Angel burst through Willow’s door to find Willow and Kate kneeling on the floor. Willow was crying. Kate, her arms wrapped around Willow, had tears streaming down her face. Kate was trying to soothe the redhead.
When Kate heard the door open, she looked at Angel. "Sorry."
"What did you do to her?" Spike pushed around Angel.
Angel grabbed Spike’s arm as Spike passed. "What happened?" Angel whispered to Kate.
Kate shook her head. Her eyes told Angel she would tell him later.
"Angel?" Willow asked weakly.
"I’m here, Little One." Angel looked at Spike and shook his head.
If Willow had broken and finally talked about what had happened, the last thing she needed was him or Spike touching her right now.
Willow looked at Angel through golden eyes. "Make it stop," she pleaded.
Angel would have done anything at that moment to take away Willow’s pain. But he knew there was nothing he could do. "I wish I could."
"It hurts," Willow whined.
"Why don’t you rest, Pet." Spike looked at tiny girl kneeling on the floor. "Can I get you anything?"
"Angel, help me," Willow begged.
Angel walked over to Willow, then knelt in front of her. "How can I help, Little One? What do you want me to do?"
Angel reached up to wipe the blood tears from her eyes, thankful when Willow didn’t pull away from him. Angel could tell she was battling with something she wanted to tell him, but, at the same time, she didn’t.
"I can’t help you if you don’t tell me how," Angel said gently.
"I can’t," Willow cried.
"Angel, I think she’s hungry." Kate softly rubbed Willow’s back.
"Willow is that the problem?" He had forgot about that. With her soul, she wouldn’t want to feed. But the demon would be demanding blood, and she was still young she would need more blood than he would.
Willow lowered her head and nodded.
Angel moved to get up, but Cordelia’s voice stopped him. "I’ll get it for her," Cordelia said. "Please."
Angel looked at Cordelia for a moment. In her eyes he could see that she wanted to help. Finally he nodded, then watched her disappear down the hall. "Willow, you have to feed when you need to," Angel told her softly. "Don’t fight it, or it will get worse and you will end up hurting someone."
"I can’t do this, Angel," Willow cried.
"Yes, you can." Angel lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "You are the strongest person I know. You will get through this."
"Here, Willow, drink this." Cordelia knelt beside Willow and placed her hand on Willow’s shoulder.
"Oh, Goddess, please stop touching me," Willow begged.
Angel watched the hurt fill Cordelia’s eyes. "Cordelia, it’s not just you she doesn’t want to touch her."
"It’s all right, Angel," Cordelia said. "Willow and I were never the best of friends. But I would like to change that, if you would give me another chance."
"Here, Pet, drink this." Spike took the mug from Cordelia and held it out to Willow.
"No," Willow moved closer to Angel. "I can’t."
"Willow, sweet, you have to feed," Spike tried again.
"No."
"Willow would you like me to leave?" Cordelia rose to her feet.
"It’s not that, Cordelia," Willow mumbled softly.
"Then what is it?" Cordelia asked.
"The thought of drinking blood." Willow folded herself onto the floor and cried.
Angel was stunned and could only look at Spike. Did they do the wrong thing by not staking her?
"Don’t go there, Peaches," Spike snarled.
"Oh, Willow, look at me." Cordelia knelt beside the redhead and waited until Willow lifted her head. "You know, from what I’ve been able to tell with Angel here, it isn’t so bad. And it usually makes him feel better. If he gets really upset about something, he will drink. It’s nothing to be ashamed about."
"How can you say that," Willow moaned. "I’m a vampire!"
"Yes, you are," Cordelia countered. "And as such, you are going to have to learn to drink blood. Or would you rather wait until the bloodlust takes over completely and you try and bite a human."
Angel almost stopped Cordelia. She was being harsh with Willow and he didn’t like it. But, when he saw the revulsion on Willow’s face, he stopped. Maybe this was what Willow needed. He and Spike couldn’t bring themselves to be so harsh with Willow, not after what she’d been through. But Cordelia didn’t know about that.
"No," Willow cried. "I don’t want to do that."
"Then you’ll have to drink blood from a cup like Angel." Cordelia smiled.
"Red," Spike started, "would you feel better feeding from Angel or I?"
Willow looked up at Spike, "You wouldn’t mind?"
"Now, tell me why I would mind having a beautiful woman connected to my neck?" Spike joked.
"Will she get what she needs that way?" Kate asked fascinated.
"Our blood is strong, because of our age." Angel answered Kate. "Willow would that make you feel better?" Angel tilted his head and looked at Willow.
Angel watched as Willow licked her lips and stared at his neck. She moved toward him, then bit into his neck. Angel closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at Spike. Angel knew that Spike wanted Willow to feed off him too, but Spike didn’t want to push.
Wesley waved his arms toward Willow and Angel. "How can you people just sit there and watch that?"
When Willow pulled away and started crying again, Angel growled at the man.
"Don’t you ever say anything about Willow again." Spike grabbed Wesley by the throat and held him to the wall. "Or I swear I will drain you dry."
"Spike, please," Willow begged. "He’s right you know."
"No," Kate spoke up, glaring at Wesley. "He’s not, Willow. I’ll admit when I first found out about vampires, I didn’t take it well. But now, that I know Angel, I understand that they really are just like humans. You have your good ones, and your evil ones."
"Yeah," Cordelia said. "Just look at Wolfram and Hart. And most of them are human."
"Your chip?" Wesley choked out.
"Oh, that," Spike grinned evilly. "Dear ole dad over there had that taken out over a year ago. You really don’t think that Angel would leave his favorite childe, let alone the mate to his demon, unable to defend himself, did you?"
"Spike’s your mate?" Cordelia exclaimed.
"Why are all the good ones gay?" Kate asked sarcastically.
"Spike, you know the rules." Angel laughed. "No killing the help."
"Yeah, Peaches." Spike grinned again. "But this little weasel doesn’t work with you anymore, remember?"
"He’s got a point there, Angel," Kate managed to choke out around her laughter.
"Spike, please," Willow begged. "I don’t want to be responsible for someone’s death."
"You do realize that the only reason I’m allowing you to live long enough to get your things and get out of this hotel, is because of that one voice, right?" Spike sneered at Wesley. Spike dropped the man. Then walked back over to Willow. "Here, Red," Spike tiled his head. "It’s my turn."
"Thank you, Spike." Willow moved over to Spike and started feeding from him.
Angel looked at Spike and Willow for a moment, then turned cold eyes on Wesley. "You have 30 minutes to be out of here, or I will let Spike have you."
"You can’t mean that!" Wesley exclaimed.
"Try me and find out." Angel turned back to Willow and Spike.
"What about me?" Cordelia asked in a small voice.