Parts: 11 - 15
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~Part: 11~
Sunday Evening
Restfield Cemetery
Spike's Crypt
Willow couldn't bring herself to concentrate on anything but the feel of Spike pressed against her, his lips on hers. He shifted her in his arms and moved his mouth to her neck, placing kisses and playful nips along the smooth column. She sighed and smiled, opening her eyes slightly as she moved her hand up his back and to his neck, playing with the ends of his hairs.
"Oh no!" she gasped, causing Spike to pull away. He looked at her flustered face and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Having regrets, love?" he asked quietly. She looked to him, surprise in her eyes before shaking her head fiercely.
"No, Spike, that's not it," she assured him quickly. "But it's nine!" She screeched, bringing her wrist to his face, forcing him to look at her watch.
"Still don't see the problem, Red," he replied with confusion.
"I was supposed to meet my aunt and her partner like three hours ago! Shoot." she grumbled as she pushed herself off the altar and onto the floor. "I'm so late, they must be worried."
"Relax, pet," he said reassuringly as she slid on her coat to stave off the chilly night air. "Come on," he added, extending his hand and she took it without hesitation. "We'll go see your mates, let them know you're safe and sound."
"I thought you were 'staying in tonight'," she said with a grin, "that's what you told Buffy."
"Suddenly feel the need for a walk," he responded. "Not like a demon can't change his mind."
"True," she said, chuckling.
"Besides," he said with a smirk, "couldn't let you walk around Sunnyhell unescorted. Some nasty demon might eat you all up."
"And there's no chance of that happening with you around?" she asked doubtfully.
"Didn't say that," he amended, "but I plan to be the only demon to eat you all up," he laughed at the blush that covered her face and kissed her forehead as they walked to the Magic Box.
The walk was quiet and uneventful, which was perfectly fine with the couple. Releasing Spike's hand, Willow pushed open the door to the shop, looking around with a frown. Giles was behind the counter, working on the books and Aunt D and Mulder were conversing softly at the table in the center of the shop, but no one else was to be seen.
"Where is everybody?" asked the witch. The three looked up at the sound of her voice, a relieved smile crossing all their faces.
"Where have you been, Willow?" asked Giles in a parental tone. She smiled at his worry. He was more of a father to her than her own.
"I've been running around town all day, kinda lost track of time," she replied sheepishly. He nodded, satisfied with her answer. Dana watched her niece carefully, seeing how Spike was practically hovering over the girl, and stifled a grin. They were too cute together.
"Buffy left earlier, a couple hours before. Said she had errands," informed her aunt from her seat. "She came back a little while ago to pick up Dawn. And Xander and Anya left an hour ago. She sort of demanded that he take her dancing."
"Sounds like Anya," said Willow with a roll of her eyes. "Nice to know they were worried about me," she muttered sadly. Spike was the only one to hear her comment and took her hand in his, squeezing it reassuringly before letting her go. She watched the blonde walk further into the shop and giggled when he hopped up onto the counter, displacing all of Giles' papers and causing the former watcher to curse and glare at him.
"I thought you were taking the night off, Spike," said the former librarian, "that is what Buffy mentioned."
"Felt like a stroll," the blonde replied with a shrug. "Besides, I don't answer to the bint. I can come and go as I please. And I wouldn't want to deprive you of my company, Rupert. I knew you'd miss me," he added sarcastically.
"Like a bloody migraine," murmured Giles, turning away to ignore the vampire who was grinning madly.
"Look," interrupted Willow, seeing how frustrated the watcher was becoming, "why don't we go home? It's been a busy day and I'm beat. Unless you felt like going out?" she asked her aunt and partner.
"Nah," replied Dana, "I think home sounds good. Mulder?" He nodded and graced both redheads with a smile. They gathered their things and headed for the door.
"See you tomorrow, Giles," called the witch as she and Spike led the guests back to her house.
~~~*~~~
The group of four walked leisurely down the streets of Sunnydale, speaking occasionally. Spike walked a little bit ahead of the rest, just to be safe. He didn't think that anything would happen; after all, what demon with a brain would attack a group of people consisting of a powerful witch and a Master vampire?
The problem with his assumption was that not all demons on the hellmouth were the most intelligent sort. They were only a few blocks away from Willow's house when they heard a growl. Willow spun to face a vampire, obviously a fledgling, snarling menacingly at her.
"Spike!" she squeaked, feeling him come up behind her and grab her arm, pulling her safely behind him harshly. Amber eyes glared at the minion, causing the young vampire to take a step back in surprise.
"What the hell, man?!" the fledgling swore. "You're one of us! Why are you stopping me?" He backed away nervously as Spike took a step forward.
"Don't think to compare *me* to *you*," he warned with a low growl. "*They* are under my protection. *She*," he added sharply, pointing to the younger redhead, "is mine." With that he slipped a stake out of a hidden pocket in his prized duster and into his palm. "You threatened her, for that you die."
The minion growled at the threat and charged the elder vampire, only to be stopped by a hard fist to the jaw. Doubling over from a kick to the stomach, he pulled himself up to stand straight again. His face froze in a look of pain when he felt the stake rammed through his heart. Spike watched in satisfaction as the useless fledge turned to dust before his eyes.
"Wanker," he mumbled before turning around. His eyes immediately fell on Willow, who was looking decidedly frightened. He knew she had seen scarier things than that so he was confused as to what bothered her so much. He followed her gaze to the forms of her aunt and her partner, each seemingly in a state of shock.
"Bugger," he grumbled, looking back to Willow with an expression of apology. She smiled shakily, trying to tell him it wasn't his fault.
"Um, Willow?" broke in Dana, her voice unsteady. "What the hell was that?"
"That," answered Mulder with a combination of wonder and personal satisfaction, "was a vampire."
"Oh," answered Scully, her mouth remaining in an astonished 'O'.
"We'd better get the gang," whispered Willow as she moved to stand next to Spike. He nodded soberly and they pulled the two agents with them back to the Magic Box. They were in for a long night.
~Part: 12~
Sunday Evening
The Magic Box
Willow paced the length of the shop, anxiously awaiting the arrival of her friends. Spike watched her with hooded eyes from a shadowy corner. Giles simply stood still, leaning slightly on the back of the counter and cleaning his glasses nervously. Mulder and Scully sat at the table in the center of the store. The older redhead was staring at her hands, wringing them apprehensively. Mulder on the other hand was barely able to remain still. He constantly shifted in his seat, his eyes darting to the front door, hoping that the others would arrive soon. He was so close to getting answers, to proving that he had been right all these years he could barely contain himself.
"Giles?" called Buffy as she pushed open the front door, Riley following closely behind her as requested by the watcher. "What's up? Something wrong?" she asked, wondering what could have possibly happened that caused her former watcher to call an impromptu meeting.
Before Giles could respond, another couple strode through the entrance, with a look of curiosity from Xander and one of annoyance at having her evening interrupted from Anya.
"This better be important," warned the ex demon, "we were going to have orgasms when you called. Now Xander's not in the mood," she whined plaintively.
"Well, yes, so sorry to hear that Anya," stammered Giles, quickly returning to the matter at hand.
"What's the what, G-man?" asked Xander as he took a seat next to Dana and pulling Anya into his lap. Buffy and Riley followed his lead and the commando sat next to Mulder, placing Buffy on his lap as well.
"We have a bit of a problem," stated the shopkeeper seriously.
"That's putting it lightly, Rupert," sneered Spike contemptuously. The watcher glared at the vampire before continuing.
"Thank you for *that* observation, Spike," spat the former librarian. Turning his attention back to his slayer, he spoke again. "They know.they saw." stuttered the watcher, unable to think of the right words. The blonde looked at him curiously.
"They know about vampires," announced Willow as she moved closer to her friends, and Spike stepped out of the shadows in an attempt to comfort her with his nearness.
Buffy laughed uneasily, unsure of what to say.
"How?" broke in Riley, being the level-headed one.
"We were walking home. Some newbie jumped us."
"Oh my God!" screeched the slayer, hopping from Riley's lap and running to her friend. "Are you okay, Wills? Did you get hurt?" she asked frantically, checking her for injuries.
"I'm fine, Buffy," the witch replied with a small smile, grabbing the blonde's hand for reassurance. "We're okay. Spike saved us." Buffy turned to eye the vampire carefully.
"Thank you," she murmured reluctantly. Spike's eyes widened in surprise but he didn't let his face show it.
"That probably hurt, didn't it Slutty?"
"Don't push me, Spikey," warned the slayer. "I may be grateful to you for saving them, but don't think that means I like you."
"Damn," he groaned sarcastically, "and I made it my life's mission to please *you*," he sneered.
"Jerk."
"Bitch."
"Stop it!" commanded the small redhead, pulling Buffy away from Spike. "We have more important things to discuss now than your mutual hatred for each other."
"Sorry, Wills," mumbled Buffy with a frown. "You're right."
"Now that we've cleared that up," added Giles, "it might be best to find a way to explain all this to our guests."
"Answers would be nice," said Scully bluntly. "We've been sitting here for ages and you've told us nothing. I don't mean to be rude, but I want to know what's going on."
"Yes, well, we're getting to that." Giles took a deep breath as Mulder waited patiently on the edge of his seat.
"Might want to get comfy, guys," advised Xander, "this will take awhile. He lives for this."
"Do shut up," interrupted Giles, "Now, what you saw here and what we tell you can go no further than this group. I know you both work for the FBI and if I am honest, I must admit we are all a bit worried that bringing the government into this would only cause more harm than good." Riley shifted uncomfortably in his seat, knowing that Giles was not a big fan of the Initiative. At their reluctant nods, the watcher continued.
"Demons have existed long before man came along. What you saw tonight was merely the beginning. Vampires are not the only creatures of the night. There are many more, some I am sure I do not even know of. Werewolves, witches, they all exist."
"You have to be kidding me," said Scully, ignoring Mulder's astonished gaze. "That's all myth and legend. You can't expect me to believe that monsters are real."
"Do you trust me?" asked Willow timidly. Dana nodded immediately, knowing her niece would never lie to her. She just wasn't capable of it. "Spike, show her," she ordered. The bleach blonde looked at her questioningly. "Your grrr.show her."
"Now, Red," he tried to reason with her. "That might not be best. Maybe I shouldn't-"
"Please," she begged softly. "Just do it." He sighed and lowered her head in resignation. Lifting his head, he turned to the agents. Scully watched in horrid fascination as Spike's blue eyes bled into amber and his previously smooth forehead was overcome with ridges. She saw fangs peeking out from behind his lips and her heart began to race.
"Wow." whispered Mulder as he stood and walked to Spike, staring at him in amazement. He reached out a hand to touch his face but the blonde stepped back, hating the feeling of being studied.
"We done with the demonstration, love?" he asked pleadingly to Willow.
"Yeah, Spike." He returned to his human features.
"You were saying?" said Scully weakly as she faced Giles once more.
"Right, well we have established that demons do exist. Now, in every generation there is a slayer, one girl in the world born to fight the demons-"
"That's me," added Buffy with a forced smile.
"Yes, Buffy is the slayer. I am her watcher. It is my duty to teach her and guide her in her quest to rid the world of evil."
"Isn't that a bit overly dramatic, watcher?" questioned Spike with a smirk. "Just get to the bloody point. Yeah, all those things that go 'bump in the night' really do exist. The bleeding world is crawling with the buggers. The slayer is born to save the world from all things naughty and evil, she has a watcher-guess what he does," he added with a snort. "So there you have it. Demons are real; Slutty here fights 'em. End of story."
"Well thank you for your help, Spike," said Giles with a glare.
"If *she*," wondered Scully, pointing to Buffy, "is meant to kill demons, why are *you* working with her?" she asked Spike.
"That would be Riley the wonder-boy's fault," he growled. "He and his sodding soldier boys stuck a freaking chip in my head. Can't hurt anyone, so I'm stuck helping the bint until they fix me. I hate the bloody hellmouth," he grumbled.
"Hellmouth?" asked Mulder, speaking for the first time that night.
"Sunnydale is built on a hellmouth," replied Xander with a shrug. "A center of mystical convergence or something. It attracts demons like a moth to a flame. There's never a dull moment here."
"So if she's a slayer and you're a vampire," said Dana, "what are the rest of you?"
"Giles is Buffy's watcher," replied Willow gently, "Anya is a former demon, vengeance demon actually. Oz was a werewolf," she whispered, "and I'm a witch."
"What about you, Xander?" wondered Dana.
"Oh, me, I'm just the zeppo."
"Oh," she said, a little surprised, "that's nice."
"Yeah, well, not that this night hasn't been loads of fun, but I'm right knackered," broke in Spike. "If we're done with the group sharing, I'll be going." Giles waved the vampire off and the bleach blonde granted Willow a small smile before heading out into the night.
"I think Spike had the right idea," added Dana with a tired, confused sigh. "Maybe we should go home." Willow looked to Giles and he nodded. Scully slipped on her coat and joined Willow near the front of the store, waiting for Mulder to catch up.
"You okay?" Willow asked Mulder as they walked home. She knew her aunt was overwhelmed by everything, her shoulders were hunched and her demeanor subdued as they continued their journey. But Mulder, he didn't seem bothered by this at all. That amazed her; even she had reservations about all of this when she first learned about demons and slayers.
"I'm good, great actually," he assured her with a brilliant smile. "I knew it," he whispered to himself, "I knew I was right." She giggled at his elated look.
"We'll talk more later, I promise," she swore to him with a relieved smile.
"I'm going to hold you to that."
~Part: 13~
Monday Afternoon
The Magic Box
Scully observed the inhabitants of the small shop with narrow eyes. It wasn't that she didn't trust them. After all, Willow had never lied to her and she knew that her niece simply couldn't lie to her. So following that logic, these people that the younger redhead claimed as her friends should be considered equally dependable for the truth. Trouble was she was never one to take things at face value. She always overanalyzed things, thought things to death. She couldn't forget what she had seen the night before. Seeing that stranger's face, horribly disfigured as he stared at the three of them with a feral look. Nor could she ignore the fact that Spike appeared to be one of those monsters she believed only existed in fairy tales. She had seen him transform, seen his handsome face change to that of some demonic creature. Dana was beginning to wish she had her sister's talent to 'forget' things that she found too disturbing. Maybe Shelia developed her knack for denial after living in this literal hellhole. Ignorance was bliss, after all.
Mulder on the other hand was excited. Ecstatic at the possibility of having all his theories and beliefs proven undoubtedly. While Scully studied everyone around her, suspicion heavy in her gaze, the brunette spent his time alternately speaking with Giles about all the demons he had faced and taking stock of everything in the magic shop.
They were waiting for Willow and Buffy to return from school, which should have been any time now. Scully remained silent most of the day, trying to process everything from the past few hours. Rubbing her temples in an attempt to stave off a massive headache, Dana sunk further into her chair, not even moving to greet her niece when she and two blondes entered the store.
"Hey guys," said Willow sweetly, smiling warmly at Mulder and frowning slightly when she saw her aunt ignoring everyone around her. Buffy noticed the tension in the room but said nothing; instead she pulled Riley with her to sit at the table by Scully, smiling at the agent even though Dana failed to greet her. "Everything okay?"
"Everything is great," answered Mulder with a childlike grin. "Mr. Giles was telling me about the time your mayor turned into a giant snake; it's all rather fascinating."
"Um, Mulder?" interrupted Willow with a small grimace, "Could you maybe wait until after business hours to talk about evil mayors and things of a demony nature? Most of Sunnydale is blissfully unaware of the deadly nightlife."
"Oh, sure. No problem," he replied with a nod.
"Besides," added Buffy, "if you think that was interesting, I've got even better stories to tell you. Plus I'm a much better story teller than Giles, there."
"Oh, thank you, Buffy," muttered the watcher sullenly.
"I didn't mean anything by that," said Buffy quickly, trying to spare his feelings.
"No, she's right," declared Anya when she finished with a customer. "You tell boring stories. It might be a British thing, or a watcher thing, I'm not sure. Spike's British but he's not boring, it must be a watcher thing, then."
"Anya, don't help me, okay?" requested Buffy with a glare.
"Whatever," replied the ex demon with a shrug. "Just being honest."
"You alright Aunt D?" asked Willow softly. Scully forced a comforting smile onto her face as she answered her niece.
"I'm fine Willow, I promise. Just taking everything in. I'll be okay."
"Afternoon, all," called a deep, cocky voice from the back room. Spike strode into the shop, wiping away any hint that he had been in the sewers from his duster. "Well, well, the gang's all here. Except the moron, but then again, who really misses the git?"
"Spike," the witch chastised him with a small groan of frustration.
"Don't get your knickers in twist. I'm just playing," he sighed as he hopped up onto the counter, close to Willow but not too close at to draw unneeded attention.
"Wow, Spike. That almost sounded like an apology," said Xander, smothering a chuckle as he entered the shop and kissed Anya on the cheek.
"Oh sod off, you nit," the blonde growled which earned him a slap on his knee from the witch. Feeling playful, he leaned in, his mouth hovering by Willow's ear.
"Oh Red, do it again." he purred. Willow turned the color of her hair and turned away from him to face her friends.
"Watch it, Fangless," the redhead warned, but her voice lacked any real threat.
"Speaking of that," interrupted Scully suddenly. At their confused expressions, she clarified. "Fangless," she added. "You mentioned that Riley was responsible for your-condition. How?" she demanded, needing answers that made sense.
"Riley is involved with a government organization called the Initiative," replied Giles with a frown.
"We capture and study sub-terrestrials," said Riley, shifting in his seat. He really didn't like being the center of attention.
"Bollocks," growled Spike, "you capture demons, put blasted chips in their heads so they can't even feed themselves, and experiment on them to your heart's content. Don't make it sound like you're doing a bloody service to society. You gits get off on feeling superior, cutting up demons who can't defend themselves. Plus the weapons make you feel all manly." Willow squeezed his knee in warning, seeing that his game face was threatening to make an appearance.
"Some people might see it that way," muttered Riley sheepishly.
"Wait, you said it was a government organization?" added Mulder. "Why have we never heard of it?" Scully sat up straighter, wanting to know that as well.
"Highly classified," answered Riley. "Everyone involved is on a need to know basis. If you aren't involved, you don't need to know."
"The Initiative has been a cause for concern for us," said Giles, not even looking at Riley. "So you can see why we are a concerned about the fact that you know about what goes on in this town. The government has not been our ally in most cases."
"Why?" questioned Dana. "It seems like you have the same goal. Why not work together?"
"We don't have the same goal," replied Willow firmly. "We fight demons, save people, save the world even. But we don't hold them prisoner. We don't experiment on them like lab rats. We don't prolong their suffering. That's what the Initiative does. If they simply fought demons, fought evil, and killed them, it wouldn't be such a problem. What they do is torture."
"Wills is right," added Xander. "We all know I am no fan of demons. I'm definitely not Spike's cheerleader, or anything," he said with a shudder, "but you have to admit what they do is cruel and unusual." Riley wisely remained silent throughout the discussion, knowing how they felt about his bosses.
"You're worried that we'll tell our superiors, aren't you?" asked Scully, her face very serious.
"Honestly, yes. We are," answered Giles as he cleaned his glasses out of habit. "We are not just the hiding the existence of demons, but are protecting ourselves. You must understand, Ms. Scully, what people cannot understand, they fear. What do you think the masses would do if they found out about demons, slayers, watchers, and witches? Our lives, our safety could be at risk if this gets out. Do you understand?"
Dana didn't reply immediately. She let her eyes scan the room, seeing the apprehensive looks on everyone's faces. She could see the pleading in Mulder's eyes as he looked at her, begging to be understanding. And finally she studied her niece, who looked absolutely nervous and a little scared. She couldn't do anything that would risk her niece's safety. She loved her too much.
"I understand," she said with a sigh. "Your secret is safe with me."
"Thank you, Aunt D," responded Willow with a large, grateful smile.
"Yes, well, now that it's settled," interrupted Giles with relief. "It's getting dark; maybe you should go patrol, Buffy." The blonde slayer nodded and stood, Riley moving to join her. An eager Mulder jumped to join them.
"Ooh, can I come too?!"
~Part: 14~
Monday Evening
The Streets of Sunnydale
Willow and Spike walked hand in hand, heading no where in particular. Buffy, Riley, and Mulder all left to patrol, so they avoided Buffy's known patrol routes. She was tempted to take them to her house, but her aunt was currently there, getting some much needed rest. The past two days had taken a lot out of the FBI agent and she was in desperate need of relaxation. So the only place that they could go to be alone seemed to be Spike's crypt. But the blonde didn't fancy the idea of taking her back there. Not only did the slayer have this nasty habit of barging in at the worst time, but he felt that Willow deserved better. Who wanted to spend their time in another's eternal resting place? That was a bit morbid, even for him.
So they walked. Willow snuck a look at his profile, seeing a pensive look on his face. She bit her lip and tugged on his hand, pulling him behind her and sat him on a nearby bench. They were enshrouded with shadows, trees surrounding them, the moon their only source of light. They were in an extremely secluded area on the outskirts of Breaker's Woods. Willow was surprised at how far they had actually walked.
Spike gave her a confused look as she sat next to him, reaching out to brush her fingers against his cheek.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. He frowned at her.
"For what, pet? You didn't do anything wrong."
"I know, it's just.these past couple days. You've sorta had to relive all the things that have been done to you, you know, with the Initiative. I know that has to be hard."
"It's nothing new, love. Having that Riley git around everyday is a pretty good reminder, plus ya can't forget the mind-numbing migraines every once and awhile," he added with a shrug. "Not fun, but I'm dealing."
"Still," she said sadly, "I am sorry. I can't imagine everything you've been through. To have to rebel against you're very nature, to come to your enemies for help."
"Wasn't all bad," he replied with a smirk. "Get to piss off the bloody slayer at regular intervals. And I get you, makes my unlife more tolerable. Don't feel like staking myself any more." She shivered at the mention of his attempted suicide and he wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer and into a comforting hold.
He saw her open her mouth again but placed a cold finger against her lips to silence her.
"*You* have nothing to apologize for," he swore to her. "You're the only one in the entire bunch that has always treated me kindly, even if I didn't deserve it. Hell, woman, every time I tried to kill you, you ending up comforting me. So stop with the bloody guilt trip, okay?"
"Yes sir," she said adamantly, with a mock salute. He snorted and kissed her on the forehead.
"Cheeky brat," he mumbled with a grin.
"Yeah but you love it," she added with a small laugh. His face became suddenly serious and he waited a moment to respond, seemingly considering what she said. If she noticed the change in his mood, she didn't let him know it, instead moving further into his embrace.
"That I do, pet. That I do," he whispered, burying his face in her hair.
"Why didn't you want us to go back to your crypt, Spike?" she asked, out of the blue. He frowned at her abrupt change of subject, but answered her anyway.
"Because you deserve to have nicer surroundings, not just some stone and marble," he grumbled, angry at himself that he couldn't provide her with those things. At least not with that chip in his head.
"There's nothing wrong with your place, Spike," she informed him. "It is in need of some homey touches, but it's not that bad. I kinda like it, gives you character."
"Are you saying I'm lacking in character?" he asked, trying to sound offended.
"No, of course not," she told him, "You're overflowing with character. I'm just saying, it adds to that badass vampire mystique you have."
"Really now?" he replied with a chuckle and a raised eyebrow.
"Really," she answered with a firm nod. She shifted to look him in the eye, smiling slightly at the look of caring and what she hoped might be love, or maybe the beginning of it, in those icy blue depths.
"Spike?" she asked quietly, "Can you take me home?" He smiled, a little sad that their night was over already, but agreed. He pulled her to stand with him, regaining his hold on her hand as he turned to the right and started to walk. A sharp tug on his arm stopped him.
"No," she said with a shake of her head, "I want to go *home*," she told him, pulling him in the opposite direction, the direction of his crypt.
"You sure, love?" he questioned softly. He wanted nothing more than for her to stay with him, but he wasn't sure if she was really ready.
"I'm sure Spike. Take me home." He smiled brilliantly and she couldn't help but return his grin.
They reached his crypt after almost a half an hour of walking, most of which was done in silence. They had managed to successfully avoid Buffy for the evening and Willow had a feeling that Mulder would keep the slayer busy most of the night. That is until she could no longer stand his questions and she sent him home. By then, she would most likely be done with her patrol and would go home. So, long story short, the redhead was sure that Buffy was thoroughly occupied for the night and wouldn't notice her absence.
The blonde vampire escorted the witch into his humble home, trying his best to make it a little more comfortable as she stared off into space, lost in thought. She never noticed when he stopped flitting about and stood in front of her. He grinned as he thought of a most pleasant way to 'wake' her.
Brushing her now shoulder-length red hair away, Spike leaned in closer, placing the softest of butterfly kisses on her neck, alternately moving higher and lower. He heard her contented sigh and smiled when he felt hand caressing the back of his neck.
"Spike." she whispered, pulling him to her and claiming his lips with her own. The blonde growled at her forcefulness and tightened his hold on her. She moaned into his mouth when she felt his fingers deftly unbuttoning her blouse and pushed her against the closest wall. He fought his demon, who urged him to take her then and there. He wanted their first time to be slow and perfect. He tried to pull away, to give himself time to calm down. But Willow would have none of that.
Her hand gripped his shirt tightly, bringing his body flush against hers. She kissed his jaw before turning her attention to his neck. He groaned when she placed whispers of kisses along his throat and growled out of slight pain and surprise when she bit down. Not hard enough to break the skin, but enough to leave a definite mark. His control now shot, he shoved her back against the wall, wasting no time as he quickly lifted her orange skirt and ripped away her panties. She cried out in surprise, which turned into a breathy moan when he slid down his zipper and thrust into her, moaning at the pleasurable tightness that surrounded him.
His hands gripped her hips harshly, he knew there would be bruising the next day. But still, his chip wasn't firing, so he couldn't have been hurting her and judging by the sounds she was making, she was enjoying every minute of this. His pace quickened as he neared his release, bringing one of his hands from its place on her hip to stroke her. Her legs encircled his waist, holding onto him for dear life. Willow let out a satisfied shriek as she reached her peak. The feel of the redhead tightening around him caused Spike to go over the edge and out of habit, his face changed and he bit tenderly into her neck, near her shoulder.
They remained as they were for a moment; Willow's heavy breathing the only sound in the crypt. Spike nuzzled his mark, licking away any traces of blood that were there. When she felt his body stiffen suddenly, she forced herself to move her head from the crook of his neck to look into his eyes.
"Spike? What's wrong?" He was staring at her neck in confusion.
"I-I didn't mean to," he stammered. "The bite.I didn't mean to hurt you, I just-" but she stopped with a gentle kiss on his lips.
"You didn't hurt me," she whispered reassuringly. "Honestly I didn't even know you bit me," she added with an impish grin. He smiled, relieved that she wasn't angry with him. He tightened his hold on her waist and carried her, her legs still wrapped around his middle, as he laid them on the altar he currently used as a bed. Pulling his only blanket over them, she rested her head on his strong shoulder, content to never leave. He smiled as he felt her relax against him, his fingers running through her hair.
Spike watched her as she slowly drifted off to sleep, their arms and legs entwined, him still buried inside her. He placed a gentle kiss in her hair before he too closed his eyes and prepared to sleep the remainder of the night away.
"Mine."
~Part: 15~
Monday Evening
Grantfield Cemetery
"So what do you do on patrol?" asked Mulder with a jump in his step as they scanned the area. Riley resisted a laugh at the man's enthusiasm and Buffy smiled indulgently.
"Well, pretty much this," the slayer replied, her arms gesturing to the land around them. "Walk around, try to feel for any vamps, then we fight, I stake, and we move on."
"How do you 'feel for vamps'?" he asked, intrigued.
"Comes with the territory," she said with a shrug. "I kinda just get this tingly feeling so I know something of the demon variety is around. Then it's just a matter of finding where they're hiding and slaying them."
"What do you do?" inquired the brunette as he glanced at Riley.
"Oh me?" he asked with a sheepish smile, "I help."
"Riley's boys still patrol Sunnydale," added Buffy. "They use all this techno junk to find anything that looks suspicious. Then they usually stun them and take them to the lab. But Riley comes with me, most of them time. We're not really welcome in the Initiative anymore," she finished with a frown. "It's a long story."
Seeing that the couple really was not eager to talk about their involvement with the organization, Mulder let the topic slide.
"So do I get a weapon?" he pleaded. Buffy bit her lip, debating silently.
"You're trained in standard issue weaponry, right?" asked Riley. At Mulder's nod, he looked to Buffy. "He could use my taser gun. That way he's pretty safe, no hand to hand combat or anything." Buffy agreed hesitantly.
Riley went to show the agent how to use it, but the man just waved him away.
"I know how this works," he said with a half-smile. "Thanks." The trio's attention immediately focused on the sound of growls coming from the far right hand side of the cemetery. Buffy slipped a stake in Riley's hand and gripped her own even tighter.
"No acts of bravery, okay?" she told Mulder sternly. "Be careful."
"Hey, no delusions of bravery here," he stated, "now let's go." She studied him for a moment before silently nodding and leading them farther into the cemetery.
Mulder toyed with his gun as they approached the two fledglings, too young and involved in their own fighting to notice that the slayer was approaching. Buffy rolled her eyes as she watched the two non-descript vampires fight each other sloppily. They just stood back for awhile, letting the two beat each other senseless. The brunette gripped the blonde's neck and twisted harshly, watching in delight as the minion turned to ash.
"Very cool! Take that!" he crowed victoriously.
"Nice job," called the slayer, smirking when the fledgling jumped and spun to face her. "But now it's my turn." The tiny blonde kicked the vampire in the gut, causing him to groan. Catching her off guard, the minion grabbed her heel, twisting her foot harshly, causing her to fall. Riley jumped in, punching him squarely in the face. Taking a step back, the vampire shook his head, trying to regain his bearings. Growling, he ran toward Buffy, who refused to move from where she stood. Mulder watched, enthralled, as the clumsy vampire ran right into the slayer's concealed stake, turning him to dust before their eyes.
"That was too easy," Buffy pouted, pushing stray strands of hair from her eyes. "I was hoping for more of a fight."
"You realize you probably just jinxed us, right?" added Riley as he dusted himself off.
"Whatever," she replied with a shrug. "I don't feel any more vamps here, we should probably move on." They began to walk back to the entrance of the cemetery, Mulder's head down as he followed.
"But I didn't even get to use my gun," he whined petulantly.
~~~*~~~
Willow shifted in her sleep, turning onto her side. Her eyes fluttered open and they tried to adjust to the darkness of the room she was in. Bringing her hands to her face, she rubbed her eyes sleepily and yawned. Looking down, she saw an arm resting on her hip and frowned. Last time she checked she didn't have three arms. She felt the arm tighten its hold on her and rolled over slightly.
"Pet?" asked Spike, his voice deep and thick from sleep. It took her a minute to remember where she was and why she was here, but smiled when it all came back to her.
"Hey," she whispered, kissing the bleach blonde softly before resting her head on his shoulder.
"You okay?" he mumbled, still half asleep.
"Very okay," she said with a smile. "What time is it?"
Groaning, the vampire forced himself to sit up and his eyes searched for his watch. Reaching over to his duster that lay on the floor by the altar and pulling out his beaten up watch.
"4:15 a.m.," he said, "Which isn't a decent hour for vampires to be awake, so close to sunrise and all. So I'm going back to sleep, you should too. It's too damn early for all this talking." She giggled but frowned suddenly.
"I can't," she told him, and he merely looked at her, confused. "Go back to sleep," she clarified. "I have to go."
"Why the hell do you have to leave?" he growled.
"I have to get home before my aunt wakes up," she told him softly, trying to calm him. "If she or Mulder sees me coming home when they wake up, wearing the same clothes I did last night, there will be questions. Questions are bad," she said adamantly. "Questions lead to trouble."
"Yeah," he agreed reluctantly but still refusing to let her go.
"Come on, Spike," she whispered with a grin, "I have to go."
"Don't want you to," he complained.
"I'll make it up to you," she swore, "I promise." He growled and pulled her to him, kissing her breathless.
"You better," he said with a smirk. He let her slip from his embrace, watching as she tried not blush at the feel of his eyes on her as she dressed quickly. His earlier happiness at waking up with her beside him began to fade as she gathered her things and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
He caught her wrist with his strong hand, halting her retreat and causing her to look at him questioningly.
"Tonight, sundown. Be ready, I'll be at your house by six." She had a curious expression on her face.
"Why?" He smiled and pulled her hand to his mouth, placing a kiss on her palm.
"Because tonight I am taking you out."
"On a date?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, love. It's a date."
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