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)

Pinevalley:

Angel's shock quickly turned to despair when the tiny redhead came back out of the bathroom struggling to get her robe on. Before he could even get out of bed, she was out the bedroom door and he could hear her pounding down the stairs.

Willow clamored down the stairs her body cold with fear. She flung open the door, took one look at whom stood outside and stepped out of the doorway. Dread washed over her as she watched his wobbly gait, already mentally taking an inventory of her mentors injuries. The pale young woman gasped as the animal finally teetered and landed unceremoniously on his side.

"Tristan, what the hell happened to you?" The fae witch demanded, her voice quaking with fear. The cat raised its large dark head to look at her with weary, luminous eyes. Willow felt her heart constrict realizing that she had sent him into this. The young redhead slid to her knees beside him, and reached forward, laying her hands gently on his dark fur. She studied him uncertainly, sensing a mysterious and unpleasant tingling coming off the wound.

"Tristan what happened?" his student asked again more softly. Her eyes tearing slightly. "Why haven't you changed?" Willow kept throwing out the questions worriedly and tried to fathom what was wrong. Realizing that she wasn't going to get much of an answer the fae woman began gently examining the wound on his side. She gasped as her hand encountered a sharp object. Willow caressed the object, looking for purchase on it's slick blood covered surface, then she pulled it from his side. Green eyes stared down at the object, completely bewildered by the way it felt in her hand. It was doing all sorts of strange things to her. A strange feeling zipped up her arms and over her skin, and left behind it a weak, numb feeling. Willow dropped the offending weapon as her stomach started to turn and she felt lightheaded.

Forcing herself to concentrate on what she had to do. Willow lifted the dead weight of the shape shifter with surprising strength and carried him into the living room. Spreading out one of the discarded drop cloths with her foot she carefully lowered the huge cat onto the fabric. With a reassuring stroke to his fur, Willow got to her feet and quickly walked out of the room and picked up the needed supplies. The little witch paused only briefly when she caught the sense of Angel on the edge of her awareness; she didn't have time to explain her actions to him, not now.

She headed back in the living room, and knelt by Tristan again. You know this would be so much easier if you were in human form but I guess...

I can't. Don't have the energy. Was the weak response to her meandering thoughts?

Quickly the redhead began to run through the healing chant she would need, building the energy and pushing it through her arms, down and out through the tips of her fingers. The witch felt the jolt that rocked her mentor as her power encompassed his battered form. Continuing to hold the image of Tristan whole and unharmed in her mind's eye she went about fixing the injury. Willow held her eyes closed, concentrating on the deep gash that went through his stomach.

With practiced ease the protegee re-knit the fae's tissue, and began to re-weave the patterns of shielding that normally protected her mentor. She could feel it pull at her power reserves but was pleasantly surprised when it only slightly weakened her.

As the Summoner opened her eyes, they glowed with the power of one who is aware and strong in the way. She studied his now human form. Only vaguely noting that he was as naked as a jaybird, under normal circumstances the shy young woman would have blushed and stammered, but now, the timid virgin needed to work and the need to do that, overran every other girlish emotion that she might feel looking at her mentor. Her hands moved slowly over his form leaving nearly no patch of chest and torso untouched, she only briefly ran a mental eye over the lower half of his body already sure that she would have heard about any other, more intimate injury.

"Enough beloved no need to waste energy, you've precious enough left for this." Tristan said slowly trying to sit up.

"You are stubborn as a jackass you know that. I saved your sorry excuse of a hide and you think I need to watch the power I use...really!" was the fiery response from his protégée.

"Willow, beloved no need to take that tone, I see I interrupted something?" The fae said smiling, a bit smugly for her taste, eyeing the robe she'd hastily thrown on. The words suddenly brought her mind back to Angel. Oh my god. She jerked away from Tristan looking at him with sudden blazing eyes.

"Oh Cara you haven't told him about us have you." She stared speechless for a moment.

"You...this..." she stuttered incoherently for a moment. "I no, I haven't."

"Don't you think maybe you should, clearly the two of you are not going to be able to avoid the issue much longer, I would think you would rather he know what he's getting into wouldn't you?" the Watcher asked his charge.

"Do you think maybe you could put some cloths on Tristan. As nice as the view is, I don't really wanna see it." Tristan chuckled and easily clothed himself in robes, How unpractical. She thought watching his actions.

"So are you ready for this little girl?" her Mentor asked.

"So I take it Galan sent men out fae hunting. Has he made more? Tristan if he has I have to tell Buffy, I mean a stake through the heart isn't going to kill something that's only weakness, is an iron pike." Her tone had gone all business-like, and although the fae had the desire to try and get her to talk to him about what was going on with the vampire he let the issue drop knowing that she could handle it herself even if he didn't agree with her methods.

"There are a few others, most fae are not willing to crossover to the living death of a vampire, simply because of his promise of power, on the other hand are you sure that your friend can not be bought?" Willow glared again, her eyes going impossibly bright.

"You know you sound just like Xander. The only thing you don't do is call him dead boy." Willow suggested sarcastically.

"Are you implying I have something in common with that hormonally-challenged adolescent?" the fae asked incredulously.

"If the shoe fits..." the young witch trailed off suggestively.

"I think I may actually be very offended by that little girl." Tristan warned threateningly.

"Tristan?" The fae looked up, hearing the sudden underlying note of trepidation, in her voice.

"Yes." he replied.

"What's he going to do to me? I mean he doesn't expect me to just...just open the gate knowing what will happen to the human's does...does he?" Tristan looked down, realizing that he didn't want to tell her this part of it, not ever, but knowing she would have to be prepared for the probability.

"He could simply take the power, use it, control It." her mentor replied carefully.

"How...I mean.... According to them, their ways I belong to Angel," the girl asked curiously.

"To the vampire yes. But you and I both know, that isn't how fae's stake their claims Willow." Tristan said his voice deadly serious. He felt terrible about the shiver of apprehension that washed through the little hacker when she realized what he meant.

Angel heard the front door open and close as he hurriedly pulled on his shirt and pants. As he drifted noiselessly out of the room and into the hallway his vampiric hearing detected Willow speaking. At first he couldn't make out what she was saying. Cautiously he made his way down the stairs, keeping to the shadows, preparing for anything.

What he wasn't prepared for was the flash of light, almost like lightening that appeared off in the living room. Gliding down the stairs with the grace and power of a true hunter, Angel slid through the doorway and melted into the shadows before he noticed his beautiful quarry kneeling on the floor beside a naked man. Putting up his shields as she had taught him and still keeping to the shadows in the night darkened room, Angel moved closer.

The man on the floor, was the fae shape shifter, Tristan. Sure enough he was bare as the day he was born, and Angel had to grudgingly admit he had a fine physique, but that was no reason for *his* Willow to be running her hands over him like that. His jealousy was dampened when he noticed the fae struggling to sit up and obviously having trouble doing so, until he heard Tristan call his woman 'beloved'. It was all he could do not to leap out of the shadows and snatch the fae up by the scruff of the neck.

He was somewhat mollified to hear Willow call the shape shifter a jackass, but still upset when she didn't move away from the naked man on the floor.

Angel's anger and jealousy turned to stunned disbelief, when he heard the fae's next statement, "Willow, beloved Beloved again! No need to take that tone, I see I interrupted something?"

The fae had a smug and lascivious, to Angel's eyes, expression on his face as he eyed the tiny hacker kneeling on the floor beside him. Angel barely contained the growl that wanted to escape from his throat, much less remembering to keep his shields up. The next things he heard nearly devastated him.

"Oh Cara you haven't told him about us, have you?" About us?! Them?! Willow and the fae? In that instant Angel felt his undead heart twist into a knot.

"You……this……I……no……I haven't." he heard Willow stutter and in that instant Angel felt that unbeating organ shatter and fall into the general region of his abdomen. How could she do this to him? How could she make love to him and then... His mind froze and then he heard that strange voice inside of his head, No she wouldn't. Don't be so quick to judge, and don't judge without asking. Although the voice's words acted like a soothing balm, his heart still lay broken, his fear and jealousy ran rampant. Keeping a tight rein he listened further.

"Don't you think maybe you should, clearly the two of you are not going to be able to avoid the issue much longer. I would think you would rather he know what he's getting into, wouldn't you?" the naked fae said from the floor. The issue, what issue? What am I getting myself into? Angel thought his fear turning to agitation.

Angel was very pleased and gratified when he heard his fiery redhead tell the fae to put some clothes on in that sarcastic tone.

"So are you ready for this little girl?" Ready for what? Oh yes, they must be talking about the ritual and the fae vampire, Galan was it? Wasn't he one of the monkeys on that movie, 'Planet of the Apes'? The vampire thought with absent-minded maliciousness before he realized it and then concluded, Great now I'm thinking like Harris talks?

Angel admired Willow's no nonsense attitude when she was talking about Buffy and the fae vampire hunting. Mo cridhe is right. That would make things more difficult for Buffy. He was even more gratified to hear Tristan explain that most fae weren't willing to become vampires. That was until he heard the insulting comment made by the fae, "...on the other hand are you sure that your friend can not be bought?"

"You know you sound just like Xander, the only thing you don't do is call him dead boy." Willow's response to the fae's insult did more to heal Angel than anything else could have. Except maybe confessing her love for me.

The warm and wonderful thought was quickly squelched, as well as the laughter he felt bubbling up whenever the fae, looking appropriately insulted, replied. "Are you implying I have something in common with that hormonally-challenged adolescent?"

While Willow's rejoinder, "If the shoe fits..." would probably have made his day any other time. Right now, it only gave him some wry amusement.

For a moment Angel zoned out because of the turmoil in his soul and heart. When he came back out of it to hear Willow say, "How I mean according to them, there ways I belong to Angel." The sound of her acknowledging this nearly had Angel surging out of the shadows to claim her until he heard the fae's reply and wondered, concerned over what he had missed.

"He's already tried." Willow whispered quietly.

"What?!?!" the fae nearly shouted with horror.

"Galan came into my dreams he pretended to be Angel and he...uh touched me and then the real Angel came and stopped him before it got too far." the titian haired witch said, as she avoided meeting the eyes of her Watcher.

Tristan was silent for several seconds absorbing what she had said. Now he would have to be grateful to the traitor for saving his charges life and virtue. What a development this is. Tristan had enjoyed causing mischief between the vampire and Willow. The fae found it very gratifying considering the damage the traitor had caused, but in truth it was because the shape shifter believed that perhaps the vampire wasn't worthy of Willow. Now after this latest incident he was beginning to wonder if he had perhaps misjudged the fellow. I'll have to rethink this, now. Willow gracefully began gathering up the remainder of supplies she had used to heal her mentor. As she started to rise Tristan took her arm and said sharply, "Willow if Galan ...consummates a relationship..."

"A relationship?!" Tristan pulled his hand back quickly at the brittle, sharp tone in the young woman's voice. "That's a funny way of putting it. Why don't you just say it the way it is? If he rapes me, he gets my power." Willow's voice had an almost hysterical note as she stood up and began pacing in front of the shape shifter.

Forcing himself to a semi-sitting position, Tristan watched his charge stalk back and forth in front of him with steady, precise steps. He watched for a moment or two before hesitantly trying to broach the subject again. "Willow, Cara, there is a way to avoid that you know?"

The petite witch's gait slowed but did not halt and she refused to meet the fae's gaze. Deciding to throw caution to the wind or in this case to the more volatile whims of his student, Tristan continued, "If you lost your virginity first...if you were to take another lover, before Galan.... That lover would have access to your power, not Galan."

Willow froze at Tristan's feet in her pacing, as the realization of what he was saying sunk in. As the young woman started to turn back to face the fae Watcher she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye. A shadow slightly darker than the surrounding murkiness, a decidedly familiar shadow, Breathlessly she whispered, "Angel." and in that instant she remembered just what Tristan's untimely arrival had interrupted. Her cheeks flushed bright pink; her breathing became ragged and uneven.

Oh my God, I nearly made love...to Angel. Her mind stumbled over that thought and then misfired and locked up on that one thought.

Tristan looked up at his pupil then over at the vampires that seemed to at once flow from the shadows and yet bring them with him. As Angelus stood in front of the petite redhead, Tristan studied the pair together. The dark haired vampire stood in front of the bright haired witch and looked down at her intently. If there had been any doubt in the fae's mind about the claim the vampire thought he had on the young woman, it was quelled by that gaze. Willow's innocence in such matters undoubtedly prevented her from seeing it, but Tristan's experienced eye caught the possessive gleam there as well as the love and desire that he obviously had for her. With a practiced clearing of his throat, Tristan broke the moment and the vampire glanced over at him while Willow looked down at the floor.

Angel looked down at the fae still half-lying on the floor. Although jealousy raged through him at the closeness of the relationship between the shape shifter and Willow, the perpetually young man knew better than to challenge the fae now. Before he could offer some platitude to the fae's well being though, the Watcher spoke.

"No need to worry *children*, I will be returning to the Underhill." Tristan said with barely suppressed amusement.

Willow turned her head to look down at the fae sharply, and as she opened her mouth to voice what he was sure would be an objection, Tristan concluded his explanation, "I will heal faster their beloved, you know that." Without any further comment the fae disappeared in a shower of sparks. Leaving the vampire and witch to fix their own problems without his interference, or refereeing skills.

Sunnydale: Angel's Apartment:

Buffy awoke suddenly her mind swimming with the left over images of the dream she had been having. She wasn't sure what it met, but she was sure that the dreams were a repeat of what she had seen earlier, except for one little thing. Willow and Angel had been entwined and torn apart before her eyes, the vampire from the other night and the strange man that had come to their rescue when they were faced with Galan and his minions. She looked at the sketch books that still lay beside her on the bed that she and Angel shared, and grabbed two of them.

She stood and making a very strong decision she walked toward the door, it was late well earlier and her mother would be upset but she needed to talk to Giles about this. Something wasn't right. And although she was unhappy with what was happening a part of her was terrified that Willow really believed that Angelus couldn't return and would bring him back. Not that she thought that Willow could make Angel happy, but it was possible. Anything was possible; he did seem to want her after all.

Walking down the stairs and heading out the front door Buffy stopped as she came upon a familiar site. Ashes in neat little piles, Well okay the piles are not unusual, but as she stepped closer she noticed a place in a dusting of ashes that held the clear imprint of a body struggling figures she supposed. Slowly she pulled the bottle of holy water from her pocket and uncapped it and began pouring it over the ashes.

She walked over to the edge of the over growth and caught the sent of Blood, strong blood looking at the pavement before her she could make out paw prints? Paw prints, what the hell vampires attacking large cats now?

She followed the prints till they seemed to disappear as though the animal had simply disappeared, and considering it was a cat she wondered if it hadn't done just that. A chill of apprehension washed down her spin and she hurried on her way to Giles'.

Looking down at where her Watcher had once been, the very analytical mind that resided in Willow's brainpan proceeded to quietly and methodically short circuit. I can't talk to him...I just...I just almost made love...had sex...made love to him...how long has he been there...I can't look at him right now...I'm too embarrassed...I just saw Angel naked and I'm too embarrassed for this...Sheesh...got to find something to do...other than talk to him that is...what...what...what can I do...the first aid stuff...put it away...maybe he didn't hear everything...

As she moved back toward the kitchen to put the first aid supplies, her mind continued to babble away. With efficient movements the auburn haired beauty threw the used materials away, she then washed her hands quickly, and proceeded to replace the unused items in the first aid kit. Finally Willow had put everything back in the first aid kit and was trying to lift the rather heavy case to put it on the shelf above her head, when a pair of hands came around the sides of her head.

Taking the case out of her suddenly shaking hands, Angel nudged her into the edge of the counter top as he placed the kit on the shelf. Willow was so stunned and nervous she couldn't even voice a protest, she tried to walk back into the living room and was stopped when the hands that had just replaced the first aid kit, came down on the counter top on either side of her body. The only way she could move was to turn and face him; she did, but kept her head bowed as she continued to slowly lose her mind.

Angel gazed down at the bent head of his ionmhuin and said not a word for a moment. He stood there, only observing her carefully, her head was bowed and he could feel the mixed emotions coming off of her in confusing waves.

He noticed her slight frame begin to shiver slightly but made no move to pull her closer or let her go. Angel's rational side was beginning to realize that there was probably nothing between the fae and his Willow, but the side of him that the demon had gloried in, wanted her to tell him so. Wanted her to acknowledge his claim to her, accept it, and maybe make some claims of her own on him. Then he remembered the last part of the conversation between Willow and her Watcher. 'If he rapes me he gets my power.' "If you lost your virginity first, if you took another lover, he would have access to your power, not Galan.' The thought of that monster anywhere near *his* Willow, let alone... that thought was enough to make his soul shudder and howl with rage. Then he thought about what the fae said and a niggling doubt began in the back of his mind, What if Willow had wanted to make love to him to keep this Galan from being her first and taking her power? Idiot, you're the one who started to make love to her, not the other way around.

Angel watched as Willow's head bowed even further until it rested against his chest, right above where his unbeating heart lay. Then he heard her whisper something so softly only his vampiric hearing could detect the murmured words, "Funny, the silence, the thing that should scream at me the most, is the thing that comforts the most."

"What do you mean Willow?" he whispered soothingly. Trying hard not to break her out of her reverie.

"Your heart doesn't beat. I listen for it to, but it's silent. That should warn me to be afraid but instead it makes me feel safe."

"Yes, you are safe with me Willow. No matter what, you always will be. I won't let him touch you." those words intruded on Willow's drowsy sense of contentment. The next shattered it completely, "Who do you belong to, Willow?"

Willow's head snapped up from his chest, her eyes met his in virtual panic. Angel knew he was pushing and could very easily push her too far or push her away. I need to know how she feels and this is the fastest way. Leaning forward slowly, giving her time to avoid him, the vampire feathered a kiss across the girl's soft lips. Then he trailed his lips down along her jaw, and whispered the question again in her ear, "Who do you belong to Willow?"

On a soft sighing breath the answer came, "You." With joy Angel raised his mouth back to her lips and this time devoured her mouth with his own. Pulling back he traced her lips with his thumb, then reached down and clasping both her hands in his own, he pulled them up to his silent chest and said, "It works both ways, Mo cridhe. Who do I belong to?"

She looked at him blankly for a moment and then shook her head slightly. Angel wouldn't accept no for an answer this time though. "Who saved my soul, saved my life and pulled me out of hell? Who did that Willow?"

"I...I did." Quietly, her head again bowed.

"Then who do I belong to Willow?" he said as he pulled her chin up to gaze into his warm brown eyes.

"Me?" she questioned.

"Right answer." the vampire said with surprising glee. "Now come on," he said swinging her up in his arms. "You need some sleep and so do I. you wore me out Mo cridhe." With that he swept up the stairs and into her bedroom. With practiced ease he flipped the covers back on the bed and laid her down in the center of the bed gently. Before crawling in beside her and pulling the covers back up over the both of them.

Her whispered, "Angel I don't think..." didn't go unnoticed. He quickly shushed her by placing his fingers over her lips and then he whispered in response, "No, we won't do anything more, not until you're actually ready to claim me, and make me yours. Now sleep ionmhuin."

Willow got dressed in record time, when she came running down the stairs she was wearing jeans, tennis shoes, a t-shirt and a zippered and hooded sweat shirt. She hadn't taken the time to put any makeup on and had simply pulled her hair back in a ponytail. For an instant when she noticed that he wasn't in the foyer, the young witch was worried that Angel had left without her. Then she noticed that it was still daylight outside, the sun was low in the sky and would probably set in a half an hour or so, but that still left her to wonder where the vampire was and what he had up his sleeve.

Willow heard a slight thud coming from the back area of the house. Checking the billiard room first, she realized when she heard a muffled curse that the sounds were coming from the kitchen. Not really trying to be sneaky the young redhead still managed to get into the kitchen without apparently attracting the attention of her vampiric companion. A slight shuffle, a somewhat fearful Gaelic curse and another thump drew her attention to an open door at the far end of the kitchen. Walking over she peered around the edge of the door, there standing on a step ladder that was precariously perched on the top step of the basement stairs was Angel trying to change a light-bulb. Unfortunately the light fixture was placed at an odd angle and the vampire was having to lean out to change the bulb. Unfortunately every time he did that the ladder tilted at a dangerous angle and he had to pull back or risk falling.

Trying once again Angel was startled this time when a shriek rent the air and a pair of hands ripped the vampire from the ladder just as it crashed down the stairs. "Angel, you idiot, what did you think you were doing?!" Willow cried angrily.

Angel looked stunned for a moment at her outburst before giving her a wry smile and saying affectionately, "Willow, even if I do fall, it's not exactly as if I have to worry about breaking my neck or something."

Crossing her arms and tapping her foot and, Willow gave the vampire a mutinous glare and said, "Oh yeah, very funny, fang face. In case you've forgotten those are wooden stairs and since you haven't seen yourself in a mirror in over two hundred years let me just remind you, your huge." Then she began poking him with her finger, her bottom lip poked out in an aggressive fashion as she continued, "Which means if you hit those stairs, you'll go right through them. Probably impaling and accidentally dusting yourself in the process." With that she turned back to gaze into the gloomy basement and then turning back she added, "Not that it would make that much of a difference down there, but I don't really think I want to explain to Giles why I'm bringing you back in a vacuum bag."

The vampire was trying hard not to laugh out loud. Covering his amusement with a courtly bow Angel asked the young hacker, "What would madam suggest?"

"Simple, you hold the ladder and I do it." she said as she carefully headed down the stairs to retrieve the ladder.

Angel stayed in the bow for a moment longer in appalled surprise and then snapped back to a standing position to cry, "What?!"

"I said, you hold the ladder and I change the bulb." Willow said as she lugged the step ladder back up the basement stairs.

"Willow..." the vampire began in an argumentative tone.

The young witch interrupted and said, "I'm lighter than you and if you hold the ladder it's not going to tip over. If you try and change the bulb while I try and hold the ladder I would think it would be rather like the mouse trying to hold back the bull. Now give me a hand." Seeing the reasoning behind her plan didn't make Angel like the idea any better, but he had a feeling that Willow wouldn't take no for an answer. Secretly he was fascinated by the spirit and assertiveness that Willow was showing. He had seen it before, but he had definitely seen it more frequently since they had come to Pine Valley. He was beginning to enjoy this side of Willow. The two of them soon had the light bulb replaced and after stowing the ladder away.

Angel guided Willow back into the kitchen and said charmingly. "I thought you might like to try something a little different." Still not over her mad, Willow glared at him suspiciously, until he indicated the items laid out on the kitchen table. Walking forward the redhead carefully traced her fingers across one of the fishing rods. The young redhead studied the reels, they were different from the ones she had seen in sporting good stores. As though answering her silent question, Angel said softly from behind her, "These rods are for fly-fishing, mo cridhe." Willow only nodded her head as she opened a small leather bound case beside the rods, laying there were several flies. Brightly colored feathers seemed to glow from the small case.

"Angel I've only been fishing once, that was when I was five, it wasn't fly-fishing, and I wasn't very good at it. At least according to my grandfather, he said it was more like drowning worms than fishing when I did it." she said with a self-deprecating grin.

"Mo cridhe," Angel said gently, "true fishing is an art form and it takes more than one lesson to learn. I'll teach you." I would love the opportunity to teach you so many things ionmhuin, to show you the world, I pray we have the chance.

Breaking out of his reverie the vampire saw her head to the picnic basket. Stepping forward he caught her hand gently before it could reach the lid of the basket and he said with amusement, "Now that part is a surprise caileag. You wouldn't want to spoil the surprise would you?"

Willow looked up at him curiously and apparently seeing something she liked, the redhead smiled and shook her head. "There's a blanket in the coat closet in the foyer would you get it, please?"

Glancing at the shaded window the little witch said worriedly, "But Angel it's still daylight outside."

Grateful for her concern he caught her cheek with his hand and brushed a light kiss across her lips. "Trust me, little one." He said before pulling back and adding, "Now scoot, those fish aren't going to catch themselves."

Willow stood for a moment longer, then turned on her heel and ran to retrieve the blanket. Before coming back into the kitchen though she touched her lips thoughtfully. The young redhead marveled at the tingle that had settled there as soon as Angel's lips had touched hers. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts she ambled back into the kitchen. Angel was just closing the lid to the picnic basket and Willow harumphed mentally over missing the opportunity to see what was inside the basket. The vampire glanced up as she walked through the door and seeing her disgruntled expression he gave a devilish smirk and said teasingly, "Just missed it, didn't you mo cridhe."

The young hacker gave an excellent imitation of a vampire as she growled at her dark haired companion and then said in an aggravated tone, "Keep it up vampire and I won't keep reminding you, that it is still daylight outside." And I haven't given you your present yet, so if we go out now you'll be able to fit in an ashtray. Willow thought mentally, being careful to shield her thoughts from the perpetually young man who was trying, and failing, not to look amused at her expense.

Gathering the picnic basket and the fishing equipment the vampire took her elbow and guided her to the basement door. Willow stopped in her tracks and gave him a somewhat suspicious glare and said saucily, "Let me guess you have an underground lake in your basement?"

"Oh, I do have quite a few surprises down there but no an underground lake isn't one of them. Now let's go mo cridhe, I'll go first." He released her elbow then and headed down the narrow stairs.

Huffing an exasperated sigh for cryptic and mysterious men in general and one very specific vampire in particular the young redhead followed Angel down the stairs. As Willow's eyes became accustomed to the rather gloomy surroundings, she noticed that there were two bulbs and that was all that was lighting the cellar area. The young witch also noticed the vampires rather extensive wine collection. Her parents drank a lot of wine and Willow recognized that several of the bottles were what her mother had only half-jokingly called liquid investments. Wines so rare and expensive that they were sometimes traded like stocks and bonds.

Willow watched as the dark haired vampire went over to the wine rack against the far wall and proceeded to pull it away from the wall without so much as a squeak of protest from the wooden shelves. Angel turned back and caught a glimpse of Willow standing in the middle of his cellar floor with her mouth hanging open. Not unlike the creatures Angel had every intention of catching in just a short time.

With a look that alternated between eager little boy and put upon older brother, Angel juggled poles and picnic basket as he walked back to her. Managing to get a free hand he touched the tip of her chin with two of his fingers and tipped it closed. Willow looked up at him and a bemused expression filled her dark green eyes. A patronizing tone slipped into his voice as he explained, "Come now, little one, did you really think the dark ones wouldn't have a way to get around during the day, if the need arose. Pine Valley is riddled with tunnels, even more than Sunnydale. They mostly stop near the foothills of the mountains, but they are scattered all over this valley. Now come I want to show you something before we go fishing and we're already running late." With that he clasped her hand in his own cold one, and led her into the tunnels.

By the time they got to the appropriate tunnel entrance Willow was completely and utterly lost. They had taken so many twists and turns, the young hacker was convinced that whoever had designed the maze of tunnels must have been if not completely mad then at least 50 cards short of a full deck. Angel led her up a ladder that looked very much like one you would find in a sewer opening, she waited as he shoved hard at a heavy metal square set in the concrete above them. He then climbed out and leaning back through the opening carefully placed his hand on her upper arm, she looked up and met his eyes. They were pensive, they had been since shortly after the duo had entered the tunnels. It was almost as if he knew something she didn't.

When she finally climbed over the edge of the opening the witch saw that they were in the middle of a dense wooded area. The trees provided a dense canopy overhead, that not only kept weeds and brambles in check but also provided cover from the killing sun for Angel. She turned to look at the vampire in question as he closed the heavy grate again, it was set into a concrete slab in the ground. Setting the fishing poles and basket on the slab, Angel took the blanket from her and placed it beside the basket. Then taking her hand he guided her through the forest, as he led her out into the darkening twilight, the haunting call of a whippoorwill made him appreciate Willow's presence. For decades the lonely song of the twilight bird had always reminded him of his own life. How he'd chosen to live a life alone, separate from the humans he now guarded. Usually it made him wish that things could be different.

But not tonight. Tonight things were different, he had the company of a beautiful woman, a woman who knew who and what he was and who had reassured him it didn't matter in the least. The tune of crickets and frogs accompanied them to their destination as night continued to fall.

"Are we going to a fishing hole or something?" Willow asked after a few minutes.

"No, not yet. I want to show you something first." Angel said as he helped her over a fallen log.

Growing frustrated with her cryptic companion, Willow stopped moving and dropped the vampire's hand and said, "So give me a clue."

"if I tell you, it won't be a surprise, mo cridhe." He said flashing her a grin in the increasing gloom, before scooping her up in his arms. He wanted to get there before the sun set completely and unfortunately Willow's shorter legs were slowing them down a bit. Besides carrying his ionmhuin had its advantages.

Willow gave a slight squeal as she flew into the air unexpectedly and when she landed in his arms she had the distinct impression that he was enjoying this game immensely. Apparently Angelus isn't the only one who likes games. she thought as he began walking more quickly. Two can play this game, even if he has been doing it longer.

"Just a little hint?" Willow queried plaintively as she snuggled her face into his throat, she continued in a more husky tone, "Even if I guess I'll still be surprised and excited, please?"

"Uhm..." Angel said and there was a surprisingly breathless quality to that one syllable for someone who didn't need to breathe.

Willow upped the stakes slightly by whispering breathily into the vampire's ear. "What kind of answer was that?"

"I'm thinking." explained the vampire. Or at least trying to. What are you doing to me, you little vixen.

"Come on," she said pulling herself closer to his broad chest before she whispered in her best Ginger Rogers tone, "just one teensy-weensy little clue?"

"Okay." Angel said wryly, "We're almost there."

Willow giggled out loud and then said, "Oh, thanks a lot, you sneak."

"Me sneak!" he said incredulously and then looked down at her with a flabbergasted expression on his face as he continued to walk. "Me Sneak?! You're the one who is trying to play Mata Hari here. Trying to use your considerable charms to wile my secrets out of me. ME SNEAK?!" he switched his voice to an incredibly realistic imitation of Giles and said, "I mean really!"

By this time Willow was giggling so hard her sides were beginning to ache. So that when Angel let her slide to the ground she had to hold his arm to support herself while she caught her breath. "Charms?" she said bursting into another fit of giggles, "I have charms? Mata Hari...me?" the young witch said sarcastically as she finally managed to keep a straight face long enough to look into his eyes. UH oh, I didn't think eyes could get darker like that, why do I have a feeling I did something wrong. Willow thought to herself...or at least she thought she did.

"Because mo cridhe you did do something wrong." With those words he grasped her shoulders gently but firmly, "I seem to recall saying once not so long ago that if I ever heard you put yourself down again, that I would bend you over my knee and spank you." Angel noticed the spark of fear that entered Willow's eyes at that but said nothing as he noticed her eyes grow wary.

"I don't remember putting myself down." she said doubtfully and he noticed her eyes shift around. Recognizing the signs of someone looking for an escape, he quickly backed her up under one of the nearby willow trees and braced her against the trunk.

"You implied that you didn't have charms, that you couldn't be beautiful, enticing, seductive. That a man...that I couldn't desire you. Strange I would have thought we had already proved that point beyond a shadow of a doubt..." he said in a cool tone. Then with amusement, "But if you still need convincing..." Angel let the rest trail off as he lowered his head and touched her lips with his own. This time it was Willow who deepened the kiss, her mouth opened under his. Thrusting his tongue past the barrier of her teeth, he tasted the warmth and sweetness of her mouth. She mimicked his movements stroking her own tongue past the rough silky glide of his to taste the cool saltiness of his mouth.

Willow moaned deep in her throat as her fingers drifted up to his broad shoulders and then into the hair at the nape of his neck, drawing him closer. When she felt her breath becoming short, Willow felt something unusual. Angel drew air into his long dead lungs through his nose as they continued the kiss and then breathed that air into her. The surprising sensuality of the act was intense and Willow ached to wrap her legs around the vampire and not let go. Instead she pressed herself closer to him and couldn't contain the whimper that escaped from her throat into him.

Angel was in heaven and hell at the same time. No other woman had ever reacted to him with such honesty. No other woman had ever kissed him with such hunger. No other woman's responses had ever mattered so much to him. He needed her to want him with the same intensity that he wanted her.

Squatting slightly until they were on the same level, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. The soft sounds coming from the back of her throat made him want her even more, and that was what made him pull back from the edge. Angel admitted to himself that he had often fantasized what it would be like the first time with Willow, but none of them had included standing in the middle of the forest with his Willow partially supported by the trunk of a willow tree.

Pulling his head back the vampire teased the edge of her lip with the tip of his tongue. As he did so he looked into her emerald eyes, now hazed over with drugging passion.

He tilted her chin up and whispered throatily, "Tell me to stop now, mo cridhe."

He saw the swift denial that rose in her eyes and before she could voice it, he sealed her lips with two of his fingers. "Willow, you have no idea how badly I want you. You are so desirable you could tempt a saint, and despite my name, I'm not a saint. We will be lovers, but when we do, it will not be standing in a forest at sunset, or against the trunk of a willow tree." He continued as he lowered her to the ground again, "Now tell me to stop, Willow."

Angel dropped his fingers as the woman with fiery hair stood with her fingers twined behind his neck. She pulled at the back of his head until his forehead met hers. "Stop now, Angel, but only for now...not forever."

"I can't be around you and not act on what I feel. So yes, I promise you that there will be a when. We just haven't gotten to it yet." the vampire said trying to relax.

"Sure of yourself, aren't you vampire? I notice you said when not if." Willow said arching one of her cinnamon colored brows. He only smiled at her as he pulled away and swept the flowing branches aside and led Willow through. Wildflowers carpeted the ground. The air was growing heavy with night and was filled with the scent of water and a multitude of flower fragrances. Walking with her over to a fallen log, the vampire drew her down to sit between his legs. Yielding to his long, lean, muscular form, her soft curves fit perfectly into the cradle of his body.

The sun had sunk behind the trees and the light was filtered through them. But it was the display of color and light from the sunset combined with the shadow and majesty of the mountains that Willow was awed by. She had never seen anything quite like it. In fact Willow couldn't even remember the last sunset that she had ever seen. She would normally have been rushing to get indoors if they had been in Sunnydale. The very real threat of vampires, demons, and heaven knew what else forcing her into the relative safety of the library, her house, or the Bronze. Strangely enough the filtered light for some reason made her uneasy. It took a few minutes to figure out that she was worried about Angel. She knew that the sun was low enough and filtered enough to offer no possible harm to him, but she was still concerned. So concerned in fact, that for the next several minutes she would frequently glance beside and behind her or caress one of the thighs that she was settled in between, to reassure herself Angel was still there.

When Angel led Willow out of the meadow shortly after the sun had set completely she was feeling decidedly shell shocked and followed more slowly than she might normally. Angel noticed this but said nothing. Imagining she was still trying to figure out everything that had happened. Leading her to the stream he baited her hook and tried to show her how to cast the line from the shore. When her silence continued Angel decided to move downstream slightly to give her a little space.

Clean, clear water rustled softly on its way down stream. The sharp fresh scent of wildflowers filled the air. The fish were swimming in the bottom of the stream, clearly visible even in the moonlight. Willow stood perfectly still for a few minutes letting natures peace and beauty soothe her jumbled emotions and her jangled nerves. Although she couldn't actually see him from where she was standing Willow knew that Angel was nearby. She could sense him off on the periphery to her left. Reeling in her line she prepared to make the first cast of her life.

Relaxing slightly, the young witch stood, mimicking the stance she had seen Angel use.

She raised the arm with the pole over her head and tried to copy the wrist snapping motion she had seen Angel use, and hooked something before her line landed in the water. Willow started to reel it in, but the line grew taut and wouldn't budge. Setting the pole down and tried to see in the gloom what had hooked her line. A few minutes later Willow grimaced at the branch of the tree that she had caught as she muttered under her breath, "Drat!" The lowest branches of the tree weren't low enough for her to grab hold of and pull herself into the tree and the surface of the trunk was to slick and straight for her to try and scale it. Tugging on the line again she tried to dislodge the brightly colored fly from the tree but the hook only became more imbedded in the branch. "Great." she muttered. Letting go of the line she began jumping into the air trying to catch the lowest branch and pull herself up, unfortunately even on her best jump she was still nearly a foot short of reaching the branch. Finally giving in to her increasing frustration, Willow turned in the direction she could sense Angel and called,

"Angel, are you there?"

"Need some help?" asked a familiar voice. Angel seemed to flow out of the shadows right in front of her. Willow indicated the brightly colored lure in the tree and said with a sheepish little smile, "Can you free my line?"

The vampire looked up into the tree and said, "I can try." After a few minutes of pacing back and forth under the tree like a jungle cat. The vampire leapt and grabbed the bottom branch. Easily pulling himself into the tree. Willow shook her head as he moved toward where the fly's hook was imbedded in the bark of the tree.

Innocently she said, "I wish I could do that."

"Do what?" Angel asked absently as he knelt and carefully removed the lure from the tree branch.

"You know the really athletic stuff. I used to climb them when I was younger, but I was never this good." Watching as he squatted on the tree branch and removed the remaining bark from the hook, Willow continued, "Maybe if I were a little stronger like you..."

"No!" Angel cried as he jumped from the branch and landed sure-footed right beside the startled witch. "You do not want to be like me, in any way, shape, or form."

Willow took her hook from his outstretched hand and said baldly, "Why because you're a vampire?" Her dark haired companion flinched but didn't answer. Willow was exasperated and growing increasingly angry with this man. His mood swings outdid even Cordy with PMS. Pacing back and forth in front of the vampire on that slippery bank was probably not the smartest thing she had ever done but right now it was the most necessary. "Ok so you're smart, a great planner, and very considerate but I shouldn't be like you cause you're a vampire. You're kind, a great friend, and you have a great, dark sense of humor, but I shouldn't be like you cause you're a vampire. You have these moments when your incredibly shy, your thoughtful, and your very strong emotionally speaking but I shouldn't be like you cause your a vampire. Your loving, affectionate, a great kisser and yes I know I'm going to regret saying that later but that's okay because I shouldn't be like you because you're a vampire. Listen Angel we've had this conversation before, being a vampire is not the end all and be all of your existence. You're a friend, a companion, a guardian to mankind, and the Western King, all great things, but you can't see that for being a vampire. Fine, you want me to stop putting myself down, then you stop doing it. Actually I already have, that before was just slip of words, but you...you do it all the time. You even think about yourself in derogatory terms." the witch said as she stalked back and forth over the bank.

"Eavesdropping again, Willow?" Angel queried archly, wanting desperately to change the subject.

Lambent emerald eyes met the fathomless depths of her dark haired companion and she said in warning, "Don't even think about it buster." With that unspoken threat the young redhead turned to face the stream for a moment as though to gather her thoughts. "Damn." Willow said forcefully but without any heat.

"What?" the vampire asked. Bracing himself for the next volley from the young witch, but again Willow surprised him.

"We scared the fish away." she said indicating the stream. Sure enough when Angel joined her on the bank he could no longer see the sparkle of the fish underneath the clear water. "We could go ahead and have our picnic." he suggested, "Maybe by the time we're done the fish will be back."

"Yeah, I guess," the young redhead said thoughtfully. Then she turned to him and added with a shake of her finger in his direction, "if you promise to behave."

Angel only gave a slight smile and nodded his head before the two of them picked up their gear. They headed to a small clearing near the stream, and spread out the blanket. Angel began pulling out the plastic containers that held the food, the wine and glasses, the eating utensils, then he pulled out two broad based candlesticks and two candles. Pulling a pack of matches out of his pocket, he lit the two candles. He then opened the containers to show her what they had. There were Brandied Pears, Chicken Kiev, Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, Scalloped Potatoes, the French Silk Pie, and the wine that Angel had chosen especially for the occasion.

Willow oohed and aahed over everything before noticing a conspicuous absence. There was no blood, she looked up at Angel and he read her eyes if not her mind. "I fed before I came, I can still eat," indicating the food, spread on the blanket before them.

A suspicious look came into Willow's eyes, followed by sad resignation. "You didn't want me to see you feed, because I would be reminded that you were a vampire. Gees Angel when we get home I'll make you a great big red V to wear. Angel I know you're a vampire in case you've forgotten you have fed from me a couple of times and I did sort of watch you when you did it. I think the only problem here is the fact that you think you have to apologize for it or hide it. Buffy pretended it wasn't there, sort of an out of sight out of mind thing, but it is there Angel. You are a vampire, if you pretend it's not there it's not going to go away. If I pretend I'm not the Summoner is that going to go away? No! Galan will still be out there trying to open the veil and in the process everything we know and love will cease to exist. I've accepted what you are Angel, when are you going to?"

The dark haired vampire wouldn't meet her eyes and the young witch realizing that she might have pushed to hard, decided to back down. "Come on, let's eat. I'm starving and besides I probably just frightened any fish that were left away. With my luck, they won't be back tonight." With that she began organizing the food on two plates, when Angel reached for his she held onto it, making him look up and meet her gaze. Her eyes were filled with warmth, and understanding. "It's okay Angel if I stare at you tonight it's just cause I'm not used to seeing you eat people food." Willow released the plate then and Angel poured them each a glass of wine.

Holding hers out to her, he said, "The wine is supposed to breathe before we drink it but I enjoy the little bite it has after its just been opened."

"Bite?" Willow said with a raised eyebrow, and a grin wavering at the corners of her mouth. "Angel that's a terrible pun."

Realizing what he had said, Angel actually seemed to blush. Although it was difficult to tell in the twilight and with his unnatural pallor, his skin did seem to darken a few shades. Seeing his embarrassment only served to pull the giggles right out of Willow. Angel looked even more embarrassed or as embarrassed as a vampire's physiology would allow and Willow's giggles turned to full blown laughter. Angel enjoyed the sound so much that he soon forgot his own embarrassment and began chuckling with her. That broke the tension between them and they began talking about everything, from their memories, to wondering about Giles' past, to Xander in Speedo's, everything except Galan and the prophecy. As if by unspoken agreement neither of them brought up the Summoner and Western King or coming events relating to it. It was as though they both wanted this night to be just for them, no prophecies, no enemies, no impending doom, just the two of them. Willow mentioned to him that by some fluke she had been placed on the decorating committee for the Jr./Sr. Prom this year and had been put in charge of coming up with a theme for the celebration.

All through dinner and after they had finished half the bottle of wine, they debated back and forth what would make a good theme. Angel finally suggested it should be something to do with the coming millennium and Willow agreed, but there they became stumped. Something about the new millennium but what? Willow yawned slightly as she sipped her third glass of wine. Setting her glass aside, the young hacker stood up and walked around, she stretched her arms above her head and shivered slightly as her body stretched trying to get the kinks out. Rolling her head back on her neck to try and ease some stiffness, Willow froze and whispered in awe, "Oh wow!"

Angel looked over at his red-haired companion quickly and whispered back, "What?"

"Angel," she said breathlessly still frozen in place, "Look up."

The vampire followed her direction and looked up and he too gasped in awe. The sky was blanketed with a carpet of stars. So many it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. Willow looked over at him and said softly, "Sorry you've probably seen them a zillion times, but I haven't seen this many since I went to the planetarium." she shivered slightly as a breeze blew through their picnic sight. Then looked back up and continued, "It's amazing." Sitting on the ground where she had walked to and placing her hands behind her she tried to lean back further to see more of the sky. As she was trying to get her bearings to see if she could identify any of the constellations, she heard a rustling sound and then the snap of a twig coming from where Angel was sitting.

When a shadowy figure came into her field of view, she barely smothered a soft scream, as he knelt beside her and she saw that it was Angel. "Here," he said spreading out the blanket they had just used for their picnic he explained, "I put everything back in the basket. Except this." he added holding the bottle of wine out and wiggling it slightly. Sitting on the blanket he set the wine bottle down on the ground, twisting it into the ground a bit so it wouldn't tip over. As Willow crawled over to the blanket, Angel laid back with one hand thrown behind his head to support it. When he saw her looking at him tentatively, he extended his free arm to her, she quickly crawled up and laid down beside him on her back her head on his shoulder. His arm around her shoulders, his fingers lightly and soothingly stroking her arm. Noticing the goose bumps there Angel reached for the corner of the blanket and pulled it up over her.

The Summoner murmured contentedly and her Western King felt a sense of peace wash over him. "So," Angel said smilingly, "do you recognize any of them?"

"Uhm," the young witch hummed and then said, "well I recognize Cassiopeia." Willow said dragging her hand out from under the confining covers to point. "She's easy to recognize because she lines up with the North Star and is shaped like a W."

"The vain mother of Andromeda, very good." Angel said, "Now can you find Andromeda, herself?"

"That's her there, that stick figure," she said tracing in the air along the stars like a giant dot-to-dot. Then moving down and to the left she traced another stick figure, "and there's Perseus, her rescuer and husband. He's below her and his trusty steed Pegasus is above her. Which means that Taurus is kind of hidden by the trees over there, but that's what is near the horizon below Perseus and Orion should be right on the horizon."

"I'm impressed." Angel rumbled in an amused tone, "Know any more?"

"Not right off the top of my head." Willow whispered snuggling closer.

Angel nodded and said, "Don't fall asleep yet mo cridhe. Now you remember that North Star at the end of the dipper, if you go east of it you'll find Draco, the Dragon. If you go east of the dragon you'll find Hercules, if you go south Cygnus, the Cross." Angel continued speaking soothingly, telling the young woman lying beside him stories about the stars. Even telling her some of the vampire stories about them. Eventually though he ran out of stories to tell and they fell into a comfortable silence.

Willow broke the silence when the moon started to rise though and said softly, "We should start back, it's getting late and I'm getting sleepy."

"Well I was going to suggest skinny dipping mo cridhe." Angel said slyly, gauging her reaction. He didn't really want to go skinny dipping right now, but he did want to see what her reaction would be to the suggestion. Seeing her shocked surprise and a slight note of interest in her eyes he continued, "But it is probably too cold this late at night." He said sitting up and pulling her up beside him. "And while blue is definitely one of your colors mo cridhe, something tells me blue lips won't suit you."

With that he stood and retrieved the now much lighter basket, he put the practically empty bottle of wine and the glasses in it. Willow stood up and began to shake the loose grass from its surface, as Angel went back to the river to retrieve their fishing gear. Admiring the rippled surface of the water, Angel wondered if Willow might really be interested in skinny dipping with him. <Maybe next time.> he thought before realizing as he looked at the rising and nearly dark moon. <There might not be a next time.> Shaking his head forcefully as though to dislodge the thought from his mind, Angel ignored that last thought deliberately as he gathered the last of the gear and started back up to their picnic spot.

Packing the small tackle cases back in the basket, he looked up at Willow and taking the blanket from her wrapped it around her shoulders. With the fishing poles and picnic basket in one hand and his other arm wrapped around Willow shoulders Angel started back toward the tunnel entrance. This time more alert to every sound and movement in the forest around them. As they neared the tunnel entrance Willow cleared her throat slightly and said very softly, "Angel?"

"Yes Willow?" he responded in a deep gentle tone.

"Would you...Did you really want to go skinny dipping with me?" the question was so soft it took him a minute to figure out what she had said. When he did the vampire was surprised by his own reaction to the question.

"Very much, mo cridhe." her dark haired companion replied, his voice dropping to a sensual purr in her ear.

"Maybe next time..." the young hacker let her response trail off.

"Yes, next time." Angel said and there was no mistaking the promise intended with that simple statement. It was written clearly in his words, voice, and body language as he pulled her closer under his arm. Possessiveness clear in his movements. When they reached the tunnel entrance, Angel set the basket aside but before he opened the hatch, Willow watched in fascination as he slowly sniffed the air.

He seemed satisfied with whatever he had smelled or failed to smell and pulled open the hatch. Dropping the poles into the tunnel, Angel grabbed the basket and looped it over his arm, before lifting her and sliding her around to his back. Looping her arms around his neck, and wrapping her legs around his waist. Willow held on not sure why he was doing this, but confident that he did know what he was doing. She kept quiet as he climbed down the ladder with surprising litheness.

Instead of lowering her to the ground once they reached the bottom, he knelt holding her in place with his free hand, and retrieved the rods from where they had landed. Angel stood and carried her along the tunnels although they were lighted this particular section was now much darker for some reason. The vampire felt the young woman on his back shudder and had a feeling this time it was more reaction to their surroundings than the chill, damp air that permeated the tunnels now.

"Tell me mo cridhe have you thought any more about the theme for your prom?" he said in a friendly tone, hoping she would latch onto his change of subject.

"Yeah, the stars inspired me I think." she said into his ear. Sending a shudder down his own spine but not from fear or the cold. When she didn't say anything else, he prompted, "Well...are you going to keep me in suspense?"

Willow giggled and the sound was enough to nearly make Angel groan. Instead he channeled that sexual energy into moving more quickly through the now more active tunnels. As he could now detect several others moving through the tunnels. his instincts told him that if he could detect them then they could probably also detect him and his very much living companion. While it would be unlikely for them to challenge him for someone in his company, it was not unheard of. Angel was broken out of his reverie when he felt Willow nudge him and say in a worried tone. "Did you hear what I said?"

"I'm sorry mo cridhe I didn't. I was concentrating, this particular section of the tunnels is a bit tricky." he lied smoothly.

Willow knew he was lying, if this particular section of the tunnel was so treacherous then why was moving increasingly faster through them. She tensed slightly and then continued the previous conversation, "I said, that I was thinking of something like, To the Stars in the Next Millennium, or maybe Riding the Stars into the Future. What do you think?"

"Both are very good mo cridhe, I think I like the first one better though. Don't worry too much about it though you still have plenty of time until the prom. When is it again April or May?" he said thoughtfully. Breathing a grateful sigh of relief when he saw the entrance to his own house looming ahead.

"Yeah something like that." Willow said distractedly and breathed a grateful sigh of relief when Angel ran his fingers along a section of the wall and a mechanism released that section of the wall to glide into the basement and open the door.

Angel hurried through, and pushed the door closed behind them. He let Willow slide to the floor then and set the poles and basket on the floor of the basement. He gently chaffed her arms through the blanket to help stimulate the circulation. Then he turned her and they headed up the stairs, "What about the basket and things?" she protested.

"We'll get it tomorrow, Willow. Right now, you need some rest. You're out on your feet." he explained as he guided her through the kitchen and up the back stairs. Without turning on any lights he led her unerringly to the door of her room, opening it he ushered her in and then turned to leave.

Her whispered, "Aren't you staying?" was nearly his undoing.

Turning back to her, Angel walked forward and caught her shoulders in his hands and then while one hand kept distance between them the other tilted her chin up so they could see each others eyes glittering in the darkness.

"I would like nothing more than to stay with you mo cridhe. Unfortunately that brings up the saint problem again. I'm a little too..." he tried to think of something that wouldn't frighten her too badly and continued, "eager...to keep myself from making love to you. Now be a good girl and go get in bed and I'll go get in my bed and ne'er the twain shall meet."

That earned him a slight smile from the blushing beauty, and that smile was enough to dent his resolve slightly so that he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers then up and along her cheekbones and when she obligingly closed her eyes, he trailed his lips very delicately across her eyelids before whispering there, "Sweet dreams, mo cridhe." and then he was gone.

Brushing her fingertips across where his lips had caressed Willow thought, I've got to learn how to do that. Before turning and getting ready for bed.

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