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Birthday Shopping Trip to Remember

Willow sighed, wondering exactly what had caused her to be here, in a mall, alone, of her own choice. Yes, it was her birthday, and yes, she normally had a birthday shopping trip, once she had gone with he mother, in the long ago mist days of elementary school, and later she had gone with her friends.

This year, she was all alone. Tara was dead. Buffy and Xander... well, they didn't want to spend any time around her. They still suspected that she'd gone over to the dark side, permanently. She'd overheard them talking with Anya, speculation on the possibility that she had been responsible for the horribly mangled body that Buffy had found. The only person that had been at all on her side was Anya, who's argument consisted of 'Why would Willow kill some random stranger? She's much to organized and logical for that.'

There was a bit of an advantage, nobody was telling her that something just 'wasn't willowy' and telling her what she should or shouldn't buy. She was quite on her own. She'd remembered once how Anya had been trying to convince Xander to buy her some expensive lingerie, claiming that they would make her feel more like a woman, more sensual and desirable. On the chance that Anya's theory would hold true, Willow had gritted her teeth and gone into Victoria's Secret, certain that the store would have fancy and luxurious undergarments of all sorts. Plus, since the mall was in Los Angeles, the chances of running into anyone that she knew were practically non existent.

"Willow?" A faint Irish accent flavored his voice, stronger than she remembered, but it was Angel.

She turned around, looking at him. Dressed in dark slacks and a charcoal sweater, he looked good, if a bit brooding. But there was something different about his eyes, and he didn't look quite so miserable. Maybe LA had really been good for him. "Angel... what are you doing in Victoria's Secret?"

He opened his mouth as if to answer before closing it again. "I was looking for a present for someone. Why are you in here?"

Willow gave a small smile before turning back to the table with rows of silk underwear laid out, in assorted colors and styles. "I'm looking for new underwear, of course."

There was an odd almost purring note to his voice when he spoke again. "Why do you need new underwear, sweet Willow?"

She had her back to him, so she didn't see the look of outraged shock that crossed his face at her flippant response. "If I told you they'd all been ruined during my passionate affair with spike, would it matter? Why are you suddenly worried about my underwear anyhow?"

Suddenly, his arm was around her stomach, and his nose buried against her throat, causing flashbacks to her junior year. "You don't smell like Spike."

The voice was the final clue, and understanding shone inside Willow like the sunrise. "That's because I didn't have an affair with him, Angelus. It's called a joke. Besides... I'm not exactly the sort that has Ma... well, I'm not the sort that attracts guys like Spike. Or you... so what ARE you doing here?"

"Let's just say I was bored. Hmm... your birthday shopping trip? I seem to remember Fluffy mentioning it one year... Who came with you?" There was something in his voice, a hint of interest.

"I'm here alone. They don't like to spend time with the Wicked Witch of Sunnydale. There was no affair with Spike, and he's... not interested in my anyhow." Willow shook her head, wondering why he was still here. Still almost touching her back, although his face wasn't pressed against her neck anymore, his hand was still resting on her stomach.

"Maybe you need a different sort of person to shop with you, someone to encourage you to try new things, to try new looks. Maybe I could help you out there..." His accented purr was right in her ear, sending shivers through Willow's body.

"Why? Why would you want to go shopping with me? It can't be because of a 'long and treasured friendship' because we were never that close..." Willow wondered if he was planning to try to lure her off and kill her somewhere that nobody would see.

His voice sent more shivers down her spine, and set off a fluttering in her stomach. "I heard about what happened in Sunnydale. About Tara's death and your quest for revenge. You reminded me a bit of myself. And you can't argue that knowing I.. or soul boy, spent time with you and not that sappy blond twit would just make her burn with jealousy..."

"If this is all about Buffy, why should I accept?" Part of Willow wanted to go with him, to spend time with such a gorgeous hunk of man. Maybe she wasn't quite as gay as she'd assumed... because she was definitely finding him attractive.

"Buffy getting jealous is just the icing on the cake. I want to see you in silk and leather, to see you dressed in confidence and power..."

"I shouldn't trust you, considering what happened the last time you dropped by. I should be... I don't know, maybe turning you into a rat and dragging you out of here, or incinerating you where you stand." Even as she said the words, Willow knew that she really didn't feel like trying to kill Angelus in the middle of Victoria's Secret. Especially since he still hadn't told her why he was in the store to begin with.

That purr was there again, and she could feel his lips brushing her throat as he murmured "But I'm all better now... no more of that mental imbalance. I blame all of that on waking up next to Buffy. Tonight... just you and me shopping, no violence, and no transfigurations. Promise."

She turned, well aware that it would cause her body to end up pressed against him. Looking into his dark eyes, currently dancing with mischief and... could that be desire? "I shouldn't trust you... But it sounds better than shopping alone, especially if you promise to behave, no violence, no threatening me... and no listening to rants about Sunnydale. We can look in any store you want, but I'm only buying if I like what I see. Deal?"

"It's a deal, Willow." He leaned forward, kissing her. Lips pressed against lips, tongue seeking to enter her mouth, to explore and taste her.

She reached up, touching her still tingling lips. "Sealed with a kiss even... Yeah... so, where to?"

Thus began a long night of shopping, starting at the mall, where they looked in an assortment of stores, buying things in leather, silk, velvet and lace. They bought shoes, with Angelus buying things at least as often as Willow, using the excuse of 'You looked delectable in them, and if I buy them, it's not out of your pocket. The deal was that you buy if you like... and I think this looked good on you.'

Willow wasn't even certain that she wanted to know about a few of the other places they went. She ended up with some things that would have looked right at home in the closet of vamp-Willow, and other things that had a classical elegance to them. She wouldn't have wanted to admit it, but the evening and night had turned out quite enjoyable. Especially since he'd been flirting with her the whole time. Maybe he enjoyed trying to make her blush.

"Did you enjoy spending my money, Willow? Not just anyone gets that privilege, you know." His voice had a silken tone to it, sending shivers down her back, shivers that weren't from fear.

"That sounds... I think I feel a bit special now. Are you trying to say that I owe you?" Willow wondered what he would say. Would he try to claim some sort of repayment? What might he ask for?

His grin had nothing of humor, but held passion and the hints that there was a larger plan afoot. "Two things, Willow. First, if anyone asks where you got your new wardrobe, tell them. Your favorite Los Angeles vampire bought them for you."

"What's the second part?" What had caused that little tremor in her voice?

There was a predatory gleam in his eyes as he moved closer, close enough that his body was touching hers, and reached out, tilting her face up to look at him. "This..."

He kissed her, a kiss with such passion and desire that Willow felt as if she were melting, and she could feel her body draping against his. One hand slid up, tangling in his short hair as she tasted him, feeling the shift from his human features to his vampire face. She ran her tongue over his sharp teeth, exploring, teasing. He nipped at her lips, his sharp teeth making it prickle, drawing little drops of blood which he licked away with his tongue.

Willow found herself breathless and wanting as it broke, a part of her wanting nothing more than to take him somewhere secluded and... well, take him. The little voice of reason and caution that was trying to scream that this was Angelus, a dangerous, predatory, evil vampire sounded like a distant whine.

"And happy birthday to you." His smirk made it clear that he knew just what sort of effect that kiss had on her.

Her voice was a soft whisper as she spoke. "Yeah... happy birthday to me."

She was smiling as she headed back to her car with bags and bags of purchases. Even if he did have some devious complex plan, which was quite likely, it had been quite the birthday. And quite the kisses.

THE END

On to the sequel - Aftermath of a Birthday Shopping Trip to Remember

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