Realisations

The 3 adults all looked up at the doorway and Willow jumped up. Willow and the woman hugged.

"Faith, thank-you for coming."

Willow hugged Faith again.

"No prob, how are you holding up?"

"I'm ok."

"Oh, c'mon Will, I can tell when you're lying and I don't buy that answer. Oz was killed just last month, I know I would be feeling something."

"Willow, was Oz Alicia's father?" Angel asked.

Faith looked from Spike to Angel to Willow and mouthed sorry.

"Yes, Danny was her father and my husband." Willow gave a wan smile.

"Well 'ello pet." Spike said to the now half awake little girl.

"Hi, Spike." Alicia looked over and saw who was there.

"Auntie Faith, I missed you soooo much. Daddy said that when he comes home me and him and mommy are going to go camping. Do you wanna come?" the little red head asked as she hugged her 'Auntie'.

"Maybe kiddo."

"Well red, how about that room?" Spike tried to relieve some of the tension.

He could tell that Willow was exhausted. He could also see the tears forming in her eyes because of what her daughter had said.

"That would be nice. Thank-you Spike." Willow just wanted to have time to think how she was going to tell her friends what had happened the past 5 years and why she was there now.

They said goodnight and Angel said he had an extra room Faith could stay in.

With that they all settled in to a mostly peaceful sleep.

3:17 am

Willow kept tossing and turning in her bed. She was having a nightmare about when Oz died.

5 people cloaked in red came to the house, when Alicia was at school. They took Oz and tortured him. Then when he wouldn't tell them where Willow was they stabbed him in the head and left. All the while Willow watched from a hiding place.

"NOOOOO…"

Willow sat bolt upright and got out of bed. She made her way to the living room, curled up on the couch and cried.

"Red, you alright?" Spike asked as he sat beside her and gathered her up in his arms as she cried.

If it had been any other time she would have been cursing vampiric hearing, but she needed the comfort.

"I just had a bad dream that's all. I keep reliving the day Danny died." Willow wiped at her tears.

"Oh, pet. Why don't you tell me what happened? Then when you tell everyone else you'll have more than one person to lean on." Spike held her close again.

"Okay."

She sighed and began her tale up to when she arrived at AI. By the time she finished she was crying in Spikes arms again. She soon cried herself to sleep.

Spike decided to put her in his bed so he wouldn't disturb Alicia.

Spike picked up the delicate redhead in his arms and put her in his bed.

A few minutes later he heard a soft but urgent murmuring coming from his room. He automatically went in and saw Willow tossing and murmuring indecisive things.

"Willow? Red? Wake up! Love?" he made his way over to her and gently shook her awake. She opened her eyes instantly.

"Spike? Oh my goddess it was that dream again!"

"Shhhhh… its okay pet. You just lay back down and try to get some sleep." He got up and began to walk out.

"Spike, would you stay please? I kinda feel safe with someone close."

A/N ooo cliffhanger

RR please