Willow's POV

Whoosh.

I loved that sound. I loved it because as soon as I heard it, the anxiety and fear I had built up after spotting a vampire and just kept amping as I fought it, completely dissappated with that sound. Standing up and letting out a deep breath, I dusted away the...well, dust that had once been an especially vicious-looking Vampire. One that seemed to want only my blood. Wierd...

"You okay?" Buffy asked me, walking over after dusting her own handful of Vamps. I was pathetic. Barely able to handle one. She saw the look of defeat on my face. "Hey, come on. He was big!" she said, trying to cheer me up. I scoffed.

"He was normal."

"He was as big as Angel." she argued.

"Yeah." Angel murmured, barely intelligible above the wind. That's how low he seemed to talk. I wanted to roll my eyes. Yeah, I stuttered alot and rambled and babbled, but why did it always seem like he didn't want to talk? Unless it was to Buffy, of course. Then, I'm sure he chatted all night long. But I barely heard more than a few words at a time from him. And they were always low grumbles that seemed forced for Buffy's sake.

"Thanks." I told him brightly. No matter how mean he was, I couldn't bring it in myself to be mean back to him. "Are we done?" I asked Buffy.

Buffy nodded. "Yeah." She turned back to Angel. "You want to-"

She was cut off from the startled shriek that left my mouth as I was pummeled to the ground. I turned over somehow, but the Vamp was still over me, yanking my neck to the side. I struggled against him, not really doing much damage. My hand, which held my stake, was pinned against my body by his own body. "Get...off...ugh...of me." I grit out. I shoved my head forward, clocking him in the nose with my forehead and he reeled back. Pain shot through my head.

And then Buffy was there, the guy was dust sprinkling over my face and clothes. I coughed, holding my pounding head in my hands. "Will?"

"Why the hell are they all after me tonight?" I whined. "God! Do I have a tattoo on my forehead saying 'Easy Pickings' or something?"

"Well..." Angel started. He shut up when Buffy shot a glare. I took Buffy's offered hand and stood.

"What, Angel?" He stood more rigidly. "No. I want to know...what were you going to say?"

"You...look like easy pickings. You're small-"

"So is Buffy!" I protested.

He continued like I hadn't interrupted. "You're girly instead of muscley. And...well, you're bleeding." He pointed to his lip and I mimicked the action, placing my fingertip over my mouth and pulling it back to look. Sure enough, a pretty sizable amount of blood was there. I'd tasted the blood before my assumed I'd bit my tongue or something. I immediately sucked in my bottom lip, seeking to sooth it with my tongue. I dabbed at it again but the blood just kept coming. Angel cleared his throat.

"Wills..." Buffy started.

I looked up, dazed. My head was still hurting and my vision was a little spotty. "Huh?"

"Well...you're bleeding and practically playing with it in front of a Vampire." she started.

I giggled, waving my hand out in his direction. "Don't let the big bad blood get too close." I taunted, jokingly. I don't know why I was even joking with Angel. Or why I was joking about him wanting my blood. It wasn't something I'd usually do, even if I did know Angel better than the nothing I knew of him in reality.

He flinched back from me and clenched his jaw. I immediately felt like poo for the teasing and started to think of a way to apologize. I didn't realize I was swaying on my feet and had let my hand drop. Then I started feeling very dizzy and I stopped thinking and looked to my best friend, worried. "Buffy..." I started, but I didn't finish. The black was closing in quick and then I was dropping down. Falling. Into nothing.

Angel's POV

I caught her. Buffy may be slightly stronger than me, but I'd had two hundred years experience, so my reflexes were sharper. I saw her sway and my brow had only started to furrow when she went down.

I grabbed her before she hit the ground and hoisted her into my arms. She was light as a feather and as I held her closer, her blood seemed to taunt me. I grit my teeth and refused to breath.

"You got her?" Buffy asked. I nodded. "Probably just hurt herself with that headbutt earlier. Come on. We'll take her home." Buffy started off before me and I grabbed Willow's hands so they wouldn't dangle. I brought them to her stomach and supported her shoulders. I caught sight of the still-fresh blood on her right hand's fingers. I would not lick her fingers.

So I started after Buffy. Willow's hand slipped away, the bloody one, and went dangling again. I couldn't just let it dangle or she'd have a sore shoulder later. So I grabbed her hand again and held it to her body with my hand.

We got to Willow's quickly and I followed Buffy to the porch. I'd never been inside before. "Willow?" Buffy asked.

"Mmmm." came from the sleeping girl.

"Invite Angel in so he can put you in your bed."

"Commin Anggell." she murmured. I smiled and stepped over the threshold, following Buffy through the eerily quiet house and into a bedroom upstairs. Even if I'd not been led, I would have figured out it was Willow's.

The three main things being: A large desk with a computer and laptop. Books EVERYWHERE. And a small collection of stuffed animals lined on a shelf. Definitely Willow.

I took her over to her bed, pulled the covers back and placed her inside. "I'll get something to clean her hand and lip." Buffy said, quickly vacating the room. I used the oppurtunity, without even thinking, to stick my fingers in my mouth. The blood that had 'accidentally' got on my fingers would not be wasted.

I nearly groaned at the sensation. I didn't drink it from a live source but it was still warm and incredibly sweet. I could only imagine what it would be like to taste it straight from Willow when it was hyped up with fear or excitement.

"Got it!" Buffy called, entering the room. I quickly composed myself, standing stock still as she washed Willow's hand and mouth. I looked away from the sleeping redhead's flushed cheeks and walked to the door. "Alright." Buffy said, tossing the rag onto the girl's nightstand and following me out.

"Don't you want to tell her parents so they can check on her?" I asked. "She could have a concussion."

"Her parents probably aren't here." Buffy answered quickly. "Hardly ever are."

I stopped in the entryway as Buffy opened the door. "So, you don't want to stay with her?"

She smiled and walked forward, pressing herself against me. "Rather stay with you."

A small part of me was irritated by this. She should want to help her friend. But a bigger part was stoked that she wanted to stay with me. So I smiled and shut Willow's front door as I followed her out.