Giles had been quietly observing Xander come to grips with what had happened. He looked at the worried face of Angel, not knowing what to expect when they got to Willow's house. And how did HE feel. Of course Giles liked Willow, and felt a connection to her, for Angel's sake.

***

The burgler fought back, insanely, wildly. Willow had a hard time controlling him. All the vampire might in the world cannot stop a human's insane strength. But, the blood was so good, and it energized her. The hunger that drove her, that caused her "inner" voice to drone on and on, was less violent. Willow was slowly returning to herself with the more blood she consumed.

Concentrating on getting the most "food" that she could, Willow did not notice, could not notice the other figure that was observing them from across the street. However, the man did, and really started to fight Willow. He flayed his legs, and somehow ended up on top of her, her mouth still clamped on his neck. His fists beating on her, his heart pumping wildly, sending gushes of blood into her mouth.

Buffy watching from the street, in the dim light of the moon, decided that this was no normal couple having a "fling", this guy was really a vampire, and the girl was getting it good! She was about to find out how wrong she was!

Having no stake, Buffy first decided the best thing was to separate them, giving the girl a chance to get away. "Well the best thing to do is roar." She mumbled.

Buffy came flying across the street shouting, and came upon the "couple" in leaps. She grabbed the man by the collar and sent him flying through the air about five feet. Buffy turned to the girl, "Run! I'll take care of this guy." She yelled.

But the girl just laid there. Buffy bent down, and picked her up with one hand, "Did you hear me......"

Was she seeing a ghost? It was Willow she was holding by her shirt. But it was not Willow, it was a demon girl who looked like Willow? Buffy, half confused and half horrified managed to choke out one word. "Will?"

This time it was Willow's turn to go insane. All her misery, and anger all the pent up anxiety towards her friend lashed out, and she struck Buffy to the ground. Willow put her foot out to kick Buffy savagely, but Buffy was quicker and grabbed her foot and TWISTED pulling Willow to the ground.

This was no best friend, this was a vampire Willow and no pal of hers. Buffy sprang to her feet, and got ready for the next attack. Her thoughts ranged from staying alive, and how to kill her best friend. What a choice!

Giles was the first to see the fight. He swerved the car into the driveway, and was out before Angel and Xander had time to question him. Angel then LEAPED out of the car practically taking the door off. Xander was last, and fell to the ground trying to squeeze himself out of the back.

Willow and Buffy were circling each other. Angel, frightened that they were going to kill each other, yelled out, "BUFFY!"

"Angel?" Buffy said, looking away. This gave Willow a chance to strike. Willow's agony was fresh now. Angel did not yell out her name, but the name of his one and true beloved, Buffy. Willow didn't care if she got killed by anyone now. But, how wrong she was.

Angel, truly afraid, that Buffy would stake Willow was trying to distract Buffy for a moment giving Willow a chance to get away. Giles, was quicker, he tried to get between the fighting girls to break them apart. He was only in the way when Willow launched herself at Buffy. And he fell to the ground, groaning, with Willow on top of him.

Xander stood shock still, not knowing what to do! Buffy, her thoughts in a turmoil, was trying frantically to control the situation. "Stay back! I think it's Willow!"

Angel also tried to run and help Giles, who was lying between the two girls. "Willow please!" He cried. His voice betraying the agony he was feeling.

Angel was knocked off his feet by Buffy trying to protect him. "Stop! Willow's a vampire!"

"I know I made her that way!" he yelled back. Buffy was looking at Angel and not at Willow, which was a serious mistake! Xander put himself in harm's way by jumping in front of the attacking Willow. Not recognizing him, Willow punched him in the stomach, and in the face. Xander bent over double grunting. Buffy saw the attack then, and ripped off a portion of some bushes, to use as a stake. She fully intended to stake Willow.

Giles put out his arm to stop Willow from attacking more. He was rewarded by a deep slash down the side of his arm, from Buffy, who came from the other side to hit, her anger in full force. Giles, fell into Willow's arms, and they both crashed to the ground. Willow's attention was drawn to the already oozing wound and with the demon's full approval, she dipped her finger into it, and brought it to her mouth. That casual act, stopped Buffy in her tracks, Angel was already holding her back. Giles, his voice strangely detached, looked up at Willow, "Willow, what are you doing?" He asked.

It was then the rage emptied out of her. Willow looked down at Giles, and hugged him to her, a strange sound emitting from her. Giles shifting his weight, encircled her in his arms, cooing gently. But the blood that he was shedding, was still distracting her. Willow couldn't help herself, from stealing some, licking it off her fingers. Giles let her, looking at his Slayer with a look of danger in his eyes. Buffy was torn but her Slayer sense got the best of her. "Giles, she's a monster!" She said, trying to get to him!

That broke something in Willow, finally. She was a monster. She shoved Giles, away, blood still on her hands, and stood. The horror of what she had done, plainly visible on her face. Angel holding Buffy by her shoulder's turned her around, "She's not a monster! You Are!" and flung her over to Xander. He then gently helped Giles to his feet.

Willow looked at all of them standing there, her voice was full of anger, misery, desperation. "Oh god! What have I done...." Her hands covered her face. "Oh god! God help me...help me...."

Angel was the first to her, and tried to put his arms around her, to comfort her. He was relived she was alive, but still aware that Buffy still occupied his thoughts. Willow backed away from him. Her face twisted in abject agony. The "sweet" Willow had returned, to face what the demon had done.

Giles stood just behind her, cradling his arm, the long scratch that Buffy made, was deep, and now bleeding profusely. Xander, was holding Buffy, looking at the two men slowly circling Willow. He knew this was a dangerous time. Buffy, upset as she was, at the sudden "appearance" of her friends, was coming to the conclusion that Angel no longer had intense feelings for her. It was as if Angel was dying all over again. Then Buffy had to fight Willow for her life, and that also took a toll!

"What is going on here?" Xander asked, still chuffing and holding his stomach. he released Buffy. She walked over to Angel, trying to grasp him in her arms, to tell him that she understood, that it was okay.

"Is that Willow? she managed to ask, when Angel avoided her arms. Willow was still crying, and he was torn between a desire to comfort her, and to tell Buffy what happened. Willow, still weeping, was moving away from the little group. "She is a vampire, and Angel crossed her over.... it's true." Giles said, looking from Buffy to Angel.

"And you knew this? And kept it from me?" She said accusingly. "And you ran from me at this house, and at the dam! It was you!" She pointed a long finger at Angel.

"Yes it was me...us." Angel said sadly.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you come to me?" She asked

"Because you're the damn Slayer!" Angel's croaked. "It's your duty to kill vampires!"

Xander had been carefully watching the whole time. He wasn't about to let Angel off the hook so easily. "And he loves her." He said grimly.

"He loves her? Is this true?" Buffy voice was full of unshed tears.

Angel bowed his head. "I don't know, I'm not sure."

***

It was just too much for Willow to endure. Not only had she killed a man, she attacked her best friend, tasted a man she had respect for, and heard the man she loved declare that he didn't know if he loved her. The sky was beginning to light on the eastern horizon. The sun was coming, and it was her chance to put an end to this.

Willow ran without knowing where she was going. Looking back frequently to make sure she was not followed, she ran eastward. At first she thought to just run until the sun came up. But, she thought to go to Angel's. The sun shone strongly at the entrance, and it would be a fitting memorial to her love for him. For a smart girl, she wasn't thinking too clearly.

Willow thought all she had to do was wait in the shadows of the doorway, until the morning sun came over the building, and then just step outside. She hung in the doorway, shivering, running her short life over in her head. Regrets? She had some, but she hoped it wouldn't follow her into the next life.

***

Buffy was still asking Angel some tough questions, ignoring her friend completely. "So you love her?"

Angel tried to get out of her way, He looked to Giles to Xander to help him. But they were busy patching up Giles's wound. "It's not easy to explain. You wouldn't understand."

"Because I'm not a vampire right?" Buffy said, pushing at his chest.

He flung his arms in a demonstration of frustration. "You don't understand. I HAD to bring her over, or kill her. She was suffering!" Angel was exasperated.

"But you didn't have to love her." Buffy said, turning way from him.

Angel put his hand on her shoulder. "No I didn't. But I do."

"But I love you!" Her anguished cry cut through him like a knife. but if he was to have any future with Willow, he had to cut the cord cleanly with Buffy.

"Stop, stop, stop! What about Willow? Huh?" Xander said looking at the sky getting light. "We've got to get them inside or we'll be talking barbecue here."

Giles came over, concern written on his face. "Willow's gone!"

"Gone?!" Both Xander and Angel said in unison.

"Yes gone! and the sun is coming up. Have you two any idea where she could have gone?" Giles was clearly agitated.

Angel paced a bit, and almost pulled his hair out. "I have no idea where to look!"

"Perhaps, you and Xander should go back to your flat. Buffy and I will wait here just in case she comes back. GO we are running out of time!"

***

Hi God-

Okay--let's try this again. I asked you, just a couple of days ago, if you could just watch over Willow and make sure she was okay...if you could save her from some cruel, pitiful death all alone under the ground. Or if you could make sure that Angel left her alone, just in case they'd ended up together. I didn't want her to be hurt--so why, why, why, did this happen?

In case you didn't catch it--Willow is now a vampire.

Excuse me while I go and stick my head in the oven.

Why did you let this happen? Willow was a good person. She never did one thing wrong in her entire life--and I should know. She loved you, and she believed in you, and when she needed you, you weren't there. Just like I wasn't there...

I know what you are probably saying--at least she was able to hang on to her soul. And don't think that I'm not thankful for that...but she is still going to have to drink blood for the rest of her life, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. If she could've stopped this, I'm sure she would've. Angel says that she consented to being made into a vampire, because she didn't want to die--but I'll bet he pressured her like crazy, just to get a taste of her.

I thought that Giles would be sympathetic to me on all of this, but he is so different than I imagined him to be. Sure, I've seen him freak out before...like the time that Ethan showed up at school...but I never thought he'd strike out at me. Now, it seems like he slaps me every time I breathe the wrong way. And worse, he is supporting Angel through all of this. Angel, who turned my best friend, the only person in the world that I loved absolutely purely, into a bloodsucking demon.

I want to believe that she is the same as before, but it seems that she's gone through a lot of changes since I last saw her. The one that shocked me the most, to be completely honest, was finding out that she slept with Angel. It's not that Willow was guarding her virginity like crazy, or anything...but I also didn't think she'd give it up so easily. He says that he loves her, but I don't believe that there is anything good in him. When he got angry with me, he actually bit me.

And that fucking bite hurt more than anything I have ever felt before. Worse than when I broke my arm, or when fell down those stairs in the fifth grade. Angel is fucking monster...a fucking sociopath...a fucking...uh-oh. You probably don't much like hearing me say that--but really, what do I have to lose here? I want you to save Willow, not me. Anything could happen to me, just as long as I knew she would be safe.

I sound really fickle, I suppose. Up until a few days ago, Buffy was the only thing on my mind. But I realized really quickly after Willow disappeared exactly how much Buffy actually cared about her. I mean, she never said one word to me--not one little word. No sympathy. No, "I'm sorry that your best friend died." All she cared about was her beautiful Angel. And I called her on it--which I am sure you know. A little part of me actually felt happy when Angel said he was in love with Willow. I don't want Buffy anymore, but for some reason, I wanted her to be hurt. I am sorry for that--and I hope that you know it. I'm not really angry with her anymore, mostly because I'm angrier with myself. Maybe, if I had stayed behind with Willow when the sewer caved in, we could have gone down together. Or, at the least, I might have been able to stop Angel.

Angel swears up and down that he loves her, and that she loves him...but I thought that she loved me. I never let that slip to anyone before, but I'm not so blind that I didn't realize Willow had feelings for me. And I feel like the biggest jerk in the world for never talking with her about it. It would be a lie if I said that I was in love with her too, because I'm really not...but I always figured that someday, I might be. I sort of kept her in the background, like some kind of prize, and I always expected that she would be there if I ever wanted to return her feelings. I am so selfish...I know.

But in this one thing, I don't want to be selfish. I want Willow to be okay--and if that means Angel must go to her and they have to be together, I can deal with it. Because, when I thought she was dead, my heart broke right in half. I know that she isn't the same old Willow, but I'd rather have part of her than none of her.

Angel and I are going to go to find her now, and all I can do is hope that you've been listening to me, for once. I should only be so lucky--but Willow deserves this, and I know that you can understand that.

***

It was there that they found her. Angel, because the sun was almost up, came up the back way and Xander came from the entrance. She was huddled there, back to the darkness of the door, her face to the light of the morning sun. Her voice was thick and horse "Please don't come closer. I'm a monster."

Xander stopped his voice was quiet. "You are Willow my friend, and not a monster."

Angel was a bit more relived. "Willow you're alive! Please come inside."

Willow put her back to the doorway, she was now not facing wither of them, but staring out into space. "You know Angel, oh how I loved you! I was so dumb to love someone like you. but tell me was it all just sex? Did you love me just a little bit?"

"I love you with every bit of myself. If you go out into the sun, then I will. It wasn't just sex, it was love." His voice was wavering, he barely choked out the last words.

She turned to Xander and laughed a bit. "You see, this is my little bit of heaven. All I have to do is touch the sun. And you're free. All of you are free, and no worries." Then she turned to Angel. "I've tried to be a good person. but I can't do this. I love you too much. I know why Buffy did those things to keep your love. I would do it too."

"Willow I love you too, please go with Angel. We'll take of Buffy, I promise!" Xander inched closer and closer to his distraught friend. "Don't leave me here alone. When I thought you were gone, I could have gone crazy! Now that you are here, all I can think of is making you stay. You're not a monster anymore than Angel is. Come back to us, Please?"

She made no move to go inside. All the will of the two men were pressing in on her. The tears ran down her face, her body slipped slowly down the doorjamb. "Please Willow! I'll take care of you! I won't let anyone hurt you anymore. Please don't leave me!" Angel cried, going down on his knees his hands outstretched, his face wet with tears.

"Now listen here Girl! What Angel is telling you is the truth. I believe him! He took a few step closer. "I want you to be my friend for the rest of my life. Go with him. Please go with him!" Xander's face was also wet with tears. Willow collapsed on the ground, close, too close to the advancing sun.

Angle finally got close enough to grab her, and enfolded her in his arms. He lifted her up and carried her into the darkness, all the while kissing her, and telling her she's going to be all right.

Xander turned his face to the sunlight, and ran his hand through his hair. He was tired, bruised and needing a shower. He walked away, a little bit sad that his "old" Willow was a new person. But, as Giles often said, "A Place for everything, and everything in it's place."

The Woman looked out over the bay. A breeze playing with the tendrils that escaped her long braided hair. A single long rope of hair plunged down her body, framed by her backless black dress. She turned her face up to the stars, and sighed. A man came up beside her, kissing her on the neck, and she hugged him close, her head coming to rest on his chest.

They stood there for a while watching the tide chug and churn on the shore. Another man came up to the couple. He had in his hands three sticks. He kissed the woman gently on the lips, and kissed the other man as well, handing him one of the sticks. Once the sticks were all handed out, he lit them one by one. The sparklers glittered and twinkled, throwing light on the water.

The woman's laughter rang out over the bay. As the light of the sparklers dimmed, the fireworks started and lit up the sky. They watched for a while, while the two men sandwiched the woman in a side-by-side embrace. The woman whispered to the men, and one could see they were both smiling. Hand in hand in hand, they left the deck and went into the large bedroom and pulled the curtains, still laughing and smiling.

Formatter's note: Well because I didn't have them before, I decided to put the email addresses of the author and her helpers at the bottom of the story. Here they are. Now go tell them what a good job the did:

Main Author: Beth ( [email protected] )

Additional POV's: Z. ( [email protected] ) Willow, Giles, Buffy, and Co)

Mike Writer Katy ( [email protected] ) Xander

Rebecca ( Lady [email protected] ) Angel

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