part 1

Angel looked through the file skeptically. She looked up at Spike warily. "Are you sure?" He asked. "Giles send this information? It doesn’t seem accurate."

Spike rolled his eyes. "This is the file the watcher gave me, you bloody Poof!"

Willow lay a hand on Spike to calm him down. "I’m sure he didn’t mean anything buy it, Did you, Angel?" She asked pointedly, silently begging Angel not to start anything.

"No." Angel grumbled.

"Cordelia laughed. "You guys are worse than a pair of two-year olds."

"Delia, don’t tease the children. It isn’t nice." Willow teased.

"Okay, that’s it! I’m out of here. Red, are you coming?" Spike stormed out of the office.

"Spike!" Angel shouted after his childe. Spike didn’t stop, but continued into the elevator.

Willow smiled apologetically. "Sorry. He’s been… tense all day. I’ll go after him."

Angel set the file down on Cordelia’s desk. "No, let me. It’s my fault. I baited him."

Willow watched Angel run down the stairs, hoping to beat Spike to the ground floor. She turned back to Cordelia. "Sorry about this. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. Ever since Giles and Buffy asked me to bring this stuff here, he’s been in a mood." Her brows furrowed in thought. "You don’t think it’s me do you? I mean, he didn’t have to come. In fact, I told him to stay, but he insisted. Maybe…"

Cordelia lay a hand on Willow’s shoulder. "It isn’t you. He adores you. He and Angel still have their… moments."

Willow nodded. "I know, but we’ve been coming up here twice a month for nearly six months, and they haven’t fought in at least half that time."

"Maybe there’s something in the air… or the blood." Cordelia offered. The words had barely left her lips when she felt the familiar pain, which signaled another vision.

Willow saw her friend clutch her head and helped her to the couch. Once she was seated, Willow ran to get some bottled water. She and Spike had been visiting Cordelia and Angel long enough to recognize one of Cordelia’s visions for what it was.

By the time Willow had returned with the water, the vision had stopped. Cordelia was still clutching her head painfully, trying to take in deep breaths to rid her mind of some of the sensations the vision was producing.

"What was it?" Willow asked softly after Cordelia seemed to calm down.

"Pain. Horrible pain." She pointed towards her desk and Willow grabbed her pen and a pad of paper. Cordelia started to write an address. She looked up at Willow when she was done. "It was that demon. The one from the file you brought. It was hideous. Scabby skin, horns, and the smell…" she shuddered at the memory.

Willow grabbed the file and started skimming over it looking for the address Cordelia had written down. "Got it!" She brought the folder and sat down next to Cordelia. "It says here that it’s a Noricus demon, benevolent. According to the information Giles found it’s harmless." She handed the file to Cordelia. "It doesn’t give a description."

"And for good reason." Cordelia shivered at the memory. "If it’s so harmless, what’s with the vision? I don’t normally get them for the easy cases."

"Don’t know." Willow chewed on her bottom lip as she thought. "What else did you see?"

Cordelia thought, "Not much. The address, pain, lots of it, and then this bright light, and then nothing."

"Well, I guess we won’t know till we check it out." Willow stood up. "I’m gonna go find the boys."

Cordelia leaned back in her chair, pressing the cool water bottle to her forehead. She closed her eyes while she waited for Willow to return.

****

"Spike!" Angel found his childe on the roof after having circled his building once, thinking he had gone downstairs instead of up.

Spike heard his sire, but didn’t move. He stared at the city, the blinking lights below him lighting up the darkness. He could feel something in the air, something strong, and decidedly wrong.

"Spike." Angel spoke softly as he joined his childe at the ledge. "What’s wrong?" He knew that whatever was bothering him had nothing to do with anything he had said.

"I don’t know." Spike turned towards Angel. "Ever since Willow mentioned coming here, I’ve just felt… off. Something’s not right." He shook his head. "It’s probably nothing."

"I trust your instincts. If you say something’s wrong, then it probably is."

Spike turned to look at his sire, a small smile quirking on his lips. He was about to comment on how incredible soft Angel had gotten when the door tot he roof was thrust opened.

The two vampires turned around. Willow ran over to them, trying to catch her breath. She had run up the entire flight of stairs.

"Red, what is it?" Spike asked, growing concerned.

"Delia. She’s had another vision."

*****

Xander flipped through the book he was supposed to be researching through. In actuality, he was just skimming the pages. At least he had been just skimming when something caught his eye.

"Hey, G-man! Isn’t this the demon that Will was researching for Deadboy?" He asked handing the book over to the former watcher.

Giles examined the book carefully, ignoring Xander’s use of his hated nickname. "No, this is a Noracuos demon. The information I gave her was for a Noricus demon." He handed the book back and continued reading in his own dusty volume.

Xander shrugged and looked back at the page. "Sure is ugly." He commented. The demon had scaly flaps of skin covering his decidedly grotesque body, and three horns poking out of his head.

He handed the book to Anya, who looked at it with interest. "Says here its power is in the third horn, and has the ability to singe its victim from the inside, although they are unsure how, as no one as ever survived an encounter with one." She looked up from the pages. "It forgets to mention the foul smell. Completely noxious odor." She slammed the book closed and picked up another.

*****

part 2

Angel stepped out of the car and took a swift look around the darkened street. Turning back to the three people behind him, he
frowned.

"This is it? Are you sure?"

Spike growled under his non-existent breath, but otherwise didn’t comment. Angel had doubted where it was they were supposed to
go almost from the second his saw the address. Add that to the fact that it had taken Angel and Spike nearly a half hour of
unsuccessful pleading before they realized that the girls were not going to stay at the office.

It wasn’t so much that the case was dangerous, at least no more than any other, but Spike’s bad feeling had only increased since
Cordelia’s vision. The only reason they relented and let Willow and Cordelia come with them was because both vampires’s new that
if they didn’t, the girls would just come on their own.

Willow pointed to the quiet building. "That’s it. Seems awfully quiet for a club."

"It’s still early yet." Angel observed absently as he started towards the building.

Cordelia, Willow and Spike followed him. The four entered through the large double doors and looked around cautiously. The room
appeared to be empty. But it wasn’t. Not if the noises they could hear were any indication. Angel turned to his left, and after
having come to a silent understanding with his childe he walked towards the noise.

Cordelia watched at Angel disappeared down a narrow walkway. She could hear noises coming from the direction the vampire had
disappeared down, and was about to follow when they heard a crash from somewhere behind them.

Spike spun around, his demonic visage slipping on to his face as he pushed the girls behind him. He growled low in his throat as three
demons came out from a hiding place against the wall. Ignoring the protests from behind him, Spike lunged at the scabby demons.

Willow watched in abject horror as her lover was pitted against three demons. She realized with a sinking feeling that these
demons weren’t as benevolent as they were led to believe.

"Delia, we have to do something." Willow whispered to her friend as she saw that two of the demons had a firm grip on Spike while
the third was walking steadily toward him. The third demon wasn’t attacking him, or didn’t even really appear to be dangerous, but
Willow had lived on the Hellmouth long enough to know that things were rarely as they appeared.

Sure enough, just as the demon reached him and placed an oozing limb against his skin, Spike shrunk back in pain. Willow’s heart
clenched. She ran towards the fight, leaping at the demon that had hurt Spike.

"Willow, No!" Cordelia shrieked as she saw her friend running towards the demons.

Cordelia watched panic as Willow pushed Spike out of the way, and used her body to move the demon out of the way. The demon
snarled, causing his companions to descend upon the small redhead.

Spike, stood up on somewhat shaky legs and tried to pull Willow away from the demon's grasp, but his buddies decided then would
be the idea time to tackle Spike. The two smaller demons had Spike pushed to the ground and were clawing at him. Spike snarled
and reached a hand around and tore out the throat of one of the demons. The second demon wailed in shock and confusion. His
momentary lapse gave Spike the opportunity to snap his neck. After the second body had fallen to the ground, Spike ran back
toward the third demon, which was gripping Willow’s arm harshly, while Cordelia tried to pull the Willow loose.

Spike froze, for just a second. He didn’t want to risk the demon touching either of the girls in the same way he had immobilized him
earlier. He needed to distract him. After what seemed like several really long minutes, but was in actuality less than a second,
Spike’s golden eyes took note of the demon’s horns.

Faster than the human eye could see Spike lunged for the demon, aiming for one of his prominent horns. Unsure which would do the
most damage, he took a change and grabbed the one in the center. Twisting his wrist violently, he snapped it off.

The demon howled in pain and shrieked as a bright light enveloped the darkened club. Spike couldn’t see anything through the
illumination. He could hear the girls’ heartbeats beating rapidly in their chests, and the painful moans of the now two-horned demon.
Spike turned to wear he believed Willow had fallen. He felt through to find her.

Willow was slumped on the ground where she had fallen when the demon released her. She was struggling to get to her feet when she
felt Spike’s cool touch. He helped her to a standing position, using his fingers to check her over to make sure she was all right. She
winced slightly when his hand found her wrist.

Spike brought her wrist to his lips and kissed it softly. "You alright, luv?"

Willow nodded before she realized that he couldn’t see her in the brightness. "Yeah. What happened?"

"Spike? Delia?" Angel’s voice called out from somewhere to their left.

"Over here, Peaches!" Spike called.

Just as Angel was about to make his way through the brightness, everything went black. In actuality, the light was extinguished but
it took them several moments to adjust to the change. Angel’s eyes roamed over the room, making sure everyone was okay. After
noting that Spike and Willow seemed to be in one piece, his eyes drifted to Cordelia’s still form lying on the ground. His dead heart
was frozen as he saw her. There was a small pool of blood at the base of her skull where her head had hit the ground when she fell.

"Delia?" Angel choked back a sob as he lifter her into his arms. She felt stiff to the touch, but she was still breathing. He could
still hear her heart beat. It was weak and unsteady, but still there.

"Is she… is she… okay?" Willow asked fearfully.

Spike put an arm around her reassuringly. "She’s still alive. We need to get her to the hospital." Spike lifted the redhead into his
arms as he followed his Sire and the seer out of the club.

****

Willow made her way down the hallway with a thermos and a cup of coffee. When she entered the waiting room, she found Angel
pacing around like a caged animal and Spike watching his sire warily.

Willow sat down next to Spike and handed him the thermos. "Here. I couldn’t heat it up, but I thought maybe you could get him to
eat." She nodded her head towards the older vampire.

Spike nodded and opened the lid, pouring the thick red liquid into the plastic cup. He sniffed it and made a face. Willow put a hand
on his arm. "Sorry, it’s all I could find."

Spike watched as Angel made frantic sweeps of the empty waiting room and then turned to Willow. "Did you find out anything?"
His voice was quiet so as not to draw Angel’s attention.

Willow sighed. "Not really. They have her in intensive care. She’s on life support." She lowered her voice a notch. "They don’t know
if she’ll make it."

Angel spun around at Willow’s admission. "No!" She shook his head in denial. "She’ll be fine. She has to be!" His voice had lost its
conviction at the end as he stared pleadingly at the couple seated on the couch.

Willow stood up and walked the few steps to Angel. She enveloped him in a hug. "She’ll pull through, Angel. She’s strong. The
strongest person I know." She turned back to Spike and motioned for him to join her.

"Angel, I brought you some food. I want you to eat." She told him as she took the plastic mug from Spike.

"I’m not hungry." Angel said dejectedly, not even asking where she had gotten the blood.

"I know, but you have to eat. You need to be strong. If not for yourself, for her." She spoke quietly as she placed his fingers
around the cup and brought it to his lips. She smiled softly as his face shifted and he drained the liquid.

"Good. Now, I’m going to go see if I can find the doctor. Will you be alright?"

Angel nodded. Willow turned to look at Spike, silently telling him to take care of Angel. Spike nodded his ascent.

Willow sighed as she left the waiting room in search of the doctor, and hopefully some good news.

****

part 3

Willow sat in the chair and leaned over her unconscious friend, clasping her hand firmly.

"Delia, you have to wake up. There just isn’t a choice in this. I need you. We need you. He needs you." She whispered the last part, bringing her lips close to the comatose girl. "I’m afraid that one morning I’ll find him facing the sunlight." Her voice choked. "Delia, it’s been three weeks. I know you’re still in there, you have to come back to us." Willow sobbed as she squeezed her friend’s hand. She was so lost in her grief she almost didn’t feel the reciprocating squeeze. After a moment there was another squeeze.

Willow’s breath caught in her throat. She jumped out of her chair and ran out into the hall, screaming for a doctor. Angel made his way back into the room. He sat on the edge of the bed, grasping one of Cordelia’s frail hands in one of his own.

That’s when he felt it. The unmistakable pressure that he had longed to feel with every part of his soul. She was waking up. She was coming back to him.

"Delia," His voice was hoarse. "Come on, I know your in their. You’re strong. Delia, you…" His voice cracked with emotion, "You have to come back to me. I need you."

All of a sudden, Cordelia’s heart monitor peaked, and Angel could hear her take in a sudden breath.

The doctor gently pushed the vampire to the side, but not too far, knowing that he wouldn’t leave. Soon there was a scurry of activity as the doctors and nurses when to work.

Angel leaned back against the wall, and for the first time in nearly a month, he allowed himself to close his eyes without the worry that when he opened them, she would be gone.

*****

It was several hours later before the doctor came out to speak with Willow and Spike. Angel was in Cordelia’s new room, having refused to leave her side.

"Miss Rosenberg?" The doctor smiled as he took a seat next to the couch the couple was sitting in.

"Dr Johansen, how is she?" Willow asked trying to smile through her exhaustion.

The doctor clasped Willow’s hand then released when he thought he heard a growl coming from the redhead’s companion. "We still don’t know mush of anything, I’m afraid."

"She’s out of her coma, right? That’s good, isn’t it?" Willow asked with pleading green eyes.

"She’s out of the coma, yes, but she still hasn’t regained consciousness. We’re hoping that she comes around soon. She knows that your friend is with her. She has shown signs of responsiveness. However, we don’t if she suffered any brain damage due to the trauma. It has been too dangerous to perform any of the usual tests, and remains to be too dangerous, until she wakes up.

Willow nodded. She knew that their test probably wouldn’t be able to help Cordelia much, even if they had been able to take them. Her injury had been caused by a demon, not by severe head trauma the way the doctor’s believed.

"But, if she wakes up soon, her chances are good?" Willow was begging the man to tell her that her friend would be fine.

"Maybe. I won’t lie to you. It doesn’t look good." He paused. "Maybe you should convince your friend to take a break. He’s looking a little… pale."

Spike snorted and was about to make some snide comment when Willow’s grip on his arm became almost painful.

"Thank you for your concern. We’ll see what we can do." Willow told the doctor with one of those sweet smiles that made it impossible for the doctor to doubt her.

"Very well." The doctor stood up. "We’ve moved her out of ICU, and into her own room on the third floor. Do you know how to get there?"

"We’ll find our way." Willow assured him.

Once the doctor had left them alone, Willow turned to face Spike. "Behave." She all but snarled. Release her firm grip on him, Willow sunk into the back of the semi-comfortable couch. "What if she doesn’t wake up… or worse what if she wakes up and she’s like a vegetable… or what if she wakes up, and is coherent but she doesn’t remember us, or Angel… or…"

Spike placed a finger on Willow’s lips gently. "Shh, pet. She’ll be fine, you’ll see. Peaches won’t allow anything less."

Willow wrapped her arms around him, taking comfort in his cool, but firm embrace.

*****

Angel sat on the edge of Cordelia’s bed. "Delia, I know you can hear me, you have to come back to me, you have to wake up." He placed a tender kiss on her lips. "I love you. I can’t, won’t lose you."

He could feel her moving slightly below him, as he heard her heartbeat increase.

"Delia?" He asked hopefully.

Cordelia groaned slightly, her fingers gripping his hand firmly. "A…Angel?" Her voice was raspy with disuse.

"Delia!" Angel kissed her soundly again before reaching over too pour her some water out of the pitcher the nurse had left, just in case.

"Here, drink this." Angel lifted the glass to her parched lips and watched as her eyes fluttered open. He never thought he’d be so happy to see a pair of eyes in his life.

But as he watched her, he noticed that her eyes were unable to gain any kind of focus. The pupils weren’t settling on anything. He felt something inside his heart retract painfully as his mind tried to come up with a rational explanation for this.

"Angel?" She gripped his hand firmly. "Where are you? I can feel you, but… I can’t see."

*****

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