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Sick and Tired -- Ruby

Rating: R

Description: Willow's sad and cold.

Disclaimer: Joss owns all.

"I'm sorry, Willow. I really am," Oz said as thunder growled across the dark sky above them.

"Oz, I understand you need space, and I don't mind, but we can still see each other," Willow pleaded.

"I thought I knew what I wanted, but all this talk of college and careers, I don't see that in my future," he tried to explain.

"Why should any of that matter?" she asked. "People can have differences and still be together!"

"That's the whole problem. I'm not sure I even want 'together' anymore. Not for us, anyway. I'm not trying to hurt you. I just have to be honest with you," he said. "I need some time away from you."

"Please, Oz--"

"No, Willow. It has to be this way," he insisted and moved away from her. She stood on the sidewalk and watched him walk away as great splatters of rain began to drum against the pavement.

Willow had no idea how long she'd been wandering, but she didn't really care. She was soaked to the skin and shivering through the wet clothes that clung to her body, but that didn't matter, either. The sun had set hours ago, and she knew it was dangerous to be out alone, but her emotions were in no state to be reasoned with.

A dark figure loomed ahead of her, and she half hoped he was sporting a lethal overbite. What greeted her instead was a soft, concerned voice.

"Willow?" Angel's eyes traveled over the shivering girl.

The dripping redhead sighed and stepped away from him, "Go away, Angel."

"Hey," he grabbed her arm. "Come back here."

"Leave me alone!" she hissed.

Angel looked at her with worried eyes, "What's wrong with you? Willow, what is it?"

Her salty tears mingled with the cold raindrops that trailed down her face.

"Please, just go away," she asked.

"No," he said stubbornly. "I'm not leaving you out here in the rain. You're soaked."

She looked at the vampire's own dripping clothing and turned away from him.

Angel snarled impatiently and whirled her back around. "Come on," he ordered and literally dragged her across the street.

She was still sputtering angrily as he shoved her inside the mansion and pushed her down on the floor in front of the fireplace.

"If it'll help at all, you can give me a few good kicks, but you're not leaving until you talk to me," he told her.

The anger in her eyes waned and was replaced by tangible sorrow.

"Oh, Willow," he pulled her next to him. "Tell me what's wrong."

She sniffled against his wet shirt and buried her head in his chest. He drew a wet strand of hair away from her face as her hot tears fell against him. Angel held her until her tears stopped, and she pushed herself away from him.

He cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her head up to look at him, "Tell me."

"It's Oz," she whispered.

Angel's first reaction was to go out and find the stupid man and break both of his legs. He knew, of course, that would do no good for Willow, and harming Oz would most likely alienate the little redhead. He looked at her as she wrapped her arms around her knees. Another shiver wracked her body. He reached over and touched her hand.

"Willow, you're freezing," he said.

"Doesn't matter," she answered listlessly.

"It does to me." He pulled her up and took her to his bedroom. He opened a closet and pulled out a shirt that would probably fit her three times over, but it was dry, and that was all that mattered to him. He grabbed up another shirt and a pair of pants and left her alone to change out of her wet clothes.

He exchanged his own soggy clothes for the dry ones. He waited a reasonable amount of time before returning to the bedroom. Willow had donned the shirt and climbed onto the bed, where she now lay sleeping. Angel sat down on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair from her forehead. Her skin was still cold, and she shivered slightly. He retrieved a heavy blanket from a chair in the corner and covered her gently. He placed a soft kiss on her cheek and left her to sleep.

Willow's soft moan broke through the silence in the dark mansion. Angel rose from the sofa and went to the door of the bedroom. She was lying as he had left her. He walked to the bed and looked down at her. Drops of perspiration beaded her forehead. He brought a cold hand to her cheek and started at the warmth that radiated from her skin. She was burning up.

Quickly, Angel went into the bathroom and dampened a washcloth under the cool water from the tap. He returned to her and pressed the cloth against her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open, hazy and unfocused.

"Angel," she murmured.

"Lie still, Willow," he said.

Her lungs rattled faintly as she breathed in. Angel fought against the panic that welled up inside him as she drifted back to sleep. It was too close to sunrise to go for help. He left the room and went to the kitchen. Grabbing the phone, he began to dial before realizing it was dead. Angel cursed the storm that had knocked out the line. He filled a glass with water and went back to Willow.

Sitting beside her, he drew her against his chest and brought the glass to her lips.

"Drink some of this, Willow," he urged her.

She swallowed twice before turning her head away. Angel set the glass on the small stand beside the bed. He stretched his legs out in front of him and settled Willow against him. He rested his cheek on her head, feeling utterly frustrated.

"How do I help you, little one?" he whispered.

Angel spent the day hovering anxiously over Willow, hoping the phone line would be restored, which it wasn't, or that any one of her friends would appear, which they didn't.

The shirt he had given her was drenched with her perspiration, and she struggled against the heat of her own body. The rumbling in her chest had grown worse, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to wake her.

The rain had continued all day. It was still pouring down when the sun finally gave way to nightfall. Angel made sure Willow was well covered before heading off in the direction of the school.

Giles looked up as Angel came through the doors.

"Giles, it's Willow. She needs help," Angel said. "I found her wandering in the rain last night. She was drenched to the bone, and now she's sick."

Giles shoved aside the book he'd been studying and rose, "Where is she?"

"At my place. The hospital's too far."

"We'll take my car," the watcher said.

Giles looked down at the young woman and laid a hand on her forehead. "My God," he moaned. "We have to get her to the hospital, now."

Angel wrapped the blanket around her and lifted her from the bed. The drive to the emergency room was impossibly long, and Willow hadn't stirred once during the entire journey.

A nurse came around the desk as Angel carried the small woman through the doors. Giles quickly explained the situation, and the nurse motioned for Angel to follow her.

He laid Willow down on the hospital bed and stepped back a pace as a gray haired doctor entered the room. Giles and Angel looked on as the man checked Willow's pulse and respiration and took her temperature.

"Is it pneumonia?" Giles asked as the doctor finished his examination.

"Looks like it. We'll start her on an antibiotic and run a few tests. Are you her father?"

"No," Giles answered. "Her parents are out of town, but I'll try to contact them."

The doctor nodded and turned to the nurse to order a hospital room for his patient.

Angel sat alone in the waiting room as visions of Willow's pale body plagued his mind. Giles returned and sat on the chair across from him.

"I phoned Buffy. Her mother is going to try to track down Willow's parents. She thinks they're somewhere in Spain," Giles explained.

"Somewhere in Spain," Angel repeated. "Doesn't sound very promising."

"Not very," the watcher agreed. "Buffy is on her way here."

A few minutes passed, and the doctor emerged from the doors across from the waiting room. Giles and Angel stood.

"I've run some preliminary tests," he said. "She's dehydrated and running a very high fever, but I can't find any sign of a virus or infection."

"That doesn't make sense," Giles spoke.

"As I said, the tests are preliminary. We'll have to run more extensive ones. Perhaps we've overlooked something. We'll get to the bottom of it. Please try not to worry," the doctor replied.

"Can we see her?" Angel asked.

The doctor nodded, "Not for too long, though. She needs rest. I've got to order the tests, but I'll check on her a little later."

He excused himself and left them as Buffy stepped out of the elevator down the hallway. Oz appeared behind her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Angel growled. "It's your fault Willow's sick."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.

"I found Willow walking in the rain last night. I've never seen her so upset. You could at least have taken her home before you broke her heart. You obviously don't give a damn about her," Angel said to Oz.

Oz was staring at the vampire, "I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't with Willow last night."

"Not after you dumped her and left her alone," Angel snarled.

"No, Angel," Buffy said. "Oz was with Xander and me last night at the Bronze. We thought Willow was going to be there, but she never showed up."

Giles looked from Oz to Buffy, "You mean--"

"I don't know what Willow told you," Oz interrupted. "But I wasn't anywhere near her last night."

Angel turned to Giles in complete confusion. "Then who was?" he asked.

Willow had gotten no worse, but neither had she gotten any better. Buffy practically had to drag Angel out of the hospital and force him to go home before the sun rose.

He paced the mansion, his thoughts centered on Willow. Her grief over her confrontation with Oz had been genuine. But if Oz hadn't been with her--

He snarled and dropped down onto the sofa. If only Willow would awaken so he could talk to her, ask her some questions. None of it made any sense. Sleep beckoned to him, but his mind was too caught up with the little redhead to heed the needs of his body. Sleep could wait. Willow could not.

Xander had arrived at the hospital early in the morning. He had promised to stay by Willow's bedside while Buffy and Giles went in search of answers. Aside from the little blonde nurse who regularly checked on the patient, the day had been unbearably boring. So it was with relieved surprise he accepted the pretty nurse's invitation to join her downstairs for supper.

Angel entered the room, irritated to find Willow alone. He went to the sleeping woman and placed his hand on her forehead. She didn't feel quite as warm, he thought, and hoped that was a positive sign. Willow's eyes slowly opened and looked around the room.

"Where--" she whispered.

Angel took her hand and squeezed it lightly, "You're in the hospital. You've had us all worried. How are you feeling?"

"Thirsty," she answered.

He took the cup from the hospital stand and lifted Willow's head. She swallowed the cold water gratefully and licked her parched lips.

"Better?" he asked.

She smiled weakly and nodded, "What's wrong with me?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "But the doctor is running tests. You're going to be all right; I promise. Willow?"

"Yes," she said.

"Oz was here," Angel calmed her with a soft caress to her face as her eyes anxiously moved to his. "Are you sure about what happened between the two of you?"

"Of course I'm sure!" she gasped. "Why would you ask me that?"

"Oz was at the Bronze with Buffy and Xander. They all said he hadn't been with you at."

Her expression was puzzled, "Why would they lie about it?"

He shook his head, "I don't think they are."

"You think I am?" she asked.

"Of course not," he said quickly. "I believe you think you talked to him."

"I think?" She pinned him with an angry stare, "I did talk to him! Angel, I told you exactly what happened."

"If you talked to someone, it wasn't Oz," he insisted more firmly than he intended.

"Get out," she ordered.

"Willow--"

"I mean it! If you came here to call me a liar, you can get out, and don't come back," she hissed.

"I believe you!" he told her.

"You don't. You think I'm making this whole thing up. Why would I do that? What could I possibly hope to gain?" she snapped.

"What I'm saying is, I believe you talked to someone, but it wasn't Oz," he forced a note of calm into his voice.

"Oh, come on, Angel. I know Oz. I wasn't hallucinating. He was there," she said. "Just leave, now."

"No," he refused. "Something very strange is going on here. I don't understand it, but I'm not leaving you here alone. I believe you, Willow. Either Oz is lying, and I intend to find out why, or you're both telling the truth, which worries me even more."

"Both? How could that be?" she asked.

"This is Sunnydale, Willow. Impossible occurrences are the norm in this town," he stated.

"That's true," she agreed. "You really think Oz is telling the truth?"

"I do," he nodded. "I think you both are."

"Then I'm worried, too," she admitted.

He brought her small hand to his lips and kissed it softly, "Whatever is going on, I'll get to the bottom of it. You'll be safe, Willow. I swear it."

"I'm sorry I got so angry," she smiled.

"It's all right. You should get some rest. I shouldn't have upset you like that," he replied.

She giggled softly, "Listen to us. We're pathetic."

Angel grinned, "You're many things, little one, but you're not pathetic."

"What am I then?" she teased sleepily.

"You're funny, bright, unpredictable--"

"Unpredictable! Now who's delirious?" she laughed.

Angel continued, "Loyal, dependable, beautiful--"

"Uh huh. You've slipped right over the edge, buddy," she said.

He leaned down close to her and whispered, "Beautiful." She felt his cool lips draw hers slowly to his in a gentle kiss.

"That didn't just happen," she murmured as his mouth rested against hers.

"Oh, yes it did, and so did this," he replied and deepened the kiss. He drew away and brushed his lips against her forehead. Then he sat quietly beside her as she drifted back to sleep.

"So Willow was with Oz, but Oz wasn't with Willow?" Xander asked.

"Explain how that works."

"Some demons have the ability to change forms, to appear as someone or something other than what they really are," Giles said.

"A shape shifter? Do we have those in Sunnydale?" Buffy asked.

"We have everything else," Angel shrugged. "Why would it go after Willow?"

"I don't know," Giles admitted.

"If we do have a-a shape shifter, how do we know that any of us are who we claim to be? How do you know I'm really Xander?"

Buffy stared at him, "What demon would ever choose your shape to shift into? I'm reasonably sure we're safe assuming you're you." Xander pulled a face.

"All joking aside," Giles interrupted. "If we are dealing with a demon, Willow could be in great danger."

"He could appear as any one of us," Angel said. "How can we make sure she's safe?"

Their hushed voices had awakened Willow, and she spoke from across the room, "Guys, you're scaring me."

They turned in unison, and Angel stepped quickly over to her, "Don't be scared. We're all here. We'll make sure you're safe."

"We need a password, or a phrase," Buffy suggested. "Something only we know."

"How about, 'Xander, is that you?'" Willow grinned. Angel chuckled and took her hand.

"Very funny," Xander complained. "Go ahead; make me the butt of your little jokes if it makes you feel better."

"It does," she smiled fondly at him. "When can I go home?"

"Not for awhile, I'm afraid," the doctor answered from the doorway.

"She's all right, isn't she?" Buffy asked.

The doctor walked to the bed and checked Willow's pulse and respiration.

"She's looking better, but her lungs are still congested. The tests we ran were inconclusive. I don't honestly know what's causing her symptoms," he told them as he finished taking her temperature. "Her fever's down a bit, but it's still too high. She'll have to stay. Visiting hours are over for the night, and she needs her rest."

"All right," Giles nodded and followed the doctor to the door.

"Coming, Angel?" Buffy asked.

"In a minute," he responded.

"I wish you didn't have to go," Willow said when the others had left.

"I'm not," he told her with a grin.

"But you heard the doctor!"

"I heard him," he nodded. "I'll leave with the others, but I'll be back."

"You'll never get past the nurses," she warned him.

"We vampires are pretty good at getting into places we're not supposed to be," Angel smiled. "Try to get some sleep. I'll be back."

Angel declined Giles' offer of a ride and held the door as Buffy slipped into the front seat.

"I hate leaving her here," the slayer said. "Do you think she'll be safe?"

"She'll be fine," Giles answered. "I'm going to do some more research, and you should be patrolling."

"I know," Buffy nodded. "I'll stop by after I'm done and help you."

"I'd appreciate that," Giles replied.

Angel watched as the car turned the corner. He went back into the hospital and found the stairway. He climbed the stairs to the third floor and slipped out through the door and into the shadows. He could see the head nurse's reflection in the waiting room window and hid patiently in the darkness until she was finally called away from her desk.

He moved silently down the corridor and around the corner. The hallway was empty and quiet. He walked to Willow's room and carefully opened the door. Angel stood in shocked disbelief as the door glided shut behind him. Willow was gone, and the perfectly made bed looked as though no one had ever occupied it.

Angel shook off the feeling of desperation that was threatening to drown out reason. It had been all of twenty minutes since he'd left her in the now empty bed. Willow was here, in the hospital, somewhere. He ducked back into the corridor. The nurse had returned to her station, but another door led to a set of stairs at the opposite end of the hallway. The doctor wouldn't be running more tests at this hour, nor would he have had any reason to move her to another room tonight. Someone had taken her for other reasons, but Angel refused to contemplate what they might be.

He couldn't just start in the basement and work his way up. The hospital was far too big. He took the stairs and entered the ground floor near the reception desk. A dark haired woman was talking on the telephone.

Angel pasted a charming smile on his face and approached the woman. She smiled back at him and motioned for him to wait. She finished the phone call and looked up.

"Can I help you?" she asked pleasantly.

"I hope so. I've just gotten back from a trip and found out my wife became ill a couple of days ago. She was brought into the emergency room. I know it's past visiting hours, but if you could get me in to see her, I'd be grateful," he requested and flashed her a dazzling smile.

"I don't know," she hesitated. "Our policy is--"

"I know," he nodded. "But we just got married two weeks ago, and then I was called out of town. Please, if you could just help me out."

The woman smiled, "Newlyweds. You must be worried to death."

"You could say that," Angel said, thinking she'd never realize the irony of her statement.

"Let me call the floor. Which room is she in?"

"Room 310," Angel answered. "Willow Rosenburg. Please don't say who's asking. I want to surprise her. She doesn't know I came back tonight."

The receptionist looked at him approvingly, "Well, having you here should lift her spirits."

She dialed the phone and spoke with a nurse on the other end of the line. Her face registered confusion as she hung up and turned back to Angel.

"Your wife has been moved," she told him. "That's very unusual at this time of night."

"Does that mean something's wrong?" Angel asked.

"I don't know," she answered. "She's been taken to an outpatient room. Dr. Shaw is arranging to have her transferred."

"Transferred where? Why?" Angel asked in genuine concern. "What room is she in? I want to talk to the doctor."

"It's getting late. I don't think--"

Angel leaned over the desk and spoke firmly, "Where is she?"

"The outpatient rooms are in the east wing," the woman stammered. "I don't know her room number. I can--"

"Never mind. I'll find her," Angel snapped and took off down the hallway.

Angel caught a glimpse of the doctor's gray hair as the man slipped through the door to the room. The vampire shoved the door open and entered. Willow was lying on the outpatient cot. Her eyes were closed, and she looked as pale as she had the night he'd brought her here.

Angel grabbed the doctor by the collar and dragged him away from the bed.

"What have you done to her?" he snarled.

The doctor's kindly face seemed to melt before Angel's eyes, and the vampire found himself staring into a pair of very dark, very evil eyes. The demon laughed cruelly and shook himself free of Angel's grasp.

"Come with me, and I just may tell you," he said.

"She stays here," Angel demanded.

The demon shook his head, "She comes with us, or she dies."

"How do I know you won't kill her anyway?" Angel growled.

"You don't," the demon answered casually. "But I guarantee I will if you put up a fight."

Willow was lying disturbingly still, and Angel had to strain to hear her slow, faint heartbeat.

"There's a van waiting outside," the demon stated. "Do we go, or do we watch her take her last breath here together?"

Angel nodded reluctantly. The demon leaned over the bed, and the vampire's strong hand shot out and wrenched him away from Willow. He pushed the demon back and lifted Willow in his arms.

"I wouldn't try running off with her," the evil creature advised.

"She'll be dead before you cross the street."

Angel cradled Willow's tiny body in his arms and followed the demon out of the room.

"Willow's husband?" Buffy asked the receptionist.

"That's right. He showed up last night. He was very concerned, poor man. Dr. Shaw telephoned this morning and said he'd gone with them when she was transferred."

"What did her 'husband' look like?" Xander asked.

The woman eyed him suspiciously, "I thought you said you were her friends. Don't you know her husband?"

Buffy answered quickly, "She eloped. We haven't had the chance to meet him yet. I hope he's all right. He must be worried out of his mind."

The receptionist's expression softened, "He certainly was. Very tall, dark hair, handsome."

"Angel," Buffy whispered.

"He looked like one," the woman nodded.

Buffy stepped on Xander's foot as he rolled his eyes. "Where was Willow transferred?" Giles asked.

"I don't know. The paperwork hasn't come through here yet. I should know within the hour, though," the woman answered.

"Thank you," the watcher nodded. "We'll check back."

"What the hell is going on?" Buffy growled as the trio stepped out into the daylight. "First Willow accuses Oz of something he wasn't even around to do, then she ends up with some strange illness, and now Angel shows up pretending to be her husband and carts her off in the middle of the night."

"Sounds kind of sleezy to me," Xander commented. "Hey, you don't think Angel and Willow are--"

"Shut up, Xander," Giles and Buffy chorused impatiently.

"Buffy, you check out the mansion. I'll telephone the nearby hospitals and find out if any of them has admitted Willow. I'll check back with the receptionist in an hour to see if she can tell us any more."

"What about me? I want to help!" Xander said.

"Come on," Buffy grabbed his shirt sleeve and tugged him along behind her.

The demon had locked Angel and Willow in the room and left in silence. That had been hours ago. Their little prison was damp and cold, and Willow's unconscious body shivered against Angel.

He wrapped his arms more tightly around her, wishing he had body heat with which to warm her. He shrugged of his coat and drew it around her. Willow's hand moved to his chest, her fingers wringing at the fabric of his shirt.

"Willow," Angel spoke softly.

She opened her eyes and looked up into his. "This isn't the hospital," she said as their surroundings came into focus.

"No," he answered.

"Angel?"

"We're in trouble. I'm not sure you're up to hearing the details," he told her.

"I am," she struggled against him. "I want details."

His strong arms pinned her against him, easily subduing what little strength she possessed. "Please?" she begged.

"It wasn't Oz you talked to the other night, and Dr. Shaw wasn't Dr. Shaw," Angel began.

"Huh?"

"Be still and listen," he ordered. "It's a demon, a shape shifter."

"I've never met a shape shifter before. Well, actually I have if you count un-Oz and un-Dr. Shaw, but I've never met one before that. I don't think. Unless I've talked to an un-somebody else and never knew it."

"Willow, if you don't lie still, I'm not going to explain," he threatened.

"Oh. Sorry. Explain, please."

"I caught him trying to drag you away from the hospital," Angel continued.

"Are you sure you caught him? We're here in this--whatever it is--and he isn't," she pointed out.

"Not much of a hero, am I?" he smiled forlornly.

"Don't say that!" she protested. "Don't ever say that! You are my hero. I'd be here all alone if you hadn't tried to stop him. What does he want with me, anyway?"

"I have no idea. Buffy and the others must be looking for us by now. I hope they've come up with some answers," Angel said.

A key scraped in the lock, and Angel crushed the breath out of Willow in his attempt to shield her. The demon entered and stood just inside the doorway.

"Ah, the little redhead is back with us," he smiled, displaying a row of crooked, brown teeth.

The silk nightshirt Willow had been wearing in the hospital peeked out from under Angel's coat, and the demon's eyes raked over her body with appreciation. Willow shuddered and put her arm around Angel.

"Why have you brought us here?" Angel asked.

"Patience, patience," the demon grinned.

"We've been here for hours! Willow's sick. She needs help."

"No doctor can help her. It isn't that sort of sickness," the demon told him.

"Why are you doing this? You don't even know her." Angel snarled.

"It isn't her I'm after, fool. It's you," the demon sneered.

"Me? Why?"

"We've met before. Don't you remember? Many years ago in Ireland. I'd been sent to Dublin to destroy a newly-formed circle of watchers. I came to you for help, not realizing you'd been cursed with a soul." Angel groaned as the demon's words summoned back long forgotten memories.

"That's right," the demon nodded. "Angelus had become Angel. You sided with the watchers, without their knowledge, of course--or mine, until it was too late. I was sent back to hell, where I've been enduring my punishment ever since. But now I'm free, and I've come for retribution, old friend."

"Then let her go. It's me you want to destroy," Angel said. The demon cackled and shook his head, "I don't want to destroy you. I want to destroy your soul, Angelus."

"What?" the vampire barked.

"I thought you'd like that. I understand Angelus isn't as far gone as memory would like. If the little witch hadn't restored your soul, we wouldn't be here now, and I wouldn't be enjoying this little game. I decided since she was the one to give you your soul, she should be the one to keep it."

"Keep it?" Willow asked. "What do you mean?"

"You're not sick, your soul is," the demon explained. "I can't destroy a mortal's soul, but I can curse it, and I have. Of course, the end result won't be too pleasant. You'll waste away from the inside, and eventually you'll die."

"Bastard," Angel hissed and moved Willow aside.

"I wouldn't," he cautioned. "I can speed up the process and bring on her demise very quickly. There are only two beings who can cure her, me and--you."

Angel froze and glared hatefully at the creature, "I can cure her? How?"

"Simple. Her soul is sick. Give her yours."

Willow scrambled to her unsteady feet and fastened her hands around Angel's arm. The demon grinned cruelly and continued, "I chose a very obscure and very suitable curse for my game. I can lift it, which I won't. So, the only other way to save her is for you to join with her. Your soul will pass into her and effect the cure. Angelus will be back among us, and your little redhead will be bonded to him. And you get a good fuck in the deal."

Angel wrenched his arm out of Willow's weak grip and lunged at the demon. His attack was stopped by a loud moan as Willow collapsed to the floor.

"I did warn you," the demon said cheerfully as Angel knelt over Willow. "Try that again, and I'll kill her."

The pain that had consumed Willow's body was gone as quickly as it had come. She reached a trembling hand out to Angel, and he took it and put his arm around her.

"You have two hours," the demon spoke from above them. "When I return, I'll expect to see a very well-screwed Angelus and the new love of his unlife. And don't try at playacting. I'll know whether she's been cured or not."

The demon left them in the dark, cold room and locked the door from the outside.

"Oh, goddess," Willow whimpered. "Oh, goddess, what are we going to do?"

"Why would he just take her out of the hospital?" Buffy asked from her perch on the library counter. "He knows how sick she is. He wouldn't do something like that."

"I agree," Giles said. "He must have had a very good reason for moving her. Perhaps Willow was in immediate danger from the demon."

"What are you two talking about?" Xander blurted. "Angel is a demon! He's taken Willow to God knows where! We can't just sit here; we have to find her."

"Xander, Angel would never hurt Willow," Buffy said. "Maybe the demon appeared as Angel and took Willow."

"That's a possibility," Giles nodded grimly. "But then, where's Angel?"

"He must have been taken, too. He would have contacted me by now if he could," Buffy reasoned.

The watcher removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I have nothing to go on. I can research shape shifters in general, but we have no idea who this particular demon is or what he wants with Willow."

"Maybe he's a distant relative of Angel's, and they've invited Willow to be the main course at a family reunion," Xander said.

"That's not helpful," Giles snapped. "We need a connection. What is he after? A spell? Could he want Willow to work a spell for him?"

"Maybe he's in the market for a good, used, low-mileage soul," Xander suggested.

Buffy glared at him, "You can either shut up or go home. Those are your only options."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Willow, and--"

"Wait a minute," Giles interrupted. "A soul. That could be it."

"You think he wants Willow's soul?" Buffy asked skeptically.

"Or a vampire with one, for some reason," Giles replied as he shoved his glasses back onto his nose. "That would be a connection. Angel's soul was restored by Willow. She's the only person the demon's targeted. Both she and Angel have gone missing."

"Okay, let's go with that," Buffy agreed. "Why would he want Angel's soul?"

Giles looked wistfully at the dark computer monitor on the desk, "We don't have the luxury of Willow's computer skills. We're going to have to rely on eye-watering research through some of my books."

"Great," Buffy moaned. "Where do we start?"

"Xander and I will work on it. The sun is setting. Maybe you can find out something while you're on patrol."

Buffy nodded and jumped down off the counter, "It's worth a try. I'll check back in an hour."

"Angel?" Willow squealed as she backed into the wall behind her.

"Relax," he spoke softly. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"That's good. Not hurting is good." Her eyes flew to his face as he pulled her away from the wall and wrapped an arm firmly around her waist, "What are you doing?"

"I'm not going to let you die, Willow," he told her. "Whatever it takes, I won't let that happen."

"Please, you're scaring me," she whimpered.

He brushed her cheek with his fingertips and smiled down at her, "I'm sorry. I'm trying not to. I don't see any other way out of this, do you?"

"But we haven't really thought about it, considered our options, that kind of thing," she answered.

"We have less than two hours. There aren't any options. Do you have any idea how important you are to me?" he asked her.

"Angel, I don't want Angelus to come back," she whispered. "He hurts people. He hurt you."

"You restored my soul once. You can do it again. When this bastard gets what he thinks he wants, he'll either let us go, or I'll rip his ancient head off his shoulders. You can work the restoration spell."

"What if I can't?" she asked. "Once your soul joins mine, how do we know I can restore it to you? Even if I can, Angelus won't let me."

"You and I will be bound, Willow. Angelus won't hurt you," he promised.

"How will I ever make Buffy understand?"

Angel stared down into her frightened eyes, "This isn't about Buffy. It's about us, you and me. I can't lose you, Willow. I won't."

He brought his mouth to hers and kissed her with raw passion. He parted her lips and searched the warmth of her mouth with his tongue. "No," she pulled away from him.

His arms held her fast and forced her back to him, "Yes. I want you. I've always wanted you. I just never thought I could have you."

"Don't say things like that," her voice was cold. "You don't have to lie to me. I know there's no other way out of this, but don't play games to try to make it easier."

Angel's surprise was written across his handsome face, "I'm not playing games. You're so beautiful, and you don't even know it. You don't see how the moonlight graces your hair or how your eyes sparkle like liquid crystals in soft light. You don't see how everything that's good in you radiates out of you and touches everything around you. You don't see how wonderful you are, but I do. I've seen it every day since I met you. I even see it in my dreams. I've never told anyone that I dream about you. Do you dream about me?"

"No," she answered.

He smiled, "Not ever? Don't you ever imagine what it would be like to be with me? To touch me and taste me and feel me inside the most intimate part of you?"

"No," she repeated, her voice quivering.

"I do," he whispered.

"You're my friend," she insisted.

"I'll always be your friend. Even when I'm your lover, I'll be your friend," he vowed.

"We'll never be--"

His mouth captured hers as his hands pushed his coat from her shoulders. She shivered against his hard body as the chill air touched her skin. Her nipples hardened under the sheer silk of her nightshirt, and Angel groaned as he crushed her against him.

He slid his hands under the flowing garment and hooked his thumbs under the elastic of her panties, drawing them down her legs. With one hand, he caressed the bare skin of her firm ass as his other hand moved to the soft curls above her feminine folds. He parted them and inserted a finger, rubbing softly and coaxing the wetness to flow from her body.

Willow moaned into his mouth as he inserted another finger and began a slow rhythm against her swelling clit. His left hand moved to the buttons on her nightshirt and unfastened them. Willow tore her lips from his and tried to struggle out of his arms.

"Angel, stop! We can't do this!" she pleaded.

"We have to. I want to. I love you, Willow," he murmured.

"No, you don't. You--"

"I love you, Willow," he repeated.

He dragged the nightshirt from her body and lowered her to the floor. She blushed crimson under his admiring stare and tried to cover herself with her hands.

"No," he whispered, drawing her arms to her sides. "You're wonderful."

He quickly tugged off his own clothing and lowered his body over Willow's shivering form. His mouth sucked hungrily at her lips, nipping and licking at them. Reality slammed into the tiny redhead's brain as he positioned his engorged shaft at the soft folds between her legs. She struggled under him and cried out as he entered her swiftly, tearing away the barrier to her tight channel.

Angel kissed her softly and moved his hands over her body, caressing her shoulders, kneading her soft, rounded breasts, worrying her erect nipples, trailing down to her taut stomach. He rested his hand above the entrance to their joining and gently rubbed her sensitive clitoris between his thumb and forefinger.

This time, the trembling that shook Willow's body was not from the cold, but from the unfamiliar warmth that flowed through her under the insistent ministrations of his hands, the feeling of his throbbing penis buried deep inside her, stretching and filling her almost beyond her capacity.

His mouth returned to hers as he began to move inside her in slow, easy strokes that soon quickened and became more urgent. His lips never left hers as his body demanded her response. He thrust into her, hard and deep, as her walls clenched around him in violent spasms. She moaned loudly as she rocketed into a mind-numbing orgasm. Angel growled as her slickened walls clamped and unclamped around him, milking the cold seed from him.

A sweet sense of calm washed over Willow's quaking body as Angel's soul wrapped itself around hers, and Angelus emerged.

"Giles," Buffy called out as she crashed through the doors and into the library.

The watcher and Xander leapt from their chairs at the table.

"You found out something, didn't you?" Xander asked.

"I'm not sure; I think so. There's an old brick building over on Chestnut," she spoke between panting breaths.

"The armory," Giles nodded. "It's been empty for a couple of years."

"I know. I've passed it every night on patrol. There's a light in one of the windows tonight. It's never been there before," she explained.

Giles pocketed the cross that lay on the counter, "Let's go."

Angelus drew Willow's weary body into his arms. He retrieved her nightshirt from where it had landed beside them and pulled drew it up over her arms.

"Angel," she muttered against his neck.

"Try again, kitten," he grinned.

Her eyes flew open, and she pushed herself away from him.

"Don't be shy," he spoke softly. "You're mine now, Willow. You know that, don't you?"

"Oh, goddess, help me," she whimpered.

Angelus pulled on his clothes and took her hand, drawing her up off the floor and into his arms. Her trembling body sent a wave of desire through him. He forced her head up and kissed her brutally.

"I won't hurt you, kitten. No one will hurt you, ever," he promised. "But I'm not Angel, and I won't take you the way he did. The pleasure I give you will be a completely different kind."

Despite the terror that shook her body, she felt an unwanted wetness forming between her legs as the dark vampire stared possessively at her. The scent of her arousal gripped his senses, and his cock twitched impatiently as his fingers delved between her legs and pressed roughly against her sopping clit.

She gasped as he fondled her, holding her weight against him as he worked her into a frenzied orgasm. He withdrew his fingers and brought them to his lips to suck her juices from them. Willow was torn between raging desire and utter revulsion at her body's betrayal. Angelus looked at her in a mixture of triumph and an odd feeling of tenderness. He held her panting body close and stroked her hair until he felt her relax against him. She was tired, but the desperate exhaustion that had plagued her for days was gone.

Willow started and gripped Angelus' arms as the lock in the door clicked back. Angelus turned and stepped in front of Willow as the demon opened the door. He paused for a moment to evaluate his prisoners. An evil smile snaked across his repulsive face.

"Welcome back, Angelus. I hope you enjoyed your private welcome home party," the demon spoke.

Angelus advanced on the creature, "I really should rip out your windpipe and strangle you with it, but since I'm in such a good mood, I'll spare you the suffering."

The vampire reached out a hand and curled his fingers around the demon's throat. The other hand grabbed hold of the struggling beast's hair.

"This is for Willow," Angelus growled before he twisted the demon's neck with such ferocity it nearly separated from its torso.

Angelus dropped the mangled body to the floor and reached back for Willow. He latched onto her hand and dragged her out of the room.

"That's our shape shifter?" Xander asked as they looked down at the already decaying corpse.

"Yes," Giles sniffed. "Or what's left of him."

Buffy walked to the corner of the small room and knelt down.

"It's Angel's," she spoke as she lifted the coat from the floor.

"Where are they?" Xander asked. "They're not in danger anymore. Why would they leave?"

"We don't know what that thing did to them before it was killed," Giles stated. "I'm sure the idea of remaining here with its corpse wasn't very appealing. We'll find them."

Buffy clasped the coat to her chest and stepped around her watcher, "I say we start looking."

"There will be no slayer, no watcher, and no restoration spell," Angelus insisted as he draped a heavy blanket over Willow's shoulders.

She looked at him cautiously, "But--"

"No buts," he shook his head. "I won't hurt you Willow; you're bound to me forever. But I will restrain you if you force me to. Angel is gone, permanently."

"Then can we leave Sunnydale?" she asked. "I don't want to stay here if I can't be with the people I care about."

"I'm the only person you need. You'll realize that, in time. Besides, I have old business with Buffy and Giles."

"No!" Willow pleaded. "Please, Angelus, don't hurt them."

"I hate that bitch for what she did to me," the vampire snarled. "She made a lap dog out of Angel. She'll suffer for that. If she thought I hurt her before, she's in for a nasty awakening."

Willow placed an unsteady hand on his arm, "Please, for my sake, leave her alone."

He smiled and knelt before her. "You can't appeal to Angel, little one. He isn't in here anymore. He's in there," he placed his hand on her breast and squeezed it. Willow groaned and pushed away from him. Angelus' hand moved around her

and grabbed her hair, forcing her to remain still as he crushed his lips against hers. He plundered her mouth with his tongue as his other hand continued its cruel pressure against her breast.

He pushed her back onto the floor and flung away the blanket to tear her nightshirt off her body. She lay motionless under him, her eyes squeezed shut as he tore off his clothes. He pried her legs apart and slammed his hard cock inside her dry passage. Willow cried out in pain. Angelus pushed away his fury and lowered his mouth to the soft nipple of her left breast. He laved it and drew it gently between his blunt teeth. Willow's body arched into him as her juices coated her burning channel and his cock buried within it. He traced soft kisses between her breasts and up her throat to her mouth. Their tongues met and dueled passionately as Willow's hand moved around to bury itself in his thick hair.

His aching cock demanded release, and Angelus began to rock into her. She raised her hips to meet his thrusts. A sigh broke from her lips as the pressure of his body against her clitoris drove her toward her climax. He pounded mercilessly into her, pushing her toward the edge of ecstasy. Willow moaned in protest as he suddenly grew still.

"Look at me, Willow," he whispered. "Who is it you want to make you come?"

Her eyes stared up into his as her lips parted to utter the single word, "Angelus."

"Ask me," he demanded.

"Please," she whimpered.

"Please, who?" he grinned.

"Please, Angelus," she moaned. "Please make me come."

He kissed her hard and stabbed his fingers into her wetness. He pinched the erect nubbin between her legs and growled deep in his chest as he shot into her. Willow's body shuddered as her orgasm forced the air from her lungs in a heavy groan.

Angelus lay still above her, his cock still sheathed in her dripping folds. He placed feathery kisses along her jaw line and pulled her up against the cold flesh of his chest. She held his shoulders with weak hands as he slipped out of her and lifted her from the floor to carry her to the bedroom.

Angelus was leaning against the doorjamb when Willow emerged from the bathroom. She gasped in surprise as he captured her in his arms and pulled her against him.

"You weren't thinking of going anywhere, were you, kitten?" he asked.

She avoided his dark eyes and stared at his chest, "Well, I need some things, clothes and--"

"We'll get your clothes tonight," he told her. "You're not going out alone, and since I have this strange aversion to sunlight, you're going to have to spend the day here. Inside. With me."

"But I--"

He laid his fingers over her lips, "You're coming back to my bed, voluntarily or otherwise."

She nodded in silent surrender and allowed him to guide her back into the bedroom. He stripped off her nightshirt and positioned her body firmly under his. Spreading her legs, he glided his half-hardened shaft inside her.

"I'm a little too tired for another round right now," he whispered against her neck. "But I think we'll leave that there, just in case you decide to try wandering off. Sort of a carnal motion detector."

Willow whimpered under him, and he kissed her ear lobe, "Go to sleep, kitten. You'll need the rest."

"Angel?" Buffy's voice called from the living room as she dropped his coat onto the arm of the sofa.

"Oh, goddess," Willow gasped as Angelus drove into her. "Please, stop."

Her lover laughed cruelly and pinched her hardened nipple, "Poor Buff. She's going to walk in here and find her ex-boyfriend screwing her best friend."

"No," Willow pleaded. "Please, no."

"Let's see if we can greet her with an ear-splitting orgasm," he suggested.

Willow struggled desperately against the tightening in her stomach, but the very fact that they were about to be discovered had an agonizingly erotic effect on her traitorous body. Angelus' fingers massaged her hot clitoris with persistent pressure, and Willow's orgasm slammed into her at the same moment Buffy pushed open the door.

"Oh, God," the slayer murmured as the shock of witnessing Angel's body thrusting into Willow's and the growl of release that issued from the vampire's chest riveted her to the spot.

Her mind told her to flee, but her legs weren't receiving the message. A single tear trickled from Willow's eye as she heard Buffy's anguished moan. Angelus' mouth claimed Willow's as his fingers continued to tease her clit, reeling her from her first climax into a second of even greater intensity. Willow groaned as he pistoned into her. Her walls constricted around him, and she screamed out as he drew the last ounce of passion from her aching body.

"Oh, God," Buffy moaned once more before she finally shook free of her shocked paralysis and ran from the mansion.

Willow stepped out of the bath and toweled off. She pulled on a robe that was ridiculously too large and concentrated on not tripping as she walked out to stand in front of the fireplace. The warm water had done wonders to soothe her aching body, but the ache in her mind still shook her just as deeply as it had when Buffy had discovered her earlier in the day.

Angelus entered the room and smiled at the tiny woman who was all but lost under the huge garment. She turned as he moved to her and took one arm, gently rolling up the sleeve that swallowed up her hand.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"Not really," she answered softly. "She must be so hurt and confused. I need to go to her, to explain."

"No, kitten. I want her hurt and confused. It's a start, anyway."

The anger simmering inside her bubbled over and splashed out through Willow's voice, "If you want some sort of twisted revenge for whatever it is you think she's done to you, don't use me to get it."

Angelus grinned at her impulsive outburst and started to work on the other sleeve, "My kitten has claws, tiny claws, but claws nonetheless."

Her eyes pleaded with him, "Please, don't use me to torture her."

He put his hands on her shoulders and bent to take her lips is a hard kiss. "But it's so perfect," he whispered as he pulled her against him.

"Just let me talk to them," she asked.

Angelus nodded, "I'll let you talk to them, but I'm going, too."

"An hour, that's all I'm asking. An hour alone with them."

He tucked a silky strand of hair behind her ear, "I'm not a fool, kitten. Don't treat me like one. Either I go with you, or you don't talk to them."

Willow agreed reluctantly, knowing his offer was the best she was going to get.

"I picked up some things for you while you were asleep," he told her.

"Why don't you get dressed, and we'll go visit our old friends?"

The watcher sensed the difference in the vampire from the moment he led Willow into the library. Buffy rose from her chair and backed away from the couple.

"Buffy, I'm sorry," Willow managed to get out before Angelus silenced her with a firm arm around her waist.

"You don't look sorry," Xander hissed from across the table as he stared at the hand resting on Willow's hip.

Angelus' eyes flashed, "Shut your mouth before I rip it off your face."

"Angelus," Giles spoke.

Buffy's head snapped around to stare, open-mouthed, at her watcher. "That was quick," the vampire grinned. "Should I be impressed?"

"What have you done to her?" the watcher demanded.

Angelus looked down at Willow. She drew in a breath and kept her eyes on Giles' troubled face as she explained the demon's curse and the consequences that followed.

"You raped her!" Buffy shouted. "You bastard!"

"Did it look like rape?" Angelus sneered. "You heard her moans. Did that sound like rape?

"Please, don't do this," Willow whispered from beside him.

Giles looked at Willow with palpable concern and steered the conversation away from her physical ordeal at the vampire's hands, "You have Angel's soul inside you?"

"Yes," she answered. "Angel thought the demon would release us after--well, after we did what he wanted, and then I could restore his soul."

"But there's no way in hell I'll let that happen," Angelus added.

"I'm not even sure it's possible without causing you harm," Giles said to Willow.

"And you'll never have the chance to find out," the vampire stated.

"Willow is mine now; she's bound to me. Angel isn't coming back. As much as I hate him, I have to admit, he's got incredible taste in women." Buffy stared daggers at him.

Angelus chuckled, "I wasn't referring to you, slayer. You were a lapse in judgment, or perhaps a desperate diversion when the weak fool didn't have the balls to go after what he really wanted."

Buffy turned away from his mocking eyes. "He never told you he loved Willow, did he? Well, I'm telling you. He did."

"Stop it!" Willow demanded.

"I don't think so, kitten. I'm just getting started. Your friend never knew that every time Angel touched her, kissed her, held her in his arms, it was you he was thinking about. He sat at her feet like the obedient dog he was. If he'd have had any sense at all, he'd have been chasing your pretty tail."

Buffy whirled around, "I'll kill you, I swear it. If it costs me my own life, I'll kill you."

"And even after you staked me, you'd still know it was Willow he wanted all along," Angelus told her.

"I hate you," she spat.

"That's more like it," Angelus laughed. "Kitten, you've had your reunion. They know all our dirty little secrets. Time to get you home, where you belong."

Willow looked at Giles with such sadness, his heart wept for her. "We'll fix it, Willow," he said softly. "We'll find a way."

"Watch the shadows a little more closely," Angelus advised them. "One of them is bound to be me."

He put his hand on Willow's arm and pulled her out of the library.

"Make it stop now," Willow asked as they left the school. "I don't think I can bear any more."

Angelus stopped walking and turned to her, "I love you, Willow, just as much as Angel did. If I need to use you to hurt them, I will. I'll try to make this as painless for you as possible, but I am going to destroy your friends. Accept that."

"I can't!" she cried. "You've hurt them more deeply than anyone else ever could. Why can't that be enough? I'll go away with you, anywhere you want--"

He cupped her chin in his hand and brushed his lips against hers, "I want them dead, and I get what I want. Right now, I want you."

The dark figure behind them quickened it's pace as Angelus dragged Willow back to the mansion.

"You should have staked Angel when he came back instead of trying to find a way to get in his pants again," Xander berated the slayer.

"Shut the fuck up, Xander," Giles barked as the memory of Angelus dragging Willow out of the library eroded his patience.

Buffy's eyes widened in astonishment at the crude language from the proper watcher. Xander lowered his eyes, "I'm sorry, Buffy. The idea of that bastard with Willow is driving me insane."

"I know," she whispered. "I should have killed him when I had the chance. All I could think about was having him back, and now Willow's suffering for it."

"That isn't entirely true," Giles said. "She is bound to him. As much as she hates what he is, she truly wants to be with him. We have to find a way to extricate Angel's soul from Willow's without hurting her."

"That will break the bond?" Buffy asked.

Giles' voice softened to that of a father to his child, "That will break the bond between their souls. It may not break the bond between their hearts, if there is one. If what Angelus said about Angel's feelings for Willow is true, that's a bond as old as man and woman. The curse didn't create it, and nothing we do will destroy it."

Buffy took a breath and shook off her self-pity, "I'll deal with that later. We have to help Willow."

"Willow," Angelus growled and grabbed for her hand as the redhead attempted to slip out of the bed.

"I just want to think, alone," she said softly. "Please, can't I just go stare at the fire for awhile?"

He smiled and brought her hand to his lips, "If you try to leave, I'll know it."

"I won't," she promised. "Tonight was so hard, Angelus. I just need time to think."

"All right, but not for too long," he agreed before pulling her down onto him and kissing her softly. Willow felt her body responding to the cold pressure of his lips, and she returned the kiss eagerly. She pushed away from him and moved off the bed.

"I'll wake you when I come back," she smiled.

Angelus chuckled, "You do that, kitten."

Willow stared into the dying embers as her brain labored to think of a way out of her situation. Part of her wanted Angelus, needed him, with such an intensity it frightened her senseless.

"If only I could restore his soul," she whispered to herself. "Angel, I need you. I need answers, and I don't have any."

"I do," a voice murmured from behind her.

Willow whirled around at the sound of the voice behind her. Her eyes flew open as a hand clapped over her mouth to stop the scream that threatened to break from her lips.

"Hello, pet," the peroxide blonde vampire smiled at her. Her hand covered his and drew it away from her mouth as she continued to stare up at him.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, her eyes darting over his shoulder to the corridor. "How did you get here? What do you want?"

"I'm here to help. I drove. To see Angelus burn in hell," he answered.

"I'll meet you there," Angelus' angry voice spoke from the end of the hallway.

"Oh, goddess," Willow breathed as Spike turned to face the other vampire.

"Get the hell out of here. Go back to your crazy bitch," Angelus snarled.

"Thanks for the advice. I'll consider it," Spike smirked. "Mind if I take her with me?"

Angelus growled and flew across the room. Spike stumbled back against Willow and landed on top of her. He reached over her and grabbed up the fireplace poker that was resting on the mantle. Angelus lunged at him, and Spike brought the iron rod down over the infuriated vampire's skull. He leaned down and pulled Willow up off the floor.

"Damn, that felt good," he grinned. "Unfortunately, he has a head like granite. Come on, we have to get you out of here."

"I can't!" Willow shouted. "Spike, he'll--" He forced a heavy sigh from his lungs and flung the tiny redhead over his shoulder.

"No time to argue, luv. Let's see if we can track down your slayer."

Willow was still struggling against him as Spike hauled her into the library. He slipped her off his shoulder as Giles stepped around Buffy in mute surprise.

"Uh, I come in peace?" Spike offered weakly. "I hear you have a rabid vampire you need to get rid of."

"I thought you were gone," Buffy said. "How did you find out about Angelus?"

"I was gone," Spike answered. "Until a few days ago, when Dru started babbling about her Daddy coming home, and I figured I'd better make tracks for Sunnyhell. Every vampire between here and South America is talking about the bastard's reappearance. I figure it's only a matter of time before he starts in on the 'I'm going to rule the world' crap again. Angel may be a wanker, but at least he isn't into global extermination."

"We must find a way to restore Angel's soul," Giles spoke. "And we must do it quickly. There'll be hell to pay when Angelus realizes you've taken Willow."

"We've been researching for hours," Buffy complained. "We'll never find the answer before he shows up here."

"I've got your answer," Spike told her as he reached into his pocket and drew out a folded piece of paper. "I'll be the first to admit Dru's a candidate for Bedlam, but she can be resourceful when she has to."

"She knows how to fix this, and she told you?" the slayer asked in disbelief.

"Well, not without a little persuasion. A couple of hours hanging upside down from a yardarm with the sun threatening to rise--instant cooperation," Spike said.

Giles snatched the paper from the vampire's hand and unfolded it. "Oh, God," he moaned as his eyes drifted over its contents.

"I know. Ironic, isn't it?" Spike grinned.

"What does it say?" Willow asked.

Angelus snarled and reached out to grab a handful of the long, dark hair that was dangling over his face. Drusilla wailed and struggled to free herself from the hand entangled in her hair. Angelus stood, dragging her up with him.

"You're back!" she smiled through the pain he was inflicting.

"Drusilla?" Angelus asked, releasing his hand as she flung her arms around his neck. "What the fuck are you doing here? And where the hell is Spike?"

"He's being very naughty," Drusilla said sadly. "He doesn't know I followed him. I didn't want to tell him, but he made me, Angelus. He should be happy, like I am. But he's not. He wants to help the little witch. He wants to send you away."

"He knows about the curse," Angelus mumbled. "And he knows how to remove it?"

She nodded, "I didn't want to help him, but he made me. So, now I've come to help you."

"Dru, just tell me what he's planning on doing," Angelus demanded.

"He's going to take her away and--"

"What?" he growled. "Over my dead body!"

"That's what he said," she nodded. "You don't like her, do you? You don't want her, not the way you want me."

Angelus smiled, "I've missed you, Dru. Let's go find Spike and Willow. I'll let you help me punish them."

Drusilla nodded and pressed her cold body against his, "They don't want you back, Angelus. They want Angel, but I want you. They've gone to the slayer."

"This isn't happening," Xander moaned. "Someone please tell me this isn't happening."

"I'm afraid it is," Giles replied. "Willow, can you do this?"

She looked over at him, "If it means saving Angel, I can do this."

"You'd better get her out of here," the watcher said to Spike.

"And you'd better take care of her," Buffy added. "Or I'll--"

"I've heard it before," Spike told her as he took Willow's hand, "Come on, pet."

"Take her out the back way," Giles suggested. "Angelus can't be far behind."

The vampire nodded, "Put him off if you can. The more distance we can put between us, the better."

"Where are we going?" Willow asked from the front seat of Spike's car.

"Far enough away so Angelus won't trip over you, but not so far we can't get back quickly," Spike answered.

"Oh, that clears things up," she said dryly. "Where's Drusilla? Do you think she'll stay in South America without you?"

Spike looked over at her, "Dru's here."

"Here? In Sunnydale?" Willow screeched.

"She doesn't know that I know, but I know," he grinned.

"That looney bitch is running around Sunnydale--"

"Careful, pet. That looney bitch may very well be your salvation," he warned her.

Willow considered this for a moment, "That's kind of a frightening thought."

"Kind of," Spike chuckled.

"How do you think she'll react when she thinks you and I are--"

"Doing it?" he asked. "She'll either be furious, or she won't give a damn. Doesn't matter; either way, she'll run to Angelus, which is just what we want."

"Of course we do," Willow replied uncertainly.

"Trust me, luv. I know what I'm doing."

"I hope so," she moaned.

"Where is she?" Angelus bellowed as he stomped into the library.

"Where's who?" Buffy asked innocently.

"Don't play games with me, bitch. You'd better hand her over now, or--"

"Or what?" the slayer asked coldly. "You'll give us all fatal hickeys? You know if you kill us you'll never find her."

"She's with Spike," Drusilla stated from behind Angelus.

"That she is," Giles nodded. "Spike seemed oddly concerned for her well-being. We were reluctant to let her go with him."

"But then we decided, what the hell, he can't be worse than you are," Buffy added.

"I'll kill him," Angelus seethed. "I'll rip out his heart and shove it up his ass."

"Willow will love that, watching you murder her rescuer," Xander said.

"Better than a Hallmark greeting card."

Angelus glared at him, "I'll find her, and then I'll come after you, one at a time."

"We'll look forward to it," Buffy replied.

"And then we'll kill the little witch," Drusilla added, putting a hand on Angelus' arm.

"The hell we will," he snarled. "Willow's mine. You'll keep your claws off her."

"Angelus," Dru looked at him, her eyes filled with pain. "You don't need her. I'm here now."

He flung her hand off him, "Why would I want you when I can have her?"

"What are you doing?" Willow asked as Spike dropped down onto the sofa and wrapped a cold arm around her shoulders.

"I open my mouth, you open your mouth, I stick my tongue down your throat. It's called kissing," Spike explained.

Willow scooted quickly away from him, "Are you crazy?"

"Probably," he grinned. "Dru has to believe we're lovers, ducks. She has to see visions of me all over you when she looks at--whatever the hell it is she looks at when she has her crazy revelations. Come here." He pulled her back to him and fastened his lips to hers.

"I love him, Spike," she said as she pulled away.

"I know you do, but who do you want? Angel or Angelus?" he asked softly.

"Angel," she admitted.

"Then help me get him back," he asked as his mouth recaptured hers.

"They're together," Drusilla wailed. "My Spike is in bed with your little witch. I can feel her warm heartbeat against him."

Angelus' dark eyes looked down at her, "Where are they, Dru? Can you see where they are?"

"In a bed, a big bed. It's very dark, and he's holding her very close. I don't like it, Angelus. She's too warm and soft," the beautiful vampire said sadly. "He wants to--"

"Shut the fuck up," Angelus demanded and grabbed hold of her arm. "Tell me where they are!"

"I can't. I can't see. His lips are on hers and--" A deep growl echoed from Angelus' chest as he turned and stalked out of the room.

"Spike!" Willow shouted and pushed herself away from him.

"Take it easy, luv," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"That's not what I'm afraid of," she told him as he rolled over on top of her. "Get off of me!"

"Look, do you want Angel back or not?" he asked.

"You know I do," she answered. "It's just--"

"Close your eyes and think of England," he suggested.

"Huh?"

"It's what Victorian women used to say when their--oh, never mind," he said. "Stop fighting me, and it'll all be over before you know it." She looked at him doubtfully.

"Okay, I lied," he grinned. "But, there's only one way to undo this curse. I'm it, Willow."

"Okay," she grumbled and squeezed her eyes shut.

He heaved a great, unneeded sigh, "For someone who's been screwed every way imaginable and several ways no one's every dreamed of, you certainly are being a prude about this."

"A prude!" her eyes flew open and glared into his. "I'll show you who's a prude, you conceited son of a bitch!"

She grabbed a handful of blonde hair and yanked his mouth down onto hers. Spike smiled to himself and thrust his tongue into her mouth as his body covered hers.

Willow felt Spike's cold hands roaming over her body, teasing her and coaxing an unwilling passion from her. Her mind flooded with visions of Angel. His fingers in her hair. His mouth on her breasts. His hips grinding against hers. She called out his name as Spike entered her and rode her inexorably toward climax. He whispered to her, entreating her to come, imploring her to surrender to the rapture both souls within her craved.

Willow cried out as the ecstasy of her illusion swallowed her senses. A sharp wave of pain washed over her as she came, and she screamed out in agony and went limp under Spike's hard body.

Giles completed the incantation and turned to look at Buffy.

"Did it work? Can you tell?" the slayer asked.

The watcher shook his head, "There's no way of knowing until we see Willow, or Angel. If Spike followed the timeline, the curse should be broken. I just pray Willow's all right."

"And that Angel won't hate her for what's happened," Buffy added.

"You surprise me," Giles admitted.

Buffy shrugged, "I lost Angel a long time ago. I love both of them. If they can be happy together--" Giles stifled her comments with a crushing hug.

Angelus' halted his furious pacing as a white hot pain seared through his body. He howled and collapsed amidst the dead flowers in the garden.

Drusilla rushed out from the mansion and kneeled over her unconscious sire, "Angelus?"

She placed her hand over his chest and wailed pitifully, "Angelus, don't leave me!"

Spike dressed Willow with uncharacteristic gentleness and carried her limp body out to his car. The drive back to town seemed miles longer than their departure had been.

He entered the library, cradling the little redhead in his arms. He lowered her carefully onto the table and turned to the watcher.

"It's done," he murmured as his hand caressed Willow's brow.

"And Angelus?" Buffy asked.

"Is gone," a ragged voice breathed from the doorway. The dark vampire lifted Willow's body from the table.

"I don't think you should--"

He looked over at Giles, "She needs to be with me, and I need her. Spike, can we take your car?" Spike nodded, and the others watched in silence as they took Willow out of the room.

Willow awoke and looked up at the vampire's concerned face. She lifted her hand, and he took it in his.

"Angel?" she whispered.

He bent to kiss her, "No, kitten." Willow gasped and tried to sit up as the dull pain in her head took on a more urgent pounding.

"But, we--I thought that--"

"Whatever you thought, you thought wrong," he told her calmly.

She sat quietly for a moment before speaking, "Angel, you're not here anymore, inside me."

Angelus nodded grimly, "I know. I feel it, too."

"I don't understand," she whispered.

"He's here," Dru spoke from behind her sire. "In me." Angelus stood and turned to face her.

"It was the only way. I couldn't let them take you away, Angelus, not again. You were bound to the little witch. I had to make them believe they'd be restoring your soul to you. I stayed close to you, all the while she was with Spike. I had to keep your mind, your emotions open to me. We had to convince the slayer and her watcher that the incantation would work to restore your soul."

"Why didn't it?" Willow asked.

"It would have, if Angelus had been alone," Drusilla answered. "So, I stayed very close to him. He was so angry he couldn't feel what was happening to you. A moment of pure bliss, that's all it took. His own anger forced his soul away, and into me, just as the incantation demanded."

"No," Willow moaned. "It isn't true."

"I'm sorry," Dru said sadly. "I wasn't before, but it's different, now. I'm sorry this had to hurt you."

"I love him," Willow said weakly.

Drusilla moved to the sofa and sat down beside the redhead. "I know you do, but I've loved him much longer," she replied.

"You knew, and you helped her?" Angelus glared at Spike.

Spike nodded, "You're all she's ever wanted. Even after you nearly sent us all to hell, you were all she wanted. She's got you now. I'm done with it."

"Come with me, Angelus," Dru asked.

Angelus raised a hand to her cold cheek, drawn to her by the unrelenting pull of their newly-formed bond. A sob broke from Willow's lips as she moved off the sofa. Angelus stood and grabbed for her.

"I love you, Willow," he moaned.

"But you want her," Willow said as a great tear slid down her cheek.

"I want you both," he whispered.

"You can't have us both!" she shouted as her grief overtook her. "Damn you, Spike! Damn the both of you!"

She wrestled her arm out of Angelus' grip and fled. Spike moved in front of Angelus, blocking his exit.

"Stay here. You two need to talk. I'll go after her," he said.

Angelus nodded reluctantly as Dru's fingers laced themselves through his.

"Willow," Spike called out as he ran to catch up to her.

"Leave me alone," she demanded.

He put a hand on her shoulder, halting her, "No. Listen to me."

"You bastard! I let you fuck me! You must have gotten a good laugh over that whole sorry--"

"I didn't," he shouted. "Do you think I like this? I've dealt with what you're going through for two centuries."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" she hissed. "You made me your whore so you could be rid of that bitch."

"It isn't like that," he groaned. "You're upset. I understand, believe me."

"Upset? Upset! That doesn't begin to describe what I feel!" she fumed. "I hate you! I hate her! I hate him! I hate myself! How could I have been so stupid? Go away, and leave me the hell alone!"

Spike grabbed her as she stepped away and threw her over his shoulder. "Put me down!" she screeched, pounding her fists against his back.

"No, I need to talk to you about this, and you're going to listen," he insisted. "Stop fighting me before I hurt you."

"You've already done that," she shouted.

Spike could feel the strength draining out of her as the effects of her ordeal and her overcharged emotions began to take their toll on her.

"If you want a knock down, drag out fight," he said calmly, "I'll give you one. But not here, and not now. You're coming with me."

He carted her back to the car, tossed her inside, slid in next to her, and pulled away.

The presence of Angel's soul dwelling inside his childe gave her a clarity of thought she had not experienced since Angelus had broken her mind and drained her body. Angelus looked into her clear eyes as she held onto his hand.

"Why, Dru?" he asked. "You had Spike. Why did you do this?"

"We belong together. We always have, you know that. I'd have done anything to get to you. I was glad the little witch who took you away would be hurt. It's strange to feel sad for her now. I understand her loss," Drusilla said.

"She hasn't lost me," Angelus told her. "I still love her."

"Angelus, you're my sire. That's always been our bond, but it's even stronger, now that part of you is in me. We need each other. You can feel it, too, can't you?"

Angelus pulled her next to him and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ground her hips against his growing erection.

"Our bond is permanent. I made sure of that," she purred against his chest. "You'll forget her, in time."

"I'll never forget her," he snarled as he lifted her and carried her to the bedroom. "I'll make you hurt for what you've done."

She smiled up at him as his strong hands ripped away the bodice of her dress to reveal the pale white mounds of her breasts.

"Hurt me, Angelus," she begged. "Hurt me until your pain is gone, and your little witch is an unimportant memory."

He growled as his eyes filled with an uncontrolled lust. He tore off the remainder of her clothing and quickly removed his own. Drusilla reached out for him as he flung her back onto the bed and buried his aching shaft in her cold, wet channel.

"Willow, stop it, damn you," Spike growled and clutched at the hands that threatened to claw at his eyes.

"Let me go!" she yelled. "You don't have anything to say that I want to hear!"

"Angel will be," he stopped with a groan and twisted her away from him. He wrapped his arms around her, pinning them to her sides and lowered his mouth to her ear, "back."

Willow suddenly fell very still, "What?"

"Angel will be back, luv," he repeated. "Tonight."

"How do you--what do you mean?"

He heard the tiny woman's heart racing in her chest and drew her back against him, his arms still firmly wrapped around her.

"He'll be back tonight, Willow. I promise," he said.

"You're lying," she whispered.

"I'm not. Will you listen to me?"

She nodded, and he turned her carefully, braced for another assault. She stood motionless before him, and he thought he had never seen anyone so young look so tired.

"Angelus will go to Dru. He'll have to, the bond will force him to want her." He stroked her hair as a tremor shook her body, "It'll be everything she's wanted for longer than I care to remember. When she--has him, Angel's soul will leave her. Angelus will be gone."

"But she said--"

"I know what she said," Spike smiled. "Dru's very clever, but she has an annoying habit of underestimating me when she gets on one of her Angelus rants. The incantation was changed before the watcher ever got it. Their bond is not permanent, but once Angel's soul is returned to him, that will be permanent."

"Oh, Spike," she murmured and blinked back tears. "Is that true?"

"It's true. Even after hours of torture, I never really believed she'd give Angelus up. I had the curse altered before I crossed the border."

Willow threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely. "I'm sorry I hit you," she cried. "I'm sorry--"

"I know," he chuckled. "As obsessed as Dru is with her daddy, I can't let her go. She's everything. So, I really do know how you feel, pet."

She drew back and looked sadly at him, "She'll be furious with you. She'll never forgive you."

"Sure she will," he shrugged. "It may take awhile, but she'll get over it."

Angelus shoved Drusilla away from him with enough force to send her tumbling off the bed. His body tensed from the overwhelming pain that gripped him.

"Angelus?" Drusilla whimpered as she rose to the side of the bed.

Angel wiped bloody tears from his eyes and moaned softly, "Willow."

"No!" Drusilla cried out. "Please, Angelus--"

Angel pushed back his pain and scrambled from the bed. He tugged on his clothes and raced out of the room. Blind need drove him from the mansion and straight into the body approaching from the garden.

"Umph!" Willow groaned as his hard body sprawled over her.

Angel reached for her and dragged her into his arms. He covered her face with soft, urgent kisses.

"Angel," she whispered.

"I love you, Willow," he murmured as he crushed the breath from her.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry about everything."

"Shhh," she smiled and clutched him to her. "It doesn't matter anymore. None of it matters. You're back."

Spike blocked Drusilla as she stormed out of the mansion. She growled at the sight of Angel and Willow cocooned around one another. Her hand struck out at Spike, and he reeled backwards. She stepped around him, and Angel pulled Willow to her feet and wrapped his arms protectively around her.

"You're mine," Drusilla hissed. "You'll always be mine!"

"No, Dru," Angel said. "I'll always be Willow's. Go away. Take Spike, and go back to South America."

An evil smile tugged at her lips, "If I kill the little witch, you'll come back to me."

A low, deep growl issued from Angel's chest, "If you kill her, I'll follow her. I won't exist without her, Dru. I can't."

Drusilla slipped into game face and glared at Willow. Angel pushed her behind him as Spike moved behind Dru and flung her away. She snarled angrily and charged at the vampire. Spike's hand laid hold of the edge of a broken step and brought it down over her head. He rose to his knees and scooped her prone body up off the ground.

"All clear, ducks," he said to Willow.

"Is she--"

"No. She has a head as hard as Angel's, I expect the drive back should be fairly quiet, though," he grinned.

Willow walked over to him and placed her hand over his, "Thank you."

He smiled down at her, "He's still a wanker, and he sure as hell doesn't deserve you, but there's no accounting for taste, I suppose."

Willow reached up and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Take care of her, you bloody sod," Spike said to Angel. "She's way too good for you."

Angel moved behind Willow and put his arms around her as Spike nodded a farewell and carried Drusilla to his car. The sound of squealing tires echoed back across the garden.

"We have to find Buffy and Giles," Willow spoke.

"Not tonight," he whispered. "Tonight is ours, Willow, as far as I can safely take it, anyway."

She turned to him with a wicked smile, "Boy, have I got news for you."

They spent the rest of the night, and most of the following morning, celebrating Willow's news.

Willow rested her hands on Angel's chest and propped her chin on her hands.

"Angel, are you in there?"

"I'm in here," he smiled, curling his arm around her and placing his hand on her ass.

"You're not angry at me? About Spike, I mean," she asked with a tremor of fear.

"That would hardly be fair, considering Dru and me, would it? No, baby, I'm not angry. I'm just grateful you're still here with me," he answered.

"He fixed it, Angel. Spike fixed it. You can't lose your soul again, no matter how many times we--" she stopped as a scarlet blush traveled from her cheeks down to her pale breasts.

Angel chuckled and moved her up to capture her lips in a soft kiss. "You're the only woman I've ever known who could get embarrassed talking about sex while she's lying naked in her lover's bed."

"I'm hopeless, aren't I?" she smiled.

"No, Willow. You are hope personified," he told her. "Want to give my soul another test?"

"Or two," she laughed as her lips parted against his. "Or three."

He moved over her and entered her with agonizingly sweet slowness. She sighed as his hand found the sensitive flesh between her legs and rubbed against it gently. His mouth moved to her breasts, licking and sucking each nipple, and she arched into him, begging him to move within her.

"I love you, Willow," he whispered as their bodies began an urgent rhythm.

She came quickly, her walls clamping around his hard shaft and drawing him with her into an orgasm that left Willow panting under him. He slid next to her and pulled her close against him.

"I love you, too, Angel," she purred contentedly before her eyes closed and her breath grew slow and even.

"I was so afraid you'd be hurt or angry," Willow said as Buffy took a chair beside her.

"I was, at first," she nodded. "It was hard to admit to myself that Angel and I will never be together, but I think I've known it for a long time. You've been through so much, the both of you, and you deserve to be happy. I want you to be."

Willow smiled at her friend, "I want the same for you."

"I am," Buffy said. "Did I tell you Xander's asked me to go to a movie this weekend with him?"

"Really?" Willow squealed. "You and Xander?"

"Well, I can't see it, myself. We've been friends for so long. But I figured, as long as you're all settled and happy, maybe I can help push Cordy back into Xander's arms. A good dose of jealousy could be just what she needs," Buffy grinned.

Willow was staring at her in amazement, "You're one hell of a friend."

Buffy's eyes glanced over at the door, "I think someone's looking for you."

Willow turned and smiled as Angel walked over to them. She rose to stand beside him, and their hands found one another's. "Willow tells me you're going on a trip," the slayer said.

He nodded, "We could both use the time away, and she's never been to Ireland."

"Maybe we can bring back a handsome Brit for you," Willow suggested.

"As long as he isn't a peroxide blonde," Buffy grinned. "Take care of her, Angel."

"I will, Buffy," he promised. "Thank you for--"

She shook her head, "Get out of here. Go have some fun, and send me a postcard."

"See you in a few weeks," Willow said as she pulled the slayer out of her chair and into a hug.

"I'll be here," Buffy smiled.

The slayer stepped back as Angel took Willow's hand and led her out of the library.

"Be happy," Buffy whispered as a soft tear slipped down her cheek.

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