() indicate thoughts.
 

~Part 1~

Willow walked along the campus, enjoying the night
air. For once in her life, she was absolutely relaxed.
There was no impending doom or threat of the
apocolypse, she was all caught up on her schoolwork,
and she was happy. Happy with school, happy with her
friends, happy with her life. She was getting over Oz,
and was finally, truly, really happy.

She noticed someone step out of the shadows in front
of her. Willow slowed, and whipped the stake she kept
hid in her pocket out. The figure took another step
towards her. "Riley?"

"Willow?" Riley asked, looking closely at the
redhead.

"Are...are you okay?" She asked the commando, taking
in his rumpled clothes.

"Yeah." He walked toward her, until he was almost
nose to nose with her. Willow backed away a bit. She
could smell the beer reeking off him. "You're drunk."

Riley shrugged. "So?"

Willow rolled her eyes. "Come on, I'll take you to
Buffy. She's in the dorm."

Riley shook his head. "No." He leered at Willow.
"I'll bet you're much tighter than Buffy."

Willow turned bright red. (Oh my Goddess! It's just
the alcohol talking, he doesn't know what he's
saying.) "Um, let's get you to the dorm." Willow said,
putting her hand lightly on his arm, trying to lead
him to the dorm. She squeaked when Riley grabbed her
hand in a bone-crushing grip. "Riley! Let me go!"

Riley smiled at her, but it was full of malice. "You
know, it was you I first noticed in the bookstore, not
Buffy. Maybe we could get to know each other better,
Willow."

Willow gasped. She couldn't believe this! Riley was
her friend! He wouldn't hurt her...would he?

"Riley, let me go. You're drunk." Willow pleaded
softly.

Riley shook his head. "Uh-uh. You're gonna take a
walk in the park with me."

Willow tried to pull her hand away. "Like hell I am!"

Riley pulled her into his arms, his grip like steel.
"Come on, just a walk, Wills."

Willow felt his erection pressed into her stomach and
cringed. She looked wildly around for help. Sure, it
was eleven at night, but *someone* had to be outside.
She looked around again. No one. Now she'd even
relieved to see a vampire. She started to struggle.

Riley pulled something out of his pocket. Willow
heard a click, and felt something at her throat. It
was a switchblade. (Oh God Oh God Oh God) She thought
frantically.

Riley seemed to see she was trying to find a way to
escape. "Don't even think about screaming. No one will
help you." He smiled down at her. "Let's take that
walk, shall we?"

He dragged a struggling Willow to the park. He chose
an isolated area, and flung her down. Willow scrambled
to her knees, trying to crawl away. Riley caught her
by the hem of her long skirt, and pulled her back
towards him. "Leaving already, Will?" He asked gruffly
as he pinned Willow to the ground.

Willow looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes.
"Riley. Don't do this. Please don't do this to me."

Riley sneered. "Shut up." He reared back, and slugged
her, knocking her head against the ground. Willow
screamed. Riley wrapped a hand aroud her neck,
squeezing while he unzipped his pants. Willow couldn't
breathe. To her relief, he released her throat. He
grabbed her hands n one of his own, and pinned them
above her head. "No, no, no, no. Don't do this. Please
don't do this." Willow pleaded. Riley put the knife to
Willow's throat. "Bitch, I said to shut up!" He cut
Willow's skirt, exposing her panties. He ripped them
off.

Willow was crying. "Oh, God. Riley don't do this-"
She screamed when she felt him enter her, tearing her
virginity. He pounded into her roughly, holding her
wrists in a vice-like grip.  He came with a grunt,
pulling out of Willow, who curled up into a sobbing
ball. He zipped up his pants, and looked at her
hatefully. "Bitch."

Willow looked up, crying. "Why? Why, Riley? I thought
you were my friend..."

Riley sneered and kicked her in the side, smiling at
the sound his boots made hitting her. "Nothing more
than a cheap whore. You're my whore, Willow. Remember
that." He spit on her before walking away. "Bitch."

Willow laid on the ground, shaking for what seemed
like an eternity. She painfully stood up, wobbling,
and still sobbing. (Help...I need help...) Willow
thought of the only person she could trust. (Oh, God,
please be home...)

***

Cordelia Chase was filing papers when she fell to her
knees, in overwhelming pain.
"I...hate...these...visions." She ground out, before
screaming in pain. She saw red hair. Willow. She was
crying. She was hurt, badly. The visions stopped as
suddenly as they had come.

Angel, Wesley, and Gunn all ran into the room when
they heard the seer scream. Gunn knelt down to help
his girlfriend up. "Cor?"

Wesley fetched the brunette a glass of water. She
accepted it gratefully. "Thanks."

"What was it?" Wesley asked.

Cordelia's eyes filled with tears. "I'm scared."

"Why?" Angel asked softly.

"That pain, wasn't just normal vision pain, it
was...it was something...*different*. And..." She
sniffled. "Willow."

"What?" Gunn asked.

Cordelia turned her eyes to the souled vampire.
"Angel, it was Willow. I think...I think somebody hurt
her. Bad. She was covered in blood."

Wesley and Gunn grabbed their coats. "Let's go."

Cordelia didn't miss the fear that clouded the
vampire's dark eyes. He turned to Wesley, and threw
him his car keys. "You're driving. As fast as you
can."

The former Watcher also caught the look in Angel's
eyes, and nodded silently at him as the group
proceeded out the door.

***

Spike was bored. The Watcher had finally let him
leave, so Spike took up residence in this crypt. He
wondered why he didn't just leave. But he knew why.
Willow. When he had first seen her that Halloween
three years ago, he fell for her completely. After
Poof got resouled, Spike took his insane sister out of
the country. But he never forgot about his redhaired
siren. He had come back last year, hell bent to bite
her, and claim her as his. It didn't quite work out
that way. He had been defanged, so to speak, and ended
up spending time with Willow when the rest of the
group was too busy for her, or ignored her. His brows
furrowed as he heard pounding on his crypt door. He
opened the door and gasped when he saw the
blood-covered redhead. "Spike...help me..." She
whispered before passing out and falling forward into
his arms.
 

~Part 2~

 Spike stared in shock at the bloody form in his arms
for a long moment. "Willow?" He whispered, gently
shaking her. "Baby?" Her head lolled to the side, and
her skin was almost gray. Spike's demon roared with
rage as he smelled the scents of blood, fear, pain,
and sex roll off *his* girl. Spike knew she had been
raped. The redhead was shaking slightly, as if in
shock. He heard her heartbeat flutter. "Don't you dare
die on me, ducks!" He told her.

 He stopped. He had to make a desicion. He shook his
head. There was no descion to make. He leaned her
against one of his arms, and bit his wrist. He held it
to her mouth, letting her feed from him. Not enough to
turn her, he hoped. Just enough to keep her alive.
He'd deal with the other part later. Right now he
needed to get her out of his cold, dark crypt, and to
somewhere safe. He nestled her into his arms, and
headed outside, towards her house.

***

 "What exactly was in the vision, Cordelia?" Angel
asked her, with an audible amount of worry in his
voice.

 Cordelia looked at Angel. "Willow...she was walking
through the park...bleeding, hurt bad. This vision was
different, somehow. I could *feel* her pain, Angel."

 "Anything else?" The dark vampire asked her.

 Cordelia shrugged. "That's all the PTB's gave me."

 Angel shifted in his seat, silent and broody.

 Cordelia observed him, eyes widening when she
remembered the last time she saw that look on his
face. It was when Willow's vampiric doppelganger had
come to Sunnydale, and Angel thought Willow was dead.
The look of fear, loss, and longing. It suddenly
clicked.  "You care about her, don't you, Angel?" She
asked softly.

 Angel turned to look at the pretty brunette. "Of
course I do, Cordelia. She's my friend." The dark
vampire said, hoping his secretary would believe him,
and not question him over his feelings for Willow
anymore.

 Cordelia shook her head, and Angel knew that Cordelia
had figured out the truth.

 Wesley sped past the 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign, and
Angel could only hope they weren't too late.

***

 Spike growled softly as flung open the front door of
the Rosenberg home, thankful Willow had invited him in
months before, when their friendship began. He laid
the redhead gently on the couch.

 He growled in rage as he took in her appearence. It
was dark before, he hadn't seen her injuries too
clearly. He saw that she had dark bruises around her
throat, like someone tried to choke her. He saw a
slash on her neck, and realized her attacker had cut
her. He noticed slash marks on her stomach, and saw
the bloody bruises on her sides, where it looked like
she had been kicked. He noticed a her skirt had been
slashed, and her face was swollen. He snarled again,
and swore he would kill whoever had done this to his
witch. He knelt next to the couch, watching to see if
she would regain conscoiusness, and tell him who did
this to her. He jumped up when the front door slammed
open, and Cordelia Chase entered, and screamed when
she saw the blonde vampire. A young man entered behind
her, followed by the other Watcher.

 Spike heard a low growl and just had enough time to
register his sire's furious dark eyes before he was
tackled to the floor.

 "Spike, you bastard! What the hell did you do to
her?!"
 

~Part 3~

Spike growled, and flung his sire off of him. "Get
off of me, you stupid poof!" Spike snarled. He turned
around to be met with a frightened Cordelia holding a
cross to his face. He reached out to grab it from her,
and fell to his knees in a blinding pain. The souled
vampire, the former Watcher, the street youth, and his
girlfriend all stared down at him.

"What the hell?" Wesley asked softly.

Spike stood up and glared at them. "Slutty's big
headed Commando boy-toy put a bleedin' chip in my
head. Can't feed, can't hunt, can't kill humans. I
swear when I get my hands on Iowa, I'll-" Spike was
cut off when the violent images he thought of
triggered the chip, and he again felt the blinding
pain. "Damn it all! I can't even have violent
thoughts?! Bloody hell!" He pushed his sire out of the
way. "No problem with demons, though." He knelt next
to Willow. "Pet? Come on, please wake up."

Angel hauled the blond vampire away from the battered
redhead. "Stay away from her! Don't go near her!"

Spike smirked. "You really don't know, do you? Red
and I are friends."

"What?!" Wesley and Cordelia both exclaimed.

Spike rolled his eyes. "After the Fanged Poofy
Avenger here destroyed the Gem of Amara, those
Commando assholes caught me. Figured out I couldn't
kill, agreed to help the Cartoon Gang out."

"What? You *help* Buffy?" Angel asked slowly,
disbelieving.

Spike sneered. "I don't help that bitch! She could
rot in hell for all I care! The only reason I agreed
to help was so I could get blood!"

"Huh?" Cordelia asked.

Spike rolled his eyes. "I helped them so I wouldn't
bloody starve to death! The Watcher gave me blood.
Later, I became friends with Red."

"How?" Angel questioned.

Spike threw his hands up in exasperation. "Does it
fucking matter right now?! Red's hurt!"

Spike stomped back over to the couch where Willow
lay.

Cordelia walked over and looked at Willow. "Oh my
God."

Willow whimpered and opened her eyes.

Spike smiled in relief, stroking her hand. "You
scared me, luv."

Willow looked up at him, her wide eyes scared and
confused.

"Willow?" Angel asked her softly, concerned.

Willow jerked her hand away from Spike. "No. Don't
touch me."

Wesley was shocked to see a look of genuine hurt in
Spike's ice blue eyes.

Angel moved towards the redhead, frowning when she
moved farther back on the couch. "Stay away."

Cordelia moved in front of the vampires. "Get on the
other side of the room."

"What?!" Spike asked, outraged. "Red's hurt-"

Cordelia cut him off. "Exactly. She's scared of you
right now."

Wesley's face took on a look of understanding, and
moved the three other men to the other side of the
room.

Cordelia walked cautiously over to the couch.
"Willow?" She asked softly.

The shaking redhead turned to look at her. Cordelia
slowly sat down on the couch, not wanting to scare the
witch. "Willow, who hurt you?"

Willow looked away and shook her head.

"It's okay. Tell me who it was." Cordelia said
gently. "We won't let him hurt you anymore."

"Him?" Angel asked softly. Wesley gave him a look.
Angel understood. "Oh, God..."

The shaky redhead wrapped her arms around herself. "I
c-can't..."

"Yes, you can." Cordy coaxed. "We'll keep you safe."

"No." Willow shook her head. "He'll come back and
hurt me."

"It's okay." Cordy soothed. "Tell me who it was."

"I can't..." Willow broke into sobs.

"Bloody fantastic, chit! Make her have to relive it!"
Spike snapped.

Cordelia shot him a cold look, and wrapped her arms
around the devestated redhead.

"I tried to make him stop. He-he wouldn't. It hurt so
bad. He c-cut me. He said I was his w-whore..." Willow
broke off softly, still crying. Her eyes glazed over
and went out of focus. "He hurt me..." Willow
whispered before her eyes rolled back into her head,
and she went limp.

Spike ran over to the girls, and pulled Willow from
Cordelia's embrace. Wesley felt for a pulse. He pulled
away, and looked at the group. "I can't find a
pulse..."

"No..." Angel whispered, and pressed his fingers
against the redhead's bruised neck. "No..." Angel sunk
down on the couch, completely ashen.

"She's gone." Wesley told the group as Cordelia
started to cry.
 

~Part 4~

Spike shook his head in disbelief. "No. No bloody
way." He pulled the redhead's limp body to his chest.
Angel stroked the redhead's hand, causing Spike to
glare at him.

Suddenly, both vampires froze as Willow whimpered.
Spike snuggled her closer to him. "Love? Please wake
up..." Angel stroked Willow's cheek, causing Spike to
growl threateningly at his sire while he wrapped his
arms snugly around the redhead.

Cordelia jumped at Spike's possesive growl. She saw
Angel's eyes flash. She smiled as she realized they
both were in love with Willow. Gunn turned to look at
his girlfriend, eyebrows raised. He'd seen it too.

"Guys..." Cordelia started, but was cut off when
Willow opened her eyes and screamed when she saw the
two vampires hoarding over her. Angel jumped back in
suprise, landing on his ass. Wesley went to help the
fallen vampire up. Cordelia made a growling type noise
and walked over to the blonde vampire holding the
crying Willow. "Spike, you scared her! Let go of her."

Spike growled threateningly at the cheerleader, and
Willow tensed at the loud sound. Cordelia swore the
blonde under her breath, and reached into her purse.
"Spike?" She called sweetly. The annoyed vamp turned
to glare at Cordelia, but hissed when she shoved a
cross in his face. He recoiled and fell off the couch.
Cordelia swiftly moved, and sat down next to Willow,
and holding the cross in front of her. "Dammit, Spike!
Get your dead ass on the other side of the room now!"

Spike's human mask slid back into place, and he
glared at her.

"Dammit, Deadboy! Now!" Cordelia demanded.

Wesley's lips twitched into a grin when he heard
Cordelia use the nickname Xander was fond of calling
Angel.

Cordelia glared at the four men. "Guys. She's scared
right now. Trust me, she's scared of *all* guys right
now."

Spike got a look of malice in his eyes. "Oh, bloody
fuckin' hell! I swear, I'm going to kill the effin'
prick who hurt my Red!" He growled it more to himself,
but Angel, with his vampire hearing, heard it too. His
eyes took on a dangerous glint. "*Your* Red?"

They were glaring at each other, each looking like he
wanted to kill the other vampire. Before they could do
anything, Willow whispered softly. "Cordelia?"

Cordelia had become very good friends with the
redhead after leaving Sunnydale. They emailed each
other every day, and talked on the phone at least
twice a week. They had bonded last time the L.A. gang
was in town, almost a year ago. That was before Doyle
died... She shook her head, needing to concentrate on
who was honestly, probably the best friend she'd ever
had "Willow?"

Willow glanced around. "What are you doing here?"

"A vision. About you." Cordelia replied.

Willow shook her head, wincing at the pain it caused.
"No. I remember running to the crypt. I was just
walking outside, and h-he came up to me. Then he hurt
me." Willow trailed off, looking at the floor.

"It's okay. He won't hurt you anymore. We'll protect
you." Willow looked around the room, settling on
Gunn's face. She smiled weakly. "Hi. You must be Gunn.
Cordelia talks about you alot." She cringed. Talking
made her side hurt.

Spike looked at the redhead in awe. This was one of
the reasons why he had fallen in love with her. She
was so nice to people. Even when she was in
unimaginable pain. Angel was thinking pretty much the
same thing.

"Don't move, pet. I think your ribs are broken."
Spike cautioned her softly. Willow turned to look at
him. "After he...after he did *that*, he kicked me."
Willow said softly. The two vampires growled, each
angry because someone had hurt *his* girl.

Cordelia nodded, holding her friend's hand. "Do you
have any bandaging tape?"

Willow nodded. "Upstairs, bathroom."

Gunn nodded, and headed up the stairs to retrive it.

"We should probably call the police, and take Willow
to the hospital." Wesley murmured.

Willow's eyes grew wide. Riley would find out, then
he would kill her. "No! No! No police! No hospital!"

Angel gaped at her. "We need to tell the police what
happened, Willow."

"For once, I agree with the Great Poof." Spike said.

"No!" Willow yelled. "No police! No hospital!"

"You're hurt, baby-" Spike started.

Angel bristled when he heard the endearment directed
at Willow.

"No! No!" Willow shrieked, starting to cry.
 

"Shh..." Cordelia soothed, pulling her friend into
her embrace. She looked at Wesley, and the vampires.
"No police."

The former Watcher nodded. "I understand."

Gunn came down, the stairs, and gave the tape to his
girlfriend. Cordelia gently starting wrapping the
bruised flesh under the torn shirt.

"Thank you." Willow said softly. "Thank you...for
coming, and helping me."

Cordelia shook her head. "No thanks necessary. You're
my best friend."

Willow smiled softly, then winced. "Hurts to move."

"I'm not leaving." Cordelia said, brown eyes dark
with resolve. "*We're* not leaving."

Willow smiled slightly. "I didn't have any delusions
you would."

"Pet, you need to rest." Spike said, picking her up
gently, and carrying her up the stairs to her room.

Cordelia turned to look at Angel, eyes blazing, the
second the redhead was out of hearing range. "Angel,
what the hell's going on?!"

Gunn wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's
shoulders. "Cor, chill out."

"I will not 'chill out', Charles Gunn!" Cordelia
retorted. "Willow is my best friend, and I don't know
if I want her involved with either of you blood
suckers!"

Gunn raised his eyebrows. "Hey. Pretty harsh, boo."

"Involved? W-what?" Angel stammered, as he realized
he'd just shown his friends why he had left Sunnydale.
He was afraid to be around Willow. He wanted her so
much, had ever since he came back from Hell, but was
afraid he would hurt her if, no, with Willow, it
would've been when, he lost his soul. Every time she
smiled at him, he felt his demon surge for control,
and knew she could make him lose his soul without the
whole sex part. He growled, frustrated and angry
Cordelia had figured out the secret he had spent
almost two years trying to hide. "Alright. I love
her."

"That's why you left, isn't it?" Cordelia asked, her
anger replaced by compassion.

Angel nodded. "Yes. Whenever I'm around her, it's
very hard to keep in control. The demon fights me,
wants her, wants to make her his childe."

"Keep your bloody hands off her!" Spike growled,
having come down the stairs in time to hear his sire's
confession. "You can't have her! She's *mine*!"
 

~Part 5~

Angel's eyes glinted dangerously. "Really? Is that
right?"

Spike nodded. "Mine."

Angel shook his head. "I don't think so."

Both vampires took a step toward each other, ready to
fight.

"God!" Cordelia hissed. She glared at the two men.
"Knock this off! What is the matter with you?! Willow
was  *raped* tonight! Whatever this is, jealousy, or
anger, or whatever, put it behind you, and focus on
taking care of Willow!"

Both vampires had the decency to look ashamed. "She's
right." Angel sighed. "This isn't the time for this."

"Cordelia?" Willow called, sounding frightened.

Cordelia walked up the stairs, and into the redhead's
room. "Yeah, Will?"

The redhead was lying on the bed, clutching her
blanket to her chest. She was pale, and looked
frightened. "Would you..." She trailed off. "Would you
stay in here with me? I'm...I'm scared."

Cordelia nodded. "Of course I will."

"Thank you." Willow whispered gratefully.

Cordelia settled down on the bed next to her friend.
"Night, Will."

"Night, Cordy."

***

"That's the last one." Gunn announced as he draped
the last window. "Sunproof."

Wesley sighed. "One less problem to deal with."

"Where's Cordelia?" Angel asked.

"Upstairs with Willow. Willow didn't want to be
alone." Gunn said.

Spike plopped down in a chair. "I hate this. Seeing
her like this."

"We will find who did this to her." Wesley vowed.

"How?" Spike asked angrily. "She won't even tell us
who hurt her!"

Suddenly, they heard hysterical crying. The two
vampires bolted up the stairs. Angel reached the
bedroom first. Cordelia was trying to comfort a
sobbing Willow. "It's okay, Willow. We're all here.
You're safe..."

Spike moved past Angel, over to the redhead. She
turned her teary green eyes to him. "I had a bad
dream." She whispered. Spike stroked her hair. "It's
all over with, luv."

Willow looked from Spike to Angel to Cordy. "He said
if I told anyone, he'd...he'd come back and hurt me
again." Willow whimpered, a slight look of panic in
her eyes.

"He won't come back." Angel tried to reassure the
redhead.

"He won't?" Willow asked in a tiny childlike voice.

Angel's heart broke. She was so scared, and confused.
He would rather spend an eternity in Hell they see her
go through this pain. He wanted to help her more than
anything, yet he didn't know how.

Spike stood up to leave the room. Willow reached out
and clutched his hand desperately. "No! Please don't
leave me!"

Spike sat back down. He glanced at the others before
turning back to Willow. "I won't ever leave you,
ducks. Not ever."

She nodded. "Stay with me. Please."

Spike settled her back against him. "Try and sleep,
pet." He shot his sire a smug look. (Take that, Poof.
She asked for *me*.) Angel growled, and took a step
forward, but was stopped by Cordelia's glare. He
turned, and went back down the stairs, trying to push
away the feeling of jealousy. Cordelia turned to look
at the small redhead in Spike's protective and
possessive embrace. She gave Willow a small smile, and
followed Gunn and Wesley out of the room.

"Please don't go to sleep, Spike." Willow pleaded.

"I won't, pet." Spike assured her. "I'll always
protect you and keep you safe." He heard the redhead's
soft even breathing, and realized she had fallen
asleep. He kissed the top of her head. He hoped she
would have a few hours of dreamless sleep. He noticed
the wounds and bumps on her face had gone down. He
sighed. He had done the right thing, and now he could
never, ever lose her. She was his. He rested his cheek
against her soft hair. He just had to find a way to
tell her.

***

"What was that?" Cordelia asked as she descended down
the stairs. Angel was sitting in the corner, scowling.

"What was what?" Wesley asked.

"Willow and Spike." Cordelia elaborated. "She was
scared of him, then he's the only one she'll let near
her."

Wesley shrugged. "That is a puzzle."

"Maybe they're together." Gunn suggested.

Angel growled. "They're not. And they won't be." He
stood up. "I'm going out to get blood from Willie's. I
have a feeling we'll be here for awhile. He slammed
the door as he left.

"Isn't he just a ray of merry sunshine?" Cordelia
smirked.

"I have a feeling our vampire employer may be
battling a monster of the green-eyed variety." Gunn
grinned.

"Green eyed? Is it Buffy?" Cordelia quipped. She
puased, pretending to think. "No, she has hazel eyes.
I have to admit, I've never seen him act like this.
All jealous and possessive. It's sweet, in a warped
kind of way. I wonder what Willow will say when she
finds out both prime hunks of salty goodness are
lusting after her?"

***

Angel frowned. He couldn't believe this. Spike
helping the good guys. Spike friends with Willow.
*His* Willow. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see
the blonde was completely smitten with Willow. And
Willow. Raped and hurt so brutally. He felt his
demonic face mask his human features. No one, but no
one hurt what was his and got away with it. The prick
that hurt Willow would die painfully. Blood would
spill. The souled vampire stopped. His demon was
surging for control, demanding vengeance, to avenge
Willow. The demon was also screaming for him to take
the redhead far away from the dangers of the Hellmouth
(and Spike) and protect her forever. He groaned as he
approached Willie's bar. Controlling the demon was
going to much harder than he thought.

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