Scene of the Crime

The girl Spike had been following paused again, looking around her. He smiled. This one was nervous about being out alone at night. The streets of London, as with any big city, could be a dangerous place after all. Still, she wouldn’t exactly be expecting his particular brand of danger. A mugging, purse snatching, men hassling you, maybe dealing with a beggar or two? Sure. But vampires? This wasn’t exactly a hellmouth and people were just that little bit more deliciously terrified when they came face to face with a real life demon.

Spike grinned in the darkness, watching as his target walked along underneath the inadequate street lighting, passing from light to shadow. Light to shadow.

She was a pretty little thing. Red hair, green eyes, and had enough sense to run from him when he stepped out into the street behind her. Futile effort, though. Not strong enough, not smart enough, and definitely not fast enough.

He broke into a run and reached her swiftly, her scream of terror causing that familiar, wonderful tingle of pleasure to travel through his body.

Letting out a growl of satisfaction as he sank his fangs into his third victim of the evening. Delicious, hot blood gushed into his mouth and down his throat. He gulped greedily, before dropping the body to the ground, not even bothering to drain all of her precious blood.

The girl took a last shuddering breath as she died at his feet.

Yes, he thought as he stepped over her, sticking a cigarette in the corner of his mouth and lighting it with a flourish, unlife is good. Pickings are plentiful and I’m king of the frigging hill. No pesky bloody Slayers to deal with so I rule the roost. I’m William the Bloody, and nobody, but nobody messes with me.

It had been quite an eventful, not to mention blood stained, few months spent reacquainting himself with his old stomping grounds. There had been legends to live up to, rival vamps to kill, new digs to find, of course drinking his fill of the local populace, and many, many oh-so-willing she-vamps to seduce.

In his long memory, he’d always retained the fond notion that no one gave head quite like London girls. But upon his return, he’d found that apparently some things do change over time. He had found surprisingly little pleasure in the easy conquests he found here. There was no spark, no challenge and no surprises. He had realised with disgust that without the chase, and without any real interest in these women, the pleasure of the act was diminished. He’d been with Drusilla for so long when he wasn’t looking for anything deeper than a quick shag from his conquests that now he was footloose and fancy free for basically the first time since he had been turned, he was somewhat disappointed.

(...Willow...)

So much for vampires being the best lay around, he thought with a frown, except for yours truly of course.

But apart from this one disappointing little setback, he was enjoying his time in his native country immensely. One or two of his favourite bars were even still open, albeit with different clientele these days. The beer was good, the telly was great, (although he missed Passions, and channel flicking with only five stations just wasn’t the same) and everybody, but everybody, loved football (that’d be the soccer variety, not the American).

But still the unbidden thought would come.

(...Willow...)

But he shook it off, refusing to let himself think of such things. Of his moment of weakness.

He had made his way to the roof of the tenement building that he and his lackeys had taken over after removing (i.e. eating and turning) the previous tenants, and looked out at the view of the city it afforded him. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he drew out yet another cigarette and lit it, feeling the warm blood still thrumming in his unnatural body and smelling the scent of the city wafting to him on the night air.

My city. All mine, ripe for the picking. My home, exactly where I belong. Where I’m supposed to be.

He took a deep breath and allowed himself to savour the moment.

‘Aw, hell.’ His voice seemed loud to him on the quiet rooftop, while muscles clenched visibly in his cheeks. ‘Who exactly am I trying to kid? I can wax lyrical about how fantastic this place is until I’m blue in the bloody face. Nothing helps. Nothing makes it go away.

‘Sod it all, I miss her. I miss her all the time.’

He crushed the half-smoked cigarette in his fist, gritting his teeth against the brief burning sensation on his palm, his decision made.

‘I'm going home. I’m going back to Sunnydale. I’m going to see Willow.’

~~~

Willow stood at the counter in the coffee shop and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Turning slightly, she smiled shyly, but brightly at the boy with the spiky purple hair who stood at her elbow. He was new in town and Willow was delighted, to say the least, at his attentions. Apparently he played the guitar.

He had purple hair.

He was really cute.

He was in a band.

He was presumably undemonic in every way.

And he liked Willow.

She couldn’t believe it.

This is going so well.

Smiling again, she laughed at one of his intelligent but quirky jokes and felt a blush rise in her cheeks when he lightly touched her arm. Again. This was going so well.

A dark figure growled softly from his vantage-point across the street. He was highly uncomfortable at being outside in the daytime, and hot inside his protective covering of leather and plastic. The sun shining through the blackened visor of the motorcycle helmet he wore still seemed searingly bright to him, and its heat on the black leather he wore covering him top to toe felt hot on his cold skin.

The combination of the bright sun, so unnatural to him and glowering pointedly at the boy talking to Willow was giving him a killer headache, and he itched to be safely back in the shadows where he belonged. But he couldn’t take his eyes from her.

(...mine...)

So he stood. By the side of the road in Sunnydale, home of the infamous Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer extraordinare, in the bright sunshine, watching her. Watching Willow. And burned with jealousy when he saw the boy touch her. On her arm, then her shoulder, so close to the places where he had tasted her. Where he had so conscientiously not visibly marked her. And watched her smile in return to the boy’s touch.

How dare she let him? I don’t know why the hell I came back here. I’m just asking for trouble ...but she’s mine

Barely ten more minutes passed by achingly slowly before the boy said his goodbyes and finally left. Spike watched as Willow finished the last drops of her soda, gathered together her books, got to her feet and left the shop. He waited with vicious patience as she crossed the street and walked slowly towards where he sat astride his stolen motorcycle.

She walked straight past him, giving a brief curious glance at the motionless figure in black, and still he didn’t move.

He waited until she was a few feet past him before swinging one leg smoothly over the motorcycle, getting to his feet, and following her. At first Willow didn’t notice anything was amiss, until she became aware of his shadow at her heels. A nervous glance over her shoulder confirmed that the suspicious figure in black was indeed walking behind her, and her feet travelled a little faster over the ground.

Spike was having fun. He was stalking her, getting a little revenge for daring to let that boy touch her, and he could sense her fear. Granted, not a lot of fear, Willow had lived on the Hellmouth for far too long to be really terrified by a mysterious figure in black, especially in the daytime, but there was fear none the less.

He followed until she turned off the main street. A foolish move, he couldn’t help but think. Now she’s mine. A few seconds behind her, he rounded the corner, and paused, seeing her standing facing him in a deadend alley.

Well done Rosenburg, you turned into a dead end street. And you’re supposed to know this town? Well I think this loses you a couple of points on the genius-o-meter. Buffy would be so disappointed in me.

She knew she should be terrified, and it was true she was rather worried, but there was something here that she felt in control of. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she knew this was going to turn out all right. Sure, she might get beaten to a bloody pulp, but she’d be alive, and that would still be ok, wouldn’t it? Worse things could have happened, right?

But instead of the normal panicky terror that she was used to, running from one bad demon type or another, breathless and hoping desperately for Buffy to save her in the dark, this was a guy wearing too much leather in the sunshine, trying to scare her. This wasn’t so bad, and she thought that maybe, just maybe she could take him.

Remember, you’re a witch. You can use that. Or knee him in the groin or something. You can handle this, Willow, you’re going to be just fine.

Spike began to walk towards her.

Oh dear gods, here he comes, I’m going to die!

Retreating back as far as she could, Willow tried desperately to remember a protection spell she’d been looking at only yesterday in one of Giles’ many books, but it was an unpractised spell, too new to her and the words wouldn’t come. In her mind’s eye she could see the spell set out on the page, but she couldn’t form the words. Then she switched to trying to conjure a ball of energy. This she had managed before, and she figured that if she couldn’t protect herself in a secure little magic bubble, then she’d have to try taking away the threat.

Mumbling the words in Latin, she continued to back away as she raised her hands before her. As she spoke the final words to the spell, she felt her back bump against the brick wall behind her. The action made her look up at her assailant... and she paused.

Smiling behind his visor, Spike grabbed her wrists just as the energy ball was forming and separated her hands causing the ball to dissipate. He pulled her hands behind her back and held them there with one hand. This caused her to arch slightly towards him, and his smile widened.

Willow’s mind was racing. She couldn’t understand why she hadn’t just finished her spell and knocked this creep off his feet. And there was something niggling at her about the way this man was holding her, something so familiar.

And why didn’t he speak?

‘What... what do you want?’

No reply.

‘D-do you know what a Slayer is? Well I have one for a best friend. So... so you hurt me and you’re entering a world of pain, buddy!’

A world of pain? What the hell am I talking about?

‘Yeah, you can’t just hurt me and get away with it. A-and don’t make me hurt you myself. That sort of pain would last a lot longer than just getting beaten up.’

Oh, god, he’s not going to fall for that! What the hell are you trying to do? Piss him off more? ‘Cause that may not be the wisest thing to do in the circumstances. You know, the circumstances being those of your painful and imminent death?

She searched the blackened visor for a peek inside, but all she could see was the reflection of her own eyes. She didn’t much like how she looked. The distorted image of the girl looking back at her seemed very young, and pretty much out of her depth, but also growing more and more frustrated with each passing moment.

Oh god, why doesn’t he speak? Why is he just standing there? Practically leaning on me. Annoying the hell out of me. Really, really annoying me... annoying me...

Then it hit her.

‘Spike?’

A hesitant smile began to light up her face.

‘Spike? Is that you? Oh, please tell me that’s you in there and not some random scary person or... or... or scary demon thing that’s going to hurt me.’

He didn’t move, except to loosen his hold on her wrists so that her hands were free.

Then she knew it was him, he could see it in her eyes. She knew that he had come back for her. Grabbing a leather-clad hand she led him around the corner and into the secluded gap between the two buildings. Looking upwards, Willow saw a rough plastic sheeting roof above them, letting in indirect sunlight only.

Perfect.

Hesitating slightly, she raised a hand and slipped up the visor of his helmet to reveal Spike’s scowling face, his previous grin well hidden as she looked at him.

‘Spike?’ she asked in a hushed voice, not able to believe it was him. She tried desperately not to smile as she looked into frosty blue eyes, determined to be cross because of the scare he had given her, but she was unable to prevent a happy grin from appearing.

He’s back. Her grin widened. He’s really back! Was he always this gorgeous?

‘Spike? Oh my god, I’m so glad it’s you. You really scarred me, jerk.’

He swatted her hand away and tore off his helmet, continuing to scowl at her.

‘Where have you been? It’s been months! Lots of months! Did you go to England? I didn’t hear anything about you from the Council. Uhh... not that I’d been checking up, I just didn’t hear anything. But, em, what are you doing back here? I thought you’d gone for good? N-not that I’m not pleased to see you, but it’s the middle of the day, and, y’know... sunshine?’ she said, gesturing towards the hidden sky above. ‘You didn’t come back to cause trouble, did you?’

He didn’t even attempt an answer as she continued with her interrogation.

‘Who am I kidding, of course you’re going to cause trouble, that’s what you do, right? But why are you here today? Like, specifically here?’ Then her voice lowered as her chatter slowed asked she shyly - ‘With me?’

While she had been talking, Spike had slowly taken tiny steps towards her. So slowly that neither of them noticed he was doing it until he had Willow backed up against the brick wall, hips pressed intimately against hips. This finally got both of their attentions. Willow stopped talking. Warm hands that had been splayed across his stomach the whole time now wound themselves greedily around his hips.

‘Spike,’ she gasped, her voice low and needy as her body realised that he was touching her again. And... oh it had been so long since she had felt like this.

He frowned. This was the part where he was supposed to hurt her for making him care, supposed to yell at her for daring to let another man touch her. No one should be allowed to touch her.

But he didn’t.

‘Miss me, pet?’ he asked her lightly, watching the delicate blush spread across her cheeks before bending down to kiss her.

The gloves had disappeared and his hands were in her hair, then snaking downwards so he could wrap his arms around her to hold her tight against him, tilting her head back slightly and deepening their kiss. He could taste the sweetness of the soda she had been drinking and that delicious Willow flavour that he didn’t even realise until that moment that he had been missing.

Willow gasped into his mouth as she let him kiss her as though the world was ending. Like he hadn’t seen her in a decade, never mind a couple of months. She groaned her disappointment as his mouth left hers, only to sigh a moment later as he gently nipped her jaw and moved lower to kiss her neck. There were no light touches and gentle caresses here. This was all need and want and take.

This was how she remembered him.

Unbidden, the familiar scolding little voice spoke inside her head.

Letting vampires kiss your neck again, Willow? Tsk tsk, whatever would Giles say? And whatever would Buffy say? Remember Buffy? Your best friend? Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Yeah, that’s the one. You know, the Buffy you were supposed to be meeting... oooh, about five minutes ago for some delicious and fattening double chocolate mochas? And now instead you’re here making out with the delicious chocolate Spike, her mortal enemy?

She opened her eyes and focused on the rough plastic roof above her. She disentangled her hands from his Tshirt - however did they get in there past all that leather? - and pushed against his shoulders to make him stop. Then it was quite a test not to simply sink back into his embrace when she felt the soft growl of pleasure/displeasure he made at her wriggling out of his grasp.

‘Spike!’ she exclaimed. ‘Wait. No. Buffy!’

That got his attention.

‘Buffy?! Where?’ and he dropped her gently to her feet, and spun around ready to face the threat of a very angry Slayer.

Grrr. Add that to the list. Don’t kill the Slayer’s friends without good reason, and a big no to getting caught snogging one of them who just so happens to have their legs wrapped around you at the time.

But they were alone in their little alleyway.

‘No, I mean I have to meet Buffy and I’m late,’ she explained. ‘And flushed, with smoochies hair and now probably vampire hickeys, too.’

He looked back at her and grinned.

Ixnay on the ickies-hay, but she is flushed... and those lips. All swollen and pink, just perfect for sucking on.

He reached out for her again with a devilish look on his face, but Willow was too quick and danced out of his grasp.

‘Oh no you don't! Bad vampire! Down boy! I have to get out of here. How on earth am I supposed to hold a rational conversation with Buffy now? You know I get flustered.’

‘I know, luv. I think it’s cute.’ He grinned at her, and advanced again.

‘No, no, no! I have to go now.’ She held out her hand like a barrier in the air and stared at him for a second, obviously very confused as to what had just happened. And how. And why. And when - when exactly, would it be happening again?

‘Okay. So... bye Spike,’ she said abruptly, chewing on her lip, as she dashed out into the late afternoon sunshine.

He watched her leave, unable to follow into the bright afternoon sunshine until he had covered up again.

‘Bye Willow. See you real soon,’ he said as he pulled on his helmet.

~~~

Right hook. Left gab. Uh huh, good shot. Duck. Uppercut. Knee to the groin. Ooo, that’s going to leave a mark. High kick, and another. Then... oooh, swings into a beeeeautiful leg sweep. A swift stomp on the ribcage for good measure. And we end the poor sap’s unlife with a good hard stake to the chest.

Spike would have applauded if 1) he hadn’t been hiding in the shadows and it might just have taken away from the stealthy-vamp feel he was aiming for, and 2) it hadn’t just been Buffy who had won the fight - albeit the perfectly executed, bloody good show of a fight.

Despite himself a naughty shiver past through him. The only good thing about the bloody annoying chit was the way she fought. They'd had some good times sparring with one another. That, and the fact that Angel had now left town because of her. Gone to LA, last Spike had heard, running a detective agency with the poncey English Watcher Jr. and the cheerleader type that little Xander had used to run around stinking of. No more Angel in Sunnydale. Spike sighed happily. Suddenly the little town was a whole lot nicer place to live.

Or unlive.

However, the Slayer was still the Slayer, and after the dirty little shiver he allowed himself, the urge to yak on his precious Doc’s at her presence overtook, as per usual. A worthy adversary she was, there was never any denying that, but he had bigger fish to fry.

Ugh. Looks like Willow was right. I see no bastard’s been lucky enough to take the Slayer out just yet. And speaking of Willow...

Sinking further back into the foliage, he saw Buffy and Willow regroup for a little post-slay congratulations. Spike had been secretly tagging along, hoping for the opportunity to get Willow by herself, and also to keep an eye on her. Once or twice he had been about to step in and help when it looked as though she might be in trouble, but it appeared that his services were unnecessary. He had dusted one of the vamps who had tried to make a run for it when the easy target of two little girls had turned out to be not such an easy target after all, but the girls were holding their own.

Spike had been pleasantly impressed to see Willow dispatching bad guys left and right. She had dusted a vampire with the ever-popular floating stake trick, and rendered another helpless with holy water making it easy for Buffy to finish the job. The most impressive however, was when she had muttered those dangerous lilting words, calling on some goddess or another, her eyes turning black as the energy flew from her to burn a vamp where he stood.

Someone’s been polishing up on their magic skills. That’s my girl. No more cowering in the shadows, pleading for her life then. My, my, how things have changed... and how refreshing. She didn’t even try and use a pencil.

Willow had stood, triumphant and out of breath over a drifting pile of ashes as her eyes faded back to their natural green hue. That little display had given Spike slightly more than just a shiver.

Soon they were joined by the rest of their little slay-group as Giles and Xander appeared, looking a little worse for wear, and knowing those two concussions were always a possibility, but generally in good spirits. So it looked like another successful night for the Scoobies.

After a few ‘Go team’s and ‘Yay us!’s were exchanged, the little group set off for home. The path they chose to walk along took them directly passed the bushes he had concealed himself in on their weary way back to Slay-central, and Spike was shocked to see Willow stop and look around her as she reached the point where he stood.

Spike?

Bloody hell, the girl is getting better. The Slayer can’t even usually sense when I’m around. And I’ll be damned if she isn’t smiling.

Happily, Spike watched as Willow squinted into the bushes, unable to see him, but confused as to what her senses were telling her. He was right, there was definitely a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

‘Hello! Earth to Willow! Come on daydream girl, time to go home.’

Standing barely feet away, Spike would have growled as a well-meaning Xander linked arms with Willow, who let herself be led away, putting the sensations she had felt down to overdoing it on the slayage front. She half-listened as Buffy and Xander traded good-natured insults with one another and poked gentle fun at Giles.

Everything was as it should be, and all was right on the hellmouth.

Except for one teeny tiny little insignificant blonde vampire.

A vampire that Willow thought she would never see again, but who had come back, just the same. An annoying vampire with horrendously bad timing, who had managed to show up just when she was having lots of lovely, and almost normal, life things happening to her, and even the possibility of a nice human boyfriend.

Had she mentioned he was in a band?

Now she didn’t know whether to be shocked, happy, worried, angry, or all of the above. All the reasons why he’d left in the first place kept resurfacing in her mind. It had been for the best. So she kept telling herself. She had come to terms with it, and it was a good thing, his leaving.

A good thing. A very good thing. Yep, no regrets here. None at all.

He was back. Had come back to Sunnydale to see her. Risking the wrath of the Slayer to do it, and it had hit her hard. Harder than she had ever felt about him before. Before was all naughtiness and fun and tasting the forbidden. Matching her wit against his, and not letting the... what was that word... the wanker get the better of her. She should have known better than to get involved with a vampire in the first place.

And not just any vampire. Nooooo, she had to pick Spike. Way to go Willster. She felt like slapping herself on the forehead, but resisted as it may just have raised an inquiring eyebrow or two among the friends she was walking with, so she went back to holding a conversation inside her head.

~ The whole thing was a big fat stupid risk ~ her conscience told her, speaking in a very good approximation of her mother's scolding voice. ~ And you’re a big, fat idiot for going through with it in the first place ~

Hey! her own answering thought was indignant, but trailed away as she realised it was the truth. I’m not... fat.

Maybe it was a case of absence making the heart grow fonder, but all she had been able to think about since he had cornered her in that alleyway was when she would get to see him again. There were also some other, slightly more R-rated, un-Willowy thoughts of how much more preferable it would be for him to be naked when she did see him again.

Once you pop you just can’t stop.

She was becoming consumed with the idea, thinking about him and what he could possibly be doing at any given second of the day or night. Sometimes when she daydreamed in class, or was walking alone, she could almost feel his fingers threading through her hair, or his arms slipping around her, but every time she turned around, he was never there.

Why do I want to see him so badly? It’s Spike. No big. So we did a spell.

She grinned.

An incredible spell. Well, incredibly funny, anyway. So we smooched a little... What? Yeah, okay. So we smooched a lot.

She ducked her head as the grin widened and a blush rose to her cheeks so her friends wouldn’t see her obviously thinking the naughty private thoughts.

A whole lot.

Then she sobered a little. I told him to leave, and he left. So why did he come back? Why would he risk coming here again? What was with the against the wall smoochie session, and coming to find me in the daytime?

And, most importantly, why haven’t I seen him in four whole days?

~~~

Spike stepped out from behind the bushes and stuck a cigarette in his mouth. Lighting it with the *clink, snap* of his lighter, he inhaled deeply.

The four distant figures in the darkness he had been watching turned a corner and out of his line of sight. He dropped the lighter back into one of the many pockets of his coat and drew out a crumpled piece of paper. Unfolding it, he looked down at the sketch of his own face, and gently stroked his fingers over the lines that she had drawn.

That’s it. I can’t wait any longer. I’m going to see her tonight. I’ll just go and let myself into her house and surprise her. It won’t be the first time, will it? Sneak past her parents, jump her bones. Quietly. Stealthy like. Why the bloody hell doesn’t she have her own place yet? She’s what... eighteen? Nineteen? High time she was out on her own in the big bad world.

He carefully folded the piece of paper and placed it back into the inner pocket of his duster.

Or I’ll just take her out for a nice midnight stroll. Yeah, romance and whatnot. In the moonlight. Perfect. You’re a bloody romantic sod Spike, my old son, do you know that?

Settling the cigarette more firmly in the corner of his mouth, Spike shoved his hands into his pockets, gathered his coat around him, and set off after his prey.

~~~

When you're tired of a relationship, try a romance.
Quentin Tarantino ~ from the screenplay of True Romance

The two slay-weary girls walked slowly along the street, heading home for the night. Goodnights had been exchanged with Giles and Xander, who were headed in the opposite direction, vamps were dusted, evil was vanquished, and they had a test tomorrow. A Slayer and her sidekick’s work truly was never done.

Buffy was animatedly telling Willow about some new guy she had met. As usual, he was gorgeous, interesting and, all importantly, completely normal and most definitely not dead... but didn’t measure up to Angel in Buffy’s eyes. Willow sympathised and, now more than ever, she understood. It had been so hard for Buffy to say goodbye to Angel, and Willow wondered if her friend would ever truly get over the vampire.

Vampires. I get it now. I really do, tortured soul or not. It’s a real pity about the whole ‘evil’ thing, because otherwise... well, it’s just so romantic. Seeing an evil demon caring so passionately. Reduced to telling me about his kitten. Now that really was weird, but he always looks so cute when he’s embarrassed. Really cute. Really, really cute... one might even say hot. *sigh* Maybe if we lived in the universe according to Anne Rice. That would work for me. I wonder if Angel’s as good a kisser as Spike? I wonder if he’s as good at other things...

Shocking herself out of her thoughts, she tried to will her blush away and hoped that Buffy hadn’t noticed her lack of attention.

I did not just think that. Mind must come out of the gutter. Immediately. Just because you are completely obsessed with the idea of having Spike-naughtiness again does not mean that you can ignore your friend when she is talking to you, just so that you can dream about any and all vampires in a naked way! Especially her vampire!

Turning her full attention back to her friend, Willow was about to ask an appropriate question about the latest potential romance in Buffy’s life, when the Slayer stopped abruptly under a streetlight, putting out a hand to stop her. Buffy wore that familiar look of concentration, which meant only one thing.

Trouble.

‘Buffy?’ Willow asked softly, immediately alert, and wanting to know what was wrong.

‘My spider sense is tingling,’ Buffy replied just as softly. ‘Vamps. They must have followed us.’

Immediately turning so that they stood back to back, the two girls squinted into the night, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever was following them.

‘Come on, boys,’ Buffy called out glibly. ‘We don’t have all night, you know. FX is having an all night 90210 marathon. The really old episodes so we can laugh at their clothes. So if you don’t mind, can we get this over with?’

‘Slayer,’ came a hissing voice from the shadows.

‘I do have a name, you know. Don’t any of you demons do your homework anymore?’

A grinning male vampire dressed from top to toe in black and sporting a long blonde ponytail stepped from the shadows and into the light where they could see him.

‘Buffy Summers, I presume?’ he lisped through his fangs.

‘That’s more like it,’ Buffy said with a flippant grin. Then her expression grew deadly serious. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, 90210 is starting soon. Can we please fight?’

‘With pleasure.’ The vampire spread his hands out and folded into a low bow, but never took his eyes from her.

Buffy stretched her neck until it cracked and centred herself. This was when the Slayer took over. She could dust this guy, secure in the knowledge that Willow was at her back and then they could be on her way home. The anticipation of another fight flooded through her. This would round the night off nicely, before she had to hit the books. She just wished that she really could watch that Beverly Hills marathon, some of those clothes, and Brandon’s hair... it was just too funny. Although there was something so damn cute about Dillon, she just couldn’t put her finger on it, he looked so familiar... Unfortunately there really was that test to study for. Maybe she could do both at once?

One vamp, then home. Piece of cake.

‘Uh, Buffy?’ Willow’s voice called to her.

‘Yeah?’

There was no answer. Looking over her shoulder to see what Willow was worried about, Buffy eyes widened as she saw. Standing within the circle of light thrown by the streetlight were at least another dozen vampires, all grinning, and advancing slowly towards them.

Uh oh. So much for cake.

‘Slayer,’ said the first vampire. Buffy spun back around and faced him with a glare. ‘You killed some of our gang tonight. That cannot go unpunished.’

‘You’re right,’ Buffy agreed, surprising both Willow and the vampire. ‘It can’t.’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘I should have killed you all. Don’t worry, I won’t make the same mistake again.’

The vampire looked at her with fury as his fellow gang members closed ranks alongside him.

‘Buf-fyyy,’ came Willow’s worried voice again. ‘Don’t piss off the large vampire gang, please.’

‘Sorry Wills,’ Buffy told her in a sincere tone. ‘It won’t happen again.’

‘Good thing.’ Willow nodded as she eyed up the advancing demons with alarm. ‘’Cause you know we’re not supposed to piss ‘em off.’

‘You’re absolutely right,’ Buffy nodded, agreeing with her and waited until she felt Willow’s reaching hands pull the spare stake out of the back of her waistband between their bodies until she continued. ‘We should just get right to the killing part.’

‘Damn straight,’ nodded Willow.

As soon as the vampires heard this, the first two launched themselves towards the two girls with loud growls, and a split-second later were very surprised to find themselves disintegrating into dust on stakes that simply hadn’t been there a second before.

Two down, thirty to go. Oh my god, Willow thought, shaking the dust out of her hair. We’re going to die. There’s too many. I am going to die tonight. I sure hope Buffy has a plan.

Raising her stake in a fist, Buffy stood alert, waiting for the next attack.

I wish I had a plan. Maybe Willow has a plan. Maybe we’re screwed, and I’m going to have to fight them all. Oh hell, cue the fight sequence.

At an angry gesture from their leader, three more vampires ran forwards to attack.

‘Buffy!’ yelled Willow again, dropping to the ground and watched amazed, as the vampire who had lunged for her sailed right over her head, and narrowly missed colliding with Buffy. Buffy spun just out of the flying vampire’s path so that he crashed into the other two attacking demons.

Their assailants suitably distracted, Buffy grabbed Willow’s hand, and pulling her bodily up from the ground, they ran towards the small gap in the closing circle left by their latest three attackers. Willow had time to let out a tiny ‘Eeeep!’ as she ducked under a thrown punch, turning as she crouched and stood again to plunge her stake into the back of another vampire. Buffy’s approach was a little more spectacular, but no less effective. A flurry of kicks and punches met the chest of a female vampire before the heel of Buffy’s hand connected with her chin, knocking the woman’s head back with a howl.

As the vampire staggered backwards, its chest exposed, Willow darted forward to make her fifth kill of the night. Buffy, meanwhile, had turned immediately, a deadly blur of motion, her stake still held high in her fist, catching yet another unawares, and he crumbled to dust before he had time to lay a finger on her.

Not pausing for breath, Buffy launched into another attack, trying to keep the gang away from her friend, who was showing signs of fatigue. Willow looked around, and saw that they were still hopelessly outnumbered, the gang once again closing ranks around them, and now the element of surprise was gone. They knew that the girls were armed, and they wouldn’t be so quick to underestimate the fighting skills of the Slayer again.

Her face flushed pink with exertion, Willow drew herself back a few paces, closed her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her. Her chin touched her chest as she tried to block out both her fear, and the distracting sounds of the kicks, punched and grunts of the fight before her. Drawing in a deep breath through her nose, Willow’s head rose. Exhaling through her mouth, her eyes opened glittering black as she separated her hands, holding them out, palms upwards. She could feel the magic running through her and the painful tightness behind her eyes as she spoke the words of her spell.

‘Goddess Gaia, the Earth, who drew the living world forth from Chaos. As the shell is of the snail, so I am of your world. As the rocks, the oceans, the air do your bidding. Hear my prayer. Answer my call. Do my bidding now. Hold the aggressor in your thrall. Hold them tightly. Stop the flow of time. Hold them tightly!’

There was a blinding flash of white light that seemed to suck all the sounds right out of the air. Willow flinched, ducking away from its intensity, the sudden deadly silence around her unnerving. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked around her.

Standing motionless for a moment, her mouth fell open as she took in the scene in front of her. She walked forwards slowly, approaching Buffy with caution.

Goddess, I think it worked. Gaia, I offer up a prayer of thanks. Frozen. They’re all frozen.

Surrounded by statues, she walked slowly around Buffy, marvelling at how her friend was a frozen, caught in the middle of a high kick. The unfortunate vampire who’s face she’d just kicked was a few feet away, his body suspended almost horizontally in mid air as the force of the Slayer-powered kick had knocked him over. Buffy’s hands were clenched tightly into fists, still clutching her stake, her mouth open in a vicious snarl of perfect white teeth.

Holding out a hand, Willow hesitated for a moment, almost not wanting to spoil this frozen picture of pure, elegant violence. With a last glance around at the unliving portrait of Sunnydale nightlife, she gently pressed her fingertips to the back of Buffy’s hand.

Buffy blinked slowly, her eyes taking a moment to open fully again. Willow noticed that her movements were still a little sluggish, as though she were moving through treacle. Frowning in confusion at the strange sight of a frozen vampire floating in front of her, Buffy gracefully lowered her leg to stand upright. She turned to look curiously at Willow, hoping for an explanation. Willow, however, was more than a little preoccupied examining the frozen vampires. Buffy stood by her side and joined in with the amazed staring.

‘Um... what happened?’ she asked as they stood side by side.

‘I did a spell,’ Willow told her, a little breathlessly.

‘I see.’ Buffy looked at the angry faces of the frozen vampires. ‘I like.’ She turned to grin at Willow. ‘You have so been watching Sabrina. You teenage witch, you.’

Willow couldn’t help but grin back. ‘Well, yeah. Maybe a little Charmed, too. Just one problem though.’

A crease of worry formed between Buffy’s eyebrows. ‘Problem? That I don’t like. What problem?’

‘It doesn’t last very long.’

They watched, horrified, but yet undeniably intrigued as, sure enough, the vampires began to move, straining in slow motion against their invisible bonds.

‘Um, Willow?’

‘Yeah?’

‘What do you say we make like a banana?’

‘Uh huh.’ Willow nodded. ‘I’m right behind you.’

‘Wow,’ Willow mouthed, as the dust crystals remained suspended in the air in the shape of what had once been a vampire.

‘I know,’ agreed Buffy, tilting her head to the side in wonder. ‘It’s sort of... beautiful. This is too weird.’

Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye, Willow realised that there were, in fact, several large and very angry vampires standing only a few feet from them who would be wanting to get with the killing of them in only a few seconds time. Grabbing Buffy’s arm and pulling her out of her daze, she asked hurriedly - ‘Stake them all?’

Buffy shook her head as she took in the situation. ‘No time. They’re nearly awake. We need to go. Now.’

Their decision made, the two girls broke into a run, and took off as fast as they could, leaving behind them the bizarre sight of half a dozen slowly defrosting vampires standing in the middle of the street. As they turned the corner, they heard the first yell from the vampires behind them.

‘SLAYER!’

‘Where... where are we running to?’ asked Willow as they ran.

‘My house,’ Buffy told her. ‘It’s closest. We’ll be safe there.’

‘Safe... is good,’ Willow agreed, envying how her friend wasn’t even out of breath as she pushed her hand into her ribs against the painful stitch that was forming there.

‘Willow! They’re coming! Hurry up!’

Not wanting to look behind her, Willow could hear the angry shouts of the now fully thawed out vampires. They were not happy. Gasping against the burning pain of her ribs, she forced herself to run even faster.

Nearly there. Nearly there, she kept chanting in her head as they turned the corner onto Buffy’s street, and Willow could see her safety in the welcoming site of Buffy’s approaching house.

Nearly there.

‘Willow, come on!’ Sprinting ahead a few feet, Buffy vaulted over the fence to her house to open the door for her friend. A few tense moments later, they both fell through the front door of Buffy’s house and bolted it behind them. Buffy stood anxiously looking out of the front windows, while Willow bent over double with her hands on her knees, trying to get her breath back.

‘I think they’ve gone,’ Buffy announced after a few moments of watching the street.

‘Good,’ was all Willow could manage.

‘Thank god. Mom would’ve had kittens if they’d started wrecking the place.’

‘I know what you mean,’ Willow replied, going to the window to peek out. It seemed that every week something got broken at Buffy’s house, whether it was smashed windows, the doors being kicked in, axe welding angry mobs, or zombies bursting through the walls. These were not easy things to explain to anxious mothers, even if you were the Slayer. ‘Looks like I’m stuck here for the night, though.’

‘I guess so,’ Buffy agreed with a sigh. The two girls looked dejectedly at each other for a moment, until they realised exactly what this meant.

‘Sleepover!’ they cried simultaneously.

‘This’ll be great, we haven’t had a sleepover in months. You can wear the yummy sushi pyjamas,’ Buffy said with a grin.

This cheered Willow up considerably. ‘Yay! They’re my favourite.’

‘I know. We can set up the cushions and stuff in my room. A-and snacks! We can have snacks!’ Buffy said happily.

‘’Kay. I love snacks. Ooh, and we can go over the what’s going to be on the test tomorrow and do some practice questions.’

Buffy’s smile faltered, and turned completely into a grimace. Goodbye Beverly Hills, hellloooo study session. ‘On second thoughts, Will, I think you should walk home alone tonight. And leave the stake here, huh?’

‘Hey!’ Willow grinned and punched her friend good naturedly on the arm.

‘Kidding! Just kidding. I could really use the extra help, and you can keep me away from the TV.’

‘No problem. So, you want PJs first, or snacks?’

‘Duh!' Buffy rolled her eyes. 'Snacks, of course. You go raid the kitchen, I'm just gonna give Giles and Xander a call, make sure they got home safe.’

‘’Kay. You want salty or sweet?’

~~~

Sweet Jesus. A sleepover? They’re having a fucking sleepover? Bugger it!

Spike kicked the tree he was standing beside in the Buffy’s garden in annoyance, a shower of leaves floating down past him as he watched the two girls talk.

How the fuck am I supposed to sneak past the Slayer to jump her bones?

He had been following the girls from a distance, biding his time until he knew that Willow would be by herself. When the group of vampires - Fifty years old if they were a day, the lot of them! Bunch of know-nothing kids - had attacked, he had been running towards them to save Willow, and bugger the consequences of the Slayer seeing him, when all of a sudden he had found himself wrapped in invisible super glue, and Willow had vanished in a flash.

As soon as he’d been able to move, albeit a little sluggishly, he’d followed their scent, and the large group of angry, yelling vampires, then realised they were heading towards the Slayer’s home, and safety. The gang had realised this also, and after a moment’s consultation with their leader Ponce. And what’s with the ponytail? Who does he think he is, the Highlander? given up in their pursuit, swearing oaths of vengeance on the Slayer for the nights to come.

Kids. They know nothing. What are they going to do next? The always original “kidnap the Slayer’s friends and set a trap for her”? ...hey, suddenly, I don’t like the sound of that plan so much. If they touch Willow, I'll rip them to shreds.

Scowling, he watched Willow talk excitedly to Buffy about something, and then hit her gently on the arm. His face softened as he looked at her fondly.

I could try sneaking in. After all, I do have a personal invite...

He dismissed this idea almost immediately. That was a sure way to get himself staked.

It’s bloody difficult to sneak anywhere around the Slayer. Dopey chit, but she’s still the best damn Slayer I've ever come up against. I mean, she’s still alive, isn’t she?

Kicking the poor defenceless tree once more for good measure, he turned furiously on his heel and headed off towards the bustling metropolis that was Sunnydale, daring anyone or anything to get in his way.

In fact, he was kind of hoping that they would.

Nothing like a spot of violence for what ails you.

His eyes narrowed.

I wonder where that gang is holed up?

~~~

Spike silently slid open the covering to the sewer entrance, straining his heightened senses to see if there was anyone in the room above. When he was sure that there wasn’t, he pushed the lid all the way off and raised himself smoothly out of the hole. He hopped lightly to his feet and took in his surroundings. He’d never been in this particular room before. A storage basement by the looks of it. The last time he’d come to the high school, it had been at night and he hadn’t needed to bother with all this pesky sneaking around.

I really have to stop this wandering around in the daytime shite. Next thing you know, I'll be running around with a blanket over my head, getting myself a lovely suntan.

Leaving the sewer entrance open behind him, he headed towards the wooden steps that led up to a trapdoor and into the main hall of the school.

~~~

Wearily, Willow rubbed her eyes. She felt as though she’d been researching for hours.

Again.

Giles had given her a vague prophecy to look up, and it was taking her forever. She had set up a study area at a small table in amongst the bookshelves at the back of the library to save herself time, instead of carrying dozens of books on the paranormal all the way down the steps, just to find that they were useless, and have to carry them all the way back up again. She couldn't help but wonder for the hundredth time how Giles justified having these particular books in the “history” section of the library, instead of the books that were actually on the school's required reading lists. She supposed it had something to do with the fact that practically none of the students actually used the library.

The faint spell she had cast on the library, rendering it instantly forgettable to all but the most persistent of students probably helped as well, but so far she had neglected to tell Giles about that particular little spell, as one of the odd side effects seemed to be that he was constantly losing his car keys.

She had long ago decided that what he didn't know, couldn't hurt him.

So far she had found about half a dozen references to the prophecy, and each of them told her less about it than Giles had already known. Sighing, she closed yet another book with a deep thud, and pulled another identical looking volume towards her.

She looked at her watch. Only one hour and forty-seven minutes had passed since school had ended for the day. She groaned. This could be another long, lonely study night with nothing to break the monotony but her hourly visits to the soda machine. Stifling a yawn, she opened the book, and was halfway down the first relevant page before she realised that she hadn’t taken in a word of what she’d been reading.

Maybe it’s time for my next hit of Mountain Dew.

(...Willow...)

Spike breathed deep in anticipation as he caught glimpses of her through gaps in the shelves. She was here. She was all alone.

Mine for the taking.

Willow rested her chin on her hand with a sigh, and looked up from the book just in time to see Spike stalking along between the shelves towards her with a wolfish grin on his face. With barely enough time to let out a startled ‘eep!’ she found herself lifted from her chair, set on the table and encased in strong arms being kissed thoroughly.

He came back again! Big yay! He came back! Oh boy, I missed this. Feels so good. Just wish we weren’t making out on a table in the library. Giles’ library. Oh boy.

‘Spike!’ she managed to say between his fervent kisses. ‘Spike! I can’t do this here. You sure know how to pick,’ muffled pause as he kissed her again, ‘ *gasp* the worst places,’ another kiss, ‘and times to come looking for me, don’t you?’

He didn’t answer. Just drew back for a second to grin lustfully at her, relishing the feel of having her back in his arms, and this time without quite so much leather getting in the way. He felt her gentle sigh as she returned his stare, and kissed her again before her indulgent smile had time to form.

‘Spike!’ she cried out again, trying to pull herself away from his delicious kisses, only managing to move his mouth to her neck where he continued to kiss her. ‘I'm serious! Giles could come back at any second! You have to go!’

The table she sat on gave a creaky lurch as Spike pressed closer to her.

‘Too public here. Really too public. A-and I think the table might collapse at any second.’

Nodding in agreement, but not really listening to what she was saying, Spike kissed her again, coaxing her lips apart with his tongue so that he could dip inside to taste her. Willow relented for just a moment, and let herself be kissed. She couldn’t help but wonder at how this got better every single time she saw him. And how this was rapidly becoming dangerous for her. For both of them. Spike was too impulsive, and liked to take too many risks. She knew she had to stop this. Reluctantly she pulled away from him again, this time with an air of seriousness.

‘Spike...’ Which she followed by an impressive display of willpower as she fought the urge to squirm and wriggle against him as his fingertips continued to trace ticklish patterns on her skin.

‘The last time you did this to me, I had to lie to Buffy. I had to tell her that I'd seen a demon, and had to hide in a prickly bush, and that was why I was all flustered. She nearly had a fit, and so I had to lie again and tell her that the non-existent demon had turned out to be a non-existent dog instead.’ She looked at him disapprovingly. ‘I don’t like sounding like an idiot when it’s not my fault, and I don’t like lying to my friends.’

‘Oh,’ he replied lightly, ‘the last time you did this to me, I nearly went crazy with frustration when you ran away from me in the street.’ He slowly ran his fingers along her collarbone, watching their progress intently. ‘And the time before that, I had to leave the country. Don’t you think that about makes us even?’

‘Oh.’

Hoping that they were done with the talking portion of the evening, he lowered his head, and began to gently kiss his way along the same path that his fingertips had travelled. Willow had almost melted back into his embrace before she remembered herself.

‘Spike, no. Wait.’

He groaned with annoyance. Willow looked cautiously at him and he realised that she wanted to ask him something. He supposed that was inevitable, but why couldn’t the questions wait until after he’d divested her of all her fuzzy, multi-coloured little clothes?

The girl wants to talk. So let’s talk. Just make it quick, Red, ’cause I have other plans for those lips that don’t involve conversation.

With a sigh, and a last gentle nip of her skin, he pulled back to look at her.

‘What is it, pet?'

‘Why did you come back?’

Oh. I get it. She wants to hear me say it. I didn’t think she’d just let that one go.

‘Had to,’ he admitted. ‘I missed you. Couldn’t get the horrible soft pinkness out of my head, could I?’

‘Oh,’ she replied softly, a tiny smile appearing. It was strange how he could make the gentle insult seem like such a wonderful thing.

He looked down at her tenderly, memorising every nuance of her skin. She could only see the desire in his eyes, but inwardly he couldn’t help but feel warmed by the way she could quiet him with that wide-eyed, slightly anticipatory stare of hers. So innocent, but yet somehow he just knew she was asking for more.

‘So now that’s out of the way...’ he grinned, and she gasped at the touch of his lips on her throat again.

‘Spike! No, I can’t! I mean I really can’t! We’re going to get caught! This is the school library! -ohmygodthatfeelsgood- I mean, no! The public library, you know, where the Scooby meetings are held? The ones with the Slayer? And her Watcher, Giles? I think you’ve met them before.’

Somehow at this particular moment, the thought of Giles catching them defiling the holy sanctity of his library was far more terrifying than being caught kissing a vampire by an angry Slayer. Giles loved his books. He really loved his books, and Willow just knew that somewhere at the top of his list of unwritten rules in the library was “don’t fling the ancient and irreplaceable books to the floor or sit on them for easier kissing access”, and Willow had just managed to do both.

Such worrying thoughts were far from Spike’s mind however. There was only one thing he was thinking about. Without lifting his lips from her skin, he simply mumbled, ‘idoncare’ before running his tongue up her throat and doing that thing with her earlobe that made Willow’s toes curl.

I could be bad Willow. I could just let him... go on you can say it... just let him take me on the table. On this very table, making sure that research would never be quite the same again. Oh I could so let him. Then Giles could appear and catch us, and I’d never be able to look him in the eye again, and then he’d tell Buffy and Xander, and they’d hate me. Not forgetting the distinct possibility that Spike would get staked somewhere in the process, and that would not be of the good.

‘Spike. No. I really can’t. We can’t. Not here.’ She managed to push him hard enough again so that she could look him in the eye with her Severe Face, which was almost Resolve Face, but not quite as serious. She kept Resolve Face for life and death situations, and they hadn’t got to that stage just yet.

‘Not now. Come to my house later. We can talk then.’

‘Talk?’ he asked in a low, teasing voice, raising the eternally scarred eyebrow at her. Barely managing to stifle a girlish giggle, and feeling very wanton indeed, Willow nodded.

‘Sure. We can talk. And stuff.’

‘Mmm. I like stuff.’

‘Me too,’ she agreed, pushing her body back against his just a little for emphasis. ‘You’ll come see me later?’

‘Wild horses couldn’t keep me away. Or angry Slayers. You will actually be home this time?’

He knew I wasn’t at home last night.

She nodded. ‘Definitely.’

‘Okay,’ he agreed grudgingly. ‘I'll see you tonight. Sunset.’

‘Sunset,’ she smiled, and wriggled forward on the table a little so that she could jump off it and shoo him out of the library. Spike hissed loudly, and she looked up in alarm.

Oh.

It was that kind of a hiss.

Because he was still standing between her legs, and when she had moved, he hadn’t. Now they were all hips and bodies and hands and touching again, and his eyes had done that tinged with gold thing that just made her so hot that she couldn’t help herself, and maybe the table would hold up to this kind of punishment for just a little longer because he was so close to her, touching her, finally right here with her, wanting her, and she couldn’t just send him away, not now when he was here, and had she mentioned he was touching her?

Strong arms tilted her back on the table as blue gold eyes watched her intently. Her hips slid even further forward until... ‘Willow.’

He growled my name. I made him growl again. Oh god.

She couldn’t help herself. Pushing against the table, she arched her body up against him.

Any second now. Any second now I’ll stop and he’ll leave and I’ll go back to researching. We can do this all night long, and now is not the time. Any second now I’ll stop. Any... second...

‘Willow!’

oh... no...

With a grunt of surprise, Spike was yanked off her and Willow looked up, gathering her wits about her just in time to see a furiously angry Buffy brandishing a stake and advancing on Spike.

Spike!

oh bugger.

Flipping to his feet from where he’d been thrown several feet away, Spike glanced quickly at Willow to see that she was okay, and was immediately ready to fight.

‘Slayer.’

Buffy made him growl too. Different type of growl. Oh dear, this could get really ugly, really fast.

‘Hi, Spike. Long time. How ya been?’ Buffy sounded flippant as she reached him and punched him hard across his jaw. There was a dangerous gleam in her eyes that Willow recognised all too well, the one that told her that her friend was in full-on Slayer mode.

Oh god, it’s happening. They’re going to fight. Because of me. What do I do?

‘Not bloody long enough.’

‘My sentiments exactly. Willow?’ she called to her friend without taking her eyes off the wary vampire. ‘Are you ok? Did he hurt you?’

‘No, Buffy, I'm fine, he didn’t...’

‘Good. Get out of here. This could get messy.’ She glared at Spike. ‘In fact, you could pretty much count on it.’

‘What could?’ Willow asked nervously, stalling for time.

‘Oh, you know. When I rip Spike to shreds with my bare hands for coming back here, trying to hurt my friends.’

Willow jumped from the table in alarm. ‘No, Buffy, you don’t...’

Ignoring her, Buffy and Spike began to circle each other.

‘You’ve had this coming for a long, long time, Spike. This is it. Judgement day. No more chances.’

‘Just the way I like it,’ Spike retorted as his game face appeared, amber eyes glowing with hatred for his natural born enemy who stood armed before him. ‘I've been looking forward to this. I think I'm about to have myself a real good day.’

Buffy let out a bitter laugh. ‘Bring it on.’

‘Guys! Wait!’ Willow ran forward a few paces, but paused as she didn’t want to get in the middle of these two dangerous predators, even if they were her friends.

Spike. Buffy. They’re going to kill each other. What do I do?

‘This was pretty dumb, even for you Spike. Don’t you know better than to try and munch on my friends?’

I know, I bloody well know. That’s what I've been saying right from the start of this whole ridiculous fiasco.

‘But she looked so tasty,’ Spike leered over at Willow, which did nothing to help Buffy’s temper. ‘I just couldn’t help myself, I always have had a sweet tooth. But don’t get your knickers in a twist, Slayer. If you’re jealous I’ll let you go next.’

‘Hey!’ came an enraged yell from two female voices, for two very different reasons. That was the last straw for Buffy. With a battlecry that would have put Xena to shame, she let her anger propel her forward, stake held high. Snarling at the prospect of battle, Spike launched himself forward also, relishing the idea of clashing with the Slayer again.

Buffy landed the first blow. A devastating kick to his jaw that snapped his head back painfully. She bounced on the balls of her feet, and followed it up with a spinning kick which connected with the other side of his face, just as he had managed to straighten himself up again.

‘Guys! Buffy, listen to me!’

‘Willow!’ A punch connecting with Buffy’s face interrupted her. ‘I told you to...’ She blocked and ducked under a thrown punch. ‘Get OUT,’ another fist connected with her face, ‘of here!’

‘Go on, luv. It’s okay.’ Spike grabbed a fistful of cashmere sweater. ‘I’ll catch up with you later.’ With a growl, he threw the enraged Slayer over his head to land several feet away in a heap at Willow’s feet. Willow looked down in horror as Buffy mirrored Spike's earlier move and flipped back into a standing position.

‘You. Will not. Touch her. Again.’

They’re going to kill each other.

‘Oh yeah? Well looks like you’ll have to stop me then, because I didn’t see little Willow complaining too much the first time.’

Hey! Spike is so dead when I get my hands on him. If I get my hands on him. What do I do?

‘That’s it Spike,’ Buffy said, her voice sounding eerily calm. ‘Time to die again.’

Spike and Buffy advanced on one another, each of them with murderous intent. Willow watched, horrified, the scene playing out before her almost in slow motion. Buffy raised her stake and plunged it down through the air, just as Spike’s fangs were barely inches from the tender skin of her throat.

‘SEPARATE.’

Willow’s voice boomed through the library, surprising all three of them, Willow most of all. Buffy and Spike suddenly flew away from each other to land several feet apart, one on either side of Willow. Spike landed against a wall, while Buffy was thrown into one of the bookshelves, which wobbled alarmingly for a few seconds before righting itself behind her. They both looked up in shock at the slightly out of breath witch standing between them.

‘Well,’ said Willow, ‘that was, em, interesting.’

Trying hard not to look at Spike, who she was sure would be grinning at her, she instead turned her attention towards Buffy, who was looking up at her in shock. Grabbing hold of a nearby shelf, Buffy pulled herself to her feet.

‘Buffy?’

‘Okay, firstly, OW!’ Buffy rubbed her elbow where a dark bruise was already visible. ‘Secondly, Willow what the hell are you doing?’

‘Buffy, I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you, but I don’t want you guys to fight. A-are you okay?’

‘I'm fine, Will. But, again, what the hell are you playing at? I don’t need your help here.’

‘I'm not trying to help, I... Buffy, can you give us a minute?’

‘Excuse me?’ Buffy stared at her in shock.

‘I, um, need to talk to Spike for a second. Um, alone.’

‘What? Have you gone completely insane? If you think I’m leaving you alone with him...’

‘Buffy, please. I just need a minute, then I’ll come talk to you.’

Buffy looked at Spike, who had also got to his feet and was looking altogether far too smug in her humble opinion. Something wasn’t right here. This was usually the part where he disappeared while she was distracted, running away and unliving to fight another day. Now Willow wanted to talk to him. Alone. Buffy felt a very unwelcome sense of impending doom.

‘Something smells fishy, and since it’s spaghettios day in the cafeteria, I'm thinking it’s coming from right here.’

‘Buffy, please, I only need a minute.’

‘Willow, I'm not leaving you alone with him. Get a grip. Just what the hell is going on here? What did he do to you?’

‘Buffy,’ Willow said more firmly, determined not to be pushed around about this. ‘Go and wait for me, please. This will only take a second, and then I'll explain everything to you.’

‘I'm not leaving you alone with him.’

Buffy folded her arms, and planted her feet.

Resolve face. It was definitely time for Resolve Face. Buffy saw it, and recognised it. Immediately her Slayer will of iron melted a little. Spike saw it, and grinned a little wider.

That’s my girl.

Buffy bit back her anger and her unease about what was happening.

‘Willow, I don’t like this.’

Willow smiled hopefully.

‘I know. Me neither. Just give me a minute and we’ll talk, okay?’

With a final glare at Spike, Buffy nodded tersely, turned on her heel and left the two of them alone.

‘Scream if you need me,’ she muttered without looking back.

As soon as they were alone, Spike went to Willow and wrapped his arms around her waist.

‘That was amazing, luv,’ he told her with smile. ‘That “separate” thingy, and the way you got rid of the Slayer? I always knew you...’

Willow interrupted him. ‘I told you this would happen.’

‘Well... yeah,’ he shrugged, ‘and I agreed with you. It was only a matter of time. We both knew that.’

‘Yeah, but you-you came to the library. You shouldn’t have done that. We were bound to get caught.’

He pulled her a little closer to him and murmured, ‘I didn’t see you overly complaining at the time, pet.’ He frowned a little as she pulled away from him and stepped out of his embrace.

‘I need you to leave so I can go and talk to Buffy.’

‘What? I'm not leaving you alone to face them.’

‘I only have to talk to Buffy for now. She hates you,’ Willow flashed a brief apologetic smile at her statement of the glaringly obvious truth, ‘but she does have her own dating a vampire issues, so maybe I'll be able to explain to her.’

‘Um, ‘fraid not.’ Spike tapped his ear. ‘Rupe’s out there with her. Sounds like an argument.’

Willow’s face fell. ‘Oh boy.’ She looked up suddenly in horror as another thought struck her.

‘Do you think she’ll tell him I was sitting on the books?’

~~~

Buffy: Faith, these are innocent people.
Faith: No such animal.
~ This Year’s Girl

Willow walked slowly out into the main area of the library, very aware of the tiny steps she was taking, the finite distance between her and the disapproving looks of both Buffy and Giles, and last, but most definitely not least, the tangible presence of the vampire following behind her.

Her nerves were stretched to breaking point, from her and Spike’s *ahem* activities on the table which now seemed light years behind them, and the knowledge that she had been caught.

Caught. They all know your dirty little secret, Willow. You’ve been deceiving your friends and getting your kicks with a vampire. Those evil ugly demons you swore to help Buffy destroy...

This was worse than any walk to the principle’s office. Or so Willow assumed, not ever having been called to the principle’s office in her life.

She stopped at the top of the stairs, looking pensively at Buffy and Giles, and wishing that she had walked just that little bit more slowly so that she would have had just a few more precious seconds before she would have to start this particular conversation.

Spike moved without sound, and yet she felt him stop just behind her, only inches away from touching her. She knew that he stood behind her protectively, scowling at the Slayer and Watcher on the floor beneath them. Spike would like that, she realised. Being in the elevated position, able to look down at his enemies, standing guard over his woman.

She licked her lips with a suddenly too-dry tongue and tried to find a way to explain this to her friends.

Yes, I know that Spike is evil, but I only had sex with him seven or eight... or nine times... over a couple of nights... about a year ago. Blood you say? Why yes, he did drink from me just a little, but it’s really ok, ‘cause he was properly punished for it. Yes, that’s right. Thoroughly punished. I, ah, gave him an enchanted ring and he left the country, never to return. ‘Cept he’s back, and this time I-I nearly had sex with him again in the street and then in this very library. What’s that? Tell you? Yes, I was going to tell you, of course I was. Just as soon as the sun turned purple and people started wearing fur coats and woolly mittens in hell...

‘Uh, guys, I-I can expl...’

‘Willow,’ Giles interrupted in a voice Willow was sure she could have sharpened stakes on, ‘would you kindly tell us why the bloody hell you’re involving yourself with this... this... abomination?’

Oh boy.

Willow swallowed nervously. She hadn’t heard that icy tone of voice from Giles since... since Angel lost his soul and systematically began to tear their lives apart.

Before she could stop it, her suddenly autonomously functioning hand reached out behind her to the vampire she couldn’t see, but knew was there. Cold fingers threaded through her own and Willow was surprised at the sudden calm she felt. As long as he was there, she might have a slight chance at getting through this.

‘Just who the hell are you calling an ‘abomination’, old man?’

Oh. My. God. Spike just called Giles ‘old man’. Scratch that slight chance at getting through this. This is going to get ugly.

Giles speared Spike with a look that Willow was sure would have killed him if he hadn’t already been dead.

‘I was not addressing you, Spike, and if you value your unholy existence, I suggest that you shut. Your damn. Mouth. Clear?’

‘Hooo,’ Spike chuckled, ‘harsh words from the crusty Watcher. Should I be afraid now?’

‘Spike!’ Buffy cut in, taking a threatening step towards them, a stake in her hand. ‘How about you stop hiding behind Willow and we finish what we started? Seems to me like you picked a good day to die... uh, again.’

Willow heard the beginning rumbles of a warning growl from behind her and squeezed Spike’s fingers in alarm. Desperately she sent him a mental plea to behave, for her sake. She still hadn’t turned to look at him since they had come out to face her two angry friends. She had the bizarre conviction that so long as she could keep eye contact with both Buffy and Giles, that full scale war wouldn’t break out.

So far, it seemed to be working.

Just about.

‘Spike?’ she said in a strained voice, her voice seeming too loud to her ears.

‘Yeah, luv?’

‘I-I need for you to leave, so I can talk to Buffy and Giles.’

‘What!? You want me to leave you alone here!? Hell, no. I’m not going anywhere.’

Willow took a deep breath and finally turned to face him.

‘Spike,’ she said softly, hoping that it would be out of earshot to her friends, ‘you’re playing this all wrong. I don’t need protection here.’

She took hold of his other hand and squeezed gently, drawing his dark gaze away from the two figures on the floor beneath them. He looked into her eyes as her words slowly sank in.

‘Let me protect you this time, okay?’ she asked him.

An angry muscle clenched in his cheek as he looked at her. Willow could see that he was on edge, practically twitching for a fight, and so it was with a palpable sense of relief that she saw him nod his acceptance.

I suppose so, witch. This is your call. And I don’t particularly want to get staked. Slayer plus Watcher plus Witch equals Dead Spike. But Willow wouldn’t hurt me. At least, I don’t think she would. She’s a good guy. She didn’t want to have to choose. But she wouldn’t just stand idly by and let me kill her friends. Shit, I knew that already. This has gone way past complicated. I should have bloody well stayed in London.

Spike reached out to her and brushed her cheek with his knuckles.

‘Sure you can manage this by yourself, luv?’

She smiled up at him in what she hoped was a reassuring manner.

‘I’ll be fine. Go on, I’ll catch up with you later.’

She turned back to her friends.

‘He’s going to leave,’ she told them by way of explanation as Spike stormed out, giving one last glare to the fuming Slayer and her Watcher.

‘Um, Spike?’

Willow needs me.

He was back by her side in an instant.

‘Yes, luv, what is it?’

Standing on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear so that Buffy and Giles wouldn’t be able to hear, she told him, ‘It’s daylight. You gotta take the sewers.’

‘Huh?’ he blinked in thought. ‘Oh. Oh! Right. Yeah. I... I knew that.’ Glancing at Buffy and Giles, Spike purposefully bent down to speak in Willow’s ear. Willow was vaguely aware of a furious Buffy taking a step towards them, only to have Giles lay a hand on her arm to stop her.

‘I’ll see you later. Don’t take any shite from those two. They’ll never understand. Or approve. But just remember that I...’

Here Spike paused, leaving Willow to wonder what he was going to say. If it had been anyone else she would have expected promises or platitudes, but with Spike you could never be sure. It was more likely to be a thinly veiled threat or an insult directed at Buffy than anything else.

But he only paused for a moment and then lightly kissed her cheek.

‘...I’ll see you later, ok?’

Remembering to breathe again, she nodded and looked guiltily towards Buffy and Giles as Spike turned on his heel and left the room in the opposite direction, heading back towards the sewer tunnels he was becoming all too accustomed to.

‘Willow,’ Giles began after Spike had disappeared, obviously fighting to control his temper, ‘could you please explain to me why Buffy found you, ah, making time with Spike in my library?’

No mention of manhandling the books. Okay. This is good. Sort of.

‘Willow how could you do this? What about Oz?’

‘What? Who?’

(...purple hair... in a band... presumably undemonic in every way...)

‘Oh... Oz!’ she said as the proverbial penny dropped. ‘Well, h-he’s very nice, but I-I barely know him.’

‘And you think you know Spike so well?’

‘He may not be perfect, with the whole vampire thing, but he hasn’t hurt me, and he won’t.’

‘Don’t be a fool!’ Giles’ voice rang out, echoing slightly in the empty library. Willow flinched at ferocity of his words. ‘Willow, what happened to you? Is he blackmailing you in some way? This just isn’t like you!’

‘He-he saved my life,’ she blurted out. ‘That was how it started. But I didn’t trust him. I-I mean he kissed me, but I didn’t think anything about it. Things just... got a little out of hand.’

‘I see.’ Giles began to pace, too angry to remain standing still any longer. How could he have missed this? What had happened to the Willow he thought he knew?

‘And when did this saintly act of rescuing you take place?’

Willow hung her head. ‘Last year,’ she mumbled.

‘Last year!’ he snapped. ‘Last year!’ Giles quickly calculated in his head, while Buffy simply stood with her mouth hanging open at the horror of this new information.

‘Last year you were only seventeen years old!’ spluttered Giles. ‘And what, now he’s come back to claim you? Is that it?’

‘No!’ Willow’s head snapped up in dismay. ‘I-I mean yes. Or no. I don’t know.’

Wringing her hands together, she crept quickly down the stairs and to the other side of the table, welcoming the feel of the physical barrier between them.

‘What I do know is that he has never tried to hurt me. What he has done is save my life. He also came to me for help, so I... helped him out. He’s my friend.’

‘That would be your... what? Evil, undead, making out in public, “hello! I’m a vampire!” type of friend?’ asked Buffy scornfully.

Willow bit back the retort that was on the tip of her tongue and continued trying to explain to them. ‘He left when I asked him to. You know... before. He left without a backwards glance, for me, because I didn’t want for any of this to happen.’

Willow’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at the hard expressions on their faces. ‘But now he’s come back. For me.’

Neither of them had anything to say anything to this.

Willow lowered her gaze to the floor at her feet.

‘He helped you save the world,’ she said in a small voice.

‘What!?’ Buffy yelled. ‘Don’t you remember all the times he tried to kill us before that? Will, he tried to kill us.’

‘People can change.’

Buffy threw her hands in the air. ‘Willow, don’t be stupid! He’s not people. He won’t change, demons never change. He didn’t do it to save the world! He did it to get his girlfriend back. You know his other girlfriend? The crazy, vampire one who he loved more than anything else on this earth?!’

Willow flinched as though Buffy had hit her. At least, as though someone with non-Slayer strength had hit her, seeing as her feet didn’t leave the ground.

Taking a deep breath, Willow spoke very forcefully, but as calmly as she could manage.

‘The same girlfriend that he sent to Brazil with her boytoy Slime demon, and made sure that she would be taken care of while he stayed right here? The same girlfriend that he didn’t go running back to when I asked him to leave Sunnydale? Yes, I know the one.’

Willow took another deep breath, trying hard to hold on to the remaining shreds of her temper.

‘I also know that you told me that he said he liked this world. He didn’t want it to be sucked into hell, remember?’

Buffy frowned, not liking where this conversation was taking them.

(...“the truth is, I like this world. You've got dog racing. Manchester United”...)

Not giving Buffy a chance to dispute this, Willow continued, her voice growing colder with each word she spoke.

‘He did it so that you wouldn’t stake someone he cared about. That he loved. So that he could get Drusilla away from Angelus who was using and abusing her.’

Then it was Willow’s turn to pin Buffy with an icy glare.

‘You know Angelus, right? The one who drove Drusilla crazy in the first place? Who turned them both into vampires? Your boyfriend? The crazy, vampire one?’

(...“I want Dru back. I want it like it was before he came back. The way she acts around him...”)

Buffy first flinched at the hurtful mention of her beloved Angel, but then her expression grew into one that frightened Willow. She had never seen Buffy look at her that way before, with such fury.

(...how did it get to be so bad?...)

Seeing the mounting tension between the two, Giles decided that this was getting a little out of hand, and now would be a good time to step in.

‘Alright. Both of you. Stop this,’ he told them in the most authoritative voice he could muster, hoping that they would listen to him. ‘You’re both right, and you’re both wrong... Sort of,’ he said with uncertainty. ‘Can we at least agree on that?’

Two sets of angry eyes looked at him and glared.

Giles swallowed nervously. ‘All right, perhaps not.’

Wondering again why he ever decided to become a Watcher, he took a deep breath and decided that it couldn’t hurt to throw in his two cents.

‘Now Willow, while I will agree that Spike is not your typical vampire, the fact remains that he is still a vampire. I know you know what that means. A bloodsucking murdering demon walking around in human form.’

‘Giles, I think I know what a vampire is by now. I’m not completely...’

‘Are you sure?’ he asked sharply, interrupting her. ‘Have you really thought about this? Because in my experience vampires tend to do things for their own motives. Not for the good of others. He could have some very warped agenda here, using you for his own twisted purpose, possibly to get to Buffy. Now I can see how you may view this, but we are your friends and don’t want you to get hurt. You dating a vampire is simply not conducive towards this goal.’

He took a step towards the weary Willow and said more softly, ‘I can see how you might be blinded towards him, he is very charismatic, and I have no doubt that you have been exposed to a side of him that none of us have seen, but the fact remains, he is evil. A murderer.’

‘None of us are completely innocent,’ Willow snapped, cutting him off. ‘Did you ever think of that? Your past isn’t exactly as pure as the driven snow, and you,’ she said, turning to Buffy, ‘you’ve had chances to kill demons before and haven’t taken them. What about the lives they take? Does that make you responsible? What about... what about Ted? Ok,’ she allowed, ‘so he turned out to be a psycho robot, but you when you lost control and killed him, you thought he was human.’

Willow gripped at the edge of the table as she felt her knees weaken under her own weight.

What am I doing?

‘Try living with no conscience and a demon inside you and see how many people you kill. Can you see Angelus doing the things that Spike has for love? Or would he just have been too darn busy trying to kill us all?’

There was a shocked silence in the room.

Willow took a couple of horrified shallow breaths as she realised what she had said.

‘I’m sorry,’ she gulped, immediately apologising, appalled at what she’d said to them, backtracking furiously. ‘I’m sorry, I-I don’t want to make this about you, and god knows I'm not trying to justify what he’s done. A-all I’m trying to say is, no one’s perfect, and I know what you’re telling me. I know I’m being stupid, but I can’t... I can’t just walk away from this until...’

‘Until what?’ Giles asked. ‘What can you possibly need to know that you don’t already? How can you let yourself be taken in by him? Willow, you’re smarter than that.’

‘I know!’ she yelled, shocking them all as fresh tears fell from her eyes. ‘I know! I know what he is.’ She stared at Giles for a long moment before she whispered, ‘I can’t help it.’

With a last forlorn glance at Buffy, Willow turned and ran as fast as she could from the room.

The door to the library swung shut behind her with a bang. The heavy silence in the room stretched out as Buffy kept taking nervous steps towards the door to follow Willow, and then changing her mind, torn between her anger and her uncertainty. Finally, she looked towards Giles, her stalwart source of comfort and knowledge, and what she saw there in his eyes frightened her more than anything Willow had said.

‘Giles? Giles, what is it?’

He sat heavily in one of the random chairs strewn about the room, suddenly feeling very old indeed. He looked at his Slayer wondering how their lives continued to be so complex and simply full to bursting with such spectacularly difficult to handle grey areas.

He was never trained to deal with the grey areas. Train, research, patrol, stake, slay. Guide the Slayer, save the innocents and then home to bed for a cup of tea and a good night’s kip. These were things he knew inside out. Not vampires with souls, charismatic demons and brave young girls with such fragile hearts. So much to deal with in such short lives. He shuddered to think what the future would hold for them.

He wished for the millionth time that he could make Buffy’s life, and the lives of her friends... his friends, less painful, if only it was within his power. Today, however, was evidently not that day.

‘Giles?’ Buffy said again, causing him to look up at her wearily.

He spoke just five words.

‘She’s in love with him.’

~~~

It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.
~ Frederick Douglass

‘How did this happen? I didn’t ever mean for this to happen. I knew something like this would happen. You’re a vampire. A murderer. I knew that and yet I did it anyway.’ She paused in thought. ‘You know, I actually expected it to be a lot worse. With much stronger language, and more bloodshed.’

‘The night is young,’ Spike told her, hoping for a smile.

She didn’t smile.

‘I said bad things would happen, didn’t I tell you bad things would happen? How did it get to be so bad?’

‘It’s not bad, don’t cry, Willow, luv, you’re breaking my heart. You said we would fight. We didn’t fight. Not really. We just... discussed, that’s all. This is just something we’ll have to work through. Have a Jerry Springer moment or some such. You know, em, “I’m dating an undead creature of the night and my friends can’t deal”. We’ll have a bit of a punch-up, em, without the stakes, and all go home as chums.’

Willow smiled up at him, but couldn’t help it when her lower lip trembled and the tears began again. ‘You’ll never be friends with Buffy. She’s the Slayer. My best friend, and I said such terrible things to her.’

‘What did you say?’

‘I told her that no one’s innocent. Not even them.’

‘Uh huh.’

‘I also might have mentioned Angel..us. In a not nice sort of a way, and I-I might have compared him unfavourably to you.’

‘What?’ Spike drew back to look at her as though in a new light, not bothering to hide the fact that he was very impressed. ‘I'll wager Buffy didn’t like that one little bit. I didn’t think you had it in you, pet.’

‘Oh, I have it in me, alright. I’m the worst best friend ever.’

‘Did you tell her the truth?’

‘What?’

‘Buffy. Did you tell her the truth?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then you’re still you. A good friend to have. The best. It takes brass balls to tell people what they need to hear.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah.’

Then why can’t I tell you that I can’t be with you if you’re going to keep on being the murdering vampire? How important is this to you? How important am I?

‘Yeah, maybe she’ll see it that way in a year or five.’

‘She’ll come around,’ he told her, aiming for compassionate and sympathetic, but managing only to sound doubtful and pessimistic to both of them.

Not wanting to talk anymore, she snuggled down in his arms and tried to will away the urge to cry which just wouldn’t leave her alone. Emotionally exhausted, she had almost drifted off to sleep resting against him when his deep voice awoke her with a start.

‘You could leave with me.’

‘What?’

‘Come with me. Let me, uh, let me take you away from all this,’ he said with a crooked smile.

‘What?’ She sat up. ‘Why do you care so much? You could just walk away.’ She let out a sudden burst of laughter. ‘I mean, come on, you could kill me and walk away. No harm, no foul.’

Spike frowned. ‘Don’t do that, luv. I care. Bloody well wish I didn’t, then I could still be king of the hill in London. Although,’ he considered, ‘I could turn you if you like, then I guarantee you wouldn’t care quite so much. Although,’ he smiled indulgently at her, ‘I, ah, happen to like you just the way you are, witch. Fuzzy pink bits an’ all. So come with me.’

She smiled at him briefly through her tears before shaking her head resolutely. ‘No, I can’t. This is my home. I’m needed here.’

He smiled softly at her. ‘I need you.’

‘You do?’

He nodded.

I want him to stay. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything as much.

Softly she told him, ‘Then we’ll have to figure out a way for you to stay.’

~~~

Giles: Yes, it's terribly simple. The good guys are always stalwart and true, the bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats, and, uh, we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies, and everybody lives happily ever after.
Buffy: Liar.
~ Lie to Me

In a forced march, Buffy swiftly covered the ground of her third cemetery of the evening. She had been wandering around furiously, itching for a fight since the second the sun had set, hoping against hope that she would run into Spike, although her common sense told her that he would be safely holed up somewhere with Willow.

She probably even invited him into her house. Stupid, so stupid! I don’t wanna even think what else she let him do.

In the unlikely event that she did run into Spike, she had been thinking up lots of stories she could tell about his “accidental” staking. How she didn’t recognise him until it was too late, or they had been animatedly “discussing” Willow’s welfare, and he just “tripped” and “fell” onto her stake. “Accidentally”.

Apparently, whatever story she came up with would require a lot of making parenthesis in the air with her fingers as she told it.

Hey! I don’t need any stories. Dust! He’ll turn into dust! How dumb am I? And I’ve only been the Chosen One for... what? My entire life now? He’ll be dust. I’ll be happy. There’ll be no incriminating body. No one would ever know. Willow would never know. She’d just think he left town.

She sighed deeply, and slowed her furious walking pace, going to the nearest gravestone and sat dejectedly on it, swinging her feet.

She’d know. It’s Willow. Of course she’d know, I've never been able to lie to her. All that would accomplish is turning him into a martyr. Kind of. Well, same principle - I kill him, and she’d never forget him. Or ever forgive me. I just wish she could see what a huge, disgusting undead mistake she’s making. I don’t get it. I really don’t. I know I made a mistake with Angel, but he has a soul. So he’s good. Spike’s evil. Eeeeeviil. Simple.

(... “I like this world. Dog racing. Manchester United”...but she looked so tasty... I’m not going anywhere...)

Buffy slumped lower on the gravestone.

(...none of us are completely innocent... does that make you responsible?...)

Am I guilty? I couldn’t kill Angel... Angelus. He took Miss Calendar and I don’t even know how many more. Ted. He made Mom so happy and I didn’t like him. Some old guy slaps me and I go totally postal worker on him. I thought he was human, and I killed him. God, only Willow could make me feel guilty when she’s the one being bad.

(... “Painful, isn't it?”...)

To hell with them. I'm the Slayer. I... I did what was right. I killed him, my Angel, to save everybody else.

‘This,’ she said to herself as she jumped off the gravestone, ‘officially sucks. I am going to kill some vampires, thereby alleviating all guilt and saving some lives.’

She set off again in a not quite so frenetic pace, keeping a sharp look out for fresh graves or any other creatures of the night who looked like they needed a good staking.

‘Now all I have to do is find some.’

~~~

Buffy snuck around the corner, keeping her body tight to the wall. Sounds of a struggle reached her, and she could feel that certain *something* in the air that just screamed ‘vampire’. Peeking around the corner, she saw tonight’s lucky victim, held against the wall by her throat, whimpering in fear at the vampire who was taunting her.

A blond vampire.

Buffy’s heart gave a lurch, a sadistic glow lighting her eyes. She quickly checked the alleyway, making sure that there were no other vampires nearby and walked around the corner, tossing her stake from palm to palm.

‘Well, well, well, what do we have here? If it isn’t *gasp* horrors! A vampire!’

The blond head snapped around to growl at her, long hair spilling out over his shoulders, his ridged demon face half-visible in the shadows.

‘Hey, what’s with the hair?’ Buffy looked him up and down. ‘Aw, crap. You’re not Spike.’

The vampire turned to face her, relinquishing his hold on the terrified girl.

‘Not last time I checked, no.’

‘You,’ Buffy told the girl in mild annoyance, ‘run away now.’

Not needing to be told twice, the girl whimpered her fear and sprinted away from them, the clacking of her heels echoing along the alleyway.

The vampire tossed his vibrant hair in annoyance.

(...Buffy Summers, I presume?...)

'Heyyy, I know you.'

The leader of the vampire gang she had faced the previous night, not looking quite so smug now that he didn't have dozens of vampires standing beside him. Buffy saw that he was still wearing the same black outfit. She wondered again if vampires all shopped at the same store. They seemed to leap out of their graves and make a beeline straight for the nearest leather goods store to deck themselves out in the darkest colours they could find. The effect here had been ruined slightly however where the black shirt had been left unbuttoned at the throat, a garish red, blue and orange Hawaiian shirt peeking through.

She sighed. ‘It’s you. Mr. Swishy Ponytail Leader guy. I was wondering when you’d show up again.’

‘Dude, I... uh,’ the vampire caught himself, pausing and drew himself up to his full height. ‘I mean, Sssslayer. You will die now.’

‘Ohhhh, that’s original. If I had a quarter for every... dude?’ She blinked. ‘Wait. Did you just call me ‘dude’?’

‘Uhh, no?’ the vampire informed her, not sounding altogether convinced himself.

Buffy grimaced. ‘I can’t believe I have to kill somebody who just called me ‘dude’.’

‘You cannot kill me. I am stronger than you could know, older than...’

He was rudely interrupted by a small but perfectly formed fist punching him hard on the nose.

‘Ow!’ he yelled, stumbling back a few paces with his hands over his face, ‘’ou boke by dose!’

‘That’s okay,’ she reassured him, ‘it’ll only hurt for a second. You know, for the rest of your unnatural life.’

‘Whad!? Man, dhat sugs! I'm soo gonna sug your blud.’

‘Oh, pleeeease.’

Buffy hit him again, one blow after another, followed by a devastating kick to the chest which knocked the vampire off his feet.

‘Not such a tough guy now. I hate it when you guys are all talk.’

Stepping over the fallen demon, Buffy grabbed an arm, twisting it up behind his back. Satisfied that she had him in a secure hold, she hooked her other arm around his neck and tilted, pulling his head up at an awkward angle.

‘So, the rest of your flunkies. Where are they?’

‘Bide be, Slay-urh.’

Buffy pulled her arm back, hearing the bones in his neck creak under the pressure. She flinched slightly at his yelp of pain.

‘Okay, okay, doh more. I’ll tawk. Dhey’re gone, man. Dhey’re all gone.’

‘Gone?’ she frowned. ‘What do you mean? They skipped town?’

‘Doh, I bean gone, like dust in da wind, dude.’

‘Oh yeah? And how exactly did this all happen in the space of a day? Did you guys have a little fight?’

The vamp licked his lips nervously, wholeheartedly not enjoying this perfectly horrible end to his perfectly horrible week. Contrary to the demon grapevine, the hellmouth had not turned out to be the demon mecca that it had promised to be. He swiped ineffectually at his nose, hurting himself in the process, but managing to clear it a little.

‘I don’t dho, it was like, dis crazy blond freak appeared oudda nowhere, leather swishin’ all around him. He had this really cool agcent too and maaan was he pissed. I don’ get it, he was a vambire! Killin’ his own kind. He kebt mumblin’ stuff like “bastards kebt be away from her” and, like “coulda hurd by girl” stuff like dhat, y’know? So like, we figured, y’know, he was bangin’ the Slay... I bean, like he was your boyfriend or somefin’.’

‘Figured he was my... eww! Yuck.’ Buffy tightened her grip and scowled. ‘So yuck. I should so kill you right now.’

‘No hold on, Slay... uh, uh... miss?’ the vampire struggled for a polite way to address her, without annoying her further. ‘Miss, uh, Sumbers. Slayer. I told you what you wanted to know. Dhey’re all gone, man. All my compadres, dissed, dismissed and deceased. So how ‘bout you cut me a break, huh? I’m all I’ve got left.’

Buffy thought for a moment, and then shrugged. ‘Sure,’ she said, ‘I’ll cut you a break.’

Not able to believe his luck, the vampire smiled at her, his relief evident. The smile froze forever as Buffy grabbed his chin and yanked, pulling hard enough until she heard the wet popping sound of his neck breaking. Then with another hard twist, suddenly the solid mass of vampire before her disappeared, and she was left holding nothing but air and dust.

‘And Spike is not my boyfriend,’ she said, waving her hand in front of her face, wafting the dust away. She looked down in disgust at the same dust settling onto her clothes.

‘Eugh. As if.’

Then she sighed.

‘But I’m starting to think he really might be Willow’s.’

~~~

‘All of them? He killed the whole gang?’

‘That’s what their leader said. Spike went mental ‘cause they tried to hurt Willow and so he dusted the whole gang. Sounds like the leader was lucky to get away with his life. Uh... unlife.’

Giles frowned at her. This was the last thing he had expected to hear of Spike doing. True – it was a vicious, violent and deadly thing to do, but he had killed vampires, not humans, and had apparently done it for Willow. He also hadn’t boasted about it to them when he had been caught in the library, so perhaps, just perhaps, he hadn’t had any ulterior motives.

And just perhaps this was all far too much to hope for. Perhaps this would all still end horribly, with Willow a vampire or a mutilated corpse, and the blame would rest entirely with him for not being able to stop it before it happened.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Giles realised that Buffy was still talking to him. He supposed that it must be nice to be the Slayer, and only require the minimum amount of sleep each night. He could hear the beginnings of bird song outside his house, and he was, quite frankly, exhausted.

‘...all be a trick. Do you really think we can trust her with him? I don’t get it, he still hates us, and trust me the feeling’s totally mutual, but he protects her, even if it means helping me slay.’

‘He helped you slay?’

Buffy frowned, deep in thought as she paced up and down Giles’ living room, wearing a hole in the carpet.

(... “I hate you... And I'm all you’ve got”...)

‘Well, it’s not like we were fighting side by side with Willow telepathically yelling directions at us, but he did kill some of the demons that threatened us last year, although I suppose that was more for fun than anything else. Then the whole Alfalfa thing...’

‘Acathla,’ Giles interrupted.

Buffy waved her hand at him absently. ‘Whatever. And now he took out a nest of vamps single handed because they threatened Willow and kept her away from him.’

Giles sighed, something he felt he was doing far too often recently. ‘I see. So he doesn’t want anyone to hurt her. That’s acceptable. But what about him?’

‘What what about him?

‘I mean does he include himself in that equation? Is it acceptable for him to hurt her?’

(... “I don't want to hurt you, baby. Doesn't mean I won't...”)

‘I don’t know,’ she admitted uneasily. ‘Who can tell how the alpha male vampire mind works? But you’ve seen them together. He’s so gentle. Protective even. It’s really bizarre. He’s like a whole other person to the Spike that we know and passionately hate. I don’t get it, I just don’t get it. How can he care about her? He’s a vampire.’

Giles mulled over his own thoughts for a moment before asking, ‘So what do we do?’

Buffy sighed, and sank onto the edge of the nearest chair, balancing her chin on her hands. ‘I don’t know. What are we going to do if she won’t listen? Lock her up?’

Giles shook his head briefly. Buffy pondered for a moment and said hopefully, ‘I could stake him,’ but her face fell. ‘Willow would never forgive me if I did.’

‘Quite, but perhaps that is our only viable course of action. It is for her own good.’

Absently, Buffy rubbed the elbow she had bruised when Willow had used the ‘separate’ spell on her and Spike.

‘Yeah, but do you really want to piss her off that much?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘She’s strong Giles. I-I don’t want to get on the wrong side of her magic. Worst case scenario? We fight. I wouldn’t want to see the outcome of that.’ Buffy looked uneasy. ‘I get it though; why she’d do it, I mean. I’d do the same for Angel. I mean, I don’t think she’d intentionally hurt us, but if she loves him like you say...’

Her voice trailed of, leaving the unpleasant statement hanging. Giles nodded, realising what she meant. He knew Willow was their friend, and he had no doubt that she would lay down her life for either of theirs in an instant, but he also knew anger... and love made people do crazy things. Willow was tapping into powerful sources of magic, and if she truly did love Spike and they killed him... he didn’t like to imagine the consequences.

‘It appears we’re stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place.’

Buffy leant back in the chair, her body slumped and eyes unfocused. ‘Mmm.’

‘It also looks as though we wait.’

‘Giles, I hate waiting.’

‘I know,’ he sighed, ‘but there’s nothing else for us to do. We wait, keep our fingers very tightly crossed,’ Buffy nodded reluctantly at this, ‘and we stake him the second he puts a foot out of line.’

The Slayer attempted a smile. ‘Now that part I like.’

Giles turned slightly away from her and busied himself with something on his desk.

‘And, um, may I suggest that in the meantime we no longer invite Willow into our homes.’

‘Giles! Don’t say that!’ Buffy snapped at him. That was the worst part of all this. Willow would never choose to be turned, but if he did it against her will... Buffy made a decision, there and then that for Willow, even if he did turn her, she still wouldn’t stake him.

She wouldn’t stake him.

Nope, instead she’d chain him up in her basement, feed him on diseased rats for years, and take up playing darts, with him as the dartboard. See exactly what happened when you ran someone through with a hot poker, or use him as a punching bag. Supersoakers filled with holy water. How long it would actually take for vampire fingers and toes to grow back.

All sorts of tempting forms of torture danced in her head.

But he wouldn’t turn her. He just couldn’t.

‘Umm, it’s just... just a precaution,’ Giles assured her, turning awkwardly and heading for the kitchen.

I mean, just look at what happened with Angel...

~~~