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Willow Rosenberg walked down the main street of Sunnydale. She usually did
when she was depressed. Last time she walked down this street depressed was
when she had found Oz with Veruca. Again she was depressed about love.

    "I think we should take a break and see how it is going to go." Tara had
said. Willow didn't even know how it was going but she agreed. At times like
these more then ever she missed Oz. So here she was at eleven o'clock at
night roaming the streets of Sunnydale. They were pretty empty anyway.

    "I feel like a vampire." Willow said out loud.
    "Speak of the demon." An english voice drawled behind her. Startled
Willow spun around.

    "Spike! You scared me." Willow said. Spike just smiled.

    "Good." He said. Willow rolled her eyes and began to walk again.

    "Leaving so soon?" He asked. But Willow just kept walking.

    "Come on now I am trying to make polite conversation here." He called.
But Willow kept walking.

    "Bloody rude Americans." He grumbled.

    About ten minute's later Willow realized she was in the park. She walked
a long the bike path and right into a guy about her age.

    "I'm sorry." Willow said apologetically. The guy looked down at her and
smiled.

    "That's cool." He said. His face then morphed into hideous vampiric
features.

    "I was looking for someone anyway." He lunged for her, she screamed and
punched him. He was slightly shocked and while he was Willow took the
advantage and began to run. She looked back to see if he was following her
and she ran right into the arms of another one. The first one reappeared and
began to laugh.

    "Caught 'ya." He said. He lunged for her and she reared up and kicked him
square in the chest. He fell backward and as he was getting up Willow felt
the vampire holding her turn to dust and she fell backward in surprise.
    She looked up expecting to see Buffy and instead she saw...

    "Spike?" She asked in surprise.

    "Is that anyway to greet someone who just saved your life?" He asked her
smirking. He threw his stake at the other vampire and that one was dust
before he could blink. Spike grabbed Willow's hand and helped her up. Willow
was still in slight shock.

     "Are you all right?" He asked her. He brushed her hair back to make sure
she hadn't been bit.

    "Yeah I'm fine." She said still looking at him in shock.

    "Why in the world!" She couldn't figure out what to say.

    "Why would I do that?" Spike helped smiling.

    "Because I can't do that to Buffy so I take my aggressions out
elsewhere." Willow rolled her eyes.

    "Well thanks for the rescue." She said.

    "You know it amazes me that lil' Miss Buff isn't here when her friend
needs rescuing." Spike taunted.

    "You are the last person...vampire I really want to talk to right now so
please just leave me alone." Willow said. She was tired and just wanted to go
home.

    "Alone?" Spike asked. " I left you alone for five minutes and you practically
got yourself killed. No I think I'll tag along." Spike smiled at her.

She realized he had a cute smile. *Willow stop* she told herself. *This is Spike*.

    "I said to go away." Willow argued. Spike kept smiling.

    "And I believe I said no. It's a free country Red. I can walk this way if
I want. He looked at her defiantly. So she gave up and continued to walk.
*Why is he bugging me?* Willow asked herself.

    *Why the bloody hell am I doing this?* Spike asked himself. His dislike
for the Scooby Gang was no great secret. But because of the chip in his head
he couldn't exactly fight them. But he never had a problem with Willow. In
fact, he thought, *if I had half a chance I'd change her.*

    They continued along the path with Willow in the lead and Spike a few
feet behind her. He strolled as if it were just a normal walk in the park.
Then he began to whistle some Sinatra tune. Willow stopped and looked back at
him and then she began to laugh. Spike looked at her in bewilderment.

    " What's so funny?" He asked.

    "Everything." Willow said still laughing. Then before she knew it her
laughter turned to tears. She sat down on the nearest bench.

    "Hey Red," Spike said, "Are you all right?"

    "No I'm not." She said. She looked up at him. "I'm a horrible person."
She said as she continued to cry.

    "Why in the bloody hell do you think that?" Spike asked. He sat down next
to her.

    "No one likes me. No one even wants to be with me." She sobbed. Part of
her was still crying for Oz.

    "Willow look at me." Spike said seriously.  Willow looked at him. He
lifted her chin up with his finger.

    "You are one of the best people I know. Now I know coming from me that
sounds like a load of bull, but it's true. You have helped me out of a few
tough spots and not a lot of people would've after what I've done to you. And
I know the Scoobies need you more than they'll admit. Now I don't know what
dog boys problem was but it certainly wasn't you. Spike brushed the tears of
her cheeks.

    "Do you mean that?" She asked. He smiled.

    "Yeah actually I do." He replied. Willow smiled. Spike realized he liked
it when she smiled.

    "Thanks Spike." Willow said getting up. "I knew you weren't a really bad
guy."

    "Hey!" Spike said. Willow smiled.

    "Well I mean in a personality way not in an evil way. You are still very
threatening." Willow said sincerely.

    "Yeah?" Spike asked.

    "Oh definitely." Willow assured him. "You have this whole evil cute vamp
thing going for you." Then Willow realized what she had said. Spike smiled at
her mischievously.

    "Your not so bad looking yourself Red." Spike said. Willow blushed and
looked down at the ground. She looked up and realized that they were back on
campus all ready. She walked to the front door.

    "So thanks Spike." Willow said. He just looked at her. *Uh oh here is one
of those awkward silences* she thought. Then she realized this was just Spike
so she turned to go inside.

    "Willow..." Spike started. Willow turned back to him expectantly. He
stopped again. Come on you fool this is just a girl, he thought. She waited
then shrugged and turned to go in again. Spike finally gave in.

    "Willow wait." Spike said.

    "Spike what is-" Spike grabbed her and kissed her. At first Willow was in
shock but then she kissed him back. The kiss ended and they both just stood
back and stared at each other.

    "Oh bloody hell." Spike said and he grabbed her and kissed her again.
This one was more passionate then the first. When the kiss ended Spike just
held her.

    "I really should go." Willow whispered.

    "Yeah me too." Spike agreed. This time Willow kissed him.

    "You kiss pretty good for a witch." Spike said smiling.

    "Not so bad yourself." Willow said. Spike kissed her one last time. And
then he turned to go.

    "Hey Spike." She said. He turned back to her.

    "See you around." She asked. He smiled and kissed her hand.

    "You bet love." He said mischievously. And then he left. Willow sighed.
What a kisser she thought.

    She walked up the stairs and opened the door to her room. Buffy was
sitting on the bed working on her homework.

    "Hey Will." She said.

    "Hey Buffy." Willow sighed. Buffy instantly sat up.

    "Okay what was that?" Buffy asked. Willow looked at her innocently.

    "I don't know what you are talking about." Willow said. Buffy looked at
her suspiciously.

    "Where have you been?" Buffy asked.

    "Um walking. Can I ask you something?" Willow asked.

    "Yeah shoot." Buffy said. She sat on her bed cross-legged and Willow sat
on hers.

    "Has there ever been someone you totally hated that kissed you and it
was...magic?" Willow asked.

    "Angel." Buffy said matter of factly. Willow looked at Buffy in shock.

    "Angel? You hated Angel?" Willow asked in disbelief.

    "Yeah. When I first came to Sunnydale Angel stood for what I was trying
to get away from. The whole Slayer thing. I mean I thought he was cute and
all but every time I saw him he was there to warn me about something. But the
night he kissed me...well you know." Buffy said sadly. Willow smiled in
sympathy. She did know. The first time Angel kissed Buffy was also when she
found out he was a vampire.

    "So I mean anything can happen right?" Willow wondered.

    "Of course. Willow what is all this about? What have you been doing
tonight?" Buffy asked once again suspicious.

    "I told you I took a walk." Willow said firmly. Buffy looked at her
curiously.

    "That must've been some walk." Buffy said in wonderment. Willow sat back
on her bed.

    "You have no idea." She said.
 

read the sequal 'A Promise'

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