Sinner
Chpater 1B - Flashback: Love
Author: Cynthia Taz
Disclaimer and such please refer to Chapter 1A.
- - - - - FLASHBACK (WILLOW) - - - - -
Angel halted just millimeters away from the red thin lips when he felt small hands pressing against his chest. He blinked and looked down, and found them belonged to Willow. "No." She said.
The souled vampire looked up again. "I... I'm sorry."
"I'm not." Willow smiled sadly at Angel. "But I know your heart belongs to certain brunette." Her figure placed on the lips that she had almost kissed, stopping any protest. "And... and there's this huge part of me that still belongs to Tara..."
Angel nodded as the figure finally left his lips. He held up his thumb, wiping away the tears on Willow's cheek, and placed a soft kiss on the warm forehead. "Friends?"
"Friends." Paused. "Hold me?"
Angel nodded, his arms holding the redhead protectively as she slowly drifted into sleep.
- - - - - END FLASHBACK (WILLOW) - - - - -
She missed them. Tara, Buffy, Xander, Dawn, even Anya. Fred, Cordy, Gunn, Wesley... Angel and Connor.
She didn't want to leave Sunnydale, but she knew she couldn't. Trust had been destroyed, and she didn't want to feel the pity when her time finally came... she didn't want them to see her die. She wanted her friends and family to live happily ever after instead of gathering around her as she slowly ebbed away on her dead bed.
So, she left. She had never intended to go to LA, just a random chance as the bus to LA was the quickest way out of Sunnydale. She didn't mean to go to Angel's either... it was Angel who found her in the bus station when she was trying to figure out what to do next. It was as if fate had decided to send her to LA... to Angel and Connor.
Willow didn't know where she would end up if she hadn't came to LA, but she was grateful that the Lord of Hosts had let her met the souled vampire once again, grateful that Connor was there with her at the end of her mortal life... as much as she knew how it hurt to watch someone you love died, as much as she wanted to spare the pain for everyone, especially Connor... she was scared. Scared of dying... alone.
And she was forever grateful for not dying alone.
- - - - - FLASHBACK (WESLEY) - - - - -
Wesley knocked on the door softly before opening it. "Miss Rosenberg?"
"Wes."
Wesley blinked. Angel was sitting in the arm chair by the window in Willow's room with the redhead ex-witch curling up on his lap, sleeping. The vampire had his one hand holding her protectively and another smoothing her hair. "Angel?" He blinked again. "I'll come back later." He started walking away when Angel's voice stopped him.
"Wes?" Wesley stopped and turned back towards Angel, surprised when he saw tears in the vampire's eyes. "Willow... She's dying."
Wesley blinked. "Excuse me?"
"She couldn't feel pain anymore..." The souled vampire whispered. "She... she came here to die."
"Angel, I don't understand..."
"She is a natural witch. No one ever told her. Not even Giles." The vampire growled at the name. "And now she is going to die."
"But..." Wesley's eyes widened. He knew Willow came to LA because she was addicted to magic, he knew Willow had refused to do any spells anymore. But he never knew Willow was a natural witch. If a natural witch didn't use or at least practice meditation to control their power once it was awaken, the result always led to death. "He may not know-"
"How could he not? Willow restored my soul! She even had power to resurrect Buffy! How-" The redhead moaned painfully in her sleep, and the vampire lowered his voice again. "How could he not know?" Wesley opened his mouth, but couldn't find a reply. The vampire looked back down at the sleeping redhead. "Can we still save her?"
"I will have to do some research... If she started practicing again, we might be able to slow down the process." Wesley answered honestly. "But if her nervous system starts breaking down..." Angel closed his eyes painfully. Wesley observed him. "You love her."
"I owe her my soul." He opened his eyes, and carefully scoped the redhead into his arms and moved to the bed. The ex-witch didn't wake, instead snuggled closer into the vampire, as if seeking for comfort. "She... she is so scared." Angel whispered. "She doesn't want them to watch her to die... she knows how painful it will be... but she is so scared of dying alone..."
"Angel... I'm sorry."
Angel didn't reply. He covered Willow with a blanket before bending down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead again. "I'm going to see Connor." Wesley stood there, watching as the souled vampire left without another word.
- - - - - END FLASHBACK (WESLEY) - - - - -
Wesley didn't really take notice of the figure next to him until he heard the voice. Slowly, he turned, and his eyes went wide when he found himself staring at a familiar redhead.
"Finally. I thought you didn't recognize me."
"Willow." Wesley jumped up from his chair, knocking it onto the ground with a loud crash. Everyone in the bar stopped chatting and turned towards him, but his eyes solely pinned on the redhead who was still sitting there calmly. "When-"
"Couple of days." Willow answered. "Relax. If I want to kill you I would have done it when we got back from Quor-toth." She paused. "Though I think I can understand your reaction. I take those are from Connor, huh?" She nodded at the bruises on the ex-watcher's cheek.
Wesley shrugged, picking up the chair and sat down. "I owe him." Paused. "I owe you."
"You owe me nothing. We all did what we thought the best." She said, noticing the small frown on his face. "Wondering why I look younger?"
Wesley nodded at the redhead who looked no more than sixteen years old. "I thought you would look like the time you..." He thought for a moment, searching for the right word. "Changed."
"Doesn't work that way. Make Cordy all jealous-y."
Wesley smiled a bit. "I see." Paused. "So you came back to visit Connor then?"
"Sorta." The redhead nodded at the bar-tender as he handed her another glass of whiskey. "I just want to make sure he's settled and well."
"He had come back three months."
It was Willow's turn to shrug. "He didn't cause much trouble, did he? Except for your..." She pointed at Wesley's bruises.
Wesley shook his head. "Shouldn't you be asking Angel?"
"Angel wouldn't know as much as you do now would he?" Wesley looked at Willow, a bit confused. "I need to know if he's safe."
"Ah." Wesley nodded in understanding. "Whispers among the demon world, but most of them rather stay away."
"Good." Paused. "He deserves a normal life."
Wesley watched Willow for a moment. "You love him."
Willow didn't comment, instead throwing a couple of ten dollar bills on the bar. "Good day, Wes."