Spike looked out the window and watched the rain falling. 12 days. That was how long Willow had been gone. He had stayed in Sunnydale. He was even helping the damn slayer. He really just wanted to close himself off from everything and everyone until Willow came back to him. The others thought he was crazy. They didn't think she would be back. For all they knew, Damien had already killed her. Spike knew. He had read her final letter. He knew she had something planned. Until then, he would wait.
* * * * *
Spike watched the television ignoring the laughter that came from the screen. 26 days now since he had seen Willow...had touched her....With each day that passed, his belief that she would return had started to fade. He had to be strong. She needed him to be strong. He knew in his heart that she was not dead. He would have felt her passing. Damien had kept his promise, surprisingly. None of the slayer's gang had been harmed. Even now, local vampires avoided them all. They feared Damien's wrath. He closed his eyes and remembered his love.
* * * * *
45 days. Spike had accepted after the first month that his Willow would most likely not be returning to him. He still loved her....still missed her. He had been helping the slayer when he realized what he was doing. She had sacrificed herself so that he could live. What he had been doing wasn't living. It was barely hanging on. He had resolved to love her always but to move on with his life. He still counted the days since he had held her. Still felt a rush of excitement when he saw red hair, thinking she was back. Still wished that he hadn't been so blind back then and had seen her mind forming her plan. He could have stopped her...kept her with him. He loved her.
* * * * *
"I'll be there in an hour." Spike hung up the phone.
Trust the damn watcher to call on what was supposed to be his free day. He glance at the calendar. 61 days. He shook his head, freeing himself from the memories. He grabbed his duster and his keys. He opened the door and froze.
"Willow?"
Willow moved towards him and hugged him tightly. She pulled away and smiled. "I told you I'd be back....sorry it wasn't sooner."
"I love you" Spike said, kissing her hungrily. "What happened? How? Where's Damien?"
She started laughing. "You must have been hanging around the gang. You're asking all those questions!"
Spike looked at her in surprise. She was laughing and smiling. She hadn't even done that before she had been left. "Red, it's been two months. I've missed you."
"I love you Spike" she said seriously. "If it hadn't been for knowing that you were waiting for me, I don't think I could have done it." She kissed him again. "Can we sit?"
He led her into his living room. She sat down and smiled, so happy to see him.
"I wanted to come sooner, but I wasn't ready. I knew I had to take some time to get myself under control."
"What happened to Damien?"
"I staked his ass" she said, smiling. "See, that was my plan. I needed to get him away from you....away from Sunnydale. I couldn't risk you if it didn't work. I had to regain his trust so he would let his guard down. As I said, it was memories of you, of our time together, that helped me through it. I was able to kill him a couple of weeks ago."
"You planned this?"
"Yes. I knew it was the only solution. As I wrote you, I knew that he would kill at least a few of the gang. I couldn't do that. I couldn't let them risk that."
"You let the demon take over" Spike said, quietly.
"Yes. It was the only way to survive. Now, you see why I couldn't come right back. I had to get myself back."
"His men just let you leave?"
She smiled suddenly, "MY men. I was his mate. When he died, I sort of inherited them. Seems they weren't that crazy about working for him. His temper and sadism you know? They love me. I killed the bastard. I think they're scared of me a bit too....that isn't a bad thing. When Damien died, I inherited it all."
"You're a master?" Spike said, surprised.
"Yep. Mistress actually. That's one reason I'm back in Sunnydale. I thought I owed Buffy and the others.....Thought it would be easier if the ruling party were friend instead of foe."
"You amaze me."
"I'll take that as a compliment. So, what do you say? Will you be Master? They need someone with experience..."
He kissed her thoroughly. "I think we might be able to come to some sort of arrangement...."
She smiled, running her hands over his chest. "I love you, you know?"
"Yeah...I know. Me too." he said as he kissed
her again, leading her into the bedroom.