DAMNEDEST THING (1/1)
 

"What are you two talking about so secretly?"
 

Buffy looked up from her whispered conversation with Anya and smiled
innocently, or at least she hoped it was innocently, as she replied, "Nothing
much."
 

Willow rolled her eyes, "Buffy, you may be the best slayer in generations,
but you're a terrible liar."
 

"She is, isn't she?" Anya said, hoping to divert the redhead's intentions,
"She gets nervous and sweaty and never looks you directly in the eyes."
 

"Excuse me?" Buffy glared at Anya then at Willow as the redhead laughed.
 

"It's not working, Anya," Willow said with a knowing smile, "What were you
two discussing?"
 

"A surprise party," Buffy stumbled, "for Xander."
 

"The anniversary of," Anya thought and said the first thing that came into
her mind, "my first multiple orgasm."
 

"You're joking," Willow said with wide eyes.
 

"Yes, she is," Buffy said, laughing. "It's a birthday party."
 

"His birthday isn't for another six weeks or so," Willow pointed out.
 

"We believe in being prepared," Anya said with a matter of fact tone.
 

"You must," Willow just shook her head. "So, you're having a surprise party
for him?"
 

"Yep," Anya nodded. "No clowns though. Lots of food and music."
 

"He should love that," Willow smiled.
 

Buffy suddenly felt a slight wave of guilt at lying to her best friend, but
pushed it away. In the end, it would be for the best. Buffy knew that Spike
could make her friend happy, give the redhead the love she deserved. She
smiled brightly, "Yeah, Anya was asking me to help find a band."
 

Willow smiled as she went back to her book, "If you need any help, let me
know."
 

Buffy looked at Anya and made a face, trying to figure out a way they could
finish their discussion. The girls had spent the night before acting out
Anya's plan. So far, they had no idea if it had worked or not. If it didn't,
well, they'd start over with a new plan. If it did, they could only hope that
it was what Willow and Spike needed to bring them together. The slayer
yawned, stretching slightly. They had been up until early dawn, something
that she was used to, but she hadn't been able to sleep when she had gotten
in that morning. Instead, she had gone for a run and was now about to run out
of steam. "So, do you think this surprise party will work?"
 

"I really hope so," Anya said, catching Buffy's drift. "I think he'll be so
happy if it does that he will be indebted to us forever."
 

"That might be a bit extreme," Buffy said with a laugh.
 

They moved on from that topic, knowing it would be too difficult to continue
that conversation without Willow starting to get suspicious. They started
talking about movies and general topics with Willow adding her own opinion
every so often. It was nearly an hour later when the door opened and a
familiar blonde came into the shop.
 

"Spike? What's wrong?" Willow asked immediately, seeing that he was obviously
not well.
 

"That's why I'm here," he muttered, "I dunno."
 

"You look like shit, Blondie," Buffy said with a slight smile at Anya. It had
worked. Their spell had worked.
 

Spike glared at her, opening his mouth to respond but instead sneezing.
"Bloody hell. I feel like death."
 

"I didn't know that vampires sneezed," Willow said with a surprised tone.
 

"We don't," he cursed before sneezing again. His face paled even more than
usual as he stood there, his hand going to his mouth as he ran towards the
trash can.
 

"Yuck," Anya made a face as she watched him kneel and heave into the trash
can.
 

"Argh," he moaned as he straightened up and wiped his mouth with the sleeve
of his shirt.
 

"Spike, you really do look ill," Willow said with concern. She got up and
went to him, bending down and putting her hand on his forehead. "You have a
fever."
 

"I can't have a fever," he said crossly before making a face. "Vampires do
not get sick."
 

"You know, Spike, I'd swear you had the flu, if you were human," Anya said in
a conversational tone.
 

"Goddess, she's right," Willow said with amazement. "You're sweating and you
have a fever."
 

"Isn't it the damnedest thing?" Buffy said with wide eyes. "I didn't know
that vampires could get sick."
 

"We don't," Spike said before moaning in pain. "My head feels like it might
explode."
 

"Poor baby," Willow said with a small smile as he leaned against her, his
head resting above her breast as he whimpered softly.
 

"Willow, you can't send him home alone," Buffy said with concern. "He
probably hasn't felt sick in over a hundred years. He won't know how to
handle the flu."
 

"Besides, he must have caught it from you," Anya said bluntly. She watched
Willow's eyes flash with guilt and frowned, pushing away her own guilt.
 

"This is my fault," Willow said softly, knowing that he must have caught her
illness during that week he had taken care of her.
 

"Not your fault, luv," he muttered, snuggling closer to her soft body as he
tried to ignore the general feeling of ickiness that was going through him.
 

"Don't you worry, Spike. I'll help you. You helped me, so it's my turn. You
can stay in the guest room at my house," Willow said, her mind thinking of
what she needed to do.
 

"No, don't need help," he protested weakly.
 

Willow smiled slightly at his stubborness, "You might not need it, but you're
getting it. So deal with it, Spike. I'll be your nurse till you get all
better."
 

"You could always stay with me and Mom, Spike," Buffy said, trying for
sincerity.
 

Spike made a face, feeling his stomach turn, "Anything but that." he muttered
before looking at Anya and shaking his head slowly, "except the moron and
nympho."
 

"Hey now," Anya protested, her eyes narrowing as she wondered if she could
add another spell that made him even more sick.
 

"Anya, he's sick. He probably has no idea what he's saying," Willow frowned
at that and then smiled, "Well, he probably does but don't take offense. Do
you think Riley or Xander could help me get him home? I don't think I could
get him up the stairs alone and he doesn't seem to be much help tonight."
 

"I don't need them," Spike said before leaning over and throwing up again. He
groaned as he laid back against Willow, purring softly as her fingers
smoothed over his fevered brow.
 

"I'll call Riley," Buffy said, motioning to Anya. "Why don't you call Xander?
Between the two of them, they can manage."
 

Anya got up and went to the phone with Buffy, her eyes looking back and
seeing Willow holding Spike and gently whispering to him. She shot Buffy a
triumphant look and said, "It worked."
 

"It appears to have," Buffy said with a smile. She heard Riley and said,
"Honey, I need you. It's the damnedest thing but Spike appears to have caught
the flu. We need you to help him get over to Willow's house. She's going to
take care of him until he's all nice and healthy."
 

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