"You ready for this, pet?" Spike asked.

Willow nodded, "As ready as I'm going to get."

Spike brushed a finger along the purpling bruise that stained the flesh
on the left side of her face.

"I'd like to kill that sod," he told her.

"I'm okay, Spike. I just want to forget about it," she said.

"Forget about it, right. Just give me a hundred years or so," he
replied. "Come on, baby. Let's get this over with."
***
"Willow!" Buffy gasped as the redhead approached the outside of the
mansion.

"Hello, Buffy," Willow said.

"We thought you were--" the slayer choked back tears and fought the
impulse to throw her arms around the vision in front of her.

"I'm not, and no--Spike didn't turn me. Xander did a pretty good job on
me, but I'm still among the land of the living." Willow told her.

Buffy tensed as Spike appeared behind Willow, "What the hell are you
doing here?"

"We came to talk," Spike answered.

"Why am I not believing this?" she asked.

"Believe what you like," he shrugged. "I really don't give a damn."

"Buffy, are you--" Angel's question was lost as their visitors came into
view.

"Willow," he uttered and stepped toward the young woman.

He folded his arms around her and crushed her against him. Spike
snarled, and Willow pulled herself away.

"He wants to 'talk' to us," Buffy informed Angel.

Angel eyed Spike warily, "Why?"

Spike sighed, "Because leaving didn't work, and fighting almost killed
Willow."

"Try the leaving idea again," Buffy suggested. "I think it'll work this
time."

"Buffy, be quiet," Angel snapped.

The slayer looked at him angrily, but did as he told her.

"So talk," Angel said.

"Inside," Spike demanded and brushed past him.

Willow looked up at Angel. He nodded and followed her inside.

"Let me talk to her alone," Spike said to Willow.

"I don't think that's a good idea," she refused.

"I'm not going to start anything, pet. I promise."

"All right," she agreed reluctantly.

Buffy glared at the vampire as he motioned her to follow him to the far
side of the room. Willow stood in uncomfortable silence, and Angel
placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Talk," Buffy ordered.

"This has to stop somewhere," Spike began.

"How about with a stake through the heart?" she suggested.

Spike gave her a cold stare.

"Go on," she acquiesced. "I'm listening."

"Willow belongs with me," he said.

"Or she will when you've turned her," Buffy commented.

"If I turn her."

"If? This is me you're talking to, remember? Don't 'if' me!" she
shouted.

"All right, when I turn Willow, it'll be because she wants me to," he
told her.

"What makes you so sure she'll ever want that?" Buffy asked.

"She's more like me than you care to admit," he said.

"She is since you've twisted her mind and emotions," Buffy replied.

"I haven't changed Willow," Spike argued. "I helped her see that it's
all right to be who she really is."

"Aren't you just the altruistic bastard?" Buffy spat. "She's a
completely different person!"

"In the sense she's no longer the slayer's doormat? Someone to stomp
your feet on and toss aside when you've no use for her? Then, yes, she's
a different person," Spike shot back.

"She was my friend."

"She was your tool. You dragged her around with all your other
equipment," he stated. "Hell, you wouldn't even allow her to make her
own decisions. You dragged her off because you knew what she needed
better than she did? I think the whole slayer bit has gone to your
head."

"Get to the point, Spike," she demanded.

"The point is, Willow's mine now, and I have no intention of letting her
go. You deal with that however you want. Just stay away from her."

"Why should I?" she asked.

"Because your interference nearly got her killed, you stupid bitch!" he
snarled.
***
"This isn't going too well," Willow muttered as she and Angel observed
the angry exchange from the other side of the room.

"Are you really with him because you want to be?" Angel asked her.

She looked up at him, "How can you ask me that? Isn't it obvious? Do you
really think you're the only vampire who could possibly have feelings?"

"He's a murderer, Willow. He kills people; he doesn't save them."

"He saved me," Willow stated.

Angel looked at the ugly bruise on her pretty face, "Yes, he did. It's
the only decent thing he's ever done."

"Angel," she placed her hand on his arm. "I want to be with him. He
doesn't make me feel like I have to live up to his standards."

"Spike doesn't have any standards," Angel couldn't help grinning.

Willow laughed softly, "That's fine with me. I'm tired of them."

"I imagine you are," he said quietly.

"So, can you deal with this?" she asked.

Angel shrugged, "Do I have a choice? You're my friend, Willow, the only
friend I've had in longer than I can remember. Maybe we were wrong to
try to get between the two of you. I don't know. All your mental
faculties seem to be working. You can think for yourself. I may not like
your choice of lovers, but I do like you."

Willow blinked back tears, "You'll let it go? Just like that?"

"I can be as loyal a friend to you as you've been to me. I'll deal with
it," he nodded.

"It's ironic that the guys with the cold hearts are the only ones to
stick by me. Given the option, I think I'll chose the vampires," Willow
smiled.

"Just remember, I have a soul to go with my cold heart. Spike doesn't,"
he cautioned her.

"I know, but he cares about me. He's careful with me," she said.

Angel wasn't convinced, "I'll always be here for you, Willow. Whatever
happens, I'll be here."

Willow squeezed his arm and looked back at Spike and Buffy.
***
"All right. As long as you stay out of my way, I'll stay out of yours,
for now. Eventually Willow's going to realize what a mistake this is.
When she does, I'll be there, and you'll be dust," Buffy turned away
from Spike and walked back to Angel.

"Everything okay?" Willow asked as Spike moved beside her and put his
arm around her.

"No, everything is not okay," Buffy snapped.

"Buffy--" Angel warned.

"Don't worry about it, Angel. I'm not going to stake him," she promised
and turned to Willow. "But this little truce won't last forever. I'm
only agreeing to this for your sake, Willow. I may not like this
arrangement, but I don't want you dead. Sooner or later you're going to
wake up and realize who it is you're fucking. You know where I am when
you do."

"Thanks, Buffy," Willow said.

Spike looked down at her in surprise.

"I now see what a closed-minded, self-serving bitch you really are,"
Willow continued. This may come as a shock to you, but I can think for
myself and feel for myself and make my own decisions, in spite of the
fact that you've been doing those things for me for years."

"Right," Buffy sneered. "And now HE is!"

"Well, of course! I'm just a demented, vampire-fucking idiot. And you're
looking forward to the day when you can pat me on the head and tell me
it's okay, that you knew all the time he'd fuck me and tell me to fuck
off. After all, who'd want pathetic little Willow?"

Willow's face had grown pale, and her head was throbbing from the force
of her angry outburst.

"Willow," Spike drew her closer. "Take it easy, baby."

"You should get her out of here," Angel spoke, "She's had enough for one
night."

Spike was mildly stunned by his suggestion.

"You'll keep your end of the deal?" he questioned the slayer.

Although loath to admit it, Buffy was moved to concern over Willow's
appearance, "You stay out of my line of fire, and I won't dust you."

Spike gave her a cursory nod and led Willow out of the mansion.

"That went well," he smirked as they walked out into the night air.

"I'd hate to read your definition of bad," Willow grinned.

End.

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