Payback's A Bitch

Part 1

      Six people ran into Angel's office, rushing to beat the first rays of the
morning sun.  They just made it, making two of the members very grateful
that Doyle had broken quite a few speed limits to get them out of Sunnydale
and back to Los Angeles.  The rise back to LA had been made in silence once
the excitement of the escape had worn off.  Angel and Spike held Willow and
Anya, respectively; assuring the girls that everything was going to be all
right.  Angel had a harder time doing so since Willow felt completely
betrayed by her best friend's actions.  Buffy's willingness to return the
hacker to the Initiative hurt her more than anything that their captors had
done to them did.
      "There's a message," Cordelia said as she noticed the blinking light on the
machine.  "Should I play it?" Angel just nodded his head as he led Willow
into his office and had her sit on his couch.
      "Are you going to be okay, kitten?" He asked her once they were alone.
      "What's going to happen, Angel?"  Willow asked quietly.  Her thirst for
revenge dampened by the pain she was going through.  "I mean, I know that we
have to shut those people down before they can do more harm, but what about
Buffy?"
      "What about her?"
      "Angel, she was my best friend," Willow said. "She is, or was, the love of
your life.  I know that one of the main reasons she was so willing to turn
us in was because she was hurt because of the two of being together.  She's
still in love with you, even if she is involved with someone else."
      "But she was still willing to turn us in, instead of help us," Angel
pointed out.  "Love or no love, hurt or not hurt, that was wrong.  You are
her best friend.  Her roommate.  The two of you have been through so much
together that it boggles the mind.  She should have been able to look past
her hurt and help is escape.  If not Spike and myself, then at least you and
Anya.  I can't forgive her for what she did.  When we go back to destroy
them and their lab, and we will, if Buffy is there helping them, she will be
included."
      "You can do that to someone you love?" Willow questioned.
      "Loved," Angel corrected the hacker, "as in past tense.  Whatever feelings
I might have still had, she killed when she pulled a gun on you."  Angel
wrapped his arms around Willow, pulling her against his chest.  He ran his
hand over her hair, smoothing it down.  "I won't let anyone hurt you,
Willow.  Not even Buffy.  I love you too much for that to happen."  A cough
from the doorway interrupted the pair.
      "Sorry," Cordelia said.  "I played that message.  It was from Giles.
Apparently Buffy and the others showed up at his place after we escaped
looking for us.  She figured that we might have been heading there.  She
told them about you and Willow, not to mention Spike and Anya.  Xander
walked in while she was explaining.  He's joining in the search for us.  We
called Giles and he's on his way here.  He thinks it might be a good idea if
we change locations."
      "How did Giles take the news of what happened/?" Angel asked, concerned for
Willow.  He had felt her tense in his arms at the mention of Xander offering
o help the Initiative and could tell that she was fighting the tears that
threatened to fall.
      "Pretty good.  He's on his way here, like I said," Cordelia informed the
pair.  "He should be here in about thirty minutes or so.  He wants to help
us.  He's turning his back on Buffy and Xander.  He said that she has
disappointed him for the last time."  Angel and Willow both looked in
surprise at what Cordelia just said.  The news that Giles was offering his
help to Angel and the others, especially considering how he felt about
Spike, a shock.  They had just assumed, and expected him, to support his
Slayer, no matter what.
      "This will make Buffy even more determined to hurt us," Willow observed.
"She'll see it as us having turned Giles against her. Another betrayal on
our part."
      "We'll deal with Buffy when the time comes," Angel assured her.  He stood
up and held out his hand to Willow.  "Right now, I think Giles is right.
We'll have to relocate.  We'll wait for him to get here and then figure out
where to go from here."
      "You don't think that Buffy would actually bring those guys here, do you?"
Willow asked.
      "She doesn't exactly have this address, but it won't be too difficult for
her to find it.  Especially given the resources that I am sure the
Initiative has.  And when she does, yes, I am sure that Buffy will be more
that willing to bring those men here. In fact, I am willing to lay odds that
she and Xander will be leading the way."  Willow stood on shaky legs, having
to lean on Angel for support.  She looked up at her lover.
      "Do you regret us?" She questioned him softly and nervously.  Angel never
would have been captured if he hadn't cared enough for her to come back from
LA to make sure she was okay after Oz had left.  And Buffy would be helping
them instead of hunting them, if he hadn't f been with Willow.  At that
moment, Willow felt the guiltiest she had ever felt in her life.  Angel
could see the direction that her thoughts were taking her and rushed to make
sure that she knew that he regretted nothing that had happened.  He signaled
for Cordelia to leave, and she did, closing the door behind them to give
them more privacy.
      "The only thing I regret is the fact that we don't have the time for us to
truly explore our relationship more without the threat of Buffy and her
boyfriend finding us," Angel told her.  "I love you, Willow Anne Rosenberg.
I have for a very long time.  I just didn't realize it until I thought that
I would never see you again.  That scared the hell out of me.  But not
nearly as much as the thought of my life without you in it."  Willow smiled
at Angel.
      "Really?"
      "Yes, really."  Angel leaned down and gave Willow a deep, passionate kiss
that showed her exactly what he was feeling.  It was one full of love,
tenderness, fear, happiness and passion.  Every emotion that was coursing
through his body.  It was also one that had the ability to leave both
participants gasping for air, whether they needed it or not. "Is that enough
proof that I have no regrets about anything?"  Willow nodded her head,
unable to speak.
      "If you two are done playing tonsil hockey in there," Spike shouted from
the outer office, 'how about joining the rest of us in trying to figure out
what to do about the Slayer and the rest of those idiots."  Angel and Willow
drew apart, reluctantly, and went to join the others.  Angel hit his blonde
childe upside the back of his head as they passed him.  "Hey."
      "That's what you get for disrespecting your elder," Angel teased.
      "Bloody poof," Spike frowned, causing the others to laugh.  The last real
laugh they would have until the Initiative was taken care of.
 

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