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The day had finally arrived of Willow's return back home. As Buffy had figured, Dawn was a reluctant participant in the welcome home committee, but Buffy smoothed things over until she came around. She wasn't happy about having to go meet Willow at the airport with Buffy and Xander, but she promised she would be as supportive as best she could.

Xander showed up at the house a few hours earlier that Saturday to bring some new books to look through. Over the past few nights, there had been two more occurrences of skinned demons, and their researching was drawing a blank. Today was no different. They would just have to keep digging.

**********

Willow seemed to be feeling more nervous the closer they got to California. She resorted to chanting to herself to calm her nerves, something the grand-wiccans had taught her at the retreat. It helped, a little. She soon found herself so deep in meditation that time had quickly flown by. The captain was announcing they would be landing within five minutes so she closed her eyes and continued.

The plane landed and taxied to her gate and Willow took a few calming breaths before she got out of her seat, and headed out the plane door. When she reached the end of the gate, she briefly scanned the terminal, but didn’t see her friends. She thought that maybe they were running a bit behind and decided she would wait for them. She ventured further into the terminal and sat down but after 15 minutes, she decided to go pick up her bags before returning back to the waiting. An hour had gone by, and she had given up hope so she hailed a cab.

**********

Xander and the girls had made it to the airport and checked the flight schedule to make sure everything was still running on time, which it was. All three seemed to be on edge for their own reasons. As the plane taxied to the gate, they all broke out into nonsensical chatter between themselves. People filed out at first slowly, then in droves, but no Willow. They waited a few minutes but she never appeared and as the plane left the gate, they all stood there speechless. Assuming Willow had decided not to come home, they headed back to the Summers' house to see if possibly they had missed a phone call.

**********

Anya was preparing to close up shop when the front door opened. She peered around the shelf and to her amazement, standing on the top step was Spike. He spotted her peeking.

"Hey, I just thought I'd come by for a chat…some things I need to get off my chest."

Anya placed the books on the shelf and walked over to the register. She looked upset at first so Spike decided he better hurry before he lost his nerve.

"First things first, I'm sorry about the other night. I just didn't want Buffy finding out about me in that way. You understand?"

"Sure. I understand," she replied.

"Second…umm, that "thing" that happened, you know, the two of us with the, umm, the…shagging?"

She piped up, "Oh, you mean the sex?"

"Yeah, that. Sorry 'bout that, too. I mean, not sorry in the sense that it was bad, but just that it happened. It shouldn't have happened. I mean, I feel nothing for you other than…I mean it meant nothing, it just helped with the pain, you know? I feel bad about, you know, the wanker, I mean your ex finding out and all, and am I making any bloody sense, pet?"

"Yes," she wiped her brow. "Phew…I am so happy that it's all out in the open because I feel the same way. I tried to use you to get Xander out of my system; you used me to get Buffy out of yours."

"Yeah, something like that. So, anyway, I hope this doesn't make things…strange."

"Well," the bell above the door jingled again and the two looked up. "Willow, what are you doing here?"

"Hey, Red," Spike held his hand up.

"Hey, guys." Anya walked over to where she stood and awkwardly hugged the girl. "Where's Xander, Buffy, and Dawn?" she asked looking around her expecting them to walk through the door as well.

"I don't know…they weren't at the airport. I waited almost an hour."

"Well, that's odd. Let me call them on their cell phones." Anya stepped around the counter to make the calls.

"Here, let me take that." Spike took her bag and pulled out a chair for her to sit in. She looked exhausted. She seemed surprised at Spike's actions until she really looked at him. He noticed her staring and actually felt embarrassment flood over him.

"So, when did you get that?" she pointed her finger in his direction. Spike looked over his shoulder not really understanding what she was referring to when it hit him suddenly.

"Oh, a couple of months ago. So you can see it?" Anya had walked up to them when he had asked. Both girls shook their heads yes. "Hmm, I guess it was harder to hide than what I figured it would be."

Willow smiled at him and he shrugged his shoulders. "So, are you two a couple now?" she asked looking back and forth between them. Spike and Anya exchanged glances. "No, no," both answered at the same time as Spike shook his head vigorously. Anya explained, "It was just a one time deal, nothing more."

"Ok, then." Willow reached over on either side of her and patted each chair seat. "Come on, guys, sit. Fill me in on all the haps. I haven't anything better to do and for some odd reason would rather hang with you than be with my buds right at this moment anyway."

Both Anya and Spike complied with her wishes and they spent the next few hours in deep conversation. Willow talked about Tara, her use of black magic and being reformed. Anya brought up her vengeance status and spoke a bit about Xander. Spike mostly talked about Buffy and Dawn and to an extent, why he did what he did. The three outcasts formed a strange bond of friendship that night.

It was early morning when Willow couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. "Will, why don't you come and stay with me tonight. Tomorrow, we can call Buffy. I left messages with her and Xander and told them we would stop by in the morning."

"Great, thanks, An."

"I'll walk you ladies home." Spike stood up from his chair and picked up Willow's bags.

"Such a gentleman," Willow teased.

"Hey now, don't be spreading that around. Got a reputation to keep, you know," he smirked at them both.

"Oh, I wouldn't even think of tarnishing the Big Bad's reputation." Willow giggled at him as the three headed out the door.

**********

Anya found Willow cooking breakfast in the early morning. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No, my mind is on overload. You either?" Willow asked her.

"No, I have to go see my boss for a quick meeting. He seemed a bit huffy, so I'm a little nervous. I should be back soon." With a blink of an eye she was gone. Willow stood there for awhile and then resumed fixing her breakfast. Just as Willow was sitting down to eat, Anya poofed back into the kitchen. She looked upset and Willow asked her what was wrong.

"D'hoffryn has taken my teleportation abilities away. Said I’m not performing my duties as a vengeance demon."

"Why would he say that?"

"Well, not too long ago I granted a wish and a few days later I revoked it. I’m so jumbled up with emotions right now, Will. I want to help Buffy and Xander, but I have a job. I took an oath. Now Xander has me all confused. It's his entire fault. I don't know what to do." She plopped down in a chair next to Willow and helped herself to her bacon.

Willow tried to be reassuring. "We'll work something out, An. Don't worry."

**********

Buffy and Dawn had woke up about the same time that morning. Neither had gotten much sleep worrying about seeing Willow today. By the time they were dressed and had eaten breakfast, they heard a knock at the door. Buffy looked at Dawn as she made her way over and slowly opened the door. Anya stood there on the front porch but Willow was nowhere in sight.

"Hi, Buffy. Hey, Dawn. How are you two today?"

"Just fine," Buffy answered. "Anya, where is Willow? You said last night you were bringing her over here."

"Well, silly, she's right here." About that time Willow tugged on Anya's sleeve and asked "Who are you talking to you, An?" Anya just stared at her in shock and held her hand up to Buffy. "To Buffy."

"Ok Anya, what's going on?" Buffy sounded a little ticked not knowing if this was a joke or what.

Willow turned and walked away, a bit scared. Anya yelled to Buffy, "I'll call you." She took off after Willow and when she reached the witch, she asked, "Will, what's going on?"

"You were talking to Buffy, right? And you could see her? I couldn't see her or hear her. Could she see me?" Willow sounded frightened.

"I guess not. She didn't act like she could. What do you think’s going on?"

"I think that I’ve played in my mind for so long that I wasn't ready to see my friends because I knew they weren't ready to see me that we now can't see each other for real," she replied.

"Do you think there may be a way to undo this?"

"I don't know. Maybe I just need to face my fear. Maybe that's all it is." Willow started to cry.

"Oh, please don't. Hey, let's go get a mocha. My treat and we can sit and figure this out. Maybe later this evening we'll find Spike and pick at his brain. Sound good?"

"Yeah, sounds good. Thanks, An, you are surprisingly a good friend. And I need a friend right now."

TBC





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