Title- Admissions of Guilt 4/?
Sequel to- Admissions
Author- Veronica
E-mail- roni.s@sympatico.ca
Pairing- G/W
Rating- G, for now
Disclaimer- Joss owns all in the Buffyverse, I just use them like Barbie's for my own twisted fun.
Spoilers- post Grave
Distribution- If you like it, take it… just let me know where.
Summery- An old nemesis is back, and is seeking revenge on Giles and Willow.

The three onlookers ran towards they're friend, who now lay upon the blackened earth. What had once been a vision of beauty and wonder, now held nothing but death once again.

The former Watcher made it to Willow's side first, gently moving the girl onto her back and brushing the hair from her face to check for any sign of a head injury.

All breathed a sigh of relief when all they saw were a few small scratches, but nothing more. Xander leaned down and gently began to pat her cheek in hopes of waking the unconscious girl. In all his years of fighting demons and vampires, this is the first time in his life that he knew what real fear felt like.

"Wills… hey, c'mon. You gotta wake up." He said softly, and was rewarded with a moan that escaped the red head's lips.

"Willow, come now, luv. Wake up." Giles almost pleaded.

Willow's eyes fluttered open and looked around in confusion, wondering why everyone was staring at her… that is until she noticed that she was lying rather unceremoniously on the ground.

"Willow, are you hurt? Can you stand?"

"I'm fine, Giles… I think. What's going on?" she asked as the two men helped her up off the ground, causing her to gasp as she took in the view before her. Where she stood no longer held any sort of life… no flowers graced they're presence, not even so much as a blade of grass. "But…"

"Wills, it's okay. You're going to be fine."

"Fine? You call this fine?" she gestured around her. "Look around you… don't you see it? Everything is dead, there's nothing here! No plants, no flowers… not even a damn bird! What the hell did this!?"

"Not what… who."

"And just what is that supposed to mean, Xander?"

"What that means is… it was you." He replied, placing a hand on her shoulder, which she quickly shrugged off.

"Your crazy! I would never do something like that." She finished, and then realized what she said. "Okay, once I did do it… but that was a while ago. And all of you know the circumstances that were involved, but this…" she gestured with her hands, "I was trying to make it right again. That's what she wanted me to do."

"What… and you call killing yourself making it right?" Buffy said with a note of sarcasm, causing Giles to give her one of his `not now' looks.

"Who said anything about killing myself? What are you talking about?"

"Quote, `I must sacrifice myself', end quote." Quipped Xander. "Sounds a little like `Hey there, Grim Reaper! Come on in for a spot of tea, and while your at it, take my soul too!' to me."

"You know, guys, for the record… there is more than one way to make a sacrifice without having to die." She said, mortified. She decided to go on with the explanation when she received quizzical looks from all around. "Things like sacrificing your pride, so on and so forth?"

"You mean…?" But Buffy didn't finish the question.

"Uh huh." The red head nodded, "I came up here to make things right… fix what I did. That's all. Create life, not take it… been there, done that-got the memories."

"Well, it w-was an honest mistake, Will. We d-didn't know…"

"I know, Xander, and its okay. I'm, you know, a little freaked out that you thought I'd try to kill myself… but I can see how you'd all see that." Replied Willow as the group gave a huge sigh of relief. "Lets go home, I can fix this again tomorrow." With that said, the red head took a step, but stumbled, causing Giles to reach out and steady her.

"Willow, are you alright? Are you sure you're not hurt, luv?" Asked Giles, full of concern.

"No, no. I'm fine… just really tired all of a sudden. I guess it took more out of me than I thought." She chuckled and leaned on Giles for support.

"Let's get you home then." He said as he scooped her up into his arms, and placed a tender kiss on the top of her head.

* * * *

The watcher carried the young woman up to her room and placed her carefully on the bed, removing her shoes and covering her with a blanket. He sat down on the side of the bed next to her and smiled as he saw her gazing up at him with a tired smile on her face.

"I'm sorry, Giles… I mean Rupert. Its hard to get used to calling you that after calling you Giles for so long." She said, causing the older man to chuckle.

"I must admit, I too find it rather overwhelming to hear you say my given name." He said as he brushed a lock of red hair from her face and tucked it behind her ears. "And what, if I may ask, have you to be sorry about?"

"For earlier today. I didn't stop to think that you guys couldn't hear her like I could. I didn't realize that you would misunderstand what was going on and what she wanted me to do."

"Nonsense. It wasn't a conversation meant for our ears… only yours. And everything is fine now. No need to worry yourself over what happened, it was an honest mistake as Xander said." He looked at her a little more closely. "You, my dear, need to rest. You look absolutely exhausted."

"You know something? That's exactly how I feel." She replied as her eyes began to drift shut.

"Rest now, I'll see you later." He finished. Willow gave a slight nod and closed her eyes as Giles softly placed a kiss upon her lips.

"I love you, Giles." She murmured.

"And I you."

* * *
* *

"Okay, Giles… what's the skinny?" Asked Buffy when she saw Giles make his way down the stairs and take a seat in the armchair.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked, confused at his slayer's choice of words.

"What happened? How did you know something was wrong before anything happened?"

"Oh yes, that. Back when Willow was on her rampage, she had taken the magick that the coven had imbued me with. Ever since then I have been able to feel her emotions, as you saw earlier today. But…"

"Go on, Giles. But what?"

"Buffy, right before the laughter and the death of the plant life… I didn't feel anything. It was almost as if she didn't exist. It was rather disconcerting I must say."

"Well, how far does this emotion thing go?" Xander asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"A few months ago, I could feel everything as if they were my own emotions… I could see what she was seeing. For lack of a better term, it would almost be like reading her mind… but more intense than that. I knew what she thought, I felt what she felt." He sighed, "But over time it has diminished. Now I feel her emotions, but it's not as strong as what it once was. I suspect that in time, even this will fade all together as well." He finished.

"Wow." Replied a dumbstruck Buffy. "You know, maybe that's all this is. Maybe it is starting to disappear, just a little at a time."

"I suppose you are right. It's just that it's been such a part of me for some time now that I have become somewhat accustomed to it. I believe I will miss it when it does go."

"Would you like us to stay the night here? We could help keep an eye on Willow."

"Thank you. Xander, but no. I think everything will be fine. I do appreciate your concern however." He looked to Buffy. "I do believe you have patrol tonight?"

"Yeah, I do. Your sure you don't need us to stay?"

"No, Buffy. Go on with you, both of you. It's been a rather long day for everyone."

* * * * *

Unknown to the rest, a lone figure stood at the top of the landing listening to every word being said. A menacing smile slowly came to the lips of the young woman as her blue-flecked green eyes watched two of the three people downstairs left.

"Oh, this is going to be so much fun." She whispered to herself, then turned and made her way back to the bedroom.

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