Sunnydale High, 2200 hours; the next day.
As the lights in the school hallway shut off; a shiver went up Willow's spine while she was talking to Xander about having discovered that not only was her oldest friend seeing Cordelia, he had also hidden it from her. But that conversation stopped when the lights had gone out, and they heard Angel calling out to Willow from one end of the hallway. Willow turned around and looked at Angel covered in shadow, standing in front of the very doors that the redhead had walked through after finding out about the truth; she had gone out to calm down after she screamed at Xander in the hallway for hiding something like this from her. However, when she was outside on the roof of the school, Willow realized her hypocrisy; she was hiding who she was from Xander and their friends, she was hiding her nightly activities. It was a few minutes later that she climbed down the side of the school using the emergency ladder, and then went back into the school. Now, as she looked at Angel the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
There was something about the vampire standing in a dark corner of the hallway that unsettled her.
Angel was their friend; their ally. But she could hear Niko's voice in her mind, she could hear Ariel's voice in her mind; both of them saying that there was something wrong.
The experience from Niko telling Willow that something was wrong.
She knew that they had failed since they lost the Judge's arm; Willow placed some of the blame on herself… she told Giles in private that she should have been there… that she could have had an excuse to tell Buffy that she needed to come along with them. Willow told Giles after the incident at the port that there was something that Niko was training to do using mystical forces, but she had to be in close proximity for the plan to work. Willow repeated to Giles that she should have been there; that she could have tried Niko's technique since she had managed to show it to Althanea who was impressed with how advanced Niko was in her training.
"But you must take it slow, Willow," said Althanea back in Giles apartment after Willow dispelled the illusion, "we will augment Niko's mystical training, but we will begin with the basics; and then we will go on from there."
"Neat," said Willow with a grin.
However, after the arm was stolen from the port last night, Giles told Willow that she herself still wasn't too sure about that technique, and he agreed with Willow's initial plan; that they gained more information through their research.
The Bronze, 2200 hours, the previous night.
Last night, after Willow and Giles talked, Angel told them that he'll have to take the box with the Judge's arm out of the country, that he wanted to bury it where no one would ever find it, and that he would be gone for a year at most. Willow had seen how upset Buffy was upon hearing the news, and she glanced at Xander who was indifferent to the prospect of having Angel gone for a year. But a part of her felt upset too, he was a friend despite being a vampire… and she was supportive of Buffy and Angel's burgeoning relationship. But another, rational, part of the redhead silently agreed with Angel, that he needed to take the arm away with him; at least that's what Niko's experiences told her. It was times like this that Willow wished she had the use of Ranger-1, the Series Five Rangers' hyperspace enabled ship, then she'd put it on another planet.
Instantly taking away the threat of the Judge.
But since the technology didn't exist for such a ship, Angel had the next best idea. Willow saw Buffy hugging Angel, and redhead then walked forward and placed her hand gently on Buffy's shoulder and squeezed slightly, the redhead giving a small smile to Angel who nodded his head. She then stepped back as Angel tightened his hold on Buffy while Giles talked to Angel, and then Miss Calendar walked over to the ensouled vampire and told him that she'll drive them to the port.
Willow sensed something off in Miss Calendar's voice, but she couldn't tell what it was…. It seemed as if she was a bit too eager for Angel to leave. But just as quickly, Willow thought to herself that Miss Calendar just wanted to see the arm be taken out of Sunnydale. It was five minutes later that Buffy and Angel left with Miss Calendar in her car towards the port of Sunnydale, it was just before the three of them left that Cordelia asked if anyone knew how to contact the girl in the black costume.
"No," said Angel as he looked at everyone, "wait, does anyone know how to contact her?"
Willow tried to hide her smile as she thought about the few times that she had helped take down vampires with Angel and Buffy together. She would always be silent with the two of them, but the redhead would join them as a test of the elixir that hid her scent, and she was glad it worked even against Angel. However, now she just looked at Angel before saying that maybe she could help; but of course the problem was that they didn't know how to contact her.
"I mean," said Willow as she looked at Buffy who was reluctant to have the mysterious girl take part in this operation, "even you said that she's helped you out a lot, Buffy."
"This is big, though," said Buffy, "she's helped but.. I mean even if we needed her help, I think she operates at the cemetery's; and we don't have time to go through all the cemeteries looking for her."
"Maybe she's got super hearing," said Cordelia as she looked at everyone while shrugging her shoulders, "you know… you go out and shout, 'hey, Nighthawk', and she comes running… or flying."
"Nighthawk?" asked Xander as everyone looked at Cordelia, especially Willow who looked at her with an eyebrow raised, "seriously?"
"What?" asked Cordelia as she looked at everyone, her eyes lingering at Willow for a few seconds longer before she looked at Xander, "you have a better code name?"
"Well," said Xander as Miss Calendar interrupted them by saying that they needed to leave right then and there, that they had no more time to waste.
"Good luck, Angel," said Willow as Angel nodded at her, and then at Giles before he left with Buffy and Miss Calendar. In the meantime, Giles took Xander, and Cordelia who looked at Willow as she passed by, towards his car. While Willow wanted to help Buffy and Angel as she walked with Oz towards his van, she thought about what Buffy said back inside the Bronze, the redhead's M.O. was to scour the cemeteries in search of Buffy or any other vampires, and the odd mugger on the way back home. But if she showed up that far outside the city, then Angel, Buffy, and Miss Calendar would suspect that one of the Scoobies was the woman in black since they were the only ones aware of what would be going on at the port.
So Willow made the decision to stay with Oz, and smiled at him as he talked to her while they were walking. She could still feel the butterflies in her stomach the more she looked at the young man; and then she did something she knew she would never have done otherwise, if she never had the experiences, and confidence of a Ranger; the both of them were walking so close that she gently brushed her hand against his as their arms swung while walking. The redhead couldn't help but blush as she put back a few strands of her hair before she looked at Oz, and then gently grabbed his fingers; and then laced her fingers between his, when all of a sudden her face showed her uncertainty as she looked at the surprise on Oz's face. Willow wondered if she did the right thing, and was about to let go when Oz gave her a small smile and then gently squeezed the redhead's hand.
'I have a boyfriend!' thought Willow to herself as she mentally jumped up and down while she blushed as she looked back in front and they continued walking towards his van, which was parked next to Giles' Volvo.
"Willow," said Giles as he opened his door, his voice bringing the redhead out of her thoughts, "we'll meet you at the library, we need to begin researching on the judge."
"I'll see you there," said Willow nodding her head vigorously, trying to silently tell him that she's not going to go out on her own, at least not until she's done with the research. Giles then nodded his head while Xander got into the front seat of the car and turned to Giles; Willow knew the young man was asking the Watcher something, but it was as she let of Oz's hand to open the passenger side door did she notice Cordelia looking back at the redhead with an eyebrow raised, and a smirk on her face.
'She saw us holding hands,' thought Willow to herself as her face turned red. Cordelia just nodded her head before getting into the backseat of the car, while Willow entered the van and closed the door. It was then that both groups headed out of Buffy's quickly cancelled birthday party.
Sunnydale High, 2200 hours; the next day.
Back in the present, Willow and Xander squinted their eyes in the dark as they looked at Angel.
"Angel?" asked Willow stepping forward while another Shiver going up her spine.
"Yea," said Angel as he motioned towards the redhead, "Willow, come here… I wanna show you something."
"Ummm.." said Willow as she looked at Xander, and then at Angel again.
"I've got some information on the Judge," said Angel whose face was still hidden in shadow, "hey, Xander… call the others. Willow, come on… you should really hear this."
"Okay," said Willow she walked towards Angel while Xander ran through the nearby door to call for the others. It was a few seconds later that he stopped mid-way, and turned back… he had gotten a bad feeling. It was at that time, where Willow was a few steps closer to Angel, but stopped walking when all of her senses were going off at once. She took a few steps back from Angel when she heard Miss Calendar's voice from behind her.
"Willow," said the I.T. teacher who was wielding a wooden cross as Willow looked over her shoulder, "get away from him, and…"
It was too late.
Willow heard a growl and the next thing she knew, Angel had grabbed her, and then in one fluid motion… before she could even register what was going on; Angel, her friend, her ally… had his hand around her neck in a vice-like grip. Willow's mouth was wide open as she tried to breath; she wanted to use her abilities…. but she had heard about who Angel used to be from Giles and Buffy, he was a monster.
'If this Angel isn't our Angel,' thought Willow as she yelped as his hand gripped her throat tighter while Xander ran back into the hallway and stood next to Miss Calendar, "then it's.. it's the other Angel… Angelus. He's supposed to be worse than Spike and… and if I use my powers here then…. oh, oh…. Stupid Willow, stupid, stupid Willow. NO powers, no powers… I use them now? He'll know and I'm dead… me first and…. Oh boy.'
"Angel," said Xander as he noticed Willow close her eyes.
"He's not Angel," said Miss Calendar as she held up the cross towards the vampire.
"I am Angel," said Angel with a grin on his face, a grin that sent even more chills down everyone's spine. He then tightened his hold on Willow's throat, and then leaned forward and spoke into her ear, "nothing's gonna save you."
"Will?" asked Xander as he looked at the redhead while Jenny took a step forward.
"You can pray for rescue if you want," said Angel as he pulled Willow off her feet while Xander and Jenny took a step back. Angel grinned at the two of them while Willow's legs were kicking away, her mind was burning as she opened her mouth and struggled to breath before Angel put an arm around her waist to support her body. With Willow's neck now at Angel's mouth level, he licked her neck and then looked at Jenny and Xander, "doesn't matter. I'll leave you as a message for Buffy, Willow."
Just as Willow opened her eyes, Angel heard Buffy's voice behind him.
"I'm right here," said Buffy as Angel turned around.
"I guess prayers do work," grinned Angel as he hissed into Willow's ear.
"Buffy," said Willow as the door that was behind Buffy opened roughly, and the girl in black that Cordelia had referred to last night as Nighthawk flew down onto the pavement outside the door, and walked in silently before she stood next to Buffy who looked at her confused. Shaking her head, and pushing some questions to the back of her mind, Buffy then looked at Angel.
"What you wanna tell me, you tell me," said Buffy, her voice pained as she looked at the man she loves, "let Willow go."
"It's not something that I can…" said Angel as Nighthawk waved her hand and both Angel and Willow were slammed hard against the wall. The force that slammed the both of them against the wall caused Angel to let go of Willow's throat just before they hit the wall.
"Get her out of her," said Buffy looking at Nighthawk as she nodded at Willow; and then Nighthawk ran towards the redhead, grabbed her hand, and the both of them ran while Buffy punched Angel with tears in her eyes. Willow and Nighthawk then stood next to Xander and Miss Calendar as Angel grabbed both sides of Buffy's head while Willow closed her hands into fists, controlling her telekinesis through the Nighthawk illusion. Nighthawk raised her left hand as Angel's hands were forced away from the sides of Buffy's head… the blonde Slayer still in shock about seeing the one she loved being so changed in front of her. Angel, with his hands out by his sides, leaned forward and kissed Buffy's forehead with his vampire face still activated just before he felt a force pushed him onto the exit doors. He hit the doors hard, and then fell to the floor as Buffy slowly turned to face him, tears streaming down her face as her hands were rolled tightly into fists. He then slowly got up and pointed at Buffy.
"I'll see you soon, lover," said Angel before he looked at Nighthawk, and pointed his finger at her, "I'll see you soon too."
Angel then ran out of the building before Nighthawk turned to face Willow.
"Thanks," said Willow as Nighthawk nodded her head and then left down an adjacent hallway while Jenny, Xander, and then Willow ran to Buffy who was sitting on the floor and wiping her eyes.
"Buffy?" said Willow as Buffy turned to her, her bottom lip trembling as she Slayer brushed her fingers on Willow's neck.
"I'm sorry, Will," said Buffy as her voice broke while the redhead then leaned forward and hugged the blonde, her arms tightening around Willow's shoulder as she started to sob. In the meantime, Willow looked over her shoulder and asked Xander to get Giles and the others.
"We have a problem," said Miss Calendar with the cross on her side. Willow looked at Miss Calendar while Xander ran to the library, the redhead had a lot of questions for the I.T teacher; particularly about how she knew that there was something wrong with Angel. But she didn't want to ask it now in front of her distraught friend as she felt hot tears through her shirt. It didn't take too long for Giles, Cordelia, and Oz to rush to where Willow was hugging Buffy. By now, the Slayer had calmed down and pulled back before looking into her best friend's eyes and apologizing again for what just happened.
"Buffy," said Giles as he looked down at the Slayer, "how did… what happened?"
"I… He lost his soul," said Buffy as she looked away from Giles, and back onto the floor, "I.. I…"
"Maybe we should get you home," said Willow as she looked at Buffy; the redhead was the only one in the group who Buffy told about she and Angel spending the night together. Willow then looked at Giles and told him that there'd be time to ask her questions tomorrow.
"Of course," said Giles as Xander helped Buffy stand up, and Oz helped Willow get to her feet.
"Can you take me home?" asked Buffy as she looked at Willow who nodded her head; the redhead then looked at Oz and gave a small smile before he told them that his van was in the lot outside. It was a few minutes later that Willow walked Buffy to her door before hugging the Slayer again, telling her that they'll find a way to help Angel get back his soul. Buffy nodded her head before saying goodnight to Willow, and waving to Oz who was in his van. The redhead walked away after the door closed, and headed towards the van. Willow didn't know what was going to happen now; but the only thing she knew was that thing had gotten dangerous for all of them.
'I need to talk to Althanea when I get back home,' thought Willow to herself as Oz drove the van; she then sat back in her seat while looking at Oz, 'there has to be a way to dis-invite Angel… there has to be."
Little did Willow know that, as the van drove away, Angel was hiding under a tree smiling at the now lit window of Buffy's room. The vampire saw Buffy look out of the window before closing the curtains.
"The fun begins now, lover," said Angel as he ran towards the factory that was Spike and Drusilla's lair, he had to reintroduce himself to his former partners in crime, "I'll teach you for making me feel human."
TBC.