*-*-*-*

Willow didn't make a noise as they lowered the coffin into the ground.
Everyone was surprised, they assumed that with the death of her best friend
Buffy, she would break down.  No one had seen her cry yet.  She had arranged
most of the funeral, as Buffy's mother and father were too distraught to
think about it.

Xander was beside Willow, sobbing softly.  His wife Anya was comforting him,
trying to ease some of the pain he felt.

Willow didn't move from her spot as the funeral broke up and people began to
talk to each other quietly.  She just stared at the ground in a daze,
watching as the gravediggers covered Buffy's coffin with dirt.

"Pet?"

"Mmm?"

"You ok?"

"Yea," she said absentmindedly, not even glancing at Spike.

"Yea."  Spike was quiet.  "Are you sure?"

"Yea."

"Ok."

"Thanks," Willow said.

"Yea, pet.  Hey," he started, knowing that Willow wasn't listening to him.
"Slutty and I were having a secret affair."

"Hmm?  I didn't know that, she didn't tell me.  I'm sorry for your loss."
She turned to him, hugging him.  "I wish I could make your life better."

"Bloody hell, witch!  You aren't even listening!  I would never shag Buffy!"

"What, Spike?"

Spike sighed.  "Red, I'm walking away now."

"Ok, talk to you later."  She turned back to the grave.

Angel had been watching Willow throughout the entire funeral.  He knew the
woman was still in shock and would probably be a wreck once it had settled
in that her best friend was gone.

He walked over to her.  "Willow."

"Angel," she said softly, turning to him.  Of everyone, she knew that he was
hurting the most.  He would understand her pain a lot more than anyone else
would.

He pulled her into his arms.  She blinked a few times, and then it hit her.
Her best friend Buffy was dead.  She broke down, clinging to Angel weakly.

Angel swallowed his tears back.  He picked her up and went over to Giles and
Spike.  "I'm going to take her back to her house," he said softly.

Spike reached out, stroking her hair.  She had her face in Angel's neck, her
body shaking with sobs.

Giles nodded.  "Call us if you need anything, Angel."

"I will," he said softly.  He made his way to Cordelia and Wesley.  He
quickly told his associates where he would be if they needed him.

*-*-*-*

Willow had settled down by the time Angel got to her house.  She stepped out
of the car and walked up to the door, unlocking it.  Angel, who had an
invitation, followed behind her.  He shut the door softly.  "Willow, is
there."

She reached out and pushed play on the machine.  "Angel, I want you to hear
this message I saved."

He listened, his heart aching when he heard Buffy's voice.

"Wills, hey, it's Buffy."  She sounded upset.  "I'm sorry I yelled at you at
the Scooby meeting, but in all fairness, you *were* being a bitch.  I know,
I know, I was too.  Guess it was both of our times of the month."  She
laughed.  "Anyway, I'm sorry, and you know that I love you always.  Riley
and I are going out tonight, but I have to patrol first.  I was going to ask
you to come with me, because I know you hate when I go by myself, but since
you aren't home.I'll see you tomorrow.  Love you!"

She turned to Angel.  "We had a horrible fight.  I was with Xander and Anya
when she called to apologize.  She patrolled alone that night.  She never
came home.  I never got to tell her I loved her, or that I was sorry."

"Oh, god, Willow, she knew.I promise you she did." Angel said softly.

::Beep::

"Willow, honey, its Ira.  Are you home?  We heard about what happened."

There was a scuffle on the machine.  "Willow, it's Sheila.  We got word
about Bunny getting killed.  Are you ok, Willow?  Are you there?  Please
pick up the phone, honey."

Ira took the phone back from his wife.  "We love you, Willow.  Please call
us when you get this message.  Our new number is 011-2."

Willow hit delete.  "I don't give a damn about your new number!  You still
don't even know her fucking name was Buffy!" she screamed.

Angel growled angrily, upset that her parents would leave a message on a
machine for their daughter at one of the worst times of her life.  "Willow,
I try not to cater to my violent thoughts, but right now, the thought of
bloodshed.. Specifically your parents, makes the demon and the soul happy,"
he snarled.

She turned sad eyes to him.  "They aren't even worth that."

"Willow.do you want me to leave?"

"Stay, Angel, please?  I need the comfort of someone who understands.  You
know how much I loved her, how much it hurts.  I mean, Spike would help me,
but he hated Buffy.  He can't truly comprehend how much this hurts me.
Giles and Xander. they are hurting too, but I don't want their comfort.  I
want you."

He pulled her into his arms.  "I'll always be here for you," he whispered
against her hair.

*-*-*-*

"Oh, goddess."

Angel woke up with a start, glancing over.  He and Willow were asleep in her
king sized bed.  It was big enough that they wouldn't be pressed against
each other, but they could still be in the same place.  He'd offered to
sleep on the floor, but she didn't want to do that to him.

Willow was on her back, asleep.  She had her hand under her shirt, playing
with her nipples,  her lips parted in rapture.  Angel watched her with
fascination.

She had grown up since he met her seven years before.  She was 22 now, and
was beginning her graduate degree at UCSunnydale.  Her hair was longer,
stopping at her midback.  For the first time in seven years, Angel noticed
her as a woman.

He reached out, running his fingertips along her face.  She turned her head
towards his touch.  "Angel." she whispered.  "Please.."

He froze.  He could tell she was asleep, which would mean..

<She's dreaming about me!> he thought.

"Angel."  her voice was ragged, the moans coming from deep in her chest.
She arched her back off the bed, kicking the covers off.

His eyes traveled down her body.  She wore a white baby tank top and a pair
of green silk boxer shorts.  She slid her hand down her stomach and under
the waistband of her shorts.  He watched as she masturbated herself to
orgasm, causing her to cry out his name.

Her eyes flew open as she tried to catch her breath.  He quickly closed his
eyes, not wanting her to know that she had been watched.  She turned to him
in horror.  "Angel?" she whispered, praying to her goddess that he didn't
hear her dream.

He was still as he pretended to sleep.  "Oh, thank goddess," she whispered.
She laid back.  "Oh, my, that was such an intense dream.  You were there, of
course, that would be why I screamed out your name.  I haven't dreamt about
you in years.  I used to dream about you, back when you and.."  She
swallowed hard.  "When I first met you.  I used to dream about you.  And
then you know, you became a claimed man.and then I started dating Oz.  I
haven't dreamt about you in.."  She sighed, rubbing her hands over her face.

She closed her eyes, smelling her arousal on her fingers.  She moaned
softly, slipping her fingertip between her lips.

Angel's eyes flew open.  He heard her smacking lips and knew she tasted
herself.  That knowledge was too much for him to handle.  He growled
dangerously.

"Angel?" she asked.

He reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand to his face.  He took
a deep breath, inhaling her arousal all over her hand.  "A.Angel?" she
asked.

He closed his eyes and started licking her fingers, cleaning her hand of her
quickly drying juices.  He moaned deep in his chest, tasting the sweet
ambrosia that belonged to the red headed witch.

She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his tongue
on her fingers.  <Goddess, his tongue is so soft.how can a tongue this
gentle be the same tongue who's killed so many?>  "Angel."

He opened his eyes and watched her, his dark brown eyes unreadable.  She
swallowed and gently pulled her hand away.  "I.need."

"What, Willow?" he whispered.  "What do you need?"

"Hold me, Angel," she said, tears filling her eyes.

He pulled her into his arms and held her close.  The two fell asleep.

*-*-*-*

A low growling was the first thing that woke him up.  The warm body in his
arms was the second thing.  He had his face in her neck.  The smell of her
blood brought the demon forth, and he slowly licked the skin.  She moved
beside him, pushing herself closer to him.

He reached up and grabbed her wrists, pushing her over.  He covered her body
with his.  She was a small girl, and for some reason, wasn't fighting him.
He licked her neck again, and bared his fangs.  <Food.> his demon sang.

"BLOODY HELL, PEACHES!  Are you fucking trying to kill Willow?"

The girl under his body woke up to the yelling.  She felt Angel's face in
her neck, fangs brushing against her skin.  "Angel..Angel, oh my goddess,
what are you doing?"

Angel blinked, realizing that he was not in fact Angelus, but Angel.  He sat
up, a look of horror on his face.  "Oh, my god.  I was going to feed."  He
looked over at Spike, who was vamped, growling at him.  "I was going to eat
Willow."

"What the hell is going on with you?" Spike asked.

Angel slid off the bed and begun to pace.  He ran his fingers through his
hair.  "I.I don't know.  I woke up when you growled, and there was a body,
in my arms, and she was so warm..she smelled so good.I.just wasn't
thinking."

" *Wasn't* thinking?  Peaches, you could have *killed* her!"

Willow shivered.  "Angel."

"Willow.I'm sorry."

"It's ok," she said, shaking her head.  "You didn't hurt me, I'm fine."

"But."

"No," Willow said, looking up at him.  "I need you right now.  I don't want
you wiggin' on me."

He smiled softly.  "Thanks," he said, sitting down.  "Are you hungry?"

"Yea, a little."

"Come on, I'll cook."

Spike crossed his arms.  "You cook, Peaches?"

"All the time..Cordelia and Wesley love my eggs."

Spike laughed, dissolving the tension in the room.  If Willow could forgive
Angel, so could Spike.  "Come on, I could be up for some eggs."

The three walked downstairs to fix breakfast.
 

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