A figure stood, watching over his friends sleeping body. He hadn't left her side in three days, not even for food or drink.
When here eyes began to open he positioned himself so he would be the first thing she saw. It was the least he could do considering what he had done to her.
"Hey Willow," said Xander with a small smile.
"Hey," responded Willow in a small voice. "We win?"
"Yeah, we won. No more Hellmouthy problems in Arizona," said Xander with the same look of sadness on his face.
"Then why are you so sad?" asked Willow as she became more aware of things.
"I'll tell you later, when you've had more rest," said Xander.
"I feel just fine, tell me now secret agent man," said Willow while shooting him her patented resolve face.
"You overextended yourself," began Xander. "When the dust cleared we found you drowning in your own blood. Global Frequency has some of the best medical minds in the world working for them, but they couldn't think of anything that would keep you alive for more that four hours. I don't know much magic, but I know the ritual of Nevets."
Willow was shocked sense she had only learned of the ritual a month before her breakdown. It was a potent, but simple healing spell that was developed during a rather nasty war. It usually wasn't used every day considering the price it required.
"How much did it take?" asked Willow, almost dreading the answer.
"Your left leg, just under the knee," responded Xander.
Sure enough when Willow looked down she saw that the sheets didn't fall the way they would if there had been two full legs beneath them. It was a good thing she was in bed because Willow felt slightly freight as conflicting emotions began to bombard her.
Was this how Xander had felt when he had lost his eye? How was he even able to talk with out throwing up?
Pushing her own feelings aside Willow forced her eyes to meet Xanders. "I meant how much did it take from you?"
"Five years according to the candle wax. Apparently when you overextend your self you really overextend yourself," said Xander referring to the fact that the ritual usually only took a year or two from the caster.
"I'm just sorry I didn't know a ritual that would let you keep your leg," continued Xander in a far more serious tone.
Willow just let out a snort and said, "I still don't know one that would give you your eye back, at least not one that doesn't require human sacrifice. Don't worry about me, I'll deal."
"Yeah, I just wish there was a way… Never mind, I'm not stupid enough to finish that sentence after being engaged to Anya," said Xander getting a slight smile from Willow. It wasn't much, but he knew from first hand experience how important it was for her to know that she could still take pleasure in things like she used to.
"On the bright side Crowe seems to have quit Global Frequency. It seems you gave him a large case of magic envy," said Xander concluding the news of what had happened once Willow had blacked out.
"You'll forgive me if I don't consider having a member quit a good thing," said Miranda Zero from the doorway.
"Ah yeah, I guess I can under stand that," said Xander a bit thrown by her sudden appearance.
"So long as we understand each other," said Ms. Zero in a softer tone.
I just stopped by to give you this," continued Ms. Zero while handing a high-tech cellphone to Willow; a high-tech cellphone that looked exactly like the one Xander currently had locked away in a suitcase. "Understand that while I'm uncomfortable with any one person possessing as much power as you seem to, I'm willing to trust you sense you just helped save the world. I will only call you when the situation is as dire as this one was."
"Why wait for when the situation gets so bad?" asked Willow.
"Because I don't see how constantly using such power on a regular basis wouldn't corrupt you, and possibly me by extension. If this was a perfect world I wouldn't have to give that to you, but I won't let the world burn simply because I didn't use every resource at my disposal," said Ms. Zero.
"So will I be number 1002?" asked Willow.
"You will be number 903. It belonged to Crowe, but sense he is no longer using it, replacing a magician with a witch seems appropriate."
"You may want to keep an eye on him. If he left to learn magic he could get himself and other people into really big trouble," said Willow while thinking of her own dealings with dark magic.
"Thanks for informing us, I'll do my best to make sure he doesn't do anything too stupid," said Ms. Zero just before turning around to leave.
"Hey one thing before you leave," said Xander stopping Ms. Zero from leaving. "Global Frequency cleans up other peoples messes, well I know of a mess that needs cleaning up."
"Oh?" asked Ms. Zero while raising a single eyebrow in a very Vulcan like mannerism.
"Right before we came here Willow cast a spell activating every Slayer in the world. Sense that time those girls have been a target to every demon in the world without knowing why. The Watchers Counsel has been crippled for now, so we need Global Frequency to help us find these girls before they are killed," said Xander while trying not to flinch at the fire he saw in the woman's eyes.
"At least this explains why Aleph was able to break all of her exercise equipment in an hour," said Ms. Zero.
"You mean to tell me that the woman that has been trying to see me naked sense you told her what I was doing when you recruited me is now a Slayer?" asked Xander in a frightened tone. When Ms. Zero simply nodded he let out a moan and said, "I'm doomed."
"Oh come on, she can't be any worse that your last date," said Willow in a teasing tone.
"She hired people to put a camera in my shower. Twice," responded Xander.
"Perhaps that will be enough of a lesson for you," said Ms. Zero as she began to leave. "If it isn't, having a group of super strong girls beat you into paste for ruining their lives should suffice."
"So is this the part where you ravish me?" asked Willow once Ms. Zero had left, and caused Xander to begin chocking on air.
"What!" asked Xander as soon as his brain would let words form again.
"James Bond always ravishes the girl at the end of each mission, sense there isn't any one else around that just leaves me," said Willow with a far too innocent look on her face.
"Okay one; stop channeling Anya, its freaking me out. Two; James Bond never had an eye patch so I'm out of the running. Three; ravishing is not an option, but I will be happy to provide platonic Xander cuddles," said a very red faced Xander.
"Ooh, Xander cuddles are even better!" said Willow as she let Xanders arms wrap around her.
He was in the same position when night came. The only difference was his shirt was a bit damper where it had absorbed Willows tears.