“Giles! Giles! I’ve got it! I’ve figured it all out!” Willow came flying into the library, wildly waving a bundle of papers in the air. Giles turned from his position behind the counter to see what it was all about. The redhead ran all the way to the counter, slapping the papers onto the countertop.

 Still startled, Giles blustered about, not sure what to do with the papers presented to him. “What are these, Willow? What’s going on?” He put down the book he had been studying, and began to leaf through the papers, which he could now identify as being printed from her computer.

 Willow looked at him incredulously. “Don’t you see, Giles? This is it! This is the spell to anchor Angel’s soul!” She flipped through the papers briefly, pulling one out to display to the Watcher proudly.

 Taking the paper gingerly, Giles adjusted his newest pair of glasses on his nose, and meticulously studied the printout. What he read surprised him more than he thought. “Willow…this is amazing! Where…where in the world did you find this?”

 A broad grin spread across the hacker’s face. “I inquired about a soul-anchoring spell in a witchy chatroom – a teenage Romanian witch had shared it with a Wiccan in New York, and she emailed me the translated copy, which is this, here.”

 Giles found a chair and sat in it, still studying the papers in front of him. As far as he could tell, it was a truly legitimate spell, and one that would actually bind Angel’s soul to his body so that he would be completely unable to ever lose it. He found himself becoming slightly giddy about the whole thing, inwardly rejoicing that Angelus could never return after they had performed this spell.

 Looking back at the excited redheaded witch, he smiled. “Call Angel,” he said, “tell him to come to the library at 4 o’clock through the tunnels. I’ll have the ingredients prepared.” Seeing the delighted look on her face, he added, “Angel’s never going to lose his soul again.”

***

 Willow dashed into the library as soon as school was out, followed by Buffy and Xander. She had told them of the spell, and they were as excited as she was by the fact that Angelus wouldn’t be paying them a visit. Amber Lee came through the doors a few minutes later, having absolutely no real clue as to what was going on.

 Giles had managed to set the entire library up for the spell, including the circle in which Angel would have to stand. As Willow saw the circle, she looked around frantically for Angel, who she saw just entering by the bookcases. Taking a running start, she leapt into his awaiting arms, and the bewitched couple showered each other with kisses.

 Before he set Willow back on the floor, he drew her close and whispered in her ear. “You think we’re happy now…just wait until tonight.” Then, kissing her on the forehead gently, the two walked back into the center of the library.

 The door to Giles’ office opened, and the Watcher entered the library, walking over to Willow. “In the spell, Willow,” he said, “it calls for, well, virgin blood of the host’s lover.” He blushed slightly. “I can only assume that to be yours, Willow, right?” Willow nodded slightly, also turning a slight shade of pink. “Then, will you participate in the spell?” She nodded, and Giles smiled at the couple. “Then we should get started.”

 The next hour passed in a blur for Willow. She tried to follow the workings of the spell closely, but she found that it was difficult because she was a participant more than the caster. She could remember her finger being pricked and blood flowing into a goblet, but the only thing that truly stuck out in her mind was when Angel was engulfed in a dull blue light, then collapsed in the circle. She had cried out and tried to reach him, but the others had held her back, keeping her from breaking the circle. When it was all done and through, Angel woke up, and came over to Willow.

 Brushing stray strands of red hair from her eyes, she looked up at him hopefully. “Did it work?”

 He smiled. “I definitely felt something in that circle, Willow. I would have to say that from what I can tell, it’s permanent.” The he bent closer and whispered in her ear. “I suppose we’ll find out later, hm?”

 Willow blushed bright red, then backed away and faced the rest of the gang. “It worked,” she announced, and the room erupted in cheers and hugs.

 Amber Lee stood, bewildered, behind them all. “Huh?” she said loudly.

 Once the others had realized they hadn’t told her what had been going on, they sat her down to explain the whole business to her in more detail.

 And while the others were occupied, a certain bewitched couple slipped out through the stacks.