Chapter 4 - News (And a Trip)
Angel woke the next morning to low knock on the apartment door. He got up, careful not to wake Buffy, grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of sweats, and opened the door. He couldn't believe who was standing in front of him.
"Hey," she said in a soft voice. "Can I come in?" He blinked, and answered,
"Sure, Willow."
* * *
They sat opposite each other in the small living room, each looking anywhere but at the other. Finally, Willow broke the heavy silence.
"Xander told me about last night," she uttered timidly. "I figure you'd both be here. I've some news." Angel raised his head in question.
"Good or bad?"
"Well," she answered, "the first part is good for all of us, then the second part . well, it's your choice. You'll probably want Buffy to hear this too."
* * *
"Willow?" Buffy asked sleepily, as she followed Angel into the room.
"Hey," Willow greeted her, giving her a hug as she sat down beside her on the sofa.
"How are you feeling?" Buffy asked, concerned.
"Great! Never been better!" Willow replied enthusiastically. "I have some news." She began to explain what she had uncovered in research. Buffy and Angel looked at her, stunned.
"So." Buffy started slowly, "what you're saying is that Angel's soul is permanent," Willow nodded, "and that there is a chance that he could become human?"
"With the healing abilities and supernatural strength of a vampire," Willow finished. "Basically, he would be a male Slayer."
"Oh."
"Yeah. But," Willow continued, "in order for the spell to work-" Buffy interrupted her.
"There's a spell?"
"Well, yeah," Willow said. "Oh, but don't worry, I'm able for it, scout's honor," she hurriedly added at the looks on their faces. "In order for the spell to work, which I have everything and anything essential for, it . it has to take place in the area of your birthplace, and the place you died as well." Buffy and Angel exchanged a look.
Buffy said, looking at Willow, "Ireland."
Angel said softly, "Galway."
* * *
"What are you saying?" Giles asked.
"This is it," Willow answered confidently, holding out to him a sheet of paper. "The note we're going to give to Principal Snyder, enclosed with the reason we'll be missing from school for a while or so."
"I know you already explained why you are going to Ireland, Will," Xander spoke up, "but I still don't get why we have to go too." He paused, then added quickly, "not that I mind missing school ."
"All of you have to come, and I mean all of you, because the spell will have a better chance with more people," Willow explained briefly. There was a moment's silence. Then, Buffy said,
"Pack your bags ASAP. We're leaving in three days. We'll be flying out from Sunnydale on the flight after sunset, then landing in New York, staying the night in a hotel, and setting off from there after sunset." With that, they all left for class, except for Buffy. "I need you to phone my mom, and the other's parents too," she told Giles. "Just say what's on the note."
"Alright." Giles sighed. "Now you should better be going to class." She had reached the library doors, when she swiftly turned to face her Watcher.
"Giles?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you," she called out with a soft smile spread across her face. "From both of us." The doors swung behind her departing as the librarian looked up, a small smile briefly lighting his features.
Angel woke the next morning to low knock on the apartment door. He got up, careful not to wake Buffy, grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of sweats, and opened the door. He couldn't believe who was standing in front of him.
"Hey," she said in a soft voice. "Can I come in?" He blinked, and answered,
"Sure, Willow."
* * *
They sat opposite each other in the small living room, each looking anywhere but at the other. Finally, Willow broke the heavy silence.
"Xander told me about last night," she uttered timidly. "I figure you'd both be here. I've some news." Angel raised his head in question.
"Good or bad?"
"Well," she answered, "the first part is good for all of us, then the second part . well, it's your choice. You'll probably want Buffy to hear this too."
* * *
"Willow?" Buffy asked sleepily, as she followed Angel into the room.
"Hey," Willow greeted her, giving her a hug as she sat down beside her on the sofa.
"How are you feeling?" Buffy asked, concerned.
"Great! Never been better!" Willow replied enthusiastically. "I have some news." She began to explain what she had uncovered in research. Buffy and Angel looked at her, stunned.
"So." Buffy started slowly, "what you're saying is that Angel's soul is permanent," Willow nodded, "and that there is a chance that he could become human?"
"With the healing abilities and supernatural strength of a vampire," Willow finished. "Basically, he would be a male Slayer."
"Oh."
"Yeah. But," Willow continued, "in order for the spell to work-" Buffy interrupted her.
"There's a spell?"
"Well, yeah," Willow said. "Oh, but don't worry, I'm able for it, scout's honor," she hurriedly added at the looks on their faces. "In order for the spell to work, which I have everything and anything essential for, it . it has to take place in the area of your birthplace, and the place you died as well." Buffy and Angel exchanged a look.
Buffy said, looking at Willow, "Ireland."
Angel said softly, "Galway."
* * *
"What are you saying?" Giles asked.
"This is it," Willow answered confidently, holding out to him a sheet of paper. "The note we're going to give to Principal Snyder, enclosed with the reason we'll be missing from school for a while or so."
"I know you already explained why you are going to Ireland, Will," Xander spoke up, "but I still don't get why we have to go too." He paused, then added quickly, "not that I mind missing school ."
"All of you have to come, and I mean all of you, because the spell will have a better chance with more people," Willow explained briefly. There was a moment's silence. Then, Buffy said,
"Pack your bags ASAP. We're leaving in three days. We'll be flying out from Sunnydale on the flight after sunset, then landing in New York, staying the night in a hotel, and setting off from there after sunset." With that, they all left for class, except for Buffy. "I need you to phone my mom, and the other's parents too," she told Giles. "Just say what's on the note."
"Alright." Giles sighed. "Now you should better be going to class." She had reached the library doors, when she swiftly turned to face her Watcher.
"Giles?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you," she called out with a soft smile spread across her face. "From both of us." The doors swung behind her departing as the librarian looked up, a small smile briefly lighting his features.