The Connection

Doyle looked at Willow in astonishment and thought his jaw would hit the floor. This pretty, fragile young woman went to Hell to get Angel back. He just couldn't believe it. He tried to say something, but could only move his jaw up and down like some deranged fish. Either that or stutter.

After only a moment or two, Willow took pity on Doyle and placed a finger on his chin and pushed it closed. "People always do that when they find out I went to Hell. It wasn't a big deal. I just wanted my friend back."

Doyle's jaw dropped open again, but thankfully words would actually come out this time. "No big deal? Are ye crazy? This is Hell we're talking about! You could've been killed!" Doyle was flailing his arms and looking around to make sure no one was listening to their conversation.

Willow stood up and pointed a finger at Doyle, her anger suddenly consuming her. "No I'm not crazy," Willow replied her cheeks flushing a dark red that almost matched her hair. Doyle found it strangely arousing. "I would do anything for him. Haven't you ever had something like that? Someone you would do anything for?" Willow picked up her trash and, with tears running down her cheeks, she threw her trash away and ran out the door.

Doyle halfheartedly smiled at everyone who looked over at their table. He threw away his coffee cup and headed outside, not sure that he knew what he was going to say.

Willow ran to the car and pulled open the glove compartment looking for her tissues. She found them and pulled one out of the package. She wiped her eyes and then made a small growling noise as she felt her nose starting to run. She grabbed another tissue and blew her nose. She was blowing her nose when Doyle came out and leaned against the side of the car and waited for her to finish.

Willow was startled when Doyle's voice reached out to her. "I do, ye know. Have someone I care about that much, I mean. Someone I would go to Hell for. Do anything she asked." Doyle stared off into the horizon, not making eye contact with Willow. He didn't think he could after what transpired in the cafe. Doyle's voice softened until Willow had to lean closer to hear. "I love her so much. More than any woman I've ever known. She doesn't know it as I haven't told her."

Willow sniffled. "Why haven't you told her? I mean the most she can do is not return your love." She ran a hand through her hair, which was hanging down into her face.

"That's where you're wrong, lass. You know that whole 'let's be friends' nonsense that women say to men when they don't want to go out with them?" Doyle waited for Willow to nod. "That is the worst thing that can happen. If a woman rejects a man, then it's over and done with. The man can move on. With that whole 'friends' thing, it isn't over. The man and the woman still see each other and the fact is that the guy has bared his soul, so to speak, and they both have to deal with that feeling day in and day out. I don't know if I can handle that. And that is why I won't tell her how I feel." Doyle leaned back against the side of the car, trying to push away his anger. He knew he shouldn't feel angry towards Willow, but he just couldn't help it.

Willow blinked at Doyle's sudden display of rage. Even in the short time she had known him, she was sure he was a clam person. Maybe he had fits of concern, but not anger. It just wasn't Doyle. "I...I'm sorry I upset you. I didn't know..."

Doyle chuckled. "That's okay, lass. You didn't know. Exactly. Now you do, so maybe you'll be a little wiser in the future." Doyle glanced down at his watch. "We should head back to the office and see if Angel's back yet. After all, it was Angel to stopped by to see, right?"

"Sure," was all Willow said as she climbed into the seat. There was a slightly uncomfortable silence between her and Doyle as she drove back to Angel's office. When they got back to the office, there was no sign of Angel or Cordelia. There was, on Angel's desk, a note for Doyle from Angel saying that he had to go pick up something and would be back around sunset.

"Well, Willow. I guess it's just the two of us for another couple of hours. Anything you want to do? Anything you want to see here in the big city? I mean, this is L.A. This is the city that never sleeps. Forget New York. So. What's it gonna be?"

Willow giggled at his wild patter. He almost sounded like a carnival barker. "Well," Willow said once the giggles had subsided. "I've always wanted my picture taken in front of the big 'Hollywood' sign up in the hills." She looked at Doyle with her head down, feeling really silly.

"That's it? That's what you want to do? Your picture in front of the Hollywood sign?"

"Yeah. Pretty silly, I guess."

"Silly, lass? Nah. I think it's the most wonderful thing that you could have thought up. I'll get directions and we'll get going."

They went into Angel's office and got out the maps and figured out the best way to get to the Hollywood Hills. It was going to be rough, what with construction and all. Still, after about an hour and a half, they reached a spot that was famous for people having their picture taken in front of the sign. Willow sighed and Doyle was suddenly concerned.

"What is it, Willow? Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Well, I was kind of hoping we could get a little closer. But this will be fine." Willow sighed again slightly and Doyle was heartbroken, dying to do anything to make it right. Doyle thought for a moment and then called to Willow.

"Willow, get in the car. I'm driving. I know exactly where to go." Doyle hurried to start the car and barely waited until Willow had gotten into the passenger seat to gun the engine and head off into the hills.

Doyle drive for about forty five minutes, taking turns and twists like it was second nature. Willow felt the buzz of magic about her. "Doyle? What are you doing? Where are we going?"

Doyle smiled at Willow's concern. "Lass, don't worry. You're a witch. You know bad magic when you feel it."

Willow gasped, partly from what Doyle had said and partly from the magic she was feeling. "How did you know I was a...oh yeah. You're part demon. Silly me." Willow was glad that Doyle was concentrating on the road so that he didn't notice her blush.

Doyle chuckled and drove on for another five minutes. He stopped the car and turned the ignition off. "We're here, Willow. What do you think?"

Willow stepped out of the car and looked up. They were standing at the base of the Hollywood sign. Willow gaped for several seconds before she sputtered "How did you...when did we...oh, thank you, Doyle!" She ran around the car and gave Doyle a great big hug, holding on for a couple of seconds longer than necessary, not that Doyle minded.

Willow went back to the car and leaned over the seat to get her camera out of the glove compartment. Doyle took the opportunity to enjoy the view he got when Willow leaned over. "Okay, Doyle. You know how to use a camera, right?"

"What do I look like? Someone who...uh...doesn't know how to use a camera?" Doyle tried to come up with something clever and witty to say, but Willow was laughing at what he was saying already, so he quit trying. "Well, go on. Go over there so I can take your picture."

Willow walked over and leaned against the 'Y', crossed her arms and smiled. Doyle focused on her and then pulled his head to the side of the camera. "Is that all you've got? It's going to take a better pose than that to be a model."

Willow blushed again and thought for a minute. "Okay," she said. "How's this?" With that, she faced the sign and then leaned into the 'Y' with her head turned back over her shoulder, her hair falling gently over her face.

Doyle focused again and nearly dropped the camera when he got her in focus. She almost looked like she was offering herself to him, but he knew that couldn't happen. They had only just met.

"Doyle? What do you think?"

'Oh my.' "Um...that's great, lass. Hold on one more second." Doyle clicked the picture and then burned the image into his mind. He didn't want to forget what she looked like at that instant.

When Doyle's finger pushed the shutter button, something happened. As he snapped the picture, he thought about how beautiful Willow was, just how sexy she was. Then, they connected.

Waves of magic flowed between the half-demon and the witch. In that instant, they were joined, both of them following the path of Doyle's fantasy about her.

---

In Doyle's mind, they were in his bed, sheets twisted around them, both of them moaning and making grunting noises as they pleased one another.

Doyle moved on top of her, back and forth, Willow's legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer with every thrust. His mouth covered her upper body in kisses, licking and sucking on every available inch of skin.

Willow pulled his mouth to her, biting his lips and then licking them, groaning with every one of his movements. He held his arms close to her, his hands moving up and down her body, when Willow held him with her legs and rolled over on top of him, grinning down, her red hair hanging in his face.

She moved up and down on him quickly, her head thrown back, small noises coming from the back of her throat. Doyle let his hands roam up her body, caressing her small, pert breasts, her nipples hard as diamonds, her hand resting on his stomach as she rode him.

His hands moved to her hips, pulling her down hard with each thrust, Willow suddenly crying out, her muscles clenching around him as she orgasmed, her entire body flushed. Doyle kept thrusting up into her, Willow whining high in her throat as the aftershocks ran through her body. All of this set Doyle off and he flooded into her, each shake of her body making him groan, his groin pulsing with each ejaculation.

Willow lay down on top of him, both breathing heavy and deeply as their orgasms subsided. "Goddess, Doyle. That was amazing," she said, still slowly moving on him. She climbed off of him and lay down next to Doyle, her hand resting on his chest.

"Aye, lass, it was. You were incredible." He ran his fingers through her hair and over her damp forehead.

---

With a shake of his head, Doyle realized he was still standing on the hill right below the 'Y' of the Hollywood sign and Willow was still where she had been, but her head was leaning against the giant letter, her shoulders moving up and down as though crying.

"Willow," he cried, moving toward her, slinging the camera around his neck.

He raced to her and touched her shoulder and realized she wasn't crying, she was just breathing deeply, her face flushed, her skin warm. Like she had had an orgasm.

"Doyle," she gasped. "What just happened?"

Doyle realized that they had both gotten caught up in his fantasy. He was pretty sure Willow knew what happened, too. He opened his mouth but no words came out. He opened it again with the same result. Thinking of nothing he could say or do, he gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her back to the car.

"Doyle, what happened out there?"

"I don't know, lass. I honestly don't know."

"Okay. Maybe it was a magic thing. I mean, you're half-demon and I'm a witch, so maybe it was the magic that connected everything and made me...us...do...that." Willow frowned in the dusk.

"I don't know, Willow. But it happened. And I'm sorry." Doyle gripped the steering wheel hard with both hands.

"Doyle," Willow said softly. He grunted in response. "I'm not," she said with a grin.

---

They got out of the car back at Angel's building, Doyle unsure of what was going to happen next. Then, Willow surprised him.

She came up and hugged him. "Thanks." She gave him a quick soft kiss on the lips.

Doyle was stunned. "What was that for?"

Willow stepped back and looked at him. "For taking care of me because Angel's not here. A girl needs a big strong man to protect her in the concrete jungle." Willow laughed at her own joke and realized it was starting to get dark. "And for what happened up there." She looked around. "We better head in. I don't want to miss Angel."

Doyle sighed inwardly. He wanted to take her out dancing, anything to spend more time with her, getting to know his new friend. 'Friend,' Doyle reminded himself. 'Angel would kill me if I ever did anything bad to her. I know I would certainly kill me.'

They slowly walked up the stairs, Willow taking Doyle's hand. He and Willow were quiet for some time when Willow turned to him. "Can I ask you a question? I mean, you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Doyle turned, giving her a puzzled look. "No. Go ahead and ask. I have nothing to hide. Well, not from you, anyway. But those loan sharks are completely wrong."

Willow laughed at Doyle's ranting. She found them funny, even though he could be completely serious about the loan sharks. "Well, I was wondering..."

---

When they got back to the office, there was still no sign of Angel, but Willow decided they should stay in, so that she could see him. She and Doyle sat on the office couch, talking and laughing.

"So, I have another question," Willow said. Doyle turned his head lazily towards her. "Ask away, fair maiden."

"What's Angel like these days? I mean, back in Sunnydale, he brooded a lot and he didn't hang out much, though I certainly tried. But for some reason, he never wanted to come near the rest of us, especially after he and Buffy broke up. Once that happened, he brooded even more, if that's possible."

"Well," Doyle said reflectively. "Angel's different. He takes this saving souls business very seriously. I mean, he's trying to purge himself of guilt. He gets a little bit better with every soul he saves. But he still broods, still wears all the dark clothes..."

"And he hates it when people put their feet on his coffee table." Both Doyle and Willow jumped as Angel walked in, Doyle reflexively putting an arm around Willow, trying to protect her from danger.

"Good Lord, man," Doyle started. Are ye trying to give us both heart attacks?"

Angel laughed and then noticed whom Doyle was sitting on the couch with. "Willow! What are you doing here?"

Willow laughed at the two of them and then recited her story about the computer conference and stopping out and running into Doyle and what a great time they had.

"Well, I'm glad that Doyle here was able to take care of you while I was gone. I ran into some demons picking on some homeless people when I was on my way back here." He looked Willow up and down and then hugged her, actually glad to see one of the old gang. At least Buffy hadn't shown up with Willow. That would have been...interesting to say the least.

Willow, Doyle and Angel stayed up for a few more hours until Willow started to yawn. "Well, I should get to my hotel. It's only a few blocks from here." Willow stood up and stretched and looked happily sleepy at the others.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay here, Willow? It's not like I actually use my bed. At least not much." Angel had a look of concern on his face.

"Oh please, man. Like she would want to stay in that drab dump down there. She'd be 'blahed' to death due to lack of color." Angel glared at Doyle.

"Oh. And I suppose your apartment is a much more colorful place to live. I guess that's what you get for not cleaning the place or doing the laundry." It was Doyle's turn to glare back at Angel. After a minute, both men started to laugh at themselves and each other.

"I think I'll be fine back at my hotel. I'll stop by and see you guys tomorrow." Willow walked over and gave Angel a hug and then turned to Doyle. "I had a great time today. I'll see you tomorrow." She gave Doyle a hug and another one of those mind blowing little kisses on the cheek."

"Good night, Willow." Angel said.

"Good night, fair maiden." Doyle said once he had reluctantly let her go.

"Good night Angel. Good night, Francis." With a quick spin, Willow was out the door and on her way down the steps.

Doyle sighed and watched her go. He wanted to run down and take her in his arms again. That was just heavenly.

Angel sighed as well. "Doyle, thanks for taking care of her. I'm going downstairs to check on some research." Angel noticed Doyle was hardly paying attention. "Oh. And by the way..." Angel waited for a moment for Doyle to turn around.

"Yeah?"

"Francis?" Angel ran, laughing, into his office and into the elevator as he heard Doyle fighting with the locked door.