Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters here in. They belong to BVTS and it's creators Joss and WB. Don't hurt me for borrowing them. They needed to come out and play....
(thoughts in Italics)

Pine Valley:

Angel had dropped Cassie off, he had been just short of rude to Katia. She had invited him in and he had refused saying he wanted to get back home as quickly as possible. The old witch had only smiled knowingly and thanked him for bringing her granddaughter home and bid him ''Blessed Be' as he walked back into the stormy night. He was ashamed of himself for being so abrupt with his old friend, but he was nearly desperate to get back to Willow.

Angel had a strange feeling that Katia understood. He remembered her talking him out of thrashing the fae for the kiss. "...she's shutting you out. It's nothing you've done, she's afraid." Afraid, the Willow he had seen the past several days wasn't afraid of anything. Except you, except telling you about the prophecy.

Could Willow really be afraid of him? He remembered her crying in the sunlight, and shuddered, not from the cold, or wind, or the rain but from pain. Angel wasn't sure if her fear or pain had made her stand in the sunlight to avoid him, perhaps both. Then he felt what he thought would have been the proverbial light-bulb go off, Or maybe she's afraid you'll hurt her again you idiot.

He felt his eyes fill and overflow with blood tears that ran down his face in the rain. Twice now, since his return from hell he had hurt her, not physically at least he did have that much control. That had set Angel's mind to, what he shuddered to think of as, an almost Angelus mode. He plotted and then had gone in search of her. He remembered the rage he had felt when he had found the blond vampire holding *his* Willow against her will. He had wanted only to finish the vampire so that he could touch Willow to assure himself that she was fine. When he had touched her though, when he had even looked at her after the fight all he could think, in a very chauvinistic way, was MINE!

Then he had deliberately tricked her, he wondered if she had realized that yet. He had remembered Katia telling him about Willow having to choose. So he had forced her to choose, by tricking her. When she had taken his hand she had invited him. Then he felt a wash of guilt. He had deliberately tricked her. His feelings for her aside, what he had done caused an all to familiar feeling of self loathing to settle over him. Would she be better off without him? The prophecy said he was needed but it didn't say why. She was becoming an independent and strong-willed young woman. Willow could easily survive without him. Angel began to wonder if he could survive without her. True the blood bond was powerful but the things he felt went far deeper than just the blood bond or their telepathic bond.

Then he recalled Katia's warning, "She's your match Angel in every way. Don't let fools pride and misunderstandings cloud what there is between you." What was between them? He suspected he knew how he felt but how or what did she feel? He had no doubts that what he felt for her was a great deal more than lust but he still wasn't sure what exactly it was. Then he remembered Katia's cryptic statement at the Faire. ''Everything you crave, nothing you desire.' What did that mean? He both craved and desired Willow, so what had Katia been trying to tell him. Angel shook his head in bewilderment.

He was nearly home when he felt it. As Angel fell to his knees in the mud beside the road, he recognized the painful sensation that ran through his body. It was like something he had felt twice before in his long lifetime, he felt as though his soul was being ripped from his body. Angel screamed in agony and sorrow, before the sensation quickly passed. He waited in horrified expectation for Angelus to manifest himself, but nothing happened. Running his hands over his body, Angel realized that he was still in control. Then a horrible sense of dread overtook him, the sensation had been that of half of himself being taken away, his other half...Willow?! With dreadful anticipation, Angel pushed himself into a run, his preter-natural speed seeming to the vampire to have turned to a snails pace.

Underhill:

Willow trembled as she stared at that horrible place. Her heartbeat picked up and she felt a calming hand settle on her arm. The young woman looked over at Tristan, the question clear in her eyes. What is that place?

"It's the court of the dark Sidhe." He stated matter-of-factly.

Willow nodded her head in understanding. No wonder, I feel like I'm having a panic attack. "Come on ma chere, time to learn something new." Tristan said as he continued to walk ahead of her, allowing his hand to catch her fingers. She smiled and allowed herself to be led deeper into the Underhill. "I'm not going to turn around and see a David Bowie look-alike hanging around terrorizing young girls by stealing their brothers...am I?" Willow asked, in a bemused voice. "Oh, I see you've heard of my baby brother, and no he hangs out in the labyrinth.

Some people call that the Underground, it's over there. This whole land is the Underhill." Tristan explained.

"Get out, that was for real?" She demanded her voice shaken and high-pitched. He chuckled at her reaction. "Well yes. Most legend and myth has a basis in fact. He does exist, he doesn't however, take every child and turn them into goblins. As I recall, he has in the last 300 years, maybe taken as many children.

Oh and he doesn't grant frivolous wishes." Willow nodded her head again, obviously bemused by what he had revealed. The couple continued walking through the Underhill. The blanket of stars that they had been walking on, slowly changed to a grassy knoll.

Willow looked over at Tristan, really looking at the fae. Beautiful, she thought, Tristan is beautiful. He looks nothing like one would expect a fae to look. Not small, short, or strange. Well, he was strange, strangely beautiful, with the oddest combination of human and almost inhuman features. A man's face that held the hard angular lines that implied a strength of character, soft full lips that held a ready smile and eyes that danced with barely suppressed mirth and mischievous humor. His eyes while silver in appearance, changed and glowed with inner power, slit like a cats, they were the most inhuman thing about him. They didn't change from the fine intensity that they held while in cat form. She smiled. The first time she'd seen him change, it had been like watching the very essence of magic before her. The change or shift as he called it wasn't like any other magic she'd ever seen. It was like watching the soul, or the essence of the fae suddenly change and shift into another form and yet, retain that which is intensely fae and aware within it. No cat's eyes had ever held such awareness, and she had trusted the instinct that had screamed that this was a friend and he had been, a good friend.

Willow looked up as Tristan cleared his throat softly to get her attention.

She blushed softly as she saw the look on his face. "I do believe that those were the most eloquently put thoughts that I have ever heard about me and my kin. I had no idea that you found me so beautiful." Tristan said with quiet intensity and humor. The redhead blushed all the more, staring at the fae, a little reproachful pout played across her lips at his seeking her thoughts without her permission. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop chere. I was merely worried that something was upsetting you." Willow smiled softly, touched by his concern. "Shall we?" he asked, taking her hand in his own. "Hey, don't I get to match?" Willow asked, motioning to his clothing. Tristan chuckled darkly, his eyes glittering with that mischievous light that she loved and dreaded.

Looking down at herself, she gasped. "Tristan!?!" "What?" The fae asked doing his best innocent act. The hacker laughed softly, shaking her head. She had asked to match him and she did, perhaps a little too well. Tristan was dressed as, what one would consider a common rogue. A long green tunic, light brown leggings, a sword at his left side, a dagger hanging from his right. Which on anyone else would have been sort of...oh? On Tristan however, who still exuded the grace of his feline half, even in human form, it looked predatory, dangerous, and incredibly sexy. Bad Willow. Tristan laughed, as he once more picked up on her wayward thoughts. She blushed anew and then Willow had the oddest sense that her blush was what he was after. Tristan had dressed her like a high paid courtesan and had he been anyone else she would have been royally offended. Willow realized however that she had asked to match and that would have been his match. The young woman looked pointedly at the rather revealing neckline of the gown, it made the green garment Angel had given her to wear seem rather modest by comparison. She eyes the nearly transparent chemise and touched the red silken bodice and then shrugged. It was beautiful and this was Tristan, he was cool, no worries....

Pine valley:

He arrived to find the lights were still out in the house, as the remaining feelings of dread pushed him up the front steps. Not bothering to look for his keys Angel kicked the door in and charged into the house. The smell of the fae she called Tristan was there, and Willow's own lilac and lavender scent.

Sometime during the run Angel's face had morphed in fear and now anger as well, "Willow!" he bellowed. There was no answer. His feelings ran between panic and rage as Angel charged up the stairs. Throwing the door to her bedroom open he barreled in to still find the bed made and unoccupied.

Calm down! he ordered himself after a moment. Use what you feel to find her? Where is she? Quickly and deliberately Angel shoved the emotions threatening to overwhelm him down. His human countenance once more becoming prominent as he considered his next course of action. The link, she had blocked him out before, but perhaps... Willow? he tried calling to her but nothing happened.

As he walked back into the hall, Angel shook his head in bewilderment and tried again. Willow?! Still nothing, Angel tried to enter her mind and couldn't. As he reached the landing for the stairs he began to feel the panic taking over again because he couldn't feel her. It wasn't the stone wall of being blocked out the he was feeling Angel realized, it was the fact that Willow just wasn't there.

Again the scents of Willow and the fae were stronger downstairs and the scent of the fae seemed to be fading. Quickening his pace slightly Angel moved back down the stairs, Don't rush, use your skills, your senses, you are a hunter after all. Following the scent of her downstairs, he tracked her. As he walked into the living room, he stopped in stunned disbelief and horror. A space had somehow been cleared in front of the fireplace, the furniture pushed to the walls, and there lying on the floor was Willow.

"NO!" he roared as he ran toward the prone form, he stopped five feet away from her when he saw how she was positioned. Willow's body was laid out on the floor with her arms spread wide. Although he desperately wanted to reach for her, Angel recognized the aura of power of a protective circle. Willow's head was positioned at the north end of the circle, along with a what appeared to be a small pile of salt. At the fingertips of her right hand lay a bowl of water, while at the end of the left was placed a bare branch, a wand made of willow, if he wasn't mistaken, and at her feet, a large white pillar candle, lit.

"Willow...Willow wake up!"

Angel demanded in a hoarse voice. She did not stir and barely looked as if she were breathing. To test his theory about the protective circle, Angel walked to the fireplace picked up a piece of the firewood they had brought in earlier and shoved it at where he suspected the edge of the protective circle would be. Sparks flew from the circle and blue and silver fire seemed to dance across the wood, before he snatched it back quickly.

Throwing the log into the fireplace, Angel quickly stepped into the kitchen and called Katia. After he hung up Angel could not remember a word that he had said to Katia, he only knew that she was the only one he trusted enough to help him with this. Walking back into the living room Angel desperately needed to hold Willow to reassure himself that she was all right, but he couldn't. Willow. What had happened? Tristan, the fae, had been here. Had Tristan made her do this?

Then he remembered the scene in the woodshed, and he felt his heart sink. I did this. I frightened her. Angel walked to the fireplace his head and hands resting on the mantel-piece. Angel, you cretin, she's an innocent, she's just 18. You're over 250, and you're a vampire. You just scared the hell out of the woman that you're.... That you love, you idiot. You've known it for a while now. Why can't you just admit it? You're in love with her, she's had little or no experience and you just come on like a Sherman tank and scare her into doing this! With that last thought Angel cleared the mantle piece with a sweep of his arm. He then began a methodical destruction of everything in the shelves that stood beside the fireplace. Smashing everything in a self-recriminatory rage.

Yeah this will really impress her. came a mental voice he didn't recognize. The voice was quiet but there, and in sarcastic tones it continued. You're upset because you moved too fast and you scared her. You don't think this little bit of theatrics will scare her? Don't be so melodramatic. You know she's alive, if she wasn't, you wouldn't be standing up, you wouldn't even be here. Now calm down. Angel had frozen in place when he had first heard the strange voice. Now he looked around the room. The only other person in the room was Willow and he knew it wasn't her voice he had heard.

Who?...What?! Angel didn't know where the voice had come from, but he responded to it. Standing up straight, he drew a breath he didn't need, to help calm himself. He went and squatted on the floor beside Willow.

"Who are you? Who's there?" There was no answer, either verbal or mental. Angel then sat on the floor, despondently he began to let the blood tears flow and he began to talk to Willow. He told her of the first time they had met unofficially when he had saved her family, the masquerade ball, the first time they had met officially, the time that he had argued in the library about Buffy, his visit to her room, all the memories they had shared since arriving here. All of these he spoke about, he told her unconscious form how he felt for her, including how long he had watched her.

Then he heard someone drive up. Jumping up from the floor, he was at the front door almost before Katia managed to step out of Cassie's jeep. Grabbing an umbrella from the stand near the door, Angel ran out of the house into the rain. Popping the umbrella open, he handed it to the elderly woman. Then lifting her in his arms, he carried her through the mud, setting her down only when they had reached the covered porch. Looking up at her older friend, she saw the distress in the his eyes as well as the blood tears that had dried on his face. Reaching up she touched his face gently, recognizing the anguish this perpetually young man was suffering. "Show me, Angelus."

Nodding his head Angel responded with the invitation, "You are invited in to my home old mother." and he took her arm and guided her through the door. "Old indeed" said Katia snappishly, "You're older than I am, you old fraud. Why I...Oh my." came the soft gasp as she was led in to the living room, to catch her first glimpse of Willow.

"I knew she had power, but this...she really is the Summoner." Walking over to the fire, Katia warmed her hands and took off her overcoat and threw it over a nearby chair. As she turned to warm her backside Katia caught sight of the destruction caused by Angel's fit. Looking up at the pacing vampire, Katia raised her eyebrow in a knowing way.

"Tantrums, Angelus, you are definitely old enough to know better." Then gentling her tone at his obvious distress, she asked, "What has she told you?"

Agitated and impatient, Angel answered shortly, "She's the Summoner, I am the Western King. She summoned me out of hell to help with the prophecy." Katia looked at him perplexed for a moment and then said more to herself than him, "That's not how it goes, at least I don't think it is. Well you can ask her when she wakes up." Katia looked into Angel's eyes and saw a haunted and desperately pained man.

Looking around at the destruction he had already wrought she took pity on him and said, "I'll move her for you, but then you're taking me home because I will barely have the strength, all right. When you get back, all you have to do is stand in the eastern corner, and make a cutting motion with the knife like your making a door. Then step through and be sure to close it behind you. Now stand back." She shooed Angel away from the circle.

She stood outside of it's boundaries and began to chant in a small, soft voice. Angel couldn't make out the words, but he watched transfixed. Katia's voice began to change till it sounded as though there were two. Then after a moment longer there were three. He stared, as Katia herself changed and he suddenly felt as though the dimension of time had been removed. Because looking at her he saw the young maid she once had been, the woman she had become, and the sage she now was. It was extraordinary.

The sight took Angel's breath away, he hadn't even guessed that this woman could have such power within her. He watched as the circle that held Willow was encompassed in an intensely brilliant green flame. Then suddenly it was gone, just like that, pure magic, Willow and her circle were gone.

Katia sagged visibly, and Angel surged forward to catch the older woman in his arms. "There grand mere." he said walking her over to one of the chairs, "Are you well?" Angel asked worriedly.

"Yes," she said tiredly "now take me home. She's upstairs in the room on the right with the green comforter, everything is well. When you return" reaching into her bag she pulled out an athame and handed it to the vampire and said, "use this to open the circle."

"Katia, how?" He asked, awe clear in his gaze. She stared at him, her body might have been exhausted by the endeavor, but her mind was crisp and alert. She's keeping him in the pitch, the dark. "Have you not seen Willow work?" Katia said, more than a bit perplexed.

"Only that which lent me this burn." Katia stared at the skin that was still healing on the vampires hand. "What did you do?" she asked him, as realization was beginning to dawn. "What do you mean?" he asked curiously as he led the older woman out the front door, once more shielding her from the rain. He helped her into the passenger side of the car before she began to speak. "A circle she cast did that to you?" she asked sounding slightly incredulous.

"Yes," Angel answered as he stepped into the drivers side of the jeep.

"You hurt her." Katia said softly, eyeing the vampire with some anger. "What did you do?"

"I don't know, I mean we argued and she told me she was the Summoner, but she won't tell me anything else. I can't protect her, I mean I can't even protect her from me." Katia listened to the young man's voice, saddened by his confusion.

"So basically all you know is that you're the Western King and she is the Summoner, but she hasn't explained it to you. You feel that she knows things that she isn't telling you?"

"Yeah." They had reached her driveway and Katia waited till he'd opened the door and helped her out of the jeep. She smiled gently at him.

"Well, my boy, she is, and I don't know how to help you. She's the only one who knows what it all means, so my advice is ask and look..." Katia moved on to her front porch offering him a gentle smile.

Angel waited till she had entered the house and then turned on his heel and began to run back to the house. As he ran through the rain to the house once again, a plan began to formulate in his mind. Asking directly was out of the question at the moment, the interrogation of Ms. Willow Ann Rosenberg would begin later.

That thought had him rubbing his hands together mentally in definite Angelus anticipation. How could he find out some information without Willow's input. Input, aha, the computer. I wonder if she has taught me enough to find out what I need to know? Only one way to find out. As Angel reached the house, he thought to himself, First things first. Walking into the living room, he picked up the athame where it had been left on the end table, then ran up the stairs and into his room.

Pine Valley: Angel's

There lying on his bed was Willow, still dressed in the sweat suit she had on earlier. He went to the antique armoire that stood in the corner of his room and took out a set of dark blue, silk pajamas. Quickly going to the left side, he sliced the athame through the protective shield and stepping through, closed it behind him again. Then putting the athame at the foot of the bed, he lay down beside Willow on the bed, and curled himself to fit her body. Angel put his face into her hair and moaned softly, "Willow, what are you doing to me? I feel more out of control now than when Angelus was in control. I can't lose you mo cridhe, and I won't."

Careful not to jostle her too much, Angel undressed Willow, removing shoes, socks, sweat-suit and bra. He felt desire begin to fill him as soon as he removed her top, but squashed it into a far corner of his mind. Then gently he pulled the pajama top onto Willows slim body. The sensations of Willows skin and the silk were soothing and yet arousing to him as well. Pulling back the comforter he tucked her under the covers and kissing her on the forehead, he whispered into the shell of her ear. "Don't stay gone long Willow, we have a lot to talk about." With that he stood up and moved back to the foot of the bed. Taking the athame he moved to the protective circle and recreated the opening. Walked out and sealed the protective circle.

Angel then trotted back downstairs picking up some firewood first. While making love to Willow would have kept her warm, just holding her against his perpetually cold body would most likely give her pneumonia. Especially with the power still off in this huge, drafty house. Strange, He thought as he gathered an armload of wood, I never thought of the house as drafty before. But then I've never had anyone living here with me, especially not a human. He climbed the steps and entered his room again.

Angel moved the brass fire shield from in front of the fireplace and began building a fire. When he had a cheerful blaze roaring in the fireplace he put the fire shield back in place. Then trotting back downstairs, he entered the ladies parlor downstairs where Willow had set up her office.

Walking over to the writing desk he quickly opened the laptop computer and turned on the power. While he was waiting for it to warm up, he tried to remember everything that Willow had taught him. Let's see...log on the Internet...ok move the little rat thing...so that the arrow is pointing at what you want to do...and then click the little left hand button...on the back of the rat...and voila. Ok, now what? Favorites? Different occult sites...good but not exactly what I'm looking for. Most recent log-ons...might be informative...aha a file with the title prophecy...good one...click on that and see what it says...hmm. Angelus propped one elbow on the desk as he scrolled down through the prophecy. Tapping two fingers on his bottom lip, he paused as he read through the ambiguous passage again.

His gaze became perplexed and then aggravated. This thing implies that I'm needed, but it doesn't say if I'm needed to keep the veil closed or to help open it. Willow wouldn't have brought me back if there was the slightest chance that I might cause the veil to be opened...would she? Frustrated and not knowing much more than when he had started, Angel exited the file and began to look over the remaining files. Not finding anything else that might pertain to the current situation, Angel was about to exit the Internet when he remembered Willow's reactions to the email she had gotten earlier. Email...ok that's this little thing over here...click on that...ok three unsent messages. Read those first. The first was a request to an occult list server asking for information on Sidhe. The next was a short letter to someone called the silver lady. Angel began tapping his bottom lip again as he opened the email and began to read it.

silverlady1@aol.com
Amy, I know I wasn't exactly forthcoming with information about why I did what I did. But I had a good reason. There was and is a chance that when this is over. I won't be here anymore. One way or another the gate will remain closed. It was necessary I had to at least make sure Angel was safe I owed him that much and myself all the more.
Willow

The last letter to be sent was addressed to the library with Giles name on it. Angel was almost afraid to read this bit of mail, and when he read it he knew why.

Giles,
No Giles, I don't expect you to forgive and forget. I expect you to forgive and remember. Remember Jenny and remember that Angel saved Jenny. When Eyghon entered Jenny and Angel risked his own life to take Eyghon into himself. If he hadn't done that she would have died. He saved her and gave you more moments and memories of her. Angel saved Jenny. Angelus killed her, and now Angelus is gone, and he's not coming back. Angel is here to stay. I made sure of it.
Willow

Exiting the out box he went into deleted items and found two other letters from the silver lady and two from Giles as well as one from Xander. The one from Xander he knew about so he didn't bother with it. He read the last one from silver lady (Amy).

Willow OK what we know that you don't know. The Bad Guys name is Galan he's fae, still looking for further references and doing some scrying. He knows that you are the Summoner. Does not know that Angel is the Western King. How are things going? Why couldn't you just wait to do the spell till later? All things considered, I think it would have been a lot safer.
Amy

The next message from silver lady had him tensing every muscle in his body as he read.
Willow I have just been doing research and I can't believe you did this. Why did you do this? You didn't have to bring Angel back at all, you don't really need him to survive the coming trial. As a matter of fact if what I have found out is true, it would have been better if you had left him in hell. At least until this was all over. The bad guys can't do anything without him Willow. If you had just let them take you and not brought Angel back out of hell until it was all over you would have survived. The fact that you brought him back has placed you in more danger. They can kill you both now and there's the possibility that they can open the veil. Why didn't you wait?!?!
Amy

Angel reread the message twice and had almost decided to forgo reading anything else, but then remembered that he needed to know as much as possible to protect Willow. Opening the first letter from Giles, Angel immediately regretted his resolve.

Willow
Dear child I know you mean well but I can't imagine you mean for me to just forgive and forget what Angel did to Jenny. Not to mention everything else. Giles The previous letter was even shorter and more to the point. Willow Hate this damned box. No I will not forgive him. He killed Jenny, the only woman that I ever loved. Giles Angel exited the deleted items and then looked into the sent items. Several but only one each to silver lady and Giles. With an impending sense of dread he read the one for Giles first. The younger man had been someone he considered a friend, before Angelus had come back.

Giles
Giles we've already had this discussion but sense you seem intent on having it again so be it. He didn't kill Jenny, Angelus did. You had Eyghon. Were you in control when he was inside of you?!?! No you weren't. So you of all people should know what it's like. To have something else take your body and do things that you would never do, and then when you think you'll go insane from that you get control back of your body. Then you realize that even though you didn't do it, you have to make up for all the harm it caused, because in a way it was you! But you know what's the worst? The worst is that no matter how much everyone else blames you. You blame yourself a hundred times more and you; punish yourself with that knowledge. You had to suffer from Eyghon did for what 40 years. Angels soul has suffered with it for two and a half centuries, and he hasn't gone insane or tried to walk into the sun. He's tried to fix it, tried to make amends. Just like you and you can't even forgive him?!?! Come on Giles, grow up!!!
Willow

Angel moved the laptop aside slightly so that he could place both elbows on the table and sink his head into his hands. God, Willow, is there anything you won't do for me. Any obstacle or opponent you won't face? Then he remembered the fact that she had pulled him out of hell, and put her life in danger in the process. He had to read the last letter to silver lady.

Amy,
Don't be angry with me. If I thought that it would have truly been safer to leave Angel where he was I would have. Part of me was with him, I couldn't hope to succeed when a large part of myself was with him. I don't know quite how to tell you this. I mean I know I shouldn't have. Tristan certainly made my folly clear, but I need Angel here, I can't do this alone, and your wrong, without Angel the gate can be opened, as long as he is here. Galan needs both of us. As long as Galan continues to believe that I am using magick to hold Angel to me, Angel's in the clear. He thinks the Western King is human, because the bond must between fae magick and a human soul...Angel and myself. Bringing him back was my choice and it's one I don't regret and you have no idea how much your help meant to me. Amy....We will make it through this I know we will. Got to go, he's coming back now.
Willow

Exiting the Internet Angel, turned off the power to the computer, and sat back in the chair. Angel steepled his fingers in a very Angelus gesture and began to plan his strategy. As he stood and left the ladies parlor he walked into the living room. Gazing at the destruction he had wrought in his worry for this one tiny creature. Then something on the floor caught his eye. It was near where the circle had been. A piece of parchment. Carefully pulling it from the remains of what had once been a vase, he opened the paper and began to read:

Angel,
Don't freak. You're freaking, aren't you? I know you are. I'm fine. Did that hurt you? I hope not. It was never my intent. I'm not making much sense am I, but hey what's new about that. Right? Angel take a deep breath, even if you don't breath. I'm fine. I promise. I wasn't intending to trance out on you but I don't have a choice the council presumes to test me. Bet Buffy never got tested to see if she was worthy to be the Chosen One. Damn. Anyway I'll be fine. Angel I said don't freak and don't blame yourself. When I get back I'll talk I promise.
Willow

The paper slipped from his fingers, blood tears fell from his eyes, as he chuckled to himself. So like Willow always thinking about others and not what danger she might be in. Tested, how dare they test her, she was worthy, so very worthy of anything she wanted. You just hope she wants you. Came the inner voice he was becoming familiar with as he climbed the stairs to his bedroom.

Underhill:

"So what else do I need to know?" Willow asked her companion. Tristan smiled and shook his head before swallowing the sip of honey mead he had taken, in order to answer her. "He is old. About...let's see...he was 300 in your years when he was changed. He was unhappy with his place here and chose to go there. He knew if he left the Underhill he would lose the life he knew here, so he changed himself to keep his fae heritage. He created the spell himself and called on a demon of great power and age to enter him." the ginger haired fae explained, "That gives him the power of an ancient vampire and a very, very old fae as well. He, unlike other vampires, doesn't have to drink blood, although he does."

Willow shivered in response to his words. He smiled benignly and a little sadly at her, knowing that she didn't want to face this creature. It would feel like facing a family member. It was in a way, very much like facing a family member, except that Galan had given up his place in the court.

He watched her lift one of the sweet cakes to her lips and bite. He chuckled as she smiled and made a sound indicating that she found the confection to her satisfaction. Tristan reached over and ran a finger across her lips, wiping her mouth clean of the confectioner's sugar that hung there. She swallowed and laughed full-throatedly at his action.

. Mildly seductive? She asked through the link still chuckling. "You said I was incorrigible so I thought I'd play the part." Willow smiled, blushing slightly. The fae Watcher smiled a little, that was the sixth time he'd made her blush so far tonight. He still had to admit, that her reaction to the bedchamber that he's shown her and it's sinfully indulgent bath had been the best. Yes, he was incorrigible and he loved to see the blush claim her pale flesh. He couldn't have her, as a number of his predecessors would have. The young woman was forbidden to him because of her preexisting ties to the vampire, but it didn't mean he couldn't flirt shamelessly. Might as well give the vampire a little competition. He chuckled again.

"Okay, spill it, fae man. What is so funny? Do I have wings or something now...?" Willow demanded sharply. "No. I was remembering the look on a certain face, when you bestowed my prize back at the faire." Tristan responded with much amusement. "You were trying to make him jealous, weren't you?" Willow questioned suspiciously.

"Yeah and it worked." the fae said laughing whole heartedly. Of course the kiss had been an added bonus. He hadn't expected her to lay that...a...what was it they called it....ah yes, lip lock on him. Nothing rehearsed there. His charge had been a bit tipsy, he surmised if the sweet wine he'd tasted on her lips was as potent as he thought.

Willow laughed at ease with the fae's flirtatious and somewhat contagious nature, she reached out and pushed him onto the ground. Tristan looked up at her in mild shock. She could be the oddest creature. He supposed it was from her years of living as a human. He could forgive her for that.

The man with hair the color of spice lunged at her grabbing her around the waist using enough force to alarm her. Willow seemed to sense that he was playing, but still reacted as he had hoped. He found himself pinned to the ground by an angry glowing fully fae woman. She nailed him to the ground with the power of her mind alone. Tristan smiled slightly, clearly pleased with her ability to defend herself against him, a task she had performed with ease. She released him after a moment.

The fae Watcher stood up and looked down at his charge with clear respect and admiration. "You my dear, are becoming everything that I thought you would. I admit that I had my doubts. You seemed so fragile, when I first encountered you. You've grown a great deal in these past few months. There is more you must learn and we will have to return to the house for that, my dear."

Willow nodded her head at his words accepting them and the compliment they implied. Shaking off the last of the power that she had drawn back into the source, she gave a slight smile. He turned and with a gesture of his hand, their picnic disappeared, picking itself up. She smiled, Man, when can I learn that?

"Soon, be patient." She laughed and followed his walking form. This was fun. she thought. The young witch let her mind wander and shockingly enough she felt Angel at the edge of her mind. He was worried. Willow tried to send him some reassurance that she was all right, and for a moment she was held in the strangling grip of his mind. He really cared for her and right now he was afraid for her. Soon Angel I'll be back soon.

Pine Valley:

Angel stood at the end of the bed watching her. Wondering where she was, what she was doing. Katia had said she was on the plane meaning he supposed the astral plane, but he couldn't seem to reach her. Willow was lying still, her breath coming in slow nearly non-existent respirations. The redhead looked utterly peaceful, her face devoid of anything resembling fear or uncertainty.

Gods, Willow I wish you'd wake up. He felt it then, just a slight jostling of her mind against his. Had he not been so worried he doubted he would have ever felt it. She was sending reassuring waves of energy to him through the link. He felt strange, his insides fluttering in reaction, something was happening. Without thinking he reached out for her, his hand penetrating the protective barrier. He stared in shock as the electric blue energy sped up his arm and around his form. Not burning?

He stared at her in awe. He moved through the barrier and watched as it repaired the area he had walked through. He crawled up on the bed with her, leaning over her he looked down, and thought he saw her eyes flutter briefly, but he couldn't be sure. He lay down next to her and snuggled against her form. He moved her into the cradle of his arms and closed his eyes, resting his head against the nape of her neck.

Pine Valley:

She tried to turn in her sleep, to get closer to the form next to her, it was the inability to snuggle into Angel's form that alerted Willow that something was wrong. She slowly opened her eyes, her mind refusing to process too much at once. She was laying on Angel's bed, in blue silk pajamas. Hey wait?...how did I get up here? She tried to sit up, and found she simply couldn't. She stretched and at that moment looked up toward the head board. Her eyes widened.

Oh my God. Angel, Angel you cretin. She stared at the ties willing them to come undone. She certainly was about to. She couldn't believe it. That smug bastard had made good on his threat. Okay, okay, so he did warn you. She continued staring at the ropes wondering if Tristan had known what Angel had done when he'd taught her how to get any object to release her.

He most likely had. She grimaced, Well lets see. To undo this she needed to concentrate on the fact that Angel just moved...No that wasn't it...calm down, ignore big bad vampire for the time being. She forced herself to relax as he snuggled against her back, pressing his face into the nape of her neck.

Okay bad girl, Willow scolded herself, as she once more failed to release herself, momentarily she thought about making Angel untie her, that would put him in his place, and alert him that she could have easily put a stop to the bullshit he was pulling last night if she'd really wanted too. She wasn't helpless and she wasn't going to ask. She'd figure it out all on her own.

Arms pulled her close, a mouth nuzzled against her neck, suckling the pulse point just like the other morning. Vampires and their oral fixations. She closed her eyes forcing herself to ignore the wonderful sensations that whispered through her at his touch. She formed the picture of the ropes in her minds eye and began to slowly untie them. She felt the exact moment the ropes gave way.

She lay there a moment longer as Angel continued to nuzzle against her neck and cling to her. She giggled softly, the strange tickling sensation over powering the other more erotic feelings he'd been eliciting.

She sighed softly and pushed herself into the sitting position much to the dismay of the man sleeping next to her. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and slowly got to her feet. Looking down at herself.

Gee Angel, way to change my cloths for me. She thought ruefully. She turned back to the bed where he lay sleeping, trying to figure out what to do. Well I could tie him up and see how he likes it, or I could keep him asleep, or I could...okay lets not go there. Willow moved over to the door, paused and looked once more at the sleeping Angelus, he'd pulled the pillow that she had been resting her head on into his arms and held it tightly.

She closed her eyes, remembering last night. Now she knew what that sly little triumphant grin had been about, after he'd dusted that blond vampire. She'd done exactly what he'd known she'd do. She'd touched him, consequently inviting his touch. She blushed furiously her mind replaying every moment of exactly what she'd invited.

Part of her wanted to be angry with him, an equally strong part of her just wanted to let him take control of at least that part. He could deal with the feelings that whispered between them, make sense of the love, hunger, need, lust, and desire that moved around them like nothing else she'd ever known. After all he had over 200 years experience on her in that area.

Willow watched Angel knowing that in her absence he would awaken soon and deciding a bit impetuously that she didn't want to deal with him yet, she slowly began to weave a spell that would keep him asleep until she released him from it's grasp. A flittering of guilt washed over her when she thought about the fact that she was placing a spell even a minor one on Angel.

I need to do this spell, She mentally told herself. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Angel's sleeping mind. Gently pulling the slowly receding veil of sleep back into place. She imagined a safety pin clasping the sleep in place and waited till it glowed. Excepted like her from his mind.

Walking over to the side of the bed she leaned down next to his ear, "I love you," she whispered softly pressing her lips to his.

"Hmm," he murmured still deeply asleep. His mouth opening to capture hers for a moment his tongue snaking out to caress her lips. She gasped offering him up the depths of her mouth. She drew back after a long moment in shock. She stared at him, before stumbling on unsteady feet out of the room.

She pressed her back against the closed door, closing her eyes and wondering what had possessed her to say that. He would have heard her. Not conscious hear but heard none the less, and now what would she do. She loved Angel that was true, loved him more than anyone else she knew. But this was insane. What did she think, did she really believe that he would want her. He could have Buffy, no one would choose her over the Slayer. Not Xander, not Angel for sure, and yet that little voice in her mind reminded her that it was her he watched not Buffy. Her he had gone after not Buffy. Yes he'd helped Buffy when she needed it. But he had been at her side when she had needed him to.