| ~~~part 2~~~ He watched the screen in mild interest. Only smiling slightly when Lilah grunted in pain when Lindsey twisted her arm behind her back. The tape had been shot the night before, and it irritated Adam Gallagher to no end that it took this long for him to be made aware. His daughter had been missing now for over a month, taken from her bedroom in the middle of the night, not be heard from since. There were leads, lots of them. But none that brought his disobedient daughter home. Damn bitch turned out just like her mother, slinking off in the dead of night, trying to make an ass out of him. Her mother had been easy to find, she really hadn�t been all that smart to begin with. But he taught her, showed her that no one made a fool out of Adam Gallagher. Adam had been on his way out of the office for the night when one of the mailroom clerks came and tapped softly on his door. Out of the thousands of dollars he pitched over weekly to his own string of informants he had to get this vital information from some pimply mail clerk. What had things come to? Ever since Holland�s death, everything had been going down hill. No this started even before that. It was when Angel and his little group showed up in LA. Sending the firm in the state of alarm. Had they just let things be, waited quietly for the vampire to mess up things would be entirely different now. The biggest blunder was Darla. When she proved useless they should have cut their loses and ridden themselves of the blonde tramp. �W-Words is Mr. Gallagher that Lilah has been seen with D-Darla. They�ve been up to something for several months. Last week she took some book from L-Lindsey�s office.� Adam watched as the skinny little leech stuttered his way through the dialog that he was so eager to share. �And I�m sure that this information would have been more useful last week, before Lindsey beat the crap out of Lilah and took her from the building.� His words were spoken blandly, but his anger practically glowed from his eyes. The clerk fidgeted. He knew he should have kept his mouth shut. He just wasn�t good at the games everyone seemed so proficient in at Wolfram and Hart. He was way out of his league. If he didn�t think fast he was going to find himself at the bottom of the nearest harbor. �T-They�ve both been missing since the tape was shot, *and* today the building that Lindsey�s ex lives and works in was burnt down.� Gulping for air, he was silently grateful when Adam�s eyes lost some of his anger. �Did any of those annoying twits die?� Adam remembered Douglass, he never believed for one second that that she and Lindsey had anything serious going on between them. �N-No one knows sir. They all just disappeared.� �This is all interesting, but what does it have to do with my daughter?� Adam leaned back in the chair, swearing that if the skinny little puke started his stuttering again he�s days were numbered. �There�s talk that your daughter is being hidden by Angel and his friends.� Adam felt his blood run cold. He hated being the center of office talk. Damn Aria for putting him in this position. �And that Lindsey has gone to them as well.� �Has anything been confirmed?� Adam stood up from behind his desk. �You may have a chance to live, and perhaps get out of the mailroom if you get some concrete information.� Looking disdainfully at the sweaty clerk, Adam couldn�t believe he was stuck with this situation. �Find out where Angel may take his little pals. I want at least three addresses on my desk in an hour.� ~~~*~~~ ~~~*~~~ Spike came to a screeching halt in front of the Hotel, and bounded out of the car before he barley had a chance to put the convertible in park. They had to hurry and get Willow constrained before she woke and was taken over by the bloodlust that would take control of her body. Angel carried Willow close to him as he dashed up the front steps and through the door that Spike held open for him. Stealing glances down at the tiny form in his arms, praying that when all was said and done she would understand why he did what he felt he had to. They were greeted by Wesley, Aria and Dawn who were frozen like statues in the lobby. Walking past them to the stairs, Angel saw Dawn make a move to them from the corner of his eye. �Stay back.� He didn�t mean to growl at the startled girl. But if Willow woke up he didn�t know if he could contain her from trying to feed from her friends. Because of her heavy blood lose before he began the process of turning her, he had given the redhead more of his blood then a childe would usually get from it�s sire. Rushing up the steps to his room he was relieved to see the chains attached to his bed as he instructed Wesley to do over the phone. Spike had been following from behind and helped clasp the metal manacles around Willow�s small wrists and ankles. �All�s clear.� Spike looked toward the door where the three humans stood watching in concern. Locking gazes with his mate. Aria was pale, her eyes wide with fear and concern. It tore Spike apart that he couldn�t whisk her away from the room to some secluded part of the hotel and show that everything was going to be alright. �Did you find an Orb?� Angel tore his jacket off letting it drop to the floor as he pulled a chair next to the bed. �Yes it wasn�t al that hard really...Oh I can�t lie. When we all worked here Cordelia and I invested in a case of the Orbs and hide it here.� Guilt oozed from the former Watcher. �We had talked intensely about we�d do if Angelus should return. Neither of us could make ourselves harm you...Angelus or not.� Angel looked at Wesley. �Thank you.� His words and expression showed just how grateful, he really was. �Has she... Is she awake?� Giles stood behind Dawn in the doorway. Angel looked from Wesley over to Giles. �No. We might have time to resoul her before she awakes up.� At Angel�s words Wesley grabbed the printout and Orb from the bedside table and carried them over to the older Watcher. �Under the circumstances I think that you... That well.� Wesley looked slightly uncomfortable. �Unless you�re worn out from tonight's activities.� Giles understood Wesley�s concern. �Wesley I think that I speak for all of us when I say that we have faith in your abilities. You have proven yourself twice over since your Watcher days. You have the talent and ability to do this.� �Will you two bloody wankers shut your yaps and do this?� Spike barked out from his position next to the bed. He was impatient to hold Aria in his arms. To feel her warmth after the destruction of the night. It was reassuring that Willow was going to be around to spend eternity with, but he had no special desire to see her without a soul. �Where�s everyone else?� Dawn asked Giles. �Lindsey insisted that Douglass get medical attention this time. It took him five minutes to out shout my daughter, but I�m proud to say that he won.� Giles smiled warmly at the teen. �What do you say that we go and get our friends some nourishment?� Dawn looked questionably at the man she considered her Father. �Do you mean blood?� �Yes.� Blushing slightly, Giles led Dawn away from the room, leaving Aria at the door alone to watch. �Yes well I suppose.� Wesley cleared his throat. �Wesley I know you can do this.� Angel�s words were softly spoken. �Thank you Angel.� Wesley clasped onto the Orb tightly as he made his way over to Angel�s dresser where the herbs were to begin the spell. Angel and Spike shared a look over the tiny redheads body, silently praying that this would work. They had talked in the car ride over that if after Wesley, Giles then Douglass tried and Willow was still soulless, it would be Spike�s job to stake Willow. As Wesley mixed the herbs and started to recite the words on the paper, Angel kept his eyes glued on Willow. She remained unmoving, until Wesley�s voice changed as though another entity had invaded his body. It was then that Willow�s body started to spasm, her arms pulling at the chains. Through all this her eyes remained shut. Wesley passed out in an ungraceful heap, leaving the room in silence. �Did it work?� Spike looked from Wesley�s limp form to the motionless body laying on the bed. �Something happened.� Angel wished he could unchain his soul mate and hold her close. But he knew that until they were positive that she was indeed Willow the chains stayed. Movement at the door reminded Spike and Angel that Aria had stuck around, and by her worried expression she also looked like she wanted to make sure Willow was fine. �Cum here Luv.� Spike held out his hand to her, and Aria practically ran across the room wrapping her arms tightly around him. �I was so worried.� Inhaling deeply, Aria smiled at the scent that she had some to know as uniquely Spike. Thanking whatever Gods may be listening for keeping her vampire safe. Kissing the top of her head, Spike squeezed his arms tightly around her. �What? Didn�t think an old man like myself could handle two females?� Aria shuddered. �Are they?...They�re dead right?� �Yes. I took Dru out, I think she knew it was going to happen. And with the last of her strength Willow took down the big bad bitch.� Spike looked down again at Willow with pride in his eyes. �So now all we do is wait?� Aria looked over at Angel and gave him a soft smile, showing that she�d be there for him. ~~~*~~~ �This is stupid.� Douglass grumbled loud enough for Lindsey to hear. She had been settled into a hospital room where she would be staying until her doctor and an over protective Lindsey felt she was healthy enough to go home. �I told you before Doug, if you can make it to the door you can leave.� Lindsey smirked down at the disgruntled witch. �You held me down.� Douglass argued. �I didn�t say that I was going to play fare.� Lindsey laughed at her frustration. �Let me enjoy this one small triumph. I�m sure this will probably be the last time I�m able to get the upper and.� Letting out a long dramatic sigh Douglass conceded. �Fine...I�m just worried about Willow. We should be there helping.� Lindsey took on a serious expression, �No you need to be here. I�m not going to let history repeat itself. The last time you almost died. We have a baby to think about.� Douglass nodded as it all finally started to become real for her. It had been easy to pretend that it was just another day at the office. But the sucky thing about reality was that it didn�t seem to care when to come crashing down on you. Sucking in a deep breath tears that she promised herself wouldn�t come finally fell from her eyes. �I was so scared.� Deep soul wrenching sobs shook her body as Lindsey sighed in relief and gathered her battered form to him. He had been holding his breath, waiting for her strong exterior to crack so she could vent the emotions she held locked inside. �Shh, Honey it�s going to be alright. Willow will get her soul back and when you�re better and get all your powers back you an anchor her soul just like Angel�s. Our baby is fine, you heard the doctor.� Whispering the words in her ear as he rocked them back and forth, Lindsey smiled when she stopped crying and started to hiccup. �Better?� �If I say yes can I go home?� Douglass hiccupped out. �No.� �No I�m not fine, but I will be.� Her hiccupping ceased as her eyes drifted shut. Next Home |