Spike returned from the DeSoto around the other side of the caves before anyone had even woken up. He'd been the last one to take a shift
watching the slayer and from what he'd heard from the others that had kept watch before him she hadn't slept all night. She was just letting herself go when he'd thought about getting the portable tv everyone had forgotten about. He returned to find her completely out, even snoring a bit as she slept. He snorted with a roll of his eyes. He'd checked the batteries on the way back from the car and found that it was still fully charged. The vampire set the tiny tv he was carrying down near her ear, turning the volume switch up all the way before turning it on. The sound blared from the speakers, waking her instantly after her 5 to 10 minute sleep. People filed out of the tents to see what was wrong and saw Spike looking guilty as he quickly pulled the tv away from the slayer's ear. "Don't anger her, hey, Spike?" Willow asked with a smirk, crossing her arms over her chest.

Spike grinned sheepishly. "You know I can't help myself, Pet." He replied.

"Cartoons!" Xander yelled, grabbing the tv, turning down the volume a bit and switching channels. A few seconds later he was already laughing at the first skit playing out on the screen.

Everyone watched him with raised eyebrows. "Okay, Xand, it's got a battery so don't wear it out.

There was a news flash coming on that the boy grumbled about. "Still no news on the teenage girl that disappeared only two nights ago, leaving
three injured as she fled a local cab. Police are still looking for the lady described as a female Caucasian, approximately 20 years of age, with blond hair, wearing a light blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Any information regarding this girl or the accident that took place should be given to the police. The victims of her violent outburst are currently in Sunnydale District Hospital, two in critical condition and one that has stabled since the incident. The man wishes to warn people to stay out of her way as she can be quite violent when provoked. More news on that later. Now we return you to your regular programming." The anchor man went off the screen as the cartoons returned.

Everyone looked at each other and then turned to Buffy who was smirking tiredly at them. "Looks like Mom's still critical. Oh well." She put her head back against the tree again and let her eyes drift closed.

"I'm back. What's wrong?" Sprite asked as she reappeared beside Riley.

"Where'd you go?" The commando asked.

"Cupid's sick. Let's just say Demon-boy is a bad baby-sitter."

"I don't get a word you say." Willow stated, looking at the girl with confusion.

"That's from hanging around cursed demons too long. I get a bit cryptic some times. So, what happened?"

*^*^*

5 minutes later Willow brought a bucket of water back from the river and poured it over Buffy's sleeping form. Spike shook his head at her. "What? You can blare a tv in her ears and I can't splash water on her?" The witch rolled her eyes as she walked away from the spluttering slayer. "You get all the fun." She grumbled, walking past Spike into their tent.

The vampire turned his head to watch her bend over and enter the tent. "Yes, I do." He muttered before turning back and staring at the little fire in front of him. Anya and Xander walked out of one of the caves and sat across from Spike. "Why's Buffy wet?" Xander asked.

"Ask Willow." Spike replied.

"Monster!" Buffy screamed desperately as she tried to pull herself free of the chains.

Everyone jumped up, grabbing the closest weapon to them and taking a fighting stance. Anya dropped the frying pan and glared at Buffy who was
smirking at them.

Willow ran out of the tent with an athame in her hands. "What?" Willow asked Spike.

He was glaring at Buffy. The witch tossed the knife back into the tent and mimicked Spike in glaring at her ex-friend. Riley ran over with a string of fish in one hand and a rod in the other. "What's wrong?" He asked.

Sprite appeared, scowling at the slayer. "Slutty's bein' a bitch again." She pointed at the blond girl. "Uh, gag her." She said as a gag appeared in the blond's mouth.

Buffy started pretending she couldn't breath through her nose, letting herself turn a little blue. Xander moved forward, removing the gag. "I..." Buffy gasped. "couldn't... breath."

Sprite rolled her eyes. "Your point?" She asked with a tiny growl before walking into Riley's tent.

"Get out of there!" Buffy yelled.

"Why?" Anya asked, grabbing on of the chocolate bars from the bag. "It's not like it's *your* tent."

"It is!"

"Actually, Buffy, it's mine." Willow piped up. The slayer shot a deadly glare to her friend.

"I thought Spike bought it." Xander stated, moving his eyes from the tv for mere seconds.

"Willow's credit card, Mate." Spike replied.

"But your money." Anya added.

"My money, her card. What's the matter with that?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

Sprite poked her head out of Riley's tent. "Riley, your shirts are too big."

"What?" Buffy screeched.

The red headed nymph grinned. "Gods, take a pill! I didn't mean it." She crawled out on her hands and knees and sat down beside Spike. "So, Will,
we need to catch up. What've you been doin' all these years. I've heard rumors and I can tell ya... not all of them were pretty."

Spike rolled his eyes. "They usually aren't."

"I, uh, heard you were engaged... to 'er." She pointed to Buffy with a disgusted look.

The vampire shuddered. "I know. Red messed up a spell." He gave the witch a pointed look.

Willow shrugged, giving them an innocent smile. "Sorry."

"At least it was a spell." Sprite muttered. "I'd hate to go around telling everyone what I did with someone that was engaged to Slutty the Vampire Shagger."

"You call her that too?" Anya asked over Spike's roaring laughter.

"Everyone that either doesn't have a heartbeat or doesn't come out in the day does. Everyone knows Bitchy."

"Buffy." Buffy growled out.

"Yeah yeah, whatever Slutty." The slayer's eyes darkened. "How much longer are you going to be on this little trip of yours?" Sprite asked, turning to Willow.

"Depends on how long we can put up with Bitchy." Willow answered. She waved her hand at Buffy when the slayer went to speak. She didn't say a
word.

When Buffy went to speak again it worked. "Whore." The slayer grumbled.

"Says the vampire shagger." Anya smirked.

Riley and Xander both rolled their eyes. Suddenly Buffy screamed. "Ahhhh! Monster!" Everyone turned to where she was looking and stood quickly but sat again when they turned to see Buffy giving them a smug look. She turned to look back out into the forest. Her eyes going round as she started to stutter. "M-m-m-monster." She stuttered out in a soft voice.

"Whatever." Willow replied as she played cards with Spike.

"Monster. Guys, monster." She said again as she started to panic. There was no way she was going to die tied up.

"Give it up, Buffy." Anya told the girl, helping Riley gut the fish he'd caught.

"Monster! Monster! Monster! Untie me! Untie me!"

"This is reminding me of the boy who cried wolf. Thing was, in the story when no one believed him there actually was a... monster." Sprite said as she looked to where Buffy was staring.

"No, in the story there was a wolf." Willow corrected, looking up at Sprite.

"No. Monster." She repeated.

"Not you too." Anya grumbled.

"Fricken' hell! Monster!"

There was a roar as they turned to see a hulking figure approaching them. Tree branches jutted out where each limb was supposed to go. "Looks like a giant weed." Spike said as he smirked at the living tree, putting a card down.

Willow looked at him disbelievingly. "Spike, we're gonna die!" She yelled.

"No we aren't." Spike replied as he grabbed a beer and opened it. "Here, mate. Drink up."

"Thanks, Spike." The beast replied as it bent it's branchy arms to take the beer from him.

Sprite slapped Spike up the back of the head. "Could've told us." She growled, jumping up to perch on one of the branches near his and Willow's heads. She looked down at the tree-demon, at the tree she was sitting on and then back at the living tree. "This isn't one of your buddies is it?"

"No." It replied through it's mossy lips.

She nodded, leaning back. "Good." Sprite looked around to see no one was looking then disappeared, jumping down and walking over to the tree. "So, Mossy, how about we put that plan into action." She said then quickly jumped back up on the branch she'd been on before and reappeared.

"Spike." The tree said.

"Yeah, mate?"

"When did you go out and get a fine one like this?" The tree indicated Willow. Spike went to talk but the branchy demon continued. "I have to tell you, I never really did like Drusilla. She'd set my branches on fire when I didn't want to play tea-parties with her and her dolls. Well, I'm just glad you have a nice, sane-looking one this time." He smiled with his mossy lips at them both.

Anya looked up at the tree to see Sprite grinning and shook her head with a wide smile. "Oh, they're really close." Anya added. "Like two peas in
a pod."

"Yeah, never leave each other's sides. Except for bathroom break and stuff but not even Anya and I do that." Xander continued.

Willow blushed, looking down at the pile of cards in her hands as she kept the game going. Spike did the same, not bothering to answer.

<Whatever you did, Sprite, it's about time someone thought of it.> Anya thought. "Fairy-winkle, fairy-be, I wish a fairy near me. I wish an imp, I wish a nymph, I wish a pixie, I wish a sprite. Second order appear in my sight." Anya chanted softly under her breath as she placed a hand on the log beside her and looked down at it.

"Ah!" Sprite yelled as she was tugged from the tree and fell down to where Anya's hand was. She looked up, straightening her tiny green pixie cap
as she glared at the ex-demon. "Don't. Do. That." She growled. "I regret ever telling you that damn thing!"

"What'd you do?" Anya whispered to her.

"You think I don't know all the demon's in the forest?" She asked with a smirk. "He just happens to owe me a few favors is all."

Anya looked up and frowned. Willow had moved as far away from Spike as possible, on the other side of the ring of logs they were sitting on as she read a book. Spike was talking to the tree again, glancing over on occasion. "It's not working anymore."

Sprite pouted. She caught the tree's attention. She gave it a questioning look and it did it's own version of a shrug before turning back to talk to Spike. "Fine. I have more than one way to skin a cat." She frowned at Anya. "I promise to replace it by the way. Just give me my time." Anya
pouted. "I gave it a good burial!"

"With or without it's skin?"

"Ew." Xander commented.

"You have no idea." Riley added.
 

~Sunday, Day 7~ Double Dare!

It was noon at the little camp in Wolfmyre forest. Tiny patches of sun glinted through rare gaps between the trees. The only sounds were a few
birds chirping, the river running about 30 metres away and some snoring coming from Xander and Anya's tent. Anya hit her boyfriend in her sleep
and he started to stop the infernal racket. Buffy had been put under a sleeping spell by Willow and Anya and was allowed to stay in the tent she'd shared with Riley until they removed it. In Willow and Spike's tent... something else was happening.

"Truth or dare?" Spike grinned, picking up some more m&ms from the bowl they'd been eating them from.

Willow giggled, hyper after the amount of the candied chocolates she'd had. "Truth."

"Woos." Spike replied, popping some candies into his mouth. Willow pouted and he put some in hers too. "Okay, truth." He'd never admit it but chocolate made him go a little crazy. The last time he'd had chocolate all hell broke loose. He'd been in Brazil with Drusilla, he'd had some chocolate, locked himself in his room and blared the Sex Pistols from his cd player, dancing around shirtless until the sun went down and he went out to feed. The bad thing was he became easily addicted to things like this. "Lacy or cotton?" He smirked evilly at her.

"Spike!" She slapped his arm. He shushed her, motioning for the tents beside them. The red head rolled her eyes. "Lacy." Spike chuckled, popping some other lollies into his mouth. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare." He smirked again.

Willow rolled her bottom lip between her teeth as she tried thinking of something. "I know!" She exclaimed softly. "I dare you to..." She gave him an evil grin. "Put ketchup on Anya's neck so it looks like you bit her. Xander has to think you killed her."

Spike's face was buried in his pillow as he tried to drown out his laughing. Maybe all those beers last night weren't such a good idea. "Okay, okay." He said when he finally calmed down. He got up, walking out of the tent with Willow behind him. Willow handed him the bottle of ketchup as Spike crawled into the tent, glad Anya and Xander didn't have sex the night before. He slowly woke Anya and told her to come outside. After explaining she shook her head with a smile and went back in to pretend she was dead as Spike put some of the sauce on her neck. She closed her eyes and let herself drift off to sleep as she waited for her boyfriend to wake up as Willow and Spike both went back into their own tent. "Your turn. Truth or dare? Be brave, Red. I won't do anything too bad." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"Dare." She replied reluctantly.

He thought for a moment. "Xander's a sound sleeper so..." His eyes took on a mischievous glint. "I dare you to cover his face with mud so when
Anya wakes up she'll think he's some kind of monster." He gave her a victorious smile.

"I can't do that to them!" She whined. "They're my friends."

"So? You made me put ketchup on Anya."

"But..."

"Not buts." The vampire interrupted as he stood and crawled out, waiting for her to follow. When Willow exited they went down to the river, put
some mud in the bucket they took and came back to stand outside the tent. Willow looked up at Spike with a pout to which he replied with a stern look. She got on her hands and knees to crawl in side and smeared her friend's face with the cool mud. He twitched a few times but stayed asleep.

Willow came back out with the bucket, leaving it outside Riley's tent as she went back into her own and saw Spike laying on his back on his sleeping bag with a grin. "Truth or dare?" She whispered as she laid down on her own.

"Dare."

"Come on! I want to know something about you!"

"Too late. I said dare." The witch grumbled a few things then took a breath. She blushed as a thought came to her head. "Tell me. I'll do anything you throw at me."

"I dare you to go skinny-dipping."

"Pet, it's daytime and that spell you did wore off." He answered, trying desperately to get out of it.

"It's overcast today." She said, licking her lips at her triumph. "Or do you want the double dare?"

Spike grumbled a few times. "How long do I have to be in there?"

Willow's eyes lit up. "You'll do it?! Okay, fine, a quarter of an hour." She crawled out but whispered behind her. "Don't want you going all pruny now do we?" With a giggle she went to the make-shift clothes line and pulled a towel off, throwing it inside to him. "I'll be down at the river waiting." She called back as she made her way down to the river.

The vampire made a helpless look as he pulled his boxers off and wrapped the towel around him, grumbling as he walked out of the tent and made
his way down to the river. He saw Willow sitting on a rock, smiling widely at him. "You're not goin' to watch, are you?" He asked. "Friends wouldn't do that!" He added. <Not to mention there's something I *really* don't want you to see.> His mind added as his shaft hardened further. <Bloody hell, I can't even keep it down when I'm *talking* to her.> With a groan he walked towards the water and turned back to her. "Turn around, Pet." He said firmly.

"How am I supposed to know if you have nothing on?" She asked innocently with a bat of her eyelashes.

"You've had too much chocolate, Pet. It's makin' you 'orny." She waggled her brows at him.

"I'll keep watch." Sprite said as she appeared.

"Bloody hell! Not you too!"

"I've seen it all before, Luv. Willow, turn around." The witch pouted but turned around. Sprite grinned at Spike, turning around herself and making a motion for him to go. He dropped the towel and jumped in, Sprite turned back quickly with a satisfied look on her face, trying to give Willow the impression she'd seen all.

"Well?" Willow asked as she turned back. "Did he do it?" Sprite nodded. Willow hit the timer on her watch as the numbers started going around. Spike resurfaced at waist depth. "It's timing. You've got ten minutes." She called out. Willow looked up at Sprite and motioned for her to go over to her. "Well?"

"Well what?"

The Uni student bit her bottom lip. "I asked for this for a reason and you ruined it. He's seen me in the shower but I still have to get him back for it!" Willow whispered back. After all, this part of the river got deep quickly and that made Spike not too far away.

"Nick 'is towel." Sprite shrugged as she turned back to watching Spike look very bored in the water. "Not doing laps today, oh Spikey one?"

"No." Spike grumbled back.

Sprite looked down at Willow with a grin. "This isn't the first time he's been skinny-dipping since you were here." She looked back to Spike. "Still have a nice butt, babe!"

"Thanks." The vampire said through gritted teeth. "Bloody pervert." He mumbled.

"Says you!" Sprite called back. "Seine's Willow in the shower!"

"That was an accident!"

"Yeah yeah. Everything you do it on purpose."

Willow began blushing and she looked down at her watch. <4 minutes to go.> She thought with a sigh. They both watched as Spike splashed the
water, still very bored at what he was doing. The two girls on the shore were still grinning as they watched him. Willow looked back down at her
watch and gasped. She looked up at Sprite, biting her bottom lip. "He's been in there a half an hour." She said in a whisper.

Sprite smirked, picked up Spike's towel and waved to him. "Bye, Spike." She grabbed Willow's hand and they snickered all the way back to the camp.

Spike was left in the water. "Uh, Red? Sprite? Anyone?" He looked around him then looked heavenward. "Just bloody marvellous." He grumbled as he
made his way up the bank, grabbing a large piece of bark to hold in front of him until he got to the clothes line. He saw Xander walking down to the river and stopped him. "Mate, they took my towel." He stated plainly.

Xander rolled his eyes. "Why should I help you? You put mud on my face!"

"I didn't! Willow did! I put ketchup on Anya's neck!"

"Oh. Well, it would've been more realistic if Anya wasn't breathing heavily." He replied. "Just a minute." Xander pulled down his shorts, leaving his boxers on. "Here. Get back there, get some clothes and wake Anya for me will ya? She passed out when she saw me."

Spike nodded with a chuckle, putting the shorts on before walking back to camp. Xander grumbled as he washed his face free of the mud.

*^*^*

Back at camp Willow and Sprite were still giggling with each other about what happened. They looked up, their faces falling when they saw Spike
walking back with Xander's shorts on. "Hello, Ladies." He greeted as he walked into his tent and put his own shorts on. He walked out to find the girls pouting at him. He smirked. "Truth or dare, Pet?" He asked Willow.

"Truth." She grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Okay, why the *hell* did you want me to go skinny-dipping?"

"I-I... wanted to... get you back. For seeing me in the shower." She stuttered, biting her lip again. Spike growled softly. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth!" Spike replied quickly, hearing Sprite snicker beside him.

"What happened between you two?" She asked, indicating him and Sprite.

Sprite's mouth dropped as she stood. "I'll be harassing Mr Sarcasm if anyone needs me." She made herself invisible once more.

"Well?" Willow asked again.

"We had a fling a century and a bit back. She was badly hurt in a battle and Angelus found out. 'E wanted to know what sprite blood tasted like
and what it'd be like to turn one. They're bloody powerful nymph so if he could turn 'er she'd be a damn fine weapon. I hid her from him for a few weeks while he was out lookin' for 'er. Most of the time Angelus wasn't looking for her he was shaggin' Dru so I had a little fun of my own. When Sprite got better we parted ways." The red head nodded in understanding. "Always *did* have a thing for red heads." He added to the air as he went into his own little world. Willow raised her eyebrows at the comment and her breathing quickened as did her heart rate. "Something wrong, Pet?" He asked, worried.

"I-I, uh... just... couldn't breath for a moment." She lied as she coughed. "Throat closed or something." She coughed again, getting some assistance as Spike hit her lightly on the back to try and help her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Fine." She replied, giving him a small smile.

Spike smiled back. "Okay, Luv. Truth or dare?"

"Dare." She replied firmly, hoping it wouldn't be too bad.

The vampire smiled, looking around and leaning in near her as if it were a secret. "You're not going to back out no matter what?" She shook her
head in reply. "Kiss me."

Her heart fluttered as she straightened her posture, an unsure smile on her face as she leant in and gave him a light kiss on the lips. "Hey, we
have breakfast!" Xander called as he made his way up the track carrying a rabbit in his hands. Spike and Willow broke apart, the hacker going red instantly, Spike had a satisfied smirk on his face as he watched her blush. "Well, for some anyway." The boy added, looking up at them. "What'd I interrupt?"

"Nothing!" Willow replied immediately. "Nothing at all! Nothing, nothing, nothing. Nuh uh. We were just... talking. Truth or dare, you know, the game." She took a deep breath. "I'm going to go inside now." She quickly moved into the tent, burying her head in her pillow. She smiled, moving her hand up to touch her lips. She grinned again, forcing her head further into the pillow.

"What was that all about?" Xander asked.

Spike smirked, still looking at the entrance to the tent before looking back at Xander. "Nothing."

The rest of the day was quiet compared to the fun things Willow and Spike had already done.
 

~Monday, Day 8~ Take A Hike

"Everyone got everything?" Riley asked as he hauled his hiking bag over his shoulders. Xander raised his hand. "Yes, Xander?"

"When's our first lunch break?" The boy asked.

"Oh, Xander." "Do you *ever* stop eating?" "Bloody hell." "Oh man." Everyone grumbled at once.

Riley rolled his eyes. "After an hour of hiking." He replied.

Xander looked at everyone else to see them giving him funny looks. "What? Can I help that I get hungry?"

"Try living on blood, Mate." Spike replied.

The brunette teen made a disgusted face. "I-I'll pass." He gulped. He looked up at Spike. "You're not gonna... make me a vampire are you?"

Spike laughed. "Bloody hell, no! I can barely stand knowin' you're livin', 'ow the 'ell and I supposed to know you're gonna be around for an eternity?!"

Xander glared at everyone that laughed. "Shut up."

"Okay, so are we ready *now*?" Riley asked again. No one answered. "What's wrong?" He asked with a sigh.

"Where exactly are we going? I thought you didn't know this place well." Willow piped up. "Even *I* don't know this part of the forest that well. I just know the way here, the forest on the other side of the caves and the river and where it leads to."

"I know this place." Sprite said.

"Well, I 'aven't been here in a bloody long while." Spike stated, playing with the flap on his bag. "I usually just get here then swim across to the other side of the river."

"I know this place." Sprite announced again.

"I've never been here before. This is all very new to me." Anya said with a nod.

"*I* know this place."

"I'm the same as Willow. Don't know this part." Xander told everyone.

"I KNOW THIS PLACE!" Sprite yelled. Everyone turned to her. "Ahem, well, uh, I do." She said, blushing slightly. Everyone picked up their bags. "We have a choice of where we wanna go. The waterfall, the lake, the hot springs or the mountain peak, which is one that I say we steer clear from. More monsters than you can count up there." She said, lifting her own packed bag as they started walking.

"I say the waterfall!" Willow called out.

"But I want to go to the lake." Anya whined.

"Hot springs!" Xander yelled.

"Oh hell. Can we stop off everywhere? Just camp out at each for a night?" Spike asked with an exasperated sigh and his hand rubbing down his face.

Sprite sighed. "Whatever. I'm just the guide. Hey, Harry." The nymph greeted as she passed a stack of rocks.

Xander made a 'crazy' movement, mouthing the word to Anya and Riley. "Morning, Sprite." The rocks replied, making Xander jump in surprise.

The red-headed nymph turned to grin at Xander then turned around again to watch where she was going. The teen shook his head. <I live on the
hellmouth. I live on the hellmouth. Nothing surprises me. Nothing surprises...> "What's that?" He asked, pointing to a group of bushes shaking violently.

Sprite froze in fright. "Run." She stated plainly the turned left to run down to where the river was. Everyone paused, their eyebrows raised. Anya bolted after Sprite but the rest waited to see what it was. A lightning bolt shot down, hitting the bush as it started to grow, vines coming from each branch and moving quickly towards the group. Now, everyone ran.

"Ahhhh!" The people screamed as the vines started to catch up to them. Sprite was down at the water, hurrying them along.

"Come on! Come on!" She yelled urgently. "Come *on*, Spike! There's trees covering the river from here. You're sun-safe." Spike jumped in.

Everyone else in the group followed, jumping in the water with them, leaving the possessed vines behind as the river started taking them down it's path with them. "Well, this is nice." Willow said, pulling her bag off her back when she started feeling it's weight.

"Just let it go, Kitty cat." Sprite said, laying back as the water pulled them along. She took her own bag off, letting it float ahead. "They're water-proof right?"

"Yeah." Xander replied for Willow. "Didn't know what we'd get into."

"So..." Anya began as everyone else began shrugging off their bags and letting them float away. "Why are we moving so quickly?" She asked with
a little confusion.

"I don't know."

"Ermm... guys?" Sprite asked, biting her bottom lip.

The sound of a waterfall fast approached their ears. "We're going down a waterfall?!" Willow shrieked.

The group looked over to see how far away the shore was and estimated they'd be over the fall before they could get their. "We're gonna die!"
Xander wailed. "We're gonna die!" He yelled again in a panicked voice.

"Bloody hell. Bloody hell. Bloody hell." Spike repeated over and over.

"Why are you so scared?! You're immortal!"

"Ever heard of *driftwood*?! What about my broken bones too, 'eh?!"

A few more metres to the edge. Everyone started to try and paddle back upstream. "Ahhhhh!" The tiny group went over the fall. A large splash for each person signalled their entry into the water below. Willow was the first to rise out of the water, spluttering as she tried to take in large gulps of air. Riley, Anya and Spike followed with Xander and Sprite last. "I didn't know." Sprite said before anyone could yell at her. She began swimming away. "There's the bags." She pointed out over to the right hand side of the river. A group of rocks was holding all of the bags at bay. "Ta, Mikey. Thought we would've lost 'em for sure." She sighed, swimming over to the rocks.

"Don't mention it, Sprite." Mikey replied as he helped put them up onto the shore. "Where are you going on this fine day?"

"Well, we've seen the waterfall." The nymph answered with a grin. She heard everyone groaning behind her. "We're staying here for the night.
Tomorrow it's on to the lake and then the hot springs."

"I'll be going now. Johnno is taking my place." The monster stood out of the water as another rock formation stood from the shore and switched
places with him.

"I've helped kill vampires, been possessed by a hyena spirit, fallen for *many* freaky, hellmouth related girls and yet that still wigs me." Xander stated as the rocks settled in their places.

Riley walked over to Willow. "Buffy's going to stay asleep, right?" He asked.

"She's in a coma... but not." Willow answered as she thought of how to explain it. "It's not dangerous but we can't go *too* far away or the spell will just wear off. Like, we can't go 300 kilometres or anything."

"We're *definitely* not going that far." Anya grumbled. "My feet hurt already and we've barely left camp!"

"Whinger." Willow said with a smile.

Anya grumbled something under her breath as she sat down on a rock before jumping up again. "He's not alive is he?" She asked, turning to Sprite.

"Nah. They'll move if they're alive." Sprite answered for her, sitting on Mikey with a grin. Mikey tried to muffle something. "What's that, Mike?" Her mouth dropped into an 'O' as she stood and grabbed a nearby branch. "Why I oughta...!"

Mikey chuckled when Riley took the branch from the sprite just as she was about to hit the rocks. "What'd he say?" Riley asked.

"He said I'm getting heavier!" Sprite replied with a pout.

"You are!" Mikey laughed again. "Little Pixie girl is putting on weight. Must be all that mortal food you eat."

"Shuddup!" She yelled back, sitting down on his again. He moved but she wouldn't budge.

Anya sat down again as she pulled a banana from her bag. Willow turned her head away, blushing slightly. Spike coughed, moving over to some
trees and leaning against one as he pulled a container of blood from his bag. <Who's bright idea was it to bring bloody bananas along with us. Oh
yeah. Me.> He closed his eyes as he drank some of the red liquid. When he looked up again he looked over at Sprite. "Will the sun be a problem
for us anytime?"

"Nah. Which is a good thing about this place. No one wants to cut anything down because it's too beautiful so it stays *really* shady. I've seen many protests come and go about Wolfmyre and in the end the people that wanted the forest to stay won." She smiled. "Anyway... I'm going to the rocks pools. Who wants to come?"

"Rock pools?" Inquired Xander.

"Well, there's a few little pools behind the waterfall." The nymph replied. She started plotting as she looked at Willow. "Kitty cat is coming. Aren't you, Kitty?"

"What?" The red head looked up after playing with the flower in her hands. "Where?"

"Rock pools." Sprite replied. "William's coming too. Right Will?"

"Just be glad I won't burn up on the way there." He grumbled as he started walking back towards the waterfall.

Anya grinned at Sprite as she directed the two towards the falls. "Wait, is anyone else coming?" Willow asked.

"I... oomph." Xander's elbow connected with Riley's rib before the TA could continue.

"Nah, you go on ahead." Xander said, waving her away. "We'll go later."

"For sex." Anya added with a wide smile. "I've always wanted to have sex *in* the water." She commented with a thoughtful look.

*^*^*

Sprite moved to the ledge leading behind the waterfall. As they approached the edge of the falling water Willow looked cautious. "There *is* a walkway behind there, right? You're not just trying to get us in the water again?"

Sprite disappeared behind the waterfall. "You'll have to trust me." The nymph called back. Willow and Spike both shrugged, following her.

The witch gasped when she saw the shimmering rock pools before her. "It's beautiful."

"Not half as beautiful as the hot springs or the lake. Believe me, they're gorgeous. Makes this look like a bunch of deep puddles." The other red head replied with a smile as she started walking a little further in the tiny cave. "I'm just going to go check on some fairy friends."

"How long are you going to be?" The hacker asked. <She can't leave me here with Spike. Alone! I'll get uncomfortable! She's doing this on purpose! Does she know something I don't know? Is she plotting with Anya?>  "Just give me a yell when you want to go back. Going back out the way we
came is dangerous." Sprite started walking away.

"Why?"

Sprite turned. "Well, let's just say that there's certain entrances and exits around the more... special places in this forest. You go the wrong way and bad things tend to plague the rest of the trip." She shrugged and walked off again. She hit a rock on the wall and it started moving it. "Just press that rock again when you need me. Think of it as nature's intercom." She called out then disappeared behind a rock that was moving away to show a secret entrance. The rock re-closed and Sprite was gone.

Willow's mouth dropped. Spike looked over and tap her jaw up, shutting it. The red head shook her head out of her shock. She turned to him. "Think it's safe to swim in?"

"Intercom." He pressed the rock in and went to speak but a tiny fairy voice came over the 'speaker.

"Sprite says it's safe to swim." The tiny fairy giggled then the 'connection' was lost again.

Spike shrugged, stripping down to his shorts and pulling his shoes off. "Comin' in?" He asked.

Willow nodded and started stripping she stopped halfway through taking her t-shirt off and blushed. "I don't have my swimmers on."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Turn around, Pet." She looked at him curiously then turned. He pulled his shorts down and jumped in the water nude. "Come on, Luv."

Willow turned back around and bit her lip. "But... you're watching."

"I've seen more than you in your bloody panties and bra, Pet." He reminded with a smirk.

The witch blushed again as she reluctantly took off her shirt and pants and slid down into the water. "It's nice." She said. "A bit cold but nice."

"I know something colder, Luv." Spike hinted.

"W-what?"

"Me. I'm still dead right?"

<To think I thought he was going to be rude then. I should know him better.>  <Good save, Mate! Bet she thought you *were* going to be rude. Well, that scored a few points I guess.> He smiled at her, ushering her over.

She swam over to him. "What?"

He took her hand. "Under the water, Pet." He started going down under the water when she stopped him. "Trust me, Ducks."

Willow took a deep breath and followed him. As they went down to the bottom she opened her eyes slightly then fully when she found the water
wasn't salty but actually fresh. She vaguely saw Spike's arm move in front of her face, pointing at something. The red head turned to see little fish swimming close to the bottom and a tiny green glow pulsing in a corner where the fish were coming in and out of. Willow indicated that she needed air and they returned to the surface. "What was that?" She asked as she started breathing normally again.

"Water demon. In every lake, waterfall and large sea there are places where the aquatic demons are made. These rock pools must be where the
forest's aquatic ones are from. From what I've heard of the lake it's too pure to make demons."

"So we're in a demon breeding ground?" Willow asked, starting to tremble in fright.

"Pet, these are babies. This is where they're born they don't stay." He smiled. "This is where Ryba was born." His friend looked confused. "The one that ate me. You thought I was dead."

Recognition hit and she grumbled. "I don't like Ryba. Why'd you throw me to shore if you knew him anyway?"

Spike smirked. "My evil plan to make you miss me, Ducks." He said with a chuckle. "Come on, there's a few other things I want to point out about
that little light." They both ducked under the water again and they swam closer, looking closer they found there was a large hole that you could
look through with the light shining from back further into the rocks. Spike pointed through it, showing what looked like an underwater nursery. Willow smiled when she saw the tiny demons so helpless at that age. A little demon swam over nibbling on her nose to which she smiled to Spike over. He was already smiling at her then turned to point back over near her side where there was a purple pocket of air then over near him inside the hole where there was another air-pocket that was a light yellow colour. He pointed up to the surface and they both swam up again. Willow's hair was all over her face, she pushed a few strands back but a few stayed stuck to her cheeks. Spike gave her a slight smile as he pushed them away. His hands were still on the sides of her face when he'd finished.

They both stared at each other for a few moments. Just as Spike had convinced himself to just kiss her she squeaked. "Ow!" She yelped as she
quickly started moving to the side of the rock pool and climb out to sit on the edge, looking at her foot where it had a tiny demon attached to the side of her foot. "What is it? What is it?" She shrieked.

"It's harmless, Luv. It's only a baby." He said with a sigh as he swam over and detached the tiny thing from her and dropped it back in the water. "But I think you'd better turn around. I want to get out. There's no telling what those little nippers'd want to sink their teeth into." Willow blushed again, making Spike chuckle as she quickly turned around and grabbed his shorts for him, tossing them behind her. Spike exited the water and slipped the shorts on. "Okay, Pet. Let's get dressed." He stated.

*^*^*

"Sprite, it didn't work." Cupid said through a rock pool communication screen in the fairies' secret room.

"Goddamn bloody stupid mother f-..." Sprite began kicking at the rocks and tiny chairs in anger.

"Sprite!" The dog woofed.

"What?!" She yelled back then apologised as she bit her lip.

Cupid did his best to glare but found it impossible in his puppy form. "Sprite, Liber's winning. If he wins..." The puppy growled.

"I know. I know. Immortal puppy." She said with a roll of her eyes. "What do I get out of this?"

"I won't make you mortal." The puppy said with a growly tone.

"Oh." The sprite replied as she began trembling. "I'll be a good sprite. I promise! I'll do everything in my..."

"They're going to call you in a minute." Cupid said as the pools rippled.

"Okay, I'll go. Don't forget this is *your* bet. I'm just... lending my servic..."

"Sprite!"

"I'm gone! I'm gone!" The sprite replied as she dashed away from the pool showing her Cupid's anger.

The intercom turned on. "Sprite?"

She hit a rock. "I'll be there in a minute." She replied then waved goodbye to the fairies and left through the secret exit down a short hall and exited through another door. "Here I am!" She said as she stood near the left hand side of the waterfall, ready to go back through. Spike and Willow turned and walked over. "Different exits remember?" She walked through the left of the water fall and the other two followed. She waited in a tiny space that would barely fit the three of them. She titled her head to the right.

"But we'll get wet!" Willow pointed out. Sprite rolled her eyes, giving the girl a small smile as she stepped down on a rock near the water. The water parted to show a little pathway as they all started walking through.

"Step on the rock again, William." The vampire did so and the water closed again, leaving the pathway still clear as the water poured down on either side of them. They came to the end of the path and Sprite stepped on another rock, the water parting again. "And Moses thought he was hot stuff." She said with a snort as they walked through, Spike stepping on the rock as he was the last to leave. "You go on ahead, Will." The two of them looked blankly at her. "William." She cleared. "Kitty cat and I need to talk." Spike shrugged, walking off ahead.

Before Sprite could speak again Willow spoke up. "Why do you call me Kitty cat and not Willow?"

"Well, it's better than Nature girl, right?" Sprite grinned.

"Right."

"So, what happened? I want all the details."

"What?" Willow asked then at seeing Sprite's face she smirked. "You did this on purpose. You know I like Spike."

"Duh! Everyone knows. Oh, except Spike. I'll share a secret and say even Puppy knows." She smiled widely. "For a good reason that I can't tell you. Let's just say... he wants his masters together."

Willow smiled. "I know! He gave me Spike's boxers and gave Spike my panties." She started blushing.

"Don't blush around me, Kitty cat. Nothing you say around me should be embarrassing to you. I can handle anything."

"Really?" Willow asked, biting her lip.

Sprite nodded. "Let's just say... if you have those kinds of dreams about Spike you could tell me every detail and I wouldn't mind. Just let me say that we probably did more than that in real life." She leant in and waggled her brows at Willow. "You're in for a ride."

"Well... there's this one dream I had that I wanted to tell someone..."

*^*^*

Sprite and Willow approached the camp with Sprite and Willow both blushing furiously. "I wish the forest had cold showers." The nymph grumbled under her breath as she stripped down to her tiny green pants and crop top, jumping into the cold water of the river. "Oh I *needed* that." The imp sighed, stepping out again. "Go, Kitty." She said, approaching Willow and whispering in her ear, "He'd be able to smell you."

Willow turned bright red as she stripped down to her underwear again and jumped in, staying under the water for a few long moments before coming
up again to find Sprite holding a towel near her. "Thanks." She muttered before stepping out again and wrapping the towel around her. Spike and
Xander both looked oddly at the two while Riley talked to Anya.
 

~Tuesday, Day 9~ A Glimmering Delight

Sprite woke up early and made her way down to the river to see Johnno. "'Ey, Mate. How's the water?"

"C-cold." The rocks replied. "Wake up Mikey, would'ya? It's his turn."

Sprite sighed as she walked over. She kicked the rocks and bent down. "Johnno says it's your turn. Get up." The rocks stood and switched with the others. Johnno tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to Willow and Spike before sitting down. A grin broke out on the Sprite's face as she saw Willow snuggling into Spike's chest. "Oh man, what I'd give for a camera."

Johnno took his spot. "It's a Kodak moment." They both chuckled.

A camera was held in front of Sprite's face. She looked beside her to see Anya yawning as she stood there. "Go on. I need to go back to sleep.
Keep it down." She whispered and went back to her sleeping bag.

Sprite grinned evilly as she took a few photos of the two. She looked over to Xander and saw one of the more comical sleeping positions he'd had and took a few photos of that too. She turned back and saw Willow throw an arm across Spike's stomach and in return Spike put his around her back. "Awwww." She snickered and took a few more snaps. Putting the camera back in Anya's bag she walked down to the river. "Lake today, Mikey. I'm gonna wake the troops and then we're off so I'll say goodbye now."

"Have fun, Sprite." Mikey replied.

"Sprite?" Riley mumbled as he slowly woke up, rubbing his eyes. With a yawn he sat up. "Where are we going today?"

"Lake. We'll decide if everyone's up for the mountains tomorrow."

"What's wrong with the mountains?"

Sprite frowned. "Not a very nice place to go." She muttered then went to wake up Anya and Xander.

Riley sighed and went to nudge Willow's back to wake her up. "No." Anya said as she looked over. "Wait. I want Xander to see."

Xander yawned, sitting up and scratching his chest. "See what?" Anya pointed over for him. "Someone should get the camera..."

"Already thought of that." Anya replied. "Go on, Riley."

Riley nudged Willow then leant over her to tap Spike. "Guys, time to go." He said softly.

Sprite grinned, digging in her dust-pack on her hip. "Don't." Anya said firmly.

The nymph pouted, putting her wand away. "Have I ever told you how much fun you're *not*?!" Spike stirred as Willow yawned. She opened her eyes wearily and saw Spike. She smiled. "Nice, huh?"

Willow looked over and blushed and then noticed her state of waking up in Spike's arms. <I like this.> She thought to herself.

Spike opened his eyes and saw her looking at him. "We don't have to go yet do we?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes." Xander said.

Spike looked around and saw everyone grinning except Willow who was blushing furiously. "Oh, right." He sat up and pulled a shirt over his head.

Willow pouted while he wasn't looking. "Wills." Xander said, giving her a look that everyone was waiting for her to get ready. She followed Anya
behind a group of trees with a new set of clothes, pulling her boxers off and putting her swimmer on then her shorts and shirt over it. Anya did the same and they both walked back together.

They all packed up their things and started their hike once again. "To the lake!" Xander called out to Sprite at the front with more enthusiasm than was really necessary. Sprite grumbled a few things but continued walking, up a hill and down the other side, making sure she led them around the patches of sun that made it through the trees. They followed for 3 quarters of an hour to the lake, after having to go the long way to get there because of the sun that would've gotten them the short way. "Are we there yet?"

"No." Sprite grumbled. This had been going on for the past 20 minutes. It started off as Xander saying 'Are we there yet' every minute then was
cut down to every 30 seconds. Now it was after every time Sprite said 'no'. Everyone was getting pissed off.

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No." She growled.

"Are we there *yet*?"

Everyone stopped when Sprite stopped walking. She was grinding her teeth together as she turned and made her way to the back of the line where
Xander was currently still asking 'Are we there yet' as if automatically. His eyes were closed as he sat on a rock. The pixie dipped her hand in her dust bag and threw the fairy dust at him. "Shut up!" She screamed then turned and made her way back to the head of the line where everyone continued walking. Xander went to start asking again but couldn't talk. He tried screaming but nothing seemed to work.

There was a rustling in the bushes up ahead on the right. The boy started panicking. Well, at least there was no lightning bolt yet like last time. He tried to get Anya's attention but she brushed him off and continued walking. He ran ahead, trying to talk to Riley and Spike but getting no response. He went further ahead and tried to tell Willow and Sprite but that told him to go away. He started panicking even more. <Bushes! Bushes! Moving bushes! Wait, moving?> He looked over again and watched as a large patch of bushes actually lifted itself and started moving towards them. <Ahhhh! Ahhh! Bushes! Moving! Ahhhh!> He tried pointing it out but no one would notice him.

Spike looked up to glare at Xander who was currently trying to get his attention again. He noticed the fear in the boy's eyes. "What?" Xander
pointed over to the bushes that were moving closer and closer to them. "Sprite! We've got trouble!" He yelled.

Everyone turned to see where he was pointing. "Lake! Now!" She started to run the half mile to the lake with everyone in tow. "Bags in the water." Everyone threw their bags in. "In the trees!" She yelled again and everyone started to climb their own trees. She grabbed Willow's arm before she could go. "Nuh uh. We're staying. Come on! Cat. Now! Meow. Hurry!" She urged desperately.

"Meow?" Willow asked in confusion.

"Animals. They don't like 'em." Sprite replied and watched as Willow turned into a panther. "Well? Go! They'll 'run'."

Willow started to dash forward and was amazed when the bushes left faster than when they were following them. She returned, changing back as she approached everyone while they came down from the trees. "Where are we supposed to go now?"

"Ever see 'The Beach'?" Sprite asked. "If you haven't then that just makes me look back." She grinned, getting into the water. "Check it out while you go, guys."

"There's no more waterfalls right?" Spike asked as he followed.

"Positive. Now hurry. We have to get over to that little island in the middle before the trees come back and before the spell Anya did wears off." Sprite grabbed the bag she was in charge of carrying and started to swim over.

Everyone's mouths dropped when they saw the lake. <She was right. The rock pools do look like puddles.> Willow thought as she looked over the
lake. The sun that was getting through the gaps in the trees shone down on the water, making it sparkle like something from a dream. The beautiful green of the trees around them gave it a magical look. The group slowly got in the water, still looking around them at the sight. By this time Sprite was over the other side with her bag, waiting for them. The water was a little warm but still had a slight cold chill running through it. Anya went under, coming up again with a smile on her face. "This is great." Willow told the other girl as they all swam across. As they got up on the shore and dumped their bags.

The trees that were covering over the lake started to shake as they began shrinking back to their normal size. "Spike, in the trees while we build." Sprite told the vampire. Spike made his way into the cover of the trees on the tiny island. "Line up, ya'll." She said again, putting her hand in her dust-bag. The group, minus Spike, lined up in front of the nymph as she sprinkled some dust over them. "Let's get to building." She said as she took another handful of dust out and dusted it over some rocks, vines and trees. The rocks turned into tools while the vines were turned into rope. The trees were planks of wood and everyone set out to build a little hut.

"I don't know how to build." Willow said with a frown.

"That's what the dust is for." Anya said after she'd finished putting 4 planks up as part of one wall. Xander had already used the axe to cut off palm leaves and was currently making the roof. "See? Even Xander knows how to do it now." She said, pointing over to her boyfriend. Her mouth dropped as she watched him work. "Don't get too tired, Xander. I want sex later." The ex-demon stated.

10 minutes later they had a hut version of a mansion with make-shift furniture, a back door for Spike to run into from the forest and even a divider that they piled their bags into. <Sleep now.> Xander thought when the dust wore off as he collapsed onto his sleeping bag after spreading it out.

The group yawned bar Spike and fell asleep again on the floor that they'd made of palm leaves. The vampire looked around, no one to talk to and nothing to do. He pouted and leant back against one of the walls, hoping it wouldn't fall back and let the sun in to fry him. With a sigh he started to think about his unlife.
 

~Wednesday, Day 10~ A Mistake

"Great. Just great. Wet *again*." Xander grumbled after swimming back to shore with the others as they left the island.

"How does he stand showering day to day?" Riley asked Anya.

Spike chuckled. "Try week to week, Mate." Xander glared at the vampire. This only served to make Spike laugh even harder. "What? You didn't deny
it!"

Xander started trudging off ahead. "Uh, Joker Boy, hate to ruin your moment of storming off but you have to go left, not straight ahead." Sprite said as she watched him go.

The boy stopped and changed direction as he started walking again. The nymph sighed and went after him. "Come on." Willow said as they started
going. "Tell me why we're going to the mountains again?"

"Adventure, Pet." Spike replied as he walked beside her. "Besides, we out voted you and Sprite."

"Well, she's the expert on these parts, don't you think we should listen to her?"

"Getting scared?" He asked with a devilish smile. Willow nodded slightly. "Don't worry, Pet, you can cuddle up to me if you want?" He winked at her then let out a small chuckle.

<I should get scared more often.> Willow thought as everyone kept walking, following Xander and Sprite to the caves at the bottom of the mountain.

Riley stopped, hands on hips. "Where now?"

"Up."

The TA grabbed a rock and started climbing until he heard Sprite giggling. "What?"

"Caves, Deary. We're going *inside* and up. Besides, no tree or cloud cover to keep Spike sun-proofed." She walked inside with the rest following. Spike pulled out a torch and turned it on, the others doing the same, leaving Xander with a lantern. A worried look appeared on Sprite's face. "Slow down. They're coming." She whispered to the people behind her, not taking her eyes from the path in front of her. "Stop. Hide." She whispered again, taking a hiding place behind a large rock.

Everyone hid with Willow and Spike going into a large crack in the wall and ducking down, Riley and Sprite behind the rock and Anya and Xander
moving behind a pile of rocks near them. A group of goblins started running past, trolls following them, all snickering evilly as they made their ways outside. Sprite made herself invisible as she stepped out cautiously, peeking around. "Let's go." She made herself visible again as they started walking, turning their torches back on.

Riley jogged up to her. "Why didn't you just stay out there invisible when they went past?"

"The first two of the group carry little sensors. Anything that is invisible will come up on the tracker, start beeping like mad. Little buggers caught me once I'm not gonna make the same mistake again. Hurry." She whispered back to group as they made their way through again. Riley went to speak again. "You *really* don't want to know what they did. Trust me. I still have scars across my back from what Azklepios' told me."

"Roman god of... medicine... right?" Riley asked after having to think about it. Sprite nodded. "So, you're Roman?"

She grinned. "I'm a worldly Sprite. Mostly stayed around Europe when it was made, yes, but worldly." She paused again, tilting her head to the side as she closed her eyes.

"What is it?"

"Snakes."

"How do you know?"

"The air told me."

Spike growled. "Bloody hell."

Sprite looked back. "What?"

"You're acting like Dru."

"Ever thought she was acting like me?!"

"Just don't bring it up. The air doesn't talk."

"It's telling you to shut the hell up right now." Sprite hissed back. A gust of wind came up from behind them. "See?!" She started walking again.

Willow frowned. Anya put an arm around her shoulders. "What?" The ex-demon asked.

"He still gets mad when people bring up Drusilla. He's not over her yet." She whispered back to Anya with teary eyes.

"Yes he is." Anya told her back. "He just doesn't walk talks about Dru getting in the way while he's with you. I mean, you still get sad when people bring up Oz, right?"

The red head shrugged. "Well... sometimes. Sorta."

"See?" Anya replied with a smile. Willow couldn't help but smile back a little but still feel a little hurt inside.

"Ponce."

Spike glared as the assault of names continued between himself and the nymph. "Bitch."

"Egotistical freak of nature that can't get a lay from anyone no matter what their living state is just because he hangs around with the slayer and all her friends and also because Dru went around telling everyone that you were an old softy towards mortals!" Sprite growled back, taking a deep breath after speaking.

The muscles under one of Spike's eyes twitched as the statement hit home. He huffed, stalking off ahead. "Should someone go after him?" Xander asked as he came up to the front of the line.

<I just lost a friend.> Sprite thought with a frown. "Nah, he's a big boy he can take care of himself." She looked up at Xander. "Would you mind?"

Xander smiled and went off ahead. "Where'd Spike go?" Willow asked as she walked up with Anya.

"He's doing the manly thing... and sulking." Sprite replied. "Come on. We're going to have to find a place to stay clear of those snakes. I just hope Spike hasn't done something stupid and gone straight into them."

*^*^*

"Nice, Snakes. Good, snakes." Xander said nervously as he stood beside Spike. One of the reptiles went straight up, towering over them by a good ten feet. "I thought she said *snakes* not the mother of all serpents!"

"The *mothers*! There's got to be a good 40 or 50 in here." Spike replied as they both slowly started walking backwards out of the enormous cave.

"Guys." A voice came from behind them.

They slowly started backing away some more until Willow and Riley grabbed them, pulling them back behind the wall of the entrance and started pulling them along down the pathway. "Told you we should've gone left." Xander grumbled at Spike as they were dragged along. The snakes moved out of the cave and straight down to where the entrance where the group started was, going the opposite direction as the group. Willow and Sprite both refused to start a conversation with Spike. The reasons were different and similar both at once. Willow for being jealous of Drusilla and Sprite for being fed up with Spike's attitude over Drusilla. Spike stayed at the back of the group with Xander, still sulking about Sprite's words. "Talk to her." Xander said.

"Who are we talking about?" Spike asked with a confused look.

"Willow. She's really down."

"Why?"

"Well, you were getting all uptight about Drusilla."

"You sayin' she's jealous?"

Xander pursed his lips as he thought. "Well..."

Spike walked up ahead, grabbing Willow's arm and leading her to the back of the group without saying a word. He nodded to Xander who went up to
the front to talk to the nymph. "Something wrong, Pet?" He asked in a small voice.

"No. Of course not. Why would there be something wrong?" She asked, keeping her face blank.

"I can tell you're sad, Luv. I can feel it."

"Thought you were about to be eaten again, that's all." She said, shrugging it off.

Spike slowed her down a little more. "Luv, talk to me. Is it about Dru?"

Willow looked up at him. "What if it was?" She asked in a low voice.

He smiled slightly. "Red, Dru and I are over. *You're* my girl now. 'Ey, come on. We're best pals, remember? You ever feelin' down you just tell me about it."

Willow's heart lifted when he told her she was his girl. <I'm his girl. Dru's gone. I'm his! Well, in a friend way but I'm still his girl. I wonder what he'd say if I said he was my man?> Spike's arm went around her shoulder and they both smiled at each other. "And you're my man." She replied in a small, shy voice as she wrapped her other arm around his waist, the two hugging for a few moments before following after the others again.

*^*^*

Riley pointed out a crack in the wall and went to investigate. After a minute he came back with a smile. "Little cave in there. Big enough for all of us for the night. Think we should camp out here?"

"No." Sprite replied and kept walking.

Everyone looked confused but followed. "Why couldn't we camp back there? I'm tired." Anya asked with a slight whine in her voice.

"Well, you can if you want. I mean, if you want to wake up with a whole heap of bat shit on ya, go right ahead." Sprite grinned as they continued walking.

"How'd you know there were bats in there?" Riley asked.

Sprite turned, walking backwards and noticed Spike and Willow were deep in conversation. She looked up at Riley and smiled. "The rocks. I can here them moving. Wherever bats sleep, inside the rocks they have a liquid that moves. It lulls the bats to sleep. Though, whenever Geologists break open rocks like that the liquid turns to solid rock. Trick of nature. Don't question it." She nodded for the three around her to indicate Willow and Spike.

"They're talking again." Anya stated with a smile.

"They weren't before?" Riley inquired.

"She got a case of jealousy over Dru." Anya answered. "Dru being his ex and stuff."

"Yeah, and girlfriend for a few centuries." Xander added. <I'd be jealous too if that was with Anya. Oh, hey, I'm being the jealous boyfriend! Yay me!>  "Right in there is fine." Sprite said, pointing to another large crack in the wall. "No bats." She stated as she walked in and set her things
down. "We'll head out again tomorrow."
 

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