Part 15

Buffy, Xander, and Faith watched in shock as Angel and Willow left the Bronze. They couldn't believe that Angel and Willow knew about Buffy and Oz, and used that as an excuse to get together.

 "Why?" Buffy asked in disbelief. She couldn't believe that she just saw her boyfriend with her best friend. "Why didn't they just come to us so that we could explain that we were together because of our love for them?"

Oz shook his head, his normally calm face showing obvious signs of distress. "I don't know. It doesn't make any sense."

 Xander just kept repeating "Willow and Deadboy" over and over again. They were all forced out of their thoughts by the sound of Faith laughing.

"Oh man, I gotta give Fang and Red credit," she laughed. "I didn't think they had it in them." The other three looked over at Faith, thinking that the brunette slayer had finally lost her sanity. The looks on their faces just made Faith laugh even harder.

 "What are you talking about, Faith?" Buffy asked quietly, afraid that her voice would betray her emotional state of unwell being.

 "Oh, come on. Don't tell me you are actually going to buy that whole scene are you," Faith questioned, incredulous at the teenagers' stupidity. She saw that they really believed everything they just saw and took pity on them. "I don't believe it, you are buying it. It's an act, it has to be. And it worked beautifully if I say so myself."

"Faith, in English please," Oz said.

 "Revenge, it has to be," Faith replied, pointing out the obvious. "The two of them caught you and decided to have a little fun with you. They knew the best way to get back at you was for them to get together and it worked. You were practically foaming at the mouth when they kissed." Buffy and Oz seemed to think about what Faith was saying. It made sense, at least to them, but that was because they didn't want to believe that the two people they loved no longer loved them.

"But what about Spike and Cordelia? My Cordelia," Xander pointed out.

 Faith shrugged her shoulders, "You hurt Cordelia too, probably just a little revenge on her part. Who is the one person you hate in this world more than Angel?"

"Spike," Xander agreed. "But why would he be willing to be in on any plan for revenge?"

"Ummm," Faith thought for a minute, "could it be because he hates all of you and would just love to have a little fun at your expense?" Buffy, Xander and Oz took that information in and tried to process it. It sounded like a good enough reason to them as to why the others would want to hurt them the way they did. It just meant that they would have to work a little harder to regain their trust. They decided to head home, their festive mood turned sour. They were still sure that they could make the others see that it was them that they were meant to be with.

On the other side of town, Willow and Angel stumbled into the house, laughing at the scene back at the Bronze. The two of them had enjoyed seeing the look of pain on the others faces, both realizing that it was what they needed to see in order to move on. Not to mention the fact that the kisses that had been shared between them had awakened something that they had been denying for the past week. Angel and Willow made their way to the couch, Willow stopping and hitting the answering machine's play button when she saw that there was a message. She was surprised to hear Cordelia's voice on the tape.

"Hey guys, it's us. Like you couldn't tell. Just wanted to let you know that Spike and I are going out of town for the weekend. We'll be back sometime Sunday night, hey I still have school. Okay, that's it." Willow turned to Angel smiling.

"Looks like those two are about to advance their relationship a bit," she grinned.

"Guess so," Angel agreed. "Come here," Angel patted the couch where he was sitting. Willow happily went over to join him and squealed in delight when he grabbed her, pulling her into his arms, kissing her wildly. After a few minutes, Willow drew back gasping for breath.

"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for," she asked in between gasps. Angel nipped her lips once more. "It was for you just being you," he replied. "And because I love you and that I am so proud of you for being able to do what you did tonight. I don’t know of many others that have the kind of strength that you showed tonight."(Not to mention doing it looking good enough to eat in that outfit.)

 "I was only able to do that because of you," Willow told him. "It was knowing that you were there for me that gave me the strength." (And seeing you in those leather pants certainly went a long way in making me happy.) Willow leaned in, giving Angel another kiss, sending shivers down her spine. Willow had never experienced anything like kissing Angel. It was romantic, yet passionate all at the same time. The closest Willow could get to describing it would be if she compared it to eating Godiva chocolates while watching a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movie on a rainy Saturday. Willow ran her hands up and down Angel’s back, smoothing the satin of his shirt. This time, Angel was the one who parted the two, gazing deeply into the emerald eyes of the woman in his arms.

 "I'll always be there for you, you know that don't you," Angel told her, his voice soft and gentle. (I will be too. Even if you decided that you didn’t want me as anything other than a friend, I’d still be there. May not like it, but I’d be willing to be there just to be near you.)

 Willow nodded, "I know and it means the world to me. You mean the world to me." (I’d give anything just to make sure you never leave.)

 "Just like you mean to me," Angel said. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. No matter what, never doubt that."

 "I won't, " Willow gave Angel another quick kiss, before sighing. "I still can't believe that I'm here in your arms. I never thought that you could ever care about me like this." (Back when I was mousy little Willow.)(Stop that)

 Angel held Willow tightly, like he was afraid that she would try to get away if he loosened his grip any. "I've always cared about you, Willow. You were my friend when no one else would even talk to me. You trusted me with your life, knowing what I am. Not even Buffy was able to do that and she was supposedly in love with me."

 "Well, Buffy was an idiot," (And a slut but I am so not going there right now.)Willow stated flatly. "She didn't know a good thing when she had one." (And boy did she have a good thing. A real good thing.)

 "Same for Oz," Angel took Willow's chin in his hands, tilting her head so that he could look into her eyes. "Let's make a deal, okay?"

"What?" Willow was slowly losing herself in Angel’s eyes and was willing to do anything that he asked of her, even kiss a frog if he wanted.

 "After tonight, no more mention of Buffy or Oz," Angel said. "I don't want them to interfere in our relationship. This is a time for us, not them. I don’t want them haunting us. Deal?"

 "Deal," Willow replied happily.

Angel and Willow began making out again, hands roaming the bodies that were entwined. Willow could feel the effect she was having on him as she felt him harden under her. (Wow, I did that? Wonder what else I could do.) She giggled into his mouth at the thought of making Angel squirm under her and she began to move around in his lap, causing Angel to stiffen in her arms. Angel moaned into Willow's mouth.

 "Willow," he warned. (Don’t stop, please don’t stop. Feels so good.)

 "Yesss," she replied innocently. (Like that I take it)

 "I don't think that's such a good idea." (Not unless you want me to ravage you right here and now.)

 "Why not," she wiggled a little more, trying to get comfortable. (Yeah, comfortable, that’s it. Just trying to get comfortable.) "I'm kinda liking it."

 Angel pulled Willow away from him and could see the look of desire in her eyes. "I don't know if you are ready for that just yet," Angel explained to the woman in his arms. (She is so beautiful. I can sit her and look at her for hours.) "It wasn't that long ago that you had been with Oz and I don't want to do anything that you aren't sure about." (Especially this. This is too important to both of us for it to be cheapened by out part loves.)

 "You aren't going to start trying to tell me what I do and do not want, are you?" Willow asked.

"No," Angel placated the girl, "I would never even think about telling you anything." (Unless it’s in my bed. Then maybe I might be telling you a few things.) "I just know how hard it's been for you and I just don't want to take advantage of you."

Willow buried her head in Angel's chest, "I know you wouldn't try and make me do something that I didn't want to do," she pulled back a little, so that he could see the love and trust she had for him in her eyes, "but I also want you to know that I love you and I trust you with everything that I am. I've never been able to say that to anyone before and I'm glad that I can say that to you." (And I want to show you those things too.)

Angel smiled broadly as he swooped his head in, devouring Willow's lips with his own. Willow trembled under the onslaught, passion sweeping through her body. Her hands pulled out Angel’s shirt from his pants, allowing her to run them against the cold of his skin. Angel’s body heated at her touch and he broke their kiss to gaze into her eyes once more. She could see the question in them and did the one thing that she knew would assure him of her feelings.

 Willow left Angel’s lap, much to his chagrin, and stood in front of him. She removed her chain jewelry, her eyes never leaving his. (Goddess he’s so gorgeous and he’s mine. Please give me the will to actually do what I am about to do.)

 "Willow," Angel questioned. Willow shushed him by placing a feather-like kiss on his lips, backing away as he tried to deepen it.

 "I want to show you exactly how sure I am about us and what I want to do." Angel watched as a new version of Willow’s resolve face appeared. This one had the added appearance of lust and passion mixed in. Willow once again stood up, her hands reaching around to the ties of her shirt. Slowly, with deliberate movements, she untied first the bottom and then the top ties, allowing the top to fall to the ground.

 "Willow," Angel repeated her name, reverently as he took in the sight before him. (Magnificent. That’s the only word to describe her.) Willow reached out for Angel, who quickly stood in front of her, his lips seeking hers in a kiss that spoke of nothing but love, desire and need.

 "Make love to me, Angel" Willow begged.

 "You’ll never have to ask that again, my sweet." Angel promised as he lifted Willow from the ground and carried her to his bedroom, their lips never parting.

 That night, Angel and Willow claimed the hearts that had been given to them through so much pain, over and over again until they finally fell asleep exhausted. When morning came, the couple that lay in that bed, content in their lovers arms knew that it was the beginning of something that transcended time and could not wait to see what their love would bring.
 
 
 

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