Streets of Sunnydale just after sunset

Angel watched the side streets as he, Spike, and Xander walked to
Giles' house.  He was dressed as Angelus, hoping to scare some
minions into talking.  He didn't want to give up, but it was starting
to look like they wouldn't find her.

"You're going to give Giles a heart attack, Deadboy." Xander said
with a smile.

Angel just smirked and shook his head.  Now that Xander understood
things about him and Spike, Xander wasn't so obstinate.  Angel had
explained things to Xander when he and Spike came out of the
bedroom.  Angel thought it also had something to do with the fact
that Angel no longer wanted Buffy, but he wasn't going there.

Angel just hoped that Xander would be able to keep his mouth shut
about Spike not being chipped anymore.  Angel didn't want to have to
fight Buffy right now, and if she found out that Spike was unchipped
she would try to stake Angel's boy.  And that was something Angel
would not allow to happen.

"Hey, Angel," Gunn called out.  "Wait up, man!"

Angel turned around and waited for the black man to reach him.  "What
are you doing here?"

"I got tired of listening to Cordelia and Wesley bitching about you
leaving," Gunn panted.  "And I thought you might be able to use some
help."

When he saw the look of acceptance in Gunn's eyes, Angel nodded.  "We
could always use some help."  Angel explained what was going on and
what they had done so far.

"And the other's are just willing to give up?" Gunn shook his head.

"Yeah, that's what I said to," Xander huffed.  "I won't give up on
Wills.  She wouldn't give up on me."

"We'll find her."  Spike tried to comfort the boy.

"What about Willie?" Xander asked excited.

Angel looked at Xander, "Didn't Buffy already check with him?"

"She said she did."  Xander smiled.  "But I'm thinking Willie will
tell Angelus and William the Bloody more than he would tell the
Slayer."

"Bloody wonderful," Spike shouted.

"I like the way this guy thinks."  Gunn laughed.  "But you aren't
Angelus are you?"

Angel smirked, "No, but Willie won't know that.  Let's go."

~~~~~~~

Master's Lair

When she felt the whip on her stomach, Willow woke up screaming.
They had broken her, she couldn't hold the screams in any longer.
And now they wouldn't stop.  She had screamed herself hoarse a couple
of times.  And still, they kept up on her.  She didn't think she
could handle much more.

She was almost willing to beg them to kill her, or to do whatever
they were going to do.  But she still didn't want to be an evil
vampire, so all she could do was scream.  Which was what they wanted.

Willow could feel the blood run down her stomach and legs.  She could
no longer get to her safe place because she wasn't able to
concentrate long enough.  Now she felt everything they did to her.
The original four had invited in six more, so now there were ten of
them on her at all times.

"Scream for me, little girl," the vampire with the whip sneered.

"The Slayer has given up on her," another vampire announced, coming
in the room.

When she heard that, Willow cried out.  How could Buffy give up on
her?  There was no saving her now.  They would turn her and she would
end up killing everyone she had ever known.

"You hear that, little girl," the vampire holding the whip
said.  "You are ours now.  Not like you haven't been, but now it is
official."

When a vampire penetrated her from behind, Willow screamed again.
Even with all the blood, it was still painful.  And if she tried to
relax to make it easier, she pulled on her already dislocated
shoulders.

"It wont be long now," the vampire behind her sneered in her ear.

Willow felt him bite her on the shoulder and felt him start to pound
harder and faster into her and knew that he was going to cum.  She
bit into her already sore lip to try and stop the scream, but it
didn't work and she scream anyway.  Then passed out.

~~~~~~~~

Magic Box

"We know where she is!" Angel bust into the store.  Startling
everyone inside.

"Is she…" Buffy couldn't complete the sentence.

"Not yet," Angel said.  "But we have to get to her soon.  The
vampires holding her know you've given up and are no longer looking
for her."

Angel watched Buffy's face pale.  As she started to stammer out an
excuse he held his hand up.  "Not now.  Let's go."

Angel waited until everyone was ready and led them to where he had
left the other's.  He had wanted them to stay close to the entrance
in case the vampires moved her.

Angel, Buffy, Giles, and Anya ran to where Spike, Xander, and Gunn
were hiding and after finding out that Willow was still in there,
Angel took the lead.  The group managed to take out the nine vampires
that were in the outer hall of the lair.

Angel walked into the great cavern and stopped in his tracks.

Buffy ran into him, "Angel?"

"Oh, Gods," Angel moaned.

The rest of the group filed out around Angel and stared in shock at
what they saw.  There was Willow, hanging from the ceiling, beaten
and bloody.  But the worst part was the vampire holding his wrist to
the redhead's mouth.

Angel stalked up to the vampire and snapped his neck.  Angel heard
Willow's heartbeat, it was weak and she wouldn't last much longer.

"Willow did you drink any of his blood?" Angel asked gently, as he
reached over to hold the petite redhead.

When he moved her, Willow moaned.  "Yes, I couldn't help it," Willow
whispered.  "I tried not to."

"It's all right, Little One," Angel choked out.

"Peaches, if she drank from that minion. . . ."

"Angel, what are we going to do?" Buffy whispered, while reaching up
to unchain Willow's arms.  "I don't think I can stake her."

"Willow, if I give you my blood," Angel started.  "You will keep your
soul, because you anchored mine."

Angel looked over at Buffy when she gasped.  "You didn't tell me?"

"Now is not the time, Buffy."  Angel turned back to Willow, "Will you
let me help you, Willow?"

Willow stared at him for so long that Angel thought she wasn't going
to allow him to do it.  "I don't want to be evil."

"Angelus, just do it!" Spike growled.

"Boy," Angel snarled back.  "Willow, you will keep your soul.  But
you have to tell me now, Little One."

Angel watched as she nodded her head and sighed.  Angel bit into his
wrist and held it to her mouth.  Angel let her feed until he felt
lightheaded from the blood loss, then pulled his arm away from her.
Angel wanted to make sure she would be strong.

"Spike, give me your coat," Angel said weakly.

Spike took off his duster and helped cover up Willow.  "Sire, let me
have her."

"No," Angel didn't want to let her go.  He was scared that he would
lose her again if he did.

Xander put his hand on Angel's shoulder.  "Your too weak to carry
her, let Spike, please."

"We need to reset her shoulders," Giles spoke up for the first time.

Angel nodded and held Willow tight while Giles pulled the girl's
shoulder's back into place.  Then Angel handed her over to Spike.

"Where are we going to take her?" Spike questioned.

"Back to the Magic Box," Buffy said with tears running down her face.

~~~~~~~

Magic Box

Angel sat in the chair beside Willow, holding her hand.  She should
wake up soon and he wanted her to know that he was there.  He had
given her more than enough blood to make her powerful.  And as little
as she was she would need it.  He would also take her back home with
him, and feed her his blood on at regular times.  That would make her
even stronger.

Angel was sure that Spike would also go with him when he left.  Angel
just hoped that Cordelia and Wesley had moved out of the hotel like
he had told them to do.  Even with Willow having a soul, it was going
to be hard to control her demon for the first couple of months.

Maybe he should say here.  Angel glanced around the room and saw
Buffy staring at him with love in her eyes.  Nope, staying here
wouldn't work.  He wasn't going to start a relationship with her
again.  It would be nothing but pain and heartache again.

Angel saw Xander come and sit beside Willow, "Will she wake up
soon?"  Xander whispered.

"She should, I gave her a lot of blood."  Angel answered.

"Get away from him, Xander," Wesley shouted, busting in the door with
a crossbow trained on Angel.

"What are you two doing here?" Angel stood and turned on Wesley and
Cordelia.

"He's Angelus," Cordelia said.

"No, he isn't," Giles answered.  "What's going on here?  Wesley take
that crossbow off Angel."

"I think I should know if that is Angelus or not," Wesley snapped at
Giles.  "I have worked with him for the last year and a half."

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