Spike heard the scream and started howling in rage, they had his mate and were harming her. He raged and pulled at the chains that held him. He could feel his mate's pain, he needed to get to her. He yelled for Angel to release him.

Cordelia and Angel were discussing Willow while the girl was safely asleep in the next room. "What did you do Delia?" "I'm not entirely sure, she was in such pain Angel, I took the darkness from her soul. She was covered in it, pain, grief despair, rage, and hatred. It was like a cloak that enveloped her. I removed the cloak." Angel nodded his understanding.

Angelus and Buffy entered the room to hear Cordelia's explanation to Angel. Angelus was still furious with the witch for everything she'd done but Buffy was hopeful that her friend would be okay. "Cordy? Will Willow be okay?" Cordelia looked saddened. "I don't know Buffy, all we can do is wait and see. When she remembers what she did it won't be easy for her. She killed her friends, tortured them, became master of the Hellmouth and mated herself to Spike. That's a lot to take in." Angelus growled at the mention of Spike. "I'm going to see Spike." He said, and left the room. Just then they heard Willow scream.

By the time Angelus got to the basement Spike was already shouting for them to free him. Angelus walked into the room and approached Spike. "Well boy, seems like your girl is having an attack of the guilties. Poor dear." Spike snarled. "Let. Me. Go." Angelus laughed. "Not my place to do that, you don't belong to me anymore I have no right to demand anything on your behalf. Besides, I don't think your girl will want to see you just now, seems the cheerleader had relieved her of her darkness. Nothing left to her now but sorrow and guilt. A shame that, all that power going to waste." Spike pulled at his chains and growled at Angelus. "Well boy, it was nice chatting with you but I've got a slayer to see. Have fun now." Angelus smiled and walked away from the still growling blond.

Cordelia, Buffy and Angel ran into the room to find Willow curled up in the corner screaming. Buffy reached for her friend only to have Cordy pull her away. "I don't think she should see you yet, she did a lot of bad things Buffy, especially to you. She needs time." Buffy nodded her head and left the room. Cordelia crept closer to Willow and pulled her into an embrace. "It's over now Willow, shh it'll be okay. I'm here and I'll help you."

Angelus found Buffy crying softly in the living room. "Hey, you alright?" Buffy flung herself at Angelus and he held her to his chest. "I'm so confused, Willow's my friend but she did such horrible things to me. How do I forgive her?" "I don't know, I'm not the best person to ask about forgiveness." Buffy smiled at him. "Why do I trust you? I mean you're Angelus not Angel and yet I trust you. Am I crazy?" "Maybe a little", he smiled at her, "but I like crazy, remember?" They both laughed at that and fell into a comfortable silence.

Connor had called and updated the guys in LA on their situation. Wesley suggested that they all come to LA, even Angelus. They would figure everything out when they got there. Giles was contacting the council to get a list of qualified therapists who could help both Buffy and Willow deal with the trauma they had been through. Connor was having his own trauma to deal with, he had two fathers, one human and one vampire and they both wore the same face. His life was never simple.

By the next night they were headed back to LA. Angel, Cordy, Willow and Gunn were in Angels car while Angelus, Buffy, Connor and a gagged and tied Spike followed in the van. They wanted to leave Spike behind but Giles had pointed out that it was probably safer to have him where they could keep an eye on him. So that was how they ended up driving down the highway listening to Spike growl and snarl from the back of the van.

Wesley had arranged for a cell to be built in the basement of the hotel to house Spike. Angelus and Connor dragged him down and dumped him in it as soon as they arrived. Willow had been in a state of shock ever since the screaming episode. She merely did as she was asked, never speaking or making eye contact. She would occasionally rub at her throat and squeeze her eyes shut but other than that she never moved.

Willow remembered everything. The pain, the death, the torture. It was like watching a movie of someone else's life, only she felt the pain and the suffering and the guilt. She wanted it to end. She didn't deserve to be forgiven. She didn't want to be. She wanted to leave and wanted Spike. Regardless of everything that had happened, they were still mated and she did love him. She knew he was here, in the hotel somewhere.

The group sat around in the lobby of the hotel discussing the events that had taken place in Sunnydale. Angelus had agreed to stay for the time being, he would drink animal blood and stay out of trouble. He only agreed to this for Buffy's sake of course. Both Angel and Angelus wanted to remain separate from each other. If the powers were willing of course. Connor had taken responsibility for Spike, making sure he was fed and not able to escape.

That night after everyone had fallen asleep Willow crept downstairs to the basement to find Spike. He was sitting on the edge of a cot that had been put in his cell smoking a cigarette. He heard her approach and looked up. "Red? Are you alright luv?" Willow nodded her head and unlocked the cell door. It wasn't very smart of Connor to leave the key in plain sight. "Hurry, we have to get you out of here." Spike and Willow crept up the stairs and snuck out of the hotel. They took off down the street and Spike pulled Willow into an alley. "Not that I'm not happy to be out of there luv, but what the bleedin' hell is going on?"

Willow started to cry. Spike held her close and stroked her hair. "Shh, it's okay luv, let's just get out of here and we'll talk later." He carried Willow out of the alley, stole a car and drove away. He headed back to Sunnydale to get his car and pack up some of their things. On the way Willow had finally stopped crying long enough to explain to Spike what had happened. She told him about what Cordy had done how she felt such guilt and sadness, she begged him to make it go away.

By the time the next morning rolled around, Spike and Willow had left Sunnydale in Spike's Corvette. They had transferred the bulk of her assets into an account under an assumed name, packed up some of her spell books and some clothes and hit the open road. Willow had told Spike of the spell she had performed, he was stunned by what she had done for him.

The group at the hotel were both stunned and saddened to find both Spike and Willow missing the next morning. They knew that Willow had to have let Spike out, and that they would most likely never find them. It was little comfort to know that Willow was no longer capable of magic, Spike was enough of a danger on his own.

Spike and Willow carried their bags up to their hotel room. Once inside Spike laid his mate down on the bed and undressed her. He made love to her gently before drinking from her deeply. He slashed his wrist and brought it to her mouth. Drink luv, drink and be with me forever." Willow drank from Spike as she felt her heart beat it's last beat. She closed her eyes and died, to be reborn again.

Spike watched his lovers body die, he waited in anticipation for her to awaken to the demon inside her. Things were finally as they should have been all along. He was invincible, he had Willow, and she was his Childe. He had been delivered from his bond to Angelus, he no longer needed answer to anyone and he had his lovely witch to thank for it. He fell asleep wrapped around the cooling body of his love and dreamed of their future.

The next evening Willow awoke to find the bluest eyes she'd ever seen staring into hers. "Sire." She sighed. "How you feeling luv?" Willow smiled and licked her lips. "Hungry!" Spike chuckled and pulled her out of bed. "Lets get you someone to eat then pet." The two vampires left the hotel to hunt and start their new life together.


THE END