She walked down the street enveloped by darkness. Why was I out so late at night? She wondered to herself. She knew the answer though and was immediately feeling guilty. She had a good reason for being out. But that didn't stop the fear from creeping into her heart. She just couldn't believe that she, Willow Rosenburg, was outside about to go hunting for vampires. Alone. " I've hunted vampires before!" She said to herself. " Just not...alone." She kept walking with her fake confidence until she got to the graveyard. " Oh boy." She muttered as she walked through the gates.
I was used to being in the cemetary by now. It wasn't a big deal. Even the night wasn't what made it so much scarier then before. It was the dreams that I had been having lately. Strange dreams where I woke up in the middle of the night crying. Have you ever had those dreams? Well, I would cry for awhile until I would realize that I couldn't remember why I was crying and then I'd try to go back to sleep. It started off slowly, it didn't happen very often. But lately it was happening every night. I hadn't told anyone yet. I was afraid they'd laugh at me. I knew they wouldn't though, it's just something that I felt I couldn't share with them.
Making my way through gravestones, I'd stop to read a couple of them. I thought that the stories were so sad. Young teenagers, tragically killed in a carcrash. And buried next to each other. I couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for the family and friends. Actually, I guess I kind of knew. I mean, it wasn't like Ms. Calendar wasn't one of us. Maybe not when she died but I knew that I missed her a lot more then I wanted to say. And the fact that Angel killed her. That's a tragedy. I turned away from the grave. Then realised. How did I know that they died in a car accident?
I woke up the next morning in a daze. I felt lightheaded and strange but I got up and went downstairs for breakfast. My parents had gone to work early this morning so I made myself some breakfast. I turned on the radio while I ate so that I could listen to something other then the silence that I kept finding in my house. I finished eating and went back upstairs to my room. I stood in front of my closet trying to figure out what to wear for the day. I didn't want something normal. I hated my clothes the minute I looked into my closet. So I grabbed the most decent thing I could find and decided that I'd run over to Buffy's house real quick and borrow some of her clothes. I knew I'd find something there.
I knocked on her door and her mom answered with a surprised look. "Willow! Was Buffy expecting you?" She asked. I knew that she thought something was wrong. " Yuup. I promised her I'd come and walk to school with her today. I had to get up early anyway." I responded. She nodded and I bounded up the steps to Buffy's room. " Rise and shine sleepy head!" I cried pulling the sheets from over her. She groaned and then stared at me. " Willow. What are you doing. I've had you sleep over before and never have you been so cruel as to do this." She said, trying to grab back the sheets. Just as she reached out, I pulled my hand back. " I don't think so. Hurry! We have to get dressed quickly or we'll never make it to school on time! I told your mom we'd walk." I opened Buffy's closet and started to look through her clothes. " We? You told my mom that WE would walk to school?" Buffy asked, sitting up in bed, still trying to wake herself up. " Yeah, well, I needed some excuse for coming over didn't I?" I replied, pulling out most of Buffy's tank tops.
" Wait a sec. Since when do we both get dressed at my house?" She asked, grabbing my hand as yet another shirt flew onto the bed. " Oh. I was wondering if I could borrow some clothes. Is that all right?" I stopped, realising what I was doing. " Sure. I don't mind. It's just that you seem a little strange. Are you all right?" She asked. " Yeah, I'm feeling fine. I just don't want to wear the little girl clothes that I have at home." I said, starting to empty her closet again, but slower this time. " I like your clothes. Why the sudden change?" She said. I knew that she was concerned. I didn't turn around. " Well I don't. Everything has to change sometime." I replied leaving a confused Buffy to choose her next move.
We got to school just on time, Buffy was so relieved I thought she'd burst. I guess she was kind of uptight about Snyder chewing her out again. I had a free period first so I just hung around. Xander had a free class too but I had managed to avoid him so far. I was not going to get caught now. I walked into the cafeteria and saw Cordelia and a bunch of her friends. I walked up to them. " Hi, um, guys? Would you mind if I hung out with you for awhile? There's nothing else to do but study and like I'd be doing that." I looked into the faces of the girls I'd avoided for years with a new found confidence. One of them shrugged and so I was accepted. The only one that looked a little uncomfortable was Cordelia. She stared at the clothes I'd worn to school and the way I had just acted and of course I ignored it.
An hour later, we were all talking and laughing when a group of popular guys walked up and started to chat with us. " Hi." One of the guys I knew as Jonathan said to us. His friends just stood behind him, waiting for a response. Some of the girls looked at them shyly. The only ones that didn't were Cordelia and Harmony. " Hi." Harmony replied in a flirtatious manner. " Who's this? Are you new?" He asked. All the girls turned towards me to see what I was going to do. " No. I'm Willow. Rosenburg. And you are?" I asked, knowing full well who he was. He seemed surprised that I didn't know who he was just as I thought he would.
" I'm Jonathan Walker. You don't recognize me? I'm the star of the basketball team." He said proudly, trying to impress me. " You know what kind of sport I find really sexy?" I asked, getting closer to him. " What?" He asked, fully expecting me to say basketball. " Soccer. You really have to be talented to play that." The girls behind me gasped and the guys looked at me in total shock. Jonathan, sputtered and said "Oh. Well, basketball players are in just as much shape as soccer players. Hey! If you come to our game today then maybe I can show you!" He said, accepting my challenge. " I don't know." I said, acting like I wasn't going to go. All the girls starting talking at once. Cordelia just watched me in shock. They were all telling him that they'd be there. Finally as he and his boys were about to leave he turned to me and asked "So are you coming?". " Sure. I'll be there." I said casually. He smiled and I returned the smile turning back towards the girls.
They all stared. " I don't believe it! Jonathan just asked you on a date! I am so jealous!" Harmony cried. " No he didn't. He just invited me to his game. I don't see the big deal." I replied and started on my way down the hall. " Hey wait up!" Harmony cried as she and the other girls ran after me and that's when I knew the popular girls had a new leader. And her name was Willow.
" I know there's something wrong with her!" Buffy said, walking into the library. " Wrong with who?" Giles asked, coming out from behind a stack of library books. " Willow." She replied, plopping down in the nearest chair and staring at him. " What?" He asked, holding a book open in his hand as as he tried to take off his glasses and clean them. " Fix it." She said in an exasperated tone. " Fix what?!" he said, still trying to do the two things at the same time. Buffy got up from her chair, grabbed his glasses, breathed on them so that they fogged up and put them back on his face. " Fix Willow." She said, returning to her chair. Giles walked over to the nearest chair and put down the book. He wiped off his glasses and then turned to Buffy. " So what exactly is wrong with her? Is she speaking in another language? Has she gone on a murdering spree? Does she have teeth marks in her neck?" He asked, reaching for another one of his books. " Giles. She's wearing a black mini skirt with a pink tube top. And the sleeves aren't even sleeves! They're little things that go around the top of her arm and don't even cover her shoulders." She said, looking even more frustrated.
" And where did she get these horrible horrible clothes?" He asked her, not really paying attention. " That's not important. I mean, I only have those clothes..because you know.....I don't even wear them for goodness sakes! And you know what her coat was this morning? A chiffon shirt. Chiffon is a see through material." She finished her speech and stared in shock at Giles who was smiling. That's when Buffy lost it. " WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT!" She cried. " Well, Willow obviously just wants to make a change and here you are critisizing her because she is becoming more like you!" He said. " I.. but...ugh." She replied, sitting back down in disgust.
The girls that surrounded me laughed and I laughed with them. Everything was coming to me so easily now. I mean, the popular guys in school who had barely even known that I was alive were now saying hi to me and competing for my attention. The girls were all struggling to be my best friend. I loved the attention and I knew that I deserved it. I spent all that time being the nerdy girl next door, it's about time that I became the girl I was meant to be. The best.
" Hey Cordelia! What happened to all your friends? You guys usually follow each other around like lost little sheep." He made little sheep with his hands and Cordelia ignored it like she hadn't even heard. " Have you noticed anything strange about Willow?" She asked, staring in her direction. " Yeah, I haven't seen her all day. Did you hear that there's some girl that everyone's mooning over today? Supposedly she just became popular like that! Talk about fickle. Is Willow sick today? What are you staring..." Xander didn't finish his sentence. Now it was his chance to stare. " Wow. Who is that?" He said, staring at the girl in the middle of the laughing group of boys and girls. Cordelia swatted him on the arm. " Can't you tell?" She asked. " Please, tell me that I know her in some alternate universe." He said, still not taking his eyes off the girl. " You do. That's Willow"
Buffy roamed the halls searching for Xander before he took the Willow's change as total shock. Like the way she did. Finally, she got a glimpse of him. And she realised that she was too late. He as staring in Willow's direction with his mouth wide open. Knowing Xander he had probably managed to fall in love with her until he realised that that was Willow! She thought to herself as she walked up to Xander and Cordelia. " Hey guys. We've got to take her somewhere." She said, turning her eyes in their direction. "Yeah. We should probably take her out. Like to dinner. I wonder if she's free." Xander said, mumbling to himself. " Xander. You do know that's Willow right?" Buffy asked, waving a hand in front of his face.
" Oh yeah. Okay, let's go in and get her." He said, not moving an inch. He and cordy stared at Buffy. " What! Remember let's? As in we." She said, trying to shoo them towards the group. " Actually, I kinda meant you." Xander replied. Buffy turned to Cordelia. " Do you know what that would do to my reputation? You lucky! You don't have to deal with the social pressures of being popular! You can do that sort of thing!" Cordelia responded, looking offended that Buffy would even think such a thing.
Willow smiled at Jonathan and winked. Everyone was laughing so only he caught the special look that she gave him. " Do you wanna walk around for a minute?" She asked him quietly. " Sure." He said and the two started to veer out of the group. That's when they realised that the group was following them. " Guys? Alone." Jonathan said. The guys backed off with grins on their faces and the girls scurried away as quickly as possible. The couple walked slowly at first, not saying anything. " So, do you go out with anyone?" Jonathan asked Willow. " Why? Do you want to ask me out?" She said, stopping and leaning close to Jonathan. " Maybe." He said, moving a little closer. Just as they were about to kiss, she pulled away and started walking again. " Yeah, but it's not really working out." She replied. He jumped ahead so that he could keep up with her. " So you guys are breaking up then?" He asked, with a little smile on his face. " Well, he doesn't know it yet though." She said as Jonathan than preceeded to talk about how good a shape basketball players where in.
" Whoa, their moving." Xander said as Willow and Jonathan started to walk away from the group. " Follow them." Cordelia said. " What are you going to do?" Xander asked. " talk to my friends?Duh!" She said, walking away from the two and starting towards the group. Buffy and Xander started to make their way down the hall when suddenly Willow stopped. She turned ever so slightly and Xander pulled Buffy around a corner. " What are you doing?" She hissed. He put a finger up to his lips and whispered. " I don't want her to see us. She might think were following her." He said, peeking around the corner. " We are!" Buffy hissed. "Uh oh." Xander said, looking around the corner again. After about a second he pulled Buffy around the corner so that they were behind them again. " What are you doing?!" Buffy asked, as Xander started to speed up to catch up with the couple. He sped up even more and didn't answer. And he looked angry.
" What is wrong? I know something is going on!" Buffy cried. " Willow and Oz are still going out right?" Xander asked Buffy. " Yeah, why?" She asked, not wanting to know the answer. " It looked like they were going to kiss. I don't believe this." He said, increasing speed again. " Oh my god. What about Oz? Since when are you so protective for Oz?" Buffy asked trying to catch her breath. He didn't reply and kept on going.
We were walking and all of a sudden I really sick feeling passed through me. My body shook and I looked up at Jonathan to see if he had noticed. He had. " Are you all right?" He asked, putting his hand on my arm. " I gotta go!" I replied and I took off towards the girls bathroom. Nobody was inside so I let myself go. My body convulsed again and it threw me into the wall. I hit the wall hard and fell to the floor. I managed to crawl over to a stall and I threw up. The I got up feeling even better and more confident then before. I got up and looked at myself in the mirror. I pulled out my lipstick and put more on. I then took down my hair and started to walk out of the washroom when Buffy walked in.
When I saw her I started to push past her. She put her arm out in front of me so that I couldn't get through. " Excuse me." I said in a snotty tone of voice and tried to get by again. Once again, she stopped me. " Willow, what are you doing?"She asked me, noticing that in one day I had totally changed. " Listen, just because I used to hang out with losers doesn't mean that I'm going to make a habit out of it." I replied and swept by her. She grabbed my arm before I could get out. Before she could open her mouth to say anything I glared at her and pulled my arm away saying " If you ever touch me again, so many people will know your the slayer that you'll wonder what the word secret means." I then walked out of the bathroom leaving an open mouthed Buffy behind me.
When I got out, I straightened my skirt and started to walk confidently down the hall. Everyone got out of my way and I knew that some of the older guys were staring. I walked by ms. Calendar's old class I looked in. That's when an arm came from the room and pulled me in. Whoever it was put his hand over my mouth so I couldn't say anything and slowly turned me towards his face. When I saw who it was I hit his arm so he would let go. " What are you doing you wacko!" I cried, giving him a disgusted look. " Willow, what is wrong with you? All of a sudden you think your better then us? Did I do something wrong?" Xander asked her, trying to be understanding. "Ha! Yeah, like I really care about you! And I don't all of a sudden think I'm better then you, I know." I replied and crossed my arms.
" Willow, I'm just worried about you. I mean, I don't think it's like you to wear stuff like that, not that you don't look good or anything, it's just that your acting kind of strange." He replied, putting a piece of hair that had fallen into her face behind her ear. His hand stayed there a little too long. " I'm just not having a good day. I don't know what came over me." I said, a tear falling down my cheek. " It's okay." Xander said, giving me a hug. We hugged for awhile until I started to pull away. But I didn't pull away in the sense of getting farther away from him. I pulled my face towards his and I lifted my hand until I was running my hand through his hair. I leaned forward and closed my eyes. He did the same and just as we were about to kiss, I opened my eyes and slapped him hard across the face. He stared at the wall where I had pushed his face to that side. I straghtened up my hair and left the room, saying loud enough for him to hear " Loser."
I knew that he hadn't moved when I left the room and that I had gotten him so good. I laughed to myself and decided to skip school for the rest of the afternoon. I was supposed to teach a class but who really cared? That's why they call them substitute teachers. I decided to go see if Jonathan wanted to come with. Hey why not? Your only young once!
" Giles, you didn't see her! There really is something wrong. If you don't believe us, go talk to her!" Xander said, as the three of them sat around the table. " If it's that serious then I'll speak to her the next time that I see her but I think that both of you are over-reacting." Giles said, sorting his books. That's when Cordelia burst into the library. "Okay, what is up with Willow? I don't know what it is but it's going to stop!" She cried, exasperated. " And how do you propose we do that?" Xander asked her. " I don't know. I meant you should stop her. Not me." Cordelia replied, plopping down in the chair next to Buffy. Buffy just stared.
" Well maybe this is a little more serious than thought. I mean if Cordelia noticed then maybe it's real and not just you two being jealous." Giles said to himself ignoring the faces of Buffy and Xander. " Jealous?" They said in unison. Cordelia giggled. They both looked at her and glared. She stopped giggling and tried to cover her smile. "It's not funny. I wasn't laughing at that. It was a joke that I ..heard earlier. ha ha." She turned to look at Giles and gave him a look. A tiny smile appeared on Giles lips before it was wiped away.
" I need to what?!" Giles said, stupified at the order he was given. " I nees you to teach Ms.Rosenburg's conputer class today. She has mysteriously dissapeared." Principal Snyder sneered at the mention of the girl's name. " I knew she would slip up some day and we'd end up in a mess." He mumbled to himself. " But I dont' know anything about computers! I.." Giles started before he was interrupted. " Fake it. These stupid kids don't know which way is right or left they certainly won't notice that you are alcking in knowledge about computers." Snyder replied, walking away before Giles could protest. "Teach." He mumbled to himself before walking away towards the classroom.
When Giles first walked into the class room, he was overcome with emotion. The memories with Ms.Calendar were too much for him. He stared at her desk until he realised that he wasn't the only one in the room. A class stared at him quietly. It wasn't very often that a class at Sunnydale High was quiet but this class was one of the ones that was actually well behaved and Giles couldn't believe his good fortune. He greeted the class and introduced himself and then stopped, trying to decide if he should tell the kids the truth that he knows nothing about computers or to lie and 'fake it' as Principal Snyder had said. He took one more look at the class and began to speak.
Buffy and Xander walked down the halls talking about Willow. " I heard she skipped out of her class to go out with a Jonathan. They had to find a sub to teach the class because she was nowhere to be found. I saw Snyder earlier and he didn't look to happy." Buffy told Xander, searching the halls as they walked for their old friend. " Well, if you haven't noticed he's not exactly a bucket of joy." Xander replied. At that very moment , Snyder walked out in front of them. " Where's Rosenburg?" He asked, looking angry. " I don't know. She must have gone home sick. She hasn't been feeling well lately and she must have just forgotten to check out." Buffy said, lying for her friend.
" I saw her earlier, she didn't look too sick to me." He said. " Our little Willow, she's quite the actress!" Xander replied. " Well, if you see her tell her if she misses one more class without notifying us then she can forget about helping out with anything. Oh, and tell her, she's suspended for leaving the school grounds without permission. Unless she can get a notefrom her parents excusing her." Snyder said, leaving the two stared open mouthed. "We have to talk to her. I don't think she knows how much trouble she's getting herself into!" Buffy said, looking very concerned for Willow. " Come on, let's get Giles. Maybe he'll believe us now." Xander replied taking off towards the library.
Before either of them could open their mouths when they walked into the library, Giles spoke. "I've narrowed it down to either she is insane or it has something to do with the hell mouth." Giles said, staring at piles and piles of books. " What are you talking about?" Buffy asked, looking confused. " Willow. I had to teach her computer class and if she ever does that again then I will have to do something.......well, harsh." He said, not even stopping skimming through his books. " Well, you certainly narrowed it down Einstein!" Xander said, going right to the stack of books and pulling one out. " So you finally believe us?" Buffy asked Giles. He didn't answer. " Good." she said to herself, pulling out one of the books herself.
" I'm going to go look for her." Buffy said after hours of reading. " Xander, did you have any luck at Willow's house?" Giles asked him, heading back to the bookshelves. " No. She should have gone home for supper at least an hour ago." He said. " Xander, come with me to find her. She's probably at the Bronze with Jonathan." Buffy replied, grabbing her coat. Xander followed her out. They walked quickly through the halls of the school when Xander suddenly said " Has Oz seen her ?" He asked, sounding concerned. " I hope not." Buffy replied.
Jonathan and I sat together on the couch laughing and smiling at each other. I knew that all the girls were watching us and were envying the fact that I was on a date with Jonathan Walker. The guys seemes pretty impressed with me too and I liked the way they thought that I was the coolest. And I knew it was true. I vaguely remembered that there was somebody I was forgetting , but I figured that if I didn't know then it couldn't be that important. " Do you wanna dance?" Jonathan asked me a bit shyly as a slow song came on. " Sure." I replied, flirting with him. He took me hand and we walked to the dance floor.
Buffy and Xander walked into the Bronze and Xander stopped her quickly. " I hope that Willow isn't here!" He said, staring in the direction of the stage. " Why?" Buffy asked, trying to figure out what Xander was looking at. " Look on stage." Buffy looked up and there on stage was Oz's band. She gasped and also hoped that Willow had decided to go somewhere else. But no such luck. She saw the way Oz was staring at something below him and following his gaze, she saw Willow and Jonathan dancing very, very closely. She knew that by the look on Oz's face that Willow hadn't even looked over at him. She and Xander slowly moved towards the dance floor and came up with a plan. When they for to the dance floor, they danced over to Willow and Jonathan and Willow was so raptured in Jonathan that she didn't even notice them slowly approaching her.
When Xander and Buffy reached the couple, Xander edged in between them and said " Can I cut in?" Not even leaving them long enough to protest. He grabbed Willow's hands and danced her in the other direction. Buffy grabbed Jonathan's hand and pulled him the other way. " Hi." She said uncomfortably, smiling. He gave her a weird look and kept looking in Willow's direction but she had been swallowed by the crowd.
Xander pulled me to the edge of the dance floor and pulled her behind him by the wrists. " Where are you sitting?" He asked. Iknew that he meant business and replied " over here." I pointed towards an empty table. He grabbed my coat and started towards the door. " Where are we going?! I don't want to leave!"I cried, trying to pull away. Xander tightened his grip and kept on pulling. When we finally got outside, he put his hand on my elbow and started to pull me down the street. " Where are we going? What are we doing?" I asked, looking at him in disgust.
"Let go of me!" I cried as Xander loosened his grip on my arm. I rubbed her arm, glaring at him. " What do you think you're doing?" He asked me in a quiet and angry voice. " Just get away from me." I replied, starting to walk back to the Bronze. He grabbed me and spun me around and then he lost it. " I don't think so. All you've been for the last couple of days is act like a little bitch. Well, guess what? I'm not taking it anymore!" He yelled. I rolled my eyes and folded my arms. He shook me, making me look into his eyes. " Who the hell do you think you are? What the hell happened to you! Don't you know that Oz was right there on stage watching you! You and that .....that guy Jonathan! And he stood there, acting like there was nothing wrong while you sat there flirting and breaking his heart. You don't deserve anyone as good as him! You don't deserve anyone!" He cried. I looked at him and all these words started to sink in. I knew that it was true.
" I don't know what happened to you. You used to be so sweet and caring and now..... " He trailed off. A tear rolled down me cheek and he let go of me and turned away. " Just go." He said quietly starting to walk off. " Xander, I.." I began and then he turned and yelled "Just go!" I watched him walk down the street and turn the corner. I stood there for awhile, still in shock of what had just happened to me. I knew that what I had done was wrong but it was such a good oppurtunity that I had to take it! Nobody would understand if I told them . Noone alive.
" You know, it's been fun, but I should really get going." Buffy told Jonathan after about a minute of dancing. He nodded, still looking kind of confused about what had just happened. Buffy broke away from him and searched through the crowd for somebody. Over on the far side of the room, she saw Oz. He had just finished the song and hopped off the stage with his guitar. He started to pack up while the rest of his band played on. " Hey Oz." Buffy said, when she got next to him. " Hey." He said quietly, not looking up from his guitar. "Why aren't you playing anymore?" She asked, trying to avoid speaking about Willow. " I just don't feel like it anymore." He replied. " I know she didn't mean it, just let me..." She started but he cut her off. " Just forget it." He said, walking away from her.
I started to run. I didn't know where but I did. Tears spilled down my cheek as I ran through the streets, the alleyways and the yards. I couldn't control myself. I knew that it was over. That I couldn't pretend any longer and that I had just made the biggest mistake I had ever thought imaginable. I'd let everyone down, friends, family, in just a few days. It was so easy to change someone's life. Sometimes it all turns out for the best. Sometimes, it doesn't. I kept running until I reached the graveyard. After a slight hesitation, I walked in. I looked at the tombstones as I walked by, holding in my tears as I walked. I wiped my face with the back of my hand. I stopped at one of the headstones.
They were two headstones. One next to the other. Julia lewis one of them read. I looked to the next one. Brad Davis. I wasn't surprised that they hadn't written Brad's full name on the headstone. He'd always hated the name Bradly. I sat down and ran my fingers along the letters on the stone. They felt so hard and it scared me to know that his body was down there. The tears started again and finally I spoke.
"Brad? I know you can hear me. I know what I did was wrong at that you'll probably never forgive me but I couldn't help it. I couldn't stand just being, waiting for the day that I could rest. And then came the perfect chance. She practically called out to me! I...I'm sorry. I just couldn't get over the fact that we were dead. We were only eighteen! And... I know that it was my fault. I shouldn't have let you drive. I..didn't think that you'd had that much to drink. I mean, you'd had your liscence for over a year! I thought you knew what you were doing! I..." I stopped. And turned. Xander walked out from behind a grave. " Sorry, I couldn't help over hearing. Who are you?" He asked, walking over. " Julia." I replied, crying so hard that I couldn't say anything else. " I heard everything, I....I'm so sorry." He told me, putting his arm around me.
" I know, all I have been doing is wrecking things, I thought I could pull off being someone else for awhile. I thought that a girl as pretty as her would be popular but when I took her over I realised that she knew things that I couldn't even think of knowing when I was that age. I thought that I could help her become the girl that she wanted to be." I said, knowing that it wasn't an excuse. " It's okay. You were cheated out of life. You made a mistake, but so did Brad." He said. " No, it was all my fault, I.." " He drove the car. He didn't stop himself either. That's not your fault." He replied. I knew that it wasn't all myfault. All I knew was that my death tormented me so much that I wasn't able to rest.
" He forgives you." He said, all of a sudden, looking surprised. " How do you.." I asked. "I just know." He said. He turned his attention back to me. " I .." He started and then I kissed him. He seemed surprised for a moment then he kissed me back. Finally, I stopped and pulled away. I got up and started to walk towards my grave. Then I turned and looked back at him. " You mean a lot to her. I knew it the minute I.... treat her right. I know how you feel about her. I can sense it." I smiled and he nodded. Then I turned and a great light started to swirl in front of me. I stepped through it and then it disapeared.
" Where did they go?" Buffy asked, talking to herself. She had been searching for twenty minutes now and still could not find them. Finally, she reached the graveyard. " I might as well check in here. It's not like I haven't checked everywhere else." She said, starting to jog towards the entrance. She jogged through the gates and started searching for her two friends.
" Xander, I .....finally..found...you." Buffy said, out of breath. " What happened?" She asked, realising that Xander was leaning over Willow who was lying on the ground. "Humph?" Willow replied, keeping her eyes closed and moving a little. " She'll have to tell you when she comes to." He said, avoiding her question. Buffy nodded knowing that something had happened that she might never find out about. " I'm up." Willow said, opening her eyes and trying to get up. " Don't get up. It's too soon. You should rest for a minute." Xander said, putting his hand beneath her head and slowly lowering her back to the ground. " Okay." She said, looking at Xander strangely. Buffy knew that something had gone on between them now the way that Xander was being so attentive.
After a few minutes, the two helped her up. Xander held her carefully as she tried to stand up. " Thanks." She said, avoiding his eyes. " I'll walk you home." He said, starting to help the unstable girl down the path. " I should go, my mom probably would want me home." Buffy said. Willow nodded and Xander said " Yeah, it's getting late." The two started on their way down the path as Buffy watched. She turned and started to walk home, smiling a little smile.