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)

Sunnydale High school:

Midmorning:

Giles was very much at the end of his considerable patience with the Council and their foolish ideas. They would rather destroy an innocent than deal with the idea that they had to depend on her to pull the world through the impending test.

He knew part of it was his fault. He had admitted that she accepted Angel and in doing so led them to believe, incorrectly, that she was in league with the darkness. Giles of all people knew why they worried, but ending Willow's life was not the answer. She could do this if they let her. Something inside of him in spite of himself, forced him to believe in her in spite....

He'd gone around in circles with the Council, one member or another telling him the same unwanted information. He almost wished he hadn't gotten his mail this morning. That the Counsel's private messenger, bearing an unwanted, post hadn't met him at his front door. He looked down at his desk, at the offending piece of paper, and wondered how such a small piece of paper could cause such worry. He pushed it aside as the line picked up again. He listened to the voice message on the other line, and waited for the tone.

"This is Rupert Giles. I want to be contacted the moment you have dispatched your solution, and I offer you a bit of advice; If she has manifested, it's gonna take more then your marksmen to end this game...." He heard the startled gasp behind him and turned to see Buffy standing in his door.

He'd forgotten that they were to train during her off periods this afternoon. Normally she would have waited outside, but he'd left the door open and she must have heard the sound of his voice and known he was there.

Buffy met her Watcher's sad gaze and wondered what had happened and what his words had meant...she didn't like the sound of them. She knew she hadn't been acting the best since this had begun, but Willow hadn't stolen Giles' boyfriend. Buffy slowly entered the office waiting for Giles to get off the phone, staring at his back as he spoke urgently into the receiver.

"What is it Giles?" she asked, walking to her tired looking Watcher, "Come on Giles, sit down." she said, pushing her mentor into the empty chair at the head of the table.

"Now... tell me what's up?" she demanded, sitting on the edge of the table by Giles. He watched her for a long moment, wondering what she would say about this latest bit of information that the Council had not deigned necessary to give them before now.

"Buffy, it would appear that the Council is aware of this particular prophecy and had every intention of ending it before it began." Giles said at last.

"How?" Buffy asked, sensing that this wasn't what was bothering her Watcher. There had to be more to it than that.

"By destroying the only thing that could bring it about." Giles said softly, sounding defeated and worried.

"What, so they know where this doorway is and waited till now to destroy it?" Buffy demanded, not understanding why they would have waited if they could fix it before it had gone this far.

"You don't understand. They don't know where the gate is. In fact the gate is wherever Willow is. She is the gate...It is not as simple as that. They don't want to destroy the gate, they want to destroy Willow." He saw Buffy visibly pale and wondered what she was thinking. Giles waited a moment before continuing.

"They found out about Angelus. About Willow being with him, they think she has turned to evil, and they want her destroyed.... To ensure that the gateway remains closed," Giles added after a moment.

"Wait... you mean..." she began.

"That's right. It would appear that the Council has sent trained assassins after our missing pair."

"Do they know where they are?" Buffy wanted to scream. She didn't understand. Had Angel and Willow somehow known that the Council would want them dead and left because of that? And if they did, did that mean that Willow was aware of the fact that trained assassins would be looking for them very soon?

No, Buffy decided, it didn't mean they knew. She needed to find Xander or Amy and have them warn Willow about the Council. There was no telling what manner of creature the Council had sent after them. She had seen first hand the kind of assassins hired by the forces of darkness. It didn't mean that the forces of light weren't equipped with much the same network.

"So we warn them, right Giles?" Buffy said at last.

"Oh I see you've decided to be an adult about this?" Giles asked softly, giving Buffy a look that assured her he wasn't convinced she had accepted Angel was no longer hers, but perhaps Willow's.

Buffy stared at Giles for a long moment. Caught between anger and pain. Anger that he would think her so childish, and pain that she had lost his respect.

She looked over at Giles, not quite meeting his gaze, spoke softly. "Okay so maybe I haven't been the most understanding person about what is going on here. But Willow hasn't exactly kept us in the know, has she? She let us go on believing that everything was fine, all the while hiding this from us."

"Yes she did, but the secret didn't nearly get us killed. She did what she had to do. The Fae from what I know of them, most likely made it a part of her training not to reveal her nature to others. She couldn't very well have the world knowing who or what she was.' Giles said after a pause.

"Did you know about the Prophecy before Giles? I mean did you know about this?" she demanded, her own fears coming to the fore. She had lost Angel, and she feared that she might lose Giles as well. What if he'd known, it was clear the Council knew.

"Not the who, no, the what certainly. That Prophecy has been around for a long time in one form or another. It's simply that the players where never encountered before."

"So if they knew it was Willow, why did they wait 'till now to do something about it?"

"Because they had to be sure of who," Giles said. The Watcher looked away from Buffy avoiding her gaze. Buffy caught his slight flounder.

"You told them, " she accused, shocked that Giles had told the Council about Willow. So it was his fault that they were after her. "We're going to help them aren't we Giles?" Buffy demanded at last staring, half-angry, half-terrified at her Watcher.

He looked at her uncertain of how to answer her question. "If what I believe is true is indeed fact, then it will be those fool assassins who need help."

"Giles, if Willow's' that strong, then why would this baddy think he can defeat her?" Buffy demanded.

"Because as Willow is, so is Galan. A stake through the heart will not dispatch Galan...he's fae and therefore, though bound by night, he isn't as susceptible as another vampire." Giles said, looking at Buffy.

Both turned as the sound of laughter preceded the opening of the double doors admitting both Xander and Amy. The duo froze as they caught sight of their] long worried faces.

"Oh God, what happened?" Xander demanded, "Is she okay?" He stood before Giles and Buffy, worry clouding his normally clear eyes. Amy paused in the background, still not sure of her welcome there.

Giles motioned toward Amy, knowing that they would need all the help they could get in finding a way to warn Willow and Angel of this new danger.

Pine Valley: Early afternoon

Willow had walked by the silent room three times since having awakened earlier that morning. She wanted to go in and wake him up, only she wasn't sure that was such a good idea considering the events of the past few days. She couldn't really say she blamed Angel for putting space between them last night. There was a lot they still had to talk about and two very important things he had to know before this could go any further.

The Summoner looked down at the necklace she held in her hand. A silver chain with a small green stone. Willow studied it for a moment, feeling it pulse with power and energy, and grinned, pleased with herself. Lifting her hand, she reached to open the door. The moment her fingers closed over the knob of the door she felt it: a sudden rush of power and images. Memories from the last time she had been in that room. Memories of what she and Angel...of everything that had transpired between them. She pushed the door open slowly and smiled. Angel still lay sleeping, the satiny blankets pulled up around his neck. The young wiccan chuckled, he reminded her of a small child exhausted by a day of play.

Moving quietly to the side of the bed, she gingerly sat down beside the sleeping vampire, and studied his face. He looked almost peaceful. She reached out and ruffled his hair gently before drawing her hand back and taking the necklace in it. She grinned, her hand slipping back into the vampires silky locks. For some reason, I can't stop touching you. She whispered mentally at the sleeping vampire.

She giggled very softly as she caught the slight rumbling sound of what she realized was Angel purring. He nuzzled against Willow's hand, reminding the hacker of a large, silky haired cat. She went to draw back only to be snagged by strong arms, and faced with a suddenly very awake vampire. She made a little shocked mewling sound as he dragged her into the bed beside him. He grinned at the airless gasp that escaped her lips.

"Good morning Angel." Willow whispered, as he squeezed her close. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"S'okay, " he answered sleepily, pulling her closer and settling a bare leg over her silk clad form, effectively trapping her next to him.

"Afraid I'm gonna run away?" Willow asked archly. She laughed as Angel nuzzled against her neck again. She murmured something incoherent against the inside of Angel's neck as she snuggled more deeply into his arms.

"Willow?" he whispered her name questioningly. She had curled herself up against his body, her long red-hair brushing against his bare chest. Her breath brushing against his sternum. Tenderness welled up inside Angel as he stared down at her, wondering on many levels how she had gotten so close, so long ago. It was strange but he'd always felt a strange sense of kinship with Willow. Her warmth and inner strength had always impressed upon Angel the deceptiveness of her frail looking facade.

She could feel him watching her. She knew she should get up, and drag Angel downstairs and give him the present she had made. She knew he'd want to explore and they had only so many hours. She moved reluctantly to sit up, only to have Angel capture her warm form against his cool skin.

"Stay." He whispered against her hair. She turned her head to look at him. She slipped her arms to either side of his form and started to push herself away from him. He captured one of her arms, causing her to settle rather forcefully back against him.

"Angel?!" Her voice held a hint of scolding, she attempted to get up again. He grudgingly allowed her, her freedom and watched as she levered herself upright on the edge of the bed.

She's not dressed. Angel's ever-observant mind informed him. His eyes lingered over the vee at the neck of the robe she wore. It offered up a tantalizing hint of pale flesh kissed by a strawberry blush that deepened when her eyes followed his.

"Angel." She gasped out indignantly. He chuckled softly in response to the slightly offended look on her face.

"Come on." She said pulling on his arm, waiting for him to get up.

"What are you in such a hurry for today, Willow?" He demanded.

"Hey, I have a surprise for you. You have all the money here, so it's not like I can go and buy you something really expensive...so I settled for priceless." She could see the speculation in his eyes, as he slowly began to pull himself up out of his bed.

She turned away from him, as if she'd just realized that he wasn't wearing anything beneath those sheets. He smiled at her back, mildly amused with her display. This was the woman who only two nights ago had turned the very fabric of his world inside out with her touch, her kiss, her desire, and she was suddenly embarrassed by his state of undress.

The ingenue stood by, able to hear him slip on his clothing and ready himself for the day. She waited till he came up behind her, settled a hand on her shoulder and smiling said, "Come on."

Willow opened the door and headed for the stairs and Angel followed close behind. He wondered what on earth she was up to. Whatever it was though, she seemed very excited about it. The young woman stopped at the bottom of the staircase, waiting for Angel to do the same, and glanced down at the object in her hand. She knew that he wouldn't understand what it was, not at first anyway.

Do you trust me?" She asked, looking at him. She was standing in the sunlight again. He realized now that she did that in order to stop him from scattering her thoughts. She had explained, in no uncertain terms, why she was doing that. You always do that, Angel. You touch me when you're afraid of what I might say. I won't ever willingly hurt you. Some things you just have to know.

"You know I do." He stated softly, looking deeply into her eyes. She smiled gently. She bit her lip softly and stepped out of the sunlight. She held up a small stone on a necklace. He studied it, recognizing the stone, but not having the slightest idea what she could have in mind. From the mischievous look in her eyes, she was up to something.

"Okay now this is simple," she reached up and put the necklace around his neck. He looked at her curiously, wondering what she was up to. She smiled warmly at him, her thoughts turning, as she tried to come up with a rhyme: Something simple, sure, and unmistakable. There, that's it she thought and cupped her palm over the stone and Angel's still heart

"Malachite,
Stone of light,
Surround and protect,
Whispered effect,
Sun turn to moon,
Burn turn to pleasant fire,
Grant this hearts desire."

Willow watched as a blue-green fire seeped through her fingers and around her palm. She moved her hand, the stone had begun to glow with power, then absorbed that glow inwardly. She looked back up at the shocked vampire. His eyes held his lack of understanding in an adorably sweet expression.

She walked to the couch on the other side of the room, smiling at the bemused expression on his face. She looked at him. Now, how do I test this to see if it worked?

She smiled and, deciding on her course, she reached her hand out to Angel. She smiled more brightly at him. "Come here." She said softly, motioning toward couch. He sat down as she asked. She stared at him for a moment, wondering how she was going to get him to do this. She smiled at him, then spoke. "Okay, close your eyes." He stared at her, his eyes going wide. He jerked away from her. His eyes conveyed his hurt. What did I do?

"Angel?" He stared at her, his eyes clouding with images that overwhelmed him.

"Angel...." Willow yelled. Realizing that she had triggered something painful with her words, she reached out to him mentally. She started, looking at what he was seeing. Oh god that's what Buffy said. How could she? How do I stop this? She stared into his mind.

She pushed her own images through the link trying to take control from the pain of what he was feeling. She pushed in the Beltane dance, the Faire, everything good that they had shared since their arrival here while absorbing his inner turmoil and pain. She trembled. She felt her own eyes tear as she took the pain into herself and processed it.

"Willow?!?!" he gasped out her name. She was holding him in her arms now. Easing back from him, she met his gaze, concealing the pain she still felt. It was fading and he didn't need to know what this did to her.

"Better?" She asked gently, looking up at him. She stared at the sun shining over Angel's shoulder and she gasped. Angel looked down at her.

"Yeah, how?" he asked her, unknowing of the small miracle she had wrought.

How indeed? She looked up into his eyes, how did one explain that which really didn't make a whole lot of sense. She simply took from him his pain, and in return handed back to him the joy and warmth that they had so recently share.

"The link. It has its perks." She smiled and waggled her eyebrows and led him over, further into the sun. When was he going to notice? She could tell that a cloud must have been obscuring part of the sun because the rays were becoming brighter and warmer now.

Angel took a few steps closer to Willow, still unaware of the sun peaking over his shoulder 'til he noticed the way his left shoulder blade seemed to be warm, warmer then it had been moments before. He turned sharply and was hit full in the face by rays of golden sunlight. He jerked back, facing Willow with shock, fear, and betrayal clear on his countenance. For a long moment it didn't dawn on him that the sunlight, though warm, was not burning his skin.

He swore lightly, staring at Willow for some sort of explanation. She smiled kindly at him. He didn't understand what she had done.

"It's a filter," she explained after a moment." You can go outside as long as you wear it and make sure that it's recharged." He stared at her, as the full impact of what she said hit him. The emotions chased each other across his face, shock, incredulity, doubt, amazement, and finally childlike wonder and joy. He scooped her up in his arms and turned around in circles. She shrieked softly as her feet left the floor. He laughed then clutching her closer. He nuzzled against her neck and all she could do was giggle at the tickling sensation.

Sunnydale: Mid-afternoon:

Giles, Buffy, Xander and Amy all looked up from their respective books as Cordelia sauntered into the library. She smiled at her boyfriend and offered non-committal glances to the others. Xander turned back to face Giles.

"So what happens now. Do we wait to find out who this assassin is or do we do something about it. What about warning them?" Xander demanded, needing answers to questions that had none.

He understood that Giles didn't have all the answers and wasn't the one to blame for the predicament that they found themselves in. Nor was it entirely Willow's or anyone's fault, it simply was and they would have to work extra hard to insure that it worked out.

"Okay, so I am going to be looking for more vampires tonight when I go on patrol?" Buffy chimed in.

"Yes," agreed Giles," and I want you to take Xander with you. The two of you will have better luck together and it will be safer."

Buffy nodded her head, a little reluctant to have another conversation with Xander and knowing that it meant Cordy would most likely tag along. She remembered all to well what happened the last time. She had to tell Giles about the books.

Reluctant, but knowing that it was most likely important, she opened her bag. "Giles, you remember how Willow had seen Angel before we ever met him? Well it's not surprising. If these are any indication, he was around her a lot."

"Hey, let me see." Xander said reaching for the newest book. He opened the front cover and stopped, shocked. He remembered that night. The masque had been the theme of the dance. Willow had been wearing this beautiful dress, and he had noticed that she spent most of the night dancing with this guy he had never seen before.

"I remember this." Xander said aloud. Yeah I remember it and how jealous I was that someone else was holding her attention. "She wore this beautiful dress and she was alone cause I was too busy being too stupid to realize that my best friend needed to be noticed...in a non best bud capacity...although she danced with this guy all night. I mean, he showed at like 9, and disappeared before midnight.... Guess he was playing Cinderella."

"And Willow didn't get upset cause he just left?" demanded Buffy. She was sure that the unnamed man had been Angel.

"No I think she was living a fantasy and she allowed for the fact that you wake up at the end of dreams..." Xander answered.

"Besides," Cordelia added, "what's more romantic and sexy then a mystery man." She looked pointedly at Buffy who was conveniently not looking at her. "Come on Buffy, admit it. You had it bad for Angel from the moment you met him, and the fact that he was a vampire only added danger and taboo to it. I mean, come on, what's more forbidden than a Slayer being involved with the enemy? Even one that didn't want you dead at the time."

Buffy stared at Cordelia, unable to speak. Hating the girl for her seeming understanding of things that Buffy herself still had not fully dealt with. When it came to her relationship with Angel. It made her nervous and uncomfortable to she looked at things too closely.

Sunnydale: Mid-afternoon:

Giles, Buffy, Xander and Amy all looked up from their respective books as Cordelia sauntered into the library. She smiled at her boy friend and offered non-committal glances two the others. Xander turned back to face Giles.

"So what happens now. Do we wait to find out who this assassin is or do we do something about it. What about warning them?" Xander demanded needing answers to questions that had none.

He understood that Giles didn't have all the answers and wasn't the one to blame for the predicament that they found themselves in. Nor was it entirely Willow's or anyone's fault, it simply was and they would have to work extra hard to insure that it worked out.

"Okay so I am going to be looking for more then vampires tonight when I go on patrol?" Buffy chimed in.

"Yes," agreed Giles," and I want you to take Xander with you. The two of you will have better luck together and it will be safer."

Buffy nodded her head a little reluctant to have another conversation with Xander and knowing that it meant Cordy would most likely tag along. She remembered all to well what happened the last time. She had to tell Giles about the books.

Reluctant but knowing that it was most likely important she opened her bag. "Giles, you remember how Willow had seen Angel before we ever met him. Well it's not surprising if these are any indication, he was around her a lot."

"Hey let me see." Xander said reaching for the newest book. He opened the front cover and stopped shocked. He remembered that night. The masque had been the theme of the dance. Willow had been wearing this beautiful dress and he had noticed that she spent most of the night dancing with this guy that he had never seen before.

"I remember this." Xander said aloud. Yeah I remember it and how jealous I was that someone else was holding her attention. "She wore this beautiful dress and she was alone cause I was too busy being stupid to realize that my best friend needed to be noticed...in a non best bud capacity...although she danced with this guy all night. I mean he showed at like 9 and disappeared before midnight.... Guess he was playing Cinderella."

"And Willow didn't get upset cause he just left?" demanded Buffy she was sure that the unnamed man had been Angel.

"No I think she was living a fantasy and she allowed for the fact that you wake up at the end of dreams..." Xander answered.

"Besides," Cordelia added, "what's more romantic and sexy then a mystery man." She looked pointedly at Buffy who was conveniently not looking at her. "Come on Buffy admit it. You had it bad for Angel from the moment you met him and the fact that he was a vampire only added danger and taboo to it. I mean come on what's more forbidden then a Slayer being involved with the enemy, even one that didn't want you dead at the time."

Buffy stared at Cordelia unable to speak. Hating the girl for her seeming understanding of things that Buffy still had not fully dealt with. When it came to her relationship with the vampire. It made her nervous and uncomfortable when she looked at things too closely.

Pine Valley: Mid-afternoon:

Willow walked along patiently behind Angel. Watching him delight in discovering everything as if it were new. She smiled at his wonder, enjoying his boyish excitement. Willow carried the rather large picnic basket, despite Angel's protests, she had insisted he needed his hands free. Now he was filling his hands with flowers, each one different and unique. By the time the pair had gotten to Katia's house he had amassed a huge and colorful bouquet. "Okay switch," Willow said, Angel turned to look at her and nearly took her breath away. He had a huge, boyish grin on his face, the likes of which Willow had never seen on the vampire's countenance before. It made him look...beautiful and he was so happy. Willow blinked rapidly to keep the tears that were burning the corners of her eyes from falling, as she looked away from his eyes to the bouquet of flowers.

"You give me the flowers," Willow began to explain. As she stepped closer to him, the titian haired woman continued, "I give you the basket and then I blindfold you." She concluded as she took the blue silk scarf out of the picnic basket.

Angel looked warily at the scarf as Willow stood in front of him. Finally he said, "But Willow, I want to see..."

"I know, and you will." explained the hacker, "But I want this to be a surprise, and it won't be if you peek. That's why I brought the scarf to blindfold you." Seeing the vampires continued reticence she soothed, "It won't take long to get there from here, and I think you'll like it." Setting down the basket, Willow said, "Now come on."

Angel turned around and reluctantly bent his legs slightly so that he was on a level with the redhead. Willow put the blindfold on easily and adjusted it to her satisfaction. After giving Angel the picnic basket, Willow took the colorful bouquet in one hand and the vampires arm in the other and led him to the glen carefully.

When they got to the edge of the clearing, Willow took the basket and set it down, placing the flowers on top of it. Walking him over to stand in front of a flat-topped rock, the young woman climbed up on the rock behind him and whispered, "Ready?"

Angel could only nod his head, her breath on his neck making him shudder. Willow quickly untied the knot that held the scarf in place, pulling the silky blue material aside. Still standing behind him, she felt rather than heard the in-drawn breath, "Is this another dream, Mo cridhe?" he finally asked in wonder.

"No, Angel," the hacker said from behind him, "this is real. What do you think?" she added. For a long moment, the vampire didn't reply, then he turned to face the fae witch. Willow gazed directly into eyes awash in bloody tears, appalled she said quickly, "I'm sorry...I thought you would like it...I'm sorry...please don't cry." even as she stammered her apology her own eyes began to fill with tears.

Pulling her into an almost bone crushing hug, Angel whispered to her, "I'm crying because I'm happy. How could you think I would be otherwise?" Then realizing he was probably crushing the air right out of her, he stood her back on the rock and taking the scarf from her, wiped Willow's tears away with it.

Turning back to look at the glen again, Angel said with quiet reverence, "It's breathtaking Willow."

"Yeah I know." the redhead said on a shuddery sigh, "Not that you have any breath to take of course but still..." Willow gave a little devilish smirk. Then on an impulse she wrapped her arms around him and put her chin on his shoulder, "That's why, I wanted you to see it."

After a few quiet moments of enjoying the scenery around them. Angel suddenly got a devilish gleam in his eye and after placing a hand behind each of Willow's knees he pulled her onto his back and ran around the clearing giving the young redhead the wildest piggy back ride she had ever had. Using his vampiric speed and agility he was running and jumping around the glen like a madman with the shrieking girl clinging to his back. Finally they ended up back where they had started, lying on their backs in the grass, laughing, out of breath, and nearly exhausted. Willow finally caught her breath and rolled to a sitting position by the picnic basket. Still occasionally bursting into a short fit of giggles she began to unpack the basket. Angel watched Willow as she moved about gracefully. Unbidden other memories came of her, as they often did.

Willow sitting at her computer, her bottom lip caught between her teeth in concentration. Inviting him to play pool with herself and Harris. Asking him very timidly if he was going to bite her if she found something he didn't like. Calling him mom when she was almost unconscious from gas fumes when he had carried her out of the boiler room. The darker memories came too. Angelus holding her against him much too tightly in the school hallway. Spying on her at her home, watching her through her balcony window. She came out of her bathroom, her robe translucent and clinging due to her still damp body. His thoughts of what she would look like and be like as a vampire, if he turned her. Angel shook himself from what had become a daymare, needing something to do; he took the blanket and began to spread it out. When everything was laid out to Willow's satisfaction they began their picnic. The first picnic Angel had attended in over 200 years.

The pair enjoyed their meal in silence for a while until a thought occurred to Angel. "Willow," he questioned, "how long does this...filter last?"

She smiled, a little sadly; he thought and replied, "Only 48 hours, longer if you don't wear it when it's not in use." Angel looked away and imagining his disappointment Willow quickly added, "It can be recharged though, just need some candles and some smudging herbs." When his head remained lowered Willow hurried on, "It's fairly simple and doesn't take very long to do...and later on I'll figure out how to make it permanent and."

With a sudden lunge Angel was right in front of her, somehow his legs were on either side of hers and while his right arm was wrapped around Willow's waist, his left hand was over her mouth and in a suddenly stern voice he said, "Stop babbling and listen." Willow was struck dumb by Angel's seeming anger and blinked rapidly to keep from crying.

Now that he had her attention Angel seemed to hesitate briefly to collect his thoughts, then speaking intensely and sincerely he said, "You seem to have the misconception that anything you say or do could disappoint me, Mo cridhe." He paused briefly to make sure he had Willow's undivided attention and then continued, "You were the only one who gave me your friendship freely and unconditionally. When Angelus came back and killed Jenny, you were the only one who didn't think Buffy should kill me right off, who thought there might be another option and tried to find it. Willow you gave me back my soul..." he paused again, heaving a slight breath before continuing, "you nearly died trying the first time but instead of giving up, you tried again while you were still in the hospital, and succeeded. Then Willow Ann Rosenberg as if that weren't enough you drag my sorry carcass out of hell and fight my demon for the possession of my body! Then you give me this filter." shaking his head in wonder he said, "Willow, I thought the only time I would ever see the sun again was right before I died. To see what the flowers, trees, clouds, sky, grass, everything looks like in the sun. Then you bring me to this... most beautiful place on earth. And you think I might be disappointed because the spell has to be recharged after 48 hours? You must think me an awful, ungrateful monster if you believe that Willow. Nothing you could ever do, would ever disappoint me." When he saw the light of understanding begin to dawn in Willow's eyes, Angel added one last thing, "If I ever see you looking guilty or hear you trying to apologize for something that is as much of a blessing as all of this has been...I think I'll bend you over my knee and spank you." he said with an amused smile to temper the threat. Setting Willow away from him, Angel reached for the bottle of blood, before adding, "Now let's eat. I have some ideas for what we could do in the sun."

Willow gazed at him wide-eyed for several minutes before finishing her sandwich and chips. Angel watched her as she wolfed down her food. He had finished about three-quarters of the bottle before deciding he was sated. While the blood was very fresh, he still didn't find it as satisfying or as flavorful as Willow's blood, but at least it was filling. When he saw that Willow was finished eating Angel said, "Now for a game of hide-and- go-seek and you're it first. You stay in hiding till you're found, or if you're able you can get back here to the blanket." Angel continued to lay out the rules as he stood and pulled Willow to her feet. "You count to one hundred. You don't use magic, vampiric speed, or agility. You get tagged, you're it. Any questions?"

At the shake of the petite hacker's head, Angel smiled and said with amusement. "Then start counting." and as Willow covered her eyes and sat down cross-legged on the blanket to count, Angel vanished into the woods.

Nearly twenty minutes later Willow was about to give up, when she noticed a slight difference in the shadows about fifty feet in front of her. She moved closer with as much stealth as she could muster and the shadows began to take on the outline of a man...Angel. Strangely, if she leaned to her left, he disappeared from sight, if she leaned on her right foot, he reappeared. Shrugging she slipped forward and pounced.

Willow caught Angel by his shoulders from behind, and exploded in gales of musical laughter. "Gotcha!" she cried and then felt Angel start to fall. She let out a little yelp as she began to fall with him.

With vampiric speed, as the two of them began to topple to the ground together, Angel pulled her against his chest. Flipping so that he hit the ground first on his back with her on top of him. "Ugh." he grunted, at the force of landing on his back.

Willow hadn't expected the sudden fall as she had snuck up on him. It happened too fast, she couldn't stop and she knew it was going to hurt when she landed. She closed her eyes and felt herself land on something firm, yet softer and more giving than the ground. Then she heard the grunt above her head and realized Angel was lying under her. The amulet was right under her nose, still intact. "Whew." she exhaled, as she buried her head in his chest and squeezed her eyes closed. This feels so good, so safe, so right...Why can't I just...

Angel tightened his arms around her. He felt the moment she relaxed and felt his love for her push it's way to the fore. God help me, she fits me so perfectly, I can't be just friends...how...

"Sorry." Willow mumbled into Angel's chest. "I didn't mean to startle you...I mean I did but..." She stammered as she looked up into his face, "I..."

He pressed his fingers against her lips. Angel gently traced the curves of her upper lip with his thumb and then brushed her lower lip with his finger. Willow's lips were a dusky rose and her hair shone like a copper penny in the sunlight. Sunlight, she gave me the sun.

Angel continued to explore her face with his hands and his eyes. His eyes followed the motions of his hands. Angel ran his fingers over her chin, along her jawline, then up and over her cheekbones. He traced the line of her nose with his thumb. Her eyes are as green as Ireland. Then Angel stroked the graceful arch of each eyebrow. The color of spice. His touch was so light, so cool and gentle.

Angel studied every detail of her face almost as if he were trying to memorize it. He is. She realized, He's trying to memorize what I look like in the sun. Realizing that Willow began to do the same to Angel.

Pulling herself up his body, so that she could look down directly into his face, Willow supported herself with one arm. While using the other for her gentle exploration of his face. This is a bad idea, what if... was her last rational thought. Willow stroked her fingers through the spiky, soft texture of his hair. The sunlight made it lighter, almost gold at the ends. A halo for an angel. She giggled at the thought. Then continued her study of Angel's sunlit face. His skin was smooth, the usual pallor of it turned gold by the morning sun, and their earlier exertions had actually made his cheeks pink with borrowed blood. Willow moved her fingers across his brow ridge, from the outside in, stroking the silky hairs the wrong way, then smoothing them back into place. The redhead gently stroked her thumb down his broad nose. Then Willow looked into the vampire's eyes and thought, I'm in deep trouble. Angel's usual chocolate brown eyes had a slight glow of vampiric gold. Why do I fell like the mouse playing with the cat? Willow thought, but instead of pulling back she continued discovering the planes and hollows of Angel's face. Using her thumb, she stroked across the feathery texture of his left eyelash, he closed his eyes. Willow sighed in relief as her thumb continued down across his cheekbone and then across his lips.

Changing to her index and middle fingers, Willow stroked his lips again. Oh goddess, why do things have to be so complicated... She moved her fingers down along his chin and then across his jawline. Then lowering her head slowly, Willow barely grazed his lips with her own. How could something so simple, make me feel like I'm on fire? She thought as she raised her head and looked into Angel's open and decidedly feral eyes. Cause it's not simple, nothing between us is simple. Willow thought as Angel took a ragged gasping breath and wove his fingers through her red tresses. Eep! and I think it's about to get even more complicated. She continued as Angel pulled her mouth back down to his. He ran his tongue across her lips, urging them apart.

Willow gasped and Angel took advantage of the parting of her lips. There was nothing gentle about this kiss. It was hot and desperate, as if he couldn't stand to wait another second. He held her until he knew he had to let her go, to let her breath.

Willow pulled away gasping, when she had finally caught her breath. "You're it. Remember you have to count to a hundred." Then she shoved herself off of him and stood up, not looking at him.

Angel blinked. Was she really going to pretend it didn't happen? Was she really going to pretend that kiss they had just shared wasn't hot enough to make him think that he was going to turn into a very small pile of ash, at any second? The vampire gazed at her intently as he sat up and began to brush himself off. She wasn't looking at him, not only was she not meeting his watchful gaze, she couldn't look at him at all. She wasn't unaffected at all. What then, Had he frightened her again? He had promised not to touch her without an invitation, but what was that kiss then if not an invitation? God why can't I tell her? She means everything to me an... And she's not ready to hear that yet idiot. Relax follow her lead for now. Came that other voice. The one he had heard after he had found Willow in the protective circle. He didn't question it, only listened and finally agreed. Rising he moved slowly so as not to frighten the hacker, then gave a slight and reassuring smile.

"Alright, mo cridhe, but no using magic to help you hide," he said shaking his finger at her.

Willow looked up at him sharply, meeting his gaze gratefully and then giggling in relief, she replied, "I don't need magic to hide from you. You won't find me!" She added with a smile.

Angel looked down at the petite redhead thoughtfully. Then he grasped her chin gently in his long, strong fingers, and said, "I could find you anywhere Willow." The glow came back into his eyes briefly before he tamped it back down. He released her chin quickly and said, "Now go."

Covering his eyes, Angel sat on the ground, Indian style, he began counting to a hundred. The vampire could hear the hacker giggle as she ran off and began searching for a hiding place. Then in his head, Count louder. Without commenting he began counting louder, "63, 64, 65, 66."

Count slower. He chuckled aloud at that and said in his mind, Anything else, squirt. Would you like me to count in Gaelic, too? He said as he continued to count albeit more slowly, "79-, 80-, 81-, 82-." Angel stood up slowly as he got to 90 and when he got to one hundred he shouted, "Ready or not a ghrààidh, hear I come."

With that he dropped his hands and blinked rapidly in the bright sunlight. The sun, when they had first come outside it had been almost all Willow could do to keep him from staring directly at the sun. Enough, he had a redhead to catch, and he wasn't going to let her get away. Nope not today.

Kneeling closer to the ground where the breeze wouldn't blow her scent about, he detected that unique Willow scent. Luckily the charm didn't affect his other vampiric attributes. Tracking her he detected a slight flash of coppery red at the edge of the woods, when he got close to her, as she ducked closer into her hiding place between the roots of a fallen tree. Moving further along the line of trees and away from Willow's hiding place. When he had gotten safely out of her sight he ducked back into the line of trees, using the shadows of the forest he moved back to her hiding place. Falling into vampire stealth mode he moved through the forest without making a sound. When he got back to the fallen tree Angel could see Willow craning her neck from her hiding place, trying to find him in the clearing. Leaping silently up on the log, he crept up behind her, until he was right behind her. Willow had half-risen from her hiding place trying to find the vampire. With a decidedly predatory grin, Angel morphed into his game face and leapt down behind her, grabbing her shoulders he spun her around and yelled "Gotcha!"

Willow gave a shriek of terror, which dissolved into gales of laughter as he began tickling her. "Uncle, okay, uncle!"

Pausing in his torture, Angel said in a perplexed voice, "Uncle, who?" Which only made the young woman laugh all the harder.

Finally when she had calmed down somewhat and they had made their way back into the clearing Willow said, "Okay my turn, again."

With that said, the young hacker sat down on the blanket in much the same position that Angel had assumed before and began to count. Angel said nothing and she didn't even hear him run off. When she got up she couldn't detect him anywhere. Willow huffed a sigh, and resigned herself to another long hunt. Moving into the woods near where she had been hiding, she didn't see the shower of silver that came up behind her suddenly and after that she didn't see anything at all.

Angel felt it the moment she was gone, he felt it like a stake tearing through his soul. He felt Willows absence as deeply as anything he'd ever known. So much for not caring, Angel. Like you even had a chance? You were gone the moment she smiled at you with those forgiving eyes. The moment Willow opened a vein for you, you belonged to her. He chuckled ruefully at his own stupidity. You really thought you were safe? That she wasn't as dangerous as the Slayer? Angel looked about the glen trying to figure out who had taken Willow and why? No one from Sunnydale knew where they were. Willow had assured a distraught Giles that they, that *she* was safe. He then realized who, with a sickening certainty, was holding her, and strangely he felt more the fiery pull of pure jealousy then fear. He reached out to her mentally only to run smack into an impenetrable barrier. Willow?!?! Now Angel was afraid. Not that he thought Tristan would hurt her, but she was scared he could feel it slipping through the barrier.

Angel shook his head trying to clear it. Where would he have taken her? Not close by or the link would be enough to find her. So Willow would have had to be taken out of town. Wondering if he could find her in this mess, he realized that there was one person who could help him. He touched the necklace and ran toward the town. That bastard knew he didn't have a vehicle when he'd taken Willow. His vampiric speed had him at Katia's door within a few minutes although it seemed like hours to the worried vampire.

A familiar auburn haired teenager opened the door. She opened the door and peered out uncertainly. Seeing who was standing there she gasped. Reaching out she quickly tugged Angel inside.

"Are you mad Angelus, the sun...you're a vampire. That normally isn't a good combo. She stuttered in a hyper fashion.

He forced a smile for the young woman. "Is your Nana here Cassie?" he asked her kindly. He had always liked the young woman; she was a third generation witch. Her whole family lived in the safe town. He looked up as the older Katia entered the front room.

"What is it Angelus?" she asked. Witches in general were not that fond of vampires but Angel was very good at winning over the most unwilling of people. He gave the woman a miserable look.

"A fae has taken Willow. I was wondering if you might know where he took her?" He hated asking for help; it was against his nature. So he knew that she would understand the depth of his feelings for Willow, as well as his concern, simply because he asked for help.

The woman stared at him curiously for a moment and then said thoughtfully, "The only place that would be far enough away and wouldn't be harmful to him would be the mountains yonder, the hills. He could have her in one of the retreats."

Angel nodded in response to each of these suggestions. It was all he could do to stand in one place. As it was he was bouncing from one foot to the other subtly, but the witch noticed.

Then she looked pointedly outside at the sunlight and said, "How did you get here, anyway?"

"Willow," he said absently, "she put a spell on the stone." He said fingering said amulet and then continued, "It only lasts for a few hours but I can walk in the daylight. We were taking a walk when the fae took her."

The witches eyebrows rose, "I sensed she was powerful but this is remarkable, especially for one so young." The witch moved forward and lifted the stone in her hand to examine it more closely.

She looked into the vampire's dark gaze. Her eyes held an understanding he had seen in few people. She continued to hold the necklace. She could feel the power that connected the two.

"Angel, why is it that with this link you cannot find her?" Angel looked at the old woman surprise clear in his eyes.

"How...how do you know about that? And because she isn't answering, I can feel her, her fear but she isn't answering my call." His voice betrayed just how miserable he felt about the whole thing.

"You feel as though part of yourself is missing? Yes?" Katia questioned compassionately.

"Yes." the vampire said in an anguished tone.

"It's not and I wasn't speaking of the mental connection, I was talking about this." Katia reached out and placed a hand in the center of his chest, over his heart chakra. She closed her eyes, drew in breath, then opened them again. She studied the silver cord that moved and swayed through her hand as she touched the base of it. The witch could feel the intense power that radiated from the burning green light that swirled at his heart. She smiled and gently tweaked the cord, holding it tight. Angel gasped as a strange nearly light-headed feeling passed over him. Dizzy, he reached to right himself.

The Witch drew back but smiled kindly at him. "I am sorry young one. I am afraid that is what happens when you pull a cord straight."

"What was that?" He asked clearly shaken.

"That my boy is how you will find her. It's your connection on this plane. If you use that you can home in on her." She saw the look that passed over his face and the lack of understanding. She wondered once again about Willow. Why hadn't she told Angel of it? She would know it was there. "Look," she said softly pointing downward. "Now imagine a green glowing light right there." She waited as the vampire struggled to do as she instructed. She saw the exact moment the light and cord became something he could see.

"What?...what is that?" Angel said in a shocked voice.

"That is your connection to Willow. It will pull you to her. If you let it, it grows brighter the closer you get. All right...Do you want to wait the day here? And take off that necklace, no sense draining it when you might need it later."

Angel looked towards where Katia had moved as he carefully pulled the amulet over his head. She had moved to sit at the large wooden dining room table and Cassia had moved to stand behind her grandmother. Cassie placed her hands on Katia's shoulders. Katia saw the look on Angel's face and the anguish in his eyes. She didn't release his gaze instead she touched her granddaughters hand and said, "Cassie make us some tea, won't you?"

The younger woman looked as though she would protest but then looking from her grandmother to Angel she complied. Something very powerful was going on and while she didn't want to miss it she also didn't want to be in the middle of it.

"Katia," Angel said cautiously, "what does this connection mean? Why is it between Willow and I? Is it because she...what would cause the connection to happen?"

Katia looked at the increasingly distraught vampire, beginning to wonder how much she should tell him. She motioned for him to join her at the table as she collected her thoughts. The witch reached out and took one of Angels hands in her own, she knew this was making him uncomfortable, but she needed the connection with him right now.

"The silver cord that you saw is an astral cord. In your case it's between you and Willow. I've never heard of it happening between a human and a vampire before, but then I've never heard of a vampire with a soul either, before you" Katia said firmly.

"Yes...I see. It probably happened when Willow and I joined souls to fight the demon." Angel said thoughtfully.

"Demon?" queried the witch.

"Yes, Willow and I fought the demon for my body. Willow started the fight but she was distracted and hurt. We joined souls and fought and killed the demon." Angel responded with a hint of pride.

"How did you get the demon out of you to fight him?" Katia questioned.

"Oh, he came out of my body to fight Willow. He was enraged that she had managed to bring us both out of hell." he stated as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You were in Hell?!?!" she demanded, dropping his hand in shock Cassie hadn't told her this part.

"Yes." he said becoming uncomfortable under her suddenly intense scrutiny.

Modulating her tone to try and cover her surprise she questioned cautiously, "How did you get there?"

If Katia thought that the vampire had been uncomfortable before, this question seemed to put him right on edge. Angel stood up from the dining room table and began to pace the room. She noticed that his hands clenched again and again into fists as he stalked. He finally began to speak, quietly at first, his voice gradually growing in volume, as his agitation grew.

"I met a woman, the Slayer, we should never have met. Willow said we were going against fate, maybe she was right. The Slayer... Buffy and I we fought side by side all of the evils of the Hellmouth. On her birthday after we had both nearly died we made...we had...." he struggled for the right words for a moment, then continued, "we consummated our relationship. It was the happiest moment I've had since I was embraced...and the worst."

Angel turned back to face the witch and explained, "The Curse that gave me back my soul had a part that I didn't know about. If I experienced one moment of happiness I would loose my soul and become Angelus again." he saw Katia's face pale as she realized what he was saying.

"I did." he stated simply to her whitened face. "I became Angelus again, only ten times worse. I had let myself care about people, feel human. The demon hated that. He hated everyone and everything that had made me feel human, normal." That statement caused him to crease his brow for a moment, as something nagged at his memory, then he continued.

"I hurt them all. I killed a friend of Buffy's and vamped her and sent her to attack Buffy. I taunted them all. Torturing them emotionally and mentally, I was intent on driving Buffy insane before I killed her. I was going to kill all of her friends in a long drawn out fashion to make her suffer. I killed a woman, a Gypsy, a friend of theirs, who was trying to give me back my soul. Then I placed her body in the bed of the Watcher." he looked up at the woman who was studying him cautiously, "She and the Watcher were...they were involved."

"Angelus tried to kill Willow." then the memory that had been tickling the back of his mind clicked, "She had made me feel the most normal, the most human, so she was the first one I went after. I caught her in the school, tricked her into thinking I was Angel, I couldn't decide if I should drain her or just break her neck, but I was distracted and I didn't kill her. When the demon couldn't kill her, he killed her pet fish instead. He took them out of the tank in her room, gutted them, strung them on a wire, and mailed them to her."

Angel would have continued but Katia interrupted him, "You said that Angelus couldn't kill Willow?" He nodded and she continued.

"Why not?" He looked at her blankly for a moment and she explained. "You said that Willow made you feel the most normal, the most human?" Again Angel nodded in response and again she continued. "Which means that Angelus should have wanted her dead above all the others, and yet he couldn't kill her. Why not?"

The vampire looked shocked and then thoughtful for a moment. Then his face changed again to perplexed wonder; he looked at Katia in complete bewilderment. He honestly didn't know. Katia took pity on him after a moment and said "Finish telling me what happened and we'll come back to that part."

Angel nodded absently and continued, "I found a statue of Acathala, a demon lord and was going to open a portal and bring hell on earth. I realized I needed the Watcher to interpret the ritual. So I distracted Buffy, while several of my minions went to the library to get him. I didn't realize it when we started out, but they, Willow and the others were trying to give me back my soul. When my minions got there they killed another Slayer, kidnaped the Watcher, hurt one of the others and pushed a bookcase over on Willow. The Slayer realized I was diverting her and went back to the library, too late though."

Katia interrupted again, "Willow had been hurt and you sent the Slayer back to help her?" she questioned pointedly.

"That's not it! That's not how it happened at all." Angel said shaking his head vigorously.

"Then how did it happen?" Katia bullied.

Angel blurted out, "Angelus told Buffy that it wasn't all about her and..."

"Why did he say that? What did he mean by it?" Katia interrupted and began firing questions at him. Hoping to get a firm response from him. She had a suspicion, but she needed him to confirm it. Right now though he seemed more confused than anything, So she decided to return to the more soothing approach.

"What happened after all that?" she questioned, returning to her calming tones.

"I tortured the Watcher and learned the ritual. I started the ritual; I drew the sword out of Acathala, to open the doorway. Then Buffy came, she and I fought, I felt this blinding pain, and when I looked up, I was me again. Only at that time I didn't remember what Angelus had done, about Acathala, or the vortex to hell. I talked to Buffy, we shared a kiss, and then she..." Angel visibly shuddered and then tried again. "She told me to close my eyes, I did, she kissed me, and then shoved her sword through my stomach."

Angel turned away from the woman and began to pace again. As he walked past her again she noticed the blood dripping from his hands. He had been clenching and unclenching his fist repeatedly until his fingernails had dug into his palm causing it to bleed freely. He didn't even notice.

"I went through the vortex to hell and the vortex closed. My demon was thrilled to be home, Acathala was not so thrilled. I had failed to bring hell on earth. Acathala expressed his displeasure with me. He tortured me constantly; mentally, physically, emotionally; I was his new plaything." His eyes held an unholy light as he continued hoarsely, "...and Acathala does enjoy his toys. I was there for 100 years as his entertainment."

Seeing Katia's raised eyebrow he explained more calmly, "Time works differently on different planes. Time goes much slower in hell, it draws out the suffering that way."

He continued to explain, "Then one day I wasn't in hell, I was on the astral plane and Willow was there. She told me what she planned to do, told me everything that had happened while I was gone. She acted as if nothing of Angelus had happened. Then she showed me the sunrise. It was incredible."

He paused for a moment, his face at peace, as he remembered Willows special gift for him. Shaking himself, Angel looked down at the witch and said, "Willow pulled me out of hell, soon after that. We fought the demon as I told you. To win we had to combine our souls. That must be when we became connected." his chin dropped almost to his chest as he whispered, "Poor Willow she probably never wanted this, to be connected to me in any way. Let alone this."

"No." Katia said in a blunt tone.

Angel's head snapped up as he looked at the witch. "What do you mean, no?"

Katia motioned for Angel to sit back down. When he had joined her at the table she picked up one of his hands. With gentle fingers she opened his palm showing

him the wounds he hadn't noticed there. The woman hissed in sympathy at the marks left by his fingernails then yelled through the kitchen door, "Cassie bring me a wet washcloth."

"Yes Nana." came the response. Within a moment the young girl came through the doorway carrying a tea tray and a wet washcloth. When she saw the wounds on Angel's hands Cassie said, "Should I get the first aid kit?"

"No child," her grandmother responded as she took the washcloth and began washing Angels hands, "this will be plenty." When she was satisfied that she had gotten all of the sticky blood off of his hands she set the washcloth aside.

Katia examined the wounds again and noticing that they were already beginning to heal she took his hand in her own again. "Cassie pour the tea, be quiet, listen, and learn." the witch said to her granddaughter before turning back to the vampire.

Katia stared deeply into his eyes and Angel had the most uncomfortable feeling that she could see into his soul. Her next words convinced him of that fact.

"You're lying to me Angel, but what's worse, you're lying to yourself." the old witch stared at him intently and said, "How long have you known Willow, Angel?"

When Angel opened his mouth to respond, she stopped him and said, "I don't mean how long have you known her to speak to her. I mean... how long have you been watching her?"

Angel's mouth snapped shut and he stared at the woman again, he didn't answer.

"How long Angel?" her voice was forged steel as she looked at the reluctant vampire.

"For several years, since she was about 8. Her family was going to a carnival that had come to town. Vampires were following them, easy pickings. I saw the sunset glinting off that little girls hair and I decided that this family wasn't going to die like mine had." he mumbled unable to take his eyes away from Katia's intent gaze.

"You've been protecting her this whole time, haven't you Angel?" she continued.

"Yes." replied the increasingly uncomfortable vampire.

"Why? Why have you been watching and protecting Willow all this time, Angel?" Katia asked pointedly.

"I...I don't know.." Angel said looking away from the witch for the first time since they had started this part of the conversation. He looked over at Cassie who quickly handed him the cup of tea that she had made for him. Angel swallowed half of the cup in one gulp, then set the cup back down.

Katia grasped his chin firmly but gently and turned him back to face her. When she had him gazing into her hypnotic eyes again she said determinedly, "Yes you do. When you became Angelus, your demon could not even kill her. To ensure that you did not kill her, you frightened her with the incident you spoke of and her fish. You were trying to ensure that she stayed away from you....from Angelus the demon. Why did you do that Angel?"

"Willow always seemed to take my being a vampire in stride. She just accepted it. She never acted like it was anything except another part of me. Like a tattoo or birthmark or something." he said with a smile of remembrance. Then he frowned as he continued to explain, "She was so accepting of it, of me...too accepting...she wouldn't have cared about the difference between Angelus and me. I wanted her to stay away so she wouldn't be hurt. So I scared her."

"Have you always protected her, Angel?" the woman queried quietly. Now that she had him talking again there was no need to badger.

"It wasn't like that. I mean I just sort of looked after her. I can't really say why. I was compelled. I didn't have a will of my own when it came to her. I wasn't able to maintain any kind of detachment. I mean. I watched her from a safe distance."

"Safe for who?" Katia asked softly, knowingly. He stared at her, shocked into silence for a moment, taken aback by her question.

"What does that mean?" he demanded defensively, "For both of us, it was better. I mean I kept her safe, but she never knew I was there. I mean what would she have thought if I showed myself to her. This man she doesn't know, following her and watching her. Hell I was a first class stalker." He managed finally knowing that he couldn't pretend any longer. Willow had been his anchor in Sunnydale. His reason for being there.

"What happened?" Katia asked keeping her voice gentle, his tone had revealed something to her. Something she wasn't sure he really knew. He looked away remembering what had happened. He'd gotten careless. He'd let desire rule him.

"I touched her." Angel said ruefully remembering that night, remembering the way Willow looked under the lights, the way she had smiled at him. The way she had accepted his insistence that, for that night, she was his lady and his alone. Angel chuckled self-mockingly. Remembering how close he had come to taking more then she had ever offered. He looked over at the witch who was watching him with a thoughtful expression knowing she was going to pull more of this from him.

"That was vague, want to elaborate on that for me." Katia asked her voice hinting at sarcasm. Angel looked up at her, meeting her gaze.

"Yes. There was a masquerade at the Bronze. Willow, Xander and another friend of theirs were going, I went too. She looked like an angel, so beautiful and alone. I mean, they where clueless. I watched her watch him, until I wanted to kill him. That boy was such a fool. So I went and I took her. For a moment I made her mine." He paused wondering how to explain." I held her, and then they came back, noticing and they dragged her away. I knew then that there would always be something or someone separating us."

"And?" she pushed further wanting all of the facts that the vampire had left out.

"I had watched her for so long, I mean she was so adorable. She was a beautiful child. She had the cutest curls when she was younger. I knew when she grew up, she would eventually be a beautiful woman but she was so beautiful on the inside... even when she was younger it showed through. I was always drawn to her." he tried to drop his gaze as he explained, "I know how that sounds. I'm over 200 years old; even now she's just 18. I shouldn't be anywhere near her."

"Willow is the same age as the Slayer," Katia said evenly, "and you slept with her."

Angel flinched visibly at the reminder and said bitterly, "...and we have already seen what a mistake that was." The self-condemnation was apparent in his voice as he continued, "I've watched over Willow from the first time I saw her. She was too innocent to live in that place. I couldn't let it change her. That night at the masque. I broke every rule that had made up my life, in holding her, in having her in my arms." Angel looked at the witch to see that she understood what he was trying to spit out. Katia smiled gently encouraging him to continue. "That night I touched the fire in her, she burned me to the core. After that night, I ran like a coward as fast and as far away from her fire, her light, as I could. Because I knew if I stayed I'd never be content to just watch again." He stared at the floor hoping she would be content with his answers, not wanting to look at how low he had really fallen. No one knew that, not even Whistler. No, Whistler really thought that he'd been hanging around, doing nothing, for eighty years. Not just the six months since the masquerade party.

"So you left, then I take it you returned, I mean how?" She asked knowing that the last statement had started his mind working again. He looked at her and what she saw in his gaze told her all she needed to know.

"I was in L.A. and I was shown the Slayer, Buffy. I was told that she was heading for Sunnydale in a few years, that she was needed there to protect the world from the forces of evil. So I went, I pretended it was for the Slayer, but I wanted to see Willow. I still felt the pull to be near her and the need to protect her. When the Slayer and Willow started to become friends, it was the perfect opportunity. Willow would have two protectors, me and the Slayer. I started giving the Slayer warnings when I thought she needed them. I never intended to become involved with the Slayer, it just happened. Then they found out I was a vampire, Willow didn't even seem surprised."

"Because she knew," Katia said, "her soul recognized you for who and what you were."

Angel continued as if he hadn't heard her, "I didn't realize how much I was connected to her. Then she was trapped in the boiler room, with the Watcher and her friend. There was gas, I felt her suffocating. I don't know how I got there so fast. I broke the lock and carried her out." he choked out a laugh, "She thought I was her mother."

He collected himself and looked at the woman and said, "Willow thinks that these feelings are because of the soul joining, she doesn't know about the rest. The Watcher thinks that I'm supposed to protect the Slayer because of the prophecy. All I feel is that I need to protect Willow, to watch over her, to lo..." he stopped realizing what he was about to reveal.

Katia grasped his hands again and said, "Trust your feelings and instincts about Willow. The connection between you is not what's causing your feelings, it can help, but it doesn't create them. The feelings have to be pre-existing. Most of all you need to trust yourself and your feelings. They'll help you find Willow...and keep her." With that the woman smiled kindly and stood up.

"I am most impressed with Willow and surprised...that level of power in one so young, even if she is the Summoner. The amulet, the curse, astral power and manipulation of that level can usually only be performed by someone who's been practicing for 20 to 30 years. But that spell to bring you out of hell..." Katia shook her head in wonder, "I haven't heard of anything like that since the fae roamed the earth freely."

"Wow!" said the forgotten Cassie finally, "this is more than I've heard Angel say since I've known him."

Angel looked embarrassed as Katia laughed. She walked away from the table towards the kitchen and said, "Cassie will show you the guest room, it's shielded from the sun. It's still a while till sunset, you should try and get some rest. I'm going to fix dinner."

Angel nodded and stood to follow Cassie.

"Oh and Angel..." Katia said questioningly, making the vampire turn back to face her, "Who is Whistler?"

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