Willow awoke with a jerk and realized that she was shivering from fright. She quickly glanced around the room taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. Her head was foggy from sleep and something else that she couldn't put her finger on; almost a magical like quality. It reminded her of the time that she had first visited Rack and the euphoria was overwhelming. Her breath quickened, fingers digging into the bed-clothes, tears forming in her eyes; this was not happening. Even though the magical haze was clouding her mind, she could feel that something was not right. Someone was in trouble. She had to focus on that feeling and push the haze out of her mind.
"Calm down" she told herself, willing the threatening tears to disappear. "Calm down and focus. Focus. Focus damn it!"
"Will" Xander questioned as he entered the bedroom. "Everything okay?"
"No, Xander; something is wrong. I feel...I feel weird...drugged...magically drugged. Something is terribly wrong but I can't focus. All I want is to feel...feel the magic."
Xanders hazel eyes widened as he clasped her hand and called out for Faith. Seconds later Faith stood next to him with Josh as Sam rounded the room to the other side of the bed, his hand taking Willow's free one.
"Will, what's going on?"
"Where is Giles, I need Giles. I have to focus but..."
"They went back to Cleveland" Faith answered, her face frowning. "What is it Will, what is going on?"
"Cleveland? They? No, no, no, no...how long?"
"Will..."
"How long!"
"Three days ago, they will be back sometime tonight" Xander answered, his gaze drifting down to their clasped hands. His fingers were white from her grip and it felt as though she were forcing it over an open flame. "Willow, what is it. What..."
"I can't; call them. Call them now!"
Faith walked out of the room, cell phone in hand, Willow's urgency starting to sink in to her own nerves.
"Xander, contact Dawn. Find out if the trackers are working, now. Something is wrong but I can't focus. Call Dawn now."
Xander followed Faith's path out of the room leaving Josh and Sam alone with the witch. Josh placed a hand on Willow's forearm and quickly jerked it back, as though he had been stung by a wasp. His questioning gaze shifted to his best friend. Sam nodded, acknowledging that he has seen the sparks, before turning back to Willow.
"Willow...sweetie...I need you to talk to me. I need you to tell me what to do" he begged, both hands covering her own.
"It's too strong; I feel like I've been drugged."
"You have been; Abby was here this morning and gave you another sedative so you could sleep."
"No! It's not that...it is but it's not. I've been magically drugged, I can feel it running through my veins" she stated, taking her free hand and pulling her shirt up to expose her stomach. Sam heard Josh's quick gasp but he was too focused on Willows stomach to do anything else but stare. Like a spider web, dark lines were appearing along her stomach and quickly branching out to take over her entire body. His blue eyes quickly met Josh's hazel ones before turning to Willow's green. He grabbed her to hand and pulled her top back down, he eyes taking in the lines as they spread up her neck.
"You have to fight it, Willow. Concentrate and fight it; I'll help you."
Sam continued to hold her gaze and willed the black lines to go away. Willow lock her eyes with his, her pained expression focused on fighting the need to use magic. Faith and Xander returned both shocked and white-faced at both their separate phone conversations and the vines on their friends skin. No one spoke; the only sounds filling the air was the raspy intake of air as they tried not to breathe. Suddenly Willow screamed, her back arching toward the ceiling, pain filling every fiber of her being. Sam jerked her into his arms, pulling her stiff body on his lap. He felt the electricity surge through his body and then she collapsed against his chest, sobs racking her slight form.
"It's over" she sobbed. "It's over; they are gone. She has killed them; they are dead. Dead."
"Whose dead" Sam whispered. "Whose dead, baby?"
"She did it" she replied her emerald eyes swimming as he cupped her face. "She killed them. She set a trap and killed them. Buf...Buffy, Robin and...and...and Giles. Oh God Giles! She killed them! She killed them all!"
Willow turned her gaze to her friends, both holding the other up from the shocking news. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry. I didn't do anything; I couldn't do anything. Buffy...she is gone."
"Come on Will" Xander began his arm tightening around Faiths waist. "She has been down before...we'll get her, we'll get them all back."
"I'm sorry Xander but...we can't. They won't be back."
"But it's a magical death...just like last time. A magical death; we can do a spell."
"No."
"Willow..."
"No!" Her grip tightened on Sam as she screamed. "No! Xander, I promised. Not again, I won't drag them out of heaven again."
"The hell you won't" Faith hissed. "You will bring them back. You will bring Robin back."
"No, Faith, I won't. All three made me promise...at...at different times. Everyone has made me promise...you! You made me promise! I won't do it."
"That was before...Will, that was before-"
"I know it was Faith. Robin made me promise before we left, before we came here. He knew, Faith, he knew and he made me promise anyway."
Xander, Sam and Josh stared at the girls, all three confused at the conversation.
"He knew" Faith questioned in a whisper.
"Robin knew what?"
"He knew" Willow answered before turning to Xander, answering his question. "Faith is pregnant."
"I have everything arranged" Riley announced after he greeted the president. "The flight will arrive in Cleveland at 2200 and we will be on the ground and ready for tactical measures no later than 2330."
"Why so long" Matt Santos asked.
"Sir, we have to wait for Willow to pick up on suspect's magical signature. Once that has been accomplished, we will work on taking the suspect down."
"Do you have to take these kids with you?"
"While I understand your thinking, sir, these people are not kids. They have faced more 'we-are-all-going-to-die' and 'it's-the-end-of-the-world-again' scenarios than all of my men combined. They are better equip to handle this rogue slayer than anyone else. I believe the only reason why they are allowing us to tag along, is because of their recent losses."
"It is because of their recent losses...and yours that I have reservations."
"Mr. President, I assume you that they will keep it together. I will not lie and say that I don't feel any particular pleasure from taking the suspect down. She killed Buffy...someone I love. However, I will not let that cloud my judgement and put anyone into harms way; if I can prevent anyone from being hurt, I will do so with my life."
"Yes, I know you will and there lies the rub" the president replied, picking up a file folder. "I don't want to lose anymore lives to this Dana person. You will do everything in your power to make sure that not another civilian or military life is lost. That is all."
And with that Matt Santos, President of the United States, left the Oval Office.
