~Part 1~ Tingle

She was utterly enjoying herself. She also lied to herself *really* well these days. Somehow she found herself in college, 19 years old, knowing how to make her friends happy better than herself. After all, she'd been making her friends happy more. The witch tried to think back to the last time she'd put her needs before her friends'. Willow drew a blank. Had she even ever done that in her life? Her shoulders slumped and a pout formed on her face. Sometimes she was too caring and outgoing for her friends for her own good. The couch sagged beside her and she looked over to see Xander. Her pout deepened.

Xander had Anya. He and Anya were great together. They gave and received pretty much equally. She looked across to the armchair to see Buffy
sitting in Riley's lap, teasing him by running a finger along his lips. Willow let out a small sigh. The slayer had whined numerous times as to how her life was so unfair. Why was she sitting in Giles' house, making kissy-kissy stuff with her boyfriend, who happened to be good-looking... if her life was so horrible? Giles himself was out on a date with Olivia and he subtly hinted he wouldn't be back until late the next morning. Willow... she was left with Tara. Sweet, gentle, shy Tara. The same Tara that seemed increasingly distant from her the more Willow hinted they should further the relationship a little or when Willow asked about her past. Another sigh escaped the red head. It was great to fill the hole where Oz had been emotionally but physically and mentally it was like torture. Willow started lowering herself into her thoughts, weighing up how her relationship with Tara was so right, yet so wrong at the same time. Buffy snapped her out of her thoughts as she spoke. "Wills, you okay?" She asked, looking over with concern.

"Huh? Oh, sure, Buffy. Just thinking." Willow mumbled back, returning to her previous train of thought, why she should and shouldn't just end the
relationship with her girlfriend.

The slayer frowned. She sat forward a bit and leant over to Willow. "Wills, can we talk for a minute?" She asked, bringing the red head out of her thoughts again.

Willow nodded in silence as she walked with Buffy into the bathroom, waiting for the slayer to close the door behind her. "What's up?"

"You. Something's wrong. Tell me." When Buffy saw Willow was going to tell her nothing was wrong she interrupted. "Wills, I know there's something. You've been going quiet and going into trances a lot. It's really wigging me out."

The hacker's friend smiled softly, earning a tiny smile from the hacker herself. "I'm fine, Buffy, it's just... I think I'm going to break up with Tara."

"Oh, Wills. Why?" Buffy asked in a sympathetic tone, moving slightly closer to give the girl a reassuring rub on the arm.

"She's getting really defensive, won't let me know anything about her, won't *do* anything... it's just... I don't know how long we're gonna last." She sighed then added. "I'll love her, I always will, like Oz, but it won't last." She looked up. "Know what I mean?"

Buffy nodded, giving her a small smile. "Yeah." The slayer hugged her best friend. "I hope it turns out okay. You know I want you happy right? You and Xander, you're both my best friends."

"I know. Thanks, Buffy." The slayer gave her one last smile before walking out. Willow closed the door, leaving herself in the bathroom to think and cry silent tears. "I just want a sign it's going to be okay." She mumbled to the air. That's when she felt a tiny tingle go through her body and a need to go out to the lounge room. Dread filled her body.

Something must've happened for her to get a feeling this nagging. As she opened the bathroom door she heard a voice. "What the hell do you mean
he's out on a date?" Spike growled.

"We mean, Dead boy, he's out havin' smoochies with Olivia!" Xander replied with an exasperated sigh then the boy gagged on his words.

"Well where the hell's the witch then?" Spike asked in a grumble.

"Bathroom." Anya replied casually.

She heard heavy footsteps come towards her and closed the door, sitting on the edge of the bath as she bit her nails. The girl jumped when she
heard a loud rapping on the door. "Come in." She squeaked.

Spike strode in, closing the door behind him. He looked hesitant in asking and paused as he thought out his words. "I never thought I'd bloody say this... after what happened the last time." He made a note to give her a small glare. "I need you to look up some of that magic stuff for me."

Another tingle swept through her body. She rubbed at her stomach, where the tingle seemed to be situated and looked at him curiously. "What for?"

"Need..." He sighed, rolling his eyes and rubbing a hand down his face before looking at her again with a pained face. "protection." He whispered.

"What? Why? I thought you could handle yourself." She blurted out.

He smirked. "Pet, I may be able to defend myself in a fight but there are a few demon ladies I'd like to keep away." He leant against the wall. "They follow me bloomin' everywhere. Damn mating season for them an' all." Taking out his packet of cigarettes he frowned when he found it empty. "Got any spells to make fags appear?"

"What?" A light blush spread across her cheeks before she realized he'd meant cigarettes. "Oh, uh, I don't *think* so." She said, looking up into his eyes. "I could look..."

"Nah, don't worry 'bout it. You just keep your eyes set on that protection spell, 'right?" He gave her a stern look.

Willow paused in thought then smirked. "What do I get?" She asked in a joking voice. She knew he couldn't hurt her. What was the problem with
bribing him?

The vampire rolled his eyes. "Bloody hell, woman! If you don't do this I'm gonna tell those demon chits that you're mine and they'll come after you an' rip your 'ead off..." He stopped, thinking about it. "I could tell them I'm with the slayer. I'd be ultimately responsible for her death." He thought aloud, not even realizing Willow was still near him. He shuddered. "But that'd mean I'd have to pretend I'm with 'er." He looked upward as he straightened his duster then looked back down at the girl on the edge of the tub. "So, you find this spell, you do this spell and I won't tell those chits you're my woman."

The red head's eyes bulged for a moment. "Your woman?" She gasped.

"Hell yeah." He replied, grabbing the doorhandle. "Oh, an' Pet?" He turned to look back at her. Willow looked up, waiting for him to continue. "This is between you an' me. Got that?" The witch nodded, rubbing her tummy again. Spike left. A few moments later the tingle mysteriously disappeared.
 

~Part 2~ In All Innocence

Willow found the spell, she researched it, she found most of the ingredients and had only one more to get. A piece of Spike's clothing to bless. She bit her lip, standing outside of his crypt as she contemplated what she was doing. On one hand, if she didn't do it she'd have her head ripped off by a bunch of horny female demons that had a thing for Spike. On the other she could get caught by Spike. With a deep breath she opened the door, hearing the small creak it gave when it opened. Slipping inside, she closed it part-way again, noting Spike was sleeping on the sarcophagus he used as a bed. She started rubbing her hands together. She was bookworm, net-girl, the 'little witch', not the female James Bond! Creeping over she started thinking of what she could use, finally deciding on the duster he was using as a blanket. The red head would grab the duster and run, then explain to him later why she'd taken it. As Willow thought now she told herself that next time she was going to break in to a vampires home to steal his clothes... she'd make up an excuse first. Another thought entered her mind of what Spike had told her last night when she'd bumped into him as she collected supplies, Spike must've been glad the demons didn't know where he lived and were also night-walkers. The girl took a deep breath, holding the collar lightly and starting to pull it back softly until Spike grabbed her hand as she was pulling it over his chest. Willow squeaked in
surprise and looked down to see Spike giving her a curious look. "Uhhhhhh... hi?"

"What the hell are you doin', Pet?" He growled.

"Well... uh... it's like th-this." She stuttered, still holding the duster without knowing it as it hovered half-on and half-off his stomach and legs. "I-I need to... to... go into a trance in the spell, kinda be you and-and I-I needed... needed your, um, duster or any piece of clothing to wear so I could be... you." She said, looking around everywhere as she lied to him.

Spike looked at her for a moment. "Now that's a bloody lie if ever I 'eard one." He stated, sitting up as he stayed holding onto her wrist.

"Erm..." She drew out.

"This is the payment?" He sighed for a moment. "Fine, take the bloody thing just *do the spell*." He finally growled. "Why the hell does everyone love it so much? Everyone wants it!" He jumped off his concrete bed and dropped her arm.

"Well, it's nice. Leather and nice." She added quickly. "So, it's okay?"

He nodded slowly. "If it comes back with even *one* thing wrong with it or different in any way I will gut you and string you up like Christmas
lights on a Christmas tree who cares about the bloody chip. You got that, witch?" He snarled.

Willow nodded quickly and ran out of the crypt with the duster in her hands. She panted heavily when she found herself back in the dorm five
minutes faster than she would've been if she hadn't sprinted. Buffy looked up from her magazine as she lay on the bed, glancing at Willow then down at the page again. "Hey, Wills." She paused, looking up again and jumping off the bed. "Why've you got Spike's duster?" She asked.

"I, uh, stole it." She gave her friend a small smirk."

"Oh god, Wills!" She grinned happily and hugged her friend. "I'm so proud of you." She pushed her away slightly. "Did he catch you?"

The red head blushed, nodding. "Yeah, but, uh, I kinda ran. Outside."

Buffy frowned. "He's going to be pissed." She stated then grinned widely. "And he can't do anything about it!" The slayer exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of that? Here, let me have it."

"No!" Willow replied instantly, making Buffy give her a shocked look. "I stole it. I have it." She replied, clutching the duster closer to her. "I went to a lot of trouble to get this and I'm going to have Spike finding any way possible to-to gut me and string me up... like Christmas lights on a-a Christmas tree!" Willow stated, inwardly knowing that she was talking about Spike and he'd be able to do just that even with the chip in place. She gulped and sat on her bed. "Buffy, can I be alone for a while? I'm sure Riley wouldn't mind seeing you." She pleaded softly.

"Sure, Wills." Buffy said, looking at her friend with concern. "You know I wouldn't let Spike ever do anything to you, right?"

Willow nodded then went off into a small trance as Buffy left the room.
 

~Part 3~ Practical Magic

When the door clicked closed behind her Willow jumped up, locking the door as she got her supplies out and set them into their places. She sighed. "I call for this circle to be protected by the almighty goddess and god." She said as she created her protective circle. With a sigh she sat cross- legged inside with Spike's duster on. "All that are attracted be repulsed. All that are in love or lust feel how he feels. All that feel, your feelings change. In the name of William the Bloody let it be so. In the light of the goddess and god," She gulped, "Grant this wish." She picked up her bowl and grabbed a handful of the herbs inside, slowly letting the contents fall back into the bowl as slowly as an hour glass would let it's sand fall. When all the herbs were gone she sighed. "I hope that worked." The girl muttered to herself then started cleaning up. The phone rang and she sighed, watching it until it went to the
answering machine.

The machine beeped and a voice came over the line. "Willow?" She heard Angel say. "Can you call me. I, we, need your... computer help." He stated. "Call soon, please." He was about to hang up when she picked up the phone.

"Angel?"

"Willow?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

"I need to see you. Straight away."

"What's wrong?" Willow asked, sounding urgent. "Is everything okay? Are you alright? Is Cordelia okay? Wesley? What is it? Are they okay?"

"Come to L.A. We'll talk here."

Willow looked in confusion at the receiver and was about to say 'okay' when the connection went dead as Angel hung up. She shrugged, putting the receiver back in the cradle and taking her suitcase out, she didn't know how long she'd be. After she scribbled down a note for Buffy she began packing, lord knows if she didn't write the note then she would've forgotten. When her bag was packed she called a cab, five minutes later she was on her way to L.A.

*^*^*

Spike felt a pain rip through his stomach and he sat upright in bed. Something was wrong and he was suddenly feeling the need to leave his crypt. With a growl he tried to wait it out until it passed only to find that a half an hour later it was still there. He jumped up, grabbing the blanket he used to get to his car and made a mad dash towards the black DeSoto that was parked not too far away. As he turned the car on he started wondering where he needed to go. 2 hours later he found himself in L.A., jumping out of the car he looked around. "Peaches?" He asked the emptiness around him. "I'm visiting *Peaches*?" He asked again in exasperation. "*That's* why I'm not sleeping back at the crypt right now? *That's* why I drove for *2 hours*?!" He growled as he started walking up towards the offices of Angel Investigations.

*^*^*

Willow sat in the chair opposite Angel's. She'd been there thirty minutes so far and Angel had done nothing but flirt with her. She started feeling uncomfortable when he rubbed her arm when he really didn't need to or leant over the back of her chair to whisper in her ear sometimes when he talked. "Angel?"

"Yes, little one?" He asked with a warm, welcoming smile.

"Why'd you call? You sounded urgent."

"This is urgent, Willow." He stated with a sigh, getting up from his seat again and walking over to kneel in front of her.

"You said you needed to see me?"

He took her hands in his, looking down at them then up at her again. "I need you, Willow."

"Yeah, for the computers. Like you said." She stated, still feeling nervous and uncomfortable that he was holding her hands.

He shook his head with a small smile. "So innocent." He muttered then looked up at her with smitten eyes. "Oh, Willow." He sighed.

Wesley walked in and spotted the red head. "Willow." He said with a happy sigh. "It's so good to see you again." He stated, walking further into the room with a joy-filled smile.

"Wesley! Oh thank goddess." She muttered, shaking her hands out of Angel's and standing, walking over to him. "What's wrong with him? He's
acting... non-Angel-like." She stated in a whisper.

The watcher shook his head and pulled Willow into a hug. "Ah, Willow. So *so* good to see you again." He stated, both of them hearing the growl
coming from Angel behind them.

Cordelia walked in and saw them. "What's wrong with you guys?" She asked, putting the two coffee mugs on the desk.

"Cordy! Help! Get him off me." Willow pleaded, trying to get Wesley off her. Suddenly Angel sighed, content with hugging her from behind.

The secretary's mouth dropped and the next minute she was swaying. "Oh no." She mumbled. "They're all happy." Spike came up through the
elevator, vamping out as he saw his sire and the ex-watcher practically smothering Willow in a huge hug. This girl was his only chance at getting the demon-women off his back and he wasn't going to let two bozos smother her to death with affection. "Spike." Cordelia said.

Spike tore his sire and Wesley from Willow, watching as the blood slowly started making it's way back down from her head after the hugs she'd
received began cutting off her circulation. "Spike?" Willow asked through her light-headedness.

He looked down at her, still wearing his duster then back up at her face. "What's goin' on, Red?"

"Oh, Spike!" Cordelia exclaimed, flinging her arms around his neck and burying her face in his neck.

The vampire's eyes went wide as he looked down at Willow. "I think I made a mistake." The witch said, biting her lip again as Wesley started
cuddling her again.

"Then fix it." He growled.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Angel demanded, punching his childe.

Cordelia shrieked, slapping Angel across the face. "Don't hit Spike!" She ordered.

"Don't hit Angel!" Willow said.

"Don't worry about Angel." Wesley breathed into her ear, which was quite disturbing for the little red head in his arms.

The hacker gulped. "Spike?" She asked in hope. "Help me."

Spike rubbed his jaw, wiping the blood from his lip. "When you stuff up a spell you really stuff it up, don't you?" He said with an exasperated tone. A growl escaped him as he pulled Wesley away from her. "My car is downstairs. Go now." He ordered, watching as Willow ran to the elevator. He turned to his sire and morphed his features. "What the hell are you on, Peaches?"

Angel growled after watching Willow disappear from his sight. "What are you doing here, Spike?" He snarled. "What are you doing with *my* Willow?"

The blond's eyes bulged at his sire's possessive tone. "*Your* Willow? When the hell'd that happen?"

"We belong together." Angel hissed as he and his childe began circling each other.

"What about the slayer?"

"A phase. Willow's my soulmate."

Spike stopped dead in his tracks. "Right." He said in disbelief. "Peaches, you're *borrowing* a soul. Underneath all that poofiness is still a demon. What ever happened to all that forbidden fruit crap with Slutty?"

"I was naive. I know what's going on now."

"Right." Spike said again, still not believing what he was hearing. This might turn out worse than the time he was engaged to the slayer. No, nothing could be worse than that. He bolted to the elevator and took it downstairs, rushing to the underground parking where his car was, and jumped in, speeding away. A half an hour later he looked over to see Willow staring at him from the passenger seat. "You've gotten me into a helluva lot of trouble before but now... now you've *really* done it."

The witch pouted slightly, pulling the vampire's duster a little tighter around her. That damn tingle was back and she couldn't stop it.
 

~Part 4~ Hot Spell

"There you are my pretty." Spike muttered with a demonic grin as he put his foot down a little heavier on the peddle.

"Spike! The sign!" Willow yelled, clutching at the dashboard. The vampire grinned, flooring it as the sign was flattened under the car like so many other times. He stepped out of the car and sighed, looking around. Willow looked out at him and raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?" She asked softly.

He looked back inside at her and smiled. "Home, sweet home." He stated. She looked at him with confusion. "It's one tradition I *will* keep, Pet." He straightened up again and looked out into the night, pulling out his new packet of cigarettes and putting one in his mouth, about to light it. Something caught his eye. Movement not to far way over to his left. No, wait, right. Now there was some in front of him. He dropped the hand that held his lighter when he saw people rushing towards them. The cigarette fell from his mouth when his mouth dropped open in shock. Girls were calling his name, squealing as they ran towards him.

"Uh, Spike?" Willow called from the car. The vampire looked over the other side of the car and saw boys calling out to Willow as they ran. His jaw hit the floor in shock before he jumped into the car, slamming the door behind him as the car started again. The DeSoto roared as it ran backwards over the sign and turned to go down the road with hordes of people chasing after the wheels like dogs would.

He turned to her, looking slightly panicked rather than cool and calm. "What the hell'd you do this time, Luv?" He asked.

"I don't know!" She replied with the same amount of panic in her voice. She looked out her window and every house they passed people would fly
out and join the group that was trying to keep up with the car they chased. "Spike!" She yelled. "There's more!"

"I know! I know!" He shouted back, stepping down on the peddle a little more. "We'll dump the car and go to the watcher's. He'll fix this damn mess you got us into." The DeSoto was dumped two blocks from Giles' and they continued to run, losing a few people here and there before rushing into the courtyard and hiding as people ran past the house, following people that were no longer there. They both rushed inside, slamming the door behind them as Willow panted for breath and Spike checked out the window to make sure no one had seen them and followed.

"Willow." Xander said as he stood up.

Riley stood too and Giles walked out of the kitchen. Willow ran forward, dumping herself on one of the seats. "Guys, I did a bad thing." She blurted out, hanging her head.

"You could never do anything wrong, sweetheart." Riley said, sitting beside her and putting an arm around her shoulders comfortingly.

Spike chuckled from behind her as he looked the door and threw the key to the coffee table as he sat in the armchair. He watched as Xander and
Giles crowded around her, telling her things would be okay. Half way through his chuckling he felt a hand from behind him land on his shoulder and start moving down his chest. His mouth dropped when another hand accompanied it. "Pet? Who is it?" He asked slowly.

Willow looked up from the men around her and giggled. "Buffy!"

Spike jumped out of his seat, trying to dust any traces of the slayer off him. "Bloody hell!" He grumbled.

"Spike, I knew we were meant to be together." The blond girl said, walking towards him seductively. "After that spell Willow did and, well, you getting the chip too." She walked closer to him and every step she moved forward he would move back another one. "I know we can make it
together! Let me try."

"Slayer, this is a spell! Red screwed up again!" He exclaimed when she'd backed him into a wall.

"Xander, no! Giles, stop him!" Giles pushed Xander away then returned to gazing at Willow with love in his eyes. "Riley, get Giles away from me!"
Riley did as asked. "Xander, stop Riley from beating up on Giles!" Xander did as asked and Willow rose from her chair while the three males brawled. "Don't hurt each other too much!" She said sweetly before walking over to where Buffy had cornered Spike and was trying to take his shirts off. "Oh my." She muttered when Anya joined the slayer after coming out from the bathroom.

Spike took Willow's idea. "Fight to the death!" He announced then frowned when Willow gave him a disapproving look. "Fight for me." He sighed and watched as Buffy and Anya gladly began fighting. "Hell, pet, you should screw up more often." He grinned, watching as the slayer and the ex-demon fought.

"Tell them not to hurt each other or I won't reverse the spell." She demanded.

"Don't hurt each other! Play nice, children." He ordered in a sweet tone then turned to Willow. "Reverse it. Now!"

"Okay."

"No, wait, get soldier boy to get the chip out."

"No!"

Spike glared at her. "I'll get Slutty and Anya to fight you." He threatened.

"Okay. Riley, get Spike's chip out." She ordered. <It's not like *he* can do it anyway.> She thought to herself.

Riley stood, pulling himself away from the fight as he walked over to Spike. He grabbed the back of Spike's neck, where his spine was and pressed hard. He turned to Willow and looked longingly at her. "That's it?" The vampire asked. He shrugged, punching Riley, feeling over-joyed when he didn't feel any pain. He looked at Willow, shaking in fear but still wearing his duster. His head tilted to the side. "Red." The blond whispered, stepping forward towards her.

"Spike?" He smiled at her. "Not you too." She mumbled.

He took her hand, bending down to her face. "Run." He growled, pulling her towards the door just as the people in the house started getting up to follow them. The witch and the vampire ran as fast as they could away from Giles' house, running to the mansion.

*^*^*

As they entered the house Willow went straight to the chest Angel had left his herbs in and quickly began a cloaking spell. She looked up at Spike. "Well, that should stop them from knowing where we are." She sighed.

Spike sat down on the ground in front of her and rubbed his face wearily then suddenly rubbed his stomach. The tingle was still there and had been ever since L.A. Willow looked at him inquisitively. "What's wrong?"

"Got a bloody tingly thing in my stomach." He shrugged. "I haven't slept. Must just be nerves."

Willow was going to speak until she took that as her own excuse. A yawn escaped her mouth and she covered it with her hands. "I'm tired too." She yawned.

"There's a few bedrooms down the corridor, Luv. Go sleep, you can do the other spell in the mornin'."

"What if they find us?" She asked in a small voice as they both stood and made their way down the hall together.

The vampire opened a door for her and followed her inside. "King size, Luv." The door closed behind them. Willow's breath caught in her throat. "I hope you don't snore." He stated as he crawled onto the bed and got comfortable.

Willow was paralysed in her place. She was going to share a bed with Spike. With a gulp she sat on the other edge of the bed and finally laid down. "G-g-oodnight." She stuttered uncomfortably as she faced away from him.

"Yeah. G'night." He muttered back before falling asleep.

The witch found her eyes becoming heavier by the second and was soon fast asleep, beside the one person that wasn't smitten with her in the
state.
 

~Part 5~ Falling

"Red, wake up." Spike said as he shook her lightly. "Red."

"Mmmph!" She mumbled into the pillow as she started falling asleep again.

He leant back a bit with a frown. "The house is on fire." He stated.

"Mrgrumph."

Spike raised an eyebrow then thought again. "The hellmouth is opening."

"Ma-mmph."

He rolled his eyes. "Angelus is back."

"Nahm negrmph."

The vampire gave her an odd look. "Bill Gates needs your help designing a new software program."

"Huh? Huh?" Willow sat up, her eyes still half closed as she started waking up.

He chuckled at her. "Time to get up, Pet." He said as he got off the bed.

Her head flopped back down on the pillow as she tried to go back to sleep. Spike let out an exasperated sigh. "Spike?" She squeaked, finally letting it all sink in, as she jumped off the bed and hurried back near the wall. "Oh, right, not that Spike." She sighed.

"What Spike?" He asked curiously.

"The one from High School." She replied.

He walked towards her, until she was backed up against the wall. A smirk formed on his face when he heard her heart rate speed up. "The chip is
gone, Luv." He whispered in a low voice. Willow gulped, uknowingly giving him her puppy dog eyes. "So, when do I get my duster back?" He asked, walking towards the door.

The red head's mouth hit the floor but she followed him without saying a word. "When do you want it?"

He stopped in front of the herbs chest and opened it, thinking about how she'd phrased it. "Anytime, anywhere." He replied, grinning down into the opened trunk.

"Okay." She stated.

The blond turned back to her. "When?"

She smiled. "Well, I don't want to give it back yet. Oh, wait, um, you can kill me." She started taking the duster off.

"Don't." He said firmly. She gave him a curious look. "Wait 'til you've done the spell." He added, pulling out a few of the herbs and a bowl.

"How'd you know what I needed?" She asked as she saw the herbs in bundles on the floor.

The vampire turned to her. "Universal removal, Luv. Had a bloke workin' for me once that did that for all the ones he screwed up. Ended up killin' 'im because he was so bloody useless." He felt tension in the air and turned to see Willow's stiffened form. "But you don't work for me."

She relaxed a little and started setting her supplies out. When the spell had been done a mass of electricity filled the air. "So, uh, Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"What now?"

"What you mean, Pet?"

"Want your duster back?" She asked in a small voice.

He paused, looking at her hopeful eyes and smiled. "You can have it for a week." He said, tapping her on the bottom of the chin. "Just don't ever do that again. I'll be bathin' for a week after what Slutty did."

"What did she do? Wait, do I want to know?"

"No." The vampire made a disgusted face. "Just glad my zipper's broken or there would've been more done than there was."

Willow sat back on her heels. "What now?"

"How many times are you gonna ask that?" He asked with a heavy sigh. She shrugged. "What are you talking 'bout this time?"

"Well... are you going to kill me? Like, give me ten seconds to run and then chase me or... do we just go?"

"We'll do this... you can go back to your dormitory. Tell all your little friends that you did a spell that gave everyone strange dreams or somethin', you can say you got it too. I'll go do my own business."

"What about those demon women?"

He groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "I don't know. They know the crypt. Where the hell else am I supposed to go?"

"Stay here."

The vampire looked up with a glare. "It was bad enough staying here *last* night." He muttered. "I had nightmares last night from when I was in that damned wheelchair, Angelus was back."

Willow bit her lip. "Sorry."

He shook his head. "Not your fault. If it's anyone's it's the slayer's. She put me in that chair *and* brought Angelus back." He looked to the ceiling. "You won't believe what I had to go through."

The red head played with the leather of the duster that had engulfed her form. "So, um, when do we go?"

"Now." He stood, pulling her up by her hand.

"I don't have a stake." She muttered softly.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well... vampires and stuff outside."

His lips pursed. "I'll walk you back." He stated, quickly walking towards the door.

"But you have your bite back! What if people see?"

"I'll kill them." He said matter-of-factly as they walked out. <An' maybe later I can shag you into the bed and drain you dry.> He grinned evilly, looking down at the girl beside him only to frown when he'd laid eyes on her. He felt an ache run through his stomach at the thought, replacing the tingle that had been there before. He watched her as she thought, her expression distant as if she were out in space. A light burning formed all through his body and his hand touched at his chest, his scarred brow lifting at his confusion. Looking back down at Willow again he saw her expression now tense and scared. "What is it, Luv?"

"Buffy." She whispered, pointing ahead to where Buffy and Riley were standing, talking. When she looked back Spike was walking off into the trees. The girl ran ahead to her friends. "Buffy, I have some explaining to do." She said with hesitation. "You see, there was a spell..." The tingle had gone but she was left with a feeling that told her seeing Spike sometime soon still wasn't soon enough.

*^*^*

Spike stayed in a new crypt he'd found, hoping those demon women didn't try and find him again. As he sat in one corner he felt an ache in his
entire body. Leaving Willow with her friends had caused it.
 

~Part 6~ Dark Destruction- The Return Of The Goddess

"There. Done." Willow stated as she put her pen down as she leant back in her chair, rubbing her eyes wearily.

"'Bout bloody time." Spike grumbled from a darkened corner of the room.

Willow squeaked in surprise and jumped out of her desk chair. "What are you doing here?"

The vampire gave her a lazy smile. "I'm bored."

"So you came here to play with my intestines?" She asked with horror.

"No." He replied honestly. "I've eaten..." He sighed with a smile. "And is that *great* or what?! Anyway, I've eaten, I've tortured, I've chased, I've... done everything and now I'm bored."

The red head paused. "And I'm supposed to do what about this?"

He sat down on Willow's bed. "Entertain me, Ducks." He leant back against the headboard.

"What am I supposed to do? A lively jig?" She asked, throwing her hands up in the air before letting them fall back down to her sides again.

The blond clicked his fingers together. "Now that I'd like to see." He smiled. "Go on then."

She pouted. "I don't know how to jig."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Whatever then."

Willow sighed. "I don't know. I'm tired! I've just been working on my American History assignment for the past 3 and a half hours and I'm out of ideas!"

Spike gave her a stunned look at her outburst. She was now panting from her shouting and looked quite pissed for a shy school girl. He grinned at her. "Sit down." He commanded.

The girl did as ask, sitting in front of him on the edge of the bed, still looking angrily at him. "What?" She growled.

<Damn what a woman.> He thought, his smile widening before he moved forward and grabbed the back of her neck. He brought his face close to
hers. "Nothing." He whispered. The tingle in his stomach grew. "Bloody hell. What *is* that?!" He grumbled, pulling back as he rubbed his stomach.

Willow tilted her head at him. "You have it too?"

His eyes shot to hers. "How long have you had it?"

"Remember that day you asked me to do that spell? I got it a few seconds before you showed up."

His eyes widened slightly. "I got it just before I was going to walk in the door."

She paused, looking cautious. "What do you think it is?" The girl asked in a whisper.

"I haven't the foggiest, Pet."

"D-do you think someone's put a spell on us?" Her voice was soft and scared as she looked up at him with fear in her eyes.

The vampire looked at her for a moment then out at the rest of the room. "Don't know."

"I..." She paused, looking at her hands. "I only seem to have it around you though."

"I get an ache when you're not around." He added.

"Me too!" The girl replied.

He turned to look at her. "I'll tell you what, Ducks, you look this up and I'll go beat up Willy for some information." He stood, stopped to look down at her. "Oh, an' one more thing."

Willow looked up as Spike's lips descended on hers. He straightened with a smile. "Wh-what was that for?" She asked in shock.

"That tingle, Pet." He grinned then kissed her again. "That one was for free." He said with a chuckle before leaving the room.

The witch on the bed sighed, laying down on her bed to wait for Buffy to get back from patrol. Two dark eyes watched her from the window. When
Willow had fallen asleep the owner of the eyes climbed in and soon made off with Willow in their arms. Not a noise was heard.
 

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