Reunification Day

Part 7

“You’re kinda quiet, Wills.” Buffy commented, drawing Willow out of her thoughts. The entire group had been unnaturally silent since arriving at the airport.

“Just thinking.” the witch replied, silently asking herself if she should attempt to be the old Willow, so her friends would stop looking at her like she was possessed. But Tara was dead. She was allowed to mourn without having to put up a brave front.

“Don’t worry about England, Wills.” Buffy tried to comfort, though she wasn’t too sure how she was doing. At least Willow wasn’t crying anymore, which was a slight improvement. “You’ll see. A few months with the English witches, and you’ll be fixed right up.”

There it was again. The implication that she was sick, and the coven would cure her. But she wasn’t sick. There was nothing wrong with her, her father said so. She was grief-stricken, not broken, and said as much to the Slayer.

“Will - I didn’t mean-“

“I know.” she sighed in apology. “You all seem to think that I’ll come back from England the same old Willow. But I’ll never be her again, Buffy. Too much has happened over the last months.”

The Slayer had no response to that, and looked to Giles and Xander for help. So much had changed in the past year, and she didn’t want to have to deal with more things changing. Buffy didn’t know if she could.

“Well, I like you however you want to be.” proclaimed Dawn, tightening her hold on Willow’s hand. The instant Willow had sat down in the uncomfortable airport seat, Dawn was by her side. They could all tell she was still upset by Tara’s death, traumatized by the time she’d spent in the bedroom with the blonde witch’s body.

“Thanks, Dawny.” Squeezing back in appreciation.

“I still don’t understand why I’m here!”

This from Anya. The vengeance demon had been complaining since being forced to accompany the group to the airport.

“In case anyone tries to come after Willow, you can take her somewhere safe.” replied Giles for what seemed like the hundredth time, closing his eyes in annoyance.

“She can blast anyone that comes within two feet of her, or disappear on her own!” Anya pointed out.

“Until Willow learns to control her magic, I do not want her attempting any spells.” replied the Watcher, cleaning his glasses - again. Willow didn’t understand how they were still in one piece after being polished so many times in the last twenty-four hours.

“Seems to me, that’s what got her into this mess in the first place!” Anya accused him.

“Guys, please stop! I-“ Willow started, but cut off as she felt his presence. Her father was finally here. “I have to go now.” cursing the nervous trembling in her voice as she rose. Swinging her brown leather back pack over her shoulder, the witch looked at her confused friends. “I’m not going to England, Giles.” she explained.

“You cannot remain in Sunnydale.” Giles argued.

“I’m not staying in Sunnydale, either.” Biting her bottom lip in nervous anticipation. “I’ll be safe, Giles.” she cut off the older man as he opened his mouth to protest.

“Willow? What’s-“ the Slayer began to question as she rose from her seat, to attempt to convince Willow to stay with Giles.

Willow focussed her gaze on Buffy just as a heavy wave of magic washed over her, and froze the Slayer halfway out of her chair. Startled, Willow looked around her to see Giles and her friends frozen in place, as was the rest of the terminal. She turned around, searching for the source of the spell, preparing to defend herself, when she spotted him.

Sandy blonde hair topped an all-black ensemble, right down to the cowboy boots he wore. The tall, slim build was standing with his arms and legs braced apart, seemingly against the tide of magic coming from him. The inky blackness that consumed his eyes whole, had sent shivers down the spines of any who had seen the eerie sight.

Except for one red headed witch who welcomed the sight with a watery smile.

“What the hell is going on?” demanded and angry voice that belonged to an irrate vengeance demon.

Quickly glancing around the terminal, Willow noticed a few others that weren’t frozen, like Anya.

Turning to face the approaching figure, Willow’s furrowed brow asked its own question.

“Demons.” he said, as if that explained everything, but realizing it didn’t when she rolled her eyes at his statement of the obvious - to her, at least. “They understand what type of Sanctuary Denver is, and will pass along the knowledge that you are protected. Blood of my blood.” The last bit was said louder, while his black eyes raked over the demons now standing frozen in terror, save for the frantically bobbing heads. They all knew who this black-clad witch was, and would do anything to stay out of his way and that of those he called his own.

Anya knew who he was, too. Even years as a human hadn’t affected her contacts in the demon community.

Chris Larabee, called ‘Death’ by vampires everywhere, though most demons referred to him as the ‘Guardian’. On his own he had formed a formidable magical barrier around Denver, which had only strengthened and grown with the addition of six other mages - though only the suicidal called them a coven.

“Get away from him, Willow.” Anya whispered harshly. She knew how dangerous this male witch was, and was surprised that Willow didn’t. When the red headed witch didn’t move, Anya tried to push her point, all the while praying that Larabee didn’t incinerate her for interfering. “Do you know who that is?” she asked, trying to warn with her tone alone.

“Yeeees . . .” She drew out the word, as if unsure of Anya’s comprehension of the answer.

“He’s dangerous.”

“Not to me.” Willow answered, and Chris had to smile at the complete trust she had in him. She was one of a small handful of people who trusted him completely and unconditionally.

“There a problem, cowboy?” inquired a voice that was born and bred in Texas. “Edwards’ gettin’ itchy, stayin’ in this place.”

“Take Willow. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Bounty hunter!!” exclaimed Anya, as if that revelation made her argument that much more solid.

“Vin.” Chris explained at Willow’s questioning look.

Surprised, Willow looked at the denim and leather clad bounty hunter. This was the only other person who had been able to put a smile on her father’s face after Sarah and Adam had died.

“It’s nice to finally meet you.” said Willow, producing another watery smile that she knew didn’t come off right.

“Go with him.” urged Chris, his black eyes not leaving the trembling - yet determined - demon. “Don’t worry, everything will still be standing after.” he reassured her when she didn’t move.

“Just wants to have a lil’ talk with your friends, darlin’.” added Vin, pleased when she gave a little nod and let him lead her outside to the waiting plane.

Once he was sure they were safely out of the building, Chris released the spell holding Willow’s friends in place, but kept the rest of the humans frozen. The demons had made for the exit the instant his attention was off them.

“-going on?” the first words out of Buffy’s mouth, finishing her sentence. “Willow?” she called looking for her friend.

The others were similarly confused, as from their perspectives the witch had seemingly disappeared into thin air. It was then that they noticed the relative stillness of the airport terminal, as well as the man that seemed to be in a stand-off with the newly reconfirmed vengeance demon.

“You care about her.” contemplated Anya, her brow furrowing as she ignored the demanding questions of the Scoobies. She was contemplating this new development - the Boogeyman of the demon world cared about Willow. And the witch apparently knew and trusted the man enough to willingly leave with a bounty hunter. “You’ll protect her?”

“We all will.” Chris vowed.

Seeing her nod of acceptance at that, Chris turned to the people who, up until now, had made up most of Willow’s world, narrowing his eyes at them.

Silence reigned as they looked at the all-to-familiar eyes.

“Seeing as you’re Willow’s friends, and she’d be very upset if you became smears on the floor, I’ll say this once. Stay away from Willow.” he warned through clenched teeth, trying desperately to quell his homicidal impulses toward these people. “Don’t try to find her. Don’t try to contact her. When she’s ready to see you, she’ll let you know.”

Not waiting for any form of acknowledgement, he turned to Anya, who had relaxed slightly with his attention diverted elsewhere. “Explain to them.” he told her, motioning in the Scoobies direction before vanishing in the blink of an eye.

“Anya, what the hell happened? Where’s Willow?” demanded Buffy, moving to confront the still-stunned demon, barely noticing the return of normal activity in the terminal.

“She’s gone.”

“You let someone take her?!” demanded an outraged Xander, unable to comprehend what was going on.

“I didn’t ‘let’ anyone take her - she left of her own free will and I couldn’t stop her.” Anya defended harshly. “Besides, you don’t tell Chris Larabee ‘no’!”

“Th-that was Larabee?” stuttered a stunned Giles, looking paler by the second, though it was hard to tell under the harsh fluorescent lights.

At Anya’s nod, Giles uttered the only words to inspire fear in the hearts of the Slayer and her friends.

“Oh, dear!”

End

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