shadow1



	Title: Shadow of Dreams Part 1 Name: Anastasia Email: Charlie1@acay.com.au Rating: R Classification: Willow/Angel Disclaimer: I own none, Joss does. I just borrowed a facsimile of them to play with and for public humiliation! Feedback: Would be appreciated. Authors Notes: This is a story started months ago and thanks to two wonderful people, Robin and Darkgem, it has been worked on again. See what you get if you nag me? * Angel moved amongst the shadows of the club as the deep bass beat pulsed through the floor and walls. He had been in LA long enough to know that the regular patrons of this particular club were demons, vampires and other nightmarish ghouls that fed off the human suffering of the mortals. Mortals. He mused over that. Most of the humans here were the lost souls discarded by humanity and an embarrassment to society. Many were barely more than children, young adults who had somehow lost their way. No one would care if they didn't come home tonight. No one would mourn their loss or even identify the mutilated bodies as they lay on the cold shelves of the morgue. No one would care because there was no one to care. His eyes fell on a tiny figure seated at the bar. Red hair hung loosely, cascading in greasy strands, falling across a face that was tilted down, concentrating on the drink wrapped in pale small hands. Angel couldn't see the face of the girl, but her stance, her hair was alarmingly familiar. Hesitating he stayed in the shadows, watching her, waiting. A good-looking blonde approached the bar next to her and ordered drinks. "And another for the lady here thanks." The blonde turned to smile at the girl. "You look sad for a person who holds such beauty." Willow didn't even bother to look at the guy. She had heard better lines, she had heard worst. It all meant nothing to her. Weather or not they believed what they said, it was all lies to her. She looked directly into the mirrored walls of the bar at her reflection. There and only there was the truth as she saw it. Pale face, hallowed cheeks, dark shadows under her eyes, all framed by a flaming red rag of hair and most frightening of all were the eyes. Once so bright, clear and brilliant were now clouded and blood shot. The sound of the blondes voice bought her out of the reverie she had been in. "Let me put a smile on that pretty face. I can take you to heaven...if you let me..." he smiled, his hand rubbing the small of her back. "I've been in hell to long to even vaguely remember what anything else is like." Her voice was hoarse and low. "Well, let me show you how to get out of the pits of hell." He whispered into her ear, nibbling the lobe. For the first time since he sat next to her Willow turned her head to face him, allowing her eyes to roam over him. Licking her lips she gave a small shadow of a smile. "Why don't you find yourself a nice whore and fuck off!" Angel stumbled back deeper into the shadows. He had recognized the voice the first time she had spoken. When she turned her head to show her face it confirmed his suspicions. But the face had changed so much and that comment! Never in all his time at Sunnydale had he ever heard Willow use the word "Fuck", that coupled with the physical change in her appearance shocked him to the core. What had happened to the girl he knew? He continued to watch in puzzlement as she finished her drink and left the blonde and the bar behind and headed out of the club. He could do nothing but follow. He stayed far enough behind to be concealed from her. She walked on oblivious to his presence. He studied her carefully from his vantagepoint. She had lost weight and appeared to be little more than skin and bone. This alone disturbed him but her clothing did nothing but add to his concern. Although the night was almost unbearably hot she wore a long sleeved top matched with a short black skirt and knee high leather boots. This outfit combined with the heat of the night should have bought out a sweat, but she seemed to be shivering. He was walking closer to her, barely three steps behind her. He could feel the heat of her body, hear the blood pounding through her, the rhythmic beat of her heart. But he could also sense pain, fear, depression and a need. A need that was so strong her body seemed to be screaming for release. Release. He stopped letting his eyes follow her figure as it slipped into the doors of cheap hotel. Noting the name of the hotel he turned and headed back to his office. * The clock in the office showed it was close to 4 in the morning. "Giles, its Angel." "What?" asked the bemused English voice at the other end of the line. "Angel? Where are you? What on earth is so important to call at this god forsaken time of night?" "I need some information. Where is Willow?" he asked. The question was met with a long silence. "Giles?" "Willow? I don't...I mean to say...well...I have no idea Angel." Came the hesitant reply, voice full of anguish. "What do you mean Giles? What happened? When I left she was with you guys, planning on going to college there and everything! What happened?" he repeated the question, quiet desperation creeping into his voice. This was not good. "Sometime after you left, she decided that she had made a mistake and that she was going to accept a position at a college in Boston." Giles explained. "So she is meant to be in Boston?" Angel queried. "Well, she never made it there. It's difficult to explain what happened. Why are you asking?" "I'm pretty sure she's here, in LA. Giles, I haven't approached her yet. I thought I'd see if I could find out what happened. She seems different, really different." His mind flashed back to the scene in the club and the girl he had followed earlier. "So, you better tell me what you know." "Is she alright? What is she doing in LA?" Giles began a barrage of questions that Angel couldn't even try to comprehend. "Giles!" Angel practically shouted down the line, frustration venting in the tone of his voice. "I can't tell you anything. Like I said I only think I saw her. I haven't even spoken to her and she certainly wasn't aware of me. I need you to tell me what you know, so I know what I might be dealing with." "Oh, yes, well." Angel could hear Giles fumbling around on the end of the phone. "I suppose the place to start is at the beginning...Unfortunately I am not sure where that is. After you left, the main concern, anxiety was of course Buffy. I mean, you can imagine the emotional turmoil involved when Buffy realized you had just left..." "I realize that Giles, but I really think it was best for all parties concerned. I would have thought that you would have been the first to agree with me." Angel sighed, Buffy's pain was understandable but at the moment his concern was for Willow. "Oh, no. I didn't mean to insinuate...What I mean to say is that Buffy's emotional turmoil seemed to take precedence over everything else, or rather everyone else. Willow seemed fine at first, perhaps tired and a little more quiet than usual, but with my attentions focused on consoling and lessening Buffy's pain...Well perhaps I overlooked Willows needs. Willows behaviour did nothing to imply anything unusual. As I said she appeared to be merely tired and withdrawn - I perceived it to be nothing more than a mild case of nerves with regard to her impending entrance into college and perhaps a reflection of the events that had taken place. If I had only been more attentive..." Angel could hear regret and hesitation creep into Giles voice, something he had rarely heard the British stickler use. "A few weeks after everything started settling down, I began to notice that Willow was constantly fatigued. When I questioned her, she merely shrugged it off to doing too much and not getting enough sleep. A few days later she fell asleep while helping me with research. I thought it best to let her sleep - it soon became apparent as to why she hadn't been sleeping well. She began to talk in her sleep, obviously some sort of dream, well nightmare really. I watched her for a short while until it became apparent that she was in the midst of a horrendous dream and I tried to wake her...Angel what happened next shocked me to say the least. I thought once she was awake she would regain control. Waking her seemed to send her deeper into whatever the dream was about. She wouldn't let me near her, she continued to scream and cry, backing herself into a corner. After she calmed down she wouldn't say anything to me, she just wanted to go home." "She didn't say what the dream was about?" Angel was puzzled, how could a dream terrify someone so much? "No. You can imagine my concern. I thought it best to ask Buffy and Xander, but they also thought that she was okay, just tired. I again tried to talk to Willow, but she declined to discuss it. As a last resort I called her parents, who said that she had been having trouble sleeping but she was going to see her doctor about it." Giles seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before he continued. "She became very withdrawn, exceptionally nervous and emotionally distraught...but she wouldn't tell us anything Angel. Nothing. Within a month of my witnessing her nightmare she announced she was taking up a position at a college in Boston. She left a few days after that and within a week she was reported as a missing person." "That was six months ago Giles," Angel barely whispered into the receiver. "I know. I had...well, with her state of mind I was concerned that..." he left the sentence hanging and Angel knew the implications of the statement. Giles thought that Willow was dead. Nightmares wouldn't destroy a person as much as this. Turn her from her friends. Friends to wrapped up in their own worries to notice a young girl loose herself. Angel looked down at his desk and the name of the hotel he had seen her enter. "Okay, Giles. You know nothing else? She wasn't asking about anything? Doing any personal research? Nothing happened that you know of?" Angel scrambled for some type of clue that might help him. "No, I have reconsidered every conversation we had, her interactions with everyone, every comment she made. I have gone over everything and each time I find less and less to offer any guidance or explanation as to what happened." Giles voice was quiet and full of sorrow. "If it is Willow...help her if you can Angel and tell her we miss her." "Okay...Don't tell anyone we had this conversation Giles. No one." Angel was concerned, he didn't want the Scooby Doo Gang coming to the rescue when he didn't even know what he was dealing with. "I'll let you know what happens." "Don't let her get hurt Angel." With that comment Giles rang off. Angel put down the 'phone. He didn't know what to make of it.