Wash walked into the light and was unable to see anything but light, but he wasn't squinting or shielding himself. It wasn't that kinda light. Then, the light subsided, and Wash found himself standing in a courtyard. Hanging from a nearby wall Wash saw a sign congratulating the Sunnydale High Swimming Team for winning something.

In the center of the courtyard was a young girl in long flat red hair, writing in a pad of paper on a stone bench, as she glanced now and then at an open book. Seriously engrossed in the book. Other than her, the place was deserted. Wash walked over to her.

She looked up.

"How..? How did you find me here?" she asked.

"I didn't. I mean I was blinded. I'm lost. Can you help me?"

The redhead gave an elvish smirk, "Can you tell me your name?"

"I'm Wash."

"Wash... Wash what? Izzat short for Washington?"

"It's just Wash. Wash Warren. Who are you?"

"My name's Willow. Did you say Wash and Wear?"

"No."

"Just wash?"

"Look, things were strange on my ship when I left and I have to get back. I-"

"You're from a ship? Are you a sailor?"

"Sailor..? No. Well maybe. It's a spaceship."

Suddenly the redheaded girl got all excited in a restrained but giddy way, "Ooh a spaceship! You're an astronaut? I'm talking to an astronaut!"

"Well I'm a pilot. We don't call ourselves astronauts."

"Oh that must be the press name for what you do."

"What?"

"So tell me, if I'm not being too intrusive. I'm not being too intrusive am I? I mean, can I ask you a question?"

"I-I guess."

"Were you on the Challenger?"

"No. Serenity."

"Huh? We must have a commuication problem here. Did you say Serenity?"

"Yes."

"I don't recall a space ship called Serenity."

"Well our reputation doesn't exactly precede us. We like it that way."

"Okay maybe I should be more direct in my questions. How did you die?"

"Die. Die? I didn't die." Wash began to get noticeably upset.

Willow got apprehensive, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Dead I'm not dead what are you talking about?"

"Well it's just I'm channeling spirits here like it says to do in the book. It's called automatic writing? I'm channeling and you showed up here and I'm just trying to figure all this magic stuff out."

"Magic?"

"Yeah so if I'm channeling and get you, then you must be a spirit from the beyond. Do you remember how you died?"

"I didn't die. I fell on top of this guy and beat him up and got kinda banged up myself.. but I didn't die. I'm just resting is all."

"Oh. Okay." She rolled her eyes. "Denial."

"What?"

A bell rang. The little girl stood up and collected her things.

"Where are you going?"

The redhead stopped herself. She looked around, and through Wash. She noticed other students entering the courtyard. She blinked real hard.

Willow whispered, "I can still hear him!"

"Of course you can I'm right here."

Willow put her stuff back on the bench and covered her ears with her hands. This time her lips didn't move.

"Please go away I'm sorry you died I'm sorry I bothered you but I gotta get to class!"

A young man, a fellow classmate, ran up to Willow. Wash just stood there.

"Hey, are you alright kiddo?"

"Xander!" She wrapped her arms around the boy as if she were clinging to a mountainside. Xander appeared surprised but hugged her back goodnaturedly. Then he looked down.

"Channeling Friendly Spirits?" He broke from her hug and picked up the book, then looked accusingly at Willow. "You got this from the library?"

"No. Giles won't let me look at the cool books. I bought that yesterday at the magic shop in town."

"Willow! Remember that time you fell in love with a demon in a computer?"

"Demon in a computer?" Wash echoed absentmindedly.

"Oh my God!" Willow hugged him again.

Xander hugged back and looked around, hoping they weren't causing a scene. "You were actually doing this?"

"Am!" she whispered frightened, "Am still doing it. He won't go away!"

"I'm sorry." Wash managed, "I didn't mean to frighten you. I-I'm going." Wash just stood there. Stunned.

"Willow. You gotta back off on this idea about playing with magic. It's dangerous!"

"I know I know. But Buffy needs us. She needs our help!"

"You can't help her if you get your soul sucked out by some.. soul. sucking. thing. Okay?"

Willow calmed down. "Okay."

"Now let's get to class alright?"

"Alright."

They left. Wash looked around. He saw another sign. Class of 1997. His eyes got wide. The students walked around him. One walked through him. Then with another bell, the students left the courtyard, leaving Wash seemingly alone again.

Then Wash felt a cold presence behind him. He turned around.

"Y'really shouldn't scare little ones like that, eh mate?" A man in a black trenchcoat with slicked back blond hair stood before Wash.

"You can see me?"

"'Course I can. But they can't. You really should get a move on. We're not supposed to be back here."

"How can you see me?"

"Cuz like you, I'm dreamin'. I was back there in the shadow. Saw the whole thing. Heard you talkin' to Red. I'd forgotten..." The blond gentlemen paused, looking at the bench where Willow had been sitting. Then he turned back to face Wash, "Look you have to be careful. There appears to be some kinda.. you ever heard of temporal distortion?"

"No."

"Oh. Well. Me neither." He winked at Wash. "Say hello to my cousin for me."

"What? Who?"

"Off you go." And with a wave of the man's hand, colors swirled about Wash and he was gone.