*~ The dark haired vampire woke to a soft whimpering, the redhead in his arms shivering with a deep terror he'd had no idea was this thick. "No," Willow gasped, burrowing deeper into his arms, her grip around his waist almost painful. "Please... Don't leave me. He... he's coming after me. Please don't leave me... I'm not strong..." she paused, her words broken by a painful gasp as her whole body jerked violently. "He's here..." she whispered urgently, her small hands clutching his bare arms, her nails biting in painfully. "Oh, God, you've got to protect me... Please. He- he'll hurt me..."
*~ Angel's dark eyes met the blue of his childe as they both reached
to shake the small woman awake. "Willow, Little One, wake up," he said
softly as he
gently shook her, intense emotion gripping him when she didn't immediately
wake up. "It's just a nightmare, I'm here now, no one's going to hurt you."
*~ Spike tried to pry her out of his sire's arms, but she held on tighter,
if that was possible, clinging to what, in her sleeping mind, was her only
protection.
"Red, cummon, you're okay, it's okay to wake up. We're here, there's
nothing to get you. Wake up, luv, please..."
*~ "S-spike?" the voice was small and tentative as she was slowly pulled from the nightmare. "Angel?"
*~ "We're here, Little One," Angel whispered, rubbing her back soothingly as she gradually eased her grip on him.
*~ "Why is this happening to me?"
*~ Neither vampire had an answer as they each pulled her closer.
*~*~*~*~
*~ "What was this dream about?" Angel asked her later, as they were
sitting around waiting for Cordelia to wake up. It was seven in the morning,
three hours
after Willow's nightmare, and she hadn't been back to sleep. After
a much needed cuddle-session, she'd gotten up and showered, changing into
comfortable jeans and a worn sweatshirt. Angel and Spike followed her example,
taking turns in the bathroom so that the small redhead wasn't alone at
any time.
*~ "Nightmare," Willow corrected, seeming to shrink as she hugged her knees to her chest on the couch. She was sitting in the corner of the couch, her back to the armrest so that she was facing both of the vamps; Spike sitting next to her on the couch, Angel perched on the other armrest, his socked feet resting on the cushions. "It was the same girl. It's always her... She ran away this time... Ran to someone she thought could help her. He... He...," her voice broke and Spike silently pulled her into his lap, cradling her gently.
*~ She took a deep breath and continued shakily, "He pushed her away.
He *gave* her back to the thing that was... that was... Oh, Goddess...
it was hurting
her..." Her green eyes glistened with remembered pain as she tightened
her grip on the blonde vamp.
*~ "Did you see anything in your nightmare that could help us find this girl? Location? What the guy that pushed her away looked like? What kind of demon was hurting her?" Angel asked, taking her hand and squeezing it gently. "What she looked like?"
*~ "I don't know what she looks like," Willow said, her voice small. "I *am* her in the dream. I could recognize the guy she ran to if I saw him again... There *was* something familiar about him..." She paused, her face losing color, "Um, guys... Something else was familiar about the dream..."
*~ "What is it?"
*~ "She was in Sunnydale. I recognized the fraternity house. Riley and
his buddies live there..."
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