Buffy: The Vampire Slayer Fanfiction

Rewind

***** This is a renewed chapter. I rewrote this one, for those who have already read it. I realized that being up and writing at 4 in the morning affected the story. I reread it and found that it was chaotic and even I struggled to follow it. Plus there was so many mistakes and it wasn't very well planned. But now I'm organized and will make sure to actually reread before publishing. Sorry for any confusion and thank you for reading. *****

S1E2: The Harvest

"Willow," Xander breathed, barging through the library doors after running most of the way from the Bronze. The urgency he had heard in Buffy's voice had him so worried about the well-being of his best friend.

"Shhh!" Giles came out from behind a bookshelf carrying a leather book with a strange symbol on it. He nodded his head toward a table where Willow was sitting with her head in her arms. Her hair was over her shoulder, revealing her pale face that was still glistening with tears from her meltdown.

"Oh Will," Xander shook his head slowly, not understanding what happened with her. He turned to the librarian. "Buffy sent me. What happen?"

"What did she tell you?" Giles asks, walking towards the young man. He didn't want to say anything that could potentially mess something up. It was bad enough Buffy and Willow have future knowledge and that he was aware of this phenomenon.

"She just said Willow needed me. Why? What happened to her?" Xander looked over at the girl, then moved closer to the table. "Are those…" Xander's fists clenched and he turned on Giles. "Who did this to her!" He hissed quietly. On Willow's face were long, red claw marks stretching from her cheekbones, down her cheek, and even some on her neck. Some were simply pale and puffy, others were bright red and one or two had dry blood. Willow's face, even in her slumber, was pained. Her eyes were squeezed tight, eyebrows furrowed, and lips slightly apart and trembling as if she was currently stuck in a nightmare.

"She did it to herself,"

Xander relaxes his fists in confusion. His Willow wasn't like this. It was only yesterday that she was carefree and happy. Well, as carefree as Willow can be. Xander has seen her upset hundreds of times over the last ten years, but she was just a crier. She'd cry on his shoulder or he's walked in on her crying alone in her room. She never hurt herself.

On the way to the library with Giles, Willow was seemingly calm. She fidgeted with her fingers and wouldn't look up from her lap, but she was taking deep breaths and controlling herself. But as time went by at the library, she freaked out. Giles had made her tea and sat her down at a table before going to research The Harvest, then he heard shattering. Then Willow was crying and when he ran to her she was clawing herself.

Giles acted quickly and grabbed some herbs from his stash that had magical components that would calm someone down. He mixed more tea and had to practically force it down Willow's throat. He held her down until it kicked in and she started to get tired. He led her to the table and she fell asleep.

He explained this all to Xander, but the boy was still refusing to believe it. He didn't want it to be true. This wasn't his Willow.

"Buffy,"

Xander and Giles looked over at the redhead. Her head turned in her arms as she mumbled the blonde's name.

"Buffy,"

Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

"Cordelia!" Willow sat up and an unexpected force was released from inside her. It threw Xander and Giles off their feet. "Ah!" Willow cringed, her entire body filling with a powerful pressure. Papers and books began to fly around the library in a tornado. "Ah!" Willow gasped and slammed her hands on the table as she felt her blood boiling and body tensing. Her eyes filled with pained tears. She felt an intense force building up from her hands and it traveled to her head. "Ahhhh!" She stands swiftly, knocking the chair over behind her.

"Willow!" Xander gasps. There's a tornado of books and papers and Willow was right in the middle of it, long hair flying all over the place. His eyes widened as his friend's appearance began to change. "Will…"

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Willow screams, high–pitched and shrill. Xander and Giles are forced to the ground, covering their ears and gritting their teeth. Willow's roots began to darken.

Willow's green eyes morph, becoming as black as her pupils. She can feel her glorious, black veins return upon her face and she grins. The powerful wind around her died down.

Xander sits up unsteadily, staring at this strange young woman. She looked like Willow. Same skinny body and long hair. Same childlike dress with brown cardigan her mom picked out. But this wasn't Willow. She no longer looked harmless.

This dark, evil Willow looked over her shoulder and at the terror in the innocent boy's eyes. She laughs. "Wipe that pathetic look off your face," Dark Willow's deeper voice speaks, piercing through the air and sending chills down his spine. "It's truly hard to believe how Willow loved you so much. You were always the weakest one,"

"W – Will…"

"Not quite," Willow laughed.

Help! Get off me!

Dark Willow sighs, looking up and out the library windows at the night sky. "I suppose this could be fun," She smiles, looks back at Xander, then disappears in a gust of wind and lightning.

"No! Get off me!" Cordelia screamed, kicking at the ground and trying to pull away from the vampires dragging her through the cemetery. For the first time in her life, she was genuinely terrified. "Help! Someone, please!"

"Oh shut up, girl," One of The Master's male minions growled, the complaining becoming an irritation.

There were four bloodsuckers that circled Cordelia and Jesse. They were no match and easily subdued the humans. Now they were dragging them by their arms toward their master.

"Can't we just take a bite?" One vampire snarled, clutching Cordelia's arm tighter than needed. "That Darla bitch got to taste the boy,"

"Yeah, but the master will be angry about him,"

The vampires halted when lightning struck in front of them, making the two in front let go of the unconscious Jesse. "Woah,"

One vamp, large and cocky, smiled at seeing an adolescent girl appear before them. She was tiny and young, but she had onyx eyes with a cold stare and amused lips that curled into a dangerous smirk.

Dark Willow's heart pounded in anticipation. She's been dormant for far too long. "Hello," She greeted the bloodsucking demons. She wanted to toy with them before destroying their soulless bodies. Making people, even monsters such as them, fear her gave her thrills.

"Mmm, a witch," The cocky vamp stepped forward, licking his pale lips and vamping out. "Scared?"

Willow laughed at his bumpy face and sharp yellowing teeth as he bared them. "Not in the slightest,"

Cordelia's captors release her and she twists around to see what happened that made them stop all of a sudden. For a second, the Queen Bee considered that her eyes were mistaken. She was seeing things because it was night and she was near traumatized. But… She looked like meek and geeky Willow.

"Willow?" Cordelia breathed out.

Willow looked down at Cordelia and smiled. "Hello, Cordy," She leered at the pretty cheerleader, feeling satisfied that the girl was pale with fear. The Queen of Mean was now below her, and Dark Willow was a thousand times more mean and powerful. Unlike sweet and innocent Willow with reddish hair and sad eyes… That Willow was weak. "What do you think of my upgrade?" The witch teased, hand on her hip.

Willow was no longer wearing her geeky school dress and cardigan. Instead, her entire outfit was black. A black jacket over a black shirt, along with black pants and black boots. Her skin was very pale and her face had black veins along the sides.

"We don't have time for this," The other vampire that had Jesse charged at her, roaring.

"Bye now," Willow waved a hand, instantly making him combust into flames. He screamed in pain before becoming dust.

Cordelia gasped. To her, Willow had just set fire to a man. A human man. A bad man, but human. She didn't know whether to be thankful or terrified.

Willow grins at the other three. "Who's next?"

"You witch!" The cocky one lunged at her.

Willow scoffed. "You idiot," She threw a hand up, this time just sending a telekinetic force to toss him in the air. He slammed hard into a grave stone a small distance away. She yawned. "Bored now," With both hands held up, she focused on the demons. "Ignis,"

"Ahh!" All at once, the remaining three vampires lit on fire and exploded into nothing but ash.

Cordelia looked around, completely shaken. Then men were gone, but what Willow did to them. What has she done to them...?

Willow chuckled at her. "Now now, Cordy. The bad boys are gone," Willow crept toward her. Cordelia breathed and shined a twitchy smile up at the black-haired girl. She stood up unsteadily. Dark Willow's negative energy was too intense. Even Cordelia, a human, could feel the impending danger. "Awe… It's sweet how cowardly you are," Willow's voice deepened towards the end. "All for me?"

"W – What?" The brunette kept staring at the black veins on the girl's face and the deadly eyes that stared back at her. Willow started toward the trembling girl. That's when Cordelia's brain began to work again and she realized… She bullied Willow. For so many years she was the butt of her jokes. "Willow. Willow, I'm so sorry for everything I've ever said to hurt you," She started backing away from the witch.

Willow chuckled. "Softer side of Sears, Willow. Can never get a boy, Willow," She begins to stalk toward her, taunting her. "Why do you look like a wet dog, Willow," Her voice deepens as anger settles in.

"Willow, please," Cordelia swiftly turned and ran, but Willow was ready. She teleported into a storm and right in front of the Queen Bitch.

Willow's hand strikes forward and clutches her around the neck. She laughed at Cordelia's eyes instantly growing wide, a deeper fear settling into her as she realizes, quite possibly, she was about to die. "You've been such a pain in Willow's ass,"

Just then, Buffy catches up to them. She arrives at Jesse's unconscious body and sees the small piles of dust before looking up to see something she had hoped to never see again… Evil Willow.

"Willow!" She screams, running toward the black veined witch. "Let her go!"

Willow looks over Cordelia's shoulder, smirking. "Hello Buffy," She speaks, a scary echo in her voice. "I've missed you,"

Buffy stops a few feet away to assess the situation. This was Dark Willow. The only being she had never been able to defeat. She's faced multiple apocalypses, many demons ranging in difficulty. But this one, an extremely powerful witch and her best friend, was her biggest challenge.

"Willow, I know you're still in there. Fight her!" Buffy commanded.

Willow snorted. "Willow's sleeping now. Can I take a message?"

Buffy took a step forward. "Let Cordelia go, and we can settle this by ourselves. Me, and you,"

The witch only laughed. "Relax, Buffer. I'm not here to hurt anyone. I just wanted to play,"

She releases Cordelia and she gasps for air. She stumbles backward, toward Buffy.

"Cordelia, get Jesse and leave,"

Cordelia initially wanted to just run, but there was something about reaching the highest point of fear that made her do as she was told. She ran to Jesse, who appeared to be waking up.

"Funny, isn't it?" Dark Willow smiles at Buffy, slowly pacing, starting to circle the blonde slayer.

"I find it hard to see the funny,"

"Ha ha, Buffy. C'mon, just laugh a little. You're back here, at the start of it all. At the beginning of the Willow you knew. But everything's different, isn't it?" She stops. She's closer now. A little more than an arm's length away. "This Willow is broken. She's in pieces, Buffy," She leans forward. "Wanna know why?"

Buffy narrows her eyes at the witch.

"Because she's lost. A part of her is missing and I'm the only one keeping her sane,"

"Sane," Buffy scoffs. "You call what she went through sane?"

"Sane enough to keep her alive. She was losing it. I kept her from killing people, Buffy," She pouted innocently. "You should be thanking me,"

Buffy rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. "You're the murderer here. Not her,"

She gets into Buffy's personal space, only a breath away. "You're right about one thing, Buffy. She's not a murderer," She licks her lips, eyes moving over Buffy's face. "But on our little trip here, she lost a part of herself,"

"What?"

"The vortex. Whatever it was that brought us back here. It had separated our souls from our bodies and as they traveled here, before being thrown into our old selves, some part of Angel Willow was lost,"

"What do mean? What part?"

Willow sighed, rolling her neck in boredom. "I guess it's true what they say about blondes,"

"Cut the crap!" Buffy growled. "Why are you even telling me this? I do know this side of you. I've fought you,"

"And you lost," Willow sighs blissfully, laughing a little as if she were high. She was, really. Dark Willow could feel her dark magicks fueling her. But another kind of magicks was also affecting her. Preventing her from completely taking over.

"Why would you want to help Willow? I would of thought you'd want her gone," Buffy's frown deepened when Dark Willow slowed to a stop in her circling. She lost her amused smile, and now looked worrisome. She faced Buffy with a serious look.

"Normally, yes. I would. But this is different. I need her right now,"

"I just realized this is the most normal conversation I've had with you. Last time you were… pure evil. And now… you're not,"

Willow clenches her fists and bites her tongue. "Well, I had lost the love of my life,"

Buffy looks down at Willow's hands. She scrutinizes the witch. She could see the irritation and fury, but she was holding it back. This wasn't like the evil Willow she faced before. The one she was meant to face in six years.

She looks up to meet Dark Willow's onyx eyes, and was shocked to see her Willow's vulnerability. "Oh. My. God,"

"Willow is not the only one missing a piece of her," She looked away from Buffy with furrowed eyebrows and angry scowl aimed at the ground. "I was bloodthirsty before we were sucked into that vortex. I enjoyed any pain I caused. But then Willow got control of herself and I was locked away,"

"I feel like I'm in an episode of 'The Twilight Zone,'"

Dark Willow snaps her attention back to Buffy, her onyx irises getting larger as her anger thickens. "You think this is funny!" She yells at her. "The old me would have gotten off on taking you down. I would have loved watching your face as I drained the life out of you! Instead of toying with that Queen Bitch, I would have snapped her neck the moment you intervened!" She stalked forward, getting right in her face. "Willow and I were separate, Buffy. I was pure evil. Her darkest sides. The addictive vindictive, I would say. Will… She is good. Yes, she was lost at times and made vengeful decisions, but in the end she would give her life for yours. Or Xander's. When you died, she immediately changed her life to take care of Dawn. It made me sick,"

Willow… Buffy's stance had slowly become less defensive. She could feel this Willow wasn't trying to pull something. She could see it in her eyes. Her eyes held more feeling than their first meeting. She wasn't being fueled by anger or revenge. Dark Willow was just as lost as she was.

"Buffy. If we don't figure out how to fix this, your Willow, and me Willow, will become one person entirely. We will be someone completely different. You will lose both of us,"

"Giles!" Buffy pushed through the library doors, then stopped. The library was trashed. Books lying around, papers a scattered mess. Even random supplies spewed all over. "Uh…"

Willow walked in after her, all casual like. She smirked and spoke into Buffy's ear. "I got a little excited," She chuckled, amused with herself.

Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Miss Summers?" Giles exited his office cleaning his glasses. He looked startled, and even hesitated at seeing Willow in all her dark veined glory. "M – Miss Rosenberg…"

"Don't worry Rupert. I'm a 'good evil Willow,'" Willow mocked herself, laughing at the insanity.

"Uhh, B – Buffy? What's happening?"

"Where's Xander?"

"He's gone to Willow's house. To see if she ended up there,"

Willow scoffs. "Silly Xander. What powerful witch would go home to Mommy?"

"He doesn't know you're a witch,"

"I'm well aware of that. In fact, he doesn't even know vampires exist yet, correct?" She wandered around the library as she speaks, reminiscing. "Instead of him going to save me with you, he was here taking care of me," She has to laugh at that. "By the way, Rupert. You did a great job at that,"

"I – Well I wasn't expecting what had happened,"

"You know, me and you in about six years–"

"No! Willow," Buffy scolded the witch. "The less he knows about the future the better,"

Willow rolls her eyes. "The future's already fucked,"

"No. It's not," Buffy said firmly.

Willow pulls out a seat and sits at the table, giving Buffy a mockingly serious look. "Did you forget about Jesse?"

Shit. She did forget. Buffy wasn't about to let her know that, though. So she crossed her arms and answered smugly. "No. I didn't forget. He is currently… at the hospital. Getting treated…"

"Oh come on, Buff. I thought you were a better liar than this,"

"Well – Well, you thought wrong,"

She chuckles. "Cute," She taps her fingernails on the table. "Jesse was supposed to die. So what happens now?"

The slayer shrugs nonchalantly. "He lives. Until he doesn't,"

"Buffy, he needs to die," Willow is no longer amused. She's sitting across from Buffy, staring up at her with such a seriousness that one would think she was teaching a lesson. And maybe she was.

"One boy won't change much,"

"Are you joking?"

"No," Buffy sat down across from her. "I refuse to let people die if I can help it,"

"Fine. Just know, I am willing to kill whoever I have to to get back to Tara,"

"Hmf, evil witch with a heart,"

"Even evil can love… It's just a different type of love,"

"Did you really love Tara? Or was it because Willow, my Willow loved her and you fed on it,"

Dark Willow narrowed her eyes at Buffy, her onyx irises spreading all over her whites. "Did you really love those dead ones, or are you just a masochist whore?"

Buffy couldn't help the sting in her heart from hearing those words coming from her best friend's mouth.

"Awe, did I hurt the slayer's feelings?"

"Shut up and bring back Willow,"

"Nope. Not until we research. Plus, I have no control over when she'll be awaken again,"

"Research?" Giles perks up at the sound. So far his presence has been ignored and he was eager to be useful.

"What are we researching?" Buffy asked.

"Vortexes… Rituals… Spells and voodoo. Spirits and souls… Anything that could possibly connect to what happened to us,"

"Yes, let's begin," Giles swiftly goes around the library grabbing specific books that could give them a lead.

"Do you remember how we got here? Or is that a dumb question because you're Willow and Willow remembers,"

"I remember way more than Willow,"

"How much more?"

"What's the last thing you remember?"
"Sunnydale being destroyed. We made it to safety, then I woke up in my room,"

"The last I remember was 'normal' Willow waking up in Kennedy's arms in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil," She suddenly gets a wistful look and smiles. "Damn. Kennedy had worked us go–"

"Ahh – ehh – noo!" Buffy covered her ears. "Too much, too much!"

She chuckles. "Does the thought turn you on?"

"Stop it!" Buffy shakes her head, blushing. She can't help but laugh though because this was Willow. Even if not entirely her Willow, it was still kind of funny. "What you did with your girlfriend is your business,"

"We did a lot of things,"

"Will," Buffy warned.

"A lot of fingers…"

"Oh my God,"

"Uh, girls?" Giles spoke up, rubbing his forehead. "I think we have more pressing matters at the moment," He drops a pile of books between them.

"The Harvest," Dark Willow said, seeing one of the books Giles used for research last time.

"Yes, well… I just thought it would be wise to be prepared for what's to come,"

"Demons walked the Earth for eons… Made it their Hell… Lost their reality… Made way for mortal animals, then man… All that remains of the old ones are magicks and certain creatures…"

"Pardon?"

"Let's move on," Willow waved a hand of dismissal. "We already know what to do,"

"I've been researching this Harvest affair," Giles ignored the witch. "It seems to be some sort of preordained massacre. Rivers of blood, Hell on Earth, quite charmless. I'm a bit fuzzy, however, on the details,"

"Buffy, remember this?" Dark Willow was beginning to get annoyed with the librarian. "Last time, they had Jesse so you went to save him. But now that he's not there, there's no one to save,"

"Unless they kidnapped another person. Like Cordelia was lured instead of you,"

"Maybe Xander,"

Buffy sat up straight at the suggestion. "Go check on him,"

"What!" Willow scoffed. "This isn't going to happen like before, Buff. I'm not your loyal puppy Willow, following your every move,"

"That's not what – God, Willow. Please. He's your friend too! And you teleporting would be a lot faster. Plus, you have that sensing thing,"

Willow crossed her arms, black eyes staring hard into the green–eyed ones across from her.

I love you, Will.

Dark Willow hated this. She was finally free from Willow's cautious cage and now she couldn't even go have fun because her thoughts were clouded by good. She had always loved Tara. Tara was there during her dark creation. She was the reason for her release. She fell in love with her just as Willow had. Then she met Kennedy, the woman who started to help Willow's heart heal a little at a time, but Dark Willow didn't care about Kennedy. The sex was great, but she realized her dark heart only loved Tara. Good Willow was on her way to loving Kennedy, but just as they were getting closer they were sent back in time. And now. She can't help but look back and see goofy Xander trying to save her by telling her he loved her. For a brief moment, he had warmed her icy heart. For a very, very, brief moment. But it was enough to save Willow and the world because the watcher had tricked her into having humanity.

"Fine, but he isn't my friend," She relented and disappeared in a flash of storm.

"Mrs. Rosenberg, is Willow here?" Xander asked Willow's mom, out of breath from running the long distance from the library. Well running then briskly walking after he got tired.

"No. She said something about going to – uh – Bronze?"

"I – I know. She was there but…" Xander shook his head, trying to consider what to say, Oh Willow just turned into something very much resembling evil and disappeared into flashy lightning sporting a Gothic look. Yeah, cause that's not questionable. "Uh, okay. Thank you, Mrs. R,"

Xander scurried off, mind racing. Willow's a – a – a what? A witch? He wasn't one for actually believing in stuff like that but what else could it possibly be. If it's a prank it's a very elaborate one. With flashy lights and a fan that creates tornados. And a trap door. How else would Willow just disappear?"

One thing that stood out was the timing. Buffy just happens to start at this school and just so happens to be concerned about Willow before running off in the opposite direction from him.

Lightning strikes right in front of him and he yelps, jumping back quickly and tripping over himself in the process, landing on his butt. Hovering over him is a bored looking, black haired, veiny Willow. Staring into her eyes, the onyx color scaring him. He squeaks, "W – Willow?"

She shows a faint smile. "This might be a woozy ride for you," She waves a hand and they both flash away.

"Ahh!" Xander and Willow appear instantaneously into the library. He's unstable and flops down onto the floor as he fights off the shaky dizziness he usually gets on carnival rides.

"Hheey, Xander," Buffy smiles hesitantly. He has to believe in magic now. It's the vampires he'll have to meet first.

"B – Buffy!" He unsteadily gets to his feet and points and accusing finger at her. "What did you do!" Xander's not a threatening guy, but he could still make his words forceful. He can be serious… Sometimes.

"What? Me do?" Buffy shook her head. "This is all on her," She points to the dark Wicca.

Xander ogles the former redhead. Her new dark look was kind of sexy, he had to admit. But this was Willow. She was meant to where geeky schoolgirl clothes that were average at best, not this dark look that was kind of badass but scary. And those veins…

"Stop staring, Xan," Willow frowns at him.

"W – W – Will…"

Dark Willow rolls her eyes. "Yes, Xander,"

"B – But why? I mean. How?" His gaze snaps to Buffy. "What the heck is going on? First you show up in Sunnydale, then you say she needs me, and now – look!" He motions to the witch, waving a hand up and down at her new look.

"Listen, Xander. I know this will be hard to believe, but–"

"We're from the future,"

"Heh?"

"Nice job easing into it, Will," Buffy glares.

She just shrugs.

"You're right. I don't believe it,"

Buffy takes over, shooting a look at Willow to keep her quiet. Of course, she only rolls her eyes with her casual smirk. "We are from seven years into the future. We were sent back by some unknown force and now inhabit our sophomore bodies, but our souls are still from the future,"

He laughs uneasily. "Yeah… Me too. I met the president, she's wonderful,"

"We're seri – are you mocking women?"

Xander frowns and tenses. "No,"

"You were being sarcastic, I can tell,"

"Buffy," Giles cuts in, knowing the topic was being lost. He walked over to the group. "Xander, this is really happening,"

"Okay, tell me something about the future,"

"That wouldn't prove anything," Willow states, crossing her arms. "We can't say anything more," She looks up at Buffy to discuss a plan for their situation. How they should precede. "I think we should follow the script from our past. Do everything as it was to get to where we were,"

Xander, who's standing beside Giles, turns to the middle-aged man. "Is it just me, or was that sentence not making sense?"

"It's debatable,"

"That's kind of impossible, isn't it?" Buffy said. "How much can you remember, actually? Also, I will not let people die. Not again,"

"I was born from Willow's subconscious, so I remember quite a bit more than she does. And I just meant event wise, among other things I'd like to talk to you about without alerting the Dweeb King and Book Master,"

"What?"

She turns to Xander with a raised eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Okay, I'm not insane, right?" He directs the question at the librarian. "'Born from Willow's subconscious'?"

"Uhm, yes. Apparently Miss Rosenberg, in the future, becomes–"

"What are you doing?" Dark Willow scrutinizes Giles with a scolding look.

He looks caught off guard. "I – Well I was just explaining–"

"Are either of you even taking this seriously?" She glares between the watcher and slayer. "We. Can't. Say. Anything. More,"

"Will, he's one of us," Willow scoffs at this. "He can help,"

"Ha! That's a laugh," She looks the boy up and down. "He had his moments, but let's face it. It was always me and you with the power. Even geeky Willow from high school was more helpful,"

"Will, stop it,"

"It's true and you know it. Look. On occasion he was very helpful, but this is different. Anything we tell him about the future could change it. We're not even sure if my body and soul are settled. Whatever actions we take now could change are personalities and inevitably change us in the future. What if, in this body, if Willow stays away from dark magic… I cease to exist?"

"And that would be bad?"

Dark Willow frowns. It hurt her, it really did. Which sucked because she wasn't meant to have those feelings, but there you have it. Dark, evilly inclined, Willow has feelings like any normal mortal. She should have known, though. Should have seen it coming. Buffy saw her murder a man. Not just murdered. She stripped him of his skin. Then she went after the others and was okay with trying to kill her. And even Dawnie. And oh… Giles. She had fun with that magic-induced man. It was a challenge and she fell into his magic drug trap. She had to give him props for that. She almost, single handedly, succeeded in destroying the world. It didn't surprise her that Buffy wasn't her biggest fan.

"Willow?"

She shot Buffy at hateful look and vanished into her storm, leaving behind even heavier lightning.

She went home, teleporting inside her bedroom. She didn't really feel like being anywhere else, plus she was getting tired. It was nearing three in the morning and it's been a long day. She fell onto her bed, relaxing into her pillow and not bothering with the covers. She sighed and closed her eyes, letting sleep take over.

As her mind became at ease, her hair started to fade away from the darkness. The black veins receded back into her and her skin returned back to the slightly less paler color she was used to. She cuddled deeper into her pillow peacefully as her red hair returned.

"Willow?" Buffy flinched when Willow shot her a hateful look. Then the witch went up in a storm, flashing away. Buffy had to bounce back from the lightning. That was… Buffy shook her head, confused. And guilty. She didn't mean to hurt the evil Willow. She didn't even know she could. She thought Dark Willow was heartless. Well not entirely because of Tara, but still. She expected a snarky comment in return, not a literal storm out.

"I think you hurt her feelings," Xander commented.

She sighed, turning to him. "I honestly didn't know she had feelings,"

"I'm not saying I fully believe you two," Xander strolls over and sits in the seat beside Buffy. "But I understand why Willow might not want me to know too much. Can you at least tell me if I'm happy?"

She smiles. "You're with friends. With us, so yeah. You're happy,"

"Sooo…" He leans back in the chair and kicks his feet up on the table. "You and I get pretty close?"

"We're best friends, nothing more,"

He pouts.

"Shit!" Buffy suddenly gasps and stands up, knocking the chair over and staring at the analog clock on the wall. "My mom's going to kill me!" She grabbed her things and started hurrying out. She turned just before leaving to speak to Giles. "Can you tell him about me? And Vampires? The slayer? Those topics are all safe. In fact, you don't know about the future so you probably don't have to worry as much. See you tomorrow,"

Buffy runs out at full slayer speed. She knew her mom would be worried sick, but it also made her kind of happy. Her mom was alive. She had five more years with her. Granted, less if they figure out how to get back.

"What!"

Deep in the sewers where The Master was residing in his lair, in the remains of a church, multiple vampires bowed down to him. They were tense. Fearful of his wrath.

The front vampire, the spokesman for the others named Wyatt, spoke again to his Master. "The offerings got away,"

"How?" The Master asked from his throne, glaring down at the undead man. "How many offerings were there? I was told there were two. Two human offerings. Children, even. Was I not told they were two, young and naïve children?"

"No Master. I mean!" The vamp tensed. "Yes Master, you're not mistaken. But there was an attack,"

"An attack?"

"Yes. We have a witness. He was watching from afar,"

"Where is this witness?"

The leader vamp rose and nodded to one of his fellow minions. He nodded back and went out into the tunnel and returned pushing forth a lower vampire, a young one in age. One far less experienced, and even terrified of his own kind.

"What's your name?"

"V – Vince,"

"Vince," The Master stood, approaching the newly sired. "Tell me what you saw,"

Vince nodded, though looking at The Master gave him chills. His face was a pale green and permanently deformed to be that of a vampire. This one was no longer capable of human form, making him even more terrifying.

"There – There was a – a uh… Witch,"

The Master laughs. "A witch? What witch?"

"I – I don't know. She – She was evil, M – Master. She lit them on fire. Threw one through the air with her mind. She – She came in a flash of lightning baring black veins on her face,"

"So she's aligned with good, then. If she killed my minions and saved my offerings. But black veins… Hmm… Sounds delightfully evil,"

"I don't know. She… I watched her threaten the girl. She knew her and was not happy with how the girl treated her. She nearly choked her to death before another came,"

"Another witch?"

"No. I don't think so. I – I saw her before. In the mausoleum. I was passing by when she came and staked two vampires,"

"Darla and Thomas," Wyatt acknowledged. "We think she also slayed Luke,"

"Hmph," The Master turned away and sat back in his thrown. "What a shame. Darla was my favorite, for four hundred years,"

"Master. How is it a girl was able to kill three of our kind?"

"I can only think of one girl capable," He glared at his own thoughts. "A slayer,"

"For as long as there have been vampires, there's been the Slayer. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One,"

Buffy's a chosen one.

Xander laid in his bed, awake, since he got home at four-thirty in the morning. It was now nearing seven and about time for him to meet up with the slayer in the library. It was really late last night so Giles gave him a quick lesson on what they were all up against. Xander tried getting more info on what was with Willow, but he stuck to his guns and kept quiet.

"A slayer," Xander folded his arms behind his head and stretched. "A freaking vampire slayer," He laughed to himself. A very strong part of him kept thinking how this was just some prank. Willow and Buffy are just trying to get him to buy into this, then they'll just laugh and say, "I can't believe you fell for it! Seriously? Vampires?"

Willow. She was evil? How? When? The girls didn't need to actually tell him what was happening for him to guess. He may be slow sometimes, but he wasn't stupid.

"I'm not useless," He huffed, thinking about what Willow said. He had heard her. Willow thinks of him as weak, and it hurt his feelings. "How can she say that about me?" Even if she might be evil, this was Willow. Did that mean deep down, Willow thought the same thing?

Buffy took a deep breath, standing at Willow's doorstep early this morning. Dark Willow was mad at her, and the thought felt strange to Buffy. This was Dark Willow. Merciless, murderous, conniving Dark Willow.

No.

She sighed. She couldn't keep thinking that. Willow, her Willow, was grieving back then and acted out. She let this dark Willow out for revenge. But it wasn't that simple. Good Willow wasn't the only one grieving. Dark Willow had even said that she loved Tara. This Willow may be bad and have bad ways of thinking, but Buffy doesn't think she's actually evil anymore. Even if it's just while both of Willow's souls are joining.

Now she has to apologize to her.

She lifted a finger to ring the doorbell, but the door was pulled open instead.

"Willow!" She gasped, eyes wide at the timing.

Willow froze in surprise, then smiled at the blonde. "Buffy!" She practically jumped out of her house and into Buffy's arms.

"You're – You're you!" Buffy smiled.

Willow pulled away and stepped back, letting Buffy gleefully play with her not black hair. "What happened last night, Buffy?" She was frowning now, brow creased in worry and confusion.

Buffy frowned. "You mean, you don't remember?"

She shook her head. "The last I remember was being taken to the library by Giles. Then I blacked out,"

"Blacked out is a good way to put it," Buffy mumbled to herself.

"Huh?"

"You remember nothing else?"

"No. I just woke up this morning wear… ing…" Willow's face slowly fell in realization. Besides Halloween and the need for a disguise… She wouldn't wear such dark clothes. Not unless she was Big Bad Willow. "Buffy… Please tell me I didn't…"

Buffy rubbed her arm. "Don't worry, no one was hurt,"

Willow sighed in relief. "Oh good,"

"Scared the crap out of Cordelia though,"

"What?"

"C'mon, I'll explain on the way to school,"

"Oh Willow, thank God!"

Buffy and Willow got to school and head straight to the library where they were pleased to see Xander waiting with Giles.

"It was a prank!" He embraced Willow, ruffling up her hair while he was at it. She slapped him away with a playful glare. He was so happy to see her de-veined and red-haired and not evil. "I gotta say, you girls are good with the pranking. How'd you manage a tornado? And that disappearing act?" He laughed, putting a friendly arm around each of their shoulders.

"Sorry Xander. It was real," Buffy walked away and the group sat around at the table, Giles standing not far away as he looked through another book.

Xander folded his hands in front of him. "Say what now?" He looked between the girls.

Willow shrugged sheepishly. "I was… Uhm, not myself. I hope I didn't do anything to hurt you," Buffy had told her about the major events of last night. Her turning evil, killing the vampires who targeted Cordelia before she threatened the girl herself, then the biggest shock… Her counterpart, Dark Willow. Until then, she always thought that evil side of her was just that. A side. She had no idea she was an entire person inside of her. With her own thoughts and feelings. It's… scary. And completely different from when she went on a rampage and killed Warren. She doesn't know if she's grateful to not have memories this time, or horrified.

"Nah," Xander waved a dismissive hand and pulled her into a side hug. "It's all good,"

"Are – Are you sure? Because if I said anything hurtful I'm sorry. I know I probably did. Evil Willow… Well. Well she's kind of a bitch,"

"Will," Buffy got her attention. "Whatever that Willow does… It's not your fault. After last night it became clear that she is completely separate from you. Plus, she's not evil anymore,"

"What do you mean by that? I remember her, you know. How she made me feel," She laughs to herself. "Even calling her she and not me… It just feels wrong and just… Confusing,"

"I know. But this time it's different,"

"How? Even now I can feel her hate. Like she's just waiting to be free again,"

"You're… Uhm…" Buffy hummed to herself, biting her tongue. She didn't want to scare Willow by telling her what the other Willow told her. That she was… They were… Merging. Not yet, at least. "You're influencing her, Will,"

"Huh?"

"While she took over, she could feel your love. You cared about us, so she helped us. When I was worried that us saving Jesse may have made Xander get captured, she went to get him," She reached over and held her hand supportively. "She's okay. I don't think she'll hurt anyone,"

"Please don't sound like she'll come back," Willow sighed. It definitely sounded like Buffy expected her evil side to come back out. Like if it happened, they'd just go with it.

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know. It's just kind of frightening," Willow questioned.

"I mean, before. You were really messed up, Will. It scared the crap out of me,"

"Oh," Honestly, Willow had forgotten about her melt downs yesterday. "Y – Yes. I feel better. Much better, thank you," She laughed, but it came out in quiet huffs as she smiled reassuringly.

"Really,"

She nodded. "Yeah. It was like the buildup of anxiety was actually my dark side – er – I mean, her trying to break out. I didn't know it, but I was fighting her. A – Actually… I kind of forgot about her,"

"You did?"

"Yeah. I remember constantly keeping her in mind, after Tara's death and the you-know-what scary event we all went through, I kind of made sure to focus on not giving into her power,"

"Well you're stronger than you think. Don't worry about her, Will. Okay? We'll figure out a way to stop her so you can just be you,"

Willow nods, thinking about how relieved that would make her. It felt so weird having two of her inside. One good, one bad. But Buffy said not to worry and she trusted Buffy's judgement. No matter what happens from now on, they'll be okay.

"Soo…" Xander cut in. "Uhm, who's Tara?"

Willow turns to him with a joyful look but knew she couldn't get into who her beautiful lover in the future was… or is. For a brief second she frowned at the thought of where she could be at this moment. Stuck with her verbally abusive dad and brother with an ailing mom and brainwashed cousin…

"You'll find out in the future," Buffy answered for her.

"Okay, fine. Then how do we kill vampires? Mr. Tall and British mentioned something very very bad is coming,"

"Tonight,"

"Tonight?" Giles looked up from his book and Buffy instantly felt guilty. This is her watcher. He was sent here to train her and he had. But now, he won't be able to. She was already past this. She wanted to make him feel useful, but the upcoming battle with The Master is too important. She had to just do what she knows she has to.

"Tonight is when The Master will have one of his minions, marked by a symbol, sent to the Bronze where they will take as many offerings as it takes to free him from his lair in the sewers. It will be attacked by a dozen or so vampires. I have to go there and kill the marked one,"

"And you've done this before?"

"Yes,"

"Very well then," Giles nodded to himself. "Good. Uhm, you three should head to your classes in the meantime,"

Willow's the only one to smile and happily grab her bag before leaving with Xander. Buffy stayed behind and approached her watcher. "Giles?"

"Yes?" He looked at her and took his glasses off to clean them.

"I know it may seem like I don't need you, but I do. I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for you,"

"Really?" He tries to hide a satisfied smile.

"Really. You taught me everything I know. I want you to remember that. Don't think any less of yourself. In seven years, I'll still need you,"

"I'm just glad you'll still be… Alive. A lot, if not most, slayers die way too soon,"

Well… I'll die once or twice…

"Well, go… learn something," Giles nodded to the front doors. "Come back after. In the meantime, I'll try to find something on what's happening to Miss Rosenberg,"

"Yes, Sir," Buffy saluted and walked out.

"A Slayer?" Wyatt asked his master.

"Yes, and she mustn't be allowed to interfere with the Harvest,"

"I won't let that happen,"

"See to it then," The Master ordered. "I want my best minions after her. Surround her if you have to,"

"What about the witch?"

"Her too,"

"Okay, so vampires are real, Buffy's the slayer, you're a witch, Giles is Buffy's watcher… Does that about sum up the insanity in our lives?"

Willow and Xander walked through the hall with the other bustling students, heading to their next class. One they didn't have with Buffy.

"Oh! And you have an evil twin stuck inside you,"

Willow frowned and looked away at the last statement.

Xander mentally kicked himself. "Sorry, Will. I didn't mean…"

"No! It's okay," She shrugged off the apology. "It's – It's true. I'm not even sure how true it is, though. I mean, it's all so crazy," She looks up at him. "I deal with this part of me six years from now and even I don't get the magic, or cursed, side of this. So it's understandable you're a little freaked,"

"Freaked? Me? Nah, I'm golden," He fakes poise.

Willow smiles. She compares this Xander with the one in the future. He's so confident but dorky, even in the future, and it makes her chuckle. "I really missed you Xander,"

He looks startled. "What! There's a me to be missed in the future!"

"No!" Willow shakes her head just as startled. "No, no. You're not gone. I just meant that… Well, we both change a lot in the future and I missed high school Xander,"

"… Oh," Xander looks unsure of that response.

"N – Not that adult Xander is bad," She defends as they stop outside their classroom. "I love adult Xander too. But – But you know it's been seven years. I miss high school me too. A – And Buffy. I miss who we all were and the – the adventures we went through. They were life changing but they got more and more dangerous–"

"Will!" He grabbed her gently by the shoulders. "You're rambling and I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be telling me some of that," He let go. "Don't get me wrong. I kind of feel this urge to bombard you with questions like am I girlfriendless… or am I a successful twenty–two year old, but also…" He sighs. "You – er – the other you was probably right. The less I know about the future the better. I mean, it's the same way in all those sci-fi films. Change one thing change everything. I'm okay with being blind to it,"

Half blind. Willow thinks of Xander's future missing eye.

"Now let's learn!" Xander shows fake excitement as they enter the classroom.

In between her classes, Buffy stops at her locker to switch books when she sees Jesse walking toward her with a Band–Aid where his "hickey" from Darla was.

"Buffy," He stops by her locker and leans against the one beside it. "What's up?"

She closes her locker casually. "Nothing. What's up with you?"

"Kind of… confused, mostly. I mean, last night is kind of hazy for me. How about you?"

"No haze," She shrugs and starts walking to her next class. He follows her.

"C'mon. What the heck happened last night?"

Buffy sighed. Jesse didn't appear scared by what he went through. He seemed like he just wanted answers.

"Okay," She stops in the middle of the hall and faces him. "You were attack by vampires,"

Jesse gave her a blank stare.

"Bye," Buffy walks away.

"Wait," He chased after her. "Seriously, what happened last night?"

"What do you remember?"

"That blonde chick from the Bronze giving me a hickey, for sure," He smiles proudly. "Oh, and Cordelia!" He suddenly frowns and looks a little concerned. "Is she okay? I remember us being in that tomb or whatever and I felt a little sick. And she looked a little scared. Then you showed up,"

"Yeah she's…" She frowned herself and hummed. She had no idea if she was okay. "Uhm, I think she's good?"

"Buffy!"

"See! She's alive!" Buffy joyfully turned around at the sound of Cordelia's harsh voice. "Cordelia!" She smiles brightly and holds out her hands toward her in a sign that she was glad to see her.

"What the Hell," The tall, tanned brunette approached her, feet falling heavy in determined anger as she stopped in front of the slayer.

"What's up?" Buffy asked innocently.

"Hheey, Cord," Jesse saunters closer to her.

"Bye," She pushes him away. "Shoo shoo," She shoos him away and he reluctantly walks down the hall. "Can you explain to me what the heck happened last night and why did Willow give me neck bruises?" Cordelia pulls down her turtle neck she was wearing to show five bruises in the small shape of the tips of Willow's fingers.

"Oh,"

"Uh, yeah," Cordelia pulled the neck back up.

"Uhm… You were dreaming?"

"I'm not stupid, Buffy,"

"What do you think happened?"

"Willow. She – She burned those – those things," She motioned with her hands as she spoke. "Were they gang members or something? Then she came after me!"

"Okay, woah woah woah," Buffy tried to shut down that notion, even if it was true.

"No, it's true. She – She was…" A shiver went up Cordelia spine as she remembered that weird flash thing with the storm. "She just vanished. Then was – was un-vanished right in front of me,"

"Listen, Cordelia. That guy you left the Bronze with, I think he might have drugged you,"

"Ha! I don't think so because I remember everything pretty clearly,"

"W – Well there's hallucinogens,"

"Hmmm," Cordelia studied the blonde. She rethought what happened and how real it felt. But, that was Willow. Shy, stuttering, dorky Willow. Not that scary girl who had her shaking and wanting to run forever screaming and crying. "Okay, fine. I believe you," She pushed past the blond and stopped. "But only because I don't feel like thinking so much about this one thing," Then she strutted away.

"She really let it slide?" Willow laughed after Buffy told her what happened between classes.

"Yeah. She basically said she didn't want to be bothered,"

"Well that's definitely Cordelia for you," Xander put in.

"When I was in Computer Science with her she wouldn't even look my way. I'm pretty sure she's scared of me,"

The small group was gathered in the library after school for research. Buffy and Willow wanted to be prepared for whatever might happen. Yes, they did this before and Buffy wasn't worried. But Willow was. It had occurred to her after Buffy told her exactly what happened the previous night that a lot could have changed.

Jesse was alive. Darla is dead. Luke is dead. Dark Willow was unleashed.

Willow didn't know if The Master could sense her power and make a plan to get past it, or he could up his ante and figure out how to take them all down quicker than Buffy can react. Or she, for that matter. Willow wanted them to be prepare for anything and even Xander was getting ready to fight.

Buffy closed the book she was looking over and groaned, lying her head down to rest. "I hate researching. I'm reaching mental exhaustion,"

Willow laughed. "I bet you wish you would have studied this Harvest thing the first time around,"

"You'd win that bet,"

Giles grinned. "So, you're not a fan of the researching,"

Buffy lifts her head to smile at him, happy that he was trying to get to know her. "No. See, though? I need you for all that knowledge I refused to keep note of,"

"And you, Willow? How are you at the research thing?"

She smiled smugly. "I'm the brains,"

"And me?" Xander inquired.

"The heart," Willow smiled. Without Xander, she might have forever been Dark Willow.

"Awe, that's sweet Will," He said. "But am I also the force? Like do I get badass, do badass things?"

Buffy shoved him playfully. "You'll find out eventually,"

"Uhh, Buffy,"

"Yes Giles?" Buffy looks up at him again to see him staring at the library entry. She follows his gaze and tensed. "Crap,"

Xander followed. "Ooh no,"

"Something changed," Willow breathed.

Right at the doors to the library, a dozen ticked off looking vampires stood baring their sharp teeth and showing their demonic, bumpy faces.

"Hello, slayer," Wyatt walked forward first, the others following closely behind.

"You know me, why don't I know you?" Buffy watchfully stood and slowly moved between them and her friends.

"My name's Wyatt,"

"Okay, Wyatt. What do you want?"

"Your head," He came charging forward with a vicious roar. Xander and Willow shrieked in fear and scrambled out of their seats as the others ran toward them. Giles frantically tried coming up with a game plan.

"Stop!"

He sighed with relief as soon as the vampires froze in place and turned to look the way they came.

Buffy breathed. "Angel,"

Angel glared at the rival vampires, then reached two hands behind him. He flung them forward with vampire speed at the two nearest demons.

"Ahh!" They screech and turned to dust, two stakes falling with the dust.

Angel smirked at Wyatt. "Ten to go," His eyes shifted to behind the man, locking with Buffy. "Think we can take them?"

"Oh I know we can,"

"Rah!" Wyatt attacks Buffy, kick starting the battle.

She spin kicks him in the face then quickly jump kicks another attacker. Angel pulls out another stake and takes out another vamp while simultaneously side kicking a female vamp then flipping another over his shoulder.

"Let's go!" Giles ushers Xander and Willow away from the fight and into his office, locking the door and pulling out his box of weapons. He hands the students stakes and holy water. "Just in case,"

"Ah!" Wyatt gets a kick in, sending Buffy flying into the bookshelf, knocking it over. She recovers quickly and breaks the nearest chair to use the leg as a stake and kill one of the minions. As soon as it turns to dust she stabs behind her, getting another.

Angel is knocked down and two vampires have a hold of his arms. He yanks and tries to get away, kicking at them but they have the upper hand.

Buffy spins and lands a heavy kick to Wyatt's chest but is tackled by his friend. She lands on her back with the wind knocked out of her.

"They need help!" Willow yells at Giles when he prevents her from leaving. "I can do something to help!" She pushes him away and unlocks the door, running out into the fray.

She stands where she can see the remaining five vampires. She holds up her hands and focuses on them. Feeling her magical energy build up as she prepares her spell. She utters one simple word.

"Ignis,"

And nothing happens. She frowns.

"Ignis," She tries again, but nothing. She can feel the power. Why wasn't it working?

Buffy finally kicks off the three vampires trying to rip her apart, just as Angel kicks off one of his.

Frustrated, Willow tried again more forcefully. "Ignis!"

"Damn it, Will. No!"

"Uh-oh," Will freezes, all five vampires' attention now on her.

"It's the witch!" Wyatt shouts. "Get her while she has no power!"

"Ahhh!" All the vampires charge at her.

"No!" Angel chucks another stake into one's heart while him and Buffy race towards her.

Willow desperately opens the holy water and flings it around in front of her but it's not enough for them to even slow down. "Ahh!" Wyatt swings his claws at her, catching her cheek and sending her crashing to the ground.

"No!" Buffy angrily stabs a vamp with her chair leg stake. Angel is able to grab the back of two of their shirts, tossing them back behind him and swiftly stabbing another.

"Willow!" Xander bursts out of the office to save his best friend using last minute courage.

"I bet witch tastes delicious,"

"Ahh!" Wyatts teeth pierced into her neck, sinking deep. "Nnnooo-ahhh!"

Xander slid to a stop in his tracks as the building shook violently. The remaining vampires stilled in fear. Angel and Buffy froze in a fighting stance.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Willow's eyes opened wide open. Her entire body tense and shaking as Dark Willow came to the surface, fighting past the block that kept her caged once again.

"What the?" Wyatt released her, falling back to sit on the balls of his feet as he assessed what was happening. The witch's roots began to blacken and her eyes swirled with darkness. The evil in her eyes was so startling that it pierced into his cold heart and sent chills throughout his body. "This power," He breathed, slowly getting to his feet and taking a step back.

"Ooo," Buffy gritted her teeth and gave the vampire a falsely sympathetic look. "Shhee's baaack,"

The vamp looks to them with wide eyes. "Wh – Who?"

"Me,"

He whips his head around to see Dark Willow, with all her veiny glory and vicious glaring and gentle curve of the lip into a wicked smirk. The vampire watched the witch's cheek, where he had clawed her. The cuts were healing, closing on their own. It didn't even leave a scar. He looked for his teeth marks, they too were gone.

"W – What are you? You can't be a witch, you're too powerful! Are you a demon?"

Dark Willow laughs. "You're joking, right? Witches are the most powerful beings in this world. If they apply themselves,"

"Uh, Willow. Hate to rush you, but the sun is down and we have to get to the Bronze," Buffy interrupts the encounter.

Willow rolls her eyes. "Party pooper," She simply waves her hand and Wyatt goes up in flames, screaming. The two vampires still there made a run for it. Willow flashed away in her lightning and reappeared in front of them. "Boo," Using her telekinesis, she picked up two loose stakes and flew them through their chests. "Dusted," She smiles when they puff away.

"Welcome back," Buffy crosses her arms.

"Never left,"

"So," Buffy goes over to grab her bag of weapons she keeps under the library desk. "What do you remember about what we need to be doing?"

"Like I said. Never left,"

"You remember everything?"

"Yep, right down to Cordelia. I'm kind of disappointed she isn't traumatized,"

"Wait. Why couldn't Willow remember you taking over?"

"It's getting late. Time for ass kicking," Willow smirked and snapped her fingers.

They all gasped as they were surrounded by mini storms.

"Dead. All dead," The Master shakes his head exasperatingly. "Collin, this disappoints me,"

"I understand, Master. She won't ruin the Harvest. I will go. I will give you the offerings," Collin approaches the Master and kneels before him.

The Master offers his hand. Collin takes it and kisses it. The Master turns his wrist over, offering the underside. Collin opens the cuff of the Master's sleeve and pulls it back. He takes his hand again, sinks his fangs into the wrist above it and drinks his master's blood. He releases the hand, and the Master takes it back.

The Master speaks to his Vessel. "My blood is your blood. My soul is your soul,"

Collin responds. "My body is your instrument,"

The Master steps down from his throne and up to Collin. He begins to draw a three-pointed star on Luke's forehead with the blood that still flowed from his wrist. "On this... most hallowed night... we are as one. Collin is the Vessel!" His minions smile. "Every soul he takes will feed me. And their souls will grant me the strength to free myself. Tonight I shall walk the Earth, and the stars themselves will hide!"

The vampires cheer and prepare to invade the Bronze, where the most young and pure bond at.

"Senior boys are the only way to go. Guys from our grade, forget about it, they're children. Y'know?" It was night and the Bronze partying was in full swing. "Like Jesse. Did you see him last night, following me around like a little puppy dog," Cordelia's friends giggle with her as they sit in a booth. "You just wanna put him to sleep. But senior boys, hmm, they have mystery. They have... What's the word I'm searching for? Cars! I just am not the type to settle. Y'know? It's like when I go shopping. I have to have the most expensive thing. Not because it's expensive, but because it costs more,"

Her friend Harmony nods in agreement. "You know, I–"

"Hello, Miss Motormouth, can I get a sentence finished?" The Queen holds a hand up at her. "Oh, I love this song! Come on!"

Cordelia and her gang make their way to the dance floor and start to move to the sound of "Wearing Me Down" by the Dashboard Prophets.

Jesse watches Cordelia from the side, admiring her unattainable beauty. He walks onto the dance floor. He starts to dance sporadically toward her until he's in her personal space.

Cordelia stops and huffs at him. "Uh, what do you want?"

"Come on," He flashes a charming smile. "Dance with me," He begins to dance with her but she blows him off and dances with a different boy.

Just outside the Bronze, Collin and multiple other vampires exit a shadowy area and approach the Bronze doorman.

"Need ID," The doorman looks up when they try to walk past him. "Hey! Nobody gets inside until I get some sorta–"

Collin's face shifts and he growls in the man's face. "Get inside," He pushes him in and they enter. One vamp shuts and locks the door behind them, but stays to guard.

"Spread out. You know what to do," Collin orders.

One of the vampires makes his way to the upper level through the bustling crowd. Another one goes in search of the main power switch and shuts it off. The people start complaining and wondering what happened. Collin gets up on the stage.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Congrats! You are about to be a part of an amazing process!"

There are screams from the crowd as they see Collin's face. He only laughs.

"Tonight is the last night any of you shall ever see. Bring me the first offering!"

A vampire brings the doorman to Collin.

"What do you guys want, man, huh? You want money?" He gets a clearer look at the vampires faces. "Man, what's wrong with your faces?

Collin grabs him by the throat. He wraps his other arm around the doorman's head, keeping his struggle to a minimum. He mutters in his ear. "You're offering is appreciated," Then he sinks his teeth into him and feeds on him. The doorman screams. Collin can already feel The Master receive the soul he's taken for him. "Bring me another!" He shoves the limp man away.

"Seriously!" Buffy and the gang arrive and she tries to yank the door open, but it doesn't budge. She looks to Dark Willow. "It's locked," She states infuriatingly. "Again,"

Willow only grins. "It just wasn't meant to be,"

"We're too late!"

"Can you break it down?" Xander asks.

"No, not that thing. You guys try the back entrance, and I'll find my own way,"

"No time," Willow states. "This isn't Luke you're dealing with. Who knows this new Vessel's level of intelligence. He could be speeding things up,"

"Right," Buffy agrees, knowing Willow meant she'd teleport them inside. She hands Xander and Giles her bad of slayer tools, grabbing out a stake for herself. "Let's go,"

She does her thing, teleporting herself and Buffy to the upper level of the club and Xander and Giles down below, near an exit.

"I feel the Master's strength growing!" Collin rejoices with his fellow minions while his third victim is brought to him.

Buffy and Dark Willow see Collin on the stage with a blonde girl. Harmony. She's screaming as he lowers his teeth.

"So that's the new Vessel,"

"He's… Scrawnier,"

"Way less muscle. And I think he talks less,"

The vampire on the upper level sees them and growls. They look over at him.

"No time now," Willow set him on fire.

The vampire's scream draws the attention of Collin. He looks up at the blonde slayer.

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you in the middle of something?"

"The slayer…" He says with vice.

"You didn't think I'd miss this. Did you?"

"Don't interfere," He growls.

"I don't listen to dead people," She steps away from the railing and executes a roundoff, using one of the bars to flip down and land on a pool table. A vampire attacks from her right, but Willow just sets him aflame.

"Okay, Vessel boy," She removes her jacket and drops it behind her. "Let's do this,"

She runs and cartwheels up onto the stage, and immediately launches into a full spinning hook kick. Collin staggers into a pile of chairs and Harmony runs away. Buffy assumes a fighting position. Collin gets up and growls. He comes at her and swings, but she ducks the punch and comes up behind him. He tries a backhand punch, but she blocks him, holds onto his arm and gives him three roundhouse kicks to his stomach before he shakes loose. She takes her stake and lunges at him. He blocks the lunge, knocking the stake from her grip. He lifts her up and throws her into a pile of boxes.

"Hurry! Come on," Giles starts to usher people out of the back door they unlocked.

Xander rushes the crowd around him. "C'mon! Let's go! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!"

Buffy gets up and spins around, leading a backhand punch on Luke's face, knocking him into another pile of stuff. He's dazed. Buffy turns to see a vampire grab Xander by the neck. She grabs a cymbal from a drum set and throws it at the vampire like a Frisbee. Xander sees it coming and ducks. The cymbal decapitates the vampire.

Buffy was relieve that happened the same way as last time.

"Head's up!" He jokes.

Buffy can't resist a chuckle, but stays focused this time, blocking Collin's punch and kicking him into a wall.

Willow looks around casually at the chaos, and spots Jesse being pinned down by a vamp. She sighs. "Ignis," She sets her on fire. "The future's screwed anyway," She mumbles to herself after deciding Jesse could live. I she had let him die Buffy would definitely be pissed at her… Not that she cared.

Xander throws holy water at a vampire then jabs a stake into it's heart. He smiled at his first heroic act and vampire kill.

Buffy grabs a microphone stand and holds it like a spear.

Collin laughs. "What's that for?"

"To get the sunrise," She throws the stand at the window behind Collin. He doesn't even flinch when it shatters and a bright light pours in through it.

He gives her a look. "You really thought that would work? I keep track of the sun for my own survival, slayer,"

Damn it. He is more intelligent.

She flings her stake at him anyway, as fast and hard as possible, and it works. It stabs his heart. His face looks shocked as he falls to his knees. "I have failed you, master," And he turns to dust.

Deep in the underground ruins of the chapel, The Master screams in pain over the loss of his Vessel.

Buffy smiles and glares at the remaining vampires. They flee.

After the long, exhausting past two days, Buffy collapses onto her bed and settles in for sleep. But then she hears a short storm of lightning and opens her eyes to see Willow. Black hair and all.

"Hey Miss not-so-evil," She sits up. "I saw you save a few lives. Welcome to the good side,"

Dark Willow sits beside her, unamused.

"What's up?"

"Willow,"

Buffy laughs ironically. "Yeah, I see that,"

Willow turns to her. "It's getting harder for her, Buffy,"

"What is?"

"What do you think? Me. Me being here without her knowing what's happening. I have the privilege of viewing the world through her eyes no matter who's in charge. She just... Blacks out,"

"Well, we'll figure it out. We have more time now that The Master is temporarily out of commission,"

"Magicks is becoming harsh to use. I can't seem to grasp the energy from the earth," She sighs. "I'm going back to the cage to rest. I get my energy back faster by remaining dormant for a little while,"

"Okay…"

"I want Willow to be here with you tonight. She gets really upset when she has blackouts, like when I come out to play," She smirks.

"Why is it you can remember and not her?"

"I can only guess that it's because I come from her subconscious. I learned to keep awake and be aware of what's happening at all times. I think, over time, she'll learn too,"

"But Willow remembered killing Warren before. Weren't you in charge back then?"

"Sort of. I was more like... Backing her up. I helped guide her to her goal,"

"Nearly destroyed her in the process,"

"Yet she still lives. She was still able to move on from Tara," Willow scoots closer to Buffy. "I can feel our souls starting to merge further. It's getting harder and harder for us to stay as one or the other. I guess you can think of our souls as becoming conjoined twins. We're fused at the hip, in a way,"

"I need to tell Will,"

"I agree," Willow nods at Buffy and smiles. "Until then, Slayer,"

Dark Willow closes her eyes and relaxes her body. Her hair begins to return to red and her veins retreat back into her. She falls against Buffy's side and her eyes open tiredly.

"Buffy?" Willow, utterly exhausted, rests her head on the blonde's shoulder and drifting off into a slumber.

"I gotcha," Buffy held her and helped them get comfortable under her sheets. "Don't worry, Will. I'll save you,"