Part 11

Angel, Willow, and Spike were standing in the trees at the back of
the cemetery. "Are you sure the one's you pick will know what to
do?" Willow asked Spike.

"They know, I told them before I turned them," Spike said.

"Now all we have to do is wait," Angel smirked.

"One of my many strong points," Spike joked.

Willow turned back to Cordy and Xander, they were sitting on the
headstones of the ones that would turn them.

Faith was to make sure that Buffy and her came to this cemetery for
patrol, just in time to find Xander and Cordy being turned.

Willow just hoped that what had happened last night wouldn't effect
Buffy's wanting them to be souled. If that were the case they would
have to kill Buffy tonight.

Willow watched intently as the two vampires crawled out of the
earth. "They won't say anything while they are fighting Buffy will
they?"

Spike glanced down at Willow, "No, pet, I made sure of that. They
can't say anything anymore."

Willow nodded and turned back to the scene playing out in front of
them as Cordy screamed. She watched as the fledglings attacked
Xander and Cordy.

She felt Angel and Spike tense and move further into the shadows and
knew that Buffy was on her way.

"Xander, Cordy," Willow screamed running over to where they were.

Willow, Buffy and Faith arrived at the same time. Willow fell to her
knees in between her two friends and cried.

"No, not Xander, please not Xander." Willow reached out to touch the
two vampires.

After taking out the fledgling she was fighting, Buffy ran
over. "Wills, what are we going to do? I can't stake my best
friend!"

"Their souls, I can give them their souls," Willow told Buffy. As
she tried not to let her happiness show at Buffy playing right into
their hands.

"Yes, but we have to hurry before they wake up," Buffy said, standing
and reaching down to lift Xander over her shoulder.

"Faith, you get Cordy. We'll take them to the mansion," Willow
said. "It might be easier for them to be with another vampire with a
soul."

Willow felt Angel leave, and knew that he was running with all of his
vampiric speed to get to the mansion before they did.

It was almost over. Willow thought. Tomorrow would be her turn and
then they would confront Buffy with the truth.

Part 12

Willow woke, and realized that she must have passed out again from
casting the two spells for Cordy and Xander.

Angel must have brought me to bed afterwards. She wondered what he
had said to Buffy to get her to leave.

Willow sometimes missed the intimacy that she had shared with
Angelus. Angel wanted to have her close, and wanted her to sleep in
the same bed with him. But he didn't want to take it to that level
yet.

Willow asked him once why he wouldn't touch her. He had told her
that she didn't have a choice with Angelus and Angel wanted to wait
until she was ready. She had tried to tell him that she wasn't as
forced as he seemed to believe, but he wouldn't believe her.

So now, she slept in the bed with him and wanted more. She wanted to
feel him touch her. Fill her. But she would just have to wait until
he thought she was ready. Maybe once he turned her, he would finally
see what she needed.

Willow knew that Angel loved her, and that he wanted her. She had
felt the evidence of his desire whenever he held her close. But he
said he didn't want to force her.

She sometimes wondered if his refusing was some way for him to pay
penitence for what he felt Angelus had done wrong. Willow didn't see
where Angelus had done all that much wrong.

He had come to her and said that he would have her. But Willow had
stood up to him and demanded protection from him for herself and her
two friends. She had really made it easy for him.

She hadn't demanded that Buffy be left alone, she knew that Angelus
would never be able to agree to that. And, as bad as she had wanted
the beautiful vampire that stood in front of her, she wouldn't have
done anything if Xander or Cordy had been in danger.

Willow could not believe how much her feelings had changed towards
Cordy once Angelus had arrived. Cordy had always taunted her and
made her life miserable. Now Cordy seemed to want to make up for
that.

Once Angelus agreed to her demands, she'd given herself willingly to
the vampire. She had always wanted Angel, and when Angelus showed up
and actually appeared to want her, she wasn't going to question her
luck.

But Angel insisted that Angelus had not left her a choice. Even with
his demon closer to the surface since the spell. And wouldn't go any
father than cuddling. Willow wanted so much more.

Willow snuggled back against Angel and wiggled a little. She smiled
in pleasure when she heard him growl and felt his hand on her hip
stopping her from moving.

"Morning, Little One," he purred into her ear.

"I wonder how Cordy and Xander are doing?" Willow turned in his arms
and looked at him.

"They are fine," Angel said sadly.

"Angel. I didn't think that you minded turning us," Willow
whispered. If it was bothering him this much they could always find
another way.

"It's not the turning you three that bothers me." Angel kissed her
softly.

"Then what is it? You've been broody since you turned them last
night?" Willow wrapped her arms around him.

"It's the cursing you with a soul that bothers me. I don't want you
three to have that kind of life." Angel pulled her closer.

"But Angel, it won't be a curse to us. We have never killed, and we
really don't want to." Willow smiled up at him. "And I thought you
liked us the way we were, with our souls," she teased.

"I love you the way you are," Angel said, hugging her. "I just don't
want to see the three of you suffer the way I have."

"We won't suffer. We have you and Spike to keep us from doing that,"
Willow said.

"Sire!" Cordy and Xander shouted as they jumped on the bed.

Willow laughed at Angel's playful growl. "I take it you two are
fine?"

"I would say they need to learn to knock," Angel reprimanded with a
smile.

"Oh, don't go all grr on us," Cordy laughed.

"You were only talking, we heard you," Xander said.

"And we wanted to watch, it's Willow's turn, right?" Cordy moved to
the head of the bed beside Willow.

"Yes, it's Willow's turn." Angel ran his finger across Willow's
lips. "Ready, Little One?"

Part 13

Angel sat up and leaned against the headboard. When Willow nodded
that she was ready, he pulled her into his arms.

Holding her close he relished in her warmth for the last time.
Kissing her softly, he turned her head. Looking down at her soft
neck, exposed to him in total trust.

Angel glanced at the door when he felt his older childe's presence.
Spike was standing there leaning against the door, smoking. Angel
nodded his head, inviting Spike into the room.

He watched as Spike walked in and sat beside Xander.

Looking back down at Willow, he changed into his game face. Angel
leaned down and licked Willow's neck, smiling when he heard her moan.

Angel gently bit into her neck, he didn't want to hurt her. Angel
wanted Willow's last moments as a human to be of pleasure.

Angel felt her heart slowing and pulled back to look down at her.
Looking into the emerald depths of her eyes. He reached up and cut
his own neck, and brought her mouth up to it.

"Drink," Angel demanded huskily.

Angel closed his eyes in bliss, when Willow started to drink from
him. When she had enough, he pulled her away from his neck and
watched as she took her last breath.

With a smile, she closed her eyes and surrendered to death.

Angel sat unmoving and stared down at the girl in his arms. She had
come to mean so much to him, and he had just taken her life. But
this way she would be with him forever.

No since getting broody. Angel smiled. Willow wouldn't like that.

Angel looked at Spike. "Is everything set up for tonight?"

"Yes, there will be ten minions in the playground, to attack Slutty.
And they all know to leave Faith alone." Spike put out his cigarette
and looked back at his sire.

"So, I don't get to fight?" Faith came into the room and sat by
Cordy.

Angel watched closely as Cordy reached out and pulled Faith against
her. He didn't want anything to happen to Faith yet. But, from the
looks of it, hurting Faith was the last thing on Cordy's mind.

Angel raised an eyebrow at Cordy and smirked. "Something I should
know about?"

"Not yet, Daddy." Cordy laughed.

"Don't worry, big guy. If she does something I don't like, I can
stop her." Faith grinned at Angel.

"That's what worries me," Angel replied.

"Don't worry Faith, you will get to fight. Just don't kill them too
fast." Spike laughed.

"Everyone clear on what they are supposed to do?" Angel looked at
each of them in turn.

They all nodded to him.

"Good, it's almost over." Angel smiled.

Part 14

Willow stood in the shadows of the trees surrounding the park. Angel
stood on one side and Spike the other.

Her vision had become confusing since she woke up. But she had
managed in the last six hours to make some since out of it. She
could see somewhat but not all too clearly. Hence, the two males
standing with her. They didn't want her to get hurt.

She could barely make out the fight in front of her. Faith seemed to
be playing more than fighting. The three minions fighting her
weren't even trying to hit her. And in turn, she wasn't trying to
kill them. She looked more like she was working out than fighting
for her life.

Buffy, on the other hand, was fighting for her life. The minions
knew not to kill her, but they could do a lot of damage without
killing. And they were.

Buffy was bleeding from a cut on her forehead and several on her
arms. The scent of slayers blood was thick in the air.

Willow felt Angel move from her side, and watched him step into the
clearing.

"Hello, Lover," Angel called out.

All fighting stopped. The minions all backed away and moved to stand
behind Angel. Faith stood still and watched. Buffy turned to the
voice.

"Why," Buffy cried out.

Angel smirked. "Why not?"

"But your soul," Buffy demanded.

"Is right where it is supposed to be," Angel told her.

"Hello, slayer," Xander sneered walking up from behind Faith with
Cordy.

Faith moved to put her arm around Cordy and grinned at Buffy.

"You, knew," Buffy spat at Faith. "Xander, what's going on? Where's
Willow?"

"Right here," Willow said walking up to Angel and wrapping her arms
around his waist.

Willow felt Angel put his arm around her and smiled at Buffy.

"NO!" Buffy screamed. "I'll kill you," she sneered at Angel.

"You couldn't before. What makes you think you can now?" Angel
smirked. "I have taken everything away from you."

Willow watched as Buffy started crying.

"How could you? They're mine!"

"See, that's where your wrong, slayer," Cordy hissed. "We have been
Angel's since he became Angelus."

Buffy whipped around to Cordy. "What do you mean?"

"You never were one for being observant, were you?" Xander taunted.

"What is going on here?!" Buffy turned back to Angel.

"Where to start?" Angel quirked an eyebrow. "I guess we could start
with your selfishness, but where would that get us?"

Willow's grin was completely evil when she looked at Buffy. "Have
you noticed anything different since you came back?"

"Willow, why are you doing this to me?" Buffy cried.

"There she goes." Cordy laughed. "This is not about you, slayer.
It's about us."

"What," Buffy whispered.

"Well, Buffy, you were too wrapped up in your own little world.
Feeling sorry for yourself, wanting everyone around you to feel sorry
for you. Because you lost Angel and Angelus was trying to kill
you." Willow moved away from Angel.

"Did you ever stop to think about us?" Willow indicated herself,
Xander and Cordy. "Did you ever once think how we might feel?"
Willow shook her head. "No, you didn't. If you had, you would have
seen the changes in us once Angelus showed up. Then you go and send
Angel, not Angelus, to hell. You knew that all you needed was some
of Angel's blood. You didn't have to kill him. Then you leave."
Willow sneered.

Part 15

"I had to," Buffy pleaded.

"We were your friends, Buffy, we would have helped you. But you
didn't care about anyone's feelings but your own."

"That's not true," Buffy cried. "I left to protect you."

Willow laughed, "Protect us? You left us with no slayer on a
Hellmouth. How is that protection?"

"You all got hurt because of me," Buffy yelled.

"No, Buffy, we got hurt by vampires." Willow shook her head
sadly. "But because you left and did not tell us what happened. I'm
blind!"

"You're blind?" Buffy was shocked.

"Yes, I did a spell to try and find out what happened to you and
Angel, and because he was in hell, it backfired on me. Did you know
that Buffy? Did you even try and find out why Cordy and Xander
always made sure that one of them was with me at all times?"

"I'm sorry Wills," Buffy cried harder.

"Don't be sorry, I've learned to deal." Willow moved back over to
Angel and stood in front of him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Buffy demanded.

"Why should I? You were supposed to be my best friend. Why couldn't
you see it?" Willow shot back. "Did you know that Cordy, Xander and
I are the ones that got Angel out of hell?"

Willow watched Buffy shake her head. "No."

"No, you were too happy that you had him back. But was he yours?"
Willow smiled.

"What do you mean?" Buffy hissed.

"What I mean, is that Angelus was my mate. When I pulled Angel out
of hell and anchored his soul, he was still my mate." Willow felt
Angel's hands rest on her shoulders. "What I mean is Angel has been
mine since before you sent him to hell."

Willow watched Spike move in behind Buffy. "Good bye Buffy."

Spike put his hands on either side of Buffy's head. "Hello, cutie."

They all watched as Spike twisted savagely. The cracking sound of
Buffy's neck breaking filled the air. She fell to the ground. Her
eyes finally registering that the game was over.

The End

back