Chapter twenty-four Angel waited on the ground, hoping that it wouldn�t be much longer. He didn�t want Willow inside any longer than she needed to be. He knew getting her to come down was going to be harder on her than going up. Why didn�t she just admit she was afraid of heights? Cordelia could�ve gone up alone, leaving Willow to stay with him. Looking up he noticed Willow popping her head out the window, only to moan and duck back in. Cordelia was the next head he saw, and she searched the shadows for him. �Angel?� �Right here.� Stepping out of the shadows he let her get a better look. �We�re going to lower her with tied sheets. Are you ready?� Angel nodded and went to stand again under the open window. He saw Spike start to lower a limp body tied in sheets out the window. He hoped the herbs Aria was given kept her unconscious, because even with out the beating she received, being lowered this way would be uncomfortable. When the bundled package has within his reach he gathered her in his arms. Cordelia was the next to follow, quickly climbing down with ease. Now it was just Willow and Spike left. The redhead stuck her head out and paused. �I...I can�t do it.� Willow shook her head and started backing up. Spike stopped her retreat, pushing her to the window. �Come on witch, I know you can do it. Look at all you�ve been through this last year. What�s a Twenty-foot drop?� �Not helping Spike.� She groaned. �Don�t make me shove you out that window.� Spike sighed, the sooner he got Willow out the window the sooner he could start looking for Lilah. Picking up the redhead he walked to the window and put her through the opening. When she realized what he was doing she grabbed on to him, hooking her arms around his neck. �Poof are you ready?� Willow was held suspended in air, Spike leaning out the window. �Spike I�ll...don�t you dare.� Angel placed Aria on the ground quickly, knowing that the other vampire did indeed plan on dropping Willow to the ground. She had to be terrified. �As soon as I get her separated from my neck she�s coming down.� �No! Please Spike don�t.� �Are you willing to climb down the trellis?� He saw the indecision in her eyes, and knew there was only one way down for the redhead. �Ready Peaches.� Spike detangled himself from the frantic redhead and let go, knowing full well that his Grandsire would be there to catch her. Even if it meant moving heaven and earth to do it. Once the job was complete he turned, time for the Bitch to speak. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ �He wont do it, he�s just trying to frighten me.� Willow kept trying to tell herself as Spike tried to get her to release her death grip on him. �He�s my friend and he�d never-.� Willow didn�t get to finish her last thought as she felt a sudden weightlessness. She didn�t even have a chance to scream out her terror, as she headed for the ground. Angel knew Spike wasn�t fooling around, and he was ready to catch Willow. Later, when he got his hands on his young�n he was going to pound the crap out of the bleached blonde. It seemed like forever from the time Spike let go, until Angel was able to catch his precious witch. Her eyes were wide open, her heart ready for failure. �He...He...� �Is going to have a the shit beat out of him.� Angel answered her. �No...He dropped me.� Willow blinked. �From up there.� Angel held her close and tried to sooth her. Willow pushed out of his arms. �He dropped me out of the window. From the second floor.� Willow found her voice and there was no stopping her now. Angel wanted to smile at her tantrum, but know he would  holy hell to pay . He had learned something about women in the last two hundred and seventy odd years on this earth. �Willow, we need to get Aria somewhere safe.� Willow sat there looking at him as though she hadn�t a clue to what he was talking about. �We�ll get back at Spike later, okay. We�ll think of something really good.� �Fine. Where is he?� Looking up the window there was no Spike. �He wouldn�t just wander around the house would he?� �I think that he might be looking for Lilah. He seems to think she has something to do with Douglass.� Cordelia snorted, �what�s he going to do, annoy her into telling him everything?� �He�ll think of something. I�m sure.� Angel let go of Willow had headed over to Aria, who was still out cold. Willow and Cordelia followed from behind. �Seems like the Douglass disaster all over again.� Cordelia looked at the broken girl on the ground. �Hospital?� Willow questioned. �Her Dad will find her.� Angel answered. This was going to be a problem. �Twenty four hours this time. If she�s not awake, off she goes to the ER.� Cordelia crossed her arms over her chest, she would not allow herself to go through that again. Angel and Willow nodded. �We have two vampires, two witches, a seer, and an ex-watcher. Why don�t we have a doctor? I mean think of all the money we�d save on doctor bills.� �Maybe when I go back to school this fall I�ll think about pre-med.� Willow answered, as she leaned over the other redhead and untied the sheet. �Angel let�s get her back to our place. We can at least clean her wounds.� Angel picked Aria up, and headed for the car. �What about Spike?� Cordelia asked. �Let him walk.� Willow growled. �It�s the least I can do for him.�

Go to... home prologue one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirteen fourteen fifteen sixteen seventeen eighteen nineteen twenty twenty-two twenty-three twenty-four twenty-five twenty-six twenty-seven twenty-eight twenty-nine thirty thirty-one thirty-two thirty-three thirty-four thirty-five thirty-six thirty-seven thirty-eight thirty-nine forty forty-one forty-two forty-three forty-four forty-five forty-six forty-seven forty-eight forty-nine fifty fifty-one fifty-two fifty-three fifty-four

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