I do not own the characters of Angel or Buffy the Vampire Slayer and in no way intend copyright infringements. I am just borrowing them from the great and mighty Joss for my own and hopefully other people’s amusement. A special and heart felt thinks goes out to the talented actors who portray the characters I love so much.
Distribution: I would love to see my stuff archived, if you think its worthy just let me know where you are putting it!
Parings: w/a
Warnings: as with most of my fics this isn’t going to be a ‘happy Buffy’story, I like her being ruthless and evil cause well, I just feel like Willow should be with Angel.
Rating: In due time I am sure it will be NC17
Feedback: PLEASE!!!!!!!! I need feedback!! daburden@wko.com
Extra Special Thanks for my Beta Reader Amber!!!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 1~
Willow Rosenberg stormed out of her dorm room and away from her supposed ‘best friend’ Buffy Summers. Willow was so mad that she wasn’t even aware of where she was going or that she was even still walking for that matter until she crashed into someone, “Why don’t you watch where your going?” she snarled.
“Excuse me, vampire here!”
Willow rolled her eyes, “Just what I need, Harmony.” Sneering at the vamp, “Hasn’t anyone dusted you yet?”
Harmony scoffed, “Listen nerd, I am a vampire, I kill people, I…”
“Kill people how? By boring them to death? You were an arrogant, snotty, bitch when you were alive and now, now,” she took a deep breath, “Now your worse! Get out of my way before I stake you!”
“Oh please! Poor helpless Willow Rosenberg is gonna stake me? That will be the day.”
Willow had enough; she lost it and attacked Harmony. Kicking and beating the blond vampire relentlessly, “I’ve had it with people like you! All you can do is talk about other people, put people down because they aren’t like you! Well you know what? I’d rather have a million of me then the one of you!” Still kicking the now prone vampire, “You are a pathetic excuse for a vampire Harmony and I hope you have to spend eternity with someone telling you how shitty your hair and make up looks so you CAN’T check yourself out in the mirror!” She felt a pair of strong arms pull her off of Harmony. Turning toward her captor she kneed him in the groin as hard as she could, a little magic adding to the force of the blow. Seeing her moment to escape Harmony made a run for it and Willow spun around to see who caused her to lose her punching bag. “Oh my God Angel,” she gasped falling to her knees next to him.
He lay curled up in a motionless ball for a few long minuets trying to fight through the searing pain that engulfed his lower body and thinking the Gods that he didn’t have to breath. Still clutching him self to try and elevate the pain he looked at the red head, “Willow,” he said calmly, “that hurt.”
Giving him her best lighthearted grin, “Sorry, I didn’t know it was you.”
He picked him self up off the ground, “Care to tell me what that was all about?”
“No!” she huffed and walked over to a near by bench and set down. She couldn’t help but chuckle as Angel limped over to join her.
He very gently sat down beside her, “I think you owe me at LEAST that.”
She sighed and frowned, “It’s Buffy, Xander and Spike. They all think I’m helpless and useless and worthless! That I’m only in the way and never any help!”
“Willow, I’m sure that’s not true. You’ve helped as much as any of us, if not more. Why do you think that? Have you asked them?”
“I didn’t have to ask, they volunteered the information! We were supposed to have one of our bonding movie nights last night and when I got there they were all saying those things about me. They saw me too and I cried like a big baby! They all just laughed and told me ‘oh Willow, come on you’ve known for along time that your just plain lil old Willow. That I just caused them more grief then anything!’ Then, when Buffy came back to the dorm tonight, I wasn’t sad anymore I was MAD! I asked her why she said those things and she laughed at me Angel! She told me I knew it was all true and that the truth hurt so I just better face up to it! I told her to go to hell and I left! Then I ran into Harmony and she started calling me names and and and!” Her babbling ceased and sobs surfaced.
Angel took in all she said and was livid at the way the ‘gang’ had treated her, especially Buffy and his childe. He would not tolerate it but right now there were more important problems. He pulled Willow into an embrace, kissed her gently on the head and lifted her chin, “We have to go inside Willow. There are vampires close by and I’m in no shape to fight.”
She wiped her tears and smiled, “Ok.” They stood, Angel winced in pain, “Sorry,” she blushed. She put his arm around her shoulder, “You can lean on me.”
He smiled at her offer knowing if he put his weight on her they would both topple. He kept telling himself that it was just pain, to work through it but it was one of the worst kinds of pain. He chuckled thinking of the redhead fighting Harmony then him, “You were pretty impressive back there.”
She laughed, “I am woman! Hear me roar! Meow.” They both laughed, “Angel where are we going?”
“Lets go to the mansion, we’ll be safe there and we can talk.”
~~~*~~~
Willow sat on the hearth next to the fire while Angel got them something to drink. He returned and handed her a soda before setting beside her. She looked perplexed when he opened a bottle and drank. Angel laughed, “What?”
She blushed, “Nothing, I just didn’t know that you umm,”
“I don’t have to but I can, I like the caffeine rush from coffee and soda. The same thing goes with food, I can eat but I don’t have to.”
She gave her patented ‘Willow squeal’ and smiled at him, “Ever been introduced to the wonderful world of Mochas?”
He couldn’t help but share in her smile, “No I can’t say as I have.”
She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet, “Come on mister, it’s time you met the real world of caffeine!” Before he could protest she took him out the door.
~~~*~~~
They were both laughing and talking all the way to the espresso pump truly enjoying each other’s company. Willow ordered two of the biggest mocha’s possible and laughed at the look on Angel’s face when he saw them. After he paid the cashier and handed Willow her coffee he took her hand, “Willow,” he asked uneasily, “Would you trust me enough to me, would you let me take you some where?”
“Of course I trust you silly!” She smiled and slapped his arm, “Angel, why wouldn’t I trust you? You’ve only saved us all a million times!”
“I also killed one of you favorite teachers, tortured Giles, killed your fish and taunted you and your friends with threats of murder,” he said hanging his head with disgust.
She stepped in front of him, took the collar of his shirt with her free hand and pulled him to her. Standing on her toes she looked him in the eye, “Don’t you EVER say that again Angel! It was not you! It was Angelus and that is NOT you! Angelus is a demon from hell who has no heart or soul.”
“But Willow that demon is a part of me.”
Willow, still holding his collar, drug him into the alley, “Ok mister, go grrr!”
“What?” he asked both shocked and confused.
“Show me the vamp face!”
“Willow no, that’s disgusting,” he turned to walk away and she blocked him.
“I mean it Angel, show me!”
He spun around toward her, game face in place, “Is this what you wanted to see Willow? Do you really need to be reminded of the things that I know still haunt your dreams? Well, here it is the Angelus side of me are you happy now?”
She stepped up close to him and put her hand out to touch his face and he pulled away. Not giving in she again pushed her hand towards his face, this time making contact. She traced the ridges with her soft fingers exploring every part of his demon features with out fear. “See Angel, this IS your demon side but it’s not Angelus, YOU are NOT Angelus. Angelus is a soul-less devil that wants nothing more then to hurt and kill all the people he can. Even when your demon visage is showing you don’t want to hurt or kill, if you did I would be dead as would any other person near here.”
Angel slipped back to his normal features and looked down at her with tear filled eyes, “I have never met any one like you Willow. I mean Buffy accepted me in human form but she pretended the demon wasn’t there. The same thing with the rest of the Scooby’s, as long as I’m Angel it’s ok but,”
“Another words until they need you to save their Asses they don’t want you around cause they are afraid you’ll go all grr, well except Buffy who just wants to…” She stopped herself and blushed.
Angel laughed, “Sounds like you know me pretty well little one. Now how bout I take you to that place I mentioned earlier.”
She smiled and took his offered arm, “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” he teased.
“Angel,” she whined, “I am no good with surprises!
~Part: 2~
Angel and Willow walked back to the mansion. Angel opened the garaged door revealing a Black corvette convertible. He smiled when once again she looked at him in shock. “How do you think I take my long trips when my help is needed else where?”
“Wow, but Angel, a convertible? Isn’t that kind of dangerous for a vampire?”
He laughed heartily, “Only if I drive in the sun little one.” He opened the door and she got in. He quickly went to the other side and they were off. When they got to the outskirts of Sunnydale he asked, “Willow, close your eyes for me?”
With out question she done as he asked. He was awestruck by the small red head; she placed so much trust in someone who tried to destroy her life. He couldn’t fathom why the Gods would have sent him an Angel but he was not going to take it for granted. He parked the car and walked to the other side and opened her door. He took her hands and helped her up, “No peeking yet,” he teased. She was all jumpy and happy as he led her a little ways down a path, “Ok look now.”
When she opened her eyes she saw a gorgeous lake that twinkled in the moonlight like a thousand stars dancing just for her. The wild flowers were night blooming and full of life with the vibrant colors. Right in the center of the pond was a small island. In the center of that Island grew a magnificent Willow tree. She gasped, “Oh Angel, it’s beautiful! How did you find this place?”
He smiled and sighed in relief, he’d been afraid she wouldn’t like it or take it the wrong way, “I really don’t know how I found this place, or why.” He sat on a log and motioned for her to join him. “When Buffy… After I killed Jenny..”
“Angel, it wasn’t you and I want you to stop saying it was! Now, after Angelus killed Jenny?”
He smiled a wane little smile and continued his story, “Any way, after you cursed me again and Buffy sent me to hell I replayed what I..” he saw the look on Willow face and changed his sentence, “Angelus done and how I died over and over and over almost every second I spent there. You know what I found out?”
“No, what?”
“Buffy knew it was me she was killing, that I had my soul back. She knew I didn’t have to die to get the vortex to close.”
“What?” Willow asked both shocked and angry.
“I told her all she had to do was cut me and let me bleed on a cloth and throw it into the vortex and it would close but she didn’t listen. She told me I needed to pay for all the things I done and she was right. I deserved to go to hell, what I did to Jenny, Giles and you it was so wrong and so malicious.” Tears were streaming down his face and Willow decided it best to let him finish before she went off on her rant about little miss Buffy. She put her hand on his back as he continued. “The more I thought about it the more I came to accept the fact I belonged there but still it was really nagging at me that Buffy, who told me how much she loved me, stabbed me through the heart and sent me to hell. Anyway, after my return I laid on the concrete floor of the mansion for days until I had to feed or die. You have to understand after spending twenty years in hell my animal instincts were all I was able to use so I killed to feed. After I killed the first person my heart ached and I knew it was wrong. I sat at the mansion, terrified, confused and afraid then one day out of the blue Buffy walks in. I was so afraid of her; I was nowhere near strong enough to defend myself then much less against a slayer. She took her anger out on me like I was a huma…dead punching bag then she chained me to the wall and left me there for a week. She finally brought me some blood from the butcher and I fed.” He laughed half-heartedly, “She sat it just out of reach but I got it and after I was strong enough to break free. That’s when I saved her from that kid at the school. Anyway, when everyone knew I was back and were really distant, not that I blame you guys but I knew then that nothing could ever be the same for me. I had friends and lost them because I couldn’t control myself. It was around Christmas and I decided it would be best if I sat up on the point and watched the sun rise.”
“Oh Angel,” at this point she was crying to.
He smiled, “Oddly enough, as you can see I’m still here. Sunnydale had it’s first ever snow storm. I decided that day that for some reason the powers want me to live and that I would find out what they had in store for me. I hoped it would be to help others so I could at lest lessen the feeling of guilt for all the wrong I’ve done but I’m yet to find out what it is I’m suppose to be doing.”
Willow leaned in and gave him a tight hug, “Angel, I’m so sorry! I had no idea Buffy had another way to destroy the vortex; I don’t think anyone else did either. And all the things Angelus done, Angel that was a monster with out a soul, your soul defines who you are. Any of us would be ruthless evil killing machines with out a soul. That’s why Angel and Angelus are two different people. You are a part of a demon yes, but that demon is controlled by your soul. I know it’s a constant battle for you not to give in to your nature but it’s a battle you fight with pride. Your demon gives you the edge you need to kill masters of all demons. The powers brought you back to make the world safe, Angel they brought you back because the world needs you.” She took his face in her hands and wiped his tears away with her thumbs, “Buffy told us you tried to dust yourself and she tired to stop you. We were all so relieved to hear that she got there in time but we didn’t know that you were still out when the sun would have been up. She told us she got you back into the mansion.”
He laughed almost evilly, “She was part of the reason I was trying to die Willow. She came to me that night and told me that all of you hated me. That Giles never wanted to see me again, that you were sorry that you gave me my soul back, that Xander was out to stake me, which really didn’t worry me. She kept reminding me of all the bad things I done to you all and on top of that I was having the visions of all the people I… Angelus had killed and tortured. I went up to the point and Buffy followed, she told me that it was for the best and walked away as I sat there and waited for the sun.” Still holding Willow in an embrace he changed positions so that her head rested on his chest and they were both looking out over the lake. “When the sun didn’t come up I started walking. I had no planned destination or even knew why I was walking for that matter, I just walked. I ended up here; this place was so peaceful it was like something led me here to tell me I had a place of sanctuary. I’ve cried here, I’ve screamed and I’ve talked things out with myself. I knew deep down that something had led me here and I never told anyone else about it, ever. You’re the first and last person to ever know it even exists.”
Willow smiled and kissed him on the cheek, “Thank you for sharing this with me Angel and most of all, thanks for trusting me enough to tell me about the things that happened to you.”
They sat in silence the remainder of the time there. Willow’s thoughts were focused on Buffy and how she was going to tear her apart when she saw her for putting Angel through the hell he suffered.
Angel’s thoughts were about who he was going to beat the shit out of first for the way they hurt Willow.
~Part: 3~
Angel laid in his bed thinking about the night before he'd spent with Willow and the plans they had made to meet up and watch movies tonight. He couldn't wait for sunset so he could see her again. There was one thing he felt he needed to do first however so he picked up the phone and dialed.
"Hello?"
"Giles please don't hang up. I need to talk to you."
"Angel," you could hear the tension and hate in his voice, "there is nothing to talk about. Please don't call here again."
"Rupert wait, it's about Willow!"
Giles sighed, "Fine, what is it?"
"The sun is setting and I'd rather do this face to face, is there somewhere we can meet?"
After a long moment Giles spoke, "Meet me over here but be warned Angel if you even look at me wrong I will stake you."
Angel cringed as he heard the phone slammed down and sighed, this was not going to be easy but he had to try.
~~~*~~~
Willow looked at the clock on her bedside table and took in a deep breath, "I can do this. No, I HAVE to do this." She picked up the phone and dialed Buffy's cell.
"Yo,"
Willow rolled her eyes at the stupid way she answered her phone, "We need to talk, now."
Buffy was shocked at the demanding tone of her friends voice, "Fine but I'm at mom's you'd have to come over here."
"Fine I'll be there in five minuets."
Buffy sighed as she listened to the dial tone. She really did care about Willow but she was only in the way and something for her to worry about during fights. In her line of work there wasn't any room for a weak link.
~~~*~~~
Angel took a deep unneeded breath and knocked on the antique looking door. The door swung open and Giles had a crossbow pointed at his chest. Angel told him self he deserved this kind of treatment after all he'd put Giles through so he held up his hands in surrender.
"I'll tell you one last time Angel, just one wrong move, one wrong word and I will stake you." Angel nodded his head in acceptance to Giles warning. "Fine, you may come in."
He stepped in to the apartment, "Rupert, I'm.."
"Shut up and set down in the chair now!"
Angel looked at the wooden chair setting in the middle of the room and sighed, "I give you my word, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk."
"Your word means NOTHING to me now set down!"
Knowing he deserved the treatment he was getting, again he complied and sat in the chair. "If I make you this uncomfortable then maybe I should go." He tensed when he felt the cold steel chains going around his body. "Rupert?"
For once Giles was very proud of himself he had saved the chains from his days of being on the watchers council and knew Angel couldn't break free. He smiled as the look of realization crossed Angel's face, "It's quite alright, what did we need to talk about?"
His eyes followed Giles as far as they could until he disappeared from sight, "I, uh I wanted to talk to you about Willow. I'm worried about her."
"Why would you be worried about Willow?" Giles asked, still out of sight.
"I ran into her last night and she was very upset about some things that were said to her. It seems she got the idea that she wasn't wanted, or needed in the group and was really upset about it. I was hoping you could have a talk with the others about treating her better. Maybe let her know how much she is needed once in a while."
Giles walked swiftly back into the room and sat a small table full of knives, holy water, crosses, iron bars, candles and matches down in front of Angel. "I will think about having a talk with them but right now," he smiled evilly sending a cold chill through Angel's body, "It's time we had a talk." He pick up the knife Buffy took from Faith and stabbed Angel four times in the abdomen with it, "I want to talk about what you did to Jenny and myself." The sound of material ripping filled the house as Giles tore the shirt from Angel, "You were so malicious and cruel. You KNEW what are plans were for the evening and you LEFT HER IN MY BED YOU SICK SON OF A BITCH!" He threw a bottle of holy water in his face and laughed at the screams of pain being omitted by the Vampire.
"I'm sorry," tears poured from Angel's eyes. "I know it doesn't mean anything Rupert but my soul aches when I think of what Angelus did to both you and Jenny. Please know that I would never hurt either of you. I know it's hard to distinguish between me and my demon but even though we share the same body we are nothing alike!" He hung his head unable to meet Giles' eyes, "What ever punishment you see fit, I will take but I am truly sorry."
"Sorry?" Giles' body went ridged with anger as her tore into Angel. The sound of bones snapping, flesh tearing and anguished cries echoed through the room.
~~~*~~~
Willow knocked on the door of the Summer's house and smiled when Joyce answered. "Willow, come in Buffy is in the living room."
"Thanks," she smiled.
Joyce accompanied Willow to the living room then sat on the arm of Buffy's chair. Willow looked at the two uneasily, not sure if she should say what was on her mind in front of Buffy's mom but realizing she had no choice. As if Buffy could read her mind she said, "It's cool, mom knows what is going on so talk."
"Well, first of all I want to say I do not appreciate the way I have been treated lately. You act like I do nothing for you but the truth is I'm an important part of this group."
Buffy laughed and Joyce smiled at her, "Willow," she tried to get her laughing under control, "I know you must really want the attention, maybe even need it but the truth is, I'm the slayer. I'm the chosen one, the one who is meant to save, slay, and party here. I can do that with out you."
Oddly enough Willow was able to keep her cool, "Fine, if you feel that way then sweetheart, you're on your own. Let's see how long you last. There is one last thing I need to say."
"So say it."
"I know about all your lies with Angel. You told us you had no other way to close the vortex but to send Angel through it to hell, it was a lie. He told you how to do it but you killed him anyway. You sent him to hell for a hundred years and you knew you didn't have to! How can you live with yourself Buffy?"
Joyce stood and spoke in her daughter's defense, "She is a slayer that is what she's suppose to do, kill vampires! She tried her best to take Angel out but he was smart. I thought we were finally rid of him when she sent him to hell but no. He had to go and come back all soul having again and drive us nuts." She looked at Buffy and they shared a smile, "I thought last Christmas would be the end of him as well but that damn freak snow storm happened and no Angel dust."
Willow couldn't believe what she was hearing. Taking a deep breath she stood and walked out of the house vowing never to return. In her hast to get to Angel's she bumped into someone knocking them to the ground, "Oh! I'm so sorry!"
"It's ok Willow," Cordelia smiled, "Just watch where you're going next time."
Willow helped her to her feet and brushed off her dress, "You didn't injure anything did ya?"
Cordy laughed, "Only my pride. Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"To see Angel. I need to talk to him."
"He's not at the mansion I was just there." She noticed the strange look Willow was giving her and smiled, "I needed to talk to him about this guy/demon/thing I met in LA when I done the 'white tanning' commercial."
"Well, we were supposed to meet at his place thirty minuets ago."
"Why don't you hop in the car with us and we can go looking for him."
"Us?"
"Hello, I told you bout the guy/demon. He's in the car waiting."
"Oh," was her only reply as Cordelia dragged her to the car.
A tall, slender, very green man stepped out, "Is this Angel?"
They both laughed, "No, Loren this is Willow. Willow, Loren." They drove around Sunnydale checking everywhere possible for Angel and learning more about each other along the way.
Two hours had passed and Willow was very worried, "The only place we haven't looked is Giles'."
"Do you really think he'd be there?" Cordy asked.
"I hope he is cause our only other alternative is to look for dust," Willow sighed.
"Em', excuse me but what is a 'Giles'?"
~Part: 4~
After two hours of adrenaline rushed torture Giles was wearing down. His fists were bloody and sore and his throat ached from all the yelling he'd done. Staggering back against a wall he slid to the floor and looked at the fruits of his labor. Angel still chained to a chair, nude and in pain. There was not an inch of his body that wasn't black and blue, cut, ripped, broken, or burned. Giles rubbed his knuckles and felt something embedded in them. Carefully picking out fragments of Angel's broken teeth he spoke, "Next time Angel, maybe you won't be so ready to screw around and bring Angelus back! I can't believe you still act all innocent about it. You KNEW if you had sex he would come back and you did it ANYWAY!"
"I didn't know," Angel rasped, gurgling through the blood in his throat and mouth. "Didn't know about happiness clause."
Giles looked like he had been hit by a truck, "Of course you knew! Buffy told you! I told her to tell you!" It was as if the world landed on top of Giles, his body trembled, his heart ached and pounded so hard he thought it would jump out of his chest. "Oh God, what have I done?" He began to sob as his front door opened.
Willow and Cordy both screeched at the sight before them. Angel was chained to a chair in Giles' living room his body swollen and almost solid burses and burns. His leg was broken, almost all of his fingers snapped, eyes were swollen shut, he had major contusions on his head and face, a dislocated shoulder and who knows how many broken ribs, multiple stab wounds all over and the most unspeakable thing was what was done to his man hood. It was burnt, stabbed, and swollen. Lorne pushed past them and knelt in front of the beaten person, "He's not breathing, and we have to get him to a hospital now!"
Snapping out of her state of shock somewhat Willow walked to them, "No, he's a vampire."
Cordy walked in and saw Giles slumped against the wall crying, "What the hell happened here?" She could not get a coherent answer from the watcher but managed to find the key to the chains that held Angel prisoner. She threw the key to Lorne, who removed the chains and then she laid a blanket over the now prone Angel.
Willow sat in the floor cradling Angel's head crying, "Hang on Angel, it's going to be ok, I promise."
He coughed and blood poured from his mouth, "Willow?"
"Shh, Angel please don't try to talk, I'm right here. We are going to find a way to help you." He went limp in her arms and she screamed a broken sob. Loren and Cordy were at her side.
"Willow he needs to get help. I know someone who can help him but we have to go some place no one can interfere with what's going to happen. We can't draw attention to ourselves because there are some very mean people out there that will try to kill all of us." Loren's heart went out to his new friends. He had seen a lot in is days but nothing as viscous and cruel as this. He couldn't help but wonder why only the two girls realized just how special the vampire was.
~~~*~~~
When they arrived at Angel's mansion Lorne carried the battered vampire inside and put him on his bed. The girls began to clean the wounds as best they could while he went to make a phone call. When he returned both girls were crying over Angel. "I called my friend madam Saree, she is a healer so to speak. She will be here soon.
Not thirty minuets later an elderly woman appeared from thin air into the middle of the room. The girls gasped and Loren stood from his chair. "Madam, so nice of you to come." He turned to the ladies, whom had not left Angel's side, "This is Willow and Cordelia."
After the hellos she moved Cordy and sat on the bed next to Angel. After examining him she shook her head, "This is beyond even my abilities."
Willow grabbed her hand, "Please! You have to try! You have to! You can't let him die!"
The madam took Willow's hand and smiled, "You love him."
"What," she asked, shook that the woman knew.
"I can see it in your heart," she smiled. Turning her attention back to Angel, "I will do all I can but you have to leave the room."
"Why?" Two voices echoed simultaneously.
"What I am going to do to him will cause him a great deal of pain. A pain that I don't think any of you could bear to see." She could feel the tense, unspoken questions in the air, "It is the only way." Reluctantly they went into the living room and paced.
~~~*~~~
Saree placed a hand on either side of Angels face, "I know you can hear me Angel and it will do you well not to struggle against me. My name is Saree and I am Jenialy's mother. You knew her as Jenny."
Angel panicked but could not fight; he could only lay there, helpless to what the Romany Gypsy had in store for him.
Saree began to chant a Rom spell and Angel began to writhe from the searing pain in his head. "Angel, open your eyes." He tried to fight the soft voice but found his body not responding as his eyes opened. He looked around at the blackness that surrounded him, "Where am I?"
Jenny stepped from the darkness and knelt beside him, "Your in a plain between life and death." Saree stepped from the darkness as well, "We are both here at the request of my daughter," Angel once again began to cry and tremble.
"Please, I know I deserve to be sent back to hell for what I did but please, make it quick for I have suffered a hundred lifetimes already."
Jenny knelt beside of him and ran her hand through his blood soaked hair, "It took me a long time to realize that you were not Angelus and by the time I did, it was too late to stop my Uncle's curse from taking place. You saved my life Angel, just as you've saved thousands of others and for that, you deserve a chance at redemption and happiness with out Romany interference."
His body, too weak and tired to continue to set, fell in a lump on the hard black surface, "I don't understand."
"She wishes to barter for your freedom demon," Saree, growled. "I am not going to be so easy to convince."
"Angel," Jenny said trying to bring him back from the unconsciousness that begged to let it over take him. "My mother wishes to do a spell in which she can see in your heart and feel as your soul feels. It will be painful but it will prove what I say about you and she will help you heal."
Unable to speak any longer he simply nodded his head. The chanting once again started and the pain drove him into yet a deeper agony. His body would not withstand much more before he ceased to exist.
After what seemed like and eternity Saree pulled violently away from the vampire. Jenny rushed to her side to steady her. "You were right my daughter, this is no longer a demon and we have been wrong to continue to punish him. We were fools to think he needed to suffer anymore then what he was to suffer with a soul. He has to live with everything he's done and that is enough torment." She touched Angel and he recoiled, "You saved my daughter Angel so I will do all I can to help save you."
A bright light engulfed him and more pain. He let out a tormented wail before giving in to the darkness that claimed him.
Willow, Cordy and Loren all were pacing nervously when they heard Angel. Both girls started to run for the door when Saree walked out, "I have done all I can do. It is up to his body to heal it's self now. He will have to be force fed frequently and you will have to continue to clean and dress the wounds." She turned to Loren, "Come with me and I will give you splints for his fingers and something to stabilize his leg with."
As soon as they were out the door Willow and Cordy ran to Angel's side both praying that he would be ok.
~Part: 5~
After dressing his wounds and doing all they could to splint his broken bones Willow sighed, “I think it’s time to feed him.”
Cordy stood, “I’ll go heat it.”
Within minuets both girls were back on the bed. They lifted Angel into a setting position and Cordy climbed in behind him for support. Willow sat by his side and they made their fist attempt at getting him to feed. She held the mug to his lips and slowly poured the thick red liquid into his mouth while Cordy rubbed his throat in attempt to make him swallow. The out come was not good, Willow was covered in blood and Cordy’s arm was drenched. “That went well,” Cordy snipped while cleaning Angel’s face with a towel.
Loren walked into the room and sighed, “I’ll go heat more blood.”
Thirty minuets had passes and the room, including its occupants, was covered in blood. They had tried everything they could think of to make the unconscious vampire feed and had struck out every time. “This is hopeless,” Cordy groaned.
“You can’t give up on him princess,” Loren interjected, trying to lift morale.
Willow just sat there staring at Angel wracking her brain for any idea that would work. She had tried technical, practical, unusual and even forceful ways to make him feed with no success but as she looked at him she got and idea. Pointing to the last cup of blood on the table she spoke, “Loren, hand me the mug.” He obliged and she smiled, “I hope this works.” Dipping her finger in the blood she gently ran it over his lips. Everyone held a tense breath when his mouth opened slightly. Quickly, encouraged by his response, she dipped her finger again and placed it into his mouth. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when he began to suck on her finger like it was a lifeline. Smiling she looked at her friends, she knew it would take a while to feed him like this but at least he was eating.
~~~*~~~
Three days had passed and Angel was slowly healing thanks to his friends and their persistent attempts to keep him nourished and the healing spell Willow had preformed. Loren had moved a love seat into the bedroom so they would have someplace to stretch out while keeping vigil at Angel’s side. Willow started reading to him the second night in hopes that it would help him relax and heal; she knew how much he enjoyed his books. Cordy offered to read while Willow rested and they unconsciously began shifts of reading, feeding and wound care.
Cordy had just finished dressing the stab wounds on his stomach and had moved to the burns on his chest when his large, cold hand grabbed her wrist in a painful squeeze. “Oh my God your awake!” she laughed.
Angel was confused, the last thing her remember was Giles and lapsing into a pain filled unconsciousness then Jenny and her mother, oh how his head hurt. Cordelia’s shrill scream didn’t help the pounding either. He forced his eyes open again this time to be greeted by a beautiful smiling redhead.
Willow run her hand through his hair as she sat next to him, “Welcome back. You had us pretty worried mister,” she smiled.
“What happened?” he croaked, his voice rough and garbled.
“We’re not sure.”
Cordy appeared on the other side of him, “We found you at Giles’ apartment and he looked to be in shock. We never got a straight answer from him about what happened.”
“Had to pay,” he coughed hard, grabbing his broken ribs as the pain shot through him.
“Angel, please don’t try to talk yet,” Willow begged.
He refused her plea and spoke again, “Had to pay for what I did to them.”
“Them who?” Cordy asked.
“Jenny and Giles.”
“Bullshit!” Willow and Angel both looked at the former prom queen, shocked. “What?” she asked incredulously, “If anyone should be punished for any of that it should be Slutty the vampire layer!”
A look of bewilderment crossed Willow and Angel’s faces followed by laughter, “Cute,” Angel teased between gasps.
“Sorry,” Cordy blushed. “Didn’t mean to sat that out loud.”
“Yes you did,” Willow teased. “I had a talk with Buffy and her mom before I bumped into you and lets just say, she is nothing like I though she was. I mean I knew she thought the world revolved around her and stuff but man, she thinks she can decide who lives or dies! Geesh, I thought Faith had problems, they are nothing compared to Buffy!”
Angel jumped in an attempt to stand when he saw the green demon enter the room. Willow held him in place while Cordy made the introductions, “Angel this is Loren. I met him in LA and I thought he might be just the person you needed in you battle for the good. He can read auras, mostly when people sing, but he is good. He maybe able to help you.”
The group talked long into the night.
~~~*~~~
Buffy and her new flavor of the month Riley Finn were at a local club drinking with Xander and Spike. The noticed a ‘not happy’ look on the slayers face and Xander asked, “What’s wrong Buffster?”
“Willow and Angel, they are being mean to me. I mean like I have time to care about other people’s feelings or why they do the things they do. It’s a hard job being a slayer and I need love and snuggles to get through it.”
“What did this Angel character do,” Riley asked pulling her closer, “I’ll make sure he never does it again.”
“And I’ll have a long talk with Willow about how she’s treating you AND about hanging with dead boy.”
Spike rolled his eyes, “Great either I’m stuck with you bloody wankers or Peaches and his Robin Hood gang.”
“Do you know where Willow is? Cause I’ve tried to call her a lot and still no answer,” Xander asked
Buffy sighed, “Do I look like the yellow pages?”
“Well, no not really.” Catching the impatient look being shot his way he conceded, “I’ll just stop by and ask Giles if he’s seen her.”
~~~*~~~
Xander made his way to Giles’ apartment mumbling about having to go alone. When he arrived he knocked on the door and got no answer, like usual turned the knob and walked in. “Hey G man, you here? Hell…Oh my God what the hell happened to you?” Giles was lying on the sofa, two empty Scotch bottles on the coffee table, his clothes wrinkled and dirty, Angel’s dried blood still covering him. Xander shook him, “Giles, talk to me! Who done this to you?”
To drunk and guilt ridden to form sentences at this point her muttered the only name he’d been thinking the past four nights, “Angel.”
Xander’s blood boiled, how could dead boy stoop this low? He picked up the phone and called Buffy giving her all the details.”
~Part: 6~
A couple of more days had passed and Angel was healing nicely. His fingers were straight, burns and stab wounds healed the only thing still bothering him was his knee. The four people had spent a lot of time together and had formed a plan to fight the good fight together. Cordy beamed at the idea as did Willow, this was going to be like a family, something the two girls lacked in their lives. Cordy’s parents were always to busy spending their money to pay attention to their daughter until they went belly up and depended on her for income. Then there was Willow’s family, not much there. Parents were too wrapped up in their own lives to know that their daughter was even alive. So long as she didn’t interfere with their plans they would leave money for her to live off of and stay gone for months at a time. The thought of them both sitting at home alone, afraid and worried sent a rush of anger through him. Seems his rush of anger resulted in a loud growl drawing the attention of the other occupants in the room.
“What’s got you all grumpy?” Cordy asked from her perch on the chair arm where she was braiding Willows hair.
“Just thinking,” he smiled as he sat down on the sofa.
“A long as green demon equals dinner wasn’t in that thought I’m a happy man,” Loren teased.
Angel couldn’t help but laugh, “No, I was thinking about you two,” he pointed to the girls.
“And we made ya growl?” Willow crinkled her nose.
“I was thinking about how fast you had to grow up living on the hellmouth and all not to mention the fact that your parents are non-existent in your lives. It’s not fair.”
“If there is one thing I’ve learned,” Cordy sighed, “It’s that life is anything but fair. Look at my dating choices in high school.”
Willow rolled with laughter earning her a harsh tug of the hair by Cordy, “Sorry, it’s just who would have thought, Queen C and Xander?”
“Uh,” Cordy scoffed, “This coming from the woman who has been in love with him since kindergarten!”
Willow giggled, “Yeah but that’s me. You though, your so pretty and smart nothing like I would expect to see Xander with.”
“And you are?” She snapped. “Listen to me Willow Ann Rosenberg you are beautiful, smart, funny, loving, honest and innocent all rolled into one so I will have no more of that kind of talk!” she punctuated her statement by gently smacking her on the head with the brush.
“Ouch!” She rubbed her head, “Yeah, you just feel obligated to say those things because you took the only boy I was good enough for and you feel guilty.” The words had just left her mouth when Angel grabbed he by the arms and pulled her up, “Angel!”
He stood her in front of a big mirror they had just put up for Cordy, “Look Willow and tell me what you see.”
“Angel I don’t want to do this,” she tried to walk away but he held her firm. “Let go!”
“No, not until you tell me what you see!”
She sighed, “I see plain ol’ mousy, reliable, un-useful Willow! Now let go!” she screamed as tears threatened to fall.
He gently kissed the top of her head, still holding her in place, “You know what I see?” She didn’t reply but he continued anyway, “I see a woman who is willing to give her life to help a friend no matter what the consequences are, a very beautiful, loving, compassionate, sexy young woman who’s been treated badly most of her life.” Willow’s face was turning a nice crimson red; “One day Willow you are going to open your heart to someone worth while and they are going to show you just how wonderful you are.”
She lost her battle with her tears as they began to silently fall, “Who would want to show me anything! Look Angel, I appreciate what your doing but I don’t take kindly to sympathy; I don’t need anyone to feel sorry for me.”
He spun her around to face him, his hands still firm on her arms, “I am not taking pity on you Willow, damn it can’t you see how much I love you!”
Before she could respond the front door crashed open revealing Buffy and some commandos all armed to the hilt. Angel, Willow, Cordy and Loren all took a fighting stance waiting to see what was going to happen.
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