Willow spends the next few days researching and gathering ingredients. She finds the spell almost instantly, it's a very basic spell, one that even her not-actually-a-Wicca-group would have been able to do. It'll bind the friends together and make sure they stay that way. That is, as long as Willow wants them to. That's what Willow really likes about this spell, it's easy to stop. Once everything is gathered she waits for a day when everyone will be busy and sets up everything in her room.
She casts the circle and sweeps the floor with a broom. She then visualizes for a few minutes what she wants and how it will be when she finishes the spell. Before lighting the yellow candle she inscribes it with the astrological symbol of Jupiter and Saturn. Then she lights it. The ginger witch takes a deep breath and starts to chant.
"Friendship eternal, true and steadfast I shall have thee now at last." She intones. She reaches for her red thread and the personal items she collected from her friends. Most of them were odd gifts that they had gotten each other, ones that wouldn't be missed. However, the only item Willow could find of Buffy's that she could use for the spell was and old stake that she never uses anymore. It looks like it had been carved from a broom handle or something. She binds all the items together and chants.
"You and I bound together in friendship and trust now and forever!" She ties the thread and knots it securely, visualizing her magic being locked in. She reaches for a picture, one of the few ones that has all of them in it, and holds it in her right hand, sending loving energies into it.
"More than brothers and sisters we are now to each other we endow our knowledge, our secrets, and all of us together shall stand tall, free from mistrust, deception, and lies. By this spell I strengthen our ties together. We stand now and forever here to support one another!" She chants. She then recites the Latin incantation for manifestation. "Per omnes vires terrae et maris. Per omnes potentias lunae et solis. Velut volo ut liceat esse. Carmen canta et fiat Beata sint!" The flame on the candle turns green and a green light surrounds the objects, weaving around them like the thread, binding them together. Willow puts everything in the green box she purchased that day and puts a quick protection spell on it. From now on, every Thursday she'll put it out in the sun for a few minutes until she doesn't need the spell anymore.
Willow smiles to herself as she sets the box on her window sill. Hopefully this will mean her friends will be more like they were in high school. A unit.
"Willow! Have you seen my black jacket? The leather one Angel gave me, I can't find it anywhere." Buffy calls out to her best friend and roommate. Willow looks up from her book to find Buffy standing by her closet. Her friend is wearing a pair of black jeans, a red scoop top, and back sandals.
"No, did you leave it at your mom's?" Willow asks. Buffy shakes her head.
"No, I remember bringing it back." Buffy tells her.
"I could do a finding spell." Willow suggests.
"Really? That'd be great, thanks Will!" Buffy exclaims happily, turning towards her friend, who is now sitting cross-legged on the bed. Willow takes a few minutes to recite the spell, then opens her eyes. A trail of green lights are leading Buffy out the door. Buffy looks at Willow, then slowly follows the trail.
Buffy opens the door wide. Then she closes it and looks at Willow with wide eyes. Willow gets up and moves behind Buffy as she opens the door again, slowly this time.
"Loose something?" Angel asks, smirking. He holds up the jacket and raises one eyebrow. Buffy grins and launches herself at him. Willow laughs as the two soul mates embrace.
"Angel! What are you doing here so early? I thought you were going to meet me at the Bronze." Buffy asks him after she steps back.
"I saw someone walking around wearing this. They had found it at the Bronze and decided to keep it. I got it back." Angel explains. Buffy blushes in embarrassment.
"Oops. I guess I forgot to grab it last time I patrolled there." Buffy admits. Willow laughs at her friend and Angel smiles in amusement. He's doing that a lot more, smiling.
"Alright, I'm kicking you out before you get any more couple-y. I'll see you tomorrow Angel." Willow says, ushering the couple out of the dorm room. She smiles to herself as they leave, thinking of how happy everyone is. She turns back to her bed and sits back down to finish her book.
A few miles away, sitting in a small apartment, a man jolts up from his bed. In a daze he grabs his bag and starts packing. He doesn't know why, but he has the sudden urge to leave town. Just ride until he finds the place he's looking for. So he packs his bags, loads them onto his motorcycle and drives.
"Angel..." Buffy starts.
"I know, I can feel it too." He replies. They look at each other before heading out of the club, grabbing their jackets on the way out.
"We need to stop by Mom's so I can grab something." Buffy says as they walk toward Angel's car. He nods as he gets into the driver's seat. Buffy slides in beside him on the passenger side and he guns the engine. He pulls out of the parking lot and follows the familiar roads to Buffy's mom's house. He pulls into the drive way and Buffy bolts out of the car. She jumps onto the roof over the porch and climbs up to her room. A few minutes later she jumps down carrying a small sword. She sprints back to the car and slides in. Angel backs out of the car and drives down the street.
"Do you know where we need to go?" He asks. Buffy shakes her head.
"Just follow your gut." She advises. Angel nods and lets the feeling in his gut tell him where to turn. When they reach their destination they both get out of the car slowly. They are parked in front of the old high school. Also known as the home of the Hellmouth. They glance at each other before slowly walking towards the school, prepared to fight. As they approach it they see a figure standing there, waiting. As they near it, they see that it's Willow. She's standing completely still, literally frozen to the spot.
"Willow!" Buffy yells, running forward. When she reaches her friend, she freezes. She can't move, she can't even speak.
"Buffy!" Angel yells, running to her. Buffy tries to tell him no, but she can't open her mouth. When he reaches them, Angel stops. They are forced to stand and wait, watching as their friends slowly join them. Soon they're all gathered, everyone in the Scooby gang and Angel Investigations. And yet, they're still frozen. Most of them assume it's because they're waiting for whoever froze them, but Willow (who knows exactly what's going on) is starting to worry. 'Who are we waiting for?' She questions herself.
A few seconds later her question is answered when they all hear the roar of a motorcycle coming toward them. The single light flashes across they grass, illuminating the gathered friends. The sound of the engine cuts off, but the light stays on. Footsteps approach them, and soon a suilloute is outlined against the headlight. When it reaches them, they all sag as their bodies are released.
Buffy raises her sword, letting the light hit it, showing whoever it is that she's armed.
"Who are you?" She demands. The figure steps forward and to the side, letting the light illuminate the side of his face. Buffy gasps in shock, her sword falling from her hands.
"Pike?"