Chapter 2
"Xander, duck!" Willow shouted as a particularly large red demon came up behind her friend.
Xander dropped to the ground just in time to miss the large claws. He scrambled away as Willow hit the demon with a blast of magickal energy, knocking it away from him. As the demon fell backwards Riley stepped up behind it, raising his sword. The demon impaled itself on the sword, immediately turning into green goo.
Xander stood, dusting himself off. "Thanks, guys," he said breathlessly.
"No problem," Willow answered brightly before turning to Riley. "Are you okay?"
Riley nodded with a reassuring smile. "Super."
"Does anyone else think it's kind of cool that the demon was red, yet it turned to green goo?" Xander asked, looking at his friends. "It's like the demon version of Christmas in June."
Riley raised an eyebrow. "You come this close to getting mauled and the first thing that comes to mind is how the demon looks like Christmas?"
"I was trying to get my mind off my near death experience. Thanks for playing along," Xander answered wryly.
Riley grimaced. "Sorry, man. So, Christmas, huh?"
Xander straightened his shoulders, tugging on the hem of his shirt. "Yeah, no problem. I mean, maybe I should dwell on it so the paralyzing fear won't eat me alive."
"You know I wouldn't let the demon maul you, sweetie," Willow told him, smiling reassuringly and putting a hand on his shoulder.
Faith jogged up as Xander put his arm around Willow's shoulders. "Big red demon come this way?" she asked, looking around.
Xander rolled his eyes. "Little late, Faith," he said, pointing at the remains of the demon. "Big red demon, now big green pile of goo. Like Christmas!"
Faith gave him an odd look. "Whatever. Better go tell Cordelia that the vision demon's toast," she said, starting back to the hotel.
"No thanks to Slayer Girl," Xander replied, letting go of Willow and following Faith.
"I knew Riley and Red were more than capable of handling it," Faith said, smirking with a pause. "And saving your sorry ass at the same time."
"Hey! I resent that. I helped," Xander exclaimed, rushing to keep up. At Faith's look he added, "I did!"
Faith rolled her eyes. "Helped run away, maybe. Isn't that what you do best?"
"I hate you," Xander replied with a glare.
Faith smirked. "Feeling's mutual."
Willow grinned at Riley as Faith and Xander walked away. "Great job with the sword holdy goodness!"
Riley smiled. "We do good teamwork," he replied, gesturing for them to walk.
"I like teamwork. It's definitely of the good," Willow said with a nod as she started to walk.
Riley laughed softly. "Yeah, it helps."
"You know, that kind of was a little on the scary side," she said, glancing at Riley. "I'm still not used to hunting demons that Cordy sees in her visions. I'm more used to the kind that jump out of the bushes and go 'grr' and then we hunt them down."
"But at least this way you know what's coming, right? Shouldn't that make it less scary?" he asked, looking at her as they walked.
Willow looked at him as they got to the hotel. "Oh, I didn't mean scary for me. I meant for Cordelia," she said, shuddering involuntarily. "That thing was in her head. I couldn't do that. Demons and bad guys in my head all the time? Nuh uh, not for me."
"You're more than strong enough to handle it if you had to, Willow," Riley pointed out softly, slipping his hand into hers.
Willow blushed. "Thank you," she replied, opening the door of the Hyperion.
"Would you men leave me alone?" Cordelia said loudly, batting their hands away. "I'm fine! It was just a vision, not a brain tumor. Though, with the ways these are going that's about what it felt like."
"You should lie down," Angel said worriedly. He put his arm around Cordelia, trying to help her stand.
"Willow, tell him I'm fine," Cordelia said, looking up at Willow.
"Angel, she's okay," Willow said, not relinquishing Riley's hand. After a pause she looked at Cordelia. "Are you okay?"
Cordelia threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Yes!" she said standing. "Now the vision girl wants to have some fun, so I'm going to change and go to Caritas. If you guys think you can manage not asking me how I am every five seconds, you can come, too."
Willow giggled at Cordelia, letting go of Riley and moving to Cordelia's side. "I promise I won't ask, Cordy," she said, crossing her heart. "Cross my heart."
Cordelia grinned despite herself, linking arms with Willow as they went up the stairs. "Then I guess you can come, Will," she said, turning back to Riley and Angel. "And since Willow's coming, we're double dating it. You guys are coming, no arguments."
Riley smiled. "You won't get one out of me."
Me either," Angel replied, then muttered, "As long as I don't have to sing."
Cordelia pulled Willow closer as they walked up the stairs. "Were you guys holding hands, or was that another vision?" she asked with a grin.
Willow blushed. "We were very hand holdy."
Cordelia smirked. "And he just agreed to go on a date with you," she said smugly, letting go of Willow and going into her own room.
Willow's jaw dropped as the realization of that statement set in, then she rushed into her room to change.
