Romancing Red

Title: Romancing Red
Author: claudia6913
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: W/S, W/A, W/S/A
Summary: Angel comes to Sunnydale to help Buffy, but finds a certain red-head won’t stay out of his thoughts. Spike is jealous of Angel’s new found appreciation for the Witch. He decides to give him a run for his money. From Angel and Spike’s POV. Set during ‘Pangs’.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters nor do I make a profit from my use of them. Sole ownership belongs to Joss and Co.
Distribution: NHA, anyone else just ask.
Author’s Notes: This is supposed to be a combined work of myself and stephy_cats.
Feedback: You know it! ghoztstarz@yahoo.com

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(Angel’s POV)

Back in good ‘ole Sunnydale. I don’t miss this place as much as I thought I would. I don’t know if I ever noticed this before, but the Hellmouth smells different. I know Los Angeles isn’t the cleanest, but it’s not a dirty smell. Sunnydale smells of death, rotting earth, and magick.

Why am I in Sunnydale? I left for a good reason, but I’m back now because my ex is in danger. Doyle had a vision of Buffy, so being the nice guy that I am, I came to help. I didn’t come to see her though. I’ve been very careful to stay in the shadows. I slipped though, and Xander caught a glimpse of me. Oh well. I’ll just have to be more careful.

I’m staying at my old apartment, the one I had before the mansion. I can’t go back to the mansion. Too many bad memories. Not that the apartment is any better. This is where I lost my soul in one moment of ‘perfect happiness’. I don’t have nightmares about that night though, no, I have nightmares about being stabbed through the heart and being sent to hell. I have nightmares about five hundred years worth of torture. See if you stay in the mansifterfter that.

I’m standing outside of Giles’ apartment, watching the old gang set up for Thanksgiving dinner. It looks so homey in there. I almost wish I was still a part of their group, but I’m not. Too many things have changed. I’ve changed, Buffy’s changed. I love Buffy, but not in the same way. I see now that our relationship was doomed. She was the embodiment of everything I wanted to be. Alive, human, powerful, full of life. It was like I wanted to live vicariously through her. I know better now.

I look around, waiting for the danger Doyle saw. Nothing. I hope something happens soon. I really don’t want to stay here. I hear glass break and look through the windows to see one of the Chumash Indians shooting arrows into the apartment. There’s no way to get to him without either going the long way around or going into the apartment and letting myself be seen. The long way it is.

I rush around the side as one of them comes around the corner. He doesn’t see me so I am able to surprise him by crouching low to the ground and tripping him with my leg. I then waste no time and break his neck. Walking around the corner I see one of the Chumash Indians at the window. He looks up as I walk closer. He aims and shoots an arrow at me. I duck it, but barely. I get close enough so the arrows won’t work. The Indian tosses the bow down and pulls a knife. I easily dodge his attacks. This is too easy. Why did the Powers That Be send me here? I’m sure Buffy could have easily handled herself against them.

I take a quick look in the window and see something I didn’t think I’d ever see, not in a million years. Spike. With my concentration elsewhere the Indian is able to take a swipe at me and cut me along the chest. I grab the knife from him. I’m so pissed off right now. This was one of my favorite shirts. I deftly stab him with his own knife in the heart. He goes down and literally goes *poof* into a cloud of green mist. Well, isn’t that efficient. Now that I have dispatched of the Indian I look back inside and to Spike. He is tied to a chair. What the hell has been going on? I thought for sure if Buffy and Spike ever fought again that one of them would end up dead. I definitely never expected to see him trussed up in the Watchers living room.

I walk back around to Giles’ porch. Willow and some other girl are fighting two of the Indian’s, and another is coming up behind them. I jump and swing my leg for a roundhouse kick and land it right in his jaw. He goes down and I reach down and break his neck as well. Three down.

“Angel?” Willow says surprised.

“Yeah, hi,” I say and move her out of the way of another attack. This one is putting up more of a fight then the others. He manages to land a few good hits, one of which busts open my lip. I really don’t like getting hurt when fighting. It tends to piss me off. He is fighting with a spear. I manage to take it from him and stab him in the gut, and yet another green mist.

“Thanks,” Willow says. She’s out of breath. The other girl walks into Giles’ apartment leaving us to talk. I don’t even think she noticed me.

“No problem,” I say.

“What are you doing here? I thought you moved to LA?”

“Oh, well, a friend of mine had a vision that Buffy was in danger.”

“You want me to tell Buffy-“

“No,” I say a little too fast. She looks at me then, really looks at me. Those green eyes can see everything, I truly believe that now.

“Why not Angel? She won’t like it that you came here and didn’t see her.”

She has a point. Why don’t I want to see Buffy? That’s simple, she still loves me and I don’t return those feelings anymore.

“Just please, Willow, don’t tell her.”

“Fine, but we are so going to have a talk mister,” she says waving a finger at me. She’s kind of cute when she’s angry. Ha, would you look at that. What the hell am I doing now? Calling Buffy’s best friend cute. Am I twisted or what? I’m really asking for it now.

“Ok, fine,” I say. “Could you please not tell her though?”

Willow looks at me and nods. “Alright. Are you going to stay here or go back to LA?”

“Well, I think I might stay here for a few days. I have a few questions of my own,” I say. Why Spike is tied up in Giles’ front room for one. Maybe what she’s doing later…I sigh. Ok, so admittedly I’ve always liked Willow. She’s loyal, caring, sweet, and does that oh so cute ‘Resolve Face’ when she wants to get her way. She would never like me though, not in any other way but a friend. I bet she still sees me as ‘Buffy’s boyfriend’ and therefore off limits. I’ll have to change that.

“Ok, so when is a good time?”

“Whenever is good for you. I’m staying at my old apartment.”

“Good, I don’t think I could walk into that mansion. It always gives me the creeps.”

I just nod as a slight shudder runs through me. Creeps is right.

“Alright, bye Angel”

“Bye,” I say and do my fade into the shadow thing. I’m good at it, so why let such an exceptional talent go to waste?

I walk back to my apartment and think over the conversation with Willow. It finally dawns on me. Willow, coming to my apartment, to talk to me, alone. Oh, what a tangled web we weave. I let myself in and immediately head for the showers. Contrary to popular belief, vampire’s sweat, just as much as humans. It’s just slightly tinted red. Unless of course you’re like Spike and actually eat food or drink water.

The hot shower feels so good, but I can’t stay in it as long as I would like to. I’ve company coming…at some point. She never did say when she would be over. Might as well prepare. I dress in black slacks and black silk shirt. Grabbing a bag of blood from a cooler filled with ice, I drink it cold. Absolutely disgusting, but I didn’t turn the electric back on. I didn’t plan on being here that long.

I walk around the small apartment and light some old candle’s I’d left. They give a nice soft glow to the apartment. Very…romantic. Oh God. Someone stop me. I’m just digging myself a hole. I clean up what little mess I’ve made and the months of dust that has settled.

I hate waiting. It’s annoying. I decide to read one of the books I left behind in lieu of pacing. No use wearing a hole in the floor. Besides, I don’t know if she will actually be here tonight or tomorrow. By three am I decide it won’t be tonight and head to bed. I strip down to my boxers and climb in. Months of disuse has taken away the smell of Buffy’s perfume. Thank goodness. That was just one more thing I didn’t want to deal with.

I finally fell asleep. A nice, peaceful, sleep with no nightmares of torture. That in and of it’s self is amazing but the dream I had in its place was…heaven. I dreamt of Willow, with her fire red hair sprawled out in a fan on my pillow. Her pale skin shinning beautifully in the glow of the candles. I dreamed that we just lay together, cuddling, holding each other close. It was nice, different, comforting. That is until a knock on my door woke me from my dream.

I get up, unaware of my current state of undress and walk to the door.

“Who is it?” I ask.

“It’s me, Willow.” Oh yeah, I’d forgot.

“Just a minute,” I say and go to grab a pair of pants. I hurriedly pull them on and grab my discarded shirt, buttoning as I walk to the door. Shit, it’s still daylight, I can’t open the door. I walk over to where, when the door is opened, it won’t kill me and tell her to come in. She opens the door cautiously, making sure I won’t get caught by the light. See, thoughtful and caring. She walks the rest of the way in and closes the door. There’s only one window in the apartment and it’s shaded, for my protection. I go around and light a few more candles to t upt up this ‘cave’. I may have excellent night vision, but I don’t think Willow is as lucky.

“Have a seat,” I say gesturing to one of the two chairs in what would be considered a living room.

“Thanks, but I don’t have a lot of time. I came right after class,” she says playing nervously with the hem of her shirt.

“Ok, so what did you want to say?”

“Well, why did you come to Sunnydale? I know you said your friend had a vision, whatever that means, but why not just call and warn us? Why travel all the way down here just to play hero from the shadows? I guess I just don’t understand. I thought you loved Buffy. But, Xander accidentally blabbed that you were here and Buffy got really mad. She said you should have called. I didn’t tell her that you were staying though. She thinks you left. She’s probably been trying to call you ever since last night. And here I am rambling on, not letting you get a word in edge-wise. Sorry,” Willow said breathing deeply. That was quite a ramble she had going. Amazingly I caught every word.

“I came because I didn’t think she would appreciate the call either. I thought she’d tell me she could handle it and not take my advice, so I decided to come and help from the sidelines, out of the way,” I said. It was the complete truth.

“Oh, well, that makes sense,” she said biting her lower lip. I step closer to her and hear her heart speed up a notch. Her breath is coming faster now. I reach out and gather her chin between my thumb and forefinger, raising her to meet my eyes.

“I’m sorry I put you a difficult position,” I kiss her forehead and back up. I couldn’t stay that close to her and not gather her to me. Distance is good.

“It’s ok. You didn’t do it on purpose. You were just trying to help.”

Always the forgiving one. She even forgave me for everything Angelus did during his reign here in Sunnydale. I admire her for that even though it’s not deserved.

“So, what’s with Spike being tied to a chair in Giles’ apartment?” I ask her.

“Oh, well, that’s kind of a long story. See, there is this government agency called The Initiative. They do experiments on vampires and other demons. They caught him and put this chip in his head that gives an electrical pulse to the brain thoes oes off when he tries to hurt humans. I don’t know how they did it but they did. He ended up not being able to get food and came to Buffy for help,” she gave a snort of laughter at that. “I don’t know why he did that. Anyways, Buffy, Giles, and Xander didn’t trust him so they decided to tie him up. We feed him a few times a day. I actually have to go and baby-sit him today. Buffy is going out with…,” she trails off.

“Going out with?” I ask.

“Oh, well, I don’t know if I should tell you this.”

“It’s ok Willow. If Buffy moved on then I’m happy for her.”

“Really? Because that’s great. Well, I don’t mean great that she moved on, but great that you would be happy that she moved on-“

I break off her nervous speech with a hand on her shoulder. She really needs to calm down. Her nervous energy is even making me twitchy.

“Don’t worry. I’m fine. I realize now that Buffy and I were somewhat of a lost cause. It could never have worked out. A vampire and a Slayer? It was wishful thinking on our part,” I say rubbing some of the tension from her shoulder.

She let’s out a sigh. “Alright. So, anyways, I really should go. They might leave Spike alone and well, I don’t think that would be right…so, I’ll see you later Angel,” she says and turns to leave. I pull her back around and give her a hug. She seems startled at first but relaxes into it.

“Be careful Little One,” I say and release her. I go back to stand behind the door. She opens it and for a moment looks at me while framed in the wash of sunlight streaming through the door. She looks magnificent; her hair literally sparkles in the light.

“Bye,” she says and shuts the door behind her.

I sigh and go to sit down in my chair. I should probably leave Sunnydale; go back to Los Angeles and my little job. I can’t seem to convince myself to leave though. There’s one thing in Sunnydale that LA just can’t compete with…Willow.