The days had passed into weeks and the weeks into months.

"When did that happen?" Willow wondered to herself as she looked out across the apartment balcony.

In her mind, Sunnydale had been relegated to a place of legend in a long ago dream. The bitter tearing in her heart that had been caused by the loss of her home and family and friends had eased itself into a lingering pain that only threatened to overwhelm her during occasional periods of silent darkness.

After the watcher had returned to England, Angel had drifted off to L.A., and Spike and she had drifted wherever whim carried them. Willow hadn't heard from the dark vampire in weeks. She hadn't heard from Giles in even longer.

Spike moved silently behind her and folded his arms around her trim waist.

"You in there, ducks?" he whispered in her ear.

Willow smiled and leaned back against him, "I'm here."

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"The good old days."

He turned her in his arms and searched her eyes, "Would you go back to them, if you could?"

She shook her head, "Not if it meant losing you."

He kissed her and pulled her close, feeling her heartbeat against his chest as he gazed over her shoulder at the silent streets below. She'd changed him; he knew that. He was still a demon, still a predator who took an evil pleasure in carefully selecting his nights' victims and overpowering them as they struggled to escape the thief who would rob them of their life's blood. But always, at the forefront of his mind, was this tiny woman who had charged into his life with a stake in one hand and her heart in the other. And she'd given her heart to him.

It still amazed him. She saw a part of him that others rarely glimpsed, the capacity to care, to love beyond sanity. And somehow, her infinitely compassionate mind had accepted the demon he was. She never ignored it or pretended it wasn't there. She never attempted to dispel it. She simply accepted it and loved him anyway.

He hadn't fed from her since the charade in Sunnydale, but he'd considered it, considered turning her, in fact. But he wasn't ready to give up the warmth of Willow's humanity. Someday, yes, but for now, he wanted to savor the fact that this soft, kind woman could love an evil bastard such as he.

"Have you gone out?" her quiet words broke through his thoughts.

"Yes, pet, while you were in the shower. I'm all yours," he answered.

"Oh, good," she smiled. "I like when you're all mine."

He grinned and kissed her, "What's on for tonight?"

"Can I tell you a secret?" she asked.

"You'd better tell me all your secrets," he replied. "What is it, luv?"

A jingling from inside the apartment drew Willow out of Spike's arms.

"Well, I'm just guessing, but I think it's the phone," she teased and stepped inside.

Spike listened with growing annoyance as he realized who was on the other end of the line. Listening to Willow's disjointed replies wasn't shedding much light on the conversation, and the vampire began to pace in front of the sofa.

"What did the bloody wanker want?" he snarled when Willow finally hung up.

"Don't be mean,' she scolded.

"I'm supposed to be mean. I'm evil," he reminded her.

"You're not mean to me," she argued.

"Yeah, well, you have enough soul for the both of us," he flopped down beside her. "What did the bloody wanker want?"

"He came across a group of the vampires who destroyed Sunnydale. They have a lair set up in L.A.," she explained.

"Willow," he growled. "Don't even think about it."

"Come on, Spike! It's the first time they've turned up since that whole, awful disaster. Doesn't your evil self want revenge?" she asked.

"My evil self want you nowhere near those bastards. One trip through hell with you was enough, pet," he answered.

Willow slid closer to him and leaned against his shoulder, "That trip through hell led me straight to you."

He grinned in spite of his consternation and wrapped an arm around her, "Don't get me wrong, baby. If you're planning on seducing me, I'm game,
but a good hard orgasm isn't going to change my mind. I don't want you involved in this."

"What would change your mind?" she asked as she moved in front of him and lowered herself down to straddle his lap.

"Nothing would," he stubbornly insisted as his fingers worked at the buttons on her shirt and drew it off her shoulders.

"You sure?" she whispered as her motions mirrored his.

"I'm sure." He unclasped her bra and tossed it over the back of the sofa.

Willow's hands dropped down to the fastening on his black jeans, "Really sure?"

"Positively sure," he nodded and drew her closer, pressing her firm breasts against his cold chest. "But seduce me anyway."

She giggled as his lips met hers and kissed them with an intensity that took her breath away.

***

Willow awoke in Spike's arms and curled herself closer around him as thoughts of Angel's phone call replayed themselves in her mind. She felt a cold hand move to her ass and squeeze firmly.

"No, pet," Spike whispered. "We're not going to L.A."

She breathed a frustrated sigh, "Do you ever think you know me too well?"

"I'll never know you too well, but I'll have a good time trying," he grinned.

"Think like a vampire for a minute," she requested.

He turned onto his side and propped his head in his hand, "Are we talking breakfast in bed here?"

Willow laughed softly, "No. What would you do, my beloved vampire, if someone broke into your home by force and destroyed everything that ever mattered to you? What would your first reaction be?"

"Revenge," he answered. "And that was about as subtle as a rock band in a monastery, but you're not going to change my mind."

"Spike, Sunnydale is being rebuilt. The Hellmouth is still there. Those demons could go back and start right in where they left off," she told him.

"They won't do that. They nearly destroyed themselves when they destroyed their food supply. We don't know how many of them starved, but I'll bet it was a lot. They won't make the same mistake twice," he assured her.

"Well, that's meager comfort!" she protested. "They'll still be there, laughing over their victims' graves!"

Spike snarled and pulled her naked body under his, "Listen to me, little one. An eternity with you would not be long enough; five months certainly isn't. I will not allow you to put yourself in that kind of danger. The answer is no."

"We can't let Angel fight them alone," she persisted.

"I can," he answered.

Willow cupped his face in her hands and stared into his eyes, "Please, Spike. I want this so badly. When we had to get out, they won. That gnaws at me every day of my life. Everyone I loved who died at their hands deserves retribution. We've been running from that nightmare for months. I'm glad we did. I needed a respite from the agony. I needed to be with just you and let the memories lie still. But it's time to finish it. Please allow me this."

He groaned and brushed his lips above her imploring eyes, "Do you know how much you mean to me?"

"Almost as much as you do to me," she grinned at the scowl that wrinkled his brow. "You were their master, once. They over stepped their place when they defied you."

"Now, that was low," he grumbled. "Don't appeal to my baser instincts."

"All your instincts are base," she laughed. "I love every base bone in your marvelous body. You could put those vampires in their place, and I can stake the one's who refuse."

He arched an eyebrow, "That simple, huh? You may have been born a few days before yesterday, but I wasn't."

"We've had our fill of easy for awhile. Let's go kick some demonic ass," she said.

"You argue almost as good as you shag," he smirked.

"I'll do that, too, if it'll help," she offered eagerly.

He shook his head, "What am I going to do with you?"

"Fight with me. We make a hell of a team."

"That we do," he agreed.

"Is that a yes?" her voice rose in hope.

"Yes, my love, that is a yes," he gave in.

Willow threw her arms around his neck and hugged him close to her, "Thank you! I promise I'll listen and do whatever you say--no arguments."

He looked at her in open disbelief.

"Okay, I promise I'll try," she smiled.

Disbelief turned to adoration, and his lips took hers in a demanding kiss.

"All right, pet. We're done with the arguing bit, let's get on to the shagging," he ordered and spread her legs with his knee.

Angel glared at Spike from over Willow's shoulder as he hugged her tightly.

"You don't look too happy to see me," Angel stated.

"Pearls of perception from the master of gross understatement," Spike smirked. "Or should I say gross master of--"

"Spike," Willow said. "Be nice, or be quiet."

Angel grinned as Spike quickly chose quiet.

"You look good, Willow," Angel smiled down at her.

"That's Spike," she beamed. "He does that to me."

"Hmmm," her friend murmured and chose quiet as well.

"So, where are the bastards?" Spike asked. "Willow has a hankering to 'kick some demonic ass.'"

"Besides yours, you mean," Angel concluded. "They're in an old depository a few blocks from here."

"Let's go get them," Willow suggested eagerly.

Angel's hand gripped her shoulder, "It won't be that easy. There are a lot of them; fifteen or twenty, I'd guess. We wouldn't get past the door without being discovered."

"Well, let's burn them out. Give the bastards a taste of their own smoke," she said.

Angel looked over at Spike, "You're rubbing off on her."

"As often as possible," he replied with a smug grin. "I don't hear her complaining."

"She probably can't! When would you let her get a word in?" Angel snarled.

"Now, guys," Willow spoke firmly. "We came here to fight them, not each other."

Angel's eyes moved back to her, "They go out to feed around midnight. That's when they'd be most vulnerable, when they're not all together."

"So, what're we supposed to do? Chase them around the city and stake them one at a time? Hell, that shouldn't take more than a month or two,
provided they don't twig, of course," Spike sneered.

"Cut it out!" Willow ordered. "Okay, they leave at midnight. Maybe we could get inside their lair while they're gone."

"And do what?" Angel inquired.

"I don't know," she shrugged casually. "Sprinkle their beds with holy water. Shove crosses under their sheets. Drive a few inconspicuous holes through the walls and ceilings so they'll be awakened by the golden rays of the sun."

Spike smiled admiringly at the little redhead, "I love the way you think, pet."

"Personally, I'm in shock," Angel commented. "When did you get so devious?"

"Around the same time Sunnydale went up in flames," she answered. "Anyway, we have a little over an hour before midnight, and I'm starving. Got any all-night pizza places around here?"

"I wouldn't know. I don't eat pizza," Angel answered dryly.

"Oh, yea. Right," she nodded. "Well, I'm going in search of food. Anyone coming with me?"

The two vampires scurried to follow Willow out the door.

***

"Mmmm, much better," Willow sighed as she licked the tangy tomato sauce from her fingers.

"Don't do that, luv," Spike implored, his eyes following her tongue as it swirled around her fingers.

Angel shook his head, "You're hopeless."

"No, he's not! He's actually very--well, never mind," Willow blushed as Angel stared at her.

Spike chuckled and grabbed her hand to suck at the last unlicked finger.

"Hopeless, the pair of you," Angel mumbled.

"You ready to torture a few vampires, pet?" Spike asked.

"Ready," she answered and pushed her chair away from the table.

***

They waited across the parking lot as a group of vampires exited the crumbling building and walked off in the opposite direction.

"That should be the last of them," Angel whispered. "Better take it slowly, though. They may have left one or two behind."

Spike nodded and tightened his grip on Willow's hand as they made their way across the lot and around to a side entrance. He looked down in
amusement as Willow's hand snaked inside his duster pocket and fished out a long, thin-bladed object. She slipped it into the padlock that hung from the door. The lock clicked open, and she pulled it free.

"What else have you taught her?" Angel glared at Spike through the darkness. "No, don't tell me. I don't want to know."

Willow eased open the door, and Spike put his hand on her shoulder and drew her behind him. She followed him inside, with Angel at her back.

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed along the concrete floor. The intruders searched their surroundings and realized the only possible place of concealment was behind a tall pile of crates on the other side of the room. They weren't going to make it. Angel slid the stake in his sleeve down into his hand.

The dark-haired demon's keen eyesight caught the figures of the strangers ahead of him. He growled a warning and moved closer to them. Spike and Angel stepped forward, placing Willow behind them. Spike felt Willow's hand on his back.

"Stay put, ducks," he ordered.

The vampire charged toward Angel, knocking him to the floor. Spike reached down and grabbed the demon's shirt and hauled him up off of Angel. Willow saw a brief flash of metal and heard Spike growl in fury as their adversary sliced a deep gash in Spike's arm with a sharp-edged dagger.

"You son of a bitch!" Willow shouted.

The vampire was taken aback by the tiny mortal as she flung herself violently at him. He roared in agony as she jammed the cross in her left hand against his cheek. He threw her off him, and she jumped to her feet in blind rage and barreled back into him. The dagger flew out of his hand. Willow grabbed one of several small bottles of holy water from her pocket and slammed it into the vampire's chest. The glass shattered and embedded itself into the demon's chest. Willow stood and looked down as his ashes settled to the floor.

Willow heard Angel's deep laugh as he picked himself up off the floor.

"You'd better pray to hell you never make her angry," he said to Spike.

Spike groaned and stood up, "I knew it was a mistake coming here."

"What do you mean?" Willow asked in wide-eyed innocence. "You have to admit, that was fun."

"Like hell I do," Spike grumbled.

"All done," Willow announced as she returned from the far side of the depository.

"Willow, I hate to ruin your fun, but they're going to sense you've given their beds a good dousing with holy water before they ever get in them," Angel told her.

"Right," she nodded. "So, they'll all sleep out here."

"Your plan is to give them a lousy day's sleep?" Spike asked.

"No," she answered patiently. "See that big old door at the end of that loading dock? I set the lock. Tomorrow morning, I'll come back and give the place a good airing out. Poof, no more vampires."

Angel looked at Spike, "You could learn a thing or two from her."

"Believe me; I have," he nodded.
***
"Mission accomplished?" Angel asked as he handed a mug of coffee to
Willow.

She took a careful swallow and nodded, "Just like I said--poof."

Spike reached out and pulled Willow down onto his knee, "Sometimes I
feel so unneeded."

"I'll always need you," she smiled.

Angel turned away as Spike kissed her. She rested her hand on his
shoulder and looked over at her friend.

"Have you had any news from Giles?" she asked. "I e-mailed him a couple
of weeks ago, but I haven't had a work back from him."

"I'm sure he's fine," Angel answered.

"I wish I were. He won't tell me anything about the new slayer he's
been training," she complained.

"That's probably the council's idea," Angel suggested. "I don't imagine
they want him talking about their slayer to a vampire's--"

"Piece of--" Spike growled as Willow swatted at him.

"Watch it, deadboy," she warned him.

He chuckled and forced her mouth to his. She smiled and pushed away
from him.

"I've been thinking," she said.

The vampires exchanged worried glances.

Willow rolled her eyes and continued, "Sunnydale's not so far away. We
could take a quick drive over there and--"

"That isn't a good idea," Angel interrupted.

"Why not? I want to see what's happening, and I'll bet Giles would love
an update."

"Giles doesn't need an update," Angel told her.

"Right, like the council pries open their tight mouths to keep him
informed. He must be itching to know how the rebuilding is
progressing," she guessed.

"Willow," Angel looked down at her.

"What?" A note of suspicion crept into her voice. "What aren't you
telling me? Spit it out, soulboy!"

Angel grinned and jabbed a thumb in Spike's direction, "He really is a
bad influence."

"Don't try to change the subject. Tell me what's going on!" she
demanded.

"Giles is here," he answered.

"Here, in L.A.?" she gasped.

Angel shook his head, and Willow jumped up from Spike's lap.

"He's in Sunnydale? Since when? How long have you known?" she
sputtered.

"He arrived two weeks ago," Angel explained. "He asked me not to tell
you."

Willow's expressive features were etched with sadness, "Why not? He
doesn't want to see me?"

Angel stepped over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "How could
you think that? Of course he wants to see you. He just feels the slayer
needs some time to settle in. Aside from the construction crews, there
isn't anyone there, yet. There hasn't been any vampire activity,
either."

"You seem to know an awful lot," she commented. "He's kept in touch
with you all this time. Why has he been so quiet with me?"

He took her hand, "Willow, you've had a lot to deal with. He felt you
needed time. Besides, Spike isn't--"

"Isn't what?" she growled. "Isn't to be trusted? Isn't an ally? Isn't
you? Spike was a major reason any of us survived that deathtrap, and
you know it!"

"I wasn't saying that!" he protested. "Come on, look at this from
Giles' perspective. You know how much he cares about you."

"Then why did he keep his return a secret? I'd have stayed away if he'd
asked me to!"

Spike snorted, and Willow whirled around to him, "I would have!"

"Ducks, you're not exactly known for your self-control. You'd have gone
charging back there as soon as you got word," he told her.

"No, I wouldn't," her eyes met his. "Okay, maybe I would, but
still--And what's wrong with my self-control?"

"Not a damn thing, as far as I can tell," he smirked and patted her
ass.

Angel groaned and turned away, "I'm going back to bed."

"Good idea," Spike agreed as he stood and swept Willow up off the
floor.

Angel was torn between the dull ache for his lost love and uneasy
happiness for Willow's current state of contentment as Spike carried
her to the bedroom down the hallway.
***
"You're sure this is okay?" Willow asked nervously. "I mean, I got
thinking about what you said yesterday. You didn't guilt Giles into
saying we could come, did you?"

"No," Angel answered. "I think your little escapade at the depository
swayed his mind."

"Impressed, was he?" she asked.

"Frightened speechless," Angel smiled. "I think he's decided he needs
to keep an eye on you."

"Oh, well. Whatever. I can't wait to see him again, and Sunnydale."

"And the new slayer?" Angel asked perceptively.

"Yea, right," she said unenthusiastically.

"What's this one's name?" Spike asked as he drove out of the city.
"Wait, I can guess--Poppy? Snowball? Skippy?"

Angel choked back a laugh, "Close. It's Silver."

Spike groaned, "See, I told you. Dog breeders, the lot of them."
***
"You've moved up in the world," Willow breathed as the watcher opened
the door.

"Willow," he smiled as she gave him a hug. "It's so good to see you
again."

He shook Angel's hand and looked uncomfortably at Spike as Willow's
hand clasped the blonde vampire's.

"This house is beautiful!" she said. "And huge."

"There's a training facility in the basement," Giles told her. "And a
personal library upstairs."

"Computers?" Willow asked excitedly.

"Well, yes, but--"

"Oh, don't tell me you're still cowering from them! They're just hunks
of plastic!"

"Tell that to the contraption upstairs. It seems to have taken on a
life of its own," he told her.

"When do we get to see the town?" she asked.

"It's safe enough at night right now," he answered. "I'll fetch Silver.
She's been training."

"The stuffy librarian is cooped up in this big house with a young,
nubile slayer?" Spike said as he watched Giles' retreating back.
"Things have changed. You don't suppose he's got whips and handcuffs in
that 'training' room, do you?"

"Behave," Willow whispered.

Angel snorted, "Might as well tell him to go play in the sun."

Giles returned with a tall, well-toned young woman trailing behind him.
She wiped the perspiration from her face and shook her thick black hair
from the confines of its ponytail. She studied the strangers with the
most striking gray eyes they had ever seen.

"Silver, this is Willow," Giles spoke. "Angel and Spike."

Silver gave the little redhead an appraising stare, "Giles told me
about your attempts to save Sunnydale. Personally, I think if you'd
have handled things differently, the town never would have gone up in
flames."

Willow gripped Spike's arm as she felt him tense beside her.

"I think that criticism is unfair," her watcher said. "You weren't here
to witness what took place."

"Maybe," she shrugged. "I suppose it must have been difficult playing
slayer."

"We had a slayer," Angel told her.

"Athena was a novice," Silver scowled. "She couldn't possibly have--"

"Silver," Giles spoke.

The young woman grew silent, but her eyes flashed coldly at their
guests.
***
"What's her deal?" Willow asked as Silver walked several paces ahead of
them.

"Maybe she's uncomfortable being the only one who doesn't have a
history here," Angel suggested. "Maybe she feels threatened."

"Maybe she's a bitch," Spike said.

"Could we get back to your adventures in L.A.?" Giles asked.

"We told you everything," Willow answered.

"That was very dangerous," he admonished her. "You might very well have
been killed, Willow."

"But I wasn't," she shrugged. "They deserved to die, the evil bastards.
Besides, we knew what we were doing. It isn't as if we haven't all had
way too much experience at--"

"Damn it, Willow, I'm serious. That was an incredibly ill-considered
and asinine thing to do." Giles snapped and turned to glare at Angel,
"You two should never have allowed her to attempt something so foolish.
She isn't a slayer, and you'd do well to remember that."

Willow stared at him in astonishment as he quickened his pace to catch
up with Silver.

"Goddess, what's wrong with him?" she grumbled.

"I don't know, but if he takes into you like that again, I'll rip his
bloody tongue out of his head," Spike snarled.
***
Willow slipped her hand into Angel's as they looked down at the
headstone.

"It still hurts, after all these months," she whispered. "I miss her so
much."

"I know," Angel said.

The moonlight shimmered along a black marble stone next to Buffy's.
Willow looked over at it and started at the inscription.

"Xander and Oz?" she murmured and turned to Giles.

"I had it erected, as a memorial," he explained softly. "It isn't
enough, but it's something."

"It's wonderful," she told him. "Oh, thank you, Giles."

"Who were they?" Silver directed the question to her watcher.

"Dear friends who didn't make it out," he answered. "They both died at
our sides."

"That's too bad," she said. "Maybe if you'd have had less inept help,
they'd still be alive."

Willow lashed out at the woman with a backhand that sent the slayer
sprawling onto the grass.

"Bitch," Silver hissed and sprang to her feet.

"Who the hell are you to denounce what we did?" Willow shouted.

"The evidence speaks for itself. You sent your friends to an early
grave," Silver sneered and reached out for the redhead.

In a single stride, Spike placed himself between the two women and
caught the slayer's outstretched hand in a crushing grip.

"How would you like to see an early grave from the inside?" he snarled.

"Stop it," Giles barked.

Silver struggled in Spike's grasp and glanced over at the watcher, "I'm
only telling her what--"

"Shut up," he demanded. "Spike, let her go."

The vampire's eyes flashed amber as his fangs descended.

"Spike," Willow spoke softly and took his arm. "Don't. It's all right."

"The hell it is," he growled.

She moved closer to him, "It is, baby. Let her go."

"Spike," Angel's low voice sounded from behind.

The vampire released Silver with an angry snarl. She rubbed at her
wrist and stepped back a pace.

"You may have spent several months in training," Giles spoke softly at
her shoulder. "But you're not an experienced slayer. Don't try that
again."
 

"What's wrong with her?" Willow asked Giles as they sat in the living
room.

"She was only called a few months ago. You, of all people, should
understand what an adjustment she's had to make. You might try to
befriend her, you know," he answered.

"Forgive me for rushing to judgment, but she isn't exactly a warm
person," Willow replied. "I've met friendlier demons."

Giles sighed, "She feels like an outsider. She left her home and
everyone she knows, and she's had no one to rely on but me. Now, she
finds herself in a strange town, surrounded by memories and people she
knows nothing about. It isn't easy for her."

"Don't lecture me about loss," Willow said. "It's a damn good bet I
could teach her a thing or two on the subject. We all could. And don't
expect me to get friendly with her. She doesn't strike me as the type."

"I think we could all do with some sleep," Giles suggested. "It's been
a difficult night."

"I'm sorry, Giles. I'm not angry at you," Willow apologized.

He smiled, "I know. You're just angry--still."

"It hasn't been so long ago," she pointed out.

"No, it hasn't. I'll show you the town tomorrow during the daylight, if
you'd like."

"Yes, I would," she nodded.

"I've set up a couple of make-shift bedrooms downstairs. There are no
windows down there, and I think you'll be comfortable," the watcher
said to Angel.

"I'm sure we will," Angel spoke as they followed him to the stairway.

"There's a bed made up for you upstairs, Willow," he told her.

"That's all right," she replied. "I've gotten used to waking up in the
dark."

The watcher seemed about to say something, then thought better of it.

"See you in the morning, then," he said instead.
***
"May I ask you a personal question?" Giles asked as they walked along
the noisy street.

Willow stopped to watch a truckload of lumber pull up across the
street.

"Go ahead," she answered.

"Why are you still with him? Don't misunderstand," he added quickly as
Willow tensed beside him. "I'm not trying to sway you, but I truly
don't understand. I never really understood Buffy and Angel, but at
least he has his soul. Spike is a heartless murderer."

She smiled, "He isn't as heartless as you think."

"Willow, he kills people," he stated.

"I know. I'm not excusing it, but he has to survive. We don't talk
about it, really. I know where he's going when he goes out alone, but I
can ignore it."

"Willow," he groaned.

"Maybe it's because I've seen so much death. Maybe it's because he
shared the hell we all went through. I don't know. I need him, Giles. I
love him. You've seen the way he is with me. He's never hurt me."

"How long will that last? You won't go on forever in your mortal state.
Eventually, he's going to want to turn you, and you won't be able to
stop him," he warned her.

"Who says I'll want to?" she asked.

"Please, don't say that," he implored.

"We don't have to be on opposite sides," she told him. "We aren't now."

"You won't be the same person after your soul is gone," Giles argued.

"Then we'll go away. I want to be with him, whatever it takes. I
decided that months ago." She sighed and continued along the sidewalk,
"Anyway, that's in the distant future. We don't have to discuss it
now."

"All right," he agreed reluctantly. "But the discussion is not closed
permanently."

"I never dreamed it was," she grinned.
***
Willow bent over and rested her head on Spike's shoulder as he sat
staring out across the back lawn.

"What are you thinking about?" she whispered from behind him.

He smiled and brought his arm up and around her neck, burying his
fingers in her hair.

"Us," he answered.

"What about us?" she asked.

"We should leave this place, baby," he told her.

She moved around and knelt in front of him, and he took her hands in
his.

"Why? I thought you wanted to reclaim the Hellmouth," she said.

"I thought so, too. Is that what you want?"

"I want you to make sure what happened here never happens again. I know
you can do that," she answered.

"I don't want to lose you, Willow," he said.

She brushed her fingers along his cheek, "You won't."

"No?" he asked. "We've been here one day, and already we're all at each
other's throats--literally. I see the way the watcher looks at us, and
he doesn't like what he sees."

"I don't care if he doesn't. He'll have to deal with it," she replied.

"Willow, you don't really believe he's going to stand by and let me set
myself up as Master here, do you? There's no way I'll ever call a truce
with his black-haired bitch. You'd be forced to choose sides."

Willow rose from her knees and dropped down onto his lap. Spike pulled
her back to him, and she settled against his shoulder.

"Do you have doubts about whose side I'd choose?" she asked. "Because I
don't. I think I would have slowly gone insane over the past months if
it hadn't been for you. No one will ever make me give you up, not
Giles, not the slayer, not Angel, no one."
"I love you, pet," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she turned to look into his eyes. "You've talked
about taking back the Hellmouth since that episode in the gym. You
can't give it up now, especially not for me."

"It won't be easy," he warned her.

"What ever is? I've gotten used to hard, being with you," she grinned
wickedly and brushed her fingers over the denim that covered his cock.

Spike growled and brought her mouth to his.

"Have you fed?" she asked softly.

He nodded, "Yes, luv."

"Good, because I've got plans for you," she informed him as her tongue
darted between his teeth and assaulted his mouth.

Silver turned from her vantage point at the window above the lawn and
released an angry breath.
***
"Giles tells me you have a soul," Silver said as she entered the
library.

Angel put down the book he'd been flipping through and turned to her.

"That's a very unusual commodity in a vampire," she continued.

"Are you asking a question, or just making conversation?" he eyed her
warily. "Yes, I have a soul."

"You were in love with a slayer," she said.

"He's told you a lot, hasn't he?"

She shrugged, "We've spent a lot of hours together. We've talked about
a lot of things."

"I suppose so," he nodded.

She moved to a bookcase and ran her fingers along the thick spines of
the heavy tomes that were neatly arranged along one of its shelves.

"She's letting him screw her."

"What?" Angel asked.

She turned and pierced him with unreadable eyes, "Your little friend.
She's fucking a vampire. I'm assuming, of course, that he doesn't have
a soul."

"He doesn't."

"How could she let him?"

Angel checked his growing annoyance before responding unemotionally,
"It's a long story. I'm sure Giles has told you most of it."

"He neglected to tell me about that," she snapped.

"Why should he? It's none of your business."

"I'm the slayer, damn it! I should've been told that one of his
former--allies--is bedding down with the enemy," she snarled.

"I'm not surprised he hasn't told you. I'm not sure he knew it had gone
that far. Being a slayer doesn't give you cart blanche to rut around in
other people's lives," he told her. "And Willow is as much of an ally
as she's ever been."

"Is she? Are you so sure of that? It's pretty clear who she'd side with
in a fight," Silver argued.

"Who says there's going to be a fight?" Angel inquired.

"Don't treat me like a fool," she hissed. "Spike's name is spoken in
hushed tones by every member of the council. There's more truth to his
legend than myth, from what I've seen. Whatever his reasons for helping
Giles before, he'll put himself right back in the center of the
Hellmouth, as its Master. Make no mistake about that."

Angel looked at her in troubled silence.

"You know I'm right," she asserted. "Who do you think your little
friend will stand beside, us or him? If you think she'll fight
alongside us, you're delusional. I may have only met you all a few
hours ago, but her loyalty to that bastard is as obvious as a full moon
on a clear night."

"I'm not going to argue suppositions with you. You're a slayer, not a
prophet. If Spike tries to set himself up as Master, and if he uses
that position to hurt innocent people, I'll deal with him then," Angel
told her.

"You'll deal with him?" she spat. "I'll stake him, and his redheaded
bitch right along with him. They can fuck each other in hell!"

Silver gave him a withering glare and left him in the library to brood
over her threats.

Willow stood and stared across the street at the empty lot on which the
Bronze once stood.

"You all right, luv?" Spike asked as he put his arm around her.

"Yes," she whispered. "He died here."

He turned her to him and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I first knew I loved you here," he told her.

"You did?" her voice echoed her surprise.

"I wouldn't have admitted it then, but when we finally got out of here,
I knew that was the moment you snaked your way into my heart."

She smiled up at him, "And how many times have you wanted to evict me
since then?"

"Not once," he answered. "You're stuck with me, pet."

"I can think of worse places to be stuck," she replied.

She lifted her head to receive his kiss, and he pulled her close
against him and ran his hands along her body.

"We'd better get back to the watcher's house, or I'm going to take you
right here," he whispered.
***
"Spike, I think you should take Willow and leave," Angel suggested. "I
can help Giles keep an eye on things here."

Spike looked coldly at the vampire, "We're not going anywhere."

"Is that what you want?" Angel turned to Willow.

She nodded, "Nearly half the town is rebuilt already. It won't be long
before the Hellmouth is active again. You'll need us here to help."

"That's Silver's responsibility, not yours," he responded.

"Excuse me?" she snarled. "This is my town. She's nothing more than a
transplant. I have a vested interest in--"

"You're too close to it," Angel argued. "Willow, your life here is a
miserable history."

"It wouldn't be if it hadn't been burned to the ground!" she shouted.
"They'll come back, and I'll be here waiting. We're not leaving."

"Your obsession for revenge could get you killed!" His eyes returned to
Spike, "Will you be able to deal with that? You have to get her out of
here."

"We're staying," Spike insisted. "I can take care of Willow."

"How do you intend to do that? By setting yourself up as Master? Do you
want her in the middle of that?"

"Angel, listen to me," Willow said. "What happened here must never
happen again. This is my home. I grew up here. I watched my friends and
family die here. The three of you are all I have left. I want my home
back."

"I'd have thought you could fuck him anywhere," Silver said from the
doorway. "One bed's as good as another."

"You know," Spike walked over to the slayer and glared down at her.
"You're really starting to piss me off. Why the hell are you so
interested in who Willow's shagging? Not getting enough of your own?"

She raised her hand, and Spike's wrapped around her wrist with dizzying
swiftness, halting her hand before it reached his face.

"I think all this rage is a result of sexual frustration," he
continued. "Maybe your watcher could help you out there, or Angel. He's
been known to screw a slayer on occasion."

He shoved her back against the doorpost and turned away from her.

"I'd happily choose celibacy before I'd fuck a demon like you," she
spat.

"Demons everywhere are rejoicing," Spike smirked.

Angel dragged a hand through his hair, "How can you think this is ever
going to work? Spike, take Willow away. Give Silver time to do what she
needs to here."

"I don't give a damn if it doesn't 'work.' You think I care whether
she's for or against me? I've killed better slayers than she, and right
now, she's in far more danger than Willow is," Spike snapped.

"Giles isn't going to stand for this," Angel told him. "He won't allow
you to stay here and take sides against the slayer."

Willow stepped over to him, "Angel, she's wrong. You know she's wrong.
Whatever else you think of Spike, you know he never wanted Sunnydale to
be destroyed. He fought against it as hard as we did."

His eyes grew soft as he looked down at her, "I know that, Willow. But
I also know what he is. If he does set himself up as Master, he'll run
the Hellmouth with an iron fist."

"Would that be so bad? He'd prevent the rest of them from repeating
history," she replied.

"That isn't what this is about," Angel argued.

"Then what is it about? You know you'll never wipe out the vampire
population, here or anywhere else. For every one you stake, three more
take his place. The best you can hope for is to keep them at bay, to
stop them from completely overrunning us. Spike can do that."

Silver growled in anger, "I've never heard anything so pathetic, a
human consorting with a vampire to dominate the Hellmouth. He won't
need to turn you, you're already what he is."

"With one minor exception. I don't have any slayers under my belt,"
Willow hissed. "Maybe I ought to rectify that."

"I'm game, little bitch," Silver sneered. "Anytime you--"

Willow flung herself at the slayer and drove her back against the wall.
Silver grunted as the air was knocked out of her lungs. She pulled
herself forward, and Willow drove her knee into the slayer's stomach.
Willow growled in rage and brought her hand under Silver's chin and
shoved her head back against the corner of the entryway. The slayer
swung out with a clenched fist and caught Willow below the left eye.

Spike scrambled to Willow and wrapped his arms around her waist,
dragging her away from the furious slayer. Angel's strong hands grabbed
Silver's arms and pulled her back against him. She struggled in his
unyielding grasp.

"I'll kill you, you whore," Silver snarled.

"Don't count on it," Willow shouted as she tried to twist away from
Spike.

"What the hell is going on?" Giles' angry voice demanded from the
doorway.

"Keep that bitch away from me, or you'll be carrying her out of here in
pieces," Silver threatened.

"Stop it, both of you," Giles ordered. "Spike, take her downstairs."

The vampire glared at the watcher.

"Go," Giles barked. "Silver, in the library, now."

The slayer pulled herself out of Angel's hands and stared at Willow.

"I said now," Giles spoke.
***
Willow paced the basement floor in seething fury, "I'll kill her. I'll
wrap my hands through her damned black hair and rip her head off her
shoulders."

"Pet," Spike said softly from the edge of the bed. "Calm down."

She whirled around, "I don't want to calm down! I want to string her up
from the rafters and beat her with a club till her intestines spill
out."

He reached for her hand and forced her over to him, "Willow, take it
easy."

"She's not running us out of Sunnydale. I swear, I'll--"

"We're not going anywhere," he promised her. "Come here."

"No, Spike. I--"

"Come here," he repeated and pulled her down on the bed. "Relax."

"I don't want to relax," she hissed.

He chuckled and shoved her back down onto the bed, "Then use that anger
a bit more constructively."

She turned her head away from him, "I don't want to."

His hand unbuttoned her blouse and reached inside to fondle a naked
breast, "Yes, you do."

"No," she said as his lips found hers.

"Yes," he whispered as he moved over her, allowing her to feel his
hardness through his jeans as he rubbed against her.

She lifted her head and took his mouth in a hard kiss, her anger,
frustration, and passion bleeding into one as she ravaged his mouth
with her tongue.

Spike tore off her clothes and lifted himself up as she unfastened his
jeans and dragged them down his legs. He kicked them off and swept his
shirt up over his head.

Willow drew up her knees, and Spike slammed into her, riding her with
an intensity that pushed her small body back into the bed. She wrapped
her legs around him and pushed into him hard. She groaned low and deep
as he bit into the flesh above her right nipple. He pumped into her
with hard, deep strokes. The feeling of his mouth suckling at her
breast, his fingers brutally assaulting her clitoris, and his hard cock
slamming merciliessly into her drove her into a hard orgasm. Her body
shook as she screamed out his name.

Spike roared as her hot, wet channel milked the cold seed from his
body. He collapsed on top of her and nipped at her earlobe as her walls
continued to spasm wildly around his throbbing shaft.

"Again, Spike," she panted. "Harder. Make me come."

The vampire laughed softly as his cock, still buried deep inside her,
twitched in response to her request, and he began to thrust into her
dripping pussy.
***
Willow awoke next to Spike. He had moved her into the bed and wrapped
himself around her at some point during the day. She stretched beside
him and winced at the bruises between her thighs and above her breast.
Spike's hand cupped her ass, his thumb softly caressing her rounded
flesh.

"Sore, baby?" he asked softly.

"Mmmm," she nodded. "That was incredible."

"You can take your anger out on me anytime, luv," he grinned.

She placed a kiss on his chest, "I love you, Spike. I'm staying here
with you. Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it."

He raised her chin and kissed her long and deep.

"You could do this. A lot," he smiled.

She laughed and snuggled back against him, "Can you conquer the
Hellmouth in bed?"

"I'll give it my best shot," he grinned.

"And I know how good that is," she murmured as her hand moved to his
cock and stroked it gently.

"Willow," he groaned.

She smiled and raked her nails along the underside of his hardening
shaft, "Shut up and fuck me."

"I don't know how you can defend her," Silver pouted from across the
kitchen table. "You know damn well he dragged her downstairs and spent
the morning fucking her brains out."

Giles visibly flinched at her coarse language, "I told you; I've known
Willow for many years. I'll always admire her bravery during the
destruction that took place here."

"Then admire her for what she was. Don't defend her for what she's
become," Silver said.

"She's still the same person, really. She thinks she's in love with
him."

"He's a bloodsucking demon! If she's everything you say, how could she
give herself to him?" Silver asked.

"She had no one else. Spike was there. He knew what she'd been through.
They'd fought it together, and he understood the pain she suffered."

The slayer looked at him scornfully, "Those are excuses. She's sleeping
with the same kind of bastard that killed her friends."

"Silver, you weren't there. I can't possibly make you understand. I've
asked them to leave, and they've refused. We'll have to deal with that.
I absolutely forbid you to continue this personal campaign to hurt
Willow."

She glared icily at him.

Giles leaned across the table and lowered his voice in warning, "Have I
made myself clear?"

"As glass," she said angrily. "I'll leave her alone."

Giles sat back and looked at her skeptically.
***
"Where are we going?" Willow asked as they walked away from the house.

"I saw a couple of places last night. I want to check them out," Spike
answered.

She looked up at him, "Lairs?"

"Possibly," he nodded and took her hand. "I want you out of that house
and away from the slayer. The sooner, the better."

"I'm all for that," she replied. "But it isn't as if there are going to
be any old, abandoned warehouses in Sunnydale."

Spike feigned a dramatic sigh, "Why must you humans consign us to
dirty, rat-infested, deserted, old buildings?"

Willow giggled, "Maybe because you fit in with the decor so well."

He swatted her ass.

"Ow!" she shouted and stepped away from him.

Spike laughed and grabbed her hand, tugging him back beside him.

"So, where exactly are these places?" she asked.

"Come on," he said.
***
"Here?" Willow squealed as Spike gestured toward the newly constructed
house on the crest of the hill.

"What's wrong, luv? Afraid I won't fit in with the decor?" he asked.

She planted a quick kiss on his lips, "I'm sorry. It isn't that. It's
just--that place has to cost a fortune! It's huge!"

"It'll have to be," he told her. "The top floor would be private--just
ours."

"Oh," she said. "But how could you--I mean, do vampires have money?"

"I can get it," he nodded.

She looked over at him and arched an eyebrow, "Really? How? No, don't
tell me. I don't want to know."

"You're right; you don't," he grinned. "Let's take a look."

Spike picked the lock on the back door and pushed it open.

"A person could get lost in here," Willow stated as they walked through
the vast kitchen and into the living room.

"I'd come looking for you, pet," he smiled.

"It's beautiful," she said as she ran her hand along the cherry
wainscoting that flanked the entryway leading to the staircase. "I
could definitely live here."

"It's yours then," he told her.

"Ours," she whispered.

Spike watched Willow's swaying hips appreciatively as she climbed the
stairs ahead of him. She opened the door at the far end of the long
corridor and gasped at the sight before her. A marble fireplace gleamed
in the moonlight shining through French doors that stretched from floor
to ceiling. She walked to them and gazed out at the garden below.

Spike moved behind her and placed a soft kiss on her neck.

"Do you like it, pet?"

"I love it," she breathed.

"We can move in by the end of the week."

"But the windows, the furnishings, how will you get all that taken care
of?" she asked. "No, don't tell me--"

"You don't want to know," he chuckled.
***
Giles watched in silence from the sofa in the living room as Spike and
Willow entered the house and went directly to their basement room.

"That's the third night in a row they've been out all night," the
watcher spoke after they had disappeared down the dark stairway. "What
do you suppose they're up to?"

Angel shook his head, "I don't know. Spike wouldn't tell me if I
threatened him with a soul, and Willow's being unusually tight-lipped."

"I don't like it," Giles said.

"Want me to stake him?" Silver asked from the doorway. "There aren't
any other vampires around, and I could use the practice."

"There's one other around," Angel reminded her. "And I wouldn't advise
using Spike for practice. He plays hard and fast."

"As I'm sure his little whore will confirm," the slayer sneered.

"Silver--"

"I know, Giles. No staking the guests," she said.

"Angel, try to find out what they're up to," Giles requested.

The vampire nodded, "I'll follow them tomorrow night."

"Good," Silver smiled. "I can go--"

"Alone," Angel stated.

"All right, you find out what they're doing first, and then I'll go
after them," she nodded.

"Silver!" Giles shouted.

She jumped in momentary surprise and then looked at him in anger.

"I might as well go back to England, for all the good I'm doing here.
There's only one vampire here worth slaying, and he's off-limits, for
some insane reason," she grumbled before turning on her heel and
leaving the room.

Angel looked over at Giles, concern etched across his handsome
features, "Are you sure she's under control? I won't allow anything to
happen to Willow."

"Nor would I," Giles assured him. "I admit she's quick-tempered, but
she listens."

"Eventually," Angel grinned.

Giles smiled, "Yes. You'll follow Willow and Spike tomorrow and let me
know what you find out?"

"I will," he agreed.
***
Angel observed from the bottom of the hill as a light came on inside
the house above him.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice asked from behind him.

Angel turned to face the stranger.

"Mike Webster," the man smiled. "I'm a foreman with the construction
crew. I've seen you around with Mr. Giles, haven't I?"

Angel nodded and looked back at the estate, "Someone's moved in?"

"I didn't even know anything had been put on the market yet, aside from
the house Mr. Giles bought," Mike answered.

"Who bought it?" Angel asked casually.

"A friend of Mr. Darnell--that's one of Sunnydale's major benefactors.
He's tossed in a hell of a lot of money to rebuild this town. Anyway,
Mr. Darnell showed up at the bank site on Monday night and mentioned
he'd sold the house to an associate--a British man and his lady."

"Lady?" Angel echoed.

"Yeah. Some of us have been unloading furniture up there. The
overtime's great, you know. She's a sweet little redhead. Mr. Williams
is a lucky man--a woman like that and money to burn."

"I'd like to meet Mr. Darnell," Angel said.

"I haven't seen him around much. Kind of funny, really. He's been
hawking over our shoulders for months. All of a sudden, this British
guy shows up, and Mr. Darnell does a vanishing act."

"You haven't seen him since Monday?" Angel asked.

"Just once, up at the house last night when we were moving the last of
the furniture. He didn't say too much. He didn't even ask about Main
Street, and he's been dogging us about that job for weeks. I guess I
should thank Mr. Williams for getting him off our backs. He can be a
real prick."
***
"A lair?" Giles asked.

Angel nodded, "Have you heard of someone named Mr. Darnell?"

"He's one of the youngest members of the council. He took his place
when his father died last year. Joseph arrived here just before we did.
He was keen on helping rebuild Sunnydale, and his father had left him a
substantial inheritance. The council thought it would be a good
experience for him, a rare opportunity to live on a Hellmouth without
the danger of demons."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Angel said softly.

Giles looked at him anxiously, "Why not?"

"He's been helping them move in," the vampire answered.

"What? You're not saying--"

"I don't know. I hope not," Angel stood and walked to the window.

"Willow wouldn't allow it,"Giles asserted.

"Wouldn't she? Willow isn't the same person you remember."

"That's understandable, but she can't have changed so drastically," the
watcher said.

"Believe me, Giles, I really hope I'm wrong about this," Angel told
him.

"I'll try to track down Darnell in the morning," Giles replied. "If I
can't locate him--"

"I'll look tomorrow night," Angel nodded.
 

Willow waited on the terrace for Spike to join her as the last rays of
the sun faded in a golden shimmer behind the treetops on the horizon.
She turned at the sound of footsteps behind her.

"You don't have to do this," Giles said. "You know you're welcome to
stay here; I want you to stay."

"You want to keep an eye on me, "Willow responded softly.

"I won't insult you by pretending to deny that. I do. I worry about
you," he admitted.

She smiled and looked over at him, "You don't need to. I've gotten
pretty good at looking out for myself, and I have Spike now."

"Why does that thought not ease my anxieties?" he asked.

She laughed, "I suppose it wouldn't. As hard as it is for you to trust
him, I find it incredibly natural to do just that. I guess going
through what we did here and the way he stood by me after you had to
leave and Angel went to L.A. makes it easy for me. I know what he is,
Giles. I know he isn't Angel. I'm not deluding myself."

"And you can deal with that?" he asked.

"Yes. I love him," she answered. "Anyway, it's better if we go. Things
are too hostile here."

"Hostile, as in Silver," Giles said. "She's young and inexperienced.
The council has trained her to see vampires as immutably evil. There
are no gray areas as far as she's concerned. They are the enemy."

"She doesn't see Angel that way," Willow pointed out.

"Angel has a soul. He doesn't have the propensity for evil that Spike
possesses."

"True enough," Willow yielded. "But Spike wants to see Sunnydale remain
intact, too. His reasons may be different, but the desire is the same."

"Is it? We're fighting for lives; he's fighting for blood."

"And Angel isn't? His survival depends on it as surely as Spike's does.
Whether it comes out of a vein or a bag, the source is the same."

Giles was clearly shocked by her statement, "Willow, you can't mean
that."

"Of course I can," she shrugged. "They both need blood. The
extermination of the human race would be their own demise."

Giles spoke harshly, "Angel doesn't murder to feed. How can you close
your eyes to what Spike does?"

"Love does that," she answered coldly. "You overlook faults and focus
on--"

"Faults?" Giles shouted. "Willow, we're not talking about leaving the
cap off the toothpaste!"

Willow sighed, "You see? We have to leave here. We're never going to
see eye to eye on this."

"I hope not," he replied. "I'm appalled that you can ignore what he
does."

"I know you are," she nodded. "I can promise you he'll never come after
you, though. I hope you can make the same promise."

"You know I can't do that."

"Even if it meant taking me out to get at him?" she asked.

"I pray it never comes to that."

"I do, too," she said. "Because if you did ever decide to destroy him,
I'd stand squarely in your way. I admire you. I respect you. I love you
and Angel, but Spike comes first."

"Willow," Giles moaned.

"Sweetheart," Spike beckoned from the doorway. "You're still planning
on leaving tonight, aren't you?"

She stepped away from the watcher and smiled softly at her lover, "Yes.
I'm ready."

He nodded, but made no move to leave. Willow looked back at Giles.

"I'll be around. We'll see each other soon," she told him.

He nodded as Willow took Spike's hand and walked from the terrace and
out across the lawn.
***
Willow had been shut away in the bedroom for hours. She looked out the
window for what seemed like the hundredth time and breathed a sigh of
boredom. A key turned in the lock, and Spike entered and closed the
door behind him. He met her halfway across the room and drew her into
his arms.

"I'm sorry that took so long, luv," he said softly.

"It's okay," she smiled. "How did it go?"

He pulled away and led her over to the bed.

"Surprisingly well," he answered. "I think a brush with starvation
actually taught the bloody sods a lesson. They were very cooperative.
Taking Joseph along was a brilliant idea, pet."

"Impressed, were they?" she grinned.

"A council member turned vampire, how could they not be?" he said.

"Did they come back with you?"

Spike nodded, "I set them up in the outbuildings. They won't come to
the house unless I summon them."

"Do they know I'm here?" she asked.

"They know, and they also know you're mine. They won't harm you," he
promised her.

"All the same, I think I'll keep my distance, if you don't mind."

Spike chuckled, "I don't mind, baby. Joseph will be staying here, in
the house. It seems he's taken a fancy to you. I'm not sure I like it."

"He is kind of handsome," she teased.

Spike glared at her, "I can arrange to have you locked in this room
permanently, ducks. You do realize that."

Willow giggled, "As long as I'm locked in with you."

He flipped her back onto the bed and straddled her.

"Spike!" she squealed as his hands traveled over her body and tore her
shirt open.

"Yes, pet?" he grinned and pressed his cold lips against one of her
bare breasts.

"Spike, don't! Oh--" she gasped as the hard cock inside his jeans
brushed against her pelvis.

Spike kissed his way up her throat and along her jawline as Willow's
hands tugged at his shirt.

"Don't what, luv?" he whispered.

"Don't stop," she moaned as his mouth came down on hers.

A growl rumbled from Spike's chest as a loud rap on the door brought
him up off the bed. Willow scrambled across the bed and plucked one of
Spike's shirts off the floor. She discarded the remains of her shirt
and pulled his over her head, silently vowing never to bitch at him for
leaving his clothes laying where ever they happened to land.

Spike yanked open the door and scowled at Joseph.

"I'm sorry," the vampire stammered.

"You will be," Spike snarled, "if you don't have a damn good reason for
disturbing us."

"An intruder," Darnell said. "On the grounds. I thought--"

"Bloody hell," Spike hissed as he pushed past him.

Willow hurried out into the corridor.

"Stay," Spike barked at her.

"Like hell," she muttered and ran to catch up with him.

"Did you hear me?" he growled.

"I heard you," she answered.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand, "Stay close, then."
***
"Willow!" Spike hissed. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm going this way," she whispered. "You go around the other way. One
of us is bound to run into--whoever it is."

"I don't think so," he argued.

She put her hands on her hips and stared up at him, "Did you tell me
those vampires are here?"

"Yes."

"Did you tell me they won't harm me?"

"Yes."

"Then how much danger can there be?" she asked and headed around the
side of the house.

"Willow--" he began, then heaved an unneeded sigh and took off around
the other side of the mansion.

Willow stalked around the back corner of the house and found herself
nose to nose with Silver.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Willow demanded.

"What do you think I'm doing here?" Silver sneered.

"You're a voyeur? You can't get Angel to do you, so you thought you'd
get your kicks out of watching Spike and me?"

"Bitch," Silver snarled. "This place is crawling with vampires. I'll
take care of that, though, starting with your blonde bastard."

Willow put out her hand and grabbed at the slayer. Silver whirled
around and kicked out at her. Willow landed hard on the ground. Silver
knelt over her. Her raised fist was suddenly encircled by a cold,
strong hand. The vampire pulled her away from Willow and flung her
against the outside wall of the house.

"No!" Willow shouted as the demon bared his fangs.

"Let him," Spike said as he appeared from around the house, followed by
a group of angry vampires.

The slayer struggled against the hand that had curled around her throat
and pinned her against the wall.

"Spike," Willow said. "You can't. Not like this."

He looked at her as she walked to him. He pulled her against his side
and draped an arm over her shoulders.

"We could watch her squirm for a few hours before I let him drain her,"
he agreed.

"Spike, please," she whispered.

The vampire holding Silver was staring at her with cold, hungry eyes,
waiting for his Master's command.

"Let her go," Willow spoke to the demon. "Now."

The vampire looked over at Spike. He nodded, and the demon released his
hand from around Silver's neck. She dropped to the ground and rubbed at
her aching throat.

"Get the hell back to your watcher," Spike growled. "The next time I
catch you here, I'll invite him over--to collect your corpse."

Silver looked at Spike and Willow and controlled the trembling in her
legs long enough to raise herself up and flee around the side of the
house.

"You should have let me kill her," Spike complained.

"It wasn't necessary," Willow replied. "You made your point."

"Did I? That bitch is pretty thick-headed."

"What happens now?" she asked.

Spike slipped under the sheets and pulled her over to him to nuzzle at
her ear.

"I think you're supposed to spread your legs, and I--"

"Spike," she laughed, and caressed his thigh with her hand, "That isn't
what I meant."

"Then I suggest you stop that," he growled as her fingers brushed along
the base of his cock.

"Okay," she consented and moved her hand to encircle the cold, soft
flesh of his shaft.

"Better?" she whispered as she lifted herself up to straddle him and
positioned his hard cock at the entrance between her soft folds.

"Much," he hissed softly as Willow lowered her body and guided his
engorged shaft into her tight channel.

Willow moaned and began to ride him in slow, easy strokes. Spike's
hands gripped her hips as his body thrust up against hers. Her hands
splayed across his chest, and she stared into his eyes. Spike brought a
hand up to cup one of her soft breasts. His other hand separated her
folds and rubbed her clit.

Willow groaned and rocked against him.

"Spike," she murmured between quickening pants. "Mmmm...so good."

He flipped her under him and thrust hard, burying himself to the hilt
inside her weeping pussy. He drew her knees up against her body as he
pistoned into her. Willow's hands cupped his ass, and she arched into
him as he ran his tongue along her pebbled nipples. She drove herself
into him in desperate response to the aching need growing inside her.

"Come for me, luv," he whispered as he swept his tongue between her
breasts and up to the hollow of her throat.

She thrashed under him as his body coaxed hers to the edge of release.
His fingers returned to her clit and pinched it, and she cried out as
her walls gripped him. The pressure against his throbbing cock forced a
low growl from Spike's throat, and he roared as he slammed into her,
filling her with is cold semen.

"I love you, baby," he whispered against her lips as her body clung to
his.

He moved off of her and imprisioned her trembling body in his strong
arms. She rested her cheek against the delicious coolness of his chest
and entwined her legs through his.

"Spike?" she murmured.

"Yes, pet."

"What happens next? Will the others join you here?" she asked.

He placed a kiss on her head.

"Not yet. There's enough--food--to supply the few that are here now, if
we're careful. The others will have to wait until the Hellmouth is
resettled."

She raised her head to look into his piercing blue eyes, "But what
happened before--"

He smiled and kissed her softly, "Won't happen again, ever. I promise,
Willow."

"I love you, Spike," she whispered and deepened the kiss.
***
"He could have killed her," Angel said.

Willow turned from the window and glanced over at the clock on the
mantle. Two hours. They had been going around in circles for two hours.

"He didn't," she responded. "But I could hardly have blamed him if he
had."

"Willow!" Giles exclaimed.

"Look, she comes skulking around our place. In the middle of the night.
Alone. What the hell did she think was going to happen? Spike was
furious!" Willow shouted.

"She's a slayer. She was following her instincts," Giles explained.

"Instincts my ass! She's a nosey bitch! She's been in our faces since
we got here," Willow argued.

"He's the enemy, as far as she's concerned. It's her duty to--"

"She doesn't know the first damn thing about him," Willow protested.

"She know's enough to realize she can't trust him," Giles said.

"That's ironic, coming from you. He saved your life in the gym that
night, or had you forgotten?"

"Of course not, but--"

"But what? He hasn't hurt anyone since we got here."

"He turned Darnell," Giles reminded her.

"That was necessary."

The watcher shook his head, "I cannot believe I'm hearing this from
you. How can you--"

"Willow," Angel's calm voice interrupted their verbal sparring. "How
many vampires are up there now?"

"Ten, not including Joseph," she answered. "Or Spike."

"I'm sending Silver up there," Giles stated.

"You can't!" Willow said.

"I can. I'm not about to sit by while your guests make a snack of the
construction workers in this town," Giles told her.

"Giles, what are you hoping for? A Hellmouth devoid of demons?" she
asked.

"Lives are at risk," he answered. "Those vampires must be destroyed."

"Silver isn't up to taking on a dozen vampires," Angel spoke.

"I'll intensify her training. Sunnydale is not going to start over
right where it left off," the watcher insisted.

"Then let Spike do what he has to," Willow begged. "I know you think
I'm condoning what they do, but I'm not. I still have nightmares about
what happened here. Spike will make sure we don't have to go through
that again. You know you'll never keep the Hellmouth free of demons,
but Spike can control them."

"She has a point," Angel said. "People here have been dying at the
hands of vampires for years."

Giles gaped at the vampire in disbelief, "And we just allow it?"

"No, we fight against it as much as we can. But it'll never be enough.
It wasn't enough when Buffy was here, and it won't be enough with
Silver here, either."

"So, we help Spike?" the watcher asked.

"We help as many people as we can, just as we always have, and we let
Spike control things from his side."

Giles rose from the sofa and walked to the terrace doors. Angel put his
hand on Willow's arm as she moved to go to the watcher.

"I can't do it," Giles decided after a long silence. "I can't ask
Silver to make a pact with a demon."

"Giles--"

He turned around to face the redhead, "I'm sorry, Willow. Our purpose
is to fight them, all of them. You shared that purpose, once. You
fought beside Buffy. What you're asking demeans her memory and the
memories of Xander and Oz, as well."

Willow flinched as though she'd been slapped.

"We can fight them again, together," he continued.

She shook her head and swallowed back the lump in her throat, "I won't
fight Spike. You can't accept his help because he's a demon. You'd
condemn this town to relive past agonies because of your unrealistic
ideals. Spike's right about the situation here, and somewhere inside
yourself, you know it. He helped all of us not so long ago. I love him.
I won't turn my back on him. I won't betray him."

"Willow," Giles called out to her as she walked out of the room.
"Angel, stop her. She'll listen to you."

Angel shook his head, "I can't, Giles. She's right, and we both know
it."

The weeks passed, and while Sunnydale was rebuilt and business-seekers
and families began to re-populate the town, Giles carefully avoided any
contact with Willow. He had a nagging suspicion that Angel was less
determined to keep his distance, but he never directly asked the
vampire if he had been with Willow or Spike.

Silver had thrown herself into training with a vengeance. Although she
never mentioned her run-in with Spike at the mansion on the hill, Giles
knew it was the driving force behind her steely determination to hone
her skills to deadly proficiency. She and her watcher and Angel had
begun to make scheduled patrols of the burgeoning town as the Hellmouth
began to stir from its forced slumber.

"Well done," Giles said as he followed Silver through the front door.

She grinned, "That ought to make the demons sit up and take notice. If
they want to take me on, I'm ready. Spike isn't holding up his end of
the deal. I thought he was supposed to be keeping them in line."

Giles frowned, "He is; I suppose. The vampire activity is normal for a
Hellmouth."

"I should've staked him when I had the chance," she grumbled.

"I think you could do with some sleep. It's been an eventful night,"
Giles suggested.
***
Silver looked over at the clock on the nightstand. It was well past one
o'clock. She pulled the duffle bag out from under her bed and rummaged
around in it. Pocketing several stakes and a bottle of holy water, she
slipped through the doors to the balcony and slid over the railing to
drop noiselessly to the grass below. She looked back at the house once
before running off into the darkness.

Lights radiated out of the windows in the mansion as Silver crept
across the front lawn. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as a
dark figure emerged from around the house and stopped in front of one
of the windows. The vampire turned in her direction, and Silver readied
a stake as he moved toward her.

The demon snarled and reached out to grab her. She brought a booted
foot up into his chest and kicked him back onto the lawn. Silver leapt
at him and staked him with quiet efficiency. She rose as the vampire's
dust settled into the grass.

Inside the house, Spike had pulled away from Willow's energetic kiss.

"Spike?" she asked. "What is it?"

"Slayer," Joseph spoke as he appeared at the entryway into the living
room.

"I don't suppose it would do any good to tell you to stay here," Spike
said to Willow as he turned toward the French doors.

"What you want is a puppy," she answered as she followed behind him.

Spike slipped out into the moonlight.

"If it isn't the lord of the manor and his fuck-toy," Silver spoke as
she stepped into the light.

"This is getting old," Willow sighed.

"I agree. Let's end it," the slayer offered.

"You won't mind if I don't fight fair," Spike said as a handful of
vampires approached from either side of the house to flank them.

"Who am I to deny a dying demon his last request?" she sneered.

Silver pivoted and blocked a solid arm that had swung out at her.

"Get inside," Spike hissed at Willow as Silver staked five of his
minions with swift ease.

The slayer kicked low and swept Spike's feet out from under him. She
scrambled on top of him, and Willow latched onto the wrist that wielded
the stake. Silver brought her fist back into Willow's jaw, and the
redhead grunted and fell to her knees. Silver grabbed Spike's shirt as
he attempted to roll out from under her.

Willow snarled and crashed into the woman, throwing her off of Spike.
Spike heard Willow yelp as the stake ripped through her shirt, tearing
a gash in the skin along her ribs. Willow's hand clenched around a
fistful of thick hair and yanked hard. Silver screamed and grabbed for
Willow's wrist.

Spike heard the unmistakable snapping of bone, and he roared in anger
as he slipped into game face. He raced to Willow and wrapped his arm
around her waist. He pulled her up off the slayer and pushed her away.

"Willow," he snarled as he felt her return to his side.

"Shut up," she snapped through clenched teeth and shot her uninjured
hand into his duster pocket.

Spike dodged Silver's fist, and Willow stepped between them. She
grabbed the slayer's throat and brought her hand down across her cheek.
Silver groaned in pain as the thin blade of Spike's knife sliced
through her flesh. Spike clamped onto Silver's arm and wrenched it
behind her, dislodging the joint from its socket.

The slayer brought an elbow back into his stomach and pulled away from
him. She grabbed Willow by the throat and squeezed until the redhead's
knees gave out. Suddenly, her hand let go, and Willow gasped as the air
rushed back into her lungs. Silver pitched face-forward onto the grass.
Willow felt Spike's arm slide around her waist and heard a familiar
voice.

"Is she all right?"

"Angel?" the question came out as a raspy whisper.

"We can have a natter later, ducks. You need help," Spike told her.

"No, I'm--" her voice faded as Spike lifted her into his arms.

"Remind me to get you a collar," he grumbled as he carried her into the
house.
***
"Does he know what he's doing?" Willow looked anxiously at Spike.

"He was a doctor," Spike answered as he watched the minion finish
dressing Willow's wrist.

"That's handy," she quipped.

"This should be properly tended to," the vampire told his master.

Spike nodded, then scowled as the demon eyed the bloody shirt that hung
in tatters over Willow's ribs.

"I'll see to that," his master snarled. "Leave us."

The vampire nodded and left the house. Spike knelt in front of Willow
and eyed the dark bruises around her throat.

"I'm all right," she smiled and flinched as he pulled her against him.

"Better take care of that," Spike said as he drew away the scraps of
fabric that hid the bloody gash on her side. "You look like hell, luv."

"You would know," she grinned.

He shook his head and fought the smile that tugged at the corners of
his mouth.

"She could have killed you," he scolded her.

"She would have had to, if she intended to get to you," Willow replied.

Their eyes met, and he placed his hand on her cheek, "I love you,
baby."

Willow brushed her mouth against his and parted her lips as his tongue
glided inside to caress hers.

"You never think of anything else, do you?" Angel asked from the
terrace doors.

Willow pushed away from Spike and smiled at Angel, "Thank you--"

"Don't" he shook his head. "Willow, that was probably the stupidest
thing I've ever seen. She could have killed you."

"I've fought worse. Where is she, anyway?"

"Home. I threatened to call Giles if she didn't get her ass back there,
though how she's going to explain that cut on her face is beyond me."

"She can tell him she tripped over her ego," Willow suggested.

Spike chuckled, and a wide grin spread across Angel's face.

"Seriously, we have to do something about her," Willow told them.

"I've got a few ideas," Spike said.

Angel ignored his remark, "We need to talk to Giles, all of us."

"Like that'll do any good! He won't listen!" Willow argued.

"He might, after this."

"Okay, we can try, but not with that bitch hanging over his shoulder,"
Willow said.

"Angel," Spike spoke. "If the watcher won't listen, what are you
planning on doing? You can't be on both sides. You're going to have to
choose. If it comes to that, whose side are you on?"

Angel looked from Spike to Willow, "Yours, but only if it comes to
that. Trying to rid the Hellmouth of demons would be like torching the
town all over again.
I don't like Silver any more than you do, but I don't want to fight
Giles if I don't have to. We'll try talking first."

Spike nodded and turned back to Willow, "Set it up. We'll be there."

Angel looked down at Willow in concern as her hand moved to her side
and her eyes misted in pain.

"I'll let you know when and where. Take care of her," he said.

"He always does," Willow answered softly as Angel left the house.
 

Willow awoke and moved away from Spike, hissing softly at the dull pain
in her side. She reached for the bottle of aspirin Spike had left on
the nightstand and washed two tablets down with a long drink of tepid
water. She sank back down onto the pillow and turned to look at Spike,
who was looking at her. He slid closer to her and kissed her softly.

"Hurting, baby?" he asked.

She smiled, "It isn't so bad."

"Not as bad as it could be," he replied. "You're damn lucky that wrist
didn't require a cast."

"You know, if you're going to lie there and lecture me, I'm getting
up," she told him.

"I don't think so," he smirked and snaked his arm around her waist.

"Then think of something else to do with that mouth," she ordered.

He arched an eyebrow, "You need a muzzle to go with that collar, pet."

She giggled, "Maybe I just need something to play with."

Willow gasped as he took her hand and guided it to his cock.

"Play with me," he suggested, carefully moving over her.

He caught her mouth with his and nipped at her lips. She moaned as his
tongue darted inside her mouth and tangled with hers. He cupped one
warm breast in his hand and pinched the nipple, rolling it between his
fingers. His lips traveled down her throat and sucked at the hardened
bud. His mouth moved over her breasts to her tight stomach, brushing
ever so softly over the bruises along her side.

He traveled lower and parted her soft folds with his tongue. Willow's
hand buried itself in his hair as he coaxed the tender bud of her clit
out of its sleepy softness. A quiet pant escaped from her lips, and he
placed his hands on her hips, forcing her to be still as he licked the
first traces of wet desire forming at her opening.

"Spike," she moaned softly as his tongue darted inside her.

He took her clit into his mouth and sucked gently. Her hands clenched,
and her body arched under his as he laved the swelling nubbin and drank
in her juices.

"Please," she whispered.

He grinned and removed his mouth to replace it with his hand. He
inserted a finger into her channel and rubbed her clit with his thumb.
Willow's eyes closed, and she pressed into his hand. His mouth
recaptured hers, and she tasted herself on his lips. Her hands gripped
his ass, pleading with him to enter her. The tip of his cock rubbed
against her wet slit, and a whimper of frustration escaped from her
lips.

"Do you want me, baby?" he whispered into her ear as he traced her
jawline with his tongue.

"Oh, please. Please, yes," she moaned as he brushed against her once
again.

Her nails dug into his flesh as she attempted to force him inside of
her.

"Patience, luv," he murmured.

"No," she panted. "Spike, I need--"

"I know, baby."

His mouth assaulted her breasts, sucking at her red, hardened nipples.
Willow emitted a tiny sob, and Spike thrust his tongue into her mouth
as he drove his shaft deep inside her. She groaned and pushed into him
as he withdrew from her sopping channel and slammed back into her.

Willow dragged her nails down his muscled back. Spike wrapped his arms
around her waist and pulled her up into him. She keened as the fire in
her throbbing core raced through her. Her walls gripped his cock, and
Spike groaned as her body tensed and her lips parted. She called out to
him as she rocketed into her orgasm.

Spike growled as her walls seized his engorged cock and milked his cold
seed into her hot passage. He placed soft, wet kisses on her lips as
her muscles continued to convulse around him. He stroked her tousled
hair and brushed his mouth along her forehead, her eyelashes, her
cheeks, his kissed punctuated with soft, comforting whispers. Willow
drew in a breath as she glided back to reality.

He pulled out of her and lay back on the bed, coaxing her to rest
against his chest.

"Oh, goddess," she murmured. "You're wonderful."

He smiled and nestled his hand in her hair.

"You think your ribs hurt before," he said. "I'm afraid that won't have
done them much good."

"Don't care," she breathed against him. "Not having you would hurt a
lot more."

His chest constricted around his silent heart, and he drew her mouth
into a gentle kiss.

"You've got me, baby, for as long as you want me," he whispered.

She smiled and snuggled into his arms.

"How's eternity sound?" she asked.

"Perfect," he answered.
***
Willow and Spike followed Giles into the library. Angel turned from the
window and smiled softly at Willow.

"Where is she?" Willow asked.

"Silver is out patrolling," Giles answered.

"Alone?" Spike said. "Damn, I wish I'd known. I'd have sent a few of
my--"

"Spike," Willow hissed. "Be nice."

"She never did give me a satisfactory explanation for the cut on her
face, even after the doctor put eleven stitches through it. You
probably wouldn't know anything about that," Giles looked at each of
them in turn.

"Probably not," Willow said.

"That's what I thought," he nodded.

"Will it leave a scar, do you think?"

Spike chuckled at the unmistakable tone of hopefulness that seeped
through her words.

"Quite a nasty one, I should imagine," Giles answered coldly.

"Oh, what a shame," Willow replied with a shake of her head.

"Giles," Angel spoke over Spike's laughter. "What are we going to do
about her?"

"About Silver? I wasn't aware anything needed to be done," he said.

"She went to the mansion last night," Angel informed him.

"Foolish, I admit, but she is a slayer."

Angel walked to Willow and carefully raised her wrist, "Willow isn't a
vampire! Silver could have killed her! You gave her orders to stay away
from there."

Giles sighed, "I know. She's been training hard. She's eager to put her
skills to use."

"Eager? Try obsessed," Angel responded.

"I can hardly ask her to stop slaying."

"Giles, she's got it in her head to wipe out the entire demon
population. You know where that's going to end. I've talked to her.
You've talked to her. She isn't listening."

"You're drawing lines," Giles stated. "And I'm fully aware of which one
you've chosen to stand behind."

"What choice does he have?" Willow asked. "Sunnydale has just returned
from oblivion, but she'll throw it right back if she gets half the
chance."

"You don't know that," the watcher said.

"Yes, I do, and so do you. Spike's got control of the vampires. They
listen to him. But I'm telling you, if she doesn't back off, they're
going to defend him. And if she gets lucky and succeeds in--" Willow
paused, unwilling to give voice to the thought. "The Hellmouth will
erupt, and we'll be back to oblivion."

Giles looked away from her, "All right. You've made your point. I'll
talk to her again."

"Talking doesn't work," Willow said.

"You have a better suggestion?" he asked.

"Take her out," Spike answered.

The watcher's eyes snapped to Spike's, "No."

"Giles," Willow spoke.

"No!" he shouted. "You're asking me to help you kill her! How could you
possibly think I'd go along with that?"

"Because if you don't, she'll destroy this town and us with it," Willow
told him. "Do you think for one minute she wouldn't step over you to
get what she's after?"

Giles gared at the woman, "Your heart is as dead as his. He might as
well drain you here and now."

Willow fell silent and stepped back, repulsed by his words. Spike's
hands moved to her shoulders and squeezed.

Angel looked at them in dismay, "Giles--"

"Don't defend them!" he barked. "This is a human life we're talking
about, and they'd murder her without batting an eye."

"She'll be the death of everyone in this town!" Willow shouted back as
shock gave way to anger. "I don't understand you! After everything we
lost, how can you stand there while she's on a campaign to bring this
town to its knees?"

"Everything we lost was at the hands of the bastards she's fighting
against," Giles argued. "How can you stand there and cheer them on
while they overrun the town they destroyed once before?"

"That isn't what I'm doing."

"Isn't it? Do you celebrate the deaths of your old friends while you're
surrounded by their murderers up in that mansion?"

Spike stepped around Willow and grabbed hold of the watcher's throat,
pulling him up off the floor.

"Spike!" Angel bellowed.

"You bloody son of a bitch," the vampire hissed and shook the watcher.

Angel wrapped one hand around Spike's neck and the other around the
wrist at Gile's throat.

"Let him go, damn it," he growled.

Spike flung Giles into a bookcase, sending books tumbling to the floor
about the dazed watcher.

"You have no bloody idea how many nights I listened to her cry herself
to sleep," Spike snarled. "You have no bloody idea how many times she's
been torn out of sleep by nightmares that left her shaking. I'll rip
your fucking heart out of your fucking chest and feed it to your
fucking slayer before I'll let you put her through that again."

Angel stepped between the enraged vampire and the stunned watcher as
Giles pulled himself up off the floor. Spike grabbed Willow's hand and
dragged her toward the door.

"You'd better pry your head out of your ass," Spike growled as he
stared icily back at Giles. "Because I swear to you, if you don't stop
that insane bitch, I will. And when I'm through with her, there won't
be enough pieces left to bury. I promised Willow this town would never
be torn to the ground again, and I'll keep that promise, with or
without your help."

Willow turned without looking at either Giles or Angel and followed
Spike out of the room.

Willow stepped quickly out of the way as a small group of vampires
filed past her, carefully casting their eyes away from the redhead. She
entered the room and stared across at Spike.

"What's going on?" she asked.

He smiled at her, "Nothing, baby. Nothing you need to--"

She crossed the room and cupped his chin in her hand to glare into his
eyes, "Don't pull that with me!"

"The last person who touched me like that retrieved her hand from the
floor," he warned her.

Willow's eyes sparkled, "Go ahead, buster. Snap it right off my wrist.
Then who's going to play with your--"

She squealed as Spike growled and pulled her down onto his lap. He
kissed her hard, and she put an arm around his neck.

"So what was that all about?" she asked as her hand played across his
chest.

"Just making plans, in case the watcher refuses to see reason," he
answered.

"What kind of plans?"

"Willow," he groaned.

She grabbed a handful of his shirt and stared into his blue eyes.

"If you don't tell me, I'll move into the guest room," she threatened.

Spike laughed softly, "And you'll wake up to find me right on top of
you."

"I would? Oh, good," she smiled. "Come on; tell me what you're up to."

"You won't like it," he told her.

"I'm sure. Tell me, anyway."

"If he won't fight for us, we'll take him out of the way. The slayer's
going down, one way or another," he vowed.

"I wouldn't want Giles to get hurt."

"I know, pet," he said softly as his hand caressed her thigh. "I hope
he has more sense than to get in the way, for your sake. But the slayer
has to be stopped. You know that."

She nodded and leaned against his shoulder, "I know. It's just--"

"It's a last resort," he said. "We're going directly for her. If he
doesn't interfere, he'll be all right."
***
"Where's Giles?" Silver asked as she shrugged off her jacket.

"He went to bed. I told him I'd wait up for you," Angel answered.

"Oh."

"Silver, sit down," he patted the cushion beside him. "We need to
talk."

"I can guess what about. I'm done talking," she told him.

"Then listen," he suggested.

She sighed and dropped down beside him.

"What you're doing is suicide," he began.

"I don't think so. The Hellmouth is vulnerable right now. It's the
perfect time to go after the demons," she responded

"You can't fight all of them alone. Trust me; I've seen what they can
do when they band together. They'll come after you in full force.
They'll rip this town apart again, if they have to. Maybe you don't
care about that, about the innocent lives that'll be lost. This isn't
your home, but it is mine, and I do care. I've spent a lot of years
fighting to keep the demons from overtaking Sunnydale, but it was never
about completely destroying them. We fought to--"

"We," she hissed. "Meaning Buffy and you. Well, I'm not Buffy. You've
all put her up on a pedestal. Hell, you've practically canonized
her--St. Buffy! No one is ever going to take her place in your mind,
and I'm tired of being compared to her. For all her legend, she
obviously had flaws. She fell in love with a vampire, the enemy--"

"I'm not your enemy," Angel said.

"Aren't you? You're not on my side," she snapped.

"Not if your side is bent on tearing the town apart."

"They have to stopped," she told him.

"I'm not defending what they do, but as long as the Hellmouth exists,
so will they. Spike has a strong hold over them. He's--"

"I don't give a damn about Spike," she snarled. "I'll spit on his ashes
one of these night."

"He's the best hope this town has!" Angel argued. "He'll rip the throat
out of any vampire who steps out of line, and they know it."

She stood and moved away from him, "You're unbelievable! Bottom
line--I'm going after every damn vampire in this town, and that bastard
and his little bitch are right at the top of my list. If you're not
fighting by my side, your name is right below theirs."
***
"Angel, are you going out?" Giles asked.

The vampire turned from the door and looked across at the man.

"I'm leaving," he answered. "Silver refuses to listen to either of us.
You may as well know that Spike is going after her, and his boys won't
stop until she's dead."

"And you're going to help them," Giles stated.

"I don't have a choice. We're all after the same thing, to keep
Sunnydale alive. Silver doesn't give a damn about what her crusade is
going to bring about. I'm not crazy about fighting alongside Spike, but
Silver is wrong, and I won't help her. If you stick by her and
Sunnydale goes down, it's on your head."
***
Angel shook his head as Spike pulled Willow closer and gripped her ass.
He bit into her lip and ravaged her mouth as her sweet blood coated his
tongue.

"Are you two permanently joined? Should I go get a crowbar?" the dark
vampire asked.

Willow laughed and turned her head to look at him, "I can't help it. He
does things to me."

"You want a run-down? I could give you a few pointers," Spike added.

Angel rolled his eyes and walked around the park bench.

"I spoke to Giles," he said.

"And?" Willow asked.

"He's being stubborn. He is her watcher, after all," Angel answered.

"He'll be her pall bearer," Spike snarled.

"I'm not the one who needs convincing," Angel told him. "I left the
house."

"For good?" Willow asked.

Angel nodded, "I can't fight with him while I'm staying under his
roof."

"Are you sure you can fight him at all?" Spike inquired.

"I won't let Sunnydale collapse. I've taken an apartment across town.
I'll help you," Angel answered.

"Thank you," Willow whispered.

"Don't. I hate this, all of it. I'd hoped we'd never have to go through
it again. Giles is a good man. His heart is in the right place."

"It just his reasoning that's twisted," Spike sneered. "Come up to the
mansion. We've got plans to make."
***
"Can you do this?" Angel asked as he sat down beside Willow. "She's
human, flesh and blood."

"An enemy's an enemy," she shrugged.

"Straight from Spike's brain and out of your mouth," he said.

Her emerald eyes flashed, "I can think for myself. I want this as much
as he does."

Angel took her hand, "I know. It's just that sometimes, I don't
recognize you."

Her voice softened, "I'm not surprised. That Willow is long gone."

Spike entered the room and stopped as Angel's hand caressed Willow's
hair.

"Willow," he snarled.

She started and looked over at him, extracting her hand from Angel's.

"We were just talking, baby," she smiled.

He pulled her up off the sofa and wrapped a possessive arm around her
waist.

"Territorial bastard, isn't he?" Angel grinned. "We could stand on
opposite sides of the room and shout."

Willow laughed and looked up at Spike, "Are we going after her
tonight?"

"She'll be done patrolling by now. Spike's boys can't get into Giles'
house, and we'll never draw her out. She's obsessed, but she isn't
stupid," Angel said.

"So, we have to wait," Willow grumbled.

"Tomorrow night, then," Spike said. "While she's patrolling. Meet us
here after sunset."

Angel nodded, "I'll be here."
 
 

"What are you doing?" Spike asked as Willow tugged the sweatshirt
sleeve over her bandaged wrist.

"Going with you."

"No, Willow. I won't allow it," he said.

She put her hand on his arm, "Let me put it this way. Either I'm going
with you, or I'm following you. This is my fight, too."

"I'll lock you in this room," he warned her.

"Go ahead," she shrugged. "You taught me how to pick any lock ever
made."

He shook his head and toyed with a strand of red hair, "I've created a
monster."

"And you love me," she grinned.

"Yes, I do," he answered. "Which is why--"

"I wouldn't be anywhere else but by your side," she grabbed hold of his
sentence and finished it.

He smiled and kissed her, "Oh, I don't know. I think your best
position is under me."

"I was speaking vertically," she giggled. "Let's go bag us a slayer.
Then we'll get horizontal."

He patted her ass, "All right, pet. I suppose it's wiser to have you
where I can keep an eye on you."

"Undoubtedly," she replied.
***
"Where will she be?" Spike asked as his minions gathered around him on
the front lawn of the estate.

"She's usually patrolling the cemetery right now, but Giles changed her
routine," Angel answered. "We'll have to split up and canvas the town."

Spike nodded and gestured to a dozen or so of his minions. They moved
to Angel's side.

"I would rather have stayed together," the master spoke. "We'd be
stronger."

"It's the quickest way to track her down," Angel reasoned.

"She's in the park," Giles voice spoke as he moved out of the darkness.

"Giles!" Willow smiled.

"I'm not enthused about this, but she has to be stopped." He looked
pointedly at Angel, "I can't be responsible for the deaths of hundreds
of people."

Spike motioned to Darnell, who stepped forward.

"Tell the boys to encircle the park. Don't let her get out. We'll move
in and surround her," Spike ordered.

Joseph nodded and stepped back to relay his master's command.

"The council will have your head for this," Willow said to Giles.

"Very possibly," he nodded. "Let's go."
***
"What the bloody hell do you mean, she's not here?" Spike growled and
grabbed hold of the minion's collar.

"We've been from one side of the park to the other. She isn't in
there," the vampire's voice came out as a rather pathetic squeak.

Spike dropped the demon and whirled on the watcher, "If you've set us
up--"

"I'd be a complete idiot," Giles snapped. "She was supposed to start
here."

"Split up," Spike barked at his minions. "We'll check the cemeteries.
The rest of you, cover the town."
***
"She isn't here, either," Willow said as they walked out of yet another
cemetery.

"There's Darnell," Giles spoke.

Spike strode to the vampire and talked with him quietly while the
others waited.

"Well?" Angel asked when Spike returned.

"No one's seen her. They've looked everywhere," he grumbled.

"Not everywhere," Willow told him.

"The mansion," he uttered and grabbed her hand.
***
Silver crouched behind the sculpted fountain, a crossbow balanced at
her shoulder. She released the arrow as a figure appeared at the crest
of the hill, and the vampire dissolved into ashes. She grinned and
reloaded.

"She can't possibly think she can take all of us at once," Angel said
to Giles.

"I honestly don't know what she's thinking," Giles admitted.

Another arrow shot just above Spike's shoulder and nailed the minion
standing directly behind him. Spike grabbed Willow and hauled her back
under the cover of the trees that bordered the estate. He motioned to
Darnell, and the vampires spread out to encircle the house.

"She's moving inside," Angel said as Silver's silhouetted form appeared
in front of the French doors and slipped through them.

Spike ordered Darnell to place vampires at each of the doors around the
outside of the mansion, then turned to Willow.

"Baby, stay out here," he said.

"No way," she shook her head. "If you're going in there, I am, too."

"Please, Willow, don't argue with me."

"Spike, I'm having some very unpleasant flashbacks to an earlier
Sunnydale. We fought together then, and I'm fighting beside you now.
Where you go, I go," she declared firmly.

He caressed her cheek with his fingers and nodded silently. He turned
and motioned to the vampires who had remained there with them and
strode toward the house.

"In front of him," Willow ordered the minions as they neared the door.

The vampires moved in front of their master.

Angel arched an eyebrow and looked over at the redhead, "I'm impressed.
I think."

One of the vampires opened the door and stepped through, and the others
followed. A pointed stake flew through the air and sank into the
demon's chest. Spike's eyes swept the empty room.

"Why they hell did you have to pick such a huge house?" Angel grumbled
under his breath.

Spike signaled to three of his minions, and they broke away from the
group and headed for the stairs. The first was met by an arrow from
Silver's crossbow.

"Take the back stairway," Spike hissed at his underlings, and five more
moved away.

Spike crept toward the stairs, with Willow right behind him and Giles
and Angel behind her. They reached the top landing in time to see
another vampire careen over the banister and explode in an ashy vapor
that drifted to the floor below.

"You trained her well," Angel whispered to Giles.

They moved down the corridor, Spike and Angel's sensitive hearing tuned
for any motion from Silver.

"In there," Angel murmured as he caught a faint rustling behind one of
the doors.

Giles forced his way in front of Spike and pushed open the door. He
ducked as he heard the release of the crossbow, and Willow shoved Spike
out of the way and grabbed a heavy urn that sat beside the door. She
hurled it at the slayer who stood near the window across the room.
Silver flung a stake at the redhead a split second before the urn
caught her above the eye.

Spike grabbed Willow's leg and pulled it out from under her. She
groaned as she instinctively put out her hands to break her fall. She
blinked back hot tears of pain as her fractured wrist made contact with
the floor.

Giles bolted for Silver, and she pivoted and kicked out at him. The
watcher hit the wall and crumpled to his knees.

"You're mine, you bastard," Silver snarled as she leveled the crossbow
directly as Spike.

Willow scrambled to her feet, oblivious to the pain in her arm and
side, and barreled into the slayer.

"Die, bitch!" Willow growled as she drove into her.

The arrow shot wide as Silver slammed into the window. Splinters of
glass flew in every direction, and the slayer shrieked as her body
plunged through the broken pane. Willow sunk to the floor, every nerve
in her body screaming.

"Did I get her?" she asked as her mind reeled from the pain.

Spike dropped to the floor beside her and drew her into his arms.

"You got her, luv," Spike murmured against her hair.

Giles rose on shaking legs. He stepped over to the window and looked
down at the contorted body that lay on the slate stones below.

"We have to get her to the hospital," Angel spoke as Willow's eyes
glazed over.

"The sun will be up soon," Giles said softly and knelt down next to
her. "I'll take her."

Spike looked reluctantly over at the watcher.

"There's no other way. I'll take care of her," he promised.

Spike lifted Willow from the floor and carried her out of the room.
 

The vampire had spent the morning pacing back and forth in front of
Angel.

"Spike!" Angel finally roared in exasperation. "Will you please sit
down!"

The blonde vampire scowled and then threw himself onto a chair.

"Where the hell are they? Why hasn't that bloody watcher called?" he
growled.

"Calm down. It's only been a couple of hours."

"A couple of hours! It's been the whole damn morning! How long could it
take to bandage one wrist and a few ribs that--tiny," Spike's voice
broke as he choked back tears of worry.

"Spike--"

The vampire was on his feet again, murmuring, "In two bloody centuries,
I've never loved anyone like I love her, not even Dru. She's
everything, Angel. Everything."

Angel looked away from him, "I know."

"Do you?" A snarl faded on Spike's lips as he stared down at Angel. "Of
course you do. I never understood it, before, how you could be so
besotted with a human, and a slayer at that. But Willow is so...so..."

"I know," Angel repeated. "She'd die for you. She amazes me."

"You and me both, mate. Damn this bloody sun! She needs me to be with
her," he groaned.

"Spike, she'll be--" Angel turned as the watcher appeared in the
doorway with a very pale Willow behind him. "Here. She's here, Spike."

"Baby," Spike whispered and crossed the room in three strides.

He pulled her into his arms and held her gently against him.

"What did the doctor say?" Angel asked Giles.

The watcher smiled affectionately at the small woman engulfed in
Spike's arms.

"They wanted her to stay, but she insisted on coming back. She'll be
all right, but they've ordered bed rest for a couple of days."

"Which is ridiculous," Willow's faint voice was muffled by Spike's
chest. "I'll be fine in--"

Spike looked down at her, "You can argue until you run out of breath,
luv. You're not going to win this one."

He swept her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs.

Angel's smile was replaced by a look of concern as he turned back to
Giles.

"What will happen to you? Will the council dismiss you?"

"I spoke to them from the hospital. They were appalled to learn a
slayer could so callously disregard the welfare of the residents here.
They seemed to think I could've found a way to deal with her short of
conspiring with vampires, but they were relatively understanding."

"So, the Hellmouth gets a new slayer," Angel said.

Giles sighed and removed his glasses to rub his tired eyes, "Again.
I'll be training her here, though. She arrives this evening."

"That's quick," Angel replied.

"They're truly hoping to get the Hellmouth back on more sure footing.
Angel, I'd appreciate your assistance."

The vampire smiled, "You have it."

Giles looked over at the stairway, "It seems he's not coming back down.
I should be going."

"I have a feeling Spike's going to be preoccupied for the next few
days," Angel grinned.

"Yes, quite," the watcher stammered. "Well, say goodbye to Willow for
me. Oh, and if you could stop by tonight--"

"I'll be there," Angel nodded.
***
"A new slayer?" Willow sat up with wide-eyed interest. "Can we go over
and--"

"No," Spike ordered, pushing her back down onto the bed and trapping
her between his arms. "You're not getting out of this bed."

"But Giles might need me to--"

He covered her mouth with his, pinning her against the pillow.

"I need you more," he whispered.

Willow smiled and put her arms around his neck, "Okay. Tomorrow?"

"No," he answered.

"The day after?"

Spike grinned and laid down, pulling her carefully against him.

"Maybe," he said. "Go to sleep, pet."

Her hand found his and wrapped around it as she placed a kiss on his
chest.

"I love you," she whispered.
***
Willow awoke to a faint movement across the room. She turned her head
to see Darnell settling a large handful of pale yellow roses into a
crystal vase.

"They're beautiful," she said.

The vampire turned at the sound of her voice.

"They're from Angel," he smiled.

"He's here?" she asked.

"He stopped by a little while ago, but the master refused to let him
come up."

"Oh. Why?" the redhead pouted.

"He felt you needed to rest."

"Joseph, where is Spike?" she asked.

"He gone out for a bit. He said he wouldn't be long."

She sat up and propped herself against the headboard. "Would you help
me get up? I'd like to go downstairs."

"Sorry," Darnell shook his head. "I like my head attached to my
shoulders."

Willow grinned, "I suppose you do. Thank you for bringing those up."

He nodded and left the room.

Willow looked around the room and slumped back against the pillows with
a sigh.

"Bored?" Spike asked from the doorway. "That's a good sign."

"If I spend one more day in this bed, I'm going to scream," she told
him.

He grinned and crawled across to her, "You never complained about
spending hours in my bed before."

"Yeah, well, I was a bit more mobile then. Can I get up, please?"

"Maybe later," he conceded.

Her eyes glanced over at the roses on the bureau. "Angel was here. Did
he tell you about the new slayer?"

"He came to find out how you are," Spike answered.

"Can we go over to Giles? Just for a little while?"

He took her hand and kissed her palm, "Sweetheart, you're not in any
shape to--"

"I'm feeling much better!" she told him. "Really, I am. Please, Spike?"

He chuckled and leaned over her to place a kiss on her lips.

"You're a lousy patient. Let's give it another day."

She looked up into his determined eyes and sighed in resignation,
"Okay."

"I love you," he said and kissed her again.

"Did Angel say anything about her, anything at all? What's she like?"

"We did not talk about the slayer," he insisted.

"I'm sorry. I'm impatient," she grinned.

"It goes with the red hair," he told her.

"Are you complaining?" she asked.

"Never," he whispered and drew his arm around her as he settled her
beside him.

She peeked up at him from the corner of her eye, "So, can we go over
there, tomorrow?"

"Yes, pet, tomorrow," he agreed. "Go to sleep."

"That's all I've been doing for the past two days."

"Your ribs aren't up to what I'd really like you to be doing," he told
her.

"They'd like to try," she smiled.

He unbuttoned her nightshirt and slipped his hand inside to fondle her
breasts.

"Go to sleep, luv. When you're all healed, I'll fuck you senseless," he
said.

"Promise?" she whispered as his soft caresses relaxed her body.

"On my unlife," he answered and kissed the top of her head.
***
Angel was dodging an onslaught of questions as they walked in the
direction of Giles' house.

"I'm glad to see your injuries haven't dampened your curiosity," the
vampire smiled.

"She's been going on like this for two days," Spike told him.

Angel looked over Willow's head at the blonde vampire, "I never thought
I'd feel sorry for you."

"Hey!" Willow protested. "I can't help it! After all--what's her name
again?"

"Ceara," Angel answered.

"Ceara has been here for the better part of a week, and I haven't even
gotten a glimpse of her!"

"So we've been told," Angel replied as they stopped at the end of the
watcher's driveway.

Willow broke away from them and headed for the front door. Giles opened
it as she reached the steps. She smiled up at him, and he invited the
three of them inside. They followed him into the living room where a
young blonde woman was sitting in an armchair.

"Ceara," Giles said. "This is Willow."

The young woman smiled nervously and glanced from the redhead to the
tall man behind her.

"Don't worry," Willow spoke. "Spike only bites when he's hungry, and
he's already fed."

"Mr. Giles told me what happened," Ceara's voice was soft and
uncertain. "I'm sorry about your injuries. I've never met any vampires
before. I don't think."

"You'll meet lots here, and a few other assorted demons, too," Willow
told her.

"I hope we can work together. Mr. Giles says you've been very helpful
at researching and fighting."

"I'd like that," Willow smiled. "Anyway, Spike's got things under
control, so you should have a pretty easy time of it for awhile."

"How are you feeling, Willow?" Giles asked.

"Better. I'll be good as new in a few weeks," she answered. "Giles,
what happens now? I mean, now that Spike is Master and everything?"

"We have to fight to protect the people here. You know that," Giles
answered. "But Spike's position is invaluable. He can keep the others
from ever going on another rampage. I can't overlook what he does, but
we don't have to fight each other, either. Call it a truce, of sorts."

"I can live with that," she nodded.

"I should get you home, baby," Spike said.

She looked around at him, "But we just got here!"

"Willow--" he lowered her voice.

"Okay," she yielded.
***
"She seems normal," Willow said as they walked along the darkened
streets.

"She's a slayer," Spike replied. "Normal doesn't apply, ducks."

"Oh. Be nice," she scolded.

"I'm always nice," Spike said dryly.

"You're always good. There's a difference," she argued.

Their hands met and clasped as Spike looked down at her.

"Are you happy, luv?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes," she answered. "You don't doubt that, do you?"

His voice softened with sadness, "It seems like we've been trudging
through hell for almost a year, baby. I wouldn't blame you if you
wanted to go back to the watcher."

"Is that what you want?"

"I want you with me, but I'm not sure I have the right to ask it of
you. You know what my world is. It's dark and bloody and soulless.
There's no daylight, no virtue, no absolution in my world. You deserve
paradise, Willow, and I can't offer it to you."

She stopped walking and turned to look up at him. "Paradise isn't a
place, it's a person. I learned that from you. You're my paradise,
Spike. I love you."

She stepped into him and drew his mouth down to hers. Spike pulled her
close to him, resting her head against his chest.

"I love you, baby." His lips brushed against her hair, and his voice
dropped to a whisper. "When you loved me I gave you the whole sun and
stars to play with. I gave you eternity in a single moment, strength of
the mountains in one clasp of your arms, and the volume of all the seas
in one impulse of your soul."

Willow pulled back and looked up at him, "George Bernard Shaw."

His blue eyes twinkled down at her, "I met him, once."

"You did not!" she cried as he took her hand to continue their walk
back to the mansion.

Spike chuckled, "Okay, it was one of his servants. He was very tasty,
too."

Willow shook her head and giggled, "You're impossible."

End

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