Parts: 21 - 22
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~Part: 21~
Her eyelids drooped and she shook her head, trying her best to concentrate. Blinking furiously, Willow sat up a little straighter and turned the page of her book. This was the seventh book she had pulled from her library as she searched for the meaning behind all those symbols Lindsey was using to keep himself off Angel's radar and how to get past them. She would have borrowed the book Wesley was so fond of, the one that did the looking for you, but she wasn't even sure what she was looking for, so it seemed a little pointless.
Just as her eyes began to close once more, a knock sounded on the door to her office and she jumped in surprise. Glancing above the doorway to the clock that hung there, she frowned. It was well past sunset. She had no idea she had been researching that long.
Without waiting to be invited in, Angel peeked inside, smiling at the tired redhead. She returned his grin and waved the brunette inside.
"Working overtime, Will?" Angel wondered with a raised brow.
"Doing a favor for Wes," she corrected softly. "Doing research on Mr. McDonald, Spike's helping too," she added, the comment bringing a frown to her bosses face at the mention of the irritable blonde.
"If he's helping then where is he?" asked Angel, crossing his arms across his chest and looking at her expectantly.
"He's." she paused as she glanced around her office, not seeing Spike's bleached blonde hair peeking over the back of the couch. She frowned in confusion and stood, allowing her a better view. Her frown turned into a small smile as she spotted the vampire passed out, spread across the leather cushions of her couch.
Spike was lying on his back, one arm above his head, the other dangling off the side of the sofa. His mouth was open slightly, a hint of drool pooling at the corner of his mouth. His chest didn't rise and fall. Instead he remained perfectly still, looking truly dead. It was mildly disconcerting and amusing all at the same time.
"He appears to be asleep," Willow finally replied with a tiny smirk. "But he really was trying to help. The material's just a bit boring and you know he has problems paying attention."
"I wish you'd stop doing that," grimaced Angel, looking pleadingly to the witch. An expression full of confusion came over her face.
"Doing what?" she wondered, perplexed.
"Trying to make me like him," he grumbled, his lips twisted into a pout. "Fred does it too you know. She keeps telling me I need to be nicer to him, that he's really not as bad as he tries to appear."
"It's true," she argued with a genial smile at his frustration.
"Yeah well, you didn't live with him for a hundred years," countered Angel with a roll of his brown eyes. "If you had to put up with the brat for a century you'd hate him too."
"And since we'll never agree on this topic," declared Willow with a tiny chuckle. "What was it you needed?" she inquired, wondering why he had come to her office in the first place.
"Nothing really," he shrugged as she retook her seat. Crossing the room in easy strides, Angel perched himself on the far corner of her desk. "I was just surprised to see your light still on. It's past eleven already Wills. I think you've done all you can for one day."
"I didn't know it was so late," she murmured, "and if it's so late then what are you doing up and about?"
"Uh, vampire, remember?" he reminded her with a smirk. "Besides, I just got back in. Gunn and I did a sweep of the warehouse district and some local cemeteries, just for old time's sake. It's just too weird to think that I can actually send people out to patrol *for* me, I don't know if I'll ever get used to that."
"You should have asked Spike to go along with you," she smiled innocently and he barely suppressed a growl.
"Willow." he groaned as she shook her head.
"I know, no speaking about the bleached wonder, I'll stop," she promised much to his relief.
"Thank you," he sighed. Running a hand through his deliberately messy hair he stood. "You about ready to clock out for the day, Wills?"
"Sure, could you just." she hesitated as she pushed her chair back and stood. He noticed her hesitation and motioned for her to continue. "Could you just wake up Spike for me?" she asked sweetly.
Angel paused and Willow didn't know if she should be worried by the devious expression that lit up his handsome face suddenly. "Sure Will, no problem." His enthusiasm was a little off-putting but she merely shrugged and began to clean up the disorder on her desk.
The brunette walked calmly across the room, hovering above the sleeping blonde before bending slightly. Reaching out with one hand, he latched on firmly to the lapel of Spike's leather duster and pulled harshly, sending the blonde flying to the floor with a muffled shout.
Willow's head shot up at the sound of Spike's yelp and an unexpected thud. Looking up she spotted an all too pleased Angel, smiling brightly at a spot on the floor. And then she noticed Spike, who was now muttering curses that made her blush and glaring up at the smug brunette from his prone position on the floor. As Spike disentangled himself and smoothed down his now ruffled clothing and messy hair, Willow stepped around her desk.
"Angel," Willow barked in reprimand. The elder vampire immediately looked properly chastised; head bowed as he turned on his heel slightly and peered up at her from lowered lashes. "That wasn't nice."
"Yeah, but it was fun," he muttered, unable to stifle his grin as he heard Spike snarling in the background. When the redhead continued to glare at him he sighed. "Sorry Will."
"You're apologizing to *her* you git?!" snapped Spike, finally having gotten his wits about him. "You should be apologizing to me, Peaches!"
Angel smirked at his outrage and stepped closer to the blonde. "I'm not sorry I did it, Spikey," he whispered so Willow couldn't hear. "I'm just sorry I got caught, oh hell, I'm not even sorry about that," he chuckled darkly.
"Yeah, well, yuck it up Paingel. Glad my pain is so bloody amusing," he growled, not bothering to keep his voice down, his annoyance clearly shining through. "Gotta get your jollies somehow, don't you, you big whiny Poof!"
"Hey!" Angel shouted, taking a threatening step closer. Spike, never one to back down from a challenge, matched his step. "At least I never managed to get a chip shoved in my head, you moron!"
"Yeah, well" he paused, struggling for a proper insult. "Ah, at least *I* can get it up without going on a sodding killing spree!"
"Spike!" snipped Willow, moving to separate the two. While their argument had been fairly entertaining in the beginning, she knew Spike had taken things too far. She needed to shut him up before Angel up and staked him. "That was uncalled for!"
He mumbled something and had the decency to look a bit ashamed as Angel looked on, silently fuming. "What was that?" demanded Willow sternly.
"Sorry," muttered Spike, the word spat out like a curse.
"I'm sure you are," she said dryly with a roll of her eyes. "And since the two of you cannot remain in the same room and act your ages, then I suggest Spike and I head up to the penthouse." She glanced at Spike, almost daring him to object, he wisely did not.
Willow walked up to Angel, who looked a little dejected, and pulled him into a loose hug. His arms reluctantly wrapped around her waist and she pecked him on the cheek. "Sorry about that, he can be a grump sometimes." Angel smiled a little, knowing all too well how grumpy Spike could get. "Have a nice night Boss-man," she offered with a grin and a pat on the arm.
"And you," she said, pointing the blonde as she made her way to the door, "are coming with me, Mister." Spike grumbled a bit but followed, feeling Angel's glare as he left the room. The door shut behind them a moment after Spike walked past the threshold, leaving Angel alone inside, silently stewing no doubt.
The redhead continued on her way to the elevator, never glancing back at a sulking Spike, her irritation shining through her cool exterior. She hit the up button and waited for the 'ding' that signaled the arrival of the lift; then stepped inside the vacant cab, Spike a foot behind her. She stared straight ahead, looking at her slightly warped reflection in the metal paneling of the elevator doors. Occasionally her eyes strayed to the spot in the reflection where Spike should have been, that was strangely blank.
Glancing to her left, she saw Spike, hands buried in the pockets of his duster, a delightful pout on his lips, blue eyes a little dejected. She smothered a small smile, still annoyed with his rather childish behavior around Angel.
"Pet." he whined indelicately, causing Willow to turn slightly, heaving a great sigh. "Oh come on love, he was asking for it."
"Spike," she groaned with a roll of his eyes. Thankfully the lift came to a stop and the doors opened and the witch stepped out of the car quickly, Spike right behind her. "You know, sometimes I think you and Angel shouldn't be allowed within fifty feet of each other. Brings out the worst in the both of you," she muttered with a shake of her head.
She unlocked the door to the penthouse they shared, not speaking another word to the bleached blonde brooding in the background. Spike tossed his duster across the length of the sofa as Willow slipped down the hallway and into her room. She changed her clothes quickly, out of her usual business attire, a black pencil skirt and a grey sleeveless v-neck shirt. She opted for comfortable pajamas, a pair of white, thin lounge pants with black stripes and a black fitted tank top. Glancing at her made bed, she silently debated whether or not to just climb into her own bed, tired as she was, but decided not to.
Willow closed her door behind her and glanced into the living room from the mouth of the hall. There was no Spike. With a shrug of her shoulders she walked back down the hall to Spike's room, the door ajar.
She poked her head inside tentatively, seeing the blonde lazily stripping off his black t-shirt to reveal his bare torso. She slipped inside, the door shutting quietly behind her. Spike's ears perked up at the sound and he turned slowly on his heel, quirking an eyebrow at the witch.
"Not still mad at me?" he asked, a little hesitant.
"Wasn't really mad at you per se," she admitted with a tiny smile. "It's just you two act like bickering children sometimes. I swear, back in high school, when Cordy was uber snotty, she still couldn't out bitch the two of you." She closed the gap between them, sliding her arms around his waist as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
Resting her head on his shoulder, he propped his chin up on the top of her head and sighed. "I'll try to act more mature where the poof is concerned," he muttered, earning him a playful smack in the ribs.
"Don't make promises you can't keep," she warned with a warm smile, pressing a light kiss to his shoulder. She shifted so that her head was resting in the crook of his neck, her hot breath caressing his cool skin. "This is nice," she mumbled contentedly.
"Yeah," Spike agreed softly, rubbing his cheek against the softness of her hair. "Can I ask you something, Red?"
"Anything," she assured him, pulling back to look him in the eye, a curious look in her eye.
"Are you happy.here?" he wondered, pausing mid sentence. His question was clear enough. Not was she just happy, but was she happy here, in his arms? And the answer was clear enough as well.
"Yes," she replied sincerely. He let a slow smile cross his handsome face and she stepped up on the tips of her toes to brush her lips lightly against his. Before he could deepen the kiss, she leaned back, one hand moving to caress his face, tracing the line of his sharp cheekbone. "Can we go to bed, Spike?" she whispered, stifling a yawn.
On cue he granted her a simmering smirk and she rolled her eyes playfully. "Just sleep, Blondie," she added, poking him with her index finger in the center of his chest teasingly. His smirk turned into a genuine smile and he released her from his arms, allowing her to slip out of his arms and climb under the covers as he stripped off his jeans, leaving him only in black boxers. He moved to his side of the bed, pulling back the sheets and sliding under them, lying comfortably on his back as Willow scooted closer to him, wrapping herself around his side, her head on his chest. One hand came up to play with the silky strands of her hair idly.
"Get some sleep, pet," he murmured, trying to get a little more comfortable. "We'll work on finding more about that Lindsey bloke tomorrow. And I promise I won't fall asleep on you this time."
She let out a sleepy giggle at that and he grinned. "Spike," she started hesitantly, breaking the momentary silence that fell over them. He made a small grunting noise that signaled her to continue. "Are.um.are you happy.here?" Willow asked tentatively.
Without a moment's pause he bent his head to lay a kiss on her forehead. "Wouldn't be anywhere else," he swore ardently.
Smiling in relief and contentment, Willow buried her face in his neck and sighed, finally closing her eyes. "Goodnight, Spike."
~Part: 22~
"Rosenberg," the nasal voice said from her office doorway. Willow looked up, barely repressing the urge to roll her eyes and throw the woman out of her office just on principal alone.
"Kendall," she replied mockingly, no love lost between the two former schoolmates. Harmony's eyes narrowed and her relaxed posture straightened. She smoothed down her pink satin skirt and feigned a smile.
"You have a phone call on line three," the blonde informed her in a sickly sweet tone before looking around the room curiously. "By the way, where's Spike this lovely afternoon? I mean," she added with a pout, "you two are practically joined at the hip. What happened? He get tired of you already?" she sneered contemptuously.
"Oh he's tired alright," Willow smirked, enjoying the angry glare Harmony was fixing her with. "I think I wore him out last night."
Not even bothering to suppress her growl, Harmony spun on her heel, her skirt swaying in the breeze, and flipping her hair back casually she stalked off, throwing a quick warning over her shoulder, "You might want to get that phone call, before I just hang up on them."
The redhead smiled triumphantly but quickly connected to line three before Harmony could indeed follow up on her threat. "Wolfram and Hart, Willow speaking," she greeted in her most professional of voices, in that superior tone her coworkers had taught her.
"Jeez Red," snorted a voice on the other end, "being around all those demonic lawyers 24/7 has definitely changed you. Who rammed that pole up your ass?"
"Hello to you too, Faith," Willow grinned, leaning farther back in her chair which creaked under her weight. "How goes the world of slaying?"
"It goes," the brunette slayer replied noncommittally. "Not as fun as it used to be. I mean I used to be the slayer, now there's a bunch of wannabes running around. Takes all the mystique out, I tell you."
"Sorry about that," the witch apologized with a chuckle.
"Nah, s'okay," she assured her. "It was either that or die, and unlike B, dying is just not my thing."
"How is Buffy these days?" Willow wondered, slightly wistful.
"How the hell should I know?" Faith asked brusquely. "I ditched B and her kid sis as soon as I could. You know me, I like the whole 'lone wolf' thing. You know, not answering to anyone, making my own rules."
"You still can't stand her, can you?" giggled the redhead as she twirled her pen in her fingers absently.
"Oh god no," sighed Faith.
"So what can I do for you?" she asked politely, knowing that Faith wasn't just calling for a friendly chat. Faith didn't do girl talk.
"Right to the point then," the brunette smirked. "Well, I'm in California right now. Not even close to Hell-A though, I'm more north, just outside Sacramento. But I was thinking about making my way down, maybe pay you and the rest of the Fang Gang a visit, for old time's sake."
"And you need a place to crash," Willow filled in the blanks.
"Ah, you read my mind," she remarked cheekily. "So what do you say? Got a couch to spare?"
"Of course," the redhead replied immediately. "You're welcome here anytime. But I'm actually staying at Wolfram and Hart, in one of their penthouses, so there's gonna be some rules. Well, only one actually."
"And what's that, Glenda?"
"No slaying the clientele," she warned, laughing a bit at Faith's disgruntled groan. "At least not without Angel's permission, okay?"
"Fine," she grumbled, "if you say so. But if they attack me first, all bets are off, got it?"
"Uh huh," Willow nodded with a grin. "When do you think you'll be here?"
"A couple days," she shrugged. "I'm in no hurry. I'll give you a ring when I'm close. Tell Angel I'm coming will you?"
"No problem," Willow agreed automatically. "He'll be happy to hear from you. He always wonders how you're doing."
"Oh," Faith breathed, a little at a loss for words. "Uh, really?"
"Mmm hmm," she murmured. "He worries about you, Faith. You really should stop by more often, or least give him a call sometime. I know he'd be glad just to hear from you, know that you're doing okay."
"Um, yeah," Faith mumbled, shifting in her seat. "I'll do that. Listen, I gotta go. I'll talk to you in a few days, okay?"
"Alright," Willow smiled over the phone. "Talk to you later. Have a safe trip." Faith didn't bother with a goodbye, Willow just heard a click and the line went dead. The redhead glanced at the phone in her hand curiously before simply shrugging to herself. "Weird."
"What's weird?" Willow looked up and smiled at the vampire who had taken the liberty to seat himself in one of her chairs across from her desk. She hadn't even noticed him come in. He had one leg thrown over the arm of the chair, hair slicked back per usual, and a tiny smile on his lips.
"Faith," she replied simply, as if that answered all of his questions.
Spike nodded understandingly, "I agree wholeheartedly. That bint's always had a few screws loose if you ask me." Willow shot him a dangerous look and he threw his hands up in silent defense. "Hey now, the chit's had some less than sane moments. You can't deny that."
"Yeah, well, she's not like that anymore," she frowned at him and he sighed.
"Once a nutter, always a nutter if you ask me," he muttered. "And I should know. I lived with Dru for over a century. Nobody's crazier than that bitch."
"And yet you followed her around for over a century," Willow argued with a raised brow, "So what does that say about you?"
"That I'm just a sucker for a pretty face," he smirked devilishly, causing Willow to roll her eyes dramatically.
"I'm so glad we cleared that up," she drawled, pushing her chair away from her desk and moving to stand. Spike took her cue and stood as well, following only a step behind when she grabbed a couple files and headed for the door.
"Where we going?" he whispered in her ear as he tried to peek over her shoulder to see what papers she was holding.
"To Angel's office," she informed him with a bright smile as his playful _expression faded into disappointment.
"Goodie," he muttered despondently, but still following her.
Willow rapped on the door twice politely before letting herself into Angel's spacious office. The vampire himself was seated at his desk, surrounded by mounds of paperwork. Spike stepped inside as well, slamming the door shut for good measure, knowing the loud boom would irritate him grandsire. Angel shot him a glare and he merely smiled serenely and sprawled on top of Angel's plush leather sofa.
"I've got the files you needed to look over for the meeting with the Fey," the redhead explained, handing him the first folder. Angel took it gratefully and skimmed through the contents as she continued, "And I brought you some of the symbols I was able to translate from Lindsey's apartment. I didn't find much, but it's all I have so far. I'm still working on it though," she assured him, handing him the second file folder.
"Thanks Will," he murmured, looking up from his work to grace her with thankful smile. "You do good work," he added before muttering under his breath. "Unlike some people who don't actually do any work, ever," with a dark look towards Spike. The blonde simply flipped him off from his spot on the couch.
"Oh, and before I forget, can I have a friend stay over?" she asked eagerly before pausing, a contemplative look on her pretty face. "Wait a sec, rewind. I'll try and make that sound less grade school. Do you mind if an old friend of mine comes to visit?"
"Uh, sure," Angel replied, a little unsure. "Who is it?" he asked, half dreading her answer. He really didn't want to see Buffy. Not that he didn't still care for her, because he did, but seeing her just wasn't something he was really looking forward to. Plus he was still under the impression that the blonde slayer thought he was teaming up with the bad guys now that he was running Wolfram and Hart. The only other person he could think of was Xander, and he really didn't want to see that boy. There just weren't enough words in the English language to accurately describe his loathing for that boy.
"Faith," Willow said with a nod. Angel straightened and Spike raised an eyebrow at that. "She just called. She's in California and on her way down here. She won't be in L.A. for a couple days but she was looking for a place to stay. Plus she wanted to drop in, say hi to everyone. I kind told her she could stay here," she admitted sheepishly.
"No, that's fine," Angel said quickly. "Of course she can stay here. Faith's always welcome."
"You know," Willow said, considering, "I told her she could stay with me, but with Spike here, both of the bedrooms are taken and I hate to see her sleep on the couch. So I was thinking that maybe she could stay with you. You've got that spare bedroom all ready and waiting."
"Uh," Angel contemplated, licking his dry lips, "yeah. I guess that could work. Sure."
"Great," the redhead grinned widely. "Well, anyway I better get back to work." She offered him one last friendly smile before heading for the door.
Spike rose leisurely from his seat on the sofa, glancing over at a fidgeting Angel and smirking. He slipped his hands into his duster pockets and strode out of his grandsire's office with a bounce in his step.
Willow glanced over her shoulder when she heard Spike join her in the hall. Her brow furrowed when she noticed his rather cheerful disposition. He wasn't usually so happy after spending time with Angel.
"Hey, why are you so.smirky?" she asked, eyes narrowing as his grin only widened. She stopped in the middle of the hall, only feet away from the elevator, arms crossed over her chest as she peered at him curiously.
"No reason," he replied evasively as he slipped leather-clad arms around her waist, pulling her close. He buried his face in her neck as Willow's arms wound around his neck, breathing in her scent. He moved his mouth to her ear and nipped the lobe playfully. "It's just," he murmured, voice alight with genuine amusement, "did you see him back there?" Spike chuckled. "I think Angel's got a crush."
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