So cold...Buffy thought as Spike's cool lips played across hers, his tongue entangling with hers as he pressed her a bit farther against the pillar she had her back too, both blondes oblivious to the activity of the Bronze around them.

She broke the kiss to breath, and inhaled deeply. Spike stared down at her, a small smile curling his lips as he watched the petite blond catch her breath; drinking in the way her chest heaved underneath her jacket, and the heated flush of her cheeks.

She lifted her greenish-blue eyes to his, nearly gasping at the emotions roiling within them. Lust, desire, love and tenderness...things that weren't supposed to exist in a soulless creature's eyes.

She felt overwhelmed by his eyes...his lips...by his arms, which were loosely draped around her, as if he instinctively knew she was still a little claustrophobic since her experience in digging herself out of her own grave.

Spike dipped his head to her throat, kissing the soft skin, and Buffy tilted her head, closing her eyes as his lips slid along the column of her throat; his tongue darting out to taste her salty-sweet skin. He lifted his lips to her ear, whispering quietly, "We should get you home, luv...make sure Dawn's all right."

She looked up at him, and he smiled at the disappointed pout on her face, "Don't you want to know why I was planning a father-son outing with the Watcher? I know I do," He dropped his lips back to hers, lightly kissing her, and Buffy smiled.

"Hmmm...Randy."

Spike lifted his head, "Oh...shush up, Joan."

"What?" Buffy said as Spike let go of her, and they walked out of the Bronze, heading down to Revello Drive together, "What's wrong with Joan? It's a nice, normal name."

"Boring," Spike intoned, "You forgot boring. It's like William...it's a soddin' poofter's name," Spike glanced down at the hand swinging by Buffy's side, then tentatively reached for it.

Buffy looked at him in surprise when he enclosed her small hand in his large one and the vampire fidgeted nervously. She smiled a tiny bit, and then gave it a small squeeze, nearly laughing when Spike visibly relaxed. "You're nervous."

"Well..." Spike glanced at her, "Last time we kissed...you wanted to pretend it never happened...makes a bloke kinda wonder where he stands with you..."

"Complaining about your crumb now?" Buffy teased as they turned onto her street together, and she frowned when she saw a bunch of boxes piled up her porch, "What in the hell?"

"Just what I was thinking," Spike said as Buffy let go of his hand to jog up to her house as Tara came out, carrying another box, dried tears evident on her face.

"Tara? What's going on?" Buffy asked in concern as Spike came up beside her, and the vampire's eyes narrowed.

"It was her, wasn't it?" He asked acidly, and Tara sniffled, swiping at fresh tears.

"She...she wanted Buffy to for-forget about being in heaven..." Tara said softly, "She...she promised she wouldn't...that she wouldn't do magic for a week...she couldn't even go one night..."

"Willow did this?" Buffy asked in stunned confusion, "But...why?"

Spike shoved past the two girls, and Tara let out a small sob as the vampire snarled up the stairs, "Willow! Get your 'effin arse down here NOW!"

Dawn came running down the stairs, her eyes wide, "What's happening?"

"You, go back to bed!" Spike ordered, "You have school."

"But I..."

"NOW!"

Dawn turned on her heel at his no-nonsense tone and raced past Willow on her way down, and Buffy gently led Tara back in, who was fairly quaking at the thought of the confrontation that was coming.

"NOW, RED! Or so help me, God, I will drag you down here by your fuckin' venomous TONGUE!"

Willow's eyes were narrowed as she came into sight, "Don't you dare threaten me, Spike."

"I'll do whatever I damn well please!" Spike snapped, pointing towards the living room, "You get in there now."

"You're not actually going to let him talk to me like that?" Willow asked Buffy and Tara. Tara only looked away as Buffy's eyes narrowed a bit.

"We need to talk, Willow."

Willow stalked down the stairs, and shoved past Spike to get into the living room, and sank down onto the couch, sulking.

Spike glanced at Tara, whose shoulders were slumped, and her head bowed in a defeated posture, and he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Why don't you make us some cocoa or something, luv? Take your time...pull yourself together a bit, eh?"

Tara lifted her head a bit, biting her lip, "No...I...should go. My friend's expecting me...sh-she said I could stay with her tonight..."

Spike gave her an understanding smile, and Tara glanced over her shoulder as a horn honked outside, "I...should go..." She turned and darted out the door.

Spike took a deep breath, trying to rein in his temper a bit before whirling on his heel and Buffy followed him slowly, wanting nothing more then to disappear up the stairs and let Spike handle it by himself, but remembered what Giles had told her. My responsibilities...not his...he doesn't even have to be here...

Spike glared at Willow, who was sullenly glaring back at him, "Look at you...you're nothing more then a spoiled little child! What the bleeding hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with me!"

"Nothing?! You call this nothing?! We could've gotten killed tonight because of your irresponsible spell-casting!"

"Excuse me? Me get us killed? Whose the one that brought some kind of demon mafia down on us, huh?" Willow asked snidely, "We wouldn't have had a problem if you hadn't brought your loan shark down on us!"

"You're actually trying to pawn this off on Spike?!" Buffy asked in surprise, "Are you insane?!"

Willow shot Buffy a look, lifting her chin haughtily, "I was trying to help you."

"Help me?! Goddamn it, Willow...I think you did enough to help me," Buffy spat out angrily, shaking her head as Spike glared banefully at the witch.

"You were fucking with people's minds, Red. You had no bloody right. Don't you think I've had enough with people messing around in my brain?! And Tara! The woman you supposedly bloody well love! The girl who just had her brain sucked not four months before! You're no bloody better then Glory!"

"It's not the same thing!"

"It is the same BLOODY THING!" Spike shouted, "You had no right to mess with people's minds, Red! I don't care how omnipotent you think you are! You don't get to decide what people do or don't remember!"

"Oh, come on!" Willow jumped to her feet, and Spike and Buffy both instinctively took a step back, "It was an accident, all right?! I didn't mean to make everyone forget..."

"You're playing with forces you don't understand, little girl," Spike's voice dipped low, his entire manner breathing of danger, "This is well beyond little balls of sunshine and conjuring baby-eating trolls. These are real dark forces. You're screwing with the natural order of things! You're not a Wiccan, anymore! A Wiccan would never condone these actions! Tara would never do this!"

"Tara's weak," Willow replied flippantly, "And I was just trying to help Buffy. I actually care that she's suffering because of what she had been through! I was trying to make her like before...when she was happy!"

"Wake up, Willow! I wasn't going through anything till you decided to just one day bring me back from the dead. You ripped me from paradise! So sue me for being NOT HAPPY at the moment! And I'm trying...I'm trying to get along...and I'm trying to find my happiness again...but you can't do this to me! You can't be like this! You have to stop it before...before you really lose control of yourself. You never used to be like this!"

"I am in control, Buffy!" Willow cried out, "Don't you see that?! Don't you see I'm trying to take care of you?!"

"I don't need you to take care of me, Willow! I don't need you...I don't need you interfering in my life...in my head! You have no right! This is me! This is what I am! And I'm sorry if that's not good enough for you! I'm sorry if you think I'm unfeeling or...or I don't know! This is me, goddamnit, and if you have a problem with it, get out of my damn house!"

Willow cast her eyes down, "I'm...I'm sorry...you're right...I...I'm sorry...I promise...no more spells...unless you really need them for slaying...or...or...there's nothing that will work...oh...and when I'm trying to de-rat Amy."

Buffy glanced at Spike, who was studying Willow intently, and then looked back at Willow, "We'll talk some more tomorrow...I've had a long night..."

"All right," Willow smiled brightly, then glanced towards Spike, her gaze darkening a tiny fraction, "I'll walk you out."

"I got it, Wills," Buffy assured her, and Spike removed a cigarette from his pocket as he followed her towards the door, and Buffy grabbed it out of his mouth before he could lit it.

Spike rolled his eyes, muttering low beneath his breath, "She's watching us."

"The tree...an hour..." Buffy whispered back, and Spike very subtly nodded before loping off into the night.

"Night, Buffy," Willow said, heading up the stairs, and Buffy sighed as she heard the door to her room close, and went towards her room.

In exactly an hour, there was a knock at her window, and she opened it to admit Spike, and the blond vampire climbed in quietly, "Why do I have the feeling that you didn't ask me here to make out some more?"

"I didn't," Buffy shook her head, "It's...Willow...I think she's..."

"Lying?" Spike answered, and Buffy gave him a relieved look, glad she didn't have to say it herself.

"Yeah...she...gave up way too easy...and she just let Tara walk out. Something's really wrong with her, Spike...I...I can feel it."

"Me too, luv," Spike shook his head slightly, "The...air around her has changed...we can probably pick it up because of our heightened senses."

"Like...if you get near her...you can feel her power...and it's not a good one? I'm starting to get the wiggins around her that I might when I felt a demon watching me...and tonight...tonight I really noticed it. It's gotten stronger." Buffy sat down on the edge of her bed, looking up at Spike worriedly.

"She's starting to cross lines I wouldn't touch," Spike replied, "Even before...she needs help, Slayer...before she goes too far and you all get hurt."

Buffy sighed heavily as Spike sat down beside her, "I wish Giles was here."

"I know, luv," Spike shook his head slightly, "Listen...if worst comes to worst...I can call in a few favors...I know some warlocks pretty heavy with the mojo...they could bind...or limit her powers."

"I want to believe...that it's not gone that far," Buffy said softly, looking towards him, "But just in case..."

He looked down into her worried face, and smiled gently as he tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear, "I'll start making calls tomorrow. I'll keep them on stand-by...one ring, and it's done..."

"Thanks," Buffy allowed herself to relax into his touch as he ran his fingers along her cheek, "What would I do without you?"

"Probably dead," He winced, "Sorry...mouth...foot..."

Buffy laughed softly, "No...you're right. Did I ever say thank you for all the times you helped me?"

"Well...there was the once...but I was a little beaten-up and ripped apart by a Hell-Goddess...and my lips were numb..."

Buffy smiled as she leaned towards him, and Spike closed his eyes, sliding his hand beneath her hair to rest it against the back of her neck as their lips met, and he stifled a moan as her warm tongue slid into his mouth. He wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him, her body heat seeping into his skin slowly, warming him.

He broke the kiss, inhaling her scent sharply, and slowly opened his eyes to meet hers. He kissed her forehead tenderly, "I should...go."

"Hmm..." Buffy pulled him back for another kiss, "Don't..."

"Have too," He murmured as he kissed her again, partially standing, and Buffy stood with him, never letting go of his lips as he backed towards the window, his arms around her waist still. She pinned him against the window frame, her lips demanding more of his, and Spike groaned against her mouth before breaking the kiss. "Buffy...I have to go..."

"You can stay," Buffy protested as she brushed her lips against his ear, "Please?"

Spike looked at her in surprise as Buffy smiled up at him coyly, and pulled at the black t-shirt tucked into his jeans. Spike grabbed her wrists, "Slayer..." He nearly moaned as her mouth found his throat, bloody chit's fighting dirty..."Not tonight...not like this..."

Buffy let go of him, the hurt evident on her face, "I...I thought that..."

"I do, luv..." Spike cupped her chin, and tilted her face towards his before planting a chaste kiss on her lips, "But...I want our...first to be...special, pet...just as beautiful as you bloody well deserve..." he let go of her and slid out the window smoothly, "Good night, Slayer."

Buffy watched as he dropped down to the ground and jogged off into the night. She sighed as she closed her window again, and leaned against the frame with a small smile before shaking her head, and started to get dressed for bed, and jumped when there was another knock at her window.

She opened it, and nearly screeched in surprise when Spike yanked her down to crush his lips to hers roughly, plundering her mouth with his tongue almost desperately.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, returning the kiss whole-heartedly, a low, burning feeling starting low in her stomach, and she broke it after a few minutes to gasp for breath.

"I love you," He said before disappearing again, and Buffy stared after him in almost stunned surprise before giggling as she saw him stop to adjust his jeans with a swear, complaining about never getting to sleep because of damned Slayers, and shut the window again with a shake of her head. What a weird vampire.

Willow's eyes were narrowed as she peered into the glowing orb floating in front of her. In it, she was watching as Spike and Buffy kissed by the windowsill, and with a subtle flick of her wrist, it focused on Spike's face.

Willow cocked her head as she held up two feathers, one, a black crow's feather, the other a dove's, and stroked the glass with them. "Serpent's tongue, lying spite," She hissed, her eyes filled with anger and hatred, "Let them all see the side that's right. Mask be cast aside, allow them to see the creature trapped inside. Hectra, I command you, let them see the side that's true."

She smiled as the orb flashed brightly before disappearing, and laid the feathers by her jewelry box, and as she walked away, a gust of breeze from her passage by the dresser caused the dove's feather to float down to the ground.

Buffy sighed heavily as she watched Willow and Dawn make breakfast together before both girls would head off to school, leaving the Slayer by herself for the day...which was really just fine with her. She would usually go visit Spike around mid-afternoon, giving him time to sleep for a while before disturbing him. Not that he ever appeared annoyed when she invaded his home.

She smiled slightly, touching her lips as she thought of Spike, hmm...lips of Spike...so not a bad thought anymore.

"Buffy?"

"Hmm?" Buffy was jerked out of her happy thoughts by Willow's voice.

"What are you up to today?" The redhead asked, "You want to do something tonight?"

"I have to patrol," Buffy answered, "I didn't do much Slaying last night, and from what Dawn said about the vampire chasing you guys, it's time I did a sweep of the tunnels."

Willow's face darkened a tiny bit, but then it disappeared, "Are you taking Spike with you?"

"Probably...he's been complaining about the lack of action lately," Buffy didn't meet Willow's gaze as she grabbed out some orange juice, a small smile flitting across her face.

"Well, be careful," Willow grabbed her schoolbag, "I don't really trust him. He's too unpredictable."

Dawn and Buffy exchanged a confused look as Willow headed out, "Since when did Willow not trust Spike?" Dawn asked in bewilderment, and Buffy shrugged.

"She's probably still mad at him for yelling at her," the Slayer said, ruffling Dawn's hair, "Scoot. You have school."

"Don't forget, I'm staying at Lisa's tonight," Dawn reminded her as she grabbed her bag, "You'll be fine without me, right?

"Sure. I'll just probably indulge in some Ben and Jerry's...watch some movies. Have some quality me time," Buffy assured her with a smile as she walked her sister to the door, and Dawn grinned back before bouncing out the door.

Buffy watched as her sister went down the street, and turned the corner.

As soon as she was out of sight, Buffy rushed up the stairs and into her room, throwing open her closet. She frowned as she glanced around at her clothes, then dug through the clothes lying on the bottom of the closet with a sigh. So much easier when I didn't care what I wore...

I know it is here somewhere...the blond sighed as he tossed through a trunk at the foot of his bed, grimacing as he came up with a carton of cigarettes, and tossed that aside as well. He finally found what he was looking for, and he sighed in relief as he opened the small, black case and settled a pair of gold-rimmed wire glasses on his face. "Much better."

He pulled out an old small, leather-bound journal, and glanced through it briefly, smiling almost foolishly as his eyes alighted on a sketch of Buffy he had done, "Still got it, Will, old boy," He muttered to himself, slipping it into the breast pocket of his suit.

He stood up, and fussed with his bowtie till it was straight, running a hand through his ungelled, wavy blond hair, then glanced towards the ladder when he heard the door above open. "Oh...bloody...she can't be here now!"

He sighed as he peeked his head up through the hole in the floor, catching a glimpse of Buffy's ankles, and ducked down as she called his name, "Eh...coming!" He called back to her, nervously fidgeting with his tie again. Right...she's up there...now...the light of your life...He glanced back up before ducking again, Oh Lord...I saw her ankles...right...now...try and not make a fool of yourself.

He gathered up what little courage he had at the moment and stepped through the hole, smiling at Buffy. "Hello."

Buffy stared at him, a strange look flitting across her face, "Is this some kind of joke?" She asked the bespectacled, suited vampire, who was looking decidedly nervous. "Or are you channeling Randy again?"

"Of course not," He said, his voice sounding strange to Buffy's ears, and she frowned, trying to place what was wrong, "I...uh...I have some tea made...if you want..." He stammered, then would have flushed if he could have, "Oh...stupid me...would you like to sit?"

Buffy stared at Spike in confusion as he took her arm, and led her towards the chair near the tv, and she sat down automatically, watching as Spike went back down the ladder, presumably to grab the tea. All right...what the hell is going on? Buffy thought, shaking her head slightly, it was like the night before, when he thought he was Randy Giles...except...with even less of an edge then before. And what the hell is with the glasses?!

Spike came up again, carrying two teacups, and his hand was almost shaking as he handed Buffy one, and she took it from him before he could spill it all over the place, "So...uh...Spike? Are you feeling all right?"

"Oh, I'm quite fine," Spike replied, "And how does the day find you? Healthy, I hope?"

"Uh...yeah...except for some...uh...confusion...a lot of it," Buffy shook her head slightly, what's wrong with his voice? It hit her suddenly. He had dropped the Cockney accent. He sounded more like Giles then his usually self at the moment.

Spike shifted uncomfortably under her suddenly intent gaze, his eyes flickering away from her, and Buffy raised an eyebrow. He was acting extremely shy and unsure of himself as well. Gone was the cocky, confident vampire...in his place was a shy, awkward, somewhat foppish young man.

"Spike...are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine, Buffy," He smiled at her warmly, "But...would you mind not calling me that?"

"Oh...um...sure. What should I call you instead?" Buffy asked, even more bewildered before. What is going on with him?

"I prefer...William. My given name."

"William? You were just complaining last night that it was a poof's name!"

"I...rather like it now," Spike cocked his head slightly, looking off dreamily at a point above her head, "It's...fitting, don't you think? William means protector...that's what my mother always told me."

"Your...mother?" Buffy cleared her throat a bit, "Ah...right..."

They fell into an awkward silence, then Buffy spoke up again, "Are you screwing with my head, Spike...er...William? I mean...if you are, it's not funny..."

"I am most assuredly not!" he protested, and Buffy eyed him doubtfully before standing and striding towards him purposefully. Spike blinked in surprise as she removed his glasses, and then the Slayer was dragging his head to hers, pressing her lips forcefully against his, and trying to slide her tongue past his lips.

Spike jerked away from her, then stumbled back a bit, "Bu-Buffy...I...I...must insist that you not do that!"

"We were doing it last night," She reminded him, and he reached for his glasses, obviously on the defensive, "And I thought you liked it..."

"I did...but...it's...it's not proper," Spike resettled the glasses on his face, "We shouldn't even be together without a chaperone until we're engaged. And...kissing is completely out of the question."

"You have got to be kidding! Spike! You sound like Ms. Manners all of a sudden!"

"A proper gentleman does not..." His eyes widened when Buffy stepped towards him, "What are you doing?"

"I think that chip finally fried your brain," Buffy said, shaking her head. It was like Spike was channeling Giles, granted, an even more anal retentive, withdrawn Giles...This is totally weird.

"Dammit...and I was really looking forward to making out," Buffy muttered beneath her breath, and Spike swallowed heavily as the Slayer turned towards him, "You at least know how to get to the Magic Shoppe through the sewers, right?"

Spike nodded, "Uh...yes...it's just down there...but...uh...it's through my bedroom...and it's not entirely proper..."

"Stow it, Willy," Buffy sighed as she climbed down the ladder, a flustered vampire following behind her. They started through the dark tunnels, and she felt Spike shudder beside her.

"Dreary place, this is," He muttered beneath his breath, "Not really a place for a lady..."

"Sp--William...any idea why you suddenly...uh...woke up...like...uh...this...?"

A bit of light flickered off the surface of his glasses as he glanced at her curiously, "Like what?"

"Like...never mind," Buffy shook her head, stumbling over something in the darkness, and Spike reached out to steady her, his hands landing on her waist, and he inhaled sharply at the contact as she straightened. He reluctantly let go of her, closing his eyes with a sigh. Control yourself, man. You're not a bloody school-boy. You're a man...he nearly melted when her hand found his in the darkness. "Just so I don't fall again," The Slayer told him, "You can see better then me."

He swallowed heavily, "Uh...right...of course...I guess it's all right then..." He muttered, inhaling her scent longingly, wishing he could see enough to write. Just being around her inspired muses in him he never suspected of existing.

Such power in a small body...he thought longingly, If Cecily could see me now...she'd be seething!

He smiled to himself as Buffy moved closer to him to avoid a pile of animal bones, and sighed happily. He was in love with her...more so then anyone else he had known...and she had feelings for him back, even if she didn't use the word love...but he could give her time. Standard courting schedules usually lasted a few years...and then maybe five years of engagement till they were married...but he could wait that long for the woman he adored.

"Up ahead...the...eh...entrance to the basement's there..." Spike told her, and Buffy sighed as she found it, giving it a push and glancing around the basement of the Magic Box, no evil mummy hands, at least...she thought, preceding Spike inside, and glanced at him as he closed the door behind him, and he smiled at her before offering her his arm, chewing nervously on his bottom lip.

"Uh...after...we're done here...there's something I want to show you," He said, casting his eyes down, thick, black lashes sweeping over his eyes, "It's...rather...personal...but I would love nothing more then for you too see it..."

Buffy couldn't help but smile at him, and she nodded, "Sure, Sp--William...I would love that..." She said as she took his arm, and allowed him to lead her up the stairs, and they opened it into the shop.

Anya glanced towards them, eyebrows shooting up when she saw their linked arms, and then noted the suit Spike was wearing, the same one as the night before, "Don't tell me he's still Randy!"

"Nope, he's someone else entirely," Buffy shook her head as she let go of Spike's arm and went towards her, "I'm still trying to figure out who he is."

"Did you try asking him?" Anya rolled her eyes, "Hey! Who are you?"

Spike blinked in surprise behind his glasses, then ran a hand through his uncombed hair, "Anya...are you feeling quite well? You and Buffy are both acting strange..."

"He's calling us strange?" Anya rolled her eyes, "Humor me."

Spike shook his head, "William Archer Pritchard."

Buffy frowned slightly as Anya shook her head, "That didn't really help."

"Hey guys..." Xander called as he walked in, and did a double-take when he saw Spike, "You know, I'm thinking your cover was pretty much blown yesterday, Fangboy...glasses ain't going to help much."

Spike pushed his glasses up on his nose, wrinkling his nose in Xander's direction before glancing towards Buffy, "Are we done here, darling?"

"Darling?" Xander gaped at Buffy, "Why is the vampire calling your darling, Buff?"

"Long story," Buffy sighed, "He's...really...not right at the moment...I mean...look at him."

Spike glanced down, a hurt look flickering across his face, "What's wrong? Did I do something to displease you, Buffy?"

"No, William," Buffy shook her head at Xander, giving him a look, "He was fine last night...after the whole...spell thing...and then I found him like this, in his crypt this morning...it's like...he's not Spike...but I think he has Spike's memories...since he remembers me...and...uh...me."

"I admit I was a shade vulgar recently," Spike replied, "But...I'm intending to change that now..." Spike lifted his chin a bit, "I'm going to be the man I know I am..."

"If he bursts into a song number, I am so gone," Xander shook his head, "Any idea what brought this on?"

"I...have theories...but I don't know if they mesh really well," Buffy sighed, "I was thinking Willow...but...why would she turn Spike into...well...a Giles?"

"Wait...stop...rewind...why would you think Willow?" Xander asked, and Buffy gave him a look.

"Spike kinda freaked on her last night when he confronted her about that spell...apparently she was doing it to make me forgot I was in heaven..."

"Bloody dreadful woman, she is," Spike piped up, then picked up a book off the counter, and started to flip through it, his eyes rapidly scanning the pages.

Buffy raised an eyebrow in Spike's direction then looked back at Xander, "She wasn't...entirely non-hostile last night. I don't think she's quite all there right now...she has some problems...and she's not happy with Spike."

"I don't care how mad you are...you just don't turn vampires into polite, proper Englishmen, dammit!" Xander said in mock outrage, and Spike glared at the boy over his glasses, then sighed, looking back down at his book.

Xander stared at Spike, "Hey...Fangboy...I just made fun of you...aren't you going to say something back?"

Spike glanced at him, and shook his head slightly, choosing instead to ignore him, and Xander glanced at Buffy, "There's something seriously wrong with him."

Buffy gave her friend a 'duh' look before shaking her head, "Does the name Pritchard mean anything to you?"

"Huh?" Xander frowned, "Not really. Why?"

"Spike's last name...I don't know...it sounded familiar. Maybe he mentioned something about it before..."

"He's not really big on the details of his life," Anya pointed out, glancing towards Spike, "You do know you're a vampire and you don't need glasses. Unless you're just trying to look smart or something. I hear Sly does that."

"I am not trying to look smart," He protested, "I like them. They make me look...uh...dignified."

"I so want my boyfriend back," Buffy sighed, and then her eyes widened as Xander and Anya's heads whipped towards her. "Uh...did I say that out loud?"

Spike was staring at her, a tender look on his face, and Buffy shook her head slightly as she went up to the vampire, then turned to face Anya and Xander, "Guys...this...is the man I...uh...sorta love."

"Buffy...you do know that once this...whatever wrong's with him...wears off, he won't be the same guy?"

"I sorta fell for him before it happened, Xand," Buffy sighed, and Anya frowned.

"Sorta? That's...pretty vague..." The ex-demon pointed out, then noticed the flicker of hurt flickering across Spike's face, "I mean...but in a good way."

"Buffy?"

The Slayer glanced at the blond, and shook her head, "Not right now, Spik--William...not till we fix this..." She glanced towards Anya, "Maybe you can start...looking for spells or something? I'm going to head to the campus and get Tara...she could probably help. William...you...stay here with Anya and Xander."

He looked disappointed but nodded, and then brightened, "I can help them do research...but on what, I'm not entirely sure, love."

"That's all right," Xander clapped a hand on the vampire's back, "I think we're all pretty clueless at this point."

Buffy shot a final glance at Spike before disappearing out the door.

"I'll...do what I can," Tara assured the Slayer as they walked down the hallways of Sunnydale U, Buffy having pulled the blond witch out of a class by saying it was a family emergency, "But...I'm really...not as powerful as Willow...and if she's responsible for that spell..."

"I know...we just need your help on where to begin. No one can figure out why'd she make Spike all snuggly-Victorian vampire..." The Slayer paused, glancing at a sign, frowning slightly, "We...should go there first."

"What? Why?"

"Something that's been bugging me for the last hour," Buffy said as she headed into the campus library, and headed towards a computer. She typed in 'Pritchard,' and watched as the whole screen filled with pertinent search results and clicked on a description.

"The Collected Works of William Archer Pritchard, published posthumously," she read, and then wrote down something on a piece of paper by the computer.

"What is that?" Tara asked as she followed the Slayer through the library, and Buffy browsed the titles, finding a whole shelf reserved for Pritchard.

"Pay-dirt," Buffy opened up one of the books, and glanced at it, arching an eyebrow, "Lotsa pay-dirt."

Spike was bent over a book, eagerly looking through it, and he lifted his eyes when the bell above the door jangled. He smiled brightly when he saw Buffy, and the Slayer offered him a smile, "Effulgent?"

Spike's smile disappeared as he stared at her, "What did you say?"

Buffy tossed him a book, stepping aside as Tara came in, and Spike looked down at it, horrified, "They published them?! Every bloody awful one of them?!"

Tara lifted an eyebrow at Spike's appearance and accent, or lack thereof, "You think Willow made him lik-like that?"

"Yeah," Buffy watched in amusement as Spike flipped through the book, an awed look on his face, "That's where I heard the name before. There was a small section on you in my poetry class in the college...you know...before I died..."

"There was a section on me in your class?" Spike looked genuinely surprised, "I'm...I'm a recognized writer...do you know what this means?"

"You missed out an about a hundred and twenty years of royalty payments?" Anya suggested.

"That...and I had to die...to be recognized for my greatness..." Spike frowned, "That's...rather depressing, actually..."

"A lot of famous writer's had to die first. Like Stephen King," Anya said, and Xander cleared his throat.

"Actually...Anya...Stephen King's still alive."

"Whatever...same thing."

Spike shook his head as he flipped through his own book, a look of amazement on his face, and then glanced at the first publication date, it was three years after he died. "I cannot believe this...it's been in publication for this long...and I never knew..."

"No offense, Will...but I think when you were turned, poetry was the last thing on your mind. When was the last time you even wrote something?" Buffy said, and Spike glanced at her, smiling shyly.

"That's what I was going to show you," He said softly, removing the journal from his pocket, and holding it towards her.

Buffy took it from him in surprise, then glanced at Tara, who was heading towards the spell books, a puzzled frown on her face.

"Could...you not read it here?" He asked self-consciously, "I mean...wait till we're alone at least?"

"With no chaperone?" Buffy teased, slipping the book into her jacket pocket, and glanced towards the door, "I got to patrol soon anyhow..."

Spike smiled brightly, and Buffy gave him a look, "Which you are not coming with me on. Not till Tara fixes you."

"I assure you, there is not a thing wrong with me," The vampire protested, and then looked down as the lens in his glasses popped out and landed on the table, "Bloody hell."

"See? You're blind. So...stay," Buffy glanced at the others, "And if Willow comes...please, please, don't let her see him like this...I don't want to know what she was trying to do...but I'm thinking, this isn't what she had in mind."

"All right, Buffy," Anya said, nodding as the Slayer headed out the door, and she paused when Spike called her name, coming up behind her. She turned towards him as he fidgeted a bit nervously, and reached into his pocket.

"I...uh...got this for you a few days ago..." he said nervously, "I...know it's not much...but I thought...you know...you'd like it..." He pulled out a long, thin, black box, and Buffy took it from him in surprise, and popped it open. Inside, lying against the black velvet of the interior, was a cross, interwoven with gold and silver bands.

"Spike...it's beautiful..." She breathed as the vampire lifted it out, and she held up her hair as he fastened it around her throat, and she felt him inhale her scent as she dropped her hair, and turned back towards him. "Still a no on the kissing, right?"

Spike nodded, and Buffy sighed, then leaned forward and kissed his cheek, then smiled as the vampire shook his head, "That was pushing it, darling..."

"Oh, shut up and join the nineties," She teased before slipping out the door, and Spike watched her go wistfully. He glanced towards the others, Tara engrossed in a book, and Xander and Anya talking together in low voices, the look on the boy's face making it obvious that the discussion was about his upcoming wedding.

He sighed heavily before going down and taking a seat back at the table, picking up his book.

Buffy was sitting atop a tombstone, her eyes running over the pages of the journal, devouring every word, every syllable Spike had written down in his sloping, somewhat messy handwriting.

It was kind of hard to read, since it was some parts poetry, other parts journal entries, but it was giving her a window too gaze in at a creature so secret...at feelings so foreign, that she had never known it could have existed.

Some pages were rumpled, or entire paragraphs scratched out with messy scrawls, some pages were spotted with blood, and by reading those entries, she knew that he had been crying. Most of the entries after she had died were like that.

She was standing there...I was touching her...her hands in mine...so small and warm...Christ...I'll kill that bitch, Willow...for doing this to her...for making her dig her way out of her own grave...

So dark...so stifling...

As if millions of miles away from the nearest life.

My fingers cut to bone, my nails breaking off against rock.

She was in bloody heaven...HEAVEN...experiencing something I can only dream about...and they pulled her out...they fucking yanked her out...what right do they have to mess with nature?! Christ...and what right do I have to feel this bloody happy...that she talked to me...confided in me...

Buffy glanced up, hugging the journal to her chest, her shoulders shaking a tiny bit with emotion. She glanced around the deserted graveyard before slowly standing and heading back to the magic shoppe.

Tara frowned in bewilderment as she looked through book after book, trying to find out what spell had been used to on Spike...but she was at a loss. She glanced down at the vampire, who was dozing off in his seat, a book open on his lap. Xander was bored, and was entertaining himself by flicking paper at Spike's head.

Tara shook her head slightly, turning her attention back to the book, a world of misgivings opening ip for her. What are you playing at, Willow? What were you trying to do to him?

Spike jolted awake when a particular big ball of paper hit him in the cheek, and he looked down at the other balls littering his lap and shoulders, and shot a glance at Xander, who tried to look innocent as he hastily hid the rest of the paper.

Spike shook his head, and pushed his glasses up on his nose before glancing at the clock, and sighing as he stood, straightening his tie.

"Where do you think you're going?" Xander asked as the vampire started towards the door, and Spike gave him a look.

"I'm going home...it's late."

"No way...Buffy said for you to stay here..."

"I know, but I'm tired, hungry, and terribly confused about all this commotion...I just want to go home for now."

Xander glanced at Anya, who shrugged, "Let him go...Buffy knows where he lives. She can beat him up later for leaving."

The blond vampire shook his head as he headed out the door, and Tara sighed heavily as she turned back to the books.

Buffy was so engrossed in Spike's journal that she didn't notice the owner walking towards her, head bowed, muttering quietly beneath his breath, talking to himself as he created his little 'sonnets.'

Buffy's head shot up when she walked right into him, and Spike yelped, jumping back, and then tripped, falling ass over tea-kettle, tumbling into the gutter, and he let out a very impolite swear as he landed in a mud-puddle.

Buffy bit her lips against the laughter that threatened to escape as he stood up, pants soaked with dirty water. He tried to squeeze out his pants leg, and she couldn't help it, but the sight of a McDonald's cheeseburger wrapper firmly stuck to his ass set her off.

She started laughing hysterically, clutching his journal to his chest, and wide, dark blue eyes rose to hers, and the laughter immediately died when she saw the stricken, wounded look on his face.

He immediately turned and started running in the direction of the graveyard, embarrassed beyond belief by his clumsiness, and his face would have been flaming it was possible for his species.

He ignored the sound of Buffy shouting his name as she tried to get his attention. Stupid...stupid...you sod...can't do anything right..

He swiped at his eyes as they teared up, only more mortified as they poured down his pale face.

He was going to be like this forever, the screw-up, the one people tittered at behind their hands. He was never going to be the one that swept into a room and commanded everyone's attention...never going to be the one who could scoop his lady off her feet...

He slowed his jog gradually, panting needlessly for breath. He glanced behind him, and saw that he had lost Buffy, and was quite a bit of distance from where he had started. He hadn't realized how fast he had been running.

He shook his head slightly as he sank down on the grass, feeling lost and alone, like he always had. He felt like he had so many years ago , in that damnable parlor with all of the others laughing at him not so behind his back, looking down their noses at him.

Well, to be fair, he did practically do a bleedin' swan dive into the gutter...and it was probably a funny image...but he couldn't get over the lack of self-confidence and fear that he was doing something wrong all the time.

He shook his head slightly, wondering why he was acting like a little prat. Buffy liked him...practically said she loved him...not quite...but almost there...

Right...just like you thought Cecily was head over heels for you...and Dru for that matter...same old scene...same old fight... same ole game of kick the Spike...

"SPIKE!"

His head shot up, thoughts interrupted by Buffy's voice, and she panted as she jogged up to him, and then glared down at him, "Goddamn it! I've been running up and down this stupid graveyard for the past half hour!"

"So-sorry..." He stammered, flustered now by her presence and anger as he climbed back to his feet, "Don't hit me."

Buffy's glare softened, and she rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to hit you, you big baby. What the hell was that about? You just ran off."

"You...lau-laughed at me," He cast his eyes down shyly, and Buffy sighed slightly.

"I'm sorry...but you..." She giggled, and he looked up at her, his eyes widening again, "Oh come on! You would have laughed if I had gone swimming in a mud puddle like that! It was...cute."

"Cu-cute?" He smiled tentatively, "You...thought I was...cute?"

Buffy rolled her eyes again, but this time less in exasperation and more in amusement, "Yeah, Fang Boy, but don't let it go to your head."

He grinned abashedly, eyes lighting up behind his glasses, and Buffy wanted to lean forward and just kiss his shyness away...but there was the problem of him nearly going into panicked convulsions whenever she got closer then a foot.

Instead, she settled for taking his hand, smiling slightly when he jumped, then relaxed a bit. She really was starting to miss the old Spike...but this one had his own merits as well.

Her fingertips drummed on the journal he had given her, a frown marring her features. Those passages...they had all been written by the old Spike...her Spike...not this one...well...maybe...not all the way this one.

He looked up at her, smiling slowly, unsurely.

He reminded her of the way Spike had acted the night she had come back...gentle, sweet...a bit confused and flustered...

Okay...big with the confusion again...

Spike waited for her patiently, smiling slightly at the faraway look on her face. How many times had he let his thoughts carry him away like that before? Countless. More so lately when the beautiful, passionate, sweet rose in front of him had firmly planted her roots in his heart, the thorns of her insults and words of love firmly digging into his flesh...Oh...have to write that down...

Her eyes suddenly snapped back to reality, and she tensed before throwing him down on the ground, landing hard on top of him, and he gasped as a certain part of his anatomy jumped up and took notice, and he tilted his head as a crossbow bolt zinged by the airspace he had formerly been occupying.

"Now this...is familiar," He gasped out as Buffy wriggled on top of him to look over her shoulder, and then she was on her feet.

"Oh...not you again!"

Spike stumbled back to his feet gracelessly, pushing his glasses up on his nose as he stared at the shark-headed demon, nearly groaning. Yet another reminder of his less then sterling behavior as of late. Smoking, drinking, gambling...and kissing women he wasn't engaged to yet. His mother would be sorely disappointed. And gambling for kittens, no less. No doubt, his mother was spinning in her grave, the poor, dear old lady.

Sharky was back, with back-up of at least a dozen vampires. Not good. He threw his shoulders back, however, and prepared to fight for his lady love. I am so gonna die.

Buffy glanced at Spike as he went into an awkward fighting stance, and what may have passed for a determined look on his face, but it looked more like he was constipated.

The vampires and Sharky were staring at Spike like he had gone completely insane. "Uh...Mr. Spike..." Sharky cleared his throat a bit, "About the matter of my kittens..."

"You'll not be getting any kittens on my watch!" Spike said, puffing out his chest proudly, "You all should be immensely ashamed of yourselves. Eating poor defenseless kitties?! What in the world is wrong with you?"

Buffy rubbed the bridge of her nose, "Oh...great. I'm getting a Spike-induced headache. I remember these. They suck."

Sharky cocked his head slightly, sensing something off about the vampire and severely doubting his sanity at the moment. "Screw it. Break his legs, boys...and do the lady as well. Get the message doubly across."

"HEY!" Spike let out an indignant shout, but the vampires were already swarming towards them, and Buffy threw herself into the fight.

Spike followed her, then yelped when one of the vampires punched him in the face, and he hit the ground on his ass. "Really...gentlemen...can't we be civilized about this...?"

Buffy looked towards Spike as he rolled, just avoiding being stepped on, and frowned. This was not good. At least when he was Randy, he could fight back...now he was just getting his ass beaten.

She tried to go towards him, but was intercepted by another vampire, and she whirled on her heel, kicking him in the chest and sending him staggering back, but before she could make a move to stake him, four more were on her, dragging her down to the ground.

Tara shook her head slightly as she slammed her book shut, chewing on her bottom lip.

She couldn't find a thing that could explain what had happened to Spike in the volumes...and probably wouldn't...not till she figured out exactly what was Willow's intent with her spell.

She glanced down at Anya and Xander, who were both looking tired and ready to close up for the night, and she sighed as she climbed down from the loft. "I ca-can't find anything..." She stammered a bit nervously, "I'm...go-going to have to go an-and...see Wi-Willow and ask her wh-what she did..."

"Is that a good idea?" Anya asked, looking slightly concerned, "She's really not right in the head." Blunt, but honest...that was Anya's way, and Tara glanced at Xander's face as he flinched a bit, but he didn't disagree.

"I have to know what she did," Tara shook her head, "What she was trying to accomplish with the spell she used on Spike..."

"Well...aren't we kinda assuming that Willow's even the one that put the spell on him?" Xander asked, "It could be anyone...I mean...Deadboy Jr isn't exactly enemy-free..."

"It's...too coincidental," Tara shook her head as she grabbed her things. "Buffy said she and Spike had a confrontation...and then..."

"He's suddenly the leader of the Undead Poet's Society?"

Anya patted Xander's arm, "You've been holding that one in for a while, huh?"

"Oh yeah," Xander sighed, shaking his head slightly, "You'll be careful, right?" He seemed uncomfortable voicing the warning, but tried to ease his own mind. It was just Willow...his best friend since they were practically born...she wasn't dangerous at all.

Then why am I so worried?

Spike rolled to his feet awkwardly, trying to avoid being hit again, his nose already bleeding and he was sure he was going to have one heck of a shiner come morning. He watched in horror as Buffy was dragged down to the ground.

One of the vampires went in for the bite, and a deep, angry snarl was ripped out of his throat, surprising him, and apparently the others.

He tried to fight back his rather uncouth and entirely uncivilized demon, but with the threat against what it perceived as 'his' woman, he couldn't hold it back.

Buffy jerked her head backwards as Spike vamped out, and with a roar, he was rushing the vampires holding her down, and her eyes widened as she witnessed the savagery of his attack.

Sharkey's beady, black eyes went wider then usual as Spike literally tore apart his muscle, and he started to back up. No way in hell were kittens worth losing his fishy parts over.

Buffy got back to her feet unsteadily as she looked around at the bits and pieces of wriggling vampire parts, and jumped when a disembodied hand clamped down on her foot and shook it off in disgust.

Spike was kneeling low to the growl, yellow eyes flitting back and forth as he looked for any farther threats to either him or his Slayer, and his eyes settled on Sharky.

"Oh...shit..." Sharky whirled and tried to make his chubby little legs move, but he screeched as he went down, an enraged vampire clinging to his back.

Spike's fangs tore into the side of his face, ripping away a strip of flesh with a snarl, and proceeded to give the loan shark the same treatment he had given the vampires, ripping off body parts and flinging them apart, all the while, Sharkey's screams deafened Buffy till Spike's head darted down and it was silenced with the accompaniment sound of teeth sinking into muscle.

Buffy's hand covered her mouth as she felt a bit sickly, surrounded by the carnage the demon before her had wrought with his own, bloodied hands. William the Bloody...somehow, at that moment, the name seemed much more fitting then Spike. It seemed to include the man and demon trapped within his body.

He rose slowly from Sharky's ravaged body, blood dripping from his face, the fluid given a black, thick cast by the lack of light from the crescent moon.

Amber eyes flashed as he turned to her, and Buffy felt her hand go for her stake involuntarily, and he drew back a few steps at the movement towards a weapon.

Then, to her surprise, instead of his human mask dropping into place like she was so used too, he instead went to his hands and knees, whimpering plaintively.

Buffy frowned in confusion as he slowly crawled towards her, his head slightly bowed, but his eyes always on her face, wondering what he was doing. Then it hit her with a jolt. He was making a show of being submissive. Like a wolf...trying to make peace with the Alpha of the pack.

Her hand slowly slid away from the stake tucked into the waistband of her tight, leather pants, but still, he crawled towards her till he was sitting at her feet, rocking back on his heels to tilt his head towards her.

She was still struck by the image of a submissive wolf that she almost didn't notice her hand reaching out to stroke his hair, and then along his facial ridges, and he closed his eyes, leaning into her touch, a sudden purr ripping itself from his chest.

What in the hell is going on around here?!

"Wi-Willow?" Tara peeked her head into the Summers' home, "Dawn?"

No one answered her, and Tara frowned a bit before remembering that Buffy had mentioned that Dawn was staying at a friend's house for the night, and she stepped inside, closing and locking the door behind her.

She made her way up the stairs silently, ears straining for the tiniest of sounds as she let herself into what had once been Joyce's room, but had become her and Willow's after Buffy had died.

Some of her stuff was still lying about, and Tara absently picked up a shirt Willow had dropped on the floor and folded it slowly as she looked about, her heart feeling about ready to break.

She swallowed it, however, and it slithered down her throat like a hot, slimy stone, and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. After a few moments, she was composed, and she opened her eyes to look around, trying to discern what seemed different or new in the bedroom.

She immediately noticed a slender, perfect crow's feather on the bedroom bureau, and she picked it up, mentally running through her mind the spells that such a thing was needed for. Crow's feather...black for discontent...

She was trying to breed ill will or discontent...towards Spike? Or to make him feel it?

No one was discontent with him at the moment, save Willow, and he didn't seem particular angry or resentful of anyone. What else would it be used for?

She tensed when she heard a door open downstairs, and she glanced around, eyes going wide when she realized there was no way to escape undetected, and she bolted for the closet, and closed the door behind her, still clutching the crow's feather to her chest, praying to the great Goddess that she wouldn't be found as she heard Willow moving up the stairs.

"Spike...come on...cut it out!" Buffy was currently lying on her back, a slightly amorous vampire pinning her to the ground as he purred loudly and licked her face energetically. One second, he had been getting petted like an overgrown puppy...and then he had jumped her. He was just lucky she had dropped her stake or she would have staked him on reflex alone.

She tried shoving at his shoulders to dislodge him, but it was no good, and she sputtered as his tongue dived into her mouth when she opened it to yell at him again, and then he was kissing her hungrily, devouring her mouth with his.

A scant few seconds later, instead of pushing him away, she was pulling him towards her, wrapping her arms around his neck, their lips battling for dominion.

He growled against her mouth, and Buffy shuddered at the sound, hips arching upwards into his of their own volition. Spike pulled her legs apart, and he settled himself in between them as she broke the kiss, panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath.

She gasped as he ground himself against her, and then his mouth was on hers again, as his hands roamed roughly over her body.

With a possessive snarl, he tore her blouse down the middle, wanting to be rid of the offending fabric, and Buffy's eyes widened slightly as she tore her mouth from his, "SPIKE! That was BRAND NEW!"

He winced at the tone of her voice, and his golden eyes met hers, and he had the common sense to at least look a little apologetic as he sat up and tugged at his tie.

Buffy sat up, blouse forgotten as she smashed her lips against his, unbuttoning his shirt partly, slipping her hands inside it and scraping her nails down his taut abdomen, smiling when she felt his muscles roll at her touch even as another growl rolled over his tongue.

Oh God...she thought, feeling the sound to the very tips of her toes as his tongue vibrated against hers, and she pulled at his shirt, spraying buttons all over the place, then shoved his suspenders down his arms. She really wished that he hadn't gone through the trouble of putting on a suit. In his normal clothes, he should have been, by all rights, naked by now.

Well...I'm halfway there...she started to kiss his chest, delighting in the animalistic sounds he made as she fastened her mouth over one of his flat, dusky nipples, nipping it roughly.

His hands slid down over her back as he pulled her lips back up to his mouth, and they slipped inside the back of her pants, cupping her ass as he ground his erection against her leather covered mound, and Buffy moaned.

He surged against her at the sound, then moved his lips down to her lace-covered chest, unclasping the front of her bra and diving down to tease her with his teeth, tongue and lips.

He removed his hands from the back of her pants as he started to undo the button holding them, and he started to slide them down her hips as she gasped out his name, hands threading through his hair to hold her against her tit as he nipped and suckled at her.

One of his fangs accidentally sliced into her skin, and he started to pull away, but Buffy held his head firmly, not letting him escape, and he let another growl loose from his lips before fastening them over the cut, lapping at the blood that pooled from it.

"Need...you...now..." Buffy panted out, nearly undone by his teasing and the feel of his mouth drawing her blood into him, eyes slamming shut as she arched her hips towards him in invitation.

She unbuckled his belt, then his pants, and slid her small hand inside, smirking when she encountered only bare skin. Despite of all of 'William's' politeness...he still ran around commando, apparently.

Spike bucked against her hand in surprise when he felt her small, warm fingers caressing him teasingly, and he lifted his head, amber eyes flashing as he let out a low, rumbling growl that seemed to reverberate in the air.

Buffy met his gaze, smiling mischievously as she slowly stroked his hard length, "What are you waiting for? Engraved invitation?"

He snarled as he lunged at her, and Buffy threw her head back, unable to keep a gasp from escaping as he slammed into her fully, and her hands clamped onto his shoulders, nails digging into his flesh, breaking the skin as she keened loudly.

She wasn't even allowed to adjust to the new sensation of him buried deep inside her before he was withdrawing to slam into her again and again, and Buffy thrashed against him as he stretched her fully.

His hands gripped her hips, holding her tightly against him, and his eyes were fairly glowing with lust and desire as he took her in such possessive abandon that it was verging on pain, reminding her that it was a demon that she invited between her legs.

Buffy clutched at him, nearly sobbing with the pain and pleasure as he grunted and growled, her body jarring with every impact of his, and she felt his fangs slice into her lips as he kissed her, her blood flowing into his mouth once more, and it only seemed to charge him even more.

Aphrodisiac...she thought dazedly as she moaned his name wantonly, he called Slayer blood an aphrodisiac...

That thought was barely formed before she found herself screaming, arching her body towards him as the most intense orgasm of her relatively young life slammed into her like a fast-moving train.

It swept her away, her entire body tensing, her inner muscles clamping down on Spike so hard that he was forced to still, and his golden eyes rolled back in his head at the sensation before he snarled and sank his fangs into her bared throat.

"Ohh...GOOODDDDDD!" Buffy pulled Spike against her, holding him tightly as she came again, not even having time to recover from her first orgasm, the feel of his fangs in her flesh too much too bear, and she felt like everything inside her body was tensed to explode. She buried her face in his throat as she sobbed with pleasure, calling his name loudly out into the night.

He pulled his fangs from her neck, roaring as he slammed into her a few more times, and then his cold seed filled her womb, and he slumped against her, lips finding her throat and his tongue slowly ran along the newest addition to her collection of bite-marks, finally forcing out the one, if only slightly coherent, word he had spoken since he had vamped out, the word roughened by the sound of his growl, "Mine."

"Yours," Buffy agreed dazedly, still trying to come down from her high, and she felt Spike's chest start to vibrate against hers as he purred in satisfaction, "Definitely yours..."

Willow sighed as she moved about her bedroom, boredly straightening up as she waited for Buffy to return home, wondering what was taking so long. She had enough time to have staked Spike twice over already.

Once or twice, she almost called the Magic Box, but stopped herself just in time, wondering, exactly, what she was going to say to Buffy to figure out whether or not her spell had worked or not. Somehow, 'Hey! It's Willow! Did you stake Spike yet?' didn't seem to be quite the right opener for a conversation.

What am I doing just sitting around and wondering about anything for? She thought, rolling her eyes at herself. She was a powerful witch, for Goddess sakes...there was no reason for her to be question what had happened when it would take...like...five seconds to figure it out for herself.

Willow opened up her bureau drawer, pulling out a black, crystal orb, the same one she had used to spy on Spike and Buffy the other night, and started to reach for her feathers, then frowned when she saw they weren't on the dresser. She could have sworn she had left them there. She glanced around, then found her dove's feather on the floor and picked it up, and started to search for her crow's feather.

Willow shook her head, then went to the trunk at the foot of her bed, and rifled through it, swearing when she saw she didn't have another crow's feather. Great...now she would have to go to the Magic Shoppe the next day and deal with Anya. Always a load of fun.

Should just spell her mouth shut...Willow grinned, knowing that Anya would completely flip out, then scowled, realizing Buffy and Xander probably would too. Goddess...they had the worst taste in companions then anyone she had ever met. They both seemed to have demon magnets firmly strapped to their asses, since that seemed about the only things they attracted nowadays.

Willow sighed as she set the black orb back in her drawer, shaking her head slightly. Guess she would have to settle this the old fashioned way and go see if anyone had seen Spike recently...hopefully, in convenient ashtray size.

She grabbed her jacket off the bed, then frowned when she noticed the folded shirt on the bed, then shook her head again before heading out to go track down her friends at the magic shoppe.

Tara was positive that Willow had to have heard her heart beating, it sounded so loud to her own ears as her blood rushed in her veins as she hid from the girl she loved more then life itself.

It saddened her more then anything, but she frowned, pushing those feelings aside as she watched Willow go towards the dresser, eyes widening when she lifted out a black orb of crystal.

Wizard Glass...she thought, chewing on her bottom lip worriedly.

Wizard Glass was notorious in the realm of magick, the crystal orb controlled by the black forces that first created them, and the blackest of magick could make it function, the orb mostly used for spying on people and casting dark, dangerous spells. It was also notorious for being incredibly fickle, and it would take the literal meaning behind a spell, so every word said in front of it must be chosen carefully, or the spell would go wrong.

Tara shuddered, unable to control the reaction. She had been worried for some time that Willow was messing with the darker forces of magick, delving outside the realms and laws upheld by all Wiccans into something completely different...but this was far more advanced and dark then she had ever suspected Willow of getting into...and right under her own nose, no less.

She sighed in relief as Willow returned the orb to its place in her dresser, and left the room, and she waited ten minutes before the door downstairs slammed, signaling Willow's exit, and she slowly crept out of the closet, heart pounding.

Tara looked towards the dresser, her thoroughly chewed lip ragged and nearly bleeding from the abuse she was leveling on it. She considered taking the Wizard Glass...but she was more afraid of it then she would care to admit, and instead, left it alone, making her way downstairs. She had to get to the Magick Shoppe and warn the others before Willow did something really dangerous...especially when she realized that the spell she had cast on Spike had gone wrong.

Oh Willow...honey...how could you?

Buffy frowned as Spike stirred beside her, and groaned softly, burrowing her face against his chest, "Ugh...not again...I'm so sore I can't move."

Spike chuckled softly, and she lifted her head to see that his human mask had descended, and he smiled down at her tenderly, brushing a strand of hair out of her face, and then he sighed deeply, lying back down on the grass, somewhat embarrassed that he was too sore to move as well.

"Utoh..." Buffy forced herself to roll partially on top of him and she crossed her arms, lying them across Spike's chest, "Mr. Victorian Era--no-kissing -till-we're-engaged-for-twenty-or- so-years is back..."

"Amusing," He said, his voice lacking any sort of tone that would show that he indeed found it amusing, "Bloody hell...all my convictions...morals...thrown right out the window when he makes an appearance."

Buffy ran her fingers through his hair, trying to sooth him, "Spike...it's all right...I don't mind."

"But...but...I was like...an animal..."

Buffy giggled, then flushed when he looked at her sharply, "Sorry...but...yeah...you were...kinda..."

He groaned, throwing his arm over his face, "I am so sorry."

"Don't be."

Spike lifted his head, "Don't be?! Just that simple, is it?! I took you in a graveyard, for goodness sakes! Where's the hearts? The flowers? The poetry? There's no poetry!"

"Oh...I don't know...what rhymes with graveyard?"

Spike dropped his arm over his head again, "Oh Lord..." He tensed when he felt her lips kissing his chest, and a pleasant shudder ran through him at her touch. "I wanted it to be special."

"Oh, it was definitely special," Buffy smiled as he peered at her curiously from beneath his arm, "It was pure...unbridled...passion."

"Unbridled passion?" He repeated, slowly lifting his arm from his face as she straddled his body, and he couldn't bite back a moan before it escaped from his lips, "I...do like the sound of that..."

"Hmmm..." Buffy ran her hands along his chest, sitting up a bit, and his eyes were arrested by the sight of her golden, pert breasts, tipped with dusky pink nipples.

"Gods...you are perfect in everyway, Buffy...you know that...right?" He asked huskily, "So...beautiful..."

Buffy smiled, leaning over him to brush her lips against his, then clambered to her feet, leaving him to stare up at her, eyes wide. Ha...see how you like thatt..."Come on, Romeo...we got to see if Tara found anything, and then we can head home...and then we can see what to do about your precious hearts and flowers."

Spike grinned as he jumped to his feet, grabbing up his clothes. He pulled his pants on, and reached for his shirt and shrugged it on as he watched Buffy hunt for a lost boot, her naked ass wriggling at him enticingly, and he felt his demon half ripple beneath the surface, eager to be let loose so that he could take her one more time.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and forcing it away from him. He had control...he was in control...he frowned, opening his eyes as he looked down at his shirt. All the buttons were gone.

He glanced towards Buffy, who was holding up the scraps of cloth that were once her new blouse, "What a pair we make...shirtless and completely disheveled," He said in a dry voice, "You think anyone will notice?"

"Oh...hell..." Buffy took the jacket he held out to her, and pulled it on, covering up her partial nudity, "I hear enough about the Anya-Xander sexcapades. They can see what I've been up to for once."

Spike chuckled, shaking his head as he grabbed his shoes and slipped them on, then hesitated briefly before slipping an arm around Buffy's waist. They had already done the unthinkable...he didn't think a little innocent contact like that would hurt now.

"Xander is not going to be happy," He said, then reached out, tracing the mark on her throat, "In fact...he'll probably stake me."

"He'll have to get through me first," Buffy said, smiling up at Spike before standing on her tiptoes and planting a chaste, but firm kiss on his lips. "Let's go face the firing squad."