Willow smiled from her perch on the arm of a chair as
Buffy slid effortlessly into Riley's arms and began to
move with him in time to the slow music. The blonde
raised her head to receive the man's soft kiss,
mindless of the countless others milling around the
crowded frat house. After months of watching her
friend struggle to regain her footing, Willow was
relieved to see her looking truly happy again.
"Kind of sweet, in an 'I've had too much sugar and I
think I'm going to heave' sort of way," a voice said
from beside her.
"Oh, be nice," Willow grinned, her eyes still on the
dancing couple, as Spike sat down on the arm of the
chair. "She deserves a little happiness."
The vampire looked at her in wonder, "So do you, pet."
"How did you get in here?" she asked, choosing to
ignore his comment. "I thought you needed an
invitation."
"Some git stuck a big sign up on the front door, 'All
Welcome.' Someone really ought to tell him he might
not necessarily mean that," he answered.
"Good point," she nodded.
He watched her for a minute as her gaze moved over the
various couples around the large room. He leaned into
her and spoke close to her ear.
"Are you having as good a time as you look like you're
not having?"
"Buffy dragged me along with her," she grinned. "I
have three papers due by the end of the semester, and
she got disgusted with me when she found out I already
have all of them done. So, she told me I was getting
out of the dorm, whether I liked it or not. I tried to
tell her I'd feel like a third wheel, but she wouldn't
listen. She said I might meet someone here. I don't
think you were who she had in mind, though."
Spike quickly looked down, hiding a slight grin, "I
can smuggle you out of here, if you like."
"Would you?" she asked, brightening considerably. "I'd
like."
He took her hand and pulled her up with him, then
tucked her arm through his and guided her around the
pockets of people scattered about the place. He opened
the door and turned back as Willow stepped outside.
Buffy's eyes had tracked their movements across the
room, and she gave the vampire a quick nod before he
followed the redhead out. The slayer turned a dazzling
smile on Riley, and he smiled softly back at her and
drew her head back down to his shoulder.
***
"Dru used to like this," Spike said as Willow sat on
a
swing, pushing herself ever so slightly with one foot.
"Of course, she'd usually just polished off a kid or
two, first."
"Spike!" Willow squealed.
"Just kidding, ducks," he chuckled. "We don't usually
go for the little blighters. She liked kids,
actually."
"You don't talk about her much," she said.
He shrugged and sat down in the swing next to hers, "I
don't think about her much. She's a past I'd rather
not go back to. Besides, can you imagine what she'd
think of me, now? She'd be repulsed."
"Her loss," Willow replied.
"Think so?"
"Oh, yeah," she nodded. "But if she showed up here and
wanted you back, would you go with her?"
"No," he answered.
Willow stilled the swing and turned to look at him,
"Why not? You loved her."
"I don't feel that way about her, anymore. I always
closed my eyes to the fact that I was second choice
for her. Hell, we're vampires. It shouldn't even have
mattered."
"But it did," Willow added.
"I always thought, if I tried hard enough--tried to be
all the things that she wanted and needed--she'd
eventually want just me. But it never happened. It
never would have. I finally had to admit that to
myself when she lost Angel for good. When she was
screwing that Chaos demon, I thought she was just
getting her own back, punishing me for siding with the
slayer. But that wasn't it, not really. She just
didn't want me. If she can't have the one she really
wants, she'll spend eternity shagging whoever happens
to be convenient."
"Do you hate her?"
"I don't hate her. I don't love her. I don't feel
anything for her," he answered. "Which, ironically,
feels pretty damned good."
"But now you're all alone," her voice softened with
sadness.
He smiled and took the hand she instinctively held out
to him, "Not so alone, pet."
Her eyes shimmered as the moonlight caught them, and
her mouth curled into a gentle smile, "Not so alone."
End.