Pairing: S/W....of course
Rating:This part-rated pg13
Summary:Willow found a locket on her night table and wants to know where it came from.
Distribution: redssoulmates.com
Feedback: No feedback..no fic. Lots of feedback..I write more.
Disclaimer: Don't sue. I don't own any of the characters. I don't make any money from it. All credit goes to Joss.
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~Part: 1~
Willow walked up and looked at the clock. It was 3:30 pm. She had told Giles she would be at the Magic Box at 5:00 pm. She dragged herself out of bed. She couldn't beleive that she actually had gotten some decent sleep. She grabbed some clothes and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower before she left. She got dressed and went back to her room to grab her bag before she headed out when she saw it. There was a rectangular blue velvet box sitting on her side table. She glanced around the room once before she walked over to the box. Cautiously she opened the box to reveal a beautiful necklace. It was silver and in an oval shape. On the front of the necklace was a fairy and a single star. On the back was her name engraved into the necklace, Willow. She lifted the necklace out of the box and fastened it around her neck and headed out the door.
She arrived at the Magic Box about twenty minutes later. She walked in and saw what was family. Giles researching, Xander eating the assortment of food that was before him, Buffy and Spike practicing fighting techniques and Anya counting the money for the day. "Hey guys." Everyone's head popped up to greet and/or smile at Willow except Buffy.
Buffy waited till Spike was distracted in greeting WIllow and then proceeded to punch him in the gut as hard as she could.
"Bloody hell slayer," Spike said as he leaned over cradling his stomach.
"You shouldn't get so easily distracted Spike."
"I'm gonna drain you dry one of these days and leave you to die."
"Promises, promises." Buffy turned to Willow. "Hey Wills."
"That was mean Buffy."
"What?"
Willow looked at Spike and then at Buffy. "Taking cheap shots against harmless vampires?"
Buffy shrugged her shoulders and walked away.
After Buffy walked away Spike turned to WIllow, "I am not harmless pet."
"I know. I know. You're evil. The big bad. Now do you want help getting off the floor or not?"
Spike stared at the redhead for a moment and then extended his hand. As she pulled him up he bent down to her ear. "Nice necklace pet," he whispered in her ear.
"Oh I forgot." She turned away from Spike. "Buffy thank you for the necklace."
"What necklace," Buffy replied?
"The one I'm wearing. The one you put next to my bed."
"Uh...Wills I didn't leave anything next to your bed."
"Are you sure Buffy?" If it didn't come from Buffy, who put it there?
"I'm sure. Maybe you bought it and just didn't remember. Things have been kinda hectic lately."
"That must be it," the redhead said uncertainly as she ran her index finger over the star and fairy on the necklace. Willow picked up her bag and went to sit on the couch.
A couple minutes later Spike joined her on the couch. "Strange people leaving gifts for you luv?"
"I know I didn't buy it Spike." She felt comfortable talking to Spike. They had become close friends over the past few months. "Maybe I should take it off Spike. Maybe it's cursed. Maybe..."
"Maybe you think too much pet. I think it looks beautiful on you."
"Thank you Spike."
"Hey dead boy have a book." Xander threw a book at Spike. Spike glared at him. "If I have to research so do you."
"Bugger off," Spike said. "I'm hungry."
Giles looked up at Spike. "There's blood in the fridge."
"Thanks watcher."
Willow didn't feel like researching. She wanted to know where the necklace came from. All of a sudden she heard a click. She looked down and realized the necklace was a locket. She opened the locket a little further and saw a picture inside.
~Part: 2~
Spike watched Willow from the kitchen as he sipped his mug of blood. He couldn't help but grin as she handled the necklace. He waited for a few more moments before returning to the main room.
Willow opened the necklace slowly. She was scared and excited about who the picture could be of. As soon as she opened the locket enough to glance at it, the picture dissappeared. Like it had never been there. "What? Where did it go?"
Spike had come up behind Willow slowly watching her fumbling with the necklace...and the picture. Not that he would admit to anything. "Where did what go Pet?"
"The picture. It was in the locket."
Spike held the locket in his palm while it was around her neck. He looked in the locket. "Red there's no picture in here."
"I know, but it was. I saw it and I opened the locket and then it wasn't there and I'm not going crazy and.."
"Pet."
"It was there Spike."
"And it vanished luv? It just disappeared?"
"Spike, I'm really not up for a nervous breakdown."
The chit dosen't even know what's happening. "How much caffine have you had today pet?" I really want to tell her he thought to himself.
A couple hours as Willow was still pondering over the necklace when Giles finally spoke up. "Since there isn't a major and definate evil making itself known to the Hellmouth you are free to leave."
"Bye," everybody said at the same time as they quickly left the shop.
Before Spike knew it, he looked around and it was only him and Red. He looked at Willow. "Some friends--huh?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "They were busy," she said quietly.
"Know how you always see the arrogant side of me Red?"
"Yeah."
"How's this?" Spike stood up straight and offered his hand to Willow. "Would you do me the honor and let me walk you home pet?"
Willow was taken back by the way he presented himself. "Honored?" She grinned--she couldn't help it. "How could a girl say no?"
"I might hold you to that Red," Spike said as Willow blushed.
The walk to Willow's house was very quiet. It seemed that they were enjoying each others company. Spike didn't want to leave Red's side because he had nothing else to look forward to. The only thing he had for a home was a cold dark crypt. Besides he enjoyed being with someone who enjoyed his company. Someone who he could make smile.
Spike a gentleman-what the hell was that? That was...that was...so unlike him. She looked over at him and her heart skipped a beat. She always enjoyed spending time with him especially when no one else was around. She surrounded herself in everything that was Spike until they reached her house.
Spike could feel the witch looking at him. Glances here and there. He would have been much more attentive except for one little detail--other vampires. His eyes would flash golden everytime he saw another vamp. They always backed off. When they reached the house he didn't want to let go but knew he had to. "Luv, you're home."
"Thanks. For walking me home. For being there for me when my friends weren't."
"It was a pleasure Red. I'll see you tomorrow." He then decided to take a chance. He knew he probably shouldn't but he wanted her to think of him. He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He then whispered in her ear, "Good night Red." He then went off into the shadows.
Willow opened the door and quietly went inside with a smile on her face.
Spike waited outside her bedroom window, watching her. Making sure she was safe. He was so content just to watch her. Unfortunately he was watching her do some sort of spell.
Willow had a circle of white candles on her bedroom floor. She placed the necklace in the middle of the candles and then called upon the goddess. "Reveal." She felt the power in the room. "Reveal," she said louder. There in mid-air, floating, was the original picture that was in the locket. She reached out and grabbed it. Spike held an unneccesary breath as the picture appeared in front of Willow. When she took the picture, fear went through his body.
~Part: 3~
Spike never saw the actual picture that formed in front of Willow during the spell. But he knew. He knew who it was and he knew she would figure it out sooner or later. And he had no idea what he was going to do. He decided he needed to think. He headed back to the crypt.
Willow grabbed the picture in front of her. She looked at the picture adoringly. She just couldn't look away from it. For that brief moment she forgot about everything. She didn't think about her friends, researching, Spike or even the kiss. When reality hit her again she observed the picture instead of staring at it. He had brownish hair--a little curly. Blue eyes--just like the ocean and then there were his clothes. They weren't exactly modern. In fact they weren't even 100 years recent. At that moment she recognized that this person may be dead. She pushed that idea out of her mind. That can't be she said to herself silently. She took one last look at the picture before drifting off to sleep. "He looks familiar but I can't place it," she said out loud quietly to herself. It was at that time she noticed a W engraved in the bottom right hand corner of the picture. Willow decided she needed to get some sleep. She fell asleep thinking about the picture and the kiss.
While at the crypt...Spike was driving himself crazy. He had all these questions going through his head. He was going in circles around the crypt and chain smoking. He finally couldn't stand it anymore. "Argghhh," he screamed. He screamed as he grabbed his head. His chip wasn't going off. He just didn't know what else to do. He slumped against the back wall. "Help would be bloody wonderful," he screamed out hoping the fates of the world could hear him. "For once I wish I could read the stars like Dru used to," he said to himself quietly. He sat there for hours just staring at nothing, letting his mind wander.
The next day at the Magic Box things were kinda slow. Buffy turned towards Willow. "I'm so sorry about the disappearing act. I should've walked you home last night Will.
No one heard Spike walk through the door. "Yeah you should've slutty." He winked at Willow.
"This conversation is for the living Spike," Buffy replied.
Willow continued to listen to Spike and Buffy argue. She shared a look with Giles and nodded her head. She stepped towards the vampire and the slayer. She placed a hand on both of their mouths hoping they would get the idea. She looked at Buffy. "Instead of threatening him you should be thanking him."
Buffy's response was a muffled why.
"He made sure I got home safe. And maybe because of him, you still have a best friend. So thank him."
Buffy felt Willow remove her hand. "Like hell I will. There is no way I'm thanking him...ever." She turned to Giles. "Can't we just torture or even kill him instead? It says thanks for me."
Giles knew the hatred between Spike and his slayer but he also grew tired of it. "No. In fact he could have saved Willow's life."
While Buffy and Giles started talking about weapons, Willow turned to Spike. She still had her hand over his mouth. "You. Thank you for walking me home." She went to withdraw her hand but not before he kissed the inside of it. "Spike!"
"Relax pet. No one saw. You know... I can think of other ways for you to shut me up luv."
"Can you?"
He whispered in her ear. "Handcuffs, chains, the list goes on and on pet." She quickly moved over to the couch to sit down.
"Willow," Giles started. "I need a favor. I need you to go to L.A."
"L.A.?" Willow saw Spike tense up at the mention of L.A. "Why?"
Giles walked towards her. "I thought you could use the break and I need a book from Angel."
"You could at least have one of the morons here to go with Red. Make sure she's safe."
Giles turned to Spike. "You're right. Thanks for volunteering."
"What?!"
~Part: 4~
Giles knew of the feelings the vampire felt for Willow. He thought that Spike would eagerly agree. Then again, when does Spike ever agree.
"Bloody hell watcher, I'm not going to L.A."
Giles and Spike both saw the disappointment that spread across her face. Giles figured Spike knew of her feeling towards him but obviously not. Giles knew Willow enjoyed the company of Spike. Held him in high regard. Although he didn't agree with Willow's views about Spike, he did trust her.
Willow turned to Giles. "It's fine. I'll go by myself," she said quietly.
"Spike you're going," Giles said.
"Watcher...the poof is there."
Giles walked towards Spike. "Fine. We'll let her go by herself. She'll run into a spot of violence. Vampires of course. They won't kill her though." He continued as Spike glared at him. "They'll keep her. Beat her. Break her. Claim her. Keep her has a human pet until they turn her."
Spike growled as his eyes flashed golden.
Giles took off his glasses for a moment and took one step back. "So will you be accompanying Willow to L.A.?"
Spike looked over at Willow. "Let's go get your stuff. I'm driving."
As Willow and Spike left the Magic Box, Giles was smiling to himself.
Xander saw Willow leaving with Spike. "Giles do you think that's smart? He is still a vampire."
Giles could tell the boy was worried about his best friend. "She'll be fine. He would do anything to protect her."
An hour later, Spike and Willow were on the road. They took the DeSoto because of sun issues and well...Spike wanted to drive. They flipped stations on the radio until they could actually find a decent song. An hour into the trip Willow started yawning. Spike noticed how tired she was. "Pet, you can take a nap. We still have another hour till we get to the Poof's hotel."
"I'm not tired really," she lied.
"Willow look at me." She looked at Spike. "Don't ever lie to me luv."
"I might be a little tired." She rested against the side of the car. She closed her eyes and tried to get comfortable. It wasn't working.
Spike noticed how uncomfortable Willow was. "Pet?"
Willow's eyes opened quickly. "Yeah Spike."
"Come here."
"What?"
"Slide over next to me." Spike put his arm on the back of the seat.
Willow slid over next to him and cuddled up to him. He put his arm around
her and held her close to him.
Willow put her arm around his waist before drifting off to sleep.
About an hour later Spike pulled up to the hotel. He looked out the window at the hotel before waking Willow. "Pet we're here."
"Hmmm."
"Willow wake up." Willow continued to sleep. Spike let her lay down on the whole seat. He then reached down to her neck taking in her scent. He moved her hair away from her face and looked over her body once. "You're so beautiful," he whispered. He then kissed her just as she was waking up.
~Part: 5~
She felt Spike kissing her and for a brief moment thought about pulling away. Her heart and her body pleaded for her to give in. So she did. She kissed him until he pulled away.
"What are you doing Spike," she whispered?
"Kissing you?" His eyes looked away from her. "You can forget about it if you want. I was just trying to wake..."
Spike never got to finish telling her he was trying to wake her up. In mid sentence Willow put her hands on the back of his neck and looked into his eyes. She pulled him to her and kissed him again. When they pulled apart, it was Spike's turn to say something. "Taking advantage of a vampire luv?"
A wave of doubt ran through her. "You didn't enjoy it? Cause I thought..."
Spike put a finger over her lips. She was quiet instantly. He took his finger away. "Of course I enjoyed it," Spike said. He gave her a smirk and then reached down to kiss her tenderly. "We better go inside Red." Willow didn't move. "What's wrong pet?"
"We never told him you were coming. Angel dosen't know you're here." She saw his grin widen.
"Does that mean I can taunt the poof? Could be fun Red." Willow just stared at him. She could see his mind was in overdrive--thinking of ways to taunt Angel. "Ya know Red, you wouldn't enjoy me that much if I was a poof."
"I don't know. I could find other ways to enjoy you," she said suggestively.
"Is that so luv," he said as he raised his eyebrow? "We'll have to look into that." He then knocked on the door.
Angel opened the door to welcome Willow inside.
Spike and Willow both saw Angels grin turn into almost a scowl. "Spike."
Spike couldn't help but to smirk. He could practically see Angel's demon trying to climb to the surface. "Hi poof. Nice to see you too," he said sarcastically.
"I'm your sire. You'll treat me with some respect boy."
Spike rolled his eyes.
"Angel are you going to keep us standing out here all night," Willow asked? She was trying to direct the tension away from Angel and Spike.
"I'm sorry. Of course not," Angel said. "Willow please come in." Willow started to walk through the doorway until she heard Angel's next words. "Spike you're not invited."
"You can't leave me out here mate."
"Well actually I can Spike. I don't have to invite you in."
Willow looked at Angel and then at Spike. She left the doorway, passed by Angel and stood next to Spike.
"Willow, what are you doing? Get back in the hotel," Angel commanded.
"Are you gonna invite Spike in?"
"No."
"Red what are you doing?"
Willow looked at Spike sincerely. "Standing up for you. Something I should have done a while back."
Spike couldn't believe it. She was standing up for him against his sire. And he was loving every minute of it.
"Willow...," Angel started.
"No Angel. Listen to me. You can either go get the book and bring it to me. Or you can invite you're childe inside and we'll stay for awhile. The choice is yours." After Willow gave Angel her resolve face she intertwined her fingers with Spike's.
~Part: 6~
Spike felt his fingers intertwined with hers. He looked over at her and it was at that moment that he realized how much fire she had within her. And how bright it could be.
From inside they heard a scream. Willow recognized it as Cordelia's voice. Angel could hear Wesley's voice in the background. "Angel," he yelled. "Get in here. Cordelia's having another vision."
Angel looked at Willow and then at Spike. "Spike get in here now."
"That wasn't a very nice tone poof," Spike stated but Angel was already gone.
Willow shook her head. "Let's go," she told Spike as she pulled him inside.
They both went to the main room where everyone was crowding around Cordelia who was clutching her head and sitting on the floor. She kept rocking back and forth, trying to calm the pain.
"Cordy, I need to know what you saw," Angel said.
"I saw...it looked like a warehouse. It had the numbers 516 on the outside. There were vampires. Six, maybe seven. There were also demons. I don't know what they were."
"It's alright. What did they look like?"
"They were a greenish/ grayish color. About seven feet tall. They looked scaly but not rough. The skin, it was slick."
"How many demons Cordy?"
"There were four, that I saw. Do you know what kind of demon it is?"
"No," Angel stated.
Spike spoke up. "It's a mragolon demon."
"Are you sure," Angel asked?
"Yeah. I recognize the description. I don't know how to kill them though."
Angel stared at Spike for a moment. He was proud of his childe though he would never admit it. "Willow stay here with Cordy. I need you two to research this demon. Find a way to kill it. Then call me on my cell. Cordy's got the number." Angel then looked over at Spike. "You're coming with me boy."
"Bloody hell, I don't think so mate."
"Save your smart ass routine. Since when do you turn down violence?"
"You got a point. Let's go."
Moments later Angel, Spike and Wes were headed out the door.
Cordy showed Willow where Angel kept all of his books. "Books, books, and more books."
"Where do we start," Willow asked?
"Pick one." Moments later both girls were seated down looking through books. After 45 minutes or researching, Willow found it.
"Cordy was it this," Willow asked as she pointed to the picture?
"Ewww. That's it. How do we kill it?"
"It says decapitation. After the decapitation you have to put a sword through its stomach."
"Got it. Decapitation. Sword. Stomach. I'll call Angel."
Angel, Spike and Wes found the warehouse. They were standing outside the door waiting on Cordy to call. Angel took this time to talk to his childe. "She smells like you."
"What," Spike asked?
"Willow. There's no claim, but she smells like you. What's going on?"
"I care about the chit, ok."
"Look at that, my boy has a crush," Angel said while grinning.
"Shut up poof." At that moment the cell phone rang.
"Right. Alright. Sounds easy. Bye." Angel put the phone in his jacket and turned to Spike and Wes. "Let's go. This is how we kill them...."
Back at the hotel...
"Hey Cordy?"
"Yeah."
"I know research is over and all that but do you think Angel would mind
if I looked
through some of his books?"
"I don't see a problem with it. I'm gonna take a bath. Just yell if you need me."
"Thanks."
Cordy left the room and Willow started to glance at the titles. She finally found a title that caught her eye. She read the title outloud. "Order of Aurelius."
~Part: 7~
She sat down with the book and found it fascinating. She was about fifty pages into the book when she realized that the guys would be home soon. I can read the rest of this later, she thought to herself. Willow flipped through the remainder of the book. She was about halfway through when she saw it. The picture. "What the hell. It can't be." She read the words under the picture outloud. "William the Bloody-Spike." She sat there for a moment, trying to accept what she just saw. She wasn't sure how she should feel. Should she be happy? Why didn't he just tell me? Finally hurt took over. She was hurt that he didn't trust her. Was it a game to him?
At that moment Angel, Spike and Wes walked through the door. Both vampires froze. Something was wrong. They felt a strong force in the air.
"Cordy are you here," Angel yelled?
Panick ran through Spike. "Red? Are you alright?" He also found himself yelling.
Willow walked into the main room. "Hey guys. Everything ok?"
"Yeah pet. Are you alright?"
"Sure." Spike went over to Willow and she took a step back.
"Red?"
Willow turned to Angel. "Cordy's fine. She's taking a bath." She turned to Spike. "You. Am I a game to you?"
"Luv what's going on? Did someone hurt you?" He walked closer to her. "You've been crying."
Angel interrupted them. "Willow if somebody hurt you, we need to know. Spike and I--we'll take care of it." Everyone was silent. "Wes let's leave these two to talk." Wesley and Angel left leaving Spike and Willow alone.
Willow looked up at Spike. Their eyes met. "Spike what's going on. This thing with us. Me and you. What is it?"
"Luv, I don't know what it is. I know what I would like it to turn into." He took her hand and kissed it. The hurt and rage left her body. "Red talk to me."
She wanted to be as close to him as possible. To kiss him. And now she was confused. She wanted his feelings for her to be real. She took out the locket and placed it in her hand. "I think you should sit down."
He looked at her suspiciously. "Alright pet."
"Open your hand," she told him. She placed the locket in his hand. "Open it."
Spike opened the locket. He stared at the picture for a moment. "It's a picture luv."
"It's the picture that vanished a couple days ago. I did a spell. I wanted to see the picture."
"What does this have to do with us pet?"
"While you were fighting the demons, I looked through Angel's books."
"Alright."
"Let me show you the book."
"Pet I could bloody care less about..."
Willow had already left to get the book. She dropped the book next to him as he finished his earlier statement.
"...the book." He looked at the title and froze. She knew. "Red..."
"I don't want to hear it Spike."
"Pet you don't understand."
"I understand." She took the book away from him and opened the book to the picture. "I understand this is you. I understand it's the same picture that's in the locket."
Angel walked out into the main room. "Is everything alright?"
"Get out," Willow and Spike both told him. Angel left and went to check on Cordy.
"Goodbye Spike." Willow went to leave and Spike grabbed her wrist.
"You're not leaving witch," he told her. He pushed her against the wall. "You're mine."
"Like hell I am." She saw his eyes flash golden when he said the word mine.
He kissed her fiercely, pressing his body against hers.
~Part: 8~
She pushed him away with such force, he stumbled backwards. He stared at her. "You're mine. You always were."
She responded quietly. "I'm not. I never was." The words she spoke and the feelings she had were completly opposite. She liked his possesive side. She wanted to be "his". To belong to someone. To him. She looked up at him. "Are you trying to make me crazy? You put the locket in my room with the picture. You listened to me ramble on and on. It was you the whole time."
"Pet..."
"No pet. No luv. I trusted you." She started to walk away.
"Red, where are you going?"
"To say goodbye to Angel. I'm leaving. With or without you."
The chit wanted to leave he thought to himself. Then he had an idea. He couldn't help but to smirk. At that moment Angel and Willow entered the room. Angel walked over to his childe, picked him up by his shirt and threw him across the room. Willow watched as Spike's body hit the wall. She started to walk over to him to make sure he was alright, but Angel was already there.
"Bloody hell, what was that for," Spike asked him?
"To keep you in line boy. If you hurt her I'll stake you myself."
"You wouldn't do that. I'm your childe."
"I always have my torture methods." With that statement Spike and Angel came to a understanding.
At that moment Willow appeared next to Spike. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine lu--Red."
"You can call me luv, Spike."
"But you said.."
"I know what I said but I...I kinda like it when you use your pet names." She them turned to Angel. "And you. He's not a pancake or a pizza or anything else that you throw in the air. He's your childe."
"Let's just say it was a warning."
Willow looked back at Spike. "Are you ready to leave?"
"Yeah luv. Let's go." As he said the word luv, he couldn't help but to watch her facial expression. And she couldn't help but to grin. Moments later they were both in the car, humming to the radio. Spike glanced over at Willow. He wanted to touch her. To kiss her. To shag her. He reached over to grab her hand. He interlocked his fingers with hers. She looked over at him and smiled. He missed that. He missed that smile that someone else gives you just by one innocent touch.
"Umm...Spike?"
"Yeah pet."
"This isn't the way back to Sunnydale. I think you took a wrong turn."
"This is the way to the hotel that we're staying at."
"Hotel? We're staying at a hotel?"
"Yeah. We have to check into the hotel before we can go shopping. I was thinking I'd like to see you in leather pet."
"Leather?"
"Red, if you're gonna repeat everything I say..."
~Part: 9~
Willow stared at Spike for a moment. Thoughts and images running through her head. Spike. Hotel. Shopping. Leather. Spike in leather. "Mmmm," she said outloud without realizing it.
Spike looked at her and saw her mind at work. He couldn't help but to grin when the sound came from her lips. "Red, whatcha thinking about?"
"Ummm...no, I mean nothing. Yeah nothing. Spike we can't just stay in L.A."
"Sure we can."
"Buffy will stake you when we get back. She dosen't exactly ask questions first."
"Red..."
"And you know Angel called her and told her we left. Cause that's what he does."
"Red..."
"Well he does. He's gonna be mad and he's your sire. Buffy will want to kill you. You know more than you already are and..." Willow was so busy rambling she never noticed they were already at the hotel.
Spike watched her ramble and wondered how often she actually did breathe. And when? She wouldn't even let him talk, so he did the only thing he could think of. He cut off her sentence by kissing her aggresivly. He pulled back seeing her face flushed. "We'll only stay a few days. The Poof and the Slayer will just have to deal." Spike tried to read Willow's eyes but they seemed blank. "If you really want to go back to Sunnyhell, I'll turn this car around and we'll go back. The choice is yours pet."
She looked at Spike, remembering the locket and the picture. She started to grin. "So what room are we in?"
Spike started to smirk. "Good, cause I wasn't gonna go back yet no matter what your answer was."
"I know," she said quietly. "If I said I had wanted to go back, what then?"
"I guess I would of had to tie you up and convince you otherwise." Spike saw Willow starting to blush. "I'll go check in. Wait here," he told her. He kissed her on the cheek before getting out of the car.
He entered the hotel, glancing at the extravagent features. He made his way to the counter. "I need to speak with the hotel manager at once," he told the man behind the counter.
"Yes sir."
Spike was staring at a painting on the wall when he felt a presence behind him. "William," the voice said.
Spike turned around. "Daniel." The two men shook hands. "The room, is it ready?"
"It is. One of my best." He took the key out of his coat and handed it to Spike. "I'll have one of my men show you and your mistress to the room."
"That's not neccesary Daniel. I'm just checking in. We won't return until later."
"Until then...good day sir."
Spike nodded his head, turned around and walked out of the hotel. When he reached the car outside, he noticed Willow staring at the outside of the hotel. "Pet, are you alright?" As Willow looked at him he could see doubt and uncertainty on her face. "What's wrong?"
"The hotel from the outside, it looks fancy."
"Wait till you see the inside luv."
"It's just that I'm not used to such..."
"Extravagence?"
"Yeah. I don't think I'm dressed properly for it and I don't have any clothes with me and money. I have not alot and this...," Willow rambled as she pointed to the hotel.
"Willow look at me. Whatever you fancy or need, I will provide it for you. I have money. And the owner of the hotel, he's an old friend." As he said these words, he saw her body relax.
"When do we get to see the hotel?"
"After we do some shopping pet. Why are you frowning?"
"Shopping--it's not really something I like," she confessed to him.
"The stores we're going to pet, they're gonna be a little different than what you're used to." He saw a confused expression cross her face. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course I do," she answered honestly.
"Let's go. It's not that far of a drive." Spike and Willow both got in the car and headed down the street.
~Part: 10~
They had been on the road for about ten minutes when Spike turned onto a deserted road. Willow kept looking out her window trying to figure out where they were going. "Spike there's nothing down this road. I think we should turn around."
"Pet trust me." He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him.
Feeling his arm around her relaxed her. She thought she saw something in the middle of the road. "Spike?"
"Yeah Pet."
"Why is there a brick wall in the middle of the road?"
"Trust me." He drove the car towards the brick wall. He could sense the fear coming from Willow. As he was driving, he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "I would never let anything hurt you luv."
"Spike, the wall. We're gonna hit the wall."
He could feel her whole body tense. "Red, relax." It was at that moment that the car came in contact with the brick wall. He looked over at Willow. She had her eyes shut. She was afraid. "Pet, you can open your eyes."
Before she thought about opening her eyes, she had to know one thing. "Are we dead?" she asked him.
"Well I am. Kinda one of those traits of being a vampire luv. You didn't die. You're still breathing."
Willow opened her eyes quickly and looked behind her. The wall was behind them still intact. "The wall."
"It's behind us Red."
"We went throught the wall?"
"That we did luv."
"How did we go through a brick wall Spike?" Willow asked him nervously.
"It's an illusion pet. A mirage. It's sort of a portal..into a demon realm."
"A demon realm?" she repeated.
"The sun never comes up, allowing demons and vampires to walk freely."
"I don't think I should be here Spike."
"Why not?" he asked defensivly.
"I'm human. There's demons and vampires all over the place. I'm like a little walking blood bag."
Spike couldn't help but to laugh outloud at the comparison. "Do you think I'd let one of these demons put their hands or fangs on you. I told you, you're mine."
"And I told you I'm not."
Spike pulled the car over and parked in front of a building. "Look Red, you're not just a human. You're a witch and they can sense that. Chances are they won't try anything."
"What if they do try something?"
"These demons know me from when I ran with Angelus. Not Angel, Angelus. If they think you belong to me...I'm held in high regard. Feared and respected. Do you understand?"
Willow nodded yes. "I'll pretend that I belong to you." As she said this, she saw the hurt look on his face. "How will they know if I belong to you. It's not like I have a mark on my neck."
"Stay close to me and watch what you say." He pulled the locket out of his pocket. "You need to wear this."
"The locket?"
"This locket has been passed down through the Aurelius family. To wear it, shows that you've been claimed. That you belong to someone." They both sat in silence as Spike fastened the necklace around her neck. Spike finally looked away. "Are you ready Pet cause we're at the first store?"
"Yeah but wait." Willow took his hand in hers. "The locket itself is a form of claiming?"
He looked into her eyes. "Yeah."
"You had already given me the locket though. Before this demon realm. Before L.A."
"I know," Spike replied quietly.