Paths Taken

Author: PaulenaK

Email: toukalah@hotmail.com

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Everything WWE belongs to Vince McMahon. Everything BTVS belongs to Joss Whedon.

Summary: What would you do for your best friend?

Feedback: Is loved and appreciated.

**

Prologue

**

“Thanks for the dance.” She said as casually as possible. “I need to speak to a friend over there.” She nodded in some direction across the room, but he made no attempt to acknowledge her words and she had the sneaky suspicion he knew good and well that there was no friend across the room.

She swallowed pulling out of his arms. So the friend was imaginary, sheesh, she should at least get points for the technique. ‘That’ was all hers.

She made her way across the room needing to seek out the comfort only a dimly lit corner could provide.

Solitude.

“Goddess, who was that man?” she asked to no one in particular.

Out the corner of her eye she could still see his gaze locked on her form and she felt her cheeks blaze from the power of it.

She so needed to get out of there!

She turned as if to flee and felt the heat of everyone’s gaze upon her, suffocating her mentally, draining her physically.

Where was Xander?

Why did she feel as if she were a pig with an apple in her mouth?

“Take my hand.”

Startled she made to move away from the open window she’d been standing in front of and saw a pair of intense brown eyes staring back at her. Saw him raise his finger to his lips to silence her when she would have spoken and then she felt herself nod even though her brain had not sent out the command.

“Take my hand.” He repeated, again extending his hand up to her.

She shook her head. “My friend-“

“Is lost to you now.” He cut in sadly. “I cannot help him.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Please trust me and take my hand.”

Again the strange man stretched his fingers out to her and she was powerless to resist as her hand automatically reached back.

“Willow!” A voice called from across the room, but it was too late, one touch of her hand against the hand of the man crouched outside the open window and she was gone.

“Willow!” Xander called again rushing to the spot his best friend had been standing in just a few moments before.

“Is something wrong?” An unfamiliar voice said from behind him.

“M… my friend was standing right here.” Xander exclaimed, his expression one of incredulity.

“Are you sure about that?” The voice continued.

“Yes, I was across the room and she was standing right here.”

“You must be mistaken.” The owner of the voice leaned forward and blew a cloud of mist into Xander’s face.

When it had cleared she smiled at the empty look on his face.

“Yes,” he said taking the stranger by the hand. “I must have been mistaken.”

**

Part One

**

Willow stretched and purred like a cat would as she woke feeling the sun’s rays shining down on her through her bedroom window, the sound of birds chirping happily outside and the yummy smell of pancakes teasing her nostrils.

She felt her belly rumble and knew if she didn’t claim any of those pancakes for herself her belly would never forgive her.

With her eyes still closed she inched her way up into a sitting position, her feet automatically searching for her slippers while her hand fought with a chair that didn’t want to release her robe which was draped over the back of it.

She pulled - Big mistake.

The force of her pull, not only her robe, but the chair as well, its high back connecting with her chin causing her eyes to pop open and a very girly pout to appear on her face.

“Friggin chair,” she grumbled rubbing her chin as she got to her feet.

The smell of pancakes stirring her into action again and she headed out of her room, down the stairs and into the kitchen.

“Morning best buddy of mine,”

Xander greeted her brightly as she plonked herself down on a stool at the counter.

“Morning,” she replied, her eyes locked onto the stack of pancakes sitting on the counter top.

She smiled her best-est best friend smile.

“I love you Xander.”

He returned her smile with one of his own as he came towards her mixing bowl in hand.

“I love you too Wills, but those are mine.” His smile stayed firmly in place as he snatched up the plate of pancakes and replaced them with the mixing bowl.

“Those are yours,” he added pointing to the pancake batter inside the bowl.

“But I’m hungry,” she complained her bottom lip jutting out.

“Then the sooner you cook that the better, hey,” he to the bowl of batter in her hands and winked, “…and no magic!”

Her hand paused in mid air before she ran that same hand through her hair, pretending to smooth it down before getting to her feet.

He grinned as she picked up the mixing bowl and took the few steps needed to reach the cook top.

“Slave driver,” she grumbled.

“You love me anyway,” he countered.

“I’m seriously considering turning you into a skunk right now so enjoy those pancakes while you can.”

Xander cringed remembering the last time Willow had made good on one of her threats. He hadn’t been able to get rid of the smell for a week!

“Yes ma’am,” he said stuffing a forkful of pancake and syrup in his mouth. “I had a strange dream last night,” he continued after swallowing.

“You did?” she asked, her eyes on the task of making her breakfast. “Me too,”

“Yeah, I dreamed we both went our separate ways,” he said with a chuckle. “Like ‘that’ will ever happen, we’re gonna be together forever.”

“Right to the very end,” she replied grinning at him over her shoulder.

“So, what did you dream about?”

“A party or dance or something… you were there but I couldn’t find you and there was this man whose eyes followed me everywhere…”

Xander began to hum the twilight zone theme.

“Then there was this other man, he told me to take his hand, but I wanted to come find you and then…”

“And then what?” he asked when her voice trailed off.

“…and then he told me you were lost to me…”

Xander made a face.

“I think I like my dream better.”

Willow nodded in agreement, flipped her pancakes onto a plate and joined Xander at the counter.

“You okay?” he asked pouring her some juice.

She smiled - or tried to.

“Yeah,” she replied. “I guess my dream just freaked me out more then I realised.”

“Don’t worry Wills,” he said throwing his arm around her shoulder. “It was just a dream.”

She smiled at him and watched as he continued to eat his breakfast.

‘Yeah, it was only a dream.’ Her mind told her, yet if that were so… why did she suddenly have no appetite?

**

A black van pulled up on the side of the road, the tinted window of the passenger door sliding down to reveal a bald headed man with crystal clear blue eyes.

“You sure this is the place?” he asked his eyes not leaving the road sign a few metres in front of there vehicle.

“That’s the place.” The driver of the van replied.

The bald headed man nodded once before the window slid to a close and the black van pulled out from the curb.

The road sign creaked eerily as it swung back and forth on the chains that secured it to its designated position.

~~Welcome to Sunnydale~~

**

Part Two

**

“There must be someplace here that only you and I could go…oh yeah… feel… feeeeel… feeeeeeeeeeel!”

Willow held onto the door handle with one hand and leaned back, as far back as her body would allow and with her other hand she held the vacuum pipe up to her lips as she screech out the lyric’s to her new favourite song Sweetest Goodbye by Maroon5. Spinning on her heel she sashayed back into the lounge room kicking the off switch to the vacuum as she went. Xander had left for the construction site over an hour ago and the house was clean, she was clean, her appetite had come back with a vengeance after he had left so her belly was full and to top it all off it was a beautiful morning!

Tucking the vacuum away in the cupboard under the stairs she closed the cupboard door and closed her eyes as she leaned back against it to contemplate what she was going to do with the rest of her day.

She could go shopping, she mused, but she had done that yesterday and the day before and frankly no matter what anybody else said… there was only so much shopping a girl could do!

What she really needed to be doing was looking for a job. Xander didn’t mind her not working, he made enough in construction to provide for them both and then some… And he was quite the handy man around the house, she couldn’t help but add, yet she couldn’t depend on him for the rest of her life. She was no free loader!

A commotion from outside brought her attention to the window and she peeked through the blinds to see what was up. Her brow creased when she saw a pick up truck cruising ever so slowly down her street. Attached to the top and front of the vehicle were two huge speakers which at that moment music blared out of.

Curious, she moved to the front door and pulled it open to see that most of there neighbours were already out there trying to determine what all the ruckus was about. On the back of the pick up was a huge sign displaying the letters ‘WWE’. What the hell was a ‘WWE’? she thought quirking a brow.

Weight Watches Embassy? Women With Eggs?

The music stopped and a recorded voice message followed. “World Wrestling Entertainment invites you…”

A light went off in her head and her mouth formed a perfect ‘O’.

The rest of what was said over the speaker phone went in one ear and out the other as her gaze moved to the vehicle and her breath caught in her throat when the passenger window rolled down a notch and she was struck with the intense gaze of whoever it was inside before the window went up again and the pick up truck moved off down the street.

She walked back into the house trying to push back the uneasy feeling she had in the pit of her stomach as she closed the door.

**

Part Three

**

“Willow! Wills!”

The redhead came bounding through the kitchen doorway after hearing her name being called to see Xander standing in the middle of the kitchen with his back to her. His hands were linked awkwardly behind him and he was half in and half out of his jacket, the suede material bunching at his shoulders in his haste to shed himself of it.

“I’m here Xander, what is it?”

His eyes brightened and he grinned at her over his shoulder as he tried to free himself from his jacket.

“You…” she began stepping forward to tug at his jacket. “…are hopeless.”

“Yes, I am.” He agreed sighing in relief when his jacket gave way. “But that’s why you keep me around.” He added sending her a wink before clasping her hand and leading her up the stairs.

“Um… Xander…” she began as he idly started to undo the buttons on her shirt once they were in her bedroom. “’This’ is not why I keep you around either.”

His brows met in confusion. “Huh?”

She looked down at his hand which still lingered at her chest and when his gaze followed hers he drew his hand back so fast anyone would think he had been burned. He grinned sheepishly.

“Sorry, Wills. I’m getting a little ahead of myself here.”

“So I see,” she grinned back. “Whats up with you?”

“Well…” he began his eyes sparkling as he reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled forth what looked like two tickets to the super bowl. “We are going out!”

“And that explains you undressing me how?” she asked leaning into her hip.

In true Xander fashion he ignored her question, instead he pulled her wardrobe door open and started sorting through her clothes.

“Ah, here it is!” he exclaimed after a few minutes silence before shooting her a questioning look. “Now how did I know it would be shoved right to the back hmmm?”

He stepped away from the cupboard and held up a little black dress she had purchased on a whim a while back saying that one day a time would come for her to wear something that sexy… and by the look on Xander’s face that time was tonight!

“Where are we going?” she asked letting her hand move over the silky material of the dress.

“The WWE.”

For the second time that day her mouth formed a perfect ‘O’ as recognition quickly took a hold of her.

“Now before you start yelling at me for squandering my hard earned money and for that matter don’t think me a cheapskate either when I tell you that-“

“The tickets were free?” she finished for him.

His jaw dropped. “Nothing escapes you does it?”

“Xander, this is a small town,” she said rolling her eyes. “There is not much that happens here that I don’t find out about before you get home.”

“Spoken in true Sunnydalian.” He said with a shrug before walking to the door. “Now my pretty, get primped and curled, plucked and fluffed and whatever else you girls do before a night out on the town and I will meet you down stairs in an hour.”

And with those last parting words he was gone leaving Willow to ponder over wether to throw caution to the wind and wear what Xander had picked out or going with ‘old faithful’. With that in mind she walked to her wardrobe and pulled out one of her floral skirts, a pair of orange tights and a fluffy jumper – that actually bore the words ‘old faithful’ across the front. Xander hated it, but Willow always argued that when it brushed against her skin it was like an old comfy blankie and she wouldn’t part with it for all the pizza hot pockets in the world, which is what Xander had deemed its worth.

“Hmmm… decisions, decisions…” her eyes went from the black dress to ‘old faithful’. “Oh well… I don’t have to decide right away.” She said grabbing her bath robe and flouncing off towards the bathroom.

**

Part Four

**

“Wow!”

Was all Xander said as Willow descended the stairs. Her eyes only meeting his once she was level with him.

“You like?” she asked giving him a little twirl.

The top of her dress was snug and form fitting showing off her slim waist, but the skirt was flared and swished around her legs as she walked.

“Very much so,” he said leaning forward to peck her cheek. “I can already tell I’m gonna have to keep my eye on you tonight Willow Rosenburg.”

“You won’t have to do nothing of the sort Xander Harris. I plan on finding the darkest corner in which to be the ‘watcher’ instead of the ‘watched’.”

Xander cocked a brow as he took her arm in his and lead her out to the car.

“The darkest corner huh? Does that mean you’re not even going to dance with yours truly?”

Willow grinned. “Only if we crazy dance.”

He flashed a grin of his own before pulling the car door open for her.

“’Crazy’ is the only form of dancing I know.”

**

“Goddess, I never thought I’d be coming back here again.” Willow exclaimed as they followed the neatly placed red carpet to a huge marquee that was set up on the football oval of Sunnydale High.

“Yep, this is what we get for still living in the town we grew up in.” Xander replied throwing his own over her shoulders. “Besides, where else are they gonna hold it, there’s no other venue thanks to Sunnydale’s need of cemetery space.”

Willow’s eyes took on a far away look. “You know why we are still here.”

Xander squeezed her shoulder and dipped his head to place a kiss on the top of hers. “Yes Will’s,” he whispered. “I know.”

They joined the throng of Sunnydalian’s that ambled slowly towards the marquee entrance.

“Gee, the organisers have really gone all out,” Willow said noticing the ice sculptures of men and women with bulging biceps and tight butts that sat on either side of the entrance way.

“Yep, and just think if they had of asked nicely, Sunnydale mortuary could’ve provided them with the real thing.”

Willow slapped his arm and shivered, although she didn’t know why, she was no stranger to all things creepy.

“Sad thing is I speak the truth.” Xander added coming up behind her to let his gaze wonder around the huge expanse before them. “So what shall we do first – get a drink or dance?”

Willow’s expression grew thoughtful. She’d look more of a spaz out on the dance floor sober – better to go with alcohol first.

“Drink please, whatever your having only double the alcohol.”

“Gotcha, 2 cokes coming up.” He said dodging her little fist as it flew playfully in his direction before he headed toward the bar.

It was then, at that precise moment that the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and her eyes darted searchingly around the room until they met the same steely orbs that had stared back at her out the window of the pick up truck just that afternoon and then her eyes slanted as realisation dawned on her.

‘Those eyes’. She had seen those eyes before. In her dream.

**

Part Five

**

Willow felt the room closing in on her, her head swimming with flash backs of her dream. She started to recognise little similarities with this open room and the ball room she had seen in her dream state. Like the chandelier that hung in the centre of the ballroom had reminded her of stars twinkling down on the dancers below where as here and now they had the real thing shining down on them through the thin material of the marquee. The fixed candle holders and lit candles were replaced with solar lanterns and beneath her feet the red carpet that trailed through the entrance way expanded to fill the marquee from corner to corner giving the marquee a sense of closure instead of the open area it was designed for.

“It’s happening,” she whispered a frightful look on her face as her eyes frantically searched for Xander. “Goddess, it was happening.”

As if every person in the room had heard her silent words, every head in the room turned her way and amongst them she saw Xander in deep discussion with a woman.

“Xander!” she called willing her feet to move, but they were rooted to the spot. “Xander!” she called again her eyes not leaving his form even as she sensed another man’s eyes on her.

“Psst! Hey…”

Willow looked around and then down.

“Hey girlie you with me, give me your hand.”

He was crouched down on his knees, the knife in which he had used to cut an opening in the tent still in his hand. Willow shook her head, her eyes still on the blade.

“We gotta hurry, ‘he’ finds us here and we’re toast.”

The second voice she heard was new here and in her dream and she watched as the man at her feet turned his head to address the voice.

“We are toast anyway if she doesn’t come with us.”

“I’m not leaving without Xander,” she said her voice cutting through the air around them.

“It’s too late-“

“I know, he’s lost – right?” she cut in waiting for his nod before she continued. “Well not to me he isn’t.” And with that she took off across the room in the direction she had seen Xander in earlier.

**

“She’s gone.”

“What?”

“She took off-“ His words were cut off as he was pulled backwards out of the opening.

“Dammit Kurt! You weren’t supposed to let her get away.”

“Well screw you, what would you have me do, pull her through the opening by the ankles?”

The big man behind him rolled his eyes heavenward.

“Now his brain decides to work.” He said scanning the crowd for the red head. “I cant see her, I’m gonna have to go out.”

“You can’t, if ‘he’ gets a hold of you-“

“You will step up in my place and take care of the others… can I count on you to do that?”

“Of course, but lets just take a step back for a minute-“

“No time,” He cut in pushing through the opening.

There was nothing Kurt could do but watch as his buddy disappeared into the crowd.

**

Part Six

**

“Xander?”

“Hey Will’s!” he greeted her excitedly, his arm coming up to drop lazily over her shoulder as he pulled her more closer to his side.

“Who’s this?” she asked her eyes going to the woman he had been talking to.

“Oh, Willow Rosenberg I have the immense pleasure of introducing you to the very delectable and very beautiful – Victoria.”

Willow felt the chill of the other woman’s eyes on her.

“And this pretty redhead at my side is my very best friend – Willow.” Xander continued on with his introductions, but Willow heard not a word. Her mind was busy taking in the woman’s appearance. In her dream her surroundings had changed with little ornamental things added here and there and yet this woman stood before her now exactly as she had in her dream. The same blood red dress that fell around her form like a second skin and her long dark hair draped over one shoulder in a shiny black diamond incrusted braid.

“Our dance?” the woman Xander had introduced as Victoria was talking now, although not to Willow it would seem.

“Oh yeah, we’re about to hit the dance floor, can we tempt you Will’s?”

“I’m sure your friend would much rather-“

“I’d love to,” Willow said and not waiting for a reply she grabbed Xander’s hand and pulled him towards the dance floor.

“Will’s, what are you doing? That woman is hot and she wants me. Corny class clown is ‘wanted’.” He moaned stressing the last word as he turned to stare longingly at the woman who’s vision was getting lost to his train of sight as Willow pulled him deeper into the throng of people moving about on the dance floor.

“I want to go home.”

Xander’s look was incredulous. “Go home!” he exclaimed spinning her around to face him. “Now?”

“Yes now, right this-“

“May I have this dance?”

“-minute.” she continued turning her head slowly to look over her shoulder at the man who had just spoken and gasped when her eyes met a pair of dark ones so piercing she thought she’d never be able to get them out of her mind. In fact she hadn’t. It was him. The man from her dream. All big and… thick, kinda like a brick wall.

Warning signs flashed inside her mind and she retreated inwardly under his stare, feeling every bit as naked now as she had in the shower that morning. She opened her mouth, but couldn’t bring forth the words needed to decline his request and instead reached for the one constant in her life – Xander. Or she would have had he still been within her reach.

“No,” she whispered as she caught sight of him moving back through the crowd to the woman Victoria. No sooner had he reached the other woman’s side, Willow was forced to witness the kiss she had seen in her dream.

“Okay, enough mucking around, we really need to get out of here – Now!”

Goddess, she had forgotten about the brick wall! Yet, he apparently had not forgotten about her and was at this minute dragging her through the crowd in the opposite direction to where she had seen Xander go.

In all the madness she didn’t even protest when she was pulled through the opening the stranger had cut into the marquee. The one thought in her mind as the marquee started to became a blur as she was whisked further and further away was of Xander and that now he really was lost to her.

**

Part Seven

**

Willow was in a state of shock. Had been ever since the stranger had half carried – half dragged her from the marquee.

She was sitting in the back seat of a car. A big car she noted by the amount of room she had back here. She could stretch out on the seat and snooze quite comfortably if she wanted too, but she didn’t want too. She didn’t want to do anything but mourn the loss of her friend – for she knew now her dream wasn’t just any dream, it had been a premonition. A glimpse into the future to prepare herself for something major, something still to come and she knew that deep down she had always known. And now she could do nothing but pray for Xander to over come the trials that lay ahead of him and make his way back to her while she herself did the same.

**

“She alright?”

Dave Batista glanced over his shoulder at the girl who sat in the back. Her legs were up on the seat and her face was buried in her knees. She looked like a scared little girl – not the saviour they had been sent to retrieve.

“She looks like she just lost her best friend.” Kurt continued as he stole another glance at her through the rear view mirror and then cringed as Batista’s hand connected with the back of his head.

“She just did you idiot.” He said sparing another look towards the girl in the back.

“Maybe we should stop and check that she’s okay.” Kurt went on to suggest.

“We can’t stop.”

“God man! Have some compassion will you?”

“Look! I already took a risk going in there to get her I’m not prepared to take another one by stopping. The more space we put between us and ‘them’ the better. Now shut up and drive.”

**

To Willow it seemed like they drove forever, they hadn’t stopped once and out the corner of her eye she spied the coming dawn through the window. She was dying to go to the toilet, her legs were clamped so tightly together that she could no longer feel them, but the stubbornness in her refused to allow her to lift her head and speak her need. So she just sat there with her head buried in her knees and her arms wrapped tight around her legs. She dared not look up anyway. She didn’t want to know who her captors were or where they were taking her, all she wanted to do was curl up and die.

“Hey, hey girlie…”

So lost in her thoughts she hadn’t realised that not only had they stopped but the rear door was open and both men were peering down at her from outside the car. The bald headed one gave her another nudge.

“Hey, you can get out and stretch your legs a bit, I’m sorry about the lack of plumbing out here,” he said waving to the great empty area that surround them. “But a tree will do just as good.” He added with a grin.

Willow noted that he had really bright blue eyes, pretty eyes, caring eyes – she did the unexpected and giggled.

“You remind me of the dancing baby from Ally McBeal.”

Her remark brought a chuckle from his friend and although she didn’t mean to she couldn’t help but add. “I wouldn’t laugh so if I were you ‘Mr Brick Wall’.” Then giggled again when the amusement he displayed a few moments before left his face only to flare up on the face of the bald one, in fact he was nearly in tears he was laughing so hard.

“Oh my…” he cackled trying with all his might to hold back his laughter so he could breath in some much needed air. “Oh god… I’ll have to remember that one. I must admit that the term ‘Brick Wall’ suits you to a T.”

“Screw you!” Batista barked before turning his glare on Willow. “You!” he said and pointed the biggest finger Willow had ever seen in her face. “If you need to ‘go’ then go. Now.”

Willow didn’t need to be told twice and she scurried from the car in search of a brush.

“And if you’re not back in one minute…”

She cringed as he called after her.

“…I’m coming to get you!”

**

Part Eight

**

They were on the road again.

Everything was pretty much how it was before they had stopped. ‘Dancing baby guy’ who had introduced himself as Kurt was back in the drivers seat and ‘Brick wall guy’ who had yet to tell her his name sat in the passenger seat while she again had the back seat all to herself. The only difference now being that she held her head up this time and gazed out the window.

A billboard up ahead read ‘You Are Now Leaving Povac Cove’ Funny, she mused. She didn’t remember arriving in Povac Cove. In fact she had never even heard of Povac Cove.

The minutes passed in silence and slowly thoughts of Xander started creeping there way back into her mind. He was the last of her friends. There was no one left now. Everyone she had ever cared about in this world was gone. Her family, her friends – hell even Angel the famed vampire with a soul had met his match in the First. And now Xander. Lovable, fluffy, quirky, class clown Xander. Her best friend in the whole wide world –

OH GET OVER IT ALREADY!

A voice she didn’t recognise as her own screamed inside her head. He’s gone not dead! Do you think he would want you to act like you had just returned from his funeral? He’s out there somewhere and you have to believe that your paths will cross again.

A tiny smile appeared to turn up the corners of her lips and she inhaled a deep long breath and exhaled as if she were exhaling not only the air from within her lungs but her feelings of loss for Xander as well.

‘We will meet again Xander.’ She thought with determination. ‘If not on this plane then on the next, but we will meet again.’

**

“You hungry?”

Willow’s head jerked to the front at the sound of ‘Brick walls’ deep voice. He still glared at her now more so then before she thought reaching forward to accept what he offered. She lifted the lid of the container open and her mouth fell open.

“Radishes?”

She tried to keep her gaze focused on his eyes which bore into her like two red hot fire pokers, but her eyes kept dropping to a vein that throbbed in his neck and after a while she just gave up trying. He had a very pretty neck she told herself and preferred it to meeting his eyes head on, especially when he looked at her like she was a permanent wee stain some poodle had left on the back seat.

“You don’t like it, don’t eat it.” He stated simply and snatched the container back. Kurt turned his attention away from the road to stare at the other man before slowly shaking his head.

“Here,” he said and tossed another container over the seat to her. “Eat up we still got a few more hours of driving ahead of us.”

Willow opened the second container and her mouth began to water at the sight of the cheesy slice of pizza that lay within. She looked from the pizza to the rear view mirror where she met Kurt’s gaze and then back to the pizza.

“A… are you sure? I… I mean there’s only one slice-“

“Yeah, I’m fine. Knock yourself out.” He smiled and she found herself returning it with one of her own. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I knew Mr Health Nut here would only pack rabbit food so I made sure to bring my own stash.”

She bit into the pizza ravenously and closed her eyes to savour the moment. The pizza was cold but right then it tasted like the best thing in the world.

“Mmmm… this is heavenly…” she said opening her eyes after the first swallow only instead of the smiling blue eyes of Kurt’s she met the two dark brooding eyes of his friend who surprise, surprise was still glaring. Well let him glare, she happily told himself biting into the pizza again. She wasn’t about to let him ruin what little comfort his buddy Kurt had instigated on her behalf.

“So…” she began after a few more bites and swallows. “Anything to dri-“ she didn’t get to finish as a bottle of water came flying at her. “Gee, thanks Mr Heath Nut.” She said purposely using what his friend had called him.

Kurt chuckled. “Don’t mind him, he’s just eager to get back that’s all.”

“Back to where?” she asked untwisting the cap on the water bottle.

The two men shared a look and it wasn’t until the bigger one nodded that Kurt continued. “Greenwich – Connecticut.”

**

Part Nine

**

Willow looked up at the tall building they pulled up in front of. It didn’t look like the sort of place you’d usually take a ‘kind of hostage’ as she had deemed herself. In fact it looked more like a high rise office complex with the biggest circular door she had ever seen.

“Wow,” she remarked as she got out of the car and started towards the building. “Your boss must be made of money huh?”

“Just keep walking.” Brick wall said giving her a little push to quicken her steps. One of these days she told herself, one of these days I’m gonna forget that I’m a lady and deck you something proper! But outwardly she turned and sent him the sweetest smile she could muster.

“It‘ll be okay.” Kurt said stepping up beside her. She sent him a pointed look.

“Is that as happy as happy as that guy gets?”

Kurt just chuckled at her words as they passed through the circular doors together. Her feet immediately sank into the thick soft carpeting while her eyes took in the high ceilings and windows.

Well at least I know I haven’t walked into a vampire’s lair she thought glorying in the feel of the sunlight as it beamed through the windows. She almost wished it would shine forever just to see it brighten this one room, but she knew in reality it would be going down in a few hours. And she couldn’t help but wonder if her safety would set with the sun.

They entered an elevator. Kurt on one side, Brick wall on the other and Willow in middle. She turned her head to her left just a tad and then proceeded to do the same to her right side before a giggle escaped her lips. And then another. And then another. And then Kurt was joining in.

“For crying out loud.” Brick wall grumbled and Willow watched as he ran one of his very big and very tanned hands through his hair.

“Lighten up Dave,” Kurt’s words went over her head to the other man. “It’s good she can still find something to laugh about considering all she’s been through.”

“What about what I’ve been through,” he continued. “Or Stephanie for that matter. We have all had it hard.”

Willow wondered who Stephanie could be and noted the change in Kurt’s expression, his eyes becoming vacant and aloof and before she knew what she was doing she reached forth and caught his hand in hers.

He looked at her as the elevator door opened and sent her a half hearted smile, but as he stepped out of the elevator before her she could see that his prior amusement had gone poof.

“After you.”

Willow looked up and up and up until her green eyes met Dave’s aka ‘Brick Walls’ broody ones and she just stared. She didn’t move and she didn’t blink and only when Kurt’s voice called to them from the hallway did she move.

**

Willow looked meekly around the room trying to pick out Kurt’s face in the crowd.

Since leaving the elevator they had led her here to this room full of people and then gone. She hadn’t seen either of them for a good solid thirty minutes. She didn’t know who all these people were or even why she was there. And damn it she needed to go to the bathroom!

“So you’re the witch…”

She turned at the sound of a rich, smooth and very feminine voice to see a tall brunette standing behind her and watched as the woman pulled up a chair and placed it directly in front of Willow before sitting on it.

“Hi, I’m Stephanie. Willow right?”

Willow nodded.

“We’ve been anxiously awaiting your arrival.” Stephanie continued.

“My arrival?” Willow repeated as if in a daze. “Who are you people? Why am I here? What happened back in Sunnydale?”

“Merely what’s been happening everywhere else we travel. We’re being sought out, hunted if you will by a man who is as ruthless as he is clever. A man who will stop at nothing until he has control of everything my family has spent generations building. At first the family seemed enough but as time went on he became more greedy, more power hungry until he did the unthinkable and killed the only three people who stood in his way. My parents and my brother. He left me alive because through me he plans to have it all.”

“Wouldn’t the police be better able to help you, I mean I’m just a nobody, a girl who stays home all day and sponges off her best friend.”

The brunette smiled. “But you are a very powerful witch – ‘The’ witch.”

“But I haven’t done magic for a long time, not since… well, not for a while. Anyway why would you need a witch? This guy whoever he is sounds evil, but he also sounds human.”

“He is human,” The brunette said her eyes on the floor. “It’s who he’s aligned himself with that isn’t human. At least not to me, I cant explain it but he can do weird things, not normal things – not of this world things.”

Willow nodded finally making sense of everything this woman had been saying. “So basically you’ve got some demon ass to kick before your family legacy goes down the tubes.”

“No,” came a voice that was becoming rather familiar to Willow. She turned and met Dave’s stare as he continued, “We’re got some demon ass to kick before we all go down the tubes.”

**

Part Ten

**

“I knew bringing her in would be a wasted effort.”

“Shh… she’ll hear you.”

“I don’t give a shit if she hears me.”

“Well I do.”

Willow could feel Stephanie’s eyes burn a hole through her back.

“…she maybe our only hope.” The brunette continued.

Kurt cleared his throat reminding Willow that he was still sitting beside her and sent him a half hearted smile.

“I know Dave can be an ass,” he began shifting in his seat uncomfortably.

“You don’t owe me any explanations where your buddy is concerned. It’s obvious he’s worried about his girl friend.”

Kurt laughed at her words causing the couple across the room to turn there way.

“She’s not his girl friend,” he continued getting up to cross the room and planting a kiss on the top of Stephanie’s head. “She’s mine.”

Stephanie rolled her eyes and sent Willow an ‘oh-no-he-didn’t’ look.

“Sadly this hulking mass of muscle speaks the truth.”

Willow smiled as the two prodded and poked playfully before Kurt returned to her side.

“She can’t get enough of me,” He said smiling as he flopped back down on the couch.

“So I see,” Willow replied not able to keep the smile out of her voice. There was just something about this man that brought out all kinds of happy in her. Her eyes inadvertently went to his friend who still stood talking to Stephanie on the other side of the room although now there voices had lowered to dull whispers as they went through the papers she had laid out on her desk. It gave her a chance to study him without his ever present scowl bearing down on her and from where she sat she had to admit that he didn’t look half bad from the back. The fabric of his shirt stretched across his shoulders and tapered down to his waist where it disappeared into the waistband of his pants and there her gaze lingered. He had to have the most perfect ass cheeks on the planet, not that she had seen every ass cheek on the planet, but on a scale of one to ten he was a definite twelve.

“See something you like?”

The sound of Kurt’s laughter again had her head darting back to him so fast her hair whipped the side of her cheek which only ignited more laughter from the man next to her.

“You know, you’re cute when you blush,” he continued his laughter dying down to a bright smile. Willow only blushed more.

Kurt let a low whistle escape his lips and leaned closer to her.

“Man, if I weren’t madly in love with Stephanie you’d be in trouble little lady.” He said with a wink. “But you needn’t worry bout my man Dave over there. I can already tell he likes you.”

“Him? Mr Glare-a-lot? Like me? Are you daft as well as bald?”

Kurt chuckled and shrugged. “No,” he replied the teasing gleam back in his eyes. “Just perceptive.”

“So,” Stephanie said bringing an end to Kurt’s teasing and Willow’s embarrassment as she and Dave joined them, Stephanie seating herself next to Kurt while Dave chose to sit across from them in one of the two arm chairs in the office. “Here’s what we know,” She continued placing a folder down on the table and sliding it across to Willow. She opened it to see a photo of the man that had been in her dreams, his sparkling blue eyes shining as he grinned for the camera. “That’s Hunter Hurst Helmsley. People know him as three things – Triple H, The Game and The Cerebral Assassin. He’s very clever, very manipulative and very, very power hungry…”

Willow waited politely for the brunette to continue, but when she didn’t Dave continued for her. “The next one is Randy Orton. Hunter’s young protégé. He’ll do anything Hunter commands – Even murder.”

Willow moved the first photo aside to see the face of a much younger man staring back at her from the photo. He was cute, Willow didn’t have to ask if he was a heart breaker, she could tell just by looking at his picture that he was. Her obvious regard for the younger man’s looks must have been apparent in her expression because when she looked up again both Stephanie and Kurt looked at her with raised brows while Dave’s expression darkened.

“What?” she said quickly turning the photo face down before moving it to join the first.

The next photo was of an older man with the whitest hair and palest blue eyes she had ever seen. “Don’t tell me,” she said picking the photo up in her hands to study it closer. “He’s our demon.”

Stephanie nodded. “That’s Ric Flair. A once powerful man in his own right, he’s been in this business longer then I’ve been alive. He knows the in’s and out’s, the strengths and weaknesses and he plays on it to get what he wants.”

“That being your business.”

Stephanie nodded again. Willow sighed her hand running over the photo of Hunter Hurst Helmsley again.

“Is Xander with these men?”

Stephanie shot her a confused look.

“Xander? Who’s Xander?” she asked looking to Kurt and Dave for an answer.

“She wasn’t alone.” Was all Dave said in response.

“She wasn’t… there was someone else? And you didn’t tell me?”

“She had a guy with her, Victoria got to him. We barely got ‘her’ out in time.” Dave countered nodding in Willow’s direction. “She is what we went to Sunnydale for. She is what Flair went to Sunnydale for. Be thankful we got to her before he did.”

Stephanie sighed knowing he was right. “I’m sorry about your friend.” She said turning again to Willow. “And yes, he is with them in body, but his mind is not his own. Whatever happens from here on out you must remember that ‘he’ is no longer your friend. He, like the rest of them is just another extension of Flair. Flair will use him to sway you, deceive you and maybe even hurt you, but hopefully once all this is over we will all have our friends back again. All of us.” She added her gaze going back to Dave’s.

Willow again looked down at the photo of Hunter. “You know at first glance I would have picked him for the leader.”

“Oh he is,” Stephanie answered passionately. “But that’s how Fair operates, he creates a false like security around those closest to him and then feeds them only what he wants them to know.”

“Sounds like you’ve been doing your homework.”

“Well we had to know what we were up against.” Dave cut in curtly.

Willow’s gaze went back to the folder and she saw that another photograph had been stuffed to the back, she doubted she would have seen it if she hadn’t of been escaping Dave’s intense gaze yet again, but see it she did and as she pulled it out for a closer inspection she could only look back up at him in confusion.

“This is you.”

**

Part Eleven

**

“This is you…”

Dave merely quirked a brow down at Willow before turning away with what looked to her like a look of disgust.

‘What a major stick that man has up his arse’. She thought as her eyes followed his form back across the room where he stopped at the window to look down at whatever view the outside word provided. ‘A stick,’ She added with a sour look of her own, ‘That obviously had her name imprinted on it in capital letters.

“Dave is the forth member of Evolution.”

Willow’s gaze went back to the couple still seated on the couch. “That would explain the stick up his arse,” She mumbled under her breath, but by the half smile that curbed Stephanie’s lip the other woman had obviously heard her words.

“Dave’s okay,” Despite her amusement Stephanie was quick to come to her friends defence. “I know he can be a bit gruff at times, but believe me he’s a pussy cat.”

Willow didn’t think there voices would have been carried across the room to the other man, but by the scowl he directed at them it was apparent they had. Stephanie’s grin went from ear to ear as she blatantly met Dave’s eyes and within seconds Willow saw something she had never seen pass over Dave’s expression – A smile. Or the hint of one at least. And then his gaze settled on ‘her’ and all traces of that ‘hinted’ smile disappeared only to be replaced with the expression she was use to seeing on his face. The scowl.

“Doesn’t the old man’s mojo affect him?” Willow asked her gaze turning curious.

“Not a drop.” Kurt answered.

“And we need him too much to question why not,” Stephanie continued. “Dave is a powerful ally and though he came to us from the wrong side of the team he’s saved our hides as well as many others more often then not.”

“And yours now too,” Kurt added.

“I’m still in the room you know,” Dave said not turning his gaze from the window. “And I just did what I had too.”

Willow had a feeling there was something very wrong about this picture but for the life of her she just couldn’t put a finger on what exactly it was. One thing for sure though was that there was something very, very not right about there friend and ally Dave Batista. And she planned to find out just what that something was.

**

The two women were left alone in the office after Willow had breached the topic of ‘how they had known she was a witch’ and ‘how did they know where to find her’ and for what ever reason the men had left she had no idea other then that it was a subject they found better suited for Stephanie to explain, but instead of an answer to her question what she got was more interesting small talk regarding the faction that was – Evolution.

“He’s your husband?”

“Was.” Stephanie was quick to correct. “I was young and stupid back then, I thought the sun shone from Hunter’s behind – much like Randy now… anyway my marriage to Hunter seems a life time away and back then we actually had quite a few things in common.”

“Such as?” Willow asked her curiosity piqued.

“Such as…” Stephanie repeated. “…a deep seated hatred for my father.” Tears filled her eyes then and Willow was impressed by how expertly the brunette kept them at bay as she added. “Like I said, I was young and stupid back then.”

“At least you had and still have strong emotions towards your parents. Mine were never really around. My old high school librarian was more a father figure to me then my own father.”

“I wish I had of listened to my father back then, maybe if I had…” Stephanie’s words trailed off as the door opened and Kurt and Dave stepped in followed by a third gentleman. Kurt immediately going to Stephanie’s side as if sensing her distress. Dave on the other hand stalked back across the room to the window, while the third man came and stood directly in front of Willow. He was big she mused tilting her head back to stare up at him, not as forthright in his perusal as Dave had been but certainly just as intimidating. She swallowed.

“They call me Taker.” He said his voice sounding like gravel shifting beneath the wheels of a car.

“W… Willow…” She squeaked in response, one side of her mouth went up in a kind of half Willow smile.

His eyes narrowed.

Her smile died.

“Not much to her is there.” Dave said from the window.

“No.” Was Taker’s reply his eyes still locked on the red head. “But there wasn’t much to the Slayer either.”

Willow’s brows furrowed. ‘Slayer? Did he just say Slayer?’

“Yes I did.” That same gravel laced voice confirmed inside her head causing her to rear back on the couch as if she were going to bolt over the back of it at any given second.

“What the hell are you?” She shrieked not knowing yet why she feared him only that her fear was warranted. She felt rather then saw someone at her back and immediately turned, her gaze growing even more fore boding when instead of Kurt or Stephanie at her back she found it to be Dave with his usual scowl bearing down on her, yet now it didn’t cause her any unease at all, in fact it caused quite the opposite and she found herself calming down quite rapidly, enough so that she slipped back down on the couch and resumed her sitting position.

“Maybe you should explain.” He said addressing Taker who still stood in front of Willow before again moving back to the window.

Taker took a seat opposite Willow and leaned forward so that his elbows rested on his knees.

“They knew about you my little witch because I told them where to find you.”

**

Part Twelve

**

“You… you’ve seen Buffy?”

Taker nodded once.

“But she’s… she died…” Willow swallowed hard and her head started to shake from side to side. “You can’t of…”

“I have.” His voice held power as he stared right at her. “Would you like me to describe your little friend?” He inquired only to go on and do just that without waiting for her to voice a reply. “Blond, yah high…” He held up his hand to determine the height he meant. “…has a thing for vampires with a soul-“

“Yep, that’s her alright.” Willow said cutting him off in mid speech.

Dave coughed and held his hand to his mouth and walked to the window but Willow still caught the slight upward tilt of his lips moments before his hand covered it.

What was so funny? She thought.

She turned back to Taker and soon saw where the source of Dave’s amusement stemmed from. Taker was at that very moment glaring down at her as if she had committed a mortal sin!

“W… what did I do?” She asked her eyes darting towards Stephanie and Kurt, highly doubting that she’d get any answers from Dave. And she was right when from the window they all heard his deep yet quiet chuckling.

Taker sat back and folded his arms across his chest an action which Willow thought to be highly not a good look for him because for a man of his height and ‘take charge’ presence it sure made him look like a sissy girl.

Kurt came to her rescue. He was really excelling on her friendship ladder with Stephanie following not far behind. Pity she couldn’t say the same about Dave though, in her mind he had yet to get a foot up on the first rung.

“Taker prides himself on his long verbal spiels,” Kurt began. “He lives for them actually… well when he’s not dead that is-“

“Kurt!” Taker boomed, the mere sound of his voice causing a picture hanging on the wall to shake.

“Oh right…” Kurt said rather sheepishly moving back to Stephanie who like Dave seemed to find this all amazingly funny. “…didn’t mean to steal your spot light.”

“I met your Slayer friend when I was last in the Underworld.” Taker said leaning forward again. “We found some common ground over a bottle of Jack and pretty soon we were sharing old war stories. I mentioned this latest farce that’s happening with the McMahon’s. The why’s, how’s, when’s. She wasn’t much help at first kept sprouting off about how she was more the ‘action’ rather then ‘research’ girl. She said and I quote ‘Willow’s the one you want. Research girl extraordinaire’ unquote. So when I returned I sent Kurt and Dave to get you. To get both you and Xander in fact but I believe ‘they’ got to him first.”

His gaze went up to Kurt and Dave as if needing confirmation and only when they both nodded did his gaze return to Willow. “I’m sorry about your friend but there’s nothing much we can do about that now.”

“No, there isn’t much ‘we’ can do.” Willow agreed. “I on the other hand can and will. I have to. He’s all I got left.”

“How?” Taker said not in the least bit sympathetic to her words. “Some of our best have gone up against Flair, including myself and he has still come out on top.”

“He hasn’t come up against me yet, I maybe little but I pack a hell of a punch.”

“And how do you plan on packing that punch?” Dave asked finally turning back to them. His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his pants it was the most casual stance Willow had ever seen him pose. She found she liked it.

“Well first thing I need is a computer.”

“Easily done,” Stephanie said going to her desk and opening her lap top.

“Cool,” Willow said getting up to join the other woman at her desk.

“Anything else?” Stephanie asked.

Willow’s look turned thoughtful. “Hmmm… pizza?”

Stephanie chuckled and sent a look Kurt’s way.

“Your wish is my command,” He said moving to the door.

“And taped episodes of Scoobie Doo!” Willow called out after Kurt had left the room.

“Got it!” They all heard him call back. Taker got up as well.

“Do you have any other questions?”

“Only one,” Willow replied her fingers already starting to fly over the lap tops key board. “How did you end up in the Underworld?”

The tap, tap, taping of her fingers on the keys stilled and she looked up to see him already at the door. He turned then and again pierced her with his stony glare.

“My brother sent me there.”

Willow took all his words in even though it looked like she wasn’t as her fingers began to type again. It sounded like he came and went between there world and the Underworld at his leisure, maybe, just maybe he’d take her to see Buffy – if the need arose of course she continued to tell herself. Xander would remain her main focus, but still she couldn’t help but ask.

“How did your brother send you there?” She asked.

Taker smirked and sent her a knowing look before he replied, “He buried me alive.”

**

Part Thirteen

**

Her fingers flew over the keys regardless of the fact that she had already had the information needed for her to familiarise herself with one Ric Flair. It hadn’t been that hard, all she needed to do was type his name in the Demon Data Base search engine and wah-lah! There he was pic and all.

Everyone had pretty much left her to her own devices and frankly once her hands touched the key board she forgot all about them anyway, that was until she noticed her glass was empty. She looked up, glass in hand only to be met with an equally empty room, all so she thought. Movement out the corner of her eye told her that she wasn’t alone at all and she lifted her gaze to see Dave staring at her from across the room.

She smiled.

He didn’t.

Her gaze lowered back to the screen and her fingers started tapping away again, this time entering Dave’s name into the Demon Data Base. It came up ‘No Search Results’. She tired a variation of Dave’s name, but still it came up ‘No Search Results’. What the hell is his problem? She inwardly asked herself not bothering with a smile this time as she lifted her head again.

She closed the screen she had up in front of her and opened the one with the details on Ric Flair scrolling down all the common stuff till she came to his strengths – which to her dismay made up most of his file.

“It’s not going to be easy going up against you.” She muttered inanely to herself.

“What?”

She looked up her brow furrowed. “Huh?”

Dave moved towards her. “You said something.”

Willow sent him her ‘Yeah so?’ look.

He leaned down. “I’m not here merely to keep you company.”

“Then why are you here?”

His eyes slanted, his top lip lifting derisively, but his words held none of the animosity his look showed. He shrugged and leaned closer still. Too close she realised when she felt his breath fan her neck, but she didn’t move a muscle. “Because.” Was all he said.

She swallowed and prompted. “Because what?”

“B-“ His mobile phone started ringing then and for a few moments he let it as there gazes held before turning his back to her to answer it. Willow poked her tongue out at his back and then focused back on the computer screen.

“Toad.” She grumbled. Her eyes scanned the list of strengths she would be up against when facing Ric. Nothing out of the ordinary, she mused. The usual mind games, tricks and magic that most warlocks used, but as she read on she found there was one thing that made him stand out, that made him a cut above the rest – And that was the fact that he needed these people, where as any other warlock would take what they wanted and be done with it, but Flair nurtured his followers. He found them, wooed them, trained them in the way that they ‘should’ go, which was wherever he went and then when the time was right he weaned them off little by little until they became nothing more then an extension of him. They were his children.

Willow doubted ‘killing’ Stephanie’s family had been in the cards, the more she thought about it she figured all they had done to warrant there deaths was resist. Resist Flair, resist his teachings and resist his love. She smiled as realisation hit her. “This guy actually thinks he’s-“

“I have to go.”

Willow jumped in her seat, her hand flying to her chest as Dave’s brisk voice broke into her thoughts. A farewell rose on her tongue but she didn’t get to voice it because the door was already closing behind him.

**

“We may actually get somewhere this time.”

“You think?”

Stephanie chuckled. “Yes, I think. Willow’s different I dunno… there’s just something about her.”

“She’s certainly made an impression on Dave.”

“And Taker.”

Kurt joined his girl at the window of the apartment they shared his arm slipping around her waist. “You really think Willow’s the ‘one’ hey?”

She leaned back against him and sighed. “Well, I don’t know if she’s the ‘one’, but something’s telling me we are finally on the right track.”

**

Part Fourteen

**

Dave undid a couple of buttons on his shirt and raked both his hands over his scalp a few times trying for a messy look as he came to a stop outside of Evolution's hotel room. Key card in hand he lifted it to the door only to stop and take a step back, a thoughtful look coming over his face. Here he was about to go into a room he shared with three other men – One of whom he was loathed to hate because of things of the past and the other two he hated purely because they associated with the one he hated. Granted it wasn't there fault but he'd be lying if he said he didn't hate them before Flair's encroachment on there brains and yet all he had on his mind right now was Willow.

Why didn't she remember? Okay, so it had been an untold number of years since they'd last seen each other and he had definitely piled on the bulk, but surely he can't of changed all that much in her eyes, hell he remembered when she use to trail after him like a bad smell and drive him insane with her ever present puppy dog look. And his parents only made it worse because in there eyes `lovely little Willow' could do no wrong, which to a thirteen year old boy on the verge of adulthood with raging desires, the last thing he had needed or wanted for that matter was a skinny little carrot with gum in her pig tails half his age and size hanging around.

"You're her hero," His mother would say. "It's sweet."

It may have been sweet to his mother, but to him it had been hell especially when he'd been trying his charm out on the local girls and getting nothing for his efforts. Well he certainly wasn't her hero now was he? That `boy' Xander now seemed to fill that roll. Her mind was strictly focused on Xander. On saving Xander and getting Xander back! He hardly noticed his fists clench as he continued on with his thoughts.

Every August his family had met hers at one of his fathers vineyards, a once in a year event that never went amiss until of course on the eve of his seventeenth birthday when he'd gotten word that his parents plane had gone down somewhere over the Himalayas and although he had seen the Rosenberg's at his parents memorial service, he hadn't seen Willow again – That is not until he and Kurt had gone to Sunnydale.

He recognised her straight away, after all these years he was surprised that he had, but no one other then `his' Willow had ever had hair the colour of burning embers.

`His?' His brow furrowed and he shook him head as if he were trying to shake her image from his mind. It didn't work.

"Damn." He said lifting his hand again and then time his key card met the slot provided and the door opened. "I really need to get laid." He mumbled and stepped over the threshold.

**

"Where have you been?" Hunter asked before he even had time to kick the door shut.

"Where would any man with a workable penis be?" Dave was quick to answer Hunter's question with one of his own and then answered it when not only Hunter's expression remained blank but Ric and Randy's as well. "Locked in a hotel room with three gorgeous babes." He said looking at them all in turn as if to say `You dumb fucks'.

"I was gonna say that," Randy piped up nodding his head adamantly.

"Yeah sure you were kid." Hunter chuckled sharing an amused look with Dave, while Ric he noticed seemed entranced with whatever it was he was staring at through the hotel window.

"There's someone here," He said his back to them now.

Hunter chuckled again. "Ric bro, there's four of us here."

"Not `here' here," Ric went on ignoring Hunter's amusement. "I mean `here' within the roster - Someone new."

Dave tensed at the other man's words and quickly lowered his gaze as Ric turned to face them least he give something away.

"Someone I can't see." Dave felt Ric's eyes rest on him as he said the words and moved to cross the room to the bar, his gaze drifting through the open bedroom door to see someone lying unconscious on the bed. His brow furrowing, the bar forgotten he moved towards the bedroom instead and pushed the door open to get a better look.

`No…' he thought even as he felt someone behind him and sent a look over his shoulder.

Hunter smiled and both there gazes went back to the unconscious form on the bed, "Meet our newest recruit."

**

Part Fifteen

**

“Let’s hope Willow and Dave haven’t killed each other in our absence.”

Stephanie chuckled as Kurt held her car door open so she could get out. “Nah, my bet is we’ll probably find them naked instead.”

“Steph!” Kurt cried feigning shock. “Did something perverted just fall from those billion dollar lips?”

“That it did baldy,” She replied and then waggled her eye brows. “Guess you’re rubbing off on me in more ways then I thought.”

“Don’t start Steph or we’ll be making a detour to the nearest utility closet before checking on Willow and Dave.” He said pulling her towards him.

Now it was her turn to look shocked. “Utility closet?” She exclaimed. “That is so last season. Let’s do it in a stairwell instead.”

Grabbing her hand he half dragged half carried her to the building licking his lips as they went.

**

“This can’t be right…”

“What can’t be right?”

Willow jumped at the sound of Kurt’s booming voice behind her, goddess she had been so intent on what flickered on her monitor that she hadn’t heard the couple enter. She tried to send him a dark look for scaring her back to the present, but how could she stay mad when he was smiling at her in that kooky I’m-a-sausage kinda way.

She smiled. “Hey guys,”

“Hey, what can’t be right?” Stephanie said pushing Kurt out of the way so she could see the screen.

“Ah… this ah… passage I’m reading on Flair’s history… are you guys sure he’s your demon?”

“We’ll we’re sure he’s ‘A’ demon, the only one we’ve come across since we found out they existed, other than Taker and Kane of course, but then again we aren’t really sure *what* those two are.”

“Who’s Kane?”

“Taker’s brother.”

“The one who buried him alive?”

“The very one.”

“Where is Kane now? Have you thought that maybe he could be the one behind this?”

“No… why all the questions when you haven’t answered ours? What can’t be right?”

Willow turned in her seat so she could look at them both and said, “Flair as your guy, that’s what can’t be right.”

**

His eyes strained against the heaviness that kept his eyes firmly shut.

“Just five more minute’s mom,” He mumbled sleepily and rolled over. The bed beneath him moved again only this time instead of the slight jiggle it was before, now it felt like someone had lifted one end of it and let it go so that it came crashing down with enough force to have him jolting up with a start, yet it was a lazy expression framed by bed hair that met the cold dark orbs of Dave Batista.

“Oh, morning Davie,” He yawned. Dave slanted his gaze across the room to Flair where he stood at the window, his back was too them but Dave couldn’t mistake the amusement that shook the older man’s shoulders, it was obvious he had already started tinkering with the young man’s memory.

“It’s Dave,” He said his tone hard. “Just Dave.”

Xander stretched, yawned again, farted and then swung his legs around until his feet touched the floor. “So, who’s on the cards tonight?”

Hunter grinned. “Don’t you just love newbie enthusiasm?”

“Who you calling newbie?” That from Xander only made Hunter laugh more.

“Come on kid,” He chuckled, “…you got an in ring tutorial a head of you.”

Dave’s arm snaked out and latched onto Hunter’s arm as he made to move passed him. “You’re putting him straight in the ring?”

“How else are we to flush the little witch out?” Ric answered only now joining in the conversation. Dave’s eyes narrowed. Flair knew Willow was there. “It’s amazing what you find out when you step into someone else’s mind – Literally. I had already sensed another presence within the fold, this boy here just confirmed my suspicions.” Flair continued. His comments though seemed to go over Xander’s head.

“Will Victoria be there tonight?” Xander asked.

Hunter’s grin was back in place. “Yeah kid, she’ll be there.”

“Well cool when do we go?”

Ric lifted a hand and waved it in front of his face. “Not until after you shower, phew!” He exclaimed.

Dave latched onto Hunter’s arm again as Xander moved towards the bathroom with Ric following nattering who knew what into the younger man’s ear.

“Let me train this one,” He said his eyes boring into the other man.

“You sure?” Hunter raised a speculative eyebrow.

Dave nodded.

“Well okay then,” Hunter said slapping the big man on the back. “He’s all yours.”

**

Part Sixteen

**

“He what?”

“Ric Flair,” Willow began again forcing herself to slow down when what she wanted to do was jump up and down with excitement at what she’d found out. She was so the research girl! “…used to be human, not only that but he used to be a harmless human, a nerd, a wimp, a brainiac!”

“Kinda like you?” Kurt teased with an arched brow.

Willow grinned. “Exactly like me, only I make it look good… and I’m not all bad ass… at least not anymore, but lets not get into that, what’s passed is passed and I’m so off topic here so I’m gonna stop.” She took a deep breath and turned back to the screen. “Flair has always been the way he is now.”

“I’ve never seen him act, look or be the way you have described.” Stephanie said sitting on the desk so she could look down on the screen as well as Willow. “And I’ve known him all my life.”

“And how old are you?”

“Twenty-nine.”

“Twenty nine doesn’t mean squat in demon years. A twenty-nine year old demon would still be shitting yellow compared to some of the demons and ex-demons I’ve known.”

“Shit, that’s heavy,” Kurt said from the other side of the desk. “Flair could be like five hundred for all we know.”

“If he’s been alive that long then why did he choose now to wreak havoc, I mean he could have taken the business from my grand father if he’d wanted to, why now?”

“My guess if there’s probably someone else pulling his strings.”

“What are you saying?”

Instead of answering Stephanie’s question Willow fired off one of her own. “Did anyone bother to read passed the dangers of a Solson demon, which is what Flair is?”

“I… I’m not sure,” Stephanie answered and Kurt merely shook his head when the red heads gaze turned to him.

“What about Dave?”

“Dave knows as much as I do,” Kurt replied but Willow wasn’t convinced.

“Are you sure? He is a member of Evolution and if that wasn’t enough there’s always the fact that Flair’s mind games seem to have no effect on him.”

“Nah…” Kurt shook his head. “I trust Dave.”

“So do I.” Stephanie added.

Willow was silent for a long while looking at them both in turn as if she were the grand marshal trying two suspects for murder before she finally lowered her gaze and nodded. “Okay.” Another deep breath and then, “I’ve been reading in depth on Solson demon’s and although they like every other big bad have grand delusions of making it to the top, only lack the balls to do it on there own – enter Evolution and whoever else is behind this. His power is his mind and what he can do if he gets in yours. He can put a plate of shit in front of you, tell you its chocolate pudding and then laugh while you gobble it down, which would explain why everyone you have sent up against him has failed because all he’d have to do is plant a seed in there mind that he is unbeatable, therefore they lose as a result of there own insecurities. They think they are going to lose – And then do. His senses are heightened, but that’s nothing out of the ordinary, most demons are.”

Kurt and Stephanie remained silent while Willow nattered on, the only sound other than her voice was the constant clicking of the keys as she typed, scrolled and highlighted the points she’d mentioned.

“And there’s something else too…” she continued her brow furrowing. “But I can’t be sure of this because the text ends unfinished… but if I follow what my gut is telling me I’m afraid you have a bigger problem than just protecting your family legacy and I have a bigger problem than just getting my life back the way it was.”

Willow lifted her head then to see that Kurt had risen from his seat and now stood with his arm around Stephanie’s shoulders.

“What problem is that?” He asked softly.

“More of a ‘whom’,” Willow replied. “And that whom is called ‘The Master’.”

**

Part Seventeen

**

“Crap.”

The word was barely a hiss through Xander’s teeth when his back connected yet again with the ring floor, never mind that said floor was akin to a trampoline and supported more than added to his fall.

“I know these damn moves,” He ranted quickly getting to his feet. “I can picture myself pulling them off inside my head, but when I try to make that picture a reality I bomb out.”

Well of course, Dave thought, those pictures you’re talking about were planted in your head curtesy of Flair, but on the outside his expression showed nothing to the inner words his mind was voicing.

“It’s not too late to back out,” He shrugged. “Randy or I could step in,” Randy preferably he mused then I could get your amateur arse where Willow can’t see it.

“Nah big man, tonight is my night. I can feel it.”

Dave tried not to let his disapproval show. “Well,” he said his scowl showing this anyway. “We better go again then.”

Xander charged at Dave while the other man’s head was turned his arms securing a hold around Dave’s head in a head lock and he squeezed for all he was worth, but to no avail and it was a sheepish and this time sore Xander Harris that looked up at Dave from his sprawled out position on the ring floor.

“Ow.” He moaned rolling onto his stomach and then up onto all fours.

“Kurt Angle is who you’ll be up against tonight and though he may not be able to beat me in a one on one wrestling match, in your case it’d be more then a walk in the park.”

“I may get beat up some,” Xander replied once again rising to his feet. He grinned. “But with Evolution behind me I’m still bound to get the win.”

“Are you sure? I mean the only one Hunter gets behind is himself and he expects everyone else, especially Evolution to follow his lead.”

“Not me.” Xander replied his tone just a little too cocky for Dave’s liking. “I’m Hunter’s protégé, he told me so himself.”

And there we have it ladies and gentlemen, Dave thought, a shining example of Hunter making sure his arse is the one the sun shines out of.

“If you’re sure-“

“I’m positive.” Xander replied.

Dave nodded even though his mind was screaming ‘Fuck!’ Willow couldn’t see Xander, it was too soon. She hadn’t accomplished what they had brought her here to accomplish. Things were still askew within the ranks of the WWE, she had to set those things straight, she had to stay and damn it he was going to make sure she did.

His eyes pierced the back of Xander as he threw a few wayward punches at am imaginary target, well short of locking Xander in a cupboard for the rest of the night, if talking the young pup out of his match tonight wasn’t a go, well then he’d just have to keep Willow away from the arena.

**

“What does he want to see you about?”

“I don’t know, but he said it was important. I’m kind of iffy about meeting him actually because he rarely says boo to me, glares at me like I was the lowest of the low, yet now he wants me to meet him privately? Doesn’t that smell kinda fishy to you?”

“Not really,” Stephanie answered and then grinned cheekily. “Maybe he just wants you all to himself.”

Willow rolled her eyes. “Be still my beating heart.” She chuckled. She was curious though, that she couldn’t deny, but she didn’t tell Stephanie that.

“I wanted to introduce you to the others tonight, but I guess it can wait and to be honest the more we can keep Flair ignorant to your presence the better, Dave tells me he already suspects there’s someone new among us.” Stephanie smiled. “And Dave wanting to meet you tonight is a good call seeing as the rest of Evolution will be at the arena.”

Willow sighed. “Something still doesn’t seem right about this,” She said.

“Look,” Stephanie said in all seriousness. “You can trust Dave he’s one of the good guys.”

Willow couldn’t doubt the other woman’s words after all Dave was helping Stephanie to get her life and the life of the WWE and all it entailed out from under the butt of a greedy power hungry demon – If indeed that was what this was.

Something inside her though was telling her there was more to it than that, just like that same something was telling her there was more to this *meeting* with Dave then he was telling her.

**

Part Eighteen

**

“I don’t believe it.”

Kurt’s chin fell to his chest as the newest member of Evolution came through the curtain and started to make his way down the ramp.

“You can’t believe it?” Stephanie exclaimed her eyes going behind the young man to who followed behind him. “I can’t believe it. What is *he* doing here?”

“I would of thought that’d be obvious Steph, Xander Harris has been recruited by Evolution.”

“Xander…” Stephanie’s gaze darted to the young man currently climbing through the ropes to face Kurt. “Shit.”

Kurt arched a brow, yet he couldn’t keep the worry from his tone. “You weren’t talking about him were you?”

Stephanie shook her head her gaze swinging back to Dave, her eyes asking what her mouth couldn’t find the words too. Dave’s response was what it should be seeing as he was down at ringside as a part of Evolution – Utter dislike for his surroundings and the people in it.

“Time to cheer me on from the sidelines Steph, if you’ve got a bone to pick with Dave I suggest you wait until we’re in a place that’s not so public.”

“Go easy on him,” Stephanie warned as she moved towards the ropes. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

“Whatever you say boss,” Kurt chuckled allowing his eyes to rove over her as she leaned down to climb through the ropes turning only when he heard the bell signalling for the match to begin.

**

Xander felt like yawning.

Where was the competition? Where was the hard arse Dave had prepared him for? Sometimes he felt like he was in the wrong business, there was just no challenge in wrestling. If it wasn’t for the money he reckoned he would be doing something else like carpentry or something.

The women however were another thing altogether. They were bloody beautiful and the one standing outside the ring right now cheering for his opponent was no exception. Long, long hair a mixture of light and dark framed her face, luscious lips, straight nose and two glorious pools of blue that stared straight at him. He couldn’t resist. He winked. Her eyes widened and behind him he swore he heard Dave chuckle.

Xander’s grin was wide, but it lasted only a few seconds when from behind he felt the boa like arms of Kurt Angel snake around him and seconds later he was soaring through the air.

“Not again.” He hissed when he landed and would have kissed the ring floor happy to be so close to it - if he had of been on it long enough! But he wasn’t. He was lifted a second time and a second time his back met the ring floor and then a third time he sailed across the ring as Kurt let loose his hold.

Stephanie clapped for her man and when he was close enough she voiced, “Dave, I need to speak to Dave.”

“Now is not the time,” Kurt replied.

“Now is the perfect time, just get him here.”

He didn’t like it she knew, but he nodded in understanding and walked across the ring stepping right on top of the still suffering Xander as he went and purposely started to taunt Dave who stood outside the ring. Again understanding was quick to come and the big man immediately went after Kurt who then allowed Dave to pull him outside the ring where Stephanie ran to offer what aid she could, which wasn’t much as Dave shoved Kurt into the security wall.

“What are you doing here?” She asked through her teeth as she physically put herself between Kurt and Dave.

“What does it look like? I’m looking after the rookie.”

“But what about Willow?”

“My call to Willow was a ploy to keep her from coming here tonight.”

“Why?”

“It’s a trap. Flair knows she’s here and he knows Xander is her weakness.”

“She doesn’t trust you, you know.” When Dave made no response she continued. “And after tonight she may hate you as well.”

Dave’s hand snaked out grabbed her by the shirt front pulling her up so close to him she could feel his breath on her cheek.

“That’s a chance I’m gonna have to take, the bigger picture remember?”

Stephanie swallowed.

“Now get back to your corner, Randy can only hold the ref off for so long.”

And then she was free of his hold, her hands splayed at her throat watching as he turned his back to her and leaned down, picked up Kurt and tossed him back in the ring.

**

Part Nineteen

**

Willow sighed. And then sighed again.

She sat all alone at a table in a restaurant Dave’s driver – Well, she assumed the lean, blonde cutie was Dave’s driver – had driven her too, only to be given a message after thirty minutes of waiting that something had come up and he’d be a little late and then he went on to state that she should go a head and order anything she wanted – On him. As soon as she’d read the message she’d stood to leave with extremely satisfying images of Dave being strung up by his ankles and then thought better of it – Better of leaving that is not the stringing up part after all she had taken the time to haul her cookies all the way over here so why shouldn’t she stay and order some of the delicious dishes she’d been smelling since she’d entered. And boy oh boy didn’t that dessert cart look good. She could afford to gain a pound or two and as Dave’s message had so generously stated – It was on him.

She smiled. “Could I see a menu please.”

**

Her stomach more than satisfied, Willow made her way through the lobby of the only other building in Greenwich she’d been in other than the restaurant and then up to the offices she had occupied since being brought here to find Kurt and Stephanie waiting for her.

“Wow, you look stuffed.” Stephanie remarked jumping up from the couch upon Willow’s entering.

“Oh I am,” Willow replied patting her belly. “I definitely am.”

“Dave must have out done himself then,” Stephanie remarked shooting Kurt a look. She had already clued him in on all Dave had told her that night and though he didn’t like keeping Xander’s presence away from Willow, she knew he wouldn’t say a thing. He was far too loyal for that. Not just to her but to the WWE.

“In terms of restaurant choice ‘Yes’, the food was scrumptious. In terms of company he scored a big fat zero.”

”Why?” Stephanie asked her tone one of innocent curiosity.

“He didn’t show.” The red head flippantly replied flopping down in the chair behind Stephanie’s desk, a chair she had occupied nearly all day. “But I got a good feed out of it. I won’t need to eat for a week after tonight.”

“You’re taking this amazingly well,” Kurt said finally joining in on the conversation.

“Why shouldn’t I? It’s not like it was a date or anything.”

Stephanie and Kurt shared another look before Willow merrily changed the subject.

“So anything happen at the arena?” She asked.

“Oh you know, same old same old,” Stephanie replied with a shrug.

“Excuse me missy, it wasn’t same old same old,” Kurt exclaimed. “Lover boy here won his match,” He stood then and took a bow. “Thank you, thank you.”

Stephanie grinned.

“Oh yeah, Kurt winning a match is not ‘same old same old’, it’s once-in-a-blue-moon.”

The squeal that escaped the taller woman’s lips could have broken glad as she scrambled over the back of the couch out of Kurt’s reach. Willow sat with the flat of her palms pressed up against her ears.

“Golly Steph,” She exclaimed. “A warning should come before to a squeal like that.”

“Sorry,” She apologized giggling like the little girl she still was in some ways. “We came to take you back to the hotel, we already booked you a room-“

“I’m sleeping here.” Willow cut in and gave her belly another pat.

“Excuse me?” Stephanie said coming around to stand in front of the red head.

“That couch you were just on will do nicely for a bed and your personal little office bathroom is bigger than my bedroom back home.”

“Willow you can’t-“

“I’ll be quite comfy.”

“I’m inclined to believe her,” Kurt spoke up slanting Stephanie a pointed look. “This building maybe a place of business, but it’s definitely five star.”

He moved closer to his lady love and whispered, “This solves the problem of a certain someone running into a certain someone else.”

“But-“

“After all, running around the hotel hallways in the middle of the night is how we hooked up remember?”

After that little jaunt down memory lane Stephanie was fully convinced, yet she still didn’t wish to leave Willow alone. “Then we shall stay too.” She declared.

That comment brought a look of mock astonishment from Kurt and a snort of laughter from Willow.

“Oh I can just see the three of us fitting on that couch.” She chuckled, “But I’m afraid there’s only room for one, besides I need you to do something for me which requires you leaving.”

“Oh…” Stephanie raised a brow. “What?”

“Taker,” Willow smiled even as Stephanie’s mouth fell open. “I want to talk to him.”

**

Part Twenty

**

“Bad luck kid,” Hunter said slapping Xander on the shoulder as he, Dave and Randy entered there luxurious hotel room a few hours later. “Better luck next time huh?”

Xander hung his head, he had so wanted tonight to be his night, yet he had wrestled like tonight had been his first time in a ring and he knew for a fact that it wasn’t. He had the memories to prove it. He remembered the rush winning brought, the celebration after and above all else he remembered the crowd’s reaction to his win. They hated him. Hated Evolution. And he loved that.

Dave watched Xander move about the room wincing every now and then with every step.

“Where’s Ric?” He asked turning to Hunter.

“Never far big man,” The man in question replied. Dave’s gaze dated across the room to where the much older man appeared in the bedroom doorway. There gazes locked and Ric continued, “Never far.”

“I’ve sent for a few of the girls to come and cheer you up after your loss tonight,” Hunter was telling Xander. “There’s nothing like a bed, a bottle of oil and a naked lady to put a smile back on a man’s face… except maybe a bed, a bottle of oil and two naked ladies, but I think I’ll reserve that little treat for myself.”

Dave shook his head as Xander perked up at the mention of naked ladies.

“Is Victoria one of those ladies?” Xander asked his tone hopeful.

“If you want her to be kid,” Hunter replied with a chuckle. “Didn’t you see her at the arena?”

Xander shook his head, but before he could even think of forming a reply feminine giggles and a soft rapping at there hotel door had Xander standing to his feet and by his expression anyone would think all his Christmas’s had come at once.

“How lucky do you feel?” Hunter asked before he moved to the door opening it a few moments later.

“Wow.” Xander’s mouth fell open and his eyes bulged at the sight of not only Victoria entering the room but six – He counted them – other beautiful ladies as well, all dressed for the occasion in nothing more than a dainty scrap of terry towelling.

Victoria approached him immediately pressing him back down to the couch with a well manicured hand to his chest before she straddled him. At that moment Xander forgot everything, his loss, his bruised side and back and most of all the fact that he wasn’t alone in the room.

Hunter chuckled. He still stood at the door with a woman on either arm looking with approval to the couch and the two people on it. “He fit’s in quite well doesn’t he?” he laughed and made his way out of the room with randy and his choice of companion for the night.

Dave frowned and shrugged off one of the women who had been pawing suggestively at his arm. He turned to Ric, but only caught the sight of the bedroom door closing shut obviously Ric wasn’t interested in getting a little action tonight because two women not counting Victoria were still in the room.

“Sorry ladies,” he said when both women lost there terry towels and sauntered his way. “Not tonight.”

Dave made his way to the door then, he didn’t want to leave Xander, but there was only so much *watching* he was prepared to do. He wanted to go by Stephanie and Kurt’s hotel room anyway to make sure they all had there stories straight in regards to Xander being in there midst. And of course they would have seen Willow before retiring so maybe he could get an idea from Stephanie of Willow’s reaction to his not showing up. By his reckoning she could be one of three things:

1 – She could be mad as hell and want to rip his eyes out.

2 – She could be hurt and he seriously didn’t want that.

3 – She couldn’t careless.

Both 1 and 2 he mused would contribute to maybe Willow feeling something a little more than hostility towards him. The Dave he used to be rather liked the idea of ‘His Willow’ as his mother use to call her having those kinds of feelings towards him and hell he didn’t mind owning up to the fact that he wasn’t a kid with only sex on his mind anymore. He was an adult and hell so was she! Nope. He wouldn’t mind that at all, but he’d keep those thoughts to himself for now after all her reaction could be number 3. That he mused would be a blow to his ego, but that too was something he would keep to himself. And let’s face it, since he and Kurt had taken her out of Sunnydale everything he had done that led up to this point especially this stint with Xander didn’t help tip the scales towards numbers 1 and 2.

Nope. They didn’t help one bit.

**

Part Twenty One

**

Dave stood outside Kurt’s hotel room and knocked. No one answered. He knocked again, a little louder this time. Still nothing. He flicked his wrist up and glanced down at his watch. It was well after eleven. Where the hell were they if not curled up in bed? Kurt wasn’t much of a partier so them going out to celebrate his win tonight was just plain not heard of, he knew his buddy and that meant that Kurt would much rather celebrate here in the privacy of his hotel room with Stephanie the only invitee.

They had to be with Willow, only thing was he hadn’t bothered to ask Stephanie which room she had put the little red head in, whichever room it was he knew it wouldn’t be anywhere near Evolution’s.

He could go down and ask at reception, but who’s to say that Stephanie didn’t check Willow in under an assumed name?

“Crap.” He said to the still closed door before walking off chastising himself for saying something as dorky as ‘Crap’.

**

Willow awoke with a stiff neck and sore joints and the pain it caused showed in her expression as she stood to stretch. She loved the feel of her chest expanding as she breathed deeply and then the feel of that air leaving her system in a long drawn out sigh. Arms wide out she declared to all that would listen that life was wonderful! And then she opened her eyes and saw Stephanie’s couch, Stephanie’s desk, Stephanie’s lap top, all signs that the wonderful life she’d been imagining was exactly that – Her imagination.

“It’s about time.”

Startled she turned only now realising that she wasn’t alone.

“What are you doing here? How did you get in?”

He chuckled, but Willow saw no humour in that chuckle.

“You wanted to see me so here I am.” He said.

“Yeah, but I expected to unlock the door and let you in accompanied by Stephanie and Kurt, not to wake up and find you standing across the room.”

“Accompanied?” He stepped out of the shadows allowing his face to her view. “Are you afraid of me little girl?”

Willow pffft and exclaimed, “No. I’ve come up against meaner looking things than you.”

“Yes,” He came closer still. “I know.” He sat in one of the arm chairs facing her where she stood by the couch. “Why am I here?”

“The Underworld,” She began her resolve face coming into view. “You know how to get there.”

He nodded his gaze never leaving hers and she realised that he had known all along what had been in her mind. And without having to finish what she had started his reply was given in his eyes before his mouth spoke the words, “I will take you.”

**

It had been a waste of time checking into another hotel room because all he’d done when he’d gotten there was lie on the bed and stare up at the ceiling. He’d snoozed of course at sporadic times throughout the rest of the night, but nothing to determine a good night’s sleep, just enough to make sure his body made it through the coming day.

He wanted to blame Xander for his restless night. Even through his shower he damned the younger man to hell, but now as he waited for the first rays of the sun to peak through the blinds at him he knew that all he’d been brooding over, all he’d been telling himself wasn’t so at all. And when he finally left his hotel room he knew it wouldn’t be Evolution’s hotel room he’d be heading to or even that of Kurt and Stephanie, he’d head for Willow’s – Via the receptionist’s desk. He still had to get her room number, but one way or another he was going to talk to Willow – Wether she welcomed him or not. But once downstairs his courage fled and instead of doing what his mind had so passionately stated whilst still within the walls of his hotel room, no more than three steps from the reception desk Dave Batista, World Wrestling Entertainment’s very own Animal, tucked his tail between his legs, turned on his heel and strode purposely through the hotel’s elaborately stylish entrance way.

**

Part Twenty Two

**

Willow stared at Taker.

Taker stared right back at Willow.

“Well then,” She smiled Cheshire cat like. “Now works for me. How’s your calendar look?”

His expression stayed as deadpan as ever. Willow had to wonder how he did it, he made her resolve face look warm and inviting.

“Now it is then,” He replied and pointed to where Willow’s make shift bed still lay rumpled on the couch. “You might want to get comfortable.”

Willow complied fluffing her pillow before laying her head on it, her hand joining just below her breasts, her fingers threading together like a flax kit and her legs crossing at the ankles.

She smiled again. “Ready.”

“Close your eyes.” He began in his gravel like tones.

Her eyes closed but still she saw him. He was smiling. Her brow arched.

“Is this a spell?” She heard herself ask even though she could have sworn her lips remained firmly shut.

“No.” Taker reply was instant. “It’s your inner self that sees, moves and speaks.” He held out his hand. “Come with me.”

Willow saw him move although his physical self stayed seated in the arm chair. She moved swinging her legs around till her feet touched the floor and then stood placing her hand in his as she did.

She looked back only once as Taker led her away to see herself still lying peacefully on the couch.

**

Dave pushed his fork through the plate of scrambled eggs the waitress had placed in front of him, clearing a way for a river of ketchup to flow through and then smiled in triumph when the damn broke and a trail of thick red sauce pushed its way through and only when his little Dave made river reached the end of its journey did he look up from his plate.

Damn, he thought his eyes resting on the clock behind the counter. Had he really only been there thirty minutes? It seemed like a lot longer. Another thirty minutes, he continued to tell himself, and then I’ll make my way to Triton Towers.

Lifting his hand he held up his coffee cup to the waitress and within seconds her sandalled feet clacked with every step on the diner’s tiled floor that she took towards him, the sound aggravating him more than it should have, but he kept his cool and smiled when she stopped at his table to refill his cup and then she and that damn clacking moved back behind the counter.

**

“What the hell…” Stephanie’s limo was already parked in the underground car park of Triton Towers, but that wasn’t what made Dave’s gut turn over a few times within his chest, it was the fact that Stephanie’s limo wasn’t alone – Taker’s Hearst was parked right alongside it.

Anxiety always filled him at the sight of that damn Hearst, it reminded him he was alone in this world which was why his need to help Stephanie was so strong because since his parents death this was where he felt at peace, felt he belonged, felt that he wasn’t alone in the world – Here in the WWE.

Why Taker chose to roll around in the thing was beyond him, but then again Taker already *was* beyond him in many ways, beyond all of them.

It’s a good thing he’s on our side, Dave mused passing both cars to the elevator.

Didn’t take him long to get to where he had to go and soon he found himself facing Stephanie’s office door, not bothering to knock he opened it and walked right on in.

What met him on the other side made him stop cold in his stride.

Standing shoulder to shoulder across the room were Kurt and Stephanie, Kurt’s expression was grave while Stephanie looked as if she would burst into tears at any given moment.

“What is it?” He asked even as his eyes fell on Willow’s sleeping form on the couch.

“It’s Willow,” Stephanie answered her voice grave. “She’s… she’s dead.”

**

Part Twenty Three

**

“What?”

“Dead. Cold. Not breathing.” Stephanie exclaimed her voice rising with every word she spoke. Kurt immediately moved to calm her.

“No,” Dave whispered his long legs bringing him to the couch in two powerful strides. “She can’t be,” He swatted down beside the sleeping red head and lifted the palm of his hand first to her face, then to her neck and then to her breast.

Nothing. No breath, no pulse and no heart beat. Nothing.

Desperately his hands clamped on to her shoulders. “Wake up.” He ordered. When she remained still he shook her. “Damn it. Wake up!”

“She’s gone man,” Kurt said from behind him.

Dave rose and turned on his friends.

“No.” He said. “This isn’t possible. She’s a witch right? This is a spell, only a spell. She isn’t dead. She isn’t. I have to think…” Dave turned from them and started to pace the room mumbling to himself all the while.

Stephanie stood in the circle of Kurt’s arms and watched Dave. She wished she had an explanation for finding Willow how they had but she didn’t. After they’d left Willow last night she and Kurt had gone straight to Taker’s dwelling to inform him of the red head’s request, which was heaven forbid a mortuary some fifteen miles away, but it seemed there drive had been all for naught because Taker hadn’t been there and by the time they had arrived back at there hotel it’d been well passed three in the morning. Both she and Kurt had fallen wearily into bed only to be woken up a few hours later by Kurt’s blasted alarm clock. Oh how she longed to throw the damn thing out the window. But she wouldn’t. Kurt loved that alarm clock even more than he loved his gold medals and all because a little girl had given it to him at his very first signing. And then added for vanity’s sake - Namely hers - Kurt didn’t love that alarm clock more than he loved her, which damn it all was still sending out a series of chimes!

“Turn that damn thing off.” She hissed into her pillow.

A heart beat later all was silent.

“Thank you.” She sighed and leaned her head forward until it rested on Kurt’s shoulder. Her man was a big softie and she loved him for it. They had come straight here after there early wake up call and Willow’s still form on the couch was what had awaited them.

“Taker.” Dave said as it he’d been reading Stephanie’s thoughts. “This is his doing I know it. And his Hearst is below-“

“It is?” Kurt asked. “We never saw it.”

Dave’s brow crinkled. “Never saw it. Stephanie’s limo is parked right next to it. How could you not see it?”

“Maybe he didn’t want us to see it.” Stephanie suggested causing both men to turn her way. “Last night Willow asked us to set up a meeting with Taker, what if he already knew she would want to see him? What if he-“

“Came while Willow was alone?” Dave finished for her.

Stephanie nodded. “And your explanation for why I saw Taker’s Hearst and both of you didn’t?” He continued.

Stephanie shrugged. “Do I need one? You’re immune to Flair’s mind games and I’m no more clued up on that than I am here.”

“If what I’m hearing is true,” Kurt began. “…Then there’s only one explanation for why Willow is how she is.”

Stephanie nodded and voiced what was going through her boyfriends mind. “Willow’s in the Underworld.”

**

Part Twenty Four

**

“Are we there yet?”

Taker neither stopped nor looked back as Willow scrambled over rock and through thicket to keep up with him.

“We’ve been walking for ages.” She continued to complain, but still her words went unheeded. “Goddess,” Willow grumbled to herself now. “Some Grim Reaper you’re turning out to be. Most get a scenic boat ride, but what do I get? My own two feet that’s what.” At that moment she stumbled and once righted her eyes shot heavenward. “Smarty pants aren’t yah?” With a pout she couldn’t seem to lose and a stamp here and there she trudged on after Taker and when he finally turned and said the words ‘We’re here’ it was like music to her ears and Aloe Vera to her aching feet.

“Man, I thought we’d never get here,” She said as she came up beside the taller man. She turned her head and tilted her head up. The much, much, much taller man.

“It’d be shorter on the way back,” He surprised her by replying.

Her brow quirked. “Did you just make a joke?”

“No. I stated a fact.”

“No I stated a fact.” Willow mimicked. “Gee, Takey lighten up. That whole stake up your butt tone will give you wrinkles.”

But ‘Takey’ didn’t lighten up. His face stayed the same. Hard, cold and unmoving.

“Will’s?”

Willow turned towards the voice, but saw nothing.

“Will’s?”

“Buffy?”

Willow turned back around to where Taker stood and instead saw the Slayer in his place.

“Buffy!” She exclaimed at the exact moment her friend exclaimed “Willow!”

The two friends hugged each other like there was no tomorrow and when they parted dual expressions of happiness shone brightly on both there faces.

“I knew you’d know to come here,” Buffy began. “I have a lot to tell you if you’re to defeat The Master.”

“Then I was right, The Master is the one behind all of this.”

“All the way up to his pasty bald head,” Buffy confirmed linking her arm through Willow’s. “…Come on, it’s dangerous us being out in the open like this, you never know who might be lurking.”

“What about Taker?” Willow asked looking this way and that for the big man.

“He knows his way home,” Buffy replied with a laugh. “Come on Will’s, times a wasting.”

“Great. More walking.” Willow moaned, but unlike her trek with Taker, this time there was a very obvious skip in the little red heads step. “So, where are we going?”

“Not far, just somewhere I know where we can talk without having to look over our shoulder. I don’t know if Taker told you or not, but my Slayer powers are kinda non existent down here. Guess this is payback for all the evil I stopped topside.”

“That doesn’t sound right. You saved people. You were one of the good guys.”

“And everyone here knows it. You forget Will’s I’m in Hell not Heaven. Here the bad guys rule and the Slayer is nothing more than a six letter word. And they know it. And so do I.”

“Have you tried to leave or… I know… talk to the head… baddy…er guy, maybe he’ll strike a deal or something, anything.” She stopped then and sucked in some much needed air. “Buffy you can’t live like this.”

Buffy shrugged. “I’m not living period remember?” She smiled. “So it’s not Sunnydale and I don’t have the creature comforts I had as the Slayer, but I’m here… and I’m dealing… and I’ve got Taker. If it wasn’t for him I’d probably be Buffy toast right now.”

“That’s not funny.”

“It wasn’t meant to be. It’s just…” Buffy stopped and when Willow stepped up beside her and looked down she saw a sea of twisting bodies with claw like hands reaching up to them, there contorted faces saying what there mouths could not. ‘Help me, help me’.

“…If it wasn’t for Taker I’d be in there with the rest of them who don’t belong in Hell. He’s my friend Will’s.” She turned then to stare at Willow. “In this place he’s my only friend.”

**

Part Twenty Five

**

“Resurrect The Master?” Willow exclaimed. “How am I supposed to do that when Giles, Ms Calendar and Cordelia are all dead? …Unless you want me to resurrect them first, Giles and Ms Calendar sure, but Cordelia? That’s pushing it a little and anyway you smashed his bones.”

Buffy shook her head and chuckled. “Same old Willow, God I’ve missed you.”

Willow grinned. “I’ve missed you too.”

“I did smash his bones, but at that time I didn’t know that smashing his bones would only get half the job done. His essence escaped and that being the case all he’s need to do to become whole again was find new ones.”

“Ew.”

“I hear yah!” Buffy agreed with a grimace. “Since I found out he was still very much ‘dead and kicking’, with Taker’s help I’ve been looking into it in more depth.” She grinned. “ I have become quite the research girl you’ll never believe the resources they have down here. I’m telling you Giles would be in library heaven.”

“Wow,” Willow smiled teasingly. “A library in hell, who’d a thunk it?”

Buffy caught on to the teasing and joined in. “Definitely not me, guess that whole fire and brimstone theory is a bit overrated.”

“Overrated, but necessary.”

Both girls turned at the sound of that familiar gravel like voice to see Taker walking up behind where they sat close together.

“Where’d you come from?” Willow asked. Taker turned and pointed to no where in particular and replied, “Over there.” And then turned to Buffy and with the same breath, “…Have you told her yet?”

“Not…”

“Told me what?”

“…Yet.”

“What haven’t you told me?”

“Settle down little girl, its nothing to get all hypo over.”

Buffy nodded smiling reassuringly at Willow before surprising the red head by turning to Taker and thumping the bigger man on the arm.

“I was getting there,” She scolded before sighing and turning back to Willow to explain. “New bones were found and The Master hibernated underground for a while using his mind persuasion to gather an army, Ric Flair being one of the first to be gathered, mainly because he’s easily influenced, most of his army though are innocents. Again Flair being one of them believe it or not, but all of that- Oh for Pete’s sake! The Master got careless. An unfeeling being such as himself actually started to feel and his desire to be one of the topside dwellers had never been more then it was when he first saw Stephanie McMahon.”

“Stephanie?”

“Don’t ask me how it happened I have no answer for you. He wanted her for his own, her family stood in the way. He got rid of them via Flair and the McMahon Empire started to crumble by his will alone – Again via Flair. He wanted her desolate and inconsolable, so much so that she’d come to him on her own, but what he didn’t count on was Dave.”

Willow’s eyes rolled. “I knew his name would come up sooner or later.”

Taker ignored her outburst. “Dave became Stephanie’s protector, Stephanie’s shadow and then Stephanie’s friend. Unknowingly Dave became the one thing The Master couldn’t do away with.”

Willow’s interest showed in her eyes. “Why? Why couldn’t he do away with Dave?”

“Because Dave was the only one close to The Master when his last physical body was killed.”

Realisation dawned in Willow’s expression. “He need’s Dave if he has any hope of going topside again.”

“Exactly.”

“That certainly explains a lot.” Willow nutted on to herself thinking of Dave and the fact that he seemed to be immune to Flair’s mind control, it wasn’t from lack of trying on Flair’s part, but rather the fact that he wasn’t allowed.

Willow shook her head in disbelief. “The Master in love. Who’d a thunk it number two.”

**

Part Twenty Six

**

“What’s he waiting for?”

“For you, he’s your way out of here.”

“Huh? No. Not Taker - The Master. Why doesn’t he just get Flair to do away with Dave, use his blood to resurrect his sorry ass and get the girl? What’s he waiting for?”

Buffy shrugged. “The final part of the puzzle I guess.”

“And that would be?”

“Bones - And not just any bones either. They have to be perfect as can be to woo his lady love.”

“Ga – Argh!” The red head shivered violently and then another thought struck her. Damn her busy mind! She mused. “Is Kurt in any danger here?”

“You all are little girl.” Taker answered.

“I mean because Stephanie is in love with Kurt. Have you never seen Fatal Attraction?”

Buffy giggled. “It’s no use Will’s. I’ve given up trying to get this guy to laugh, it’s just not gonna happen.”

“It’s time to go back.”

Buffy sighed knowing Taker was right. They’d kept Willow there longer than expected. It was time her long time friend returned to her physical self.

“You’re gonna need this.” She said handing Willow a glass orb. Willow took it and weighed it in her hands. It felt no lighter than a feather. “Resurrect him, stake him, smash him and then use this orb to gather up his essence. Taker will know what to do with it when you’re done. And careful, once he’s resurrected he’ll have no further use for Dave.”

That thought turned Willow’s lips into a thin flat line.

“Xander is closer than you think. Don’t blame *him*.”

“What?”

“Good luck.”

“Come Willow.” Taker said.

She turned to him. “Just a minute,” Willow called to his retreating back, but when she turned back around to Buffy, her friend had gone.

“Come Willow,” Taker said again.

With arched brows and a desolate sigh Willow turned to follow her guide.

**

“She’s waking-“ Kurt couldn’t finish the rest as he was rudely pushed aside and no apology came his way either as Dave crouched down beside Willow.

“-Up.” Kurt then continued with a chuckle.

“Willow?” The bigger man said his large hands blocking Stephanie’s view as she came from behind her desk to stand at Kurt’s side.

“Is she okay?” Stephanie asked.

Dave didn’t reply. His fingers were busy brushing Willow’s hair back from her face in soft strokes while still gently calling her name.

“Is she?” Stephanie asked again this time to Kurt.

“We’re about to find out,” Kurt replied and proving his words right Willow stretched, her body twisted, her back arched, her lips turned up at the corners in a dreamy sleep induced smile and then her eyes fluttered open.

Dave’s face hovering mere inches from hers was not what she expected to see. Nor was she expecting to be engulfed in a bear hug so strong she nearly lost consciousness again. The scowling tower she had come to know as Dave Batista hugging her? Was all her mind registered while the hug was in progress, Taker must have brought me back to the wrong reality. And then she was roughly released and when she opened her eyes she expected to see him hovering still, but he had moved to stand by the window with his back to them all.

“Oh no,” She whispered to whoever wished to listen. “I’m in the right place.”

**

Part Twenty Seven

**

“You sure you don’t want to lie back down?”

“Steph, I’ve been horizontal most of the night and half the day.” Willow replied coming to her feet. “I’m more than sure.” She eyed Kurt as she walked the room stretching her leg muscles as she went. “Forgive the bed hair, I wasn’t expecting company this –er late in the morning.”

Kurt chuckled and rubbed his bald head his eyes telling her that he didn’t have that problem anymore.

Willow clicked her tongue. “Goddess the amount of money you must save on shampoo.”

“Are you hungry?” Stephanie asked walking around the side of her desk and reaching for the phone. “I can have anything you want here in fifteen minutes.”

“Anything?” Willow asked.

“Anything.” Stephanie confirmed.

“Even funny shaped pancakes?”

Stephanie quirked a brow and then nodded. “Funny shaped pancakes it is.”

While Stephanie tended to the call Dave moved away from the window to stand before Willow, who looked him straight in the eye and waited for him to say something only to arch a brow herself when all he did was scowl down at her before crossing the room back to the window.

“What did you find out?” Dave said once Stephanie had finished her call and had returned to join the others.

Willow’s expression lost all signs of the teasing Willow of moments before and a face more than rivalling Dave’s ever present scowl came into play.

“Only the answer to all our problems.” She replied.

“Really?” Stephanie exclaimed her expression bright with the thought of having the McMahon Empire back under McMahon control. “You really know how to end all this?”

“Yah-hah,” Willow nodded.

“Well how, tell us?”

“The Master needs to be killed – Again.”

“How are we supposed to do that?” Stephanie asked again. “We don’t even know who he is, unless his hair is the colour of snow and his favourite phrase is ‘Whoo’.”

Willow watched for Dave’s reaction as Stephanie rattled off question after question, yet his still form showed nothing. His back stayed stiff, his shoulders straight and his eyes stayed focused on the happenings outside the window.

“Flair’s not your man,” Willow said her gaze still focused on Dave.

“He’s not?”

‘What are you doing Willow?’ A voice seemed to ask and she surprised herself when she found she didn’t have the answer. All she knew was she wanted him to pay, but for what? ‘He may scowl a lot, but he hasn’t really done anything… has he?’

Willow shook her head more to clear her thoughts than to answer Stephanie’s question.

“Flair is one of many, but he’s not the main man,” Her eyes darted back to Dave and as if feeling her eyes on his back he turned and met her gaze head on before she continued with, “..Is he Dave?”

“What?” Stephanie gasped coming to her feet. “You’ve known all along?”

“Stephanie-“

“Answer me damn it!’ She cut in.

Dave inhaled his chest expanding and then decreasing as he exhaled in a long drawn out sigh.

“Yes Steph, I knew.”

“Then why haven’t we tried getting back the business before now? Why have we left it this long?”

“Steph, we only wanted to protect you.”

Both Stephanie’s and Willow’s eyes turned on Kurt. Willow’s showed surprise, Stephanie’s showed much, much more.

“You knew about this too?” She asked.

“We couldn’t make a move Steph,” Dave said. “We didn’t know how to defeat him on our own. All we knew was what Shane found out before The Master got him.”

Tears shone in her eyes at the mention of her brother.

“What… what did Shane find out?” She asked.

Kurt and Dave shared a look before Dave replied, “That it’s you.”

“Huh?”

“The reason The Master is here, is for you.”

**

Part Twenty Eight

**

“Perfect bones… and I thought being the head of WWE’s writing team that I had seen it all.” Stephanie let forth a maniacal chuckle and threw her hands up in frustration. “Oviously not.”

“Come on Steph, perfect bones are the least of our worries and you know it.”

“Oh yeah right, some psycho freak has the hots for me. How could I forget?”

Kurt lowered himself to the couch where Stephanie sat and gently brushed her hair back behind her ear. Stephanie’s head moved into the caress seeking his offered comfort for the first time since she had found out what both he and Dave had been keeping from her.

“We only wanted to protect you,” He said.

She nodded. “I know. This whole thing just gets creepier and creepier.”

Kurt coaxed her head down to rest on his shoulder while his hand continued to stroke her hair.

“What’s our plan of action?” He asked lifting his gaze to first Dave and then to Willow.

“We bring him back,” Willow replied easily.

“And the perfect bones?” Kurt continued.

“A non issue, he won’t be here long enough to admire what he looks like so any bones will do.”

Dave’s eyebrows made a perfect ‘V’ above his dark eyes, but he said nothing, well not to her anyway.

“I should go.” He said to Kurt. “Check in with Evolution.”

Kurt nodded. “I guess that leaves me the job of rounding up some perfect bones. What say we meet back here in an hour?”

Dave grunted his approval before he crossed the room to where Kurt and Stephanie still sat close together.

“It’ll be okay Steph, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

And then he left without a word or even a look Willow’s way.

**

“Where’s the food? I thought we were going to get food? You said we were going to get food.”

Dave looked across the interior of his car to the young man who sat in the passenger seat. A young man who hadn’t shut up since they’d left the hotel.

“You know Ric didn’t seem too pleased when you showed up. What’d you do to piss him off so fast? He looked like his head was gonna explode.”

Dave shrugged. “That’s just Ric on a good day, don’t worry about it.” Dave himself was doing enough worrying for the both of them. Worrying about Stephanie, worrying about Kurt, worrying about Willow – Especially Willow. Worrying about Xander – Hell, worrying about Willow *and* Xander. Willow seeing Xander. Willow’s reaction to seeing Xander and shit, Willow’s reaction to him when she finds out that he’s known where Xander’s been all this time.

“Fuck.” He hissed through clenched teeth totally forgetting he wasn’t alone.

“Fuck what?” Xander asked rubbing his belly when it began to protest its current emptiness aloud.

“Fuck…” Dave’s hands gripped the steering wheel. “…nothing.” He grumbled turning his car into the underground car park of Triton Towers. “Come on,” He said opening the driver’s door and getting out. “Let’s go get this over with.”

“What ever you say big man,” Xander called to Dave’s retreating figure and then to himself, “…as long as this building had food, I’m there.”

**

“What the hell is he doing here?” Kurt exclaimed when the office door opened and Dave walked in with Xander quick to follow.

Xander’s expression showed surprise but soon gave way to a goofy grin. “Hey, it’s you. Great match last night man,” He said rocking back on his heels.

Kurt’s eyes went back to Dave. “Again, why is he here?”

“Where’s Willow?” Dave said ignoring Kurt’s question as he crossed the room.

Kurt replied in kind getting up to meet him halfway. “Do you want Willow to do away with this Master character and then do away with us as well? She trusts us, well Steph and I at least. Think of what this is gonna do to her?”

“It was my idea to keep it from her. I’ll take the blame.” Dave replied. Stepping passed Kurt the big man motioned for Xander to follow him. “Now, where is W…” He didn’t get to finish as at that moment the bathroom door opened and first Stephanie and then Willow stepped through.

**

Part Twenty Nine

**

Willow saw Xander before Stephanie did and though her gaze didn’t shift from her best friends form she knew exactly when Stephanie had seen him too.

The look on Willow’s face as she stared at Xander cut deep inside Dave, they may at one time have shared a past, but just by looking at her he knew that it was with Xander that she shared her future.

“Xander?” She whispered taking a step forward only to pause and then take two steps back as if she were a afraid to believe what her eyes were seeing.

“Hey, hey babe, at your every beck and call,” Xander replied moving forward and taking Willow’s hand in his, his gaze holding fast to hers as he leaned forward and brushed his lips over her knuckles.

Her brow furrowed. And then that furrow furrowed. Something wasn’t right.

Xander turned to Dave, winked and she knew exactly what that something was when he said, “So Dave, you gonna introduce me to this beautiful lady or what?”

**

“How long have you known.”

Willow’s words were more a statement that a question. She was perched against the edge of Stephanie’s desk, her eyes focused on the sky view the window provided. Dave leaned against the other side of the desk, his eyes staring at the same view.

“Not long,” He replied and then with a sigh asked, “How long have you known?”

She knew Xander didn’t have a thing to do with his question and she knew he knew so replied what he had, “Not long,”

He nodded accepting her answer, just as she had accepted his. Unable to help himself his hand crept along the top of the desk until his fingers brushed hers. “What now?” He asked.

Willow’s hand moved - Away from his. When he slanted a look across to her she was running her palm down the front of her jeans.

“Now more than ever I resurrect The Master.” She told him.

“And then?”

“And then make sure he can’t rise again.”

“And then?” he asked again when she turned to go join the others.

Willow exhaled long and slow. This had been the only civil conversation she and Dave had had since they had brought her here and somehow she knew it’d be there last even as she said, “I don’t know.” She looked up and saw the pain etched behind his scowl and quickly turned away. “I guess we both wait and see.”

**

“Chicken bones?”

Willow wanted to laugh at the scattered remains of what looked like Kurt’s lunch were put before her, but Xander sitting just across the room and not knowing who she was overrode all signs of amusement this setting may have had. Kurt still had use of his funny bone though.

He sent a sheepish grin her way. “I was hungry,” He said in way of explanation.

“That’s my man, thinking with his stomach.” Stephanie stated.

“You mean I’m still your man?” He asked grasping at Stephanie’s words like his mouth had grasped at the meat on those chicken bones.

“Of course,” She said matter of fact only to shriek, “I’m still pissed at you and Dave though.” When Kurt went to put his arm around her. He wisely lowered it.

Willow could feel Dave’s eyes on her face, but she refused to lift her gaze to his.

His eyes. His eyes had sparked a memory in her. A memory of her childhood. An unhappy childhood. Why she hadn’t seen it before escaped her comprehension, but every time her eyes fell on his form she was transported back to a time of pig tails and missing front teeth, her pig tails and her missing front teeth next to his tanned torso and perfect hair. And then of course her first crush. She shook her head wanting to get her mind off the past and focused back on the present. It didn’t work. He hadn’t changed much, her mind continued to scoff. He scowled at her as much now as he had then, made his dislike of her presence known back then as he did now and least we not forget he had been a plain ass back then as now. She had no way of knowing wether he remembered her or not, he certainly hadn’t given any sign that he had. Willow shook her head again, this time with enough force to send her red locks whipping around her face.

“You okay Willow?” Stephanie asked with obvious concern.

“Yeah,” She replied and then said, “Let’s get on with the resurrection.”

**

Part Thirty

**

Willow’s mouth kicked up at the side for all of two seconds as she cleared Stephanie’s desk with one clean sweep of her hand and placed the remains of Kurt’s *snack* in it’s centre.

“Chicken bones,” She muttered placing the orb Buffy had given her beside it, a razor blade she had found in the bathroom was put down next to that and then as if looking for something she turned first one way and then the other until she spied what she had been looking for.

Kneeling down among the clutter she had just wiped off Stephanie’s desk she picked up a tissue box sized paper weight and weighed it in her hands, and then as if satisfied with its weight placed it on the desk next to the razor.

“Have you ever done this before?” Stephanie asked breaking the silence which had enveloped them since Willow had begun her preparations.

“To be honest – No, the last resurrection ritual I attended I was unconscious and hanging upside down, but I have restored a soul…” Her words faded out. She didn’t know why? It could have been because she had taken the time to look up causing spikes of hurt to lance through her at the sight of Xander, her Xander here in the flesh and yet, he wasn’t her Xander at all. Or it could have been because when she had looked up another’s gaze had also caught and held hers. Dave’s gaze.

Head down again she closed her eyes and immediately felt a calming breeze slide across the nape of her neck and up to caress her cheek and knew that Buffy was there with her.

“Let’s get started,” She said her voice strong and clear. She held out her hand to Dave and without a word he came to her and placed his hand in hers.

“What’s going on?” She heard Xander ask, but her eyes remained focused on Dave’s hand in hers and only barely registered Kurt’s movements as he moved to stand behind Xander. Picking up the razor with her free hand she calmly made a clean cut from one side of Dave’s palm to the other until his blood flowed and then she guided his bloody hand over the chicken bones, there off white colouring fast becoming tainted with the rich dark stain of his life source.

He did nothing but stare at Willow the whole time and the other three did nothing but stare at him. A dark river of black snaked its way through Willow’s hair turning her bright red locks as dark as the night, her eyes became blood shot and deep purple veins popped out on her brow, cheeks and chin.

Dave snatched his hand out of her grasp and jumped back.

“What the hell is that?” He exclaimed. “That’s not supposed to happen.” He moved forward again only to be pushed back at a strong wind sprung up within the room.

Willow started shaking uncontrollably and long cuts worse than the one she had given Dave appeared on her skin as if an invisible knife was at that moment slicing through her pale skin.

“Willow-“

“Stay back!” She cried as another burst of wind blew over them causing Dave to stumble back and Kurt to forego his hold on Xander’s shoulder to wrap his arms around Stephanie.

“I’m okay,” Willow continued even as her face contorted in pain. “I can do this.”

“No!” Dave shouted. “Enough Willow, we’ll find another way!”

“No!” Her reply was sharp and laced with pain. “We do this now!”

The bones on the desk before her began to rattle, the drops of Dave’s blood moving like worms in and around, twisting and turning until finally the bones absorbed all traces of the thick red flow.

Willow’s eyes remained blood shot, glazed and unfocused. Her arm reached forward, her fingers now sprouting fat ugly blisters, the thin layer of skin bursting with each move her fingers made and pus oozed forth as they closed around the hefty paper weight she had chosen before.

She screamed now and steam rose up through her fingers where they clutched the weight, the smell of burning flesh – Willow’s flesh – permeating the air around them, filling there nostrils and causing there eyes to tear up. She struggled to lift her arm, but the weight it bore was like nothing she had ever felt before. Her mind screamed for release, but Willow denied the calling, denied her own worth and thought only of Xander as he was before. Her Xander. Her friend. And with an almighty roar her hand descended, the weight it carried bearing down once, twice, three times, four… crushing the bones between it and the desk top until there was nothing left but powder.

“The orb Willow,”

Eyes filled with tears Dave turned his head slightly to see Taker standing to the side of Willow.

“The orb.” The Deadman repeated.

Fighting an inner battle of her own Willow picked up the orb and held it over the crushed remains. It glowed once and then everything went dark.

**

Part Thirty One

**

His eyes stung beneath eyelids that felt like they weighed the equivalent of a Mack truck. One arm lifted, the fingers reaching for what he knew not as yet, but reach they did until they wrapped themselves around the corner of something hard and smooth before he was able to pull himself to his knees. The resurrection, he thought groaning at the pounding that grew from a dull throb to the running of the bulls as he went from kneeling on two knees to standing on two feet.

“Willow?” He said opening his eyes enough to look around the room. Kurt he saw was just pulling himself up only the other man got as far as his knees before flopping back down and only the sight of Stephanie’s prone form a few feet away from him had him trying again to get some semblance of rightness, working himself back up to his knees and then crawled across the floor to where Stephanie lay.

“Willow?” Dave said again forcing his weakened limbs to move behind the desk to where he had last seen her. She was laying face down, her hair surrounding her head like a halo and her arms flung wide. He reached out. His arms gentle as he turned her over in time to see the last traces of the cuts on her face heal over. He saw her chest rise and fall as she inhaled and then exhaled, saw the colour return to her face and the relief and admiration he felt for this slip of a girl at that moment was phenomenal.

“Willow,” He breathed against her forehead, his lips in her hair. “My Willow…”

And then she opened her eyes and the one thing that escaped passed her lips was, “Xander?”

**

One week later…

“I can’t thank you enough,”

“That’s my Will’s, always there to save the day… and cook breakfast.”

Willow smiled, not only to appease Stephanie’s words of thanks for the umpteenth time, but also in thanks for having her humorous Willow loving Xander back.

“Do you really have to go? Can’t you stay a little longer?”

“And give Dave even more reason to scowl at me?” Willow chuckled in reply. “No, your family business is back on track, your employees are all in there right minds and Flair is gone, probably not forever but you know where to find me if he rears his white demony backside again.”

“Sunnydale is the first place I’ll come,” Stephanie promised.

“Good, you’re still here,” Kurt called as he quickly rounded a corner with Dave following behind at a much slower pace. “We thought we had missed you,”

“I wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye to you, you’re my buddy, my pal…”

“Aw shucks,” Kurt said wrapping the little red head in a massive bear hug. Willow felt something warm getting squished between them. She pulled back and asked, “What’s in the bag?”

“Ohh! I nearly forgot!” He exclaimed unzipping the bag he held and handing her a foiled container.

“Mama Rosita’s Barbequed Chicken,” She read from the container’s label.

Kurt grinned and then shrugged, “Just in case you get hungry on your return trip.”

“I’ll take that,” Xander said from behind her gladly relieving Kurt of his burden. “Extra seasoning?” He asked his eyes hopeful.

“Wouldn’t get it any other way,” Kurt confirmed. Xander walked to the car Stephanie had kindly supplied for them and deposited the barbeque chicken safely on the back seat.

“You know I won’t be able to look at another chicken quite the same again, let alone eat it.” Willow said.

“Yeah I know it was your friend I was thinking of. That boy craves sustenance. This is for you.” Again his hand dug in his bag and he pulled out another foiled container. The smell that filled her nostrils told her what it was without having to open the lid.

“Mmm… pizza…”

Kurt grinned, Willow’s pleased expression pleasing him and then he took a step back and motioned Dave forward. The big man ambled up to them and then without meeting Willow’s eyes stuck out his hand.

“Take care,” He said his tone matter of fact.

Willow put her hand in his and opened her mouth to reply but before she could Dave had disengaged his hand and was striding purposely away.

“He doesn’t mean to be so… gruff,” Kurt said in his friends defence.

“Don’t worry about it,” Willow replied. “Dave’s been against me from the first, even before that.”

“Before?” Kurt’s brow arched. “What do you mean?”

Willow just shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now.”

“Hey Willow, if we leave now maybe we can catch ‘cockroach hour’ at the Bronze.” Xander called from the car.

“Cockroach hour?” Stephanie asked as she came up behind Kurt and linked her arm through his.

Willow rolled her eyes, “Believe me Steph, you don’t want to know.”

The three of them moved towards the car and after sharing a final hug with her friends she slid in beside Xander.

“Be happy,” She said.

Stephanie sniffed.

“You too.” Kurt replied blinking rapidly. “Damn allergies.”

Less than a minute later three people stood watching the car that would take there friend back to where she belonged.

A few minutes after that only one remained.

Ten minutes after that he was still there.

* *

End

**