Danielle was horrified, she read Angel thoughts, watched his pacing and stumbling through the cold room. She wanted to
tell him that he was wrong, she wasn't laughing, she was sorry for him.
    That was his destiny, his mission, killing himself only would make him win a one-way ticket to hell. He would be stuck
there forever this time. She had to stop him, but it was a very hard thing for her to do, she couldn't move to the material
world. And as Angel wasn't sleeping she couldn't appear in his dream, although she was pretty sure he wouldn't believe her
if she did.

    <Think, think, think....> She was making her own pacing routine, ignoring the glares of the other guardians spirits.
    She concentrated on those who could help in the physical world. She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to search
them.
    The Watcher was researching. <Why he don't fall asleep over this book? Just a nap? Hello! I need to talk to someone.>
She gave up on him and looked for the others.
    The slayer was going home after patrol. <This one is too worked up, no sign of sleeping soon. I don't have time to
wait.>
    Then she spotted the couple in the car. <Definitely, they're not going to fall sleep now. It's better I move on before
my retinas get burned.> She smiled at the couple and let her mind search for the others.
    She met another couple, only that this one were kissing goodbye at the girls' door. Danielle watched expectantly as the
girl closed the door and climbed the stairs entering the bathroom and taking off her clothes. After a short time the shower
went off and the girl wrapped in a towel moved to her room, where she changed into a nightshirt. After drying her hair and
saying a little prayer for the Goddess the girl went under the covers and with a sigh, surrendered to sleep.
  <Finally. It's 2 am already those people never sleep? >
  She waited few minutes to make sure the girl would be true asleep, before she make an appearance in the girls' dream.

*************************************************

    Willow sat under a tree in the park, the sun was shining and she watched children play with a balloon. A young woman
walked in her direction and with her the wind bought the smell of jasmine.
    Danielle sat besides Willow.

    "You have to stop him."

    "Stop who? And who are you?"

    "Who I am doesn't matter. You have to save Angel."

    "I can't...I.... I tried it, but I was late. He's gone already." She dropped her head at the reminder of her failing at
Angel.

    "No, Willow. You weren't late. You saved his soul and if you don't go to save him again, this time he will be gone
forever."

    "How can I help him? Where is he? What happened...?"

    "He's in the mansion. You have to be there before the sun rises." Danielle took Willow's hand and she saw Angel
trembling in front of the fireplace, which had no fire going in. She was concerned by the feelings she felt from him. <So
much pain. > Danielle let go of her hands and she the vision was gone.

    Willow woke up startled. Outside a loud thunder announced the beginning of the pouring rain. She looked at the clock on
the nightstand it marked 3 am. Getting out of the bed she dressed the pants that were over the chair and grabbing her shoes
she ran downstairs.

    She opened the door and without wasting time looking for an umbrella she closed the door behind her and started running
to the mansion.
    During all the way she wondered about how Angel could be back. <The sooner I get there sooner my questions will be
answered. >

**********************************************************

    Angel was trying to light up the fireplace without getting burned in the process when he heard the front door being
opened. He walked into it's direction.

   "Who is in there?"

   "Angel!" She approached him slowly, uncertain of how to act around him. Suddenly she got caught in panic.
    <What if it's not him but Angelus? If my dream was just a trick like the one Drusilla did with Giles? How I could be so
stupid?>

    "Willow?" He turned to where the voice had come from but Willow was on the other side, she had moved while admonishing
herself for being there.

     She watched stunned as he looked for her in the wrong direction and even when he turned to where she was, he looked
past trough her, like if she wasn't there. She noted his uncertain steps in her direction and amazed saw him come two steps
before her, stop and try to reach her with his hands.

    "Is that you?"

    She raised her hand and waved it in front of his face, she screamed when he grabbed her wrist with an iron grip.

    "You're hurting me." She whispered afraid of him.

     He loosened the grip without letting her go and with his other he touched her face. He felt her skin and the contour
of her face and he also felt her tears in his fingers.

    She touched his face with her hand and touched eyelids.

    "What did they do to you?" Her body was shaken by sobs and she retreated from him. He frowned as her warm was taken
from him.

    "She said I had to save you. I arrived late *again*, but... but she said that I had to come before the sunrise. It's
still early for that."

    Angel features hardened at the mention of the one he had trusted in.

    "Who said you had to save me?"

    "She didn't tell her name. She only said that I should be here for you. I had to stop you or you should come back to
hell." He was wrapped in his thoughts and didn't get her getting closer to him. When she touched his arm he reacted
instinctively and with a quick move hit her on the side of the face, she fell by the impact of the blow.

    "Come back and tell her to find someone else to play her mind games with."

    Willow got up and slowly tried to approach the door, she had her hand in the doorknob when looked behind her and saw
him looking so lost in the middle of the room.

    <I can't do this. I can't leave him like this, I just hope don't get myself killed in the way. I won't be helpful being
dead.>

****************************************************

    Danielle was sat, eyes closed, in her mind she watched Willow and Angel.

    <I'm just not saying that it couldn't get worse, 'cause I know that if I say it will get even worse.>

    She opened her eyes I saw herself surrounded by others guardians spirits.

    "I told you I wasn't ready. I needed more time to get prepared before assuming such responsibility. It's his soul, her
life and preventing darkness to fall, I can't stand this."

    One of the spirits came closer to her.

    "They're your mission, you only will be absolved for ending your own life when they're done their path. Didn't you
understand that you broken the sacredness law? You should be there using your gift to help people, but you decided that
couldn't stand it. Do you think that such a burden would be over your shoulders if they weren't strong enough to stand it's
weight? We didn't have time to help you to control your gift. Now you have to guide these people and we are here to guide
you. Helping them you will be helping yourself." Saying that he vanished and so did the others.

***************************************************************

    Willow got closer to Angel she tried to keep her breath steady and don't let him feel how scared she was.

    "Angel, I'm here to help you. I don't know why I should be here before the sunrise but I'm here and I'm not going to
lose you again. Did you understand? The only way you're going back to hell is taking me with you." She hoped had sounded
firm enough.

    He turned to her with his fists closed. Trying to control his angry.

    "I think I told you to go away."

    She took his hand and placed it in the side of her face.

    "Angel, it's me."

    He raised his other and placed it in the other side of her face. She shrieked when he touched the spot he had hit
before.

    "I... I hurt you. I'm sorry."

    "Don't worry about it." She rushed to reassure him before he got drowned in guilt.

    "You shouldn't be here, it's not safe be around me."

    "I'm not going anywhere." She passed her arms around his waist and rested her face in his chest. He held her back
resting his chin on the top of her head. She sighed and snuggled closer.

    "You're extremely stubborn."

    "I hear that a lot."

    She felt his smile against her head.

    "Willow, why you're soaking wet?"

    "It's raining."

    "I can hear that. You should have brought an umbrella."

    "I didn't have time to look for it, I had a friend to help."

    "Let's get you some dry clothes."

    Using his hands to guide him, he led her to his room. He opened a drawer and took a t-shirt.

    "Here, take off this wet clothes and dress this." From the closet he took a towel and handed it to her. He was about to
turn his back to give her privacy when he realized that it wouldn't be necessary.

    <He can't see you, stop being childish. > Her thoughts didn't prevent the wave of flushness.

    Satisfied that the shirt almost covered her knees, she felt better.

    <Like somebody was going to see me. >

    "Angel, why we don't get some rest? In the morning I'll to get you blood, I mean if you're not hungry, 'cause if you
can't wait I can go to Willy's...."

    "I can wait, don't worry. Go to bed, I'll get the floor."

    "No way, it's too cold for you to lay on the floor. There's enough room both of us in the bed, you just have to promise
you're going to behave."

    "I will."

    They got under the covers and each one moved to one side of the bed. Few minutes later they were sleeping.

*************************************************
    Danielle watched them.

    <Somehow, everything seems to be fine.> She concentrated and appeared for Willow as a dream.

    "Thank you."

    Willow smiled on her sleep.

    Angel was having a nightmare about the time he was Angelus and planned to kill Willow. He watched as Angelus entered
her room in the middle of the night she was soundly asleep. Angel tried to scream to her to wake up she didn't hear him,
Angelus taunted him coming closer to her and caressing her face, he held her chin. Angel knew what would come next, a twist
and her neck would be broken. Suddenly the scene in front of him changed and he was watching him and Willow sleeping
together in an embrace. He smelled the jasmine essence and was not surprised to see Danielle at his side.

    "Trust me, Angel. It's all I ask. Let her help you."

    "I'm not sure about trusting you. But I'll let her help me."
 

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