Part 11

The next morning, when she woke, Willow headed for the kitchen. She grabbed a Hi-C from the refrigerator, and a banana from the table, hoping to avoid her nanny today. She left a note tacked with a magnet to the freezer saying that she was outside playing, and went to see Angel.

He was sleeping on the floor again, but this time she didn't wake him up. He was a master of tickling, and she didn't want to go through _that_ again. Willow got her favorite book "Green Eggs and Ham" and laid down next to Angel - he sure made a good pillow! She ate her breakfast and read her book. She was trying her best to wait for him to wake up.

Angelus had awakened the second she had started up the ladder. He hadn't lived this long without having good survival instincts. Now, he was curious to see what Willow would do. He felt her lay against him. After a while she started moving around, impatient. He decided to get up. They really did need to have that little talk.

"Good morning, Angel! You know, I was thinking 'bout last night. Where did those men go? What happened? Why did you look so strange? And you were growling! I heard you! And what are you doing?!"

Angel had picked Willow up and put her in a chair. He sat before her and started to explain.

"Willow, I'm a vampire. I can't go out into the sunlight, I don't eat food, and if someone hurt me really badly, I would die. I turn to dust. Which is what happened to those people last night. I killed them, because if I hadn't they would have hurt us really badly. It's also why I didn't eat any ice-cream. It doesn't taste too good to me, and it might have made me sick. Do you understand now?"

Willow looked at him. (That does explain a lot. And he still doesn't _look_ crazy.) "Change your face again, I wanna see."

Instantly he changed, his demon showing. Willow poked, and prodded, and pulled his face this way and that getting used to his differentness. Finally she just petted. It wasn't hard, his face, he just had more muscles under his skin, which was cool. It felt, well...normal. Angel started purring because of her attentions. It had been a long time since he had been touched...in any kind of way, and it felt nice.

Startled at the sound coming from him, Willow jumped back., but then reached out again to continue. It was a nice sound - all rumbly. Eventually she asked, "Angel, which is real, this one or your other one?"

"Both are. The regular one is what I looked like when I was still alive, and the one I'm wearing now is what I can look like since I became a vampire. I usually only look like this when I'm really angry, or hurt, or if I like something a whole lot." He tried to explain it in a way that she could understand.

"Oh." Angel decided to leave it at that.

"Willow, would you do something for me?" Angel asked. "I want you to go and get a leaf from outside, and bring it back to me."

Willow did as he asked, wondering what in the world he could want with a leaf! He sure was a strange man. She brought it back inside and placed it on the table where Angel told her to. Then she sat and waited for him to explain.

When he did, she looked at him as if he was crazy. Which she was now convinced that he was! He wanted her to pick up the leaf and put it in his hand. Which didn't sound hard at all. At least, it didn't until he told her that he didn't want her to touch it!

She sat and stared at it, just wishing that it would move.  After a while she sat back and looked at Angel instead. "Just how am I supposed to make it move if I can't touch it?" She was a little frustrated at the way he looked at her so expectantly - just waiting for her to do as he asked. "Just concentrate on moving the leaf."  Angel told her softly.

Willow laughed suddenly. She leaned forward and blew really hard. The leaf flew upward, and as it came back down it landed in Angel's hand. Angel sighed. That really wasn't what he had meant for her to do.

"Angel, I don't want to do this anymore. Tell me a story!  Please?"

Unable to resist her pleading tone, Angel led her to the sofa. He proceeded to tell her a story of things that had happened to him when he was a child: tales of Galway a long time ago. After a while, his voice sent her to sleep.

Angel wasn't surprised that the child had fallen asleep.  They'd had a long night and she'd woken up pretty early. He was glad that he had told her the truth about himself. She deserved to know.  Now she would understand the reasons behind some of the things he did. He wouldn't have to hide parts of himself and he wouldn't have to lie.

Now if only he could get her to realize what a powerful witch she was. She had held four vampires immobile at the same time. Willow's power could help him to keep her safe, even if she could only float a pencil. A pencil could be used to stake a vampire just as well as a fence post. Even a toothpick would do.

Going over his plans for Sunnydale domination, Angel held the sleeping child close.

When at last she woke, Angel had her go inside. It was almost noon, and he didn't want the nanny to get worried and forbid the child from going outside.

By the time Willow was finished with all the chores, had helped to pick up the groceries that she and her nanna had spent the afternoon buying, and was finally left alone again it was early evening. (That trellis sure comes in handy!) She brought a deck of cards with her. They were going to play "Go Fish." She didn't have anyone to play with usually, but Angel was willing.

They played for a while, with Willow winning most of the hands. Suddenly Angel heard a child's distant scream. He picked Willow up and rushed outside. He tried to pinpoint where the sound was coming from. (Down the street.)

He ran so fast that Willow couldn't see anything except a blur. When they stopped she saw dark-haired little boy. He was sitting on the front step of the house, crying. He cowered down trying to escape the vampire that was playing with him. Angel was extremely angry - this was the kind of thing that he was going to stop from happening.

He set Willow down gently. She watched him carefully, looking to see if he wanted her to do anything to help him. He was in his other face, all growly and 'grr'. (That mean old vampire is gonna get it!) "Stay here," he told her, but Willow didn't mind. She was content to watch.

He picked up a sturdy-looking twig from the grass, and walked up to the vampire from behind. Angel grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off his feet. He said, "You really shouldn't play with your food," and cleanly staked him. He looked at Willow. She smiled and clapped for him, watching the pretty dust cloud float away.

Then they turned their attention to the boy.

Willow was moved to pity for the boy. She had only played with him a few times at the park. He had seemed a little weird. Now she was just sorry for him. He had been outside because his dad was really mad and Alexander didn't want to bother him. It seemed that when his father was angry, he was angry at everybody, and Alexander didn't want to get punished. Willow was glad her father wasn't like that. The boy had said to call him 'Xander. He didn't like his name and only his mother called him Alex. So 'Xander it was.

He thought Angel was really neat and that he was a hero like He-man. Willow explained though, about Angel being a vampire and how he was her friend. She also told 'Xander that Angel was a big secret, and he couldn't tell anybody. She asked him if he wanted to be their friend too. He was happy to say yes. He liked Willow. She seemed really smart and nice. 'Xander only had one other friend, Jesse, and he saw him mostly at school. Jesse lived too far away for 'Xander to go by his house much. He would be able to play with Willow everyday if he wanted!

"Do you want to come over to my house for a little while?  Just until you can go back inside?" Willow asked him. "It isn't safe out here in the dark."

'' No, I can go in now, I'll just stay in my room. I'll be okay." He then asked, "Do you want to walk with me to school tomorrow? It's Monday, you know."

"Sure, we can do that. So I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll wait for you."

"G' Night, 'Xander."

"Bye Willow, Angel. See you later."

Angel and Willow watched Xander make his way safely inside before turning and heading back to Willow's treehouse. Once in, Angel told her, "I'm going to be moving across the street tomorrow. I'll still be close and you can come over anytime you want to. I just can't stay in your treehouse, Willow. And I just can't keep going inside your house every time I want a bath. Okay?" Angel watched Willow's face carefully, he didn't want her to think he was leaving her. He had promised to stay.

Willow blinked back tears and smiled for him. He wasn't going away, only moving across the street. She could deal with that. "It's okay, Angel. You're going to have your own house?  That's good. We can invite 'Xander over, can't we?"

"Of course we can," he reassured her.

"Good. We're going to have lots of fun!"

"Yes, we will. Willow, why don't you go on to bed now and get some sleep? You can see my house tomorrow when you come home from school."

"Okay Angel, 'night!"

"Good Night, Willow. Sweet dreams."

Part 12

Monday and Tuesday

Angel spent the day without Willow. He'd had his broker buy the house and everything in it. The price hadn't mattered. It had turned out to be a half million, which wasn't too bad, considering how fast Angel had gotten the previous owners to move out.

Now, he was in the process of redecorating it with the help of a lady he had hired. All he really did was tell her what he wanted, then stood back out of the sunlight and watched.

When Willow came home she introduced Xander to her nanna since there was no need to hide her friendship with him. The boy charmed the nanny with his cynical humor, and found himself invited to dinner. By the time Xander had to go home he had an invitation to return whenever he pleased.

Angel spent the next day preparing for the night. He rested mostly and thought about the events that lay ahead. That is, until Willow came to visit. When she arrived, he explained to her what he was intending to do, justifying his upcoming actions by telling her his reasons. He told her that he wanted to prevent what had happened to Xander from ever happening again.

Willow didn't cry, although she was scared. Crying would only make Angel feel bad. And if what he said was true, he didn't need to be worrying about her.

Angel held her and talked to her until it was time for both of them to leave. The night called.

Part 13

He came upon the Circle. His boots were silent upon the grass as he moved freely in the darkness. The night was bled of all color by the silvery wash of moonlight, and any movement stood stark against it's stillness. Even slight sounds seemed to float on the air.

The coming fight called to his already singing blood, a song of black and latent fire that both parts of him understood. Dream memories whispered through his mind: fights his demon had won in strange places against unknown beings, the echo of them setting up queer resonances in his soul.

The air was warm, the slight stench of decay present to his heightened senses. A sudden twist of wind brought to him the smell of spilled blood. It seemed the Challenges had already started. He picked up his pace, more than ready to have this over and done with, and walked from the shadows out into the brilliance of the evening to stand before the Judges.

"I, Angelus, Favored Childe of Darla, Order of Aurelius, Claim Sunnydale as Master!" He announced to the surrounding spectators. He was a little disappointed not to see any surprise. "Does anyone Challenge my right to do so?"

As soon as Angel had finished uttering the words, his Challenger stepped up. Only one protested his coming rule. He gave no name, simply attacked Angel without hesitation, pitting himself against the older vampire.

A tide of strength rose within Angel, surging and sure, as if drawing life from the combat. Exhilaration flooded him, making him stronger. Angel cast aside his concern for the perceived limitations of his flesh. He strove against his challenger, as the chaotic whispers of fragmentary visions from his demon continued to swirl through his mind.

There was no finesse in this fight, just pure brute strength as they rained blow after blow upon each other, as both sought to dominate and eliminate the one who stood against him. But age was telling and, in the case of vampires, with age comes power. Angel was by far the stronger. He quickly tired of the monotony of simply trading blows.

He waited for the precise moment, the moment when the other committed himself to strike. Angel sidestepped out of the way, seizing the other's fist as it flew past. He shoved the younger to the ground, pulling the arm back into a hold, forcing him to stay down with a knee against his back. Angel grabbed him by the hair and forced his head to the side, then bit deeply, draining him until he was dry...dust.

Angel stood still for a moment, listening, then slowly began to move, watchful for another attack, and came to stand before the Judges.

"Is my Claim accepted?"

Having no choice, they confirmed it.

Angelus was Master.

But there was one who watched the fight with heat in his eyes. A flaming hatred for the new Master who had humiliated him, who had bent him to his will just a short time ago. It was a hate founded in fear, but terrible nevertheless, and it seethed inside of the vampire who once was a man named Luke. (Angelus will be repaid...with interest.)

Part 14

Angel traveled under the protective cloak of night, returning to his house. He was tired. The fight, giving out the orders that he wished to be obeyed, and making sure that they _would_ be obeyed, had taxed his strength. But even in his weariness he displayed a surprising facility for moving unnoticed, sliding silently through the shadows, unobserved. He had no wish to be disturbed or hindered.

He felt a need for Willow, to bathe in her attention and innocence; to wash away the violence in her company. He wished to forget, if only for a while, the things that were still to be done.

He came at last to his house. The faint prickling on his skin telling of the closeness of dawn. He went inside just as the first faint rays broke the cover of darkness, sighing in relief that he would be able to rest.

Angel spent the next few days consolidating his hold on the clan. He needed to be in complete control if he was ever to present Willow to them. Angel didn't use knives or chains anymore to get his point across. If one of his new minions failed to carry out his wishes, he either killed the person who annoyed him, or locked them in the Room for a week. They quickly learned to do what they were told, and to do it correctly, or they left Sunnydale. The threat of being trapped in a windowless room filled with crosses, or being dusted by their Master made them very obedient.

When not forcing his will upon his clan, Angel spent time with the children. Watching movies by Disney, Saturday morning cartoons, or simply being in their company relaxed him. It restored his soul, which constantly fought his demon against taking pleasure in the punishments that he dealt to the vampires. The three of them became quite close after spending so much time together. 'Xander stayed at Angel's house on the nights that he was afraid to go home.  The house provided a safe haven for the three from the realities that they each had to deal with.

Part 15

Time passed quickly, for they were each as happy as it was possible for them to be. Willow's loneliness had vanished in her new friends' company, and she found herself laughing and smiling more than she ever had before. Xander was a genius at inventing games, and Angel had plenty of stories to tell about his life or about princesses and heroes, dragons and magic. Angel was Willow's hero, and she adored him.

But the day came when Angel seriously sat Willow down to begin her lessons in magic. Willow hated it. Not used to sitting still and concentrating, she thought it all a waste of time. She started to do anything possible to avoid the lessons, and Angel began to fear that pushing her more would damage their relationship. In the end he solved the dilemma with a bit of trickery, pretending to give in.

"All right," Angel told her with a shrug. "If it's too hard for you then you don't have to do it anymore."

Willow scowled at him suspiciously, but Angel just ignored her. She felt vaguely guilty, as if she had disappointed him.

Angel watched the child out of the corner of his eye as he sat at the kitchen table. He pretended to concentrate on the lit candle at the center of the table. After a while Willow went around the house looking for something to do, but it wasn't any fun without someone to play with. Coming to this conclusion, she drifted back to Angel. He was still just _sitting_ there! Eventually she approached him.

"Can we play something now?"

"Not right now,"Angel replied absently. "I'm busy."

"But Angel, I'm bored!" she whined.

"I'm not," he told her, smirking.

Willow stomped her foot, and shouted. "I don't believe you! You just want me to sit there and look at a stupid candle!"

Angel winced. (The girl is too smart for her own good.)  Assuming an expression of hurt, he looked at her with innocence in his eyes.

"Would I lie to you?" Seeing her expression, Angel realized that he would have to show her something. "Fine. Sit there, be quiet, and I'll prove it to you."

Angel had only a few skills in magic, but he could do a simple illusion. So he concentrated on his opened hand, gazing at the palm, gathering his will. He drew power, reaching inward to outward, and a tiny ball of blue fire hovered over his hand. He glanced at the child and, observing her rapt expression, made the tiny spark flit around her. Willow was enchanted. (So this is magic! This I want to do!)

When the show was over, she looked at Angel thoughtfully. "You really want me to learn how to do this, don't you?"

He nodded. "It means a lot to me, and it's more important than you can dream."

Willow threw her arms around him, her face lit with a smile. "I love you, Angel."

Angel felt something inside tighten. "I love you too, little one." He drew back and cleared his throat, then said briskly. "I believe you said you were bored?"

Part 16

That was the beginning of Willow's training. At first it was terrible, for Angel made no allowances for her age or inexperience.  He pushed her abilities as much as he could. So she learned to endure without complaining, and things got better.

It took Willow a while to grasp the rudiments of magic.  Angel suspected that the fault was his, for she was intelligent, and he knew that he lacked skill in magic. Much that he wanted to teach her he couldn't demonstrate. He could only substitute patience for skill and keep their lessons short, stopping before Willow grew too impatient and tired. Eventually it worked, and by the time school was out she was able to work many small spells: light, fire, some healing. She also learned some exercises in breathing and meditation to calm the body and sharpen the mind.

When they weren't practicing, they - and Xander - spent hours before the fireplace as the children listened, enthralled, to Angel's stories. They would sit at his feet, wide-eyed and fascinated, as he spoke of his long life or just fanciful tales he had heard himself from his mother.

Though Angel wasn't a scholar, he taught them the history that he had lived through. It was fascinating, and the children marveled, and learned.

June came that year, bringing scorching hot summer days, and warm nights. They took to spending the evening hours outside in a secluded spot in Angel's backyard, pointing out the different constellations and talking. Willow never failed to astonish him with her insight or her inner strength. It was on one of these nights that he made the decision that Willow was ready to be introduced to his clan.

Part 17

The next evening, Angel brought her to a warehouse by the river where he'd had the vampires assemble. As he carried her inside, Willow could _feel_ their hostility as eyes burned into her, and fear coiled inside her like a snake, making her insides tighten, and her body stiffen.

Angel felt both the hostility and Willow's fear, and he softly warned the vampires. His voice a cat's purr, velvet sheathing the threat of razor-clawed violence. He set Willow down on top a pile of crates, giving her a clear view of her surroundings, which were vast. She watched as the shadows seemed to thicken as they were surrounded by the vampires.

Angel watched also from a relaxed pose at her feet. The pose was a charade though, because he was ready for anything that they might try.

Most of the vampires were just curious about the child their Master had brought among them, but none dared to question...except one.

(Why would Angelus bring the witch-child here?) Luke wondered. He hated Angelus, and grew more and more impatient with his many rules. (Isn't it enough that we have to follow all those stupid rules?! Don't kill! Don't be seen! No more!)

Tired of the silence he asked, "Why do you bring a child here?"

Angelus turned his attention Luke's way. In his face Angel saw his hate and defiance. "I brought her here so that you may know her. She is _not_ to be harmed. She is to be obeyed...even before me."

At his words many faces darkened. What their Master was proposing was for the child to be Mistress, their Lady. For them to submit to child - and a human one at that! This outrage could not be tolerated.

"Kill them!"

Angel didn't know who shouted the order...he didn't really care either as about a dozen of his former minions rushed at him to attack.

Seeing Angel assaulted, Willow scrambled to her feet, emerald eyes blazing. Her power called to her, screaming. She pressed the palms of her hands against her eyes, until white stars exploded against her closed lids, trying to control it. The magic swelled until she thought her skin would burst with the light and power.

Willow opened her eyes and was greeted with the sight of Angel still fighting. So she closed her eyes and ... let go.

Her concentration was pure, and she gathered her will. Winds not felt began to ripple and twist the fabric of the clothes she wore, as it ruffled her hair. Time dissolved and fractured, slowing down to a crawl. Though her eyes were closed she could see everything, and had all the time in the world in which to do what she needed.

A ring of fire appeared, encircling Angel and preventing his attackers from reaching him. The fire was hot but did not burn him, and he turned unafraid to see how Willow faired.

Bits of magic, like colored fireflies, danced around her slight form, brilliant. They burned whoever they touched, slowly incinerating them, and the shrill piercing of screams reverberated though the air for what seemed hours. Then there was silence.

The radiance that had beaten against her closed eyelids slowly faded away. Willow looked to the fire that had protected Angel and willed it away. The flames hesitated and paled until they were colorless, then with a rush of phantom wind the fire vanished.  Willow was so tired that it was hard to see, her vision tunneling to gray, and she cried out for Angel.

His entire body still tingled from the nearness of so much power, but at her cry Angel hurried to her. Exhausted, Willow clung to him in the darkness as he rocked her in the cradle of his arms, listening to his soft voice as it comforted her.

It was a while before the surviving minions found enough courage to intrude. Luke and a few of the other traitors had gotten away, but the fight was over for now and Angel doubted that they would ever see them again after that brilliant display, and the rest of them had no more objections to Willow.

Part 18

Angel carried her home and tucked her into bed, but as he was about to leave, she stirred.

"Angel, why did they try to hurt us?"

He turned to her with a look of sadness. "You know that they weren't human, don't you? They were vampires, although they aren't quite like me. The have no soul, no conscience, no guilt for their actions. There are beings worse than vampires, and behind the worse are creatures even more terrifying than they are. But vampires are
what are mostly here, and what we have to deal with.

I'm trying my best to keep them from hurting people, but they don't like some of the things I make them do, or some of the things I stop them from doing."

"If they're so bad then why don't you just kill them all?"

"Because if I did, more would just come to replace them. I'd have to start all over again, I would have to kill them too. I would be constantly fighting. This way, if I control them, I can stop more from coming here, and more people from getting hurt."

"The ones that ran away...they're not gonna come back...are they?" Willow said, yawning.

"Sleep now, little one, they won't come back." (At least not tonight.)

When Angel left, Willow climbed out of bed, walked to the window and opened it. The cool, seeking breath of the night wind touched her gently as she looked to the stars, as if for answers.  Her thoughts were a mass of confusion.

She had killed tonight, defending Angel and herself, and she wasn't quite sure how she felt about that. Oh, she was very glad that Angel was okay, but killing those vampires had been almost...easy. She was afraid of what might happen if she got really angry with someone, a good person...what if she hurt them?

To doubt one's magic is a very dangerous thing, or so Angel said. She could hesitate and become indecisive, fail to do something important. (No, that won't happen. I couldn't hurt anyone. I don't _want_ to hurt anyone, and Angel wouldn't let me.) Willow may have doubted herself, but she never doubted Angel. She put her fears away, closed the window and went to sleep.

Part 19

9 years later

They walked in the door, laughing quietly to themselves.  Willow's birthday party had been fun. Not a whole lot of people had come - just the one's that counted. Xander, Jesse, and even Angel...who had come as Xander's father. She'd been given lots of presents, and they'd had chocolate cake, played twister, and charades...which they'd even gotten Angel to play after a lot of begging.

"Go on upstairs, my girl. You must be tired after such a busy day. I'm tired myself, and I'm going to bed as soon as I finish straightening the kitchen. Good night Willow, I hope you had a happy birthday," the nanny wished her as Willow moved up the stairs.

She was washing the dishes when she was interrupted by a knock on the door. A nice looking man in a suit was standing outside.

"Hello, I'm from out of town, and my car has broken down. I saw the light, and was wondering...May I come in and use your telephone?

"Of course, Sir. Come in. Right this way, the telephone is in the kitchen."

Following behind the woman, the man smiled evilly behind her back.

Willow bolted upright as a shriek of pure pain dragged her from the bed. Her flesh crept on her bones with terror as the screams were abruptly silenced. Something was very, very wrong.

She called Angel from the telephone by her bed, then rushed down the stairs - even though Angel had told her to stay in her room.  She had to see if her nanna was alright.

She stopped in her tracks as she saw the sight that lay before her. There was just so much blood. She hadn't known that the body could contain so much. It was everywhere, splashed like paint, bright red.

Willow walked around the counter, trying to see where it was all coming from. There was a shape there. It was unrecognizable.  Her eyes saw it but her mind refused to put the pieces together and tell her what it was. The blood spread from it in every direction, the shape in the center, as if an explosion had occurred.

She saw all that, but still her mind couldn't make sense of it. She would understand it later. Later she would cry. Later she would know that the only person who had been a parent to her was gone...ripped to pieces.

Willow's call put Angel into a panic. He raced across the street, just in time to see a vampire running out the front door of Willow's house. Angel caught him, shaking him until his teeth rattled.

"What have you done?! Why are you here?"

The vampire looked back at Angel calmly. "Luke said to give you a message, Angel. The Sleeper shall awaken, and all prophecies shall come to pass," he stated, then staked himself.

Angel stared at his empty hands in shock. Frozen in place for a moment until a thought tore through his mind. (Willow!)

She was sitting, leaning against a wall of the kitchen, staring off into space, as Angel came in. Seeing her, he gathered her into his arms and carried her to the sofa. Willow held on to him tightly in the soothing darkness of the living room. Smelling the comforting scent of him that was just _Angel_, and hearing his voice say softly, over and over. "It's okay, Willow. Everything's going to be okay." But she knew that everything wasn't okay, and it never would be again. For the first time, she knew Angel lied to her.

Part 20

After being questioned by the police, Angel brought her to his house. Willow sat wrapped in blankets on the sofa, watching Angel's every move. Despite being covered, occasional shivers wracked through her slight body.

Angel looked nervous, he paced, glancing at her once in a while, then paced some more. It was making Willow nauseous, or maybe that was the bloody images of the kitchen floor that kept flashing through her mind. But she had never seen Angel like this, and it made her worried.

(The Sleeper shall awaken. The Sleeper shall awaken. Where have I heard that before?!) From deep within Angel's mind the past rose to fill his vision.

The library in the mansion was a large one, and contained a huge number of books. The room was two stories tall with a balcony around the second floor. All the curtains were drawn over the windows of beautiful artworks of stained and leaded glass.

It was comfortably furnished with many desks and sitting chairs, and sitting across from each other in the center of the room were two elegantly dressed people, talking quietly.

"The Master's plan has failed. An earthquake occurred and now he's trapped, in a church of all places. The Hellmouth remains closed."

"Hmm ... that's too bad. Earthquakes present such wonderful opportunities. Can he not escape?"

To the golden-haired lady's question, the man replied, "No, it seems that when the ritual failed it created a barrier. It prevents him from leaving, or even moving freely. Sire, will he not go mad trapped like that?"

"Possibly. Most likely he will sleep until he is freed."  Giving a carefree laugh she asked her companion, "Can you imagine the fun when he awakes? I almost pity the world."

(The Master! The Hellmouth is here? Oh, God ... they are going to free him. No one will be safe. I cannot defeat my own grandsire. I'm going to need some help.)

"Willow do you know how to get in contact with your parents?"

Whispering 'yes', Willow reached for the phone and dialed the number to her parents latest hotel room, then handed the phone to Angel.

"Hello. The guest you are trying to reash isn't here right now. Please leave a message at the sound of the beep . . . *beeeep*"

"Hi. This is James Hamilton. I'm a neighbor from across the street in Sunnydale. Your daughter is staying with me at the moment. Ms. Robin Montgomery was murdered this evening, your daughter's nanny. You can contact me at 846-3940. I have to go away on business in a few days so please call me soon."

"You're leaving?"

"Willow, I have to go. Tonight the vampire who did this gave me a warning. I need to go get help for what's coming. We need the Slayer in Sunnydale."

"What's coming? And what is a Slayer?! Why do we need one?  I don't want you to go!"

"I have to. A very old vampire is about to be released. The Slayer is the only one with even a chance to stop him. Don't you understand? I don't want to, I have to!"

For a moment anger, weariness, and the knowledge that he was leaving, tore at her so much that she could have screamed. She fought for calmness. She closed her fists, one around the other behind her back, her lips pressed together until they were white, and willed the anger and fear to pass. When they did there was nothing left. It was as if the unvoiced scream had burned everything out of her, and left only an unnatural calm, a deep stillness.

In a hollow voice she answered him at last. "Leave me then, find the Slayer," she would not have him stay if he wished to leave. It was one of the things she had learned. What he gave her was of his own choosing and more precious because of it. If she took that choice from him, both he and his choice to stay with her would be gone. So, held in that strange stasis of calm, Willow scarcely heard his apologies. Deep within her she could only hope that he would return to her.

No longer hearing him, Willow stood and walked to her bedroom.

(Angel is leaving.)

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