~Part 1~

Willow walked out of the Magic Box and headed across the street. She had a date with her best friend and was planning on keeping it. She took a quick
look at her watch and walked just a little faster.

"Finally!" Buffy exclaimed smiling as Willow walked into the Espresso Pump. The red head smiled and took a seat.

"Sorry, Giles wanted me to restock some stuff and earlier I had breakfast with Spike. People are so demanding these days." She commented rolling her eyes. Buffy nodded.

"Right well I got you decaf." The blonde said motioning to the drink. Willow smiled gratefully.

"Thanks." She said taking a sip. "So what's up?"

"Well actually that's what I wanted to know." Buffy said studying her best friend.

"What do you mean?" Willow asked.

"Well it's just that it's been a slow summer and Xander and I haven't seen you to much." Buffy noted. Willow shrugged.

"Well there was the break up..." Her words stopped as she realized she didn't feel as hurt as she had a month earlier when Tara had left her. "And then Spike came to stay at my house, plus there's Wicca stuff and helping Giles. I've just been busy." Willow explained. Buffy smiled.

"Well Xander said something the other day that made me think there was something going on that I didn't know about." Buffy shrugged. "But maybe he was wrong, I mean I think I would know if..." Buffy studied Willow openly.

"Know if what? What did Xander say?' Willow asked, lost in the dark.

"Well you know Xander and his crazy ideas. It was stupid." Buffy said.

"What was stupid?!" Willow asked in exasperation. Buffy sighed.

"Xander said you and Spike had a thing going." Buffy revealed nonchalantly. Willow's mouth fell open.

"Excuse me? We have a what?" Willow asked in shock. Buffy smiled.

"A thing, you know a girl and guy, smoochies." She filled in helpfully.

"Thing? Smoochies thing? No there is no smoochies anything, there is no thing!" Willow exclaimed in shock. The slayer's hazel eyes sparkled.

"Oh right of course. Totally understood." Buffy nodded. "I'll just assure Xander that the rumors are totally untrue."

"Rumors? As in more then one?" Willow asked dumbfounded. Buffy nodded.

"Yeah well see Giles suspected something first. And well gee if Giles might see something that the rest of us don't then I thought there had to be some truth to the idea." Buffy said watching the red head carefully. Willow's cheeks flamed at these words.

"God what the hell do you people see? There is nothing going on!" Willow insisted.

"Sure you want to keep it like that?" Buffy asked softly.

"No." Willow answered unthinkingly. Then as Buffy's smile widened Willow gasped. "I mean no as in there will be no going on between us. No Buffy don't look at me like that!" Willow demanded.

"Like what?" Buffy asked innocently.

"That 'I know something you don't' look." Willow pointed out.

"Willow maybe you don't see it but I do. You have a..." Willow cut her friend off as she stood up quickly.

"Well look at the time." Willow said looking at her watch. "Gotta go." The red head dropped a couple of dollars for the coffee and bolted into the safety of the street. The slayer sat back and smiled as she watched her go.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm home!" Willow called as she walked into the house. She loved having this place all to herself. Well with the one exception of course. * One welcome
exception * She thought. Since her parents move to New York, Willow had somehow been talked into letting Spike stay with her. Now, two months later, she found the arrangement quite enjoyable. "Of all the stupid things." She mumbled. "Me liking Spike."

"Awe luv I'm hurt." Spike said clutching his heart as he walked down the stairs. Willow rolled her eyes at his antics.

"No it's just something Buffy said." Willow explained pulling off her bag.

"Oh well if that's all I can go back to bed now right?" He asked looking at the clock. "My alarm doesn't go off for three more hours."

"Spi-ike." Willow whined. "Are you going to leave me all alone down here with nothing to do?" She asked. The vampire took one look at her and rolled his
eyes.

"Hell yes." He commented turning back to the stairs.

"But..." The witch said softly pouting. "I brought you food." She said holding up a bag. Spike looked from the stairs to the bag of donuts and somehow Willow won.

"All right fine, you bloody brat." He grumbled grabbing the bag and flopping onto the couch. Willow smiled in triumph as she sat next to him and grabbed a
glazed for herself.

"So what did the slayer say?" Spike asked, not sounding very interested at all. Willow smiled, knowing he was just trying to be polite.

"She said I was in love with you." Willow remarked simply. She burst into giggles as Spike started to choke on his first bite of jelly donut.

"She said what?" He asked in shock. The red head shrugged.

"I don't know, she and Xander have this crazy idea that we're having some kind of secret affair." Willow told him. Spike laughed.

"Quite an imagination eh red?" He asked. Willow smiled and nodded.

"I tried to explain but Buffy was pretty sure of herself." She said. Spike's eyes lit up suddenly and his smile grew wicked.

"So then let's give 'em something to be sure about." He said.

"What?" Willow asked, her confusion mixed with interest. Spike shrugged.

"Well luv, I say we show the slayer and company what really goes on when the door closes." Spike said raising his eyebrow. Willow frowned.

"Spike nothing goes on when the door closes." Willow pointed out.

"But they don't know that." He said mischievously.
 

~Part 2~

"I love these rare summer parties at the Bronze." Xander said sighing happily. Buffy and Anya looked at him.

"Xander these rare parties happen once a week." Buffy pointed out. Xander looked at her and shrugged.

"Yeah well, rare is it that I'm here for all of them." Xander replied. Anya smiled.

"He's right usually we're..." Buffy and Xander gave her a withering look. "Doing something that is not sex." She finished hopefully. Xander smiled and slipped his arm around his girlfriend.

"Getting better honey." He said kissing her cheek. Anya smiled happily.

"I love it when he does that." She sighed. Buffy looked towards the door just as Willow and Spike entered.

"So what did you find out?" Xander asked seeing them as well.

"Oh there's something, but I just can't tell what." Buffy told him.

"Sex." Anya decided just as Willow joined them.

"Oh gods and I pick now to enter the conversation." Willow grumbled. "Do you ever talk about anything else?" She asked the blonde. Anya looked thoughtful
for a moment.

"Politics and gossip." Anya said smiling. Xander kissed her hand softly.

"You could talk about nothing and I'd still love you." He said looking at her. Anya giggled.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Spike muttered looking at the deliriously happy couple. Willow groaned.

"I'm with you." She sighed.

"So Wills how is everything?" Buffy asked ignoring the couple as well. Willow shrugged.

"All is well." The redhead answered. Buffy immediately noticed the casual way Spike's hand rested on her friend's waist.

"Sounds good." Buffy replied.

"Bored now." Spike grumbled. Willow rolled her eyes.

"Your always bored." She retorted. Spike grinned at her.

"Not when I'm thinking of you." The vampire replied. Willow smiled at the compliment as Buffy and Xander stared in shock.

"So how is the action here tonight?" Willow asked glancing around and completely ignoring her friend's looks.

"Well the band is dreadful and the high school just got out so these babies are trying to look good out on the floor." Anya informed the witch with a distasteful tone. Willow looked out over the floor and saw the pitiful excuse for dancing that was occurring out there.

"God even I could dance better then that when I was a sophomore." Willow muttered shaking her head. Spike leaned toward the girl.

"Care to show them up luv?" He asked softly in her ear. Willow smiled and nodded. He took her hand and the two made their way to the center of the floor. They began to dance intimately completely ignoring all around them.

"OK so are you two seeing what I see?" Xander asked. Buffy nodded.

"I knew Willow was lying!" Buffy exclaimed. "If they aren't a couple then I'm not the slayer." She declared.

"They aren't." Anya said suddenly. Xander and Buffy looked at her in astonishment.

"Anya honey are you looking at the same two people we are?" Xander asked pointing to Willow and Spike, who were dancing flush against each other.

"Yes." She replied flippantly.

"But Anya two minutes ago you thought they were having sex." Buffy pointed out. Anya shrugged.

"I can be wrong can't I? Isn't it an American's constitutional right to be wrong every now and then?" Anya asked, her pitch was rising.

"Fine then if they aren't dating what are they doing?" Xander asked. Anya stared at him.

"What do I look like a psychic?" She asked, now thoroughly annoyed.

Willow took a quick glance at her friends and suppressed a giggle. She just continued to dance with the vampire holding her.

"Is it working?" Spike asked leaning in very close to her. Willow smiled at the tickling sensation of his breath on her neck.

"Like a charm." She assured him. She looked up at Spike. "You know this is a lot of fun. I can see why you get off on this whole evil thing." Spike grinned.

"This isn't really evil love." He started, then he remembered whom he was talking to, "Well ok for you it's just wicked I suppose." Willow nodded.

"So can we keep it up?" She asked giddily. Spike had to laugh at the expression on her face. She looked like a five year old who had just been given free reign of a toy store.

"For as long as you want luv. I'd like to corrupt you as much as possibly in our time together." Spike said smirking. Willow rolled her eyes as Spike continued. "See first it starts with the little thing and sooner or later I'll have you in leather playing with whips and chains." He said wickedly. Willow turned beet red.

"Well actually…" She started, "It wouldn't be the first time." Suddenly Spike was at full attention.

"Look at those two." Xander said. "Cuddling, laughing, dancing, its enough to make you sick." Buffy shrugged.

"Actually I think it's cute." She admitted. "Everybody needs somebody." Xander looked over at Anya and smiled.

"Yeah maybe your right." He said softly cuddling with his own girlfriend.
 

~Part 3~

"Bloody hell." Spike growled as he looked at the cut on his arm. Willow brushed some dust off of her shirt from the last vamp and glanced over at the
whining vampire. * For the big bad, he can sure be a big baby sometimes * She thought with amusement.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Stupid bloke sank his fangs into me." He grumbled looking at the nasty gash. Willow touched his arm gently and he pulled away.

"Oh please." She remarked pulling his arm back to her. "How old are you six?" Spike let her look at the cut in resignation. She brushed her fingers across
his skin softly and smiled. "I think you'll leave, It'll just heal kind of slow." Willow announced.

"Wanna kiss it and make it better red?" Spike suggested. He smirked at the look of disgust that graced her face.

"God no." She replied, wrapping his arm with a handkerchief from her pocket.

"Oh but pet you've been coming on to me all week, why stop now?" He asked with a devilish grin. Willow's lips turned up in the smallest shyest smile.

"I've just been doing my part to mess with my friend's minds." She insisted quietly.

For the last seven days the two had been putting on quite an act for everyone, holding hands, going everywhere together, even exchanging little kisses here and there. But they tried to make it look as if they were trying to hide it. Buffy and Xander's curiosity was almost killing them. But the two still hadn't come 'round to interrogate Willow about the relationship.

"I don't know red, those hot little hands have been pretty convincing." Spike remarked. Willow pulled away from the vampire immediately and smacked his
head.

"Spike!" She cried. Her face was the color of her hair. His grin grew wider. He loved watching her squirm.

"Willow!" He mimicked, copying her tone and look perfectly. She sighed in exasperation and turned around to look over the cemetery.

"Think we're done?" She asked, hopefully. She turned and faced a vampire, but it wasn't Spike. The fledgling swung for her and she ducked easily. Spike
grabbed him from behind.

"Now mate I want to play too." He growled punching the vampire. The vampire righted quickly and caught Spike with a kick in the chest. Spike fell to the
ground and the vampire tackled him. Willow grabbed stake and attacked jumped on the vampire. It roared and tried to throw her off but she plunged the
stake home. She toppled to the ground and as the dust cleared she found herself on top of Spike.

For a moment they were frozen. Hazel eyes met blue and it was if they were looking at each otherseeing each other for the first time. Willow was trying to calm her racing her heart, but for some undeterminable reason it sped up. She licked her lips nervously and Spike found himself fascinated with the way
her tongue slid over her lower lip. It was something he'd seen her do a hundred times, what was so different this time.

Willow pulled herself back slowly and Spike got to his feet. There was more silence as he took her hand and pulled her to her feet. Willow's hand tingled
at the feel of his cool skin against her warm fingers. * Jeeps Will act like he's never touched you before * She thought.

"So um I guess we're set huh?" Willow asked. Spike nodded.

"Yeah we're cool. The slayer can find the rest." He agreed. Then they turned and walked home as they always did. Except now something wasn't as it always had been.

* If I could only put my finger on it * Willow thought, her brow furrowed in concentration.

*Something's differentodd * Spike though lost in his own thoughts. Yet the stars still glittered and the moon still shone in the sky above. Somewhere far away a wolf howled. They were both privately thankful that the night was as dark and evil as ever.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Ok Will I have donuts!" Buffy called as she walked into Willow's house. "Oh hi Spike."

"Slayer." He grumbled. Willow bounded down the stairs as Spike headed up. They looked at each other briefly and then kept a safe distance between. They
just nodded in passing. * Something's wrong * They both thought at once.

"So what's on the schedule for today?" Buffy asked, acting as if she hadn't noticed the awkward moment.

"Um shopping?" Willow suggested hopefully. Buffy eyed her friend. Willow didn't shop unless something was bothering her.

"Sure we can shop." Buffy said. Willow grabbed her purse and headed for the door. She thought about saying bye to Spike and then thought better of it. So
she just walked out with Buffy. In an instant they were in the car and off to the Sunnydale Mall.

Spike listened as the Summers' Jeep drove down the street. She hadn't said bye. Willow would almost always call out a goodbye before she left. Now he
knew for sure there was something strange going on. His mind wandered back to last night and slowly he picked apart each detail trying to figure out if he
might've said something wrong.

He recalled the last vamp dustingWillow had fallen * Her eyes were alivethe way she felther lips* Suddenly he shook his head. * What the bloody hell are you thinking. Pillock* His brain roared angrily. * Willow = friend, you = moron to think like that * And that was how the rest of his afternoon passed.

"So you and Spike" Buffy started as they walked into the over air-conditioned mall. It felt as if there might be a blizzard soon. Willow felt a shiver run through her spine and it wasn't from the cold air.

"Me and Spike what?" She asked innocently. Buffy glared at her friend.

"Hello this is me, your best bud, you can tell me what's going on between the two of you." Buffy declared. "You've been holding hands, cuddling, snuggling,
God I even saw him kiss you when he thought I wasn't looking. Now I wasn't born yesterday Will. These things equal love!" Willow rolled her eyes. She was just going to go with what she and Spike had planned to say.

"Love? I love Spike?" Willow asked making a face. "Now that's a laugh. How many times do I have to tell you, we are good friends!" She insisted trying to sound annoyed even though she was holding in a laugh. Buffy growled and stalked ahead.

"Fine, I give up!" She exclaimed. Willow smiled feeling better then she had all day.
 

~Part 4~

"All right let's watch Backdraft!" Willow exclaimed. Spike groaned.

"I hate that movie." Spike grumbled. Willow grabbed the remote and sat beside him on the couch.

"But Kurt Russell is so yummy in it." Willow said grinning. Spike growled.

"Hey!" He remarked. Willow smirked at him.

"Jealous?" She asked, her eyes sparkling playfully.

"No!" Spike shot back with a little too much emphasis. Willow giggled but Spike glared at the TV screen as said actor appeared. * Me jealous of that? * He thought. * Puh-lease! * But he had to admit he definitely liked the actor much less then before the witch's little comment.

During the movie Spike absently slipped an arm around Willow's shoulder. Nothing unusual or different then when they usual watched movies. In fact he
would usually trace little circles on her arm with his finger, just as he was doing now. But if it was no different then usual why did her skin feel a little warmer. Why did she feel a little less comfortable sitting next to her friend then usual?

When the movie ended Spike noticed how fast she jumped up to turn it off. She had been squirming through the whole thing.

"You all right red?" He asked. Willow smiled and nodded.

"Yep fine." She answered not feeling fine at all. She felt flushed. * Maybe I have the flu. * She thought feeling her head. Spike noticed this little gesture.

"Sure you're ok?" He asked. Willow sighed.

"I think I'm sick." She grumbled. Spike stood up and placed a cool hand on her forehead. Butterflies fluttered in the girl's stomach. * Yeah I'm sick! * She thought happy to put a name to her problem.

Spike let his hand linger on her forehead a little longer then he should've. But her skin was so soft and warm he couldn't help it. Pushing those thoughts
aside he pulled his hand away and gazed down at Willow, nodding.

"You feel a little warm." He said confirming the flu theory. She sighed and leaned against him.

"I feel sick." She mumbled.

"Oh poor red." Spike said slipping his arms around her. As he held her, rocking her gently, Spike realized how well she fit against him. It was as if she were meant to be there. Willow sighed enjoying the sensation of being in his arms. Then all at once her knees were weak and she was flushed as ever.

"Bed now." Willow decided. Spike walked her up the stairs to her room. "Thank you." Willow said softly as she reached her door.

"Get some rest pet." Spike said. He leaned over and absently kissed her forehead. The kiss was a little too slow and he pulled away even slower. Willow spun into her room and closed the door behind her.

Her back pressed against the door and she slid slowly to the floor. * I hope this bug doesn't last too long, I don't think I can stand it * Willow thought miserably. Spike stared at the door and he pressed his hand to the smooth, white wood.

*Maybe I'm coming down with something too. * He decided. Because suddenly he wasn't feeling to well either.

~~~~~~

Anya had taken it upon herself to watch the two. Xander and Buffy wanted to believe they were having an illicit affair behind closed doors but she didn't
think so. There was something going on and she was going to figure out what it was.

"Can you pass me that crystal?" Willow asked Spike as she stood on the latter stocking the shelves. He nodded and grabbed the crystal, giving it to her
without even looking. Their hands met and Spike turned to look at her. Willow let the crystal run across his hand and then she turned away lifting it to the shelf. Spike watched her for another moment and then turned back to the box he was unpacking, nonchalantly.

Anya wondered what it was she was seeing. Supposedly they were lovers yet little moments such as these affected them the wrong way. Something was
wrongbackwards. Then it hit her like a bolt of lightning.

"Duh!" She cried out loud. Everyone in the Magick Box turned to look at her.

"What was that Anya?" Giles asked looking over his book. Anya smiled sweetly.

"I just remembered where I left my car keys." She said. Everyone turned back to his or her respective duties and only one noticed the triumphant little
smile on her face. And he smiled along with her.

~~~~~~

Spike walked down the stairs. He had insomnia, which was no great thing for a vampire. Sure mortals could wander in the night but then again they didn't
burn up when the sun's rays touched them. He smiled as he walked around the living room. Willow always remembered to draw the shades. It was just one of the things he couldn't help but like about her. She was always thinking of everyone else.

Then there was that gentle smile that crossed her face whenever she saw something she liked, or was talking to a friend. He liked the way her hair feel just right across her face as she was bent over a book, lost in it's words and pages. Spike growled at himself. These thoughts were the very reason he wasn't asleep. * Just stop mate, how hard can it be to not think of her? * He grabbed the TV Guide and headed back up the stairs to his room.

As he walked past her room and noticed the door was open. He stopped to pull it shut when he saw her. She had fallen asleep in her flannel pajamas on the floor. Her laptop was on the ground beside her and he just had to smile. The whole picture was just so Willow. Spike grabbed a blanket off of the end of
her bed and draped it across her. Spike's hand brushed her hair away from her face gently. * Some guy's gonna get heaven when they get her * He thought. Then he turned away before he stood there all day just watching her sleep. * You're a bloody idiot * His brain said.

Willow blinked. She looked around her room and sighed. She'd fallen asleep on the floor again. She stretched and realized she had been covered with a
blanket. A smile touched her lips when she realized Spike must've done it. * He's always so sweet like that * She thought. * The image of his blue eyes came to her. She loved his eyes the best. Cool blue when he laughed, dark when he was angry or trying to make her blush, and always soft when he looked at her. He might be the big bad to everyone else and but to herhe was just a friend.

She stood up and folded her blanket. She lay the neat square on the bed and her fingers ran across a blue patch. Spike was always there when she needed him to be, if she needed to complain or gripe she knew she could always wait for Spike to come home and he'd listen. She even loved it when he teased her, all thought she'd never tell him that. It would only encourage him. When Tara had left her he'd sat with her while she cried and dried her tears.

She'd listened to him when he talked about Buffy. It was then that Willow had learned about his past and she realized he really did fall for the slayer. But eventually he grew past it. Spike's late night rambles about the blonde grew less and less frequent and then they stopped all together one day. But it was the way he would talk that she really loved. The poetic flare he added to all of their conversations.

The butterflies in her stomach reappeared and Willow groaned. * Just don't think. * A part of her brain ordered. Maybe it was Spike that was causing her
mysterious illness. Her rationale laughed at her. * Why would you be sick over Spike? * Well that was a very good question.
 

~Part 5~

Willow dropped another book onto Giles' desk. He turned and picked it up flipping through the pages.

"You know Willow, this could've been done ages ago. Why have we been putting it off?" Giles asked. Willow smiled up at him.

"Because you broke the laptop and I couldn't scan them anymore?" Willow suggested. Giles smiled to himself.

"Oh that's right. See another reason those infernal machines can not be trusted. What if an apocalypse come and that thing shuts up or freezes down?"
Giles asked. Willow giggled.

"It's shuts down or freezes up and don't worry, as long as you don't touch it we'll be fine." Willow teased. The watcher sighed.

"I miss the days when all one needed was a card catalogue and the books." He said, with a tone of nostalgia. Willow grabbed her bag and smiled sympathetically.

"Ah but those days are gone with the Mayor and the Master. Nothing's ever going to be the same now." She said kindly. "Well gotta go. I'm off to meet
Spike." She told him. Giles looked at her thoughtfully.

"You two spend an awful lot of time together." He noted. Willow froze and nodded.

"Right wellyou know how it is." She replied.

"But you aren't dating are you?" Giles asked. Willow looked at him in astonishment. "Buffy and Xander only assume you are."

"How do you know all this?" She asked. Giles cast her an annoyed look.

"Willow you know I am a watcher. Paying close attention to detail is not only my job but it's my hobby." He explained. Willow fell back into her chair.

"No we aren't dating. It was just a joke. But" She stopped thinking about the past few days.

"But now something really had changed hasn't it?" He asked. Willow looked up at him in amazement.

"Wow you really do pay attention." She said sounding impressed. Giles smiled proudly.

"Yes, well." He replied.

"I just don't know what happened. Ever since Buffy said she thought Spike and I were in lovesomething's just different." Willow said sighing. "And I don't
like it."

"Well have you ever thought of the idea that Buffy put her finger on something." Giles suggested. The red head shook her head.

"No, she's not right." Willow said.

"Well maybe she wasn't right at the time, but maybe hearing her say that made you realize that you were falling for him." Giles said gently. "Maybe that's
what's different, the realization of something that's all ready happened." Just then Anya walked in.

"Here are the deposits for tonight." Anya said handing him a Wells Fargo bag. "The receipt just needs signed. What are you two talking about?" She asked.

"Nothing." Willow answered.

"Spike." Giles told her. Anya smiled.

"Oh that. You mean how you two have fallen in love but don't know it?" She asked bluntly. Willow's eyes widened.

"Does everyone know?" She asked. Anya shook her head.

"Oh please, Buffy and Xander are having too much fun coming up with stories and fantasies. Giles and I just figured it out. We are after all the smart ones." She said looking proud of herself.

"But we aren't in love!" Willow insisted. Anya looked at her sympathetically.

"Poor thing. What is it for you? You just feel sick right?" Anya asked. Willow looked at her in confusion. "Well it's different for everyone. Sometimes you feel sick or you're happy for no reason at all. Maybe you have insomnia but you don't know why, or you can't see that one person without feeling warm or happy for some inexplicable reason. But it's all the same. It's love." Anya said sounding uncharacteristically wise and gentle.

Willow pondered Anya's words. It wasn't true was it? It just couldn't be. She just liked Spike's company is all. That's all it was. Or was it?

~~~~~~~

The Bronze was packed. And it was only a Wednesday night. Apparently everyone in Sunnydale was as bored as the Scoobies. Willow twisted a napkin in her hand as she watched the front door.

"Jumpy aren't we?" Xander asked looking at the three shredded napkins in front of her. Willow glanced at him quickly then back at the door.

"Nope I'm fine." She said in a high pitched voice. Xander eyed her carefully.

"Is she fine?" He asked Anya softly. Anya patted his arm.

"Best to leave her alone." Anya suggested.

"Look who I found." Buffy said dragging Spike along with her. She smiled at Willow, who was now a light shade of pink.

"Well look at that my drink's allempty." Willow squeaked. She jumped up and darted from the table as fast as she could.

"Who gave her caffeine?" Buffy asked eyeing the red head as she slipped into the crowd. Spike watched her in confusion. All day long she had found some
kind of excuse to leave whenever he was around. At first he hadn't thought much of it, now he just knew something was up.

He walked away from the group unnoticed. Willow stood at the end of the bar just sitting on stool. She looked as if she wanted to just disappear. He took
the seat next to her and studied her expression for a clue.

"What?" Willow asked, she tried to sound annoyed but she only came off as more nervous.

"Did I miss something here luv?" Spike asked. He reached out to touch her head. "Sick or something?" Willow jerked away from, his touch.

"I'm fine!" She insisted angrily. Her reaction cut at him deeper then he had expected. He stood up and shrugged.

"Fine." He said coolly. "Don't say I never asked." The vampire made his way for the exit. Willow bit her lip realizing Anya and Giles were right. She grabbed her coat and headed out the door after him.

"Spike wait, we need to talk." Willow said calling after him. He turned around and faced her.

"All right, about what?" The vampire asked. Willow took a deep breath as she looked into his blue eyes.

"How do you feel about me?" She asked. Spike was visibly taken aback by the question.

"What do you mean? I love you red. You're my best friend." He answered smoothly. *What am I supposed to say? * He wondered. * The truth? What is the
truth? *

"Is that all?" Willow asked. Spike shrugged.

"Course its all." He said. "What's this all about anyway?" Willow played with the zipper on her coat, her eyes studying the leather. Then she realized it
wasn't even her coat, it was one of Spike's.

"Something's different between us. We're not the same friends we were before the whole little joke. I was just thinking" Her voice trailed off. * God this is sounding stupid * She thought miserably. Spike felt uncomfortable for once in his life and he didn't like it.

"What? Psh you're not actually starting to believe Blondie are you? That's stuff is all talk. We're not in love." He assured her, his words sounding as stiff and uncertain as her own. Willow laughed nervously.

"No right of course. I mean this is us!" She said trying to smile. There was five minutes of solid silence as the two eyed each other nervously. "So then it's cool, we're just friends?" Willow asked trying to break the tension. Spike nodded.

"Yep, same old friends we always were." He said casually. They both desperately wanted to be somewhere, anywhere, else at this moment.

"Well um, better go back inside." Willow said shrugging. Spike nodded.

"Yeah I was just heading home." He said nodding in the direction behind him, which was in fact an alley and not the way home. Willow nodded.

"Right then." She said softly. They both turned around and headed in the opposite directions. As Willow headed for the door she was grabbed from behind. She spun around and faced a vampire. Instinct took over and she screamed throwing it off guard.

Spike grabbed the demon from behind and locked it in a chokehold. It growled and flipped him onto his back. Spike kicked the vampire in the face. The
vampire growled angrily and grabbed Spike's neck throwing him into a row of trashcans. The vamp grabbed Willow's neck as she tried to run and jerked her
back towards him.

"Let me go." Willow screamed, clawing at the vampire. He punched the witch, making her lose balance for a moment. When the stars disappeared from her
eyes the vampire was leaning down over her neck. Then it howled and disappeared in a cloud of dust. Willow looked up into Spike's worried face.

"Are you ok?" He asked automatically. Willow nodded, her arms wrapped around herself. He tilted her head to the side and touched her neck softly. "Not
even a scratch." Spike assured her. His fingers trailed her skin a little too long and Willow's eyes gazed into his own.

"I'm fine." She told him.

"Scared me for a bit there." He said hoarsely. Before either knew what they were doing their lips crashed into a fiery and hungry kiss. Spike pulled the
girl flush against him as he explored her mouth deeply. Willow sighed softly as the kiss ended. Spike ran his hand across her cheek and kissed her softly
again.

"So it's just a bunch of talk?" Willow asked in an amused tone. Spike flashed her his usual cocky grin.

"So maybe some of it's true." He replied. Willow smiled and leaned in for another kiss. As they were lost in the passionate embrace Buffy, Xander, and
Anya walked out of the Bronze. Willow's two best friends were dumbfounded with actual proof of their theories and Anya just smiled.

"Now you two have something to talk about." She said triumphantly. Willow and Spike were too lost in each other to notice the others or even care.
Sometimes talk is just overrated.
 
 

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