text enclosed in * * represents thoughts or feelings

Part 5
Giles' Apartment
Same Night

Spike was bored to death. He had already drunk his fifth whiskey and had just opened his last pack of cigarettes.

"Shit, is there nothing interesting on the telly tonight?" Impatiently he switched channels with the remote control and finally threw it –frustrated - on the table. A soft noise out in the corridor let him spin around, but despite his enhanced vampiric eyesight he couldn't detect anything in the dark. With a shake of his head Spike turned again towards the TV.

"You're getting paranoid, Old Boy," he had hardly pronounced, when he felt a stinging pain in his neck. "Ouch! What the hell...." Incredulous, Spike stared at the little arrow in his hand and suddenly all began to spin around him. *Oh God, my sire'll kill me if something happens to the watcher.* Seemingly in slow motion, Spike tried to get to the stairs, but suddenly all sank into darkness.

*** *** ***

Xander's Basement
Same Night

Xander and Anya were kissing passionately and tenderly. He pressed her down on the bed while Anya impatiently reached for Xander's shirt and fought with the buttons.

"Xander!" an elder woman's voice was calling from above. "I desperately need of a gallon of milk and some eggs."

Sighing, Xander wanted to free himself from Anya's sweet embrace, but her firm grip around his neck and her soft moist tongue which stroked over his lips let him forget everything else again.

"Today, Alexander Lavelle Harris!" This 'request' was emphasized by a loud pounding from above the basement ceiling. Guilty, Xander winced.

"Anya....Anya", without paying attention to Xander, Anya let her hands roam over his excited body.

"Anya, stop it...!" With a lot of skill, Xander managed to release Anya's embrace and got up. "It won't be long...I'll be right back."

Sulking, Anya looked at her boyfriend, "But I want to have sex now and not later!"

"Come on, Anya, you know what my mother is like. We wouldn't have a moment's peace this night anymore!" Tenderly Xander put a strand of hair behind her ear. "And when I'm back, we'll have wild sex the whole night, promise."

"Promise?" Doubtful brown eyes looked at him.

"Really, cross my heart," with that Xander took the car keys and went to the door.

"Better hurry up Xander. You've 15 minutes before I go and get me another passionate Californian lover", Anya called after Xander.

A grinning Xander turned round again, "How dare you, you sexaholic old bag." And already he was gone.

"Oohhh, I hate men!...But no, not all men, only certain details about them, ohhh....Harris!" Groaning, Anya sunk back on the bed.

*** *** ***

Angel's Apartment
Same Night

Surreptitiously, Angel glanced at the clock by the fireside. 11:05 pm. With a soft sigh he tried to catch up with the conversation between Buffy, Riley and Willow. Willow, who had seen his glance to the clock, looked questioning at him.

"Nothing", he mouthed in her direction. Buffy followed their little interlude with amusement and shoved Riley softly with her elbow. With an affected yawn she got up and dragged Riley along with her.

"God, is it really so late? I promised Giles to make an extra patrol tonight."

Riley laid an arm around Buffy's small waist and went with her to the door. Although he still felt uneasy in Angel's presence, he admired him for his strength, which had kept him alive till now. Willow and Angel escorted them to the door, but when Willow tried to follow the two, Angel held Willow back by her hand.

"You don't have to come with us, Angel," Buffy referred to him, while she put on her jacket. "On our way to the graveyard we can drop Willow off at her house."

"No, Willow stays here tonight," replied Angel without thinking. When three amazed and disbelieving pair of eyes looked at him, he recognized suddenly how his declaration might have sounded. Angel was grateful that vampires couldn't blush. "I don't want Willow to stay alone at home, her parents are out of town for two months again," he added lamely.

With a willful twinkle in her eyes, Buffy anwered, "If you say so. But Willow could also...."

"No!" Willow cut her short, only to get bright red. "No... I'd like to stay here... I mean... what I really want to say is... I'd feel safe."

Riley looked at Willow's and Angel's intertwined hands and how she instinctively had moved up to him. He had to avert his face so nobody could see his grin. *So so, the two are in love, who would have thought that…*

Before Buffy could say something more Riley took her by the elbow and pulled her out into the night.

"Good night, we'll see you tomorrow at Giles'!"

And with that said the two disappeared into the darkness. With a sigh of relief Angel shut the door behind them and led Willow back to the living room.

A bit insecure, Willow turned around to Angel to ask him what that was all about, but his kiss let her forget every coherent thought. Longing and with the same consuming passion, she responded to his demanding kiss. Invitingly she opened her lips and instantly Angel's tongue began to explore the moist cavity of her mouth. Hot shudders ran down Willow's spine and, groaning, her hands slid on their own will over Angel's muscular chest. Angel couldn't believe with how much passion 'his' Willow responded to his kisses. He knew that they had to stop, but his demon whispered again and again with a tempting voice how right this was and when he suddenly felt Willow's gentle hands on his naked skin, he was done. With a low growl he let his hands glide to Willow's waist and under her T-shirt, while he kissed a moist path to her neck. Willow was burning from the inside when she sensed Angel's cool hands and lips on her heated skin. She was enraptured by the play of his muscles in the light of the fire – he could only be described as looking like a marble statue from Michelangelo. Willow simply had to taste him. She bent forward und ran her tongue from Angel's shoulder blade to his left nipple. Angel was absolutely overwhelmed from the emotions that flew through him. The heat of Willow's lips left behind on his skin seemed to burn him and when she playfully began to suck at his nipple he couldn't hold back his lustful moan any longer. Angel knew that it soon would be too late for him to stop - they will have gone too far. He only knew one thing with absolute certainty - that he loved this red-haired bewitching creature with every fiber of his body and soul and he must possess her. Reluctantly, he let go of Willow to gain some distance between them, but when he looked in her lust-filled eyes he was done and all rational thoughts left his mind.

"Please, Angel," whispered Willow, breathless with passion, "I want to be yours."

Angel didn't need to hear more. He picked Willow up on his arms, who tenderly cuddled up to him and carried her in his bedroom where he placed her carefully on the silk covered bed-sheets. Willow hardly could see anything in the dark and so she reached blindly for the shadow who loomed above her and dragged him down on her. Over and over again their tongues dueled in a passionate dance old as time itself while their hands explored one another's bodies. Soon all clothes were gone and Angel's lips trailed gently over Willow's, nibbling delicately at the soft curve of her smile. He buried his fingers in her fiery hair, his body searching for her warmth. Willow sighed and moved slowly against him simply enjoying the feeling of his caressing fingers. A shudder, which had nothing to do with the cold, ran through him. It was pure sensual desire.

Slowly Angel shifted his body until Willow lay beneath him. Her scent, the feeling of her soft body and her delicious flavor, burnt him to death. *I really shouldn't do this,* he thought, even though his blood pulsed hot and wild through his veins. Willow's skin gleamed like a pearl and a silky shimmer lay between her beautiful young breasts. Velvety darkness gleamed on her nipples, which instantly reacted to the cold air and became tight erect buds.

*Oh God, her mere sight is so exciting I'd come in an instant.* But he couldn't stop to look at her, except to touch her soft womanly forms, to taste and explore her. Angel bowed his head to her naked breasts and inhaled deeply. It was as if he took a deep breath of liquid fire. Tenderly he rubbed his forehead over one of her firm mounds. When he saw her velvety bud he couldn't resist any longer. Licking and sucking and reveling in her taste, Angel drew her nipple in his mouth. The sensations cursing through Willow's overexcited nipples flew straight to her core. Then she said, "Let me," and Angel rolled them over.

Willow straddled him as he lay flat on his back, her knees on either side of him. He moaned with need as her sex pressed hotly against his stomach. He would have grabbed her by the waist and thrust up and into her, but Willow shifted position before Angel could move. She leaned forward, and his head strained upward to suckle her breasts once more while her fingers took a long, sweet time trailing fire across his chest and throat and belly. Willow kissed him then, her tongue as talented a dancer as the rest of her. He moaned low in his throat, and the sound turned into a demanding growl as he shifted them again.

As ripples of pleasure shot through his loins and up his spine, his fingers stroked between her legs, teasing her moist, soft folds and the sweetly swollen nub. Willow forgot everything but the delicious waves of sensation overwhelming her. She'd never known pleasure like this, yet her body yearned for deeper, more intense passion. Her hips lifted with building hunger, her legs fell open before his gentle onslaught.

"Please", Willow begged, her body shivering with unsatisfied lust.

"Yes," Angel answered huskily, and loomed over her, thrusting deeply, smoothly, completely into her. Thunder rolled through her and lightning consumed her, but she was part of the storm, equal to him in fervor. Willow's need was terrifying, exhilarating, devastating, wonderful.

As Angel's weight pressed Willow down she strained upward, meeting each thrust as their bodies fit perfectly together, skin gliding against skin in sweet friction. Her legs went around his waist and she clung there, muscles straining, urging him into her. When Angel felt her first waves of orgasm fly through her body he shifted into game face and bit gently into her pulse point and followed her over the edge with one last thrust. Slowly Willow recovered from her climax by the soft purring of Angel, who lapped contently the last drops of blood from her bite mark. Sleepily, she snuggled closer to his cool and comforting body, whispering their love for each other, and they both fell into an exhausted sleep.

*** *** ***

Xander's Basement
Same Night

Anya heard a soft knock at the door and rolled her eyes in frustration.

"How can only one person keep forgetting so many things," murmured Anya while she got up from the bed and went to the door.

"Honey, I'm coming," shouted Anya with sarcasm dripping from her voice as she opened the door with a swing. But not Xander waited for her on the other side. It was a black-clad disguised figure, who held an foul-smelling cloth to her nose. Anya desperately tried to fight her attacker, but slowly her resistance died down until she was lifelessly slumped down in the arms of the black-dressed man. The last thing she heard was his insane laughter before all went dark.

*** *** ***

Part 6
Somewhere in Sunnydale
Same Night

When Anya slowly awoke, she sensed at first a terrible coldness. She had the feeling her head would burst at any moment and she had a disgusting and foul taste in her mouth. Anya tried to wipe her hand over her forehead but to her horror, she discovered that she was bound on an operation table. Even her head was bound, so that she could see almost nothing of her surroundings.

"Ahh, I see my toy woke up after all," a croaking, inhuman sounding voice came from behind her head.

Wildly pulling at her manacles, Anya hissed, "You perverted pig, how dare you! My friends are already looking for me and when they get their hands on you..." exhausted Anya ended her squirming when she felt his cold gloved hand wandering over her bare stomach.

"Your boyfriend believes you're a screamer," inch by inch his hand slid higher, "let's test it!"

And when Anya saw the cold sparkle of the knife in his hand she screamed as she never screamed before in her life.

*** *** ***

Xander's Basement
Same Night

Xander had just brought the milk to his mother when he recognized the open basement door.

"Anya, are you there?" he called from a distance. Soon he ran to the ajar door and pushed it fully open, but all he found was a total emptiness and a white cloth reaking of chloroform. Paling, Xander picked up the cloth with trembling fingers and sniffed it carefully. Disgusted, he jerked back, put it in his pocket and blazed a path to Giles'.

*** *** ***

Giles' Apartment
Same Night

Totally out of breath, Xander reached Giles' home and pounded wildly against the door. "Open that damn door! I need your help!" When nobody answered him he reached for the door handle to rattle it. Astonished, he noticed that the door wasn't locked and so he entered the apartment, which laid in total silence with only the sound of the running tv.

"Giles! Spike! Where are you?" he whispered into the silence. Carefully he groped his way deeper into the house, anxious to make no sound. A low moaning made him spin around at once. When he saw Spike lying at the foot of the stairs, he instantly ran to him and turned the half-unconscious vampire carefully on his back. A threatening growl and Spike's vampire face let him briefly recoil but Xander's fear for Anya was bigger. "Hey, Deadboy Jr., watch out! What happened here?"

Amber eyes flashed furiously at him. "Fuckin' hell, shut up, Chap," hissed Spike through clenched teeth, "my head is killing me."

Carefully Xander helped the swaying vampire on his feet and took him to the sofa. "Sit down, I'll get you some aspirin."

When Spike had gratefully swallowed the pills, he exhaustedly leaned his head back into the pillows. "What do you want here anyhow, Chap?" Spike wanted to know, after the stabbing pain in his head slowly died down.

"I believe someone kidnapped Anya," whispered Xander.

"Who would really want to...," began Spike with one of his usual biting remarks, but when he saw Xander's terrified and haunted face, he swallowed the rest. "What makes you think that she's kidnapped?" he asked instead.

Xander pulled the cloth out of his pocket, "I found this at the open basement door," and gave it to Spike. He scented briefly at it and nodded then.

"Seems to be chloroform."

"Shouldn't we wake up Giles?" Xander said finally.

"He's not here," Spike replied.

"How do you know that, huh. I found you half-unconscious at the foot of the stairs," Xander wanted to know angrily.

"Only one heartbeat," replied Spike dryly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" inquiring, Xander looked at Spike.

"That means, that you're the only living creature in the house at the moment. And before someone else disappears we should inform the others."

Hesitating, Xander nodded.

"Ok, I pick up Peaches and you try to find Slutty and her boytoy, do you think you'll make it?" Again Xander only nodded and went wordlessly to the door. But just before he left the house, he heard Spike say, "And take care of yourself, Harris!"

*** *** ***

Angel's Apartment
Same Night

Spike cautiously opened the apartment door with the extra key and let himself in. He still hoped that Angel wasn't at home so he'd find a plausible explanation why Giles, even though under his supervision, disappeared. But when he saw all the scattered garments in the room he immediately forgot about Giles and Spike's curiosity increased immensely. Quietly, he snuck to Angel's bedroom and soundlessly opened the door. The sight of the two naked entangled bodies on the bed and the of sex smelling air let his body react at once. Hungrily, he let his eyes roam over the greater body. Like in the past when they still were friends, hunting partners and yes, lovers as well, the athletic muscular body of his sire had nothing lost of his beauty. And nothing of his erotic radiation too, Spike had to admit when his rock hard erection pressed painfully against the front of his black jeans. He was just about to retreat soundlessly when he was pressed flat against the next wall. Like steel vices his sire's hands grasped his neck and pressed mercilessly. Yellow furious eyes flashed at him and a deep growl vibrated deep in Angel's chest while his fangs glittered like pearls in the moonlight.

"Who gave you permission to enter my bedroom?" hissed Angel infuriated and pressed a little bit harder. Spike had the feeling as if to suffocate, even though he didn't need to breathe. Desperately he tried to say something, but he only could croak.

"And who allowed you to stare at my mate, Childe?" The last word came out with a really threatening snarl. Angel didn't only look at this moment like the former Angelus - he behaved like him as well. Spike would have never thought that so much of his old sire existed in Angel. And he did the only thing that would rescue him at the moment - he bared his neck to his sire and offered his blood. But Spike wasn't prepared for the feelings, which flew through him, when Angel sank his fangs almost brutally in his pulse point and began to drink deeply. Liquid fire ran through Spike's veins and the last bitter century was wiped out. Only this exciting feeling existed when his sire drank from him. A small and disappointed whimper escaped him as soon as Angel's fangs retreated after only some gulps till Spike heard the soft purr and sensed the cool tongue which gently lapped the last drops of his blood from the fresh bite mark. Spike relished this momentarily bond between sire and childe and answered with the same soft purring.

Willow, who had sat paralysed on the bed and had observed fascinated the exchange between sire and childe, wrapped the bed sheet around her naked body and carefully approached the two vampires. Angel, who sensed the nearness of his mate, stopped purring and wanted to turn around to her. But Spike's menacing snarl against Willow let him freeze and with a speed unnoticeable for the human eye he punched Spike in the face with his fist.

"Wait for me in the living room and God forbid if you smear your blood on my couch…" With a last glance at Willow, who timidly snuggled up to Angel, Spike wiped at the blood that leaked from the corner of his mouth and pulled himself together to wait in the living room for his sire.

Wordlessly Angel turned round to Willow and took her protectively in his arms.

"What was that about?" whispered Willow, still under the shock of what she had just witnessed.

"Vampire behavior," answered Angel, while he stroked her back soothingly.

"But you behaved so...so-"

"Wild? Animalistic?" Angel concluded the sentence for her. "I'm in the first place a vampire, Willow, and as such one I react to the behavior of other vampires. I don't want to pretend to be something or someone else even if it means to lo-" Willow's forefinger on his lips silenced him.

"I love you just the way you are. I don't want to pretend that the scene from earlier didn't scare me but if you ever want to tell me what it's like to be a vampire than that is enough for me. I love you, Angel, my Mate." Tenderly Angel kissed the bite mark on Willow's soft neck before he lifted her up and brought her back to the bed.

"I'd like you to stay in this room while I talk to Spike. Would you do this for me, Little One?" Willow nodded, eager to drown in Angel's dark brown eyes and gave him as an answer a long passionate kiss. After a long while Angel freed himself from Willow's tender embrace and quickly put on his trousers before he, after one last longing glance at his redheaded seductress, left the room.

Spike impatiently slid around on the sofa. Not only did he hate not to budge for more than three minutes but also the unmistakable scent of the arousal from the two coming from the bedroom made it impossible for him to forget his own arousal and what it had caused. He was so lost in his thoughts that he winced in a frightened manner when he suddenly heard the deep gentle voice of his sire behind him.

"May I ask you why you would rather play voyeur here than to carry out your put on task?" Even though Angel's voice sounded totally normal, Spike could see by the amber flickering in his brown eyes how hard it was for him to control himself. Submissively Spike cast down his eyes and thought carefully about how to master the situation at best.

"Does the answer lay hidden on my carpet, Boy?" There he was again, the old Angelus, who Spike had loved and at the same time hated for so long and secretly had missed. Gathering all his courage, Spike straightened up and raised his eyes.

"Bloody hell, I've really bad news for you, Angelus." Angel pretended not to have heard Spike's old reference to him and urged him to go on. "Someone broke into Giles' house tonight and put me out of action with a fuckin' poisoned arrow. When I recovered, Xander was there and Giles was
gone."

"Did you already inform the others, in order to help us with the search?" Angel wanted to know.

"Xander's taking care of the slayer. But you haven't heard the worst yet, Angelus!" ended Spike with his report. Inquiringly, Angel looked into Spike's concerned iceblue eyes. "Anya was kidnapped."

*** *** ***

Part 7
Giles' Apartment
Next Morning

They had searched for the remainder of the night for Anya and Giles, but in vain. Exhausted, they had all had turned up at Giles' again, only to discover that Giles was peacefully sleeping in his bed. After a breakfast and Giles' explanation that he was well but couldn't remember anything of what happened last night, they all began with the feverish hunt for any information. To rule out that some demon or a new unknown prophecy was behind all of this, Giles and Xander drove to the Magic Box to plow through the books there. Angel followed them through the tunnels and would - after a short excursion to Willy's - meet with them. Willow tried in the meantime to hack into the police computer system.

"Damn it!" whispered Willow, furious, after she came across the next seemingly invincible barrier.

"Problems, Red?" came Spike's smug question much too close behind her.

Willow clenched her teeth and swallowed her biting remark before she started her work again. Spike, who sensed her unease and found it to be great fun, moved closer still, but when he saw the fresh bite mark on Willow's neck, he stopped dead in his tracks. A menacing growl, which slowly rose in volume, made Willow turn in her chair. Frightened, she leapt up when she found herself suddenly up against a Spike in full vamp mode. Slowly Willow moved backwards, Spike following her with catlike grace, till a wall made a further retreat impossible for her.

"Spike? Spike...please...what's going on?" whispered Willow anxiously and held up one of her small hands in defense. If it was possible Spike's growling got even more threatening, before he furious snarled through clenched teeth, "He bit you!"

Automatically, Willow reached for her neck and covered Angel's bite mark. Spike leaned both hands against the wall, so that Willow was captured between them. When she looked in Spike's amber vampire eyes, Willow shut her terror-filled eyes and took a quivering breath, awaiting Spike's next move.

*** *** ***

Giles' Magic shop
Same day

An exhausted Xander shut the book, which he had read for hours and took another one from the great staple before him. Giles and Angel too hadn't found any hint so far which referred to a new prophecy. And Willy wasn't a great help either.

"Er...I fear that we...hmm....have to deal with something completely...er....else," Giles stumbled finally and polished his glasses before he put them on again.

"Or we don't see the obvious," replied Angel and pushed the book away, when suddenly a wave of emotions rolled through him. Fear and pain! His mate was in danger and he wasn't there to protect her. Xander looked up alarmed and when he saw Angel jump up, he knew instantly what was going on.

"Willow?"

Angel only nodded and ran to the tunnels to reach Willow as fast as possible, but he knew that he wouldn't make it in time.

"Come on, G-man, we should follow, " and already they raced to Giles' old car to follow Angel.

*** *** ***

Giles' Apartment
Same Day

Spike was jealous of an 18 year-old schoolgirl. He couldn't believe it! But since he had become a helpless cripple with the chip in his head, he hadn't felt this furious. The closeness to his sire and the tentative recovery of their old friendship didn't bring just bad memories up, but also the old insecurities and bitter feelings. When Dru made him a vampire in those days and then just forgot about him because she had once again gone through one of her insane phases, he'd almost starved to death. Angelus had found him in his dark cold cellar and took care of him. From him he'd learned everything and Angelus also was the one who showed him what it meant to be a vampire. Spike had fallen in love with this demon when he first laid eyes on him - his fine sculptured and aristocratic face with these dark brown eyes, in which someone could drown if he looked to long inside. Angelus had declared soon afterwards Spike as his childe and took over Dru's claim. Of course, Angelus made fun of Spike's idolatrous love for him, but at night, when they came back together from a successful hunt and made passionate love, Angelus allowed himself the luxury to show Spike his true feelings. This all changed when Darla, Angelus' sire, came back and claimed almost every free minute of her favorite childe. Spike hated her with every fiber and rebelled against every order given by her, so that Angelus was always forced to punish him. This was the moment when the reticent poetic William slowly became the cruel and cynical Spike of today. And when Angelus disappeared in Romania after all and left Spike behind with two hysterical women, his feelings finally changed to hate. At least he had believed it, until Angel suddenly showed up two month ago in his crypt. And last night, when Angel bit him, all the old, deep buried feelings rose up again. And now he had to sit back and watch, when his sire paid attention to someone else. Spike didn't intend to harm Willow, but he had to know why his sire had made this shy red-haired witch his mate. And so Spike leant forward and pressed his lips on Willow's. Shocked, Willow tore her eyes open, when Spike's cool lips touched hers. Desperately she pressed her hands against his hard chest, but his low growl startled her and let her give in. After a short moment, Spike ended his kiss and licked over the fresh bite mark before he carefully bit the same spot. Spike wasn't prepared for the incredibly pure and sweet taste of Willow's blood. He sensed how she painfully winced and waited for the uninvited pain caused by the chip, but nothing happened, no pain, only this god-like sensation to drink human blood after all. After a long while he retracted his fangs from her jugular and licked, almost tenderly, the last drops, which dripped out of the wound, away. Then he studied her pale face almost lovingly.

"I can understand why Angelus chooses you as his mate," Willow heard Spike softly and seriously say. Cautiously, Willow opened her eyes and saw that Spike wore his human façade again.

"Why?" a confused Willow wanted to know.

"Why what, Red?" replied Spike while he searched in the pockets of his leather duster for his cigarettes. Afterwards he went to the sofa and sat down with his Doc Marten's on Giles' coffee table.

Willow kept an eye on him. "Why...why did you... just frighten me like that?"

Slowly, Spike blew out the smoke of his cigarette, then he motioned invitingly at the seat beside him. When he saw the fear in Willow's eyes, Spike tried to lighten the mood with a joke.

"Even though I'm starving and you're a very appetizing bite, Luv, would you please bring your cute little ass over here?"

Willow took a deep breath and then went slowly to Spike to sit down beside him on the sofa with a stretch of distance between them. "What have I done that you hate me so much?" interrupted Willow's soft voice after a long silence between them. Astonished, Spike looked up from his cigarette, which tangled disregarded between his fingers. Lightly raising his scarred eyebrow, Spike looked at Willow.

"Listen, Red, to get one thing totally straight, I don't hate you." When he saw Willow's doubtful look, Spike had the sudden urge to tell her the truth. Somehow he knew that he could trust in Willow completely, but Spike didn't know where to begin. "I-," clumsily Spike cleared his throat. "I'mbloodyjelousofyou," he concluded his explanation quickly and waited for Willow's laughter. When no such thing happened, however, he looked directly at Willow. To his amazement her eyes showed comprehension rather than amusement. "What, Red, no pert comment or remark?" Spike wanted to know.

Carefully, Willow shook her head. She was totally surprised and unprepared by Spike's confession and wanted to avoid destroying the momentarily relaxed mood between them with an unwise reply. "I guessed something like that after Angel told me how close you two were."

"Peaches talks about me?" Spike wanted to know, full of curiosity. "Bloody hell, what stories does my old pops tell about me then?"

Willow was slow to answer, but perhaps here was the chance to sort things out between sire and childe. And so she hoped to do the right thing when she answered truthfully, "He misses his family and above all his favorite childe. Perhaps you'd-" before Willow could end her sentence, the door to the tunnels burst open and Angel appeared, his true face firmly showing. After a short look around the room for any threat for his mate, he relaxed a bit and his human feature appeared again. Relieved, Angel rushed at Willow's side and took her in his arm to give her a long passionate kiss.

"I could sense your pain," whispered Angel into Willow's silky strands. Reassuringly, Willow stroked Angel's back and snuggled up into his arms. She wanted to prevent the happening that Angel would see her fresh bite mark until tonight when she'd have a plausible explanation. Angel's relief to find his mate unharmed lasted only one moment, when he suddenly noticed Spike's scent on Willow's skin. Over Willow's head he looked at Spike and when he avoided Angel's eyes, he knew that something had happened between them. Willow sensed how Angel's back muscles under her fingers tensed and a deep threatening growl rose in his chest. She had to avoid a fight between the two vampires under all circumstances. Willow knew from the watcher's diaries, which she had secretly read, that Spike had done something unforgivable and so she took Angel's vampire face, which had appeared again, into her hands and forced him to look into her eyes. Over and over again it flickered amber up in his eyes and his growling took on a possessive tone.

"Mine," whispered Willow firmly, before she stood up on her tiptoes and claimed his lips in a passionate kiss. After a long time, Angel's growling slowly died down and he noticeably relaxed. Breathlessly Willow ended the kiss to take a deep breath. "I love you, my Mate."

"And so do I, Little One, but I can't bear to think that I'd lose you to someone else," confessed Angel openly, too deep was his angst to get hurt again as with Buffy.

"Trust me, Angel, nothing happened and it'll never be something between Spike and I. I am your mate, forever, if you want it," said Willow forcefully, while she stroked his cheek gently. Slowly, Angel nodded and gave her one last kiss, this time soft and full of tenderness. Shocked, both broke apart when suddenly the door flew open with a loud crash and Giles and Xander armed to the teeth burst into the room.

"Fuckin' ace, the cavalry is here!" shouted Spike dryly.

*** *** ***

Part 8
Giles' Apartment
Same day

During the day Buffy and Riley joined them, but they too hadn't discovered news about Anya's whereabouts. Xander became increasingly worried the more time passed by. He called at home or in the surrounding hospitals again and again; however, Anya turned up nowhere. Meanwhile, the others were creating a plan to make the patrols more effective when the door bell rang at about 6:00 pm. Spike, who just came out of the kitchen with a fresh heated cup of blood, opened the door.

"Xander, package for you!" he called to the back.

*Why is a package delivered to Giles for me?* wondered Xander, while he signed the receipt and then carried the package into the living room. Carefully, he opened the lid and was astonished about the strange sweetish smell that came out of it. Spike and Angel, who recognized the smell at once, tried desperately to reach Xander before he could open the whole package, but it was already too late. White as a sheet, Xander looked inside the package before he quickly turned around and headed retching to the bathroom.

Willow and Buffy, who came running into the room, were stopped by Angel's sharp command. "Don't get any closer!"

"I don't believe that you can give me orders," protested Buffy indignantly and tried to come closer but Spike blocked her way demonstratively.

"Bloody hell, you two better get your asses to the bathroom to help your friend and leave that effin' mess to my sire!" Buffy had never before seen Spike so serious. Wordlessly, she took Willow by her hand and dragged her with her to the bathroom from where a loud sobbing came.

Angel was relieved when the girls left the room and hoped that Giles and Riley didn't come back from shopping at this moment. Carefully, he approached the package, took a deep and unneeded breath and lifted the lid. Gasping, and a hint more pale than usual, he quickly turned away.

"What is it?" Spike wanted to know finally, even though he already suspected it.

After Angel took some deep breaths, he looked straight into Spike's eyes, "Someone sent Xander Anya's skin." Disbelievingly, Spike wanted to go and see for himself but Angel held him back at his arm. "Just believe me this one time and help me to remove her mortal remnants before the others come back!"

*** *** ***

Xander sat slumped in front of the toilet and couldn't stop vomiting while the whole time tears where streaming over his deathly pale face. Although he had nothing more in his stomach, it choked him constantly again. As soon as he closed his eyes, he saw the horrible picture of Anya's meticulously folded skin.

Buffy and Willow knew that there must have been something terrible in the package to make their best friend break down. Both tried with wet clothes and soft soothing words to pull Xander out of his shock but nothing seemed to help. After a long while they finally managed to pull Xander on his unsteady feet and to lead him out of the bathroom.

On their way to Giles' guestroom, Willow whispered, "Do you think you can handle him a moment alone?" Buffy stifled a grin and nodded. "I'll hurry to the kitchen and look for Aspirin and sleeping pills."

Willow recognized that Angel and Spike as well as the ominous package have vanished. She knew that the contents were connected to Anya, what else could explain Xander's fierce reaction? Just now in the seclusion of the kitchen, Willow realized slowly that Anya had to be dead. They were never really good friends but Anya made, in her own twisted way, Xander happy and when Willow thought about the brutal way in which the killer had slaughtered the waitress, everything went black for a second. Resolutely, Willow wiped the tears from her eyes, took the pills and went back to the guestroom.

Xander lay completely apathetic on the bed and stared blindly at the ceiling. With the help of Buffy, Willow managed to give him the sleeping pills but when she tried to get up from the bed, Xander grasped at her wrist and pulled her down back at his side. Buffy wanted to step in but Willow shook her head and snuggled up to Xander, who instinctively lay an arm around her waist and pressed her firmly against his body. It was as if they were little kids again and they sought refuge with each other. After a long while, Xander's strong hold on her lessened and his breath became regular, he seemed to be finally have fallen asleep.

"Do you think that the package has something to do with Anya?" whispered Buffy quietly as possible so that Xander didn't wake up.

"She's definitely dead, Buffy," Willow whispered back. "He hasn't reacted so badly. Not even when Jesse died."

"Will you cope?" Buffy wanted to know with a sad look at Xander and when Willow only rolled her eyes, she pointed to the door and said, "I'll go and check after the others. Later on I'll take turns with Xander, ok?" When Buffy went down, she saw Angel, Spike, Giles and Riley deepened into a conversation.

"All right, boys," started Buffy resolutely as soon as she entered the room. "I want answers, ok?" inquiringly, Buffy looked from one to the other.

Riley pulled her finally to him on the chair. "I don't think that you want to know every detail of the letter. Angel only told us so much that we've to assume that Anya is dead." Surprised, Buffy looked at Angel, but he shook his head imperceptibly.

"I've just told them about the letter, which Xander received today." Comprehension dawned in Buffy's eyes.

"Peaches and I have already initiated the funeral," threw Spike without his usual snidely remarks in.

"How is Xander holding up?" asked Giles while he cleaned his glasses with his handkerchief.

"Willow is with him. I suppose he's sleeping at the moment and in about two hours I'll take turns," said Buffy while she snuggled up to Riley. Angel got up and just wanted to leave the room to look after his mate when Buffy's voice held him back. "Please Angel, remember how long both have been friends when you enter the guestroom," warned Buffy cryptically since she knew of his jealousy. Frowning, Angel nodded and went upstairs. The sight which greeted him was truly not reassuring. His mate lay snuggled up to Xander, who had placed an arm firmly around her small waist. Unconsciously, Angel began to growl threateningly and Willow's eyes popped open at once.

"Shh, you'll wake him up!" she whispered slightly reproachful and at the same time Willow tried to free herself from Xander's embrace. Angel couldn't stand the sight before him any longer, not after the event with Spike earlier today, and silently left the room. Willow panicked and only wanted to get to Angel, in order to explain everything to him, because he knew from Cordelia what had happened three years earlier in the old warehouse between her and Xander. After some effort, Willow succeeded finally to entangle herself from Xander's embrace and ran at once downstairs where she expected to find Angel. But when she entered the living room, he was nowhere to be seen. Willow hoped against her better judgment, Angel was in the kitchen drinking something. Reluctantly, she went to Giles and sat down beside him.

"How did Xander handle the news about Anya's death?" Giles asked sympathetically.

"He's asleep now," replied Willow almost absentminded before she anxiously asked Buffy, "Do you know where Angel is?"

Before Buffy had a chance to answer her, Spike said, "He left ten minutes ago, Luv." When he saw her panicked look and sensed that she wanted to jump up to follow Angel, Spike reached for Willow's ice cold hands. "You'll not bleedin' follow him, Red, do you hear me? No soddin' matter what happened up there between you, it'll sort itself out again!"

"Spike, you don't understand," begged Willow with tears forming in her emerald eyes, "he found me in Xander's arms and Cordelia has told him how in love I was with him....and then the incident with you this morning too!" In the meantime, Willow's emerald eyes swam in tears. Spike embraced her and tried to comfort her, he knew precisely how thick-skulled his Sire sometimes could be and hoped that Angel would listen to Willow's explanation.

"Shh, Luv," he whispered reassuringly in Willow's silky hair while he tenderly rocked her in his arms. "I think I know where to find him, hmm? Now, Luv, be a brave little girl and wipe your tears away, so that we can sort all things out." At Spike's soft spoken words, Willow's tears almost ran dry.

"Spike, I can't lose him," murmured Willow slightly sniffling in his t-shirt. Encouraging, Spike drew Willow on her feet.

"We'll be back soon, " Spike called over his shoulder and left three astonished people behind.