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Title: The Moonlight Series
Author: Sunfire
Email: sunfirejc@yahoo.com
Rating: PG 14 (might move into NC 17 eventually)
Spoilers: thru Prom episode
Disclaimer: I don't own the BtVS characters, Joss does, all bow before him. No copyright infringement intended, please don't sue.
Distribution: Fever of Fate, Willow's Guys, Witch FanFic, Eyeballs To Entrails, Bite Me Please, Calliope's Garden, anyone else, just ask.
Summary: Willow is tired of being a good girl and wants to have fun, Spike is in town, Angel has been having dreams of Faith, wackiness ensues
Feedback: Please, please tell me what you think, makes me write faster (Is that a good thing?)
*indicates thought*
Part 1: Things Change
*Willow. Shy, dependable, wussy, unnoticeable, innocent Willow. I am sick and tired of being a goody-to-shu.. Why do I always have to be and do what everyone wants and expects?* Willow was laying on her bed contemplating her life. *I want to be the bad girl, to do something unexpected, to have fun, and wear revealing, alluring clothes. I want to be spontaneous, and outgoing, without worrying what others would think,* Willow mussed. *I want to be like Faith, before she killed the guy that is.*
The last time she had voiced her feelings was when her dopplegang look-a-like had shown up, and nothing had come of it. Those feelings of inadequacy had never gone away, in fact they had been growing. When she had seen her counterpart she had been secretively jealous. Her other self was so confident, carefree, and sexy *in leather*. Willow had always wanted to wear leather, and skin tight clothes, and short skirts and tops, and boots, high boots. But she had always been too shy to even try on any of the above mentioned attire. Once she got a quick glimpse of them walking by a store in the mall; but that was it.
Everything about her life recently had been getting on her nerves. She felt as if everybody else treated her like she were unimportant, and incompetent. Except if they needed something looked up, or help with homework. She wanted to be wanted, to be needed, for things other than what pertained to books. She wanted to be treated like a capable, mature, person. Not a sheltered little girl who had to be protected and looked after all the time. Even Oz treated her like a frail weakling. It was as if he thought if he wasn't there to help and protect her she would fall apart. He wasn't very passionate at all, like it would just be too much for her. She wanted a guy to treat her like she was strong, and capable of handling things for herself.
"Well, self-pity is getting me pretty far, I better slow down, too much is getting taken care of, if I don't stop now all my problems might just start solving themselves." Willow muttered sarcastically as she rose slowly from her bed.
She strolled over to her bookcase and picked out one of her favorite spell books.
As she resumed her position on her bed, Willow thought about her new "hobby." Her knowledge of spells and witchcraft had been very useful for fighting evil, but it was more than that. She didn't know when exactly she had become aware that the Wiccan faith was the one she wanted to follow, or when her parent's god had ceased to be her own. *A year ago I didn't even know Wicca was a religion; much less that the worshiping of the God and Goddess would make me feel more complete.* When she had first read about the pagan faith it had been like she was coming home. Every time she read a belief or opinion held by most Wiccans she realized that she agreed with it.
"Ahhrrgggg! This is so annoying! I can't concentrate!" Willow cried as she slammed the book shut. "I guess I should go to bed, it is pretty late. Well, sleepy time for Willow." With that Willow changed into her pajamas and went to bed.
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Part 2: Moving On
The scenery went by in a dark blur as the car sped across the highway, the heavy pounding of rock music filtering through the black night. Cigarette smoke hung heavy in the air inside the Desoto, as the driver struggled to see through the car's blackened windows to the street beyond. "Why the fuck did I even go back to that bloody wack? She must have fucked every demon on the continent while I was in Sunnyhell. Bloody whore!" Spike continued to mutter obscenities under his breath in memory of his ex. As his head moved in time to the fast paced beat of the music he once again thought of the last time he had seen the object of his fury.
* * *
He had returned to Brazil to torture her into liking him once more. By the time he got there she had gone through about 48 demons and various other creatures. She was even more whinny and childish than before. She spent most of her time playing with her dolls or muttering about Angel. *The bloody walker!* When he tried to talk to her she just started mumbling about red rain or something. He tortured her just like he planed but she didn't even acknowledge his presence, as if she weren't even there herself. It was like she was crazier than he remembered, if that was possible. Spike could barley handle being in the same room with her for over an hour. She was absolutely annoying. *How the 'ell did ya put up with 'er fur so long mate?* He questioned himself.
Finally, after an agonizing month he got tired of her and just left. He walked into his room, picked up his few belongings, put them into his duffel bag, and walked out the door. Upon seeing his departure Dru woke from her stupor and attempted to follow him. When he heard her recognize his existence he expected to be overcome with joy and relief. Instead he was just irritated and pissed-off.
He stopped and turned around to face her. However, much to her surprise it wasn't to welcome her into his arms. "Oh, so now ya talk to me. You are bloody pathetic. For a hundred years I gave you everything. Waited on you hand and foot. I was completely loyal, unlike some people in this room. Ya even funked Angelus, that poofy haired ninny. He abandoned ya, and ya took him back without question. I was faithful when you were sick, but when I was in that damn chair ya screwed every bloke within 100 feet. I put up with ya, and got shit to show fur it!" He let out every little thing that had pissed him off, but that he had excepted gracefully as just part of her nature. But now, he had reached the end of his rope and was going to unload everything he had been carrying around.
A pout began to form on her face and she started to whimper like a puppy. "Ah, Dru, shove it. That whimpering always did drive me up the bloody walls. Now, I am leaving and am going to find me someone who I can actually have an intelligent conversation with that doesn't involve dolls, or Angelus."
With that said, and his emotional baggage unloaded Spike left without a backward glance. He could hear Drusilla's outraged cries as he got in his car and drove away. She never was used to not being the most important thing to everyone. People almost never walked away from her, let alone insult and cuss her out first. Spike laughed as he turned on his radio, picturing her wide eyed face as she watched him walk out on her.
Spike drove for several days without really knowing where he was going. At last he decided on going back to Sunnydale. There was always a good meal, and he could easily reassert himself as the local master without much effort. Plus he always had enjoyed terrorizing the slayer's friends, and she was the only person he had come across that actually presented some sort of challenge.
Spike punched the gas as a new song came on,
*Sunnyhell look out, Spikey's back.*
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Part 3: Memories
Angelus and Faith walked down the dark street and as they passed Xander, his fist hit the boy's face and he fell to the ground as the two walked on...
Faith and Angelus were kissing, hard as Buffy watched from her position, chained to the wall. Buffy's face was covered with hurt and betrayal. As Angelus watched the pained expression on her face he thought, "serves you right, for sending me to hell, knowing that I had my soul."
Angel awoke with a start, sweat coving his forehead. Ever since his experience with Faith, he had been having dreams of what he had done with her. He remembered the feel of her in his arms, the feel of her lips on his, the freedom he felt with her. When he was with Buffy he had to hide his feelings and try to avoid the subject of who and what he was. With Faith it wasn't like that at all, she did not think him horrible because of his past, but instead identified with him, knowing what it was like. Even though he had been acting, pretending to be Angelus it was as if in that amount of time he actually felt some of the feelings he had pretended to have, and when he ceased his pretending the feelings did not go away.
Now that he had broken up with Buffy the feelings and dreams came more often, lasted longer, and were more intense. He couldn't keep Faith out of his mind for very long. Nor could he help but remembering the way it felt to be free of guilt, to be Angelus. As Angelus he was confident, more powerful, and felt so much more in control. He tried to keep Faith and his secret longing to be Angelus and free in the back of his mind but it was hard, almost harder than keeping control of his demon. He was fighting, but he knew he couldn't hold on much longer.
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Part 4: Homework
"What do ya think G-man? We fighting any big bad uglies tonight?" Xander asked as he sauntered into the library during lunch.
"Fist of all I have asked you repeatedly to stop calling me that. And second, not that I can see. I have checked all of m-my books, as has Wesley and we have b-been unable to find any information pointing towards a, uh, d-disastrous event in the immediate future of which we should be concerned."
"So, were Bronzin' tonight. What do ya think Will, you in?" Buffy asked as she took her set at the table.
"Well, I was going to stay in tonight and work on a project." Willow said as she logged onto 'her' computer.
"Ah, come on Willster, you can work on your project another time. You know you want to come party with your bestest buddies." Xander prodded.
"Ok, Xand, I'll come." Willow gave in. *Cause after all, my stuff isn't important, at least it hasn't been to you guys lately.* Willow added silently.
Ringgggg. Ringgggg. "Oh man, chemistry. Quick Will, can I see your homework, I think I did mine wrong." Xander said.
"Did you even do your homework Xander?" Willow asked although she already knew the answer.
"Not technically." Xander said shyly.
"Ya, can I see it too, It was so late when I got home from our research party last night I just fell asleep." Buffy said while rushing over to Xander who had already gotten the paper out of Willow's backpack before she had even answered the question. *I stayed later then both of them looking things up for Giles and I still stayed up even later and did the assignment.*
"Did it ever occur to you that I might not let you copy my homework and that you might actually have to do it, or that I didn't do it either, I am up as late if not later than you I do need sleep too you know." The two of them looked up from her paper and stared at her as if she had grown a second head.
"Are you ok Will?" Buffy asked.
"Ya, I am fine." Willow said with a sigh. *They didn't even take me seriously. They just assume that they can just copy my work. It's not fair, I do all the work and they just copy it. They never do it themselves. What would they do without me? I am so sick of being everyone's slave. Did it ever occur to them that I might have something better to do then their work?*
"Oh, and W-Willow, could you come back for a few hours after school before you go to the, uh, Bronze and look up some things for me on that, that, contraption of yours?" Giles asked as he pointed to the computer. "Thank you, I appreciate it." He said too engrossed in his books to even wait for her reply. "Of course, I don't have anything better to do." Willow answered sarcastically as she headed off to class.
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Part 5: "Why Didn't You Tell Me?"
Buffy and Xander walked into the bronze hand in hand as Willow stopped to pay the cover. By the time Willow had found a table Buffy and Xander had already begun dancing within the throng of bodies that crowded the dance floor.
Willow just sat at the table as she did every other night and watched her friends have fun. *They are dancing a little closer than they normally do. Come to think of it they have been getting a lot closer ever since Angel and Buffy broke up two weeks ago.*
As if on cue the duo walked over to the table and began to sip the drinks Willow had gotten them a few minutes earlier. Willow watched closely at the frequent glances and smiles that they exchanged and noticed how Buffy laughed at Xander's lame jokes and playfully swatted his arm. *They are flirting. They are so totally flirting with each other* Willow thought.
Without really thinking Willow blurted out the question that had been on her mind for the past twenty minutes. "Are you two dating?"
Buffy and Xander looked at Willow surprised by the question and the fact that Willow had asked it straight out. Then they looked at each other and then back at Willow. "Not exactly," Xander replied. "You see, after what happened with me and Angel we decided that we should take it slow," Buffy added.
Willow just sat there, staring at her two best friends. *I can't believe they are together. Great, can you say third wheel.* "Why didn't you tell me? You are my best friends and you didn't even tell me that you decided to go out," Willow said becoming upset about being left out.
"You're overreacting," Buffy told her, not quite understanding why her friend wasn't happy for her. "We're sorry Wills. We thought you would be happy for us," Xander said, sharing Buffy's confusion.
"I am happy. For both of you." However Willow looked anything but happy as she stared at the still full glass of soda in her hand. "It is just," Willow paused and took a small sip of her soda. "I don't want to be like a third wheel and all."
"Don't worry about that Will," Buffy said." They both tried to reassure her. "Oh, I love this song, lets dance Xander."
"See ya in a few Will." Xander said as they went back out to the dance floor.
The rest of the night continued as Willow saved their sets at the table and the newly publicized "couple" danced. However, instead of going to get ice cream cones like they had planned, Buffy and Xander went patrolling, leaving Willow by herself.
*I could have been at home trying to de-rat Amy with the new spell I found. Instead they had to drag me on their not quite date. And why the heck didn't they tell me they were "sorta going out," as Xander put it? They never did answer that question. I didn't want to come in the first place but they insisted that I should come with them. So I did. I sat at the table all night so they could ditch me and "patrol." I bet they are making out right now. I guess they just enjoy each other's company more than mine.*
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Part 6: Musings
Thump! Willow dropped her backpack onto the floor. *They are supposed to be my best friends, but they hardly pay any attention to me. They're too wrapped up with each other. The most attention I have been getting from Buffy, Xander, or Giles lately is when they need my help with something or want to copy my work.* Willow was in a really bad mood after a day of both Buffy and Xander coping every assignment they had due, and Giles wanting every minute of her breaks and lunch to research the mayor's upcoming ascension, not that it was anything new of course. The only reason she got out of it after school was because she wasn't feeling well, and everyone else was going to patrol with Buffy.
"Everyone else is doing just freaking perfect. And they don't even notice that stuff has gone from bad to worse for me. Why should they? Little Willow isn't important. They are just so darn selfish!" Willow continued to add to her list of all the things that pissed her off as each book in her backpack landed heavily onto her desktop. "And to top it all off Oz broke up with me because his band is going to go on tour! What a jerk. He didn't even have the decency to drive me home, he just left me at the coffee shop on Monday." She added as she plopped onto her bed, burying her frustrated screams in her pillows.
She was interrupted by a soft knock on her door. It was the first time in two months that her parents were home for longer than it took to repack their suitcases for another business trip. "Someone is here to see you." Willow talked to her mother so seldomly that she barely registered who the voice belonged to. "Yeah, fun fun!" Willow mumbled sarcastically. "Ok mom!" Willow yelled with fake cheerfulness. "I'll tell him to come up then." Ms. Rosenberg said as she headed down the stairs. "Him? Great, cause I really feel like talking to Xander! The only reason he would be coming is to copy my homework anyway. Jerk!" Willow continued to mumble about Xander's not so honorable qualities as she rose to a sitting position on her bed and tried to calm herself down. "Not that he would even notice I'm upset, no one has lately and it has been pretty darn obvious, too. They are so absorbed in themselves they don't even notice me. I always help them when they are in trouble but is anyone rushing to my side? Noooo."
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Part 7: Late Night Stroll
Angel's dreams had once again forced him to wander the streets, thinking. He wanted so badly to just forget about his worries, concerns, and fears. He was tired of being a slave to his guilt. He wanted to let go and just allow his desires to guide him. He also felt alone and isolated. No one could understand what he was going through; the conflicting feelings were more than any normal person had experienced. He didn't want to become a monster, but he wanted to be free. No one else knew what is was like to be torn between two worlds. He belonged to both, but which one would claim his future? He didn't know. He remembered the power and freedom he had once felt. He longed to reclaim it but he feared what would happen if he did. "I don't know what to do, I don't want to hurt anyone!" He added with a sigh.
"You think way too much Angel." He turned at the voice, startled.
"I didn't know anyone was there." Angel said, not knowing whether to be worried or extremely happy.
"It's the slayer thing, makes ya good at sneaking up on people. It's more useful when the person you are trying to attack doesn't hear you coming."
"I can see where that might help." He added unsurely.
"As I was saying. You really shouldn't worry so much about everyone else. You
should really think about yourself more. Shit Angel, sometimes you're all ya got." With that she withdrew into the shadows.
"I'll try to remember that Faith." Angel called to her retreating back.
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Part 8: "W-What h-h-happened?"
Xander and Buffy walked into Willow's room holding each other's hand. *Oh, look. He brought Buffy. I shouldn't be surprise it seems like they have been connected at the hip these past few days. And where have I been? In the library, doing the work they were supposed to be doing, but do I get so much as a thank you? No, of course not. So much for taking it slow, Willow thought sarcastically.*
"Hey Wills, Giles sent us over here to get you, he wants you at the library as soon as possible." Xander told her, looking anywhere but at her face. "Why, what's wrong?" Willow asked as she hurriedly put on her shoes and followed Buffy and Xander downstairs. "Something happened during patrol. Something bad." Buffy answered as she ushered Willow out of her house and towards the school. "Lets just get to the library, Giles will fill in the blanks." Xander said, obviously not wanting to tell her anything.
When they got to the library Willow practically fell over when she saw what was on the table in the middle of the room. Giles was off to the side talking to a man who looked in his late 20's. Buffy and Xander, soon joined by Giles tried to detour Willow into the librarian's office, but she walked straight up to the table; ignoring their pleas that she didn't need to see it. *I am not a sheltered five year old, I've seen as much as them. I can handle it.* Willow thought as she reached out her hand and touched what lay on the table. Cold to the touch and extremely pale, Cordelia lay completely still. "She's, she's, she's..." Willow whispered, not quite believing what she saw or felt. Cordelia didn't have a single scratch on her, only two small holes in the side of the neck.
"W-What h-h-happened?" Willow asked, her voice shacking considerably.
"We, uh, were patrolling when we, uh, heard something. By the time we got there she was dead, and the vamp was leaving. I, uh went after it and staked it, but, uh, there, there was nothing that, we, uh, could do." Buffy explained. Tears rimed her eyes, but the slayer refused to let them fall. Xander, however couldn't hold out as long and was already weeping in Buffy's arms, and the slayer soon lost the strength to hold in her own cries and joined Xander in his grief.
Willow, still stunned, walked over to where Giles was still talking to the young man she saw when she first came in, trying to organize her thoughts. "Xander and Buffy said that you wanted to talk to me?" Willow questioned the tweed clad librarian.
"Yes. This is Mr. Duncan Macleod, Willow." Giles said "Mr. Macleod says that he was drawn to Sunnydale by a dark force of some sort.
"You mean the hellmouth." Willow affirmed.
"I don't think that is it. I think it might be something more." Duncan told the hacker.
"Well, it might have something to do with the mayor." Willow suggested.
"Yes, well there was also something else." Giles said. Willow looked at him and then at Duncan. "He claims that he is an immortal." Giles continued. Never having heard or read of anything referring to immortals Willow looked at Duncan to explain further.
"You mean you can't die?" She asked him, somewhat taken aback. "Well, I die, but only for a little while, then I wake back up. Unless my head is cut off, then it is permanent and all of my power and strength is transferred into the immortal who killed me." Mr. Macleod elaborated. "Furthermore, I have reason to suspect that your friend, uh, Cordelia, is one of us. An immortal that is. In other words, she will be waking up in a few minutes. It takes longer to wake up the more severe the damage, or the younger the immortal."
At this point Giles had taken off his glasses, preceded to clean them and then put them back on. "As many weird things as I have seen in my time as a watcher this is somewhat inconceivable. If I have learned one thing, it is that death is one of the few things we cannot fight." Giles said, obviously not about to take the man's word.
"No, Giles, I think he might be telling the truth." Willow said. "Cordelia is waking up."
By now Giles was beginning to believe Willow had lost it, considering she couldn't even see Cordelia from where she was. Xander and Buffy hadn't said anything, and they were siting at the table. "Now Willow, lets not be rash. I know you are shocked by today's events, but..."
However, Giles' statement was cut short by a gasp from the table. It was Buffy. "Giles, come over here quick. I think she is waking up."
At the sound of the slayer's voice Giles, Willow and Duncan walked over to the table in time to see Cordelia sit up.
The entire library was silent as all eyes turned on the former cheerleader. "W- What h-happened?" Cordelia asked, eyes wide with fear.
Xander fainted.
Part 9: Confessions
"Another late night stroll? What's the matter, couldn't sleep?" Faith questioned as Angel walked slowly down the ally towards where she was standing.
"I could ask the same about you. Why is it that I always seem to be running into you lately?" Angel asked.
"Maybe it's fate? I don't know. Anyway, what is wrong with you, you look like shit with a frown?" Faith inquired. "Wait, let me guess. You found out who Sunnyhell's newest love birds are. Am I right?"
"If you are talking about Buffy and Xander, then ya. Why him? I mean he is a complete dimwit." Angel wondered out loud as he ran his fingers through his hair. "What could she possibly see in him anyway. And what about us. I thought our relationship meant something."
"Well I don't have the slightest idea what she could see in that idiot, but I can tell you one thing. If your relationship meant anything to her, she wouldn't have been able to get another boyfriend so fast, especially not one like Xander." Faith said as she closed the distance between them. "You know what you need to do? You need to forget about Buffy. I mean, what have you gotten out of the relationship anyway? You need to think about yourself now because obviously Buffy isn't. I just hate to see you like this. Don't you think you have done enough brooding? You need to think about having a good time."
Angel didn't respond so she continued. "Let me ask you a question Angel. When was the last time you smiled? You spend way too much time trying to change. You are what you are Angel. You have to accept that. Don't think so much, just feel." Faith said, putting her arms around his neck so that she was looking right up into his face. "Now relax and close your eyes." Faith softly instructed, and when he had reluctantly done so she continued. "Answer me a question, what do you really want? Now don't think, just feel."
Angel knew what he wanted, but he didn't know if he wanted to tell Faith what he wanted. However, it had been building and festering inside him and he had to tell someone, and it seemed that Faith was the only person who wanted to listen to what he wanted, so he did what she said and didn't think, and just said exactly what was on his mind.
"I, I want to be able to do things without thinking about the consequences. I know I am always brooding and depressed but I don't want to be. I want to just have a good time. I want to feel things in a way I know I never can again without becoming a monster. I don't want to live the rest of eternity hating what I am. I want to have power and freedom." As Angel spoke Faith ran her fingers through his thick hair. She then leaned in close and whispered in his ear, "keep going, tell me everything, don't hold back."
When Faith spoke he could feel her warm breath on his check. "For weeks I have been having these dreams. They are so vivid. Most of them are of my past, but they aren't just about killing and maiming, but of all the fun nights and days. Most of them however, are about, about, uhm, when I was uh, pretending to be Angelus, to uh, get information out of you. I remember tying Buffy up, and I almost wanted to actually tie her up and smack her or yell at her for all the times she got upset about my past, or I felt that I couldn't talk to her about my problems because hers were too important. And especially for sending me to hell.
I remember how difficult it was to resist going beyond merely convincing you I was Angelus. I remember when you were telling Buffy about when you were little, I wanted to protect you. I remember thinking how brave and strong you must be to have survived everything you have been through. Don't misunderstand me, I don't pity or feel sorry for you, I respect and admire you because in so many ways you remind me of myself. I have tried to fight it, but I am not going to run from who I am and what I want any longer. I accept that I am a vampire, and I admit that what I really want is, is to, be with you." Angel told her, suddenly feeling much better that he had finally let everything out. *Man, I haven't talked that much since I was human.*
Angel closed the distance between them, and pulling her against him he kissed her, hard, not holding anything back.
Part 10: A New Prophecy
Buffy shook Xander in an attempt to revive him. Giles gently laid Cordelia back down and began to tell her what had happened.
Duncan turned to Willow and looked at her quizzically. "How did you know she was waking up?" He asked her.
"The same way I knew you weren't human the first time I saw you, I just had this strange feeling, and I knew." Willow answered, not quite sure she understood herself.
"And me being an immortal does not seem strange to you? Mr. Giles sure thought it was." "Well you see Mr. Macleod, this is the hellmouth, the supernatural is normal around here."
The next few minutes were spent with Duncan giving the gang a quick explanation of what immortals where, that is once they found the smelling salts in Giles' office and managed to wake Xander.
To aid in the explanation Duncan gave Giles a book, much like the librarian's watcher diary, however this was written by Duncan and held within it some of his observations and experiences with immortals. Giles was looking through the book as the slayer and slayerettes asked Duncan questions about his long and interesting life.
"Oh my!" Giles yelled, getting everyone's attention. "What is it Giles?" Buffy asked as she walked over to where he stood by his office. "This book referrers to an ascension, and has a prophecy that talks of one occurring during certain astrological correspondences and it also mentions a way of stopping it." Giles informed the group.
"So you mean that if the ascension it talks about is ours, we know how to stop it?" Willow asked. "Y-Yes, that is exactly what I am saying." Giles affirmed. "I will compare the correspondences to the ones for graduation day, as that is when the mayor has scheduled his, uh, "big day", as Buffy put it." Giles said as he hurried into his office to get to work.
An hour later a triumphant cry was heard coming from the small office and a very excited librarian came out with a huge smile. "The correspondences match perfectly, it seems that if we do what this book says, we can defeat the mayor!" Giles exclaimed.
"Well, read what it says for us to do." Buffy said. "I want to know how to kick the mayor's butt."
"When Death is cheated by two of the same, a door will form. It will be unlocked by four. One will have a fire inside and out. Another of ancient turned new, one of the darkness reviewed, and a child from a line of power will. In the ways of old and the craft of the wise they will come together and will form the key. Blessed Be."
"That's it? Well, that shouldn't be too difficult, I just have one question. What did that mean? Cause I am just slightly, uh totally lost." Xander said when Giles was done reading the passage from the book.
"Well Xander, 'when death is cheated by two of the same' is probably referring to Mr. Macleod and Cordy, since they can not die, thus 'cheating death; and are both immortals so they are 'two of the same.' Since Mr. Macleod is now here and we now know that Cordy is an immortal then the door, or opportunity has formed. And 'in the ways of old and the craft of the wise...' is referring to wicca, or witchcraft since it is also called the craft of the wise, and the old way or old path; and 'Blessed Be' is also a wiccan expression meaning welcome, or go with luck and love." Willow explained. "What?" She asked as everyone looked at her with wide eyes.
But Duncan just smiled and clapped saying, "Well done Willow, it probably would have taken the rest of us two days to get that, you are very bright, I am impressed."
"Thank you." Willow said, smiling at Duncan. *I like him, he's nice.* She added to herself.
"Yes Willow, good job. So since Mr. Macleod and Cordelia being immortal will 'form a door' or give us the opportunity to defeat the mayor, they will probably have some part in the solution, however I am at a loss who the 'four' are that were talked about in the passage," Giles thought out-loud.
"Well, don't mean to help and run, but it is after 11:30 and I am kinda tired, so if you don't mind," Willow said as she gathered her things, still upset about the events of that day. Before she left she went over to Cordelia. "I am glad you're all right." She told the girl, then turned and walked out of the library.
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Part 11: Walking Home
*I am surprised they let me walk home all by myself since they think I am so weak and helpless,* Willow thought as she made her way down her street towards her house. *I will not put up with them anymore. I know what will piss them off, I won't let them copy my homework tomorrow. They can do the work themselves for a change; in fact, maybe I won't even do my homework tonight. It's about time I did something unexpected and non-Willowish. It's not like my grade point average can't handle it,* Willow decided as she walked up her driveway.
Part 12: Decisions
It had taken him a month to get to Sunnydale, driving only at night, and slightly into the day. A vamp has to get his beauty sleep you know. Now that he was here he had to figure out who he was going to torture first. He mentally went through the list of the slayer's friends. The boy with the weird hair was too boring, the cheerleader was too weak and wouldn't last very long, the other boy was just fucking annoying, and watchers got on his nerves. That left the little witch. "She was kinda fun last time, she was really scared, and might make for some interesting conversation in between torturing sessions.* "The red headed hacker it is." Spike said decisively as he drove through the streets of the small town. *It is too late for her to still be at the library, but she is probably still awake studying.* Spike thought to himself. Maybe if I wait on her front porch I can catch her before she goes inside. I love the way little girls smell when they're scared, I can't wait to torture, what's her name? Willow. That's it, Willow."
Part 13: The Quiet, Shy Mousey One
Spike waited in the bushes eagerly, his anticipation and adrenaline growing as he heard footsteps approaching his hiding spot in the bushes by the Rosenburg's front porch.
Willow searched her bag for her keys as she ascended her front steps. However, she was cut short when she heard the bushes to her right moving. She looked up and came face to
face with Spike. "Spike, such a very pleasant surprise." Willow stated calmly, but with pointed sarcasm. "I should have guessed," Willow said exasperatedly. "Everything else has gone wrong today, why not have you show up too!"
Spike, expecting her to be scared shitless, was quite surprised when Willow regarded him with annoyance. He could also tell that she was pissed off about something. Spike was usually the type to tear someone's throat out that treated him the way Willow was. Instead he decided to sit back and see what she would do next, finding the situation amusing.
Despite the little voice inside her that told her to shut up before Spike killed her, she continued, having held everything in for so long she just wanted to unload; even if it was Spike. "I am so damned tired of this. First, I learn that my two supposedly best friends have been going out behind my back. Buffy, Xander, and Giles all treat me like shit, then I get called to the library to find out Cordy's dead, only she isn't cause she's immortal; which adds yet another complication to my already fucked up life. Then I come home to find the same pathetic blood sucking fiend who kidnapped me and Xander so I could do a love spell for him because his slut of a girlfriend left him! All in two weeks. Everything just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?!" Willow felt a lot better after letting some of the stuff that was bothering her out, and was also feeling confident.
Spike wasn't sure whether to be ripping the girl to shreds for yelling at him and calling him a pathetic blood sucking fiend, or be laughing at her surprising out burst. Being in a good mood, he decided on the later and doubled over in a fit of laughter. "Shit, I thought you were the quiet, shy mousey one! You sure are feisty. I have to say I am more than a bit surprised, and quite impressed." He told the red head who stood before him looking irritated by his laughing at her, after a minute or two of gut wrenching laughs.
"Ya, quiet, shy, mousey. That is what everybody thinks. If I were to actually show them even a little of my real personality they would think I was possessed or something. It is so fucking annoying. I can't be myself around any of them, I mean what the hell is wrong with me growing up anyway. They think I am so damn helpless and frail. I am not made out of fucking glass. I won't break. Shit! I want to be treated like a strong capable person." Willow had never cussed so much in her life, and she liked it.
Spike looked her over appraisingly. He had never imagined she had so much fire in her. He had always thought of her as just another one of the slayer's little lemmings, but maybe he had been wrong in that assumption. He was seeing a side of her that even the slayer had not seen according to the hacker. It was interesting and he liked it, matter of fact he wanted to see more of it. "What's the matter luv, get in a tiff wit' your friends?" He asked her, a smile forming on his lips at her reaction.
"A tiff? A tiff?! They are all just assholes plain and simple. Oz left me, and Xander and Buffy are too busy sucking face that they don't pay any attention to me what so ever unless they want to copy my homework, or want me to do something else for them. Giles is the same way. He just expects that I have nothing better to do than research for him. I am fucking tired of them! I am not their damn slave. I just want to have them leave me the fuck alone, I don't need them, and they can do their own damn work! I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't even notice I was gone, until they needed a favor that is!"
"Well luv, it sounds like you are wanting a little change of scenery. If you'd like I might be of some assistance."
"Go on." Willow prompted, the opportunity to get away from Xander, Buffy, and Giles, sounding appealing, even if it did involve Spike. Besides, it would piss off three certain people if they were to find out.
"Well pet, I just purchased a place for myself to stay in while I am in town and I could use a spot of company, as could you, I'd wager." Spike suggested, and for some strange reason Spike found himself actually wanting her company.
*This is a great chance to do something unexpected and spontaneous, like you have wanted to do for so long. Don't think, don't analyze, just do. Follow adventure, pursue the unknown.* "Sure, why not, I don't have anything better to do." She said, feeling bold and daring. Willow went up to her room and packed some clothes, a couple of her spell books, and some supplies, including Amy.
"Well, if the lady is ready.." Spike said gesturing to his car, parked several houses down. "It was nice of you to bring me a bite to eat." He commented as they made their way to the car.
"Huh? Oh, you mean the rat. Her name is Amy and is a friend of mine who turned herself into a rat a couple of months ago when the whole town tried to burn me, her, and Buffy at the stake. So if your fangs come anywhere near her you are going to have a dangerously pissed off witch on your hands! Got it?" Willow emphasized the last two remarks by pointing at him, and giving him an icy stare.
"Sure thing Red. And you are going to have to tell me the rest of that story later." Spike responded as he put her stuff in the back and got into the car.
"So, where we staying?" Willow asked.
Smiling, two people, different in almost every way, except a shared loneliness neither would admit, Spike and Willow drove off into the night.
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Part 14: Moving In
Willow walked into the large apartment, her eyes moving appraisingly over the living room. In the center of the room was a black leather couch with a glass coffee table with black iron legs in front of it, and a matching end table on one side of the couch. The medium sized
entertainment center on the far wall was surrounded by countless movies and CDs, while magazines, books, and other reading material littered the coffee and end tables. Upon further examination Willow saw several empty food containers and wrappers on the ground by the couch and wadded pieces of paper in and around the trash can in the corner. "I thought you said you just got the place?" Willow questioned as she set her things down. She followed Spike into the kitchen and sat at the counter.
"I did." Spike answered as he got two soda's out of the fridge, placing one in front of Willow, and opening the other one for himself. "I may live off of blood but that doesn't mean I can't have a soda. Human food doesn't do a damn thing for the hunger, but it does taste good." He said, answering her questioning glance when he took a drink.
"So, if you just bought the place, how did you mess it up so fast? I mean Xander has better house keeping skills." Willow commented as she glanced around the kitchen counters that where strewn with dirty dishes and various other items. Spike just glared at her and left the kitchen. Willow rolled her eyes, picked up her bags and followed him down the corridor.
"My room is down there, the door next to it is the library, across from that we got the bathroom, and this'll be your room. I'll leave you to unpack and do, whatever it is you do. I'll be in the front room if ya need me ducks." Spike explained as he gave her a quick tour of the apartment.
She thanked the blonde as he retreated down the hall and proceeded to look around the room. There was a small dresser against the left wall next to a walk in closet. A desk sat against the far wall. She set her suitcase on the black iron four poster bed and put her clothes into the dresser and closet. Next Willow put her hair brush, make up, and other personal items on the top of the dresser. Then she placed Amy's cage on the corner of the desk, along with her lab-top and books and her backpack on the chair. After surveying her work she placed the empty suitcase under the bed, and went into the front room.
When she got to the front room she found Spike watching TV. "'Lo luv. Would ya like somethin' to eat, considering you have been at the library you probably haven't had dinner yet I'd bet. I can make ya a sandwich if ya'd like."
"Actually I am kid of hungry now that you mention it, but I can make myself something, you don't have to." Willow said as she went into the kitchen and looked through the fridge and cupboards in search of something to eat. "You sure have a well stocked kitchen." She commented as she sat on the couch with her food and handed him a soda.
"Like I said, I don't have to eat, but I can. I take it Angel didn't eat?" When she shook her head he went on. "He used to if I remember correctly. Well, anyway, it gives me something to do during the day." Spike turned off the TV and shifted so that he was sitting sideways on the couch and looking straight at her. "Is that all you are eating? No wonder why you are so skinny." He commented, eyeing her plate.
"What's wrong with a salad and orange? It is healthy." She rebutted. "Well for one, there is no dressing on it. And second, if you keep eating 'healthy' you are going to waste away, you are already a toothpick." "For your information, I don't like dressing on my salad, and I am not a toothpick, I am 100 pounds, and am perfectly healthy." "Sure you are pet, why don't we just change the subject, I have a feeling you aren't going to believe me no matter what I say. So why don't you tell me 'bout that time you were almost burned at the stake you mentioned earlier."
That night Spike and Willow talked for hours, with Willow telling him of all the demons they'd faced since he'd left, as well as a more detailed description of why she was so pissed off at Buffy, Xander, and Giles.
"No wonder you were mad at them, personally, I would have beat the shit out of them long ago if they had treated me like that." Spike told her. "Yah, well, I don't have that much guts I guess."
"Well, we'll just have to fix that now won't we luv? They are treatin' you like shit, so don't treat them any better. Ignore the assholes. You have a right to be angry, and don't let them convince you otherwise." He told the redhead. *Why the hell are you tryin' to comfort her, what do you care?* Spike asked himself. *Because you feel sorry for the poor girl, she's been through a lot, not only does she have to worry about vampires and demons, but her only friends are the bitchy slayer, the idiot, and the watcher.* "It is almost sunrise and I am plum tuckered out, so I'm gonna turn in." He said as he got up and stretched his muscles.
"Oh, goddess. Is it really that late already? Shit, I have to go to school in a couple hours." Then Willow thought for a moment, "You know what, I am just going to skip it, screw school, I don't want to go and for the first time in my life I am just not going to go. I don't want to talk to them anyway, and it will be interesting to find out what they do without my homework to copy!" She stated, a smile curling her lips at the last thought.
"There ya go. That's the spirit. I'll see ya tomorrow, or today, that is." With that said, the two new roommates went to bed. *Spike is actually really nice, and normal. Well for a vampire that is. He is a lot of fun to talk to.* Willow thought as she got under the soft navy blue bed sheets. *Well, she sure is amazing, that one. She is feisty, brave, and surprisingly good company. She is intelligent, it's been quite a while since I have had someone to talk to that had a real opinion, and wasn't afraid to say it.* Spike said to himself as he drifted off to sleep.
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Part 15: Shopping
Laughter filtered through the air as the unlikely friends sat on the couch, watching TV and eating 'breakfast' as was their newly formed routine. As the show ended Willow got up and began cleaning up the plates. "Well pet, what would you like to do now?" Spike questioned as he rose as well, following her into the kitchen.
"I don't know, is anything open this late, or early?" She said while cleaning the dishes and putting away the leftovers. "Humm, lets see. It is 8:00pm now, so we can go see a picture if ya'd like. The only other thing I can think of that's open is the mall. What would ya like to do ducks?"
"Well we just got finished watching TV so I don't really feel like a movie. A trip to the mall doesn't sound too bad though. I am tired of fuzzy sweaters and overalls. I was thinking about getting a new wardrobe to go with my outgoing, semi-bad girl, pissed off at everyone, look." She said smiling. "I didn't make the slightest bit of sense just then, did I?"
"Not completely, but I think I follow ya. Hey, maybe you could get something like what you wore that one year for halloween?" Spike commented offhandedly. "Anyway, we better get goin' if we are going to get you a whole new wardrobe before the stores close in three hours." After grabbing her purse, Willow started out the door, Spike right behind her.
"What do ya think about this one?" Willow asked as she modeled the hip hugging black jeans shorts and black tank top that stopped just above her bellybutton, for the blonde vampire. "Looks nice, you should get it." He said as she headed back into the dressing room to try on yet another outfit. She came back out a couple minutes later in a spaghetti strap white tank that clung to the top of her frame and had an upside down V shaped slit that ran down the middle of her stomach starting an inch above her naval, and brown skirt that ended mid-thigh. "I really like that one luv, it's flirty, yet classy, very you I'd say." He remarked as she turned around, holding her arms out for appraisal.
"Well, that's the last one, I'll go get back in my clothes and we can buy this stuff, grab a bite to eat, an' head home." With that she headed back in the fitting room. "I'll met ya at the register." Spike told her as he slipped out the nearest door.
When he rejoined Willow at the cash register and she paid for the clothes she glared at him as he helped her pick up the bags and take them out to the car. "What?" He asked, looking at her innocently. "You know exactly what." She snapped back. "I just took a nip." He said defensively "Besides, he was a homeless man, no one'll even miss 'em." "Just because no one will notice he is gone, doesn't make him any less dead Spike." She said icily, giving him a look so deadly he might have thought her a vampire, had he not known otherwise.
"Alright, alright, if it'll make you happy I won't kill my meals anymore, but if they really piss me off I can't be held responsible for my actions. Just don't look at me like that, you're givin' me the wiggins, or however you say it." He said with a sigh as they loaded the bags into the back seat. "Thanks!" She said with a smile. "Lets go to Taco Bell, I am starving, then we can go home so I can put away my new clothes before Leno starts."
When they got back to the apartment Willow went into her room to put away her purchases. Spike stood in her doorway for a minute as she hung up the last item. "Show's 'bout to start luv, why don't we go watch it, unless you'd rather do something else." He said, a mischievous look on his face as he tilted his head towards the bed. "Thanks, but some other time k?" She said, giggling; used to his suggestive comments. The pair was about to exit the room when Willow's lab-top beeped from its place on her desk, signaling that she had received an e-mail. "Why don't you go ahead and I'll catch up with you as soon as I see what's up, I've been expecting a message from an online store." Willow said as she headed over to the desk and sat down in front of the computer.
Spike muted the TV and turned around as she entered the room, a frown marring her pretty face. "What is it, my little pixie? What's wrong?" He asked, using his pet nickname for her, as he rose from the couch and strode over to the petite red head, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"The e-mail, it, it was from Buffy. She wanted to know why I hadn't been at school the past few days. She said she went to my house looking for me, and wanted to know where I was and why I hadn't returned her calls." She explained as she took a set on the couch across from the vampire. "I don't know why I am surprised. I knew I couldn't hide from them forever." She ran a shaking hand through her hair and over her face. "I guess, I, well, I don't know. I just don't know if I really want to face them, yet, I guess."
"Well, if you don't want to see them, you don't have to." He told her, putting a reassuring hand on her arm. She shook her head, the light reflecting off her hair making it shine.
"That, that’s not all," she took a deep breath before she continued. "...and I doubt you're gonna to like it." He lifted her head so that she was looking at him instead of her lap. "What is it luv? It's ok, you can tell me." "You promise you won't be mad at me?" She asked him shyly. "Of course I won't get mad at you, now tell Spikey what's wrong and I'll make it all better." He tucked the hair back behind her ear, while she smiled slightly at his remark. "Something happened. Faith, you know the other slayer?" He nodded his understanding and she continued. "Well, Faith and, umm, Faith and, uh, Angel, um, and now, there are kinda, Ang, Angelus issues now."
"What?! You mean the wanker's back?!!" Spike stood abruptly. "D-d-don't be mad at me, please, I'm, I'm sorry." Willow apologized. "Oh, it's ok pet, I'm not mad at you. Why would think I would be mad at you?" Willow studied the hard wood floor closely as he sat back down and put his arm around her. "I, I don't know, it's just, the whole, killing the messenger, and I am so used to being the messenger, and you're my only friend right now, I didn't want you to be mad, I didn't want to be alone, again." "Breathe Will, breathe. It's ok, I'm not mad, and you are NOT alone. I'll always be there, 'k?" He said as he pulled her into his arms and held her against him.
*Why do you care so much about what he thinks? You have been alone most of your life, why should it scare you so much now?* She asked herself. *Duh. Because you like him, a lot even though you're just friends, and the very thought of him being upset at you terrifies you way more then it should. Especially since you have only been friends for two weeks, and he is a soulless vampire who has tried to kill you numerous times. Anyway, why would he want you, plain, dull, Willow, when he could have a beautiful, sexy, woman?*
*Why does the thought of her being upset in any way scare you? Why do you find it so impossible to ever be mad at the beautiful, sweet, kind, innocent little witch? Wow, where did that come from? She's your friend, just your friend, even if you would love to kiss her soft, pink lips. Besides, she wouldn't think of you like that anyway. She probably thinks you're a monster.*
Neither one wanted to end the embrace, both content to be so close to each other. "I'm sorry, about that. Anyway, maybe it would be a good idea if I went to school on Monday. I have missed two weeks already, and with this new Angelus problem I am probably needed to be net-girl." Willow said, reluctantly removing her head from its position against his hard chest.
"Are you sure? Because it's ok if you're not ready."
"No, it's ok. I have to face them sooner or later anyway, might as well get it over with. Besides, what if they need my help?" He smiled at the girl across from him. *She is so caring.* "I can be mad at the assholes later, right now dealing with Angelus is more important than the fact that they have lied to me, used me, and ignored me for weeks." Willow said, anger apparent in her voice. "That still doesn't mean they get to copy my homework though, nope, they can do their own," Spike laughed at her last remark.
"You look tired, why don't you go to bed and we can talk some more in the morning." She nodded and headed off to bed after giving him a quick hug.
That night two separate people, fell asleep both remember how it felt to be in the other's arms, both sure that the other could never share their newly growing feelings, neither aware of how very wrong they were.
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Part 16: Back to School
Spike woke up and made his way sleepily into the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee, only to find one awaiting him on the counter. "Willow, have you been up all day?" He asked as he downed the cup and poured himself another. "Ya. Just getting ready." She said, uncertainty heavy in her voice.
"Are you sure about this luv?" He made his way over to her and sat down next to her on the couch. "Ya, I'm just a little nervous, I haven't seen them in two weeks, ya know?" She turned to face him and he took her hands in his. "I know. And it's ok that you are nervous. Just
remember to not let them get to you. If they start treating you bad again, or try to use or take advantage of you, which considering who we are talking about will probably happen, just put your foot down. Anyway, I have lost my train of thought and am just rambling and have no idea where I am going with this so I am going to shut up now before I make a fool of myself, which judging by the look on your face I have already succeeded in doing, so I am going to be quite now."
"Oook. You do that." She said, with a small smile and a slight chuckle. "I better go to bed if I am going to be able to get up and go to school in the morning." She said, getting up from the couch and ruffled his hair as she walked by. "You know, you are really cute when you ramble. "Funny pet, real bloody funny." The sound of laughter followed her into her bedroom.
Willow stood in front of the library doors listening to the sounds of Buffy training, and the occasional grunt from Giles as the slayer got in a good hit, followed by a joke from Xander, offbeat and ill-timed as usual. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves, and walked through the doors, head held high and determination in her step.
The three occupants of the library did a double take as the figure entered the room. She stood in front of them dressed in tight black pants that flared at the bottom over a pair of black heeled sandals, and an equally tight forest green tanktop. A metal chain link belt that hung elegantly from her hips and a black velvet choker with emeralds dangling from it finished the ensemble. Her hair was in a tight ponytail with strands framing her face. She had on thin black eyeliner, dark green eyeshadow, and silver lip gloss.
"W-Willow?" Buffy asked, not believing that the person in front of her was the computer hacker. "You, you....what... happened to you?" "Are you ok?" "Why didn't you return my calls?" "Where have you been?" Why are you dressed like that?"
She was bombarded with questions from the two stunned students and equally flustered librarian. She held up her hand, stopping the flow of question. "Nothing happened to me, I am fine."
Xander, as tactful as Cordy stood up and walked over to Willow looking at her as if she sprouted horns. "Why haven't you returned our calls, me and Buff have called you about 50 times.?!"
"Jeez Xander, chill out. I was busy, I'm sorry but my life doesn't consist of waiting around my house to come running whenever you call me." Willow responded, still upset at them for their behavior two weeks ago.
"You don't have to be so mean. You had us worried, I went by your house and you weren't there, where were you?" Buffy questioned Willow as she hopped up and sat on the check out counter.
"I was at a friend's." Buffy and Xander just looked at her like her horns had been joined by a tail and pointed ears. "What? I'm not allowed to have other friends?" She asked from her perch on the counter.
"No, it's not that. We just didn't know..." Buffy said defensively. "You didn't know what? That I had other friends? Well, I do. The world doesn't revolve around you. Just because you are the slayer doesn't make you that much better than me."
"Leave her alone. What got into you Will? I mean you disappear for two weeks without so much as a word, and you come back all bitchy? And dressed like a tramp. I mean, what, did Cordilia loan you her clothes or something?" Xander said, getting up and standing next to Buffy.
"Bitchy? You guys have been treating me like shit for weeks. Ordering me around like your personal servant, and the minute I try to stand up for myself and make my own decisions I am a bitch? You are pathetic. And I do not look like a tramp!" Willow jumped down off the counter and walked over to them. "I like my outfit. Just because I am not dressed like the goody goody you think I should be doesn't make me a tramp. I am tired of you. All my life I have lived up to everyone's expectations, doing just what everyone wanted me to do. Well, I'm tired of it. I don't want to live up to everybody's standards anymore. I want to be my own person, and if you have a problem with that, then tough shit! I'm out of here." Willow turned on her heel and marched out of the library.
"What was that? That was not Willow. That couldn't have been Willow" Buffy said as she turned to look at her watcher, a bewildered look on her face. "Something happened while she was gone, and I am going to find out what." Before the words were out of her mouth the blonde had grabbed her jacket and was headed after Willow. She followed her to the front of a small apartment complex across town and waited outside while the red head went inside.
Willow stormed into the apartment, slamming the door loudly and throwing her backpack on the ground. "I hate them. I HATE them!" Spike came into the room at the commotion and hurried over to his small roommate.
"What? What is it luv? What happened? Are you ok? Did they hurt you?" Spike asked her as he guided her over to the couch. "It's nothing. It's just Buffy and Xander. Ahrrgg." Willow told him. "They were all upset because I hadn't called them, because nothing is as important as them, I am suppose to dedicate every second I have to them." Sarcasm heavy in her voice. "They asked where I had been, and I told them I was with a friend and you should have seen their faces. It was like they were flabbergasted that I could possibly have any other friends." Spike had a feeling of utter happiness at the thought of her referring to him as a friend to the slayer. "Then they said that I looked like a tramp. Buffy wears little tiny skirts and tops. I know I can't pull off the 'sexy look' but still! It's ok for Buffy and Cordy to dress like this, but not for me. Maybe it's because they are pretty and look better in 'sexy' clothes. I know I'm no Buffy or Cordelia, but I don't look THAT bad." She finished, her eyes wide and her fists clinched in anger. "They are supposed to be my friends. How could they be so mean?"
"It's ok pet. They are just being assholes. Don't listen to a word they said, they don't know what they are talking about. They have no right to be mad at you. You, on the other hand have every right to be upset at them for the way they have been treating you. And you are way too hard on yourself, you are way better than Buffy and Cordelia because you have a terrific personality to go with your great looks."
"You don't have to say that, just to make me feel better. I know I could never compare to someone to like Buffy or Cordelia." Willow said despairingly, looking at her lap.
Spike took his index finger and pulled up her chin so she was looking at him. "I am not saying these things just to make you feel better, I am saying them because they are true." He took her hand and lead her to the mirror in her room. "Look in there and tell me what you see." He said pointing to her reflection in the glass.
She felt really dumb, but took a deep breath and did as he told her. "I, I see Willow, plain ol' boring Willow. Number one nerd of Sunnydale High. A girl who has let people walk all over her, her entire life and never said a word."
Spike took hold of her shoulders and turned her to face him. "You really believe that don't you?" She nodded solemnly. "Oh Will," He softly stroked her check with the back of his hand. "how could you think that?"
"Because, it's true. Ask anyone." The calm acceptance with which she spoke sent a chill down his spine. *How can she not see how gorgeous she is? How great? She told me about how that Cordelia girl and her friends tormented and criticized her, but I never know that she actually believed what they said.*
"Well, let me tell you what I see. I see my best friend. The only person that has looked past the demon, and saw me, and accepted who I am without questions or judgement. I see someone with a great sense of humor, someone who I can talk to about anything and I know she'll listen and understand. I see a compassionate, sweet, loving, trusting, understanding, capable, intelligent, independent, strong willed, beautiful young woman."
"You really believe that?" Disbelief and hope evident in her voice. "Yes, I do, I truly do." A single tear ran down her cheek which he wiped away. "Now I think it would be a good idea if you didn't go to school tomorrow, ok pet?" "No!" She said, whipping the tears away angrily. "I won't hide, like a scared little girl. I won't let them run me out of school, I won't let them have that much control over me. If I do it will mean I am giving up and letting them win. I won't!"
"There's my girl. Now what do you say we go have a good time and forget about them?" She nodded enthusiastically. "Alright, now what shall we do? Oh, I know, why don't we go buy a nice big ice cream cone and go see a picture."
The duo left the apartment and bought ice cream cones at the stand a block down. However, they were unaware of the figure following them as they made their way to the movie theater.
Buffy watched as Willow exited the high priced apartment complex with someone. *Who is that guy she's with? What a sec, he looks familiar, is that? No, it couldn't be, SPIKE? Why is Willow with Spike?* She continued to follow them at a distance and saw them stop and get some ice cream before they kept going.
Willow licked happily at her chocolate cone as Spike ate his strawberry. "Spiiiike?" "Yessss luv?" "Can I have some of your ice cream?" "Depends pet, can I have some of yours?" "Sure." They stopped and exchanged cones. "Ok, that's enough pet, now give it back." "No! Just one more bite." "Pet, give me back my ice cream." "What are you going to do if I don't? Huh tough guy?" "Wiiiillow. I want my ice cream back." "You are such a big baby."
He tried to take the cone out of her hands but she pulled away trying to keep it out of his grasp, but leaned back a little too far and the cone fell out of her hand and landed with a splat on the pavement. "Oops." Glaring at her, he looked at the chocolate cone in his hand, then back at the hacker who was now doubled over in a fit of laughter. "Hey ducks?" Willow looked up at him and was met with her ice cream that Spike pushed into her face. "Heyyy. You got chocolate all over my face, meanie." Spike just laughed at he took in the sight. Willow walked over to him, grabbed the edge of his red silk shirt and wiped off her face with it. Spike looked at her, his eyes dancing and devilish grin formed on his face. "Oh your going to pay for that." With that Willow tore off down the street letting out laughter and high pitched squeals, with Spike hot on her heels, chuckling. Due to his vampiric speed he caught her easily and grabbing her, then he lifted her into the air and spun her around, after he stopped he lowered her slowly to the ground, still holding her close to him.
When her feet touched the ground they were nose to nose. Her face was red and her breathing heavy from the chase. He leaned in, closing the gap between their faces, and lightly touched her lips with his own. He pulled away slightly and looked at her. Willow opened her eyes to find Spike looking at her. He gave her a small smile which was returned by one of her own. "Was that ok?" Spike asked, feeling shy and uncertain for the first time in decades. "Oh ya." She answered breathlessly. "Good, we better go, or were going to be late for the picture."
"Ok."
Spike put his arm around her shoulders, holding her close to him as they walked the last two blocks to the theater. Buffy followed them until they disappeared inside the theater. She then turned around, heading straight to Giles'.
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Part 17: "What Gives You the Right?"
"Alright class, chapter 20 is due tomorrow, have a good day. Oh, Willow, dear, this message was delivered for you during homeroom." "Thank you Miss Arland." Willow read the note as she left the classroom. "Oh, great, now what?" She muttered to herself as she headed towards the library.
"You wanted to see me?" Willow entered the library to find Buffy, Xander, and Giles huddled around the table.
"Y-yes, why, why don't you have a seat." Willow did as Giles asked her as the others followed suit. "Look, before you say anything I just want to apologize for blowing up at you guys yesterday, I should have at least called and told you I where I was."
"Thank you. And since you brought it up, where did you go, all you said yesterday was that you were staying with a friend."
"Well, like you said, I am staying with a friend in an apartment across town. Why?"
"So you admit it?" Xander asked.
"Admit what? What are you talking about?" Willow questioned, looking from Xander to Giles.
"And you, uh, trust this friend?" Giles asked her cautiously.
"If I didn't trust him, I wouldn't be living with him now would I?" She said with a smile.
"How can you trust him?" The slayer asked, speaking for the first time.
"I don't know exactly, except that when I am with him I feel comfortable and safe, I just KNOW that he won't hurt me. Besides, he's my friend."
Buffy looked at her like she was crazy. "Your friend? Since when is Spike your friend?"
"Wait a minute how did you know I was living with Spike?"
"I saw you with him last night."
"You followed me?"
"Are you insane? Do you have a death wish? This is Spike we are talking about."
"You FOLLOWED me? How dare you! My life is my business, if you want to know something you ask me. You don't spy. If I wanted you to know I would have told you." Willow was furious.
"But you didn't tell us."
"No, I didn't. Because I knew you wouldn't understand. I don't have to tell you every detail of my life. I do have a right to my privacy, don't I? When Angel first came back you didn't tell us."
"That is totally different."
"Why? Because you're the slayer?"
"Willow! Buffy! That's enough." Giles intervened. "Now Willow, earlier you said you trust him, may I ask why?"
"Ya Will. This is Spike. As in pointed teeth, tried to kill us all a bunch of times." Xander added.
"Don't you think that if he was going to hurt me he would have done it by now. But he hasn't. He has, however, given me a place to stay, listened to me, talked to me, hell, he even bought me ice cream. And, I have to say that he has been a better friend than you have lately."
"How do you know that he won't try anything now?" Buffy asked.
"I don't. But I trust him. You guys don't know him."
"He's a vampire, what else is there to know?" Xander questioned.
"He's my friend."
Buffy walked over to her and took her arm. "I want you move out of there, tonight. Now I am going down there with you, we are going to get your stuff, and then we are going to my house."
"I'm not going anywhere. What gives you the right to tell me what to do? It's my life. I won't let you try to control me. Now. Let. Go. Of. Me." As she was leaving the library she turned around and pointed her finger at the slayer. "And stay out of MY life."
Willow stormed through the halls of the school on her way to the doors when she heard her name being called. "I thought I made it very clear that I wanted you to st-" Willow turned around, hand on her hip, ready to yell at whoever it as that had followed her. "Oh, sorry, I thought you were someone else." She said, upon noticing who it was.
"Um, hi. I was wondering if maybe I could borrow a some stuff. See, I was going to do this spell, but I don't have all the ingredients, and I don't have the money to buy them." Anya asked, somewhat uneasily.
"What kind of spell? Because last time you wanted to do a spell it didn't turn out that swell, if I remember correctly." Willow said.
"It is just a spell for Beltane." Anya told her. "It's part of the ritual I'm doing. I have most of the ingredients but there are some I couldn't afford."
"You are going to celebrate Beltane? I didn't know you practiced Wicca. I assumed you just dabbled." Willow said. "What ritual were you planning on doing?" She asked as they walked down the hall.
The two girls were talked animatedly about different ritual formats when Willow realized what time it was. "Shit. It's getting late, I've got to head home. You can come with me and pick up whatever supplies you need if you want." Willow suggested.
"Sure." Anya said, glad that she finally found someone that she had something in common with.
Spike looked up from his book as Willow entered the room, with Anya right behind her. "Hey ducks, who’s your friend?"
"This is Anya, she wanted to borrow a couple things." The hacker answered as she got sodas and chips from the kitchen.
"Anyanka. That's a name I haven't heard in a while. Loved what ya did in London in 1832. It's a pleasure to meet ya." Spike said.
"How did you know who I am?" Anya asked looking from Willow to Spike. "And how would you know I was behind what happened in 1832?
"Well, Spike here is kinda a vampire." Willow told her. "And I told him who you were when I was filling him in on all the lovely happenings since he was here last."
"So you're a vamp? I was wondering why your aura looked like that. Wait, why are you livin' with a vamp? Do you have a soul too?"
"No, he doesn't have a soul." Willow said as Spike got a disgusted look on his face. "I am staying with him because he is my friend."
"Oh, ok, whatever." Anya said, accepting the soda Willow handed her. The two girls went into Willow's room to get the supplies Anya needed. "Nice rat." Anya commented, looking around the other witch's room.
"That's Amy. She turned herself into a rat about two months ago and I have been trying to turn her back, but I haven't had much luck." Willow explained as she took out her ritual supplies for Anya to go through.
"Really? Well, maybe I could help." Anya offered.
"That would be great. I haven't been practicing long and don't know exactly what I am doing." Willow said, excited that she finally was able to find someone she could talk to about witchcraft. "Why don't we get together tomorrow after school?" Anya suggested, equally happy to find someone to do stuff with. She didn't really have any friends and was lonely. Willow quickly agreed.
Once Anya had gotten the things she needed she went home, and they arranged to meet at Spike and Willow's apartment the next day an hour after school got out.
"She seemed like a nice chit." Spike said as Willow closed the door after Anya. "Ya, she is pretty nice. Plus she knows all kinds of spells and stuff, and is a really powerful witch, considering she has been practicing for hundreds of years. What did you mean about London. On second thought, I don't think I want to know."
Spike just smiled. "So, pet, how was your day?"
"Uhh. It was terrible. Turns out, Buffy followed me home last night and her and Xander and Giles were all upset and started yelling at me. They said that I shouldn't trust you and Buffy told me that I had to move out. I understand why they would be worried, but they are taking it too far. I mean just the fact that Buffy followed me was invading my privacy. Then when I tried to talk to them they just wouldn't listen. I tried to explain that you were my friend but they wouldn't even consider the possibility." Tears were flowing from the red head's eyes and Spike placed his arm around her shoulders and wiped the tears off her cheeks.
"It's ok pet. Shhh. It will be ok. They are just being wankers right now. I know you still care about them, and still want to be friends with them. They'll come around, don't worry. Just give it time." He held her to him as she cried and whispered soft, comforting words to her.
They stayed like that for about an hour, until she ran out of tears. "Are you alright ducks?" He asked, worry in his voice.
"Ya. I'll be ok. It's just hard. They have been my only friends and now they are all mad at me, but I'll be ok. I have Anya as a friend now, and we are going to try to de-rat Amy. Plus, I have you, and that is more than I need." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
Willow leaned against him, his hard chest under her cheek, and his arms tightly around her, with one hand rubbing soothing patterns on her back. For the rest of the night they sat on the coach and watched TV from the comfort of each other's arms.
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Part 18: De-Rat-ation
Spike awoke to what sounded like chanting coming from the library on the other side of his bedroom wall. When he opened his door he could see a bright light shining under the door to the library. "What the...?" He approached the door cautiously, and slowly opened it as the light died down.
"Spike!" Willow's voice came to him as he peered into the library. "Shut the door!" He did so quickly and heard muffled voices talking rapidly. Then he heard, "Spike, sweetie, go get some clothes out of my room for Amy please." Willow's voice came to him through the door with an undertone that said 'now or I'll be pissed.' Spike did as she asked without hesitation. He had learned in the three weeks they had lived together that despite Willow being a sweet, overall innocent young woman, she was quite a hellion when pissed off. When he came back, the door opened a crack and Anya stuck her hand out and took the clothes, saying, "Why don't you go get something to eat or whatever and come back in about an hour."
Somewhat confused, but not wanting to get in trouble, Spike left the apartment. When he returned he found Willow, Anya, and a girl he didn't recognize sitting on the couch, talking. "Hi Spike." Willow greeted him warmly as he joined them in the front room. "This is Amy." She said, gesturing to the girl next to her.
"You're the rat?" He asked, earning him a swat on the arm from Willow. "Nice to meet ya luv." The four of them sat and talked for about two hours before Amy and Anya left.
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Part 19: Welcome Back
After the two other witches left, Willow and Spike took a walk in the clear night. As they made their way down the sidewalk, Willow studied Spike's profile thoughtfully in the moonlight. "What is it, sweet?" Spike asked, squeezing her hand gently.
"I was just thinking."
"'Bout what?" Spike asked as he chewed loudly on his gum.
"Did you know you are the most contradictory person I have ever meet?"
"How's that?"
"Well, you are a vampire, and drink blood, but you love strawberry ice cream, watermelon bubble gum, and frappaccinos. You kill, maim and create havoc and destruction and like it. Yet you have every Disney movie made. You're sweet, and nice, and funny, and smart, and can make me feel better when I'm sad. You used to be my enemy and tried to kill me several times, but now you're my best friend."
"Look who's talkin'. You listen to heavy metal and country. You're all fire and sass, speaking your mind and standing up for yourself, but you are still worried about what others think and always concerned about hurting other people's feelings. You willingly moved in with a soulless vampire who had tried to kill you and your friends."
"You're right, the guys in white coats will be coming for me before ya know it. I'm weird, I'm strange, off my rocker."
Spike stopped her, placing his right hand on her check, and lifted her head so she was looking him straight in the face; her green eyes locked with his clear blue ones. "You're perfect." His leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips before he once again took her hand in his and they resumed their walk in comfortable silence.
Spike suddenly stopped and looked around. "What is it?" Before he could answer a figure appeared in front of them.
"Spike, my boy. So nice to see you." Willow drew in a sharp breath, recognizing the voice.
"What do you want, Angelus?"
"Well, I thought I'd take this opportunely to thank you for hitting me over the head with that tire iron."
"Willow, get out of here," Spike said over his shoulder, keeping an eye on his sire. She did as instructed, and was headed back to the apartment, when she ran into someone.
"Where exactly do you think you were going?"
"Faith!"
"Really, Willow, walking alone at night with a soulless vampire? I would think you'd know better. I'm surprised Buffy let you get yourself into such a dangerous situation."
"Let me?" Willow said, surprising Faith with the icy edge to her words. "Buffy doesn't LET me do anything," The hacker practically yelled.
"Ut-oh." Spike said as the two males turned at Willow's fierce exclamation. "Your girl's in for it now."
"Huh?" Angelus was caught off guard by the harsh words from the red-head, having only known the shy, innocent Willow. He was eager to see what would happen.
"Buffy isn't my keeper, she doesn't tell me what to do. And as for me hanging out with Spike, that's my choice, not her's. I don't need anyone to make decisions for me, I am perfectly capable of taking care of my self, damn it!"
"You can, can you?" Faith asked. Having gotten over the initial surprise of quiet, shy little Willow yelling, she was amused, and took hold of her with one hand around her throat.
As soon as he saw Faith grab Willow around the throat, Spike started to run over to her, but Angelus stopped him. "Don't think so, Spike my boy, I'm not finished with you yet."
Not expecting Willow to fight back, Faith was caught off guard when the red head brought her knee into the slayer's stomach, and lifted her arms when Faith's grip loosened. Willow hit the brunette in the jaw with her left hand, followed by an upper cut and a hard right cross while she was still stunned from the first blow. Fueled by her anger at Faith for her statement about Buffy, as well as at Buffy, Xander, and even Giles for their unwillingness to listen to her and their lack of understanding and trust in her and her ability to make her own decisions, the usually timid hacker rained kicks and punches she had learned from watching Buffy onto the surprised and unsuspecting slayer.
Getting her bearings, and recovering from her shock at Willow's behavior, Faith began to fight back. They fought for several minutes before she was able to get in a good enough hit to send Willow to the ground. However, Willow used a move Giles had shown her and kicked out with her leg and knocked Faith's legs out from under her, causing her to fall to the ground across from Willow.
Willow looked over at Faith and began laughing, earning a glare from the brunette. "What are you laughin' at, Red?" She asked as she stood back up. "N-noth..ing......I...was ...just...think-ing....what...Buffy..would.....say...i-if....she..saw....that" Willow managed between giggles. "Sure would make her think twice before she told me I couldn't protect myself." Repressed anger and resentment could be seen plainly on her face as she thought about what she had overheard Buffy telling Xander a month ago in the library before patrol. "Clumsy and uncoordinated my ass. Think I'm too scared and timid to fight, huh? I bet I could kick both Xander and Buffy's asses if I had to."
"Is that what B said?" Faith asked her. "Yeah. She and Xander were talking to Giles about how I'm home alone by myself and am an 'easy target' for vampires. They didn't know I was in the stacks at the time, so they thought they could diss on me. Giles said I was 'too gentle and shy' to fight, so they needed to watch out for me. 'Cause little Willow can't take care of herself." She rolled her eyes as she thought about her 'friends'' opinions of her. "I have been taking care of myself since I was in kindergarten and my parents decided their careers were more important than their only daughter. I can sure as hell keep doin' it."
"Well you certainly did a nice job of kickin' my ass just now." Faith said as she rubbed her jaw. "You sure got some sweet moves there, Red. Where did you learn them anyway?"
"Buffy used to have me keep her company while she trained. You can learn a lot if you just pay attention."
"Well, I got to say, I never would have thought you had it in you. Then again, you were the smart one, weren't ya?"
"That's not that difficult, considering who we're talking about." Willow said, rolling her eyes. Faith just laughed, "That's cold. Funny, but cold."
"Yeah, well, it's true," defended the hacker. "Besides, if they can treat me like shit, I can make one comment. At least I don't take advantage of them and use them. I have been the good girl, the reliable friend, the one who always follows the rules and can be counted on. I have lived up to everyone's expectations, and done what they wanted long enough. For once I would like to do what I want, damn it. And if they don't like it screw them, I don't give a fuck!"
"Woa there. No wonder you got pissed earlier, sound's like B, the twerp, and the tweed man deserve what's comin' to 'em. Man, would I love to see Miss Priss's face when you tell her off. I mean, it's about time someone knocked her off her pedestal."
"I know exactly what you're talking about, she thinks she's so much better than everybody," Willow agreed, as the two girls sat down on one of the park benches. "I'm glad someone else can see that. I think it's great that you're standing up for yourself. They don't deserve you, none of 'em. I say fuck 'em."
"Ya, fuck 'em." Willow said.
As the two girls shared stories of Buffy's bitchy selfishness, Xander's stupidity, and Giles' constant state of blissful ignorance, Spike and Angelus continued to beat the crap out of each other. Both vampires had unresolved issues that had built up over the decades that needed to be taken care of. After several minutes of bashing their former friends, they turned their attention to their respective hotties. "Didn't they used to be friends? I mean before Angel was cursed, weren't they pretty close?" Willow wondered aloud. "Oh yeah. They were close, if you know what I mean," Faith responded with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows.
"Oh. OOOHH." Willow's face became red as an image was permanently burned into her mind, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. A small smile formed on her lips that she quickly smothered, but not before Faith noticed, and gave her own, slightly more naughty grin.
For the next five minutes only the crunch of bones, the thud of bodies falling to the ground, or occasional "Uhhh" and "Shit" and "Oww," followed by "Nice shot," "That had to hurt," or "Faith, did you see that?" or "Fuck, that was a nice upper cut." Could be heard coming from the park.
"Hey, Faith?"
"Yeah?"
"You want to grab something to eat, I'm a little hungry."
"Sure. Lets jet."
"K, wait, shouldn't we tell the testosterone brothers?"
"Probably."
"Hey! Peaches!" Angelus and Spike stopped, mid punch at Willow's call.
"We're gonna grab a bite to eat, then head home, 'k?" Spike looked at Faith, then at the red head, then back at the slayer. After hearing how Willow talked about Faith he was surprised that she would go off alone with her.
"Don't worry blondie, I'll have her back by curfew," Faith said with a smirk, seeing the way Spike was looking between her and Willow.
Willow blew Spike a kiss and the two girls walked off. Both vampires looked at each other. "Did I miss something? I thought they hated each other, and did Willow just call me Peaches?" Angelus questioned the peroxide blonde. "I think they bonded." Spike said to Angelus, then added to himself, *Peaches! I would never have thought Will would say that to his face, I wonder what those two were talking about?* With that the two vampires continued to do their own male version of bonding.
Willow and Faith made their way to the 24 hour gas station to grab some junk food before they headed to Willow and Spike's apartment to make fun of their respective hotties and have some in depth girl talk when someone came up behind them.
"Willow?" The girls turned around and came face to face with a surprised and very pissed bottle blonde slayer.
Part 20: New Friends
"Buffy?" Surprise and dread could be heard in the hacker's voice as she acknowledged the presence of the teen. *Not again! I don't want to have to listen to her yell at me and tell me how stupid I am and how wrong my actions are.* "Willow, get away from her!" Buffy said, getting into a fighting stance and eyeing Faith warily. "Hey, Buff, what's up?" Xander questioned, as he came up behind his girlfriend, wondering what made her stop. "Is it a vam... oh shit, Will get back, now." "Excuse me?" Willow asked, annoyed. "Why should I?"
"Willow stop being immature, and get away from her." The blonde slayer said as she slowly began approaching Willow and Faith. "Xander get Will out of here." She instructed her boyfriend as she got ready to attack the other slayer; who, to her surprise was just standing there with an amused smirk on her face. *Oh, this should be funny* Faith thought as she watched the scene unfold; having seen first hand what the red head was capable of when she got pissed off. Xander walked casually over to Willow and took a hold of her arm. "Come on
Wills, lets get you some place safe, while Buffy takes care of Faith."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Faith warned Xander. "Some place safe? I don't need you to protect me. Now let go." Willow said as she struggled to free her arm from Xander's grasp. "I know you all think I'm some weakling that you have to protect, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you." Willow practically yelled. "I am sick and tired of you guys trying to control my life, now let go!" Willow continued to fight Xander's hold on her arm, but he refused to let go. Faith took hold of Xander's arm and began pulling him off the red head. "She told you to let go."
"Get away from them!" Buffy yelled as she attacked Faith, pulling her off of Xander. As the two slayers began to fight Willow freed her arm from Xander's hold and grabbed Buffy's arm, pulling her off of Faith. "Buffy get off of her!" Exclaimed the hacker as she stood between the slayers. "Will, what do you think you're doing? Get away from her before you get hurt." Buffy's confusion at the red head's actions showed plainly on her face. "For the last time, I'm not going to get hurt, if Faith was going to hurt me don't you think she would have done it earlier? Not that she didn't try of course, but really; you don't need to take care of me, I have been taking care of myself since I was five. If anyone is going to get hurt it's going to be you two; and Faith's not going to be the only one dishing it out if you don't leave us the hell alone."
"Why are you defending her? This is Faith were talking about here. You know, the psycho that killed the guy and works for the evil Mayor." Xander said, icily. "No shit sherlock. I know who she is, I'm not stupid." Buffy and Xander were both taken aback by the shy hacker's words and the slight venom in her voice. "Why don't you keep your smart ass comments to yourself. If she's such a psycho why did you sleep with her? And she didn't kill him; it was an accident, she thought he was a vampire."
"You hated her just as much as the rest of us, if not more; now you're defending her?" Xander questioned from his position next to Buffy. "I never hated her. I was jealous. For the first time in my life I had a friend I could talk to about guys and do all the other girly things with. Then Faith came and that friend started spending time with her and I was left in the dust. Next thing I know she is fucking my best friend since before I could walk. She was everything I wanted to be but wasn't. She was independent, strong, daring, capable, nobody pushed her around, and guys fell over themselves to get to her. But now; I don't know what I was so bent out of shape
about. You're only my friends as long as I do and act the way you want me to. The minute I step out of your preconceived vision of the good little Willow you turn your backs on me. And even before you weren't really my friends. You used me and took advantage of me and I won't put up with it anymore. I am going to act the way I want, dress the way I want, and hang out with who I want." Buffy and Xander merely stood there speechless, absorbing; or at least attempting to absorb what Willow had said. As Willow and Faith made their way into the gas station to fill up on ice cream and other assorted snack items, two stunned teens looked at
eachother and said one word before they left in the opposite direction.
"Giles."
* * *
"She actually said that? Willow? Giles asked, stunned.
"Yeah. It was so weird. It was like she was someone else." Buffy had a dazed look in her eyes as she sat at the large table in the library. "Do you think she is someone else. Like the vampire Willow?" Xander questioned. "There is just no way that could have been our Willow."
"Maybe she's possessed." The slayer suggested. "Well, let's not jump to conclusions here. It may be W-Willow but it may not. Perhaps there is some super natural force at work here; we do live on a, um, hellmouth. It certainly would explain Willow's strange b-behavior as of late." Giles said as he took off his glasses, cleaned them and returned them to there perch. "It might be a good idea if you two kept a close eye on her for now. She how she acts and then we will decide on the best course of action."
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Part 21: Girl Talk
The two girls sat in Willow's room, surrounded by various sweets and candies. Each girl had a container of ice cream in their hands and they were laughing as Faith finished a story about when she had first become a slayer and was forced to fight a trio of vampires with nothing more than a plastic spoon. After all, what better way to forget the pressures of life and annoying people than a night of girl talk and a calorie fest?
"Damn! That would have been interesting to watch." Willow commented as she took another bite of her fudge mint swirl ice cream. "So, what do you want to do now?"
"Why don't we play a little game?" Faith asked with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "What kind of game did you have in mind?" Questioned the red head warily.
"How about truth or dare? Unless you're too scared." Faith said.
"I'm not scared."
"Ok, then I'll start. Truth or dare?"
"Umm, truth I guess."
"Are you and Spike a couple?" Faith asked.
Willow was caught off guard by the slayer's question and started to babble. "Well, I um, I, don't, I'm not sure."
"What do you mean you're not sure?" Faith asked in bewilderment.
"Well, I, um, just don't really know." Slight embarrassment crept into her voice.
"You two looked pretty chummy earlier." A slight blush colored the hacker's checks as she recalled the small kiss she had shared with Spike only two hours before. The blush did not go unnoticed by the brunette, nor did the small smile on Willow's face as the red head remembered the feel of his cheek bones under her hand, and his fingers intertwined with her own as they had walked to the park.
"What are you smiling about Red?" Faith asked, smiling.
"N..nothing, nothing at all."
"Sure. That's why your face matches your hair. Now spill."
"You asked if me and Spike were a couple, and I answered. Now it's my turn. Truth or dare?"
*You can't avoid the question forever Red.* "Fine, truth."
"What about you and Angelus?" Faith raised an eyebrow as if saying 'do you really need to ask?' "Well, I know you, you two, you know, cause he's Angelus now, and well, then, but, I mean, are you guys like a couple, couple, or just a, um, you know, couple?"
"We're not all lovey dovey, bringing eachother flowers type of couple; but he'll open doors for me, and he gets _really_ jealous if other guys look at me, and he's pretty possessive. He is tough and strong, and likes it hard and fast; but sometimes, when no one else is there he can be gentle and caring, and we'll take it slow and sweet. You should have seen him when I fell and twisted my ankle yesterday when we were sparing. He was so concerned, and hovered over me all night. He kept saying he was sorry, and waited on me hand and foot, asking if I was ok like, every five minutes." Faith got a smile on her face as she remembered his actions, and Willow's eyes were wide with surprise. "Yeah, I know, who would have thought the big tough evil vampire could be so caring and sweet? Plus, he can be real playful sometimes." At Willow's surprised and questioning look Faith clarified with a smirk and a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows. "You know how Angelus likes to play games?" Willow nodded her head, remembering her fish and the notes and drawings. "Let's just say he likes to play other places too." Faith chuckled as Willow's face turned an even deeper shade of red. "Truth or dare."
"Truth."
"Are you a virgin?"
"Um, well, that is, yes." Willow blushed even _more_ as she studied her feet with great interest and took another bite of her ice cream before opening a bag of skittles and popping several into her mouth. "Ok, my turn, truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"I don't think I need to ask you the same question, since I already kind of know that, so, how, um, how old were you, that is when you, you know...lost, your, um, virginity." *I can't believe I just asked that! That was actually, kinda gutsy, and not shy; cool.*
"I was 16, and he was 18. It was two years after I dropped out of school and I was at this big party with my friends, and we were all drunk off our asses."
"I kinda thought that, you, well...."
"That I would have lost it sooner? Yeah, well, I may have been a drop out, and everything; I was arrested three times before I lost my virginity, weird huh? Anyway, now that you know my little secret, it's my turn again."
*Ut oh.* "Truth."
"Why were you blushing so much when I asked you whether you and Spike were together?"
*She had to ask that, didn't she* The blush started to reappear as the hacker once again recalled the feel of Spike's lips pressed lightly to her own, earlier that day, and when they were going to the movies two days before. "I was, just, um, remembering, something, that's all." Faith sat and watched Willow became very interested in the bottom of her empty skittles bag. "And what, prey tell, would that be?" The slayer questioned as she took a bite of her own container of cookie dough ice cream.
"Well, on, the, um, on the way to the, uh, park....... SpikekindakissedmeandIcan'tforgethislipsonmine" The last part came out in rush as she tried to cover up her embarrassment as she reached for a chocolate donut. "Ok, one more time Red, and this time, breathe." Faith said, picking up a package of Twix. "Fine, on the way to the park tonight Spike and I started talking and Spike kinda kissed me and I can't seem to forget the feel of his lips on mine."
"Spike kissed you? Why do I get the feeling that this isn't the first time this has happened?" Willow just avoided looking at Faith, instead busying herself with the half empty bag of donuts.
"Well, probably because it happened two days ago." *Did I just say that with a straight face?!"
"What? How? I want the details girl!"
"Well, if was after my first day back at school after moving in with Spike and Buffy and Xander were ass holes, saying I looked like a tramp, and that I was acting bitchy. When I got home I was really upset, and Spike took me out for ice cream and a movie. On the way to the movie we switched cones, and I accidentally dropped his, so he shoved mine in my face. I wiped my face off on his silk shirt and he got really mad, and chased me down the street and when he caught me he picked me up and spun me around. Then he put me down and there was only an inch in between us and the next thing I knew he was kissing me. Our lips barely touched but it
felt like there a electrical current flowing through my body. It was amazing."
"Damn, girl! You hella like him, don't you? Don't deny it, you know you do."
"Yeah, I guess do. Whenever I'm around him, I get this feeling, it's strange, familiar. And when we touch, I get this tingly, warm feeling." Faith sat there enraptured in the red head's story, enjoying her first girl talk session in a long time. "Well, it doesn't really matter anyway, he doesn't feel the same way, why would he? He is a sexy, gorgeous 200+ vamp; and I'm just plain old Willow, Sunnydale's resident nerd. He probably only did what he did because he feels sorry for me; so why dwell on the impossible."
"What are you talking about? Do you always talk down to yourself like that?"
"I'm just being realistic."
"Bull shit! You are hella pretty and if Spike just felt sorry for you he would have just patted you on the back or gave you a hug. Besides, I've seen the way he looks at you, trust me on this, he likes you, we just gotta draw him out of his macho shell and get him to admit it. Now come on, no more moping I do believe we have a game to get back to. It's you're turn and I choose Dare."
"Ok, I dare you to ask Angelus about his relationship with Spike before he got his soul back."
"Oh, that should be fun. Now, truth or dare."
"Um, I feel outgoing tonight, dare."
Faith gave the hacker a mischievous smirk. *Perfect.* "I dare you to kiss Spike, with tongue. You don't have to do it when I'm here, you can wait 'till later, but you have to do it before sunrise."
"Um, is it too late to chose truth?" Willow asked nervously.
"Yup, or you can always have a different dare." Willow nodded her head vigorously at the idea. "Ok, you can either kiss Spike, or...you can kiss Angelus. Your pick." The red head's eyes went wide at this. "No, I'll go with Spike, that's ok."
"Do you have something against Angelus?"
"No, besides the fact that he killed Ms. Calendar, my fish, and terrorized us for months and almost killed me."
"He just did that stuff to mess with B..."
"Yeah, I know, cause she made him feel human, Buffy told me."
"Actually it was more along the lines that when he had his soul Buffy treated his being a vampire like some disease and Ms. Calendar wanted to recurse him and he didn't want to go back to the brooding, remorseful self hating vamp he was before."
"Well, I was the one that recursed him before he went to hell, doesn't that mean that he wants to kill me too?"
"Nah, he likes you. Before, when he 'tried to kill you' he was actually planing on turning you. Don't look so scared. He's not going to turn you, Spike wouldn't let him, and neither would I. You don't have to look so surprised. I'm still a slayer, and besides, you're pretty tight."
"Thanks."
"No prob' Red. So tell me, what did you think of Angel when he had his soul?"
"When I first saw him I almost drooled. But he was Buffy's from the start. I have to admit, when he got his soul back I did miss the leather pants and silk and velvet shirts with the top buttons undone. I really like the leather, I wonder if Spike has any leather pants; he sure would look yummy in leather pants. All he wears is jeans and sweats." A slight blush colored her ivory cheeks as she confessed her 'leather fetish'.
"I know, he does look just edible in leather, I bet Spike would too. We might have to work on that." The two looked at eachother and started laughing.
"Oh, I know what we can do next." Willow exclaimed ten minutes later, bouncing in her seat on her bed.
"What?" Both the red head and the brunette were on a sugar high after having eaten all three bags of sweets they had purchased.
"Let's do make overs. You can do me up all bad girl like, and I have some old clothes of mine that will fit you."
"Sorry Red, hate to burst your bubble but fuzzy sweaters and flowery skirts aren't really me."
"Ah, come on, just for fun, I promise I won't laugh."
"Fine, but not a word to anyone." Both girls had huge sugar-induced smiles on their faces as they set about their next task.
Forty-five minutes later loud laughter could be heard coming from Willow's bedroom as they looked themselves over. "You said you wouldn't laugh!"
"I'm...sorry, I just can't..help, myself." The hacker said between giggles.
Faith was standing in front of the full length mirror Willow had gotten herself, scowling at the red head. The slayer's face had been scrubbed free of her make-up, replacing her usual dark bold colors with lavender eyeshadow that went around her eye like liner, with a slightly darker sparkly purplish blue color in the crease. The colors weren't bright, but rather subtle and shining. Her cheek bones were lightly covered in bronzer which gave her face a slight glow. Willow had done her lips in cherry opal with a light covering of pink gloss. The brunette's hair was straightened, and framed her face while small portions from each side were pulled back
with blue butterfly clips. She donned one of Willow's old sundresses. The dress was
lavender with blue and pink flower vines from the him to the waste. It reached her knees
and on her feet were flat blue strapey sandals.
"I feel like an idiot. I'm going to go change, and stop laughing, it's not that funny."
"If it makes you feel any better, lavender is really your color." She called after Faith's retreating back. She was meet with a loud, "Shut up." Before the bathroom door closed behind her.
While Faith was in the bath room Willow examined what Faith had done with the change of clothes in her bag that she kept with her in case what she was wearing got damaged for one reason or another, and some of the new clothes she had bought when she went shopping with Spike. Willow's hair had a subtle wave and was slightly mused around her face. Her eyes were done in thick black liner that went all around her eyes, with dark maroon shadow and mascara. She had no blush, accentuating her pale complexion in contrast to her dark make up. Her lips
were lined thinly in black and covered in blood red that almost clashed with her hair. She wore Faith's dark red spaghetti strapped crop top and short black leather skirt with her new black jean jacket and black two inch heeled, square toed boot that reached mid-calf. Faith re-enterd the room in her clothes and looked over at Willow.
"It's a little more daring than I would normally wear but I like it."
"I'm tellin' ya Red, you'll have Spike speechless and drooling the minute he sees you in that." As soon as it was out of her mouth the front door opened and Spike and Angelus came in.
Part 22a: In a New Light
As Spike and Angelus entered the apartment panic gripped Willow. *Oh goddess, this is such a bad idea! What if Spike thinks I look like a slut in this, or what if he thinks I look ugly!* Willow looked down at the outfit. She tugged desperately at the short top, but it refused to come within an inch of her bellybutton.
Faith watched the hacker as she looked franticly between her and the door as the two vampires stepped into the apartment and closed the door. "Relax Red, ya look great, one look at you in that and he will be seeing you in a whole new light, if you know what I mean," the brunette whispered as she patted her on the back and headed into the other room.
Willow considered running for the bedroom, unfortunately she was standing directly across from where Spike happened to be standing. Spike looked up before she had a chance to turn around, "Will?!" *Oh Goddess, he's seen me. It's too late to run for it now! Shit shit shit shit!* *She looks.....by the gods, she's beautiful.* His eyes traveled along her body; starting at the boots, to the short leather mini that showed her long legs. Then to the croptop whose deep red color brought out her pale skin, making it almost glow; past the jean jacket, to her face. A blush tinted her cheeks and the eyeliner made her wide eyes seem huge.
Spike and Willow stood staring at each other oblivious to the two other people in the room (well, one other vampire, and a slayer). Silently, Faith and Angelus watched the wordless exchange untill the brunette slayer's voice broke them out of their reverie. "Well, um, it's getting pretty late, so we should probably get going."
Willow looked over towards her new found friend, then at the 'man' who was once her friend, then her feared enemy, to later become her friend again. *What does that make him now?* She recalled how Faith had talked of the once again soulless vampire earlier, how she said he could be gentle and sweet. She looked at them and took in how he held her; his arms around her waist from behind, Faith resting against him, her head on his shoulder. She saw how Angelus looked at the other slayer, a slight smile forming on his lips, his eyes shining as she looked back at him and smiled. *He's not Angel, but he doesn't act anything like the Angelus that tried to kill us last year. Maybe I should give him a chance. He hasn't tried to kill me at all,
which definitely earns him points. Of course, he did want to turn me, and I guess that should scare me, but it doesn't. It's actually flattering. I mean, he thought enough of me to want me around for several hundred years. It can really boosts a girl's self esteem when you think about it. Plus he does have the whole 'he is sexy as hell' thing going for him. He's not quite as yummy as Spike, but damn, he's hot!*
"You're right, you should probably get going," Spike said, not letting his eyes leave Willow.
Faith and Angelus opened the door and walked down the stars and out the front door of the apartment complex with Willow and Spike behind them. "I guess I'll be seein' ya mate." Spike said, looking at Angelus.
"You can count on it, my boy." Angelus smirked as he hit Spike on the shoulder.
* * *
Buffy and Xander watched from across the street as the two vampires said good-bye. "What is Willlow wearing?! What she wore to school was bad enough, but she looks like, like, I don't even know!"
"Hey Buff? Does that outfit look familiar to you too?"
"Yeah, it kinda does. That looks like what Faith was wearing the other day!!!!"
* * *
Willow walked over to Faith. "Thanks for sticking up for me earlier. You know
with Buffy and all."
"No prob. Red. Thanks for sticking up for me too." As she gave the hacker a hug she whispered in her ear, "Don't forget the dare. You've got to kiss him, with tongue." Willow blushed a little as she thought about the dare. Faith only smiled, "If you've got to
do it you might as well make it worth while." The slayer laughed as her blush darkened.
"Don't forget yours either. I want all the details." Willow reminded her in a whisper so the guys couldn't hear. Both girls started giggling as they thought of the conversation they would be having the next day.
"I wonder what those two are talking about." Spike commented to his sire as they watched the girls. Faith and Willow glanced over at them and started to laugh harder. The guys exchanged looks. "That can't be a good sign mate." Angelus shook his head in agreement. "If you two are about finished?"
After they had stopped laughing they gave each other another hug and said goodbye before Faith gave Spike a hug as well. Then Spike and Angelus clapped each other on the back. Angelus walked up to Willow and looked at her. *She sure has changed since I last saw her.* He thought. Willow shifted nervously from foot to foot under his gaze and pulled the jean jacked closed . *Still shy though.*
Willow looked at the vampire. "You going to stand there staring or what?" She clipped. *She's spunky too!* He thought with amusement. "Sorry, didn't mean to stare Red." *I wonder what she would do if I gave her a hug?* "Spike here's been telling me a lot about you. Maybe sometime we could have a chat or something. It seems I've got quite a bit to learn about you; you're not exactly what I thought you were."
"Yeah, well, I'm full of surprises. Unfortunately not very many people think I'm me at all; they have this idea I'm possessed or something. I mean, why else would I be living with Spike, friends with Faith, or talking to you?"
"Let me guess, would those people be the human vacuum cleaner known as Xander, the slayer with a skull thicker than the Codex, and the only person in the U.S. whose entire wardrobe consists of tweed?" Willow broke into uncontrollable laughter, dispelling any tension between the vampire and the hacker.
* * *
"Is she talking to him?" Buffy asked in bewilderment as she watched them.
"Now she's laughing! Why is she laughing at him?!" Xander's voice was so high
pitched he was almost sqwelling.
* * *
Willow finally gained control and whipped the tears from her eyes as she stopped laughing. "You made a joke! Angel never made jokes. He was too busy brooding or playing Crytic Guy! You may be a soulless demon that has tried to kill me numerous times, but you've got one hell of a sense of humor I must say."
"Why thank you. Anyway, we must be going now. I'll see you around Red." He gave her a quick hug, and walked over to Faith. *He's not too bad.* Thought the hacker. Spike glared at his sire, and had to hold down a growl as he hugged the red-head. "I'll talk to ya tomorrow Red, and don't forget; before sunrise." Faith called as she walked off with Angelus towards the mansion. She could see a deep blush forming on the red head's cheeks and laughed. "Have fun Blondie!" She called over her shoulder.
* * *
"She... She...She..." Xander stuttered.
"She...hugged...him." Buffy finished wide eyed. They looked at each other with
white faces; their mouths hanging open. "We gotta call Giles."
* * *
Part 22b: In a New Light
Willow and Spike made their way back into their apartment and as Spike shut the door she sat on the couch, staring at her hands that she was clasping and unclasping nervously. "So..."
Spike sat down on the couch and looked at Willow, who was still blushing furiously and wouldn't look up at him. "So...what was Faith talking about back there pet?" He noticed she blushed even more at his question, and quickly changed the subject. "How did things go with Angelus? What did you guys talk about?" *He had to ask didn't he? I'm probably beet red by now.*
"We, um, well, we beat the crap out off each other. Then we talked; resolved some issues." *Talked. Right. More like yelled and screamed for about an hour, fought some more, then talked.*
"So, you guys made up?" Willow asked.
"Yeah, I guess we did luv." *Did she sound hopeful when she asked that or was it just me?* "So, ducks, were you gonna tell me what Faith was talking 'bout?"
"What kinds of thing did you guys talk about?" Willow asked, dodging the question once again. *Why does she keep avoiding the question? Must be something she doesn't want
me to know about. All the more incentive for me to find out. You can't avoid it forever my little vixen.* "Well, we both had some issues to get off our chests I guess."
"Really, like what?"
"Well...there was the whole him takin' Dru from me, shaggin' her within ear shot of my bedroom, and then flaunting it every chance he got. Then the fact that when he got his soul he abandoned Dru an' me, like we was his dirty laundry. Even when he lost his soul last time he ignored us, too focused on the damn slayer to give a shit about us." *Why does she look so upset?*
*Dru. Should have known. Of course that's what it was. Dru was the love of his unlife, probably still is. I don't know why I'm surprised. Or why I'm so upset for that matter. Spike is my friend, nothing more, no matter how much I wish it were more than that. I can't kiss him now. He'll probably be disgusted by me. And then I'll lose the best friend I have. The only person who really knows and accepts me.*
"But we talked it out, had a nice dose of violence and the air's all clear," *What is goin' on in that pretty little head of hers? She looks on the verge of tears.* He scooted over on the sofa towards her. He put a hand on her shoulder lightly. "What's wrong luv? Are you all right?" Concern filled his voice as he watched a tear fall down her cheek. Willow flinched as he put his arm around her shoulder. To Spike it was a slap in the face, and he quickly took his arm away. They sat on the couch for several minutes; Willow berating herself for ever thinking she had a chance with Spike, while identical thoughts went through the blond vampire's head. Then the phone rang, shattering the silence that hung heavy in the apartment and Willow jumped up and went over and picked up the phone.
"Yeah?"
"Wow, a little anxious there Red." Faith's amused voice came over the line.
"Faith!" The hacker exclaimed, relief pouring through her.
"Yeah, you OK? You sound a little weird."
"Yeah, 'course, why not?" She replied with an uneasy laugh.
"You sound like you've been crying. What happened? Why were you crying?"
"N...Nothing." Willow said, as another sob escaped.
"Don't give me nothing. What happened?" Worry could be heard plainly in the
brunette's voice.
Spike watched from the couch as Willow went from relieved at talking to Faith, to crying again. *Why won't you tell me what's wrong Will?* He ran a hand through his hair warily.
"Will, tell me what happened, so I know whether I need to come over there and
kick the shit out of Spike."
"NO! I mean, you don't have to do that, really. It's not his fault, it's me. I'm such an idiot" Several sobs came unbidden as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
With his vampiric hearing Spike listened in on the conversation across the room.
*What is she talking about? What's not whose fault?*
"You're not an idiot. Why would you think that?" Faith questioned.
"I was so stupid, to think I had a chance with him."
"A chance? Oh, a chance with Spike you mean?"
"Yeah."
"You do. Why would you think you didn't. Of course you do, he likes you, a lot, trust me, I can tell. Even Angelus says so."
"Well, you're wrong. 'Cause he doesn't." More tears fell from her eyes and she whipped them away angrily.
"I'm telling you he does. Do you know what they talked about tonight?" Faith asked the redhead.
"Yeah. Dru." She spat out the last word as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.
*A chance? A chance with who? Who doesn't what? Dru? What does Dru have to do with this?* The questions swam around in his head as he tried to figure out what Willow was talking about.
"Will, hold on a sec." Faith said. Willow heard static as if the receiver were being covered; then a muffled "Angelus! Come in here."
"Faith! Faith what are you doing?!" Willow practically yelled into the phone.
"Bring the portable in here, we need to clear something up." Faith instructed the dark haired vampire. Willow could hear another phone being picked up and Angelus' unmistakable voice on the other line. "Will here doesn't believe me that Spikey has the hoots for her."
"Faith!" Willow's voice cracked and she was flooded with embarrassment.
"Spike, have the hots for Willow?!" Angelus laughed. "To put it lightly."
"Really?!" Disbelief and hope could be heard in the hacker's voice.
"Really. He likes you a lot Red. He just won't show it. He's shy, as strange as that sounds. He's always been different than any vampire I've known." Pride and affection colored the older vampire's words.
"Now that we have that cleared up, me an' Angelus were wondering if you and Spike might want to get together with us for a movie or something tomorrow night." Faith asked.
"Sure that'd be great." Willow answered, ethusiastically.
"Good. We'll come by a little after sunset, 'kay?"
"Ok, thanks. Bye Angelus, bye Faith, I'll see you guys tomorrow." Willow said, a smile hovering on her lips.
"Bye Red, remember, before sunrise." With that, all three disconnected.
Part 22c: In a New Light
Willow looked from the phone to Spike and back again, and started blushing.
*Man, how many times am I going to do that today?* Willow woundered.
Spike watched as Willow wrapped up the conversation.
*What would be great? Angelus? Why is she talking to him? Now she's
smiling. What did he say to her? Now she's blushing! I'm am going to tare the wanker
apart!*
Willow hung up the phone, and Spike motioned for her to come over. "I'm going
to go wash my face, I'll be right back." *Great, now he wants to talk. Maybe I can still
tell Faith I never had the opportunity to fulfill the dare. But if Spike talks to Angelus and
Angelus talks to Faith, she'll know I'm lying. Shit, shit shit!* When she came out of the
bathroom her thoughts were a little more organized.
*You can do this, you can, you have to. Just kiss him, that's all you have to do. You've
kissed guys before, you can do it. Of course they weren't Spike, your sexy roommate, but
still. You can do it. You can do it.*
She went into the kitchen, where she got two sodas out of the fridge.
As she brought the sodas over to the couch Spike forgot why he was so upset as
he looked at his small room mate. Her face was red from crying and the blush still
lingered on her cheeks. She had taken off all the heavy make-up and the boots. She had
painted her toe nails a couple of days ago while they had watched movies and the dark
blue stood out against her porcelain skin. She still wore the black leather mini skirt, deep
red spaghetti strap crop top that despite the jean jacket, gave a full view of her flat
stomach. She had pulled her hair into a pony tail, leaving her long neck bare. *She looks
like a goddess.* He thought. She gathered her feet under her as she sat on the couch next
to him and set the sodas on the coffee table.
"So, what was that about?" Spike asked, desperately wanting to know what she
was so upset about.
"No one. I mean nothing. Yep. Nothing. Nothing at all. And not vampires or
anything. Definitely not vampires. No vampires in that conversation. Well, except
Angelus; cause we were talking to him. But no other vampires. Of course I don't know
any other vampires, besides Angelus. Well, I know you, but we weren't talking about you.
Most definitely not talking about you. Not at all. Nope. And I'm babbling, so I'll shut up
now." Willow's face was bright red, and she avoided looking at the blond sitting across
from her.
Spike's mind was going a mile a minute. He had gotten fairly good at understanding what he had dubbed 'Willow speach', and he was sorting through what she had been going on about when something clicked; namely her fervent denial of talking about vampires, in particularly, him. *Why does she want me to think that she wasn't talking about me?* He replayed everything that had happened that day, starting with when Willow had first gotten upset.
*When we got back to the apartment after Faith and Angelus left she was blushing
and acted really nervous. She asked what me an' Angelus talked about, and when I told
her she started to look like she was gonna cry. Then when I touched her she got even
more upset. When Faith called she seemed better, then was cryin' again, saying ''it wasn't
his fault'' and that she was ''stupid to think she had a chance with him.'' She told Faith she
was wrong about something and that ''he'' didn't something. Next she was talkin' about
Dru, with venom in 'er voice.* Spike stole a glance at the object of his thoughts. The
hacker, still blushing, was looking intently at the soda can she was holding in her lap.
*I wonder why she sounded so pissed when she mentioned Dru? The only time
we've talked about Dru lately is when I was tellin' 'er about why I was mad a Angelus.
Wait, that's when she first started to get really upset. But what would bother her about
how the ninny fucked and flaunted Dru in front of me? And who is the 'him' she kept
talkin' about? The one she didn't have a chance with? Could she be talkin' about that wolf
of her's? No, she'd said she was over him, and I believe her. So who? Xander, no, not
him. Who does that leave? Come on mate, there aren't that many men in her life. It
couldn't be Angelus, or his nancy boy counter-part, she hadn't acted upset until I started
tellin' her about the fact that I was mad at the sod about the way he used my love for Dru
to hurt me. That only leaves the watcher, who is definitely out of the question; an' me.*
Spike froze as the thought hit him. It seemed too good to be true; that the small
witch returned his feelings. Then it started coming together, all the pieces falling into
place. Her reaction to his talk of how jealous he'd been of Angelus and Dru. *Could she
have been jealous?* Then he thought of how she had been so adamant that she hadn't
been talking about him to Faith on the phone. *Could I be the one she thought she didn't have a chance with? But what was she telling Faith she was wrong about? If I'm the guy she
was talking about, she had said that I didn't something and Faith must have disagreed.
That's when Angelus got on the phone and told her something that made her all happy. But
what would dear ol' dad have told her? Basically all we talked about was why we wanted
to stake each other, then we went back to the appartment. On the way we discussed the
slayer he's shaggin' and he asked me what I thought...that's it. He asked me what I
thought of Will, and I told him how much I fancied her. I wonder if that's what he told her that
cheered her up so much?* Spike thought about all the possibilities, but the
more he thought about it the more everything fit; what he'd told his sire, and Willow's
change in mood after talking to him.
Even with all the information, the blonde was still reluctant to make any moves. *What if
I'm wrong? I don't want to ruin our friendship.* But then there was that little voice that
shouted *Who else could she possible have been talking about? You know you want her,
just go for it already!* He looked at his room mate again, letting his eyes wander over her
body; paying special attention to her slender neck, the tops of her round creamy breasts,
the flat, hard muscles of her stomach, and her long legs. He felt himself harden at the
vision before him, and decided to throw caution to the wind. *It's now or never. Damn,
talk about a cliche. Oh well. Now, I just have to make a move.*
"Luv?" His voice was low and deeper than she had ever heard it before; and it sent
shivers up her spine. Willow looked up and their eyes looked. As he gazed into the
emerald pools of her eyes he saw something in there depths he had dreamed of seeing for
months, desire; for him. He wasn't sure what else he saw there, whether it was love or
lust, he didn't know, but it was more than enough. He softly placed his hand on her face,
running hi thumb along her damp cheek. He leaned forward slowly, never releasing her
eyes. He almost groaned aloud when he felt her hot breath on his face. When their lips
met, hardly any pressure; just a whisper of a touch, it was as if dozens of fireworks
exploded. As Spike added a little more pressure to her lips; his hand finding its way into
her silky tresses. Willow's hand soon began to gently massage the back of his neck as she
ran her fingers through the short hair she found there.
They pulled apart slowly, pale blue meeting dark green; for the first time recognizing and accepting the feelings reflected there. "Better?" The question was almost a whisper, but it seemed to echo throughout the entire room. She gave him a small, uncertain smile. "You wanna tell me what made my littl' pixie cry?" He asked.
"It was nothing." She tried to look away, but his gently turned her face back towards his. "I, well, um, I feel so stupid."
"You could never be stupid Will."
"It's just, when you were talking about Dru, well, I just, I mean, no one's ever talked about me like that before. I don't know. I guess hearing you, I mean about Dru, and not, well, not me, I guess I was a little, um, jealous." The beginnings of a blush stained her pale features and Spike felt like there was a melting pot inside; pouring lava into every vein in his body.
"Of what pet? Jealous of what?" If his lungs actually worked he would have been holding his breath. It took his advanced hearing to catch what she said next. "Dru." The lava turned
into scalding fire as it spread through him. He brought her mouth to his and kissed her
before she could take a breath. When he let go, she was gasping for air.
"Oh Will, sweet, sweet Willow. My sweet, wonderful Willow." The vampire and
the witch smiled as if they had just won the lottery. But the smile faded from her face as
she saw the clock. "What's wrong?"
"It's, um, it's almost 5:00."
"So?"
"Well, um, 5:00 is sunrise."
"Oh, right, didn't Faith say something about sunrise. Like, you had to do something before sunrise?" He was eager to know what it was the girls had been talking about that she didn't want him to know about.
"Yeah, you see, before you and Angelus got here, we were, you know, doing girl stuff, and we um, were playing truth or dare, and Faith, she, um, dared me to...to...to do this." With a sudden burst of courage Willow leaned over, pulled him to her, and pushed her lips to his. Her bravado increased when he started to kiss her back, so she let her tongue run along his lips; asking for permission into his mouth. When he opened his mouth her tongue began to tentatively explore.
Spike was in heaven. Or as close as a vampire could get. When he felt her ask entrance and his lips parted, allowing her hot tongue inside he felt electric shocks go through him. His tongue joined hers, and began it's own exploration of her hot cavern as a moan escaped; from who, neither knew. Nor did they care.
The lack of oxygen forced them to reluctantly separate. "I think you and Faith
should get together more often, pet. And you two should definitely play truth or dare, a
lot more often if that's what's gonna happen."
"Maybe you should tell her that tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yeah, when we were on the phone Faith asked if we wanted to get together with her and Angelus for movie, or something. I told her that sounded like fun. So, she said
they'd be here a little after sunset."
"Ok. But, sunset's quite a ways away, so what do you say we think about that latter, and find another way to entertain ourselves until then?" He smiled as he added huskily, "Now, where were we?" Willow's heart rate increased as he leaned down, capturing her mouth.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Over nine thousand miles away, the moonlight shone down on a lone figure standing in a clearing. Her child-like voice rang through the clear night. "Miss Edith, I have a secret, Daddy's home. It's time for his princess to go see her daddy." Laughter echoed off of nearby trees as the woman began to dance beneath the stars.
Part 23a: Come to Daddy
A long sigh escaped the hacker's lips as she stared
into the bathroom mirror.
However, instead of sighing in exaustion, anger, or
sadness as before; this time Willow
sighed from utter happiness.
Spike stood in the doorway, watching as Willow
brushed her hair, a content smile
on her face. He made his way over to the sink and
stood behind her, gently placing his
hands on her shoulders. Willow's smile grew as he
began massaging her shoulders, and
she leanded against his chest; her head resting in the
crock of his neck. The blonde
vampire smiled when Willow leaned into his embraced,
loving the feel of her small frame
against his own.
Similar thoughts ran through the red head's mind as
she recalled how they had
spent the night before; in each other's arms. She
could almost feel his lips on her again.
Just one touch from the man behind her could congure
feelings she had never experienced
before. With Oz it was sweet, comforting, safe;
almost boring. But with Spike it was
exciting, and passionate. When he looked at her it
felt like her insides were melting. And
when he touched her it was as if she were being
consumed by a blazing inferno. Her knees
went week and every nerve in her body tingled.
Spike leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on
her cheek, before softly
whispering in her ear, "Ready sweet? Faith and
Angelus should be here any minute."
"I've just got to finish my hair real quick." Willow
ran the brush through her hair
one more time before pulling half of it up into a
twist, and clipping it into place. Next she
touched up the black eyeliner she applyed ithinly
around her eyes earlier and added a little
bronze shadow and a small amount of the maroon
lipgloss Faith had left for her to use.
Spike watched her walk into the front room with a
smile. She was wearing a pair
of brown leather pants and one inch heeled brown
boots, with a scoop neck white
sleeveless top with straps that went aroung her neck,
leaving her shoulders bare, along
with most of her back considering the back of the tank
top didn't start until just below her
shoulder blades.
A loud knock on the door forced Spike to pull his
eyes off of his small roommate
as she leaned over to pick up her purse. He walked
over and opened the door. As soon
as the door was open a very pissed Faith stormed into
the apartment. "We've got a
problem." The brunette slayer announced.
"What's wrong luv?" Spike asked.
"Why don't you come see for yourself. Maybe you can
do something. Nothing me
or Angelus have tried is working; so Angelus said to
come get you." Faith said as they left
the apartment and headed towards the mansion. "He
said you might have better luck."
She explained, looking at the blond vampire.
Willow watched her new friend as she ground her teeth
and clenched her fists in
anger and frustration. "What happened?" The hacker
questioned.
"Well, we were getting ready to come get you guys
when we heard something out
in the garden, so we go outside to check and there she
is. It wasn't two seconds before
she was all over him. I was gonna stake her right
then but Angelus wouldn't let me. After
about twenty minutes of trying to get rid of her,
Angelus sent me to go get you, saying
something about you having more experience with her or
something. If I had my way the
whore would be dead by now." The hate in her voice
was strong and her face showed her
anger as the slayer lead the roommates the last few
blocks to the mansion. "I don't care
what you do but get that crazy bitch off _my_ Angelus!
If I hear one more word about
her 'daddy' I don't care what Angelus says, she's
dust," the slayer practically hissed as she
opened the large doors.
"Wait a second, Dru? Dru's back? She's here?" Spike
almost yelled. He
practically ran the rest of the way into the main room
of the mansion, the two girls right
behind him. When they made it into the room the
younger vampire stoped short causing
Willow to run into him. Willow looked curiously over
his shoulder trying to she what
made the blonde stop so suddenly. What she saw made
the red head's eyes go wide and
left her mouth hanging open.
Angelus stood in the middle of the room, with the
dark haired vampress firmly
attached to his arm. Angelus let out a loud sigh as
she refused to losen her grip. Faith
stood in the doorway, bairly restrained furry showing
in her pose. "Drusilla! Get. Off.
Of. Me!" Angelus growled, the elder vampire's
frustration evident as he looked towards
the new arrivals, with an expresion that said 'help me
or you'll regret it.'
Spike approached the vampires hesitantly, speaking
soflty, "Dru, ducks, why don't
we go over and sit down on the couch and we can have a
right nice family chat."
"Spikey, Daddy's been naughty. He's with the bad
slayer. He doesn't want his
princess anymore."
As Spike coaxed Drusilla over to the couch, Willow
and Faith remained just
outside of the room. "I don't see why I can't just
stake her," Faith said, venom in her
voice as she watched the three vampires. "Why the
hell is she suddenly back here again
anyway? Wasn't she in Brazil or something?"
"Yeah, but she is kinda clingy. When her and Spike
first came to town she still
tried to get back together with Angel."
"Is that because he's her sire? Spike doesn't act
anything like that, and neither do
any of the other vampires he's made." Faith wondered.
"I think it has something to do with the way he made
her a vampire. Before she
was turned he destroyed her mind. Afterwards she
retreated into a time in her life when
she felt safe; her childhood. So when he turned her
she was more dependant on him."
"So what you're saying is that the reason she is so
obsessed is because she's nuts?
Why couldn't she be like a normal vamp, then we
wouldn't have this problem."
When the brunette said this an idea began to form in
the young witch's mind, a
smile slowly forming on her face. "Faith, do you have
a phone I could use? I've got an
idea." Her mind swormed with ideas, a plan forming as
the slayer lead her into another
room.
23b: Come to Daddy
"I'll meet you guys at the apartment in twenty
minutes. Don't forget the book.
Thanks. Bye Amy. Bye Anya." Willow hung up the
phone and headed towards the door,
Faith on her heels. "I'll go to the apartment and get
everything ready, you tell the guys to
bring Drusilla over in half an hour."
"Sure. Thanks Red."
"No prob. See you in 30 minutes."
Twenty-five minutes later Willow, Anya, and Amy were
sitting in the library in the
apartment the witch and vampire shared, going through
Amy's spell book. "So, basically
you think if we take the basic principles from the two
spells and combine them it should
work?" Willow asked.
"In theroy, yes." Amy began to copy the spells onto
another piece of paper as
Anya gathered the ingredients from what they had
brought, and what Willow had in her
bedroom. "It's going to take all of us, though, to
even attempt the spell. I can't garantee
it will do anything; but it's worth a try."
The three witches continued to work out the details
of combining the existing
spells to form one that would do what they wanted when
someone knocked on the door.
Willow answered it to find an irate slayer with three
vampires behind her. "Faith. You
guys are early."
"Sorry Red. Looney toons was gettin on my nerves."
"So you thought you'd bring her over here?" Willow
questioned as everyone took
a seet int he living room. "Gee thanks."
"Thought you'd appriciate it. Anyway, what is this
plan you were tellin' me about
earlier?"
The hacker led her into the library where Anya was
setting up candles in a circle in
the middle of the hard wood floor. "Over at the
mansion I got to thinking when we were
talking about why Drusilla was so...devoted...to
Angelus. So I called Anya and asked her
if she had ever heard of any ways to restore a
person's, or in this case, a demon's sanity. I
thought I remembered reading in one of Giles' book
about something similar. So Amy
looked through her books and Anya went through her
stuff and we came up with two
somewhat simple spells that if we combine them
properly should help restore Drusilla to
her mental state before she met Angelus; or pretty
close.
Basically it's a spell that creates balance within
her mind. Which is pretty easy to
do; however sense Dru's a vampire her mind is a little
more complex, considering a demon
inhabits her body. Because of this we decided to take
a more hands on approach.
Two of us will cast the spell and focus the energy,
directing it towards the third,
who will enter Drusilla's mind scape. Kind of like
astral projection, only a little more
complex. Once there, they will try to reconstruct her
energy patterns with the energy the
other two have raised. This part of the spell will be
kind of like a healing spell, only with
mental energy." When the red head had finished her
explanation of what they would do
she began to help Amy put together the wording of the
spell they would be using.
"Isn't Dru's insanity 'cause of what Angelus did?
You gonna get rid of those
memorys or somethin'?" Faith asked.
It was Anya who answered her question, having
finished assembling everything
they would use. "Her mental status is a direct result
of his actions, yes. But we can't just
delete her memorys, that takes more time and energy
than the three of us can raise. What
we will do is manipulate them. The person who goes
into her mindscape will shape her
memory of the affect his actions had on her at the
time; thus altering his affect on her now.
They'll make her reactions less intense and his
actions less tramatic on her psyche."
"Whose gonna take the trip into psyco's mind?"
"That would be Anya." Willow said from the table.
"She has the most experience,
and knows more about demons."
After five minutes of final preperations and
revisions they were ready to preform
the spell. Spike convinced Drusilla to come into the
library and they sat her in the center
of the circle. "Dru, we're gonna do a spell, but we
need your help."
"A spell? Oh how fun."
"Yes a spell, and we can't do it without you. What I
need you to do is sit here, and
let Anya into your mind, and share your memorys. Can
you do that for us?" Willow's
voice was soft and comforting. She simplified the
instructions and spoke to her like a
friend.
The raven haired vampress shock her head and held
onto her doll. She turned to
Angelus and gave him a pleading look. Now that she
was no longer clinging to him, the
vampire was nicer to her. "What's the matter Dru?"
"I don't know her. I like the little tree. I want
to do the spell with the little tree.
She's nice. My Spikey likes the little tree too."
Spike looked over at Willow, and the red head
looked between him and Drusilla.
The vampress' eyes were almost pleading with her to
agree. The three witches exchanged
glances. "Alright." The hacker consented, "I'll do
it."
23c: Come to Daddy
The candles were lit and Amy put the various
ingredients into the bowl on the
floor, with Anya circling Willow and Drusilla with a
stick of burning incence; chanting
softly along with the blonde witch.
While her friends called the quarters and asked the
assistance of the God and
Goddess, Willow lead Drusilla into a trance like
state. The hacker went through her
meditation exercises and when she was relaxed she let
her body become limp. She
pictured Drusilla's face and reached out with her mind
until she felt the presence of the
vampire's own mind. She allowed herself to be drawn
by that presence.
All of a sudden Willow found she was no longer in the
library. Instead when she
looked around she saw what appeared to be a vast fog
that completely surrounded her.
Different colors blended together in the mist. There
was black and grey, deep green and
dark red. Royal blue intertwined with the other
colors. Images could be seen amongst the
pallet of hues. She saw herself, Amy, Anya, Spike,
Faith and Angelus in the appartment
not half an hour ago.
She took several steps and was met with an image of
Drusilla with Spike and
Angelus in the mansion when she had come out of the
office with Faith. *These must be
her memorys.* Willow relised as she continued farther
into the dense fog. Voices drifted
past her as she made her way through the vampire's
mind. After a while she saw Drusilla
standing with Spike in the factory assembling the
Judge.
She keep walking; journeying deeper into the dark
haired vampire's memorys. The
young witch could feel the moisture in the air and it
was cold against her skin. More
voices could be heard somewhere in the mist. Willow
recognized both Spike and Angelus'
voices but few others. Most of the sounds were
distorted mumblings that couldn't be
understood. Some were screams, while others resembled
singing.
It felt as if she had been walking for over an hour
when she saw Angelus teaching
Drusilla to hunt. The hacker had barely taken twenty
steps when she caught sight of an
image surronded by deep red and green. It was Angelus
in full game face standing over
the body of a yound women in a nun's habit; completly
covered in blood. Willow could
hear pleas and crys for help float past her.
*Goddess, that's her being turned! I just have
to find when they first met and I can get started.*
The red head took slow steps as she made her way
through Drusilla's memories of
Angelus' courtship. She saw how a still human
Drusilla walked into her home to find the
dead bodies of her parents. The colors around her
were now large bloches of
impenatrable black, midnight blue and blood red.
Emotions bombarded the small witch as
she forced herself to continue through the flood of
emotions. First came the confusion,
then the dispare, and the utter loneliness. Willow
was suddenly overcome with a wave of
paralizing fear as a shrill cry pierced the surronding
clouds. Viloent winds blew, and the
petite red head had to struggle to remain standing.
Stroms raged around her and she had
trouble seeing as she tried to continue.
Things began to calm down but the confusion continued
to hang heavily in the air
as Willow saw strange pictures floating around her.
She saw a cave collapsing, rocks
falling on several men and heard their screams. Then
a distraught Drusilla reading a
newspaper article on a cave-in. Something pulled at
her memory. Something she had
read in the watcher diarys. She was about to take a
step when a voice drifted towards her
from behind. It was Angelus, that she knew.
When she turned around she saw Drusilla in a
confesional. That's when she
noticed that the dark haired woman's encounters with
the vampire began after that. *They
met for the first time in a confesional?* Bits of the
conversation drifted to her. 'I had
another vision Father'...'Please forgive me'...'You're
a span of Satan'...'Give in, be evil
child'...'No, please no'...'Let me repent' *A vision,
that must be why Angelus was attracted
to her in the first place.*
She shook off the feelings that surronded her and
began to consentrate, trying to
find the energy Amy and Anya were suposed to be
directing towards her subconcious in
the library. She closed her eyes and called upon the
energy. "Goddess grant me this
request, to aid your daughter and set her free, with
harm to none, so mote it be." When
she had a hold on it she set to work, sending it out
into the dark clouds surronding her.
The white light cut through the dense fog around the
image of Angelus and
Drusilla's first meeting. Willow mixed the positive
energy with the air of fear around her,
breaking it up and making the greys lighter, and the
blues brighter. She made her way
back into the tempestuous winds that tore through the
memories before Angelus turned
Drusilla. As she directed the light throughout the
area Willow watched as the storms
calmed and broke appart. Howling winds changed to the
occational murmering gust.
Dark tones turned less intense and the hacker could
almost see through some spots. As
dismal shades fell away pastels and light hues shown
through.
The blood curdling screams present with certain
images quieted and the invading
sensations of fear and horror lessened. *Carefull,
you don't want to change it too much,
drastic memory changes could affect her severly.* The
pictures hovering around her
remained unchanged but their lingering impressions in
the female vampire's memory would
be significantly dulled.
As she came to pictures depicting Drusilla's early
life as a vampire Willow stopped.
*I need to get going, I have no idea how long I've
been here.* But before she left she
gave in to the knawing curisostiy and walked further
back. Several minutes of walking
found the red head surrounded by bright colors with
the faint sounds of laughing and soft,
comforting voices. Everywhere she looked visions of
smiling faces greeted her.
Willow saw a young girl, in a long lace dress with an
empire waist grining as she
sat on a plush sofa with several boys, of
approximately, her age, dressed in the same
period style clothing. Two middle aged people; a
woman and a man stood off to the side
holding hands and gazing at the playing childeren with
affection. *That must be Drusilla
as a little girl with her family. They look so
happy.*
However as much as Willow enjoyed looking at the
images of a childhood so
different from her own and feeling the happiness and
chidlike joy that acompainied the
moments she felt herself growing week. *I see why she
chose to revert to her childhood.*
Her eyes beagan to feel heavy and her knees tried to
buckle, demanding that she pay
attention to her current exaugsted state. *I should
probably go back now.*
With one more look at the beauty around her, Willow
let her mind surrender to the
pull of her earthly body.
23d: Come to Daddy
The first thing she noticed was that her head hurt. The second was that it was
bright. And the third was that she was laying sprawled on a very hard surface. "Ugh.
Ahh. My head."
"Willow?" It took a moment for the voice to register.
"Spike?"
"Will! You're awake!" She heard shuffling as if someone was trying to move
towards her.
"Spike, wait, we need to close the circle."
*That was Anya.* Willow thought as she heard the the two other witches give
thanks to the Goddess and close the quarters, then release the cirle. As soon as they had finished speaking Willow felt herself being held tightly by a pair of strong arms.
"Will, are you alright sweet? Can you stand?"
As Spike helped Willow over to a chair she looked around the library, taking in the worried faces of Amy and Anya. "How long was I out?" The red head's voice shook as she fought against the dizzyness and neausa trying to
overtake her weary body.
"It's been over an hour. Are you ok? What happened? What took so long?"
Spike asked as he searched for injures or any other sign that his rommate had been hurt.
"Over an hour? It felt more like three."
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, just a little wozy," She reasured the blonde.
"You're still weak. Transfering powers takes a lot of an individual's own energy."
The strong, even voice stated from the other side of the room.
The occupants of the library turned to find themselves face to face with a fully
aleart Drusilla. The fact that the female vampire's comment for the first time in over 100 years, made perfect sense, didn't escape their attention. Something else the friends noticed was that Drusilla sat straight in the chair, a completely serious look on her face The hacker stood on shaky legs and started to make her way, slowly, over to Drusilla.
"Will, you need to rest, you're still weak." Spike softly repremanded as he
supported her with his arm, guiding her to the now concious form of his past love.
"Spike is correct. You need to lay down and allow yourself time to recover from
the spell. Due to the complexity of the spell and the immensity of the powers used; you'll need at least a couple of hours to heal." There was no longer any trace of the child like innocence, previously apparent in the female vampire's voice.
When Spike's eyes locked with the vampress he was startled by what he saw. For as long as he had known her, Drusilla's eyes would seem to be looking at nothing in particular. However, now she looked directly at him, her eyes focused. But that wasn't the only thing that the blonde noticed; her dark brown orbs no longer appeared glazed and cloudy, but were clear, and her intelligence shone in them as it never had before. "It worked." Spike's voice was heavy with suprise and happiness.
Willow glanced back and forth between Drusilla and Spike before stopping on
Drusilla. As she looked closely at her, the red head saw the same things Spike had seen.
A huge smile formed on her face and she turned to her fellow witches. "It worked! We did it!" Willow, Amy and Anya shared an enthusiastic embrace and their faces glowed with pride and excitement.
Angelus' voice interupted the three girl's squells of delight. "How are you feeling
Dru?"
The red haired witch turned and looked at the older vampire. The sound of his
voice brought back what she had seen in Drusilla's memories. Images of him standing over Dru's broken and bloodied form; his lazy smirk as he mercilessly taunted a horrifed Drusilla before he turned her. Before the memories had a chance to return full force she shook her head, as if trying to force herself to forget. *All that pain, he caused it. Everything I felt and saw in her mind was because of him.* As her vision cleared she found herself looking into the same eyes she had seen
in the memories, but this time they were different. As she took in Angelus' face she
recognized something in those chocolate depths; concern. She could tell he was trying to hide it behind his usuall mask of smug bravado, but it was there.
"I'm fine. It's as if a veil has been lifted from over my eyes." She smiled at her
dark haired sire; the first genuine smile the hacker had ever seen on the female vampire.
Angelus broke eye contact with Willow, but not before she saw some of the concern fade out and be replaced by hope.
That same mixture of worry and hope was reflected in the hacker's eyes, along
with confusion. The conflicting emtions and images bombarded her as she tried to sort through what she had seen in the female vampire's mind, and what she had seen in Angelus' eyes seconds before. *I can figure this out later, There are more important things to think about right now.* Pushing her mental debate over Angelus to the back of her mind, she looked back over to Drusilla. Just as she was about to inquire further as to the effects of the spell, the door to the appartment was thrown opened and Buffy came in, cross bow in hand with Xander and Giles behind her;
both armed to the teeth with stakes, crosses, and holy water.
Part 24: Sanity Celebration
The air of accomplishment and pride that had filled the red haired witch quickly evaporated as she took in the sight of her old friends. She looked them over, trying desperately to find some hidden expression of the close friendship they had once shared.
However, the only thing she saw was hostility and uncertainty. *What? Do they think I'm going to attack them or something?*
"Willow, get away from them." Buffy said as she looked around her.
*How many times are we going to do this? Deja-vu anyone?* "Buffy, put the crossbow down. I'm not going anywhere."
"Think about what you're saying. You're living with Spike. The same _vampire_ that has tried to kill all of us several times. You're friends with Angelus, and Faith. What's wrong with you?" Xander was yelling by the time he finished.
"No, you think. I've been living with Spike for three weeks. Nothing has happened. You've seen us together, has he hurt me? Buffy, that night you followed me home, did he look like he was going to harm me in any way? Just because
he's a vampire doesn't mean you have to protect me from him. I appreciate that you're concerned, but I don't need your help, nor do I want it." Willow was still tired and weak from the spell, and didn't feel up to arguing with Buffy, Xander, or Giles.
"No, I don't except that. You're coming with us, tonight, whether you like it or not." Buffy aimed the crossbow at Spike who was slowly edging his way over to the hacker. As soon as he saw the slayer raise the weapon Angelus had
lunged at her, Faith on his heels, tackling her to the ground but it was too late, the arrow was already in the air.
"Nooooo!" Willow cried out as she saw the arrow head towards Spike. Without even thinking, Willow reached out with every ounce of energy she had left and constructed a magical force field around the peroxide vampire just
as the arrow approached its target. It bounced harmlessly off the shield before it reached the vampire's heart.
Due to her weakened state, Willow was unable to maintain it, causing it to glow for a second before it faded completely. As her knees buckled, Spike rushed to her side, catching her before she hit the ground. Xander and Giles made
their way over to her, in hopes of getting her out of the apartment. Before they reached her, they were thrown to the ground by an invisible wave of force.
As Amy kept Giles and Xander at a distance, Anya constructed a shield around the three witches and the blond vampire. Spike held Willow in his arms, cradling her head against his shoulder. "Willow, luv, you all right?"
The worried tone in his voice was clear. As he brought his hand up to gently stroke her face, he looked her over for any injuries.
"I'm fine. Really, just a little tired is all." Her voice was soft and slightly shaky, but strong.
"You're exhausted sweet. You've pushed yourself too far today." Concern and nervousness could be heard in his voice.
"Spike? What's going on? Where is everyone?" She tried to look around to find her friends, but was unable to see anything from her vantage point on the ground.
Giles and Xander watched in disbelief from the opposite side of the barrier, as Willow attempted to stand. Spike brought his right around her waist as he placed her left arm over his shoulders. As dense as he was, Xander
hadn't missed the worry and concern that had been clearly etched on the vampire's face when Willow had fallen. They both noticed how the blonde and the red head had looked at each other. If Giles hadn't known better, he'd have thought that they really cared about each other.
Once Willow was standing, the majority of her weight positioned against the vampire, she could see the rest of the room clearly, including the people in it. It was at that moment that Faith delivered a particularly brutal kick
to the other slayer's stomach. Angelus was right beside her, and followed the kick with a powerful punch to the blond's face.
"Buffy!" The startled and somewhat scared exclamation fell from the hacker's lips as her old friend fell to the floor. "No!" Concern and fear for her old friend etched on her face, she turned to the vampire beside her. "Spike, do
something."
"What exactly do you want me to do pet? And why? She's been nothing but a bitch to
you lately," Spike asked, confused.
"She may be a bitch sometimes, but she's still my friend. Please. You have to stop them; they're going to kill her," her pleading tone turned to one of desperation as she watched Angelus kick the blond slayer in the ribs several times in quick succession.
When Giles and Xander heard what she said, they turned their attention to the fight on the other side of the room. However, when they tried to aid Buffy, they found themselves not only blocked off from Willow, but from the rest of the
room as well. At some point, Amy and Anya had constructed another force field around them, preventing them from interfering in any way.
"All right sweet, I'll help her. But first you need to lay down, you look as if you're going to pass out." As he led a still protesting Willow towards the door, Faith and Angelus converged on Buffy, who was still lying on the floor,
recovering from the last set of blows.
Seeing this, Willow broke free of Spike and started running towards the two slayers and the vampire.
At the same time, Buffy, knowing the danger she was in, pulled out her last remaining stake, and threw it at the dark haired vampire that was advancing on her. It was at this precise moment that Willow reached her destination.
Attempting to pull Angelus away from the prone slayer, Willow, unknowingly placed herself directly in the path of the now airborne weapon.
"Angelus, Willow, watch out!" The brunette slayer yelled a warning.
Angelus, seeing the stake pushed Willow out of he way, and dove in the other direction, both narrowly missing the wooden implement.
Spike was at the red head's side in an instant. Kneeling beside her, he, for the third time that day, took her into his arms. "Willow! Will, are you ok? Will, sweet, answer me!" His frantic cries where drowned out when Faith charged
at the other slayer.
"You bitch!" Tackling her to the ground, Faith hit her across the jaw with a right cross. Grabbing her by the neck, the brunette was about to hit her again when she heard a cry from behind her.
"Faith, don't!"
Faith turned and saw Spike helping the hacker to stand. Willow was leaning heavily upon Spike as she tried to get him to take her over to the slayer. "Spike, please? You don't have to coddle me, I'm fine. Really." But he refused
to yield, continuing, instead to hold her close.
Releasing her hold on Buffy, Faith dropped the slayer to the floor and stood, making her way over to Angelus. "You ok?" Her voice was slightly worried as she looked for any visible injuries as he returned the favor and quickly
examined her. Both were satisfied with what they saw and the two turned their attention to Spike, who was still giving his small roommate a much more extensive examination. Faith and Angelus exchanged a glance, having noticed the red head's extensive pallor. Spike, too, had noticed that the hacker's normally rosy, even, complexion was white and blotchy. His concern increased as he watched her struggle to remain upright, even with the majority of her weight resting on him. Her eyes fluttered and closed, her head rolling forward until her chin touching her chest. The young
witch's knees buckled and her feet fell out from under her. "Will! Shit!" The younger vampire stumbled slightly as he shifted her in his arms, one going under her knees and the other under her arms, with her head against his shoulder. "Somebody help me damn it!"
Angelus was at his side before he finished the sentence, as the brunette slayer quickly made her way to other side of the room. Faith tossed everything off of the small couch that sat under the bay windows in the corner of the library. The two vampires brought a now unconscious Willow over to the couch and laid her down. Spike dropped to his knees next to
her and began stroking the side of her face with his right hand, frantically calling her name.
"Willow! Will, come on baby, wake up! Please wake up." His left hand moved to the top of
her head as his cries became more hysterical.
Giles, Xander, and Buffy, looked on, stunned, as the scene unfolded in front of them.
It was impossible to not see the pain and fear which the blonde vampire made no effort to disguise. Raw anguish was heavy in his voice as he unsuccessfully tried to wake her.
"It's all right Spike. She's fine. The spell left her very weak, and that combined with the force feild she raised around you and the fight has overloaded her system causing her to pass out. She'll be fine, she just needs to rest for
a while." Unnoticed and forgotten during the fight, the presence of the vampiress was startling even to those who had known that she was there.
However, the other three had not noticed her upon entering, having been more focused on Willow. Because of this it was especially shocking. What was even more surprising to the slayer, her watcher, and boyfriend was Drusilla's strong, steady voice, as well as the confident, mature way in which she held herself. It was the first time any of them
had heard anything understandable, let alone intelligent, being said by the raven haired vampire. Her serious expression was not marred by the previously ever present child-like innocence, nor were her eyes clouded by insanity.
Spike's voice shattered the stunned silence which had enveloped the library as he returned their attention to the still unconscious form that lay on the sofa. "How can you be sure she'll be fine? What if she's hurt? She hit the
ground pretty hard." Worry was still apparent in his tone, despite Drusilla's reassurances, as he continued to fuss over the hacker.
"Angelus, tell your childe to calm down, will you?" This time, Drusilla's voice held a hint of annoyance and amusement. Her sire couldn't control the slight smile that tugged at his lips as he watched his 'daughter' roll her eyes at the peroxide blonde. "Angelus, be a dear and help Spike take Willow to her room so she can sleep in her own bed." He glanced
around at the other occupants of the library before returning his gaze to her. "Don't worry, we will handle everything. You boys just go take care of Willow." He gave in to her request and went into the other room with Spike, and a
sleeping Willow.
When they had left the room Drusilla turned to Amy and Anya, who were still maintaining the force field. "You can let them go now, they're no longer a threat." As soon as the witches released their magical hold on them,
Giles and Xander ran over to Buffy. The slayer had not faired well against Angelus and Faith,
and was having a difficult time standing up straight. "As for the three of you, I think that it's time for you to leave."
"We're not leaving without Willow," Xander said.
"Ah, yes, of course. So, tell me, how exactly are you going to do that?" Faith, Amy, and Anya stood by the vampiress as her expression hardened, and an evil glint appeared in her eyes.
"What? Are you going to stop us?"
"I may not be crazy anymore, but I'm still a vampire, boy. It would be wise not to forget that. I could easily kill you. The only reason I haven't already done so is because Willow doesn't want you hurt, for some strange reason.
Face it, you're out numbered, you don't have anymore weapons, and your slayer can barely stand. Give up and go home before I change my mind and have an early morning snack." A predatory grin spread across her face as she seemed to consider the idea.
Buffy, Giles, and Xander relented, and slowly left the library, glancing over their shoulders every few steps. The women; two witches, one slayer, and vampiress, followed the trio to the front door. As the do-gooders left the apartment, Drusilla stood in the doorway. When Xander looked behind him, she flashed her game face and growled softly before licking her fangs, letting her gaze fall on his neck. The dark haired teen swallowed noticeably, then turned and put his arm under his
girlfriend's and increased their speed, wanting to get away as fast as he could. Seeing them hurrying away from the apartment complex Drusilla grinned maliciously.
"That was fun. I think I'm going to like sanity." She exchanged a smile with the others before looking over towards the bedrooms. "I wonder how they're doing?"
"I hope Willow is ok," Amy commented, concerned for her friend. Anya and Faith
nodded their heads in agreement.
"She'll be fine in the morning. I'm actually more worried about Spike."
Faith chuckled at the female vampire's confession. "I'm sure Ang calmed him down. Either that or smacked him until he shut up."
Drusilla smiled at the brunette. "I'll take door number two on that one." Everyone let out a small laugh, dispelling the tension left over from the fight and headed into the other room to check on their friends.
