~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Eleven
The whispering woke him up. Dru's voice sliding into his
head, cajoling him. He could feel her luscious breasts pressed up
against his chest. He instinctively pulled her in closer. Surrounding
himself with her scent and her body.
"Come, my pet, come play with me," Dru's voice was husky with
desire and hunger, "You want it too, I can feel it in you. You hunger
for so much, let me help you. Let me feed you."
Spike opened his eyes slowly. Dru sat in his lap, her arms
wrapped around his shoulders. His eyes darted to the bed, not shocked
to see the chains laying in a pile in the middle. His eyes then
closed in delight as Drusilla began nipping at his neck, sucking,
licking, and biting. He groaned and slid his hands from her waist up
to her breasts, cupping them in just the way that made her moan.
"Please, Spike, come with me, hunt with me," she pleaded.
They stood next to Fred's bed. He didn't quite remember how
they had gotten there, but there they were. She slept restlessly, her
sheets entangled around her body. Her arms were flung out, as if
warding something off. He was a little surprised that she was alone.
After the kiss he walked in on, he'd half expected to find Wesley in
her bed.
"No, not her," Drusilla slid up behind him, her hand
caressing his right arm, "She's confused, wanted both, doesn't know
what to do with either."
"I won't kill her, Dru," Spike warned.
"Won't you?" Drusilla had shifted from seductress to cunning
demon, "You are what you are, Spike. You are like me, a demon, evil.
Why do you fight it?"
"She's my friend. She helped me, I won't hurt her," Spike's
hands fisted and he glared at Drusilla.
"You will," Drusilla smiled knowingly, "You always hurt your
girls."
Fred sat up suddenly, blinking confused at Spike's presence
in her bedroom, "Spike? How did you get in here? Is there trouble?"
and then she noticed Dru, "Who is she?"
"I'm his real salvation," Drusilla snarled, "not you." With
almost no effort, Drusilla leaned forward and snapped Fred's
neck. "There, now, Mummy's done it for you. One less thing."
Spike roared in grief and pain and anger. Furious that he
hadn't stopped Drusilla, he lunged for her, anxious to take it all
out on her. But she was gone. Disappeared as if she'd never been
there and there had changed as well. He was now in Willow's bedroom.
"No. Drusilla, whatever you're doing, stop now!" Spike yelled.
"Spike?" Willow sat up sleepily, rubbing her eyes, "Why are
you yelling?"
Drusilla again slid up behind Spike, her cold hands on his
back. "Take her, Spike. You want her. Have her. Make her yours. Make
her ours."
Spike spun around, to find Drusilla had disappeared again. He
spun back towards Willow to find her staring at him. The sheet had
slipped down to her waist, revealing that Willow slept in the nude.
Her breasts were small but perfectly shaped and he couldn't seem to
take his eyes off them. Willow looked down and blushed when she
realized what he was staring at. She reached for the sheet, but his
hand stayed her action.
"Don't," he whispered huskily.
"Spike, what are you..." but Willow never completed her
sentence. His lips captured hers. His tongue slid sensuously into her
mouth. He threaded his fingers through her hair and kissed her as if
he couldn't live without her.
She responded to his passion, clutching his shoulders with
her hands, urging him on by digging her nails in. He deepened the
kiss and pushed her back to laying on the bed. With one hand he
pulled the sheets down further, while his right hand caressed her
perfect little breast. She moaned into his mouth and wrapped her legs
around his hips. He broke the kiss to drag his t-shirt over his head
and she raked her nails down his chest, forcing a moan from him. He
leaned in, nipping and kissing her neck.
"Oh, goddess, Spike," she sighed.
"Like that, pet?" Spike rasped.
"Bite me, Spike," Willow pleaded, "Please?!"
She ground her hips against his straining erection and he
reacted without thinking, sinking his teeth into her neck. Her blood
flowed into his mouth, spicy and rich with magic and passion. He
drank thirstily, clinging to her.
"There's my boy," Drusilla laughed merrily.
Spike's head reared up and he saw to his horror that Willow
was still, her blood pooling on the white sheet. His mouth covered
in
her blood, he had killed her.
"No!" he howled, his head thrown back in grief and despair.
"Spike! Spike, wake up!" Angel kicked the chair again,
frustrated that Spike seemed to be ignoring him even in sleep.
Spike shot up out of the chair abruptly, eyes wild. "Where's
Willow?"
Angel smirked. Nightmares, good he deserves them, he
thought. "Downstairs, talking to Gunn. Where did you think she was?"
Spike sat down as abruptly as he got up, "Good. She's okay.
It was a dream, ya. Just a dream. And Fred?"
"Fred?" Angel's amused smirk turned to a frown, "You
shouldn't be dreaming about Fred."
Now it was Spike's turn to smirk, "Jealous much?"
"Like old times, this is," Drusilla piped up from the
bed, "Daddy and Spike. Always bashing away. Can I play?"
"What are we going to do with her?" Spike's expression was
sober. His dream clung to him still, how much he'd wanted to go along
with Drusilla and how terrible it had been.
Angel sighed, "I don't know. We'll have to discuss it with
the others."
"She's not their problem," Spike argued.
"No, I'm your problem," Drusilla smiled knowingly at Spike.
"I need to go back to The White Room," Willow watched Gunn's
face carefully, searching for any clue to what he was he
thinking, "and I need to bring someone with me."
"Why are you coming to me about this?" Gunn smiled
gently, "Why not ask Angel to take you?"
Willow eyed Gunn in silence for a moment, "I think you know
the answer to that."
"You don't trust me do you?" Gunn's smile disappeared.
"Should I?"
"I do work for Angel, have for years."
"Yes," Willow smiled, "and normally that would lead to trust.
But now, things are different, aren't they? You all work in evil
every day. You offered me a job here, a tempting one at that. And
lastly, you led me to the White Room."
Gunn leaned back in his chair, "You wanted answers."
"And I got them, of a sort," Willow responded, "but now I
need other answers."
"So you don't trust me, but you trust the cat?" Gunn smiled
cynically, "Lady, I think your logic is a little screwed up. I mean,
you do know that he`s the conduit to the senior partners, right?"
"Yes, I get that. I get that it's evil. But I can read it. I
can sense when it's telling the truth. I can't read you at all,"
Willow explained.
"Maybe there's a reason for that, other than I'm
untrustworthy," Gunn replied, anger barely held in check.
Willow frowned and looked down for a moment, "You're right. I
don't know the extent of my powers. I don't know why I can't read
you," she looked up at him, "but it's hard to give you a chance. I've
trusted people before only to have them turn out all evil."
Gunn laughed, "Ya, same here."
"I also wanted to tell you about the job offer. I can't
accept it," Willow noted that Gunn seemed unsurprised, "I guess you
knew I wouldn't take it."
"The senior partners asked me to offer, but I had a feeling
you wouldn't do it," Gunn smiled reassuringly, "I think you know
about power and the responsibility that goes with it."
"I can't take the risk," Willow explained, "there's a balance
that I have to maintain. I don't think I could do that and work for
evil, even for the cause of good."
"Understood. So when do you want to go to the White Room?"
Gunn smiled cheerily.
"Hello, Fred," Wesley closed her office door behind him.
Fred looked up from her calculations and quickly removed her
glasses, "Oh, good morning, Wesley."
"We need to talk, Fred," Wesley smiled gently and sat down
across from her.
Fred blushed slightly, "Do we really?"
"We need to talk about what is happening between us."
"Us?" Fred looked everywhere but at Wesley.
He sighed, "Yes, Fred, us. You know that I have feelings for
you and I think you have feelings for me."
Fred now stared directly at Wesley, "It's too soon."
"Too soon? Why? Because of Gunn?" Wesley was genuinely
confused.
"Yes that and me," Fred stammered a bit, "I-I just don't
think I'm ready to be in love again."
Wesley stood up and moved to her. He sat on the edge of her
desk and leaned over, gently caressing her cheek, "I won't hurt you."
Fred stared up at him, her brown eyes wide and clear, "Are
you sure about that?"
Wesley pulled away, shocked, "You think I would?"
"I don't know," Fred whispered, "I'm not sure of anything any
more. Everything that happened with Charles and Lilah." She shook her
head sadly, "Maybe we shouldn't be together."
"I love you, Fred," Wesley stated sincerely, "I have for
quite a long time but I won't push you if you need time."
"What if I'm never ready?" Fred's expression was
determined, "What if, I just don't want you?"
"Then we'll be friends, as we always have been," Wesley stood
and dragged a hand through his hair roughly, "I want more than that,
but what I want doesn't matter. It never does."
He turned and walked out of her office, closing the door as
quietly as he had opened it. Fred stared after him, not sure how the
conversation had turned hurtful, to both of them.
"Fred?" Harmony's voice came over the intercom.
"Yes?"
"Angel's called a meeting in his office," Harmony announced.
"I'll be right there."
"No trouble, Dru," Spike sat her down on the couch, his arm
firmly wrapped around her shoulder, holding her in place, "I'd hate
to see Angel have to stake you."
Dru pouted, "You're as mean as Daddy now."
Harmony glared at them both as she set down the tray of three
glasses, "So she's back, huh? And look at you, panting after her
again."
Spike paused in handing Dru her glass of blood, "Still
jealous, pet?"
Harmony huffed, "No! Just making a comment."
"Well, keep your mouth shut about things you don't
understand. Oh wait, then you'd never speak again. I'm liking this
idea," Spike smirked at her.
Harmony glared at him before turning on her Manolo heels and
striding from the room. She passed Wesley on the way in and growled
at him. His eyebrow rose in amusement and he grinned slightly. Which
turned to a scowl when he saw Drusilla on the couch, in his usual
spot.
"What's she doing here?"
Angel strode into the sitting area and sat down on the couch
arm, next to Drusilla, "Willow brought her home last night. Let's
wait for the others so I don't have to repeat myself."
Wesley cautiously chose the seat farthest from Drusilla,
disconcerted to see her smiling at him.
"Nasty little girl pricked your heart," Drusilla
trilled, "only one way to fix it."
"Shutup, Dru," Spike warned.
"Rip hers out," she finished, smiling innocently.
"Who is she?" Fred asked as she walked in to the office.
"Drusilla," Wes answered.
"Drusilla, Angel's child? The one who turned Darla and
Spike?" Fred verified, standing absolutely still.
"She won't hurt you, Fred, I won't let her," Angel assured
her.
"Poor Grandmum," Drusilla sniffled, "Lost all for my brother."
Angel's head jerked around to stare at Drusilla.
"Is Spike her brother? Or Angel?" Fred asked, confused.
"She's insane, Fred," Spike explained, "Half of what she says
is nonsense."
Drusilla smiled knowingly at Angel, "Not all lost. Some of us
remember."
Angel frowned severely at Dru, "Shut up, Dru."
Drusilla laughed merrily, clapping her hands with glee when
Gunn and Willow joined them.
"Almost all together now," she sing-songed. "Family."
"What's she doing here?" Gunn edged towards the weapons wall.
Willow sat down on the couch next to Spike, "She's here for
me."
"What?" Wesley noted that Willow showed no fear of being so
close to the mad vampire.
"We're family," Drusilla stated.
"Is she who you want to take to the White Room?" Gunn sat
down in the chair across from the couch.
"Yes," Willow stated.
"I told you, I don't think that's a good idea," Angel started.
"We'll all get well, you see," Drusilla sang, "We're all we
have, we're a family."
"Color me shocking blue, kids!" Lorne sauntered into the room
with his usual flair, "But she's not lying."
"Lorne, when did you get back?" Fred greeted Lorne with a
smile.
"Just now, Fredikens, and not a moment too soon, I see.
There's enough tension in this room to fill every square inch of
Aaron Spelling's mansion."
"What do you mean she isn't lying?" Angel questioned, aware
that Lorne must have read Dru as she sang.
"She thinks she's with her family. She thinks she's doing
what's best to help you all," Lorne explained, "Now whether that's
accurate or not, who knows. Cuz, ya know, I'd say the cuckoo flew
over her nest a long time ago."
Drusilla tilted her head slightly, staring in fascination at
Lorne, "Here's a pretty one, why can't he see?"
"He can see, Dru, his eyes are just red," Spike explained
patiently, in a tone he'd used for hundreds of years.
Drusilla still stared at Lorne, "No, pretty doesn't see, only
hears. Won't he be surprised."
"Where's a sea breeze when you need it?" Lorne sighed and sat
in the last remaining chair.
"Willow, I believe you were going to explain why Drusilla is
here," Wesley encouraged.
"I don't know the exact why," Willow looked at all of them in
turn, these people who'd tried to help her, "But I do know that we're
connected. She and I. She says we're on the same path and I believe
her. She's not lying, I can feel it. I also went to the White Room
last night. I found out that I'm a guardian, that I'll never die,
never grow old."
"Busy night," Gunn muttered dryly.
"A guardian?" Wesley sat forward excitedly, "As in a guardian
of the slayers? As that woman was who gave Buffy the scythe?"
Willow opened her mouth to answer, only to be interrupted by
Drusilla, "That and more. Sisters are we. Traveling the same path."
"Does she always speak in riddles?" Fred asked in
exasperation.
"Yes," Angel, Spike, and Willow answered in unison.
"Is that what I'm getting from you, lovey?" Lorne stared hard
at Willow, "I'm seeing all the love and goodness, but not any
path....sing for me."
"Sing?" Willow croaked, "In front of everyone??"
"No need, pet," Drusilla soothed, "We'll go see the kitty,
he'll tell us."
"Right, and now here we are back to the White Room, where Dru
shouldn't go," Spike uttered caustically.
"Why?" Fred asked.
"Because I can't think of a worse idea than putting an
insane, evil vampire in the same room with an evil conduit to the
senior partners," Angel intoned.
"Not to mention the fact that she's got some kind of dark
juju swirling around her," Lorne got up to look for some liquor.
"Dark juju?" Angel questioned.
"You're probably just seeing her powers," Spike rolled his
eyes at Lorne's theatrics.
"No, blondie bear, that is not what I'm seeing. Ya, I can
tell she's got the gift and all, but there's something else spiking
her drink," Lorne sighed happily at the bottle of vodka sitting on
the buffet next to Angel's desk.
"Spiking?" Drusilla giggled. "I've been spiked many, many
times."
Spike squeezed her warningly, an annoyed frown on her face.
"Jeez, Spike your old girlfriends just keep coming out of the
woodwork, don't they?" Gunn laughed.
"Look, I know that Drusilla isn't, well, safe by any stretch;
but I can feel this tug on me. We have to go to the White Room,"
Willow broke in hurriedly, sensing the conversation getting away from
her. "As soon as possible."
"Why the urgency, Will?" Spike turned to look at her,
startled by the look of fear in her eyes.
"I can't explain it, we just need to go and go soon,"
Willow's voice was ragged with anxiousness.
"Don't fret, little tree, we have time before it comes,"
Drusilla soothed Willow again, and she wondered for a moment how the
crazy vamp managed to get under her skin so easily.
"What's coming, Dru?" Angel had always had the knack of
cutting through Dru's insanity to the meat of her visions.
"Big, bad wolf come to gobble up the light again, thinks he
knows the secrets and charms. Thinks it will be easy to chop down the
little tree, steal her heart," Drusilla spoke in a monotone while
staring off into space, "Mustn't tell him till it's late in the day."
Her voice changed to a sly whisper in Angel's ear, "Mustn't tell him
her heart is already gone."
"What'd she say?" Spike demanded.
Angel leaned back from Dru, looking into her suddenly clear
eyes, "Nothing, she just repeated herself."
"Oh," Spike knew Angel was lying. Drusilla had always
whispered the most important part of her prophecies in his ear. Part
of him was hurt that she had chosen Angel again, a part that he
ruthlessly quashed. He wasn't going down that road again.
"So, if there's time..." Fred paused meaningfully.
"We still need to go now, today," Willow urged, resolve face
in place.
"I'll take you," Gunn replied, and then looked at Angel, "If
he says its okay."
"You can't go to the White Room with just Gunn," Angel
sighed, knowing that resolve face too well.
"She went with just me the last time," Gunn argued.
"Drusilla wasn't with you the last time," Angel reminded.
"Are you sure this is wise, Willow?" Wesley had sat silently
for quite awhile, thinking of the ramifications of Willow's news. The
fact that she was now a Guardian of the slayers. He couldn't begin
to
imagine the ramifications of such news. Her life was no longer her
own, but she seemed to be adjusting well.
"I'm not sure of anything right now," Willow smiled at
him, "especially of how I'm adjusting. I don't think I am. I think
I'm reacting."
"People don't always make the right decision when they are
just reacting," Wesley warned, unsurprised that she seemed able to
read his thoughts.
"I know I don't," Fred joined in, "Sometimes it's better to
think things through."
"Thinking too much clouds the mind, my little sister's
instincts are right and true," Drusilla dismissed both Wesley and
Fred with a wave of her hand, "Why are they here, Daddy?"
"Shut up, Dru," Angel sighed wearily for what felt the
millionth time.
"I'll go with them," Spike said quietly.
Drusilla smiled, "Just so."
"Why should I trust you?" Angel asked, looking between Spike
and Drusilla. "She's the best at manipulating you."
"I won't let her hurt Willow," Spike stared straight into
Angel's eyes, willing him to see his sincerity.
"What about me?" Gunn questioned.
"I won't hurt you, my lovely," Drusilla crooned, "You're one
of us now."
"Here we go again," Lorne took a long drink from his second
glass of vodka, "haven't we heard this looney tune before?"
"Angel if you don't mind, I need to consult some of my
books," Wesley left without waiting for Angel's reply.
Fred stared after him for a moment, turned to the rest of the
group and smiled nervously, "I better go see what that's about." She
quickly followed him out of the room.
"Well, if everyone else is scurrying away from this iceberg,
I think I'll jump ship too," Lorne strolled towards the door.
"Bye bye pretty!" Drusilla trilled and waved at Lorne's
shuddering back.
"I still say this is a bad idea, Willow," Angel shook his
head at the sudden departure of most of his staff. Leaving him to
handle this situation was so like them. They always left him with the
uncomfortable things to do.
"It's what I need to do, Angel," Willow spoke quietly but
with authority. "It's something I will do."
Spike's eyebrow rose, he recognized that tone from the witch.
Having heard it several times over the years. Times when she was
going to do something, come hell or high water, regardless of what
anyone else thought. Red's stubborn streak he secretly called it. He
knew, as possibly the others didn't, that she would be going to that
room whether they agreed with her or not.
"So they got drinks in the White Room or what?" Spike stood
up and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. If nothing else,
he
knew he wouldn't be bored.
~Part: 12~
Spike glanced over at Willow as the elevator doors closed. To
the casual observer she would probably appear calm, but Spike could
see the tension in the line of her shoulders, her eyes too wide. She
was afraid, the fear was coming off of her in waves. Even her nipples
were hard, and oh god, where did that thought come from?! Spike's
thoughts had now lead him back to his dream and her perfect little
breasts, how they had felt in his hand, and how she had responded to
his touch. And that's when he became aware of her pointed stare and
the blush that was suffusing her cheeks. He quickly faced the doors,
noting that Gunn was pushing different floor buttons.
"Is it a code?" Spike wondered aloud.
"Guess so, all I know is it takes us to," Gunn's speech was
interrupted by a flash of white and suddenly they were standing in
the White Room.
"Nice timing," Spike commented wryly.
"Thanks," Gunn returned.
"It isn't a room at all," Drusilla murmured.
"No, it's a door," Willow replied.
"Bit big to be a door, luv," Spike looked around, "Is this
it? I thought there was supposed to be some pretty kitty cat."
A deep, resounding growl hummed through the room and Spike
jumped a little, startled. Spike released Dru and spun around,
looking for the very large cat that had made the sound.
"Here kitty, kitty," Dru purred, dropping to her knees.
As if by magic, the cat appeared a few feet from Dru. Its
purring response sounded like Dru's name. It loped over, allowing Dru
to dig her nails in for a good scratch.
"Oooooh, what a naughty kitty," Dru smiled in delight.
"This is supposed to tell you your destiny?" Spike asked
Willow in disbelief.
"Don't piss off the cat," Gunn hissed.
"No, the cat is for Dru, I'm for you," a voice sounded behind
Spike, a voice he recognized. Slowly, almost dreading what he would
see, he turned. Willow too turned slowly, a look of intense dread on
her face.
Joyce Summers stood before them. She was dressed all in white
and seemed to be glowing. She smiled and her eyes lit up with
joy. "It's so good to see you both," Joyce enthused.
"You're not Joyce," Spike denied what he was seeing.
"Yes, I am," Joyce replied kindly, "I know this is hard and a
bit unbelievable, but I was chosen to speak to you. To explain."
"You're really her," Willow's eyes were filled with
tears. "It's her, Spike, I can feel her essence."
"Not to disparage your gifts or anything, luv, but didn't
Dawn see Joyce awhile ago and wasn't it just the First?" Spike
argued, never taking his eyes off of Buffy's mother.
"That wasn't me," Joyce sighed, "It was one of the First's
tricks. I'm sorry Dawn had to see that. How is she?" Joyce's voice
ended on a plaintive note.
"She's fine, happy actually," Willow responded, quite sure
that this was the dead mother of her best friend, "She and Buffy are
in England. She's dating a watcher in training. Dawn, not Buffy."
"I don't get to see them as often as I'd like," Joyce looked
down for a moment, "But that's not why I'm here."
"Why are you here?" Spike demanded, still not entirely sure
that this was all on the up and up.
"I have a message from The Powers," Joyce began, "a message
for the three of you..."
"Three of who?" Gunn interrupted.
"Yes, you Charles," Joyce smiled at him, "I'm simply the
messenger."
"What about Drusilla?" Willow looked over at Dru, who seemed
to be humming to the black panther.
"Oh, I'm not for her, she's already received her message,"
Joyce dismissed, "She is a part of this though. I should have known
that you would see that, Willow. You are the brightest of
Buffy's friends."
Willow felt tears spring to her eyes. She had always felt as
if Joyce was more of a mother to her than her own. Now to have her
complimenting her from beyond the grave was overwhelming.
"The message is simply this. The three of you have been
chosen for a higher purpose."
"Chosen by who?" Spike questioned.
"By the Powers," Joyce replied and then turned to Gunn,
waiting.
"The Powers that be sitting on their ass most of the time?!"
Gunn snorted, "I don't think I'll be taking orders from them."
"They aren't giving you orders," Joyce explained
gently, "They merely chose you and in so doing gave you certain
gifts."
"Gifts?" Spike and Gunn spoke in unison.
"Yes, gifts. Immortality for starters," Joyce held up her
hand when Spike would have interrupted her again, "Please, let me
finish. I don't have much time. The old order has fallen away and the
new one is at hand. You are all a part of that new order. Willow has
chosen to be Guardian of the slayer line. Spike chose to Champion the
slayers and Gunn you too have made choices; choices that make you
pivotal to this group. Drusilla and Nagtier have both been chosen as
well. The five of you form the new Ra-Tet."
"What??!!" Charles exclaimed.
"What's a Ra-tet?" Spike looked to Willow for an explanation,
frowning as she merely shrugged.
"It's a group of people who can be killed so that the sun
will go away," Charles answered Spike's question, "And you can count
me out, I don't need anyone ripping anything out of me, thanks."
"Ripping out?" Willow gulped.
"This is not the old order, Charles," Joyce calmly
stated, "You cannot be killed in the same way as the old. You do not
hold the totems for your destruction within yourselves."
"But we can be killed," Spike honed in on the important part
of Joyce's explanation.
"Yes, like all things you can die, though not by normal
means," Joyce laid her hand on Spike's shoulder and stared deeply
into his eyes, "You will protect her, won't you?"
"Yes," Spike could feel the love flowing from Joyce into him
and it humbled him, "with my life."
"I don't understand," Willow sighed, "I'm the guardian of the
slayers and I'm part of this Ra-tet? But what are we supposed to do?"
"I told you, the Ra-tet makes sure the sun doesn't go out,"
Gunn sighed.
"That was the old way, but it wasn't their whole task," Joyce
remonstrated, "The Ra-Tet serves as a balance." Joyce turned to face
Willow, "You and Spike are on the side of light, Gunn serves as the
neutral, and Drusilla and Nagtier serve on the side of dark."
"But we didn't choose to serve," Willow argued.
"Didn't you? You and Spike both chose to channel infinite
power through yourselves. And Gunn, you chose to become a part of
Wolfram and Hart, chose to be imbued with knowledge, chose to speak
to Nagtier. You have all made choices, choices with consequences."
"And the consequence is that we can't be killed by normal
means and we represent the powers here on Earth?" Spike mused.
"That's right. What you choose to do with those gifts is just
that, your choice," Joyce turned to look over her shoulder at the
empty air, "I must go now. One last thing, remember that you are
family now, bonded, connected. All of you are important to
maintaining the balance and should that balance shift again; then
creatures like the First and Jasmine will be empowered to affect the
outcome of the world. It is up to you to protect the balance."
As suddenly as she had appeared, Joyce disappeared. Drusilla
strolled over to them, Nagtier, the black panther, at her heels.
"Never much cared for her," she mused.
Willow and Spike stared at the spot where she had stood,
shell shocked. Gunn sighed deeply, "Well that's just fucking typical
of them. Give a guy powers and immortality without even asking first."
"It's a game to them. All pawns" Drusilla purred, running her
hand sensually up and down Gunn's arm, "Don't care about your
feelings. Not like I do, pet."
Gunn looked down at Drusilla and gingerly removed her
hand, "You don't even know me."
"I do know you," Drusilla smiled wickedly, "You're my brother
now. Family."
"And what? Incest is best?" Gunn laughed, "You vamps may go
in for that sort of thing, but I'm living blood sucker free these
days."
"Not all women will hurt you like she did," Drusilla's smile
never wavered, "unless you ask nicely."
Spike seemed to shake himself out of his stupor, "Enough,
Dru."
"Family," Nagtier purred.
Drusilla pouted, "I was only playing."
"I can't be here," Willow shuddered, "I need to go. Let me
go!"
Nagtier crossed to Willow, licking her hand which Willow
abruptly pulled away, "No! No, I need to go!" She pleaded
desperately, "Please, let me go."
Spike blinked and Willow was gone. He looked around for a
moment and then turned to the cat. "Where did she go?"
"Angel," Nagtier purred in reply.
Angel jumped slightly as Willow suddenly materialized in
front of his desk. He started to question her but paused when he saw
the hunted look in her eye.
"I need to go, Angel," she looked around wildly, "I can't be
here. I can't stand it."
"Where do you want to go?" Angel asked gently, approaching
her cautiously.
"Anywhere. I don't care," Willow nearly sobbed, "I can't be
here, not yet. I need to think. Need to be alone."
"Okay," Angel soothed, "I'll get a car for you, a place to
stay."
"Near the ocean?" Willow calmed, slightly, "I'd like to go to
the ocean."
"Okay, that can be arranged," Angel tentatively laid his hand
on her shoulder, "Where are the others?"
"Still there," Willow replied, shrugging out of his hold, "I
need to pack a few things."
"I'll have the car waiting for you outside," Angel replied,
saddened to see her leaving his office so distraught, "Willow?"
Willow paused, her hand on the door, "Please, don't. I'll be
back. I just, just need to think."
Angel sighed as she closed the door behind her. He stared
into space for a moment and then sitting at his desk, reached for the
phone, "Harmony, I'm going to need a limo out front."
"We should go too," Gunn gently told Nagtier. "I've got a lot
of work piled on my desk."
"That's it? That's your bloody reaction to what just
happened?!" Spike demanded.
"What just happened is that the Powers that be doing jack
shit decided to give me a present. Doesn't mean I have to get all
excited or change my life. I'm not going to be their pawn, I'll tell
you that much. I've had enough of that shit to last me a lifetime,"
Gunn said angrily.
"Lifetimes," Drusilla laughed, "we have lifetimes now to
play."
"Play," Nagtier purred, and then seemed to grin.
Spike shuddered, "I think, Gunn's right. We should go."
"Bye bye," Drusilla waved.
Spike grabbed Drusilla's arm, "You're coming with, Dru."
Nagtier growled menacingly and Spike dropped Dru's arm, "Sorry.
Wasn't going to hurt her."
With that said, Gunn and Spike blinked to suddenly find
themselves in Angel's office.
"Doesn't anyone knock anymore?" Angel sighed, hanging up the
phone.
"Sorry, boss," Gunn smiled, "We don't get a lot of choice
where the cat sends us."
"Where's Willow?" Spike demanded, looking around the office.
"She left," Angel said shortly, "What the hell happened up
there? You've been gone for hours."
"We're the new and improved Ra-Tet," Gunn announced, sitting
down in the chair across from Angel.
"Where did she go?" Spike placed both hands on Angel's desk
and leaned forward, demanding an answer.
"I don't know," Angel replied to Spike and then turned to
Gunn, "What do you mean new Ra-Tet?"
"The Powers that Be are still playing the game and
they picked us to be their pieces," Gunn snorted, "As if I'd go along
with that."
"How can you not know where she went?" Spike yelled.
"Look, Spike, she left. She was upset, said she needed to
think, so I got her a limo and she's going to go away for awhile,"
Angel ground his teeth together to stop himself from adding an insult
to the end of the sentence.
"Did she leave already?" Spike had already started for the
door and slammed out of it, not waiting for Angel's reply.
"Now tell me exactly what happened," Angel demanded of Gunn.
Willow rushed across the lobby as if she was being chased.
Part of a shirt was sticking out of her overnight bag, but she didn't
notice or care. The doors of Wolfram and Hart were in front of her
and that's all she could concentrate on. Getting out of this place
where evil seemed to seep into her at every moment.
"Willow!" Spike called as the elevator doors slid
open, "Willow, wait!"
Willow paused for a moment, shuddering slightly. Resolutely,
she continued to the doors. Spike frowned when she kept going and
then darted in and out of people, trying to get to her before she got
outside, into the sunlight. Willow opened the door just as Spike
grabbed her arm. She stopped again, looking down at the ground. She
couldn't face him, couldn't look at him, not yet.
"Where are you going, luv?" Spike asked gently.
"Please, Spike, just let me go," Willow uttered in a forlorn
voice.
"I can't," Spike sighed regretfully, "I promised a lady, I'd
protect you."
Willow frowned at that and then shook her head, "I don't need
your protection. Invincible immortal, remember?"
"That's just physical harm," Spike replied softly, "Come
upstairs, luv. Talk to me."
"I can't be here, Spike," Willow sobbed, "I just can't!"
Willow jerked her arm free and ran for the limo waiting at
the curb. Spike stepped forward to go after her and then jumped back
instinctively from the sunlight. He looked down at his hands,
expecting to see burns. There was nothing on his hands. He frowned
in
thought for a moment and then stuck his hand out into the sunlight.
Nothing happened. Gingerly he stepped out into the light. Nothing
happened. Spike tilted his face up to the sky, feeling the sun's rays
bathe him. Nothing happened. Spike simply stood there, basking, until
he heard the sound of the limo's engine turning over. He turned and
sprinted for the limo, jumping inside. Willow let out a startled
shriek.
"Where we off to, then?" Spike smiled saucily, "Hope it's in
the city limits, else I'll pop back to ole W and H."
"You're not smoking," Willow murmured.
"No," Spike's smile widened, "Guess it's one of the perks."
"I don't know where we're going," Willow still stared at
Spike, shocked that he hadn't been turned to ash by the sun. "Angel
made the arrangements."
Spike lifted up the handset and spoke into it, "Where we
headed?" He hung up and turned to Willow, "Big Sur?"
"I told him I wanted to go to the ocean," Willow replied
distracted by this new puzzle, "I wonder if stakes still work."
"Let's not find out," Spike snarked, "Look, I don't have
long, Will. I'm going to pop back to the office once we hit the city
limits, so talk to me."
"Why will you pop back to the office?" Willow asked.
"It's all part and parcel of the amulet thing," Spike
replied, "but that's not important. We need to talk."
"Doesn't it feel so much better to be out of there?" Willow
sighed in relief, leaning back into the leather interior.
"Well, ya, now that you mention it," Spike realized that he
felt as if a great weight had been lifted on him, "Didn't realize
till now that it weighed so much."
"I couldn't think anymore," Willow closed her eyes, "not
there and not in the White Room. I just need to think about
everything. Everything that's happened and what it all means."
"Dru was right about one thing today," Spike gently tucked a
strand of Willow's fiery hair behind her ear, "Sometimes, you can
think too much."
"You're right," Willow sighed, "I wish I could just forget
everything, not think, but I can't."
Spike left his hand on Willow's hair, stroking it
lightly, "I'd like to help."
Willow opened her eyes, staring into his, pleading, "Come
with me."
"I can't luv," Spike groaned, "the amulet, remember?"
"Screw the amulet," Willow nearly growled, her eyes turning a
darker shade of green.
"What did you do?" Spike gasped at the strange feeling that
had overtaken him for a moment.
"Look out the window," Willow smiled slightly.
Spike followed the city limits sign with his eyes until they
had passed it and he had not popped back to Wolfram and Hart. He
turned to Willow, smiling broadly.
"You're free now, Spike," Willow returned his smile and then
sobered, thinking of Buffy. "Where will you go?"
"I've always loved Big Sur." He took her hand and turned it
over, reverently placing a kiss on her palm, folding her fingers
closed, "Thank you, Willow."
~Part: 13~
Angel glanced up from the summary of expenditures for the
security department as the door to his office opened. Wesley paused
in the doorway, "Are you busy?"
"No," Angel gladly pushed the large stack of papers
away, "Come in."
Wesley strode briskly across to Angel's desk and plopped down
another large stack of papers. Angel sighed. "What's this?"
"Everything I could find on the Ra-Tet, the Guardian, and
Spike's amulet," Wesley announced.
Angel eyed the large stack balefully, "Couldn't you just
break it down for me?"
Wesley smiled, "Of course. It seems that there are a few
prophecies concerning the Ra-Tet. Most of them seem to be about the
old Ra-Tet, but there are several that cover the new."
"Oh great, more prophecies," Angel groaned and sat back in
his chair.
"Yes, well, these seem to be fairly clear. For example,"
Wesley sorted through the stack that he had placed on Angel's
desk, "The Deskargian states that the Fire Witch shall join with the
slayer and the champion to defeat the first evil. Then it goes on to
say that the witch and the champion once joined by light shall become
the morning light."
"So they are the first two in the Ra-Tet," Angel mused.
"Yes, as before," Wesley paused for a moment, lost in
thought, "It's all rather poetic if you think about it."
Angel raised an eyebrow.
"If you'll recall Ma'at was a powerful white witch and Ashet
was a being composed of light. From what Gwen said he looked human,
but he wasn`t a human; and that he was trying to get her to steal an
amulet to protect him. One wonders if it was the same one Spike wore
in the battle with the First...." Wesley noted Angel's look of
impatience and continued with his explanation, "Willow is a witch,
possibly the most powerful witch ever, and Spike said that before the
sunlight consumed him, he felt it fill him...it makes sense that they
would be the replacements."
"Why Gunn? I mean, I understand the human part, but why
particularly him?" Angel asked.
"I don't know," Wesley paused, "perhaps due to his closeness
to you. Perhaps because of something he did or will do. Perhaps
because he is a perfect blend of good and evil. Or perhaps because
he's the only one who can understand that cat."
"What's up with that, anyway?" Angel mused, "Why does it only
talk to him?"
"Again, I don't know," Wesley sighed, "All I do know is that
Gunn appears to be replacing Manny. He's the neutral, neither light
nor dark. Which makes him dangerous."
Angel sat forward, "How do you figure?"
"Undoubtedly there will be great pressure brought to bear on
him to choose a side," Wesley explained.
"Which would disturb the balance, right?" Angel asked.
"Exactly. There's more, other prophecies that speak of a time
when he will choose," Wesley sighed deeply.
"Ya well, you know how I feel about prophecies," Angel
muttered.
"Yes, well, they are certainly not infallible," Wesley agreed.
"What about Dru?" Angel asked, thinking of his child, the
vampire he had tortured into creation.
"I don't know which point she represents. She could be either
afternoon or sunset. It does appear that this Nagtier is fulfilling
Mesektet's role as the conduit to the senior partners. But then again
it is a cat, as Samkhet was," Wesley finished by shrugging.
"She's sunset," Angel stated darkly, "That little girl and
Dru have a lot in common."
Wesley cleared his throat, "We won't know for sure until
we've spoken to her."
Angel laughed bitterly, "If we have to rely on Dru for
information, we'll never know."
"Yes, well, then Willow and Spike will be our best bet on
gathering all the information we can about this new order," Wesley
looked around, "Where is Spike? He's usually keen to talk about
himself."
"He left with Willow," Angel looked towards the window, "But
I'd expected him to pop up again by now."
Spike stood on the beach absorbing the last rays of the dying
sun. His head tilted back, eyes closed, he looked as if he was having
a religious experience. Willow laughed aloud at the thought of Spike
having a religious experience of any kind. Spike turned his head,
smiling at her as she sat on the rock. With the natural agility and
grace that she so admired, he jumped up on the rock and sat down next
to her.
"Whatcha thinking about, pet?" Spike started to reach into
his pocket for a cigarette and realized that he'd left his coat back
at the cabin.
"You and your sun worshipping," Willow smiled at him and then
turned back to face the ocean, "It's beautiful and terrible all at
the same time, isn't it?"
"You been reading Bukowski, pet?" Spike laughed as Willow
turned to him in shock, "Ya, I read. Occasionally."
Willow shook her head ruefully, "I'm sorry. You always
surprise me, Spike."
"Do I?" Spike's face lit up like a small child's on Christmas
Day. "What a nice thing to say, pet!"
Willow giggled again, "Yep, that's you, chock full of
surprises. One minute trying to kill me with second hand smoke and
the next admitting to reading poetry."
"I never admitted that!" Spike exclaimed, "Take that back!"
"Must be the poet in you," Willow teased.
"Tell anyone about that..." Spike growled playfully in
warning.
Willow laughed, carefree in the moment.
"I like your laugh," Spike smiled tenderly.
Willow blushed and ducked her head, "Don't tease me, Spike."
"I'm not," Spike began and then changed tack when he saw her
frown, "So how long will we be staying, pet?"
Willow sighed and looked back at the ocean, "I don't know. I
just wanted to clear my head, ya know? Think about everything that's
happened. I don't know how long I want to stay." Willow turned back
to him, "But you can leave, if you want. You don't have to stay with
me."
Spike's smile was genuine and caring, "Maybe I need some time
to adjust to this whole thing too, luv."
Willow smiled tremulously, "It's a lot isn't it?"
"Ya, but you'll do fine," Spike tucked her hair back behind
her ear, a habit forming past time, "You're good at this all powerful
stuff."
"Do you think that's what it is? Are we like gods now?"
Willow's expression was earnest and he struggled for a moment,
thinking of the right words.
Spike shrugged, "I don't think so. I think we're more like
representatives or something."
"Totems?" Willow suggested.
"Good word," Spike nodded, "Ya, we're like totems. And all we
have to do is be real good and the world stays safe."
"That's what worries me," Willow sighed deeply, "I'm not
always the best at making the right decisions; at being good."
"I'd say you've already jumped that hurdle, luv. All this
worrying isn't going to do you any good. You turned evil, tried to
end the world, got all the power, and now look at you."
"What am I now, Spike?" Willow pleaded not just with her
voice but with her eyes.
"Why, you're the good witch of the north, ain't you? Glenda
Rosenberg," Spike winked and threw his arm around her shoulder, "And
now you got yourself a vampire with a soul for a friend. Not a chance
of you going evil again."
"Do you ever worry about it?" Willow leaned her head on
Spike's shoulder, taking comfort in his loose embrace.
"Going evil?" Spike laughed, "All the bloody time. Thank god
I don't have a curse like Peaches. But I do have free will. I have
to
choose, like you do. Like everyone does."
"Not everyone has the sort of temptations we do," Willow
shivered as a gust of wind hit her.
"Cold, luv?" Spike rubbed Willow's arms briskly, "What
temptations are you talking about?"
"The kind of power we have and now we have even more," Willow
curled her body against Spike's trying to gain whatever warmth she
could.
Spike held Willow tightly against himself with one hand and
used his free hand to stroke her hair, "But we have forever to figure
all that out, right? Don't have to do it all tonight."
Willow sighed and closed her eyes. She liked the way Spike
seemed to be taking care of her. Ever since she had arrived in LA
she'd known that their relationship had changed. It was as if both
of
them had acknowledged the respect they had for each other and in
doing so, their friendship had deepened. If anyone had told her,
even a year ago, that she'd be sitting on a beach at sunset with
Spike stroking her hair, she would have thought they were insane. Now
it seemed natural and right. He had a way of calming her. Odd since
he was such a frenetic person. Vampire. Whatever. For right now he
was the only person that could understand what she was going through.
He was right. They did have forever. Forever together, along with
Gunn, Dru and Nagtier. They were all bound together, forever.
"What's going on in that busy head of yours, luv?" Spike
murmured.
"Forever."
"Ah, infinity, something I often find myself dwelling on,"
Spike uttered sarcastically.
Willow laughed and playfully smacked his chest. Another
strong gust of wind swept across the beach. Willow shivered more
forcefully and Spike released her. He stood up and held his hand out.
"C'mon luv, or you'll catch your death."
Willow arched her brow and smirked. Her look startled a laugh
out of Spike. They walked back towards the cabin and Spike was once
again aware of how happy he was when he was with her. She had a way
of bouncing back from a situation. His pep talks with Buffy had
always involved way more talking on his part. It was nice being with
Willow and not having to constantly prop her up. He'd taken care of
the women in his life for so long that it was second nature. He
enjoyed doing it. Liked feeling needed but it was nice that Willow
seemed to need him for different reasons. And he was beginning to
realize that he needed her.
"Have you ever seen the spark?" Willow asked.
Spike's eyes widened in shock, "Did Buffy tell you that??!!"
Willow smiled quizzically, "Um, no, Xander told me about it
when we were like seven."
"What?" Now Spike was just confused.
"The green spark. When the last of the sun hits the water,
silly. Haven't you ever heard of it?" Willow stopped and looked
towards the sunset.
Spike stopped too and looked at her. Here they were, having
been elevated to some sort of higher purpose and she still wanted to
look for the elusive green spark.
"No, I've never seen it, luv, but it has been quite awhile
since I've seen a sunset up close and personal," Spike looked towards
the horizon.
"The legend says that once you've seen it, people won't be
able to lie to you anymore," Willow explained, not taking her eyes
off the receding sun.
"Jules Verne made that up, luv," Spike replied and then
quoted the passage. "he who has been fortunate enough once to behold
it is enabled to see closely into his own heart and to read the
thoughts of others."
"I've already got the reading thoughts part down," Willow
remarked dryly.
"Ya, but can you see into your own heart?" Spike countered
lightly.
"It's really all refraction, but I like the idea of it, it's
romantic," Willow tried not to blink as the last curve of the sun
sank into the ocean.
Suddenly there was a brilliant flash of emerald green. They
watched until it disappeared and both turned towards each other at
the same moment. Their eyes caught and held, and neither breathed for
a minute. Time hung suspended in the air between them. Willow smiled
and Spike lowered his head, capturing her lips with his. At first the
kiss was gentle, testing, and then Willow stood on tiptoe, pressing
herself closer to him. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, mimicking
the action of making love and she found herself clinging to him. Her
fingers sunk deep into his hair, grasping, she pulled him as close
as
she could. His hands slid under her shirt and up her back, resting
between her shoulder blades. They clung to each other as the last of
the light faded from the sky.
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