Previously: Angelina withdrew from the hug and placed both of her hands on either side of Lorne's face and kissed him.

It was full of something, though Lorne couldn't place what. Angelina drew away, smiled and then left for bed, leaving Lorne looking like a stunned mullet.

'What just happened?' he wondered aloud.

'I said goodnight!' Angelina called.

Chapter 37

After Buffy got that call from Niblet, she wouldn't do anything but pace. She had gotten out of bed, wondering what someone would want of her at this hour, listened to Dawn and then freaked out.

She wouldn't sit down, she wouldn't even talk at first.

I had followed her out into the other room when she didn't come back after hanging up. She refused to sit, but I did. Right now I sat and watched her pace.

'You're gonna wear a hole in the floor love'

'Not yet anyway' Buffy stated.

She picked up the phone and dialled the Whelp.

'Hello?'

'Xander? Did I wake you?'

'Nah of course not. I'm always awake at… Geez, four thirty in the morning' was the response.

'Well don't go outside ok?'

'Why Buff? What's wrong?' Xander asked.

Buffy plunged into a very detailed account of how Dawn had rung her with the news that Angelus was back. Xander listened and didn't interrupt often. I still sat there, fighting the urge to close my eyes. I had been watching Buffy sleep and was just about to doze of when the phone had gone off.

Buffy turned to me and mouthed the words 'Tell Willow'.

I shook my head. I wasn't going to wake the witch. Who knows how she would react to an early morning wake up call.

Buffy asked me once again, this time with a slap as well. I had to give in then.

I rose from the couch and headed towards the bedroom, grabbed clothing and went to wake the witch.

I crossed the hallway and stood outside her door. All was quiet behind the door, so I guessed she was asleep. Steeling myself for whatever could happen, I knocked on the door. Once. Twice. Three times.

I rocked on my heels as I waited for a sleepy Willow to open the door. She did. But she didn't look too impressed with the early morning visit.

'Spike? What's wrong?' Willow blinked and rubbed sleep from her eyes.

'Gotta story to tell on the behalf of Buffy' I explained.

'Can it wait til later?'

''Fraid not pet'

'Well alrighty then' Willow moved out of the doorway, allowing me to step inside.

'So what's this story?' She asked as I made my way to the couch.

I turned and faced her.

'It's bad pet'

Willow finally seemed awake 'How bad?' she sounded terrified.

'Angelus bad' I stated.

Willow came to sit beside me and sighed. 'I gave him a soul before and now he goes and loses it again. Ok, how's the story go?'

I smiled. Typical Red.

I sat there with Willow for about an hour, discussing with her the events that had occurred in Buffy's apartment. She listened closely, probably trying to find any part of the story that may have been caused by magical means. When she asked though, I did have to say that I didn't know.

We sat and talked about the last time she gave Angel a soul and how difficult it had been, how Cordelia had been sick at the time, but it was nice for Willow to see her, etc. I didn't particularly care, but kept the to myself. It was time to give Red a break. She'd been through so much.

'So… Angel soulless… Again' breathed Willow.

Things obviously didn't surprise her as much anymore, but this news had. It was written all over her face. She hadn't expected for him to give up his soul anytime soon. He was after all the 'Champion' according to stories I had heard from Lorne and others.

Lorne… That reminds me. Wonder if Buffy told Angelina about this?

I'd have to see if she had.

'Well Red, I think I'll let you sleep now. I want to go back to bed myself' I stood and nodded.

Willow stood too and walked over to the door to open it. When she did, she screamed and jumped back. Angelus stood in the doorway.

'Just thought I'd drop in' He laughed.

'Too bad you can't come in!' Willow retorted.

'Oh don't be that way Will, I just came by to say, wow nice place!' Angelus gawked at her apartment. He was particularly admiring the picture of Willow and Kennedy. The one she had kept for memory's sake.

'To tell me what?' Willow brought him back to the scene before him.

'What? Oh right.' He giggled. 'To tell you, that… you're next' and he turned on his heel and faced me. 'Spike…' he began. 'Apart from that atrocious hair colour, you look good'

'Sod off Angelus' every muscle in my jaw tensed.

Angelus laughed again and began to walk away. 'Cya soon Spikey!' he called as he disappeared down the hall.

I had remained next to Willow that entire time, just in case Angelus had tried to pull something funny and somehow manage to drag Willow out of her apartment. It had happened before, and I had been with him at the time. I knew he was more than capable of it. His weapons other than his fists, were his words.

They could inflict so much damage on a person; they would resort to violence in the means of fixing it.

It only made them dead.

'Alright' I said moving back towards the couch. 'Looks like I'm here for now.'

I settled back onto the couch as Willow picked up the phone and called Buffy. She explained that we had jus had an encounter with Angel and that she advised her to stay in her apartment. To ward off vampires for the time being, which meant me as well, but for now I was fine on Red's couch. I closed my eyes as Willow went into her very detailed account of what had just happened and what her theories were about the 'no soul' business.