My Other Life

Author:  Kat, a.k.a. KallieRose

Feedback:  Yes, please, 'cuz if you don't let me know you like it, I won't continue it.

Rating:  So far it's just PG, probably won't go any further than R at most.

Pairing:  W/S, of course <g>

Disclaimer:  Joss, who is god, owns all these creatures.  I own nothing, not even my cat (as he is constantly informing me).  So don't sue me, ya know?

Summary:  Willow and Spike fluff, really, although it takes a while to get there.

Spoilers:  Um, takes place around season 4 or 5, I suppose.  Spike is helping the Scoobs, and is chipped of course, although he's just the slightest
bit bitter about it.

Author's note:  Okay, I wasn't planning on posting this yet, at least not until I had a title, but I read Mare's email and figured I could try to cheer her up.  I know this probably isn't exactly what you had in mind, Mare, but I hope it helps anyway  :-)

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~Part: 1~

The sun was long set by the time the four friends and their vampire cohort settled in around the table inside the Magic Box.  While technically the store was still open, they rarely had customers at this late hour, so they could talk freely.

At the moment Buffy was doing all the talking. All the pacing too, for that matter.  She seemed to think well while she was up and moving; perhaps it had something to do with displacing nervous energy.  Willow, Xander and Giles tracked her movements with their eyes.  Spike, making his disinterest quite obvious, stared at his nails, chipping away at the black nail polish.

"So you're saying this demon Gilgamesh-"

"That's Gilmesh, Buffy.  Gilgamesh was quite a different creature," Giles corrected resignedly, once again removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose.  Why did he even bother correcting her, he wondered wearily.  She rarely listened.

"Okay, so this Gilmesh demon," she paused, shooting a snarky look back at Giles, "is out there killing humans, and nobody knows how to kill him?  What kind of a Watcher are you," she asked, frustrated by their lack of information.  She stopped pacing briefly, her eye caught by an Incan fertility statue.  'God,' she thought, 'even the naked Incan statue thingies are starting to look good.  That just *proves* that I need a man.'  Blushing slightly, she turned away from the group, collecting her thoughts.

"Buffy, it is simply that this demon has not targeted humans before, and therefore hasn't seemed like such a threat.  In the past, a kitten here and there has been enough to satisfy a Gilmesh.  Although the loss of a kitten is certainly not pleasant, it isn't as tragic as the loss of a human life.  As such, the Watchers have only the most vague information as to how to deal with this creature."

"But Giles," she whined, giving him her best 'cute' face, "we're talking about *kittens* here.  Cute, cuddly, soft, you know the ones I'm talking about.  We have to take this demon out *now* before he kills again."

"Besides all that other blather, kittens make great collateral at the poker table.  If some demon is out there usin' 'em for a midnight snack, it'll play hell with my weekly games," added Spike.  "Might even have to go back to using money again," he grumbled.  Four faces turned to him in shock, unsure if they understood the implications of what he was saying.

"You-you play poker with *kittens*?  Cute, fuzzy, little…how could you," squeaked Willow, shooting an outraged look at the blond vampire.  He seemed oblivious to her indignation, however, merely looking down his long legs to the toes of his boots and smirking.

"Yeah, gotta go with Willow on this one," Xander added, shooting a disgusted look at the vampire.  "Kittens are not meant to be used as collateral.  You're a very, *very* bad man," he added, shaking a finger at Spike.

"Oh bugger off, you pathetic moron," the vampire shot back, not even bothering to look over at the boy.

The air felt suddenly heavy, the abrupt silence awkward.  Giles gave the children and the vampire a weary look, and then before any of them could open a mouth to shoot another insult at the vampire, he spoke.  "Okay, enough squabbling. This is getting us absolutely nowhere.  We need to find this thing and figure out how to kill it before it gets bolder and more powerful."

"I think we're going to have to split up if we want to find it," Buffy told them, jumping up to sit on the counter, her legs swinging lazily.  She looked thoughtfully at Spike, Xander and Willow, trying to decide what to do.

Her mind made up, she told them what she wanted.  "Spike, you take Willow.  Xander, you're with me.  Giles, you hold down the fort."  As Xander and Spike started to argue over which weapons to take, Buffy pulled Willow aside and gave her a small grin.  "I'm sorry you always get stuck with Spike, Willow, but it's gotta be Spike with either Xander or you, and if I were to send him out with Xander, you *know* that only one of them would come back.  And unfortunately, I'm pretty sure it would be Spike."

Willow pulled a face, the edges of her lips turning down.  She knew Buffy was right but she still wasn't happy about it.  Every time she went out with Spike he either ignored her or insulted her.  She knew he wasn't happy about his current situation, but that didn't mean he had to take it out on them, did it?  She looked over to the weapons cabinet, where at that very moment Xander and Spike were arguing about who got to take the crossbow.

"The witch will need it, you bloody moron," Spike snarled, grabbing the weapon out of the boy's grasping hands.  "She's got to have some sort of weapon, and she's not much good with anything else."

"Way to go with the tact there, Fangless," Buffy muttered, drawing an irritated look from the blond vamp.  She stole a quick glance at Willow, who seemed to be trying to ignore the whole exchange, her fingers moving along the edge of the shelf, her eyes unfocused.

"Xander, just grab something else and let's get out of here," Buffy commanded, heading towards the door, her blonde ponytail bouncing with her steps.  Xander hefted an ax, swinging it experimentally.  Giving one last glare at the vampire, who took great pains to ignore him, he followed the Slayer out the door.

"C'mon then," Spike said, eyeing the redhead with thinly veiled annoyance.  He handed her the crossbow, selected a short sword for himself, and then grabbed her arm, and pulled her out the door.

They walked in silence; Willow still smarting from his comment earlier in the library.  So what if she wasn't some badass warrior like the rest of them?  She was still research girl; none of them could touch her abilities with the computer.  And her increasing talent with magic was another thing that helped the group time and again.  But she still had this niggling wish that she could be a fighter like Buffy.  'Well wish in one hand and crap in the other, as they say,' she thought to herself.  She was who she was, and things weren't going to change just because some whiney pissed-off vampire wasn't happy about it.  And where did he get off being so nasty anyway?  Why couldn't he just try to get along with them?

"Why can't you just be pleasant?"  The question slipped out before she even knew it had.  She looked over at him, biting her lip uneasily.  He couldn't hurt her, not with that chip in his head, but he could still make her feel like a schoolchild with his razor-sharp tongue and his cruel words.

"Why should I bother," he returned, his voice neutral, his eyes darting carefully around the cemetery, looking for the next demon or vampire that he hoped was on its way.  After listening to the Slayer blather on, he was definitely in the mood for a spot of violence.  He stole a look down at the redhead next to him, taking in her uneasiness.  Her hair, the color of dried blood, coupled with the moonlight, made her face shine.  Oh, if only this chip was gone.  He would drain her in a minute, enjoying the look of shocked surprise on her face as it turned from a living, glowing visage to a white death mask.  'Damn soddin' chip,' he thought to himself, not for the first time.

Unaware of the vampire's thoughts, the redhead continued to talk, her soft, quiet voice floating to him in the silence of the late evening.  "I mean, you're stuck with us.  And we're stuck with you.  No matter how much you hate it, we're your best bet for survival.  You're smart enough to figure that out.  Being nice to us increases your chance of us helping you stay alive.  Well, stay undead I guess, if you want to be technical."

"Screw that," he told her, stopping suddenly to rest against an old cracked tombstone.  Shoving his hands in his pockets, he leaned back carefully, looking the little witch up and down. "Let's get this straight, since you seem to have a problem with it.  I'm evil.  I'll always be evil.  This little chip in my head?  It doesn't make me less evil.  It doesn't make me like any of you lot any better.  The only thing it does is keep me from killing you.  If it came out tomorrow, you'd all be dead in a bloody, glorious slaughter.  Maybe I'd throw a little torture in for good measure.  Hell, those were the days," he said, smiling to himself, images of past glories filling his thoughts.

The redhead stared at him, taking an uneasy half-step back, horror filling her green cats-eyes.  'He really means it,' she thought, amazed that he could be so cold and ruthless.  "But-but we've helped you.  Kept you from starving, given you blood, money, whatever else you needed.  Aren't you in the least bit grateful?"

He saw the fear growing in her face, the uneasiness in her posture, and he reveled in it.  She reminded him of a small cat, realizing that the tame dog she thought would protect her might not be as safe and well-trained as she thought.  'I might not be able to touch her, but I can still scare her,' he thought, an evil smile forming on his lips.

"Sure," he shot back angrily, pulling his hands out of his pockets, using them for emphasis, "you lot have helped me, but only because there's something in it for you.  It's purely a business transaction.  You give me what I need to survive, and I help you all keep the world safe until the next apocalypse.  Why should I be grateful?  I put up with a lot of crap from you 'white hats' in return for what little I get."

Willow sighed, giving him a disappointed look, then brushed past him to continue on down the path.  She had tried to reach him, tried to be his friend, but he obviously was determined not to be anything more than a pain in her ass.  'Fine,' she thought savagely, 'if that's the way he wants it, then that's the way it'll be.'

He followed behind her, mind churning over the conversation they had just finished. Maybe he had been a little blunt, but basically everything he said had been true.  They treated him like a neutered dog, kicking him when he was down, throwing cash and blood at him when they needed something.  They never took his feelings into consideration.  Why shouldn't he be bitter?

They continued their patrol in silence, neither one voicing their thoughts aloud.  Finally, after another half hour of tortuous silence, and no demon sightings, they arrived at Willow's front door.  He left her there, watching long enough to make sure she found her keys.  Seeing that she had them, he gave a curt nod and then turned and walked away, sinking into the shadows.

~Part: 2~

'God I hate him,' Willow thought to herself, turning to close the front door, then stomping up the stairs and down the hall towards her bedroom. Her footsteps echoed down the empty hallway, yet another reminder that her parents were out of town.  "Why the heck does he have to be so nasty?" she asked of her bedroom furniture.  Fortunately, none of the furniture answered back.

Sighing dejectedly, she picked up her laptop and got comfortable on her bed.  As she often did, she prepared to immerse herself in the cyber-world to help smooth over the hurt feelings of the day.  No matter what awful thing happened in the 'real' world, she could always retreat to this one, where she could be anyone she wanted; do and say anything she pleased.

She flipped on the laptop, listening to the soft whir of the fan as she shimmied her back up to the headboard, resting her head on the cool plaster of the wall behind her and trying to clear her mind of the unpleasant evening with Spike.

As the computer went through its usual start-up routine, she wondered where she should go tonight.  Willow had a half-dozen boards she posted on regularly, but none of them really called to her at the moment.  She wanted to go somewhere different.

Clicking on a random link, she found herself on a Star Trek posting board.  Reading the last several dozen posts, she realized that she happened upon a debate about the best captain.  The vote seemed to be split down the middle, with the men mainly going with Captain Kirk, while the women seemed to favor Captain Picard.

"I am *such* a geek," she remarked to nobody in particular as she prepared to enter the fray.  Thinking carefully, she composed her argument in her head, along with the supporting facts.  This was *not* going to be one of those posts consisting of 'Picard is the best because he's so sexy; I want to do him now.  Email me, please?'

Ten minutes later she had posted her thoughts and had quickly moved on to answering email.  Since it was already well past midnight, she decided to sort through it quickly and then head off to sleep.

~~~*~~~

'Another exciting night in Sunnydale,' Willow thought, as she and Spike walked quietly in the moonlight amongst the tombstones in one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries.  Hey, they ought to put this on the travel posters, she thought, stifling a giggle as she imagined it in her head.  'Come one, come all, see the amazing nightlife that will leave you dying for more.  Literally.'  She wished, not for the first time tonight, that it was Xander or Buffy walking next to her.  *They* would see the humor in the situation, she knew.

She lowered her head slightly and shot a glance over at her companion.  He was tall and strikingly handsome, his platinum hair shining like a beacon.  He was also, as usual, being a broody pain in the ass.  The vampire pretty much ignored her, except when he expected her to move faster or quieter.  Then he would shoot her an annoyed look, his eyes narrowing coldly in his angular face.

In fact, he was giving her that look right now, Willow realized.  He had stopped suddenly, dropping down to crouch silently behind a green leafy bush.  She stopped as well, dropping down next to him, pulling her trusty crossbow into position, eyes searching for a target.  He put his finger up to his full lips, giving the universal 'shhh' signal. She nodded slightly, her eyes flashing over the scene in front of them, looking for the cause of his concern.

Before long she saw it.  It was the Gilmesh demon they had been talking about earlier, and damn he was ugly.  He stood about 6 feet tall, skin the color of rotting flesh, and nasty-looking brown-red eyes.  Horns protruded from his forehead for that 'chock full of evil' look.  'Maybe I'm just being shallow,' Willow thought to herself, 'but why are the demons always so ugly?  Well, except Spike maybe,' she amended.  As big of a pain as he was, she had to admit that there was something sexy about him.  She'd never ever admit it to anyone ever, though.

Willow moved to shoot a glance towards the object of her thoughts, but as she turned to him, she realized that she was alone.  She narrowed her eyes, searching for the telltale blond hair.  She hoped he wasn't about to do something impulsive and stupid.  Nobody knew how to kill this thing, after all.  They were really just supposed to observe him and follow him back to his lair, where Buffy could attack him later.  But of course Spike had plans of his own.

Willow heard a soft growl, watching in dismay as Spike jumped out and launched himself towards the demon, hoping to disorient him and take him by surprise.  'Damn him,' she thought as she watched him grapple with the demon.

As she watched in growing horror, the creature began to pummel the vampire, its thick muscled legs aiming kicks at his head and chest that would have killed a lesser being many times over.  Spike absorbed each hit, but his reactions were getting slower and slower.  As Willow stood rooted to the spot, the Gilmesh grabbed him in a chokehold, squeezing as hard as his strong arms could.  Willow knew that if she didn't do anything soon, Spike would be dead.  Again.  Still.  Whichever, she thought, panic-stricken.  She knew he couldn't suffocate, being of the not-breathing persuasion, but that thing looked as if it could easily pop his head off.  From the sounds and struggles Spike was initiating, Willow was sure that things had gotten pretty bad.

"A little help here, girl," he croaked out, his eyes filling with pain.  He stood directly in front of the demon, however, and Willow was afraid that if she took a shot, she'd hit Spike and not her intended target.  She looked at him worriedly, trying to telegraph her concerns to him with her hands, miming Spike pushing away from the demon.

"Just do it," he ground out, his voice sounding weak.

Willow knew it was now or never, so with all her strength she hefted the crossbow, aiming it right at the demon's hideous head, and let loose the arrow, saying a little prayer that it would hit her target and not her friend.  Well, her companion, she conceded.

Putting 'thank Giles for forcing me to take all that target practice,' on her list of things to do later, she watched the arrow imbed itself into the demons head, sticking out like a narrower, longer third horn.  She sighed in relief as she saw the demon drop Spike, but then her terror started to build again as she watched the demon turn and come stumbling unsteadily towards her.  Fumbling slightly, she reached down to load another arrow into the crossbow.  As her fingers worked feverishly, she stole a quick look towards Spike.

The vampire was moving slowly, just now managing to pull himself to his feet.  "Careful witch, he's coming for you," he called out, his voice still raspy.

"No shit," she answered back nastily, panic making her voice sound harsh and ragged.  She was almost finished rearming the crossbow.  There.  She brought it up again, wondering where exactly to aim it.  'Make a decision quick,' she told herself, as she watched him close the gap between them.

'Please let this work,' she thought desperately, aiming the crossbow and sending the arrow to its target.  The demon stopped completely as the arrow hit home, his mouth forming a surprised 'O' before he tumbled heavily down to the ground, smashing everything in his path.

Spike staggered towards the fallen demon, kicking it in the stomach once or twice in an effort to get some of his own back.  Then he wobbled towards the little hacker, something akin to surprise and admiration bleeding through to his cold blue eyes.

Still shaking slightly from her ordeal, Willow looked up as she caught Spike's approach from the corner of her eye.  What was that look on his face?  Was he-impressed?  As quickly as it had appeared, it was gone, leaving Willow to wonder if she had just imagined it.

Leaning heavily against a thick tree, Spike's curiosity got the better of him.  He just had to know.  "So Red, how did you guess that his brain was there?" he asked her, a smirk on his face.

"Between his legs, you mean?" she asked, a bright red color beginning to suffuse her pale features.  "He may have been a demon, but he was still a male, wasn't he?  And that's where most males seem to do their thinking," she shot back, her hair flying out behind her in a crimson wave as she turned sharply and walked back towards the library.  She left the vampire to trail behind her, a bemused smile on his face.

~Part: 3~

'Well,' Willow thought as she flipped open the computer, 'tonight was…different.' She was pretty sure that she had actually been able to impress Spike, if only for a minute.  Once they had returned to the Magic Box, he had given her full credit for the kill, something that surprised them all.  Buffy had been ecstatic that they could concentrate on something else for once, and had immediately tried to convince Willow and Xander to go to the Bronze with her.

Xander had finally caved, but Willow was tired, and perhaps still a bit shell shocked. Once the Slayer and Xander had seen her home, she decided to take a nice relaxing bath with her new vanilla and cinnamon bubble bath.  Now she sat, clean and smelling pretty, in front of her computer.

Willow opened her email, then quickly and methodically read and answered each one.  Upon reaching the bottom of the list, she saw an email from "WTB2k".  'Probably junk," she thought to herself, but as she took a quick look at the subject line, she realized it was in reference to the post she had made the other day on the Star Trek board.

Curiosity got the better of her and after a brief hesitation, she clicked the email open and settled back to read it, snuggling comfortably back against her wood headboard.

TO:  GaladrialGal
FROM:  WTB2k
RE:  your post on Picard vs Kirk

Okay, so your argument was well thought out, but you're still wrong. What is it with you birds and your obsession with that git Picard? Kirk was willing to kick a little alien ass whenever needed.  Picard was way too big with the diplomacy stuff.  If he ever came across a real fight, he'd wet himself, then retire to his 'ready room.'

Now let's see, your biggest complaint about Kirk was that he was shagging any woman he came across.  Well he *was* a man, that's what we do.  Hell, Picard did it too.  He was just subtle about it.  You think he and Beverly never did the nasty?  Don't be naïve.  And there was definite sexual tension between him and Q.  Don't tell me you didn't see it.  I bet they fucked like rabbits every time the camera was off them.

Should she answer the email?  The idea that she would let WTB2k get to her was absurd, but she really did want to show him that she was right, and conversely, that he was wrong.  She looked quickly at her clock.  2am.  Oh hell, she was wired now.  She wouldn't be able to relax and go to sleep until she had her say.  Hitting the 'reply' button, she crafted her response.  After several false starts she finished her missive, giving it one final going-over before she hit the 'send' button.

TO:  WTB2k
FROM:  GaladrialGal
RE:  your recent email

First of all, Picard has proven himself time and again on the field of battle.  And he's done it without 'wetting himself' as you so charmingly put it.  Just because his first attempt at a resolution is usually a diplomatic one doesn't make him a bad captain.  He's a product of his time, just like Kirk is.  Picard's mission was first and foremost diplomatic, whereas Kirk's was exploration.  They were each a perfect mix for their time and objectives.

As for your assertions that sexual undertones colored Picard's relationships with certain crewmembers and aliens, I think you're way off base on that.  Sure, he and Beverly had the beginnings of a relationship, possibly, but I do *not* believe they were 'doing the nasty' off-camera.  As for Picard and Q?  Don't make me laugh. There's no way that Picard would ever have sex with Q.  Ever.  And thank you *so much* for ruining those episodes for me.

Her task finished, she yawned and realized that the activities of the evening had finally caught up to her.  She put the computer down gently on the floor, then stretched and flexed her tired and cramped muscles.  Finally, as she reached up to flick her light off, she felt her mind float away and her body start to fall into that peaceful place between wakefulness and sleep.  She closed her eyes and was soon in a deep sleep.

~~~*~~~

'Another day, another demon,' she thought as she wandered towards the Magic Box.  Sunnydale was giving them another of its beautiful sunsets, the sky filled with amazing shades of pink, blue and orange.  People scurried by, on their way home or elsewhere, packages and briefcases clutched in their hands.

Willow wondered idly what normal people did with their evenings.  Watched TV?  Indulged in hobbies?  Spent time with their families?  Well that last one wouldn't work for her, but every once-in-a-while the others sounded slightly tempting.  When she considered the matter, though, she realized that spending time at the Magic Box was like being with family, in an odd sort of way. Giles was the father she'd always imagined having.  Xander played the part of the annoying pesky little brother that drove her nuts.  Buffy was the best sister a girl could have.  That only left Spike.  Okay, she admitted to herself, that was where the analogy broke down a bit.  Unless-yes, she could see Spike as the older brother who was 'too cool' for the rest of the family and spent time with them only when forced.  She gave herself a mental pat on the back for pigeonholing them all, then laughed to herself at her silliness.  She swung the door open and walked into the Magic Box with a smile on her face.

"Hi Giles," she called out, as she looked around idly for any customers that might still be about.

"Hey Will," called Xander, from his seat in one of the comfy new lounge chairs Giles had purchased, in an attempt 'homey.'  "So now that you're a bad-ass demon killer, ya wanna take over the patrol for me tonight?"

She smiled at him, and pretended to consider his request.  "Hmmm…'Willow the Vampire Slayer,' has kind of a nice sound to it, doesn't it?" She cocked her head to the side.  "Nah, I think I'll stick with 'Willow the Wacky Wicca.'  Besides, what would we call Buffy then?"

"I've got a few choice suggestions," came Spike's voice from behind a bookcase.  "Although somehow I think 'Slutty the Vampire Humper' or 'Daphne the Vampire Defiler' probably wouldn't go over too well with the Watcher."

"Shut up, Oh Neutered One," yelled Xander from across the room.

"Come over here and make me, you bloody wanker," the vamp called back, as he moved from behind the bookcase to stand next to Willow, his chest pushed out in an aggressive stance.

"You're just lucky I'm so damn lazy," muttered Xander from his comfy chair, as he shot Spike a look of pure venom.

"Where is Buffy anyway?" asked Willow.  "And Giles, is he here?"  She had toyed with an idea all afternoon and she hoped that Giles or Buffy could help her with it.

"Alas, we are Buffy-less tonight," Xander told her.  "She's stuck at home. Her mom insisted on some down time for her.  Movies with the family or something.  Giles is out getting eats, he'll be back before too long."

"So why are we here tonight anyway?" asked Spike, annoyance in his tone.  "I mean, the Slayer's not here, so obviously there's not a big apocalypse around the corner.  I've got better things to do than hang out here with you lot."

"Yeah, the Big Bad's gotta go lose more kittens at the poker table, huh," taunted Xander, as he rested his feet on the coffee table, a smug smile on his face.

Spike took a menacing step towards him, and then stopped, as he thought better of it.  "Yeah, things to do, kittens to win, stuff like that.  That watcher's got five more minutes then I'm gone."

"Well I'd hate to ruin whatever fascinating plans you have for the evening, Spike. I'll try to keep this short and to the point," said Giles as he walked in the door, his hands full of fast-food bags.

"Food!" Xander bounded up from his chair, suddenly full of energy.  As he approached the table at close to light speed, he pawed through the bags the watcher had just placed there.  Finally, he grabbed several paper-wrapped packages and settled back into his chair.

"Good evening Willow," Giles greeted the redhead, placing a hand on her shoulder.  "What brings you here tonight.  Not that I'm not always happy to see you," he added as she frowned.

"Well," she started hesitantly.  She had hoped that they could talk about this without an audience, but now was as good a time as ever, she decided.  "I was going to talk to you about some training.  For me.  I want to be a better fighter."

Giles looked down at her in surprise, his lips parted slightly, obviously caught unawares by the young girl's request. "Yes, well, certainly, we can teach you some basic self-defense moves.  Is that what you had in mind?"

Willow's face brightened and her enthusiasm started to shine through her eyes.  "That's great!  That's exactly what I want," she told him.

"Perhaps Spike would be willing to help you with that," Giles remarked, so distracted that he did not notice the frowns that appeared on both faces.

~Part: 4~

"I-I was hoping that maybe…" she trailed off uncertainly.  This was definitely *not* what she had in mind.  She had hoped that Giles, or even Buffy, might be able to help her.  But Spike?  His name hadn't even occurred to her.

"Hey Watcher, you know the rules," Spike growled as he stared over at the nervous redhead, "no pay, no play.  You want me to train her, you'd better be willing to fork over some cash."

"I assure you, you will be well compensated for your troubles, Spike. In fact, I'm surprised none of us thought of this sooner," Giles remarked, as he turned to the redhead.  "Willow," he continued, "it would definitely behoove you to take in some training.  Young women should always be trained in the basics of self-defense, whether they help the Slayer or not.  I was remiss in not coming up with the idea myself."

"It's settled then," declared Spike, wonderful thoughts in his head as he thought of how to spend his newly acquired wealth.  And if he played his cards right, this gig could last a while, which would bring him a fairly steady income.

"Be here tomorrow at seven and we'll start.  Dress comfortably," the vampire told her, as he watched in amusement when she practically ran for the door in her haste to be out of there.

~~~*~~~

'Seven o'clock came way to quickly,' Willow thought, as her feet dragged her towards the Magic Box.  It was dark now; shadows covered the street and small, unexpected noises pulled her attention from here to there.  Her mind was still thinking up elaborate plots and excuses for why she could not train with the vampire.  She thought about trying to fake a sprained ankle or wrist, but knew that she was such a painfully poor liar that she would be caught out almost immediately.  Each excuse became more outlandish than the last, until finally she was forced to conclude that she would have to go through with it.

She walked into the shop as her watch beeped 7pm, the bell jangling as she closed the door behind her.  Giles and Spike were at a table, huddled over a book.  The topic of discussion must have been her, because the minute they looked up and saw her, they stopped mid-sentence.  The watcher had the good grace to look slightly embarrassed, but Spike merely nodded a greeting at her.

"Good, you're here.  C'mon, let's get started," he said to her with his usual lack of enthusiasm.  He quickly got up and made his way to the back stairway, then started down into the basement training area that Giles had created for Buffy.

"Good evening to you too," she muttered, as she cast a slightly aggravated look in Giles' direction.  He merely smiled at her, as his reserved manner brought her even more frustration.

Willow headed off in the direction that Spike had taken, as she tried to mentally prepare herself for her training.  She would *not* let the vampire annoy, belittle or frustrate her, she declared to herself, her small chin lifting slightly in defiance.

As she took the final steps down the stairs, she gave an evaluating look to the training area.  She had spent many an afternoon here with Buffy as they giggled, told tales, and talked girl talk.  She had never, however, been an active participant in the workouts that went on down here.

A large blue floor mat was situated on the floor in the middle of the room.  Spike stood impatiently upon it.  The black jeans and red t-shirt he wore accentuated his pale complexion; the harsh fluorescent lights made his skin appear even whiter.  'Every girl's ideal of a handsome man,' she thought.  Well, until he opened his mouth, at least.

"So what do I do now?" Willow asked as she approached Spike. She kicked off her shoes and moved to stand beside him on the blue matt.

"We're going to start with some basic self-defense, before we move on to the more difficult stuff," he told her.  "First I'm going to show you what you *should* do, if you're ever attacked.  C'mere."

Willow did as he asked. As she approached him, he turned his back to her.  He reached back and took her hands with his own, then he curled her arms around his middle, standing back against her so that his back pressed against the front of her body.  She shivered slightly at the cold contact.

"Okay, lesson the first," he told her, his voice all business, "this is one basic hold that an attacker might use.  Now pretend I'm the victim, you're the assailant.  Watch me, and I'll show you what to do next."

Willow nodded.  Then when she realized he couldn't see her face, she answered, "Okay, I'm ready."

"First, watch what I do with my foot," Spike instructed, as he brought his right foot slowly and softly down on her own foot.  "You want to stamp down pretty hard, but don't lose your balance.  The aim here is to distract and startle, although the pain will be useful too."

"Now while they're dealing with that, their grip on you should loosen a little.  Take the opportunity to turn slightly and throw your right elbow back into their chest."  He suited his actions to his words; he spun slightly and moved his elbow carefully back towards her chest.

"Then, as you let your momentum swing you around, take your hand, like this, and shove it up into their face.  You want to have your palm catch on the underside of their nose and push their head back.  Then, once they're pretty well incapacitated, just run like hell.  Got that?"

He turned to face her again, as he waited for her to acknowledge his instructions.  Willow nodded her agreement, her hair slipping from behind her ears at the movement.  As she reached up to tuck a lock back out of her face, she looked up at him, wondering what was next.

"Okay, now you give it a try," Spike challenged, as he stepped behind her and snaked his cold hands around her body, using his muscular arms to pull her hard against his chest.

Willow fidgeted uneasily, suddenly distracted by the feel of his cool hands against the thin shirt she was wearing.  She didn't want to hurt him.  How was she supposed to do this without hurting him?  He wasn't making matters any easier when he began moving his hands around, then started to dip them below the waste band of her pants.

"Hey there!" she yelled at him, as she struggled in vain to turn and face him.  "Keep your hands north of the border, buddy. This isn't 'grope Willow day' here, this is training time, okay?"  She tried pushing his hands up, back to her stomach, but they stayed right where they were, at a seeming stalemate.

"Witch," he muttered into her ear, his lips bringing goose bumps to the side of her neck,  "If this is going to be a realistic lesson, then you're just going to have to deal with a little added distraction.  After all, what demon could resist such a sweet neck," he told her, as he stooped to give her neck a soft lick.  His cold rough tongue sent shudders though her, and suddenly her mind kicked into overdrive.  Using the steps he had just shown her, she stomped down hard on his foot, her anger making her careless and giving her extra strength.

As he started to swear bitterly and began to bend over to inspect his injured foot, she turned and shoved her elbow into his side.  He howled in protest as he hopped away from her.  She wanted to laugh; for a moment there he looked for all the world like an injured kangaroo, the way he jumped up and down on his unharmed foot.  Although she successfully fought the temptation to laugh, Willow felt guilty.  She hadn't meant to hurt him.  Well, not much anyway.

"Spike," she asked hesitantly, "Are you all right?  Can I bring you…something?"

He glowered over at her, subjecting her to one of his most hostile glares.  The kind of glare that used to send demons fleeing in the other direction, back in the days of the Big Bad.  Instead of fear though, he saw compassion and helplessness in her eyes.  Finally he sat down on the mat, still rubbing his injured foot.  "Lesson over, witch.  Good job.  Now get the hell out of here."

Willow stared back at him and wondered if she should try to help him.  But the look that he gave her was chilling.  She whispered the words "Sorry," in his general direction before she escaped back up the stairway.

~Part: 5~

After saying a hurried goodbye to Giles, Willow headed back to her parents' house. She was the eternal house sitter, she decided. They should just sell the place really…they never spent any time there.  At the moment, they were in London, preparing for a conference on the adolescent mind.  Ironic, she thought with a wry grin.

As she relaxed upstairs with a hot cocoa, Willow quickly stripped down and put on her most comfortable nightshirt, the one with the kittens on it.  The thought of kittens brought her mind back to Spike.  She still felt bad for hurting him, but honestly, what did he expect when he was touching her like that.  Unless, the thought hit her suddenly, he had done it for exactly that reason.  Maybe he had realized that she wouldn't be able to attack him comfortably without a little-provocation.  If that truly was the case, then she felt even worse.  As she sipped her cocoa slowly, she considered the situation.

Willow sighed to herself as she decided that nothing was going to be settled tonight. She might as well just relax and stop feeling guilty.  Of course, that was easier said than done.

In an attempt to distract her active mind, Willow decided to turn on her computer and see what the latest news was in the cyber world.  As she settled back onto her stomach, she rested her head on her cupped hands and logged on to get her email.

Oh great, another email from WTB2k.  Doesn't he have anyone else to harass, she wondered.  Deciding that she might as well get it over with, she cautiously opened the email.  At least it isn't ticking, she conceded.  Ticking emails were always a bad sign.
 

TO:  GaladrialGal
FROM:  WTB2k
RE:  your post on Picard vs Kirk

Sorry, didn't realize that the thought of Picard with Q would disturb you so deeply.  Guess I just figured a bird wouldn't be such a homophobe. Guess prejudice exists everywhere though.

TO:  WTB2k
FROM:  GaladrialGal
RE:  your post on Picard vs Kirk

Sorry to disabuse you of your little theory, but my *ex-girlfriend* would probably have something to say about that whole 'me being prejudiced' thing. You should try to have a little more information before you make stupid assumptions about a person.

And just so you know, the reason that Picard would *never* sleep with Q is because Q was everything he stood against.  They were bitter enemies, and not in the 'opposites attract' type of way, but in the 'I'd kill you in a minute if it suited my purpose' type of way.

Sure enough, when she opened her mailbox, she found a brand spankin' new email from WTB2k.  Hopefully it contained an apology for the way he had severely misjudged her.

TO:  GaladrialGal
FROM:  WTB2k
RE:  your post on Picard vs Kirk

You don't think bitter enemies can ever become lovers?  Sorry, but it happens. I've seen it.  Never ends well, really.  But it happens.

This emailing back and forth is getting old.  Do you have an instant messenger program, like AIM?  My AIM name is WTB2k.

Her mind made up, she opened up AIM and placed WTB2k on her buddy list.  It's now or never, she thought to herself, as her finger hovered over the button that would send her message.  Taking a deep breath, she pressed 'send.'

GaladrialGal: Hello?

WTB2k: Hey.  Um, okay, so I'm not the world's fastest typist.  Kind of new to this whole internet thing in general.  Bear with me here.

GaladrialGal: That's okay-it gets easier with time.  Just takes practice.

WTB2k: So, what's a gal like you doing in a place like this?

WTB2k: Okay, yeah, I know that was a corny line.  Broke the ice though, right?

GaladrialGal: *giggles* That it did.  So, I'm guessing you're English, right?

WTB2k: Yeah, sure am.  Did my accent give me away <grin>?  You? I'm guessing you're an American.  West coast, if I had to choose.

GaladrialGal: Wow, you're good.  How did you figure that out?  Do I have an accent too?

WTB2k: Nah, just deductive reasoning, my dear Watson.  Your English is impeccable, so I figured either American or English.  The slang told me American, and the time you're on screams 'west coast.'

GaladrialGal: Hmmm…very clever.  Where are you from in England?  I've always wanted to go there, just haven't had a chance yet.

WTB2k: Originally, I'm from London.  I'm not there anymore though. Too dank and gloomy for my tastes.

GaladrialGal: Well nobody would ever say that about where I am.  Lots of sunshine and blue skies every day.  Sometimes I wish I could scream, I get so sick of it.  There's something relaxing about a nice rainy day, tucked up inside in front of a roaring fire, with a good book, or snuggling with someone you love.  God, I sound like a hopeless romantic now, don't I?

WTB2k: :::Laughs::: Romantic, yes, hopeless, nah.  Nothing wrong with being a little romantic.  Sometimes it can be what helps you make it through the day.

GaladrialGal: I'm really sorry; you seem like a really neat guy, I'm just dead tired.  I'm gonna crash for the night.  But I really enjoyed talking to you.  If you're around tomorrow, maybe we could talk some more?

WTB2k: :::smiles::: Sure thing.  G'night then.

GaladrialGal: Night!

~~~*~~~

Across town, WTB2k, also known to many as William The Bloody, continued to surf the net from his small apartment in the basement of the Sunnydale Magic Shop.  He had recently managed to convince the watcher that the space below the shop would make an excellent lair for a chipped vampire.  In return, he promised to keep an eye on the shop after shop hours, which ensured that nobody would break in and wreak havoc.  The arrangement seemed to be working well for all concerned, and Spike really appreciated the chance to get cable and now DSL.

The computer had been an afterthought.  The witch was always going on about how neat the internet was, and how much information could be found there.  Thinking it might be a way to pass the slow evenings and lonely nights, Spike decided to give it a try.  He'd been amazed by the sheer magnitude of it.  Webpages devoted to any and every topic, music from every era, movies, you name it, and it was available at the click of a button.

As he settled back into his chair and placed his hands behind his head, Spike thought about his recent encounter.  'That GaladrialGal had seemed like a nice enough chit,' he thought to himself.  She seemed fairly intelligent, at least.  Not that he'd ever actually *date* someone he met online.  That was for losers and guys who couldn't get a real date, he reminded himself.  Definitely not suitable for the Big Bad.  Still, it was always good to have someone to talk to, to while away the hours.  Since he couldn't go out and kill and feed, he needed to have *something* to do, right?

~Part: 6~

Willow's fingers flew across her keyboard, thoughts tumbling from her brain down into her fingertips in record time.  Thank god for Typing 101, she thought.  She couldn't imagine how frustrating it must be for people who couldn't make the words appear on the screen as quickly as they thought them.

She and WTB2k were involved in another of their deep discussions.  Most evenings when she got home from helping out as net girl, he was there waiting for her.  She enjoyed their time 'together.'  He challenged her mentally, yet he made her laugh too.  After an evening of patrolling or studying, she craved some fun in her life like a junkie craved a fix.

Tonight they were discussing the movie Lord of the Rings.  WTB had problems with the basic concept.  She sensed that he was a deeply cynical person, a concept that seemed almost foreign to her.  They were polar opposites in that regard.

GaladrialGal: Sorry, I just can't believe that.

WTB2k: But that's the truth, Gal.  Nobody is *that* good.  They'd be wearing that ring and kicking some ass, no matter what.  They'dbe on the dark side, no doubt about it.  Because of that, I just can't take the movie seriously.

GaladrialGal: But if you say that, then the whole movie falls apart.  You've got to believe that there's someone out there who is better than we are, whose motives are pure.  If not, then how depressing is that?

WTB2k: But that's the way life is.  You spend your time expecting someone to prove to you what a good person they are, and they'll only disappoint you.  Like this girl I work with…

WTB2k: She insists on thinking the best of everyone, and is always gettingdisappointed.  She needs to be more realistic in her expectations.That way people won't always be letting her down.

GaladrialGal: Sorry, I just can't agree with you.  Obviously I've never met thisperson, but I like the way she sees the world.  People *are*basically good.  You're not going to convince me otherwise.  Imean, sure, sometimes someone will disappoint you. It's bound tohappen.  But it's not the majority.

WTB2k: :::sigh:::  Guess we just live on different planets, Gal.  Because in*my* world, people disappoint more often than not. You expect abloke to do the right thing, and you're just going to get yourself ina heap of trouble.

GaladrialGal: Okay, different subject then.  Because we're obviously not going toagree on this one.

WTB2k: True.  Okay, well, new topic.  Hmmm…okay, tell me aboutyourself.  All I know is that you're a computer geek and that youlive on the west coast.  Oh, and that you seem to be a bit of a sci-fifan.

GaladrialGal: Hmm…me.  Well, before I tell you anything, you have to promisenot to turn into a stalker or anything.  Okay?  Because honestly,the last guy I met online was-well, he turned out to not be whathe seemed.  And the whole thing just ended, well, badly.  For him,at least.

WTB2k: :::laughs:::  No worries.  I'm not any kind of stalker.  I'd bedamned good at it, I've gotta admit, but nah, I promise, nostalking.

GaladrialGal: Good at it, huh?  Okay, not gonna ask about how you know that.  Ibet I'd be a good stalker too, actually.  I have a tendency to fadeinto the woodwork sometimes, comes in handy, actually.  Peopleforget I'm there; they're more likely to tell me things that theywouldn't otherwise.  Oh, but we're talking about me. AlthoughI guess, technically, that *is* about me, just not the kind of"me" stuff you were asking about.

WTB2k: :::laughs:::  Woman, you're making me dizzy!  The way your mindworks, it must be fascinating.

GaladrialGal: :::pouts::: You're laughing at me, aren't you?  Fine then, see ifI tell you anything else about me.  Nope!  Not one more worduntil you apologize!

WTB2k: Hey now!  I wasn't laughing at you.  Well, not much, anyway.  Andit was in a nice way, not the "you stupid bint" type of way.  Moreof a "this is kind of cute" laugh.  Okay?

GaladrialGal: Amazing how you can attempt to apologize without actually sayingthe words "I'm sorry."

WTB2k: You caught that, did ya?  Damn, Gal, you're too smart for yourown good.  Anybody ever tell you that?

GaladrialGal: Yes, I hear it more often than I'd like to.  Now what I haven'theard yet is that apology…

WTB2k: :::grinds teeth:::  Okay, okay, I'm sorry.  There, you happy?

GaladrialGal: :::smiles sweetly::: Yes, I think I am  :-)

WTB2k: Okay, now that all that's out of the way, you were going tell meabout yourself?

GaladrialGal: Oh.  Well, I'm a student.  I live at home, but alone.  My parents arebarely ever here.  Which is a good thing, actually.  Gives me timeto pursue my interests.  And lots of privacy.

WTB2k: Do you work?  Any hobbies?  Collections?

GaladrialGal: Well, I do some researching sometimes.  It's kind of hard toexplain, but I do it freelance, in my spare time.  Hobbies?  Notreally.  My studies and activities keep me kind of busy.  I guess youcould call my computer a hobby, maybe?  No collections either,except for my stuffed animals.  But I've kind of outgrown them,really.  Just keep them around to throw when I get mad :-)

GaladrialGal: Okay, my turn now…what about you?  What do you do, hobbies,collections, all that good happy stuff.

WTB2k: Well, I work in security.

As for hobbies, well, did maiming and torturing count?  Nah, probably not, he thought with regret. Too bad he couldn't be honest, it would make the conversation a whole lot more interesting.

WTB2k: It's not the most exciting job in the world, but I've got a computerand plenty of time to kill in the evenings.  No real hobbies at themoment, although I can see how this computer thing could befairly addictive.

GaladrialGal: Any family?  Wife, girlfriend, kids?

WTB2k: Nah, none of those.  My family is gone.  No wife, girlfriend, noneof that.  Thought about getting a pet, but somehow I never did.You?

GaladrialGal: I guess working nights would make it difficult to meet anyone,huh?  Me, no, no family except for mom and dad, and they're notreally part of my life.  I have a group of friends…we are a family,more or less.  Had a boyfriend, he left me.  Girlfriend did too.God, how pathetic is that?  Honestly, I'm not drowning in self-pity.Really I'm not.  It's just kind of…sad, sometimes.  I miss havingsomeone else around.

WTB2k: Me, I miss the sex.  The other stuff, friends and pets can take up theslack.  Sex, well, there's really only one way you're gonna get that.

GaladrialGal: Wow, well, that's kind of…right out there.

WTB2k: Sorry, too blunt for ya?  Well, I am a man, ya know.  Subtlety isn'tour strong suit, really.  But don't tell me you don't miss it too.  Iwon't believe it.

GaladrialGal: Okay, yes, I do miss it.  Just wasn't sure I wanted to admit it to astranger.  I mean, we talk and stuff, but I don't really knowyou or anything.

WTB2k: It's not like we'll ever run into each other at the grocery store.You can whisper things in my ear and be sure they'll never beheard by anyone else.

GaladrialGal: True. It just seems kind of…intimate.  I mean, I'm tellingyou things that even my friends don't know.

WTB2k: Tell you what.  We'll play a game.  That way you'll knowsomething about me that nobody else knows either.  Okay?

GaladrialGal: Game? What type of game?

WTB2k: Well, it's kind of like a game.  We talk about the things we miss.About sex.  I'll tell you something, then you tell me something.And remember, you have to be completely honest.  We'll nevermeet each other.  You can tell me your dirtiest secret and nobodywill ever know.  Okay?

GaladrialGal: :::frowns:::: I don't really have any dirty secrets.  My sex life hasalways been rather vanilla, I guess.  Boring.  I'll still playthough, if you want.  I just wanted to warn you…you know,not to expect anything, well, interesting.

WTB2k: Okay, I'm still game.  In fact, I'll go first.  I miss kisses.

GaladrialGal: Kisses.  Well, that's pretty ordinary.  Okay, I miss…orgasms!

WTB2k: Well that's a given, really.  I mean, who wouldn't?  My turn?  Imiss…tongues.

GaladrialGal: Tongues?

WTB2k: Tracing a path from my mouth down my neck, to my nipples.Nibbling gently on the nubs.

GaladrialGal: :::blushes:::  Oh, okay, tongues.  Got it.  Me?  I miss someonenibbling on my ear.

WTB2k: Feet

GaladrialGal: Feet?

WTB2k: What?  Feet can be sexy.  They can!

GaladrialGal: Feet?  Sexy?  Okay, um, if you say so.

WTB2k: They can, damn it.

GaladrialGal: :::giggles:::

WTB2k: Fingers

GaladrialGal: Tickling

WTB2k: Moans

GaladrialGal: Licking

WTB2k: Teasing

GaladrialGal: Smiling

WTB2k: Handcuffs

GaladrialGal: Um, handcuffs?

WTB2k: Handcuffs

GaladrialGal: Handcuffs?!?

WTB2k: Never used handcuffs, Gal?  Damn, luv, you don't know whatyou're missing.  Some of my best…but hell, it wouldn't begentlemanly to kiss and tell.

GaladrialGal: Umm…guess I'll just have to take your word for it.

WTB2k: Sorry, didn't mean to scare you.  Thought you were matureenough to handle it.  Okay, change of subject.

GaladrialGal: Wait!  I didn't say I was scared.  Don't you put words in mymouth.  And don't you dare try to manipulate me.  Just becauseI've never tried it doesn't mean I couldn't handle it.  I've justnever seen the point of it.

WTB2k: Okay, yeah, you caught me.  Maybe I was trying to manipulateyou a little.  The point is, handcuffs are fun.

GaladrialGal: Fun?  Why would being handcuffed to something be fun? That'sthe part I don't understand.

WTB2k: Sometimes it can be fun to give up control.  To let someone elsedo all the work.  All you have to do is enjoy the feelings.

GaladrialGal: :::frowns:::  I don't think I could ever do that.  Let someoneelse be in control.  That just doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

WTB2k: Not even someone you trusted?

GaladrialGal: I don't think there's anyone that I trust that much.  Maybe at onetime there might have been, but not right now.

WTB2k: Uh oh, someone's got a control problem  :-)

GaladrialGal: No I don't!  At least, not as long as I'm the one in control  :-Þ

WTB2k: What are you afraid of?

GaladrialGal: Well, just the usual:  pain, rape and death, that sort of stuff.

WTB2k: Well sure, if you were stupid enough to play bondage gameswith a total stranger.  But with someone you trusted, you wouldn'thave to worry about any of that.  Well, except maybe the pain.But that can be enjoyable.

GaladrialGal: Okay, now I'm *really* getting doubtful.  You think pain canbe enjoyable?

WTB2k: Sure it can. Maybe not intense pain, but things like candlewax, spanking, that kind of stuff can be really powerful.  Makesthings more intense.  You should try it before you make up yourmind against it.

GaladrialGal: Ummm…maybe I will.  Someday.

WTB2k: Well on that note, I'd better let you go.  It's late, you've got worktomorrow, I'm assuming.  You'd better get some sleep.  Wouldn'twant you to blame me if you got fired for falling asleep on the job.

GaladrialGal: Yeah, you've got a point there.  Okay, g'night and I'll talk to youtomorrow.

WTB2k: Night luv, talk to you later.

She teased her clit lightly, moving her finger over it in circles, pinching it gently every so often.  Willow felt the telltale signs of an approaching orgasm:  her legs clenched, her skin tingled, and her mind emptied itself of any thought except pleasure.

Suddenly his words came floating back to her, {pain, pleasure} and her free hand moved to her breast, teasing the nipple with soft caresses.  Just as she was about to come, her fingers grabbed her pointed nipple and gave a sharp twist.  As the pain radiated from her breast, her orgasm finally arrived, hitting her with the strength of a fast-moving truck.  She gasped in surprise, her body arching up off the bed with the intensity of the sensations.

When it was over, when her sharp pants had become nothing more than deep breaths, she had to admit that WTB had been correct.  The pain, while nothing special in and of itself, had definitely given her one hell of an orgasm.

Usually when she came it was a gentle, soft pleasure, radiating from her core like a tender wave.  But this, this had been like an attack on her senses.  A hurricane, if she wanted to continue with her 'nature' analogy.  The strength of it had been intense and unexpected, leaving her limp and wrung out upon its completion.

Suddenly satiated and rather tired, the redhead laid down on her bed again, and before she could even take the time to further analyze what had happened, she was fast asleep.

~Part: 8~

Willow wandered into the Magic Box, hoping to get in a little research time on a prophecy that Giles had found.  It had mentioned a souled vampire, and she was curious to see if it pertained to Angel.  She was fond of the elder vampire.  He always treated her as an adult, an equal, unlike another vampire she knew.  Even though he had moved on, to L.A. and a life of his own, the two still emailed frequently, and she still liked to keep an eye out for things that might affect him.

As she walked to the counter, Giles looked up from counting the till and gave her a small smile.  "Good afternoon, Willow.  Here for more research, I see?"

"Just can't seem to get enough of it these days," she replied lightly, a smile on her own lips as well.

"Well Xander and Buffy should be here any minute, so don't get too accustomed to the quiet," he warned her, a knowing glint in his eye.

The words were barely out of his mouth before the bell on the door clanged loudly and the bickering voices of Xander and Buffy filled the air.

"Just because a girl says she doesn't mind, it doesn't mean she really doesn't mind," Buffy was saying, shooting Xander an exasperated look.

Xander looked beaten down.  He was pretty sure he was losing this argument, although he wasn't quite sure why.  Even so, he wasn't going to give up without a fight.  "If that's so, then why didn't she just say 'Yes, I do mind' instead of lying and saying that she didn't?  I mean, it doesn't make sense if you say one thing and mean the other.  What's the point of talking at all then?"

Buffy gave him a pitying look before waltzing into the room and sitting down at the table.  She shot a look at Giles, noticing his preoccupation with the till, and motioned Willow to sit down with her for reinforcement.

"See, Will, I'm trying to explain to Xander about the unspoken things in a relationship.  Like when a woman says one thing and means another.  But he's just not getting it."

"Because it doesn't make sense.  Women just aren't logical like men are.  It's a documented fact."  Xander plunked down in the seat between the two women and looked at them hesitantly, as if reconsidering the words he had just spoken.  "I read it-somewhere," he mumbled, hunching in upon himself as if waiting for an attack of some sort.

Willow covered her mouth as she attempted to smother a yawn.  'Guess I still didn't manage to get quite enough sleep last night,' she thought.

"What's with the mouth action, Wills," Xander asked teasingly, hoping to distract the two women from his earlier social faux pas.  "Some secret boyfriend you've been spending your nights with?"

Willow glowered at him, still not forgiving him for his 'men are more logical than women' rant.

Buffy misinterpreted the look that the redhead shot Xander and had to wonder out loud, "Wow, did 'dumb luck' guy guess one right for once?" She had managed to annoy both Willow and Xander with one well-placed jibe.  'When I'm good, I'm good,' she thought to herself, as they both shot her irritated looks.

Hiding her face with her long red tresses, Willow 'fessed up.  "Well, um…I was awake late last night, talking to this guy.  Online." The words came out haltingly, her unease quite evident.

Xander eyed her warily, words of caution forming in his mind.  "You *do* remember your last foray into online dating, don't you?  Do us all a favor and just keep this one casual, okay?  And if he makes vague statements about destroying the world or sucking it all into hell, give one of us a heads-up, all right?"

Willow saw the teasing smile in her friend's eyes.  She hit him hard on his right arm.  Buffy, sitting on his left side, attacked from there.  When both girls were finished, he had the beginnings of two large matching bruises, one on either arm.

"Ow!  What was that for?  I mean it's not like Willow's been particularly lucky in love.  At least, when it comes to the online kind of love, you know?"

"This coming from the guy who has yet to date a normal, mortal woman," Buffy chided.

Xander had the good grace to look a little embarrassed.  Then he perked up slightly and protested, "Hey now, what about Cordelia."

"Cordelia?  Normal?  Not two words I'd put together in a sentence," Willow answered, snickering.  She reached over Xander to give Buffy a 'high five'.

The boy looked over at Giles, hoping that the Watcher would enter into the verbal battle and save his ass.  "G-Man, how about a little help here?"

Giles looked up at Xander, amazed at how the boy always managed to say just exactly the wrong thing with women.  It was a talent, really.  One that the Watcher had never managed to gain, fortunately.  "Xander, from what I can hear, you seem to be doing quite well at embarrassing the male of the species all by yourself.  Or was that not what you were trying to do?" he asked in amusement.

Xander, realizing that he had no allies in this battle, slunk down into his chair and started rhythmically banging his forehead on the solid oak table.  "Why me?" he groaned quietly.

Seeing Xander suitably distracted, Buffy zeroed in on Willow again, hoping to drag her secret out of her.  "So, friend, what's the haps with this guy you're seeing?"

Willow was attempting to set the record straight and insist that she was not dating this person, merely talking to him, but before she could say a word, she heard Spike's snickering voice from just inside the door.  "So the little redhead's finally getting a little, is she?"

"Spike, you're a pig," yelled Buffy and Willow in unison.  They looked back at each other and giggled.  Then they turned their eyes back to Spike, hostility pouring out of them.  If only looks really could kill, Willow thought.  But then she thought again, realizing he was already dead, and that those 'killing looks' would be wasted on a vampire.

Spike took no notice of the glares, merely sauntering towards the table.  As he neared Willow, he bent his head down, his cool lips brushing against her ear, and whispered, "I bet you're a screamer," and then turned and nonchalantly continued around the table to an empty chair, throwing his long lean body onto it.

"Screamer?  What do you mean?" Willow asked, vexed.  Buffy leaned over Xander and whispered in the redhead's ear, and then they all watched the redhead's face turn a bright shade of red.

"You!  You, you MEAN CREEP," she sputtered, too shocked to think of anything more cutting to say.

"Besides," Buffy smirked at Spike, "if she is, you'll never know."

Spike eyed the redhead speculatively, as if trying to decide whether or not she would taste good.  "She's got a cute little body.  You never know, I might give her a go some night."

Willow looked at him in amazement, averting her eyes nervously as soon as they met his.  He had *some nerve* she thought angrily.  As if!  "Never," she said furiously, spitting the word at him.

Spike laughed uproariously, but there was no amusement shining in his cold blue eyes.  "Never is an awfully long time, luv," he said, his eyes burning into hers.  "You might just feel differently some day."

"Yeah, and monkeys might come flying out of my ass," Xander said snidely, trying to give Willow support in his own unique way.

The rest of the room groaned in disgust.  "Thanks for taking me to that scary visual place, Xander.  Think I'll just go and wash out my brain with a brillo pad now if you don't mind," Buffy responded.

"Ah, yes, Xander.  Buffy is quite right.  Perhaps next time you might warn us before sending us off on another journey into your own personal hell.  I'm not sure my stomach is strong enough to handle it at this time."  Giles continued to polish his glasses, a defense mechanism he seemed to be employing more and more often these days.  'Perhaps if I were to quit the Magic Box and take up drinking instead…' he thought, then dismissed the idea as counter-productive.

~Part: 9~

GaladrialGal: He's just such a bastard.  That's it.  I don't use that word often, but it fits, and I'm going with it.  So there!

WTB2K: So why do you let him bother you?  If you ignored him, I'm sure that he'd probably leave you alone.  Just like any other pain in the ass, if he doesn't have anyone talking back to him, he'll probably get bored and give up.

GaladrialGal: :::sigh::: Because I'm a sucker?  I don't know.  He's just one of those people who manage to get under your skin.  No matter how hard I try to ignore him and the things he says, it seems like he still manages to get to me.

WTB2K: Want me to go over there and rough him up a little for you?  I'd do it for ya, just say the word.

GaladrialGal: :::snickers::: Thanks for the offer. I can just see it now.  The look on his face, it'd be priceless!  He'd be all "what's this about?" and I'd be pointing and laughing.  Oh, thinking about it is almost as good as if it were actually happening.  Almost.

WTB2K: You just say the word and I'll be right there, Gal.  Nobody messes with my friends.  Well, unless it's me.

GaladrialGal: Thanks  :-)  Okay, I'd better get to bed.  I spent most of the day today yawning because I didn't get much sleep last night.

WTB2K: We didn't talk *that* late last night, did we?  How late were you up after you went offline?

GaladrialGal: Um…well, I was up a little later.  I-well, I put your theory to the test.  :::blushes:::

WTB2K: Okay, you'll have to be a little more specific than that.  Which theory of mine are you talking about? The one where people suck and there's nothing you can do about it?  Nah, proving that theory right wouldn't have kept you awake long.

GaladrialGal: No-well, it was the one about, um, pain.  Making *things* more intense.  That one.

WTB2K: Ahh.  Suddenly the blushing and hemming and hawing becomes more clear.  I know what you did last night.  You naughty girl
you.  :::winks at Gal:::

WTB2K: So?  Are you going to tell me the results of your experiment? Was I right or what?  :::smirks::::

GaladrialGal: :::sigh:::  Yes, as much as it pains me to say it (no pun intended), you were right.  And that's ALL I'm going to say on the matter. Some things should definitely be kept private.

WTB2K: :::laughs::: Gal, you never cease to surprise me.  And I mean that only in the best way.  Okay, I'll let you go to bed now.  But you'd better go to sleep, right to sleep, and none of that naughty touching is allowed. Get a full 8 hours so that you're ready to kick the arse of that bastard at work.  I'll expect a full report tomorrow when I see you.

GaladrialGal: As always, you've managed to cheer me up.  Thanks!  And I'll save all the lurid details for tomorrow night…tell you how I kicked his ass and everything.

WTB2K: That's my Gal!  Okay, talk to ya later.

GaladrialGal: G'night   :-)

Maybe it was Gal's innocence that drew him to her.  She was so clueless when it came to all the creatures out there that would love to take a nice big bite out of her.  Creatures like me, he thought to himself with a smirk.  Yet in spite of the innocence she projected, he suspected that there was an inner strength to her as well.  She could handle whatever life had to throw at her, and still come out the other side, bruised and battered, but victorious.

He imagined the taste of her blood, choc full of innocence, light and strength, and felt the beginning of an erection.  Okay, time to think of something else, he told himself.  No need to get all excited when there was nothing he could do about it right now.

Okay, new subject-friendship and the Big Bad.  So maybe the Big Bad doesn't need friends, but hey, that doesn't mean that he *can't* have them, does it?  It just means that he doesn't *have to* have them.  Right?  He pondered that thought for a while before he drifted off into sleep. Innocent young maidens with red hair and sparkling green eyes danced through his dreams, although when he woke, he didn't remember them.

~~~~~*~~*~~~~~

Willow curled up on her side, head on her pillow, and tried to quiet her thoughts so that she could finally get some sleep.  She'd been tired all day, but now that she finally had a chance to rest, her mind refused to slow down.

She'd told him.  Really told him what she'd done last night.  She hadn't intended to, not really.  It was just too intimate.  Too personal.  But she *had* told him, and the world hadn't come to an end.  In fact, he had seemed rather impressed with her.

She wondered what WTB looked like.  Whenever she had tried to imagine him, attempted to create a face to go with the screen name, she had decided that he looked rather like an amalgamation of a younger Giles and Wesley.  After all, the two Watchers were the only British people she knew.  But WTB certainly didn't act like either of those men.  He had a much stronger sense of humor, and on several occasions he'd said things that would have sent the other two gentlemen into a glass-polishing frenzy.

Willow realized that there was one other British person she knew.  Well, 'person' might not be exactly the word.  Creature?  Being?  Spike, as always, was a category unto himself.  Just thinking about him again was starting to make her blood boil.

She sighed and twisted on the bed, then threw herself onto her back and looked up at the ceiling.  WTB was right.  She needed to ignore Spike.  If she could just stop responding to his gibes, maybe he'd stop bugging her.

As she thrust the thought of the blond vampire firmly from her mind, Willow forced her body to relax and cleared her head.  Finally she was successful, and sleep claimed her once again.

~Part: 10~

The next morning Willow awoke with a firm resolve.  She would put that arrogant, bleach-blond, badass wanna-be vampire in his place for once and for all.  Today was another of their training days, and she was going to show him that he could *not* treat her like he had been and expect to get away with it.  If he insisted on treating her like some kind of vampire grope-toy, then she'd just start avoiding him.  And if that meant that she had to cancel their training sessions, then so be it.

She walked into the Magic Box with her head held high, her new resolve showing in her stiff back and neck.  With a quick "hello" and a wave to Giles, she made her way into the back and down to the training area.  She peered in warily, looking around for any sign of the annoying vampire, but it appeared that she was alone.  Willow breathed a quiet sigh of relief and began her warm-up with some simple stretches.

Her warm-up completed, she sat quietly on the mat, Indian-style, her legs crossed underneath her.  Still no sign of Spike, she thought, annoyed.  She made a concerted effort to show up on time, and he came sauntering in whenever he felt like it.  It was just rude, she decided.  She listened to the pounding of her heart, her nerves jangling and on edge.  This won't do, she thought.  I need to be relaxed.

Willow closed her eyes as she willed the tensions of the day to leave her anxious body.  Slowly her heart rate decreased and her breathing slowed.  As the tension left her body, a feeling of relaxation and calm descended, allowing her to clear her mind and concentrate on the feeling. She sat there for a time, relaxed, comfortable and content.

Suddenly Willow felt a strange sensation, almost as if someone were nipping lightly at her ear.  As she opened her eyes to investigate, she felt cold hands on the front of her shoulders, forcing her onto her back.  A weight fell onto her stomach, and as her eyes flew open; they were greeted with the sight of a blond Master Vampire straddling her waist.  His malicious blue eyes glinted down at her, a smug smirk playing across his face.

Willow's eyes traveled his body, from his sparkling blue orbs, down his hard lean chest, to the slight bulge in his pants.  She looked away quickly, embarrassed.

"We really need to have a little talk about always being prepared, no matter what the situation," Spike told her, laughing as she squirmed in an unsuccessful attempt to dislodge him.  He put a cold hand on her stomach, holding her down easily, the smile on his face widening into a full grin.

Since he refused to let her up, Willow started hitting him with her small fists, reaching out to bring her hands into contact with any part of him he that she could reach.  She had very little luck with that, but she was hardly going to go down without a fight.

Spike smirked as he enjoyed the show.  The little redhead's eyes were spitting fire, her fists barely tickling his white marble skin.  Her little body squirmed so delightfully; her chest heaved as her breath came in sharp gasps.  He leaned over and grabbed both of her hands with one of his own and pinned them above her head, then lowered his face down so that they were nose-to-nose.  The smell of her anger and fear was intoxicating.  He breathed deeply, reveling in the scent that he alone seemed to invoke.

"I'm enjoying the hell out of this," he whispered, his eyes boring deep into hers, "But don't we have a lesson to get to, pet?"

Willow had never felt so helpless in her entire life.  He had her pinned down like a butterfly pinned to a board, and all her efforts to free herself had only served to amuse him.  Her firm resolve from earlier in the day lay shattered on the ground like broken glass.  Within seconds of seeing him, she had allowed him to not only capture her body, but inflame her temper as well.

"Get off of me then," she muttered through clenched teeth, anger and helplessness racing through her blood.

"Make me," he challenged smugly, pulling back from her face and laughing down at her.  The little chit had spunk, he'd give her that.  Most women would be trembling with fear by now.  Fear or desire, he thought regretfully.  Bloody hell, he needed a good shag.

Willow snapped.  He'd annoyed her, laughed at her, and put his hands all over her.  This was *too much*.  With his words ringing in her ears, she made a decision.  She smiled; it was a pleasant, beguiling, seductive smile.  When he came in a little closer, she reached up and bit him right on the tip of his nose.  Not a soft, gentle, teasing bite, but instead a sharp, hard one.  She didn't break the skin, but it was enough to stun the vampire momentarily.

The redhead took full advantage of his surprise.  When Spike's hands flew to his face and he leaned back a bit in shocked surprise, Willow used her own hands to push herself up onto her knees.  Her motion spun the vampire onto his back, his hands still cradling his sore nose.

Satisfaction sang through her mind.  Willow leaned over to look at her still-prone would-be attacker.  She gently lifted his hands away from his nose, surveying the damage she had done with a slight amount of approval. Carefully hidden approval, of course.  There was a clear set of bite marks on his skin forming a ring around the tip of his nose.  She smothered the impulse to giggle at the sight of him wearing her mark.

"You'll live," she told the glowering vampire.  "Oh, don't be such a baby," she admonished, as he gingerly felt his nose.  "You told me to 'make you', so I did.  I didn't do any permanent damage.  Hell, it probably didn't even hurt you much."

Spike slowly got to his feet, eyeing the redhead warily.  What the hell was her problem, he wondered.  He had just been playing around, teasing her a bit.  No reason for her to go all 'Hannibal Lector' on him.  Not that he had anything against Lector; hell, he was a smart bloke, really.  Would make a mighty twisted vampire, really, Spike thought with satisfaction.

"I want to stop these training lessons," Willow told him, her earlier resolve returning to her now.

The words brought his previous thoughts to a screeching halt.  So the little witch had had enough, had she?  Did she think she could just bite him and then walk away?

He looked at Willow, his face a blank.  Only the blazing cold fire in his eyes gave her any indication of his true thoughts.  As he walked towards her, he watched in satisfaction as she quickly took a step back, then another and another. Soon her back was against the wall, and his body was pressed tightly into hers.  Every inch of his body tingled with delicious sensations.

As he brought his face in next to hers, he eyed her teeth warily as he watched for signs that she might try to repeat her earlier tactic.  When she turned her head to the side, he took the opportunity to whisper into her ear.

"We're not done until *I* say we're done, got that?  So you might as well give up on that idea right now," he told her, his voice low and angry.  His hands came up to wrench her head towards him, and his lips met hers in an angry kiss.

The contact was brief, but it stunned them both.  Spike stepped back, slightly surprised by his actions.  What the hell was that all about?  He certainly hadn't meant to do that.  His eyes searched her face, as if it might give him some clue to his own actions.

Willow was stunned.  What the hell had just happened?  She put her fingers to her tingling lips, still feeling the press of his angry mouth against hers.  With one last look at the now-brooding vampire, she turned and fled back up the stairs, running as if the hounds of hell were chasing her.

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