Buffy was in her bedroom throwing some supplies and weapons into a bag. She thought that she would go hunting. She wanted to lose herself in the simple clarity of slaying and ridding the world of some more vamps. Because if she got rid of enough of those bastards then maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't have to worry that Xander might be killed by them someday like he had almost been killed last night.

Her night and day since then had been filled with the remembrance of those heart pounding seconds when her world had been narrowed down to the flashing images of Xander shouting and then falling before the point of the arrow that had been meant for her.

Buffy drew a ragged breath and tried to clear her mind of it all. A noise outside her window caught her attention. Thankful of the disruption she leaned out slightly and saw Angel just outside.

Seeing her Angel called out softly up to her, "Buffy. Can I come in?"

"Wait, hold on actually. I'll be right down." She threw down her bag and a few moments later she was down in the ground next to him. "You just caught me. I was just about to head out for the night."

"I'm glad that I was in time then." Looking more closely at her pale face and eyes ringed by lack of sleep Angel asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Buffy drew her hand through her hair in a self- conscious gesture knowing that she looked like hell.

"How's Xander?" Angel asked intently.

"He's o.k. I talked to him a little while ago. Thank you for helping Xander last night. I wouldn't have know what to do with an arrow wound like that," she said gratefully.

"It's no problem," Angel shrugged. "It was the least I could do. He's the one who saved us from that ambush."

"Yah and was almost killed," she said in nearly a monotone that didn't quite cover her horror.

"But he's o.k.," Angel said trying to assuage her.

"This time," Buffy shook her head despairingly. "I can't do this. I can't watch him get hurt or get killed because of me."

Angel gave her a long considering look. "You love him don't you." It was more of a statement than question.

Her response was automatic. "Of course I love him. He's my best friend."

"Buffy. Look at me, " Angel demanded. Her eyes met his and Angel said distinctly, "You're IN love with him."

Buffy's mouth opened, but she remained speechless for a moment. Her initial reaction was denial. Then instead of responding she asked, "Why on earth would you say that?"

"Buffy, I told you that things have changed. I was looking for you the other night at the Bonze and I saw you dancing with him. I had a pretty good inkling then. Last night I was certain of it."

Buffy remembered exactly how she felt when she and Xander had been dancing at the Bronze. And last night, her heart felt as if it had been shredded when Xander had been hurt. Then various other images of them together over the last year flooded her mind. It all added up to one crystalline clear truth. < I do love Xander. >

"I don't know what to say," Buffy faltered. She couldn't look Angel in the eye. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. "I want to tell you that I'm still in love with you Angel, but...it's not true anymore."

Angel hurried to reassure her, "Buffy it's alright I understand. I never expected you to wait for me. Don't feel bad about this, about me. Things are different and I've changed too. The paths we've taken have lead us to different places."

His words were sincere and without any recriminations and understanding dawned on Buffy, "You're not in love with me anymore either are you?"

Now it was Angel's turn to shift his eyes away from hers. He felt freed by Buffy's words, free to love Willow without any reproach. He was truly glad that Buffy had found love. < Hell, Xander may even deserve her love now. > But still, he felt he shouldn't feel quite so relieved.

"Buffy I'll always love you, just not the way...." his voice trailed off.

"You don't have to explain anything. Its like you said we've both changed." Buffy sighed, "Why can't things be simple?"

Angel gave her a half-smile, "It is simple. You've found someone to love who loves you back."

Buffy's brain was analyzing and re-analyzing things. The romantic feelings that Xander once had for her had seemed to disappear over time. He had certainly never let on that he still loved her that way. Maybe now it was too late to go back. "I don't know Angel. Things do change and Xander may have been in love with me once, I'm not so sure he does now."

"I've seen the way he looks at you. Xander loves you," Angel stated categorically. < I can't believe I'm playing matchmaker! > he thought almost amused.

"You think so?" Buffy's eyes were wide with hope.

Angel raised one eyebrow in disbelief. "I don't see how you can doubt it. If he's not in love with you, I'll-I'll drink rat's blood for the rest of my unnatural life!"

Buffy scrunched her nose at the disgusting thought. She didn't know that much about Angel's eating habits, other than the fact he didn't dine on human blood. But she *did* know that as far as substitutes went, rat was as low as you could go. "Yew! O.K., alright! You must be pretty sure to go with that bet."

"I'm sure."

Their conversation which happily tied up the loose ends of their relationship, had lifted both their spirits, but Angel still had to tell her about his original purpose in coming to see her. "I'm leaving tonight," he said abruptly. "I didn't want to leave this time without a good-bye."

"Tonight?" Buffy was definitely taken aback. "You're leaving so soon? It doesn't have anything to do with me does it?"

"No. Of course not."

"O.k. Angel, spill." Buffy said bluntly. "There's this look in your eyes. Something's going on here. I want to know what it is and I want to know right now."

Angel told her in detail about why and when Willow had left Rome and his own search for her. While he spoke, Buffy's eyes widened with shock but she didn't interrupt.

When he'd finished she merely said, "It sounds like something Willow would do. Why does she always have to be so damn noble." Buffy shook her head, desperately worried again now about her friend.

Angel saw her anxiety and said resolutely, "I'm going to find her."

"I know you will. And when you see her Angel - tell her that we miss her and that we love her."

"I will. I promise." Angel opened his mouth to start to say good- bye but Buffy stopped him.

"Don't. Don't say good-bye, just...see you later. Okay.?"

Angel reached down to hug his former love good-bye. He still felt so much tenderness toward her and was gladdened that they would part friends. Stepping back a little he smiled and said, "See you later Buffy."

Angel looked up then and met Xander's stricken eyes.

Xander had come to Buffy's house to let her see how well he was doing and how quickly he was recovering. The scene that greeted him at her house had been to his defeated gaze quite the lover's tryst. Angel and Buffy stood beneath the light which filtered down from her bedroom window, romantically silhouetted in the dark of the evening. Xander had watched them embrace and seeing Buffy looking up at Angel with her head tilted back as if waiting for a kiss, Xander felt his heart crumble into little pieces. His eyes locked momentarily with Angel's when the vampire looked up to see him standing there frozen in place. Xander fancied a silent communication passed between them. < You win Angel. >

Xander didn't need or want to see anymore. He swiftly turned around and nearly ran in the direction of his house.

Letting Buffy go, Angel nodded in the direction of his retreating figure. "Xander -he saw us. I think he has the wrong impression."

"Oh no!" Buffy stood for a moment not knowing what to do.

"Go after him Buffy and tell him how you feel. More than that show him." Angel prodded.

"Thanks."Buffy hugged him one more time before leaving.

"Good luck," Angel wished sincerely.

Buffy, already running after Xander, turned around. "You too Angel!"

Angel gave a bitter-sweet smile. He had the distinct feeling that Buffy had a glimmer of understanding about his feelings toward Willow. He pulled out from his pocket the printout that Ms. Calendar had given him. Clutching it in his hand he too left.

He had a plane to catch.

*~*~*~*

Buffy jogged, slowing down from her near sprint as she neared Xander. "Xander wait!" she called out to him.

Xander took a deep breath. He turned around and was astonished as Buffy threw herself against him and kissed him lingeringly on his lips.

"W-w-what was that for?" Xander stammered, his eyes wide.

"Something we should have done that a long time ago!" Buffy whispered. The kiss had been totally unplanned, but it took her breath away and she couldn't help herself as she went in to kiss him again.

But Xander held her back, "Are you possessed? You've got to be possessed!"

"I'm not possessed Xander," Buffy said now hesitant. This wasn't exactly the reaction she had been hoping for.

"I mean, but I thought...you, Angel..." he sputtered. At this point rational sentence structure was almost beyond him.

"Angel's leaving. He's going back to Europe."

Her matter of fact tone confused Xander. "I don't understand. I thought that Angel came back for you and that you were going to be together," he said his eyebrows drawn together in an expression of bewilderment.

"For the longest time I thought loved Angel. Until he came back, I just assumed that I still loved him. But I don't. There just isn't the same feelings there had been between us. I don't feel the same way about him because of you," she said earnestly.

"If you're possessed I gotta tell Giles not to be too quick to find a spell to reverse this." Xander was dazed by this complete change from what he had been feeling only a short time ago. < This is just not happening. It's a dream. I've completely lost it and am now totally immersed in a fantasy world. That has to be it. >

"I told you, I'm in complete control of myself and I know exactly what I'm saying." Buffy paused and then plunged ahead. "I love you."

"Oh god, Buffy," Xander almost groaned. "Please don't say that unless you really mean it. I've loved you for so long and hearing you say it seems almost unreal."

Happiness shot through Buffy as she realized what he just admitted. "I love you Xander and I'll keep saying it until you believe it."

"You're going to be saying it a lot then. But wait, so what I saw just now at your house was a good-bye clinch?" Xander raised his eyebrows.

"No. Well, yes," Buffy said a little flustered.

"Oh, yah. Now that's real clear."

"Well it wasn't a clinch! It was just good-bye." Seeing a remnant of disbelief in his face she continued. "Listen to me Xander. Angel was my first love, my first infatuation and all. But I've gotten over him. Completely. I know that I can go on without him. I wouldn't be able to go on without you. You're everything to me."

Searching Buffy's eyes, Xander saw only conviction and love. To his wonderment and awe he realized this woman really and truly loved him. Xander's heart pounded slow painful beats against his chest. It felt as if he was about to burst with happiness.

"I love you Buffy," he said hoarsely.

His hands came up to cup her face, and he leaned down and kissed her. Savoring the contact, for long moments he only brushed his lips against hers. Then the slow, sweet kiss deepened and they lost themselves in each other. Buffy's arms were twining themselves around his neck when she accidentally brushed up against a sensitive area of his shoulder. Xander couldn't help but winced slightly.

"Oh god. I'm sorry did I hurt you?" Buffy suddenly realized.

"I'm fine. Its just a scratch," he tried to scoffed at her concern. "And really, honestly if you give me another kiss like that, I bet it'll make all the hurt go bye-bye."

But all Buffy's worry and pain of the last twenty-four hours resurfaced and overwhelmed her. "No. Don't brush this off. I almost lost you last night! And I..." Her eyes began to brim with tears. "The life span of your average slayer isn't all that long Xander, and I don't want to spend the rest of mine bringing flowers to your grave. Promise me. Promise that you won't ever do that again!"

"Promise what?" he demanded. "That I won't do everything in my power to make sure that you don't get hurt? That I won't put myself in danger to save you? Fine. I will. But only if you promise the same exact thing."

Buffy looked away from him, "You know I can't do that."

"Neither can I," he said intensely. "I love you too much."

Buffy just leaned against him, wishing with all her might that they could be a regular pair of teenagers in love, that they didn't have to constantly worry about who was going to try and kill them next. Finally she looked up at him and said gravely, "Then I suppose there's only one thing we can do."

"What's that?" Xander asked uncertainly.

"Make the most of the time we have." Buffy kissed him once more and whispered against his mouth, "Let's not waste another minute."

Willow was curled up in a chair in front of a fire reading a book. Or rather she was trying to read a book. What she was actually doing at the moment was staring blankly at the page in front of her, the words not registering in her mind because her mind was on something else. Someone else.

< Angel. >

Willow sighed heavily. He was constantly in her thoughts. It had been over a month since she left Rome and she couldn't find peace, it eluded her. Any sense of contentment she had found when she destroyed her demon was erased by her longing for Angel. Angel's friendship had been the bulwark against all the feelings that plagued her now. She had thought that when she left Sunnydale she was exiling herself, but now she knew what true exile was. The future stretched out in front of her and it seemed awfully bleak.

But she had had to leave Angel. Just as she had had to leave Sunnydale. Not only was she thinking about Angel's happiness, she had been thinking of his safety. The Anointed One, it seemed, would continue to haunt her. She couldn't let Angel become a target, not if she could help it.

When Willow had left Rome she knew that she had to do it in a way that would make it almost impossible for the minions of the Anointed One to track her. She had quickly planned everything before leaving. She made out a ticket under an assumed name and rented a small, cozy cottage in a remote part of Ireland. And remote it was. There was a village about an hour from her which she went to for supplies every now and then. The villagers were interested in the American girl with sad eyes and a mystery that seemed to surround her. But she ignored the gestures that came more out of curiosity than goodwill. She kept to herself and tried to keep busy. She had her garden, her books, her computer. And her memories.

The problem was that too many of her memories seemed to include Angel. The very littlest things reminded her of him. Even now she was thinking of one of her favorite memories, of nights they had spent over a keyboard as she tried to teach him about computers, his face alternating between concentration and adorable confusion. When he got a handle on some difficult programming point, his face would light up with a sense of achievement. But he would always immediately acknowledge her patient tutorage with a characteristic humbleness. The fact that he had never took her for granted was only one of many that made her fall in love with him. For he was one of the kindest men she had ever known. He was gentle, fiercely loyal, considerate, and had a sense of humor that matched her own in subtlety. His sly observations had more than once made her laugh out loud. Willow could go on and on about his good qualities. And it certainly didn't hurt that as Buffy once said he did indeed have an Angelic face.

< And body. >

Even alone Willow blushed at the waywardness of her thoughts. Then she put her book away and stared into the fire. It was going to be one of those nights when she couldn't even pretend to be anything other than she was - lonely. And missing him so much. She hadn't even considered the idea that it was possible to miss him more than when she had first left, but as the days and weeks passed she realized that it wasn't getting any better. The months that she had spent with him had forged a love within her that wouldn't lessen.

A knock at the door to her cottage broke her revelry. < Who on earth can that be? > Willow thought grabbing a weapon. She cautiously opened the door and then let it swing back as she gaped in amazement.

"Angel" she breathed.

"Did you think I'd never find you?" Angel's expression revealing nothing of his churning emotions.

"I...I-I don't know what to say," she stuttered still not believing her eyes. It was as if she had just wished him here.

"How about come in?" he said lightly, but all the while drinking in the sight of her.

"Oh, of course. Yes. Come in." Willow stepped back allowing him entrance.

Angel crossed the threshold and immediately swept Willow into a huge hug. His arms around her felt like they would never let go. Smelling his own particular 'Angel' scent, Willow's face buried itself against his shoulder and she felt like she'd come home.

"I've missed you Willow," Angel murmured into her hair. "This last month without you has been hell."

Willow felt a burst of happiness go through her. She had to throttle the excitement caused by his words.

"Why Willow? Why did you leave?" Angel demanded. < Why did you leave ME? >

Willow suddenly lost some of the warm, fuzzy feelings as she fumbled for a clear explanation. "You did get my letter, didn't you?"

Angel took a step back at that point and Willow felt bereft. "Don't tell me that what you said in the letter was the only motivation you had. I've thought about it endlessly while I've been searching for you. Something had to have sparked your leaving."

"You spent all this time looking for me?" Willow asked a little thrilled and impressed by his persistence.

"Yah. You did a really good job in covering your tracks. I didn't even have a clue until yesterday where you went."

"So how did you find me?" she asked curiously.

"First, I want to know why you left," Angel insisted. "Was it me? Did I do something..."

"No, of course not." She interrupted him almost indignantly.

"It's just that before you left you were so distant," he explained insecurely.

"I am sorry about that." Willow said softly. "I tried to apologize to you that night before Dante showed up and I never finished. I was really self-absorbed, but it was just that I was-was trying to work some things out."

"What things?" he pressed.

"It's not even important now. They had nothing to do with you," she lied. But Willow knew she owed him more of an explanation. Taking his hand she lead him to the couch in front of the fire. Settling down she told him tentatively, "I didn't want to leave you. I decided that it was for the best though. The night Dante attacked us, he told me some things while we were fighting. The Anointed One was still after me and you were in danger just being with me."

< Her motivation had been for my safety, > Angel thought as things began to make greater sense to him. "But you know that I can take of myself," he argued.

"I couldn't put you in that situation. And besides I also wanted you to be happy." Willow's eyes were looking everywhere except at his face.

"You never gave me the chance to make my own decision," Angel said frustrated.

"No. I didn't. Because I know you. You would have stayed with me no matter what, because you are one of the most loyal, self- sacrificing people I know," Willow asserted. "It wouldn't have even seemed an option for you to leave to go back to Sunnydale."

"So instead you decided to leave and make the decision for me," he concluded.

"It was the only way. At least one of us would be able to have what they really want," Willow said wistfully. < Even though what I really want is you. >

Looking down at her hands which were clasped tightly together, bravely she continued, "Now that you've found me and seen that I've been o.k. here, there's no reason that you can't go home to Sunnydale."

Angel tensed. < Is she trying to get rid of me? I didn't think that...No. I have to convince her, because I-I can't be without her again! > He was going to have to convince her of that. So he began purposefully, "Things change, Willow. I didn't expect things not too. There's nothing there for me anymore."

Willow's head snapped up. The implications of his words whirling around in her mind. "What are you talking about? Isn't Buffy there?" she asked.

"She's still there and she's fine. I-I saw her when I went back to Sunnydale. I went back though because after searching all over Europe for weeks, I didn't have any idea where to look for you next. I would never have been able to find you without Ms. Calendar's help. She's the one who traced you. While I was there I saw Buffy. We talked but it wasn't the same. Like I said before, I didn't expect it to be."

Angel paused for a moment, afraid of what he was about to tell her and how she would react. He didn't dare look at her as he continued. "I know how you feel about Xander, Willow, so this might be hard for you to hear. I suppose that my coming back made Buffy realize that she was holding onto her feelings for me even after she moved on. Buffy isn't in love with me anymore because she...she's in love with Xander. They had fallen in love this last year without realizing it. But they realize it now."

He looked up then to see her face. Her eyes expressed such sorrow.

< He left Buffy to help me and now he's lost her. How could she do that to him? How much more is Angel supposed to lose? > Willow thought compassionately and her eyes became glassy with tears.

Seeing those tears and mistaking their cause, Angel was shattered. He couldn't even look at her at that moment without revealing all in his eyes. He leapt up from the couch and stood leaning against the fireplace mantle, his back to her so that she couldn't see his pain. "Do you still love Xander that much?" he asked.

"I suppose I'll always love him," Willow replied truthfully.

Although anticipating it, nevertheless, Angel felt like he had been delivered a blow. His hopes for Willow reciprocating his feelings dimmed and sputtered like a guttered candle. < At least I haven't made a total fool of myself by confessing my undying immortal love. > He could almost groan at himself for the picture that would have made.

The dejection that showed in the posture of his body made Willow want to reach out to him. She wanted to confess that while Buffy may not love him anymore, she certainly did. But there was very little consolation in that she supposed.

Quiet stretched between them, during which Willow heard a noise outside. Becoming more distinct, Angel turned around and they looked at each other. < Two visits in one night? I'm a popular girl. > Willow thought uneasily hurrying to a window. What she saw outside turned that uneasiness into fear. For there were vampires surrounding the cottage.

Behind her Angel tried to assess the danger. "How many of them are there?"

"I don't know. Too many! It looks like at least half a dozen." Willow was terrified now.

"At least they can't get in," he pointed out reassuringly

"No." Willow said smelling the kindling of fire. "But they can burn us out."

It wasn't long before smoke started to fill the interior of the cottage. Since neither of them had to breath, the smoke wasn't a problem but the flames that were engulfing the house would be.

"We have to take our chances out there or we'll die in here!" Angel shouted above the roar of the fire. Taking Willow by the hand, Angel charged out of the burning building.

The vampires outside were waiting for them. Before Willow was even fully out the door, she was hit forcibly in the head. She fell headlong and turning back Angel fought her attacker. But there were too many of them. As Angel was occupied by two of the vampires, three others were already seizing a dazed and hurt Willow. Quickly they hauled her into an awaiting van.

Angel struggled to contain the panic as he realized Willow was being taken away. He fought his way toward her, but he was attacked by yet another vampire.

"Kill him. We have the girl," the leader called out to the remaining vampires before the van drove quickly off.

"Willow!!!!!" Angel cried out desperately.

"You're too late," one of the vampire said arrogantly. "She's gone. And you're next."

The four remaining vampires circled Angel like a pack of wolves and attacked. But Angel was beyond angry. The taunting words snapped him into a frenzied wrath and he let loose his demon with all the ferociousness of an avenging fury.

"Welcome, come on IN!" Angel said throwing two of the vampires bodily across the threshold and into the burning building behind him. Screaming the vampires writhed burning and joining the ashy remains of Willow's cottage. Angel instantly turned on another of the vampires and literally rent him limb from limb. His savagery made the last remaining vampire back away about to flee, but Angel caught him as well.

The demon in Angel begged to give this one the same treatment as the last, but he curbed the impulse and instead snarled, "Where did they take her?"

The vampire wasn't quick enough with an answer and Angel punched him, hissing "If I were you, I'd answer the questions. If you don't, I promise you that you'll be begging me to stake you when I'm through with you."

Angel shook the vampire like a rag doll. "Now again, where is she?" he yelled.

Seeing what had just happened to his companions, the vampire was sufficiently aware of just what Angel was capable of and he was scared enough to babble quickly, "They're taking her back to the Hellmouth, to the Anointed One."

"The Anointed One sent you?" Angel said this more as a statement than a question, but the vampire wisely answered anyway.

"Yes."

A gnawing suspicion flared in Angel's mind and he asked, "How did you find her?"

"We-we followed you here from the Hellmouth."

Angel's eyes went wide as his guts seemed to twist inside him. He was responsible for this. They had Willow and it was his fault. < How could I be so stupid! I lead them straight to her. >

"Why does the Anointed One want her so badly?" Angel nearly screamed in bewildered anger.

"I don't know." The vampire cowered as Angel motioned menacingly toward him and babbled, "Truly, I don't know! All I know is that he wants the Unslayable One at the Hellmouth. I was only told that it had to be before tomorrow, before the 21st of July."

Angel nearly let go of the vampire in his shock as he realized what that day was. July 21st, the day after tomorrow, was the day the Anointed One had made Willow into a vampire. It would be her first anniversary as a vampire.

< Dear god, don't let him be planning what I think he's planning! > Angel prayed.

Buffy burst into the library. "What's going on Giles? Is there a vamp convention in town I don't know about?"

It was after 10 p.m. and Giles was pouring over a stack of books. Ms. Calendar was on the computer typing away madly. And even Xander was struggling to decode some texts. Buffy realized suddenly that research mode was already underway.

Giles looked up right, "Buffy, I'm glad you're here. It looks like we have a problem on our hands."

"Isn't that what I've just said? So is the world going to end again or what?" Buffy sighed gustily. The number of vampires crawling around Sunnydale had dramatically risen almost overnight. Therefore, she wasn't at all surprised that something major was occurring. Without Xander, whose shoulder was not at all healed yet, Buffy was exhausted just trying to keep havoc from breaking out.

"This is quite serious," Giles chided.

"It doesn't look good," Xander agreed soberly, getting up to be by Buffy's side.

"I don't know if you realize, but tomorrow there is going to be a full solar eclipse." Giles informed her.

"And that's a bad thing, I'm guessing," Buffy said.

"Actually it's not normally. An eclipse of the sun is a powerful mystical time. If this mystical energy were able to be used by one such as the master, it would prove to be quite dangerous. But no vampire has ever been able to harness its power. Their, err, aversion to sunlight has made it usually a quite harmless event."

"I sense a big but coming," Buffy muttered loudly to Xander.

"Yes, well, I translated a prophesy from the Codex and all the signs point to this eclipse becoming an event that is quite worrisome." Giles adjusted his glasses and picked up the Codex to read aloud the prophesy. "Here's what it says -

'When the Unslayable One is brought to the Anointed, when the sun and moon are one; the earth shall stand still as light battles darkness. And with the Slayer's blood as an offering, all shall be dust who oppose the Unslayable One and the very mouth of Hell itself shall be breached.'

As you can see it's a very dire warning." Giles took off his glasses and wiped them furiously as if stalling for time. "Yet there are far too many unanswered questions about who, what and how."

Buffy rattled off the summary, "So let me see if I have this right. Basically we have to be on the look out for some guy I won't be able to slay, and keep him and Annoying One from killing me and opening the Hellmouth, thus destroying the world in less than twelve hours from now."

Ms. Calendar and Xander exchanged worried glances.

"Well, uhm, I - Yes, I suppose that's about it." Giles agreed lamely. "But I don't understand how the vampires would be able to do that! They just don't have that kind of power, that ability," he protested in confusion.

"Somehow they've gotten a new weapon on the war against good. When is the eclipse set for exactly?" Buffy asked.

"At about 10 am. You should see the weather channel! They go nuts with this kind of thing," Xander told her.

"Look, you guys have to keep researching and give me something I can work with. I have to go back out there and keep up the slaying. The place is crawling with vamps. But I'll look for anything out of the ordinary." < Which would be just about everything I run into tonight. > Buffy thought with more than a bit of anxiety.

"That sounds like a decent plan. It's all we can do for now, until we figure this out," Giles said. "Come back here after your patrol and God-willing we'll have more information on this event."

Buffy nodded and kissed Xander for luck before quickly leaving the library.

*~*~*~*

Willow had awoken not long ago to the awareness that she was fettered to the wall of a cave. She hadn't seen her captors or anyone since she got there. She felt as if they must have some how drugged her, for she had awoken with unnatural woozy feeling in her head. All she could remember were images of the vampires who had taken her at the cottage.

Angel wasn't in the room with her, so she assumed that he was being held somewhere else. At least she hoped so because the alternative was that he'd been killed and that was an alternative that she wouldn't acknowledge to herself.

< I must be back in Sunnydale. This is just like the cave in which the Anointed One had first taken me. > Willow thought, her heart squeezed by the cold hand of fear as she concluded she must have been transported all the way back to Sunnydale. Back to the Anointed One.

As if on cue, the door of her prison was opened and the little monster appeared. "So I see you're finally awake," Colin, the Anointed One noted.

< Oh god, this can't be happening, > Willow thought fearfully. "Where am I?" she asked, awaiting to hear the validation of her own conclusions.

Colin admonished her. "In Sunnydale of course. I'm surprised that you don't remember this place. It holds *such* memories for me."

Willow trembled. "Why are you doing this? Wasn't it enough that you changed me? What more can you possibly do to me?"

"Oh, you really don't want to know," he retorted with smug arrogance.

"Where's Angel?" she demanded tremulously.

"From what I understand he's returned to the land of his birth permanently. He's dead," Colin stated gleefully.

The anguish that ripped through Willow was terrible. She wanted to scream and wail, but ruthlessly she bottled it in. She didn't want to give him any satisfaction in watching her grieve. Colin's cruel little smile instilled outrage in Willow's heart. If it was the last thing she'd ever do, it would be to destroy the Anointed One and avenge Angel. She desperately wanted to have just one arm free so that she could wipe the floor with Colin's hateful face. Straining against her chains she tried to lung at him. Her bloodthirsty reaction didn't go unnoticed. He only gave an amused look of approval.

With her anger to erase her fear, Willow was able to ask coldly, "What do you want with me?"

"I want what I created you for. To be the Unslayable One. To have you kill the Slayer and make my rule eternal!" he announced.

"You failed in making a real vampire out of me. I would never help you, or hurt my friends," she ground out defiantly.

"Ah yes! That little matter of your soul. Well that's why you're here now. Do you know what day it is?"

Willow shook her head warily.

"I'm crushed you don't remember. Its been a year now but its usually the most memorable thing you'll ever experience. Death has that effect. It's the day of your rebirth. The day you became one of us," he told her.

"I was never one of you!" Willow shouted forcefully.

Colin continued casually as if not hearing her angry denial. "The tie between a vampire and their sire is an important one. And on the first anniversary of a vampire's birth, there is ritual that strengthens that tie. In your case, it will allow your demon to come forth, getting your pitiful soul out of the way."

"It won't work!" Willow said confidently.

"Won't work? Do you really think that I didn't know what I was doing when I chose you? I planned this. All of it!" Colin began to boast. "When I first made you, I knew that you would have the powers that are uniquely yours. The only thing that I didn't plan is that that meddling Angelus would find you and hide you away for so long. It took some time before my henchmen found you in Rome. After that was botched, it was as if you had dropped off the face of the earth. But we found you just in time, for I needed you to be here today, to do the Ritual of Binding. This ritual will be one of the final steps in those plans. It's very simple really. All you need to do is cooperate," he said this last part as if relishing in her inevitable submission.

"Cooperate. I told you once before that I'd rather die than become a vampire," she spat contemptuously.

He pointed out, "You're already a vampire."

"I won't ever help you," Willow vowed.

"Yes, well you know, I thought about that too. That you might have some misgivings and you see I don't underestimate your strength or will. It's part of what makes you so unique. That's why I brought your friend here, to see if perhaps HE could make you more willing." Colin's voice carried a venomous threat as he motioned for someone outside the room to enter.

They brought Xander in looking beaten and bloody.

Xander had decided to take a break after hours of research in the library. His eyes burned and words were no longer making sense. He was going out for the obligatory snack run, and as Buffy was still out slaying and Giles was not leaving the library for anything, Ms. Calendar offered him a ride since it was too dangerous for him to go out alone. They were stopped at a light when their car was attacked by seemingly scores of vampires. The last thing that Xander remembered was a hand smashing through the car window.

Xander came to awareness that there was an enormous headache pounding against his brain and that he was being carried through some tunnels. < What?? I'm not dead? Why aren't I dead? Not that I'm not happy I'm not dead, but what's going on? > Xander didn't even want to think about what might have happened to Ms. Calendar.

"Where are you taking me," Xander yelled, struggling futilely with the vampires holding him. They didn't answer, merely dragging him through the labyrinth of caves that led him to a chamber where Willow was chained to a wall.

"Oh God! Xander!" Willow strained helplessly against her chains, her dread mounting.

"Willow!" Xander cried out in astonishment and horror.

< It is out of my worst nightmares, > she realized as a tear slid helplessly down her cheek. "Xander," she choked back a sob.

"You know the last time you were here you were whimpering his name then too." The child-demon seemed to give great pleasure in telling this to them both.

"You bastard!" Xander shouted out. One of the vampires holding him, punched him in the gut and he doubled over gasping and trying to hold back from retching at the power of the blow.

Willow screamed out, "No, don't!"

"You see, Willow. You either help me or your beloved Xander becomes one of us. Right before your eyes." Colin said inexorably, "You see, its up to you."

Willow sized up the situation. Xander stood between two very hungry looking vamps just waiting to carry out any order that the Anointed One might give. It truly was out of her worst nightmare. She closed her eyes. She knew there was no way out of this. The Anointed One had planned this all out so carefully. He knew her weaknesses and played them out to perfection. Willow bowed her head as if in defeat, hoping beyond hope that if she would do this, she might be able to save Xander.

"I'll do whatever you want. Just don't hurt him," Willow pleaded.

"No! Willow, you know that if you do I'm dead anyway," Xander argued desperately. < She can't give in! Not for me! > he thought, utterly distraught.

She looked away from him and then nodded her assent to Colin.

Colin approached her then and began the Ritual of Binding immediately by cutting his left wrist and making a similar cut on Willow's. The blood flowed for a moment before he motioned her to raise her wrist to his so that their blood co-mingled. Then Anointed One spoke the ritual words that Willow repeated, reading it from a parchment that another vampire had brought before her.

"You are the seed," Colin intoned.

Willow read aloud, "You are the sire." Her voice was devoid of any expression.

"Your being to my being." "Your being to my being."

"I bind myself to you." "I bind myself to you."

"We are one." "We are one."

With the uncomplicated words of Binding performed, there was only one more thing to complete the ritual. Colin cut open his other wrist and put it to Willow's mouth. She hesitated for a moment and then began to drink his blood. She drank until the Anointed had to pry his wrist away, his face grimacing in pain. Willow's hair covered her own face from Xander, who had watched all this with a sick heart.

Looking at the remaining blood on her wrist, Willow stood perfectly still. Bringing her own wrist to her lips she licked the blood away with her tongue. Then she straightened with an arrogant flip of her head and daintily wiped the blood from the corners of her mouth.

The Anointed One looked intently at her. And something in her face must have satisfied him, for smiling broadly he asked her, "How do you feel?"

"Unslayable." Willow purred.

Buffy got back from her patrol close to dawn in order to check in with Giles who was scrutinizing yet another text in a long line of texts. The amount of books that he had gone through and discarded didn't bode well for further illumination on the impending crisis.

While Giles might be able to pull an all nighter, Buffy was feeling utterly useless and beyond tired after what seemed like an interminably long night of slaying. She was just about to crash for a few hours on the couch in Giles' office when Ms. Calendar stumbled into the room, a look of sheer terror on her face.

Giles ran over to her. He wrapped his arms around her trembling body. "Good God Jenny! Wha..?"

"They've got Xander," Jenny managed to choke out from within the circle of his arms. Giles grip tightened on her as shock rolled over him.

Hearing her words Buffy nearly stopped breathing, her body going numb as she sank into a chair.

"He's alive." Jenny tried to speak again without her voice breaking. "But they-they gave me a message for Buffy."

"What is it?" Buffy said in a low voice, keeping out the hysteria that was building inside her.

"You have until the solar eclipse to go down to the caves beneath the library or-or," Jenny swallowed hard, "they'll k-kill him. I'm sorry. I c-c-couldn't stop them. There were so many and they-they..." Unable to keep from crying now Jenny sobbed against Giles' chest. It had all happened so fast that only now was she dealing with the full measure of shock and fear.

"Shhh, it'll be all right Jenny. It wasn't your fault, there was nothing you could have done," Giles comforted her. At the same time he looked up to gauge how Buffy was taking this. It wasn't well. Buffy strode over to the weapons locker and started to stuff all manner of deadly devices into a duffel bag. It looked like it was all out war.

"Buffy, it's a trap," Giles warned unnecessarily.

"I know. But I don't care," she replied gritting her teeth in pain and rage. "They're using Xander to get to me. Well, they're gonna get me all right!"

"The Anointed One is trying to get you to go to him in order to destroy you and open the Hellmouth!"

Covering her fear with stubborn adamance Buffy replied, "I won't just wait until after its over and they've killed Xander!"

Giles saw that he wasn't getting through to her. He knew she was going. Nothing would stop her. But he had to make her at least aware of what she was facing. "With the huge rise in the number of vampires we've seen, there's no telling how many the Anointed One will have at his disposal. He could have a small army."

"Then I'll have to make sure to take a lot of stakes with me." Buffy retorted.

Giles considered things for a moment and decided. "I understand why you have to do this Buffy. So I'm going with you."

Jenny stirred out of his arms at this and Buffy's eyes narrowed. Before either of them could say anything, Giles said forcefully, "I AM going with you Buffy. And you are NOT, I repeat not going to knock me out like last time because this is Xander's life we're talking about! Not to mention the fate of the world. You're going to need all the help you can get."

Turning back to Jenny now, Giles' face begged for her understanding. And Jenny did understand. She knew exactly why he felt he had to go and do this despite the odds. She and Rupert had had many a discussion about his overwhelming need to guide and protect not only Buffy, but Xander and Willow as well. Willow's trials had deeply marked Rupert. He felt he had failed her terribly and he certainly wouldn't allow Xander to be added to his list of failures. Not without a fight.

So swallowing her fear for him, Jenny nodded and said, "Please, please be careful Rupert. You'd better come back me!" Then she kissed him passionately as a good-bye and as an incentive to return.

Buffy looked away. Most of the time she was embarrassed seeing these type of displays between them. Giles was her Watcher, her mentor and in some ways even a father-figure. But now unfazed, she looked away only to give them privacy. She didn't want to put Giles in danger but this time she didn't have the right to take the decision from him.

Giles insisted on taking Jenny home. He wanted to make sure that she was somewhere safe, somewhere other than where she was right now. They knew all too well that the library, which was right over the Hellmouth, would be the last place anyone would want to be if something were to happen. So with the assurance of endless promises that Buffy would not leave until he came back, Giles left with Jenny while Buffy made preparations for the confrontation that lay before them.

When Giles returned, everything was set. They were almost out the door when they heard pounding footsteps in the hallway, signaling that someone was in a hurry to reach them. Since it was still before dawn, if only barely, it meant they were vulnerable to whatever attack the Anointed One might spring on them. Taking a defensive position they readied themselves. But when the doors were flung wide open, instead of a horde of vampires there was only one.

It was Angel, looking more distraught and desperate than either of them had ever seen him. His eyes held a wild glint reflecting his overwhelming agitation. Seeing them both Angel's words spilled out hurriedly. "Thank God you're here!"

"Angel, what are you...?" Buffy started.

"The Anointed One has Willow," Angel broke in.

"What?" Giles and Buffy shouted nearly in unison.

"Willow was captured last night. They were taking her to the Anointed One. You've got to help me get her out of there." Angel nearly begged.

"He has Xander too," Buffy informed him in a husky voice.

< Willow AND Xander? > Giles pondered this and in an instant his eyes went wide with comprehension. "Of course! I should have seen it before. It's starting to all make sense. Willow is the key! Do you know about the prophesy?" Giles questioned Angel.

"Prophesy? No." Angel's apprehension and fear increased immeasurably.

"The signs all point to an event during the eclipse which might open the Hellmouth. It's only hours away now."

"The eclipse? But there's no way that he can....." Angel's face showed dawning understanding. "Willow. That's why he needs her. She's the only one who could perform the necessary ceremony during the height of the eclipse."

"But Willow would never do that," Buffy said staunchly.

"No. But today is a year to the day that Willow crossed over," Angel reminded them both.

Buffy knitted her brows. "So what? Why is that significant?"

Angel explained, "This is the day that the Anointed One can perform the Ritual of Binding."

"I hate to sound like a broken record, but again so what? What does it do?" Buffy asked impatiently.

"If I remember correctly, when a vampire and his sire are bonded, their life forces are combined." Giles clarified. "I'd assume with this ritual, the Anointed One will attempt to bring out the demon in Willow and strengthen its presence in her and make her his willing cohort in all of this."

"It's a voluntary ritual. With Willow he would have to coerce her somehow," Angel stated quietly.

"Xander!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Exactly."

"It looks like he was trying to use Xander to get to both Willow and me. Sort of killing two birds with one stone. Well, we have to get to them before its too late," Buffy said grimly.

< It may already be too late. > Giles thought with a horrible feeling of premonition as they all headed out using the school's access tunnels that led down to the Anointed One's lair.

*~*~*~*

Willow was released from her chains and to Xander's unbelieving eyes, she literally slinked up to the Anointed One and in a gesture of fealty she knelt on one knee before him. That made Colin give a small smile of triumph.

"You are welcome back to your own kind," Colin exulted.

"I thought you'd never free me, sire. Oh and not only from the chains I mean. You don't know what it's been like locked inside that goody two shoes. I haven't had any fun at all since I was made," Willow pouted.

"There's time to make that up. Once we open the Hellmouth, ruling beside me you will have free rein," Colin promised.

Willow looked enthralled at the idea. "What do we have to do?"

"There is a solar eclipse today. No Master has ever been able to utilize its power, its mystical energy because of our...vulnerability. But with you, with your ability to move about in the sunlight, *I* will take advantage of it."

"Tell me how," Willow demanded.

"Under the high point of the eclipse you will sacrifice the slayer. Draining her and calling upon the combined powers of the sun and moon, you will be able to open the Hellmouth and unleash a reign of darkness."

From anyone else it might have sounded like a bad speech from a B movie villain, but the Anointed One said it with a convincingly chilling force. Colin handed over an ancient parchment detailing the rite which she would execute. Reading it carefully, Willow absorbed its contents, memorizing it in a few short minutes.

Then she grinned in a base imitation of her usual glowing smile. "It shall be as you desire, Sire."

"Of course it will be." Colin turned to one of his servants, "You gave the teacher the message?"

"Yes. Even now she is telling the Slayer all."

"Good. That will draw her to us and that is all the chance you will need my Unslayable One," Colin said to Willow. He then nodded to one of the vampires holding Xander. "We don't need him anymore. You can kill him now."

During all of this, Xander had stood by in horrified silence. He had just taken it all in, unable to even react. Now from the way that one of the vampires was looking at him, he felt like he was an entr&eacute;e and the diners were more than ready to dig in.

< This is it. > Xander thought as one of the vamps bent towards him fangs extended.

"NO!" Willow's voice cracked like a whip across the room.

Xander's heart leapt for a moment thinking that Willow still had a part of her that cared for him and would save him. But his heart sank at her next words.

"He's mine," she snarled.

The vampire about to make him the main course was an ugly looking, stupid sort of fellow and he disregarded the tiny girl. "I had him first."

Xander felt fangs graze his jugular but suddenly the vampire was pulled away and was delivered a punishing hit to his face by Willow. The vampire went down and Xander wanted to cheer. Willow may not be the same girl who he had grown up with and called friend, but it was satisfying anyway to see her beat up this blood- thirsty thug.

"I told you - he is MINE." Willow punctuated each word with a punch and with the last word she hit the vampire's face with a sickening crunch. The vampire was now lying helplessly on the ground with Willow straddled over his body. Pull him up to her by his shirt, she said dangerously, "I may be new around here but you will obey me. I am in charge and the only one who takes precedence is the Anointed One," she conceded nodding to Colin.

The vampire really was stupid for it looked like he was about to protest to Colin, when Willow broke one of his fingers with a cruelty that made Xander look away.

Above his howls Willow demanded once more "Do you got that?"

The vampire made haste this time to agree. "Yes," he wheezed in pain.

"Good." She dropped him back onto the floor with a ungentle thud and stalked over to Xander.

Xander froze. < Can someone say out of the fire and into the frying pan? My best friend is about to munch on me! >

Willow circled him predatorily. Her hand rested on his shoulder then traced its way along his back to his other shoulder. Coming to a stop in front of him, she stared impassively into his face. With her head cocked to one side, she seemed almost reflective.

"Are you going to kill him or not?" Colin demanded.

Willow turned to the Anointed. "Sire, I don't want to question you since you've planned everything so carefully, but are you sure that the Slayer will come for him?" she said motioning toward Xander.

"This boy and the Slayer are very close. They're in love," he sneered.

"Yes. But the Slayer's watcher has probably already warned her about what is happening. So many prophesies and signs. Giles isn't stupid. He won't let her walk into a trap blindly."

Narrowing his eyes Colin asked, "What are you saying then?"

"I have a plan for a sure way to get the Slayer down here at exactly the apex of the eclipse," Willow boasted.

"Which would be?" Colin inquired impatiently.

"I go to her and tell her that I was captured by you, but escaped from your clutches. I tried to rescue poor Xander here. But he was killed before I could save him. I'll even bring his body to her. She'll be devastated. Oh this is too good!" Willow crowed as she became slightly side tracked.

Xander's blood ran cold at her calculated words.

"Well? Go on," Colin prodded, now curious.

"This will get her to trust me completely, if she doesn't already. Especially if I can wring some tears out over the untimely death of such a good friend." Willow patted Xander on the cheek. "Of course she'll want revenge. What Slayer wouldn't? I'll feed her all sorts of misinformation about how I would never participate in your schemes for the eclipse and that without me there's nothing you can do. She'll buy any story I give her. Even her Watcher will believe me. I'll guide her here to 'help' her avenge Xander. She's a powerful Slayer. She's even defeated the Master, but when the time is right I'll be able to take her out without even a struggle. She won't see it coming. Even if I'm wrong and she comes down here," Willow shrugged, "you've still got her. Consider this a back up plan."

"It's completely diabolical," the Anointed One approved. "I should have thought of it."

Xander was desperate now. Hearing all of this he feared more for Buffy than his own inescapable demise. "Don't do this Willow. I know you're in there somewhere, fight it," he pleaded.

"There's nothing to fight," Willow said indifferently. "You're about to die and Buffy soon along with you."

Going in for the kill, Willow tugged Xander's resisting body into her arms.