Angel started at the soft knock on the door. He moved off the bed and
stepped across the room. His jaw dropped as he opened the door.

"Willow," he spoke and reached out for her.

Angel dragged her inside and pulled her into a crushing embrace.

"Angel," Willow groaned, struggling against him.

He loosened his grip slightly and placed his hand on her cheek, "Where
have you been? I've been going crazy worrying about you!"

"Good," she smiled. "You deserved it."

"I did, didn't I" he agreed. "I'm so sorry, Willow. About everything."

"I know," she replied. "I'm not angry. I was, livid in fact. I think I
covered most of London walking it off."

"Why are you here? I thought you'd go--"

"I can't, not yet. I'm too confused, Angel," she said.

"About what?"

"Everything! Why is Spike so angry? Why are you so insistent? How much
difference can any of it make?" she asked.

"It could make a lot of difference, Willow. It could change you
completely," he answered.

"I'm not sure I want that," she told him.

"I understand that, and I'm not saying you have to. If you don't like
it, if you don't want it, we could stop."

"Would you? After all that's happened, I have my doubts," she admitted.

"I'd never hurt you. I'd never force you to do anything against your
will. I tried that once, a long time ago, and I regretted it. I promise
you we'll go as slowly as you want. You'll call all the shots," he
replied.

"Why, Angel? Spike certainly doesn't want it, and I'm not sure I do.
Why is this so important to you?" she questioned.

"You're important to me. You have an option; I want you to get a chance
to choose it, if that's what you want," he explained. "Listen, the
sun's coming up. You can't go to Spike now, and there's no way to get
word to him, even if he could get to you. You'll have to spend the day
here. Give me this one day. That's all I ask. If you decide you really
don't want this, I'll never ask again," he suggested.

She looked up at him, considering the offer.

"All right," she agreed. "But you'll stop if I say so."

"Yes," he nodded. "First, you'd better get some sleep. You look
exhausted."

"I am," she smiled.

"And hungry? When did you last eat?"

Willow shrugged, "I don't know. Right after I left you two, I guess. I
took my frustrations out on the first person I came across."

Angel walked to a small refrigerator and removed a bag of blood to warm
in a pan of hot water.

"You've hit the blood bank already?" she scoffed.

"I have to survive, too," he reminded her.

She lowered her eyes, "I know. I'm sorry."

He emptied the warmed blood into a mug and carried it to her. She
looked at it distastefully.

Angel chuckled, "It isn't as bad as you think. Go on; you need it."

She took a careful swallow, "It'll do."

"I thought it might," he grinned as she drank it down.

"Thank you," she said as he took the mug from her.

"I'll get you something to wear, and you can grab a shower and get some
sleep," he suggested.

"Angel," she put her hand on his arm. "I mean it; thank you."

He resisted the impulse to grab her and kiss her, and settled for a
soft smile instead, "You're welcome, Willow."
***
Angel pulled a chair up close to the bed and watched her as she slept.

"I wish I had made that move," he whispered as he gently brushed a
strand of hair from her cold cheek. "You're so beautiful. I must have
been blind."

Standing up, he unbuttoned his shirt and draped it over the chair. He
walked around the bed and slid in beside her. Willow stirred in her
sleep and rolled over next to him. He drew his arms around her, and she
snuggled against his chest. Angel stroked her hair and placed a kiss on
her forehead and thought that this moment, lying here with this
exquisite demon in his arms, was the closest to heaven he'd ever get.

End.

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