Parts: 11 - 20
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~Part: 11~
What are you doing here, William?
That was the question that Spike had been asking himself since he'd left Willow downstairs nearly two hours before. He was still not closer to having an answer. He was laying on the bed that was far too comfortable to allow in depth thinking, that being his only explanation for not being able to figure out an answer to the question that currently ran through his mind. He shifted on the bed, the cotton of the sheets feeling rather nice against his bare skin. He'd had a shower, a nice long shower with warm water and fluffy towels afterwards. It was then, during his shower, that he had first asked himself that annoying question. Oh, he had some answers to it, but nothing that really satisfied him.
He was there because Willow had asked him to stay. He'd always liked the little witch, maybe a bit too much, and he'd not wanted to hurt her feelings by saying no. Ha, that was a laugh. As if he would have turned down his own room in this fantastic house to go sleep in his car somewhere. Of course, he also couldn't have told her no when she'd looked at him with those big green eyes so full of confidence one minute and insecure at the next. She was an enigma, his Red. He'd never been able to figure her out during the years in Sunnydale, and she still managed to intrigue him. So, yes, part of the reason he was there was because of Willow. Whether it be because he'd not wanted to tell her no or because he was intrigued by the pretty little redhead that had haunted many a dream since they'd met or because he'd not had anywhere else to go and she'd offered him friendship which meant far more to him than she'd ever guess, it didn't really matter. He had agreed to stay in this house, sharing it with her and her friends.
He moved on the bed again, unable to even think about sleeping when his mind was this active. He'd spent the evening watching bad horror movies with a slayer and a demon hunter, and had enjoyed it. He'd been rather impressed with Gunn, sharing several laughs and even agreeing to meet to play pool the following evening. He'd also been surprised by Faith. True, he'd worked with the slayer for weeks before leaving Sunnydale, but she'd always been guarded, cautious, and careful. Nothing like the smiling, happy girl he'd seen tonight. It was Willow's fault, he decided. He could blame the redhead for persuading him to stay with her and for forcing him into a situation where he had let his guard down just a bit and found himself liking both the humans that he should have hated. Yep, all Red's fault. He smiled slightly as he heard her moving around in her room. Silly girl was still awake, not seeming to be able to sleep. Served her right. She'd managed to completely upset his life in less than twelve hours so it was only fitting that she not be able to sleep until he could.
He glanced at the clock, seeing that it was after six. He'd smelled the rising sun only a few minutes before, but hadn't realized it was quiet so late, or early depending on the way you look at the situation. It was well into a new day, his second day in New Orleans. He looked at the ceiling as he thought about everything that had happened since arriving in the town. He knew he was damn lucky to have run into Willow, finding the only person he'd called a friend in years. He'd thought of her many times since he'd left Sunnydale, hoping that she was okay. To have found her again in New Orleans was just unbelievable, but in a good way. Judging from the feelings that had gone through him throughout the evening, feelings of friendship and belonging and more confusing feelings that he didn't want to think about it just yet, he knew that he wasn't going to be leaving New Orleans. As corny and human as it sounded, he wanted to be friends with Willow. Well, better friends than they already were. At the moment, their friendship was tentative and casual and new, neither one having been allowed to explore it too much with Buffy and the others around. Now, without their expectations on behavior and the limitations they'd had in Sunnydale, he wanted to see if they could build a friendship that was strong and fun, one that made him feel like a part of her life.
There was the problem of his attraction to her, of course. Well, it wasn't really a problem. It was something that had existed since he'd first kidnapped her and Chubs all those years ago. Even now, he could close his eyes and remember her from that night in vivid detail. The color of her sweater, the scent of her fear mixed with the sweet scent of arousal that he'd been able to smell even as she tried to deny it, the feel of her hands on his shoulder as she'd tried to comfort him, the taste of her neck as he'd run his tongue along the tender flesh…..stupidest thing he'd ever done in his life had been leaving that warehouse before he'd had her, leaving without her because he knew that once he'd had her, he'd have never given her up. It outranked shagging Buffy as one of the biggest mistakes in his life. He could easily bring to mind a variety of other times that he'd nearly just said fuck it and kissed her, touched her, shagged her like crazy. Even at the height of his obsession with Buffy, he'd still ached for Red. He'd done a good job hiding those desires, though, pushing them away into the corners of his mind as he'd concentrated on becoming her friend. Friendship was the best idea, anyway. He could be friends with her, just friends. He'd dealt with the attraction for years so he knew he could control it rather easily. After all, no one knew that he wanted Red, would never guess he had wanked hundreds of times to visions of her beneath him begging for more, would never think that he had started to be her friend with the ulterior motive of making her fall in love with him. He frowned as he thought about how that plan had gone wrong, her getting involved with Tara, him becoming obsessed with Buffy, her nearly destroying the world as he'd received his soul, nearly going crazy…yeah, it had been a pretty fucked up few years.
Maybe it just hadn't been the right time, a part of his mind that he usually tried to ignore whispered. Maybe he'd been meant to get involved with the slayer, to lose her, to gain his soul, to lose the implant, to leave Sunnydale so that he'd end up in New Orleans. Maybe, just maybe, he was meant to find Willow in this new town where they were both starting over. When he'd first seen her dancing with Buffy so many years ago, he'd felt a connection to her, dismissing it because he'd been occupied with killing her best friend and saving his Princess. Was it possible that she was supposed to be part of his life? God, could he sound any more pathetic? They were friends, not soul mates or fated lovers, just friends. He liked having her as a friend, having enjoyed their evening together a lot. It had been relaxed and comfortable. He'd been able to be himself without fear of being judged, been able to tease her and laugh and just enjoy life for a little bit. It had been nice, being with her, and was something that he hoped was repeated often.
He cocked his head slightly as he became aware of a door closing downstairs. It had to be the demon, just in from his date with the master, he decided as he made a face. That was the one problem he had with this new situation. Basilio. Spike hadn't liked the vampire at all. Not one bit. He especially hadn't liked the cutesy little nickname the master had given his Red. The bloke might be her boss, which meant that Spike had to be reasonably polite for Willow's sake, but it didn't mean that he had to like the pouf. He shifted on the bed again, moving the pillows behind his head as the house grew silent again. He had finally decided that it was time to stop thinking and try to get some rest. He closed his eyes, his mind easily bringing forth an image of Willow as she had looked on the sofa earlier that night. Her eyes teasing as she'd played with his hair, her fingers on his head, the feel of her body around him as he'd laid between her legs. His hand moved down his nude body until he found his hardening cock, beginning a lazy stroking motion as he continued to think about that night, remembering how easy it would have been to turn and sink deep inside his Red. He groaned as vivid images flashed in his mind, the smell of her fresh in his memory, almost able to taste her sweet kiss as he began to move against his hand. It didn't take long for him to find release, biting his lip to keep from calling out her name as he spilled his seed onto his hand. Falling back against his bed, he brought his hand to his mouth, his tongue cleaning himself off as he opened his eyes, glancing at the wall that separated him from the object of his thoughts.
"Give me strength," he muttered to himself before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.
~Part: 12~
Willow didn't go to sleep. She wasn't tired and decided to just start her day earlier than normal. She took a shower and got dressed, trying to be quiet as she left her room. She didn't want to wake anyone, knowing it wasn't even seven in the morning yet. She glanced at the balcony doors, wondering if she needed to pull the curtains. From what she could remember, the sunlight never really came directly into the hall and it definitely wouldn't be close to Spike's door so it should be okay. She went downstairs, her eyes checking the windows for threat of sunlight before deciding that they were safe. She sniffed the air, surprised to smell coffee. She wandered into the kitchen and poured her a cup before moving into the living room. She found Gunn dressed for work, sitting on the sofa and watching the news. He smiled a sleepy smile in her direction before drinking more of the strong coffee that he had made. She sat down in the chair that Faith usually occupied, telling him, "Good morning."
"It's too early for normal people to be awake," he declared, wondering how he had been drafted into doing an inventory on his second day of work. Because Mae had asked, telling him how much easier it would be if she had someone else to help her, and he'd volunteered because it was extra money and would mean he'd be off work earlier which was always a cool thing.
"I'm awake," Willow said as she drank more of her coffee.
"Exactly!" Gunn gave her a smile as she stuck her tongue out at him. He covered a yawn before asking, "So, it looks like we've got a fifth roomie, huh?"
Willow smiled, "You okay with that?"
"He has color in his wardrobe, doesn't brood constantly, and has a wicked sense of humor. Red, I lived with Angel for over a year," Gunn said with a laugh, "after spending that much time with Fang, I think I can handle Spike….question is, can he handle us?"
"I don't know," Willow shrugged, "I guess time will tell. He's really a great guy, underneath the 'big bad vampire' thing. Thanks for giving him a chance."
"You like him," Gunn said, "that's enough for me. Besides, I'm now not the only man surrounded by women! Thank the Gods for that…."
"You don't count Lorne?" Willow asked, laughing as he gave her a pointed look, "Okay, I can see your point."
"Why are you up so early?" Gunn asked as he finished his coffee.
"Couldn't sleep," Willow said, glad that they seemed to have moved to a new topic of conversation. It wasn't that she minded talking about Spike, it was just that, right now, she was a bit confused about how she felt about the blond vampire and it was easier not to discuss him too in depth for fear of slipping and admitting that she was having some impure thoughts about him. She pushed those particular thoughts from her mind as she continued talking, "I thought I might go to the grocery store and pick up some stuff. We're out of a few things already, and the early morning is a good time to go."
"You can borrow the car," Gunn offered, knowing that he wasn't going to be using it. Markine had been nice enough to allow him to keep it parked in her lot so that he wouldn't have to pay garage fees, but he hadn't used it since they'd gone shopping on Sunday. Everything was pretty much within walking distance of their house so there wasn't much need. He did know, though, that Willow would have to drive to the nearest supermarket that would be open at this time of day and that would have enough of a selection to suit her.
"Thanks," Willow smiled, "do you need anything while I'm at the store?"
"Nah," he shook his head, "I'm good. Actually, can you get some more cookies? Faith and I finished the chocolate chip ones last night during the movie."
"I'll add it to my list," she said, making a mental note to get several packages of cookies. She also planned to get some things for Spike. She knew his favorite junk foods and thought it might make him feel more comfortable if he had some of his own stuff in the kitchen. She also thought she might pick up some shampoo and soap for him, not sure if he'd be too fond of the girly scents that were now in the spare bathroom. She frowned as she wondered if he needed a toothbrush. Did vampires brush their teeth? She assumed they did since his teeth were always so white. She'd get him a toothbrush and toothpaste just in case. She wanted him to feel like this was his home so that he wouldn't decide to leave or be unhappy.
"The keys are on my dresser," Gunn said as he finished the last of his coffee and stood. "I'd better get going. I told Mae I'd be at the store before eight."
"Have a good day," Willow smiled at her friend as she asked, "do you want to meet me and Faith for lunch again?"
He nodded, "Yeah, that's cool. About twelve?"
"We'll be there," Willow said as she leaned over and flipped the news to watch cartoons as she finished her coffee. When she was done, she turned the television off and went to the kitchen. She cleaned out the cups that she and Gunn had used, drying them and putting them away before she went down the hall to his room to get his car keys. When she was back in the living room, she wrote a brief note saying that she'd gone to the store and would be back soon, just in case someone woke up while she was gone. She didn't want her friends to worry, not that she expected them to be up for several more hours. When she finished the note, she took the keys and left, adding various items to her grocery list as she walked to the hotel parking lot.
~Part: 13~
"Charles, could you please move that box over here?" Mae asked before she ducked back behind the counter to finish counting the key chains that were stored there.
"No problem," he said as he lifted the box and placed it on the counter for her to reach easier. When he was sure that it was secure, he walked back to the back of the store and picked up his clipboard. He'd been at work a little over an hour and was still counting the stock of magic supplies. Why Mae needed to know exactly how many roots and lumps of brown stuff and other crap that was back here she had, he didn't know, but he kept his mouth shut and counted. He was nearly done with this area, anyway, and then he'd move to the wall of pictures and candles. That should be easier, most being able to be counted without touching. Unlike this smelly root that seemed to linger on his skin and that he feared might not be easily removed with soap and water. He bet Willow would be able to tell him exactly what it was called and used for just by smelling his hand.
"Charles, I'll be right back," Mae called out before he heard the bell on the door sound.
He finished with the root, writing the number down before he stretched. He was still tired, not used to being up quite this early. He'd kept weird hours most of this life, needing to be awake at night to fight vampires and demons during their nocturnal feedings. He was used to sleeping into the afternoon, that habit increasing once he'd started working with Angel. It had been a rare day that he'd be in bed before dawn, sleeping until mid-afternoon most days. He left the corner of magic supplies and moved towards the candles. Looking at the large display, he rolled his eyes. Maybe this wouldn't be any easier after all. There were stacks and stacks of little candles and big candles and colored and scented. Glancing at his clipboard, he groaned when he saw that he had to count them all by type. Next time that he felt like being a nice guy, he was going to keep his mouth shut. He heard the bell signaling Mae's return as he bent over to pick up one of the boxes of candles that was underneath the shelf. Much easier to count them in the box first, he decided.
He'd just stood up when he had the sensation of being watched. He put the box down, turning quickly to see who was watching him. His eyes widened as he caught the girl doing an inventory on him as if he were for sale. He frowned as demanded, "Who are you?"
"I was just about to ask you that same question," she replied in a sweet southern accent that caused his eyes to narrow.
He moved his eyes over her, deciding that she was harmless. He got no demony feel from her, and didn't even get the same magic feel that surrounded Willow. No supernatural danger but damn she was beautiful, he realized. Skin the color of caramel, silky brown hair that was lighter than the shade of her eyes, full lips that were twisted into a slight smile, nice body, curves and long legs. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, telling her, "We're not open yet. You'll need to come back later."
"Oh, really?" she replied, her voice amused as she moved her eyes over the handsome man that was glowering at her. Goodness, he was attractive. She had been walking towards the office when she'd caught sight of him bending over, freezing as she'd felt her body react in a way that it usually didn't. She'd been drawn towards him, her eyes studying that firm, tight ass molded in denim. When he'd straightened, she'd seen the broad shoulders and slim waist and bald head. When he'd turned around, well, she'd been caught ogling by a perfect stranger that had eyes the color of dark chocolate and a lips that had her wondering what they'd feel like on her skin. Then he'd spoken and she'd practically melted again. Deep voice, husky, his eyes curious and appreciative as they'd swept over, seeming to touch her body before he'd frowned and declared that she needed to leave.
"We open at ten," he said, wondering what she was thinking about. He watched as she moved her hands behind her head, sweeping her waist length hair up into a floppy mess before she moved the clip that was hanging from her shorts to pin it up. She wasn't moving towards the door, nor did she give any indication that she was planning on leaving anytime soon.
"You must be Charles," she said, a smile crossing her pretty face as she watched him process the fact that she knew his name. He was still guarded, suspicious. He didn't trust easy, she realized, studying him as she tried to put some of her freshman psychology into use.
"How did you know my name?" he asked, wanting to know who this beautiful woman was that seemed to know him.
"A good guess?" she suggested with a slight smile.
"I don't have time for this," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "I'm tired, my hands smell like some horrible root, it's dusty in here, it's already hot, and I've got to get this inventory done before we open. Now, tell me who the hell you are, how you know my name, and why you aren't leaving?"
"I'm Jessibelle," she said, deciding to stop playing before he got angry instead of just being annoyed. Something told her that this was one man you did not want to see angry. "You can call me Jessi, all my friends do."
"Jessi, darling, you're late!" Mae said as she entered the store with a bag from Café Du Monde. "I brought some breakfast. Charles, take a break and eat something. It will give you some energy and wake you up."
"Sorry, Mom," Jessi smiled at her mother, watching as Charles suddenly understood, a quick smile crossing his face which caused even more strange reactions to race through her body before he moved past her towards her Mom.
"Mae, you're a woman after my heart," he said smoothly as he took one of the bags from her, inhaling the scent of the beignets that he was fast becoming addicted to. It was Faith's fault, always wanting to get them for breakfast since they'd arrived, not to mention as late night snacks too.
"Sorry, honey, but my husband might have some problems with that," Mae laughed, glancing from her daughter to her new employee and back, a slight smile crossing her face as she saw Jessi acting in a way she'd never seen before. Well, well, well….what do we have here? Deciding to test her daughter, she told Charles, "Have you met my daughter? She was supposed to be here this morning at eight."
"My alarm didn't work," Jessi made a face, hating being late for anything, especially worked. She prided herself on being prompt for everything, usually teasing her mother who was always late. That meant that she would hear about being late this one time for who knew how long.
"We met," Gunn said before he went back to eating his breakfast. His hands still smelled of dirty root, but he was hungry and just ignored the smell.
"He thought I was a customer," Jessi said, glaring at her mother, "I guess you failed to let him know that I'd be coming in to help today."
"It must have slipped my mind," Mae shrugged, having not seen her daughter quite so spunky since she'd been a child. A thoughtful look entered her hazel eyes as she looked from Charles who was concentrating on his food and trying to look at her daughter without being obvious to Jessi who was drinking her café au lait while stealing glances at the handsome man. Mae had to smile, wondering if Charles might be the man to finally break through her daughter's serious shell and teach her how to play and enjoy life. This was going to be fun, she decided eager to talk to her husband about this interesting turn of events concerning her new employee and their daughter, before moving to pick up her clipboard and finish counting key chains.
~Part: 14~
Spike woke up shortly after eight. He glanced at the clock, surprised to see that he'd only slept for a couple of hours. It felt like more, his body and mind rested in a way that it hadn't been for months. He got out of bed, stretching before he pulled on his jeans. He found his shirt and slipped it on before moving to the door. He opened it carefully, glancing in the hall and seeing that it was sunlight free. He moved towards Willow door, listening and not hearing a heartbeat. She wasn't in her room. He turned, hearing the slayer's heartbeat as well as light snoring, his lips twisting slightly as he wondered if the girl knew she snored. He'd be sure to let her know, he decided as he headed downstairs, hoping to find Red.
He didn't find Willow downstairs, but he found a note that she'd left saying that she'd gone to the store. Had she gone alone? He frowned at the idea of her walking around this strange city by herself. Anyone could hurt her, human or demon. It was dangerous wandering around when she didn't know the layout of the land yet. He shook his head slightly, deciding that she could take care of herself and would probably be returning at any time. He went into the kitchen, grabbed a bag of blood from the stack that Faith had got him the previous night, and popped it into the microwave. When it was heated, he poured it into a mug and moved into the living room. He sat in the large chair, his eyes closing slightly as he was surrounded by the scent of Willow. She'd been here, he realized, not long ago. He inhaled slowly, smelling apples, vanilla, jasmine and Willow. He took a drink of his blood, wondering how he was supposed to be her friend when he was hardening just from smelling her.
"You're up early," a sweet voice said, breaking through his mental discussion with himself.
Spike looked up, having not even heard the door open. He stood, moving to help her with the bags she was trying to carry, "Let met get that, Red."
"Thanks, Spike," Willow smiled at him as he took the bags, "just take them to the kitchen. I'm going to run down and get the other bags. I'll be right back."
He cursed the sun that kept him from offering to help her, moving into the kitchen and putting the bags down. He couldn't help her bring them in, but he could help her put everything away. He took out several bags of cookies, looking through cabinets until he found the area where the other junk food was kept. Turning back to the bag, he withdrew a box of Cocoa Puffs, one of his favorites. He smiled as he opened the box, taking a handful of crunchy cereal and tossing it into his mouth. He continued emptying bags, surprised to find a box of the type of crackers he liked to eat as well as his favorite cookies and chips.
"You didn't have to do that," Willow said as she entered the kitchen, putting the other bags down. She smiled at him, "Thanks for helping."
"I opened the cereal," he admitted, taking a minute to look at her. She was wearing an orange tank top that molded her surprisingly full breasts, and denim shorts that gave him a clear view of her long, pale legs.
"It's yours," she said, "I got you some stuff to snack on. You can just put it in the snack cabinet, if you want. Oh, if there's ever anything you don't want to share, be sure to keep it in your room. That's where I keep my stash of sugar cookies and twinkies so that Faith won't eat them all."
"You bought me food?" he looked from the Cocoa Puffs to Willow, a soft smile crossing his face as he realized that she not only knew his favorite foods, but that she'd taken the time to buy them for him. She was fantastic.
"Yep," she smiled as she handed over the last bag, "I also bought you some stuff for the bathroom. I wasn't sure about the toothbrush, but you're teeth always look so white and clean that I thought you must brush them."
"Thanks, Red," he looked in the bag, finding shampoo that didn't smell of flowers like the stuff he'd used last night as well as some plain unscented soap.
"You're welcome, Spike," she said as she finished putting away the last item. "I thought it would be nice if you had some snacks of your own, make you feel more at home."
"You're a great friend," he said sincerely as he moved into the living room.
"Yeah, friend," she repeated, making a face without even realizing it. Sighing, she followed him into the living room. "I'm going to drive Gunn's car back to the parking lot so I'll be back in a bit. Is there anything you need that I forgot?"
"I'm fine. I don't need anything right now, Willow," he said, watching her smile at his use of her real name. He might have to start using it more often, he decided, if he was rewarded with such a pretty smile.
"Okay, well, then, I'll be back shortly," she moved towards the stairs to go downstairs before she turned and smiled at him, "I'm glad you're here, Spike. See you soon."
He watched her leave, a smile crossing his face as he whispered a response to her words, "It's great to be here, Red. It's really great to be here."
~Part: 15~
"Good morning, kids," Lorne said as he entered the living room a few minutes after ten. He smiled slightly as his eyes swept over the scene. Faith was laying on the sofa eating a bowl of cereal, her eyes watching the cartoon that was playing on the television. Spike was sitting in the large chair, a box of Cocoa Puffs sitting open on the table beside him. Willow was sitting on the floor in front of his chair, resting her butt on a pillow as she laid back between his legs. The blond vampire was playing with her hair, twisting it into strange directions before securing it with one of the clips that was on his lap. Lorne had to take a minute to remind himself that the vampire was one of the most fear in the world, that the brunette was a slayer who had saved the world, and that the redhead was a very powerful witch that had nearly destroyed the world and had helped save it a handful of times. At this moment in time, they could very well have been normal teenagers just hanging out with friends or perhaps college kids enjoying a morning free of classes.
"Morning, Lorne," Willow said, unable to move her head to smile at her friend because Spike growled at her every time she tried to move. She felt him twirling more hair and rolled her eyes, knowing that this was payback for her playing with his hair the previous night. She tried to focus on her irritation at being forced to be still instead of the feel of his fingers against her scalp, knowing that the latter would just make her think about other parts of his body against hers which would lead to even more impure thoughts and visions of naked Spike and then she'd be all flustered and aroused and find it more difficult to remember that they were just friends.
"And what time did you get home last night, young man?" Faith asked as she arched a brow and smirked at the demon that had taken a seat on the sofa opposite her.
"It was before sunrise," Lorne rolled his eyes though he couldn't keep the happy smile off his face.
"Barely!" Willow said with a laugh. "I heard you come in and I must say that you nearly broke curfew. Tsk, tsk…"
"Stop moving," Spike told her, smiling slightly as she muttered under her breath but kept her head still. They'd sat together for nearly an hour before the slayer had woken up, talking about various subjects from movies to music to travel. When Faith had come downstairs and taken over the sofa, Willow had somehow ended up moving to sit on one of the large floor cushions, causing him to get the idea to pay her back for the previous night by suggesting that she move to sit against the chair so that her back wouldn't hurt. She'd done so and he'd immediately gone to work on her hair.
He'd spent years brushing Drusilla's hair, putting it up in one of the current styles that she'd request, listen as she rambled on about the stars as he tried to concentrate. With Willow, it was different. She gave him full control to do whatever he wanted, talking to the slayer as he worked, not disturbing him at all except with her moving. Poor girl hated to sit still nearly as much as he did, it seemed. He knew from memory that she liked to stay busy. She'd research or be writing or doing homework or some other task even as the others laid around and relaxed. The few times he'd seen her relax, he'd known that she was thinking, lost in thought, her mind being active even when her body wasn't. He could understand, not having the patience to sit still much himself. His energy had driven Angelus crazy, because, unlike Willow who could be content sitting and working on some project, Spike tended to like to fight and hunt and play. He'd hated the wheelchair because he'd been forced to sit for so long, but, in the end, it had probably done him good. He'd learned to sit and occupy himself for hours upon hours with books and watching telly. And now he was being rewarded by getting to fix Willow's hair. Good grief, he was happy about playing beauty parlor with the redhead, and it didn't bother him. Had to be the soul, he decided.
"Damn, Blondie," Faith let out a whistle as she turned to look at Willow and Spike, keeping the smug smile off her face as she sincerely said, "you're pretty good at that."
"Had a century of practice, slayer," he responded as he removed a clip and tucked the hair together before securing it.
"Drusilla," Willow said softly, having figured out why Spike seemed so knowledgeable when it came to brushing her hair just the right way, making it so gentle that it didn't feel like it was being brushed, and for doing whatever it was he that he was doing that required her to be so still.
"My Princess liked me to fix her hair," Spike said, able to talk about his sire without regret or devotion, with remembered affection instead. It was one of the few things that had been good about his time in Sunnydale. He'd put Drusilla in the past, where she belonged. He was much happier without her than he'd ever been with her. Only took him a hundred and some odd years to realize that.
"Well, if it usually looked that good, I can understand why," Faith said, beyond surprised that Spike, one of the most dangerous vampires around even with a soul, was sitting in a chair a few feet from her making Willow's hair look like something out of a Jane Austin movie. It was perfect, swept up just the right way to set off Willow's face, pinned back so well that it didn't even look like anything was holding it up, little strands left along the redhead's neck and caressing the sides of her face in just the right way. She found herself asking, "Do you think you might could do mine like that sometime?"
Spike looked at the slayer and arched a brow, trying to see if she was serious. She was. The slayer wanted him to do her hair? He frowned, not sure if he wanted to answer that question yet. Of course, she was Red's best friend, for now until he'd taken over that primary best friend position and made her the other friend, and she was letting him stay there without one bitchy remark or threat. Finally, he shrugged and said, "Maybe."
"Cool," Faith nodded, smiling as she looked back at the cartoons, thinking how cute Spike and Willow looked together this morning when she'd woken up and found them talking. Her friend was even more happy than she had been, which was a lot of happiness. And Spike seemed more relaxed than she'd ever seen him, though she honestly didn't know him well enough to know if he was happy. He seemed to be, and really did seem to like Willow. That was good enough for her.
"Lorne, when are we going to start discussing the club?" Willow asked, smiling softly at Spike's agreeing to consider the idea of fixing Faith's hair. He was really trying to be nice and it made her think he must be enjoying his stay with them so far.
"Whenever you want, Cupcake," Lorne said, knowing that he needed to get things started on the club soon, anyway. It was in pretty good shape as it was. Would probably need some painting and new fixtures, definitely a new stage and some of the boxes moved out, but, once he had a theme in mind, it probably wouldn't take a couple of weeks before it would be operational.
"Great. I've come up with an idea that might work," Willow smiled, not able to face him so that he could see her excitement, "but I think I'll tell you when Spike finishes with my hair. That way, I can show you my notes and some of the sketches I've made."
"I'm nearly done, luv," Spike said, curious as to what they were talking about. He glanced at Lorne, asking, "What's all this about a club?"
~Part: 16~
Lorne looked at Spike and was surprised to see actual interest in the vampire's blue eyes. He felt himself smiling as he began to talk about his new club, the excitement evident in his voice, "I'm going to have another club, finally. I don't think you knew that I owned a sanctuary in LA, Karitas. It was a lovely time, just listening to bad singing and reading people, playing host to all sorts of interesting personalities. Then, I met Angel and eventually ended up having the club destroyed in one of his many escapades for redemption blah, blah, blah. By that time, there was so much happening that I never bothered to rebuild, instead focusing my attentions on fighting the good fight."
"The lower level of the house is zoned for business so we're turning it into a new, fantastic club for Lorne to run," Faith said, glad to see the demon so enthusiastic about his new business.
"A sanctuary?" Spike's eyes grew thoughtful as he finished with Willow's hair. "Sounds like a good idea. I'm willing to help, if you want."
"That would be great, Spike," Willow smiled, glad that he seemed to be interested in the idea of their club and that he wanted to help. He'd said the words with his usual tone, acting as if he could care less if they asked him or not, but she knew him well enough to recognize that he wanted to participate. "The old place isn't in too bad a shape, but there is going to be some painting and lifting and moving so we could definitely use the help."
"Well, you've got me now," he said, putting the last pin in her hair as he ran his fingers along her neck, "Finished with the hair, luv. Why don't you tell us your ideas for the place while I tackle that rat's nest that the slayer calls hair?"
"You're going to do mine next?" Faith looked at Spike and smiled, not even insulted by his comment about her hair.
"Would you stop whining if I said no?" Spike said, rolling his eyes. "As if I had any choice in the matter."
"You know you enjoy the praise," Willow said, moving from between his legs to smile at him, knowing Spike well enough to know that he was eating up the fact that he was being told how good he was at styling hair. She got to her feet, telling them, "I'm going to run upstairs to get my notebook."
"Her hair looks great, Blondie," Faith said with a sincere smile. "If mine looks even half that good, I'll be happy."
"Just what I always wanted to do, make a slayer happy," Spike muttered, glad that no one could see him getting ready to fix the slayer's hair. He threatened, "If you tell anyone, I mean anyone, about this, I'll put hair remover in your shampoo."
"My lips are sealed, Spike," she said, slightly amused at his attitude but glad that he was going to give her a neat upswept hair style like Willow's. The redhead always looked pretty, but he had chosen a style that complimented her face and neck and looked elegant at the same time it looked casual.
"Whatever," he watched her move to sit between his legs, deciding that it wasn't nearly as enjoyable having her there as it had been having his Red. He knew it wouldn't take long to give her an easy style, not wanting to spend even a fifth as much time fixing her that he'd spent on Willow. He took the brush and began to move it through the slayer's thick hair, not being as gentle as he had with Willow, figuring that the slayer was tough, besides it was rather smile inducing to hear her grunt as he pulled at her hair. Teach her to not let it get so tangled, he decided.
Willow grabbed her notebook and ran into the bathroom, wanting to see her hair. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw herself, a soft smile crossing her face at Spike's well done job. She looked good, she decided. He'd left a few strands of hair touching her face and neck, the rest pulled into an elegant mass of red. She wasn't quite sure why it had taken him so long to finish, but decided that it hadn't been too awful having him brushing her hair and his fingers touching her as he'd worked. She'd change into a pretty sundress before going to lunch, something to match such a beautiful style instead of the shorts and tank top she was currently wearing. She left the bathroom and headed back downstairs, hearing Lorne's voice as he was describing the first time that he'd met Angel, smiling as she heard Spike laughing at the demon's description of his grandsire's singing, not too surprised to see Faith sitting in the spot she'd just vacated letting Spike fix her hair.
"Did you hear that, Red?" Spike asked with a smile, having felt her enter the living room. He glanced at her, smirking as he said, "Peaches sang Mandy….I told you he was a poof!"
"That's not a bad song," she said, having to giggle as three sets of eyes turned to look at her, "Okay…okay. I won't defend his song choice, but Angel's my friend so I'm not about to agree with the poofy comments."
"A friend?" Spike snorted, frowning at the rush of jealousy he felt at the idea of his Red and Peaches being friends, chatting on the phone, sharing private jokes. He didn't like that at all, he realized. Shaking his head a bit, he turned his attention to the slayer's hair, deciding that it was definitely a good idea that he was going to become her best friend.
"Ouch," Faith said as she felt his grip on her hair tighten. She made a face at Willow, her eyes growing thoughtful as she wondered why he had gotten upset about the idea of Angel being Willow's friend, having no doubt that it had been that recent bit of conversation that had caused him to be rather rough with her. A slow smile crossed her pretty face as she realized that he didn't like the idea of Willow and Angel being friends. And things just kept getting more and more interesting.
"Sorry," he muttered, twisting her hair and pinning it, knowing the exact style to give the slayer. It had been on of Dru's favorites when they'd gone hunting, framing her beautiful face with tendrils as some was pinned up. It wouldn't fall down if the slayer was fighting unless the pins were removed. A style for action as well as looks. He'd given Willow a style that had been for fancy dress parties that he and his sire had attended, him loosening some of her pretty red hair a bit to keep it from being overly serious. She looked gorgeous, he decided, taking a bit of pride in the job that he'd done. He still had it, it would seem, even though it had been years since he'd had practice.
"I have my notes, Lorne," Willow said, deciding that she wasn't going to bother trying to defend her friendship with Angel to Spike, knowing that the blond vampire wasn't particularly fond of his grandsire and that that was the reason he was annoyed that she was friendly with the dark haired vampire.
"Well, don't keep my in suspense, Willow," Lorne said, eager to hear the ideas the redhead had come up with, knowing that he'd probably love them all. "Sit down and tell us!"
~Part: 17~
Willow sat down beside Lorne, a smile crossing her face as she started to tell them her idea, "Okay, it's really nothing too dramatic, but I really think it would work."
"Tell us already, Red," Faith said, laughing at her friend's enthusiasm coupled with the fear that they might not like her idea.
"Masquerade," Willow said simply, looking at Lorne.
"Masquerade?" he repeated, a curious gleam entering his eye. "Tell me more."
"I thought that we could use some of the staples of the city with our own twists," Willow explained. "Masks, costumes, being someone different for a few hours."
"Masks?" Faith was interested, liking the idea of dressing up as someone else.
"Yeah," Willow smiled. "I don't mean all the time. Weekdays we can have karaoke and drinking and just be a normal club, but, on weekends, we can have fun with it."
"Masquerade balls on weekends," Spike said, arching a brow as he slowly smiled. "Humans could mingle with demons and be none the wiser. They'd just think it was a costume."
"Exactly," Willow smiled at him, not at all surprised that he understood what she meant.
"I like it," Lorne decided, "we'll take elements of the city and mix in our own style, create a place that people can go to escape for a few hours, if they want, or where they can sit back and enjoy a nice drink with friends."
"We can get some local bands to perform on Friday and Saturday," Willow said, "I was thinking we could do the decorating as elegant yet funky."
"Let me see your sketches," Lorne asked, looking at some of the designs the redhead had created. "These are quite good, Cupcake. I love this large mask. We could put it behind the stage area, maybe."
"Thanks," Willow was glad that they liked her idea. She'd given it a lot of thought, wanting something that could be enjoyed by both humans and demons. She had also liked the idea of incorporating elements of their new city into the club. Everywhere you looked walking through the Quarter were masks and costumes and hats and stuff like that. Their new hometown liked to dress up and have fun from what she could tell.
"I'm thinking that we can use black and silver," Lorne said thoughtfully, "with some bright but dark colors throw in the mix."
"Maybe purple and burgundy," Faith suggested, "and forest green and a dark blue. Oh, we can have event nights and costume parties and this is just a great idea."
"I like the idea of bands on the weekends," Lorne told Willow, "I never had anything like that at Caritas, but I think it would be perfect for the weekend nights."
"We could have an amateur night on Sundays, maybe," Willow suggested, "and then do the regular karaoke on the weeknights. I thought we could have one night a week when we hand out different masks to the people coming in if they don't have one, just sort of keep things light and fun."
"We can have appetizers," Faith added, "different snack foods that people can eat while they're here."
"Trust you to talk about the food, honey," Lorne smiled at the slayer, laughing as she stuck her tongue out at him.
"We really wouldn't need to do too much downstairs before we would be ready to open," Willow said, having studied the space and figured they could utilize the black walls that were already down there. Luckily, Lorne had suggested black which fit in with that plan. "Just some painting and new furniture. We do need to work on the stage, though. It's not really a music type of stage at the moment. I figure we could have it ready to open within a month if not sooner."
"Hair is finished, slayer," Spike said, having quickly fixed her hair as he'd watched Willow's face during their talk about the club. She was obviously enjoying planning the new business, her eyes bright with happiness and a constant smile on her face. He felt himself smiling just from looking at her, her enthusiasm catching as he said, "It's a good idea, luv. Between all of us, I doubt it takes too long to get things organized."
"We need to get all the old trash out of there first," Willow made a face. "After that, we can check the status of the floor and everything else."
"We can start checking out local bands this weekend," Faith said with a smile. She had moved to look in the mirror when Spike had said her hair was finished, very pleased with the final product. If anyone had told her that Spike, aka William the Bloody, aka half of the Scourge of Europe was a damn good hairstylist, she would have laughed her ass off, never imagining the bleached blond doing such a task. As it was, he had managed to create a style that complimented her in a similar way that Willow's matched her, his eye for such things maybe not as surprising as she first thought. He was smart and evidently a good judge of character. She loved her hair and hoped he'd teach her how to do it herself so she wouldn't have to bug him constantly. It kept her hair out of her face and off her neck which was great for the New Orleans summer days. Spike was definitely full of surprises, she decided. She sat down on the sofa opposite Lorne and Willow, saying, "We can hit some clubs on Friday night when you get off work, Will. See what we can find. What do you think, Blondie?"
~Part: 18~
"It's a good idea, slayer," Spike shot her a quick smile at her asking his opinion before looking back at Willow. "We can see who's good enough to perform at Masquerade, scout the local talent."
"I'll leave that task to you kids," Lorne said, knowing that there was a lot he would need to do before they could open the club. "I'll worry about decorating. I love decorating!"
"We'll also need to hire some people," Faith said, "won't we? I mean, I don't mind helping out once in a while, but I so don't want to be a waitress."
"You can hire whomever you want, darling," Lorne said with an affectionate smile. "We will definitely need a bartender and at least a couple of servers, maybe extra for the weekends once we see how well the club is going to do."
"I can hire someone?" Faith arched a brow and laughed, "Are you really sure you want to give me that responsibility, Lorne?"
"I trust you, honey," Lorne said sincerely, watching as she smiled.
"I'll find some good employees," Faith promised, "Wills can find out if any of Lio's people need a part time job, maybe. We'll have to be careful and make sure anyone that we bring on board is aware that it's a sanctuary and exactly what that means."
"Why don't we go down now and start getting some of the trash and stuff moved out?" Willow said, eager to get started now that they had an idea and plan in mind. "We can get it all cleared out and then we can figure out where to start."
"There's a staircase that goes straight into the club," Faith told Spike, seeing the frown cross his handsome face as he glanced at the window. "No sunlight problems, Blondie."
"And there aren't any windows in the club," Willow explained, watching as he nodded, a slight smile crossing his face at being included in their project. He needed to smile more often, she decided. He was gorgeous when he was scowling but he looked even better when he was smiling and happy and relaxed. Just friends, she reminded herself as she smiled at him, "So you can help us get things cleaned up, if you want?"
"I want, Red," he gave her a smile, his eyes moving over her as he thought of everything that he wanted from her. Shaking his head slightly, he pushed those particular thoughts from his mind to concentrate on friendship. That was the main thing he wanted right now. To be her best friend, to be an important part of her life, to have her be completely comfortable around him as she was now.
"I think I'd better change before we tackle downstairs," Lorne said as he glanced at the pajamas that he was still wearing. "Give me a few minutes to change, kids."
"What time is it?" Willow suddenly asked, looking at the clock. "I told Gunn that Faith and I would meet him for lunch around twelve. That's less than an hour away. Maybe we should go eat and then come back and start working?"
"We can tell Chuck all about the direction we're taking the club," Faith said with a smile, eager to see how he reacted. She figured he'd like the idea, having already commented during their walks about all the masks and feathers that the shops had on display.
"Why don't you take me down and tell me what you want me to do while you're gone?" Spike said, not really liking the idea of her going off for lunch and leaving him, but knowing that she'd enjoy meeting her friend so it was worth losing her company for a bit if she was happy. God, what was happening to him? He'd always liked Red, had wanted her even before he'd become infatuated with Buffy, but he'd never felt like this before. It was confusing even as it was comforting. To hell with it. He liked having her smile at him, wanted her to need him in her life like he needed her, and he kind of enjoyed being part of her new family, thought he'd never admit that to anyone even at the threat of torture.
"That sounds like a good idea," Willow said as she got to her feet, deciding that she'd change into a sundress to match her pretty new hair before work instead of now, not wanting to risk getting it dirty if she was moving stuff in the club. She went to the door that led to the staircase that went directly into the club, opening it as she told Spike, "These stairs take you into the back of the club, where the small kitchen is set up, behind the bar."
"This is a great place, Red," Spike said as he entered the kitchen behind her, his blue eyes taking in every detail as he entered the main area of the club. He arched a brow as he looked around, noticing several items left over from the previous occupants. He glanced at Willow, asking, "Was this a sex club, pet?"
"Yeah, it was," Willow said as she moved towards the front door. "We need to get all these old boxes thrown out. There's nothing in them except trash and broken items that the previous owners didn't want. When I get back from lunch, I'll start sweeping and cleaning the walls and stuff so we can see where to start."
"I'll get the rest of this junk picked up before you get back," he said, leaning over to pick up the whip that had caught his attention. He looked from it to Willow, his mind too easily imagining using it on the gorgeous redhead, hearing her screaming in pleasure as she begged him to fuck her. He moved past her, brushing against her slightly, needing some sort of contact as he put the whip in one of the boxes to throw out. God, she smelled good.
"Thanks, Spike," she said as she impulsively gave him a hug. She might have held on a bit too tight, might have inhaled his scent a bit too long, might have moved her body against him in a way that she didn't when she hugged her other friends, but she couldn't help giving in to the temptation of just feeling him against her for that brief moment. Reluctantly, she pulled back and smiled at him, "You're a great friend, and I'm so happy that you're here."
"Glad I'm here too, Red," he said softly, resisting the urge of pulling her back against his body, of claiming her lips in a kiss, of forgetting that the whip was used and moving it over her warm flesh as she begged him to touch her, to taste her, to take her. Instead, he gave her what he hoped was a friendly smile and said, "Go get some lunch while I start working, pet. I'll see you in a bit."
"See you soon, Spike," she said as she watched him start working. She went to the stairs, knowing that Faith was waiting for her. She looked back at Spike, her eyes moving over his body as he worked, wondering if he had felt the same spark she had felt when they'd hugged, deciding that he must not have since he was clearly unaffected. She sighed as she headed up the stairs, repeating to herself with each step that Spike was just her friend, just her friend. By the time she reached the landing, she had her mixed up feelings under control and was ready to go get some lunch and enjoy hanging out with her friends.
~Part: 19~
Faith followed Willow into the store, a wicked smile crossing her face as she noticed Gunn stocking blankets. She put her finger to her mouth, saying, "Shhh," as she crept closer to the oblivious man.
Willow rolled her eyes as she saw Faith using her steathy slayer skills to sneak up on Gunn. She looked around the shop for Mae, not seeing the older woman. She did find a pretty girl watching them, though. Well, not them. The girl's eyes were on Faith, watching with a curious frown as the brunette moved behind Gunn. Willow turned her attention back to Faith, wondering what her friend was going to do.
Faith reached Gunn, rather proud that she'd been quiet enough to keep him from moving before she could grab him. With a smile, she slapped her left hand against his right butt cheek, saying, "Hey, Hot Stuff!"
Gunn stood quickly when he felt the slap against his ass, turning to see Faith smiling smugly at him. He looked past her to Willow and said, "We really need to see about getting her a leash when we take her out in public, Red."
"A leash?" Faith gave him a mock leer as she said, "Should have known you were a kinky one, Chuck."
"You're awful," Gunn declared, groaning as she winked at him.
"But you love me anyway," she smiled sweetly.
"If you two kids are finished playing, I'm hungry and ready for some food," Willow said with a laugh, watching them bicker like siblings.
"It's already noon?" Gunn was surprised that the morning had gone by so quickly. He glanced over and saw Jessi watching them with a frown on her pretty face, her eyes lit with curiosity. They'd spent most the morning doing inventory, talking every little bit. He'd learned that she was in college, that she had an apartment several miles from the Quarter, that she had two roommates and wasn't seeing anyone seriously, and that she wasn't his type. She was too smart, too pretty, too everything. He'd tried that road before with Fred and he'd ended up alone with a broken heart. Okay, so Jessi wasn't too much like Fred, but there were enough similarities that warning bells went off in his head. Been there, done that, not about to repeat it. Besides, she wasn't interested in him that way, making it clear that she had no room for dating in her life. He looked back at Willow and smiled at the redhead, telling her, "Let me tell Mae I'm going to lunch and then we can go, Will."
"Where are we going to eat today?" Faith asked as she moved to look at some candles that were on display.
"Maybe that café we saw the other day," Willow suggested as she checked out some pretty lamps that had just been put out. "We said we wanted to try it sometime. We've got a lot of work waiting for us when we get home so we need to eat a good meal."
"We just got those in," Jessi told the pretty redhead as she finally gave in to her curiosity and moved towards the two beautiful girls that had seemed so comfortable with Charles. One had slapped his butt and flirted with him while he'd flirted with the other.
"They're nice," Willow smiled at the girl, introducing herself, "I'm Willow. That's Faith."
"I'm Jessibelle, Mae's daughter," Jessi said, liking the redhead's friendly smile. She felt herself smiling in return, her jealousy over their interaction with Charles leaving a bit as she said, "You can call me Jessi."
"I used to have a best friend named Jesse," Willow said softly.
"Are you not friends anymore?" Jessi asked.
"He died several years ago," Willow said, watching as Jessi's eyes widened, "It's okay. It was a long time ago. So, you're Mae's daughter? We met her yesterday. She's real nice."
"Yeah, Mom is great," Jessi smiled, relieved that she hadn't inadvertently upset Willow.
"Did she keep Gunn busy this morning?" Faith asked, looking the girl over. "He was whining all night about having to get up so early for inventory."
"Gun? Is that a nickname or something?" Jessi asked, adding, "Charles had a lot to do this morning but he didn't whine too much."
Faith laughed, "It's his last name. With two n's. He's not overly fond of the name Charles so he uses his last name."
"Oh, okay," Jessi nodded, wondering why he hadn't let them know he preferred his last name to his first. "I guess we can call him that, then."
"It's not a big deal," Willow said with a smile, "he started using Gunn when he was a kid and it just stuck. Our other roommate calls him Charles, too."
"Other roommate?" Jessi understood, "You're his roommates! He mentioned that he moved down here with some friends from California. You're two of the friends."
"Well, yeah," Faith looked at the girl for a second before she started to laugh, "Oh God, did you think that we were…that he was….honey, he might be a hottie with a cute ass, but he's like a big brother to us."
"What's so funny?" Gunn asked as he came back into the main part of the store, arching a brow as Faith looked at him before laughing again.
"It's nothing," Willow said with a smile, figuring that Jessi might not want him to know that's thought that one of them was his girlfriend or about the look of relief that had flashed in her eyes upon realizing that they were just his friends. That was interesting, a thoughtful look crossed Willow's face as she studied her friend, wondering if he was aware that the girl was interested. Probably not. He was still hurting from what had happened with Fred and she figured it might be too soon for him to start dating. But, when he was ready, she had a feeling there was already someone standing in line. She looked at Jessi and said, "It was nice meeting you, Jessi. We'll have him back by one."
"Come on, Chuck. Let's get some food and we'll tell you what we're planning for the club," Faith said as she hooked her arm through his, following Willow's lead about not telling Gunn what had been so funny, knowing that she'd be asking the redhead to explain her decision as soon as they finished lunch, having a good idea that it might have something to do with the pretty co-worker that had relaxed quite a bit upon hearing that neither of them was hooked up with him.
"We have plans now?" Gunn smiled, eager to hear the details. "Well, let's get moving. I'm starved and I want to hear what's been decided."
"Nice meeting ya, Jess," Faith told the girl as they left the store, Willow telling Gunn that they were trying the café that they had seen the other day.
~Part: 20~
"How long do you suppose it's been since someone dusted this place?" Spike asked Lorne as he blew on the counter, watching as a large cloud of dust rose.
"Too long," Lorne said, shaking his head as he sprayed the bar with cleaner and began to wipe it down. He'd decided that the bar could stay. It was nice and large and fit with the color scheme he had in mind for the new club. It seemed pointless to throw away something that was still in good shape.
"I've got all the boxes by the door," Spike told the demon, feeling rather proud of everything he'd accomplished since Willow had left, he glanced at the working clock that was above the bar, eighty-three minutes ago. "I can't put them in the dumpster, though. A bit too sunny out for me."
"I'll take care of them," Lorne said, putting the rag down and moving towards the back. "Remind me to have someone come check out the air conditioning in here."
"Yeah, it's hotter than hell in here," Spike agreed, knowing that he'd have been sweating if he were alive. As it was, he'd taken off his shirt and was much more comfortable. He picked up the broom and began to sweep, again seeing a cloud of dust. This place wasn't in too bad a shape, really. It was dirty and unkept, but that could be taken care of with a few hours of hard work. He liked the layout, had already discussed with the demon where the stage would be set up, agreeing that it would be ideal. There were several areas that were nearly hidden, perfect for privacy seeking couples. He could imagine what it would look like when it was finished, knowing that it would be a great sanctuary.
He was glad that he had something to do, enjoying the activity after several weeks of just driving and hanging out. It was a nice change to actually be doing something, to be working on something. And there was enough work needing to be done that he'd probably be busy for several weeks. Lorne had already started discussing the decorations with him, asking his opinion, listening to him. He'd been drafted into painting, but he didn't mind too much. He'd make himself useful, become part of Willow's new family of friends just like her best friend should. He still wasn't very clear why he felt the need to become her best friend, knowing only that it felt right. That was good enough for him. He needed to be needed, wanted to be appreciated, wanted to belong, wanted her to trust him completely and to want him around. Wanted her to want him in her life the way he seemed to need her in his. The best way to get that was to become her best friend.
"Some of those boxes are heavy," Lorne said as he came back into the main area of the club. He saw Spike standing with the broom, a thoughtful look on the vampire's handsome face. He watched as the blond snapped out of his trance, turning to glance at him as he started to sweep again. He had a pretty good idea what, or should he say who, the vampire had been thinking about. He felt a smile cross his face as he went back to cleaning the bar.
"Did you get them all out?" Spike asked as he swept the pile of stuff onto the dustpan and leaned down to pick it up so he could empty it into the trash.
"I got them out," Lorne said as he sprayed more cleaner onto the bar. "So, Sugarbear, how did you end up in New Orleans?"
"The name is Spike," Spike said, making a face at the demon's annoying habit of calling people after baked goods. "I drove here."
"Duh," Lorne laughed, "it was good luck that you ran into Willow. She seems really happy that you're here."
"She's a good kid," Spike muttered, smiling slightly as he realized that Willow was happy that he was there. She'd said she was and he thought she was being sincere, but having someone else tell him they'd seen it too, well, it made him happy.
"Yes, she is," Lorne agreed completely, watching the affectionate smile cross the vampire's face, nearly yelling out bingo as he resisted the urge to do a dance. He and Lio had spent a bit of time discussing Spike's arrival the previous night. The master had been a bit concerned that Willow had opened her home to a very powerful vampire, worried that Spike might be dangerous to his new found friends. Lorne had assured Lio that Spike was a good guy, that he trusted Willow completely, and that he rather suspected there might not be something between the witch and vampire that neither one had even realized yet. Lio had agreed that he'd seen some sparks himself, admitting that he'd deliberately taunted the blond concerning Willow to see if he was correct in his impression. He knew he'd share these new observations with his…he frowned as he realized that he wasn't exactly sure what Lio was. They were dating, so did that mean the master of New Orleans was his boyfriend? They hadn't become lovers, sharing a few kisses and doing nothing more than holding hands, but Lorne had a pretty good idea that if their relationship continued as it had been that they'd be lovers in the not so distant future. Until then, he wasn't sure what to call Lio. Boyfriend wasn't exactly the right word to describe a few dates and attraction.
"Only real friend I've got," Spike continued, looking over and catching Lorne's eyes as he said sincerely, "I'd never hurt, Red."
"If I thought you would, you wouldn't be here," Lorne said with a smile, letting Spike know that he trusted him, watching as the vampire smiled slightly before going back to his sweeping. He turned on the radio that he'd brought down stairs, finding an oldies station. Soon, he was singing along to the Temptations as he worked, hoping that the vampire would unable to resist joining him in singing along to the well known songs. He wanted to read Spike, knew that he'd promised not to read any of his friends unless they asked, but decided that Spike hadn't been included in that promise so he'd be able to do a minor reading without risk of guilt. He just wanted to see if he could tell what the vampire's intentions were concerning Willow. Was it merely friendship as the redhead claimed or was it more?
Spike listened to the music, laughing as Lorne began to sing along and dance in place as he wiped down the bar. He continued sweeping, wondering if the demon had turned on the music in hopes of reading him. He knew all about the demon's gift, had heard stories just a few hours before about Peaches and his gang seeking assistance by singing to Lorne. If that had been the demon's plan, he was going to be disappointed. Spike had perfected the art of shielding a few years after his turning. His sire had had the gift of sight, would sometimes stop listening to the stars and start reading him instead. He'd not liked that at all. Didn't want anyone messing around in his head, not even his beautiful sire. So, he'd done something about it. He'd read some books, asked a few questions, killed a few people. He'd learned ways to shield himself from her psychic explorations, learned how to guard himself from that sort of thing. Made dealing with Dru easier if she wasn't able to see when he was disgusted with her, didn't know when he was near the point of just leaving her. She only knew what he wanted her to know which made taking care of her and keeping her safe much less of a bother. He glanced at the clock, figuring he probably didn't have that much longer until Willow would be back. He was hoping to have the place swept before her return. He heard the opening notes of Light My Fire, not able to resist singing along as he continued working and waiting for Willow.