Summary: In a land divided and at war between man and demon, what happens when one does the unthinkable and falls for the enemy?

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own the BtVS and AtS characters. There is no intention of copyright infringement or monetary gain in the borrowing of characters. They are used only for entertainment purpose.

Previously on Enemy Mine: Angelous takes Willow hostage and carries her off to Castle Aurelius inside the Shadowlands. Willow wakes up to meet Drusilla and gets saved from the vampiress only to fall into the hands of Angelous. Buffy goes to Giles for help.

Ch 3 - Mine Enemy

"So, why am I here again?" asked Cordelia in a voice that conveyed both boredom and irritation.

"Yes, G-man, why is she here?" wondered Xander, looking at Cordelia as if she were from another planet. She in turn looked at him as if he were a freak.

"Please, Xander, I've asked you not to call me that," said Giles to Xander before addressing the room at large. "And to answer both your question…well, everyone's question, is that you were all woken and called in because we seem to have a very serious situation at hand."

"Really?" queried Wesley with interest, the watcher for the specialists team. "Is it another attempt at an apocalypse because we weren't informed from headquarters - "

"It's nothing of the sort Wesley," interrupted Giles.

"Then why call us in? The only time we've worked together is when there is an apocalypse. None of the battles we've fought have been large enough to merit joined effort. You know we all have separate sectors to patrol."

"It's not an apocalypse but this matter is just as important and dire," stated Giles, removing his glasses from his face and beginning to clean them with a handkerchief he took out of his pocket.

"Okay, so what is it already?" asked Cordelia annoyed. "And it better be of major proportions for getting us here at this ungodly hour." She was in a more prickly mood than usual since she had been woken up so rudely and ordered to come down immediately for an emergency meeting in the library. Seeing that she wasn't the only one that dressed in haste did not make her feel any better. Some of them like Buffy, Tara and Oz were still in their nightclothes.

"Gee, Cordy, if you were doing your job, maybe we could have been warned," snapped Buffy, finally letting Cordelia on top of all the anxiety get the better of her.

"Hey! My power is on the need to know basis. I would have seen it if it were something really important like Giles' claims," Cordelia defended in a voice full of frost.

"You're slipping there, Cordy. . . Or maybe you really are just not that good," taunted Xander.

"Oh and who decided to butt in? Oh, that's right, the only one here that has absolutely No. Kind. Of. Special. Abilities. Tell me Xander Harris, how is it that you made the slayer team? No power, no brain, and the only thing going for you is your training in weapons and combat, and really…that's highly debatable," Cordelia retorded.

Before, Cordelia Chase could turn her attention back to Buffy's insult, Giles intervened and broke up what was fast deteriorating into a fight. "Focus, everyone. We have an emergency that needs all our immediate attention. As you've all noticed, I'm sure, one of my team members is missing from this meeting. That is because Willow . . .Willow has been abducted…"

"What!" exclaimed Xander. "When? How?" he demanded.

Giles looked at Buffy. She licked her lips nervously before answering, "Willow was taken a little over three hours ago by," she gulped and then met Xander's gaze squarely head on, "by Angel."

Xander's jaw dropped open in shock. Cordelia's and Wesley's eyes widened in disbelief, Oz frowned with a troubled face and Tara covered her mouth, but not before exclaiming, "Oh goddess!" before the stunned group.

"Willow was kidnapped by a bloodsucking fiend! The bloodsucking fiend!" Xander asked incredulous, breaking the silence.

"Yes, how is this even possible," wondered Wesley. "We've all read about Angelous from the history books but I don't believe anyone has had any contact with him since his ensoulment. He lives in the periphery of both worlds. If what you say is true, what would make him come out of a century-old seclusion and target Willow? It doesn't make any sense."

"What I want to know is how he took Willow," demanded Xander harshly. Fear for his best friend's welfare was coursing through his system and making him angry. "Willow is one of the strongest witches the Council has; no vampire or demon has been able to get near her before."

Giles looked over at Buffy. He himself did not know the particulars, only of what his slayer had told him after waking him up, and that was nothing more than that Willow had been taken. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she began before covering her face with both hands and saying, "Willow was taken because of me."

"W-What are you s-saying B-Buffy?" Tara softly asked when it seemed nobody was going to say anything or that Buffy was going to continue with her explanation.

The Slayer uncovered her face and took a steadying breath before continuing with the explanation. She was terrified of the reactions of the group to what she was going to have to disclose of her relationship with Angel and the events leading to her best friend's abduction. She looked over at everyone sitting on one of the research tables and then distanced herself away from Giles. She turned away from them, trying to gather her thoughts and obtain a better grip on her emotions. After a few seconds she turned around and began her tale. "Earlier tonight I had gone to Willow's room and asked for her help. . .um, perhaps I should start at the very beginning so you guys can understand. A little over a year ago I was doing an usual nightly patrol of the town. While I was walking down one of the narrow streets, a man intercepted me. I almost staked him, thinking he was a vampire but then he began talking to me and gave me information. Before I could ask him anything, he disappeared. I didn't trust him at first and I wasn't just going to believe him so I went to check out what he had told me. When his information panned out, I was surprised and intrigued. Remember all those raids we were able to stop before the vampires or demons entered the town? It was because of the information that he was giving me. Every time he turned up, it was to give me a warning or a heads up, and in a way I was both dreading and anticipating his appearances to me. He was handsome, dark and mysterious and over time I began to really like him. I eventually. . .fell in love with him. Last night, something happened and he changed. . .became violent. That's why I asked Willow to help me find out what was wrong. She was in my room when he woke up from the hits I had given him that made him unconscious and grabbed her. He ran away and took her with him. I could do nothing to stop him."

Cordelia narrowed her eyes, assessing Buffy and what she had been saying. "What aren't you telling us?" she demanded, intuitively knowing that the slayer hadn't given them the whole story.

Buffy looked at her surprised and then resigned. "The man I just told you about is Angel-"

"He's not a man, he's a soulless demon, a vampire!" Xander cut in, stating harshly.

"He has a soul!" cried out Buffy in defense. "He was cursed with one remember?"

Xander shaked his head in denial, staying silent, finding no words to utter lest he say something mean to his friend that he might later regret. He was beyond angry. He was livid and furious. Willow was out there. . . perhaps dead. . .and it was all Buffy's fault.

Tara placed a comforting hand on Xander's upper arm, and tried sending him calming thoughts. Her soft eyes turned from Xander's rigid form to Buffy. "W-What else B-Buffy?"

The Slayer's pained look turned from Xander to Tara. The Wicca's understanding and supporting gaze gave her a measure of courage to continue. "We made love last night," she whispered, looking down at the floor.

Only Tara and Oz stayed quiet while everyone else spoke immediately at once.

"Oh dear Lord!" exclaimed Giles.

"You slept with him!" screeched Cordy.

"What!" demanded Xander.

"Oh good heavens!" came from Wesley.

It was Wesley's reaction that made everyone's focus switch from Buffy to him. He had stood up and pushed his chair back so violently that it toppled over with a crash. He ripped his glasses off and raked a trembling hand over his hair. His skin had lost all color, his eyes were wide and his gaze was unfocused and lost in remembrance.

"What is it Wesley?" asked Giles concerned and growing more alarmed by the second. Everything his slayer had disclosed had shocked and troubled him. How could she been carrying on without his knowledge or anyone else's? To have held a relationship with the most infamous vampire in existence? And she what?. . .fell in love? What could she have been thinking, placing her life as well as everyone else on the line? For that is what she did every single time she came in contact with Angel - and good lord! - giving him free access into the residence where several teams of the Council resided for this sector of the territory, including the specialist team and the slayer team. Now, watching Wesley's reaction did not bode well at all. Wesley Wyndham-Price was the watcher of the specialist team, meaning that he was the best there was aside from him. It also meant that his knowledge of demonology, slayer combat and research were beyond of any other watcher as well as an unparallel ability in translating and interpreting non-human languages. He also had skills with magics. He was elite, just like all the other members of the team he headed. Cordelia Chase was a Seer - strong, willful, shrewd, calculating yet highly intuitive, vastly capable in fighting and always dead-on right with her visions. Tara Maclay was a Wiccan - a witch with very strong white magical abilities, vastly knowledgeable with spells and potions and with the rare talent of reading auras. Daniel "Oz" Osbourne was a Werewolf - capable of controlling his demon and thus adept at using his enhanced strength and speed without going into wolf-mode. The stoic, redhead was also the best tracker, following leads through scent.

All four made up the specialist team that were always called in for search and rescue missions.

They were perfect for finding Willow. If they couldn't find her, then nobody could.

Everyone's gaze followed Wesley as he briskly walked up the second story stairs and disappeared behind the stacks of books. A short moment later he reappeared with a thin, pale-colored leather book in his hands. He had it opened and was searching its pages. He stood before the assembled group around the table and began to explain as his eyes searched a specific page he had been looking for. "I remembered I had read up on Angelous and as a result researched the curse he was placed under. I found the accounts of the ensoulment although I could never find the spell itself. The Council's gypsies mentioned that as all curses - and really anything involving magic - work in a way as. . . how should I put it?. . . a legal contract."

Tara nodded in understanding. There was always a way out, a loophole. No spell or curse was ever indestructible. Magic was delicate; it had consequences. It also left gaps to restore balance, to someway undo what had been manipulated or coerced.

Buffy frowned, confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means," explained Wesley, looking right at her, "that the curse has been broken. You broke his curse and now Angelous is free."

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Everything was dark where she stood. At first she thought her eyes were closed, but when she blinked, and then raised her hand up to her face, she knew it was her surroundings and not her. She waited a moment unsure. Should she move? And if she didn't, what would that accomplish? There was nothing here, so she might as well walk and find something to help her bearings. Turning a full 360 degrees, she shrugged and picked a random direction. Taking a deep breath, she began to cautiously move forward in the darkness, wary of any obstacle that might be hidden in her path.

After what seemed forever, she seemed to detect a weak light in the distance. Either that or her eyes were playing tricks on her with all the strain in trying to see in the inky darkness. She walked at a faster pace and the light brightened some until she could make out a vast expanse of a barren chamber, save for what appeared to be a large cage half situated in the shadows.

She neared it cautiously.

It stood empty, the door ajar.

Willow wondered in trepidation what it had held captive and where that captive was now.

A low, rumbling growl began, echoing off the walls and Willow jumped in fright. Her whole body was instantly covered in goosebumps, the little hairs on her neck and arms standing up. She searched around, trying to locate the source of the sound, to try to back away, far away.

With wide eyes, she saw a figure slowly come out halfway out of the shadows.

Angelous stood there, with gold feral eyes, ridges, and fangs. His hair was disheveled, almost shaggy and he was wearing only a pair of leather pants. His head was slightly lowered and Willow had the distinct feeling that he was sizing her up. When he slowly detached himself from the darkness and began to circle her, her fears were confirmed. She was the prey.

She gulped. "Nice vampire, nice vampy," she tried to placate. "Why don't we have a nice little chat. Let's talk and. . .ah. . .try to work something out. Maybe I can help. Tell me your problems. I'm a good listener."

Angelous suddenly lunged at her and she screamed, barely moving away. "Or not!" she began to babble. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to, but if you want to I'm more than happy to help, cause I'm just that kind of person, everyone says so, well my friends say so cause that's who I talk to, but they wouldn't say that if it weren't true right? And I really --"

Angelous lunged again and Willow dodged again just in time. "Can! Okay, calm down. Just calm down. Nice vampy, good vampy. Lets not do anything hasty. . .or you know, homicidal. Don't need to be so angry, all fangy and grrr --"

Willow shrieked as Angelous, on the third try knocked her down in a full frontal assault. He arched his face back to strike and Willow closed her eyes in terror. Surely he would now rip her throat out.

When after a couple of seconds she didn't feel anything, she cautiously opened one eye to peek out. Angelous' dark head was blocking her view but she could still tell what was going on. The vampire's growls were getting louder as the more infuriated he got. He was trying to sink his fangs in her flesh but wasn't succeeding. A bubble of hysterical laughter escaped Willow's lips before she could cover her mouth with one hand. She had completely forgotten! She had no substance in this state unless she willed it. Angelous could no more touch her as he could a ghost.

Frustrated, the vampire jumped up and showed her his fangs in anger. When she didn't cower away, he roared and went over to the cage, bending and ripping and destroying what had kept him prisoner in his own body. The lock might have been gone, but the cell - the reminder - was still there. The feel of the cold, iron bars only fueled his anger.

Willow picked herself up from the floor as she warily watched the beserk vampire. A piece of metal flew her way and she reflexively ducked before remembering her non-corporeal state. Standing as witness to what Angelous was feeling - going through - was disconcerting. The moment she had performed the spell, she had known that his curse had been broken. What she hadn't expected was to see something that she had never before considered or even imagined. The revelation had shocked her and now she had information that she didn't know what to do with or if she even wanted it.

That was for some later study.

For now, looking at Angelous, being inside him, she could not only see but feel emotions so dark and intense that they chocked. The demon was raging, fury and pain pouring out of him and drenching his being into a semblance of madness.

Another piece of metal flew past her, inches from her ear. Howls interspaced with growls accompanied the frenzied movements.

After a while of just standing witness, Willow slowly neared him. He had calmed down somewhat, having left nothing untouched, smashing everything. He was crouched amid the wreckage, his body trembling from all his spent energy and emotions.

When she was only a couple of feet away and he made no move toward her, she very cautiously closed the distance. She put out a trembling hand and willed it solid on his hunched shoulder.

He made no movement, no acknowledgement.

Slowly and very lightly she rubbed small circles on his shoulder as she moved to crouch in front of him.

Willow stared at his bent head until he picked it up. Green eyes met gold. "Let me help you," she whispered. He did nothing but gaze intently at her.

Very slowly, Willow raised her other hand as she moved the one from his shoulder and skimmed her fingers through his temple, his cheeks, his neck, the side of his head. "Let go of the pain," she murmured to him. "Let go of the rage."

Angelous' demon eyes fixed on hers, the richest green that seem to have a whole life of their own. Wet pools of jade; of verdant, rustling tree leaves; of rolling hills; of mossy gurgling brooks.

He closed his eyes as Willow lightly cupped Angelous' face and then closing hers, she moved further into him and merged.

Her essence, her light, her emotions, filled him, surrounded him, expelling and pushing away all the darkness, the anger and pain. She surrounded him in warmth and peace, in compassion. She moved into every space and filled him up completely until there was nothing left but her.

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To be continued: Ch. 4 Resonance

AN: I don't normally asks for reviews, but I'm not quite sure about this chapter. Willow's "meeting" with Angelous didn't quite write out as I would have imagined. Tell me what you think.