GOING ONCE (32/?)
 

Willow looked around and smiled, seeing the touches of Maurice everywhere.
Though the outside of the maze was tall hedges, the inside was a gardener's
dream come true. Dozens upon dozens of flowers were everywhere. Their perfume
pleasant but not overpowering. A river was running along as far as she could
see, the gentle sound calming. Even in the moonlight, it was beautiful. She
looked at Spike and saw him looking around just as she had been.
 

"It looks like Better Homes and Gardens puked," he remarked casually, looking
at all the flowers and frilly chairs and such. "Ooomph," he cried out as she
smacked him hard. "What? It's the truth."
 

"It's lovely," she said, moving towards the river. She bent down, her hand
feeling the cold water as she sighed. "I can't wait to see it in the sun. I
bet it's amazing."
 

"Sun. I can't believe he's got this thing vampsafe," Spike said with a laugh.
"No one it's such a favorite game amongst my kind."
 

"We need to get a plan," Willow said suddenly, looking up at him. "It's past
midnight. That means the auction is tomorrow night. We have to make it
through the maze by tonight so we have time to drive back to Sunnydale so you
can be at the auction. Any ideas of how to make it through here pretty fast?"
 

"I've never been in it, luv. How do I know?" Spike asked, frowning at the
mention of the auction. Couldn't she see how excited he was at the idea of
being in the sun? Didn't she know that one of his favorite fantasies had been
to make love to her in the sunlight? That he was now going to see that
fantasy realized? He had planned on waiting to claim her until after the
auction, but that plan had been tossed out the window as soon as Maurice had
said he could be in the sun. He wanted to see her face bathed in the sun's
rays as she came, commit that image to memory for their future together.
 

"He's right, you know," she mentioned off handedly as she began to walk. "You
are such a growly bear."
 

"I am not a damn growly bear!" he protested, moving to catch up to her. "Do
you know where you're going?"
 

"Not a clue," she said looking at him and smiling.
 

He smiled back, taking her hand casually as they walked, "So, we've got about
twenty-four hours to make it through this maze. That gives us time to make it
back to Sunnydale before that silly auction."
 

"He did say the record was twelve hours," Willow reminded with a smile.
 

"Sorry, luv. No beating records for me. I want to enjoy the sun as long as I
can. Now, finishing it after dusk is fine by me. We could stop for some
dinner on the way home, maybe watch some telly before going to bed. A nice
restful evening before the auction from hell," he said.
 

Willow decided to ignore the tingles that his use of home and going to bed
ignited in her. He thought of her house as home. She smiled shyly, deciding
that they would indeed finish this game right after dusk. He'd promised her
dinner and cartoons. What more could she want? Well, actually, no. Bad
Willow. She was not going there. No, no, no. Instead, she said, "I think we'd
be best following the river. It looks like it is flowing east to west so it
might lead us to the exit."
 

"River? Sure, sounds fine," he said, studying her slyly as he wondered what
thoughts had caused her heartbeat to speed up and slow scent of her arousal.
It was more fragrant than any of Maurice's silly flowers ever could imagine
being.
 

"Good, that's settled," she said, covering a yawn as they began to walk.