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"So how did your training with Michael go?" Nikita asked, looking over at the flushed expression on Willow’s face. Willow was breathing heavily from the exertion of the fight she had just had with Michael.
"She’s getting better," Michael replied, grinning at the two women. "Pretty soon she’ll be ready to go out in the field."
"Oh please," Willow rolled her eyes, "I kicked your ass, once again, old man. Don’t even go there." Nikita laughed at the exchange between the two people. It was a common occurrence, one that the other operatives in Section enjoyed seeing. Especially because it was common knowledge that the teenager often bested the older operative.
"Willow, you do realize you are only the second person to ever beat Michael?" Nikita pointed out.
"Really, who was the first?"
"A man by the name of Liam," Nikita replied, a touch of sadness in her voice. Willow watched as Michael put his arm around his lover.
"Liam? I don’t think I recognize the name."
"He was an operative about three years ago," Michael explained, remembering the man who he had worked with for ten years. "He was with Section for about ten years before he disappeared."
"Disappeared. I don’t understand."
"We were on a mission. Searching out red cell targets in New York when word got back to us that he had been killed, but we never found a body," Michael explained. Willow swallowed a gasp as she started putting the pieces together. (Three years ago. New York. Angel. Liam was Angel. Well, duh, no wonder he could beat Michael. He is a vampire and all. Wonder why he used the name Liam. I’ll have to ask him tonight. But right now, I want to try and find out more about their friendship with him.)
"So, were you all close or something?" Willow inquired, trying to keep her voice from betraying her growing excitement over the fact that she had an opportunity to learn more about some of Angel’s past.
"Well, as close as you can get with people in Section," Michael observed.
"No comment," Willow teased, pointing at Michael and Nikita making them both smile.
"Well, back then," Michael amended. "Liam and I often sparred. He was one hell of a fighter. He knew moves that I had never seen before." Willow understood that feeling, considering how often she had seen Angel fight. But she also knew that someone who was over 250 years old would have the opportunity to pick up a thing or two.
"The man had the best survival rating in Section. He almost always succeeded and with the least amount of damage to his team. Even when they were made of people from Abeyance. He hated the thought of leaving someone behind."
"So he was a five percenter?" Willow questioned, having picked up that term from Walter when she first arrived.
"Oh yeah, big time," Michael smiled as he remembered the one man that had truly garnered his respect, not only for his fighting skills, but also because of his humanity under the most extreme conditions. "I think he confused the hell out of Madeline and Ops. They could never figure him out, no matter how hard they tried. He would just come in and do his job."
"How was he recruited?" Willow asked, wondering how Section had first heard about Angel. (What was he doing that would have drawn their attention to him?)
"He was accused of murder." Willow started at that. She knew that without his soul, Angel was very capable of killing someone, but he knew enough not to get caught. But, when he was with Section, Angel had his soul and Willow didn’t think he was truly capable of evil. "Section became interested in him because of the circumstances surrounding the case. They recruited him and he was here for ten years."
"Did he do it?" Willow wanted to know.
"He never said and it didn’t matter. He was here for good," Michael admitted, remembering how many times Nikita had claimed innocence of the murder that had brought her to Section. "Liam was never one to talk about his past, but he always had this haunted look in his eyes."
"Not to mention the tall, dark, mysterious thing he had going for him," Nikita pointed out. "I mean, considering what we do here, everyone had the mysterious thing, but Liam had it in spades. I think he could have had any woman that he wanted in Section, and would even be able to get Ops to allow the relationship."
"Was he involved with anyone here?"
"No," Michael shook his head. "Liam tended to keep to himself, only allowing himself a few friends. Actually, the circle of friends that he had is the same one you do. He and Walter could sit for hours discussing weapons, and exchanging dirty jokes. He and I would spar and talk strategy. Liam looked after Birkhoff, treating him like a proud big brother would. And when Kita came, he made sure to help her try and adjust to her new life."
"It sounds like he was a good man to have around here," Willow observed, glad to see how much Michael and Nikita had apparently truly missed Angel. Angel didn’t allow himself to open up to people, hence making it difficult for him to make friends. Despite that, these people cared for him. She was glad for that. It made what she had to do that night more important.
"He was," Michael agreed. They came to the room that Willow would use when she had to stay on site.
"Okay, this is my stop."
"Willow, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to do a bit of shopping tonight?" Nikita asked.
"I would love to, but I have a few things to do. Raincheck?" Willow answered. Nikita nodded her head. Willow said good-bye to Nikita and Michael, going into her room and quickly showering and changing.
Willow was sitting in the middle of her living room, her eyes closed. To any casual observer she appeared as if she was in a trance, while in reality she was preparing both herself and the person she was communicating with for what was about to happen. Angel had been against her bringing him out of hell until she showed him the spell that she had found to do it. It was actually surprisingly simple. The only true needed actions were that the soul was in hell unjustly and that the person casting the spell had to do so willingly and with a pure heart. Both conditions were easily met.
"Okay, showtime Angel."
"Be careful, little one."
"Now remember what I told you. If this works, you’ll find yourself back where it all began."
"Will we still be able to communicate?"
"I think so. The link seems to be a result of the restoration spell. Would you prefer it if we didn’t talk?" Willow asked, suddenly unsure of her friendship with the vampire she was helping.
"No, I would miss talking to you if the link disappeared," Angel replied honestly.
"Okay, then. Let’s get started. Time for you to return to Earth."
Willow started chanting in a language long thought dead. On the other end of the link, she heard Angel speaking the same foreign words. The two worked together towards their mutual goal. Getting Angel out of hell. Suddenly Willow and Angel felt a huge energy surge through their bodies, and Willow heard the angry voices of Angel’s tormentors as they realized what was happening, but by then it was to late. For, in a dark and lonely mansion in Sunnydale Ca, a nude body appeared on the cold floor.