*~*~*~

~Part 1~

*~ "Why do we always have to do things the hard way?" the dark haired Seer complained as she, Spike, and Angel walked down the darkened streets of their city. She was dragging her feet childishly and pouting, her arms crossed over her chest as she glared over at the two vampires in turn. "I mean, we could just have had Wesley or Gunn go with you. They're better at the undercover stuff... *And* they can fight better."

*~ "'Delia, luv, you have something we need that they don't have," the blonde vampire said, rolling his eyes. They'd been having this argument since a half hour before they'd even left the hotel/office, and it was getting old.

*~ "And what is that?" Cordelia huffed.

*~ "You're female," Angel answered, cutting off the rather descriptive answer he knew his childe was going to come up with. "And the people we'll be dealing with will be more receptive to a female presence."

*~ "Why the hell didn't you just say so in the first place!? God! You guys are so annoy-," her words were cut off by a grunt of pain as one of the frequent visions made itself known. Her knees buckled as the images flooded through her mind, and the two vampires worked simultaniously, Angel grabbing her up into his arms and Spike holding the door to a cafe` open so his sire could carry the Seer through.

*~ The waitress on duty rushed over to them, her long blonde ponytail falling over her shoulder as she rushed over. "Oh my God, is she okay? Can I get you something? Do you want me to call an ambulance, the police? Something?"

*~ "No... no," Angel answered absently, holding his friend and employee tightly as the convulsions slowed and she slowly came back to awareness. She buried her face in his chest, her shoulders heaving as she tried to get a deep breath.

*~ "Are you sure?" the waitress hovered, wringing her hands worriedly as she looked from the dark haired man and the woman in his arms, to the slender blonde man standing a little off to the side.

*~ "I'm fine," Cordelia answered, lifting her aching head from Angel's chest, looking over at the young woman with watering hazel eyes. "Can I get a cup of coffee? As strong and hot as you can get it."

*~ "S-sure," the waitress said, moving to the counter to pour a cup. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

*~ "No, this is fine, thanks,"  Cordelia shook her head, taking the scalding liquid gratefully after Angel sat her back down on her feet. Still looking
doubtful, the waitress moved back to her other customers, watching warily as Angel led the brunette to a table in the back and sat down next to her while Spike slid in on the opposite side.

*~ "What did you see?" Angel asked after the brunette had time to take a few prescription headache pills with a few cautious sips of the coffee.

*~ "Everything was so blurry... Wolfram and Heart were right in the middle of it," Cordelia said and leaned her head on her hand.

*~ Spike snorted, "I could've told you that, luv."

*~ "You guys have to visit the new Oracles," she said suddenly, looking over at her boss. "That I got loud and clear."

*~ Angel nodded thoughtfully, "I'll go tonight after we take you home."

*~ "Nope. Both of you have to go."

*~ "Why? Those wankers hate me," Spike snorted. "Think I'm 'inferrior'."

*~ "They think everyone is inferrior," Angel said with a small smile. "You're no different."

*~ "If this gets me killed, I'm going to haunt you forever, Peaches," Spike growled as he followed his sire into the deserted post office.

*~ "Shut up, Spike," Angel's voice was an answering growl as he threw the necessary ingredients into the bowl, the bolt of expensive blue sapphire colored silk clutched firmly in his hand as the offering. A flash of light and a weird, disjointed feeling and he and his childe were in the familiar white marble surroundings.

*~ "Where are they?" Spike asked impatiently, crossing his arms over his chest, blue eyes searching the surroundings.

*~ Angel was turned to growl at his childe again when he caught sight of the suddenly stricken look on Spike's face.

*~ "Willow..." the name was reverent and heartbreakingly hopeful on the blonde's lips as he looked past his sire. Angel froze, his long- silent heart threating to beat. He turned as if in slow motion, tears pulling at his eyes as he saw her for the first time in two years. She was beautiful... More
beautiful than he could ever remember seeing her. She stood awkwardly where the Oracles had once stood, as if she weren't sure of how they'd react.

*~ "I knew you'd be here sooner or later," she said, her smile trembling. Her voice hit his ears like the sweetest music and he was dropping the offering on the ground and moving towards her.

*~ "Oh, God, Willow," he sobbed, holding her tight, burying his face in her soft, sweet smelling neck. He'd never thought he'd see her again. After that night... "Oh, God, Willow." Those three words were repeated reverently, almost like a prayer. If his soul hadn't been permanent, he would have lost it right then.

*~ "I know, Angel," Willow whispered, her hands diving into his hair soothingly. "I know..." He lifted his face to look at her, his dark brown eyes bordering on the amber of his demon. Then he was kissing her, memorizing the taste of her, cherishing the feel of her soft body.

*~ Spike watched his sire and Willow, tears threatening in his own eyes, and not caring. No, he didn't care. He wanted to rush forward and touch her himself- just to make sure she was real and not a halucination.

*~ Memories of that night were still fresh, even after two years. She'd been his world. He and his sire were more alike than he ever cared to admit. The little redhead had had them wrapped around her finger.

*~ When she'd first chosen his sire, he'd been hurt and angry. So very angry. They always went to his sire. But after a few weeks, he'd realized he would rather be her friend than nothing at all.

*~ Two days later, it had been too late.
 

~Part 2~

*~*~*~
Two Years Earlier (flashback)
*~*~*~

*~ He was borderline insane. That had to be it. He was surely following in Dru's footsteps. Either that, or the girl had him caught in a spell. She was good at that. Or, maybe he was just in love with her.

*~ The blonde vampire snorted, burying his hands in his duster. Yeah. That was the most brutally honest answer. Why else was he willing to take backseat to his sire? But what choice did he have?

*~ She just didn't see him that way. A friend, yes. A close friend. He'd rather be that than nothing at all. He'd decided all this a while ago, but he'd waited. He waited because he didn't know how his presence would be accepted after the way he'd acted. After the things he'd said.

*~ Now, he didn't care. He wanted to talk to her, to set things right. He *needed* to talk to her. It'd become something of a burning obsession. He chuckled at his own choice of words. He was absolutely no stranger to obsession.

*~ He froze in the middle of the sidewalk, his nostrils flaring as the scent of fresh, human blood hit his senses, along with something else. He started to run.

*~ He hit his knees beside her, reaching down to pull her broken body up and into his arms. "Red," he whispered, holding her gently as she whimpered. "It's okay, luv. Shh... It's okay." He was lying. Already, he could hear her labored breathing- feel the fragile broken bones.

*~ He stood with her in his arms and blinked away frightened tears as he started for the only place he knew that would be comforting to her. The predominant thought in his mind was, 'I never got to tell her I'm sorry.'

*~*~*~
Present Time
*~*~*~

*~ "I'm sorry, luv," Spike told her as soon as she turned towards him. She smiled through her tears and held her arms out for him. He hugged her tight, grasping his sire's hand as she said the words he'd never thought he'd hear.

*~ "Goddess, Spike, there's nothing to forgive. I love you, my friend."
 

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