*********

Willow ran for all she was worth. Trees and branches slapped at her
violently,
but she paid them no heed as she concentrated primarily on escaping her
persuer. *I was only trying to help him, I should have known he'd do this!
Stupid, stupid, stupid Willow!*

She let out a hoarse cry as she tripped over a large tree root that was
partially
sticking out of the ground. Her legs turned to jelly as the half and hour
or so of
solid running caught up with her. Her lungs were on fire and her heart was
about ready to jump out of her chest, she should hear him coming closer. *I
have
to get up! Move legs! Damn you!* She thought frantically as her legs would
no
longer support her weight and she fell to the ground with a thump.

"Well well, I see she's finally tired. It's a good thing vampires don't
have the
same problems humans do." Spike came out from behind a large tree and
started
towards her prone form. "I still haven't thanked you properly for
deactivating
that damn chip for me."

Willow's slowing heartbeat sped up again, "That's ok. I mean, a job well
done is
it's own reward, right?" She smiled feebly and shakily stood up, leaning
against
the tree for support.

Spike only smiled a decidedly evil smile and stalked closer.

*Stalked? Yeah, that's a good word for it.* "Eep!" She squeaked as he
started to
come too close for her liking. "Listen, Spike? I think we can safely say
that you
are now unneutered, right? So why would you want to kill me right away when
you can wait for a bit and savour it more?" Her voiced wavered unsteadily
and
she started to move backwards in time to his forward steps.

Spike stopped for a second and cocked his head to the side, as if
considering her
idea. Hope blossomed inside Willow, but it was crushed as he smiled again
and
shook his head. "Willow, Willow, Willow. You don't know me well, do you?
Back in the dorm room earlier this year, I'm sure you remember, I gave you a
choice between eternal life or eternal death. Well, I wasn't going to give
you a
choice, Willow." He said the last part with a deadly low voice.

Willow's eyes widened, "But--but you said--"

"I know what I said. But I was just making you think you had a choice. You
actually didn't." With inhuman speed, Spike moved to stand directly in
front of
her and gripped her arms hard.

Tears welled up in Willow's eyes, "So, you were never going to turn me?
Just,
kill me and leave my body for Buffy? Gee, thanks, it's nice to know you
care,
Spike."

Spike stared down at her as if she'd gone mad, "No, you beautifully ignorant
girl. I was never going to keep you dead, I was going to bring you back to
be like
me. I still am. Nothing will stop that."

Fear once again rose in Willow's chest and she wordlessly lashed out with
her
foot. It struck it's intended target and Spike let go of her for a moment
as his
knee buckled under the impact.

Willow took off running again through the trees and she heard Spike's
shouted
curse as he took up the chase, again. Willow was running as if she hadn't
just
been for the last half hour, a new burst of adrenaline making her legs pump
harder than they had ever before.

Of course Willow knew it was only a matter of time until Spike caught up
with
her, but at least she could say she went down fighting. Smiling grimly,
Willow's
ears picked up the sound of Spike's footfall some twenty feet behind her,
which
were rapidly eating up the distance between them.

The last thing Willow remembered seeing was the ground rush up to meet her
as
she was tackled from behind.

**********

"Wakey, wakey, Spike." Willow giggled as she leaned over the unmoving form
of her sire.

Spike groaned and smacked her with the pillow beside him. "Go a-bloody-way,
luv. I'm trying to sleep."

Willow grinned. "What if I were to say Cordy's using Angelus' mousse to make
designs on the mirror?"

Spike's eyes shot open and he grinned. "I'd say let's get down there so we
can see
how he reacts when he finds out."

Willow threw Spike his jeans and had just pulled on hers when they both
heard,
'"Cordelia! What the fuck are you doing?"'

Willow and Spike rushed out of the room and met up with Buffy, Riley,
Xander,
Anya, and Giles in the hall by Angelus and Cordelia's room. They were all
laughing so hard they unknowingly wore their game faces as Cordelia flung
open the door and came screeching out of the room holding Angelus' mousse
and Angelus hot on her heels.

"Well, I can say one thing about life with you guys," Buffy giggled, "It's
never
boring."

~END~

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