Willow's crush for Giles, on the other hand, never went away, and it faded completely as the series progressed. Giles once referred to her as "the greatest of all of them." Willow, despite her immense respect and affection for Giles, disapproved of Angel's efforts to resuscitate him, viewing them as a catastrophe. She also did not like that Spike was placed in danger when she used her magic to save him from death. But still, she loved him even though he didn't love her back. And at the end of the series, they both died together saving the world from destruction at the hands of demons. Willow had many boyfriends and girlfriends over the years, but none of them ever lasted very long. Her mother's death when Willim was just a child caused her to be an unhappy young woman who turned to drinking and partying to cope with her pain. When Willow was about 16 years old, she met Xander Harris, a popular new student at Sunnydale High School. They instantly connected because they were both looking for a way out of their miserable lives. Xander showed Willow how fun life could be if you didn't worry about money or status, and he taught her to enjoy herself while she was alive instead of waiting until after she died. After graduating from high school, Willow joined Xander at his college in Colorado, where they started their own witchcraft shop. They traveled around the country helping people with their problems for a living.