Parts: 11 - 20
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~Part: 11~
Dawn walked back into the house to wait for the ambulance and the police. She sat on the sofa, letting the reality of the past hour finally hit her. Tara was dead. Willow was undead. Buffy wasn't returning her calls, even though she knew her sister had the day off from work. She had trusted Spike and Anya, a vampire with an implant and a demon with a grudge, with Willow's life and soul. She didn't regret her decision at all. Despite their problems, she believed that Anya did like Willow and would do whatever it took to find a soul restoration. As for Spike, well, he was her second favorite person in the world and she would trust him with her own life so there were never any doubts in her mind that he would take care of Willow.
She closed her eyes and sighed as she tried to bring up any planted memories of turnings that she might have been given. There weren't any. Buffy had never witnessed a turning, had never experienced the rearing of a childe. It was weird to think about it that way, Dawn realized. To think that Spike was now Willow's father, her sire, that Willow was a childe. She had snuck enough peaks at the watcher diaries and the books that Giles would keep hidden on the top shelf of the book case at the Magic Box to have a pretty good idea what sort of relationship would now exist between Willow and Spike. It seemed to be normal for a sire and childe to have a very physical relationship. The books had mentioned violence and training and blood. She knew this would be different, though, because Willow would have a soul and Spike wasn't able to kill humans. She was curious what was going to happen, had to admit a small hope that the physical stuff would lead to a happily ever after type of relationship between her two favorite people, vampires she corrected mentally. Then she felt guilty for even considering such a thought when Tara was laying dead upstairs and Willow wasn't even souled yet.
Granted, it had always been her fondest desire to see Willow and Spike involved, that one wish that was always in her mind whenever she watched them interact, when she watched the people they both chose to love hurt them, when she realized what a great team those two made. And she had seen glimpses of desire and something else from both of them despite Spike's constant adoration of her sister and Willow's feelings for Tara. She didn't doubt that both of them did have love for the object of their affections, but she had always thought that it didn't seem right. She loved Buffy and had loved Tara, but they hadn't been right for Spike and Willow. Willow and Spike together, that had seemed right to her. She'd figured it was just wishful thinking on her part because she loved them both, but now she had to think she had been pretty smart. Watching Spike this afternoon, seeing the look in his eyes when he had held Willow, well Dawn knew that there had been something more than just a sire holding his childe. She hoped she hadn't been seeing things. It would be so much easier for Willow if Spike did actually care about her even in just a tiny way. Over time, it might could grow into that happily ever after Dawn was dying to see.
The teen glanced at the clock, rolling her eyes when she noticed that it had been ten minutes since she had called 911. She guessed they weren't very concerned since she had mentioned that her friend was dead. She picked up the phone and dialed Buffy's number again, listening as it started to ring. With a frown, she moved her head away from the phone. What was that? She got up, leaving the phone on the couch as she followed the ringing towards the kitchen. Her eyes widened when she found Buffy's phone laying on the cabinet. She picked it up, noticing that it mentioned voice mail messages. Buffy never went anywhere without her phone. She even took it with her if she went for a run in the mornings. Dawn went back to the living room, grabbing the phone from the couch and stopping it before she got the message part. She dialed Xander's number, cursing him for not carrying a cell phone when she got his message recorder. She glanced at the clock, deciding to try him at work. She thought he had mentioned having a short day today, but maybe he had stayed longer. She briefly spoke to the man that answered, a bit more worried when she hung up after hearing that Xander had indeed had the afternoon off.
She assumed that Xander was with Buffy. They had been spending a lot of time together the last couple of weeks and she knew her sister had mentioned the previous night about meeting Xander for lunch today. What could have happened, though, that would have caused Buffy to leave without her phone? Would this day ever end? Just when she felt proud of herself for being mature at handling everything, Tara's death, Willow's rebirth, the responsibility of looking for a soul restoration spell, now she had to find Buffy's phone and have a fresh wave of worry and uncertainty. She felt like just sitting on the floor and crying and screaming and having the biggest fit of her life, but she couldn't do that. She was needed right now, and that far outweighed her desire to throw a tantrum. Before she could think about it anymore, she heard a knock on her door, seeing the paramedics waiting on the porch along with a policeman. She gathered up her strength and went to answer the door.
"Are you Dawn Summers?" the officer asked as he looked at the teenager that had answered the door.
She nodded, "Yes. My friend is upstairs. She was shot. I called when I found her, after I got home from school. I don't know what happened, but she's not breathing."
"It's okay," the officer said as he entered the house, motioning to the paramedics to go retrieve the body. "What time did you find her?"
Dawn shrugged as she wiped the tears from her eyes, "It was after school. I got off the bus after 3:30, but I didn't go upstairs right away. I didn't expect anyone to be home so I was surprised to the door closed. I knocked, thinking maybe Tara was sick. When I went in, well, I found her laying there. So much blood. I covered her with a blanket and called 911."
"I believe your friend was shot earlier today," the officer said as he finished making notes. "We received a call concerning a female gunshot victim this afternoon. She was in the back, and we never checked the house."
"A female victim?" Dawn's eyes widened with horror as she whispered, "My sister's not here. She's usually home by this time unless she's working and I found her phone in the kitchen."
"I've got her name here somewhere," the officer said, looking through his notepad. "She had a man with her, a friend or fiance I think. He said her name was Muffy or maybe…."
"Buffy," Dawn said softly, shaking her head. "No, it can't be Buffy. She was shot? Is she okay? Where is she?"
"Calm down," the officer said as he glanced at the paramedics that were removing the body of the dead girl. "It looks like the gunshot victim earlier was this girl's sister. Do you have any words on her condition?"
"She was taken to Sunnydale General," the female paramedic said. "Last time we were there, I think she was in surgery. She wasn't critical, so she's probably in recovery by now."
"Do you want us to take you to the hospital?" the male paramedic asked the upset teen, feeling sorry for her. Coming home from school and finding your friend dead and then hearing that your sister was shot too.
"No, it's okay," Dawn said as she wiped away fresh tears. "I called a friend to come pick me up after I found Tara. I'll have her take me to visit Buffy."
"If you need anything, be sure to give us a call," the officer said as he gave her a smile and followed the paramedics outside.
Dawn immediately ran to the phone, dialing the hospital to see how Buffy was doing. Why hadn't Xander called? He hadn't even let a message on the machine or tried to get in touch with Willow. She finally managed to get someone on the phone that could give her some answers, relieved to hear that Buffy was going to be okay. She'd been shot but they had managed to stop the bleeding and she would remain in the hospital for a couple of days for observation but should be fine. Dawn hung up the phone, glad to hear that her sister was going okay. She was angry with Xander for not calling, but she knew he was probably freaked out. She called his apartment and left a message on his machine, letting him know that she was aware of what had happened, that she was going to stay with a friend and would try to get to the hospital to see Buffy the following the day. She mentioned that she would take Buffy's phone with her if he needed to get in touch. After she hung up, she grabbed her backpack and Buffy's cell phone, taking Anya's keys and heading outside. She wondered if she should go by the hospital, but decided that it was rather pointless at the moment. The nurse she had spoken to had said her sister would be out for the rest of today, so there wasn't any need to go to the hospital yet. Besides, she had to help Anya find a spell to save Willow's soul.
~Part: 12~
Anya was glad to see her apartment building on the horizon. She wasn't very used to driving and Spike's car was just a pain in the ass. She pulled to a stop, glancing in the back seat and getting Spike's attention, fighting a smile as she caught him just looking at Willow's face as if he didn't believe she was there in his arms. He'd had a rough hour or so, she realized. It meant a lot in his community to create a true childe, and, to aquire one so suddenly, well, he was probably still trying to adjust to the change. She wasn't very surprised that he had chosen Willow, having seen and heard enough over her years with them all to realize that Spike had always seemed interested in turning Willow. He had loved Buffy, wanted to be loved by the slutty blonde slayer for some ridiculous reason she wouldn't even try to understand, but his demon hadn't been able to seem to resist the pretty redhead. Drunken kidnapping, seeking her out after escaping the initiative, and several dozen other little things she had noticed throughout the years. No, it wasn't very surprising to see him now holding Willow so possessively. Anya decided to try to be a little nicer to him, knowing he deserved a bit of a break, speaking softly as she said, "We're here."
"You upstairs or down?" he asked as he looked up, having not realized they had arrived. He'd never been to the demon's apartment, just knowing that she moved in a few months ago after leaving the moron.
"Upstairs," Anya motioned to a window beside a tree, "right there. It's not that far and there is some tree coverage so you should be fine."
"Go on up and get everything unlocked," Spike said as his blue eyes looked at her, "motion from your window and I'll bring her up."
"I'll get this blanket on my bed," Anya decided, "then you can just lay her right down. I suppose I'll be sleeping on the sofa for the next few days, but I won't complain. You and Will can have the bed, but try not to do any of your weird vampire things, okay? This blanket isn't very thick and, while it will keep my new sheets from getting bloody, it probably wouldn't protect them from a large amount of blood."
"Would you just go unlock the damn door?" Spike growled.
"Hey, I could make you use the sofa bed so quit the growling," Anya said giving him a glare, wanting to remind him that she was being very nice and understanding about all this. "I thought you'd want some privacy from the brat in case you *do* have to start being all sire like. Excuse me for not wanting to deal with Buffy's bitching at her sister watching you and Willow do whatever it is that sire and childe do! You should be thanking me."
"Anya, please go unlock the door," Spike said sharply before lowering his voice and adding, "I appreciate you thinking ahead and giving me and mine some privacy."
"I bet that really hurt you," Anya observed, deciding not to push him too much. He looked like he was straining for control at the moment, his hands holding Willow against him as he nuzzled her neck, his tongue moving over the bite mark as his eyes flashed yellow at the delay in getting his childe settled down for the remainder of her sleep. She gave him a large smile as she said, "I won't make you thank me again until I find a soul restoration that works. Promise."
Before he could respond, she was out of the car and running towards the stairs that led up to her apartment. He fought the impulse to get in the front seat and drive away, taking his daughter with him as he got as far from Sunnydale as he could. He was testing every limitation of his patience, resisting his desire to lock himself and Willow into a room and not leave for days, until he was satisfied that she respected him as her sire and understood what was expected of her. It wasn't fair that he had to share her with those two women. She was his, only his. But, he had had time to think about it and he knew the soul was a good idea. It would prevent her from taking dangerous risks, would keep with him for eternity. She couldn't look down on him for having the implant when she, herself, would have a soul. He was curious for her to wake, to see what it felt like to look into the eyes of his first true childe. He wondered if she would fight him, if she would accept it. He wondered if, when he looked into her eyes, he'd suddenly understand what being a sire involved.
He remembered his first few weeks vividly. Angelus had taken him from Drusilla even before he had woken, leaving him alone in a damp room for an entire night with no idea what had happened to him, hungry and confused. When the vampire had come to him, the teaching began. Fighting, shagging, hunting, pain. He could remember it all. The feel of Angelus inside him, rough and hard, the taste of blood in his mouth, rich and powerful as it had flowed from the elder vampire. The hatred he had felt with every sting of the whip, the love he had felt with every gentle caress and whispered word of praise. It was three weeks before Angelus had allowed him to see his true sire, the dark haired vampire having taken over sire duties from his daughter. It had been then that Spike had felt it, felt the calling that a childe had to its sire. He'd felt a slight stirring with Angelus, the vampire being the sire of his sire, but it had been nothing compared to the power of the connection between him and Drusilla. He'd not been able to feel that, to learn that because Angelus had chosen to rear him personally. He had felt cheated, hating Angelus even more for denying him the pleasure of having his true sire teach him. Now, he could look back and realize he had been lucky that Angelus had taken an interest in him. He'd have never survived if Drusilla had been his teacher. He'd have been weak and dependent, not able live without help. No, he could thank Angelus for making him strong and forcing him to survive without help.
He wanted to give Willow that same power, that same strength that Angelus had given him, but he kept dwelling on the knowledge that he had hated Angelus as much as he had loved him. He didn't want her to hate him. He wanted her to be as devoted and as loyal as he was to Drusilla, or as he had been before his true sire had turned away from him all those years ago by choosing her own sire. Even with a soul, she would need to learn to hunt and fight and survive. He could teach her these things just as he could teach her about the stength of the bond between sire and childe, about so many other things that flitted in his mind as he held her cool body against him. Soon, she would wake, and then he might understand what was expected of him.
He drew himself from his thoughts as his blue eyes looked at the upstairs window. He saw the demon girl standing there, impatiently pacing back and forth. He had forgotten for a moment where he was, forgotten everything except his desire to be a good sire and the comforting feel of his childe in his arms, her head resting against his bare chest. He moved her in his arms until she was tucked close against him. He opened the car door, shielding Willow's body from the sun's rays as he got out. He kicked the door shut and moved quickly, reaching Anya's door within a minute. He glanced at her, waiting for a second before remembering that she was no longer human. He didn't need an invitation. Instead of walking inside, he arched a brow at her, respecting that it was her home and that she was allowing him and his childe admittance.
Anya looked at him in surprise when he stood there knowing that, since she was a demon, he didn't have to wait for her to ask him in. She studied him silently, her eyes widening slightly when she met his eyes, realizing that he was giving her the opportunity to issue the invitation. And again he surprised her. She considered leaving him standing there for a minute since he had decided to ignore her signal earlier, but she knew that Willow needed to lay down and she didn't want to risk Spike's wrath if something caused his childe to wake sooner than needed. She was also very, very pleased that he respected her enough to give her the opportunity to invite them in. She smiled as she spoke the words, "Willow, Spike, come in."
~Part: 13~
Spike carried Willow into Anya's apartment, his eyes looking around quickly with curiosity before focusing on the demon, "Where's the bedroom?"
"Through that door," Anya nodded, following closely behind him. "I put the blanket down and puffed up the pillows for her head."
Spike carefully laid Willow onto the bed, making sure her head was centered on the pillow. When he was confident that she was settled, he shrugged his duster off and kicked off his boots before crawling up the bed to lay beside her. He snuggled against her, his eyes checking her for any signs of alertness. She was still out, probably would be for a few more hours. Glancing at her torn shirt, he frowned. The material was coated in dried blood, the bullet hole easily noticable. It was not what he wanted her wearing when she woke up. Considering the circumstances of her turning, this reminder might aggitate her demon, something he didn't want to deal with along with everything else. He looked up at Anya, noticing the woman watching him with a slight smile. He scowled, wondering what she found so damn amusing. He decided that he was better off not knowing considering the source. He asked, "I have a shirt in the back seat of my car. Could you go get it for me?"
"That nasty old red and black one you always wear?" Anya asked as she wrinkled her nose, wondering why he wanted to put his shirt on. She rather approved of the view as it was, but she figured he must have his reasons, even it was rather selfish of him to deprive her of the view of his bare chest.
"Can you please bring it to me?" Spike asked impatiently, wondering if he was going to be forced to hear a commentary from the silly bitch every time she spoke.
"Since you said please," Anya smiled sweetly, watching the twitch in Spike's cheek and deciding that it might be wise to give him some time alone before he snapped and remembered that she was a demon that he could hurt without remorse. "When I get back, I'll start making some calls about that soul thing!"
Spike stopped her, "Wait, before you go down, could you get me some water and a cloth?"
"How much do you need?" Anya asked, finding it rather sweet that he seemed to want to get Willow cleaned up but knowing that was not the right thing to say at the moment.
"Enough to wash this blood off my childe," he said slowly, the patience wearing thin.
"Okay dokey," Anya said as she went to the kitchen and found a bowl. She took it back into her bathroom, filling it with warm water. When she had it nearly to the top, she grabbed a wash cloth and some shower gel for him to use in case he needed some soap. She took the materials back into her bedroom and watched as he sat up and spread his legs, moving Willow's body to rest betweem them. He was so careful with her, Anya observed, more gentle than she'd ever seen him before. When he was ready, she handed him the bowl and cloth, tossing the soap beside him. She decided not to give him a warning about spilling the water on her bed, figuring she'd have a higher chance of survival if she simply went down to get his shirt without comment.
Spike was relieved when Anya left the room, hating having her eyes on him watching his every move. He brushed Willow's hair behind her head before he wet the cloth. He was glad that it was soft, not wanting to use a rough rag on his girl. He opened the soap that Anya had given him, glad she had thought of it. The blood was dried and crusting and would be much easier to remove with some soap. He inhaled the sweet scent of apples as he squirted the gel onto the cloth. Rubbing it between his thumb and fingers, he spread it onto the cloth before moving it along Willow's chest around the wound that was nearly healed. He'd finished cleaning the wound by the time Anya arrived with his shirt. He nodded at her, watching as she laid it on the bed within his reach.
"Here it is. If you don't need anything else, I'm going to start making some calls," Anya said as she moved towards the door to the living room. She grabbed her address book, hoping that she could get some answers.
"Make your calls, pet," Spike said with a quick smile before turning his attention back to Willow. He finished cleaning the blood that had dripped down from the bullet wound, dropping the dirty rag into the bowl and placing the bowl onto the bed side table. He turned back to Willow, removing her shirt and bra, tossing them both on the floor. His eyes moved appreciatively over her body, taking in the light scattering of freckles that dotted her pale flesh. Her breasts were firm and pert, a little more than a handful he figured. Her nipples were a lovely shade of rosey pink, hardening as they met the cool air in the apartment. He ran his thumb over them, his hand moving to squeeze her breast. His tongue ran along his lower lip as his eyes narrowed, nostrils flaring as he caressed her. Shaking his head suddenly, he dropped his hand. What the hell was he doing? Molesting her as she slept. She was his childe, and belonged to him, but he felt rather like a pervert for groping her like this. Not better than Angelus, he thought in disgust. Turning away from the beautiful sight of her half naked bosy, he picked up his shirt and slid it onto her arms, buttoning the middle three buttons only before moving back to lay down on the bed. He put the pillows behind his back, getting into a position that he knew would be comfortable for the new few hours. He kept Willow between his legs, moving her up so that her head was against his shoulder, her hair touching his cheek as he rested against her. He sighed, closing his eyes as he took a moment to finally relax.
~Part: 14~
Dawn pulled into an empty parking place at Anya's apartment nearly thirty minutes after she had left her house. She had felt like there was a neon sign on top of the car that proclaimed to everyone she passed that told them she was an underage driver without a license. She had only driven a few times since she hadn't even had time to get her permit, and those times had been with Willow, though Xander had let her drive once. She had only managed to make it to Anya's by imagining Willow beside her giving her instructions on what to do. It hadn't been that awful. No one had honked at her, but she hadn't driven faster than twenty miles an hour, making the ten minute journey nearly three times as long. Then, she'd forgotten which set of apartments Anya lived in, having only been to the demon's a couple of times, always staying in the car when Willow had run inside. Buffy hadn't want her having anything to do with Anya once the woman became a demon again, and she knew her sister probably would have bitched if she was aware that Dawn had even been in the parking lot of the apartments. She'd finally found the right buildings after deciding to simply look for Spike's car instead of trying to figure out which complex out of the half dozen in this block of streets was the right one.
Now, she was sitting in the car trying to remember where Willow had gone when she had visited before. Dawn knew that it was upstairs, and she was pretty sure the redhead had gone to the right. Sighing in frustration, Dawn hit the steering wheel. She wished she'd have thought about this before Anya had left. She'd been too busy thinking about waiting for the ambulance to worry about knowing which apartment to visit. She glanced at Buffy's phone, noting that it was still silent. She couldn't believe that Xander still hadn't called. Did he somehow think that no one else would care that Buffy was in the hospital? It had been two hours now since she had gotten off the bus. The shooting had to have happened even before that, which meant it had been several hours that he hadn't bothered to call and tell anyone what was happening. She knew that Xander tended to block out everything when he was around her sister, something that rather annoyed her personally and had to have driven Anya nuts, but this was ridiculous. If she hadn't had more important things to worry about, like making sure Willow received a soul to go with the demon, she'd have called and left a very mean message on his maching. As it was, she was content that Buffy was going to be okay and didn't feel like wasting her time on Xander. If anything, as bad as it was to think, it would give her something to use if he tried to throw a fit about Willow's turning. She might be young, but she knew that having ammunition in arguments with Buffy and Xander was a good thing. They'd be so surprised she was finally speaking back that she hoped they'd shut up and leave her alone.
She was pretty proud of herself. She had to think that, considering the circumstances, she had done a pretty damn good job of taking care of things. She had acted with maturity, something that Buffy was alway whining that she lacked, and personal insight as well as a lot of thought into her decision. She had made the only choice in the circumstances, the best choice. Willow wouldn't be gone, she'd still have her soul, and Spike would have a childe, something to take his mind off the disaster that was her sister, and maybe a chance at a happy future. She really hoped that Willow would be okay. Oh, she knew there would be some differences. No more sunny days at the beach or matinee movies, and no more sharing food since the redhead would now be on a liquid diet, but maybe there wouldn't be that many more changes.
She was going to have to thank Anya. If it hadn't been for the demon, they'd have no way of finding a soul restoration. They'd also have been stuck at the house since Spike's crypt was definitely not the place for Willow to wake up. Since Buffy would probably be in the hospital for a couple of days, it wouldn't have been as bad as it could have been, but it was still better to get away from the room where Tara had died and where, technically, Willow had died too. She didn't know a lot about vampires, but Dawn figured that it wouldn't have been easy for the redhead to wake up there. Especially if she woke up before they found an answer to their soul problem. Dawn finally picked up the phone and dialed Anya's number, knowing that she wouldn't figure out which apartment was right by just sitting and looking at the windows.
"Yeah?" Anya said as she clicked over.
"Anya, it's Dawn. I'm in the parking lot, but I don't know which apartment you're in," Dawn said in an apologetic tone.
"Oh, it's you. I thought someone might have been calling me with an answer," Anya explained. "Did you hurt my car?"
"Your car is fine," Dawn said with a smile.
"What did you need? I'm on the other line to Cairo, but Kritust has an 800 number so it isn't costing me. You *are* going to split the cost of all these calls, aren't you? I mean, I like Willow and want her to have a soul, but it looks like I'm going to be making calls all over the world and, unfortunately, not many of my acquaintances have toll free numbers."
"Um, yeah, I guess I can try to find a job even though most people don't hire fifteen years old and give you all the money I make since I doubt Buffy will talk to me once she finds out that I asked Spike, her former lover and someone she wants out of her life, to turn her best friend and then asked you, someone she hates, no offense, to help find a soul restoration spell, much less hand over who knows how much money to pay for half your phone bill!" Dawn said as she rolled her eyes.
"I see your point," Anya said thoughtfully. "I know. I will hire you to work at the Magic Box part time after school and weekends and you can pay me part of your check each week."
"Anya, where is your apartment? We can talk about phone bills after we get Willow her soul, when I get to your place, which will be when you tell where it is! Besides, aren't you on the other line to Cairo?" Dawn reminded.
"I'll go to the window and wave," Anya decided. "We can talk about you working for me after we get this soul business finished."
"Okay," Dawn said as she got out of the car and grabbed her bag, finally noticing a curtain move and seeing Anya waving, "I see you! I'll be up in a minute."
~Part: 15~
Dawn entered the apartment within minutes of getting off the phone with the demon. She was glad to see that the door had been left open for her, closing it behind her and automatically locking it as her eyes found Anya. The woman was talking on the phone, speaking some strange language that Dawn had never heard spoken, pacing back and forth impatiently as she kept interrupting whomever she was speaking to. The teenager put her bag down and moved quietly towards the open door of the bedroom, not wanting to disturb Anya when she was dealing with serious matters. She stopped in the doorway, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she took in the sight of Spike laying on the bed, Willow laying against him. The blond vampire's eyes were closed, his cheek resting against Willow's red hair, giving the impression of sleeping. Dawn couldn't resist a small smile at how normal it seemed to watch those two snuggled together.
She noticed that Willow was wearing Spike's favorite shirt, the red and black one he was rarely seen without. He must have changed her from the torn and bloody shirt, something that was a relief to Dawn. Her eyes took in the room, seeing the bowl of dirty water on the bedside table, not at all surprised that Spike had cleaned Willow up. He would be good to Willow, would take care of her always. She looked away from them, taking a chance to look around. The room itself was nice. That was a bit of a surprise to her. She'd never expected Anya to have a tasteful room. Of course, she'd never really known a lot about the demon except that she appeared to love Xander, money, and remembering her past glory days as a demon. She also knew the woman was honest, blunt to a point of annoyance, and loyal to those chosen few she considered friends. Dawn wasn't one of those select few, but she knew that Willow was, that being the only thing that had given her the courage to call Anya in the first place.
Dawn moved towards the bed, not wanting to disturb Spike's sleep. He was probably as exhausted as she was, both of them having had a pretty stressful past few hours. He'd also lost a lot of blood when he had turned Willow, and she figured that must be pretty tiring. She picked up the bowl of water and went into the bathroom, rinsing it before it was ruined. She also rinsed the wash cloth, laying it across the top of the shower curtain to dry. It was probably ruined, the blood thick and staining, but she thought it might prove useful once it was dry. It wasn't like there wouldn't be more blood to wash away in the future. She went back into the bedroom, picking up Willow's bloody shirt and putting it in the trash can. She didn't want any reminders of what had happened around when Willow woke up, figuring it might be easier for the redhead. She looked over the two sleeping vampires, wondering if she should lay a blanket over them. Deciding that the coolness of the air conditioning probably wasn't a bother to them, she decided not to risk waking them up. Instead, she moved to sit down in a chair to wait for Anya to finish her conversation. Her dark eyes looked at her two friends as she became lost in thought about the shooting, about Buffy, about Willow, about vampires.
"Kritust doesn't know anything," Anya grumbled as she entered her bedroom, the silent phone in her hand, a scowl on her face. She looked at Dawn, seeing the sad and tired look in the teen's eyes. She thought about what she knew concerning humans and grief, which wasn't a lot, and suddenly asked, "Do you want some hot chocolate?"
"What?" Dawn drew herself from her thoughts to look at the demon, having not heard her enter the room. She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, I was thinking. What did you say?"
"Hot chocolate," Anya repeated, "you drank it when Joyce died and it made you feel warm and not so sad. Do you want some now so you won't be so sad?"
"I, well, it's May," Dawn said softly, realizing that the demon was trying to help her in the only way she knew how. She smiled slightly, nodding, "Yeah, sure, hot chocolate might be nice."
"Good," Anya beamed, proud that she had figured out a way to make the girl smile. Not that she really cared too much about Buffy's annoying bratty sister. She just knew it would make the next few hours easier if the teen wasn't sulking and depressed. She might need her help if she ever found someone that knew about soul restorations, which, after three phone calls, she wasn't any closer to locating. "I have some in the kitchen. You can make it while I make some more calls."
"Have you found anything yet?" Dawn asked.
"No. I've only made three calls so far, though, and they said they would check around and call me if they found anything," Anya explained as she tried not to sound discouraged. She had started with the demon that owed her the largest favor and was working her way through the list. Luckily, in over eleven hundred years, she was owed by a lot of powerful people. It was time to finally collect on some of those past debts. She looked at the bed, smiling when she saw that Spike had put his shirt on Willow. Good, she would still have a nice view of his bare chest. Plus, the redhead wasn't bloody and nasty anymore. Looking back at Dawn, she asked, "How did it go with the police?"
"Oh, God," Dawn suddenly realized that she hadn't told them about Buffy and the shooting. "I have to tell you and Spike what happened."
"Could you two be quieter?" Spike asked, finally opening his eyes and glaring at the girls. He had been hoping that Dawn would think he was sleeping and just leave him and his childe alone for a few moments of privacy. Instead, she had sat down and brought the chatty demon in with her. He just couldn't seem to win. His arms tightened around the redhead in his arms as he realized that maybe his luck was finally changing.
"Did we wake you?" Dawn asked nervously, hoping that they didn't.
"I wasn't sleeping, Niblet," Spike sighed, knowing the teen had no idea that she was truly testing his patience. He also knew that he couldn't be too sharp with her, though, because if it hadn't been for her, he wouldn't have Red. Thinking about the possibility of Willow dying from her wound, of never becoming his child, well, he didn't like that thought at all. He owed Dawn for calling him, for giving him the opportunity to keep his Red. He looked at her, finally asking, "What did you need to tell us about your visit with the police?"
~Part: 16~
"The police, right," Dawn lowered her voice to just slightly above a whisper at Spike's request for them to be quieter. She didn't want to wake up Willow, yet, knowing that they didn't seem to be any closer to finding a soul restoration and figuring it would be easier for all of them the longer Willow slept. "The guy told me that there was a shooting early this afternoon."
"Well, duh," Anya said, rolling her eyes. "And we're surprised that the police chalk everything up to gangs of drug addicts! Stupid humans."
"I meant, earlier than when I called them," Dawn said, almost giggling at Anya's disgust with the Sunnydale Police Department.
"They were told of shots and didn't bother to investigate?" Spike felt himself growing angry at the idea that they had neglected their duties causing Willow to become that much closer to death. Not that he would have wanted to change anything. He'd had time to think privately when Anya had started making her calls, realizing that he had been given a gift. He had Willow as his childe, something he had planned and hoped for, but assumed he'd never have the chance to claim with the implant and the mess that had become his life. The happiness, since that was definitely the emotion that was most dominant when thinking about having Willow as his childe though he was also feeling pride, wonder, and a bit of old fashioned lust, didn't stop him from being angry that his Red might have suffered unnecessarily due to police action.
"It was Buffy," Dawn whispered, wondering how Spike would react to the news that her sister had been shot. She never knew what to expect from the vampire, his moods and feelings never predictable. "She was shot and taken to the hospital."
"And they didn't bother to check the rest of the house?" Spike asked in disgust. "So what you're saying is that my Red was upstairs laying in her blood, dying slowly, because they didn't do their job."
"Um, well, yeah," Dawn stuttered, wondering if he had heard her. "Spike, Buffy was shot. She nearly died. They had to do surgery and everything, but she's going to be okay. The hospital told me she was fine."
"I don't give a bloody damn about the slayer," Spike snarled, conflicted by anger that the police didn't find his Red in time to save her and with relief that the redhead hadn't been discovered because it had led to his claiming her as his childe. He frowned suddenly as he realized what he had said, his eyes catching Dawn's surprised gaze as he acknowledged the truth in his words. He didn't care about Buffy any longer. When had that happened? Not a few hours before, he had been obsessed with the blonde slayer, craving her, aching for her, wanting nothing more than for her to want him as much as he wanted her. Now, he could honestly say that he no longer felt such desires. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling a bit lost for a moment as he dealt with this sudden realization. He'd wanted her for so long, it seemed, that he wasn't sure what to do without that consuming need. His eyes lowered as he looked into the sleeping face of his childe, his hand moving to caress her face as he shook his head slightly, his hand falling. Looking back at Dawn, he asked, "Do they know who did it?"
Dawn was resisting the urge to get up and do a happy dance, thrilled beyond belief to hear the words that had spilled from Spike's oh so lovely lips. He was over Buffy! She wanted to throw a party, do a dance, scream it out the window. It was about damn time! Her sister had used Spike for months, years really, and Dawn had been forced to sit silently by and watch the poor vampire become another victim to her sister's selfishness. Now, it appeared that he was finally over the slayer. Dawn was also thrilled because she hadn't failed to notice the way he had looked at Willow, the touch to the redhead's face, a sliver of hope widening as she wondered if maybe, just maybe, he could start to feel the emotions he had felt for Buffy for the redhead, who would be much more appreciative and who deserved to be loved by someone as loyal and wonderful and sexy as Spike. Realizing that he was impatiently waiting for an answer, and that she didn't want to give him any idea of the direction of her thoughts concerning him and Willow, she sighed and shook her head, "No, they didn't mention catching anyone. Xander's with her, and he might have seen something, but he hasn't bothered to call and tell anyone what happened so I wouldn't know."
Anya drew herself out of thoughts that were very similar to Dawn's concerning the stupidity of Spike's feelings for Buffy the bitch and relief that he was seemingly over them to reply, "Xander's a jerk. He only cares about his precious Buffy so it's not too surprising that he hasn't even bothered to call. It had to have been someone human," she decided, "a demon wouldn't have done anything as cowardly as using a gun. Guns are a human weapon."
"I don't want the moron anywhere near my childe," Spike said sharply, again conflicted by anger and relief. Xander had been there, could easily have run inside to tell the witches what had happened, could have saved his Red and maybe even the other one, though it had appeared her death had been pretty instant. Even now, hours later, he hadn't even bothered to check on the witches or Niblet because he was with Buffy. The boy had made his choice, even if he didn't know it. Spike wouldn't forget, even if he was secretly thrilled that the moron's neglect had resulted in Willow becoming his. Until he had another face to put on the anger and thirst for blood he felt at Willow's being shot, Xander's face would do. It would be much healthier for the boy to stay away from him, away from both of them, until things were calmed down. And, even then, Spike wasn't sure if he would allow his Red to be around the youth that had inadvertently helped kill her. He felt a bit disgusted with himself, realizing that he, too, had recently been so under the slayer's thumb. Two sets of surprised eyes were on him, causing him to look up and growl threateningly to make sure they understood the seriousness of his words, "He doesn't come near her until I give permission, *if* I ever give permission. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Dawn nodded, understanding completely that Spike must be angry with Xander. She, herself, was pissed at the carelessness of the man she had memories of having a crush on.
"Not a problem," Anya said, "I don't want to be around him myself. Back to the shooter, do you think it might have been one of those three geeks that was bothering Buffy recently?"
"I don't know," Dawn shrugged. "They weren't very threatening, but shooting someone is such a cowardly thing to do that it could have been one of them, I guess."
"We'll worry about that later," Spike said quietly, feeling Willow move slightly, knowing she was starting to wake up. "Right now, concentrate on the soul. You two need to go into the other room and close the door behind you."
"She's waking up," Anya realized, a bit surprised that it was so soon. She'd expected to have several hours before the redhead would waken.
"Already?" Dawn looked at the redhead, not seeing her move. She looked into Spike's eyes, saw them flash yellow as they narrowed.
"Go, now," he ordered, "and don't open the door until I say!"
"Got it, Fang," Anya said, knowing that they had no idea how Willow would react upon waking up. She also knew that it would still be at least another day before the redhead would be fully aware of everything that had happened, would be aware of what she had become. Hopefully, the redhead would sleep again after her first initial moments of alertness, giving them more time to make some calls. She took Dawn's arm, knowing the girl would see the true power of Spike if she remained much longer. While it might be a wonderful sight to behold, she knew the teen wasn't ready to deal with a pissed off sire. "C'mon, Brat. You can make some hot chocolate while I make some more calls. Let's leave these two alone for awhile."
"Okay, sure," Dawn said, following behind Anya, worry and concern in her dark eyes as she shut the bedroom door behind her, leaving Spike to deal with his wakening childe.
~Part: 17~
She was aware of the cold first. It was a chilling cold that consumed her entire body causing her to shiver as she swam into consciousness. After moving past the cold, she felt the suffocation. Her body arched up as she gasped, her head snapping back as her green eyes flew open. Her hands clawed at the area beside her, clutching the blanket as she tried to breathe. She felt arms around her, a comforting touch, her eyes fluttering as she felt the security of the embrace. She felt her body slowly relaxing as soft words were spoken to her. Her eyes again opened as she found herself looking into familiar blue eyes. She knew this man. She felt his hand brush against her face, recognizing his touch. She whispered, "Sire?"
Spike heard her words, the husky whisper spoken from dry lips. He was very pleased. She knew him, recognized his position in her life. His lips twisted into a slight smile as he answered her, "Yes, I am your sire, childe."
She found herself fascinated by his lips, full and curved into a smile. Her sire. It was his scent that surrounded her, his touch that soothed her body. Her eyes filled with confusion as she looked away from his face. She did not understand. It was cold, so very cold. She moved closer to him, the cold not as overwhelming with his arms around her, though he was cold to touch. Her head was spinning as she looked around the room causing her to close her eyes from the images assaulting her. Sounds and smells consumed her senses causing her to cry out softly, the pain increasing as she became more and more awake. It was horrible she thought as she turned her head, burying it against his chest. Her hands moved to hold her ears, trying to block out the sounds. It was so loud. She inhaled his scent, the pleasurable smell blocking out the other awful smells that were not familiar to her. She felt him move, his fingers moving through her hair as he continued to speak softly to her. She heard his words but did not understand, the sounds too loud to focus on what he was saying. It was too much.
Spike continued to hold her as she became accustomed to her heightened senses. He had distant memories of when he had woken that night so many years ago, alone in a dark room with no sire to hold him and help him understand. Eyes flashing as he remembered how Angelus had treated him. Pushing away those thoughts, he concentrated on the redhead in his arms. He stroked her hair, whispering to her even though he knew she probably wouldn't be listening. It made him feel like he was there for his childe, and that was all that mattered at the moment. He felt her starting to relax, her body moving closer to him as her hands slowly lowered. He was proud of her, knowing that this was probably the worst of it, and she had dealt with the changes far more quickly than most he had seen. He knew she would be hungry, that she must feed, wondered if she remembered yet who she was. Those memories took a little longer to arrive, the memories of the past, of the human that the demon had once been. She had looked at him, instantly knowing that he was her sire, but without memories of their prior relationship. He was eager for her to look at him fully aware of who he was, with the knowledge that Spike was her sire.
She lowered her hands as she began to control what she was hearing. The world had stopped spinning, the scent of her sire surrounded her. She pulled her head back slowly, her eyes flashing yellow as she looked into his eyes, trying to find answers to what she was, who she was. She felt a hunger sweeping over her as her eyes found a mark on his neck, her tongue moving over her lips as she focused her attention on the smell of his blood. Looking at him again, she realized that she wanted to taste him, needed to taste him. Her sire. She couldn't find the words to describe what she was feeling at the moment, a helpless look flashing in her eyes as she struggled to vocalize the need she felt.
"You're hungry," Spike told her softly, knowing that loud noises would startle her for a few days even though she was becoming used to her new senses. He could smell her now, smell his claim mixed with her own unique scent. Even dead, she smelled innocent and sweet and intoxicating. And she was his. His eyes flashed yellow as he moved his head to the side, offering her his neck. "Feed, childe."
She didn't hesitate once permission had been given. Fangs pierced the bite on his neck, his blood spilling into her mouth as she moaned in appreciation. She felt as if her entire body was alive as she fed, the hunger growing as she found herself aching for his touch. He seemed to sense her need, moving against her. She cried out in pleasure as she felt him bite into her neck, her eyes rolling back as she felt his tongue on her skin, his hands behind her back as he pulled her even closer. She could feel his erection against her leg, her fingernails digging into his arm as she moved against him in need. She felt his leg move between her legs, growling softly as he moved it between her thighs, rubbing against her through layers of material. She pulled her head away from him, crying out as she found her release. His mouth was still on her neck, sucking her flesh as he drank. She clung to him, purring as he thrust against her leg, gasping for air that she no longed needed.
Spike moved his mouth from her neck when he felt himself nearing release. He claimed her lips in a kiss of possession, reminding her without words that she was his. She kissed him back, her tongue sweeping into his mouth, moving against his. Such power, such passion. He tasted his blood on her lips, sharing the taste of her own with her. His hand tangled in her thick red hair as they kissed, her leg now moving against him. With a groan, he pushed her against the bed, moving between her legs as he pushed his denim-covered erection between her legs. Cursing the clothing between them, he felt himself coming. "Mine," he whispered as his eyes met hers, listening as she whispered back, "Yours," causing him to kiss her again. The front of his jeans was wet from his release when he finally freed her mouth. He looked at her, his eyes moving possessively over her face. She was bloody beautiful. He watched her green eyes with flecks of yellow as she tried to control the demon, the taste of her still in his mouth, not nearly enough. He wanted to taste every inch of her, would taste every inch.
She pushed against the presence in her, trying to control it. What was it? It had taken her over when she had tasted her sire's blood. A demon, she realized, her demon. She felt herself finally gain control, looking up into her sire's proud blue eyes as she licked her lips. He made her feel things she couldn't describe, didn't understand. Who was he besides being her sire? She had so many questions, her thirst and hunger sated for the moment as she lay beneath him. Before she could ask him, her eyes widened as her body again arched up, memories washing over her. She closed her eyes as she tried to stop them, but they kept coming. There were so many memories, faces, feelings, knowledge of who she had been before this. She felt tears on her face as she remembered it all, the demon rising as the memories flashed. The tears stopped as she opened her eyes, green eyes finding blue as she said, "Spike," confusion flashing as he studied her silently, "my sire."
"My childe," he smiled slowly, wiping away her tears with his thumb. Moving beside her, he pulled her body against his as he brushed his lips over her ear, whispering, "Sleep, Willow. You woke too soon."
Willow. She was Willow. She remembered now. Remembered everything. Sunnydale and Buffy and Xander and Dawn and Tara and Anya and Spike. Spike was her sire! She was a vampire. She closed her eyes as she moved back against him, his scent and touch comforting her as she tried to understand, as she tried to adjust. Soon, she felt herself drifting off to sleep in his arms, only understanding one thing clearly. She was his.
~Part: 18~
Dawn was sitting in a big comfy chair, her eyes on the closed door to the bedroom. A cup of hot chocolate sat on the table in front of her, forgotten when she had heard the first cry of pain coming from the bedroom. It had been a low cry causing her to put her cup down and move to go to the room. She'd only stopped when Anya's hand had grabbed her arm, pushing her back into the chair. The demon had been on the phone, giving her a pointed look before shaking her head sharply and pointing to the chair, indicating that she should remain where she was sitting. Dawn hadn't moved since then, listening intently for any signs that Willow might be in pain. She'd frowned when she had heard the cry, eyes widening when she had heard a moan, her cheeks flushing when she had heard another cry, this one sounding like it was from pleasure instead of pain. Her cheeks were red as she had listened to the sounds of Spike and Willow, having a pretty good idea what was happening.
"They're having sex," Anya said with a grimace as she sat on the sofa opposite Dawn. "In my bed. I haven't even had sex in my bed yet. It's not very fair that someone other than myself is having sex for the first time in my bed."
"Why...I mean, how..." Dawn trailed off, her face becoming even more red as she struggled to think of the words to use to ask her question.
Anya's eyebrows rose as she asked, "You don't even know *how*?"
"I know how!" Dawn defended, "I meant, well, Willow just woke up. Why are they doing...having...well, doing that right now?"
"Do I look like an expert on the mating habits of vampires?" Anya asked as she rolled her eyes. "I assume they wanted to have sex so they are, in *my* bed!"
"Is she....is she our Willow even if she doesn't have her soul yet?" Dawn asked quietly, deciding to move on from that topic. She would try to find some of the books she wasn't supposed to read and do some research when she got a chance. She wanted to try to understand what Willow was dealing with, to understand the changes that Willow would experience. She honestly hadn't expected to hear the sounds of sex coming from the room. Okay, so she wanted Willow and Spike together. She wanted love and romance and happy endings. She had known sex would play a part in that, knew that there had always been that sort of attraction between her two friends even when they'd been involved with other people. She hadn't expected the sex to come before the love and romance. That was the part that was strange to her. Oh, she knew people had sex all the time that weren't in love or even liked each other, case in point Buffy and Spike. She also suspected that the sex that was happening in the next room had to do with the vampire thing, something she couldn't even begin to understand.
"If you're going to ask me a question, I'd really like for you to listen to my answer," Anya grumbled as she kicked Dawn's knee to get the teen's attention on her. She could see the confusion in the girl's face, knew that there was no way she could begin to understand the levels to a sire and childe relationship. She had been around for over a thousand years and didn't even understand everything herself. There was a bond that existed between a sire and a true childe, a connection that couldn't really be explained with words. When Dawn looked at her, she repeated her answer, "It's our Willow, but it's not. She has a demon and no soul. There are memories of her human life so she knows everyone and everything from her past. She looks like Willow, sounds like Willow, probably even acts like Willow, but she'd kill you without hesitation if she were hungry, she'd slaughter anyone that tried to hurt her or hers. Without the soul, she doesn't have a conscience. She has no regrets or doubts or guilt. Willow is very intelligent, very loyal, very caring, very powerful. The vampire in the other room has retained those characteristics, which is both scary but comforting."
"So, she'd know me but she wouldn't care about me," Dawn whispered.
"You're food now," Anya said bluntly. "She might even feel a stronger desire to kill you because she did care so much about you as a human. It isn't uncommon for vampires to wake and massacre their entire family and circle of friends. A lot of that depends on the sire, of course. At one time, I could imagine Spike allowing Willow the freedom to kill those she had once loved because he considered them enemies himself. Now, even if he didn't have the implant, *you* would be safe even if the others weren't. I can't tell you if Willow would feel anything for you. I'm not an expert on vampires. I know what I've heard and what I've seen. Every vampire is different, every demon reacts differently to a turning. Much depends on the sire, on the childe's first few days. Does any of that make sense to you?"
Dawn nodded, "Yes, it actually does. Spike is going to be a great sire, isn't he?"
"I think he will provide her with the training she needs to survive as well as the guidance she needs to adjust to her new life," Anya said slowly. "I also believe that Spike will cherish the bond between him and his childe in a way that not many vampires are smart enough to appreciate. He needs her just as she needs him. It will be much easier for both of them once she has a soul."
"So the soul will act as her conscience, as a way of keeping her demon under control," Dawn said thoughtfully, finally starting to understand, sort of.
"Yes, it will give her boundaries. It won't prevent her from killing, it will just make her recognize the consequences of such an act," Anya explained, glad to see that the girl seemed to be understanding that it wouldn't be the same as it was. Even with a soul, Willow would be different. She didn't really want Dawn to expect everything to be sunshine and roses just because Willow would have a soul.
"She'll be able to care, though," Dawn said, needing to know that Willow could still love her even with a demon.
"She can care now," Anya explained, "even with a demon, she can experience emotions such as love. Spike is one of the most caring demons I've ever met, though I would never admit those words to him, and he has one of the strongest demons I've ever come across. It can happen, but most vampires don't give a damn about anything except blood and pleasure so they never learn, they're never taught."
"Spike would teach her, wouldn't he? I can see the differences between him and those vampires we fight. I have memories of Angel and Angelus, know that he was different than those minions too. But, Spike is even different than Angel, isn't he? I mean, Angel has a soul and that's the main reason he wants to help people. If he didn't, when he was Angelus, well, he wanted to destroy the world. Spike didn't want to end the world, and that was even before the implant," Dawn rambled, loving that she had someone to talk to about all this, that was listening to her and trying to help her understand.
"Spike is special," Anya shrugged, "I don't know how when he comes from the Aurelius line. And don't get me wrong. There was a time when he and Angelus crossed Europe and did what ever they wanted. That usually meant killing and torture. You need to remember that Spike has killed and tortured a lot of innocent people in his time, Kid. Trust me when I say that he didn't earn the nickname Spike because of his haircut. He's not some hero that has never done wrong, he doesn't need to be romanticized into being something that he's not. Don't get me wrong. He *has* changed. He's not that same demon anymore. That's part of life, I guess. Changing and adapting. He had it rough. He had to share his sire with her sire, which is common, but I somehow think things in that family were pretty fucked up. Angelus was a bastard and Drusilla was a loony damn bitch that had no idea what she had in Spike. I think he's been searching for decades to find something to call his, even though he'd probably threaten to kill me for daring suggest the idea."
"I kind of agree with you," Dawn admitted softly, sharing a smile with the demon. "I think he needs someone to take care of that wants *him*. Willow is good for him. He's not thinking about Buffy anymore, which is great. He looks at her in a way that makes me think it could be something else, you know, besides just being her sire."
"Spike has wanted Willow for years," Anya said matter of factly. "Trust me on that. One night he got drunk and started talking. I smartly sat back and listened. He intended to turn her that night in the warehouse, had decided that she would make a diversion to get his mind off Drusilla. Since then, I don't think he has ever completely forgotten her. There were women in between, but something about her attracted both the man and the demon. Now, he finally has her. It will be interesting to see what he does now that she's his."
"It's quiet now," Dawn said, realizing that the noises had stopped. "They must be..um...finished."
"I suppose she is sleeping again," Anya decided. She turned her attention to Dawn and asked, "Do you understand better?"
"Yes," Dawn smiled. "Thank you for being honest with me, for treating me like an adult and answering my questions."
"Don't thank me," Anya said. "I was tired of hearing you fidget in the chair as your teen-age mind tried to understand what isn't easily understood. As for treating you like an adult, well, this is the first time I've ever seen you behaving like one. Keep it up and you might get over that whiny brattiness yet."
"Okay, I don't thank you," Dawn said with a slight smile, feeling much better after hearing Anya's explanation. She still had a lot of questions but felt a bit more reassured that things would be different but okay. She had learned a lot from Anya today, realized that she had underestimated the demon. It seemed like they might be becoming friends, but she wouldn't dare suggest that knowing the woman would deny every word and probably end up shutting her out completely. Instead, she said primly, "You're an evil demon that didn't help me at all."
"Just you remember that, Brat," Anya said with a wink as she picked the phone back up, ready to start another round of calls to try to locate a soul restoration.
"I'm hungry. Want some food?" Dawn asked as she stood, stretching as she covered a yawn. It wasn't even seven yet, but she was tired. It had been a stressful day, and she was still nervous about how Willow was, and about the sounds that had come from the bedroom and what they meant exactly. Maybe some food would wake her up. She had been listening to Anya on the phone and knew the demon wasn't any closer to finding any answers. It looked like it would be a long night for all of them. "I can make soup."
"Sure, food sounds good," Anya nodded as she dialed yet another number, hoping that she would finally find someone that had knowledge of a soul restoration.
~Part: 19~
Dawn was napping on the couch when she heard Anya's exclamation. She sat up quickly, her dark eyes moving to the demon. She glanced at the clock, surprised to see that it was nearly nine. She had turned on the television and sat down to watch as Anya had continued making her calls, not realizing that she would drift off to sleep. She felt slightly guilty for sleeping as Anya had apparently been busy on the phone. She listened to the demon, trying to figure out what had caused such excitement.
"So you know something?" Anya asked, listening as her friend Gretyiso began to talk. "Uh huh…okay…is that it? No, no, don't get me wrong. It's somewhere to start. Yeah…really? Here, let me get something to write on so I can get that information."
Dawn handed Anya a table and a pen, smiling at her as she sat back down. It sounded like Anya had finally found some sort of soul restoration spell. Dawn was eager to hear the details, listening as Anya repeated what appeared to be a spell along with a list of ingredients. They had a spell!
Anya thanked her friend and hung up the phone, looking at Dawn and sighing, "Well, I finally found someone who knew something, but I'm not sure if this will help. It's a place to start, though."
"What is it?" Dawn asked.
"He told me about a temporary soul restoration," Anya stretched before sitting down. "It lasts seven days at a time."
"One week?" Dawn frowned, "that's all he knew?"
"He's the first person I've found that even knew that much," Anya shook her head. "This permanent soul thing is more difficult than I imagined. I got the spell from him in case it takes us longer to find a permanent spell. It will buy us some time to keep searching."
"You're right," Dawn said. "We could do this spell and get her soul back and keep looking. Should we go tell Spike?"
"It's been pretty quiet in there," Anya remarked, looking at the door to her bedroom thoughtfully. "I suppose we can see if he's awake. He needs to know where we stand at the moment. I've got calls in to over a dozen demons across the world. They're all looking for something permanent and have promised to call if they hear of anything, no matter how remote. For now, though, this temporary spell will give us a week, and we can always repeat it if we needed to."
"Let's see if Spike's sleeping, find out what he thinks," Dawn suggested as she moved to the bedroom door. She opened it slowly, knowing that he had warned them not to come in until he told them. She didn't poke her head in, instead whispering into the darkness, "Spike? Are you awake?"
"What is it, Niblet?"
"Anya found a demon that knew about this temporary soul restoration spell," Dawn explained, finding it rather odd to be whispering into a dark room. "No one else has heard about anything that would be helpful. She's going to keep making calls, but we were wondering if you wanted us to do the temporary spell so that she can get her soul back now instead of having to wait until we find something else."
Spike lowered his head, brushing his lips over Willow's cheek as he thought. A temporary soul restoration? It would be much easier for her if she got her soul back before she woke up again, he knew. The longer she went without it, the harder it would be to adjust. Her demon was strong, just as he'd figured. He asked Dawn, "How long is temporary?"
"A week," Dawn replied softly, not wanting to disturb Willow.
"A week," Spike repeated, his mind running through every possible scenario. This would be for the best, he finally decided. Get her soul back before she woke again. It would be easier to adjust if she had a soul. Not nearly as confusing. His eyes closed briefly as he again rebelled against the idea of giving her a soul, knowing that it was for the best but also knowing that he hated the idea of his lovely childe cursed with a soul. How different was he than the soldiers that had given him this stupid chip? He was no better than those bastards. She was his childe, his companion, and he was forcing her to be a vampire with a soul. He had looked into her eyes, had seen glimpses of the Willow that he had known, knew that she would not be completely different as a demon. She'd be stronger, more confident, bloody breathtaking. He got hard just thinking about her hunting, her red hair around her face as she played with her food. And she would be a player, that he knew. Mischievous and wicked and intelligent and gorgeous. She would be the ideal childe and mate. If he didn't have this damn implant, it would be perfect. As it was, those dreams had to be forgotten.
"Spike?" Dawn waited for his answer.
"Go ahead and do it," he snarled, looking at the ceiling with a frown. If he didn't do it, she'd leave him. Why would someone as powerful and beautiful as her want to be with him? He couldn't even feed on his own, couldn't fight to protect her. She'd never be able to love him without her soul. And he wanted her to love him, he had realized while laying in the dark room. He wanted her to choose to be with him, to look at him with the same devotion and love and loyalty that he had felt for his own sire in the beginning. When she woke up this time, she'd have her soul. He wondered how that would change things. Would she still want him, need him, crave him? Would the soul drive her away from him? He scowled at that idea, having never given much thought to how the soul would react to him. He was her sire, she was his childe. She couldn't leave him. His blue eyes grew thoughtful as he recalled what Dawn had said. The soul restoration would last only a week. If he wasn't pleased with the results, if she didn't want him when she had the soul, he'd refuse to allow the permanent spell. He smiled slowly, relaxing now that he had figured out a plan just in case. He doubted that he had to worry, but it never hurt to have a plan. Something useful Angelus had taught him over the years. His arm tightened around her as he continued to hold her, his eyes closing as he snuggled closer to her.
"He said to do the spell," Dawn told Anya after she had shut the door. "Do you have what we need?"
"Everything we need is at the store. I guess it doesn't hurt to do this one now," Anya said as she glanced at the list. Looking back at Dawn, she said, "I've got two demons that are pretty sure they had heard about something permanent. They're going to call me as soon as they find the spell they're thinking about, so there's a chance we could have two spells to choose from within twenty-four hours. I have to go to the store to get what we need if we want to do this tonight."
"The sooner the better," Dawn decided. "I'd rather her get the soul now so it's easier when she wakes up again."
"Having a soul won't be easy either way," Anya muttered as she rolled her eyes. She went to pick up her keys, asking, "Will you be okay here?"
"Yeah," Dawn smiled. "I'm going to call the hospital and check on Buffy and then maybe watch some television. I'll keep an eye on Spike and Willow."
"I can't believe Xander still hasn't called," Anya observed as she looked at the silent cell phone. "He's a bastard."
"Hey, whatever," Dawn said with a frown. Xander had worked his way from her happy list to her angry list and was now sitting alone on her disgusted list. She was surprised that he hadn't called yet, wondering if he was still at the hospital, knowing that he obviously hadn't been by her house to see her note or by his own to check his answering machine. Did he not think they'd have been worried by now? She guessed he didn't care about anything except his precious Buffy. "How long do you think you'll be gone?"
Anya shrugged, "Should be back in half an hour or so. I think I'll grab some books from the store, see if they mention anything about a permanent restoration. I hate books!"
"I can look through them while you call," Dawn volunteered, liking the idea of feeling useful.
"Good, you can be research girl then," Anya smiled slightly, deciding that Dawn might not be that bad after all, for a human teenager. Remembering suddenly, she added, "Oh, don't open the door to anyone and don't talk to strangers that may call."
"What if it's one of your demon friends?" Dawn asked, fighting a smile at Anya's instructions, having almost expected to hear that she should look both ways before crossing the street.
"Hmm," Anya frowned, finally deciding, "I guess they wouldn't be strangers if I know them so you can speak to them. Just take a message. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Dawn watched her leave before she picked up the phone to call the hospital to check on her sister. She sat on the sofa and got comfortable as she waited for a nurse to pick up.
~Part: 20~
The call to the hospital had been informative. Buffy was in recovery and appeared to be doing well, would probably be released in a couple of days. Dawn was glad to hear the good news. Even if she couldn't stand Buffy most of the time, she did love her sister and would never want anything bad to happen to the slayer. She'd probably try to visit her sister the following day, deciding that the best place to tell Buffy what had happened to Willow and Tara would be the hospital because she could leave if the slayer got too bitchy. Satisfied that there wasn't anything else to do until she had a book to start reading for research, the teen picked up the remote control, flipping through the channels until she found something of interest. Soon, she was involved in the program as she waited for Anya to return.
Willow's eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the darkness of the room. She felt an arm around her waist, a body behind her. Spike. She turned her head slightly, her eyes moving over his face. He was sleeping, his eyes closed and his lips curved into a small smile. She gently brushed her lips over his, pulling back as he moved. He didn't wake up, allowing her to study him. She could remember everything. Tara, blood, falling over. After that, it got blurry. She had heard voices <Dawn?> and then she had felt him take her in his arms. She'd been dying, she'd been shot. Her hand moved to her chest where the bullet had entered her, confusion flashing in her green eyes. Spike had saved her. He had turned her, taken her as his childe just as he had promised that night years ago. She closed her eyes as she embraced her demon, learning what it was, feeling its desires and needs. When she opened her eyes again, she smiled. Everything finally stopped spinning. She understood.
She was a vampire, childe of Spike, grandchilde of Drusilla, great-grandchilde of Angelus and so on. She could feel the power flowing within her veins. The strength of her bloodline mixing with her own personal strength. This wasn't what she had expected. When she had imagined being turned into a vampire, her visions had been of violence and blood and uncontrollable hunger. She felt none of those things at the moment. Instead, she felt safe and protected and curious. She also felt a pull towards the vampire that had sired her, a need for him to be proud of her, to want her, to satisfy him. She had desired him even when she was alive, that desire only intensifying upon her death and turning. She smiled as she looked at him, her eyes sweeping over his figure. Mine, her demon screamed as she licked her lips. He was so strong, the power he gave off even in sleep arousing and dangerous. His scent surrounded her. She wanted to feel him everywhere, to have him inside her, to give herself to him as none ever had. She wanted him to cherish her and speak about her as she recalled him speaking about his sire. She would please him, her lovely sire.
She was about to kiss him, wake him from his dreams to claim him, to look into his eyes and let him see her and know what she felt, what she needed, when she smelled it. She lifted her head, sniffing the air as she looked towards the door. She cocked her head to the side, listening, her eyes narrowing as she heard the soft sound of a heartbeat. Gracefully, she left her sire's embrace and rose from the bed, her eyes staring at the door. She walked a step, glancing down and scowling at the material that covered her legs. She pushed it off, leaving her wearing only her sire's shirt. She inhaled his scent, a feeling of pleasure washing over her body and mind as she glanced back at him on the bed. Mine, she again thought, her hand moving down her body until she felt the wetness between her thighs. She needed him. She took a step towards the bed shaking her head slightly before turning back to the door. The smell, the sound, she needed to see what it was, to discover why it was familiar. She opened the door quietly, not wishing to disturb her sire from his sleep. Stepping into the brightly lit room, she grimaced as she moved her arm over her eyes.
Dawn heard the sound of the door opening, glancing up and expecting to see Spike. Instead, she found herself looking at Willow. The redhead was standing in the doorway, her arm over her eyes. She was awake! Dawn was off the sofa in seconds, running towards the woman and hugging her tightly, whispering, "Willow, I love you!"
Willow was startled when she felt the weight of the girl crash into her, nearly losing her balance as she felt thin arms wrap around her waist. She heard the girl's words, her eyes flashing as she inhaled the sweet scent of human blood that rushing through the teen's veins. She was pulled towards the sofa by the girl, her eyes looking into brown eyes that were staring at her with love and curiosity. "Dawn?" she whispered softly, recognizing the girl from her memories.
"You know me?" Dawn felt tears in her eyes as she smiled, "I knew you'd remember me. I knew you wouldn't forget me no matter what happened," with those words she again embraced the redhead.
Willow sat down, more tired than she would have thought after taking such a short walk. The girl was hugging her again, warm arms tight around her. She lowered her head to the girl's neck, sniffing the flesh, smelling the blood that kept the girl alive. Her eyes flashed yellow as she pulled her head back, the demon enjoying the scent of the girl. She closed her eyes as she recalled everything about the girl hugging her. Dawn, her friend, her surrogate sister, the voice she had heard as she had laid on the floor dying. Dawn. She opened her eyes, the demon under control. That was when she felt him, turning her head to look at the man standing in the door. His blue eyes caught hers, stared deep into her eyes as she returned his gaze. She watched him relax, realized that he had intended to protect the girl hugging her if needed. He needn't have worried. Her demon felt no desire to kill this human girl, felt almost affectionate in fact. This girl loved her knowing what she was, had no fear hugging a vampire that could easily kill her in seconds, trusted her completely. The demon had no interest in destroying that trust. Her sire's lips curved into a slight smile as he watched her, her eyes moving along his face and down his bare chest past his jeans down to his bare feet. She wanted.... her eyes flashed as she looked back into his eyes, her nostrils flaring as she ached for his touch. Mine, her demon screamed as she licked her lips, watching as his eyes flashed from amused to aroused.
"I love you, Willow," Dawn said again, pulling back to look at the redhead. She saw her friend looking to the side, following her gaze and finding Spike standing in the door. She saw the look in his eyes and gulped, looking back at Willow before looking back at him. They both seemed to have forgotten she was there, staring at each other in a way that she'd only ever read about. She sighed as she let go of Willow, knowing that some sire and childe thing must be happening. Or maybe it was a man and woman thing. Either way, it didn't include a fifteen-year old human.
Willow felt the girl let her go, turning her head away from her sire to stare at the human that she had once loved. She smiled softly as she said, "Dawn."
"I hope you don't hate me," Dawn whispered, voicing her fears. "I asked Spike to turn you so that I wouldn't lose you, so we wouldn't lose you."
"I don't hate you, Dawny," Willow said quietly, understanding why Spike had been in her room, why he had turned her. Dawn had saved her. She owed this girl her life. For that, she would control the urge to taste her innocent blood. She lowered her head, running her tongue over Dawn's neck causing the girl to gasp. Pulling back, she smiled, "You should be careful about letting vampires near your neck, sweet little Dawn."
"Willow," Dawn felt herself smiling as she looked at her friend, seeing traces of the Willow she had always known in her green eyes. Dawn looked at Spike in surprise, "I don't understand. She doesn't have a soul yet she's like our Willow."
"Don't need a soul to care, Niblet," Spike said, his eyes not moving from his glorious childe. When he had woken to find her gone, he'd been scared that she had left him. He'd been surprised to find her with Dawn, shocked to find her already so in control of her demon. He was mighty proud of her, and she wasn't even yet a day old. When she had looked at him, the desire and need in her green eyes, he'd had to resist the urge to sink deep inside her without care of their audience. She wanted him even though he had this bloody implant, looked at him as if he meant everything to her. She was beyond his expectations. She was his.
"I'm tired, sire," Willow whispered as she laid against the sofa, realizing she hadn't been ready to leave the bed yet. She needed to rest, needed to feel his arms around her as she slept.
"Poor baby," he drawled huskily as he moved from the door towards the couch. "Shouldn't have left our bed so soon, luv. You need to sleep longer, rebuild your energy. Maybe tomorrow you can visit with Dawn."
"Tomorrow," she agreed as he lifted her into his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder, a smile of contentment crossing her pretty face as she felt him against her. She looked at the confused teen sitting on the couch and gave her a sleepy smile, "Sleep well, Dawny."
"You too, Willow," Dawn said softly, watching with interest as Spike gently moved Willow against him, a possessive yet tender look in his eyes as he looked at the redhead. She watched them until they had entered the bedroom, the door closing behind them, leaving her alone with her thoughts about what she had just seen. She hoped Anya returned soon. She had a hundred more questions to ask the demon.