Part One
"Red, wait. Red, I love you."
"I don't care Spike, I just don't care anymore." Willow walked away
from him, into the sunlit street where he couldn't follow her. Slowly she
wandered down the streets of Sunnydale, unmindful of the people around
her, happy, laughing. She turned over the events of the last six months
in her head. It had been six months since Buffy had died. Spike had been
miserable, desperate for comforting. He had turned to Willow. Tara had
run off, she felt responsible for Buffy's demise. Together Willow and Spike
had formed a friendship, being supportive for each other. Over time they
had fallen in love, or so she thought. She had been working at the Magic
Shop, helping Giles unload a new shipment. He had let her go home early.
//Flashback//
"Are you sure Giles? I don't mind staying late."
"No, that's quite alright, I know you want to get home." He gave
her a gentle smile. It had been clear that it was only a matter of time
before
Willow and Spike found happiness with each other. The fact that
they were now in love made Giles very happy, he loved Willow like a daughter,
she
deserved some happiness. "Go on, have a good evening."
"You too Giles."
Willow had smiled the whole way home, she was so happy with Spike. Unlocking the front door, she stopped dead when she heard the moans coming from her room upstairs. Taking tiny steps up the stairs, she pushed the door open. Spike was on top of the Buffy Bot, and thrusting in. Willow felt her eyes well up with tears, how could he do this to her?! She turned and fled down the stairs.
//End Flashback//
Willow looked at the store sign in front of her. "Myth and Magic?" She mussed, couldn't hurt to take a quick peek. Entering she heard the soft jingle of door chimes. The store was filled with everything a witch could want, and yet seemed so open and iniviting. Books lined the walls, leatherbound and old. Willow could feel the contained power in them. Jars and vials were along another, every color of the rainbow glistening in there.
"Who has hurt you?" Willow whirled around, almost dropping her bag. A tall young woman was standing in the darkened doorway to the backroom of the shop. "I'm sorry to startle you, I'm Maeve, but please, call me Nutmeg."
"I'm Willow, how did you know I was hurt by someone?"
"If I do not frighten you, I will explain." Nutmeg stepped into the
room fully. She had skin like coffee and cream, her eyes were amber, a
golden hue
with flecks of red and green in there depths. Her hair was dark, blacker
than the night that shone in the light. Willow's eyes were drawn to the
large green wings behind her. They were like a Swallow Butterfly's,
fifteen feet across. Black furry antena sprouted from the top of her head,
brushing the doorway's frame. "Come sit, talk with me about what your heart
knows."
Part Two
"Well, you see. I've been dating this guy for a while now. His name
is Spike. And you see he was in love with my best friend who died six months
ago. Then he and I started to hang out together, trying to help each
other get through it. So I fell in love with him, but thought he still
loved my
dead friend, Buffy. He told me he loved me, and we started dating.
I love him so much." Willow stopped and started crying hard, her body shaking
with sobs. Nutmeg floated a box of Kleenex to her.
"Easy my friend. It canna be so bad as all this." Willow blew her nose and wiped at her puffy red eyes.
"He was, well, there was a robot, of Buffy, and he was, he was, he was
having,...sex...with her, I mean it." Willow tucked her chin against her
body. "It hurts so much."
"It'll be al'ight. He's not worth the tears." Nutmeg wrapped her arms around the slender witch, her wings engulfing her in a tight hug. Willow sobbed for what seemed like hours, rambling on about how cruel it was, and how much she loved him.
Willow sat up, her eyes were red and bloodshot, but she had a determined
look on her face. "You're right. He's a jerk for doing this to me. I deserve
better." Nutmeg nodded and stroked the redhead's hair gently. "On the
shelf next to you is a small glass vial. It's a pale green. Take it with
you. Before you speak with this Spike of yours, drink it down. Goddess
bless my child." Willow picked up the vial and stumbled out the door.
She sat on a nearby bench to catch her breath for a moment. turning
around to thank Nutmeg, she saw only a vacant lot, she lurched to her feet
and walked towards where not a moment before had been a shop. "What? I
know it was here, I just know it!" She walked around the lot, but found
nothing but weeds. The tiny vial was still tightly in her hand, but nothing
else was there. Willow shook her head, and made her way home in the early
dawn's rising light.
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