Rated: PG-13
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer belong exclusively to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Warner Brothers. I'm just borrowing.
Part five in the Friends... Lovers... Series.
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"How do you feel?" Angel bent over the bed to kiss Willow's forehead.
She smiled at him sweetly, "Kinda fuzzy." She giggled, "You have two heads. Two to smoochie…"
The young doctor at the end of the bed as he finished filling out the forms attached to the clipboard in his hand. "She's a little out of it because of the pain killers, but once she's had some rest, she'll be okay." He looked up at Angel, "Considering that this isn't the first time she's had some form of head injury, I want her to take it easy for at least a couple of days." The vampire nodded in response, "I trust you'll see she gets home all right."
"A-Angel…" He smiled gently at the girl, "Will you carry me home?" He couldn't help but laugh at the tone in her voice, "You… You laughed. I made a funny."
"Miss Rosenberg?" Willow turned to look at the Doctor, "I've written you a note," he handed it toward Angel, who reached out to take it, reading it closely, "It excuses you from school for at least the next two days."
Willow tried to sit up, "Oh, but… School…" Angel gently pushed her back onto the bed. "But, Angel… Research mode and I… Assignments…"
"It's all right, Will, I'm sure Buffy will be happy to pick up some work for you." She went to protest and Angel clamped a hand softly over her mouth. "What about the stitches?"
The Doctor shrugged, "Bring her back in two weeks. The cut wasn't deep enough to justify leaving them in any longer." He turned to make his way from the room, "Remember, Miss Rosenberg, rest."
As the Doctor disappeared, Willow tugged Angel's hand free of her mouth. "But school…" Angel gave her a playfully stern look, "Okay, I'm ssshhhed." She took his arm and carefully began to sit up. Angel helped her as she whispered, "Y-you know, my head didn't hurt until you brought me here. Not that it hurts now… It's more of an oogy feeling."
"Well, there was a lot of blood, Will. I was worried about you." Slowly, but surely, he helped her to her feet.
"Eeewww…" She groaned, closing her eyes as a wave of nausea passed through her. "Oh, I don't feel good." Angel wrapped a steadying arm around her waist and helped her from the emergency room. As they made their way out of the hospital and into the car park outside, Angel pulled her to a halt. "W-what?" She asked quietly. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and picked her up off the ground, cradling her in his arms. She giggled, surprised, "You're carrying me."
He breathed her in as she nestled closer to him. "You asked me to."
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Willow was almost asleep when Angel carefully helped her stand at her outer bedroom doors. "Are we home?" She asked.
"Yeah…" He looked down at her carefully, "Do you have the keys?"
Leaning against him, Willow sighed, "In my pocket…" She tried to move her hand into the back pocket of her jeans to grab them, but she didn't have the strength. She frowned tiredly, "W-where's my pocket?" Angel ran a hand across her back, carefully searching for her pocket. As he delved into the pocket quickly, his hand began to shake and Willow shivered happily. "That tickles."
"Sorry." He muttered.
"Tickling is good." Willow buried her head further into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her, trying to keep her upright long enough to unlock the door. When he pushed it open, leaving the keys in the door, she clutched tightly at his shirt. She whispered winsomely, "Angel… Thank you… For saving me…"
He whispered in reply, "You're welcome." He helped her inside, carefully laying her down on her side on the bed.
"My hero…" She cooed.
The vampire leaned over her, running a cool fingertip over her face, "My heroine."
When he moved back across the room to the door, Willow called out, "No… Angel!" He stopped, turning to her. She tried to roll over and hurried to her, "Don't go…"
"Willow," he pulled her gingerly into her arms, "Come on, stay still."
"Just… Just don't go…"
He smiled down at her, "I wasn't going, Will. I was just closing the door. Don't want you to catch cold."
She laughed dubiously, "Oh."
Angel lowered her back down onto the bed. He pulled off her shoes and socks, moving the covers out from under her and tucking her into bed. He closed the door and then sat beside her on the bed, looking closely at her beautiful face. She's exhausted… He pushed a few strands of her hair from her face. And she's so pale… He sighed, But God, she's beautiful.
Almost asleep once again, Willow opened her eyes long enough to glance at the clock on her dresser. 4:47am. Sunrise… Soon… "C-close the curtains. Before the sun comes."
Eyebrows pressed together oddly, Angel asked, "What?"
Willow smiled, "Y-you were going to wait until I fell asleep… Then go…" She reached a hand behind her back and took his hand, "But I want you to stay…" He went to protest and she cut him off, "Stay. Promise."
Reluctantly, he nodded, "I promise." He got up, and she turned over slightly, far enough to watch him. He crossed the room and drew her heavy drapes, drapes she never normally closed. He checked to make sure there was no space the sunlight could get in, and then he walked back to the bed.
She pat the space behind her, "Hop in." She whispered weakly, "I promise not to bite you." He kicked off his shoes and socks and climbed into the bed, suddenly very nervous. He lay as far away from her as he could, not sure what it was that was making him so reluctant to be near her. She called him quietly, sincere want in her voice, "Angel…"
He rolled over, pressing himself against her tenderly, taking her into his arms. "Go to sleep, Willow."
As she nodded off, she told him in hushed tones of sweet innocence, wrapping her hands in his, "My hero…"
Angel smiled, telling her again, "My heroine…"
He meant it too.
It had been months now… Months and months since he had found her sleeping outside this very room and taken advantage of her, of her pure heart. Yet still she loved me. Still she risked her life to give me back my soul. And not for herself either. For Buffy. For her best friend who had pushed him away continuously since his return. The vampire burrowed his face into her hair, the scent of a wound warning him not to move any closer in case he accidentally bumped the stitches on the back of her head.
Willow should still be angry with me. She has every right to be. That she can forgive me… He shut his eyes tightly, "Willow Rosenberg," he spoke quietly into her ear, "You are the strongest, sweetest, most beautiful girl I've ever met. I'd die to change what I did to you." Tears leaked idly from his closed eyes, "I'm so sorry."
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Willow opened her eyes slowly, gazing around her darkened bedroom for a moment. How'd I get home? She tried to move, but a nauseous feeling tumbled through her. She paused, remaining perfectly still until it passed. Again she tried to move, this time much slower than the first. Hands tightened slightly around her waist and she paused, suddenly aware she wasn't alone.
Angel stirred beside her when she began to move. "Willow…" He murmured, still half asleep. "Are you okay?"
"Ah-huh…" She ran a hand behind her head to stroke his face playfully, "Angel… Why are you in bed with me?"
He sat up slowly, warily looking down at her, "You don't remember?" He saw her trying to roll over and tenderly reached out to help her. She faced him now, her eyes barely open, obviously still not feeling very good. "Do you know what happened last night?"
She half nodded, "Smoochies…" He almost chuckled at the innocuous way she said it. She went on, "And then… Blurry…" Willow groaned as another wave of nausea passed through her, "Wh-why does my head hurt so much?"
"Stitches." Angel told her quietly.
"Stitches?" She asked. He nodded and she sighed, "Ow." Nervously, Willow reached out a hand, gently tugging Angel back down on to the bed beside her. Propped up on one elbow as he lay on his stomach, he took her hand in his, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "How are you feeling?"
"Bad…" The vampire eyed her curiously and she explained quickly, "Because I… I was like… 'Why are you in my bed?' when I woke up… And… That was mean… I… I…" She smiled cheekily, "I don't mind that you're in my bed." He grinned at her and she matched his grin with a gorgeous one of her own. "A-Angel… You saved me. Thank you."
He shrugged, "No need to say thank you. Besides, you already did."
Willow's eyebrows pressed together, "I did?" He nodded. "I don't remember that…" She giggled, "But… Smoochies…" She ran her free hand over his face, gently caressing his cheek. "Angel," she whispered.
Angel leant down slowly, pressing his lips to hers in a delicate kiss. He could feel Willow's lips upturn in a smile as she returned the kiss, and couldn't help but do the same. After a few more moments, he pulled back. She grinned at him, then gasped suddenly, shutting her eyes tightly. "What is it?" He asked worriedly.
"Y-you know…" Willow opened her eyes again, "This would be nice… If I didn't feel so…" She swallowed hard, "Eicky."
"It's probably the side effects of the pain killers from last night…" He watched her carefully, "Are you gonna be okay?"
She nodded, "Uh-huh. Just give me a second…" Willow swallowed again, hard and nauseatingly. She went to continue but was cut off when she clamped her own hand sharply over her mouth, hurriedly rushing out of the bed and from the bedroom.
Concerned, Angel got out of the bed quickly and followed her. She dashed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her before he had the chance to come in. He stood awkwardly at the door, listening unwillingly to her as she vomited profusely, gasping for breath. Eventually unable to stand it any longer, he opened the door and stepped into the bathroom. She was crouched over the toilet, still being sick. A slice of sunshine coming from the small window near the roof on the far wall was all the kept her from him…
He bolted across to her, moving through the sunlight so quickly that it barely had time to warm him. He leant across the bathtub, grabbing the cord and drawing the curtain on it shut. Darkness filled the room as he knelt beside her, grabbing a towel from the railing on the wall behind them. When she had finished, she spotted him, lowering her head in shame. "A-Angel… I don't want you to see me like this."
The vampire smiled gently, "I've seen far worse in my time, Will." He helped her to her feet, flushing the toilet and closing the lid, gently sitting her down on it. "Let me get you cleaned up… And I'll run you a bath, okay?" Willow nodded. He went to stand when the telephone in Willow's bedroom began to ring. The girl beside him began to get up, but he forced her to remain seated. "I'll get it, Will. You just stay there." She nodded reluctantly and he turned, hurrying back into her room and snatching the phone up, "Hello?"
"Angel?" Buffy's shocked voice came quickly through the telephone.
Cringing, he replied, "Buffy…"
The Slayer's voice was layered in curiosity, "What are you doing there?" She paused for a moment then went on, "In the middle of the day?"
"Er…" He sighed, "Well, Willow was jumped by a vampire last night and she got a bit banged up…" Sensing that she was about to cut him off, he told her comfortingly, "She's okay. It was mainly just a bump on her head. She got some stitches and the Doctor dosed her up on this stuff… I… I couldn't really leave her… She wasn't feeling too good… So I stayed…"
Relief could be heard clearly in Buffy's voice as she said, "I'm glad you were there to help her. Where is she now? Can I talk to her?"
"Actually, she's in the bathroom…" He unwillingly admitted, "She's just been sick."
"Oh." Buffy offered quietly, "I might come by after school then. I just wanted to know where she was… Willow never misses school."
Angel smiled, "I know." He remembered the Doctor telling Willow to take at least two days off and asked, "Buffy, the Doctor said Willow should take it easy for a couple of days. No School. Can you bring her some work?"
"Yeah, sure I can."
Silence ensued for a few moments until Angel eventually said, "Well then… I'll see you later."
"Yeah, okay." Buffy murmured, then said quickly, "Thank you, Angel. I'm glad you're taking care of her." Then the phone went dead in his hand.
Angel hung it up, I can never quite figure Buffy out… He turned making his way back to the bathroom. But I'm glad too… That I'm with Willow. I want to take care her of her. I need to.