It was hard that Christmas. We tried to keep things as normal as possible. Tree, eggnog, turkey, carols, the whole works. Willow had brightened when she’d helped us decorate the tree. I mean, she almost smiled genuinely. Xander wrapped her in tinsel and did the Snoopy Dance until she looked less like she was going to burst into tears, she managed a half smile and it warmed our hearts, we knew that she would get to the end of this. She dug back into the box of decorations and froze, honest to God, froze like someone pressed the ‘pause’ button on her.
I rushed to her side and followed her arm to where her hand lay in the box. I had to choke back my own sobs when I saw what lay there. Her fingers were wrapped around an angel for the top of the tree. She had found it the year before and rushed back to the house, completely thrilled.
Opening the box, she pulled out the most perfect blonde haired, blue eyed cherub from within. I knew instantly why she’d bought it.
‘It looks exactly like Tara.’ I’d told her, her face had lit up with elation and she’d nodded furiously.
Now, one year on, the thing that had delighted her and filled her with joy, now broke her. She’d collapsed to her knees and sobbed so hard you could hear her heart shattering all over again. Both me and Xander hugged her fiercely until she’d cry herself out. It took almost two hours. She refused to let that angel go though.

She apologised and took herself to her room, angel in hand. Almost as soon as her door closed, we heard fresh sobs and I fixed her a glass of water, I was so scared she’d dehydrate. She had barely eaten since arriving back but was becoming really good at making sculptures from her food. She didn’t even notice when I gently opened the door and left the glass on the small nightstand.

Then it started. I don’t know what happened that night but her sobs just stopped. They didn’t ease away like you’d think, one minute she’s sobbing hysterically, then silence. We went to check on her and she was sleeping, curled up in her bed, the angel was resting in her arms like a teddy bear and she was smiling. Genuinely smiling.
In that moment I almost forgot all the bad stuff, Tara’s shooting, Willow going all black-eyed and world destroyee, all of it melted away in the look of absolute bliss on her face.

We knew she hadn’t slept more than an hour at a time since she’d been back but for the first time, she slept and I hope she had the sweetest dreams.

I was up first the next morning and Willow came down an hour later, grinning and whistling. I had to take a double look to be sure it was her, but it was. She refused to tell me what had happened to cause her transformation but she was almost back to being Willow again and so I was happy for her.

And then The First started making itself known. Potential Slayers arrived and Willow met Kennedy!”