Willow watched as William sank into an armchair by the fire place. He'd spent the rest of the evening with Emma, buying her the dolls and the ice cream, and then sitting with her while she played with her new toys. He'd kept a watchful eye on the door the whole time, but Clifford had not yet returned home, which meant that he was probably still at the tavern. William reached into a leather school bag under the chair and pulled out a small book and a pen. Placing the book in his lap, he began to write. At first, Willow thought that it might be a journal, but listening to him mumble, she realized it was poetry. Poetry? Spike? No, she reminded herself. Not Spike. William. There was a difference. But how much of a difference? How much of this sweet boy was still a part of Spike? How much had he influenced the vampire she knew? Suddenly, the door flew open, and Clifford lumbered into the house. His eyes were red and watery, and he couldn't even walk straight. He stumbled right into an end table knocking over a tall blue vase in the process. William quickly tried to put the book back before Clifford noticed, but it was too late.

"Whaddaya doin' over there boy?" he slurred.

"Nothing.."

"Didn't look like nuthin'... lemme see that book."

William tried to pull it away, but Clifford tore it out of his hands and flipped it open. He squinted drunkenly at the pages, and his face went livid.

"POETRY???? Sodding poetry? What, you turnin' girly? That it? No boy 'o mine writes sap."

"I'm NOT your boy! You're NOT my father. You're just a drunken ass."

Clifford glared at him in a rage, and then dealt him a vicious punch to the jaw. "You live in MY house... you an' your mum an' kid sis... you WILL respect me!!!!" He thundered.

"No. I'll never respect the man who's driving my mother to an early grave."

"little punk. Teach you some manners..." He flew at William in a flurry of kicks and punches. William did his best to fight back, but couldn't match the sheer bulk of the older man. In a while, he was left on the carpet, bleeding. Emma picked up a nearby wine bottle, held it behind her back. Clifford was standing over William ranting about what a pretty boy he was not going to be, when she crept up on the chair behind him and shattered that wine bottle over his head.

It was a matter of about 10 seconds before the large man fell to the floor, knocked unconscious from the blow. The alcohol certainly played a large pat in that also. William rolled quickly so as not to be crushed by Clifford�s massive body. Emma stood on the chair trembling with a smile on her face. "Don't be mad William, I can't stand to see him beat you so." William managed to get to his feet and crossed the room to his sister. The blood had slowed from his nose. A cut above his left eye was opening slightly larger than what Clifford had done before. Emma pointed at his wound. "You may need stitches this time Billy. It looks awful big." A hand flew to the new battle scar and he sighed. "I'll manage pet. Lets not tell mum about this all right? No need to worry her more than what she is." Emma nodded as William scooped her up with the last of his strength. They hugged each other for a long while. Emma cried and William held his in. He needed to be strong for her. So strong he would be.

When they separated it was because of a loud snore that rumbled from Clifford�s sleeping form on the floor. "We'd better get you to bed before the bloke wakes up and decides he's not done yet." Emma nodded and scurried up to bed after collecting her dolls. William stayed behind for a minute. He gathered his school bag, found his book of poetry on the floor and stared over his stepfather. Almost wishing the man to hear in his sleep William told him "We don't need you here. And one day soon, I'm taking mum and Emma far away from you. You won't be able to hurt us anymore." A look of hate came over his face and he spat on the man's back before retreating to bed for the night.

Willow's heart went out to the boy. It wasn't fair for such a good person to have to put up with such awful things. She wondered if he would get them away from there, and she prayed that he would. Then, she felt the now familiar tingle that meant she was going to shift again.

She found herself standing outside a building, which looked like a school. A crowd of young men was waiting outside the gates for something. Just then, an important looking man came out, holding several pieces of paper. "Well men, this is the big moment. We're about to find out which of you fine lads will be going on to medical school."

At the outer edge of the crowd, she could see William. She was surprised. Spike had wanted to be a doctor. Ironic. The boys pressed in closer as the man began to read off names. Amidst the cries of joy given by those who made it in, Willow heard the man call William's name as well. William stared at the piece of paper that was handed to him. Lots of hard work and sleepless nights got him this far. Now finally, he was on his way to becoming a doctor. He rushed home to tell his mother.

He tore into the house and saw Emma. "Hello Emmy." He beamed at her. "How are you pet?" Emma sat at the dining room table hunched over a large book. She glanced up at him and her face widened into a smile. "You got it didn�t you?" Too excited to contain himself, he brought out the paper from his school bag and held it up proudly. "I did Emma, I'm going to be a doctor!" There was a slight shriek in his voice, as his sister ran to him and gave him a bear hug. "I knew you would. Oh mum will be so thrilled."

"Let's go tell her right now!" he took her hand and led her up the stairs. Willow found that she was once again formless, and with them in the room. Her ability to stay solid was fading...

William walked over to the side of the bed. "Mum, I... Mum?" He looked closer, and then his face went pale. "Oh... no.... no..." Emma started to tremble. "Billy quit teasing. She�s sleeping right?" William shook his head as he gently shook his mother. "Mum, I've been accepted, wake up, mum?" Little Emma sank to the floor, tears forming at the base of her eyes. William turned to Emma with a frown on his face. "She�s...she�s gone Emma." William dropped the paper on the floor and sat beside his sister who was wailing now with grief.

Willow watched in horror. "This is just terrible!" she thought. "It's not fair! It's not fair at all! He would've become a doctor, and been able to move them away from there..."

William got back up and stared at the body. "She... was strangled Emmy..." She shook her head. "Your wrong William. She�s just sleeping. She'll get up. Lets go fix her a snack." Shock was setting in his sister. Anger was overtaking his body. Filling every little space in there was. If he could have just gotten them away like he wanted, she'd be alive now. Taking his mothers hand, he cried softly. "I'm so sorry I let you down mum. I'm so sorry"

He put his head in his arms. "I'm taking Emmy away mum. She can't stay here.... I'll take care of her...� He didn't hear Clifford approaching from the master bathroom until it was too late. A powerful blow sent him sprawling to the carpet. He made an angry sound and got to his feet.

"You killed her!!!! You killed my mother!!!!"

"We'll have no such talk boy. She died of an illness."

"She never did!!! You strangled her."

Clifford advanced on him. "You had better not be planning on opening your fat gob to anyone with that ridiculous story."

"I plan to go right to the police. They'll have you in jail for life so fast that your head will spin!"

"Oh? What of your sister then? My assets will be frozen, and my estate shut down. She'll have no money, and no place to live."

William froze. It was true. He cursed under his breath.

"Now now boy" said Clifford. "Is that anyway to speak in front of your mother?"

Something in William snapped for a moment. Fire flashed in his blue eyes. In a rapid movement, he lunged at the older man, knocking him to the ground. Clifford's eyes went wide with shock. The boy had never behaved this way.

"See here you absolute horror of a man. I won't go to the police for Emmy's sake. But you will pay dearly for your undeserved freedom. You will sign over half of your finances to Emmy and I, and I will take her far away from you. You will not contact us, and you will not interfere in our lives. Do you understand me?"

The shocked step-father could do nothing but nod. He knew that if William told the police that his freedom would be over. What did he need with her snot nosed kids anyhow? Emmy stood up and went to William's side. Her tear stained eyes no longer held that little bit of innocence that she once had. "We will go to the lawyer in the morning and then...." William cut him off. "No! We will go now. Have the servants pack our things while we are away Emma." She ran from the room quickly and did as she was told. William and Clifford stared at each other for a long while. Exchanging glances with fear from the older man, hate and disgust from William. "I'll arrange for her to be buried where Emmy and I decide to live. You'll not have a say in any of that either." William turned on his heel and left the room. Clifford sat on a nearby chair, looking defeated for once in his life.

Willow silently cheered.

Once again, everything shifted, and she was in a cemetery. Emma was there too, but she was older. Maybe 16. Willow gasped as she saw a vampire approaching her. "Look out!" She cried. But it was too late. The vampire lunged for Emma... and she drove a stake into its heart. Dust was left blowing in the light breeze as a satisfied smile crossed her face.

"Whoa...." murmured Willow. "Spike's sister was a Slayer?" Emma crept around the back of a large headstone, stake raised high above her head. "Not to worry precious. I didn't forget you" was the last thing that vampire heard before she plunged her stake deep inside his chest. "There, now I feel better. Time to eat" She told herself as she left the cemetery for the night. She knew she had to get home; William would have dinner in the oven and having a fit if she weren�t home to eat it soon. He got like that lately. Ever since she found her calling as a Slayer he was more of a worry bot than usual. And she knew that he was making up for the loss of their mother but it still drove her insane at times.

She trudged home, with Willow following close behind. Emma entered a comfortable-looking townhouse and shut the door behind her. William was hovering over a stove, his glasses steamed up and sliding off his nose to rest on the tip of it. He was still dressed in the navy blue suit he wore to school; his books were strewn all over the table. Willow peeped in through a window.

"Hello Billy" said Emma, give him a quick hug. "Why don't you just let me make the dinners? You know, you don't have to."

"It's my job to take care of you. And that includes making sure you eat well. I must say Emma, you're coming home later and later, and I saw you sneak out of the house last night." He looked at her inquiringly. "Is... is there something wrong? I want to help you if there is. Am I doing something that makes you want to be gone for so long?" She shook her head "No William, I'm fine. I just get so sad about mother being gone is all." He put down the wooden spoon he was using to stir the stew, and laid it on the stove. William crossed the room and took a chair beside her. "Emma, whatever it is, you can tell me. We've only got each other to lean on now." He pushed his glasses back up on his nose and continued. Trying hard to see into those blue eyes of hers for the answers she was hiding. "What is it pet? I want to be here for you."

Willow could see how the girl longed to tell her brother her secret, and the great temptation she was facing, but finally she shook her head. "I just really miss her Billy." Something told him she was lying to him. He just knew it. Maybe tonight he'd sneak out behind her and find out where she was going. She could be in danger and would need him. He smoothed back her hair with his long fingers. "I know love, it�s hard without her." He got back up and ladled two bowls full of stew. "Your hungry I trust?" Emma reached down and rubbed her stomach. "You bet I am. I could eat a horse." William gave her a silly grin. "Sorry pet, fresh out. But this venison stew should hold you over well." Their night ended quietly. Emma crept out again while William slept on the chair before the fireplace. Willow followed her again, this time to a house. The lights were on, and a man let her inside. He was wearing a tweed coat.

"Must be her Watcher." Murmured Willow. "They always wear tweed?"

Emma and her Watcher were holding a serious debate. Willow couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could tell it was fairly serious. About 15 minutes later, the duo left the house and headed rapidly down the street. Willow followed at a safe distance. She saw them enter an abandoned mansion. Cautiously, she crept to a window to look inside and stifled a gasp. Inside were Angelus and a good number of minions. Realizing that Emma had likely come to kill Angelus, and knowing that he was still alive in her time, she could only conclude that this was not a good idea. She moved to warn Emma, but suddenly found herself out of her body again. "No!" she thought. "Not now! I have to help her!" All she could do however was watch in silence.

Emma advanced to the center of the room and confronted Angelus. "Are you the vampire called Angelus?"

A slow grin spread over the handsome face. "Yes. And let me guess. You're the Slayer, come to kill me and end my reign of terror."

Emma narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes. Before this night is over, you'll be nothing but a pile of ashes."

"Well, that would be a real shame. I have so many things to do." He advanced on her, until they were a mere foot apart. "How will I ever manage? Oh, I have an idea. I'll kill you." His vampire features came forth and the opponents circled one another. The watcher meanwhile was kept occupied by some minions.

Fists and fangs flew furiously, but finally, it was to no avail. Angelus twisted her arm behind her back and yanked her up against him. Holding her tightly he whispered in her ear. "You were barely a work-out." Then, he sank his teeth into her exposed throat and drained out every last drop of her blood. He glanced at his minions and saw that they had killed the watcher as well. "Well, that was annoying. Take the bodies and dump them on the steps to city hall. I want to make a ruckus."

William slept through the night. Better than he had in weeks. Soon he'd come to realize that he needed the rest he just had. Loud knocks brought him out of his slumber. Barely lucid William opened the door to find two Bobbies standing in front of him. "Does Emma Southerland live here?" Williams face went from sleepy to alert in a flash. Willow stood behind the Bobbies, not visible to anyone. "Yea, I mean yes she lives here. She�s upstairs sleeping yet I imagine." The Bobbies exchanged solemn looks with one another.

One of them stepped closer to him. "Mr.Sutherland... I'm sorry to have to inform you of this, but the body of your sister was found outside city hall this morning. She was murdered." Williams head spun. He faught to keep his emotions in check in front of the officers. He stuttered "Mur...murdered? No, shes upstairs sleeping." He leaned away from the door and hollerd up the winding staircase. "Emma love, time for breakfast." He shrugged and forced a smile. "Shes always in the powderroom forever. You know girls, she'll be down in a jiffy." Emma never came. Emma was gone. He was left alone now.