Spike kept his eyes on Willow watchfully until she disappeared inside the safety of her home. Knowing that for the moment, she was safe, Spike directed his attention outwards. He was waiting for what had once been the driving force of his existence. His dark Goddess.
He didn't have long to wait. Drusilla was a vision of enraged beauty as she stalked out of the shadows to stand in a pool of light provided by a street-light. Her dark eyes flashed with ire, and she was growling low in her throat.
"...Dru..." Spike drawled out as time seemed to slow around them. His Princess. Here. With him. With _Willow_. His eyes flickered towards the house, and Spike's sharp eyes picked out Willow's worried face from behind the curtains. She was nibbling on her lower lip frantically, and even from where he stood, Spike could see the gears wildly turning in her mind.
A low, rumbling growl from Drusilla tore Spike's gaze away from the worried face at the window. Drusilla glared at him and stomped forward, her red dress swirling around her trim ankles with each step. She came to a stop inches from Spike, and her growling ceased. Her eyes were huge and pleading as she looked up at him. "Why did you leave me, Spike?" Drusilla whined, one hand clutching at Spike's arm.
Spike didn't even attempt to contain his own snarl. "You left me, remember, ducks? Does 'not demon enough' ring any bells for you?" The hurt and rage he'd felt at hearing that coming from Drusilla was plain in his low voice as he hurled her words back at her.
Drusilla blinked slowly, as if fighting back tears. "I'm sorry, Spike... Please come back to Princess?"
"Got tired of your little Chaos Demon?" he spat, the memory of her embracing that foul creature burned into his memory for an eternity. Spike drew a deep breath into his dead lungs, willing himself to stop before he roused Drusilla into a rage. "I have someone--"
"No!" Drusilla shrieked, cutting off Spike's explanation. Her hand withdrew from it's perch on his arm, and flung outwards, gesturing towards the spot where Willow stood, transfixed. "You don't belong to that _mortal_!"
"I don't _belong_ to anyone, Dru. Not even you. Not anymore."
Drusilla's hand lashed towards him, catching Spike's face in a stinging blow. Too shocked to react, Spike merely stood motionless, his eyes latched on Drusilla's bloodless face. "Spike..." Dru moaned unhappily before crossing the last few steps between them. She rose onto her toes, her thin arms wrapping around Spike's neck possessively.
For one glorious moment, everything was perfect as their mouths met. The feel of Drusilla in his arms was so very familiar, and something that he had been longing for ever since she left. Without thinking, his arms drew her closer as he deepened the kiss.
Spike had almost lost himself within Drusilla's intoxicating presence when an image of Willow forced it's way to the surface of his mind. 'Willow! She's seeing this!' The thought sent a burst of guilt through Spike for reasons he dared not examine. He pulled back, pushing Drusilla away roughly. Spike's eyes swung towards the window where Willow had been standing to find it empty.
Drusilla smiled triumphantly at the pained look on Spike's face. Her hand wound into Spike's, filling the place where Willow's warm presence had been only moments earlier. "Come home with Princess now, Spike..." she cooed, drawing him along behind her.
"I'm very disappointed in you!" Drusilla chided, glaring up at the hulking stone statue that had nearly brought about world destruction. One blood red nail drummed against the frozen monster's cool chest, the repetitive sound of her fingers against the stone loud in the otherwise silent room. Drusilla thrust up onto her toes, stretching her body out as far as possible in an attempt to reach the statue's eyes. "You sucked Daddy right into you. Is my dark Angel inside your belly?"
Spike grimaced at the mention of their sire. "Come here, Dru. We have to talk," he commanded. His restless pacing ceased momentarily as he waited for Drusilla to heed his orders.
Pouting, Drusilla abandoned her perch on the monstrosity and sashayed over towards Spike. "Talk, Spike? Don't you want to play?" Her nail ran across Spike's jaw, blood welling up in it's path. Drusilla licked her lips hungrily.
With an irritated sigh, Spike pushed Drusilla back before she could lick at his wound. 'How did I put up with her moods for so very long?' Spike wondered, even as the urge to take Drusilla up on her offer roared through him.
"Talk, Dru," Spike said sternly. "Tell me why you're back here."
"I missed you..." Drusilla said, wide eyed. "That nasty Chaos Demon was icky, not like you." Seeing that Spike's expression hadn't softened, Dru's lip trembled pitifully. "I'm _sorry_... Come back to me, Spike... _Please_. I need you..."
Spike hissed. He'd wanted to hear those words coming from her for so very long. 'Then why don't they feel as good as I expected them to?' He loved Dru. It seemed that he had since the day Angelus had led her into their clan, still dressed in her bloodied nun's habit.
He _loved_ her. He _needed_ her. There was nothing else he could do.
"It's okay, pet," Spike sighed, drawing her into his arms. Drusilla's head leaned against his shoulder as she snuggled up against him in contentment. Spike's hand absently ran across her thick hair as he struggled with his thoughts. "We'll just have to avoid the Slayer... and avoid killing people," he added, recalling his promise to Willow.
'I wonder what she'll think about this? I know that Willow doesn't think well of Dru... and I doubt that Dru will be about to share me with any other female, no matter how innocent the relationship.' The possibility of giving up the Slayerette sent a pang of loss through Spike. 'Bloody Hell! She isn't anybody important! Not compared to my dark Goddess,' the words were hollow.
"No!" Drusilla protested. "I don't want to stay here, Spike. Bring Princess somewhere pretty... and _tasty_."
Spike blinked. "Leave?"
Drusilla was his life. Willow was just a passing amusement. Drusilla was eternity. Willow was death waiting to happen. Drusilla was his love. Willow was--
Drusilla nodded, her eyes glowing eerily in the darkened room. "Leave."
Willow paced across her room like a caged animal, needing to be out _doing_ something, but knowing that the safest, smartest thing to do was remain safely tucked away in her house.
"Yes, I'm _sure_!" Willow hissed into the phone cradled between her shoulder and ear. "It was Drusilla. There's no doubt about it whatsoever!" She was nearly hysterical. Willow peeked out into the darkness through her window before withdrawing into her room.
Cordelia's concern was plain even through the phone. "Maybe you should be calling Buffy about this, Willow... Nutso vampire is more of a Slayer thing..."
Willow dropped onto her bed with a groan. "I can't do that! Buffy's suspicious enough about Spike already. If I tell her that Drusilla's here, who knows what conclusions Buffy might jump to?" The moment the words crossed her lips, Willow was on her feet and prowling her room once again. If her mother hadn't been obliviously sleeping just down the hall, Willow's restlessness would have propelled her from her room. As it was, it kept her in constant motion.
"I wonder what she wants," Cordelia mused.
The memory of Spike and Drusilla's heated embrace leapt into Willow's mind. "Oh, I know exactly what that... that... _creature_ wants!" Willow hissed.
"Willow?" Cordelia asked, surprised by the venom in her friend's voice.
"Does bleached blonde vampire ring a bell?"
"Is _that_ what this is about?" The tone of Cordelia's voice made Willow bristle in irritation.
She stalked over to the window once more and jumped as she saw Spike drop over the railing of her balcony. "I'll talk to you later," Willow said abruptly, hanging up the phone on Cordelia. She placed the phone on the floor and hurried to open the door.
"Spike!" Willow nearly sobbed. "What happened?"
The vampire shifted from foot to foot, looking everywhere but at Willow's alternatively angry and worried eyes. "I just stopped by to say that... Dru and I are leaving, luv."
The breath exploded out of Willow as if she had just been punched in the stomach. "You're... leaving?" Her hand flailed out, grabbing at her doorframe for support. 'Stop quivering, Willow!' her mind snapped, gathering up the tattered remains of her control. 'Keep your dignity, at least!'
"Yes. We'll tour Europe... kill, torture, destroy... a real honeymoon type of event." Spike winced as Willow's face blanched.
"Oh... Well! I'm sure the two of you will have tons of fun! Lots of fun for Spike and Dru!" Her mouth snapped shut and Willow smiled weakly. The ring seemed to burn around her finger.
"I've--" Spike hesitated. "I've enjoyed the time we've spent together. I won't forget you."
'Yes you will. You have your precious Princess, and you'll start hurting people again, and within months, I'll have totally faded from your memory.'
"I know, Spike. I won't forget, either. Be well." Their fingers met in a fleeting touch, and then Spike was gone. Only after Spike was gone did Willow allow her tears to fall.
~End~