Title: Windows to the Soul (Willow/Graham)

Author: Jesmin

Rating: PG-13

Summary: While in LA for the summer, Graham decides to help his cousin research for a case she is working on against Wolfram and Hart. Where does he get his help? Angel Investigations of course, where a certain red head has been hiding out for the summer.

Disclaimer: Joss, WB, Fox, Mutant Enemy, and others that I know I am forgetting own these characters. Please forgive me as I steal them for a bit, for I will return them safely in the end.

Distribution: Charity’s site, Temptation Embraced, Graham Crackers, and my own site. If you would like it, all you have to do is ask.

Feedback: Please! I love feedback. It keeps me going and writing. Just remember, I usually write back, so be nice.

Graham Miller shot up from the couch he had been lounging on as a large crash echoed through the house, originating in the kitchen. Running through the swinging doors, he ducked as a grapefruit flew through the air, missing him by mere inches and then flying into the adjoining room through the open door. Taking a quick look of the situation, he hastily made it to the table and stopped a hand that was reaching for another grapefruit. "I don’t know what the grapefruit did, but you must forgive the grapefruit."

His cousin, Shayanna, looked up at him and started to laugh. He just stood there, holding her hand as she calmed down, took a deep cleansing breath, and then smiled up at him. "Sorry, Graham Crackers. I was just getting a little flustered, and the unlucky grapefruit happened to be the closest thing to me."

Graham let go of her wrist and sat across from her. Crossing his arms and giving her a pouty look, he remarked, "You promised you wouldn’t call me that, Shay."

Shay sat back as she stole a pencil from the table. Twirling it in her fingers instinctively, she smiled at her younger cousin. "I just couldn’t help it. Left over residue from our childhood days."

Reaching for an apple out of the bowl of fruit the grapefruit had originated from, he sat back and took a bite. "Glad you’re reminiscing, but lets just leave it at that. I don’t think I want to live the ‘let’s stick Graham in the trash can’ days again."

Shay laughed loudly, her snow white blond, curly hair bouncing about. The stream of light through her kitchen windows made her glow. She was so beautiful, that Graham often wondered why she hadn’t found anyone. The only thing he could come up with was the reason he had used himself - the job. Shay was a lawyer, only out of school two years. As she quit laughing, she shook her head, "And what, get the crap beat out of me from my soldier boy cousin for trying? No thanks."

After taking another bite and winking at her, he asked, "So, what had you in such a tizzy?"

Grunting, Shay pushed up her glasses and answered, "This damn case. I think the only reason that they gave it to me was because they didn’t think anyone would be able to win it anyway."

"Why is that?"

"First of all, it is just weird. There is all this supernatural stuff involved that no one would believe in. Then, there is the fact that I am going against a law firm that specializes in these cases. To top it off, they are sending one of their best in. No one can beat Wolfram and Hart, especially with Lindsey MacDonald heading the defense."

Graham lifted one of his eyebrows. "What type of supernatural stuff?"

Shay threw him a file that bore the words ‘Confidential.’ Smiling at his cousin’s disregard for the rules, he opened it up. There were several pictures of female victims with their eyes cut out. Along with the pictures, was a page containing facts of the case. Graham read over some notes by the officer in charge, a Ms. Kate Lockley, and then looked up at his cousin. "What do you know about this officer?"

Smiling, Shay answered, "She used to be an up coming powerhouse in the police force, but then something went wrong. After one case, a very strange one at that, she started to check out any case that was questionable, like this one. They have started to coin her ‘Spooky,’ just like that Mulder guy on X-Files."

Graham nodded. "The fact that she seems to believe in all this might help your case. Maybe you should talk to her."

"I did. She is pretty hard to talk to."

Rubbing his chin, in a posture of thinking, Graham stared across the room, slowly smiled, and looked over at his cousin. "I have an idea. Do you mind if I make a long distance call?"

"No problem."

Graham smiled over at her. "Great! I’ll be back in a minute."

*****

"Riley’s personal cellular service. How may I direct your call?"

Graham frowned as he questioned, "Buffy?"

"Yes."

"It’s Graham."

"Oh. I’ll hand the phone over to Riley."

"No. I mean...," Graham rubbed his eyes and sat down, shocked that he was doing this. "I think it would be better if I talked to you."

"What’cha need to know?"

"My cousin is working on a case, and to even come close to winning it, she needs to have an understanding of a type of demon. I thought Giles might know someone that can help in that department."

Buffy looked over at Riley, and then got up. As he looked at her, questioning what she was doing, she snuck into Giles’ bathroom and shut the door. Just a little louder than a whisper, she answered, "Riley is going to kill me for this, but I know someone great to help you."

Graham leaned forward in his seat, interested about why she was hiding this from Riley. "Why would Riley kill you?"

"Did he ever tell you about my ex-boyfriend?"

"No."

Buffy sighed, and Graham had the feeling that this was hard for her. "I dated a vampire."

Graham stood up quickly. "What?!"

"Calm down. He has a soul, so that makes him one of the good guys. Riley met him this last semester when he stopped by, and they got into a huge fight. Basically, they hate each other."

"So how does this pertain to the case?"

"My ex, Angel, is a private investigator in LA. He and his team specialize in demons. If you need information, I am sure they will let you borrow their library, if not help you out also. Just don’t mention to Riley that I sent you there."

Graham nodded as she then spat out a phone number for him. After writing it down, he remarked, "Thanks Buffy. I’ll call back if this doesn’t work."

"Don’t worry. Angel is really nice, even though I wouldn’t mention being a commando to him. He has a thing against them, mainly Riley."

"I will remember that. Thanks again and tell Rye I said hi."

"Kay. Bye Graham."

"Bye Buffy." Graham hung up the phone and studied the paper in his hand. If it was a few months ago, he would never think of calling a vampire, but something told him that it was a chance he needed to take for his cousin’s case.

He dialed the number and took in a deep breath as he heard a cheerful female voice answer the other end, "Angel Investigations: We help the hopeless."

*****

Graham looked at the address that he had written down on a small sticky note. Double checking, he found himself looking at an apartment instead of a business building. Shrugging to himself, he decided to go ahead and try the place out. Walking to the door, he rung the doorbell and smiled as he heard the cheerful voice from the phone call out, "Coming!"

A young woman with brown long hair and dark eyes answered the door, smiling brightly. "Yes. May I help you?"

"I’m, uhm, looking for Angel Investigations."

She pointed at him as a look of understanding crossed her face. "You’re the man that called earlier. Graham, right?"

Graham nodded. "Uh, yes. I need help with my cousin’s case."

"Oh, yes. I can’t believe my manners. Please come in." He followed her into a living room area where boxes were all laying about, full of books and a few with files. The woman pointed around the room. "Sorry for the mess, but our old office was blown up. We were able to save a few of the files and books and what we didn’t, we have been trying to replace." Holding our her hand, she waited for him to shake it. As he did, she introduced her self. "I’m Cordelia Chase, by the way. And Buffy gave you our name?"

"My best friend is dating Buffy Summers, and she told me to stop by."

Cordelia looked at him with a scowl on her face. "And the so called, ‘Riley Finn’ was okay with this?"

Graham looked around the room carefully, as if the walls would give his secret away. "He doesn’t know, and I was told not to tell Angel."

"Tell me what?" asked a voice from one of the back rooms.

Cordelia gave Graham a look of ‘oops’ and then smiled as Angel emerged from her bedroom. Pushing Graham into view, she motioned towards him and explained, "This is Graham. He goes to school in Sunnydale and knows Buffy. His cousin is working on a case against the one handed fiend, and needs some help in the research department. Anyway, he called Sunnydale about it, and Buffy recommended that he come here, but she didn’t want you to know that she sent him."

Angel rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I know that isn’t the whole story, but being his cousin is trying to take down our old pal, Lindsey, then I am all for it." Smiling at Graham, he asked, "What can we help you with, exactly?"

Graham held out the folder that his cousin had let him look at earlier. Angel couldn’t help but smile again as he saw the word ‘Confidential’ and then smiled slightly more as his eyes fell on Kate’s name. "So, Kate wasn’t much help in this department, I take it?"

Graham shook his head. "My cousin said that she was hard to talk to."

Cordelia commented off to the side, just loud enough for every one to hear, "Like she has a stake up her ass."

Angel glared at Cordelia for a second, but then seemed to come to the same resolve. "She just had a hard time with her father’s death." Angel continued to look at the contents of the folder and then handed them to Cordelia to look through. "I really don’t know much about the demon in this case, Graham, but I can get my research team to help you on it. They should be back any time now."

Graham smiled. "Thank you. As of right now, my cousin is lost on this case. If they may be able to help, then I am all for waiting."

Cordelia placed the folder on her coffee table and then shoved some papers off the couch and motioned for him to sit. "Please. Have a seat. With Wills on Wesley’s case, I am sure they won’t be much longer." Making a place for herself, Cordelia sat beside him and asked, "So how is old Buff doing?"

Shrugging, Graham answered, "Fine, I guess. I have been here for the last few months of summer, so I haven’t seen her much."

"Oh. And she did tell you about Angel, didn’t she?"

Graham looked up as the vampire gave his secretary a bad look and then turned to what he was doing, acting like he wasn’t paying attention. "Uh, yes. She told me he was a vampire."

Cordelia continued on. "You know that he is good, right."

Graham stared at Angel as he answered, "Yes. Something about a soul?"

Cordelia nodded. "Yep. He was cursed by gypsies, causing him to spend his days repenting for his past sins."

"Well, at least he’s not like Spike. That guy just drives me up the wall. The last few weeks of school, after I had actually met him, it was whine, whine, whine."

Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she commented, "Maybe that is because of his chip." Turning to Angel, she asked, "It is a chip that keeps him from hurting humans, isn’t it?"

Angel broke into a small smile and then hid it. "Yep." Turning to Graham with a few books in hand, he remarked, "Trust me when I say I know what it is like listening to his constant whining."

"Why is that?"

Cordelia said quietly, "Angel is Spike’s sire, but he doesn’t like to talk about it - reminds him of the bad days."

Graham looked back at Angel. This was Spike’s sire? True, he had just met Angel, but they seemed so different. What would have caused Angel to want to sire Spike? Then again, what was Angel like before he gained his soul? It wasn’t like Buffy had given him the full run down.

A knock sounded at the door, and was followed by a man entering the apartment before Cordelia could even get up. He stopped in the doorway and eyed Graham. "Who is this?"

A small voice that seemed familiar commented behind him, "I don’t know, but if you don’t move, I am going to have to beat your ass. You know I’ve had to go really bad for the last hour."

The man stepped aside and a flash of red sped by Graham. He hadn’t gotten a good look, but he swore he knew the streak. Pointing towards the back, where she had raced off to, he asked, "Was that who I think it was?"

Cordelia smiled at him and asked, batting her eyes, "Oh, do you know Wills?"

"Wills?"

Angel turned and helped, "She means Willow."

Graham pointed to the back again, "Willow’s here?"

Cordelia nodded, "So you do know her?"

"Actually, we have just met a few times. I just thought she was suppose to be somewhere else this summer."

Willow emerged from the back and stopped dead in the living room. Tucking a stray hair behind her ear - a habit that was much cuter on her than Cordelia - she stopped and stared at Graham. "Miller?" As Graham nodded, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

Pointing at his cousin’s folder, he commented, "Doing some research for my cousin today. She is stuck on a case that deals with demons, and Buffy suggested I try out Angel Investigations."

Willow frowned. "Does Riley know?"

Graham looked at Angel and saw him flinch at Riley’s name. Turning back to Willow, he commented, "No, and we aren’t going to tell him."

Sitting on the floor, in front of the coffee table, Willow looked at Graham and pointed to the folder. "Is this the information you have?" As Graham nodded, Willow started to leaf through the folder. After reading Kate’s report, she started to study the pictures. Talking to herself, Willow commented, "This is strange. It says the eyes were pulled out and then the sockets were burned at the time of death, not before. If that happened to you, would you have this peaceful look on your face?"

Willow held up a picture for Graham to see with the victim smiling. Cordelia wasn’t all that happy to see the picture, though. Scrunching up her face, she commented, "Wills, there was a reason I didn’t look at that when Angel gave me the file."

Smiling, Willow looked at it and then Cordelia as she still held it out. "I don’t understand, Cordelia. After all the things you have seen, I wouldn’t think you would be so squirmy."

Shooing it away with her hand, Cordelia retorted, "Well, I’m squirmy. So just get rid of it, okay?"

Wesley, who was standing beside the couch, leaned over Graham and then snatched the picture away from Willow before she could put it up. Staring at the picture, he asked, "What kind of demon would do that and why?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "We were hoping that you would be able tell us that, Mister Demon expert."

Angel shook his head from where he was sorting files - redoing some of Cordelia’s filing. Without looking, he chimed, "Cordelia."

Willow, still holding the file and reading, remarked, "It says here that the suspect is a human male. He was taken in after the police found he had a connection with each of the victims. Not only that, but after they searched his house, they found a box that contained a picture of each of the victims, plus an object with each picture, usually some type of pendant with a religious connotation. The demon factor comes in, because Detective Lockley, one of the first officers in charge, believed that the way the victims were killed but yet still smiling was not humanly possible, especially since there were no drugs found in the victims body."

"Not only that," commented Angel from the other side of the room, "The fact that Wolfram and Hart is defending him proves that something shady is going on here."

Wesley handed the picture back to Willow. Smiling at Angel, he stated, "Not even moved into the new office and it looks like we got a case."

Graham looked at Angel and asked, "So you don’t mind taking this case, even with my tie to Riley?"

Angel smiled evilly, sending a shiver down Graham’s spine. "No problem. If this gives us a chance to help you bring down Wolfram and Hart, I will do it for free."

Cordelia’s head shot up. "For free!? What are you, crazy? We need the money! Remember the old office building going kaboom? Ring a bell in that dead head of yours?"

Angel repeated, "I said for free."

Graham got up and smiled. "Great. If there is anything I can do to help..."

Angel shook his head. "Not for the rest of the evening. Wesley will research it and we can call you if we need anything."

Graham motioned to the folder. "My cousin’s home and cell numbers are on the front for you. Please feel free to call, because it isn’t like I have anything else to do."

Willow looked up from where she was sitting and asked randomly. "Do you know anything about computers, Graham?"

Nodding, Graham answered, "How can you not be in this age?"

Wesley turned red as Cordelia cleared her throat and then pointedly looked at him and Angel as a hint.

Willow smiled up at him and then jumped up. "Great. I need help setting up the computers in the new office, and Wesley isn’t any help. Do you think you could spare enough time to help? We could search the web for information after we get finished."

Graham stared at the red head who he had thought shy until now. "It isn’t like I have anything else to do, just like the rest of this summer. Just say when."

Willow jumped and clapped her hands. "When!"

Cordelia tapped Graham. As Graham looked down at Cordelia, she commented, "Don’t worry. She always gets this way when it comes to computers."

Graham laughed as he started to follow Willow out the door, thinking to himself that he should get the red head around computers more often.

*****

Willow and Graham fell onto one of Angel Investigations’ new couches in the office building provided by David Nabbit. They had been laying the connections for each of the computers through out the office. Wiping a bit of dust from his face, Graham asked, "Why didn’t Angel have one of Mr. Nabbit’s guys do this?"

Smiling brightly, Willow answered, "Because I volunteered. Actually, begged is the correct word. I wanted to get away from things, and knew that helping Angel here in LA might help with that."

Graham stared at her, not sure if he should ask the next question. Finally, he gave in and asked, "Why are you here, Willow? Riley and Buffy said that you would be spending your vacation with Tara."

Willow winced as he asked the question she knew was coming. She hadn’t been looking forward to talking to her friends about it, so she had kept it in the dark over the summer, fearing the time when she would have to return to Sunnydale alone. "I did go home with Tara, but it turned out she hadn’t told her family everything. When we got there, they freaked out, and told her to end the relationship and send me away, or they were going to disown her. So she did, and not wanting to return home, I decided to help Angel out. Putting in the computers was an extra incentive to stay here, and a pretty good excuse."

Not knowing what to say, he went with the phrase that so many people use so often, "I’m sorry." But, was he really sorry? Here he was, sitting with someone that he found very enjoyable. His summer had been boring so far, helping his cousin with moving into a new place and then with things around the house. Now, even though he was working, he was having fun. Sure, it had only been for a few hours, it was making his day, and the selfish part of him was glad that her relationship ended, so he could spend more time with her like this.

Trying to smile, Willow found she couldn’t and started to cry. Instinctively, Graham scooted towards her and wrapped his arms around her. As she buried her face into his chest, he brought her closer. Closing his eyes, he took in the scent of her. Rubbing her back, he commented quietly, "Why don’t I take you out on the town tonight? We could go out and eat, maybe dance or see a movie."

Willow looked up at him. "You would want to go out with little me?"

"Why not?"

"Because I’m not that great looking and I am a bit of a nerd. It isn’t like I am your type or anything."

Graham quietly laughed. "How do you know what my type is? Not only that, but I think you’re pretty, and being smart is an extra."

Willow shrugged. "I don’t know. It is just that you are so, well, uhm, good looking - kind of like the popular jock type guys from when I went to high school, and none of them ever considered me. Their type was more like Buffy or Cordelia. I mean, I was just little computer nerd Willow. The only person that payed attention to me was Oz, actually, Xander and I kind of kissed a few times, but that didn’t lead to anything because it freaked Cordelia out and she fell on a pipe, and then, well, Oz and I got back together just so he could cheat on me with another werewolf, who he ended up killing and then tried to get me, but then Buffy came in time and shot him with tranquilizer."

Gently grabbing her chin and lifting her face so she could see his eyes, he commented, "Don’t you know, in college, that all changes. Especially the longer you are there. And it isn’t like I am asking for a commitment or anything, just a night of fun - no Xander, pipes, or werewolves."

Willow wiped away some of her tears and sniffled. "You got all that? Sometimes I ramble and I just can’t stop. Kind of like those potato chips, you know, where you can’t eat just one."

Graham tried to be serious as he answered, "Lays."

"Yes, that’s them." Willow nodded enthusiastically.

Shaking his head, Graham remarked, "Tell you what, why don’t you make sure the computers are running while I get us some drinks. Then we can surf the web a little before going out."

Smiling, Willow agreed, "Fine, and then we could go get ready for tonight."

Getting up and starting for the door, Graham stopped and then turned to her. "By the way, I know we don’t know each other that well, but I just want you to know, that you are very good looking, and you should disregard any comments to the contrary."

Willow nodded and said quietly as he left, feeling her face heat up from blushing, "Thank you."

*****

Wesley looked up as Cordelia placed a plate in front of him. As she had, many times since the explosion, she snapped, "Time to stop and eat, Mr. Research. Got to build up those brain cells, or what ever."

Angel walked out of the kitchen with a mug of blood and sat across from Wesley. "Have you found anything?"

Wesley removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes as usual, in a very Giles like manner. Sighing, he shook his head. "There are several demons that kill their victims by burning out the eyes, but I can’t seem to find one that meets the criteria of this killer. Maybe he really is human."

"So what," Cordelia asks, "he found a drug that can’t show up on tests, burned out their eyes, and then stole some kind of religious object from them? Why does that sound too easy with Wolfram and Hart in the picture?"

"Well, I’ve gone through most of these books and haven’t found much. Maybe if our other books hadn’t been blown up, I would be able to find something."

From the couch, a little voice commented, "Have you tried going to special bookstores?"

Wesley frowned, "I’ve been going to bookstores since the explosion."

"How about ‘The Nook?’"

Shaking his head at the red head, he answered, "I haven’t heard anything about that place."

Willow wrote a few things down as she stared at the screen of her lap top. After turning it off, she got up and handed the address to Wesley. "I just found it on the net. It is suppose to be a secretive place, and only those who even know their lore are allowed inside."

As Wesley eyed the address and then handed it to Angel, Cordelia asked, "Aren’t you suppose to be getting ready for a date with that big hunk of meat Angel is going to help without payment?"

Laughing, Willow nodded. "Yep. I just wanted to do a little more surfing, since Graham and I didn’t find anything earlier. You know me, have to have results Willow, and won’t stop till I do."

Cordelia, standing behind Wesley and resting her hands on his shoulders, commented, "Great. Now that you have something, go - scoot." She motioned with her hand towards the hall. "We can work on checking out this place and you can go out on the town and have fun. You haven’t been doing that enough lately, and if you ask me, it is about time."

Angel turned and looked at Willow. "Thank you, Willow. We will get right on this."

Willow smiled slightly and then made her way to the bedroom to get ready for her date with Graham. Even though Cordelia was being a little gruff, Willow knew she had meant well. Ever since she had arrived, she had either spent her time moping or helping with the office. Cordelia had tried to get her out several times, but Willow had always opted to stay with Dennis and read. Now, for some reason, someone who was almost a stranger had talked her into going out, and she just couldn’t wait to get away from the place she had made her cell.

*****

Willow sighed as she heard Cordelia’s phone ringing in the other room. Pulling her shirt over her head, she quickly checked to make sure it didn’t mess up her hair to much or smudge the small bit of makeup she had just applied. Taking note that all was in check, she rushed to the room to get the phone, dreading that it might be Graham saying he couldn’t take her out for some made-up, lame reason. Instead, Giles’ voice sounded on the other end of the phone. "Willow?"

Dropping to the couch, Willow said quietly, trying to will away the phone call and any of the gang that may be hanging out at Giles’ apartment - Scooby central. "Yes Giles, it’s me. Is any of the gang with you?"

"No," confusion still sounding in his voice.

Willow took a slight breath in. Still talking quietly, she started to explain, "I know you’re probably wondering what I am doing here, being I am suppose to be with Tara, but things didn’t go as planned and, well, uhm, we kind of split, but I didn’t feel like facing the gang - especially Buffy - so I asked Angel if I could help him out over the summer."

As Giles responded, Willow could see him pushing his glasses up and knitting his eyebrows. "Oh, Willow, I’m sorry. I, uh, know how much she, uh, meant to you. If you want, I won’t tell any of the gang, and you know I am, uhm, here for you."

Smiling on her end of the phone as a silent tear streaked a path down her cheek, Willow replied, "I know Giles. You always have been." For a while, they were quiet on both ends, then Willow broke the silence by asking, "Giles, why did you call? Do you need help with something in Sunnydale?"

"Oh, uh, no, we don’t need help. Actually, I was calling to see if you might need anything. Buffy mentioned that Graham had called, and thought I might should call to make sure he stopped by."

"Buffy didn’t want to talk to Angel, huh?"

"No. Riley and her have been with each other most of the day, and she doesn’t want him to know."

"Yeah, well, Graham did drop by and it slipped that Graham is best friends with Riley, but Angel didn’t seem to mind. He is being very grown up about it."

"Well, if you guys need any help with research..."

"Then I’ll tell Wesley to call. They just left to find some more books, so if they come up empty handed, I’ll have them call."

"Good. Willow, take care."

"Don’t worry, with Angel and now Graham watching out for me, I am as safe as can be."

"Bye."

"Bye, Giles."

Willow hung up the phone and started to laugh as a kleenex was held in front of her face by ghostly hands. Taking it and thanking Dennis, she wiped the tear from her cheek as a knock sounded at the door. Getting up, she asked, "Who is it?"

"Graham." As soon as he answered from the other side of the door, it opened on its own. Looking perplexed, as Willow wasn’t even all but halfway across the room, he asked, "How did that happen?"

Searching for her small purse, Willow picked it up as she answered, "Oh, that is Cordelia’s ghost. His name is Dennis." Looking around the room, Willow called out, "Tell Graham hi, Dennis."

From the table, a piece of paper lifted up into the air and then waved towards Graham. Not knowing what to do, Graham asked, "And I take it that this is a good ghost?"

Willow nodded as she dug her keys out of her purse. "Yep. And the fact he let you in means a lot. He is really jealous when it comes to Cordelia, and has seemed to take the same view when it comes to me. Usually, he only lets men in - other than Angel and Wesley - if we say it is okay."

Graham smiled, a twinkle shining in his blue eyes. "Great. It looks like I may be added to the club."

On the table, a pen was lifted and started to write on a piece of paper. Both Graham and Willow looked down as Dennis wrote, "Trust."

Looking around the room, Graham remarked, "Thanks, Dennis."

A slight chill filled the air, and then disappeared, one of Dennis’s other ways of showing his appearance. Willow smiled at Cordelia’s ghost’s proclamation. Turning to Graham, she asked, "Are you ready to go?"

Graham held out his hand and nodded, "Anytime." Looking around the room, he then commented, "Thanks Dennis." Willow grinned slightly and took his hand, ready to go on her date. With Dennis’s approval came a sense of even more trust than before in this man, someone who was a stranger and a friend.

*****

Angel looked at Cordelia and asked as she reread the address Willow had written down, "Are you sure this is the right place?"

Cordelia nodded and rolled her eyes. "I do know how to read, Angel; even Willow’s chicken scratch. This is the right address." Looking at the one door to a windowless shop, she added, "She also wrote, ‘knock three times.’ Maybe you should try that."

The vampire turned and looked at his other companion. Wesley shrugged. "Sounds like it couldn’t hurt."

Walking slowly to the door, Angel held his hand over the door for a few seconds before knocking. One, two, three times his hand rapped the door. The three of them stood quietly, almost holding their breath, as they waited for something to happen. Slowly, the door started opening and a woman’s head stuck out of it. "What ya want?"

Angel asked, "Is this the Nook?"

Staring at the three as she smacked a wad of gum, the woman finally nodded. "Yep, this is the place. Come on in and I’ll give you the procedure."

Following her in the door, Cordelia asked from the back, "This procedure, it doesn’t hurt, does it?"

Laughing, the woman shut the door behind them and walked over to her desk. They were in a small greeting room, which housed a desk, couch and table and chairs. The walls were lined with shelves, but upon a close inspection by Wesley, they were found to hold only children type books – everything from Black Beauty to Little Women. At the desk, the woman rummaged through some papers and then sat them on the desk. Looking at Cordelia, she finally answered, "No, it is just a test. We need to make sure that only avid demon researchers get into our library."

As she started to hand out the tests, the phone on the desk rang. Picking it up, the woman answered, "Yes?" For a while she just stood listening and then smiled before hanging up. Taking the tests back, she commented, "That was the boss. He said to send you on back, something about a favor." Pushing a button under the desk, the shelves started to part, leaving a doorway for them to go through. She just smiled as she chewed away and motioned to the door.

Angel led the group through the door into a dark hallway that ended with a door. Opening the door, he found himself looking at an expansive library. Stepping in, he found that they were only on the second floor of the library, and there were several more floors above him. As Wesley and Cordelia joined him, Cordelia commented wryly, "And they call this place the Nook? Pfft."

Stepping forward more, Angel leaned over the railing and looked down into the basement or first floor of this library. He could hear someone moving around, but could not see them. A voice, from behind some shelves, called out from the lower level. "If you turn right, you’ll see some stairs to get down here."

Turning and seeing the stairs, Angel followed the instructions while Wesley and Cordelia still looked around in amazement, following him slowly. After making it to the lower level, Angel stopped as a body appeared from behind one of the shelves. The demon smiled at him as Angel asked, "Trepkos?"

Nodding, Trepkos commented, "Didn’t take me for a researcher, did you?"

Angel shook his head as Wesley and Cordelia finally made their way to him, also recognizing the demon. "Sorry. That thought didn’t occur to me, since the last time I saw you, you were about to kill me in the demon gladiator ring."

Trepkos shook his head. "To tell you the truth, I wasn’t putting much into it. I really didn’t want to kill a vampire with a soul. Now Angelus, I would have given him my all, even if it did kill me."

Angel knitted his eyebrows at him. "You knew about me?"

Trepkos laughed. "I am a researcher. I just didn’t feel like getting into it. Since I found keeping a distance from the others was a good choice, I wasn’t about to break that rule with you."

"And now?"

"And now – you helped me, so I am going to help you."

Wesley handed Trepkos the file to read over. Sitting down slowly, Trepkos read through most of the notes and studied each of the pictures. He laid all the items of the table so he could study all of them at once as Angel sat down on the other side of the table, along with Wesley. Trepkos looked up at the two as Cordelia started to look though some of the books on the shelf that Trepkos had just come from. "This doesn’t look good, Angel."

From the bookcase, Cordelia commented, "Yes, we know that already. Three women dead is usually not a good thing."

Ignoring her, Trepkos continued, "According to these files, even though the suspect in question was brought in after several trinkets of the women were found in his possession, the police have yet to link any other physical aspect that links him to killing the women. They have no murder weapon to pin him with, and this is what the defense team is going to use. For him to have brutalized these women, there has to be a weapon of the victim’s destruction, but the police can’t find it anywhere, even after stripping his house down."

"So how do we find the weapon?" asked Wesley to himself.

Trepkos went ahead and answered, "You don’t. This man, who isn’t really a man at all, did it with his eyes, and if they let him go, he will find his final victim."

"What is he?" asked Angel.

"He is a type of syphon demon."

Wesley rolled his eyes. "Why didn’t I think of that?"

"What is a syphon demon?" asked Cordelia.

Wesley answered, "It is a demon that searches for certain souls to steal as sacrifices for a higher demon or being."

Cordelia calculated it out in her head and commented, "So, he takes on human form, steals women’s souls through their eyes – thus burning the eyes out of their sockets. Can I just say ‘Eww!"?

Quietly, Angel asked, "So where does the objects he took come in?"

Trepkos frowned. "They signify something important about each woman. Since they are all trinkets with a religious connotation then I would say that his sacrifices each have to be religious in some ways. Plus, there is one thing not mentioned in this report that I see in two of these pictures."

Pointing to one of the pictures of a woman’s head, laying to the side, he commented, "According to the files, this is Amanda Cartwright. The trinket found belonging to her was simple cross necklace. Do you see anything strange about her?"

As Angel and Wesley both started to shake their heads no, Cordelia walked up behind Trepkos and looked over his shoulder. Moving where she had more access, Cordelia pointed to a small tattoo behind the woman’s ear. "Isn’t that pentagram?"

Wesley leaned forward as he pushed his glasses up. "Right side up – good magic."

Trepkos nodded as he picked another picture up, stating, "And this is Becky Strout."

Angel raised an eyebrow as he saw the same tattoo. "He is also wanting magickal energy, isn’t he."

"Yes. Which means, we need to find out what other demon or being would need four religious type women with magickal energy sacrificed for him."

Cordelia looked around the library and then up. "We are going to be doing this all night, and I’m not going to get paid overtime, am I?"

Angel narrowed his eyes as he remarked, "I’ll buy you breakfast."

Wesley turned. "Was that a joke?"

Shaking his head, Angel answered, "I don’t joke."

*****

Willow smiled up towards the night sky, not able to see any of the stars because of the city’s lights. Hugging a bear Graham had won for her from the carnival on the other side of the park, she couldn’t help but rejoice in the time she was having. They had started out going to a restaurant Graham’s cousin had suggested. It was a small deli café with artifacts of the past century lining the walls. They were sitting in the 1930’s section, which was full of articles and pictures of big bands, gangsters, and the fashions. All that was missing was stories on the depression and prohibition. After eating there, and vowing never to return to Subway, they went to an old movie theater that was showing Mel Brooks movies. They decided on "Spaceballs," and left the theater talking about how it added up to some of Mel Brooks’s other movies. The next stop was the carnival, and now, after riding a few rides and playing a few games, they had retreated to a quieter part of the park.

Graham looked at Willow, enjoying the smile that was covering her face. "So, Willow, do you think I can talk you into telling me a bit about yourself?"

Biting he lip in a nervous habit, she asked, "What do you want to know?"

"How did you find out about vampires and end up fighting along side Buffy?"

Sighing, Willow rested her chin on the large stuffed bear. For a while, she sat with a look of concentration on her face. Not looking at him and staring into the distance, she started, "I had a friend that was turned my sophomore year, and the only reason Xander and I got away, was because Buffy intervened. It was during all that we discovered Buffy was the slayer and that Giles was her watcher."

"And how did Spike and Angel fit into all that?"

Willow turned, really dreading this part. Sure, he knew that vampires were killers, but with the condition Spike and Angel were in now, that part of them didn’t show as much, especially with Angel. Frowning, she started in a flat tone, "Angel was once know as Angelus, one of the most feared vampires because of his brutality. From what they have told me, one of Angelus’ childer, Druscilla, wanted him to sire another for her to play with. Angelus supposedly sired Spike, and ended up glorifying in this childe’s craving for blood and violence, so he taught him everything he knew and the three of them tore through Europe. Spike, then known as William the Bloody, and Druscilla soon were left by Angelus, expecting him to return, except he didn’t."

Graham nodded as he realized what was coming. "The curse?"

"Yes. Angelus killed a gypsy, and the clan got back at him by giving him a soul, only to be lost when he reached true happiness. Angelus became Angel, who was plagued by what he had done, and fled to America, only to find that it couldn’t take the pain away. Without Angelus, William and Druscilla went out on their own, leaving a trail of blood behind them. William had a certain like for railroad spikes, which he would torture his victims with, coining the name, Spike."

Twisting his face like something was bothering him, Graham asked, "And what happened to Druscilla?"

Turning back away, Willow tried to decide what all she should tell him. After considering it for a minute, she started, "Spike had a knack for killing slayers, so he decided to take Buffy down. It was at this time they discovered Angel. Spike came up with a plan to steal Angel’s strength, and give it to Druscilla – who was ill. In the end, an organ fell on him, and his plan was thwarted, leaving him in a wheelchair. Around this time, Angel, uhm, received true happiness, from, uh....anyway, Angel was Angelus again...."

"Wait!" Graham knew she was hiding something, and part of him already knew what it was. "How did he achieve true happiness."

Willow looked down and said quietly, "Buffy gave it to him when they slept together." Looking back up, she picked the story up in a louder voice. "So, Angelus moved back in with Spike and Druscilla while he constantly attacked Buffy mentally and physically, one time by acting like he was going to kill me. Back to the barn, though, because Spike was not happy with this. Druscilla was all over her old sire, and Spike was stuck in the wheelchair. Wanting to get rid of his sire, when he healed, he never told them, and secretly went to Buffy, agreeing to a truce and to help her get rid of Angelus, which she did by sending him to hell, not knowing that I was doing a soul spell, which gave his soul back to him as soon as he was sucked into hell."

Willow took a breath. "Anyway, Angel returned from hell and Druscilla left Spike. This caused him to have a breakdown in a way, and to kidnap me and Xander so I could do a spell on Druscilla to make her love him. In the end, he decided just to let us go, not before threatening us with our lives though, and to go home, get Druscilla, and torture her into loving him. It worked for a while, but she left him again. He came back to Sunnydale, and that is when the initiative found him and put his chip in."

"What about Angel? Why did he come to LA?"

Willow looked at him like he was crazy for not knowing. "The curse. He couldn’t stay with Buffy because he loved her so much. Not wanting to chance losing his soul, he moved away to LA, where he started Angel Investigations."

Graham laughed. "No wonder Riley didn’t care for Angel right off the bat."

Instead of replying to his comment, Willow asked, "So why don’t you tell me about yourself?"

Laying back in the grass, Graham shrugged as he placed his hands behind his head. "Not much to tell, really. I lived the normal life, went to school and then joined the military. That was where I met up with Riley and Forrest. They talked me into joining a special group being led by Dr. Walsh. In the end, the group grew to an indeterminable size, and we stationed ourselves under Sunnydale’s campus."

Willow laughed and wagged a finger at him. "So, am I going to have to question your cousin to get any of your history?"

Graham quickly sat up. "You wouldn’t." Then, trying to look like he had nothing to hide, he commented, "It isn’t like she can tell you anything interesting about me."

"Prove it."

"What?" Graham blinked, never thinking Willow could be this demanding from what he had seen and heard.

"Lets go see her, and I’ll ask her. Are you scared?"

Shaking his head, not wanting to ever appear scared to this individual, Graham reached his hand out and helped her up. "Scared, no. I’ll just warn you though; be nice, or she may try to stuff you into a trash can."

Willow let him help her up as she clutched her bear and asked, "Why would she put me in a trash can?"

Graham laughed and smiled at the memories from when he was young. "Lets just say that I wasn’t always the man you see before you. I used to be quite scrawny. When I was younger, I would bug my older cousins, Shay included, to play. After a while, they would tire of my whining and stuff me in one of my Grandma’s large trash cans. So, if you bug Shay too much, she may tire of it and stick you in a trash can."

*****

Cordelia Chase smiled brightly as she sat a bag of food on one of the Nook’s many tables. Throwing Angel’s keys beside the bag, she announced as she started to open it, "Time for brain food, my fellow researchers."

Wesley, with book in hand, walked over to the table and asked, "Where did you go to get that, Sunnydale?"

"Impatient much?" asked Cordelia as she scrunched up her face at him. As he gave her a disgusted look, she continued to bug him, "Then again, that may not have been to much of a bad idea. There used to be this nice little pastry shop about a block from school."

Arriving at the table with a book in hand to read through, Angel commented, "Pete’s."

Cordelia pointed towards him and nodded. "Yeah. That was the place. Pete made the most wonderful croissant breakfast sandwich with ham, egg, cheese and.... Hey, how did you know about Pete’s, Mr. Blood for breakfast guy?"

Angel sat down across from her as Trepkos joined the group. "Xander used to go on about the donuts from Pete’s."

"You still haven’t explained what took you so long," replied Wesley as he started to unwrap a breakfast sandwich that looked a lot like the sandwich Cordelia had just described.

Cordelia pulled a pint of blood from the bag. Smiling at Wesley, she answered, "I made a stop for Angel." Handing Angel the pint, she commented, "I also got some for later, if that isn’t enough."

Angel took the pint from her. "Thanks. Uh, what about the change?"

Cordelia smiled as she looked at him like had gone crazy. "Don’t you know, you should always tip the deliverer."

Wesley sighed as he took a bite of his sandwich and then looked over at the other occupants of the table. "Have you guys found anything?"

Angel opened his book and read off, ""Only through the elements’ tainted blood, mixed with another faith, can the syphoner bring forth the Bringer of Destruction." Turning through the pages and looking up, he shrugged as he answered, "That’s all I can find."

Throwing his book on the table, Wesley added, "More than my book. It only says the vessel shall bring the Destructor forth from the corners of his temple."

Cordelia finished chewing. Placing her sandwich down, she remarked, "So you both found references to a guy called the Destructor? How do we know it is our guy? Aren’t there only three murders?"

"What do you mean?" asked Wesley.

Rolling her eyes in a ‘duh’ expression, she answered, "Elements. Corners. Any of this ring a bell when it comes to numbers?"

Angel lifted his head and looked at her, impressed that she had also caught it and that Wesley hadn’t. "Wind, earth, water and fire... Corners of a room... Four."

"They each need tainted blood, which we figure means magick, and a different faith," remarked Trepkos.

Now following he conversation, Wesley added, "A cross necklace, Tibetan prayer beads, a laminated card with Confucian proverbs."

Cordelia nodded. "Each of them have a different faith background, but he still lacks a forth."

"And as long as he is in jail, then the forth should be safe."

Smiling, Cordelia remarked towards Angel’s statement, "Which means we need to help Graham’s cousin come up with enough evidence to keep him there."

Glancing at Wesley, Angel asked, "Can you stay with Trepkos and try to find a way to either stop the bringing or destroy the Destructor?"

Trepkos pushed the book that he had brought to the table towards Wesley. Looking at the book and then up at Angel, Wesley nodded, "Sure. No problem. Will you have your cell with you so I can reach you at any time?"

Angel pulled the cell out of his pocket as Cordelia suppressed a knowing grin. "Have it right here, and with Cordelia watching me, I’m sure I won’t forget it."

Cordelia nodded towards Wesley, "Don’t worry. I will make sure that he doesn’t let it leave his immediate radius." Changing to a thoughtful expression, she asked, "Or is that diameter, circumference, or something?"

Wesley took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of nose. "I believe that ‘radius’ would have been the correct word."

"Oh." Turning to Angel, she asked, "So where are we off to now - the Batmobile?" Lowering her voice, she said dramatically, "On, Robin. To the Bat Cave."

As she pointed in the distance, taking on a hero’s stance, Angel remarked, "I take it I am Batman in this scenario, so does that make you Robin?"

"In this instance, I would have to say... Wait, I don’t go for the green tights thing. That hasn’t been in fashion since Robin Hood."

Angel smiled. "Fine, then off to the sewers instead."

Cordelia sagged, showing her disappointment. "Why was I scared you were going to say that?"

*****

Graham groaned, his back aching from sleeping on a couch that was far too small for his large mass. Sitting up, he tried to pop his back. When a ‘crack’ sounded, he slowly got up, almost tripping on the bear he had won for her the night before. Still in a bit of pain, he placed one of his hands on his back and walked a little hunkered over till he reached his bedroom. There, he straightened up as he saw her laying in his bed, wearing one of his own t-shirts and snuggling up to an old friend of his.

He smiled as he recalled the night they had. After the carnival, they decided to meet up with his cousin. She wasn’t home, however, so they sat around and played cards. After a while, Willow picked out a movie for them to watch. After popping some popcorn, they started one of his favorites from childhood, ‘Ghostbusters.’ About the time of the prison scene, while Dr. Venkman was explaining how his new girlfriend - Dana Barrett - "sleeps above her covers, three feet above her covers," Graham looked over to notice Willow wasn’t laughing. Instead, she was asleep.

Willow looked up and smiled as he shook her. "No mom, I don’t wanna get up now."

Laughing, Graham shook her again. "Willow, do you want to spend the night?"

Opening her eyes wide, Willow woke with a start, "Uh, gee, I don’t know if that is a good idea. I mean we just met and all, and what about Angel. I am sure that he would get worried about me."

Laughing, Graham shook his head, "You can take my bed and I’ll sleep on the couch. Plus, I’ll call Angel if you want."

Staring at him for a second, Willow seemed to lay out her options. "Okay."

Helping her up, Graham led him to his room. Pulling out a t-shirt from his dresser for that summer, he tossed it to her and commented, "I hope this is comfortable enough." Giving her a quick smile, he added, "Good night, and if you, uh, need anything, I’ll be in the living room." After she gave him a quick smile and waved goodbye, he left to call Angel, not seeing her again till morning.

Hesitating in the door a little longer, he snuck in and grabbed a few clothes before tip-toeing to the bathroom, trying not to wake her or his cousin. Shayanna had come in around three, and didn’t even seem to notice the lumbering form on her couch. Graham filed it away to talk to her about later. The last thing he wanted was for something to happen to her because she wasn’t being safe enough.

About fifteen minutes later, Graham stepped out of the bathroom and headed instinctively back to the room that he thought of as his. Toweling off his hair just a little bit more, he stopped and looked up in his doorway as not one pair of eyes, but two stared back at him. He dropped the towel as Shayanna jumped off the bed. She grabbed the towel and popped it with him. "Why didn’t you tell me we had a guest, Graham Crackers?"

Graham reached for the towel, but Shayanna pulled it away, waving it just out of his reach. Trying one more time and having the towel pulled out of his grasp again, Graham commented, "You seemed to so preoccupied this morning, I thought I would wait till later." Pointing at her, he added, "Speaking of, young lady, you need to pay more attention when you come in. I was laying right there on the couch, and you walked right by me."

Shayanna threw the towel at him and sat on the bed. Crossing her arms, she grunted, "Sorry, I was just trying to pull a few strings to keep bail from going through, but those damn Wolfram and Hart lawyers had me blocked at every point." Making a scratching motion with her hands, she added, "How I would love to scratch Lindsey’s eyes out, and that Lilah Morgan - Gags, I just want to pull my hair out. She makes me want to scream!"

Inserting herself into the conversation, Willow remarked, "Pulling out hair would be bad, but screaming would be okay."

Shayanna’s expression of anger turned to one of enjoyment. As she started to laugh, Willow added, "I could put a hex on her if you like."

Laughing, Shayanna asked, "Can you give her warts, or maybe make her clumsy?"

Willow scrunched up her nose and pointed to the tip of it. "How about right here - one big, festering puss filled wart?"

Nodding, Shayanna looked up at Graham. "Cuz, this one has spunk. I think you need to keep her." Getting up, she paused in the door way, "Should I fix the normal?"

As Graham nodded and Shay turned to leave, Willow commented, "Thanks for letting me spend the night with Mr. Theodore Rimpleton."

Arching one eyebrow, Graham eyed the stuffed bear still surround by Willow’s arms. He once had a nice, smooth brown coat. Now, it had been stitched up in several places, and a number of stains left some discolor. One of the eyes was missing and its glass nose had part of the paint rubbed off. A bow tie hung at the bear’s neck, holding on by only a few strong strings. "Shay already told you about that, huh?"

Willow nodded and smiled brightly. "She said you used to carry it around everywhere with you, and when you were really small, you would sit and have conversations with it." As Graham was thanking God that Shay hadn’t elaborated, Willow continued, "She also said that you made everyone else talk to him and call him by his proper name, Mr. Theodore Rimpleton, even though you could only say Mitter Theeder Impton."

Turning red, Graham took the bear from her and placed it on his dresser. Looking back at her, he remarked, "The bathroom is down the hall, to the right."

As he started to step out, Willow asked, "Graham, when was the last time you went anywhere without your bear?"

Staring at her for a second, he answered quietly, "Mom made me leave it home when I went to Scout camp in junior high."

"What about boot camp and all that?"

Muttering, where she could hardly hear him, he replied, "You learn how to hide things over the years."

Once again he tried to escape but was halted by her questions, "What’s for breakfast?"

Graham rolled his eyes as he turned away, "The only thing Shayanna has to eat when I come to visit - Golden Grahams."

*****

"Dennis! Wills! We’re home," Cordelia called out. No reply was returned, which was only strange on Willow’s behalf.

Angel tore through the door, running to the back of the apartment to find Willow. He called out several times, getting no response, as he searched the guest bedroom and the bathroom. Cordelia crossed her arms and watched with interest for a second before walking to the answering machine where the message light was patiently blinking.

As Angel returned, panic in his face, she pushed the button and Graham’s voice filled the room. "Cordelia, Angel...We stayed up pretty late watching movies, so Willow is going to spend the night. I’ll try to have her back later in the morning."

Cordelia smiled over at Angel. "Looks like Willow has found a friend."

Opening his mouth to comment, he was interrupted as the door flew open. Willow walked in, followed by Graham. Willow looked over at Cordelia and Angel. "You’re wearing the same clothes you wore yesterday."

"We’ve spent the night rummaging through books at the Nook," replied Cordelia, not looking all to happy.

Angel studied the two new arrivals as the girls talked, realizing they both looked like they had left Graham’s cousin’s house in a hurry. Even though it was evident that they had cleaned up that morning, Willow’s hair looked like she hadn’t had time to style it and Graham’s outfit was one somebody wears when just getting up for a morning work out, almost like he had been dressed for a short jog instead of visiting people. Taking all this in, Angel asked, "What’s going on?"

Graham answered, "Our man in question got out of jail on bail very early this morning and then, a few hours later, some of the evidence from the case was stolen out from under the polices’ own noses. They just called Shay, and she ran up to the station to talk to Lockley."

"What exactly?" asked Angel.

Willow answered, "The objects that they found in his house from the victims."

Cordelia turned to Angel. "He must need them for the calling!"

"The calling?" Willow and Graham echoed together.

Ignoring them, Angel shook his head and remarked, "That isn’t what scares me. He is out there looking for his fourth victim now."

Nodding, Cordelia asked, "Meet you at the police station?"

"You’re not going with me?"

Looking at him like he was mad, she remarked, "Uh, I already stink like sewers. I don’t think I am going to just hop back in. Nope. I’ll take a quick shower and then meet you there."

As Angel looked towards Willow, the redhead nodded once and held her ground, "I’m staying with Cordelia. I need to change and then Graham can rocket us over there. No problem."

Nodding at them, he remarked, "Fine. I’ll meet up with you guys at the station."

Graham sat down on the couch as Angel turned and left at the same time the two girls made their way to the back of the apartment. He could hear Cordelia chatting all the way down the hall, but couldn’t tell what she was saying. Part of him wondered what had the brunet so excited as she chattered away.

Willow also listened as Cordelia went on, not letting her get a word in edgewise till they got to Willow’s room. "I can’t believe that you spent the night with Mister Hunk of Meat out there. I bet you guys had a lot of fun. Where did he take you? Did you guys go eat something? What was he like? He doesn’t talk much, so I’m not having an easy time reading him. What about his cousin? Is she anything like him?" Cordelia turned to Willow as they entered the room, looking a little expectant. "Well?"

"Well, what?" asked Willow.

"Are you interested?"

A wry grin appearing on Willow’s face, the red head commented, "Even though I swing both ways, you are just not my type, Cordelia."

Cordelia fainted a slap on Willow’s arm. "That is not what I meant and you know it."

Sitting down on her bed and twining her fingers together, Willow remarked, "He is real nice, but I just got out of relationship with Tara. Part of me feels still attached to her, and that part doesn’t want me to even consider being with Graham."

"But?"

"But he seems so nice, and there is definite a bit of attraction on my side, even though I doubt it on his. It isn’t like a person like him has ever paid attention to me."

Cordelia shook her head and said authoritatively, "You don’t give yourself enough credit, Miss Rosenberg, and it is about time that you start."

Willow grunted. "This coming from someone that wouldn’t have given me the light of day in high school if it hadn’t been for certain sticky situations."

Crossing her arms, Cordelia bit back, "And this coming from someone who took my boyfriend away. Stop with the pity party and get some action going."

Shaking her head and then smiling, Willow remarked, "And if I start getting on with my life, are you going to tell Angel about how you feel about him?"

"Angel is just my boss. Nothing more."

Willow got up and crossed the room to pull out some of her clothes, "And he is going to be a real angry boss if you don’t go clean up so we can go."

Rolling her eyes, Cordelia retreated out of the room to her own and then the bathroom. About thirty minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom - dressed in clean clothes and all made up - the only hint of a shower being her wet hair, which she quickly spun into a twist and clamped it down with a clip. Just as they were about to leave the apartment, the phone rang. Picking it up, she said, sounding a bit exasperated, into the receiver, "Yes, we were just leaving. Stop with the worrying and we will met you there." Hanging the phone up on Angel, she dashed out the door, following Willow and Graham, and let Dennis lock the door behind her.

*****

Angel could hear the conversation as he neared the area. Lindsey was leaning on the desk, saying harshly, "You have no right to place an arrest warrant against my client. There is no substantiation that he stole the evidence from his previous case!"

A blond, with curly hair, standing with her arms crossed , replied, "Mr. MacDonald, we can hardly believe it is just coincidence that the evidence was stolen just hours after he was released on bail."

Lindsey snorted, "Happenstance."

Kate Lockley leaned forward on her desk and eyed Lindsey. "We are not saying that he did it for sure. It is just that he is our prime suspect, and as soon as we find him, we will bring him in only for questioning."

Angel stepped into the conversation, startling everyone but Kate, "He’s missing?"

Kate, who had been facing him the whole time commented, "Angel, I don’t think this is any business of yours."

The curly blond shook her head, automatically noticing the name of the detective Graham had hired, or talked into, to help with the case. Turning to Kate, she commented, "Actually, I have hired Angel to help me gather proof to further support my case in court."

As Kate smiled sourly, Lindsey rubbed his one hand through his hair, saying, "Well, isn’t that just nice?"

"What’s nice?" asked a female voice.

They turned and faced the new comer, who had sneaked up and was hiding behind Lindsey. She had on dark sunglasses and had placed a bandage on her nose, very close to the tip. Shaking his head, Lindsey asked, "What happened to you?"

Lilah Morgan answered, "I fell on the way here, landing against the doorknob of my front door, which has given me a black eye and, well..." She leaned in and started to whisper to Lindsey.

Evidently trying to stifle a laugh, Lindsey remarked, "Really, puss?"

Lilah groaned and then held out her hand towards Angel. "Nice to see you again, Angel. I suspect you are trying to be a thorn in our sides as always?"

Angel looked down at her hand and commented, "If that has been anywhere near the puss, I don’t think I want to touch it."

He could have sworn that she growled as a shadow seemed to pass over her face. Turning her attention from him in the end, she looked at Kate Lockley. Speaking in a condescending tone, she remarked, "Kate, I am sure there is no reason to jump the gun on this. Our client is probably at the neighborhood tastey burger, having himself a slab of beef and a nice coke to go along with it."

Kate glared even more, instinctively hating Lilah Morgan more than she disliked Lindsey MacDonald. "Then I suggest you go interrupt his extra value meal before I have to drag his ass down here for jumping bail. And then, after I do that, we can get to the fact that he is now a main suspect in two cases." Turning to Lindsey, she added, "I think you might need an extra hand, excuse the pun, when dealing with your client, and if that is going to be me locking him away, so be it."

Lindsey MacDonald smiled falsely at Kate. "You are jumping your jurisdictional lines here, Lockley."

Angel stepped, "Your client," turning to Kate, he stressed as he tagged on, "your very evil client, is very much involved in this, and you know it. Tell me, Lindsey, how much does Wolfram and Hart have invested in this little raising adventure of his? Are you going to get a bonus when he finds his fourth victim?"

Keeping his cool, Lindsey retorted, "Do I have to remind you that you have no legal standing when it comes to this case and my client? Don’t cross the lines Angel. You might find more than you expected on the other side."

Stepping forward, placing himself straight in front of Lindsey, Angel asked, the edge to his voice being very pronounced, "Is that another one of your hollow threats, Lindsey?"

Kate slammed her palm down on the desk, "Boys, I suggest you both calm down before I have to separate you!"

A new voice was added to the conversation as Cordelia, who had witnessed only the last bit of confrontation between Angel and Lindsey, walked up to the group. Pushing herself between the two men and pushing them away from each other, she added to Kate’s comment, "Yes, children, we wouldn’t want me to have to send you both to your rooms without dinner." As she patted Angel’s chest, she turned to Kate and commented, "Really, I don’t know why I leave home with him anymore. His social skills need so much improving. Don’t you think?"

Angel rolled his eyes, "Cordelia."

"What? It looked like it was getting a little too serious in here, so I thought I would lighten up the room. I mean, Skywalker here..." As she motioned to Lindsey, she stopped for a split second mid sentence and then asked, "By the way, when you lost your hand, did Angel say in a deep voice, ‘Luke, I am your father?’" As Lindsey looked at her like she was crazy, she turned to Kate and finished with, "I just thought that would have been a bit funny."

Lindsey bit back, "A little bitter, Cordelia?"

"Bitter that you were part of the group that had a hand sending me to the psycho ward? Pfft. Of course not. I had a wonderful time being in so much pain I was incoherent to anything around me."

Lilah Morgan interrupted the conversation. "I think we have strayed from the point here, being our client."

Graham, who had been standing silently by his cousin through Cordelia’s speeches, asked, "What happened to your face?"

From beside him, Shayanna remarked, "Something about warts and puss."

Cordelia shook her head. "I didn’t think that warts had puss."

Willow, who had been hiding behind everyone, pushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she stepped up beside Graham and Shayanna. "They can if they are a mix between a boil and a wart."

"How would you know about that?" asked Lilah Morgan, the eyebrow above her black eye raising.

"Just a tidbit of info that I know." Turning to Graham, she changed the subject, her voice almost squeaky, "I’m going to get a Coke. You want anything?"

Graham pulled a dollar out of his pocket. "How about the same?"

Willow nodded. "Sure, I’ll be back in a minute."

As Willow walked away, Kate commented, "Ms. Morgan. Mr. MacDonald. I suggest that you return to your offices. I promise that I will call as soon as we find something out. Standing here arguing with me is a waste of not only my time, but yours also."

As the two turned away, she heard Lilah Morgan comment, "She isn’t warth anybody’s time." Lindsey chose not to comment.

Kate watched the two walk out and then pointed at Angel. "You. In my office now." Not arguing with her, he followed her into the office, where she shut the door. Placing her hands on her hips, she remarked, "How dare you show your face in here after the way you treated me the last time we ran into each other!"

Angel’s cheek twitched a little as he clenched his teeth before asking, "Does it always have to go back to you, Kate? Three girls are dead out there, and if we don’t find him, there will be one more. Do you want that to happen because you are still wrapped up in your own world? Yes. Your father was killed by a vampire. I know this is harsh, but you need to put it past you and start to concentrate on other victims, like Amanda Cartwright and Becky Stout."

Kate felt anger rise within her as he listed two of the victims to the case they were working on. "Have you forgotten? I was the one who brought in the suspect in the first place. Not only that, but I don’t believe I should get a lecture on how to deal with my father’s death by someone who killed his own father." As Angel took a deep, unneeded breath in, hurt covering his face, she added, "I have studied up on you."

Angel, controlling his feelings, put on his normal serious face. "Then study up on this: a syphon demon who steals the soul of four victims through their eyes. Each victim must be of a different religion and also must have magickal signatures. After he takes four souls, he will use them to call upon a higher, darker being called the Bringer of Destruction."

"And how do we stop this, evil destructor thing?"

Shaking his head, he answered, "I don’t know. That is what my people are working on right now. Please, let me and my associates pursue this one."

Kate stood, staring at him, her eyes blank - not showing what was going on in her mind. After what seemed several minutes, she said calmly, her face as not changing in any degree, "Fine. But I expect you to keep me informed of what is going on."

Nodding his head once, Angel commented, "Thank you, Kate. I promise just that."

Angel stepped out of the office, hearing Cordelia comment, "And that is how Lindesy supposedly lost his hand."

Looking down at Cordelia, he asked, "Delia, will you go get Willow?"

Cordelia shook her head, "Fine, but don’t say I don’t do my part when it comes to searching."

After she left, he sat down beside Shayanna and held out his hand. "I’m sorry we weren’t formally introduced earlier. I’m Angel."

Shayanna nodded as she shook his hand. "Shayanna Miller. Graham told me that you specialized in these kind of cases, but I didn’t realize how close you are to these cases yourself."

As Angel started to look panicked, Graham leaned forward a commented, "Willow went ahead and told her about things that go bump in the night this morning."

Shayanna then pointed to a mirror on the wall above the desk. "Not only that, but after not seeing a reflection, I thought I might start to believe some of the wacky stuff everyone has been telling me lately."

Angel, still looking worried, asked, "You do know I’m not bad, right?"

Smiling brightly, she nodded, "If Graham trusts you, then I trust you."

The conversation was interrupted as Cordelia joined the group, seeming out of breath. Leaning against Angel by placing a hand on his shoulder and balancing her body weight on it, she finally relaxed. In ragged breaths, she stated, "Can’t...find...Willow."

Graham and Angel ran out of the offices towards the soda machine. As the others caught up, Angel started calling out. Freezing in place, Graham stood still for a few seconds before leaning down and picking up a small golden object off the floor. His heart seemed to stop in his chest as he realized what it was. Holding it up in front of him, he watched as it started to silently swing like a pendulum. The movement seemed to mesmerize him and everyone. Frantically, he tried to push the fear away as Cordelia commented from the side, her voice almost breaking as she raised her hand to her mouth to block the sob that was trying to take over her body, "Willow’s Star of David necklace."

*****

Wesley looked up as Trepkos tapped him on the shoulder and then dropped a book in front of him. Trepkos’ finger pointed down to a certain passage in the book. Glancing down, Wesley pushed up his glasses and then started to read. "In the city of angels a war shall be waged behind the thick vale, a curtain we call society. The light, once darkness, shall fight against the ones who defend the agents of evil. Many things shall be raised during the war, one of these being the Bringer of Destruction. The Destructor will reign terror on everyone, causing their worst nightmares and thoughts to come true, and the world shall fall to an end by its own hand, being motivated by he who brought it to bear. The only way to stop it is for the Destructor to be destroyed by those who have brought him through the portal. Only with the power of four, standing against the destruction of their selves, will he be relinquished."

Glancing up at Trepkos, Wesley started to dig his phone out of the pocket of his jacket hanging on his chair. Pulling it out, he made the side comment, "I think this is something Angel would like to hear about."

*****

Gone. Missing. Nothing left except a small piece of jewelry - a reminder to her of her past faith and background. Now it swayed in front of them all - silent - calling out to their pain. It was time to act. Back and forth, the star hypnotized them to their spots. What was to come next? How could they have let this happen?

Silence shattered. A small ringing erupted from Angel’s pocket and grew louder as he removed his cell phone. Flipping open his cell, he simply answered, "Angel."

Everyone watched as he just stood there, listening to the voice on the other side. After several minutes, he turned his back to everyone, not wanting them to see the hurt on his face as he just said the unspeakable out loud. "Wes. Wes. Wes. Stop. Willow. Willow’s gone."

On the other side of the phone, Wesley asked, "What do you mean, gone?"

Angel sighed, mostly out of frustration. "She was taken from police headquarters. All we can find is her Star of David necklace." Once again Wesley started to go on. Moving about impatiently, he interrupted Wesley. "Look, uh, we are going to head over there. We have to find out how the four can stand against the destruction of their selves. Something tells me we are going to have to be involved for it to happen. If not, then losing Willow is the tip of our problems."

Angel turned around to see Graham take the necklace and latch it around his own neck, where it was very tight compared to being loose on Willow. Looking Angel in the eye, Graham remarked, "Willow believed in you, and so do I. You will find her and then she can have this back."

Nodding, Angel met Kate’s eyes. She had hung back, watching the scene with interest. Meeting Angel’s gaze, she remarked, "I’ll take care of paper work and will get my people on it. Go. Do what you have to. Just remember that you agreed to let me know everything that was going on."

Angel smiled. "Thanks Kate. I will call you as soon as we hear anything."

As Angel and the rest started to leave the hallway, heading down to the parking garage, Kate called out. "Good Luck."

*****

The smell burned at her nose, bringing her about. It was dark, but after a few seconds, the darkness started to drift away as her eyes adjusted to the hallway. The stretch didn’t belong to the police station. Instead, it looked like it belonged to a dungeon. Walls surrounded her, made of stone. A strange coat covered them, giving off a slimy shine. Loose dirt padded the obvious concrete floor. Pulling her senses away from the smell and the grimy walls, Willow noticed four doors. The first three were closed, and the last one stood open, like it was waiting for someone.

Slowly walking to the first one, she peered in a door. A girl was inside, chained to the wall. Her dark tanned skin blended in a little almost too perfectly with the wall behind her. She was muttering to herself, and at first seemed oblivious to Willow. Then her eyes lighted on Willow. The dark pools became crazed, and she started to scream out, pulling the chains on the wall. "Help me! Oh God! Help me. He lied! He’ll lie to you too. Don’t listen to him. Don’t look at him. He is bad. Bad! Protect yourself!" The woman went on, so Willow went on to the next room.

The next cell was very much like the other, except that girl inside of it was chained to the wall by her feet. She sat, her knees curled up, ending right under her chin. Back and forth, she rocked, staring off into an unoccupied corner. Her voice was quiet, a little too quiet for Willow to make out what she was saying, but it was clear that she was repeating the same thing over and over. Leaving the girl to her one sided conversation, Willow continued.

Inside the next cell was a new sight to her. This young woman was chained to the wall also, but this time it was by her neck. She didn’t seem to mind that much. Unlike the other two, this one was very calm. Sitting cross-legged, she sat with her eyes closed, breathing so that her breath echoed through the cell, accenting when she was breathing through her mouth and then through her nose. Smiling, Willow realized that she was meditating. It was her way of escaping from her cell.

Last of all, full with trepidation, Willow entered the last cell, going against the screams of the girl from the first room. She was sure that the door was going to slam behind her, but it didn’t. Instead, it silently waited for her to look around. As in the first cell, this one had chains and manacles for wrists hanging on the wall. Walking over to them, she silently turned them around in her hand, getting the rough feel for them. Who were they for? Part of her dreaded the answer, as another question entered her head. At first she thought it was the first girl, still yelling at her, but then it presented itself over her shoulder, like it was someone standing behind her. She turned as it seemed to originate directly in front of her, "What are you going to do?"

Willow fell to her knees as the question presented itself to her again, "What are you going to do?" Her hands slammed against what should have been the cell floor as she fell, but instead, they hit grass.

Gasping out of surprise, she took in her surroundings. A field surrounded her, the grass not very high. A breeze swept by, blowing through the grass. Listening attentively, she was sure she could hear a slight bit of music as the breeze swept through reeds. Lifting herself out of the grass, she wiped away the damp blades that stuck to her hand. Her hands not being far from her face, she could smell the damp grass. It was much better than the hot, burning smell of the dungeon.

Letting the feeling of calm come over her, she tilted her face to the sky. Not a cloud seemed in sight and the bright sun beat down on her face. It seemed to strengthen her, letting her drink of its sweet rays. Breathing in deeply, she took it all in - the smells, the feelings. Next, she listened to the birds in the distance, the wind blowing through the grass, and - and - and the sound of running water?

Willow started towards the water, feeling the grass spring between her toes. For a second, she stopped walking and played at the ground with her toes, but the water sound got louder, like it was calling to her. Starting again, she headed to the water and then stopped when she found it. Here she was in the middle of a field, looking at a waterfall. There were no rock cliffs, no rivers, just water falling in a single sheet from the sky, mist coming from it. Surrounding it was a small pool.

Peering into the pool, she figured it to be about three feet deep. Her toe reached out, testing the water. It was just right - not cold or hot. Finding her inner calm again, she stepped into the pool to get a better look at the waterfall. She did not sink. Instead, her feet seemed to walk on water. About of inch of water covered an inch of her feet. Under her feet there was nothing. Part of her wondered if this is what it also felt like walking on air.

Slowly walking a few steps to the waterfall, she stopped as the steam started to fade away. Tilting her head, she watched as a somewhat reflection of her did the same thing. Then, the reflection held her head back up and smiled at her. Willow gasped as she looked at the person evidently before her. She had her face, but her skin was whiter, almost creamy. Her cheeks seemed to sparkle, like there might be a bit of glitter on them. Her red hair was long, falling well below her shoulders, where it started to curl. It was held out of her face by a wreath of flowers, surrounding her head. She smiled at Willow, her eyes twinkling with merriment. Reaching out from the flowing sleeves of her shimmering light green gown, she asked, "What are you going to do?"

Willow didn’t answer. Instead, she asked, "Who are you?"

"I am the Goddess with in you. The Goddess that watches over you."

"Why am I here?"

The Goddess stopped smiling. "He has you." Now frowning, she added, "Don’t let him win."

Still not understanding, Willow shook her head as she asked, "What is he going to do?"

A single tear fell. "He wants to lock you away like the others, so he can give the Bringer your power."

"The others?"

"They must be set free. With the power of four, finding their selves, will the Bringer be destroyed."

Willow shook her head. "I don’t understand."

"Don’t loose your ‘self.’ Don’t lose hope. Set them free."

Still not understanding, Willow shook her head. "Free? How do I set them free?"

All of a sudden everything disappeared, and she found herself staring at the first door in the hallway again. The girl was once again screaming, trying to pull herself away from the wall to get to Willow. Frantically she shouted. "The Key! It will either free us or condemn us. Let us out." Suddenly the girl seemed to have gotten away from the wall and was in her face. She screamed at Willow, their eyes connecting, "The Key!" All of a sudden, the girl reached up and slapped her, causing Willow to open her eyes wide with astonishment and then horror.

*****

The Nook was quiet as everyone turned through books, trying to find an answer. Graham could hear his own heart, pounding in his head, as Cordelia’s pencil drumming seemed to add to the rhythm. His fingers started to strum along with the song as he heard somebody comment, "The Key! It will either free us or condemn us. Let us out. The Key!"

Turning to his right, he asked Cordelia, who had now started to add a little spice to her drumming. "Cordelia, what was that?"

She looked up at him like he was crazy. "Huh?"

"You just said something. What was it again?"

Cordelia shook her head. "I didn’t say anything."

Looking over at Shayanna on his other side, he asked, "Was it you?"

As Shayanna shook her head, Wesley leaned forward in his seat. Pushing up his glasses, he asked, "What did the voice say?"

"Something about a key."

"What about a key?"

Graham shook his head, "I don’t know. Something about condemning and freeing, uhm, somewhere in that area."

Wesley and Trepkos both looked at each other and started to dig through the books that had been spilled out on the table for everyone to look through. Everyone else just watch on in puzzlement. Finally, Trepkos pulled a book out of the pile and handed it over to Wesley. Thumbing through the pages, Wesley pushed up his glasses again as he read the text, handing it to Trepkos, he asked, " Do you think it will work?"

Trepkos read it and nodded, "It could work, but only if things sway the correct way."

Cordelia raised a hand and remarked, "Give in. What will work?"

Wesley sat the book down and tried to explain. "We need something to remove the souls from whatever ritual is taking part to bring forth the Destructor, kind of a key. See, souls are attracted to things that have significance to them, kind of a, uhm, key or such."

Shaking her head, Cordelia stated, "A little more to the point please."

Trepkos answered. "Easy. You steal the objects stolen from the victims to call the souls to you, or rather to orbs that can house the souls."

Shayanna added to the conversation. "I see. So by removing the souls from their destination, we therefore give them the chance to realize their selves."

"Lawyer Girl gets it," started Cordelia, "but I still have a question. If he has the objects, how are we going to get them? Just walk up to him and say, ‘Excuse me, but we need these objects so we can interrupt your ritual. Do you mind?’"

Angel shrugged, saying simply, "Easy, we just go in and take them."

"Major problem."

Getting up from his chair, he shook his head. "No, there isn’t. We will go in, and force them from him." Looking over at Graham, Trepkos, and Wesley, he asked, "Are you guys with me on this?"

Glancing up at Angel, Graham remarked, "He took Willow, and if this is what I have to do to get her back, then I will force those items off of him at any cost." Both Wesley and Trepkos nodded in agreement.

Shayanna jumped in with the group. "Count me in on this little mission."

Wesley nodded towards her. "Good, because we need you for this little adventure. Only humans can call on the souls, so we need you while Angel and Trepkos ward him off."

"Wait."

Everyone turned to Cordelia, asking, "What?!"

As she was about to say something, Angel’s phone started to ring. Holding up a hand to her, interrupting her question, he answered the phone, "Angel." A monotone voice replied and then quickly hung up. Hanging up his own phone, he commented, "Looks like we are going to Rose Mound Cemetery - Finch family crypt."

"Why?" asked Cordelia.

Reaching out a hand to help her up, he commented, "Let’s just say I have an informant."

"Well, that is just..." Grabbing her head and falling to her knees she commented, "Pain." Covering her face as Angel fell to the floor with her, helping her, she commented, "Eyes. Fire. Hurt. Willow!"

As Wesley searched for the back up Tylenol that he normally carried with him, Graham went and kneeled in front of Cordelia. As she started to take the medicine with a glass of water Wesley had also brought her, Graham asked, "What about Willow?"

"Give her some time," remarked Wesley.

Cordelia shook her head and looked at Graham and then at Angel. "We have to go now. He is going to kill Willow."

Nodding, Angel threw Wesley his keys. "Car should still be in the back alley. You’re driving." As Graham helped Angel get Cordelia back up on her feet, Angel asked, "Can you follow?"

"Sure. No problem."

Shayanna pulled out her cell phone. "Need me to deal with Lockley?"

Angel nodded as they rushed out of the Nook. "Give her all the information. We could use her as back up." As they neared the top of the stairs to head out, Angel paused and added, holding Graham’s eyes with his own. "We will get her back."

*****

"The Key!"

All of a sudden, a slap caused Willow to opened her eyes wide, realizing she wasn’t in the dungeon no longer, but actually in a large room. In the room, there were four columns, each seeming to be positioned in a certain direction. In front of each column there was an object laying on the ground, each looking eerily familiar to Willow. The only one without an item was the one she was tied to.

A man was standing just a few feet from her, and he too looked eerily familiar. Immediately, she recognized him of the man from Graham’s file. Things started to fit in her head. He needed four souls to bring forth the Destructor, according to Cordelia, and he was missing his fourth. Now, she was here, and in her mind, it didn’t look good. Fear started to feed its way into her eyes. She started to work at her bonds, where her arms had been tied around the column. Looking back up at him, she whimpered as he stepped closer to her.

His hand shot out, grabbing the back of her neck. Willow shook her head. "You don’t want to do this. Really. Angel will come for me, and if he finds that you have done anything to me..."

Hand tightening at the base of her neck, she felt a burning sensation. She cried out as he took a step closer to her, looking at the spot where her neck was burning. Smiling, he said against her ear, his breath hot on her skin, "You do bear the sign under your skin. I knew you would work." His hand slid down to the front of her neck. Tracing his finger on her neck line, he added, "You lost your star, but that is okay. Your body will anchor your soul as well as their trinkets will hold theirs."

Willow shook her head. "Didn’t you hear me? Angel is going to come after you."

He laughed. "No one is going to stop the raising. It has been foretold. Now, unlike the others, I can’t take time to make sure your pain is pleasure. Now, be a good little girl and let me have a good look at you."

Closing her eyes tight, she shook her head. "I won’t let you do this to me!" Her mind spun, looking for an answer as he slapped her even harder than before.

As her head rocked back into the column, she tried to think past the pain. He grabbed her face and tried to force her eyes open. Not being able to stop him, she felt them being pried open. Glaring at him, she met his gaze, not afraid to meet his stare as something started to enter her being. All of a sudden, not scared of her own death, she commented, "Lord and Lady, please keep my soul. Give the four the strength to know."

He growled at her words, but she didn’t realize it, because as soon as she started to speak, she felt a tugging at her very being. Just finishing the words, she felt that everything inside of her was being ripped out through her eyes . Her very being was being consumed by fire, and it tore through her with no concern for her pain as she screamed out. As her voice became ragged, her scream starting to wither away, Willow found herself surrounded by darkness.

The pain started to dissipate, so she opened her eyes to look around. She was in a darkened cell. Recalling her dream, she looked up to find her hands chained to the wall. Panicking, she pulled at them. Strangely, her wrists came right out, like they hadn’t been locked very well. Rubbing her wrists, she started to look around her cell. She went to the door and found that it was locked. There was no way she was getting out of here on her own.

Leaning against the door, feeling like she had failed, she started to hear a voice calling her. Somewhere else in the dungeon, the other prisoners started to scream. Yelling out at them, she remarked, "You have to hold on here a little longer. Don’t go to the voice yet. Be strong and hold on." The other voices died away, but she could still tell they were there. Somehow, she was feeling connected to them, and that alone told her where they were located.

*****

As everyone gathered outside the crypt, the ground started to shake. Wesley held on to one of the crypts features and commented, "That isn’t a good sign. We probably should get down there and find out what is happening."

Nodding, Angel opened the door, tightening his hold on his battle axe as they started into the lower levels. They were at the top of a stairwell, and a bright light seemed to be coming from the bottom. Trepkos neared Angel, while the rest followed, holding their orbs carefully, so as not to drop them. As they neared the bottom, Angel stopped, hesitating long enough for them to know that something was up.

Pushing his way to the bottom, near Angel, Graham halted as he saw what Angel was looking at. Willow, hands tied around a column, was laying down against it, her eyes looking like they had been burned out. Graham, not thinking, dropped his orb and ran to her lifeless body. As he moved, Angel yelled, "Everyone get moving."

The man from the files, standing in the middle of the room, looked over at them, but turned to what he was doing. He started to call out to the elements and directions as Wesley, Cordelia, and Shayanna each ran to a column, having someone cover them on their way. As each of them picked up an item, Wesley started to shout out to the souls of the long dead girls.

The man in the middle didn’t stop what he was doing. Instead, he set up a magickal circle, surrounding only him, and continued. The ground began to shake, and a hole opened up in the floor. Calling out, wind started to form around the man and head to the hole, where a creature was emerging. The creature, tall with dark gray skin and shining eyes, smiled, but then started to frown as the man called out the last part of the spell, where the souls were suppose to leave the man’s body and enter the Destructor’s.

Wesley kept on chanting, knowing that the souls would lock onto their keys. A sudden flash of several lights left the man, all heading towards the objects instead of the creature. The man screamed out to them. They were suppose to be anchored to the room by the objects during the critical times his spell was open to the elements, not called to them.

As the souls sped to their objects, they passed right through, settling in those that had the objects. Graham, who had been holding Willow’s body after untying her, looked up with new knowledge. Willow was inside of him, her soul open to him as his was to hers. He could feel all of her insecurities, from her past relationship with Tara to the matter at hand. Taking a deep breath, he instinctively let her take control of his body.

The Destructor looked on as Graham stood up and took a step forward. Popping his neck, Graham smiled as he looked on towards the Destructor, his eyes glowing. Shaking his head, he looked at the other three. Shayanna, Cordelia, and Wesley all had the same look about them. Placing their orbs gently down, they started towards the Destructor.

Pausing on their way, Graham looked back as the man who had killed Willow yelled out, "No!" Both the parts, that was Graham and Willow, bellowed out at him. With the power of their guttural shout, the man flew into the air, his body breaking as he was rammed into a wall. He fell to the floor, sliding down the wall, dead.

Willow and Graham reached out, connecting with the other three. Knowing instantly what to do, they each surrounded the Destructor. The four held each other’s hands and raised them in the air. In unison, the four’s voices started to ring out in a monotone voice. Speaking in an ancient tongue, they started, each chanting as they closed in on the Destructor. Angel, Trepkos, and Agent Lockley watched as once again, a breeze started in the room. It swept around the four, getting stronger and stronger till it looked like a whirl wind. Then, suddenly, it went over them and settled around the Destructor. Wrapping itself around the being, it grabbed a hold of the Bringer of Destruction. In a bright flash, the cyclone type wind sucked him back into the hole. As he screamed out, with a large bang, the hole closed over him. The power sent the four backwards with a blast.

Slowly, everyone started to come to. Almost like they knew what the plan had been the whole time, three of the four went back to the orbs, while Graham went to Willow’s body instead. Wesley’s voice, mixed with the voice of a female, rang out. As he spoke, a hazy light surrounded the four. The light slowly started to inch itself from most of their bodies to their arms, then their hands, and last of all into the orbs.

For Graham, it was different. All of a sudden, he felt Willow start to leave him. It was like part of his own soul was being pulled out. A coldness filled the areas she left, traveling down his hands into what seemed like Willow’s body. Confused, he leaned over her and rested his head on her chest, believing that he had just been with Willow for the last time.

Wesley stood up, looking wearily at his orb, which was now glowing, along with the other two orbs. In a clear voice, now alone, he finished his incantation. The three glass orbs floated in the air and started to join each other. Then, in a brilliant show, they all disappeared at once. Looking up at where the orbs had been, Wesley commented, "Merry part and good journey."

Angel didn’t pay attention to the scene like the others. Instead, he ran to Graham and Willow as Wesley started the end of his spell. The haze that had surrounded Graham all of a sudden came back and enveloped Willow. It ended at her face, concentrating in the spot where her eyes had become burnt out sockets. Placing a hand on Graham, he tried to get the mourners attention as the light started to solidify.

If Angel’s hand wasn’t enough, the large gasp Willow made as she breathed again on her own after the last thirty minutes was. Graham looked up, mirroring the shock in Angel’s face. Willow reached up, searching for Graham’s cheek. When she found it, she smiled. As a tear accompanied her smile, Willow remarked, "I can only feel you." Exhaustion taking over, she then immediately fell to sleep, her hand falling from his cheek.

He picked her up, not minding his own tired body. "Angel, we have to get her to a hospital."

*****

Angel and Cordelia sat beside each other on Cordelia’s couch, watching a movie they had borrowed from Graham. Pointing at the screen, she commented, "Now, that is something you should know, you know, like if we ever found ourselves in that type of situation."

Angel nodded. "Check. If anyone asks me if I’m a god, I will make sure that I say yes."

Turning her eyes back to the movie "Ghostbusters," she added, "At least we stopped our Destructor before someone’s worst nightmare came true. I don’t think LA could handle a Mr. Stay Puft as well as New York."

Nodding again, Angel said seriously, "Yes. I am sure there are plenty of people out there that have nightmares of giant marshmallow men attacking them."

Cordelia placed a finger on his lips, a bit of electricity passing between them. Silencing, he looked at her with a puzzled expression. "What is it?"

Leaning over, she barely touched a lamp sitting on one of the couch’s end tables. A small amount of electricity went from her finger to the lamp, turning it on. Turning to Angel, she remarked, "I could get used to this new power, and uh, we have a guest."

"New power?" asked Angel.

Cordelia shook her head. "Nope. There was a slight knock at the door when you were talking about nightmares. You just didn’t hear it."

Angel got up as Cordelia paused the movie and watched him closely from the couch, keeping a careful eye on his every move. Opening the door, he stepped back and let a third party enter the apartment. Cordelia jumped up and moved to Angel’s side, smiling at the new addition. "Lindsey. What brings you here?"

Lindsey smiled down at Cordelia and then looked back up at Angel. "I just came by to ask how your witch is doing?"

Cordelia frowned. "Her name is Wil-low."

"Yes. I know. Wolfram and Hart has plenty of files on Ms. Rosenberg, just in case she decides to step over to the other side. She would be a powerful addition to the firm. However, I think we both know that won’t be happening, because we won’t let it. The last thing someone like her needs is to get involved like I did."

Angel nodded, "Thank you for the information, even though I do think you are paying a lot by being a double agent."

Looking down at his arm, he commented, bitterness in his voice. "I don’t blame you for thinking that. Wolfram and Hart wouldn’t have been able to see any type of loyalty without some type of sacrifice. It had to be extreme."

"Still, I’m sorry."

Lindsey studied him for a second. "I don’t blame you Angel. I never have." Turning to Cordelia, he added, "I hope this is a good enough start showing you how I’ve changed."

Cordelia grinned. "I would say that helping us in a critical moment is a good enough start for me. Just don’t stop, and I might actually start to like you."

"And how terrible that would be." Lindsey laughed. "I guess I should be going, but before, how is she?"

Angel answered, "She hasn’t woke up yet. The doctors found that she had suffered from a bit of head trauma. Plus, her eyes don’t seem to be in good shape, but the doctors seem to think they are getting better. They won’t be able to tell though, until she wakes up."

"Well, when she does, tell her that some of us in the LA circles know of her plight, and that she is in our prayers to the God and Goddess."

"We will make sure that she gets your message."

*****

Graham looked down at the small woman in one of LA’s bleak hospital rooms. He had hardly left her side since they brought her in a few days ago. When ever he did, he truly felt empty. His body, now cold after her soul left his, seemed to be taken with slight chills unless she was near. It was like once they became linked, she had been his warmth, and now that warmth had been taken away. Scooting closer to her bed as she snuggled a stuffed bear, he relished the rays of heat coming from her resting form.

She smiled in her sleep and made a small sound, something he hadn’t seen or heard from her since they brought her in. Sighing, she slowly opened her eyes. Her hand reached out for him, swiping through air until she found him. Smiling even more, she commented, not even fazed by her situation, "Graham, you’re a little out of phase, but I know you’re here."

"So, you can see me?"

Laughing quietly, she answered, "Not well, but yes, I can see you."

He placed his hand on top of hers. "I should go get the doctors."

Willow shook her head, "No. Don’t. I’ll still be here ten minutes from now, and then you can go get them. I just want to have some time to spend with you. Talk, you know?"

Taking her hand from his cheek, he held it in his hand and kissed the top of it. "What do you want to talk about?"

"About...well...our relationship. It can’t be the same now. I mean, I was inside of you and you could read all my thoughts and know all my memories. I mean, you probably know the color of my favorite sneakers as a kid."

"Red."

"What?"

"Your favorite shoes were red tennis shoes."

Willow nodded. "And your favorite tricycle was blue. See, we know stuff. I know how you feel about me and you know how I feel about you."

Graham shook his head. "I don’t understand how I feel about you, Willow, except that I need you, and as for how you feel about me, you don’t. Tara is the one you want to be with. She still owns most of your thoughts."

Narrowing her gaze at him, even though she still couldn’t see very well, she asked, "Are you sure about that? Yes, I loved Tara. No, I still love Tara. Nothing is going to change how I feel about her, just like part of me still loves Oz deeply. There is a place in my heart for both of them, just like there is a place for you."

"But when you were inside of me, I didn’t see anything, just confusion."

Willow closed her eyes and breathed in deep. "I’ve had time to think about it in the last few days, and trust me, I know what I want now." Bringing her free hand to his face, she placed on it his cheek like she had with her other one earlier. "I need you Graham."

Graham closed his eyes at her touch and suddenly felt something. He could feel her once again, but she wasn’t inside of him. It was like she was open to him again, letting him see how she felt. At first, he tentatively entered her thoughts. The first thing he felt was her feelings for Tara. It was like they were a fresh womb, still sore and not healed. Then, he stumbled upon something he hadn’t seen before. There was a new resolve. She wanted to go on, and she had decided that he was part of that.

He the opened his mind to her, and felt the tendrils of her mind do as he had done to her. All of a sudden she smiled. Looking up at him, Willow pulled away and asked, "You think of me as your other half now?"

He nodded, "I have never felt as complete as I did with you inside of me. It was as if we were two halves that were meant to be together, while still being independent two."

She thought back to that night, realizing that while she took over his body for the spell, she had let him have control afterwards, which was when he went to her body. They worked together, while respecting each others wishes and wants. He was right. They were two halves that worked together for a whole, while letting the other work for what they each needed. Even though she was complete as a person, she needed someone to complement her, and there really was no one else that could do it any better after what they had experienced together.

Taking her hand away from his face, Willow remarked, "That goes both ways."

Graham smiled. "Good, because I wasn’t going to let you get away without a fight anyway."

Willow rose an eyebrow. "Excuse me. You do know that I have a few powers on my side."

"Yep. But after we were fused together, I have been able to float a mean pencil."

"What?" asked Willow.

"You left me some of your powers, and Cordelia can control electricity or something like that, Wesley can channel, and Shayanna can hear thoughts. Its all kind of strange."

"Then I guess I won’t get on your bad side. I would hate to be chased down by a flying pencil."

Graham laughed and then started to get up. "I probably should get the doctors now. I don’t want to get in the way of your getting better, because I am all too happy to get you out of here."

As he started to leave, Willow called out to him, hugging the bear she had been sleeping with. "Oh, Graham. Thank you for letting Mr. Theodore Rimpleton stay with me. I’m sure it was hard leaving him."

Graham shook his head. "I knew he was in safe hands."

As he left the room, Willow closed her eyes and commented, "God and Goddess, please forgive me for what I have done. I now realize that I shouldn’t have given Lilah Morgan a wart. It was of the dark side." Opening her eyes, she added, "But don’t you think I was paid back for it a little more than threefold?"

*****

Willow blinked as she walked stepped out of Graham’s car. The sun was blaring down on her, and her eyes were having a problem adjusting to even the slightest difference from the light inside and outside of the car. She felt Graham wrap his arm around her and then let him lead her into the office that Angel Investigators had been rushing to finish while she was in the hospital.

When she walked in, a whole crowd started to clap. They had decorated the place and had fixed a table with party food. Cordelia was first to rush out of the crowd. Taking Willow in her arms, she commented, "I am so happy that you are okay, but do you have to rush back to Sunnydale?"

Willow nodded, "Classes start soon, and I need to be ready."

"Yes, uhm, we would hate for Willow to fall behind in her academic activities." Wesley pushed up his glasses as he walked over to them.

Shayanna joined the group also. "I wish I had gotten to know you better, especially since you and Graham Crackers are dating now."

Cordelia grinned. "Your dating? Good going Wills."

Willow shook her head. "Thank you Shayanna, and congrats on the new job."

Shayanna looked around her and smiled, "Thanks. I think I really like working for Angel. Someone has to keep Wolfram and Hart on their toes."

"Yep. Lilah Morgan beware. Shayanna Miller is on the way."

"What about Lindsey?" asked Shayanna.

Looking at Angel who was standing behind everyone, Willow thought back to what he had told her. "I think Lindsey isn’t as much of a problem as you think. He definitely has another side to him."

Cordelia nodded, "I think we all have other sides to us, that we like to keep hidden."

Wesley nodded, "Yes, I even hear that every once in a while, Cordelia will stoop low and pay retail."

"Wesley, maybe we should go get some punch." Cordelia drug Wesley behind her, griping all the way to the punch bowl.

Angel walked over and took Willow in his arms. "You scared me there, for a moment, you know?"

Willow nodded as she tucked some hair behind her ear, "Yes, well, I’ll try not to let it happen again."

Angel smiled. "Good." Looking up at Graham, he commented, "Take care of her, will you?"

"Always." Laying her hand on his chest, and looking up into Graham’s eyes, Willow saw that he was telling the complete truth, and there was no other possibility in his mind. His answer coursed through her, and at first, she was a little scared. Then, suddenly, she realized that there was nothing she would rather have than always with him. Together, they would protect each other. Always.

THE END!