Told in different POV's and in third person.
 
 

PART 2

Willow woke up the next morning, and noticed that she was not alone in bed.
With her was Zeke, Isthar and Angel. When she realized that Angel actually
was there, and it hadn't all been a dream, she practically fell out of bed.
Or rather she would have, if Zeke and Isthar wouldn't have been lying on her
feet, and more importantly, if Angel wouldn't have been hugging her like he
was glued to her. Not that she minded, at least until her loyal part jumped
up and said that it was wrong to think so. Carefully untangling herself from
Angel's hold, she proceeded to get out of bed. When she had succeeded,
Willow stood and studied the scene before her, but mostly she just studied
Angel. Aside from the wounds he had and his loss in weight, he looked
exactly the same as he had when she had last seen him. She stared at his
face for awhile, and then she noticed it. Last time she had looked at him he
had had his normal facial expression, beside from when he was laughing, but
there was a difference now. Even in sleep he looked scared, vulnerable. but
mostly lost, and maybe empty. The smile that had been on Willow's lips since
her memories of the forest faded, and the reality of the situation came to
her.  The other thing that she became aware of was that she was only wearing
underwear, or more accurately, slightly damp underwear from the bath last
night. A sudden craving for a shower came over her, and with one last look
at the sleeping trio, she walked to the bathroom. -I'll think more clearly
after a shower- she thought.

As the water fell down on her, Willow began to ponder about her situation.
-Angel's back, I just can't believe it. Ok, he's not in top shape, or even
normal shape, but that can be fixed, I hope. I need to talk to someone about
this. Giles would know what to do, but can I call him? I don't think he'd be
really happy over the news that Angel's back, he'd probably storm over here
and stake Angel at first sight. So Giles: not an option. If I only could get
hold of Buffy-. Willow could feel her frustration over the situation push to
the surface. Realising that she had to be calm if she wanted to be able to
help Angel in any way at all, she concentrated in the feeling of the water
hitting her back. Slowly the rhythmic drumming of the water began to melt
away her frustrations. Choosing her all time favourite shampoo, she put her
mind at ease with the familiar process of washing her hair.

When Willow was done, she felt refreshed and ready to get to work on 'the
situation' as she has dubbed the current problem. Dressing herself in her
normal Saturday clothes, loose sweatpants and a baby blue tee, she did her
routine process of feeding Zeke and Isthar, who had just woken up, and then
fixed some breakfast for herself. She sat down by her small kitchen table
and began reading the morning paper.

When she was done and had put away the dirty dishes, she walked into the
living room and booted up her laptop which was laying on the table. Zeke
soon joined her on the couch, Willow suspected that Isthar had gone back to
the bedroom.

As the search was running, Willow slowly sipped on her coffee while every
now and then patting Zeke. She knew she shouldn't be drinking two cups so
soon after each other, it would make her hyper all morning, but there was
something about the dark substance that just called to her this morning.
Willow kept staring at her coffee, how it slightly swirled around in the
cup, and listened to the even breathing of Zeke. She felt her head get a
little drowsy and decided to sit back for awhile. But before she knew what
was happening, she had fallen asleep.

//Dream //

The gang, minus Buffy, we're gathered in the library discussing the newest
threat to Sunnydale, and of course the missing Buffy.

"So what you're telling us is.well, nothing." Xander muttered as he paced
the floor.

"It's difficult Xander. These particular demons are here for some reason,
which I can't understand. There is nothing here for them, or rather nothing
of their interest. They have stayed at that particular place in Brazil for
the last 186 years," Giles explained.

"What did the Council have to say about it?" Willow asked from her place at
the computer.

Giles removed his glasses and began rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Nothing what so ever. They told me only what I already knew, no reason for
the demons to be on the move."

"Except the obvious," all eyes turned to Cordelia. The looked questionably
at her, and she just sighed.

".demon town." Faith filled in for the rest of them.

"But of course, the Hellmouth. Why didn't I think of that?" Giles asked
himself. "Thank you Cordelia, and you Faith."

"So what? They're going to try and open the Hellmouth or what?" Xander
asked, coming to a stop with his pacing.

"So it would seem. We need to research this," Giles concluded.

"And we better hurry. From what I gather, it's gonna happen soon. Vamp
activity is at a all time low. They're in hiding, or that's what I've been
told anyway." Faith said with a slight grin as she thought of how she had
gotten the info.

"Hey, we've beaten it some many times now that this will be routine." Xander
joked, but no one was laughing.

//End Dream//

Willow woke up to someone screaming, which was followed by Zeke barking
beside her a few seconds later. As she ran to the bedroom she screamed at
Zeke to stay where he was. When she opened the door to the bedroom she was
almost tripped as Isthar stormed out the room. After a few curses and
regaining her balance she focused on the figure on the bed. Angel was
trashing around, tangled in the sheets and whimpering. Tears started to
build in Willow's eyes at the sight, and she hurried to the bed. -He must be
having a nightmare- she thought. She tried to grab his arms to restrain him
a little, but that only made him trash around more. Then there was growling,
but not from Angel. It was Zeke who had come into the room, and was now
ready to attack Angel in order to protect Willow.

"Out!" she yelled, but it had no effect. Deciding to ignore the dog and
concentrate on Angel, she once again tried to hold him. This time it was he
who growled at her, vamp face in place. "Come on Angel, wake up!" she
commanded but all he did was whimper, growl and roll away from her. She was
beginning to get desperate, she just couldn't seem to wake him. "What did
they do to you?" she said softly, tears now streaming down her face as she
stopped trying to wake him. She sat down beside Angel's thrashing form, and
just watched him move around for a minute, tears of compassion and
frustration in her eyes. "please wake up already..." she said over and over
again. Then he suddenly let out a horror filled scream that tore at her
soul... and Willow found herself looking at cold, yellow eyes.

"Angel?" Willow asked a little hesitantly. She got no response, only the
same vacant stare as she had seen yesterday, only this time in yellow
instead of brown. After staring at Willow for a few minutes, Angel laid down
again, and proceeded to fall asleep again.
Willow sat there for a moment, just watching him as he slipped into a
restless sleep. After a moment it hit her that he might want something to
'eat' when he woke up the next time, she had after all, no idea when he had
last fed.
After making sure that Angel really was sleeping, Willow shooed Zeke out and
then went to her computer and turned it off. And at that exact moment there
was a knock at the door. Willow jumped in surprise not realising what it was
at first. Not until she heard Sarah's voice on the other side of the door.

"Willow? You there? It's jogging time so get your but in gear, I have tons
of stuff to tell you and I'd rather not do it in the hallway." Sarah's voice
got more impatient as she talked, or at least that's what it seemed like to
Willow.

She opened the door and found a very gleeful Sarah standing there, slightly
tapping her left foot.

"I'm so sorry Sarah, I completely forgot about our jog."

"I find that hard to believe since we've been doing it every Saturday for
the past two years. But anyway, you'll never guess what Jack and I did last
night." As the subject changed, Sarah got all bouncy and happy again, and
forgot about having to wait for Willow.

"Can you wait for two seconds for me to change and then you can tell me all
about it?" Willow asked and started to walk towards the bedroom.

"Hmm." Sarah pretended to think it over, "well hurry up then!" she finished
and then laughed lightly.  Willow practically ran the rest of the way and
quickly changed to her running clothes.  With one last look at Angel still
form, she walked out and closed the door.

"OK, let's go," She said and grabbed her keys and some cash. "Don't destroy
the house!" she said to the animals as Sarah and she walked out the door.

---------------
Willow's POV
--------------

hmm. Now she's had that look on her face for awhile already. I guess I'll
just have to ask her about it.
"Is there something you want to ask me?" Hehe.got her. No use trying to get
away with it now missy, you're busted!

"It's just that.well." yeah.I tilt my head as an sign for her to continue.
"it's just that this morning you looked kinda upset. I was just wondering
why? Did that guy do anything last night? Cause if he did then I'm really
sorry, he seemed like a really nice guy and I just thought that you needed
some company since it's been ages since your last date and."

"Stop! He didn't do anything ok. I told you and Jack I was going home alone
remember?" I grin "Well, maybe you don't. You were kinda busy at the
moment." That shade of red fits her well, but let's see if I can get it
redder. "And with what you've told me so far."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. let's start getting back ok? I have someone to call." Got
ya! Yup, definitely a nicer shade of red now.

-----------------------------------------

When Willow had  walked Sarah home, she headed to the butcher's shop to get
Angel some blood. On her way home she was hit by a strange feeling that made
her walk faster until finally she was running. As soon as she entered the
hallway by her apartment, she could hear Zeke barking on the inside.
Hurrying inside, she immediately went to the bedroom and was once again met
by the scene of the morning. She went over to the bed, put away her keys and
Angel's dinner, and climbed in beside him. She cautiously put her hand on
his head and began stroking his hair, while making soothing sounds. This
time he did not try to push her away,  but crawled closer to her instead.

After a few minutes he calmed down and then woke up. Hope rose in Willow.
-Maybe he's ok now!- It was silly to think so but she still did. But as she
looked at his eyes and saw nothing but an vacant stare, she knew he was far
from ok. Deciding that it was time to take the first step to recovery, she
retrieved the blood.

"Alright Angel, it's lunch time."

After cleaning up the mess that had been made, and deciding to never try and
feed someone without a straw, Willow decided to try search for some answers
again. She had noticed that Angel seemed calmer when she was in the same
room ,or rather when she was as close as possible to him. And knowing that
he needed all the rest he could get Willow came to the conclusion that it
would be best if she was in the same room, she got her computer and brought
it back with her. Sitting Indian style, she put the computer in front of her
and once again started a search. After about thirty minutes, the search was
still in progress. Willow had changed position and was now lying on the bed,
gently stroking Angel's hair with one of her hands. And that's when it hit
her.

"Of course! Why haven't I thought of this before!?"

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