Title: The Memory Lane Off-Ramp

Author: Jeanny

Spoilers: Through Grave - AU for Season 7

Rating: PG

Feedback: Yes, please! jeannygrrl@hotmail.com

Distribution: Go ahead, I don't mind, just credit me and tell me where it's going.

Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all the characters that appear on the show are the exclusive property of Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, Inc., UPN and any one else with a legal binding claim to the shows and/or characters. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Buffy, Dawn and Xander travel to England to visit Giles and check on Willow, but find her condition is not quite what they've been led to believe.

Author's Note: For the purposes of this story, assume that Spike returned from Africa and reincorporated himself back into the gang with relatively little angst, because he's not really in this story and it just makes things easier. Okay?

****************************************

"Nervous?" Buffy slid into the seat next to her friend, buckling her seat belt. Xander Harris grimaced and shook his head. She settled her head on his shoulder as he spoke, thinking that to a casual observer they were a normal couple, a normal family. Buffy knew they were anything but normal.

Worse, they were incomplete. The person who should have been with them and wasn't had haunted them simply with her absence, to the point where they couldn't take it anymore. Buffy had acted a bit impulsively, she knew, but the second they'd boarded the plane she knew it was right. It had been long enough. She suddenly realized Xander was speaking and tuned back in a bit guiltily.

"I hate flying. Not that I've done much. Not big on the family vacations in the Harris homestead. No Grand Canyon trips, Hawaiian adventures..."

Buffy grabbed his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Not what I meant, really."

"I know. I just...I can't quite think about that right now. Easier to think about the fact that we're hurtling through the air at insane speeds in a pressurized metal tube. Not as scary."

"Right," Buffy breathed, fidgeting a bit in her seat. Xander strained to see the seat behind them.

"How's Dawnie?" he asked softly. Buffy made a face.

"Sleeping. I swear, it's amazing, the girl can sleep anywhere. I'm totally jealous."

"Buff?"

"Yeah?"

"How do you think she's doing? Really?" Buffy sat up straighter and looked at him, so serious. Counting on her for the answers, just like always. She was amazed he didn't know by now that she was just as lost as he.

"Giles says she's doing well," she attempted, hoping he would let her off the hook.

"He said 'as well as can be expected' which could be Brit-speak for really poorly, couldn't it?"

"I don't think...I think Giles is being straight with us. And she's with the good witches, right? Giles was sure they could help her."

"Right. Okay."

"But I think he's wrong about us seeing her. It's got to do her good, to know that we...that we still love her...that she's worth...that she isn't just nothing without the magick."

"I still can't believe she couldn't see that before."

"I know. I can't help but think about when we were kids...Will and I were picked on a lot, you know. Me, because of my family life and my general ass-kickability, and Will was just so smart, and shy. But after a while, we weren't picked on so much, and I was glad to put the daily beatings behind me, pun fully intended. I thought Will was too, but I think now...just one more group of people that didn't notice her anymore."

"Like you didn't notice her," Buffy said absently, then sighed when his face fell. "I'm sorry, Xander, but-"

"No, no, you're right. I didn't notice that she had...those feelings...for me. However, in my defense, she's gay now." Off Buffy's look, he said, "Yeah, not much of a defense. I know I screwed up, Buff. I live with it every day."

"Think I'll let you off the hook, since you kinda saved the world," she teased. Xander's eyes widened in pleased surprised.

"Wow," he exclaimed softly.

"What?"

"I think that's the first time you've said that."

"Out loud," she told him ruefully. "I think it all the time."

"Guy without the superpowers, remember? Can't read your mind."

"Sorry...and I've gotten over the part where Dawn and I had to crawl our way out of that big old hole."

"No she hasn't," Dawn said, leaning over the seat and looking down at them.

"Quiet, you," Buffy said with mock severity. Dawn grinned, then gave a gigantic yawn.

"How long till we get there?" she asked sleepily.

"Long enough for us all to catch a bit more shuteye," Xander said, patting his shoulder. "Come on, Buffster. Here's your pillow, and let's try to cut back on the drool this time, okay?"

"I make no promises," Buffy laughed. She settled in and sighed, trying to release the apprehension that had settled into the pit of her stomach. As hopeful as she felt, the truth was she had no idea what they were going to find. And she didn't just mean with Willow. Giles had told her in no uncertain terms that they were not to come. *I hope he's not too mad,* she thought as she drifted off again.

The dazed and jetlagged trio staggered off the plane and through the airport a few hours later. Luggage loaded, they climbed in the car that they found not-so-fondly reminiscent of Giles' old clunker from days gone by. Xander carefully perused the directions that Dawn had downloaded as well as the map that had come with the rental as Dawn looked about, taking in the airport parking garage with as much enthusiasm as if it were a tourist attraction.

"Good thing you were able to get these directions, Dawnie. This doesn't look like it should be too difficult. Just a few hours drive and we'll be there."

Buffy eyed her sister speculatively.

"Tell me again how you managed to find the location of the coven's secret compound?"

"Willow taught me a few things on the computer?" Dawn said with a coy smile.

"She taught you to hack secure databases?" Buffy asked as she settled in the back, giving it to her sister's wide-eyed desire to ride shotgun. Xander checked to make sure everyone was settled and shifted into gear, frowning as he oriented himself to driving on the opposite side from what he was used to.

"Well, you wouldn't let her teach me any good spells...oh..." Dawn trailed off, a pained look on her face, looking back at her sister guiltily. Xander concentrated on the road, his face a blank mask as Buffy tried unsuccessfully to crack a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, I know what you mean...still, it was good that you could do that."

"I still can't believe Giles wouldn't tell you. I mean, how did he expect us to find him, sniff the air for his cologne?" Xander asked. Buffy took a deep breath, having known this was coming.

"That's the thing. Giles didn't exactly want us to know."

Dawn gave a squeak of alarm as Xander wrenched the wheel, pulling them on to the shoulder and stopping the car with a jerk.

"Come again," he said with deceptive mildness, turning in the seat so he could look at his friend. Dawn peered curiously over the back of her seat as Buffy sank a bit lower.

"Well, you remember I told you he didn't know we were coming?"

"Because we were going to surprise him. And Willow," Xander confirmed, then added. "A great big happy family reunion type scene and why do I get the feeling we're looking at something very different here?"

"Giles...Giles told me that we shouldn't come. But he wouldn't say why, and I can tell he's hiding something. Something about Willow...she needs us, Xander. If something's wrong, she needs us more than ever. Giles is just being overdramatic and protective, like always." When neither he nor Dawn said anything, she added hotly, "Fine. We'll just turn around, head back to the airport and pretend this never happened."

"No!" Dawn cried, and Xander shook his head, exhaling sharply.

"We came all this way already...it couldn't hurt to just check in and see...besides, I miss her," Xander confessed, sadness clouding his features. "A lot."

"Me too," Dawn chimed in.

"Then we're agreed. We go on. Willow or bust," Buffy proclaimed.

Xander and Dawn both smiled at that, but their eyes were still troubled as they turned back around in their seats and Xander pulled carefully back onto the road. Buffy sighed. She was worried too, but it was too late now. They just had to hope that Giles wasn't too-

********

"Angry? No, disappointed. No, I take it back, angry is more accurate. In fact, I might go so far as to say furious." Giles paced back and forth as the three stood contritely before him like children receiving punishment from their headmaster, heads bowed. They hadn't so much as pulled off onto the dirt road that led to the coven's compound that Giles hadn't been suddenly standing in the road, glaring at them. He'd made them get out and follow him, and now they were standing in what appeared to be a library of sorts, which Giles had clearly made his temporary home away from home. Buffy would have smiled at that if she hadn't been busy being penitent.

"Guess that means the group hug is out," Xander muttered.

"For the three of you to show so little regard for the safety of those left behind on the Hellmouth, not to mention the health of a very fragile young woman that you purport to be your friend-"

"Now hold on!" Buffy said, her head whipping up angrily. "First of all, Spike, Clem and Anya are handling things back in Sunnydale, and it's been fairly quiet since...well, let's just say we've planted lots of rumors that the dark witch's still around. So don't tell me I'm neglecting my sacred duty. And don't you ever tell me I don't care about my best friend!"

Giles seemed momentarily taken aback, then his expression softened.

"Buffy, I know you mean well, but you have no idea what you've done. Now it is paramount that I get you all out of here without Willow seeing you-"

"Wait, we don't even get to see her?" Dawn asked in disappointment.

"Giles, we just want to make sure she's okay," Xander protested.

"I know...I understand how this is very difficult. For all of you. But I would like to think after all this time that you would trust my judgment in this. You know that I care for Willow dearly, just as I do for all of you. Trust that I have her best interests at heart."

"We do trust you, Giles. But I don't understand," Buffy said, her expression pained. "Does Willow not want to see us?" Giles looked uncomfortable.

"That's not it...exactly...it's difficult to explain, really. I'd hoped to have...she's just not ready for this, Buffy. It's a very delicate time..."

"Giles?"

The familiar voice at the door made them all turn at once, and Buffy, Xander and Dawn all gaped in astonishment. Willow had let her hair grow long, once again it spilled over her shoulders. She was wearing a striped shirt under overalls, and no makeup, and despite clearly being older, she looked much as she had when Buffy had first met her. Her eyes flicked over each of them in confusion then lit up in excitement.

"Xander?" she squealed, throwing herself into his arms. "Oh my God, Xander! You're here! You're really here!"

"Oh God. I've missed you Will," was all he could manage over the lump in his throat before he buried his head in her hair and cried. Buffy and Dawn grinned madly at Giles, though their smiles slipped when they saw his expression, reminiscent of impending apocalypses past. A tall woman with fiery red hair much like Willow's came running into the room, saw the two friends hugging and blanched. She looked at Giles apologetically.

"I'm so sorry, Rupert. I thought she was still in the meditation center."

Giles tried to look reassuring, though his eyes were grave.

"It's alright, Sonora. Perhaps this is for the best."

Willow broke away from the embrace and looked at Giles accusingly.

"Why didn't you tell me Xander was here?"

"It seems that they've only just arrived," Giles said weakly as Buffy stepped forward, eyes shining.

"It is so good to see you, Will," she said fervently, reaching out for a hug and puzzled when the girl paled and stepped back into Xander's arms. The redhead stared at her blankly and her next words made Buffy's blood run cold.

"Who are you?"

***********