Author: Jerri Cocke lochnoir@yahoo.com
Summary: Willow and Spike are moving on, after the battle with
Glory.
The black Desota Fireflite pulled onto the curb in front of the Magic Box. Spike reached into the back seat and retrieved the latest in a long line of army surplus blankets. He wrapped the olive wool securely around him, than made the dash for the door. The bell hadn't stopped tinkling before he had beaten the smouldering blanket out.
"Anya, would you please take care of the customers? Spike and I have some business to discuss. I shouldn't think it will take terribly long. Spike, if you will please come into the office?"
"Sure Rupes," the vampire followed Giles into the office, before slouching into a chair comfortably.
"Buffy er ... um ... well, Buffy woke up, quite hysterical, this morning, actually she nearly screamed the flat down. She claims that Willow has in some way disabled your chip."
"According to Red, she did kill the chip. I don't know how, but she said she did it, so I would be better at protecting Dawn. Haven't really tested it yet, but if it's true, she's right. I can protect my girls better." The blond crossed one ankle over his knee, forcing himself to appear relaxed. "So, is it stakes at sundown?"
"No, I rather think not. The fact that you haven't gone on a killing spree speaks volumes. I believe that you will in no way harm Willow or Dawn, and I informed Buffy of my belief in you." Giles sat in the comfortably, ratty chair behind the scarred desk. "The major question I have deals with Buffy. Her history seems remarkably like that of our own universe. I've the feeling that she is from our universe or one so like ours that the point might be moot. She could be a true blessing for us, or the greatest curse we've ever had to deal with. I'm not sure which she is, but either way, we need to be prepared to deal with her."
"Hate to do it, but I've got to agree with you, Rupes. It's hard looking at her, remembering how I felt, hells below, still feel about her. If it weren't for Willow, I don't know how I'd handle it. As it stands now, I know that Red and Platelet are my only priorities. I won't let my feelings for the slayer stand in the way of protecting either of them."
"What shall we do tonight then? When we figure out just who this slayer is. If she is from another dimension, do we return her to her own place? Or do we attempt to convince her to stay and fight here?"
"I've tasted Buffy's blood, and she tastes more powerful than our slayer. There is an element of strength to her that our slayer didn't have, something darker. I'm not real sure how to describe it, but the silly bint has something, our Buffy didn't."
"I see. Well I think that some research will be in order, but it could be a result of her battle with Glory, or perhaps the result of the contact with whatever being resurrected her."
"Always possible, watcher. The only thing I know, is she'd better keep her hands off my girls. Now I'm going to leave you with your research, and go home and make sure Willow is well rested for tonight. I'm not going to have her going into this thing unprepared."
The Summers Home
Spike smiled, as he watched his redhead sleep. His mark was clear on her neck, stamping her as his. She had already submitted herself to him, but this was different. This was his mark, a tattoo or a brand could not be a clearer mark of his ownership.
She moaned as she turned in her sleep, landing on one of the bruises. He smiled slightly, he doubted she would ever again fail to tell him the truth. And it hadn't been that bad, she would be able to sit comfortably in a few days. In the meantime the pain would remind her, never to lie to him again.
He stripped and slipped into bed with his witch, the woman he loved with all his unbeating heart. A dark shadow crossed his face as he thought of the slayer. He had loved her, but knew he could never have her, this was good enough for him, and he would make sure Willow never knew that he still had unresolved feelings for the slayer.
Well, maybe he would be able to resolve them after all, this new slayer was even bitchier than the old one. There was that to consider. A soft smile crossed his face as the witch cuddled up to him, using for him for a combination teddy bear and pillow. He could feel the heat coming off her back and cute arse from the flogging earlier. He wrapped her snugly in his arms and slept.
Later that evening at The Magic Box
"Willow removed Spike's chip sometime ago apparently. She choose to tell none of us including Spike what she had done. She only told Spike and Buffy last night, because Spike proposed, er, hitting Buffy as a test of her humanity." Giles calmly sipped his tea as he spoke.
The slayer looked at the Scoobies, confidently waiting for the outrage she was sure they would feel. To her shock and amazement, the reaction was far different from what she had expected. Anya nodded her head, then led Willow back into the practice room to prepare for the spell.
Xander surprised her the most with his nonchalant, "Cool, about time. Now maybe Spike can be useful when we have to deal with the belligerent humans." He shot a glance at the shocked blonde, "After all, not all the baddies out there are of the supernatural."
"But, he can bite people again. He's a danger to Dawn and Willow."
"Spike would no more bite me than he would take up sunbathing as a hobby, Buffy, or whoever you are."
"And how can you be so sure of that, young lady?"
"Because he likes me." Buffy could hear the `so there' in her little sister's voice.
"But he's a vampire."
"So's Angel, and you never worried about him biting me. Well except for the whole Angelus thing, but that didn't really count, since it never happened."
It took Buffy a moment to follow the teen-ager's convoluted logic then she was forced to agree. "Yes, but Angel has a soul, Spike doesn't, he likes killing things."
"True, but he likes me to much to ever kill me, and he may not have a soul, but he has a Willow, and that will keep him on the straight and narrow." The brunette stuck her tongue out at the slayer, grinning as she did. Just as Buffy prepared to respond to that comment, Anya called that they were ready to do the divination spell.