Riley woke up to a cold cloth being held over his forehead. "Are you okay, boy? Yuh took a nasty hit there. Big goose egg sized hit on the back of your head." Old Simon came into his line of vision.

"Fine. Where's Willow. Did you get her? Did you find her? Where is she?"

Simon shook his head sadly. "They've taken her. They let the girls go an' retreated right after they got your Willow."

Riley tried to sit up. "I have to go. She needs me. I can save her. They're going to burn her!"

"Not if you're dead, boy," Simon growled, pushing him back down onto the bed. "We'll go tomorrow. If you're up to it."

Riley lay back, defeated. "Be okay, Willow, be okay."

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She lay on the bed and glared at Tomas.

"Now, now, my dear. If you don't cooperate, I will kill you," he said simply.

"I'd rather die than sleep with you…" she replied, keeping her mind clear to keep him away.

"And what about your husband? I know he was with Bronwyn many times." He smirked. "He does not love you. I could love you. You and only you. You could be a baroness." He moved forward again.

"No." She slammed him against the wall with her power. He stayed still against the wall.

"That wasn't very bright, my dear. Now it is my turn." He raised a hand and she felt a blast.

Her head started throbbing but she kept up the power to partially block his and to keep him on the wall.

"You will not win," he whispered. "Give me your power."

"No!" she screamed and concentrated her fury. She lashed out like a whip.

He snarled and broke the other hand free, bringing it up. "You will not win. I am more powerful."

A man entered the room, breaking both their concentrations. "Sire, um, there's a message for you on the gate. It was put there in the night and our guards saw it this morning."

Tomas nodded. "Take me there." He turned to Willow. "This isn't over, witch." He made a sign with his hand and she couldn't move. "It is a binding spell. A very strong one so don't even bother to try…" With that, he left.

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Tomas.

You will not survive the night if you keep the witch. Give her back and you and your men's lives will be spared. If not, prepare. We await your answer.

Tomas looked over the field and spotted the lone horseman. "Come and try and get her back!" he yelled. "It shall be good fun."

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"James?" Riley asked, his hands tightening on the unfamiliar weapon. A sword. Well…

James just shook his head and looked down.

He stood up. "Then let's go."

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The guard didn't even have time to yell before Riley decked him. Barely even noticing the man, Riley stepped over him, intent on his goal.

"Intruders!" someone yelled and the men inside the castle started scrambling around trying to find their weapons as the Scotsmen set them upon. War cries and oaths rang out as Riley stalked through the battle towards Tomas. He slashed at any men that came near him, his sword making quick work of them. "Tomas!" His voice rang out over the din of the combatants.

Tomas looked up. A tall sandy-haired man was shooting glares at him. So this was the husband of Willow. "You can't have her!" he yelled.

"She's already mine!" Riley yelled back jumping up onto the level that Tomas was on.

Tomas backed up into the doorway. "You'll have to find her first!" Then he turned and ran.

Riley's footsteps pounded on the ground, and he could hear his breathing in his own ears. But he kept following Tomas. Tomas was going to lead him to Willow. Tomas turned and his face went pale. Riley smiled grimly. Yeah, be very afraid…very, very afraid.

Tomas looked back. The blond giant was after him. Damn. Fine, on to plan B. He raced up the staircase and burst into Willow's room, slamming and locking it behind him. Taking off the ward, he grabbed Willow off the bed and pulled out a knife.

Willow was terrified. Tomas had a rather large and scary knife in his hand. Where is Riley? she wondered.

Riley burst into the room, his eyes taking in the scene.

Oh, she thought.

"Okay, Tomas. You're cornered. Let her go."

"No. She will die. Move back. Now."

"No."

"You will move," said Tomas, pressing the knife into Willow's throat.

Riley stayed where he was.

Tomas pressed it further and Willow couldn't take it anymore. She lifted her hand and made the window smash. As both men looked over, she grabbed the knife and wrestled it away. He growled and tried to get it back or plunge it into her stomach.

"No!" Riley yelled, helplessly.

Willow gasped as the knife slid past her and into Tomas. He and fell to the floor. He gurgled then went silent.

"Oh my god, I've killed him." She looked up. "Riley, I killed him." She sank to the floor beside Tomas and cried. "I killed him, I killed him," she repeated over and over.

Riley stood there shocked, then sat down beside her, taking her into his arms, letting her cry her heart out. He stroked her hair and murmured soothing sounds into her ear. "It's okay, Willow, you did what you had to do…"

She looked up at him with haunted eyes. "Riley, I killed him."

He stood up and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. They went outside where the Scots had won the battle. Most of the English had fled when they found out that their leader was dead.

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It was a week later and Riley still lay bandaged on the bed. Beside him was Willow. She had refused to let him out of bed. She didn't want him sick or looking any different when he went home. She had found the spell to get them back. She and Young Simon had gone out to the woods many times to get her herbs, some for the spell and some for after she was home; ones she didn't have. They had said their goodbyes to Calista and James who had hugged and kissed them to death…and to Old Simon who had given them matching rings, and now they were going to go back.

She lit the herbs and muttered the spell, carving the runes into the block of wood. She and Riley touched the wood and the green mist started to curl around them again.

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Dear Journal,

We came back at the same moment when we left. Hollegth was gone. I sent him back to hell. But things are different with Riley now (it's a week later!!!). I can't really look at him anymore without thinking of the things we did. But he's with Buffy and that's fine. I guess…I still want him to be mine but they are happy and I'm happy for them. I went on a few dates with a few different people and it was…well…different, I guess. Very different. I still have the rune necklace from Calista. She's going to marry James! They're my ancestors! It was exciting. I'm kinda following their lives in the history books cuz well, they're my family. Really…James Rosenberg married Calista and they had a kid named Riley and a kid named Willow. But then Willow died from the black plague. It was so sad to read that in the book. I cried…Riley went on with the family name and yada yada yada here I am! It's so cool! I don't know why but now I'm more friends with Cordy and Faith than with Buffy. She kinda reminds me of Bronwyn in a way! That was mean…but kinda true… I'm just jealous, right? Because she has Riley and I don't anymore…He decided to stay with her. She never said a word about Oz to him. Oz just left without a word to anyone. He's like that, a roamer.

"Willow! Hurry up and get your butt out here or we're leaving without you!" Willow heard Cordy yell from the door.

I wish you would…she thought, sighing and saving the document with the rest. She turned off her computer. Grabbing her jacket, she ran to meet her friends.

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The Bronze was packed. Everyone was there. Well, it was the last night of March Break. Last party and then it was back to school… back to psychology with a new Professor. Not a psycho one, Buffy had assured her. And, well, Riley was the TA again. Sigh. Look, don't touch, Willow, her mind reminded her. People danced and people sat. Regular Bronze stuff. She spotted Buffy and Riley sitting with the ex-Initiative guys. Graham had been nice to her, Forrest too but she just couldn't face Riley. Not yet. She waved back to Buffy then sat down beside Cordelia. Xander sat on the other side of Cordelia, putting an arm around her. She leaned into him.

Willow sighed. It was hard being around couples sometimes…they reminded her of how alone she was…"Anyone wanting drinks?"

"Yeah," said Xander and Cordelia at the same time.

"I'm up." Willow moved towards the bar. At that second she spotted Forrest moving towards her from the corner of her eye. She couldn't handle any more sexual innuendoes right now… Switching directions quickly, she grabbed her coat and practically ran out the door.

"Okay, it's dark, and scary. You're dumb. No stake, no holiest of holy water…genius…" Willow muttered, walking quickly towards her and Cordelia's apartment. Then she switched directions. She would go home. Her parents weren't home and she could just veg without Cordy going bonkers over her and no Forrest to go crazy with love or whatever over her.

"Little girl…" a voice said in sing-song. "Come out and pla-ay!"

She was grabbed and on instinct, she threw herself forwards in a roll. The vampire rolled away from her and sprang up.

"Ah, fiery, I like it. It will make your death all the more sweet." He clicked his teeth and attacked her again.

Willow sprang away and her eyes swept the ground for a piece of wood, anything.

"No, no, no, that won't do at all…" he snarled and grabbed her, spinning her away against a tree.

She smashed into it and grabbed a stick.

"Aww, the little nymph has a stick…too bad you won't be able to use it…"

"Do you always keep a running commentary during your fights?" she gasped out, swinging out at him with the makeshift stake.

He grabbed her arm and pulled it to the point of almost breaking it. She whimpered and he laughed. "How do you like it?"

Oh, it hurts…just finish it if you're going to kill me…she whimpered again. She couldn't think straight. Suddenly the pressure stopped. She looked up. The vampire was fighting with someone tall and…blond… Riley. She breathed a sigh of relief then ran towards them. The vampire slammed Riley against a tree. Willow jumped towards him at the same moment Riley threw him backwards. They crashed into each other, the vampire turning to dust and Willow was falling forwards.

He caught her in his arms. "You okay?"

"Now I am," she said self-consciously pulling herself out of his arms without looking him in the face.

"Willow…" his voice was sad. "What happened?"

Tree. Ground. Riley's shoes. Riley's chest. Sky. Stars. Tree. "What do you mean?" She started walking and to her dismay, he fell into step beside her. When they got to her parents' house she turned and looked down at the gravel at Riley's feet. You're such a suck, her mind told her. Just look at him, wimp.

"With us. We used to be friends…what happened?"

She didn't dare look up. He would see through her instantly. She took a deep breath. "We slept together and cheated on Buffy and then we came back as if nothing happened…you're still with Buffy and Forrest wants me but I don't want him…you figure it out…" There. She had said it. Well, sort of… She ran inside and slammed the door.

Running upstairs, she slammed that door and tore off her clothing, flinging herself into bed. Damn my life… She lay looking up at the ceiling.

Several minutes later, she heard a tapping noise on her window. Lifting her head, she saw Riley standing on her balcony, a determined look on his face.

Oh, no…just go away…go back to Buffy…go back to your life…I'm tired of being doormat Willow, being the side kick… Getting up she stood just in front of it, not caring that she was in just her bra and panties. Leaning her head against the glass, she asked, "What do you want, Riley? Go back to Buffy…where you belong…"

"You just going to turn you back on this Willow? On us?" He leaned his forehead against hers on the other side of the glass. He looked so forlorn and sad, standing in the rain like a lost puppy. Angel was so good at getting that look down and now Riley? Maybe it's a 'dating Buffy' thing…

She looked stunned, and then it turned to anger. "You were the one who turned his back on this, Riley. I was here all along. You went running back to Buffy. You could've told her to go screw Oz or whatever but you didn't…Don't try and blame this on me!" She shut the curtains, grabbed a book and sat back down at her bed, bent on ignoring him. "Go away, Riley."

"Willow…" he knocked on the window. "C'mon Willow, act like an adult…"

She got up and stormed back to the French doors. Wrenching open the curtains and doors she marched Riley back until he hit the railing. "Listen, Riley. You're the one acting childish. If I weren't so adult about you and your switching and moving around, I would be tearing out your and Buffy's eyes right now… if I weren't so loyal to Buffy, I'd have you on my bed now, begging for me…but no, I'm an adult and I'm a good friend-"

"Then why didn't you tell her about us?" he asked softly.

"Why?" she sputtered. "Why? I didn't because I didn't want to hurt her. Because it was a mistake, Riley, a big, fat mistake… all of it!"

"Then why are you still wearing the ring?" he pushed.

She hid her right hand behind her back, the ring digging into her finger. "It's a nice ring," she snapped. "And, if I may ask, why are you wearing yours? I thought you were with Buffy now…or have you changed your mind again?" Tears came to her eyes. She was being mean and she hated it…She wanted to cry and just jump into his arms and kiss him but it wasn't up to her. It was up to him now. It was his move.

He watched the conflicting emotions race across her face. She loved him. Damn. I should have known… "Willow…"

Screw it…he doesn't care… She moved back into her room, closing the door.

He grabbed the door and shoved it open. Pushing her up against the wall, he kissed her hard. "Willow. Willow, I'm so sorry…" he whispered against her lips.

"Mhmm…" she whispered back and her fingers laced through his soft spiky hair.

He felt guilty about Buffy. He should call her. Tell her it was over. Pulling away from Willow, he hoped she wasn't too angry. "Hold that thought…" he said, picking up her phone.

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"W-was she mad, Riley?" she asked hesitantly as he re-entered the room.

He shook his head. "She's been cheating on me with Oz again. I can't believe it… I just can't believe her…"

Willow wrapped him in a hug. "It's all okay now? We're going to be okay now?"

His arms came around her possessively. "Yeah, we are…"

The end…