Discovery

Chapter 24

Willow pulled the lid of her suitcase down, closing it, before she did up the zipper and fastened the locks. Satisfied that the suitcase was closed, she stepped away from the bed, which had her suitcase resting on it, and looked across at Buffy, who was watching her from the doorway.

"It's not that full," Buffy pointed out. Willow nodded, the suitcase hadn't been anywhere near full, but it was a large suitcase. She was going to be away visiting Booth for two weeks and even doing laundry while she was away, that meant a lot of clothes, most of which Cordelia and Buffy had helped her pick out, as well as the presents she had brought for her father and Parker.

"Yes, but you're not supposed to fill it, that way you can bring stuff back," Willow told the blonde slayer, who laughed.

"Yeah, I guess so," Buffy agreed, stepping over the threshold into the room. "Are you sure you've got everything?"

Willow smiled playfully. "Yes, Mom." She rolled her eyes. Buffy groaned.

"Kill me now, I've become my mother."

"There are worse people that you could become. Like my mom." Willow faded off and Buffy was at her side instantly, wrapping her arms around her best friend.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Buffy apologized.

"Why are you sorry? I'm the one who brought up my mom."

Buffy shrugged and continued to hold Willow. "I know, I just don't like seeing you upset. Are you sure you want to go and do this?"

Willow nodded. "Yes, more than anything. I have a little brother and an uncle and a great-grandfather that I've never met, not to mention I can meet the people that my dad works with at the FBI and at the Jeffersonian. Did you know that they have a really high case clearance? You know, they get these bodies that are completely not-normal-looking, you can't even tell who they once were and they can work out who the people were, how they died, when they died and if they were murdered, who did it," Willow babbled.

Buffy laughed. "Geez, Willow, anyone would think that you respected these guys," she teased.

Willow pouted. "But it's cool, don't you think?"

"Yes, Willow, it's very cool, except I'd like to see them do their thing to a victim of a demon or a vampire or something. I'm sure it would be put down to wild dog attack or barbeque fork stab wound to the neck."

Willow giggled, imagining what Booth would look like as he tried to puzzle out a vampire killing. In her mind, Booth's face morphed into Angel's when he was completely confused by something. Obviously Buffy was thinking along the same track, because both of the girls burst into gales of laughter at the same time.

"I can't believe that you might be related to Angel," Buffy gasped once they had stopped laughing. "I mean, how could you not be when you look at the resemblance between your dad and Angel, but still."

Willow shrugged, stepping out of Buffy's arms so she could sit on the bed.

"I don't know. If I get the chance I'll try to do some research into the family tree while I'm there."

"No pressure or anything. I mean, it's not like it's going to be legitimate. I'm pretty sure Angel would have mentioned to me if he'd been married before, it might be hard to get evidence, unless, you know, your great-great-great-great-great-grandmother kept a really detailed diary, or something like that, and I know DNA testing is good but would it work that far back? Would it even work, considering Angel's a vampire?"

"Buffy," Willow interrupted, "You're threatening my title as chief babbler."

"Oh, sorry." Buffy laughed. "I'm sure your title is safe Willow. No one can babble like you."