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Chapter Twenty: Go Back Home:

August 2000.

Willow wandered around campus looking for someone to talk to. The photo club was great, but she wanted some new faces. Finally, one caught her eye. Anna sat alone under a tree, writing in her journal. Willow smiled to herself. Good enough. She made her way over to her target.

"Yoo-hoo!" Willow called out. Anna nearly jumped out of her seat. Willow gave her a little smile.

"Hiya!" she said. Anna blinked at her.

"Hi…" she mumbled.

"Mind if I sit down?" Willow asked.

"Uh…" her friend said.

"Great!" Willow cheered. She sat down next to Anna. The Japanese-American looked on uneasily. Willow noticed her face.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Anna shook her head.

"N-Nothing," she lied. Willow patted her on the shoulder.

"It's okay," she said. "I'm here for you; we all are." Anna stared at her with big eyes. She didn't know how to respond and nodded instead. Willow meant what she said to this day.

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November 5th, 2009.

Anna and Tsuzuki watched Willow from across the hall.

"So what do we do with her?" Tsuzuki asked.

"I'll think of something," Anna said.

"She's not supposed to be here."

"I know."

"Should I erase her memories as well?"

Anna shook her head. "No, I'll talk to her."

"Be careful."

"I will." Anna rose to her feet and walked across the hall. Willow sat next to her futon trying to figure things out. Last night's image wouldn't get out of her head. Anna having sex with that guy with all of those whip scars all over her back. Willow tried to stomach it all. What if Becky's right? Anna might be whoring and that was a john. Oh, that's not good. What do I do? What do I do?

"Willow," she heard someone say. The corky redhead jerked her head upwards. Anna sat in front of her. Willow nearly jumped backwards.

"Y-Y-You're alive!" she cried. Anna nodded.

"Yes, now listen closely," she said. "This will be hard to explain right away." She noticed the confused look on her friend's face. It felt like that moment in freshman year, only Willow was the uneasy one now.

"What's wrong?" Anna asked.

"You slept with that guy," she said.

"Yes…" her friend answered in a calm tone. “He is my fiancé." Willow shook her head, panicked.

"And your back…" she yelped. Anna's eyes shot wide as the color drained from her face. /Oh fuck! She saw my…/ Anna tried to stay calm.

"Okay, he didn't do that to me," she began again. Willow began backing away.

"Becky was right!" She reached over for her phone.

"Willow! Wait, listen!" Anna cried. The other woman tried to dial their friends.

"Hang on, Anna! I'll save you!" she cried. She was about to hit "call" when Anna stopped her. Willow looked up frantically.

"Anna?" she asked. Her friend gave her a stern look.

"Put down the phone and listen," she said.

Willow looked like a deer caught off guard by the hunter. "But…"

"Put down the phone and listen!"

"But…"

"Willow! Shut up, put down the phone, and listen!" Anna snapped. The slender redhead hesitated at first. Anna only got defensive when something was wrong. This was more dead serious than she thought. Finally, Willow lowered the phone. Anna drew in a breath to ease herself.

"Now, listen closely," she said. "This will be hard to swallow. Nod if you understand." Willow slowly did so once.

"Good," her friend said. Anna paced herself as she gave Willow the edited version of her family history and the events up to this point. Her friend stared at her with bewildered eyes.

"And… he's not a pimp?" she asked pointing at Tsuzuki afterwards.

"No," Anna said. A sweat drop formed on the shinigami’s head. Where did she come up with that?

"So… what will happen to me?" Willow asked. Anna sighed as she shook her head.

"You'll have to stay here for the time being," she said.

"How long?"

"Until I figure out what to do with you."

Willow pouted at her. "What about Becky and them?"

"I'll deal with them later too!" Anna lowered her head, frowning. /Why does this mess keep getting more difficult?/