Author: T. C.
Rating: R
Pairing: Willow/Angel
Synopsis: Angel works to help Willow with a strange problem.
Disclaimer: Willow and Angel and other BTVS characters mentioned or portrayed belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, the WB, and Twentieth Century Fox, but not me.
Spoilers: Always possible that I might mention things that have happened if I think it pertains to my storyline.  Season 5 and 2 are fair game.

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~Part One~

Help.  She needed help.  Willow stumbled through the slick streets of Los Angeles, hoping that she could find the hotel.  Angel was there. Angel could help her.  Willow slipped on the wet concrete of the sidewalk and bit her bottom lip hard.  Blood welled in her mouth and she sucked greedily at the wound.  Tears and the rain obscured her vision so Willow stopped to wipe at her eyes.  She needed to get a grip.  She had no idea how she had even gotten this far.  She only hoped she hadn't hurt someone.

Willow resumed her journey.  If she hadn't gotten lost then she should almost be there.  Please let her almost be there.  She turned the corner and there it was.  The Hyperion.

It was actually a quiet night.  Angel and Wesley sat comfortably across from each other with their feet up on the coffee table, reading books that weren't about demons.  Cordelia sat at her desk surfing the internet shopping sites.  It would have been a completely normal scene except that Gunn was polishing his ax.  The rain pattered insistently against the window panes, probably the reason for the lull in business.

The front door crashed open, breaking the calm silence of the room. Willow burst into the lobby, soaking wet and shivering violently. "Willow." Cordelia stood up.  Being the closest, she immediately started to cross over to her old friend.

"No," Willow shouted and jumped back, ready to run back out into the rain.  "Don't come near me."  Then, to the utter astonishment of three of the people in the room, Willow vamped.  "Stay back.  I don't want to hurt you."  Her voice sounded strange coming from her contorted mouth.

"Willow." Angel walked toward her, unafraid of her new status.  Her yellow eyes looked up at him, pleading and afraid.  He was going to stake the vampire who did this to her, after he had tortured him. Slowly, she sank to the floor and huddled in a ball.  "Who did this to you?"

"Angel.  Please help me.  I can't...I don't want to hurt anyone." With a final, violent shudder, Willow passed out and her features settled back to human.

Now she looked like Willow, their friend.  Angel gestured for the others to stand back as he cautiously approached the prone girl.  He knelt down beside her.  Despite Willow's earlier warning and Angel's caution, Cordelia stepped forward to stand behind him.  "She has her soul still, right?  Otherwise she would have killed us or at least tried to.  She wouldn't have warned me to stay back.  Angel?"

"She has a soul."  A soul as bright as Willow's was unmistakable.  He didn't know what had happened, but Willow's soul was still present and so were a few other things.  Angel reached down and brushed her hair away from her neck.  The red, angry puncture wounds of a vampire stood out against her pale white skin.  Dark blue bruises were starting to form around them.  Angel estimated that she was attacked less than an hour ago.  Why hadn't Willow told him she was coming to L. A.?  He could have protected her.  Angel moved past the wound and felt the side of Willow's neck to confirm what he could clearly hear.  "And a heartbeat.  Her skin is warm and she's breathing.  Willow isn't dead." Angel lifted the crumpled girl in his arms.  She moaned softly, but didn't wake up.

"But, how is that possible?"  Wesley reached out to validate Angel's claims.  Willow's flesh was chilly, but it was from the cold rain outside.  Already, her skin was warming to room temperature and she was breathing raggedly.

"I don't know.  I'm taking her upstairs."  Angel walked to the stairs. He couldn't think of how it happened or who had attacked Willow right now.  As it was, he had to quell the rage that burst inside him at the thought of her attacker.  At the moment, Willow was the important one and taking care of her was everything.  "Cordelia, shut the door. Wesley, get some blood from the fridge and warm it for about a minute. Gunn...bring a stake, but don't use it unless I ask.  Please."

Gunn nodded, even though Angel didn't look at him to see if he agreed with him or not.  He had a feeling if he had tried to stake the girl without Angel's okay, he would be on the wrong end of Angel's fangs, not to mention Cordelia's wrath.  Gunn watched Angel carry the girl upstairs.  Cordelia followed close behind, fussing at them and wiping the tears from her face. He didn't know the redheaded vampire or non-vampire - whatever the hell she was - but she was obviously important to his friends.  So important that Angel couldn't even bring himself to stake her if she turned out to be evil.

"Wesley." Gunn caught the ex-watcher's arm as he passed by him.  "Who is she?"

"Willow Rosenberg.  She's from Sunnydale, an old highschool chum of Cordelia's and the best friend of the Slayer."  Wesley carefully balanced the large glass full of blood as they walked up the stairs. Spilling it was a distasteful prospect.  "She was the one who had brought the news that Buffy had died."

"Angel's ex-girl." Gunn nodded, understanding things a bit better. She had looked a little familiar, but the whole vampire thing had thrown him.  "I take it the last time she was here, she wasn't a vampire."

"Heavens, no.  Miss Rosenberg joined the Slayer in her fight against evil.  She's actually quite proficient in magics.  And according to Angel, she isn't a vampire now, at least not in the traditional sense of the word.  She is still alive."

"Freaky." They walked into Angel's room.  He was sitting on the bed next to a prone Willow while Cordelia hovered over them anxiously.  Gunn had only seen her this worried when one of them was in danger.

"Maybe it's a spell.  You know, like a vampire-for-a-day spell or something like that... Do they have those?"  Cordelia sat on the end of the bed and then immediately bounced back to her feet again.

"I don't think so.  If there was, why would Willow use one?"  Angel's finger glanced over the puncture wound on Willow's neck.  "She was attacked."

"Could it be the result of a botched attempt to bring her across?" Wesley suggested.  He held out the glass of blood.  "I've never heard of it happening."

"Neither have I." Angel accepted the glass.  He noticed Willow's nose twitch and heard a low rumble in her throat as she caught the blood's scent.  "Screwing up something like that usually means the fledgling is dead.  There's no such thing as a half-vampire.  At least there wasn't until now."  Willow moaned and fidgeted on the bed.  "You guys should leave us alone...."

"Angel," Cordelia interrupted.  She wasn't going to be banished from the room, not when her friend was in trouble just so Angel could play white knight.  Willow needed to have the familiarity of an old friend. She needed to see that Cordelia didn't care that she was a vampire, that she was still her friend.  "Willow is my friend too.  She needs my help."

"And you will help her.  Later."  Angel set the glass on the night stand.  He stood up and gently escorted Cordelia toward the door. Gunn and Wesley followed them, ready to back Angel up.  "Right now Willow needs to feed and the less humans in the immediate vicinity, the better."

"She's hungry, Cordelia.  We would just be temptation," Wesley added for emphasis.  He and Gunn took over Angel's position by the distraught girl's side and eased her out of the room, leaving Angel alone with Willow.

Once the others had left the room, Willow's heart beat slowed.  She had regained consciousness when Cordelia had protested leaving the room.  She was glad that Angel had persuaded her to leave.  Willow felt the bed sag under Angel's weight.  His fingers caressed his cheek.  "Willow," he crooned.  "Willow, open your eyes.  It's okay, we're alone."

"I can still hear their hearts beating."  Willow opened her eyes.  It was a constant drumming in her head that wouldn't stop and made her so
atrociously thirsty.

"You get used to it." Angel smiled at Willow, hoping that she would smile back.  She looked so sad and frightened, but she wasn't alone anymore.  He would take care of her and she needed to know that. "Trust me, eventually you won't even notice it.  Here, sit up."  Angel helped Willow sit up and brought the glass of blood to her lips.  The moment the blood was in her mouth, Willow started to gag, but she didn't stop drinking.  Tears slipped down her cheeks.  Angel set the empty glass back on the night stand and wiped the tears away with his thumb.  "The bathroom is over there.  You can take a nice, long, hot shower and I'll find you some dry clothes.  Then you can tell us what happened, okay?"

All he got was a nod from Willow.  She slipped from his bed and disappeared into the bathroom.  Once the shower started, Angel looked through his closet for something suitable for Willow to wear.  He found a navy silk shirt that would be too long, but if she rolled up the sleeves it would do.  Angel set the shirt on his bed, picked up the empty glass and left the room.  Downstairs, Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn were waiting impatiently.

"Well?" Cordelia pounced on him.  "How is she?  What happened?  Is she...is she a...is she evil?"

"No, Willow isn't evil, but she is a vampire.  She drank the blood, although she didn't find it very appetizing."  Angel rinsed the glass out.  "She's taking a shower.  I asked her to explain everything to us later.  Cordy, do you have an extra skirt or something that Willow could wear?"

"Of course." Cordelia immediately left, glad that she had something to do that could be considered helping.

"Do you think Mr. Giles and the others know about this?"  Wesley couldn't get the image of Willow's tortured vampire face out of his mind.  And while he had sympathy for the girl, her very existence intrigued him.  His brain literally swam with the possible how's and why's and he couldn't wait to hear what happened.  An alive vampire - incredible.

"I doubt it and we're not calling them unless Willow wants us to.  It's going to be hard enough for her to deal with everything without having to worry about what Buffy, Xander, and Giles will think of her."  A part of Angel still remembered and resented how he had been treated by the slayer, the watcher, and the boy.  Xander had only shown him contempt and hate, Giles had never truly trusted him, and Buffy had wanted to ignore what he was.  He knew it wasn't fair to assume that they would treat Willow the same way - Xander would certainly never hate her - but he knew their reactions would be an added burden to Willow.  She must have known it too, because she had come to him for help.  He knew the others would react badly to that as well.

"Didn't you say that your wacked out childe's childe...Spike...was hanging out with the slayer and her friends?" Gunn asked.  "Could it have been him?"

Angel hadn't thought of Spike.  He had gained their trust fighting Glory by their side.  Willow would have trusted him.  He could have gotten close.  "If it was, he'll beg me to stake him."

"It wasn't Spike."  Willow stood at the bottom of the stairs with Cordelia at her side.  Cordelia placed a comforting and supportive arm around Willow's shoulders.  She was wearing a simple black skirt that Cordelia kept at the office for audition emergencies and the navy silk shirt Angel had laid out for her.  Her feet were bare and her toes fidgeted on the floor.

"Would you like something to drink?" Wesley offered without thinking. His face turned red as soon as he did and he stammered, "Some coffee or a...a soda, maybe...something refreshing...iced tea or lemonade."

To his relief and everyone else's, Willow smiled and laughed softly. "Yes, please.  I would love some coffee."

"Just one cup.  We don't need you on a caffeine high," Cordelia admonished.  She escorted Willow over to the couch.  She sat on one side of her and Angel took his place on her other side.  Willow collected her thoughts while they waited for Wesley to return with her coffee.  It was a confusing story.  She wasn't quite sure herself what had happened.

"I was alone in our dorm room.  Tara had a night class, Buffy and Spike were patrolling, Dawn was at a slumber party, Xander and Anya went to a
movie, and Giles is in England visiting relatives.  I had the whole evening to myself, so I decided to make a nonHellmouth time.  I was watching Con Air...."

"Con Air?" Angel broke in, not because he was unfamiliar with the movie, but because he was.  It didn't seem like a Willow-movie.

"It has John Cusak in it.  It's not one of his best movies - that's a tie between Say Anything and Grosse Pointe Blank - but he is in it. Anyway, I was watching the movie when the room got all hazy, like the air had gotten heavier and I felt woozy.  There was a tearing sound, a loud ripping, and this portal opened.  It was me...the Vampire Willow from that other dimension.  She was angry, ranting about how we had sent her back to be dusted, but that she was saved.  Someone or something stopped her from being dusted and taught her how to open portals so she could get back here.  She said she'd been to other places, had found other versions of us.  She didn't say what happened to them and I don't think I want to know.  She attacked me, she was going to turn me.  I couldn't stop her.  I knew that, but I didn't want to be evil.  For some reason, I remembered the words to the soul restoration ritual.  I thought it might keep my soul in my body after I died and was turned, but something weird happened.  An incredible, searing pain burned through my body.  I...I screamed and the Vampire me turned to dust.  She just crumbled.  Then I passed out."  Willow touched the wounds to her neck.  "When I woke up, I felt weird.  I had these memories that weren't mine.  When I looked in the mirror my
reflection was blurry and there was this horrible pounding in my head. It was the heartbeats of the students in their dorms.  I wanted...I could almost taste their blood.  I vamped."  Willow cut herself off with a sob.

"This happened in Sunnydale?" Angel cradled Willow in his arms and let her cry.  It didn't make sense, there wouldn't have been enough time for her to get here from Sunnydale.  "How did you get here, Willow? This wound is fresh, it can't be more than an hour old."

"I don't know.  I fainted again when I vamped and when I woke up, I was in L. A., a couple of blocks away."  Willow wiped her tears and edged
herself out of Angel's embrace.  Now that her hunger was sated, her story told, and her fear lessened, being close to Angel brought out other feelings.  She was uncomfortably aware of his body.  She wanted to touch him, smell him, taste him.  "I, uh, I've been experimenting with teleportation spells.  I could have used one before I lost consciousness.  I don't remember."

"That's probably it." Angel patted Willow's hand.  He was well aware of the newly erotic sensations he was causing Willow to experience.  It was part of being a vampire, the demons called to each other - especially powerful ones.  He remembered Vampire Willow and some of the things she had said to him, had suggested that they do together, before she left.  She had a relationship with his double in their dimension - granted it wasn't a going to dinner and the movies type relationship - and since Willow seemed to have inherited her demon, she would have those feelings as well.  He pushed aside the memory that he had been tempted to indulge in some of Vampire Willow's feelings fro his double before they had sent her back to her dimension.

"What's going to happen to me, Angel?"

"I don't know.  We'll research this.  The restoration spell, dimension portals, and Vampire Willow's dimension.  We'll get as much information as we can and while we're doing that, I'll help you deal with being a vampire."  To hell with the sexual tension, he needed to hold her. Angel hugged Willow tightly.  "Don't worry, Willow.  We'll help you."

"Good." Willow sniffled and snuggled into Angel's arms.  "I'd hate it if Buffy had to stake me."
 

~Part Two~

It was just a door.  A simple wooden door.  Angel could break it down easily, not that he would have to, all he had to do was knock on it. Willow was on the other side of the door and she was awake.  He could hear her moving around, going about her morning routine - probably getting dressed.  Angel knocked on the door.

"Good morning, Angel." Willow opened her bedroom door.  She was fully dressed in the borrowed clothes from the night before.  "Or, I guess I should say good afternoon."

"Either is fine." Angel held up a mug.  "I brought breakfast, or lunch."

Willow grimaced at the offered blood, but took it.  "Thanks.  We'll call it brunch."

"The others will be here soon," Angel urged.  He didn't want her to go through the raging bloodlust she had experienced the night before.  She looked better, less scared and vulnerable.  Angel was glad.  He knew that her life would never be the same, but she would adjust.  She was already starting to adapt.

"Hey, I didn't gag as much this time," Willow announced triumphantly. She grinned at Angel and he couldn't help but to grin back.  "Angel?" Willow gulped and she lost her smile.  She leaned forward.  Their bodies were almost touching.  He could smell the blood she had just drank.

"Wake up, sleepyfangs!" Cordelia sang from downstairs.  "It's time to research and you're not getting out of it just because you're creatures of the night."

Angel stepped back.  The pull toward Willow was amazingly strong.  The only other vampire he had ever been this drawn to was Darla and that was because she was his sire.  He didn't share a blood bond with Willow, so that couldn't be the reason.  "We should go downstairs and research."

"Th..that's a good idea." Willow followed Angel downstairs, mortified that her gaze repeatedly strayed to his ass.  He had a nice ass.  Firm and muscled...Willow licked her lips.  Snap out of it!  This had to be the demon part of herself.  She had never thought about Angel's ass before.  Well, there was that one time, but it was totally Buffy's fault.  At the thought of Buffy, Willow felt sad and afraid.  She was a vampire now, how was she going to be the slayer's best friend?

"Hey, Willow, did you want to take the comp...Oh, my God, we have got to go shopping and get you some clothes." Cordelia grabbed Willow's hand.  She stopped abruptly before the front door.  "Can you go out in the sunlight?"

"I don't know." Willow considered the patch of sunlight filtering through the window beside the door.

"Perhaps we should begin researching and worry about Miss Rosenberg's wardrobe later."

"Willow, Wesley, call me Willow.  And you too, Gunn."

"Actually, I thought I'd call you 'Tiger'" Gunn grinned.  Half vampire or not, he liked this little redhead.  She had pulled herself together quickly the night before and it looked like she was accepting what had happened to her.  Gunn liked people with courage and spunk.

"Sure.  Why don't we investigate instead of research?" Willow slowly approached the sunlight.

"Be careful, Willow," Angel cautioned.  He wanted to pull her back into the safety of the shadows, but this was really the only way to find out.  He controlled the impulse and watched as Willow held out her hand.  Sunlight streamed across her fingers, but she didn't pull it back and she didn't catch fire.

"It tingles." Willow wiggled her fingers.  She stepped forward, fully into the light.  "Ow!" She hastily stepped back, slapping her hand over her eyes.  Angel was at her side immediately, leading her back into the dim lobby.  "Oh, ouch.  It hurts.  My eyes, ow."

"Shhh, it's okay.  You're out of the light now." Angel soothed her, rubbing her back and stroking her hair.  He shouldn't have let her take chances with her life.  She was hurt because of him.  Gently, Angel took Willow's hands from her eyes.  They were a little red and watery, but she seemed to focus on him.  "Can you see?"

"Yes." Willow wiped the tears from her eyes.  "I think it's too bright. The sunlight didn't burn my eyes.  I'm just sensitive to it."

"Here." Cordelia dug into her purse and brought out a pair of sunglasses.  "Try these."  Willow took them and put them on.  Angel reluctantly let her go and she ventured back into the sunlight successfully this time.  "Excellent." Cordelia crowed.  She grabbed Willow's hand.  "Problem solved.  Let's go shopping."  The girls disappeared out the door before Angel could register his protest.

Shopping with Cordelia was something Willow had only experienced once. She had hoped to never repeat it, but now she was glad she had. Cordelia had changed since she had left Sunnydale for L. A.  She was still blunt, but her edges were softer.  She still gave the salesgirls a hard time, but it was because they stared at Willow and not because they didn't have the sweater she wanted in her favorite color. Although Willow didn't blame them, they probably didn't get a lot of bare footed customers wearing a silk shirt ten times too big, a black mini skirt that reached past her knees, and dark sunglasses.

"Ooo, these are perfect." Cordelia held up a pair of red leather boots.

"Maybe if I were auditioning for Pretty Woman 2.  I would break my neck on those heels, Cordy." Willow slipped on a pair of comfortable blue sandals with yellow sunflowers.  "I like these."

"Okay.  I just thought maybe you would like to get down with your bad vampire self." Cordelia shrugged and started to put the boots back, but changed her mind.  "I'll buy them and you can borrow them if you want."

Impulsively, Willow hugged Cordelia.  "Thanks for accepting this and treating me like I'm normal."

"Hey, we're from Sunnydale." Cordelia hugged the slight girl back. "This is normal.  You know, Willow, if you ever want to talk...I know you'll probably want to talk about the vampire stuff with Angel, but if you want to talk about your feelings...Mr. Stoic hasn't exactly been an expert in dealing with his own feelings...so, you know, I'm here."

"Yeah.  That's why I'm here.  I knew you and Angel would help me." Willow smiled sadly.  She sifted through the blouses as Cordelia turned to the rack of leather pants on sale behind them.  "Do you think Xander will hate me?"

"Never in a million years." Cordelia whipped around to face Willow. She handed her a pair of dark hunter green leather pants.  "Here, try these on." She pushed Willow into a dressing room and grabbed a burnt orange silk tank top and handed that to her as well.  "And this. Honestly, Willow, Xander loves you.  He could never hate you.  He won't like what you've become and he'll find some way to blame Angel and hate him even more, but never you."

"You're right.  But still, what am I going to do now?  I won't fit in with the Scoobies anymore.  The slayer can't have a vampire for a best friend."

"Why not?" Cordelia shoved a black spandex t-shirt and a flowing blue skirt through the curtain that separated them.  "She certainly overlooked the fangs long enough to fall in love and bed one of them. She would be a total hypocrite not to want you as her friend. Especially since everyone would still think she was dead if you hadn't figured out that her consciousness was trapped in that vortex thing and then went in and led her out using the same spell you used when she went comatose over losing Dawn."

"What do you think?" Willow stepped out wearing the black top and blue skirt.  It was time to stop discussing Buffy, Xander, and their possible
reactions.  Willow just wanted to forget about it for a little while.

"Big improvement." Cordelia took the change in subject in stride.  She ripped the tags from the clothes Willow was wearing and gathered up the
others she had tried on in the dressing room and dumped them into the arms of the nearest salesgirl.  "She's wearing those out and we'll take these as well.  After we pay, there are like three more shops that we have to hit.  There's also this cool bistro with the hottest waiters just down the street where we can have lunch, we can drag Fred out of the library to join us.  Oh, and you haven't met Lorne yet."

The sun was setting.  Cordelia had monopolized Willow all day.  They still weren't back from shopping.  How long does it take to buy clothes?  You walk into a store, pick up some things off the rack, and then pay for them.  It shouldn't have taken them more than twenty minutes.  Angel shifted in his chair.  Wesley had made him stop pacing an hour ago.  He couldn't help it.  Willow was so vulnerable and delicate.  He was worried.  What if she got hungry?  She hadn't eaten in hours and fledglings tended to need to feed more often in the beginning.  Of course, Willow wasn't a typical fledgling.  His desk chair creaked as Angel shifted again.

"Angel," Gunn snapped.  He stood up and tossed Angel a mace.  "You need to get your mind off Tiger.  What's with you and this obsessing over
women?  She won't disappear if you stop thinking about her for a second." Gunn grinned at Angel's low growl.  He brandished his newly polished ax with a flourish.  "Take your best shot."

Angel stood up, holding the mace at his side.  He and Gunn moved into the open area of the lobby, circling each other with predatory grace. Angel's mind went blank as he focused on his adversary.  Gunn was a worthy opponent in a sparring match.  He wasn't as strong or fast as Buffy, but he was smart and he had great battle instincts that he didn't second guess.  He was also impatient.  Angel waited for Gunn to make the first move.

"So, Angel, is Tiger free?  Cause vampire or not, she's one hot little number."  Gunn's features split into another grin as Angel's eyes flashed gold.  Angel hadn't expected his first attack to be verbal. But Gunn was catching on.  Damn vampire always waited until he lashed out first and then it usually ended up with him on his ass.  It wasn't going to happen this time.  Even if he had to use Angel's obvious less-than-brotherly feelings for the vampire witch.

"No, she has a girlfriend."

"What?" Angel used Gunn's surprise against him and swung the mace.  It clanged on the ax as Gunn deflected the blow.  Unfortunately, the defensive move unbalanced Gunn and Angel swept his feet out from under him.  Not to be totally outdone, Gunn kicked at Angel's knee.  They both fell to the floor with a thud.

The front door opened and both men looked up to see Cordelia, Willow, and Fred with their arms laden with shopping bags.  "See, I told you they would keep themselves occupied." Cordelia stepped over the guys and walked to her desk.  "You better not have broken anything of mine. How many times do I have to tell you not to rough house in here? That's what the ballroom is for." Cordelia glared at them and then turned to Wesley who was sitting in his office with the door wide open. Books were piled up on his desk.  "Why didn't you stop them, Wesley?"

"Cordelia, we've been researching all afternoon, not gallivanting about the city on a shopping spree." Wesley took off his glasses and rubbed his nose.  His initial excitement had quickly dissipated, he was now worried and exhausted.  His reading had turned up very little information.  He didn't know if he could help Miss Rosenberg.  The last thing he needed was a lecture from Cordelia.  "This is a very serious matter.  We need to know as much as possible."

"And I'm sure Angel and Gunn got a lot of useful information from the floor." Cordelia rolled her eyes.  "Now, Willow and I have discovered a lot while gallivanting.  For example, Willow still needs to eat regular people food, garlic doesn't effect her...."

"Garlic doesn't effect me either," Angel stated drily.  Willow set down her bags and held out her hand to him.  Her grip was strong as she helped him to his feet.  "That's a myth."

"Crosses only give her this horrible, bumpy rash that goes away pretty quickly," Cordelia continued as if Angel hadn't interrupted.  "And she doesn't need an invitation.  We stopped at my place so she could meet Dennis.  We also went to see Lorne." Cordelia gave Wesley a self-satisfied smirk.  She resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him.

"She took me shopping and then she made me sing." Willow pouted at Angel.  He squeezed her hand, the one he hadn't let go of once he was on his feet.

"You have a beautiful voice," Fred offered hesitantly.  She hovered in the doorway.  These were her friends, but she was still afraid.  Afraid that they weren't real, that being back was just a dream.  She was afraid that one day she would step into the hotel and its walls would disintegrate, her friends would disappear, and she would be back in her cave in Pylea, talking to herself.

"Thanks, Fred." Willow smiled at the girl.  She reminded her of herself in highschool before she had met Buffy, shy and nervous.  She was glad that Cordelia seemed to have taken her under her wing.  Again, it was just like her and Buffy.  Willow lost her smile and sighed.

"What did Lorne say?" Angel asked softly.  He squeezed her hand again.

Willow blushed.  She wasn't exactly ready to share everything that the green-skinned reader demon had told her and especially not with the group.  She wasn't even sure she believed it.  He must have misinterpreted something.  But she could tell them one thing.  "He said someone close to me brought this about.  Whoever sent VampWillow after me didn't want this to happen, I was supposed to die.  She was supposed to kill me.  All me's in every dimension.  What did I do to make someone hate me that much?"  Willow moved into Angel's waiting arms.

The bodies of the children wove around each other in a heated frenzy to the beat of the loud music.  It was incredibly hot in the nightclub, both in temperature and hormones.  That was the way Darla liked it. She had left L. A., but not because her errant childe had ordered her to.  She had needed time to shed the scummy film of humanity that had clung to her.  Angel was a bad influence, he had actually made her care.  Darla shivered.  A sweet, young boy - no more than twenty-two - caught her eye.  Draining him would be a step in the right direction. He reminded her of an uncorrupted, younger Lindsey.

A hand on her arm stopped Darla's approach and pulled her into the shadows instead.  "Dru?" Darla cocked her head at the insane vampire. "I thought you had gone to Sunnydale to get Spike back."

Dru pouted.  "My Spikey's head is full of the slayer.  She's taken him like she did my Daddy, only she won't play with Spikey.  He's a bad boy."

"She is a greedy little slut, isn't she?" Darla grimaced.  It still hurt that the schoolgirl had the power to bring back her boy and she did not.  "So, what brings you to San Diego, Dru?  Do you want to kill the bitch?"

"She was dead, but now she's alive." Dru's sad eyes brightened and she started to hum and sway.  "The stars told me a wonderful story, Grandmother Daughter.  The little tree that weeps has joined our family. She's my new Mummy and she'll give me brothers and sisters to play with." Dru cradled her stomach, protecting a nonexistent baby.  "Her womb isn't dead."

As always, Dru's rambling was frustrating.  It didn't make sense.  It sounded like Angel had found a new woman, but there was no way he could
give her children.

Following Darla's train of thought, Dru sang softly, "There's a spell. Daddy and Mummy will have beautiful children.  They'll walk in the light."

"And destroy by day if we play our cards right." Darla still didn't understand how what Dru was saying was possible, but she would.  "Let's get back to Los Angeles.  It's time I was a bad influence on Angel and this time I'll use his new love to bring him back home."
 

~Part Three~

The more he thought about it, the more Willow Rosenberg's condition disturbed Wesley.  The initial excitement of a new phenomena had passed
and he was quickly being overcome with a quiet dread.  Wesley watched as Angel took Willow through some Tai Chi exercises.  He was trying to
use the techniques he had learned to help Willow control the demon that now dwelled inside of her.

An alive vampire.  Wesley doubted that the rest of his friends or Willow herself had fully contemplated the implications of the existence of such a being.  She could withstand daylight.  She didn't need an invitation.  These facts made him uneasy and while he knew that Willow wasn't a threat - she still possessed her soul after all - there were people who would use her existence to their advantage.  He knew that Wolfram and Hart would probably sell the souls of their progeny for the opportunity to exploit Willow.  There was still the question of whether or not she could bear offspring.  If she could, what would they be? Demons with souls?  The possession of a soul did not immunize one from evil - all the atrocities that humankind committed against each other was proof of that - so it couldn't be sworn that if Willow were to produce a child that the child would be on the side of good.  The gleaming silver letter opener his mother had given him when he had been accepted into the Watcher's Council caught his eye.  He knew what his duty as a Watcher was.

"Angel!" Willow's laugh pulled Wesley's gaze from the sharp instrument. Angel was holding her up, she had obviously stumbled over a move.  The
normally morose vampire at her side was grinning at the girl, his face alight with a rare joy.  "That is not what that position is called!" Willow's face was flushed from more than just the workout.

"It is.  I swear." Angel dodged the playful punch Willow threw at his shoulder.

Wesley was no longer a Watcher.  He was a member of the Angel Investigations team and he couldn't kill Willow.  For one thing, he was pretty sure Angel would rip his head off before he had a chance to explain that the demon wouldn't let her die and that he was just trying to make her truly one of the undead.  There had to be some way to get rid of the demon.

"Depossession!" Wesley suddenly yelled, not noticing the dirty look Angel sent him.

Damn ex-watcher!  Didn't he stop thinking for two minutes?  Angel was in the middle of showing Willow the correct way to go through the movements he had told Willow was called Horny Monkey, but was actually called Flying Dragon.  He was positioning her body, his hand on one of
her hips and his other cradling her wrist as he guided it through the movements and Wesley's interruption was not appreciated.  The upbeat thump of Willow's heart and the warmth of her skin was wreaking havoc on his senses.  He wanted to keep touching her.  Now he had to let her go, so they could listen to what Wesley had to say.

"Willow's body is still alive so we should be able to exorcize the demon without harming her."  Wesley beamed.  He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before and he was almost weak in the knees with relief.  He wasn't going to have to bring up concerns that would scare everyone or solutions that would have Angel glowering at him in yellow-eyed fury for years to come.  "Of course we'll have to find a reputable exorcism ritual."

"What about the one we used on that devil child?" Cordelia watched Angel and Willow with interest from her seat at her desk.  She had never seen Angel so relaxed and happy.  She also noticed that while he had let go of Willow's wrist, his other hand still lingered at her waist.  "How soon we forget saving evil from evil."

"No, no, this would be much more complicated than that.  The demon that possesses the dead is different from one that possesses the living."

"But Willow isn't dead," Cordelia pointed out.

"That's what makes it complicated!" Wesley snapped in exasperation. "And then there's the spell she used...somehow the soul restoration figures into this...I just don't know how...."

"Then we should do more research." Angel ignored the slight thrill his suggestion gave him.  He liked having Willow around.  He didn't want to look too deeply at the selfishness behind that feeling.  He didn't want to dwell on how finding a 'cure' for Willow would mean that she would return to Sunnydale and he would be alone in more ways than one. Because if he had to look at all that, than he would also have to admit that he really liked having another vampire with a soul around. Someone unique and alone in the vampire world.  They could be alone together.  It was an extremely selfish line of thought.  "And then attempt an exorcism."

"I can contact some people who can tell me more about the soul restoration ritual." Willow shot a wary glance at Angel, not sure how he would react to her news.  "I've talked to some of Miss Calendar's family.  They've been willing to help me."

"With what?" Angel frowned.  The idea of Willow associating with the gypsy clan that had cursed him was disturbing.  What happened if she did something they didn't like?  They could hurt her.

"I've been...well, I kinda was working on nullifying the clause in your curse," Willow said the last words in one rushed breath.  "I wanted to make your soul permanent, so you could be happy, Angel." Willow bit her lip and chanced a glance at her friend.  He was still frowning, but the crease in his forehead was from worry, not anger.

"Do they know that's what they're helping you with?"

"Well..."

The front door banged open, forestalling any answer Willow would have given Angel.  Gunn and two other guys stood in the doorway.  Their
clothing was torn and the bloody trails of multiple scratch marks marred their dark skin. A hideous stench, like burnt hair and flesh, hung in the air.  "We've got trouble," Gunn announced unnecessarily as he strode toward the weapons cabinet.

"Blikar demons." Wesley grimaced as he held his arm up to cover his nose.  "Horrible little things."

"These ones ain't so little," Gunn's Hispanic friend, Ricky, corrected Wesley.  "Great Danes don't have anything on these suckers.  They're all teeth and drool."

"And a damn nasty smell," Gunn's other friend, Leon, added.  He caught the sword Gunn tossed at him.

Wesley was shaking his head.  "But Blikar demons are only the size of a rat.  They travel in packs and attack together."

"They're still doing that." Ricky shivered and tapped the club Gunn had given him against his thigh nervously.  "They just had a growth spurt."

"Blikar demons are usually conjured by a practitioner of the black arts to go after a particular enemy," Willow offered. "Maybe whoever conjured them made them bigger for some reason."  She moved to join the others gathering at the door, but Angel pulled her back.

"No, Willow, you can't go with us."

"Why not?  Angel, I'm not a child anymore.  We had to defend Sunnydale by ourselves when Buffy was...gone.  And I'm a witch, I still have my powers, and you're going to need me when you track down whoever conjured the Blikars."

"I know, but that won't be tonight.  Tonight we're just going to kill the demons, we'll worry about who conjured them tomorrow."  Angel held up a hand to stop Willow's next protest.  "You can't come with us, Willow.  You have control over the demon now, but you've haven't been in a violent situation yet.  The demon would automatically take control and I don't know if you've learned enough to take it back after the fight is over."

"I have to be able to put the demon back in the cage after I let it out." The thought scared Willow.  She didn't want to ever let the demon out.  She wanted to keep it locked and chained tightly in her subconscious.  But she also knew that it was inevitable that it would emerge.  Willow knew what it was like to lose control.  Sometimes it happened when she was performing a new spell, but she always knew that she would get it back.  That after the spell was over, she would regain control of her body automatically.  "I'll stay here and research the restoration ritual.  I...should probably make a phone call anyway."

"Gonna finally call Sunnydale and fess up to your new vampy status?" Cordelia grimaced in sympathy.  Angel had called to let them know that Willow was safe and staying with him for a while until she had sorted out a few things, but he hadn't given them details.  She knew the Scooby gang would be going crazy with questions and was actually surprised that Xander, Buffy, and Giles hadn't already showed up on their doorstep.

"Yeah." Willow sighed.  She gave Angel a small smile to let him know she was fine as they left.  She followed them to the door. "Gook luck killing demons.  And, oh, if you can bring back the front paws and the nose of the alpha demon, I can use it to trace the conjurer," she called  from the doorway as her friends piled into Angel's convertible and drove off.

Willow went back inside and shut the door.  The phone rested innocently on the front desk.  This was not a conversation she was looking forward
to.  She was just glad she didn't have to see the their faces when she told her friends she was a vampire.  Giles' sadness and disappointment. Buffy's anger.  Xander's disgust.  Anya's indifference.  Tara's heartache and finally rejection.  It was going to be bad enough hearing it in their voices.

They could smell them long before they could see them.  The stench worsened as Gunn, Wesley, Ricky, and Leon walked cautiously down the dark alley.  Cordelia trailed along behind them, a cell phone in her hand.  She looked nervously behind her and then above her.  The comforting silhouette of Angel was only visible when he moved along the roof of the building.

From his vantage point high above, he could see dark forms shuffling around a dead end.  The Blikars must have lost their prey.  Angel took a cell phone from the pocket of his duster and pressed the speed dial. He watched as Cordelia put her phone to her ear.  He had made sure that the phone had been on vibrate before they had left the car.  The last thing they would have needed was for a ringing phone to alert the Blikars to their presence.

"Cordy, they're at the end of the alley.  There's a dead end and there's five of them.  I want Wes and Gunn to rush them.  I'm going to drop down on the other side of the Blikars.  You, Leon, and Ricky stay back and pick off any stragglers that make a break for it."  Angel pocketed the phone and waited while Cordelia related the information to the others.  Once Gunn and Wesley started down the alley, Angel moved.

With blinding speed, Angel crossed the distance of the roof and leapt down into the alley. The Blikars turned to him in unison.  As Ricky had said, they were the size of Great Danes, their features also dog-like with long snouts and pointed ears.  Unlike dogs though, these demons stood on two feet, not four, and their mouths were filled with hundreds of razor sharp teeth.  There was no tongue to take up space from the deadly choppers.  A thick viscous, foul-smelling drool dripped from their gaping maws.  Angel struck out at the largest, the alpha, with his double-edged axe making a nice clean slash to the demon's right shoulder.  The thing went for Angel's jugular, snarling and slathering drool all over.  Angel snarled back in vampire face and clipped it in the jaw with his fist.  The beast spun in the air and hit the wall.

Before the alpha's comrades could join it in attacking Angel, Wesley and Gunn arrived.  Gunn tore out the throat of one demon with a dagger.  Wesley crushed the head of another with a large cudgel.  All three worked together, hacking, slashing, smashing, and crushing the demons.  A sharp yelp marked the retreat of one and it headed toward Cordelia, Ricky, and Leon.  Ricky dealt it a glancing blow to its side while Leon stabbed at it with his sword.  The Blikar whipped around and took a chunk out of Ricky's calf and held on.  Leon tried to pry the demon's jaws open with his sword and release his friend from its grasp.

With precision aim, an arrow pierced through the beast's temple. Cordelia lowered her crossbow. Her nose wrinkled.  "I don't own enough perfume and shampoo to get rid of this smell."  Cordelia went over to Ricky and Leon.  "We have to get you to a hospital."

"Where did you learn to shoot like that?  You saved me." Ricky gasped. He gave her a look of adoration that Cordelia hadn't seen since highschool.

"Thanks." Cordelia blushed.  She didn't get a lot of compliments on her battle skills and it was boost to her ego to see that look again. Angel, Wesley, and Gunn tended to take them for granted and any other guy she crossed paths with only saw her as another pretty face, wanna-be actress.

"Cordy, guys, you okay?" Gunn trotted toward them.  Wesley and Angel followed behind him.  He grabbed Cordelia into a quick hug.

"We're cool, your girl here saved the day.  I'll take Ricky to a hospital, tell them we ran into a stray dog."  Leon helped his friend up and supported him as they walked down the alley.

"Thanks for the pointers with the crossbow," Cordelia whispered.  She gave Gunn a shy smile.  She remembered those afternoons with Gunn standing behind her, his arms wrapped over hers as he showed her how to aim and shoot.  At the time, it had been just an excuse to spend time with him - Angel had taught her how to use a crossbow ages ago - but Gunn's tips had actually come in handy.

"You're a natural, Cordy." Gunn shuffled his feet.  No girl had ever made him feel like Cordelia Chase did.  He wanted to protect her, yet he respected her ability to protect herself.  He cared about her as a friend and maybe more, yet she infuriated him to no end when she stuck her nose in his business.  She was his guardian angel and intoxicating temptress.  Every instinct he had told him that Cordelia was not the one for him, but he didn't care.  It would be very easy to fall in love with her.

"Well, that went smoothly.  Unfortunately, we have no idea who conjured the demons or why and I'm sure that more will take their place." Wesley unintentionally interrupted Gunn and Cordelia's moment.

"That reminds me, I have to bring something back for Willow." Angel turned back and walked over to the alpha demon.  He sliced off its nose and front paws and pocketed them.

"You are the master of romance, Angel.  I don't know how they used to do it back in your day, but I think Tiger would prefer flowers and candy."  Gunn smirked as the vampire rejoined them.

"You don't know Willow very well." Angel answered quietly.  No one would know Willow as well as he did now that she battled a demon inside of her.

The hotel was dark and empty when Angel returned.  Gunn had taken Cordelia home and Wesley had went back to his apartment to look up exorcism spells.  Willow must have gotten tired and went to bed.  Angel was disappointed.  He kind of liked the idea of her waiting up for him.

Upstairs, Angel was greeted by the same dilemma as that afternoon - Willow's closed bedroom door.  Should he knock?  She was probably sleeping.  But he had the paws and the nose of the alpha demon.  But she needed her rest and he could give them to her tomorrow.  But he wanted to see her.  A soft moan that ended in a whimper and the rustling of sheets came from behind the door.  Willow was having a nightmare.  She needed him.

The door swung open quietly.  Willow twisted on the middle of her bed, one slim white arm flung out, the other wrapped in the dark sheet and her legs kicking and flaying.  Another tortured whimper issued from her lips.  Angel rushed to her side.  Gently, he untangled her from the sheet and pulled her into his lap.  "Shh, Willow.  It's okay.  I'm here," he whispered as he stroked her hair.  Willow responded to his soothing by wrapping her arms around his waist and burrowing her face in his neck.  "Willow?" Angel pulled away in surprise when he felt her tongue run along his jugular.

Bright green eyes enhanced by a yellow glow looked up at him.  Willow's lips bowed in a pout.  "Don't I even get a taste for old time's sake, Puppy?"
 

~Part Four~

The alarm in Puppy's eyes was too funny.  VampWillow giggled.  She remembered him from the last time she had visited this world.  The strong, slayer-whipped Puppy.  Seeing him then and now made her regret riding her Puppy so hard, she much preferred this one to the sniveling pathetic wraith her world had to offer, especially since the slayer was no where to be found.  FuzzyWillow was so lucky.  VampWillow flexed her fingers, digging her nails in and out of Angel's back like a cat. "Don't worry, Puppy, poor FuzzyWillow is still here."  She put a finger to her lips.  "Shh, she's sleeping."

"Willow!  Wake up!" Angel grabbed Willow's shoulders and shook her. This was not good.  He had no idea how to teach her to control the demon while she was asleep.  In a way, their situations were reversed. The demon was more a part of his body than his soul, it was only there because of the curse.  In Willow's case, the demon was the separate entity and it apparently could gain control of her body when her defenses were down.

Ooo, this was fun.  This Puppy was rough and strong.  VampWillow licked her lips.  "That won't work.  She's filled with lovely fear and she's retreated deep into her mind.  She thinks this is a part of her dream. Don't be sad, Puppy, she'll return to you eventually."  She leaned her head down and rubbed her cheek on Angel's hand.  FuzzyWillow had surprised her with her strength.  First, she had managed to trap her within her body and then she had actually retained control over it.  It wasn't until she had been emotionally exhausted by everything and the added burden of speaking with her friends, that FuzzyWillow had given up control.  "Meanwhile, let's have some fun."

"No." Angel let go of Willow's shoulders.  "I want Willow."

"Don't pout.  I know you do.  This way, you can have her." VampWillow walked her fingers up Angel's chest until she met the third button. She flicked it open and slipped her hand inside his shirt to graze his nipple with her fingernail.  "In the morning, FuzzyWillow will just think this dream turned into another one of the naughty ones she has about you.  Did you know that she has naughty dreams about you, Angel?" She used his name, saying it soft and breathlessly like her alterego would have had it been her in this situation.  Of course, FuzzyWillow wouldn't be teasing him so blatantly.

Angel didn't answer.  His mouth was dry and Willow's touch burned his skin - no, it was the demon's touch.  Willow wouldn't want him like this, she wouldn't be teasing his nipples into hard little nubs or undoing more buttons on his shirt or caressing his thigh with her other hand.  The demon was toying with him.  Willow didn't have erotic dreams about him - she was in love with a girl for Christ's sake.

"Puppy," VampWillow sang and nipped Angel's ear.  "You aren't playing. Maybe I'm being too nice."  She grabbed a handful of his hair and gave it a sharp tug.  Then, with a strength that surprised Angel, she flipped him over onto the bed and straddled his waist.  She ripped his half open shirt from his body and threw it to the floor.  "There, that's better.  Much better," she purred and licked him from his ear down his neck to his collarbone.  She lifted her head and regarded him with her yellow-green eyes.  Her tongue darted out and wet her lips before her head descended and her fangs sank into the soft skin above his collarbone.

The demon clamored and raged within Angel.  This upstart half-vampire was marking him!  Angel could barely fight the urge to give in to its fury.  Finally, he found enough control to tear her from him and roll them both over so he was on top.  He pinned her arms over her head with one hand.  "This is not a game I want to play."

All he got in return was a wicked smile and her knee pressing into his achingly hard erection.  "Parts of you beg to differ.  What game did you have in mind?"

It was his turn to attack her.  Angel bent down to Willow's perfect earlobe and nibbled.  He allowed his face to change and scraped his fang around the outer edge of the lobe.  "Who sent you after Willow?" He couldn't stop his hands from traveling down her arms to her soft round shoulders and brushing aside the flimsy straps of her peach silk nightie.

"Why do you want to know?" VampWillow thrust her hips in a slow rhythm, rubbing up against Angel.  "Are you going to kill this person or do you want to say thank you?  Admit it, Puppy, you like having FuzzyWillow by your side - needing you, adoring you - and you are going to love having me."

"Tell me who wants to hurt Willow."  Angel fought desperately with the urge to bite her, mark her as his as she had done with him.  He couldn't do that without Willow's consent and this was not Willow.

"FuzzyWillow took her love away and made her angry, so she traveled back in time and into my dimension to find me.  She's not going to like this, you and FuzzyWillow together, but I don't mind it."  VampWillow giggled.

"Who is she?" Angel pressed Willow's body down harder into the bed.  He had a sneaking suspicion that he knew the answer to his question, but he wanted it confirmed first.

"New game.  Guess."  VampWillow reached down and squeezed her favorite toy.  It was a shame, Puppy was so big and hard, but she had to go.
"Better think fast, FuzzyWillow is waking up and she's going to be surprised to see you."  The yellow left Willow's eyes and the ridges melted from her face.  Her green eyes looked up at Angel in confusion. "Angel?  Wh...what are you doing?"

"Hey, Willow." Angel let go of Willow's shoulders and removed his weight from her body.  He sat nervously on the edge of her bed and decided to go with the truth.  "When I got home I came into your room to give you the nose and paws of the alpha Blikar demon...."

"Oh, my God, Angel, you're bleeding." Willow sat up.  She gently probed the ragged bite mark on his collarbone.  "What happened?  Who did this to you?"

"You did."  Angel caught Willow's hand.  "When I came into your room, the demon was in control of your body."

"Oh.  I thought I was dreaming." Willow's cheeks flamed as she remembered her 'dream.'  "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you couldn't help it.  We just have to find a way for you to control it so it doesn't happen again."  Angel squeezed Willow's hand.

"But she likes you." Willow couldn't believe she was about to suggest this, but it was an option.  "If you play her game, maybe she'll tell us who sent her after me."

"It's too dangerous." Angel didn't specify which of them was in danger. He didn't know if he could take another encounter with Willow's demon and not give in to the demands of his body and demon.  She was too willing and having Willow, even if it was just her body, was too tempting.  He couldn't risk his soul.  "You need rest, real rest, so let's discuss this in the morning when everyone else is here."  Angel stood up.  He really needed to take a cold shower.

"Angel, what if she takes over once I fall asleep again?" Willow shivered and brought her knees up to chin.

"I don't think she will.  It never happened when you were sleeping before."  Angel sat back down on the bed and took Willow's hand.  "She said that you were afraid and had retreated."

"I was upset after I talked to everyone in Sunnydale.  I could feel her there, Angel, taunting me in the back of my mind.  I didn't know what to do, she wouldn't shut up and I wasn't sure if I could stop her from taking over.  It was so scary and frustrating.  I couldn't tell what were my feelings and what were hers.  I ran up here and tried those meditation techniques you taught me.  Eventually I fell asleep and I thought I was dreaming when she was with you."

"Do you, uh, remember everything that happened between us?" Angel ducked his head.  He didn't want Willow to feel uncomfortable around him.

"Just bits and pieces...I don't really remember what you were saying to each other.  I, well, I know she likes you."  Could she get any lamer?  It was obvious that the demon that dwelled inside her felt more than 'like' for Angel.  She couldn't believe the things she had done and was kind of glad that she didn't know what she had said to Angel. He was probably mortified.  She didn't blame him for wanting to leave, but she couldn't let him.  "Don't leave me alone, Angel.  Please.  I can't control the demon.  She's stronger now for some reason.  I can feel it."

The shine of tears in Willow's eyes and the tremble of her lips were Angel's undoing.  He couldn't leave her in this condition.  "There is something I can do to control the demon.  I was going to suggest it only as a last resort, but if she is getting stronger than we should consider it."

"What?" Hope surged through Willow.  She moved to sit beside Angel on the edge of the bed.

"I could claim you.  It's done by biting." Angel self-consciously touched the healing bite that her demon had given him and waited for disgust or fear to replace the hope in Willow's face.  Instead she just looked thoughtful.  She chewed her lower lip as she considered the option.  "We're halfway there - you've already bitten me.  Once I bite you, it'll establish a blood bond and since my demon is older and stronger I can exert control over your demon."

"I read about this in one of Giles' books.  It's a mating ritual."  A pretty pink flush infused Willow's cheeks.

"Yes, it is.  Would you be uncomfortable with that?"  It was surreal. He was actually sitting on Willow's bed calmly discussing making her his mate.  "It would be platonic - a bond of blood only - because of the curse."

"Do we do it now?"  Willow stared at her hands in her lap.  She didn't dare look at Angel.  She was going to be his mate!  Buffy was going to hate her.  But it was her only option.  She couldn't lose control of her demon and hurt someone.

"It would be best while my blood is still fresh inside you."  Angel turned toward Willow.  He tilted her chin up to see her face.  He had to know her true reaction to what he was proposing and Willow's eyes didn't lie.  "Do I have your permission?"

Willow didn't trust herself to speak.  It would only degenerate into an embarrassing babble.  She nodded.  Angel's fingers stroked the soft skin under her chin.  He leaned closer to her and pressed a simple, gentle kiss to her lips.  Willow let her eyes drift close and unconsciously tipped her head, revealing her neck in invitation.  Angel's lips strayed downward, stopping at her jugular.  It tickled and she tingled all over.  Her heart rate and breathing picked up in anticipation as he suckled a piece of her flesh.  Her breath caught when his fangs pierced her skin and she reached out and clutched his thigh.

Sweet, warm blood flowed over Angel's tongue and down his throat.  He felt Willow's hand squeeze his thigh.  The scent of her arousal perfumed the air prompting a rumbling growl deep in Angel's throat. Willow whimpered and leaned into him, her other hand embedding itself in his hair to press him closer.  He had to stop, he had taken enough to establish the blood bond and if he continued then the increasingly painful needs of his body would make him complete the entire mating ritual.  If that happened, his soul would be history.  Reluctantly, Angel withdrew his fangs.  He licked at the wound until the blood clotted and stopped.

For a minute, everything was still.  Neither of them moved or spoke. Willow even held her breath.  The only sound heard was the soft thump of her heart.  Finally, Angel lifted his head to gauge Willow's feelings about what had just happened.  Her eyes were still closed and she was smiling slightly.

"You're wiped out.  You still need sleep."  Angel brushed a kiss to Willow's forehead and laid her back into the bed.  Before she could protest, he added, "I"ll stay."  He tucked the covers around her and laid down on top of them.  Willow snuggled into his embrace.

"Night, Angel.  Thank you."  Willow smiled into his chest.  This was right.  The only wrong thing about it was that it felt unfinished.

*****

The Hyperion was quiet when Cordelia unlocked the front door and walked in.  She was used to it since she was usually the first one here in the morning and Angel was always still sleeping before noon.  She locked the door again, not wanting her quiet time interrupted before it was time to open for business.  Cordelia moved around the office, making sure that things were set up - the business cards out, the coffee made, fresh doughnuts - before she ventured upstairs.  She wanted to check on Willow, find out how her conversation with the Sunnydale crew had went and offer her support if it was needed.

"Morning, Will...." Cordelia lost her voice at the sight of two of her best friends wrapped up in each others arms in bed.  They both looked so at peace and Angel still had his pants on and was on top of the covers, so Cordelia just smiled and backed out of the room.  They could probably use the sleep.

As Cordelia softly shut the door and turned to tiptoe back down the hallway, a blinding pain made her stumble into the wall.  She clutched her head as disjointed images joined the agony.  People in a club dancing.  An amorous couple making their way out into a darkened alley. Two women approaching and attacking them.  Willow in demon face, blood staining her lips.

"No!" Cordelia screamed as she sank to the floor.

"Cordelia?" She heard Willow's worried voice.  "Angel, what's wrong?"

"She had a vision."  Strong arms picked her up and carried her downstairs and set her on the couch.  "Cordelia, what did you see?"

"Darla...Drusilla...outside in an alley behind some club.  They're attacking a couple."  Cordelia opened her eyes.  Willow and Angel hovered over her.  "I also saw Willow in vamp mode with blood on her face."

"Was I in the alley too?" Willow asked with an academic detachment.  She wasn't too scared about the contents of Cordelia's vision.  There could be lots of reasons why she would be in bloody vamp-face.  Besides, Cordelia was given these visions so that Angel could prevent what she saw.  "Was I with Darla and Drusilla?  And by the way, didn't you dust Darla years ago?"

"Wolfram and Hart brought her back human, Drusilla re-vamped her, Angel had some issues with it, but he's okay now," Cordelia brought Willow up to speed and she sat up on the couch.  "I don't know where you were, I just saw your face.  Wesley and Gunn should be in soon.  We need to find this club.  It was dark and gothic, everyone was dressed in leather.  There was this weird black light glass chandelier that spread out over most of the ceiling.  It had those fibre optic needles."

"The Spider Web."  Willow smiled at Angel and Cordelia's stunned looks. "Buffy and I checked it out one weekend when she and Dawn came to visit
their father.  It's cool, but there was a lot of vampires."

"Wonderful.  Willow Rosenberg has more of a nightlife than I do." Cordelia shook her head as much as she could without inducing more skull-cracking pain.  "I'm officially pathetic."

Willow saw Cordelia wince as she tried to laugh instead of hurt.  On impulse she reached out and touched her friend's forehead.  "Laxo doleo.  Animadverto piaculum absque iniuria."  An orange glow flared briefly and died away.

"The pain is gone."  Cordelia touched her head.  She could think clearly.  Could see the details of the vision without the hazy fog of a thudding headache.  "Willow, what did you do?"

"I released you from your currant pain and then I bound the pain from your visions.  You shouldn't suffer any more when you have them." Willow sat down wearily beside Cordelia.  The spell had taken more out of her than they usually did, probably because she hadn't cast in a while.  "I didn't know if I could do it.  I didn't know if my magic would still work, I haven't done anything since the teleportation spell I can't remember using to get here."

"Well, it works great."  Cordelia hugged Willow.  "Thank you."

"You're welcome."  Willow returned the hug and then realized that she was still in her nightie.  She didn't want Gunn and Wesley to see her in this state and if Angel's soft snarl was his reaction to her hugging Cordelia, he wouldn't want them to see her half dressed either.  They also had company coming that Angel didn't know about.  Willow stood up. "I better get dressed, my contact in the Kalderash clan is supposed to meet me this afternoon."

"A Kalderash is coming here?"  Angel felt the familiar guilt well inside of him, but he also felt anger and fear.  He wasn't sure of what the gypsies would do to Willow once they found out that she was his mate.  He wasn't sure of what he would do if they hurt her.  Already, he was incredibly possessive of Willow.  He hadn't even liked the hug she had shared with Cordelia.

"Yes.  I didn't think you would let me meet her alone.  She's bringing everything she knows about the soul restoration ritual and Xander's emailing me everything I have about it on my laptop to your business email."  Willow gave Angel a bright smile.  "Hey, maybe, we'll even find something to make that soul of yours a permanent fixture."

Cordelia waited until Willow went back upstairs before saying anything. "That would be a good thing, especially if you plan on spending any more nights in the same bed.  So, what's with the mutual bloody hickeys?"  She pointed at Angel's collarbone.

"The demon took control when Willow fell asleep last night.  We had kind of a...confrontation... and she bit me."  Angel sat down beside Cordelia.  Confiding in her had become a natural habit for him lately.  He knew that she would set him straight without hesitation if she needed to.  "After Willow woke up and regained control, she was afraid it would happen again.  I suggested that I claim her as my mate because it would give me some control over her demon.  It was just consummated in blood by biting, not sexually."

"Obviously, because you're not evil.  But you wanted to, didn't you?"

"Yeah.  I still do."  Angel was relieved by his confession and Cordelia's acceptance of it, at least he thought she accepted it, she hadn't slapped him upside the head and called him a dumb ass.  "Her demon gave me some clues to the identity of the person who sent her after Willow.  The demon said that Willow had taken her love away, so the girl traveled back in time and to the demon's dimension to find her.  The demon said she wouldn't like Willow and I being together."

"Did Willow have any ideas on who this time traveling revenge freak is?"

"I didn't tell her and she doesn't remember anything the demon said to me."  Angel paused.  He had been mulling it over in the back of his mind ever since the demon had told him to guess.  It made sense.  Who else wouldn't want to see him with Willow?  Who else knew about Vampire Willow and her dimension?  "I think it's Buffy."

A knock at the door interrupted any verbal response Cordelia could give so she raised a shocked eyebrow instead.  She put a hand on Angel's arm as he started to stand.  "Let me get it.  It's probably Willow's gypsy friend and I hardly doubt a flaming vampire will inspire her to help us out."  Cordelia walked over to the door and unlocked it. She was so busy processing her shock over Angel's suggestion that it took her a moment to really see who was standing in front of her once she opened the door.  "Speak of the devil.  Buffy, imagine you knocking."

"It was locked." Buffy walked past Cordelia into the hotel.  She looked around curiously before settling her gaze on a shirtless Angel. A quick, suspicious glare flickered in Cordelia's direction before she smiled at Angel.  "Hello, Angel.  Where's Willow?"

For his part, Angel was more interested in the girl who followed Buffy into his home.  He didn't like her and from the cold look she gave him, she returned the feeling.  "She's upstairs.  I'm Angel," he introduced himself to the newcomer, but didn't offer his hand or stand up.  "And this is Cordelia."

"Nice to meet you.  I'm Willow's girlfriend, Tara."
 

~Part Five~

Her mate.  The words were scary and wonderful.  Especially when they applied to Angel.  Never in her wildest dreams had Willow ever thought
Angel would be her mate.  It was strictly platonic, of course, no sex allowed.  Willow stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her hair and slipped into her robe.  But the 'no sex' was only because of the curse, that was what Angel had said.  That meant if it wasn't for the curse, than Angel would want to....Bad Willow!  Willow shook her head to rid herself of naughty thoughts.  Angel was her best friend's ex-boyfriend - the ultimate love of her life - he wasn't supposed to be thought of that way.  Besides, she liked girls.  She had a girlfriend.  Still, it wouldn't hurt to ask about nullifying the clause to Angel's curse.

"It's not like I'd be asking for myself," Willow muttered as she walked out of the bathroom that was connected her room.  Living in an old hotel had perks.  She rubbed at her wet hair with the towel.  "He deserves happiness."

"Why?"  Angel's question startled Willow.  She gave a little shriek and dropped her towel.  Angel bent down to pick up the damp cloth.  "Why would I deserve happiness after everything I've done."  He couldn't look at her, so he looked at the navy towel instead.  It smelled like her - raspberries and chocolate ice cream.  His mate - sweet and tart.

Willow frowned at Angel.  She stepped forward and touched his cheek to make him look at her.  "You're not still doing that, are you, Angel?  I thought you had let go of some of the guilt working here with Cordelia, Wesley, Gunn, and Fred."

"I can't ever let go of the guilt."

"Oh, Angel."  Willow stepped even closer.  She took the towel he was twisting in his hands and tossed it into the corner.  Her thumb brushed along his jaw line as she brought her other hand to rest over his inanimate heart.  "You are the bravest, most unselfish person I know.  When you were given your soul, you could have let the guilt drive you insane or to suicide, but you didn't.  I'll admit that you wallowed in it for a while."  She smiled up at him.  "But then you chose to help people, Angel, to make a difference in the world."

"Whistler...."  Angel started to protest.  He almost smiled at the way her eyes sparked when he spoke.

"Gave you an option, but you were the one who chose it," Willow interrupted stubbornly.  It was an argument he couldn't win, her mutinous expression told him so, but he really didn't want to win it. Angel liked who he was in Willow's eyes.  He leaned forward, intending to kiss the unyielding line of her lips into more pliable curves.

"Willow."  Tara stood in the bedroom doorway.

A sense of smug satisfaction settled over Angel when Willow didn't pull away from him.  The corners of his mouth lifted in a languid smile. "Oh, right.  The reason I came into your room was to tell you that Buffy and your...friend are here."

"Girlfriend," Tara corrected.  She glared at Angel as she walked into the room.  "I thought you came upstairs to get a shirt."

"That too."  Angel met Tara's glare with a bland look.  It was actually a good thing that they had been interrupted before he had kissed Willow.  He hadn't been thinking.  Kissing Willow at that moment would have been too perfect.  It would have made him too happy.  It probably was a good idea to ask about getting rid of the clause, even though he didn't really deserve it.  Or Willow.

"I should get dressed."  Willow stepped back from Angel, dropping her hands from his face and chest.  Belatedly, she blushed.  And felt a twinge of guilt, but not about Angel.  She felt guilty about her relationship with Tara.  "You two should leave the room so I can do that."

Neither Angel nor Tara made a move to comply with Willow's request. Tara gaped at her girlfriend in open mouthed shock.  "Willow, it's not like I haven't seen you get dressed before."

"I know."  Willow shuffled awkwardly.  She knew from the growly vibrations rumbling quietly from Angel that he would not leave while Tara was still in the room.  "Things are different now.  I told you that last night over the phone when I also said I needed some time alone to think about what I'm going to do."

"You're not alone," Tara accused her sharply.  If it was possible, her glare intensified.  "You're with him."

Willow sighed.  "Please, Tara, go downstairs and wait with Buffy.  I'll get dressed and then we'll sit down and talk."

"I'll go put on that shirt."  Angel walked to the door.  He paused and stood to the side, making a sweeping gesture with his hand.  "After you," he said firmly to Tara.

*****

It was lucky that Cordelia Chase had grown as a person, because if she hadn't then Buffy would have found herself waiting in the walk-in freezer of their industrial kitchen instead of the lobby.  At first, it had just been awkward trying to make small talk with Buffy and Tara. They had chatted about slaying, witchcraft, demons, visions, demons, Cordy's acting career, and more demons.  Then Gunn and Wesley had shown up and Tara had slipped away upstairs.  Poor Willow, she was caught between an insanely jealous girlfriend and an insanely possessive vampire.  But Cordelia couldn't worry about Willow's troubles at the moment.  Buffy was flirting with Gunn!

"Wow.  You organized your own vampire/demon hunting gang.  That's impressive, Gunn."  Buffy smiled widely and actually batted her eyelashes.  Gunn smiled back and shrugged in that 'aw, shucks, I'm just a guy' way males did when trying to be modest.  Cordelia gritted her teeth.  She knew Buffy was doing it to get back at her for all those times she had thrown herself at Angel in highschool and for the fact that now she was closer to Angel than Buffy was.  She also knew that Buffy was hoping that Angel would catch her being 'interested' in another guy and get jealous.  At least she would be front row center for Buffy's reaction to the news that Willow was Angel's mate.

Fortunately, Cordelia wouldn't have to wait long.  She sat up straighter as someone clomped down the stairs, but it was just Tara. She slumped in a chair.  "Willow is getting dressed.  She'll be down in a few minutes."  Tara looked up at them briefly before returning to stare morosely at her lap.

"Oh, that's okay."  Buffy placed a hand on Gunn's arm.  "I've been talking with Gunn."  She glanced at Cordelia, who gave her a tight smile.

A few minutes.  Cordelia could live through a few more minutes with the slutty slayer and sulking wiccan.  She looked up at the staircase. What the hell was taking Willow and Angel so damn long?

*****

Madness.  That was the only explanation for why he was standing in front of Willow's bedroom door.  Why he was knocking.  Especially after the close call with the kiss.  Angel finished buttoning his dark green shirt as he waited for Willow to answer.  The words just kept running through his head, 'it's not like I haven't seen you get dressed before.'  He kept hearing them and they kept bugging him.  Willow was his mate.

"Angel?"  Willow peeked around her door.  "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah.  Fine."  Angel leaned against the door frame.  He picked at the flaking paint on the wood.  "Something just occurred to me."

"Are you going to share?"  Willow grinned playfully.  Angel looked like a little boy about to invite a girl into his secret fort.

"I've never seen you get dressed."

He didn't sound like a little boy.  Angel's tone was low and sexy.  It sent tingling, shivery sensations throughout Willow's body.  She should slam the door in his face.  Her girlfriend and his ex-girlfriend who happened to be her best friend were downstairs.  She opened the door wider to let him into the room.

Seeing Willow in only her black underwear, it dawned on Angel what was happening.  He had been a fool to believe that he could make Willow his platonic mate.  He had always been drawn to her, even when he had lived in Sunnydale.  Then it had been her innocence and the purity that
radiated from her.  He had wanted to protect that so badly and he had failed because he couldn't protect her and be around Buffy at the same
time, so he had left.  Now her purity was contaminated by the demon inside her and he found her even more irresistible.  As he admired the ivory whiteness of Willow's skin, he felt an overwhelming compulsion to complete the mating ritual.  A compulsion he was going to resist. Angel sat down on the edge of the bed.

She and Angel were going to have sex.  Not at the moment, she was getting dressed - not undressed - after all and there was that stupid clause.  But they were working up to it.  Willow pulled on the hunter green leather pants she and Cordelia had bought on their shopping spree.  She felt strangely calm, not her usual babbling bundle of  nerves.  Next she slipped on the burnt orange tank top, pulling it over her head and smoothing the silky material over her curves.  She concentrated on taking deep, even breaths.  "All done."  She turned a bit to face Angel.  His eyes were dark and Willow wanted nothing more than to take her clothes off and jump him.  She held out her hand instead.  "Let's go downstairs."

*****

Restless anticipation quivered through every nerve of Darla's body. They had arrived in Los Angeles the night before and the waiting was getting to her.  She lounged in the loveseat of their expensive hotel suite, thinking about what she was going to do when she was finally reunited with her boy.  Drusilla sat in front of the television trying to snatch the actors from behind the glass.  She would giggle and growl like a kitten at her failure to capture them.

"Pretty people made of light.  Make me hungry.  Grrruuff."  Dru snapped her teeth together.

Darla suppressed the urge to smash the end table and stake the looney bitch.  She had never understood Angelus' amusement with his childe's
insanity.  She did understand her usefulness though - Drusilla's visions would keep them a step ahead of Angel - but she couldn't stand the demented rambling and deranged behavior of the vampiress.  "How long are we going to be stuck in this room?"

"Patience, Grandmother Daughter."  Dru emphasized the daughter part of the title she had bestowed upon Darla.  Her dark eyes slid over to the
blonde vampire.  Darla didn't like the sly light in them.  "We leave when I say.  Now I would like to take a lovely bath.  Hot, with bubbles."

At first, Darla didn't move.  She was the elder, so what if she had been dead for a few years and then alive with a soul for almost another one?  But it did matter.  Drusilla was her Sire.  Right after Darla had been turned, Dru had automatically assumed her role as the childe, but now she seemed to realize the power she held over Darla.  And she was using it.  The loathed servile need to please her Sire pushed Darla to her feet and into the bathroom to do as Dru asked.  It was a temporary response, eventually she would be able to overcome it.  Even Spike had finally torn himself from Dru's grasp, although falling in love with the slayer was hardly a step up.

"Is it ready?" Dru asked, stepping into the bathroom.

"Almost."  Darla poured some bubble bath under the running water.  The steam of the hot water intensified the pungent smell of lilacs.  When she did conquer the Sire/Child control, Dru would pay for this and they would both enjoy it.  That was one thing Angelus had always done right - teaching his childer to enjoy pain.

Drusilla touched Darla's cheek.  "Don't be angry, Grandmother Daughter. Tonight we meet my new Mummy.  The spiders told me we would when they invited us to go dancing with them."

"Fine."  Darla smiled.  Finally, she would be seeing her boy again and the mystery woman who had captured his dead heart.  "What about the spell?  The one that enables Angel to father children?"

"There's a witch."  Dru let her dress fall in a pool at her feet.  She stepped into the tub filled with flagrant bubbles.  Her head lolled back against the cool porcelain and she closed her eyes.  "She hates Daddy and thinks the spell will destroy him."

"Why doesn't it?"  Darla trailed her fingers in the hot water.

"His soul."  Dru smiled.  "Jonathan for my brother and Isabelle for my sister.  I'll be a good big sister.  I'll bring candy and dolls and dead puppies for them to play with.  I promise not to bite."

"I won't be making that promise."  Darla stood up and walked out of the bathroom.  She would suffer the presence of Angel's new consort until the birth of the first brat.  Then it would be bye-bye Mommy Dearest.  Permanently.

*****

It wasn't going well.  It didn't start well and it definitely was not going to end well.  Cordelia sat back and observed her friends, Buffy and Tara.  Wesley and Gunn were, for the most part, confused about the undercurrents flowing dangerously through the room, so she didn't pay too much attention to them.

Things had started badly when Willow and Angel had come downstairs holding hands and got worse when Angel hadn't ripped Gunn's head off in a jealous rage over Buffy's affections.  The tension factor had been upped when Tara had pulled Willow down to sit next to her, forcing Angel to take the remaining seat next to Buffy.  Given the fact that Buffy was pouting over Angel's lack of reaction to her, Angel was glowering over the fact that Willow was not at his side, Tara was desperately trying to get Willow's attention, and Willow was studiously ignoring Tara, it was a wonder that they had been able to begin discussing Willow's situation civilly.  It hadn't lasted long.

"I think you should come back to Sunnydale with us," Tara suggested.

"No!" Willow and Angel protested at the same time.  Willow continued with their objection, "I can't control the demon properly.  Angel is helping me do that and Wesley and the others are helping me research ways to expel the demon - if we can."

"We can do that in Sunnydale and Spike can help you control the demon." Buffy gave Angel a sidelong glance.  "Spike will do anything for me." She was obviously thrilled by Angel's low growl, not realizing that it was prompted by the thought of Spike being near Willow, not her.

"No, Spike wouldn't understand what Willow is going through.  He doesn't have a soul."  Angel looked at Wesley.  He hadn't voiced his thoughts from the night before to anyone and Wesley would probably be the best person to understand it.  Well, Willow would understand, but he couldn't look at her while she was sitting beside her...friend. "When Willow performed the restoration ritual, it restored the demon of her doppleganger inside her like it restored my soul to my body. It's the curse that ties my soul to me....."

Wesley nodded with enthusiasm and cut in, "And it's the curse that ties the demon to Willow."

"Then the solution is simple," Tara announced.  She looked triumphant and satisfied.  "Willow told me there was a clause to your curse, that
complete happiness took your soul away."  At everyone's nod and Buffy's slightly guilty look, Tara beamed.  She turned to face Willow, her hand moving to rest intimately on her lover's thigh.  "Complete happiness should take the demon away.  It's worth a shot for us to try it."

White, blinding rage engulfed Angel.  His ridges sprang across his face and his demon eyesight brought the hand on Willow's thigh into sharp focus.  She was touching his mate!  The violation was made even more abhorrent by the fact that he had not yet claimed Willow in that way.  Angel snarled and jumped up.

"Angel!"  Willow bolted to her feet as well.  She met him in the middle of their ring of friends.  "Angel, it's okay."

"She touched you," Angel growled, glaring at Tara from over Willow's shoulder.  "Mine."

"Yes, I'm yours.  It's not going to happen again."  Willow tugged on Angel's arm.  "I'm hungry, let's go into the kitchen.  Now, Angel." Willow forcefully dragged Angel out of the room.

"I wouldn't follow them," Cordelia cautioned Tara and Buffy when they started to rise.  "They drink blood when they're hungry."  Buffy sat down hastily.  Tara was a bit more reluctant until Cordelia added, "I think Angel is itching to taste yours."

"What was that about?"  Buffy looked suspiciously at Cordelia, like she had been responsible for Angel ignoring her in favor of her best friend.

Oh, Goody.  She didn't get to just watch, she got to tell.  Cordelia shrugged casually, but watched Buffy like a hawk.  "I guess Angel is just possessive.  It's one of those mating issues that they will have to work out."  She had been wrong.  This did end well.

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