~~Part One~~

He'd heard the scream coem from an alley.  Being the nosey
demon that he was, he had to investigate.  Deciding to keep to the
shadows, he crept around the corner.  He kept close to the building
so they wouldn't be able to see him.  That was, if they were
human.

Two fledglings.  They were attacking a young woman, but the chit
was giving them a hard time.  She was prepared. She twisted
her body, and Spike got a flash of her fire.  *Stupid blokes, don't
know what they're in for.*

Within seconds, Spike had one fledgling implanted in the wall, and
the other, Spike held up in the air.  "You do not touch that
which is not yours.  And that is mine."  Spike growled, motioning
at the limp body on the ground.  They'd been able to sink their
fangs into her neck, but then Spike stepped in, and the girl was
bleeding into unconsciousness.

"She's mortal!  And unmarked!"

"Not for long!"  Spike said, throwing the fledgling out of the alley.
He knely down next to Willow.  Her breathing was shallow.
Spike cradled her in his arms as he picked her up.

He quickly made his way to the crypt.  Setting her down on his
'bed', he grabbed some of the blankets he had incase of an
emergency.  He covered her up then took off his duster and
bunched it up for use as a pillow.  "It's alright, Red.  You're safe."
He whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Before hearing Willow scream, Spike was coming from the 'doctor'.
He'd found one of the lab techs from the Initiative.  After a
little persuasion and threatening to have a Colonima demon torture
him, Dr. George Kazakos decided to do as Spike asked,
and removed 'that bloody implant'.  Spike was looking for dinner,
and was hoping he could scare the fledglings off and eat their
meal.  He wouldn't be eating Willow.  He had decided that early on.

*****

"Well, good morning, Red.  'Bout time you woke up.  Here.  Eat."
Spike said, shoving some food at her.

"Spike?"

"What, pet?"

"Are you sure you're Spike?"

"Positive."

"Then why are you feeding me?"

"Are you hungry?"

"You're not supposed to answer a question with a question."

"Answer it."  Willow refused.  "I said, answer it."

"Resolve face."  Willow said, pointing at her face.

"I said, answer it."  Spike insisted.  And still, Willow refused.  "Luv,
if you don't answer, you won't like the outcome."

"Can't hurt me.  Chip.  Remember?"

Spike grabbed her arm, tightly.  "Feel that?  It's called pain.  You
have it, but I don't."

"Oh, then yes."  Willow said, getting the gist that Spike no longer
had the chip.

"Fine.  If you're hungry, eat."

Willow ate the food Spike had supplied her with.  When he went to
get some fresh clothes for her, hers being ruined in the
struggle, Willow tried to stand up to follow, but fell down as blood
rushed to her head, and her knees gave out.

Spike rushed over to her side, and picked her up.  "Luv, you lost a
lot of  blood.  You need to rest.  Here put these on."  He sat
her down, and gave her a pair of flanel pajama pants and a black
tshirt.  Willow looked quizically at the pants.  "Don't ask."  He
stated casually.  "I'm not tellin'."  Spike turned around so that
Willow could change.

"Why?"  She asked.

"Why, what, pet?"

"Why did you help me?"

"I don't know.  I guess I just always liked you.  Best one out of the
bunch."

"You can turn around now.  I'm dressed."

Spike turned, "Pet, you should really rest.  Those fleglings took a
lot of blood.  I'll take you home tomorrow night.  'Til then, you
are going to rest.."

~~Part Two~~

Spike had gone out to get dinner.  Being the thoughtful vampire he
normally wasn't, he left a note for Willow.  She woke up with
a jump.  Nightmares replayed the events of that night.  The
vampire's teeth sinking into her neck.  Then the blood flowiing freely
once the fledglings were killed.  She realized that if must have been
tremendously hard for Spike not to feed from her.

*****

"That'll be 45.87, dude."

Spike shoved a 50 at the kid.  "Keep it."  He muttered as he grabbed the two bags and walked back to the crypt.

*****

"Spike, I think I'm--oh, here let me help."

"You will now.  I'll make you food, then we'll walk you home."

Spike put the food in the microwave and threw the two cartons of cigarettes next to the stone slab he called a bed.

A few minutes later, he handed Willow two TV dinners and some plasticware.  She looked at him funny, then back at the two
TV dinners.

"I figur'd one wasn't enough."  Spike then busied himself around the crypt to avoid talking to Willow.

*****

The night air was cold and Willow shivered.  Clutching her arms around her, she rubbed them to stay warm.

"Bloody hell, luv."  Spike said, seeing her shivering.  "If you're cold, tell me."

"I'm cold."  She replied.

Spike took off his duster and wrapped it around her.  "But now yo--"

"I'm dead.  I'm already cold."

"Oh."

The night got windy.  Almost blowing the two over.  Then the rain came.

They ran to Willow's house.  "Spike, come in!"  She yelled as she dragged him into her house.

"Luv, I should really get back to the crypt."

"You will not.  You let me stay at your home, and now you're
staying at my home.  There's a storm out there.  If you would get
hurt, I would feel awful."

"Well, can't have my favorite witch feeling awful.  Guess I'm staying
here for the night."

"Good, now, we should changed.  Wet clothes will not do."  Willow
said.  "I can give you something of my dad's."

"Fine."  Spike said, reluctanly following her.

Once upstairs, Willow showed Spike to her parents' bedroom.
"You can wear anythiing you want.  Just stay away from the
drawers.  Keep to the closet."  Willow closed the door then went to
her own bedroom.

"What to wear.  What to wear."  Spike said, walking to the closet
with a devilish grin.

*****

Willow was only in her room a few seconds when there was a
knock on her door.  "What's wrong, Spike?"  Willow opened the
door, then burst into tears.

Spike was sporting one of Willow's mom's evening gowns,
complete with stelleto heels.  "Thought this'd make you laugh."  He
said, as he began walking gracefully back to Willow's parents'
room.

"You know, I think I should be scared that you walk better in heels
than I do."  Willow called after him.

He turned, winked, then said, "I've had practice."  Not exactly what
Willow expected him to say.

*****

Spike had changed into a pair of jeans and nabbed a tshirt.  WIllow
threw their clothes in the dryer then joined Spike on the
couch.

"What now, luv?"

"TV?"  She said, grabbing the remote.

She clicked the power button.  The TV came on then all the
electricity in the house and neighborhood went out.

"Luv, where are the candles?"  Spike asked, his human mask
vanishing as the demon came forth.

"Um.  In the hall closet?"

Spike stood and walked down the hall.  A few seconds later, Spike
lit a candle then handed a hunch of unlit candles and the
one he lighted to Willow.  "You put some up over there, I'll get this
side."

After all the candles were lit and placed, a romantic glow filled the
room.  "Who would've thought?"

"What?"

"The 'Big Bad' is actually intelligent."

"I think I should take offense to that?"

"But?"

"But I won't.  It did come from your cute little mouth."

~~part 3~~

The two decided since they couldn't watch TV, they might as well
at least talk.

"So, why did you really save me?"

"I thought we already discussed this."

"Yeah, but I want the truth."

"I already told you the truth.  I like you.  You're nice to me."

"Why didn't you feed from me?"

Spike thought for a moment then said, "Promised myself a long
time ago, the only way I'd feed from you was if I was turning
you.  Not ready for that.  Yet."

Willo felt weird about the yet part, but nodded her head in
understanding.  Then letting out a big yawn, said, "I'm tired."

"Then go to bed. I'll be fine."

"It's not you I'm worried about."

"Still having nightmares?"  She nodded.  "Then come here."  Spike
stood, and pushed Willow to the couch.  He then blew out
all the candles except for the one on the end table.  "Alright, come
here."  Spike said, sitting down, and placing a pillow on his
lap.  Willow rested her head on top of the pillow, and curled into a
ball.  Spike covered her with a blanket then blew out the
one remaining candle.

By morning the two were stretched out on the couch.  Spike had
his arms wrapped around Willow, and she was snuggled into
his chest.

Spike woke up first.  "Luv, time to wake up."

"Mm hmmm."  She mumbled.

"Come one.  The sun's almost on us.  Don't think you want Spike-
dust all over you."

"At least it would be Spike all over me."

Spike's eyebrow quirked up at her comment.  Realizing she was in
that phase just before wakefullness, he decided to push her
for information; knowing she would give it to him without her
knowing.  "Would that be good?"

"Just lovely."

"Why's that pet?"

"Cause I love you."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Good."

"Why?"  Willow whispered.  Even curious in her sleep, she was.
"Why, Spike?"

"Willow.  Willow."  She thought Spike was calling her name, so
she woke up to find Buffy staring at her.  "Wake up. Willow
you were sleeping.  We finished the research.  Giles went home as
did Xander and Anya.  Do you need help to your room?
You're still a little weak.  Those fledglings must have taken a lot of
blood."

"What happened again?"

"I'm not sure. Spike showed up carrying you at Giles' yesterday.
He helped us get you here, and explained a little the left.
You've drifted in and out of sleep since."

"Oh."

"So do you need help?"

"No, I'll be okay."

"Alright.  I'm gone."

After Buffy left, Willow started to make her way to her bedroom
when the phone rang.  She quickly made it up to her room,
and picked up the phone.  "Hello?"

"Red?"

"Spike?"

"Pet, I had this weird dream just now.  Can we chat?"

The End
 

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