Cantoluna

Author: Octamercur and Jane

Part 1

Rating: PG - 13

Summary: Willow has moved to LA to win a heart. :)

Spoilers: Takes place in the “Angel” series, with many a changes.

Distribution: Whispers in the Night; Willow’s Angel; Willow’s Lil’ Secret; If you would like it, let me know.

Feedback: Yes please! You have no idea how much it motivates us!

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters related to 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' that honor goes to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Oh, and the song belongs to Reba McEntire- “Till you love me”, not mine, what a shame.

Authors Notes: You can blame Ojosmorenitos for this. We owe her some goodies for taking care of the fort while Jane and I were out. This is her challenge to us.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Willow finished unpacking her last box and looked around her new apartment.

With a little help from Doyle and Cordelia she was able to find a rather nice apartment between UCLA and Angel Investigations.

Though it didn’t have a ghost as Cordelia’s apartment did, it did have its own unique appeal. She sat down on the plush white loveseat and smiled at the silence around her. She was on her own now. No roommate or parents. This was her apartment, and hers only. Yeah, Cordelia had offered to room with her and to an extent Doyle, and on some level Angel too, and as grateful as she was, it was time she stood on her.

Make her own decisions, make her own happiness.

That was the reason she had come to LA. To follow her heart, to take the chance, to make her dreams come true. She looked at her watch, and smiled, knowing that any minute now there would be a rather surprised vampire with his jaw to the floor.

* * * * * * * * * * *

“Angel, there’s a package for you,” Cordelia yelled.

“Would you mind receiving it?” Angel asked from inside his office.

“Can’t.”

“Why not?” he asked a bit annoyed. With no coffee in the morning and a pile of files that needed to be organized, it was safe to say he was a bit crabby.

“Because the guy says you can only sign for it.”

Angel rolled his eyes and pushed his chair from the desk. <It better be important> he thought. The words choked in his throat the moment he stepped out, his eyes widening in surprise and took a step back.

“You Angel?”

The dumbfounded vampire could only nod and quickly signed the paper placed in front of him. Doyle couldn’t help but chuckle at his reactions as Cordelia smirked.

“Where did you want to put them?” Cordy asked with a smile

“Why..... are they..... who?” Angel said trying to form a sentence.

“The little card might offer some clue to who sent them to ya’,” Doyle
advised.

Cordelia pulled it out and gave it to the still perplexed vampire.

“I’ll put them in your apartment,” she said with no room for argument.

She stood up and took them, then went to the stairs.

Angel opened the small white note, having a feeling he knew the sender. He pulled out the simple white card and read its contents.

I warned you I would - With all my heart - Willow

“So, who sent it?” he asked with a large smile.

Angel simple growled.

“You should know,” he replied darkly.

“Me? Nooooo... I don’t have the darnest idea who it would be from?” he replied, trying to strifel the chuckle.

“Funny. You knew about this?”

“No, why would I have known?”

Angel narrowed his eyes for a moment then stepped back into his office, his mixed emotions once again placed in the back of his heart and went back to work.

* * * * * * * * * * *

“He got them,” Cordelia said happily.

“Did he look surprised?”

“It was a Kodak moment. I would have taken a picture, but that whole no reflection thing just screws it.”

Willow laughed. She would have loved to have been there, to have seen his reaction if she had been there.

“There’s always tonight,” the redhead replied.

“So you are going to do it?” Cordy asked surprised.

She took a deep breath, her nerves coming back.

“Yes. I am.”

“You are either way in love with him or just crazy.”

“I think a little of both.”

“Just make sure you aren’t as good as you were in the talent show.”

* * * * * * * * * * *

Angel sat down on his black leather couch as he looked at the lovely arrangement on the coffee table in front of him. Perfect fully bloomed long stem red and white roses overflowing from the curvy vase. In all his years, even as a human, Angel had never received flowers before. Had never even received a gift that held so much emotion behind it. The voice on the radio brought him out of his thoughts. He reached for the remote and pressed down on the power button. For some reason Cordelia and Doyle had insisted they listen to it while they did some research in his apartment. He could have sworn he had told Doyle to turn it off when they left. He shook the remote, throwing it on the table when it did not function.

He stood up and headed over, but froze the moment he heard the words of the DJ.

“You are listening to the Kiss FM. I’m sending out a special invitation to a very lucky man. The beautifullest redhead just came by and asked me for a special favor. She will be at Liquid tonight, waiting for that certain someone, specifically named Angel. And if you should be dumb enough not to meet her at nine tonight, then I am sure there will be enough caring men to console her.”

Then a new song began leaving a stunned vampire in its wake.

* * * * * * * * * * *

“I can’t do this,” Willow said as she turned around and began walking to the door.

“The hell you aren’t,” Cordelia said as she took one of the redhead’s hands.

“Come on Rua, you’ve come this far,” Doyle encouraged taking her other hand and effectively stopping her.

“He isn’t even here,” she told them with a tint of sadness.

“Give him time. And were you or were you not the person who told me that no matter if he did or he did not come you were going to do this. Kill two birds with one stone?” Cordelia reminded her.

Willow took a deep breath and nodded. If this did not at least help get Angel’s attention then it would at least help her overcome her fears.

“You’re right. A little faith and a little courage,” she said.

Happy with her response the couple moved her to the back of the club and got her ready.

Angel walked into the dark club, his eyes already looking for the petite redhead. The club was more crowded then usual and he was sure he owed it to the disc jockey. The lights began to dim lower, his senses trying to find any trace of her. He didn’t have to wait long as the crowd cheered and the lights went completely dark, prompting Angel to move towards the small stage.

The bright, soft light illuminated the angel that nervously stood only two feet from the microphone stand in front of her. Applause greeted her, all males knowing who she must be. Angel looked up to see the captivating red head look to her side, catching a glimpse of Doyle and Cordelia right in front of the stage encouraging her on. He turned back around to see emerald eyes searching the sea of people. He squished through the crowd of people, trying to get closer to her. As he parted two people from his path he was able to finally take a look at the pretty young woman that wore a long black skirt with a colorful blouse that made her eyes take a deeper shade of green. The cheers ended as the soft strands of a song began to fill the air.

Willow took a deep breath, fearing she may have to run off. She had never been good at this.

Memories of the past Talent Show she was in began to haunt her. Sweaty palms held the microphone tightly in her hands as a lifeline. She looked forward to see too many and wondered which exit was closest. But it was the moment she saw him move towards her that any thoughts of fleeing left her mind. He had come. She game him a warm smile as her song began, knowing it by heart. She stared into confused brown dark eyes, concentrating on them.

I sent you roses, I warned you I would
Do all that I could to show
you the way I feel
Please, don’t say I’m wasting my time
I’ve got nothing but time so
I’ll do what I can to catch
That ghost of a chance

They moved closer to each other as the crowd around them seemed to slowly fade away.

Her smile widened as the lyrics she sang came from her heart, defining a new determination in her.

The sunlight, the moonlight
Are beyond my control
And there are stars in the heavens
That I’ll never hold
But if dreams give you power
Then I’m strong enough to
offer my heart
and never give up till you love me
Till you love me

Angel felt something inside him that he hadn’t felt for years. Something that he had never had in his life before, not even with Buffy. And that scared him. As he finally made it as close to her as possible he could only see genuine feelings in her eyes. He smiled slightly as he felt her warm hand touch his cheek, caressing it as she could as she bent down to reach him.

I looked in your eyes, so
bright and so brown
and that’s when I knew that you could be mine
If goods things come to those who will wait
We’ll I guess I can wait if
That’s what I have to do
Oh, it’s worth it for you

Her nightingale voice filled him with a warmth in his dead heart that made it beat. She seemed to glow before him, her touch very much welcomed.

She pulled away a bit, proclaiming the words she meant to everyone around, letting him know she could not give up on him, not now, perhaps not ever.

She leaned closer to him again, as he inched forward, leaving both to wonder what would happen next. It was then that he felt her warm lips on his cool, never before having tasted something so sweet. She pulled back and smiled as she saw him open his eyes and look at her.

Then I’m strong enough to
offer my heart
and never give up till you love me
Till you love me
Till you love me

He moved back, retreating into the darkness and crowd as the spell was broken by the applause. She gave him a final smile before he disappeared from her view, then looked at the crowd and blushed, nerves once again over taking her. Doyle and Cordelia made it up to her and hugged her looking like two proud parents. She accepted them both with wide open arms, catching a glimpse of a black leather jacket leaving the club out of the corner of her eye. She closed her eyes and smiled, feeling new found hope in him.

He had kissed her back and that was all the encouragement she had needed to persue him until he loved her.

End Part 1

Next