Chapter  thirteen

The rain was pouring down the streets, but both Willow and Eric were protected by it.

They were following William, he was slowly walking down the scarcely illuminated streets, looking around, as if he wanted to engrave each detail in his mind, in his heart.

"They are beginning to cast the spell in your time. I can feel it" Eric announced.

Willow briefly looked at him, he was next to her, paler than usual, his marble complexion emphasized by his black outfit.

She shook her head and focused on William, he was shivering under that pouring rain.

What was he doing?

"Angelus and Drusilla have been spotted here, for the last weeks" Eric said as if he had been reading her mind.

<So soon? Why do I have to watch him die again? It's real this time...and I can't stop it...why?>

She looked around, there weren't many people on the street that night and the few who were seeking refuge under gutters were as helpless as they were.

An air of death seemed to permeate those streets.

Willow watched as William with an angry gesture wiped away some moisture from his face with the back of his hand...yet she couldn't say whether it had been rain or tears.

"I'm going insane" she heard him whisper.

He stopped on his tracks and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths, without even realizing that, Willow took deep breaths too, although it was difficult for her to do so, her stomach was tied in a painful knot, a lump formed in her throat...and she was glad she couldn't utter a sound, or she would have sobbed aloud.

Willow turned her head, noticing for the first time that someone was following William.

She tugged at the sleeve of Eric's coat, and the dark-haired vampire turned.

"Drusilla" he coldly said.

<Please...don't let him suffer too much...>

She silently prayed, turning to look at William. He was oblivious of the woman that had been following him.

Drusilla was beautiful. That was the only thing she couldn't think about.

The vampiress slowly walked, following William, her head was tilted up, yet she could see how blood smeared her face and her neck

She was soaking wet and the rain had made her grey dress transparent, yet she didn't even seem to realize that.

William turned hearing the footsteps, Willow noticed the startled expression on his eyes. She attempted to take a step forward, but Eric stopped her, by putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Do not move...it is his destiny, Willow"

She froze and nodded, yet tears filled her eyes, when she saw him swallowing...when she saw his face harden, when she saw the tension in his body leave him, replaced by a cold resolve.

Willow hugged her arms while William slowly got close to her, she dimly heard Eric's chants. He was already casting the spell that was binding William's soul to his body.

She didn't recognize the words, she didn't even want to listen to them. Every cell of her being was mesmerized by the scene that was playing under her eyes.

"M'lady...are you all right?" William asked

Willow saw Drusilla starting at his words, she long looked at him without talking. Willow unconsciously got closer to Eric, tempted to just close her eyes...knowing what was going to happen.

"Are you hurt?" William asked and Willow could hear a strange edge in his voice, could see a bit of his resolve shatter.

Willow was seeing the seeds of the love Spike was going to feel for Drusilla, the need to protect her, even knowing what she really was.

William's sharp intake of breath, made her start. Was he already falling in love with her? She shook her head and lightly squeezed in her hand, the little silver bottle that hung on her chest.

~ Take it...take all the blood you need...do not forget to leave some for the ponce that will kill me, though ~

Tears slowly trailed down her cheeks as William's words repeated themselves in her mind...she was hearing William talking to Drusilla and she had to admit he was convincing.

There weren't traces of the man she had briefly known....for the last day...and he wasn't Spike either.

She was seeing the man who had chosen to stand against the darkness, being almost engulfed by it.

"My daddy doesn't want me home, tonight." Drusilla sing-song.

Eric was still chanting, and Willow couldn't help noticing how still the air was becoming, how the colours of the night assumed a spooky nuance through the greenish light which was filtering them.

Drusilla circled William saying, "He said I have to come back before dawn...he doesn't want the sun to kiss me"

"You are so lonely" the mad vampire continued and Willow couldn't help starting when she heard William's whispered reply, "I am..."

"The stars are singing to me. The stars say you have fire in you, you have power, you have darkness...but you have a heart."

<If only you really knew>

Willow thought, shaking her head, the lump in her throat was making it difficult for her to breathe, she was feeling her heart almost bursting in her chest...she could taste tears and adrenaline in her mouth.

"What are the stars telling you?" William asked, gently taking Drusilla by her shoulders.

Eric's quiet words, mingled with the tickling of the rain and Drusilla's words, she asked him to go away, William didn't comply and Drusilla almost growled when she said, "You want to taste the darkness..."

Willow saw the man kneeling on the wet pavement beside the vampire and gently placing his hands on her shoulders, "I want the loneliness to stop...can you understand that?" He said...and Willow knew that he had said the truth.

Eric's voice was louder now, he had his eyes closed, she could see lights around William, they were glowing and she wondered how Drusilla couldn't see them...she knew how powerful the spell Eric was chanting was, she could feel it, her skin was itching with the power she was sensing all around them.

"You can still save yourself...the stars are begging me to spare you from the darkness..." Drusilla said in a child-like voice.

<He can't...he can't get away from it...he will never be free...never be whole if he does...>

Willow thought closing her eyes, she blinked them open when she heard William saying, "Please, save me..."

Drusilla raised her head, she was in her game face, "Do you still want to be saved?" she growled.

Willow felt her heart skip a beat when he nodded, she had to force herself not to go out from the shield, without stopping his chants, Eric circled her shoulders with an arm, and Willow hid her face in his arm, gripping it with

both her hands while she heard William's words.

"I want to be like you..." he said.

She didn't have the courage to see what was happening. She was hearing the slurping sounds Drusilla was making, as she drank from William...and his moans. She heard her whispering, "drink from me and be like me..."

"So mote it be" Eric calmly said. Willow raised her head and turned to look at him, she could see how bright Eric's eyes were.

She followed his gaze and looked at William, he was lying on the pavement in Drusilla's arms, his face pale, his eyes closed, an almost serene expression on his handsome face.

He was dead. William...the coy, lonely man she had met. The desperate man who had kissed her as if his life depended on it, the man whose skin had been warm against her, that afternoon.

William, the man who had loved the sun and gave up to it to embrace his mission.

William, whose skin had been so soft against hers that afternoon, reminding her he was a different man than the vampire she was in love with...a man she had started to love nevertheless.

She had tried to give him peace...she hadn't realized until now, that William had given her something as well...the gift of knowing him, knowing his essence even if for a little while.

She had felt his life spilling inside of her... and a lone tear sliding down his cheek, dampening her skin.

<I hope you found peace...>

She thought, as her body was shaking with silent sobs.

"We have to go" Eric announced, "They are already casting the spell"

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"Oh, Chronos god of time we invoke thee" Eric voice started.

William was dead, and he could still feel Willow's body against his, while she silently sobbed for the man. He recalled how he had hurt for William's death.

 He hadn't realized he had cared so much for him, until Drusilla had  drained him and made him drink her blood.

"In thy name we break through the blanket of time" Giles continued, there wasn't hesitancy in his voice, although he knew about what had happened to Buffy, Eric had informed him.

A pale golden light began forming within the circle they had drawn on the floor.

~ Through the rain both Willow and he could see a golden whirlwhind forming.

He looked at the red-head, her eyes were red and puffy with tears, not very far away from them, Drusilla was still holding William's lifeless body. ~

Eric gestured at Giles, and he slightly nodded, continuing the spell on his own, while he started the other spell.

"In thy name we bend Time" Giles said .

~ The golden whirlwind expanded while its light glowed brighter. Eric swallowed and turned to look at Willow, "I guess it is time for you to go"

The red-head nodded and swallowed, and he could see how tempted she was to turn her back to see William for the last time. ~

"In thy name we ask our child back where she belongs" Giles said.

~ He rummaged through the pockets of his coat and said, "I want you to have this"

He stretched his hand toward hers and opened his palm revealing the ring William wore on his pinky finger.

Willow took it with trembling fingers and nodded mouthing her thanks. ~

"Let the waves of time bring the child back to us"

~ She put on the ring, on her left ring finger and Eric was tempted to look away.

She belonged with someone else...and he had to learn to accept that...

"Good luck, Willow" he softly said while the red-head exited the shield. ~

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"Good luck, Willow" Eric said, while Willow exited the shield.

She was surprised by his words. She couldn't see Drusilla, and only a few meters separated her from the future.

<Thanks God >

She thought. She turned around to make sure no one was seeing her, and her heart almost stopped in her chest when recognized a figure on the other side of the street.

<Oh...God...no! Not him...not now >

Angelus. The vampire with the Angelic face...the only vampire who still haunted her nightmares. Panic engulfed her, thick as a blanket, paralyzing her legs.

He was moving toward her, and Willow knew that this time, no one was going to save her....not Xander, not Buffy...and she was sure Eric wasn't going to move a muscle...not that night.

...she was doomed.

~ Promise me you won't give up!

I won't...I...I promise you...

Willow?

Tell me...

I love you...

I know...now just rest...

Will you be here, when I wake up? ~

The image of Spike, as she last had seen him, weak, but adamant not to give up, was enough to shake the panic away.

She started to run, and could clearly hear Angelus hissing, "Yes, run little girl..."

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Eric's voice was lightly shaking, as the recollections of Angelus charging Willow filled his mind. He recalled how he had screamed through the shield at Willow, urging her to move, to run....before that monster caught her.

She had been still under that pouring rain, dazzled by panic, and Angelus probably puzzled by the sudden apparition of a young red-head in a deserted road had crossed the street, his hair wet with rain, his face a cold mask of cruelty.

It had only lasted a second then she had started to run, the golden whirlwind, her only safe place.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

She couldn't run fast enough...the golden whirlwind had seemed so close to her, yet it now looked like it was unreachable. She heard Angelus' heavy footsteps.

He wasn't running, he knew he was faster than her, he didn't need to.

She knew she couldn't do anything about it. She couldn't stop and set him on fire as she had done with that newly risen vampire the night before.

She couldn't change history...she didn't even have time to.

She had just to run, ignoring the pounding of her heart against her chest and the fear, bitter and blinding that threatened to engulf her whole.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"Let the sand of the eternal sandglass flows as it has to...let the child flows it back with it..." Giles said.

~ She ran, faster and faster but Angelus was at her heels, a cruel smirk was playing on his lips.

He wanted to run to her, wanted to stop him, but knew he couldn't. Never had Eric hated his calling more. ~

"So mote it be" Giles said.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

The golden light was dazzling, but Willow didn't care, she could feel Angelus cold breath on her neck, she could feel the evil that permeated every cell of his being close, too close to her. She jumped in the golden whirlwind, letting the light burn her, welcoming it, actually.

She felt Angelus cold hand almost gripping her shoulder, but with a strength she didn't even suspected she had she pulled away.

She was coming home....at least.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"So mote it be" Eric echoed Giles' words.

 How had he studied on the Philomela spell, after Willow had left. It had been one of the few things he had written to his younger self in the letter he had given to Willow.

There was a loud, shrill noise, Giles' living room was lit by an intense, blinding golden light which forced them all to close their eyes. They all heard the glass of the bookcase shatter The air in the living room became still.

"Somebody help me, please!" Willow screamed.

They all opened their eyes. Willow was within the circle, her hair and her blue dress soaking wet, she was panting. Giles was immediately by her side, but Willow was already exiting the circle, and getting close to the couch.

She looked at Spike, taking in his burned face and hands. He wasn't moving, steams was starting to come out from his skin.

She fell on her knees and looked at Anya saying, "Please, tell me it's not too late"

The former demon shook her head. Willow sighed in relief, she uncapped the little bottle that hung on her chest saying, "Spike, please...open your eyes...open them for me..."

Spike didn't or couldn't hear her, Willow turned to look at Eric, the vampire nodded at her, and she instinctively knew what she had to do.

She leant toward him, and supported his head with her arm, "Drink it, Spike...please, love...I can't lose you again..."

Willow smiled when the blonde vampire lightly parted his lips open, ignoring the tears that filled her eyes and brought the little bottle near Spike's lips. Blood poured from it and Spike out of instinct began drinking from it.

Under their eyes Spike's skin began to heal, slowly at first, then quicker and quicker, it almost looked like that little silver bottle was absorbing all the poison and its terrible effects on Spike's body.

Willow grimaced when the bottle became too hot to bear, but didn't stop, Spike's eyes flew open and they locked gazes.

She smiled at him grazing his hair with her free hand, and leant out kissing his damp forehead

"You can let the bottle go...he's healed." Eric said.

Willow nodded and let the bottle drop on the floor, she felt Spike weakly raising his hand to brush some damp locks away from her face.

She tilted her head on a side leaning into his caress.

"I'm sorry" he whispered. He swallowed and repeated, "I'm so sorry...."

She smiled at him and shook her head, "It's over...it's the past...doesn't it matter now... rest I'll be here..."

Spike smiled at her and nodded, closing his eyes, she placed a kiss on his forehead.

Only then did Willow look around, noticing that Giles had disappeared and so had Anya.

"The Slayer has been hurt, they've gone to the ER"

"Is she going to be fine?" Willow asked, slowly getting on her feet, she bent and took the little bottle from the floor.

She got close to Eric and handed the bottle at him saying, "That's yours..."

Eric shook his head saying, "Keep it..."

Willow nodded, and shrugged, she looked down at her outfit for some seconds, then turned to look at Spike, who was resting, really resting for the first time for the last twenty four hours, she then turned to look at Eric and said, "There's something, I've wanted to do since 1880..."

Eric arched an eyebrow at her, "That would be?"

"Believe me, this is gonna hurt me more, but..." she stopped talking and surprised him, punching him in the face with all her might.

She turned when she heard Spike's weak chuckle, she steeled her shoulders and smiling said, "Thank you *so* much! "

~ She had gone. The golden light had swallowed her, and closed. Its wave had thrown Angelus back and he had fallen on the wet pavement.

Eric watched as the tall vampire slowly rose on his feet, in game face, a cold fury seeping through him.

"It's not over, little girl..." he hissed.

Eric smiled letting his face changing in his human visage and whispered, "Not at all..."~

A smile crept on Eric's lips while he rubbed his jaw.

Willow had come back to Spike, and was sitting on the floor next to him taking his hands in hers.

"You're very welcome..."

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

It was Xander who greeted Giles at the ER, he was sitting on a chair, his green shirt was stained with blood, and Giles instinctively knew it was Buffy's.

The young man stood up and got close to them saying, "She's fine, Mrs.Summers is with her..."

Giles let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding, he smiled at the dark-haired boy, and said, "Thank you, Xander"

"Did Eric kill Electra?" Xander asked, as Anya hugged him.

"She escaped...." Giles said looking around for a nurse or a doctor.

"Did Willow...?" Xander started.

"Yes...she cured Spike, they're both alright..." Anya reassured him.

"That Electra is hiding something...she didn't want to kill Buff...she told me" Xander said.

Giles nodded without looking at him, he got close to a nurse asking, "I'm looking for a Buffy Summers...can you tell me where she is?"

"Are you family?" the nurse, a young brown-haired woman asked.

"I'm her...fiancé" Giles said.

It was the truth. They hadn't ever said the words aloud, but both Buffy and he knew that they were going to stay together, no matter what.

The nurse cocked an eyebrow at him, but didn't comment, she just said, "She's with her mother ...room 1802"

Giles nodded at her, he turned toward Xander, who was hugging Anya, his face was buried in her shoulders. He smiled at his young friends and quickly headed toward the room.

He hesitated before entering. He hadn't seen Joyce since Buffy and he had got together and he knew Buffy's mother didn't know about the two of them.

He took a deep breath steeling himself and knocked at the door.

"C'mon in" Buffy's voice said.

He entered the room. Buffy was lying on the bed, a huge bruise on her face yet never had she looked more beautiful to him, as in that moment.

"Is everyone alright?" Buffy asked smiling at him.

He smiled back at her and nodded before saying, "I'm so sorry, Buffy...I wish I could..."

She shook her head and stretched a hand toward him. Giles glanced at Joyce who was looking at them open mouthed.

<We couldn't keep her in the dark forever...we should have told her sooner or later.>

He thought taking her hand in his. He sat next to her on the bed and asked, "How do you feel?"

"As if a crazy ho, had jabbed me in the face..." she replied grinning at him.

"What did the doctor tell you?" he asked.

"I haven't heard from them, yet. Electra didn't hurt me that much, I could have come back home, but they've insisted to keep me here..." Buffy explainedwith an irritated shake of her head. They knew how much Buffy hated hospitals.

Giles glanced at Joyce, she looked worried for her daughter and puzzled by the scene that was displaying under her eyes.

He was about to talk, when they heard someone knocking at the door, he exchanged a nervous glance with Joyce and had to clear his throat before saying, "Come in"

A middle-aged doctor came in, he wasn't very tall, he greeted them jovially and stopped in front of Buffy's bed saying, "Good evening, Buffy...I take you've had quite a night, uh?"

"You have no idea..." Buffy said under her breath.

The doctor smiled, as he checked her record, he closed it and said, "I think, we should talk alone...perhaps both your father and your mother should..."

"He's not my father and they both can stay..." Buffy stopped him, she crossed her arms over her chest and said, "I feel fine, why can't I go home?"

"We want to make sure you didn't get any concussion...especially in your condition"

"My what?" Buffy asked. She unconsciously sought Giles' hand and squeezed it, not too painfully, but with enough strength to make him start.

"What are you talking about, doctor?" Joyce asked, getting close to them.

The doctor briefly looked at them before, shifting his gaze on Buffy saying, "You're pregnant, Miss Summers. "

"Pregnant as in...I'm having a baby?" Buffy asked, looking owlishly at him. She shook her head and turned to look at Giles who had a matching owlishly expression on his face, "Rupert?"

"Yes luv?" he asked, his grip on her hand would have been painful on another person, but Buffy didn't even seem to notice it.

"We're pregnant..." she said, in her voice were evident mixed feelings, surprise, worry...and mostly happiness

"I heard that..." he murmured.

"But we've been careful..." she said.

"No methods are totally effective" the doctor said. He looked amused by them

"Gee...ya think?" Buffy deadpanned turning to look at him.

"W...wait a moment...you're pregnant...with Rupert's baby?" Joyce asked, almost shouting.

Both Buffy and Giles nodded at her, then Giles turned to look at Buffy and slowly asked, "We're having a baby?"

"Looks like..." Buffy said, her voice was nasal.

"How could you do this to her?" Joyce asked interrupting them.

The doctor looked at the three people, deciding it was probably a good idea to bail. He cleared his throat and said, "Ahem...we'll keep you under observation for the night, Miss. Summers, but there shouldn't be complications, you're a very strong woman..."

"Is my baby alright?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, it is...I'd suggest you to take it easy from now on...unless you want to consider the options..."

Buffy and Giles exchanged a glance. Both of them had given up the possibility to have children. None of them was prepared to that ...yet there weren't doubts in their eyes, they both wanted that baby. They smiled at each other, then Giles turned and said, "No options for our baby..."

The doctor nodded, nervously smiling at Giles. The former librarian hadn't even realized his voice had dropped and it had a slightly 'Ripperish' edge on  it.

"How could you do this to her?" Joyce asked again.

"Uh, mom? Slayer here, remember? He didn't exactly force me..."

"He's your Watcher!" Joyce exclaimed.

"And that's supposed to enter the picture, how?" Buffy asked.

"He should guide you, protect you...not taking you to bed..." Joyce exclaimed.

"Gee mom, thanks for the vote of confidence!" Buffy said through clenched teeth.

"Buffy..." Giles calmly said.

"No, Rupert...we're setting some ground rules here..." he turned toward her mother saying, "Mom, Rupert and I love each other, I didn't think I would have loved again...and since Slayers often don't even have the chance to fall in love, I consider myself pretty damn blessed... "

"But you're so young..." Joyce said in a small voice.

"Hello? Mom, I haven't been young for a long time! You know? Someone told me tonight I've been very lucky so far...well, for all we know there could be major luck shortage sooner or later... " she swallowed and continued in a nasal voice, "Please don't make me choose...I want this baby, and I want you to be the betest granma it could ever have, please mom..."

Joyce let out a sigh and whispered, "You're getting a bit too strong with guilt trips, honey..."

Buffy smiled at her and turned to look at Giles, there was a serious expression on his face, she raised a hand to touch his face and whispered, "Rupert? Did you change your ..."

He silenced her, by putting a finger on her lips and shook his head saying, "There won't be any ...how did you call it? 'Major luck shortage' no one will hurt our baby...I promise you, luv "

Buffy nodded and rested her head against his chest, while Giles slowly brushed her hair.

As she closed her eyes, lulled by her mother and her baby's father quiet whispers, she touched her belly.

~ I say this is the end, Electra, don't you agree? ~

A life was growing within her. A life she was going to protect, with all her might.

~ I don't Slayer...definitely not. ~

She buried her face in Giles' chest. She knew in her heart that the battle against Electra and the other threats the Hellmouth was going to threw at her, hadn't ended. Yet in Giles' arms she wasn't afraid.

Her thoughts went to her old friends...the Scooby Gang and her new friends...Spike and Eric.

Together, they were going to fight.

After all that's what families did.