Angel was trying to remember which way he was supposed to turn at the next street corner in order to get back to the mansion. He had intended to pay attention to his surroundings on the way to the school, but he had been focusing more on the diminutive redhead who was now walking behind him.
Angel was praying for something, anything, that would keep Willow form realizing he didn't know how to get there.
Unfortunately, something came.
Perhaps Angel had forgotten that prayers sometimes come true in undesired ways, or maybe he simply figured a prayer coming from him would never be answered. In any case, a distraction materialized five yards from the intersection, in the form of several growling vampires.
"Uh-oh," Willow whispered. "I don't have my cross, and I only have one stake." Her voice was steady, but there was a panicky undertone that Angel hated to hear.
"We'll be fine, Willow. I promise."
She looked at him trustingly, her eyes large and frightened in the moonlight. Angel could feel himself being dragged down into them...
That was when the first vamp attacked. Angel growled as his opponent flung himself into his chest, more irritated by having his moment with Willow interrupted than by the physical assault. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Willow fending off another vampire. His mind was only half focused on his own fight, because all he could think about was the girl fighting behind him.
And that was why his attacker was pretty much beating the crap out of him, without Angel really noticing. What Angel did notice, however, was that Willow was losing ground. He noticed even more when the vampire managed to punch her in the mouth, leaving a tiny drop of blood trickling down her pale cheek.
That was when Angel pretty much went ballistic.
The sight of blood on her beautiful face made something snap in his head, which led pretty quickly to him snapping the vampire's neck. He launched himself at the vamp who had hit Willow, grabbing the stake from her hands and dusting it without blinking a yellow eye. He became a blur of motion, moving so quickly that the vampires didn't have time to see him, let alone strike him before he plunged the stake into their cold hearts. Once they were all gone, he turned just in time to see Willow faint, and he caught her just before she hit the ground.
He dropped the stake and gathered her into his arms. He dashed back to the mansion, never once hesitating or wondering which way to turn. He didn't notice the figure in the shadows, who had seen the fight and stood silently watching.
****
Angel gingerly lay Willow down upon the bed, pulling the blankets around her still form.
'Did she ever feel this panicky, looking at my unconscious form?' he thought.
He chafed her wrists, wishing her eyelids would flutter open and he would see those green eyes again.
Eventually, the warmth of the bed and the ministrations of a solicitous vampire were enough to wake Willow up. "Angel?" her voice asked softly. He brushed the hair from her cheek, thanking each and every saint whose names he had been forced to memorize as a child. "How are you feeling?"
"Oh, mostly stupid. Gee, I'll walk around Sunnydale without a cross and a person who has been in a coma for weeks."
Angel bit his lip, not knowing what to say.
"But Angel, wow, when you started fighting after that one hit me- my goodness. In all the years I've known you, I've never seen you fight like that. It was amazing. You saved my life- again."
"Again?"
"Yeah, you saved me from the evil watcher fire throwing glove lady."
Angel nodded. "Good. It's a life worth saving."
She smiled her sweetest smile, and oh goodness, he wanted to kiss her. He had almost begun to lean forward when he realized it was out of the question. All he would accomplish would be to spoil their lovely moment and make her go away. He couldn't bear for her to go away. Instead of taking her in his arms and kissing her soundly, he contented himself with laying down beside her and taking her hand in his own.
'Look at her hand- it's tiny! It's barely as large as my palm! So warm and soft...'
And for once, Angel contemplated something considerably more pleasant than his overwhelming burden of guilt.
****
Taking a moment to brush the dust off his shoes, the person who had watched Angel's fight had an odd expression on his face.
He headed towards the high school and eventually found the library, where Giles was sleeping in his office.
"You the watcher?" he asked. Giles started out of his sleep, taking a moment to focus on the man's bemused face.
"Yes, I am Rupert Giles." He stood up and closed the door.
"Thank you for coming so quickly."
"Sounds like some unforeseen events have been occurring."
"To say the least. Allow me to fill you in."
Giles gestured for Whistler to sit down, and began to tell him about Angel's amnesia.