Spike sat in Angels chair facing the window. Leaning back, closing his eyes and letting the sun wash over him.

"Get out of my chair Spike." Angel said as he came into his office.

"Let me think..No." Spike replied as he remained seated.

"Spike this is my office. Get out." Angel said a little more threateningly.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Again. NO." Spike said raising his voice. "Why don't I have an office? Everyone else does." Spike asked as he stood and started pacing.

"Cause they work here. You don't." Angel said taking his chair.

"Yes I do. I helped you before I was solid. You won't let me leave until all this universe is in upheavel thing is sorted. And I'm still helping you. That makes me an employee, who needs an office, a place to live. I can't keep staying here." Spike said angrily.

Angel dropped his head and sighed.

"You're right." Angel said quietly.

"I'm what?"Spike said supised as he spun to face Angel.

Angel looked up at Spike. "You're right. I guess I never gave it a considerable amount of thought. I can have something for you by the end of the day." Angel finished looking at Spike.

"Good. Fine. End of the day would be fine." Spike said still a little stunned.

"Good can you leave now so I can get some work done." Angel said as he opened a folder.

"Will it be big? Will I have windows like these? Am I gettin an apartment too?" Spike asked hurriedly.

Angel just closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Right. I'll just go and see what science girl is up to." Spike said as he walked out of the office.

Angel was reading a file when Wesley walked into his office.

"Something really has to be done about Spike." Wesley said calmly.

"What's he done now?" Angel asked slumping back into the chair.

"Well he hasn't really done anything. But he keeps interrupting us while we're working. Can't you give him an assignment or something." Wesley said coming close to sounding like he was pleading.

"Just a minute Wes." Angel said picking up his phone.

"Harmony, check and see if there's another apartment in the building that's unoccupied." Angel said then hung up the phone.

Five minutes later Harmony walked into Angels office.

"There's only the two apartments in the building. Yours and one two floors up from yours." Harmony said as she set the paper down in front of Angel. "It's empty." Harmony said as she turned and walked out.

"Wesley, go tell Spike I have something for him to look into. This should keep him busy for awhile."

**********************

Spike and Angel rode the elevator in silence. When the door opened, they both stepped out glancing around.

It looked almost exactly like Angels, but it had two bedrooms.

"How come you took the smaller one Peaches?" Angel said as he walked around the apartment.

"Didn't even know this one was here." Angel answered.

"You're office will be ready by morning. Harmony will show you where it is." Angel said as she went back to the elevator.

"Do I have to keep it looking like this? Can I change the furniture and stuff?" Spike asked.

"It's yours, do what you want." Angel said inwardly wincing at the pictures in his head at what it will look like when Spike's finished.

Spike spent the remainder of the day in the apartment, going from room to room. He stood by the window watching the sun slowly disappear behind the buildings and the darkness began to take over.

*****************************

Willow walked into Wolfram and Hart, slowly making her way to reception while looking around.

"Hi. I'm here to see Angel." Willow said to the little bald guy behind the desk. "Are you his secretary?" Willow asked scrunching her eyebrows.

The little guy snoted. " No, she's went to lunch a couple hour ago. Someone had to take her place." The little man said looking at her disdainfully.

"Oh. Okay, Well I'm Will........

"I don't care who you are. He's in there." The little man said grumbling.

Willow stood there for a minute before knocking on his door.

"Come in." Angel said not looking up from his paper work.

"Hey. Nice to see you Angel." Willow said as she closed the door behind her.

"Willow." Angel said standing and walking around his desk.

Willow came over and hugged him.

"How've you been?" Willow asked when she pulled back.

"Good. The same." Angel replied with a small smile.

"Good. Glad to hear." Willow said as Angel led her to the sofa.

"Not that It's not good to see you, but what brings you to L.A.?" Angel asked as he sat down beside her.

"Actually I was coming through to go visit Xander and thought I'd stop by. You don't mind do you? Cause I could you know.." Willow said quickly.

"No. Willow it's fine." Angel assured her.

*******************

"It was good to see you Willow. Can you stop in on your way back?" Angel asked.

"Sure can. I'll se you in a couple days." Willow said as she closed his door and walked out into the lobby.

Willow pulled her keys out of her purse. When she went to close her purse, her keys fell to the floor.

Willow picked them up and started to walk still looking down, stopping in her tracks when she heard a familliar voice from somewhere behind her.

She slowly turned around and froze to the spot when she saw the familliar bleached hair and leather duster walking closer to her.

"I'm telling you pet, he's not the one for you." Spike said shaking his head as he continued walking with Fred.

"Well........he's nice....and he always finds time to talk to me. He's a good guy." Fred said defensively.

"Yeah....I'm sure he's a ' real good guy'. But you don't have that look about you." Spike replied.

"What look?" She asked hesitantly.

"The one where, the world could end tomorrow and you wouldn't care as long as that person was with you, or you knew they would survive and have a good life, with or without you." Spike said quietly answering her question.

"Wow." Fred whispered looking at Spike. She looked over his shoulder when she saw Willow standing behind him.

"Spike.............turn around." Fred said leading him by the elbow.

"What? What's so bloody important you ................" Spike stopped talking the minute his eyes landed on Willow.

Spike looked at her confusedly at first. "Willow?" Spike said as he looked her over.

"Spike. You're alive." Willow said moving the last couple of feet to stand in front of him.

"Undead." He said softly as he smiled. His looked turned to a concerned frown. "Buffy.............she's okay?" He asked hurriedly.

"Yeah, Buffy's fine. I just........was passing through and stopped by. Really glad I did." Willow said as she came in and wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly.

Spike was startled for a moment, Willow had never hugged him before. But after a minute she put his arms around her and returned the embrace.

"Buffy finally told me what you did. Thank you Spike. We wouldn't be here if you hadn't have done what you did." Willow said as she wiped away a tear.

"Why are you here? Why doesn't Buffy know?" Willow asked quietly.

Spiked ducked his head. "Long story luv." He whispered.

"I have at least fifty years thanks to you." Willow said watching him.

Spike smiled and shook his head. "Come on." Spike said quietly as he tilted his head. Spike led her to the elevator and up to his apartment.

"Nice place." Willow said as she looked around.

"Yeah, just got it today." Spike replied as he stepped into the livingroom and sat down.

"Okay......spill." Willow said as she sat down in the chair accross from him.

Spike pulled out his smokes. He took one then placd the pack on the table. He lit it then took a long hall as he looked at Willow.

Chapter 2

"I still think you should call Buffy. She'd want to know your back." Willow said as she sat across from Spike.

Spike shook his head slowly as a small smile covered his lips.

"No she wouldn't. She doesn't need me back in her life mucking it up. It's better this way." Spike replied quietly.

"Better for who Spike?" Willow asked making him look at her.

"For her. For me. That part of her life is over. Me being there would be a constant reminder of what was lost." Spike answered honestly.

"I think you're wrong. I'll keep your secret.....well I won't tell her anyway, but if she askes I won't lie." Willow said sternly.

"Fair enough." Spike chuckled knowing this wouldn't be something that came up in idle conversation. He was pretty sure Buffy would never find out.

"Look, it's late. Why don't you stay here and leave in the morning." Spike said standing up and showing Willow to the spare room.

"I'll see you before you leave." Spike said as he bid goodnight.

*********************

Spike walked back into his apartment after seeing Willow off. He grabbed the paper that was sitting on the table and smiled as he read it.

Willow had left her cell number for him as well as Buffys just in case he changed his mind. She had also left specific times for him to call her if he chose to trying to keep her promise of secrecy.

Spike put the note in the drawer of his desk as he moved through the livingroom to his room.

He quickly removed his clothes and climbed into bed only pulling the sheet up to his hips.

He laid there unable to sleep for some time. Seeing Willow again made his thoughts drift to Buffy.

He was sure he made the right decision, but it didn't mean it was easy to stay away. It had to be the hardest thing he's ever done.

Dying twice, was easy compared to this.

After a few hours his eyes finally began to droop as sleep took over.

**********************

A few days later Spike and Angel greeted Willow as she walked through the lobby.

They spent some time in Angels office talking before she had to leave.

On her way out she went over to Spike and hugged him tightly.

"I told Xander I would be visiting more often. So i'll be stopping by alot. Give you the scoop of what's what." Willow said as she pulled back.

"You got my note right?" Willow asked as she pulled her keys from her purse.

"Yeah......I got it." Spike replied.

"Good. Make sure you use it." Willow said with a face that broached no argument from Spike.

"Alright pet. I'll keep in touch." Spike said chuckling.

"You do that."Willow replied as she turned and left the building.

"What was that about?" Angel asked as he came out of his office towards Spike.

"Nothing." Spike said as he turned and walked away.

**********************

Willow pulled into the driveway. As she climbed out of the car she was greeted by a smiling Buffy.

"So anything interesting happen?" Buffy said as she grabbed Willows bags.

"You could say that." Willow replied closing the car door.

"How was Xander doing?" Buffy asked not hearing Willows comment.

Willow sighed as she tried to figure out a way for Buffy to bring up Spike.

"Xanders Xander. He misses you though. Misses everyone." Willow replied.

"I know. I miss him too." Buffy replied as she opened the front door.

"Maybe you should come sometime. I promised I'd visit more often. In fact I'll be going there in about four weeks." Willow said hopefully.

"Sounds good Will. I'm sure they can live without me her for awhile. Time away might be good." Buffy said as she set Willow bags down on her bed.

"Yeah. A road trip. You and me and the open road." Willow said excitedly.

Buffy laughed as she sat on the bed.

"So, how is he really?" Buffy asked more serious.

"He's dealing. But he doesn't look well Buffy. Maybe we could talk him into moving here." Willow said as she bagan to unpack.

"That bad?" Buffy asked an a quiet voice.

Willow just nodded throwing her laundry into the basket.

"We'll work it out. Don't worry." Buffy replied as she stood up and went to the door turning back to face Willow.

"Call him. See if he wants to spend Christmas with us. It's a couple months away. In the meantime, we can work on getting him to move here." Buffy said as she walked out of the room.

Willow picked up the phone and dialed Xanders number.

"Xand, what are you dong for Christmas?" Willow asked.

"Apparently something with you." Xander replied with amusement in his voice.

"Better beleive it mister." Willow said as she came to a decision.

"Are you sitting down?" Willow asked as she moved over and closed her door tight.

"This is something I need to sit down for?" Xander replied wincing slightly as his voice hitched.

"Yeah.......sitting would be a good idea." Willow said.

"Oh god. Just tell me." Xander said bracing himself.

Willow relayed everything about Spike to Xander covering everything from the time he reappeared.

Willow heard a thud as her brows furrowed.

"You didn't sit down did you?" Willow asked with a frown.

"I'm okay. Really." Came Xander strangled reply.