Willow shifted around uncomfortably, wincing as her wriggling served only to land her on a particularly sharp stone. She shifted again, briefly wondering why she couldn't have chosen a more hospitable locale in which to attempt her spell casting.
'Ah well, too late now,' Willow thought, casting a critical eye over the intricate designs she had carefully painted onto the circle she had cut out among her backyard. The large patch of grassless yard that met her eyes made Willow unusually grateful that her parents didn't care enough about her to make time to stay home more than a day or so at a time.
After her disappearance, both of her parents had showered so much love and attention on her that Willow had nearly been overwhelmed. She had hoped that her near death might have scared some reliable affection into her parents... a hope which had lasted the total of one week before her parents were willingly sucked back into their busy lives.
Grimacing at the direction her thoughts were taking, Willow attempted to clear her mind of all extraneous variables. Her legs crossed and her hands rested lightly on her jean clad legs. Her eyes stared deep into the small fire steadily flickering at the center of the circle.
Only when her mind was clear did Willow pull her eyes away from the mesmerizing flames. Her hand left it's perch on her leg to place Buffy's ring between her and the fire. The small silver band glowed in the firelight, seeming to draw it's light into itself.
She had stolen the ring from Buffy's night-stand when she and Cordelia had been to the Slayer's house for a 'girl's night' event. Willow had felt horribly guilty about her actions. She knew how awful she would feel were someone to take the black band that graced her finger. 'But I'm sure Buffy would much rather have Angel himself,' Willow had reassured herself.
She only hoped that was what Buffy would actually be getting after tonight's activities.
Spike woke on a wave of rage. A snarl tore from his throat, his game face slipping into place. His head pounded like it hadn't since he had become a vampire. He had been _attacked_, and the knowledge sent his demon into a flurry of rage.
"Shh..." the soft whisper in his ear made Spike jerk helplessly, the bonds strong around his wrists and ankles. Slim fingers smoothed over the ridges of his face. The gentle touch did little to soothe Spike's desire for retribution. "Shh..." Drusilla breathed again. Her long, unbound hair tickled at Spike's neck.
"Dru," Spike growled warningly. At least he hoped it sounded like a warning. His head was swimming so bloody much that he could barely tell. "Let me go, Dru. _Now_." He tugged at his bonds and snarled again.
"Don't worry, Spike," Drusilla cooed happily. "You'll be free soon... once Daddy comes back." She nipped at Spike's ear before drawing back.
Spike's eyes, previously filled with Drusilla's face, were now privy to his surroundings. He was bound and secured in the center of a perfect circle drawn in the cleared floor of their room. He could feel the heat of a fire on his back. "That bloody wanker isn't coming back any time soon, pet," Spike snapped, his anger burning brighter at the mention of his hated sire.
Drusilla shook her head sadly at Spike's angry denials of the truth she so clearly perceived. "I'm opening a door, and Daddy will come through it, Spike. And you're what's going to bring my dark Angel forward. You hit Daddy... you betrayed him to that nasty Slayer. He'll be angry, and that anger will make him come home to punish you. And then we'll all be together again. So glorious..."
"_Drusilla_..." Spike hissed through clenched teeth.
She didn't respond. Only the rhythmic chants pouring past her lips met his call.
Willow's head was thrown back, words tumbling past her lips in a steady, rhythmic pattern. With the ring in her circle, she called him with love.
With the betrayer in her circle, she called him with hate.
The fire grew higher, and the silver band shone with the power infused within it. With all the love it represented, it called him to return for love.
The fire grew higher, and in his bonds, Spike writhed with pain as the power flowed through him. With all the hate he held, the power called him to return for vengeance.
The fire flared, obliterating everything around her in a wave of intense white light. The world was wiped away around her, new images of a place beyond her world taking it's place. Strange, frightening things, mercifully concealed among the cloying shadows leered out at her through evil, misshapen faces.
The fire flared, obliterating everything around her in a wave of intense white light. The world outside, and the world inside, both were wiped away around her. New images formed around her, accompanied by the wailing of stars that even the light hadn't been able to silence. Friendly, beautiful things, standing proudly among the welcoming shadows roared their welcome in a glorious song.
Angel.
Angelus.
Her whirlwind passage came to an abrupt stop, leaving her hovering just beyond reach of the slumped form of the ensouled vampire. "Angel..." Willow gasped. Her hand stretched out, beckoning him towards her.
"Come home, Angel."
He didn't move.
Heat washed through her body, chased by a wave of frigid cold. Fear pounded through her, making her hand tremble. She forced it to still, determined to show nothing that Angel could mistake as fear of him. "Come home, Angel. Buffy needs you. _Please_."
Her whirlwind passage came to an abrupt stop, leaving her hovering just beyond the reach of the slumped form of the demon. "Daddy..." Drusilla whimpered. Her hand stretched out, eagerly, begging him to come to her.
"Come home, my dark angel."
He didn't move.
Heat washed through her straining body, chased by a wave of frigid cold. A longing so strong that her hand shook claimed her. She let it, eagerly laying bare her desire and fear of him. "Come home, my dark angel. The world needs to be punished. The world needs chaos and _death_. Please..."
Two voices pounded in his head, pleading and cajoling. His mind and body felt as if he were being torn in half.
He wanted vengeance. He thirsted for the hot taste of the Slayer's blood pouring down his throat. He wanted to make his rebellious childe to pay for daring to betray him. The demon screamed for it's freedom.
He wanted peace. He longed for the warmth of Buffy's arms wrapped around him, trusting and loving. He wanted to tell Giles that he suffered for what he had done to him. His soul whispered of the glory of freedom.
"_Angel_."
"_Angelus!_"
He reached out.
"No!" Drusilla screeched, her feet pounding against the floor in a physical display of her rage. Her head lolled forward, obscuring her demon's face. Her shoulders shook, hunched forward.
The chains around him had loosened, their strength gone along with the power that had been forced through him. They fell to the ground with a dull clang. Spike stepped away from them, his lips twisted in disgust. He passed out of the circle and turned to look back at Drusilla.
"Dru--" he cut himself off. Without another word, he strode away from his Dark Goddess, leaving her silently weeping over the dead fire.
"Yes!" Willow sighed, cradling Angel's trembling, bloodied form in her arms. Her hands ran through his dark, matted hair in a soothing gesture. "It's okay, Angel. You're home."
She rocked him back and forth beneath the heavy moon as silent sobs racked his body.
~End~