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 Hospital:

Buffy stood quietly by the bedside as she had done countless times before, she looked at her friend's face so peaceful in repose. She looked like a living breathing doll. Her body hadn't aged sense the fateful night she had been returned to her parents house. They had come home and found there only daughter unconscious. They had of course called the ambulance and she had been admitted to the ward.

The doctor's of course didn't know what ailed the young hacker, magical hexing never coming to mind. Her parents had stayed for a week. Before going off on one of there prolonged business trips. It had taken every thing in herself for the Slayer not to go after them and knock some sense into them. She turned as her lover and confidant entered the room, she smiled as the sunlight caught his auburn colored locks. He went to her and embraced her warmly, his mouth tenderly touching hers. "Did you find anything out at the court?" Buffy asked the handsome fae as he drew back. Tristan shook his head sadly, walking over to the still figure that lay in the hospital bed. She had lost a little weight, and her hair had grown a bit, but nothing else had changed, her body simply going into a kind of sleep.

"I did not. I've looked in every place I can think of and nothing has happened. I cannot change it. I have tried." He said looking at his beloved once more. She shook her head the tears she had shed for her friend had long since dried and she could only stare longingly, hoping for those bright green eyes to open and that familiar voice to say her name. She smiled a little the image taking form in her heart. (I love you, and miss you so much Willow Ann Rosenberg.) She thought.

One year. It was October again, and Angel was still spending every night by her side, he had only allowed her to stay in the hospital when he learned that her body might degenerate without the proper nutrition and she wasn't able to see to that herself any longer. He stayed and though Buffy knew that a number of the nurses were aware of him after all this time none would bother the dark-haired man that came to watch over the wards sleeping beauty. It wasn't a funny thing any more Xander had called her sleeping beauty when he'd attempted to wake her and failed and now they knew that not even the kiss of her prince could wake her.

Buffy moved to look out the window as the sun began to set and not for the first time she hoped that Angel would get his wish and he would awaken to feel Willow's small fingers caressing his head. Lost in her thoughts she didn't hear the fae come up behind her and jumped slightly as he slid his arms around her waist. Gently kissing her temple he whispered, "I'd say penny for your thoughts but I'll wager I already know them."

Buffy nodded her head as she replied huskily, " they deserve so much, after all they've been through they deserve to be happy. Why can't the fates or whatever just let them alone, let them be happy?"

Tristan looked down at his consort's shiny face and found that he couldn't lie to her, "Sometimes the fates are unkind, sometimes they are cruel, and sometimes they can be fooled. If anyone could fool them, it would be Willow, we just have to have faith, we can't lose hope, not even after this long. We have to believe in the love she has for us and the love we have for her. The love Angelus has for her . . . it alone should be enough to cause her to return to us." He said as he absently traced the bracelet that rested on her left wrist. Buffy turned her away from the window and met the silvery eyes of the fae and said, with a smirk, "I remember a time not so long ago, when saying anything nice about Angel would have given you hives."

Never taking his eyes from the glowing face of the creature before him, Tristan lifted her wrist to eye level, the bond bracelet glinting in the fading sunlight. Buffy gazed at his strong fingers tracing the intricate knot-work pattern on the bracelet, becoming mesmerized as he whispered in her ear, "Since then I have learned what it is to love someone with your whole heart....what is it you say warts and all?"

That broke the young Slayer out of her reverie, the conversation was getting a little too heavy and she flashed her twinkling eyes to his and retorted, "Are you implying I have warts...you randy fae you?"

Turning her quickly to face him, he caught her chin in his free hand and whispered, "Don't worry my little tadpole, I'd never tell even if you did." Before capturing her lips in a soul stirring kiss. They parted both of them trying to control their breathing, before he caught her chin again and staring deeply into her eyes he said, "You may joke all you want my sweet, but the fact remains, I am smitten by you. My heart, mind and soul are here with you, and I will not let you get away from me."

They both turned as the door opened admitting the tall vampire he nodded to Buffy and Tristan he had made his peace with the Fae not long after Willow had been hospitalized. They now regarded each other with a sort of wary respect.

Angel went directly to the edge of Willow's bed and pulling the much more comfortable chair to the bedside, he took her hand in his own, "I am here love." He whispered softly. Buffy and Tristan slid from the room unnoticed by the handsome vampire. The couple had known that the anniversary of Willow's slipping into this coma would be very hard on all of them so they had arranged for a reunion of sorts to be occurring this entire week. Not that any of them had really wandered far from Sunnydale, they were all nearby in case they were needed. The couple knew that Xander would be back within the next twenty four hours, he and Cordelia had just purchased a home, and were in the process of moving in. The house wasn't far from Sunnydale, less than an hours drive. What a difference a year made in their lives. Cordelia had been there for Xander when he realized that he might never again hear Willow's voice. She had stayed with him when he finally found what he wanted to do with his life. Buffy pulled away from the fae to go to the phone and call Giles to see if any of the others had called in.

Angel's unflagging devotion to the hacker had stunned Giles. The Watcher had thought perhaps on some level that losing Willow while horrible for all had been just punishment for the vampire that had once destroyed Giles chance at happiness. Since that time and after frequent visits to the tiny redheads hospital room and being witness to the unwavering love the vampire showed her, Giles had realized once again that he had misjudged the vampire. The result being he had demanded that the Council research their extensive archives for a possible cure for Willow. No one knew what type of threat Giles had used to get the council to do such a thing, and they weren't sure they wanted to know. The end result however had been less than fruitful. Their research had been fruitless and their anger over being threatened had resulted in Giles losing his job as Watcher.

The nurse who had taken up her station, smiled softly to herself as she saw the young man leaning over the beautiful woman laying in the bed. She had always found Sunnydale a place of plastic superficial people and never had she thought to see such love. Her heart ached for the man and woman but there was nothing she could do. In all her life she had never seen this sort of soul sickness before. The young man was crying again, she could see his shoulders shake with the soundless tears. She didn't wish to intrude and closed the slightly open door the rest of the way.

Angel leaned up and caressed her soft cheek, and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. He missed her so much, missed the warmth of her mind against his, the acceptance that was readily given from her heart to his, yet he couldn't let go, as long as she lived he was bound completely to her. He had wandered about, looking for a cure, always to come back to this small room empty handed. It was insanity and hard to understand but he couldn't let go. He would never accept that he might never see those eyes open again.

Angel rested his forehead beside her on the white hospital sheets. He clutched her hand in his own and closed his eyes. He reached for her mentally as he had done nearly every night for a year and today would be a day he thought ruefully. A year and a day since he'd claimed the beautiful witch as his own.

He gasped as for the first time he felt a stirring, It jolted him from his place, making him lift his head to glance around the room. His breath caught in his throat as he found himself staring at an apparition that he would know anywhere. She looked extraordinary, draped in a long, flowing green gown, her red hair falling around her shoulders in wild disarray. She smiled at him. He smiled, his lips trembling with the threat of unmanly tears. He wanted to do nothing more then take her in his arms and never let go, but he didn't know what seeing her like this meant. Did it mean she was really dead and she had merely returned to insure that her body was allowed to rest?

(Angel") she said, though her lips didn't move, her voice sounded resolutely in his head surprising him. It had been so long since he'd felt that touch of her mind on his.

(Willow,) he thought back, (you've come back, beloved.) She raised her hand to stop his words. (The spell is at an end and now I must choose. I've wandered the roads of Ghosts for what seems like an eternity.) She smiled at him adoringly and said, (So I ask you, what should I choose?) He knew, the choice was simple, choose to return to her body a year and a day after she left, not knowing what things had changed. Or move on to the other side where the lost souls belong.

With everything in him he wanted to scream for her to stay with him and never leave him, only he knew that he couldn't. It wasn't his right, as much as he loved her, he had no right to ask that of her.

(I love you, I still love you. I think I will always will love you but perhaps even more important is what you want. Therefore the choice is yours, my love.) She smiled gratefully and slowly began to fade. Strangely, Angel felt only peace as he looked at her small hand once more resting in his . He reclined back in the chair, closing his eyes. The moment his lids closed, the dream started. He was surrounded by mist. Thick, deep mist that appeared to be almost completely opaque. He moved through the mist, not seeing, following a slight glimmer of light to what he hoped would be the end of it. As he moved, he became aware of forms moving around him. He moved deeper into the shadowing mist he caught sight of something that gleamed in what little light there was.

A sword he realized as he walked closer, a bright, brilliant sword. Angel's hand went around it before he could think and he pulled it from it's sheath, He moved holding it at his side, not sure why, but certain that he needed the bright blade.

As he moved forward he saw the mist beginning to clear and before him a scene unfolded. He saw Willow, lying surrounded by flames, her bright hair like blood on the green earth, little flowers woven into the small braid that ran from ear to ear on her red head. Angel went to step forward and stared in shock as the fire leapt at him. "Willow," he called the hackers name, she didn't stir. He turned at the sound of a terrible roar from behind him. In his haste to reach her, he had failed to see the dragon that guarded his sleeping maid. Turning without thought he threw the sword at the dragon and stared in shock as the dragon morphed and shifted into a human form he didn't know. He turned back and saw that the fire still burned brightly about her, he began to walk resolutely toward it. If he would perish he would at least die in the pursuit of that which he craved above all else.

To his shock and surprise the flames merely licked hungrily at his skin without actually burning him. Each flame seemed to hang and cling to his cool skin making the vampire tremble in fear, but not pain. As he reached his beloved mate he knelt beside her leaning down he claimed her lips in a kiss.

Angel jolted awake suddenly. Looked up at Willow's face only to find her eyes still closed, her expression the same. He sighed softly, apparently she had not chosen to return to him, he thought.

(How can you think that?) demanded a voice in his head, "I've loved you forever," stated a voice that he barely recognized as hers after so long in disuse. He gasped and stared at her now open green eyes. He cried her name frantically over and over, blood red tears coming to his eyes. His lips finding hers unerringly, it had been so long since he'd kissed her and there had been a response from her. Angel's lips and hands clung to her desperately for a long moment before drawing back to look at her pale face. He had never been so glad to see anything in his unlife as the sight of those bright green orbs open and looking at him, into him. He sighed, the old feeling of loneliness that he had grown accustomed to over the past year fading away in the sheer warmth of her closeness. He felt her draw back suddenly, her eyes widened as she thought of something.

"Did I make the right choice?" she asked sounding for all the world like a frightened child. Angel stared at her, for a moment not understanding what she asked when it came back to him, she had to make a choice. (Oh Goddess, of course it was the right one. I love you...wanted to beg you to stay, but you had to chose for yourself.) She sighed softly, happily, for the moment forgetting that there were others that would care because she was awake now. Angel began kissing her again, his fingers tracing the features of her face with reverence and wonder.

The doors of the room opened as the nurse drawn by the voices entered looking worried, the expression on her face was priceless. She looked as beside herself with joy as Angel had. Angel understood why, this particular nurse had worked this shift for nearly the full year that Willow had been in that room, and she had done everything from bring blankets to the sleeping Angel, to bringing coffee for him when he was in need of it.

He smiled at her softly as she entered the room, Willow looked toward her, and offered her own slightly wavering version of the smile. "Well miracles do happen, even in Sunnydale." The pretty blond haired woman said. Willow smiled, "I had a lot worth coming home for." Willow said her voice still raspy with the lack of use.

"Here let me get you some water." she offered disappearing for a moment and returning with a small paper cup. She handed it to Willow who lifted a shaky hand to take a sip. "My name is Emmy." she added as she watched Willow and Angel."Look I have to call her physician to let him know she's awake and what not, but if you would like I can call the others that are normally here first." She offered. It was against policy but for a woman who had been asleep for over a year, she thought perhaps seeing faces she remembered but hadn't seen in a year would be far better medicine. She disappeared again, leaving Willow and Angel to stare at one another. The vampire smiled softly at her, "May I kiss you?" he asked gently. She smiled and nodded her head, he leaned in and pressed his lips tenderly to hers. She returned the kiss softly and offered him a warm smile."I love you," she whispered softly. She drew herself up slightly wishing for the moment that she didn't have an IV stuck in her arm and that she wasn't being feed in such a way. Even though she realized it was a good thing she had been taken to the hospital, otherwise she would have become a frighteningly skinny, bony husk.

They sat together on her bed, talking quietly as they waited. She wondered how long she would have to talk to her friends before the doctors came and made a fuss. She looked up as a woman she didn't know walked into the room, she smiled at both of them and instead of pushing Angel out of the way worked around him as she spoke. "I'm Doctor Reese, I'm afraid your normal physician isn't available at the moment so I'm taking his cases," she smiled. She continued moving around Willow and checking her vitals and fussing over her for about five minutes before with a satisfied nod of her head she smiled at Willow, "Well if I didn't know better I would say that you've just woken from a nice nap." she smiled and left the room with only a small warning about not overdoing on her first day back among the living.

Angel looked questioningly after the doctor, he would never understand what it was about those human healers they seemed to be one of two ways, completely emotionless or insanely emotional. Personally at the moment he wouldn't mind insanely emotional as that was how he was feeling. He pulled the hacker into his arms the best he could with the wires and tubes that were hooked up to her.

The doors were pushed open suddenly and voices sounded, "The nurse called and said we needed to come...." Buffy's voice trailed off at the sight of the form in Angel's arms, the long red hair that fell over the vampire's arm in a dull red waterfall, but more importantly the sparkling green eyes that were open.

"Willow?!?!?" Buffy screeched as she ran over to the hacker and took a flying leap to land on the bed. She straddled the hacker's legs and pulled her out of Angel's arms with surprising gentleness about the tubes and so forth, before crushing her close in a hug, that probably bruised a few ribs.

Angel stood, letting Buffy wrap her arms frantically around the redhead. Buffy held tightly, relaxing slightly only when she felt Willow's arms return the hug. "I missed you so much...you scared me so bad, don't ever do that again." Buffy admonished sounding foolish but worried. Willow smiled through tears she hadn't even been aware she had been crying and leaned back to look at Buffy's face. The Slayer had changed, her hair grown longer and lacking the blond highlights that Buffy was so fond of. She didn't look like a little girl playing at being a woman anymore. She had traded in her short minis for something equally slayable, but more conservative.

"You look good," Willow said softly.

"Thanks," Buffy blushed softly and looked up as Tristan moved from the doorway, he hugged Willow as well, his touch lingering as he assured himself that he was indeed holding his spitfire of a charge. He was so glad she was well. He drew back when he felt the vampire's gaze on them, he knew it was meaningless, but he didn't want to cause trouble between them, not now, both deserved to be happy.

"Xander and Cordy should be here soon." Buffy said happily. They hadn't known what to tell Xander and Cordy, but all the pair had needed to hear was that it had to do with Willow and they had been on their way back.

"I knew it. I just knew it!" screeched an excited male voice from the door. Willow turned to see her forever friend standing in the doorway, flowers in hand and tiny tears of joy marring his cheeks.

"Willow!" He ran to her and grasped her in a huge bear-hug, murmuring, "I knew it, I knew it!" over and over into her red hair.

Cordelia waited till Xander had finished. She walked over to Willow and smiled warmly at the red head. "It's good to have you back." Cordelia said softly, Willow smiled taking Cordy at her words and returning the girls tentative hug.

Within a few hours the sun had come back up and the tiny room had been filled to capacity and then some with well wishers. Angel stayed by her side the entire time and although she managed to hide it well her head was beginning to spin with the sudden influx of information to her long dormant mind. Although there had been frequent requests from the staff members for the group to leave, they had finally given up realizing that such a joyous occasion would and should be a bit boisterous, and that the rules for visitation should be bent or better yet temporarily suspended.
Sunnydale Hospital:

Finally the group settled down after a while and while there were a few new faces Willow was gratified to notice that she did recognize most of them. There was Angel of course who seemed to be trying very hard to wrap himself around her like a security blanket. Then Buffy and Tristan of course, Willow didn't miss the closeness the two shared, the looks that passed between them, or the rather ornate bracelet that Buffy wore on her left wrist. She had seen similar bond bracelets when she had visited the Underhill, to a fae the gift of one, was one step beyond a human friendship ring and one step below an engagement ring. Willow knew her Watcher's personality, he was smitten and he wasn't going to take no for an answer, the Slayer was in for a very intense, passionate, and determined courtship. Then there was Xander and Cordelia, the couple were obviously still together and happy. From the looks of it she might have even begun to make a dent in her friends fashion sense or lack thereof. Giles was also there with an exotic looking woman. Her skin looked like Swiss Mocha coffee and her long dark hair hung in a multitude of braids down her back and her eyes were the most striking blue that Willow had ever seen. She stood close to the Watcher with a charming smile on her face and her hand clasped firmly in his. Oz was there and his hair was dyed electric blue, he had apparently begun growing a rather scruffy looking goatee while she'd been asleep. He was now sitting on the back of the rather uncomfortable chair in the corner of the room. The one that supposedly reclined back into something remotely resembling an uncomfortable cot. Sitting in front of him in the chair was a brunette with a matching streak of electric blue in her dark hair. Her eyes were dark brown, huge and almond shaped. She wore camouflage pants and a dark tank top that showed off a tattoo on one of her upper arms.. She had a cynical look on her face that melted away as the werewolf, placed his hands on her shoulders. Her head swivelled around as her lips met the band members for just a split second in a tender kiss. (Whoa . . . okay lots of catching up to do.)

The Summoner detected more than saw Amy's presence in the room at first because of the crowd in the room. "Amy?" She called her voice still something of a husky rasp.

The young witch seemed to materialize from behind Cordy and Xander and in truth Willow wasn't sure if she would have recognized the now brunette witch. She had allowed her hair to turn it's natural brown color, and grow long. It was now pulled back from her face into a braid that trailed down her back. She wore a scoop necked blouse with long sleeves, a long swirling black skirt, and high black boot. Her makeup was decidedly Goth but the smile she gave the hacker was all Amy. As she presented her friend with an herbal bouquet she pulled the hacker into a gentle hug and whispered, "Merry met, sister." As she finally released her red-haired friend she added, "You were missed."

Before anyone else could say anything the now brunette witch said with amusement, "Dru is thrilled that her mommy is finally awake, according to Spike she was dancing around the room."

"You spoke to Spike? Are they coming to see me?" Willow asked remembering the interesting if brief conversations she'd had with both vampires before the fight.

"Not just now," the brunette said with a smile, "they're having a little demon trouble in L.A. As soon as that's resolved they promised to come and visit. It shouldn't take more than a few days. They can't wait to see you."

"They live in L.A.?" asked Willow curiously.

"Yeah, they moved there after the whole Galan thing. Spike is now the Master in L.A., normally he wouldn't have made it to such a high position in such a large town so quickly. But after all he does have Dru to help him and he is the Favorite Childe of the infamous Angelus, who on rare occasions goes to the City of Angels to visit his childer and help knock the demons, vampires, and other things that go bump in the night into shape. He e-mails me all the time, he even taught Dru how to use a laptop. You should see she even wears jeans now." the witch said with a giggle at the memory.

Willow chuckled distractedly, as Angel adjusted her slightly in his embrace so that her back was cushioned against his chest. The cool stillness of it comforted her, even though most of these people were her friends, she had become used to being alone in her own mind. The small crowd was making her feel nervous almost claustrophobic.

Angel's embrace made her feel safe and protected, from what she didn't know, she only knew she felt better with him holding her.

The closeness however also brought her mind back to Oz and the young girl in the corner. When Oz had left for Arizona, they were a couple and now...she felt a twinge of belated guilt as she thought of the musician, and how betrayed he must have felt when he found out about her and Angel. "Hi Oz." she said softly.

"Hi Willow, it's good to have you back with us. This is Faith." he added indicating the brunette in front of him.

"Hello Faith, it's nice to meet you, are you in the band too?" Willow asked. She started slightly when everyone either giggled, laughed outright, or showed some other sign of amusement. "What'd I say?" she asked as she looked back at the couple and saw the brunette smirk while Oz's eyes filled with a warm glow of amusement.

"This is Faith, Willow," Buffy said in explanation, "the Vampire Slayer. She's Kendra's replacement."

Willow blushed bright pink and stammered, "I'm sorry, really, really, sorry...I didn't realize and then when you were with Oz I thought you might be in the band too, and I wasn't sure how much you knew about all this and I guess you know he's a werewolf huh and that Angel is a vampire and wow I haven't spoken this much in a long time and even before and I think I'll shut up now." She said finally running out of breath. The redhead heard several chuckles from around the room, including the one from right behind her as Angel nuzzled his mouth into her scarlet tresses she heard in her mind, (Ah, Willow speak. You have no idea how I've missed it mo cridhe, or how much I've missed you.)

Willow blushed again, the brunette Slayer misunderstanding her discomfiture said, "No big, Red. We're 5 x 5, good to finally see what you look like awake."

Willow nodded at the young Slayer and smiled before turning her attentions to her oldest friend and saying, "So are you two finally out of the closet?" Dead silence followed the statement for a split second, as Xander turned an interesting shade of purple. "She means out of the utility closet you moron." Cordy said, before answering Willow's question, "Yeah we've been living together for the past 6 months. We've been going to college, would you believe this guy is actually in UCLA and studying Education with a minor in English."

"Xander?" Willow said questioningly, as she looked at her friends now sheepish expression.

Her friend carefully sat down on the edge of the bed beside her and taking her hand in his own said, "Yeah well that last part os senior year, I didn't have my best bud to help me with the work...." Cordy cleared her throat knowingly at that statement and Xander looked even more embarrassed as he admitted, "Ok, to do the work for me, so I had to buckle down and do it myself. It took about six weeks for the teachers to actually notice that I had started getting mostly A's instead of mostly C's. Snyder, the little troll, was convinced I was either cheating or that I was taking some kind of superbrain hormones or something, anyway he was on my back for the next two weeks and then all of a sudden he stopped and didn't bother me again for the rest of the year. As a matter of fact every time after that if he saw me coming he'd run the other way."

"Yeah right, like he'd run from you," Cordelia said waspishly.

Willow was barely paying any attention however she had been concentrating on her mate, Angel had tensed slightly when Xander had started talking about Snyder and still hadn't relaxed. Gently she invaded his mind and found what she was looking for, at one of the many research sessions that Angel had sat in on, Xander had mentioned the trouble he was having with the principal. Shortly after that, Principal Snyder had received a rare daytime visit from the infamous Angelus, who had given Snyder some very colorful and explicit threats, if he didn't leave the Scooby gang alone for the rest of the year. Willow decided after seeing that, she might just have to give the vampire a very special thank you when everyone else had left. If they left she thought tensely.

She noticed the argument between Cordy and Xander was winding down and waited for Xander to continue his story, "Anyway the parental units were so impressed with me not only getting accepted to UCLA but also getting a partial scholarship, that they actually agreed to pay the rest of my tuition at least for the first year. Cordy got accepted to UCLA too and is studying Art & Design. We moved in together off campus and just brought a house that's situated right between LA and Sunnydale. We're in the process of moving in there now and once we do and you get out of here, you and Dead boy can come visit us. Heck would you believe we even had Dead boy Jr. stay over at the apartment on campus one time when he got caught out late or early I guess after slaying a Kohlrath demon, it wasn't so bad either except Kohlrath's spray like skunks when they're afraid, and smell worse than them, and this one sprayed Spike before he killed it. Gees, I thought he was going to cry when Cordy told him the smell would not be coming out of his duster because it was leather and he would have to burn it." He said with a chuckle.

Willow smiled in agreement, trying and failing to imagine the bleached blond vampire without his trademark leather coat. She then turned her head to study the only other stranger in the room. The woman stood next to Giles and the Watcher had his arm draped pseudo-casually around her waist. Whoever she was Willow approved if she was the one who had influenced Giles present appearance. The Watcher was dressed in a white long sleeved Oxford shirt, the first two or three buttons undone, this was tucked into a pair of blue jeans and to top it all off, Rupert Giles was wearing sneakers. His ever present eyeglasses were tucked into the pocket of the shirt, and the Watchers hair was casually mussed.

"So Giles are you going to introduce me to your friend?" Willow said with a lightly teasing note to her voice.

The Watcher immediately blushed and began trying to stammer out an introduction, "Uhm yes...oh of course...uh Willow Rosenberg...may I introduce Marina Sandoval....Faith and Buffy's new Watcher."

"New Watcher?" Willow said giving the beautiful woman, a less pleased look.

"Yeah, it seems G-man got a little huffy with the Council about a few things and they fired him." Xander said casually.

Willow studied Giles for a minute or two as the former Watcher shifted uncomfortably under her intense gaze. "Giles? You don't get huffy, what happened?"

"A disagreement on certain activities is all, in the meantime, Marina...Ms. Sandoval has taken over my duties as Watcher, however I'm still here as a consultant of sorts." Giles said with a modicum of decorum as he finished speaking.

The exotic looking woman slipped out from under his arm and moved toward the young woman in the bed. Willow feeling some of her old shyness return, leaned back against Angel a little more as the older woman approached. The vampire squeezed her shoulders reassuringly, as the woman extended her heavily braceleted arm to take Willow's hand in her own warm, firm grip.

"It is an honor to meet the Summoner, and a pleasure to meet the Willow that I have heard so much about at long last." She said warmly. Her accent was warm, beautiful and hard to identify, but Willow found herself relaxing. The contact between them, brief as it was, was enough for the hacker to recognize the exotic woman as a friend.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well." Said Willow before her mischievous streak returned and she asked sweetly, "So how long have you and Giles been involved?"

Marina smiled, a charming smile, that was blinding white against her cocoa colored skin. Meanwhile, Giles stuttered, he stammered, he paused and then he said the only thing he could manage, "Bloody hell, teenagers."

Which was promptly followed by everyone bursting into laughter.

Weeks passed and everyone grew accustomed to Willow's return to wakefulness, including Willow who had to deal with some rather strange changes in Sunnydale itself, but she was simply glad to be home. She sighed as she watched Angel walk around their home, <Our Home.> Willow thought happily. Angel had purchased one of the old houses in Sunnydale and promised that they could spend a few weeks a year in Pine Valley.

She looked at Angel her eyes warm and soft as they met the vampires. Angel remembered that look and swallowed hard, it had been so long since he'd touched her that way, since he'd been with her like that. He hadn't talked about being lovers. In fact if Angel was truthful, a large part of him was scared that over the course of the year, while she had been in the land of the shades, she had grown out of love with him. He feared that she stayed with him out of some sense of duty. Once all those fears had been resolved but time and her absence had allowed the older wounds to open once more.

She leaned up slowly and pressed her lips to the vampires. He stiffened for a moment his lips parting and his tongue darting out to taste her lips. He settled on his knees before her, not releasing her lips and sliding an arm around her warm form pulling her closer. She whimpered softly her mouth opening beneath his, he pressed against her hungrily. He couldn't make himself stop, he was starved for her touch, for her presence. With everything in him he wanted to take her at that very moment, only the fact that in a very short time Cordelia would be walking up to the door stopped him. What he wanted would take hours, days, maybe forever.

His mouth continued to play over hers, drawing back every few moments to allow her to draw in deep breaths before he kissed them away again. Her hands had found their way into his dark hair, and her grip would tighten when he'd draw back. They clung to each other making out with wild abandon on the couch, Angel's hands slipped from her waist to slid up the front of her blouse. His fingers made quick work of the fastenings and pushed the garment to either side, his lips trailing from her to nuzzle, suckle and kiss the newly uncovered flesh.

Willow whimpered his name her hands tangled in his hair pulling him tightly against her. <Goddess I've missed you.> Angel's soft response was one that required no words, a soft growl escaped his throat, he nipped at her flesh, drawing blood, he nursed on the small wound he'd created for a moment before drawing back to look in her eyes.

They both where gasping for breath, after a moment, he gain control of his reaction and reaching forward he slowly righted her shirt. She stared up at him questioningly.

<Not now,>

"But I want," she started to say before his finger tips brushed over her lips quieting her.

He held her gaze with his own, his voice soft and husky with desire, "I know." He could smell the scent of her passion it, took far more self control then he wanted to admit to not simply take her now on the couch like a horny adolescent.. He would not. She deserved more then that, he wanted more then that.

He'd already engaged Cordelia's help in this plan. "Willow Cordelia is coming over, remember?" He asked gently. He wanted to surprise her, wanted to offer her the sort of gift that he had not been able to. He wanted her to know how very special she was, how cherished, how loved, how desired.

"Angel."

"I love you," he whispered hearing her uncertainty, he caught her hand pulling her gently up from the couch he rapped his arms around her holding her tightly. She snuggled against him, passion still there simmering beneath the surface of this gentle touch. Sighing softly she pressed a kiss to his neck.

"I love you too."

Both jumped apart slightly when the door bell rang, Angel moved away from her toward the door, he opened it, protected from the sun by the porch's over hang. He smiled at the brunette at the door, forgetting what he must have looked like. She smirked gamely at the vampire.

"Interrupting?" she asked a smiling forming on her lips.

"Come on in Cordy, if you be nice you can have my credit card." the vampire promised not wanting the brunette to give way his plan for the evening. She only knew of course that it involved roses, wine, and Willow. She'd been instructed to keep the hacker out till dusk so he could set up. She readily agreed because it wasn't often that you where offered a limitless credit card.

Cordelia saw the look on Willow's face her mussed hair, and rosy cheeks. <oh yeah I interrupted something.>

"Hi, Cordelia," Willow said, surprising herself with how much she suddenly wanted to go shopping with the other woman. She grinned inwardly, <so Angel wants to play a game, well so can I.>

The hacker stood and, going to get her light jacket, she paused as she pulled it on, and walked back toward Angel, her eyes glinting with mischief. She leaned up on tip toes and pressed her lips to his. She moved her mouth lightly over his until she felt him start to deepen the kiss and she pulled gently away, <not in front of company.> She grinned and flounced out the door pausing to wait for the other woman.

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