Love and Betrayal

Part 3

      "So where are we going?" Willow asked as she and Angel made their way to
the elevator.
      "Haven’t figured it out yet," he replied.  "How about we play it by ear?"
      "That works for me," Willow agreed.  The elevator took them to the office,
where they got out and discovered that Spike and Cordelia had left.  "Wonder
if this means that Spike finally got the nerve up to ask out Cordelia?"
Angel grinned at the image of his blonde childe and brunette assistant
together.
      "Hope so considering how much she’s been wanting his to.  I think they
would actually be good for each."  Angel shook his head.  "And I can’t
believe I actually said that Spike would be good for anybody."  Willow
laughed at the expression on Angel’s face.
      "Admit it, soul boy, you’re proud of the way that Spike has turned his life
around."
      "Yeah I am," Angel admitted.  "I mean, I know that the main reason he
changed was because of that damn inplant, but he still could have gone on
and caused trouble.  That is one thing that he is good at.  But he didn’t.
He still likes a good fight, but usually it’s for good instead of evil.  I
know it was tough for him but he has definitely shown that he is a good
person, despite his objections."
      "Yup, he still likes to think of himself as the bad ass vampire that he was
before the Initiative and their little experiments."  Willow and Angel’s
discussion came to a halt at the sound of two voice coming from the hall.
      "And I’m telling you that it makes perfect sense.  I mean, come on, Josh is
the first to disappear and they never found him."
      "That was because he was the first victim.  Why would he kill the other
two.  They were his friends," Wes’s argument died on his lips as he entered
the office, seeing Angel and Willow standing there.  "Why, hello Willow.  I
must say this is a pleasant surprise.  Angel didn’t tell us you were coming
to Los Angeles."
      "He didn’t know," Willow replied, grinning at the former watcher.
      "Red," came a voice from behind him, "what the hell are you doing here?"
      "Had to tell Angel something.  How ya doing Faith?"
      "Would be better if I could just convince Wes here about who the real
killer was in Blair Witch.  He insists that is was some hunter or someone.
I keep trying to tell him that it was Josh," the brunette slayer told her,
going over and giving Willow a hug.  "Can you tell him that I’m right."
      "You are most definitely not right," Wes replied, indignantly.  "Tell her
Willow."
      Willow looked at Wes apologetically, "Sorry Wes, I have to go with Faith
here.  Josh is definitely the killer."  Wes huffed as Faith beamed.  "All
the clues point to him."
      "Angel?" Wesley looked over at the vampire, hoping to have some kind of
support.
      "Sorry, Wes, have no idea what you’re talking about.  Never say the movie."
      "You never saw the Blair Witch Project?" Willow asked increadiously.
      "Didn’t seem interesting, considering what I am and all."
      "Oh, good point," Willow said.
      "So, Red, what brings you to town anyway?"
      Willow shrugged her shoulders, "Just had to tell Angel something."
      "And you couldn’t use the phone?"  Faith grinned.  "What was so important."
  Willow looked over at Angel, her green eyes meeting his brown ones.  He
smiled over at her, squeezing her hand.
      "She came to tell me that my soul is permanent.  No more happiness clause."
  Faith and Wesley grinned at the obviously happy vampire.
      "Damn," Faith swore.  "Does this mean that you’ll go running back to
Sunnydale and my biggest fan?"
      "No," Angel shook his head, vehemently.  "If I go back there and do
anything with her, it will be kicking her ass."  Wes and Faith looked on
shocked at their boss’s anger.  Willow saw this and wanted to explain what
she had learned.
      "Buffy knew."
      "What?" Wes asked.  "What do you mean she knew?"
      "She knew about the clause being gone," Willow explained.  "I told her
about it when Angel came back from hell.  She asked me not to say anything
to anyone because she would take care of it. It wasn’t until Spike and I
were talking that I discovered that she had never bothered sharing the
information with anyone, including Angel.  So, Spike and I came here to fix
that little oversight."
      "And where is Spike?" Faith asked, glancing over at Cordelia’s vacant desk.
  "Or should I say who is Spike with?"
      Willow grinned.  "I’m thinking that the two of them finally hooked up."
      "Coolness.  So where are you two off too?"
      "Haven’t decided that yet," Angel replied.  "Just thought we would go out
and celebrate the good news.  Would you two like to come?"
      "Count me in," Faith answered.
      "Well, it would be a pleasure," Wesley added.
      "Good, then let’s go," Angel said with more enthusiasm than any of the
others had ever seen from him.  They all knew that it was attributed to the
news of his soul.  The foursome left the office laughing and making plans
for what promised to be a fun filled evening.

      "Oh, Angel this is so beautiful," Willow said, looking over at the ocean
under the full moon.  "This was a wonderful idea."
      "I’m glad," he agreed.  "Thank you."  Willow looked over at Angel, only to
find herself looking into his chocolate brown eyes.
      "For what," she said, her voice a low whisper, "I didn’t do anything."
      "Yes you did," he argued.  "You gave me the best gift possible.  You gave
me my soul, and my life, back."  Willow shook her head.
      "No, Angel.  I just told you something that you should have been told a
long time ago.  I didn’t do anything special."  Angel took Willow’s chin in
his hand.
      "Yes you did.  There aren’t many people who would be as caring as you,
especially considering how close you and Buffy are," Angel replied.  "You
are a very special woman, Willow Anne Rosenberg, and I am very grateful that
you are in my life."  Angel leaned over and gently placed a soft kiss on
Willow’s lips.  "Very grateful."  Willow smiled at him.
      "I like the way you show your gratitude."  Angel smiled down at her.
      "Would you like me to show you some more of it?"
      "Very much."  Angel placed both hands on Willow’s cheeks, drawing her face
closer to his.  Willow closed her eyes, unable to believe that her fantasy
was about to come true.  Then she lost the capability of all rational
thought as Angel slowly kissed her, his tongue tracing her lips, encouraging
her to open her mouth, which she did.  Angel slipped his tongue into her
mouth, tasting her and loving every moment of it.  He had never thought that
he would ever enjoy kissing anyone as much as this.  He felt as if his
entire body was one fire.  His arms circled Willow’s body, pulling her
closer to him.  The kiss deepened as their tongues dueled for control.
Finally, they separated, allowing Willow a chance to get some air into her
lungs.
      "Wow," was all she was able to get out.
      "Yeah," Angel agreed.  She looked up at him.
      "Ummm, what was that for?"  Willow asked.
      "That was to show you how happy I am with what you have given me."  Angel
watched as Willow’s face fell and she lowered her head.  He cupped her chin
once more.  "And, because it was something that I have wanted to do for a
long time now and just never had the nerve too."
      "Really," Willow’s face lit up.
      "Really," Angel told her.  "Willow, I care for you so much.  You are the
one person that knows me completely, and yet you accept me.  You have no
idea how important you are to me."
      "You’re important to me too, Angel.  You have been for a long time now."
Angel looked down and did something that he wanted to do for the rest of his
life.  He kissed her again and again, making sure she knew exactly how much
she meant to him.  Down by the pier, a couple looked on at them.
      "It’s about time," Faith said, smiling at the kissing pair.  "I was
beginning to wonder if he would ever make a move on Red."
      "Well, I think the fact that his soul is safe has something to do with him
doing that," Wesley noted.  "He was always afraid that he would ruin their
friendship if he did anything before.  I’m guessing that he doesn’t feel
that way anymore."
      "Well, I just hope that this means no more brood boy around the office."
Faith thought of something and grinned wickedly.  "Oh, I can’t wait until
Kate finds out.  That will be one pissed off detective."  Faith had always
hated Kate, considering how the woman had put her in jail.  That’s dislike
grew the more she came in contact with the detective.
      "And I bet you can’t wait to tell her," Wesley pointed out, enjoying the
look in Faith’s eyes as she thought of the blonde detective.  He still
harbored ill feelings toward the woman in question for her treatment of
Angel and her refusal to accept Angel for what he is, instead choosing to
ignore his vampire status unless she needed his help with a case.
      "Me," Faith pointed to her chest, "would I ever do anything that would hurt
our favorite police detective?"
      "In a New York minute," Wesley grinned.  "Do me a favor though?"
      "What?"
      "Make sure that I’m there when you tell her.  I can’t wait to see the look
on her face."  Faith laughed, Wesley quickly joining in at the thought of
Kate Lockley discovering that the man she had a thing for was in love with a
nineteen year old college student slash witch.
 

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