Title: Rescue
Author: Shannon
Email: angels_soul_1@yahoo.com
Rating: PG
Pairing: Willow/Asher
Disclaimer: Willow and Anya belong to Joss Whedon, ME, UPN, WB, and FOX, Anita Blake characters belong to Laurell K. Hamilton.
Distribution: My site, http://magical-worlds.us/musings/ , NHA, TtH anyone else with other fics of mine, anyone else that wants it just let me know first.
Summary: Willow has reason to believe Anya may not be dead.
Spoilers: Through Chosen. Nothing specific for AB but through Incubus Dreams to be safe.
Author’s Notes: This is for Lisa, its gone way beyond the promised drabble but Merry Christmas anyway.
Also thanks to Leslie and Gabrielle for beta-ing this for me.

Part 5


Willow paced nervously, this had to work; she didn't come this far only to watch Anya die again. She was still concerned that there had been too many changes in the vengeance demon when she arrived in this dimension for her to be able to take her back home. Anya was killing, violently, not that Anya had never killed the men she was cursing before, most eventually died, but these were all very straightforward mutilations and murders. Anya was usually more...creative. They had put off summoning her because of police business that Anita had to take care of last night, so she and Asher were now waiting in the backroom of Guilty Pleasures for her to call and tell them that Anya had made contact.

"You should relax, Ma Cherie," Asher said softly from the corner, "Anita can take care of herself."

"I'm sure she can," Willow sighed, "I'm more concerned about...Asher, if she can summon up enough rage toward someone else in a moments notice, I'm worried she might say something she shouldn't."

"You warned her of the danger."

"I did, but vengeance demons don't care about intent," Willow explained, still pacing, "They... All it takes is one word, if she uses the word 'wish' Anya will grant it and she can be...as creative as she wants in how she does that."

"I don't understand," Asher responded.

"Buffy's sister once 'wished' we would all spend more time with her," Willow explained, "She didn't even know she was talking to a demon, she thought she was the school counselor, that night we were all trapped inside Buffy's house, no one could leave. A demon was loose in the walls and there wasn't a damn thing we could do."

"Ah, I can see your concern, but I'm sure it will be fine."

"Do you know who Anita is directing this anger at?" Willow asked.

"I have a few ideas, but I don't know for certain?"

"Maybe we should warn them," Willow suggested, "I really don't want anyone accidentally hurt."

"Don't worry, the likely targets of Anita's anger are more than capable of defending themselves," Asher assured her, "You need to take your mind off of this, Anita will contact Jean-Claude as soon as your friend contacts her."

"Okay," Willow smiled, "Why do you keep the right side of your face hidden? I've seen vampires and demons that definitely should but you are so not one of them."

"You don't see the part of me that would horrify you," Asher said, turning away from her as she moved to sit next to him on the couch, "My hair and clothing hide it."

"That’s silly," Willow argued, "You're gorgeous, I've seen the portraits, Jean-Claude has."

"Those are very old, things change."

"Yeah, but vampires don't age," Willow pointed out, "Now, a picture of me in of couple centuries won't be a pretty sight."

Asher let a small smile escape his lips, "You don't understand. My appearance is a terrible thing; I do not think I could bear to see disgust at the sight of me on your face."

Willow sighed. She couldn't imagine being disgusted by looking at this man. In fact, Asher was the first man she had been attracted to since Oz. "Okay, I don't understand, so explain it to me. Tell me why seeing your entire face would send me running."

"Vampires didn't always have the rights we do now," Asher began, turning to face her again, but carefully keeping his right side in the shadow of his hair. "We still don't in most countries. A couple of centuries ago I was taken by the church. They believed they could expel the 'demon' that made me a vampire with holy items."

Willow's eyes widened, she knew that holy items at home could burn a vampire if they touched it, but she also knew that the effect was much worse here. Jason had made her remove and hide her cross before they went into the circus because it could actually burst into flames just by being near a vampire. She doubted the church had simply put the vampire near a cross.

"They bound me and used holy water to chase the evil out," Asher finished.

"Used holy water how?" Willow asked, not entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.

"They dropped it on me, covered half of my body with it," Asher explained, bitterness evident in his voice, "Do you still wish to see my face?"

Willow took a deep breath, she couldn't back off now, she couldn't hide from seeing this. She had pushed him into this confession despite his being so sure she wouldn't accept him in his less than perfect condition, "Yes."

Before Asher could respond she reached over and brushed his hair away from his face. Her eyes filled with tears as she took in the scars covering the hidden side of his face and neck. She could see the small rivulets burned into his skin where the water had run down his face. She reached out to trace a scar just below his eyes but dropped her hand away when he flinched.

"You're right Asher, I am horrified," she said quietly.

"I will send Jason to sit with you," he said standing up so quickly she hadn't seen him move.

"No," Willow protested, grabbing his arm before he could leave, "I'm not horrified for the reasons you believe. I'm horrified that you think so little of me. That you believed I would let a few scars chase me away from you. You are one of the kindest people, or well, vampires I know. I mean, okay, you may give Angel some competition in the brooding department but I like you."

"You don't find my appearance...displeasing?"

"What I find displeasing is that you are considered a monster," Willow said quietly, "And the people that did this to you aren't because they did it in the name of God."

"Most people don't see it that way," Asher said, sitting beside her again.

"Most people are idiots," Willow grinned, "Anyone that can't see that you are absolutely perfect isn’t really worth the effort. Hell, you've got me rethinking the gay thing."

"That's very kind," Asher said quietly, "But you don't have..."

His statement was cut short by Jean-Claude entering the room, "Sorry to interrupt, but ma petite says your friend is in her office right now."

"Okay," Willow said, "Tell her to try to keep her there. How long will it take to get to her office?"

"Jason is waiting to drive you," Jean-Claude said, "She doesn't work far from here; it shouldn't take long."

"Are you coming?" Willow asked Asher as Jean-Claude left them alone to return to whatever it was he was doing in the club.

"Will we be back before dawn?"

"I'm sure we can," Willow responded, "If not, Jason can always leave me and bring you home."

"Then I will join you."




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