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: ANGEL'S

Willow slowly became aware of her surroundings as sleep gave up it's hold on her mind. She'd fallen back asleep, hardly surprising really. Angel's body pressed against her back, his arms holding her against his chest, she really hadn't any other choice. The young woman chuckled softly when the vampire made a small sound of protest when she attempted to move. That's okay. I could really get used to this. The petite redhead thought only slightly ashamed of herself. Oh well, what's wrong with loving this, I mean how often do you get to just be held?

She turned slowly untangling one of her legs from between both of his, she paused as he moved again searching for her warmth in his slumber. "Willow..." He murmured. She smiled when he reached to pull her back along his body, into the space she'd just vacated, she found herself thoroughly trapped between well muscled thighs as one of his legs settled heavily over hers. She would have laughed out loud if the movement hadn't brought his mouth so close to hers. She stared, mesmerized by the sight of his perfect mouth. He pulled her closer and nuzzled her neck, Bad Willow, she scolded herself softly. All the while enjoying the slight suction those lips had begun to apply to her throat.

She wondered fleetingly if he was aware of who he was suckling on, and attempted to draw back, she gasped when a distinct mental plea for her to stay where she was accompanied the utterance of her name in a sleep drugged voice. Oh precious. Willow snuggled against Angel, giving into his plea for a few more moments.

SUNNY DALE: GILES' OFFICE:

Giles watched his Slayer saunter out of the library knowing full well she was in pain. He understood that, but he also knew that there was more going on than met the eye. He looked down at the thick notebook that sat on his cluttered desk. Willow's elegant handwriting across the front in broad strokes, the small symbols etched into the cover.

Sitting down Giles opened the front cover slowly, with reverence, he stared down at the first page. He smiled notes, small, precise, little notes about the craft with dates beside each one, he turned the next page and stopped, staring down at the drawing. Angel stared back at him from the white paper. It was dated as well and Giles froze as a fact began to form in his head. The drawing of the vampire was dated before Buffy had encountered Angel for the first time. Willow had seen the handsome vampire before any of them and never said a word. There was no name by the drawing, and after staring at it for another moment, he turned the page and stared down at the writing.

~~It's dark and you would think I would be scared, with Angel turned into Angelus, and after what he did to Miss Calendar and my fish. Strangely I'm not. He was following me again tonight, I could feel it just like Tristan said. I never realized what it was I sensed whenever Angel showed up, now that it's gone though I realize it was there a lot. So many times. That's strange. Why was he following me?

"I lurk." that's what he said to Buffy. Well he sure did, and not just with her it seems. Well I for one am not going to worry about Angel. But Angelus, well there is a horse of a different color. Tristan made it clear that no matter what, I can't kill him, he can't be killed, he's needed. That is Angel is needed, Angelus is just a waiting room at the moment. How am I supposed to tell them that?

"I need that god forsaken spell." I so don't want to be the one to make this right, that's Buffy's job. I'm just the research girl.~~

Giles closed his eyes briefly, realizing that Willow had been dealing with these changes from the onset. He turned a few more pages and froze as her words caught his eye. ~~He's here! I can feel him, like the sword of Damocles. He finally came, I can't believe it. Tristan said it would be only a matter of time, before Angelus would get close. Just as Angel had, only Angel's intent had never been to harm. Angelus doesn't like not having control. That's what he's after, what he craves and when it comes to me he has no control. Over me or over what is going on. He a master vampire can't seem to kill me, this bothersome *helpless* girl. The Slayer, was different, she was his game. This was my game and he didn't even know the rules, let alone the stakes, and I could never tell Buffy. That each night after he would taunt her he would come here and watch me. Or that even on nights that we all encountered the unsouled vampire and he threatened all our lives, that mere moments later he would circle back to ensure me safe passage.~~

Giles dropped his head into his hands shocked, Angelus had been stalking Willow, till the very end. No stalking wasn't really the word, he hadn't wanted to harm her it seemed. He protected her against his will, the connection between them was strong enough to overcome the demon. Angel had been lost and Angelus had taken his place as Willow's shadowy protector. Giles paused, taking a deep breath, realizing that the bond that had been between Willow and Angel had been there all along, Willow had always attempted to make him a part of their group, always trying to make him feel wanted and now Giles understood why. He was her protector and in her own way she was showing how much that meant to her.

Looking at the book again he turned a few pages pausing at a page marked dream number 4563.

~~I had the dream again, the one I can't explain. It always starts out the same and ends differently kind of like a choose your own adventure book, but with no plausible endings. Angel would never want me.

It's like I am walking in a void and I can hear someone calling me. beloved I know the voice and though I've never heard those words it sounds the same. The blackness swallows me whole and all I do is hold on to that voice, follow it into the void. It leads to hells fire, and I see him, and I wonder: Is that my vision of hell staring back at me? Is it my greatest fear? Or what is actually being done to this man I called friend? I feel hurt and angry and I feel like I should be here with him, taking the pain for him, I failed him. I let my own insecurities make me wait, I allowed precious time to lapse, I didn't know about Dru but I should have. I should have seen it coming, but I was lost. The spell had taken so much out of me, and I could do nothing to save him, nothing to help, so now in dreams I ease his pain as best I can. Sometimes he thinks I'm a figment of his tortured mind, other times he worries that he hurt me and my soul is there to torture him, but you should see the look on his face when I hold him.~~

PINE VALLEY: ANGEL'S,

After quickly pulling on a pair of jeans, while leaving Angel's shirt on and untucked over them. Willow quickly pulled on her red tennis shoes, then pulled her hair back and french braided it. Ignoring the dark circles under her eyes, she carefully applied a coat of mascara to her eyes, a little blush to her cheeks and some lip gloss. Willow checked back on Angel watching him still sleeping. When she realized he'd turned over into the spot were she had lain and now had his face buried into her pillow, she smiled at him lovingly. The young hacker sent warmth and gentleness through the link that shone brightly between them, before she turned and headed down the stairs.

Sometime later, after grabbing a quick bite to eat, she emerged onto the street in front of the house. Willow walked unhurriedly down the sidewalk, taking in everything anew. It wasn't that she hadn't paid attention yesterday it was simply that her mind was clearer. She turned the corner smiling and after a few steps noticed Cassie waiting by the door. She walked up to the girl and offered her a warm smile.

"Hard night?" the witch asked wisely, surprising Willow with the observation. The redhead looked down at the ground at the reminder of her nightmare and Angel's troubled memories the night before.

"Yeah, more for Angel than me, but it didn't matter. It's not like I can shut him out when he hurts, you know?" she told the other girl with a slight catch in her voice.

"Yeah, I know." Cassie said. Understanding on a deep-seated level what Willow spoke of. She moved slightly to one side and looked at her new friend. "So would you like to go exploring and maybe flex a little magical muscle?" Cassie asked with a mischievous grin. Willow found herself returning the look, with one of her own. Cassie's warmth and laughter were infectious and Willow realized that she desperately wanted to spend time with someone who knew what was happening, even if it was only in theory. She was sure that none of them knew the whole truth.

"Hey, I am so game." the hacker responded. Cassie caught up Willow's arm and led her down a path in back of her own home.

"Cassie, where are you taking me?" Willow asked wondering what she had gotten herself into this time.

"Oh sorry, forgot about the paranoia of new places. It's a large open field about a half a mile from here. You'll love it. " Willow smiled at her and nodded her head. So much for hating surprises she thought ruefully and followed Cassie down another winding path. "So how *is* Angel?" Cassie asked looking at Willow from the corner of her eye and seeing the young woman cringe involuntarily. Cassie reached out and put a hand on Willow's arm in a comforting gesture, hoping to ease the woman's pain.

"He's okay I guess, at least for a man that was forced to deal with the fact that a demon took up residence in his body and used that body to kill and torture those he loved best." Willow said, looking down at the ground. She had hoped that her hair would cover her face, forgetting she had put it in a ponytail before she left the house.

"Oh Willow." Cassie said sadly. She knew that the vampires pain was deep. It was one of the reasons her grandmother hadn't killed him all those years ago.

"I am just so scared that all this is magic." Willow said finally looking at her companion. "All what?" Shaking her head Willow ignored the question and went on.

"What am I going to do to make sure he survives this. He could die, his need to protect me is going to get him killed. I know he'll try to stop them, try to help me. There has to be a way.." Willow's voice trailed off as her eyes caught sight of there destination. "Gods it's beautiful." She whispered in awe. Willow couldn't believe it, it was straight out of a fairy tale, something dreamed up in the minds of those that still see. It was as if the Underhill touched the human realm here.

"It's heaven isn't it?" Cassie asked her eyes going far away for a moment.

"Yeah it is..." Willow smiled sadly wishing that a certain brown-eyed vampire could see this with her. Cassie caught up her hand again and handed her a large throw blanket to lay on the green grass beneath them. Cassie set a picnic basket down and began to pull things from it's depths. She smiled. "Now about Angel. Why can't you shield him?"

"Cause I'll need all my attention focused elsewhere. I can't worry about him. Plus, I don't know that this person that wishes the gate to be opened isn't going to know about what and who Angel is." The red head tried to explain.

Cassie stared at her for a moment. Dreading her next question almost as much as she dreaded hearing Willow's answer. "Willow, what exactly will happen with this gate opening?"

"Well it's sort of complicated and rests on ceremony and power." Willow said thoughtfully. She hadn't thought about what would have to happen in order for the gate to be opened. In truth the hacker had tried not to...last nights nightmare had been a true and terrifying representation of one of the ways that the veil could be opened. With Angel's blood she could be defeated. With her soul she couldn't lose. It had taken her months to figure out what the prophecy really said, of whom it truly spoke.

Willow was the Summoner, and Angel the Western King without a doubt. The young woman had the choice though. Unlike Buffy, Tristan had offered her a choice, of being the fae Summoner or not. Willow had chosen and now the fate of the world, as mortals knew it, rested in the gossamer balance.

"Willow?" Cassie prodded, gently bringing the hacker back out of her reverie. "Hmm...oh sorry, I was trying to figure out how best to explain this." Willow said with a wry grin.

"How about starting at the beginning?" the younger woman offered gently.

Willow bit her lip and looked at her hands. The beginning that was a good place to start. She looked up and smiled, "Okay want the cliff notes version?"

"Yeah but explain the important stuff." Cassie agreed with a grin.

"Okay here goes..." She began to explain, beginning with an incident from her early childhood that her mind until very recently, had cloaked and veiled in mystery. The first time she'd seen Angel, because that was where it had started. Where the fledgling bond had stirred to life. That bond held an immortal in the thrall of a child who saw only light and laughter in the world. Never dreaming that her sad eyed Angel was indeed a fallen one.

Willow then moved forward a few years in the story to the summer before Buffy showed up in Sunnydale. The redhead spoke of the night of the masque, the worst and best evening of her life. Someone, that her heart insisted was Angel had swept her into a Cinderella fantasy. Only this time it was the prince that ran away at midnight. Then Buffy and her mysterious man, who turned out to be Willow's sad Angel and her greatest protector. She smiled as she recounted the number of times, that Angel had run from her invitations to stay and be a part of their group, and more sadly when then she spoke of what had happened with Buffy.

"Where they ended," Willow said," I began. Without that single moment and his terrible loss I wouldn't be here." She changed her position on the ground slightly and looked at her companion questioningly.

"So wait. Angel and the Slayer...like you know...did the deed?" Cassie asked, blushing a furious shade of red.

"Yeah more or less."Willow said smiling at her companions discomfort.

"Then Angel can't...like...be with anyone? Wait that can't have been the catch. I mean Angel goes and pays a hooker and loses his soul I can't see that being the trigger there had to be something else." Cassie said in confusion as she sat across from Willow on the blanket.

"Happiness." Willow clarified, smiling at the other woman's rambling.

"What?! They put a happiness clause on the possession of a human soul? How childish! You killed our favorite daughter, so we're going to punish you for all time by giving you back your soul, but if you get a happy we're going to take it back and allow a monster to run free once more. Wow, can you say way stupid and thoughtless?" Willow laughed at hearing her own thoughts on the subject, spoken out loud by the other girl.

"Okay so Angel and Buffy do the deed and Angel becomes Angelus again. So tell me the rest." Cassie said, in agitated excitement.

Willow stared at her, shocked. She felt like she was telling a horror story to a camper at a sleep-over camp.

"Are you sure you want to hear this?" Willow asked doubtfully.

"Yes," Cassie said eagerly.

Willow paused for a moment and plunged into her recounting, starting with the first night with Angelus and how at the school he'd tried to kill her, but had hesitated giving Miss Calender a chance to distract him. She told about everything up to and including her first meeting with Tristan and the stirring of the power deep within her, and a choice given to her months ago and her answer, and her regret. It wasn't that she didn't want to save this world she did, but at what cost? Who's life might be forfeit because of her choice? "Okay so that's what's happened up till now and the stone that is around your neck, is the stone from the dreaming?" Cassie asked with growing comprehension.

"Yes." Willow answered simply.

"Then he already has your permission and your invitation. Accepting that from him, you have already accepted a part of him, a little bit of his light into yourself. I bet he has trouble with keeping his distance, that when you're in the same room he needs to touch you, not in the hopes of getting you in bed mind you. Although he wouldn't mind, it's the connection between you, the stone awakened it and now it won't be denied." Cassie spoke her thoughts out loud.

Willow stared at Cassie for a moment, shocked. "You mean it was magic?" she asked, with growing fear and sorrow. "I mean he's been acting like this because of the spell?" Willow demanded. Hoping that it wasn't true and dreading that it was.

"No, Willow." Cassie said reaching out to touch Willow's suddenly shaking hand. "Angel can't help what he's feeling, but it has nothing to do with the magic. Magic didn't make what you feel. It merely made what was felt all along something that couldn't be denied." Willow stared at Cassie and wondered whether she was right or not.

"Okay. I accept that, but how do I stop it?" Willow asked hating the idea of hurting Angel any more than he already had been. Yet she wasn't sure what to do. Cassie looked at her for a long moment and Willow had the strangest feeling that she was being read and well. Like a book. She wasn't sure why that thought made her nervous but it did and she had to fight the desire to guard herself against the other woman's gentle intrusion.

"I'll tell you, but it won't do any good. You can't do that to him, you're not meant to...if you were The Lady wouldn't have allowed that to remain."

"What?" Willow asked confused, What was she talking about? Cassie smiled gently at her and reached out in the air just above Willow's heart.

"May I?" She asked her fingers skimming questioningly against the energy field that marked the beginning of Willow's personal space. She was invading it and asking permission to do so. Willow nodded her head, wondering what Cassie was going to do. "Do you see that cording?" Cassie asked pointing down with her fingertips. Willow looked down, gasped, and jerked back in shock. Forcing the cord back out of sight for a moment. "Guess you didn't know about that did you?" Willow's eyes came up and she shook her head in shock.

"Your teacher never mentioned this too you?"

Again Willow shook her head, her eyes widening as she took in just what this revelation meant. She wasn't sure about all the specifics but she knew what it was, knew that they were something that were made, yes, but not by any human hand.

"Okay you know what it is?" Cassie asked carefully.

"Yeah, vaguely...preexisting astral cord, uhm they say that every person has one, it connects them to themselves...but this leads outward so I guess it also connects you...er me to someone else, or something else." Willow responded distractedly.

"Someone else in your case. It looks pretty ragged and in ill repair. A great distance separated you suddenly and tore it in places, rather like a rubber band that's been pulled to far." Cassie explained as she concentrated on the cord, studying it.

Willow shook her head. Willow looked over at Cassie, "So this is to Angel." Willow said slowly, realization dawning.

"Yeah, definitely." She smiled and chuckled softly, deciding to throw the witch a bit. "Has he kissed you?" Willow's eyes once more met the other girls her cheeks pinking . She stammered for a moment before answering while still continuing to blush.

"Yes, I mean no, I mean. Well he did but he had just fed from me, so I don't think that he was exactly coherent at the time." Willow said finally.

"Has he mentioned it?" Cassie continued, pressing for details.

"Only with regret, he thinks he did something wrong." Willow responded sadly.

Cassie nodded her head understandingly. "Well considering what he's been through and what his alter ego put all of you through, he's going to be rather cautious at first anyway." she said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean at first?" Willow demanded, suddenly worried."Cassie, I like him, a lot and I don't want to do this. I already know what it's like to love someone who loves the Slayer. I don't want to go through that again. How do I deal with it?"

"You're set on this aren't you?" Cassie said resignedly, realizing that Angel would be the one to make her see and only Angel..."Okay create a barrier between you. A shield or a mirror that won't let anything out or in. But...you'll lose that connection, the one you keep touching to assure yourself that he's well. If you use the shielding you will effectively cut it, and if you let him back in you'll have to rebuild the shield. Willow I don't even know if this will work. He's part of you, do your really want to lose that?" Willow looked down thinking it over in her head.

For a moment she tried to remember what it felt like not to have Angel inside her head, or inside her heart, and she was shocked when she realized that she couldn't recall a moment when she wasn't aware of that feeling of him being there. He really has been there all the time. Going back over the last few months, the loss of Angel, the return of Angelus. Oh that hurts. Willow felt tears prick at her eyes, when she vividly recalled what his loss felt like. It was like being ripped apart inside, like having your heart torn in two. Worse than losing Xander to Cordelia or even Oz leaving her.

"It's really not magic is it?" The hacker asked softly realizing that she really needed to think this through.

"No, it just is. He completes you. Was doing so even when he was with the Slayer. He may not have known it and you may have felt only friendship the best love is born in such a way." Cassie said smiling. Willow bit into her bottom lip lightly, surprised at how much she rejoiced in the knowledge that this wasn't magic.

"If all else fails just think about this, when you think he's wanting someone else, do you want to blame him or do you merely wish he'd look at you like that?" Willow paused for a moment remembering what had happened with Xander with some embarrassment. Even her growing fae power hadn't helped her there, because she had loved him. "No, not hurt him, I just want to cry." Cassie only nodded her head in understanding again.

"Hey, okay, no fair. What about you and the male population? Are you dating? Have you got a somebody?" Willow asked returning Cassie mischievous smile.

"Yeah." Cassie said smiling secretly.

"Yeah well come on tell...tell." Cassie laughed at Willow's suddenly light mood and allowed the hacker her change of subject. They could finish with the topic of Angel later. "Okay his name is Donovan and he's older, and he's away right now. SO there isn't much to tell." Cassie explained with an embarrassed grin.

"Older...like Angel older?" Willow asked, catching on to a subtle change in Cassie's facial expression.

"Yeah like Angel older." Cassie agreed beginning to blush furiously again.

"Wait, I thought fae didn't like vampires." Willow said softly remembering her own mentors dislike for the vampire.

"They don't as a rule, but like you and Angel things aren't always as they seem. Donovan came to us looking for help. My grandmother that is, and he stayed to watch over us, they do that a lot they find people and watch them grow and age, I think it's a kind of self-inflicted torture for the ones that aren't lost to the demon." Willow shook her head as a clear picture of Cassie's arresting man entered her mind.

"So I am right, the fae dislike of vampires is learned. It's not inherited like the Slayers." Willow said thoughtfully.

"Right. A Slayer can't really ever overlook a vampire and still be true to her Slayer abilities. It's sort of like the ultimate act of rebellion." Cassie explained distractedly "Wow." Willow said having never looked at Buffy and Angel in that light before.

Rebellion made sense. What could be more in your face, I hate everything you are, to vampires, than for one of there own to love a Slayer. Alternately what act could be more rebellious for a Slayer then to love a vampire. No wonder Buffy wanted Angel so badly. Willow that's petty.

"Okay this is from me," Cassie said drawing an ancient looking tome from the depths of her backpack and handing it to the young hacker. "It's a spell book," she explained, "It's been in my family for generations. I wasn't sure from what Angel said if you had time to get anything to study before you left and I thought you could use it while you were here."

"Oh Cassie..." Willow said. At a loss for words over the precious gift.

"And this is from grandmere." Cassie said as she reached behind her back and pulled a small package, as if out of thin air, smiling at the questioning look on the girl's face. "It's a welcome gift from grandmother. Whenever a new witch finds her way, you give her a gift, something to aid her in her further search..." Cassie explained as she handed the small wrapped package to Willow.

"Because the answer to one question is merely another opening to the next." Willow said having known those words by heart.

"Yeah, hey okay open it." she said excitedly. She watched as Willow slowly began to unwrap her gift. She stared in awe at the perfectly round crystal ball that now filled her hand. "Gaze deep into it and it will show you the truth you seek and the dreams of your heart." Willow stared up at Cassie and laughed her mind filling with images from a childhood movie. It's a crystal nothing more but if you turn it this way and look into it, it will show you your dreams. Were they her dreams? she wondered as the images began to form. She stared surprised. Angel, and her dancing, and Angel and her kissing, and yelling at each other, and ...Oh my. she thought as she set down the crystal.

"Does that show me what I want to see?"

"No. It shows you what might be, given the choices that you could make. If you choose something else it could change completely. Don't assume that you choose the easy way and this happens because of that easy choice you might just choose the hard road." Cassie explained.

"So this is what could happen if I choose a certain path?" Willow asked carefully.

"Yeah, that's it in a nutshell." Cassie replied.

"Can I avoid this?" Willow asked pensively.

"Willow, you can avoid anything for a time. But that which is written in the stars and drawn in the cards from the beginning can only be delayed not denied." Cassie reminded the young hacker gently.

"So this is inevitable." Willow said with a sigh.

"Basically, yes." Cassie agreed.

"But I could stop it from happening now, here in this place." Willow asked

"Willow, if I were you I would not worry about what you can do. Worry about what Angel will do. He's not some teenage fool who can't see how much you love and want him, it's not like he's not going to know when your heart skips a beat or you tremble at his touch. He's a vampire he'll know." Cassie reminded her friend thoughtfully.

"But..." Willow began.

"No. If you want him not to be aware of it, try to shield yourself with a mirror and see what happens, but I think the loneliness will end it before its begun."

Cassie said quietly. A little sad for her new friend and her old one. They were fighting against something that was as she had told Willow, inevitable. Cassie then said brightly trying to lighten the somber mood. "Okay time to flex those magic muscles."

SUNNYDALE AMY'S:

Amy knelt in front of her altar, her intense concentration evidenced by the wrinkles creasing her forehead and between her eyebrows. Her lips moved as she wrought the magic spell to weave the precious metal around the stones. The young blond's intensity did not waver as she placed the nearly completed project on the altar and moved to the next. Repeating everything that she had just done to it's twin, to the object she now held in her hands. Soundlessly, the young blond stroked the polished metal until it bent, folded, and wove itself around the two stones. Indeed the metal appeared to melt and then reform itself into the shape she desired and required for this magical spell.

Finally satisfied with this aspect of the spell, Amy laid the item back on the table next to it's twin. Carefully taking a birch branch with a sharpened tip, Amy began enchanting the slender wand to do her bidding. When she had collected enough power, within the birch wand, Amy picked up one of the magical items she had been working on.

With care to make every line and detail perfect, Amy began drawing out the magical symbols on the back of the stone with the wand. As she lightly touched the surface of the stone with the wand, a shaving was peeled back from the stone. Blowing it away lightly, Amy continued carving the appropriate symbols into the backs of the stones.

The young witch continued the carvings, her lips moving as she recited the spells in her mind. As the teenage witch completed the recitation of the spell, she stuck her tongue out between her teeth, as she finished etching the last of the runic symbols onto the stones. Blowing lightly on the stones, Amy whisked the remaining particles of stone dust away from her work. Turning the pendant in her fingers, the young witch examined her work critically. Smiling with satisfaction she carefully placed it back on the narrow table that served as her altar, before picking up it's match to repeat the careful process.

When the two pendants had their matching carvings, Amy began building up the protective powers within them. Calling on the appropriate deities, she continued building the power and storing it in the pendants. When the power was sufficiently high, she sealed the power in the pendants. So that it would only be released when needed and not leak out. That might draw the unwanted attention of the one they were made to protect against.

Heaving a sigh and stretching slightly to work the kinks out of her body, Amy conjured a pair of matching chains which she looped through the pendants. Checking the time, Amy realized that she had just enough time to take a quick nap before, she had to go hunting. As she climbed the stairs to her room, she wondered how many she'd have to go through before she found the one she was looking for. As she set the alarm on her clock/radio, the blond witch thought, You owe me one, Willow. That was her last coherent thought until sunset.

PINE VALLEY:

Willow walked home from the magical workout with Cassie. She carried the borrowed spell book close to her chest. Her step was light even though her thoughts were heavy.

Her talk with Cassie had brought out some things she wasn't sure that she had wanted brought out. Willow's growing feelings for Angel and her confusion about them, chief among those things. Willow still wasn't certain if Angel's feelings for her weren't from the spell or possibly just misplaced gratitude and protectiveness from when he would watch her before.

Watch her before... Willow gave a very un-Willow-like snort. He still watches you, he has for a long time, he admitted protecting you all this time, because of your light. Whatever that means? So he's just still watching you, protecting you and probably with the link, the blood, and all the other...he is just feeling protective and grateful and is confusing it with love. Once everything settles down he'll go back to Buffy, they always do.

"Xander did and Angel will too." she said softly to herself as she continued down the street away from Cassie's house. Unfortunately that still didn't explain away her growing feelings for the vampire. This wasn't a crush like she had felt for Xander for so long. She knew she would have recognized that feeling again and probably run for the hills. This feeling ran much deeper and was stronger.

Then her thoughts turned to her ex-boyfriend but still friend Oz. Before Oz had left he and Willow had agreed to break-up. He had never understood her almost obsessive need to free Angel from hell. Not to mention her training with Tristan and his practicing with his band and playing gigs had played havoc with their dating schedule. While the break-up had been by mutual consent, it had still hurt Willow. Oz had been the first one to notice Willow as a girl, not a tutor, nerd, friend, or computer geek, but as a beautiful, sweet charming girl. One he had wanted to get to know better. Then when they had started seeing each other and the whole werewolf thing had come up. It hadn't bothered Willow, what had bothered Willow was the fact that their relationship had never been more than lukewarm at best. Definitely nothing like the heat she felt when Angel had kissed her after feeding from her.

Yikes I'm doing it again. I need to stop thinking about this. Think about something else. I wonder what Angel is doing now? She noticed that the sun was beginning to set and admired the reds, oranges, pinks and golds of the huge orb as it began to sink behind the mountains. I wish Angel could watch this with me, and go to Cassie's glen with me, and... Willow groaned in frustration.

Then as she rounded the corner that was two blocks from Angel's house, she felt it. A tingling pull, something like a cold fear trickled into her. As the gooseflesh raised on her arms, she felt something shiver down her spine, making her shudder uncontrollably. Something was wrong, very wrong. The fear that ran through her though was not her own. Angel?!

Forcing her suddenly leaden legs into a run. Willow tore down the sidewalk towards the house. Her red hair flying out behind her as she ran unheeding to help Angel. Angel was afraid, Angel was never afraid. Willow thought as she flew along the block in the fading sunlight. Something was terrifying *her* Angel, and whatever it was, was about to discover nobody messed with him. Because Willow Ann Rosenberg would take their temperature rectally with a sharp pointy stick.

SUNNYDALE:

Spike barely suppressed a growl of frustration and anger as the two minions fell into step beside him . The bleached blond vampire knew exactly why Galan had sent the two with him to hunt...and it wasn't to give the fledglings pointers. The bloody wanker doesn't trust anyone. They're to be my babysitters. As he exited the tunnels into the mausoleum, he did growl, It was bad enough that he had to leave his Dru alone with that pillock, let alone have bloody chaperones when he left the lair.

When he had announced he was going hunting, he had tried not to act suspiciously. Apparently though something had set the vampire wizard's radar off. Bloody hell. I wanted to find out how much the Slayer and her little chums knew. Maybe I can find a way to get rid of these blighters. Just have to figure a way to do it without their Sire figuring it out.

As he moved out into the cemetery, he detected someone almost immediately. The two younger demons did as well, they moved off as a pair, with the older vampire moving more slowly behind them. Cor, this was perfect, he could just... Just then one of the two was looking back at him expectantly with a look in his eye Spike knew meant he had been told of his Master's suspicions about Spike and wouldn't be fooled easily.

The older vampire growled again and then moved to follow the two fledglings.

Soon they sighted their prey. At first Spike thought they had been tracking the Slayer, blond hair, walking with a surprising air of confidence for so late at night. Then he got closer and realized their intended victim was too tall, and her clothes weren't nearly skimpy enough for the Slayer. He watched as the two fledglings moved out of the shadows and into the path of the teenage girl. The vampires weren't game faced but still their threatening posture, should have terrified the young blond. Instead all three vampires were stunned when she gave them a somewhat cocky grin and tilting her head to the side she said, "What took you so long?"

The two fledglings glanced at each other obviously perplexed. Not that, that's too hard to do. The older peroxide blond vampire thought as he came out of the shadows, behind but to the side of the young girl, so that she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head she studied him, looking him up and down, as he answered her, "Sorry to keep you waiting, pet."

He was just as Willow had described him, Amy thought hearing his response. Cocky, peroxide blond, wicked cheekbones, slim and the trench coat. Cute, very cute. The girl gave the older vampire a cheeky grin before turning back to the fledglings. Apparently trying to be more intimidating, the pair had slipped into their demonic visages. Still with the grin on her face Amy replied, "Forgiven. Besides I've been keeping myself entertained." That said she demonstrated exactly what she had been doing to keep herself busy by forming her fingers into a circle. A pulse of energy surged from her joined fingers, exploding the two fledglings into dust.

"That's five." Amy said. Turning back she now faced a fully game faced and very worried Spike. "Ahahah,' the blond witch said shaking her finger at the vampire as if her were a naughty child, "you don't want to do that, cause I don't want to kill you, and you don't want to die...again."

The peroxide blond demon looked at her oddly and said, "Don't I? Why not Ducks?"

"Two reasons." she said calmly, "one to misquote a friend of mine who I think was quoting you; ''You're not the throw-yourself-to-the-lions kind of guy"

Instantly back in his human facade, Spike laughed in amusement and some relief and says, "So you're a friend of Angelus, hmm. Yeah you look his type. Cute, blond, innocent and deadly."

Ignoring the taunt, Amy replied, "No, I'm a friend of Willow's. Guess she heard it from him."

"You know by all rights I should kill you for what you did to them." the master vampire said indicating the fledglings ashy remains that were slowly dissipating in the wind.

"Why? They're not yours." Amy said matter-of-factly as the vampire began to circle her speculatively.

Spike looked askance at the young girl and said, "And just how did you know that, Pet?"

"Two reasons," the blond witch said again, "one they were stupid and according to Willow you are anything but stupid, so I didn't think you'd make stupid children..."

"Childer," Spike corrected still circling the blond witch assessingly.

"Whatever," Amy said in response before continuing, "...and two I didn't figure Galan would let you out, without a couple of his watchdogs to keep an eye on you."

"Clever girl." he said with reluctant admiration.

"Thanks," the witch replied evenly, "I have my moments."

Looking away from her, Spike tilted his head to the side. Then he looked back at her and there was distrust in his eyes, "Did one of those moments include inviting the Slayer to this little get-together?"

"Goddess, no." the witch said on an explosion of breath. "She's having a hard enough time dealing with the fact that Willow and Angel are together. If she knew about this she'd have kittens and puppies all in one litter." then looking at him suspiciously, "Why do you ask?"

The Billy Idol look-a-like gave her a pained smile as he said, "Because she's coming this way?!"

"What?!" the blond girl squeaked, "How do you know?"

"Cause I can feel her pet." he said simply.

"Shit!" Grabbing his hand Amy dragged the vampire along behind her as she broke into a trot away from the cemetery and towards the bad side of town. "I forgot about the spider sense."

"The spider what...?" Spike said in obvious confusion.

"Spider sense. Slayer sense, whatever. If you can feel her, she can feel you." the witch explained, panting for breath, she added, "Would you move faster, please?"

"Whatever you say, luv." With that the vampire swept her up in his arms, despite her protesting squeak and began to run with preter-natural speed. Before she knew what was going on they were running up a fire escape to the roof of an abandoned warehouse. As soon as they reached the roof, Spike set the young witch on her feet, catching her arm slightly when she started to wobble.

Amy tried to catch her breath, gasping slightly for breath as Spike began to hum the theme from ''Star Wars' softly. She looked at him with an amused and perplexed grin on her face as she said, "Well other than the not needing to breath thing working for you, you don't act like a normal blood sucking fiend."

Spike actually did look mortified for a moment before giving her a grin filled with deadly charm and said, "I could always bite, cutie. Maybe bring you over?" The vampire was flabbergasted when the young witch had the temerity to laugh out loud at him. "What's so bleedin' funny?" the peroxide blond demon demanded, obviously offended.

"You." the girl said honestly and then explained, "you hum the theme from ''Star Wars'. Wear that coat that makes you look like an unmasked Darth Vader, and then you offer to bring me over, and I half expect you to finish the sentence with, to the dark side Amy. Come join me and we'll rule the galaxy together." She giggled hysterically at this time, Spike looked stunned for a moment and then chuckled with her.

The vampire stops after a moment when he detects another heart beat nearby. Unlike the witches, that had beat steadily and without fear, this one was racing with terrified surges. Shifting to game face the Spike used his heightened senses to gaze into the darkness. Seeing the demonic visage slide into place Amy stopped giggling and looked into the darkness as well, trying to see what he saw, before she finally asked nervously. "What is it?" When the bleached blond vampire didn't immediately answer, she asked with dread, "Is it Buffy?"

"No! No, just a lush, sweet. Nothing to worry about." he lied easily. Turning back to her, Spike studied the witch more closely, deep blue eyes, peaches and cream complexion and blond hair. "Now why the extreme measures to see me." The young witch's reaction, was true to form, unexpected.

"Oh shoot. I hope I didn't lose them on the wild ride up the fire escape." her voice was panicked, as she quickly searched her jean pockets, "Oh thank the goddess." the blond said as she pulled a silk handkerchief out of her back pocket. Moving closer to him Amy opened the hanky to reveal two pendants. Each had two rather large polished stones, wrapped in an intricate and lacy network of silver metal, both hung on rather heavy chains of the same metal. He recognized the banded green of malachite and the other stone was red with inclusions in it that reflected sparks of color in the dim light. As Spike looked at them, Amy flipped the pendants over.

"See," she said as she showed him the runic symbols carved on the back of each of the stones, then she added, "and don't worry. The metal's platinum not silver. I know that you, can't handle silver too well.

"What are these for ducks?" Spike said in confusion.

"My names Amy, Spike. I don't have webbed feet." the teenage sorceress stated firmly. "The pendants are to protect you and Dru. They protect you from magic and evil spirits. The malachite and sunstone mixed with the runes do that."

"Pe..Amy. I'm a vampire...a demon." the bleached blond vampire said doubtfully.

"A demon is not an evil spirit and not necessarily evil at all." Seeing his continuing look of distrust, the young witch continued, "Just trust me and put it on. It's to protect you from Galan's magic, keep him from hurting you or Dru with it."

Carefully slipping the necklace on he tucked it under his shirt and slid the other pendant into his pocket, before saying somewhat petulantly, "You know this doesn't mean a bloody thing. I still may side with Galan."

"No, you won't." Amy said confidently, "Galan is a maniac, and a stupid one at that. He's intent on destroying both the fae's and our worlds. You saved the world once before, even if you did have your own reasons, you'll do it again. Besides you know he'll lose and I think you are the type to go with the winner. Even if you're not best buds with them."

He looked at the blond witch with a wry, crooked smile on his face and said, "Like I said yer a clever girl." Amy gave a snort of derision. "What?" Spike said suspiciously.

"I was just thinking. I can't believe after all these years of avoiding the undead, I not only go looking for one but also carry on a civilized conversation with him. Next she'll want us to have coffee together. Can vampires even drink coffee?"

Giving her one of his charming smiles again he said, "Yes. I personally prefer a French Roast. How bout you, pet?"

"Cafe Vienna." she replied.

"That coffee's for wimps." the vampire said derisively.

"Yeah that's me. Wimpy, pansy-assed witch, walking around in the middle of the night." Amy said sardonically, "Just looking for a vampire to discuss the ins and outs of industrial strength caffeine with...I'm outy." she said, starting toward the fire escape.

"Du...Amy wait. Thanks." the vampire said with a look of confusion on his face. Amy gave a smile, realizing he was wondering why he wasn't trying to eat her for dinner. The young witch only nodded and started away again.

"By the way, your friend, that bloke Xavier or whatever, was watching us pet. Just thought you'd like to know." the vampire finally admitted.

"Oh great! Another fine mess...alright I'll deal with that later. I just hope he doesn't tell the Slayer, that would be all I need. Later, Spike." she said finally as she walked to reached the fire escape landing.

"What was the second reason?"

Amy turned back to look at the vampire, confusion clear on her face.

"You said there were two reasons I didn't want to die?" he reminded her.

"Dru," she said simply with a gentle smile, "If you die who'll take care of her. Oh she may be strong and even sane now, but do you really want to leave her alone with Galan." Seeing the peroxide blond's uneasy look, Amy knew she'd hit close to home. "Besides like I said, you're not the type." she said as she began climbing down the fire escape. Her heard her continue talking as she continued down the escape, and couldn't help chuckling. "There's a thought, if suicide is defined as taking your own life and vampires are already dead, wouldn't that be kind of redundant. Like strangling someone to death and then running over them with your car." Trying to ignore his laughter she added, "and oh great just spend a little time with a vampire and you start thinking like them. Eww...morbid much." She said perfectly imitating Cordelia, to the continued very loud amusement of one skinny vampire who wasn't as cute as she had first thought. Yeah, right.