It took only a second for Angel to read Willow's look of confusion and embarrassment to realize that she was shocked by his question. "Will, I'm sorry. I thought you knew they put us in one room." When the young girl, shook her head no, he continued his explanation, "Kaelin told me she thought it best not to leave you in a room alone. I didn't know that she would be booking a room with only one bed. If you're uncomfortable with this, we could work something else out." Turning away from the hacker, he started to pace as he thought of a way to ease her discomfort. "I could sleep on the floor and go out while you shower?" He would do whatever it took to make her comfortable, even though his heart broke when he thought that she did not trust him enough to stay with him in the room. When Kaelin mentioned it, he did not think twice about it. He didn't think Willow would either, but with a sinking heart, he realized he had thought wrong.

Willow could see Angel deflate as he spoke, and as she looked into his eyes, realized that he was questioning her trust. "I don't think there will be a problem. It's just..." Willow fumbled with her words, trying to explain to the vampire her embarrassment without him blaming himself. "I look terrible when I wake up...and I probably snore...and if my parents ever find out, I am sure to be grounded," Willow stammered, hoping Angel understood all her insecurities.

The vampire laughed at the hacker's unease and was relieved. This he could deal with. "Willow, I am sure you look absolutely adorable in the morning, and if you do snore, I will happily wake you every time you wake me. And as for your parents..." Angel stopped, waved his hand and laughed again. "...I think any parent would be angry if they found a man sleeping in their daughter's room. I can only imagine your father coming after me with a shotgun, forcing me to do the right thing." Angel laughed again and added, hoping to lighten the mood more, "and me being a Roman Catholic to boot. What would your rabbi say?"

Willow's laughter could not be contained, and she swatted the vampire after his last comment about the rabbi. "After that comment, I'm not going to be nice and let you take a shower first. I plan on being selfish and taking a long, hot shower." With that said, Willow grabbed her supplies and without a backward glance, entered the bathroom and shut the door.

Angel sat on the bed, happy to know that Willow was not nervous about being cooped up in a room with him. He really liked Willow and decided that he was not going to brood this trip. The normally depressed vampire was feeling better than he ever did before, and he planned on taking advantage of it. His friend needed him, and he planned on showing her a good time. As he heard the shower start, he wondered if she needed his help now to wash her back. <Where did that come from?> Angel asked himself. Shaking off the erotic image of him and Willow in the shower, he got down to the business of getting his stuff together for his own shower.

Willow entered the bathroom feeling happier than she had in the last few weeks. She was excited and giddy at the prospect of a few days alone in the city. As the water cascaded down her back, she felt the last bit of plane grunge wash away. Although a leisurely bath was her first choice, the young witch was not sorry she had to settle for a shower. The young girl blushed as her thoughts turned to the gorgeous man in the other room. Her thoughts were definitely non -Willowy as she pictured him, waiting for her under the covers as she emerged from the bathroom, arms outstretched, calling her to his side. <Whoa there girl. Take you away from home and you turn into a wanton woman.>

She finished up in the bathroom and dressed quickly. She normally wore flannels or sleepshirts, and a part of her was embarrassed with the boxers and tank top, but she did not expect to be sleeping with anyone this trip. <Actually, since she was sleeping with someone, maybe that satin nightgown she packed would be better? No, no, no! Could it be New York City that was doing this to her? She never acted this way at home or had these type of thoughts...OK maybe once or twice about Xander, but this was just too much.> The young girl opened the door to find a shirtless Angel and felt her heart skip a beat. <How am I going to make it through the night in bed with that?!?>

Angel turned and smiled at the blushing redhead and without another word entered the bathroom for his shower. He showered quickly and found the hacker snuggled happily under the covers. She had looked so adorable in the boxers and tank, that he quickly left to take his shower for fear of staring and scaring her. Now all he had to do was get through the night without mauling her, and they would both be fine. As he got closer to the bed, he realized she was not yet sleeping, and the vampire suddenly felt very self-conscious in his boxers under the green-eyed stare of Willow. As he slipped under the covers, he wondered if he should try to make small talk or just roll over and make an attempt at sleeping. Between the excitement of seeing his first sunrise in over two centuries and the intoxicating, redhead next to him, he doubted he would get any rest. <What could he say, though, that didn't sound inane?>

"Do you always sleep in only your underwear?" Willow asked innocently and then blushed realizing her faux pas. "Well, not that I really want to know…or that I was wondering what you wear to bed…I wasn't really watching you either," the young girl babbled, turning the reddest Angel had ever seen.

Trying to ease the tension and feeling a little mischievous, Angel turned on his side towards Willow, smiled and said, "Usually I sleep nude, but if the boxers are bothering you, I could take them off."

Willow's eyes got wide, but as she read the devilment in the vampire's eyes, she decided she could play too, and with a self-confidence she could not attribute to anything, she said, "Not if you want to get any sleep you won't." With that said, Willow flipped on her back and closed her eyes, savoring the fact that she put the vampire in his place. "I assume you will be getting up to see your first sunrise?" Willow asked, moving on to a less risqué subject. This was a necessity, since the images his comment created were sending sensations through her body she never before felt. <Definitely turning wanton.>

"Need you ask?" Angel said, and then quietly added, "Will you come with me to the roof to see it?"

Willow opened her eyes and turned to him. "Need you ask?"

Matthew gathered his items from the overhead compartment as soon as the plane finished taxiing and quickly made his way off the plane. He had a feeling of impeding doom but put it off to the meeting he was heading to. There had been some concern recently about a possible infiltration into the inner sanctum of the Council when one of the prominent members of the group had been attacked and one was killed. The Council had kept this information from the group in Sunnydale, hoping to allay the problem before anything further happened. Matthew did not really agree with the Council's directive on keeping this information from Giles, but he did not want to worry him further either.

Hence the secret meeting that Matthew was going to immediately. Not an innocent, he realized evil lurked everywhere, but a part of him did not believe anyone associated with the group could be bought. However, the call he received from a friend in the Council forced him to rethink his loyalties, and he was heading to a meeting to gather the proof needed to bring the traitor to light. Gathering up his luggage at the carousel, he sighed and headed out into the night.

In New Jersey, Kaelin was drifting off to sleep, wondering how Angel and Willow were doing. She giggled as she imagined Willow's shock at finding herself alone with Angel in one room, with one bed. The two would not admit their attraction to one another, but maybe with a little help, and a few days in New York, something interesting just might develop. One room, one bed and a couple of spells could do wonders for a relationship. Lack of guilt and added self -confidence could just be the trick that those two needed. As she moved into her lover's arms, a wicked thought came to mind. <Would Willow share?>

Willow awoke to Angel's gentle shaking and realized that it was time to go with him to the roof. He already had dressed, and she barely had time to pull on sneakers before he virtually dragged her out of the room. He was practically bursting with excitement; she had never seen the vampire like this before and it shocked her. He usually seemed in such control.

Angel could barely contain himself. He did not want to miss a single second of the sunrise and did not care that he practically carried Willow to the roof. As they stepped out from the stairway and onto the actual roof top, he was overwhelmed by both apprehension and excitement and was riveted to the spot, not being able to move further forward or backward. All his instincts told him to run and take cover, while his soul told him to trust in Kaelin.

Willow plowed into the back of Angel as he stopped abruptly in front of her. The hacker felt a moment of fear, wondering what caused Angel to stop short and become rigid. It took her only a moment before she realized what he must be going through; his body nearly torn in two from both fear and anticipation.

Rubbing his back, she stood on her toes and whispered in his ear. "Are you OK, Angel? Do you want to see it from the room instead?"

Using her almost as a shield, he pulled her forward and held her tightly against him. "No, I think I prefer it here. If the amulet doesn't work, I am dust here or in the room, and if it does work, I get a better view of the sunrise over the city."

Willow nodded and just settled her back against his chest and snuggled further into his embrace. She felt fortunate that he wanted to share this moment with her.

As he looked out over the city as the sun began to rise, changing emotions began to overwhelm the vampire as the tears streamed down his face. His control broke as sobs wracked his body. The vampire held onto Willow tighter than he should have as his emotional equilibrium was thrown off kilter by something he was sure he would never see again, unless in death. He had fantasies about it, sure. Fantasies of him and Buffy on the beach, sitting in the sand and waiting for the sun to come up after making love all night. Ironic how he could fulfill that fantasy now, but had no desire to do so. He was very content to be sharing this moment with the woman in his arms now. Without her, this would not be possible. Emotions continued to overwhelm him as he felt gratitude, friendship and desire for the woman in his arms roll through him as the two of them stood there silently watching the sun rise higher in the sky.

The vampire could not help himself as his hands moved from the petite girl's waist, up her arms and to her shoulders. He moved her hair from her neck and began to lick and kiss the pulse point. The young girl stiffened for a moment and then relaxed into the sensation, and the vampire smiled his satisfaction at her trust in him. <And mutual desire?> The normally reticent vampire wanted Willow to feel his desire for her and pressed himself into her back. Turning her in his arms, he looked into her mutually lust-filled eyes and saw himself reflected there. He saw himself in this young girl who was so unsure of what everyone thought of her, not truly realizing the beauty that lied within, and unwilling to believe that she was something more than just "Willow". They had so much in common and could be so much to each other, and he planned on being there for her every minute of the long road they had ahead. When their lips finally met, and their tongues tangled together, Angel realized she was what he had been searching for over 80 years - salvation. This wisp of a girl, destroyed the demon's hold and brought him out of hell. Not stopping at that, she literally took him under her wing and gave him faith in himself to be a person again. Without her help, he would be nothing now. Yes, Whistler started the ball rolling, but without Willow…he could not even finish the thought. He would die to protect her. He would be damned again if he did not.

Willow could feel the emotions rolling off of Angel as they stood there and wondered about this new sensitivity she was feeling with regard to the vampire's emotions. She knew her burgeoning powers probably could be attributed to it, but her logical mind shut down once she felt his desire - both the physical and emotional manifestation of it pressing into her back. Once she felt his lips on her neck she was lost in the sensation, unwilling and unable to stop. She realized this is what she had wanted, this is right. Ripping each others clothes off right now was not a good idea, but what would come later down the road was another matter. The hacker decided she would take what she wanted. Consequences be damned was her last coherent thought as Angel turned her in his arms and his lips moved down to hers.

When they broke the kiss, both felt a completeness settle over them. Without another word they moved off the rooftop and back to their room. Once there, they snuggled back into bed for another few hours of shut eye. Both feeling the desire, but both realizing that now was not the right time. <We got a lot of ground to cover today sightseeing, and I am not letting him get out of it!> Willow thought as she drifted off to sleep.

The situation was worse then he could have imagined, Matthew realized, as he awoke to find himself in a room with a table and two chairs. He had trusted the wrong person, and it was going to cost him his life. Blindly charging into the situation and not letting even Kaelin know what he was up to, left only one alternative. The Watcher knew the day would come that his responsibilities could cost him his life, but he had hoped to go out in a bigger blaze of glory than this. Matthew did not hesitate as he swallowed the cyanide. They would get nothing from him. His last prayer was for the unsuspecting couple in New York.

Part 7

Kaelin was concerned. It was early afternoon and she had yet to hear from Matthew. They had made arrangements to speak before his meeting with the Council so that she could give him a progress report on what her "mole" had found out from the local sources.

The Watcher's Council believed that the first wave of the cult involved in the prophecy would take residence first in the New York City area. Kaelin knew of someone who could infiltrate the cult and try to gain some information about what the cult was planning, at least for the short-term. Apparently they were making their base of operations in New York and not California, as everyone would have thought for the time-being.

As she paced the room, she thought back to what Ian had told her about the cult's activities and the team the cult was sending to Boston. When she heard about the group going to Boston, she was immediately frightened for Matthew and wanted to contact him, but he had not yet checked into his hotel room. She had left a message for him to call immediately upon arrival, but he never did. The witch was partly relieved when Ian told her that the cult members traveling to Boston were going to a meeting with a contact they had in the area. Unfortunately, Ian was not able to get a name or address for the meeting. He had been able to pick up small bits and pieces about the cult's activities, but not much else. She feared that if he pushed too hard, they would get suspicious and kill him.

Kaelin stopped pacing and looked at her lover. They had been together for a few years and had shared many good times, but she was never sure if what she felt for him was love or lust. Ian was a wonderful companion: intelligent, funny, and quick to please. He was gorgeous and confident. Blond and blue eyed with a great body to match, he had been compared by many to Brad Pitt. He had put himself in jeopardy to help her, and she felt uneasy now about the situation. She was not leaving him here when she returned with Angelus and Willow to Ireland. He was going back with her. With many years of experience, she had learned to trust her instincts, and she felt he would be in danger if left on his own. The witch had a feeling he would not be able to break into the inner sanctum of the cult. He just did not have the power the cult was looking for.

"I'm sure Matthew is fine, Kae. Why don't you come back to bed?" Ian said from the bed. "I could take your mind off your worries," he added seductively, hoping to distract her from a situation she had no control over.

Kaelin turned to him and said, "I've a bad feeling about this. With your information about a group going to Boston and not hearing from Matthew, I'm getting more and more concerned. I've called the Council, and he's not yet arrived at their offices, and he never checked into his hotel last night. I'm at my wits end and almost ready to call Angelus to see if they heard from him."

At the mention of Angelus' name, Ian made a face and Kaelin laughed. "I can't believe at a time like this you're acting jealous, especially after we discussed this before."

"Well, you were engaged to him," Ian said and then added, "Do you have any feelings for him?" Ian stopped Kaelin as she began to answer, "Let me finish. Do you have any feelings for him after seeing him again, and I don't mean only love. Are you planning on sleeping with him?"

Kaelin thought about how she would answer this. Her relationship with Ian was not a monogamous one. Both of them had their little flings here and there, but they never spoke about them or attempted to rationalize them to one another. Their relationship had been built initially on mutual attraction and then had grown, but no matter what had happened outside of their relationship, they were always just flings. The woman realized that Ian was concerned that any dalliance with Angelus would be more than just a fling. This was not the time to discuss their odd relationship, but he did need an answer.

Kaelin sat down on the bed next to Ian and looked into his eyes. "When I saw him I realized that I missed my old friend. As I told you, we had grown up together and shared everything. There was a lot of melancholy over what might have been, but I do not love him anymore like that." Kaelin saw Ian relax only slightly, as he knew there was more coming. "But I still find him extremely attractive and given the opportunity, I'd sleep with him. I know that's probably not what you wanted to hear, but you wanted the truth. We both avoid talking about it, but we both have strayed before and we will again. That's just the nature of our relationship, and we both accept that."

Ian was thoughtful before speaking. "Thanks for the truth. What I don't understand though is why you set the two of them up in New York with every intention of getting them together, if you plan on sleeping with him? Not everyone has our kind of 'open' relationship."

Kaelin laughed, the conversation taking her mind from her worries of Matthew. "Oh, I want Willow and Angel together because I think they deserve better than they had before. They are perfect for each other and can make the other happy." Then smiling slyly, Kaelin added, "It's not his love I want, and if my spells work and both their inhibitions are lowered, then you might find yourself with a nice distraction yourself. I know your weakness for redheads, and she is quite the spitfire."

"You are incorrigible, Kae, but that is why I love you." Ian said pulling her down on the bed. Kaelin succumbed to his advances, Matthew's disappearance forgotten for the time being.

Part 8

After trying the Watcher's Council and the hotel again, Kaelin decided to take matters into her own hands and contact Giles. She was frustrated at her helplessness, but there was nothing she could do. Matthew did not mention who he was meeting with at the Council, so she was left without a contact. Her contacts with the Council previously had been Matthew and some people in London, whom she did not know well enough to trust right now. Although she did not know Giles either, for that matter, she knew he cared about Willow's welfare and that was paramount at this point. Decision made, she picked up the phone and made the call.

“Giles, it's Kaelin. We have a problem and I need your help.”

“We've checked his luggage and planner but found nothing about the girl. I had Joe check, and it seems Matthew connected through Newark and was traveling with a woman named Kaelin O'Donnell. Unfortunately, we don't know what she looked like or where she went either. One thing is for sure, she didn't come here with him.” The man known as John paused, waiting for some sign from his companion. It was obvious who was in charge, and as John waited for further instructions, he fiddled nervously with his hands. To displease the man before him was suicide. A member of their group had already been eliminated because Matthew died before any information could be extracted.

The man practically sighed in relief as his boss slowly smiled. “You've done well, John. Find out from David the name of our contact in Newark Airport Security. Have them get us a still picture of Matthew and his companions from the video surveillance camera and get them out to the group in New York. We need to find the girl soon, before she receives any training. I expect your report by the end of the day.” Effectively dismissing the underling, the man picked up the phone. “Get me Jameson at the Council.”

When Buffy, Faith and Xander walked into the library, they found Giles deep in thought with his head in his hands and his eyeglasses tossed haphazardly on the desk.

“I'm not getting good vibes, Giles,” Buffy said, pulling the Watcher out of his thoughts.

“Umm…well…Matthew's gone missing,” the Watcher said as he picked up his glasses and started cleaning them. “Apparently Kaelin was to have reported in with him, but he didn't check into his hotel and wasn't at his meeting either.”

“G-man, you're making no sense. How could Kaelin not know where Matthew is? And what do you mean he didn't check into his hotel? Weren't they traveling together?” Xander sputtered, getting more nervous as he thought out the situation.

“Giles, there are things you aren't telling us. Why wasn't Matthew with Kaelin, Willow and Angel? Aren't they in Ireland?” Buffy demanded. She knew Willow shouldn't have gone with Kaelin and Matthew.

“I can't tell you where they are, but apparently the group split up for business reasons before traveling on to Ireland,” Giles told the teens cryptically.

“God, Giles, you're sounding like Angel. Just give us the story already,” Buffy said, and then realizing what her watcher said, questioned him more. “When you say split up, what do you mean?” The slayer was getting a picture of Kaelin manipulating Angel away from Willow, her friend left on her own, while the witch seduced her boyfriend.

Giles took off his glasses again and began cleaning them. “It seems that Kaelin needed to conduct some business in conjunction with the prophecy before leaving, so she left Willow and Angel together. She plans on contacting them today and letting them know what's going on once I get some information from my contact.”

Xander couldn't stand it any longer. “Is this some sick Hellmouth joke? The Watcher disappears, Kaelin splits, and they leave Willow with a demon to protect her. Am I the only one seeing a possible problem here?” Xander said as he looked at the group.

“I don't know Xand. I wouldn't mind being locked away with the big, bad wolf all to myself. All I can say is ‘Way to go Willow!' Nothing like making a bad situation good,” Faith answered the teenager's question and found herself at the receiving end of everyone's glares.

“And what are you implying, Faith?” Buffy huffed.

Faith started to answer her fellow slayer. “Just that if I were in Willow's shoes…,”

Giles interrupted, hoping to avoid an all out battle of slayers, “But you're not, nor will you be.” Looking at Buffy and Xander, “Don't you two have to get back to class?” The two scampered out of the library quickly, realizing that Giles was not in a good mood and not to be trifled with. Momentarily forgetting Faith, he turned to go into his office when he realized she was still there. “And what are doing here now anyway, besides causing trouble?” Without a backward glance or waiting for her answer, he headed back into his office and closed the door.

Totally oblivious to the trouble brewing, Willow and Angel were out on the town and having fun. After sleeping for a few hours, the two headed out for a full day of sightseeing. Actually, Willow slept while Angel planned the day's events, trying to include things that would keep them out in the sunshine as much as possible.

Willow was having a great time. They started out at the Empire State Building and then went downtown to the World Trade Center. From there, they spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon strolling around Little Italy and Chinatown. Lunch was spent at an outdoor café with only Willow eating, and Angel drinking cappuccino. The witch was having a wonderful time. Her companion was happy and talkative; he was like a new man and seemed to flourish in the sunshine. The vampire did not brood once, and actually pouted a little when they had to go inside. Willow knew that he wanted to be in the sunshine as much as possible, and they stayed on the observation decks of both buildings longer than most visitors.

As the sunshine faded and the weather turned towards rain, the couple decided to take a taxi to the Metropolitan Museum of Art uptown. They had planned a short visit, followed by a quick stop at the hotel for blood and then dinner for Willow. They planned to finish the evening off with a Broadway play.

The two were unstoppable and totally oblivious to the danger that could easily blindside them at any minute.

“Matthew told me that Kaelin was planning on visiting relatives in Jersey, but he never gave a name or location,” Jameson said into the phone.

The traitorous watcher's eyes narrowed as he listened to what the man on the other end of the phone said before he replied. “No, I don't know the name or have the description of the girl. Matthew was very secretive with this information even to me. He'd called an emergency meeting here this afternoon on the basis that he had some information regarding the prophecy and the cult.”

Jameson tensed as the man asked him another question and fought his impatience before answering. “Since he died before telling you anything, what makes you think that I know anything else? The only thing Matthew and I discussed was the traitor in the Council and the information that I had that could help him prove the person guilty. He never suspected me, which was pivotal in you capturing him in the first place.”

Jameson remained stoic as he spoke to the unknown caller on the phone. The person he was speaking to was the right-hand man of the Master himself. Any impudence, even implied could be lethal. “No, I don't think he passed any information about the cult on to anyone in the Council before you picked him up. I don't think he had that information yet. I think Kaelin was gathering something from her family and was going to pass it on to him before the meeting.” Jameson was fast losing patience, but dared not let it show in his voice.

“Listen, I knew Matthew better than you did, plus I spoke to the receptionist about any incoming calls today. She said that a woman had called a number of times looking for Matthew. She couldn't help her, but unfortunately, the woman did not leave a message or a number. I guarantee it was Kaelin. If we find her, we find the girl and get the information someone may have passed on to her.” Jameson realized his error in telling the man on the phone 'what he should be doing'. He almost sighed his relief when the man continued speaking, not calling the watcher on his impudence.

“I know there's a lot at stake here. I stand to lose everything if this doesn't work out, but I will gain a lot more if it does work. I won't let anything stand in my way.” The traitorous watcher hung up the phone hoping that he was not next on the expendable list.

Giles hung up the phone after his talk with the watcher in Boston and allowed himself a moment of grief. The body of an unknown man matching Matthew's description had been picked up by police hours before. Although an official autopsy had yet to be performed, it was believed that the man died from cyanide poisoning. It was the cause of death that confirmed to the watcher that it was indeed Matthew.

Giles knew Matthew had carried the poison in case of capture. When Matthew had first come to Sunnydale, the watcher had many questions for Giles about Buffy's activities and his capture and torture by Angelus. Matthew questioned Giles as to why he did not carry a poison in the event of capture and especially now after the Acathla incident. He confided to the librarian that he knew he could not hold out like Giles did, and with all that was happening with Willow, Matthew decided that it would be in everyone's best interest in case of emergency.

Lost in his thoughts, Giles did not hear Buffy and Xander come in. He did not register their presence until Xander finally spoke.

“I assume they found Matthew and it's not good.”

“No, Xander, it's not good,” Giles said, replacing his glasses on his nose and proceeding to tell the two the bad news.

“What happens now, Giles?” Buffy asked. “Do Angel and Willow come home?”

“I have to contact Kaelin and break the news to her about Matthew. Now, more than ever, it's important for them to avoid coming back here. I have no idea where they'll go now, but Sunnydale's too dangerous.” Turning to the phone, he said, “If you'd excuse me, I would like to talk to her privately.”

Broaching no argument, the two teens left the library, hopeful that both Angel and Willow were OK.

It was close to midnight when Giles finally called. It had been a long day and night of waiting, but the call confirmed what Kaelin knew to be true - Matthew was dead because the cult had gotten to him.

She and Ian had spent part of the day planning their next move. All their original plans would have to be scrapped, and the four of them needed to be on the move as soon as possible. The witch had a couple of calls to make, and then she would contact Willow and Angel. Kaelin could only assume that since Matthew took the poison, he did not divulge any information about Willow, Angel or herself, but they could not be sure. The quicker they were on the move, the better - Ireland was totally out of the question.

Willow could not believe what a great day she had. Angel was a wonderful companion. They held hands, and kissed, and acted like a couple of lovers on vacation in New York. The reality of why they were there was something she was not going to think about. She was going to enjoy the time they had before they settled down to the business of saving the world.

When they finally got back to their hotel, it was close to midnight. The play was long but wonderful, and they stopped for dessert and coffee in the lobby. As they rode up the elevator, Willow wondered what would happen when they got to their room. What had happened on the roof that morning seemed like years ago and the kissing and cuddling during the day just strengthened their budding attraction to each other. Willow smiled as she thought about what had happened earlier in the day when they had come back from the roof. Angel did not push, but the kisses were passionate and desires had run high for both of them. Although they both pushed their desires down, Willow knew that she was hoping for something more tonight and hoped that Angel felt the same. These feelings of desire were new for the hacker, and although she was excited about what might happen, she was feeling some trepidation.

Moving over to her suitcase to pull out her pajamas, her questions were answered when the vampire came behind her and whispered in her ear, “Do you really need them?”

Chapter 9

As soon as Angel uttered the words, he felt the redhead's body stiffen. He knew he should be sorry that he made her nervous, but her fear was exciting him even more. This was his dark side, the one she needed to know about and face head on before they went any further.

"Shush, Little One," he whispered in her ear. "Relax. I can smell your fear, and it's arousing me even more."

Willow gasped, taken completely unaware and as her mind processed what he said, a wave of nervousness washed over her. She could feel his arms wrap around her waist and his hands slip under her shirt. Angel started to kiss and lick her neck, all the while rubbing small circles with his hand on her stomach. The circles started to get larger and his hand was moving up.

"Angel?" she whispered, both in fear and in question of where this was going. Willow wanted Angel, of that she was sure, but he was scaring her with his actions. She knew she was being irrational. He would never hurt her, but suddenly she was questioning her sanity. He wasn't acting his normal, gentle self and this was disquieting to her.

"Your fear is increasing, Willow. I can smell it," he continued to whisper in her ear and bit the lobe. "I can hear your heart pounding in your chest. Are you afraid of me?" the vampire asked seductively.

"N-n-no…not really...yes," the young innocent finally blurted out. "I know instinctively that you won't hurt me, but you're scaring me nonetheless."

"Good. I wanted to. It really turns me on," the vampire purred, as he continued to nip at her neck. Willow felt his fangs at this point, squealed and jumped forward, but he held her steady.

"Trust me, Willow. I'll never hurt you," Angel said, and turned the hacker around in his arms to face him. Pushing down the lust and looking into her eyes, he continued, "But we do need to talk, before we go any further."

"I'll not sugarcoat this relationship. I've done it before, and it got out of hand. I tried to deny who I was and what I am, and instead people got hurt," the vampire told her honestly.

"Buffy," Willow said to the vampire and felt a pang of jealousy when she said the name.

Angel had let her go and began pacing the room. "Yes. I tried to be normal...human…so did she for that matter. We denied our true natures and the result was disastrous. If you and I are to have a relationship, I need to know that you fully understand what it's like to be with a vampire. There's a dark side to me, Willow, a very dark side, that I need to know you understand and are willing to accept."

Willow was shocked. This was not what she expected . <What'd I expect exactly anyway? Angel's a 242-year-old vampire who's lived a very 'full' unlife, that included lots of women.> "I read the Watcher's Journals, and I know what you did before you got your soul from the gypsies."

The vampire stopped and looked at the young girl before him. He wanted her, cared for her and one day could very easily love her. Her friendship was unconditional, her acceptance given freely, and he so enjoyed her companionship, but reading and experiencing were two different things. The innocent girl before him had no idea the depths of his darkness, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt her.

"Do you know what it's like to make love to a vampire, Willow?" Angel asked bluntly, circling the redhead, all the while raking his eyes over her body lustily like the predator he was.

Willow was initially scared but was getting angrier by minute. Angel was testing her boundaries by trying to frighten her and trying to scare her out of a relationship with him. <Does he not want me now?> The hacker was furious that he had led her on. Did she read more into what happened today?

Putting on her resolve face, the young witch decided she wasn't going to let him push her around. "I've read the demonology books. I understand that there could be biting, and..."

Angel laughed and didn't let her finish. "Could be biting? Hmm. What do you think, Willow? Do you think I bite?" As he said that, his eyes turned yellow and the ridges on his face formed. "Do you think you could handle these buried in your neck?" The stalking vampire moved closer to Willow and pulled her petite form against his body and lightly scrapped the skin covering her pulse point.

The hacker wanted to cry but refused to give him the satisfaction at this point. "I could handle anything. Apparently more than anyone else…more than Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer extraordinaire." Willow pulled away from the vampire and continued, "I was hurt and continued the spell to restore your soul. I went to Hell and pulled your sorry ass out of it. I dealt with being captured by a drunken vampire who wanted me to do a love spell and...and...I dealt with Cordelia my entire life. How can you ask me if I could handle your fangs in my neck when I've dealt with your hands wrapped around my throat?"

Angel morphed back into his human face and was about to speak when Willow continued. "I'm not done," the hacker threatened, shaking her finger at the vampire. "If you don't want me, fine. Just tell me. You don't have to scare me in to not wanting you. I understand more than you realize...you finally came to your senses and figured out that I was not Buffy, but plain old Willow Rosenberg, the good bud."

Angel was flabbergasted at her speech. She really thought he did not want her. "Willow, I think you got it wrong. I...," he was going to continue, but Willow interrupted him.

"I didn't get it wrong. I know you never did this to Buffy," Willow said as she touched the scratches on her neck. "She would've told me. Don't be a coward and just tell me that you don't want me. You don't have to try to frighten me away."

At being called a coward, Angel growled. "I'm not a coward; I'm just trying to be frank about what'll happen. Will you sit down and let me explain?" Willow grudgingly nodded her consent. The vampire took an unneeded breath and realized that the diminutive girl in front of him had taken him from offense to defense without batting an eye.

The vampire wanted to make sure Willow understood the importance of this conversation and made sure he had her undivided attention before starting. "Contrary to what you believe, I don't want to scare you away. I want you in my life, but I refuse to deny my true nature. I've tried to do that for far too long. This relationship will be built on honesty and acceptance, but Willow, no matter what you read in books, it cannot totally prepare you for vampire intimacy - biting, scratching and not to mention our deviant sexual tendencies. We live a long time, and our tastes tend to the extreme. You name it, I've done it, and although we like to do 'it' the old-fashioned way, there are many variations that most humans don't partake in. Because of the way our passions run, there was no way that Buffy and I could've ever truly be intimate…vampire slayers don't take kindly to neck bites, even from their vampire lovers," the dark vampire told the enraptured witch. Looking into her eyes and moving seductively tow ards her, he continued his explanation. "I want you, Willow. I want to taste you in all ways possible and that includes your blood. I want to share with you my experience…teach you the joys of pleasure…and pain. You're a virgin, an innocent, and there's a part of me that wants to defile your body, make you scream my name in passion, and succumb to my possession of your body as I mark you with my bite. No matter how I loathe my dark tendencies, they're there and won't go away. The other side of me, the 'good side', wants to protect you, hold you, caress you and make gentle love to you." As he spoke the words, he directed the redhead towards the bed and pushed her down onto her back. The words alone were arousing him, and although he wanted to possess her now, he fought his desires. Angel could smell her arousal also, and it fueled him more. With his body looming over hers, he continued in a husky voice.

"At times, it could be gentle or it could be rough, but mostly it'll be a mix of the two. I'd never make you do anything you were uncomfortable with or even hurt you. I love being with you, as a person, as a companion and a friend. Please share my bed as my lover. Let me indoctrinate you to the ways of sexual pleasure - you will not regret it, my beautiful witch," the vampire looked into Willow's eyes for some acceptance or refusal.

Willow was flabbergasted to say the least. She wanted him - there was no doubt - she was aroused by his kisses alone. Sharing intimacy with the vampire was a little scary, but what he promised was thrilling, also. As the young innocent felt the vampire's erection press into her, her virginal fear rose, but she quickly squelched it. Her decision was easy and conveyed her want to him with her eyes. The vampire shifted off of her and rubbed the exposed flesh of her stomach. As he looked into her eyes, he could tell she wanted to say something.

The hacker was not shocked by what he told her. Willow had read all of Giles' book on demonology and their mating habits, and although she was a little embarrassed about some of them, she was not surprised. When the young witch was kidnapped by Spike, he told her many of the horrible things that Angel did when he was without his soul. Spike despised Angel and was more than happy to try to turn any of the dark vampire's friends against him. The blond vampire hated Angelus and frankly, Willow did not blame Spike. She had seen first hand the monster Angelus was, but she could separate the two. Spike could not, but then again, would she be able to forgive Angel if he had made her a vampire when he was without a soul? But what about the horrible and hurtful things Angelus said to Buffy?

"What's wrong, Willow?" the vampire asked. Angel could practically see the wheels turning in Willow's head.

"When you lost your soul, did 'Angelus' tell Buffy she was bad in bed just to hurt her or did 'Angel' mean them?" the hacker asked bluntly, stressing the distinction of the names.

Angel groaned and rolled over on his back. He had hoped Willow wasn't going to bring up Buffy, especially now. He wanted to tell her about himself, about vampires, not the inadequacies of his and Buffy's lovemaking, but he did ask her what was wrong, and this was about allaying any fears she might have.

"Hurting her was a bonus, but…," Angel stopped, wondering how to explain it all.

"Tell me the truth, Angel," Willow interrupted, thinking the vampire was trying to evade the question with his hesitation. "I won't judge you."

"Yes, I meant it. And yes it had to do with not biting her, but it also had to do with the way Buffy reacted to the 'situation'." Angel stared at the ceiling as he tried to compose his thoughts - purposely not looking at the hacker. < How do I tell her Buffy was the ice queen without her thinking less of me?> "I have had a lot of experience with women, a lot of which I am not proud of, both with virgins and the experienced, and I could tell that when we made love Buffy was neither accepting nor trusting of me."

"Why did you lose your soul then?" Willow asked.

"Because I felt like a normal man again. For a moment I forgot I was a vampire and all my sins…I was a regular guy with his girlfriend, making love. It was that second of pure happiness…no guilt attached, that removed the curse," Angel explained, still staring at the ceiling. The vampire refused to look at Willow - he did not want to see Willow's growing distrust of him.

"Buffy and I never had this conversation. As you probably know, she never knew any of the things I did as Angelus, and I never wanted to tell her. I was afraid that if she knew, she wouldn't want me around...wouldn't trust me again. It was wrong, but I never fully trusted in her love to accept me unconditionally. In many ways, you have accepted me more than she ever could or should have. Vampires and Vampire Slayers don't date." He stopped and looked into Willow's eyes and said, "When Buffy and I made love it was all wrong. On the outside it seemed fine, but I could feel her apprehension and fear. Her very nature was screaming out - vampire, fight, slay, dust. I am sure she was able to ignore it when we together other times, but because of the intimacy we were sharing at that point, it was impossible to ignore. I'm sure she was responding to my own nature screaming - bite, drink, possess, slayer, kill." Angel was not surprised that Willow's eyes widened at that last statement. The hacker had seem ed nonplused at many of the things he had said but knew that last statement would frighten her.

The hacker was silent during his admission but finally spoke up. "I know she loved you with all her heart. I really don't understand."

"Our very instincts could not allow us to be together...to be totally happy. Would a Vampire Slayer let a vampire tie her up willingly for pleasure or even bite her? Her very nature would rebel against it, as my very nature wanted it. I wanted to mark her as mine, my bite on her neck, but would never be able to. I can deny a lot of my vampiric urges, but there are some things that I do not want to deny. As a human male, I wanted to claim her as mine...spilling my seed in her womb as a human, but the other side as a vampire I could not," Angel told her frankly.

"But she was distraught after you turned back into Angelus. She was only upset about what you said, not about what happened before that. She never said that she was frightened or upset during…you know, and I know she would've told me," Willow said, still confused about what had happened between her best friend and Angel. The redhead realized that she had to understand what happened and why, so that she could move ahead with Angel without any reservation or guilt. Knowing that the vampire and slayer could not be together would help her feeling less like second best.

"Believe me when I say that Buffy wasn't as happy as she believed. I could feel it in her body, Little One. Trust me when I say that I could feel her unease. She was fighting her instincts and so was I. If she steps back and takes a true look at this like I did, she'll realize that our relationship was very convenient. She never had to explain any of the 'weird' things she did and I could actually help her. I never had to explain why I couldn't meet her during the day or why I didn't eat regular food. Our relationship could be summed up as convenience with physical attraction. The problem was that the physical attraction could not override everything else. It wasn't enough to sustain a relationship when I got out of Hell, and it's there that I had the time to think this through," the vampire told Willow. He took her hand and looked into the witch's eyes. "What we have already is more than I ever had with Buffy. We're friends." He pulled the quiet girl into his arms and held her.

As they looked into each other's eyes their lips seemed to drift towards one another of their own accord. Their lips met briefly, gently, tenderly, and he pulled her even closer as her lips parted. He could feel her warm breath as her tongue lightly touched his lips. Angel was lost and pressed his lips firmly against hers, his arousal growing as his tongue caressed her lips and mouth. Willow pulled away to gasp for breath, throwing her head back offering her throat to the vampire. Accepting her offer, his lips gently grazed along her neck and as his lips parted, his tongue began to trace circles on her pulse point. Pressing his mouth firmly to her flesh, he began to suck gently and his fangs started to extend. Gently grazing her skin, tiny droplets of blood came to the surface, and he greedily lapped them up, sending bolts of desire through both their bodies. Her blood was sweet and intoxicating. He would only take a little now. Skilled hands moved down along her neck, shoulders and arms barely tou ching the flesh. They moved to her waist and slowly pushed her shirt up stopping just short of her breasts. He ran his fingers lightly over the exposed flesh of her abdomen, tracing along the waistband of her shorts.

Willow was lost in the sensations of his mouth on her neck and his hands on her body. Wherever his cold hands touched seemed to be on fire. Her body was tingling with new sensations, and the green-eyed witch found herself unable to stop the moans coming from her mouth. She gasped as she felt the cool room air on her stomach and realized that he had lifted up her shirt, his skilled hands and lips making her forget what was going on around her.

Opening her eyes, she met with his penetrating gaze. "Lift your hands over your head, Willow," the vampire's voice was barely above a whisper, his lips just grazing her ear as he spoke. Not able or willing to refuse, she did as he asked and in one quick movement, divested her shirt, leaving her only in her lacy bra. The hacker blushed as she saw his hungry gaze rest on her cotton-clad breasts. Nervousness welled up within the redhead as he captured her hands in his one and continued to hold them over her head submissively, as his other hand stroked down her arms and sides lightly, arousing her more. Languidly he made his way to the front of her bra and unclasped it, and unconsciously Willow found herself arching her chest at him, offering herself to him. Angel smiled as he looked at her flushed face and slowly moved each section of cotton away to expose her breasts to his view. He lightly cupped her right breast, teasing the nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Her nipples tightened into little r eds buds from his touch. Licking his lips, he took her nipple into his mouth, swirling it, tracing the aureole with his tongue, slowly biting the nipple. Feeling his fangs graze her breasts, Willow could only moan out her need as the vampire began to suckle the little bit of blood he brought forth from her breast. The young girl was beside herself with unknown need, and her hips arched into the vampire's growing arousal. She could not help herself as she ground her hips against him instinctively, trying to ease her want.

Between the blood and Willow's grinding, Angel could barely control himself from ripping her shorts off and taking her right there. He needed to prolong the pleasure, but he so loved to play and tease too.

Pulling away from her breast, he trailed kisses back to her ear. "Did you like that, Willow?" he asked huskily, as he rolled her nipple between his fingers, never stopping his assault.

Willow was lost in the sensations he was invoking and could only moan an answer.

The experienced vampire was satisfied with her lack of speech and spoke again. "Did you let Oz touch you, Willow? Did he see your beautiful breasts or kiss them?"

"No," was all Willow could manage.

"No, he did not touch you, or no, he did not kiss you?" the vampire whispered in her ear, before biting her lobe lightly.

"No… kisses…only," the redhead managed to get out between her pants of pleasure.

Getting more aroused and playful, Angel asked. "Did you ever touch him?"

"Yes," the hacker said, her mind not really on his questions. "Please…more…kisses…now," she gasped and he complied happily.

"Show me how you touched him," he said as he took her nipple into his mouth.

Willow was beside herself with need. All self-consciousness was gone, and all her mind and body knew was this gnawing need she could not explain. Her mind barely registered his words, and when he released her hands, she was still lost in the sensations he was inflicting.

The young redhead was shocked out of her reverie when the sexy vampire said, "Touch me, Willow. Touch me like you touched Oz."

Willow's eyes flew open and stared into the fathomless depths of the vampire's. <What was he talking about, touching Oz? Oz and I never did anything more than kiss really. Oh goddess, what did I say in the throes of passion?!? Oh goddess, they were right about agreeing to anything then. What else did I say?> The girl's head was spinning with the possible consequences when the very aroused vampire took her hands in his and started guiding them down his chest. Willow was getting more nervous and realized that Angel knew this also, and his eyes flashed yellow before going brown again.

He stopped the movement of her hands at his waist and repeated his entreaty again. "Touch me."

Not sure what she should do or what he actually wanted, the young girl moved her hands slowly down the front of his jeans, stopping when she felt his arousal. <Oh goddess, now what happens?> Her virginal fear was kicking in. "I don't...," Willow started to explain her inexperience, but Angel's hand directed her to a rhythm, then he removed his hand and let her take over. The young witch was nervous and looked up at the enraptured vampire - his head was thrown back, eyes closed and neck bared submissively. Seeing the power she had over the powerful vampire with just this touching, she suddenly wanted to see him squirm more - send him over the edge. Starting with the exposed neck, she started to kiss and nip, making the vampire moan and thrust his hips unconsciously into her hand. Why she decided to bite his neck, she could not say, but when she did, the earsplitting wail that he let out was music to her ears, and she realized that she did something right.

The vampire was in a tailspin. He was not prepared for the bite when it came and could not stop the scream he let out. He hoped that it did not put off Willow because he wanted more and now!

Reaching down and undoing his pants, the vampire directed Willow's hand onto his unclothed erection. He wanted more touch than what the pants were allowing. Actually, he wanted much more but was willing to go slowly at this point.

Meanwhile, the young girl was lost in the power play of emotions and stroked his erection. Not stopping her movements, she moved her face closer to his arousal for a better look. The vampire started to moan even louder in anticipation of her mouth touching his erection. Willow blushed and realized what he wanted, and her lips touched the head of his penis just as the phone began to ring.

The vampire was lost in the world of pleasure, and the hacker was the cause. When her head moved downwards, he actually thought he was going to explode. When her lips touched the head of his erection, he felt like a teenager trying to keep control and not the experienced 242-year-old vampire. When the phone rang, he did what any rational man would do...he threw it off the end table, dislodging the handset. Unfortunately, the ringing was enough to break the mood, not to mention his violent reaction, and Willow sat straight up.

"What if that was important?" the innocent girl asked, totally oblivious to the fact that the vampire could care less who was on the phone at that point.

"No one knows we're here - who would call?" the vampire asked, trying to pull her back down on the bed next to him. <It will take a lot to get us back to where we left off.>

"What if it was Giles...or Kaelin...or Matthew?" Willow said, shrugging off his attentions.

A voice caught Angel's attention, and he realized that the caller was still connected and that it was Kaelin. <Damn her and her timing!>

Willow was puzzled when the now-disgruntled vampire slipped out of bed and headed toward the phone. Because she did not have his enhanced hearing, she did not hear Kaelin calling out their names, trying to get their attention.

Angel picked up the phone and growled, "It better be good and make it quick."

"From the sound of what was going on, 'you' better make it quick," the older witch said and then snickered. "We have a problem and a big one. I'll explain when we pick you both up - pack up and check out. I'll call when I get there...stay in the room until we arrive. It's fight or flight and I'm choosing flight," Kaelin said and hung up, not waiting for an answer.

As she hung up the phone, she looked at Ian and said, "He did tell me to make it quick."

Part 10

Willow did not have any idea what was going on. In an instant Angel had moved from the bed onto the floor and was talking into the phone. She hadn't heard, but his vampiric hearing must have picked up the voice for he knew who was on the other end when he spoke. The conversation was short, quick, and terse and the fact that the vampire was sitting there staring at the wall was unnerving her. The redhead would swear she could see the gears turning in his head as he replayed the conversation and scenarios out. That was all well and good, but he still hadn't said anything, and Willow was done waiting. "What's going on, Angel?"

Pulling him from his thoughts, he turned to the topless redhead on the bed and a smile slid over his face. He couldn't help it. The young girl in front of him could bring a smile to his face without her even realizing, even in the most trying of circumstances. The vampire knew she was so worried that she forgot about her partial nudity and would literally want to die from embarrassment when she finally realized. No matter how dire the situation was, considering Kaelin's attitude on the phone, just being with Willow seemed to make everything just a little better.

Moving back to the bed, he took the girl into his arms and held her close. "I really don't know, Little One," he told her honestly.

"Well who was it and what did they say?" Willow was losing her patience with the cryptic routine.

Angel snickered realizing his faux pas. "I'm sorry for being cryptic, but I am still digesting this myself. The call was from Kaelin and the only thing thing she told me was for us to be ready to leave immediately. She wants us to wait in the room until she arrives. Something has happened that she didn't go into, but apparently we are taking flight. Whatever happened spooked her, and you already know that not much spooks Kaelin," the vampire said gravely.

Willow's mind was working overtime. "Do you think something happened to Buffy…or maybe Xander…oh goddess, I hope not Giles. But how would Kaelin know if something happened to Giles? Buffy and Xander don't know where we are to let Kaelin know about Giles," the redhead stammered, mind and mouth totally out of control.

Angel knew how much she cared for her friends and pulled her into a strong, comforting hug. "I don't think it was anyone in Sunnydale. If it was, we wouldn't be on the run now," the vampire volunteered.

The young girl settled into his strong arms seeking the security he wanted to give. She did feel safe with his arms around her, and his words allayed her fears. As she thought the situation through, she knew he was right. Whatever unnerved Kaelin was something that happened here and not in California.

She lifted her head and looked into Angel's eyes, expressing her gratitude for his comfort and brought her lips to his in a tender kiss. The vampire responded immediately and deepened the kiss that stoked his unfulfilled desire. He moved his hands up to her naked breasts and began to fondle them. Angel was a little surprised when she pulled away, and slightly worried that she was having second thoughts about an intimate relationship with him.

His fears were quelled when she said, "Oh goddess! I forgot I had no shirt on and I was here…talking to you…like…some wanton woman…," the young girl would have continued if Angel did not pull her into another kiss.

"I like that…Wanton Willow," the vampire chuckled, getting an angry glare from Willow. "As much as I want to continue where we left off, we do have to pack up and get ready,." Angel said as he placed the witch on her feet.

Willow put her shirt on still feeling embarrassed but definitely aroused. As she started to put her things back into her bag, she felt Angel's stare. She turned around and looked at him, knowing that he wanted to tell her something but was hesitant how to approach it. Of course, she immediately thought the worst.

"Willow," the vampire started speaking, "you aren't having second thoughts about us, are you?" The worry and sadness were evident in his eyes.

The young girl's heart went out to the vampire. <I need to remember that no matter how strong he is, he's still as emotionally insecure as I am. He needs someone he can love and trust.> "No. Definitely not," the witch said, and getting braver added, "I'm still Wanton Willow and I'm definitely 'wanting' you."

Laughing, Angel replied, "Good 'cause I plan to pick up where we left off as soon as possible." Feeling reassured and encouraged by her levity, he took her lead and started getting his stuff packed. They needed to be ready when Kaelin called.

* * * * "I don't think this was such a good idea, Buff," Xander whispered to Buffy as they hid down the hall from the library, waiting for the librarian to leave for home. "He's never going to leave their number lying around for anyone to find."

"Sshh!" the slayer admonished him. "It's a miracle your stomach growling didn't alert him already! Besides, I think he's leaving now. We can just slip in and look around quickly. If there's nothing around after a quick search, we can go to the Bronze and grab something to eat. Sound like a plan?" the slayer asked, trying to appease her friend. Although she would have preferred to do this by herself, it was originally his idea, and there was no putting him off once the plan had been set.

As the two stood in the dark silence they could hear Giles' shoes on the linoleum walking away from the library. After what she thought was an appropriate amount of time, Buffy stuck her head out of their hiding spot, checking to make sure the coast was clear. Seeing that it was, she motioned for Xander to follow her, and the two friends made their way into the library.

Xander immediately looked out the window and checked to see if Giles' car was still in the parking lot. "The coast is clear. The 'car' is gone," the young boy said to the slayer, emphasizing his sarcasm of said vehicle but soon realized he was talking to thin air. His friend had already moved into Giles' office and was looking through the stuff on his desk.

Buffy was trying not to make a mess out of the collection of books and papers that were scattered over her watcher's desk. She didn't want to move anything too much and alert the watcher to the search, plus she didn't want to bury the number if it was just quickly written on a piece of paper. Getting quickly disgusted with the search, the blond was about to delve deeper and break into the watcher's desk when Xander found the paper.

"Where was it?" the annoyed slayer asked. <Maybe it was a good thing I brought him.>

"I planned on checking the garbage can, but I saw it on the floor," he replied, smug with the discovery.

The slayer was impatient and wanted to make the call. She kept telling herself that she wanted to make sure her friends were OK, but in reality, she wanted to know what Angel was up to. No matter how she tried, she could not let go. "Give it to me," she demanded of Xander and for a moment he almost balked, but decided she could beat it out of him if she needed to. Why bother fighting?

The slayer took the paper from her friend and looked at it puzzled. "How do you know this is the number, Xand?"

Although it was pretty obvious to Xander, he realized that Buffy was not exactly thinking clearly right now. Then again, her talent is in fighting, not researching or problem solving. "Well, the area code is New Jersey, and I figure that's where they went - the plane did land in Newark. I bet if we call the number we'll get a hotel, and I am assuming the number 220 is the room number," Xander explained patiently. "I'm not sure whose room number that is though. It may be Kaelin's room instead of Willow or Angel's."

"I don't care who I get now. I want to know what's going on, and this is the only way we get straight answers," the slayer said, justifying her actions to her friend as she dialed the number on the paper. "What time is it there anyway?" she asked her friend. Since he knew the area code was New Jersey, maybe he knew the time difference too.

Shocked at her lack of knowledge, he answered, "Three hours ahead of us, so that makes it 23:30 hours there," the boy answered, unconsciously using the military training he absorbed that Halloween a couple of years ago.

Lost in her own need for information, she never considered why the young boy at her side knew New Jersey's area code or time difference. Nodding her head in thanks, she listened intently to the person who answered the phone. "Can I please have room 220," she asked politely and then was connected. She covered the mouthpiece and quickly told Xander it was indeed a hotel.

Kaelin and Ian were just about to leave the room when the phone began to ring. With their suitcases in their hands, they stopped and looked at each other, trying to decide to answer it or let it go. "Maybe I should get it," Kaelin said to Ian. "It could be Giles with more information," the witch said as she put her bags down and moved to answer the phone.

Meanwhile in Sunnydale, Buffy was getting nervous and began questioning the sanity of what she was doing. If Giles found out what she did, he would be very angry, not to mention Angel or Willow's reaction to her calling. Frankly she did not care what Kaelin thought at this point. The phone had rung three times and the slayer was just about to hang up when it was answered. Lost in her thoughts, she did not immediately register the feminine voice that answered the phone. Once she realized she had Kaelin's room her blood started to boil. All the anger she felt towards the woman when she was there in Sunnydale came to the surface again.

"What's going on?" the blond slayer barked into the phone, not even bothering with pleasantries. "Where's Willow and Angel? We don't have much information and we are worried, especially after what happened to Matthew."

Kaelin's face was flushed with anger at the call. <I should have just let it go! I don't have time to waste with this foolishness.> "Buffy, I don't have time to answer your childish questions. I don't know how you got this number, but we have to get out of here and quick. Willow and Angel are fine," she answered curtly. <I know you mean where is Angel, and is he with me.> "I'll have 'Willow' call you when we finally get settled, which should be in a few days time. I know you're worried about 'her' safety," she added with sarcasm.

Ian was getting impatient and realized that this was the slayer that Kaelin had told him about - Angel's ex. They did not have time to dally and said as much to Kaelin. They could not afford to waste time on a young girl's foolishness…too much rested on their success or failure. "Kae, we have to go. NOW!" he practically shouted into the mouthpiece. "Hang up on her if you have to," he added.

Buffy was incensed, and although she did not recognize the male voice, she immediately assumed it was Angel's. "Put Angel on the phone now!" the blond growled out. "I need to talk to him about what's going on."

"I can't put him on the phone since he's not here," Kaelin answered.

"Well, who was it I just heard then?" the slayer asked indignantly.

"Although it's none of your business, it was 'my' boyfriend in 'my' room," the older woman said, and with a touch of bitchiness added, "Willow and Angel have their own room separate from ours. I'll have 'Willow' call when we get settled," Kaelin said and hung up the phone.

"Bitch," was uttered simultaneously on both coasts as the two headstrong women hung up their phones. Their male companions could only nod their heads in agreement. Neither would dare contradict the women at their sides.

* * *

After making a general sweep of the room, Angel and Willow were both settled into chairs waiting for the call from Kaelin. The hacker pulled out her laptop and was busily typing into the computer. Angel meanwhile was lost in his thoughts as he watched the young girl type.

He couldn't believe the passion she invoked. He was completely lost in desire when he was with her, losing all sense of the world around him. It was taking every ounce of control he possessed not to try and seduce her now, although he knew that she would put up no complaints. Her reaction to his seduction was more than he could've wished for and expected. He realized she was innocent, yet she responded to him immediately, and this fueled his desires even more. The possibilities for sexual pleasure flooded his mind and was making him hard. He couldn't wait to get her alone when they finally were settled. <Oh God! I can't believe I'm thinking about seducing her when we're preparing to run for our lives now. What is this girl doing to me? I've got to get it together, because one mistake could cost us our lives.>

* * * As Kaelin moved to the reception desk to call Angel and Willow, Ian took a seat in the lobby to wait. He had the perfect vantage point from where he was sitting to get to good look at Angel and the young redhead, Willow. It was to their advantage that the lobby was busy and the group could just melt into the crowd.

Ian watched as Kaelin made the call and he took in her beauty. She had ranted and raved the entire ride about the blond bimbo in Sunnydale. Ian figured that Buffy was not exactly a blond bimbo. He knew that Kaelin respected her skills and cunning but was very upset with this childishness. The desire to meet the slayer was overwhelming and if all went well with Willow, he would get the chance. Anyone who could rile his Kaelin up that much was worth meeting.

The elevator doors opened and a couple holding hands stepped out. Immediately the man knew they were Angel and Willow. Kaelin had described them perfectly. Angel, he was told, was tall, dark and handsome. Dark perfectly described the vampire. His movements were lithe, like a big cat. His essence screamed predator - his aura, dark. Dressed in blue jeans, a shirt and motorcycle boots, he screamed dangerous and exciting. The women they passed waiting for the elevator gave testament to his allure as they turned and stared as he passed by.

The young girl at the vampire's side was the complete opposite. Her aura was bright and beautiful. Kaelin had said she was a striking redhead, but the description did her no justice. Her hair shone like copper, and her bright green eyes sparkled. She was dressed simply in cargo shorts that showed off her great legs, a tank top and sneakers. Her smile was infectious and came freely when she saw Kaelin, and the two witches immediately hugged affectionately.

Ian watched the interaction between the two but was especially watching the vampire's reaction to Kaelin. Although he smiled when he saw her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, he never left the redhead's side, except to checkout. Even there, the vampire's penetrating gaze never left the young girl, although she seemed unaware of his watchfulness. <Something definitely happened between the two.>

"It was good of you to finally join us," Kaelin said to Ian as he joined the group. Turning to Angel and Willow, she said, "I would like you to meet my boyfriend, Ian Harrigan."

Ian put his hand out to shake Angel's, and the vampire had to let go of Willow's to do so. The young girl had to practically fight her way around the vampire to do the same. Apparently Angel was very protective of the little redhead. The young man wondered what exactly had transpired between the two, and what they had discovered about themselves. Kaelin did not believe it was love, but looking at them now and thinking about the way they held onto to each other, he was not sure it was that long off. <Kaelin and I might just be disappointed that we will not get an opportunity for fun with our new playmates.> As he shook the girl's hand, he still noted some of her shyness even after the spells Kaelin had cast. Ian was absolutely charmed as the redhead blushed when he took her hand and smiled at her. He didn't realize young girls still blushed. Her innocence was apparent and Ian idly wondered exactly how far she and Angel had gone. The fair-haired man didn't realize he was still holding her hand, enchanted with her naivete and beauty, until he heard the low growl come from the vampire. <I guess I'm not the only one who's jealous here.>

Kaelin immediately jumped in to diffuse the situation and said, "Let's get out of here. I have so much to tell you, but we can talk in the car."

* * * * * Xander had gone ballistic when the slayer relayed the conversation to him about Willow and Angel sharing a room. The young boy did not trust the vampire and was adamant that Angel would eventually kill his best friend and that Kaelin would be too busy with her boyfriend to stop it. Xander planned on getting the information on where the four were staying once Willow contacted her and Giles. At first, Buffy was excited about getting the information too but realized that Giles would kill her if she just up and left Sunnydale again without a word to anyone. Giles was not stupid, and he would know something was up when he found out Xander was gone too. Besides, where would they get the money to fund such a trip? There would be no way in hell to get the Watcher's Council to fund it...not unless they could think of a good enough reason to go to Ireland, or wherever they are now going, to protect Willow.

The young girl still did not know what would come from her escapades that evening. Her watcher was sure to find out what happened from that bitch Kaelin, and Buffy was not looking forward to her watcher's wrath at her breaking and entering into his personal space. Even though she felt the end justified the means, she was beginning to feel guilty...no matter what she did, she always managed to hurt Giles in the name of her relationship with Angel. When would her watcher stop forgiving her?

Buffy dropped her head onto the table and starting banging it repeatedly and wondered what she had done in a previous life to deserve her present fate. She eventually calmed down, telling herself that Angel had to stay with Willow for protection. Leaving her alone in a room was bad and her friend and Angel would never...Willow wouldn't...Angel couldn't.... Unable to even finish the thought, the blond slayer's thoughts moved to the positive fact that Kaelin was not after Angel; she had her own boyfriend to screw and would be leaving the vampire alone.

Buffy was feeling better now, and she was sure that it also had something to do with the fact that Xander was off getting something to eat and finally leaving her alone. His ranting and raving was doing nothing for her own black mood, only making it worse until she reached the obvious conclusion to the whole Willow situation - Angel loved her and would only love her forever. The vampire was only helping Willow because she was Buffy's friend and he needed to make amends. Now all she had to do was get Xander to see the good in the situation and all would be well.

* * *

As they drove, Kaelin filled Willow and Angel in on the events of the past 24 hours. "Now you can see why we're altering our plans. We will stay at a motel by the private airport and leave in the morning. Even though we couldn't leave until tomorrow morning, I still think it was best to charter a flight and not fly commercial. Once they find out our identities, they will search the commercial airports first. I pray that we have a big enough jump on them before that happens for us to get lost in Europe."

The group remained quiet for the remainder of the drive. As they pulled up to the motel, Kaelin and Ian got out of the car, and as previously discussed, they got two rooms for the couples. "We will be leaving for the airport at 8 a.m., so we need to be ready to leave before then. I've paid in full for the night so we just have to drop off our keys," the older witch said as she handed Angel his room key. With a knowing smile and a wink to Willow, she bid the young couple goodnight and followed Ian into her room.

Willow was still in shock over the death of Matthew, and Angel had to practically pull her into the room. Anger, fear and guilt were plaguing the young girl, and her emotional equilibrium was off kilter. She was a walking zombie, and the vampire put her in a chair as he pulled the covers back on the bed and removed his clothes.

Kneeling in front of the redhead, the vampire took her hands in his, "Are you OK, Little One?"

"No," was the only thing she said.

Pulling her into his arms, he carried her to the bed and started removing her clothes, leaving the young girl in her underwear. Murmuring words of comfort into her ear as he tried to massage away her stress and fear, he could feel the stress leaving her body as her limbs began to relax. The smell of fear was not quite as strong, and she was responding to his touch on her back and shoulders, moaning sounds of pleasure that was music to his ears. The vampire was becoming aroused and as he undid her bra, he became aware of the even breathing of sleep coming from the young girl at his side. With a sigh, he shut off the light and climbed under the covers, drifting off to sleep with erotic images of Willow and him making love.
 

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