Alternate Accommodations
Author: Ricky
Email: GENIE5_@hotmail.com
During Season 2
Disclaimer: They belong to Joss
< > Denotes thought
Summary: Willow's Pissed Off!

*Please be aware of language content* It's pretty normal except Willow's rant.

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Willow was alone. Granted not truly alone, she was squished in the Bronze with about a million other people, but in her mind she was alone. It was couples night at the Bronze and she had gone to help with a demon that was supposed to show up at the club, something about being attracted to pheromones. The demon didn't show so here Willow sat at their usual table watching everyone else's drinks. Buffy had forwarded her address to the Angel-verse, Xander was wrapped up in Cordy, and even Giles was to focused on Ms. Calendar to notice the redhead in the dark corner.

< That's it! I'm not hanging around just to watch my friends make out on a dance floor! > With that thought running through her head Willow made excuses to all her friends and leaves the club just as they are returning to the table. On her way out she heard Buffy's voice saying that she should've been happier that the demon didn't show and she shouldn't be such a wet blanket. Redhead only tightened her lips into a thin line and stocked out of the club. < Wet blanket! This wet blanket figured out what demon it was! This wet blanket does her share of the research and Buffy's because she has the attention span of a fruit fly! >

Of course it was just the redhead's luck that when she's alone, physically, at night is when the hellmouth *smiles* on her. The demon they had been waiting for attacked her on her way home. Willow's righteous indignation was definitely an asset as she took out a good part of her frustration on the creature by beating with a tree branch she had nearly tripped over. She then seized the rather menacing looking blade the demon had dropped, twisted so her back was to the monstrosity, ran it through from navel to neck, and decapitating it. As Willow continued on her way home she smiled inwardly, < Willow YAY ME: Demon RIP. >

Willow was nearly anger free when she finally arrived at her house, she had gotten out a lot of aggravation on the demon as well as the three now dusted vamps that had approached her. This almost cheery mood died as soon as she read her parents note however.

Now a note from her parents saying they were gone until whenever they got back was no big deal but it was the rest that had her blood boiling.

Willow, 12th

We'll be in Munich for a few weeks, and then we'll be moving on to Geneva. We should be gone about a month or so. By the way the asbestos removers are coming tomorrow at 7:00 am so you can find alternate accommodations tonight. It shouldn't take more and a few weeks.

Love, Mom and Dad

Willow dropped her hands to her sides, the note still in her right. Slowly she walked around the house to take in its state. The further she went the more crumpled that note became. There were piles of her parents in their bedroom fresh from their last trip, their were dishes all over the dining room from their quick entertaining of colleagues waiting for the same plane, piles of homework for her as well as her friends, and piles of research for Giles. When she was done with her inspection the note was nothing but a hard ball in her fist and her short nails were biting into her palms.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" The scream could be heard two blocks away but no one cared. It was also an indication that Willow Rosenberg had had enough.

Willow went up to her room and pulled out her suitcase. She started to pull out all her essentials, personals, and her hidden stash of craft supplies; all the while loosing a monologue that left nothing to mistaking her mood.

"Who the fuck do they think they are? They're my fucking parents, not my masters! I'm not their goddamn slave to pick up whatever they drop! I do their laundry so they won't miss their flights! I clean up after their parties once they all go to the airport! I take care of the whole damn house and what do I get? Alternate accommodations!

"What about the rest of them? They're supposed to be my friends, but can they do their own work? NOOOOO! Then again it must be hard enough befriending a wet blanket! Gee Wills could you help me with this? I was too busy necking with Cordy to do anything else last night. Thanks! I'm going to go in search of snack food now, bye! Ugh! Bastard. Why bother even showing up to school at all?! Um, Willow, do look this up for me on that infernal machine will you. Goodnight all, I have, uh, other business to attend to. Other business is that what they call it back in England Giles, or just when it's between teachers! I'm the Slayer; I shouldn't have to crack a book to rid the world of evil. I should just kick, punch, and ignore the work of people who aren't even supposed to know about my slayerness. Oh, Angel, lets go and rush in and then nearly get everyone killed because I never listen to anyone who took the time to know what the mother-fucking hell was going on!!!!!!"

Done with her rant Willow took a deep breath and dropped to floor by her bed. Reaching up underneath it she felt along the ledge of the bedstead. < Ah Ha! > She pulled out a small cloth covered package. Smiling she unwrapped the fake I.D. and two credit cards. < Always be prepared on the hellmouth, even if it is to flee. > One card had her name on it while the other had the same name as the fake I.D.

Willow stood, looked around her room, closed her case, threw on her jacket, and called a cab for the airport. Within 2 hours she was on a plane to New York under the name of Rose Billings and not looking back.

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Buffy and the gang burst into the library looking frantically for Willow.

"Giles! Where'd Wills go?" Called out the slayer hopping up on one of the table.

"Oh, good morning Buffy. Um, I don't know where Willow is, she hasn't been in yet."

"Bummer G-man. How am I going get through this trig that's due this afternoon?" Xander said, flopping into a chair.

"And I've got Social that could use some studying." Buffy added.

"Let's not forget my French that requires conjugating." Cordy put in all huffy for being ignored.

"Um, yes. I am expecting some research she was to be doing. I really would like my books back."

The day went on without anything special, no one missed the redhead, at least not until sunset.

Angel strolled into the library and looked around. He saw everyone in their usual places, < Buffy training with Giles in the corner, Xander and Cordelia at the centre table, and Willow at.wait a minute, "Where's Willow?"

"Angel! Hey!" Buffy came bounding up and kissed him breathless. "What was that hon?"

"I asked where Willow was. Something isn't wrong is it? We never did find that demon last night."

"No, nothings wrong. She probably isn't feeling well after the late night last night, 2:30's can get tiring if your not used to them."

"Buffy, she left way before 2:30, remember. Should we swing by her house?"

"Uh, yes, thank you Angel. I appreciate you escorting her here. Oh, can you bring back those books she has of mine?"

"Sure thing Giles!" With that Buffy pulled Angel out of the doors.

Angel and Buffy knocked on the Rosenberg door for several minutes before going around the back and through the French doors in Willow's room. "Huh! She must be off at the magic shop or something. Well, lets get Giles' books so we can get back."

Angel just looked at his girlfriend for a second and then started gathering volumes from around the room. He stopped when he saw a paper ball beside on of the tomes. Uncrumpling it he read it and frowned. "Huh."

"What?"

"This. It's a note from her parents telling her that they'll be away for a month. Its dated yesterday."

"That's not that odd. Her parents are always away." Buffy didn't even look up from the stack she was collecting on the hacker's desk.

"It also talks about asbestos removal starting this morning and having to find somewhere to stay."

"Well, there was that note taped to door about Tapper & Tapper not starting until tomorrow. They must be the asbestos people. Gee Will, clean your room much?"

"Actually its usually spotless." Angel answered absently.

Buffy immediately dropped the book she was holding onto the second stack to stare at him. "How do you know that?" Angel winced inwardly at the jealous and dangerous tone in her voice.

"I came here once to ask for her help when it came to that Ford guy remember? Didn't you wonder how you didn't have to invite me in tonight?"

"Oh. Well, whatever." The blond then turned back to her stacking. With and exasperated huff she finished. "Well, that's the last of them, who would have ever thought that Giles had so many books."

"Or that he would have given so many to Willow to go through." Angel had not missed the large amount of information that the redhead was expected to go through. Without another word they each picked up a stack and headed back to library.

"I wonder where she's staying?"

"What was that hon?"

"I was just wondering where Willow is staying. Obviously she doesn't know that the asbestos people aren't coming until tomorrow so that means she had to have found someplace to stay last night."

"Where would she go, we're her only friends."

"What about her family?"

"All her Dad's people I think are out in San Francisco. Her mother was an only child and those grandparents are dead. Why?"

"Well I was just concerned considering she hasn't seen in 24 hours and this Sunnydale."

"Look, Angel, Willow's fine, where ever she is. She'll show up at the library eventually, where else would she go."

"Yeah, wait." Angel stopped dead in his tracks and sniffed the air. "Do you smell rotting flesh?"

Buffy took a deep whiff and screwed her face up. "Yes, and thank you for pointing that wonderful odour out to me." They set the books down in some bushes so they wouldn't be seen and followed their noses to what was left of the demon they had been hunting yesterday. "Oh, EEWW! Well, at least we don't have to worry about it any more."

"No, just the thing that killed it. Lets get back to the library." They retrieved the books and made their back to the others in silence.

"Okay Giles, here are all your books." Buffy huffed as she dropped them on the nearest tables. "Why is it that you have to have all the heavy ones on loan and have me as your messenger?"

"Just to give you a work out.", was the Watcher's dry response. "Where's Willow?"

"She wasn't there." Answered Angel seriously. "She's probably staying with someone because her parents are out of town and they're having some work done on the house. By the way we found the demon we were looking for last night."

Giles looked up from his close inspection of his books at that and quickly looked them over, a worried expression on his face. "What happened?"

"We went, we saw, we smelled, we left."

"What was that?"

"It was already dead Giles. Whoever or whatever killed it knew how too. It was decapitated , and rather skilfully at that."

"Really? What do you mean by that?"

"Well as we know it had to have its head taken off to die. Its neck was sliced through cleanly, not ripped out, and there was very little extra battle damage to the corpse."

"What are you talking about?" interrupted Buffy, "It was sliced in half through the torso!"

"Yes but one can lunge, cut up, pull out, and cut across rather gracefully. it's a planned battle move not just someone getting lucky defending themselves."

"Oh, um, well now that that's over with shall we get down to business?" The Scooby gang continued on that night as usual without giving a second thought to its missing member, all but one broody vampire.

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It was about a week later when Angel received a concerned call from Giles concerning another prophesy. Angel arrived at the library and glanced around, noticing that everyone was at the big table doing research. "So what's happening?"

"Shh! I'm trying to read!" was the only response he got and that was from Cordelia. He decided to just take a seat and start reading which he promptly did.

Within a few minutes a resounding slam was heard all over the library. "This is so frustrating! I can barely understand these stupid books and when I do get them they're useless!" Xander got up and started pacing to relieve the tension in his legs.

"I think Xander has a good idea, lets all take a little break. Jenny, how are you coming with that thing?" Giles tone took on a disgusted tone as well as the previous weary one at the mention of the computer.

"Not much luck, I can't find anything. All my contacts are clueless and some other people just disappeared off the board like they didn't want to discuss demons, odd considering it's a demonology chat room."

"Well, all I can say I'll be glad when I finally get to kick some ass, this research thing is giving me a headache. This some big evil to be this tough to find." Buffy was already stretching as if getting ready for a fight.

"Yeah, I mean its never this hard before, I have had no time to deal with my nails today." Everyone turned to Cordy, "What? Its Wednesday, I always do my nails on Wednesday."

"It doesn't sound like the problem is that much different than the usual." Angel offered after being updated Giles quietly. He'd only gotten the general details on the phone and now he was getting the rest.

"What do you Deadboy?"

"Don't call me Deadboy. What I mean we've faced dozens of things just like this. It isn't the prophesy that is making this different, and more difficult."

"Well, spill it Cyptic Man. What's different about this time than all the others if not the evil?" Cordelia glared at him while pointing a nail file his way.

"What's different is that we're one man, or shall I say one girl down. Willow isn't here to do everything she usually does."

"Hon, even if Wills was here we'd still all this stuff to do." Buffy stated exasperated that Angel couldn't seem to get off this Willow kick. < She didn't do that much around here, after all I'm the Slayer and Giles is the Watcher, what else is there? >

"Buffy, do you even know how much Willow does around here? No wait," He held up his hand as she started to protest. "How's the stake box been lately?"

"I don't know?"

"It's getting low." Giles piped up from behind the counter after checking said box.

"Exactly. Who do you think keeps it full Buffy? Willow and Xander. With only one here to fill it up instead of two its running out."

"That doesn't prove anything. We've researching for hours and one person couldn't cut it down the way you think it can, even someone as smart as Wills."

"Oh really? Remember the number we trucked from her house here a few weeks ago? I'm willing to bet that there were relevant notes stuck into almost if not each one." With that he turned to Giles for confirmation. The older man just nodded, he had a look of dawning on his face. "Giles, when did you give Willow those books?"

"Some she'd had longer than others but longest was a week and those were the ones that were completely done, the newest were only gone for a day."

Angel nodded and turned to Ms. Calendar. "She usually does the online research as well. As much as you're a techno pagan she's a hacker. The reason you aren't finding what she would have is because you just can't get into the places she could."

"You're right. In fact that's probably what's happening in the chat rooms and posting boards. All the people that clam up are used to dealing with Willow, not me. They aren't willing to talk to someone they don't know."

Xander audibly gasped, sighed, and sat down with a look of total guilt. "I can't believe that I'm going to say these words by Angel's right." Everyone suddenly stared at him like he had two heads. "What? It's true we dump all this research stuff on her. The little stuff like the stakes she just helps with and we notice that she's so damned proficient at it she out does the one she's supposed to being helping. It's not just in slaying either. We all dump homework on her, have her make the excuses rounds, divert the staff, hell she runs better defence than any group of linemen out there. We ditch her because we couple it to the Bronze, and ignore her until her services are needed just like her parents." Xander's last comment was a mix of guilt and disgust.

Cordelia noticed the changed in his face immediately, even though he had his head bowed towards the table. "What do you mean 'just like her parents'?"

"They tend to leave her alone a lot."

"So, we knew that part Xander." Buffy was very irritated. She didn't like being accused of being a bad friend, even if that was exactly what had happened.

"Yeah, what you don't know is that they aren't as hands off in the house as it looks. They tend to use the house however they need it and then fly off somewhere without finishing the job."

"In other words she cleans up after her parents."

"You win the prize oh en-souled one. Her parents have some of the biggest closets in town. They come dump the suitcases, fill the suitcases, and leave. Wills does the laundry. If they have colleagues over for dinner its usually because they're all waiting for the same plane to take them to the same convention. They have dinner parties and then rush off to the airport without thinking about the dishes because Wills is always there to do them."

"That's horrible." was all that was softly heard from Jenny in the corner.

"Yeah, and we did it to her again." This time there was no disgust in Xander's voice, just sadness and guilt. Faster than they had seen him move in a long time he had stood and left the library. They all watched him go just watch Cordy stand and follow him.

"Lex?" Xander turned at the use of her pet name for him. She suddenly flung herself at him but instead of seeking something she just held him. "It will be okay."

Xander broke down in her arms. "No it won't Lia. I promised myself a long time ago to make Will's life a little better and I just became the problem. I lost my best friend. She's probably run away. I'll probably never see her again." He started to sob softly and all Cordy did was hold him and kiss his cheek.

She pulled away slowly and when he looked into her eyes he saw that there were the beginnings of tears forming. "You weren't the only one who did it, we all did. We forgot what a great person she was. I lost a friend right after I found one. We all lost something precious. All we can hope for is that she will come back soon." All they could do was hold each other.

Inside the library there were three people feeling the same amount of guilt that Cordy was feeling, just a little less than Xander. They all realized what had happened to their redheaded friend, she had left and she probably wasn't coming back.

The blond in the library was desperately trying to deny all that was said in the past few minutes. < Willow isn't mistreated by her parents, she isn't capable of all that stuff, she's just Willow. She's hasn't run away Where would she go? What would she do? She needs us to help her. She'll come back soon when her house is ready and everything will be right again. The others will see they were wrong. >

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Willow locked the door of her apartment and walked to the stairs. Reaching the street she looked up at her building. True it wasn't all that fabulous, it was small but it was clean, and it was hers; apartment 3D was anyway.

She turned and walked down the street. She took stock of her new life. My own apartment, check. G.E.D., check. Admittance to Columbia, check. Good job, check. Transportation, check, well public transport so yeah, check.

Will jumped aboard the bus just as it was about to leave. It had been two weeks since she had left Sunnydale and she had yet to meet a creepy crawly. She had friends, lots of them. She had friends in school, at work, and in her Wiccan group.

Will pulled the cord absently in the middle of her musings. Pulling the door of a clothes store open she smiled summing up her assessment. All in all her life was good.