign Xander was holding, and immediately she was back in kindergarten; her yellow crayon breaking in half, she heard herself sobbing while wiping the tears from her eyes, and then a tap on her shoulder as a little boy handed his yellow crayon to her.
"Xander," Willow whispered as Buffy stepped to one side so that the two old friends could hug each other. She saw a tear coming down Willow's cheek as she held on tight to the dark haired young man while Althanea patted Willow's shoulder before hugging Buffy. While they were hugging, Giles wiped his eyes.. he still remembered that day like it was only yesterday; he remembered Willow's screams and sobs as she was being raped, he remembered her tears going down her cheeks while telling him that she knew what she had to do, but was still scared… scared that she had to die and go to hell . Giles remembered looking into Willow's terrified eyes after she whispered that she forgave him for what he was about to do.
And he remembered shoving the sword into her chest. He remembered himself crying after Buffy pushed him away from her, he remembered Buffy's screams of anguish, and he remembered dragging the Slayer away from Willow's body as it was being pulled into hell.
He remembered everything as Xander stepped back, letting go of Willow, and then moving to one side.
Willow remembered that day too. It had taken some time, but she remembered that day. She remembered Giles holding onto her, she remembered saying that she forgave him. Willow took a step towards Giles while she remembered all the times they had together, she remembered the last few seconds they shared. And as Giles took in Willow for a hug, both man and girl couldn't help but let tears flow down their cheeks.
"You brought me back," whispered Willow as she tightened her hold on Giles, who said that he had a lot of help.
And they remained like this for a few more seconds before stepping back. Giles nodded his head as he stepped back while Althanea told the young girl that it was time to leave. Willow looked over at Buffy, who wrapped her arm around the white haired young woman's arm. At the same time, Giles and Xander said that they would collect the rest of their bags before heading home to Buffy's home.
"I'm sorry, you know," whispered Buffy as she and Willow followed Giles and Xander, who were already at the baggage carousel with Althanea. Willow turned to Buffy, who was looking at the floor, and then sighed before looking up at her best friend, "do you remember what you told me when… I mean, after Oz died?"
"Yea," Willow whispered.
"You were right," said Buffy, "if I killed Angelus when I had the chance, maybe Oz wouldn't have died, and you wouldn't have been… I mean…"
"Yea," whispered Willow nodding her head slightly before looking away at the colourful carpet.
"You look good," said Buffy after she lifted her head away from the carpet and glanced over at Willow; the Slayer was very aware that she didn't know what to say. Her best friend was back, but she didn't know what to tell her… all she could do was hold on to her arm. Buffy was afraid of losing her again so soon after getting her back in her life.
"Thanks," replied Willow as she stared at the carpet again, before turning to look at Buffy.
Althanea looked over her shoulder at Willow and Buffy walking towards them arm in arm. To everyone else, it seemed as if the two girls… the two best friends, were walking together and rekindling their friendship. But they didn't sense what Althanea was sensing. As Xander told Giles that Willow and Buffy seemed to be getting back to where they once were as best friends, Althanea could see that Xander's observations were wide off the mark; Willow was being cold.. she could feel her anger, and Buffy was being nervous.
"Althanea," said Xander who tapped on her shoulder, breaking he eyes away from the two young women before turning to Xander who was holding onto a bag they retrieved from the carousel, "is Willow really going to be alright?"
"Give her some time," answered the witch who glanced back at the former redhead, and then turned back to Xander, "this is something… you need to know that what happened to Willow is something vastly different than any of us experienced, that we're out of our element. Her experiences were… horrible to say the least. And I am very well aware that she hasn't told me everything. We need to be there for her as support, and let her recover at her own pace."
"But she is recovering?" asked Giles. He was the only one who was in contact with the Devon coven when Willow was in England, the young woman adamant that she did not want to speak to any of the Scoobies. IT was something the Coven agreed with, saying that she needed to recover who she was without external forces being forced upon her. Althanea did mention that Willow was pushing herself to regain her memories of who she was, and that had brought about more painful memories in the process. Giles wasn't told anything about Willow's stay in hell, ad he didn't want to push anything too far.
He was just happy that Willow had recovered enough to travel home to Sunnydale.
"This Borzan guy is… damn, dead-boy keeps on saying that he took care of that jerk," said Xander as he recalled waking up in the hospital injured after the severe beating that Borzan inflicted in him. He was stunned to find that Willow had left for England, and it was Buffy and Joyce who explained that she needed to get away from the Hellmouth so that she could recover her memories, and heal her psyche, and rebuild her humanity.
It was later on that Xander heard about Anya from Cordelia, who left soon after the incident with Borzan. She told her ex boyfriend that Anya was badly injured as well, but she wasn't as critical as him; and then Cordelia apologized.
"I should have known," she told Xander while sitting next to his bed, "I…"
"You couldn't have known, Cordy," Buffy assured her that day at the hospital, "it's not your fault."
Back in the present day, Xander said that Cordelia left Sunnydale again after Ira and Sheila's funerals; that she was in Los Angeles putting everything she was in her career, "she's trying to forget the memories of what she did with Borzan or Brian.. whatever his name is."
"Does she know he's returned?" whispered Althanea.
"She's terrified," answered Xander while Buffy and Willow were slowly walking towards them after standing around nervously. Xander wanted to continue saying that Cordelia was told that Willow was coming back, but she admitted not know how to face Willow after having dated Brian for months… all the while he was torturing Willow, or watching her be tortured, in hell.
And, as Cordelia boarded a plane to Hawaii, in Los Angeles, she was thinking the same thing. She looked at the clock, and knew that Willow should have arrived in Sunnydale. But she didn't know how to face her, and combined with the fact that Borzan somehow returned, Cordelia's was terrified to remain in Los Angeles. She trusted Buffy and the others to stop Borzan, but Cordelia was afraid that he'd come after her.
"Forgive me," whispered Cordelia before boarding the flight. As she entered the plane, Cordelia knew that she would know by tomorrow if the world ended, 'if they lose, then Brian will find me.. and kill me. But if Buffy wins, then I need to… how can I see Willow when… when… how can she ever forgive me for... for not knowing. I should have known… Buffy and Xander said it's not my fault and… and… I should have known."
Back in Sunnydale, Giles whispered to Althanea that Spike was terrified of Borzan as well while he lifted a bag off the carousel. He stopped talking about Spike when Buffy and Willow walked up to them, then Watcher noticing that Buffy was still holding onto Willow's hand. As they waiting for the last bag, Giles and Buffy gave Willow a quick rundown of what happened while she was away; the arrival of a new Slayer, the Mayor's plan to ascend.. which was stopped, and then they talked about the Initiative and their plans to weaponize demons for the military.
"Who killed Borzan?" asked Willow as she turned to Buffy, and then to Giles, "if Borzan's supposed to be dead, then…."
"Willow," said Giles he placed a hand on her shoulder, and at the same time, Althanea placed her arm on Willow's shoulder, and asked her to listen, "if it wasn't for him, then we couldn't have brought you back, and…"
"I don't understand," said a confused Willow as she looked at Althanea, her mentor, and asked hat was going on. Althanea told Willow that the reason she, and none of the Coven, revealed anything about what happened up to the moment of her return was so that she didn't get distracted from regaining her memories, as well as healing herself.
"It's Angel," said Xander gently as Willow turned to him, her eyes full of rage, "Willow, I… I know that…"
"Angel?" asked Willow jerking her arm away from Buffy, and her body from Althanea, "he… he…"
"He's the main reason you've come back," whispered Giles rubbing the back of his own head, "and… and he killed Borzan. The day you came back, one of his associates had a vision that you would be forced back to hell, while Buffy and Faith died. So he came, and warned us. It was his friend's vision that led us to a spell that got you back, and…"
"Is he here?" asked Willow panting as she gritted her teeth while glaring at Buffy, and then at Giles, and finally at Xander while Althanea rushed towards her and placed her hands on the young woman's shoulders, "is…"
"Willow," said Althanea in a stern tone as she looked into Willow's eyes, "calm down, I need you to stay calm."
"Did you know he would be here?" asked Willow looking at her mentor as she remembered screaming and sobbing over what happened in the mansion the day she was killed, and sent to Hell.
"I suspected," was the reply.
"He's staying away from you, Will," assured Buffy, "he said he'll stay far away, and that you won't see him. He'll be on another front, the vision that his friend got from the Powers said something about an army of vampires coming to town. Angel and his team are going to be fighting the vampires, while we sneak into the Initiative, and fight Borzan. You won't see him at all."
Willow closed her eyes and shook her head while Althanea hugged her. The witch whispered in Willow's ear that they needed help to fight Borzan, "and if Angel and his people could help? Then they should, Willow. Buffy did say he'll stay away from you, Willow… and we should trust her on that."
Althanea knew this was like walking into a mine field with Angel being present in town, something that she hadn't been told would happen. Looking back into Willow's eyes, Althanea asked her to be strong, "remember your training, remember Niko's training with the Circle, and you'll be alright."
Taking a deep breath, Willow nodded her head before saying that she need to get some rest.
"We should head home," said Giles while Buffy reached for Willow again, only for her to shake her head. The group then proceeded to head to the Summers house where the group had been staying for the sake of safety, at least until Borzan was taken care of.
Unknown Location, 1500 hours.
Walking into a secured room, heavy footsteps hitting the floor, Borzan walked towards a console in a hidden section of the Initiative base… a section that only Walsh was aware of. He had stolen her data, including the data on experiments she had conducted on every Initiative agent, including Finn, who had already reached his peak. Borzan smiled as he went through the data in his mind while taking a seat behind the console.
He activated the monitors around the console and looked at the cells in the Initiative that were filled to capacity, and then turned on another monitor where there were hundreds of vampires gathered in a warehouse at the outskirts of the city preparing themselves for an assault on the city.
'The carnage will be tonight,' though Borzan to himself, 'all to welcome my 'It'. Then after her, I will find Cordelia, and rip her spine from her body.'
Borzan smiled at the destruction he would cause; the vampires would attack the city in the cover of darkness once it's nightfall, and the chaos in the Initiative would be the distraction he needed to lure in Buffy and the others. While he admitted that Willow returning to Sunnydale was a glitch in his plan – he believed that she'd be too broken to recover, especially after the murder of her parents – Borzan thought to himself that it was still a good thing that she returned. He had always wondered about her abilities, and now knew there could be a chance that he put it to his own use.
He was going kill Buffy and Faith, and then he would ensure that the demons kill the humans in the base, and vice-versa. He believed that after the massacre, he would bring forth a new army of human-demon hybrids from the body parts that were sure to remain. And in the event that the Slayers did prevent this particular plan from succeeding, he still had his vampires.
All four hundred of them.
The vampires would kill, and turn, people all over Sunnydale so that even if the Slayers did succeed in finishing off the demons in the Initiative, and helping the son to be besieged soldiers survive, then they still had to deal with a city full of vampires. He had every scenario planned out in his new mind, and all of them ended the same.
The complete and utter destruction of not only Sunnydale, but the Scoobies as well since they would have no back-up… and even if they did call out, it would be too late. Borzan knew his end game was going to be the opening of the Hellmouth, and bringing forth the legions of demons from Acathla's Hell. He would have the demons spread out throughout the globe killing and feeding on human beings. Borzan's smile grew when he imagined Willow chained to his throne of bones while demons brought Cordelia to him. He imagined twisting her neck, and then tearing her head off her body before holding it up to Willow.
Borzan imagined her screaming in anguish before he went on to break her again. The Earth was going to be his hell, and he was going to punish Willow… even force her to torture humans once again.
'And I will watch, and I will enjoy,' thought Borzan to himself. His plan was to cut power to the Initiative base, and in turn open the cells just after sundown. And then sit back and watch as, he hoped, the two Slayers and their friends would go to the aid of the soldiers. Borzan knew that whether he failed or succeeded as far as the Initiative was concerned, he would win the war.
Sunnydale would be his, followed by the Earth itself. And then, he would rule in Acathla's stead until his statue was found. And the demon released.
TBC.