Parts: 11 - 19
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~Part: 11~
"Life in New Orleans?" William smiled as he took a bite of his burger. He thought about it before he said, "I don't really know where to start. Like I said, it almost seems like I didn't start living until I moved here. I have a job that I love. It might sound corny as hell, but I love teaching. There's nothing like the rush of introducing people to a subject that I love, watching my students get interested in those 'musty old books' they never thought they'd enjoy. I don't know, it's hard to explain without sounding like a self-indulgent ass, but it feels like I'm making a difference in a way. I've only been teaching for a year, though, and my friend Wally constantly tells me that he wants to see that sparkle of enjoyment in my eyes in another ten or fifteen years."
"I understand, actually," Willow said with a smile, "I taught a computer class during me senior year of high school and it was definitely an experience. I'd always been a bit shy. You know, the quiet geek that rarely spoke up in class unless called on. Well, when Jenny died, she was our computer teacher that I mentioned earlier that was killed during my junior year, I took over her class. It really helped give me some confidence that I was lacking, helped me become a bit more vocal and definitely improved my public speaking abilities. I enjoyed sharing my knowledge with the students that really did want to learn. Like you said, it was such a kick to know that I was responsible for introducing them to things that they'd never found very interesting before. It's much better now, though. I love history, have always loved researching and knowing about things that have happened in the past. Sharing that passion with my students is even more rewarding than teaching that computer class back in high school."
"You're a teacher?" William asked, realizing that she hadn't mentioned specifically what she did for a living. He smiled slightly as he said, "And I know what you mean about the shy geek. I was a bit of a nerd, always had my head stuck in a book or writing my silly poems."
"Yes, I am a teacher, and I doubt your poems were silly at all," Willow smiled, knowing it wasn't actually a lie. She did usually teach the history lessons to the girls, and she did have a passion for her subject of choice. She had even passed the accreditation test needed for the state of Texas without any hacking help or blurring the lines of the legal aspects of the test. She'd been rather proud of herself after that. It sort of made up for her fabrication of their college degrees, though she still did feel slightly guilty for not having actually completed the final courses needed for a legitimate degree. Unfortunately, saving the world tended to leave little time for studying, especially when the college was sucked into Hell, literally, before finals. She pulled herself from her thoughts, looking into William's blue eyes as she decided to explain a bit about the situation, being as truthful as possible without raising any unanswerable questions, "I work at a private girl's school. I teach history and help out with computer instructions and I'm also part of the admissions team. It's a very private school with only a few dozen students and is relatively new, but we're all working on it together and I think it's going pretty well."
"I can't believe you're a teacher, too," he shook his head, smiling as his eyes moved over her face. His voice lowered slightly as he said, "Yet something else we have in common, Willow."
"I guess so," Willow smiled before she went back to her food, not sure how to respond to his words. No, it wasn't his words. They were completely innocent and he was right. It was a coincidence that they were both teachers, that they found enjoyment in sharing an area of interest that they were passionate about with other people. Granted, their situations were a bit different. With him teaching in a public school and actually having the degrees to back up his profession and her teaching in a slayer training school in between training and seeking slayers and dealing with any evil threats that happened to arise, but, in the end, they were both teachers. No, it wasn't what he was saying, it was how he was saying it. With that flirtatious smile on his handsome face and the gleam in his beautiful blue eyes that let her know that he was interested in finding out what else they had in common. Her eyes moved over his face as they ate in comfortable silence, doing her best to be covert at sneaking peeks at him, not wanting to get caught ogling him while having lunch.
As they ate, she noticed things that she hadn't noticed before. Things that again made her remember Spike and debate the possibilities of William and Spike being the same person somehow. The similarities went beyond the face and the voice, which were just about identical, save for William being human and Spike being a vampire. There were other things that nagged at her mind, made her dwell on ideas of how it could be, what could have happened, if it were really possible that the Powers that Be had somehow given Spike a reward by giving him a new life, a human life. She hadn't ever been best friends with Spike or anything like that, but she'd known him for years. She'd spent a lot of time with him, more than any of the others knew. They'd patrolled together after Buffy had died, spending many hours together over that summer, becoming friends of sorts. They'd talk about various things, never anything important but just general topics. She'd seen a side of Spike that not many people ever saw. It hadn't been often, but there had been times he'd let his guard down, that he'd let her in even for a few brief moments before closing himself off again and growing distant and getting that attitude back. She was reminded of those moments as she talked to William, watching his face as he smiled and laughed.
She began to make a list of things that she couldn't easily accept and move past. Besides the face and the voice, William had a scar above his left eyebrow, just like Spike. He was left handed, just like Spike. He got the same sparkle in his eyes that she'd seen ever so briefly in Spike's when he'd talk about something that he really cared about. They had the same shape, same height, though William had a tan while Spike had been pale. The hands were the same, large and capable, though William's nails were free of the black polish that Spike had favored. She hadn't seen William without his shirt, but she would wager that he had the same smooth chest with a light scattering of hair across his lower abdomen just like Spike. There were so many ways in which it was nearly impossible for her logic thinking mind to ignore that they had to somehow be the same person, to wonder how and why and what it all meant. Nearly impossible but not totally impossible.
You see, she'd never felt like this about Spike. Sure, he'd been a good-looking guy, his snarly attitude never detracting from his physical beauty. He'd also been very intelligent, smart and shrewd and a good conversationalist the few times he'd bothered trying to be friendly. He'd been an observer, watching and studying everyone around him. He'd known everyone's strengths and weaknesses and the exact way to play them all to get the results that he wanted. She honestly thought he was more cunning and intelligent than Angelus had been, knowing he would have been a terrible enemy to face if he'd given his entire attention and concentration to the task of defeating them, might have been their eventual defeat if he hadn't been caught up in taking care of Dru or then stuck with the implant and eventually the soul. He seemed to appreciate humanity, enjoying junk food and music and soap operas, making him even more of a contradiction and puzzle that she'd never really been able to figure out. She'd been intrigued by him, had had a bit of a crush at one time or another, but it had never gone beyond that. He'd become a friend of sorts and that was it. When he had died, she'd felt the loss as she had felt the loss of Anya, pain for losing a friend that she'd never gotten to know as well as she'd wished, and she did think about him from time to time. He'd become part of their lives and it seemed weird without him around. That was all she had felt when she thought about Spike, though.
William, on the other hand, was making her body do things that it hadn't done in a long time. Okay, things that it probably had never done at all. Since taking his hand and looking into his eyes not a few hours before, her entire body had been in a steady state of awareness and semi-arousal. Intense desire, an unexplainable need to be with him, an interest in talking to him and learning everything about him. Though it was a bit difficult to ignore the likelihood that he could very well somehow be linked to Spike, she was able to forget about her suspicions and comparisons when she looked at him, when she spoke to him. He became William Fairchilde, English teacher and New Orleans resident. The man that was affecting her in a way that scared her at the same time it excited her. She didn't really care how he might be connected to Spike, didn't care about the numerous questions she had concerning this entire weird situation, didn't care about anything except the way he was smiling at her with that flirty twist of his lips and the wicked gleam in his gorgeous eyes and the way he made her believe that things like fate and destiny might actually exist in this fucked up world they lived in.
~Part: 12~
"That was delicious," Willow declared as she finished the last bite of bacon cheeseburger. She smiled at William, noticing that his plate was empty. They'd spent the first part of their lunch in a comfortable silence as they ate, both lost in thought or simply enjoying their food. Midway through, he'd started to tell her about New Orleans, about his habits and the places that he liked to go. She, in turn, gave him an abridged version of her life, noticing that they both liked to take walks and enjoyed history and had similar tastes in music and films. Their chatting had turned their lunch into a nearly two hour event.
"It's one of my favorite places for burgers," William said as he glanced at the waitress that came to refill their tea. He was reluctant to let their lunch end, not knowing what would happen next. He knew that they were virtually strangers, having just met that day. But it didn't feel like they were strangers. He felt as if he had known her for years. They had a lot in common, enjoying many of the same activities and music and movies. They both had families that were unconventional, consisting of close friends. Being with her felt right, as if it was supposed to be this way.
He did still get the feeling that she was keeping something from him, that she wasn't being completely honest, but he trusted her and knew that she had to have her reasons if she was indeed keeping secrets. For a brief moment, right after their food had come, he'd been struck again with the thought that she might be thinking about the dead guy that she said he resembled. She'd been looking at him, her eyes thoughtful, and he couldn't help feeling that she was making those comparisons. He'd been very relieved that the feeling hadn't lasted long. He knew it must be difficult for her since he looked a bit like the friend she had lost. He was very happy that she was able to adjust and was willing to give them time to get to know each other without comparing him with the dead guy constantly.
"I can see why," Willow said as she took a drink of her tea. She wasn't really sure what was going to happen next. She knew that she didn't want their time together to end. She liked talking to him, had found it very easy to forget about Spike and her theories and everything else except William and the feelings he brought out in her. It wasn't just the lust and desire she felt for him, though there was an awareness that was constant. It was so many things that she couldn't even begin to comprehend. She felt relaxed with him, comfortable and happy and, he was really starting rubbing off on her, at home. Being with him felt right in a way she couldn't put into words or thought. Even the silences had been nice, pleasant. God, she was sitting here calling silences pleasant. What was happening?
"What next?" William finally asked, watching as she looked at him and smiled, realizing that she had probably been wondering the same thing. He had to admit that he liked sharing thoughts with her, that he enjoyed the natural way they were able to complete each other's sentences and were always on the same wavelength.
"That's what I was just asking myself," Willow confessed softly, dragging her bottom lip into her mouth as she grew thoughtful, not sure what to say. She was finding herself at a loss of words a lot since meeting William, something she wasn't really used to. She'd been the 'thinker' and the 'planner' for years, always seeming to be the one everyone turned to for ideas and because she always seemed to know the right thing to say or do. Buffy often teased her about being her habit of setting goals and making lists and always being prepared for whatever might happen in practically every situation. Looking into his eyes, she was at a loss at what to say, what they should do, what was happening. She was a bit confused and uncertain even as she was content and relaxed.
William watched her chew on her lip and shifted in his chair as he felt himself growing aroused from the innocent act. Maybe a cold shower should be next. He'd never been this aroused before in his entire life. It wasn't just physical arousal, either. While he did find her beautiful and sexy and would love nothing more than to explore her body slowly with his hands and mouth, he was also aroused mentally. She was one of the smartest people he'd ever met. Their conversation had been stimulating even though their topics had ranged from Shakespeare to the battles of the American Civil War to the rise of English punk music in the seventies. He wanted to spend more time talking to her, wanted to enjoy the little time they had before she would go back home next week. Deciding that honesty was definitely the best policy, he told her this, "I don't want this to end, Willow. I love talking to you, want to know more about you, want to keep exploring whatever this is happening between us."
"Me too," she said quietly, having come to nearly the same conclusion herself. She caught his eyes as she smiled slightly, "I really like you, William. I don't want it to end yet, either."
"Have you been able to see much of the city?" William asked, not able to hide the pleased smile that had crossed his handsome face at hearing her words. He had an idea of what they could do. He could show her around the city, spend time with her as they got to know each other better, take her to some of the more popular tourist type places as well as some of the more locally known places.
"Not a lot," Willow shook her head. "Buffy and I had the meeting with our new student's parents when we first got to town but she flew home that night. Since then, I've just walked around a bit, seen the river and done some shopping. That's about it."
"Why don't you let me show you my city?" he asked, a bit nervous about her response. He relaxed when he saw her smile, knowing her answer would be yes before she opened her mouth.
"That sounds wonderful," Willow decided. She had wanted to see more of the city before she had to go home. She also wanted to spend more time with William. She wanted to make some good memories to take home with her. She'd promised Dawn and Andrew plenty of stories and pictures to keep them entertained when she returned, knowing they had made her make that promise to ensure that she wouldn't spend the majority of her visit in the room alone. She'd skip over the fact that William could have been Spike's human twin and concentrate on describing his smile and his eyes and the way he tilted his head just so when he was listening to her, giving her his entire attention as he listened to every word, making her feel as if she were the most important person in the world. It was funny, but the more time she spent with him, the less she thought about Spike and the powers that be and the more she thought about William and how easy it would be to fall in love with him.
~Part: 13~
"So, what have you seen since arriving in my town?" William asked Willow as they left the café and stepped onto the sidewalk.
"Not a lot," Willow laughed, struggling to remember how she had spent the few days she'd had in New Orleans so far. She shrugged, "I did some shopping for the gang back home, but that's about it."
"Okay," William grew thoughtful as he thought of various things that he had done when he'd first moved to town and of the things that tourists considered must sees. He was trying to figure out what Willow would enjoy the most, wanting to make her time in the city memorable.
Willow watched his eyes as he thought, a smile crossing her face as she saw how serious he was about planning their activities. She didn't bother telling him that she didn't care what they did, that being with him would make even the most mundane activity enjoyable. She needed to go by her room to get her camera and some extra money. She'd bought everyone something already, but she wanted to be prepared in case she saw something perfect for one of her friends. She began walking towards her hotel, her smile growing when William took her hand.
"Where are we going?" he asked, arching a brow as he glanced in the direction that Willow was headed.
"How did you get that scar?" Willow asked curiously, moving closer to him. She ran her finger along the scar that was located in the exact same spot as Spike's. Was it yet another coincidence or further proof that William was somehow linked to Spike?
"I fell," William said softly, wondering if she had any idea what her gentle touch was doing to him. It was casual and friendly yet it had him completely aroused. He looked at her and saw that look in her eyes, the thoughtful yet confused look that made him wonder what she was thinking.
"Oh," Willow turned her attention away from the scar to look at William. Her breath caught when she saw the look of desire and need in his eyes. She moved her finger down his cheek, watching his eyes as he inhaled sharply as she neared his lips. She licked her lips before letting her hand drop and stepping back. She hadn't meant for that to happen. She's just been curious about the scar that was identical to Spike's scar. She hadn't intended to arouse them both, yet here she was contemplating kissing someone she'd just recently met. Kissing? Who was she trying to fool? She had moved beyond 'just kissing' hours ago.
"Ahem," William cleared his throat, thankful that his shirt was loose and long enough to cover the prominent bulge that was currently pushing against his jeans. He was that hard just from feeling her hand against his face. He didn't understand why she caused such a reaction in him, but he could see in her eyes that she was feeling the same thing. It wasn't just his physical reaction to her that surprised him. He loved talking to her, could sit for hours and do nothing except have a conversation with her. She was intelligent and funny and sexy. He ran a hand through his hair before finally looking into her eyes. A sheepish smile crossed his face as he acknowledged their explosive attraction, knowing it was stupid to pretend that it didn't exist, "Sorry about that. I've never had this kind of reaction to someone before so I'm not really sure how to handle it."
Oh, God, Willow's mind drifted into pornographic areas with his words, images flashing in her mind detailing exactly how he could handle it and how she could handle him. She got her hormones under control finally and returned his sheepish smile, "Yeah, me too. It's definitely unexpected. I mean, we only just met and it feels like I've known you forever and all I can do right now is wonder how you taste and I've never been like this with anyone before and it's kind of scary at the same time it feels so *right *, you know?"
"I know," he echoed softly, his eyes glancing at her lips before looking back into her eyes.
"Perhaps we should finish this in my room?" Willow suggested as she realized that they were still standing on the street. Her eyes widened as she hastily explained, "I mean, finish the discussion in my room instead of here on the street. Just talking, nothing else right now."
"That's a good idea," William smiled as he watched her blush, moving his hand up to push her hair behind her ear, letting his fingers brush against her flesh as his eyes watched hers, seeing the green depths flash with desire.
"Stop that," Willow scolded with a smile as she took his hand, "my hotel isn't very far. I need to get a few things."
"Lead the way," William said as he walked beside her, pointing out various points of interest along the way.
~Part: 14~
"I need to get my camera and some money," Willow told William as they entered her hotel room. She saw the red light on her phone blinking and moved to sit at the desk to check her messages.
"This is a nice room," William said as he moved to sit on the end of the bed, his eyes looking around the room before resting on Willow.
"Yeah, I like it," she smiled as she glanced at him, noticing that he was sitting on her bed. Five steps and she could be standing in front of him. Pulling his shirt off and then pushing him back against the covers. Unfastening his pants as her mouth tasted him. Feeling him inside her as they kissed. Her tongue moved along her lips as she thought how easy it would be to just put the phone down and go to him. Buffy's voice interrupted her thoughts. Willow shook her head slightly, her eyes catching his.
She was going to be the death of him. He just knew it somehow. He'd nearly come in his pants like some inexperienced schoolboy when she'd moved her eyes over him and licked her lips, seeing the desire in her green eyes as she had squirmed in the desk chair. He was that aroused just from her looking at him like he was a tasty treat and she was famished. What would it be like when they finally kissed? Touched? When he was buried deep inside her?
Willow shifted in the chair, squeezing her thighs together as she tore her eyes away from William. She was wet, her panties soaking just from flirting and talking and fantasizing over the last few hours. She replayed the message from Buffy, her mind having been elsewhere when it had originally played. She listened as her best friend told her how everyone was doing before proceeding to tell her to enjoy her vacation and have some fun. She found herself wondering what Buffy would say if she knew she'd met a gorgeous guy that made her feel things she'd never felt before, a guy that was smart and funny and had the unique ability of making her feel as if she was the most important person in the world. She hung up the phone, making a mental note to call Buffy back later, before turning to face William. She knew exactly what Buffy would say. Easily imagining her best friend telling her to take a chance. Reminding her that life was too short to live in fear. Urging her to go for it with a gentle warning to not get hurt.
"I'm going back to Texas on Tuesday," Willow said softly, her eyes catching his.
"I know," William said quietly, wondering what she was going to say. They'd agreed at lunch to spend some time together, to see what happened.
"I don't understand what's happening between us, but I know that I don't want to go home regretting that I didn't take a chance on finding out what it is," Willow said. She needed to make sure that he understood, "I'm not looking for a relationship, William. My life is far too complicated and messy at the moment to get involved in something serious."
"It would be over when you leave," William nodded, having expected that. He didn't really like it, but he'd expected it. He'd try his best to not dwell on the fact that she'd be leaving in a few days.
"I'm glad you understand," Willow smiled, having been worried that he wouldn't accept a short-term affair. He spoke about fate and destiny and was definitely a romantic so she'd been concerned that he'd expect a happily ever after or want to try to make it work despite their geographical differences. She knew that she would end up hurting when she left, but she didn't want him to be hurt. She could feel the connection between them, was beginning to believe he might be right with the theory that it was destiny that had brought them together, and she knew that she would give herself to him completely before she went home. There was no way that she could be become friends with him, become his lover, and not feel a sense of loss and hurt when she left, but it was inevitable. Knowing it, preparing for it, well, it would make things easier. There was no other choice except sending him on his way and doing her best to forget him before taking the chance and risking her heart. And that wasn't an alternative.
"I guess that means that we should enjoy the time we do have," William said with a soft smile. Deciding that he wasn't going to waste any of the time they did have together, he stood up, telling her, "I was thinking that we might go to the wax museum. You love history and it's got some pretty good exhibits. Maybe we can take one of the local tours tonight. A friend of mine swears that no visitor to New Orleans should leave without experiencing a vampire or ghost tour."
"A vampire tour?" Willow looked at him with curiosity.
"It's pretty fun. I went on one after I moved here," William smiled, "it's pretty much fiction based."
"Really?" Willow asked, knowing that she definitely wanted to go on that tour. It would be amusing and she'd be able to tell the guys back home about it and make them laugh.
William nodded, a slight frown crossing his lips as he said, "Yeah, they don't get anything right. Sleeping in coffins and skulking for victims in the shadows. Any vampire worth his fangs wouldn't sleep in a coffin or hide in the shadows rather than hunt."
Green eyes watched William carefully, listening to the annoyed tone in his voice and watching his blue eyes flash. Willow watched as he ran a hand through his hair, his lips twisting into a smile as he looked at her. She moved forward and took his hand, smiling at him as she decided that it wasn't the time to ask why he seemed to believe that the tour was fiction or to think about anything except William and the few days that they had before she had to go home. She opened the door of the hotel and said, "I think the tour sounds very amusing. And the wax museum sounds great. I've always liked wax museums. I think they're pretty neat. My friend Xander hates them. He says that they're creepy and that he can feel the eyes of the figures watching him. It's kind of funny. He's scared of a wax figure but demons don't bother him."
"Maybe it's because the wax figures look almost real why most demons in movies look ridiculous and fake," William suggested as they walked down the stairs of her hotel and stepped onto the sidewalk.
"Yeah, right. Movie demons are a bit fake looking," Willow nodded as he answered. That question was answered. He spoke about vampires as if he had knowledge about them but he thought about demons as only being in the movies. She was probably overreacting to his comments about vampires, anyway. He was an English teacher, after all. He'd probably read tons of different stories about vampires and that's why he was annoyed that the tour had taken some of the more cliched views of the vampire. She smiled as they walked, listening to him talk about his city, just enjoying the feel of his hand in hers and the sound of his voice as they walked towards the wax museum.
~Part: 15~
"That was fantastic," Willow declared as she and William left the cool air conditioning of the wax museum behind and stepped into the sunlight.
"I thought you'd probably enjoy it," William said, his eyes moving over her face. Since he'd been to the museum before, he'd spent his time watching Willow. They'd discussed the exhibits, him giving her any additional information that he'd learned since moving to New Orleans. She'd asked questions and studied the figures and read every sign, sometimes twice. They'd ended up spending over an hour looking at the exhibits.
"Thanks for being so patient," Willow smiled sheepishly, "I loved how the exhibits were set up to show the history of this town. It was just so interesting."
"The other time I came here, I was with some friends that wanted to just rush through it. I enjoyed it today, with you, so much more," he confessed with a smile.
"I'm glad," she said as she looked into his beautiful blue eyes. She was so glad that she'd agreed to go out with him, that she'd taken a chance when they'd run into each other earlier. Comparisons to Spike had stopped seeming so important as the hours had passed. Her curiosity about the similarities between William and the blond vampire was fading as she spent more time with him. It no longer really mattered how he had ended up in New Orleans. She didn't care if he was somehow connected to Spike, if he was, in fact, some reward from the Powers or if he was just some gorgeous man that happened to look a lot like someone she had once known. The only thing that was important to her was this wonderful man that was smart and sexy and gorgeous and caring, this man that made her feel things she'd never felt before, this man that could arouse her with just a smile, just a word. All that really mattered at the moment was William, and just being with him.
"Are you okay?" William asked softly as her eyes focused on his lips, resisting the urge to take a step forward and claim her mouth in a soul searching kiss. He was trying to be a gentleman, to take things slow. They'd only just met, even if there was some sort of bond between them. Looking into her eyes, he felt as if his life was finally complete, as if he'd found his destiny, but that didn't change the fact that they'd only known each for a few hours. They were both aware of the chemistry between them, had both acknowledged the desire and need, were trying to control the lust as they got to know each other.
Willow knew that she was being bad. She hadn't intended to eat him alive with her eyes or to get caught up in wondering how he tasted, and she certainly hadn't meant for him to catch her looking and wanting. They'd had a great time at the wax museum, spent over an hour just talking and hanging out. The desire had been there, of course, but they'd dealt with it. Everything had been friendly and fun, the attraction accepted and acknowledged as part of the package. They had touched and she'd leaned against him and it had been electrifying at the same time it had been gentle and casual. Now, though, in the warm summer afternoon sunlight, she was feeling a bit consumed by the need to kiss him. One simple kiss, one taste. The problem? She had no doubts at all that it would be far from a simple kiss. She also didn't think that one kiss would be enough. Just being with him aroused her, a lust running through her that was no longer quite as shocking now that she'd had several hours to get used to it. It was very simple. She wanted William, wanted to touch him and taste him and feel him buried inside her. She wanted to spend hours exploring his body, learning how to pleasure him, showing him how to pleasure her, giving herself to him completely, mind body and soul.
There was more to it than just physical attraction, though. She liked him, a lot. They were becoming friends, learning that they had quite a bit in common. They'd spent hours just talking. Under different circumstances, she could have easily fallen in love with him. She'd known all along that she wanted him, had realized that there was no fighting or denying that something was happening between them. She had accepted that they would become lovers before she left New Orleans. She had only been physical with two other people in her life, Oz and Tara. Okay, she'd necked a bit with Kennedy but her heart had never been into it so she'd never allowed it to go beyond groping. She wasn't the type of girl that slept around, that had affairs with handsome men while on vacation, yet here she was about to do just that. It wasn't time, though. It was still too soon. She shook her head slightly, giving him a smile as she said, "I'm fine. Just thinking. I really did love the museum, William. I'm glad you were there to share it with me."
"Me too," he smiled at her before taking her hand. They started to walk down the street, Willow's finger drawing little circles on his palm as they walked and chatted about passing buildings. He was glad that she hadn't asked where they were going now because he had no idea. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was too early to grab a bite for dinner and it was still a few hours before it would be time for a night time tour of the Quarter.
"I like this," Willow said softly as she moved closer to him until finally her head was resting against his arm as they walked. She looked up at him and smiled, "Just being with you, talking to you. It's nice."
"I could talk to you forever and never get bored," he said quietly, his hand moving to brush the hair away from her cheek, his fingers tracing her face. "I've never felt this way before, Willow."
"Me either," she admitted as she moved her face against his hand, enjoying the feel of his warm touch on her skin.
"I'm glad," he smiled before suggesting, "I know it's still early, but do you want to stop somewhere and get some dinner? Afterwards, we can stop by my apartment and I'll let Peaches out for a bit and feed him. By then, it should be time for one of the vampire tours."
"That sounds like a great idea," Willow decided as she leaned her head back against him, listening to him tell her the history of the buildings they were passing on their way to dinner.
~Part: 16~
"I have to admit that I'm not that hungry," Willow confessed as she and William started discussing possibilities for dinner.
"Well, we could go ahead and drop by my place and take Peaches out for a quick walk," William said thoughtfully, "perhaps after that we'd be more ready for some dinner."
"That sounds lovely," Willow said as she smiled at him, her eyes moving over his face. She scolded herself for again eating him alive with her eyes, knowing that he was the only thing she was truly hungry for at that moment. What was wrong with her? She had never had this kind of reaction before, not even with Tara and Oz and she had loved them. She hadn't even known William an entire day and yet all she could think about was kissing him and holding him and being in his arms. She was at least not alone, William having the same undeniable attraction and feelings that she was experiencing.
She was confused, not knowing why there was such an intense desire and need between her and William, not understanding how she could look into his blue eyes and feel as if she had known him forever, feel as if she was finally where she was supposed to be. She had gradually accepted his similarities to Spike, still believing in a way that there had to be some kind of connection between the blond vampire that had died saving the world and the handsome English teacher that resided in New Orleans. But she did not dwell on the possibility that the Powers had interfered somehow as she got to know William, as she began to feel herself concentrating on *him* and not distant memories of a blond vampire that she had never really gotten to know.
"My place is only a couple of blocks from here," William smiled, noticing the distant and thoughtful look enter her pretty green eyes. She was thinking again, and he wished he knew what she was thinking. It was evident that she felt the same connection to him that he felt for her, the attraction and interest and plain old need. But, instead of just accepting it as destiny, as something that was meant to be, she questioned it.
She wanted to understand why she was feeling something so intense for a virtual stranger that resembled her old friend, she wanted to know why she was so comfortable with a man she'd only just met, why she was so attracted to him. He could understand her questions, in a way, having never experienced anything like this during his life, finding his emotions for the beautiful redhead new and powerful and so damn *right*. He was a believer in fate, a romantic fool that wanted to believe that they had met because it was meant to be, and again he used those words finding them too perfect a description for this day and meeting Willow.
"What time is that vampire tour?" Willow asked as she followed William to his apartment, her hand holding his. She felt his finger casually move along her palm, sending little shockwaves of awareness throughout her entire body. What was she going to do? Every time that she had somewhat managed to convince herself to take this relationship slow, knowing that she only had a few more days in New Orleans before she'd be returning home and this affair, was that the right word?, between her and William would become a not so distant memory, she would then find herself contemplating the idea of just forgetting all her questions and the need for some sort of explanation and just moving against him and kissing him. Her eyes moved to look at his lips, goodness, he had such beautiful lips.
"It starts around eight, so we've got several more hours," he said as he glanced at her, the smile fading from his face as he saw the look of pure desire in her eyes. He ran his tongue over his lips, watching her eyes darken at his action. He could feel himself harden just from that look in her eyes, wondering what he'd feel like if they ever actually kissed, touched, tasted…Fuck, he couldn't go there, not yet. Too soon. Just met her, William my boy, take it slow. Slow and easy, his mind flashing too easily with images of them naked in his bed as he took things real slow, tasting her for hours and learning every inch of her flesh, teasing her until she was begging, giving her such intense pleasure that she would no longer doubt destiny and fate.
"Oh God, I did it again, didn't I?" Willow whispered, her eyes widening as a blush crossed her cheeks. She smiled sheepishly, seeing the aroused look in his blue eyes and nearly forgetting her vow to spend time with him in a friendly way and learn who he was before she gave in to the need and desire she felt. She sighed, running a hand through her hair as she admitted, "I'm sorry, I just, you have such beautiful lips, William."
"Really?" the lips in question curved into a sensual smile as his blue eyes moved over her face.
"Yes, really," she gave him a small smile before she said, "I really don't understand any of this, William, and I have to be honest and tell you that I'm fast getting to the point where I don't care if it makes sense or can be explained. I've never felt like this before, never wanted anyone as much as I want you, never found such pleasure just being around someone. It's confusing and it's kind of scary and I really wish I knew what was happening."
"Shh, luv," he whispered softly, finding her absolutely amazing. She constantly surprised him with her honesty and intelligence, and he wished he had the ability to answer her questions so that she could stop worrying and thinking so much and just enjoy whatever this was that they had found. He moved his hand to her face, brushing his fingers across her cheek slowly as he said, "There are some things that just can't be explained, Willow. Perhaps this is one of those things. I know that I've never felt like this before, either, and that being with you feels right. Even like this, just hanging out and talking, I feel complete for the first time in my life. I'm confused and scared, too, but I'm willing to deal with that to be with you, to just enjoy this gift, if you will, of finding you and having you in my life, even for a few days."
"I've always liked to have answers," Willow confessed, moving her cheek against his hand and enjoying the feel of his warm flesh against hers as she looked into his blue eyes, "I wish I could just be like you and believe it's destiny or some other romantic notion, but my life hasn't really left me in a position to believe in fairy tales or happy endings. I don't trust easily, I like to understand what is happening around me, I hate feeling as if I'm not in control of my own life. From the moment I looked into your eyes this morning, I felt as if I was no longer in control. Being with you, it felt right. Like you said, I felt complete and like it was meant to be and *that* is why I find myself asking so many questions. The last year of my life has been so hectic and bizarre and I just don't know why I feel like this about someone I've only just met."
"I do understand, Willow," William said softly, "I just want to spend time with you, Willow. Enjoy the little bit of time we've got before you go home. I like you, really like you, and that's not the attraction talking. Today, talking with you and just being with you, you're not just someone with whom I feel this unbelievable connection."
"Same here," Willow said just as softly, knowing that what he said was true. She had first seen him and thought about Spike, still noticed the numerous similarities, physical and verbal, but he had moved from being a guy that looked like Spike's human twin to being William, a nice and gorgeous and funny and smart guy that made her feel things she'd never felt before.
"I think we should do as we decided earlier, just spend some time together and see what happens," William decided, "enjoy our time together. Who knows? Maybe we'll end up with some answers along the way."
"That sounds like a good idea," Willow smiled at him, "I think we've had enough serious talk for the day. Let's just go with it, have some fun. We can feed Peaches and then get some dinner and then go on that vampire tour. That should be interesting. I can't wait to tell Buffy and Faith about it, let them know what the guides around here have to say about vampires. They'll probably get a good laugh from it. Um, yeah, cause they're really into vampires, reading about them and stuff. Aren't we close to your apartment now?"
"It's right around the corner," William said with a smile, "I'm sure your friends will enjoy hearing about the tour. Do you have any ideas about dinner?"
"I'm thinking," Willow said as she took his hand again and they began walking. She'd had a close call, forgetting that he didn't know about her life with slaying and real vampires. She'd covered successfully, luckily, and they were now on their way to his apartment to feed Peaches and take the dog for a walk. The moment of seriousness had passed, and she was going to do her best to stop thinking so much. Answers probably wouldn't explain anything, anyway, so she was better off enjoying the company of this handsome man for the next few days. She leaned her head against his arms as they walked, her green eyes resolved to go with it and stop worrying so much and just savor the few days she had with William.
~Part: 17~
"Peaches, get off her," William told the large dog that had immediately jumped on Willow they entered his apartment.
"It's okay, William," Willow laughed as she played with the dog, "You're just happy to see me, aren't you baby? You know it's time for a walk and some dinner so you're real excited."
"If I promise you a walk and dinner will you jump all over me?" William couldn't resist teasing, his blue eyes amused as he watched the gorgeous redhead play with his dog.
Willow looked at him and smiled, her cheeks blushing slightly from the image that had easily come to her mind, "Who knows? You might get lucky."
"I can handle those odds," William smiled softly at her before he moved to the kitchen to get Peaches' leash.
"Peaches, my boy, your master is unbelievably sexy, did you know that?" Willow asked the slobbering dog as her green eyes watched William walked towards the kitchen. Her only response was a wet tongue moving across her cheek. She giggled as she turned to the dog, whispering, "Now if we could only get your gorgeous master to lick me, I'd be a happy girl!"
"What are you telling my dog?" William asked as he reentered the living room, watching Willow look at him with a sensual smile, her green eyes shining with desire and happiness as she replied to his question.
"It's a secret," she smiled at William as she stood, her eyes not leaving his as the air suddenly began to crackle with what was becoming a very familiar attraction.
"We should, um, go now," William said slowly, not wanting to do anything but move to her and finally kiss her, cursing himself for being a gentleman and promising to take things slowly. Why couldn't he just live for the moment and take what he wanted? Because, he didn't want to do anything that Willow might regret later. He knew he wouldn't regret it, having ached to kiss her since they'd first looked at each other, his visions not stopping until he'd tasted her entire body and they were both too exhausted to move. And there lay the reason he couldn't kiss her yet. A kiss would lead to something more and it was just too soon for that yet.
"Yeah," Willow agreed, finding the room rather warm now. She looked down at his dog, smiling as she said, "Let's take Peaches for a walk. After that, maybe we can grab a burger or something before the tour begins."
"I know a good place for burgers," William said as he moved beside her to put the leash onto Peaches' collar. His body brushed against hers casually and he heard her inhale quickly, knowing she'd felt the same spark when they'd touched that he had felt.
"A walk and then some dinner," Willow repeated for no reason other than to get her mind off the feel of his body against hers. She didn't question her reaction to him anymore, knowing there were no answers. She wanted this man more than she had ever wanted anyone, finding herself aroused beyond belief the longer she stayed near him. His touch, his voice, his eyes, his hands, she wanted to consume him, to possess him, to have him mind, body, and soul, wanted to give herself to him in the same way, and that scared her to death.
"C'mon, Peaches. Let's show Willow our favorite walk," William told his dog as he opened the door to his apartment and looked back at Willow, seeing the look in her eyes and smiling gently as he offered her his hand, "Are you ready?"
Willow looked from his hand to his eyes, somehow knowing he was asking some far more important than if she was ready for a walk. She slowly smiled as she looked into his eyes, reaching out and taking his hand, feeling as if everything in the world was as it should be as she said, "I'm ready, William."
~Part: 18~
The streets were growing more crowded as dusk approached. They had the sidewalks to themselves most of the afternoon, the sun being so hot that it kept most tourists inside where it was cool and pleasant. Willow hadn't minded the heat too much, the summers in Sunnydale always pretty warm, even if not quite this humid. To be completely honest, she had paid very little attention to the temperature after meeting William, the handsome Englishman proving a distraction from the summer day heat. Now that the sun was low in the Western sky and the town didn't feel like an appropriate substitute for Hades, people were leaving their hotels or shopping expeditions to venture into the streets.
Her hand was still in William's as they walked down the street, and she had no interest in releasing his hand anytime soon. Peaches was ahead of them, pausing every so often to look back at them as if he were impatiently waiting for them to catch up. He wasn't running off far ahead or pulling on his leash, instead keeping just a few steps ahead of them. It would appear that William had been correct this morning, that Peaches was not usually so active and didn't make it a habit to knock down strangers during his walk.
He seemed to have made an exception for her, something that Willow found she didn't mind at all. If not for that slobbering dog, she never would have met William. And, while she had a feeling there would be some heartache in her future because, stupid fool that she was, she was beginning to care about him the more time they spent together and she knew that leaving in a few days and never looking back was going to be extremely difficult, she honestly couldn't imagine never having met him.
They'd only known each other since that morning, merely a few hours, not enough time to build a friendship much less a real relationship, but she was beginning to believe his theories on fate and love at first sight. No, not love, the redhead corrected herself quickly, love would be bad. She could not fall in love with William, that was all there was to it. She could not fall in love with this gorgeous Englishman that had such beautiful eyes and that dazzling smile and shy intellect and looked too much like Spike for it to be mere coincidence and who had no idea what really went bump in the night and lived hundreds of miles from her home. She felt his fingers brush against her palm, glancing at him and catching him looking at her, his eyes looking at her as if she were the most beautiful thing he'd seen and he couldn't believe she was his, full of desire and affection and curiosity to know everything about her. She recognized the look, having seen something very similar in her eyes just a little bit ago when she'd used the bathroom and glanced in the mirror.
It was confusing and didn't make any sense whatsoever, her feeling such intense emotions for someone she'd only just met, someone that could very well exist only because Spike had sacrificed himself. She looked at William and saw William, though the elements of Spike were still there. Spike was there in the way he cocked his head to the side when he was thinking and in his voice, not to mention the physical similarities, but William carried himself in a different way, he smiled and his eyes actually showed emotion and were not closed off and unreadable. That was the part that still confused her, that nagged at the studious part of her wanting to do research to find out if her theory of a connection between William and Spike was correct.
She was ignoring that part, deciding it was probably much better to just leave things alone, to not interfere if it was actually a reward to Spike for his sacrifice because the blond vampire had been her friend, in a way. And she knew he deserved this, deserved a second chance, and, on the off chance she was right and William was somehow connected to Spike in some magical reward program, she wasn't about to risk ruining this new life of his that seemed happy and satisfying for him. If she was wrong and William's striking similarity to Spike was merely coincidental, well, she would be glad she hadn't bothered wasting what little time she had left in New Orleans doing boring research when she could be spending time with a man made her believe in fate and love again.
"You think too much," William smiled at the redhead when he noticed the look of concentration on her face, finding her even more cute when she was lost in thought and her eyes narrowed just a bit and her nose wrinkled slightly and her lips curved into a pensive frown. God, he even thought her frowns were attractive. Stop it, old boy. She's leaving in a few days and you do not want your heart broken. Telling himself this was one thing, listening to that logical voice in his mind was something else entirely.
He liked Willow. Really liked Willow. She was pretty and intelligent and he could have spent hours talking to her and she was a delightful mixture of confidence and shyness that made him want to protect her at the same time he knew she could protect herself. She was perfect for him. It was as simple as that. He didn't care that they had just met, didn't care that she was going home next week, didn't care that he was all ready past infatuated and was approaching love, didn't care that he would find himself alone when she left with only memories of the redhead that he honestly believed was his true love because the memories would never fade.
He believed in fate and trusted that everything would happen the way it was meant to be. If that meant he only had these few days with the woman that was his other half, his soulmate, his destiny, he wasn't going to spend their short time together worrying about a broken heart or dwelling on the fact that it bloody well sucked to be given this time with someone he'd begun to believe didn't exist except inside his own romantic notions to only have to give her up again so quickly. To quote a favorite passage of his, he'd rather have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. He'd worry about losing her after she was gone, then he'd deal with it and at least have the memories of the time they shared.
He trusted that things would work out the way they were meant to, a part of him having to hope that she would feel the same connection and emotions and find herself unable to merely return home without looking back. He was practical, though, and knew that the chances of them having more than just these five days together were slim so he tried not to dwell on the possibilities of them actually having a real relationship or trying to make things work long-distance.
He smiled when she tightened her hold on his hand, her fingers entwining with his, the thoughtful look leaving her green eyes as she gave him a sheepish smile at having been caught thinking again after declaring that she was going to stop thinking and simply go with what was happening between them, exploring it and seeing what happened. He moved closer to her to avoid running into a group of passing tourists, their body touching casually, his breath drawing in sharply when she looked up at him, her eyes flashing with desire and awareness that he knew she was trying to control.
He couldn't remember ever being this affected by anyone before, resisting the urge to kiss her since he'd first looked into her eyes after Peaches knocked her over that morning. Now, after getting to know her and starting to feel far more than just lust for her, he was unable to stop at just kissing her, wanting her naked in his arms as he explored her entire body with his hands and tongue, wanting to hear her crying out his name as she came around him, wanting to feel her body against his, wanting to hold her as they slept. Bloody hell, just holding her hand or casually touching her was enough to cause arousal to spread over his body and his cock to begin to harden. She felt it, too, the attraction and need and desire, and William had little doubt that they would make love before she left.
Not fucking or shagging or sex, but making love, taking hours to explore one another, not leaving their bed for a day or two except for food or bathroom visits, just enjoying each other and making memories. That would not be today, he reminded himself, knowing that it was too soon for that progression of their relationship. That didn't stop him from touching her whenever possible and it didn't prevent him from attempting to flirt with her, his efforts not as awful as he would imagined since he had no real practice at flirting with such a beautiful woman. He was pulled from his thoughts when she spoke, looking at her and smiling softly as his hungry eyes moved over her pretty face.
~Part: 19~
"I think Peaches is ready to go home," Willow said softly, unable to look away from William's eyes. She was oblivious to the people passing by them on the crowded street, aware only of him standing so close she could feel his heat, of his eyes darkening to a gorgeous blue as he looked at her with longing and hunger. If she made it through this evening without attacking him, she would honestly be very surprised. She was trying to be good, knowing she shouldn't sleep with him yet. This was their first date, they'd only just met that day, she didn't make it a habit of sharing her body with people she didn't love, she wanted to wait at least another day before complicating whatever was happening between them even more.
Okay, the last reason was at least somewhat valid. She could do this. Damn it, she'd helped close a Hellmouth and save the world numerous times not to mention being strong enough to gain control of the Dark Magics she had absorbed into her following Tara's death. She was stubborn and resolved and determined! She wanted him, more than she could remember wanting anyone, and she knew she would have him soon, but not tonight. Tonight would possibly be a kiss on the cheek and then a very cold shower and possibly some self-gratification to release the tension.
She wanted to make sure that, when they did sleep together, it was because they wanted it and knew each other well enough to make the decision based on knowledge and desire and affection and not merely because they were caught up in romantic notions of fate and destiny. She did not want to have any regrets, didn't want him hurt because they took their relationship to such an intimate level and he wasn't prepared for her to leave.
That was the most important thing. She could deal with the heartache of them making love because it was her decision to leave, to give them only these few days, but she couldn't bear the idea that he would have regrets or be hurt when she left. If he felt for her what she was feeling for him, though, she didn't see how either of them would leave this brief encounter without some heartache. It was inevitable, just as her leaving on Tuesday and returning to a world where monsters were real and her life was complicated and far too complex for a relationship with anyone, really, much less someone who didn't know what really lurked in the shadows.
She could curse the Powers That Be for doing this to her. Cursing her, in a way, though many would see her 'gift' from them as an unbelievable reward, and now having her meet this wonderful man that could very well be her soulmate, if such things did exist, at a point where they had only a few days together. A part of her knew that she was lucky to have met him at all, having believed that Tara was her one chance at a forever kind of love, content with the knowledge that a love like she shared with Tara was rare and some people never experienced it.
Now she had met William, someone she hardly knew but that made her feel the same way Tara had, if not even more powerful emotions. With Tara, it had been slow, starting as a friendship and gradually developing into a sweet love. They had clicked and made a good couple, but Willow didn't feel like she was betraying her lost love or belittling what they shared to acknowledge that things between them had never been perfect and that there had been some times she wondered if they would last forever, not entirely sure Tara was her soulmate no matter how much she did love the blonde witch. It had taken Willow over a year to get to a point where she could even think about such things without feeling horribly guilt. After all, she had killed Warren and attacked her friends and nearly destroyed the world after Tara's death, when she'd allowed the grief to consume her and drive her to do such horrible things.
She didn't deserve to look back and wonder if Tara had honestly been 'the one', knowing that the love they shared was true and meaningful and doubting she'd ever experience anything like that again. Now, though, she had met William, someone she had felt instantly attracted to, instantly connected with, and she was reminded of the Tara and the questions she'd asked herself over the last couple of years since her lover's death. Perhaps there was such a thing as a second chance at a great and powerful love, perhaps everyone did have more than one person in the world they were destined to be with. She did not feel guilty for being attracted to William or for wanting to get to know him better.
Tara had been dead over two years now, though Willow would never forget her lover just as she had never forgotten the love she felt for Oz or even the love she had felt for Xander, and she knew it was okay to move on, that Tara would want her to be happy. Willow shook her head slightly, rolling her eyes as she realized that William was right. She was thinking way too much! True, this day was just one of those days that had things that caused her to do a lot of thinking, but even she was starting to think this was too much thinking!
Xander would be proud if she told him she'd finally gotten to a point where she thought she was thinking too much, her best friend always teasing her about being lost in thought too often. She looked into William's eyes, seeing that he had a thoughtful expression on his face and realized that he was just as confused and curious about what was happening between them as she was. She smiled slightly as she said, "I'm tired of thinking. Why don't we finish Peaches' walk and then get some dinner? Maybe do some more talking and just get to know each other better. No serious thought required!"
William laughed softly, agreeing, "That sounds like a brilliant plan, Willow. Come along, Peaches. Let's get you back to the flat. Does a burger still sound good, luv?"
"A burger sounds great," Willow told him with a smile as they followed Peaches and started back to his apartment to drop off the dog to be followed by dinner and conversation before they took the Vampire tour of the city, something that the redhead knew she'd find particularly amusing. They began to chat as they walked, discussing their favorite books as they made their way back to his house.
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