The next two weeks flew by for the four housemates. Christmas was spent giving gifts. Cordelia and Willow surprising Spike and Angel with coats of arms that represented their families, In return the men gave them a trip to San Diego for the new year. Cordelia and Spike had become a couple, while Angel and Willow had soon discovered that their heartache at their former loved one's betrayal had shriveled and died. While they still wanted revenge, it wasn't as important as the friendships that had come because of it. They enjoyed their time together, knowing that soon the time come when they would have to finally confront the people that had hurt them. And now, here it was.
"So, you're going to head over to the library now," Angel asked as Willow slowly put on her new leather coat. She looked over at him.
"Yup, it's time. Everyone's over there doing some research and, well, that means…." Willow broke off her sentence, a slight trace of anger in her voice. Angel went over and hugged the red-head, placing a light kiss on her forehead. He knew that this was going to be her first real test. Willow had become stronger over the past weeks, but that was when she was with friends. Now she was walking into the lion's den with only Cordelia as her backup until Angel could make an appearance later that night.
"Willow, you can do this," he assured her. "You're the strongest person I know. You've proven it time and again." Angel found himself stroking her hair. (It's so soft. Just like silk. And it smells so good.) Angel shook himself from those thoughts. It wasn't the right time to go there just yet. Willow looked up into the brown eyes that were staring down at her and smiled.
"Thanks. You always do know the right thing to say." Angel returned Willow's smile. "You know, I think the hardest part will be watching you have to be Buffy's brood man again."
"What do you mean," Angel asked confused.
"Well," Willow explained, "You don't brood as much anymore. You laugh and smile a lot now, and I like it." (I like it a whole lot.) "I just don't that I will be able to keep a straight face watching you go all cryptic again."
"Well, just remember that it's only with her. I don't feel the need to brood when I am with you." Angel couldn't believe it when he saw Willow's smile actually become wider. (She's so beautiful when she smiles. I can't believe that someone would actually want to do anything but keep that smile on her face.) Angel found himself leaning his head down before someone cleared their throat, stopping him before he kissed her.
"Sorry," Cordelia said, not meaning it. "Didn't mean to interrupt." Angel and Willow looked over at Cordelia and Spike, who had a grin spread across his features.
"Yes you did," Angel said good naturedly, trying to disguise the fact that he was about to kiss the girl in his arms. (Damn, damn, damn, what was I thinking. Willow's my friend. A friend who was hurt recently. And here I am, wanting to kiss her like there was no tomorrow.)
"Well, I think we should get going," Cordelia stated simply as she headed to the front door. "Can't let the others worry about us or anything." Spike laughed at the sarcastic tone that Cordelia had taken.
"Oh no, can't have that now, can we?" he said as he gave his girlfriend a kiss at the door. She placed a hand on his cheek.
"Are you going to be okay by yourself? I mean, I know you'll be okay and all, but…" Cordelia didn't finish the sentence, Spike had stopped her with a kiss. The four had decided that Spike's presence in town should be kept a secret until just the right time, knowing that the slayer and her friends would try and stake him on sight.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry, luv. I won't let the slayer and the rest of her little idiot friends see me," he reassured the girl. He loved how she worried about him and was touched that she cared so much. (Imagine that. William the Bloody, one of the most feared vampires in history, in love with a teenager. I guess that's the Hellmouth for you.)
"Okay," Cordelia finally said. She opened the door and headed to her car. Willow reached up, stroking Angel's cheek before giving him a gentle kiss on it.
"I'll see you in a little while."
"I'll be there," he replied. Finally the two of them parted and Willow went to follow Cordelia to her car. The vampires watched as the rear lights from the car faded in the distance, before shutting the door.
"You realize, mate, that we are both in the same boat."
Angel looked over at his childe, confused. "What are you talking about, Spike?"
"We are both head over heels in love with a couple of very strong willed teenage mortals." Spike walked into the kitchen to fix himself dinner.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Yes you do. You have it bad for Red," Spike told him mischievously.
"She's a friend, that's all," Angel replied. "She's been through a lot and I'm just trying to help her." Spike snorted.
"Yeah right, and I'm the bleeding Queen of England. I saw what me and Cordy interrupted. You were about to kiss the girl," Spike taunted, "not that I blame ya or anything. I mean, if I didn't like Cordy so much, I'd probably go after Red myself." Angel turned viciously toward Spike, grabbing the younger man by his throat.
"You. Will. Not. Touch. Her." Angel threatened. "Do you understand me?" Spike struggled against Angel's hands, but the elder vampire's strength was too strong. When Spike began to try and take in unneeded breath, Angel suddenly realized what he was doing. Angel released Spike, who began to massage his neck. "I'm sorry, Spike. I don't know what got into me."
"I do, Peaches. Why don't you just admit that you like her?" Angel ran his hands through his hair as he turned away from the blonde.
"Spike, it's not that easy and you know. She's been hurt and by the people that she trusted most," Angel commented. "I can't just go up to her and say, give me your heart and I promise not to break it." Spike nodded his head.
"True," he agreed, "but I'll tell you one thing. That girl knew you were going to kiss her, and I didn't see her pulling away from you." Angel looked sharply at Spike and the other man was beginning to wonder if maybe he shouldn't have even brought this conversation up. Both he and Cordelia had noticed the closeness that was forming between the hacker and the vampire and were happy for both of them.
"Are you sure," Angel asked, surprising Spike with the quietness of it. (Oh, mate, you have it so bad. I almost feel sorry for you.) Spike walked over at put his hand on Angel's shoulder.
"If I have learned one thing with this whole thing, it's never to joke when it comes to matters of the heart."
"Thanks, Spike." Angel and Spike sat in the kitchen, the silence between them comfortable. Both thinking of the two girls, no women, that had stolen their undead hearts.
"Okay, so, what did Spike and I interrupt earlier," Cordelia asked. Willow turned toward Crodelia.
"I don't know what you mean," Willow replied, trying to sound innocent.
"Oh, please," Cordelia huffed. "You know exactly what I mean. Back in the house. You and Angel?"
"Nothing. I mean there was nothing to interrupt. Angel was just making sure that I was okay about tonight and all. You know the whole seeing Buffy and Oz thing since we had caught them. It's not like I have even talked to any of them since that night, other than Xander and that doesn't really count. Angel was just concerned and all and I was just thanking him, "Willow babbled. Cordelia couldn't help herself and laughed.
"Uh uh and that's why you are now talking a mile a minute." Cordelia could tell that Willow was blushing. "Don't worry. Spike and I think it's great that you and Angel are hooking up."
"We are not hooking up," Willow protested. "We're friends, that's all."
"Right," Cordelia slowly said, "just friends who were about to kiss." Willow looked out the passenger window, unable to look at her friend. "Hey, I told you, I think it's great. Never did like the brood boy thing he had going with Buffy and he definitely does not have that with you. I think the two of you are good together. Just admit it, you would like it to be more than just friends."
Willow nodded her head, still unable to look at Cordelia, "Well, yeah. I mean he's Angel. Gorgeous, dark, mysterious. I mean, he's great," Willow sighed dreamily. "But I'm just plain old Willow. I wouldn't stand a chance of having him like me in any other way. I proved that with Oz."
"Oz is an idiotic moron who wouldn't know a good thing if it bit him on the ass," Cordelia huffed. "And you are so not plain. We proved that in San Diego last weekend, or have you forgotten all those guys that asked you to dance?"
"No, I haven't forgotten." Willow remembered exactly what had happened the week they spent in San Diego. She had worn her new clothes and was surprised at the reactions she was getting from the male population. They all seemed to want to dance with her. (Well, except for the one person that I wanted to dance with.) Willow had been more than disappointed that Angel never asked her to dance with him.
"But Angel never even asked me to dance, shouldn't that prove that he wasn't interested in me?"
"Please, that man was so jealous I was waiting for him to go all Angelus on someone there," Cordelia explained. "Spike told me that it looked like Angel was ready to kill the next man who even had the nerve to look at you." Willow turned to face Cordelia again.
"He did?" she asked meekly.
"Yup," Cordelia nodded. She pulled into the school parking lot and turned off the ignition before turning to face the hacker. "Look you don't have to listen to a word I say, but I saw what I saw. That being Angel leaning in and about to kiss you. The man has it bad and I'm pretty sure that the feeling is mutual. Just make sure he knows it. If I know him, he'll put any brakes on his feelings because of what happened with Oz and Buffy."
Willow thought about what Cordelia said as she and the cheerleader walked into the school and headed towards the library. "I will, Cordy. I'll let him know." Cordelia smiled as she gave Willow an encouraging hug.
"That's the girl I have come to know these past few weeks. Now what say we go start to have a little fun?" Cordelia smiled, as did Willow. They could hear voices coming from the library, and knew that everyone was in there already. They both took a deep breathe before opening the library doors.
"Hey everyone, we're back."