Angel walked into the living room, buttoning up a dry shirt.  His
pants were wet, too, but he didn't think Willow could handle him
striping down right now.  And a little wet leather would never kill
him.

Gunn laughed.  "It looks like you managed to get her clean."

"Yeah," Angel grunted at Gunn.  Angel was tired. It had been a long
couple of days, and now that they had found Willow, all he wanted to
do was crawl into his bed and sleep for a week.  But Willow was in
his bed, so he didn't figure on his wish coming true.

Angel looked at Spike and could tell that Spike was just as tired as
he was.  "Did you get her to feed?"

"Yeah," Spike groaned.  "Getting her to feed was easier than getting
her to shower."

"That's fine."  Angel started for the kitchen. "Is there any blood
left?"

"Not much, it took a lot to fill Willow up," Spike got up from the
couch.  "I'll go to Willie's and get some more."

Angel pulled out his wallet and handed Spike a couple of
hundreds.  "That should be enough until we leave for LA."

Spike nodded, and turned to leave.  At the door, he stopped and faced
Angel again. "Sire?"

Angel raised his head to look at Spike, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry," Spike said quietly.

"It's over, Spike," Angel smiled.  "Just be careful."

Angel went into the kitchen and warmed up some blood.  Spike was
right, it had taken a lot to fill her up.  They were down to only two
bags.  "I think she cried most of that out, though," Angel murmured
to himself.

Angel finally allowed himself to think about what had happened to
Willow.  Angel prayed to a God that didn't listen to him anymore,
that she would be strong enough to pull out of this.  He didn't want
his childe to go through the rest of her unlife, terrified of being
touched.

She would end up battling her demon even harder if that happened.
Vampire's were by nature sexual creature's.  And for Willow with a
soul, she would still have the feeling of helplessness she had felt
as a human.  Maybe he should have had Spike finish turning her, then
she wouldn't have a soul or the feelings that went with it.

No, that wouldn't have worked.  She didn't want to be like that.  And
there would have been no way he could have talked Buffy and Giles
into it.  They wouldn't have understood the pain that she would be
facing for eternity.  And even if they had, with Buffy being the
slayer and Giles a watcher, it would have been hard on them to do
that to Willow.

"Damn it!" Angel slammed his fist down on the counter.

"Talking to yourself, Deadboy?" Xander asked, walking into the
kitchen.

"Something like that," Angel said sheepishly.

"Come sit down," Xander nodded to the other room.  "Before you fall
down.  Because let me tell you now, I will not try and lift you if
you fall out on the floor.  I'll leave you where you fall."

Angel chuckled and followed Xander out of the kitchen.  Angel sank
down onto the leather couch in front of the fireplace.  I should have
lit a fire, Angel thought.

"Xander, could you take Spike's duster to the cleaners tomorrow?"
Angel leaned his head against the back of the sofa and closed his
eye's.

"Sure," the teen answered.

"Gunn, thank you for coming and helping find Willow," Angel looked at
the black man.  "You didn't have to, but you did, and I'm grateful
for your help."

"You know me," Gunn smiled.  "Always ready for a fight."

~~~~~

Later that night (still at the mansion)

Angel and Spike sat on the couch staring at the fireplace lost in
their thoughts.  Angel couldn't believe all that had happened in the
last four days.  Sure, he had wanted Willow, but not like this.  He
had wanted her to come to him willingly.  And now she was his childe,
and had a soul.  Angel still wasn't sure that he had done the right
thing by letting her keep her soul.

The more he thought about it the more he realized it would be easier
on her if she didn't have one.  The demon in her wouldn't have cared
about what had happened, it would have made the demon harder.  But
Willow wouldn't have the pain from the memories.  The demon would
have looked at them differently.

Now, though, Willow was laying in Angel's bed, and Angel could hear
her whimper from time to time.  Angel knew she was having nightmares
about what she had been through.

Angel hadn't been able to get anything out of her while he was
bathing her.  But from the scars and the way she acted he could piece
together what had happened.  Angel wanted to get her out of Sunnydale
and away from the memories as soon as he could.

"Will you be going to LA with us?"  Angel broke the silence.

"There is no reason for me to stay here now," Spike said
quietly.  "I've already failed."

"You didn't fail, Spike," Angel reached over and cupped Spike's face,
turning Spike to face him.  "You did everything you could do.  These
things happen, this is the Hellmouth, remember."

"She doesn't deserve this," Spike waved his hands towards the room
Willow was currently sleeping in.  "I could have stopped them, if I
had been there."

"Are you so sure of that?" Angel questioned.

"What do you mean?" Spike exclaimed, "She shouldn't have to go
through eternity scared to let anyone but you touch her."

"Spike she doesn't let me touch her," Angel sighed.  "I had to pull
rank of Sire on her to get her in the damn tub."

"Oh," Spike mumbled thoughtfully.

Angel watched his wayward Childe, and felt bad for all he had done to
Spike before they had found Willow.  Now Spike blamed himself for
what happened to Willow.  Angel knew it was no one's fault, it was
just one of those things that happen.

Maybe Kate can talk to Willow and help her out some, Angel thought.
Kate had been a cop, so she must have been through things like this
before.  Well not with ten vampires kidnapping a young woman.  But
the rape and the beating, at least.

Angel would call her before they left for LA.  She was at loose ends
now that she was no longer a cop.  Maybe she would be willing to work
with three vampires and one street kid.

"Angel?" came a soft voice behind him.

Angel turned and saw Buffy standing just in the doorway.  Angel
smiled at her and waved her into the room.  Angel was too tired to
stand for her and he hoped she would understand.

"Buffy."

"Slayer," Spike sneered.

"Spike, you look like you are trying to run a race with the King of
Brood here," Buffy said kindly.

Angel chuckled at the look on Spike's face.  "Were you able to find
her some clothes, Buffy?"

"Yeah, I got her some." Buffy said as fresh tears ran down her
face.  "I just wish I could take her pain away."

Angel's reply was cut off by a blood-chilling scream coming from his
room.  Angel, Spike, and Buffy ran to Willow.

Willow was laying in the bed, twisting and turning, she looked like
she was trying to get away from whatever she was dreaming about.
Angel ran to the bed and tried to wake her up, only to find himself
across the room when Willow lashed out at his touch.

"Damn, that's one strong little girl," Gunn commented from the
doorway.

"Willow!" Angel shouted.

Angel went back to the bed and grabbed her arms holding them to the
bed.  "Spike get her legs," Angel commanded.  When he and Spike had
her restrained somewhat he started again.  "Willow, wake up, it's a
dream."  Angel cooed, "It's over, Little One."

Willow's eye's snapped open and she growled.

Angel could tell that her eye's were cloudy and she wasn't really
seeing him.  But it hurt all the same when he heard her whispered
words.

"Please, don't hurt me anymore."

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