~Part 1~ A New Step In Friendship

"Spike!" Willow bellowed from downstairs in the kitchen.

"What, Luv?" He called back from his spot on the couch in the lounge room.

"Want me to make you a sandwich?"

"No! I'm 'right!"

"Okay!"

There was silence for a few moments before a tiny click on the wall near the fridge was heard. Willow jumped slightly. "Pet, why do you think we
have intercoms?" She heard Spike chuckle through the contraption.

She smiled, pressing the button in. "Because we're lazy." She replied, turning her end off as she went back to making her meal. She opened the knife drawer, noticing the one she used to cut her sandwiches was gone. With a sigh she went to pick up one of the other knives then stopped,
closing the drawer with a smile. Holding her hand up she let one of her claws out and cut through the bread. She frowned, letting the other claws come out as she carefully scratched an itch around her breast bone, accidentally cutting a bit of her bra as she did it. The girl's eyes closed as she eased the itch. The phone rang and where one moment there was silence, was now Willow's ear piercing scream of pain. Spike rushed out of the lounge room to find Willow with four large claw marks across her chest. Gathering her in his arms he carried her into the bathroom and sat her on the edge of the tub.

Willow was trying to hold her wound, trying to ease the pain but as Spike pushed her arms away her saw the depth to the gashes. "Bloody hell, Luv. If you're gonna keep on stabbin' people in the gut leave it to doin' me and lay off yourself." He grumbled, grabbing the first aid kit. As he looked back down at her he remembered needing to clean the wound. "Luv, we need you in that shower." He said, undoing the buttons of her shirt and taking it off. He adverted his eyes as much as possible but found it hard with the task at hand. <Christ, is this a hint!> He thought to himself as he removed his own clothes down to his boxers and pulled her into the shower, letting a soft spray of water fall onto her wounded front.

The hacker in his arms was crying as he got the wash-cloth and ran it over her slashes. "It hurts. It hurts. It hurts." She gulped and started chanting softly again, telling her friend how much pain she was in.

He took an unneeded breath as he turned her to face him. Biting his bottom lip he took off her bra and threw it down onto the ground before
putting the cloth on the wound and pressing lightly. She groaned in pain, resting her head on his shoulder as her lack of blood caught up to her. "Come on. What happened to that panther healing!" He growled, sitting down and pulling her into his lap after turning the taps off. They were both sitting half-naked in the tub, soaking wet as Willow slowly bled from her self-inflicted wounds. Grabbing a dry towel Spike gently dried her. Willow sighed, finally falling unconscious from her lack of blood while Spike patched her up, clothed her in his black shirt and carried her into the newly fixed elevator, taking her to his room and laying her on the bed. Spike Junior looked up and barked, seeing his hurt master. "Go get one of Willow's healing pack things she uses, Dog." The vampire grumbled as he set her down on the sheets stroking her hair away from her face. A few moments later Junior returned with a small cotton package between his teeth that Spike took from him, removing the bandaging slightly to sprinkle the wounds with the herbs inside the healing pack. "This better work." He stated, putting the bandages back in place.

<What a fun day this is turning out to be.> Junior thought glumly as he jumped up onto the bed near Willow's head. <Come on, Willow. I'll call off the bet with Liber. Just be okay. I'll be a dog always and I won't care about being a god. How about that? Hmm? Just be okay.> Willow stirred. <Thank you gods!> The dog thought with relief.

The red head looked down to her bandaging. "I stabbed myself." She said in whisper before fainting again.

<So, was that a promise, Cupie?> Liber asked with victory.

<As long as she is alright.>

~Willow's Dream~

The girl walked along the clouds, seeing ancient buildings scattered around her. That's when she saw a brunette man and blond man talking to each other. The blond was looking down from the clouds through someone elses eyes at... her? In bed? <Come on, Willow. I'll call off the bet with Liber. Just be okay. I'll be a dog always and I won't care about being a god. How about that? Hmm? Just be okay.> She heard someone say.

Willow was suddenly pulled back from her dream and she awoke. She heard a voice ring through her head ever so softly. "Thank you gods!" It
exclaimed in relief. She said three shocked words and went back into unconsciousness, returning to the dream she was having.

"So, was that a promise, Cupie?" The brunette asked, looking through the clouds.

"As long as she is alright."

"You're... gods?" Willow asked from where she was on the clouds.

"Willow?!" Junior asked. Down in the mortal realm he stood up, looking down at his master's face.

"You said you wouldn't mind being a dog? Are you... Junior?" She asked.

"Don't, Cupid. You cannot tell her!" Liber stated, close to anger.

Cupid sighed. "You know the answer." The dog on the bed grinned. "I didn't tell her."

Liber stormed off in anger, lightning flashing as he left. The blond man stayed watching the mortal realm as Willow walked up to him. "Who are you?"

The man turned to look at her. "I'm Centees. Teacher to all Sprites and Nymphs." He greeted, holding his hand out for a hand-shake. "I was the one to direct Sprite and Elita your way." He stated. "They're to help you, without telling you what they're helping you do. There is a battle going on up here on your destiny. You and your friend ultimately decide the fate of the gods. It is unfair to put this pressure on you but... well, this is like the Olympics... but there is no silver medal. Do you understand, Willow?"

She nodded. "I decide your fate?"

"Yes. You and your friend. Take my advice... listen carefully to what your friends around you are saying. They hide secret meanings in every
message. On purpose too I might add." He held out his hand. "Walk with me." Accepting his hand they began walking. "There are two groups of gods in this bet. It is a long story and I cannot tell you all of it. You are part of the bet..." He'd begun his story to her and every word, Willow listened to carefully.

*^*^*

Spike watched as Willow's chest rose and fell with each breath. "Come on, baby. Wake up." He pulled the covers up over them after slipping in beside her. The vampire took his friend's hand and kissed the back. "Wake up for me, Willow."

Junior nudged Willow's cheek lightly, trying to wake her. <Wake up, Mom! I can stay a god now. The bet is still on! We need you! Spike especially!> The dog yelped, jumping off the bed and walking out of the room. <Now is not a good time, Whistler!> He grumbled, walking to Willow's room after receiving a telepathic message from his demon friend.

With one last sigh Spike kissed Willow lightly on the lips. "You told me you know Sleeping Beauty by heart, Pet. Why aren't you waking up yet?"

~Willow's Dream~

The girl smiled widely at what Centees had shown her through the clouds. "He kissed me!" She said happily.

"A good *friend* indeed." Centees said teasingly.

The girl blushed. "Okay, I admit, he's cute and sweet and... well, everything. I wouldn't be lying if I said I-I... I loved him."

Centees smiled. "Good. That'll make my job a lot easier." Said the man.

The red head beside him gave him a curious and cautious look. "Why? What's me loving Spike got to do with your job?"

He gave her a lopsided smile. "That's for me to know and you to find out, Child. Now, it's time for you to return. Do not speak a word of this to your friends. You can only share this information with one being."

Willow nodded and the next second her eyes were fluttering as she woke up on the bed. "Pet!" Spike shouted in surprise. "See? Sleeping Beauty! I knew it!"

"Spike?" She asked, turning her head to see him.

"Yeah, Luv. Want me to get you something?"

"No." With a smile she yawned. "But you could always try Snow White next. I need a Prince Charming in my life and I think you'd fit that role perfectly."

He rolled his eyes but bent in and placed a kiss on her lips. "Don't scare me like that *ever* again! Hear me?" He asked, placing his head on the pillow beside hers. "*Ever*!"

She smiled before starting to fall asleep. "Okay." <Two kisses in one day. Wonder if that made his job a little easier still.>
 

~Part 2~ Deceptions

The slayer stalked around the perimeter. In her past life she'd done bad things to the people living there, just because her friend had supposedly forgotten her. She killed their children, let her bandits rape and beat the mother while her husband watched on. Though it wasn't Buffy, she still felt responsible. What if history repeated itself? She looked up at the balcony beside the tree that had once had a young boy hanging from it. She looked down, walking away hurriedly. She needed to see someone.

*^*^*

Drusilla was sitting in her sire's old mansion, looking at the group of dolls that still sat in her old room. "I've been so very bad." She said, blood red tears down her cheeks. "Daddy wouldn't let me go out to play." A figure stepped in the doorway, making Dru look up. She narrowed her eyes. "You made me do those bad things!" She screeched.

"Calm down, Dru. I didn't do anything. That was Cari."

The vampiress pouted, folding her hands on her lap. "My Angel trusted you."

"And I trusted him." Buffy answered.

"Then why are you here? Angel doesn't trust me. I know it."

"Because... I need your help."

The brunette stood, walking slowly towards her nemesis. "Help a slayer?" She said in a growl.

"What I want... will help you too."

Dru ran a finger down Buffy's cheek. "You want your red tree back, don't you?"

"Yes."

"And I get my Spike?" Buffy nodded. "How?"

"I have two people that will get them for us... without even knowing it."

The vampire in front of her smiled wickedly. "You mean Angel."

"And my sister in slayage of course..." <Faith.>

*^*^*

Angel hung up the phone after getting an emergency phone call from Buffy. "Faith, we're going to Sunnydale."

"We just got back a few days ago and already we're bein' summoned? Man!" Faith got up from her chair as Angel handed her her coat. "What's it for
this time?" She asked as they walked to the Angel-mobile.

"Buffy said the chip in Spike's head is making him act differently." He opened his door and jumped in, scowling at Faith as she skipped opening the door, and just jumped in, putting her boots all over his leather seats. "Uh..." He shook his head, now was not the time to think about car seats... now was the time to think of how to stop his childe. "She said he was becoming abusive. He hit her."

"Are you kiddin' me? Give me the chance and *I'll* hit her. At least Blondie has a reason."

"But he could be dangerous. Especially to Willow since..."

Faith interrupted, "They live together."

"No. Since she loves him. You don't have any idea how he can use that against her."

"He doesn't know."

Angel rolled his eyes. "He's telling himself why she shouldn't love him, not why she should. That's blinding him."

"Then I hope he stays blind."

"So do I."

*^*^*

"They're on their way." Buffy said, hanging up the phone and turning to her partner-in-crime.

The vampire grinned evilly. "Can I have them both? Angel and Spike?"

Buffy thought for a moment. "Let me have one night with him. I can have Angel... you can have... Angelus. *If* this goes to plan."

*^*^*

Willow had her feet up on the couch. "So you're allowed to have your feet on the furniture but I'm not?" Spike asked as he walked in.

The witch looked up with a sheepish smile. "But it's so comfy!"

The vampire rolled his eyes, moving her feet as he sat down, putting them back on his lap once he was comfortable. Both of them groaned when
there was a knock at the door but after giving Willow Spike's best puppy dog eyes, the hacker stood and started walking towards the door. "Pet!"

"What? Ow!"

"What happened?"

"You made me run into the wall!" She giggled, holding her eye.

Spike snickered. "You're a bloody walking warzone, Luv. Go see who's at the door."

The red head rubbed her sore eye lightly as she opened the door. "Angel! Faith! Uh, hi! Come on in." She moved aside to let them enter.

"Peaches!" Spike growled. "Just what I need. We get rid of the poof and 'e comes back." The blond grumbled from the other room. "Like a bad bloody smell.

"Don't mind him. He gets edgy around any company lately."

"What happened to your eye, Red?" Faith asked, moving forward and removing the hand covering her eye.

"Ran into the wall." The girl replied with a roll of her eyes.

Angel growled, storming into the lounge room. "Go away, Peache-" Spike was slammed against the wall. "What the hell are you-"

"Shut up, Spike." His sire hissed, cutting him off. "We know about the chip."

"It's gone. Yeah. What of it?"

"We know it's malfunctioning."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Sure, Luv, pull the other one. Now put me down."

Angel slammed him against the wall again. "You hit girls still, Spike? Huh? Going to kill them next?"

"Heard they were tasty with mint sauce." The blond said teasingly.

Angel's demon face slipped on as he threw Spike towards the door to the porch. "Angel! Don't!" Willow ordered as she ran to Spike's aid. "He's just messing around."

The brunette vampire stepped forward, grabbing her chin. "You call that black eye messing around?"

"It wasn't Spike! I told you, I ran into the wall!"

"Don't protect him, Red. He's bad news. We know his chip is going off." Faith said, pulling a protesting Willow aside.

Spike dabbed at the back of his head, finding a bump forming. "Hell, Peaches, what side of the coffin'd you wake up on this mornin'?"

Angel growled. "We need to restrain him. Faith, the mansion." He quickly knocked Spike out.

"Spike!" Willow yelled. She tried to move closer to Spike but Faith held her back. "Angel, what's going on?"

The vampire ignored her question, looking at Faith while she talked to him. "You go. I'll stay with Will."

Her boss started to drag his childe out of the house while Faith kept a tight hold on Willow. "No." Willow whimpered. "Don't hurt him." She pleaded.

"We won't. We're just gonna fix that chip."

"Don't... hurt him." She sniffled.

*^*^*

Drusilla sat on the couch in the mansion, holding one of her dolls and rocking backwards and forwards. "My daddy's gone. My daddy's gone."

Angel walked inside, dragging Spike with him. "Dru." The vampire said in confusion.

The vampiress stood, looking sadly at her sire. "Angel?" She asked in a whisper. "Do you hate me, My Angel?" She asked, stepping forward.

"No, Dru. Why are you here?"

"I've been a bad bad girl, Daddy. I wanted to say I'm sorry. Do you want to punish me now?" She asked with her head lowered.

Angel moved over to the chains hanging from one wall. "No, Dru." He replied softly as her clamped the shackles around each of Spike's wrists.

"Then daddy isn't mad at princess?" She asked hopefully.

"No, Dru, I'm not mad at you."

A smile lit up her face as she walked over to hug him. He stepped back, making her pout. "You don't love your princess."

"Dru..." He sighed, trying the think of what to say when a sharp pain hit him in the back. With a grunt he turned around to see Buffy with a
tranquilliser gun in her hands. "Buffy?"

"Funny how you can fit special kinds of drugs even for, well, vampires in those darts, huh, Angel?" The slayer said, dropping her weapon. "Let's tie him to the bed." She added, as Drusilla helped her move him to the bedroom.

*^*^*

"Take me to him. Please, Faith. I want to know he's alright." Willow begged as the slayer kept guard over her.

"I haven't gotten a call to say it's alright yet." The brunette replied.

"Faith! Please!" She growled helplessly.

"No."

Willow stood, letting her claws come out. "I don't want to have to hurt you."

"You wouldn't." The slayer said, stopping her walk around the room to face the hacker.

The half-panther took her fighting stance. "Don't keep me away from him. I need to know he's alright, that's all."

Faith sighed heavily in defeat. "Come on. We'll take Blondie's car." She stated, moving out of the room with Willow behind her.

*^*^*

"They're coming." Dru said in a hushed voice.

"A vision?" The blond asked.

Dru nodded. "No more stars telling me. No more winds humming. Just visions." She replied.

"How does it feel to be sane?"

"You don't know?" The vampire asked with a slight hint of mischief in her grin.

The slayer smirked. "No. I don't know the meaning of that word." The girl said, pulling Angelus' trunk-of-torture out from under the bed Angel was currently strapped to.

"Don't scar him too much, Slayer. I want my own fun."

<You won't be getting any fun, Dru. Angel's going to be mine forever.> She smiled up at the vampiress then down at her lover on the bed. "We're
going to play a game, Angel." Pulling a knife out she climbed on to the bed to straddle his hips. "Truth... or blood."

Drusilla's eyes closed. "They're getting closer." She whispered.

"Go then. Pretend you're sorry again. First get Willow. Faith will be knocked back a bit after that. She won't fight as hard."

The brunette nodded, walking out of the room, immediately pretending to be the sorry, lost insane vampire she had pretended to be before.

*^*^*

Faith pulled the car up outside the mansion on Crawford street. She could weakly feel the vampires that were inside. Willow sniffed the air. "He's in there. So are Angel and Dru." She turned to Faith. "Why's Dru there?"

"I don't know." Faith replied. "Let's check it out."
 

~Part 3~ Mine, Yours, Mine

Willow walked in ahead of Faith and growled when she saw Spike chained up with Drusilla swaying from side to side nearby. The red head went to Spike's side, checking for any serious damage. "The stars... they're making a beautiful lullaby. My Angel... My Angel is sleeping. Beddy byes." The insane vampire said in a sing-song voice.

Spike's head rolled to the side as his eyes slowly opened. "Where's Angel?" Willow asked as she stood, restraining the need to search the house and rip his undead lungs out. "Drusilla... where is he?"

"He's asleep, little one. He's all sleepy and..." She yawned. "So so sleepy." She approached the red head, curling her hair around her fingers as she searched the girl's angry face. "He wanted to see you. Say he's sorry. Now he's sleeeeeepy." She crouched on the ground. Faith rolled her eyes. "You keep an eye on her, I'll go find Angel. Promise not to unchain Spike yet?"

Willow reluctantly nodded. "Okay. Just because I know he isn't psycho!" Willow called out as Faith walked down the hall. "Dru..."

The vampiress looked up with her game face, grabbing the girl and covering her mouth until she fell unconscious from lack of oxygen. "My little red tree is wilting." Picking the girl's limp form up she started walking towards Angel's room where Buffy was fighting Faith.

*^*^*

Faith was now bound and gagged in the corner of the room, her head spinning after the constant attacks Buffy had dealt her. She glanced over to the bed, seeing Buffy resuming her spot on Angel's hips as she picked her knife up again, asking him who he loved and cutting into him when he didn't answer. She put the knife away when she heard Drusilla calling that she was coming. Buffy grabbed a cloth wiping up the blood from Angel's chest and bringing fake tears to her eyes. "Angel! No, Angel, are you okay? Speak to me. We'll get out of here. Don't worry. Come on. You're okay." She said in a helpless voice as Drusilla brought Willow in. The girl was already waking up as Dru put her in the opposite corner to Faith. "Angel! Oh, please, Angel! I'm so sorry! I am! Please, I won't let her hurt you. Just wake up. I need you!"

Willow watched groggily as Buffy tried to mop the blood up from Angel's chest. Drusilla slammed the door shut behind her as she left, locking it
before walking back towards the main area where Spike was still chained. "Buffy?" Willow asked softly, holding her head, trying to block out the
dizziness.

The slayer turned to see her, blood running from her hairline down her face to her chin. "Wills. Oh god, Wills." She ran over to her friend and hugged her, sobbing. "She... she told me he was in trouble... and-and she knocked me out." She choked on one of her fake sobs. "She tied me up and threw me in here. Told me if I tried to do anything she'd kill mom and Giles! What do I do? They're somewhere here and... I... can't go to... find them! I've never felt so helpless." She cried, letting her tears fall on Willow's shoulder.

"Buffy, it's okay. We'll think of something. Shhh..." She whispered into the slayer's ear. "We can get out of this. You've done better."

<Not as well as this, Willow.> The slayer thought evilly as she clutched to her friend. <You're mine now.>  "Buffy, don't cry. Go help Angel. I'll untie Faith."

"No, Dru said... if I try anything..."

"But she won't know if we've untied her right?"

"Let's just leave her tied up while we make a plan, okay? If Dru comes in... we can pretend nothing's happened."

The hacker thought for a moment. "Okay. I get what you mean. Go help Angel. We'll work something out." As the slayer went to move away Willow
grabbed her arm. "I'm glad you're better now, Buffy." She said softly.

Buffy turned and gave her friend a smile. "So am I, Will." She walked to the bed, cleaning Angel's wounds while Willow got some more cloths from
the table against the wall and followed her.

*^*^*

"Spikey, my daddy's gone bad again." Drusilla pouted as she cradled her slashed arms, kneeling beside the blond. "He hurt princess, he's hurting little tree too."

Spike's nostrils flared, demon face at the fore as he rattled against the chains. "Angelus. I should've known. And that slayer's evil again." He looked up to the ceiling. "Why didn't I see?" He growled, thrashing the chains around. "Let me out of these, Dru."

"I tried to before, My Pet, but he did this to me." She showed him the long cuts along her arms. "And said that the little red kitten would get hurt."

"Is she okay, Dru?"

The brunette nodded. "Daddy said I was a bad girl, Spikey. He said you'd help me see what I did wrong."

Spike's eyes narrowed for a moment. "When I know Willow's safe."

Drusilla pressed the button on the clip in her hair. "She's okay." She said in a far-away voice.

*^*^*

Buffy heard the little beep on her hair-clip go off, glad that she had kept some of the equipment from her brief job at the Initiative. She turned to Willow, seeing her pre-occupied with cleaning Angel's wounds. She looked back down at the knife beside her. Accidents do happen. She picked up the knife and turned quickly, slashing against Willow's arm and hearing the girls shriek in pain. "Wills! I'm so sorry. Will, oh god, sorry." She said, grabbing a clean cloth and holding it over the cut. "I was just going to put the knife away. Will, I'm so *so* sorry."

"It's okay, Buffy. It was an accident." The witch replied, gritting her teeth together in pain.

Buffy picked the knife up again and put it over on the table again, an evil smile on her face as she turned away from Willow.

*^*^*

Drusilla collapsed to the ground, wailing as she clutched her stomach. "What? Dru, what'd you see?" Spike asked in a panic. He'd heard Willow's
scream and with Drusilla having a vision... things could not be good. "Dru!"

"She's bleeding. She's going so very white. I can't hear her heartbeat any more." The vampire responded, going off in a daze. "Why isn't she breathing. No, she can't be... she's Spikey's friend."

Spike's eyes went wide as he put two and two together. Willow was either dead or dying and he was chained to the wall. "I need to see her, Pet.
Let me out."

Drusilla turned to him with bloody tears in her eyes. "My daddy killed her and she's not coming back. Not like us. She's all white. My daddy's mad at me again." She curled into a ball.

"I won't let him hurt you, Pet." Spike promised, shaking his head to remove the tears from his eyes. "Let me out!"

Dru got up, fetching the keys to unchain him. "He'll be back any minute, Precious. He wants to hurt me again. I won't come back. Just like little
tree." She whimpered pathetically. "Let's go away. Far far away." She pleaded as Spike was unchained.

"I have to see Willow."

"She looks so bad, Spikey. Let her rest. She's gone away."

He looked down at her. "He tortured her?"

Drusilla nodded. "Please, let's go now, Spike. I don't like it here anymore."

The vampire looked down the hall where the scream had come from then grabbed Dru's arm. "I won't let him hurt you, Pet." He said. "I'm not losin' two... in one night." He growled out through his tears. "And I *will* come back and I *will* stake him for what he's done to Willow."

"I need to be safe, Spike."

"I know, Dru. Let's go." He said, pulling her out of the mansion, glancing back one last time. "I love you, petit chat." He whispered. "Even in death. I will be back."

*^*^*

Buffy heard the sound of an engine starting. "She's going! Wills! She's going!" The slayer kicked the door down and grabbed her friend.

"What about Faith and Angel?" The red head asked as she was dragged out of the room.

"I need to get you safe first, Wills. They can handle themselves."

"What about your mother and Giles?!"

"I'll get you home. If Drusilla took the car she'll be gone a while. I'll have enough time to come back for them after I get you to safety."

"But-"

"Willow, you need to be safe first. You've always been my number one priority."

The girl sighed heavily as she was pulled away from the mansion. "Okay, Buffy. Safety first. Rescue later." <Where was Spike? Did Dru take him? Oh goddess, no!> "Spike..."

"Didn't you see the ash on the floor?" Buffy asked, turning back to her friend. Her face dropped. "I thought you saw. It was blowing around when we were leaving. "Willow... Spike's gone."

"No!" Willow wailed, dropping to her knees.
 

~Part 4~ When You've Gone Away

Willow sat on her dormroom bed, unable to go back to Le Chateau de la nuit rouge. Buffy watched her friend with a frown. "Wanna go to the Bronze?" She asked in a happy voice.

"No." The witch replied through the pillow she was cradling. <It's been 3 weeks. 3 whole weeks. I haven't even gone back there. I hope Xander's
taking good care of Junior. Junior. I named him after Spike.>  The slayer frowned further then smiled again. "Hey, I hear there's a party down at the beach. I hear it'll be a blast!"

"No thanks." Willow sighed. <Spike told me he liked the beach. Said it was really beautiful, like me.> She sighed into the pillow.

"There's a frat party at Lowell House. Riley's kinda forgiven me and you're always welcome. Wanna go for a while?"

"Not really up to partying, Buffy." <Spike... loved... parties.> She sniffled.

"Well, we can always..."

"Look, Buffy, I just don't feel like going out, k?" The girl interrupted as she looked up, sad eyes finding her friend's. "I'm really sorry. You can if you want. I don't want to tie you down or anything." She looked back at the patch of carpet on the floor that she'd been staring at as she thought.

Flopping backwards on the bed Buffy sighed. "Will, you're no fun anymore."

"Of course not, Spike died."

Buffy went to throw a harsh comment but refrained, it wasn't time to be *that* Buffy again. The one that threw smart ass quips at the vampire,
tried unsuccessfully to stake him and cheered when he'd leave, only to sulk when he returned. "Wills, Spike's in a, well he's *probably* in a better place. I mean, anywhere is better than 'Sunnyhell' right?" She said, sitting back up to smile at her friend.

"Angel went to hell. I bet Spike will too. He's going to hate it there. Oh, Buffy, I miss him." She said as she started crying again.

Buffy frowned at the girl, her teeth grinding together. <This is going to be a lot harder than I thought. I'm competing with a dead guy! I can keep Angel and Faith away with heaps of threats, I can fool Giles, Xander and Riley with the good-girl act but for some reason, some fucking reason, I can't win against some dead guy! What's the world coming to?>

 *^*^*

Spike sat brooding in the dark of the motel room he and Drusilla were sharing. His former goddess walked in, seeing Spike sitting on a chair in the corner, looking off into the darkness. <Little Willow stole his heart, but I'll change that.> She thought to herself as she turned the lights on.

The blond in the corner looked up, his eyes narrowing for a second as he stood. "Dru, what's goin' on?" He asked, looking her over.

The vampiress stood by the door of the bathroom in a teddy and see-through robe. "What, Spikey?" She asked in her child-like voice. "Does Princess look ugly?" She asked with fake lack of self-esteem.

"No, Dru, baby, you look fine. Why are you doin' this?" He asked, more to the point than before.

"I wanted to give my pet a surprise." She said, stepping forward as she looked at him from under her lashes.

"Pet, my best friend died 3 weeks ago. I'm still mournin'. I thought you would've seen that." He said, moving towards the door of the motel and
looking out the window beside it as the first of the sun's rays started peeking out from behind the tall buildings.

"I have and you need a way to take the pain away, precious." She said, slowly putting her arms around his waist.

"Dru," He sighed, unwrapping her arms and stepping away and turning to face her as he held her hands. "You're always gonna be a part of me, and
I'll always care for you... but Willow took that *special* place. Now that she's gone I can't just move on. Understand, Luv?" He asked, looking into her eyes.

<Yes, this will be harder than I first thought.> She nodded, looking down.
 

~Part 5~ Without Your Love

Willow pulled the covers of her bed up around her as she sank down into the bed, notepad in one hand and her pen in the other. She moved her pen
to the top of the next page and scribbled down what she always wrote since Spike's 'death'. ~Feelings, Thoughts and Memories~ She'd done this
a lot when she was a kid. It seemed to help her beyond what her friends or even Jesse's parents, who were quite capable at handling children's
psychological problems, had told her might help. Now, she found that going back to her child-hood could be one of the best types of therapy she could find.

~Feelings- Depression. Why? I can still feel Spike. It's like his ghost, if he has one, is watching over me or something. Confused. Why? I guess it just goes with depression. I'm always asking myself 'why me?' but on the other hand I'm asking 'what is he doing there right now? is he happy?'. I guess it's confusion over having too many unanswered questions.~

~Thoughts- Riley. That's right, Riley. I actually told myself not to sink into depression today and saw how close he and Sprite have gotten. I didn't even notice. What kind of friend am I? Although, I did notice that Sprite had been going off on little trips. Five days of every week she would disappear, coming back for two days and then leaving again. Sometimes with Elita and sometimes not.~

~Memories- One day when Spike and I were cleaning the house we took a break, just talking about some stuff. I remember telling him how I would
love to have a white wedding when I get married. The next day I found a book on my bed, opened to a page that had a spell to make snow. As a
bookmark there was a tiny rose. It was so sweet of him. I've pressed the rose so I'll have it forever. I put it in a cover-slip so now I use it as a bookmark for my diary. That way I'll be able to remember him everyday, even though I know I could never forget him.~

*^*^*

Spike walked down the path of a familiar town. No people walking at that time of morning. He looked around at the familiar trees surrounding the
footpath. Nothing seemed to change, just the height of the trees as they aged and the footpath replacing the dirt track. Nothing more. Taking a thought from his memory he drifted to the left, cutting off the path as he walked into the trees, walking for a little while before finding his old hiding place when he needed a break from Drusilla and his sire. He sat. This still hadn't changed, to his liking. Leaning back, he looked down at the make- shift grave-stone. The grave of a child he'd tried saving. The child was only about 3 when it happened, but Drusilla took no pity. She drained the child until she was in danger of taking the rest of the body's fluids, and then dumped the child on the bed she shared with her sire. Before Angelus returned Spike gathered the child up in his arms and took it away for burial. There was just something about the child that made him do such a thing he never would have done prior to the incident. With others he would've been fine watching, but this one child... maybe he was crazy, but it was like looking into the future.

A look of thought formed on his face as memories flooded his head, breaking through to take over and drag him into a day-dream. "Dadda." The child whispered as it approached him. "Dadda."

"Not your 'dadda', Pet." He replied, moving away.

"Da-ah-dadda." It said as it swallowed a sob, while more threatened to escape.

Spike turned, looking at the child and frowning when he saw the sad expression on it's face. "I'm not your dadda. Us vampires can't 'ave children, you know." He said, kneeling down in front of the toddler. "Where is your dadda then?" He asked.

The child pouted shaking it's head, letting the tiny locks of red hair shake about her face. "D-D-da-"

"Yeah, I know, I know. Okay, Luv, let's find your dadda."

"Spikey!" A soft voice called through the darkness. "Spikey! Where is my Spike?!" Drusilla sang from nearby.

The vampire looked down at the child before him. As if knowing what he was thinking tears started running down the child's cheeks. "I won't let 'er take you, Luv." He whispered to the child.

As he picked her up and started to walk away Drusilla turned the corner. "There you are, precious!" Said the vampiress as she approached.

Spike cringed, turning to the woman. "Drusilla."

"Oh!" She exclaimed gleefully. "You brought me a present! How sweet." She sniffed the girl's hair. "Indeed." The woman put her hands out for the child.

He looked down at the child, seeing it's eyes lose all laughter from them, somehow knowing it's death was near. "No, Dru." Looking up, he saw
Drusilla's nostrils flare in anger, her eyes turning golden at his statement.

"She's not yours!"

"She's not *yours* either!" He shouted back. "Not the kids, Pet. Not the kids." He said, almost pleading. If he wasn't a vampire, this could very well have been his own. If he wasn't a vampire... he might want to keep this one. Drusilla roared, clawing at the other brunette and snatching the child away. Tiny whimpers came from the toddler as Dru began feeding. "No!" Spike protested, watching as the child's life was cut short by the woman in his life. He turned away, feeling an ache form in his unbeating heart. "Hell, Dru." Whispered the man. Turning back around he saw she'd finished, following her back to their lair where he snatched the dead body away to put it in it's proper place, instead of hanging from the wall as a trophy... like the others that became victims to Angelus and Drusilla.

Spike returned from his day-dream, standing and moving closer to the head-stone of the grave, putting a tiny kiss on the stone. "She won't get you now, Pet. She never will again." He whispered before walking away, out onto the path again and walking back to the home he was sharing with Drusilla.

*^*^*

Willow looked down at the photo of her from her child-hood, as a toddler. Tiny red locks of hair and a freckle covered nose. She looked so shy and innocent. Two little marks on her neck stood out at that age. Now, at 19, as she ran her fingers over her pulse point she felt the marks again. The ones that looked so much like a faded vampire bite.
 

~Part 6~ A Step To The Answer

"You okay?"

"No."

"Want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Wanna go out?"

"No."

"Do you still miss Spike?"

"What kind of a question is that?! Of course I miss him!" Willow growled back as she sat curled up on Anya's couch.

Anya put her hands up in defense and looked over to Elita, giving her a 'well?!'look. "There is a way you can be at peace with this, Willow."
The dragon-girl said.

The red head looked up. "H-how?"

Elita stood, moving to the center of the room and sitting cross-legged on the floor, motioning for Willow. The girl got up and followed, sitting opposite her, mimicking her position. "We'll need you for this too, Anyaka."

Anya raised an eyebrow, pointing to herself in question then moving to sit with the other two, making a triangle. "Why?"

"We're calling Pluto."

"What?! Why?! No, we can't! That's dangerous!" Anya protested, getting ready to stand.

"You want to help Willow, you'll sit!" Elita said, her eyes narrowing.

Anya sat back down with a pout. "I thought you dragon people were supposed to be peaceful." She grumbled.

"Call for Pluto, I send to thee my question. Appear before us... and hopefully don't kill us." Elita whispered as she began the spell. "We call for..." She was cut off as they were transported, falling onto the ground in a dark chamber. "That's not supposed to happen." She muttered as they all sat up again.

Willow looked around, standing up. "Where are we?"

"You do know you aren't supposed to use that spell, do you not?" Pluto asked as he stepped inside with them. "It has been forever banned on
Olympu- oh, Elita. Long time no see. Anyaka! I'm quite a fan of yours. What can I do for you?" He asked, putting his arms behind his back and
smiling at the trio.

"Did a vampire by the name of Spike ever get down here?" Elita asked as she stood.

"Spike? There are a lot of Spikes. Do you want the original, William the Bloody, or do you want one of his copy-cats?"

"William the Bloody." Willow spoke up.

"William? No. Sorry. Never came through the gates I'm afraid. We could personally check Tartarus and the Elysian fields if you like but... I haven't had any word of his appearance."

"We'll do it." The witch said in a determined voice as she moved closer to Pluto. "I want to see him."

The old god looked down at her curiously. "Has he harmed you in any way?"

"The only way he's harmed me is by dying!" She said, her bottom lip began trembling as her eyes started going blurry with oncoming tears.

The god nodded with a smile. "Ah, you must be Nature Girl. I have my money on you two. I believe in true love. But..." He sighed. "Persephone is in the fields right now. I do miss her when she goes on her walks." Said the man as he went off on a day-dream. "Anyway, let's go see if William's down here somewhere." The god held his arm out to Willow as he led the girls away.

*^*^*

7 hours later after doing a scan of the entirety of Tartarus, they'd started on the Elysian Fields. When, another 5 hours later, they'd still found no sign of Spike in the fields, but had met Persephone, they returned back to the mortal plane where Willow sat in confusion on the floor. "What if vampires don't go there? What if they go to a vampire place?"

"Willow, Pluto said Spike had copy-cats and other vampires down there. Vampires do go there. Oh, hey, did you recognise that spirity thing hangin' around Persephone? Kinda shy? Tall and... *brooding*?" Elita hinted.

Anya's mouth dropped. "You mean that Angel guy?"

"Angel!" Willow muttered. "He took him from me. Got us into this whole mess in the first place!"

"Don't blame Angel for what Dru did." Said Elita, as she stood and headed for the kitchen. The door opened and everyone turned, seeing Sprite. Elita quickly moved towards her, as they spoke in whispers. Sprite looked sadly back at her friend, shaking her head as she moved further into the room, dropping her backpack on the ground.

Anya stood, looking at her. "Where'd you go this time?" She asked.

"Paris." She muttered then looked over at Willow. "He's not dead. I'd feel it!" She sighed, flopping down on the couch.

"That's where you go?" Willow asked, looking at her in shock. "You travel the world just looking for him?"

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't the time." She sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "I'm going to England in a few days. See if I can spot him in his old lairs. Ask around a bit." The nymph shrugged. "Honestly... this is getting tiring. I don't know how much longer before I need to go back to the springs."

"Springs?"

Elita nodded. "All nymphs need to regenerate. The older ones can last longer but Sprite's been away for a while."

"6 months."

"You should go back." Elita said, rubbing the girl's shoulder.

"No. Spike first. I can't let Cupid down!"

"Cupid? Oh, you mean Spike Junior." Willow said, sitting forward. She clasped her hand over her mouth. "I wasn't supposed to tell." She looked up at Anya, biting her lip.

Anya smiled. "Oh, I know. Sprite and Elita told me." She sat down beside her friend.

Willow looked down then back up again. "I think Buffy lied. I don't think Spike's dead."

"What?" Anya asked.

"Buffy... I mean, she might've acted really nice these past weeks and everything but she's still that obsessive little slayer inside. I mean... how would Angel and Faith have known if Spike's chip malfunctioned?" She asked, looking at the ex-demon as if she'd struck a jackpot. "I never saw Spike get dusted! Pluto said he hadn't seen him, we didn't even see him there! Sprite would've felt him..."

"Ask Angel." Sprite whispered.

The red headed witch turned to her. "You sure?"

"Just call. It's not like *I'm* gonna talk to him." She replied.

Willow pounced on the phone, dialling the number. "Angel..."

"Cordy, it's Willow. Can't talk. Put Angel on."

"OKay, okay. Geez. Just a minute... Angel!" The girl bellowed.

Angel picked up the phone. "I... I can't talk, Willow. I'm busy..."

"Spike's dead."

"What? No he's not. I would've felt him go."

"So you didn't feel it?" Willow asked, her mood lightening. "Angel, come to Sunnydale."

"I-I can't. There's too much at stake. Literally."

Willow growled. "Angel, get your ass down here! I gave you your soul! Just remember, you *owe* me!" She slammed the phone down, almost breaking the contraption as she did it. She looked back at the others. "He's coming."

Anya looked at the others then back at Willow. "He might not be dead."

"He's *not* dead." She said, sighing as she closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm so tired." She said in a whisper, while the others helped her up and led her to one of the rooms to lie down.
 

~Part 7~ Two Lost Souls

The door opened to the darkened room. Willow looked up, rubbing her sleep-filled eyes as she stared at the silhouette in the doorway. "Spike?" She asked softly.

The figure stepped further into the darkness, closing the door behind it. The girl's claws came out to protect herself from the silent phantom. A soft voice started whispering in her ear. "Trouve le chemin. J'ai besoin de toi."

"Wh-what?" She asked, still being careful as to who was in her room.

"I need you, petit chat. Find me." Spike's face was lit up by a flash of light before disappearing, only to be replaced by an image of the English flag.

*^*^*

Willow sat upright in the bed. She looked around for a moment before jumping out of bed and running out to the lounge room. "He's in England!" She shouted. Everyone jumped up in shock, panting when they saw it was only Willow. "I had a dream! He needs me! Quick! Let's go!"

"Willow, we need money for a plane ticket, besides they take too long." Anya said, dropping down on to the couch again.

"I have money!" She yelled. "Spike's, remember?"

"It'd take too long."

"Not if we fly light... and express." Sprite turned slowly, looking at the other nymph.

"Wha-uh... oh shit. Not again." Elita grumbled. She stood, heading for the door. "Fine, just get some warm clothes on. It'll be cold and fire's too dangerous on you guys while I'm flying." She walked out with the others behind her.

*^*^*

They were halfway to England on the back of the dragon, shivering even with all the warm clothes they could fit on their bodies. The dragon coughed up a few sparks as she tried to go even faster than she was, already rivalling a jet. Willow held on to the horns around her waist, trying to keep a grip on not only her safety 'belt' but also reality. Her life was strange, it was now about to get a bit more complicated.

*^*^*

Spike walked down the path on one of England's many streets. He looked up at the old buildings that were surprisingly still standing. He headed for the path in the trees for the last time before his ultimate fate. The vampire made his way through the trees, finding the grave-site again, his only place he could find peace... in his homeland, with the grave of a redhead much like his Willow. An innocent little girl, that had been killed by a vampire close to him. He wouldn't avenge Willow, at least not in this life. Instead, he'd join her in death. Spike pulled the stake from his pocket, looking at it as he knelt before the tiny girl's grave. Whispering a tiny prayer to the heaven's, like he'd watched Willow do so many times in the past, he began to do what she'd always loved. Spoke in French. He spoke from his unbeating heart as his last words came from his lips, about Willow. "Je ne peux pas repirer, je ne peux pas dormir, je ne peux pas vivre... sans toi."

Angling the stake towards his heart to took one last unneeded breath. "Spike!" Willow called out as the tip of the stake went through his skin. "No!" She screamed. The stake dropped from Spike's hands as he looked up to the red head running towards him. "Spike! Oh Goddess! Spike!" She yelled again.

"Red?" He asked softly.

As the girl tackled him he let out a grunt, falling onto his back as Willow fell on top of him and squeezed him to death. "Spike. Spike. Spike. Spike." She repeated over and over.

He laid there in shock as the tiny hacker clutched to him. When he finally got over his shock enough to move his arms wrapped around her, while he buried his face in her neck. "Oh, Willow." He sighed, thanking the gods for listening to him.

"What happened to petit chat?" She asked through a sob, sitting back with tears in her eyes, but a smile on her face.

The vampire sat up, holding her to him. "Whatever you want, petit chat. Whatever you want. What the hell happened? I thought you were dead!"

"I thought you were too. Buffy said..."

"Wait..." He interrupted her. "*Buffy* said?"

"Yeah. She-she said Dru staked you. I *knew* she was lying!"

The vampire growled. "Dru told me she felt Angelus kill you."

"What? No. She kidnapped Buffy and caught Angel and Faith. She locked us in a room."

Spike stood, letting Willow down softly. "They're workin' together."

"You think?"

He nodded. "Enough of that though. We'll fix them when we get back. How'd you know I was here?"

"I had a dream."

He smiled. "Have dreams of me often, Ducks?"

"Oh, all the time." She said with a grin as they both laughed, holding each other as they walked back to the street where the other three were waiting for them. "He's alive!" Willow exclaimed as the tears finally started streaming down her face again while Anya stepped forward and enveloped her in a hug, one of Willow's hands still firmly grasping Spike's.

"That's great. I'm cold. Can we go now?" Sprite said, trying not to smirk at Spike. "I *knew* you'd be in England. I just *knew* it!" She said, starting to move away with Anya and Elita behind her.

Spike's mouth dropped. "That's all she 'as to say?" He asked Willow.

The red head shrugged, smiling at him. "She thinks you're predictable at the most unpredictable times."

He nodded slowly. "Strange little nymph."

The girl hugged him tightly. "Don't go again."

"I won't, Princess. I won't."

"So, what've you been doing?" She asked casually.

"Oh, you know... brooding, being a right nonce if you ask me."

The girl giggled. "Really? You brooded?"

"Well, I thought you were dead, Kitten. You think I'd be trying to move on with my unlife? Hell no. You're too important for me to not brood a bit."

"I'm important?"

The vampire smiled down at her. "You're the most important thing to me, Pet. I was going to stake myself so I could see you again."

She stopped walking. "You were going to stake yourself for me?" Willow asked in a whisper.

"I would not only kill for you... I'd *die* for you. If you told me to stake myself right now... I wouldn't blink an eye. I'd be dust, Pet."

"Well don't!" She quickly said, giving him a look. "If I tell you to never ever ever stake yourself... would you?"

"If you told me not to then I wouldn't."

"Good. I'd die for you too."

"How about we just stay livin' a little big longer, petit chat."

"Alright... Knight."

"Petit chat?"

"Yeah, Knight?"

"How'd you get over here... and find me? I mean, England's a pretty big place if you're lookin' for one person."

"Well, I knew you were in England from the dream, uh, Sprite knew a few places you might go so when we flew over that place Elita kinda... smelt
the air. We ended up here and we all started going in one direction. I smelt you... that panther thingy was going into over-drive. I found you." She smacked his arm. "You were going to stake yourself."

"I thought you were dead!"

"Well I thought *you* were too but I did something about it! I went to hell to see Pluto and ask if you were there!"

"You went to hell for me?"

"Yeah, but no one could see us but him and Persephone. She's really nice. Saw Angel's soul there too, except he can't be fully there until Angel is dust."

"Did you see my soul?"

She smiled. "Yup." Her face turned confused. "He was sitting under a tree with this little girl in his lap."

Spike smiled as they walked along. <She'll never get you now, Luv.> "Good."

*^*^*

Okay, I know Spike got soppy. That's the point of the fic. Besides, I can dream!
 

Meanings:
Trouve le chemin. J'ai besoin de toi - Find the way. I need you back.
Je ne peux pas respirer, je ne peux pas dormir, je ne peux pas vivre ... sans toi - I can't breathe, I can't sleep, I can't live... without you.
 

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