A soft sound pulled Spike from his sleep. He opened his eyes and listened.
He heard the soft sniffing sound again. He sat up. “Willow?” he called
softly and the sound stopped. In the dim lighting he could make out her
hands brushing her face.

Concerned, Spike climbed on the bed beside her. He reached out and brushed
the tears from her cheek. “What’s wrong, pet?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Willow said. Unfortunately, her voice betrayed her lie by
cracking.

Spike gathered her into his arms. Resting against the headboard, he stroked
his fingers through her hair. “You know you can tell me anything, don’t
you?”

She buried her face into his strong chest. “It’s stupid,” she said against
his tee shirt.

“Not a stupid thing about you, pet,” he whispered. “Now, tell Spike what’s
wrong.”

Willow flexed her fingers against the soft cotton of his shirt. Since
losing her sight, she began to appreciate the feel of things more. The soft
comforting feel of Spike’s shirt, the coarser heavy denim of his jeans
against her thigh, and callused stroke of his fingers against her neck.
They were her connection with the world now. She had accepted that she
would never see again, but she missed the teasing glint in his icy blue
eyes, the Billy Idol grin he used to give her and especially his eyebrow.
*What I would give to see that scarred brow cocked in its usual ‘so what’
pose,* she thought sadly.

Her silence disturbed him. Willow usually babbled like a brook. “Talk to
me, luv,” he prompted.

“I had a dream. It was beautiful,” she started softly.

“What was it about?”

“I was in this field. It stretched for miles. There was no one around. No
buildings or anything to interrupt and endless field of flowers. Oh, Spike,
I never saw so many flowers. In every color imaginable. Pink ones, blue
ones, blood red roses, the deepest violets. It was so beautiful. I didn’t
pick any of them. I just laid down and looked at them. I found some
pansies. Have you ever looked at a pansy, Spike?” she asked, but didn’t
wait for a response. “They have these tiny little faces in them. They were
bright yellow on the outside and had a rich dark purple, almost black,
face.”

Spike smiled down at her as she talked about the flowers. He saw the
bedroom door opening out of the corner of his eye. He looked up and saw
Cordelia and Angel standing silently in the doorway. He nodded his head to
enter. They crept quietly into the room and sat on the floor beside the
bed.

“And then I rolled over onto my back,” Willow said with a sigh. “The sky
was so blue. It was that kind of blue sky that doesn’t seem real at all. I
watched the fluffy white clouds floating by. Xander and I used to lay in
my backyard and find pictures in the passing clouds. Some of the clouds
were really poofy. And I don’t mean like Angel,” she said, knowing what
Spike was thinking.

Angel smiled as he listened to her. It had been a long time since he’d seen
a blue sky.

“They were poofy like tufts of cotton candy. I wanted to reach up and pull
them out of the sky. Other clouds were just wisps of white dancing across a
sea of pale blue. It was like if you blinked they would be gone like a
ghost. I don’t think I’ve ever really remembered a summer sky quiet like
it,” she sighed.

“It sounds beautiful, pet. Wish I could have been there,” Spike said.

Willow tilted her face towards him. “You were. I was just lying there
looking at the sky when you were standing over me. I don’t think I ever saw
anything so beautiful,” she whispered.

Cordy bit her lip to keep from laughing. *Okay, Will, Spike’s a hottie, but
beautiful?* she thought.

Spike glared at the seer. “Beautiful? Not very manly, pet,” he said.

“You were very bad ass in your black leather duster, don’t worry. The sun
shone down on your hair. Your eyes were so blue. Almost as blue as the
sky or cornflowers.”

“So what did I do in your dream?” he asked.

“You took off your jacket and sat on the ground beside me. I rested my head
in your lap and made a chain of flowers you picked for me. You set the ring
of flowers on my head and pronounced me the Queen of all I surveyed. I made
you my king and we laid back and watched clouds together. Of course, all
you could see in the clouds were demons and bloody things, but it was still
fun.”

Spike chuckled as he tucked her hair behind her ear. “It sounds wonderful
so why were you crying?” he asked.

Willow sniffed back her tears. “When I woke up, it was gone. All the
colors were gone. I only had darkness,” she said as the tears dripped off
her nose onto Spike’s chest. “I accept that I’m blind and will never see
again. But it hurts that I can still dream and see all these wonderful
things.” Her shoulders shook as a sob racked her body. “And when I wake up
it’s all gone.”

Cordelia leaned into Angel’s shoulder as her tears fell. Angel’s left hand
stroked her back as he brushed a tear from his cheek with his right.

Spike held her shaking body closer to him. He murmured soothing sounds into
her red hair. “I’m sorry, Willow. I wish I could do something to make you
see again,” he whispered around his tight throat. *How I wish I could make
you whole again,* he thought.

Willow rubbed her damp cheeks against the soft cotton tee shirt. “Don’t
cry, Cordy. It will make your eyes all red and puffy,” she said.

Cordelia laughed through her tears. “How did you know I was here?” she
asked.

“Your perfume. Angel’s here, too.” She turned over onto her side with her
back to Spike. Spike helped adjust her cast so she could lie comfortably.
Stretching her hand across the bed she smiled at them.

Cordy placed her hand in Willow’s. She squeezed it. “We all wish we could
do something to make you better, Wills.”

Willow tugged her friend’s hand. “Don’t sit on the floor. Come on,” she
said inviting Cordy into bed beside her.

Cordelia slid onto the bed beside her and wrapped her arms around Willow.
She hugged her tight. “I love you, Willow,” she whispered in her ear.

Angel reached out and stroked Willow’s hair. “Maybe we could find
something...” he started.

Reaching up she held Angel’s hand in her own. “No, Angel. I don’t want you
to. I’m fine. Honestly. I’m alive and well. I have my friends who love
me and support me. Even when I break stupid knick-knacks,” Willow said.
Cordelia chuckled against her.

Spike curled around Willow and tucked his arm under his head. “Might as
well get into bed, Peaches. The room is vampire proof,” he sighed.

Angel looked over the girls into Spike’s blue eyes. While they had their
differences, the two vampires had one very important thing in common. Their
love for Willow. He slipped into bed behind Cordy. While it was crowded,
everyone snuggled together peacefully.

Part 7

Willow woke with a knee pressing into her stomach. While it didn’t hurt, it
certainly didn’t help her full bladder. She was surrounded by arms and legs
she couldn’t see. She didn’t want to wake anyone, but she really needed to
go to the bathroom. “Spike,” she said, nudging the vampire curled up behind
her.

The peroxide blonde rolled with the elbow to his midsection. He rolled
right off the bed and right onto the floor, cracking his head against the
nightstand on the way down. “What the...” he shouted clutching his head.
“Bloody hell.”

Cordelia and Angel woke startled at the shout. The dark vampire slipped off
his side of the bed with only a little more grace than his childe. He
landed on his butt with a thud all the same.

“I’m sorry, Spike,” Willow said as she leaned over the edge of the mattress.
Of course, she didn’t see him sitting up and their heads collided with a
dull thump. “Ow,” she uttered as she clutched her forehead and flopped
against her pillow. Although her head hurt, she started to giggle.

Cordelia joined her in the giggle fest. “Didn’t realize you were so
dangerous first thing in the morning, Will,” she laughed.

The red head giggled some more. “Cordy, don’t make me laugh. I have to
pee.” She sat up and cautiously moved her legs to the side of the bed.

Spike put a hand on her cast to keep from getting kicked in the face. He
handed her the crutches she kept beside the bed. “Try not to kill anyone on
your way there,” he said, rubbing the knot on the back of his head.

“Well, at least we know the four of us can’t share the same bed without
injury,” Cordy said around a yawn.

“Not unless we get a bigger bed,” Spike grumbled.

Angel picked himself off the floor. “What time is it?” he asked.

Spike hit the button on Willow’s alarm clock. “4:32 AM,” the mechanical
voice announced.

Cordelia groaned and buried her face into the pillow. “I’m going back to
sleep,” she mumbled.

Spike scratched absently at his chest as he got to his feet. “I’m going to
get something to eat and an ice pack.”

Angel tucked the covers around the sleeping brunette and left to join Spike
in the kitchen. Spike held a bag of frozen peas to the back of his head as
he waited for the microwave to finish heating his snack.

Angel stood behind him and moved the plastic bag. “Let me see,” he said.

He stood patiently while his sire poked through his hair. “Ow!” he
exclaimed as Angel touched the knot.

“You’ll be fine, you big baby,” he said, replacing the frozen vegetables.

The microwave beeped and Spike removed his mug. Sitting at the kitchen
table the two vampires stared at each other.

“You want her don’t you?” Angel asked.

Spike didn’t bother trying to pretend he didn’t understand the question.
“Always have.”

“Why?”

Spike tilted his head back and drained the blood from the mug. “I know
you’re not blind,” he said.

Angel continued to stare at him waiting for an answer. No, he wasn’t blind
and was fully aware of all the wonderful qualities Willow possessed. He
just wanted to make sure his childe’s intentions were honorable, for lack of
a better word.

Dropping the frozen peas on the table, he rolled his eyes. “She’s smart,
funny and Willow doesn’t put up with my crap. Bloody beautiful, too.”
Smiling wistfully out the kitchen window, Spike chuckled. “I love her,
mate.”

Angel’s dark eyes widened in surprise. It wasn’t that his childe declared
his love, but that it actually sounded as if he meant it. “You’re serious,
aren’t you?”

Icy blue eyes met warm brown ones. “Ever known me to lie about that?” he
asked

“No. Never have.”

“You love me?” Willow asked from the doorway. Both vampires turned to see
the red head propped up on her crutches. “You love me and you tell Angel
before you tell me?”

Spike stood and took a step towards her. “Pet.”

“Don’t you _pet_ me. When were you going to tell me?” she asked. She
thought for a moment and realized the truth. “You weren’t going to, were
you?”

“No.”

“Why not? I’m not good enough for the bad ass vampire now that I’m damaged
goods?” she demanded.

“You are NOT damaged goods.” Spike took a deep unneeded breath. He didn’t
relish pouring out his feelings in front of his poufy sire. “Got that whole
thing backwards, luv.” He dropped his gaze to the floor. “You deserve a
lot better than me. You need someone who can take care of you.”

Angel cringed as he watched Willow’s face.

“Deserve? Need! I’m not some helpless puppy that you have to take care
of,” she yelled as she swung one of her crutches up to point in his general
direction. Angel ducked to avoid injury. “Okay, so it’s taking me a while
to get used to being blind. Yeah, I run into things. And sometimes I
require assistance, but I don’t _need_ anybody.” She paused to calm her
nerves. “I don’t _need_ you, Spike.”

Angel watched quietly as any hope Spike had vanished. His heart broke as
the devil-may-care glint disappeared from his cerulean eyes.

“I don’t need you in my life, Spike,” Willow whispered. “But I want you
there.” She sniffed back her tears. “I love you, too.”

Spike looked up, unsure if he heard correctly. He felt a shove from behind.
Angel pushed the blonde vampire closer to the red head. He took a step
closer to her. “I just want the best for you, Willow,” he said softly.

She smiled up at him. “You are the best thing to happen to me, Spike.”

He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off her foot and crutches.
Her arms wound around his neck as his lips descended on her mouth. They
lost themselves in their first kiss.

“Can I go back to sleep or will there be more yelling?” Cordy asked from the
hallway.

Part 8
 

Willow lay awake in bed, waiting.  It seemed like she’d been waiting  forever.  Reaching out towards her nightstand, she pressed the button on her alarm clock.  “3:27 AM,” the clock responded.

“Where are you, Spike?” she asked quietly.  It had been three days since he confessed his love for her.  Three days since Cordelia received a vision.  Three days since Spike spent his nights helping Angel find and destroy the latest threat to humanity.

“Three days since you kissed me and held me in your arms,” Willow sighed.

While the red head was glad Spike was assisting his sire, she was beginning to feel neglected.  She had a feeling Cordy was feeling the same way about Angel.   The two young women helped Wesley with research during the day, but the nights were getting lonely.
Willow sat up at the knock on the door.  “Spike?”

“No, sorry.  It’s just me,” Cordy said as she opened the bedroom door.  “I had a feeling you’d still be up.”

“Cuz you can’t sleep until you know they’re safe, either?” Willow asked.

The tall brunette sat on the edge of the bed.  “Yeah.”

Willow flopped back onto the bed.  “Aren’t we a fine pair.”

“What are you talking about?  At least, Spike loves you,” Cordy sighed.  She played with the loose end of her ponytail.

“Yeah, I guess.  But Angel loves you, too.  I’m sure of it,” Willow insisted.

“In a I’ll-humor-her-till-she-goes-away-little-sister kind of way.  And what do you mean you guess Spike loves you?  He told you he did.”

She shook her head slowly.  “No, he told Angel that he loved me.  Then I yelled at him and he kissed me, but he never actually told _me_ that he loved me.  And I don’t think that Angel loves you in a big brother kind of way.  I may  be blind now, but I remember how he looked at you when you weren’t watching.”

“When was this?”

“When you guys came down to visit a few months ago,” Willow answered.

“Oh.”  She paused to think about her relationship with Angel.  “Guys are such dorks sometimes.  I can’t believe Spike never said I love you to you.   The peroxide must be eating away at his brain or something.”

Willow laughed.  “You always know what to say to make me laugh, Cordy.”

She stretched out next to the red head and stared at the ceiling.  “I’m glad.  You haven’t laughed a lot lately.”

“I know.  I’m getting better though.  I get out of bed every morning.  Even when I don’t want to,” Willow said as she scratched the top of her leg.  The cast was really starting to bug her.  Her leg itched all the time.

“Doesn’t your cast come off tomorrow?” Cordy asked, noticing the scratch.

“Actually, in about seven hours.  I can’t wait.  I want to be mobile again.”

“You’re getting pretty good with those crutches.”

“Yeah, but my pits are killing me.  I swear I have....” she broke off what she was going to say and sat up.

“What is it?” Cordy asked.

“Spike’s been hurt,” she said in a rush.  Grabbing her crutches, she hurried out the bedroom door with Cordelia close on her heels.
The front door opened and the two vampires entered.  Both of them had looked better.

“Oh, my God!  Angel, are you okay?” Cordy asked as she rushed to his side.  She put her arm around him, but quickly pulled back.  “What is that?”

 “You don’t want to know,” Angel said as he limped over to the couch.

“Don’t you dare sit on my couch with your clothes on,” Cordy exclaimed.

Spike cocked an eyebrow at the ex cheerleader’s words. Cordy blushed when she realized what she said.

“You’re all covered in gook. I don’t want it all over my couch. Go in the bathroom,” she ordered as she grabbed some towels and the first aid kit from the hall closet.

“Spike, are you okay?” Willow asked, resting a hand on his slimy shoulder.

“Been better.”  He winced slightly as he shrugged out of his leather duster. “You should see the other bloke.”  The two vampires slowly made their way to the bathroom.

Angel groaned as he pulled his sweater over his head and dropped it on the tile floor.  He knew he had a few broken ribs at the least.  Spike tired to bite back his own groans of pain as he tugged his tee shirt off.  He saw the vicious bruises on his sire’s body and knew his own torso must look just as bad.

Willow turned on the shower and waited for the water to heat up.  “Both of you take a shower and wash that slime off.  Then we’ll get you patched up,” she said as she moved to the door.  “I’ll get you some clothes.”

Cordy gasped when she saw the cuts and bruises over Angel’s smooth chest.  “I’ll get some blood for you both,” she said, setting the towels on the sink.

“Super size mine, ducks,” Spike said as he began unbuttoning his jeans.

Willow entered the kitchen with two pairs of sweat pants over her shoulder.  She listened as Cordy set two large plastic cups into the microwave.  “Do they look as bad as I think they do?” she asked.

“Worse.”  She leaned back against the counter as she waited for the microwave to finish its job.  “I want to know how you knew Spike was hurt.”

“I don’t know.  I always know when Spike is around.  I can just feel his presence, but when I felt it tonight it was difference somehow.”

“A disturbance in the force?” Cordy asked.

“Something like that,” Willow replied with a smile.

“Think we can get some clothes here anytime soon?” Spike called from the bathroom.

Cordy grabbed the sweats and walked down the hall to the bathroom.  After she knocked a hand reached out, grabbed the clothes and shut the door.  “When you’re dressed come into the kitchen and we’ll patch you up,” she called through the door.

Willow sat in one chair and propped her foot on another.  Cordy placed the first aid kit on the table and opened the metal box.  “Remind me to pick up more bandages when I drive you to the doctors,” she said noticing the low supply.

“We should be buying medical supplies in bulk the way we go through them.”

Angel and Spike limped into the kitchen.  Cordy handed each of them a cup and directed them to sit.  “Okay, who’s first?” she asked holding up a roll of ace bandages.

“Peaches got the worst of it,” Spike sighed as he lifted Willow’s foot and sat in the chair.  He rested her cast on his leg and gently rubbed her bare toes.

“You both look like you were run over by a Mack truck,” Cordy said as she started to wrap up Angel’s ribs.  “Did you at least win?”

“Yeah, we won,” Angel replied.  He inhaled Cordy’s sweet scent as her arms moved around him.

“That’s good,” Willow commented.  She toyed with the drawstring of her shorts.  She felt bad that she couldn’t help patch Spike up like Cordelia did Angel.

Spike recognized her depressed look.  “What’s wrong, luv?” he asked.

“Nothing.  Just tired, I guessed.”

He didn’t buy that one for a second.  “What are you doing up so late anyway?”

“Couldn’t sleep.  I was worried about you.  Both of you.”  Spike grabbed her hand and rubbed his callused thumb across her soft knuckles.

“We were both worried,” Cordy added as she finished taping the bandage around Angel’s chest.  “So we were up talking when Willow felt that Spike was hurt.”

Angel looked at the red head.  “What do you mean you felt Spike was hurt?”

“She felt a disturbance in the force, Master Yoda,” Cordy said.  Angel gave her a confused look.  “Never mind.”

Willow shrugged.  “I always know when Spike is around.  I can feel you and Cordy, too, just not as much.  Something didn’t feel right and I knew he was hurt.”

“Maybe it’s that thing when you lose one of your senses the others kick into overdrive,” Cordy suggested.

“Maybe,” Willow said.

Cordelia let out a vocal yawn as she finished bandaging the two vampires.  “Well, now that that’s over.  I think I’ll go catch up on my beauty sleep.  Angel, why don’t you crash here.  You’ll only be over in a couple of hours anyway.”

“You’re probably right,” he said.  He wandered into the living room and made sure the drapes where firmly closed before he lowered himself onto the couch to sleep.

Spike tugged Willow to her feet.  “Come on, pet.  Let’s go to bed.”

The tired red head selfishly wished he meant that in a context other than just sleeping.

As the two of them settled under the light sheet, Spike brushed a strand of hair away from her face.  “Sorry that I worried you,” he whispered.

She reached up and held his hand.  “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

He leaned over and kissed her forehead.  “Can’t get rid of me that easily.”  He held her loosely in his arms until her deep even breathing indicated she was asleep.   “I love you, Willow,” he whispered.

He thought about why he could only confess his love for her when she was sleeping.  He knew that she loved him back, but he still feared the possibility that she would come to her senses and leave him.  Whether or not she admitted it, she needed him in her life right now.  After the cast was removed she would be back on the road to independence and mobility.   *She could change her mind and leave me,* he thought.  *Probably better off without me, but I know it will hurt when it happens.* Pushing the depressing thoughts out of his mind, he kissed her forehead and went to sleep.

Part 9

Spike stretched and reached for Willow beside him. When he didn't feel anything, he cracked open one eye. All he saw was the rumpled sheets
where she had been sleeping. The clock told him it was one in the afternoon. Sitting up the blonde vampire winced at the ache in his ribs.

He opened the bedroom door and heard voices coming from the kitchen. Willow's cheerful laugh made him smile; the deeper chuckle gave him pause.
*That's not Peaches,* he realized. He left the room to find out who was making _his_ Willow laugh.

Spike stood in the doorway watching the tall blonde man flirt with Willow. For once he was grateful that Willow was blind so she couldn't see the
handsome human. His demon wanted to kill the man who dared touch what was his.

Willow knew Spike was in the room. She turned towards him. "Spike, you remember Jack, don't you? He's the one who designed the software for my
laptop," she reminded him.

Spike and Jack nodded at each other, each sizing up the competition.

"Oh, look. I got my cast off. Finally," she said excitedly. She held her bare legs out so he could see. "Jack said there wasn't much color difference
between them."

Spike glanced at her slender legs. The right was only slightly tanner than the left. "Not much," he said.

While Spike had never been a chatterbox, Willow thought he was sounding an awful lot like Angel. "Something wrong?" she asked.

"No."

"Okay. Jack and I were going over some of the improvements he wanted to make to the program."

"Yeah, well, I'm trying to sleep. So if you could keep it down out here," he grumbled as he headed back to bed. He knew he was being rude, but he
was a bad ass master vampire damn it.

Willow sat silently for a few moments trying to figure out what Spike's problem was. "Sorry about that, Jack. Spike usually isn't that rude. Well,
actually he is, but I guess he's just tired. He didn't get home till three this morning," she rambled.

Jack placed a hand on her knee. "Don't worry about it. I think he's just jealous."

"Jealous? Of what?" she asked, stunned. No one had ever been jealous over her before. There was no reason for it.

Jack chuckled. "Of me, silly. I know I would be if our roles were reversed."

"Huh?"

He had to sit back and admire her innocence. She really had no idea how her sweet beauty could affect a man. It made her all the more attractive.
"If I walked in here and found him flirting with you, I'd be insanely jealous. Course I wouldn't have turned around and walked away," he said.

"But you weren't.."

He squeezed her bare knee. "Yes, I was."

"Oh, I didn't realize...I mean..."

"It's okay, Willow. You're naïveté just makes you sexier. You probably don't even realize men hitting on you." He leaned forward and tucked a lock of
red hair behind her ear.

She blushed over his words and gentle touch. "You think I'm sexy?" she asked in disbelief.

"Without a doubt."

"But I'm just plain old Willow. Nothing special." *Why can't Spike tell me these things?* she wondered.

Angel walked into the kitchen and paused when he saw Jack leaning so close to Willow and her blushing response. *Where the hell is Spike?* he
asked himself.

Jack glanced at Angel and noticed the dark glare he was receiving. *Not another one,* he thought. "Angel, you're a man. You tell Willow she's sexy.
She doesn't believe me. Says she's plain," Jack said.

Angel threw him another dark look before shifting his focus to the embarrassed red head. "You are. Sexy, I mean. You've always been beautiful," he
said.

"You don't have to say those things, Angel. Cordelia is beautiful and sexy. I'm just...I guess, I can settle for pretty," Willow stumbled out. She
definitely wasn't used to all this attention, especially over her looks. She remembered what she looked like. *Haven't been blind that long.*

The dark vampire pulled a chair out and sat down. "Cordy is beautiful and sexy. And she knows it, too. You have a different kind of beauty. An inner
beauty that shines through. Never did understand why you weren't mobbed by guys in high school."

Jack threw back his head and laughed. "Don't you remember what you were like in high school?" he asked.

*Never went to high school,* Angel thought darkly.

"I recognized that kind of beauty, but had no idea what to do with it. It takes a man to appreciate the finer qualities in life."

"That's true. It was all about superficial stuff back then," Angel ad-libbed.

"Okay, fine. Can we find a new topic," Willow pleaded.

Jack knew the red head didn't like the spotlight he'd put her under. "Sure. Why don't we talk about going out tonight?" he suggested.

"Out?" *This was just as bad.*

"Yeah. We can all go out and celebrate getting your cast off," Jack said. "There's a new club I hear is the happening place."

"You mean The Wallflower?" Cordy asked from the kitchen entry way.

He turned to look at the tall brunette. "That's the place. Have you been there?"

"Are you kidding? You practically have to give away your first born to get in," she said with a roll of her hazel eyes.

"Well, it's a good thing I know the owner then," Jack said.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

Cordy grabbed Willow and pulled the girl to her feet. "Willow, we so need to go shopping. What time are we leaving?"

"Is eight okay?"

She glanced at her watch. "Almost two. That only leaves four hours to shop and two to get ready. It will be close, but I think we can do it," she
said as she pulled Willow after her.

****

Spike stared at the ceiling. He tried to block out the chatter coming from the kitchen.

*What the bloody hell are you doing in here, you pansy, when that ponce is out there making moves on your woman!* his demon demanded.

"He can give her everything she deserves," Spike muttered.

*Like what?*

"Computer crap."

*Like she can't get that on her own.*

"He can take her out in the day without turning into a big pile of dust."

*She's blind. Can't see the sun. Besides she looks better in moonlight.*

"He can give her kids and the love she deserves."

*You love her, you twit. Not that you tell her when she's actually conscious. The kids are a little harder, but who says she wants them.*

"She deserves children."

*Oh, I give up. You're turning into your poufy sire. I don't want to talk to you anymore.*

"Like I asked you to in the first place," Spike grumbled.

"Talking to yourself, Spike?" Angel asked from the doorway.

Spike glared at his sire. "What do you want?"

"Just thought I'd tell you we're going out tonight. Going to celebrate Willow getting her cast removed."

"Fine. I'm going to sleep." He rolled over and pulled the sheet over his head.

Angel shook his head. *Keep this up, Spike, and you're going to loose her for sure.*

Part 10

Willow stood in the middle of the spacious dressing room. Cordelia stood at the door chatting with the store clerk. "Yeah, and bring those green
pants, too," she said as she shut the door. She kicked some of the clothes littering the floor out of the way. "Can you believe we're going to The
Wallflower? I'm so excited."

"And you just can't hide it," Willow added stoically.

Cordy slipped a dress over her head. "What's wrong, Willow?" she asked as she tugged the stretch velvet into place.

"I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count," she sighed as she unzipped the skirt and let the satin material pool at her feet.

"Spike."

"Tell her what she's won, Bob. Yeah, Spike. Can you believe he got all jealous? He thought Jack was flirting with me."

Cordy glanced at the red head. "Was he?"

"Well, he said he was. But I mean I love Spike. I told him I loved him. Which is more than Spike's done." The more she thought about it the angrier
she became. "What right does Spike have to be all jealous anyway?"

Cordy smiled as Willow got her dander up. "No right at all," she said.

"If he doesn't want me, that doesn't mean someone else doesn't."

"Exactly."

"Jack thinks I'm sexy. Angel, too."

"Of course he does. Hey! Wait a minute. Angel said you were sexy?" Cordy asked only slightly ticked.

"Oh, he was just trying to boost my ego. He said you were beautiful and sexy, too."

"Okay, then." A knock on the door interrupted them. Cordy opened the door and took the clothes the clerk handed her. "Thanks." She hung them on
the back of the door. "These are perfect. Willow, try these on," she said.

Willow held her hand out and frowned when she felt the material. "Leather?" She paused. "Cordy, what are you planning?"

She smiled as she searched for the perfect top to go with the hunter green pants. "What makes you think I'm planning anything?"

The red head slid her legs into the pants and hopped up and down to get them over her thighs. "Maybe cuz I know you." She had to suck in her flat
tummy in order to button the fly.

Cordy laughed at the answer. She finally found the sheer top she'd been looking for. She handed it over. "Here."

Willow pulled the shirt over her head. The bottom hem just touched the slight curve of her waist while the leather pants hugged the swell of her
hips. That left a large expanse of creamy flesh exposed. She turned in a slow circle for Cordelia's inspection. "Well?"

She carefully studied her friend. "The smiley face panties have got to go. In fact you shouldn't wear any at all. And we need to stop at Victoria's
Secret to find a better bra. Maybe a black satin would look good under that sheer top," she muttered to herself.

"It's sheer?" Willow asked, touching the silky material.

"Spike is going to go nuts. And I'm sure if he doesn't do anything, Jack will keep you too busy to notice." Now that Willow had an outfit, Cordy
turned her attention to finding some clothes for herself.

As Willow sat on the dressing room bench, her eyes bugged as the tight leather pants cut into her belly. "Maybe we should find a larger size," she
gasped.

"They'll stretch."

She squirmed around to try to get them to do just that. "I like Jack, Cordy. I don't want to use him to make Spike jealous."

"Maybe he wants to be used."

"No one wants to be used."

"Why don't you just ask him to help you?" Cordy asked as she began hanging the discarded clothes on their hangers.

"You want me to just to up to Jack and ask him to help me make Spike jealous?"

"Why not?"

Willow thought of a thousand reasons why not, but only one hurt the most. "And what if it backfires and Spike leaves me? Not that he was ever
_with_ me," she said.

"If I've learned anything by working with Angel, it's that master vampires are extremely possessive. He may not want to admit he loves you, but I'd
bet a brand new Mercedes that if he saw someone seriously moving in on his territory, he'd flip."

"Forget it, Cordelia." Being blind, Willow missed the gleam in Cordy's hazel eyes.

****

"Are you girls just about ready?" Angel asked through the bathroom door.

"Just a sec," Cordy said as she applied another coat of mascara to Willow's long lashes. "All done." She took a step back to survey her work.

She had gone heavy on the eye make up so her green eyes sparkle, even though Willow insisted she was going to wear her sunglasses. Willow knew
it made most people uncomfortable that her eyes didn't randomly move around like a sighted person's. Cordy had brushed a light peach blusher and
applied a deep wine gloss to her lips.

"Ready?" Cordy asked as she double checked her own flawless make up.

"I guess," she sighed as she slid her glasses into place.

Angel scanned the fashion magazine Cordelia had left on the coffee table while Spike stared restlessly out the window. Angel glanced up when he
heard Cordy's shoes on the hardwood floor. He did a double take when he spotted the blood red halter dress she wore. The hem floated around her
thighs. He swallowed hard as his eyes followed the beaded hem as it swayed with each step.

The tall brunette struck a pose and did a small turn to show off her new dress. "Well, what do you think?" she asked.

Angel had to pick his jaw off the floor when he saw the plunging back. "Um."

Cordy took the lack of words as a compliment. "Thank you." She moved across the living room at the knock on the door. "Jack! Come in."

"Cordelia, you look fabulous," he greeted her with a kiss on her cheek.

Angel frowned as he got to his feet.

"Thank you, Jack. You look great."

He stepped into the living room and stepped closer to Willow. "You look beyond amazing, Willow. And those pants are...Wow!"

The red head blushed and giggled.

Spike had been trying unsuccessfully to ignore her presence in the room. At Jack's words, he turned to look at her. His blue eyes traveled over her
sheer top, black satin bra, and tight leather pants. He growled low in his throat when he spotted Jack's hand resting on the bare expanse of her
back. "Go change. You're not wearing that," he ordered.

Willow glared in his direction. "I am wearing this. If you don't like it, don't look," she snapped. She was tired of his games.

Jack leaned closer to her ear. "Maybe he's right. Men are going to be all over you tonight," he said in a stage whisper.

"All the more reason to wear it," she said with a laugh.

"As long as I get to be one of them," he whispered quietly into her ear. Willow blushed and Spike glared.

"Let's go," Cordy said.

****

Angel tightened his grip on the steering wheel. *If she crosses her legs one more time,* he thought.

Cordelia shifted in her seat again. The wind blew thorough her long hair as she watched him out of the corner of her eye. She tugged at the short
hem of her skirt.

Angel's eyes were automatically drawn to the beaded hem as she tugged it back into place. He focused on her red nails as she played with one of
the beads. *To be that bead,* he thought wistfully.

"Angel!" Cordy screamed.

"What!" he said. Returning his focus to the road, he jerked the car back into his lane. *Okay. Don't stare at Cordelia's leg. Eyes on the road,* he
ordered himself.

"Want me to drive?" Willow asked.

Angel just shook his head. *Might be better if Willow drove.*

He glanced at Cordy again. "Aren't you cold?" he asked her.

"No, I'm fine," she said with a smile.

He glanced at her chest. "You look cold."

Cordy looked down. "Not cold. Just excited."

Angel swallowed hard. "Excited? Why are you excited?" he asked.

"To be going to The Wallflower, of course," she said with a knowing grin.

*Figures.* Angel ran his hand through his hair. *This is going to be a long night.*

Cordy tucked a fly away strand of hair behind her ear. Angel was ignoring her again. *This is going to be a long night.*

****

Jack escorted Willow passed the crowd waiting to get into the club. Angel followed with his hand possessively on Cordy's bare back. He glared at
the men who whistled and cat-called to the beautiful brunette. Spike brought up the rear. He planned to get rip roaring drunk tonight. He was one
unhappy vampire.

Jack stepped forward to talk to the bouncer guarding the door. The hulk of a man said something into his radio and a few moments later the door
opened.

"Jack! You finally came," a tall brunette exclaimed as she hugged him. "Come on in."

The group entered the dimly lit club. "Salice, I want you to meet Willow. This is Cordelia and Angel. Oh, yeah, that's Spike," Jack said pointing to the
bleach blonde standing by the door. "Everyone, this is Salice, owner of The Wallflower and sister extraordinaire."

Salice settled her eyes on Willow. "So this is the Willow you've been gushing about. Pleased to meet you," she said cheerfully holding out her hand.

"Hand, " Cordy whispered in her ear and gave her a nudge.

Startled Willow held her hand out. "Oh, sorry." Salice shook her hand and glared at her brother.

"My fault," Jack said. "I forgot to tell Salice that Willow's blind."

"But he sure didn't forget to mention how beautiful you are. Typical man," she laughed. "You know my name means Willow."

"Really?"

"Yep. Anyway. Come on. I've reserved the best table and everything is on the house tonight."

"Wow. Thanks," Cordy said as she followed the blonde amazon to the table.

"Well, anyone who can drag my brother away from his damn computers deserves special treatment," she yelled over her shoulder and the music.

She showed them to the table set close to the dance floor yet private enough to allow for conversation. Once everyone was seated she waved to
a passing waitress. "Kat, I want you to get these people anything they want. On the house."

"No problem, Salice."

"I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got a club to run," Salice said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you," Willow said.

"Same."

Kat set her tray on the table as she leaned against it. "So what can I get for you guys?"

"Corona with lime," Jack said.

Kat nodded towards the blonde man. "Guy's a millionaire and he orders a three dollar bottle of beer," she laughed.

"I'll have a coke," Willow said.

Kat looked at the brooding blonde. "What about you, Blondie?"

"Bring me a bottle of Everclear," Spike said.

"The whole bottle?"

"And a glass."

"Kay. What about you, handsome?" she asked Angel. She received a cold glare from the woman beside him.

"Beer."

"Any particular kind? We've got hundreds."

"Corona's fine."

"I'll have some tequila," Cordy ordered.

Kat smiled at them. "Back in five."

Cordy looked around the club once the beautiful waitress left. "Everyone has been talking about this place since before it opened. It's supposed to
be the Studio 54 of the millennium," Cordy gushed.

"Except for the drugs," Jack said. "Salice had done a wonderful job with the place. She used to own Nowhere."

"I've heard that place has gone down hill."

"Yeah, it took a nose dive after she sold it. She was bored and wanted to try something new," Jack said. He leaned back in his chair and put an arm
around the back of Willow's.

Spike glared at the hand playing with the silky ends of her red hair.

"It definitely sounds better than the Bronze," Willow said as Jack's fingers brushed the back of her neck.

"A garbage truck sounds better than The Bronze," Cordy said.

Kat returned with their drinks and set them out on the table. Spike grabbed his bottle of Everclear and poured himself a shot. "I brought enough
shot glasses for everyone just in case," Kat said as she placed a bowl of lemon and lime wedges on the table along with the salt shaker. The bottle
of tequila she set in the middle. "If you want something else just let me know."

Willow leaned over to Jack and whispered something in his ear.

"Sure. Kat, can you bring us something to eat?" he asked.

"Sure thing. You just want the appetizer platter? It's got just about everything. Nachos, buffalo wings, Mozzarella sticks."

"That sounds great," Willow said.

Jack tipped back his bottle and took a swig. "You want to dance, Willow?"

The red head looked a little hesitant. "I don't know. I may run into people."

He squeezed her shoulder. "Then you'll just have to dance close to me, won't you?" He stood and pulled out her chair.

Spike just glared and tossed back another shot of the 180 proof liquor *You'll just have to dance close to me,* he thought sarcastically with a
sneer.

Jack found a less occupied space on the dance floor just until Willow grew more confident. They didn't try to talk for the first couple of songs.
When a slower song came from the speakers, Jack pulled her closer.

"I think it might be working," he said.

"What might be working?" Willow asked.

He slipped the tips of his fingers into the back of her pants. "The plan to make Spike jealous enough to stake a claim," he explained.

Willow pulled back slightly. "Where did you hear about that plan?" she asked. "Never mind. Cordelia told you."

"Yeah. She called me and explained the plan," he said as he pulled her closer.

Willow pulled back a step. "You don't have to do this," she said. "If Spike doesn't love me enough to stake his own claim then I don't want him. I'm
not going to trick a man into saying he loves me."

Jack smiled down at her. He pulled her sunglasses off and tucked them into his pocket. "Good. That means I get to flirt with you for my own
pleasure," he said as he pulled her against his body.

They danced for a minute before Willow lifted her fact towards his. "Uhm, Jack?"

"Yeah," he whispered against her hair.

"Is that my sunglasses?" she asked.

"No."

"Kay."

****

Cordelia tossed back another shot of tequila. She puckered as she bit into the lemon. "You know, Spike, you're face is gonna freeze like that if
you're not careful."

Spike tore his eyes from Willow's swaying form on the dance floor. "What?"

She shook her head. "If you don't want her to dance with him then just cut in," she said as she poured another shot. "

Who said I wanted to dance with her?" he asked, pouring himself a shot.

"Whatever," she sighed. *Men are so fucking clueless,* she thought as she pushed back her chair. "I'm going to dance." As an after thought, she
leaned over to whisper in Spike's ear. "She's not wearing any panties." Turning on her heel she moved onto the dance floor.

Spike sprayed the table and Angel. "What!" he exclaimed. His eyes narrowed as he zeroed in on Willow's firm ass covered by the tight green leather.

Angel wiped the drink off his face with a napkin. "Nice table manners, Spike."

Spike say Jack slip his fingers under the waist band of her pants. "Bloody hell!"

"What's wrong? What did Cordy say?"

"She said she's not wearing any knickers," Spike growled.

Angel turned quickly and found Cordelia moving sensually out on the dance floor. Both vampires got to their feet and hurried onto the dance floor.
Spike towards Willow; Angel towards Cordelia.

****

Angel grabbed Cordelia's arm and turned her around. "Is it true?"

Startled, Cordy blinked at the dark vampire. "Is what true?"

"What you told Spike," he growled.

"Yeah."

Angle glared at the man who had been dancing with her. The man backed away to find a new partner. "The dress is a little short for it, don't you
think?"

"Short for what?" she asked confused.

"To _not_ be wearing panties," he whispered in her ear.

*He thinks I'm not wearing...* she realized. "No.." she started to correct his error but thought better of it. "Not really."

Angel growled.

"What do you care?" Cordy asked.

"You're my friend," he said lamely.

"Willow's my friend, too, and she doesn't care."

"All the guys out here..."

"Have no idea what I am wearing or not under this dress. Although the no bra is pretty obvious," she interrupted him.

"Damn it, Cordelia," he muttered.

"Tell me, Angel. What difference does it make to you if every man in this place thinks I'm buck naked under this dress?" she demanded.

In a fit of frustration, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her breath away. Pulling back he stared into her dazed hazel eyes. "Because I love you,"
he whispered.

With a smile she placed his strong hand on her bare back and slid it down. She giggled at his stunned expression when he felt the low waistband of
her thong. "I love you too. And Willow is the one not wearing panties."

"Not much to yours either," he growled as he pulled her flush to his body.

****

Meanwhile...

Spike pulled Willow out of Jack's embrace. "Is it true?" he yelled.

Confused, she gripped his arm to steady herself. "Is what true?"

"That you're not wearing knickers," he growled in frustration.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no I'm not."

"And you just let him stick his hands down your pants?" he asked, outraged.

"What do you care, Spike?" Willow asked.

"I love you, damn it!" he yelled. "Why wouldn't I care that some ponce has his hands all over what's mine?" he growled.

Willow propped her hands on her bare hips. "Oh, I'm yours, am I?"

"Damn straight!" he shouted.

"It's not like you've done anything about it!" she shouted back.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, hard. Slowly, as his jealous anger faded away, the kiss softened and his hands stroked her back. Pulling
back he gazed into her unseeing eyes. "I love you and I don't care if I'm not good enough for you," he whispered.

"Me, either," she sighed as she leaned into him.

****

Salice and Jack leaned against the bar as they watched the two couples kissing, oblivious to the fast music and people dancing around them. "Ain't
love grand," Salice sighed.

Jack smiled. "Yeah, but I don't have a date anymore."

"Oh, I know the perfect woman for you," she said excitedly.

"No! Forget it! You're not fixing me up again. Remember what happened last time," he said frantically.

"That wasn't my fault."

THE END

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