*~*~*~*
Shadows of the Sunnydale Mall
*~*~*~*

*~ The blonde shadow growled menacingly at the scene unfolding right in front of his eyes. He hadn't been there for the attack, or he would have stepped in and sent that bitch, Harmony flying straight into hell. No, he'd been too busy killing some high-school girl. By the time he'd gotten there, his Red was bleeding, her arm tore out of it's socket.

*~ The May Queen was there with her, holding a wicked looking sword, standing guard as his sire and company rushed to her aide. All Spike could do was crouch in the shadows and watch.

*~ His sire sped into the almost deserted parking lot and rushed to Willow's side, followed closely by two others. The blonde vampire got to his feet, game face in full evidence. He wanted to rush over and tear out all their throats. Kill them all. A blood sheen covered his eyes as his anger grew. He was touching
her. He was bloody well *touching* her.

*~ His hands were checking for broken bones, anything... Then his hand closed around her injured arm, and forced it back into place. She screamed out,
the sound reaching his ears and making him start to take another step towards them.

*~ The blonde vampire froze. She was holding onto *him* for dear life, her sobs reaching Spike's ears as she buried her face in his sire's shoulder, her little
hands clentching in the material of his sire's black duster.

*~ His human mask fell into place as he stepped back into the shadows. The little bitch. Why hadn't he seen it before? She was fucking with his sire. It was Dru all over again. With a decisive move, he turned his back and stalked away, not acknoweledging the hurt in his undead heart. Time to give in to the demon completely. No mercy.
 

Part 17 - Reunions

*~*~*~*
Angel's Apartment
Two days later
*~*~*~*

*~ There had been no sign of Spike or any other trouble, and the redheaded hacker/witch was enjoying a peaceful moment alone. Her arm was still sore from the beating it took, and the bruise on her face was just barely beginning to fade. She *really* wished Immortals healed as fast as vampires. But, as Duncan and Adam both explained, the older the immortal, the quicker they healed.

*~ "I wish I was already a thousand then," Willow muttered to herself, wincing as she picked up her purse. She had to get out of the house for a while.
Besides, there wasn't anything in the house for groceries. She jotted down a note and left, locking the door behind her. Angel was still sleeping, it being still daylight outside. Adam and Duncan were over at Giles' apartment continuing their discussion from before, and Cordelia was shopping with Buffy, which Willow didn't want anything to do with. She'd had enough shopping.

*~ Well, shopping at the Mall anyway. Grocery shopping was another story. The redhead actually *liked* shopping at the supermarket. Depending on the store, it was much better than the mall. The people were nicer, first of all. And there were *less* of said people. And... well, that was it. She just liked
grocery shopping more than clothes/other shopping.

*~ And so, Willow Rosenburg aka Abbie Williamson, Willow Rosenburg's cousin from LA, found herself in the middle of the supermarket, standing in front of
her ex-ex-boyfriend.

*~ "Willow?" the now blonde musician was shocked, his features stunned as they both froze in the cereal aisle.

*~ The redhead's mouth worked for a second before her voicebox caught up. "I-I'm not Willow," she denied automatically, "My name's Abbie Williamson, her
cousin. I'm here to visit for a while, and you are?" -Oh, Goddess, he'll never believe me!-

*~ The werewolf moved closer to her, crossing the aisle to stand mere inches from her, his gray-green eyes thoughtful. "You can't lie to me, Wills," he said
sadly. "I know it's you. I'll just say I'm glad you're alive and leave it at that." He touched her cheek gently and left, leaving his nearly full cart in the middle of the aisle.

*~ The redhead felt near tears as she rushed through the rest of the shopping, her green eyes glistening as she paid for the items. No one said a word to her as she walked out to Angel's car, the one he'd said she could use anytime. She got into the driver's seat and drove back to the apartment. Goddess, did everything have to be so hard?

*~ At least she'd get to see Xander again tonight.

*~*~*~*~
Giles' Apartment later that afternoon
*~*~*~*~

*~ "Wills!" the dark haired youth launched himself at the tiny witch as soon as he caught sight of her brilliant hair coming through the Watcher's front
door. He hugged her as tightly as he could manage, almost afraid that she'd disappear. He buried his face in her neck, hot tears soaking his face and her skin.

*~ "It's okay, Xan, I'm here," she whispered, hugging him back fiercely, her small hands rubbing his back comfortingly. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere
anytime soon."

*~ All he could do for the moment was nod. His broad shoulders were shaking with emotion as he forced himself to release her. "I missed you so much,
Willow," he said, his voice strangled with emotion. "Just all of a sudden you were gone. I know I haven't been that much of a best friend to you, but as long as
you promise not to die again, I promise to be the best friend you always needed."

*~ "I can't die unless someone cuts off my head," she smiled at him and wiped his tears away gently. "So I can keep that promise for a while now. I hope."

*~ "God, I love you," his voice cracked as he enfolded her in another embrace.

*~ "Excuse me?" Anya cut in, clearing her throat. She was smiling as he boyfriend let go of his friend and stepped back, quickly wiping away his unmanly tears. She wasn't mad. She'd been there to listen to his nighmares and soothe his chills through the worst of it. She was very secure in her relationship with her boyfriend. "Give a girl a chance to breathe."

*~ Willow was surprised as all hell when Anya then hugged her. "If you ever leave him like that again, I'll hunt you down and kill you slowly," the ex-demon
promised, pulling away and kissing the other girl's cheek softly. "I'm glad you're back."

*~ "And on that happy note," Cordelia cut in, smiling tearfully at the group. "We need to get on with patrol."

*~ "Y-yes," Giles nodded. "Willow and Angel, you take Ravenside and Riverdale Cemeteries. Adam and Duncan, you take Sunnydale City Cemetery and the park. Buffy, you and Riley take the mall and the college campus. The rest of you can stay here and help me research. Maybe we can find a prophecy or something to explain what's happening."

*~ Everyone nodded and went to gather coats. "I'm going with Wills and Deadboy," Xander stated and kissed Anya goodbye as they went out the door.

*~ Soon, the small living room was blessedly void of the large crowd with only Giles, Anya, and Cordelia remaining. The former Watcher turned to the two girls and handed each a large leather bound book, neither of which had any identifying markers on the covers, the titles being on the inside.

*~ "Well, here's to another fun-filled evening," Cordelia commented dryly, flopping down on the sofa. "I thought I was past these evil books."

*~ "What did you do in LA for Angel, then?" Giles asked, arching an eyebrow at her.

*~ "Point taken," the former-cheerleader scowled and opened the front cover. "But it doesn't mean I have to like it."
 

Part 18 - Realization

*~*~*~*~
Riverdale Cemetery
*~*~*~*~

*~ Xander was holding onto Willow's hand as if he expected her to disappear any second. He couldn't believe she was there with him, alive and warm. Angel
was slightly ahead of the two friends, giving them time to catch up and just be with each other.

*~ "When I first had to confront the truth of you being dead," Xander was saying, his eyes tight with pain as he held her hand tighter. "I wanted to die too. I didn't want to live. You were, *are*, such a part of me, that I didn't want to go on. Anya was the only thing keeping me alive. I love her, Wills. I love her more than I've ever loved anyone but you."

*~ Willow smiled through her tears and pulled him into another embrace. "Oh, Xan, I love you too. And I'm glad that you have Anya. And I'm so very, very sorry that you had to experience that. I know what I'd do if I ever lost you... And it isn't pretty."

*~ "Well, isn't this nauseating," a familiar British voice cut into their dialogue and the two friends turned to look at the bleached vampire. Willow thought
her heart would stop right then and there. Goddess, she wanted to run over and touch him. Just touch him, to have physical proof that he was standing there and he wasn't just a figment of her imagination.

*~ "Spike," she breathed, taking a step towards him. Xander, picking up on the blonde's mood, held her back. She stopped, her green eyes shining. "I missed you so much. There's so much I have to tell you-"

*~ "I already know your bloody secret, *luv*," the blonde vampire spat the last word.

*~ "You do?" Willow's forehead crinkled in confusion. When? How?

*~ "I hope you enjoy shagging the Poof, b'cause I'm going to stake his ass before he can touch you again."

*~ "What?" Willow shook her head. "I'm not shagging *anyone*, Spike. The last person I slept with was you, a long time ago."

*~ For a second, Spike hesitated, his face softening as he tried to believe her. He *wanted* to believe her. But his nostrils flared as he caught scent of his
sire, slowly making his way toward him from the shadows. "Uh-uh, it ain't gonna work that way," he shook his head, leaping up onto the roof of a nearby
crypt. "Come on out, Sire."

*~ Angel stepped out of the shadows, his face unreadable as he looked at his childe. "Spike."

*~ "Wait a minute," Willow demanded, her arms crossing over her chest as a chill went through her. "You think I'm sleeping with Angel?"

*~ "What the Bloody Hell am I *supposed* to think," the blonde vampire snarled, his lips curving back off his teeth. He hadn't shifted to his 'game face' yet,
but he was close.

*~ The redhead chose that moment to burst into uncontrollable laughter. She laughed and laughed, falling to the ground. "I love Angel, Spike," she said, sobering after a second, sitting on the ground with her hands on her folded knees. "But as a best friend. We haven't done anything."

*~ The blonde vampire had gone through several emotions while watching her little display. Rage, jealousy, concern, rage again, confusion,  relief, then disbelief. He'd been played for a fool before, but not this time. "If you think I'm going to believe that, then you're more daft than I originally thought."

*~ Willow frowned, then sighed, getting to her feet. She shook her head, closing her eyes briefly. "Spike, you're smarter than that," she sighed again. "If Angel and I had... done anything, you'd be able to smell his mark on me, wouldn't you? You'd smell it. You'd feel it. Do you, Spike? Do you smell or sense your sire's claim?"

*~ The blonde vampire was quiet for a minute, his golden-blue eyes boring into her until she thought she'd scream. Slowly, he shook his head, his features
blending back into his human mask. "I don't smell his claim," he said quietly.

*~ "Then come down here and talk to us," the small redhead demanded softly. Spike jumped down from his perch, landing gracefully in front of her. Time was suspended for what felt like forever, then he was kissing her. She melted into his arms, her own arms going around his waist while his hands buried
themselves into her soft hair, holding her firmly.
 

Part 19 - Beginning of the End

*~*~*~*
Riverdale Cemetery
A few minutes later
*~*~*~*

*~ "You fucking bitch!" a wild shriek sounded just before Willow was torn away from Spike. The redhead acted out of instinct, lashing out at the person
holding her arm in a death grip, her foot catching them in the stomach with a hard mule-kick. The grip was losened enough so that Willow could pull away and fall into her fighting stance.

*~ When she saw who it was, she rolled her eyes. "You again? Goddess, Harmony, don't you know when to quit?" The bottle blonde snarled, her lips curling away from her fangs in an expression of her rage and jealousy.

*~ "He is *mine*," Harmony growled, her voice nothing but a low trickle out of her throat. "Not yours, geek."

*~ Willow rolled her eyes again, drawing her sword. "Do we *really* have to get into this again?"

*~ Spike started to step in front of Willow, but the small redhead waved him back. "I have one question." He looked at her, arching his scarred eyebrow. "Would you be pissed if I killed the bitch?"

*~ A slow smile spread across his face. "Actually, luv, I was thinking I'd be the one to dust her, but I think you deserve the honors."

*~ Willow smiled as her teacher and Adam showed up, having finished their own bout of patrol. Her smile faded as Buffy and Riley showed up, standing off to
one side, watching with interest. Giles, Anya, and Cordelia were safe at home, so this couldn't be anything to do with Cordy's vision. Besides, they weren't even close to an abandoned warehouse.

*~ "So, guys, do I dust her," Willow directed her question to everyone gathered around. Harmony was looking nervous, her amber eyes darking around at the faces of her enemies.

*~ "I suggest you do whatever you have to do," Duncan put in, folding his arms over his chest.

*~ "What he said," Methos shrugged, sounding a little bored.

*~ "Dust the bitch," Buffy chimed in, leaning over into Riley, who just nodded and put his arm around his girlfriend.

*~ "Go ahead," Angel said, smiling softly. His eyes were unreadable as he watchd his childe and the woman he'd come to love. He was glad they were back together finally, ending almost a year of heartache and tears. But at the same time, he wanted nothing more than walk over and take Willow away from Spike and reistablish his hold as sire over the bleached blonde vampire. He fought it with years of pratice and stepped back into the shadows, out of sight.

*~ "Xan?" Willow turned to her oldest friend, who was grinning ear to ear.

*~ "Remember fourth grade?" the dark haired youth asked.

*~ "Yeah," Willow replied, matching his smile.

*~ "Remember the mud?"

*~ "Yeah." The incident in question came immediately to her mind and her smile went a touch on the wicked side.

*~ "Dust the bitch," Xander echoed the slayer's words.

*~ "My pleasure," Willow snarled, tightening her grip on her sword and facing Harmony.

*~ "Uh-uh, slut," Harmony snarled, her face blending back into her human mask. "You think I'd come here and fight you with just my bare hands?" She waved casually over to someone, who stepped out of the shadows behind the crypt.

*~ "Cordy!" Willow took a step towards the vampire holding her best friend in choke hold. One twist of the minion's massive hand and Cordelia's neck would be broken.

*~ "Oh, that's not all," Harmony giggled. "Come on out." Two more minions stepped out, one holding Anya and one Giles, both in similiar holds.

*~ "Still want to fight me?" Harmony asked gleefully. "One word from me and your friends die."

*~ "What do you want?" Willow demanded, her face freezing into her own mask of ice. Her tone was cold and unforgiving as she changed her stance. None of her anger or fear showed, just ice.

*~ "What I *really* want is you dead and Spike back. But I'll just settle for your death," Harmony replied, looking entirely too smug.

*~ "You kill her, and you're death will be very slow in coming," Spike promised, his voice a low growl. "By the time I'm finished, you'll be a quivering mass of
blood. I'll save your heart for last, bitch."

*~ "So, you want me to go with you, or you want me to fight you here, now?" Willow asked, trying for some clarification. Her hand tightened in Spike's as he
turned to her, his game face sliding into place.

*~ "You're not going anywhere," he growled. "I don't care about what happens to the Prom Queen, Watcher, and demon. I *do* care what happens to you."

*~ "I love you dearly, Spike," the redhead replied, reaching up to kiss him softly. "But I'm going to save my friends and if that means putting me in danger,
then so be it." She pulled away and pulled out of his grasp with one sharp gesture that surprised him and left him standing there with his hands empty.

*~ "What is it going to be, Harmony?" Willow asked, stepping a few feet away from Spike.

*~ "You come with me, and I let the Watcher, Cordelia, and the other chick go."

*~ Willow didn't even hesitate. "Done."
 

Part 20 - Torture

*~*~*~*
Obscure Warehouse
on the opposite side of town
*~*~*~*

*~ "So, what are you going to do with me, now that you've got me?" Willow asked nonchalantly, trying not to show her fear. They'd stripped her of weapons,
meaning her sword, and she felt naked without it. That sword slept with her in her bed at home, and laid outside the shower, and on the floor by her seat when she ate breakfast. She hadn't been without it since before Duncan came to LA. Shit. She hated being vulnerable. It didn't help matters that she was tied with her arms above her head in the middle of a place that made her parents' house look like a tiny shack.

*~ "I don't know," the blonde vampiress replied slowly, sauntering over to her captive. It never occured to her that she needed to hurry up. Her small mind never thought that the others would be, at this very second, working on finding their missing redheaded comrade.

*~ She touched Willow's shoulders lightly, running her hand up to the soft skin of her neck. She kept her touch light as she moved to the front of the slight
hacker. "I think a little torture is in store for the way you treated me," she pouted, her hands falling to the buttons on Willow's blouse.

*~ "Didn't know you swung that way," Willow replied dryly, remembering a flash of Cassidy. The slain immortal had had a neat way of dealing with fear and
anger- and when Willow had claimed her Quickening, she had taught her how to build the barriers. Willow had already used ice as part of her defence. Cassidy had taken that a step farther. Think of a wall of ice so thick that not even a sledgehammer could break through. It surrounds your whole body, carefully constructed, taking all your concentration just to keep it in place.

*~ "Who ever said I didn't," Harmony asked, trying to sound dangerous and seductive at the same time, her hands running across the redhead's muscled torso and up to cup her breasts under the blouse.

*~ Willow's lips twisted in forced amusement. "You did. Seventh grade, remember?"

*~ "Things change," Harmony pulled away, tearing the fragile black silk blouse with a viscious jerk. She walked over to one of her minions, who was holding out a wicked looking black whip in his hand and an interested look on his vamped-out face. She took the whip and unfurled it with an audible crack that made Willow jump despite her resolve not to show any reaction.

*~ -I hope this doesn't leave scars-, she thought just before the blonde vampiress stalked around behind her and let the black leather soar through the air to hit her solidly in the middle of her back. She jumped the first time, but she steeled herself for the second, and the third. Concentrating on ice, the redhead
forced her mind into hibernation. By the fifth stroke, she wasn't feeling anything.
 

Part 21 - Rescue

*~*~*~*
Outside the Warehouse
One hour later
*~*~*~*

*~ "If she's dead, I'll kill you all," Spike threatened, his voice a low growl as he stalked towards the back entrance of where they had determined Harmony would bring their witch/immortal.

*~ "She can't die unless someone cuts off her head," Methos explained dryly, easily falling into the familiar relaxed but alert stance as he, Duncan, and
Buffy brought in the rear of the group. Angel, Spike, and Riley were taking point, while Giles, Cordelia, Anya, and Xander were in the middle. The others had
tried to stop them from going, but combined they were a force that refused to be locked inside while the quote, unquote, warriors went to rescue their friend.

*~ Spike hesitated, his hand on the door-handle. "She can't die?"

*~ "No, you undead idiot," Buffy snapped impatiently. "Can we *please* go in and rescue my friend now? Or do you want to test the death theory a little longer?"

*~ "Bugger off, Slayer," Spike retorted, but opened the door anyway. As soon as he stepped into the building, the metallic smell of blood hit his senses.
He could feel the warmth and presence of his mate wrap around him and his face shifted to that of his demon. She was hurt. Something snapped deep inside.

*~ The warehouse was nothing but one huge hollow room, Harmony and twelve minions were gathered around a hanging figure. As soon as Spike saw the red hair of the human hanging by her wrists, he flipped and roared in rage, running straight into the throng of minions, dusting several before they even realized he was among them.

*~ Everyone else sprang into motion as more minions joined the battle. Where they came from, no one knew. Harmony wasn't a very strong master vampire, so no one was prepared for the force at her command.

*~ Cordelia froze where she stood by the door, her dark eyes wide with horror as her vision came to life in front of her very eyes. Buffy, surprisingly, fell
first, blood blossoming out of her broken leg, the bone sticking out in the middle of the mess. Anya was next, thrown into the wall by a minion twice her size.
She slid down and didn't move. Giles was knocked unconscious by a fist the size of Texas. That left Xander.

*~ The former cheerleader's eyes searched frantically for her old boyfriend and she screamed, seeing him grapple with one of the few female minions. This was it. He was going to die... Just like in her vision. She sprang into motion, running as fast as she could, dodging minions and pushing past Methos, who was cutting off heads right and left.

*~ She stepped in front of the stake meant for Xander's heart, the wood ironically hitting her just below her heart, barely half and inch from it. If she were a vampire, the blow wouldn't have killed her. But she was human and she fell into Xander's arms.

*~ Dimly, she could hear several voices shout her name, then she was being lowered to the ground. She could see Xander's face above her, his face streaked with tears, then Methos appeared in her vision. His face was pale, his expression stricken.

*~ "You still had a few years," he said sadly. Cordelia had time enough to wonder what he meant before everything went black.

*~*~*~*
Same warehouse
Ten minutes later
*~*~*~*

*~ Willow opened her eyes slowly, fading back into consciousness. Her breath escaped out in what should have been a gasp but was little more than a sigh. She couldn't feel anything, her body was still blessedly numb. Her mind, however, was slowly waking up. The first thing she noticed that she was still hanging by her wrists, and there was blood and dust everywhere.

*~ Blue eyes filled her vision and then she was falling into someone's strong arms. Someone whimpered and she realized it was her. "Shh, pet, you're okay,"
a familiar male voice reassured her soothingly. "I'm here now... You're okay..."

*~ "Spike?" she was surprised at the far-off sound of her own voice.

*~ "I'm here, luv," he repeated, whispering near her ear. He moved her and pain roared to life with a vengance. She screamed, clentching her hands into
fists in the thick leather of his duster. She buried her face in his neck, sobbing and screaming as wave after wave of pain rushed over her abused body. An
hour of torture was making itself known, and she couldn't handle it. Oh, Goddess, she couldn't handle it.

*~ "I'm sorry, Wills," she heard before everything faded into merciful blackness again.
 

Part 22 - Aftermath

*~*~*~*
Angel's Apartment
*~*~*~*

*~ Cordelia woke up with a painful gasp, her body arching against the hands that held her. She wasn't in the warehouse anymore, but lying on a full sized bed. An intense tingling was making its way through her body and a new awareness of the man next to her was causing her head to ring.

*~ "Xander?" her voice was hoarse and she tried clearing her throat. Methos reached for a glass of water on the nightstand and helped the former
cheerleader to sit so she could take a sip.

*~ "He's okay," the oldest immortal told her quietly. "They're in the other room, waiting for you and Wills to wake up."

*~ "I should be dead," she whispered after drinking half the glass, her eyes darkening as the images of the night flew through her mind.

*~ "You're Immortal," he said, his tone hushed, as if he realized her need for quiet. She closed her eyes again, burying her face in her hands. Her shoulders
started to shake and for one horrible, uncomfortable moment, Methos thought she was crying. Then he heard her uncontrolled giggles. "What's so funny?" Despite himself, his lips curved in a slight smile.

*~ Cordelia lowered her hands, flashing a smile that transformed her beautiful features. "S-shock, I guess," she said between giggles. " 'Sides, it's better than crying."

*~*~*~*
Willow's Room
*~*~*~*

*~ The first thing Willow noticed when she woke up for the second time was a surprising lack of pain. There was a stiffness to her body, an ache that went
bone-deep, but the searing pain was gone. The second thing she noticed was that she was in her own bed, and there was a familiar cold body under her, her head resting on his t-shirt clad chest. She moved her face into the fabric, inhaling the comforting scent of her mate.

*~ It had been so long since she'd woken up like this, in his arms. But she'd never forgotten. How could she? She smiled as his broad hand stroked her hair, his fingers running through the firey strands. "I love you," she whispered, turning her head and resting her cheek back on his chest.

*~ "I love you too, pet," he answered, his voice a deep rumble in her ear. "I thought I'd lost you again."

*~ "You can't lose me," she replied, lifting her head to look at him. "I can't die, Spike. At least, not easily."

*~ "I know that now," he said, his tone quiet and his eyes gentle as he ran his fingers across the lines of her face. "Harmony's dust."

*~ "I figured that when I woke up here with you," Willow replied, scooting up so that her head was on his shoulder, not the middle of his chest. He changed
his hold on her so that his arms were wrapped more securely around her. He held her as if she were the most precious treasure, gentle and yet desperately
firm, as if someone could walk in at any time and jerk her away. Her eyes widened as she remembered the rest of what happened. She leaned up, one hand bracing herself against his chest. "What happened to the others? Is Xander okay? What about Buffy-?"

*~ "They're all fine," the blonde smiled, taking her hand, causing her to rest against him again. "Slutty has a cast on her leg, the Watcher has a concussion,
the Nympho has a bruised back and a concussion, the Commando had his nose broke, and the Moron's fine, not a scratch on him. The Cheerleader stepped in front of the stake meant for his sorry hide."

*~ "Is she okay?" Willow's heart leapt in fear for her friend, but calmed as the vampire rubbed her back soothingly.

*~ "She's fine. One of you now, that one guy explained it... Macleod or something..."

*~ "Duncan. How's Angel?" Spike stiffened, his expression closing off.

*~ "The wanker's fine."

*~ "Spike," the redhead sighed, then poked him in the ribs sharply. "We went over this. I *am not* in love with Angel. I never have and never will be. I love
him, yes, but as a best friend and as a confidant. But never as a lover. You are the only person, alive or dead, that will ever, and I mean *ever* hold my
heart."

*~ The blonde vampire was silent for a long minute before flinging them over in one swift motion, pinning the young Immortal to the matress. His mouth covered hers, swallowing the surprised yelp. He pulled away slowly, his cornflower blue eyes half-lidded and his lips curving crookedly. "I thought I would die when I thought you were dead," his smile disappeared as he kissed her chin, accenting his words, "I wanted to walk into the sun, but something held me back. I started killing again." She started to speak, but he stopped her with another well placed kiss. "Let me finish luv. You need to know it all." She nodded
silently.

*~ "I killed without remourse, and I still don't feel any guilt. And I'm telling you now that I will kill again. And again." He hesitated. "But I love you more than I've ever loved anything or anyone. Do you still want to stay with me, knowing this?"

*~ "Can I talk now?" At his nod, she continued. "You're a vampire. Killing is what you do. Promise me one thing, though."

*~ He didn't say anything, just watched her curiously and a little suspiciously. "Kill only the bad people. Murderers, rapists, arsonists, anyone from Wolfram and Hart. You get the picture."

*~ "Done, pet," he grinned. "Now can we get on with the reunion?" She giggled and wrapped her legs around his waist, arching her body against his.

*~ "What do you think?"

*~*~*~*
Living Room
*~*~*~*

*~ "I guess we can safely say that the healing spell worked," Xander grimaced at the very loud groan coming from Willow's room.

*~ "Anyone else want to go for coffee and leave them alone?" Duncan grinned at the discomfort on the faces gathered around, meaning Xander, Angel, and Riley. Buffy was at home, her leg propped up on pillows and her head spinning with heavy painkillers. Anya was back at her and Xander's hotel room, in a similar state of mind with her own pain medication, and Giles was sleeping at his apartment, blissfully oblivious to everything and anything.

*~ "What about Adam and Cordy?" Xander asked, already getting up to gather his jacket.

*~ "They'll figure it out soon enough," Angel grimaced, his hearing a lot more sensative. He was already by the door, ready to go. There was no way he
could sit there and listen to his childe and Willow's reunion. He could handle knowing they were together, but he wasn't *that* much into self-inflicted pain.
"Let's go."

*~ Xander and Duncan exchanged knowing looks before following the dark haired vampire and the ex-soldier out the door.

*~*~*~*
Willow's Room-
much, much later
*~*~*~*

*~ The vampire and the Immortal lay entwined together, their foreheads pressed together as they slowly came down from their wildly intense coupling. "Wow," the redhead whispered shakily.

*~ Spike chuckled, his hands gently kneading the flesh of her ass, pulling her deeper onto his already hardening length. "I bet I can make you go higher," he
grinned, then groaned as she leaned back, her hot walls taking him even deeper yet.

*~ "I bet I can make you scream," she replied wickedly, her green eyes glinting.

*~ "Groan, yes," the vampire grinned, thrusting up sharply, making her eyes half-close. "Scream, no."

*~ "I'll make you scream like a girl." Her tounge was caught between her teeth as she fought to keep herself still.

*~ "Oh, really?"

*~ "Really." She nodded decisively, her long hair falling over her shoulders to curl around her breasts as she rocked back, then forward slowly.

*~ "What do I get if I *don't* scream?"

*~ "Anything you want."

*~ "What do *you* get if you make me scream?"

*~ "Anything *I* want."

*~ "Done." The redhead grinned wickedly and set about her work.

*~*~*~*
Two days later
Sunnydale City Cemetery
*~*~*~*

*~ The two vampires walked through the tombstones silently, each keeping a careful distance from each other. Spike broke the silence finally, his voice
relunctant, "I wanted to tell you I was sorry."

*~ "For what?" Angel looked at his childe sharply, his eyebrows raising in surprise.

*~ "For thinking you and Red were fucking." The blonde vampire stuffed his hands in his black duster. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that."

*~ "What else were you supposed to think?" Angel responded, unconsciously mirroring his childe's actions. "She's my best friend, Spike, and I won't have her hurt. For any reason."

*~ Spike nodded, "I know. That's why I'm here. She wants us to get along, to make freaking peace. Do you believe it? The things I do for her."

*~ Angel grinned wickedly, looking over at his childe from under his eyelashes. "So *that* was what Willow got when you lost."

*~ If it was possible, the other vampire would have blushed. "Bloody Hell, you gits can't keep your noses out of *anything*!"

*~ "I just wish I could've heard you," Angel grinned, though a little of the sparkle went out of his eyes. His thoughts turned serious and so did his expression.
"I love her, Spike. I won't lie to you about this."

*~ "I know, Peaches," the blonde nodded. "And I can respect that. But don't *ever* try to take her from me or I swear on my final ashes that I *will* kill you,
sire or not."

*~ Angel's demon fought for dominance at the clear defiance written all over his childe's tone and demeanor. It was harder than it should have been to push it down. His voice had a slight growl to it when he answered. "I would never take her from you, William. She's not Dru, and I am not the same sire I was back then."

*~ "Aye, she's not Dru," the blonde said quietly and they lasped back into silence. Just as they finished the last of their designated area, he spoke again.
"She's not Dru, Angelus, that's why I'm not letting you take her. She's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I thought I lost her before, and I won't go
through that again."

*~ Angel just nodded his understanding, his demon rattling at its cage as he calmly turned and walked away from his childe.

*~*~*~*
Giles' Apartment
*~*~*~*

*~ "So, what're we doing now," Cordelia asked, flopping down on the sofa beside Willow. "Are we going to stay here? Or are we going back to LA? Or what?"

*~ "Me and Spike are going away for a while," Willow answered quietly, squeezing her mate's hand gently. "We have things to work through, and we can't do that with interruptions."

*~ "I'm going back to LA," Angel said, pointedly not looking at the redhead or his childe. "Whoever wants to is welcome to come with me."

*~ "I'm going to stick around and help train Cordy," Duncan said with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "So it's up to her, here or LA, it doesn't matter to me."

*~ "I'll stick with Cordelia, too," Adam spoke up, surprising everyone. "What? She'll need all the help she can get." He flinched as Cordelia smacked his arm,
hard.

*~ "I guess I'm going back to LA," the former cheerleader said with a sigh. "Oh Broody One over there needs me to keep him in line."

*~ Angel smiled half-heartedly, the first sign of amusement in days.

*~ "And I," the Slayer paused for effect, "Am going to stay right here, on the Hellmouth and hope it doesn't eat me alive."

*~ "Go Hellmouth," Spike muttered, grunting as Willow's elbow found his gut. "I mean, 'Go away Hellmouth'."

*~ "What about you and Anya," Giles asked Xander, his own position clear. He was going to stay with his Slayer, as it should be.

*~ Xander sighed, breathing in deeply and letting it out slowly. "We've been talking about it," he hesitated, taking Anya's hand. "And we decided we should stay here. Buffy needs the help, and Sunnydale's always been my home."

*~ "Our home," Anya said, kissing his cheek lovingly. "My home is wherever you are."

*~ "I think I'm going to be sick," Spike groaned, burying his face in Willow's neck, who swatted him half-heartedly.

*~ "As if you two have never made the rest of us want to heave," Riley snorted, speaking for the first time in the discussion. He was grinning when Willow and the blonde vampire both stuck their tounges out at him.

*~ "Anyway," Cordelia broke in, "I, for one, need to go home and sleep for a while. We're leaving in the next few days."

*~ Everyone followed her lead and got to their feet, reaching for crutches (Buffy) and jackets and whatever else they needed. It was a matter of seconds before the apartment living room was emptied and Giles was left alone again.

*~ The Watcher sighed, moving upstairs to take a long, hot shower. He smiled as he reflected on how things were turning out. Willow was alive, Spike was back in her life, and everyone else survived the experience. It had been a good few days.

*~*~*~*
Sunnydale Airport
Two weeks later
*~*~*~*

*~ "Well, I'm going to miss you," Buffy said, trying valliantly not to cry.

*~ "Me too," Willow smiled, blinking back her own tears as she pulled the Slayer into a tight hug. "I'll write."

*~ "If the Bleached Wonder ever lets your sweet ass out of bed long enough," Buffy grinned, pulling away after kissing the other girl's wet cheek. "I love you,
Wills. I know I haven't been the best friend you deserved, but-"

*~ "But you have serious issues, Slutty" Spike cut in with a manly snort. "And our plane is boarding. You ready, luv?"

*~ "Yeah, I guess," Willow sniffed, entwining her fingers with his. "I love you too, Buffy. I'll call when we get there and give you a number so you can reach us if there's an emergency."

*~ "But *only* if there's an emergency, Slayer," Spike added. "I'll rip the phone out of the wall if you call just to chat."

*~ "Love you too, Spike," Buffy rolled her eyes. "You take care of her or I'll stake you on a cross at noon-day, you hear me?"

*~ "I hear you, I hear you," Spike waved his hand, slinging Willow's backback over his shoulder. "Buh-bye now, hope the demons tear your face off and all that drivel."

*~ "Bye, Buffy," Willow grinned, waving as she turned to run to catch up with Spike, who was speed-walking towards the boarding gate. "Bye, Riley! Take care of her for me!"

*~ "I will," Riley answered with a grin and pulled his girlfriend back into a hug as they both watched their friend leave.

*~ "At least I got to say good-bye this time," Buffy sighed, looking up. He leaned down and kissed the corner of her mouth.

*~ "You'll see her again," Riley answered, pulling away. "It's not as if she's going to die anytime soon."

*~ "Yeah," Buffy said, her eyes distant as she allowed him to lead her out of the airport and into his car. "But what if she's not the one to die before we meet
again?"

*~*~*~*
Thirty thousand feet above ground
*~*~*~*

*~ "I can't believe we're leaving!"

*~ "There is a God," Spike said sarcastically, earning another swat on his arm. He caught her hand and brought it to his lips, playfully nibbling on the warm
digits. "I love you, pet."

*~ "I love you too," she giggled, almost giddy. Six months ago, she thought she'd never see him again. Now, here she was, on a plane for desination unknown, sitting next to him, and wishing there weren't people surrounding them. "I just wish we had a private plane or something..."

*~ "I did see a bathroom back there somewhere," the blonde arched his scarred eyebrow suggestively. "Should fit two."

*~ "As tempting as that sounds, I have to say no," the redhead giggled at the disappointed look on his face. She nibbled on his pouting lower lip. "But we *do* have a nice, big honeymoon suite waiting for us..."

*~ "I don't think I can wait that long..."

*~ "You'll just have to... We only have..." she looked at her watch, "... five hours left until we land in Denver for layover."

*~ "Distract me, then," Spike pouted, shifting in his no longer comfortable seat.

*~ "Well..." she leaned over and whispered in his ear, making him squirm worse, his jeans tightening almost painfully.

*~ "Luuuv, you were supposed to distract me," he whined. She continued whispering, her hand slipping under his ever-present duster to pull his t-shirt out
of his jeans. "You're such a tease..."

*~ "I know," she grinned wickedly, looking over her shoulder to see a woman exiting the restroom. "But I like the bathroom idea..." She giggled as he stood up so quickly he earned a few glares. He grabbed her hand, tugging her behind him. Brushing past the stunned stewardess, he slammed the door of the women's restroom behind them and locked it.

*~ "You were saying?"

*~*~*~*

THE END

*~*~*~*

-So tear me open, pour me out,
There's things inside that scream and shout
And the pain still hates me,
So hold me until it sleeps-

"Until It Sleeps"
-Metallica-

*~*~*~*

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