Angel's car
Willow sat in the backseat of Angel's car and stared at the scenery as they passed. She didn't really know what to do with herself. Here she was in a car with two vampires, and she herself was one. She could feel the demon within her struggling to get out and prove its worth. It seemed that Angel's blood only made it stronger. Maybe I shouldn't drink anymore of his blood, Willow thought.
Willow shivered when she thought about touching Giles and Buffy. One part of her knew they would never hurt her, but the another part was terrified to get near anyone. Why is it I don't mind so much when Angel, Spike, or Xander touch me?
They had been on the road for about an hour and a half and no one had said a word yet. Willow could see Angel and Spike passing looks at each other. But they never said a word. Finally she couldn't handle the silence anymore. "Spike, may I ask you a question?"
Spike turned around and looked at her, "Sure, Luv."
"Why were you always following me around?" Willow asked shyly. She knew that if it weren't for the fact that she was a vampire she would be blushing redder than her hair. But she wanted to know if what the vampire who had taken her had been telling the truth.
When she caught the glance that passed between the two men. She knew it was true. What was going on here? Why were they trying to protect her? Didn't they think she could protect herself? Well, Willow you did manage to get yourself kidnapped, tortured, and turned into a vampire. Maybe they were right.
"Well, Luv," Spike ran his fingers through his hair. "You were the glue that held the group together. Maybe you didn't realize it, or the gang for that matter. But I can promise you vampires did."
"So it had nothing to do with Angel telling you to do it?" Willow almost laughed at their shocked expressions.
"How did you know, Willow?" Angel asked.
"I may be a vampire, Angel, but I'm not stupid." Willow turned back to look out the window.
Why did everyone always think she couldn't figure it out? Did people give her so little credit? It was always the same, good ole reliable Willow, help me with my homework. Or please let me cry on your shoulder, because I just lost the love of my life. Whose shoulder did she get to cry on? As usual, she had to bottle it up and keep it inside. There was no one for her, no one that wanted to know how she felt about things.
Willow thought back over her conversation with Buffy. As much as she loved Buffy, sometimes that girl couldn't think of anyone but herself. But Willow did have to give her credit for making her feel a little better. Willow had been worried that Buffy would hate her as a vampire, and Buffy would feel the need to stake her. But Buffy had assured Willow that would never happen.
Buffy had told her about her and Giles wanting to stop searching. And Willow could understand that some once Buffy explained that they had searched for three days. That was the first time Willow had known how long she had been gone.
They had known she had been taken by vampires. The longer she was gone, the less hope there was she would still be alive. But she couldn't help thinking that they could have found her sooner if they had tried.
But that was over now, and she had a new life to learn to live. In a new city. Willow just hoped that the memories of what happened to her would lessen some. She didn't fancy going through eternity being terrified every time some one touched her that they were going to hurt her.
"Willow?"
Willow looked at Angel. "What?"
"We're here." Angel smiled.
Willow looked around and saw the dominating structure of the hotel Angel called home. She had been so lost in her thoughts she hadn't even realized they had arrived in the city.
Angel watched as Willow looked around. They had been sitting in front of the hotel for the last ten minutes. He had tried to talk to her, but she had been thinking too hard to hear him. Now, it looked like she was pulling back into herself again.
"Come on, Willow." Angel opened the door, then got out of the car. "Let's get you settled in."
Willow nodded, then stepped out of the car.
Angel led Willow into the hotel. When he smelt Wesley and Cordelia, he stopped. "I know I told them to leave."
"Angel?" Willow looked at him.
"It's nothing," Angel assured her. "Spike, why don't to take Willow up to her room, two doors down from mine?"
"Sure thing." Spike grinned. "Come on, Pet." Spike held out his hand for Willow.
Angel waited until Spike had taken Willow up the stairs before he moved to the counter. "Would you two mind telling me why you're still here?"
"We have been thinking," Wesley stammered.
"You can do that in your own homes." Angel picked up a box and started putting folders into it.
"What are you doing, Angel?" Cordelia put her hand on Angel's arm.
Angel shrugged her off. "Doing what I thought I had told the two of you to do. I'm packing up your stuff so you can get out of here."
"We need to talk, Angel." Cordelia's eyes pleaded with him to listen.
"I think everything that needs to be said has been." Angel looked at Cordelia. "You two are the ones that don't want to work with vampires. Willow is a vampire even if she does have her soul. And she's been through enough. I wont allow the two of you to upset her anymore."
"Why wont you tell us what happened?" Wesley yelled.
With a sneer, Angel turned to Wesley. "Raise your voice to me again, and I'll make certain you never do it."
Wesley stepped back. "I didn't mean to yell,"
"That isn't the point. Willow's been hurt in more ways than you could ever think of. Its not my place to tell you what happened. Its her tale to tell. If and when she wants to. But, until that time comes, I'll make damn sure that nothing else upsets her. If you can't get past the fact that she is a vampire, then leave."
"Angel?"
Angel turned at the sound of his name, and saw Kate standing just inside the doors. "Kate, thank you for coming."
"Is everything all right?" Kate walked into the room and looked around. "Where's Willow?"
"Spike took her upstairs. "Angel nodded to Spike as he came down the stairs. "You can go up if you want. She's in the room two doors down from mine."
Kate nodded, "I will try to help her, but I can't make any promises." Then walked up the stairs.
"Any thing will help." Angel smiled at Kate.
"Angel, what is Kate doing here?" Wesley snapped.
"Unlike you two," Spike growled. "Kate wanted to help Willow."
"Spike, not now." Angel moved over to clean off Wesley's desk. "I don't want Willow to hear us and get upset."
"As you wish, Peaches." Spike walked over to help Angel. "All this goes?"
"Yeah, even the books," Angel told Spike, thankful for his help. "I'll get more."
"What happened to all the ones you had?" Spike lifted a box, looked at Angel, and grinned. Then he swept his arm across the desk and knocked everything into the box.
"Be careful with that stuff." Wesley retreated from the cold gaze Spike turned on him.
"I lost some of them when the office blew up." Angel went to the file cabinet, then started pulling the files. "There are more still in storage."
"You still have all those books you used to have?" Spike asked astonished.
"Yes, they're still in England. Where we left them."
"NO!"
Angel dropped the box he was holding, jumped over the counter, then
ran up the stairs.