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 barrowing them. They needed to come out and play....
(thoughts in Italics)

Sunnydale: Galan's Lair:

"Okay, Pet what is ailing you?" He asked Drucilla gently. Spike held the shaking vampiress in his arms. He watched her wondering what the wind was whispering to her today. She looked up at Spike a small smile playing across her lips.

"Something is coming. It's bringing death. I can smell it. We will dance Spike on the grave of the Slayer." She giggled gleefully. She began to sway out of Spike's arms. He watched Dru's movements with an appreciative eye. Well she is doing better. As long as no one mentions Angelus. She had been very upset and refused to eat for nearly a week after Angelus demise. Only the vampires will to survive brought her out of it. She had been angry with him at first, until he had made her slightly frazzled mind understand that he had done it to get her back. He didn't like sharing her.

It appealed to her woman's heart he supposed to know that he had killed his sire to have her all to himself. Spike looked up at Galan who had just entered the room. He grimaced as he looked over at the two vampires.

"Any word?" Galan demanded. Galan paced. He groaned under his breath what was going on here. Nothing was happening as it was fated to. The Summoner was found, in the person of a quiet, shy red-head. The Western King was god knew who, and on top of that the Slayer was getting in the way. He was losing his patience, he didn't have time to dally, and everything was going wrong.

Galan tried to use the stones to find the Western King but to no avail. Galan guessed that the poor fool might not know who he was and then wouldn't be called to the Summoner yet. The Western King could have no idea of what he was fated to do or that a young woman's life depended on him. Galan walked over to the table and began pawing through the books on it. He found the dusty volume he sought and opened it to the appropriate page. Lets see, Summoning the Western King. Galan shook his head, this wasn't going to work. He needed the Western King's name, his true name. Which you don't know.

Galan looked over at the vampiress standing in front of Spike her eyes closed listening to the whispers of the night. He walked over to her, leaning close, wondering what she heard as her eyes popped open. "The Western King has the face of an Old Friend, " Drusilla said her own voice gone low with her words. That was helpful.

"Who pet?" Spike asked gently trying to draw more information from his love.

"From the lap of fire and the dancer of night. He who stands in the light. A circle of fire dark and bright. A daywalker." Dru continued gleefully, seeming to understand what she was saying. Spike stared at her. What was she talking about? A daywalker?

He looked over at Galan and shrugged. Smiling at Dru he took her into the next room leaving the other vampire by himself.

Well that was certainly entertaining. Galan moved over to the fireplace on the far wall. He put the book down, wondering what the hell was happening. Since he was made he hadn't had anything this far out of control.

He was Galan, he had made himself. He hadn't been sired, he was his own master, and now, something he wanted was depending on the whims of fate, *that* he disliked. Someone up in the heavens liked that girl. She was blessed and cursed. Galan smiled remembering his rebirth as a vampire. The night he'd traded the white robes of the lady of the moon for the darkness of life eternal. Galan had thought himself outside the reach of her wrath, only to learn that this immortality was a deceptive curse and soon he would make all of her children pay for her betrayal of him. The goddess had given the ultimate power to a mortal. And a woman no less. Galan remembered every moment of that ceremony. Each second he had hung between the realms knowing that when he awoke the fae world he had loved would forever be out of reach for him. A human female could enter his world, when he who was completely fae, could never again sit in court with the sidhe.

Galan hated his former people with a passion, yet relished in the fact that he hadn't lost his powers when he had been exiled. Kicked from the cradle that birthed him. Galan thought back, his mind filled with images of a world like this one, yet entirely different. The changes in texture and the depth of color, things that were lacking in the human realm. He stood shaking off the reverie and began to pace about the closed in structure.

Sunnydale: Sunnydale High school:

As Giles sat uneasily in the library, he watched the others mill about. He wanted to quiet his own fears. He wished he had Xander's certainty, that the young woman he considered his adopted daughter, was indeed safe. He watched Buffy who continued to pace. Giles wasn't sure what was bothering her more. The fact that Willow and Angel were gone or that they were together. Buffy stopped and looked at Xander who was slowly gathering his belongings. It was late and they both had classes in the morning. Giles wanted to go home himself. He wanted to rest, then begin searching for more information about the curse Willow had placed on the vampire, and the Summoner prophecy.

"Xander, you're just going home, some friend you are, he's going to kill her and you think you're going home to sleep?" Buffy demanded in a shocked voice.

"Buffy, I think that we've done all we can. Angel is with her, she's safe." Xander responded tiredly.

"Angel and safe don't go in the same sentence when you speak. You hated him and suddenly he is good enough for Willow. You disliked Oz because of the werewolf thing, you think a vampire is better?" Buffy said bitterly.

Xander stared at Buffy, what could he tell her. Willow's the Summoner, Angel the Western King. Angel can't hurt Willow. Oh yeah that would go over real well. then there were his other more bitter thoughts. Would she be safer with Buffy, especially considering what Buffy thought about Willow and Angel, and what she had done to Angel after breaking into Willow's room. Buffy had denied it of course, but Xander was a comedian not stupid. He barely controlled the urge to speak those hateful words out loud and looked at Giles for help.

"I think perhaps you both need to get some rest. Sleep will do us all a world of good, and in the morning perhaps we will know more about what has happened." Giles said finally trying to bring this night to an end. Both teens looked at him, but seemed to relent. They picked up the last of their belongings and headed out the double doors.

Giles watched them leave. The Watcher breathed a sigh of relief and headed for the stacks. Pulling from a shelf a few volumes, he headed for his jacket. Slinging it over his shoulder, he headed out of the school.

Willow's mind:

Willow walked in the quiet beauty of the Underhill. Her eyes taking in everything it had to offer. It had the slightly hazy quality of all dreams, but it only served to heighten the awesome mystery of the world she found herself in.

Willow stared at the fires that danced on the distant hillsides, the figures that moved and swayed to the rhythms of drums and the fire of the strings. She smiled realizing that her mind was offering her the perfect soundtrack, a Beltane fire dance. The red-head laughed beginning to pick up the rhythm. She moved slowly in perfect time ready for the quickening beat. Dancing is good.

Willow smiled as a strong hand caught up hers and turned her to him. She smiled softly as he drew her, into the dance and laughed when he turned her in a circle. Willow looked up at him not needing to look at her feet. Check it out Angel knows how to dance. Her darkly handsome dance partner laughed, leading her through the more intricate steps. She reached up and placed her hand on his shoulder still following the ever quickening rhythm of the dance. Willow could see the figures that leapt, the fires on the hill.

She could feel herself running out of breath, she had forgotten how tiring this was. They continued moving their feet hitting the dark earth in perfect unison with the drums, pushing faster and faster. Willow laughed as at last her legs gave out and she landed solidly on the ground. Angel wasn't expecting her to loose her footing and landed on the ground in front of her. The look on his face raising more laughter from her. Willow smiled warmly at him, then looked once more toward the hills. The music had stopped and most of the dancers were in much the same position as they were.

"Not bad, " Angel said, "who taught you the fire dance?"

"Who taught you? I thought men of the time were above such things?" Willow replied with a cheeky grin.

"Me ma, " he said laughing softly, he didn't notice his Irish brogue thickening as they spoke, "besides how often are ye given permission to hold a bonny lass in your arms? "

"That's right they thought the waltz was scandalous." Willow said adopting her best lower crust accent. Angel smiled seemingly impressed with her speak.

"This is sort of fun, you know. You dream the most interesting things." he told her looking around.

"You don't know the half of it. Some of the things I've dreamed." Willow said without thinking.

"Like what?" Angel looked up at her curiously.

"Oh I don't know, just stuff." She said with a mischievous grin.

"What kind of stuff, Willow?" He asked leaning closer to her.

"Like dancing, and circles and magic and mayhem and the time warp." She laughed at the look on his face, "don't ask?" He smiled Willow blushes even in her dreams.

"If you say so, sweet." Angel said.

"Nothing." Willow said quickly surprised at herself. What was with her? She knew better. Flirting with Angel was bad. She looked up to find him watching her. His eyes held that look she'd seen on the stairs, the one she couldn't decipher. Why is he looking at me like that for, do I have something on me?

Angel smiled then, a wicked little smile that reminded Willow of Angelus, just slightly evil. She stared at him wondering what he was going to do, and thanking the gods that this was just a dream.

Angel caught her up suddenly, "Come, lets dance." He said softly, then looked suddenly worried that she'd say no. Willow took up his arms again and they began to sway to a slower song, a little more together and a lot less fly away. She closed her eyes, resting her head against his chest. Willow didn't see the slight smile cross Angels face or the look of pained pleasure that accompanied it. She stayed like that for a while, just wrapped in his arms, liking the calm that had descended on her. So this is what Tristan meant by grounding.

Angel brushed his fingers through Willows long hair and drew her face up to look into her eyes. Stars and firelight looked back at him, and something else, something he'd hadn't seen in over two hundred years. There perfectly mirrored in the irises of her green eyes, was his reflection. Angel leaned closer drawn to her by her own unique brand of magic.

His mouth grazed Willows lightly, he felt a jolt of electricity travel down his spine as they touched. Angel?

He jerked awake, his eyes fluttering and looked down at her immediately. She was still sleeping peacefully. He smiled sadly looking at his watch.

Sunnydale: Giles' home:

Giles set the steaming cup of proper English tea down on the small brown coaster that matched his small coffee tables hue perfectly. He opened the large volume and began skimming over the contents. He turned the page slowly, fearing he was missing something.

He leaned back against the couch, taking his glasses off. He squeezed the bridge of his nose. Willow Ann Rosenberg

He wondered what the young red-head knew that she hadn't shared with them. Xander seemed convinced that Angel was going to protect Willow. Although he would have no reason to. There was nothing, in truth, that would stop the vampire from hurting her. In fact, Giles wouldn't be surprised if he hadn't fed off the girl. In the letter, Angel had said unharmed for the most part, which made the Watcher in him think perhaps Angel had fed off of her but hadn't hurt her.

He'd kill Angel himself if he hurt the red-haired hacker. Giles wasn't completely comfortable with the notion of her being alone with the vampire, because of what had happened with Jenny. He hadn't forgiven the vampire and Giles wasn't sure what would happen when he was at last face to face with Angel. Giles wasn't sure whether his compassion for a man turned into a monster or his hate for the monster would be in control. He hoped it was compassion.

He wasn't at all sure what the result of a confrontation with himself and the vampire would be. Giles also wasn't sure which side of the line his Slayer would be on. He wasn't sure of anything for that matter. He turned off the light on the end table and stretched out on his slightly cramped couch. Sleep was a needed thing for him. The morning would come too soon and with it questions that Giles wasn't at all sure he could answer. He hoped that Buffy held it together long enough to find out what was happening.

Behind the Watcher's closed lids, an image was beginning to form. A memory that contained a certain red-haired hacker and the vampire in question. Angel had come to the library because Giles had called. Willow had been there and had been staring at the window behind them, seemingly entranced. Her mind clearly working a thousand miles a minute. Giles had turned to her asking about the south wall. She'd looked up confused and then stammered something about reflections and how did Angel shave. Angel had looked over at him, clearly unsure of what to make of the young woman's strange train of thought.

Willow had the oddest way of thinking, how thoughts connected in her head was still a mystery to Giles. Willow staring at him aghast as he had digested the fact that the Slayer had lied to him. The young woman had stared at him for a moment when Angel had asked, "Did... she have a date?"

Willow had looked away, suddenly uncomfortable. " Well..." Angel had huffed. Willow faced the vampire then and said, "Well, why do you think she went to that party? Because you gave her the brush-off!" Willow had turned to face Giles then. Staring up at the librarian, looking for all the world like an angry tigress about to pounce, "And you never let her do anything except work and patrol! And I know she's the Chosen One, but you're killing her with the pressure! I mean, she's sixteen going on forty!" Then she turned back to the vampire who was staring at her in shock."And you! I mean, you're gonna live forever! You don't have time for a cup of coffee?!" That night had been the first time that Willow had ever showed him that she had more steel than she ever allowed them to see.

He and the vampire had stared after her when she had started to walk out of the library.

Airport:

"You sure you want to go to Pine Valley, Mister?" the cabby asked for the third time in 15 minutes, making Angel look away from the surrounding darkened terrain.

"Yes, I'm sure." Angel told the man again and finally curiosity won out over cryptic and he asked, "Why? Is there something wrong with Pine Valley?"

"Well, " said the driver in a conspiratorial tone, "lots of strange goings on there, if you know what I mean. A lot of strange people live there." He stopped speaking for a moment as he took a particularly sharp turn, then continued. "Most of the locals..not the ones who live there mind you, call it the ''Village of the Damned.' I mean you have strange looking people, most of them don't come out till after dark, people have seen strange looking rituals going on. There's even a witch's shop right there in town. Most people say the whole town's full of witches, werewolves, and the undead...you know vampires." The man said the last with a shudder.

Angel laughed out loud, startling the driver. Then he felt a tingle of awareness through the link. He looked down at Willow, her eyes were still closed but then that sensation came through the link again.

Angel touched her forehead, checking for fever, and very gently sent through the link, Willow, please wake up. The first thing she was aware of was the gentle hand on her forehead. Then the mental call through the link, though quiet, it sounded loud and harsh inside her head. Oh, that hurt. What the hell happened? Then her memory rushed back *Getting Angel out of hell.* Oh yeah, Angel. *Angel, lying on the floor of her bedroom in a pool of his own blood, a stake imbedded in his chest.* Oh no...Angel? Willow forced her eyes open to find said man staring at her, worry clear in his gaze. She tried to smile to offer reassurance that she was fine, a little weak but no worse for wear.

He moved closer to her, until their foreheads almost touched, his eyes seeming to plead with her to speak. Willow opened her mouth to reassure him and found that her throat wouldn't work. She tried again to no avail, she could see that Angel was growing more worried with each passing moment.

Even though it caused her headache to worsen, she opened the link and said, I'm fine Angel, just tired.

Were you trying to tell me something before? Angel asked relief coming through the link. Willows brows knit as she tried to remember, and tried to keep her eyes open. Then the response came, Yeah...laugh more...like it...nice laugh. The link closed again with her eyes.

Angel watched Willow, she wasn't really awake yet he realized. He could feel the cabby's unease. He wondered fleetingly, if the man had noticed that he didn't reflect in the rearview mirror. He stared at the countryside that he had not been to in nearly three years.

Angel looked up at the old haunted house as the car, sped past. He watched the light in the upstairs window remembering the woman who lived there, the vampire who lived there. Although he never mentioned such to the Slayer, there were other creatures than himself who didn't wantonly kill humans. They didn't have a reason not to, no curse, they simply lacked the intensity that the demon he was given had, had.

He noticed, although only in passing, that although he still suffered from blood lust, it was nowhere near the all consuming, intense need that it had once been. Something had changed, he'd changed, Angel wondered if Willow had something to do with it. He still had other questions for her. When she finally came around, she was going to have questions for him too he knew. He wondered if she would reprimand him for his trespasses, he figured that the dream she would make allowances for, but what about the feeding. Would she forgive him for almost killing her? Would he still have a friend in her when she came fully around? He hoped so. He knew that she would either find the place he was taking interesting or terrifying, Interesting, he hoped.

Pine Valley. He smiled a little letting his mind wander to a safer subject. Pine Valley, ''Village of the Damned.' Yeah, somehow he figured that, that was what Xander would call the place. He would be right to an extent. The town was a safe haven for many of the nonhumans that existed in the world. Things like Whistler, or werewolves like Oz, vampires that didn't kill. Creatures of the night that chose to be on the side of "good"

Created by creatures that had grown tired of running. Tired of feeling like they would be forever hunted. The town was small, so much so that it appeared on few maps and even fewer humans knew it was there. Angel smiled a little, they would love Willow, her light would endear her to them.

As they drove through the town Angel had the cab driver stop at a store that was still open at 4 a.m. If the cabby thought it was strange for the store to be open at that time of the night in such a small town, Angel was paying him enough that he didn't dwell on it. Angel ordered the driver to keep the motor running and the heat going while he was inside. He then put Willow in the seat adjusted the comforter around her and climbed out of the cab. As he trotted inside the cabby turned around to gaze at the young woman. He hadn't really gotten a good look at her at the airport, the comforter had shielded her.

Pretty, red hair, a little pale, perhaps she was sick, and young, very young, he would say. A little too young for the man who was carrying her. He appeared to be 27 or 28, this girl appeared to be 18 maybe 19. Of course they could be brother and sister, but the way the young man had held her he didn't think so. He looked around at their surroundings and shuddered. He hated coming to this town, it always gave him the creeps, but the young man had paid him more money than he made in a week to bring him here. He couldn't refuse. The cabby turned back around in the seat as the young man came back out of the store carrying a small bag and a bottle of wine. When he climbed back in the cab, he set the items aside and picked the young girl up and placed her in his lap again. He then gave the cabby directions to a Victoria style manor house just down the street. The house even had a widows walk on it.

Angel watched as the cab pulled to a stop in front of his house. One he hadn't used in three years. The cabby opened the door, and waited for Angel to get out, while he went around the cab to get the suitcase and bag. He waited until Angel had made it to the front door and opened the house. Angel moved aside to allow the man to place the luggage on the floor in the front room. Angel paid the cabby and closed the door. Angel looked down at Willow. His eyes clouded slightly, she looked so fragile.

She pulled at him. Willows soul pulled at him. He had thought it was just the fact that he felt grateful to her. That gratitude was the cause of his feelings for Willow. The last day and the last five hours had seen that proved wrong. His feelings for her were more than that, much more. Angel feared that she had taken up residence in his heart and would never leave, and on top of that she had told him he was part of this new prophecy. He wasn't ready to deal with what that meant. With the fact that she had brought him back, setting into motion the events that they now found themselves in.

He hurried up the stairs, wanting nothing more then a few hours of sleep himself. Angel opened the door a bit awkwardly with her in his arms. The vampire smiled a little, as his eyes fell on the bed. The dark green comforter and satin sheets should impress the woman in his arms. Not that he was hoping to impress her, no he wasn't. Angel moved the comforter aside and laid Willow down on the sheets. He smiled as she whimpered seeming to protest Angel's putting her away from him. Angel tucked Willow in gently, and leaned down to kiss her cheek smiling at the look of contentment on her face. Angel bit his lip softly as he turned to leave the room. He looked back at her. She looked so small in that huge bad.

Fess up Angel you want her in your arms again. He did too, that was the problem, the thing he was having the hardest time dealing with. Was he in love with her? If he was, what the hell would she think? He knew that he cared for her, he needed her, and that he desired her. The question was where did his gratitude end, and his feelings for her really begin. You're such a liar, vampire. Angel knew he was too, he loved her, there really was no way around that fact any longer.

He walked over to the bed, and sat on the far side, away from Willow. It was a huge bed, Angel thought, it wouldn't matter, she wouldn't care. He stretched out next to her, careful not to touch her. He lay there for a moment listening to her breath. Listening to her heartbeat.

Angel?
Yes?
Hold me.

Sunnydale: Xander's

Xander paced. He was nervous. He couldn't help it. She was safe he knew that instinctively, but it didn't make any of what was happening easier to except. This was Willow for God's sake. His best bud. The one person he'd always been able to count on. Buffy might be able to deal with the slayage, but Willow was the back bone of their group he knew that, for all his jokes. He loved her more then he did anyone else, she was his best friend, his soul sister. He knew that she was all right, always knew she was all right.

Xander could still see her pale, still face lying against the sheets in the hospital bed. He would have found Angelus and killed him a thousand times over if she had died. Now that very man was the only thing that could save her. He still wasn't sure about this prophecy and some of it's elements. Some of it pointed to Buffy without a doubt, They two have become one. That had to be Buffy cause Willow wasn't Angel's lover. Yet, it could mean something other then the whole sex thing. I really think Buffy can't deal with the idea that Angel wants Willow. Xander stopped suddenly, looking down. Angel wants Willow, ours is a forbidden love. Xander laughed softly, wondering if Willow realized that her words, said in jest had become true.

She and Angel were like the lovers in some story, only he thought perhaps they were fated not forbidden. He hoped it was fated.

You love her. Yeah, he did love her, with everything in him. It scared him half to death when he had said those words to Willow in the hospital and she had woke up. Xander had realized that her assuming it had been Oz, had been a blessing in disguise. He did love her, but he wasn't in love with her. He understood now what had prompted his words. He'd thought that if he told her the one thing he knew she had wanted to hear that it would draw her back to him.

Yes, he knew that Willow had been in love with him for a long time. He had feared the moment she would say something and he'd have to tell her that they where just friends.

Then there was that scare at the beginning of the school year when he'd nearly kissed her. He'd wanted that, had wanted to kiss her. Sometimes he thought about it. Wondered what her lips would have tasted like? What Willow would have done? He knew now though that it wasn't meant to be. Willow had moved on to Oz, and now perhaps to Angel.

He couldn't get over his changed feelings about the vampire. He didn't like the guy per say, but he didn't have the same problem with him that he had when it was Buffy. He couldn't understand the change. It wasn't just the ''you're jealous bug' either, because he had been jealous when she had gone back to talk to the vampire. He'd been jealous of what he'd seen pass between them, because it was the ease that had left his relationship with her. Ever since Willow had learned that he hadn't told Buffy that she was going to attempt the spell again.

He remembered the horrified look on her face when she had learned the truth, that Angel, soul intact, had been swallowed up by Acathala. She had said to words to Buffy.

"It was his blood." He'd realized then that Willow knew more then she had ever let on. He had no idea what the statement meant, but Buffy seemed to, because she blanched and stormed out of the room angry.

He looked over at his alarm clock and groaned. If he was going to be awake during his classes tomorrow he was going to have to go to bed now. <Oh God! Willow's going to miss another day of school, what will her mother say?!!?!?!

Sleep eluded Xander for some time, images came to him in the pre-sleep time, when everything had the surreal quality of dreams, but not there lack of substance. His mind wondered, seeking his missing sister instinctively.

Willow, Willow. His mind called to her softly, seeking her in the swirling mists that had begun to form before his eyes.

I'm here, Xander, right as rain. She answered his call, his mind filling with her face. He embraced this dream Willow, smiled softly at her. She looked different he realized, older maybe he wasn't sure. The young woman seemed more at home in her skin. I need you to do something for me.

Anything!

She smiled at his ready reaction knowing she could count on him. He listened to her instructions wishing for a notebook, but managed to commit them to memory. She handed him a scrap of paper, on it was a website address an email address and the name of a book..

The site is on the prophecy, the email is mine, the book Giles needs to read. She started to turn away. Willow, you are well, he didn't hurt you?

I am well, you needn't fear. Angel can't harm me, would not even if he could.

You're sure?

Aye, the lady's blessing go with you. Xander reached for her, but she disappeared among the swirling mists from which she had come, seemingly called back by something. He knew that was Willow's way of showing him she was well. He moved in his sleep, his hand still clutching a ripped piece of notebook paper. He smiled whispering her name as sleep claimed him, content.....

Pine Valley: Angel's

~Morning~

She lay there, her small silk encased form wrapped snugly in his arms, he shouldn't be doing this he thought. She asked you to. He looked down at her long red hair. It hung over his arm in a waterfall of silken fire, he wished he could see it lit by the sun, he could almost imagine what it would look like. Like the fine shine of a new copper penny. It would look as though the sun itself had been captured within it.

Willow moved slightly against his form, her arm sliding over his torso as she turned in slumber. He held his breath, wondering if she would awaken. She settled back against him and snuggled closer. He allowed his hand to caress the strands of her hair. He looked down at her and his breath caught in surprise. Her eyes were open and she was blinking rapidly at him.

The feeling of warm, satiny sheets brushing against her cheek was the first thing she became aware of, that and the strong arms that held her against an unmoving chest. Well she knew who that was, every instinct that she had screamed his name. She smiled Angel. and then remembered the satin. Hey wait. I don't have satin sheets. She pushed her eyes open. Her line of vision was filled with Angel's naked chest and torso. Ooh nice, bad Willow. She could feel herself blushing and she silently cursed her Irish skin. Lifting her head she found herself trapped in his warm gaze. She smiled uncertainly at him. He answered her slight smile with one of his own. Wonder how long he's been awake?

She attempted to move only to have herself hauled more tightly against him. Oh, I gotta go to the bathroom. Angel!! She knocked him lightly on the shoulder when he had the nerve the laugh at her predicament. He released her after a moment. "Down the hall, first door on your right."

She slid off the bed and headed down the hallway he'd indicated. She opened the prescribed door, and stared in shock at the figure that stared back at her. She was wearing a long flowing night gown, the likes of which she had never owned. It was modest yet slightly on the sexy side with thin straps at the shoulder. How the hell had she gotten into this? She wondered her face suddenly flaming at the clear answer.

Angel!?!!?

Still sitting on the bed the sleep tousled vampire laughed. She noticed her change of clothing. He sent back the best sheepish, embarrassed feelings he could muster through their link, unfortunately his amusement at the situation ruined the effect. She slammed the link closed with mock severity and put upon anger. She looked down taking in the gown and a slight memory tugged at the edge of her awareness. Oh yeah Angel helped her change her clothes. I just didn't realize into what. She fingered the silken material chuckling to herself. Angel had such a sense of humor, dressing her in a silky night gown. She was convinced he'd done it for the reaction. He seemed to get a kick out of making her blush. Huh. We'll see about that vampire.

He got up out of the bed and slipped a shirt on when he sensed her coming back, might as well face this head on he thought. Never meet an indignant red head lying down, it could be really bad. He watched her walk toward him down the hallway. His eyes followed the sway of her hips. He tugged his eyes back up to hers, angry with himself. He shouldn't be thinking of her like that. Gods get a grip vampire.

He smiled warmly at her, trying to keep track of his wayward thoughts. She's Willow for god's sake...Willow. Damn it, he wasn't helping himself. She smiled at him and then looked down at herself. She blushed but looked back up into his piercing gaze. She fingered the gown, touching the material lightly she spoke, "It's pretty. Where did you find it?"

"I picked it up last night." He confessed after a moment. "I thought...I thought you'd like it." He managed at last as he sat back down on the bed.

"I do very much, " as she spoke, she moved to sit on the bed beside him. He watched her warily, wondering what she was thinking. He waited expecting to be reprimanded for his actions, but she seemed to be letting him off the hook. He smiled, a little more at ease. It would appear that she wasn't angry with him after all. He went to draw her to him, but she moved, staying his hand.

She looked warily at Angel, uncertain of where they were and why they were here. She knew the obvious reason, she shuddered lightly, the memory of finding Angel in a pool of his own blood overwhelming her. Something else was happening here though and she couldn't figure out what it was. She needed space, Angel's touch tended to have one of two effects on her, when she was trying to think his touch seemed to scatter those thoughts to the four winds, or when she was scattered he seemed to put them in some order.

After a moment of waiting Angel lunged to capture the woman in his arms, pulling her down on the bed with him, he needed to hold her. She let out a startled yelp and tried to pull away. He chuckled at her attempts, he was after all a vampire and her strength was nothing to his. What is wrong with me? He wondered, he wanted...no needed to touch her, had been a victim to that need since the moment she had pulled him from the abyss.

"Angel, " she whispered weakly as she was hauled up against his chest, "Could you kindly unhand me?"

"No, I think I like you right where you are." he answered smugly. Situating her in his arms so that escape was no longer possible. He pinned her easily to him. He smiled at her, until he saw the look of fear in her eyes. He released her immediately.

Willow saw a look in Angels eyes she had never seen there before, fear. She could sense his thoughts and feelings quite clearly through the link. As he tried to haul himself off the bed and away from her; fear, disgust with himself, pain, he had been so sure she had no fear of him.

"Angel wait" damn, damn!! she whispered seeing his fear and hurt. "You don't understand. It's not you. It's that I was well...I mean I haven't....I mean last night you...." She broke trying to regain her composure and failing. I didn't let myself feel it, last night.

The tears came without her permission and she couldn't seem to hold them back. It was as if all of the emotions that she had kept in check for the past several months suddenly came back to haunt her. Willow realized that Angel would misunderstand the reason, but once the floodgates had opened there was no stopping it. He watched her for a moment, not knowing what to do. She had asked him to wait and he would. Even though it was torture for Angel to sit next to her, and see her sobbing quietly. What had he done that hurt her so much? Had he overstepped his bounds? Was she afraid because of the whole blood exchange thing? He would never harm her if he could help it. She was trembling and uncertain, and finally, not being able to see her crying alone, he drew her into his arms. Willow turned into Angel's embrace, her tears wetting his shirt. He thought for sure that he knew the reason for her tears until she whispered, "Oh God Angel, she almost killed you." against his chest.

Angel stared down at her. Disbelief coloring his eyes, she wasn't upset about his feeding off of her, or even about that stolen kiss. She was upset because of what Buffy had done. He clutched her closer. He wasn't sure what to make of that. It wasn't often that anyone had worried about him. The last time had been Buffy, when Spike had used him to give Dru her strength back, when he had been wounded. When she had found out he was a vampire, her concern had become confidence that he could handle almost anything thrown at him.

No one else had ever been concerned about his well being, not since he had been embraced. Until now. Willow was worried about him, the thought gave him, what Willow would have called warm, fuzzy feelings. A vampire with warm, fuzzy feelings...who'd have thought. He laid back down on the bed and pulled her even closer, not caring that she was soaking his chest with her tears. He just wanted to hold her.

She looked up at Angel smiled softly through her tears. "Sorry Angel, got you all wet."

She sniffed softly and began to untangle herself from Angel's arms. She reached for the box of tissues that sat on the night stand. She laughed when she accidentally dropped the box on Angel's stomach. He chuckled but made no attempt to retaliate being tissued. She wiped away her tears, and snuggled against Angel, not ready to face the real world yet.

"You know the only really bad part about this whole blood thing Angel, is that I am so tired. I don't mind, I mean you didn't hurt me at all, but the healing after it makes you so tired." Willow looked up at him and smiled gently. She hoped that if she was nonchalant about the whole blood thing it would ease some of his guilt. She didn't blame him. He didn't have a choice.

"You say that so calmly. I almost killed you." Angel said his voice filled with anguish.

"Angel you most certainly didn't almost kill me. I fainted. It had nothing to do with you." Willows voice was firm and gentle.

"Then what was it?" He asked wondering what she was going to say. He waited. Angel moved slightly trying to get comfortable. Willow smiled and touched his cheek.

"Look, I guess I owe you an explanation, about what happened back there. Then you get to tell me what happened with Buffy and just what...er where we are. All right." She asked gently needing to know that he wouldn't ask her to explain. "Okay." Angel agreed reluctantly.

"Angel what do you know for sure about me. I mean what am I?" He looked at her questioningly. He didn't understand what she wanted him to say.

"You're Willow, " he said, as if that explained it all. Strangely enough it did. She was Willow.

"Well there you have it. I'm Willow, somehow I think you don't understand any more of what is happening here than you did before."

"Nope." he said smiling a little sheepishly at her. She chuckled and changed her position again unable to stay still for too long. Angel laughed softly loosening his hold to allow her to move. "Can't sit still can you?"

"Nope. Okay let's see if I can turn that proverbial light bulb on for you."

Angel looked at her expectantly. She was now leaning back against him using him for all intents and purposes as a pillow.

"I sort of, well that is...After Angelus killed Jenny. Snyder had me take over her computer classes. While looking for her class plans I ran across her Book of Shadows. Anyway I went and tried to work some of the spells. They worked. I mean really worked. And well then Buffy and I found the Restoration Spell. And don't take this wrong, but I didn't want to do it. Not because I didn't want you back I did, but what if it didn't work, what if we lost you somewhere in the translation.

"But you did." he pointed out absently caressing her shoulder. She leaned back and looked up at him. "Yeah I did. And look what you got for it. God knows what sort of hell you went through."

"Willow." Angel said in warning.

"I know, anyway I met someone who was also a witch I guess if you can call a guy a witch. I don't know if that's politically correct. Anyway he helped me find the spell to get you out of hell or I should say, you helped me find the spell to release you, he helped me with the particulars. You with me so far?" She smiled softly at him, wondering if he was following her, and if he would accept her rather sketchy explanation.

"Yeah, I think I am. You were playing Sabrina the Teenage Witch, found a way to bring me back, got some help, and here we are." he summarized.

"More or less, now for the blood thing." Willow began.

"Yeah, what about that." Angel asked expectantly.

"Well I sort of overdid it. The blood had nothing to do with it. I would have fainted anyway, it was a good thing you were there to catch me. I would have had a really bad bump on my head. It was more that when I performed the ritual I was already very weak from the casting and then fighting the demon, before you took over was almost too much. The only reason I am not dead is because of you. That thing was strong."

"Tell me about it." Angel said ruefully. She nodded her head in agreement. Then looked at him curiously.

"How did you fight him for so long? And how does it feel not to have to?" Angel looked at Willow strangely for a moment. It did feel different. The demon was still there and still raged against his control, but he didn't have to fight it in the same way. He wasn't struck with blood lust sitting here with her in his arms. His soul was in almost complete control, even last night when he'd been so hurt and in need of blood he'd been able to think. Until he'd felt her feelings. So it's not my imagination, it's not the same

"I don't know what you've done to change it but he's there but he's weak. very weak. I still need blood but I don't feel like I did. So what have you done." She looked down worriedly hoping that he wouldn't be mad.

"I don't know how to explain this to you, but basically you are as you where expect well, the whole control issue I would say you can keep him in check if you don't let it, and sometimes you'll want to let it." Angel hauled her up, his hands grasping her arms to hold her above him. Looking up at her.

"And you were going to tell me this when?" He demanded. She chuckled.

"If you didn't notice it on your own. I think that you would have to be thinking about going to a shrink." He laughed, a real laugh. "But I'm ok ay, I promise, no more fainting, maybe just some sleeping. I need time to recharge. I just get really tired and sleep and I heal. Look the marks are almost gone."

Angel looked over at her neck, surprised to see that the marks were indeed healing, although not as quickly as the ones from the other morning.

"You could have died, doing that." He whispered. He stared down at her the desire hold and keep a hold on her stronger then he had ever felt before. He allowed his hands to move absently over her back. She smiled and settle against him.

"Whatcha thinking?" she asked innocently. Her eyes gleamed with a mischievous light that would have sent Xander running, but Angel had no idea the danger this side of Willow placed him in, or the havoc she could wreak with just a look. Willows eyes were burning into him, daring him to tell her what he was thinking. He stared at her for a moment not knowing what had hit him.

"Just how lucky I am to have you here. I don't know what I did to deserve it, but the gods have been kind. Real live angels are so hard to come by." he said honestly, hoping she would except that and take it for what it was.

"I am not an angel, a fairy maybe, but not an angel. You should remember that." Willow said playfully. She smiled, that gleam still very much in her eyes. This time Angel saw it, he wondered at it, what it meant, what it was a response to. She withdrew from his grasp and picked up the box of tissues that still lay on the bed.

"Angel, you think I can get a shower. I really need to clean up a little. Speaking of cleaning up. You healed rather well. Must be nice to heal that quick, even if it's with the help of a willing donor." Willow smiled softly, desperately trying to take away the pain she knew lay in him over the memory of drinking from her. He was taking one of the most exquisitely sensual experiences she'd ever had and making it evil because he thought it had to be.

"Yeah, I hurt you, didn't I? I swear I didn't mean to hurt you." Angel said, sounding anguished again. She looked at him, at the pain that reflected in his eyes. How could any one man's eyes hold such self-reproaching, sadness. Willow wanted to make them sparkle with laughter, light with fire, anything but this soul eating self-loathing.

"Angel snap out of it. You most certainly didn't harm me in anyway. I invited it and nothing you did was not asked for." She had moved closer as she spoke and pulled one of his hands into hers. He smiled a bit sadly and then looked up into her eyes. He reached up a hand and touched her cheek.

"Didn't I?" He asked allowing his fingers to stray briefly to her lips. That's when she understood. The kiss hadn't been a dream and he thought he'd done something wrong. It wasn't wrong. Not wrong. Willow had known that the taking of blood had to be erotic for him, and it had made her feel needed, cherished....desired. He thought she wouldn't understand. She didn't, not all of it, but she had read enough to know that sharing blood was highly arousing to vampires.

"Angel that wasn't harm and it wasn't anything to feel guilty about. No big. But about this shower?" She managed at last.

"Oh yeah sorry, uh down the hall, you can take a bath if you want. Everything you need should be down there and in the suit case." She smiled her thanks. "Oh and I bought you some soap last night something a little more like...well female." he stammered. She laughed at his embarrassment then. She stood up and picked up her suitcase and headed down the hall.

"Willow, " he called out to her. She turned to look at him, "What was it that I felt when I looked past the words?" She smiled a little, understanding the question, although she had a feeling he wasn't sure what he was asking.

"This is going to sound so strange but you were feeling what I felt. What I felt plus what you felt then what I felt plus what you felt plus what you felt when you felt what I felt." She chuckled at the completely confused expression on his face. poor angel.

"Huh" he said. It was all Willow could do not to laugh because just for that moment he sounded so much like Xander.

"Okay simplify it. I'll try." she paused for a moment trying to find the words."I feel what ever you feel. So that when you reached out to touch my feelings, you touched the combination of our feelings. What you touched wasn't just me, it was both of us. I sense you so you felt the combination of what we are. It caused like a domino effect where every moment your mind touched mine the feelings doubled in response to the change that my feelings caused in you. It was rather intense. I haven't ever felt anything like that before. It wasn't in your control or mine and you don't need to worry or feel guilty about it. Okay." She turned and walked into the other room.

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