****************** Chapter One**********************

Willow was certain that something was up, something no one wanted to
tell her. After Tara and I broke up, I was upset, but I got over it,
they are acting like they did when Oz left, but this was different
when things ended with us it had been okay, I was okay with it, it is
better this way. They would never understand the things Tara had said
to me when we had that fight so long ago, I am still sad that I never
saw her afterwards, Yet I am glad that I left before the Talk with
Giles had taken place, when I knew it was coming, I just left, I
walked for hours around the streets of my home, I ended up back at my
childhood home, so many memories of that place, my favorite was when
Angel had come to my house asking for help with Ford, I still smile
remembering that I told him I was not allowed to have boys in my
room, if only he knew what my thoughts were at that moment. I smile
whenever I think about that. That memory is one of the things that
got me threw walking into Tara's empty dorm room a few days after our
fight, I do not know what happened to her after she left our room
that day, to my knowledge no body does. But now I could focus on my
witchy ways and my friends, besides Buffy needs me and with Tara
around I could not totally focus my attentions toward her. She has
had such a hard year, that's for sure; I could not handle things the
way Buffy had. But now Buffy will not have to handle it all alone, I
could be there for her. That is what she needs and this is what I
need she thought as she walked into the magic shop.
" Hey Giles."
Giles looked up from the book he was writing in, then promptly shut
it, and tucked it into a hidden drawer under the counter as he
replied
"Oh hi Willow I did not hear you come in."
< What is hiding from me, damnit, he never hides things from me. >

"Well here I am right in front of you, saying Hi, Giles."
 

******************** Chapter 2 **************************

He was about to ask Willow if something was wrong when Xander and
Anya come back from Anyas break.
"Anya, yes I know it is not fair to tell her but I think.."
"Xander, Anya welcome back, look who is here, Willow."
Xander and Anya looked up toward Willow, "Hey Will, Just explaining
to Anya here, the ex-demon, newly human, the inner workings of uh,
the X-files and Mulders plausible feelings for Scully."
Anya looking at Xander confused, " But Xander I understand Mulder
loves Scully.."
Before she could finish Xander Elbowed her, and Giles reminded her
that there were customers to help. She Sighed and walked away.
< Here it is again something they don't want to tell me. Damnit why
do they do this I am not a child they can protect, > Her thoughts
were interrupted by Xander.
"Uh, Wills, you okay?"
She gave Xander a scathing look and Replied, " I am fine Xander, I am
not a child you do not have to baby me."
She gave Xander a look and he knew not to press anymore.
" Giles is there anything for me to research?"
" No Willow why don't you go rest."
"Well I don't need to rest, I am gonna go check on Buffy…"
Before she could Finish Xander interrupted her, " Buff is good, no
need to go check on her, I was just there, she was, uh, napping."
Giles wanting to back up Xander told Willow he had just spoke to her
and she had planned on resting before, patrolling tonight.
< They are doing it again, what is going on here. > She gave them a
questioning look before she turned and left without saying goodbye.
Well that is it, I have had it, they don't want me to go see Buffy,
they want me to rest and they keep acting like I am going to break
all because after Oz left, my first boyfriend, I broke down but I am
older and I can handle break ups, oh I can't believe they are acting
so weird. Before she knew it she was standing in front of her dorm
room, well I guess I am gonna go home but I am NOT going to rest,
yeah that'll show them. She walked into her dorm room and looked
around for something to do, she had finished all her homework for the
month and decided to check her email, there was a letter from Cordy,
since they had that talk about Harmony, they had began Email each
other, Willow was trying to find a spell that would lessen the
effects of her visions, so far Willow had not found anything, but
enjoyed getting to know the new kinder, gentler Cordy, and I t was
funny to hear her talk about how funny Angel was, Angel funny, Willow
doubted it but if Cordy said so… she opened her email from Cordy,
telling her about Lindsay leaving and about his singing, she sounded
smitten it was a shame that he left, maybe it would have done her
some good, but then there was Gunn, after all. Willow decided to
email her later, and maybe take a nap, she was kinda sleepy, no she
was not going to give in to them, they were evil, she set her resolve
face and pulled out her spell books and began looking for anything to
help her friend with her problem that was becoming worse. She flipped
through the pages for hours until she found something that she
thought might not help Cordy, but it would help her get to the bottom
of her friends behavior, a truth spell. She marked the page, and
decide that she would give it a look later, when she was more clear
headed and had more of a feeling that her friends were truly hiding
something from her, not just walking on egg shells around her,
because of her break up with Tara. She decided to give Cordelia a
call and see what she thought of the spell idea. Willow picked up the
phone and began dialing the number she knew by heart now. It rang
three times before Angel picked up
"Angel investigations, we help the helpless."
 
 

      ****************** Chapter Three***************

Willow took a deep breath, goddess he sounds sexy over the phone.
"Hello?"
"Angel."
"Willow, is that you?"<What is she doing calling, not that it is not
nice hearing her sexy voice. > Angel thought to himself.
"Yeah" she said breathlessly <damn girl find your voice, you have
been over him since he left for L.A.>
"Will, what can I do for you?"
"Uh, actually I was calling to talk to Delia," she replied to Angel.
"Oh okay, I'll get her for you, how is school and…everything?"
"Buffy's good."
"I didn't mean Buffy I meant you."
Oh, well I figured you meant Buffy, everyone is always asking about
Buffy and worrying about Buffy and acting like Buffy is a god."

<Man does she sound upset with Buffy; I wonder what is going on
there, why doesn't anyone tell me? > Angel thought. "Willow, calm
down and tell me what is going on and let me see if I can help." <why
do I want to help I've got a whole city here to help, but I owe
Willow a lot more than a little help. >
"Angel thank you for offering to help, but that is why I was calling
Cordy."
The phone was silent for a few seconds until she heard Cordelia's
voice asking how it was " Rude much?" "Just hands me the phone and
walks away" she told a questioning Gunn.
"Cordelia, speaking."
"Hey, it's me!"
"Willow? What did you say to Angel, he looks like he just lost is
best friend."
"I just told him I had called to talk to you about what was bothering
me, when he pressed, I didn't mean to hurt his feelings."
" Well damn girl, you hit a sore spot for him, helping people with
their problems is what he does, …"
Willow lost the next part of the conversation, she was contemplating
Delia's protectiveness of Angel, just another marvel of how she had
grown.
"Willow, earth to witch child… still there?"
"Oh what?" "I just got lost in all that's encompass my wandering
mind." "Let me talk to Angel"
"What? No way he is in full on broad boy mode, so not going near him
for a few hours, Now Wills, What is up?"
Willow filled her in on all that was going on, the way they were all
treating her, about finding the spell and what to do with it.

***********Meanwhile Angels "Full on Brood Boy Mode"*************

Angel retreated into himself after his conversation with Willow. He
trudged up the stairs into his sanctuary, knowing no one in their
right mind would come up after him.
Willows tone had bothered him a lot more than he would be willing to
tell any of them. After Willow had returned his soul he had made a
promise to always watch over his little witch, how had the grace of
god, and in his style he had. He would always see her when he made
his infrequent visits to Sunnydale, Although, he never really talked
to her, he only heard about her through his seer and he would help
Delia, with solving Willows' problems, so he felt he was helping her.
Without doing it with her finding out, because he knew Willow would
not like it if he directly helped, as she would think that he was
doing it out of obligation.
"I am going in circles,"
he sighed to himself and went back to listening to his seer's
conversation with his witch.

"Well Wills, I don't know whether you should use a truth Spell on all
the gang back in Sunnydale,"
Cordy said rather loudly, hoping Angel would be listening to her
conversation, like he always did when she talked to Willow.

Angel bolted out of his seat, and ran to her side and shook his head
no violently no, he wanted to scream it loud and into Willows ear, he
did not need a truth spell put on Buffy, what if she told Will about
the last conversation him and Buffy had had a few weeks ago.
"NO, double no, do not put a truth spell on them …. That would be
bad, unethical, and Will lets face it your spells do not have the
best history. I don't have to bring up the Troll do I?"
Cordelia knew it was wrong to hit her best friend so hard under the
belt, but Angel really didn't seem to want her to do that spell. She
narrowed her eyes at Angel in a warning, which he knew that he would
have to explain.

"Okay Willow, I will talk to you later and hopefully have an answer
for you, but Angel is giving me a look, so I am gonna go girl."

The girls said goodbye as Angel walked back into his office for what
Cordy called his brood boy mode. She would never understand that he
did not brood-- well not as much and as seriously as he had done
before.  Anyway he wanted to compose his thoughts before he spoke to
Cordy.
Buffy, had called him a few days ago about Willow, She was cryptic
but her message was clear-- she wanted Angel to get Willow to come
stay in L.A. for a while.
While he liked the idea, he didn't trust her motives, Buffy could be
very self-serving and selfish. It was unfair to up root Willow and
send her away-- not that he didn't wish to see her, because he would
love to see her and talk with her, hold her, brush her now short hair
out of her eyes, to spend all day and night with her, but that would
be bad, very bad.  He looked up into his Seer's knowing eyes; he
looked up at her and gave her his cutest can't help it smirk.
"What Delia?"

"Well can you tell me why I just insulted my best friend's abilities,
even though I have complete faith in her and crushed her even more."

Angel looked at her when and made his decision.
" I am going to Sunnydale."

Cordelia's jaw dropped.
"You're what?" she almost shouted
"Buffy called me a few days ago and asked me to get Willow out of
Sunnydale. Something has happened, and I am going to find out what."

Cordelia knew not to question him when he got that look in his eyes.
If he was going, then he was going… if Wes would let him.
 
 

      ********************** Chapter 4******************

*******************BACK IN SUNNYDALE****************************

"SHE doesn't trust my spell casting, that is sooo not like her,"
Willow shouted at the top of her lungs. She had been screaming and
throwing things, which was not like her, but Cordy was not being
herself either. This was not good! Why was everyone acting this way?
"Goddess, what did I do to deserve this?" Willow asked herself. Then
her phone rang. She sighed, saying softly " not the sign I was
looking for."
She reached over and picked up the phone.
" This better be good!" she practically screamed into the phone.
"Uh, Wills, you okay? I didn't wake you did I?" Angel asked calmly.
It sounded like she was in a bad mood, and he hoped he could calm her
down.
"Uh, Angel?"

"Yes Willow its me."

Willow didn't get it. He sounded so concerned for her and wait why
was he calling? She realized he was waiting for her to Answer him.

"Angel, what's up? Not that I mind you calling and oh, by the way,
I'm sorry I was so rude on the phone I really didn't mean to but you
kinda shocked me. I mean shocked me in a good way not a bad way like
I just made it sound…"
"Willow it's okay, breath." Angel knew how she was when she got on to
her ramblings. He didn't mind he could listen to her ramble all day;
he really missed her rambling, along with many other things, like her
infectious good mood, and her perpetually smiling face.
"Angel, are you still there cause I am done breathing. I can talk now
since I am sure that is why you called in the first place." Willow
was not sure what she was doing. She really didn't ramble this bad
anymore, she figured Angel just had that effect on her, always had
and she was sure always would. She tried to reign herself back to the
conversation that Angel had restarted.
" I'm sure you're wondering why I am calling. Well funny thing is I
have to come to Sunnydale for a few days to handle some – uh-business
and I was wondering if might want to…"

Before he could finish Willow's squeal of delight interrupted him.
" You're coming to Sunnydale?" She couldn't believe her luck.

"Yeah, I will be there for a few days. Would you like to get
together?"

He hoped she would I mean that's why he was coming.
" Of course I would love to see you! I mean no one her has time for
me anymore." She admitted. She thought she sounded like she was
whining but she wasn't and couldn't tell Angel that before he began
to speak again.
" Willow, don't worry things will get better. And until then I am
yours."
Angel couldn't believe he said that, I mean how was she going to take
it, could she take it, would she understand what I meant?
Before he could ponder too much more, she started talking again.

"Angel, that's sweet, but you don't have to babysit me. I can be on
my own, I am  big powerful witch remember?" Willow said with a
teasing tone in her voice.

Angel was exasperated. "Willow, I don't think of hanging out with you
as babysitting, and never would. I love to spend time with you and
finding out what makes you so wonderful."
Willow's mind was reeling. He said he was hers and then that she was
wonderful! What is going on here? She hadn't talked to him except for
a handful of times in 2 years, and then it was all about Buffy, but
she wasn't going there, she would get mad about how her friends were
treating her. She sighed. She did not want to be mad when talking to
Angel.

" Okay mister, when do you get here?" she asked hoping it was very
soon.

" Well what if I told you I was outside your dorm?" Angel replied in
a dead serious tone of voice.

"UH, What?" Willow said as she walked to the door and turned the knob
and landed face first into a solid wall of sexy muscle.
 
 

            ************ Chapter 5*************

Hey cutie, like the chest?" Angel asked teasingly. He loved having
her pressed into him but he wanted to see if she would still blush at
the drop of his smile.
Willow slowly looked up from his strong body to see a grin on his
face. Gods was that a sexy smile! Not like his counterparts' smirk,
which was sexy in a totally different way. This was a real smile!
" Guess Cordy was right. You have gotten funny." She said to him as
she began laughing.He looked down into her eyes and let out something
he was sure she wouldn't" remember- a laugh.
" She said that? I guess I know someone who is getting a raise, when
I get back," he replied.
She looked at him and she shot back at him with " Well Gunn deserves
it!" She couldn't believe she was standing here with Angel the man of
her dreams trading quips.
Angel couldn't believe she had gotten him. He maybe new at this
joking thing but so far no had gotten him! He looked at her
dumbstruck.
"I got you, didn't I Mr. Funnyman? Your stuck," She was laughing so
hard she lost her balance and landed in his arms.
Well, here I am back in his arms and it feels so damn good, she
thought to herself.
Angel's thoughts were in a similar place, this is good, twice in less
than 10 minutes!
Willow reluctantly let go of him as she felt a deep blush starting
Angel felt her loosening her tight hold on him and was not ready to
let go of her. He pulled her into a hug and began to speak into her
soft red hair
" Gods, it is good to see you little one, even if you got me."
"Well remember that." Willow responded into his thick chest.
Angel slowly let her go, and they broke apart and looked into each
other's eyes.
"Well little one, are you going to give me the tour?" he said
slipping his arm around her shoulder.
" Sure, come on in." Willow led him into her small dorm room and said
" This is the hall. Sorry the chandelier is out being cleaned. Over
here is the kitchen," she said as she walked him to a counter that
held her never used microwave. "That is my sub-zero fridge pointing
to a little brown fridge in the corner, and this is my library."  She
pointed out as she walked over to the bookshelf that held her magic
books. "And last but not least-- my boudoir." She said finishing her
tour in giggles as she fell on her bed.
Angel looked at her with laughter in his eyes.
" The lady invited me into her boudoir, I thought she was not to have
boys in there."
Willow could not believe he remembered that night!  She became
nervous, because he did, that was sooo long ago. She had no idea what
to say to that, but some how her mouth moved with out her permission.
"Well sir, times have changed, but only for you."
Angel was surprised and tried not show it. His little witch was all
grown up and practically inviting him in to her bed! No she could not
know what she just said to him. No way. Yet next thing he knew he was
sitting on her bed saying---
" Well mil' lady, that sounds enticing."
He took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on her hand, trailing it up
her arm, until his lip brushed against, her cheek, right where her
lips met with the flesh.
Willow was in shock. He just kinda kissed her! But what was she
expecting? She had just invited him in to her bed. What was she
doing? He was Buffy's! She had to get this under control before it
went any farther.

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