Email: afalling_angel@yahoo.com
Summary: Angelus begins a new game...with Willow
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy. Mr. Froggy belongs to Willow.
Rating: G...but who knows later?
Feedback: Yes, please...ideas are most welcome. What do YOU think should happen?
Author's Notes: No one would give me back my Angelus, so I had to do it myself. (SIGH!)
< > Indicates thoughts.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The noise outside her window made her jump, and she dropped Mr. Froggy. After a few minutes of silence, she picked him up again and continued his journey from the bed to the trunk in the corner.
"Stay there," Willow told him firmly as she nestled him among the other stuffed animals. "I don't want you anywhere near the bed while I'm sleeping, got it? You may be polyester fiberfill, but you're STILL a frog and well, my bed is a frog-free zone."
For the hundredth time Willow wondered why she didn't just throw him out. She didn't like frogs. In fact, she hated frogs. They scared her to death. But she loved Xander, and when he won Mr. Froggy at the fair and casually presented him to her with a kiss on the cheek, saying, "Don't say I never give you anything nice," she knew Mr. Froggy was coming home with her to stay.
Willow went back to her now frog-free bed and pulled down the covers. She punched her pillow lightly, fluffing it into perfect position.
"Mrrrrrrr."
She stopped and stared at her pillow in alarm.
"Mrrrrowwww."
"Oh!" She realized this time that it wasn't her pillow at all; the sound was coming from outside her window. She felt foolish for a second, then muttered, "This is the Hellmouth. It COULD have been the pillow..." as she moved to the french doors that lead to the balcony outside her room.
Pulling the curtains aside, she tried to see through the glass. The near moonless night made visibility almost nil, and she shook her head in frustration.
"Mrrrrrppp."
That definitely came from outside. Willow unlatched the door and opened it a little, being very careful not to move beyond the threshold. <I'm safe as long as I'm in my room. Nothing bad can come in uninvited.> She shivered as she thought of exactly who the "something bad" was. After Angelus had come into her room while she was gone and gutted her fish and left them for her, neatly strung, she'd revoked his invitation. Now she felt safe again...as long as she stayed within the confines of her room.
"Meoooow."
Willow looked across the balcony at the tree which brushed the corner railing with its branches. Something white - and fuzzy- was hanging precariously from a branch.
"MEOOOW."
The kitten squealed as one of its paws came unstuck and it looked down at the ground two stories below.
"Oh, no!" Without even thinking, Willow rushed across the balcony and grabbed the little bundle of fur before it could fall, clutching it to her chest. "Oh, poor kitty! It's okay, you're safe now! How did you get up there? You could have hurt yourself!"
Before Willow could turn to take the shaking bundle of fur into her room, strong arms wrapped around her tightly, yanking her backwards. She stumbled and felt herself pulled up against something hard. The back of her thighs below her sleepshirt slapped against soft leather.
"200 years and the kitten thing still works. What is it about women and cute, helpless little creatures?" a rich voice asked mockingly in her hear. "Of course, I can't really talk...I have a thing for cute and helpless myself."
<Angelus! No, no, no, not again.> Willow closed her eyes and clutched the kitten against her chest hard, eliciting a protesting squeak. Her heart pounded in her chest and her breathing became rapid, ruffling the white fur as thoughts chased themselves around in her head. <Stupid, stupid, stupid. How could I be so stupid? I'm too young to die! I have homework to finish, and e- mail to answer, and...>
A heavy sigh ruffled her hair over her ear, breaking her reverie. "Willow!?! Wake up already, would you?"
"I'm awake," she squeaked. "Wide awake. I wish I weren't, 'cause if I were asleep, this could be a dream, and if it were a dream, then I could wake up and you wouldn't be here, but I'm awake and it's not and you are!"
She felt the chuckle her words elicited vibrate against her back, too soft to really hear. "You do have a way with words. But right now all I want to hear is an invitation. Invite me in, Willow."
"NO!" She stiffened at the thought of Angelus coming in her room again, and felt his arms tighten around her.
"If I wanted to kill you, little girl, I would have done it already. I wouldn't need to come in. Do you know how quickly you can break a human neck? Two seconds and it's all over. Just ask Jenny Calendar. But you can't can you? 'Cause she's dead, and you're not...because I let you live. All I want to do is talk, Willow. Invite me in, and you'll live a little longer."
Willow was confused. What game was Angelus playing now? What could he want to talk to her about? Why wasn't she dead yet?
A cold hand wrapped itself around her throat. "I asked nicely, Willow. I won't ask again."
"Come in!" Willow was glad her parents were away. At least they would be safe.
Angelus kicked the door open completely and hauled Willow inside, dropping her, and the kitten, on her bed. Her hold on the cat loosened and it shot out from under her, huddling under the dresser. By the time Willow rolled over on to her back the doors to the balcony were closed and Angelus was standing over her.
<My God, he's big!> Willow's eyes were huge as she stared up at the vampire. <And gorgeous. But bad-gorgeous, not good-gorgeous. In this case, gorgeous is not good. Not at all!> She skittered away from him towards the headboard, pulling her legs up underneath her, trying to make as small a target as she could.
Angelus smiled as he flopped down across the end of the bed on his side, his head on his hand. "Comfy?"
Willow blinked in surprise. <He has such a nice smile. I never noticed before. Of course, Angel never smiled, well, except little sad smiles, and those don't really count, because you aren't REALLY smiling if you're sad...>
"I wish I knew what went on in that head of yours. Always thinking, aren't you?" Angelus reached over and tapped her foot lightly. "But I didn't come over here to watch you think, interesting though that may be. I came to talk, Willow."
"W-w-what do you want to talk about?"
"You. And me."
End Part 1
"WHAT?" Willow wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly. Angelus wanted to talk to her about him? And her? Was that "him" and "her" or "him and her" ? There'd never been a "him and her," just a "him and Buffy," so she figured it had to be the former.
"I've been watching you, you know."
Willow tried to pull her foot back without being too obvious; he'd gone from tapping it to lightly rubbing the side of it gently with his finger. She found it very distracting.
"I've been watching all of you. Just looking for the perfect way to pay the Slayer back for taking advantage of me and making me her pet vampire." He sneered as her spit out the last words.
<God, he even sneers cute.> Angelus wrapped his hand around her ankle and dragged it back towards him, snickering as she gave a little squeak.
"Yes, I've been watching all of you v-e-r-y carefully. And you know what I've decided? You're really the most interesting one of all, little Willow." He began to idly trace the bones in her foot with his hand. "The only one worth my time, really." He looked up at her shocked expression and smiled.
"B-b-but-"
"But Buffy?" She nodded slightly.
"She's good, I'll grant you that. Probably the best slayer I've ever seen. Strong. Fast. Angry. And she's definitely a looker. I have to admit, I've had some fun with her since I've been back."
It took Willow a minute to figure out what he meant. <Oh! He means since he's been Angelus again.>
"But let's face it, she's not terribly interesting. Bright but not smart. Predictable, really." He sighed heavily. "She gets boring after awhile."
Angelus gave her foot a pat and rolled over on his back and stared at the ceiling. Willow tensed. For a brief moment she thought this would be her chance to get away.
"Don't even think about it. You'll never make it to the holy water in time."
Willow relaxed against the headboard again. She couldn't believe this was happening. They couldn't possibly be having this conversation.
"The Watcher isn't much better. He spends all his time in the library, reading prophecies and watching the Slayer sweat. Guess that's why they call him a watcher. And Xander? What do you see in that loser, anyway? He follows that cheerleader around like a dog on a leash."
The vampire turned his head slightly to look at Willow. "And then there's you."
She blushed as she felt his eyes run up her body slowly. No man had ever looked at her in that way. She'd seen that look on guys' faces when they looked at Cordelia or Buffy - evaluating, admiring, wondering - but no man had every given her that look. She dropped her face on to her knees, unable to bear the weight of that gaze any longer.
"My sweet, innocent little Willow. The loner who's everyone's friend. Net girl. Always thinking. The only one of the group who can put 2 + 2 together and get 4. The girl who saves kittens and helps dusts vampires. The sensible one. The glue that keeps it all together, giving sympathy, support, or scolding, as the need arises. The little virgin dating a werewolf, no less."
He smiled at her. "Thank God you weren't chosen as the slayer. We'd all be dust by now."
He sat up suddenly and moved a little closer to her. "So many contradictions in one package. No, you're not boring, Willow. And you're so very, very good and pure, even after growing up on top of the Hellmouth. So pure that you almost glow. Tell me, Willow, have you ever done anything really bad?"
"Well, yes..." She thought a minute. "I stole a pack of gum when I was in 5th grade."
She couldn't believe she'd said that. She'd never told anyone about that. What was she thinking!?!
"You stole a pack of gum?" His mouth twitched at the corners as he repeated her crime. She could tell he thought it was funny, and she was annoyed.
She started blushing again. "Well, I forgot to pay for it, really, but I never went back and gave them the money, even after I realized it, because I was afraid, and so, TECHNICALLY, I stole it."
"Willow, Willow, Willow Angelus picked up a lock of her long red hair and brought it to his face, smelling it, then rubbing it against his cheek. "You really are just TOO good to be true. This is going to be more fun than I thought."
Willow's eyes got wide as she considered what that could mean. "I don't want you to have fun! At least, not with me! Go have fun with Spike and Drusilla, I'm sure they'll like your kind of fun! "
Angelus dropped her hair suddenly and frowned. "I've had my fun with Spike. Roller Boy doesn't even seem to notice when I go off with his little princess anymore. He's either given up or become a better actor; either way, it's no fun goading the pathetic cripple lately. And Dru..." He closed his eyes with a pained expression. "If I have to spend one more night listening to Dru rattle on about the singing stars or being forced to talk nicely to Miss Edith I will become as insane as she is."
His eyes flew open and met Willow's, capturing hers. "No, I think this'll be much more fun." He leaned in close, his face inches from Willow's, never letting go of her gaze. "How good are you, Willow? Is there any darkness in you at all?"
"I-" His finger touched her lips, cutting her off, rubbing lightly.
"Let's find out, shall we? My darkness against your light. Winner takes all." Angelus smiled. "But I warn you, Willow, I always win." He leaned in a kissed her roughly, his tongue flicking against her lips.
Before she could say a word, the vampire was off the bed and out the door. His voice drifted back to her from the balcony.
"Let the game begin. Good night, my little Willow
End Part 2
Willow swam up slowly from the depths of sleep. The warmth of the air around her, the softness of the pillow underneath her cheek, the ache in her arms, clutching a stuffed animal against her chest...one by one sensations made themselves known, and she floated back up to consciousness.
"Ohhhh," Willow opened her eyes and quickly closed them again. "What a dream. No more peanut butter and pickle sandwiches before bedtime, ever." She opened her eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the light streaming in through the french doors, and untangled her arms from around the plush toy plastered against her chest. "ACK!" A flash of green flew across the room and bounced against the wall. "MR. FROGGY!?!"
She rolled over on her back quickly and heard a squeak. An angry little bundle of fur shot out from underneath her and landed on the floor by the bed, glaring at her while it stretched.
"A cat? How did a..." Willow's eyes got big as realization hit her. "It wasn't a dream! Oh, no!" She clutched the covers around her. "He was here. Last night. In my bedroom. And he wants to have fun. WIth me. Oh, no."
She took a deep breath. <Calm down. It's morning now. He didn't hurt you. The others will know what to do. It'll be okay.> The kitten jumped on the bed and looked at Willow disapprovingly. Willow looked back, eyes blank. <And I have to figure out what to do with you. Mom is sooooo allergic. She'll kill me if she finds you here.>
The alarm went off, making both Willow and the kitten jump.
<Oh, God. What a way to start the day.>
The school day passed by in a blur. Willow knew her friends were worried about her absent mindedness, but she couldn't help herself. She replayed her conversation with Angelus over and over in her head, trying to figure out what exactly he was after.
After school, in the library, Willow returned her books on witchcraft and took the new ones Giles had found for her without really even looking at them. She dumped them on the table and took the empty seat next to Cordelia.
"What'll it be tonight, guys? Want to Bronze it?" Buffy jumped on to the edge of the table, swinging her feet in the air.
"Buffy." Giles reprimanded.
"Okay." She rolled her eyes and plopped down in a chair.
"I don't know about you guys but I'm in the mood for fun. " Buffy smiled happily. "I haven't had to kill anything all week, and I haven't seen Angel in days. Maybe he's gone."
"Doubtful." Giles put down his book and looked thoughtful. "Though his absence is a good sign. He may not be gone, but he may have moved on."
"Huh?" Xander asked eloquently. "Meaning what? Dead Boy's found a new hobby? Like collecting baseball cards or something?"
Giles took his glasses off and started polishing them with his handkerchief. "Not precisely. Angel - Angelus - has historically had rather an obsessive nature. Buffy is only the latest in a long line of these obsessions. He tends to fixate on beautiful, unusual women. The Watcher Journals mention quite a few of them...including Drusilla." He put his glasses back on and pushed them in place with a forefinger.
"Perhaps Angelus has decided that Buffy won't fulfill whatever need fuels this obsession of his and has found someone else who will."
"What?" Buffy looked outraged.
"Jealous much?" Cordelia smirked. She dug out her compact and inspected herself in the mirror.
"Not at all!" Buffy protested.
Willow closed her eyes. <Great. He has an obsessive nature. How comforting.>
"Earth to Willow, Earth to Willow. Come in, Willow!" Xander threw a wad of paper at her from across the table. It bounced off her shoulder and right into Cordelia's compact, obstructing her view for a moment.
"Do you mind!?!" Cordelia looked down at the missile loathingly and went back to fixing her lipstick. <I bet I know how it got smudged.> Willow thought to herself with a pang.
"Willow?" Buffy tapped her on the shoulder. "You feeling okay? You've been kind of out of it today...I mean, an 88 on a math quiz just isn't like you."
"What's up with that, anyway?" Cordelia asked, as she snapped her compact shut and stowed it away in her carefully coordinated bag. "Why do they make us learn all that stupid, useless math stuff ? Okay, I can see the importance of knowing how to figure out what 45% off regular price is, or how much longer it would take to pay off a Mercedes than a BMW, but calculus!?!"
"Cordy, we're talking about Willow now, okay, Honey?" Xander looked at Willow with concern. "An 88? What's the matter, Will? Are you feeling okay? Something wrong?"
This was the perfect opportunity to tell them. Willow opened her mouth to recount her midnight visit from Angelus, then closed it again.
She just couldn't bring herself to say anything. They'd think she was crazy! She could imagine the look on Cordelia's face when she heard that Willow seemed to be the latest "beautiful, unusual" woman Angelus had developed an obsession for. And Buffy...she had definitely reacted with jealousy at the thought that her ex-honey had moved on.
No. She'd wait and figure out exactly what was going on before she told the others.
"I'm fine, guys, really. Just tired. I rescued a kitten last night and had to get up early to bring it to Amy's before school. It worked out perfectly; she's just about ready for her first familiar." Willow looked at her Winnie the Pooh watch." Oh! My after school computer tutorial started 5 minutes ago! I'll see you at the Bronze tonight, okay? Oz and the band should be on about 10!"
She scooped up her books and ran out the doors before anyone could say anything.
End Part 3
Willow dragged herself up the last few stairs and down the hall to her room. <What time is it? Two? Two-thirty? Thank God it's Friday. But it's not anymore, is it? It's Saturday.> A weary smile crossed Willow's lips at that thought. <I can sleep late. And maybe catch a few cartoons, too, if I get up in time.> She tossed her books on the chair inside the bedroom door and flipped the light switch, almost falling over as she tried to kick off her shoes at the same time.
"What took you so long?"
"Eeeek!" Willow jumped back against the wall, banging the back of her head. "OW!" <Did I just say "Eeeek"? I can't believe it. No one REALLY says "Eeek"!> Her shook her head slightly to clear her vision and tried to focus on the direction the voice had come from.
"That must have hurt."
Willow looked at the vampire stretched out comfortably on her bed. His black satin shirt and black leather pants glowed in the soft light from the bedside lamp. The white of the pillows behind his head threw his dark hair and eyes into sharp contrast, and blended in with his pale skin. He lay perfectly still, staring at her, not moving, not breathing...just waiting with a perfect stillness no living person could ever achieve.
Willow tried to look away, but couldn't. She could feel her heart start to pound, and her breathing speed up as the fear poured into her. <I should have revoked his invitation this morning, no matter how late it would have made me. But no, I couldn't ruin my perfect attendance record with a tardy. I wonder if being dead will count as an absence, or if they'll give me the perfect attendance award posthumously.>
"Willow, you really need to learn to relax." Angelus smirked at her and folded his arms behind his head, stretching and rearranging himself more comfortably on the bed.
"Relax!?!" She asked, incredulous. Anger mingled with her fear. "You want me to relax!?! You're a vampire, remember? The doesn't-have-a-soul kind. The kind who attacked me at school, and gutted my fish, and stalked my friends, and killed my favourite teacher. I REALLY don't think relaxation is an option here."
The vampire on the bed heaved an exasperated sigh. "This isn't going to be any fun if you keep doing the deer in the headlights thing every time you see me," Angelus complained. " So, let's make a deal, shall we?"
"A deal?" Willow repeated suspiciously. She didn't know what was going on here, but she had a feeling she wasn't going to like it.
"A deal. A truce, if you will. I promise I won't kill you or your little friends...for the time being."
Willow's eyes narrowed. He actually sounded sincere. <Well, as sincere as a blood sucking demon can get.> "And..." she prompted.
"In exchange for my not killing you or your friends, you agree not to stake me, or douse me in holy water, or whatever else is going through your mind right now."
He patted the bed next to him. "Come here, little Willow. All I want to do is talk. Is that so bad? Small price to pay for your friends' lives, I'd say." He looked at her expectantly. "So, do we have a deal?"
"Why should I trust you?"
The vampire shook his head mournfully. "I'm hurt, Willow. Truly hurt." He looked angry now. "I may have a few faults, but I don't break my word."
Willow looked at him carefully, trying to make sense of the situation, to see what was going on in his mind. He certainly seemed sincere. Should she - could she - trust him? Did she dare?
Before she knew it he was in front of her, grasping her shoulders hard, staring into her eyes.
"I was born and died in a time when honour meant something, Willow. I have never broken my word once...not as Angelus the man, or Angelus the vampire." His grip, and his voice, softened a little." I give you my word that I will not hurt you or your friends until I'm through with you, as long as you agree not to try to hurt me." He backed up a little, giving her space.
"I don't think Buffy will go along..."
"This has nothing to do with Buffy! This is between you and me! I can deal with the Slayer...without hurting her, if I have to." He threw up his hands in exasperation and went back to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Trust in my word or it all ends here."
Willow wasn't sure what to do. <What ends here? What does "until I'm through with you" mean!?!> Visions of lovely, mad Drusilla flittered across her mind, to be pushed away roughly by her practical side. This was a n opportunity to buy some time for her friends, to give them all a chance to find a way to bring back Angel's soul, or to destroy Angelus once and for all. After all, she only had to promise that SHE wouldn't try to hurt him...and he'd leave them all alone for awhile. Assuming he would keep his word, of course.
It came as a shock to her, but Willow realized that she did trust him to be true to his word...and suddenly, she wasn't afraid of him anymore. She sat down on the bed next to him gingerly. He looked at her, his surprise evident on his face. Willow looked down and contemplated the carpet.
It seemed strange to her to be sitting next to him without being afraid. It was so...normal. Almost like sitting with Angel, or even Xander.
<Except Xander wouldn't be sitting on my bed with me. We'd be downstairs, watching TV or something.> A thought crossed her mind and she turned to Angelus, who was still watching her carefully.
"You know, I'm not supposed to have boys in my room."
Angelus threw back his head and laughed. Willow flushed, not sure what was so funny. The last 24 hours had seemed like one really bad dream, and she sincerely hoped she'd wake up some time soon. She stood up and grabbed her books off the chair, moving them to her desk by her computer. She kicked her shoes into her closet, taking off her sweater and throwing it on to the heap of clothes on the floor before slamming the door shut, all the time pointedly ignoring the vampire on her bed.
"Willow."
She went to her dresser and removed her watch, dropping it carelessly into a ceramic dish overflowing with bits of jewelry and ribbon. The feel of heavy hands on her shoulders startled her, and her eyes grew wide as she looked up at the mirror in front of her and saw only her own reflection. She closed her eyes. She considered turning around, but decided she didn't have the energy. She felt tired, and drained, and just wanted to be left alone.
"Pretending I'm not here isn't going to help, you know." He was obviously amused by her efforts at avoidance behaviour.
"Did I hurt your little feelings? I couldn't help laughing. You're just so unpredictable, little Willow! It's been a long time since I've had so much fun!"
A shiver ran through her as she felt the hands began to knead her shoulders.
"I know what a good girl you are." The voice was slightly condescending.
"I don't want you to worry about breaking the rule about entertaining boys in your room."
Willow felt a flicker of hope. It was quickly replaced by something else as Angelus' hands slid down her shoulders to her upper arms and she was pulled roughly back against his chest. She felt his cool breath ruffle her hair as he leaned in to speak softly in her ear.
"So let's get this straight, Willow. I'm not a boy. I'm a man. Or a vampire. Or even a demon, if you prefer. But I am definitely NOT a boy."
Willow swayed as his hands suddenly let go of her. She felt a gust of wind as the french door to the balcony opened.
"Good night, Willow."
She rested her forehead against the mirror in front of her and took a deep breath. She wasn't sure what game Angelus was playing, but she knew she was out of her league...and that he'd be back. Soon.
End Part 4
For the next week, Willow waited in vain for Angelus to make an another appearance. She knew her friends were starting to worry about her - she was preoccupied, trying to figure out what the vampire's next move would be, not to mention jumpy and tense. Willow couldn't bring herself to explain the situation...she wasn't even sure SHE understood what was going on between her and Angelus. Besides, what could her friends do to help? He hadn't threatened her in any way. In fact, he had kept his promise; even Buffy had commented on how unexciting her patrols had been.
So, Willow kept her silence, ignoring the little voice inside her that said it was wrong to keep secrets.
By the time Friday came again, Willow dared to hope that Angelus had forgotten about her. She felt better than she had all week, and her friends were quick to notice.
"You know, you're lucky I'm not the sensitive type, or I'd take this sudden good mood of yours personally." Oz checked the library clock for the thousandth time in the last hour. Tonight was the night before the full moon; he had a date with some heavy duty chains in his basement and it wouldn't do to be late.
"You are, too, the sensitive type." Willow smiled at him. "And I wish you didn't have to...you know...tonight. I'm just glad it's Friday, that's all."
"Amen to that." Buffy scrunched up her nose and stretched. "School's over, training's over, and I am ready for a little serious fun!"
Willow perked up. "We could rent a movie and hang out at my house. Something really girly, since it'll just be the two of us. Sleepless in Seattle, maybe. Xander never lets me rent that one, 'cause no one dies."
Oz groaned at her choice of films. "You're trying to make me feel better about spending the night in the basement, aren't you?"
"No, I just figured I'd take advantage of his having to have dinner with Cordelia's family and watch a REAL movie for a change." Willow couldn't stop the tiny feeling of pleasure that went through her when she thought of what Xander would be put through that night. <Serves him right for dating HER.>
"Sorry, Will, but my idea of serious fun does not involve you, me and popcorn." Buffy saw the crestfallen look on Willow's face and quickly went on. "No offense. I just had something a little more...social in mind. Preferably involving members of the opposite sex. What say you and I get all dressed up and break a few hearts tonight?"
<You mean, you break a few hearts while I watch.> Willow immediately chided herself for her the thought. <It's not like I want to break hearts, even if I could. I have Oz. Buffy doesn't have anyone anymore. She's the one who needs male attention, not me.>
"Sure!" Willow tried to sound enthused. "What should I wear?"
"How about a sign that says 'Taken'?" Oz suggested half seriously.
"You can shop in my closet; I've got lots of stuff that'll fit you." Willow didn't look too thrilled with the suggestion.
"You wanted to do something girly, right?" Buffy went on. "What's more girly than dressing up in each other's clothes, doing each other's hair and playing with makeup? It's a girly tradition! Why do you think it's required at slumber parties?"
"Okay," Willow reluctantly agreed.
"Well, ladies, I think I better get going." Oz gave one last look at the clock and kissed Willow gently on the lips before grabbing his books and heading out the door.
"Come on. We've got work to do." Buffy grabbed Willow's arm and led her out of the library.
**********************************************************
Willow looked in the mirror and shook her head in amazement. She didn't look like herself; she wasn't sure exactly WHO she looked like, but it wasn't her. <But I don't look like Buffy, either, so that's okay.> Willow had strenuously fought all her friend's attempts to dress her in something "hot." After that Halloween, Willow had promised herself she would never again be convinced to wear clothes she wasn't comfortable in.
<Let's face it, I'm not the "hottie" type.> Which made finding something for her to wear in Buffy's closet almost impossible, despite the tons of clothes that resided there. Too short, too tight, too revealing...Willow had vetoed outfit after outfit, until finally, one dress was left.
Luckily, it was perfect. Chinese in style, it had short sleeves, a mandarin collar, and was made of celadon green satin, embroidered with pastel butterflies and flowers. It was a little short for Willow's taste, and she was a little self conscious when she walked due to the side slits in the skirt, but it was beautiful and it fit perfectly.
Buffy had put Willow's hair up in a French twist and anchored it with what looked like two chopsticks. It all felt strange. Stray wisps of hair fell around her face softly (Willow had tried to comb them back into place, only to be told that they were SUPPOSED to do that), and she could feel her borrowed earrings brush her neck when she moved her head.
Willow looked once again into the big green eyes (thanks to the green of the dress and Buffy's judicious application of eye makeup) of the stranger in the mirror and wished Oz were there to see her. <Or Xander. I wonder what he'd say? Would he even notice?>
"Ready?" At the question, Willow turned to where Buffy had been changing.
"I guess. Thanks for letting me borrow the dress."
Buffy smiled and gave Willow and approving look. "No prob. I haven't worn it since that Asian art thing-y at the gallery. Mom picked it out." The blonde grabbed her jacket and headed for the door. "Let's go do some damage."
***********************************************************
The Bronze was, as usual, crowded and loud. They finally found a table, and Willow settled down with a drink to people watch, as usual, content to listen to the music and save Buffy's seat while she danced with her many admirers.
Only tonight was different. It started out the same; a few guys made their way over and, after a little small talk <And a close up look at all that leather.>, asked Buffy to dance.
But the third guy asked Willow to dance. And the fourth.
And after that, for every guy that asked Buffy for a dance, there was one asking Willow.
The first couple of times Willow said, "Sure." It was a novel experience, walking off to dance with a handsome stranger and leaving Buffy to hold the table, and she figured she'd take advantage of it. But after the first few dances, Willow started to get uncomfortable. She didn't like making small talk with strangers, and the attention - while flattering - made her uncomfortable. She didn't like the way Buffy had looked at her the last time she'd left her at the table, either. So she decided she'd sit out the rest of the dances until she could safely suggest that they go home. <Where I'll turn back into Cinderwillow again.> She smiled at the thought, but the smile didn't last long.
Willow had been scanning the room when she her eyes fell on a familiar figure, lounging unobtrusively in a corner. She couldn't believe her eyes. What was he doing there!?! If Buffy saw him...<What COULD she do? With so many people here, she wouldn't dare start a fight. Someone could get hurt...or worse.> Willow realized she'd been staring, and turned away quickly.
"You okay?" Buffy's voice was concerned.
Willow tried to smile, but it didn't quite work. "I'm fine. Really."
"You look like you've seen a ghost." Buffy looked at her friend with concern.
"Not a ghost." Angelus' voice was amused. Buffy turned, startled. <How did he do that? He was over there...> Willow's eyes unconsciously darted to where she had seen him just a moment ago and turned to look at him, now standing in front of her.
"Practice." Angelus answered her unspoken question. "LOTS and LOTS of practice."
Buffy slid off her stool and put herself firmly between the vampire and Willow.
"Fancy meeting you here." The Slayer's voice was flat.
"Well, hello, Buffy. Don't you look lovely tonight?" Angelus smiled his most charming smile, and Willow's stomach did a little flip. <Why does he have to be so...so..> Angelus' eyes slid past Buffy to Willow. As he caught her eye, his smile grew wider. Willow could feel herself blush. <Damn him.>
"What do you want?" Buffy tried to sound calm, but Willow could tell how hard this was for her. She wished there was something she could do to help.
"I guess we're going to skip the part where you tell me how much you've missed me and ask how I've been, hmm?" Willow could see Buffy stiffen. Angelus ignored her reaction."Since you ask so nicely, Lover...I want to dance. After all, that's why people come here, don't they? To dance. And since none of the...friends...I brought with me are female, I need to find someone to dance with." The way he said "friends" left no doubt as to what those friends were. Willow had to fight the urge to play spot-the-vamp. <I'd really rather not know.>
"I'm sure there are lots of girls here tonight who'd dance with me. Shall I go find one?" Angelus turned to walk away. Willow knew he'd have no trouble finding a dance partner; she just doubted if any of them would survive the experience.
"No!" Angelus turned back to Buffy."I don't know what game you're playing, Angel, but you're smart enough to know it would be a big mistake to start trouble in public like this. You want a dance? Fine. But then you and your friends leave. Alone. No snack before you go, no take out for later. Agreed?"
Angelus put his hands up in mock surrender. "Agreed. One dance and we're gone."
"Fine. Let's get this over with." Buffy pushed past Angelus.
"I think there's been a little mistake here." Angelus looked amused. "Willow, may I have this dance?" His eyes and voice were warm.
Willow opened her mouth to say "No," to explain that she really couldn't, wouldn't dance with him, but was interrupted by a very angry Slayer.
"What's going on tonight!?!" Buffy looked at Willow and then back to the vampire next to her. "Did I miss the sign announcing "Take Pity on the Wallflowers Night at The Bronze" !?!"
The words stung, and Willow felt tears come to her eyes, blurring Buffy's contrite expression. "I'm sorry, Will. I didn't mean it like that."
Willow stood up stiffly and walked past her friend. "You want to dance, Angel? Fine. Let's dance." She didn't look back to see if the vampire was following her or not. She stopped at the edge of the dance floor and took a deep breath. A strong hand in the middle of her back propelled her forward, not letting her change her mind.
They reached the center of the dance floor and Angelus pulled Willow to him, wrapping one arm firmly against her back, the other holding her small hand against his chest. Willow was suddenly aware of just how petite and fragile she was, and just how big and strong the vampire was. She didn't like being this close to him, feeling the hard line of his body pressed against hers. It made her think about things that were better not thought about. <Dancing. You're just dancing. Just listen to the music. Ignore him. Pretend it's Jeff from Physics class, the one who looks anemic and wheezes all the time.> She stifled a giggle, and Angelus abruptly stopped mid-step. "Something funny about the way I dance?" he asked mildly.
"Um, no. Not at all. You're a great dancer. Really. Best dance I've had all night." Willow peeked up at his face, hoping she hadn't really made him mad. <Mad vampires are mean vampires.> She was relieved when he smiled at her and resumed the dance.
"Yes, I saw you out here dancing for once. Certainly put Buffy in a snit, didn't it?" He sounded pleased. A vague suspicion formed in the back of Willow's mind.
"YOU!" she accused. "YOU'RE the reason all those guys asked me to dance!"
Angelus looked down at her in amazement. "Excuse me? How would I have done that? You know better than that, Sweet. I can't control people's minds. I suppose I could have threatened all those boys. Did they look frightened to you?" Now he was amused.
Willow felt foolish and she could feel herself start to blush. <How stupid can I get?> Angelus continued to watch her face. "Why, I wonder, would a perfectly lovely girl think that boys had to be coerced into asking her to dance?"
"Well, you have to admit, it was kind of suspicious," Willow said lamely. "I mean, it's not like I usually have guys standing in line to dance with me."
"True." Willow felt a pang of disappointment at his response and immediately chided herself. <He's agreeing with you, dummy.> "But then, you're not hiding tonight, little Willow."
"What?"
"You're not hiding. No drab, shapeless clothes, no safe little boyfriend. I have to admit, I was quite pleased when I saw you. This is what you should be like every day." Angelus' arm tightened around her, and his head dropped so his lips were inches from her ear. "Did you like the way it made you feel, finally being noticed? Having all those boys begging you to dance...giving Buffy some competition for once, instead of being the loyal sidekick." Willow held her breath, the words washing over her. "Too bad Xander wasn't here tonight to see it. I bet you could have had him, too, though I can't imagine why you'd waste your time. Not when you could have anyone you wanted."
Willow took a deep breath and shook her head. "No. You're wrong. " She tried to sort through her thoughts, to make him understand. "I mean it was...was like they weren't looking at ME at all, only at what they wanted to see. And they didn't want to talk to me, they were talking AT me, and I hate that. It makes my stomach all twisty and I don't know what to say. And I don't want just anyone; I want someone who wants me. The real me. I'm willing to wait."
"Oh, I don't think you'll have to wait too long, Sweet." Before Willow could ask for an explanation <And he says he's not Cryptic Guy anymore.>, the music ended and Willow pulled away awkwardly. "I better get you back to Buffy. Don't want her to worry, now, do we?" Willow was conscious of his arm around her as they walked back to where the Slayer had been watching them carefully.
"You okay?" she asked Willow, looking guilty.
<She should feel guilty. And I'm not going to feel bad 'cause she feels guilty, either. Well, not too bad.> "I'm fine."
Angelus looked back and forth between the two girls with a satisfied smirk on his face. "Well, Buffy, I'll guess I'll be seeing you around. Thanks for the dance, Willow. You think about what I said." Before Willow knew what was happening, he was gone. <I hate it when he does the disappearing vampire thing.>
Willow turned and sighed when Buffy, guilty look still in place.
It was going to be a long night.
End Part 5
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