Title: A Vacation to Remember
Author: claudia6913
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: W/A
Summary: Willow is in desperate need of a vacation and Angel is more then willing to help out.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, Joss and Co. do. Lucky bastards.
Distribution: NHA, SoG, redsoulmates, angelusmate, and anyone else I post to. All others just ask. All of my work is archived on my site. http://www.angelfire.com/vamp/claudia6913
Warnings: Buffy and Kate fans, you may not want to read. I do not portray these characters nicely.
Author’s Notes: I’m a little slow on this fic, I know, I’m sorry.
Feedback: yes please! ghotztstarz@yahoo.com
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Chapter 7
The DeSoto, despite the rumbling of the engine, was quiet. Not one person spoke. No one had anything to say to each other. Animosity clouded the air in the cabin of the car, along with wisps of smoke from Spike’s cigarettes. Shadows were cast on the passengers’ faces through the blacked out windows, giving them an eerie cast.
Willow’s hand slid over to Angel’s and they held hands, waiting. It was like the calm before the storm. She just wanted someone to say something, anything, to relieve the tension and the strained silence. It was slowly eating away at her, giving her goose bumps and making her want to squirm in her seat. Willow could see the strain in Angel’s knitted brow and in the straight line of Buffy’s back. Spike was the only one who seemed unaffected by the atmosphere in the car, and even that grated on her nerves just a little; that he could be that nonchalant, or just plain blind, she wasn’t sure which.
Minutes stretched into hours for Angel as he mentally ticked off the seconds. He wanted to be free of the car and of Buffy. He wanted most of all to be back home with Willow in his arms and not have to deal with anything, least of all Spike. But, he couldn’t, wouldn’t leave Willow’s side. Idly, he wondered what could be so important that Giles would send for Willow. And why didn’t Giles just call Willow himself? Something seemed off to Angel, and he planned to keep a close eye on Willow from now on.
Rubbing her hands on her legs, Buffy sat there fuming. She couldn’t believe that Angel, after all she’d said, still came with them. She didn’t want him there, didn’t need him. Her skin crawled with the two vampires’ energy so close to her. It felt like her skin was covered in bugs, and she really, really hated bugs. Buffy just wanted to get back to Sunnydale, kill whatever it was that Giles had found, and send Willow and Angel packing back to L.A. ‘I don’t see why we need Willow anyways,’ Buffy thought. ‘Giles knows enough witch-y stuff, why couldn’t he do it?’ She had argued that point over and over with Giles when he’d first suggested she get a hold of Willow. Giles just told her that Willow was needed, and that he himself couldn’t do the spell because he would be helping her fight.
Between the tension, the cigarettes, and the loud music, Spike was actually having a good time. He wanted one of them to blow and he was making bets with himself as to who would be the first to go off. At first, he’d thought Angel would be the one to break the silence, or break something, but then he changed his mind. He reminded himself that this was the all-soul-having Angel. Flicking his eyes to the fidgety Buffy, he thought she would be the first to scream. She kept moving and scratching and rubbing. But no, she’d been quiet this long, he was sure she would stay quiet the whole trip. It wasn’t like she’d said anything on the way there. Looking to the backseat, he caught a glimpse of Willow, and this time, he was sure he had his mark. She would definitely be the first to go. Red-heads were known for their temper after all. Though he wasn’t quite sure if mousy, quiet Willow would actually have the guts to say anything. So, he kept smoking and singing along to the loud music, driving back to Sunnydale.
“Uh, Spike?” Willow asked softly. She wasn’t sure if he could hear her over the music, it was loud and obnoxious, and well, Spike.
“Yeah, Pet?” Spike said, sparing a glance in the back seat. ‘So,’ he thought, ‘not exactly the explosion I’d expected, but it was Red to speak up first.’
“Are we there yet?” She couldn’t believe the words that had just come out of her mouth. ‘Are we there yet?’ she asked herself. ‘Am I childish or what?’ Spike just snorted in amusement and shrugged. She wished she’d had a watch or something. Willow made a mental note to pick hers up while they were in Sunnydale.
“What are you…a two-year old?” Buffy asked, twisting around in her seat to send Willow a withering look.
Willow felt Angel growl before she heard the noise rumble from his chest. Holding his hand tighter in hers, she silently urged him to back off. But, he was having none of it. Angel was sick and tired of Buffy treating Willow like that.
“Save it,” Buffy said, turning to look at Angel now. She couldn’t see the grin that appeared on Spike’s face as he listened to the conversation, catching quick glimpses of Willow in the rear view mirror. “I didn’t want you here in the first place,” Buffy continued. “If you can’t control your super macho ego, then get out and go back to that hole in the wall you call a business.”
“How dare you,” Willow said with barely controlled rage. She’d had just about enough of Buffy and her big, fat mouth. “Once again Buffy you have managed to find a way to show that you are a mean and cruel person. It isn’t bad enough that you think you are the freaking Queen Sheba, but you’ve got to look down that perfect, petite nose of yours at everyone else. Well, I’m sick of it. I’m sick of you treating Angel like he’s supposed to be some lovesick puppy who only lives to lick at your heels. I’m sick of you treating me like some low-life that only exists to serve you! I’m just plain sick of you! We are not here for you to belittle. So, get your head out from where the sun doesn’t shine and take a good look at reality.”
The only thing that kept Willow from crawling into the front seat and getting in Buffy’s face was the hold Angel had on her shoulders. Buffy sat back, stunned, and stared at Willow like she didn’t know her. And honestly, she didn’t know her anymore.
Spike was almost giddy with anticipation of a cat-fight in his car. It was rare he got front row seats, and to have these two go at it? Well, that would just make his day. But no, Angel had to step in and break it up. ‘Stupid bugger,’ he thought, putting out yet another cigarette.
When Willow finally relaxed enough that she was no long straining against Angel, he drew her back into his arms. Quietly, he whispered in her ear. “Please don’t, Little One. It’s not worth it. If you don’t want to stay when we get there and hear what Giles has to say, then I will take you back to L.A. with me and you won’t ever have to see her again. If that’s what you want, I’ll do that for you.”
“Thank you,” she whispered back. Relaxing in Angel’s strong arms, Willow didn’t see the look Buffy gave her.
The rest of the trip was made in silence, though not quite as strained as before. Well, things were quiet until Spike ran over the ‘Welcome to Sunnydale’ sign…again.
Willow and Angel were dropped off at the Rosenberg’s house, Angel having to run to the safety of the shaded porch. Spike didn’t wait to make sure they got in okay; instead he gunned it and squealed off to drop Buffy at Giles’.
Once inside, Willow quickly sun-proofed the house for Angel’s safety, then went to the fridge for some food and drink. Angel stood back and watched her admiringly. Right now he didn’t want to think about everything that was going on with Buffy and Giles. He just wanted to concentrate on Willow.
“Angel, I…,” Willow said, but stopped because of the look on Angel’s face. It was hard to read, almost loving and admiring and well, she wasn’t quite sure. Expectant maybe. “Uh, I, well there’s no blood in the house for you or food for me, so I have to go out. Do you mind?”
Angel stood there for a minute longer just staring at her, his Willow, his Little One. “No, I don’t mind. I’d join you, but I have this pesky sun allergy,” he said finally.
“Oh, right. Well, I’ll hurry back.”
Willow moved to walk past him but Angel had other ideas. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close to him. She let out a small gasp of surprise, and then burst into a huge smile that lit up her face. Dipping his head closer, Angel lightly touched his lips to hers before he gently worked his tongue past her lips and into her mouth. The heat boiled up in her and flooded into him, making him groan. The kiss ended with a lingering touch of lips.
“Be careful, Little One. Oh, and remember to call Giles when you get back. I want to know what is going on. I’m going to call Cordy and let her know we got in okay. I don’t think she’d hesitate to come here and beat Buffy with one of her patent leather shoes, and well, I don’t want the bill for that.”
Willow chuckled slightly at that image. “Yeah, ok. I really want to know what is going on also. But, I guess that will have to wait. My tummy is hungry,” she said as her stomach growled in protest of the hold up. Still smiling, Willow waved to Angel and walked out the door.
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