Tara had been remarkably understanding about Willow's behavior at the Bronze. She seemed to get that Willow hadn't been totally herself for days and that something really came over her when Spike showed up. They both agreed that Spike was probably the trigger but the what, why, and how were still undecided.
"Here's what we know so far," Willow was saying. The two young witches and the Slayer had gathered at Giles' to compare notes. Willow seemed nervous. She held up her hand and extended a finger for every point she made. "One. Somehow, Spike was attacked. Two. He ended up here - and in retrospect, I don't think it was by choice or luck - Three. He was acting all wiggy. Four. He and I were the only ones to touch that little gold arrow. Five. I started acting all wiggy."
"So, we know that arrow is the key," Buffy joined in. "What we don't know is who is behind it or what is going on."
"We also know it's getting worse," Tara added.
Giles looked to her. "How do you mean?"
Willow's gaze fell to her lap and Tara squeezed her knee for comfort. "Willow needs to see him," was all she said at first. After a long pause, Tara continued. "I think some sort of connection or bond has been formed. The longer they go without seeing each other, the more it affects Willow. Last night, it was getting really bad. She broke out in a cold sweat. I didn't know what to do. Then, all of the sudden, she was okay. I went over to the window and saw that Spike was outside. I think there's some sort of physical link."
"Willow," Giles prodded, "can you tell us any more?"
"Just that I think whatever is happening is getting stronger. Did you ever see that episode of Star Trek ? The one where Captain Picard and Doctor Crusher couldn't leave each other's presence without getting physically sick and they could read each other's minds? Only I can't read Spike's mind, which is good, I think."
Buffy stood up to pace. "Thank the Hellmouth for small favors."
"How do you feel now, Willow?" Giles asked gently.
"I can feel it building." She ran a nervous hand through her hair.
"Well," he sat back and removed his glasses. He hated it when one of them was directly targeted by the latest general menace. "At least we have some places to start: golden arrows, physical bonds... I'll start looking through my books."
"Do you think Xander would bring donuts?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It was just after dusk. They hadn't come up with much researching, mostly just ruling things out. Willow had become increasingly agitated over the past hour. She kept a constant eye on the door. She pulled her feet up on the couch and drew them to her chest. Tara was obviously concerned. She could sense that Willow was struggling not to show how she felt. Giles was in the kitchen making some tea to soothe her. Tara joined him in the kitchen.
"Do you think Spike is feeling the same sort of withdrawl?" Tara kept her voice low. "I mean, since he's a vampire, maybe he - " Her comment was interrupted when the front door of the apartment flew open.
Spike stepped in and strode purposefully to the sofa. He sat next to Willow. Neither of them had to say anything. Giles and Tara came out of the kitchen to find them sitting there, serenely, breathing evenly. That last part really said the most, since Spike didn't need to breathe and Willow had been holding her breath in for over an hour.
"I guess that answers my question."
Spike lit a cigarette. He took a long draw from it and let the smoke out as he spoke. "I assume you wankers are working on a way to fix this?"
Giles was going to retort, but Willow beat him to it with a concise "Well, duh ." The pain in her side, the growing unease, it had all begun fading as soon as Spike was in the same room. Now that he was sitting beside her, she felt comfortable, completely at ease. Spike seemed rather at home, too. He wasn't looking at them with his usual contempt. He was just non-chalantly having a smoke.
"Good. Hope it doesn't take too long; I'm not letting you out of my presence until this is reversed." Spike's tone was clipped, final, and not a little possesive, which unnerved Tara in a way she couldn't quite outline.
Giles made a mental note. "So, you feel this, eh, bond, is getting stronger, then?"
"Look, mate, call it what you want. The past few times, a little was enough to last awhile. Now, the witch stays with me."
Giles and Tara looked to Willow for her disapproval of the situation. She was looking at Spike. "You can stay with me. I'm not hanging around in some crypt. I've got a life and stuff."
Giles and Tara looked back to Spike for his sure-to-come indignation at Willow's taking command. The vampire met the girl's defiant face. "You got heavy curtains?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next week was a whirlwind of weirdness. Research into Spike and Willow's newfound nearness clause had to be put off as a more prominent evil arose. But that didn't keep the gang from noticing that Willow and Spike's "connection" didn't seem to be reaching a plateau of any sort. The two steadily needed to be around each other closer, longer, and more frequently. And one night, it reached a disturbing new level. Touch.
They didn't need much contact. A hand here, a leg brushing up against the other's there. But it caused any number of difficult situations. Oddly enough, the afflicted ones didn't seem to mind. Willow and Spike were taking pretty much the whole thing in stride. They communicated without speaking. They couldn't read the other's mind, but it didn't matter because they didn't have to. As their bond increased, so did their attuneness to one another.
The rest of the gang, on the other hand, was kind of freaking out. Tara wasn't speaking much, since having Spike around constantly put an impossible strain on her relationship with Willow. Buffy and Xander were at wit's end over their friend's behavior. They felt like part of Willow had been in a trance for two weeks now. So, while as uncomfortable as Willow and Spike's new touchy-feely phase was, it did present one bizarre ray of hope: the matching symbols that had mysteriously appeared at the base of the couple's necks. It looked like a stylized heart, with a winking eye.
The gang scheduled a full-blown "we end this tonight" meeting at Giles'
place. Anya told them she'd be late. She didn't say it was because she
recognized the symbol and had a little conjuring to do.