It was an interesting concept to say the least. She, little Willow Rosenburg had taken a life. And done it with glee. God, she had strewn him around the forest. It was interesting . . .
And disgusting. Sick to your stomach disgusting. Sometimes that particular image would hit her and she would make for the toilet. She barely stomached food anymore. And as for meat, she couldn�t even be around it anymore. Good thing Doublemeat Healies were made of vegetables, they were making up most of her diet these days. Willow wondered why she wasn�t getting immensely fat.
Anyway, the killing. She never did forget about that. Imagine having the willingness to do that. And then feeling sorry about it. God, how did Angel deal with this everyday?
No one understood. They tried, God bless their hearts they tried. But they had never overstepped that boundary. They just didn�t understand being afraid of yourself. Being afraid that your loved ones weren�t safe from you. Damn it, she had tried to end the world. After all this time she spent stopping others from doing it, she had nearly done it on her own. Buffy couldn�t have stopped her even if she tried. The Slayer was no real match for evil Willow.
Thank God for Xander. Who figured the guy who called himself the Zeppo would end up saving the world when no one else could. Just goes to show you, people are full of surprises.
Willow would have loved to stay with them. They would have loved for her to stay with them. But she couldn�t, and they knew it. God, she couldn�t stay in that town. That god-forsaken town that stole so much of her innocence. She guessed that�s why they weren�t really all that surprised. It had been coming, everyone knew. They were all just waiting for the opportunity to present itself.
And what a surprise it was. Willow guessed it was because she needed someone who she could relate to. Someone who knew what she was feeling. Someone who had killed and regretted it.
No, not Angel. Not even Spike. That boy was having enough problems with his new found soul. You know, he really should have seen that one coming. Everyone knows that higher level demons like that like to twist your wishes around. Hello, vengeance demons!
It was with Faith that salvation came. Well, that�s a bit too dramatic. Faith didn�t bring salvation; she brought a form of coping. Maybe even some redemption, but she wasn�t really pushing. She figured dealing with it was enough. Even if she was going to hell.
Willow wondered about that. Did all the good she had done outweigh that one act of bad? Was there some sort of scaling system? Or was it one strike and you�re out? She really should look into that.
Anyway, Faith. Right, the Slayer came into town. She had known everything that had happened. For everything that went down, she only had one thing to say: �Wanna bail?�
Willow packed her bags that night. Everyone understood. Her friends had been tearful. There was the usual promise of correspondence and such. Xander had cried. She felt bad about that, but what could she do? Staying in Sunnydale was killing her.
They left by sunrise. Dawn had hugged the daylights out of her. Buffy did as well, Willow was pretty sure her ribs would be bruised. Xander held her and refused to let go. Anya gave her a blessing and sent her on her way.It occurred to her on the second day of travel she didn�t know what the plan was. Hell, she wasn�t sure there was a plan. She asked Faith about it.
�Got a job interview,� the brunette answered. �In Connecticut.� And so they went to Connecticut. Willow nearly burst into laughter when she saw the building they neared.
�Are you serious?� she had asked Faith.
The Slayer gave her that patented smirk of hers. �Got a better idea?�
And that�s how it began. Faith entered the building, passed the �interview� with flying colours. She claimed Willow as her business partner.
So they entered the WWE. God, doesn�t that sound stupid?
***
There was a whole etiquette about being in the WWE. One had to learn it fast if they wanted to survive. Willow gathered that from her first day. The only problem was she had no idea what that etiquette was. Everyone seemed to have their own rules for their behaviour. So, how was one to know how to act in any given situation?
Willow figured she let her emotions guide her. Not completely mind you, but enough to get her through the ordeal.
So, on that first day of work, Willow managed to set the attitude people would come to expect from her and Faith. And it was totally not even her fault. No one could blame her for it. If they did, what did they know?
They weren�t there. You would have to have been there to understand how annoying that Terri chick was. Then they could make a judgment. That way they would understand, Willow didn�t have too many options. You had to be tough to survive in this business. That�s exactly what their trainers had told them.
So don�t get judgmental on her. It wasn�t even that big of a deal. The little blonde had it coming. Even Faith agreed. But then again, maybe Faith is a bad example.
It didn�t matter. She did what she did. And now everyone knew. You don�t mess with the new girls. They had more bite than bark.
***
It had started off pretty routine. She was guessing it was routine, Willow had never worked in the WWE before. Anyway, she and Faith were interviewed. Faith�s debut match was on for RAW. Before she walked out, the backstage commentators stopped them for an interview. Jonathan Coachman wasn�t that bad. He was pretty nice, and he was just doing his job. Willow had doubts about Terri�s sanity. Well, listen and figure out why.
�Faith and Willow, the two newest additions to the WWE,� the Coach started off. �You guys have been all the talk of the trainers at headquarters. They just rant and rave about how good you two are. Accelerated through training and in the WWE in under three weeks. That�s pretty amazing. People are expecting a lot from you guys. Does that, combined with the fact this is your first show and are suppose to face Jazz, make you nervous?�
�I guess,� Faith shrugged. �I mean, this is my first match. People are expecting me to pull something amazing, but I�m also considered the underdog. Jazz is one of the toughest woman wrestlers here. Only an idiot wouldn�t be nervous.�
�More like only a coward would be nervous,� Terri snorted.
Willow gave the woman an appraising look. �What?�
�I said only a coward would be nervous,� Terri repeated, a sneer to her face. �Oh come on, we all know you�re not here to wrestle. You�re nervous because you know you have no chance against Jazz. Everyone knows the real reason you�re here. You�re the newest piece of eye candy. I bet you couldn�t even take Stacy Kiebler on.�
�Careful what you say,� Faith warned. �You might make us angry.�
Terri gave a disbelieving laugh. �I�m so scared,� she replied sarcastically. �God, we all know you have no clue about what to do. I bet you can�t even land a decent punch. I bet you�re nothing but another source of T & A. I bet-�
Willow had had enough by this time. She calmly pushed Faith aside and decked the blonde with all her might. The little woman went down and didn�t get up. The Coach was stunned. He flicked wide eyes from them to Terri�s prone body on the floor.
�Well, look at that,� Faith chuckled.
�Get this straight Coach,� Willow spoke to the interviewer. �We are not here because we look appealing. We�re here to work. And we�re here to work hard. So anybody else that has any disparaging remarks to make, make a lesson of this,� she gestured to Terri. �We�re here to work, and we will work hard. So you better stay the hell out of our way.� She turned back to Faith. �Come on, you got a match.�
The redhead stalked off without another word. The Coach was still stunned. �What was that?� he asked Faith.
The brunette grinned. �That was 100% Willowy goodness,� she told him cheerfully before trotting off after her manager.
And that�s how they made their debut in the WWE. Terri sported evidence of it for about a week or two. She never came near Willow and Faith again, so all was not in vain. And if that wasn�t enough, there was the match.
***
Jeff Hardy�s life was getting pretty dull. He figured it was because of the lack of Lita in his life. He really missed his daredevil redheaded friend. She brought something to the Team. Not that he and Matt weren�t effective on their own. They were still one of the best tag teams in the business. But he missed Lita. It was hard to having her around. He prayed everyday for her healthy return to the WWE. Team Extreme really needed her feminine touch. You know, the kind where she kicked all female asses and even some male. No one could give a Hurricanrama like Lita.
�Deep in thought?�
He turned his head at the sound of the female voice. Not Lita, but Trish Stratus, the Women�s Champion. She smiled down at him. He gave her a grin in return.
�Just pondering the Litaless existence Matt and I lead now,� he answered her.
Trish rolled her eyes. �She�s only out for a few more months,� she chided him. �She�ll be back before you know it and the three of you will kick ass from RAW to Smackdown!�
�Gee Trish, you say the sweetest things,� interrupted a voice from the doorway. Matt Hardy and Edge wandered into the locker room.
�What can I say?� she shrugged. �I�m an eternal optimist. Besides,� she raised her brows at Edge. �You saying that you don�t think your girlfriend will be back soon?�
Edge raised his hands in defense. �I never said that,� he protested. �I want Lita back as much as everyone else. I just want her to come back as soon as she is back at 100%.�
�We all want that,� Matt told him, settling down next to his brother. �We just want that to happen soon.�
�I hear ya,� Edge muttered. �Give it a few more months. She�ll be back and in true form.�
�Hope I still have the title then,� Trish piped up. �I so want to fight Lita for it.�
�Competitive much?� Jeff needled her.
Trish shrugged. �She�s the only diva I haven�t defeated. I want to know if I can.�
�What about the rookie?� Matt asked. �I heard she�s all spectacular and such.�
�Oh, the rookie!� Trish raced over to the monitor and flicked it on. �She�s on next.�
�Scoping out the competition?� Edge asked.
Trish rolled her eyes. �I doubt she�s as good as everyone says,� the champ waved off. �I mean, she only had three weeks of training. But supposedly she�s gorgeous and so is her manager. So that might explain the acceleration. But I want to make sure anyway.�
She plopped down in front of the television screen, watching as Jazz made her way down to the ring. Before the rookie�s music could hit, there was a replay of her first interview. The foursome watched as Terri taunted the newcomers and basically disrespected them.
�What a twit,� Trish muttered under her breath. They continued to watch, amazed when the slight redheaded manager reared back and punched Terri out.
�Whoa,� Edge murmured. �That was quite a punch.�
Trish rose up to her knees, leaning in as Willow made her threat. She watched in interest as the redhead walked away.
�What was that?� the Coach could be heard asking.
The rookie, Faith, just smirked. �That was 100% Willowy goodness,� she answered before walking off camera.
��Willowy goodness�?� Jeff repeated.
The screen turned back to the ring area. Faith�s music hit the air. Trish turned to the men, eyebrows raised. �Let�s see if they can back it up.�
***
Willow waited patiently beside the impatient Faith. The brunette was bouncing on the spot, eyes trained on the curtains separating them from the ring. Willow chuckled at the sight. Faith, as if reading her mind, stuck out her tongue in response.
Finally, they heard the first chords of Papa Roach�s �Last Resort� blare out across the arena. Willow had chosen it. It seemed appropriate. This was their last resort and Papa Roach was just cool.
They waited the customary ten seconds before making their way to the ramp. The fans greeted them with an outstanding ovation. Their screams were deafening. Lights flashed everywhere, music roared, fans screamed. They had arrived.
Keeping an aloof strut, the two made their way down to ringside. Faith jumped into the ring while Willow slowly slipped through the ropes. While her friend played to the crowd at the far turnbuckles, Willow plopped down on one. Her legs swung just above the second ropes. God, but she was tiny. She watched with unimpressed eyes the opponent, Jazz. The woman was tough, and looked unpleasant. But Willow knew she wouldn�t be a problem. Though Faith had been administered a muscle relaxant to quell her super strength, she still had the years of Slayer training. She might not be able to take down a chaos demon in her present state, but a little female wrestler was no problem.
Faith trotted over to Willow. She leaned in between her legs, Willow massaging her shoulder blades.
�What do you think?� she asked, eyes on her opponent.
Willow snorted. �You can take her.�
Faith looked up at her. �You sure?�
�Hell yeah,� Willow nodded. �I don�t see a problem.�
Satisfied, Faith turned back to her opponent. Willow hopped down from the turnbuckle and went down to ringside. The referee called for the bell.
***
�What do you think? Jazz or the newbie?� Edge asked his friends.
�Jazz,� Trish said without thinking. �I�ve been in the ring with her. She�s brutal. The rookie is in for a thrashing.�
�The rookie,� Matt answered.
Jeff shot his brother a look. �How come?�
�I think she can take her,� he replied, not clarifying.
�Well, stranger things have happened,� Edge shrugged. �What about you Jeff? Faith or Jazz?�
�Ditch �em both,� the youngest Hardy scoffed. �My money would be on the redhead.�
�She�s not in the match,� Trish protested.
�Don�t have to be in a match to win it,� Jeff answered.
Trish rolled her eyes. �You�re bizarre.�
***
Willow watched as Faith circled Jazz. The other woman sneered and tossed insults at Faith. The brunette remained silent, as if she didn�t really hear any of it. But Willow knew better. Jazz would pay for those insults. Faith didn�t like being called names.
Finally, tired of the circling, Jazz rushed at Faith, who easily sidestepped her. Reached over, Faith grabbed a handful of hair and slammed Jazz headfirst into the canvas. The other woman was stunned. She lay still for a moment, trying to catch her breath. It was a stupid idea.
Faith yanked her to her feet and promptly speared her. Grabbing Jazz�s arm, Faith propelled her into the ropes. On the rebound, Jazz was met by a mistletoe drop kick.
Tiring of the match already, and upset her opponent lacked any competition, Faith made to finish her. She pulled Jazz to her feet and delivered a kick to her midsection. While she was bent over, Faith took the opportunity to set her up for the power bomb. Lifting the woman up over her head and then slamming her back down onto the ring floor, Faith made for the pin.
The referee counted. One. Two. Three. He raised Faith�s arm. The fans went nuts.
At ringside, Willow yawned. She thought this Jazz was supposed to be tough.
What a let down.
***
�Did you see that?� Trish shrieked.
Jeff winced and covered his ears. �Yes we saw,� he answered. �Could you not yell so loud?�
Trish ignored him completely. �She took Jazz down in two minutes!� Trish continued to yell. �How the hell did she manage that?�
�I guess all the stuff the trainers said about her were true,� Edge shrugged, eyes wide over the victory. �I never expected her to be that good.�
Trish�s eyes darted to her championship belt. �I am so in for it.�
***
Willow lay stomach down on her hotel bed, legs in the air, and ice cream in her hands. Her eyes were trained on the television. Faith was in a similar position on the bed next to hers. Both were intent on the television.
They were watching old tapes of RAW and Smackdown! Someone had suggested they scout out the others and get better acquainted with their co-workers. It was best to know what rivalries existed and for what reason. That way, you had a better chance of not pissing people off.
Willow and Faith took up that suggestion. Both knew it had nothing to do with work. They didn�t give a rat�s ass about that. They would keep to themselves and fare fine in the WWE. They were just watching the tapes to hold off sleep.
Sleep wasn�t a terribly appealing aspect for the girls. Willow would have nightmares, about Tara or Warren. She would toss and turn, cry in her sleep and get no solace in the dream world. Faith had similar problems. Usually one woke the other up with their pitiful murmurings. The awake one would sit next to the still sleeping one and stroke her hair until she calmed before going back to sleep herself. It usually worked, unless they were both having nightmares. Then, they usually stayed up as long as their bodies would allow. Finally, the two would collapse into an exhausted and dreamless rest. That way was more effective.
�Trish Stratus,� Faith piped up suddenly.
Willow turned her head. �What about her?�
�Think I could take her?�
�Faith, you could take half the males on the roster,� Willow scoffed. �Don�t worry about the women. We got that down pat.�
�I�m thinking I would like to be the Women�s Champ,� Faith mused. �That way when they fight me, they�ll be more motivated. I mean, tonight was a let down. I thought Jazz would have put up more of a fight.�
Willow nodded in agreement. �I heard she was tough,� the redhead shook her head. �She�s not tough. Wouldn�t last a day on the Hellmouth.�
Faith nodded at that one. �So, I should try for the championship?�
�We�ll talk to Flair tomorrow,� Willow assented. �See if when we can get one. After all, you did defeat a former champ. That should qualify you for a title shot.�
That decided, the girls turned back to the television. Willow munched contently on her ice cream while Faith studied the television in interest. She turned to Willow again. �Think I could win a bra and panties match?�
Willow nearly choked on her ice cream.
***
Willow guessed time flew by. She couldn�t recall how things got to be this way. Hell, they had only joined the WWE two weeks ago. But here they were. Popular. And Willow meant Popular.
The mere mention of their names drove the fans wild. They would pick up a �Willow� or �Faith� chant during points in their matches. And the signs. You could always tell how well you�re doing with the fans by the signs they held. And Willow could only reason that they had become sex symbols. There was a barrage of �I want Willowy Goodness,� signs out there. Also popular was the �Gotta have Faith,� signs, cute in their little pun. Then there were the customary �Marry Me� signs, which were pretty widespread throughout the arenas.
It was a little fun. Okay, it was a lot of fun. Willow really didn�t mind having all these people cheering for her. It was a real ego booster. She liked that people found her attractive. During one match, an entire row of young males spent the time asking her to marry them. She had smiled and blew kisses, which sent them into hysterics.
Faith and Willow were pretty popular with the King as well. Whenever they made their way to the ring, he would stand up with this hopeful puppy dog look on his face. Listening to his commentary, they figured out he thought they had a lesbian thing going on. Just for fun, on his birthday, Willow and Faith locked lips in front of the announce table. Lawler nearly had a heart attack. They were now his official favourites.
Unfortunately, they also became noticed by some of the undesirables in the backstage area. Test had made frequent passes at both of them. Time after time, they both blew him off. Eddie Guerro had asked if Willow wanted to be his new Mamasita. Willow had promptly told him she wasn�t looking to adopt dog. Faith had Christian trailing behind her almost constantly. She nearly broke his nose once when he grabbed her ass.
But the absolute worst was Paul Heyman. He hadn�t actually done anything. He just leered at them in passing. Willow was nauseated at the sight of him. What a little prick.
So it was when he approached Willow that Paul Heyman set off a chain of events that even he couldn�t control.
***
�Yuck alert,� Trish announced from her spot in front of the monitor. Matt and Jeff looked up at her statement.
�What?�
�Paul Heyman is propositioning Willow,� Trish answered, shuddering. She remembered the time he had done that to her. After her outright rejection, he tried to sic Brock Lesnar on her. Thank god for Bubba Ray Dudley. Speaking of which, the man himself and Edge sauntered through the doors.
�What�s up?� he asked, settling down next to Trish.
�Heyman�s sniffing around Willow,� Jeff answered, moving close to the monitor.
�Maybe we should go out there and tell him to back off?� Edge suggested.They watched as the man reached out to brush Willow�s hair. The redhead spun around, grabbed his arm, and flipped him over her shoulder. He landed face down on the floor. Willow kept a hold of his arm, yanking on it while using her foot to push him down.
�I don�t think that�s necessary,� Matt chuckled.
�Listen you disgusting little toad,� the redhead declared. �You will keep your hands off me and Faith or I will make sure you spend the rest of your life sucking meals through a straw.�
Dropping his hand like it was contaminated, Willow stalked off camera. The cameraman went in for a close up of Heyman�s face. It was contorted in pain.
There was a brief silence.
�Score another one for the rookies,� Edge grinned. �I�m really starting to like those two.�
***
�The following match-up is for the number one contender ship for the women�s title. Making her way to the ring, being accompanied by Willow . . . Faith!�
The crowd was roaring. The two girls jumped onto the stage, bouncing on their feet. Willow made some exaggerated gestures with her leather duster. Well, it was Spike�s duster but William, who is Spike with a soul, gave it to her as a going away present. It swirled around her feet as she made her way down the ramp.
Faith leapt onto the apron, shooting a wild smile at the fans. Willow, as usual, made her way more slowly into the ring, slipping through the ropes at her leisure. She stalked the ring, casting a glance at the announce table. The King was bouncing in his chair in excitement.
Grinning, Willow nudged Faith. The two blew him kisses. He looked like he had won the lottery. JR was shaking his head next to him.
�And the challenger, making her way to the ring, Molly Holly!�
Willow turned and watched as the self proclaimed virtuous one climbed into the ring. She shot Faith a glance. The brunette rolled her eyes and made an exaggerated face at Molly�s back. Willow gave a little laugh, shaking her head. She hopped down to ringside, leaving the two competitors alone in the ring.
The ref called for the bell. Willow gave a yawn and glanced at her watch. This was going to be extremely quick.
***
�You know, I would say that they were cocky, from the faces that Willow makes during matches,� Jeff mused. �But she looks genuinely bored.�
�I bet she is bored,� Edge offered. �All of Faith�s matches last under five minutes. The girl just wipes the ring with her opponents. You could blink and miss the match. They�re that-�
�It�s over,� Bubba announced. Everyone turned to the monitor. Sure enough, Molly lay prone in the ring while the ref raised Faith�s arm. The brunette looked very disappointed.
�That�s got to be a record,� Matt breathed in wonder.
�She�s the number one contender,� Trish whispered. �I�m so screwed.�
�Hey, is that Heyman?� Edge asked, moving closer to the monitor.Sure enough, the greasy agent was making his way to the ring. Beside him was the monster Brock Lesnar.
�Willow,� Paul announced into a microphone. �I did not appreciate the way you treated me backstage.�
The redhead scoffed.
�D�j� vu,� Trish warned them.
�Think we should go . . .?� Jeff trailed off.
�I will give you one more chance,� Paul continued to mandate at ringside. �Either we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. What do you say?�
The wrestlers watched as the redhead stood still in the ring. Suddenly, she whipped off her leather jacket and hung it on a turnbuckle. Moving to stand beside Faith, Willow beckoned Brock to enter the ring.
�They�re insane!� Trish shrieked. Her words rang through the now empty locker room. She whipped her head towards the door, still swinging from the speed by which the guys had left. Grabbing her title, Trish ran to catch up with them.
***
Willow watched Brock Lesnar with apprehensive eyes. She and Faith displayed an outer calm, never allowing the man to see how scared they were. If Faith were at 100%, this would be different. But the muscle relaxant wouldn�t wear off for another couple of hours. Basically, they were two little girls facing off against a monster of a man.
Willow was afraid. She was really afraid. She shouldn�t have been. Damn it, she once stared down a psychotic hell god, and won mind you. But none of that mattered here. New ballpark, new rules. One of which was absolutely no magic. So Willow and Faith stared down this massive man more or less defenseless. Willow never thought she would see the day. After all the crap she had endured, Willow was scared by a human.
She drew in a shaky breath as Brock entered the ring, a malicious smile on his face. Willow kept her face completely devoid of emotion. She wouldn�t give him the satisfaction of knowing he scared her. Neither would Faith. The brunette merely glared at the giant, never once showing the immense doubt she felt.
Roars from the crowd diverted Willow�s attention from the advancing monster. Her eyes flicked to the ramp. Four figures raced to the ring. She watched mesmerized as the Hardy Brothers, Bubba Ray Dudley, and Edge pounced on Brock Lesnar.
�Oh thank god,� she heard Faith sigh in relief beside her.
Willow wasn�t aware of much after that. She just sank to her knees, eyes staring forward. Her mind raced in circles that didn�t make any sense. She felt something cool on her cheeks, embarrassed to find she was crying. Willow was crying. She hadn�t done that since Tara . . .
She also hadn�t been afraid since Tara. Holding her body, watching her fade away. Willow had been frightened to her core. And then she went nuts. Oh God, Tara!
Trapped in whirl of Tara and Warren, the redhead shut down.
***
Jeff watched in disgust as Paul Heyman helped Lesnar into the back. What a waste of space. He turned to check on the girls. Faith was more or less okay. The brunette was shaking but Matt was rubbing her arm in comfort. Willow was another story. Trish knelt beside her, trying to get her to do something. The redhead just stared forward, crying freely. Her green eyes were vacant. No one was home.
�What�s wrong with her?� Trish asked as he approached them. Edge and Bubba gathered around as well, exchanging worried glances. Matt led Faith over. The brunette still looked slightly out of it. She looked down at her friend.
�Red?� she made it a question. Faith nudged Willow. �You okay?�
Willow continued to say nothing. Eyes forward, face stone still. �I need to get her to the back,� she told them.
Without waiting for further instructions, Jeff swept the redhead up in his arms and carried her back to his locker room.
***
�Maybe we should get the paramedics,� Edge suggested, watching as Jeff placed the redhead softly on the sofa. Willow pushed herself into a sitting position, grabbing onto Jeff. She leaned into him, head resting on his chest. And yet, her eyes remained distant and she remained mute.
Faith looked at her helplessly. �She�s not sick, she�s just scared,� the brunette answered weakly.
�You know what? How about you shower here?� Trish suggested. �I�ll go to the divas locker room and grab your stuff. Then we�ll drive you guys back to the hotel.�
�Sounds good,� Faith agreed. �Thank you.�
�Don�t worry about it,� Trish assured her. The champ left with Bubba and Edge, who insisted she not wander the halls alone.
Jeff stared down at the girl in his arms. Her left hand clutched at his shirt, her nails lightly scraping his chest. She was still shaking, still crying, but not there. It was strange.
�Red?� Faith settled down next to Willow. �Snap out of it.� No response. "Red, I�m not kidding.� Silence. �I�m going to stick a frog down your shirt.�
�A frog?� Matt repeated.
�She has frog fear,� Faith shrugged. Her words had no effect on the redhead. Faith extended a hand towards her, cursing to herself when she saw it shake. Taking a breath to calm her nerves, Faith reached out and stroked Willow�s hair. It worked when the girl was having nightmares, so Faith was willing to give it a shot. She sat quietly; stroking her hair while Jeff rubbed slow circles on her back. Eventually, the redhead blinked and lifted her head. She looked slightly confused. She glanced up to see Jeff Hardy looking at her in concern.
Willow blushed when she saw that she had burrowed her head into his chest. �Sorry,� she mumbled, pushing away from him. Faith continued to stroke her hair. Willow turned to her friend and frowned. �What happened?�
�You phased out, and now you�re back,� Faith answered simply.
Willow knitted her eyebrows together. �But-�
She was cut off when Trish, Edge, and Bubba re-entered the room. �Later,� Faith whispered to her.
Willow nodded in agreement.
Later.
***
The five wrestlers didn�t leave Willow and Faith alone after that. After their showers, they insisted on driving them back to the hotel. Matt and Jeff carried their bags despite Faith�s claim that they could handle it.
Willow was still kind of out of it, so she remained quiet the whole time. With their barricade of wrestlers, the girls were escorted to their room. Nearing it, Faith heard the phone shrilling away. Swearing softly, she hurriedly opened the door and rushed for the phone. Willow followed at a slower pace
�Hello?� Faith began. The brunette first frowned and then rolled her eyes. She extended the receiver in Willow�s direction. �It�s Sunnydale,� she told her. Willow made to take it before turning around to face her saviours.
�Thank you,� she whispered, sincerity shining on her face.
�No problem,� Jeff responded. Willow nodded and took the phone.
Faith walked over to them, taking the bags. �Thanks a lot,� she told them. �You didn�t have to but you did, which makes you all very cool.�
Trish smiled at her. �Don�t worry about it,� she said, pushing the guys out behind her. �We�ll see you guys later.�
Mumbling goodbye, the others made to leave. Before exiting Jeff overheard a bit of Willow�s phone conversation.
�No Buffy, you may not slay Brock Lesnar.�
***
Willow sat on her hotel bed brushing her hair. She had grown it out again. It wasn�t nearly as long as it used to be, but fairly longer than she had allowed it to be over the past few years. It flowed down to rest just above her ribcage. The ends kind of curled lightly. She had dyed it a startling scarlet colour. No gold highlights, just a deep red.
Faith emerged from the bathroom dressed in her pjs. She glanced at Willow a bit apprehensively. �You want to talk about it now?�
Willow sighed and stopped brushing her hair. She gazed down at her hands, trying to gather her thoughts. �It was just d�j� vu,� she started.
Faith frowned. �How?�
�It was like Tara,� Willow muttered. �After all the crap we have endured on the Hellmouth, she was killed by a human. By a bullet. God, it was like we had forgotten we were just mere mortals and someone felt like reminding us. We just defenseless against our own mortality. And in that ring tonight, Brock was going to hurt us. And we couldn�t have done anything about it. We were defenseless against it.�
Faith nodded in understanding. �We�re normal,� she stated. �We�re normal, not special anymore. We�re subject to the same worries of everyone else. No magic, no super strength. Here, we�re just humans.�
Willow nodded miserably. �We�re just some frail humans,� the redhead agreed. �How are we supposed to face such trials as normal people? Before, we would have just used our powers, others be damned. We would have crippled him, or god forbid, killed him. But now, we would have had to take it.�
Faith climbed onto the bed with Willow. "At least we were saved,� she said, trying to be optimistic.
�But did we deserve to be?� Willow whispered, eyes haunted.
Faith sat still before responding. �Hell no.�
***
When Willow woke in the morning, she felt marginally better. It was about ten in the morning. Faith was still sleeping and probably would be for another few hours. Despite what time the Slayer went to bed, she wouldn�t wake until noon.
Scribbling a quick note, Willow got ready for the day and left. She had something to do today. Faith would understand, after all she knew how important Philadelphia was. Willow had something important to do.
***
Jeff grumbled as he followed behind Trish and his brother. �Why do we have to do this every time we come to Philadelphia?� he whined.
Trish shot him a look. �This is an important piece of your country�s history,� she reprimanded him. �You should be thrilled and filled with some sort of sense of pride.�
�I would be if I wasn�t so busy being filled with resentment,� Jeff shot back. �How come you always drag us along?�
�Because you are the only two who are awake at this time,� she answered lightly.
�Well, I�m the only one awake now,� Matt chortled. �But I just like waking Jeff up along with me. It�s not fair that he sleeps while I have to run around Philly.�
Jeff glared at his brother and then at Trish. �Why can�t you choose a reasonable hour to see the Liberty Bell?� he demanded of the blonde.
�Because I have to go shopping later,� she rolled her eyes. �It�s called time management.�
�It�s called cruel and unusual punishment,� Jeff retorted. �You didn�t even let me stop to get some caffeine.�
�Hey, would you look at that?� Matt spoke up suddenly. �Looks like we�re not the only wrestlers interested in the Liberty Bell this morning.�
Jeff followed his brother�s gaze and saw Willow standing in front of the Bell. She looked considerably better than last night. She had more colour in her face, eyes seemed more alert. However, she didn�t seem any happier. In fact, she was staring at the large bell like it had killed her best friend.
�Gee, she looks happy,� Trish commented sarcastically.
�Just what I was thinking,� Jeff agreed.
�They�re rather strange girls,� Matt brought up. �No one knows their deal. They just kind of showed up at headquarters one day and got in. They don�t talk to anyone else. In fact, the only other interaction they�ve had is with the King.�
Jeff gave a laugh. �He sure loves them,� he agreed.
Trish merely huffed. �It doesn�t take much to get the King�s adoration.�
�You�re just jealous you�re not his favourite anymore,� Matt teased her.
Trish rolled her eyes. She looked back at the redhead. �Who�s that guy?� she asked suddenly.
The brothers turned to watch as a blonde man approached the redhead. Willow turned and after what seemed like momentary shock, she leapt into the man�s arms.
�I didn�t know she had a boyfriend,� Trish mused.
Jeff turned away from the scene, ignoring the dull ache in his heart. Where the hell did that come from? �Come on,� he urged the others. �We can�t spend all night ogling our co-worker. Let�s absorb some American history.�
Trish and Matt exchanged a look and then followed Jeff as he led them far away from the redhead and her mysterious friend.
***
Willow stood in front of the Liberty Bell, more or less depressed beyond hell. Tara had always wanted to come see it. They were making plans for leaving on a road trip in the summer. They were going to talk Xander, Buffy and Dawn into joining them. They had never gotten beyond the actual notion of a trip. They were working on the details when . . .
Well, anyway, she had come for Tara. It was a ritual for her. Every city the WWE stopped in, she would go out and visit some place Tara had mentioned. Tara had never been traveling before. She never would have the chance. Willow would go for her. It was the least she could do.
�It is pretty amazing,� came an oddly familiar voice from behind her.
Willow turned slowly. The man behind her flashed her a wide grin.
�Hey Willow,� he greeted.
Willow�s heart stopped. �Riley!�
Willow jumped into the arms of one Agent Riley Finn. He caught her deftly and hugged her tight. Willow felt stupid when she noticed tears leaking out of her eyes. Two days in a row, what a roll she was on. She would have brushed them away, but she was content to squeeze Riley for a little while longer.
Riley Finn rested his cheek on Willow�s hair. He could tell she was crying a bit and it broke his heart. He planted a kiss on top of her head and just held her tighter. He had waited too damn long to contact her. But he himself had just found out. When he and Sam had landed back in the States, Graham had been quick to inform him that he had seen the little redhead on RAW. Of course he thought Graham was off his rocker. What the hell would Willow be doing in the WWE? He wouldn�t have ever believed him if Graham hadn�t forced him to watch a show. His eyes nearly dropped out of their sockets. What the hell was little Willow Rosenburg doing on national television?
A quick call to Sunnydale had filled him in on what had happened. Tara, god poor Tara. He didn�t know her that well, but he considered her a friend. Always so sweet, so kind, and so concerned. And she had loved Willow. He had always seen that.
Willow eventually pulled away from Riley. He let her go, but placed his hands on her arms. He peered into her tear-streaked face, silently assessing. Willow looked back at him, letting her misery show on her face. His heart broke for her.
�I�m sorry,� he said plainly. She nodded and gave him another hug.
�What are you doing here?� she asked.
�I had to come find you, after I found out,� he explained. �Found out the WWE was in Philly, and knew you would come out here.�
�How?�
He smiled at her faintly. �Tara used to talk about coming here,� he told her. �It was just in passing one day. We were playing �anywhere but here� with Dawn and she mentioned the Liberty Bell. I figured you would come to see it. You know, for her.�
Willow had a little laugh. �Am I that transparent?� she wondered.
�No, I just like to think I know you well,� he smiled at her.
The redhead sighed and wiped away her tears. She looked around and frowned. �Where�s Sam?�
�Washington,� he answered. �I wanted to come see you on my own. She sends her love though. And so does Graham.�
Willow nodded. �So, come to check up on me?�
�Maybe, or maybe I just wanted to see my favourite redhead.�
�Well, your favourite redhead is hungry,� Willow grinned at him. �Buy me lunch?�
�Your wish is my command,� he bowed deep and offered her his arm.
�God, you�re weird,� she chuckled. The two walked away, arm in arm.
***
�Maybe he�s just a friend,� Trish offered, eyes on Jeff�s face.
The young man started and reluctantly tore his eyes away from the retreating redhead. He shook his head and shrugged. �Why would I care?� he muttered before stalking off.
�Let�s get lunch,� he tossed over his shoulder.
Trish and Matt exchanged a look. �Does he . . .�
�Like her?� Matt finished for the blonde. �Sure looks like it.� He watched his brother go with concern in his eyes.
�Let�s catch up with him,� he suggested, pulling Trish along with him. Trish complied, not before shooting a glance over her shoulder in the direction Willow and her friend had walked off in.
Those two were strange ones. Strange and lonely ones. And Trish wanted to know why. If not for her own curiosity, but for Jeff�s sake. If he was really falling for the redhead, Trish would make damn sure she didn�t break his heart.
She wouldn�t let anyone hurt her friends.
***
Faith tapped her foot impatiently. She cast a glance around the hotel lobby. Willow had yet to show, and they had a show. Smackdown was starting in about an hour, and no sign of her redheaded manager. Out of the corner of her eye, Faith caught a flash of red hair.
�About freaking time,� she muttered to herself, marching over to her friend. She stopped in her tracks when she saw who was with him. �Well, if it isn�t Secret Agent Man,� Faith quipped, walking up to the two friends.
�Well, if it isn�t the convicted felon,� Riley shot back easily.
�Guys, no fighting,� Willow held up her hands. �Please.�
�Sorry Red,� Faith apologized quickly. She could tell the redhead felt a little better. Apparently spending time with the tin soldier had been good for her. And Faith wasn�t going to be the one to bring her down from that.
�Me too,� Riley added. �We�ll behave.�
Riley didn�t trust Faith as far as he could throw her. But Willow trusted her, Willow felt okay with her. And whatever the redhead needed was okay by him.
�What brings you here?� Faith asked, turning to the man with slight suspicion in her dark eyes.
�I came to see Willow,� Riley returned her gaze evenly. �I just found out.�
Faith nodded.
�What�s up for tonight?� Willow asked.
�Nothing, Flair�s given us the night off to recuperate.�
�But then why were you waiting?�
�I have plans for tonight,� Faith answered. �Need my sidekick to help.�
Riley frowned. �How come this sounds like trouble?� he stated rhetorically.
Faith just grinned at him. �Because my reputation precedes me.�
�We�ll talk about it on the way to the arena,� Willow interrupted. She turned to Riley.
�Thanks for coming.�
�Whenever you need me,� he replied.
�I know,� the redhead smiled tearfully at him. She wrapped him into a hug. �You�re a good friend soldier.�
�I always like to think so,� he grinned. Riley nodded a goodbye at Faith before returning to Willow.
�Whenever,� he repeated. Willow nodded and they had another hug. Then Riley turned to go. At the last second, he turned back around, a sheepish look on his face.
�I forgot one thing,� he started uneasily.
�Well spit it out Commando,� Faith commanded.
�Graham, he asked me, well to say-�
�Ri? What is it?�
The man blushed and reached into his jacket. He offered them two of their own new t-shirts. �Would you autograph these shirts for him?�
***