rating: pg 13 - 16
pairing: Willow/William
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~Part: 16~
Willow woke slowly. Realizing that not only was she not dead, she had not been... well, apparently things had come to a crashing halt last night. Had it actually been last night? Had she really almost had sex or been drained by William? Why had he stopped if her memories of what had happened were accurate? Her fingers moved, brushing over the side of her throat, feeling a deep mark, a twinge of pain flaring at her touch.
Hadn't he said something about wanting to feel her around him? That had... between that and the touching, she had been so certain that he had wanted her, even if only for the night, even if only to let her go with a rush of passion and pleasure. There were hundreds of worse ways that a person could die. Actually, she had seen dozens of horrible deaths in Sunnydale, and a couple more here. Like burning to death...
Willow shivered, feeling cold at the accidental reminder of what she had done. She carefully pulled herself from the bed, whispering the words of the healing spell again. Was she doomed to a pattern? Get injured, pass out with William's mouth over her wound, bleeding and crumpling against him, only to wake up weak, shaky and alone? She didn't like the idea at all. If he was going to drink enough to make her pass out, the couldn't she wake up with him? 'Oh, bad Willow... we... I just burned his obsession to death, and now I'm lusting after him. Even more, what if he doesn't want me? Well... I know he did a little last night, I felt... and wow, but... did it mean anything to him? Did I imagine him sounding sad that I wasn't very awake? Did he say something about a lover? Arggh, this is important, and I can't remember.'
Did she even deserve the chance to be happy? To have something so passionate after what she had done? She frowned as she slowly combed out the tangles in her hair. LIfe wasn't fair, things didn't always go the way that they had 'deserved' to go. That was why Jesse had died, why Buffy was the Slayer, Why Giles didn't have Jenny anymore... maybe she could have some measure of happiness? Yes, she would snatch desperately for this chance at happiness, and cling as long as it lasted. Besides, it wasn't as if there was anyone waiting for her to return. She didn't have a special someone, or a true love that simply couldn't be with her. She would see if she could find a little happiness here.
Right, she had made up her mind. Try to be as happy as she could with William for as long as it lasted. But first, she really needed to eat something. Red meat... there had to be a kitchen here somewhere, had to be food. She moved out of the room, her hair finally combed, in search of something to eat. Something to help replenish her energy. Then... maybe she would have to go find William again, see if he always slept naked.
She found the kitchen, and helped herself to a generous helping of foods. A small corner of her mind wondered if this food was kosher, before deciding that as it was in the house of a vampire, probably not, and that since it had been a while since she worried about kosher foods, there was no point in starting now. She decided to just eat, and not worry about how kosher the food was. Her practicing magic probably made her life rather non-kosher anyhow. She was having to many thoughts again.
"Too many thoughts... and so few of them worth it. Hmm... I wonder if there's any coffee?" She noticed that at some point she had gone from just thinking about things to actually muttering out loud.
"No coffee, luv. Perhaps we can get you by with a strong cup of tea?" William's voice filled the kitchen, practically touching her with it's overtones, and making something inside of Willow quiver in hope and anticipation.
"I guess that will have to do. I'll need to make some adjustments for living in this time anyhow... at least, until I can find a way to go home." Willow's voice was soft, but it betrayed a distinct lack of enthusiasm.
"You don't want to go home? What about your Spike? Your friend the Slayer?" William's voice was curious.
Willow sighed, putting water into a pot for tea as William lit the stove for her. "He's... not really my Spike. And it's pretty obvious that I can't keep a guy... assuming they even notice, I'm not enough for them. As for Buffy... she has Riley and his soldiers for help now. I'm not even useful to help her research. Xander was my friend, but... he doesn't have time for me anymore. Why race to get back to an empty house? I have no lover, my friends don't have time for me, and my parents are in... were they in France or Greece this month? My parents weren't there, and they weren't exactly there for me when they were in the same state, if that makes any sense."
William stepped closer, sliding an arm around her hip, curving his hand over her stomach, leaning his chin on her shoulder. "Then stay here. I can teach you everything you need to be bad, to release your inner fire. How to bring people quivering into submission at your feet... I can show you passion beyond your wildest dreams... pleasures beyond anything you've tasted."
Willow leaned back, feeling his body behind her, enjoying the feeling of him holding her. "Come to the dark side... together we can rule this galaxy. Except that you look so much better than Darth Vader... I thought you didn't want me? Why else... I mean, we didn't... there wasn't any wildest dreams of passion happening last night. It was last night, wasn't it? Did I miss an entire day?"
William chuckled, the feeling transmitting to her body by proximity. That was last night, luv. You didn't loose a whole day. I promise, I want you... in my bed, under me, on top of me, screaming my name in pleasure and lust and passion. Last night... I got a bit carried away. You're mortal, and while I can't wait to feel how warm you'll be, I'm not used to the idea of a lover that's quite so fragile. I took a bit much blood, especially considering the injury to your leg. As for the wild passion... I always thought that would be more enjoyable with someone who was awake and participating."
He kissed the mark on her neck, and then kissed it again, his tongue caressing it. Willow gasped, the feeling so much nicer than when her fingers had brushed it when she had woke up, and leaned into him. One hand was wrapped around her waist, supporting her against his body, while the other was caressing patterns over her ribs, with delicate touches over the curve of her breast, teasing little touches that were reducing Willow to whimpering putty in his hands.
"Let me make it up to you... Let me feel how warm and passionate you can be. You've no idea how attentive I can be for you... how good I can make you feel." His words were a bare hint of sound and air against her ear.
"mmmm ... you are evil. Utter temptation... the accent, those gorgeous eyes, the cheekbones... Oh! talented tongue... strong hands... nothing so tempting can be good for me... oh, right there..." Willow's words were low, deepening with desire as he teased her body, suggesting all the pleasures that he could show her.
"Do you want to be good? Or would you rather" His tongue caressed her ear, before his teeth grazed carefully over her throat. " rather be bad?"
"I've been good my whole life. As a result, I'm almost twenty and alone, with only a couple friends... I want to try something else now... oh god, do that again... show me passion, please?" She didn't care anymore if it was wrong. She didn't care if he was still grieving over Dru's betrayal and death. All Willow was aware of right now was the muscled solidness of his body behind her, especially a certain very male part of him, and the rising desire and need for him that she felt.
~Interlude~
"Let me make it up to you... Let me feel how warm and passionate you can be. You've no idea how attentive I can be for you... how good I can make you feel." His words were a bare hint of sound and air against her ear.
"mmmm ... you are evil. Utter temptation... the accent, those gorgeous eyes, the cheekbones... Oh! talented tongue... strong hands... nothing so tempting can be good for me... oh, right there..." Willow's words were low, deepening with desire as he teased her body, suggesting all the pleasures that he could show her.
"Do you want to be good? Or would you rather" His tongue caressed her ear, before his teeth grazed carefully over her throat. " rather be bad?"
"I've been good my whole life. Now, I'm almost twenty and alone, with only a couple friends... I want to try something else now... oh god, do that again... show me passion, please?" She didn't care anymore if it was wrong. She didn't care if he was still grieving over Dru's betrayal and death. All Willow was aware of right now was the muscled solidness of his body behind her, especially a certain very male part of him, and the rising desire and need for him that she felt.
"So, I'm temptation?" He licked over her neck, his teeth nibbling, just enough pressure to feel good, not enough to hurt. "Are you going to fall?"
Willow squirmed around, twisting so that she was facing him, now feeling his erection pressed up against her, right at the bottom of her stomach, causing her to feel much warmer than she had mere moments ago. She ran one hand up, her fingers sliding into his soft brown hair, looking into his eyes, blue, but no longer the cool blue of the ocean. Now, they were intense, like blue fire, and the heat of them was focused on her. She could feel his hand, now resting on the curve of her butt, his fingers moving slowly, a gentle caress.
"Of course you're temptation. I'm certain you'll be bad for me... and that I'll have a lot of fun being very..." Leaning forward, Willow brushed her lips over his neck. "very," she kissed over his adam's apple, her tongue flicking over his skin briefly. "very bad with you. But... maybe there's a better place than the kitchen?"
William's eyes had gone from blue flames to shimmering gold, and his brow looked a bit heavier, as if his vampire features were trying to come forth. His hand had squeezed over her butt, holding her tightly against him, and he made this almost growling noise deep in his throat, the vibrations tickling Willow's lips. With a sudden movement, his lips had covered hers, seeking, tasting, demanding her respnse, her passion. His tongue sought hers out, teasing, flicking through her mouth, touching the base of her eyeteeth.
Almost hesitantly, Willow followed his example, her tongue sliding over the base of his fangs, feeling them extend as she did, the vibration of his growling moan filling her body, starting a smoldering fire inside her belly, right under the place where the evidence of his desire was pressing into her. His sharp teeth nicked her tongue slightly, causing the flavor of blood to flow into their mouths, and still they kissed.
He picked her up, almost dragging her up his body, and her legs went out, half wrapping around his waist in unconscious desire to stay close to him. His fingers busied themselves with loosening her clothing, trying to gain access to more of her skin. Willow was more aware of that that the fact that he was carrying her out of the kitchen, and up a flight of stairs... ohh, the stairs kept bringing his hard length almost directly into contact with her nearly aching center.
Before long, or aching later, depending on the perspective, they had entered a room, their mouths still together, tongues caressing, tasting, the flavor of Willow's blood oddly intensifying the experience. His hands were roaming over her now exposed shoulders and breasts, her dress now an almost awkwardly scruched mass of fabric around her waist. He settled her on the edge of a bed, reluctantly letting go long enough to grip the hem of the gown and pull it from her body, leaving her almost naked before his eyes.
Willow's hands had gone to the bed for balance, and her hands caressed silk. The chill air made her skin feel hyper aware, and she shivered slightly, even as she felt her nipples harden, firming in response to William and the cool air. She looked at him, his features undoubtably those of a vampire, and felt a stirring of something like pride - she had brought him to that point. Her touch, her response had brought out this passion in him.
"Why am I the only one loosing clothing here?" Even as she asked, Wilow leaned forward, her nimble fingers shaking slightly as she pulled his shirt from his pants, and then, with an impatient gesture, yanking the shirt open, buttons flying everywhere. She slid her hands over the smooth planes of his chest, seeing his muscles quiver slightly at her touch.
William leaned forward, his lips once again capturing hers, tasting her once again, apparently savoring even such a small taste of her blood. Smiling at her, he began kissing his way down her body, tasting her skin, his tongue caressing her breasts, drawing out moans and gasps from Willow. She reached out, her fingers tangling in his hair, seeking to hold to him, to reassure herself that this was real, that she wasn't just dreaming again.
"All in due time, luv. I'm tempting you, remember?" His voice sent the most interesting vibrations over her breast, his breath making her stomach clench in need.
"You are tempting... right now, I'd like to be tempted by seeing a bit more... off with the pants." Her voice sounded almost unrecognizable to Willow, oddly husky.
"You only want my body..." His tone was caught between teasing and lustful. In a smooth fluid motion, the pants came off, revealing the whole of his body, pale as marble. "I can deal with that."
Willow gasped as the whole of him was revealed to her sight. She looked over him, trying to memorize every muscle, every inch of him, her gaze almost devouring him. "Theres a lot more to you than an incredibly amazingly sexy body... that I want to touch and lick and... You're wonderful in your own blood thirsy sort of way. Now, please... touch me..." Her hands reached out, running over his abdomen, touching one hip, tracing over his smooth skin, tangling briefly at the darker curls.
William groaned, swaying slighlty as her fingers touched his most sensitive parts, her fingers almost radiating heat. He caught her hand, kissing her palm, licking over her fingers before dropping to his knees, bending his head to lick over the nearly healed place on her leg. Willow could feel herself shudder at his touch, craving more of him, part of her wanting this night to never end. He licked over the purple new skin, nibbling gently at it, slowly moving up her leg and rotating inwards, to her inner thigh, tracing his way higher and higher, until he crossed from her thigh to other more sensitive areas. Once again, his talented tongue drove Willow to new amounts of distraction, producing gasps and whimpers before she felt as if something had exploded in her, and her whole body went limp.
Slowly, he kissed his way higher on her body, tracing the edge of her navel, delighting in the way her skin tasted so sweet, with a hint of apple. "You taste delicious... all over. You skin... your mouth... your blood... and your passion. I may never have enough of you."
Willow smiled at him, feeling oddly limp, as if all the tension had drained from her. She had never felt like this after Oz... and the faintest hint of Oz memory was chased away as William continued to kiss and nibble up her body. His hands were tracing patterns on her skin, and the feeling of building heat and tension returned, growing stong inside her once more. She wanted more...
Finally, he had kissed his way back oer her throat, paying special attention to the mark from last night. She could feel him, the tip of him just barely touching her center, a cool presence. He kissed her again, as if laying siege to her mouth, and slid into her depths, the coolness of him feeling indescribably amazing to Willow. Her near shout of pleasure was swallowed up by his mouth, and she could feel him sigh into hers.
Rapidly, the night became a wonderful blur of touching, passionate kisses and the most intensely passionate lovemaking... sex... no, lovemaking that Willow had ever imagined possible. He had bit into her throat again, not drinking deeply, but just tasting her at the heights of his passion, and Willow had found that to be intensely enjoyable.
Eventually, they had brought theirselves to exhaustion, and had collapsed in a tangle of limbs on the bed. She rested against his cool body, feeling as if she could heat the whole house just with her presence, clinging to his cool body. She ached in places that she hadn't known could ache, and little bites covered her body, like some sort of menacing freckles. With a smile, Willow surrendered to sleep, hoping that morning would prove that this hadn't been a horrible wonderful mistake.
~Part: 17~
She woke up slowly, her limbs feeling heavy and stiff. As awareness returned, Willow realized that she was naked, her body entwined with an equally naked William. She felt herself smiling and blushing as she remembered last night. She and William... they had been very passionate together. She wanted to believe that they had made love, that she actually mattered to him as more than a willing partner, but she couldn't be certain. He had spoke of passion, and wanting her to be screaming his name in lust and pleasure and passion... which had definitely happened. But... was that it? Was there anything more?
Willow gave a small smile at the turn of her thoughts. Twenty four hours ago, she would have been delighted simply at the prospect of intimately being with William. Now, that wasn't enough, she wanted him to care for her as well. Couldn't she just manage to be happy with what she could get while it lasted? She should have gotten the idea by now that nothing very good would ever last very long, not for her.
Glancing at the various marks their passion had left, Willow could only smile again at the memories. Carefully, she slipped her limbs separate from his, reluctantly leaving the bed. She pulled on a robe, presumably William's, and headed downstairs to get something to eat. She was having trouble remembering what she'd last eaten and when.
She sighed, stabbing at the vegetables on her plate. It had occurred to her that she should consider looking for a way home, but she didn't even know where to start. More problematic, there was still the man that had tried to kill her, shooting her and William with the crossbow. She didn't even know why he had done it. She would almost certainly have a scar from it, and she didn't know why. Every other time she'd been seriously injured, there had been a reason, even if that reason was only that the thing responsible was evil and wanted to cause mayhem and bloodshed.
Could she even go home? Was it possible that there was no way to return to her proper century? WHat if she was stuck here in the eighteen hundreds with William for the rest of her life? That might not be o bad, actually...
Why did she keep thinking about going back to Sunnydale anyhow? It wasn't as if there would be anyone waiting to welcome her back with open arms. What did Sunnydale have that London didn't? That was worth going back to, that is? Running water, electricity, hot showers... computers and telephones, and no guys with crossbows trying to kill her. Hmm... well, maybe there was a few advantages to the twentieth century. Oh, yes, and a whole library of books to use for research.
But if she left, she wouldn't have William. Well, maybe it could be argued that what was going on now wasn't healthy, but... she had fallen for him. Hopelessly head over heels for him, and it didn't matter to her that he was dead, that he killed people, that he bit her and she had killed his Dru only days ago, she wanted to cling to what she could get as long as it would last. To build as many memories as possible with William.
"I'm putting way to much thought into this. I'm here, and most likely, I'm going to stay here in this time. Best make the most of it." Having come to what she hoped was a decision about her current time, she decided to go sit and think about the person that had shot both her and William with a crossbow.
Considering the fact that the bolts had been carved with crosses, and possibly tiny letters around their shafts, whoever had shot them knew about vampires, and knew how to hurt them. It didn't explain why she had been shot, unless it was the idea that anyone with a vampire had to be a vampire or the next meal. Could the man have been a Watcher? Obviously, there were Watchers in this time, and a Watcher would have the knowledge and access to the weaponry. How could she tell if he was? What did it mean if he wasn't, who would he be working with and why shoot her and William? Finally, an idea occurred to Willow: use a scrying spell to try to gather information about her attacker. All she would need would be a bowl of water, some salt, and time, and that shouldn't be to difficult.
She found them easily enough, choosing a dark bowl so that the images would be more visible. Settling the bowl onto the table, she tried to clear away her worries about her relationship with William, about Sunnydale, about being killed in this time, and focused her mind on the half glimpsed figure of her attacker. Slowly, the water seemed to darken, and an image formed, a man with brown hair, dressed in a slightly worn suit. He was standing in front of a shelf with what seemed to be many books, and appeared to be talking to an ernest looking young man holding a stack of loose pages. She had no idea what was being said, but it looked as if the man was running some sort of store. He was moving now, checking another shelf, and was limping slightly, as if his right side pained him, or had been bruised escaping an angry vampire. She continued to watch, trying to learn anything of use, and then he looked upwards, as if hearing something, and she saw his face clearly. He reminded her of Giles.
Willow gasped, the surprise breaking her concentration, and the image was lost. The man looked like Giles. She had been shot by a Giles? Surely her Giles wasn't the first of his family, hadn't he said something about a family tradition of working for the Watcher's Council? And wanting to be a shop-keeper when he was a small boy? Well, actually, she thought it had been 'a shop-keeper, or possibly a fighter pilot.'
"Giles' ancestor or great uncle or great something cousin was trying to kill me. But why?" She whispered the question out loud, not expecting any sort of answer.
"Wasn't Giles the Watcher to the Slayer you mentioned? Fluffy?" William's voice was practically a caress all by itself.
Willow looked over at William, feeling herself smile at the sight of him. "Yeah, and her name was Buffy. I just can't figure out why he was trying to kill me. I mean, those bolts looked like they were made for vampires, which I'm not, and I hadn't even been here long enough to annoy anyone but you so I can't figure out why I was being shot."
"Not a hobby of yours? Ah, I'll just find him later and kill him, then he won't be a problem anymore. I thought maybe we should have a little chat about the future, now that we're both sober and all." He placed his hand over Willow's, settling on the couch beside her.
~Part: 18~
William shifted his weight, making himself more comfortable, still holding Willow's hand. "I wanted to talk to you about the future. Not Sunnydale future, but along the lines of what's going to happen next, with us."
Willow felt her insides tense, wondering if he was going to tell her that she shouldn't get her hopes up, that she was just a silly willing mortal... But a part of her was remembering his words, his promise that he'd 'turn her in a heartbeat'. Maybe he wasn't preparing for the brush-off speech? "Okay... the short term future. Although I'm not sure that I could make it back to Sunnydale if I tried..."
"Don't. Stay here, with me. I offered a place in the family to you before, and I meant it. Only, I don't think I'd be willing to let you walk away anymore. I want you, want you to be mine, to stay with me, to become my Childe, part of the Order of Aurelius." He was watching her, his eyes locked onto hers as if he intended to convey his seriousness through his gaze as well as his words.
She felt something inside snap loose, a thread of fear and doubt. He wanted her, wanted her to stay, to become his Childe, to belong with him. Tears welled in her eyes, and she flung her arms around him in a joyful hug. "Nobody ever wanted me in their family before..."
As Willow clung to him, part of her simply delighting in the novel feeling of being wanted, an unwelcome image floated tot he surface of her mind, rising from her memory like a killer shark. "oh.. Vampire Willow... she was not fun. I don't think that you'd like her."
"Err... what? How would you know what a vampire you would be like? Why wouldn't I have liked her?" His voice showed puzzlement.
"ummm that's actually a bit complicated. To summarize, there was this alternate reality created, and in that world, I'd... umm, that Willow had been turned into a vampire when she.. I... she was sixteen. I was trying to help someone with a spell, and we accidentally brought VampWillow into my world, and well, she caused some problems." Willow could feel herself blushing as she remembered her vampire twin.
"You got to see yourself as a vampire? Was she one of the not eeeuuu looking ones? Why wouldn't I have liked her?" William was smiling, wondering why Willow seemed so disturbed by her vampire doppelganger.
Considering his question, Willow carefully considered the quiet, secretive conversation that she'd had with VampWillow before sending her home. "She was... yeah, she was pretty, although not my type, being female and, umm... me. She wore this tight leather outfit, which was rather binding, and these tall heels... But I think you would have been more upset at her recreational habits. She was sort of... skanky, actually. I mean, she was having sex with the Master, who had turned her, and he's so not what I want to picture naked, and she had Vampire Xander as her playmate and hunting partner, and she had her umm.. 'Puppy' that she kept chained up in her own private dungeon, and I think she was hitting on... er, trying to seduce Cordelia, although that may have been just so she could kill her..."
"Binding leather? Now that would have been a sight..." William was clearly trying to picture it, his eyes half closed and flecked with amber.
"I can show you. All that would take would be a simple illusion spell, and you could see exactly what she looked like, although it wouldn't be real. I mean, not really in the leather, and not really a vampire, just... sort of a magical costume."
"Show me..." His eyes had snapped open at her offer.
Nervous, Willow stood up, and whispered a few phrases, watching as a shimmer of green gold sparkles cascaded over her, replacing the way she should look with the image of VampWillow. Her hair was longer, and a bit darker, her skin pale with the careful makeup accenting her eyes. Her body was hugged by the black leather, the burgundy sleeves hanging to her wrists. Deliberately, she'd chosen an image of her evil twin in her vamp-face, showing golden eyes and sharp teeth. She looked right at him before she spoke. "Well, what do you think?"
She barely even had time to register that he'd moved before he was standing there, kissing her fiercely, hands sliding over the leather that the clothing had inexplicably transformed into. He was barely willing to let her have a moment for breath, intent of making his claim known to her, a low growl in his chest. By the time he actually said anything, Willow was so caught up in the passion he'd stirred up that she almost missed his words.
"Damn all, luv, you aren't just a pretty vampire, you're gorgeous. Quite the picture of seduction... Effective seduction, mind you." He was pressed against her, so close that he could feel her heart beating, and she could feel exactly how much he liked the sight of her like this.
"I'm getting the feeling that our talk about the future is over for tonight... Shall we go somewhere... more private?"
~Part: 19~
Willow sighed contentedly as she considered the turns that her life had taken over the past few weeks. She had accidentally flung herself back in time, met William who wasn't calling himself Spike yet, and incinerated the building where Dru was cheating on William with Jack the Ripper. They'd walked by there last night, and the place had burned down to the ground, even the stones had cracked and shattered from the heat, and everything was blackened with soot. The air was still heavy with the scent of ashes; it had even burned away the scents of blood and fear and pain that had been so horribly thick in the old warehouse.
Now, she and William were lovers. He was also teaching her about the history of the Order of Aurellius, and about the laws and traditions of vampires in general. All that education was in preparation, he intended to turn her and make her his Childe, and his consort. Together, he thought that they could rule London, become a power that would set other vampires trembling. Some of the history and traditions were dark and bloody, but it was still fascinating. The idea that he wanted her to be at his side, ruling territory for the rest of time still made her heart speed up and her breath grow short. She had never felt so wanted, so desired and appreciated.
Part of her, the part that had fought so long to keep Sunnydale safe, wondered if she should be here, with a vampire that wanted to rule, a vampire that would be willing to casually kill. A soulless killer who sometimes reveled in the pain of others. The fact that he was also devastatingly attractive and intelligent and thought that she was attractive and desirable and interesting didn't make him a good guy. Nor did his occasional moments of almost human emotion, like his pain and shocked anguish at Dru's betrayal, or his concern over her own injuries make him one of the good guys. A not so small part of her knew that this was what it meant to be seduced over to the dark side.
But he wanted her to learn, to grow and understand things, to master new skills. He was teaching her history and tradition, and he'd even promised to help her improve her Greek. He had found a few books on magic so that she could try to practice and improve her skills, and didn't try to tell her that she shouldn't find a magical solution to her problems. He was encouraging her to grow, to become more than she had been, and that was something that she had wanted for a long time. She welcomed his interest like parched earth welcomes the rain, and tried her best to stay too busy to worry about the fact that he was trying... succeeding in luring her to the dark side.
She shook her head, trying to shake away the lingering feelings of guilt. She had given years to keeping people safe, to stopping horrible demons and would be End-of-the-World's. All it had gained her was injury and social ostracism, and the loss of the one guy who had ever shown an interest in her before, Oz. It wasn't as if she would be trying to destroy the world, or as if she... they would allow chaotic and vicious demons free reign to slaughter and terrorize in their domain. Why shouldn't she try to find a little happiness in her existence?
She had a flicker of memory, bright blue eyes and frost pale hair, scent of leather and cigarettes... Spike. Spike had shown some compassion for her pain, had listened as she gave voice to her pain.
Spike wouldn't be waiting for her to come back. He hated being in Giles house, hated depending on anyone else for help, for blood. Granted, he was a lot less hostile to her, listened to her talk, told her about his own pain... but that didn't mean that he would miss her. He hadn't been nearly as vicious towards her as he had to Xander or Buffy, and she had actually become quite... No. She was trying to deceive herself. Somewhere between sobbing her heart out about Oz and listening to his misery over Dru and his frustration over the chip, she had developed feelings for Spike. Now, part of her wanted to go back because he was there, even as the rest of her knew that there was no point, no hope. He had loved Dru, and wouldn't have seen her that way, right?
Growling a bit with frustration, she gestured some candles alight, and scowled at her hands. Why had she developed feelings for Spike? Why was she only figuring it out now, when she had been with William? There were differences between the two, more than just the matter of hair and clothing. Why did she feel as if she were somehow cheating on William by caring about Spike, who was his future, or alternate future self? Why did she feel as if she was cheating on SPike by being with William? She'd never had Spike, would never have him, and he'd never... there was no reason to feel that way. But emotions didn't respond to reason, she'd figured that out a long time ago.
She was here, in the late eighteen hundreds with William. He wanted her, appreciated her, and had been showing her passionate things that she had only imagined before, sometimes not even that. She wouldn't find herself magically returned to her own time, to the life she had known before. All she could do was make the best of this new life.
Things would be alright, they really would. She could learn the traditions and laws of vampires. With practice, her magic would get better, and she would be able to do even more controlled and difficult things. WIlliam was loyal, he wouldn't cheat on her, wouldn't betray her with the first skanky singer that came alone. She could make a future here, could learn to be very happy here, with William.
What Willow had no way of dreaming was that in Sunnydale, in the time that she had been gone, Spike and Giles had been searching for a way to return her. Things had also began to subtly shift, a sure sign that wherever WIllow had sent herself, it had been the past, and by her presence, she had somehow changed history. They had both begun keeping small notebooks to record any changes in history and memory while still frantically searching for a way to bring Willow back.
Spike was still trying to figure out why neither the Slayer or Harris remembered Dru. He'd brought her here, the Slayer had fought them both... and hadn't she tried something with the boy? The memories were fading for him, and he was finding it harder to remember things with Dru, except for her numerous betrayals, things burned so deeply and painfully into his mind and heart that he couldn't forget. For some reason, the Watcher wasn't remembering Dru very well either. He wondered exactly what that meant in regards to the changing of time that Willow seemed to have caused.
But his dreams hadn't changed. He still dreamed of HER, his vibrant, passionate goddess, as unattainable now as she had ever been. But in his dreams... oh, in his dreams she was very attainable. His sleep was filled with images of HER, images that seemed so real, so detailed that he would almost suspect that they were memories. But he had never had HER with him in London.
Giles was hopeful though. Seems being the last male Giles still alive had given him a nice inherited library, including some very nice spell books. He'd dug them out of storage, and it was possible that he might have something that could help them bring Willow back.
The Slayer had come back, and she was blathering on about her new boy toy, some assistant teacher of something at her college. She also couldn't seem to remember or understand why Willow had vanished. Yes, she said that it was horrible that Oz was gone, but, Willow wouldn't run away over that, Willow didn't run. She seemed entirely oblivious to the fact that Willow had magic. Or maybe she had forgotten.
He realized that he was growling slightly as he contemplated the Slayer and the boy. Neither of them were concerned enough about Willow, they didn't seem to realize just how serious her disappearance actually was. And with this bloody chip, he couldn't even hurt them enough to make them care. Suddenly, it occurred to him. Hadn't Willow said that she'd taken up with magic after Angel's soul had gone? There was something nagging at him about the whole soul thing with his sire, it didn't sound right. Why would his sire have had a soul? When had his sire ever been a significant influence of Willow anyhow? He'd barely had any contact with anyone while he'd been in Sunnydale, essentially just wanting to ensure that Darla and the Master had been destroyed. Their deaths had left Angelus the undisputed leader of their branch of the Order. What did Angelus have to do with Willow?
"Rupert? Had a thought occur while I was growling at your daft Slayer. Do you remember Willow ever using magic? It's important, especially the way the past keeps changing on us." Internally, SPike was hoping for an answer, but he wasn't certain if he wanted Giles to say that he did remember, or that he didn't.
Giles sat down, polishing his glasses as he did. "Willow using magic... Sort of. It almost like trying to remember a dream. There was some sort of restoration ritual, but I can't remember what she was restoring. I seem to remember her casting a few relatively complex bindings, but... the only thing that I can remember clearly is the potion that revealed Miss Madison to be a witch. Maybe Jenny remembers something else."
With those words, and the renewed questions about how accurately they were remembering the past, Giles went to the kitchen to see if his wife could remember any more about Willow and magic.
~Part: 20~
In Sunnydale, Rupert Giles and Spike were trying to find a way to bring Willow back. Giles wanted her back because she was the daughter he'd always wanted, and the stabablyzing influence on Buffy. He wasn't quite certain why Spike wanted her back, and he wasn't certain if it was a motivation from the old timeline or from the new one that they seemed to be blending over into. Giles could only hope that Spike didn't plan something that would hurt Willow. Just because he was chipped didn't make him harmless, and there was this nagging matter of some sort of promise that he had claimed to have made to Willow.
Giles was hoping to bring her back before the timeline shattered, or twisted so far that things would be unrecognizable. Some of the major things had remained the same so far, Jesse dying, Buffy killing both the Master and Darla, and the statue of Acathala being found in a construction site. But there seemed to be things changing. He'd had nightmares about being tied down and questioned by an unseen person for weeks after they'd destroyed Acathala. Buffy had dreams featuring a mysterious man with dark hair, somone that had helped her on patrols and stolen kisses. Nobody seemed to have any idea who he was.
It was just such a good thing that the Initiative had captured Spike when he'd come seeking the Gem of Amara during the teens' senior year. He'd escaped, learned that the Mayor had planned on an Ascencion, and bargined his assistance in translating some books in exchange for blood and the Slayer not pursuing him while he was under the influence of whatever the soldiers had done to him. They had been reluctant to trust him at first, but he'd gradually convinced everyone that he had been truthful when he said he couldn't hurt humans. And he was quite good with languages.
Heaven only knows how they would have managed to foil the Ascencion without his help. But Spike's motives were far from altruistic, considering that he'd said he liked the world the way it was, with Manchester United, and all the pople like Happy Meals on legs. He was currently their ally, but he wasn't their friend. Except for possibly Willow. The chipped vampire had been getting to know more and more about Willow, sitting beside her at research, partnering with her on patrols, helping her train with weapons. He could still spar, as long as he wasn't actually trying to hurt his partner. Practically speaking, that left Willow, Jenny, and Xander's new girlfriend Anya.
Having consulted the Watcher's Journals, Giles had made the chilling discovery that it was all because of Spike that he was the last living Giles male. The vampire had been hunting and killing members of the Giles family for a bit over a century, and nobody knew why. He'd been afraid to ask, and intensely glad of the chip. He rather liked being alive.
Instead, he worried about how to bring Willow back to them from wherever she had ended up in the past. They would need a powerful spell, and a good helping of luck. More so because she had not been sent to a specific point. But she was needed, they were all feeling her absence. He didn't want to think what might happen to her if she wasn't brought back to her proper time, or whatever resembled it now that time and history had been altered.
He also worried about what sort of promise Spike could have made to Willow. He could remember the vampire mentioning this promise when he'd first come to them, shortly before the graduation. As he remembered, he'd asked Willow about it, but she hadn't known any more than he had. That troubled him more and more.
London, 1888
Willow glared at the pages before her. She was trying to decipher a bit of writing on vampire laws, but she wasn't getting very far. Either the phrasing wasn't making any sense, or she had mistranslated some of the words. "This wasn't what I'd expected when he said he'd help me improve my Greek."
Standing in the doorway, William watched her. There was a small, amused smile as he watched Willow glaring and muttering at the book, sitting in an oddly twisted posture that didn't look like it could possibly be comfortable for her, but it must have been. Why else would she have chosen to use it? He was taking delight in hearing her grumble about 'ancient vampires with terrible handwriting' and 'dratted spots on the page, what is that anyhow?'
He wondered how much of her personality would change when he turned her. Sometimes, things stayed almost the same when a person was turned, other times, only parts remained, a few things here and there. He didn't want to do without her, she was cunning, intelligent, and beautiful, with the fact that she was a powerful witch being a delightful bonus. She would make a perfect childe, and they would rule London. He just hoped that she would be an delightful to spend time with as a vampire as she was while mortal.
The time would be soon. He didn't want to risk that crazed man with the crossbow striking again, especially since his Red could die simply from loosing too much blood. Maybe he could find the man and bring him back to be his Willow's first meal? Yes, that sounded very good indeed. After all, she would need someone solid for her first meal, and fear always made the blood taste a bit more intense. It was a plan then, he would turn her as soon as he caught the crossbow man.
Maybe it was time to start trying to find the man.
But for the moment, he had more immediate plans for his Willow. She was like a fiery, passionate goddess at times. So incredibly intense, and so very attainable. The idea made him smile with anticipation. The idea that he would make her his for the rest of time almost made his head spin with glee and passion. She would become part of his family, his Childe. He'd promised, after all.