The Immortal Slayer - Chapter 15
Sitting in the mansion later that same night, Astra looked over at Angel."Willow will be back in control by morning. I am sure she is ready now. You need to stay close by, for when Willow awakens she will be confused and unsure of herself. Keep her calm. I will still be here, in Willow's mind, until after we defeat the Dark Goddess. Keep her here tomorrow; she needs to be able to adjust to what has happened to her. I am going to give her full control, and allow you to tell her about me before I communicate with her."
Angel looked at her with a grave face. He was worried for Willow and was also unsure of how he should act. He didn't know how to voice his concerns to Astra, so he kept silent. She could tell something was bothering him.
"Angel," she began, " Just be there for her tomorrow. Talk to her. Listen to her. Be yourself. She's going to need someone she can trust, someone who understands what she's going through. You are that person." Astra answered Angel's unvoiced questions.
Angel looked up at Astra. There was more to her than just an attitude. He hoped that after the battle they would be able to keep in touch. His thoughts then turned back to Willow. He was worried about her, but he also couldn't wait to see her again. As he restlessly paced the floor Astra lay down to go to sleep, and slowly allow Willow to regain control of her body.
***
Her thoughts muddled, Willow slowly awoke. She looked around the room, unsure of where she was. Her gaze settled on the sleeping form of Angel and she then remembered the ritual.
"Angel?" Willow softly asked.
The vampire slowly opened his eyes to see Willow starting down at him from the bed.
"What's going on?" Willow asked, feeling as though she were ready to cry. She felt different, but didn't understand why.
Angel quickly got up and pulled on a shirt. He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at Willow.
"What do you remember?"
"Well, I remember the ritual, floating in the air and then falling…and I remember seeing you but I couldn't say anything. I tried to keep control, I really did. And I fought so hard but I just couldn't do it." A tear rolled down her cheek as she looked back up. "Angel, what's happening to me? What took control of my body, of my mind?"
Angel got up off the bed and started pacing again, not sure what to say he startled himself when he bluntly answered, "You are now the Immortal Slayer."
"So the ritual worked? That's good. I guess. But…that ritual allowed something to take over my body. What was that?"
Angel stopped pacing and looked down at her, at the childlike innocence in her eyes, the total trust. He didn't feel he deserved that trust, didn't like the vulnerability he saw within her at this moment. Astra had told him to be himself, that he was the one who needed to be there for Willow. He swallowed and decided to take the direct approach. "You were inhabited by the spirit of the Universal Slayer."
Willow looked at him so earnestly it would've taken his breath away.
"The Universal Slayer?" She asked, more confused than ever.
"Yes. The Universal Slayer and the Immortal Slayer are two separate entities. The Universal Slayer inhabited your body. I didn't know that would happen." He added, as he saw the look on Willow's face.
Willow sat there, looking at him. She believed him, but it was hard to grasp.
"How long did she have control?" She asked, choked from the tears that threatened to spill over.
Angel looked at her, wanting to take all her fears and doubts away but not knowing how to do it. Quietly, he told her. "Three days. Today is Tuesday."
"Tuesday?" She practically yelled looking away from Angel. She didn't want him to see the accusing look on her face. She didn't know why she was accusing him, or really what she was accusing him of. It was simply her first reaction. Slowly she looked back up at him as the tears started to run down her cheeks.
"I can't do this Angel. I thought I could…" she paused, looking away as she choked on the tears. "I thought I could, but I can't. It's too much. I can't handle it." She finished, looking up at Angel for support.
Angel sat down on the bed, and without realizing it began brushing the tears from her face. "You can, Willow. You've been chosen for a great honor. You have the strength inside you, I know you do. You can do this. You have to do this. This is your destiny."
Willow closed her eyes and took deep breaths to calm herself. She thought of all the times Buffy had tried to run from her destiny and how she always had to accept it. Willow knew that running wouldn't solve anything, and crying wasn't going to get her anywhere either.
Angel watched Willow as she sat there, and saw the resolved look come onto her face. Angel felt relief pour through him as he realized she was not going to break, that she would make it through this.
As Willow opened her eyes she said, "Tell me more about this Universal Slayer."
***
That evening Willow walked with Angel to the library. He had filled her in on everything that had happened. Most of it she had accepted by now.
"So, Astra is still in my head? Like I could talk to her if I wanted?"
"Yes, I suppose you could." Angel replied.
"I'm not ready for that. You don't think she'd just start talking to me, do ya? I mean I can't handle that right now. The rest of it is enough. I just need to deal with what I know so far then I can deal with that. That should be okay, right?"
Angel smiled before he replied. "Yes, I'm sure that Astra understands what you're going through and won't force anything on you."
Willow let out a deep breath. "Well, that's good. Dealing with Buffy and Xander and Giles is going to be hard enough for tonight." She said as they walked into the school.
A few moments later they were standing in front of the library.
"Well, I guess it's time for us to go in." Willow said, sounding as though she'd rather be anywhere else at the moment.
"Willow, look at me." She looked up, her face full of fear. "These are your best friends. They love you Willow, and they will be happy to have you back. You are still Willow. They need to know you're okay. They need your help with this prophecy. But most of all, they just need you."
Willow sighed as she followed Angel into the library, wondering if he might need her too.
Buffy looked up as she heard the doors to the library open. "Hey Angel. Hey…" she stopped mid-sentence, realizing that this was not the confident entrance of Astra.
Xander and Giles looked up, wondering what had caused Buffy to become speechless.
"Willow?" Buffy asked, running to hug her. Xander and Giles soon followed suit.
"Hey! It hasn't been that long. Geez." Willow said as she was almost tackled.
Buffy, Xander, and Giles all stepped back and mumbled, "Sorry."
"So, you back to feelin' all Willowy again?" Xander asked with a smile.
"I…I guess. I don't really remember much about being non-Willowy. Angel kinda filled me in and all but there aren't many memories about the past couple of…" Willow's sentence trailed off with several different looks crossing her features. The most striking one being disbelief. With the blush of embarrassment tinting her cheeks she looked first to Xander, then Angel and finally Buffy to ask in a whisper, "Did I really wear that green dress?"
Buffy grinned. 'Yes. And you're going to keep it. I insist."
"We'll see." Willow said quickly before changing the subject. Having two days worth of memories suddenly pop into her head was kinda weird. "Am I in trouble for totally skipping two days of classes? Or did ya come up with some really good reason for my absence?" A crinkled nose and a hopeful glance accompanied her question.
"You were sick." Buffy stated.
"That's all? I'm sure you could've come up with something better." Taking a seat Willow began to randomly flip through a book lying on the table.
"Yeah, but it was the whole believability factor, ruins good excuses every time." Xander slapped the table to stress his point.
Laughing softly Willow was glad to be back in the company of her friends, reassured that no matter what they would always accept her.