DISCLAIMER: Nobody belongs to me, unfortunately. They belong to Joss & Mutant Enemy, and a few other people I don’t know.
RATING: NC-17 - eventually.
SPOILERS: BtVS Season 2; Surprise.
CATEGORY: Willow/Angel; Willow/Angelus.
SUMMARY: Dru tries to assemble the judge; Buffy & company try to stop them, things happen.
DISTRIBUTION: Fire & Ice Fic, BBA, Angel of Mine, TNPWFLD, anyone else, ask, and you shall receive.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This starts out as a retelling of Surprise, so don’t be surprised if things happen differently than you remember. Oz exists just not in any way that’s connected to Willow.
DEDICATION: To Octa, for the help; Kaitelynn, who shares my views, and Inell, a kindred spirit. :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Buffy awoke with a start. She looked around her room carefully, relaxing when she discovered she was alone. She reached over and switched on her bedside lamp, hoping to find her glass of water without knocking it over.
She frowned when she saw the glass was empty. Climbing out of bed, the blond Slayer took the empty glass and made her way out of her bedroom. As she walked down the hall, she was oblivious to the presence behind her, following her, with a purpose.
When she reached a door and opened it, Buffy walked through only to find herself at the Bronze. She walked through the crowd of people until she reached a table. Willow was sitting there, chatting pleasantly with a monkey, in a language she thought might be French. Buffy stared at her in confusion as Willow smiled and waved.
There was something odd about her friend, something she thought she should be seeing, but wasn’t. Pushing the thought away, Buffy continued her walk through the club. Next she ran into her mother, who was standing before her, holding one of those large cappuccino cups.
“Things aren’t as they appear, Buffy. Do you really think you’re ready?”
Buffy was confused. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the saucer underneath the cappuccino cup slipped and fell to the ground. When she looked up from the shattered glass, her mother was gone. Buffy turned around and wandered through the crown once again. She felt as though she was missing something. Like there was something she was supposed to see, something she was supposed to learn.
She continued to walk through the throng of people, until she saw him. Angel. He was just standing there, looking as undeniably sexy as usual. He was looking in her direction, but seemed to be staring through her, as if he didn’t really see her at all, but was looking at something else. But he has slight smile on his face, so he must be seeing her. Who else would that smile be for?
That’s when it happened. Suddenly, Drusilla was standing behind Angel with a stake in her hand. As she thrust the weapon through his back and into his heart, Angel’s eyes seemed to settle on something she couldn’t see. She reached out to him as his body turned to dust. Angel was reaching too, but he never quite made his target, as his body crumbled to ash before her.
Buffy looked up for the pile of dust, which had settled on the floor into the golden eyes of the vampire that still wielded the stake.
“Look closer.” Drusilla whispered, “You only need to open your eyes to see the truth.” She turned as if to move away, but stopped before she had gotten too far. “Happy Birthday, Buffy.”
Drusilla’s lilting tone woke Buffy from her nightmare. She sat up straight in bed, still shaking from the dream, with need to know if what she foresaw was destined to happen.
She never stopped to think about the words that were spoken to her that night, or the hidden messages encased in that dream. Angel’s death at the hands of his childe was all that her brain could latch onto.
*****
“That did not happen” Willow exclaimed with a smile as she snuggled deeper into the soft carpet as they sat in front of the fire.
Angel smiled. He loved to see her eyes sparkle when he was telling her tales about his history. She seemed to absorb everything with a thirst he could never have hoped for, not even in his dreams, which were frequent.
“It happened.” He promised. “Spike wouldn’t never admit to it now though. He was too embarrassed. He’d say my soul distorted my memory.” He laughed softly at the memory of the time he shared with no one else before that night.
It wasn’t something he had ever planned, sharing his past, his life, with anyone. It was something he kept well hidden, from anyone. He didn’t even like to think of those times himself. Partly because of the death and mayhem that went hand in hand with those times, and partly because he missed those times. Not all of it, surely, but he missed the good times he had had. He missed the fun they had had. He missed they places they had been. And the lack of guilt, he missed that too. But most of all he missed Spike and Drusilla. The way they had been, a family. He missed being accepted for who and what he was. He didn’t have that now, would probably never have it again.
But it was times like these, sitting in front of the fire, with Willow, talking, that he felt truly comfortable. They were friends, good friends. Angel liked to believe they were best friends. It was only in her company that he could totally relax, not afraid of saying something that would inadvertently remind her he was a vampire. She knew that. She never forgot it nor did she expect him to be something else. She accepted that part of him, just as easily as she accepted everything else.
Their friendship had started four months previous, when Buffy had returned from her summer vacation with a major attitude. After witnessing a rather seductive dance between Xander and Buffy, Angel and Willow had found themselves walking in the park together, talking about anything except the two people at the Bronze.
That night something had started. Something neither of them would realize, nor even acknowledge as anything more significant than two people finding a good friend in a mild acquaintance. Over the past four months the two had spent a lot of time together, getting to know one another in away no one else ever had.
Willow knew things about Angel he had never shared with anyone since the return of his soul, while Angel had seen aspects of Willow’s personality only rarely glimpsed by the others around her.
“Do you miss him?” Willow’s softly spoken question broke Angel out of his internal thoughts.
It only took him a moment to recall their conversation, and realize whom she was speaking about. She smiled. “Yes, I do. I miss them both.”
A silence followed each of them in their own thoughts. Thoughts of friends, and of the past. It was in that moment that Angel realized he never would have admitted to missing his childer to anyone but Willow. He didn’t know what that meant, and wasn’t prepared to analyze his thoughts… yet.
Willow stood up and stretched, working out the kinks in her muscles. “It’s getting late. I should be getting home.” She told him.
Angel stood up as well. “I’ll walk you home.”
Willow smiled and allowed him to lead her out into the night.
*****
Willow sat at the table and listened to a frantic Buffy tell Giles about her dream. The dream sounded as disconnected, as though they were missing some parts, but the hacker assumed that since it was a dream, that was to be expected. She founded herself, surprisingly unworried about Angel’s death at Drusilla’s hands. The only explanation she could come up with for that lack of fear was all the stories she’d heard about the insane vampiress.
Willow knew without a doubt that Dru was capable of great evil, and definitely murder was a mild offense, but despite the torture she had inflicted on Angel not too long ago, she couldn’t help but believe that when it came right down to it, she wouldn’t kill him. She wouldn’t stake him in the back with a smile, the way Buffy’s dream depicted it.
She wasn’t sure if that naiveté’ on her part or some kind of intuition, but either way, she found herself not as concerned for Angel’s welfare as the Slayer seemed to be.
*****
Drusilla smiled as Dalton brought in another of her precious boxes.
“But over there, with the others.” Spike spoke from his wheelchair as Drusilla pushed him from behind.
“You’re dead set on this, pet? Wouldn’t you rather have your party in Vienna?” He asked as he wheeled over towards the table, which contained her ‘presents’.
“But the invitations are sent.” Drusilla reminded him, her mind swirling with all the possibilities of what lay ahead.
“It’s just I’ve had it with this place. Nothing ever comes off like it’s supposed to.”
. “My gatherings are always perfect.” Dru purred in his ear. “Remember Spain? The balls?”
Spike grinned as she knelt in front of him. “I remember, sweet.” He shook his head slightly. “But Sunnydale’s cursed for us. Angel and the Slayer see to that.”
“Shh,” Drusilla whispered in his ear. “It’s not the Slayer that warms my Angel’s heart.”
Spike turned to look at her, the healing scar on his right cheek masked in the darkened room.
“I’ve got good games for everyone. You’ll see.” She stood up and walked away, Spike staring after her, wondering what his dark princess had planned.
*****
Willow listened as Angel tried to explain to the small group just what kind of threat they were facing. He told them what he could remember about the Judge, with Giles feeling in some missing pieces here and there.
As was usually the case, Buffy decided to take charge and wanted everyone to split up to check the different ways packages could be coming in to Sunnydale. They had lost the arm when several of Drusilla’s minions attacked the small group at the Bronze.
They were now more determined than ever to make sure no more limbs were delivered to Angel’s insane childe. It might have been Willow’s imagination but she sensed a kind of tension coming off of Buffy whenever Drusilla was mentioned. She wasn’t sure if it was due to the Slayer’s dream, or what had nearly happened to Angel sever weeks previous, or if it was something else entirely, But the hacker was certain she wasn’t the only one to notice it.
“Willow should come with us.” Angel’s voice broke the tense silence.
“What?” Buffy looked up confused, not knowing why Angel would want to bring Willow into such danger. “No, it’s too dangerous. S he should stay here, where it’s safe.”
“No, I want to come.” Willow told Buffy, her resolve face slipping into place. She wasn’t sure why Angel wanted her to come along, but she was grateful for the opportunity.
The truth was, she was curious. She had heard so much about Spike and Drusilla that she relished the chance to see them, and she knew that was a distinct possibility. Although she had seen them before, never really up close, and not since Drusilla had been healed. She had spent hours upon hours hearing Angel’s tales of his past with both Drusilla and Spike, and she longed to see that part of them. To see even a glimpse of what he remembered. She was sure that they still remembered him as fondly as he remembered them.
Buffy looked warily at her friend. Frowning, she nodded. “Okay, but stay out of the way, and keep close to either Angel or me.”
Willow smiled slightly. She turned to look at Angel and caught something in his eyes, something she couldn’t quite place. Relief, maybe? But she didn’ t know why he would feel relived.
Shrugging off her questions, she followed the vampire and the Slayer out of the club, while her other friends split up to go on their own search.
End Part 1
Willow watched as Buffy looked from side to side, seemingly searching for things no one else could see. Buffy’s eyes narrowed as they fell on a building not too far away.
“Over there.” She pointed.
Willow and Angel followed her hand with their eyes. “Are you sure?” Angel asked.
Buffy turned to him and glared.
“How do you know?” Willow wanted to know. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Buffy, but they were going into a dangerous situation and Willow had no desire to die. And the building she was pointed to looked like an old abandoned factory. Why was it that vampires always lived in places like that? Surely they had money and could buy a nice mansion, or something. Or even kill the owners and take it. <Bad, Willow!> She admonished herself for her morbid train of thought.
“I had another dream” Buffy told them. Earlier. I saw this place. Drusilla and Spike are here.”
Willow nodded. That was good enough for her.
Buffy stood up and started to make her way towards the building. When Willow went to follow her, she was pulled back into Angel. Losing her balance she nearly fell on top of him before he helped steady her.
“Be careful.” He whispered in her ear.
Willow smiled. “I will. You too.”
Before Angel could utter any more words of caution, Willow was gone. She had sprinted across the street, leaving him to chase after her.
The three of them snuck into the building. Buffy led them to an upper landing where they could see into the main room. There seemed to be some sort of party going on.
“I saw this… the party.” Buffy whispered.
Willow held in the gasp that was forming when she saw the object of their visit come walking in. “The Judge.” She whispered as she gripped onto Angel’s arm tightly.
Angel followed her gaze. The blue skinned demon was huge, and seemed to radiate power. He was looking around the room carefully, as if he was trying to decide who should be his next meal. Suddenly he seemed to sniff the air.
The Judge turned around and looked up. His eyes settled on the trio.
“We better get out of here. Now!” Willow hissed, grabbing her two friends and trying to back away.
They ran only to be surrounded by a group on hungry looking vampires only a few feet away.
“Well, Well, look what we have here.” Spike’s amused voice drifted to Willow’s nervous ears as the trio were taken, by force to where Drusilla stood, with an odd look on her face. “Crashers
“I’m sure our invitation just got lost in the mail.” Buffy glared angrily at the vampires as she was held in place.
“It’s delicious.” Drusilla licked her fingers as her gaze swept over the party crashers, her eyes settling on Angel. “I only dreamed you’d come.”
Willow whimpered as the vampire holding her tightened his grip.
“Leave her alone!” Angel snarled.
“Yeah right, that’ll work.” Spike eyed the Slayer. “Now say pretty please.” He took a swig off his bottle and smirked.
The Judge’s eyes took in the Slayer. “The girl.” He turned towards Drusilla.
“Chilling isn’t it? She’ll full of good intentions” The insane vampiress growled softly.
The blue demon turned his attention back to the intruders, his eyes falling on the petite redhead. “But this one… she had darkness in her.”
“Take me!” Angel fought against the arms holding him in place.
“No!” Buffy yelled.
Angel ignored her, almost forgetting she was there. “Take me instead of her!”
“You’re not clear on the concept, pal.” Spike interrupted with a fair amount of humor. “There is no instead. Just First, second and…” he let his eyes wander to the redhead, “And third.” He smirked at the fire he could see in her green eyes. She was enchanting.
Drusilla smiled. “If you go first,” she told Angel, “You don’t get to watch the Slayer die.” Her smile widened when she saw that he wasn’t as upset by that thought as she had been led to believe. “But that isn’t was scares you, is it, Daddy?” She turned to Spike and whispered in his ear. “Miss Edith was right.”
Angel looked around frantically, for anything that would help aid there escape. He saw something hanging from the ceiling, attached to a metal chain. With just the right amount of force, he could probably shake it loose. When he turned back around, He saw Buffy fighting against her captors.
“Don’t touch him!” Angel shouted the warning at Buffy.
Too late. She had kicked out at the Judge, knocking the vampire holding her over. She broke loose and started fighting. Angel took the opportunity to break loose. He grabbed the chain and watched as the object fell.
He looked around frantically when he realized they were free to escape. Only they weren’t. Willow was gone. And so was Drusilla.
“Angel! Come on!” Buffy urged.
“Willow!” She shouted looking around, hoping maybe he had just missed her. He hadn’t. “She’s gone!”
Buffy tore her gaze away from Angel and searched the room for her friend, noticing for the first time that she wasn’t anywhere to be found. She looked menacingly at Spike, who was sitting in his chair smirking at her from across the room. He had been moved out of the way when the fight started. She turned back to Angel. “Come on, we have to go. She’s gone.”
Angel turned to look at her in shock for a moment, before facing his wheelchair bound childe. He didn’t speak, but his eyes carried more of a threat than words ever good.
Spike watched motionless until the two were out of site. His minions chased after them but he knew they wouldn’t find them. Angel was too good at hiding. It didn’t matter. They had the redhead, and whether Angel knew it or not, he wouldn’t do anything to endanger her… even if it meant staying away. Hell, from the look in his eyes, Spike suspected Angel would do anything to get her back… even kill the Slayer.
*****
They hid in the sewers for a long time before Angel felt it was safe to surface. It was raining, and Buffy was shaking from the cold as well as from exhaustion. He knew he should take her back to his apartment, to get warmed up and a good nights sleep. However, that wasn’t what he wanted to do. Instead he wanted to leave Buffy to her own devices and go back and get Willow.
She was in danger. He was certain she hadn’t escaped and was now being held against her will by her childer. He wasn’t afraid they would kill. No, what he feared they would do was much worse.
“Come on.” He lead Buffy towards his apartment, knowing that despite what he wanted he needed to protect the Slayer. Isn’t that what he sent to Sunnydale to do in the first place?
*****
Willow shivered in the dark room. She wasn’t certain how long she had been there. Maybe a few hours, maybe less. She was nervous, unsure what they planned to do with her.
She wouldn’t have to wait long.
“Little Tree.” Drusilla walked into the room, her hips swaying as she moved.
“Yes?” Willow asked as she looked up.
“Don’t be frightened, Little Tree. We won’t hurt you. We’re family.”
End Part 2
Willow stared into Drusilla’s eyes, expecting to see her death etched there. She expected to see hate, or hunger maybe. What she didn’t expect to see were the traces of wisdom in their depths or the softness they held.
“What… What do you want?” Willow asked nervously. She was less afraid than she had been before the vampire entered, but she still wasn’t certain what they wanted with her, nor was she certain she wanted to know.
Drusilla smiled. “Are you afraid of me?” She turned and picked up the dolls he had set on a nearby table. “Would you like to meet Miss Edith? She told me all about you.” She stepped forward and whispered conspiratorially. “She likes you.”
Willow looked up, surprised. She smiled slightly and turned to face the vampire. “I’d love to meet Miss Edith.” Smiling at the doll in question, she clasped one of her tiny hands. “Nice to meet you.” She spoke quietly, hoping she didn’t look as nuts as she thought she did.
Drusilla beamed and spun around to face the opened doorway, where Spike had rolled himself. “See, I told you?”
Spike chuckled, yes luv, you did. And you were right.” HE watched Willow with interest. She still seemed nervous, but not necessarily afraid. “Are we keeping her?” The blonde vampire asked.
Willow froze, awaiting the response.
“No. I want Daddy back.” She turned back to face Willow. After tea and cakes, you can go home.”
Willow nodded, relieved.
Spike rolled out of the room with a slight smile. He didn’t know exactly how Drusilla’s new friend would help them get their Sire back, but if Dru said she would, then she would. Of that he was certain.
******
Angel felt her lips, warm and demanding, move under his. They were sift, and taste if the sweetest combination of apples and cinnamon. His tongue dove deeper into her mouth, devouring her very essence. His eyes were closed, but he could see her face in his mind. Her green eyes, darkened with lust, as her body trembled underneath his. Her moans, the sweetest music as he made her his, over and over again.
He knew he was dreaming. It was a familiar dream. One he had had on countless nights after Willow had left him to go home. He groaned, as he closed his eyes tighter. He didn’t want to open them and discover that he was still alone, without her.
That’s when he felt it. An arm wrapped around his waist. A decidedly warm arm wrapped around his naked waist. He opened his eyes and looked down.
He closed them immediately, willing the sight away. When he opened them once more, she was still there. ‘She’ being Buffy. He tried to remember what had happened. His mind was still hazy from the familiar dream.
Then it all came back to him. Buffy’s dream, finding the arm, going to the factory, finding the Judge already assembled, the fight, Willow’s disappearance…. Willow she was still in trouble. He jumped out of bed and through some clothes on, not caring what time it was, or that it would be dawn soon, or even that he was leaving Buffy alone after… whatever had happened.
He ran all the way to Willow’s house, knowing she wouldn’t be there, but he needed to be close to her… to something that smelled like her. When he reached her balcony, he noticed the house was dark and remembered her telling him how her parents would be out of town for several more weeks. He climbed through the French doors, and sunk onto the carpet. The silence of the room was deafening. He wanted so desperately to hear a shower running, or the beat of her heart, telling him that she wasn’t trapped with vampires, but instead safe and sound.
He grabbed one of her pillows and hugged to his body, letting the tears fall. As they did, the previous night came back to him. And as it did, he felt sick. Truly disgusted with himself. He had brought Buffy back to his apartment, to keep her out of the rain and so they could get some rest.
They had fallen asleep, and his dreams had been plagued, as they often were by the red headed beauty who had enchanted him. Buffy had woken up and under the impression he was dreaming of her, she had tried to seduce him, and in his half-wakened state, he had allowed her too. Thoughts of Willow were all that kept him responding in the way the slayer was expecting.
He must have fallen asleep after, and it was only now, as he remembered what he had done, that he realized what had happened. He had had sex with Buffy. With the Slayer of all people. And it wasn’t that he did care about her, because he did, but more and more his thoughts weren’t on her, but on her intelligent friend instead.
And yet, he continued to date Buffy, and each time they were alone together, his demon roared in protest. He fought against it, knowing that he couldn’t ever have what he truly wanted, so he settled for he felt he deserved. Buffy. The animosity she caused within him was just what he should be subjected to, not the purity of peace Willow offered.
But tonight, he had done something worse than sleep with the Slayer, he had done it while imaging his beautiful redhead. That was worse than simply having sex with someone you didn’t care about. He had done it while pretending his with the one person he had no right to love.
His anger at himself caused his dead heart to break. He was so lost in his own self-flagellation, he didn’t hear her enter. It wasn’t until she spoke that he knew he wasn’t alone any longer.
******
Willow entered her bedroom through the French Doors quietly. She wasn’t sure why she was being so silent, her parents weren’t even home. She supposed it was just out of habit. That and her mind was still reeling from her brush with death. Drusilla was nothing like what she expected. She didn’t understand half of what she said, and she certainly hadn’t expected to be sent home. But here she was, home alone.
Willow turned around after shutting the door, and saw the hunched over body hanging on to her pillow as if it was a lifeline.
<Okay, maybe not alone>
“Angel?” She spoke quietly, not entirely certain she wasn’t seeing things.
Angel sat up, startled. “Willow?” He asked as though he wasn’t expecting her.
“Yes? What’s…” The rest of her question was lost in the large arms that engulfed her. He was holding her so tightly, she was having trouble breathing. She tried pushing him away, to no avail.
“Uh, Angel… Oxygen becoming an issue.” She gasped.
Angel loosened his grip. “Sorry.” He looked her over carefully. “Are you alright?”
Willow nodded and smiled slightly, until she saw the tear tracks on his paler than usual face. “Angel? What happened? Where’s Buffy?”
“Oh, Will, I’m sorry.” He told her.
Willow gasped. “Oh no, Buffy isn’t… she isn’t dead is she?”
Angel looked up at her shocked for a second. “No, she’s fine. She’s at my apartment… asleep.”
Willow sighed in relief. “Oh good.” Then she looked into his eyes and saw that same familiar self-hate she had seen before. “What’s wrong? What happened?” She led him over to her bed, where he reluctantly sat down next to her.
“I… We… I’m an ass.” Angel spoke with an edge to his voice. He was angry, but not at her. As far as she could tell he was angry with himself.
Then his words registered and she couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re an ass? What did you do?” She couldn’t imagine what he could have done.
Angel looked up at her, his brown eyes locking with her green. “I slept with Buffy.”
Willow’s eyes lost their mirth. She felt as though someone had just shot her. She was losing oxygen, although she wasn’t sure why. Buffy had recently told her she was going to try and seduce him. They were dating, weren’t they? So why did they idea of him having sex with Buffy make her ill.
“I… I see.” Willow managed.
Angel took her hand in his. “No, you don’t see…. I don’t love her… I love you… and that’s what makes it worse.”
Willow was trying to wrap her mind around what he had said. She was just about ready to jump for joy when his last sentence hit her. “Worse? Why?”
Angel took a deep unneeded breath as he stood up. He couldn’t look into her eyes as he told her the rest. “I was thinking of you, only you. Do you know what that makes me?”
When she shook her head, he knelt down in front of her, taking one of her hands in his, while he cupped her cheek with the other. “I was so worried about you. I thought… I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Did they hurt you?” When she shook her head, he continued, “I was afraid… You’d never know…”
“Know what?” Willow asked softly as she took his cool hands in her warm ones.
“I love you.” He spoke quietly, hesitantly. He was afraid to look at her. Afraid to see her reaction. He knew he had just told her a few minutes ago, but maybe she hadn’t heard him, or maybe she didn’t want to here him.
Willow tilted his face slightly so that her green eyes were boring into his brown. She was smiling slightly. “I love you too.”
It took him a full minute to realize what she had said. He couldn’t have heard right. But then, looking deeply into her eyes, he knew he had. His dead heart swelled as he placed the tenderest of kisses along her lips.
Willow opened her mouth in invitation and licked his lips, coaxing them open. When his tongue slipped inside, he felt her hands go around his head, drawing him closer. As he devoured her mouth with his own, he was struck with the realization that reality was so much better than fantasy.
Time stopped. In that one moment, he felt perfection. She was perfection. And he was happy.
And then the pain came. A sharp, shooting pain winding itself through his body, search for something, he didn’t know what. He fell to the ground, as the burning sensation to over. It was all consuming.
“Angel!” Willow stared at him in horror. As she fell to the ground beside him and pulled him into her waiting arms.
“It hurts.” He told her as he ran her fingers through his hair. He felt as if he was being burned from the inside out. In a sudden flash of insight, he knew what was to come. “My soul…” He whispered, “I’m losing my soul.”
“Shh… It’ll be alright.” Willow rocked him gently. As his words became clear, so did something else. Something Drusilla had told her. It all made sense now. She was right. It was going to be all right.
Despite the fact that Angel would no longer be the Angel they had known, he would still be her Angel. It wasn’t wishful thinking, but something she just knew. A gut feeling. And she trusted that feeling, just as she trusted the man in her arms.
End Part 3
Angelus opened his eyes and found himself still cradled in Willow's arms on the floor of her bedroom. He looked out through the window of her French doors and realized that it would be dawn soon.
Extricating himself from his beloved he stood up and lifted her gently in his arms. After tucking her snugly into her bed, Angelus made his way to the French doors. He really didn't want to leave her, but there were things that needed to be tended to, and they couldn't afford to wait.
After one last look at the sleeping redhead, Angelus slipped through the doors and headed towards the factory. He had family to reacquaint himself with.
*****
Angelus stood in the darkened corner of the factory watching as Dru was telling Spike about how she had named all of the stars the same name. He smiled fondly at his crazy Childe. He had missed them.
Angelus smirked slightly as Spike took an unneeded breath. He could tell his favorite Childe was growing impatient.
"Did you see any further? Do you know what happens to Angel?" Spike asked as patiently as he could manage.
Angelus stepped away from the wall. He just couldn't resist answer Spike's question himself. "Well, he moved to New York and tried to fulfill that Broadway dream." He paused looking from one Childe to the next.
Spike was staring at him, his blue eyes piercing him as if he could look right through him. Drusilla had moved and was now standing behind Spike, watching, her head tilted to the side, as if she was listening to something no one else could hear.
Drusilla's eyes seemed to light up and she began clapping and twirling around in glee.
"Angelus?" Spike asked, not sure if he could believe what his eyes were telling him.
"Daddy!" Drusilla ran up and hugged the older vampire.
"Yeah baby, I'm back."
*****
Willow woke up to find herself snuggled deeply into her own bed. For mere seconds she thought that maybe it was just a dream. She hadn't come home to find Angel on her bedroom floor, upset because he thought he had lost her. He hadn't confessed to her that he did something he was ashamed of. He hadn't told her he loved her. And he hadn't lost his soul.
His soul. That one thought brought Willow out of her haze. She knew it was true. All of it. And just like the previous night, she wasn't afraid. Not the way she should have been. She had read all the stories about Angelus, pre-curse. She knew that by all counts he was a sadistic bastard, but even so, she wasn't afraid. She knew what it felt like to hold him after his soul had left his body. What it felt like to be wrapped up in his strong arms. She also knew that if he had wanted to kill her he could have, so easily. The fact that he didn't, reinforced her belief that whatever happened was meant to.
Willow climbed out of bed and began getting ready for school. She knew they still had a long road ahead of them. The Judge was still an issue, and Willow was unsure what would happen next. Would Buffy understand what had happened to Angel? Would she try and kill him? The redhead couldn't care for that to happen.
Once dressed, Willow made her way to the library, unsure of what she would find. She was almost pleased to discover Buffy wasn't there. Almost. Until her mind wondered if the Slayer was still at Angel's apartment, or if she had figured out what had happened and why.
Pushing her thoughts aside, Willow engrossed herself in research. They needed to discover a way to destroy the judge. After several long hours of searching, Willow slammed a book closed. The library had gotten silent all of a sudden after Xander and Cordelia's last round of insults.
Willow made her way up the stairs and into the stacks, and stopped dead. She couldn't believe it. Xander and Cordelia. They were kissing. She watched, eyes wide as her best friend pulled away from the girl she had hated for so many years. She didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything, instead turning around and running away.
Willow ran out of the library and fell against the side of the building, sitting on the floor. It wasn't so much that she was upset, at least not because Xander and Cordelia were apparently together. She had gotten over her feelings for Xander. She was more shocked than anything. And hurt that her oldest and closest friend hadn't told her. Although to be fair, she supposed she hadn't been very receptive recently as far as Cordelia was concerned. Still, she wished that Xander had told her the truth. She wished her had felt comfortable enough to tell her the truth.
"Will?" Xander asked hesitantly as he sat down next to her. "I'm sorry. I should have told you."
"Yes, you should have, but." She turned to look at her friend, "I haven't been very nice to her." She paused. "Is it serious?"
Xander leaned back against the wall. "I don't know. I like her. don't ask me why. It doesn't make much sense."
Willow nodded. "Look, there's something I need to tell you. You're. you're probably not going to like it."
"What?" Xander asked, growing concerned.
Before Willow could answer, they heard the sound of someone entering the school and then the lights being shot off.
"Who's there?" Xander called out, not being able to see.
"Xander. Willow." Angelus spoke as he walked closer to them.
Willow started walking towards him. She didn't know what he was doing there, or what was going on but she knew he wouldn't hurt her.
"Get away from him!" Jenny calendar's voice seemed to come out of nowhere.
Willow turned around slightly and gasped as she felt Angelus' cool hands wrap around her throat. "Shh. Relax." Angelus spoke quietly into her ear.
Jenny walked forward, a large cross in her hand. "Let her go." She spoke calmly, but forcefully.
Angelus pretended to think about it. "Um. no. I like her right where she is." He bent his head down and inhaled her sent. "Cute an innocent. it's such a turn on."
Willow shivered. The husky sound of his voice and his close proximity were intoxicating.
Xander watched the events unfolding as he stepped closer, almost imperceptibly. There was something strange going on. He could feel it. He knew something was different about Angel, but he couldn't figure it out. He also knew that Willow near as scared as she appeared, and that Angel wasn't hurting her, although his grip looked fierce.
"I got a message for Buffy." Angelus looked menacingly at the computer teacher, who he realized was the only person even resembling a threat.
"Why don't you give it to me yourself." Buffy's voice sounded tired, filled with an emotion that Willow couldn't quite place. She wondered what had happened that day. Had Buffy run into Angelus earlier? Had he told her the truth? Any further questions were interrupted as Angelus spun around, taking her with him.
"Well, it's not really the kind of message you tell. It sort of involves finding the bodies of all your friends." Angelus pulled Willow's body closer to his, making it look like he was hurting her.
Willow moaned at the contact, although she was aware the sound could easily be mistaking for pain.
"What happened to you?" Buffy asked sadly.
"I was freed. at last." He smiled dangerously, "And all because of love. It a beautiful thing, really. I think I'll cry." He spoke mockingly as he moved forward slightly, taking Willow with him.
"Leave Willow out of this." Buffy pleaded.
"No." Angelus smirked and moved towards the door. When he was close enough, he pushed Buffy to the ground. "Things are about to get very interesting." He blew her a kiss and disappeared out of the school.
Buffy sat huddled on the ground. Xander approached her carefully. "It'll be okay. He's not gonna hurt her."
Buffy looked up at Xander, tears in her eyes. "How do you know?"
Xander stared silently for a moment. He didn't know how he knew that. It was just something he sensed, but he didn't think that that answer would go over well. "I don't. But."
"She isn't what he wants. I know." Buffy stood up and wiped her tears from her eyes. "Come on. We still have to stop the Judge."
Xander followed after looking out the school doors once more. He didn't know how he knew, but he was confident that he had been right. Angel wouldn't hurt Willow. As his mind drifted back to the Judge, and idea started to form in his head.
******
Drusilla danced around the room as Spike watched her, a slight smile on his face.
"Daddy's bringing our new mommy home." She stopped twirling and sat on Spike's lap. "She'll make everything like it should be. She fix their mistake."
Spike nodded, not having a clue what Drusilla was talking about, but knowing that sooner or later, it would all make sense.
End Part 4
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Buffy looked from the box in front of her to her friend. "Xander, I don't know about this. What if it doesn't work? Your ideas don't always."
"Pan out?" Xander grinned sheepishly. "True, but I know this will work, I know it."
Buffy nodded. "Okay, we'll give it a shot. Hopefully they'll still be at the factory and we can take the Judge down before any more people are hurt."
A noise at the door drew Buffy's attention. When she saw Jenny Calendar standing there nervously, Buffy looked away, concentrating on the weapon once more.
"Do you, uh... Is there something I can do?" Jenny hesitated in the door.
Buffy refused to look at the woman who was responsible for this nightmare. "Get out."
Jenny took half a step into the room and then stopped. "I-I just want to help."
Giles avoided looking at the gypsy as he spoke. "She just said get out."
Jenny nodded and left the room. Once she was gone Buffy sighed and relaxed slightly. It had only been a few hours since she had found out that Jenny Calendar was really a gypsy, from the same clan that had originally cursed Angel with a soul. It didn't matter that the computer teacher didn't know about the curse's clause, only that she had left out what information she *did* know.
Now Angel, *her* Angel was gone, and in his place was Angelus. Everything she had read about him, and everything she had seen in the short time she had spent with him told her that this person, this *demon* needed to be stopped, to be killed. But even knowing that, even feeling it, deep in her bones, she didn't think she could do it.
But Buffy didn't know if she had the choice. If she didn't, a lot of people would die. Willow could die, if she wasn't already dead. That thought alone sent a cold chill down her spine. She didn't have a choice.
"Let's go." Buffy picked up the weapon and turned to Xander who was just watching her quietly.
Xander followed her out of the room and hoped that he was right, and the weapon he had procured for her was strong enough to stop the Judge. That was their big worry now. Angelus was secondary.
He knew, by some weird sixth sense he didn't know he had, that he had been right earlier and Willow wasn't in any danger from the Big Evil bloodsucker. Still, the sooner they got Willow back, the better.
****
Angelus paced around the factory in agitation. Spike was getting dizzy just watching him.
"She's planning something." Angelus hissed. "I should have just killed her and gotten it over with."
"Yeah, you should have, mate." Spike agreed, moving the wheels to his chair around to face his Sire. "But it won't matter after tonight. "They'll all be dead."
Angelus nodded, calming down slightly. "Where's Willow?"
"She's having Tea and Cakes with Dru." Spike chuckled.
"I'm ready."
Spike and Angelus turned to face the Judge who had just entered the room.
"It's about bloody time!"
"Dru!" Angelus called out. A minute later Drusilla and Willow came into the main room. "It's time to go." He turned towards Willow. "You stay here with Spike." Angelus bent down and placed his cool lips over Willows. "We'll be back soon. Stay here." He ordered before moving away, and leaving Spike and Willow alone.
"Well Red, whatever shall we talk about?" Spike grinned at his Sire's mate.
Before Willow could even formulate a response, a loud crash sounded from the direction in which Angelus had gone. Willow started forward but Spike stopped her with a hand on her wrist. "Stay here!" He hissed. "If anything happens to you, he'll leave me out for the sun."
Willow nodded her understanding and backed up. Spike rolled forward slightly but when the wheelchair started to squeak she shook his head and stood up. He heard Willow gasp behind him and shrugged. Quietly he moved forward. He could hear a commotion several yards ahead and he had an idea what had happened.
The Slayer and her band of misfits must have shown up. He knew there was bound to be a fight and he couldn't wait for a go. When he reached the room near the side entrance of the factory, he stopped and took in everything.
The Slayer was standing just inside the door, with some sort of high-powered weapon, aimed directly at the Judge. Her watcher was off to one side with a brunette girl, a couple of inches away from Drusilla, brandishing crosses and holy water. On the other side, the boy, was standing, carrying a cross, inching ever so slowly closer to a small group of minions that Angelus had planned on taking with him.
Angelus stepped forward, on the Judge's right. "Well, well, look what we have here." He sneered at the Slayer. "I didn't know you wanted another round so soon."
Buffy moved her eyes away from the blue-skinned demon and stared at Angelus. She moved the weapon so it was trained at a spot above Angelus' head. "Don't move." She warned.
Angelus, of course, paid no attention to her, and moved another foot closer to the Slayer. Buffy, afraid for her friends' lives, as well as worried she couldn't do it, fired the weapon. It hit a spot behind the group, blasting a whole in the wall, shattering foundation, making the building shake.
"No weapon forged can stop me." The Judge's voice drew Buffy's attention back to him.
"That was then." Buffy told him as she bent down slightly and loaded another missile into the weapon. "This is now."
Angelus saw the weapon, now aimed at the Judge and looked back to the hole the previous missile made and turns to Drusilla. "Go. Get Spike and Willow out of here." When Drusilla hesitated, he barked. "Now!"
Drusilla nodded and backed away, going back to the room where Willow was. Spike followed soon afterwards recognizing the danger. He and Drusilla took Willow out through a back door, living their Sire and a bunch of minions to deal with the Slayer and her friends.
****
Xander, keeping an eye on Drusilla and Angelus missed the vampire closest to him moving out of sight. It wasn't until he could feel cold, dead skin wrapped around his throat that he realized what danger he was in.
"Breathe a word, and the last sound you'll hear is your own scream." The vampire whispered menacingly into his ear.
Xander wisely remained quiet and wasn't entirely surprised when he felt the vampire move him backwards. He knew he was going to die, and as the slayerette he was, he intended on taking this vampire with him. Before he could so much as scream, he felt something sharp on the side of his neck. The pain was intense as the vampire's fangs dug into his skin. He lost consciousness before his brain completely alerted him to his impending death.
****
Without answering, Buffy aimed the weapon for the center of the Judge's large chest and fired the missile. It hit the target, causing the Judge to burst apart in more pieces than she could visually count. Each piece flew into a different area.
Buffy smiled slightly and turned to where Xander was standing. "Thanks." Her smile turned to a frown when she didn't find her friend. "Xander?"
Still no answer, Buffy looked around. Giles had moved forward and was staking two of Angelus' minions. Once they were dust, he turned to face Buffy. Any words he was about to speak where halted as the building began to shake and crumble around him.
"Come on, we've got to get out of here!"
"But Willow." Buffy looked around frantically, her eyes searching for not only one familiar face but two. "And Xander, he's gone!"
Giles surveyed the room with his own eyes, and began moving quickly to the space that Xander had occupied. "I don't see him. Maybe he got out." He grabbed Cordelia by the arm and started pushing her towards the exit. "We have to go, now. We'll have to come back later!"
Buffy looked around once more and nodded. She followed her watcher and the cheerleader out the door, hoping that Giles was right and Xander had escaped. She couldn't deal with another loss.
She may have gotten the Judge, but Angelus was still out there, and Willow was still missing, and now Xander. She couldn't take much more.
Keeping her tears back, Buffy followed Giles and prayed to a god she wasn't sure she believed in that her friends were still safe, and alive.
End Part 5
"Damn that bitch!" Angelus glared angrily at his childer, as if expecting them to take on the mantle of his blame.
Drusilla was whimpering mournfully, whether at the loss of her new 'toy' or for some reason no one else could fathom, was unknown.
Spike rolled his eyes in exasperation and continued pacing around the small mausoleum they had appropriated before the sun rose. The mausoleum itself wasn't really small, it actually had a large opened space, and a few empty corners, one of which was currently being occupied by an unexpected guest.
Still, compared to the factory, it was a closet. However they only needed to hide out there until the sun set. Drusilla moved quietly to a corner of the mausoleum, where Willow had fallen asleep on some blankets a minion had acquired who knows where.
The vampiress sat down along the wall, pulling Willow's head into her lap, pleased that her new mommy was still sleeping. This was no place for her. If she could stay sleeping until nightfall, all would be okay. Her daddy would fix things, as he always did.
Spike watched her with a fond smile and then continued his pacing. Hiswheelchair was no longer a necessity, and keeping his ability to walk again a secret didn't seem to serve any useful purpose.
"Don't worry about the bitch. We've got other problems." Spike spoke quietly, so as not to disturb the others, as he neared his sire.
Angelus looked over into a darkened corner of their current tomb, a lifeless body lying against the concrete. Bigger problems indeed.
"What will we do with him?" Spike asked nodded to the newest member of their family.
Angelus snorted. "Keep him." He groaned. There was nothing else that could be done. Between Drusilla's finding him 'deliciously sweet' and Willow's expected reaction, he couldn't leave him out for the sun. It had been taken out of his hands.
But to be honest, that wasn't such a bad thing. With his soul, he had detested the boy, partially because he was a nuisance, but partially because he had seen, *known* that there was evil in him, even with his soul in tact. And now, the boy was part of his family. He would do what he was told, and nothing the Slayer could even hope to say would change that.
Angelus turned back to his favorite childe. "Just make sure Dru keeps him out of my way until this situation with the Slayer is taken care of."
"And then?" Spike asked curiously.
"Then we teach him what it means to be a vampire."
Spike nodded and turned his cool gaze back to Drusilla, who was still cradling Willow's head, humming softly.
****
Buffy paced angrily around the library stopping occasionally to glare at what was left of her 'slayerettes'. Willow and Xander were gone. Giles was silently trying to think of a way out of their current problems. Cordelia was frightened and was threatening to leave the 'freaks to their freakish things'. Buffy couldn't really blame her. She'd be a lot safer.
She didn't know how much more she could take. It was enough her beloved had turned into some vile, soulless killer, but now her two best friends were gone, disappeared.
There was still a chance that they were alive. They had not found their bodies, which was definitely a good thing. But it had been three days since the judge had been destroyed, without a word from Angelus, and what reason could he possibly have for keeping her friends. Nothing good, that was for certain.
She had to move on, continue with her fight, and kill Angelus if necessary. It was the only way. Once that was done, she could leave, run away, from her pain and her problems.
"I can curse him!"
Three sets of eyes swiveled to face the newcomer. Jenny Calendar stood just inside the double doors which lead into the library, a stack of computer print outs in her hand.
"What?" Cordelia spoke for all of them.
"I can recurse him." Jenny repeated.
"I thought you couldn't do that?" Buffy asked carefully taking a step closer to the gypsy.
Jenny stopped momentarily before coming closer. "I couldn't. I. had trouble translating the ancient texts, but I devised this program."
"Get to the point!" Buffy hissed, in no mood to deal with the woman who caused all of this longer than necessary.
Jenny nodded. "My program translated the curse." She said simply.
"Will it work?" Buffy asked, turning to Giles, hoping he could answer her question.
Giles in turn, looked to Jenny.
"It should." The computer teacher answered. "I won't know for sure until we try."
"What do we need?" Buffy asked, feeling a slight sliver of hope for the first time in what seemed like forever.
****
Xander regained consciousness slowly. He wasn't entirely certain where he was, or what had happened. His memory must have been playing tricks on him because the last clear memory had been of being attacked by some vampire. But if that was correct, he should be dead. Shouldn't he?
He couldn't quite open his eyes and his body seemed stiff as if he'd been lying in the same position for way too many hours. Strangely enough, he found his other senses seemed clearer than he could ever remember them being. He inhaled deeply, taking in a breath of stale air. He realized with a twitch of his nose that he could smell death.
Since when could he *smell* death?
"You're awake."
The familiar voice sounded like it was coming from a few feet away.
"Willow?" He croaked, suddenly aware that his throat was really dry. He tried to open his eyes again, this time succeeding.
Everything was blurry at first, but soon, his vision seemed to clear. He looked around and found himself in a bed. A bed he didn't think he'd ever seen before. The room was dark, and he could hear the loud pumping of a heartbeat nearby, though he wasn't sure how or why.
A single candle was the only light, and it was far enough away that it barely illuminated the room enough for him to see his friend. She was sitting in a chair next to the bed, smiling at him.
"Are you all right?" Xander asked quietly, his voice scratchy.
Willow nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. We both are."
Xander nodded, looking around the room. "Where. where are we?"
"A mansion on the edge of town. you've been sleeping for awhile. How do you feel?" Willow asked carefully, unsure what she should tell him.
Xander thought about her question. "Funny. I. I'm not sure. What happened?"
"What do you remember?" Willow asked cautiously. He was acting. Xander-like, which she hadn't really expected.
"We came to the factory, to fight the Judge. I was grabbed by. a vampire?" He asked, his dark eyes questioning.
"Yeah. He fed from you, almost drained you. He wanted to bring you to Angelus, as a. gift." Willow snorted. "But, Spike and Dru had taken me. somewhere, not sure where exactly. I fell asleep, so I'm not sure what happened after that. Only that when the minion showed up, you were nearly dead. Drusilla, she." Willow hesitated. "Xander, she turned you. You're a vampire now."
Xander blinked. "What? No." He shook his head. "I don't feel any different."
"That's. that's good." Willow said, unsure what else to say.
"Willow." Xander began. "About Angelus. you're together, aren't you?"
Willow nodded. "Yeah. Does that bother you?"
Xander shook his head. "No. I figured that you and Angel would be. well this isn't much different, is it? Especially considering." He waved his hands towards his own body.
Willow stood up and started to move towards him.
"No, don't." Xander stopped her, his words pleading.
Willow looked hurt for a second and then watching as his eyes started to glow gold, she nodded. "Your hungry aren't you?"
Before he could answer the door opened and Drusilla came in.
"You're awake my pet." Drusilla moved towards the bed as Willow silently left the room.
She found herself wondering what had happened to her. Just a few days ago the only vampire she had known was Angel, and he had a soul. Now Angel had lost his soul, and reclaimed a relationship with two of his childer, and now Xander, her best friend Xander, was a vampire. Although she was frightened of what might become of him, should he ever cross paths with Buffy, she couldn't bring herself to feel bad for his death, as temporary as it was.
Xander had been her oldest and dearest friend, and amazingly was the one person who wouldn't have been surprised if she and Angel had gotten together before. She was sorry for the things Xander had lost, but happy that he still had a long life, or unlife as it were, ahead of him.
Willow shook her head at her thoughts and turned down the hall and walked into one of the larger bedrooms. Angelus was stretched leisurely across the top of the bed. She walked over to him and climbed into the bed, his arms going around her slight frame.
Angelus moved her long hair aside and nuzzled the back of her neck.
"Thank you." She whispered to him. She knew that although it was Drusilla who had made the decision to turn Xander, if Angelus had been against it, Xander would have been dust long before he awoke to his new life.
"Anything for you, love." Angelus continued nuzzling, his lips tracing the sensitive skin behind her ear, delighting in the shudders running down her body every so often.
"What are we going to do?" She asked breathlessly. She didn't really want to *think* right now, but the young redhead knew that it was only a matter of time before Buffy found them.
Angelus sighed and turned Willow to face him. His fingers traced a pattern on the side of her face, cupping her cheek gently. "We'll leave, if that's what you want."
"Really?" Willow asked, surprised. "What about Buffy?"
"She doesn't matter. You know that." He leaned closer, his voice a silky whisper against her ear. "Now, we have better things to do than talk." He bit down softly on her earlobe, demonstrating exactly what kind of *things* he was referring to.
End Part 6
Angelus strolled leisurely through the cemetery. He knew there was no *real* reason for him to be out. He'd already eaten, and if he were honest, he'd rather spend his time with Willow, or at least watching her sleep.
Still, he couldn't resist. He knew that the Slayer was no doubt wandering around the cemeteries, in a snit, because she had failed to kill him, and her friends were still missing.
As he neared one of the more popular sections of the cemetery, he heard the sounds of a fight. Knowing, instinctively it was Buffy, Angelus leaned against a tree and watched the festivities.
After a few seconds, Buffy dispatched the fledgling vampires and started dusting off her clothes. Angelus applauded loudly from his spot.
Buffy stiffened and turned around. Her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"
Angelus moved away from the tree and shrugged. "Just out for an evening stroll."
Buffy took a step closer. "Where are they?"
Angelus raised his eyebrows. "Who?" He asked with mock innocence. "I don' t know you cared about me and mine. I'm touched."
"Xander. Where is he? And Willow. They aren't yours!" Buffy hissed between clenched teeth.
Angelus' brow furrowed in what appeared to be honest confusion. "Xander? He's missing?" He shrugged. "Well if he is, I didn't have anything to do with that. It's too bad really, he would have been fun to kill." He took a step closer to Buffy. "But Willow, she *is* mine."
Buffy was confused for a second. He didn't know where Xander was, or what had happened to him? Angelus could be lying, but why would he lie about that when he was admitting to having Willow? She stood her ground.
"Willow is not yours!"
Angelus chuckled. "Sure she is, Buffy. She's my lover, my mate. She is the reason I lost my soul. She is the reason I exist. Nothing you do will change that."
Buffy staggered backwards, shaking her head. "No, she isn't. You don't care about her. You're only using her to get to me." She stepped forward again, her eyes pleading. "You love me. Isn't there some part of you that remembers that?"
Angelus rolled his eyes. "No. I don't love you now, and I didn't love you last week. Although I must thank you. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have lost my soul."
Buffy's eyes widened. "See, you do love me? I gave you a moment of happiness. I made you lose your soul." She frowned as she realized once again that she was responsible for everything that had happened.
Angelus laughed, a loud booming sound. "No, little girl. I had sex with you. Sex, not love. Afterwards, I was so... disgusted with myself, I went to see the person I really loved, Willow, and beg for forgiveness. She told me she loved me. That, Buffy dear, is what caused me to lose my soul."
Buffy began backing up again, not wanting to believe his words. "No, you're lying. It isn't true."
Before Angelus could mock her further, the Slayer turned around and ran out of the cemetery, Angelus' laughter trailing behind her like some demented reminder of his lies.
****
Jenny Calendar looked over the ingredients of the spell and thought about what it was she was about to do. She heard Rupert come out from his office and turned to face him.
He was carrying a copy of her computer print out and she could tell from the look on his face that he had noticed the changes. She sighed and braced herself for the questions.
"Jenny." Giles asked as he came to stand before her. "I noticed that this is a bit different curse than what was originally used." He looked down at her, his eyes questioning.
"Yes, Rupert, it is. The original curse. it would not have worked now. Once it has been broken, there was no way to restore it. But my great grandmother had made some notes in her journal. This curse was almost used originally, but it has some. problems."
"Problems?" Giles asked, concerned.
Jenny sighed again. "It wouldn't have worked, back then. The magiks involved, are very strong. They require certain things to be present. It will only work after a previous curse has been broken, like now. And." She hesitated a second.
"And?" Giles prompted.
"And, this curse will be permanent, impossible to break." She looked up at him. "My people purposely put the clause in his original curse to insure his suffering."
"And a permanent soul wouldn't have done that." Giles realized.
"Exactly." She looked around the room carefully for a second, not wanting the Slayer to overhear the next part. "There's more. This.... spell, will anchor his soul. by tying him, eternally to the soul of another." She took a deep breath. "His one true love."
Giles sucked in a breath. "And what happens to this... love?"
"They become immortal, forever changed by the binding."
"I.I see." Giles stammered slightly. "Will this. happen to Buffy?" He asked cautiously. Immortality was a hard burden to bear.
"I don't know, Rupert." Jenny shook her head. "If she's the one, his true love, and she was the one to give him that one moment of happiness, then yes." She stood up and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Are you sure she's the one?"
"What. what do you mean?" Giles questioned, not understanding exactly what Jenny was getting at.
"When I was researching the curse, I discovered something. The clause. that one moment of happiness. Sex wouldn't have been enough to cause it. It wasn't about physical bliss. It has to be soul deep. Demon deep."
"What do you mean? Demon deep?"
"Whatever happened to cause him to lose his soul, everything he is had to feel it the same. His mind, his heart, his body, his soul, and his demon." She paused and stepped away. "I know that he and Buffy had something special. I know they loved each other, or believed that they did, but no matter how much Angel, the man loved her, or believed he did, it wasn't enough to cause this. His demon could never love her, never accept her. It just isn't possible. She is a Slayer." Jenny stopped and turned around, hoping she hadn't gone too far. She moved away from him, towards the door. "I'll cast this spell, but if Buffy isn't his true love, it won't effect her, and if Buffy, or whoever his true love is, wasn't the one to cause this happiness, it won't work at all." She stopped in front of the door. "There's something else. His soul will be anchored permanently, but his demon will be closer to the surface, so he may not be the same."
Jenny left out of the door and sagged against the wall outside. She hadn't really wanted to tell him all of that, but he deserved to know. If Buffy wasn't the one, either because she wasn't Angel's true love, or because she hadn't been the one to cause him to lose his soul, or both, then Angel would still be Angelus, and they would be back where they started from.
The more she thought about it, the more Jenny was certain Buffy wasn't the one. She didn't cause him to lose his soul and she wasn't the one who could restore it. She had been right in her explanation to Rupert. Buffy and Angel could never be, not truely. By the very nature of their existence, Slayer and Vampire, they could not have a true bond, nothing like what was required by her family's curse, either variation of it.
There was nothing that could be done now, except hope that Angel would regain his soul, no matter how unlikely.
****
"Psst, psst." Drusilla whispered as she snuggled closer to Spike.
"What, pet?" The blond vampire asked as he kissed her head.
"There's a change coming." She continued. "Something's happening.with Daddy.and Mommy."
Spike relaxed further into the bed. "Something, like."
"Something magical."
Spike turned his princess towards him and kissed her. He had no doubt that whatever she had seen was really happening, but experience had told him there wasn't much they could do about it.
Drusilla pulled away slightly. "The Slayer thinks she can have him back, but he was never hers." She giggled slightly.
"I know, pet." Spike felt Drusilla snuggle down into his arms. She started to hum again and he drifted off to sleep wondering what exactly would happen next.
****
Xander stared straight ahead, the ceiling in his room not nearly as exciting as the attention he was paying to it. He was thinking, or trying to. He still couldn't get his mind around it. He was dead. *Dead*.
He had died, been killed, by a vampire, and now he was one too. Weirder than that was that Drusilla was his sire. He felt an odd sort of connection, tied to her, sort of. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced, or anything he could even explain.
When Willow had left and Drusilla had come into his room, he had felt some strange bond with her. He knew, instinctively that she had made him. She had created him, in her own image, more or less.
He felt different, but yet he didn't.
He knew he was a vampire. He could feel it, the lack of a heartbeat, the coolness of his own body, the thrill he had felt, drinking the warm blood Drusilla had fed him. Some was her own, and some belonged to someone else, someone human.
And the knowledge that someone had died to feed him didn't bother him, not in the least.
Drusilla had told him that if she fed him her own blood first, it would make him stronger. And he did feel stronger. Stronger than he had before he died, and stronger than he'd felt when he had first woken up.
Even considering all of that, he didn't feel like he would think he should feel, considering he was now a soulless demon. He didn't have an uncontrollable desire to kill all of his friends. He had no desire to even see them, although he didn't have a great love for them either.
With the exception of Willow, he had no feelings about them one way or another. He didn't want to kill Giles or Cordelia. His thoughts of Buffy though, were more on the disturbing side. His demon railed at her very existence, and his memory of the girl herself wasn't clouded by human affection.
The idea of what she would do to his family if she found them fueled an anger he didn't know he was capable of. Only the knowledge that his grandsire would take care of the Slayer stopped him from doing something himself.
But he knew that Angelus had plans of his own, and Drusilla had forbid him from leaving the mansion.
So instead of helping his new family, he was stuck in his bedroom, staring at the ceiling like a grounded child.
Grumbling to himself, Xander turned over and stared at the wall for a second before drifting into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The sleep of the dead.
End Part 7
Willow sat back against the headboard of the bed and thought about what Angelus had told her about his 'encounter' with Buffy. She knew Buffy and now she knew Angelus as well, and she *knew* that what he said to the slayer could have been so much worse.
She was afraid of what would happen now. Things seemed to be going from bad to worse. Her life was spinning wildly out of control, and she couldn't seem to put the breaks on, if it were even remotely possible.
Taking a deep breath she turned her head to the figure that was sitting in the chair in front of the draped window. He was watching her carefully, awaiting whatever it was she had to say.
"Did you mean it?" She asked quietly, suddenly all too aware what would happen if they stayed in town. "About leaving?"
Angelus nodded. "Of course."
Willow nodded. "Good. This will only get worse." She looked away and then back to the vampire. "She probably didn't believe you, but." She hesitated. "I don't want her to die." The words were spoken softly and with a trace of pain.
"I know, love." Angelus stood up. "I'll go tell Spike."
"I want to say goodbye.to them." Willow told him.
Angelus stopped in front of the door and nodded once before disappearing.
Willow sank back and sighed. She knew that going to see Buffy and Giles probably wasn't the smartest thing in the world, but she couldn't leave without at least attempting to explain.
****
"We're leaving?" Spike asked incredulously. "Just going to run away like. rats deserting a sinking ship?"
Angelus' eyes narrowed. "We're leaving. Willow wants to go, we're going. Sunnydale isn't all it's cracked up to be." He stepped closer. "Besides, don't you and Dru have a Childe to deal with?"
Spike sighed needlessly. He knew his Sire was right. He didn't really want to stay in Sunnydale anyway. This down was nothing but trouble. Plus, Angelus was right, he and Dru had to take care of Xander. He may be one of them now, but he didn't know the first thing about being a vampire and with everything that had happened, they didn't think it was wise to take him hunting in Sunnydale.
"Will leave when the sun sets." Spike shook his head. "All this for your witch?" Spike chuckled. "Bloody pillock." The words were spoken with a fond amusement as he left the room to find Drusilla.
Angelus watched his favorite childe go and grinned. Spike was right. Leaving wasn't something he would generally do, but the recent changes were still new to Willow, and leaving her friends was easier to accept than their deaths.
Maybe in time they'd return. Maybe not.
****
Jenny looked up at the three people in the room. Cordelia looked bored as she grudgingly assisted in the ritual. Buffy was anxious and Rupert just looked concerned. He had decided not to tell Buffy the specifics of the curse, just in case, and Jenny respected his decision. If she were correct in her assessment of the situation, the truth would be known soon enough.
"Are we ready?" She asked quietly. The sun had just set and the moon was in the correct phase.
"Yes." Giles came forward with the key ingredient of the spell.
Jenny began chanting in an ancient dialect as Cordelia and Giles added ingredients here and there while Buffy watched nervously. About halfway through the spell, the gypsy felt a wave of power go through her body, something unlike anything she had ever experienced, or even read about.
It was working, she was certain of it.
****
Willow watched out of the window as Spike's DeSoto disappeared down the street. She sighed unconsciously and continued watching the dark street. Angelus' arms came up around her.
"You'll see him again." Angelus assured her. He knew she was upset about Xander having to leave. She seemed to understand why he had to go, but he was her last connection to her old life, even if he was changed.
"I know." She smiled slightly as she leaned into his cooler body. "It's not just him I'm going to miss. Drusilla isn't what I expected."
Angelus chuckled. "Yeah, she sort of grows on you."
He felt Willow's body shudder in his and at first he thought it was a laugh bubbling forth at the thought of his insane Childe, but soon her body tensed and a small gasp escaped her lips.
He turned her around and was shocked to see the look on her face. Her eyes were glowing an odd color, and she seemed frozen. Before he could ask her what was wrong he felt a wave of pain radiating out from her body and into his.
Just before he lost consciousness he thought he saw their bodies glow.
End Part 8
Willow awoke slowly, the darkness of the room keeping her from seeing farther than a few inches. She was in the bedroom, that much was apparent from the feel of the soft sheets underneath her and the strong arms around her.
"Your awake." The soft voice whispered into her ear filled her with an odd sort of calm.
She'd heard the voice countless times in the past few days, but there was something fundamentally comforting about it, filling her, keeping her safe, just as he himself did.
"What happened?" She asked as she quietly tried to shift around to face him.
"I'm not entirely sure."
The voice was still softly spoken, still familiar, but there was something different about it. Confusion, and something else, something she couldn't place.
"I think I was cursed." The familiar voice continued. "Again."
That made Willow sit up a little straighter. She turned around and looked into those dark eyes. There was nothing but warmth and bit of confusion in them. The warmth wasn't unusual. It was the same look he had given her both after he had lost his soul, and on all those evenings they had spent together before that night. Soul, or not, the vampire before her had only offered her love.
"Willow?" He asked, his brows furrowed slightly at the look on her face. "What's wrong?"
Willow smiled. "Nothing. I was just. looking." She placed a hand against his cheek softly and pressed her lips against his tenderly before pulling away to look at him again. "You think?" She asked softly. "Do you feel different?"
Angel returned the kiss just as tenderly before answering her. "Yes, but it's not like before."
Willow's eyes widened. "It's not?"
Angel shifted a bit and Willow moved away so he could climb off of the bed. He moved around the room for a few minutes before speaking.
"When I woke up an hour ago, I knew what had happened. I *knew* that my soul was back, but it isn't like before. I don't feel the same. I don't feel ashamed and guilty for things that I've done. I don't want to forget those I killed, or those I.made. I just feel. more balanced." He shook his head. "No, that's not right."
Willow watched Angel move around the room and waited patiently.
"I can feel it, my demon, just below the surface, but it isn't fighting me, it's not trying to claw its way through my soul, it's not telling me to.kill. It seems. balanced somehow. different than before."
Willow thought about this for a second before standing up and walking over to Angel. She turned him around to face her gently and looked up into his face. "I feel something too. I'm not sure what it is exactly. Maybe the spell was different."
"What about the.clause?" Willow wasn't sure what she was supposed to be feeling. She knew how dangerous Angelus had been, and how much Angel had tried to make up for that violence. But she also knew how much she loved him, both versions. She knew that it didn't matter who or what he was, or what he had done in the past, or even what he might do in the future. All she knew was that she loved him with everything she was, and she knew, deep inside, that nothing would change that.
Angel wasn't sure what to tell her. He knew it was possible the clause still stood, but he didn't think it was very likely. He wasn't sure *exactly* what at was which had triggered it in the first place, only that his love for Willow was at the heart of it. That hadn't changed and knowing Willow loved him was enough true happiness that nothing else could possibly surpass it.
Even if that wasn't the case, the truth was, it just didn't feel the
same.
*He* didn't feel the same.
There had always been this thing hanging over him. He had always believed it was the weight of his guilt, pressing in on him, making sure he never forgot what he had done. But now, that weight seemed to be lifted. He felt lighter, freer. He didn't know what had changed, or what the consequences would be if he should lose his soul again, but he was beginning to believe that maybe things were supposed to happen the way they did. Maybe there was a purpose to everything.
Despite the freedom from guilt he was now experiencing, he still had a desire to help people, to do what was right. Maybe everything had happened the way it was supposed to.
Angel and Willow locked eyes, so much being said without words, without conscious thought, they shared everything they were, and knew that no matter what would happen next, they would face it together.
They stayed quiet, holding each other in the darkness of their bedroom for several long minutes before Willow spoke again. "What time is it?"
"Almost three. You were out for awhile." Angel answered. He didn't need to tell her that when he had first awoken to find her unconscious he was worried, but her strong heartbeat and even breathing had assured him that she was merely deeply asleep.
Willow nodded against the strong chest. "Should we go back, talk to. Buffy?"
The name was whispered quietly. In response Angel held her small frame to him more tightly before answering. "Not yet. Tomorrow." He guided her over to their bed and pulled her down with him.
Soon there were no more thoughts of Buffy, or anyone else.
****
Buffy stormed into the door to Giles' condo without a second thought to what may, or may not be going on. Giles and Jenny broke apart from their place on his couch and looked up at the agitated Slayer, who didn't seem aware she had interrupted anything.
Regardless of the lateness of the hour or the fact that most sane people would be home, asleep in their beds, Buffy continued to move frantically around the room. She didn't wonder what her watcher and the computer teacher were doing up. There were numerous books around the small room, and it wasn't unusual to find Giles up late working on some new prophecy, or ancient evil.
The Slayer began pacing circles around the couch as Giles went into the kitchen to make some tea. Jenny was afraid to comment. Her relationship with Buffy was severely strained since the truth about her family had come out and she had just barely begun to get her relationship with Rupert back on track.
"It's been hours, Giles. *Hours*!" Buffy moaned as she stopped in front of the kitchen counter.
Giles raised his eyes to look at her. He didn't know what exactly to say to her, but now that the spell had been cast he thought maybe he should prepare her for the eventuality that Angel and she may not get back together, either because he was still Angelus or because she wasn't his true love.
"Buffy, why don't you sit down. I want to talk to you."
Buffy looked over to the couch and then back to her watcher, alarmed by his tone. "What is it? Have you heard from him?"
"Buffy, there's something we need to tell you." Jenny stood up and walked over to the young girl, cautious of how close she got to her. "Why don't you go sit down."
Buffy looked from Giles to Jenny and back again. She still felt anger towards the gypsy, but it was her spell that was hopefully going to bring Angel back to her so she was trying.
"What's going on?" She asked worriedly as she moved towards the couch Jenny had just vacated.
Giles didn't answer as he finished preparing his tea. After a few more moments he returned to the living room carrying a tray. Setting the tray down, he sat next to Buffy on the couch. Jenny remained in the area between kitchen and living room, leaning against the counter and fingering the old diary she had brought with her.
"Buffy, the spell we cast," Giles began, "It wasn't the exact same one as the original curse."
"It wasn't?" Buffy asked turning her head around to face the gypsy. "No happiness clause?" She asked hopefully.
Jenny sighed quietly. "No, no clause, but."
"No clause?" Buffy repeated, unnoticing of the 'but'. "Does that mean we can be happy? Really happy?"
"Maybe."
Jenny's one word answer caused Buffy to stop and turn around.
"Maybe? But you said."
"Buffy, it's complicated." Giles wanted to console her and tell her everything was going to be all right, but he wasn't even sure if it would be, and he couldn't lie.
"Buffy, the spell we cast, it was different. Not related in any way with the original, except for the fact that it was written by my people." She paused briefly, but continued on before Buffy could interrupt. "It's similar except that this one is unbreakable. It works by binding his soul to that of his true love, thereby making them immortal."
The room was filled with silence. No one moved while Buffy took this news in, her mind going around in circles. If what Jenny said was true that would mean she was immortal, except-"
"When you say 'immortal' what exactly do you mean?" Buffy asked carefully. "Like I can't die, or I can't get injured, or what?" Her eyes locked onto the dark ones of the gypsy, begging for clarification.
"I'm not certain." Jenny answered honestly. "My grandmother believed that the demon's soulmate would be immune to any kind of injury. Nothing would harm them, ever. She also believed that this. spell would have a profound affect on the vampire's line."
Giles blinked and looked at the woman he was coming to love. "His line? What kind of effect?"
Buffy didn't hear Jenny's last statement, her mind focusing on the first. With sudden clarity, she realized something she couldn't believe, couldn't accept.
"No." She said, shaking her head. "That can't be. I'm his soulmate, I'm his true love, no matter what *he* said." Buffy's voice dripped hate at the pronoun as she tried to keep her tears back.
"You're wrong, you have to be!" Buffy's watery eyes turned to Jenny who was moving towards her.
"Why, Buffy? Why am I wrong?" Jenny asked in concern as she clasped a hand on Buffy's arm.
Buffy looked away from the gypsy and down to her own shirt.
Jenny noticed for the first time that there was a bloodstain near her shoulder, a fresh bloodstain. "What happened?"
"I went patrolling." Buffy sniffled, letting her tears fall freely. "I was so edgy, I just needed to kill something. I was ambushed by some of Angelus ' minions."
"Are you all right?" Giles asked in alarm, looking her over carefully, forgetting about his earlier question.
Buffy nodded absently. "I got knicked with my own stake. No harm, but don' t you see, I was bleeding. If the spell worked, and I. if he. I'd be immortal."
The room was once again filled with silence as they each thought about what her statement meant, both to themselves and what it must have meant to the one person they hadn't seen in several days.
****
Alexander LaVelle Harris sat on the roof of the DeSoto, staring up at the starless sky. He could smell the smoke from Spike's cigarette as the blonde vampire leaned against a tree several yards away, thinking about whatever it was bleached vampires thought about. Drusilla was dancing a few feet in front of Spike, singing about something that didn't make any sense.
They had stopped in this tiny town off the main highway that couldn't even really be called a town. Drusilla insisted that they stop, claiming that the stars needed to tell her something gravely important and they couldn't do it while she was trapped in the car.
Spike had stopped, just as Xander knew he would.
Something weird had happened then.
Just as Xander was climbing out of the car, a weird chill crept over him. It was like this cloak of. something had covered him, protecting him almost, although from what he didn't know. Then, just as soon as it had arrived, the feeling vanished.
He had turned to look at the other two vampires. Spike had an odd look on his face, as though he wanted to say something, to acknowledge that something had indeed happened, but couldn't find the words. Finally he just shrugged, lit up a cigarette and leaned against the tree.
Drusilla had begun singing. The starless night hadn't seemed to hamper her conversation with the invisible constellations, and after awhile Xander became accustomed to the sounds of her meaningless words. She began to dance to some music all her own as her singing continued.
Xander had watched her for awhile, but soon turned to look up at the sky himself. He wasn't sure what had happened, or where they were going or why they were going. He wasn't even sure if it mattered.
His sire had told him to go, and so he did.
It was weird. He was driven to obey her. She made him what he was now; she saved him from his mortal existence, or the ending of it. But there was more to it than that. It wasn't just about some pull between sire and childe. At least he didn't think it was, but what did he know?
A sound to his right drew Xander's attention. Drusilla was still dancing around, but her movements had slowed some, and Spike was making his way towards the car.
"What now?" Xander asked as the older vampire hopped on the hood and lit up another cigarette.
"Brazil." He answered after a long drag.
"Brazil?" Xander asked curiously. "What's in Brazil?"
Spike shrugged and nodded towards the vampires as she came towards them.
"People. Lots of lovely, tasty people." Drusilla answered as she joined them. "And there's someone there you should meet." Her eyes unfocused for a minute and then she turned to Spike. "Come on, pets, the sun will be rising soon."
The two men followed Drusilla without question and resumed their journey.
End Part 9
Willow leaned heavily against the shower stall. The water was hot as it pounded against her pale skin. Her exhaustion demanded that she take deep breaths to remain standing. She really, really wanted to go to bed. to sleep. However that was not very likely.
She and Angel had arrived at her parent's house only thirty minutes ago, and they only had less than an hour before they had decided to go see Giles and Buffy. They had wanted to put it off, but they knew that it was more than likely that Giles was some how responsible for the spell that had returned Angel's soul to him. If that were indeed the case, her friends would be expecting to hear from them.
It felt weird to be in this house, after everything had changed so drastically in so short a time. Had it only been less than a week since Angel had slept with Buffy? Six days since Angel's confession in this very house had led to the loss of his soul? Only three days since Xander had been turned?
So many things had happened. Things she couldn't have changed, and wasn't entirely certain that changing them would be wise. Willow knew that people had died. Angelus and his family had killed them. Xander had died. Still, even knowing that she wasn't sure if it would have been better for things to have stayed the same.
Weren't things better now? Wasn't Angel's soul permanent? At least that's what they thought. And wasn't Xander immortal? Yes, he was a *vampire* but at least he would never be alone again. He was part of something bigger now. He had a family now. A family who seemed to want him and *knew* there was more to him than what everyone else believed.
Xander had left with Spike and Drusilla and Willow had no doubt that despite blood, this was somehow what had been meant for them.
All these years, since meeting Buffy, Willow had believed that that one event was extremely important. It heralded something of vast importance. Something that changed their lives in uncounted ways.
She had always thought that meeting Buffy opened the door for them. It introduced them into a completely foreign world, one hidden from the average person's view. It had led them to their destiny at fighting evil, helping the Slayer.
But now, two years later, Willow realized that she had been wrong.
It was meeting Buffy that had changed their lives, but it wasn't her they were destined to help. Maybe it wasn't anyone.
Buffy had lead them into a dark world they wouldn't have ordinarily known about but it wasn't her that was their final destination.
Willow didn't know what was. She only knew that what had happened this past week felt as thought it was *meant* to despite the way things may appear on the outside.
Xander was gone, and although she knew she would see him again before too much time had passed, she also knew it was unlikely that any of their other friends would. That was for the best.
She also knew that it was up to her, and Angel, to make Buffy and the other' s understand that Sunnydale wasn't where they needed to be. This place would always hold a special part of her heart. It had been her home for her entire life. It was where she had first met, and fell in love, with Angel. But Angel was needed elsewhere, and wherever Angel was, *that* was home.
****
Angel climbed the stairs to Willow's bedroom slowly. It was strange being in this house, in this hallway. He'd been in Willow's room before but never further than that, and never through the main part of the house. He had always entered through the French doors in Willow's bedroom, even when Willow's parents were out of town, like they were now.
Coming here now had been Willow's way of saying goodbye. The redhead hadn't decided what she was going to tell her parents. She wasn't even certain how long it would take them to realize she was gone, but this place had been her home, and she needed to have some kind of final goodbye with it.
This place and the people in it.
Angel knew that talking with Buffy and the other's would be difficult. They probably wouldn't understand why they had to leave or why things had to be different. But they were.
Angel could no longer be what Buffy needed. He finally understood, through some weird sixth sense he didn't understand, that his work in Sunnydale was over. He needed to move on.
Seeing Willow's friends was necessary, not only to say goodbye but also to see if they could shed some light on what had happened. Why the spell that restored his soul seemed different than the one the gypsy's performed. Why *something* seemed to happen to Willow as well.
Shaking his head to rid his mind of the never ending unanswered questions, Angel took the final step on the second floor and moved towards Willow's bedroom. The door was only cracked a few inches and as Angel knocked it drifted open further.
"Hey." Willow turned around as she heard the creak of the door.
"Hey. We should get going." Angel smiled at her. She was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a comfortable T-shirt, her green eyes shining up at him. She looked relaxed, if a little tired, and that in turn relaxed Angel. He had been concerned about how this final visit would effect her.
"Yeah, I know." Willow turned and grabbed a jacket flung across her neatly made bed. Her roomed looked slightly empty, Willow having packed all of her important things when they first arrived. "Let's go."
Angel grabbed and offered hand and guided her back down the stairs. When they reached the living room, Willow took a last look around and then smiled brightly up at her vampire.
They stepped into the cool night air and Willow closed and locked the door behind them. She climbed into the car Angel had gotten for their trip without looking back. It was time to move on.
Angel started the engine and moved the vehicle towards Giles' condominium. One last stop and they would be on there way.
****
Giles walked quietly down the stairs, sighing wearily. After Buffy's hysterics, he had convinced her to take a nap and had just finished taking her to his spare bedroom.
"How is she?" Jenny asked in concern.
"Sleeping." The watcher answered as he walked into the kitchen and began brewing more tea. The activity gave him time to think, about what they knew about the spell they performed, and about what Buffy had told them.
He no longer had any doubt that if the spell were indeed successful, it was Willow Angel's soul was now bound to. That knowledge did nothing to dissuade his concerns about what might happen next. Between the pain his Slayer was sure to go through, and the changes Willow's immortality and her subsequent life with a souled vampire, things were not simple. Not to mention that Angel and Willow were still missing, and no one had heard from Xander.
Then there was something Jenny had said. Something that concerned him greatly. Although, perhaps Jenny could provide some answers to *that* question at least.
"About what you said. earlier," Giles began bringing in the tray of tea. "About Angelus' line."
"Oh. that." Jenny took a steaming mug and leaned farther back into the couch.
"Yes, that. What did you mean?"
Jenny sighed and looked at Rupert. "I'm not sure, exactly. My grandmother' s journal states that she believed that this spell would have grave consequences. Not only for Angelus, and his soul-mate, but for all of his childer, and his childer's childer."
"Spike. Drusilla."
"And anyone they made."
"Oh dear."
Jenny grinned slightly before rushing forward. "I'm not sure what exactly would happen. It could be nothing, or."
"Or it could be something." Giles nodded his head in understanding. "Do you think their souls."
Jenny shrugged. "I don't think so, but it is a possibility." She paused. "Or it could just affect their bonds, make them stronger, or. something. There is no way of knowing for sure."
Anything Giles was about to say was cut off by the sound of knocking coming from the front door.
****
Willow stood on the porch nervously. Luckily it only took a few seconds for the door to open. She smiled cautiously up at the man who was closer to her than her own father.
"Hi. Can we come in?"
Giles looked past her to the man standing behind her. Flipping on the porch light, Giles took a small step outside and looked the vampire over carefully, his eyes locking on Angel's.
"It worked." He whispered, almost surprised.
Willow nodded. "Yeah. Can we. come in?"
Giles stepped back inside. "Yes." He moved to the side and once Angel and Willow were both inside he closed the door behind them. "Would you like some tea, Willow?"
Willow shook her head. "No. We really need to talk to you. We're not really sure what happened." Willow's eyes found Jenny's and she smiled slightly. "But you do, don't you?"
Jenny smiled and motioned for Willow to sit down. Once their guests were as comfortable as they were going to be Jenny began to tell them about the spell and everything she had learned from her grandmother's journals.
Willow sat on the couch, leaning against Angel, stunned from all the information.
"Immortal?" She asked incredulously. "I'm. immortal?"
No one said anything, not sure what else *could* be said. Giles wanted to ask all sorts of questions about both Angel and Willow and any affect the spell had on Spike or Drusilla, but he sensed now was not the time.
The four of them sat there for a long time quietly, taking in everything. Their silence was broken by the sound of a shriek coming from Giles' second floor.
"Angel!"
Buffy stood at the top of the stairs staring at the vampire, afraid to believe her eyes. Angel turned to look at Willow, who squeezed his hand reassuringly as he stood up and made his way towards the stairs.
Willow watched them disappear at the top of the stairs.
"Willow." Giles spoke quietly, bringing her attention back to him. "About Xander."
Willow's face paled for a second. She cleared her throat before speaking. "He's. dead." Her voice cracked with the meaning behind the words. They were technically correct and she couldn't bear to cause her friends any more pain by giving them the complete truth.
Jenny gasped. "Dead? What happened?"
Willow turned from Giles and looked at her computer teacher and then turned back to the librarian. "He. a vampire. he was taken. They, uh, wanted to give him as a gift to. Angelus. but they uh. they got hungry." The last word was whispered and tear fell down her cheek as she remembered the feeling she had when she first found out about what had happened to her best friend. "When Angelus found out. it was too late."
"Oh Willow," Jenny moved closer to the redhead and pulled her into her arms. "I'm so, so sorry."
Willow gulped and wiped her eyes. "I'm okay, really." She pulled away and looked at Giles. "He. he really loved you, Giles. I know he never said so, but."
Giles nodded, his own eyes watering slightly. "I know. I. loved him too." His words were quietly spoken through a throat suddenly thick with tears. "I'm going to miss him." He blinked his eyes and smiled at his young charge. "I'll miss you both."
Willow crinkled her nose. "Both?"
"You are leaving aren't you?" Giles asked, a knowing look in his eyes. "With Angel?"
Willow turned her gaze to the stairs and nodded. "Yeah, I think that'll be best."
***
"It's true, isn't it?" Buffy sniffled as she sat down heavily on the bed in Giles' spare room. "You and Willow."
"I never meant to hurt you." Angel began. "Please believe that."
Buffy laughed bitterly. "No, of course not. You never did, did you? But you always somehow. even before we really dated, you hurt me." She paused for a second. "But you warned me, didn't you? About what would happen if we. You tried anyway, but I was too stubborn to believe it."
"We both were." Angel agreed.
They sat in silence for several long seconds before Angel spoke again. "We' re leaving. Sunnydale. Tonight. We just. *I* just wanted to apologize. I 'm sorry for everything, I really am. I."
Buffy shook her head, not wanting to hear anymore. "Stop, just please, Stop."
Angel was silent for a minute before speaking again.
"About Spike.and Drusilla." Angel started.
Buffy paled. "What?"
"They're gone. They won't be coming back."
When Buffy didn't say anything, Angel moved towards the door. Before he could leave, Buffy's voice stopped him.
"Angel?"
The vampire turned around warily. "Yes?"
"Take care of her."
Angel nodded once and then disappeared through the bedroom door.
****
An hour later found Angel and Willow on the highway headed towards their new life, wherever that might be, while Jenny watched Giles consoled his Slayer over everything she had lost this night.
The End