Parts: 16
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~Part: 16~ Visitors
The dark street was deserted at this time of night, people, fearful of what lingered, crawled or lurked in the dark stayed safely indoors and allowed the city to belong to the creatures of the night. Imaginative citizens might conjure images of slant eyed murderers or gangs on PCP, realistic citizens- not that there were many- played with images of demons with horns, vampires with dripping fangs and death in demonic guises.
Both types of citizen would be surprised to see a cute little Redhead and her tall blonde boyfriend walk down deserted alleys and the worst parts of town unscathed and unbothered.
“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to Spike.” The redhead told her guy “You’ll just be bored.”
“Yeah, but I think I can find something to keep myself occupied love.” He leered down at her and reaching a hand down to cup her ass.
“Oh no you don’t mister.” She warned skirting away from his wandering hands “There will be none of that in front of the others.”
“What’s *that* then?” he asked clearly amused.
“You know full well what I mean.” She blushed lightly and hoped he couldn’t see it in the darkness.
He brushed his fingers across her rose tinted cheeks which- due to sneaky vamp powers- he could see quite clearly thank you very much.
“You mean *this*.” He laid a lingering kiss on her lips causing her to lean into him and close her eyes in acceptance and need.
“Or this?” his hand snaked down below her waist.
Willow’s eyes snapped open and grabbed his hand before it made its merry way under her skirt.
“That is exactly what I mean Mr Smarty pants.” She tried to sound menacing “None of that while we are around the others or I’ll sleep in my own room tonight.”
“And find me on top of you when you wake up.” He said deliberately and then turned sheepish when she frowned “I can’t help it pet, it makes me hot when you get prissy.”
She giggled “You get hot when I breathe!”
“Hmm.” He pretended to consider it “It must be you then pet.” He grinned and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. “Alright then love I’ll behave.” He spat out the word in disgust.
“You’ll be rewarded.” She smiled as his eyes sparkled in anticipation at her tone.
Willow held out her hand
Spike was more than happy to accept the hand and they continued hand in hand.
*He’s so quiet today* Willow though *something must be bothering him- really bothering him.* she shot a sideways glance at him.
“What?” his acute senses knew when Willow looked at him- plus he knew when his Red had a question. He had become so attuned to her moods and expressions, he turned his head, and she was concerned and apprehensive.
“C’mon love what is it?”
“You, you’ve been on edge all day. Is something wrong?” he frowned and her heart sank “Is it me?”
“No.” he pulled her into his arms close to his body so she could feel his reaction to her proximity “It’s not you, it’s never you. You are the only thing in my life that inst wrong. You know that.”
“So what is it?” She bit her lip
Spike looked around at the deserted street as if there was someone lurking in the shadows; the only sounds were of Willow’s soft breathing which never failed to calm him.
“Spike?”
“Just a feeling. It’s the one I get when someone’s following me or if there’s something supernatural nearby. It’s been growing all sodding day, but there’s nothing causing the damn thing.”
“Are you worried?”
“Nah.” He turned back to her with a dismissive gesture “It’s just bleeding annoying.”
She grinned up at her big bad scary boyfriend. “Did I tell you today that I love you?”
“Yeah.” He bit his lip in that sexy way that set her pulse racing “But you can tell me again.”
“Love you.” She reached up on tiptoes and kissed him thoroughly “Let’s get to Giles.”
As they walked towards the Magic Box the uneasy feeling in Spike grew in intensity. He became more fidgety and pulled Willow closer to him casting dark glances around him at the street. Willow was accustomed to Spike’s hyperactivity and protectiveness but as they neared the Magic Box he was so tense he was practically vibrating. He stopped so suddenly across the street from the shop that Willow was cut short.
“What?” she asked confused
“Bloody. Everlasting. Hell.” He bit out furiously, his game face flickering.
“Spike you’re freaking me out.” Willow said pulling back a little
“We have to get out here pet.” He stated behind clenched teeth his eyes fixed on the window of the Magic Box “Now.” He turned abruptly, his grip tightening on her hand and marched back the way they came dragging Willow behind him.
“What is it?” she tried but her only answer was the tightening of his jaw and she started to get scared at his expression of pure fury. His grip was starting to hurt her hand.
“Spike please?” she had to jog to keep up with his wide stride. He started to growl viciously under his breath and Willow’s heart pounded in her chest as Spike scared her for the first time in months. Tears of pain and fear ran down her cheeks and they were several streets away before she tried again
“Spike, Spike please?” she tugged at their joined hands and the pressure forced Spike out of his fierce reverie.
He looked down at her scared face and the tears that ran down her face and felt a stab of remorse that shocked him into normality,
“Will?” he said as if seeing her for the first time. She breathed a sigh of relief and sent up a grateful prayer.
“Spike.” she smiled tremulously and stroked his face with her free hand trying to sooth him. He nuzzled into her palm and released his death grip on her hand.
“Sorry baby. I never meant to hurt you.” He turned over her hand and saw the bruises already forming on her wrist. He kissed the tender flesh “So sorry love.” He wiped away her tears and gave her a soft kiss pulling her close to him and holding her tight “Forgive me?”
“Of course, just tell me what was wrong.” She pleaded
“That feeling I’ve been having?” she nodded “Vamps also get it when their Sires are close.”
“Angel?” she whispered
“I thought the bloody poof was in LA but he’s here, right sodding here.” He growled
“Ok so I get why the tense,” she said slowly “But I need to help Giles with that Prophecy, so you can go home and I’ll go see Giles.”
“You really don’t get it.” Spike was frustrated with himself for not picking it up earlier and so he was a little more sharp than usual “Right now, I can smell you- all over me and I can smell my scent –all- over you. The SECOND we walked in there the Poof would know about us and he’s a mite more trigger happy than the bloody Slayer.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair “I’ll be dust before you can say shagging. Plus the fact that I’ve claimed you will be bloody obvious and probably lead him to stake my ass outside and wait for the sunrise.” He kicked a nearby tree “Bugger.”
Willow’s hand touched the healing bite mark above her breast, Spike didn’t want to do it on her neck until the Slayer knew about them, not wanting to be staked by her; but it looked like he might have not bothered if Angel was going to do it for her. Vampires could sense the claim which is one of the reasons he did it in the first place, to make sure that the Vampires around knew that she belonged to him.
“Alright, so we have to stay out of the way while he’s in town. He probably wants to see you as much as you want to see him so you just need to stay away until he leaves.”
“What about you? The poof will want to see you and even if we don’t have sex between now and then, I can smell you on me all the time love.”
“I know I wanted to see Angel too but it’s such a shame that there is this horrid stomach flu going around.”
“Say what?”
She let loose a mischievous grin “I’ve come down with this horribly contagious stomach flu and have to stay home and away from the gang because they don’t need what I’ve got if they have to fight the prophecy. Couldn’t do with having a sick Slayer!” his grin matched her at the deviousness of his love
“Will it work?”
“Xander and Anya will be behind me and I can still research for Giles at home, while I get plenty of bed rest.”
Spike eased up “You are a genius pet.” He lowered his head and his lips descended
“Wait! I’m contagious remember.” She teased
“Yeah you got the big bad, very lethal- you’ll be in bed for days.” He growled playfully “And enjoy every minute of it.”
~~~*~~~
“Hello Magic Box, Buffy speaking.”
“Cough Buffy?”
“Wills is that you?”
“Yeah.”
“You sound terrible.”
“I caught that stomach flu that’s been going around campus, I feel really bad.”
“Oh poor Wills, you want me to come over?”
“NO. no, uh if this prophecy is as dangerous as we think we can’t have a sick Slayer on our hands, I don’t want to put you out of commission.”
“How are you doing?”
“I’m all… hot and flushed and I can feel…it crawling all over me, I’m dizzy and I-I can feel fluttering in my tummy.”
“You’re out of breath too; I can hear it, sounds bad.
“Hmmmm.”
“Wills…Willow?”
“Here, Stop it. (whispers)”
“Stop what?”
“Not you… my tummy. Listen is Giles there?”
“Yeah Giles.”
“H-hello Willow.”
“I’ll carry out more research while I’m in bed and if I find anything I’ll email it to you okay?”
“That would be appreciated Willow if you’re sure your up to it.”
“Everyone’s a comedian.”
“I didn’t quite catch that Willow.”
“Nothing.”
“Get plenty of bed rest.”
“Ahem, ok Giles bed REST.”
“Here’s Buffy.”
“Hey sorry your sick Wills, get better quick, I wish you were here we got some visitors and I could use you, I really need my best friend but you concentrate on getting better. Call if you need anything. Love ya.”
“Bye Buffy, love you too.” Click.
~~~*~~~
Willow turned to a smirking Spike “That was mean.”
“What?” he asked not quite pulling off the innocent act.
“Do I try to seduce you when you are on the phone?”
“I wish you would.” He leered at her “So what now?”
“I turned on my machine to pick up messages but right now all I want to do is relax.”
“I got the perfect thing; we haven’t had a movie night for ages. I’ll pop out and get us something how’s that sound?”
“Perfect I’ll do snacks, make it a comedy.”
“Silence of the Lambs it is.” Spike grinned impishly and moved before the flying pillow could hit him, racing down the stairs.
“*My* type of comedy!” she called after him
~~~*~~~
The bowl of sweetened popcorn lay half empty on the table as Willow snuggled closer to Spike. She alternated between giggling and awed sounds from the special effects and stunning scenery.
Both Willow and Spike got totally immersed in whatever they were watching and often cheered or yelled at the screen. Tonight they were appreciating the activities of the O’Connell family
“Where’s Benny he was funny in the first one?”
“He got smooshed for being greedy under the ceiling.” Willow reached for more popcorn “I like the little goblin things.”
Spike shuddered “Remind me of baby chaos demons.”
Willow chuckled around the mouthful of corn “Ooh gotta get in the temple before the sun, run!”
“He’ll make it; we manly types always take protect what’s ours.”
“That right?” she raised her eyebrow
“Sure.” he kissed her cheek, and they watched as Rick O’Connell threw himself and his son into the temple “See told you he did it.” The smug look was soon wiped off his face
“BITCH!” they both yelled at the screen
“Get up and kill that vacuous Harmony wanna-be!” Willow growled to Spike’s surprise. Off his glance she stared back
“What? Anack-sun-amen killed Evie!”
“You growled.” He stared openly
“Did not.” She denied
“Did too, it was right vicious too.” He teased
“I have no idea what you are talking about.” She huffed in her best school marm voice
“Don’t get prissy love, you know it makes me hot and I want to watch the end of the movie.” He eyed her briefly before returning to the movie.
~~~*~~~
Later that night they lay in Spike’s bed under his black satin sheets gently caressing each other.
“Are you thinking about Angel?” Willow asked sleepily
“Peaches?” Spike shrugged “Sort of- I was thinking about the movie.”
“Mummy returns?” she was confused “And Angel? In ten steps or less.”
He chuckled “When the chit died Rick’s world fell apart, he went on a vengeance gig. I was wondering what would happen if Peaches killed me.”
“I’d kill him.” She said simply “Painfully and slowly.”
“Yeah?” he looked down at her tousled head
“No one messes with my guy. Ok, scenario, Angel screw Cordy and loses his soul and comes after me for restoring the soul, he kills me.”
“I turn you, and we kill him together. Bloody great poof that he is.”
“Can you kill your sire; I thought he had power over you.”
“Not as much as you do, if he hurt you he’s lining for a cat litter tray.” He was certain
*What if Dru hurt me?* she wanted to ask but didn’t dare.
~~~*~~~
Instead of going to classes the next day Willow spent the day trying to research the prophecy like she should have done last night.
She sat at the computer while Spike slept but her mind wandered over their conversation. She knew Spike loved her, he’d proven it in so many ways. But how did he feel about Drusilla.
He’d been with the Cray Vampiress for over a century, they’d forged a bloody swath through Western Europe; they were the Sid and Nancy of the Vampire world. When you are with somebody, basically worshipping them for a hundred years there is bound to be some residual feelings. *Duh* she chastised herself *he refuses to talk about her or even say her name and she dumped him.*
Willow was so intent on her internal torment that she didn’t notice the passing of time and was therefore surprised when she suddenly felt Spike’s hands drifting over her shoulders.
“Spike, I thought you were sleeping.”
He frowned “Red, it’s nearly sunset.”
She swung in her chair and stared at the darkening sky “Huh.” She seemed bemused by the dusk
“Have you been researching all day?” he asked amused at her dedication
“I-I guess.” Had she really spent all day at the computer screen and not known it? There were reams of paper at her feet testimony to the fact that, at least subconsciously she had been researching while her mind wandered.
“Are you hungry pet, I’m famished? Tell you what.” He squatted to look her in the eye “I need to drop by Willies how about I pick you up something?”
“Sure.” She answered absently
Spike frowned, he knew Willow’s research haze and this wasn’t it. This was new.
“Red, hello anyone home?” he waved his hand in front f her face “Pet, love?”
“I’m here.” She replied and tried to slide a grin on her face but Spike could tell it was forced
“C’mon love what is it?”
She shook herself “Nothing I’m a little dazed, tired and hungry- and I think I need to pee.”
Sensing she wasn’t about to divulge her feelings he decided to pursue it later
“Ok I’m off.” He kissed her forehead “Later, I love you.”
Willow watched his duster swirl around him as he left.
*If she came back would he choose her?* she prayed she’d never have to find out.
~~~*~~~
Spike wandered around the small town glad to be out after being cooped up all day. *The only thing to make the night better would be to have my Red here with Me.* he grimaced good naturedly at himself *Sap, I’m whipped* but of course being loves bitch had its benefit’s; he could smell the Chinese that he’d picked up for Willow. He let loose a Wolfish grin thinking about Willow. She exceeded his wildest fantasies and the best part was that she loved him back! That part was new; he would be dancing on cloud nine playing rock and roll on harps if only his bleeding Sire wasn’t in Sunnydale.
He scowled at the thought of Angel *Stupid Sod can’t even stay in LA, where he belongs. He has to come back to Sunnydale to muck up my unlife- I should have got Marcus to skewer the bloody pansy when I had the chance* he muttered curse and plagues upon his Sire as he made his way home. On reaching the front door he dug the keys and inserted them in the lock.
“Honey I’m home.” He called into the silent house he sensed Willow in the kitchen “I hope you’re hungry, pet because I bought-”
He stopped dead in his tracks as he stared at the scene in the kitchen
“Oh balls!”
“Spike.” growled Angel.
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