Disclaimer: Joss owns them all
Distribution: My site, Kiss or Kill. Anyone with permission, take. Otherwise, just ask.
Rating: R
Pairing: Willow/Spike
Feedback is mandatory. Hit the reply button and tell me if you want more. Please?
Notes: Consider this an alternate ending to season 6. I have been wanting to write it for months and months, finally gave in to my muse and started it. I'm sure it's awful, but hopefully someone will enjoy
To Angel for telling me she likes how I write Spike. That is such a great compliment! <hugs>
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~Part: 1~
Willow couldn't get the smile off of her face. She was happier than she could ever remember being. Her green eyes followed her lover as Tara moved to the dresser, not wanting to look away in fear that it would all disappear if she did. The last couple of months had been hell for her. The dependence on magic, nearly killing Dawn, losing Tara, nearly losing herself. It was a horrible nightmare that she couldn't believe she had allowed to happen. Oh, she had no doubts that she was at fault. While she didn't really agree with her friends' decision that she had become addicted to magic, she knew that she had gone too far. It had been so great to feel all that power. She'd finally felt important. She'd had time to realize, though, that she had been using it to make up for emptiness in other areas of her life. It had started when she had brought Buffy back, escalating from that moment until she had ended up the pathetic mess that had nearly killed her friend and herself.
Luckily, she was strong. She had given up magic completely until she had found herself, discovered what she wanted and needed. She couldn't practice something so pure when there were doubts in her heart and her mind. Dawn had forgiven her, though there were times she could swear she saw distrust in the teen's eyes. Her friends still seemed to think she could lose control at anytime, their lack of faith in her painful but understandable. She really couldn't blame them. She gave Tara a small smile. She really did love Tara. Okay, there were times over the last year or so that she had had doubts, times that she felt like she was with the blonde witch more out of friendship and convenience than out of a passionate love. Tara needed her, and Willow loved to be needed. After losing her, though, she'd realized that she did love her. It was a comforting love, a love that made her happy and made her feel special. As corny as it might sound, Tara made her want to be a better person. It wasn't going to be easy though. Willow couldn't fool herself into thinking that it would be happy endings just because they had made up.
She wasn't going to give up magic completely, knowing that this could be the end of her relationship with Tara once her lover knew the truth. She had admittedly become too dependent on magic, using it carelessly and too often. But, she was good at it. She had a natural power that still confused her, but that she had accepted. She couldn't turn her back on her gift anymore than Buffy could turn her back on slaying. It was part of who she was, something that made her Willow. Tara had to accept that, had to trust her enough to know she wouldn't make the same mistakes. If she couldn't trust her, Willow guessed there wasn't much basis for a relationship anyway. During the last week, she'd started to do some small spells again. Nothing serious, just little tests to prove to herself that she could handle the responsibility of her gift without losing control. She hadn't felt that same need to keep casting that she had felt a few months before. Sure, there was the same power that she had felt since performing the first spell back in high school, but she could control it now. She liked to think that the reason she got so off track was because she needed a reality check, a wake up call to show her that she could be dangerous if she didn't set limits and keep herself grounded. She was confident now that she was better, that there would never be a repeat of those horrible weeks. She just hoped that Tara could share that confidence.
"What are you thinking?" a soft voice broke through her thoughts.
She shrugged, giving Tara a loving smile, "I'm glad you're here, with me. I love you."
"I love you, too, Willow," Tara said as she moved towards the bed. "I hated not waking up beside you, not feeling your arms around me while I slept."
"Me too," Willow agreed as she stood up. She met Tara and kissed her lover gently. "Let's never fight like that again."
"You smell good," Tara said as she breathed in the smell of Willow. She had missed this, missing being loved.
"You're not so bad yourself," Willow smiled before shaking her head. "We need to leave this room. Dawn will be home soon. We should make her a snack."
"I could use some food. I love you so much, Willow," Tara smiled as she moved away from Willow. Before she could continue, she heard the sound of glass breaking. Her eyes widened when she saw blood splatter on Willow's shirt. "Your shirt….."
Willow watched in horror as Tara fell over, words of denial coming from her lips as she saw the blood covering her lover. Tara wasn't breathing. She started to kneel down when she became aware of a burning pain. She looked at her shirt, seeing the blood, her green eyes focusing on the small hole that the bullet had made when it had entered her chest. Aware now of what the pain was, she looked at the phone. She dazedly tried to reach it but only made it to the edge of the bed before her eyes rolled and she found herself falling to the floor, her head hitting the side of the bed as she landed on her side. Her eyes fluttered before she passed out, blood slowly trickling from the bullet wound in her chest pooling on the floor underneath her.
~Part: 2~
Dawn hated riding the bus. It seemed to take her twice as long to get home as it would if she could just ride with a friend or even just walk. But, no, Buffy didn't want her to walk all that way and her sister didn't trust any of her friends that were old enough to drive, so she was stuck taking the bus. It smelled bad and there were all these annoying kids that would spend the entire trip being loud and obnoxious. She couldn't wait until next year. Sunnydale High was supposed to be reopened and it was close enough that Buffy couldn't possibly complain about her walking. Heck, she had memories of her sister walking to school every day with Willow and Xander, so Buffy wouldn't be able to protest. She was lucky that she could usually get a ride to school in the morning, either from Buffy or Xander or Willow. She really liked it when Willow would take her to school on the way to class because they'd usually leave early enough to stop for doughnuts and soda. Willow was the one that would sometimes surprise her by picking her up after school. Buffy and Xander were usually working so it was always great to see the redhead waiting for her. She'd much rather ride with Willow than take a bus. Today, Willow hadn't surprised her. Dawn couldn't complain, though. She knew the reason she'd had to take the bus that day. Tara was back.
Dawn couldn't keep the smile from her face as she remembered that morning, finding Tara with Willow. It had been so great to see those two back together. Willow was her favorite person in the entire world and she knew how horrible it had been for the redhead witch over the last few months. She also counted Tara among her favorite people, so it was even better to have them both together and happy again. Dawn had felt a bit responsible for their break up, even though she had understood that it had been because Willow had done that spell and lied and gotten so into her magic that she had driven Tara away. But, a part of her blamed herself. She had been the one that had been hurt, that had been tagging after Willow in the first place, that had seen her friend getting so out of control for months when no one else seemed to be paying attention. Well, Spike had noticed, but Spike always seemed to notice anything. That's one of the reasons he was her second favorite person in the world. That and the fact that he was cute and didn't treat her like some silly child and he had such a great voice and those eyes. She felt her cheeks flushing as she remembered the crush that she had had on him not too long ago. It had faded with time, as they had become friends, but sometimes she still liked to think of him in that way, just the same as she sometimes liked to think of Willow in that way. Both of those crushes were gone, replaced by one on the cute guy in her geometry class, but they were still her favorite people in the world.
Dawn was relieved when the bus pulled to a stop at her corner. She got up and walked into the afternoon air. She took a few deep breaths, enjoying the scent of flowers in the air. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and started for her house. She wondered if Tara knew that Willow was doing magic again. She doubted it. She only knew because she had caught the redhead doing a calming spell the other morning. She trusted Willow completely, didn't blame her for the accident that had hurt her, but she hoped that the redhead was ready to start doing magic again. Dawn wasn't an authority on that stuff, but she knew that Willow seemed to be very powerful. She had to have faith that Willow knew what she was doing. She knew that the others probably wouldn't understand, though. She could already imagine Buffy's reaction if her sister knew that Willow was trying to practice again. Her sister wouldn't listen, wouldn't care that it was hurting Willow not to use her gift. Her sister was selfish and stubborn and would probably bitch and yell and make threats if she knew the truth. That's why Dawn had kept Willow's secret. Willow had saved them all with her magic throughout the years. If it hadn't been for Willow, Buffy would still be six feet deep in fact. She knew that magic would be used for horrible and evil things, but Willow was the nicest person, the best person ever. She had made some mistakes, just like they all did, and it was time for them all to forgive her and let her move on. Tara would have to understand that.
Dawn let herself into the house, surprised to find it so quiet. She smiled as she realized that Willow and Tara must still be upstairs. She rolled her eyes as she wondered if they had even gotten out of bed. She put her bag down and started upstairs, deciding that it was time that they got up. "Hey guys, I'm home," she called out as she started down the hallway. "Get some clothes on cause I'm coming in," she warned with amusement as she opened Willow's door. She froze when her eyes took in the room.
"Willow? Tara?" she called out as she stepped inside. She saw Tara laying across the floor past the bed, the blonde witch not moving, her shirt covered in blood. Dawn's eyes moved to Willow who was laying on her side by the foot of the bed. She wasn't moving either. "Wake up guys. This isn't funny," Dawn said as she moved to Tara, leaning over and touching the girl's face. She pulled her hand back quickly, shaking her head as she said, "No, you can't be dead." She moved to Willow, tears in her eyes as she moved the girl onto her back. She saw the bullet hole in Willow's white shirt, all the blood. She cried out in relief when she saw Willow's chest move. She was still alive.
"Oh my God…what do I do?" Dawn asked the silent room, her eyes finding the phone. She got up and grabbed it before she moved to sit beside Willow. She put her head against Willow's chest as she listened for a heartbeat. It was there, barely. There was so much blood. She dialed Buffy's number as she found Willow's hand, needing to touch her friend so that the unconscious redhead would know that she wasn't alone. "Buffy? You have to get home!" Dawn said when she heard her sister's voice. "NO!" she groaned when she heard the voice mail message start. She waited for the beep before saying, "Buffy! It's Dawn. I don't know what to do. Tara's dead and Willow's dying and there's so much blood. Where are you? I don't know what to do damn it! I can't lose Willow. She's dying and you're not answering your phone!"
Dawn heard the beep to signal that her time was up. She looked back at Willow, tears falling freely now. She couldn't call the hospital. They'd killed her Mom, they'd kill Willow. She couldn't lose Willow. The redhead was her best friend, had been like a mother for her after Buffy had died, was too important to her to lose. She thought, trying to figure out what to do. She didn't know what to do. Suddenly, she knew who could help. She dialed another number from memory, listening to it ring. "Pick up, damn it. Pick up the phone," she cursed, relieved when she heard his voice. "Spike? Thank God you're there. It's Dawn. I really need you. Please get here as soon as you can! I don't know what to do….."
~Part: 3~
"Where are you going?"
Spike looked at the demon and rolled his eyes, "Doesn't matter. Just take care of the place for me."
Clem nodded, knowing better than to push the vampire for answers. "You'll be back soon?"
Spike shrugged, "I'll be back when I'm back."
With that, he took one last look around the crypt. He grabbed his bag and went to the door. Covering his head from the sunlight with his coat, he ran to his car. He tossed his bag into the back seat and slid inside. Shutting the door, he leaned back and sighed as he reached for his half empty pack of Marlboros. He was leaving Sunnydale, finally. When he came back, well, the slayer was going to be in for a surprise. He was taking a little trip that would hopefully solve his problem. He'd heard about some demon down south that could help him with the implant situation. He hoped the gossip he had heard was right, knowing that it would only piss him off more to go all the way to South America to find an empty cave. He wanted this chip out of his head, was willing to do anything to become what he had been. His life had been shit since he'd gotten the implant. The weakness, the confusion, the fucked up emotions, all of it was because of that damn piece of metal. He knew that that was the only explanation for what he had felt for the slayer, for allowing her to use him like some toy whenever she felt horny, for begging her to feel even half of what he felt. She hadn't. She'd looked at him with contempt and disgust in her hazel eyes, hatred and pity. He didn't need her pity. He was the big bad and it was high time she was reminded of that.
Once he got rid of this damn chip, he'd make her life miserable. And then, when she couldn't handle it anymore, she'd beg him to end it. But, he wouldn't. He'd look at her with pity and hatred and then walk away from her the same way she had walked away from him. Let her see what it was like to lose everything, to forget who you were, to be willing to do anything for a smile or a touch or a few kind words. He sneered as he remembered the last couple of years, hating himself for falling for her, hating her for taking his love and throwing it aside as if it had never meant anything. He'd been willing to kill his sire for her and she hadn't even cared. Selfish, ungrateful bitch. She'd regret it. He wasn't exactly sure how, but he'd make her regret the day she ever met him.
A spot of torture, maybe kill her silly little friends in front of her. He frowned as he looked out the window of his car. Well, some of her little friends. The moron could die, so could the blonde witch. He'd never had use for either of them, considering them both a waste of good oxygen. The others, well, he had nothing against Anya really. The drunken shag hadn't been awful, though it was not something he'd want to repeat. He respected her, though, and knew he wouldn't kill her just to get at Buffy. Besides, Buffy hated the girl so she probably wouldn't even care. And he definitely wouldn't kill Niblet. He liked the girl, would never do anything to harm her. As for Red? Well, he'd always had plans for Red. Shagging the slayer didn't change those plans. Red was special, she'd be his one day. He'd promised her that night in her dorm room, and he never broke a promise. He smiled slightly as he realized that his plans for Red would hurt Buffy more than simply killing her best friend. Yeah, he'd destroy everything the slayer cared about and then walk away without ever looking back. She'd learn.
He wondered what he would have to do to get the chip removed. No one would give him definite answers, just vague nonsense that didn't make a lot of sense. He knew that there was a chance that it would be pointless. He could drive all the way to that stupid cave and never even find this demon. He didn't really care. He needed to get away from Sunnydale, away from the slayer. Every time he thought he was finally getting over the fucked up feelings for her, he'd see her and he'd ache to possess her. He figured that destroying her would break this hold she had on him. He was sick of being the pathetic puppy that followed her around begging for scraps. He wanted to move on, to forget her. If losing the chip didn't do it, maybe a change of scenery would. Something had to change in his life before he staked himself for being so bloody pathetic and worthless.
He was about to start his car when he heard his cell phone ringing. He frowned at it, knowing that only two people knew the number. Somehow, he didn't think the slayer was calling him for a quick shag, their relationship, if you could call it that, having ended weeks ago before he'd attacked her in her bathroom. That meant it had to be Dawn. He picked up the phone, hitting the talk button as he asked, "What?"
"Spike? Thank God you're there. It's Dawn. I really need you. Please get here as soon as you can! I don't know what to do….."
"Niblet?" Spike found himself curious. "What's wrong, pet?"
"I don't have time to tell you, just get here. Please?" Dawn begged.
He could tell that she had been crying, could hear the desperation in her voice. Why had she called him? What was going on? He'd have thought it was a trick if it hadn't been Dawn. She needed him. His trip could wait. He started his car, telling her, "I'll be there in ten minutes."
"Make it five," Dawn whispered as she hung up, leaving him listening to the silent phone and wondering what the hell was happening.
~Part 4~
"Wake up, Willow," Dawn said softly, trying to keep the fear from her voice. She had heard that people that were unconscious could still hear things around them and she didn't want Willow to know how scared she truly was. She frowned as she wondered if it was coma victims and not people that had passed out, wishing that she had paid more attention. It didn't really matter. It made *her* feel better to talk. "I'm here, sweetie. I'm not letting you go until you're all better. I can't lose my Wills so you'd better open those pretty green eyes and give me a small smile. Or move or do something. God, Willow, don't you die on me too. I can't lose someone else that I love. Spike is on his way. He said he'd be here real fast, and I know he'll know what to do. Buffy still hasn't called me back. I don't know where she is, but I've left her three messages and she's not calling me back and I just don't know what else to do. I wish you were here, awake, because you'd know what to do. You always know what to do, even if you sometimes think you don't. Please wake up."
Dawn felt tears dripping down her face as she spoke, her hand holding tightly to Willow's. The redhead hadn't moved at all. She was still breathing, but it was slow and short little gasps for breath. Dawn could see the blood still flowing from the bullet wound, her eyes looking around until she saw a sweater laying by the dresser. She reached over and grabbed the sweater, placing it over the bleeding wound. She pushed down as hard as she could to try to get the bleeding to stop, continuing to talk to Willow as she listened for Spike. She was so relieved that he had answered the phone. He'd know what to do, he'd know how to fix Willow. She had been thinking of nothing else since she had first stumbled into the room and found Willow laying there in the puddle of blood, thinking of how she could fix Willow.
Spike pulled into the Summers' driveway six and a half minutes after Dawn had hung up the phone. He was out of his car and into the house faster than he thought possible. He immediately smelled the scent of blood, his eyes narrowing as he sniffed the air, placing the smell upstairs. He took the stairs two at a time as he called out, "Niblet? Where are you?"
"I'm in here, Spike," a soft voice called from the end of the hall. "Hurry!"
Red's room. Spike hurried down the hall, real fear flashing in his eyes as he reached the door. He entered the room, the scent of blood washing over him as he felt his demon rise. He pushed it back, his blue eyes finding the blonde witch first. She was dead. He looked her over quickly, noticing that it looked like she had been shot. Shot? He felt a very very slight tremor of guilt as he looked at her lifeless body, remembering that he had been contemplating her death not thirty minutes before. His eyes moved from her, knowing there was nothing that could be done to save her. She was gone. It was then that he saw Dawn and Red. The teen was sitting on the floor beside Red, one hand holding something over the witch's chest, the other clinging tightly to the girl's hand. His voice was low as he asked, "Pet, did you call 911?"
Dawn looked at him, shaking her head, "No. No hospitals. They couldn't save her. What do we do, Spike? She'd dying. Tara's dead. Buffy's not answering her phone. I just don't know what to do!"
"You need to call an ambulance, Dawn," he used her real name, watching her brown eyes widen in surprise. He couldn't believe she hadn't called the hospital. Red was laying there soaked in blood, and *he* was the one she called?
"No doctors," Dawn shook her head, "Mom went to the hospital and she died! I'm not losing Willow, Spike. I can't lose her. I'm not calling the hospital."
"She'd dying, you silly little girl," he snarled, not believing she was arguing when Red was knocking on death's door.
"I'm not a silly little girl!" Dawn sobbed, "I can't lose her, Spike. She's my best friend, my most favorite person ever. She took care of me when Buffy died, now it's my turn to take care of her. I can't let them take her away."
"I'm sorry," he whispered, running a hand over his face. He looked at Dawn and saw how scared she was. Her face was covered in tears and blood, her eyes a mixture of fear and something else he couldn't place. He put his hand on her shoulder as he studied Willow, listening to her heartbeat. He sighed as he squeezed Dawn's shoulder, quietly admitting, "It's too late. She's lost a lot of blood, and her heartbeat is so weak I can barely hear it. She's dying, luv."
"Don't you think I know that?" Dawn asked him, letting go of the sweater as she wiped tears from her eyes, streaks of blood on her cheeks as she stared at him. "She was dying when I found her. She was shot! Who would shoot Willow or Tara? They were both so nice. Willow's the best person ever."
"Yeah, she is," Spike agreed softly as he moved to kneel beside Dawn, his hand moving over Willow's face as he felt her warm skin. He couldn't believe this. Someone had shot his Witch. She couldn't die. He had plans for her. So many plans.
"Spike, I need you to do something for me," Dawn said softly, having given her favor a lot of thought, well, as much thought as she could in the twenty minutes she had arrived home to find her entire world turned upside down.
"You know I'd anything for you, Niblet," he said as he kept his eyes on Willow's face, his hand stroking her hair as he listened to her heartbeat slowing down. She wasn't going to be alive much longer. The smell of her blood was wonderful. The scent sweet and calling to him to take a taste.
"I've lost so much in my life. First Mom and then Buffy," she sighed as her eyes looked at Willow, her hand holding on more tightly to the redhead's hand, "I can't lose Willow. I can't let her die like this."
"Pet, there's not a lot we can do," Spike said, hating to have to be so brutal with the teen but knowing she had to accept that Red was dying. "Maybe if you'd gotten here earlier, if she'd gotten to a hospital. Now, well, it's too late."
"Spike, look at me," Dawn waited until she was looking into his eyes, knowing that he needed to see that she was sincere, that she was serious. They had so little time left, it was now or never. She took a deep breath and then said the words that she had rehearsed saying since she had hung up the phone not ten minutes before, "Turn her," her voice faltered a little as she added, "please?"
~Part: 5~
Spike looked at Dawn with surprise in his blue eyes. Of all the things she could have said, those two words had never once entered his mind. "Turn her?" he repeated softly, needing to know that he hadn't been hearing things, that it hadn't been the whisper of his demon that was telling him to claim Red before it was too late.
"Please, Spike," Dawn didn't honestly know what she'd do if he said no. She wouldn't even consider that idea. He couldn't say no. "You're her only hope. You have to turn her."
"Bloody hell, pet, I can't turn her like this," he snapped as he moved his hand through his hair again, not caring that it was sticking up in several directions or that he was speaking sharply to a troubled teen.
"Why not?" Dawn asked, having memories of Willow telling her about a night that Spike had come into her dorm room and promised her that he'd turn her one day, that she would be his childe. Dawn had felt special when Willow had told her about that night, her sister didn't even know the details. She did, though, and she knew that Spike had wanted to turn Willow then. Why was he wasting time now arguing with her? "You wanted to turn her that night when the implant messed everything up! Why can't you turn her now?"
"Your sister would kill me then she'd kill you," Spike said slowly, looking back at Dawn. His eyes narrowed as he realized that he didn't care what Buffy thought about him. He was finished with caring about how she felt, finished with making decisions in his life based on whether or not Buffy would approve. But, he didn't want Niblet dealing with an upset slayer. He frowned as he found himself wondering if it was some sort of elaborate trick. He agrees to turn Willow and then Buffy runs in to stake him because she'd have an excuse to finally kill him. Seeing Dawn's eyes, though, he knew that it wasn't a trap. And, as much as he now hated her, he knew that Buffy wasn't selfish enough to risk her best friend's life just to kill him. He studied Dawn silently, lost in thought. The girl really wanted him to turn Willow rather than lose the redhead from her life. She was now looking at him with those puppy dog eyes that were filled with tears and her mouth was wobbling as she tried not to cry and he felt his resolve crumbling.
How was he supposed to explain to her that this wasn't how he'd planned on turning Red? His vision had always been sinking deep inside her tight warmth over and over until she was begging him to turn her, until she wanted to be his childe, wanted to share his eternal life. Her choice. He knew that made him a bit of a poofster, but he'd seen what happened when gals were turned that didn't want to be, his mind flashing to Drusilla. True, Red wasn't a nutter like his sire, but he'd always promised himself that, when he chose a childe, they'd willingly offer themselves to him. It had taken him over a century to find Red, to decide that one drunken night in the factory when she had looked at him with those big green eyes and offered to listen to the demon that was planning on killing her, when he had felt that connection between them for the first time, to choose her as his childe, as his companion.
Those plans had been put on hold when he'd gotten his little gift from the Initiative. Couldn't very well sire a childe when he couldn't even feed himself properly. Becoming a sire was a big deal, something that required authority and respect. It might have been different had she been asking him, but she wasn't. She was laying at his knees slowly bleeding to death as he argued with the voices in his head. How could he expect to teach her, to have her respect, when he wasn't even a true vampire anymore? She was so bloody strong, so powerful, too powerful perhaps. She'd leave him like Drusilla had, thinking that he was too weak and pathetic to spend her eternity with. He'd lose her like he lost everything that was important to him. No, he'd be her sire. She wouldn't be able to leave him unless he allowed it. She might hate him, might resent him, but he wouldn't be alone. He'd finally have someone that couldn't desert him. She'd be his. So, it was a bit different from his original plans. He'd had visions of turning her and ruling this stupid town, watching with pride as she tortured and killed her silly little friends. There would be none of that now, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad like this.
"Spike?" Dawn's soft voice interrupted his debate as she watched his face, wishing she could read his mind. She needed to make him understand that she knew what was happening, that this wasn't some spontaneous decision made out of grief or fear. She knew this would change everything in her life, that there would be no going back. She forgot her tears as she said, "I don't care about Buffy. She's not here. She didn't answer her phone, so she has nothing to say about this. I love Willow and can't lose someone else that I love. I'll deal with Buffy later. We don't have a lot of time left. I need you. Willow needs you. Don't let her die like this. Will you do it? Will you turn her?"
He arched a brow as he looked at the girl, wondering when she had become so mature, looking away from her begging eyes to focus on Willow. He *had* chosen her to be his childe, knew that she would make him proud. He had no problems thinking about spending an eternity with the redhead. Okay, so he had an implant. He could still teach her, could still mold her into the perfect childe and companion. It would really piss the slayer off something fierce to know that her best friend was his childe, especially when she found out it had happened because her little sister had begged him to do it. Added bonus. He had plans for Red, plans that would now have to be adapted to their current situations. It wouldn't be easy, but he'd always loved a challenge. He looked back at Dawn, his decision finally made, "I'll do it."
~Part: 6~
"You will?" Dawn felt relief enter her as she impulsively leaned over and hugged Spike. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."
"Not doing it for you, pet," Spike said, shaking her off him, catching her eyes as he said, "Doing it cause I promised Red."
"Is it going to be okay to do it if she'd passed out?" Dawn asked, not sure how the whole becoming a vampire thing worked. "Will she be okay when it's all over? Will she get enough of your blood if she's not awake to drink? How will she feel when she wakes up? Will she be in pain?"
"It will be fine," he said as he shrugged out of his coat, tossing the duster on the floor behind him. "Pull down the blanket on the bed, kid. I'm not having my childe wake up on this dirty floor."
Dawn didn't want to let go of Willow's hand, fearing that the loss of contact might cause the redhead to think she was alone, giving her no reason to cling to her life for the time they still needed for her to be turned. She looked at Spike, a bit surprised to see the serious look on his face, the possessiveness in his eyes as he looked at Willow and spoke about her waking up. His childe. Those words comforted her in a way as she realized that things might be okay after all. She didn't want to make him angry, so she leaned over and pulled the covers without letting go of Willow. She watched him easily lift the redhead, carefully placing her in the middle of the bed. Dawn sat beside her, brushing her hair from her face as she spoke, her eyes watching Spike with curiosity, "Willow, honey, it's all going to be okay. Spike is going to turn you. You're not going to die. I mean, you'll die but not the forever and ever kind of death that would take you away from us. I asked him to do this because I knew you wouldn't want to die. I remember that night we stayed up and drank hot chocolate after Mom died, when you told me about Spike wanting to turn you. You told me that you would have said yes, that you would have agreed rather than die. Please don't hate me for doing this, Willow. I did it for you. I love you, Willow. You're my best friend."
"She said that?" Spike was looking at Dawn with curious eyes, having been listening to the girl's ramble. "She wanted me to turn her that night?"
Dawn nodded, "Yeah, she did. She said that she thought you'd have been a good sire and some other stuff that she didn't realize she was telling me until I'd already heard it."
"Other stuff?" he asked as his eyes moved over the redhead. She thought he'd be a good sire. Why did those words bring him happiness? He didn't really care if she wanted this, his actions completely selfish. It had taken him over a hundred years before he had found someone he wanted as a childe. He didn't want to lose her because it could very well be another hundred years of loneliness before he had found someone else.
Dawn shrugged, "Nothing really important. I hope she understands, that she isn't angry with me."
"I'll take care of her, Niblet," he promised as he moved to sit on the other side of Willow. He looked at the bullet wound and said, "I've got to get that out of her. It wouldn't matter if she heals with it inside, but I don't want my childe stuck with a piece of metal inside her like me."
"Oh, um okay," Dawn watched his hand move to the bullet wound, her stomach rolling as she realized he planned to dig the bullet out. She looked away, not able to watch that. She had no doubts that Spike would take care of Willow. He'd be a good father. Oh God, what did it say about her life when she was able to sit comfortably and think about her best friend being turned into a vampire? Her eyes widened as she realized the one thing she had forgotten. She turned to look at Spike, making a face when she found him licking the blood from around the bullet wound. His fangs were out and his eyes were yellow as he glanced at her, but she felt no fear. He'd never hurt her. She finally found her voice, asking, "What about a soul?"
"A soul?" he snarled as he licked her blood from his lips, having pulled out the bullet just prior to Dawn turning around. "No childe of mine will have a bloody soul!"
"Willow has to have a soul," Dawn insisted. "She wouldn't want to be turned if she didn't have one!"
"Some of that other stuff you two discussed, I suppose?" he said sharply, not liking the idea of his childe being cursed with a soul. As he thought about it, though, it suddenly seemed like a good idea. If she had a soul, she wouldn't consider him weak. She'd be more controllable, less likely to question his authority over her. It would make her managable, give him a leash of sorts. Maybe something that could be removed one day, if he ever lost this damn implant. No clauses like Peaches, though. He bloody well planned to excercise full rights of sire with her, and didn't want to be concerned with her losing her soul everytime he felt like a shag.
"Yeah, we talked about it that night, but, even if we hadn't, I'd know that Willow would want to keep her soul. I was given memories of the whole Vampire Willow thing," Dawn said with a grimace, "Trust me when I say that we don't want Willow vamped without a soul. She was scary and liked to lick people and wore too much leather."
Spike arched his brow, having heard references to the event Dawn was speaking about, always finding the image rather tantalizing, "Sounds pretty good to me, luv, but I'll allow you to give her a soul. It will be easier for her to adjust if things aren't too changed."
"Thank you, Spike," Dawn said, knowing that, if he had refused, she still would have agreed to let him turn Willow. Any form of her friend was better than nothing. "Wait, do you know how to do a spell to anchor her soul?"
"Do I look like that poof Harry Potter?" he asked her as he rolled his eyes. "Spells and magic were Dru's thing, pet, not mine."
"Magic is Willow's thing," Dawn said in frustration. Suddenly, she smiled in relief, "Wait, I've got it."
Spike looked at Willow as she laid there unconscious. He could hear the breathing slowing down, knew that it was now or never. "Niblet, I've got to do this now or we'll lose her."
"How long will it be before she wakes up?" Dawn asked with as much bravery as she could muster even as her voice cracked from the fear and emotion of the last hour.
"She'll sleep awhile," he said as he brushed Willow's hair away from her neck. She was such a pretty little thing. "Can't really say. Several hours at least. Should be enough time for you to get the soul thing settled. If not, well, as long as I don't allow her to leave this room, she wouldn't have anything to really feel all that guilty over. Thank the Gods she won't be all broody and whiny like the King of the Poofs. I'd not have allowed that."
"That should be enough time," Dawn decided as she picked up the phone. She had one more call to make and then, hopefully, they could get the whole soul thing figured out. She sighed as she whispered, "Spike, do it. Make her your childe."
~Part: 7~
Dawn watched Spike as he gently moved Willow's hair away from her neck, getting her ready for his bite. She looked away to dial the phone, knowing that there was no time to waste on the soul issue. Willow would be turned soon. They needed to know what to do about the soul. She was glad that she had a good memory, because she didn't want to leave the room to find this number. She'd only called it a couple of times, usually for Willow when she was laying on the redhead's bed listening to music or just talking. She was relieved when it was answered.
"Yeah?" an annoyed voice spoke into the phone.
"Anya? It's Dawn," Dawn said quietly, glad that she had thought of asking the demon about the soul, but also worried that Anya wouldn't even give her a chance to talk.
"What do you want?" Anya snapped, "Does your sister know you're talking to me? Because, last time I heard, she had forbidden me to be around you. I would assume that she wouldn't want you talking to me either. I don't want to hear her bitching because I answered the phone."
"Buffy's not here," Dawn said sharply, "and she can threaten all she wants. I don't care. I really need your help. You're the only person I could think of to ask since Giles in England and I just don't know anyone else that knows magic and stuff."
"You know Willow," Anya pointed out bluntly, a bit curious why the slayer's brat sister had called her. She hadn't spoken to any of them in weeks, not since the entire Spike incident. Well, she had met Willow for coffee a couple of times, but she tended to not classify the redhead witch as being part of *them* anymore.
"Anya, can you just come over?" Dawn said as she felt tears threatening again. "It's Willow. She's...oh God, I can't talk about this over the phone. Can you just come over?"
"Willow?" Anya's annoyance lessened as she heard the sadness in Dawn's voice. "You're crying, aren't you? I can hear the weepy sobbing sound when you speak. Why are you crying? What does crying have to do with Willow?"
"Damn it, Anya," Dawn snapped as the demon asked a dozen questions rather than getting in her car and driving over, "Willow needs your help. Can you stop talking long enough to come over here and help me?"
"You cursed," Anya said thoughtfully, "This must be serious. Slayer's not going to be happy if she finds me around her house. I like Willow, though. She's been nice to me when the others haven't. If she needs me, I'll be there as soon as I can. Just, keep that bitch sister of yours away from me."
"Buffy isn't even here," Dawn sighed, "I don't know where she is. I don't really care. Anya, hurry okay?"
"I said I'd be there as soon as I could, Brat," Anya said impatiently.
"Demon, hang up the phone and get your skinny ass over here now!" Spike snarled into the phone after he grabbed it from Dawn. "Niblet needs help with a soul restoration, got it?"
He hung up before Anya could respond, her eyes widening in realization as she dropped her phone. She grabbed her purse and ran out the door, her mind thinking over everything that happened in the last two minutes. Spike was there. Willow was involved. Dawn was crying. A soul restoration. Putting two and two together, Anya suspected that Willow was being turned at this very moment. She got in her car and took off, understanding how truly serious it was. Thank God she lived close to Buffy. Never thought she'd be saying that. One question kept nagging at her mind. What happened? She'd be there soon and then she'd get some answers.
~Part: 8~
Spike turned his full attention to Willow after he hung up the phone. He'd wasted enough time. He forgot about everything except turning this beautiful creature into his childe. His hand moved across her cheek as he adjusted his position on the bed. It would have been much easier if she had been sitting up, but he knew it would be difficult enough to get his blood into her when she was laying down. He finally found a comfortable position that allowed him room to move but kept him close to her warm body. He could feel eyes on him, knew that Dawn was watching with the intensity that teenagers seemed to possess whenever it suited them best. He was tempted to send her into the other room, knew that Buffy would be beyond upset if she found her little sister had not only asked that Willow be turned, but had sat watching the entire event. He couldn't do that to Dawn, though, knowing how scared she must be at the moment. He wouldn't send her away, wouldn't make her go wait alone as he drained the life from the girl that had become a surrogate mother to her. Buffy would have to deal.
Aware of his audience, Spike did decide that he would do his best to conceal as much as possible from the teen, glad that his back would be to her as he drank from Willow. He pulled his T-shirt over his head, leaving him bare chested. He tossed the shirt on the floor as he leaned over Willow. Her white shirt was soaked with blood, turning it a shade of dark pink. He ripped the shirt down the middle, pushing it to either side as he looked at the bullet wound. The bleeding had slowed down greatly since he had moved her. She was still breathing, still hanging in there. He was proud of her spirit, glad to see that she was fighting her death. He leaned over and ran his tongue over the wound on her chest, knowing that it would leave a small scar even after she was turned. Her body would heal itself, but there would always be a reminder of what had taken her life. He ran his tongue from the wound across her upper chest to her neck. She tasted as good as he had imagined, rich and sweet with a dash of power.
Finally, his mouth was at her neck. He closed his eyes, listening to the slow beat of her heart, the sounds of her ragged breathing, concentrating on the scent and feel of her body. When it felt right, he opened his eyes and bit deep into her neck. His left hand moved up to touch her cheek as he fed, his yellow eyes narrowing as he felt her body arch up when he pierced her skin. When he felt the last of her life starting to leave her, he lifted his head. He used the letter opener he had found by her bed to cut his neck. Leaning back over, he pulled her head against his bleeding wound. It might have been easier to cut his wrist, but no childe of his would be turned in such a way. She would feed from his neck the way a true childe should. The act was the most intimate for his kind, the way he was turned and his sire before him. It showed his intentions for her. A wrist was for minions, for worthless childer that never realized their potential.
Time seemed to stop for him as he kept her head at his neck, knowing that she was taking his blood into her system. He nuzzled her neck, licking at the mark he had left as he waited. Distantly, he heard voices, realizing that the demon must have arrived. He didn't care. All he cared about at the moment was Willow. Finally, he felt her begin to respond. She moved slightly, just enough to let him know that it was working. He closed his eyes and moaned softly when he felt her tongue move over his neck. She licked him, moving against his chest as she moved her head to get a better angle. He could feel himself hardening as her teeth bit into his neck, at the first tentative swipe of her tongue, at the feel of her no longer warm hands on his back as she clung to him. It took all of his control not to take her then and there, to sink inside her and before she took her final breath. But, she was too weak, and that was something that he definitely didn't want an audience for, so instead he held her tightly as she started to drink, thinking of everything he would do to her when she was stronger, of everything he would teach her. When he felt that she had had enough, his hand tangled in her hair and he pulled her away. He looked into her eyes, letting her see the face of her sire before her eyes fluttered and the sleep overtook her.
Spike moved to lay beside her, pulling her cooling body against him tightly as his arm went around her waist. He rested his chin on the top of her head, tucking her against him as she slept. His eyes were a mixture of blue and yellow as he looked at the hand that was still holding on to his Red's. He followed it up until he met wide brown eyes. "Mine," he whispered possessively, his demon wanting to let everyone know that Red now belonged to him. He closed his eyes as he forced his demon down. When he opened them again, blue eyes looked at Dawn, seeing the confusion and fear mixed with relief.
"Is it..." Dawn hesitated in speaking, having been very surprised when Spike had growled at her, but understanding that something was happening that she didn't know anything about.
"She's my childe, Niblet," Spike said softly, knowing that the girl needed reassurances that it had worked. "She'll sleep for awhile."
"Thank you, Spike," Dawn whispered as she moved to lay against Willow's other side, her hand still holding tightly to the redhead's. She snuggled closer, not caring that it was a now cool body instead of a warm one. All she cared about was that Willow would wake up soon and would never leave her.
"Spike," Anya said quietly as she looked at the three people laying on the bed, having been silent since she had entered the room to find Spike in the process of turning Willow, but knowing that they had mentioned a soul restoration and there was no time to waste since she had no idea what to do, "what happened?"
~Part: 9~
"I don't know what happened," Dawn said before Spike could answer. She sighed as she explained, "When I got home from school, I found them. Tara was dead and Willow was dying."
Anya frowned as she looked at the broken glass, "It looks like hey were shot through the window." Her eyes moved along the floor to focus on Tara, "Should we do something about Tara?"
Dawn closed her eyes as she nodded, whispering, "I didn't want to call anyone because I thought they might try to take Willow. I didn't want to leave Tara there, but I didn't know what else to do."
Anya moved towards the blonde witch, picking up a blanket and covering her. She looked back at the bed, watching as Spike pulled Willow even closer, his eyes watching Dawn carefully, narrowing every time the teen brushed against Willow. She was surprised at his control, knowing it must be difficult for him to tolerate Dawn being that close to his new childe. He never stopped surprising her. Just when she thought she had an idea who he was, he'd go and do something that completely changed her opinion. It was probably one of the reasons she liked him. She looked back at Dawn and said, "We can call someone to pick up Tara's body later. She's not going anywhere, and I want to know about this soul thing."
"Anya, that's horrible!" Dawn said as she sat up, glaring at the demon. "Tara's dead and you act like it's nothing. How can you be so uncaring?"
"I'm a demon, kid," Anya said slowly, telling herself that it wouldn't do any good to get angry because Dawn was probably right in a way. She wasn't used to dealing with this death thing, but she did know that she wasn't all that upset about Tara dying. She'd never been particularly fond of the blonde witch, tolerating her for Willow's sake. She felt bad that Willow had lost her lover, but her main concern at the moment was this soul thing that Dawn had mentioned. She'd never done any kind of soul restorations, though she supposed there must be some out there. Angelus was the only one she was familiar with and, somehow, she didn't think Spike would be wanting the same curse if he was going to be a hands on sire like she suspected. That meant she was starting from scatch, and it would most likely require calling in some favors that people had forgotten they owed her. "My main concern at the moment is figuring out this soul thing so that we can help Willow. Tara's dead but Willow's still alive, sort of, and she needs our help."
"Stop bickering," Spike growled, lifting his head long enough to glare at them both. "You'll disturb Red's sleep if you keep this nonsense up. I don't want to hear any more, got it?"
"Sorry, Spike," Dawn whispered. She looked back at Anya and realized that she had been snapping at the demon because she felt guilty for letting Tara just lay on the floor while she worried about Willow. The demon was right, though. Tara was gone, and Dawn would miss her, but her soul had moved on. Willow wasn't dead, and she needed them. "Anya, do you know anything about restoring Willow's soul?"
"I have no idea, but I know some people that might," Anya said bluntly. "It might take awhile to get some answers. How much time do we have?"
"She'll probably sleep for a few hours. I'll feed her when she wakes up," Spike thought back to his own turning and the few that he had seen in the years since. He didn't have a lot of experience to draw from, but he vividly recalled his first few weeks of undeath. Angelus. Looking down into Willow's pretty face as he pushed those memories back, he continued, "she'll not feed on her own until I decide she's ready. I assume the soul will change things, though. Bagging it won't be the same as hunting and enjoying the kill, but it will still take some time before she's ready."
"Um, guys, what if Buffy comes home before she's souled?" Dawn spoke up as the thought occurred to her, not liking the idea that her sister could home and start bitching before they could finish the ceremony or spell or whatever a soul restoration would require.
"Bloody hell, the daft bitch would interfere and ruin everything," Spike muttered, not believing that he'd forgotten the slayer. He moved on the bed, pulling Willow with him, farther away from Dawn. He wasn't going to lose his childe, not now that he finally had her. She was his.
"Can Willow be moved?" Anya asked as she paced back and forth, giving the entire situation her full attention. She felt important, liked having the responsibility of finding a way to save Willow's soul. She had grown fond of the redhead since Buffy's death, the two becoming friends of sorts. She now had a way to repay the girl for her kindness, for not turning her back on her after the wedding fiasco. Anya considered very few people friends, but she was loyal to a fault to those precious few. She'd move heaven and hell to find a way to fix Willow, and that was a promise. All she had to do was get things calmed down a bit so she could start working on it without worrying about Slutty coming home.
Spike nodded, "Yes, I can carry her. Good idea, Demon."
"The name is Anya," Anya rolled her eyes, "it's a short name, real easy to say, and don't growl at me, Vampire! I'm not easily impressed by a fang face and growling. We can take her to my apartment, but bring a blanket. I don't want blood on my sheets. They're new."
~Part: 10~
"I'll get a blanket from my room," Dawn said as she got to her feet, reluctant to let go of Willow's hand, but knowing that Spike would hold the girl while she was gone. She looked at Willow, and noticed the torn shirt for the first time. "I'll also pack her something to wear so she can change when she wakes up."
"She's annoying," Anya said after Dawn left the room. She looked at Spike and asked seriously, "Do you want to give Willow a soul or is this the brat talking?"
"Red wanted a soul," Spike finally replied, not liking the idea of having to explain himself to anyone but deciding that he'd better keep the demon happy, "I'm allowing it. It will balance the chip, keep her in line. Do you think you can find a spell that works?"
"If it's out there, I can find it," Anya promised. "I just wanted to make sure this was something you wanted before I wasted my time. I think it's a good decision, not that it really matters. An unsouled Willow wouldn't be a good thing. Been there, saw that, got the humanity."
"I don't want any restrictions on her soul," Spike said quietly, wanting to discuss this before Dawn came back. "No clauses or chances of losing it. She's mine, and I don't plan on losing her every time we shag."
"Buffy's going to be so pissed," Anya said with a slightly pleased smile. She thought Spike deserved much better than the blonde bimbo, and she was glad that he finally had something to occupy him. She wanted to ask him if he had any idea what he was doing, knowing that he had never sired a childe before and that he was the youngest in his family, but she didn't want to make him angry so she kept her mouth shut for once. She glanced at the door, speaking before Dawn could come back, "I'll make sure there aren't clauses and that it's permanent before we do it. You get final approval."
"Good," he gave her a half smile before his eyes darted to the door. "Niblet's coming back. Discussion over."
"I got a blanket," Dawn said as she came back into the room. She'd gone to the bathroom and checked the answering machine to make sure that Buffy hadn't called. She hadn't. There had been no messages. She was relieved that they were leaving, if she were honest with herself. She was scared how her sister was going to react, but she also didn't really care what Buffy thought. She loved Buffy, but they hadn't really gotten along since her sister had come back. She was sick of waiting for Buffy to get over everything and deal with being alive. Buffy didn't care who she hurt, using Spike and blaming Willow and ignoring Dawn, so the teen had decided for once that she was putting herself first. She might be selfish for having Willow turned, but she didn't care. Willow had trusted her with the secret that she would have chosen becoming Spike's childe versus death and she had just used that knowledge. As for Spike, he hadn't denied her request and she knew he would have if it hadn't been something he wanted himself. Spike liked her, but no one could force him into doing something he didn't want to do, especially something as life altering as claiming a childe, so she wasn't worried about that.
He'd be good to Willow, he'd take care of her and teach her and help her. And maybe siring Willow would help him get over Buffy and move on with his life. She wanted to see the blond vampire happy, just like she wanted Willow to be happy. Gods, she hoped Willow wasn't angry about being turned. She couldn't handle it if Willow blamed her, if the redhead shut her out of her life. No thinking about that now. Too much to do, too much to worry about that was more important than what ifs. She finished packing a bag for Willow as she turned her attention to the matter at hand. There would be time for thinking about happiness and the future after Willow had a soul and was awake. She glanced at the clock, surprised to see that it had barely been an hour since she had come home. Sixty minutes and life was never going to be the same again for any of them. She sighed, running a hand over her face as she said, "I think I've got everything."
"I'll drive," Anya volunteered, knowing that Spike wouldn't want to let Willow go even for the short drive to her apartment.
"Gotta take my car," Spike reminded, "tinted windows."
"Oh, yeah, I forgot it was still daytime," Anya frowned. She looked at Dawn, "Can you drive my car to my place?"
"Me?" Dawn's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't have a license."
"So? Neither do I," Anya smiled slightly before tossing the teen her keys. "You saved Willow, you can drive a car."
"Okay," Dawn smiled briefly before she remembered what still needed to be done. She took a deep breath, knowing that she owed it to Willow and Tara to be there, even if she was scared and worried. Like Anya said, she had saved Willow, she could do this. She moved to pick up the phone, explaining to Anya, "I'm going to call an ambulance to come get Tara. I should be here when they come. I know it's just a body and that Tara is gone, but I don't want to leave her alone like that, waiting for the ambulance. Willow wouldn't want that, so I'll be over when they leave."
"I'll see what I can find out about a soul restoration," Anya said, deciding that maybe Dawn was a bit more mature than she had given her credit, even if she was a whiny little brat. She listened as Dawn called 911, telling them that she had come from school and found her friend dead from a gun shot wound. Anya picked up Spike's leather duster, frowning at the weight. Damn, it was heavy. She got his keys from the pocket and then tossed the coat to him, careful to keep it away from Willow. All she needed to do was hit the girl by mistake and find herself at the receiving end of a pissed off sire. Nope, not this demon. She headed for the door, telling them, "Spike, I'll go get the back car door open so you can make a run for it."
"They said they'd be here soon so you'd better hurry. Here, you can cover Willow with this blanket so the sun doesn't get her," Dawn said as she moved to lay it over the redhead. She was startled when he growled at her, his eyes narrowing as he blocked her from getting near Willow.
"*I'll* shield her," he said, eyes flashing yellow at the suggestion that he couldn't take proper care of his childe. He managed to put his coat on without completely releasing Willow. It was important that her demon feel him near her during this time, it would make things easier for her to accept him when she woke. Once he had the coat on, he stood, lifting Willow into his arms carefully. He covered her small frame with his coat, tucking her head against his shoulder. When he was satisfied that he could duck and run to the car without risking exposure for either of them, he glanced at Dawn, "Niblet, can you bring that stuff down?"
"Sure," Dawn said softly, glad to see that he wasn't angry with her. When he had growled at her, she thought she must have upset him. She picked up the blanket and backpack and followed him down stairs. She watched him run to the car, following him as she tossed the stuff in the front seat. She looked at Anya, unaware that her eyes were still full of confusion, and said, "I'll go in and call the police now. Take care of them, Anya."
"See you soon, Brat," Anya said with a half smile before she started Spike's car and took off, leaving Dawn with the awful task of dealing with Tara's body as well as the possibility of dealing with Buffy if the slayer happened to show up before the teen could get away.