Part 7

She knocked on his door, before entering. In the short time she had woken up, Giles and Buffy had called. She looked at her caller I.D. and ignored the call. She remembered what Angel had told her. She knew before she could face them, she needed to face Angel.

She walked into the dark room and closed the door behind her. For a moment she thought at the sadness of Angel never being able to see the beautiful day outside. It wasn’t fair, she thought as she moved to the sofa and sat down. She would wait for him. Her thoughts returned to the night she had come and kissed him. She had tried to
stop, but there was nothing she could do. The cave, the arrow, the blood, the dream. She was too deep in thought to see the person who joined her.

“Willow.”

She jumped off the sofa.

“Angel.”

“I didn’t mean to scare you”.

“No...no..I was..It..was a surprise.”

“Please sit.”

She did, but tried not to look at him. Just hearing him had triggered her memories back to the dream, the wonderful dream. She turned bright red.

Angel had taken a good look at her when he saw her on the sofa. As at command he grew hard, remembering. It took all his control from reaching out and kissing her. He sat next to her.

“Willow I wanted to thank you. Thank you for saving me not only once, but three times. You’ve defended me when everyone has doubted. Even let me drink from you to live. I know it must have been horrible to let me feed on you...,” he said guiltily and ashamed, his gaze moving down.

Willow cut him off angrily.

“You don’t have to thank me Angel. I should be thanking you. You saved me from that arrow. If it hadn’t been for me you never would have lost so much blood. And it wasn’t horrific. I helped a friend and when ever you need...”

He looked up at her. She had managed to amaze him once more.

“I’ve never met anyone like you,” his eyes shining with gratefulness.

She looked at him and turned a bit redder.

“Last night under the tree. I’m sorry. I never should have. It was just that, I didn’t want it to be painful for you so I tried to make it as pleasurable as possible. The blood created the effect in me too, but I took a step further that I shouldn’t have and I’m sorry, I shouldn’t...,” he said feeling like a sixteen year old rambling. If he could sweat, he would be trenched.

“I understand,” she interrupted, feeling a bit hurt by the apology.

“Do you remember anything about the night before?” he asked her, knowing the best approach would be to ask her straight out.

She tensed

“Nothing wrong happened the other night,” he told her with a tenderness in his eyes she had never seen before. Willow remained looking at him with a guiltily face.

“What do you remember?” he asked hoping to get an answer.

“It’s crazy,” she mumbled.

“No it’s not. Tell me, please.”

It was crazy and knew many people would not believe her, yet she had a feeling Angel would. She gathered up enough courage and began the story.

“It was like a dream. I was there, but yet I wasn’t. I got up from bed, changed and had a need to see you. It was important. I had to find you. I felt desperation. I could not control myself. I was in my body, but I had no control of it. It was as though two people where in it. Then I saw you and felt such relief and love. Then we spoke and
a heavy sadness fell on me. Such a sadness. Then...” she said looking away from him blushing.

Then he had kissed her he thought, knowing this must be awkward for her.

“Then you past out,” he said hoping there was more.

“I thought I had fallen into a second dream. I was in the country talking to someone. She told me that I had to remember. Remember everything. That I would know and everything would be fine. I don’t remember anything else. I know it sounds crazy,”  she said, looking at him, hoping to see a different reaction.

“No it doesn’t. The person. Was she named Victoria?”

“How did...,” she began, but trailed off in surprise.

“Was it her?” he asked rather urgent.

“How could you know her name?” she asked him as she pulled herself up, knowing he knew more. He looked in to her eyes, knowing he would have to tell her.

“I knew her,” he replied as he stood up.

How to explain? he asked himself. He ran his hand through his hair.

Willow swallowed hard, trying to understand. A sharp pain hit her and she closed her eyes. She would see her again. Under a tree, waiting, wanting to see someone. Then she saw him.

“Under the maple tree. You proposed. The bracelet. You didn’t have a ring. She kissed you,” Willow said calmly.

<How the hell....> he asked himself as he turned around and looked at her surprised. Her eyes were closed and seemed to be in a trance.

“It was before, before you became...became...she knew...knew what you would become....knew she could some to you....she loved you...loved you so much...,” she said her voice becoming softer. She smiled.

Angel didn’t understand. She walked up to him, her eyes still closed. Her thoughts still in the past, she  placed her hand on his cheek. He did not move away, welcoming her touch.

“You looked so happy. You were strong. Full of life. Your eyes, full of light..,” she continued as she trailed off. She opened her eyes and could see Angel looking at her intently. She realized what she was doing and took her hand back.

“I’m sorry,” she told him as she backed away from him.

“No...don’t be,” he said.

She blushed a bright red.

“I was just.....just um...,” she tried to explain.

“How did you know?” he asked.

“I was there. I would see you...through her”.

He looked at her more intently. There was something in those green eyes.

She looked away from him and walked over to the fireplace more confused then before. Her head hurt. She didn’t understand any of this. She didn’t want to. She looked at one of the candle holders on a side table. <Damn it, won’t this headache ever go away> she thought. Before she even completed the thought, the candleholder flew
through the air, startling her and Angel.

“Oh God,” she muttered, wondering what had happened.

Her head throbbed. She bumped into Angel. She was scared. She turned to face him and soon Angel was pushed to the floor. She looked on terrified. She froze, then headed for the door.

Angel had not expected that push. He was thrown down to the ground for a second time and his body was not happy by that at all. He rushed to his feet as he saw her head for the door. Before she could reach it,  he wisked her around. He placed a strong hold on her shoulders, making her remain still.

“Willow calm down. You need to calm down,” he told her.

“What...happened...what’s happening?” she asked him frantically.

“You need to calm down.”

Those were the last words she heard before everything went dark.
 

Angel carried her to the sofa. She had passed out once again. She had been frantic, pushing him for a second time to the ground. She was strong. Very strong. His body was still bruised and hurting. He would need to explain. But how could he if even he did not quite understand it. She had told him she had been there. Seen him before he
became a vampire. Confessing to him that Victoria knew what he was to become. She knew his fate and yet never told him. The thought perplexed him. He was soon brought out of his thoughts as he saw Willow begin to moan. He sat next to her.

Her eyes blinked slowly open. The light hurting them a bit. Willow was exhausted. She felt as though she had ran a marathon. Her head throbbed. If this was how a hangover felt, now she knew she would never drink. She was looking at Angel as her eyes finally focused.

“How are you?” his soft voice asked.

“Tired,” she replied.

“You need to rest,” he told her.

“What’s wrong with me?” she asked him, hoping he knew.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he told her.

“Then I’m going crazy?” she asked somewhat hoping.

“No you aren’t,” he told her as his hand caressed her forehead.

“Then what is wrong with me?”

He felt her desperation and knew he would tell her as much as he knew.

“Willow do you trust me?”

Willow looked into his eyes and thought about it. Angel had saved her life several times, but they hardly spoke. He was her friend she knew that, but she did not really know him. Yet the answer pooped into her head once he asked.

“Yes.”

He looked at her astonished. That he had not expected. Even Buffy did not trust him completely. He knew that. He looked deeper into her green eyes.

“Victoria was a woman I knew before I was crossed over. Everything you saw at the maple tree was true. I proposed to her. We were to wed in secret later that week.”

“Secret?”

“There were rumors. Rumors everyone in the village believed. Her parents did not approved of our courtship.”

“What kind of rumors?” she asked fearing what he was about to say.

“Her family pertained to a certain clan, certain people. They did not approve of outside marriages. They had certain talents. Gifts per say. They moved from village to village, trying to live normal lives, but then the rumors would start and the fear would spread, then moved once again.”

“Angel, what did they do?” she asked trembling.

He took a deep breath and took her hand in his.

“Victoria was said to be able to see into the future.”

“That isn’t possible...no one can...” she began to say.

“Her sister Shannon was gifted with the movement of objects.”

“Telekinesis. She was able to move things with her mind?” she said not able to believe.

“Do you know much about your family tree?” he asked her.

“Um..I haven’t really asked my dad. My mom’s family is from Boston, we don’t talk to them much, I also have some family still in Ireland..”

“Ireland?” he asked.

“Yes. My aunt Melissa still lives there, my family came from..,” she said as she realized what he had meant.

“How long ago have you spoken with your aunt?”

“Angel you aren’t thinking..?”

“The only way you can receive their gifts if you are part of there family.  They were from Ireland, like I was”.

“But I don’t have any of there gifts..” she began to protest.

“You can move things. You pushed that holder like you pushed me. You opened the door in the sewer and the vampire that other night.”

“Angel..I didn’t mean..I didn’t know..I just...I don’t understand,” she told him as she pulled herself up.

“I know, I still don’t understand everything.”

“The nightmares she was there. One of the tortured,” she told him gasping for breath.

“Nightmares? What nightmares?” he asked.

“I have had nightmares....of people dying...tortured...killed. I was there..but wouldn’t help...wouldn’t help them..she was there..she was there,” she told him busting into tears. He wrapped his strong arms around, stroking her hair.

“They took them away in the middle of the night. All of them. They burned their houses and took them away. I tried to find her. It was too late,” he told her as a tear ran down his face.

“I’m sorry Angel..I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“It wasn’t yours either,” she sobbed.

He held her until her cries softened and his grief subsided.

“What am I meant to do?” she asked knowing she had to accept what was happening to her.

“I’m not sure. Victoria mentioned something about protecting the family.”

“The prophecy..”

“Your the one.”

“And your the shadow.”

“I think so.”

*Why me?*

*I don’t know.*

*How is it connected?*

*Giles might know*

*You heard Giles, he thinks it’s about Buffy.*

*He’s wrong. We’ll need his help.*

Willow looked up and would see the same confusion in Angel’s eyes. She pulled  back a bit frightened. Angel stood up panicking a bit.

“How?”

“I don’t...don’t know.”

“But you didn’t...”

*You didn’t either.*

“I know, but..,” she stopped noticing he hadn’t moved his lips.

“I’m not crazy, right?” she asked.

“No...no you aren’t.”

*We should see Giles*

*We should *

“Stop that”

“How if I don’t know how I do it in the first place?”

*I’m sorry*

“Angel, talk. Is this one of the powers?” she asked.

“It might be, I’m not sure.”

“My headaches,” she realized.

“Headaches?”

“I get headaches. Every time I use something. Your push here, the door in the lair, the candleholder. I get headaches.”

“Are they painful?” he asked her.

“No,” she hesitantly lied.

He looked at her for a moment. He knew she was lying to him. He could...feel it.

“They do,” he told her a bit hurt and serious.

She looked up and him and wondered how he knew.

“A bit.”

He sat back down next to her. He took her hands in his. He looked deep into her green eyes.

“We have to trust each other on everything Willow. Somehow, where connected.”

He smiled and caressed her hands. She stared back, thanking the person who had chosen him as her protector.

“I promise.”

“We’ll have to find out about your past. Somehow you are a descendent. I’m not sure how since the entire clan was executed.”

“I can ask my mom.”

“Then...” he trailed off as he looked to the door.

Willow followed his gaze and could feel the worry in Angel. He stood up and she followed, still not sure what it was. He turned to look at her, then heard the whisper in her head.

Buffy...Xander...Giles.
 
Part 8

“OPEN THE DAMN DOOR ANGEL! WE KNOW YOU HAVE WILLOW”,  Buffy screamed.

Angel headed for the door, but felt a hand pull him back.

*No*

*Why?*

*No*

At that moment the door violently opened. Buffy charged in, her crossbow pointed forward. Giles and Xander hurried in back of her.

Willow stepped in front of Angel, her arms stretched out, side to side.

“Get out of the way Willow,” Buffy demanded.

“No Buffy, put the bow down!” she told her.

“After all he has done to you?” Xander asked her mad.

She would not let them hurt him. Never. She stared dangerously from Xander to Buffy.

“Get out of the way!” she yelled once more.

She stood her ground. Angel remained still in back, letting Willow take care of the situation.

She lowered her bow and rushed to her, deciding to drag her out of the way.   To her surprise, she was stopped. She was not able to move forward. Xander and Giles looked on shocked. The crossbow was pulled out of her hands and thrown in the air, landing on the other side of the room.

Angel would feel the anger building inside of her and pulled one of her hands to his.

“What the hell...?” Buffy demanded once she saw what had happened to her and the crossbow, but soon quieted as she heard the door slam close and looked around her and saw Giles and Xander next to her.

Willow closed her eyes and let Buffy go, causing her to fall to the floor.  She squeezed his hand and leaned on it for support. He automatically stood behind her, offering his body for support. She accepted gladly and thanked him.

“We need to talk, but if you try to hurt Angel in anyway, I will stop you,”  she warned them.

“You’re the one,” Giles said in awe.
 
She nodded her head in agreement.

“What?” Xander asked, coming out of the confusion and fear.

“The one in the prophecy,” Giles continued.

“I am.”

“The shadow?”

“We think it’s Angel,” she told them.

“If someone would like to explain to me why we haven’t hurt dead boy here?”  Xander asked, the words not sinking in.

“Because Willow will stop us. Just like she stopped Buffy,” Giles explained.

“And why would she do that?” Xander asked sarcastically.

“Because he’s her protector. Her Guardian,” he said as he looked at Angel then Willow.

“We should sit,” Angel spoke.

“I’m here and this makes no sense to me. What the hell is happening?” Buffy demanded.

“I need to explain.”

“The hell you do,” Xander agreed.

“Sit,” Angel instructed, loosing his patience with them, he was worried about Willow.

*Are you o.k?*, concern in his soft voice.

She looked up at him.

*I’ll be fine.*

But he knew. She was tired and her head seemed to hurt. She was in some kind of pain.

*I need to explain, then I’ll rest*,  she told him, sensing his worry for her.  She smiled.

The rest looked on confused at what they saw. Their seemed to be a hidden meaning between them as they took their seats, which hurt Buffy the most.

She remained standing, leaning on Angel.

“About a week ago, I began having nightmares. Every time I closed my eyes, they would come and haunt me. I hardly ever slept. I never told anyone of their extent. Each night, each time it was a new one, more vivid then the one before. I slept no more then three hours at a time. I would wake up, only to go back to sleep and have another. They were all similar, some more horrifying then the other. It started off in a camp with a group of people,” she described as her voice began to crack.

Angel squeezed her hand.

*I’m here.*

“I would be a witness to all their executions, tortures, pain, fears. It never seemed to end. The worse part was they knew I was there and would call out for me to help. To help them stop the suffering, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t move. Then two nights ago, the tormentor came after me. I ran through the hills trying to escape. I could hear its laughs so close. It wanted me dead...,” she said as a tear ran down her cheek.

“I can never see “it”. All I can see are the people screaming, yelling. The things done to them. It’s horrible..horrible. I wanted to help, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t stop them from dying...,” as more tears fell.

“Then I started noticing things. Things I couldn’t understand. I started getting headaches, then passing out. The night I was attacked by the vampire, I had thrown the stake at him, dusting him. The only thing was that he was too far away. I can’t even throw correctly,” she confessed. “Angel saw it, then I passed out, my head throbbing.”

“The door in the sewer,” Giles said fascinated.

“It was me. There wasn’t a lever. I did it.”

“How?” Xander asked still confused.

“With her mind.” Angel replied.

“That isn’t possible,” Buffy began to protest.

“I can. Just like a stooped you from advancing and slammed the door shut. I did it.”

“That’s crazy,” Xander said a bit unnerved.

“I know it’s hard to believe, I still can’t, but I was the one who stopped the golden arrow. It all happened so fast. He had me, then the door closed. I tried to get away, but I couldn’t. I was too scared. Then he started shooting the arrows out of his arms. He loosened the hold, I bit him and got away. Then someone pushed me to the floor. It was Angel. The arrow cut throw his chest. He had saved me from my death, I was
frozen. Amoment later Buffy flew through the air, hitting the wall head on. She was knocked out cold. I was angry, angry that I hadn’t helped my friends and causing all of this. I stood up and faced him. He started laughing, then pointed the arrow at me and shot. I stopped it,
in-between my hands then....,” she said, shaking a bit, remembering what she had done.  “Then...I threw it...back...in his..his head..he died”.

Angel could sense the struggling of her emotions. He caressed her hand, Buffy all the while looking on, jealously in her eyes.

“Then I saw Angel, he had lost too much blood. I cut my wrists, I was the one that let him drink, I was the one that saved my friend. He had no idea what was happening until he woke up, then stooped.”

“We didn’t...we weren’t...,” Giles began to explain feeling ashamed of his wrongful assumptions of Angel.

“Angel I didn’t know..I couldn’t remember..,” Buffy interrupted.

Angel looked at Giles, then Buffy. He looked away, knowing what they meant, not levitating the hurt caused.

“I passed out in the cave when I opened the door, then in the library, Angel was still hurt, but you didn’t let him leave. He could have died if I hadn’t asked him to take me home. This afternoon, I came over here. We had a lot to talk about.”

“Talk about what?” Buffy asked accusingly.

“Talk about what happened.”

“About the night you came over here to sleep with him?” she asked getting up, her better judgment slipping.

“What?!” Both men asked as they jumped off the sofa, wondering just what the hell was going on between them.

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