Parts: 21 - 25
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~Part: 21~
As she made her way to the main room, she wiped her tears away. She placed the envelope and the book on the couch and went into the kitchen. She glanced in the fridge and pulled out a soda. She returned to the main room and sat down on the sofa as she emptied the contents of the envelope onto the table. Willow looked at the necklace once more before opening the book.
As she started to read the book, her thoughts drifted. She couldn't concentrate on the material she was reading. <Why did I have to wake up? Why couldn't I of stayed there? A place I felt loved. A place where he loved me. But no, I had to wake up and come back to this reality.> She shook her head and tried to rid herself of her thoughts.
She looked down at the book and realized she had found the page once again with the necklace. She started to read the passage. <This necklace has been passed through the Aurelius line. It is passed down from Sire to Childe but can only rightfully be given to a mortal. This necklace has a binding characteristic to it. The mortal will be bound to the person as well as the demon. The word on the front of the necklace was written in a language called Gealos. A dead language now but is still recognized by vampires. The writing on the necklace appears to be a word to mortals, but to vampires it is more of a symbol. A symbol of being bonded to a demon.> Willow let out a loud sigh and closed the book. She placed it on the table and picked up the necklace. She let her fingers run over the symbol. <Bonded? Then why did he leave? Why did he give me this if he wasn't going to stay?> Willow placed the necklace with the book and picked up the letter he had written her. She was so involved with the letter, she never noticed the figure standing in the darkness. As she read his words, her tears started to fall again.
"Is it worth that, pet? Is he worth it?"
Willow jumped off the couch and turned her head towards the voice. Her eyes widened as she saw the figure. "Spike?" As she said that one word, the figment vanished into the air.
~Part: 22~
Once again, to her, he was gone. She grabbed the book and her bag, then headed out the door to the Magic Box. She opened the door and quickly saw Xander and Buffy. She put on a fake smile. "Hey guys."
"Hey Wills, are you sure you're up for research?" Xander asked.
"Yeah, besides I had to get out of the house for awhile."
"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.
"I'm sure."
"Did you hear Spike left town. I am so thrilled." The Slayer couldn't contain her happiness.
"I heard," Willow replied quietly. "Is uh..Is Giles here?"
"In the back," Buffy told her.
Willow got up quickly and headed towards the back. "Giles, are you back here?"
"Willow?"
"Yeah. Everyone's pretty happy that Spike is gone."
Giles looked at her and saw the pain. "Not everyone."
"Yeah. Oh..I found out about the necklace. There's a passage in the book." She started to bite her lip. "Will you read it?"
"Of course. Do you have the book with you now?"
"Yeah." She took the book out of her bag and gave it to Giles. "Page 148."
~~~*~~~
"So I was thinking about having a 'Yay Spike is gone' party," Buffy told Xander. Xander started to grin when the door suddenly opened.
"Think again Slayer."
~~~*~~~
Giles closed the book after he read the passage and took a deep breath. "Giles you're not saying anything."
"Willow this is serious. A gift of this magnitude, it shouldn't be taken lightly."
"I know Giles. I saw a hallucinaion of him at the house. It asked me if he was worth it and then vanished. I think I'm going crazy."
"Maybe he sent it to you Willow. Maybe it has to do with the necklace. Maybe it has to do with being bound to a demon. Maybe.."
"Too many comments that have the word maybe."
"Do you have the necklace with you?"
"Yeah. I just can't let him go Giles. I'm not ready to do that."
Giles nodded his head. "We should go back to the front.
~~~*~~~
"What are you doing back? I thought you left town."
"Had to come back," he replied.
"Why?" she asked while clenching her jaw.
"Maybe it was to kill my third slayer."
"Your chipped. Wanna try again?"
It was at this moment that Giles and Willow appeared in the doorway. Willow froze as she saw Spike.
Spike looked directly at Willow and smiled when he replied to Buffy. "I had something to come back for." He walked closer to Willow. He looked at her neck, seeing it bare. No necklace. His face fell. <Maybe she didn't want me to come back. Maybe she dosen't want to be mine.>
~Part: 23~
"Red," Spike stated. Willow was too speechless to say anything.
"Spike there should be some blood in the fridge still if you're hungry," Giles told him.
"Thanks Watcher." Spike made his way into the kitchen as his thoughts focused on Willow.
Giles watched as Willow sat down with a book but continued to stare at the kitchen door. He then glanced around the room, seeing Buffy walk towards him.
"I'm gonna patrol. I need to burn off some energy."
"Of course Buffy."
"Wills, wanna come with me?"
Before WIllow could respond, Giles interrupted. "Why don't you take Xander, Buffy? I need Willow's help here."
Buffy shrugged. "Ok." She turned to Xander. "Ready?"
"Let's go. Bye Wills. Bye Giles."
"Bye Xander."
"Goodnight Xander. Goodnight Buffy. Please be careful."
Willow and Giles both watched as they left. Willow turned to Giles. "What do you need my help on?"
"You need to go into the kitchen."
"But Spike is in there."
"I know, Willow. Spike came back and I suspect that it has a great deal to do with you." Giles watched as she slowly made her way to the kitchen. He sat down and smiled to himself as the door shut behind her.
Willow stood quietly on the other side of the door as Spike washed out his cup. He turned around, startled to see her watching him. He had missed her so much.
Willow took a couple of steps toward him. "You're back?"
"Yeah."
"For how long?"
"Depends."
"On what?"
Spike looked her directly in the eyes. "On you."
"Did your leaving depend on me too."
"Willow..."
Willow quickly interrupted him. "One of the last things that I remember that you told me was that everything mattered between us." She paused for a moment. "I guess it just didn't matter enough. You left."
~Part: 24~
Spike took a couple of steps toward Willow. "I came back. I came back for you. I shouldn't of left." Spike watched as the emotions played over her face. She remained silent. "Please say something, luv."
Willow turned around and started to walk towards the door without saying a word. She stopped in the doorway and took one last look at him. "I think I loved you. Goodbye Spike." Willow left the room leaving a shocked vampire standing in the middle of it.
As Willow walked home, her thoughts consumed her. <Way to go Wills. You walk away from a man that truly cares for you. That came back for you. But wait, he left in the first place. Stupid demon had to go and knock me out. Make me realize what was already in my heart. Why can't things ever be simple?> She made her way into the house and took the necklace out of her pocket. Willow was sitting on the couch, clutching the necklace when the door was pushed open.
Spike slammed the door shut. "You can't just do that. You can't leave. Especially after you mention that you think you might have loved me." Willow watched as he started to pace and continued his ramble. "I know I left Red. I fucked up. But I came back, for you. Please don't push me away. I love you."
Willow stood up and walked over to him. "Open your hand Spike," she told him. She placed the necklace in his hand.
He looked down at his hand seeing the necklace. <She dosen't want me with her.> Panic began to spread through his body. "The necklace is yours, luv. It..."
"Binds me to you," Willow told him finishing his statement.
"You know?"
"I figured it out Spike." Willow lifted her hair off of her neck. "Will you put the necklace on me?"
Spike took a step toward her. "Allow me, pet." He clasped the necklace while leaving soft kisses on her neck.
When he pulled away Willow leaned forward nipping at his neck.
"Always stay with me?" Spike asked.
"Always," she replied knowing this was where she belonged. With him. "Love me?"
"Forever."
~Part: 25~
"I'll never leave you, pet. Never." He grazed the side of her face with his fingers. He was still a bit surprised that Willow allowed herself to be bound to a demon. "Willow, are you sure you want this?" <If she says no, I'll kiss daylight tomorrow. Please don't say no.>
Willow knew he was surprised, but she didn't want to push him away. "Spike, shut up and kiss me!" she demanded.
Spike started to smirk at her. "Gladly, pet." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his body. He tilted her head back and crushed his lips to hers. Willow never knew one kiss could mean so many things. Reluctantly, he pulled away from his Red. He gazed into her eyes seeing only devotion, trust and acceptance. Spike picked her up in his arms and held her close as he started walking through the house.
"Where are we going?" she squealed.
"Bedroom," he replied casually. He felt her tense in his arms.
"Ummm...Spike?"
"Don't worry," he whispered. "I just want to hold you. Feel you in my arms." He paused for a moment and smirked at her. "Besides who knows what might happen, luv." He walked the rest of the way to her room in silence and placed her gently on the bed. Spike climbed into the bed next to Willow. He held her close to him and drifted his fingers through her hair with his other hand.
"I'm glad you came back, Spike. I missed you. I was so afraid you were gone. For good."
"Not possible, luv. Couldn't stay away. I had to come back to be with you." He turned her head so she could look at him. "You're bound to the man and the demon now."
"I know," she replied quietly. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them. "Spike?"
"Yeah."
"What's wrong?"
"Don't know what you mean, pet."
"Don't lie to me, Spike."
"I'm not."
"I can feel it. Is it part of the bond? It's like I can feel you. Your emotions."
Spike knew she wouldn't give up until she got the truth. He let out an unneeded sigh. "I want to claim you. I want you to be mine."
"But I am. I mean the necklace and hey, I am yours."
He grazed her neck with his fingers. "I want to claim you here." He suddenly became nervous as if she could see through him.
"Can I tell you a secret, Spike?"
"Sure."
"I want you to claim me there too."
"You do?"
"Of course I do. I accepted the necklace. I'm bound to you." She reached up and touched the side of his face. "I can feel it. You're my mate. You're what I was destined for."
Spike leaned over the redhead. There was no fear, only want. He leaned forward kissing her neck.
Willow felt him kissing her neck and her whole body seemed to tingle. Everything with him just felt right. She felt like she belonged with him. "I love you," she whispered in his ear as his body pressed close to hers. She could feel the ridges of his demon along her neck as she felt his fangs.
Spike heard the words he had longed to hear for so long. He felt her lean her neck to the side so he had better access and accepted her invitation. He bit into her neck waiting for the headache that never came. He felt her blood on his tongue, it seemed to dance in his mouth. He drank deeply and claimed her for his own. Spike felt her grasp his arms as she moaned underneath him. Moans of pleasure not pain. When he pulled away, he whispered into her ear. "I love you too. You're mine." They both fell asleep on the bed. Willow cuddling into Spike's body and Spike nuzzling his claim.
When they both awoke, they could feel the bond coursing through their bodies. They could feel the emotions that each person had. Willow knew she would never leave him and Spike knew that his unlife was now complete.
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