A Little Bit Of Me
by Lil\'Witch
Chapter One: Nightmare's End?
[reviews]
~*~
Chapter One: Nightmare's End?
~*~
Xander slowly regained consciousness. He knew the process well: first blissful ignorance, then confusing, but still blissfulish numbness, eventually less blissful pain as he first opened one eye and then both.
"Arghh," he groaned. "What hit me?"
When no answer came forward he slowly sat up. It was night, he was at the cemetery... 'Probably been on patrol with Buffy.'
"Oh my God." As soon as a thought of his blonde friend entered his mind he remembered. The Clown. Willow. Giles. Hitting the clown. They split up. Willow wanted to find other clothing and Giles wanted to check out what was going on outside. The cemetery. Buffy's grave. Giles's worst nightmare. Buffy as a vampire.
"Giles!" Xander shouted. He remembered all of it. Buffy had fought her way through the earth and had snarled at them. Both man and boy had been too shocked to do anything but watch as the girl they had both come to love dearly had turned to them. Xander couldn't even scream before Buffy had first punched her Watcher and then focused on him. Buffy's fist coming at his face, fast, was the last thing he remembered.
"This is bad news," Xander mumbled. "A turned slayer prowling the streets and I lost the grumpy British guy."
"Ouch," the grumpy British guy said as his head appeared above one of the many headstones.
"Giles! Thank God, you're alright!" Xander rushed over to his friend and helped him stand up.
"What happened?" Giles asked, but before Xander could answer he saw all colour drain from the librarian's face. "Buffy!" he gasped and Xander knew Giles remembered.
"We have to find Buffy!"
"Great work at stating the obvious, G-Man."
"This is no time for jokes, Xander. We need to find her. This is all connected to the dreams and Billy. We need to get him to wake up. I am sure everything will return to normal once the boy awakens."
"Including our freshly vamped slayer?"
"I am sure," Giles repeated. Xander wanted to believe him. He really did.
~*~
"What the heck is going on?"
Willow's vision was blurred as she stared at her saviour. Confusion and blood loss prevented her from answering the strange creature before her.
"Hey Rosenberg, anybody home? I asked: What the heck is going on?"
"Cordelia?"
"No, the Easter Bunny!" Willow's head cleared as she pressed her hand to her neck wound. She knew she had to stop the bleeding, she also knew that she needed the first aid kit. The wound was too deep and she'd already lost too much blood to remain conscious for much longer. 'The things I learn by being friends with Buffy.'
"Let's go to the library. We need to get Buffy locked up."
"Buffy?" Cordelia finally looked at the girl she'd just knocked out. "Okay, I want an explanation. Now!" The cheerleader was quickly giving into the rising panic and Willow placed a reassuring hand on the taller girl's arm.
"I will. Just help me get to the library, please?"
"'Kay." The cheerleader gave in, relieved to have something to do.
~*~
It was only a short way to the library, but both girls were exhausted when they had finally managed to drag Buffy's body into the lockable bookcase. Only after hearing the satisfying 'click' did Willow allow her self-control to slip and she silently crumpled to the floor.
"Whoa! Willow?" Cordelia rushed over to the girl she had picked on through all of Junior High and this time picked her up. She hadn't paid too much attention to the girl's neck, but upon closer inspection realised the severity of the girl's injury.
"Get the first aid kit," Willow mumbled weakly.
"There's a first aid kit in the library? Why?"
"Get it." Willow managed to point towards the old-fashioned black leather bag Giles used to store all the first aid equipment.
Grumbling Cordelia did as she was told and fetched the funny smelling bag.
"Compresses. My neck. Tight."
They'd had first-aid classes at school and luckily for Willow Cordelia had paid close attention. It had helped that the teacher had been a 'super-fine cutie.' The wound was expertly wrapped in two minutes and Cordelia even got up to get a glass of water for the injured girl. All she could find was cup of cold tea, but she figured it would be better than nothing.
"Drink," she instructed, but it quickly became clear that Willow wasn't coordinated enough to actually drink as opposed to only spill any of the bitter liquid. With a sigh Cordelia helped Willow into a half-sitting position before she pressed the cup to the girl's lips. "Drink," she repeated.
After the cup was emptied Willow gladly settled back and before Cordelia could protest a redhead was resting against her side. "What happened?"
"Hey, that's my question!" Cordelia protested, but answered anyway. "I was running away from those chess club geeks and then heard something weird coming from the bathroom." She took a deep breath before she continued. "I peeked inside and saw somebody attacking someone. It was pretty stupid, actually. I just took a chair that leaned against the wall and crashed it over the attacker's head. I didn't know it was Buffy. Or you."
"Oh." Willow was glad that Cordelia hadn't seen any of the... other things that had been going on in that bathroom. She didn't allow herself to dwell on that, though. "Something weird is going on."
"You don't say!"
"Pst! Somehow our nightmares are coming true. I love the new look, by the way." Cordelia actually growled at her and Willow smiled briefly. "I guess Buffy's worst nightmare is about becoming a vampire."
Silence reigned in the dusty library as both girls contemplated the unconscious blonde.
"How can we make it stop?" Cordelia finally asked.
"I don't know. There's a boy in the hospital. Giles thinks he has something to do with all this. I have no idea what to do about him though. Usually I'd say we call Buffy, but I guess her help isn't something we can count on at the moment."
Silence again. Both girls sighed at the same time.
~*~
Cordelia noticed Willow scratching her cheek for the third time in the last five minutes. "You okay?" she asked finally, not sure why she cared.
"Yeah, sorry, the make-up just really bothers me. I feel better though. I think I might try, uh... sit on my own?" Willow realized for the first time how heavily she'd been leaning against the other girl. She straightened with a self-conscious grin. "Sorry," she repeated.
"It's okay."
There was an uneasy silence between them as both tried to understand what was happening.
"Why are you so nice to me?" "Why am I so nice to you?"
They looked at each other and then burst into giggles.
"I think it's the clothes," Cordelia finally managed to say between laughter and giggling fits. Willow looked at the former fashion addict. The white blouse and green skirt really didn't flatter the tall brunette, not to mention the hair. 'Definitely weighing heavy on the cerebral cortex,' she thought with a smile.
"Actually, I think it's just you, Cordelia." Silence reigned again. Willow didn't like it. And as usual she reacted in the most willow-y of ways.
"I know we never got along and that we're different and all and that you can be really not-so-nice to people in general or just me, it's just, I don't think that's you, you know? You can be nice. I remember how you always drew animals on the other kid's band-aids in kindergarten to make them feel better. I once let go of the swings and let myself fall and hurt my knee just to get one and you drew a bird on it so I'd see who could fly and that I couldn't and please stop me now!"
Cordelia started to laugh. She hadn't laughed like this in what felt like years. Not forced, not because she felt she had to so the others would like her, not to get a boy to notice her, not because she'd hurt somebody else's feelings... she just laughed. After she calmed down she looked over to Willow who stared at her in disbelief.
"Thank you, Willow. I think I needed that more than I realized. Come on, I need something from my locker."
Startled, Willow let herself be led out of the library and down the corridor.
~*~
He could see Giles's car when he remembered something. "Shit."
"What is it, Xander?"
"Willow! WE FORGOT WILLOW!" His eyes were wide and his breathing became uneven as his overactive imagination came up with a thousand images of what the loose vampire could do to his best friend.
"I'm sure she's alright."
"Giles, this is Willow we are talking about! If you were BuffyVamp who would be the first two persons you'd turn to share eternity with?"
"Dear Lord! You go find Willow, I will try to find Mrs. Summers. We'll meet at the library."
Uncharacteristically, Xander left without another word.
~*~
Xander entered the library and nearly landed flat on his butt. The sight before him was something even his nearly boundless imagination would have never come up with.
Willow sat on the big table wearing an outfit that definitely belonged to somebody else, that or his bestest bud had somehow developed a taste for lather pants and tight camisoles without him noticing (and he WOULD have noticed!). Equally strange was the sight of Cordelia Chase fussing around his little hacker friend apparently... applying make-up?
"What the heck is going on?" he squeaked.
"Popular question these days."
~*~
Xander, Willow and Cordelia were sitting in front of the 'cage' that held the still unconscious slayer.
"So what is going on?" Xander asked. He was sure a lengthy tale was forthcoming.
"I found Buffy attacking Willow in the bathroom and knocked her out with a chair. Then we dragged her here and locked her up."
Or not so long.
"Ah, yeah. I actually meant with Will and the clothes and the war paint."
"Priority-loss, much?" Cordelia asked in the tone of voice both Xander and Willow had come to associate with her. To Xander's shock and Willow's increasing familiarity Cordelia then smiled softly at Willow. "I had some extra clothes in my locker and we got them for Will."
~*~
//
"Cordelia! Where are we going?" Willow asked. She was stumbling after the cheerleader trying not to let her dizziness interfere with her next step.
"I told you. I'm getting something from my locker." They finally stopped in front of one of the countless lockers and Cordelia quickly opened it. Willow was shocked at what she saw inside. The locker was filled with make-up and various articles of clothing.
"There're no books."
"Well, d'uh! Of course not. They're in a different locker."
"Different locker? How many lockers do you have?"
"Four."
"Four?"
"Four. Ah, this is what I wanted." Cordelia took out several bottles as well as some cloths. "Here, take these," she said as she shoved the whole package at Willow. Uncertain what else there was to do Willow did what she was being told. Which was to follow once again.
Back at the library Cordelia instructed Willow to sit on the table and then started to check the bottles' labels.
"Ah, here it is. Now sit still." The brunette took a cotton pad out of a box that Willow hadn't even seen until now and let it soak up some of the bottle's content.
"What's that?"
"Make-up remover. Now don't move."
Before the redhead could protest the cold pad made contact with her skin and Cordelia started to busily scrub off the all the white colour. At least all that which didn't belong to her paleness.
"So what's Buffy's deal with the vampires? Childhood trauma or what?"
"Ahh..." Willow wasn't sure if she should let Cordelia in on the slayer's secret. On the one hand it could be dangerous to Buffy on the other hand Cordelia had a right to know what she'd actually saved Willow from as well as the real danger they were still in.
"This might take a while and it might be a little hard to believe but you see there's one girl in all the world, a Chosen One...
\\
~*~
"And you believed her?" Xander asked Cordelia, the shock in his voice easy to identify.
"Well, duh. It's kinda hard not to when there's a real vampire a couple of feet away from you. B'sides it makes much more sense then rivalling gangs on drugs. I've heard that story one time too much."
"Wow. I'd never thought I'd see the day, but my respect for you is actually growing. It's still way less than zero, but with a little time..."
"Xander!" Willow admonished him. "Don't be mean. Cordelia has been really helpful. She saved me from Buffy's attack and helped me with that white make-up and gave me some of her cloths."
"See, this is the part I don't get. If you had different clothes why didn't you change into them yourself?" Xander asked and took another look at the geeky dress Cordelia still wore.
"I tried. Whenever I put something stylish on it just turns into something horrible like this. I ruined two four-hundred dollar outfits that way. Besides they look good on Willow. With a haircut and a couple a more make-up lessons..."
Xander looked at Willow again. The lather pants she was wearing were a couple of inches too long on the smaller girl. The camisole was tight, though. On Willow. He didn't want to think about how it'd look on Cordelia... Actually, he already did... And he liked it!
"Xander!" From the sound of Willow's voice he knew she'd been calling him for some time now.
"Yeah?" he answered sheepishly, trying his damnest not to look at Cordelia.
"I asked what happened to you and Giles. Twice."
"Oh, there's a graveyard on the other side of the street."
"No, there's not," Cordelia immediately replied.
"Yes, there is."
"Isn't."
"Is."
"Isn-"
"Guys!" Willow would have been torn between annoyance and amusement right now if she weren't so worried about Buffy. "So somebody dreamt a graveyard across the street. Probably one of us. I'm guessing that's were Buffy was turned?"
"Well it's where I saw her crawl out of her grave." Xander told them the rest of the story up till the point where he and Giles split up to get both Willow and Mrs. Summers to safety.
All sat in silence as their thoughts went to the unconscious form lying in the cage. "Why hasn't she woken up yet?" Xander finally asked.
"I'm afraid she's dreaming."
~*~
Chapter Two
~*~
Giles was driving into town. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel in an obvious sign of frustration and impatience. He had to get to Buffy's mother and as far as he knew she would still be at work in her gallery. He was too slow, he knew it. If Buffy was really on her way to her mother... Somehow Giles didn't think that was the case though.
"Why should she head all over Sunnydale to get to her mother first when Willow was just across the street?" the Watcher mumbled. Then he saw that the next exit would bring him to the hospital. Sending a quick prayer to a god he only sometimes believed in he made his choice.
~*~
"So what do we do now?" Xander asked. They were again sitting in front of Buffy's cage. "Giles is heading to the gallery to bring Buffy's mum to safety, but that won't solve our problem. We need to get to-"
"Billy!"
"I know Willow, but I have no idea-"
"Billy is standing right behind you." Xander whirled around to come face to face with the little boy who was standing on the table behind him.
"Eek," was all he said as he quickly took a couple of steps backwards.
Willow slowly walked over to the table and smiled. She didn't want to scare the boy. "Hey, Billy. My name's Willow. How are you?"
"Afraid."
"Are you hurt? I heard you were at the hospital sleeping very deeply." She'd reached the table and took one of Billy's hands. At her urging the young boy sat down on the table and Willow sat down next to him.
"I was, but then the book-man came and took me away. He's carrying me here; to save me from the Ugly-man." 'Book-man?' Willow thought. 'He must mean Giles. Still, what he says makes no sense.'
"Huh? I'm not sure I understand, Billy. You are right here. How can somebody else be carrying you?"
"This is not my body. Just my mind."
"Astral projection? This is fascinating!"
"Willow! You sound like Giles! How do we get Billy back into his body?" Xander spoke up. As usual he had little patience for the scurrile fascination his friends had with all the magical hokey-pokey big words.
"All we have to do is wake Billy up," a new voice said and all presently conscious turned towards the door.
~*~
"Giles!" All three teenagers said as the librarian made his way into the room carefully. He was holding Billy's body in his arms.
"What happened?" Xander asked as he helped Giles make the boy comfortable in one of the bigger chairs.
"I barely avoided a confrontation between an enormously hideous creature and Billy. He was trying to kill the child, I just took him and ran. I'm afraid he's followed me, though."
"Okay, here's what we do. Xander, Cordelia I want you to take point at the end of each corridor. Alert us as soon as you see this 'Ugly-man'. Then run. Giles, you and I have to find a way to get Billy back into his body. Billy, I need you to help me and Giles. Everything will be alright." The group of people all stared at Willow with their mouths agape. "What?" Willow asked and when no answer came forth she rolled her eyes. "Now! We have no time."
Still in shock about this new side of Willow, everybody did as they were told. Only Cordelia couldn't help but grumble "Who elected her boss?"
Both Xander and Cordelia quickly were out of earshot and Willow turned back to Giles. "So what's the what with these nightmares?"
"I am not exactly sure, but I think Billy somehow brought them with him out of the coma. The same way he was able to pull his consciousness out of his body our worst nightmares have crossed to the waking world. I think it is safe to assume that once one is returned everything else should return to normalcy as well."
"Okay. Billy? Do you have any idea how you managed to walk around while, technically, you're lying in a bed?" The young boy only shrugged and Willow sighed and jumped off the table.
"The only thing I know is that I was really afraid."
"Fear... Fear is a pretty powerful emotion. All the things that have been happening in the last few days were connected to fear and facing the things we were afraid of... That's it! Giles!"
"Uh? Yes?" The brit had watched Willow pace and had tried to follow her thoughts but on the finish line he had finally lost her.
"It's easy, Giles. Billy has to face his fear and then it'll all stop."
The second Giles understood two things happened. Cordelia burst through the doors to the library and yelled "He's here!" just as fully game-faced Buffy rose behind Willow and through the bars reached for the other girl's neck.
~*~
Willow wasn't sure what had happened. She'd been pacing in front of Giles, explaining to him what they had to do in order to get these nightmares to stop happening, when everything had gotten out of control.
Then Cordelia had nearly fallen into the room, and at the same time she had *felt* Buffy rise behind her. She couldn't explain it. She'd stood with her back to the blonde slayer, she simply *couldn't* have seen her. And still, she'd known the girl had awakened as surely as she'd known that she'd been in danger. She'd just been too slow to do anything about it. Buffy's hands had closed around her neck and she'd been easily lifted off the ground. And there she was, gasping for her life, trying to remain conscious as well as searching for a way out of her predicament. But all she could do was watch.
Xander followed Cordelia's example and burst into the room. "Killer bees!" he screamed before his eyes widened in horror at what he saw. All of them started to run towards Willow, even Billy took a few careful steps towards the struggling pair.
Then everything got worse. With a loud clash the library doors seemed to explode and in their place stood indeed the ugliest man Willow had ever seen. There was no doubt in anybodies' mind that he was the Uglyman.
Cordelia screamed, Xander's eyes widened even more and Giles had that 'Dear-Lord' expression all Scoobies feared to see. Buffy just grunted while Willow kept trying to breathe.
"Lucky 19."
"No!" Billy pleaded and tried to hide under the table.
"Billy! He's not real," Willow yelled. "He *is* your fear. There's nothing he can do to harm you!" She knew she hadn't convinced the young boy who was still trying to hide in himself. Then Willow did something that most of all amazed Willow. The hands that had uselessly tried to break Buffy's grip on her neck suddenly did just that. Now free, Willow wasted no time and ran the short distance to stand between Billy and his opponent.
"Stop," she yelled and the Uglyman did. Under her breathe Willow mumbled. "He can't do anything to me as long as I'm not afraid. He can't do anything to me as long as I'm not afraid. He can't do anything to me as long as I'm not afraid..." Everybody stood still, not moving, not breathing, not hoping... and then the Uglyman took a step towards Willow. And another.
"Billy, come here," Willow shrieked, but the boy didn't listen to her. "Billy! He's not real. Trust me." And then the most amazing thing happened. Again. Willow's body seemed to simply move on its own and with a jump and a quick movement of her foot she'd kicked the Uglyman squarely in the face. Billy saw all of it. And suddenly he understood. With a scream he came out of his hiding place and ran towards the Uglyman. Still screaming he threw his whole body against the monster from his dreams and the monster fell. Seconds later he vanished completely. As did Billy.
"What the heck is going on?"
Four pairs of eyes turned towards to blonde who had spoken. "Buffy?" Willow whispered with relief just before she fainted.
~*~
Buffy felt helpless. Willow was somehow in trouble, had actually fainted, and all she could do was sit behind bars and watch. What was she doing locked up, anyway? Everything was blurry from the moment the Master had killed her. Something was wrong with that sentence...
'I was killed. I was a vampire!' Buffy thought before her eyes widened in shock.
"What have I done? Giles! What's wrong with Willow? Did I do anything to her?" she was yelling at the top of her voice, but her friends ignored her in favour of fussing over Willow. Their priorities would usually be to her liking, but right now the fear that she was somehow responsible for her best friend's condition pushed every other thought out of the way.
Strangely enough it was Cordelia who came over to her and released her. In a flash she was at her friend's side, trying to help. Willow was pale. Noticeable Willow-paleness was to be taken serious. Her neck was bandaged.
//Milky flesh under her lips. Her teeth embedded. Drinking greedily.\\
"I bit her!" Buffy exclaimed and with a hand on her shoulder Cordelia steeped in before the slayer could work herself up even more.
"Listen to me, Buffy. Willow is going to be fine. She just exhausted herself. Yes, you bit her, but that has nothing to do with anything happening right now. Do you understand? You're not to blame."
This time Buffy took the time to wonder about the cheerleader's unusual attitude. She turned towards her and tried to figure out what was going on. She noted the weird clothes the brunette was wearing and with a glance at Willow realized that her friend was clothed uncommonly as well.
"Okay," she finally answered. "Tell me what happened. Where's Billy?"
"I'm here," the boy answered for himself. He was half-sitting, half-lying on a big chair looking a little dishevelled and disorientated in his oversized nightgown.
"You alright, kid?" Buffy asked.
"Uh, yeah. I guess. I had the weirdest dream and you were all in it." He looked around at a loss. Giles, who was meanwhile certain that Willow was indeed just exhausted, went over to Billy and asked him for his parents' phone number and soon after vanished into his office.
Xander was still holding Willow and Buffy, glad that Billy was okay and taken care of, joined her closest friends on the floor. "How is she?"
"Dunno," Xander asked. "She'll be okay, Buff. She was pretty amazing just now and I'm sure it's just the stress or something." Silence fell over the room as three pairs of eyes rested on the redheaded girl.
"Do you remember what happened?" Cordelia asked. She was uncomfortable in the silence. She had no place among these people. Nowhere she belonged to. She couldn't kneel next to Willow and be concerned, because... well because. She was Cordelia Chase after all. She didn't socialize with geeks and freaks. Still... it seemed like she couldn't just leave.
"No," Buffy answered. "Not yet. There are flashes. I think I'll remember in a while, though. In the meantime: Could you fill me in?" Between Xander and Cordelia all of the latest events were explained to the slayer.
"I can't believe I attacked Willow." Buffy really couldn't grasp it. The concept of hurting the innocent young girl seemed so foreign. And still...
//She was hunting. She had to find her prey. Found. Success. Hunger. Want. Take. Have.\\
Buffy shook her head and blinked rapidly. "You okay, Buff?"
Yeah, Xander. Just one of those flashes."
"What flashes?"
"Willow!" all three teenagers squealed as they once again fussed around the girl.
"That's me. Hey. Why am I on the floor?" Her gaze seemed to turn inward as she remembered. "Oh," was all she said after a couple of seconds.
Nobody knew what to say and once again Cordelia broke the silence as she held out her hand. "Let's get you over to one of the chairs."
"Thanks," Willow answered as she took the offered hand and pulled herself to her feet. She didn't feel dizzy at all which surprised her; she'd expected a major headache and fatigue, but she felt surprisingly well.
"How do you feel, Will?" Buffy asked with her eyes turned to the floor. Willow saw how nervous the slayer was and sighed.
"Guys? Could Buffy and I have a second alone?" Both Xander and Cordelia looked at the two girls, confusion written all over their faces, but decided not to press the matter. For now.
"I should probably check on my parents and the house, anyway," Cordelia mused before she turned to Xander. "Need a ride home?"
Xander nodded before he turned back to Willow. "You sure you're okay?"
"Yep, I'm alright. I'll call you later, 'kay?"
"Sure. Bye guys."
Cordelia nodded as did Buffy. Willow smiled and waved a little. When they were alone she let her hand fall back into her lap and turned to Buffy.
"So, about what happen... What do you remember, Buffy?"
Buffy looked uncomfortable. She still didn't remember much, but she felt certain that once her memories returned she'd be unpleasantly surprised.
"Buffy?"
The slayer sighed and looked up at her friend. "Not much. When I think hard enough about it I have these flashes, but that's all. I remember hunting. For you and I think I bit you. Well, I know I did, because Cordelia and Xander told me what happened and you have that bandage and Willow I'm really sorry. Really, really sorry. I don't know how I could do that to you. I'll understand if you don't wanna be friends with me anymore. But I swear, should you consider forgiving me I'll do some major atonement. There'll be gifts and chocolate and a lot of begging involved. Please, Willow I-"
"Buffy!" Willow interrupted her friend and started to laugh. Her elation was partly due to her relief that Buffy didn't remember their kiss and partly due to the slayer's newfound tendency to babble. She stopped, however, when she saw the crestfallen expression her friend wore. She took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself before she took Buffy's hand. "We're okay, Buffy. I know it wasn't you, but the nightmare and the demon. There's no need to apologies or for atonement. I would, however, not say no to a little chocolate fest in the foreseeable future."
"Really?"
"Really. We're gonna have to talk about what happened, but we can do that tomorrow. Right now I feel like going for a walk or something. Wanna come with me?" Willow did feel uncommonly energized. She had the urge to run. Fast.
"Okay. Fresh air is probably good for you after all that blood loss." At the mention of Willow's injury Buffy's face fell again. Willow quickly stood and took her friend into her arms.
"I'm okay, Buffy. It doesn't even hurt anymore. No need to look all sad." The blonde nodded, unconvinced, but tightened her arms around her friend.
//Her body pressed into Willow's. Her mouth against Willow's. Her tongue around Willow's. Willow!\\
Buffy gasped and stiffened in Willow's arms. "I- Willow... what? Did I?"
"Shh, Buffy. Nothing happened. We'll talk about this later, 'kay? You didn't hurt me. Let it go for now, please." Buffy wasn't happy, but her memories were too vague, too prone to error as that she felt she was in a position to have another heart to heart with Willow.
"Okay. Let's go for that walk."
With a yell to Giles to let him know about their whereabouts the girls left.
~*~^
Willow was jumping. Buffy had seen a lot of things since she'd come to live on the hellmouth, but a jumping Willow was a new thing. The redheaded girl seemed to burst with energy as she balanced on the edge of the sidewalk.
"I don't think it's good to jump that much after a head injury, Will. What if you get dizzy and fall?" Buffy asked concerned.
"I feel like I could balance on a straw or something. It's weird, I've never felt like this." Willow stopped and stood still with her head thrown back, catching as much sun as she could. The smile on her face was beautiful...
"I think we should go back to Giles. Something is clearly not normal, Willow." The redhead straightened and looked at her friend. Suddenly her smile turned mischievous.
"I'll come with you... if you catch me." And with those words she took off.
"What the..." Buffy muttered under her breath.
~*~
"Willow! Stop! I'm the slayer; do you really think you could outrun me?" Her words had no effect on the quickly retreating back of her friend. With a sigh Buffy followed her. 'What's up with Will?' she asked herself as she picked up her pace. 'I better catch her quickly before something happens," the slayer worried and took full advantage of her mystically inherited slayer speed. To Buffy's great astonishment Willow seemed to be holding her own in their little game of "Catch Me." She gained on the redhead only slowly, but with a final boost of energy the blonde reached her friend, who had just stopped on her own.
Willow was breathing hard, with her hands on her knees, but a smile on her face.
"Thought I could run away from you!" she stated between gasping breaths.
"Yeah, about that. Willow you shouldn't could!" Buffy exclaimed, her own breathing ragged from her sprint. "We need to talk to Giles. Something's wrong with you."
"Nothing's wrong with me, Buff! I just feel energized, that's all. Probably adrenalin or something."
"Listen to yourself, Willow! This is not your normal behaviour! You don't dismiss potential danger. You're more cautious than this. And by God you just demonstrated slayer speed," Buffy was all but screaming and quickly looked around her, hoping nobody had overhead her screaming her secret personality out in broad daylight.
Willow had an odd look on her face. "I guess you're right," she said slowly. "This is not like me, but I feel the old me returning rather quickly. Buffy what's happening to me?" Fear was written all over the girl's face and Buffy wondered how someone could go from one end of the emotional roller coaster to the other in such a short time.
"It's okay, Will. We'll go to Giles. He'll help us figure this out."
Buffy brought her arm around Willow in a half-embrace and quickly guided them back to the school entrance. She only hoped Giles could help.
~*~
"What happened?" Giles asked as he saw the worried look on Buffy's face.
"That's what we wanna know. Is Billy gone?" Buffy asked, concerned that the young boy would overhear them.
"Yes, his parents just came by and took him. They left five minutes ago, you just missed them."
"Good, Giles something's wrong with Willow. She just ran away from me."
"I don't understand. She's standing right beside you." Giles answered and quickly patted Willow shoulder to assure that she was indeed solid and not a ghost only seen by him.
"I'm not a ghost Giles. What Buffy means is that I just ran as fast as she can." Willow explained as she saw the disbelieving look on the older man.
"As fast as a slayer?" Giles asked. Both girls nodded. "And you did not hold back, Buffy?"
"Nope. I was concerned, 'cause Willow seemed so bubbly, more than usual, and I wanted to get her to come back here, but she was too fast."
"Interesting." Giles lack of appropriate reaction to disturbing news wasn't new to either of them so they just waited for the wheels to turn in his head. What they didn't expect was Giles swinging a punch directly at Willow's face. Buffy reacted immediately, blocking his arm with her own, only to collide with Willow's. The girls looked at each other.
"I reacted like you did," Willow whispered in astonishment as her gaze nervously ping-ponged between her friend and her own arm. All three lowered their arms slowly as the implications of their findings dawned on them.
"So, Willow's got slayer speed now?" Buffy asked confused.
"Maybe it'll wear off," Willow said with a hopeful expression.
"I'd say it is more important to find out what caused this, Willow. And if it is limited to speed." Both girls automatically looked at Giles, awaiting his explanation.
"I'm sorry, but I don't have an answer for you. Buffy is still alive and you are not a potential slayer. I have no idea how you could gain such powers." Giles started pacing.
"Maybe they're not slayerpowers," Willow said with fear in her voice and all eyes turned to her. "Ah, Buffy's not the only one with superpowers, we've seen all types of demons who were just as strong or fast-"
"No!" Buffy interrupted her and quickly gathered her friend into her arms. "I absolutely refuse to believe, that you are some kind of demon, Willow. It's gotta be something else. " Her eyes came to rest on the bandage on her friends neck and Buffy started peeling the gauze off while Willow seemed to be frozen on the spot.
"What are you doing, Buffy?" Giles asked confused.
"I bit her. While I was a vampire. Biting is how vampires make more of their kind. What if I turned her? But we were outside, in the sun. And she's warm..." Buffy couldn't stop talking as her shaking fingers clumsily tried to get off Willow's bandage.
"Don't be ridiculous, Buffy. To become a vampire you need to both drink their blood and then die, Willow did neither," Giles said to his frightened slayer. The blonde didn't stop her actions until Willow finally took her friend's shaking hands in hers.
"Buffy, stop. I'm not a vampire. My heart beats steadily, I breathe and my morals on whether or not killing for food is an okay-thing clearly point to negative. Here, feel that? I'm alive." She took the hands she still held and pressed them against her chest. Buffy's eyes widened as she felt her hands pressed against the soft curve of her friend's breast and Willow's heartbeat suddenly lost a lot of its priority as images flashed before her eyes.
//Her hands run over Willow's body. Hip. Stomach. Breast. Neck. Breast. Stomach. Hip. Stomache...\\
"Whoa!" Buffy exclaimed as her mind broke free of momentary vacation into vision-land.
"Buffy, are you alright?" Giles asked concerned.
"Yeah, just a vision about what happened today. My memory is kinda mixed up and it comes back in those weird flashes..."
"Really? We have to find a way to make sure those won't happen during a fight. Even the slightest distraction at the wrong moment could be disastrous-"
"Chill, Giles. I'm sure they'll go away as soon as I remember everything. And I think I will remember the whole event real soon." She looked at Willow while she said the last sentence, letting the other girl know that they would talk about what had happened. In private. Kissing her best friend wasn't something she felt comfortable discussing in front of Giles. Other things did.
"So how do we find out what's up with Willow? Is there some kind of test to for that and don't you dare throwing a knife at her!" Buffy said to Giles as she remembered how Merrick had identified her slayer abilities.
"Actually, there is." Giles turned around a walked over to the table. "Please have a seat."
~*~
"You gotta be kidding me!" Buffy exclaimed and Willow could only nod before both started laughing at the poor librarian who stood before them.
"I don't understand." The girls sobered up somewhat at the hurt expression on his face and after a few seconds of deep breathing Buffy answered her watcher.
"Giles. You have all that fancy watcher training and a couple millennia of historical background of slayer knowledge and god knows what... And the only test you can come up with is arm wrestling??" Buffy asked, which sat off Willow again and soon both were laughing hard and holding their bellies. Giles merely watched and waited. It did take a while, but they eventually calmed down and looked at each other. Willow straightened and put her elbow on the table.
"Let's get this over with, Buff. I hope I won' hurt myself," Willow said self-consciously and smiled over the table at her friend. The tension between them had lessened a bit, but Willow knew Buffy wouldn't let, what had happened, go. The confrontation seemed to be postponed, though since all Buffy did was smile back and mirror Willow's position at the table. Their hands touched and both girls shuddered at the contact.
"Start whenever you are ready," Giles told them, oblivious to their reactions.
"Ready?" Buffy asked and Willow nodded. The slayer slowly increased the pressure of her hold on her friend's hand and almost immediately Willow was pushed back. Willow had a weird look on her face.
"You okay, Will?" Buffy asked without stopping their little competition.
"Yeah, it's just... I think I can... look at this!" And with that Willow pushed against Buffy's hand and to the surprise of all present Willow's arm rose steadily until both their arms were upright again. Buffy had to use all her strength, but even then it took almost twenty seconds until she'd beat Willow.
A thin line of sweat was on both their faces as they let go of each other's hand. Simultaneously they looked at Giles who stepped up to Willow and peeled away the bandage Buffy had tried to remove earlier. The gauze came away to reveal two round puncture wounds, the area around them was tainted red from the blood Willow had lost, but the wounds itself did no longer bleed. "There's already a thin layer of new skin, these wounds will be completely healed by tomorrow."
Buffy stared at Willow's wound as new flashes rushed through her head.
//Her tongue running along Willow's. The taste of her friend's blood in her mouth. Biting her own tongue before seeking Willow's mouth again.\\
Giles and Willow were talking as her head cleared a few seconds later.
"...have slayer strength, speed and healing. It is amazing Willow. We need to find out how this happened and-"
"I turned her," Buffy interrupted him.
"Buffy, we talked about that already. Willow is no vampire, I do indeed believe that she is a slayer instead."
"I know. I turned her. Into a slayer. I bit her and made her drink my blood, but she didn't die and I wasn't dead either. I did not create a new demon with my attack, but a new slayer."
"I don't understand, Buffy."
"A vampire has the ability to turn somebody who is close to death with the power of his blood. He turns him or her into an un-dead like himself. Only in my case, I wasn't dead. I had a reflection and I'm pretty sure I felt my blood rushing through my veins. I wasn't dead, so when I turned Willow, I did not turn her into an un-dead supernatural being, but into the living part of me that is supernatural. A slayer."
Nobody knew what to say. Silence descended over the library.
Until the doors swung open to reveal Hank Summers. "Buffy! There you are! How's my favourite girl? Did yo have an interesting day?"
"You have no idea, dad."
~*~
Hank Summers looked around the library where he'd found his daughter. With her were a red headed girl of about his daughter's age and an eerily familiar looking librarian.
"Are you ready to go Buffy?" he asked as neither of the others did anything.
"What? Oh, yeah, sure. Dad, this is Mr. Giles, the school librarian and a good friend he helps me with everything sl.... School related. And this is my best friend, Willow." Buffy pulled the redheaded girl closer as Hank and Giles shook hands. The librarian guy seemed nice enough. They smiled at each other with the uneasiness of complete strangers, before Hank turned back to his daughter and her friend.
"Can Willow come with us this week-end?" Buffy asked before anything else could be said. The girl, Willow, seemed to be as surprised as Hank was. "We have a school project to finish till Monday and I don't know when we could work on it otherwise. Besides the more time I'm with Will the less time I can spend with your credit card." Buffy smiled her best smile at him, but once again Hank couldn't get a spare word in as this time Willow spoke up.
"Buffy, no, this is your quality dad-time. I know how much you've been looking forward to this week-end. I can just... work on that project with Giles. You go have fun with your dad."
"Actually-" Hank started, but Buffy interrupted.
"No way, Will. I won't leave you alone with... ah, all that work. I'm sure dad won't mind."
"Well-"
"No Buffy, I couldn't impose on you and your dad like that-"
"CAN I SAY SOMETHING?" Hank Summers shouted over the arguing voices of the girls. "Thank you," he added when both fell silent and whirled around to face him. "As I've been trying to say, a couple of times, Willow is welcome to join us. I actually have a meeting tomorrow at noon and I'd feel less bad about leaving Buffy alone if there was someone with her." He took a deep breath and watched a grin form on his daughter's face.
"Cool, we're all set then. Willow, go pack some stuff. Dad and I will go home and get my bag and then we'll come by your place. Are your parents home?"
"No. Conference. Massachusetts," Willow answered, defeated.
"Just leave them a note or something should they come home early. See ya in a bit. Come on dad, I forgot my bag at home, let's get it."
With that Hank Summers found himself dragged out of Sunnydale High by his daughter. All he could do was turn around awkwardly and wave at Giles and Willow who returned the gesture before the library doors swung closed.
Willow and Giles both stood with their hands raised to wave as they watched the Summers leave. "You want a ride home Willow?"
"Yes please."
With their departure the library was finally silent.
~*~
"What are you thinking Willow?" Giles asked once they'd left the parking lot.
Willow was still weary of the... thing Giles called a car, but that wasn't the reason she nervously looked out the window. Her nervousness was routed in her need to talk to somebody about what had happened with her and Buffy in the bathroom that day. All other shocks about powers and abilities seemed so unreal, but that kiss... it had definitely been real as was her desire to repeat it... She shook her head and looked at Giles. "Sorry, what did you say?"
"I asked what you were thinking. It must be hard to learn of something like this. I would understand if you were panicking."
"Yeah, a little. You know Giles, this changes my whole perception of myself. I never thought I would be in this position. I mean look at me. Willow Rosenberg, shy Jewish geek with a hopeless crush and few friends, whose parents are never home and who has nothing better to do on a Friday night than doing her homework. And now this! What am I gonna do? What will the others think? How would my parents react? Can I keep this a secret?"
"Willow stop!" Giles shouted. "I know that there are a lot of changes coming, but you cannot allow yourself to panic. We'll figure the details out when you get back. Just enjoy the week-end with Buffy. Get away from it all and all will seem better after a good night's sleep."
'How could I get away from it all with Buffy by my side the whole time?' Willow asked herself, before she remembered that she and Giles weren't talking about the same thing.
"You're right Giles. I should know better than this. I'll talk with Buffy about the slayer powers and I'm sure she'll help me get through this. Thank you. For letting me ramble about it." 'Even though we weren't talking about the same thing,' Willow added silently.
"You are welcome, Willow. You know you can always come and talk to me. Even more so now. I presume I will also be your watcher, I doubt the council would send another watcher to Sunnydale."
"About that Giles, could we wait till we told the council? At least until we know if my powers are permanent."
"Uh, of course, Willow. May I ask why?"
"Just... I just feel like I couldn't deal with the added pressure of their expectations, not on top of it all. Please?"
"I won't contact them."
"Thank you Giles." The car was slowing as they approached Willow's home and the girl smiled at the older man. "And thanks for the ride Giles. I have to hurry, Buffy will be here soon and I still have to pack and call Xander. I'll see you on Monday."
"Have a safe trip, Willow."
"I will, bye Giles."
Echoing her words Giles left and Willow hurried to her house to pack.
It was going to be an interesting week-end.
~*~
End Chapter One