~Part 1~

Willow stood there taking in the sights around her.  The sun had just
gone down and the city came to life.  As the lights turned on the
lovers were walking hand in hand past her.  A tall dark man, trying
not to hit the rude couples, bumped in to Willow and he looked at her
as she just kept walking lost in thought.  *She looks like Willow.
Why would Willow be here and.....what is....is...she doing.*
"Willow,
watch out!"  He called out to her.

*Where am I?  Better yet who am I?  Why does my head hurt so badly?*
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear someone calling
out a warning.  "Willow!"  He called out to her as he was trying to
get her out of the way of the speeding car.  It wasn't until he
grabbed her and pushed her out of the way that she came out of her
thoughts.

"Willow!"  The young man exclaimed.  "Didn't you hear me?  What's
wrong, Willow?"  He asked while looking for some sort of answer in
her eyes.  He found nothing.  *What's wrong Willow?  Come on tell me.*

"How do you know me?"  she asked as if she were five again.  "Who's
this Willow that you speak of?  Is that my name?"  She looked at him
for answers.

There was a flash of fear in his eyes.  "You don't remember me, do
you Willow?"  She nodded and he sighed.  "Lets sit down and talk,
maybe you'll remember something."  He started to walk away, but
stopped he turned and noticed that she was just looking at him.
*Come
on Willow please remember something for me.*

A few minutes later they sat at a local coffee shop.  Angel tried his
hardest to get information from her but she kept spacing out. *Come
on Willow tell me what happened.*

"Angel?"  She said braking into his thoughts.

"Yes?"  He answered back, hoping that she would have something else
to tell him.

"How do you know me?"

He stared at her surprised at her question.  *She really doesn't
remember me.*  "Well I met you when you were a sophomore in high
school.  Your best friend is Buffy, she and I used to go out but it
didn't work out between us, so I moved here to LA."  He spoke with
hope that maybe she would remember.  *She looks more lost then when I
started.*  "Do you remember Oz?  Or Buffy?  Or Giles?"  She thought
for a moment and then shook her head no.  "It's getting late Willow."
He said as he looked down at his watch.  "Why don't you come back
to my place and we'll figure something out."

"I'm sorry, Angel."

He looked at her questionably.  "Why?"  He asked while paying the
waiter.

"I'm going to be a burden, and I don't want to do that."  She
couldn't bare to look at him, so she looks towards the ground.  *Why
is he looking at me like that?*  She self consciously asked her self.

"Willow you could never be a burden to me.  I care about you."  He
forced her to look up at him.  "I promise."  His bright brown eyes
seemed to look right through her, as if she was a ghost.

She nodded.  The next thing she remembered was waking up in Angel's
arms the next morning.  Since he was sleeping she crawled out of bed
and went looking for someone or something that might jog her memory.

"Wills, what are you doing here?"  An unfamiliar voice called out to
her.

"How do you know me?"

"What?"  The dark haired girl said.   "You don't remember me?  I feel
really bad about what I used to say to you in high school."

The red head just looked at her unknowingly.  "I'm sorry, I don't
know what you are talking about."  She continued to search and she
found her self in Angel's office.

Just then another young man walked in and asked silently to Cordilla
"who's the red head?"

"Her name's Willow Rosenberg.  I used to go to high school with her.
That's Buffy's best friend."

He nodded, "What's she doing here?"

"I don't know.  All I know is that she doesn't remember me."  She
turned and walked away towards the desk.  He just stared at the girl
that seemed very lost.  He walked towards her and said "Hello, how
are you?"

She just looked at him, confused.  "Do you know me too?"

He looked at the girl for a moment and said "No I can't say that I
do.  How are you feeling right now?  Did you sleep here all night?"

*I'm feeling lost and confused.*  "I'm okay, thank you.  Yes, in fact
I seem to have woken up in Angel's arms this morning.  I can't
remember why though."  With that she walked towards the young girl at
the desk.

"I see that you've met Willow, Doyle."  Angel said as he walked in to
his office as she walked out.

"Yes I have.  She said that she woke up in your arms this morning
what happened?"

"Oh well she was having nightmares and she was calling out to someone
or something.  The only way I could calm her down was to hold her
close."  He continued when Doyle gave him an understanding look.
"I've got some phone calls to make so would you tell Cordy to take
Willow out and get her some new clothes."

"Okay.  Anything else I can do for you while you are making your
phone calls?"

"Yes, find out if anything has happened in LA the last 2 to 3 days."

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After shopping and talking for hours about nothing the two girls
finally returned to the office.  When Cordy walked in the door she
stopped suddenly to behold a familiar face.

"Spike!  What are you doing here?"  Cordy shrieked.  As she reached
for the cross that she had in her purse.

"Relax, pet.  I'm not here for you.  Peaches and I are going to take
Willow home."

"That's right Cordy, Spike and I have put our differences aside and
agreed to help Willow no matter what.  Willow, does he look familiar
to you?"

"Why does everyone ask me that!"  She snapped back at the tall man
that was known as Angel.  "I'm sorry that nothing looks familiar to
me or that I don't know exactly who you guys are, but I'm trying to
remember.   I'm also sorry that I've been such a burden to you that
you have to try to get rid of me.  All you had to do was ask me to
leave."  The tears were starting in her eyes as she continued.
"Which is what I'm going to do now.  Thank you for being so kind to
me.  Cordy if you like the clothes you can keep them if not then take
them back I don't want them."  With that the little red head bolted
out the door.

Angel and Spike stood there stunned, staring at each other until
Cordy said "are you guys just going to stand there or are you going
to
go after her."

Spike was the first to speak after Cordy.  "She's right Peaches.  We
should go after her.  After all we did scare her away."  With that
Spike was out the door.

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Spike was the first to find her.  *There she is.  What in bloody hell
is she doing?*  He wondered as he saw the little red head standing,
looking into the ocean, slowly walking into it.  *I wonder if I
should call Cordy and Doyle to let them know that I found her.*  He
asked himself looking down at the cell phone that Angel had given to
him.  *Nah.  I'll just go find out what's wrong with Willow.*

"'Ello Willow."  He calmly spoke to her.  Reaching out and grabbed
her hand.

"Why don't you guys just leave me alone?"  She asked through her
sobbing.

"We can't luv.  We care too much about you to let you get hurt.  Why
don't we sit down and…."  He was cut off when she replied

"No, I don't want to talk anymore.  Not to you, not to Angel or
anyone, just leave me alone!"  With that ripped her hand away
surprising him with her action and she ran off again and he would
have caught her this time but some guy stepped in his way knocking
Spike off his feet.  When he got up she was no where to be seen.

*Why are they following me?  Why can't I remember anything?  Ouch!
My head why does it hurt so bad?*  With that she fell over in pain,
and no one was around to hear her cries of pain.

A dark haired female, obviously on the run, recognized the person
lying before her.  Without a moment of hesitation she picked the
small figure up and carried her away.

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~Part 2~

Willow found that she couldn't open her eyes.  *What is that I keep
hearing?  Why can't I open my eyes?*  She tried to open her eyes once
more.  She kept hearing voices, that she thought she knew but she
couldn't put them to faces.  <Dream>  Then she saw faces so many
faces and they were after her and she started to physically shake.
*Help!  Someone please help me.*  Someone in her dream walked up to
her and she asked her *Who are you?*

The women answered her *My name is Lynarra.  I've been watching you.
Such a strange girl to go running away from those trying to help
you.*  The women started to walk away when Willow called out to her.
*Wait!  Don't leave me alone.  I don't want to be alone anymore.*  No
matter what Willow said to the women that called herself Lynarra she
continued to walk away.  *If you don't want to be alone anymore, wake
up.  Go to those that care about you, you'll remember them soon
enough.*  With that Lynarra disappeared, and Willow's eyes opened, to
see four familiar faces but yet not really.

"Hi!" came a somewhat familiar voice.  "How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok my head just hurts a lot."  Willow replied.

"Go call the doctor or nurse, tell them that Willow's awake."  Angel
said to anyone that was listening.  When he realized that no one was
listening he said "never mind I'll do it myself.  I've got some calls
to make anyways."  With that he left the room.

"Spike?  Is that your name?"  She asked the blond vampire.  When he
nodded yes she continued.  "Can I talk to you for a moment alone?"

Cordy turned to Doyle and said "let's go get something to drink.  Do
you guys want anything?"  They both shook their heads no and with
that Doyle and Cordy left them alone.

When they left the room Spike turned to the lovely girl in the bed
and asked "what's up?"

She began by saying "I'm sorry, for what I said to you....."

He interrupted her by saying "It's ok you've been through a lot."

"But that doesn't mean what I did was right."  She continued to say.

Just then the doctor entered the room and interrupted the two as they
talking.  "Miss Rosenberg, glad that you are awake.  How are we
feeling?"

"I'm doing better but my head really hurts."  She said as she looked
for some comfort from Spike.  He sensed her need for comfort and
placed his hand on hers.

With her reply the doctor continued with what he was saying, "we need
to do some tests because we are worried that you might have brain
damage that is causing your amnesia.  We'd like to run these tests as
soon as possible, with your permission William."  He stated as he
looked at the man beside her.

"Okay, when can we get the tests started?"  The man that was being
called William asked.

"We can start the tests tomorrow morning.  Is that ok?"   When he
nodded the doctor nodded back and left the room.

"Why did he call you William?  I thought that your name was Spike."

"Well, luv, William is my real name and Spike is my nickname."

"Oh, well William were are you going to take me?  Were is this place
that you call my home?"

"Well we live in Sunnydale, you live on campus in the dorms with
Buffy.  We're going to take you back to your normal surroundings."
He looked down and noticed that she was sleeping again.  He leaned
over and gave her a little kiss on the cheek and whispered "Good
night luv."  With a gentle squeeze he let her hand go, and left the
room.

He walked down the hallway and found Angel talking on the phone.

"Buffy, it's all right she's okay.  She's just in the hospital
getting a check up to see if she's got some sort of brain damage.
Wait Buffy don't hang up the phone."  He heard a click and thought to
himself  *Oh boy, Buffy's coming to LA again.*  He hung up the phone
and turned to see Spike standing there.

"Buffy's coming to LA but I think for all the wrong reasons.  I think
that she thinks that I did something to Willow."  Spike just stared
at his sire unsure of what to say.  *I don't understand what the
great
poof saw in her anyway.*

Together they went to look for Cordy and Doyle to let them know that
Buffy was coming and they were going to go back to the office.
"Cordy, Doyle I just got a hold of Giles or better yet Buffy, and
she's coming to LA.  In the mean time Spike and I have to go.  Keep
an eye on her."

"Oh sure you go on now and don't worry about a thing.  We'll even
take care of Buffy if she gets here before you do."  They nodded and
walked away.

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The next afternoon the doctor came into the waiting room and told
them that they sent the tests in and that Willow was doing good.  He
also told them that if they wanted to see Willow they could, and the
results should be in the next day or so.

By the time Angel and Spike had returned Willow was calling out for
Spike.  When he heard this he went straight to her room and didn't
pay any attention to the doctors that were calling him.

"Willow, are you ok?"  He asked her the moment he stepped into the
room.  He then noticed that she was asleep, and indeed she was
calling for him but she was also calling for someone named Lynarra.

"Angel, could you ask Doyle or Cordy to do a search for someone by
the name Lynarra?"  Spike asked as Angel walked into the room.  Just
then they heard someone that sounded like Buffy calling out to Angel.

"Angel," Buffy said "where are you in need to talk to you now!
Where's Willow?"  She seemed furious she had all the rights to that
but not in the hospital.

Angel walked out of Willow's room and faced Buffy.  "Buffy," he said
"calm down remember where you're at."  She just glared at him as he
continued.  "Willow's alright she's sleeping. The result of her tests
should be in the next few days."

"So what happened to Willow?"  Buffy asked concerned for her friend.
Angel takes her to the waiting room to tell her about what's been
going on the past few days.

"Doyle, Cordy can I ask one of you guy to do a favor for me?"  They
nodded and he continued "could one of you guys do a search for a
women named Lynarra?"

"Is there something important about that name?"  Cordy asked.

"I'm not sure, but Willow's been calling out that name along with
mine and I wanted to know if maybe she knew something about Willow's
condition."

Cordy then nodded and then grabbed Doyle and took him with her.
*They must be going out or like each other.*  He thought to himself
as he watched them walk away together.

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~Part 3~

In the waiting room where Angel and Buffy were talking there was a
lot of tension between the two.  "What your saying is that you ha= ve
no clue why she's here in LA but you were the one to find her?"  = She
bluntly stated.

Someone bit her with the unfriendly bug.  He said to himself trying
not to laugh.  "That's right ,Buffy.  She'll be fine here with us
until we get the results, then we'll get her out of here and she'll
go home with Spike.  I've decided not to go with them, since you're
here and you made quite clear that you don't trust me."  With that he
stood up and said "I'm going to go check up on Spike and Willow. You
can wait here."  With that he left the room.

She sat there for a few minutes stunned, unknowing what to do or what
to say as she watched him walk away.  When he was out of sight she
got up grabbed her things and left.  *I'm going to visit my dad. = If
he thinks that I'm going to leave without Willow he's got another
thing coming to him.*

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Back at the office Cordy and Doyle were talking while searching for
someone by the name Lynarra.  When suddenly the answer was right in
front of them.  "Here it is Doyle!"  Cordy called to he r partner who
was in the other room.  "Lynarra, is a..." just then the computer
shut down.

"What?  What was the last part Cordy?"  Doyle called to= her.

"I don't know, the computer just shut down on me."  She tried to turn
it back on but it wasn't doing what it was supposed to do.  "It won't
turn back on Doyle, something has to be wrong."

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<Dream>  Willow was siting in what looked like a forest or jungle.
She appeared to be alone, but she kept hearing something like
laughter.  She called out "Anyone there?  Hello?!?" As if to answer
her she heard more laughter.  She walked around for what seemed like
hours.  She'd never felt so alone.

"Willow."  Something called out to her.  She followed the voice until
it got louder. "Willow, come to me Willow."

"I'm coming, where are you??"  She walked faster and faster until she
was running.  Just then she ran in to something. *Ouch* she thought
and then looked up.  She saw a slim figured dark haired women with
unusual eyes.  "Who are you?"

The women just looked down at her and laughed, an evil laugh.  "Get
up."  The  women ordered her.  "Follow me, we've got something to
talk about.  I've been expecting you."

As Willow followed the unusual women she couldn't help but to think
about William. *William is such a gentleman, he would never do
anything to hurt me.*  "Where are we going?" Willow asked but the
women seemed not to hear her so they continued to walk in silence.
After walking for what seemed like hours the women stopped.  Willow,
who wasn't paying any attention, bumped into the dark figure.  When
the dark figure turned to face Willow, she no longer had a human face
but the face of a monster.  "What are you?"  She asked trying to keep
the fear from coming out through her voice.

"You already know what I am.  You're falling in love with one of my
kind."

"What are you talking about?"  She looked in to the eyes of the
animal like monster.

"Oh, they haven't reminded you of what they are, have they?" Willow
gave her the look of what are you talking about, and the dark women
started to laugh.  "Little Willow, such a poor thing doesn't remember
us.  But yet you can't stop thinking about my Spike."  She grinned at
her shock.  "Let me tell you a story about us, your friend Buffy gave
me my daddy back and then you took him away.  Just like the mean
teacher tried to and what the horrible gypsies started.  Now you've
takin' away my Spike.  You're going to have to suffer for everything
that you've done to our happy family."  With that something jumped
out of the bushes next to her, scaring Willow into running away.  As
she got farther and farther from the dark women, the dark women
called to Willow saying, "Say hi to daddy and 'my' Spike from Dru."
She started to laugh as she sensed the fear from Willow as she ran
away.

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Willow's screaming woke Spike up, who had some how convinced the
doctor to block up the window's so that the sun wouldn't bother her.
Spike jumped to Willow's side and began to hold her firmly while
trying to wake her up.  "Willow, wake up!"  he called to her.

Her eyes popped open, and she screamed "Get your hands off me!"
"Calm down, luv."  He said as he slowly let go of her. "What's
wrong, luv, you were screaming and shakin' like crazy?"

"I had some sort of dream."  She said slowly calming down and she
continued as he gave her a look of concern.  "I was sitting in a
place surrounded by tree's, then I met up with a women that was
calling my name.  We walked for a while then she transformed to some
kind of animal.  She had said that she knew you and someone that she
called her daddy."

"Did she give you her name?"

"She said to say hi to 'her' Spike and to her daddy from..."

"Dru?"  he said as he interrupted her.  When she nodded he cursed
silently.

"Are you an animal type monster like she was, Spike?"  She asked with
some fear in her voice.

He winced at her question and answered "I'm like her, but I'm
different from her."

"How?"

He looked at her and her delicate figure and spoke with care.  "Well,
pet, I unlike Dru, can't hurt humans.  I was captured by a group of
guys and they put some kind of chip in my head that gives me a great
deal of pain if I try to hurt humans."

Just then a nurse walked in and asked "Miss Rosenberg and William is
everything okay?"  When they nodded she asked "is there anything I
can get for you?"

"I'm kind of hungry.  What do you have to eat?"

"Macaroni and Cheese, fruit, and Jell-O, with any kind of drink."

"That would be fine, I'd like a grape soda if you've got it.  Thank
you."  The nurse nodded and left the room.

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Back at the office Cordy was trying to figure out what was wrong with
the computer.  Just as she got the computer working the phone rang.
"Angel Investigations we help the helpless."  She said into the phone.

"Hi, I was calling to ask you about your little red headed friend,
how is she doing?"

"She's doing fine.  Who's this?"

"This is an anonymous caller, I was just wondering how she was.  = Bye."

"Wait!"  Cordy said hoping that she was still there.

"Yes."  The voice said.

"Are you the same person that called us the first time."

There was a silence for a moment and then she finally answered "yes,
why?"

"Willow and all of us owe you a thank you for saving and finding her.

"I've got all the thanks I need knowing that she's all right.  Bye."
With that the voice on the other end hung up.

"Angel."

"Yes, Cordy."

"That anonymous caller the one that told us about Willow."

"Yes, what about her?"  he asked stepping out of his office.

"She just called about Willow.  I could do a trace to find out were
she was calling, then you could see if she's still there."

"Okay that would be great.  I'll go change really quick."

"Okay."  A few minutes later.  "Yes I found out were she was calling,
and it's close by."

"Really, were is it?"

"You know that pay phone outside of the hospital?"

"Yes, why?"

"That's were the phone call was made."

"Okay, I'm on it."

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*Why did you do that Faith?*  She asked herself still standing at the
phone.  *You're getting soft.  I can't believe you're helping a
vampire, let alone one of the scoobies.*  She slowly started to walk
away from the phone, not noticing the dark shadow following her.

"Faith?"  He called.

She turned to see Angel standing before her.

"When did you get out of a coma?  Why are you here in LA?  Does Buffy
know that you are awake?"

"Gee for a dead guy you sure do ask a lot of questions.  I've been
out of my coma for about a week now.  I'm running away from the law
and no Buffy doesn't know that I'm awake."  She turned and started to
walk away.

"I could help you."

"Thanks, Angel but no thanks."  She turned around again and walked
away.

*I can't believe Faith is here in LA and that she helped Willow.  I
wonder what she's up too.*  He'd thought about following her but
decided that they'd see each other soon and went into the hospital to
check on Willow and Spike.

*I wonder what's going through Angel's mind?  What's he planning?
I'd better stay somewhere close in case something happens.*  She
walked away from her hiding place and went towards her temporary
house.

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~Part 4~

Angel walked into the hospital and walked into Willow's room and saw
Spike sitting on Willow's bed, holding her.  He felt a twinge of
jealousy, but then he saw her face *What's wrong?*

"What happened?"  Angel asked to the blond vampire.

"Dru was in her dream."  He looked down at the girl he was holding.
"She told her to say hi to her daddy and to 'her' Spike."  There was
some anger in his voice.

"Did she do anything else?"  He asked with concern in his voice.

"She put her game face on and gave her a fright.  She knows what we
are.  I told her what made me different from Dru.  I wasn't sure how
to tell her about your difference."

Angel wasn't sure how he was going to tell her either but he started
with, "A long time ago I met some...."

"Gypsies?"  She asked interrupting him.

"Yes, the gypsies gave me my soul from when I was human, to make me
suffer because I made them mad.  I don't hurt humans because I get a
lot of guilt for it."  He saw that she got closer to Spike, and he
continued "I don't know what she told you but I promise you that we
will never hurt you."

"What did I do to you to make Dru so mad at me?"  She asked Angel in
a shaky voice.

"You gave me my soul."

"That's something to talk about when anyone could walk in and
listen."  A woman's voice said dryly.

They both looked to where the voice came from and were surprised to
see Faith.

"Faith!  What are you doing here?"  Angel asked surprised that she'd
come back.

"I thought that I would come check up on Red."

"Who are you?"  Willow said in a small voice.  Please tell me that
she's normal and not some kind of animal.

"Hey, Red my names Faith.  I'm the one that found you lying on
conscious.  I, like Spike here, come from Sunnydale."  She walked up
closer to the red head and grabbed her hand.  "Well I thought that I
would come see how you were and if 'you' need any thing just let me
know."  She smiled and left the room.

"I like her."  They just looked at her.  "What?"

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Faith walked silently down the street as she normally did.  Thoughts
just running through her mind.  <Faith what are you doing?>  A voice
deep in side of her said.  <You used to be so evil, before Buffy took
it away from you.  You were going to achieve greatness.>  *I was so
happy and now I'm lost and confused.  I can't even imagine what it's
like for Red.  Did I honestly tell her that if she needed anything
that she could come to me?  I think that was my voice but I don't
know where it came from.*

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The doctor walked in the room and said "you can go home Miss
Rosenberg.  We found that you've got no brain damage and that we
don't exactly know what's causing your amnesia so you can go home
because we can't do anything for you."  He saw her smile shyly and
the two men give him looks of thanks for his help and walked out of
the room.

"Do we need to get you anything so we can take you back to my
apartment?"  Angel asked to the beautiful girl in the bed.

"I do need clothes, because mine got ruined."

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"Welcome back Wills."  Cordy said as Willow walked into the room.

"Hi, Cordy.  Right?"  She was relieved when Cordy nodded yes.

"Angel can I talk to you for a minute?"  Cordy asked.  He nodded and
they stepped into his office.  "Do you want her to stay with me,
since you'll have Spike here?"

"Thanks Cordy but I think that we'd like to keep our eyes on her for
now.  Once things get back to some sort of normal then she'll stay
with you if that's still okay with you."

"Yes that's fine.  I just wondered.  I put the clothes that we got
the other day in your closet so that you'd have them if she came
back."

He hugged her.  "Thanks Cordy.  I know this has to be weird for you
and I want to thank you for being so helpful."

"No problem.  It's kind of my job."  She said, smiled and walked out
of the office.  "I'm taking off now.  Night everyone."

"Bye."  They all said at once.  Willow yawned and Angel gave Spike
the okay to go put her to bed.  She'd had a long day and they both
knew it.

"Come on, pet we'll put you to bed."  He held out his hand and waited
for her to grab it.  When she did he took her down to the apartment
part of the building and returned awhile later.  "I'm going to eat do
you want anything, Angel?"  When he said no he got a little worried
for his sire.  He knew that he was too worried about Willow to eat
and it could be weeks before he'd eat again for no one knew how long
Dru was going to keep this up.

"Spike you watch her tonight I'm going to see what I can find out
about how or what Dru has done to Willow."  He nodded and Angel
walked out the door.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

On top of the building just before dawn, Angel stood there thinking
about the little red head that was sleeping in his bed again.  *What
could be going through Dru's mind?  I don't understand why she'd
start caring now.  I've had my soul ever since I got out of hell and
that was after Spike and Dru left town.  They were gone for a while.
Then the whole thing with the chip, I don't understand it.*

Just then a flash of light distracted our thoughtful vampire.  "Who
are you?"

"My name is Lynarra.  I am here to warn you of dangers that involve
your friend Willow.  She doesn't know how strong she is and you have
to help her understand it, because she'll need it.  If you want to
help save her live you will have to teach her to defend for herself,
not in the ways of violence but by her powers.  You cannot save her,
nor can your friend who seems to care so deeply for her."

"How should I go about that?"

"Let her live with you and then when she starts wanting to leave, let
her go but keep an eye on her because when this is all over she'll
need a friend or two."  With that said and the warning told she left
the same way she came.  *Oh and Angel, she'll need to come to me for
lessons on her magic.  When she gets to that point in time I will be
coming after her.*  With that she left him alone in thought and in
presence.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

~Part 5~

Angel walked into the apartment thinking about what Lynarra had told
him.  *Teach her in the ways of magic not violence.  Maybe for her
own welfare I should teach her to defend for herself.  I'll ask
Spike, he'd know because he took care of Dru for over 100 years.
Plus he's taking care of Willow.*  He saw Spike sitting at the table
drinking some blood out of a mug.

" 'Ello Peaches."  Spike said as he looked up at Angel and back at
the mug.

"Hey Spike.  How did last night go?"  He asked as he joined him at
the table.

"She slept like a baby."  He grinned at his sire then he asked, "how
did last night go for you?"

"Well it was weird.  You know that person you wanted Doyle or Cordy
to do a search on?"  He nodded his blue eyes fixed on his sire.  "She
came to me last night because I was thinking about Willow and Dru."
He saw Spike flinch at the name of the women who was hurting their
Willow.  "She said that we needed to help Willow understand her full
potential.  We also need to help her with her magic until she's ready
to go with Lynarra."

"Wait, this Lynarra is going to take Willow away.  Why?"  Spike asked
with a little anger in his voice.

"What's going on?  Who's going to take me somewhere?"  Willow asked
as she heard part of their conversation.

"Well Willow.  Uh....you are a beginning witch as some people would
call you.  Spike and I have to help you get into your Wicca powers.
Sometime soon when you are ready you are to go with a women named...."

"Lynarra?"  Willow interrupted with wide eyes.

" 'Ow'd you know?  Was she in one of your dreams?"  Spike asked just
as surprised as Angel was.

"Yes, I had a dream about her last night.  She told me that she'd be
coming to get me when I was ready for the total understanding of my
powers."  She finished then looked at the two in front of her and
said, "what?"

"Nothin' much pet.  it's just that Angel saw her last night"

"Did she tell you anything other than what I just told you?"

"Not really."  Angel replied.

"What's everyone doing down here?  Is there a meeting going on?"  A
familiar voice called out as it's owner came down the stairs.

Angel turned around and said, "we're just talking about last night,
Cordy."

"I hate to brake it up but, Angel, there's someone here to see you.
Oh and Willow did you want to go out today?"  She spoke with a
confidence that Spike had never noticed until now.

"Uh, get back to me I need to think about some things before I go
anywhere."  Cordy smiled and walked away.

"Pet?"

"Yes, Spike?"

"Willow, phone's for you."  She looked at Spike and he nodded that it
was okay.  She got up and walked over to the phone.

"Hell...hello?"  She said into the phone.

"Hey, Willow.  I know that you probably don't remember me but, it's
Oz."  She dropped the phone as a mixture of feelings came back to
her.  Being the protective vampire Spike was, he jumped to her side
and picked up the phone to hear Oz's voice.

"Hold on, mate."  Spike said into the phone.  "What's wrong, pet?"

"I remember Oz.  I remember what he did to me."  She said and Spike
could hear the pain in her voice.

"Do you want to talk to him?"  He asked with his blue eyes full of
concern.

"Yes.  I'll be fine.  I promise."  She said as he looked at her with
his pain filled eyes.  "I'm sorry about that Oz.  What can I do for
you?"  She asked trying to hide the pain that she felt.

"I just wanted to make sure that you were doing okay.  I've been
trying everywhere to find you, and I finally got a hold of Xander.
He told me about how you were in LA with Angel.  So I thought that I
would call and see what was up."

"I'm doing a lot better.  Spike and Angel are taking care of me."

"Spike?!?"  Oz questioned .  "I thought he was a you know...you do
know, right?"

"Yes, but he's different."

"Well anyway, I've got to go.  I'll call you sometime.  'K."

"Oz, why are you doing this?"

Oz seemed hurt and surprised by her question, but he answered her
question with another question.  "What do you mean?"

"I remember what you did to me.  I didn't think you'd ever call me."

"Willow, I never meant to hurt you.  I just thought it would be
better for the both of us if I left.  Willow, I still lo..."

"Don't say it!  If you really loved me you wouldn't have left me and
you wouldn't have done what you did to me."  Her saying this made
Spike upset he didn't know what happened between them.  All he knew
was that Oz had hurt her.

"Willow if you remember the wolf is always going to be apart of me.
I wanted to know if there would....could be some way I could control
it.  I do miss you and I hope someday if I come back, even if I
don't, that we could always be friends.  Oh, I've got to go now.  I
miss you."

"Bye."  She hung up the phone and started to cry.  "Why did that have
to be the first thing I would remember?"  She fell down to the
ground, crying harder as the tears just came out.

'The visions around you
Bring tears to your eyes
And all that surrounds you
Are secrets and lies'

Spike walked over to where she had fallen on the ground and began to
comfort her.  "Do you wanna talk about it, luv?"  He asked softly.

"Oz was my first love, we were supposed to be together forever.  He
mated with another wolf and the next day he left me."  Her crying
slowly calmed down as Spikes arms got tighter around her.

"I'm sorry, luv.  I'm sorry that this had to be your first memory."
*What is Dru doing to her?  Why Oz after all this time?*

"Spike, what's wrong with me?  Why is this happening to me?"

'I'll be your strength
I'll give you hope'

"Honestly, pet, I don't know.  Dru isn't  exactly sane and nothing
she seems to do makes sense."  He spoke with care as she stopped
crying.  "Come on let's go looking for some power, spells types of
thingies."

'Keeping your faith when it's gone'

His words made her giggle.  "Okay, were do we start?"  She giggled
more when she saw him shrug.

"That's what I like to see."  He said noticing that she was smiling.
*She's so beautiful, how could Oz even think about leaving her.*  He
looked at her as she stood up, unknowing what to do or what to say.
*I think it would best not to tell her what I'm feeling for her right
now it wouldn't be right.*

'The one you should call
We're standing here all alone'

"What are you thinking about?"  Willow asked breaking into his
thoughts.

"Nothin' much, luv."  He said then he saw her skeptical face.  "What?"

"Don't nothin' me Spike.  With the look you were giving me you had to
have been thinking about something special."  She said smiling
wondering what he could possibly be thinking about.

*That face, how could I possibly lie to that beautiful face.*  "I was
thinking about how beautiful you are."  He grinned as he saw her
blush slightly.  "You're just saying that to be nice."  She said
trying to keep the hope out of her voice.

"Am not."  He said teasingly.  As he started to chase her.  He caught
up with her and as if she was asking for it, their lips met.  *She's
so soft and sweet.*

*I'm kissing Spike.  It feels good too.*

'And I will take
You in my arms
And hold you right where you belong'

He broke the kiss and realized that he'd picked her up.  Gently and
unwillingly he put her down.  She fit so nicely against his body he
could hardly let her go.  *I love you, Willow.  But I wont do this to
you*  "I'd better go see what's going on with Angel.  I'll be right
back."  H e walked away and in the corner of his eye he could see the
gleam in her eyes disappear, along with her smile.  It broke his
undead heart to do this but it wasn't right or fair.

'Till the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you'

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

"You did what?"  Angel said in total shock.  He wasn't sure he heard
him correctly.

"I don't know what came over me, she was so upset about Oz and I made
her feel better, then the next thing I know is she's in my arms and
I'm kissing her."

"Did you like it?"

" 'Ome again?"  He asked surprised that his sire would ask that.

"Did you like it?"  He repeated.

" 'Ow can you ask me that?  I don't want to take advantage of her and
you're bloody asking me if I liked it!"  He said with aggravation in
his voice.

"What are your fears?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you afraid to love?"

"I'm not afraid and I'm not in love."  He couldn't tell him that he
loved her.  It would only lead to his further fears.

"Why do you think that?  Do you think that you could kiss a beautiful
girl like Willow and not be in love?"

His sire had a good point.  "I'm afraid that if I love her she'll
leave me."

Angel couldn't believe that was his fear.  Didn't he see the look
that she gave him.  "Spike, she'd never leave you.  You're her
security blanket.  She looks to you as she once did with Oz.  She
loves you."

"She doesn't love me."

"Why do you think that?  She called to 'you' while in the hospital,
she looks for comfort in 'your' eyes and in 'your' touch and I see
the way see looks at you."  Just as he finished that sentence there
was a knock on the apartment side of the office.  He opened the door
and saw Willow standing there with pain in her eyes.

"Spike can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, pet.  Do you want to go into the apartment to talk?"  When she
nodded he walked to the door.

"Think about it Spike.  Look into her eyes, then make your choice."
Angel said low enough so that only he and Spike could hear.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Down stairs in the apartment, there was an awkward silence.  It was
finally broken when Spike asked.  "What's wrong, pet?"

"Do you love me?"  She asked, barely heard even by Spike.

*Yes, I do love you.  Do you love me is the question?*  "Pet, look at
me."  It hurt him to see her back facing him as she asked that
question because he couldn't tell what she was thinking.

"Spike, please tell me.  Do you love me?"  She asked again without
looking at him.

He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her, and said,
directly into her ear.  "Yes, my luv.  Always and forever."

'I've loved you forever
In lifetimes before'

She was surprised, shocked and happy, to hear this.  She turned to
face him, love showing in her eyes.  She reached up behind his neck
and whispered, "I love you, too."  Then she kissed him.

'And I promise you never
Will you hurt anymore
I give you my word
I give you my heart'

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

About a week and a half have past by and Faith, Angel, Spike, Cordy,
and Doyle have been helping Willow learn her magic again.  After a
good nights sleep, Faith got up to wash her face in the bathroom and
when she returned, she found no Willow.

"Spike!  Angel!"  Faith called out.  where's Red?"

"What do you mean?"  Angel called back.

"She's not down stairs in the apartment where I left her five minutes
ago."  As she was saying this she was going up towards the office.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

*Where am I?  I feel like I'm in one of my dreams.*

"Welcome to my humble home, Willow."  A semi-familiar voice said to
her.

"Lynarra?"  Willow asked confused.

"Yes.  It is time that I teach you the full extent of your magic.
Unfortunately, your friends don't know that you are here."

"What!  You didn't tell my friends that I was here?  They'd worry
about me afraid that I had run away or that Drusilla took me.  You
have to tell them I'm here  or at least let me."

Lynarra looked at her with complete shock, wondering if it would be
safe to let her do this.  When she saw that she was practically
begging, she spoke with authority.  "You have five minutes to say
your good-byes.  If they've noticed your absence I will send you to
one of them of your choice.  But you have to come back."

"Oh yes.  Thank you."  With that Lynarra sent her to the apartment to
see who was there.  She immediately saw Faith.  "Faith where's Spike?"

"Red.  There you are.  Spike and Angel went out to look for you.
Here, I'll call them."

"Hurry, I have five minutes to say my good-byes.  Lynarra is timing
me."

"Angel?  it's me Faith.  Willow needs to speak to Spike.  OK here you
go."

"Pet?"

"Spike, Lynarra is taking me to study my magic with her.  I love you
and I promise that I will return  She turned to see herself half way
disappearing and said "I've got to go.  I'll be thinking about you.
Bye."

"Pet?"

"Sorry Spike she's gone."  Faith said into the phone.  "I'll talk to
you when you guys get back."

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

A few days pass and Willow is improving almost to the point when
she's ready.  Little do they know that Drusilla has been watching
them waiting for the perfect time to strike.  While Willow was asleep
Drusilla made it seem as though she took away her powers .  *She
can't beat if she thinks she doesn't have her powers.*

When Willow woke up the next morning she felt different.  Then she
noticed that something was unusual.  She didn't know where she was.
*I wish that they'd stop doing this to me.  Wait something doesn't
feel right.*  "Drusilla?"

"Oh your awake.  The stars told me that you'd wake soon."  She spoke
soft and hypnotically.  "Miss Edith spoke highly of you.  She told me
that you were training with the bad women."

"Lynarra is not bad."  Willow said not caring what happened.
"Lets see how good you are."  She said and out of nowhere she zapped
her.  Willow, ducked out of the way, it was then that she realized
that she didn't have her powers.  This made her upset.

"You took away my powers didn't you?"  She hissed.

"You guessed, I must remember to tell Miss Edith that she was right.
You are a smart girl."  While she was talking she didn't realize that
Willow was heading towards her.

<Use your imagination>

Just then when Spike, Angel and Faith appeared with Lynarra's help.
"Willow you need to trap her."  Lynarra called to her.

"How I don't have my powers?"

"Yes you do.  She's blocked them out of your Mind."  Lynarra called
back.

With that a flash of light appeared and Drusilla was gone.  "Where's
she go, Red?"  Faith asked.  "That was the coolest thing I've ever
seen."

"She's inside this amulet.  There she will stay."  With that the
curse was placed, and she fainted out of exhaustion.  In one small
motion Spike picked her up.

'This is the battle we've won
And with this vow
Forever has now begun'

Willow looked up at Spike as she lay there in the bed.  When he
smiled she knew that he still loved her.  "Spike.."  She was stopped
when he put his finger on her lips.

'Just close your eyes
Each loving day
And I know this feeling won't go away
Till the day my life is through'

"I love you Willow.  I will love you now and forever."  He leaned in
and lightly kissed her on the lips.  "Let me tell everyone that you
are alright."  She reached out to hold his hand and he squeezed it
and put a light kiss on it.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

After everyone left and went their own ways Spike laid down next to
Willow.  He kissed her eye lids and made a path down to her lips.
"Close your eyes, luv.  You've been through a lot.  I love you."

"I love you too, Spike."

'This I promise you
Every word I say is true
This I promise you
Oh I promise you'
 

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