Disclaimer: All characters within are property of Joss Whedon, et al, and are used without permission. (But you try ignoring characters that just won't GO AWAY.)

by Laurie Burcaw

It was early when Willow came out of her private bathroom. She had nothing on as she vigorously dried her hair with a towel, not expecting the "present" she found on her floor. She moved towards her closet and stopped at the moaning coming from her bed.

When she looked over she saw a very burnt Angel curling away from the sunlight coming in through her frenchdoors. "I'll be damned! It worked!" she said, surprised.

Quickly she shut the blinds on the doors and covered them with a blanket from her closet. When she turned around she was met with the very confused stare of Angel. "Willow?" he rasped.

"In the flesh." she replied flippantly.

"What, uh.... ahhh....." he turned away quickly not wanting her to see him change when the hunger overtook him. <I've got to get out of here!> He tried to stand up and almost fell on his face.

Fortunately Willow was fast and caught him. "Oh no you don't!" she said forcefully. "I spent three months trying to get you back you're not running out on me! Besides that it's daytime." She sat him back on the bed facing the doors and peeled away a corner of the blanket to prove it.

Angel looked up and was taken back at the sight. Not the daylight, mind you, but Willow naked with the sun increasing the fiery red of her hair. Shame automatically hit him and he looked back down. "Willow I really want to know what's going on but first I think you should get dressed."

She saw his recognition and continued, now having pulled on her jeans she sat down with him on the bed. "You killed Miss Calendar and tormented all of us for months." She paused to put on her shirt and stop herself from punching him. <He's Angel not Angelus remember that!> "One day I found a disk that had the original curse on it. Unfortunately at the same time you had decided to awaken a demon named Acathla. Buffy had me try the curse but before I could finish it Dru came and I was put in the hospital. Then in the hospital I tried again hoping I would be in time to stop you. I wasn't. Buffy and you were fighting and she almost had you when your soul was returned."

Angel turned paler than normal and he said, "We kissed then she ran me through with a sword and I was sent to Hell."

"Exactly. She disappeared that night and none of us have seen her since."

"Then how do you know......?" Angel asked more than a little angry at himself for what had happened. The anger brought back the demon's need for blood and he had to literally throw Willow off the bed so he wouldn't bite her.

Anger flared from Willow until she realized his predicament. "Angel....." she said as softly as possible, not wanting to enrage him more, while she returned to the bed and reached out to his face.

Growling he turned away. "I need blood Willow and I am not about to feed from you!" he said fiercely.

"You don't have a choice. I can't leave you here to go get some and you most certainly can't go get some. So what do you suggest?"

She was standing in front of him, her hands on her hips, with her "resolved" face on. Angel realized he would be a fool to argue with her. "I don't know." he pouted.

Then, a second thought entered his mind. "I could just open those doors and be dust." He said with longing.

Willow slapped him. Astonished Angel looked at her. " What was that for?" he asked, rubbing his cheek.

"Every time I hear you talk or I even think your thinking about suicide or blaming yourself I'm going to hit you." she said with conviction.

"Why do you care?" he asked with a laugh.

"Because I need you to live!! Now eat!" she pushed herself between his legs and pulled his mouth to her neck. He tried to pull away but couldn't he was too weak from the trip to Hell and back. However he still had enough sense to not bite. So he spoke against her throat. "Willow I can't feed from you. Please don't make me."

His pleading bothered her. Sighing she released him. "All right. You promise me that you won't do anything stupid and I'll be right back with a solution."

"All right." he agreed.

"Good, I'm going to the kitchen but I'll be right back." She looked him in the eye to be sure and saw a lot of pain but also trust. She told him he'd be safe with a smile, then left.

While Willow was gone Angel's memories that had been trickling back came en masse. He was reduced to a sobbing mess of guilt with a million questions. He wanted so much to be able to understand how Willow could still trust him. Not to mention the fact that he was going crazy at the prospect of never seeing Buffy again. How could he live without her? Never to be able to explain how he felt. God! He'd only told her twice that he loved her, never told her how she represented life itself for him. That she was his reason for getting up every night. And to have said the things he wanted to say, after their magical night together when she had given all of herself to him. That was what he really hated the demon for. <No wonder she sent me to Hell. I want to go back!>

Willow heard the sobs coming from her room long before she reached it. Bravely she entered her room with a glass of her blood, and bandages on her wrists. Willow approached the only friend she had left in the world, and hit him in the kidneys. Howling in pain Angel looked up at his tormentor through tear filled eyes.

"I warned you." she said calmly holding the glass out for him. He begrudgingly took it and began to drink. That's when he noticed her bandages. His free hand reached out to caress the wounds. "Thanks." he whispered.

"You're welcome." she whispered back.

"So you remember, I take it?" she asked.

"Yeah I remember, but you still haven't told me how you know since Buffy and I were the only ones there." he said trying to piece it together.

"Well, it's a long story. Let me explain...."

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