Part 1
The noise outside her window made her jump, and she dropped Mr. Froggy. After a few minutes of silence, she picked him up again and continued his journey from the bed to the trunk in the corner.
"Stay there," Willow told him firmly as she nestled him among the other stuffed animals. "I don't want you anywhere near the bed while I'm sleeping, got it? You may be polyester fiberfill, but you're STILL a frog and well, my bed is a frog-free zone."
For the hundredth time Willow wondered why she didn't just throw him out. She didn't like frogs. In fact, she hated frogs. They scared her to death. But she loved Xander, and when he won Mr. Froggy at the fair and casually presented him to her with a kiss on the cheek, saying, "Don't say I never give you anything nice," she knew Mr. Froggy was coming home with her to stay.
Willow went back to her now frog-free bed and pulled down the covers. She punched her pillow lightly, fluffing it into perfect position.
"Mrrrrrrr."
She stopped and stared at her pillow in alarm.
"Mrrrrowwww."
"Oh!" She realized this time that it wasn't her pillow at all; the sound was coming from outside her window. She felt foolish for a second, then muttered, "This is the Hellmouth. It COULD have been the pillow..." as she moved to the french doors that lead to the balcony outside her room.
Pulling the curtains aside, she tried to see through the glass. The near moonless night made visibility almost nil, and she shook her head in frustration.
"Mrrrrrppp."
That definitely came from outside. Willow unlatched the door and opened it a little, being very careful not to move beyond the threshold.
"Meoooow."
Willow looked across the balcony at the tree which brushed the corner railing with its branches. Something white - and fuzzy- was hanging precariously from a branch.
"MEOOOW."
The kitten squealed as one of its paws came unstuck and it looked down at the ground two stories below.
"Oh, no!" Without even thinking, Willow rushed across the balcony and grabbed the little bundle of fur before it could fall, clutching it to her chest. "Oh, poor kitty!
It's okay, you're safe now! How did you get up there? You could have hurt yourself!"
Before Willow could turn to take the shaking bundle of fur into her room, strong arms wrapped around her tightly, yanking her backwards. She stumbled and felt herself pulled up against something hard. The back of her thighs below her sleepshirt slapped against soft leather.
"200 years and the kitten thing still works. What is it about women and cute, helpless little creatures?" a rich voice asked mockingly in her hear. "Of course, I can't really talk...I have a thing for cute and helpless myself."
I'm too young to die! I have homework to finish, and e- mail to answer, and...>
A heavy sigh ruffled her hair over her ear, breaking her reverie. "Willow!?! Wake up already, would you?"
"I'm awake," she squeaked. "Wide awake. I wish I weren't, 'cause if I were asleep, this could be a dream, and if it were a dream, then I could wake up and you wouldn't be here, but I'm awake and it's not and you are!"
She felt the chuckle her words elicited vibrate against her back, too soft to really hear. "You do have a way with words. But right now all I want to hear is an invitation. Invite me in, Willow."
"NO!" She stiffened at the thought of Angelus coming in her room again, and felt his arms tighten around her.
"If I wanted to kill you, little girl, I would have done it already. I wouldn't need to come in. Do you know how quickly you can break a human neck? Two seconds and it's all over. Just ask Jenny Calendar. But you can't can you? 'Cause she's dead, and you're not...because I let you live. All I want to do is talk, Willow.
Invite me in, and you'll live a little longer."
Willow was confused. What game was Angelus playing now? What could he want to talk to her about? Why wasn't she dead yet?
A cold hand wrapped itself around her throat. "I asked nicely, Willow. I won't ask again."
"Come in!" Willow was glad her parents were away. At least they would be safe.
Angelus kicked the door open completely and hauled Willow inside, dropping her, and the kitten, on her bed. Her hold on the cat loosened and it shot out from under her, huddling under the dresser. By the time Willow rolled over on to her back the doors to the balcony were closed and Angelus was standing over her.
Angelus smiled as he flopped down across the end of the bed on his side, his head on his hand. "Comfy?"
Willow blinked in surprise.
"I wish I knew what went on in that head of yours. Always thinking, aren't you?"
Angelus reached over and tapped her foot lightly. "But I didn't come over here to watch you think, interesting though that may be. I came to talk, Willow."
"W-w-what do you want to talk about?"
"You. And me."
Part 2
"WHAT?" Willow wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly. Angelus wanted to talk to her about him? And her? Was that "him" and "her" or "him and her" ? There'd never been a "him and her," just a "him and Buffy," so she figured it had to be the former.
"I've been watching you, you know."
Willow tried to pull her foot back without being too obvious; he'd gone from tapping it to lightly rubbing the side of it gently with his finger. She found it very distracting.
"I've been watching all of you. Just looking for the perfect way to pay the Slayer back for taking advantage of me and making me her pet vampire." He sneered as he spit out the last words.
"Yes, I've been watching all of you v-e-r-y carefully. And you know what I've decided? You're really the most interesting one of all, little Willow." He began to idly trace the bones in her foot with his hand. "The only one worth my time, really." He looked up at her shocked expression and smiled.
"B-b-but-"
"But Buffy?" She nodded slightly.
"She's good, I'll grant you that. Probably the best slayer I've ever seen. Strong. Fast. Angry. And she's definitely a looker. I have to admit, I've had some fun with her since I've been back."
It took Willow a minute to figure out what he meant.
"But let's face it, she's not terribly interesting. Bright but not smart. Predictable, really." He sighed heavily. "She gets boring after awhile."
Angelus gave her foot a pat and rolled over on his back and stared at the ceiling.
Willow tensed. For a brief moment she thought this would be her chance to get away.
"Don't even think about it. You'll never make it to the holy water in time."
Willow relaxed against the headboard again. She couldn't believe this was happening. They couldn't possibly be having this conversation.
"The Watcher isn't much better. He spends all his time in the library, reading prophecies and watching the Slayer sweat. Guess that's why they call him a watcher. And Xander? What do you see in that loser, anyway? He follows that cheerleader around like a dog on a leash."
The vampire turned his head slightly to look at
She blushed as she felt his eyes run up her body slowly. No man had ever looked at her in that way. She'd seen that look on guys' faces when they looked at Cordelia or Buffy - evaluating, admiring, wondering - but no man had every given her that look. She dropped her face on to her knees, unable to bear the weight of that gaze any longer.
"My sweet, innocent little Willow. The loner who's everyone's friend. Net girl. Always thinking. The only one of the group who can put 2 + 2 together and get 4. The girl who saves kittens and helps dusts vampires. The sensible one. You're the glue that keeps it all together, giving sympathy, support, or scolding, as the need arises. The little virgin dating a werewolf, no less."
He smiled at her. "Thank God you weren't chosen as the slayer. We'd all be dust by now."
He sat up suddenly and moved a little closer to her. "So many contradictions in one package. No, you're not boring, Willow. And you're so very, very good and pure, even after growing up on top of the Hellmouth. So pure that you almost glow. Tell me, Willow, have you ever done anything really bad?"
"Well, yes..." She thought a minute. "I stole a pack of gum when I was in 5th grade."
She couldn't believe she'd said that. She'd never told anyone about that. What was she thinking!?!
"You stole a pack of gum?" His mouth twitched at the corners as he repeated her crime. She could tell he thought it was funny, and she was annoyed.
She started blushing again. "Well, I forgot to pay for it, really, but I never went back and gave them the money, even after I realized it, because I was afraid, and so, TECHNICALLY, I stole it."
"Willow, Willow, Willow Angelus picked up a lock of her long red hair and brought it to his face, smelling it, then rubbing it against his cheek. "You really are just TOO good to be true. This is going to be more fun than I thought."
Willow's eyes got wide as she considered what that could mean. "I don't want you to have fun! At least, not with me! Go have fun with Spike and Drusilla, I'm sure they'll like your kind of fun! "
Angelus dropped her hair suddenly and frowned. "I've had my fun with Spike. Roller Boy doesn't even seem to notice when I go off with his little princess anymore. He's either given up or become a better actor; either way, it's no fun
goading the pathetic cripple lately. And Dru..." He closed his eyes with a pained expression. "If I have to spend one more night listening to Dru rattle on about the singing stars or being forced to talk nicely to Miss Edith I will become as insane as she is."
His eyes flew open and met Willow's, capturing hers. "No, I think this'll be much more fun." He leaned in close, his face inches from Willow's, never letting go of her gaze. "How good are you, Willow? Is there any darkness in you at all?"
"I-" His finger touched her lips, cutting her off, rubbing lightly.
"Let's find out, shall we? My darkness against your light. Winner takes all."
Angelus smiled. "But I warn you, Willow, I always win." He leaned in and kissed her roughly, his tongue flicking against her lips.
Before she could say a word, the vampire was off the bed and out the door. His voice drifted back to her from the balcony.
"Let the game begin. Good night, my little Willow