Betrayal By The Heart part 7

Author: Jozzy

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.

Spoilers: The second season mostly.

Pairing: Willow/Angel

Part 7

It had been three weeks since Willow had let it slip about her and Angel's friendship. It had also been three weeks since she had really talked to anyone. Everyone seemed to be avoiding her. The only time that she was ever even asked to the library was when Giles needed some hacking done. She didn't even get to  help with the regular researching.

Before the slip Willow had spent a lot of time at Angel's, now she never seemed to leave. Going to school and then coming back and not leaving until the next morning. Not that Angel minded. He enjoyed having the young redhead there. It kept the silence, that at one time comforted him and now pained him, at bay.

Willow could spend endless hours talking. Jumping from subject to subject. Angel contirbuted sometimes to the conversation- little tidbits, but mostly it was just Willow. She normally started off discussing whatever happened in school that day, then something she said would spawn her onto a new thread.

Most of the afternoon was spent talking and doing Willow's homework. Though she didn't really the help, Angel would spend a couple hours with her. Helping her study or work on some project. These hours were his favorites. Then he learned knew things. A common belief that if someone lived as long as Angel had he must know a lot of stuff. But Angel had never finished his education and now most of his knowledge was demon centered. Working with Willow helped him broaden his horizons. Taught him new things.

When dusk came they would eat dinner and then head out to patrol. Taking back alleys and and rarely used streets they wandered Sunnydale. It was a little game they all played, Buffy, the Scoobies, Willow, and Angel.  Each group trying to avoid each other during patrols. It had worked  suprisingly well so far. In the three weeks since Willows seeming suspension, their paths had not crossed. That was until tonight.

"Oh fuck." Willow breathed out, Buffy and Xander stood a few feet in front of her and Angel. She and Angel had been wrapped in their own little world, a place they went whenever talking to each other. It had taken Xanders loud coughing for them to realize what had happened. Now they all stood, facing off.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Buffy glared at them. The hurt and jealousy she felt still close at hand.

Willow glared at the small blond. " Its a free country Buffy. We do what we want. Besides someone has to patrol."

Buffy's eyes widened and her nostrils flared. " What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means we couldn't trust you not to be partying at the Bronze or on a date or something."

"Me! Your the one sneaking around behind my back with MY boyfriend."

" I wasn't sneaking around with anyone. Angel is just my friend. He's a REAL friend, unlike you guys."

Xander snorted, " Oh yeah, he's a good friend. As long as he doesn't get laid. Then he'll be your worst enemy."

Angel's growled slightly, "Why don't you shut up Harris."

"Make me Deadboy."

Willow sighed as the insults began to fly between the her old and new bestfriend. This isn't how it was supposed to be. Dammit its my senior year. I'm supposed to be having fun, not fighting with the people who are suppsedly my best friends. Oh please, these people were never really your friends. They were your captors and they never let you be you. All ways telling you what to do and what not to do. Cheating off you. Making you do their homework. Using you. Forget them. Focus on this thing you have with Angel. I don't have a THING with Angel. Relax I didn't mean a romantic thing (I've given up on you ever getting a clue.) I ment your friendship.

Willow looked at the people around her. Bufy and Xander stood close together supporting each other. As close a she and Angel now stood. Everyone was tense, Xanders eyes had began to bulge from their sockets because of his intense yelling. Buffy stood with her hands on her hips, her doing jreking from side to side. Angel was the only one with the semblance of calm. But the balled fist at his sides gave away the underlying anger.

Willow sighed, then raised her voice above the others. "Obviously this isn't the right time. We're all just a little to angry for anything constructive to come of this meeting. Angel and I will leave and go patrol somewhere else."

Everyone else quieted. The four stood facing each other for a moment. Angel and Xander still glaring furiosly at each other. Neither wanting to be the first to move. Not wanting to show any weakness.

Buffy glanced over at a Xander. Noticing the showdown look in his and Angel's eyes she sighed. She was angry with Willow but she also didn't have the time to spend arguing right now. She was after all the slayer and she couldn't slay when all the vamps were tipped off to her location by the shouting.

"Come on Xander. We gotta go."

"But..."

"Come on! We got better things to do." Looking back at Willow. "Don't think this is over you little back stabber."

Willow laughed, "I wouldn't dare Slutty." Grabbing Angel's arm she turned and stalked out of the cemetery.

*******

 It had been two hours since they had confronted Buffy and Xander in the cemetery. Willow had yet to speak. Angel was worried. It wasn't like Willow not to talk. Especially when she was upset. That's when she talked the most, mostly useless babble, but still.

Willow knew that Angel was worried about her. It poured off him in waves. She also knew that she should comfort him. Let him know that she was okay. But she couldn't bring herself to talk. It was hard to make conversation when you realized that you just lost your best friends.

It was true. Buffy and Xander had been her best friends. And now they couldn't even be in standing distance from her. Not that she wasn't angry at them as well. After all they had known that her boyfriend was cheating on her and never even told. And the way they accused her of trying to steal Angel from Buffy. You mean how they assumed you were this weak little baby who couldn't stand knowing the only guy that could possibly find her attractive was a dog. No pun intended. And if that wasn't enough they then basically called you slut who couldn't keep her hands to herself. Yeah I'm sorry to see THEM go. Its not that simple. Yes it is that simple you just don't want to believe it.

"Angel, do you think that we'll ever get over this."

Angel glanced over at Willow, worry lines creasing his face. " I don't know Willow. I mean they're all being really childish right now, not even listening to our side. But I guess if they would listen to us and understand that nothing was... is going on and apologize for being so rude. Then yes I guess I could forgive them. People are irrational Willow. Everyone's just fustrated by not finding this damn demon and they're using this as an excuse to lash out."

Willow sighed, "I don't like fighting with Buffy and Xander, but they aren't being fair. And some of the stuff they've said and done over the last couple of month's has really hurt. I want to forgive them, but its hard."

Angel looked down at the ground watching it shift beneath his feet. " I know what you mean Willow. Not everyone deserves forgiveness for the things they've done." Especially not me.

Seeing Angel's pensive look Willow, stilled their movement and growled, " We've been over this before Angel. You do deserve forgiveness. Besides it wasn't you, it was your demon."

Angel looked into her eyes and smiled. A smile that only Willow saw as of late. " Thank you Willow for believing in that. No matter if its true or not, it helps to know you forgive me."

Willow rolled her eyes, grabbed Angel's hand and began dragging him along. "Come one Deadboy lets finish patrolling and go home. I swear I'm going to beat you tonight. I will be the Monopoly Queen."

END PART 7

CONTINUE TO PART 8