AUTHOR: Tisienne Blue

E-MAIL: tisatko@msn.com

DISCLAIMER: I am not Joss, I have no rights to any of the characters he created.

RATING: R-ish, at most.

PAIRING: W/Aus

DISTRIBUTION: if I've said yes before, then have at it.

FEEDBACK: sure.

DEDICATIONS: to Ally and David, for playing their roles so deliciously... and to Joss, for making the roles up in the first place.

NOTES: kinda AU, in that this is what could have happened whilst Angel was soul-less... of course, it DIDN'T, but... ::shrug:: Oh, and * *= emphasis, while ( ) surrounds thoughts.

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(Why didn't I leave while I had the chance?) she wondered frantically as she ran through the night almost blindly, her body following wherever her feet led. (Why did I have to *stay*? What did I think I could accomplish that *Buffy* couldn't?) She tried to control the harshness of the breaths rasping from her tired lungs, but... he was chasing her, and she was fairly sure that her heartbeat would be obvious to him regardless, especially considering the furious staccato it was pounding out against her ribs. (I'm an *idiot*!) she told herself, arms and legs pumping fiercely in what she expected was a useless effort to save herself. She ran farther, and somehow managed to put on one final burst of speed as she neared the High School, almost sobbing in relief when she burst through the one unlocked door.

Her pace slowed, and she allowed herself to relax slightly once she reached the library, and she passed through the swinging doors with a certain sense of coming home. Until she saw the gaping, jagged hole in the floor, and smelled the acrid stench of brimstone. "Oh, Gods," she moaned softly to herself, slowly approaching the slightly glowing edge, "What*happened*!"

He could barely restrain his chuckle at her muttered question, but... he somehow did, although a wide, wicked smile affixed itself to his lips. He'd been watching the girl for *weeks*, planning his move, and while she'd led him a bit more of a chase than he'd anticipated, she was well and truly caught now. His initial plan had been to use her as a lesson for the Slayer... a reminder that she'd never be free of him after what she'd done, what she'd made him *feel*, but... It had taken less than a week for him to change his mind.

And change it he *had*, because he just... *sensed* something about the redheaded girl. He wasn't sure of exactly what it was, but it almost reminded him of Dru, back in her human days, and... he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. This girl had passion buried deep inside her, and a kind of... *power* that he hadn't seen in far too long. No, he wouldn't make of her a lesson. Or, not in the way he'd originally intended.

"*I* happened, Willow," he purred silkily, stepping from the shadows of the stacks behind her, "*I* happened, and this is going to be the end for all of your little friends, unless..."

She couldn't help the frightened gasp that flew from her lips, or the slight quavering of her voice, but she for damned sure *could* control the speed with which she turned, and so she did, forcing herself to move more slowly than she actually wanted to. She forced her expression to become neutral and remain that way. (I am *so* screwed!) "How did you get in here, Angelus?" she said quietly, edging slightly away from him, but... that smoking pit was right behind her, so she couldn't move too far.

He *did* chuckle then, his eyes glittering dangerously in the red-tinged light. "The sign over the front doors. 'Enter, all ye who seek knowledge'. And I'm seeking." He took a step towards her, chuckling again when she realized she had nowhere left to run. "Make this easy on yourself, Willow," he said softly, one hand rising to trail cool fingertips down her cheek.

(What...?) She had no idea of what he was talking about, but... if he *thought* she did, then... maybe she could still get out of this relatively intact. "I don't usually *go* for the 'easy' way, you know..." She shuddered slightly as his fingers continued to caress her face, and almost groaned in relief when he pulled them away.

(She doesn't*know*,) he realized, (All this time... following her, watching her, and... she doesn't have any idea of what I want from her!) He licked his lips slowly then, his hand coming to rest over the large silver buckle of his belt. "You can fight me if you want to, Willow," he announced, as though he was doing her a favor, "You can draw this out as much as you like... but the fact of the matter is, that by sunrise, you'll either be *mine*-- and your friends will get to live-- or you'll be the first sacrifice to the pit behind you." His smirk actually grew when her eyes widened, and he nodded at her as if he truly didn't care one way or the other. "*You'll* be the one to trigger hell on earth, Willow, and your friends will *die*, along with the *rest* of this pathetic excuse for a town."

She knew she was staring at him like she'd never even *seen* him before, but... (I *knew* he was *evil*, I just didn't know he was *insane*, too!) "Wha... what do you mean, I'll be yours? What do you want from me?" she demanded, anger and curiosity warring in her head. Her whole world had just been turned upside down, and... she didn't know quite how to cope. "And... why haven't you *killed* me yet?"

He edged closer to her, stopping only when their bodies were separated merely by inches, and he gazed wickedly down into her pale, strained face. "I don't want to kill you, Willow," he murmured softly, his eyes gentle, "I want to *turn* you. You have power, my sweet, more than dear Drusilla ever had, and I want that power on *my* side." He smirked again at her shocked expression. "Don't look so surprised, little girl. I'm a *demon*, after all. You'll either join me willingly, or..." his smile widened immensely, "I'll feed you to the Hellmouth. It's your choice."
 

She could tell, from his voice, that he meant it. If she didn't give herself over to him, then... "What about my friends?" she asked slowly, her mind dashing through every possible option she could think of. "How do I know you won't just... kill them anyway? Or worse yet, get *me* to do it?"

He stared at her for a long moment, considering her question, and finally, "Once you're turned, I'll take you-- and my other childer-- away from here. I'll spill my blood into that pit behind you, and Sunnyhell will be safe... for *now*." He could see the skepticism in her wide green eyes, and allowed her to hear his sincerity. "I mean it, Willow. We'll all leave, and... we won't come back for as long as your... *friends* live." He smiled almost shyly then. "So think about it..." his eyes flew to the windows high in the library walls, and narrowed for a moment in calculation, "I'd say you have about... three hours to decide. After that, it's into the Hellmouth with you." He stood there in front of her, waiting while she thought.
 

(Do I really want to be a vampire? Of course not!) she told herself hotly, (But, I don't want the Hellmouth to fully open, either. He *says* we'll leave this place, but... do I trust him to keep his word...?) She laughed silently at the very notion. (Of *course* I don't! But at least it's a *chance*, for my friends, anyway, and... for the rest of the town, too! I'm afraid, though... I mean, what if I *like* being all... evil? What if I'm *good* at it?) She almost shuddered at the idea of herself that way, but... did she really have another choice? Well, of course she *did*, but that one wasn't really any better. Still, she would do what she had to do, and... (Gods, Buffy... I just hope you'll understand... and that you won't hate me for what I'm about to do...) "All right," she finally said, resignedly, meeting his cool brown eyes, "Drink me, Angelus."

Somehow, he hadn't really expected her to give in so easily, all his words aside, but... if she was going to just *give* herself to him, then... who was he to argue? (It almost makes it cheap, though,) he told himself, even as he took the final step towards her. One arm slid around her trim waist, pulling her flush to his body, while the other slid up her back until his fingers were tangled deep in her crimson tresses. He pulled her head gently to the side, desire to take her roughly, and his face slid swiftly to true as he sank his fangs deep in her warn neck. She tasted better than he'd imagined, and he groaned out loud, completely missing her murmured words.

"I'm sorry, Buffy," she said quietly, wishing her friend could hear her, "I'm sorry you'll never have your Angel back..." She could feel herself growing weaker, and (It's now or never,) she forced herself to relax against the vampire who was basically raping her soul... and when she felt some of the tension leave his body, she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, flinging them both back into the smoking, glowing pit behind her.

The earth trembled slightly, and a few books fell from their spots on the shelves, and... when the shaking was finished and done, there was nothing to show what had happened there, other than one spot, in the middle of the floor, that would forever seem both hot and cold to those unfortunate enough to walk over it...

And in hell, there was a *very* angry demon by the name of Angelus, who spent the rest of eternity cursing the memory of a smallish redheaded witch whose act of self-sacrifice had earned her a ticket to heaven.

End.

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