"It's Buffy." Angel made that simple statement and Willow was glad. It
meant that she didn't have to say it and it reminded her of why she was
here. It was about Buffy. It was for Buffy.
"I need the book." Her voice came out stronger than Angel had expected
considering that Willow looked shattered. Except now that she had
spoken, her stubborn resolve face slid into place. Angel didn't have
to ask which book, he knew.
"What book?" Cordelia interrupted them. She knew from Willow's and
Angel's expressions that Buffy was dead, but why would Willow be so
concerned with a book? Unless someone was hurt and she needed it for a
healing spell or to kill the demon that killed Buffy or.... "Is Xander
okay?"
For the first time Willow really noticed the others. Cordelia and
Wesley looked sad and worried for their friends. The other two, a shy
looking brunette woman and a young handsome black man, she didn't know.
And she didn't have time to know them right now. Cordelia's chin was
starting to tremble and Willow knew that she had to at least answer her
question. "Xander's as okay as the rest of us. I need the book,
Angel. I can get Buffy back."
"No. That book is dangerous." Angel shook his head. Giles would stake
him if he gave that book to Willow and then Buffy would find him in
hell and thrash the afterlife out of him.
"What book?" Wesley echoed Cordelia's first question.
"Angel, you don't understand." Willow ignored Wesley's question.
Angel was the important one. He had the book and he would do anything
for Buffy. He just needed to think about it and really understand
what she was saying. That she could bring Buffy back. "Buffy was
caught in a vortex opened with Dawn's blood. It sucked out her soul to
seal itself. Her death wasn't natural. The vortex took it from her,
it didn't leave her body because she was dead, she died because her soul
was gone. I can get her soul back if you give me the book."
"The Romany Book of Lost Souls," Wesley said with awe. "You have it,
Angel? Does it say anything about your curse?"
"It was in with Jenny's things that the police released to Giles. He
gave it to me for safekeeping. How did you know that I had it,
Willow?"
"Just give it to me." Willow crossed over to them, casting a glance
backward.
That's when Angel noticed the figure curled up on the couch
hidden by the shadows. Dawn. Their terse argument hadn't awakened
her. He couldn't believe that Willow had dragged the exhausted and
grief-stricken girl here. It just showed that she wasn't thinking
clearly. He had to protect her from herself. Buffy would have wanted
it that way. "No."
Before Willow could respond, the front door of the hotel slammed open.
A large, dark figure filled the doorway. Willow didn't recognize what
type of demon he was, but from the looks on their faces, Angel,
Cordelia and Wesley did. "Angel! You and your human friends have
interfered in my hunting parties for the last time." The silver gleam
of an axe blade flashed in the dim light and it's red eyes glowed.
"I don't have time for this, I only have twenty-four hours before
Buffy's soul is lost." Willow turned to Angel. "Bad guy?" At Angel's
nod, her eyes turned black . "Evil begone," she growled and held out
her hand. A crackle of energy shot from her fingers into the demon.
The thing howled, but was promptly cut off as it exploded into tiny
particles that blew out into the street as the door slammed shut again.
Angel was aware of Gunn and Fred jumping back. Cordelia and Wesley
just stood with their mouths open. No one had told them that Willow's
powers had grown to this extreme. Now he was worried. Willow might
actually be able to perform the spell she had in mind. Angel
shuddered when her eyes, devoid of color, turned to him.
"Don't make me take it."
*****
This was madness. Angel couldn't believe he was back in Sunnydale
about to help Willow resurrect his lost love. He should have listened
to Wesley and refused to help. He should have called Giles and had
him talk some sense into Willow. He glanced over at the object of his
thoughts and caught Dawn's worried gaze. She was afraid for Willow
too. She was also why he hadn't put up a fight over the book. Dawn
had woken up when the demon exploded and had heard Willow's threat.
She had started to cry and Angel hadn't wanted to upset her by having a
physical confrontation with Willow, because given her state of mind,
that's what it would have been. Angel had seen no choice other than
to give Willow the book and insist on accompanying them. He was here
to make sure that Willow didn't hurt herself or Dawn.
"It happened here." Willow stopped at some debris. They were back at
the construction site that Glory had picked to open the vortex that
would send her home. Willow squeezed Dawn's hand. Now that they were
here, she was scared. What if she couldn't do this? What if she hurt
Dawn in the process?
"Willow, you don't have to do this." Angel uncannily read her mind.
His hand enfolded her free one. It was what she needed. She would and
could do this - for Buffy, for Dawn, and for Angel. On the way back to
Sunnydale, while Angel drove, Willow had read the book. At first she
just read the spell she needed over and over again to memorize it, but
that hadn't taken long and she was curious about the rest of them. On
the page that had Angel's curse, there was a footnote that referred
to an anchoring spell. Willow hadn't had time to pursue it since they
had reached Sunnydale and Angel had immediately confiscated the book
from her. He thought the book was dangerous and that he could convince
her not to use it. Poor Angel, because not only was she going to use
it, but after reviving Buffy, Willow had every intention of using that
book to make Angel's soul permanent. Then the Slayer and her vampire
could be happy.
"Give me the book, Angel." Willow let go of her friends' hands. She
turned to Dawn. "Dawn, I need you to be my connection to Buffy.
After I retrieve her soul, I'm going to have to tap into some of your
energy as the Key to transfer her soul into her body, okay?"
"Okay." Dawn nodded. "Will this really bring Buffy back? And she'll
be okay, right?"
"I wouldn't try it if I didn't think I could bring our Buffy back to
us." Willow hugged the girl to her. "I love you." She let Dawn go
and shrugged the canvas bag she'd been carrying from her shoulder. As
she rummaged through the bag she explained what she was going to do.
It reassured her, made it seem more real and possible and not some
desperate attempt to hold onto her dead best friend. "This first part
is relatively easy. I just need some of your blood to open the vortex,
Dawn."
"But how will you close it?" Dawn's question was more curious than
fearful. She knew that she could trust Willow and Angel was here too,
so she wasn't scared that any of Glory's lingering minions would hurt
them either. He would also stop Willow from hurting herself. Ever
since Buffy had died, Willow's behavior had worried Dawn. She had
wanted to go to Angel immediately and wouldn't listen when the others
had tried to stop her. Of course if they had known her real reason for
wanting to go to Angel, they would probably have locked her up. Or
tried. Dawn was pretty sure that Willow would use her magic against
anyone who tried to stop her, even her friends, but she also knew that
Willow wouldn't hurt her.
"The vortex opens with your blood and it stops when your blood stops.
It's connected to you and you are connected to Buffy by blood, that's
why her sacrifice sealed it. If Buffy had realized this earlier, none
of this would have happened, because we could have come prepared - like
I have." Willow glanced warily at Dawn. She took a small jar from
her bag. Within it a greyish bulbous mass floated in a clear liquid.
"The blood that connects you belonged to Joyce. I took this from the
hospital before we left for L. A. It's the tumor they removed from
your mother's brain. It should seal the vortex once I've gotten
Buffy's soul back." Willow set the jar onto the ground and reached
into her bag once again and this time brought out a crystal sphere.
"The Orb of Thesulah," Angel whispered. The orb would hold Buffy's
soul just as it had housed his a few years ago. Not for the first time
that night, dread permeated his consciousness. Something was going to
go wrong. Willow was going to get hurt. "Willow..."
"You can't stop me, Angel. I have to do this, I have to try." Willow
set the orb down beside the glass jar. She threw her arms around
Angel in a tight bear hug. "I'll bring her back to you, I promise."
It was amazing to Angel how much this young woman in his arms would do
for the people she cared about, not to mention what she would do for
complete strangers. Angel's arms tightened around her, holding her
warm body as close as possible to his. He hadn't had many chances to
hold Willow close, usually it just happened when he was saving her
from some demon that wanted to kill her, and he didn't want to let go
now. He couldn't take the chance that the world would lose this
perfect treasure. "Buffy wouldn't want you to hurt yourself, Willow.
And what if something were to happen to Dawn? It's too risky. Think
about Giles and Xander, they can't lose you too or Dawn." Angel
risked looking down at Willow, even though it meant that he had to move
a hair's breadth away from her. She met his gaze briefly, guilt
flashing through her eyes, before she slipped from his grasp. Too late
Angel realized that she had taken the book from his pocket.
"Sorry." Willow mouthed the word. "Thicken," she commanded out loud,
immobilizing Angel. He would have tried to stop her and she didn't
want to hurt him. She turned her back on him and started walking up
the stairs to the top of the construction tower that Buffy had fallen
from with Dawn following behind her. Once they reached the top,
Willow opened the book to search for the page with the spell just in
case she had a memory lapse. Angel would forgive her once Buffy was
back safe and sound. They all would. "Dawn, are you ready?"
The younger girl nodded and held a trembling hand out to Willow. Her
eyes were wide and they darted around the construction site below
them. Willow wished that she didn't have to involve Dawn, especially
so soon after the traumatic events of the night before, but she
needed the power of the Key and the blood connection to Buffy. As
gently as possible, Willow slit open the tip of Dawn's index finger
with her white-handled ceremonial dagger.
The blood dropped to the ground and the effect was immediate. With a
sighing grumble, dark clouds formed and a bright white light cracked
their surface. Willow held the Orb of Thesulah aloft. "Buffy Anne
Summers! I call your soul to this orb." The orb began to glow, and
as it happened when she restored Angel's soul, the words came to her.
Willow barely glanced at the book as the familiar Romany words flowed
from her lips. A bright blue and pink dazzling light flashed out from
the vortex and struck the orb like lightening. The orb absorbed the
light and Willow knew the spell was successful. She had Buffy's soul.
Now she just had to close the vortex again.
All Angel could do was watch. Willow had effectively pinned him to his
spot. He was helpless. But she had done it. He had watched as
Buffy's soul was pulled into the orb and now he watched as Willow
opened the jar containing Joyce's tumor. He heard her yell something,
but couldn't make out the words. Then, with an arm a quarterback would
admire, she threw the jar into the vortex. Flashes of intense white
light crackled in the dark clouds as the vortex decided if this was
what it wanted. A loud bang of thunder signaled its acceptance and
the vortex sealed.
The sudden silence was oppressive, especially since Angel couldn't
move. He heard the hollow clang of their footsteps on the stairs as
Willow and Dawn descended from the tower. As they approached him,
Willow held out her hand. "Release." And he could move again. Angel
joined them without a word as the trio left the construction site. It
was time to restore Buffy's soul.
*****
The funeral home where Buffy's body lay waiting to be buried was dark.
Willow zapped the lock on the door without a second thought and Angel
was again astonished at how magic had become such an integral part of
her. Willow took Dawn's hand and gave it another reassuring squeeze.
Angel realized that not even a month ago, Joyce Summers had lain here
waiting for her burial. He took Dawn's other hand and felt better when
she smiled at him. It was hard to believe that this fragile little
girl was the key to the universe. He smiled back at her. He was
feeling better all around. Now that Willow had Buffy's soul and had
sealed the vortex, he was beginning to think that she could actually
bring Buffy back and that his earlier feelings of doom and gloom were
just his pessimistic nature.
"Who's there?" Spike's speech was slurred and he looked up from where
his head was resting on Buffy's coffin with bleary eyes. A bottle of
his favorite whiskey was clutched in his hand. "No one goes near the
Slayer! If it's a trophy you're lookin' for, leave before I bash yer
soddin' brains in."
"Spike, it's me." Willow approached him cautiously.
"Wil'ow? An Li'l Bit, Dawnie!" Spike smiled at the girls, but it
twisted horrifically as he vamped when he noticed Angel. "You," he
growled and tried to launch himself at his grandsire. In his
inebriated state, it came out more as a stumbling lurch that found him
kissing the floor at Angel's feet.
It was a pitiful sight, but one that Angel understood. When Buffy had
told him of Spike's feelings, she had referred to it as a 'crush', but
Angel had known better. When his grandchilde loved, he loved with
every part of his being and Angel had known that Spike had loved Buffy.
"Spike." Angel hauled him to his feet. "I'm sorry about Buffy."
"Yeah, right, Big Poof. You came here to take her away from me. Like
Dru...always second...never loved me...hated me...loved her..fought
stupid evil...." Spike trailed off, taking a swig from his empty
bottle. Realizing he was out of alcohol, he flung the bottle away and
it smashed against the wall. Swaying slightly, he once again focused
his grief-filled rage at Angel. "You! You want to...want to..."
"I'm here to bring Buffy back. Angel doesn't want to take Buffy away,
he's here to help me." Willow took Spike's arm and led him a few
steps away from Angel. She settled him onto a metal folding chair set
up for the services the next evening.
"Really? You can do that? Bring her back?"
"I've got her soul right here." Willow showed Spike the orb. He
stared at it and the glowing lights reflected the tears that wet his
cheeks. "Now you sit here while Dawn and I perform the restoration
ritual. Okay?" She patted Spike's hand.
"What do you want me to do?" Angel asked softly, keeping an eye on
Spike. All of the younger vampire's rage had disappeared as his gaze
never left the Orb of Thesulah and Buffy's soul. Angel still didn't
want to take the chance of antagonizing him again.
"I'm going to do the restoration spell and combine it with a healing
spell that will take care of the damage to her body from the fall and
from any cell degeneration that took place after she died. I'm going
to need to tap into Dawn's energy as the Key to do it. I want you to
stop me from taking too much. I won't be able to control it once I
start the spell." Willow turned to the young girl. "When you feel
pain, I want you to cry out and Angel will break our connection. You
don't have to worry, it won't effect the spell or Buffy."
Both Dawn and Angel nodded. Willow took Dawn's hand again and walked
towards Buffy's coffin. Angel hung back, waiting for his signal.
Something Willow had said bothered him, but he couldn't pinpoint what
it was.
"The curse! What about the bloody curse!" Spike suddenly yelled.
"Don't want the Slayer to be all broody 'cause she'll lose her soul
when she's happy."
"That won't happen, Spike," Willow assured him. "This is a different
spell from the one that was performed on Angel. It returns a soul to
its human body, because it was taken unnaturally. It's not a curse for
the undead. Buffy's soul will be with her until she dies a natural
death." Willow turned back to the coffin. She lifted the lid to
reveal a peaceful looking slayer. As he was the first time he had seen
her, Angel was captivated by her beauty. She lay there like Snow White
waiting for Prince Charming. A sharp pain in his heart reminded Angel
that he could never be her prince. Even if Willow did resurrect her,
Buffy's destiny was with someone else. And hopefully, someday, there
would be someone for him as well.
Willow was nervous. Things were going too smoothly, even Angel hadn't
put up much of a fight. Of course, once he realized that Buffy would
be alive and well, Willow hadn't expected him to. Angel would do
anything for his love - his soulmate. Resolve face back in place,
Willow placed the orb on Buffy's chest. One hand hovered over the orb
and with the other, she took Dawn's hand. With a deep breath, she
opened a channel to the Key's energy. In a voice she didn't recognize
and in a language she didn't fully understand, Willow spoke the words
of the spell.
It was a thrilling and terrifying thing to watch. The beautiful
sparkling green left Willow's eyes, replaced with inky black. The orb
glowed in response to Willow's words, the soft white light enveloping
Buffy's body. He waited for a response - a twitch, a breath - anything
that would indicate that Buffy was alive and well. So focused was he
on this, that Dawn's sharp piercing cry made him jump. Immediately,
Angel rushed forward and wrenched Dawn's hand from Willow's grasp.
The loss of the Key's energy impacted Willow like a football tackle -
it felt like she had gotten the magic 'wind' knocked out of her. With
another deep breath, she steadied herself and gathered her magical
power and let it flow into the finishing of the spell. Willow looked
down at Buffy. She held her breath as she caught a faint flutter of
an eyelash and let it out in a gasp of surprise and delight as Buffy's
eyes opened.
"Willow?" Buffy whispered. She sat up slowly. "What happened? Death
was my gift."
"And your life was mine." Willow smiled, tears running down her
cheeks. She stepped back to let Dawn hug her sister. They were both
laughing and crying and when Spike joined in, Buffy didn't push him
away.
Willow felt Angel's hands on her shoulders and she briefly wondered why
he didn't join in on the group hug. "You did it, Willow, you brought
Buffy back," he whispered in her ear. She felt him press a kiss to her
temple.
"Yes, I did." Willow tilted her head up to look into Angel's dark
brown eyes shining with unshed tears. She touched his cheek. She
couldn't wait to perform the anchoring spell. It would have to be done
as soon as she had regained enough strength. He and Buffy deserved to
be happy together. Willow felt her knees give out and Angel's arms go
around her as he caught her.
"Willow?" She heard Angel say her name and he sounded far away. She
had thought she would have more time. She must have used too much
power and the severed connection had done too much damage. She wasn't
going to regain enough strength to anchor Angel's soul. She wasn't
going to regain any strength.
"Angel...the book," Willow gasped. She had to tell him about the
spell before it was too late. Someone else could do the spell.
"Tara...Giles...anchor...." That's all she could manage. Her head was
tingling and her peripheral vision was darkening. Her heart gave a
weird jump and then Willow felt it stop.
