They all circled around her. It was really cold. They looked mad. Except Oz, he approached her from the circle.
"It's okay, Will,
" he said. He touched her arm. Then he smiled.
"I mean, it's your fault I'm dying,
" he said. She jerked away from his arm. Blood was seeping through his orange chinese dragon shirt.
"Oh, that's right – it is. Well, it's okay. No one has ever really loved you, anyway. Or liked you.
" She woke up, covered in sweat.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry…
" she said, still a little shakily. Oz looked over. A little weakly, but with genuine concern he said,
"What's wrong?
"
"Nothing,
" she said, shaking the awful aftertaste of her nightmare out of her head.
"How are you? Did they find the cure?
" He brightened a little.
"Sort of. They gave me something to slow the process until they could get to the magic shop. They went out to get ingredients for a spell. Unfortunately, it involves a seringe and if Giles screws up… well… Other than that, I'm doing just fine,
" he said. He coughed and a little red liquid splattered on his hand.
"Coughing blood. That's new,
" he said. Willow quickly got off her chair. She kneeled down next to him.
"I'll be fine. I'll be fine. It's probably just a side-effect to that green liquid Giles gave me.
" He had no blanket covering his top half, but there was a small one covering his lower waist and legs, because the wound was on his stomach. Or, to be more technical, through his stomach. White goz encircled his stomach. She put her hand next to the gozed injury.
"You're not fine. I'm calling the hospital.
"
"Calm. Down,
" he said.
"No! I mean. You … you're … right. I guess I'm a little on-edge. I just had a bad dream, and it kinda… freaked me,
" Willow said.
"I just don't want more bloodshed and death tonight.
" Oz made a sad smile.
"I'm sorry. I know you loved her.
" Willow rolled her eyes.
"Yeah – right,
" she took a breath and got a little more serious.
"It wasn't the whole uncomfort factor, but she was kinda… how do I put this… stupid and weak,
" Willow said.
"Okay…
" Oz said.
"So, what? You didn't love her?
" He wasn't doing this to make himself feel better, he just saw that she needed to talk about this.
"No.! I mean, we didn't even kiss once. It was like having a relationship with a goldfish. Only, a goldfish who was pretty good at magic. But I guess you guessed that, huh?
" Willow asked.
"Just a notion,
" Oz said.
"A gut-feeling.
"
"Very funny. That's gross.
" Willow, feeling the slight tension after what she'd said, opened her mouth, but then closed it. She hugged Oz, making sure she stayed away from the wound and said,
"The last time I saw you… it was hard, you know? I mean, I still loved you, but I knew I shouldn't. And I didn't know whether I even liked Tara that much or not, but I couldn't just leave her – not after the things she had helped me with,
" Willow said.
"Or at least I thought she was helping me, turns out she was just a big brewin' evil doer.
"
"Not exactly,
" Oz said. Willow looked up, confused.
"What do you mean?
"
"Her Mother lured her – without magic, but convincingly. She also didn't want to do it if it would hurt you – or physically at least,
" he said.
"That doesn't help much,
" Willow said.
"It's because you're so cute.
"
"Thanks for trying, but it doesn't help. I mean, she was willing to give up everything to be Mommy's evil girl. And that means she probably was never actually good,
" Willow shrugged. She waited a couple seconds.
"What spell were they going to do on you?
"
"Oh. It was to ‘detect contamination',
" Oz said.
"That's Giles' fancy way of saying findin' the poison,
" Willow said.
"Kinda felt like a water filter discussion,
" Oz kept going.
"The spell also helps for a cure. They do that, Giles said he'd know my poison. He pretty much said that, only he used charts and blood samples as ironic little props.
"
"Well that's gotta suck. I mean, you're sitting here, you could keel at any minute and they're out there debating with Christine if Wolfsbane could be a substitute for Mother Wort. And did they all have to go?
"
"Oh, not everyone did. Buffy, Angel, Wesley and Cordelia are upstairs resting. I was a little too weak at the time, but I think something happened to Angel. Buffy was very happy,
" Oz said.
"Then I guess it wasn't anything bad,
" Willow said.
* * *
"So this is great! We live on the Hellmouth. Where's the bad part?
" Buffy asked. Angel looked at her. Not happily, but not sadly. It was an emotionless look that said nothing.
"I don't know unless the fact that I wouldn't be as strong…
"
"Angel, I'm the Slayer. I protect the innocent. Even if you aren't quite as strong, you were still pretty buff when you were a human. The books said so. Unless this is a macho guy trip, you have nothing to worry about,
" Buffy said. He smiled. It was far-off, but he was smiling. It wasn't something she thought she'd ever see. Their relationship could be torment and trouble-free. It was perfect. The gang was essentially back together. And they were all, for the most part, really happy. But living on the Hellmouth had taught them that rewards usually didn't come without a cost. And they were all hoping the battle was that price, not a death of someone that was a member of their group. Like Oz…
"I know what you're thinking. This wasn't something tht was just given to me out of the blue. It was prophesised. It's here to stay if this is what it is. Do you want to go downstairs?
" Angel asked.
"Yeah. I'm kinda hungry. It's almost seven,
" Buffy said. They got off the bed, which they'd only been sitting on, and headed to the door. Buffy opened the door and heard Giles burst through the open doorway – no one had gotten around to rehinging that door.
* * *
"I think I have it,
" Giles said. Oz looked up weakly.
"Bring on the needle,
" he said, it was impossible to tell if he was being sarcastic.
"I hate needles,
" Willow said. She got up from beside the couch and slowly let go of Oz's hand.
"This goes in my arm, right?
" Oz asked. Giles looked up. It was weird seeing Giles without his really clunky glasses, and his now nice oval ones that actually made him look… normal.
"What? Oh, quite,
" he had himself a little chuckle. - And the way he could replace that new cool image when he laughed at his own joke like that.
"So how exactly are you going to replace the blood?
" Buffy asked. Looking away. No one liked needles.
"He didn't lose enough, I believe, to be in critical condition, surprisingly enough. I do believe, however, that the second we do cure him, he should be admitted to the local hospital,
" Wesley said.
"Good side,
" Oz said. Giles took the ingredients out of the brown paper bag. He set them on the coffee table. He ground them down into dust and then added some holy water. It looked like chicken soup broth. Giles took a needle out, making sure he had cleaned it well in the kitchen, and sucked up the
"broth
" into it.
"Couldn't he just drink it?
" Cordelia asked.
"No. It has to go immediately into the bloodstream. Drinking it would take too long. We want instant results,
" Giles said. He stuck in the needle and released the fluid, then he pulled it out.
"And…?
" Willow asked. She finally turned around. This was disturbing.
"We wait… and… okay, now,
" he stuck it in again. He took out some blood. Not much, though. Wow. Now that's painful, Oz thought calmly. Giles took the blood and kept it in the needle. He mixed it around a little and then put the sample on a glass coaster, seeing that was the only thing nearby.
"This would be a lot easier if either of you knew how to do this,
" Amy said. She went to the table. Picked up some of the leftover ingredients. She sprinkled them over and said a few words in Latin.
"Do you have any rosemary?
" she asked. Giles went through his cupboards until he found a small bag of some.
"Great,
" she said, she took a pinch of it and distributed it in the blood. It turned blue and then went to a purple.
"Okay… still a little rusty, but I think I know what this is. If so… hmm… Oh!
" Amy looked at Giles.
"Mother wort, wolf's bane and maybe a little… oh. Darn. Okay… oregano. Don't ask, it just works,
" Amy said.
"Grind and then boil it in water. It'll be like a tea.
"
"A nice change from the needle,
" Oz said, looking at Willow. She was watching something in the distance. Some imaginary place she was staring at. It kept her a little more calm.
"Giles, I need to talk to you A.S.A.P,
" Buffy said.
"Fine, Buffy, but this takes a little more priority right now,
" Giles said.
"It can wait,
" Buffy said.
"It tastes bad, doesn't it?
" Cordelia asked Amy.
"The downside to cures. They usually taste awful,
" Amy said.
"Thanks,
" Oz said, it was probably meant to be sarcastic. Giles finished the rest of the preparation for the antidote.
"Just put it in a mug or something,
" Amy said. He put the potion in his ‘KISS THE LIBRARIAN' mug. He handed it to Oz.
"I don't mean to be picky, but…
" he said, eyeing the cup. He took a small sip and made as much of a face as was possible for Oz. He muttered something under his breath.
"What was that?
" Giles asked.
"Japanese translation for ‘Oh Hell',
" Oz said.
"Good to know you were learning something,
" Xander said.
"You have to drink the whole thing,
" Amy said.
"It isn't that bad. Try having to live with Devin,
" Oz said.
"Sparing you the details.
" He took another sip and then downed the whole thing. He was straining from making an expression. He put it down.
"I'd take the injection,
" he said.
"My head supposed to pound?
" He looked at Amy.
"Yeah. It'll only hurt for a second,
" she said.
"Momentary torture. Ironic,
" he muttered. He looked pained for a second. Willow scrunched up her nose.
"All better?
" Xander asked. He said it as though Oz was a four year old who had scraped his knee.
"I… think so,
" he said.
"Now, Buffy. You said you had something to tell us,
" Giles said. Wesley approached Buffy and Angel. He looked between Angel and the glass cabinet Giles had in his living room.
"Dear Lord. The prophecy,
" he breathed. His reflection was clearly portrayed in the reflective glass.
"Well that was about as clear as the Billy explanation when we had our first super fun round of nightmares,
" Xander said.
"Like I said – a little shorter than usual.
"
"It's amazing. This wasn't supposed to happen for a while. Of course it predicted no exact time, but I presumed…
" Wesley was cut off by Giles.
"Oh, just get on with it, man.
"
"Angel is human,
" Cordelia said effortlessly. She sat down on a chair. They all looked at her.
"What? Were you expecting a scientific explanation?
"
"Big breakthrough. Living in Sunnydale, the words ‘I'm only human' aren't heard too often,
" Oz said.
"Thanks for outshining.
"
"Damn – just when I thought of some more Dead Boy jokes,
" Xander said bitterly. Just as the news had set in, there were noises from under the stairs. Buffy looked at Angel, Angel looked at Buffy. Everyone turned to look at the door. Buffy opened it. It was Riley – trying to break his bonds. Buffy sharply pulled the duct tape off his mouth and let him talk.
"You won't get away with this – this is murder, torture…
" he kept going on. Oz set down the mug, and Giles slowly removed his glasses, as though with them on he had been seeing things. Buffy looked at Angel. Angel rolled his eyes and looked at Riley. Then Riley started babbling more.
"Oh. Shut. Up!
" he said, and punched Riley – hard.
*screen goes black*
"God, I think his nose almost broke your fist.
"
