Author's Note: Faith came after high school not during. Spike has the chip. Angel never lost his soul but he did move to L.A. with Cordy. Xander is married to Anya and have kids. Giles is married, I just never gave her a name or actually a title……..

August 2000

Buffy slowly open the door to the delivery man. He had knocked for several minutes before she had decided that it was okay to open it.

“Miss Summers? I have a delivery for you.” Buffy had assumed that they were for her mom from the new man in her life. “You are Buffy Summers aren’t you?”

“Yes, that’s me.” Buffy replied wondering who would have sent her flowers. “Thank you.”

Buffy opened the card slowly shocked to see that it was a girls handwriting. ‘Meet me at eight at the old gym. Dress nice.’ Was all the card said. Buffy wondered who could have sent her flowers. Considering the last flowers that she had received also had a death threat with them.

Across town at the Rosenberg residence Willow had just received word that Buffy had gotten the flowers. It had taken all the guts he could get to send the flowers and the card. Now she was actually going to have to tell Buffy how she felt about her. “I guess I better start getting ready since I only have a couple of hours to make sure that everything is perfect. I don’t want anything to mess up my night.” Willow said to herself as she started getting ready.

Two and a half hours later Buffy and Willow were both leaving their houses so that they could arrive on time. Willow had never been that nervous before in her life. Buffy was just trying to figure out who would send her flowers.

Willow was standing outside the gym when Buffy arrived. “Hey Will. What are you doing here?”

“I was actually waiting on you. I thought it would be better if I was early instead of late.” Willow said trying not to sound nervous.

“Willow why did you want me to meet you here tonight?” Buffy asked confused.

“I was planning on taking you to dinner but if you don’t want to go then that’s fine. I understand if you have plans. I didn’t mean to intrude if you do have plans. I didn’t know if Angel was in town tonight or not.” Willow started out rambling.

“Will, wow girl. Calm down. Yes I'd like to go to diner with you. No I didn’t have plans, and no Angel isn’t in town tonight.” Buffy said in response to Willows ramblings.

“Okay.” Was all that Willow could muster up to say. She was actually going to have to tell Buffy how she felt about her.

They walked in silence to the restaurant. Willow could think of anything to say to Buffy and Buffy was still trying to figure out why Willow hadn’t just asked her instead of sending her flowers, whish was really kinda cryptic.

Once at the restaurant Buffy and Willow were seated at a small table for two in the far corner of the restaurant. Both girls ordered their food and sat in silence until Buffy decided that she had had enough of the silence.

“Will, why did you want me to have dinner with you tonight?” Buffy asked not suspecting that everything that her friend was going to tell her would change her life.

“Buffy I wanted to have dinner with you so that I could tell you that I’m in love with you. I have been for several years. Until jut recently I thought that I would never tell you this but I had to because its killing me for you not to know. I mean hello I’m a lesbian and of course your with Angel and all. I just thought that I better tell you so that you would know how I feel about you.” Willow said very quickly.

It took Buffy several minutes to completely comprehend what her bet friend had told her. “Well Will. I don’t really know what to say other then I’m with Angel. I do love him. He’s the person that I belong with.” “Buffy, I understand that. Don’t worry you wont have to deal with me again. I’m leaving Sunnydale.” and with that Willow left the restaurant in a hurry. Lucky she had paid in advance for the food that they had eaten or Buffy would have been tuck paying for it and they both knew that she didn’t have that kinda money.

When Buffy returned home that night she found a note tapped to her door. It was from Willow. It said …

Buffy,

I’m sorry. I can’t stay in Sunnydale any longer. I have to leave. Don’t worry. I’ll never be back. You’ll never have to deal with me or my love for you. Just know that I do love you and I always will. Be careful.

With love,
Willow

Xander and Giles received similar notes. Just neither one of them knew the real reason behind Willow leaving and they never would as long as Buffy didn’t tell them.

The next morning Buffy and Xander went to Willow’s house to try to talk to her and realized that she really had left Sunnydale. They had just assumed that she had needed some time alone and that everything would be okay. Little did they know that it would be several years before they would ever see the little redhead again.

August 2007

It was raining the night that Willow drove back into Sunnydale. She had always swore that she would never come back to this town but here she was. To top it off she was here to warn her old friends of a new prophecy.

She knocked on the door to the apartment that was Giles’s when she left. She hoped that it still was or else she would feel really dumb. A lovely lady answered the door. “Can I help you?”

“Does Giles still live here.” Willow asked nervously. This was the first time that she had been nervous in over 4 years.

“Yes, he does but he’s not here right now. He’s down at the Magic Box.” The lady told Willow.

“Thank you.” Was all Willow told the lady before she turned to leave.

When Willow entered the Magic Box she wasn’t sure what to expect. She remembered what it was like back when she was a practicing witch. Of course she had given that up several years ago.

“Can I help you?” Giles asked after Willow entered. It figured that he didn’t recognize her. She had changed a lot over the years just not that much that her old mentor wouldn’t recognize her. Her hair was longer and darker. No longer the flame red color that it had been in high school. It now was a red brown color. Yet her eyes are what would give her away. They still held the bright green glow that they always had.

“Giles?”

“Willow. Is that you? Oh god it is. I never thought I’d see you again. God how you’ve changed. All for the better I might add.” Giles said wrapping Willow in a tight hug.

“Giles, I have some news for everyone. Where is everyone?” Willow asked sitting down with Giles at a rather large table in the middle of the room.

“Xander and Anya are with their children. Buffy is on patrol with Faith.” Giles told Willow.

“When you said Anya did you mean Anyanka. The vengeance demon?” Willow asked rather calmly.

“Yes Anya is Anyanka. She is no longer a vengeance demon.”

At that moment Buffy and Faith decided to return from patrol. “Giles we're back.” Buffy yelled from the back room not yet noticing the other person at the table with Giles.

Faith entered the room first. Giles made a hushing move with his hand to let Faith know not to ask any questions. He wanted Buffy to see Willow before being told that she was here. When Buffy came into the room she froze. She couldn’t move or talk. It was like she was in shock.

“Oh my god is it really.. It cant be you said that you would never come back. I have read that letter millions of times. You said it but here you are. Oh god Will I’ve missed you so much.” Buffy said giving Willow a hug. Buffy was now crying uncontrollably. “Does Xander know. He’ll want to know.” She said through sobs.

“No we haven’t told him yet. I just got into town a little while ago. I came straight here from Giles place so I haven’t seen anyone.” Willow said while trying to help Buffy stop crying.

Giles picked up the phone and called Xander telling him that he needed to get to the Magic Box. Xander had assumed that someone had died or that research was needed. Giles assured him that it was neither. He just needed to get to the Magic Box.

Within ten minutes Xander stepped inside the store. He spotted Willow as soon as he came in and ran to her and picked her and hugged her to he couldn’t hug her anymore. “Oh god Willow. I’ve missed you so much.”

“I guess now that everyone is here I can tell you why I’m here. Giles the council never told you that their were outside people helping fight the fight did they. I didn’t figure they would since I asked them not to. I’ve been working for the council since I left. When word of a prophecy is found I’m the one that sends it to you all. I’ve been watching. That doesn’t mean that I’ve been in Sunnydale but I’ve had someone here who has been reporting to me about what new demons have surfaced and whether or not the information I send is of any help. Spike had been a trusted friend since I left here. Anyway back to why I came back. There is a new prophecy that I know that yall will need everyone to help with. That’s why I asked Angel and his crew to help.” With that Angel, Cordelia, Doyle, Gunn, Fred, and Wesley emerged.

“Oh my god you’re WNLH aren’t you?” Giles asked.

“Yes, that’s me. I wanted something that ya’ll wouldn’t be able to put with me. I wanted to help I just couldn’t be here and do that.” Willow told a stunned group.

“I don’t mean to be the odd one out but would someone please tell me who this is.” Faith asked from a stool over by the counter.

Xander replied before anyone else could. “Faith meet Willow. She was a Scooby back when we first started out. I’ve know her my whole life. She left like two weeks before you arrived.”

“Hi Faith. You may not be happy about this but I’m the one that sent you to Sunnydale. I figured that you would be able to help them since they were short a member. I never intended for you to be here for this long.” Willow said to Faith as she shook her hand.

“That’s cool Red. I figured that if I wasn’t needed here then I wouldn’t be here.” Faith said. “Oh yea. Its nice to see ya again. I knew I recognized you I just couldn’t place it.”

“Wait. You two have meet before?” Xander asked.

“Yes Xander. We meet right before Faith was sent here. Of course back then I looked really different. As you know I had really bright red hair. And I wore those long flowing clothes that were just so comfortable.” Willow said. “ She always called me Red. She never knew my real name so you cant blame her for anything like not telling you because she didn’t know.”

“Oh.” was the collective response from the group.

Buffy was still taking in just how much Willow had changed. She now wore leather pants and fitted shirts. Her hair was longer and a different color. She looked like she had aged over the years. A little more then she should have but she looked fantastic.

Angel decided to speak up so that the Scooby gang could collect themselves. “Willow what’s the prophecy?”

“Oh yea that. Well there is a demon that is coming to town that has the ability to warp peoples minds. That’s why I wanted everyone here. I thought that if there was a big group here then it wouldn’t be able to control everyone’s mind at the same time and the ones that aren’t controlled can kill it.” Willow said.

“Why don’t you just use magic on it Will?” Xander asked.

Spike was the one that spoke up on that one. “Willow doesn’t practice witchcraft anymore.”

“Spike, I didn’t know that you were here. I thought you were on vacation.” Willow said hugging her dear friend.

“Red I couldn’t just leave when I knew that you were coming to town its been to long.” Spike told her.

“Spike how long have you and Willow been working together and not told us?” Giles asked.

“Almost 5 years. She didn’t want you all to know so you didn’t.” He told them.

“When will this demon thingy be here?” Buffy asked. She was sitting with her back to Angel since she still refused to look at him after 3 years she still wouldn’t talk to him.

“Tomorrow night is when I figure that he’s supposed to be here.” Willow told them.

“I recommend that everyone go to wherever it is that everyone is staying and get a goodnights rest.” Giles told the group. “We can meet back here tomorrow night.”

“I would rather us meet back up here tomorrow afternoon.” Willow told them.

Xander was the one that asked the question of the hour. “Wont Angel go poof on the way here?”

“Angel cant go poof anymore. I did a spell before I gave up witchcraft that makes it possibly for Angel to be in sunlight.” Willow told them. She was currently dragging Spike out the door with her as she left. “I’m staying at Spikes place. I say we meet around 2 tomorrow.”

“Red that wasn’t very nice of you.” Spike said when he and Willow entered his house.

“What’s not nice is that you make them think that you live in a crypt when you actually live in this gorgeous house.” Willow told him. “Which room is mine? Because I’m ready for a good nights sleep.”

“Third door on the left.” Spike replied.

Willow awoke around noon the next day. After a shower and some food she woke Spike up so that he could get ready to go to the Magic Box.

“You never told them that you could go out in the sunlight too.” Willow asked.

“No Luv. I never thought that they needed to know.” Spike told her.

“Well then I guess we better not blow your cover. I’ll see ya when you get there since you have to go through the tunnels.”

“Luv. I get there faster through the tunnels.” Spike told her.

It was just after one when Spike entered the basement of the Magic Box. It would be another 30 minutes before Willow arrived. Spike was headed up the stairs when he heard voices.

“Why would she come back now after all these years. Why didn’t she just send the prophecy like she would any other prophecy.” Xander said.

“Xander I don’t know but if you think that I’m happy shes back I’m not. I mean Angel left me because he was in love with her.” Buffy replied.

“You bloody idiots. The poof was never in love with Willow that was just the reason he gave so that he wouldn’t have to stay with you any longer. Willow thinks of Angel as a brother and Angel thinks of Willow as a sister. The reason the Willow came back after all these years was because she was raped five months ago and she miscarried the baby last month. That poor girl has been through so much trying to protect you. She was protecting you bloody idiots when she was raped. Don’t you see she would do anything to protect you.” Spike yelled at them. No one mistreats his Red and lives to tell about it. “She has faced more demons since she left then you will in your entire lifetime. By her facing them and killing them it stops them from coming to Sunnydale.”

“What do you mean Willow was raped? By who? Why didn’t she come back here before this?” Buffy asked.

“The guy that raped Willow can never hurt anyone again. Angel and I took care of him. She didn’t come back because she didn’t want to hurt you.” Spike told them. “Just so you know. Willow has been in L.A. for the last 5 months. If either of you had been looking for her it would have been real easy for you to find her.”

“Please don’t tell Willow what you heard. I don’t want to lose her again so soon.” Xander begged Spike.

“I wont tell her Xander if you don’t tell her that you know. She didn’t want you all to know that.” Spike said.

“We wont.” Buffy said.

Nothing else was spoken until after everyone arrived.

“Okay this demon will probably be around the cemeteries. So we have to go in as a group so that we can defeat him.” Willow told them while handing out weapons. “Is everyone ready to go?”

“As well ever be.” Spike told them.

The demon was dead but several members of the group were injured. Some of the injuries weren’t sever, but some were. Buffy ran up to Willow and was cradling her in her arms.

“Willow, you can die. I haven’t been able to tell you yet that I love you. I realized that right after you left. I’ve probably loved you since I first met you I just never knew. Then you left and I knew.” Buffy said crying.

Spike walked over to the Buffy and leaned down. “Buffy, she cant die. She’s immortal. We found out last month. You just have to give her some time to heal.”

“What do you mean she’s immortal.” Buffy asked.

“Exactly what it sounds like. I can’t die.” Willow said weakly.

Spike picked Willow up and carried her to his car so that he could take her home to rest. “Spike take her to my house because she shouldn’t be in the crypt.” Buffy said.

“Buffy, Spike doesn’t live in the crypt. Come with us and you’ll see where he lives.” Willow said.

Buffy got in the car and left with Willow and Spike. While the rest of the Scooby gang took care of cleaning up the mess. Xander had a broken wrist that would have to be taken care of later. Everyone else’s injuries had been cuts and scraps. Willow had taken most of what the demon had to give out.

After everything was cleaned up Angel and the L.A. crew headed home telling Giles to give Willow there best and for her to call them.

Back at Spike's place Buffy was shocked to learn that Spike lived in a house instead of the crypt.

“You live here but you make us buy you cigarettes and blood.” Buffy said.

“Well this house was bought for me by the council. So I don’t actually have any money.” Spike said.

“He’s lying to you. He’s got millions that he has saved over the years. He’s richer then anyone else in this town. Aren’t you Spike?” Willow said.

“Luv. You better be quite or I’ll drop your little butt right here.” Spike told her.

After several more minutes of banter Spike laid Willow down in her bed and left the room so the Buffy and Willow could have some time alone.

“Buffy did you mean what you said earlier at the cemetery about loving me?” Willow asked.

“I meant it with every fiber of my being Willow. I love you so much. I’m sorry that I couldn’t realize that all those years ago before you left.” Buffy told her.

“It wouldn’t have mattered. I needed to leave so that I could grow up and become the person that I am today. I’m glad that I left but god did I miss you so much.”

“Willow, can I kiss you?” Buffy asked. As her response Willow pulled Buffy’s mouth down to hers. “I’ve never kissed another girl.” Buffy said shyly.

“Don’t worry its just like kissing a guy, but better.” Willow said,