Part 2
Sunnydale 1998
Willow scooted back towards Amy, disbelief in her eyes. She looked at the other girl, to see if Amy had seen the breath also, before turning back to stare at Angel’s unconscious form in front of them.
"Did he just breathe?" Amy asked in a hushed voice.
Willow couldn’t reply. All she could do was nod her head in affirmation, not willing to take her attention from the prone figure. Willow slowly moved back over to Angel, reaching out her hand to touch him. When she did, Willow was surprised to find him warm.
"Amy, something weird happened'?," Willow told her fellow witch. "He’s warm and," she gently took hold of his wrist where she could feel the rythmic beat of his pulse,"he’s got a pulse." Then it hit her. "Oh my God. He’s alive!"
"What do you mean, alive?" Amy asked, puzzled by what she had just seen and what Willow had just said.
"I mean alive, as in not dead. Come over here and feel for yourself." Amy made her way over to where Willow was sitting next to Angel. She took his wrist from Willow and could not believe it when she felt his pulse. "See, I told you Amy. He’s alive!" Willow said excitedly.
"How? I mean, how is this possible? Angel was a vampire, he was dead," Amy was muttering, not sure what was going on. "How could he be alive?" Just as Amy was finishing her sentence, a moan was heard coming from Angel. Willow immediately went into her nurturing mode.
"Angel, can you hear me? It’s Willow." There was no reply. "Come on Angel, please hear me." This time Willow heard a small sound come from him.
"Buffy."
"No, Angel, Buffy’s not here. It’s me, Willow," she replied, hoping that her friend would be okay.
Slowly, Angel opened his eyes. Willow could only watch as she saw him try and focus on his surroundings. After a few seconds, his eyes found Willow. She felt like she could see into his soul, see all of the torture that he had endured, and her heart went out to the former vampire.
"Willow," he croaked, his voice barely above a whisper, "What happened?"
Willow couldn’t answer him, her emotions were running away with her and prevented her from doing anything other than cry. Willow looked over at Amy, silently asking the girl if she could explain what happened. Amy got the message and moved closer to Angel to try and get him to focus on her for a minute.
"Well Angel, it’s kind of a long story," she started, after taking a deep breath. He just nodded at Amy to continue. "It all started when Willow had found out that the spell to restore your soul had worked and that Buffy had to send you to hell anyway. Willow became obsessed with finding a way to bring you back. With a little help from me, she found one."
Amy stopped for a moment as she watched Angel start to process the information he was being given. He looked at one girl, and then the other, as he began to realize what he was being told. After she saw that Angel understood what she had said, Amy continued.
"Anyway, Willow and I came here to perform the ritual. Well, it succeeded in part since you're here and all but, um, apparently there was something about the spell that we just hadn’t counted on."
Angel became concerned when he heard that. He then took a long look at Willow, who was still crying over his return. He slowly reached out and took her hand. "Willow, what happened?"
Willow placed her other hand over his and looked deeply into his eyes. "Angel, you’re alive."
At first, Angel had no idea what she meant. (Of course I’m alive, well in a vampire sense. Willow got me out of hell and brought me home.) Then it hit him. Angel felt something he hadn’t felt in over 200 years: He felt his heart beat. He looked down at his chest, trying to discern whether he had actually felt it or not. Then he felt it again. He stared at Willow, and then Amy, trying to convey all that he was feeling and that’s when he realized that he was breathing. (Ohmygodohmygodohmygod)
"Willow," he began, not exactly sure of what was happening, "What exactly was the spell that you and Amy did?"
"It’s similar to the restoration spell that I did to give you your soul back. But instead of just your soul, it was supposed to bring your whole body back from hell. And it was also supposed to remove that whole happiness clause, too. I mean, well, you know, I just wanted you back so much. I missed having you around, even though you were always with Buffy and all," Willow started to blurt out and then realized that she was babbling, "and I’ll shut up now." Willow looked away from Angel and fixated her gaze upon something on the floor.
"So, I’m alive? As in flesh and blood and everything?" Willow just nodded. Angel tried to sit up, but found the movement difficult. Then he heard a growl and looked around trying to place the sound. "What was that?"
Willow blushed at the same time Amy giggled. "That would be your stomach. I believe it’s saying you’re hungry. Let me get you something to eat." Willow stood up and headed towards her backpack. As she reached into it to retrieve some of the food stuffs that were in it, she had a sudden thought. "Ummm, Angel, are you in the mood for blood or people food?"
Angel had to think a moment before he realized that his bloodlust was gone. He craved real food. (Real food. I don’t even remember what kind of food I like.) "Real food, Willow."
Willow just nodded her head and brought over two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She handed one to Angel, who only looked at it for a minute before devouring it in only a few bites. He looked at Willow and Amy sheepishly. "Sorry." The girls just laughed as Willow handed Angel another sandwich.
After he had eaten both sandwiches, Angel decided to try and move again. He braced himself with his arms and slowly sat up on the floor. Then he looked down and noticed something. He looked over to the two teenagers and blushed.
"Ummm, you wouldn’t happen to have something I could wear would ya?"
Amy and Willow were confused for a moment before they realized why Angel was asking. They jumped up at the same time and ran over to where the sleeping bags were, grabbing one to give to Angel, both thinking the same thing. (How did I not notice that he was completely naked?) Angel gratefully took the sleeping bag, using it to cover himself.
"I think I still have some clothes in the back bedroom if one of you could go get them. I would try, but I don’t think I could make it." Angel tried to not look at the girls, both of whom were blushing furiously. Amy jumped up and ran out of the room, going to retrieve the clothes, leaving Angel and Willow alone. Both of them stayed silent not knowing what to say. Angel decided to try and break the silence.
"Willow, I don’t know what to say," he started, trying to find the right words. "Thanks just doesn’t seem to cover what I’m feeling right now. I mean, after everything that I did to you, and Buffy, and the rest, I don’t deserve what you did for me."
Willow looked up at Angel, tears in her eyes. "Angel, that wasn’t you. You would never hurt me, us. I know that. The person who did that is long gone and I say good riddance." When she saw that he still felt the guilt, she continued. "I did this for my friend. The one who would walk me home, to make sure I got there safe. The one who saved my life more times than I would like to remember."
Angel just nodded, not wanting to offend the girl to whom he would be forever indebted to. Finally Amy came out with a pair of blue jeans and one of Angel’s trademark white T-shirts. Angel took them gratefully and managed to put them on without too much trouble. Then he put the shirt on, making the three humans much more comfortable. Amy could see that Angel and Willow had a lot to talk about so she decided that it would be best if she went on home.
"Thanks, Amy, for all your help," Willow said as she gave the girl a hug.
"No prob. This was a first for me and I’m glad I was here." Amy walked over to Angel and gave him a tentative hug. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Angel."
"Thanks," he said as he watched the young witch leave. "Willow, could you help me over to couch? The floor is a wee bit on the cold side." Willow smiled as she helped Angel up and over to the leather couch. As she sat him down, he refused to loosen his grip and she was forced to sit right next to him. He looked over at her with a slight smile on his lips.
"Sorry. It just felt good with your arms around me." (Whoa, where did that come from?)
"That’s okay Angel. That’s what friends are for."
Angel and Willow sat together for a long while, simply reveling in the silence around them, when Angel looked outside to see it was slightly light outside. He couldn’t figure out why and when he did, his heart almost burst.
"Willow, is it almost time for the sunrise?"
Willow couldn’t understand where his question came from and then it hit her. (My God, his first sunrise in over 200 years and I get to be here with him to see it. Yippee for me.) And as soon as she thought that, Willow felt guilty. (Buffy should be here with him. She’s the love of his life.) Angel looked over at his friend and could see her deep in thought.
"Willow, can we go see it?"
When she saw the look of joy and hope on his face, Willow felt her heart speed up. (Wow, Angel looks really cute when he smiles. Okay, let’s so not go there Willow. Bad friend.) She stood up, helping Angel along the way. They went to the garden in the back and sat on one of the benches. Angel wrapped his arm around the petite redhead by his side and watched his first sunrise in 240 years.
"Thank you, Willow"
"You’re welcome, Angel."