Willow felt like laughing. < Xander_s behind that wall, I can feel it >
She thought happily < He_s alive and he can see me > She felt like
waving at him, but somehow restrained herself. Instead, she settled
for a small smile in his direction.
"Well Slayer, I suppose you recognize death when you see it.."
Willow glanced up at the vampire who_d spoken < Scary guy >. She glanced over at Buffy < Out cold >. She sighed. This was *not* going to be as easy as she had originally hoped. She eyed the room and counted it_s occupants < ...twelve, not including Spike, Angel Buffy and me. > The two vampires were restrained with ropes and shackles against the far left wall. Spike, like Buffy, was still unconscious, but Angel seemed to be gradually waking up.
"It is now 11:55, and you have approximately five minutes to live. Well, I vote we have a little fun while we wait," he snapped his fingers, "You, go get the boy."
"Yes sire," said a relatively young looking blond vampire. He disappeared for a several seconds and finally reappeared, shoving a protesting Xander in front of him.
They stared at eachother for a few seconds. Finally tearing away her gaze, Willow watched the central vampire_s movements as he walked behind Xander.
"Now pay good attention," he said with an evil grin, "because I_m only going to do this once." His eyes glowed a bright yellow as his fangs slowly descended. He leaned forward with a gleeful laugh, piercing the skin on Xander_s neck.
"Somehow, I don_t think so," Willow_s eyes held no fear, nothing but cold certainty as she reached behind her without looking and grabbed the nearest vampire. Never breaking eye contact with the demon behind Xander, she smashed her captive_s head against the floor. Jumping to her feet, she spun out of the way as a second vampire rushed her from behind. His clumsy movements caused him to drop the stake that had been confiscated from her upon her arrival. She stooped to pick it up. Jumping on the chair in the center of the room she leapt upwards and grabbed the thick red velvet cloth which was draped across the ceiling. Changing momentum in mid-air she veered to the left and dropped down in front of Angel and Spike. Willow worked hurridly, untying Angel_s hands.
Finally regaining full consciousness he struggled against his binds, "Willow, look out behind-"
Barely stopping to glance back, she reached up and staked the vampire as he came at her in mid-flight. He promptly exploded into a large cloud of dust. "You go free the others, I_ll get Buffy and Xander," she said calmly.
Finding it adviseable not to argue with the slayer, he nodded and ran off towards the back wall, pushing aside two vampires who tried to cut in front of him.
Willow turned, her foot arching high in the air as she caught yet another vampire in mid-flight. She swiftly punched him in the stomach and staked him viciously as he fell to the floor.
Suddenly, she felt herself being grabbed from behind and spun around. She stared into the glowing yellow eyes. The vampire hissed in her face dangerously.
She snarled back. Breaking his grip on her arms she fell to the floor and swept his feet out from under him with one hard kick. Once he was down, she staked him neatly and scanned the room for Xander.
She found him, alone in the middle of the floor, the vampire who had attempted to drain his blood was nowhere to be found. Checking for a pulse, she sighed in relief when she found it. < You_re definitely still alive, Xander > She quickly dragged him out of the fray and left him near the door. Looking up, she saw Angel emerge with Giles and Cordelia.
Willow_s heart burned to destroy whoever had tried to harm Xander. Her right hand, which held the stake, simply itched at the thought. < There! *There*, he is > she thought, the fury almost consuming her. He was at the other side of the room, trying to give orders to the six or seven vampires left standing. Unseeing, almost unhearing, Willow marched in a straight line towards him.
*****Xander opened his eyes weakly. < I_m not dead, I hurt too much to be
dead > He sat up painfully.
Xander_s mouth fell open as he watched Willow fling the demon against a wall. Picking him up again, she punched him square in the jaw, and kneed him in the groin in one fluid motion. < Wow, she_s scarier than Buffy > Xander thought, wincing slightly as she drove the wooden stake into his heart.
< Speaking of which, where *is* Buffy? > Locating her a few feet away, Xander carefully made his way through the flying bodies and knelt down next to the chair she was strapped to.
"Buffy? Buffy, you have to wake up," he hissed. Suddenly, a loud bell sounded overhead. Buffy moaned.
"Buffy?..C_mon Buffy, we have to get out of here," he rapidly untied the ropes binding her legs and started to loosen the ones around her wrists.
"Xan-Xander?" she murmured groggily, "Where the heck are we...where_s Willow...and Giles?"
"They_re..uh..busy right now," he replied darting a look at Giles who was shielding Cordelia as they ran towards the door, "let me get you out of these..."
With a sudden burst of strength, Buffy snapped the bindings around her wrists and stood up.
"Or *you* could just do it...," Xander said, falling back in surprise.
Without turning around, Buffy ran forward towards Angel who was grappeling with two vampires.
"Well, i guess that_s what chivalry will get you," he muttered, watching her toss one of Angel_s attackers aside and kick the other one into the wall.
< Good ol_ Buffy > he thought with a smile of relief as he made his way for the door. Suddenly he froze. < Uh oh....Buffy has her powers back, meaning that Willow... >
"NO," Xander screamed as he turned and ran back into the crowd, heading for his best friend as fast as he could.
*****Hatred burning in her green eyes, Willow reached out and spun the vampire around, "I suppose you know death when you see it," she snarled dangerously as one foot lashed out and kicked him in the side.
He fell with a grunt. She swiftly lunged downwards, stake in hand, but he rolled out of the way before she could strike. She leaped to her feet just in time to be kicked from behind. Falling to the floor again, she rolled into his legs, knocking him down with her. They got back up simultaneously. After a moment of staring at one another, she jumped into the air, spinning once and kicking him in the side of the head. He fell heavily. She quickly stradled his prone body and rose the stake above her head, but he swept his arms up, knocking her down sideways.
Suddenly, a bell sounded. Willow and the vampire looked up for a moment, startled.
When she looked back, he had a slightly crazed look in his eyes, "Damn you," he screamed, "Damn you both to hell!"
Reaching down quickly, he stood, hauled her up and flung her against the wall. Her body hit it with a resounding crash, and she slid slowly to the ground.
Vaguely, she thought she heard someone scream as the vampire lunged at her yet again. Willow crawled out of the way just in time and watched as the vampire_s hand smashed through the plaster. Tears streaming down her face, she picked up the stake which had fallen when she hit the wall and pointed it at him. He grabbed at her and she brought her knee up into his stomach.With a groan, they both fell to the floor. Pinning her arms to her sides, the vampire looked deep into her eyes. < He_s gone completely mad > she realized. Her mind felt numb.
"If I am to die, *you_re* coming with me you little whore!" he shrieked as he bent forward and bit into her neck.
Willow cried out and struggled against his iron hard grip. Somehow, she managed to get one hand free. Grappeling at her side, she found what she was looking for.
"Think again," she said coldly as she drove the stake through his back and into his heart. In an instant, she was covered in dust.
She lay there panting for a moment before she saw a body flying just above her. Willow gasped as it hit the wall head-first.
Xander, who_d had every intention of launching himself into the vampire which had previously lain atop his best friend, found himself slightly off his mark when his target disappeared.
"Ohmigosh, Xander?...you okay?" Willow drew herself onto her hands and knees and crawled over to him.
"Chivalry sucks," he said, giving her a wry smile. She smiled back. < Gosh she_s beautiful when she smiles. Even with her hair all messed up and that cut on her face and the bruise on her chin and... >
< Poor Xander, he_s been beaten to a pulp today > Willow thought guiltily < No thanks to me. At least half of his injuries are probably from Cordelia over his stupid prank... > She slowly got to her feet and helped him up. < Speaking of Cordelia, where *is* everyone? > Turning to survey the room, Willow felt a surge of relief when she saw Buffy and Angel running up to them.
"Cordelia and Giles are outside," Buffy said as she took Willow_s arm.
"Not to mention the fact that Spike is missing, meaning that we should probably take the hint and get lost too," Angel added.
Smiling weakly, Willow followed the others out the door and up the stairs until they reached the passage leading to the shack, above ground.
Finally emerging, Willow deeply breathed the cold night air.
"Good work Ms. Rosenberg, and just so you know, the exact time right now is 12:15," Giles said with an odd smile.
Willow_s heart almost stopped beating, "12:15? But that means that... that...for the last few minutes I was fighting that vampire...."
"On your own," finished Buffy.
Willow sat down heavily. Xander immediately crouched down next to her.
"You okay?" he whispered softly.
"Yeah, I_m just a little exhausted..and sick come to think of it..." she said looking up at him. Their gazes locked. < Why is he looking at me like that? He_s giving me a really weird look... >
And yet, the look was vaguely familiar..almost like how he looked at Buffy or Cordelia, except it was more intense, more sincere. < Nope, there_s *no* way this is happening. I_m just imagining all this. > She quickly turned away, an embarassed flush creeping over her face.
"Ahem. Umm..hellooo? Excuse me people, as much as I *do* regret breaking up this Kodak moment, where the heck are we? I need to get my car, get home and get some sleep. Provided I ever sleep again. I_ll probably be in therapy for years just because of this," rolling her eyes rudely, Cordelia turned and started walking away.
"She_s going the wrong way...Cordelia!" called Giles as he raced after her.
"Wait, Giles, we still don_t know where Spike is!...Oh good grief," muttered Buffy as she grabbed Angel_s hand and took off after them.
Silence.
"Well that was slick," said Xander grinning at Willow, "it almost seems accidental that they left us here alone."
More Silence.
"Look, umm...Willow, we should probably talk about all th-"
"I like you Xander. Alot. I should_ve spoken up before, but I couldn_t and I_m sorry for that," she said in a rush. < Oh God, what did I just do? > she thought in horror. "Now, if you_ll excuse me, I_m just going to go throw up somewhere." She quickly stood up and started to walk away, leaving him alone.
"Willow, wait up!" he scrambled to catch up with her, "I feel the same way, you have to know that!"
She spun around and regarded him carefully, "Listen Xander, I want to be honest with you. Tonight has been pretty overwhelming for both of us. I_m still your best friend and I_ll always be your best friend. I agree that there_s something there, but I just want to move slowly so we can really figure out how feel about eachother." < Did I really just say that out loud? >
"I already know how I feel, Willow," Xander said forcefully.
Pause.
"Hey, want me to prove it?" he asked with a mischevious grin.
"Maybe later," she replied returning his playful smile. She stifled a giggle. < Ohmigosh, he wasn_t kidding, he actually looks disappointed! >
Another pause.
The mischievous glitter returned to his eyes,"What if I give you a head start?" he whispered seductively.
Willow stood and considered the offer. Suddenly, she darted away from him. "Deal!" she tossed over her shoulder, giggling.
And so he pursued her, their laughter echoing into the night.
SO..what_d you think? I live for feedback. This is my first attempt, though, so please be gentle. E-mail me!
trekchic@usa.net