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)

PINE VALLEY:

She stared at Angel, as he was watching her. The sun had just set and she knew he'd been standing on the other side of the door. Waiting for her. Wonder when he got up, what he did today?

"You certainly are taking that 'in before dark' to the limit aren't you?" Willow smiled realizing that he was worried. Angel was worried about her.

"Angel really, I came as soon as I realized the time. I was talk into Cassie I met her at one of the stores and well I lost track of the time." Angel shook his head in amusement, understanding that he was being overprotective. She chuckled, reaching out to take Angel's hand. He caught her fingers up in his and dragged her into his arms. She let out a startled breath.

"I'm sorry." He whispered softly into her red hair. I don't want to lose you mo cridhe.

Willow leaned back to look up at Angel. Mo cridhe, wonder what that means? He was staring down at her his eyes seemed to be doing that strange glowy thing again. His grip on her tightened for a moment, before loosening again slightly. Angel brushed his hands gently up Willows arms to rest on her shoulders. He squeezed gently smiling down at her. Willow stared at him, wondering what was going through the part of his mind she couldn't see. Angel found himself leaning closer to her, his mind working frantically against what he was feeling.

"Angel?" she questioned softly. He seemed to shudder slightly, his hands sliding up to cup her cheek. Angel circled the soft flesh of her face with his finger tips, trying to remember what he had been planning to do. The ideas had scattered the instant he'd touched her.

Damn it! This seems incredibly unfair. Being reduced to mindless rambling by a pair of bright green eyes. Movie. Yeah that was what he was going to ask her if she wanted to go to the movies to waste some time.

"Umm Angel, what does that mean?" Willow asked suddenly.

"Hmm?" said the befuddled vampire.

"Mo cridhe." Angel stared at her for a moment his eyes betraying some sort of panic. His hands dropped from her shoulders as he finally responded.

"It's just a...an endearment...like little one." he answered distractedly, being careful to avoid her gaze. He turned away from her towards the couch. Liar! Angel thought to himself, A good one you are not.

She watched his back wondering what it really meant. Why would he lie? Well it's Gaelic, so I can ask Tristan.

"Oh...that's sweet." she said finally. She felt herself starting to shake, What now? She closed her eyes trying to stop it. She'd seen Angel's reaction to the last set and she had a feeling this was going to be a doozy. She was trembling again. She tried to shake it off, but there was no way she could. They were coming, the visions, whether she wanted them or not. Who would die this time? she wondered morosely. It hurt. She knew they weren't real. That they were something that could happen. They were not however, written in stone.

She watched the images trying to understand the meaning and purpose of what was being shown to her. She gasped as Angel's face flashed across her minds eye. He was staring at her, she realized, staring into her. Another image of Angel kissing Buffy at the Bronze.

Why am I seeing the past? She watched as the image morphed, changing, Buffy becoming her. She stared shocked, Angel kissing her. What the hell? Another image Willow sleeping in the swing in the backyard of her house. She was laying down, the moonlight falling on her face. A shadow blocked out the light. Willow stared at the image, wishing she could see who it was. A hand reached out to caress her check. She stirred and the figure backed away. She watched the retreating form seeing now what she had missed that night. Angel? She moaned softly in her throat as her mind became overwhelmed with the mixture of memory and insight.

"Willow?" His voice sounded soft and tender with concern. She struggled against Angel's arms for a moment, before she gave up and snuggled against him. Angel, she closed her mind from his, not wanting to draw him into this vision. She closed her eyes, letting her mind do what it would. Tristan, she called out to the one creature that could help her right now. As much as she cared for Angel, this was one problem that he couldn't help her with.

He pulled her onto the couch with him worriedly. He touched her cheek trying to discern her condition she had closed him out of her mind, and he wasn't sure what was causing the pain. I am here, child. Tristan's voice came through the link to Willow, calm and soothing.

Help!! Willow said desperately.

Easy, just grasp at one of the images and push the others away. The voice of her fae watcher said soothingly. Frantically reaching out to the images that continued to bombard her mind, Willow locked on to the most recent one of Angel. Sleep tousled and smiling.

She began to breath slowly, pushing the others into the darkness, quieting the voices and clutching him closer to her heart. Angel watched her worriedly his eyes conveying his concern. "Care to share?" he asked gently wanting in some way to help. She drew back from him and smiled until she heard him gasp."Willow?!?!" She reached up slowly and touched her nose. Drawing her hand back, sure enough she had another bloody nose. Willow wiped away the tears that had formed in her eyes. She knew the cause of that too. She wished it wasn't happening now, or that it would at least have had the decency to wait until she was alone to fall apart.

"Willow, what the hell is going on?" he demanded his voice gone tight with worry. She sniffed and took a tissue from the box, knowing that it would be a few moments before the bleeding stopped.

"In some people intense psychic activity causes a physical response."Indicating her tissue covered nose, "I am one of those lucky folks."She wiped the last of the blood away from her nose and settled back into the couch beside Angel. He looked over at her not satisfied by her answer, but knowing it would do no good to pry.

"Willow?" He took the tissue from her fingers and threw it in the wastebasket situated beside the couch. When he looked back, he shook his head sadly. She had fallen asleep in a matter of seconds. He watched her wondering what she wasn't telling him. What did she know that she hadn't shared with him? So the bloody nose was caused by psychic activity, in this case her vision, whatever it was. Why hadn't it happened before? The other vision lasted longer, you would think it would have had the same reaction. Why hadn't she let him in? The last time she had let him into the vision although he did think that, that time had been an accident.

Angel situated her onto the couch laying her out so that she would be comfortable as she rested. He watched her curiously. He could feel her mind on the edge of his consciousness. Reaching out mentally he gripped her thoughts with his own trying to see into them, as she did his. She made a small sound of pain in her sleep and he felt her mentally respond, her mind reaching for his. He gasped as blue fire burned through his thoughts.

In his mind he saw her as he had never thought to see her. Her hair unbound and blowing in an insistent breeze. She was standing...no floating in the center of a burning blue flame. She was garbed in a gossamer garment of deepest green, she looked stunning. He released the image suddenly, certain that he would not be going about in her mind undetected or un-reprimanded. If she wanted him to know what was ailing her she would tell him. He pushed himself from the couch, and moved to the other side, where she lay. Leaning down he brushed a light kiss against her cheek and left the room.

He walked into the study looking at his watch shaking his head in amusement. He smiled as he came into the living room. Walking over to the stereo he turned on the power. He picked a cd by Clannad and pressed it into the player. He waited for a moment as the player kicked in and began to play the first strains of the song. He closed his own eyes, letting the music lull his nerves.

What was he going to do? He looked over at the phone deciding to give her something to play with. He chuckled wondering if she would like his gift. He figured she would. She was after all Willow, smart and vastly giving. He spoke to the man on the line, getting the best top of the line model available. He smiled satisfied that he had managed to get her something She would really like. Now the question was, what to do now that the darkness had fallen. He'd take her out exploring, he knew she loved checking out places. She had enjoyed just the tour of the house he'd given her this morning. She had been enthralled with the stories behind each of the objects that he showed her. He figured that she was impressed and found history spoken by one that saw it, more interesting then history told by someone who couldn't have been there. He waited wondering what Katia would think of his lady. She isn't yours. Only it appeared that she was his. In some way. Not that she seemed to mind that he had taken to thinking of her like that. What am I going to do?

SUNNYDALE: GALAN'S :

The sound of whimpering caught Spike's attention. He walked into the next room. He stopped and stared at Drucilla. She lay on their bed, her form clothed in one of her usual long clingy dresses. The whimpering sound was coming from Dru, she was dreaming.

Spike walked over to the bed with the intention of soothing her, he hated hearing the frightened sounds she was making.

"Luv...ducks?" Spike whispered softly, trying to rouse her from the stupor she was in. Dru moaned still caught in the thrall of dreams."Please Dru. Wake up." Spike shook her slightly wondering what it would take to get her to come out of it. Then he realized it wasn't sleep. She was in a trance. Damn it. The blond vampire thought to himself angrily.

Dru's eyes fluttered briefly. Then opened. They held such a look of complete terror that Spike found himself gathering her up in his arms and whispering little incoherent things to her to soothe her. His protective instincts demanding he defend his princess from her horrifying visions. He felt a pang of fear himself. Anything that would cause Dru to have such a look of terror would be something to truly be feared.

"Dru...Ducks what is it?" He asked tenderly using his free hand to push her hair out of her face.

"Death awaits us. Galan brings death. Miss Edith says that Galan will fail. The Summoner is strong, stronger then the Slayer, stronger then the moons pull on the tides." Drucilla said dreamily.

Spike stared for a moment shocked. It never occurred to him that the little red haired hacker would be that powerful. True when last he had seen her she had radiated power like the Slayer did. More so. She had been like a beacon in the darkness, he'd stopped and stared, watching as darkness and light danced within her. "What tilts it in her favor? What does she have that Galan doesn't know about?" Spike questioned his lover gently and quietly.

Dru studied Spikes face. Her normally cloudy gaze clearing for a moment. Her eyes appeared sane and Spike waited, once more wondering at the lucid gaze. An expression he'd hadn't seen since Dru was made. "She's one with the night, yet holds deeply of the light. She has the balance, perfect and true, the darkest night and the brightest day. She is fae."

"So is Galan." reminded Spike gently. Pulling Drucilla around so that her back rested against his chest.

"Galan has to fail. The darkness can't swallow the light. The two need each other. What is light without the dark. There must be a counterpoint. She wanted it that way. Made it that way. She holds a balance all her own. Willow is the balance." Spike watched her as Drucilla slowly got unto move over to the dresser.

All this darkness and light. He wondered at the whole thing. What was it referring to? Was the darkness the Western King? Galan was looking for a human...but what if...what if it wasn't a human?

"Strong as his darkness and good as her light."

"Luv, are you talking about Ange-Daddy?" said the blond vampire coming to stand behind her at the dresser. Turning her to face him. Drucilla smiled up at him although it was a slightly saddened expression.

"Daddy. Yes, he's her Angel now." said the vampiress sadly."He's going to take care of her, like my Spike takes care of me."

He stared at Drucilla speechless. Take care of...protect. Like the Western king, would protect the Summoner, and Galan doesn't even suspect. A feral smile slid across Spike's face and Dru responded with a dreamy smile of her own.

"Now my Spiky sees. Galan will fail, cause Daddy won't let anything happen to our new Mommy. Then we'll still have our Happy Legs."the ethereal brunette said smiling up at her lover.

"That's Happy Meals with Legs, Luv." the bleached blond vampire said absently. If Angel was back, not Angelus, that meant he'd been given that pesky soul back.

Had Willow done it? "So Dru, you like Willow?"

The vampiress nodded vigorously and said, "She makes my head all clear and happy. She says that as long as I'm happy and you're happy with me like this. Everything 'll be hunky dory." the brunette made a funny face and added, "She talks funny though. What does hunky dory mean Spike?"

"I think it means everything 'll be fine Pet." the slender vampire replied with a slight smirk.

Looking deep into his ice blue eyes, Dru reached her hand up to caress his cheek. Giving her his undivided attention, Spike realized she was in one of those very lucid moments. Compliments of the little hacker no doubt.

"Will we?" the brunette whispered quietly. "Will we be fine spike? I hurt you, when Daddy came back. I know I did. I know that you...you're not to sure bout whether you like me like this. It's making you nervous...me being normal isn't it. But I like being like this, my head doesn't feel all full and fuzzy. So after all this is over, if you want to go...I'll understand."

Spike looked down at her stunned, " Ducks...Dru. I love you, doesn't matter to me how I have you. Just so long as I have you." he said and lowered his head to kiss the vampiress passionately.

Pine valley Angel's:

"Hey, fang man?" Willow called. She listened. Angel was upstairs she realized as she got up off the couch. Angel was moving around in the room upstairs she could hear him. Angel making noise? Willow smiled wondering if she could surprise him. The redhead moved up the stairs slowly and smiled as she stepped up to the door of his room, it was open. The hacker waited for a moment before stepping through the portal. Angel was standing in front of the bathroom door, his back to her, his hair still wet from a shower. Willow stared at him for a moment realizing that this must be what Buffy saw when she had gone to Willow's house.

Angel fresh from the shower a towel thrown carelessly over his shoulders. She stared at him, her eyes drawn slowly over his form. Willow felt her face heat slightly when she realized that this was definitely not what Buffy saw. No Angel had been at least partially dressed then, not wearing only a towel hung precariously on his waist. Angel moved easily turning around to face her and froze. Willow laughed at the shocked look on his face.

"Hi," the red head whispered, "Sorry. When you weren't down there, I thought..." she stammered looking at him.

"Hi, yourself. I didn't mean to worry you." Angel managed. Shaking her head Willow left the room and headed back downstairs wanting to avoid any awkwardness.

Angel stared after her wonderingly then dressed quickly. Running his hands through his still wet hair Angel started out of the room. He stopped spying Willow's hair brush sitting on the dresser. Fixing on an idea, he scooped up the small brush and headed down the stairs.

Willow had settled herself on the couch and had her eyes closed. Angel was in the room watching her, she could feel him. Her eyes opened and Willow smiled at him slowly. He was dressed in a long sleeved dark blue shirt and black dress pants, but his feet were still bare.

"I am okay Angel. I promise." Willow said sensing his worry and feeling all the worse about what he didn't know yet.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked and then remembering, "and why didn't you get the bloody nose, the first time."

"I don't know what it means it was just a jumble of images, not like before, and the other one you took part of the stress cause I let you in." Willow tried to explain without telling him too much.

"Wait, if it makes it easier, why..." Angel began.

"Because Angel." Willow interrupted gently, knowing what he was going to say, "Not everything that it shows me is going to fit, or make sense, and sometimes it shows things that you don't really want to know."

"You said images, like what?" He asked unwilling to let it go, he settled behind her on the couch. Moved around so that he was half sitting on the back of the couch. Willow hadn't turned around but his position told her what he had done.

"Here I thought you were an adult." said the hacker, grasping at a way to change the subject, "Last time I checked, you weren't supposed to sit on the back of couches," Willow added with mock reprimand. Angel chuckled and lifted the brush that he'd held out of her sighting leaned forward to begin running it lightly over her hair.

"What?" Willow said looking around. Angel reached forward to stop her from bumping into the brush. Catching sight of the brush in the vampires hand she gave him a questioning look.

"I just thought you'd like this. I'm sorry. I won't if..." Angel said almost shyly.

"No. I like it, it's just nobody but Xander ever used to play with my hair. I think he knows how to braid hair better than I do." Angel chuckled a little at the image of Xander trying to braid Willow's longhair. He smiled and began to run the brush through her hair. His fingers loving the feel of the silken strands. Angel let his fingers sift through the tresses behind the brush. It's like ruby silk.

Willow closed her eyes relaxing into his ministrations, Angel smiled as Willow relaxed into his touch. Angel put the brush aside after the cognac strands of her hair had begun to shine and shimmer. Reaching up he slowly began to massage the lower part of her scalp. Willow trembled slightly under his touch.

"So what was in those visions of yours?" Angel asked. His voice soft and low against her ear. Willow stiffened slightly as he spoke.

"I can't explain it, really Angel. It was basically a whole bunch of random images. Nothing really that would make sense." Willow said, distracted by the continued sensual pressure of his moving fingers. I could *so* get used to this.

"Well, why would it just show random images?" Angel asked curiously, as he concentrated on not pulling her hair. Leaning closer, he moved his hands lower onto her shoulders, his fingers slipping beneath the collar of her blouse. Willow stiffened again, clinching her fists in her lap. Between her trying to reveal to much of what she had seen in the vision and the warm sensual feelings that Angel's massage were evoking, Willow was becoming very confused and tense.

"I...I don't know..." she finally managed. Deciding that she might as well tell him what was in the visions, then he might let it go and stop touching her. Not that she didn't like it...it was just...well...You like it too much.

"Willow?" called Angel, his fingers falling from her shoulders. She realized that she had been silent for a while.

"Yeah, you really want me to tell you this?" she asked. Desperately wishing he wouldn't.

"Yes." Angel said simply.

Sighing, Willow turned slowly so that she was facing him on the couch. Crossing her legs Indian fashion in front of her, she folded her hands on one of his knees and placed her chin on her hands. Angel raised an eyebrow wondering what she was going to say.

"Okay simply mostly images of you, some of Buffy, some of me. The past. You and Buffy that first night at the Bronze, and then the image changed and didn't make sense."

"How did it change?" asked Angel, not understanding the reference. Willow met the vampire's gaze and replied, "Just some switching."

"Switching?" Angels brows knit in perplexed concentration as he looked at her and continued, "What kind of switching?"

Willow looked down and Angel wondered what she had seen. "Buffy and I switched places, then the scene changed to the night I fell asleep in the gazebo out in back of my house." She looked up at him meaningfully. He gave a slight, secretive smile.

"What about it?" Angel asked archly, wondering what the visions had revealed to her.

"Oh, I had always thought that someone woke me up." she paused and smiled, "and it turns out that someone did. What were you doing there?" Willow asked, her smile still in place.

"I...I was kind of well..." he trailed off nervously, wondering what to say. The redhead smiled at him, "You were lurking and got a little too close." she provided gently as she leaned up and caught the hand that was about to settle on her cheek.

"So now what?" she asked changing the subject, before he thought to ask which night at the Bronze or what other visions she had seen.

"Well, I thought we could go out and do something other than worry about what the end of next week will bring." he explained.

"Sounds plausible. So what did you have in mind?" she asked, giving him an arch grin.

"Movie, dinner, something, anything to take our minds off of things?"he offered. Wanting to do something, anything as long as it was with her and in public. His own thoughts had been a bit too...well....

"You'd be willing to sit through a chick flick for me?" Willow asked incredulously.

Amazed at his devotion. Even sweet, affable Oz had problems with doing that."Sure," Angel said eyeing her strangely. He'd heard Xander use that term about something that the girls had dragged him to, but Angel wasn't certain he understood exactly what it meant. "...what's a chick flick?" Willow cracked up, laughing until her eyes watered. She couldn't help it, that adorable, confused look was back on his face. One would think that someone who supposedly was a killer by nature wouldn't be able to look that sweet.

Gasping for breath and wiping her eyes Willow explained, "You know, something that you need to take a box of tissues to. Something that has a romance and a happy ending."

"Wanna go see a fairy-tale?" Angel asked finally falling in sync with the idea.

"Yeah," she smiled with a far off look in her eyes. "Which one though?" "EVER-AFTER?" he suggested

"OK, I really want to see this movie. I wanted to see it before, when it first came out, but Oz never seemed to have the time." said Willow oblivious to the slight stiffening of her male companion. "This should be fun. Oh I almost forgot, is it ok if Cassie comes over here tomorrow. During the daytime I mean, I promise to keep the volume down to a dull roar, so we don't wake you." Turning to face him she begged prettily,"Please!!!"

Angel looked down into that enchanting face and could deny her nothing, besides it would be fun to see his young friend again." I think I can handle the squirt and you. Sure I'm game."

"Great now I really need to change and shower. I feel all icky. Be back in a few." said the suddenly energetic redhead.

Chuckling Angel thought Who says youth is wasted on the young? Quietly sliding to a seated position on the couch, Angel berated himself mentally. What did you think she would just forget everything and everyone else, including her boyfriend?

Although Angel tried, he couldn't hate the boy Oz, the feelings he had weren't the boys fault. He definitely couldn't blame the boy for loving Willow after all who in there right mind wouldn't. Even Angelus, who had never been 'in his right mind' had wanted her. Then he thought of Harris, with a snort of derision. I'm not sure that he counts. He's known her so long he doesn't see her as a woman, only a friend. Of course, he conceded, he does care about her and has protected her. So maybe he does count, he heaved a sigh of disgust.

Sunnydale:

"She used to love you." Buffy said looking over at Xander. Xander smiled softly looking at the slayer. Like I don't know that?!?! Xander came to sit across from her she smiled seemingly impressed with what she thought she'd touched upon.

"I know that, Buffy everyone knew that. I may play stupid but it's just that play."

"You knew all along how she felt, and your not angry over this thing with Angel. I mean what is up with that. She pines away for you dates Oz still pining away for you then suddenly everything is Angel. Please...."

Xander stared at Buffy taken aback for a moment. What was she trying to do."Buff, I don't know what it is that your trying to do, but it's childish and you really need to grow up. If there is a Willow and Angel when they get back here nothing I say will change that. If there is one thing the last two weeks have shone me it's that Willow our Willow isn't here anymore. She hasn't been for a long time." Xander stated in a matter of fact tone.

"She lied to us. She acted like she didn't know what was going on, that she didn't know what was happening when she knew all along."

"Are you sure, cause you know what I think, I think that Willow got this fae thing dropped in her lap just the way you got the slayer thing, only she's not complaining about what she has to do. She could die when all this is over." Xander stated his own voice raising in volume and worry.

"Xander are you saying that what I do isn't dangerous. I face death every night."

"Yeah, and you have had time to learn you have a sacred duty, she got a really shocking wake up call named Angelus." He looked at Buffy meaningfully. She flinched slightly. She looked down at the floor. She was really getting tired of being blamed for what happened. It wasn't her fault that Angel went ballistic after they were together. She couldn't have known. Maybe she should have.

"Xander I tried to keep you all out of this, but once you knew what was I to do. I couldn't make you forget. I wanted to leave you out of it."

"Buffy you wanted your normal life, and you tired to have it and you didn't even go for a normal guy."

"Jealous?" Buffy demanded falling easily on that old stand by for Xander's words.

"Then hell yes, now not even a little. You knew what he was, so he had a soul hell he was a good guy, but the relationship you wanted to have with him was unnatural."

"And you think he and Willow are. Come on he's a blood sucking nightwalker, with or with out a soul. She sweet and innocent and foolish."

"Gee, Buff that sounds familiar."

"It's not the same he's using her and when he's done he'll come back to me, he'll always come back to me." Xander stared at the slayer for a moment and tried to gather his thoughts into a coherent package. Was she mad? She must be Angel and Buffy where the definition of wrongness.

"Buffy will you listen to your self one moment you want me the hate him then you sound like a love sick fool. You and Angel are not met to be. He is too much like what you must destroy to ever be that man for you." Xander said intently.

Buffy stared at him for a moment hating this suddenly intelligent and wise Xander. This was wrong, Xander never knew what was happening. Yet, here he is trying to tell her what she needed. She stored Xander's words unwillingly in her head wondering at the strange ring of truth she heard there. Was it true was Angel too much like what she was to fight was that where they had gone wrong.