The sun had set and as always Angel's mind was on Willow. He wondered
what she was doing. Was she thinking about him? Not likely, to her
he was nothing more than a friend, even worse he was Buffy's ex.
"So, are you gonna brood all night tonight too or are you gonna say
good-bye? Help me pack my stuff?" Spike stepped out onto the balcony
of one of the upper rooms. Angel was leaning on the rail, looking out
over the city. It would be time to patrol soon.
"You don't have any stuff to pack." Angel turned. He had actually
enjoyed having Spike around these last few months. Spike understood
what Angel was going through because he had been there himself with
both Drusilla and Buffy. He was sorry to see his Grandchilde go,
although the rest of his friends didn't share his sentiments. Cordelia,
Wesley, and Gunn couldn't wait for Spike to leave. Perversely, Fred
was kind of fond of the younger vampire.
"I was going to take some of yours." Spike grinned. "Mind if I borrow
the librarian?"
"Over my dusted body." Angel frowned sternly even though he knew Spike
was kidding. "Where are you going? Back to Sunnydale?" A part of
him hoped that was exactly where Spike was headed. It wouldn't be the
best place for the vampire, but at least Angel would have had a tenuous
contact with Willow. He couldn't very well call up Giles or Buffy and
ask them how she was doing. Xander might be more forthcoming, but
Angel was unsure of their new comradery now that the crisis with Willow
had passed.
"Hell, no. Slayer's still in love with you, she needs time. Maybe
some day when she's ready, I'll go back and charm the stake out of her
hand." Spike lit a cigarette as they made their way downstairs.
"What are you going to do?"
"Don't know, you nixed the whole thing with the librarian. Is the
cheerleader free? I've always liked her, got that dark beauty to her."
"No." This time Angel smiled. They walked out to where Spike's new
car was parked. "Cordelia is way too sane for you and smart."
"I dated her friend Harmony." Too late, Spike realized that wasn't
much of an argument.
"You've got to be joking." Angel laughed. The thought of Spike with
that blonde, vapid excuse for a vampire was the first thing to amuse
him in weeks. He sobered quickly at Spike's sour expression. "Sorry.
What the hell did Dru do to you?"
"Tore my heart out. Some old rot. Say, whatever happened to that
witch Red used to hang out with in highschool? She was cute.
Sabrina?" Spike opened his car door and leaned on it. The broody
bastard had actually laughed. His painful relationship with Harmony
the bimbo had not been useless.
"Amy. Last I heard she was a rat, but with how strong Willow's powers
are, I'm sure she must have changed her back into a human."
"Amy. Maybe I'll give Red a call and ask where I can find her." Spike
got into the car. "Or you can call her and ask for me."
"Maybe you should take some time alone and figure out what you're going
to do now that it looks like that chip in your head is a permanent
fixture," Angel advised and shut the car door.
Spike snorted at the suggestion. "And follow in your footsteps,
Peaches? I don't think so. No slayer is making me her mopey bitch.
No offense."
"Angel!" Cordelia walked out front. "Oh, I see the fanged Billy Idol
hasn't left yet. Good-bye."
"What's wrong, Cordelia?"
"Nothing." Cordelia continued to glare at Spike. "You have a phone
call. It's Buffy and the only reason why I'm bothering you is because
she says it's about Willow this time."
Angel bolted into the hotel, forgetting to say good-bye to his
Grandchilde. "Do I get a farewell snog, darlin'?" Spike licked his
lips at the brunette. Cordelia waved her hand in a 'shove off' gesture
and turned to follow Angel into the hotel. "Hey, May Queen, stay on
Angel's back about calling Red. It's not like she doesn't remember him
at all. She won't jump into his arms or anything, but she fell for him
once, maybe it'll happen again. It's worth a try."
Cordelia turned back. "Thanks, Spike. I'll tell him. Maybe I'll
invite Willow down some weekend."
"You wouldn't happen to know what happened to Amy the witch, do you?"
"She's in Boston."
Before Cordelia could question his interest, Spike roared out of there.
Boston was a bit nippy, maybe he could convince the witch to move back
to California.
*****
The internal debate lasted for hours. While they finished picking out
dresses for the wedding, while they went out for coffee and discussed
the details of the wedding, while she walked home with her sister.
Buffy knew what she had to do, the debate was superfluous. She had to
tell Angel that Willow remembered everything and that she didn't know
his soul was permanent. Buffy picked up the phone. Willow was willing
to give up her happiness for her, Buffy could do the same.
"Hi, Cordelia, can I speak to Angel." Buffy heard her former nemesis
sigh and start to put the phone down. "No! It's about Willow. Don't
hang up!" After answering a few pointed questions from Cordelia, Buffy
finally managed to convince her to put Angel on the line. She really
couldn't blame Cordelia for being annoyed and suspicious, she had been
calling twice a day every day since they had left Los Angeles with
Willow to try and convince Angel that their relationship could work.
All he did when he would talk to her was ask how Willow was doing.
"Hello." Angel's deep voice sent shivers down her spine and for a
moment, Buffy lost her voice. She flashed back to the moment she
thrust that sword through him, but this time she wouldn't be destroying
him.
Buffy told him everything. As she spoke, her heart actually
constricted and then released. She hadn't realized how heavy and
restricted her love for Angel had been and now she was truly letting
it go. There was no second chance for Buffy the vampire slayer and
Angel the vampire with a soul. Their second chances were with other
people. Buffy hung up the phone. The pain wasn't overwhelming.
"Hey, Dawn," Buffy yelled. "Want to go to a movie?"
*****
Angel hung up the phone and sat back in his chair. Willow remembered
being his wife and was faking her memory loss. According to Buffy.
Willow didn't know that his soul was permanent. According to Buffy.
Willow loved him. According to Buffy. Why would Buffy lie?
It made sense. Angel looked at his watch. He had enough time, as long
as Willow wasn't too stubborn and took forever to convince. Angel
grabbed his jacket and left the office. He was going to Sunnydale. He
had to tell Willow something.
*****
It was folly to be walking alone at night in Sunnydale, but Willow was
confident that she could handle herself. She wondered what Angel was
doing. Did he think about her? Was the memory of their lovemaking an
unending reel of film playing in his mind? Did he dream about her?
Not likely, Angel dreamed of Buffy and Willow was going to do
everything in her power to make his dream come true. She wanted Angel
to be happy.
A rustle in the bushes behind her alerted Willow to a possible danger.
She was only a few feet from her apartment building's front door. She
didn't feel like running. Willow turned as a vampire exited her
hiding spot. She smiled, her ridges and fangs plainly visible.
"You must be new. For future reference, it's easier to get closer to
your victim if you get vampy after." Willow tossed a stake, using her
magic to guide it to its target. The vampire crumpled in a cloud of
dust. "Not that you have a future."
The dust settled revealing a larger, broader figure. "That's good
advice."
"Angel." This wasn't a dream. He was standing there in front of her, a
smile curling his lips and lighting his eyes. He was walking toward
her. "Hi."
"Hi." Angel smiled. She did remember everything. She couldn't look at
him and their link was shut down completely. Now that he had thought
about it, if Willow didn't remember being his wife, then she wouldn't
remember the link. You couldn't shut down what you didn't know about.
"I have something to tell you."
"What?" Willow looked at her shoes. She would be lost if she looked
into his soft brown eyes. She would tell him everything.
"Buffy called and told me that you offered to make my soul permanent."
Angel tipped Willow's chin up. He needed to see her gorgeous green
eyes.
Of course that was why he was here. To be with Buffy. "I have to get
the book from Giles."
"No, you don't." Angel swept Willow's hair off her neck. "My soul is
permanent. That night I had sex with Darla secured it so I could be
with you and not become Angelus." He leaned his forehead against hers.
"Please, Willow, open the link and let me show you."
Apparently Willow's game was over. Buffy knew that she remembered
being Angel's wife and she had told Angel. And he had come to her to
tell her his soul was permanent. That it had been the whole time they
were together. "But Buffy...."
"Wants us to be happy. She called me, Willow." Angel brushed a
lingering kiss on Willow's lips. It had been too long since he had
tasted them. "Please." He closed his eyes and it was there. A
hesitant glimmer. This time, Angel didn't hold back. He poured his
feelings into the link and didn't hide any part of himself away from
her. He let Willow feel his joy, his pain, his guilt, his loneliness,
his love. And Willow responded with the same. Their emotions mingled
and caressed as their bodies moved closer and their lips met. "I love
you, Ioniun."
"I love you too, Angel." Willow looked down when she felt Angel reach
into his jacket pocket. He brought out a white gold ring with a dark
green emerald embedded in a basket weave of gold. It looked like an
eye. Willow giggled. "I had wondered about the lack of rings, but I
didn't say anything. I didn't want to bruise your male ego."
"I forgot about rings. I'm glad your Dad didn't call me on it." Angel
took an unneeded deep breath. "It's a cat's eye. It's supposed to
help a witch focus her magic. Spike picked it up. I know you don't
need it, but it reminded me of your eyes."
"Willow, I can't live another moment without you. Will you marry me
right now and then move to L. A. to be my wife?" Angel smiled as he
said the words that mirrored the ones from the fantasy he had told
Sheila Rosenberg. It was all coming true and this time it would be his
to keep.
"Let's go find Xander and Anya." Willow held out her hand and let Angel
slip the engagement ring on her finger. She kissed him. Deep in her
heart, Willow felt a pang because her other best friend wouldn't be
at her wedding. Buffy wouldn't be ready yet to share in her happiness.
For now, Willow would have to keep a part of her world private from
Buffy to spare the slayer's feelings. One day, when Buffy found love
again, they would be best friends that shared everything. Until then,
Willow had a husband to make happy.
