DISTRIBUTION: Just ask
RATING: PG right now though this will definitely change.
CATEGORY: romance
SUMMARY: Willow and Angel meet in the distant future. That's all you're getting for now.
FEEDBACK: yes please, I live off the feedback high. All would be greatly appreciated.
DISCLAIMER: It all belongs to the mighty God that is Joss Whedon and the WB and Mutant Enemy.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: No, I haven't given up on Playground of Tears. I just got the idea for this story while in class and couldn't wait to begin writing it, so I'm going to try to juggle both stories. Let me know if you guys like this story so I'll know if I should continue it. BTW- Angel isn't in this part but believe me he will be soon.
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~Part: 1~
San Angeles April 15, 2223
"Damn it. Do these infernal machines ever work?" Slamming her hand against glass, Persephone Willow Rosen took out her frustration on the flat screen monitor before her. She knew it wouldn't do any good in terms of fixing the problem but the act helped release some of her tension.
"Titus giving you problems again, Will?"
Willow turned to find her lab partner and best friend, Selena, chuckling from behind the cubicle wall separating them. Seeing the laughter dancing in her blue eyes, Willow couldn't help but smile back. "You know it Lena. He's a stubborn old thing."
Lena moved her chair over to get a better look at the screen. "What's the problem this time?"
Willow shrugged and ran a hand through her long red hair. "I'm not sure. Maybe the new Illuminati chip isn't agreeing with him? Whatever it is, I've tried my best to fix the problem but it looks like I'm gonna have to give up for the day and get one of the techs to look at him tomorrow. Hopefully they can fix Titus up before the presentations next week."
"Hey, if you're leaving, I'll shut down too and we can go to Whitman's for some trish."
"Sounds good. I'm pretty starved." Turning her attention back to the computer, Willow gave the command to exit. "Titus, shut down." Removing her headset, Willow carefully placed it back in the case and slipped it into her bag. Turning back around she found Lena slipping her own bag over her shoulders, ready to go. They exchanged a few words with Professor Lopez as they held out their wrists for the scanner to read the metal cuffs and log them out. Two minutes later they exited the lab, both girls lifting their faces to drink in the glorious rays of the California sun.
"I'm so glad we're finally seeing a break in all this bad weather we've been having. I thought the rain would never stop."
Willow nodded her agreement, turning her cool green eyes to assess the plethora of students lounging on the campus green, taking advantage of the warm weather. "It's days like these that make me wonder if our ancestors appreciated the weather when it was like this everyday. Did you know that back in the 20th century California was one of the sunshine states? I read that people used to be able to go to the beach everyday, year round, if they wanted to."
Lena looked skeptic. "Hard to believe, considering how different that sounds from our contemporary experience. But hey, who am I to argue with the history fanatic…" Lena trailed off as she turned to follow the passing of a good looking guy dressed in the uniform of the Legion. "Goddess, I love those new uniforms. Nothing like Morubi leather to bring out the, um, assets, of our Country's finest."
Willow laughed, amused as always by the one-track mind Lena had whenever a cute guy was around. "Yes, well, the new uniforms are rather flattering, I suppose."
Lena nudged Willow with her hips as they passed through the university arch onto the main street. "Oh come on, don't play all innocent with me. You know you like to see a well proportioned male body as much as I do. After all, aren't you the one who purchased that poster of Tem Callahan."
"I brought that for you- for your birthday." Willow protested, feeling her cheeks flush red. She knew they were probably as bright as her hair right about now.
"Yes, well, it is hanging up in our dorm room and you get to look at it as much as me, which you must have realized when you brought it. Me believes the lady doth protest too much."
Willow fixed her eyes on a passing omnibus, wishing with all her might Lena would change the subject. "Yes, well, I never said I didn't like looking at guys. It's just you're more obsessed than I am."
Lena shook her head vigorously, making her long blonde locks whip about her face. "No, it's just that you're still trying to remain faithful to that lout Dante after all this time." Lena couldn't hide her dislike for Willow's ex-boyfriend, no matter how much Willow asked her to try and like him. She hadn't always hated him; in fact, she'd been the one to urge Willow to go out with him when they'd first met back in High School. It was only after Dante had broken Willow's heart, repeatedly, during their four year relationship that Lena had begun to despise him. Every time he'd cheated on Willow, Lena's hatred had grown, and she'd chastised Willow every time she'd forgiven and taken him back. She had sneered at Dante's latest claim that he needed some time to find himself before he could be with Willow again. She took every opportunity when his name was mentioned to insult him, hoping that it would have some impact on the pedestal Willow continued to keep him on.
It wasn't that Willow was blind to his faults, or wasn't hurt by the way he treated her. She knew he was a jerk, but that didn't stop her heart from loving him. They'd been together for so long, been through so much. The Dante she knew, inside of out, wasn't the one who dated a different girl every week and flaunted them in front of Willow's face. He wasn't the one who came to her dorm room every couple of months, drunk and remorseful, telling Willow he still loved her and wanted her back, then standing her up the following day in favor of some buxom blond in their Cyber Dynamics class. The Dante whose image she held on to probably hadn't existed, even during the first year of their relationship when things had been so perfect, but it was difficult to let go. She wanted to let go and start dating again, but she was afraid of getting hurt, of getting involved with someone like Dante.
"Lena, can we please not talk about Dante again. We've done that too much in the last year for my liking."
"Willow, I hate to see you allow yourself to be used by a guy, especially a snake like Dante. You deserve so much better than him. You've said it yourself, he's stringing you along, trying to keep you faithful to him while he has his fun so you'll still be pure when he decides he's ready to take you back. Why would you want to wait for someone like that?
"I'm not waiting for him." Willow insisted. "I swear, I wouldn't even take him back if he asked me to. I swear!" She emphasized in answer to the doubtful look on Lena's face. "It's just that, well, Dante really hurt me… and still is. I just don't think I can handle being in a new relationship right now. I've got too many trust issues to want to put myself through the same thing again. I don't want to be hurt again."
"Not every guy is like Dante, Willow. You've just got the put Dante in the past where he belongs and get back on the proverbial horse."
Willow stopped before the door to Whitman's and turned to answer Lena, hoping to put the issue to rest before they entered the crowded café. "I know you think I'm still pinning for Dante and haven't listened to everything you've been telling me the past year, but I have. Maybe at first I wasn't, but I'm almost completely over him now. I swear to you I wouldn't take him back now if he begged."
"Yeah, like he hasn't tried that before." Lena muttered scornfully.
Willow let the remark pass. "As for dating again. Well, I will once I find the right guy, one I can trust with my life and my heart. I just haven't found that yet, but when I do, I promise you I won't be stupid and let him go."
Lena smiled, apparently trusting the sincerity she heard in Willow's tone. She pulled Willow into an embrace, squeezing her slightly. "Good. You know I just want to look out for you, make sure you're happy."
Willow squeezed her friend back. "I know. After all, what are best friends for? And if Adam ever did anything to hurt you, you know I'd hate him as much as you hate Dante."
"Thanks." Pulling away, Lena looked into Willow's eyes as if searching for something. When she spoke her voice was soft and solemn "Goddess Diana's looking out for you Will. I have a feeling she's going to bring you the perfect guy sometime very soon."
Willow smiled. "Well I hope she sends one with a body like Tem Callahan." Laughing, the two girls entered Whitman's, eagerly deconstructing the perfect physique of the movie star and prepared to enjoy the beautiful April afternoon.
~Part: 2~
It was a little after 9 PM when Willow left Lena off at Adam's dorm and continued back to their own dorm on her own. It was a beautiful night, with only a slight balmy breeze, and Willow was enjoying the walk across campus. She decided to walk through the Gardens, which was one of her favorite places on campus and one of the only places in San Angeles that certain exotic flowers grew naturally, such as roses, tiger lilies and Katras. There were also a couple of Willow trees the University had imported and planted. Just seeing them made Willow smile.
Following the winding path beneath the trees, Willow stopped before a rose bush to smell the fragrant scent of the flowers. This particular bush contained roses the exact color of her hair, through the bright red was intermixed with bursts of violet. She loved the way the two colors blended into each other.
When Willow straightened up and turned back to continue her walk she was startled to find she wasn't alone. Standing very close to her was a young man. Though she found his invasion of her personal space to be somewhat disconcerting, he appeared innocous enough. He wore a school bag slung over his shoulder, the strap cutting across the lettering of his sweatshirt, which was university issue. In addition, he was incredibly handsome. Strands of silky black hair fell in jagged pieces across his forehead, in the popular style of the time. His eyes were blue like Lena's, though almost unnaturally so. They reminded Willow of pictures she'd seen of Nordic Fjords, or the synthetic blue that made up the heart of the Illuminati chips. No person was supposed to have eyes that color.
He straightened up as Willow did, flashing her a dazzling smile that showed off his pearly white teeth. "Merry Meet, my name's Thierry."
Willow stifled her surprise at the Wiccan greeting. He didn't like someone who was of the fold, but then, looks could be deceiving. "Merry Meet." She withheld her name, feeling a bit wary of the stranger, despite his friendly demeanor.
"You're Persephone, right."
Willow blinked, again caught off guard, wondering how he knew her name, especially her first name which she almost never used. "That's right."
"You're in my 'Antiquity and the 20th Century' class." He explained, all the while continuing to smile at her.
Though he was doing his best to put her at ease, she was finding it difficult to relax around him. She couldn't remember ever having seen him in class. That in itself wasn't odd, since the lecture hall did hold hundreds of students. However, she was also having a hard time reading his aura. It was almost as if he was concealing his energy, but then, what reason would he have to do that. Taking a step back to put some distance between them, Willow replied. "Really. That's cool. How do you like Professor Jameson?"
Thierry took a casual step forward, once again closing the distance between them. "He's okay."
When it became obvious that he wasn't going to say anything else on that subject, Willow spoke. "So, you're a member of the Temple of Diana?"
"No." Thierry took another step closer to Willow.;"But I know you are."
Now Willow was definitely afraid. The smile was gone from Thierry's face and he was hovering over Willow in what could only be described as a predatory manner. He quickly glanced around them, as if scanning to make sure they were alone. Willow knew suddenly, instinctively, that Thierry was no ordinary student. What happened next just confirmed the feeling Willow had already had.
The features of his face morphed into demonic visage, distorting his good looks and quickening Willow's fear. She stared in shock as the brow of his forehead elongated, his eyes took on a yellow tint and fangs pierced the slight opening between his upper and lower lip. It was the most terrifying sight Willow had ever seen, but before she could react, or even think of reacting, the demon grabbed her by the arms and yanked her body against his.
Willow made a move to scream but was impeded by the quick reflexes of Thierry who, foreseeing her response, covered her mouth with his hand. "It won't do any good to scream, my little Willow. Nobody will hear you, at least not before I'm through with you. I think I'll bury you under the Willow trees- after I drain your body of all its blood. It just seems so apt, don't you think."
Willow sobbed around the cold fingers of his hand. Seeing an opportunity, Willow bit down as hard as she could on his digits. She tasted the metallic taste of his blood as it flowed from the wound and she gagged, trying to keep it from going down her throat. Thierry yanked his hand away, yowling in pain. Backhanding her across the face, he snarled. "Nice try, but that won't be enough to save you. See, I've been sent on a mission, namely to kill you, and you don't even want to know what's going to happen to me if I fail. Now, just hold still and this will be over before you know it." With a hiss, Thierry opened his mouth so that the fangs were even more prominently displayed. Willow struggled futilely against the bonds of his arms as he lowered his mouth to her throat. If this was the end, well, she was going to go down fighting. She tried to utilize her tai-jeki training but found she couldn't contort her body in the right position, not with the way he was holding her. Maybe if she moved her leg there she could get the right footing, and then…
Before Willow had a chance to operate her plan, Thierry exploded into a pile of dust. Without the leverage of his support, Willow began to fall backwards only to find herself caught up in the strong arms of another. Still in defense mode, Willow struck out at the body now against her own, holding her. She flipped the legs out from under the person, landing a sharp kick in the man's side. She was about to add another when her body's survival instinct began to listen to the messages her mind was trying to send: namely, that she was no longer in danger, Thierry was gone, his dust now covering her hair and shoulders. Of course, there was always the man she'd just knocked down. He might have saved her but that didn't mean he was entirely safe to be around.
Falling back onto a defensive stance, Willow looked down at the man whom she'd knocked flat onto his back. Despite the campus security lights, it was too dark to make out his face, especially since he laid in the shadows, but she could make out the black Marubi leather of his jacket and pants. She wondered if perhaps he was an officer in the Legion.
He held up his palms. "Wait, I promise I'm not going to hurt you, as long as you promise not to hurt me."
"Don't get up." She ordered as she saw the muscles in his legs tensed in preparation of rising. She was prepared to level her boot on his chest if he disobeyed but found it wasn't necessary, as he once again relaxed against the damp grass. "Who are you?"
"A friend."
"Maybe I don't need a friend?"
He paused before answering and Willow wondered if she'd made him mad. "You sure seemed to need one a few moments ago. Don't I even get a thank you for saving your life." She couldn't help but glare at the sarcasm in his tone. "Do you thank all the people who save your life by knocking them onto their asses?"
"Only the ones who grab me afterwards."
"I was only trying to stop you from falling." He pointed out logically.
Willow frowned, and immediately began to feel bad. Here this nice guy had come and saved her life, because despite all her defense training, both physical and magical, she had been overpowered, and what did she do but attack him. Feeling foolish, Willow relaxed. "You're right, I'm sorry. I guess I was still acting on adrenaline. Thank you, you can get up."
The man pulled himself up with only his legs, amazing Willow with the strength he must possess to accomplish such a move. When he had risen, he stepped forward so that the light now fell in slants on his face, revealing himself. Willow felt her breath catch in her throat. The man before her was one of the best looking guys Willow had ever seen. Hair dark brown and spiky, though it looked as if it was incredibly soft. She couldn't see his eyes because he was looking down, brushing off his clothing, but his face was a study in architecture- all planes and angles as if carved out of marble. His body was incredibly toned, the muscles seemingly gliding beneath his skin and clothing with each of his movements. He reminded Willow of the Greek Adonis she'd learned about in her Ancient Religions class.
"You shouldn't be walking by yourself at night. It's dangerous, especially with dangerous creatures like that out and about." He still wasn't looking at her, and Willow find herself wishing he would so she could look in his eyes.
"Yeah, well, I know there are things out there in the dark but I never thought that included vampires. That's what that guy was, right?"
The man with the angelic face turned to glance behind him, as if checking to make sure they were still alone. The action didn't scare Willow or send alarms off in her head like when Thierry had done it. He seemed to be doing it in a protective manner, and it reassured Willow. "Yes, that's exactly what he was. If I were you, I'd…" As he spoke he'd been carefully surveying the area surrounding them, his head slowly scanning the perimeter until he turned back around and his eyes fell on her. When he actually looked at her, he broke off what he was saying and just stared, his eyes going wide, his lips parting with a quick intake of breath. Confused, Willow interpreted the expression on his face as one of shock. Perhaps he'd been expecting someone else, though whom, Willow couldn't imagine.
"Are you okay," she asked, hoping to snap him out of the apparent trance he'd fallen into. Okay, he's definitely a little weird, she thought to herself.
"Willow?"
His voice had lost the amused yet detached coldness it had possessed the entire time they'd been speaking.Before he'd been speaking as one would expect a stranger to address another, even if one had just saved said strangers life. But now, well, now he sounded as if he recognized her, and she didn't see how that could be possible. She was sure she'd never met this extremely handsome guy before in her life. Somehow she knew she wouldn't
forget if she had.
"Yes."
His eyes roamed over her face now, drinking in her features as if he were storing them into his memory. The weird thing was, the look in his eyes as he looked at her was one of familiarity. He didn't seem to be looking at her for the first time, but was merely reacquainting himself with features and a face he'd seen many times before. He was staring at her as if he knew everything about her. It was disconcerting and it made Willow nervous. So she did what she always did when she got nervous. She babbled. "I'm sorry, but do we know each other? I don't think I've ever met you. Maybe you're mistaking me for somebody else. My name is Persephone Willow Rosen. Willow or Will to my friends, and well, I'd think saving my life is good enough a reason to let you call me that. I go to school here. Well, duh, of course I go to school here. Why else would I be on campus. But then again, you're on campus and you look too old to go to school here. Not that I'm saying you're old or anything. I mean, you could be a grad student, so then that would make sense why you were on campus, and could you please stop me before I put my foot further in my mouth."
He was laughing now, his whole body relaxing at her speech. Now, when he looked at her, there was warmth there that sent shivers of delight through her body. It'd been a long time since a guy had looked at her like that, with such unabashed affection. Then again, she couldn't remember Dante ever looking at her quite like that. There was something about his eyes, a depth that she'd never seen in anyone before and it was made every emotion reflected in their depths even more powerful. It was almost as if his soul was in his eyes.
Willow bit her lips to keep herself from starting another round of babbling.Luckily, he spoke.
"I'm Angel."
Willow almost said, "Yes, you are."
"Would it be all right if I walked you back to your dorm. Make sure you get home safely and everything."
Willow nodded, then surprised herself even further by accepting his proffered hand. She liked the way her fingers felt intertwined with his. His grip was strong and reassuring, making her feel safe. She only hoped once he walked her back he wouldn't disappear into the night and out of her life. She got this feeling it was something he was good at. Something about him made her want to get to know him better, and it wasn't just his outlaw good looks. It was that something in his eyes. Somehow she was going to find a way to see him again, and if the way he'd looked at her before was any measure, she hoped he wanted to see her again.
~Part: 3~
"Wait a minute, wait a minute. Did you just say what I think you said?"
Willow could feel herself withering under Lena's cross-examination. She avoided glancing at her reflection, positive her cheeks were a color not too far removed from her hair color. "if you think I said I'm going to meet this guy over at the Solaris Café and could I please borrow your maroon wrap, then, yes, you'd be right."
Lena stared at Willow as if she were a rare specimen of amphibian come hopping into the room. "And how did you meet him?"
Willow sighed, an exasperated sound she hoped would put an end to Lena's questions, though knowing her friend as well as she did, it wasn't likely. "Lena, are you losing your hearing or is it just a temporary memory flux, because if I have to keep repeating everything I say this conversation isn't going to go anywhere."
Lena raised one sculpted cerulean blue eyebrow, her most recent foray into the world of cutting edge fashion trends, of which Lena always loved to be the frontrunner in, and began to visually analyze Willow. Willow couldn't help but squirm under Lena's appraising gaze. "What?"
Lena shook her head and, thankfully, moved her eyes away from Willow. Rising from the bed, Lena went over to the closet and began to search for the article of clothing Willow had requested. "So, this guy- Angel was it- foiled the plans of a would-be-robber, acting as your own personal Guardian Angel… ha, I made a funny… and then when he asked you out on a date, you said yes, and that's where you're going tonight?"
Willow sank down onto her bed and began to carefully pull on a pair of silk stockings. "Yes, no… not exactly… I mean, it's not a date. This is just a way for me to thank him for saving my life."
Without turning around, Lena snorted. "Please, you are so in denial. A thank you would be a roundtrip passage to the mainland on the Orion II, or a box of Peruvian chocolates. This, my dear friend, is a date."
Willow stared at the smooth silk bunched up in her hand as she took extra care in pulling the stocking over her legs. "Lena, I don't even know this guy. Trust me, it's not a date."
"Ah ha!" Yanking the wrap from the back of her closet, Lena held it up in triumph before walking over and laying it besides Willow. She then caught Willow off guard by swooping down and wrapping her arms around her, catching Willow in the awkward position of having her arms plastered to her sides as she fought to keep the stockings from slipping. "Oh Wills, I'm so happy for you. I want to hear every detail the second you get back, and I will be waiting up for you. I really hope this works out, and if he's anywhere near as good looking as I imagine him, then I can't wait to meet him."
Willow couldn't help but feel guilty over Lena's genuine happiness for what she viewed as Willow finally moving on with her life. Willow hadn't told her the entire story of what had happened last night, particularly the part about her attacker having been a vampire. She supposed she'd edited the events so Lena wouldn't worry. Then there was the fact that Willow had no idea exactly how to tell Lena the truth. It was just too fantastical a tale, she was positive Lena wouldn't believe her if she'd told it. And now Lena thought Willow was going on a date, moving on with her life without Dante, when really all Willow was doing was going out to thank this guy who'd saved her life and hopefully get some information out of him. After all, he hadn't seemed too surprised to find a vampire attached to her neck, ready to make her his next meal. Angel knew things, and Willow needed to know what they were.
Besides, she couldn't help but thinking, a guy that gorgeous couldn't possible be single, and he certainly wouldn't be interested in someone like her. She hadn't even been able to keep Dante interested in her, so why would this guy, who looked as if he'd stepped straight off the cover of GQ magazine, ever look at her? No, better not indulge in silly fantasy's and open herself up for another broken heart. She'd had enough experience with that to last her an entire lifetime.
"Um, Lena, as much as I appreciate this show of affection, could you let go, or at least let me let go of my stockings so I can hug you back." Lena laughed and released Willow, who immediately relaxed her arms before wrapping them around Lena. "Thanks for the concern Lena, but this really isn't a date. When I do have a date you will be the first to know."
Lena pulled back and looked into Willow's eyes. "You can deny it all you want, but this little thank you dinner isn't as innocent as you're trying to pretend it is. I can see the sparkle in your eyes whenever you say his name, and you're putting an awful lot of time and effort in looking nice for this guy. I mean, borrowing my maroon wrap- that's not exactly a 'thank you, let's be friends' kind of outfit."
Willow glanced at the bundle of rubber material lying on the bed besides her. She hated to admit it but Lena was right. If she wasn't interested then why was she planning to wear such a daring dress?
Willow pushed herself off the bed, dress in hand, and went to stand before the full length mirror hanging on the inside of her closet door. Slipping out of the Chinese silk kimono, Willow dedicated the next few minutes to fitting herself into the wrap, grateful that her full concentration was needed for her to encase her body in the rubber material. For the moment, she was saved from having to answer Lena's questions.
When Willow was finally immersed in the binding material, she found Lena was still kneeling on the floor before the bed, watching Willow get dressed as she waited for her reply. Lena never did let an issue drop. Sighing, Willow began to sweep her hair up, testing out different styles as she spoke. "Look, maybe you're a little right. I mean, Angel is… well… he's gorgeous. I'm not going to deny that. Looking at him made my heart start acting all funny, and he positively wreaked havoc on my verbal capacities. But I'm not ready yet, and before you say anything, it's not because of Dante. I mean, it is, but not because of the reasons you're thinking. It's not because I still have foolish fantasies that Dante and I will get back together, but because Dante really hurt me. I don't think anyone can ever understand just how much. I mean, I loved him so much. He was my first, and his rejection, the way he did it, well, it wounded me. I'm afraid to get into another relationship right now, especially with a guy I know nothing about." Except for the fact that he rescues girls from bloodsucking vampires with the grace and skill of an expert, Willow thought to herself.
Finally settling on a hairstyle, Willow turned around and posed for Lena. "Now, how do I look?"
Lena didn't hesitate. "You look amazing, Wills. If this doesn't make Angel fall in love with you on sight then he doesn't have a pulse."
Something about Lena's choice of words made Willow uneasy but the feeling was so unclear and hazy she just shrugged it off. It was probably just her nerves. After all, she hadn't been out with a guy this gorgeous in a long time, even if it was an innocent dinner and not a date.
Lena watched Willow check her reflection one last time before leaving. "Hey, maybe I should walk you over to the café so I can get a look at this guy. We can pretend I'm your overprotective and nosy best friend… oh wait, that is what I am. Damn, okay, how about we tell him I'm a DP who's mistaken you for somebody famous and I've been following you around all day. That way it would explain the camera and why I keep snapping pictures of the two of you."
Willow couldn't help but laugh. "I don't think that's such a good idea, Lena. I don't want to scare him away, especially since this is probably going to be the last time that I ever see him. I'm sure he has better things to do than spend time with a coed whose fawning all over him for saving her life. But hey, if he ends up walking me back to the dorm, maybe you can catch a glimpse of him out the window."
Lena's eyes sparkled mischievously. "That's true. Okay, you'd better be going before you end up being late, and I've got to set up the camera. Hey, do you mind if I move your bed over. I can get a better shot of the front door if I set the camera up over there."
Willow slipped her bag over her shoulders and exited the room, Lena's continued ramblings following her out the door and down the hall, her laughter keeping her mind too occupied to even consider being nervous.
~Part: 4~
"So, what would you like to do now?"
Willow tilted her head to the side, trying to figure out what she was in the mood for. "Well, we could always go down to the beach near the ISA Center and watch the shuttles depart." Willow blushed the moment the suggestion fell off her lips, forgetting that not everyone found that as exciting as she did.
Angel merely smiled, "Do you do that often- go to watch the shuttles?"
Willow nodded shyly. "I was always fascinated by space travel. My dad is the head of research and development at ISA. He used to take me to work with him sometimes and I'd spend most of the day at the beach near the launching pad watching the shuttles prepare for takeoff and finally depart. I used to fantasize it was me in the ship, embarking on a journey into the unknown, exploring places no human had ever been, my name going down in history with all the other great explorers. I still go there a lot, when I want to think or just daydream. It's kind of my special place." Willow's voice faltered, realizing with some embarrassment that she might have just revealed more about herself than she was comfortable doing. Turning to walk down the street, Willow tried to play it off. "I know, it's silly."
Angel stopped Willow's retreat with a light but firm hand on her shoulder. Turning her body to him, he reached his fingers out to cup Willow's chin, turning her face up to his. The smile on his face was warm and kind, helping to ease some of Willow's embarrassment. "No, it's not silly. I think it's sweet. In fact, I know what you mean, about having a place to go when you just want to be alone with your thoughts. I've got a place like that. Sometimes I think it's the only place that helps to keep me sane." Angel turned his head, his eyes dark and stormy, plagued by emotions Willow couldn't begin to contemplate. Before she could question him, he seemed to push the emotions away, his eyes clearing, filling with light once again. "So, the ISA it is?"
Willow nodded, pleasantly surprised when Angel reached for her hand, their fingers interlocking like pieces of a puzzle. His fingers were strong and comforting against her small, delicate ones. As they made their way to his hover car, Willow found herself replaying the wonderful dinner they'd had over and over again in her mind. They'd talked about anything and everything. Actually, Willow had done most of the talking, though that hadn't been her intention. Usually Willow wasn't one to ramble on and on about her life, but Angel had been urging her to speak, questioning her about every aspect of her life, from questions about her childhood on the Island, to her friendship with Lena, to her work at the university and her plans for after her education was completed. His attention to every word she said had been complete, even when she'd rambled on about the amazing things she was learning this semester in her Astronomy and History classes. She'd even told him about her relationship with Dante and when she'd been unable to hold back the tears he'd merely wiped the drops from her eyes and whispered soothingly to her from across the table. Willow had found it so incredibly easy to talk to Angel. All he had to do was stare at her with those intense, warm brown eyes, looking at her as if every word she said was important and delighted him, and she would feel the words begin to flow uninhibited. When she'd laughed and apologized for monopolizing the conversation, Angel would merely smile and say that he enjoyed listening to her talk.
In fact, she'd learned very little about Angel during dinner. It wasn't because she hadn't tried to find out about him, but every time she would ask him a question something would happen to prevent his answer: the arrival of the food, the start of the band's next set, the unexpected arrival of a friend Willow knew from class. By the time they were able to pick up the conversation again, the question would be forgotten as Angel turned the conversation towards Willow once again, finding some new line of inquiry he wanted to know about.
Standing besides Angel's car in the parking lot behind the café, Willow took the opportunity to stare at her new friend. He was such a mystery to her. His dark, good looks appealed to her- but then, they would appeal to anyone who had eyes- yet there was so much she didn't know about him. From the small tidbits he'd let slip during dinner, Willow knew he wasn't a student, though what he did she wasn't sure. She thought that perhaps he was a member of the Legion, because he'd mentioned something about a case he was working on, but he hadn't gone into any details yet again. He appeared to be in his mid 20's, though his exact age Willow had no idea. She knew he had originally been born in Ireland but had been living in the States, specifically San Angeles, for many years. Other than that, she knew nothing. Willow came to a decision as she slipped into the passenger side of the car, smiling absently at Angel as he held the door open for her. The ride to the beach would be a short one, ten minutes tops if there wasn't any traffic (which was hoping for a lot in S.A.) but she intended to use the time to benefit her curiosity.
Willow remained silent as Angel climbed into the car, watching him out of the corner of her eye as he started the engine and fluidly navigated the car into the air, joining the rest of the traffic on the freeway as they headed towards the coast. Once they were hovering at a sedate pace with the rest of the cars, Willow began her questions.
"Angel."
"Hmm," he murmured, a bit distractedly, his eyes concentrating on the flow of traffic. He did manage to glance towards her, his smile light and encouraging her to speak.
"I was just wondering… I know you're not in school, so what is it that you do. Or are you so rich you don't need to have one." Willow kept her tone playfully, adding the last part in the hopes it would disarm any reservations he had about revealing himself to her. As it was, his eyes darkened exponentially, his smile fading a bit. She could tell by the tense lines around his mouth that he was working to keep the smile on his face. She couldn't help but wonder why he was so guarded. Why didn't he want to talk about his own life? What was he hiding?
The silence stretched on for endless seconds. When Angel answered his tone was hesitant, as if he didn't really want to reveal what he was. "I'm a private investigator, of sorts."
Willow nodded encouragingly. "That sounds interesting. Do you ever work in conjunction with the State Legion or are you completely freelance?"
"Well, my line of work isn't exactly something I could team up with the State about. They don't exactly deal with the type of cases I do." Glancing at Willow and seeing the confused furrowing of her eyebrows, Angel couldn't help but smile. "I'm sort of an unusual investigator. I deal with cases that are… out of the ordinary."
A light went off in Willow's mind. "You mean you investigate cases involving vampires!"
Angel laughed at Willow's impressed tone, then stopped himself, shocked. When was the last time he'd laughed? He realized he'd been doing it a lot that night during dinner. Willow had always had that effect on him. It was as if she carried happiness around with her aura, infecting whoever happened to be close to her. "Yes, I investigate cases involving vampires, but not only limited to them. Unfortunately, the supernatural world isn't merely limited to vampires. Demons and vampires do take up a huge portion of my time though." Angel stopped. He'd been about to go on, revealing more of his work to her when the rational part of his mind had woken up and began its work of berating him. Wasn't this exactly what he'd told himself he wasn't going to do if he saw her tonight? The decision on whether to keep the date he'd made so spontaneously had been a tough one. Every particle of his rational, conscious driven mind had screamed for him not to see her again, not to get this innocent girl wrapped back up in a life she didn't deserve to be afflicted with. Wasn't it enough that her soul had suffered the knowledge of reality during it's past life? Did he really want to taint her new incarnation with that knowledge once again? Of course he didn't. That was the reason he'd promised himself he wouldn't speak about anything supernatural with her tonight, and now what was he doing but getting her involved.
Of course, they were just questions, but Angel knew Willow. True, they hadn't been the closest of friends when they'd lived in Sunnydale all those centuries ago, but he'd known her instinctively- known what her soul was like. And from what he could tell at dinner tonight, there was one thing about Willow that hadn't changed in this incarnation. She was still the most compassionate, friendly, and selfless person he'd ever known. If he let her into his world then there would be no keeping her out. Once she knew the truth of the supernatural realm that existed just beneath the "normal" world she would be unable to turn her back on it. She would feel compelled to get involved, because it was in her nature. He couldn't, wouldn't do that to her. She deserved the normal life she'd been blessed with in this incarnation. Knowing him wasn't going to help her keep that life.
As Willow asked another question, Angel knew it wasn't going to be easy to keep her out of things now. If only that damn vampire hadn't opened her eyes to all of this. Angel would never have met her then, and as much as his heart ached at the image of his never having gotten to see her again, even if only for one night, his mind knew it would have been best for both of them. He was having so much fun with her, something he hadn't had in so long- how was he going to give up the companionship they'd discovered with each other in one night now that he'd been awakened to how nice it could be.
"I'm sorry, what?" He'd missed her question as he'd been so completely wrapped up in his own inner musings.
"I asked how you got into that line of work. I mean, it's not exactly something they teach in school. Was it like me- did you get attacked by a vampire one night and that's how you found out, or was it something else…"
Angel could feel the panic bubbling within him, uncontrollable and fierce. He didn't want to answer her question. How could he without revealing to her who and what he really was- something he didn't want to do for anything in the world. This was a mistake, meeting her. He knew that now. Willow had always been naturally curious, and if she was anything like what she had been when he'd first known her, she wouldn't stop until she had the answers she was looking for.
"It's a long story." Just then Angel spotted their exit, a sight of relief escaping from him. Maneuvering the car off the freeway, Angel felt his smile from earlier returning. "Here's our exit." Willow turned to find they were hovering over the stretch of sand and water of the East Coast. Directly before them was the parking lot, and further in the distance the collection of buildings and lots that contained the Intergalactic Space Associations headquarters. Willow promptly forgot all questions as her excitement over their destination returned. She really did love this place better than any other in San Angeles. It was all Willow could do to keep herself buckled into the seat and wait for Angel to finish parking the car before she hoped out and ran onto the sand. Remembering Angel, Willow stopped halfway between the parking lot and the water, turning back to find a laughing Angel jogging towards her, her jacket in hand.
"You don't want to forget this, now. It can get really chilly by the water at night." Angel held the suede garment open in his hands, helping Willow slip it on her small shoulders. It was amazing how delicate she looked though Angel knew she could take care of herself. He'd witnessed first hand just how capable of defending herself this Willow was. Besides, Angel was the last one to judge anybody based on appearance. He'd known countless female warriors with the same build as Willow who'd been more than a match for him. He wouldn't have thought it of Willow before, discounting her magical ability, but this Willow could very well be quite a formidable fighter. She'd revealed to him at dinner that she was trained in several different Eastern martial art forms. He wondered if her desire in this life to be skilled in self-defense was a product of her experience in her former life. In fact, he wondered just how much her soul had been changed from her previous life. Unfortunately, he wasn't going to allow himself to discover such things. After tonight he would do everything in his power to stay away from her- for both of their goods.
Once her jacket was on, Willow turned her head up to smile at Angel. For a moment he found himself mesmerized by crystal green orbs that seemed to reflect their light straight into his own eyes. As her marveled at the beauty in those bright depths, Willow stepped away, turning to face the ocean. She held her arm out behind her, her fingers flexing unconsciously as they waited for his own to greet them. The sight kept Angel frozen for a moment in surprise. She was reaching out for him. The fact pleased Angel.
Holding hands, Angel and Willow walked down the beach towards the ISA observation area. They remained quiet, enjoying the beauty of the deep blue sea to their right and the almost empty stretch of white sand before them. It was a nice night, the temperature around 45, yet the beach was fairly empty. Most people kept away from the beach at night until the beginning of summer, when the nighttime drop in temperature wasn't as severe.
Willow turned her head towards the moon. Angel followed her gaze, wondering what she was thinking. He didn't have to wonder for long. "It's really beautiful, isn't it."
Angel wondered at the wistful tone in her voice. "Yes, it is. When I was younger, my mother used to tell me and my brothers and sisters about the man who lived in the moon. She told us that his wife, whom he loved very much, was the daughter of the sun. But the sun was very jealous of her time. He didn't like her being married to the moon. So, he would only allow her to spend 3 days a month with him. The rest of the months she was forced to spend with her father on the sun. The light of the moon is a reflection of the moon man's happiness. When his wife is with him, we have a full moon and an abundance of light. The light then shrinks for each day she's gone and the man's happiness won't be full again until she's back with him."
Willow stared up at Angel, mesmerized by the memory he'd chosen to share with her. It was the longest he'd spoken to her about anything regarding himself that she was afraid to speak and break the spell. Perhaps if she kept quiet he would stay locked in the past and would keep talking.
Unfortunately, Angel seemed to bring himself out of his trance. Giving his head a small shake, he turned to face Willow, shocking her with the pain hidden within the fathomless depths of his eyes. She could tell he was trying to keep those emotions hidden, but for a moment, a single moment when he had turned to look at her, Willow had been able to see it clearly.
Willow reached a hand up to Angel's shoulder, hoping to lend him some strength through the reassuring pressure of her touch. "That's a beautiful story, Angel."
Angel's lips contained a ghost of a smile as he turned his head back towards the moon. "She had a lot of beautiful stories. I used to love to hear her tell them to me. I never could go to sleep as a young lad without hearing one of them."
Willow could make out a wistful tone in Angel's voice and she wondered if perhaps his mother was no longer alive. The possibility seemed pretty certain, judging from his reactions to talking and thinking about her, and so Willow decided not to pressure him into speaking. The last thing she wanted was to dredge up old pain for him.
They had reached the boardwalk now. A few people stood by the railing before the ISA launching pad. Willow could make out a family, probably tourists, and another couple who were standing so close to each other they could have been attached. At the farthest end nearest the ocean a group of young teenage boys joked and laughed, riding dangerously close to the edge of the boardwalk on their hoverboards. Angel pulled Willow along to an empty patch of railing removed from the rest of the spectators.
"Looks like we made it just in time" Angel observed, gesturing with his free hand to the ship preparing for takeoff. The clock above the watchtower was counting down the remaining 60 seconds before the ship's departure.
Willow began to grow anxious, a familiar longing she was used to awakening within her, as it always did when she watched a ship's departure. One day, she promised herself, one day it would be her exploring the farthest reaches of the galaxy.
"Shall we countdown too?"
Willow liked the suggestion. "That would be nice."
They bent down with their arms resting against the wooden railing so their heads were close, almost touching. They whispered the final countdown to each other, "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."
In a burst of noise, steam and fire, the ship propelled itself in the air. There was a scattering of applause and cheers from the other spectators, but Willow and Angel remained silent as they watched the quickly disappearing tail of the ship. Before long all they could see was the shimmering sky as the ship left their field of human vision.
There was an ache in Willow's heart that had slowly spread to her throat, constricting her vocal cords leaving her unable to speak. Hastily she wiped away the tears in her eyes before they could fully form. Her cheeks burned with color as she hoped Angel hadn't caught her emotional display.
Angel's hand quickly joined her own, his fingers brushing lightly against her cheek. "Please don't be embarrassed Willow. I never want you to be embarrassed in front of me. I could never laugh at anything you did, especially not something as important to you as this obviously is."
Willow didn't say anything. His words had moved her more than he probably realized. She might not know a lot about Angel, something that bothered her a bit, but she did know one thing: already she didn't want to lose the tentative bonds forming between them. Whether it was just friendship or something more, Willow wanted Angel in her life. She only hoped he felt the same way.
~Part: 5~
"Come on Willow, Adam's waiting downstairs in the car and I don't want to be late. The opening band is supposed to be amazing. I don't want to miss their set."
Willow glanced casually over her shoulder to catch Lena hanging in the open doorway, her puffy cloud of hair attracting Willow's attention. "Nice style Lena, I didn't think it was going to come out so nice."
Lena smiled, raising a hand to pat the frizzy blonde curls she'd spent hours teasing. "Thanks. It's just for tonight though. I don't think the people who sit behind me in my classes would appreciate it if I wore my hair like this everyday."
Willow had to agree. "No, I see your point."
Lena stepped into the room. "So, are you ready to go?"
Willow turned back to the vanity mirror before her, giving her reflection a critical once over before glancing down at the tube of lipstick in her hand. In truth, she'd been standing before the mirror with the same lipstick in her hand for five minutes, starring at her reflection without really seeing it. She supposed she was as ready as she was going to be. "I guess I am. Let me just grab my bag and jacket."
Lena dangled the two items in her hand. "Already got them. Come on, let's book before I'm subjected to another lecture from Adam on how punctuality is next to godliness, or whatever."
Willow allowed Lena to drag her out of the room, barely managing to rattle off the vocal command to lock the door before she was propelled downstairs, outside, and into Adam's sporty hover car parked out front. Lena pulled Willow into the backseat with her and in moments they were off and in the air.
Willow spent the ride to downtown SA staring out the window, not really seeing the streets beneath her though to any observer she would appear to have been fascinated by them. It hadn't been her idea to go to The Golden Calf, but Lena had insisted Willow accompany her, Adam and Adam's friend Armand when they went Friday night. Up until an hour ago Willow had still insisted she wasn't going but she'd finally cracked, figuring giving in would be the only way to get Lena off her back.
"Willow!"
Lena had been calling her name several times before it sunk into her mind that she was being addressed. "Oh, sorry, what's wrong?"
Lena leaned across the seat to whisper in Willow's ear, "Look, I know you're upset over this whole Angel thing, but I really think going out tonight will be good for you. We'll have a few drinks, dance, meet some hot looking guys that put this Angel guy to shame, and by the end of the night you won't even remember his name."
Willow couldn't control the sigh that escaped from her lips. "I know I shouldn't be upset over this. I mean, I hardly know him. It's just…" Willow chewed on her bottom lip, trying to find the words to describe why she was so hurt by Angel's rebuff. "I just thought that we were becoming friends. I mean, we had such a great time together last weekend. I don't mean that it was moving towards some great romance. I don't even know if he likes me that way. But we got along really well; I thought there was something there. Then he doesn't call all week, when he said he would, and, I… it just hurts."
Lena drew Willow into a hug, muttering under her breath. "If I had a quarter for every time a guy said he'd call me and he didn't I'd be a rich woman. Men, they can be such clueless assholes."
"Hey!" Both Adam and Armand protested from the front seat, having caught Lena's last statement.
"Not you guys. Go back to discussing yesterday's soccer game and leave us to our girl talk, okay."
"But, Angel's not like that Lena. I mean, I didn't think he was. I don't know. I'm so confused. Maybe he meant to call and something happened. I don't even know where he lives or his phone number. Something could have happened to him and I wouldn't even know. He is in a dangerous line of work." Willow flinched as the defense left her lips, waiting for Lena to reprimand her for being so weak in coming to the "cad's" (Lena's favorite new nickname for Angel) defense.
Instead, Lena surprised Willow by remaining silent. "Maybe Will, maybe. As it is, we don't know why he hasn't called, but since there's nothing to be done about that why think about it. Instead you should be concentrating on having fun and clearing your mind of Angel. Don't worry, I'll help you with it. I promise we'll have fun tonight. We always do when we go to The Golden Calf."
Willow gave Lena a small smile, grateful she hadn't pushed the Angel issue. "You're right, I'm sure we'll have a blast." Who knew, maybe Lena was right and she would meet somebody. Of course, she doubted there'd be anybody at the club as good looking as Angel. There weren't many guys who could match him in the looks department. But who knew. Willow was certainly open. Why should she hold herself out for some guy who didn't even think her worthy enough for a phone call? Her anger from earlier was coming back to her. It had been that way all week, her mood fluctuating between worrying over reasons Angel might not have called her to anger over him having treated her so shabbily.
"Just because he's good looking doesn't mean he can treat people like they don't matter. I have feelings too."
"That's right. To hell with him." Lena gave her shoulder a quick squeeze, startling Willow. She hadn't realized she'd spoken out loud.
Ten minutes later they arrived at the club. The line of eager college students waiting to get in was long, but Lena bypassed them all with a wave of her hand. Lena's father owned a lot of property in downtown SA, including The Golden Calf. She smiled dazzlingly at the bouncers, greeting them all by name and stopping to chat with them as they unclasped the velvet ropes barring entrance into the club to allow them in. Willow joined the conversation briefly, vaguely familiar with the guards from previous visits to the club with Lena. After entering and checking their coats, the group made their way to the main floor. Armand, who'd gone in while they'd been talking to the guards, waved to them from a table he'd found by the side of the dance floor. They maneuvered their way through the crowd and hoped onto the stools, relieved to be out of the crowd.
"There's a lot of people here tonight." Willow observed, somewhat unnecessarily.
Lena was already swaying to the music, her eyes scanning the dance floor for familiar faces, waving when she found some. Lena always knew people no matter where they went. "Yeah, well, weekends are always a bit crazy. Plus, there's the draw of tonight's bands. Personally, I like it better when it's packed. It makes things more interesting."
Adam wrapped his hands around Lena's waist, pulling her back against him so she leaned against his lap. "That's my Lena, always ready for a party." He nuzzled her neck as he teased her, causing Lena to giggle flirtatiously.
"Come on, I love this song, let's dance."
Adam stood, showing his agreement with the suggestion. Lena looked at Willow, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Why don't you guys join us."
Willow's eyes shot daggers at Lena, who knew the last thing Willow would want would be to dance with Armand. It had taken her enough last fall to convince him she wasn't interested in dating him. Dancing with him now would probably not be a good way to keep that message clear. Already Armand was looking at her expectantly. 'No, I think I'm just gonna order a drink and sit for awhile. Take in the scenery. Thanks anyway."
Armand just shrugged. "No problem. How about I get us some drinks then. What would you like?"
The three gave their drink orders and soon Willow was left alone. She waited patiently for Armand to return, her gaze following couple after couple on the dance floor, every so often returning to watch Adam and Lena, who seemed so into each other Willow wondered if they even remembered they were in a public place.
Lena was right about one thing. The music was good tonight. She couldn't remember the name of the band, but the lead singer had a nice voice. Everybody around her seemed to be having a great time, but Willow just couldn't get into it. She felt out of place tonight. Her mood just wasn't one that went with partying at a club.
Damn it. Why did she have to feel so lousy just because he blew her off? Willow couldn't remember the last time something had gotten her this down. Probably when Dante had broken up with her, though even then, she couldn't remember the feeling being quite the same, which was odd. After all, she'd been in love with Dante for so many years. Still, when he'd broken up with her, something deep inside of her had known that it was just the inevitable occurring. Her and Dante hadn't been right for each other, no matter how hard Willow had tried to convince herself he was the one. Not that she'd been happy when he'd broken it off with her, but her heart hadn't felt quite this heavy, or quite as empty. It was ironic actually, this feeling inside of her. She felt empty yet there was a weight in her chest that seemed to drag her down whenever she stared at the phone, willing it to ring.
Willow glanced down at her wrist, panic immobilizing her at the sight of her bare wrist. She'd left her phone at home. What if he tried to call her while she was out? Maybe he was trying to get in touch with her right now, calling to ask her to spend the evening with him. Of course, it was rather presumptuous of him to call so late on a Friday night and assume she wouldn't have other plans, but Willow would forgive him. Sometimes time got away from a person. He could have meant to call her earlier in the week and ask.
Hold on, what was she doing? Making up a fantasy phone call that hadn't even happened- okay, that was pretty low, she had to admit. She was actually a little disgusted with herself for being so weak. Lena was right. She needed to move on with her life and forget about Angel. Her life didn't have to revolve around a failed new relationship. She had lots of friends, and a lot more guys interested in her. Take Armand, for instance. He was a pretty good-looking guy. Too bad she was interested in him in anything other than friendship. The spark just wasn't there.
Not like with Angel.
Willow sighed and began to fiddle with her rings, tracing the ancient Egyptian and Norse symbols with a single finger. She barely looked up when Armand came to deliver the drinks. After a few failed attempts to strike up conversation with Willow, Armand went off to pursue a pretty blonde he spied across the room, leaving Willow to guard the table and Adam and Lena's drinks. Willow sipped her amaretto sour absently, her eyes glued to the runic design of the ring on her pinky finger. It never ceased to amaze her how much power such a simple design could contain. She could feel the power of the rune infusing her with strength as she concentrated on it. At least tomorrow she'd be at the temple. She would ask to speak to the high priestess after the weekly ceremony was done, maybe ask her for help in healing her bruised heart. Thea would be sure to know of some spells to help the healing process. Spells to get the sound of his voice out of her head and his image out of her heart.
"That's a pretty ring. The Rune of Uruz, if I'm not mistaken."
At first Willow thought she was imagining the voice speaking to her. She almost didn't respond until, with a startled gasp, her eyes flew up and locked on eyes so deep and soulful they communicated more than his simple words did. He seemed surprised, yet happy to see her. She wondered if her eyes revealed even half of her own emotions as his did. If so, then he was probably feeling a bit scorched from the anger she was sure was reflecting from them.
"Angel, what the hell are you doing here?"
~Part: 6~
Angel bowed his head, studying the tile work in an effort to avoid the accusatory light in her eyes. He'd expected her anger, yet he was surprised at how fierce it was. Of course, he'd known that Willow had always had a temper, but it had been a rare occasion when it was allowed to show. This Willow seemed to have no problem letting her fiery temper get the better of her. Not that he blamed her. He knew he deserved her anger and recriminations.
He tried to decide on the best approach to diffusing her anger. For this situation he thought honesty might actually be the best policy. "I followed you here. I was on my way to your dorm when I saw you getting in a car with some of your friends and I decided to follow you. I wanted to see you, to explain."
"You followed me here! Are you sure you're not a stalker. No, wait, stalkers actually call the people they're stalking, so we both know you don't fit into that category."
"Touche." Angel began to reconsider his strategy. Obviously honesty was not the best policy in this instance. "I understand why you're upset."
Angel couldn't be sure if it was an effect of the flashing lights or if Willow's eyes actually flashed from her anger. Either way, there was no mistaking the deadly calm fury of her tone. "Do you Angel? Do you really know what it's like to be blown off by somebody after spending a night spilling your heart to them. Do you know what it feels like to have your already battered self esteem knocked down a few more pegs. Cause honestly, I don't think you do. If you did then you wouldn't have treated me the way you did."
Angel made a quick survey with his eyes for the nearest exits. Things weren't going exactly as he planned. Something told him he'd definitely underestimated how much his attempts to remove himself from Willow's life would hurt her. He'd also underestimated this new Willow's ability to express her feelings freely. Damn it, why did he always ruin every relationship in his life. Maybe if he casually suggested eased his way to the right he could get lost in the crowd while Willow's back was to him. She was purposefully shutting him out with her body language, barely even looking at him as she spoke. Would she notice if he left? But no, he couldn't do that to her. He had to make things right. He couldn't let Willow think he'd rejected her because of her. She deserved to be left with some sort or closure. That was the reason he'd sought her out after all.
Angel's prolonged silence was agitating Willow even more. "What's the matter Angel, cat got your tongue. Or are you afraid I might pick up the wooden umbrella from my friend's drink and stake you with it." Willow delivered the line offhandedly, her eyes glued to the dance floor, denying her the look of shock befalling Angel's expression, immobilizing him. As his mind tried desperately to figure out if Willow's statement truly held the implications inherent in it, Willow answered his questions for him. "What? Did you think I didn't know? I guess you underestimated how perceptive I am. It's not that you're not good at keeping your true nature hidden, I'm just better at tuning in to people."
Angel grabbed onto the empty bar stool besides Willow, clinging to the metal backing as if it could help stabilize his internal paralysis. "How… How did you know," he managed to croak out the question. He'd never been in a situation quite like this before- not in all his centuries of existence.
Perhaps it was the hoarse tone of his voice, reflecting just how much she'd thrown him off guard, or perhaps it was the fact that she'd released most of her anger in the things she'd already said, but Willow finally turned to face the stunned vampire. Amazingly, she appeared more amused than angry, and a little bit prideful. It wasn't ever day she made somebody completely lose their wits as she had Angel. "Well, it's not like I realized it all at once, like we were at dinner and I was hit with the realization 'wow, he's a vampire.' It was more like a slow collection of facts that, when I had the time to analyze them in relation to each other they added up into that solitary explanation. First there's all that stuff you told me about how to identify somebody as a vampire. Now, I'm sure you never figured I'd be analyzing you along those guidelines, but it was only natural. You didn't really eat anything at dinner. I mean, you took a few bites but I was watching you- I'm very observant. You didn't seem to get any joy out of the food, and I'm sorry, but somebody who's eating a filet mignon usually has some sort of joyful expression on their face. Especially filet mignon from the Solaris café- there chef is one of the best. Then, you're incredibly pale and you've got that whole cool hands thing happening. They're not cold, just cooler than most people's. I noticed that almost right off the second you went to hold my hand the other night. Then there's that whole way you move thing."
Angel couldn't resist asking, "How do I move?"
Willow waved her hand rather impatiently. "You know, that whole languid, stalking grace thing; that stealthy, predator vibe. It's pretty noticeable, though not in a bad way. I mean, you look great when you walk like that." Willow felt her cheeks flush. "I mean, it's impressive, you know, the control you have over your own body. Anyway, then there's the whole no reflection thing. I caught that when you held the door open for me in the car, then you walked behind the car to your side of the car. When I looked into the rearview mirror I couldn't see you even though I knew you were back there. Then all of a sudden you were at the driver's side door, as if you'd just materialized there. And finally, there was something about your aura. I couldn't place it at first. I'm not exactly the most proficient in reading auras- Thea, my mentor, says I've got a lot to learn, but I knew there was something dark to it. So, when I put all those little things together, plus the fact that you work in tracking down vampires and demons, well, it just made sense that you were one yourself." Willow finished off with a smile, looking incredibly proud of herself for her own amateur detective work. "So, I'm right, aren't I. You are a vampire."
Angel sank into the empty stool, resting his head in his hands so that his splayed fingers covered his face from her probing gaze. "You're a very smart girl Willow. I was wrong to underestimate you. But why, if you know all of this, aren't you afraid of me? After all, I told you about vampires I would think you'd be running for the hills rather than sitting here participating in small talk with one."
Willow cocked her head to one side, trying to figure out the man before her. He was such an enigma to her. There was a sadness tingeing his voice, a sort of defeated resignation. For a moment she wondered if perhaps he was even more in need of self esteem than she was. She almost giggled, imagining a therapist for vampires helping them overcome their self-esteem issues. "Why would I run from you Angel? You wouldn't hurt me, I know you wouldn't."
The absolute conviction behind her words caught Angel's attention, his head snapping up so he could look into her eyes. They stared back into his fearlessly. "And how can you be so sure of that? I'm a vampire Willow. What makes you so sure I wasn't just trying to get close to you in order to make you my next meal."
Willow laughed, a hearty sound devoid of fear or nervousness. Now that she had Angel so off center with her easy acceptance of his true nature, she found she couldn't stay mad at him. She was having too much fun surprising him with her easy acceptance of everything. "Why would you waste your time doing something so silly. As far as I can see, if you were only looking for your next meal, why subject yourself to sitting through my life history. I mean, that couldn't have been very interesting to you if you planned to kill me at the end of the night. Which, by the way, you didn't, as we can both obviously see as I'm still here now. And I may not be the greatest Wiccan from the Temple of Diana but I could sense more than danger from your aura. There's a light surrounding you- right around here." Willow placed a hand over the area of his chest that housed his heart. "It's almost angelic in its brilliance. I picked up on it right away, at least when I went looking for it. I could sense your goodness, and that wasn't something I think I'd be able to if you were simply the demonic creature you described vampires as."
"Is that all?"
Willow shook her head. "No, I just knew I could trust you. I can't even explain it myself. Deep down, something inside me told me I could trust you- with my life even. It was like a voice whispering into my subconscious. I don't think I could be afraid of you even if I saw you feeding off somebody. My eyes would be battling what that voice is insisting inside me, and I think the voice would win. In my heart I feel I can trust you, even with my life. Am I wrong?"
Angel stared in amazement at the splash of red staining the black tabletop, catching the light as if it were a drop of Merlot and not his fallen tears. The reaction shocked him if only because he had not seen his own tears in almost two centuries. Yet here, now, in this crowded, impersonal club where life hummed and thrived along to the pounding beats of the music, this small, delicate woman had moved him to tears by only the complete and utter conviction behind her simple words. This woman who knew nothing about his past, let alone her own, trusted him as no other had ever been able to. He couldn't help but wonder if perhaps this was how Willow had felt towards him in the past. If Willow was tapping into her subconscious, then the feelings of trust she associated with him must have been there from the past, carried along with her soul into this new incarnation. The thought that Willow had trust him to such a point saddened him, if only because it represented one other thing he'd lost in his long existence. Trust and companionship so close yet he'd never taken the time to recognize it.
Willow's quiet voice brought him back to the present. "Angel?" he felt small hands reach out to touch his own where they covered his face, gently prying them away so that he was forced to look at her. Was it possible she understood just how deeply her words were affecting him? Her eyes were heavy with awareness, making her appear older than she actually was. They also shot right through him with the trust plainly stamped into the crystalline depths. She held him transfixed with just her gaze. "Angel, please tell me why you didn't call me all week. Whatever it is, it can't matter anymore."
Angel couldn't help himself. Perhaps it was the soothing tone of Willow's voice, or the gentle stroking of her hand against his. Either way, Angel found himself aching for the comforting warmth of Willow's body against his own. Angel pulled Willow to her feet as he rose and, before she even knew what was happening, found herself enveloped within the strong blanket of his arms. Her body tensed at first, not out of fear but out of confusion. She had no idea what was going on in his mind, and it worried her. His arms were wrapped around her petit body, clinging to her in an almost desperate nature, much like a drowning man clinging to a life preserver. His fingers had somehow tangled into the wild mane of hair that fell freely past her shoulders, his palm stroking the silky strands lovingly. Though the music prevented her making out any specific words, Willow was pretty positive he was murmuring something in to her hair, his lips brushing sensually against her scalp with every whispered word. Within moments Willow found herself relaxing against him, her own arms rising up to wrap around his waist, meeting at the small of his back where she rubbed soothing circles through the thin material of his shirt. She closed her eyes, resting her cheek against his chest, and gave herself up to the wonderful feeling of holding someone and being held back. His body was silent against hers and, strangely, that comforted her. Yes, she definitely trusted him. Had she ever felt as safe as she did wrapped in his arms? For a moment, Willow could feel the world disappear until it contained only her and Angel.
Suddenly, Willow felt a firm taping of fingers against her shoulder blade. Spinning around Willow found herself face to face with a highly amused Lena and a confused Adam. Her and Angel sprang apart like guilty lovers, which was a ridiculous reaction since they'd merely been hugging and were anything but. Still, Willow knew she was blushing and Angel, who was usually so cool and collected, looked precisely like the proverbial kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"Sorry to interrupt this decidedly private moment, but I figured you want to introduce me to your new friend, Wills." Lena gave Angel a blatantly appreciative once over, her eyes sparkling with mirth. Lena's curious stare seemed to help the vampire recover some of his reserve. He straightened up under her once over, his hands finding and interlocking with Willow's. He returned Lena's own curious gaze, his lips curling into an answering half smile to her own smile.
It took Willow a half-second longer to regain her own equilibrium. When she found her voice it was higher pitched than normal. "Lena, I want to introduce you to my friend, Angel. We, um, just ran into each other here. Isn't that such a coincidence."
Lena's own eyes narrowed at the revelation of who exactly this guy was. "Angel, well, la dee da. I must admit, I never thought I'd be meeting you. Let me guess- you lost Willow's number and have been frantically searching the web directory all week in search of it."
Willow began to panic; afraid that Lena's abrasive attitude would scare Angel off. Willow might have forgiven Angel easily for his brush off but Lena would be much harder to placate. Lena had a tendency to offset Willow's own compassion and willingness to forgive with her own brand of skepticism and hard heartedness, at least when it came to those who tried to hurt herself or those she loved. And Angel had most definitely hurt Willow. Winning Lena over was going to an entirely uphill battle. Seeing Lena's crossed arms and closed off face, Willow felt a twinge of guilt. Lena was always ready to protect her against any potential hurt and here Willow had gone and kept Lena in the dark about so many elements of her friendship with Angel that would have helped Lena understand the situation so much better. Of course, she knew she couldn't tell Lena everything, at least not yet. Not when she herself was faced with so many unanswered questions. Later, Willow would explain everything to her. Right now she had to find a way to get Angel out from underneath Lena's firing squad so they could be alone.
Laughing nervously, Willow did the only thing she could think of. She babbled. "That's right, Lena. This is the Angel I told you about. Angel, this is my best friend since childhood, Lena, and her boyfriend, Adam. Isn't it funny how we all ended up at the same club together. I mean, how Angel ended up here, cause obviously the three of us is here together cause we came here together. But I had no idea Angel would be coming to this club, out of all the clubs in S.A. or that he even went to clubs at all. Angel, I bet you didn't realize Lena's father owns this club. Isn't that something? She used to have birthday parties here when she was younger. Of course, they were during the daytime and they would be closed parties. It's not like her father would have a bunch of seven year olds running around an adult nightclub late at night. Now that would just be silly. Did I ever tell you about the time I slept over Lena's house and she made me sneak out of the house with her and came all the way downtown in order to sneak into the club and see what it was like during regular business hours. Boy were our ten year old sensibilities shocked that night. And the trouble we got in when we were caught. I wasn't allowed to leave my house for 2 months after that."
"Willow!" Lena yelled for the third time, finally getting through to Willow who immediately stopped talking. Lena, for her apart, appeared more subdued at the end of Willow's tirade, her eyes actually regaining some of their amusement. Both her and Adam, and even Angel, were smiling at Willow. Willow's own weapon against discomfort never ceased to disarm emotional barriers between people.
"Sorry. Anyway, I'd love to stay and chat and have us all get to know each other, but Angel and I were just leaving. He, um, asked me to go somewhere with him, so he could explain everything, and I said yes. I'm sorry to abandon you guys, but I was sure you'd understand, Lena." Willow gave Lena her best puppy dog expression, her eyes pleading with her lifelong friend to not continue giving Angel a hard time. At the same time, she squeezed Angel's hand with her own, hoping he would play along with her plan to help them escape. Fortunately, Angel remained silent in his support, squeezing Willow's hand back.
Lena remained skeptical, pulling Willow forward and out of Angel's grasp in order to whisper in her ear. "Wills, are you sure that's such a good idea. I mean, this guy blew you off, had you upset all week, and then suddenly shows up out of nowhere and you're going to go off alone with him. Weren't you the one who said you knew hardly anything about him? What if he's some kind of psycho serial killer who preys off college girls? Have you even considered that possibility? 'Cause I have, and if I end up having to identify a body tomorrow morning I'm going to follow you into the afterlife and kill you myself, after I track him down and kill him. Frankly, I'm not sure I have the energy for such a task."
Willow hugged her friend, hoping to reassure her through her body language. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'm a big girl who can more than take care of herself. Angel won't hurt me, and there'll be no killing of anybody of any kind. Just trust me and I promise to explain everything later. Do you trust me?"
"It's not a matter of trusting you Wills. You know I do. It's whether or not I can trust him," Lena jerked her chin in Angel's direction, who was watching the two friend uneasily. He hated the idea that he might be causing problems for Willow and her friends, but he knew this was something Willow had to take care of herself, and so he remained quiet.
"I trust him, Lena. I promise we'll talk about this. Tomorrow." With one final hug, Willow extricated herself from Lena's grasp and rejoined Angel where he was standing. With a final goodbye, Willow pulled Angel out of the club, aware the entire time of Lena's eyes on their backs as they walked away. Willow released the breath she'd been holding in relief as she and Angel found themselves standing on the sidewalk outside the club. Giving Angel a winning smile, Willow commented, "Well, that wasn't so hard. Now, how about we head back to your place?"
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