Part III: 5:15 Angels Have Gone
Willow's head ached, she tried to open her eyes but the sun was too bright and quickly she shut them again. She heard the voices of her so-called friends; lying quietly she listened hoping to hear what had happened to Xander.
"You hit her too hard, honestly Buffy anyone would think you wanted to hurt her."
"Come on Giles she was talking like a crazy person, I know she has feelings for Xander but I wasn't going to let her go with him. I've lost one friend I'm not going to lose another."
"We all feel sad about Xander and we will morn his loss when this is over but right now we need to help Willow. You shouldn't have hit her so hard."
"But what else was I suppose to do? One of my best friends is now a vampire and the other one is desperate to join him. If I hadn't she would have gotten lose, we couldn't have held her much longer. I'm sure she'll be fine just a little sore."
"I wish I had your confidence. You ought to be more understand more than most. Xander is Willow's Angel. It's not going to easy for her to let go at least you knew Angel was a vampire but this is unexpected and most unfortunate."
"What about me?" Willow heard Cordiella wine. "He was my boyfriend but nobody seems to think I'm in any danger it's all Willow this and Willow that. Doesn't anybody care about me?"
"Evidently not" Giles' tone was enough to shut Cordiella up for now at least. "Xander was drawn straight to Willow indicating that he had stronger feelings for her than he realised. The heart wants what the heart wants."
"Nice of him to share this life changing revelation" Oz sounded so wounded; Willow felt sharp stabs of conscience but Xander wanted her and she had spent years dreaming of that day. There was nothing that would keep them apart now.
Willow found the strength to sit up and opened her eyes to find herself in the bookcage locked in.
Buffy saw her first "Willow thank god you're awake. How do you feel?"
"Like I've been hit over the head." She was far too angry to bother about the niceties in life. "Where's Xander? She stared at Buffy accusingly. "What have you done?"
"Nothing he's fine. Giles put on his best soothing voice. "Can I get you anything, a glass of water perhaps?"
"You could let me out"
"We can't do that Will." Buffy was trying the same soft voice as Giles but obviously hadn't had as much practice.
"Buffy you must know how I feel? I want to go to him he needs me. You can't keep me from him, you'll have to let me out eventually."
"She's right, you know" Xander stepped out from behind one of the bookshelves. His hands in the air as the group all stood up. "Relax I'm not here for a fight, just for Willow.
"I can't let that happen" Buffy moved towards Xander. "I don't want to fight you but will if I have too."
"Oh Buffy you have no idea, it's not me you're going to fight. You didn't think I came alone did you?"
Willow heard the sharp intake of breath from Buffy as Angel, Drusilla and an assortment of other vamps appeared.
"Hello lover" Angel sneered. "How do you like the new recruit? One of Dru's better ideas, I was going to just straight-out kill him but Dru; now she's a girl with vision, always did have a soft spot for waifs and strays. Xand here always managed to piss me off, I thought it would be better if I killed me but this is good too. I've always been an easygoing kinda guy. You always wanted me to get on better with your friends and here we are wish granted. Xander and me the best of buds doesn't it warm your heart?" "Not really. If this is just another mind games it's not going to work."
"You really don't have a clue, you keep slaying my gang and I need to find a way to replenish so to speak. The fact the it must burn your insides is just the cherry on top."
Willow noticed that the other vamps had gathered round the group while Angel kept Buffy busy. Too late for Buffy to do anything about it now as they a grabbed them and a fight ensued. Xander was at the cage and broke down the door Oz spotted him too late but threw chair at his head. As Xander staggered, Willow released from the cage faced Oz and yelled at him. "What the hell do you think you're doing, leave him alone."
The hurt at Willow's stinging words showed in his eyes and Willow felt the pangs of guilt again. "Sorry but I have to go." She told him and taking Xander's hand she ran out the library.
Willow wanted to keep on running, away from Sunnydale and the accusing eyes. She wanted it to be just her and Xander.
Finally though, she had to stop, out of breath she sat on the kerb. "We need to find a place to rest until tomorrow the sun will be up soon and then we can go get out of here."
Xander nodded, led her to a small abandoned house and descended the stairs in the basement. Placing his coat on the floor for Willow to lie on, he said, "You need to get some rest, you look exhausted and you also need to eat. I won't be long." Kissing her lightly on the head he took off, leaving Willow alone.
By the time Xander came back Willow was curled up asleep on his coat. He sat against the wall facing her; he'd always loved to watch her sleep.
Willow's head ached, she tried to open her eyes but the sun was too bright and quickly she shut them again. She heard the voices of her so-called friends; lying quietly she listened hoping to hear what had happened to Xander.
"You hit her too hard, honestly Buffy anyone would think you wanted to hurt her."
"Come on Giles she was talking like a crazy person, I know she has feelings for Xander but I wasn't going to let her go with him. I've lost one friend I'm not going to lose another."
"We all feel sad about Xander and we will morn his loss when this is over but right now we need to help Willow. You shouldn't have hit her so hard."
"But what else was I suppose to do? One of my best friends is now a vampire and the other one is desperate to join him. If I hadn't she would have gotten lose, we couldn't have held her much longer. I'm sure she'll be fine just a little sore."
"I wish I had your confidence. You ought to be more understand more than most. Xander is Willow's Angel. It's not going to easy for her to let go at least you knew Angel was a vampire but this is unexpected and most unfortunate."
"What about me?" Willow heard Cordiella wine. "He was my boyfriend but nobody seems to think I'm in any danger it's all Willow this and Willow that. Doesn't anybody care about me?"
"Evidently not" Giles' tone was enough to shut Cordiella up for now at least. "Xander was drawn straight to Willow indicating that he had stronger feelings for her than he realised. The heart wants what the heart wants."
"Nice of him to share this life changing revelation" Oz sounded so wounded; Willow felt sharp stabs of conscience but Xander wanted her and she had spent years dreaming of that day. There was nothing that would keep them apart now.
Willow found the strength to sit up and opened her eyes to find herself in the bookcage locked in.
Buffy saw her first "Willow thank god you're awake. How do you feel?"
"Like I've been hit over the head." She was far too angry to bother about the niceties in life. "Where's Xander? She stared at Buffy accusingly. "What have you done?"
"Nothing he's fine. Giles put on his best soothing voice. "Can I get you anything, a glass of water perhaps?"
"You could let me out"
"We can't do that Will." Buffy was trying the same soft voice as Giles but obviously hadn't had as much practice.
"Buffy you must know how I feel? I want to go to him he needs me. You can't keep me from him, you'll have to let me out eventually."
"She's right, you know" Xander stepped out from behind one of the bookshelves. His hands in the air as the group all stood up. "Relax I'm not here for a fight, just for Willow.
"I can't let that happen" Buffy moved towards Xander. "I don't want to fight you but will if I have too."
"Oh Buffy you have no idea, it's not me you're going to fight. You didn't think I came alone did you?"
Willow heard the sharp intake of breath from Buffy as Angel, Drusilla and an assortment of other vamps appeared.
"Hello lover" Angel sneered. "How do you like the new recruit? One of Dru's better ideas, I was going to just straight-out kill him but Dru; now she's a girl with vision, always did have a soft spot for waifs and strays. Xand here always managed to piss me off, I thought it would be better if I killed me but this is good too. I've always been an easygoing kinda guy. You always wanted me to get on better with your friends and here we are wish granted. Xander and me the best of buds doesn't it warm your heart?" "Not really. If this is just another mind games it's not going to work."
"You really don't have a clue, you keep slaying my gang and I need to find a way to replenish so to speak. The fact the it must burn your insides is just the cherry on top."
Willow noticed that the other vamps had gathered round the group while Angel kept Buffy busy. Too late for Buffy to do anything about it now as they a grabbed them and a fight ensued. Xander was at the cage and broke down the door Oz spotted him too late but threw chair at his head. As Xander staggered, Willow released from the cage faced Oz and yelled at him. "What the hell do you think you're doing, leave him alone."
The hurt at Willow's stinging words showed in his eyes and Willow felt the pangs of guilt again. "Sorry but I have to go." She told him and taking Xander's hand she ran out the library.
Willow wanted to keep on running, away from Sunnydale and the accusing eyes. She wanted it to be just her and Xander.
Finally though, she had to stop, out of breath she sat on the kerb. "We need to find a place to rest until tomorrow the sun will be up soon and then we can go get out of here."
Xander nodded, led her to a small abandoned house and descended the stairs in the basement. Placing his coat on the floor for Willow to lie on, he said, "You need to get some rest, you look exhausted and you also need to eat. I won't be long." Kissing her lightly on the head he took off, leaving Willow alone.
By the time Xander came back Willow was curled up asleep on his coat. He sat against the wall facing her; he'd always loved to watch her sleep.