6:30 A.M. This was not an hour for normal people to be up. Willow pulled the covers back over her head. She kept hearing a strange noise coming for the other side of the room. <I thought I shut the alarm off. I'll just ignore it until it goes away.> She shut her eyes tightly and concentrated on blocking out the noise. It wasn’t working and she soon began to realize that she was losing her grip on the comforter. Just as the blankets were torn back from her body she placed the sound that had been tormenting her. Buffy. Singing.
"Come on Wills. Wake up! It's a beautiful morning. The sun is shining. Birds are singing. I'm singing." And with that she returned to the warbling sound that Willow had awoken to. She groaned and raised up out of bed.
"What is wrong with you Buffy? It's a school day. We still live on the Hellmouth. Our lives, such as they are, are pathetic at best. Why are you so damn happy?" The last question was delivered in an almost angry tone which stopped the Slayer in her tracks. She looked over at Willow who was slowly dragging herself out of bed. Looking closely she noticed the dark circles under her eyes. She began to worry.
"Willow, is something wrong?"
"No. I';m just really tired. I didn't sleep very well. I kept dreaming really weird dreams."
Buffy looked at her intently. "Like what?"
"Like what, what?"
"Your dreams. What were they about?"
Willow concentrated for a minute. "You know I can't really remember now. But they were weird." She smiled shyly at the Slayer. "Sorry for being so cranky."
"That's okay," Buffy bounced over to her pulling her up and pushing her towards the bathroom. "I'll go fix us breakfast while you get ready."
Thirty minutes later Willow came downstairs washed, dressed, and ready to go. Buffy was in the kitchen with two bowls of cereal waiting on the table. Willow laughed.
"Wow Buffy. You shouldn't have done all of this. I mean you must have spent seconds pouring the milk." She sat down and began to eat. Buffy joined her, happily munching away. Willow looked at her. "So what's this happy mood all about?"
"I'm not sure. But I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. I haven't felt like this in a long time. For the first time since I faced Angel, I feel like something is...."
"Changing." Willow finished.
"Yeah. So, I figure what the heck. Happiness will be me today. Or I’ll be happy. Well, you know what I mean. You do know what I mean, right?"
"Oh...yeah. Sorry, I was just a little distracted. Happy. You. Equals." They continued to eat in silence. Willow was lost in thought. <Changing. My dreams, there was something changing.> She barely noticed finishing her cereal or Buffy clearing the dishes.
"Let's go. I promised Giles I would meet him before class." Buffy grabbed her stuff and waited for Willow.
"Oh...okay." She got her books and followed Buffy out the door, locking the house behind her. Buffy was quiet for a while as they walked but as they approached the school she stopped and turned toward her friend.
"So, what's the deal with you and Xander? Are you guys even talking anymore?" Buffy knew that Xander's relationship with Cordelia had hurt Willow. And she also knew that Willow was still hurting from Oz moving to England. She had thought when Xander and Cordy had broken up that things would go back to the way they had been before. But they didn't. Willow and Xander hardly spent time together, and it was only when the whole gang was present.
The question caught Willow off guard. "Oh yeah we still talk. He asked me for the math assignment yesterday. And the day before, I asked him if he could get me a soda."
"You know what I mean. Are you ever going to tell him how you feel?"
"No," Willow said emphatically. "Feelings bad. Hiding. Hiding I do well." She tried to smile but could tell it was more of a grimace.
"C'mon Wills. You know he cares. Oz told you himself." That had been an interesting talk. The three of them had been sitting around one day soon after Buffy had returned. Willow had been telling her about waking in the hospital and hearing Oz say 'I love you' to her. An awkward silence followed and Oz quietly told them that he had never said those words. Willow had been confused. She was sure that she had heard him say that. Oz, who had put two and two together, came up with the truth.
"It must have been Xander."
Xander. Willow knew as soon as Oz said the name that it was true. <After all these years, he finally says the words I've been wanting to hear, and I think he's someone else. He must hate me for that.>
"Wills? Wills? Earth to Willow?" Buffy's voice brought her back to the present.
"Oh...I seem to keep doing this...sorry, I'm just.."
"A little distracted. Yeah, yeah I know. Let's go see how my dusty old Watcher can ruin my good mood." Buffy was going to get Willow to talk to Xander eventually. She was determined to see her friend happy.
When they got to the library they were surprised to find Xander and Cordy already there. Giles was reading from one of his books. They all looked up as Buffy and Willow walked in.
"About time," Cordelia said. "I can only make up so many excuses as to why I need to be in the library first thing in the morning. So if you two could try to be a little bit more prompt at can at least feel like my time's not being wasted."
"No you don't Cordy. Not even you can ruin my good mood today." Buffy hoped up on the counter and took the book at of Giles' hands. "So, what is it today? More vamps? Demons? Locker monsters? What?"
Giles took the book back, glaring at the girl. "Actually, there does seem to be something brewing. The signs point to a fairly obscure curse that I've been researching. I'm going to need to look into it a little more before I have any answers. Let's all meet here tonight."
This brought a round of protests. Giles was not moved. "I know it's Friday. But I also know that there are no games to be going to tonight. There isn't a band at the Bronze. If it turns out to be nothing you can all go on your way, but I think to be safe, we should meet here first." He prepared himself for the next wave of whining.
Buffy jumped off the counter and grabbed her bag. "Okay, see you later then." She smiled happily and bounced out of the library dragging Willow with her.
"What's that all about?" Cordy asked. "I mean, not that she doesn't have the right to be happy, but it's Friday. I’m going to the Bronze anyway. After I come here of course."
Giles shook his head in confusion. "I don't know what has gotten into Buffy. Her reactions have been almost the opposite of what I've been expecting. But I suspect that it is part of what is happening."
Xander spoke up. "So this dreaded curse makes the Slayer happy? Oh no, what next?"
"Xander I think you're missing the point. It's not that she’s happy that has me concerned. It's that she is not behaving like she normally does. I'll explain it all later. You two better get to class." The bell rang as if to punctuate his words. They left and Giles turned back to his books, hoping he would have an answer for them by tonight.
***********
Claudia woke from her troubled dreams just after noon. The candle by the door had gone out long ago, and the hotel room smelled strongly of the herbs and charms she had placed as wards. She slowly rose and went to the shower. As she readied herself she thought about what to say to him. <My God it's been almost 10 years since I've seen him. I don't know if he even remembers me. Oh but if he's in danger I have to help him. I don't know how yet but I have to help.>
She dressed, packed up her things and left the hotel. It was still afternoon. Too soon to try and find him. Besides, she knew he would be at the library tonight. She had been in town for the past week. She knew where he'd be. And she knew that the Slayer would be there too. That was good. She knew that this danger concerned the girl as well. She had watched the Slayer and her friends one afternoon. She had known the Slayer the minute she had laid eyes on her. Besides the power and strength that emanated from girl in all but visible waves, Claudia had recognized her. From the dreams.
Driving around, Claudia found herself at the mall. <Might as well kill some time. Who knows, maybe I’ll find something to wear when I show up tonight.> Claudia smiled to herself. <That's right. I'm at the Hellmouth and what I really care about is whether or not I'll look good when I see him again.> Her fingers absently went to the silver cross she always wore about her neck. It had been a gift from him, when she was still just a little girl. And the moment he had fastened the chain around her neck, Claudia knew in her 8-year old heart that she would never love anyone the way she loved Rupert Giles.
*************
"Okay Giles, here we are. It's Friday night. And we're in the library. Again." Buffy flopped down into one the chairs and waited for some explanations. Her good mood was still with her, but she wanted to be out, acting like the normal teenage girl that she knew she wasn't. Willow followed quietly. She had been like that all day, lost in her own thoughts - most of them about Xander. <"I love you" could mean lots of things. Like one loves a puppy or a goldfish. Or how I love my parents. I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it. I mean Xander? Why would he say something like that to me?>
Giles looked up from his books at the two girls. "Ah..I..I just have a bit more research. I think I'’ve found something fairly disturbing, but I want to wait until you're all here. I'll be just a moment," he said disappearing into his office.
"Oh so things are really different than normal. Blah blah blah, I'll look something up, blah blah blah, no Buffy don't go have fun, blah blah blah. Can't I just have a night off?" she asked no one in particular. She turned to her friend. "Okay Wills, I've had enough. Out with it. Talk to me. I don't care, just talk. This silence thing is driving me nuts."
Willow looked up. "Sorry, I was just thinking about Xander. You know I think he probably means he loves me like a puppy dog. And that's okay. I love him like well not a puppy dog, but puppy dogs are nice."
"Willow, just talk to him. I'm not saying go up and declare undying love. Just go and get your friend Xander back. Both of you have been the mopey twins. It's no fun," she smiled as she said the last part, hoping to show Willow that she really did care. Willow returned the smile.
"I'm not making any promises, but I'll try."
"Oh good for us."
"What's good for us?" Xander asked as he and Cordy walked into the library.
"Oh the usual. Life on the Hellmouth and we're still here. You may as well get comfortable. Giles is looking something up."
"Shocker. Okay, but half hour tops and then I'm Bronzing," Cordy took up a seat near Buffy and gave her a conspiratal wink. The two girls had been working together on getting Xander and Willow together somehow. Buffy was willing to just get them talking, while Cordy would settle for nothing less than being asked to be one of the bridesmaids. Buffy was confident that it would all work out eventually.
"Hey Wills." Xander's voice was more subdued than normal.
"Hey. Um..I..I was thinking...maybe..." Willow stumbled over the words, not knowing what to say.
Xander cut her off. Reaching out he took her hand and gave it a friendly squeeze. "Willow, I miss you. I feel like we never see each other, even though we do every day. I don't know what's going on between us, but I want to try and fix it."
Willow's eyes filled with tears, and Xander wondered at how he could have never noticed how beautiful she was. He wiped away a tear that slid down her face and smiled. She smiled back and suddenly threw her arms around him. Hugging him fiercely she missed the look that passed between Buffy and Cordelia. Cordelia leaned over to whisper in Buffy's ear.
"Phase one is a success."
*****************
Claudia nervously adjusted her clothes as she walked down the deserted hallway. Her footsteps echoed through the darkened corridor as she slowly approached the library. She worried about how she looked. Then she scolded herself for worrying about such trivial matters. Her long blond hair was piled up on her head with a few strands escaping to frame her face. She was dressed all in black. She had allowed the sales girl to talk her into these ridiculously high priced black pants. But she had to admit they did look nice. Added to that were the black chunky heals, and a very nice button down shirt that was untucked. She felt like she was in an ad for The Gap. Claudia reached up and undid one of the buttons. <No, too much. Or maybe. Oh God I don't know. Wait, why do I care? I'm supposed to be here to help. Nothing else. Okay, but I'll leave it unbuttoned.> She walked to the library doors and listened a moment before going in. She could here voices, but none that she recognized. With shaking hands, she pushed open the door.
She noticed the Slayer first. The girl was hard to miss. Next to her was a pretty brunette girl who was toying with her hair and had a bored expression on her face. Across the table was the young man Claudia had seen with the Slayer earlier. And next to him was a small red haired girl. Claudia could sense something in this one. Something powerful.
As if sensing that someone was looking at her, she turned and regarded Claudia with curiosity.
"May we help you?" she asked as the rest of the gang turned towards the newcomer. Claudia stepped further into the room and smiled nervously.
"Oh...um...yes, I...I'm looking for a friend," Claudia could see their curiosity intensify at the sound of her accent. "I was told he might be here. His name..."
Giles walked out of his office, his nose in a book. "Buffy, there is some evidence here that there is a curse and that you and possibly Angel are in the middle of it. I think...."
"Giles!" Buffy hissed.
"What?" he looked up confused. Buffy nodded in the direction of Claudia. He turned and regarded the woman standing there. She was lovely, and vaguely familiar. She looked at him expectantly and stepped closer. His eyes swept across her face and then rested on the cross around her neck. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Claudia? Is that you?"
Claudia smiled. "Hello Rupert."
Giles stepped toward her and enfolded her in a hug. She clung to him squeezing her eyes shut tight to keep the tears from falling.
"Ahem."
Giles stepped back. "Oh, yes. I suppose introductions are in order. This is Claudia. I knew her a very long time ago in England. I used to hang around with her older brother. Claudia, this is Buffy, Cordelia, Xander, and Willow. We were just...er...they have a test...tutoring, yes tutoring..."
Claudia let out an amused snort. "In what? Demonology? Rupert, you don't think I came all this way without knowing a little bit about what you were doing. This," she indicated Buffy, "is the Slayer. As for the rest, I don't know, I thought Slayers usually acted alone. I guess you could call them the vampire hunters or something."
"Actually, we prefer the term Slayerettes," Willow answered. There was something about this woman. Something powerful and magical. Willow wanted to know what it was.
Claudia smiled. "Perfect. Well, what are we working on?"
"Not so fast," Giles interrupted. "I want to know why you're here Stormy."
Claudia cringed at the old nickname. "Oh, please don't start with that name."
Xander was confused. "Why does he call you Stormy. Do you control the weather or something?"
Giles answered. "We started calling her that when she was just a little girl. She would get so angry when we wouldn't let her hang around. You could see the anger building in her, just like a storm. And it goes with her name."
Xander was even more confused. "Stormy...Claudia...is this an English thing?"
Claudia laughed. "No, my last name. My name is Claudia Rayne."