"Excuse me, Willow?" An older lady smiled at her from her car. She'd pulled over to the side of the road and was climbing out of her car. "I was wondering if you could help me carry these books into my house?"

No name came to mind, so obviously this was someone she'd never met back home. But she could be Willow. "Of course." She took the armload and started toward the small house that bordered the graveyard. The older lady followed her, talking all the way.

"Would you like to come in for some tea, dear?"

Willow's voice changed slightly as her face shifted. "I'd love some."

Xander stood at his window, staring out at the night. He knew she would come to him. He wasn't sure why. He didn't know why she was here or what she wanted, but he knew that she needed him. Apparently no matter what they were, they needed each other.

A soft sound caught his attention and he raised the window. A warm breeze blew in, carrying the scent of lavender and vanilla. "Hello, Willow."

She sat on the roof, staring up at the stars. "Xander."

"What are you doing?"

"Thinking." She lay back. "My Xander…he never noticed me. At least I thought he never did, but I was wrong. The night he was caught, he was walking home from my house. I'd been sick and he had come to see me, despite the curfew. I don't know who sired him, he would never tell me. I cried all during the funeral. I had nothing else, you know?"

He nodded.

"Then, that night, there was a knock on my window. I knew that vampires were real. We all did. We knew that demons walked the earth and there really were things that went bump in the night. I didn't care. I opened the window and asked him to come in."

She turned her head to look at him, smiling when she met his eyes. "Did he?"

"Yes. He told me that he couldn't live without his Willow. Asked me if I would join him. He didn't say he loved me. For love, you have to have a soul. And he didn't. Doesn't. He kills without remorse. We enjoy it. All the parts of it. The chase, the catch, the cries, the kill. But he needed me. He had loved me, when he was human. He was just afraid that he'd lose the only thing he had if he tried to change it."

"Guess things aren't that different no matter where you go." He sat up and climbed back inside his bedroom. "I know that you're a vampire. And being a vampire I shouldn't trust you. Ever." He looked over at her, losing himself in the green pools of her eyes. "But I also know that you're Willow. Not my Willow, but Willow nonetheless. So you have to promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"You have to promise me that you won't kill me. And, believe me, I know how stupid it is to trust the word of a vampire, but promise me, as Willow, that you won't kill me or turn me."

"I promise."

His heartbeat quickened. "Would you like to come in?"

She sat gingerly on his bed, watching him as he moved nervously around the room. "Xander? Is she okay?"

"Who?" He looked up, confused.

"Your Willow. She seemed scared last night." She shrugged. "I didn't mean to frighten her."

"Death does that to her." He walked cautiously to the bed and sat near her. "Do you know why you're here?"

"No. I just appeared. Then when I felt your presence…I knew you needed me." She set her hand lightly on his upper thigh. Her finely tuned senses told her that his blood was moving faster - all in one direction. She chuckled softly. "She loves somebody else, doesn't she?"

"Don't kill anyone else."

"It's what I do." She looked him in the eye. "I kill people Xander. For fun and pleasure and food. Just because I won't kill you, doesn't mean I won't kill anyone else."

He was silent, contemplating what she'd said. "I…"

She pressed her lips firmly to his. He shivered at the combination of their coldness and the flush of heat that suffused his body. She tasted like Willow. She smelled like Willow. She felt like Willow.

He tangled his hand in her hair, holding her in the kiss. Her body pressed invitingly to his, the leather hard yet supple against him. His other hand wrapped around her waist to pull her closer.

She licked his lips and he willingly opened his mouth for her. Their tongues danced, fighting for mastery. She was obviously more experienced and, capturing it, sucked on his tongue eagerly.

He moaned against her mouth as her hands traveled down his chest to his waist. Lifting his shirt, she ran her cool hands over his heated flesh, playfully teasing the hard nipples on his chest. He removed his hand from her hair and lowered it so that he could feel the soft weight of her silk and leather clad breast in his hand. He shivered involuntarily as she arched her back to press against him.

Using her vampiric strength, she pushed him back onto the bed and wrapped her arms firmly around him, much like Willow had done the night before…Willow. He broke away from the kiss and rolled away from her, breathing heavily.

She snarled. "What?"

"No, wait. I can't."

"What?"

"You have to understand." He backed away, trying to put some distance between them even though he knew that she could easily catch him if she wanted to. "You're not the Willow I want."

She stood, slowly unhooking the front of her bustier. "You're mine, Xander. No matter what world, no matter what universe, no matter what. You're mine. Only mine." She regarded him. "I could make you mine right now."

"No." He shook his head and swallowed hard. "I'm hers. You're her, but you're not. And I belong to her. No offense."

She backed away, sitting back on the bed. Her shirt was half-open but she didn't seem to notice. "None taken."

"Uh…Will? Could you…button…"

She looked down and laughed. "Sorry. I…" She was interrupted as his bedroom door swung open.

Willow froze. So did Willow.

Buffy sat downstairs in the Harris' living room. Willow had told her she needed to see Xander alone for a moment to make sure everything was all right between them. Buffy had refrained from telling her that she thought the only thing that was ever going to make the two of them all right was a nice, long, luxurious roll in the hay.

Willow probably wouldn't take kindly to that suggestion.

She sighed and flipped on the television. This could take a while.

Xander clamped his hand over her mouth and closed the bedroom door behind her. "Promise me you aren't going to scream."

She nodded. Her eyes never left the other woman. He pulled his hand away and she smiled quickly at him. "So…" She caught sight of the undone bustier. "You were seducing him."

"You obviously haven't had the guts." Willow smiled at herself. Is that what she looked like now? "Besides, I understand you have someone else. Shouldn't I be allowed to have him?"

Green eyes met brown. "Is she who you want Xander? A demon with my face?"

"I can't have you," he whispered. He bit his tongue. He hadn't meant to say that.

"All right then. One for you, one for Oz. I hope you're happy." She turned and fled the room, not wanting to analyze the horrible ache in her chest. She reached the bottom of the stairs as what she'd said registered in her mind. "Buffy?"

The Slayer bolted to her friend's side. "What's up? Is he okay?"

"He's fine. I think I know what happened. I think I know what caused this."

"What?"

"Me."

Giles muttered under his breath throwing angry glances in Willow's direction. The hacker blushed and ducked her head before going to hide in the stacks. Buffy glared at Giles, pulling him into his office. "What is with you? She said she was sorry."

"She called another vampire here. As if we were running short on our own supply." He sank into his chair, frustration at an all time high. "Not only a vampire, one that looks just like her. One that seems intent on killing people and seducing Xander. So tell me Buffy, how are you going to kill your best friend?"

"Sure, if you look at it that way…"

"It's the only way to look at it. Don't you see? She is a powerful vampire. She killed a Slayer. A very strong Slayer. Xander is going to get himself killed."

"I won't let him die." Willow stood in the doorway of the office, her eyes downcast. "I'm sorry Giles. Had I known…I didn't know just wishing something could make it happen. And I sure didn't expect I'd be some crazy, sexual vampire who dresses in low-cut leather."

Buffy's eyes widened. "Leather?"

"Apparently I'm not quite so shy where she's from."

"I can't believe you left Xander alone with her."

"She was ducking out the window when I walked in," Willow lied. "He'd obviously invited her in. He obviously knew that she was a vampire. I…" She sank down onto the chair with a sigh. "He knew she wasn't me. But he let her…"

"I didn't let her do anything, Willow." Xander stood in the doorway. "She kissed me. But that's it."

Buffy grabbed Giles' arm and wheeled him and his chair out of the office, despite his sputtering protests. She shut the door behind them, giving the two best friends the privacy they needed.

"Why did you let her? You must have known she wasn't me."

He nodded. Sitting next to her, he stared at the painting on Giles' wall. "I did. I knew she was a vampire. But…I guess a part of me just thought if I couldn't have you…If I can never have you, because you're in love with him, then why shouldn't I take advantage of this? You made it absolutely clear that we're through."

"So you turn to the evil version of me? Do you want to die that badly?" She stood angrily. "She's not me! She'll never be me!"

"And you'll never be mine!" He realized he was screaming at her, but couldn't help himself. "I have to sit there everyday and watch you be with him. I have to pretend that it doesn't matter to me that you chose him instead of me. I have to pretend that I don't care that you don't love me anymore!"

"You don't love me! You're just acting on your hormones like you've done since the first day we met!" She was yelling too now. "You saw a pretty girl and decided that she looked good enough to kiss. Then when you found out she'd kiss you back, you kept doing it."

He looked like he'd been slapped. "Is that what you think? Is that what you think I did? You think this was all about how you looked? I couldn't help but kiss you that night. I couldn't help it because, for once in my life, I couldn't control my feelings around you. I swore to myself that I would never let anything ruin our friendship."

"Is that why you were dating Cordelia? To keep our friendship on a strong, even footing?" She poked him in the chest, her anger getting the better of her. "Is that why you lusted after every other girl in the universe even though you knew I was in love with you? Is that why you're trying to ruin the first stable relationship I've ever had in my life?"

"Fine." He turned toward the door. "It's obvious I'm ruining your life. It's obvious that you'd be better off if I wasn't around to mess things up for you. So, I'll just go." He pulled the door open, startling Buffy and Giles who were both desperately trying to pretend they hadn't heard. "I'll just get the hell out of your life so you don't have to put up with me anymore."

He walked stiffly from the library, his rage like a living thing inside him. He'd never wanted to hit something so badly. As he walked, the rage subsided overtaken by intense sorrow. He'd just walked out of Willow's life and she hadn't tried to stop him.

Buffy held Willow tightly, letting the other girl cry. Giles looked on helplessly. He was completely unsure of what to do. "Willow? Are you okay?" Buffy pulled away and made the younger girl look at her. "Wills?"

"No. I'm never going to be okay again. How could I say those things? How could I?" She fingered the necklace she was wearing before realization dawned. "Giles? Have you ever seen this before?"

He walked up to her and examined the aqua stone. "No. It doesn't look familiar. Why?"

"Someone gave this to me yesterday. I was holding it when I made the wish." She met his worried eyes. "Maybe you could research it?"

"Certainly. Um, what are you going to do?"

"Find him. Before he does something stupid like let me kill him." She furrowed her brow. "The other me."

"Want company?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. And a stake. And if you could help me come up with an apology, well that would be nice too."

Willow paced the length of Xander's room impatiently. The hunger was coming and she'd have to leave soon to feed. She was waiting, hoping he'd return and ask her for eternity, but she didn't expect it. He loved this world's Willow far too much to accept anything less than the real thing. Besides, he seemed as though he had much more to live for than her Xander did.

Making the decision, she slid out of the window and jumped to the ground. She saw movement up ahead and slowly began stalking it. She could sense it was a vampire, and therefore not exactly dinner, but she hadn't had a good fight in a long time. Taking advantage of her innocent reputation in this world, she called out. "Excuse me?"

The creature turned around and she gasped. Angel.

"Willow?"

"My puppy." A slow grin lit up her face as she walked into the moonlight. "I've missed my puppy."

"Willow? Are you all right?"

She loved the element of surprise. She launched herself at him, much as she had done with the Slayer. He gasped and hit the ground. "Hello, puppy."

"Willow?"

Her game face on, she leaned in closer to him. "Not quite."

Angel's eyes widened and he shoved Willow from his chest. His own face slipping into play, he watched her warily. "Who did this to you? Why didn't Buffy tell me?"

"Xander turned me, puppy. You know that. Don't you want to play with Willow?" She smiled and tossed her hair. She loved playing with puppy. "Come on. Play now?"

Angel backed away from her, his confusion plain. Xander had turned her? He was apparently *really * out of the loop. "Willow, I don't want to play with you."

"You're not going to play with me, puppy. I'm going to play with you." She stepped forward, ready to attack when she saw Xander. His face was a mask of sorrow. Someone had hurt him. She ignored Angel and went to meet him.

Angel grabbed her arm and whirled her around. "We're not finished."

With all of her might, she wrenched his wrist. Satisfied at the sound of bones breaking, she pulled out of his grip. "Xander needs me."

Willow and Buffy hurried toward Xander's house. They had to catch him before she did. They had to. Willow's resolve face was firmly in place. She didn't speak; her urgent steps did all her talking for her. Her mind was moving faster than her body. She had to know the right words to say to him. She had to find the emotions that would keep him hers.

She stopped short as realization dawned. Buffy looked at her curiously but remained silent. He loved her. He'd said it. He was willing to die to be with her. Her eyes met Buffy's and the Slayer smiled at the look in them. "He does love you, Will."

"What about Oz?"

"Well, I guess you have to decide what you want. Really want. Not who you feel you should be with, but who you need to be with." She resumed walking; knowing it was still urgent that they find him.

"How do I know?"

"You just do, Will. Who lives in your heart?"

Xander stopped walking as the leather clad legs appeared before him. He looked up at her, wondering briefly what it would be like to die. "Are you guys still together?"

"There has only been him." She smiled. "You."

"How does he treat you?"

"He gives me whatever I need. Lets me indulge my appetites. We're partners."

He nodded, noticing Angel approaching them. "I see you've met Willow." He noted Angel's game face. "Don't worry, she's promised not to kill me. I trust her."

"She's a vampire."

"So are you."

Angel stepped back. Xander sighed. "Does it hurt to die?"

"No more than you're hurting now." Willow's eyes lit up with pleasure. He was going to give himself to her. He was going to tilt his head and allow her access to him. She could almost imagine the taste of his blood. Her hand reached out to stroke his cheek. "Let me take the pain away?"

"No." They both turned at the sound of Willow's voice. She stood next to Buffy, her hands on her hips. "I'm the only one who can take his pain away."

"You cause him pain." She turned to face herself, her fangs bared.

"You always hurt the ones you love." She turned to Xander. "I'm sorry. If I could take all of your pain away, I would. If I could take back the things I said, I would. I can't make up for the past Xander, but please give me a chance at the future?"

"What about Oz?" He refused to look at her, knowing if he saw her tears he would capitulate.

"I love Oz. But I'm in love with you. I always have been. I always will be." She pointed to the vampire. "She proves it. Just like Buffy is the chosen one, we're destined to be together. Who am I to fight destiny? We're just like dolls, Xander. Somebody's played with our lives and we have to act it out. I'm just glad that whoever it was decided I needed you."

Snarling, the hunger overtaking her, she grabbed his wrist and pulled her to him. Holding him so that he faced his Willow, she bent his head slightly forward and to the side. "He belongs to me."

"No." She walked toward her, holding the stake behind her back. "He's mine. I love him. You just don't want to be alone."

"I can take his pain away." She licked her lips and lowered her head. Xander, at the very last second, swung his head back and connected with hers. She howled and backed away. Willow sprang forward with her stake and impaled the creature through the back. Xander faced her, his own stake right through her heart.

They stared at each other as the dust settled around them. Both were shaking. Finally Willow smiled tremulously. "I love you Xander."

"Even though I just killed you?"

"I think I committed suicide."

He shook his head and held open his arms. She fell into them, losing herself in the feel of his warm skin. He barely noticed Buffy going to Angel's side. He wrapped his arm around her and, with his right hand, lifted her chin. "I'm going to kiss you now."

"Oh Xander, I wish you would."

Giles finished reading about the amulet and knew what he had to do. While this universe was not bad, he knew it wasn't right. He knew he had to put things back the way they belonged. He looked over at Xander, seemingly content with Willow snuggled in his lap. Buffy sat across from them, her whole being concentrated on the vampire next to her.

He wondered what things were like where they belonged. He wondered if they all had found love like they knew here. He wondered. Then he smashed the stone.

Willow snuck into the library, silently making her way over to her best friend. She'd gotten halfway home before turning around. Sitting next to him, she lay her hand gently on his arm. He lifted his head and stared at her.

"I'm sorry, Xander. I know it's not easy. I wish it were. I want to be your friend. Your best friend. And maybe somewhere down the line, we'll find something more. But right now, I need what I have." She stroked his cheek and stared into his eyes. "I have a feeling though, that we'll find what we're both looking for somewhere down the line."

His brown eyes smiled back at her. "I love you, Wills."

"Yeah. And you're stuck with me." She leaned forward and pressed her lips lightly against his. A jolt of electricity surged through them both. "I'm really looking forward to the future, Xander."

"Near future?" he asked playfully.

"Not near enough."