"Hmm...'Not dead nor not of the living.'" Willow studied the spell, printed out, in her hand. This was most definitely something that one would return souls with. And with any luck -- okay, a whole lot of luck -- Angel would get his soul back.

NO. Angelus would get the soul of Angel back. Buffy would get Angel back, and with that same daub of luck, the world wouldn't get sucked into hell. Willow wished she had a bigger daub to go on.

Scanning over the spell again, she looked at the words again. "'Let him know the pain of humanity, gods.'" Ouch, that sounded painful. But Angel had dealt with that for what, a hundred years? Something like that. Still, she wished there was a way to remove that pain. But that would probably take his soul, and that would be a bad.

There was that daub again.

Flipping over the pages of the spell, she picked up the orb of Thessula in her hand. It was so small, so fragile...yet capable of
holding an entire human soul. For a moment, Willow wondered if it was ever used to hold a human soul, and if a human could live soulless...

There came a tapping at the window, and Willow froze. Who would tap at her window at...what time was it? One in the morning? She slowly got up off her bed. What if it was Buffy? Was she hurt? She pushed away a curtain cautiously, peering out into the night. She couldn't see anything.

To reassure herself, she reached her hand up to find the cross that she had nailed beneath the curtains. Yep, there it was. Reaching down to her nightstand a few feet away, she picked up a cross and held it tight in her left hand. Using her right hand, she opened the window. Being careful not to ever leave the house whatsoever, she held the cross tight and stared off into the night.

*****

Just a little more...another inch, hacker, and I'll have you...

The thoughts were running rampant in Angelus' mind as he heard the redhead open the window. If only he had someone to mimic Buffy's voice, she'd lean all the way out entirely. But he didn't. But maybe...

Disgusted at his thought, he realized it might be the only way to get Willow to fall into his trap. Reaching back into his memories with the Slayer and her gang, he tried to remember the pattern and tone of that annoying voice...

Checking himself, he spoke softly.

"Will?"

*****

The voice came from...well, Willow couldn't place where the voice was coming from. But it sounded so much like him...she had to check. What if she was wrong? What if it was a trap? But what if he really was in trouble? She couldn't afford to lose him, not if she was too scared to save his life.

"Xander?"

*****

Yes! His voice had worked. Willow had leaned forward a little...he could see the cross she was holding out in front of her. Another inch or so and he'd be able to get his main ingredient in his plan. Taking a totally unnecessary but dramatic breath, he spoke again.

"Will?"

*****

There was no doubt in her mind. Xander was out there, he was hurt, and she had to bring him in. Leaning out of the window, she looked down at the ground, searching for her best friend.

Next thing she knew, she saw black.