Angel watched as Angelus stalked through the front room of the apartment. He seemed to be enraged one moment and then almost amused the next. After living with this particular demon in his head for almost a century he understood how fast his moods changed. Still it was disconcerting to watch. He left Angelus in the front room and he, Connor and Cordelia made their way toward the hallway.

Angelus saw the rest of them heading down the hall toward the bedrooms, he figured that Red would be in her study and headed there instead. He was right, there sitting at the desk, eyes half closed and a tired air about herself was Willow. He could feel the diminishment of her power. She was weakened at this moment. He decided to take advantage. "Well well. what do we have here? Is this the all powerful Crimson Death? Funny, you don't look like much to me."

Willow had heard them enter the apartment, she knew Angelus was there as well as three others. She wasn't sure who the other three were but she wasn't worried. Spike would be home soon and he would take of Angelus as well as the others she just had to stall until he got there. "Angelus, how nice to see you again. Did you like my little gift to you?"

"I assume you mean Buffy. Yes it was most thoughtful, in fact I wouldn't have escaped without her. You really should know better than to put two strong beings such as us in the same place. Very thoughtless of you. Between the two of us and your weakened state, well we were able to just push our way right through that little barrier spell of yours. Now, why don't you tell me just what have you been up to that has weakened your powers so much? Hmm?"

Willow just smiled at Angelus. It was worth having to put up with his arrogance to be assured that her Mate was immortal. Besides, she would make him pay for his insolence later, when she was at full strength again. "Oh just a little spell for MY Spike. You know, he really is such a loyal creature. Too bad you never treated him properly, if you had of he'd still be yours. Not that I'm complaining, personally I'm glad your a selfish bastard. It made it all the easier to take him from you. Perhaps I'll look Drusilla up, restore her sanity to her. Then she'll realize what an ass you are as well."

Angelus was outraged. It was enough to take Spike from him, but to threaten to take his Dru as well? He roared and grabbed her from her chair and threw her through the door and out into the front room. The other three heard the commotion and came running. Connor being the fastest arrived first. He saw Angelus lunge for the Witch and threw himself at him. The two rolled to the floor where Angelus pinned Connor. He looked at the young man beneath him and snarled. Then he stopped. He still saw the boy as his, and as such he would not kill him. "You may be my son boy, but don't you ever interfere with my business again. I won't kill you but I will discipline you. Got it?"

Connor nodded dumbly at Angelus, his earlier conviction to see Angel as his father and Angelus as just another demon was crumbling before his eyes. The vampire that had him pinned to the floor had just claimed him as kin, it was confusing as hell.

Willow took this opportunity to make a run for it. She pulled herself up and ran for the door, only to be intercepted by Angel and Cordelia. She realized then that Spike wasn't coming to rescue her, that they had somehow taken her Mate. She drew upon her remaining energy and was about to cast a spell when she was pulled into Cordelia's arms. The last this she remembered was a glowing light and the feeling of being drained of everything before her world went black.