Chapter 13. While you were sleeping.
Casting a look at her sleeping love, Willow gathered her clothes and dressed noiselessly.
William murmured in his sleep and cast an arm across the broad expanse of his chest. Willow would have given anything in that moment for a camera.
She placed the single sheet of paper next to him on the still warm pillow and left as silently as she had arrived.
William stretched his arm out to caress his love but encountered only air and cold sheets. He snapped his eyes open and bolted upright. It was not a dream, please don't be that cruel. It was not a dream. He half pleaded and half insisted.
Her scent still hung in the air, Strawberries and Vanilla and he breathed deeply, it hadn't been a dream.
William brushed his hand along the sheets and caught sight of the paper on the Pillow.
His eyes scanned the words, took in the tear tracks and before he could rationalise, he was dressed and running through the streets of London.
Miss Sophie was startled to see William, unkempt and panting at her front door as she went to leave.
"Mr Ashton!"
"F-forgive me, Lady Willow?" he panted
"The Princess had to go." Said a tearful voice from her skirts. Simon peered out from behind his sister. He had a red face meaning that he had spent hours crying, he held a silver trinket in his hands that William recalled Willow buying.
"Lady Willow and Lady Buffy took their leave a few hours ago; they were to meet their ship in Dover. They travelled an hour ago by post-"
Before she finished William bolted from the door and raced towards the horse hire.
"Ok this is as good as any place." Willow said as they entered the small cabin in the woods. They had taken the post carriage as far as the crossroads and then paid the driver to say they had travelled to Dover.
Taking only minimal luggage Buffy and Willow trekked through the forest until they came a crude wooden hut.
"We need to do the spell at midnight, get some rest." Willow's voice was flat
Buffy stared warily at her friend. The tone devoid of all feeling was so unusual for Willow that it frightened Buffy.
"Will?"
"Don't." her expression brooked no argument. Buffy nodded- when she'd had to send Angel to hell she had felt the same way. Any talk, any emotion, would send her spiralling into oblivion. Stoic determination covering a shattered soul. Of course that is what Willow had to do. Condemn the man that she loved to death.
Oh this was so beyond cookies.
William had raced like a man possessed to the Post hall and demanded to know the destination of the carriage that the two Ladies had purchased.
"They switched drivers to take 'em ta Dover." Came the course reply that spurred William back to his panting horse.
He rode until both he and the horse were shaking with exhaustion and dripping with sweat.
As he reached the port he handed the reins to the nearest stable hand and ran for anyone who could help him.
Willow sat in the dust and placed the sacred amulet within the sand circle.
"Ready?"
Buffy nodded sadly "As ever."
Willow closed her eyes and pushed back the pain
"Think you can concentrate on 2000 Sunnydale?" Buffy bit her lip and nodded.
"Tempus fugit," her soft voice was a far cry from the confident spellcaster of a few weeks ago "Rights aligned, return us to our own time, tempus temporis, our will is done, turn the clock and let us return. Praeteritus, Injuries righted, tempus fugit, return!" Willow turned in a clockwise circle and her whispered words were snatched by the wind as she smashed the vial on the floor "Time to time, Return!"
"Sir, the ship to the colonies?" William's eyes begged.
"There she blows." Said the Harbour Master and pointed to the horizon where the ship sailed to its home. "Sorry Sir."
Williams' eyes filled with tears and he sank to his knees.
The Harbour Master stared in pity at the broken man at his feet.
William's heart was broken and he neither felt nor cared about anything in his misery. Including the piece of the paper clutched in his hand fluttering in the breeze.
Dearest William
By the time you read this I will be gone, do not try to find me. Let the fates decide if we shall be, but never forget me as I shall never forget you.
Don't ever let anyone put you down, you are worth so much more than any of them and your dreams will someday help you reach the stars. Never believe that you are inferior, your heart is worth more than the earth. Your words have power, you are special and you will always be cherished.
In times of pain remember these words and never forget that I love you.
Yours Forever and for all of eternity
W.
The End.
Casting a look at her sleeping love, Willow gathered her clothes and dressed noiselessly.
William murmured in his sleep and cast an arm across the broad expanse of his chest. Willow would have given anything in that moment for a camera.
She placed the single sheet of paper next to him on the still warm pillow and left as silently as she had arrived.
William stretched his arm out to caress his love but encountered only air and cold sheets. He snapped his eyes open and bolted upright. It was not a dream, please don't be that cruel. It was not a dream. He half pleaded and half insisted.
Her scent still hung in the air, Strawberries and Vanilla and he breathed deeply, it hadn't been a dream.
William brushed his hand along the sheets and caught sight of the paper on the Pillow.
His eyes scanned the words, took in the tear tracks and before he could rationalise, he was dressed and running through the streets of London.
Miss Sophie was startled to see William, unkempt and panting at her front door as she went to leave.
"Mr Ashton!"
"F-forgive me, Lady Willow?" he panted
"The Princess had to go." Said a tearful voice from her skirts. Simon peered out from behind his sister. He had a red face meaning that he had spent hours crying, he held a silver trinket in his hands that William recalled Willow buying.
"Lady Willow and Lady Buffy took their leave a few hours ago; they were to meet their ship in Dover. They travelled an hour ago by post-"
Before she finished William bolted from the door and raced towards the horse hire.
"Ok this is as good as any place." Willow said as they entered the small cabin in the woods. They had taken the post carriage as far as the crossroads and then paid the driver to say they had travelled to Dover.
Taking only minimal luggage Buffy and Willow trekked through the forest until they came a crude wooden hut.
"We need to do the spell at midnight, get some rest." Willow's voice was flat
Buffy stared warily at her friend. The tone devoid of all feeling was so unusual for Willow that it frightened Buffy.
"Will?"
"Don't." her expression brooked no argument. Buffy nodded- when she'd had to send Angel to hell she had felt the same way. Any talk, any emotion, would send her spiralling into oblivion. Stoic determination covering a shattered soul. Of course that is what Willow had to do. Condemn the man that she loved to death.
Oh this was so beyond cookies.
William had raced like a man possessed to the Post hall and demanded to know the destination of the carriage that the two Ladies had purchased.
"They switched drivers to take 'em ta Dover." Came the course reply that spurred William back to his panting horse.
He rode until both he and the horse were shaking with exhaustion and dripping with sweat.
As he reached the port he handed the reins to the nearest stable hand and ran for anyone who could help him.
Willow sat in the dust and placed the sacred amulet within the sand circle.
"Ready?"
Buffy nodded sadly "As ever."
Willow closed her eyes and pushed back the pain
"Think you can concentrate on 2000 Sunnydale?" Buffy bit her lip and nodded.
"Tempus fugit," her soft voice was a far cry from the confident spellcaster of a few weeks ago "Rights aligned, return us to our own time, tempus temporis, our will is done, turn the clock and let us return. Praeteritus, Injuries righted, tempus fugit, return!" Willow turned in a clockwise circle and her whispered words were snatched by the wind as she smashed the vial on the floor "Time to time, Return!"
"Sir, the ship to the colonies?" William's eyes begged.
"There she blows." Said the Harbour Master and pointed to the horizon where the ship sailed to its home. "Sorry Sir."
Williams' eyes filled with tears and he sank to his knees.
The Harbour Master stared in pity at the broken man at his feet.
William's heart was broken and he neither felt nor cared about anything in his misery. Including the piece of the paper clutched in his hand fluttering in the breeze.
Dearest William
By the time you read this I will be gone, do not try to find me. Let the fates decide if we shall be, but never forget me as I shall never forget you.
Don't ever let anyone put you down, you are worth so much more than any of them and your dreams will someday help you reach the stars. Never believe that you are inferior, your heart is worth more than the earth. Your words have power, you are special and you will always be cherished.
In times of pain remember these words and never forget that I love you.
Yours Forever and for all of eternity
W.
The End.