Title: A Vacation to Remember
Author: claudia6913
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: W/A
Summary: Willow gets to see Angel's apartment, and gets a small surprise from yet another blonde.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They are sole property of Joss and Co.
Distribution: NHA, SoG, redsoulmates, Bewitching Angel, and anyone else I post to. Other's just ask.
Author's notes: I'm sorry if I've offended any Buffy or Kate fans, but it just works better this way.
Feedback: Of course! Are you nuts? I live for this stuff! Or, more technically write for it, but you get the drift. ghoztstarz@yahoo.com
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Chapter 2
Angel and Willow drove away in silence, each entrenched in their thoughts. They stayed that way for most of the ride, every now and then making eye contact. Finally Willow spoke up.
"Angel, I...I'm sorry. I didn't tell Buffy. I didn't know how she would react. I..."
"Shh, Little One. Don't apologize for her," Angel sighed. He didn't know what to say. Glancing over at Willow he could see she was distraught. He mentally kicked himself. His display earlier hadn't helped.
"Willow, I...I should apologize for my actions back there. You shouldn't have had to see that...side of me. It's just, when Buffy called you that, I snapped. I'm sorry," Angel looked over at her afraid he'd see hurt or anger, or worse disappointment. He didn't see any of those. She was smiling.
"Angel," Willow said placing a hand on his arm, "don't ever apologize again. If you hadn't of done what you did I probably would have hit her." She laughed bitterly.
"I don't know what's happened to her. Ever since Riley...," Willow sighed and broke off. 'How do you explain to someone that the love of their life, well unlife, is not the same person anymore,' she asked herself.
Angel could see the wheels turning in her head as she organized her thoughts. He knew she felt guilty, that much he could smell, but why? 'Such a caring person. She never wants anyone to hurt, even a monster like me,' Angel thought.
"Ok, I'm not sure what to say. I'm sorry I never told you about Buffy's attitude change. I didn't want to ruin whatever image you had of her in your mind. I couldn't even begin to explain the how's or why's of her change. I'm sorry I kept that from you," Willow sighed and looked out the window.
'Poor Angel,' Willow thought. 'He must be devastated. I hate bearing bad news. Even if it's something like this. The worst part is, he's only seen a portion of Buffy's new "attitude". Ok, enough of the gloomy mood.'
"So," Willow said cheerfully, "what fun and exciting things do you have planned for my mini-vacation?"
"Well, I was thinking maybe Cordelia could take you out tomorrow during the day and show you around town a bit. Then I thought maybe we could have coffee, you know, since I'm going to live forever," Angel said smiling.
Willow laughed, "And here I thought you'd forgotten."
"Never, Little One," he said. "Almost there. I'm going to take you to Cordelia's. She said she'd love to have you over for the weekend."
"Oh Angel, I could have stayed in a hotel or something."
"Nonsense. Especially in a strange town, you should stay with friends. LA may not be on a Hellmouth, but it has it's fair share of demons and some evil humans."
"Ok. I guess you're right," Willow said as they pulled off the freeway.
"Wow," Willow said. "This place is so, so bright."
"It can be," Angel said. "We're here." He stopped the car in front of Pearson Apartments. He got out of the car and walked to, what Willow assumed, was Cordelia's door. Angel knocked once then opened the door. Before he could get one foot in the door, it slammed shut in his face. They glanced at each other before he knocked again.
"Cordelia?" Angel called.
"Angel, I'm here. Dennis won't let me open the door," Cordelia said from the other side.
"Who's Dennis?" Willow asked quietly. She didn't know Cordy had a boyfriend and was afraid of imposing.
"He's a ghost," Angel said yanking on the door again.
"Oh, well, I definitely need to hear this story," she said. They heard a crash inside the apartment, "later."
"Dennis, now listen here, you let my friends in right now or so help me...," Cordelia let the threat die on her lips.
Willow and Angel sat outside on the patio for another half hour. Willow yawned. She'd had a rough day and it was finally catching up to her. Just before Willow dozed off she saw something being written on the window next to the door. Willow opened her yes fully and watched as the floating lipstick wrote out the letters, W-I-T-C-H. Willow burst out laughing. The sudden noise startled the vampire next to her. He jumped up ready for battle. This made Willow go into hysterics. All she could do was point to the window when Angel looked to her for an explanation.
Willow finally took pity on the poor confused Angel. She was finally able to catch her breath enough to tell him what had set her off.
"Dennis called me a witch, which I am, but now I finally understand why he wouldn't let us in. He thinks I'm going to banish him," Willow said still giggling.
"Oh, well that explains it," Angel said smiling. He listened to see if he could hear Cordelia anywhere in the apartment. His senses found her asleep in her apartment.
"Well, it looks like Dennis wore Cordy out. She's asleep," he said watching her yawn and rub her eyes. "Looks like you're headed that way too. Come on lets go."
"Where?" Willow asked sleepily.
"To my apartment for tonight. You can take my bed. I'll sleep on the couch," Angel said guiding her to the car.
"Ok. Sleep now."
Angel chuckled at the red-heads pronouncement. He drove quietly to his apartment, thinking the whole way. 'I bet she was too tired to protest me taking her home. Poor girl's had such a rough day. First Buffy, then Dennis.'
Willow started making noises in the seat next to him. Nothing like from a nightmare, just little sleep sounds. Angel smiled again. He felt lucky to have her in his life as a friend. They finally ended up at Angel Investigations and his apartment. He was debating waking her up. In the end he carried her. 'She can get her bag in the morning,' he thought.
As he passed through the offices he noticed a message on the machine. He made a mental note to check it downstairs.
"Angel?" Willow asked sleepily.
"Right here," he said setting her down on his couch.
"Where are we?" she asked rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"My apartment. Tea?"
"Huh? Oh, um...yes please," Willow took a moment to look around. The apartment was spacious and dimly lit. There was a kitchen off to the right where she could see Angel making the tea, and weapons on the walls. Willow shook her head and smiled. 'Typical Angel,' she thought.
"Cream or sugar?" Angel asked from the small kitchen.
"No, plain is fine. I know you don't eat or anything," Willow said.
"True, but there's some by the coffee maker upstairs in the office."
"Oh, good. I actually like a little sugar. I'll go get it," Willow said blushing. She was up the stairs before Angel could offer to go himself.
Willow stopped at the top of the stairs to catch her breath. 'That's right Willow,' she thought, 'just insult what may be the last friend you have. Could you have been just a little more insensitive?' Willow continued to berate herself as she made her way through the office. She fumbled around a little trying to find a light switch. In her hast to escape embarrassment she'd forgotten she's never been to Angel's offices and therefore, didn't know where anything was.
After a few minutes of feeling around Willow came to a desk. She soon found the lamp and turned it on. Looking up, she let out a startled yelp. A woman with a gun pointed at her was standing in the doorway of the office she was in. Willow didn't even hear Angel run up the steps with vampire quickness. Angel came between the woman and Willow, effectively shielding her from the gin.
"Kate," Angel said stiffly. Willow maneuvered herself behind Angel for a better view.
"Who is she?" Kate asked nodding at Willow.
"I'm..," Willow started to say but was stopped by the look Angel gave her. That look alone got her guard up.
"Willow," Angel said, "meet Detective Kate Lockley."
"Hi," Willow said. Kate just nodded her head again and returned her attention to Angel.
"Do you know what he is?" Kate asked Willow.
"Well, from the plaque on the door, I'd say he's a Private Investigator," Willow said sarcastically. She knew she was being callous to the woman. 'Come on, she's holding a gun, and not even looking at me when I talk to her. That's just plain rude,' Willow said to herself.
"No, he's a vampire. Isn't that right Angel?" Kate said, looking all the world like she just played her trump card.
Willow gasped in mock surprise. "No, a vampire? Wait a minute. That so was not in the brochure."
Angel almost lost his composure with the urge to laugh at her. 'Willow's changed, she's got some fire to her,' he thought.
"Ok," Kate said slightly hurt that the little girl made a joke out of her. "So, you know about vampires. Are you one?" she asked, thrusting a cross towards the petite red-head. Willow laughed at the display Kate was putting on.
"No, despite the paleness of my skin, I'm not a vampire. I'm a witch," Willow said, then turned to Angel and quipped, "What's with you and women tonight?"
"I don't know, Little One," Angel said smiling, not at all offended by the comment. It was true after all.
Kate watched their interaction. She caught the cute nickname Angel had for the girl.
"Did he 'rescue' you from some dark alleyway too?" Kate asked. She was a cop and knew to get all the information, regardless of personal feelings.
"No," Willow stated simply. She'd thought for sure Kate would have asked about the witch comment.
"Are people slow in LA or am I too used to living on a Hellmouth?" Willow asked Angel.
"It took me a while to get used to it too," Angel said, then turned to Kate and asked, "Are you going to put your gun down? You know I can disarm you quickly enough, and Willow here..."
"Could at the very least float it away," she finished for him.
"You were serious about the witch thing? And what exactly is a Hellmouth?" Kate asked realizing she had underestimated the situation.
"Well, for starters, yes. I'm a witch, with all the magick, spells, and all that lovely stuff. Secondly, a Hellmouth is what I went to high school on for four years. It's literally the mouth of Hell," Willow said then yawned.
"Angel, I think I"m off to bed. I've had a rough day. First Buffy, then Super Cop," Willow said heading for the stairs. "Good-night, Angel."
"Willow, go ahead and take the bed until we get Dennis straightened out, and good-night to you too. Sleep well," Angel said watching Willow nod absently, and head downstairs.
Angel listened to Willow as she made her way to his apartment and settle on the couch. He smiled to himself. He knew Willow wouldn't take his bed. It wasn't in her nature.
"So, who is she really?" Kate asked effectively brining Angel away from his thoughts.
Angel sighed heavily before answering.
"She's Willow. A friend I"ve known for four years."
"Whatever," Kate said holstering her gun. "You just keep your 'witch' under control while she's here."
Angel growled and had her shoulders in a bone breaking grip before she could move to leave.
"Don't you dare threaten her Kate," he spat.
"Get you hands off me," Kate said trying to break free of his grip.
"You're on thin ice Kate. For your sake I hope you can swim," Angel said and let go of her. Without giving her a second glance he turned and went the same way Willow had gone only minutes before. At the bottom of the stairs Angel released a breath he didn't need. 'That was the last thing Willow needed,' he thought. 'First Buffy practically attacks her outside her house, then Kate ambushes her in my own office. I really need an alarm or something.'
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