The next morning Buffy refused to go to work. "Call in for me please. I just don't feel well."

"Are you sure that's all that's wrong?"

The petite woman's hazel eyes clouded. "I just need to think Xander... I have to fix things."

"Fix what?"

"W-ww-wwWillow... I...", her voice broke, tears overflowed.

Xander blinked at the memory, and rubbed his eyes, trying to concentrate on the road in front of him as he drove. The memory of what had happened that morning confused him. He didn't know what had happened last night. But, he did understand that something had changed. Buffy was different. She seemed scared, sad, softer.

He pulled his truck into the parking lot of Gile's condo. He parked haphazardly. It was early, really early, but he needed advice. He needed to talk to Giles. He only hoped the ex-watcher would deem to talk to him, after that scene with Willow in the Magic Box.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Xander?", Giles queried curiously, surprised to see the young man at his door at such an early hour. "Is something wrong?"

"Hey G-Man, sorry for showing up like this....", the younger man began, "but I really need some advice, and well, I sorta naturally thought of you."

The Englishman nodded serenely, instantly putting his earlier anger at the youth aside, and stepped back silently, allowing Xander inside. "Tea?", he
asked.

"No thanks Giles, don't really understand how you drink that stuff."

The former watcher rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath that sounded like "barbarian" to the dark haired young man.

Xander sat at the kitchen table, as the only father figure he'd ever known, went through the motions of filling and setting a tea kettle on the stove. When he was done, he sat across from him.

Giles stared at the youth curiously. Xander seemed subdued. That in itself caused him to worry.  Subdued was probably not a word he'd ever used before in any of his thoughts concerning the construction worker.

Xander cleared his throat. "Ahh.. well, I'm... well I don't know what I am. I'm worried about Buffy. Last night, she came in early from patrol. I found
her crying in the shower. She wouldn't really talk about it except to say she loved me, that she didn't want Angel anymore." He frowned, and looked down, staring at his callused hands. They were clenched tightly into fists.

"She does love you Xander. She's just not very good at expressing it", the former watcher began hesitatingly. He didn't know what to say, or why this seemed to be bothering the boy so much.

"I know that Giles. I mean, I can't say I've never doubted it on occasion or wondered what would happen to me if Angel had suddenly decided he wanted Buffy back, but I knew she loved me." The young man sighed and stood suddenly. He began to pace back and forth in the small kitchen.

"You should have seen her Giles. She didn't even go to work this morning. She stayed in bed, and asked me to call in sick for her. I haven't seen her like this since we were teenagers. Buffy hasn't been this emotional since her mom died", Xander said. He stopped pacing and looked at the ex-watcher. "You know what I mean Giles... since Willow and Angel left, Buffy's been different, colder. Then when her mom died a couple of years later, she was like a completely different person."

"Yes", the elder man stated, "unfortunately, I do know exactly what you mean." The kettle began to whistle. Startled, Xander looked at the stove and forced himself to take a seat so that Giles could walk about the cramped kitchen unimpeded.

Giles finished his task, and sat once again.

"Well last night, I could swear I saw Buffy again. You know the real Buffy, the girl I met in high school. The girl I knew I loved even then...", the
young man's dark eyes met Giles' gaze. The dark depths were filled with sadness, and ... the shop owner paused in surprise, anger?

"I knew that if I was there for her. If I loved her enough, she'd come out of her shell again Giles. I waited for that. And last night it finally happens, the ice cracks, she's back... but it wasn't because of me!", Xander shouted, pounding his fist on the table. "It was because he's back. It's Angel, it's always Angel! It's his fault, it's always him. It's because of him that I lost her...", he choked out, his eyes closing.

The British man sat in shock, the tea cup perched on his lower lip. "Xander, I don't understand this bizarre hatred you've always had for Angel." He
sighed, and placed his cup on the table. "Buffy loves you. You haven't lost her."

Unfathomable dark eyes bored into Giles. "I don't mean Buffy", Xander whispered.

"You mean Willow..."

"I don't know what I mean", Xander said darkly, his gaze flickering away to some spot on the far wall. "I'm just angry G-ma--Giles, so damned angry... I'm angry at my parents, I'm angry at the Hellmouth, I'm angry at these damned demons, I'm angry I couldn't have a normal life, I'm angry Buffy's the Slayer, I'm angry at my former best friend, the girl who was like my sister...."

Giles took a deep breath. "You haven't lost Willow, Xander."

The young man snorted disbelievingly.

The blue-gray eyed former watcher grabbed Xander's arm in a strong grip. "You haven't lost Willow, Xander. She loves you, and will always be your
friend. That's the kind of wonderful person she is, but the only way for your friendship to survive is for both of you to forgive each other."

"I don't know if I can Giles", he whispered. "I really don't."

"Well I hope you at least try, Xander. Or you'll regret it for the rest of your days."

Uncomfortable now, Xander glanced at his watch and rose from his seat. "I have to go to work. Talk to ya' later G-Man."

He walked slowly over to the door, aware the older man was following behind him.

"Xander?"

"Yes."

"You have to let your hatred of Angel go."

The construction worker's lips twisted. "Not gonna happen Giles."

"Well if it doesn't happen, I am fairly certain that you are then in fact right."

Xander's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Willow and Angel are connected... by friendship, love, and by so much more. If you can't let your hatred of Angel go, then you have lost Willow", the former watcher said quietly. He watched with sad eyes as Xander turned at his words and left his apartment.
 

~Part 32~

Willow snuggled closer to the cool, hard male form at her side. The vampire's arms tightened about her body, and a small smile graced her lips.

'Angel is a good cuddle vamp', she thought happily, before shifting slightly and placing her head by his. She had been awake for quite a while but hadn't opened her eyes. She still felt rather tired, but hadn't been able to fall back asleep. Instead, she lay there cuddling with her best friend. She was quite content to keep doing so as a matter of fact. "Mmmm...", she murmured under her breath.

Idly she wondered what time it was and whether she should get up. She certainly didn't want to. She liked right where she was.

The tiny, annoying voice of responsibility sounded once more in the witch's brain. Willow frowned. 'I don't wanna get up, wanna stay with cuddle vamp... tired', she thought back. The redhead took a deep breath. The voice of responsibility humphed in disbelief sounding oddly like her friend Cordelia.

'Argh!', the young woman's thoughts screamed. 'Fine, you, you, meanie!'

The wiccan's green eyes fluttered open. She sighed, tamping down the urge to berate herself anymore. Why couldn't she just do the irresponsible thing every once in a while? Why couldn't she ever play hookie?

Her head moved a bit, so she could get a clear view of the alarm clock. Ten o' clock. She smiled, it was early, she could squeeze in more time with
Angel. Slightly more content at the discovery, the redhead moved further into the vampire's embrace, her face sliding against his own, her head
resting in the crook of his neck.

"Stay longer", Angel said, startling her.

"I am."

"Good, you didn't sleep much."

The witch nodded slightly, the ensouled vampire could feel the movement against his skin. "You knew?"

"I could feel it, so I didn't get much rest either."

"I'm sorry", she whispered.

"Don't be, just stay longer."

"I will, just not too long. I have to go back to the magic shop."

"Take a day off Willow. I mean you said yourself, that the only way we're going to be able to figure out more about these deaths, and the ritual
they're being used to perpetuate, is to find where the victims are actually being sacrificed", Angel said, reminding her.

She sighed, her eyes opening after a moment. "You're right", she said softly. "But if I stay here, I'll get all guilt ridden and broody."

The vampire chuckled. "I can deal with a good guilty brood, I've had lots of practice, although considering I've never seen you that way it could be
rather frightening...", he sobered after a moment. "You need more rest."

"Okay, but only a few more hours. I still plan on going in to the Magic Box. I still hope to find something new... Something that could help us."

Angel smiled faintly, pressing his lips gently against Willow's neck. Silence reigned for a moment.

"Angel?"

"Mmmm hmmm."

"I can't rest."

Dark eyes sought out emerald orbs. "Why can't you sleep Willow?"

The slight wiccan blushed, her gaze sliding away to rest on Angel's chest. She almost winced, feeling the blush on her cheeks actually deepen. 'Thank the Goddess he sleeps in a tank top, or I'd be as red as a tomato', she thought.

"I-I, ah, I", she stammered clearing her throat. "I was just, ah, just too, ah, exhausted... yeah". Willow frowned, that had made no sense whatsoever.

"Too tired to sleep", Angel murmured aloud, his eyebrow arching in unstated disbelief. "What's wrong Willow?"

The witch squeezed her eyes shut and burrowed her face deeper into the dark haired vampire's neck. Her voice was a tiny whisper when she actually spoke. "I just wondered if, ah, if what I told you about... You know, ah, Liam and stuff... I just wondered if it changed how you think of me, I mean--"

Angel interrupted. "No of course not. Willow nothing could change the way I think of you, or how I feel about you."

Slightly mollified, the redhead lapsed into silence. "Okay", she managed, "but ah, you know....doyoustillwantme?"

He blinked.

"Willow.... Willow look at me."

Slowly, the embarrassed redhead lifted her head from his neck. "Not, I mean that you ever wanted me", she babbled quickly, "I mean, I just imagined that right. You don't want me, we're friends that's all. I mean friends that love each other. 'Cause I know you care about me and I care about you, and love you and stuff--" Willow's babble was cut off by the firm pressure of Angel's mouth.

The vampire pressed his mouth against the redhead's swallowing the flow of words with the need to show her how much he wanted her. His kiss this time was unlike any of the stolen others they'd shared. Instead of gentle, or skillful, or even worshipful, this kiss was urgent, hard, passionate. His
tongue swept into Willow's mouth. It didn't explore, instead it claimed, it took. Angel allowed every shred of want, of need, of desire to flow through him into the girl, whom, he suddenly realized with a groan, was now situated beneath him.

She had to feel it... she had to. How could she even think he didn't want her? He wanted her so badly. She was all he thought about practically every moment of every day. Didn't Willow know that?

Angel tore his mouth away, his lips trailing down the warm, delicious flesh of her throat. He could hear her inhale deeply, almost gasping for air.

"How could you even think I didn't want you? Don't you understand yet, how much you mean to me? How I can never ever hope to exist without you by my side. I love you Willow, and Gods, how I want you. I want you so much", he uttered hoarsely, his lips skimming the shell of her ear as he spoke.

The redhead gasped. She could feel as his face changed, the ridges of his true face emerging against her skin.

Angel placed a last kiss on her neck before pulling away slightly, and staring into her eyes.

"I love you too, Angel", she said quietly, her eyes moist with tears. Her hands came up to trace the new contours of his face, before she pulled him
back down to her neck.

"Willow?", he asked in bemused wonder. Was she actually...?

"I love you Angel."

"Mine", the dark vampire growled, as his fangs entered her throat.

Willow gasped. The slight pain of his teeth piercing her skin, rendered her mute. But then the pain receded, she could feel something pull at her
senses, and her eyes fluttered closed.

The gates slammed open. Color, she could see color. And it was warm and inviting. Blues and greens melted into sunny yellow, and oranges. Hot.
Desire.

Something inside the redhead stretched taught. Unknowingly, her body arched off the bed as she strove to be closer to him, to see more of him. To feel him inside her heart and mind as their bond shifted, strengthened, becoming larger, broader, all encompassing.

Violet shifted to red against her eyelids. So beautiful. Pleasure. Ecstasy.

'More', she thought, as the knot inside her writhed, and twisted, before finally easing with an almost violent jerk. Giving way to intense orgasmic
pleasure that left Willow limp and spent, whispering Angel's name over and over.

Weakly, the slender hacker opened her eyes. "Oh Goddess, Angel... that was... that was....", she sighed, at a loss for words and suddenly
exhausted.

The dark vampire used the last of his energy to move his body off of, his witch's from, as he continued to lick and suckle on the small puncture
wounds he had made. He could feel her contentment. He purred in response. He had made Willow happy, very happy if what he'd felt when he'd drank from her was any indication. Angel curled around her.

"Sleep Willow-mine."

The redhead yawned, her eyes fluttering closed. 'Always yours my Angel, always.'

Angel started, slightly startled. 'Had she said that out loud?"  He shook his head, lowering it back onto the pillow by her ear. It didn't matter, they'd figure it out later. It was time to sleep. They'd go to Giles' shop after, once they'd rested, together.
 

~Part 33~

Spike paced. Not that that was anything strange. He was rather hyper-active for a vampire. Additionally since he'd allowed Tara to go to the shop, he was bored out of his gourd. While it was true he could leave the apartment through the sewers during the day, there really wasn't anywhere he wanted to be. He sighed needlessly, a wry smile tilting his lips, as he glanced at the door. In truth, the vampire was really only able to think of one thing he'd like to be doing, and with whom.

The bleached blond sighed, moving toward the doorway. He needed to get out. Everything in the apartment reminded him of his would-be lover, and since she wasn't there, it was rather frustrating to say the least.

The tunnels weren't the best place to be, but it was daylight, and he knew he had to be careful even when it came to encountering others of his kind. Spike didn't want his presence in Sunnydale getting back to the Slayer. It would be hard enough when the blond woman found out he was helping them. But for her to learn of it before Tara and Willow had a chance to figure out exactly what the plan of action would be, was not something he wanted to see happen.

The chipped vampire moved quickly, opening the entrance and slipping down into the dank sewer system tunnels. He wrinkled his nose, knowing it would get better. A large part of the sewers was no longer used, and never saw water unless there was flooding. He shifted in and out of shadows, avoiding the few creatures he saw.  The bleached blond was just nearing the center of town when something caught at his senses. The sensation pulled at him, familiar in a strange way. Unsure what it was, he found himself following continuing in the direction of the feeling.  He moved fleetly, suddenly not caring if he was seen. Something about the sensation caused his hackles to rise with a sense of urgency. He had to find out what it was that was calling to him.

Abruptly he smelled it.  Blood. He sniffed again. The familiar scent of blood assailed his senses. In fact, it was nearly over-powering.  But there
was something else.... it was achingly familiar.  'Why?', he wondered.

Spike slowed, listening for any sounds. 'Perhaps a vampire had simply left it's latest kill ahead?', he mused. No, that just wasn't right, something
about this, niggled the back of his mind.

Turning the corner, he paused. He could still smell the blood. The scent was all around him. Finding himself stepping over a small lip on the floor, he
suddenly found himself in a round structure. The blond vampire started in surprise when his feet sunk into liquid up to his knees.  'What the 'ell?',
he thought. The British vampire looked down, surprise and shock crossing his face. Blood.  Lots of it.  A pool of it, in fact.

He around and then up, spotting, a metal ladder riveted to the cement wall. Quickly, he waded toward the ladder, and began to climb carefully, so he could peer through the grating he saw above him.

Spike reached the grate easily, and glanced through the holes. Cerulean eyes widened. Blood everywhere. Old blood, new blood.... More then one person had been needed to feed the pool beneath him. Normally the sight of that much blood would have sent his demon shuddering in ecstasy. Only, that wasn't the case. Something was seriously off. His demon was cowering back, as though frightened by the mere sight.

That's when it clicked. The blood smelled of magick, powerful magick. The kind of powerful magick, both Tara and Willow reeked of. That was what was so familiar about the smell. Suddenly the chipped vampire knew that he'd found the elusive murder site. The place where the sacrifices were taking place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike looked about the place. At least as much as he could from his awkward vantage point. It occurred to him that the Slayer's inability to do find
this place made more sense than he had originally thought. The blond woman was looking for someplace on the outskirts of town. Like an abandoned warehouse. But this, this looked like a temple, or at least, it did inside. He bet that from the outside, it probably looked like any other suburban
house, down to the white, picket fence and seemed to be practically in the center of town.  The bastards Tara was looking for were hiding in plain
sight.

"Bugger!", he groaned, thinking of his girl. He was going to have to tell her about this.

'Bloody hell!', he thought. He certainly didn't want Tara anywhere near this place.... yet, it was important Spike knew. It could be the key to this
whole caper, and perhaps she or Angel's pet witch would be able to discern something if they saw this charnel house.

Glancing once more through the grating and at the splatters of blood which coated the walls and floor, Spike looked again down at the pool of crimson beneath him. He was shocked by its size. Although it was not terribly deep, it was large. He had no idea how long the sacrifices were going on, but he was struck by the realization that this had been happening for a lot longer than the Slayer or even Tara assumed.

The vampire wondered what the purpose of gathering all that blood could be? When Tara had mentioned that she thought the spell needed to be fed, he hadn't thought she was being literal. Shaking his head, Spike realized that he had to find a way to get to his Grandsire, Tara and the red witch as soon as possible.
 

~Part 34~

Willow darted quickly across the alley and held the Magic Shop's door open so that Angel could enter unimpeded. She exhaled in relief when he was
safely ensconced in the store's interior safe from the sun's rays, and followed him inside.

"Hi guys", Tara said, looking up. She glanced back down, her fingertips brushing against something in the bottom of a small box by her register.

"Tara", Angel said, acknowledging the blond witch quietly.

"Hi", Willow said brightly, immediately walking up to the fellow witch. "Anything wrong?"

The other girl frowned momentarily, wondering if it was a good idea to alert the redhead of the other Daybreaker's presence. Deciding that it could wait in the face of more pressing circumstances Tara, indicated the box by her hand.

Willow looked inside and saw a few wooden medallion shaped items. Each one was engraved with a pentacle and a stake piercing it.

"Oh wow... you're really moving through those amulets. We should really do another working to make up a new batch", the wiccan observed.

Tara nodded in agreement. "I've been giving them out with every purchase made, along with the little rhyming incantation. They flew out of here
yesterday", she said.

Curious, Angel stepped closer to Willow and picked one of the amulets up. His thumb brushed against the tiny, intricate carvings.

"Spike", he said quietly, admiring the detail.

Tara blinked. "Uh, yeah. Since he's stuck home worrying about me, I asked him to carve these for me. He's r-r-really talented", she stammered.

"He is", Angel agreed, looking up at the young woman, his voice gruff with some emotion she couldn't name.

The bell to the shop rang, but the threesome didn't turn. Willow was just about to tease the blond witch about the small purple mark on her throat,
when Angel stiffened and whirled around, moving protectively in front of the woman he loved.

"Willow", Buffy's said plaintively.

The redhead's eyes closed briefly. She took a deep breath and turned to face the woman who had once been her best and only female friend.

"Buffy."

The Slayer, bit her lip, her hazel eyes rimmed in red.

"What do you want Buffy?", Willow asked quietly, lifting her chin proudly, fully expecting the other girl to attack her verbally.

Buffy sighed, and pushed lank, blond strands of hair behind her ear. "Well I was wondering if I could talk to you."

Angel glared at his former love, dark eyes flickering in warning.

"I'm not going to hurt her Angel. I really just want--", Buffy started in surprise, her Slayer sense alerting her to the presence of another vampire.
She frowned, since when did sunlight equal vampires?

Just then, the shop door opened with a bang. The bell above the door rang furiously, as a smoking figure covered in black leather, ran inside.
Swearing furiously, the figure lowered his jacket from where it protected his head. The white blond hair made him instantly recognizable to the petite Slayer.

"Spike!", Buffy gasped. In an instant, a stake appeared in her hand, and she lunged at the vampire who'd been her nemesis in high school.

"NO!", Tara shouted, raising her hand.

"What the-- oof!", Buffy groaned as she hit the wall hard. It took her a moment, but she stood shakily only to find herself shocked by what she saw.

Tara stood protectively in front of Spike, while Angel and Willow spoke urgently and rapidly to the other vampire.

"What the hell is the meaning of this?!", Giles boomed.

The group froze, their heads swiveling to where the former Watcher stood, a crossbow in each hand, the two vampires in his sights.
 

~Part 35~

"Giles! No! Please. You don't understand", Willow pleaded, tears in her eyes.

Blue-gray eyes glinted coldy behind glass. "So make me understand Willow. Make me understand why Spike, who at various times has tried to kill us all, and even kidnapped you and Xander once, is standing in MY store."

When no answer was immediately forthcoming, Giles' fingers tightened on the crossbow triggers.

Willow blanched, trying to move in front of Angel. Only the vampire was not going to allow her to risk herself for him again, and he easily pushed the
slight young woman back behind him. She knew she could easily toss Giles' aside like Tara had Buffy, but she hesitated. She couldn't treat the ex- Watcher so disrespectfully, it wasn't in her nature.  Afterall, he'd been more of a father and mentor than her actual father.  The redhead looked over at the blond witch. She could see Tara's own indecision written on her face.

Keeping the crossbows trained on the foursome, the former Watcher glanced over at his Slayer. The petite woman stood there, stake still in hand, chest heaving.

"Are you alright Buffy?"

"I'm fine Giles. Really."

Nodding, the Watcher, turned back to the group of witches and vampires. "Well, I'm still waiting."

"Dammit all to hell! Don't you people understand we don't have the bloody time for this?!", Spike growled, glaring at the British man. He allowed his
demon to surface. Amber eyes stared balefully at the man, and finally the chipped vampire yanked his blond witch behind him. Tara squeaked, startled.

As far as Spike was concerned, Tara had already saved him more than once, and he would be damned (more than he already was), if he didn't at least try to protect her. He knew the chip prevented him from harming a human being, but he'd do his friggin' worst for her, even if his head exploded.

Spike's lips lifted in a sneer. He ignored his Grandsire's deep warning growl. "I suggest you point that crossbow away from my witch, or I'll rip you're bleedin' heart out."

"Spike no!", Tara cried.

Grinding his teeth in anger and frustration, Giles pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. He blinked in surprise and looked down at the contraption he held. Buffy's small hand had pinned the bolt in place.

"Buffy?"

The golden Slayer met the elder man's gaze, and shook her head slightly. Sighing, Giles lowered the other crossbow. Turning back to the group, she
tossed the wooden bolt on the floor between them.

Buffy met Willow's green gaze unblinkingly.  "What's going on Wills?"
 

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