DISTRIBUTION: Fever of Fate, the New Place, anyone else, please ask!
SPOILERS: Graduation pt.2
RATING: R
CONTENT: Willow/Angel, violence, discussion
SUMMARY: Willow's having nightmares, and Angel's the key as to why.
DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Joss's.
NOTE: words incased in these :: :: are thoughts
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Prologue~
The first time she woke up screaming, she blamed it on the fight with the mayor.
The second time was blamed on pre-college stress.
The third time was pre-college jitters.
But the fourth time, there was no logical thing for Willow to pin her nightmares on.
Well, there was one, but he currently resided in L.A.
And, since he was in L.A., he couldn't possibly be invading her mind.
Right?
~Part: 1~
"Willow? Are you okay?" Giles asked, setting a cup of steaming tea in front of the redhead. She blinked slightly in response, but otherwise, didn't acknowledge his existence. "Willow?" he prodded, placing a hand on her shoulder and shaking her slightly. She shook herself visibly and finally glanced at him with an embarrassed smile.
"Giles? I-I'm fine. Just didn't sleep well last night," she replied, placing her hands around the cup in front of her, trying to warm her soul.
"Any specific reason?" he questioned, sitting down next to her and pulling a dusty book into his lap.
"Just bad dreams," she replied, watching the tea swirl in her cup. "Dealing with college, I guess," she shrugged.
"New situation, it's bound to cause psychological stress," Giles appeased, glancing over at her with concern in his eyes. "You haven't been sleeping well a lot lately."
"College," she reminded him with a strained smile. Giles' eyes narrowed.
"Willow?" She inclined her head in his direction. "What are you dreaming?"
"Nothing," she whispered.
"It can't be 'nothing'," he replied, urging.
"I'm dreaming....about things that have happened." The words tumbled from her mouth. She relaxed visibly.
"'Things?'" Giles urged.
"You know, stuff that's happened to me...a-and to others."
"Willow." Giles fairly growled her name as he tried to retain a hold on his patience.
"The first night I dreamed about when Angel lost his soul and grabbed me in the hallway." Giles nodded slightly, acknowledging her words. "The second night, I dreamed about Ms. Calendar," she glanced at Giles before continuing, "And Angel killing her." The Watcher's eyes fell shut at the memory. "The third night, I dreamed about Buffy and Angel tricking Faith." She sighed heavily, slumping back into the couch and staring at her rapidly cooling tea.
"And last night?" Giles whispered.
"Angel in hell," she whispered.
"You're dreaming about Angel?" She nodded. "It would seem feasible since Angel has been a part of most of our more....terrifying endeavors...." As Giles continued trying to rationalize her dreams, Willow felt something stirring in the back of her mind.
She felt the ground move underneath her feet, she felt the joy of the hunt, she felt the warm blood pulsing in her throat.
:: Oh, Goddess :: she cried in her mind as her eyes snapped shut and the screams of her victims rang through her mind.
"Willow?" Giles asked, noticing the redhead's suddenly tense body. She didn't hear him though as her mind was filled with blood and death.
:: God, stop :: she screamed. And almost at her command, the vision of death ended, leaving her mind blissfully quiet.
Then came the voice.
:: Wha--? Willow? ::
"Angel?" she whispered aloud, causing Giles to start at her voice.
"Willow?" he asked, shaking her, trying to knock her out of her reverie.
"Giles?" She whispered, her eyes flying open. She fell forward with a sob, clutching at him. "I can hear him," she whimpered.
"What?" Giles asked, his voice soft so he didn't scare the girl.
"Giles? Why can I hear him?" Willow whispered.
"Who, Willow? Who are you hearing?"
"Angel," she replied, her eyes brimming with tears. "Why is he in my head?"
~Part: 2~
Willow finally calmed down enough for Giles to pull an explanation out of the redhead, and after getting Willow a new cup of tea to replace the one she had unknowingly spilled during her vision, he retreated into his books trying to find some reason for what was causing them.
"Giles!" a loud voice exclaimed as his front door slammed open, causing both Willow and Giles to jump at the sudden noise. "We come bearing donuts!" Xander added as he entered the house and stepped aside to usher Buffy in.
"Jellys?" Giles asked hopefully, stepping off of the stairwell, his arms loaded with books.
"But of course," Xander replied, "And a special treat for our dear hacker," he stated, holding out an unmarked Styrofoam cup to the redhead.
"Triple fudge mocha with a touch of cinnamon and a dash of whipped cream," Buffy smiled sitting down next to Willow. The redhead gave a tight, exhausted smile in return as she took the cup from Xander.
"Thanks," she muttered, refusing to look up and meet Buffy's eyes.
"Will? You okay? You don't look so good," Buffy stated, placing a hand on Willow's arm. The hacker nodded slightly.
:: Don't you dare. :: A voice spoke harshly in her head, causing Willow to start and pull away from Buffy with a whimper.
"Willow?" Buffy asked, trying to hide the hurt in her voice at her friend's actions.
"Buffy, I--"
:: Willow, don't. :: Angel's mental voice ordered. :: She doesn't need to know. ::
:: Yes. She does. :: Willow replied mentally before turning to stare into Buffy's concerned eyes.
"Buffy, I'm having nightmares," she whispered, looking down at her hands as they absently played with the coffee cup.
"Okay," Buffy stated, knowing Willow wasn't telling her the whole story.
"They're Angel's," she stated softly. "Or at least I think they are." Buffy nodded, urging her friend. "And now, I'm hearing him."
"'Hearing him'?" Buffy asked.
"I can hear--" Before she could explain, Giles walked over to the pair.
"Willow, see if anything has happened on Angel's end to cause this," he stated, calmly offering the two girls a donut.
"Angel?" Xander questioned, looking from Giles to Willow and back again.
:: Angel? ::
:: What? :: His reply was growled.
:: You don't have to get angry. ::
:: And why not? I don't like people invading my mind, Willow. ::
:: And I don't like people invading my dreams! ::
:: That couldn't be helped. ::
:: And this can? You think I like this, Angel? ::
:: You're the one in my head. You tell me. ::
:: That was harsh. ::
:: Wasn't it though? ::
Willow gritted her teeth and forced herself to open her eyes, as she made herself pay attention to what was going on in Giles' living room, she roughly broke contact with Angel.
"Willow?" Giles asked, concern etched in his voice.
"I can't, Giles," she whispered, rising to her feet. He nodded in understanding.
"Willow? What's going on?" Xander asked.
"Xander, I...Forget about it," she whispered. "It's too weird." With that she walked around the couch, heading for the door.
"Will you be all right?" Giles asked as she reached for the doorknob. She nodded faintly before replying.
"I just need to figure things out." Buffy made as if she was going to join the redhead, and Willow shot her a look. "I need to be alone." She pulled the door open and stepped into the courtyard.
:: Or as alone as I can get. :: She directed the thought purposely at Angel, but she didn't even get a glimmer of acknowledgment in return.
As the door closed behind the redhead, Buffy looked over at Giles.
"Why her?" she asked softly. "I was in contact more with him than she was."
"I don't know," Giles replied. "And don't tell me you're getting jealous," he stated, glaring at her.
"I'm not," she protested, and when Giles didn't relent his gaze, she sighed heavily. "Maybe a little, but I'm more worried about her." Giles seemed to accept that as he set down on the couch and began flipping through a book.
"Um, hello?" Xander stated, waving his arms to get attention. As Giles and Buffy looked over at him, he continued, "Yeah, just wondering here, but what the hell is going on?"
~Part: 2~
Willow walked steadily away from Giles' apartment and towards the park. As her footsteps echoed on the pavement, she purposefully kept her mind as blank as she could. After all, if she wasn't thinking anything, there's no way Angel could get into her head.
:: Doesn't work like that, Willow. ::
:Really, Mr. All-Knowing Vampire-Guy? And just how does it work? ::
He was silent for a few seconds before replying, :: I don't know. ::
:: Then until you figure it out, leave me alone! ::
:: Willow, I'm sorry for earlier. It's disconcerting to wake up hearing someone's voice in your head. ::
:: It's more disconcerting to dream someone else's dreams. ::
:: Especially when they're mine. :: His mental voice was soft and held a hint of sadness.
:: Are you gonna brood? ::
:: Maybe. ::
:: Not in my head, you're not. :: Willow clutched her forehead as her mind was filled with a strange sound. With a jolt, she realized what it was. :: Angel? You're laughing?! ::
:: Odd, isn't it? ::
:: Very. ::
:: Are we okay? ::
:: Not completely, but better than before. :: She reached the park, and set down at a picnic table. :: Giles wanted to know if anything's happened to you to cause this. ::
:: Nothing unusual. :: His sighed filled her head. :: Fight vampires and brood. ::
:: You need a life. Really bad. ::
:: So you and Doyle and Cordelia agree on something. ::
:: Doyle? ::
:: A friend of mine. You'd like him. ::
:: Wait...Cordelia?! :: Angel chuckled again.
:: I'll explain it all when you get here. ::
:: 'Get here'? ::
:: You just said that you were coming to L.A. ::
:: Not to you! I was thinking that it could be the only way to find out what's going one, but I didn't think it at you! ::
:: Sorry, maybe it just spilled over. ::
:: Oh, Goddess, we have to worry about 'spill over'? ::
:: I didn't think so, but we might. ::
:: Okay, so we lay down rules. ::
:: Rules? ::
:: I'm in the shower, you don't come...thinking around me, got it? ::
:: Got it. And it goes the same for me. ::
:: And when I'm with Oz. ::
:: Why would that be a prob.....oh. ::
:: Yeah. That's me and Oz time. Not me and Oz and Angel time. :: That thought sent a wonderful mental picture of just what 'me and Oz and Angel time' could mean. Willow choked back laughter as she felt Angel sputter in her mind.
:: Willow! ::
:: Sorry. ::
:: No, you aren't. ::
:: No, I'm really not. ::
:: Those the rules? ::
:: All that I can think of. ::
:: Good. I'll try to dream happy dreams until we figure a way to stop the overflow. ::
:: Thank you. And I'll try to think quiet thoughts until you're ready to wake up. ::
:: Good. Are you coming here? ::
:: Possibly. I need to check with Giles to see if he's come up with anything. ::
:: I'll check my sources up here for the same. :: Willow felt his mental presence pull away from here, but before he could go completely, she called out.
:: Angel? ::
:: Yes? ::
:: Why didn't you want Buffy to know? ::
:: You know how she gets. I wouldn't want her to get jealous and do something she'd regret later. ::
:: Oh. ::
:: Goodbye, Willow. ::
:: Goodbye, Angel. ::
:: Get some rest, little girl. I'll try to be quiet. :: With that, she felt his presence leave her mind. She smiled to herself as she rose from the bench.
:: Home to bed. :: She thought to herself. :: But first... ::
With that, she headed back towards Giles' place.
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