E-MAIL: wintersrain2000@hotmail.com
DISCLAIMER: I don't own them. They belong to Joss and co.
RATING: PG-13 (or something like that)
DISTRIBUTION: From Dusk Til' Dawn, INERTIA, Fire & Ice anyone else, just ask
DEDICATION: To Patricía. Thank you.
NOTE/SPOILERS: This is what you have to know. Doyle isn't dead, and Spike has the chip. I haven't seen anything beyond season 2 so this is my own 'verse. I also changed some facts, nothing big.
AUTHORS NOTE: This isn't the sort of story that I usually write, so be kind.

Feedback would be greatly appreciated.
 
 
 
 

”So Angel, how is everything at the agency?” Willow asked Angel as they settled down at a table in the café.

"Well for once everything seems to be alright. But now I want to know how everything is going with Sam.”

Willow and Angel met at the café once every week. Some times often than just once. It had been three years since Angel had left Sunnydale and About one year since he and Willow had met in LA. Willow had moved there with her current boyfriend/fiancé Sam. They had met in college and were according to Willow deeply in love. They had only gotten engaged a few days earlier. Angel could see that Willow was beaming with happiness.

"Oh you know. Were as much in love as we always have been. But now I have to start planning my wedding. To which you are invited. And of course Cordelia and Doyle."

When Willow had left Sunnydale to move with Sam to LA, keeping contact with Spike only because of some events. The first thing she had done at arriving was telling Angel and Cordelia that she had moved to LA. And that had been a year ago. She had helped them out with cases every once in awhile. She and Cordelia had quickly become friends, close friends. They often had girls nights and went shopping together. And as soon as Willow had made it possible for Angel to walk in the sun, he had joined them in their shopping. Willow and Angel became even better friends. It might have had something to do with the fact that Cordelia and Doyle had gotten married. Willow had been the maid of honor and Angel had been the best man. Even some of the Sunnydale residents had come. Things had finally been cleared between Buffy and Angel.

They chatted about the usual things for about two hours and took their regular walk to the park before going back to the café for another cup of coffee.

"Same time next week?"

"Yeah. Same time, same place. Be careful on your way home."

"Angel, it's daylight. Not to many strange dangers out there. You know that you don't have to warn me everytime I go home."

"I think that a reminder is always for the best. Bye Willow."

"Bye Angel. See you next week." They hugged and then Willow walked to the apartment she and Sam lived in. Angel watched her retreating back and said to no one in particular "Yeah, next week..." in a sad voice, that had a little longing mixed in to it.
 

************************

"Where have you been? You were supposed to come home over an hour ago."
were the first words Willow heard as she walked in to the apartment.

"I was with Angel. We had some coffee and I forgot about the time. I love you too." Willow said the last part dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm sorry baby, it's just. You know how I worry." Sam said and walked over to Willow and kissed her. "Do you have to be with Angel all the time? It's almost the only thing you do."

"Sam, we've had this discussion before. Angel is my friend and I want to spend time with him. And I do not spend all my time with him. I meet him once a week!"

"Yeah, but you also go to Cordelia. I don't want you to meet them anymore. "

"I don't want to have this discussion right now.  I'm going to take a shower."

Because Willow was walking towards the bedroom she did not see the look that was in Sams eyes.

***********************

One week later...

"I have to go now Angel. I was supposed to be home two hours ago."

"I'm sorry for keeping you here. Time just seems to fly away when we're having our talks."

"I know. It's okay. I just don't want Sam to worry about me, that's all."

"Is there something wrong going on between the two of you because of our friendship?" Angel questioned and in his mind he added <and my love for you.> Angel had fallen in love with Willow six months after she had moved. It was something he was never going to tell her, no matter how much he wanted to, so he pretended to love her only as a friend. But there was something about Sam that was bothering him. He had only met the man a few times but had gotten a bad feeling about him.

"N-no... No, he just worries a lot." she answerd hesitating a little.
"But I really have to go now."

Angel got up and hugged her. "Be careful on your way home."

"I will, as always. Bye." she said jokingly.

"I mean it Willow. It's dark already. Bye."

"I know Angel. Bye."

From the shadows across the street Sam watched the exchange between Willow and Angel. It made his blood boil. He had told her not to see him again. He would have to teach her a lesson.

***************

Willow was walking home when she suddenly felt a chill going up her spine. Something was wrong. Someone was watching her and something bad was about to happen. Pulling her cross from her bag she turned around and called to the shadows. "I know you're there. You might as well come out and we will get this over with. Oh it's just you Sam. You scared me." she told Sam as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Oh we're going to get this over with. Right now." Willow noticed the look in his eyes and became afraid.

"You're scaring me. Let's go home."

"You're not going anywhere bitch. I told you not to see him again and still you do. Cheating little bitch." he said and slapped Willow across the face. She stumbled backwards from the blow and hit the wall of an alley. Willow was panicking. "W-w-what do you mean? Sam please... You've got it all wrong."

"You calling me a liar? You're the one who is lying." And then he grabbed her and pushed her up against the wall. Hard.

"Sam please! Your hurting me." Willow said and then whimpered in pain as Sam hit her in the ribs. She could feel one breaking at the hit.
He then hit her head against the wall while telling her the shut up and that she was going to learn not to cheat on him.

He hit her head against the wall a couple of times before he threw her on the ground. She started to crawl away from him begging him not to hurt her any more. When she came to the back wall of the alley she knew she was trapped. There was no way for her to get out of this. She saw Sam pick up an iron pole and closed her eyes. but they soon flew open as a scream also tore from her lips at the feeling of her leg being broken.

"That's what you get for trying to run away from me bitch."

As Sam began to unfasten his jeans, she knew that he was going to rape her. They had decided to wait until their wedding night before making love so she was still a virgin. As her rational mind started to shut down so that she could not feel what he was doing to her body, but the pain still registered with her mind, she started to think what had gone wrong. <We were so happy. In Sunnydale and when we fell in love in LA. What went wrong?> As the painful beating continued her mind had in an attempt to block the pain worked on overtime at the questions in her mind. And then the answer hit her. Angel. That was why. She realized that she had never truly loved sam but Angel. It all made sense to her know. Why she was always in a better mood when with him. She loved him. She truly loved him. And then it all went black.

******************

Angel was patrolling when he suddenly felt tremendous pain ripping at his soul. <Willow... God no! Something has happened to her.> He started to run in a direction. It was like something was calling his soul and he only followed that call. And that call led him to an alley. The alley of his nightmares for there on the ground lay an unmoving and bloody Willow Rosenberg. She had been attacked and badly at that. <This is all my fault. I shouldn't have let her walk alone.> He thought as he sat down beside her bruised, naked body. <Who could have done this to her? To sweet Willow.>

"Willow? Please wake up little one." Angel said as he stroke her cheek lovingly. <Please wake up so that I can look into your beautiful eyes and tell you how much I love you.> "Willow please..." his voice held a desperate tone as a red tear ran down his cheek. "Please wake up. I have something that I have to tell you little one. please..."

"A-angel?" came the raspy reply as Willow woke up from the blackness surrounding her mind.

"Yes little one, it's me. It's Angel. I'm here now."  Angel took off his jacket and put it on her body.

"There is someth... something I have to tell you." she said between coughs of blood. "I...I love you. I have for a long time. I never loved Sam, it was always you." she said as she started to cough again.

"I love you too little one. I thought I'd never have the chance to tell you." Blood red tears were falling from his eyes at a rapid pace. He had so many things to tell her and all he could do was cry.

"Shh... Don't cry Angel. At least now we know. Now I can die in peace."

"Don't say that! You're going to be alright. I know you are."

"Don't..."

"Who did this?" Angel asked, anger filling his voice.

"It doesn't matter now. All that matters is that we finally now. I love you my angel."

"I love you too little one. Forever." a smile came to Willows lips as she drew her last breath in the arms of her angel.

"NO! Don't leave me!" Angel said as he shook Willows lifeless body. "Please..." he said to her in a fading voice. His bloody tears mixing with hers.

From the street the only other person there could listen to the quiet sobs of an angel holding on to a moment lost.

The end.
 
 

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