_________________________________________________________________
 

The dark haired vampire stood on the boat's bow. He was still, completely
and utterly statuelike in the faint breeze. His eyes stared unseeingly,
never noticing the greenery and exotic wildlife which surrounded him in this
place.

It was the slurping sound of a crocodile slipping into the murky depths of
the Nile which finally shook Angel from his thoughts. The barely audible
noise seeming extraordinarily loud to his sensitive ears. Blinking quickly,
he noticed for the first time the awesome sight of the Pyramids in the
distance. The sight left him unmoved, however. It meant nothing to him
without Willow by his side.

< See the Pyramids along the Nile
Watch the sunrise on a tropic isle
Just remember all the while
You belong to me >

Sighing wearily, Angel stalked gracefully into the ship's hold, quietly
slipping into his room. He missed his witch.

He sat heavily on the overstuffed chair beside his small bed. Dark eyes
bored holes in the old, dull, rust colored carpet. He frowned. Five
years... It had been five years since he's last seen her. Five years that
he'd searched. Searched the world over it seemed to him, but he would
continue for as long as it took. He had to find her.

< See the market place in old Algiers
Send me photographs and souvenirs
Just remember 'til your dream appears
You belong to me >

Closing his eyes, memories of times past bombarded the ensouled vampire.
How she had reappeared into his life, bearing news of death and grief, her
verdant eyes bloodshot, her stance defeated. She had come to give him the
news, and in one glance he's known. "It's Buffy..."

To his surprise she had then rushed into his arms, seeking comfort. His
hard won facade of stoicism cracked, falling in brittle pieces and landing
at Willow's feet. The mask shattered, and tears had flown freely. That
night had signaled the end of something and the beginning of something else.

They discovered something that night. They needed each other. Only they
understood how special the blond Slayer had been. Only they comprehended
the enormousness of the changes she had forged in their lives, how she had
made them better... challenged them to do more. Only they, could help each
other through the excruciating pain of Buffy's loss. And so, Willow had
never left, and a friendship was born.

Originally based on their mutual pain, that friendship eventually blossomed
and grew into something greater. No longer was it simply about their lost
loved one, but about loyalty, companionship and trust. After a year, their
new, strong bond had evolved.

Angel was never really certain when he'd become aware of it, but eventually
he had, and he knew. He had fallen in love with his best friend. He was in
love with Willow Rosenburg. Sweet, strong, generous Willow, the girl he had
watched grow up to become a lovely, independent, powerful woman before his
very eyes. He wasn't blind, he couldn't help but notice.

One moment they'd been joking and hiding Cordelia's Cherry Garcia ice cream,
and the next, they were sharing chocolatey cherry flavored kisses with wide,
surprised eyes.

Groaning under his breath, the dark vampire, shied away from the bittersweet
memory. He stood awkwardly in the cramped cabin, flinging himself onto the
bunk. Those happy times seemed so far away now. He was alone. He had
driven his love away.

< I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too
Maybe you'll be lonesome too and blue >

He hadn't meant to. He'd only wanted to protect her, to keep her safe.
He'd been so afraid, he hadn't wanted to lose her to the darkness around
them, to the evils he fought everyday. Protecting the redhead had been his
goal, his only agenda. Willow had become his life, his reason for existing,
and despite her powers growing exponentially, he'd shut her out of that part
of his life.

Only too late, did Angel realize that it had been that very
overprotectiveness which had caused him to lose her despite his best
intentions.

Growling angrily, the dark haired vampire pounded his fist into the pillow
beneath his head. "Damn it", he muttered. Why, oh why hadn't he recognized
her frustration, her need to help? Why couldn't he have seen that Willow's
need to fight evil was not dependent on her friendship with Buffy or even
her relationship with him? Because he'd been to afraid, that's why.

Angel squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will away the pain and the memories.
Of course it didn't work, it never did.

Behind closed eyelids, the present suddenly fell away, and he remembered the
last time he'd seen his love. She'd been so beautiful that night, her
impossibly red hair fanned out about her face as they had made love. It had
been glorious, passionate and loving. Need and desire crashing and reaching
crescendo.

It was in retrospect that he also remembered her pale, trembling hands.
Willow had said goodbye to him that night, and he hadn't even known it.

< Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when its wet with rains
Just remember 'til your home again
You belong to me >

The next morning, he'd awoken alone. She was gone and her most treasured
possessions had gone with her. Their absence told him everything. He'd
raged, he'd sobbed and then, he searched. The vampire turned the city of
L.A. upside down looking for his witch, but she was gone. Angel had reached
Sunnydale the very next night. Only to find, that she had already been and
already disappeared.

Giles informed him that Willow had been by. She'd stopped and visited for a
bit before purchasing some spell components and leaving. Hours later, Spike
had appeared, telling the former watcher what the redhead had done.

The Englishman's eyes had filled with with moisture. "She did it...", he'd
gasped, clutching the lapels of Angel's black coat. "I don't know how, but
she did it Angel. Willow closed the Hellmouth. The vampires and demons
that remain are beginning to leave... Do you have any idea... Do you know
how many lives she has saved? Have you any idea how unheard of such
magickal strength is?" The vampire had shook his head sadly. No, he hadn't
known, and that was his fault.

She had been gone with the morning's light, taking two companions along with
her. The ensouled vampire had tried to follow, continuing and ever-widening
his search for his beloved witch. He scoured the globe, listening to
stories and rumors of a flame haired goddess who defeated evil wherever she
went.

Willow closed Hellmouth after Hellmouth, leaving Faith, the remaining Slayer
with very little to do. The thought left Angel in awe. Never had he loved
anyone as much as he loved her.

He needed to find her. Perhaps, this time he would. He could only hope
that his hunch was correct. He could only hope that the red witch had heard
the very same rumors he had. Rumors of a new Hellmouth opening in Cairo.
It was his only lead.

His eyes snapped open. He could feel the boat lurch to a stop. They had
reached port. Grabbing his long black coat and pocketing some stakes, the
dark vampire departed the room that had been his home for five days and
never looked back.

Needing information, Angel headed for the Sanctuary Club, Lorn had told him
about. It was the only thing the Host had been allowed to share with him.

It was not a long walk, and soon Angel found himself at a small, nondescript
wooden door. He entered quickly and without incident. The name Angelus
would not soon be forgotten, and it opened many doors in the right (or
perhaps wrong) circles.

The ensouled vampire blinked, finding a familiar bright head among the din
and crush of bodies. Quickly he forced his way through the strange mixture
of demons and humans.

"Spike", Angel murmured.

The bleached blond vampire turned, tearing his lips away from the woman by
his side. "Certainly took you bloody long enough Paingel." Shock whispered
up the elder vampire's spine as he stared at his Childe's companion.

Dawn glared up at the tall vampire, clutching Spike's hand in her own.
"Don't hurt her again Angel. She's not some exotic bird you can lock away
in a pretty cage, no matter how gilded."

Angel nodded, momentarily stunned by how much the suddenly adult girl looked
like her sister. He almost smiled, noting with faint amusement how much the
former Key resembled her sister. She even spoke like Buffy, bluntly. "I
understand that, now", he told Dawn.

His eyes pleaded with the couple. "Where is she? Please, I can't do this
without her anymore. I need her... I love her..."

< I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too
Maybe you'll be lonesome too and blue >

Spike's icy blue eyes softened for just a moment. "She's right behind you
Sire."

Hope and disbelief flared to life in Angel's dead heart. Had he finally
found her?

He turned slowly.

"Angel...", the redhead gasped.

The ensouled vampire crushed his love to him, enfolding her slight body in
his arms.

"Willow, my love.... I'm so sorry. I was scared... scared of losing you. I
love you, can you forgive me?", he said haltingly, his mouth buried in her
ruby tresses.

Emerald eyes sparkled in the dim light. "Oh Angel. I forgive you. How
could I not? I love you too... Goddess, how I've missed you."

Their mouths met hungrily. The kiss, one of long denied passion.

"You're home Angel... you're home", Willow murmured throatily.

< Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when its wet with rains
Just remember 'til you're home again
You belong to me >

THE END

back