Distribution: Angel of Mine, TNPWFLD, Seren's Site, Fever of Fate, anyone else please ask first.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Angel, Willow and co. do not belong to me. They are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and the WB. All characters are used without permission. No copyright infringement intended.
Feedback: Me + Feedback = Happy!!!
Summery: Angel rushes to save Willow.
Spoilers/Warnings: Invisible Girl
Authors Notes: Based around the episode 'Invisible Girl'. Part three in the Forbidden Love series.
< > Indicates thoughts.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As Angel entered the corridors of Sunnydale High School to bring Giles the Codex he briefly wondered if Willow would be there with him, staying late to help him research.
<Maybe I'll get a chance to talk with her...or walk her home. >
Reluctantly he pushed that thought and the feelings that went along with it aside.
He shouldn't be having these feelings for her, it was wrong. Espically after what had happened between himself and Buffy just a few short weeks ago.
He had kissed her. Even with all he had felt for Willow he had kissed her....Twice.
He had tried to reason it by telling himself that Willow had no interest in him. And that he and Buffy had something.
He had known Buffy was interested in him and he had kidded himself that his feelings were as strong as hers. They weren't.
But he never once tried to end what he had with her.
Buffy had told Angel on several occasions that Willow loved Xander. Whether it was because she suspected something he didn't know.
But for whatever reason she had told him, it made him realize that he could never be with willow. That she would never want a monster like him.
And so he had settled for someone who did want him, even though he had known it was wrong.
He had tried to reason it by the fact that Buffy was a slayer, and therefor probably wouldn't last that long and therefore deserved to be happy. Even if it meant he had to live a lie.
But no matter what, Angel still longed for Willow.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Angel walked through the doors to the library and was surprised to find it empty. Walking towards the office expecting to find Giles there, he instead found it deserted. Surprised at this Angel headed out of the library wondering where Giles was, knowing he was at the school most nights till late.
Spotting another teacher working late, Angel quickly turned on his heal and started walking in the opposite direction, not wanting to explain his reason for being in the school this late.
As Angel approached the far exit he began to catch a faint smell that seemed out of place in the school.
Deciding it would be best to find the source of the smell and investigate it, Angel started to find the source.
As the smell began to get stronger he recognized it to be gas. Realizing the danger he raced towards where it was coming from.
Hurrying down a flight of stairs leading down into the basement Angel was suddenly overpowered by the smell.
Heading towards the boiler room Angel tossed the Codex on top of a near by barrel and forced the door open.
The first thing Angel noticed the body that fell against his feet. Looking down he saw it was Giles. Looking next to him he saw Xander and Willow in the room too.
"Come on." Angel said as he helped Giles up and out of the room.
Noticing that Xander was getting up by himself he immediately went over to Willow.
Quickly checking her pulse to make sure she was still alive he was relived to find it slow but steady.
Not pausing, he reached down for her and lifted Willow up into his arms and carried her out of the boiler room to safety.
Once Giles had closed the door, briefly stopping the gas from escaping, he set Willow down, although reluctantly but keeping his arm around her.
"What happened?" Xander asked.
"You tell me," Angel replied distracted, his attention was still on Willow.
"I'm up Mom." Willow said, still not fully awake, leaning harder against Angel for support making Angel tighten his hold on her.
"Hi! What do you want?" Xander asked suddenly, drawing Angel's attention away from Willow.
"I brought you the Codex." Angel said reaching for the book and handing it to Giles. "I came in through the basement. I smelled the gas."
"W...we must shut it off or the whole building will go up!" Giles said alarmed.
"I'll get it. It's not like I need the oxygen." Angel said.
Part of him wanted to stay and let Giles turn it off so he could make sure Willow would be okay, but he knew deep down that he had to do it and that they would be able to take care of her.
Reluctantly he let go of Willow as they led her away, watching until she disappeared from view.
When they had gone, he turned around and headed back intro the boiler room to turn the gas off.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After he had shut the gas off he had returned to the library to check up on them...on Willow.
He had been relived to find them all okay for the most part, just a little woozy.
After a while Willow and Angel had been left on their own. Giles had gone into his office to look over the Codex and Xander being Xander had gone off in search for snacks.
Walking over to where she was sitting he leaned against the table and looked at her.
"I'm glad you okay." He said honestly.
"You are?" Willow asked surprised.
"Yes."
"Well, I have have to thank you. You saved my life." Willow said.
Angel was struggling to find a way to respond without giving away his feelings when Xander choose that moment to walk back through the door, arms full of snacks.
Noticing the way Willow laughed as Xander dumped his goods on the table he stood up to leave, a heavy feeling now in his dead heart.
Saying goodbye to the three of them he walked out the library, Willows laughs following him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that evening after Angel had returned to his apartment he finally let himself process what had happened.
He could have lost her. He could have lost the most important thing in his life in a second. If he hadn't gone over there...
As Angel lay down on his bed he prayed to whatever god could hear him, that Willow would never be taken from him.
The End