Spike walked into the room holding a large mug of blood. "The do gooders are here to say good bye to Red."
"We’ll be out in a few minutes," Angel moaned. The feel of Willow’s lips on his neck was driving him to distraction. He wanted so bad to pull her against him and hold her. But, he knew that would scare her.
"Spike," Willow mumbled, and probably would have blushed if she had been able.
"Don’t be ashamed, Red." Spike handed her the mug, "Sire’s blood is the best you can get. And Peaches here is so old that his blood is like a fine wine."
"Thanks, Spike." When he saw a small grin of Willow’s face, Angel smiled. He could handle Spike making fun of him if it made Willow feel better.
"Is it true? Or is Spike just trying to make me feel better?" Willow took a swallow from the mug, then offered it to Angel.
"It’s true the blood gets stronger with age." Angel took the mug and sipped from it before handing it back to her. "And most vampires crave their Sire’s blood."
"Oh," Willow whispered. Taking the mug back, she held it.
"Up for an experiment, pet?" Spike sat in the chair next to the bed.
"What kind of experiment?" Willow asked.
"Well, you have tasted the poof there." When she grinned at Angel, Spike chuckled. "How about having a little taste of my blood and compare the two. Then you will see what I mean."
When she looked at him, Angel smiled and nodded at Willow. Angel knew what Spike was doing. If he could get Willow to drink his blood it would make a stronger bond between the two of them. Plus, she would find out Spike was telling her the truth. And she would learn to trust Spike.
Angel leaned against the headboard and crossed his arms over his chest. He and Spike watched the tiny redhead as she thought over what Spike had proposed. Willow had always been inquisitive and Spike had played on that to get his plan to work.
Willow sat in the middle of his bed on her knees. Her head bowed as she thought. His clothes hung on her small frame, and she looked like a small child playing dress up with her daddy’s clothes. Which in truth, being a vampire now, was what he was to her.
Angel wanted Spike and Willow to get along. He would hopefully be spending the rest of his unlife with these two. If they were fighting all the time over jealously, then it would make for a long eternity.
"All right." Willow raised her head and looked at Spike.
Spike nodded, then held out his wrist to her.
Willow cocked her head at Spike in question.
Angel noticed the hurt that filled her eye’s before she hid it. "Willow say what you were just thinking." Angel commanded softly. He was pretty sure what was the problem was, but he wanted it out in the open so they could get past it.
"Um," Willow looked at him like a child who had been caught doing something wrong.
"Go ahead," Angel instructed. "No one here will get angry with you."
"It’s just that you offered me your neck," Willow bowed her head again. "Why doesn’t Spike want me to do it that way too?" She whispered.
Spike looked at Angel with a pained expression, Angel nodded for him to go ahead. "Pet, look at me." Spike groaned, "Please."
With tears in her eyes, Willow raised her head.
Spike moved from the chair and knelt beside the bed, not touching Willow. "It has nothing to do with me not wanting you to drink from my neck. Believe me when I tell you, I would like nothing more than you have your fangs buried in my neck." Spike smirked. "I didn’t know if you were ready for that." Spike raised his hand and brushed it along her face, not actually touching her. "If you want to try my neck, here." Spike tilted his head to expose his neck.
Willow glanced at Angel as if she was trying to see if Spike was telling the truth or not. Angel smiled and nodded. Then waited to see what she would do.
When he watched Willow bite into Spike’s neck, Angel exhaled a breath he hadn’t known he had been holding. Angel heard Spike’s moan, and had to fight to keep him self still. The sight of Willow feeding off Spike was turning him on. Angel was glad when Willow finally pulled back.
Willow turned back to Angel with a small impish grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "He was telling the truth. Your blood is strong and I crave it. Spike’s is strong too," She added quickly when Spike growled playfully. "Just not as strong as yours."
"You crave my blood because I’m your Sire," Angel explained. "Spike still craves my blood," Angel leaned toward Willow and lowered his voice, acting like what he was fixing to say was a secret. "Spike is just too stubborn to admit it."
"No, Peaches, that’s where you’re wrong." Spike laughed. "I will admit that I crave your blood. It’s the moon and stars to me."
Willow giggled at they’re bantering, "When did you two become so close?" Willow thought about it for a minute and continued, "And where was I?"
Angel and Spike both chuckled when she said that, it sounded so much like the old Willow. Angel finally got him self under control and glanced toward the door where the Scooby Gang was standing with smiles on their faces.
Maybe things would work out after all, Angel thought. "Willow, I’m his Sire, we may fight, but we always come back to one another."
Willow nodded, then offered the mug of blood to Spike. "Want some?"
Angel realized what she was doing. She was trying to show them she accepted them in the only way she could. She trusted them, but couldn’t yet get over what had happened to her enough to actually touch them. In her offering her blood to him and Spike, she was telling them that she had accepted her new life. Her new family.
Spike accepted the mug with a small smile and took a sip, then handed it back to Willow. "Bottoms up, pet."
Willow went to drink the rest of the blood, but tensed before it got to her mouth. Willow glanced over at the door and saw Buffy, Giles, Xander, and Gunn standing there. "Buffy, I’m so sorry," Willow started crying.
"Willow, no," Buffy cried, running over to the bed. She stopped before she engulfed her friend in a hug. "This is not your fault. I should have walked you home, or found you sooner."
Both girls stared at each other with tears running down their faces. Finally Willow opened her arms and Buffy fell into them. They were crying and babbling at the same time.
Angel looked at the rest of the men in the room to see if they understood what was happening. He was at a complete loss from the look of Spike he didn’t know what to do either. Giles and Xander had smiles on their faces and looked on in relief.
"Why don’t we leave the girls to their," Angel thought a moment and couldn’t come up with a word to fit, "whatever." Angel stood and motioned for Spike to precede him. "We’ll be in the living room." When all the girls did was nod their heads, still crying and babbling to each other, Angel shook his head.
When Angel got everyone in the living room, he turned to Giles. "Would you please tell me what all that was about?" Angel gestured toward the bedroom.
"They’re bonding." Giles laughed. "And don’t ask me anymore than that. I’m a man, too and don’t understand a word of what they are saying. And I have no clue how it helps, but it always seems to make them feel better."
"Mate, you’re losing it," Spike glanced toward the bedroom. "People bond over a mug of ale, not whatever it is that them two are doing."
Giles removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes with his hanky. "No, Spike, men bond over ale. Women bond by crying and hugging."
"Just for the record," Spike told Angel. "Those two make Dru look perfectly sane!"
Angel couldn’t help but laugh with Giles and Xander at that. Even though he thought right at this moment that Spike was right. Angel just hoped that this so-called bonding session Willow and Buffy were having helped Willow.
"When are you leaving?" Xander asked after he had calmed down.
"After the bonding," Angel smiled.
"What the poof means to say is," Spike started. "When the chits are through crying and babbling to each other. And we can get a word into their conversation."
"Spike," Angel warned. "If it helps Willow, they can stay in there all night for all I care."
"Oh, it won’t be that long," Buffy giggled, getting everyone attention. "You really are an old foggie." Buffy gestured behind her. "The new and improved, Willow Rosenberg!"
When Willow stepped from around the corner, Angel almost swallowed his tongue. She had a large smile on her face, and even some of the pain in her eyes was gone. Maybe this bonding thing does help.
"Well look at you." Xander walked over to Willow. "Do I get a hug goodbye?"
Willow tensed a little but nodded her head. After hugging Xander, Willow walked over to Giles. After a moments pause she threw herself into his arms. "I’m so sorry I hit you yesterday."
"Think nothing of it, dear girl." Giles had tears in his eyes. "I should have thought before I touched you."
"It will take some getting used to." Willow pulled away, then smiled up at Giles. "But I also know you won’t hurt me."
"Never," Giles swore.
Willow smiled again, then walked over to Angel. "Ready to blow this hellhole?"
Angel looked at Spike and knew that they were going to be all right. Willow still had a long way to go, but she was strong enough to work past what happened.
Angel still had some questions on why Willow was the one taken. He still didn’t understand that. The vampires that had taken her had indeed been his and Spike’s minions. What could they have possibility of wanted with Willow?
There was no way that Angel could ask her now. And, being as they had
killed them all --without asking questions-- hopefully Willow would have
the answers he needed. But, it was too soon to ask her about it. "Let’s
go, Little One."