The ER doctors and nurses on duty at the Los Angeles General Hospital all
stopped and stared as Angel burst through the doors carrying an unconscious
Willow. "I need some help here!" the dark-haired vampire yelled.

      "Put her here and we'll get her looked at," a nurse said hurrying up with a
gurny. Angel reluctantly laid Willow on it as a doctor approached. "Sir, is
she a friend of yours?"

      "Yes," Angel replied, following as they wheeled Willow toward an ER room.

      "Did you see what happened?" the doctor continued. "I need you to be honest
so I can help her."

      Angel shook his head. "Looks like something attacked her. I went to look
for her when I couldn't find her. . .I found her like this. Just help her."

      The doctor nodded and pointed toward the waiting room. "Wait in there, sir.
Let me do my job. . .I'll let you know how she is."

      The dark-haired vampire watched until Willow was out of sight. Then he went
to the nearest pay phone to call the office; Cordelia and the others needed
to know what had happened. 'I will kill the thing that did this' Angel
thought to himself as the phone started to ring on the other side. 'No one
or nothing will hurt Willow'

      "Angel Investigations," Cordelia answered. "We help the helpless."

      "Cordelia, it's me," Angel said.

      "What's wrong?" Cordelia asked.

      "What makes you think anything's wrong?" Angel asked defensively. "Can't I
just call my own office to see how things are going?"

      "You can," Cordelia replied. "But you don't. Angel, you've never called
just to 'see how things are going', so don't try to tell me that crap. . .if
you do, I know you're lying. So what's up?"

      "It's Willow," Angel said. "She. . .you know when I went looking for her? A
vampire attacked her. She didn't see him; and I couldn't get to it in time.
By the time I got to them, he'd already attacked and she was losing
consciousness."

      "Oh god," Cordelia said. "Is she ok?"

      "I don't know yet," Angel replied. "I'm at the hospital right now. The
doctors are looking at her. She'd better be ok, though."

      "I'm sure she will be, Angel. Try not to worry, ok?" Cordelia said.

      "I'd say I won't, but this is Willow we're talking about," Angel answered.
"But I'll let you know when I know something." With that he hung up and went
to wait.

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

      Willow couldn't explain what she was feeling. . .it was almost like she was
floating. She tried to open her eyes but couldn't; it was like she was a
million miles away from her body. But something kept pulling at her to come
out of her cloud. Finally she came two enough to hear everything that was
going on around her. . .even though her eyes remained closed.

      The first thing she heard was a man's voice. 'Angel?' she wondered. It
sounded like the vampire, but she couldn't get her eyes open enough to be
sure. To keep from panicking, she tried to focus on whatever it was that he
was saying.

      "Willow? Listen to me, ok?" Angel was saying. "You have to snap out of
this. A vampire attacked you. . .but you're a strong woman. If anyone can
come back from this stronger than before, I know it's you." She felt him
take her hand. "I can't lose you, Willow. I know I haven't been around for
awhile, but I've thought about you everyday since I've left Sunnydale. I
know I. . .I don't stand a chance, but there's something I need you to know.
I love you, Willow."

      She felt his cool lips touch her forehead in a soft kiss. It was as if a
light had been turned on as the cloud over Willow's head lifted. "Angel?"
she mumbled as her eyes fluttered open. The first thing she saw was Angel. .
.he had a chair pulled up to her bed and was holding both of her hands in
his.

      "Willow?" Angel said, his eyes lighting up when he saw that she was ok.
"You're ok."

      "Well I wouldn't say that just yet," Willow replied with a slight smile.
She touched her bandaged neck. "I feel like I was run over by a truck about
three times; but I'll be ok. It'll take more than a vampire to stop this
girl."

      Angel couldn't help but laugh. He leaned over and wrapped his arms around
Willow, hugging her. "I'm just glad you're ok. You had me worried there for
a little while," he said.

      Well you know. . .I've been almost burnt at the stake, been knocked out by
a bookcase, and been locked in a haunted fraternity house. So I don't think
a little vampire could get me," she replied, stroking Angel's hair as he
hugged her.

      "Which is a good thing, trust me," Angel said. He pulled away and smiled at
Willow. "Just promise me that next time you won't run off like that."

      "I promise," Willow said quietly. "Oh, and Angel?"

      "Yeah?" Angel replied.

      "I heard everything you said earlier," she told him. "It meant a lot to me,
Angel. And I think there's something you need to know. . .I feel the same
way."

      The dark-haired vampire just stared at Willow as her words sinked in.
 

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