Disclaimer:  Joss and Mutant Enemy own the characters in the story.  I am just borrowing them.


Homecoming
by Lorelei
 

The tray was laden with a cup of peppermint tea, a bowl of chicken broth, and a plate that held soda crackers and two oranges.  Angel walked over next to the bed and waited for Willow to situation
herself on her pillows.  He sat the tray down over her lap and watched as she nibbled on the crackers and sipped the tea before finally speaking.

“You’re feeling better, aren’t you?”

Willow nodded an answer in the affirmative.

“So, we’ll leave tomorrow right after sunset.  You’ll feel like travelling by then, won’t you?”

Angel was doing his level best to keep his tone light, though his stomach was churning.  It had been three days since he’d finally confessed the truth to Willow.  Three silent days that she’d barely
spoken to him.  Granted, she’d been ill, but the chill in her demeanour made it obvious that it wasn’t a sore throat keeping her silent.

Surprising him, Willow spoke, “Yes.”

“You feel better then?  You’re not having chills anymore?” he asked.

“Yes to the first. No to the second.” Willow spooned up a bit of broth and pointedly picked up one of the magazines he’d brought for her.

Angel didn’t want to push it.  She’d spoken more to him in the last minute than she had in the last day.  But his aching back made it a necessity.

“The couch is really uncomfortable.  I could use some sleep in the bed if you’re going to be well enough to get up and around tomorrow.”

Willow didn’t bother to look up from the magazine. “Suit yourself.”

“Are you sure it’s okay?  I’m going out for a walk.  I probably won’t be ready for bed until near dawn.”

Willow shrugged. “Fine.”

“Fine, then.”

Angel walked from the room, and Willow listened intently for the close of the front door.  She made herself count to one hundred before getting up from the bed and heading for the kitchen with the tray.   Once there, she dumped the broth down the drain, threw out the crackers, and set the oranges on the counter.  Rummaging in the pantry and the refrigerator she found what she had been looking for and prepared a huge peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Greedily, she polished off it and two glasses of milk, plus the oranges, before heading back to the bedroom.

A small twinge of guilt tugged at her conscience.  Angel had been extremely thoughtful about preparing her food and waiting on Willow hand and foot when she’d been sick, which in actuality had only been the first day and a half of her ‘illness’.  It was easier, that was all.  Easier to feign being ill than to have to face his constant need to deal with the issue at hand. Especially when she didn’t know how or even if she wanted to deal with it.

Thoughts of how to handle this mess that he’d gotten them in were running through her head as she drifted off to a fitful sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It would be daylight soon.  Undressing quietly, Angel slipped into the bed next to Willow, sighing with relief at the comfort of the bed.  He started to reach out and touch her, but stopped himself.  He longed to hold her, yet couldn’t betray her trust.  Instead, he contented himself with rolling on to his side and staring at her delicate features.

Sensing his presence even in her sleep, Willow wriggled closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.  Angel froze, delighted and shocked at her actions.  Subconsciously at least, she still wanted him.  He moved her into his embrace, running his hands down her sides.  She responded by nudging her hips into his ever so slightly.  Despite his good intentions to just lay beside her and fall asleep Angel’s cock leaped to attention.  He placed small kisses on her shoulder, hoping she would return his attentions, yet terrified that she would wake up and angrily push him away.  She stirred, but her eyes remained closed even as her hands began kneading his ass.

Angel was caught in a trap.  He didn’t know which of his feelings to give in to.  Either way, he was going to hate himself.  He made a quick decision.  Better to take a chance and be rewarded than to spend the next few hours in physical torture.  He turned her face to his and kissed her gently on the lips.  Willow’s mouth parted and her tongue flickered out and slipped into his own.  He groaned and moved his hand between her legs, parting her folds, seeking her tiny bud of nerve endings.  She was already wet and ground her mound onto his hand.

Angel broke the kiss and looked at her.  Her eyes were still closed even though he was certain she was awake.  She had to be awake, didn’t she?  Her hand was gently squeezing his testicles, her thumb caressing the underside of his penis.

“Willow?”  His voice quavered slightly.

“Yes.”

Angel buried his face in her hair, running his tongue over the curve of her ear.  He knew what she meant, even if she was still answering in monosyllables.  Yes, she was awake and yes, she wanted this.

Willow was wide-awake.  There was an ache in her abdomen that was almost painful.  She didn’t care how Angel was going to interpret her current actions.  All she knew was that it had been several days and she needed to have him inside her, needed the physical release he brought her.  She bit into his shoulder and rolled them over so that he was on top of her.  She spread her legs and urged him to enter her with an insistent grinding of her hips.  Angel happily obliged and slid into her moist entrance, moaning at the feel of her hot walls sheathing his throbbing erection.

Panting, Willow locked her ankles around his back, moving with him as he drove into her.  She was just a hairsbreadth away from orgasm, but she held herself back, refusing to let the pleasure wash over her.  Instead, she maneuvered herself so that she had access to his nipples, stroking the tiny nub of his left breast with her tongue.

Angel thrust into Willow, barely able to control his orgasm.  She was holding back for some reason, even though her body was tensed and ready to climax.  Grabbing her hair, he pulled her lips to his, devouring her with his mouth. Willow’s body arched instantly, her back bowing upwards as she screamed into his mouth. The ache in her groin turned into a throbbing pleasure as the tension slipped from her body.  Angel followed her.  He choked out her name as he came, bathing her with his
cold seed.

They lay still for a minute before Willow tapped his shoulder, indicating that she wanted him to move off her.  Angel obliged with a lazy grin on his face.  He tried to pull her in for another kiss, but
Willow slid out from his embrace and stood up.

“Where are you going?”  Angel tried to keep the hurt from his voice.

“Shower, then packing.”

“Oh.”  Angel turned over and tried to will sleep.  He should have known that it wouldn’t be that easy with Willow.

Willow made it to the bathroom and closed the door before letting the tears flow.  //Damn me for acting like a typical horny teenager!  Now how am I supposed to think straight?  Oh, Goddess… what am I going to do? //

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The drive back to Sunnydale was a quiet one.  Willow was still barely speaking, and then only when he asked her a direct question.   Angel wasn’t sure how they were ever going to work through this if she wasn’t going to talk to him.  She didn’t even want to go past the mansion to see how the kitten was doing, opting instead for him to drop her off at her parents’ house.

Angel pulled up to the curb and carried her suitcase to the door.  Willow followed behind him with her laptop.

Angel turned as he set the case next to the door.  Screwing up his courage he finally spoke.

“So, what now?  Do you want me to come in?”

Willow looked down, fumbling with her keys. “No.  Mom and dad are home.  I don’t think that would be a good idea, even if they are asleep.”

“Okay.  Willow… I… what’s next?”

Finally, she looked at him. “I don’t know.”

She moved past him and unlocked the door.  Angel grabbed her arm. “Willow, we have got to deal with this sometime.”

Cringing, she took his hand from her arm. “Can we please not do this now?”  She picked up her case and carried it inside.

Angel was shaking, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back outside. “Then when?  When are we going to talk about this?”

Willow’s voice caught as she spoke, “Look… I’m tired.  I’ve been sick and I just want to go to bed.  What do you want from me?”

He reached up, tracing the curve of her jaw with his finger.  “I want to take you back home and hold you all night. I want to have you look me in the eye every time you talk to me.  I want you to realise that we’re meant to be together, that we love each other and need one another.  But most of all I want you to forgive me… to believe me when I say that I’m sorry I hurt you.”

Willow was crying now, tears spilling down her cheeks and on to his hand. “No.  I can’t.  Not right now.”

She stepped back into the house.  She hesitated before closing the door. “I need some time to think about things. I don’t do that very well when we’re together. I won’t be over for awhile.  Okay?”

Angel nodded his agreement, even though his mind was willing him to scream out that it was about as far from okay as it could be.

Willow gave him a wan smile. “I’ll see you later.”  Quietly, she closed and locked the door.

Angel walked back to the car, his mind in a daze and his heart aching.
 
Willow had said she’d see him later, but somehow it felt like she had just told him goodbye.
 

End

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