(( ))=thoughts
*************
"Stop that!"
"I'm not doing anything, pet."
"Yes you are! You're moving it. I know you are."
"I swear that I'm not. Really, Red, I told you I would play nice."
"That's only because Giles agreed to let me stay with you and not chain you back up in the tub while he was gone. So you have a reason to lie."
Spike rolled his eyes and removed his finger from the Ouija board pointer. "Look, I told you I am not moving it. You must be doing it."
Willow made a sound of frustration and waived for him to put his finger back. "If I'm not moving it and you are not moving it, does that mean it's working?"
Placing his finger back in its proper place, Spike shrugged. "I suppose so, pet. Who was it you wanted to talk to, anyway?"
Willow scrunched her face up in thought. "I haven't really decided. I mean, I didn't even think it would work." She removed her finger from the pointer and picked up the pad and pen she had set on the floor next to her.
"If you didn't think it would work, why did you bring those?" Spike lifted an eyebrow in question. "I think you've done this before."
Willow blushed almost as red as her hair. "Well.. once. But that didn't count because nothing happened. But it seems to be working this time, and I hoped that since you're, you know, technically dead and all, that the rest of the dead would be more willing... shutting up now."
"Sooo, you only asked me to do this because I'm 'dead'? I feel so dirty, Red, being used this way." Spike put on his fake pouty face. "And here I thought you liked me."
"Oh! But I do like you.. I mean.. well, you're not so bad when you're not trying to kill people... me especially. But.. but.. you don't have to do this if you don't want to, I'll do it by myself."
"NO!" Spikes hand shot out and grasped her chin, raising her head to look in to her eyes. "Promise you won't ever do this alone. Didn't you ever see 'The Exorcist'?" At her nod, he continued. "Well, I've seen things like that happen. Hollyweird doesn't always get it all wrong."
Willow's eyes got very wide but she nodded her head. "I understand...
I.. I promise." She looked into his eyes and waited for him to release
his grip on her chin. He wasn't hurting her, but feeling those cold fingers
against her skin was becoming uncomfortable... almost in a good way.
((No.. not a good way.. this is Spike... Spike the blood-sucking fiend...bad
Willow, bad..))
Minutes had passed and Spike was still holding her face and looking
at her in the oddest way. "Uh.. Spike?"
"Hmmm?"
"I did promise, you can let go of me now."
She was starting to get really uncomfortable. Not since Oz left had
anyone touched her in any way but casually. And before Oz, it was the same.
She just wasn't one of those touchy-feely kind of people.
((But I could get used to it... what are you thinking?!?))
Spike seemed startled by the fact that he was still holding her face.
"Oh.." He dropped his hand and looked down at the coffee table. "We seem
to have gotten off the subject. Who is it you wanted to talk to? Some departed
relative, perhaps?"
Spike was more shaken by touching the little witch than he thought
was possible. It had been so long since he'd touched anyone or that anyone
had touched him that didn't include violence.
((Thirteen months, eight days, since Dru took off... and you're captivated
by green eyes and soft, warm skin... you definitely need to get laid, mate.
She's human, she's a witch, she's the Slayer's friend and she's off limits.))
"Elvis. I want to ask him why he let himself go like that."
"Can't."
"Why not?"
"Not dead... vamp."
"You're telling me Elvis is a vamp?" Willow was sure that Spike was pulling her leg.
"Mmmhmm. Why do you think people keep seeing him everywhere?"
"Well... well.. then who was that guy they found on the toilet? I mean, usually when someone gets vamped, they just kinda disappear."
"It was the guy they used as his double, you know, the security thing. Have the double go out the front door and the real one sneak out the back. Elvis was pretty paranoid by the time he got bit. Had good reason to be."
Willow was having a hard time believing him. This was just getting too outrageous. "And I suppose the double lived as Elvis for years without anyone noticing?"
"Yes and no. Everyone in the Elvis camp knew it wasn't Elvis, but would *you* like to be the one who gave up the secret, blew your rather large monthly paycheck and all the perks?" Spike rearranged himself on the floor, getting more comfortable.
"How do you know all of this? I suppose next you're going to tell me you're the one who vamped Elvis?"
"No, I wasn't even in the country then. Heard about it through the grapevine. Never heard the name of the one who did it. Pretty funny, though."
"No, it's not funny, Spike. Well, I suppose to a vamp it would be, but.... never mind. How about we talk to Marilyn Monroe? I always wondered how she really.... what?"
Spike was shaking his head. "Not dead either."
"Vamp again?"
"Nope, Succubus. Faked her death. FBI and CIA and the rest of the American alphabet soup agencies were investigating her too closely, what with her banging the President and all. Try again."
Willow rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Walt Disney. There's no way he's.... not him, too!"
"Demon. Rare kind. Mr. Rogers, too. Feed off children's happiness. The rest of the demons hate them. Way too cutsie."
"Harry Houdini"
"Vamp."
"James Dean."
"Nope, vamp."
"I give up." Willow stood and looked down at the grinning Spike. "So vamps are just as much into celebrities as mortals?"
"Yep."
"And some celebrities are who they are because they're demons or something?"
"Yep."
Willow sighed and sat down on the couch, Ouija board forgotten. "Did you ever do it?"
"Do what?" Sometimes it was hard to follow her train of thought. ((Maybe if you'd pay attention and stop staring at her lips when she talks....))
"Vamp a celebrity."
"I was going to, once, but he offed himself before I could get to him."
"Well, it can't be Billy Idol, since, as far as I know, he's still alive somewhere." She smirked. "So, who was it?"
"*He* imitated *me*, not the other way around. Geez, meet a chap once, and he steals your look." Spike shook his head in disgust. "He was doing so well until he tried to go Techno... some people never learn."
"You didn't answer the question, Spike. Who was it you wanted to vamp?"
Spike looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "Sid Vicious. Who else? He had such potential. So angry. He would have made a magnificent demon. Keen fashion sense, too."
"Only you could think..." Willow broke off as the front door opened and Giles entered, bags of groceries precariously balanced in his arms.
"A little help, if you please?"
"Oh.. yeah, sorry Giles." Willow rose from her seat and grabbed a few bags from Giles, taking them in to the kitchen.
Ignoring Spike completely, Giles closed the door and followed Willow into the kitchen. "He wasn't too much trouble, was he?"
Willow frowned. "You say that like he's a..a.. child or a dog or something. But no, it was fine."
"Good, good." Giles opened the refrigerator and began putting away the perishables. "Then you wouldn't mind coming over Saturday and watching him?"
"Saturday? What's Saturday?" Willow moved around the kitchen putting up the canned goods and cleaning items.
"I.. uh.. I wanted to go to L.A. and meet Olivia. She has a ten-hour layover.. and I thought..." He opened the freezer and stuffed the T.V. dinners inside.
"You thought you could spend more time together if she didn't have to travel to Sunnydale first. I get it. Sure, Giles, I can come over then. What time?"
"I need to leave about 8:30 in the morning and I probably won't be home until after dark." He turned hopeful eyes to Willow. "I know it's a lot to ask, but I still don't feel comfortable leaving him alone, even during the day."
"No, it's fine. I'll be here then. You deserve a little down time, Giles. Don't feel guilty. OH!" She looked at her watch. "I'm going to be late. I told Marty that I would meet her at 2:00 and it's already 1:30. Got to go." Willow hurried out of the kitchen and waved goodbye to the vampire where he still sat on the floor.
A slow smile made it's way across Spike's face. ((Saturday, 8:30 a.m.
till after dark... What fun we can have...)) He folded the Ouija board
and slid it under the couch so Giles wouldn't see it and give Willow another
lecture. ((Now, what can we do for all that time, Red?))