nv5

~~~5~~~

�It�s time for you to wake up you know.� Angle hugged her to his side, kissing the top of her head. �As much as I hate for you to leave.�

Willow snuggled closer to him, shaking her head in denial. �Don�t want to. When I wake up it means that you wont be there, you�ll be with...Buffy...again.� A single tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek.

�I wish it could be different. Don�t you think that I�ve tried to make myself remember? I hate to see you cry.� Rubbing small circles on her back in a soothing manner, Angel cursed silently to himself. Why were the powers torturing him like this? Why would they allow him such a treasure only here, in her dreams?

�It�s time to wake up sleepy head.� Willow scrunched her forehead in confusion as Angel�s deep voice turned into a female�s annoying singsong voice. Blinking her eyes a few times she realized that the romantic space she and Angel had just shared was gone, only to be replaced by a sterile white room. Florescent lights replaced the candle light, crisp white sheets instead of soft silk.

�Welcome back sleeping beauty.� A graying nurse stood by her bedside, smiling as she checked Willow�s pulse. �I guess all that sleep you missed out on finally caught up with you. You�ve been asleep for almost twenty-four hours.�

Trying to focus on the nurse�s words, Willow looked around the hospital room in bewilderment. �How did I get here?� Her throat was dry, and her words came out course.

�Don�t you remember?� The nurse straightened the sheets, and turned her attention to the medication sitting on a tray near the bed. �A dark handsome friend of yours brought you in after you collapsed. He seemed very concerned about you. They all did actually.�

Closing her eyes, Willow groaned. �They� could only mean Buffy, Xander, Giles, Cordelia and Angel. This was so embarrassing. �They�ve all come and gone for the day. You�re one lucky girl to have so many people worry about you. Well I�ll tell the doctor that you�ve joined the living, he�ll be in a little while.�

Her eyes followed the nurse as she left the room, thankful to have a moment alone. She did it again. After she swore that nothing would happen the next time she saw Angel when she slept. When had she become such a wicked person? Sure Angel wasn�t hard on the eyes, and those luscious chocolate brown eyes were heavenly. But what in the world was wrong with her? Angle and Buffy belonged together, and all that she was going to have was one huge case of broken heart if this didn�t stop and soon.

Love was what happened. She loved Angel with her heart and soul. Never in her life had she felt this way about another person. It was almost as though she had found a missing part of herself. She should be deliriously happy about this. Not everyone found the one person that made him or her whole. Wasn�t it her luck that the one man that could do this for her, only knew her in her dreams.

~~~*~~~

Angel laid back against his propped pillows letting out a long unneeded breath. He had just gotten back from visiting Willow at the hospital, had sat silently at her bedside willing her to open her emerald beauties. It wasn�t until a nurse came in to check on her patient that he was told it was after visiting hours, but he was welcomed back tomorrow at eight the next morning.

Closing his eyes, Angel drifted off.

Looking around he knew he had seen this room before. The large bed was empty, but the messed up sheets showed that someone had defiantly been there. The candles hanging on the walls were burnt half way down, wax dripping to the floor. Sniffing the air, Angel picked up on two separate scents. One he knew as his own, but the other he couldn't seem to figure out. Who ever it was, had just recently left.

What was going on? Angel looked around for any other clues. Looking again at the silk sheets something sparked his memory. They were the same sheets Willow had been wrapped up in when he had his little spell last night. The scent...it was Willow. Not just her usual strawberries and creme aroma that came from her body wash and cremes. But her natural smell, a sexual scent.

�Angel� The voice broke through, the room started to shimmer as his name was repeated. �Angel?�

Opening his eyes with a growl, he pinned his gaze on the intruder. �Buffy, I thought you went home.�

�Well don�t sound too happy to see me.� Sitting on edge of his bed, she pouted slightly at his abruptness. �Didn�t know you were such a crab when you woke up.�

�Sorry, I was just...dreaming.� Running a hand through his hair, Angel tried to remember what it was that he saw in his dream. There had been a room. But there was something else. Something important. Damn! It was like this every time. He�d just get bits and pieces, then poof it all went away the second he woke up.

�About me I hope.� Leaning over to give him a kiss, Buffy nearly fell over when Angel pulled away. �I don�t remember what it was about...you woke me up.�

Buffy�s face fell as she stiffened. �Sorry, thought you�d want some company tonight.�

�Buffy I�m sorry. It�s just that I�m worried about Willow.�

�Hello? Me too. She�s *my* best friend you know. But like you and Giles said, this wasn�t anything Hellmouthy. So all we can do is sit and wait. Its not like we can just break into her home and weed out all her pills.� Trying again to cuddle up to him, Angel tensed. Something didn�t feel right. Having Buffy cozy up to him made him feel intensely guilty about something.

Inching his way out of bed Angel grabbed his pants and pulled them on. It didn�t seem that he could get away from Buffy fast enough. �Buffy not tonight. I�m tired and truthfully I�m stressed out about Bright eyes.�

�Who?� Buffy looked at him in bafflement.

Looking over his shoulder at her, Angel stopped. Bright Eyes? It just slipped out, but stopping to think about the name it did seem to fit. Willow�s eyes always seemed to sparkle. Well at least before she started acting weird. �I don�t know why I said that.�

�Right. Maybe you were right. Things are a little tense right now.� Standing and grabbing her jacket Buffy turned to leave. �Call me when you�re ready to act normal again.�

Angel couldn�t help but feel realized the moment Buffy left the room.

~~~*~~~

�Miss Rosenberg.� Willow looked up at the doctor who soundlessly entered the room. He was graying a little around the temples, and looked like he was well into his forties. His stiff manner told Willow all she needed to know about him. He was all business and no play.

He picked up her chart and started dreading through it. �So how are you feeling? Any nausea, cramping?�

�N-no.� Willow shook her head. �I�m a little dehydrated.�

Nodding his head the doctor flicked his eyes in her direction. �Yeah-well caffeine dehydrates the body, but you probably already knew that. I�m not going to lie to you Miss Rosenberg. What you did was not only dangerous, but it�s not a form of birth control.�

�I know it was danger...did you say birth control? Why would I need any form of birth control?� Willow�s eyes were wide, her skin getting clammy.

�I assumed you knew.� The doctor looked at Willow intently. His face softened. �You really didn�t know.� Willow started gulping in deep breaths as her head started to get fuzzy. She heard the implied words, but until she was told that in no uncertain terms that she was indeed... well that...

�The tests that we�ve run put you at about six weeks.� Looking through the charts to confirm his words.

Willow felt as though reality had just been ripped from underneath her. This in no way shape or form could be... or should be happening. Not to her. She was a virgin still, in reality, unless her dreams and reality were getting so well meshed that she was no longer a virgin here. But that didn�t matter. Even if she and Angel were getting pelvic twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week he was shooting blanks right?

�Miss Rosenberg do you know who the father is?�

�Huh?� Willow blushed at the question. �Umm yeah. I-Is the baby all right?� Tears were pooling in her eyes, as she held her breath to hear the answer. She hadn�t been eating, sleeping, and all those pills...

�Yes, everything seems normal. You were very lucky.� Patting Willow on the shoulder the doctor made his way out of the room to give her some time to think.

Willow hardly noticed that she was alone again, as she sobbed in relief. She had no idea what she�d do if she found out she was responsible for an innocent�s death. Not just any innocent, but one she created with Angel somehow.

Softly crying in relief Willow suddenly stopped. Did the others know? What were they going to say? Would Giles turn all Watchery on her? Thinking that the child could be some sort of evil? What about Xander? Would he hate her for this? His dislike toward Angel wasn�t a well-kept secret. And Buffy. Groaning out loud at what her best friend�s reaction was going to be.

Finding the call button, Willow pushed it until a nurse appeared. �Yes?�

�The doctor, where is he?� Willow asked franticly.

�Did you need something?�

�I need to ask him what he�s told my friends.� The nurse looked knowingly back at her.

�Calm down, its not good for the baby. He didn�t say anything. It�s Patient Doctor confidentiality.� Patting her hand the nurse turned and left the room.

Breathing a little better Willow told herself to relax. She needed to figure out what she was going to do. Looking at the IV�s in her arm she knew that first she needed to get out of here and home. She needed to get away from Sunnydale. After that, she would decide what to do.

Undoing the tape around the needle Willow winced at the slight stinging pain. Sucking in her breath she yanked hard on the needle, biting her lower lip so she wouldn�t cry out in pain. As soon as she was free, Willow slipped from the bed and crept to the door. The coast was clear. Gripping the back of her hospital gown Willow went soundlessly down the hallways and out the entrance. As soon as she was off hospital grounds she started running towards home.

~~~*~~~
~~~*~~~

�I don�t understand why we have to sit here and research this prophecy.� Xander shut another book with a yawn. Looking over at Giles and Cordelia he was annoyed that they weren�t showing proper attention to his complaint. �I mean Buffy got to cut out two hours ago.�

�She had patrol.� Giles turned the page he was reading without a glance up.

�I bet she�s over at Angel's right now.� Xander grumbled. �Getting smooches, while I�m stuck here-.�

�You�re not leaving.� Picking up his tea, Giles replied ending Xander�s quarter hour complaint. Cordelia gave an unlady like snort and rolled her eyes at Xander�s lame attempt to get out of research.

The phone rang, startling the libraries three occupants. Xander bounded from his chair excited to have any excuse not to look through the moldy old books. �Hello, Xander love shack. Yeah hold on. G-Man it�s for you�

Giles glared at Xander as he took the receiver. �Hello? That�s wonderful...what do you mean she�s gone? N-No, we haven't seen her. When did she leave? We will. Yes thank you.� Giles lowered the phone back onto the receiver. Putting a hand in to his pocket he turned slowly to the two expectant faces of Xander and Cordelia.

�She�s awake.� He stated matter-of-factly.

�Well see I�d say yeah here, but by your long face and that conversation you just had I�m thinking that this isn�t a yeah kind of thing.� Xander looked directly into Giles�s eyes, trying to root out the truth.

�She left.� Giles rubbed his forehead.

�She left? You mean they just let her walk out of there after what happened to her?� Xander�s voice started to rise in panic.

�No they didn�t just let her walk out of there. She snuck out.� Cordelia listened frantically to the exchange. What was Willow thinking? Okay sure kinda embarrassing to OD on caffeine pills. And no one knew about her *little* problem.

�We need to find her. I�ll check her house.� Xander went to grab his jacket, but Cordelia headed him off.

�Why don�t I check her house? You should call Buffy and Angel. If Willow�s still out on the streets she may need protection.� Xander looked ready to argue but nodded his head slightly.

�Fine.�

�Great.� Giving her boyfriend a quick peck on the cheek, Cordelia grabbed her purse and dashed to the door.

~~~*~~~

Toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner were all shoved into the large bag Willow was hysterically packing. There was no rhyme or reason to what she was choosing as her head raced with what her next move would be. She could do what Buffy had done. Leave town and start a new life somewhere else. There was a lot of assistance out there for single mothers. She�d just have to choke down her pride and remember it was for the baby.

Oh God she was going to be a mother...to Angel�s child. The thought overjoyed her as much as it saddened her. Angel would never have the chance to know his child, a child he never thought he could have. Pausing her hand still halfway inside the bag. Could she do that to Angel? Take away his only chance to ever be a father. How was she supposed to tell him about this little twist of fate? �Hey guess what we�ve been humping like bunnies in my dreams! Congrats! You�re a Daddy.� If they didn�t think she was out of her gourd now, after trying to explain that they surly institutionalize her.

Leaving was her only option. Jumping back into action she was in the middle of scooping her underwear from her drawer, when a voice form down stair stopped her.

�Willow?� It was Cordelia. Willow considered hiding in her closet until the cheerleader went away, but decided against it.

�I know you�re here.� Footsteps could be heard on the stairs. Willow�s heart picked up a beat as her fight or flight instincts kicked in.

Cordelia appeared in the open door. �What do you think you�re doing? Do you know how worried we�ve all been about you?�

�You don�t understand.� Willow started.

�What�s there to understand? So you took too many of those damn pills. It�s not like you have to go to detox or anything. Everyone is just worried about you right now. All you have to tell them is that you were studying for midterms or something-.�

�I�m pregnant.�

�I mean with the way you have your head shoved in some book or another-Did you just say pregnant?�

Willow could feel tears forming in her eyes again. �Yes.� She whispered.

�With a baby right? And hey I thought you were still a virgin. Besides these X-rated dreams you�ve been having who else has there been?� Cordelia watched as Willow�s shoulders started to shake.

�No one. I swear!� Willow lost the slim control she had somehow or another maintained. Crumbling to the floor her sobs shook her slender form.

�Oh my God. Oh my... You�re being serious aren�t you?� Crouching onto the floor next to the redhead Cordelia tried to comfort her newfound friend. �I guess the last thing you�d think of when having sex with a vampire in a dream world is birth control.� Willow stifled a miserable laugh.

Cordelia looked around Willow�s room and for the first time noticed hazardous state. Her eyes found the over packed bag sitting on the bed. �You were going to run away and pull a Buffy weren�t you?� Willow nodded, too ashamed to meet Cordelia�s gaze. �Willow you aren�t the type to pull something off like that.�

Pulling herself up in a sitting position Willow glared over at the brunette. �Why because I�m not strong like Buffy?�

�God no. Because you�re better than that. Willow whether you want to admit it or not you�re a much stronger person than Buffy. Look at the hell I�ve personally put you through over the last ten years. You always took it, never ran away in defeat. Buffy isn�t half the person you give her credit for.� Reaching out and tucking stray strands of crimson hair behind Willow�s ears, Cordelia gave the other girl an encouraging smile.

�You don�t need to run away where no one can help you.� Cordelia�s strong voice softened a bit. �I�ll be here for you.�

Willow leaned forward and hugged Cordelia, thanking the Goddess for Cordelia.