Rating: PG 13
Pairings: W/S, D/A, B/Scott
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from BtVS
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~Part: 61~
Tuesday, Willow was once again wearing a sleeveless turtleneck sweater, although this one was gray. She really needed to get some more clothing, more grown up looking things. It wasn't the pastel colors that bothered her, although a few strong colors might be good. It was the fact that so much of her clothing made her feel as if she couldn't be a grown up, as if her mother were trying to make her stay a small child forever.
She was not terribly concerned with her schoolwork, instead thinking about the events of Monday night. Not only about Buffy's break up with Angel, and the question of Angel's pain and did he have anyone, but.. did that buy them more time to safeguard his soul? She had cast magic on Monday, and it had felt good. She also wanted to see if Giles knew anything about this desert magi that Dru had mentioned. Since Giles knew that she was working with Dru, she could simply ask him, rather than trying to find some 'sneaky' way to get the information.
During lunch, Willow found herself listening to Buffy talking about Scott, and how he was sweet and charming, and how they were now officially 'going out together'. Scott had even given her a ring as a present, a small silver ring with a heart in the middle of some other shaping, but Willow couldn't get a good look while Buffy was bouncing gleefully. They had made plans to go on a picnic that weekend, and intended to meet at the Bronze tonight and dance.
Apparently Buffy had recovered from her 'painful break-up' with Angel.
Then, Willow heard some unexpected and encouraging news. Xander had managed to find the courage to ask Amy Madison to go see a movie with him on Friday. Not only had he managed to ask, but she had accepted. He was hoping that everything would go well with the date, and then maybe he and Amy might end up as a couple. Xander and Amy.. it was an interesting thought. They just might go well together.
Finally, her classes ended for the day, and she was free to talk to Giles. She wanted to ask questions, and Giles had different sources of information than Dru. So, she went into the library, and found a little bit here and there while Buffy talked to Giles. Eventually, Buffy left, saying something about coffee and Scott. She had made a date, and seemed entirely enthusiastic about seeing him, not in the least bit sad.
"So... Giles, can you tell me anything about desert magi? From Egypt? Because Dru said there was one she met a few years ago, and she thought that he might be able to give us some information for that spell, so I was curious about them and wanted to see if you could tell me anything." Willow let her question spill forth in a rush, hoping that it would make sense to Giles.
Giles sat up, almost spilling his tea. "The desert magi? By chance did she mean.. did she mention any distinctive descriptions about this person?"
Willow was surprised. The way Giles was reacting.. there must be either something really important about these desert magi, or some possible danger, or maybe multiple groups of desert magical type people... "umm she said that when she met him, he was a very old man, Ardeth something or other. She called him Ardeth water named. umm he was married, because Dru said that he'd mentioned his wife knowing a lot more about soul magics... Marks. She said he had funny marks on his cheeks. Does any of that help?"
Giles muttered something, and put down his teacup. After a few moments of muttering about half crazed vampires and unbelievable quirks of fate, he looked up at Willow. "That would undoubtedly be Adrdeth Bey. He's one of a tribe of magi that live in the deserts, the Watcher's council has had a few dealings with them, and prefers to avoid it when possible. Their ancestors were charged with guarding their homeland against an ancient and terrible danger, one that they wouldn't reveal to the Watcher's council. Most of them are very reclusive, although there was one who somehow became involved with a pair of archeologists in the thirties... I believe they were named O'Connor or O'Connell. This magi that was involved with them made quite an impression, and he then further went against the traditions of his people by marrying an outsider. Actually, I think she was the tutor of the couple's son, and she was also supposed to be a powerful sorceress in her own right. She is not spoken of by name, only referred to as the Desert Rose. If she can actually contact them.. if they are willing to offer any aid, I think it would be extraordinarily useful."
Willow smiled. "That's a relief. We umm.. I cast a spell! It was so cool, well, it was more like Dru cast it and I helped, but there was this glowy light and I could feel this humming and wow.." Pausing for a moment, Willow savored the memory of the spell, the felling of accomplishment that it had given her. "We used this spell to teleport a letter to him."
Giles simply stared at her for a moment, before he managed to speak. "You cast.. you and Drusilla sent a letter to EGYPT!?! With a spell... oh dear... Have you any idea what sort of power that takes?"
Willow looked at Giles, wondering why he looked so.. well, torn between angry and worried. "Giles, Dru promised me that it was just a simple spell, and perfectly safe. The letter vanished, we were both perfectly fine, well, I was a bit giddy, but.. why are you looking at me like that?"
"Do you have any idea how much power it would take to teleport a letter halfway around the world? Do you have any idea what happens if someone attempts a spell that takes more energy than they have?" Giles was definitely upset, although it wasn't purely anger. It looked like he was worried.
"Ummmm does that mean it takes a lot of energy? Dru said if a spell took a lot of energy, it would leave me feeling tired, but she said the spell to send the letter would be no trouble for me. Dru thinks I'm a fire fairy, with lots of magic. Honest, it didn't even make me feel tired." She didn't want Giles to worry. Perhaps he would calm down if she convinced him that the spell hadn't exhausted her? No, perhaps something entirely non-related would work best.
"Exhausting was spending three hours listening to Buffy tell me all about how she and Angel had to break up because they have no future and that it really really hurt her."
~Part: 62~
Giles picked up his teacup, sipping at it slowly. "Buffy and Angel broke up again? Do you think it will last this time?"
Willow made a small face at the reference to the occasionally soap opera like tendency of Buffy to be almost always breaking up or making up. "Buffy was telling us at lunch how things with Scott are. Umm, she's been sort of seeing Scott for a while. Scott seems to make Buffy pretty happy, so I think she's going to be staying with him. And I don't think Angel would want to take her back after this... and you can't forget about Dru. She wants Angel back."
Giles simply sighed, and drank more of his tea. "Please tell me that that's part of the reason why she's helping you attempt to anchor his soul?"
Willow giggled, feeling suddenly odd discussing the potential love life of her friend, the century old ( at least!) vampire. "Yes, Giles, that one of the reasons why she wants a workable spell soon. She doesn't want to be a dark dragon and scorch his soul away. So.. there will be no more Buffy Angel saga going on."
After a bit more discussion about the various dealing that the watchers council had experienced in the past with the mysterious desert magi, Willow left to go home, feeling rather cheerful. Thing were looking up. She had her Spike, Buffy wouldn't be making Angel loose his soul, they had almost finished a spell to anchor it securely, and she and Dru had cast a magic spell.
She and Spike might be able to go shopping tonight, to get her replacements for the vast number of things that she'd realized she hated. It would be good to spend some time with him. As it turned out, they did go out shopping, although they could only hit a few stores before the mall closed. They found soft long skirts in a multitude of colors, skirts that were long enough not to show off everything but clingy enough to hint at her shape. They found new sweaters, that would still ward off the chill of autumn or winter, but were not as bulky, instead resting in gentle folds over her body.
Shirts in velvet and silk, tanks tops and long sleeved poet style blouses and some others that had seemed simply perfect for Willow. Towards the end of the trip, Spike had managed to pull her into a store that Willow wouldn't have had the courage to explore on her own. Leather pants and jackets and boots and skirts and bands for wrists and other places and items that she wasn't quite certain the purpose of... until Spike whispered into her ear, obviously enjoying the way she blushed crimson.
They ended up with two bags just from Leather and Stuff-It.
There was some amusement as they walked out to the parking lot, passing a dumbstruck Harmony. Willow simply ignored the blonde, and they put the bags into Spike's trunk and drove away. She and Spike had a few plans to test some things out once they got back to her house.
Wednesday, there was a box on Willow's terrace, not left by Spike or any normal delivery person. Tied to the top was an envelope, neatly addressed to Willow Rosenberg, with her correct address, Something about the handwriting nagged at her... Impatiently, Willow opened the envelope, eager to see what it was, to learn who had sent it.
It was from Ardeth Bey and his wife, the Desert Rose. They had included the ritual used to bind the soul of the departed to the statues in their image, and it also said that the box contained other things that would be 'very useful to you, young Willow'. After great temptation and some internal debate, Willow decided to let the box and it's content wait until after the ritual to bind Angel's soul.
By Thursday, Willow and Dru had cobbled together a binding spell, using part of the ritual that had been in the envelope. Something that should bind Angel's soul to his body, forever. Everything would be perfect to cast it Saturday night. She and Dru were reviewing it, wanting to make certain that every clause lined up, that there would be no loopholes or troublesome clauses. This spell was to bind his body and soul forever, or until he was dust.
Giles had asked them to perform the ritual somewhere defensible, and had asked if he could be there, as an observer. After a bit of debate, Willow had said that he could, although this wasn't to go into the Watcher's diaries. She had also told him that Spike would probably be there, and he would have to behave.
They'd settled on a small clearing, on a hill. It had an excellent view of Sunnydale, and of the stars. It was out of the immediate radius of the Hellmouth, although still in the area affected by it. They had made what preparations they could beforehand, and everything would be tested on Saturday.
~Part: 63~
Saturday evening rolled around, taking far longer than Willow or Dru wanted. Giles and Willow left in the last hours of the day, preparing the area for the casting, and making certain that they had all of the items and herbs needed for the ritual. There were the two carved scarabs that Dru had brought to Willow's house, one of a pale white stone, and another carved from a dark reddish stone that was slightly translucent. There was an assortment of herbs, and a few other powders, each of which Dru and Willow had carefully determined the need for, and a generous number of candles to set in the area to provide some illumination for Willow and Giles to see by.
Willow was mentally reviewing the words yet again when she felt Spike approaching. She smiled, looking up at the path that they had to be on, and spoke, her words directed at Giles. "Now remember that you promised to behave, and Spike is actually very sweet."
Giles looked at her, slightly puzzled as to why exactly Willow felt that he would have problems with her boyfriend. He was about to ask, feeling almost hurt that she would worry when an accented voice called into the night air, thoroughly interrupting his thoughts.
"Now, Willow, luv, don't go telling people that. Then they won't think I'm the Big Bad anymore, and I'll have to beat them away from you with a stick.. or maybe a nice sharp sword. I'm sure I've got one of those somewhere." At the same time that this voice flowed into the clearing, two figures arrived, one clearly Drusilla, wearing a long pale gown, and the other a lean figure in a dark leather coat, bleached hair showing clearly in the darkness, someone too pale and too graceful to be human.
"That's Spike? Willow... he's.. William the Bloody.. vampire... he's a bloody vampire..." Giles voice wasn't particularly loud, due to the sudden shock of his realization, but it was clear that he did not like this surprise.
Willow looked over at her mentor, very nearly her father and smiled, her expression the sweet smile of someone in love. "Yes, but he's MY vampire. He promised to behave tonight... and he's not nearly as excessive as he used to be."
Spike grinned at the stunned watcher, and walked over to Willow, his arms going around her in a close hug, and not quite letting go. He glanced over at the Watcher, his arms still wrapped around Willow, and caressed Willow's cheek with his fingers. "You can breath all normal again, Watcher. I'm not going to hurt Red, not ever."
Dru spoke, her voice drawing Giles attention over to her. "Spikey wouldn't hurt the little tree. He only came here so that he could have her and because I wanted to help my not-daddy. Now, they've tied themselves up with tied of fire and passion and blood... Spikey couldn't hurt the little tree, he's hers now and forever. Just like she couldn't hurt him. She gets a knight and poet and big kitty cat, and he gets a fire fairy, a tree, the dancing light of inspiration."
It was obvious that Giles didn't follow everything that Dru was meaning. He did follow enough to know that Dru didn't think that Spike would hurt Willow, that he had no other reason for being over the Hellmouth, and that Dru thought that Spike and Willow would be very happy together. He swallowed once, and looked around, finally deciding to simply light a few more candles and try not to think about Spike being a vampire.
Dru set out a few of her own candles, these scented to make what she had decided would be a soothing scent to cast magic to. There was lavender and apple and one that had a scent much like the ocean was supposed to smell. She let the watcher light them, since he seemed to want something to occupy him.
Willow and Dru anointed themselves with a carefully blended oil that was supposed to help them clear their minds and stay focused, and stepped into the diagram. With a final moment of silence, they began laying out the herbs, and chanting. Soon, this would be over, and Angel's soul should be bound to him forever.
~Part: 64~
Giles found himself watching the two women chanting. He could feel the power gathering, prickling at his awareness, making his skin more sensitive. He glanced over, seeing the blonde vampire watching, more precisely, watching Willow. Spike was pacing, not talking least he interrupted the ritual, but clearly wishing that there was something that he could do. As he paced, Giles thought he saw something on the side of the vampire's neck.
The chanting was continuing, and now the lines carefully placed with herbs and powders were glowing, a pleasant dark green color, reminding him of summer leaves in the sunshine. Spike stopped, looking at the glowing lines, and muttered something under his breath, something about magic, and green, and leaves, and that was when Giles became certain that he had in fact seen a bite mark on the vampire's neck, just below the ear.
Either Spike had a lover on the side, and would soon be upsetting Willow, or Willow had bitten him, possibly in an attempt to Claim the vampire. Considering the possessive tone that she had used when saying that Spike was hers, the latter seemed all to possible. But normal humans couldn't Claim a vampire, not effectively. Slayers could probably manage it, if they actually cared for a vampire that strongly, which he'd never heard of happening. A powerful mage or witch could sometimes Claim a vampire, but the degree of power required made that quite unusual.
There was a shape coming along the path.
Just as Giles was readying his crossbow, the blonde vampire was at his side, one hand holding the crossbow down, aimed at the ground, his expression a fierce scowl, and his words a low growl. "Don't try to shoot, that's Angel coming along the path."
Staggering into the clearing, Angel looked at the ritual, his eyes wide. He looked as if he had been pulled forth, and he took a hesitant step near the women, flickers of pale green reflecting in his eyes. His voice was a raw whisper of stunned amazement. "What are they doing?"
It was a valid question. The lines of the diagram were glowing a pale green with flecks of gold through it. The candle flames all around burned, the flames perfectly upright, regardless of the small breeze that was passing fitfully through the clearing. Willow was there, her eyes closed, a swarm of golden sparkles around her, while Dru appeared to be wreathed in deep green wisps that wrapped around her almost like snakes. They were both still chanting, and the power was still gathering.
Suddenly, with a feeling that would have been perfectly suited to an earthquake, the power shifted, no longer simply gathered, it moved, and Angel was wrapped in a green glow, like sunlight through leaves, with golden sparkles around. The glow appeared to seep into his skin, and he stiffened, then went limp, collapsing onto the ground as if exhausted. Giles didn't notice the similar glow that had surrounded Drusilla, being to busy watching Angel. Spike did, and his eyes widened in shock, wondering if that had also been an effect of they gypsy curse, and if so, what had it done to him? Angelus had been souled and shackled by guilt, Darla had become an obsessive violent harpy, Dru had sunk farther into madness... what of him?
At the same moment that Angel hit the ground, every candle in the clearing went out, and the glow that had emanated from the lines stopped. Giles stood there, blinking in the sudden darkness, attempting to see what was happening. Willow and Dru were approaching, Dru swaying, one hand at her temple. Willow swayed slightly, and leaned against Spike, her arms sliding around him. Dru half knelt and half collapsed beside Angel, her hand going out to brush a small lock of hair from his face.
"Are you alright, my Angel?" Dru's voice was tired, but also filled with worry.
At the same time, Willow looked over at Giles, a small, slightly rueful smile crossing her lips. "Now, that left me feeling tired. I think. I think that I'd like Spike to take me home now. Would you mind getting all the candles?"
Giles simply nodded, part of his mind still boggling at the thought that she had really done it, she had really cast the spell, and he had felt it's power. He no longer had any doubts that Willow was powerful enough to Claim Spike, and looking at them, he could actually see them as a couple. "I can get the candles... do remember to rest after this.. expenditure of energy, and try to eat something energizing."
Giles watched as Spike went down the path, Willow's arm wrapped around him as she leaned into him, although how much was for the support and how much was simply for the contact he didn't know. Hearing the rustle of fabric, he turned his attention back to Dru and Angel, right in time to see Dru kiss Angel right on the lips.
"Ahh. I do hope that his soul is quite secure now?" The concern had been only natural, seeing that kiss.
Dru looked over at him, a smile making her look quite lovely. "Don't worry, owl. The little tree and I made certain that the spell would work, hold tight like superglue and bubblegum. We even used several bits that bound his soul, just to make certain that it wouldn't go anywhere until my Angel were all dust and memory. The little tree did her research on it."
Angel looked up, trying to gather himself up from the ground. "I can feel it, Rupert. It's different, but not painful like the gypsy curse was. It doesn't make me want to.. how did you put it? doesn't make me want to mope in a dark corner. But I think I'd like to go home and rest now."
The two dark haired vampires carefully climbed to their feet, and slowly walked away, intent on going to Angel's apartment. If there was anything planned other than rest, Giles didn't want to know. As he was packing the candles up to take away, it occurred to him: how would he explain this to his Slayer? Undoubtedly, it would not be good if Willow's new friend Drusilla were staked, and even worse if Spike were staked, especially if his suspicions about Claiming were true.
Feeling the approach of a headache, Giles finished putting the candles into his car and drove himself back to his home. He didn't want to think any more about vampires or Claims or magic spells tonight.
~Part: 65~
Dru had helped her Angel back to his apartment, both of them leaning on each other far more than they wanted to admit. She could feel his muscles under his shirt, and she wanted to run her hands over him, to see if the shape of him was the same as she'd remembered for all those years, to see if he would still gasp if she nibbled and licked over the griffon on his shoulder. She wanted to make certain that he knew he didn't have to be sad and guilty and mope in the darkness anymore.
There were far more interesting things to do in the darkness. Interesting and passionate things that could be done without all this clothing on their bodies. She helped him into the apartment, discovering that he'd left his door unlocked. Careless of him, but she could hear no heartbeats from inside, sense no vampire.. no whisper of presences awaited them. She locked the door behind them, and turned to look at him, a shape in the darkness, his presence filling the air, an almost magnetic pull for her.
"My Angel, I think I should make sure that you were not hurt by all the magic." She could feel herself smiling as she walked towards him, deliberately putting a slight suggestive sway to her hips. "I think you've been neglecting yourself, not listening to the needs of your body."
She stopped in front of him, her hands running over his arms, the texture of the fabric easily noticed. She slid her arms up and over his shoulders, then down the front of his chest and under the bottom of his shirt, feeling the smooth muscles under his skin. With a sudden almost angry motion, Dru pulled the shirt up and over his head, exposing his smooth flesh to her hungry eyes. Dropping the shirt to the floor, she smiled.
"Princess will make certain you aren't moping or brooding for the rest of the night." Reaching back, she tugged the zipper of her dress down, and shrugged out of it, letting the fabric slide to the floor, smiling at the almost hungry look that lit in his eyes as he saw her own pale skin, only a few delicate bits of lace and her shoes standing between her and complete nudity.
Suddenly, his hands were sliding over her, and their mouths had locked together, tasting and exploring each other. Somehow, they found their way to the bedroom, and collapsed onto the bed, the dark red silk of the sheets folding over their bodies.
There was no brooding that night.
* * * *
Spike had taken Willow to his car, worried that the spell might have exhausted her too much. She looked pale, and hadn't the watcher said something about making certain that she ate something to give her energy? Perhaps before they went back to her house, he should stop somewhere to get her some food. There was this little all night diner on the edge of town, mainly frequented by truck drivers and the occasional 'tourist'. It would be open, and there shouldn't be to many odd questions or concerns.
Willow didn't protest the suggestion, instead merely murmuring something that he couldn't quite decipher. She fastened herself into the seat belt, clearly a gesture of habit, and simply leaned against the door, her eyelids sinking down as if heavy. She was asleep leaning against the window of his car when they arrived at the diner.
"Red? Willow-mine, we need to get some food into you." Carefully, he opened the car door, shaking her shoulder slightly, enough that she woke up. She smiled up at him, her eyes still heavy with sleep.
"I think we need to step in here and get you some food. Anything in particular strike your fancy?"
They ended up inside, and he simply got himself a coffee, figuring that if he had something, it would look more normal. Willow ordered a big plate of blueberry pancakes, with berries and whipped cream on top. The expression of raw hunger on her face when the food arrived made him feel oddly jealous.
It was unnatural to envy a pancake anyhow. No matter how tempting the sight of her pink tongue swirling the whipped cream from her fork was, no matter how interesting the little 'mmmmm's' of enjoyment were, or theway her eyes closed and she got this little look of bliss while she swallowed....
He was jealous of the pancakes. Damn.
~Part: 66~
Finally, Spike could take no more. The sight of Willow licking the traces of berries and cream from her fork was not only making him jealous of the pancakes, it was making him think of all sorts of more personal places that he'd like her tongue to wrap over and around. He could just imagine her, her eyes darkened with passion, looking up at him through her lashes as she licked over his...
That train of thought was not helping. Not while they were in the middle of the diner, not while there were people watching. He had been wanting his Willow all night, wanting to feel her warmth surrounding him, to taste the intoxicating richness of her blood again, flavored by their passion and love. Pulling out some money from his wallet, he tossed it on the table, no longer willing to wait for the waitress to bring the check.
He picked Willow up in his arms, feeling his body tighten inside at her presence, and carried her out to the car, now far more impatient to get her to somewhere private than he'd been before. She was clinging to him, her head tucked onto his chest, her breath teasing it's way though his shirt to warm him. She wrapped her arm around him, her fingers sliding into his hair, caressing the base of his skull, her soft giggles letting him know that she knew what he was thinking, knew that he wanted nothing more than to take her home and explore every inch of her body all over again.
The trip to her house was a blur, and the next thing that was clear to him, they were in her room, clothing falling to the floor, hands all over each other, unwilling to wait just a few moments longer. They had a great deal of passion and impatience to deal with.
Later, as he lay in her bed, their bodies curled around each other, listening to the soft sound of Willow breathing, it occurred to Spike that Dru had glowed briefly, much like Angel had. With Angel, the glow had been an indication of the spell binding his soul. Did that mean that Dru had a soul as well? Or had she simply been somehow bound to Angel's soul, strengthening the bond that had already existed of Sire and Childe?
Had a measure of her mood swings came from the friction of the urges of her vampiric nature and a mortal soul? She had seemed more irritable and moody after... well, after the Kalderash spell. Had that been more than simply her uncertainty from Angelus vanishing, more than Darla's temper tantrum? If the spell had given Angelus and Dru both souls, did that mean he'd been given one as well? Eeehh, the thought made him shudder. Near as he could tell, the soul had mostly brought Angelus or Angel misery, and if Dru'd got one, it hadn't really helped her either.
He'd simply found himself responsible for the remnant of his family, responsible for Dru as he'd once been responsible for his mother in his mortal days. He'd had to remake himself again to become the responsible protector, to watch over Dru when she couldn't watch over herself. It was in some ways a reversal of the remaking he'd done after his turning, once again he took things seriously, once again he had to ponder consequences, although they were still often pondered after it was to late, like wondering if the demon he'd just killed had packmates that would be after him. Before, he would never have worried about it. But there was no internal conflict for him, no argument of soul against demon such as Angel had described experiencing. He was simply a blend of traits from his mortal days and his reckless vampire nights.
Willow shifted against him, her hand sliding over his chest, coming to rest over his navel. Her breath was now curling over her Claim on this neck, and that combined with the heat from her body, distracted him from introspection. He could feel the warm shape of her leg as it rested over his, feel the softness of her bare skin, still scented with the oil that she and Dru had used for their soul ritual, something slightly sweet and slightly spicy.
He could think of far better things to do than ponder nights long gone and how he'd changed through the years. His mate, his sweet wonderful Willow was here, curled so trustingly with him, sleeping peacefully. He could think of several interesting ways to wake her up... yes, silk scarves and rose petals and hmm..., oh, he was definitely going to have to wake up Willow. She'd love that idea.
~Part: 67~
No matter how interesting the weekend turned out to be, it couldn't last forever. Eventually, as inevitably had to happen, Monday rolled around, and with it came school. Willow hadn't wanted to go, staying at home with Spike sounded much much more tempting. Especially after the way he'd woken her up, silk scarves wrapped around her body and rose petals scattered over the bed... mmm. But it had occurred to her that if she didn't go to school, someone would notice her absence.
The last thing that she needed for her relationship with Spike was Buffy kicking down the door to find out why Willow hadn't been in school and trying to stake her mate. That would definitely put a strain on her friendship with Buffy, and while the idea of playing Nurse Willow tending Patient Spike had some interesting possibilities, she'd rather it not be from actual injuries.
With reluctance, she had got ready for school, wearing one of the pairs of leather pants that she and Spike had bought on their shopping trip, in midnight blue, deciding that it went well with the light blue high collared blouse with sheer sleeves. The blouse concealed the bite mark on her neck, which had been renewed during their weekend's activities. She didn't think seeing Spike's Claim would be the best way for her friends to learn that her boyfriend was a vampire.
She went to school, again having all the attention from the people that used to ignore her. She got to hear all about Xander's date with Amy, how they had gone to a movie and had a lot of fun. She had also heard far more than she'd cared about Buffy's date with Scott that Saturday. They'd gone to the beach, and played in the water, and both of them had got sunburned, but they had 'a wonderful time'.
Finally, Buffy looked at Willow, and with a small smile, spoke again. "So, Wills. What did you do this weekend? Anything interesting?"
Willow looked at her, feeling a bit annoyed at the expression on her friends face, the one that implied that Willow's weekend couldn't have been very interesting, and felt the urge to tell her everything that she'd done since Friday. She resisted, at least partly. "Well, Friday was pretty much a lot of studying, but Saturday, I made Spike jealous of a plate of blueberry pancakes before taking him home for hours of passionate sex."
Having said that, she left the lunchroom, ignoring the wide eyes, gape-jawed expressions of Buffy and Xander, neither of whom could quite believe that Willow had just said that. With a straight face. Something very strange was definitely going on. Buffy immediately suggested going to Giles. Willow had be possessed, or under some sort of spell to be making remarks like that.
Immediately, they rushed to the library, wanting to Giles about Willow. The sooner they told Giles, the sooner they could figure out what was wrong and fix Willow. She just didn't say things like that... or wear leather pants. Definitely possessed.
"Giles! There's something wrong with Willow... and umm so very sorry to interrupt you and Miss Calander .. umm.. whatever it is that you were doing." Xander had been speaking before he had gotten a good look inside the library, and only to late realized that Miss Calander was sitting on Giles' lap, essentially straddling him, one hand on the side of his face. He was turning an interesting shade of crimson from seeing Giles in such a position.
Buffy stared, her mind attempting to deny the sight of the computer teacher sitting on Giles like that. Thankfully, Miss Calander was wearing pants, but... Buffy did not want to think of her watcher doing things like that. Ever.
Giles muttered something while looking skyward, possibly asking higher powers to save him from interrupting teenagers. The look that he shot towards Xander and Buffy was not a happy one. "What makes you think something is wrong with Willow?"
Xander paused, and closed his eyes. After a few moments, he spoke. "She was wearing leather pants. Tight leather pants, something that didn't look Willow-y at all. And then there was what she said... without blushing. There was something about making her boyfriend Spike jealous of blueberry pancakes and then she said.... she said..."
Buffy filled in the rest for Xander, since he obviously wasn't having much luck getting those words out. "She said she took him home for hours of passionate sex. That is definitely not Willow-y. So, you see why something has to be going on with her."
Giles simply sighed, resting his head against Jenny's. This would be a very long explanation, and he didn't even have or want all of the information. " Willow has a boyfriend named Spike. He's older, and she seems very taken with him. While I neither know or wish to know about the accuracy of her ahh.. summary of her weekend activities, I do know that you most likely have been busy talking about your own relationship issues rather than asking Willow about her life."
Buffy and Xander could only leave the library, feeling vaguely shamed by Giles' words. Possibly they could watch to see if Willow was showing any other behavior changes?
~Part:68~
Buffy was muttering as they left the library, partly to Xander, partly to herself. "Willow and her boyfriend... the blond from the Espresso Pump. Why does Giles think I haven't been listening to Willow. I listen, really, It doesn't have to be about me all the time! I know what's going on in Willow's life..."
She walked past a group of guys talking about seeing Willow at the store, coming out of the leather shop with bags of stuff, walking with her blond boyfriend. They were also commenting that Rosenberg was 'unexpectedly hot' since she'd lost the fuzzy sweaters.
Xander could feel himself tensing as he heard the jocks talk. That was his best friend they were talking about like that! She didn't need half the school thinking that she was 'hot' or speculating about... good lord, that store sold what?!? "Oh, man.. what has this guy done to Wills? Is this all his fault or.. have we missed a few important things from our favorite redhead?"
Xander wanted to believe that Willow was still herself, that she wasn't possessed or enchanted or under any supernatural influences. It would be slightly better if this new behavior was because of Willow's new boyfriend. But.. what if it was just Willow, finally given an opportunity to be more than a study-buddy? How would he cope if that were the case? Could he adjust to the idea of a sexual Willow? He'd have to, if he didn't want to lose his friend. Xander then realized that Buffy was still muttering about how she was Willow's friend, and she should know what was going on with Willow's life and there was no way that things between Willow and this Spike could be that serious.
Xander was beginning to think that Buffy was wrong. He had to talk to Willow. He was definitely hoping that the whole hours of sex comment was just for effect, that it wasn't the truth about her weekend. He just couldn't picture Willow that way. He left Buffy to go up the stairs, on his way to his math class, where he was hoping to follow some of the explanation of geometric laws.
After school, Xander met Amy, giving her a hug and a slightly hesitant kiss on the cheek. They'd gone out, and had fun, but this was still new between them. He didn't want to try too much too fast... and what if she didn't want him kissing her in front of everyone? She was hugging back though, and sort of tucking her head a bit and blushing. Not pulling away.. maybe she was just feeling nervous about this new.. something like he was?
"Hey Xan. umm I think I saw a couple of the cheerleaders trying to go find Willow and corner her for information on her boyfriend. Maybe we should go save her?" Amy was still blushing, but there was a certain twinkle in her eyes, a bit of smile at her lips that said she wasn't upset.
So, they went to the side court, where Xander knew that Willow exited the building after school. Willow was there, her fiery hair the easiest way to pick her out from the crowd of students milling about, or walking purposefully this way and that. They slipped through, and Xan reached out, tapping Willow's elbow to get her attention.
"C'mon, Amy spotted cheerleaders after you to ask about blondie-boy. Amy and I are here to save you."
Willow smiled at them, and they walked away from the school, eventually stopping at a small park on the way to Willow's house.
Amy looked at Willow, a slight grin on her face. "So.. tell me some about this guy.. and why is Buffy talking to herself today?"
Willow looked up, momentarily confused. "Buffy talking to herself? Ohh, umm I made this comment at lunch that wasn't what she expected. She must think I'm possessed or something. Is she still.. uumm wigged?"
Amy and Xander both laughed, having seen Buffy still muttering about Willow at the end of school. Buffy was definitely still wigged by Willow's comment.
"Umm let's see. His name is Spike, well, actually, that's more of a nick-name, but it's what he uses. He was born in London, but he's traveled a lot. He's umm older than I am, and we intend to have a long and happy future together. You might have heard that we went to the mall last week, I got rid of some of the stuff from my closet that I hated."
Amy looked at Willow, as if she was inspecting something that Xander couldn't see, and then said something that confused Xander even further. "Why did your aura change? It looks different than it did last month..."
Willow sighed, one finger tucking her hair behind her ear. "That's.. umm a bit complicated. I made a new friend, her name is Drusilla, and we've done a few spells.... There was a big one this weekend. Or maybe.. umm... maybe it has to do with Spike. See, umm.. when I said he was older, I mean... oh, Xan, I want you to stay calm, okay? But, umm, Spike's a vampire. We've sort of.. umm.. we Claimed each other, so that's probably what Amy's picking up. He told me that it would leave a sign that could be felt."
Xander's eyes went very wide, and his jaw dropped. He tried to say something, but he only managed a few vowel sounds of surprise. That was not what he was expecting Willow to say about her boyfriend. Finally, he managed something slightly better than vowel noises. "Why... how.. but, vampire! Biting.. uhh... bad!"
Willow looked like she was trying not to laugh. "I know he's a vampire. As for the biting... " here Willow paused, as if remembering something. "There was no bad biting involved. The why and how.. well, you know how someone ends up as a vampire. Spike loves me. Why should it matter that he's a vampire?"
~Part:69~
Willow looked at Amy and Xander, both of whom looked really stunned by her words. Xander wasn't shouting, but he definitely did not look happy that her Spike was a vampire. "He loves me. He wants me to be with him, and he isn't planning on turning me. I have someone handsome, intelligent, sweet.. he brought me flowers and chocolates, he even wrote me poetry! What more could I ask for?"
Amy looked at Willow, her eyes showing a hint of concern. "Willow... if he Claimed you, that's really serious. Like getting married type serious. What happens if you decide that he isn't what you want in a few months?"
Willow smiled, remembering all sorts of things about her Spike. "I want Spike. I know how serious Claiming is.. he said it was only done for someone that a vampire wanted to make into their childe, or their mate. I rather like the idea that he would want to be with me for the rest of... maybe forever. I like the idea of happily ever after with Spike."
Xander winced, and then he said something, something he clearly wasn't happy about. "Willow, maybe you should talk to deadb.. I mean, Angel. He should be able to explain to you... and how's he taking the break-up with Buffy anyhow? Isn't he upset that she got together with Scott so fast?"
"Buffy was already going out with Scott before the official break-up. Scott took her to that beach concert. Angel knew that she was seeing someone else, and he wasn't happy about that information. Besides... I think Dru's going to make sure he doesn't brood about Buffy or anything else. We don't want to have him talk to me right now.. She's probably still over there. She had all sorts of ideas for him... and I really don't want to see."
Xander looked a bit hurt. "You mean Angel knew that you were dating a vampire before we did? Aren't we your friends? Why did he know?"
"Angel was out walking and ran into us. They're family, so of course he knows that Spike's a vampire. He wasn't happy about it either, but we convinced him to cope. If it helps, while Giles knew that I have a boyfriend named Spike who's originally from London, he doesn't know about the whole vampire thing, and neither does Buffy."
Xander gave a slight goofy grin while making an exaggerated shudder. "Yeah, I can just se how that would go over. She'll be worried, and tell you not to get involved with a vampire... and are you sure she's not getting back with Angel?"
Willow grinned, her expression almost wicked in her amusement. "She chose Scott and sunshine. Now, she has to live with that fact. Angel knew that she was seeing Scott, and he wasn't happy. I don't think Buffy actually mentioned Scott to Angel when they broke up... Besides that, Dru won't give him up. She thinks the whole thing between Buffy and Angel was twisted and un-natural. You know, Giles asked me the same thing, about Buffy and Angel? You're growing up to be so much like him..." She wiped an imaginary tear of pride from her cheek, making the line about Xander growing up sound like those old shows with the overly sappy parent talking about how 'their little baby is all grown up'.
Xander blinked for a moment, and then as it connected what Willow was doing, he grinned in amusement. "Hey! No fair teasing your oldest, best bud about growing up to be a tweed man. That's not right.. And I'd think G-Man would like to know that the big saga is over. You know, it's a happy thing, right?"
Willow smiled, feeling hopeful that Xander and Amy would be okay with the fact that Spike was a vampire. "Yes. It's definitely good that Buffy and Angel are separated."
Xander paused, the expression of something important occurring to him on his face. "Soo.. Buff didn't know that you guys were researching something about Angel's soul going bye-bye? Does this Dru know about it? Did you get that fixed?"
Willow and Amy both looked at Xander, identical expression of surprise on their faces.
Xander shrugged slightly. "Hey, I can read. The papers were in the library. Let me just say his soul going away sounded like a very bad thing to me."
Xander had known about the danger to Angel's soul? The idea made Willow think, and it improved her opinion of Xander to know that he hadn't told Buffy about it or been nagging. "Yeah. Dru was actually the one who discovered the possibility. There was a clause in the gypsy spell... umm, stop me if it gets to weird or needs explained Amy. There was a clause... and if certain things happened, his soul would be gone, and it would be a very bad thing. So, we did some research, and we didn't want Buffy to panic and maybe make things happen that would break the spell... so, there's been an effort with Giles to translate the spell to know how to prevent his soul from leaving, and Dru and I were trying to find a way to anchor it so that even if the gypsy spell broke, he'd still be, y'know, Angel."
Amy was frowning, her expression a clear statement that she had lost the explanation somewhere. "Umm... what curse? And wouldn't his soul leaving kill him? What was so unnatural about Angel and Buffy?"
Willow just grinned. "Now, that's a long and interesting story. It begins with Angel's actually a vampire, and this clan of gypsies cast a spell to give him back his soul.....
~Part: 70~
Leaving Xander to catch Amy up on the full details of their past adventures, Willow gave a cheerful wave goodbye and continued on her way home. Xander could explain to Amy, and answer her questions, and that would keep both of them busy. It felt oddly lightening to not be keeping secrets from her friend anymore.
She had a vampire to wake up. This time, Spike could be the one bound up in silk scarves, unable to move, helpless before her every whim. Her lips curving into a smile, Willow started to move faster. After all, he wouldn't sleep forever, and she had to get there before he woke up if she wanted to surprise him. Hmm, silk scarves; Spike at her mercy, and chocolate syrup. Contemplating that series of images, she was almost running by the time she reached her house, the anticipation a sweet torment.
Spike sundaes were delicious. Especially with whipped cream.
Spike had, reluctantly, left the house after Willow was asleep. It had occurred to him that there might come a time when her parents returned to the house. That would certainly put a damper on things between him and Willow. Then, he'd thought about Dru and Angel, and what they were almost certainly doing, and realized that an apartment might not be a bad idea.
If he could get a decent apartment, he and Willow could move in together. They could have their own private space, decorated by them alone, to their tastes, rather than the slightly stuffy, impersonal feeling of her parents house or the very mechanical feel that he got from living in the abandoned factory. Hmm... if they got an apartment, they could also pick up a bigger bed to go inside their new bedroom. A big bed with solid, tall corner posts that could be used to tie silk scarves to, draped with velvet in deep red, the covers from the bed spilling to the floor like a scarlet pool, and his Willow lounging on it, her pale skin almost glowing in contrast to the sheets...
The only reason that they'd been in the factory had been for safety. It was hardly his idea of a comfortable home. Dru would most likely be moving in with Angel. He definitely didn't want to live all alone in the remnants of a factory... he'd go out of his mind with boredom.
He found a few places that could bear a bit more investigation, and noted them down. If he wanted Willow to move into an apartment with him, it might be good to have her help figure out where to go. Having a rational housemate would be such a nice change. He was looking forward to spending the rest of his existence with his Willow. She would be all the light and sunshine that he could ever ask for, and far safer than the literal sunshine. All he would need to do would be persuade her to move into an apartment with him.
He found one that seemed almost perfect. It was actually on the lowest floor of the apartment building, and was partly underground. While there were a few windows, they were fairly small, and would be easy to cover securely. The building had a pool for the residents to use, and some nice trees and shrubs around the building. Some of the shrubs were actually in front of the lowest level windows, which would be an added safety factor.
He could imagine it now, having a home with Willow. Nice, solidly built furniture in dark colors with bright throw pillows, like deep green, or crimson, or sapphire, and soft brightly patterned blankets that they could wrap around each other and then... well, there were all sorts of possibilities. A large round tub that he could fill with hot water, and make very certain that every inch of her body were clean... He could picture that now, his Willow, naked in the tub, soft bubbles clinging to her body in a tantalizing near concealment, the scented steam filling the room, and the heat making her blood rise and her skin turning a delightful pink, and this delighted noise that she could make, somewhere between a squeal and a giggle...
Yeah, it sounded very good to try to persuade her to get an apartment with him. They could stock a kitchen with food, and have decadently pleasurable surroundings. Any luxury that she wanted, he would be delighted to get for her. After all, that was how it worked, all that he was, anything that he could do for her was hers for the asking. In exchange, he got Willow.