Angel sat next to her as she laid peacefully on his bed. He looked at her in astonishment. He would still feel the bruises from the push. He would never had thought she would be that strong. Then he saw what had happened to the other vampire making him as he remembered seeing the vampire fly through the air. She had turned out to be a hidden flame, something no one saw, not even himself. He looked down at her, imagining the confusion she was most likely in. If he still could not understand what had happened he knew she was completely lost. He still did not understand what was happening, but somehow Willow knew something. He needed to know how it was that he knew about Victoria, about every detail...and seemed to feel every emotion. Victoria was a past he never spoke of. Never had spoken about. What she told him only two people knew.
It was true, he had heard the rumors of the villagers and even seen it first hand, but he had never completely believed her stories.
But what he had felt was Victoria for one last time. He did not think Willow capable of such torment. It was true, he did not know her well, but she treated him different. He had a sudden urge to caress her hair and before he realized it, he was.
He heard the doorbell and was hesitant to leave her. On the fifth ring, he went to see who it was.
Willow awoke to a throbbing headache. She was not sure where she was or what had happened. As soon as she opened her eyes she knew she was not at home, yet the room looked familiar to her, then she realized it was Angel’s. She quickly got up and heard voices outside the door. She peered out and saw Buffy and Angel talking. She had the sudden urgency to leave, but there were no windows. She went back out the hallway and moved carefully down. She tried the second door and found it locked. The third was another bedroom, identical to his. She kept moving and found a dead end She looked over the rail, trying to see if she would be able to jump. It was impossible. She headed back to the bedroom, never seeing the small hall table.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy came to see what had happened to Willow. They had called her at home, but no one had answered. Angel told her he had taken her home and she had told him she was pretty tired and was going start to bed. He hated lieing to her, but he needed to find out what was happening. Before Angel could close the door, they heard a crash come from upstairs. Angel turned around and raced upstairs, Buffy at his heels.
Buffy gasped to see the intruder. It was Willow. She pushed past Angel and stood between them.
“You said you had taken her home,” she reminded Angel.
Before Angel could answer, Willow offered the explanation.
“I told him to tell you that.”
“You?”
“I was...tired...sleepy..and you know about the nightmares...um..Xander was busy with Kim...you’re patrolling...I was scared to stay alone,” she told her as she looked at Angel then at her.
“This is the story?”
Angel was about to reply, but Willow cut him off.
“Buffy...I..I asked him as a friend to let me sleep here...Maybe with someone in the room..I could...I could deal with then more...You know I haven’t rested and Angel offered to help me...It was my fault... Don’t get mad at Angel for a favor...I..I asked for”, she told her with a small smile, hoping that sounded truthful.
Buffy looked at Angel then Willow.
“We should get going,” Willow told her.
“O.k”, Buffy agreed, a bit apprehensive to believe what had happened.
Angel narrowed his eyes at Willow, knowing what she was doing.
“You can even stay with me. A girl’s night,” she told her hopeful.
“All right.”
“Thank you, Angel”, she told him, making sure not to look at him and walked pass him.
Buffy joined her, but not before she spoke a final word to him.
“We’ll talk later.”
He did nothing, but looked on as they left. Willow had successfully left without talking to him and managed for Buffy to protect her from him for the rest of night, while covering him with another lie. He smiled, he would have to get to know her better.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Willow was tucked into bed by her mother. Buffy only stayed for about two hours, until her parents came.
“Willow, I want you to wear this. It’s a present from your Aunt Melissa,” she told her as she placed it over her head.
“What is it?” she asked as she looked at it.
“It’s a good luck charm,” her mother told her.
“I need some,” she told her with a smile.
“If you have anymore nightmares, you come and wake me.”
“Thanks mom.”
“Now go to sleep. You have to get some sleep,” she told her as she kissed her on the forehead.
“Goodnight, Willow.”
“Goodnight, mom”.
She looked at her daughter as she closed her eyes. This would be the final step. This would prove it. She had small hope it wasn’t her. She would know in a couple of days.
Willow didn’t fall asleep right away. She was restless. Her thoughts surrounded around Angel. What she had done? She felt guilty. Guilty about kissing her best friends boyfriend, but worse, liking it. She had even slept with him on a bed. Just the thought made her blush. The Bronze. She had been a nervous wreck. Then Angel had followed her. She was sure he was looking for an explanation. How could she explain something she didn’t understand. She had pushed him. How, she didn’t know. It was a jumble of thoughts that ended in confusion. She knew she would have to talk to Angel, she just hoped it wouldn’t be soon.
She drifted off into a dreamless night.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The crescent moon arrived and everyone gathered at the library once the sun set. The best thing was to guard Buffy and prevent her from going outside. At least inside they would be able to control the situation or so they thought. They were all armed with stakes, and crosses all the while continuing to research, until Angel ran in, placing them in attack mode. Everyone’s stake was pointed at him.
“It’s me,” he told them placing his hands up.
Everyone placed there stack down but Xander. Willow looked at him and grinned.
“Xander.”
“Fine,” he replied disappointed as he put it away.
“Sorry, we’re a little on the edge,” Giles told him.
“I found something,” he told them.
Everyone crowed around him. To their shock, he took out a golden arrow from his coat.
“I found this on my door this evening,” he told him.
Every remained silent.
“It carried a message,” he told them as he took out a note from his pocket and threw in on the table.
Giles picked it up.
“A present. A momento for the beloved departed.”
It didn’t sound good.
“Do you know who left it?” Giles asked.
“No, It was embedded in the door.”
“And were supposed to believe that?” Xander asked.
“It’s the truth.”
“How many times have you told us the “truth”?” he reminded him.
“Why would I come here if it wasn’t?” he asked him losing a bit of his patience.
“To get to Buffy. Close enough to kill her,” he accused him.
“I would never hurt Buffy,” he told him with a deadly look.
Both men looked at over to see why Buffy had intervened.
Buffy looked down, the slayer in her telling her not to trust him. Giles showed the similar interest at the floor. Angel couldn’t believe it. They didn’t believe him, the disbelief evident in his eyes.
“I see,” he muttered.
“I say we stake him,” Xander said happily.
Willow could not believe it. She looked at Xander and gave him a sharp look.
She quickly moved and stood in front of him.
“You’ll have to get through me,” she told him.
Xander looked at her surprised.
“Angel wouldn’t hurt Buffy or any of us. Why would he have helped us.” she told them in his defense.
Angel looked at the redhead in front of him in amazement. It seemed Willow was always defending him.
“To trick us. Will, he’s evil. Or have you forgotten about his past. We’ve read all about Angelus,” Xander told her.
“Angelus is the past. He wouldn’t hurt us. He’s proven his a friend, at least to me,” she told him.
“She has a point,” Giles concluded. “I’ll hold on to the arrow.”
“But it was meant for Angelus,” a voice said.
They looked around but could not find the source.
“Long time no see, Angelus. Have you forgotten about your friends?” the voice mocked.
Angel knew who it was.
“You were always a coward Murius,” he yelled back.
A shadow appeared in back of Willow, grabbing her.
“Let her go,” Buffy screamed as she got up and was ready to attack.
Willow tried to break free, but would not.
“Let’s play a game,” it snickered as it completely appeared, then pulled Willow towards the door.
“Murius, let her go!,” Angel demanded.
“Pretty isn’t she?” he told him as his tongue licked her cheek.
She almost threw up as he continued pulling her down the hallway, gaining speed.
“I wonder how she’ll taste?” he mocked
He pulled her forward and headed to the door. He wasn’t strong enough to port to his lair with the girl, but he would, however run, as he began the race. Angel and Buffy ran after them, as Xander and Giles followed as they could.
* * * * * * * * * * *
It was a maze through the sewers before they were able to catch up with Murius and Willow. They entered the glowing room prepared for the attack. He still had a hold on Willow, covering her mouth, muffling her screams.
“What do you want?” Buffy yelled, not sure how to help Willow.
“To join me in my feast,” it told her as the cement door closed behind them, trapping them inside.
“All I need is your soul and it’s complete,” he told her. “She’s an extra treat.”
“You won’t get away with this”, Angel told him.
“I think I will,” he told him as he held out his arm and shot an arrow at Buffy. It missed as they scattered around the room.
“If you want me, come after me,” Buffy told him.
“Oh, I will.”
He pulled up his arm once more and shot at her, hitting the wall. He was too distracted by Buffy to feel Willow open her mouth wide. He did, however, feel the bite in its fingers. It shrieked in pain, letting his hold loosen. She began to kick and punch as best she could and fell out of his hold.
Buffy saw the opportunity and went for it. She jumped on the demons back, stabbing it with a stake she had. His arms extended, shooting arrows everywhere. Willow was too late in ducking as one headed towards her. To her surprise she was pushed hard and hit the floor, hitting her head. She looked at who had pushed her and saw the arrow enter Angel in the middle of the chest. She screamed as she saw him fall to the floor.
Buffy heard the scream and was distracted for a moment. Just the moment the demon needed to pulled Buffy off him and throw her across the room ramming her into a wall. Her limp body fell to the floor, next to Willow. The demon smirked to see both his preys together.
“You will pay,” he told her.
Willow stood up, blocking him from Buffy. She had an anger and energy in her she had never felt before.
“No, you will,” she replied in a deadly tone.
The demon laughed and slowly pointed his arm at her. She did not back away, nor did she hear her name called. She concentrated on his arm. He let go of the golden arrow, as Willow remained eerily calm. She waited for it then closed her eyes and caught it between the palm of her hands. She opened them once more, then threw the arrow back at the demon, hitting it in the middle of the head. It howled in pain as the fire consumed it alive. Then the demon disappeared. Willow came out of her trance and looked around to find Buffy lying lifeless on the floor. She would see the bruise on her head, and looked for a pulse. It was there.
<Angel> she thought. She saw him on the floor, blood spilling onto the ground, the arrow gone through him.
“Angel”.
She rushed to him, cradling him in her arms. He refused to respond. She shook him, hoping he would wake up. He remained still as tears sprang to her eyes. He had saved her, pushing her and accepting her fate. She never would have survived the hit she realized as the tears began to fall.
“What can I do?” she screamed to herself.
How could she save him and Buffy? <Giles, Xander.> <The door> she thought. She could not be able to open it.
Blood. That was what Angel needed. Vampires heal, but they need blood. She owed it to him. She looked around for something sharp, but found none. She searched in Angel’s pockets and found a small pocket knife.
“Don’t die,” she pleaded as she wiped away tears.
She unfolded the knife and looked at the sharp blade, then at her wrist. <He didn’t think twice about saving me> she thought, then felt the blade slice her skin. She screamed out in pain, then placed her wrist at Angel’s mouth. There was no response.
“Damn it.”
She opened his mouth with her other hand and dipped her finger in her blood then placed it in on his tongue. She felt it move. She moved her wrist back to his mouth and soon felt his mouth begin to move slowly. It began to suck slowly, slowly quicking.
<Enough for him to live> she thought. Sensations ran throughout her body. The initial pain was soon being replaced with a pleasure she had never felt. She grabbed his hair as he sucked harder. She began to pull her wrist away from his mouth, but was stopped by the grip of his hand. She didn’t protest.
Angel slowly came to. His eyes lazily opened, as pleasurable sensations washed his body. They were soon replaced by buckets of guilt as he realized he was drinking from someone. He reluctantly pulled the wrist from his mouth and looked up to see Willow. Her eyes were clutched close and lips parted. Her small cries were not that of fright and disgust, but of pleasure and desire. Angel fought for control. To fight the urge of kissing her. To taste the sweet lips that beckoned him. Even in his weak state, he was aroused. Aroused by the blood that now ran through his veins as well as the look of desire on her face.
“Willow,” he said softly.
Willow awoke from the cloud she was on and looked down to see Angel staring at her. She blushed a bright red as she pulled her hand away from his hair.
“Do you need more?” she asked him.
<More?> then realized what it was that she was offering.
“No..no..it was more then I should have taken,” he replied.
“You still look weak,” she told him concerned as she offered her wrist to him.
It was tempting. She was too tempting.
“I’ll be fine. Are you O.K.?” he asked concerned.
“A bit lightheaded.”
“Buffy?” he asked remembering what had happened.
“Alive. She hit her head on the wall.”
“BUFFY, WILLOW ARE YOU IN THERE?!” Giles yelled.
“GILES?”
“ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?”
“WE’RE HERE. WE’RE O.K.”
“THANK GOODNESS. CAN YOU OPEN THE DOOR?”
“I DON’T KNOW. I CAN’T SEE A SWITCH,” she yelled looking around the room.
“WE’LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO OUT HERE. LOOK FOR A SWITCH.”
“I WILL.”
She looked at her wrist which was still bleeding a bit.
“Help me sit?” he asked her as he started pulling himself.
She gave him a push, helping him sit up. He tore a piece of his shirt and carefully took Willow’s wrist and bandaged it. Her head began to hurt, as her eyes tried to remain focused.
“Willow, open the door,” he told her.
She looked at him surprised.
“What?”
“You can open it.”
“There’s no switch,” she informed him.
“You can.”
She looked at him confused.
“Concentrate on the door. Think it open.”
“I can’t...” she began to protest.
“Yes you can. Close your eyes. Think it open,” he told her as he placed his hand in hers.
She could not.
“Just do it,” he encouraged her.
“Angel, I can’t do that. It won’t do anything.”
“Humor me.”
She looked at him crazy.
“Please.”
She did as he asked. She closed her eyes then visualized the door. If only she could open it she thought. She visualized it open and even thought it heard like it. Her head began to throb then opened her eyes and saw the door slowly open.
“How the hell?” Xander asked as he saw it open.
Willow felt dizzy and soon fell back, landing in Angel’s arms.
“How?” she whispered.
Angel looked down at her amazed. Giles and Xander rushed over to Buffy and made sure she was fine. They found a pulse happily. They rushed over to see Willow who was close to losing consciousness, but fought to cling to it. She would not make out what it was that Giles was asking her, but Xander soon caught sight of her wrist. She only heard pieces of words being said.
“Bit her.....stake.......monster......blood”.
“I feed him....I feed him....I did..”, her final
words revealed as she drifted off into the dark.
************