Buffy paused in her packing at the whining and smiled. She looked up at her best friend, who was laying across her bed, a forlorn expression on her pretty face. "Willow, quit acting like I'm never coming back. It's just for three months. Heck, not even that long. I think you can survive without me. It's not like I've been the best friend lately anyway."

"Oh, stop already." Willow said, pouting. "You had a lot of things to deal with this year, as did I. We've already agreed that we both sucked as a best friend. BUT, you're leaving before we can even make up for it."

"Like you really care if I'm around or not" Buffy said, laughing as she put her swimsuit in the bag.

"I do too" Willow defended. "It just isn't fair. Xander and Anya actually found enough time and money to go on that damn cruise. Plus, Xander's aunt decides to be nice for once and let them stay at her place in Hawaii for two months. Then, you leave me to go visit your dad. I didn't even think you really liked your Dad anymore."

"I love my Dad" Buffy said, shaking her head. "And I agree that it does suck that Xander and Anya are gone too, but it's not like you're alone."

Willow frowned, "Yes I am!"

"You forgot Giles" Buffy pointed out, holding up one finger.

"He's too busy with his music lately. Besides, Giles and I don't really hang out together." Willow said, rolling her eyes. "Hell, even Riley went back to Iowa. I'd put up with him just for some company."

"Hey, I could find that comment offensive!" Buffy said, rolling her eyes. Before Willow could say anything, she laughed, "I know what you meant. Don't get so worried. Besides, you've forgotten something else....."

"The fact that this summer is going to be the most boring and horrid one of my life?" Willow asked sweetly.

Buffy looked at the redhead and smiled sweetly in return, "You've forgotten your best bud. Spike!"

Willow grimaced, "God! It's even worse. You're sticking me with Barnabus!"

Buffy tried to be serious, but started laughing, "Oh, Will. You know that he and you are just so close. You should love all this togetherness time!"

"Shut up, slayer" Willow said, glaring at the blonde. "That news just makes this summer even better. I'm thinking, not leaving the house."

Buffy finished packing, fastening her suitcase. "Willow, quit being so dramatic. You probably won't even see Fangless anyway. Not like he hangs around for fun. Just when there's something important going on. Besides, Giles won't make you deal with the Bleached Wonder anyway. I bet Spike runs away as soon I leave town."

"We can only hope" Willow muttered, looking at Buffy. She sighed, "You're leaving. Really leaving."

"Yes, I am" she said, smiling softly. "You could always come with me."

"Nah. What would Giles do if some huge demon threatened the Hellmouth and he was alone?" Willow asked.

"Probably run and hide and call me, same as he'd do if you stayed" Buffy said, laughing.

"I can't. It won't be that bad" Willow said, trying to sound positive. "I've been wanting to read War and Peace anyway."

"Quit trying to make me feel guilty!" Buffy said, laughing. She heard a honk and went to the window. "That's my Dad. Are you sure you don't want to go?"

"I'm sure." Willow said, standing and taking one of Buffy's suitcases. "I'll help you abandon ship, deserter!"

Buffy went to Willow and hugged her friend. "I'll be back before you know it. I bet you end up having a great time."

"Always the optimist" Willow said, smiling reluctantly. She hugged Buffy back and laughed, "Fine. I forgive you. Enjoy San Francisco. Buy me something good."

"I will. If I happen to find any good looking straight men, I'll be sure to take a picture" Buffy said, laughing as she took her other suitcase and kept her arm entwined with Willow's as they headed downstairs towards her Dad.

********************

After waving goodbye to Buffy, Willow trudged back up to their dorm room. She needed to pack. The dorms were being closed for the summer, so the redhead was being forced into moving back into her house. Although she supposed it didn't make much difference where she was living. She'd be alone either way. With Buffy being gone, the room would be more silent than usual, and her parents were taking an extended vacation to West Haven. They had been attending a convention in Connecticut, and decide to stay and reaffirm something that Willow couldn't quite pronounce. It didn't really matter they were gone, and she was home. Alone. Sighing heavily, Willow pulled out her suitcase and began packing. She wasn't really paying attention to what she was doing, or what she was placing in her suitcase. All she could think about was the long, boring summer ahead of her. She didn't really begrudge her friends their summer fun, but she never seemed to have any of her own. Now she was stuck spending the hot summer months with a retired watcher and Barnabus, the fangless wonder. Maybe Buffy was right though, and Spike would be scarce. She could always hope. Taking one last look around, Willow grabbed her suitcase and her laptop and headed out the door. She closed the door behind her and started the trek to her parent's house. The walk was made in almost complete and utter silence, and she wondered if Giles would even need her.

********************

Willow walked through the silent streets of Sunnydale, their silence only further reminding her of how lonely and boring her summer was sure to be. The sun had set nearly half an hour ago and there hadn't even been a whiff of a threat. Even the vampires had all left Sunnydale. How depressing was that? Closing the distance between the street and Giles' porch, Willow smiled sadly. She hoped he would have some evil for her to research. Something to get her mind of the bleakness of her summer.

Willow walked into the former watcher's house, after knocking only once. Giles didn't seem to be home, at least not where she could see him. She wasn't about to start checking bathrooms, bedrooms and closets where she really didn't want to know things went on. After a walk into the kitchen to get something to drink, Willow looked around the apartment and was disappointed that there wasn't a mass of books and papers waiting to be gone through. There didn't appear to me much of a need for her there. She sighed as she flopped down on the couch.

"Willow." Giles smiled slightly as he entered the room.

Willow turned around and smiled brightly. "Giles." She stood up and hugged the watcher briefly, being careful not to spill her soda on him.

"How are you?" He asked her as he took a seat on the chair near the couch. He looked at her and waited patiently for her answer. He could see the boredom already evident in her green eyes. It was rather funny to him that they found normal evenings a bore after so many nights of fighting demons and vampires. It had taken him most of the past year to grow used to having leisure time again. Now, though, he had to confess that it was rather nice. Willow, on the other hand, seemed to be going stir crazy already. And the summer had just started.

Willow frowned. "Buffy's gone. She left with her dad last night. I've already received a postcard from Xander who is having a marvelous time in the sun and fun of Hawaii. Probably shagging Anya in the sand." She turned to look at the coffee table for a second, frowning and shuddering at that image. "Anyway, there is nothing to do. This summer sucks, and it's barely started." She whined.

Before she could say anything more the front door was thrust opened and Spike strode in, looking to all the world like he owned the place. He glanced at them, making a face and rolling his eyes before he tossed his leather duster on the back of the sofa, one of it's arms hitting the back of Willow's head. She glared at him, pushing it on the floor as he smirked and continued on his journey.

Willow groaned as Spike made his way into the kitchen an opened up the fridge and pulled out a bag of blood. "Don't you have somewhere else to be, Barney? Someone else to harass?" She craned her neck to look at him, "Someone to kill? Oh wait--no....can't--so sorry. For a minute there, I mistook you for a real vampire." She turned her head back round, a gleam of triumph in her green eyes as she smiled sweetly at Giles, missing the ripple in Spikes features at her insult.

Spike sauntered into the living room, mug in hand. Once he was clearly in Willow's view he stabbed it his chest dramatically. "Oh, Hazel, you wound me with your witty insults." He stared down at her. "Move." He barked as he motioned at the couch.

Willow quirked an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Spike rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I said move." He reiterated slowly. When she didn't budge, he grabbed the remote control off of the coffee table and pointed it towards the TV as he pushed a couple of buttons. Soon some cartoon character with ridiculous hair was staring back at them.

"Johnny Bravo? You've *got* to be kidding me." Willow looked at him incredulously.

Spike shrugged, and when it was apparent she wasn't moving, he flopped down next to her. "Bugs and Daffy are on next." He grinned at her. "You know how I love to see your likeness on the tube."

Willow puffed in annoyance, turning to Giles. "Are you gonna just stand there and let him insult me? Comparing me to some old green skinned, wart-nosed cartoon witch?"

"And who was it who coined the name 'Barney' after that lame excuse for a vampire on that poorly made soap the watcher likes to watch?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, quite right." Giles smiled at their antics as he turned around and headed towards the stairs. They missed the calculating look in his eyes as he put his foot on the first step.

"Where are you going?" Willow asked indignantly, wondering why he was deserting her now that the enemy was there.

"Upstairs." Was all he offered before disappearing.

When Giles returned close to forty minutes later, the vampire and the witch were still arguing heatedly, about what he wasn't sure. The topics always varied. The only thing that didn't was the consistency. He paused, waiting for the inevitable blow up that would be coming soon. He placed bets on which one would be the first to stand in anger this time. Again, it always seemed to change.

Spike whispered something to Willow which she didn't like and the witch stood up her face red in anger. "That's it. I've had it! You keep away from me!" She screamed as she threw her half-full soda can at the vampire. She smiled as the dark liquid soaked into his black T-shirt, almost wishing he had been wearing white just so it would have stained.

"As long as you stay the bloody hell away from me, stupid bint!" Spike snarled, as his hair was drenched in the sticky substance. He felt the cotton of his shirt sticking to his skin, adding to his irritation. He glared at the redhead witch, his eyes flashing yellow as visions of her painful torture flashed through his mind.

"Stupid? Me? Coming from you? Whatever Barney. Just stay away from me this summer!" Willow shrieked at him, her eyes flashing with anger.

The sound of a cleared throat broke the silence as they stood glaring at each other. "I don't think so, children." Giles spoke calmly, with only the slightest hint of a smile. As one, both Willow and Spike turned to the watcher, their bodies tense from anger.

********************

"What did you say?" Willow demanded, glaring at the watcher.

Giles sighed, trying to hide his amusement. "I said that I didn't think so."

"Children" Spike added, his eyes flashing yellow at the gall of the stupid human. "You referred to me, William the Blood, as a child?"

Willow snorted, "Well, he got one part of it right I guess." She then frowned, turning her green eyes to the watcher, "You think I'm a child?"

"Stupid man is old but not blind" Spike said, smirking at the redhead. "He knows a silly little immature chit when he sees one."

"Shut up Barney. William the Bloody my fucking ass. More like William the Wimpy now." She said, grinning as she saw his eyes flash at her direct hit.

"Ahem" Giles cleared his throat, deciding he should interrupt before blood was drawn, this time at least. That and the fact that he was beginning to get a rather nasty headache. "If I may continue?"

"Be my guest" Spike said, glaring as he fell back on the sofa, avoiding the wet spot from the soda. "Like I give a care what you're going to say anyway."

"You'd better care. He's your watcher, you stupid moron. If he wants, we stake you." Willow suddenly brightened, looking at the watcher. "Do we get to stake Spike?"

"No staking" Giles said, looking down so they wouldn't see him roll his eyes. Willow, he knew, would be devastated if the blonde vampire were gone. He had seen her reaction a month before when Spike had been delayed coming back from patrol. She might hide it, very well he realized, but she was rather taken with their vampire helper.

"Do we get to find out the ways to properly kill a witch?" Spike asked, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "I mean, since you got that book and all about them Salem tortures, why not use it?"

"I'm choosing to ignore that in hopes that Giles will be sending you somewhere far far away" Willow said maturely.

"Yes, well, Spike isn't going anywhere, I'm afraid." Giles saw the smirk on the vampire's face as Willow sighed sadly.

"Sorry, Hazel. Don't get rid of me that easy" Spike said, smiling widely. "I'm too good to get rid of."

"Then, are you sending me somewhere far away?"

"Oooh, I like that idea" Spike said, looking eagerly at the watcher. "Maybe let them keep her for awhile?"

"Enough!" Giles finally said, realizing it had been over half an hour of barbs being thrown back and forth between the two as he had tried to speak. "You two had better get this animosity between you settled."

"Why? I like this animosity" Willow said, frowning as she glared at Spike.

"Because, Willow, you two are the only ones left this summer." Giles spoke slowly, trying to keep his patience in check. This was a way to cure his boredom, but it was fast growing annoying. He was tempted to send them both somewhere far away. Damn, he needed an aspirin.

"And you" Willow added sweetly, glaring at Spike.

"I am going to be quite busy I'm afraid. I am going to be relying on you two for the majority of the work this summer" Giles said.

"Why do I suddenly not like where I think this is headed?" Spike asked, finding a cigarette. He needed nicotine.

"Headed? Where is it headed?" Willow asked Giles, a sinking feeling in her stomach at his slightly annoyed, slightly amused look.

"This summer, we will continue researching and patrolling to keep Sunnydale safe. Just because the slayer is on vacation doesn't mean the nasties are too." Giles said. He caught both their eyes, smiling slightly. "From today on, you two are a team. Sunnydale's future rests in your hands." Gods preserve us all, he added mentally, watching their mouths drop open as they finally understood what he meant. He finally found an aspirin, swallowing it before the screaming began again.

********************

Willow heard Giles words and frowned. "A team? Me and Fangless?"

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Spike said, glaring at the watcher. "I am not working with that twit."

"Well good because I'm not working with him either" Willow said sharply.

"You are both a team" Giles said patiently. "You had better get used to the idea now and deal with it."

"Who died and made you Dad?" Willow asked, wishing now that she had gone with Buffy. Anything other than this. She couldn't stand Spike and he hated her too. How was she supposed to work with him without them killing each other?

"Willow, I would have thought you were more mature than this" Giles said, waiting for the explosions. "I expected it of Spike, but you....you surprise me."

"Hey now, wait a bloody minute!" Spike said, straightening up. "You thought Hazel would be more mature than me?"

"Well, I guess he is smart at times" Willow said sweetly.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be? Like away from me?" Spike asked, glaring.

"No, I'm perfectly fine right here" she said, settling back on the sofa and smiling. She loved making him mad. It was one of the greatest joys in her life.

"Silly bitch" Spike cursed, turning his attention to the watcher. "You can't honestly expect me to work with her."

"Why not?" Giles asked, wishing the aspirin would start working.

"Well, because she's useless" Spike said, as if it was rather obvious to him.

"I am not!" she said, kicking him across the table.

"Ouch, you damn chit, that hurt" he said, holding his knee. He thought about kicking her back and grabbed his head. "Ow ow ow...stupid implant."

She smiled innocently, "Ooops, my foot must have slipped."

Giles smiled slightly, rather believing the vampire deserved that kick. "Actually, Spike. Willow is far from useless. Taking into consideration your implant, she will be the only one that can fight any humans you may come against."

"Like we're really going to have a run on demons this summer" Spike said dryly, hating to have his weakness discussed so openly.

"I certainly hope not but we must be prepared." Giles said.

"Why can't we work solo? I think we could accomplish more alone" Willow said, her eyes begging Giles.

"Enough" Giles finally said, "You two are both working together as a team. If I continue to hear the whining, I will force you to not only work together but stay here just so I can keep an eye on you both."

"Good God, not that!" Spike said, shuddering.

"No way!" Willow said, shaking her head. "Fine, I'll work with him. Under protest I might add."

"Whatever" Spike said, knowing he was caught. He stood, wishing now that he had just stayed at home. He could have avoided the watcher and Willow all summer. Suddenly, he frowned as he imagined how bleak and boring the summer would have been without Willow around to pester him. "Are we done? I need a drink."

"Actually, yes we are done. Please make arrangements to meet tomorrow night for patrol. If anything comes up in the mean time, I have your numbers" Giles said, thankful that they would be leaving him to the peace and quite of his apartment.

"Thanks a lot Giles, for completely ruining my summer" Willow said, pouting.

"Come on Hazel. I'll walk you home and we can figure out a way to avoid each other as much as possible" he said. Stopping, he suddenly gasped, "Wait, I forgot. You have your broomstick. You can just fly away."

"Fuck you, Barney" she said, looking at Giles. "Sorry."

"Just go. I have a terrible headache" he confessed, not adding that they had caused it. If anything, maybe this summer would at least stop some of the arguing.

Willow nodded, knowing Buffy was going to have a hysterical laughing fit when she heard this news. Maybe she wouldn't mention anything about it. Yeah, that would probably be the best bet. "I'll see you tomorrow Giles. Hope you feel better."

"Later watcher" Spike said, "You deserve far worse pain for putting me through this torture. Just thought I'd mention that."

"Appreciate the concern Spike" Giles said, "Until tomorrow, try not to kill each other."

"Can't make any promises" Willow said, smiling widely at him before opening the door and stepping into the night.

"Unfortunately, I can't kill the little witch" Spike grumbled, brightening when he added, "Unless the implant would consider witches in the same non pain inducing category as demons." He frowned, sighing dramatically, "Wait, already tried that. Damn, she's stuck with me I guess."

"Lucky me" Willow called dryly from outside.

"Good night, children" Giles said softly, watching them walk down the stairs as their arguing words reached his ears. He smiled as he shut the door, wondering which would cave first.

********************

"I don't want to work with you," Willow said simply, looking at the blonde.

"Ah, Hazel. You wound me." Spike said, rolling his eyes. Suddenly, he looked at her. "Wait a minute. Why the hell not? What's wrong with me?"

"We don't have that long." Willow said, smiling sweetly. "Dawn will be here in six hours. It would take me at least two days to give you a list."

"Stupid bitch," Spike muttered. Speaking up, he said, "Well, I don't want to work with you either so there."

"I said it first," she smiled as she walked past him.

"So," he said, ignoring her barb, "we agree that we don't want to spend the entire summer working as some silly team."

"Yep," she nodded. "No team for us."

"What are we gonna do about it?" he asked, knowing she must have some ideas.

Willow frowned, then shrugged. "I don't know. Something. I mean, Giles needs to realize we'd be much better working alone. Unless it's some big evil, of course. Then, well, we'd have to work together."

"I doubt we have anything to worry about," Spike said. He hated Buffy, but had to admit that her reputation had done wonders in keepings things quiet. "I bet I get my entire apartment decorated without stopping to fight."

Willow had to laugh at the dejected tone of his voice. "Don't sound so disappointed. We want no evil because it means we can be alone. I mean, alone apart, not alone together."

Spike felt his lips twitching as she rambled in the way he was growing used to. He frowned intentionally as he looked at her, "I wouldn't be alone with you unless it was forced on me by the damn watcher, which it is."

"Well good because I wouldn't want to be alone with you either except Giles is making us." Willow said, frowning.

"What gives him the right, anyway? He isn't a watcher anymore. What business is it of his what we do this summer?" Spike asked, kicking the pavement as they walked.

"You know Giles," Willow said, sighing dramatically. "He makes everything concerning us his business." She smiled slightly, "But he cares, which is nice. I can put up with anything if it makes him happy, even you. But, I still don't like this team thing and am going to do my best to get us out of it. For now, though, I can put up with you."

"Ah, you're getting soft on me, Hazel," Spike said, rolling his eyes. He had to admit that the watcher even made him like a part of the group despite his past and that meant something, though he'd never admit it to anyone.

"Nope. You're the soft one, Fangless. Remember? Poofy junior and all that rot?" Willow said, laughing as he glared at her.

"I am not Poofy Junior!" Spike protested, growling for effect. "Take it back, little girl."

"You're right. I mean, Angel can at least hurt humans if he wanted to. I think you've surpassed him as King Poof," Willow said, laughing as his eyes flashed yellow.

"Well, well..." he frowned, trying to think of a proper insult but nothing compared to his having been called King Poof by the insolent chit. "At least I'm not constantly living in Bitchy's shadow. The silly little twit that messes everything up and makes it all worse."

Willow stopped and glared at him, "I am not in her shadow! I do things. Lots of useful things. Oh, just go away!"

"Sorry, Hazel. Promised the watcher I'd walk you home. Keep you safe from all the nasties and such," he said, having struck back at her and feeling rather proud.

"You are one of the nasties, or used to be before you went all wimpy and soft," she reminded sweetly, her eyes still flashing fire at having been called Buffy's shadow.

"Ok. This team thing is so not going to work," he said, resisting the urge to hit a tree.

"I've already said that!" she said, groaning. "Listen why don't you?"

"We need to think of some way out of this. If I have to spend all summer joined at the hip with you, I think I may see my first sunrise in over a hundred and thirty years." Spike said, shaking his head mournfully.

Willow found herself imagining being joined at the hip with him and was amazed at the rather warm feeling said image brought to her body. She shook her head, wondering where THAT thought had come from. Bad Willow. You hate him. No lusting after Spike. Bad bad thoughts. "Between the two of us, we should be able to think of something."

"I hope so," Spike said, looking hopeful as they continued the walk to her house.

********************

Willow groaned as Giles handed her a heavy book. A cloud of dust blew up into her face as she grabbed the cover harshly. She coughed lightly, ignoring the snicker coming from the vampire sitting on the couch.

"What exactly am *I* looking for?" She asked, stressing the pronoun, hoping to make Giles see Spike wasn't needed.

Giles rolled his eyes slightly. "There's a new prophecy and I need you, BOTH of you, to research it. According to the references I found, it's supposed to come about sometime in the next year. I believe it would be in our best interest to begin research immediately."

Willow groaned again. Just what they needed, another prophecy. "What's it say?"

Giles picked up another book and began to read the passage: 'When the moon becomes hidden
Two will come, unbidden
One from darkness
One from light
Together they will fight'

He paused as his eyes scrunched together. "I can't seem to translate the rest." He looked up at Willow. "It does go on to say that they will defeat some evil, which is unequaled to anything we've seen so far. Hence the need to identify the remainder of the prophecy."

Willow took the book from Giles and looked closely at it, willing it to give her more information. When it didn't, she frowned and sighed, handing the book to Spike who just shrugged and closed it without even looking. Willow's frown deepened as his obvious lack of regard for the severity of the situation.

Giles watched as Willow's eyes narrowed at the vampire and spoke before they could start bickering again. "To add to this wonderful prophecy, I've heard whisperings in town about a new demon that arrived in the past few days. Supposed to be of a breed we've never seen here. Strong. Powerful. Dangerous."

"And you think that this might have something to do with the prophecy?" Willow guessed, wishing that she lived in some small town whose only idea of vampires was based on movies and television. She could remain oblivious to the true elements that went bump in the night. Scowling, she realized just how boring her life would be.

"It's a possibility." Giles admitted, rubbing his temples.

"Well, I'll go to Willie's and see if I can find anything out." Willow said as she started heading towards the door.

"You, Hazel? I think not!" Spike snorted, glaring at the girl.

Willow turned around to face him, her eyes sparkling dangerously. "And why not, Barney?"

"Because, you daft twit, you'd get yourself killed, that's why!" He hissed.

Willow felt anger bubble forth at his lack of trust in her abilities but then smirked when she realized what he said. "And you care, why?"

"I don't!" Spike snapped indignantly. "I just figure I should keep you alive long enough so I can kill you myself."

"Fine, if you want to tag along...." Willow let the sentence trail off, watching his face.

"Not bloody likely!" Spike scowled. "I'll go to Willie's. You can go...somewhere else. Check the library. that sounds like something you can do without screwing it up."

"Ooh!" Willow stalked towards him, green eyes ablaze with anger. "I oughta......"

"What, Hazel? What would you like to do?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow as they stood opposite each other..

"I. Hate. You." She hissed between clenched teeth before she grabbed her bag and stormed out of the house.

Spike turned to Giles and grinned. "Was it something I said?"

Giles shook his head slightly. "You really shouldn't provoke her."

"But it's so much fun." Spike grinned again. . Spike shook his head from his errant thought. Where did that come from? Shuddering slightly he grabbed his duster which was slung over the back of the couch and left the watcher's house and headed towards Willie's bar.

********************

Willow was grumbling to herself as she stormed down the street. How dare that Fangless wonder treat her like a child? She had half a mind to stake him and put him out of his misery, and hers. But even as she had the thought she knew she wouldn't, couldn't kill him. But that realization only served to infuriate her more.

She had barely calmed down by the time she entered the magic shop. She was pleased to see the shop's owner, Celeste, was in. IF there was a new demon in town, Willow was sure she would know something about it.

"Good Evening, Celeste." Willow greeted.

"Willow, how are you?" Celeste smiled.

"I'm good." She smiled at the older lady.

"What can I get for you this evening? Some herbs. a new book." She looked carefully at the witch and then shook her head. "No, you need information."

Willow nodded and grinned slightly. "I've heard there's a new demon in town."

Celeste frowned. She hadn't heard anything about anyone new in town. Things were pretty quiet ever since the Initiative had been shut down. The demons were still a little wary of the town. "I haven't heard anything." When she saw the disappointment in Willow's face, she smiled, "But I may know of someone who can help. Let me get you his address."

Celeste disappeared and returned a few minutes later with a piece of paper. "Here you go." She handed it to Willow. "Good luck."

"Thank you." Willow smiled again before leaving the shop and heading to the address on the piece of paper.

********************

Spike entered the darkened bar and scowled when he saw how empty it was. Business was slow, which could either be a good thing, or a very bad thing. He took a seat at the bar and waited for Willie to acknowledge him. He knew the sleazy bartender had seen him the moment he walked in, but was pretending he hadn't.

When it was clear Spike wasn't going to go away, Willie looked up. "Spike. What can I get for you?"

"Information." Spike snarled, "And a whiskey sour."

Willie nervously poured the drink. "I. uh, I don't know anything"

Spike growled. "I haven't even told you what I'm looking for."

"I don't know nothing. I swear." Willow repeated.

Spike ignored him as he idly wondered if this greasy guy would be considered human. "A new demon in town. Where can I find him?"

Willie looked up nervously. When he saw the gold flecks in Spike's eyes, he took a step back. He'd heard about Spike's situation, but he didn't doubt that the vampire would forgo whatever pain it might cause him just beat the crap out of him.

"I. I told ya I don't know anything." Willow gulped when he heard Spike growl. "But. I know a guy who knows a guy."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"His name is Nyrian. He's a Litchten demon. Deals in information and keeps his ear to the ground. Literally. You can find him in one of the warehouses down Sycamore Street."

Spike was off his barstool and out the door before Willie had even finished speaking.

It didn't take him long to reach the warehouse district. He wasn't sure exactly which warehouse he'd find him in, but he knew from past experience that Litchten demons gave of a powerful stench, and needed extreme cold temperatures to be comfortable, so he would most likely find him either in the local dairy warehouse, or the meat packing plant.

After finding the dairy warehouse empty, Spike headed towards the meat packing plant, wondering if he could pick up some dinner while he was here, thereby making the trip at least slightly useful.

As he entered the building, his senses were overrun by the unmistakable smell of the demon. He followed the scent to the second level of the plant. Just as he turned the corner at the top of the stairs, he snarled.

"You!"

There was the demon, it's lumpy body shuffling around the ground as it moved, speaking in hushed tones with Willow.

********************

Willow turned around at the sound of that all too familiar voice. She groaned to herself. "What are you doing here?"

"Me?" Spike asked. "What are *YOU* doing here?"

Willow smiled sweetly at the bane of her existence. "I'm actually getting information. Whereas you, Barney, are just wasting space."

Spike growled. "What have you learned, Hazel? How to get your self in more trouble than usual?"

"For your information, Fangless, this is Nyrian. He's a trader of information." She motioned towards the demon, who nodded its lumpy body at Spike.

Spike waited, slowly counting to ten. "And?" Spike finally asked, exasperated.

"And," Willow sighed. "He doesn't know anything, specifically. "But," She hurried to continue before Spike's lips could quirk into a smirk, "He does know of someone who might have some information."

Spike raised his scarred eyebrow. "Really, pet? Who would that be? Igor, the demon of useless drivel?"

Willow narrowed her eyes at the vampire, but then just shrugged it off. "No, Igor would be one of your friends. My contacts actually have something to say."

Nyrian moved his body slightly as he watched the two humanoids banter back and forth. He wondered if this kind of behavior was common for a mated couple. The few he'd had dealings with had never seemed so.....hostile, for want of a better word. But from the pheromones in the air alone, it was obvious this couple were mates, or courting at the very least.

Willow turned away from Spike and faced the demon. "This man you told me about, you think he can help us?"

Nyrian nodded his bulky head. "Yes.....for a price. You will have to part with some of your.....wares."

Spike looked up sharply. "Wares?"

Willow waved his question away as she spoke to Nyrian, "Thank you."

She started unbuttoning her jacket and handed it over to the demon. She smiled at Nyrian as she walked past him. When she had made it half way down the stairs and noticed that Spike wasn't behind her, she called up the stairs. "You coming, Barney?"

Spike ran down the stairs after her. "Where do you think you're going?"

Willow ignored him until she had reached the outside of the plant. She leaned against the outside wall of the building, glad to be outside of the chilled warehouse. It had been really cold in there, and after losing her jacket, she had goosebumps, appearing all along her arms.

"I asked you a question." Spike stated in irritation.

Willow rolled her eyes. "Do you want to check out the guy Nyrian told me about or not?" She asked as she rubbed her arms.

Spike watched the action. "Why'd you give 'im your coat?"

Willow looked at him carefully, wondering at the lack of a snide tone to his voice. "He's a trader. He wanted something for the information."

"Where to now?" Spike asked as he took of his duster and handed it to her.

She looked up at him in shock. Spike shrugged. "Don't feel the cold. Plus I don't fancy having to deal with you if you get sick. You're bad enough healthy."

Willow shook her head, knowing she would never understand his logic. "The guy he told me about lives over by the bus depot." She told him as she started walking away, pulling his leather duster up around her as she walked. She decided to ignore the familiar scent of cigarette smoke and leather, not wanting to figure out why these smells reassured her in some odd way.

Spike trailed after her, watching as his coat seemed to engulf her small frame. He smiled at the thought of his coat smelling like Willow and then frowned when he realized where his thoughts were going.

"I need a drink." He mumbled to himself.

********************

Willow looked at the abandoned apartment house. It looked deserted. And creepy. She made a face wondering why she was about to enter a deserted and creepy house at three in the morning. She glanced at Spike and saw his attention focused on the large house in front of them. She was actually glad that he was with her. Not that she would ever admit that to his face, but she knew it would have been rather frightening to go into this place alone.

"Are you going to stand there all day or are we going in?"

Spike glanced at her, his lips smirking slightly at the brave tone in her voice. He leaned towards her, seeing the scowl form on her lips as he moved his head beside her neck. "I can smell it, little girl."

"Smell what, Barney? Can we cut the little dramatics that go with your I'm a bad ass fangless vampire and see if this guy is home already?" she asked, glaring as he moved his body closer to hers. Too close, her mind screamed.

"It's delicious. I wish you could feel what the smell does to my body," he continued keeping his voice low and husky. He sniffed the air deliberately, knowing she was confused as hell. Good, the little chit deserved far worse. He frowned when the scent of her shampoo and the unique scent he identified as her, baby powder and apples, mixed with the scent of leather and smoke. He could feel his body reacting as his demon strained forward. He growled softly, pushing the demon back down and cursing whatever bad blood he had eaten to cause him to think of Red as anything other than an annoyance.

"Spike, cut the games," she said, her voice faltering slightly as he pressed his body practically against hers. If she turned her head just that much, her lips would be brushing his. Her eyes widened as that thought came to her mind. Good God, she must be going crazy. This was Spike....Barney, the fangless wonder. He might inspire X-rated fantasies in others, but not in her. Nope, she only thought of him as an annoyance.

"I wish you could smell it," he said, a smirk crossing his lips as he heard her heartbeat speed up. He ran his tongue over her neck, hearing her gasp of surprise. "The fear sings to me, Red."

"Fear?" she squeaked, not even wanting to see the images that her mind had flashing after the touch of his cool tongue against her lips. She pulled away from him, glaring at him as she saw the cocky, arrogant look in his eyes. "I'm not scared, Barney!"

Spike snorted, "I can smell the fear, luv. You're scared out of your little closed mind, Hazel. Just admit it. You're scared."

"I am not," she hissed, not wanting to admit to any weakness in front of him. He would never let her forget it. She glared at him again, hating him for seeing what she was trying so hard to hide. Hating him for making her body react so strangely with just a simple touch. Just hating him. "I'm going to find this guy. Stay here if you want. I don't give a shit!"

Spike watched the fire enter her eyes and she glared at him. He saw her turn and head towards the old house and smiled, knowing he had had her. If he wanted, he could push it until she was screaming and fighting him. He frowned as visions of shagging her senseless after fighting entered his mind. Shaking his head at the ridiculous thoughts, he hurried to catch up to her before she entered that house alone. He didn't want to see her get hurt. "Wait for me, Hazel. Can't have you getting yourself killed. The damn Watcher would hang me by my balls."

"That would almost be worth dying to have happen," Willow said sweetly, glancing at him and seeing the flash of yellow enter his eyes at her words. She smiled as she pushed open the door to the old apartment house, listening to it creak open and instinctively moving closer to Spike. She missed the knowing smirk that crossed his lips as he moved towards the entrance.

********************

Willow peered into the dark house, not able to see anything. She cursed softly, "Damn."

Spike smirked, knowing that with her weak vision she could see nothing. He reached across her, his arm brushing against her breasts. He muttered, "Sorry."

"Watch it, Barney," she hissed, her heart racing from the brief touch. She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the rush of heat that spread over her.

"Sorry. It was so small, I guess I didn't notice it," he replied in his most charming voice, trying to conceal the desire he had felt at that briefest of contact. This was Willow, for Hade's sake. The annoying little red haired chit that was constantly underfoot and provoking him. The pasty faced mortal that could turn him into knots with just one look from beautiful green eyes and a sniping comment from those tasty looking lips. He groaned, his hand reaching blindly for the wall.

"Stupid bastard," she spat, moving away from his body. She heard him curse as a soft click echoed in the hall. "What is it?"

"The damn lights don't work," he said, groaning. Great. That meant dealing with the little witch instead of sending her one way while he went another.

"Great," she said, reaching her hand in front of her as she started to walk towards the dark shape that had to be the staircase. She felt a hand on her elbow and frowned, "I really hope that is you, Fangless."

"Who the else would be touching you, Hazel?" Spike asked, a flash of jealousy shooting through him at the idea of anyone touching her besides him. He knew she was a virgin, able to smell her purity, but that didn't mean she hadn't been past first base. Anger lit his eyes at the idea of her giving some stupid mortal permission to touch her. She was his, damn it. His to torment and tease and touch. No. No touching, he corrected mentally. He didn't want to touch her. He just didn't want anyone else to either.

"Oh goodie. We're in a dark, seemingly deserted house and you want to discuss my love life. Or lack thereof," she said, her voice annoyed. His hand on her elbow as he led her up the stairs was causing her mind to wander in directions that frightened her. She hated Spike. She should not be walking up a dark staircase and thinking of other places he could touch. Not good. Not good at all.

"I could care less about your inexperience, pet. I want to find this damn demon, see if he knows anything and then get away from here," Spike said, moving up the stairs and practically dragging her after him.

"Inexperience?" she mumbled, miffed that he just assumed she was a virgin. She was, but that didn't make it any easier to accept his assumption. "Stupid, impotent bastard."

Spike smiled, pulling her faster up the stairs, "Naughty little mouth you got there, pet."

"Oh, just shut up," she said, glaring daggers at his back. Or at least where she thought his back might be. She couldn't believe this house was so dark. Not even light from the streetlights outside was coming through. She heard Spike chuckle and wondered again why she had decided to let him come with her to visit this source.

They walked cautiously through the house. It was bigger than it appeared from the outside. And darker. And colder. Willow was trying not to let her fear show. She really didn't like the dark. Even before she found out what lurked in the shadows, she hadn't been comfortable in dark places. And this was one of the darkest she'd ever been to. And having to hide her feelings from her less than pleasant company wasn't helping matters.

"Bloody hell, Hazel! I don't have all night!" Spike snapped when he noticed that Willow had stopped moving. With his enhanced vision, he had no trouble seeing anything, although he wasn't entirely sure what it was he was looking for, other than a way out of this situation.

"This way!" Willow moved past the vampire quickly, hoping he wouldn't pick up on her fear. "There has to be somebody here, somewhere."

Spike smirked. He could feel her fear. "This way." He turned towards the opposite direction that Willow had headed towards.

He turned the corner and entered a room on the left. He moved to the right side of the door and waited for her to come in. He knew she could see barely anything and probably wouldn't notice him standing there.

Willow turned around and followed the direction she thought she'd seen him go. She wasn't entirely certain, as she couldn't make out much of anything in front of her. Moving her hands along the wall to guide her, Willow noticed there was a turn, and assumed Spike had gone this way. She was tempted to call out to him, just to be sure. But her pride refused to let him know that she was frightened and virtually blind.

Moving around the corner, her fingers felt the beginnings of a doorway and started towards it, determined to enter the room with as much confidence as she could muster. She hadn't entered the room completely when she heard it.

"Boo."

It was softly spoken, and so close to her ear that she jumped, her heart hammering in her chest. The voice had sounded so eerie in the silent darkness, adding to her already palpable fear, and she shrieked.

Once she had realized it wasn't some invisible bogeyman, but her excruciatingly annoying companion, Willow's fear turned to anger. She whirled around on him. Well, at least where she thought he was. She lunged for the vague shape she saw outlined in the darkened room.

They fell to the ground in a tumble of arms and legs, slamming the door closed in the process. Willow heard the thump as Spike slammed into the hard ground, and the 'oomph' as her body collided with his.

"Bloody, hell, Witch, what'd you do that for?" Spike snarled as he pushed Willow off of him and onto her own section of the cold, hard ground.

Spike stood up carefully and looked around the room, which for some strange reason seemed darker than usual. Ignoring the grumbling witch on the ground, he made a move towards the door and turned the doorknob.

And cursed under his breath when it came loose in his hands.

"Now look at what you've done?" He snapped as he dropped the small round doorknob into the lap of the witch, who was still trying to get her bearings.

********************

Willow shifted on the hard floor, bunching her coat more underneath her as she tried to get comfortable. It wasn't working. She and Spike had spent hours trying to get the door to this dark room open, only to find each attempt failing. The door was huge and heavy, too large for him to bust down. So, they were stuck. She didn't know what they were going to do, but there wasn't much else they could try. They had finally decided to get some sleep, after spending more than an hour in a very heated argument in which she had used words that normally might have made her blush. Now, he was sleeping across the room from her and she was struggling to fall asleep. The room was pitch black, no electricity working at all. She hadn't even been able to give him a proper glare, knowing he wouldn't be able to see it. And she hated not knowing exactly where they were, not having any idea what lay in the room they were now so casually sleeping in.

She didn't know how Spike could fall asleep so easily, the hard wooden floor driving her insane. Of course, he was used to sleeping on that alter so this might be softer than that marble. She sighed, tossing again as she tried to get some sort of padding underneath her. She heard a low groan coming from across the room and paused, her eyes glancing in the general direction of her nemesis.

"Oh yeah, baby. Like that," a sexy and husky voice whispered.

Willow's eyes widened as she listened to his voice and the accompanying moan. Spike talked in his sleep? She would have smiled at the big badass giving away secrets while he slept if she hadn't been so interested in what he had whispered. He was evidently caught up in an erotic dream or something. She felt her body tighten as she heard another low moan.

"God, you're so good," he said in his sleep, the voice again low and reaching her ears like a lover's caress. "Take it deeper, oh yeah."

She closed her eyes, her body taut as she listened to his dream. She found herself wishing he were saying those words to her, her mind easily imagining the circumstances. She felt her nipples tighten against the soft cotton of her shirt, her stomach fluttering as he became more involved in his dream.

"So warm, so wet," he whispered, again moaning low as she heard the sound of fabric rustling. "Drink it all, luv. Good girl."

Willow moved her hand over her breast, her eyes still closed. She squeezed it through the material, her thumb brushing against the nipples straining for more.

"You feel so good, scream for me baby. Cum for me," he said, the sound of movement making her wonder if he was masturbating. She knew this was bad, to listen to him during something that was so obviously private. She wondered if he had any idea he mumbled in his sleep, and knew it would be impossible to face him during a lighted room knowing what he sounded like during the throes of passion. Again, her body tightened at the image of him making those noises because of her. What was she thinking? She hated him! He hated her too. They had nothing in common except their mutual hatred for each other and the love of antagonizing the other. Yet, she couldn't rid the image of him sinking deep inside her from her mind. A heat spread over her body, an itch starting between her legs as she rubbed her thighs together.

"I want to hear you beg, luv. Beg me to cum," he whispered, his voice thick with lust and need. "That's a good girl. A very good girl. So beautiful."

She moved her hand lower, unbuttoning her jeans and slowly, delicately easing her zipper down. She knew this was so wrong, being this turned on by just some sleepily mumbled words and sounds, but she had never felt this alive before. This on fire. She moved her fingers across her flat stomach, easing into the waistband of her panties. She gasped softly, feeling her cool fingers brushing against her wetness.

********************

Spike groaned, this time for real, as he smelled the obvious arousal coming from across the room and hearing her small gasp of passion. The little chit was playing with herself! He couldn't believe it. He moved his hand over his cock, slowly, drawing out the pleasure as he listened to her soft moan. He hadn't meant things to go this far, fully intending to stop his little game after hearing her heart beat racing. But, he hadn't. He could admit that he had gotten rather involved in the little scenario he had created, his cock hardening and pushing against his denim jeans before he had finally released it from its confines.

He had been laying there on the floor, unable to sleep as he had listened to her tossing and turning and sighing. It was all her damn fault they were trapped in this room yet she kept wanting to blame him. OK, so he had maybe scared her just slightly, but that didn't mean he had been the cause of all this. Nope, that was her doing. And now he was trapped with the one human that could make him so angry and yet so hard with just one glare. He couldn't stand the annoying little witch, yet he loved to make her angry, liking the sparks in those mesmerizing eyes. So, he had decided to have some fun, to take advantage of their situation. He had groaned and begun the game, allowing her to believe he was asleep and having some erotic dream. He had honestly assumed she would be mortified and would crawl over and attempt to wake him from the dream. Now, that thought in itself had his mind racing but he would choose to ignore those images for the moment.

But, she hadn't tried to wake him. Nor had she been outraged. In fact, from the heavy arousal in the air, he would say she was as turned on as he was at the moment. He ran his thumb over the head of his cock, wiping the pre-cum along his length as he began to stroke himself. He heard her gasp again, a slow smile crossing his face. He began to stroke himself, trying to pace his strokes with her breathing. "That's it baby. I want you to cum for me."

He whispered the words, knowing that they were true. He wanted the little witch to cum, for his words to be the cause of her orgasm. He wondered if she had ever played with herself, knowing that she was virgin. No, his Red was a curious one, always asking questions and never being quiet. She'd done it before, he was pretty sure. Judging by the moans coming from that side of the room, she was touching exactly what needed to be touched. "Right there, little girl. Almost there," he said, his strokes becoming more rapid as she began to pant. "Cum for me, pet. Cum for me."

He felt himself cumming, his cool seed spilling onto his hand as he growled in release. He heard her soft cry, caught by her clenched lips as she came, the scent so sweet in the air. He lay on the floor, closing his eyes as he imagined her face. God, what he'd do just to see her cum. His eyes flew open as he came to a sudden realization. He didn't hate the little witch, he wanted her. He wanted to take her and claim her and make her his, be her first and only lover, mark her for all to see. He had been fighting it, trying to deny those feelings, but he couldn't any longer. Not after tonight. No, he finally saw the truth. He wanted Willow Rosenberg and he had no idea what he was supposed to do about it.

********************

Willow let out a breath as she came down from her orgasm. She couldn't believe she had just climaxed from listening to Spike's erotic dream. She licked her lips, feeling embarrassed suddenly. Good grief, what if he had woken up and heard her? She'd have died. She would have had to have heard about that for the rest of her life or until she had killed him, whichever had come first. She moved her hand from her jeans, licking her juices off her fingers, eyes closing slightly as she found herself wishing it was him she was tasting. She sat up at that thought, cursing her rampant hormones. This was Spike she was suddenly fantasizing about. The one person who delighted in torturing her, in making her life miserable. And she wanted him. The ache between her legs reminded her just how much she wanted him. Even now, she wished he was laying beside her, his arms around her. Why did she always have to want what she knew she could never have? He'd laugh if he knew she had just cum from thinking about him, from wanting him to make love to her. She fastened her jeans, bringing her knees up against her chest and resting her chin on them. The room was still pitch black, no light at all peeking through. She closed her eyes, sighing as she realized she had done the stupidest thing she had ever done. Somewhere amongst the fighting and arguing and teasing, she had fallen in love with Spike.

Spike shifted on the floor, listening to her movements with the curiosity of a man that finally realized he was interested. He heard her soft sigh and knew she was embarrassed. If she hadn't been, he'd have been surprised. It was just part of what made her his Willow. That innocence and wonder that always made her face light up. She was so bloody beautiful, and she had no idea. He looked at the ceiling and tried to decide when it was that he had become interested in her. He couldn't remember a time when they hadn't been arguing honestly. Ever since he had taken up with the slayer's little band, the redhead had gotten under his skin. He'd done everything in his power to annoy her. Now, he felt like a foolish child. Teasing her to keep her attention on him, to see her eyes flashing and her face flushed. He'd done everything but dance around naked. Thinking of that visual, he smiled wondering what she would have done if confronted with that sight. He frowned when he smelled the soft scent of salt in the air. He heard soft sobs coming from her direction, causing him to sit up in concern.

Willow wiped the back of her hand across her cheek, feeling stupid for crying. She had been in far worse situations than this. Locked in a room with a man she suddenly realized she loved, a man that hated her and would never feel that way about her. It was all so overwhelming and confusing. She didn't know what to do. How was she going to act around him when she now knew she wanted to push him to the ground and ride him until they both collapsed from exhaustion? He could never find out, but how could she hide it when she hadn't even realized she was hiding it in the first place? She hated this place. Hated this dark room that had forced her into realizing things she was better off not having realized. She could have continued living in denial and been happy. She enjoyed sparring with him, their arguments often getting the others involved. Would she lose that now? Would she be so scared that he'd see that lust in her eyes that she would never fight with him again? She hated thinking of a future like that. A future without Spike.

"Are you OK?" Spike asked softly, knowing that he could not go to her and take her in his arms as he wanted to do.

"You're awake?" she squeaked, glancing in the direction of his voice.

"Yeah," he said, trying to keep the sarcastic tone from his voice but not really succeeding.

"For how long?" she demanded, having the sudden fear that he had heard her orgasm.

"Not long. Heard you sniffling over there. What's wrong?" he asked, sounding as if he didn't really care.

"Nothing," she hastily said, knowing he couldn't care less. "Just can't sleep."

"You're crying. Why?" he asked, his voice a bit sharper than intended. He wanted to make sure she was all right.

"Bad dream," she said, not knowing what else to say.

"You weren't sleeping," he reminded, almost smiling.

"Just drop it," she said, anger replacing the melancholy. "Do you think we're ever going to get out of here?"

"I fucking hope so," he said, not minding the idea of being trapped with her near as much as he had, but knowing that it would be difficult to keep himself from simply pushing her against the wall and sinking into her warmth.

"I don't know how. We sure couldn't get the door open earlier," she said, making a face.

"Well, Princess, I don't want to be here much longer. So, if it stands between us being trapped here or getting out, I'll tear the bloody thing off the hinges," he said.

"Like this is a picnic for me?" she said, not liking the insinuation in his voice. "I don't like being trapped anywhere, especially somewhere this damn dark and not with you at all."

"Ah, you wound me, Hazel. And here I thought you secretly loved me," he said keeping his tone light though his eyes had moved from her direction.

She snorted, hating that he had gotten so close to the truth, "Yeah, right. Sorry, lack of oxygen hasn't messed up my mind that badly. I'm still sane."

"Like you ever were," he shot back, having to smile as they began to fight.

"How are we going to get out of here?" she asked, frowning in the darkness.

"Well, you're the little witch. Why don't you wave your wand or broomstick or whatever and get the door open?" he asked in amusement.

"Oh my God...you're right," she said, feeling stupid all of the sudden. "I must know some spell that could get the door open."

"I was joking, Hazel. We all know where your spells end up. Causing more trouble than they're worth," he said, laughing.

"Fine. I'll get myself out and leave you here. You'd probably be happy staying here alone and in the dark. Perfect place to mope and whine," she said.

"I do not whine," he said, anger lacing his words. "And I have never moped."

She laughed, "Oh, right. Uh huh, sure thing. Lately, you could compete with Angel for King of the Brood. 'I'm so miserable. I hate this implant. If I could, I'd kill you all and bathe in your blood. Wah, wah, wah.'"

Spike felt his demon pushing forward at her words and her very poor imitation of his accent. She was a liar. He did not whine nor did he mope. "Take it back, little girl."

"What are you gonna do? Lick me to death?" she taunted, a spark of life flooding her as it always did when they argued.

"Now, why does that sound like wishful thinking on your part?" he asked, hearing the catch in her voice. He lowered his voice to a seductive drawl, "Do you want me to lick you to death, Red? To caress every inch of your creamy flesh with my tongue? To bring you to the heights of ecstasy over and over again?"

"No," she squeaked, her body heating at his words. What was he trying to do? Set her on fire?

"Who's lying now, little girl?" he demanded, crawling towards her slowly. "I can smell it, you know? Your arousal. You want me, Red. Even now, your heart beats faster as I near you. You long to feel my hands on your warm flesh, to cool the fire that burns in your body. I bet you play with yourself wishing it were my hands on your tender flesh, my tongue lapping at your juices. You can't wait to see my head buried between your thighs can you? To feel my cock taking your virginity, thrusting into your tight warmth over and over until you're begging for release. Isn't that what you really want?"

"No," she whispered, her nipples pressing against her shirt as she heard him moving closer. She felt wetness pooling between her thighs as she closed her eyes, trying to deny what he said when she knew it was true. How did he know? Was he merely saying those things in hopes of annoying her? Wanting her to fight him or to admit it was true so he could taunt her with that knowledge? She wouldn't...couldn't...admit that he was right.

"Why do your lips say no when your body is screaming is yes?" he asked softly, feeling the heat from her body as he stopped in front of her. Her heart was racing and she was having trouble breathing. He could smell her arousal and knew it was for him, because of him. His own cock was pressed against his jeans, throbbing from visions of sinking into his redhead.

"My body can't talk," she protested, knowing he was directly in front of her. She waited, not sure if she was scared he was going to kiss her or if she was scared that he wouldn't.

"Oh, luv. It speaks to me, only to me," he said softly, leaning forward to claim her lips. Before they could meet, he heard something hit the door. He jumped, moving away from her.

The door swung open as a nervous Giles stood there, peering into the dark room. "Willow? Spike? Are you in there?"

"Giles?" Willow said, disappointed that he had interrupted whatever had been happening between her and Spike but also thankful that he had stopped what could have been merely a game on Spike's part. "Thank God you're here. We were trapped."

"Watcher," Spike said sharply, mentally calling the man every curse word he had learned in every language. "How did you find us?"

"When Willow did not call this morning, I got worried. Took a bit of research but I stumbled upon a source that told me where you had gone," Giles explained, feeling horrible for causing them such trouble. He was surprised to find them both alive after having spent the most of the afternoon locked in this room together. He should learn not to meddle in their affairs. He was definitely not a good matchmaker. He should have left well enough alone. But, he liked them both and knew they had feelings for each other. No, Rupert, stop it, he chastised mentally. Haven't you done enough? They could have died in here.

"I'm so glad you found us," Willow said, moving forward and hugging him tightly. "We couldn't get the door open and I couldn't sleep and I don't like being locked in places and it was so dark and Spike hates me and I'm so tired."

Spike glanced at the witch as he walked from the room, wondering why she seemed convinced that he hated her. He saw her hold onto Giles and felt a rush of jealousy towards the older man. What gave him the right to hold his Willow like that? Why hadn't she hugged him and babbled about her fears? He scowled, glaring at Giles, "Is it dark?"

Giles nodded, watching Spike's face, amazed to see the blonde looking at Willow with something very akin to love. He blanched at the look of pure hatred in blue eyes that suddenly found his. He glanced down at Willow and then back at Spike. Smiling suddenly, he realized that Spike was jealous. Well, well, it looked like something may have happened after all. Maybe he wouldn't hang up that matchmaking hat just yet. "Yes, it's just past dusk."

"I'm going home," Spike said sharply, pushing past them, deliberately bumping into Willow to knock her out of Giles' arms. "Sorry," he said in a tone that gave no doubts he was anything but.

"Rude ass vampire," she muttered, watching him leave with confused eyes. She ran a hand through her hair, not sure why she felt a need to follow him, to demand answers to what had happened in that room, to find out if he had said those things for a rise or because he might want them to. Instead, she sighed softly, knowing that he hated her.

Giles smiled as he watched them both. He had no idea what had happened or what had been said, but it appeared to have been enough to make them both thoughtful. He put his arm around Willow's shoulder, giving her a fatherly squeeze as he said, "I'm sure you're hungry. Why don't we go get some dinner then you can get some sleep."

"OK," she said, giving him a smile. "Dinner sounds good. Sleep sounds even better."

"Good. You can tell me all about your little adventure last night over dinner," he said, watching her eyes widen before her face closed up.

"Nothing happened," she said softly, her eyes moving back towards where Spike had left. She sighed again, "Nothing at all."

"Somehow," Giles said, smiling at her as he led her down the stairs, "I doubt that. But, if you'd rather not talk about it, I understand."

"Thanks Giles," she said, smiling at him warmly.

He felt a slight rush of guilt for what he was doing but pushed it aside knowing that she and Spike would be much happier together and that they would forgive him for his little farce once they realized they were in love. He shut her car door, walking towards the driver's side and noticing a familiar blonde resting against a tree on the other side of the street, blue eyes watching Willow carefully. He smiled slightly, making sure Spike did not see that he had been noticed. Oh yes, something had definitely happened. And it was about bloody damn time.

********************

"So, you are alive."

Willow jumped as the words reached her from the shadows beside her porch. Her eyes narrowed as she regained her composure, looking at the blonde vampire as he moved slightly into the light. "No thanks to you. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Spike ignored her comment, instead drinking in the sight of her. It had been three days since their adventure in the apartment building. Three days since he had come close to kissing her, to shagging her, to claiming her. She had been hiding from him since Giles had interrupted their heated exchange. He didn't like being ignored. "Never thought you for the hiding type, Hazel."

"Hiding?" Willow glared at him as she reached for her key. "I haven't been hiding. I've been busy. Researching for Giles. Doing something important. Unlike you, Barnabus. How's the sewer treating you?"

"I've been busy too, sweetheart. Looking for that demon. Bit more useful than skimming through books, wouldn't you say?" he remarked as he followed her up the stairs and easily caught the door as she attempted to slam it on him.

She snorted, "Giles said you haven't come up with anything so no, I'd say it was a complete waste of time. Sort of like you."

"Aw, you wound me, pet," he said with a smirk as he flopped onto her couch, resting his boots on the arm of the sofa.

"No shoes on the couch," she said, pushing them to the floor as she sat down in the chair opposite the couch. "And I only wish I had wounded you. Mortally."

"Who'd have imagined you'd be that type," he said, his tone serious as he shook his head. "Never would have thought it from you."

"What type?" she finally asked when it was evident he was not elaborating on his own. She saw him look up and smile, the smile doing things to her body that she cursed.

"Why, the type to ignore what we had, of course. Being so hurtful and after the night we spent together," he clucked his tongue as he watched the redness cover her face.

"We did not spend the night together," Willow sputtered, wishing she had a stake. She could vacuum dust up easily.

"You, me, dark room. You've already forgotten?" he feigned a sniffle as he watched the anger flash in her eyes.

"I have not forgotten!" she denied, stopping herself before she mentioned that she had replayed every detail of that evening in her mind in the three days since. That she had been avoiding him in hopes that her feelings had been merely a momentary lapse of judgment. "And it wasn't like that so stop teasing."

"I would never tease you, pet," he said in outrage before a wicked grin crossed his features, "when you were fully clothed, at least."

"It isn't going to work, Barney," she said flatly. "Your entire little 'seduce for a reaction' thing? Sorry, I'm not gonna fall for it so keep the flirting words for someone else."

His eyes narrowed as he stared at her, wondering if she had really dismissed the end of that night, before Giles had opened the door, as being a joke on his part. Silly little bitch, had no idea what he was thinking or feeling. "Sorry, Hazel. I couldn't even bring myself to seduce you as part of a joke. Why? Did you want me to?"

Willow glared at him, "Only in my worst nightmares," she said sweetly. "The ones where I wake up screaming."

"Baby, you'd definitely wake up screaming, but not in fright," he said with a wink as he watched her face.

"Why are you here, Spike?" she said, ignoring his baiting. "Did you miss me so much you had to find me?"

"Not bloody likely," he said. "Could think of a thousand, hell, a million things I'd rather be doing than sitting here with the likes of you," he spat out as his mind began to play images of things he could with her besides sitting.

"As if this is fun for me?" she asked, wondering suddenly what she had been thinking. How could she have feelings for him? He hated her. She hated him. Their positions were perfectly clear. Yet, why did she find herself remembering the sounds he made before he came, the softness of his voice as he had said all the things she wanted him to do to her. She was crazy. Being home alone for the summer for only two weeks had already driven her nuts. That was the only thing she could think of. She certainly couldn't really love him. He was Spike, the fangless king of the poofs.

"You know you love fighting with me, Red. Just admit that much," he said with a grin. "You may be the most annoying girl I've ever met, but I love fighting with you."

"You do?" she asked, slightly taken aback at his honesty.

"Doesn't mean I like you and wouldn't kill you if I didn't have this implant," he continued in a conversational tone.

"Yeah, well, I might enjoy fighting with you too, but I can't stand you," she said with a slight smile. "I will say that I've kind of sort of in just a very minute way missed our sparring the last couple of days."

"Me too, but only in a very very very small way," he said with his own smile.

"But I do hate you," she said softly, her eyes growing clouded with confusion.

"And I hate you," he replied quietly, blue eyes moving along her face in a caressing gesture.

"Good. That's decided. We don't need to avoid each other for the rest of the summer," she said, relief in her tone. She had never imagined how horrible it would be to think of spending several months without talking to Spike.

"Nah, we can work together, find this demon for the watcher and continue to fight and hate each other the entire time," he said with a slight curl of his lips.

"Is that why you came by?" she asked.

He shrugged, "Just been awhile since I'd seen you. Wanted to see if you were alive or if the evil found you before we found it. Didn't really care, mind you. Just curious."

"Uh huh," she smiled softly, wondering why the idea that he had missed her made her feel so good.

"Oh, and wanted to see if you felt like going on a patrol," he added as an afterthought to try to make himself a bit less poofy. "I've had to patrol alone the last few nights."

"Poor Spikey. Fighting off the big bad evil all by his lonesome," she said in an amused voice.

"I am the big bad evil, honey," he said, eyes flashing yellow. "I've been fighting the wimpy, cowardly demons. Trying to find the watcher's demon with no luck."

"It's still early," she said with a smile. "I could handle a patrol."

"Yeah, whatever. Don't need you, just thought you might be bored," he said as he stood and moved towards the door. "You can stay home."

"I want to patrol," she said, grabbing her coat to follow him. "Besides, who'd protect you from all those nasty humans?"

"Like I need you to protect me, Hazel," he snorted. "Like you ever could."

"I could too Barney," she said as she shut the door and followed him down the stairs. Their bickering faded into the night as they walked down the street towards a cemetery.
 
 

********************

"You haven't figured anything else out?" Willow asked Giles as she plopped down on his sofa.

"Not yet," he said, his eyes following Spike as the blonde moved to sit on the sofa.

"Move over, Hazel," Spike said, sitting at the end of the sofa.

Willow stuck her tongue out at him as she laid her head back down, deciding to ignore her new position on Spike's lap for her own well being, "There is an empty chair right over there, Barney. Did you not see it? I mean, I know you're old and everything but it is rather large."

"So the ladies have told me," Spike said in amusement as he glanced down at her head laying directly beside his crotch.

She moved her head, looking up at him with a puzzled look before her eyes widened. She sat up abruptly, her face the color of her hair as she moved to sit in the empty chair. She suddenly found the carpet very interesting.

"Have either of you stumbled upon anything during patrol?" Giles asked, not able to keep the amusement from his voice.

"Nothing," Willow said with a sigh. "Not even very many vampies to kill. It's pretty dead."

"Are ye sure you read that prophecy right?" Spike asked, cursing himself now for teasing her. He had rather liked having her head on his lap. He had felt her warmth through his jeans and her hair had been so soft against his arm.

"Of course," Giles said, irritated with Spike for doubting him. "I'm assuming that the demon just hasn't arrived in Sunnydale yet."

"Or maybe he decided not to come," Willow said hopefully. She would be the first to admit that she didn't want to face some prophetic demon.

Spike laughed, "Probably heard about Sabrina here and decided it was too dangerous to risk facing her wrath."

Willow looked up, eyes narrowing, as she said sweetly, "Or maybe he heard about your 'condition' and is still laughing so hard he couldn't possibly make the journey."

"Children, enough," Giles said crossly. He didn't know what else to do with them. He had created the prophecy, invented a demon and forced them to patrol all in an effort to get them to both admit their feelings. Yet, all he had managed to do was create even more tension that crackled like a fire between them and get them to be even more vocal in their abuse of one another. Overall, he sucked as a matchmaker.

"Sorry, Giles. I'm just getting tired of waiting for something to happen," Willow said, not only just talking about the arrival of the demon.

"Yeah, watcher, this waiting game gets annoying," Spike echoed, his blue eyes blazing a path along the lines of her body. "I have never been a patient man before and I'm about to go crazy."

"It seems so silly to spend so much time preparing for something that probably will never happen anyway," Willow said softly, looking away from Spike.

"I'm going out," Spike announced suddenly as he stood. His eyes went to the watcher, narrowing slightly, "See her home."

"Of course," Giles said, studying the blonde with a thoughtful statement.

"Wait, where are you going?" Willow asked.

"Out," Spike said simply. Enough was enough. He was tired of sitting around patiently waiting. He had always been a man of action. This damn implant wasn't going to stop that.

"I'm coming to," she said, getting to her feet.

He snorted, "Sorry, kid, but you're not invited. This is a private party."

"I am not a kid," she said, stomping her foot and glaring at his pointed look. "We're a team, remember?"

"Not this time," he said, grabbing his coat. "Go home, Hazel. I've got important stuff to do."

"Fuck you, Barney," she shouted at his back. "Well, I have important things to do too. I don't need you."

He paused as her words washed over him, making him hesitate for a moment. Slowly, he smiled at her challenge. Yeah, it was time for action. "Oh, you need me, baby. More than you realize."

She snorted, "That ego and fifty cents will buy you some coffee at the truck stop."

He turned, his eyes catching hers, causing her to gulp as she tried to understand the emotions she saw there. She couldn't breathe as he smiled a slow, sexy smile, and said, "Sleep tight, Red."

Before she could respond, he was gone, the door shut behind him. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to figure out what his eyes had been saying as she slowly sunk back into the chair. She heard a throat being cleared and looked at Giles, feeling foolish that he had been sitting there listening to her and Spike. She smiled sadly and said, "I did something incredibly stupid."

"What?" he asked, studying the redhead.

She sighed again, her eyes looking back at the door, "I fell in love with Spike."

********************

"Ooh! I can't believe that....that.... I can't even come up with a word strong enough for what he is!" Willow groaned to herself as she continued pacing. She pulled her sweater over her head, tossing it to the couch with a loud snarl. "That pompous, conceited, idiotic poop-head!"

After her embarrassing blunder at Giles' about how she had fallen in love with the poor imitation of a vamp with bite, Willow had high-tailed it out of there. She still couldn't believe she had said those words out loud. As if she would ever be foolish enough to love him. He was annoying as hell, a pain in her ass. Nope, she would never love him. She hadn't even waited for Giles' reaction, simply smiling and leaving as soon as she had grabbed her coat. Not having anywhere to actually go, she ended up coming back to her house.

She had planned on doing something actually useful. Clean the house; maybe surf the net a bit. But she kept thinking about *him* and what an interminable asshole he was. Consequently, she was currently wearing a hole in her living room floor.

"How Dare he! Who in Hell does he think he is?" She asked the fireplace mantel on another sweep. When no answer was forthcoming, she continued her rant. "I'll tell you! He's an arrogant, egotistical prick! Thinking that *I* need him. I don't need him with his crappy attitude, and ignorant insults and...and fine cheekbones, and *really* blue eyes."

She sighed mid-ramble and then blinked. "Damn him! I don't need him. I don't!"

She continued pacing the floor, her anger at him growing with each sweep past her couch. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, only that she was alone, and angry, and frustrated. Her entire body was tight, on edge. Just like it had been since that night they had been locked in the room. She felt as if she was going to explode from wanting him. She could still hear his voice groaning as he came, could still see his eyes as he had been about to kiss her. She scowled at the familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach and cursed more, "Stupid vampire with that sexy as sin voice and those tight pants that mold that perfect ass. Prancing around with that knowing little smirk. If he were here right now, I'd knock that damn smirk right off that handsome face!"

She flopped down on the couch and stared at the ceiling for a second.

"What am I going to do?" She asked, no one in particular.

"Well I'll tell you," She answered herself. "You're are absolutely *not* going to sit around here depressed, wondering what was so damn special he had to run off like that, are you?"

"No, dammit, I'm not!" Willow stood up suddenly, getting a second wind. "That bastard isn't worth it. Him and his little private party. He can go to hell. Besides, he's gonna come crawling back here, needing my help or something." her mind added for her.

She continued her irritated pacing, her mind coming up with all sorts of insults and nasty names for the bleached vampire. Oblivious to the fact that she was just as mean and nasty to him as he was to her, and not even attempting to figure out why that was.

A knock on the door startled her out of her inner thoughts, and stopped her pacing. Not thinking too clearly at this point, she thrust open the door, prepared to bite the head off of anyone who had the misfortune of being on the other side. Thankfully the person who stood there was the object of her anger.

"You!" She snarled at the vampire.

"Yeah, me. Who were you expecting, Hazel? Prince Charming. Don't hold your breath," Spike smirked at her.

Willow took a step forward, her eyes practically shooting forward and Spike couldn't help but notice how green they were and how they sparkled *just* so. He blinked and stepped back, more to shake himself from his thoughts than because he was in the least frightened by her slightly threatening posture.

"I hate you!" she hissed, noticing that he had changed clothes. She didn't notice the way his blue jeans fit his legs like a second skin or the fact that his blue shirt made his hair shine and his eyes seem even more blue and full of mischief. Nope, she didn't notice that at all.

Spike leaned against a wood column on the porch, affecting a careless attitude. "No you don't." He told her confidently. "You love me." When she didn't comment but seemed to falter a bit, he continued. "You know you do."

Willow took a deep breath, both trying to calm her temper and control her reaction to the way he looked standing not three feet away looking so....so *good*. "Why are you here?" She asked through clenched teeth.

Spike straightened up a bit, looking as though the conversation had taken a turn he didn't like. "I....I need your help."

Willow looked at him as though he had grown another head. "You, the arrogant ass that claims I *need* you, have come here, to my house because you need my help?"

Spike nodded reluctantly and Willow grinned.

"And why should I help you, Barney?"

"You want to find this demon, don't you? Or are you afraid?" Spike smirked as he saw her react to the challenge.

"Fine!" She turned around and grabbed her sweater before leaving the house and slamming the door behind her. "But I swear, if this is another one of your bullshit ideas, I'll stake you before you can blink."

"You wouldn't do that," Spike told her with another smirk.

"And why's that?" Willow asked, curious despite herself.

"Because you need me of course. I told you that already. Don't you pay attention?"

Willow stopped and turned to face Spike. "I think you have that backwards, Blondie. You're the one who needs me. You told me that too." She grinned as Spike sped up ahead of her and led the way to wherever they were going.

********************

Willow stopped walking, stomping her foot and growling, "Spike! We've already been down this alley!"

He turned to face her, not able to fight the smile that crossed his handsome face as he looked at her. Her green eyes were blazing with anger and her hair framed her pretty face in a cloud of red. She was a damn spitfire. "Don't get your knickers in a twist, Hazel. I know where I'm going."

She snorted, ignoring the thoughts of Spike around her knickers and concentrating instead on her anger, "What is this? Some sort of revenge? Make me follow your though every dirty alley in Sunnydale just for laughs?"

"I told you, I found a source that told me where we could find our demon," he said patiently in a tone reserved for scolded children.

"You...you...argh!" she spat out, pushing past him.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, running to catch up with her.

"Home," she said through clenched teeth. "This is nothing but a wild goose chase. Either your informant was nuts or this is some elaborate joke. Either way, I'm sick of it. We've been walking for nearly two and a half hours, covering the exact same ground, and we haven't seen anything yet. I'm tired and I'm cold and I just want to get out of these damn alleys!"

Spike glanced at the sky, trying to decide if it was late enough. To hell with it. If he didn't act soon, she'd just go home and it would all be for nothing. Bugger that. "Come on. I know where he is."

"Oh, so now you suddenly remember?" she said, annoyance in her voice and stance. She wasn't budging.

"Yeah, amazing isn't it?" he asked, his blue eyes moving over her.

"Forget it, Barney. I'm not buying that you suddenly had a moment of clarity in that fucked up mind of yours," she said, rolling her eyes. "Admit it."

"Admit what?" he asked in a tone that was growing steadily impatient.

"That you deliberately led me through these alleys as payback for some reason that only your warped little mind could understand," she challenged.

"Hazel, the demon could be getting away," he pointed out.

"So?" she asked, suddenly thinking that might not be a bad thing. "We haven't found him all this time. What's one more day hurt?"

"Fine," he hissed. "I knew where we were going all along. There. Happy now?"

She smiled triumphantly, "Yep. Now, let's go get ourselves a demon."

He led her out of the alleys of the industrial side of Sunnydale into an area that seemed all too familiar to her. With growing dismay, she looked around. She almost said something, but bit her tongue, hoping she was wrong. When he stopped suddenly, causing her to run into him, she groaned. "No way."

"That's what I thought," he said tightly.

"This is the joke, right?" she asked, looking at him. She sighed when she saw the look in his eyes. This wasn't a joke. "But, we checked it already. He wasn't there. No one was there."

"My source is solid," he said in a serious voice as he looked at the house that they had been trapped in several days before. Looking back at her, he caught her eyes and said, "We have to go in there. The future depends on it."

"I really hope you brought a flashlight this time," she muttered, not at liking the idea of going back into that house. She reluctantly followed him across the street and soon stood outside the front door. "Maybe we should wait until morning."

"Hello, vampire here," he reminded with a slight smile.

"Let's get this over with," she said in a voice that sounded like she was facing the firing squad. She pushed open the door, glad to see a small shaft of light from the flashlight that Spike had brought. "Is anyone in here?"

Spike groaned, "Red, luv, when you're tracking a demon, you don't call out to them before you enter their hiding place. Makes a sneak attack a bit useless."

"I was hoping to scare off any rats or mice," she said weakly, realizing how foolish that had been but rather hoping the demon would just leave if he heard her. She really didn't want to face some demon at nearly four in the morning and especially not after the night she had had.

"I'm sure that they're quaking in fear, pet," he said with amusement.

"Just shut up, Barney," she said, glaring at him as she stepped into the dark house.

Spike let her walk ahead of him, urging her towards the stairs without her realizing it. It was better to let her believe it was her idea to go upstairs than to force her. She'd just stand there and argue with him, and he was sick of arguing. For the night at least, he thought with a smile. "Do you hear anything?"

"Do *I* hear anything?" Willow asked unbelievingly. "Who's the one with the vampire senses here?" When he didn't answer her, she sighed and shook her head, "I guess we should go upstairs. If it checks out clear, I'd say your informant was full of shit."

"Upstairs?" Spike asked, keeping the amusement from his voice. "That would probably be a good idea."

The two walked up the stairs, Willow completely aware of how close Spike was to her. His body was practically touching hers, making the small span of stairs seem even smaller. She let out a relieved breath when they stood on the landing and she was able to move away from him. "Let's start over here."

"Sure," he agreed, moving behind her. He could smell her shampoo mixed with the sweet aroma that was uniquely Willow. His body reacted to the smell, his cock surging against the denim of his jeans. Cursing softly, he followed her into one empty room then another. Finally, they stood outside the closed door of the room that had trapped them.

"I think I should probably hold the door while you look inside," Willow said, her face flushed in the darkness as she remembered what had happened and almost happened in that room. She couldn't go back in there. Not alone. With him.

"Yeah, and have you lock me in?" he said, snorting. "Not bloody likely, pet. We both go in."

"Whatever," she muttered, calling him a few names he'd probably never heard her speak as she opened the door. Before she could look inside, the flashlight went out. "What happened?"

"Damn battery must be dead," he said, sliding the button to off before throwing the flashlight on the floor. "Just my luck."

"No, just my luck," she corrected as she tried to move away from the door. "I'm not going in there without a light."

Spike moved, pushing her back into the room, "What's that luv?"

"Spike!" she said, starting to fall from the shove he had given her. She felt his arms go around her, stopping her fall. She heard the door slam shut and groaned, "NO! Not again!"

She moved towards it, away from Spike, hitting the surface as she tried to open it. "It's locked. This can not be happening."

Suddenly, she heard a noise. Turning, she froze, her eyes widening as she saw the match catch on the candle. She looked from the candle to Spike, who looked sinfully delicious in the soft glow of candlelight, she noted in her confused mind. She watched him light several other candles until the entire room was bathed in their soft glow. She looked beyond him, seeing a large bed pushed against the wall. That had not been there the other time. Her green eyes surveyed the room, noticing the small tray of food, the bottle of wine, the candles, the bed, the flowers. She looked back at Spike, knowing her confusion must be clearly written on her face. "Spike?"

Spike smiled, glad to see that his plans had been carried out to the exact detail. He had had to call in a few favors, but it was worth it for the look on Willow's face. He looked at the ground then back at her, smiling sheepishly as he said, "Red, I think we need to talk...."

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