WEBSITE: http://crush.fanspace.com (Although very much under construction!!)
PAIRING: Okay... first we have New Girl/Angel, and Willow/Spike, which soooo doesn't last long, and there's very little sparkage, because then it changes to the way it should be, with Angel/Willow -- Spike gets the New Girl.
RATING: I'm gonna say R... there's sex, but it's not always very graphic.
SPOILERS: Season 4 BtVS and Season 1 Angel (Those are the two that correspond, right?)
ARCHIVE: Please do, just tell me where it went!
DISCLAIMER: All BtVS and AtS characters belong to Joss Whedon and crew, except for Kate, and the characters in her "world".
FEEDBACK: Yes, please! (Just use tact, and kind words, and no yelling, k?)
SUMMARY: The past lives of four characters catch up with each other.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 1~
Kate stretched to warm her muscles up, as did the other students in her dance class. She eyed each one, watching them carefully for strengths and weaknesses. Ballet was a competitive world, and she intended to stay on top for as long as she could. She wanted to dance and be famous in her way.
When her body felt ready, she raised herself up onto her toes and put her hand on the barre. She was home. No place felt as comfortable. The instructor, Madam DuPont, stood in front of the mirrors and began to call out positions. She focused, and let the music wash over her as she moved.
She loved to dance. Ever since she could remember, her mother had her enrolled in ballet. Now a senior approaching graduation, she lived for the dance. It consumed her life and it was all that she ever thought about. The rest of her life would have to involve dancing, she knew that it would have to. Since she was five, she made so many sacrifices to become the best dancer she could. Her parents made just as many sacrifices, and she didn't want to disappoint them. Most importantly, she didn't want to disappoint herself.
At the end of the two hours, her body was coated in a healthy sheen of sweat and her long blonde hair was dampened to her head. Even the curls in her bun were damp. A shower would be such a treat; she couldn't wait to get cleaned up.
"Kate!"
She turned, and looked behind her. Anne-Marie, her closest friend, was a few feet behind her. Her dark complexion was rosy, and her cheeks shone as well. Her hazel eyes sparkled. "Going out with us tonight?"
Kate didn't like the local dance bar. It was loud, and all she really wanted to do was curl up in bed with a good book.
Anne-Marie continued to push. "C'mon, you never come out with us!" She tugged on her friend's arm. "Please?"
In a moment of weakness she gave in. "Okay. Fine. Just let me call my mum."
"Sure," Anne-Marie beamed. "This is gonna be such a blast!"
~~~*~~~
Angel looked out of the car window, frowning. He couldn't believe he let Cordelia convince him to travel so far away to make sure a girl was alright. Across the country seemed like such a stretch for the Powers That Be; they usually chose lost souls that were relatively close to him. That was what influenced Cordy He glanced down at the piece of paper she had given him, checking the information one last time: Kate, blonde hair, silver eyes, 5'4", big smile, cute dimples, grey tank top, Capri Club. She had seen the girl, in the vision, at a club. Although the scene seemed happy, Cordelia still had a feeling that something wasn't quite right.
He wondered what supernatural problem surrounded her life. Was she possessed? Was she a witch that was dabbling in the black arts?
The bar came into sight quickly. The cab driver told him it would be five dollars, and he handed the money over. After getting out, he studied the big brick building that the club was situated in. It vibrated with the loud music; Angel winced. He would rather not go inside.
He put the piece of paper away and got out of the cab. There was a line, but Angel had no intention of waiting. He stepped past the young, drunk people waiting to get inside. The bouncer, a large, bulky man in his late twenties, looked at him blankly. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm here to speak to the manager. I'm the building inspector."
Immediately, the big bouncer stepped back and let Angel in. He made his way up the stairs, to the main dance floor telling him to check. The loud dance music was different than that he heard in L.A. Bodies were moving everywhere, the pulsing sounds of warm hearts were deafening.
He made his way to the bar and ordered himself a beer. If he had to do some undercover work, he was going to do it properly.
~~~*~~~
Kate looked around. She felt as though she was being watched, and it was starting to drive her crazy. Unable to find the source of the annoying sentiment, she turned back to Anne-Marie. "It's too hot in here. I think I'm gonna sit down."
"Oh no you don't," she laughed, pointing to a guy who was leaning against the bar. "Blame it all on him, but don't go anywhere. He's been checking you out for a while now."
The young dancer blushed, glad she was in a dark room so that no one saw. It took her a few minutes to find the courage to look over at him. When she did, she found him looking back at her. He was handsome, dressed in a leather duster, a red shirt, and black jeans. She liked how his hair was spiked, it seemed careless but in a perfected way. He had an angelic face; she wondered what he was like.
They made eye contact again, and this time she turned away. She felt electricity in the air that hadn't been there before. Kate shook her head. She wasn't confident enough to introduce herself to some strange guy at a bar, even if she was so attracted to him. She briefly wondered what it would be like to talk to a guy like that, but she quickly shook the thoughts away. Her liquid courage wasn't strong enough; she hated being really drunk because she wasn't legally allowed to drink for another year, but because she hated feeling that out-of-control feeling that comes with alcohol use.
One of their favorite songs came on. She usually didn't like Eminem, but it was great to dance to. All the other girls in their class rushed out onto the floor with them. She laughed and swayed to the beat, raising her arms into the arm and rapping with the words to 'Without Me' with Anne-Marie. She threw her head back and kept dancing. It felt so good.
~~~*~~~
Angel saw the rush of girls as he started to make his way over to the girl Cordelia told him to check on. He hated this kind of music; but, after watching Kate dance to it, he thought he could make a few exceptions. She was so alive! Her curves enticed him, her smile pulled him in.
The first time they made eye contact when he was at the bar, he felt a surge of electricity run through him. When she lifted her sparkling eyelids and looked at him from the dance floor, he immediately got up off his stool and walked towards her. He didn't know what possessed him, but he was so compelled to meet her.
She looked up again when he was a few feet away. Her eyes widened. He extended his hand out to her, in hopes that she would take it. He watched her cautious expression and kept wishing that she'd accept his advance. Slowly, she took her hand and put it into his. The warmth was comforting.
"I'm Angel," he introduced himself over the loud music.
"Kate," she said bashfully. "You're not from around here, are you?"
The loud music had turned into a slow ballad. This was more of his style. With a shake of his head, he suggested: "Would you like to dance?"
"Sounds like a plan," she accepted. She lifted her hands up to his shoulders, linking them behind his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist.
And then, the world disappeared from sight.
~Part: 2~
At seven o'clock, Willow looked up from her homework; Tara still hadn't returned from her four o'clock class. She was worried. Lately, the quiet blonde had been acting weird and the redheaded witch hadn't been able to pinpoint the source of her weirdness. On her desk, there was a portrait of the two of them; Xander had snapped the picture during their summer break. They looked so happy together; Willow wondered what was going on.
A knock at the door kept the tears from spilling out of her green eyes. She looked up and called out. "Who is it?"
"Your absolute fav'rite vamp."
Willow laughed and wiped at her face. After opening the door, she excused her wet eyes. "I'm fine, really. Just not having the best day. What's up?"
She stepped back and let him in. Spike was usually visiting Buffy, but when he did occaisionally come to visit her, she never had a lousy time. She felt safe with him; there was something she couldn't quite explain. Even when he had kidnapped her, there was still am underlying sense of calm during the entire experience Xander
"What gives, Red? The tears aren't exactly complimentin' that beautiful face of yers."
She giggled. "Sweet talking, Spike?" She raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
"I came o'er to visit my fav'rite lesbians," he answered. At his words, Willow broke into sobs. When Spike wrapped his arms around her, she felt security. She kept crying, for her insecurities and hopes and fears. "What's wrong, Red?"
"I think Tara's cheating on me."
"What?"
Willow carefully discussed the evidence with him, between hiccups: late nights, lack of affection, detached behavior, no communication. Then, she looking up at him, she asked his opinion. He shrugged. "Maybe ya don't know the whole story yet. But," he walked to her stereo and turned the radio on. "I do know what'll cheer ya up for now."
"What's that?"
The soft song playing on the radio was soothing. "Dancin'."
"What's that gonna fix?"
"Well," he put an arm around her waist, pulling her against his body. "Ev'rything for the time bein'. Dancin' with me might be the perfect cure for what ails ya." He grinned down at her and started to sway. "Besides, I'm real' bad at it. It'll be funny."
Spike had been walking to see Buffy in the library while she tried to study head in her hands. Something possessed him to go to her, to see what was wrong with her. He had always been interested in her in some way, even when she was unrestrained "I so don't think this is appropriate."
"Why not, Red?"
She blushed. "I'm not supposed to look at-"
"Men?"
"I do sort of have a girlfriend."
He smiled again. "It's only one dance. What harm could it do?"
He watched her reasoning process. The thoughts she was thinking could almost be read across her face. After a few minutes, she asked: "You think this'll help cheer me up?"
"Quite certain."
"Okay," she nodded, slipping her hands up onto his shoulders. "One dance."
Her scent music. As she rested her head on his chest, she relaxed; he could feel her muscles give in. He tightened his grip on her, resting his head against hers. A darkness wrapped around them, and pulled them away from the world they knew.
~Part: 3~
Angel looked around. One minute they were in a dance club, and the next, they were in a luxurious house that seemed to be in a warm, exotic location. He kept the girl behind him, as he studied their surroundings. "Do you know how we got here?" She asked questions from her position in his shadow. "We were just in the club, right? Did you give me drugs?" The pitch of her voice raised. "Who the hell are you?"
He didn't speak. He didn't know how to explain the real world to her; vampires and magic and evil were things that young girls shouldn't have to face. The furniture was extravagant and made of beautiful woods and fabrics. Beyond the open windows, he could smell salty sea air. Waves were lapping at the coast, which was nearby. "Stay close, okay?"
Delicately, she said. "It's only a living room."
"You don't know what got us here. You don't know if it's still here."
"It?"
"There are a lot of Oits' in this world, me being one of them." She grabbed his coat, tugging to stop his search so he could explain himself. He launched into an explanation, but got stuck. It was hard to find the words, so in a moment of insensitivity, he showed her his true face.
She ran out of the room, and screamed. He chased after her.
~~~*~~~
"Spike?"
"Yes, Red," he opened his eyes slowly as he regained his bearings. He was in a library, of sorts. There were shelves of books that lined two of the coral walls. At first, he had thought that it was the Watcher's place, but the air smelled different, and it didn't look like any of the rooms he had seen. "What can I do for you?"
"Are you okay? I thought I heard you hit your head on something solid."
He nodded, and with her assistance, he stood up. "Where do you figure we are?"
A scream was heard in the distance. He could hear running foot steps, and it sounded like there were two people running. Willow moved to the door, and put her hand on the knob. "Any guesses?"
"Well," he reasoned. "We should probably go see what the screamin's about. Just stay behind me, alright? The Slay'r'd have my hide if you got hurt."
She opened the door and pointed left. "There's more light coming from that way. Maybe that's where they are?"
They ventured out into the hallway together. Spike kept his guard up the entire time, using his senses to detect who was in this building with them. He knew that if anything happened to Willow, Buffy would have his head mounted on her wall. Since he definitely didn't want that to happen, he made sure she stayed behind him so nothing attacked her. He reached out with his mind: there was a heartbeat, and a very familiar scent in the air.
They kept walking until they reached the doorway, which opened up into an indoor garden. The room was warm and humid, heavy with floral scent. Inside, there were two figures; Spike cursed, Willow gasped.
Angel looked up and saw two people he never believed that he would see.
Spike raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here, Peaches?"
Angel's eyes were dark and guarded. Behind Spike, Willow moved. "It's so good to see you, Angel."
He broke his intense gaze to grin. "Willow," he opened himself up to her. She walked past Spike, and gave him a hug. Spike blinked at the depth of emotion the witch held; he didn't think she and the poof were close enough for hugs. After a quick embrace, Spike felt the air change; he chuckled Interesting. "You don't know what we're doing here, do you?"
Willow smirked. "Yeah, cuz I'm powerful enough to zap three of us here for my personal pleasure. Remember? I'm a girl lover."
Spike chuckled.
"Four."
Spike's eyes opened wider. He looked around the room. Sure enough, there was a young girl sitting down on a bench by a huge green plant with bright yellow flowers. She had long blonde hair that fell in big loose curls, and her body was so tiny, that at first glance, he thought it was Buffy. However, after careful examination, he realized she was someone entirely different.
The girl stood up on shaking legs. "We were dancing at a club, in Maine. And then, we ended up here." She looked at the newcomers. "Did you two know vampires existed?"
Willow nodded. Spike spoke. "I happen to be one."
"But, he has this chip thing in his head," Willow started to explain. "So, he can't really hurt you. And, besides, Angel has his soul, so you're safe there, too. My name's Willow."
"I'm Spike, Luv," he bent down a bit and kissed her hand. Under her skin, he could feel her pulse racing unsteadily. He loved knowing he affected her.
Angel made a gagging noise. "Feel free to ignore him anytime you want."
Willow laughed. "Angel and Spike have some issues to work out. Ignore them both if you want," her easy attitude made the younger girl smile. "They are harmless though, in case you were worried."
"Thanks," Kate smiled. "This is all new to me."
"It'll take some time," Spike reasoned. "Take all the time you need."
Willow raised her head sharply. "I know you have a chip in your head, but since when have you ever been so considerate?"
"A few minutes ago." He replied, in a very matter-of-fact tone. "In yer room, Red?"
"Oh, right," she said, shaking her head gently.
"What?!" Angel said, pacing the living room. "He was in your room? What were you thinking?"
Willow felt no need to defend herself to him. They were never very close, as he had spent more time with Buffy than anyone else; and after he left, she had sent him a few emails, but his replies were fairly short and without much detail. "Yes, he was. He came by to cheer me up. Tara and I weren't working out very well." Her eyes widened. "Do you think there's a phone here? She must be so worried!"
Angel smiled. "We'll look for a phone in a minute. Take a breath, relax." He smiled. Willow noticed how relaxed he seemed. His smiles were comforting and warm, not tight and uncomfortable as they usually seemed.
"Thanks."
"Why are we all here, Angel?"
Angel shrugged. He wished he had answers.
~Part: 4~
Spike and Kate had been alone for twenty minutes. She kept asking questions, about vampires, about his relationship to Willow and Angel, and what their own relationship was. She didn't understand why she was chosen to be with this colorful group of people. She didn't understand where she fit into all of this mess.
She sat down, keeping incredibly still. Spike, on the other hand, was pacing. Kate looked over at him a couple times; he did nothing to keep her calm. "Could you change your pattern or something?"
He stopped and looked at her. When his eyes pierced hers, she felt completely exposed. She shivered and looked away. "Thanks."
"Relax," he advised. "Peaches isn't the brightest crayon in the box, but he's tough enough. Besides," he winked. "You've got me to protect you."
She raised an eyebrow. "You're going to protect me? Really..."
He dropped to her level, kneeling in front of her. He put a hand on her knee, securing her in place. She waited for what was next, unsure of what he was up to. Slowly, to her horror, his face began to shift like Angel's had. She trembled at first, but after he changed, her curiosity got the better of her. "Can I?"
He nodded. "Go ahead."
Tentatively, she reached out with a delicate hand and let her fingers sweep over the bumps on his forehead. It all felt real, she deducted then that it must be real. "This isn't a trick, is it?" He shook his head. Her fingers dropped, over his raised cheekbones, and then down lower to his lips. She brushed a fang with her index finger. It was sharp, and she broke the skin. She gasped in pain, he jumped back, clutching his head. "Are you okay?"
After the pain in his head lessened, he nodded. "There's this implant in my head. Stupid soldiers thought it would be fun to clip my wings. When I hurt people, it goes off."
"Negative stimulus."
"Yeah."
She sighed. "That must suck."
"You have no idea."
He came back to her, still wearing the face. "Any more questions?"
She nodded, putting her fingers in the middle of his forehead. "Can you make it disappear?" He nodded back at her, and slowly, the ridges slipped away. She shivered. "That's neat."
"I've heard scary, grotesque," he responded, standing up. "Even sexy. But never Oneat.'" He offered her a hand, and she stood up with him. "We should probably go find Peaches and Red, break up their happy reunion."
~~~*~~~
"Angel's looking around." Willow had been watching them for some time. The tenderness Spike could have, that she knew existed underneath his Obad vamp' image, was as on the surface as his demonic face had been. Kate's curiousity intrigued her; she wasn't too upset, and she kept asking questions. "He's trying to find a phone."
Spike nodded. "I figure we're around Greece."
Willow agreed. "That's what Angel thought, too."
Kate asked, "How did we get here?"
The redhead shrugged. "It felt magical. A spell maybe."
"But, why?"
"Get us out of the way, maybe," Spike offered. "We should try to warn Buffy, in case there's a new big bad."
Willow put her hand up. "It doesn't make sense, though. Why Angel? Why Kate?" She walked around a bit, looking at the different plants growing. "They aren't near the Slayer."
"There's no phone."
When Willow heard Angel's deep voice, she felt her breath catch in her chest. Turning to see him, she felt a heat wash over her. She had no clue what was going on, as she thought her crush on him had died when he left after graduation, and vanished after Tara. Her face fell when she realized what he was saying. "No?"
He came into the room, walking closer to Willow. "Sorry, Wills. I couldn't find one."
"Bloody hell," Spike groaned. "So we're all trapped here."
"Until we find a way off the island, or find who brought us here."
Willow shivered; she didn't like feeling trapped. "Maybe I'll go for a walk to relax. See if there's a boat or dock or something around the coast."
Angel offered to go with her. She accepted. After saying goodbye to the others, she and Angel stepped out into the night, by walking through the house to the front door which was near the living room that Angel had been dropped off in. "It's a nice night," Willow said, as her green eyes scanned the dusky horizon. "A really pretty island."
He looked around warily. "Don't admire it too easily."
"Don't be such a crankypants," she countered. "We're stuck here, so we might as well enjoy it."
"You don't know where we are," he advised. "And we don't even know for sure if it's in our dimension! I just don't want you getting too attached to this place."
She walked toward him, tipping her head to look at him in a different angle. "What did you tell me? Oh, right, I remember now. ORelax.' Why don't you follow your own advice?"
He chuckled, and stepped away from her. She wondered if she had stepped into his personal space, and reprimanded herself for getting so physically close to him. "It is nice. Let's go down to the beach," he suggested. "I haven't put my toes in the sand in such a long time."
"Sounds good."
Together, they walked down a cleared path. Grasses grew in the sand, waving in the light coastal wind. Willow paused to take her socks and sneakers off, as Angel kept walking. She watched him move towards the beach with the scowl on his face.
"Did I do anything wrong?"
He shook his head. "Of course not."
"Well, you're acting funny."
"It's nothing," he tried to soothe her. "Really." He bent down and untied his shoes. He slipped out of them and his socks, and then gathered them up. "Where do you want to stop and rest?"
She sighed. "Doesn't matter." She closed her eyes and let the salty spray wash over her. "I'm gonna be full of sand when we go back."
He chuckled. "That's the problem with the beach."
"It's so beautiful though." She walked ahead of him, until the sand became cool and moist, where the waves lapped at the shore. She felt the water over her feet, her feet sinking into the sand a bit.
Angel joined her. At her side, he stood taller than her. He had rolled his pants up, she noticed when she ducked her head down to avoid looking into his eyes. "It's really nice. How have you been?"
"i've been better. Earlier today I was thinking my greatest problem was my relationship problems with Tara. And now, I'm worried about what plucked me out of my home and put me on this... resort."
"We'll find out what this is about." He seemed determined. "I promise."
"Angel," she turned and faced him. "Why us? Why Spike? And why that quiet girl?"
He shrugged. Once, he looked up at her, but he turned away, Willow wondered what was going on in his head. "Do you not want to be here with me?"
"What?"
"You keep turning away, shutting down," she explained. "You get so close to opening up and trying this talking thing, and then....." She stopped, and stepped away. "Maybe I'll head back and leave you alone."
He grabbed her. "Willow, please, don't. It's just," he tried, and then stopped. "I'm just," he stopped again. Willow raised an eyebrow. "I'm really hungry."
A sigh of relief washed over her. "That's all?"
He nodded, seeming sheepish when he noticed how easily she took it into stride. "Why didn't you say something?" His eyes widened when she pulled her shorter hair back off her face and neck. "You should eat something."
He shook his head. "I can't do that."
"You have to eat."
"When I fed," he tried to explain, uncomfortable. "When I fed off of Buffy, when I was sick, I couldn't stop. She almost died. I couldn't deal with it if I took your life."
She chuckled. "No need for dramatics. First, you were sick and hungry. Second, I'm a witch, and am not afraid to use force. "
"Willow..."
"Angel, this is my resolve face."
"I can't do that to you."
~Part: 5~
"So, what do you think they're doing?"
"Shagging," Spike nodded, smoking a cigarette out the window. When Kata raised her head sharply and looked blankly at the vampire, he snorted. "C'mon, Pet, have a li'l' bit of faith in me. I do know some things."
"But how do you know that?"
He flicked the ash outside, then pulled his arm inside. "When Angel was evil, when he lost his soul a couple years back, he had a slight infatuation with redheads. Red in particular he found attractive. She has a lot of power. He liked that."
"And because he likes her, she'll-"
"Angel was the slay'r's ex, Pet. Being the outsider, I was lucky enough to see how she looked at him. Buffy didn't notice; the slay'r was in love. Besides, even you noticed he was attractive."
She blushed and turned away. Spike chuckled, and then decided to find out more about this girl. "So, what's your superpower?"
"What?"
He shrugged. "Willow's a witch, And Peaches and I are vampires... what do you do?"
"I dance."
"So yer gonna dance your enemy to death."
She rolled her eyes. "I don't fight. I don't have magic powers. I'm a high school student a few months shy of graduation, who happens to be the best ballerina in my hometown. Big deal, you're a vampire. I'm supposed to be famous."
Spike exhaled for the last time, tossing the cigarette butt out the window. "Nice, and all, but we're on this island. We were all dragged here somehow, with magic. This isn't a vacation, Pet. You were picked for a reason."
She started pacing. Spike smirked and shook his head. She had to be uncomfortable, still clad in her grey tank top and tight jeans she had worn to the bar. Earlier, she had taken off her strappy sandals, so she would be able to walk around easier. "I was not p icked for a reason. I was just dancing with Angel."
"Willow and I were dancing."
"Well," she flapped her arms around. "Maybe I was just taken because it was bad timing. Wrong place, wrong time sort of thing."
"Maybe. Maybe not."
She continued to pace. Spike groaned, knowing it would be a long night.
~~~*~~~
Willow bared her neck by tilting her head; she slipped one hand behind Angel's head, and the other hand clutched her shoe for protection. "I'm not going to change my mind," she told him. "So, eat. You need your strength."
Angel didn't want to feed from her; there was potential trust that he didn't want to destroy. "Willow."
"Resolve face."
She pulled him down. He gave in, his hunger moving his face to change. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her towards him. Against his body, she felt so warm and so fragile. He tried to slide his fangs into her skin as gently as possible, but when she winced, he reprimanded himself for being so rough with her. He opened the vein, and blood flowed into his mouth. It was potent; he tasted her power.
"We have to get Kathryn out of here. If the Queen surrenders-"
Around them, there was a war. They could see the explosions happening in the distance, in front of the celestial palace. The stars still shone, but the smoke hid them. People were crying and people were dying.
The redhead nodded. "I agree. William said he was going to fetch her."
Angelus pulled Willow to him, kissing her passionately. "Go to the ship. Wait there. I'll make sure they come back with me."
Minutes later, he pulled back, shocked. "You saw that, too, right?"
Willow nodded. "Yes. Was that one of those visions that Cordelia gets?"
He shook his head. "I don't know what those are like, but this seemed real." She was about to wipe her neck; she could feel the watery blood seeping from the wound, and wanted to wipe it away. Angel stopped her. "Let me."
He dipped his head, and let his tongue move slowly across the wound. She shivered, leaning against him for support. His mouth moved in mysterious ways; she didn't know exactly what he was doing, but it felt really good. Before she started to purr, he lifted his head. She caught his golden eyes, as he still wore his demonic face. He ducked away, but she held onto his chin firmly. "Hiding?"
"You shouldn't have to look at-"
"You and Spike are so different," she mused. "Spike likes to show off his bumps. You like to hide them."
Angel frowned. "You shouldn't have to see them. It's a frightening face, and-"
She cut him off again. "I hate to break it to you, but it's kind of boring now." She didn't dare mention that she thought that he was still handsome; it felt like an awful thing to think, not only because of her relationship with him, but because of her relationship with Tara.
"Boring?"
"A day without seeing a 'grrr face' is like a day without sunshine.. Definitely not scary." She extended her hand. "Let's go down and wade a bit."
"How about I just take you back to the house. Dawn's coming soon," he frowned. "I think. It should be, anyway. I don't want to get stuck in trouble."
She stuck her lower lip out, jokingly pouting. "You just don't want to get wet."
"I'll draw you a bath," he promised. "And you can get as wet as you want."
Willow gave in; she knew she wasn't going to win Face, but Angel was like the Rock of Gibraltar. "Alright. But," she wiggled her eybrows mischieviously. "I'm weak. I've lost some blood. Maybe you should carry me back to the castle."
Smirking with an intensity equal to hers, he scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She squealed, her heart racing, as he rushed up to the house again.
When she saw the tile of the back door, she figured that he'd put her down, and she prepared to be set on the ground again. However, when he opened the door, he continued to carry her into the house.
She saw the different rugs and floors pass under her, disorientated because of her position. "Angel, could you please put me down?"
He replied dryly. "it's a long walk to the living room. I wouldn't want you to get dizzy."
"I can take it from here." With that, he carefully put her down. The friction between them, she hoped, went unnoticed by him. She had felt it, and she almost wished she hadn't. "C'mon," she headed off, only to be pulled back. "Angel?"
His eyes had trouble meeting hers. "I'm really thankful. For-"
"For the free meal?" She winked. "No worries. I'm glad I helped."
Before he could say anything else, she dragged him into the room. "Hey guys, what's up?"
Spike's eyes widended. "bloody hell, Red! What did Nancyboy do to you?"
Willow shrugged. "He was hungry."
Angel raised his hand before Spike could say something else. "Spike, that really isn't the issue right now. We saw something, while I was feeding from her."
Kate looked at Willow. "Did it hurt?"
Willow shrugged. "It wasn't too bad."
"Girls, I believe we're gettin' off track." Spike stopped their conversation. "What did you two see?"
Willow spoke first. "It seemed... old.. But, i really don't know. We were all wearing fairly modern clothes. Pants, skirts, shoes... my hair was done up." She sighed as she sat down on a footstool. "We were in the middle of a war. The queen, our queen I guess, was about to surrender"
"We were talking about getting Kathryn. We had to find her, because someone named William was supposed to get her, but we hadn't seen them yet." Angel said, sitting in the armchair that went with the stool. "So, somehow, I'm assuming, we're all connected."
Kate flopped down on a sofa. "So we all had some past together."
Willow snapped her fingers. "Maybe if Spike drinks from Kate, they'll see something?"
Spike jumped in protest. "Oh no, we don't. That kind of thinking gives me a great big headache."
Angel agreed. "I don't want to put her in danger."
Willow protested. "But we could get a bigger clue!" She whirled around and looked at Angel. "It happened when you fed from me. It's very likely that it could happen to them, and then we would have some indication of the greater reason behind us being here."
Spike shook his head. "I'll get a headache."
"Anyone want to ask me how I feel about this?" Kate spoke up. "I mean, it's my blood and my neck."
Willow frowned. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry about that."
Angel closed the gap between them. "What do you want-"
"Excuse me."
The four turned around. A young, blonde woman stood wearing a long and creamy shift dress that hung loosely around her curves. Her hair was worn long, but pulled back with a clip. Kate and Angel didn't say anything, but Spike and Willow gasped. Willow's chest tightened around her heart, and she didn't know if she could breathe. Tears sprung into her eyes; she felt Angel's hand on her back, but she flinched and rushed forward.
Falling at the woman's feet, she started sobbing. "Tara? What are you doing here?"
The quiet woman smiled. "All will be revealed soon. I promise. The sun is coming up soon, so you all might want to eat and go to bed." She bent down and cupped Willow's face with her hand; the touch was cold and although it was meant to be comforting, it sent a chill up her spine. "I didn't mean to mislead you. There wasn't any time to explain."
"Are you-"
"No, I'm the advisor to an old deity."
"Advisor?"
She pressed her lips to the redhead's forehead. "Tomorrow night, I will explain everything to you."
"Promise?"
Tara nodded.
~Part: 6~
Spike woke up and smelled blood. He didn't open his eyes immediately; instead, he waited and gained his bearings so he could predict what he would see. He could smell a girl, and since he knew it wasn't the redhead, it had to be Kate.
"Kate," he spoke upon opening his eyes. "What are you doin' up?"
She brought her hand under his nose. She had blood on her fingertips. "I couldn't sleep." He sat up, making sure that the bedsheet didn't fall off of his naked hips. She had cut into the soft top of her right breast, leaving a three-inch long scratch that was bleeding. "I cut myself so it wouldn't hurt you."
"Bloody hell," he sighed, running a hand through his bleached hair. "Kate, you're crazy."
"I know," she smiled. "Could you please get this before it stains my pajamas?"
He nodded. Scooting forward, he put one of his hands on her back, and the other he linked with one of hers. When his face changed, she gasped, but didn't move back. Slowly, he lowered himself onto the wound; as he lapped and sucked at it; she relaxed and didn't notice when he sunk his fangs into her. There was no pain in his head, he mused.
Withdrawing his teeth, Spike kept licking until the blood stopped seeping, when her natural clotting mechanisms took over. He purred a little, and looked up at her, eyes glowing golden.
"Thanks, Pet."
She blushed, and turned away. "You're welcome."
He sat up a little, pulling his posture so he wasn't leaning over her anymore. "Why did you do this?"
Kate shrugged. "I don't know. I guess part of it was so I didn't feel left out, and some of it was so we could try to see something that would give us a clue, and," she sighed, "I figure it's not very fair if I can eat all the fruit and things left out for us, and you can't. Willow sort of handed herself over to Angel in that regard, so, I was all that was left for you."
He snorted. "I hardly think of it that way."
She blushed a deeper shade of crimson, but changed the subject. "I didn't see anything. Did you?"
"No, not yet." He looked away for a second; he found her innocence and beauty completely captivating, as well as completely distracting. "There's got to be some way I can make this up to you."
She shook her head. "I didn't do it for a favour."
"I realize, Pet."
When she yawned, Spike wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and pulled them both down into a horizontal position. She protested at first, but when he pressed himself up against her from behind, and wrapped his arms to secure her place, she gave in with a sigh. "This feels good."
"I know."
"Thanks."
"No probl'm. Us outsiders got to stick togeth'r." She chuckled. Almost immediately, her breathing slowed. Spike, content for the time being, followed suit.
~~~*~~~
"William!" Kathryn called out, waving furiously. When the well-dressed blond neared, he saw the tears that were staining her regally pale cheeks. "Mother won't budge. She's made her decision."
He frowned, as disappointment set in. "When will you two get hitched?"
"I don't know. I guess whenever the war's over. Angelus is from an aligned kingdom."
"But he's in love with-"
"Maid Rosen." Kathryn sighed, bowing her head. "I know. I tried to explain."
"We have to get to the ship. Angelus and Willow are there waiting for us." He reached for her hand, gripping it tightly while turning to pull her away with him. When she didn't budge, he stopped and looked at her. "Princess, please. We have to go."
"What's the point? We'll just have to come back and be broken up. I'm just going to cause pain and suffering for everyone involved."
William wasn't about to give up, or lose the girl he loved more than anything else in the world. Especially with the war going on around them. "Look, if those demons get a hold of you, you will wish you came with us."
Spike woke up, gasping for breath. He was lying on his back, looking up at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Kate, using his chest as a pillow, was stirring as well. "Pet?"
She stared into space for a moment, and then blinked and turned to him. "Did you-"
"I saw us."
"Me too."
He glanced at the window. "It's dark. Maybe we should go see what Red and Peaches are up to."
~Part: 7~
Tara was standing in the middle of the room. Willow and Angel were sitting on a sofa, and Spike was leaning against the wall, smoking out the window, while Kate sat in an armchair. The air was full of tension.
"I suppose you all want to know why you're here."
Angel raised an eyebrow slowly. "Perhaps."
She smiled. "That's to be expected."
Willow looked very upset. "Are you evil? I had a feeling you weren't, so if you are, I'd like to know now so I can prepare myself."
Tara shook her head. "I'm not evil, Willow. I am the opposite of Evil," she sighed, "There's a war coming. Evil against Good, dark against light. The First-"
Angel froze, recognizing the name. "It's back?"
"It was never far. You might've overcome it, but it didn't go away. It's been lurking, building an army."
Spike threw the cigarette out the window and shut it again. "And those dreams about anoth'r world, what'r those about?"
"There was another world, before Earth. The stars never stopped shining and everyone was happy. I was the queen," she explained. "I had a daughter, Princess Kathryn, and several trusted advisors. A war came upon us. Evil had grown stronger and there was nothing I could do to stop it from destroying our home. Before my entire kingdom and the power in it was destroyed, I sent my daughter's soul to Earth, with three of my most trusted colleagues for protection. A secret weapon," she smiled. "So, when the war resumed here, the planet wouldn't be destroyed like mine was."
Willow was confused. "Did you die in the war?"
She nodded. "Tara's ancestors are known for their channeling abilities. It was her duty to take my spirit into her."
"How long have you been... in her?"
"Long before we met."
"So I fell in love with you."
"A combination of the two of us. We've become one."
Willow didn't know if she should feel hurt or not, or if she should be mourning the loss of her lover or not. "So, we were the souls of the advisors, and Kate is the soul of the princess?" Tara nodded. "And we've been brought back here because there's a fight between good and evil about to happen?" Tara nodded again in reply. "And how exactly are we going to help with this war?"
Tara smiled. "You are here for training."
Angel nodded, taking it all in. "The First was going to get to us, one by one, and you brought us to this island to keep us safe."
"You're smart. I like you." Tara spoke. "This island is protected by a forcefield. No evil can get in."
"So, how did we get in?"
She looked at Spike, who had asked the question. "You're not as evil as you think."
Angel smirked as Spike scowled. Willow chuckled. Kate looked on, confused. "Guys, I really don't understand much of this. I'm just learning that vampires exist, and now you're trying to tell me that I'm part of some battle between good and evil."
"I can imagine it's hard to take," Tara sympathized with her. "But, it's better to hear about this all now and prepare for the battle, instead of having it all dumped on you at the last minute."
The ballerina shrugged. "I don't know."
Angel reasoned with her. "The First is frighteningly powerful. You wouldn't have even had a chance to fight for yourself, if it decided that you were going to be taken out before the war started."
"You've seen him?"
"It," he corrected her. "It came to me in the form of my victims from before I got my soul back for the first time. It taunted me, reached out, tried to get me to kill Buffy and join the dark forces."
"So, it doesn't have a gender?"
"It doesn't have a body, or anything. It's a feeling, it's an idea, it has power you couldn't even begin to imagine," Angel answered her question. He turned to Tara. "So, we've been seeing glimpses of our history together?"
"I've been trying to send you pieces of your past, but it's very likely that your souls have been communicating for some time."
Spike snorted. "That sounds bloody ridiculous."
Kate agreed with a small nod. Willow ignored both of them. "What's the plan, then?"
Tara answered the redhead. "You will stay here, the four of you, training and preparing until the declaration of war. We can't risk sending you out into the world; The First could get to you, and that would be horrible."
"I can't go home then?" Tara asked with a small voice. "I can't go home and tell my parents not to worry about me?"
Tara shook her head. "I'm afraid not."
She got up and left the room. Spike followed her.
~Part: 8~
Angel looked up when Willow came outside onto the porch. She smelled so wonderful; the light scent was intoxicating and was able to pull him in before he even realized how attached he was to her. Attraction was hard to stop, as it was a powerful force. He cursed his masculine weakness, but didn't let it show to her. Instead, he smiled and walked to her. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm somewhere between hurt and afraid," she replied honestly. "But, I'm sorta more worried about Kate."
He would never understand her capacity for caring. "Yes, she does have it rough. So do we all. Don't underestimate your feelings in all of this."
She nodded. "I don't. But, I find this stuff more believable than she would. She just learned about vampires. I've known about them for years. Evil isn't a big shock to me, and I've seen all the sacrifices you and Buffy and Giles had to make to fight for Good. I know... she doesn't."
He put a hand on the small of her back. Without any guidance on his behalf, she fell against his chest. He took the opportunity to wrap himself around her. There, she felt safe, being rocked back and forth. Tears didn't fall, but she still felt sad and lost.
"It's going to be hard," Angel tried to soothe her, but he felt like he was doing a horrible job at it. "But, if this is what we're meant for, then-"
She cut him off. "How can you just accept this?"
He shrugged. "I've learned how the Fates work," he knew it sounded lame to her, however, in his time working for the Powers through Doyle and Cordelia he had learned how to respect their power. "They never work in vain. If this is what is meant to happen, then it should."
"I wish I was as brave as you," she looked up at him and smiled. "I can't help but feel that my place is with Buffy and Xander and-" she stopped talking. Angel watched her eyes widen. "Oh, goddess. Here I was worried about Tara... Buffy is going to be so worried when she realizes we're all gone."
Angel nodded. "I know. Cordelia will be concerned, too. I worry about her, alone."
"L.A.'s scary?"
He nodded again. "It has a tendancy to be. Lots of demons, big evil... it's more corporate, greedy. Demons have bigger goals in L.A. Plus," he added. "There's this law firm that's been making my life a living hell."
"They've been suing you?"
He laughed. "If only that was the problem. They deal with demons and represent them. It's difficult."
She nodded. "I guess I can see how that would be troublesome." She sighed and fell against him again. "Buffy's gonna be so worried."
"I'm sure she can handle herself," he tried his hand at comfort again. "And, I think that when all of this is over, she will look back and probably be grateful that we're here preparing for whatever's coming our way." He smiled slyly. "In the meantime, how about I treat you to that bath I promised you?"
Shivers crept up her back. Angel could feel them under his hand. She blushed, and her pulse quickened. When she managed to steady her systems, she looked up at him. "I'd like that."
When Angel had drawn the bath for her, he called out through the doorway into his bedroom. "Willow, it's ready!" She entered shortly after, clad only in the robe she found hanging in her wardrobe in her room. He smiled when he saw her. "It's all set. Warm, soft bubbles."
She grinned, looking down at the tub. "Wow. Thanks, Angel." She reached for the tie on her robe, and then stopped. "You can't be in here, when I.... get... naked."
"I have more," he responded. "There's a hair washing that goes with this bath." She blushed, but looked interested. "So, is it okay if I turn around while you get in?"
Willow smiled. "That sounds acceptable." She waited until he turned around before undressing. He could hear the soft wooshing of her clothes as they hit the floor, and then the water lapping at her body as she slipped into the tub. "I'm covered."
He turned back around and looked at the image in front of him. She was beautiful, and always had been. He thought it was strange that it took such extraordinary events to bring the fact to his attention. "Not by much," he commented, walking towards her. She giggled, and told him that he didn't have a chance with her. He joked: "It takes more than a luxurious bubble bath to seduce you?"
She replied. "Yep. Way more. I'm difficult to please. Always have been."
He chuckled, sitting down on the stool behind the tub. From the table, he picked up a small pitcher and dipped it in the tub in front of her. With one hand guarding her eyes, he gently poured the water over her hair. He repeated the action until her red tresses were completely soaked with the soapy water. Then, he reached for the shampoo on the table.
As he rubbed the shampoo into her hair, he heard her sigh and felt her lean into his touch. The trust she demonstrated touched him. "Enjoying this?"
"Yes," she admitted. "You're good at this."
"I aim to please." After massaging her head for a few long minutes, he told her he was going to use the shower to rinse her hair. There was a hose that he reached for, and within a few minutes the soap suds in her hair were gone. He looked past his handiwork and realized that he had removed suds elsewhere, too.
Willow stammered, pulling her knees up to her chin to protect herself. "I'm not so covered anymore."
He looked down once, ignoring the heat rising through his system. He pressed his lips to the top of her squeaky clean hair, and when he pulled back he said, "You're very beautiful uncovered."
It took a lot of strength to get up and leave.
~Part: 9~
"I can't go home," Kate whispered over and over, her knees hugged to her chest, her body rocking back and forth. Spike watched her, wondering what he could do that would make her feel better. He came up with no suggestions, and he briefly thought about turning around and going back to the mansion, but he knew that Kate needed to not be alone.
He sat down next to her. After a few deep breaths, he wrapped his arms around her rocking form. She stopped moving and leaned into him. He could smell her fear; in the old days that would've aroused him, but today, he felt compelled to help her.
"They must be so worried about me."
He nodded. "I'd be worried about you."
"They'll think I'm dead, while I'm living the life of a celebrity down here in a beautiful mansion." She shook her head, wiping her face. "It's just not fair. They're better parents than that. They don't deserve this."
"Maybe we'll be pulled out early," he knew he wasn't helping much. She hadn't stopped crying yet, and the fear still rolled off of her in waves. "Maybe you'll have time to run home and see Oem. Maybe we can send Oem a letter."
"I don't want them to think I stopped loving them."
"If they know you, they know you nev'r would do that. Hell," he added, "I've only known you for a li'l while, and I'm surprised by how big your heart is."
She stopped crying to smile at him. "Thanks, I think."
Spike squeezed her against his body. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Get me home?" She chuckled through her tears. Then, she rolled her eyes. "I know, I know, it's not gonna happen." Slowly, she stretched her legs out; Spike didn't release his hold on her, but enjoyed the new closeness that the new position had given them.
"These things always happ'n for a reason, Pet."
Kate wiped at her face, dropped her hand onto Spike's, and replied: "I know. I just want to be able to tell my family where I am." He didn't know what she'd want to say, so he didn't respond. She turned and looked at him. "Are you hungry?"
It took him a couple minutes to find a way to answer her question. "You don't have to keep feeding me."
She shrugged. "Maybe I'm crazy, but I kind of liked it." He wondered if she was doing it to see another vision, or to work on the intimacy developing between them. "It's something to do," she continued to ramble. "If you don't want to, we could always go swimming or something, instead, or if vampires don't like water, I could go swimming and you could do your own thing."
He stopped her. "I'd love to do all of that."
"Really?"
"Really," he nodded, looking into her eyes. "Let's just sit here for a while and look at the stars."
~Part: 10~
Angel had been trying to read a book, but he could smell Willow everywhere, and with the scent memory came a visual memory of her in the basin beautiful breasts, covered in soapy water; her blushing face, lust in her eyes. He shook his head, trying to physically shake the image from his head. It was going to be a long night.
He had gotten up once to check on her. She was sleeping in her bed, breathing deeply, looking very peaceful. He shut the door behind him as he left, dropped the book on his own bed, and headed out of his room. He needed to go for a walk.
He walked out the front door, and started around the property. Around the back, he saw the pool, and Spike standing with his back turned towards it. He slowed down, and crept closer. He didn't want Spike to sense him approaching, so he tried to stay far enough away. He pulled a branch from one of the protective bushes aside, and saw Kate undressing.
She was beautiful. He didn't feel drawn to her, as he did to Willow, but he could still appreciate her beauty. Her posture was incredible; he had already noticed that, but without clothing, it was even more pronounced. She and Spike were still talking, but she made sure he wasn't watching her slip into the dark waters, light only where the moon reflected into the pool.
When she was covered by the water, Spike turned around. Angel saw desire flare in his eyes; he wondered if Kate could see what she was getting herself into. Spike, from what he remembered, was a tender lover; however, he could be cruel, and was plagued by jealousy and fear and insecurities like any other mortal man. Desire crept through the darker vampire's system when he saw the blond vampire undress, tossing his clothes haphazardly around the deck, not making Kate turn around. Angel fought the urge to laugh. Spike was also proud and vain and not easily embarrassed. He paraded around the deck, talking normally with Kate, as he stripped. Once he was naked, he plunged into the pool, splashing her. She shrieked, and when he came up, she made sure that he got splashed too. They were laughing, but they fell silent when he got too close.
Angel watched Kate tilt her head, exposing her neck to Spike. He felt a pull of desire, watching Spike bend down and kiss her neck first, before sliding into his game face. He didn't jump back in pain; the chip in his head didn't react, meaning Kate wasn't feeling any pain. She reached up and held him, one hand on the back of his head, the other on his shoulder. His arms were around her, too.
He drank for while, but not too long. When he was finished, Angel noticed that Spike had already changed his face and was licking at the wound. His eyes opened suddenly, and he looked around. Angel knew he had been found, seeing Spike's lips curl into a smile while he flared his nostrils. He pulled back from Kate's neck, and looked deep into her eyes, saying something Angel couldn't hear. He saw her bow her head, embarrassed with whatever his comment had been.
Spike lifted a hand under her chin, pulling her back up to meet his eyes. He said something else, and she nodded. They hugged, floating in the warm water. She would be good for Spike, Angel remarked silently. He hadn't seen the blond vampire that happy in a long while.
Heated by witnessing the passion between the two fair ones, he turned back to the house. He knew that the desire he felt for Willow had to be faced.