Sleepwalking

Author: Spikedluv

E-mail: spikedluv@midtel.net

Parts: 31 - 40

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~Part: 31~

Willow and Spike followed Xander and Anya into Giles' apartment. He was sitting in a chair in the living room, a book in hand, cup and saucer on the table beside him.

"Hey, G-man," Xander said, his usual exuberance somewhat subdued.

"Hello, Xander," Giles said, "and, *please*, do stop calling me that."

"Hello!" Anya bounced and waved, having missed Giles over the last couple of days.

"Hello, Anya," Giles greeted her.

"Willow!" he said when he saw her behind Xander and Anya. "And Spike," he reluctantly greeted the blond vampire.

"Hi, Giles," Willow smiled happily at him.

"Watcher," Spike drawled.

"Can I offer anyone something to drink?" Giles asked, as he laid his book on the table and picked up the saucer, taking the cup in his other hand and raising it to his mouth. "I just made a fresh pot of tea."

"No, I'm good," Xander said as he took off his jacket and tossed it toward the coat rack.

"No, thank you, I'm not thirsty," Anya said, as she turned her back and allowed Xander to help her with her own jacket.

"No, thank you, Giles," Willow said with a small smile. "I, um, do have something I want to talk to you about, though."

"What is it, Willow?" Giles sat forward in his chair, a frown on his face. "Is anything wrong?"

"Well...no," Willow said. Xander snorted. Willow gave him a 'look' and he pressed his lips together and held up his hand, indicating that he wouldn't say anything further. Willow took her jacket off and hung it on the back of one of the dining room chairs, then walked toward the living room, wringing her hands nervously.

Xander and Anya sat close together on the couch, almost as if Anya, having been angry with Xander and not seeing him for several days, wanted to make sure he didn't get away again. Willow stood at the end of the coffee table and looked at Giles. Spike threw his duster over Willow's jacket, then moved to stand behind her. Willow reached back anxiously for his hand, and he wrapped his fingers around hers, squeezing them to let her know that he was there for her.

"I don't really know how to say this," Willow said, "so I'm just going to say it." She took a deep breath. "ItookSpike'schipout!"

"What?" Giles asked in confusion.

"I took Spike's chip out," Willow repeated more slowly, squeezing Spike's hand. He was glad he wasn't human, or that would have hurt.

"What?!" Giles yelled when the full import of what Willow was saying hit him.

"We," Anya said.

"What?" both Giles and Willow looked at her in confusion.

"*We* took Spike's chip out," she smiled proudly.

"Oh, right," Willow agreed. "*We* took Spike's chip out."

"What on earth were you *thinking*?" Giles fell back in his chair, the teacup rattling on the saucer.

"Well," Willow said, "I was thinking that I love Spike, and that I wanted him to be safe, and that I didn't want the chip going off just because he jostled someone in a crowd, and that I didn't want him to be vulnerable to humans who might hurt him, like the Initiative, and...,"

"Alright!" Giles raised his hand. "I see what you were thinking. I don't *like* it, but I see. What, exactly, does this mean?" he asked.

"Uh, what do you mean?" Willow asked with a frown of concentration.

"Is he going to start killing people?" Giles asked.

"Oh!" Willow said. "No, he's not," she shook her head.

"And you know this...how?" Giles asked.

"Because he said he wouldn't," Willow insisted.

"Ah," Giles nodded his head. "You believe the word of an evil soulless demon. I see."

"Knock it off," Willow reached behind her and slapped Spike, who'd straightened and flexed his muscles when Giles called him an 'evil soulless demon'. Spike deflated. How did she *do* that?! He peered closely at the back of her head...maybe she did have eyes there.

"Yes," she continued speaking to Giles, "I believe him. True love, destiny of my heart, any of this ringing a bell? And stop staring at the back of my head," she swatted at Spike again.

If it had been anyone else but Willow, Giles would have thought she sounded a bit sarcastic. He sighed deeply, then put the cup and saucer down and took off his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"No, I haven't forgotten," he said. He hadn't forgotten any of it. How could he? Blasted spell!

"We talked about it," Willow said. "I didn't want Spike's chip out just so he and Buffy could go at it and kill one another. He's promised not to kill, and I believe him, because he knows it would hurt me, and he doesn't want to do that."

"Is that true?" Giles asked Spike. Spike rolled his eyes. Bloody hell, he hated this!

"Yes," he muttered.

"I didn't quite hear you," Giles said.

"Yes!" Spike repeated. "Wanker."

"So," Giles put his glasses back on. "Spike has his chip out and he's not going to kill. How is he going to feed?"

"By...not killing?" Willow said.

"Spike?" Giles looked at the blond vampire behind Willow. "Have you been feeding?"

"Fed last night," Spike said. "Didn't kill anyone," he grudgingly admitted. Bloody, bleedin', buggerin' ponce, he was!

"Did they volunteer?" Giles asked, already knowing the answer.

"Right, mate, they volunteered," Spike jibed. "You gonna volunteer next? Look, I'm a *vampire*!" he said. "Human blood is what I need. No one's asking you to give up steak. I promised Red not to kill anyone, but I ain't drinking pig's blood for the rest of my unlife. That stuff's disgusting!"

"And you're alright with that, Willow?" Giles asked.

Willow took another deep breath. She and Spike had never actually discussed his feeding once he was de-chipped, only that he wouldn't kill.

"I'm not completely comfortable, no," she admitted, gripping Spike's hand tighter when she felt him start to pull away from her. "That's what a compromise is, Giles," she added. "We each get something, we each give something up. He's not going to kill anyone to feed, and that's good enough for me."

Spike squeezed her hand. He'd been a little bit worried there, but Red had come through for him. Like she had in the past. Like she always would. He should have known better.

"Oh, bloody hell!" Giles swore, then stood and moved toward his bookcase. He took down the bottle of scotch from the top shelf and stared at it. He'd been drinking *way* too much of this lately.

He walked to the kitchen and pulled out a tumbler, splashing the scotch into it.

"Anyone else?" he held the bottle up. Everyone shook their heads 'no', though Xander looked like he was considering it. Giles picked up his glass and drained it, then poured another.

"How," he closed his eyes and shook his head. He couldn't believe he was going to ask this, but he had to know. It was the Watcher in him. Or was it the dabbler? "How did you remove the chip?"

"We didn't actually remove the chip," Willow said, getting more excited as she went along. "Tara looked at it...,"

"Tara?" Giles took another sip.

"Uh, yeah, Tara. Anyway, she looked at Spike's chip, you know, magically, and was afraid it might damage the surrounding tissue if we tried to remove it, so she found some books on computer electronics and we discovered that chips like Spike's must have an independent power source, so we revised the teleportation spell, got some chips and removed the batteries for practice, and then did it for real with Spike's! It was *so* exciting, Giles," Willow's eyes glowed.

"I'm sure it was," he said dryly, taking a sip of the scotch.

"It really was," Anya added. "I needed orgasms after we did the spell."

"Naturally," Giles sighed, weary and exasperated. "Who wouldn't?" he threw back the remainder of his drink.

"An," Xander whined.

***

"Hey, Giles!" Buffy walked through the front door and pushed it closed behind her as she walked over to the living room. "Oh, everyone's here," her smile faded a bit. "Great. Uh, hi, Will," she sounded a little bit unsure of herself. "Haven't seen you in a couple of days."

Willow froze when Buffy entered the apartment, and Spike reached out to take her hand. The four of them had managed to squeeze onto the couch, Giles was sitting in the chair across from them, a glass of scotch in his hand, the bottle on the table by his elbow.

"Buffy," Giles lifted the glass to her in greeting.

"Buffy," Willow looked at the other girl briefly, then looked away as she squeezed Spike's hand. She wasn't sure how she felt about Buffy right now. Angry...and hurt...and a little bit uncertain. What kind of friend threatened to kill the other's boyfriend? Well, alright, extenuating circumstances, being as Spike was a vampire. But he hadn't killed anyone *lately*.

"Uh, hi, Buff," Xander greeted her, then glanced at Willow before staring at Anya's hand on his leg. He really wished he'd taken Giles up on that offer of a drink.

"Buffy," Anya said, reluctantly.

"Xander, Anya," Buffy said. Buffy looked at Spike, who stared back at her, but said nothing to him.

The door opened again and Oz and Tara walked in.

"Hey," Oz, who was currently sporting green-tipped spikes, greeted everyone as he closed the door behind them. "Did we miss anything?"

"Depends on what you mean by that," Giles said, placing the glass to his lips.

"Will...," Buffy started.

"Would you really do that?" Willow interrupted her to ask, her anger bubbling over. This was the first time she'd been able to talk to Buffy since Friday night, and she found she really wanted...needed...to know the answer.
 

"Do what?" Buffy asked, confused.

"Stake Spike and tell me he left me," Willow clarified.

"I...,"

"What?!" Giles asked as he looked at the faces of everyone in the room. They were all staring at Buffy, as if waiting for her answer. Buffy looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "Did you actually say that?" he asked the blonde in shocked surprise. He knew Willow was angry with Buffy, but Buffy's explanation didn't include anything about staking Spike.

Buffy looked at him, then back at Willow. She looked to Xander for help, but he didn't say anything.

"I might have said...something...like that," she hedged, her fingers nervously playing with the stake in her pocket.

Spike looked around the room, carefully taking in everyone's reactions. The Watcher looked almost apoplectic, all red and blotchy. The moron looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here, but he resolutely refused to lie for the Slayer. Demon girl looked almost giddy as she watched Buffy try to extricate herself from this mess of her own making. He looked over his shoulder to where the wolf and the blonde witch stood, her fingers tightly gripping his arm.

The wolf was shifting his gaze from Buffy to the back of Willow's head, his eyes giving nothing away, his posture telling Spike that he was ready to pounce if things got out of hand. He wouldn't have to. Spike could take care of his woman himself, now. The blonde witch just looked very uncomfortable, and a little bit worried about Willow. He noticed the fingers of one hand flexing and her lips silently moving, as if she were working up a spell. Maybe she wasn't such a bad chit, after all.

"What part did I have wrong?" Willow asked reasonably. Too reasonably. Buffy swallowed hard.

"I...I wouldn't have told you he left," Buffy tried to mitigate the awful things she had said.

"No," Willow sneered, "you'd just let me think it. Why would you *say* something like that?" she asked.

"He bit you!" Buffy exploded, unable to keep her cool as Spike's cold blue eyes stared at her mockingly. "And you bit *him*!" she added, oblivious to the storm clouds crossing Willow's face.

"Did you bring up the bites after I left the table?" she asked, deceptively calm.

"I...might have asked him how he could let you bite him," Buffy admitted, knowing she couldn't get away with a lie with so many witnesses to her untimely blow-up with Spike.

Willow let go of Spike's hand and slowly rose to her feet, looking at Buffy over the coffee table.

"We spoke about the bite Friday afternoon. I specifically told you to never mention it to Spike again," Willow said, her voice even, cool. "Yet you did. Why is that, Buffy?"

"I was worried about you!" Buffy claimed, her hands held out in a pleading gesture.

"Worried about what?" Willow asked.

"That he would hurt you. Kill you. Turn you," Buffy said.

"He was *chipped*," Willow said. "He couldn't hurt me, or kill me, or turn me. Try again."

Buffy looked around the room, at all the faces staring back at her.

"I don't need to explain myself to you!" she cried angrily, seeing no support in the faces surrounding her. "I'm the Slayer, he's a vampire. It's my duty to stake him!" her voice has risen almost to a shriek.

Stupid, bloody bint, Spike raged inside. He wished he hadn't promised Willow he wouldn't kill the...oh, bloody hell!

Without warning, Willow flew over the coffee table at Buffy. Spike was unprepared for that, too caught up in listening to his woman berate the Slayer and his own thoughts about the bitch. He stood and grabbed for Willow, missing by a breath as she crashed into Buffy, knocking the other girl to the floor.

"Oh, dear lord," Giles said. "Girls, stop that this instant!" he spoke angrily, slammed his glass down on the table, and stood.

"Wills!" Xander screeched as he watched the two girls topple over.

"Go, Willow!" Anya cheered.

Buffy hit the ground hard, then rolled them so she was straddling Willow. She trapped Willow's flailing arms as the redhead attempted to hit her, then pulled her arm back and threw a punch at Willow's face. Spike vaulted the coffee table, grabbed her arm to stop the punch, then jerked, pulling her off of Willow and tossing her across the room, where she landed in a heap.

Ignoring the Slayer, he knelt beside Willow, grabbed her arms and pulled her to him.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, as he ran his hands over her body, checking for injuries. He was filled with fear that the Slayer could have hurt her, and pride, that Willow had taken her on for him.

"I'm fine," Willow grated as she tried to push his hands away and get to her feet. She wasn't done with... "Spike, watch out!" she saw Buffy flying at him, stake in hand.

Spike turned his head, waited a beat for Buffy to commit herself, then stood up and easily swatted the stake out of Buffy's hand when she got close enough. Buffy turned her head in shocked surprise and watched the stake fly across the room. She hadn't expected Spike to fight back, had expected him to be incapacitated with a killer headache when she attacked him.

While Buffy was distracted, Spike pulled his own arm back and landed a punch that knocked her backward a few steps. Buffy reached up and wiped the blood off of her split lip, then looked at Spike in dazed disbelief.

Oz took in Buffy's shocked expression.

"Guess we didn't miss the fireworks, after all," he whispered to Tara.

"Is it always this...?"

"Exciting?" Oz supplied.

"Uh, yeah, exciting," Tara agreed.

"Lately," he shrugged.

"The chip," Buffy said. Spike just smirked at her. "You got it out. How?"

"Oh, it's still there," Spike taunted, "just doesn't work anymore."

"Giles?" Buffy called to her Watcher.

"What in bloody hell do you think you were doing?" he asked.

"Huh?" she turned to look at him.

"You were going to punch Willow!" he yelled.

"She attacked me," Buffy defended herself.

"*You* are the Slayer," he ground out. "You could have killed her with one well-placed punch."

"I wouldn't...I didn't mean...she just...how come Spike's chip doesn't work?" Buffy looked very confused.

"Willow removed the power source," Giles said. Buffy didn't say anything for a moment.

"Huh?"

"Willow removed the...battery. The chip is no longer functional," Giles explained.

"Why would you do that?" Buffy turned to look at the redhead.

Willow let Spike help her to her feet, then brushed herself off before answering.

"You were going to stake him in the back when you thought he couldn't fight back," she accused, her eyes flashing fire.

"No, I...,"

"I had already made the decision to try to get Spike's chip removed," Willow interrupted her. "I love him and I didn't want him to be vulnerable to any nasty humans," her tone let Buffy know that she was now considered one of those 'nasty humans', "who might try and take advantage of him. But by your actions Friday night and tonight, you've just ensured that I will never, no matter what happens, *never* regret that decision. I can't believe you would do that," she finished sadly. "I can't believe you wouldn't care how much that would hurt me. Can we go home now?" she asked Spike, turning her back on her once-best friend, and leaning into her lover.

"'Course, luv," he gently touched the side of her face, then pulled her into his arms.

~Part: 32~

"Willow," Giles asked worriedly, "are you alright?"

"Yes, Giles, I'm fine," Willow turned her head to look at him from her place snuggled securely against Spike's chest.

"Are you sure?" he reached out to touch her back, and Spike growled. "Oh, knock it off!" Giles said, annoyed. "I know you have this possessive thing going on, but don't you growl at me, you bleached-blond...vampire!"

"Ooh, got me there, Watcher," Spike mocked as he reigned-in his emotions and tried to resist the urge to tear Giles' hand off. "She's fine. Be even better when I get her away from her good friend, the Slayer," Spike looked over Giles' shoulder at the blonde girl, lifting his upper lip in a silent growl.

"Shut up, Spike," she blustered, but no one paid any attention to her.

"Perhaps it would be a good idea if you all left now," Giles said.

"Wait! You're not going to just let him *leave*, are you?" Buffy cried. "Giles, he doesn't have a chip anymore. He can kill now!"

"Do be quiet, Buffy," Giles directed. Buffy just stood there, stupefied, her mouth opening and closing.

Anya rose from the couch and grabbed Xander's hand.

"Come on, Xander, let's get out of here. That was all very exciting, watching Willow jump on Buffy, and then Spike throw her across the room. I want to go home now, and use up the rest of the chocolate sauce I brought over last night," she said as she pulled Xander off of the couch and toward the door.

Spike raised his eyebrows as he filed that idea way for later.

"Uh, okay. 'Night, G-man!" Xander managed a small smile. His world was still tilting madly, but Anya certainly had a way of putting things in perspective.

"Xan-der!" Buffy cried. Xander just looked at her and shrugged helplessly and let Anya pull him toward the door.

"Well, that was fun. Wanna go grab a coffee?" Oz asked Tara.

"Sure," she shrugged. "Beats studying for an economics exam."

"Thanks, I think," Oz followed her out of the apartment. "Goodnight, Giles."

"Goodnight," Tara added with a small wave. "It's been, uh, fun."

"Let's go, Red," Spike steered his armful toward the door, grabbing their jackets as they passed the table.

"Okay," she said, wrapping her arm around his waist. "Goodnight, Giles."

"Goodnight, Willow. Spike."

"Watcher," Spike nodded.

"Well, since you're letting the evil, *unchipped* vampire leave," Buffy said as she walked toward the door, "I guess I'll just go pat...,"

"*Except* you," Giles grabbed her arm as she attempted to pass him. "I think we need to have a little talk."

"Giles, I...,"

"Sit down, Buffy," Giles said.

"I really...,"

"Sit!" Ripper growled at her. Buffy sat.

Spike looked over his shoulder at the irate Watcher and smirked to himself. Slayer was in some bit of trouble this time. Stupid bint. It really *was* too bad he promised Willow not to kill her. Spike shook his head as he pulled the apartment door closed behind him, then paused to help Willow put her jacket on, slipping his arms into his duster when he was done.

Xander, Anya, Oz, and Tara were all standing in the courtyard waiting for them.

"Willow, are you alright?" Tara asked solicitously.

"Yes," Anya added, "are you? Though, that was so cool how you jumped over the coffee table and tackled Buffy to the floor! Very exciting...," she trailed off as she noticed the rest of the group just staring at her. "What? Well, it was."

"Yes, you guys, I'm fine," Willow said. "Physically, anyway. Nothing a nice long soak in a hot bath won't cure. And maybe a massage," she looked up at Spike with wide, innocent eyes.

Spike smiled down at her, then goosed her butt.

"Hey!" Willow jumped, and then squealed as Spike swung her up into his arms.

"I'll even carry you," he offered, then kissed her.

"Okay," Willow smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back.

"Okay, yep, that's...still...very disturbing," Xander said, shaking his head to rid it of the image of Willow and Spike kissing as the group walked up the steps to the street level.

"What about 'not physically'?" Oz asked quietly.

"I'm still really mad at her," Willow admitted softly, burrowing into Spike's neck as he carried her. "Bad enough that she says things without thinking them through, like Friday night. But tonight...she tried to kill Spike when she thought he was helpless. She was going to stake him in the back. Right in front of me. I don't know if I can forgive her for that."

"What do you think's going on in there?" Xander asked.

"I'm sure the Slayer's getting a good talking to," Spike mocked the Watcher. "Maybe a spanking," he added.

"Oh! Oh, god!" Xander cried, trying to cover his eyes and ears. "I can't believe you put that image in my head! Spike! God, I can't believe you said that!"

"What can I say, moron, I'm evil," Spike grinned and kept walking.

"Spankings?" Anya perked up. "Ooh, now there's a good idea. We haven't tried that, yet."

Xander actually blushed.

"Hey," he yelled, suddenly not as eager to be alone with Anya. "You guys want a ride home?"

***

"Friday night you threatened to dust Spike and make Willow think he had left her," Giles said, his voice eerily calm as he paced the living room. Buffy was sitting on the couch staring at the floor, her fingers entwined.

"Let's not even consider the fact that you'd be staking a helpless creature for the moment, how could you even think about putting Willow through that?" he turned to her and asked. "You must remember how much it hurt her when Oz left. You *do* remember?" he continued when she didn't answer.

"Of course I remember!" Buffy said.

"Then how could you even think about doing that to her again?"

"I don't know," she said.

"You don't know," Giles repeated disgustedly, then resumed his pacing. "And then tonight! Tonight you actually tried to kill Spike!" he pointed to the spot on the floor where Willow and Spike had been huddled together.

"When he was kneeling on the floor beside Willow, with his back to you, you thought he was incapacitated from the chip kicking in, and you were going to stake him, in the back, when he couldn't defend himself. In *front of Willow*!" he yelled angrily, his voice rising.

"What on *earth* were you thinking? Or were you even thinking at all?" There were a few moments of silence, broken only by Giles' harsh breathing.

"Not only have you proven yourself to be a dreadful friend," Giles said, "you make me doubt your abilities as the Slayer." Buffy's head jerked up.

"Oh, you can still fight," Giles waved a hand at her, "I have no concerns in that regard, but you may have lost your ability to think clearly. You almost killed a helpless creature tonight."

"He wasn't helpless," Buffy spit out.

"But you didn't know that when you were ready to stake him in the *back*," Giles retorted. "And you almost hurt Willow."

"She attacked me!" Buffy cried.

"You're the Slayer," Giles repeated his earlier admonition, his voice grim. "Your strength is far greater than anything Willow could match. She's your best friend. And you could have killed her because you were blinded by...what? Anger? Hate? What?!"

"Yes, I am the Slayer. And Spike is a vampire," she raised her voice, tired of being yelled at, of being the one in the wrong. She *was* the Slayer. This *was* her duty, her responsibility. "An evil, soulless, bloodsucking demon! And the only reason he wasn't out killing and bathing in some innocent person's blood, was because of that chip. That chip is the only reason I didn't stake him before! And now that the chip is gone, so is the only reason for leaving him alive, undead, whatever."

"You can't be serious," Giles tilted his head and looked at her as if she were a specimen under a microscope. "He and Willow are in love, he is her true love, drawn together by the spell. You must know how much it would hurt Willow if you were to kill Spike."

"Number one," Buffy stood and placed her hands on her hips, "he can't love. He doesn't have a soul. Number two, I don't trust that spell. You say it's true love, I say it could just as easily be something that clouds her mind and makes her think she's in love with Spike."

"Buffy," Giles shook his head as he spoke softly, tired and sad, "you are deluding yourself if you think Willow will stand by and let you kill Spike. Your words and actions have driven a stake in your friendship, and you may never be able to fix that. Yes, Spike has his chip out, but he has promised Willow that he will not kill, and if you persist in this line of thought, if you attempt to hurt him, you may not only find yourself without the support you've become accustomed to in your battle against evil, you could get hurt, or hurt Willow. Do you really want that? Do you want to force a confrontation between you and Spike that will inevitably involve Willow? You've already succeeded in driving her away, are you going to make Xander chose between the two of you? You must come to terms with this, Buffy, please. Willow and Spike are together, and may well be togther forever!" his voice had risen in his frustration.

"He's a vampire," Buffy repeated doggedly. "If Willow chooses Spike over me, then that's her loss, not mine, and it will not keep me from doing my duty as the Slayer."

"Oh, Buffy," Giles removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, "you are the most selfish creature I have ever had the misfortune to meet. I'm very angry with you right now. And very disappointed. I don't think this conversation is getting us anywhere. You should leave."

"Giles...,"

"I really don't want to hear anymore this evening, but you should think about what I've said," Giles turned his back on her and walked up the stairs to the loft.

Buffy watched him go in silence, then turned and walked out of the apartment.

***

Spike agreed to let the moron drive them home. The quicker they got there, the quicker he could make sure Willow was alright. He didn't care what she said, she'd had some nasty shocks this evening, and he wanted to get her home before she fell apart.

When Xander pulled in the driveway, Spike got out of the car and dragged Willow after him, barely giving her time to say goodnight, then picked her up and carried her to the front porch over her vehement protests that she could walk. He set her on her feet to unlock the door, then ushered her inside, took her jacket, and hung it up alongside his duster. He picked her up and carried her upstairs to the bedroom.

"Stay right there," he sat her on the bed, then left the room. Scooting down the hall to the bathroom, he turned on the water to fill the tub, added some bubble bath, then got back to Willow as quickly as he could, knowing she wouldn't sit still for long. When he entered the bedroom, she was still sitting where he had left her. Her head and shoulders were bowed and he could smell her tears.

"Willow?" he knelt on the floor in front of her.

"Spike!" she wailed, tumbling off of the bed and into his arms. "Oh, goddess, Spike," she sobbed, holding him tight, "she almost killed you!"

"Shh," Spike rocked her in his arms and rubbed her back. "I'm okay, luv. Don't cry, baby," he tilted her head back and kissed her face. "Nothing's going to happen to me. I'm the big bad, remember?"

"I remember," she sniffled, the tears slowing.

"Come on," he loosened his hold on her and started to unbutton her blouse, "let's get you in the tub."

Five minutes later, Willow was ensconced in the warm water, surrounded by bubbles and held by Spike. She closed her eyes and relaxed against his chest. His arms were around her, his hands resting on her belly. Willow laid her hands over his and squeezed them.

"I love you, Spike," she whispered.

"I love you, too, Red," he kissed the top of her head. "Want that massage now?" he teased.

"No," she shook her head. "Don't let go," she tightened her grip on his hands.

"I won't let go, luv," he assured her. "I'm never letting go."

He felt Willow relax against him and heard her breathing even out, her heart beating steadily, and thought she'd fallen asleep. Suddenly she jerked against him.

"You haven't eaten," she said. "You need to go out and...feed."

"I'm alright," he said.

"No, you haven't eaten today," Willow insisted.

"I'm not leaving you," he said firmly. "I'll drink one of the bags in the fridge."

"But that...that's pig's blood," she said. "You hate that stuff."

"I'll live," he drawled. "'Sides, not leaving you."

"I'm sorry," Willow whispered.

"'Bout what?" Spike asked, confused.

"Everything. Buffy, the blood...,"

"None of that's your fault. *You* make all the bad stuff bearable. Don't ever forget that," he shook her lightly in his arms to emphasize his point. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Willow," he buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, either," she said, with another small sniffle. "I really do love you, Spike."

"I know," he rocked from side-to-side, trying to soothe her. After a couple of minutes he said, "There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about. Now, don't interrupt," he said quickly, "let me get it all out, okay? I, well, remember when I said I'd need you forever?" he asked. "Well, I will, I do. And forever *is* a really long time, much longer than you humans have, and so I've been thinking, you know, about how we can be together forever. I could turn you. I know!" he added quickly. "I know. You don't want to be a soulless demon who comes back and kills her friends and family. And frankly, I don't want that either. I fell in love with *you*. The you who cares about other people, even demons like me. And I realize, I *do*, that if I turn you, it won't be you anymore, just some demon who inhabits your body. But I was thinking, you and the blonde witch were able to disable my chip pretty easily, can't you somehow redo that stupid gypsy spell so there's no curse? That way I could turn you and they could give you your soul back. You'd live forever. And it really would be you, not just the demon. Though, the battle between the demon and the soul might be kind of hellish. Don't know much about that. And, of course, you'd have to give up a lot, like sunlight. And we wouldn't have to do it right away, you're young, plenty of time yet. So, okay, now you get to talk," Spike ended his ramble.

"Red?" he frowned.

"Willow?" he tilted his head and looked down on her peacefully sleeping face. "Oh...hell!" he banged his head against the tiled wall. "How could you fall asleep at a time like this? You made me...*babble*!"

"Actually," he said after a moment, "thank hell you missed it. Ponce!"

"Spike?" Willow moaned.

"Yes, luv?" Spike leaned forward.

"Cold."

"Oh, right!" Spike climbed out of the tub and carefully lifted her out of the cooling water. He stood her on the rug, leaning against him, and wrapped a towel around her. He dried her off, then carried her into the bedroom, and tucked her into bed.

He dried off with the damp towel and pulled on his jeans. He placed a kiss on her forehead, then went downstairs for some blood. With a grimace of distaste, he heated up a mug of pig's blood and drank it down. He rinsed out the mug, then made sure all of the lights were off before heading back upstairs to Willow.

When he walked into the bedroom, Willow was breathing evenly. He shucked his jeans and crawled beneath the covers. He wrapped his arms around her as Willow snuggled against him.

"Spike," she said tiredly.

"Yes, luv?" he asked softly.

"You babble pretty."

"I do?" he asked.

"Mmm. You won't get tired of me?" she asked.

"Never," Spike said, suddenly realizing that she must have heard his little speech, after all. "I'll never get tired of you," he tightened his arms around her, pulling her closer.

"Good. Love you," she said, then drifted off.

"I love you, too, Willow. Forever."

~Part: 33~

Spike woke up the next morning when Willow crawled out of bed for class. He couldn't believe that she had the energy to get out of bed after the night before. Her run-in with Buffy had to have taken a lot out of her, emotionally and physically. Not to mention, he thought he'd tired her out pretty well with the cuffs, and then again afterward, he grinned, pleased with himself, as he remembered it.

"What are you grinning about?" Willow groused as she walked back into the bedroom to get dressed. She was so tired. She wanted nothing more than to climb back into bed and curl up around Spike, but she had to study for an exam that afternoon and finish a program for computer class.

Spike looked at her with a raised eyebrow and half a smirk, the rest of it buried in the mattress.

"Cuffs," he whispered huskily.

"Oh!" Willow blushed as she hurriedly pulled her clothes on. "Maybe later," she made sure she stayed out of his reach until she was fully dressed. Not that that'd stop him if he was determined, but it made her feel less vulnerable, especially since she *really* wanted to crawl over him and...

"Most *definitely* later," Spike said, thankfully drawing her out of her train of thought.

"Get some sleep," Willow shook her head at the blond vampire and leaned over the bed to kiss him goodbye. "You're gonna need all your energy later," she threw back over her shoulder as she walked out the door, grinning as she imagined the shocked look on Spike's face.

Spike laughed out loud. Little witch! He reached under the pillow and ran is fingers over the cold metal of the cuffs as he fell asleep.

Hours later, Spike was sitting in the bed, his back resting against the headboard, reading the book of poetry Willow had bought for him. He'd been so engrossed in the book that he hadn't heard her come in the house. Willow leaned against the doorframe, watching him read the book, his brow furrowing in concentration, his lips moving silently.

She must have made a sound that finally penetrated Spike's concentration, because his head jerked up. When he saw her, his eyes got big and he shoved the book he'd been reading under the pillow beside him.

"Red!" he said, almost breathlessly. "Didn't hear you come in, luv. Uh, how was school?"

"Fine," Willow said as she walked over to the bed. "How was your day?"

Willow sat on the bed and slid her hand under the pillow, slowly pulling the book out. Spike watched her guiltily.

"Uh, my day? Okay, I guess."

"Enjoying the book?" she asked with a smile. Spike rolled his eyes.

"It's alright," he said, grabbing it out of her hands. Willow just smiled at him.

"Read me another one?" she laid down and put her head in his lap, looking up at him.

Spike reached down and brushed her hair away from her face, ran his fingers over her cheek, his thumb over her lips.

"Alright," he agreed, opening the book to one of his favorites that he had just read that afternoon.

Willow closed her eyes as he read, listening to the sound of his voice as he read to her, the changing inflections. She opened her eyes and watched the expressions flit over his face. He was so beautiful. She was so glad she'd gotten the book of poetry for him. She was enjoying it too, she smiled to herself.

"What?" he asked when he happened to look down at her and saw the smile.

"I was just thinking how much I'm enjoying this," she told him.

"You like this, huh?" he asked with a frown.

"Yes. I love the sound of your voice," she reached up and traced her fingers over his throat.

"You do, eh?" Spike asked and Willow nodded. "Why don't you call the Watcher and tell him we're going to be late," Spike suggested with a leer and a raised eyebrow.

"Actually," Willow corrected, "I was thinking of not going at all."

"Even better," he smirked. "I'll read you another one and then," he pulled out the cuffs and dangled them over Willow's face.

Willow laughed nervously, giddy with anticipation, and reached for the phone.

***

Giles hung up the telephone after speaking with Willow, and leaned back in his chair. She and Spike weren't coming to research that night. He guessed he couldn't blame her, after what had happened last night. He shook his head, and closed his eyes, remembering the ill-fated discussion he'd had with Buffy after the others had left.

He'd gotten nowhere with her. She refused to listen. Refused to see this situation in anything other than black and white. Unfortunately, he couldn't blame her completely. She was right; she was the Slayer. Most Slayers, like Kendra, didn't have friends and families to...complicate...their lives, and everything was black and white for them. See the evil vampire, slay the evil vampire.

But in Buffy's case, her friends and family were her strength. She had lasted this long as the Slayer not only due to her skill, but because of the support, both physical and emotional, that she got from her friends. If she lost them, Giles didn't want to think about what could happen to her.

Bugger! How could things have spiraled out of control so quickly, he wondered. First that bloody spell and now this! It was going to tear them apart, if he couldn't find a way to stop it. Well, no sense dwelling on things he couldn't change. He'd start with something he might be able to do something about. He picked up the telephone and dialed.

"Hello, Wesley?"

***

"He understood," Willow said as she curled back up on the bed, her head on Spike's lap. She ran her fingers over his bare chest. "Read me another one?" she asked, looking at the book he still held in his hands. "And then, maybe I can use these on you," she waggled her eyebrows, holding the cuffs up.

Spike's nostrils flared as he scented her arousal at the idea of cuffing him. He tossed the book aside and grabbed her arms, lifting her and pulling her against him.

"Did you buy them for me...or you?" he teased, then captured her lips with his, grabbing the cuffs out of suddenly nerveless fingers.

"Hey!" she complained when he released her lips. "No fair," she pouted.

"All's fair when it comes to shaggin'," he teased.

"Really? I don't think that's how it goes," Willow pouted, lowering her lips to his and rubbing herself against him.

"Wouldn't lie to you, luv," Spike groaned when Willow lifted her head, trailing kisses along his jaw and down his neck, until she reached the soft skin where his neck met his shoulder. She kissed the spot, then licked. Without warning, she sucked the skin into her mouth, rubbing it with her tongue, teasing it with her teeth, until Spike was moaning and bucking against her.

"You're right," Willow said as she plucked the cuffs out of his fingers, smiling at him evilly.

"That was...what's that?" he lifted his head and listened intently.

"What?" Willow asked suspiciously as she held the cuffs out of his reach. She listened, hearing only silence.

"Someone's here," he said. Then they both heard the front door open and voices downstairs.

"Oh, shit! I mean, shoot," she corrected herself. "My parents!" she whispered just short of hysterically.

"Your parents?" Spike was immobile with shock.

"Get dressed!" Willow threw the cuffs at Spike and climbed off of the bed. She looked at herself in the mirror over her dresser, making sure she looked presentable and that the bite wasn't visible. Oh, goddess, oh, goddess, what were they doing here?

"Hurry up," she said frantically as she looked back at the unmoving vampire, "before they come up here and see you in my bed!" Willow turned and ran out of the room.

"Mom, Dad, hi!" Spike heard her say, the sound breaking him out of his trance. He climbed out of bed and quickly got dressed, then went to the bathroom to wet his face and hair. Bloody hell, her parents? He felt his demon fighting to come out. The same parents who'd tried to burn her at a stake. He wondered if Willow would let him kill them. Probably not, knowing her, he rolled his eyes. Too soft-hearted by far!

***

Willow saw a couple of small bags in the foyer when she ran down the stairs and found her parents in the living room.

"Mom, Dad, hi! What are you guys doing here?" she asked, nervously twisting the ring on her thumb. "Did you send me an e-mail telling me you were coming home, 'cause I don't remember getting one," she babbled on.

"Willow!" her mother said. "What are you doing here, dear? I thought you were staying at the dorm."

"Oh, well, I was, but, well, that's a long story," she hedged. "Are you staying long?" she changed the subject.

"No, actually, only until tomorrow afternoon. We have a flight to New York. Actually, I'm glad you're here, so we can talk about it, perhaps tomorrow before we leave. We have several appointments in the morning, but should have some time early afternoon, before our flight, if you're available, right Ira?" her mother turned to her father, who was going through some papers.

"Yes, of course," he nodded distractedly.

"Uh, okay," Willow gave a small smile and shrugged. She was torn between being glad they weren't staying very long, because of Spike, and sad because they were leaving so soon.

"And who are you?" Willow saw her mother look behind her and turned. Spike was standing in the doorway wearing his black t-shirt, jeans, and boots. His hair was damp and wavy. He looked yummy and she found herself staring at him. She mentally shook her head to clear it from interesting, but inappropriately timed, images of Spike, naked and cuffed.

"Oh, um, this is, uh, William," she introduced Spike. "William...Blood...y...er," she finished, then mentally smacked herself. Blood...y...er? "William, this is my mother, Sheila Rosenberg, and my father," she pointed behind her, "Ira Rosenberg."

"William Bloodier?" Sheila Rosenberg said as she held out her hand to the blond. Ira just lifted a hand in greeting without looking up from the papers he was looking through.

"Uh, yeah," Spike said, giving Willow a strange look as he reached out to shake her mother's hand. "Grandad was French. He pronounced it Bloo-di-ay. Nice to meet you."

"Yes, nice to meet you, too. Um, are you staying here, too?" Mrs. Rosenberg asked.

Bloody right, he was staying here, Spike thought. So, this was the woman who had let his Red be tied to a stake and almost burned to death. He ran his eyes over her appraisingly. She didn't look evil. But evil was rarely obvious. She'd also ignored her own daughter for most of the girls' life, now that was evil.

Willow blushed at her mother's question. Crap! How on earth was she going to explain this? She'd never imagined that her parents would be coming home, so she didn't have an excuse handy. Well, she'd improvise. She could do that, right?

"Yes!" she said. "Yes, he's, uh, actually, he's the reason I moved back home, you see. Sp..., er, William, is a, um, an exchange student! Yep, all the way from England. To take classes. Here in Sunnydale. Night classes."

Exchange student? Spike, pulled from his musings over Willow's mother, gave her another look.

"Exchange student? I didn't think they did that in college," her mother said.

"You know, I didn't either!" Willow laughed nervously, furiously twirling the ring. "William was, uh, supposed to stay with another family and they backed out at the last minute and I offered to let him stay here and I knew you wouldn't want him staying here alone so I moved back home and...here we all are. And, oh, my, would you look at the time! William, you're going to be late for your class!" Willow turned to Spike with wide eyes. "Perhaps we should go now."

"You have to go, too?" Willow's mother asked her.

"Well, I usually walk to the campus with him, and spend extra time in the library while he's in class. Studying," Willow said.

"Oh, well, it was nice meeting you, William. Have fun at class. Get lots of studying done, dear," she turned to Willow. "We'll talk tomorrow."

"Of course," Willow said. "Let's go," she grabbed Spike's hand and pulled him into the foyer. Getting both of their jackets down, she tossed his duster to him and pulled her own on, then opened the door.

"Oh, here, dear," her mother called, "don't forget your books."

"Thanks, Mom," Willow took the book bag out of her mother's hands. "See you later!"

***

"Oh, goddess," Willow groaned as she leaned back against the closed door. "That was...,"

"Hellish?" Spike suggested as he pulled out his pack of cigarettes and lit one.

"Yes!" Willow agreed.

"Exchange student?" he asked, cigarette bobbing between his lips as he shoved the lighter back in his pocket.

"Hey, I had to think fast!" Willow defended herself as she stepped away from the front door. "She bought it, didn't she?"

Spike just rolled his eyes.

"Well, what was with Bloo-di-ay?" she asked, letting her voice rise snobbishly on the faked name.

"Better 'n 'bloodier'," he snarked. "Why didn't you just tell them I was a vampire?"

"Oh, shut up!" she stomped her foot, then slapped at his arm as she walked past him and down the steps. "What are we going to do now?" she asked.

"Wanna go to the Watcher's?" Spike asked as he blew out a stream of smoke and followed her.

"No," Willow shook her head.

"You don't really wanna go study, do you?" he looked at the book bag in her hand.

"No," Willow smiled at him. "We could walk to the mall," she suggested. "I haven't eaten supper, yet. And you...also...need to feed. Maybe we could watch a movie, or something."

"You want to go to the mall?" Spike asked, horrified at the prospect.

"We don't have to," Willow said. "Just an idea. Not like I have any money to spend on clothes or anything, anyway."

Spike just looked at her as they walked under one of the few working streetlights in Sunnydale. She looked sad and tired, but she was so damned beautiful. How had he managed to get someone so wonderful to fall in love with him?

"Come on," he reached out and took her small hand in his. "Let's go find you something to eat."

Willow let him take her hand and lead her down the street. They walked in silence, until Willow remembered something.

"Uh, Spike, what did you do with the cuffs?"

~Part: 34~

They walked to an Italian restaurant and took a booth in the back. The waitress came over and they placed their order, then Spike leaned over the table.

"I'll be right back," he smiled reassuringly at her, then slid out of the booth, and walked to the back of the restaurant.

"Be careful," she whispered.

"No worries, luv," he said.

Willow pressed her hands together, clenching her fingers tight as she waited for Spike to come back from feeding. She rocked nervously, only stopping long enough to thank the waitress when she brought their drinks.

A couple of minutes later, Spike returned. He slid onto the bench with Willow, pressed her up against the wall and kissed her. Willow moaned into his mouth, her hands clutching at his t-shirt. Spike lifted his head and looked down at her with a smirk.

"Wow!" she said. "Does, uh, feeding always make you horny?" she asked.

"Uh huh," he leaned in and kissed her again.

"Oh," she was breathless, "uh, good?"

Spike put his arm around Willow's shoulder and leaned back against the seat with his legs spread out in front of him. Willow snuggled into his side.

"What were you thinkin' 'bout when I got back?" Spike said.

"Uh, how'd you know I was thinking?" Willow asked nervously.

"You do it so loudly," Spike smiled down at her, taking her hand in his, resting their joined hands on his leg, and playing with her fingers.

"Oh. Well, I was wondering...You know how it feels when you, you know, bite me and...suck...and," she was starting to breathe heavily at the memory of it.

"Yeah, I know," Spike noticed her increased heart rate and the lovely flush now covering her body, and took pity on her.

"Well...does it feel that way...for them...when you feed?" she asked.

"Depends," he said. "Usually, no. Vampires love the fear and pain. There's just ripping and tearing."

"Ew," Willow shuddered.

"On the other hand, it can be done with more...seduction...less pain. Why?"

"I just...I don't," she paused to regroup. "This is really embarrassing," she whispered as she looked at the table.

"Tell me," he turned to her and placed his finger beneath her chin, lifting her face. "You can tell me anything. You know that, right?"

"I don't want it to hurt, when you feed," she said, tears gathering behind her eyes, "but I don't want it to feel that...good...either, like it is with us," she pulled her face away and looked down to hide her watery eyes.

Spike grinned down at her.

"Are you jealous?" he whispered in her ear.

"Don't tease me!" she frowned as she slapped at him, and tried to slide away.

Spike forcefully pulled her back against him.

"Not teasing," he growled in her ear. "I like it. That you're jealous. That you want me all for yourself," he kissed her. "And it's *never* like it is with you and me," he promised.

"Never?"

"It couldn't be," he kissed her again. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Spike," she hugged him, kissing him hungrily, breaking away, and blushing prettily, when the waitress brought their food.

After they were done eating they walked around downtown and window-shopped. Then they went to the movie theater, where Spike sat them in the back corner so he could hold Willow on his lap.

By the time the movie was halfway over, Willow was bored. It wasn't a bad movie, but it couldn't hold her interest, not when Spike was there. She started nibbling on his neck and felt his cock harden against her ass.

"What do you think you're doing?" he groaned. Willow didn't reply, just slipped her hand between them and unfastened his jeans, wrapping her fingers around him.

"Oh, bloody hell," he moaned, closing his eyes as she stroked him.

***

"Um, hi, Giles," Buffy said nervously, when she walked into the apartment. Giles was sitting in the same chair he'd occupied the night before, a glass of amber liquid in his hand, a whiskey bottle on the table beside him.

"Buffy," Giles greeted her. He'd done very little but think about her ever since Willow's telephone call.

"Am I early?" she asked, looking around the empty apartment. She stuck her hands in the front pockets of her jeans to keep them from shaking.

"No," Giles said. "Willow and Spike aren't coming. I called Xander, told him and Anya to take the night off, asked him to let Oz know that we wouldn't be meeting tonight."

"Oh, so," Buffy shrugged, slipping her thumbs through her belt loops.

"Since there's no research, you might as well go patrol," Giles declared.

"Oh, right," Buffy nodded, "patrol." She took her hands out of her front pockets and nervously slipped them into her back pockets.

"Yes, patrol," Giles took a sip of whiskey, surprised that his hand didn't shake.

"I thought, maybe, we could talk," Buffy said hesitantly.

"About what?" Giles asked. "Have you decided not to kill Spike?"

"Well...no," Buffy frowned, removing her hands from her pockets and clenching them into fists at her sides.

"Then I don't see much use in talking," he took another calming sip.

"Right. Then, I guess I'll go patrol," Buffy's voice was hard. She turned slowly, and walked toward the door.

"That's right," Giles muttered as he leaned his head back against the chair and closed his eyes. "After all, you're the Slayer."

Buffy turned back to look at him as she heard his words, but he wasn't looking at her, wasn't even aware that she was still in the apartment. Her shoulders slumped as she opened the door and left.

Giles opened his eyes as the door clicked shut. How on earth was he going to continue being Buffy's Watcher when he couldn't bear to be in the same room with her?

***

Spike lay fully clothed on the bed in the guestroom. He wasn't happy that he had to spend the night without Willow, but assured himself that it would just be the one night. He didn't think he'd be able to sleep without her next to him. He lit a cigarette and thought about Willow.

He thought about their surprise when her parents came home, and about what she had said earlier, that she didn't have any money. They couldn't remain dependent on her parents. What if they moved back to Sunnydale? No way he was spending any more time in the guestroom! He wanted to be with Willow.

He did have money...somewhere. He'd lost all of his important papers when he and Dru had to flee Prague in a bleedin' hurry, and he'd never bothered to commit any of the account numbers to memory. Bloody stupid, that. But he needed that money now. For Willow.

He took a deep and totally unnecessary breath, then let it out slowly. He needed an investigator. Someone who could find his accounts and liquidate them. He knew what he had to do, who he had to call. He didn't want to, that was certain, but he had to. For Willow.

He stopped in the bathroom to flush the cigarette down the toilet, and silently entered Willow's room after making sure there were no sounds coming from her parents' bedroom. She was sleeping, sprawled out on her stomach, the fingers of one hand clenched in the sheet, her red hair covering her face.

She was beautiful...and his...and he wanted nothing so much as to reach out and touch her. He quietly lifted the portable telephone off of the base and grabbed Willow's address book, then snuck out of the room and down the stairs.

Once he was outside, where he wasn't afraid of being overheard, Spike looked up the number he needed and dialed the telephone. It rang five times before being picked up by the answering machine. Spike waited impatiently for the tone, then began to speak.

"Listen, Peaches, I need your help. Detective like. It's for Willow," Spike threw in, hoping it would at least get him a call back, and was just about ready to hang up when the receiver was lifted on the other end.

"Spike?" Angel asked warily.

"Peaches," Spike said, figuring it was the least insulting of his nicknames for Angel, and he *did* need the poof's help, "you're there."

"Yeah," Angel replied. "What is it you need?"

"Need your services. Investigative, that is," Spike clarified.

"For what? And what does this have to do with Willow?" Angel asked suspiciously.

"You know about me and the witch, right?" Spike asked as he pulled his pack of cigarettes out. He tapped one out into his hand and replaced the pack in his pocket.

"What about you and Willow, Spike?" Angel asked angrily.

"Watcher told you about the spell, yeah, on the ring?" Spike asked, cigarette dangling between his lips. He flicked the lighter and held the flame to the tip of the cigarette.

"I haven't talked to Giles since he called about some design that he thought might be Celtic," Angel replied.

"Not *our* Watcher," Spike retorted after he had taken a drag. "Your Watcher," he blew the smoke out and watched it float away in the night air.

"Wesley?" Angel asked.

"If that's his name," Spike shrugged, taking another drag.

"No, Wesley hasn't mentioned anything about a spell...,"

"You're bleedin' kidding!" Spike interrupted.

"No. Tell me," Angel demanded.

With a deep sigh, Spike explained the sleepwalking, Tara's discovery that the ring Willow wore was bespelled, their attempts to discover the meaning of the design on the ring, and Wesley's discovery of the Romany spell that would lead Willow to her true love.

Angel started laughing.
 

"What's so funny, mate?" Spike asked angrily as he tossed the cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath his boot.

"You're trying to tell me that you and Willow are together, that you are supposedly her 'true love'?" Angel laughed again.

"You're a right bastard, Angelus," Spike growled over Angel's laughter.

Spike closed his eyes and tilted his head back. He pursed his lips and rolled his shoulders. He knew he shouldn't. It would only cause more problems. Oh, hell, he couldn't help himself. He was *evil*.

"Well, if you think that's funny, *poof*, you'll really love the part where I tell you she disabled my chip."

There was immediate silence on the other end of the line.

"Thought that might get your attention, wanker," Spike curled his lips in an evil smile.

"Tell me you're joking," Angel said, his voice tense.

"I'm joking," Spike replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Where's Willow?" Angel asked worriedly.

"She's sleeping, you tosser, where do you think she is?"

"I want to talk to her."

"Not waking her. 'Sides, don't want her to know I called you," Spike pulled the pack out and angrily shook another cigarette into his hand.

"Did she really disable your chip?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. Told you, she loves me, wants me to be able to defend myself. We take care of each other, you know, like family," Spike couldn't resist the jibe.

"Are you going to hurt her?" Angel asked, his voice devoid of expression.

"Of course I'm not going to hurt her, you poof! Haven't you been listening?"

"I have been listening. You told me that Willow loves you, but you've never mentioned how you feel about Willow."

"That's none of your business, Peaches!" Spike yelled, then looked over his shoulder to see if he'd roused anyone in the house.

"It is if you want my help," Angel said.

Spike took the phone away from his ear and growled. He hated his poof of a sire! Left him at the mercy of the Slayer and her pals when he was chipped, not that he wanted the wanker's help anyway, but now he thought he should be privy to everything going on in Spike's life and, *fuck*, he kicked a tree, if he didn't need the soddin' git's help, he'd...argh! He put the phone back to his face.

"I love her. I have claimed her. She's mine. And she has claimed me. I am hers," Spike ground out angrily. "Satisfied, Angelus?"

"You've...she's...claimed?" Angel asked in shock, and Spike heard him fall heavily into a chair.

"Yes. Can we move on now?" he finished lighting the cigarette and took a soothing drag.

"Spike, I...,"

"It's none of your business, Angelus. Even if you think it is, it's done. She...is...mine."

Angel was silent for a few minutes while he processed this. He couldn't believe Wesley hadn't told him about the spell. Although, maybe he'd tried, they'd been awfully busy lately, and sometimes he ignored the Englishman, because he wasn't Doyle, but still, a true love spell that had Willow sleepwalking to *Spike* would have gotten through, wouldn't it? When he could do so without yelling...or crying...he spoke into the receiver.

"What about the others?" he asked flatly.

"What about 'em?" Spike asked in confusion, taking a long drag off of the cigarette.

"Are you planning on hurting them?" Angel asked.

Spike sighed deeply. This was almost more trouble than it was worth.

"Promised Red not to kill," he said.

"You promised not to kill?" Angel asked, surprised.

"Well," Spike grinned evilly, "promised not to kill to feed or just for fun. But, I'll do whatever it takes to make sure she's safe. Can we move on, now?"

"What is it you need?" Angel asked with a deep sigh, resigned to helping Spike.

"Money. We're staying at her parents' house right now. Need to get a place of our own. And she doesn't have any money. So I...,"

"How much do you need?" Angel asked.

"What?" Spike asked, confused again. "What are you talking about?"

"How much money do you need?" Angel clarified.

"I don't want *your* money, you wanker!" Spike yelled again. "I want you to help me find mine! You *are* an investigator, right?" he taunted.

"You want me to help you find your money?" Angel asked slowly, as if he was talking to a child.

"Yes, Angelus," Spike replied. "I lost all of my papers when Dru and I had to flee, I mean, leave Prague in a hurry. Need you to find and liquidate my accounts."

"Oh," Angel replied.

"What, surprised I have money of my own?" Spike asked. "Shouldn't be. Spent over 80 years taking care of me and Dru without you. I grew up, Angelus. You gonna help me, or what?" he pinched the cigarette out between his fingers.

"Yes, Spike," Angel sighed. "I'll help you. What can you tell me?"

~Part: 35~

After he got off of the telephone with Angel, Spike snuck back into the house and up the stairs to Willow’s bedroom. He returned the handset to the base, and set her address book on the bedside table beside the telephone. When he was done, he stood staring down at her as she slept.

Sod all! He undressed and slipped under the covers. Willow immediately rolled toward him and wrapped herself around him. He relaxed with her in his arms. He didn’t want to sleep without her, so he’d just make sure he was out of there before her parents got up in the morning.

Spike stayed with Willow until he heard her parents’ alarm go off. He heard low voices, and then one of them started the shower in their bathroom. He tried to disentangle himself from Willow without waking her, so he could sneak back to the guestroom.

"No," Willow moaned as she tightened her grip on him, her arm thrown over his waist, her legs pinning his to the mattress.

"I gotta go to the guestroom, luv," Spike said. "Your parents ‘re awake."

"Don’t want you to go," Willow pouted, pressing her face into his neck.

"Alright," Spike agreed, resignedly, as he let himself relax back into the mattress, "but you’re gonna have to explain to them why I’m in your bed, naked, and why they can’t throw me out ‘cause it’s daylight."

"Meanie," Willow whined. She placed a sleepy kiss against his neck, then let go of him, rolling off of him and onto her back. Willow watched through half-closed eyes as he sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, and reached for the jeans he’d dropped on the floor the night before. She reached out and ran her fingers over his back.

Spike leaned forward to step into his jeans and Willow rolled toward him, placing a kiss on his unprotected side, then licked and sucked the skin into her mouth. Spike jumped as she tickled him, then tried to dislodge her without making enough noise to draw the attention of her parents. Her hands went around his waist, her fingers continuing to tickle him as she moved her mouth down to his hip.

"Willow," he hissed. He tried to stand and turn so he could peel her off of him. The movement was his undoing. Willow took the swiftly hardening cock into her mouth as it brushed her face, and sucked. Spike grabbed her hair, his first instinct to pull her off of him. Instead, he ran his fingers through her hair and held her head as he slowly pumped into her mouth.

"Cor, Willow," he groaned. "I’m gonna...ahh...kill you for this. Oh, god, baby, don’t stop!" Willow just grinned and kept sucking, her tongue pressing against the underside of his cock as her fingers slipped between his legs to fondle his sac.

"Bloody...hell. Willow, please," he moaned, and Willow sucked harder, moved her mouth up and down his shaft faster, until he was a mewling mess. "Cor, Willow, baby, cuming, god, argh! Willow," his body jerked. His cock spasmed, and his seed filled her mouth and dribbled down her chin.

"Bloody...fuck," Spike groaned as Willow lifted her head and licked her lips with a satisfied smile. He let himself fall onto the bed, pushing Willow onto her back. "You’re gonna pay for that," he said. "Soon as I can move again."

Willow just smiled and wrapped her arms around him.

"Love you, Spike," she said as she nuzzled his neck.

"Love you, too," he whimpered. "You’re still gonna pay."

***

Spike hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. His mind was too busy with thoughts of their future. Would Angel be able to find Spike’s money? Would Willow be able to rewrite the resouling spell without the curse? Would she even allow him to turn her if she was able to rewrite it? Would he hear her parents wake up before one of them poked their head in Willow’s room and saw him in her bed?

After he had recovered from Willow sucking him off that morning, he pulled on his jeans while Willow slipped into her robe. He picked up his boots and t-shirt, and he and Willow left the room together. He gave her a kiss outside the bathroom door, then continued down the hall to the guestroom, while Willow went into the bathroom to shower.

Spike dropped his boots and t-shirt beside the bed, removed his jeans, then slipped between the cold sheets. He looked around the room that he had only spent three nights in since he and Willow moved here, and only two of those alone. How he hated this room. It was bad enough that he had to be here all day long without Willow, but this room didn’t even smell like her.

He listened to the sounds in the house; Willow in the shower, the muted conversation from her parents’ room, Willow getting dressed in her bedroom, her parents going downstairs. Soon the scent of freshly brewing coffee filled the house.

Several minutes later, Willow pushed the door open and slipped inside the guestroom. She tiptoed over to the bed and gave Spike a kiss goodbye.

"Hurry home," he pouted.

"I will," Willow’s lips curved into a smile as she brushed her fingers through his hair. With one last kiss, she turned and left the room.

Spike heard her say goodbye to her parents, reminding them that William would sleep most of the day because of his night classes, and then the front door shutting behind her. He listened as her parents moved around downstairs, then left for their morning appointments.

With a deep sigh, Spike closed his eyes and fell into a deep, deep sleep. He woke hours later, after the sun had already started its descent. He listened, but heard no heartbeats, no sounds from the quiet house. He stretched and jumped out of bed. He wanted to take a shower and get dressed before Willow got home.

He scooted naked down the hall to the bathroom and hopped in the shower. That undisturbed sleep had done him wonders. He had so much energy. And he was starving. He showered and dressed, then started down the stairs, combing his fingers through wet hair. He automatically headed for the kitchen to heat up a mug of blood, then paused when he remembered he didn’t have to do that.

Oh, hell! He was starving and sundown was a still a couple of hours away. With a growl of disgust, he continued on to the kitchen to heat up the blood. As much as he hated the taste of pig’s blood, he hoped that there was still some in the fridge, and that Willow hadn’t thrown it out so her parents wouldn’t see it.

When he entered the kitchen, he saw that the back door was open. He cautiously walked over and peered out. All thoughts of blood, pig or otherwise, fled.

"Willow?" he called, when he caught sight of her sitting on the steps, pressed against the railing. She turned her head and looked at him with a face full of sorrow and pain.

"Spike," she acknowledged him.

"Willow, luv, what’s wrong?" he asked, looking at the sky and then back down at his woman. "Are your parents gone?"

"Yep," she gave an unladylike snort.

"Could you come inside so we can talk?" Spike asked. He wanted to run out there, grab her, and drag her inside, but the sun prevented him. Willow shrugged her shoulders, then slowly stood and walked into the kitchen. Spike took her in his arms and kicked the door shut.

"What’s wrong?" he asked again, his voice full of worry.

"They’re gone," Willow said.

"Yeah, off to New York," Spike said. "But what...,"

"No," Willow shook her head, "I mean, gone, gone. They’re not coming back," a tear made its way out of her eye and ran down her cheek.

"What do you mean?" he tilted his head.

"They’re moving to New York," she said. "I don’t know why it matters. They’re never here anyway. But it was still home. No matter where they were, this was still home, and I knew they’d eventually be back. But now they’ll never be back."

Willow buried her face against Spike’s chest, and he held her as she cried for the parents she never had, and would now never have.

"Shh, it’s alright, gonna be fine," Spike whispered soothing words as he rubbed her back, until Willow’s sobs quieted, her tears slowed and finally stopped.

"I’m sorry," she pulled back and wiped at her face. "You must think I’m such an idiot."

"Nothing to be sorry about," Spike told her as he squeezed her shoulders, "and you’re not an idiot. You need me, I’ll always be here."

"I know!" she threw herself back into his arms. "I love you, Spike!" her voice cracked.

"Love you, too, Red, love you, baby," he whispered, placing kisses against the top of her head.

"Come on," Spike said after a couple of minutes, "let’s go sit down in the living room." He started to lead a compliant Willow out of the kitchen, then she tugged him in the other direction and led him into the dining room.

"What’s this?" Spike asked when Willow pointed at a pile of papers on the table.

"The house," Willow said. "My parents saw their attorney this morning and...,"

"They’re selling the house?" Spike yelped, sounding a bit like Xander. He knew he had Angel looking for his money, but he wasn’t going to have it soon enough to get them a place to live if they were going to be evicted.

"No," Willow shook her head and tried to smile reassuringly at the blond vampire. "They signed it over to me. Along with the car, and enough money to cover expenses until I come into my trust fund from my great-aunt Elsie," she sniffled. "My parents made sure I have everything I could ever want...material-wise. They’re just not so there with the emotional support."

"Come on," he tugged on her hand and they continued into the living room. Spike sat down on the couch and pulled Willow down onto his lap. "I was worried for a second there that we’d have to move into my old crypt," Spike told her. "How do you feel about sleeping on a tomb?"

"I like my bed better," she said. "As long as you’re in it," she added hurriedly. "And running water."

"And cable," Spike added and heard Willow’s snort. They sat together in silence as Spike rocked Willow in his arms, giving her as much comfort as he could.

"I’m sorry they hurt you," Spike said. "If they were here now, I’d kill them for you," he growled.

Willow looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" he asked.

"You would not kill them," she said.

"Would," he replied.

"Would not."

"Would, too...hey, stop that!" he grabbed for her hands as she tickled him.

After a couple of minutes of giggling and tickling each other, Willow caved.

"Alright, stop, I give in, please, Spike!" she cried as he continued to tickle her. "I give in," she moaned, then wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck when he freed her. "I love you, and I’m so glad you’re here," she whispered fiercely.

"Me, too," Spike said, holding her tight. "No place I’d rather be."

***

"Can we talk about the, uh, forever thing?" Spike asked as they lounged on the couch, neither one interested in moving.

"What about it?" Willow leaned back in his arms and tilted her head back to look into his face.

"About me turning you," Spike ran his thumb over her cheek and jaw. "About the resouling spell."

Willow stared at him for a long time, her brow furrowed in concentration. She had heard everything Spike had said that night in the tub, but she’d been too tired to respond, or even think. She did want to be with him forever, though the thought of him turning her scared her to death. She’d seen what she would be like as a vampire, and she didn’t want that.

"I’m scared," she finally said. "That’s a really big step. Not the forever part," she clarified at his hurt look, "the dying part. I-I’m not ready for that right now. And definitely not without the spell, ‘cause I’ve seen me as a vampire and I didn’t like it...I don’t want to be like that. She was...,"

"Skanky?" Spike asked with a raised eyebrow, remembering the scooby’s discussion of vamp Willow.

"And a ‘ho," Willow smiled, surprised that he remembered.

"And kinda gay?"

"Uh huh," Willow nodded and wrinkled her nose up. "She wasn’t nice," she said sadly.

"We don’t want that, luv," Spike assured her. "I want you. Just like you are. Except, you know, not human, ‘cause, well, looking for forever here, and, I’m babbling again. It’s like a disease, isn’t it?"

"Thank you, Spike," she smiled again as he pulled her against his chest and held her close, placing desperate kisses over her face.

"Spike!" she giggled as his kisses tickled her.

"Love you, Willow," he shifted her in his arms and kissed her lips. "Need you so much," he kissed her again. Willow moaned and parted her lips. Spike’s tongue swept inside her mouth, desperate with his need for her.

Willow lifted one hand to the back of his head and pressed him against her, tilting her head to deepen the kiss. Suddenly, Spike was tearing at her clothes. Willow helped him remove her shirt and bra, her shoes and socks, her slacks and panties, then pulled his t-shirt off of him.

Then she was on her back and Spike was between her thighs, unbuttoning his jeans and shoving them down his hips. Willow used her feet to push them down his legs and then Spike was pressing against her entrance.

"Need you, need you, need you," Spike was chanting as he pressed into her. "Willow, oh, baby, Willow," he moaned as her heat surrounded him.

"Spike, goddess, Spike," Willow groaned as he filled her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and lifted her hips, taking him in as deeply as she could. She placed both hands behind his head and pulled him down to her, kissing him.

Spike grabbed her hips and lifted her so that he slammed into her clit with every thrust, his mouth never leaving hers. She was so hot and tight and he needed her so much, that he was soon ready to cum. He slipped one hand between them and rubbed his fingers over her clit.

Willow moaned into his mouth as her hips bucked against him, her fingers digging into his scalp as he stimulated her swollen nub. She pulled away from him and began a wordless keening as her body tensed and her orgasm ripped through her.

Spike watched her face as she came, then cried out her name as her muscles gripped him, milking his own release. He let himself fall on her, spent from their frantic coupling. After a couple of minutes, they managed to get cleaned-up and dressed.

"We need to get something to eat," Willow said as she pulled her shirt back on.

"I’ll go get something and come right...,"

"No!" Willow cried.

"What?" Spike asked. Was she going to ask him not to go out and feed?

"I-I want to go with you," she said.

"Why?" he asked, confused. "Don’t trust me?"

"No!" she slapped his arm. "I...I just don’t want to be alone. Not tonight."

"Alright," he put his arm over her shoulder. "You gonna be okay, watching me feed?"

"I don’t know," she said. "I don’t have to watch, you know, if it bothers you, or me, just don’t leave me alone tonight."

"I won’t," he kissed her lightly. "Come on, let’s get you something to eat, first."

Spike followed Willow into the kitchen and watched as she made a sandwich, then sat at the island and ate it.

"I called Angel last night," he said out of the blue.

"You did?" Willow asked with her mouth full, as she looked up at him in surprise. "Why?" she asked when he just nodded.

"I needed him to find something for me," Spike stared at his bare feet as he spoke.

"What?" Willow asked after she swallowed.

"My money."

"Your money. You have money? That you lost?"

"Had a couple of accounts in Europe. Lost the papers when Dru and I had to get out of Prague in a hurry," he explained. "After your parents came home unexpectedly, figured we might need someplace else to stay. And money...to do that. ‘Course, now we don’t, ‘cause you own the house, and I don’t even know if he’ll be able to find anything. Just wanted you to know, and bloody hell, I’m babbling again," he shook his head in disgust.

Willow just nodded, then her eyes narrowed as she thought.

"Do you like this place?" she asked.

"Huh?" he looked up at her.

"Do you like it here? I mean, it’s not mine, it’s not yours, it’s not even ours. It’s my parents’. My name on the deed doesn’t change the fact that...this isn’t *our* home. I mean, we could probably *make* it our home, but...we could look for something else. Someplace that’ll be ours," she glanced at Spike from under her eyelashes to gauge his reaction.

"You mean it?" he asked, his head tilted in surprise.

"Yes," she said. "We could sell this place and use the money to buy something else. Or get an apartment, not like we need much of a lawn!" she smiled. "We could start looking now, for a place, using the money my parents left me for the upkeep on the house, and replace it when we sell the house," she was sounding excited.

"You want to get a place with me? I mean, I know we live together now, but, it *is* your parents’ place. You’re right, it doesn’t feel like ours. You really wanna get a place with me?" he asked again.

"Yes," Willow smiled at him. "What kind of place would you like?" she asked.

"Don’t care," he swooped her into his arms, swinging her around, and Willow giggled, "as long as you’re there. And cable, ‘course," he added.

~Part: 36~

The next day was Saturday, and Willow was grateful that she didn't have any classes. She slept in, but managed to wake up before Spike. She was able to get up, shower, and dress without waking him. When she got downstairs to get something to eat, she saw the pile of papers on the dining room table.

Straightening her shoulders she grabbed the telephone and the telephone book, sat down at the table, and started making phone calls. Her first call was to a realtor, who, as soon as she found out where it was located, agreed to come take a look at the house that afternoon. The second call was to an automotive mechanic to make an appointment for the car to be serviced. The third was to Xander, who agreed to pick her up at the garage where she was going to drop the car off.

Willow wrote a quick note for Spike, then grabbed the car keys, her jacket, and her license. She walked into the garage and stood looking at the Ford Expedition. Why her parents felt the need to buy such a large, ostentatious vehicle that they would never have any use for, Willow couldn't begin to guess.

She got into the Expedition, opened the garage door, and slowly backed out. She hated backing up anyway, but it was even scarier in this monstrosity. She made it to the garage, Carl's Auto Repair, without mishap, parked, and stepped inside to give the keys to the mechanic. After they had discussed what Willow wanted done to the vehicle, and she had filled out and signed the repair order, she went back outside to wait for Xander to pick her up.

A couple of minutes later, Xander and Anya pulled into the parking lot. Xander shrugged and gave her an apologetic grin through the windshield.

"Hey, Wills. Sorry we're late," he said as Willow climbed into the backseat.

"Hello!" Anya smiled happily.

"Hi, Xan, Anya. No problem," she said, as she leaned back against the seat. "I wasn't waiting long. I really appreciate you coming to pick me up."

"That's alright," Anya said, "Xander explained the concept of delayed gratification to me."

"Uh, okay, good," Willow replied with a slight blush.

"So," Xander said as he pulled out into traffic, desperate to change the subject, "decided to start driving that little vehicle your parents bought?"

"It's so huge," she laughed with him. "Actually," she took a deep breath, "my parents were here yesterday. Not to stay, of course, and they weren't here long, what with moving to New York being their first priority, but they did have time to sign the house and the car over to me before they left."

"You're kidding?" Xander looked at her in the rearview mirror.

"Wow," Anya said.

"Not kidding," Willow shook her head sadly.

"Holy...crap," Xander breathed. "They're moving to New York? Just like that?"

"The house *and* the car?" Anya asked.

Willow nodded, answering them both.

"How do you feel about that?"

"Great! Right?" Anya asked. "I mean, the house *and* the car."

"An," Xander said softly, reaching out and squeezing her hand as he glanced at Willow in the rearview mirror.

"I know they were never here, but I always expected them to come home. Now they never will," Willow admitted sadly.

"Oh," Anya nodded, "you're sad about your parents moving. I wasn't even sure you had parents," she added, not unkindly.

"Join the club," Willow gave a little laugh. "But, I'm not going to be all blue. I've got Spike, and he loves me enough for a dozen! And," she hesitated, "we decided to sell the house and get something together, a place that's ours."

"Ha!" Xander laughed harshly. "Together, with your money!"

"Not if Angel finds Spike's money," Willow said, then froze. "Oops. I don't know if I was supposed to say anything about that."

"What?!" Xander asked.

"Hey, keep your eyes on the road!" Anya squealed as the car swerved.

"Sorry," Xander straightened it back out.

"I said, I'm not sure if I...," Willow began.

"No!" Xander shook his head and waved his hand. "Not that. About Spike's money!"

"If Spike has money, then how come he can't buy his own blood?" Anya asked.

"Well," Willow debated on telling them, "turns out Spike has some accounts in Europe, but he lost the papers when he and Dru had to leave Prague in such a hurry, you know with the mob after them. He called Angel after my parents arrived home unexpectedly, thinking we might need money to get a place of our own, and asked him to see if he could find them."

"Wow," Xander said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Spike with money. That's...scary. So, wanna go to The Bronze tonight?"

***

After Xander dropped Willow off back at her parents', no her house now, she went upstairs to wake Spike and let him know that the realtor was coming to look at the house that afternoon.

"Not letting any grass grow, eh," he asked sleepily. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," she smiled, "I'm sure. I want a place that's ours," she stretched out on the bed next to him, her head resting on his arm, her hand on his chest.

They lay together for several minutes, until the ringing of the doorbell jolted them. Willow kissed Spike, then crawled off of the bed.

"You don't have to get up," she told him when he started to move. "I just wanted you to know that someone else was going to be walking around the house."

"'M getting up," he said. "Gotta make sure they don't take advantage of you."

"Alright," Willow said as she ran out of the room, "but get dressed first, okay?"

"Ha, ha," Spike retorted as he reached for his jeans.

Willow was showing the realtor through the house when Spike made it downstairs. He let Willow know he was there, then went to the living room to watch television while he waited for her to finish the tour. When they were done, the three of them sat in the dining room as the realtor explained the listing agreement and then discussed the sale price.

Spike was afraid Willow's eyes were going to pop out of her head when the realtor told her how much she thought Willow should ask for the house. Willow signed the papers and the realtor left.

"Well," Spike said after Willow closed the door, "that's one happy lady."

"You think?" Willow asked.

"Her heart was just about beating out of her chest. She probably has wet dreams about houses like this," Spike said.

"Ew!" Willow shuddered and slapped his arm. "Don't tell me that!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if she already had a buyer lined up," he continued.

"Oh, goddess, Spike, don't say that!" Willow cried.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because we don't have anywhere to go!"

***

Xander picked them up a couple of minutes before eight o'clock and they drove to The Bronze together. They chose a table in the back, as far away from the speakers as they could, then spent the night talking and dancing. Though Spike and Xander did more bickering than actual talking, Willow was having fun. Xander hadn't threatened to stake Spike, and Spike hadn't threatened to tear Xander's throat out. Willow thought they were making progress.

After a couple of hours, the guys decided to move their squabbling to the pool tables. They grabbed the next one that freed up, and Xander racked the balls. Anya and Willow took their drinks and moved closer to the table to watch their fellas play. There were no tables available, so they leaned against one of the support columns until a table emptied.

A couple of minutes after they sat down, a young man in jeans and a short leather jacket came over to their table. He had light brown hair and brown eyes that sat in a round face. He leaned against the table and smiled sweetly at them. The smile didn't quite reach his eyes, and Willow shivered.

"Hello, ladies," he said in a voice Willow was certain he thought was sexy.

"Hello," they both replied politely.

"Either of you beautiful ladies care to dance?" he asked, and Willow found herself wondering if he'd seen that line work before.

"I'm here with Xander," Anya replied immediately, pointing at the brunette playing pool.

"So," he shrugged and smiled again, "a little dance isn't going to hurt anyone."

"No, I don't want to," Anya replied bluntly, "I only like to dance with Xander." Willow thought she saw anger flash in his eyes.

"Well, then, what about you?" he turned to Willow with a smile that wasn't quite as sweet as before.

"I appreciate the offer," she said, trying to placate the man, "but I'm also here with someone."

"Oh, come on," he urged, reaching out to run his hand up her arm.

"I said 'no'," Willow pulled her arm away from him with a frown.

"Look, bitch," he snarled, leaning over the table and getting in her face, "you're a fucking tease!"

He reached out to grab her arm, but Spike was there before he could touch her. He grabbed the man around the throat, picked him up, and slammed him into the column Willow and Anya had been leaning against just moments before. Willow shoved her chair back and stood up, concerned that Spike might actually kill the man in his anger.

"Did you just touch my girl?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Uh, woman," Willow peeked around his shoulder.

"What?" Spike looked back at her in exasperation.

"Uh, woman, not girl."

Spike just looked at her and she stepped back.

"Just saying," she muttered.

"She's with me," he growled, turning his attention back to the man who was turning blue. "You touch her again, and I will kill you."

"He really will," Anya added.

Spike rolled his eyes.

"Thanks, Anya," he said.

"Welcome," she said.

"Hey, Spike," Xander said, trying to keep his voice from shaking, "hurry it up, will ya? Your turn to break."

"Gotta go," Spike lowered the man to the floor. "Now get out of here."

The man looked at the four of them with hate in his eyes, then turned and practically ran from the bar.

"You alright?" Spike turned back to Willow, grabbing her arm and pulling her against him.

"I'm fine," she smiled. "Thanks."

Spike pulled her into a hug, growling against her neck, making Willow shiver in a nice way.

***

After Spike and Xander finished their game, Willow looked at her watch and suggested that they leave. She knew that Spike still had to feed before they could call it a night. The four of them got their jackets and left, the two girls giggling together over something Anya had said, Spike and Xander bringing up the rear.

They were walking toward the parking lot when Spike froze. There was something...off. He lifted his head and scented the air, then listened carefully. The other three noticed him stop and, still talking, turned their heads to see what had caught his attention. Spike heard a whine and instinctively reached out, grabbing the thrown knife just before it struck Xander in the back.

Xander turned further, and stared down at the knife in Spike's hand, now just inches from his chest, in horror.

"Oh, bloody hell!" Spike said as he looked between the knife in his hand and Xander's white face.

"Oh, my god, Xander!" Anya cried, grabbing her boyfriend and running her hands over him to make sure he was alright.

"Xander, are you hurt?" Willow asked.

"I'm fine," Xander said, swaying slightly on legs that were suddenly weak, "except for my knees."

Spike growled, and all four looked up to see the man from earlier in The Bronze standing behind them. He looked shocked that the knife hadn't hit its intended target, but still angry enough to be stupid, because he was still standing there.

"Well, that's disappointing," he blustered, "I was aiming at you."

"Right," Spike turned and took a step toward the man who had thrown the knife, "and I'm going to make you wish you hadn't missed."

"H-how'd you manage to catch the knife?" he asked, but Spike ignored him.

"Now you've done it, you bloody pillock. You touched my *woman*," he emphasized, "and I let you live," Spike took another step toward the man, who was either to scared or too stupid to move, as he tossed the knife in the air.

"But there is *no* second chance for what you just made me do. You bleedin' made me save Xander Harris's life!" Spike growled, then threw the knife back at the man before he could react. The handle struck him in the temple and he crumpled to the ground.

"Are you alright?" Willow asked Spike worriedly, running up to him and grabbing his hand to check for injury.

"'M fine," he pulled his hand away from her. "Stupid git."

"Give me that back!" Willow slapped his arm, then grabbed his hand back. "You've cut yourself. You're bleeding," she said worriedly.

"It'll heal," Spike assured her, gently pulling his hand out of hers and making a fist to hide the cut on this palm.

"Xander, are you sure you're okay?" Anya asked again.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Xander's voice was high and squeaky. "Thanks," he looked at Spike.
 

"Don't mention it. And I mean that," Spike pointed the index finger of his good hand at him. "You tell anyone I saved your life, and I'll kill you. I'll deny it first, and then I'll kill you," Spike revised.

"Uh, okay?" Xander agreed, confused, and still a little in shock. That had been pretty big knife.

Willow turned to look at the still form lying on the ground.

"Hungry?" she asked Spike, who stared at her in surprise.

"Willow!" Xander cried in shock.

"What?" she turned to her friend. "He needs to feed. Would you rather he picks someone off the street or the guy that just tried to pick up your girlfriend and kill you?" she asked.

"Uh, well," Xander frowned, "when you put it that way..,"

~Part: 37~

They barely made it inside the house before they were tearing at each other's clothes. Willow was easily worked up on a normal day just by looking at Spike, his body, his face, his smile, his eyes, but tonight had been even harder on her hormones.

Watching him bend over the pool table in his tight black jeans made her breath catch. Watching him act all possessive and protective of her when that overbearing moron had tried to pick her up made her belly tingle. Watching him save Xander's life and clunk that same moron in the head with his own knife made her heart swell.

But she had to admit, him feeling her up in the backseat of Xander's car on the drive home didn't help matters out much, either.

She was wet and aching for his touch. She tried to shove his duster off of his shoulders at the same time he tried to pull her jacket off. They ended up groaning and laughing in frustration as their hands got tangled.

Willow finally pushed Spike's hands away and slipped her jacket off as he made short work of his duster. Before the swish of leather hitting the floor had faded, Willow had his t-shirt over his head and it had joined their jackets on the floor. She leaned forward and licked his chest, sucking and nibbling on him, as her hands moved to the button in his waistband. Goddess, she loved the way he tasted.

Spike shoved her hands away and grabbed the hem of her shirt. He wanted her naked. Now. Willow's mouth closed over a nipple as her fingers trailed over his stomach. Spike groaned, and his own fingers clutched at the warm flesh beneath her top.

"Willow," he moaned as his hands moved up her body to cup her cotton-covered breasts. He kneaded them softly and felt her nipples pebble against his palm. With a roar of need, he pushed her away from him and lifted her shirt. Willow raised her arms and he pulled it over her head, tossing it to the growing pile on the floor.

Willow's hands were back on his button and before he could stop her, not that he wanted to, she had his jeans unbuttoned and unzipped. She shoved them down his hips, freeing his erection. Willow watched his hard cock bob against his belly only for a moment, then she was on her knees, taking it into her mouth.

"Bloody...Willow!" Spike cried in surprise and pleasure, as her warm mouth covered him.

Willow didn't respond. She placed both of her hands on his hips to hold him as she sucked on his head, then moved her mouth up and down him, her tongue laving the underside of his shaft, hard and silky at the same time.

Spike's knees felt weak. He reached out to grab onto something, anything, for support, but found that he was too far away from the banister, the table, the wall. He groaned in pleasure as he bent over Willow's head, his fingers tangling in her hair serving the dual purposes of encouraging her ministrations and keeping him upright.

"Cor, Willow!" he cried when he felt his head hit the back of her throat, felt the suction on his cock increase. "Willow, luv, I'm cum...oh, bugger, Willow!" he screamed as he came in her mouth.

Willow sucked him, hard, until she felt his cock jerk in her mouth and his cool release fill it. She swallowed, and continued sucking until she had milked every last drop of cum out of him, then sat back on her heels and licked her lips, looking up at him in satisfaction.

"That was nice," she blinked her big green eyes at him seductively.
 

"I'll show you nice," Spike growled, grabbing her upper arms and lifting her to her feet. He unfastened her jeans as Willow held onto his shoulders for support. She ran her hands down his arms, then back up and across his shoulders, up his neck and into his hair, as Spike worked her jeans and panties down her hips. She wrapped one arm around his shoulders and tilted his head down to her as she rose to her tiptoes.

She pressed her lips softly against his, then sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, gently biting down on it. Spike moaned, his hands stilling on her hips. Willow ran her tongue over his lips and he parted them, granting her access to his mouth. She pressed herself against him, her soft breasts mashed against his hard chest.

Spike slid his hands around to cup her butt. He squeezed, lifting and pressing her against him. Willow pulled her lips away from his and moved to his neck, licking and sucking on the sensitive skin. Spike groaned as she sucked a fold of skin into her mouth and gently bit down.

The next thing Willow knew, she was on her back on the floor and Spike was pulling her shoes off. He slid her jeans and panties down her legs and tossed them onto the pile. He spread her legs and lay down on the floor between them, burying his face in her.

Willow groaned as he spread her lips with his thumbs and ran his tongue along the length of her slit. She cried out when his tongue entered her, his nose bumping against her already swollen nub. She grabbed his hair and placed her feet flat on the floor. She lifted her hips against him as he licked and sucked on her until she screamed her release, her juices filling his mouth.

Instead of stopping, Spike slipped two fingers inside her, bending them and probing for her sweet spot as he licked, sucked, and nibbled on her clit. Willow was mewling incoherently, her heels digging into the floor as her hips bucked frantically against his face. She screamed his name as she came again, her juices covering his hand and face.

Spike withdrew and crawled up her body. He placed his head at her entrance and waited until her glazed eyes cleared and she was aware of him above her. Willow grabbed his face and pulled him down to her, licking her essence off of his chin, then kissing him, their tastes mingling on her tongue.

Willow moaned into his mouth as he slid into her, filling her.

"Oh, Spike," she groaned as she wrapped her legs around him, one arm going around his shoulders, the other to the back of his head, pressing him to her.

Spike kissed her, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he thrust his cock into her passage. Willow tightened her grip on him and lifted her hips, taking him in as deeply as she could.

"Oh, Willow, you feel so good, baby," Spike whispered against her lips.

"You too, Spike," she moaned, "you too. Oh, Spike!" he began to thrust faster. "Spike!" she cried. "So close, oh, goddess, so close!"

He lowered his lips to her neck and licked his mark. His mark. He'd marked her. Claimed her. She was his.

"Mine," he growled, morphing, and sinking his fangs into her.

"Spike!" Willow screamed, as she felt her blood being drawn out of her down to her core, and her orgasm slammed through her.

"Willow!" Spike withdrew his fangs and roared her name as her muscles clenched around him and he pumped his release into her.

Spike lowered himself onto her and left his face buried in her neck. He loved the scent of her. They lay there, recovering silently, except for the sound of their labored breathing.

"Wow," Willow gasped after she caught her breath enough to speak. "That was just...wow."

"Wow, is right," Spike agreed without moving, his breath tickling her neck.

"Spike," Willow was running her hands over his nicely muscled back.

"Yeah, luv?"

"Floor's hard," she pouted.

"Oh, sorry, Red," he carefully pulled out of her and managed to get to his feet without falling.

"What's so funny?" he asked when Willow started laughing.

"Nothing," she said, then laughed harder.

"Red," he said warningly, planting his hands on his hips.

"I'm sorry," she snickered, "it's just...," she pointed at him and dissolved into giggles.

"I'm glad you're amused," Spike tossed his head and pouted.

"Oh, goddess, sorry," Willow tried to stop laughing. "You just look so cute, standing there in your boots, with your jeans down around your ankles, and nothing else on!" she lost the battle and started laughing again.

Spike looked down at himself and had to fight a smile.

"You forgot one thing," he said seriously.

"What...?" Willow's laughter froze in her throat when she saw Spike standing above her stroking his newly-erect cock. "Oh," she whimpered as she felt her body tighten in anticipation. "Well, that...that's not funny at all," she said.

"No, not funny. But fun," he leered at her. "Wanna go for a ride?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Uh huh," Willow nodded, holding her hand up. Spike grabbed it, and pulled her to her feet.

Willow placed her free hand on his hip and directed him toward the stairs, then pushed him down so he was sitting on one of the steps. She struggled with her bra until she unclasped it, then pulled it off and tossed it behind her to join the rest of her clothes. She climbed up the stair and grabbed his shoulders as she straddled his legs. She pushed his hand out of the way and lowered herself onto his cock, still slick with their juices.

"Oh, yeah," she placed her mouth against his ear and moaned as he filled her, "you feel so good inside me."

"Bloody hell, Willow," he groaned as her wet heat surrounded him, his hands gripping her hips. "Willow, baby!" he cried as she started to ride him.

"You like this, Spike?" she licked his ear.

"Yes! Love being inside you. Love feeling you against me," he lowered his head and grasped a rock-hard nipple between his lips.

"Ohh!" Willow cried as he sucked on her sensitive nipple, sending little bolts of electricity to her core. She wrapped her arm around his head and held him to her as she rhythmically lifted and lowered her body over him, the dual sensations of her clit slamming into his pelvic bone and his cock head touching the pleasure spot inside her sending shockwaves through her body.

Spike closed blunt teeth over her nipple and Willow cried out. He pulled on it, his tongue laving it as his teeth held it, then let it go and moved to her other breast. Willow began to move faster. Spike released her breast and lifted his head. Willow looked into his true face and moaned. She rested her forehead against his, her hands gripping his hair, his shoulder, holding on for support as she rode him, harder, faster.

"Spike," and then she was kissing him. She teased his lips with her tongue before slipping it between them to explore his mouth. She ran her tongue over his teeth, his elongated fangs, and cut herself.

The taste of Willow's blood filled Spike's senses. He used his hands on her hips to hold her still as he jack-hammered his own hips, thrusting into her as he sucked the blood from her tongue. Willow moaned into his mouth and he could sense the change in her body as she stiffened and her orgasm ripped through her.

Spike kept pumping, driving himself into her as she tightened around him and called forth his own release. Sated, he leaned back against the stairs with Willow resting on his chest, and allowed his human face to return.

"Love you, Spike," she said tiredly.

"Love you, too, Red," he tilted his head and kissed the top of hers. "Come on, let's go to bed," he said, standing, then paused as he remembered his jeans were down around his ankles. He wasn't going to be able to walk up the stairs like that. With a groan he set her down and leaned her against the bannister.

"No laughing," he said as he bent down and pulled his jeans up, zipping them so they'd stay up around his hips without falling down.

"No," Willow agreed, her eyes like slits, "not today anyway. Too tired."

Spike swept her up into his arms and carried her to their bedroom. He pulled the blankets down and laid her on the bed, then undressed and joined her, pulling the blankets up around them as Willow snuggled into his arms.

***

Willow woke late the next morning. Her legs were entangled with Spike's and her head was resting on his chest. She ran her hand up his side, enjoying the feel of his cool, smooth skin against her palm. She closed her eyes, enjoying the press of his body against hers, but soon her thoughts made it impossible for her to stay in bed any longer.

She got up, careful not to wake Spike, showered, and dressed in a pair of blue jeans, a gray UC Sunnydale sweatshirt and her favorite pair of sneakers. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she noticed the pile of clothes from last night.

She hung up their jackets, then threw the clothes in the laundry room. Then she grabbed her keys and left the house, headed for the small bakery several blocks away to pick up the Sunday paper and some bagels.

When Spike woke later that afternoon, he came downstairs wearing just his jeans, his hair sleep-tousled, to find Willow sitting in the dining room, red pen and highlighter in hand, talking to herself as she studied the classifieds.

"What are you doing?" he asked, running his hand through his hair.

"Oh! Goddess, Spike, you startled me!" Willow jumped and grabbed her heart.

"Sorry," he lied with a tired smirk. "What are you doing?" he asked again, indicating the paper spread out before her.

"Looking for an apartment," she grimaced. "It's not as easy as it sounds. I read them all through, then realized I didn't really know what we were looking for, other than someplace that was *ours*, so then I made a list," she picked up her pad of paper and began reading it off. "Windows, usually a draw, but we don't need 'em, we need someplace dark, or with few windows, or we'll need really good drapes. Kitchen...I don't cook...do you?" she looked up at him and he shook his head 'no'. "Bedrooms. How many bedrooms do we need? I mean, one to sleep in, one to maybe use as a study room, but do we need a guest room? And bathrooms...two? And where do we want to live? If we're moving, we might as well move closer to school. But then, I've got the car now, so I can drive, so maybe not...,"

"Willow," Spike reached out and touched her hand, interrupting her rambling.

"What?" she asked.

"Those are all very good questions, luv," he smiled reassuringly at her, "but we don't need to find something today."

"I know, but...,"

"But what?"

"You scared me when you said the realtor might already have a buyer," she admitted.

"Even if she does, doesn't mean we won't have time to find something. Still need to sign a contract, right? And they'll probably need time to get a loan. And then the...the...what'd she call it?"

"Closing," Willow supplied.

"Right, closing. Plenty of time to find someplace we like. So," he turned his attention back to the paper, "what are the red circles for?"

"Oh, well, after finishing my list of things I don't know the answer to," Willow gave him a little smile, "I reread the listings and circled the ones that sounded good. Then I started making phone calls. I crossed out the ones that were either gone or didn't fit what I'm not even sure we want," she shook her head and rolled her eyes at her own comment, "and highlighted the ones we might want to look at. So," she looked up at him, "what do you want?"

"Well," he leaned back in his chair, still holding her hand in his own, "want you to be there." Willow laughed.

"That's a given," she smiled at him. "What else?"

"A bedroom big enough for a king-sized bed," he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles, then sucked the tip of one finger.

"Uh, okay," Willow breathed, "good idea. Wh-what else?"

"Hot tub," he said as he sucked the length of her finger into his mouth.

"Huh?" she asked, her mind finding it hard to function as he sucked on her finger.

"A hot tub," he repeated as he licked between her fingers.

"A h-hot tub?" she asked again.

"Yep," he turned her hand over and nibbled along the heel of her hand and her wrist.

"Wh-why?" she asked.

"Like the heat," he said, then closed his eyes. "I can just picture it. Me, lounging in the hot tub. Naked, of course," he opened his eyes and looked at her.

"O-of course," she agreed and he closed his eyes and resumed speaking.

"You bring me a glass of the finest whiskey without me even having to ask. You sashay out to the hot tub, naked, of course," he opened his eyes again.

"O-of course," she agreed again.

"And we shag!" he finished, then stood and pulled her to her feet.

"Maybe we need a house," she mused as he swung her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs.

~Part: 38~

"How come it doesn't hurt when you bite me?" Willow asked out of the blue. They were lying side-by-side in bed after a very satisfying shag.

"What?" Spike rolled over onto his side and looked at her.

"I just...," she felt the mark on her neck, "I've got, like, an open wound here, and it doesn't even hurt. Why is that?"

"I don't know," Spike reached out and ran his thumb gently over the mark. "Mine," he whispered.

Willow shivered.

"Yours," she agreed, then rolled onto her side so they were lying face-to-face, their bodies touching. "Mine," she licked his neck. Though there was no mark identifying the spot, she knew where she'd bit him, marked him, claimed him. She felt Spike shiver at her touch.

"Yours," he groaned as she teased him with her teeth.

"So, why?" she pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"Tease," he pouted. Willow smiled at him.

"I'll bite you if you answer my question," she waggled her eyebrows at him.

"Promise?" he asked.

"Promise," she breathed, gently touching her lips to his.

"Well, I don't really know," Spike rolled over onto his back. "I never really paid attention when they were drilling vampire lore into me. Had better things to do, you know?"

"Like...torture?" Willow asked.

"And shagging," Spike grinned at her.

"Ah, drilling of another sort," Willow nodded innocently, and Spike just looked at her. "Go on," she encouraged.

"I think it has something to do with the healing and anesthetizing properties of vampire saliva," he said.

"Ew, gross," Willow grimaced, "vampire spit? Why?" she asked. "I mean, I'd figure vampires would want maximum pain, so why make their, uh, saliva, have healing and anesthetizing properties?"

"I told you I didn't listen!" Spike protested. Willow pinched him. "Ow! But if I had to guess," he continued quickly, "I'd say it's because vampires don't just use their mouths to kill. I mean, you already know about the, uh, sex bites, and we also clean each other's wounds, if one of our group gets hurt."

"Kind of like dogs, or other pack animals," Willow commented, a look of concentration upon her face.

"Uh, yeah," Spike agreed, though he didn't like being compared to a dog.

"So, I'm part of your pack?" Willow pulled herself up so she was lying on his chest.

"You are my pack," Spike said, and Willow melted.

"I love you, Spike," she leaned down and kissed him.

"I love you, too, Willow," he kissed her back. "Show me?" he asked, his body tingling in anticipation.

Willow buried her face in his neck, and Spike tilted his head to give her better access. She placed little kisses along his neck, then licked him.

"Willow, please," he pleaded. She was torturing him!

Willow drew his skin into her mouth and sucked hard as her tongue laved the flesh she held in her mouth, letting go only when he sported a nicely purpling mark.

"Red," he groaned. Bloody tease!

Willow lifted her head and smiled at him, then pulled his skin into her mouth and bit down. She tasted his blood on her tongue as it seeped out of the marks she had made. She licked it, then closed her mouth over the small wounds and sucked.

"Bloody hell, Willow!" Spike cried out, his arms going around her as he felt her draw his blood out of him. His cock, now engorged with borrowed blood, ached. He rolled them so that she was on the bottom. He morphed and slid his fangs into her neck as he slid his cock into her hot, tight passage, still lubed with the results of their previous love-making.

"Spike!" Willow let go of his neck and cried out. "Oh, goddess, Spike!" he sucked on her neck, drawing her blood out of her, pulling on her core. "Spi-ike!" she screamed as she came, her body violently bucking beneath him.

"Willow!" Spike withdrew his fangs from her neck and roared as his balls tightened and he pumped his load into her. Drained, he lowered his ridged forehead to hers and stared into her big green eyes with eyes of amber.

"Love you, Spike," Willow managed to place her hands on the side of his face and move his head so that she could place a kiss against his forehead, and then she fell asleep.

Spike let his demonic visage fade away and looked down at a completely exhausted Willow with blue eyes. Mine, he thought, as he carefully pulled out of her and rolled to his side, pulling her up against him, holding her possessively. Mine.

***

When Willow woke up, the sun was already going down. She shifted against Spike, then groaned as her muscles protested that small movement. He was going to be the death of her, yet. He'd threatened to kill them all as soon as he got the chip removed, he was just going about it in a sneaky manner, she thought.

Crap, she needed to take another shower, with lots of hot water. And double crap, she hadn't done any homework over the weekend, which meant she knew how she'd be spending most of the evening. She tried to disentangle herself from Spike's arms without waking him, but failed miserably.

"Where you going?" he asked tiredly as she tried to slip out of his arms.

"Shower," she whispered. "And I need to do some homework."

""Don't want you to go," Spike pouted, and Willow smiled. He sounded just like a sleepy child.

"I don't want to go, either," she ran her fingers through his hair and placed a kiss on his cheek, "but I have to. You can stay here and sleep some more," she offered. "I'll just shower and do some homework, and then we can go out and get something to eat. Okay?"

"'Kay," he agreed without loosening his grip on her.

"So, you gonna let me go?" she asked after a couple more minutes of snuggling.

"No," he whined. "Stay here. Love being here with you like this. Only better place is inside you," he whispered, his breath tickling her neck. Willow shivered.

"Th-that was mean," she finally managed to get out. "I-I have work to do, and I can't be thinking about you...naked...all the time!"

Spike laughed.

"Why not? I think about you naked all the time," he leered at her.

"How do you go from sleepy-vamp to sex-maniac-vamp in, like, two seconds flat?" Willow asked pertly.

"Always wanna be inside you," he corrected, "only sleepy some of the time."

"Oh," Willow swallowed hard. "I, um, I need to shower," she squeaked.

"Want help?" he smirked.

"No!" she cried as she rolled away from him and got to her feet. With one last look at his naked form, she turned and ran for the bathroom.

Spike smiled as he watched her go. He stretched and gave her enough time to relieve herself and climb into a nicely warmed shower before climbing out of bed and following her.

***

An hour later they were curled up together on the couch. Spike held the remote in one hand and was flipping through the channels, while Willow read the next chapter in her chemistry text. She had class and lab tomorrow and needed to get the reading done.

When she was finished with her assignment, she closed the book and laid it on the coffee table before leaning back in Spike's arms and broaching the subject she'd been thinking about for the last couple of days.

"Spike," she began.

"Yes, luv," he replied, distractedly.

"You know I'm going to need help with the resouling spell," she said.

"Yeah," she had his full attention now.

"I think we need to tell Giles so he can help...,"

"Bloody hell! The Watcher'll stake me for sure!" Spike yelled.

"No he won't," Willow disagreed. "He kept Buffy from staking you...,"

"*I* kept the Slayer from staking me," he dissented. "And you. If the Watcher had the slightest inkling that I was even *thinking* about turning you, he'd dust me in a heartbeat!"

"I need his help, and Wesley's," she added. "He...,"

"No bloody way, Willow!" Spike threw the remote on the coffee table and stood up. Willow watched him pace the living room.

"Soulboy'll be just as bad, he thinks I'm gonna turn the Slayer's best friend!" he ran his hands through his hair.

"Wesley knows all about the curse," Willow continued, trying to keep her voice even, calm. "He's been studying it since he decided to stay in L.A. and help Angel, that's how he knew what the spell on my ring was."

"No!"

"I need help, Spike," she cajoled.

"What about the blonde witch?" Spike turned to her. "She can help!" he said triumphantly.

"She doesn't know anything about the curse...or the Romany," Willow said, her voice cracking from unshed tears. "It'll take much longer...,"

"That doesn't matter," Spike said, "we've got plenty of time. You're only 18, right?"

"Right," Willow agreed. "What if it takes years?" she asked, slowly standing. "Do we have years? What if it takes ten years? Twenty? When is it going to be too late?" she asked, the tears finally overflowing and running down her cheeks. "When will I be too old for you to want me anymore?"

"Willow," he tilted his head, blinking in confusion as he moved toward her, but she turned and ran from the room. She didn't want him to touch her. She didn't want to talk to him anymore, didn't want to see him.

She ran through the kitchen and out the back door, throwing herself on the same steps she'd sat on after her parents had left. She didn't know who she was more mad at, him for being so hard-headed, or her, for being so soft-hearted.

He was the one who wanted to turn her, for the goddess's sake! And she'd agreed! Barely gave it a moment's consideration, because she wanted to be with him, just asked that he not leave her soulless. She couldn't stand the thought of being like the soulless version of herself she had met last year.

She hadn't even thought about all of the things she'd have to give up, like sunlight, although she wasn't big on tanning. And food! Although, she wouldn't have to give it up exactly, just wouldn't need it. And a reflection! How did Dru put on make-up and do her hair, anyway? Come on, there had to be *something* else she'd be giving up! Stake juggling and holy water spritzers were definitely out, she thought sarcastically.

Sure, she'd live, or unlive, with Spike forever, but, oh, yeah, she'd be dead! Dead. Ew, yeah, and she'd have to drink blood. That would suck. No pun intended. Her facial expression softened as her thoughts turned to Spike. Spike. Forever. He was worth it. Their love was worth it.

And here he was, all...worried about being staked. Well, it was possible that Giles wouldn't take the news real well...at first. She was sure he'd come around. And why was that? Because he was a Watcher whose sworn duty it was to help the Slayer eradicate evil demons, including vampires?

Okay, maybe Spike had a valid point. A very small point. Giles wouldn't be thrilled, but she was certain she could make him understand her position, and that he would help her, eventually. Because she did need his help. She wanted that spell finished as soon as possible.

And Wesley would probably run straight to Angel, and Angel would race to Sunnydale to tell her what a big mistake she was making. But, would he stake his own childe? Hard to tell, since he really didn't seem to give a shit about Spike. He hadn't done anything to help him after he was chipped, after all. But what if he told Buffy?

Alright, now that she had a moment to think about it, maybe Spike was right. She wiped the tears off of her face and sat up straight. Shit, er, shoot! She hated being wrong. It was even harder to admit it.

Spike stood in the doorway, watching Willow. He wanted to go to her, touch her, hold her, but he didn't know if he'd be welcome. He shouldn't have been so negative. She was only doing what he wanted, trying to revise the resouling spell so he could turn her, have her forever, and he was already throwing up roadblocks.

He just knew that Giles and his ponce of a sire would be against it. And even if they didn't immediately try to stake him, they'd certainly try to talk her out of it. He was, after all, nothing but a soulless demon, and she was nothing but light.

Couldn't they understand that he wanted that light? He didn't want to corrupt it, he wanted to keep it always. He didn't want her body if the soul wasn't there. He just wanted it forever, was that too much to ask?

"Willow?" he stepped out onto the porch and softly called her name. She turned in surprise and looked at him through watery eyes. Her face was tear-stained and she looked sad. "I'm sorry, luv...," he started to say, when Willow stood and threw herself into his arms.

"I'm sorry, Spike," she wailed. "I just don't want to lose you!"

"I don't want to lose you, either," he said, lowering himself to the step Willow had been sitting on, and cradling her in his lap. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she cried against his neck, her arms wrapped tightly around him. "I'll talk to Tara tomorrow and see if she's willing to help me."

"No," Spike said, "you should talk to the Watcher."

"No!" Willow pulled away from him so she could look in his eyes. "I don't want him to stake you."

"Won't let him," Spike ran his hands soothingly over her back. "We'll just make sure he's far away from the weapons chest when we tell him, right?"

"We?" Willow asked.

"Didn't think I'd make you go alone, did you?" he asked, astonished.

"Might be safer," Willow said. "I could talk to him, make him see that I want this, and he'd have some time to cool down before he saw you and reacted in fear, or anger."

"Or he could try and talk you out of it," Spike retorted. "Not gonna give him a chance to do that."

"He wouldn't be able to," she leaned back into him. "I've already made my decision. Actually," she paused, "I think the decision was made for me, a long time ago, like fate." She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed his palm.

"I love you, truly," she said softly. "You're the destiny of my heart. We're meant to be together."

"You say the most beautiful things," Spike said, looking at her lips. "Makes me almost wanna try my hand at writing poetry again," he mused thoughtfully.

Willow froze.

"You wrote poetry?" she asked, amazed.

Oh...bloody hell, he thought. What a wanker!

"You know, it's getting late, and we still need to eat. And I could use a spot of violence. And you should call the Watcher, see when you can talk to him," Spike stood, babbling, and carried Willow into the house, kicking the kitchen door shut behind him. He set her on her feet and made sure the door was locked.

"Come on, let's get our coats, a couple stakes, and off we go!" he tried to usher her out of the kitchen.

Willow planted her fists on her hips and refused to move.

"You wrote poetry?" she asked again.

~Part: 39~

On Monday, Willow stopped at Giles’ apartment on her way home from school. She knew that Spike wanted to be there when she talked to Giles about the resouling spell, but now she was really afraid that one, or both, of them would overreact and someone would get hurt.

Willow knocked at the door, waited a few moments, and was just about to turn away in relief, when it opened and Giles stood in the open doorway.

"Willow," he said. "Is something wrong?" he asked after taking one look at her face. "Come in, come in," he urged, reaching out and pulling her inside. "What is it?" he asked.

Willow set her book bag on the table and took a deep breath before turning back to face Giles.

"Nothing’s wrong," she said, and tried to smile reassuringly at him, "but I do need to talk to you."

"Is this about Spike?" Giles asked.

"Well, in a way," Willow hedged. "How’d you know?"

"I haven’t seen you alone since you and Spike moved in together," Giles said, "so I guessed, I mean, reasoned, logically and unemotionally, that you were here without Spike because you wanted to talk about Spike."

"Oh," Willow said. "Very clever of you."

"Yes, well, I am a Watcher, you know," they both smiled. "May I offer you some tea?" Giles asked.

"Yes, that would be great!" Willow jumped at anything that would postpone their discussion. She followed Giles to the kitchen and sat at the counter, watching him as he made the tea. When they were both seated in the living room with cups of tea in their hands, Willow could put off the discussion no longer.

She’d been practicing her speech all afternoon, rehearsing it over and over in her head, so she could say everything calmly and succinctly. Her hands were shaking; she put the cup of tea down so she wouldn’t spill it.

"Okay," she said. "I have something to say and...just let me say it without interrupting, alright?" she asked. Giles nodded, and Willow took a deep breath.

"I love Spike," she started, "very much. I want to be with him forever. We’ve talked about him turning me," she heard Giles’ gasp, but hurried on, "sometime in the future, but we both agree that we don’t want to do it without being able to give me my soul back. Permanently. I’m going to try to revise the resouling spell so the soul will be permanent, and I need your help," she finished, proud that she’d been able to get it all out without stuttering, and even prouder still that she’d managed to remember it all.

Giles didn’t say anything. She looked at him closely, but he was just sitting there as if in a trance. She wondered if he had heard anything she had said after ‘turning me’.

"Giles," she spoke his name softly, trying to get his attention.

How could this have happened, he thought. He had purposely not told them about the rest of the spell so that this would *not* happen, yet fate had intervened and taken the decision out of his hands. He should have known better. If fate had brought them together, fate wasn’t going to let him stand in the way of ‘true love’. Not knowing the rest of the spell wasn’t going to keep it from happening.

He raised his free hand and rubbed his face. This was almost more than he could bear. Willow, his Willow, the young girl he cared for like a daughter, was going to become a vampire, and nothing he did could, or would, prevent it. He felt tears burn behind his eyes. Damn old fool, he thought bitterly.

"Giles," Willow was worried now. She stood up and walked over to him. "Giles, what’s wrong?" She gently took the cup out of his hand and pulled his other hand away from his face. At the sad, tortured look on his face she felt tears welling up in her own eyes.

"Giles, please, what’s wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"I love you, Willow, you do know that, right?," he pulled out his handkerchief and took his glasses off. It was very important that he say this, but it was difficult for him to speak of his feelings openly.

"You’re like a daughter to me. All of you," he sighed, and began to clean his glasses, "the children I never had. And I know it’s fate, true love and all that nonsense, but I’m so...*frightened*," he said.

"I don’t want you to be a vampire. I’ve been taught, since the day I was born, that vampires are evil. And even if you have a soul, you’ll still have the demon inside you. It’ll be a difficult battle, Willow," he slipped his glasses back on and looked at her.

"Do you think I’ll lose the battle?" she asked, concerned.

"Oh, dear lord, no!" he said, stuffing the handkerchief back in his pocket. "You’re the strongest person I know, here," he touched her head, "and here," he lay his hand over her heart. "I just...hate the thought of watching you struggle with it. I mean, look at Angel and all he’s gone through."

"Giles," Willow sniffled and knelt beside him, holding his hands in hers. "I love you, too. And I’m not looking forward to battling the demon. Spike said he didn’t know how hard it would be. See, we have talked about it," she tried to reassure him. "I mean, really talked about it. But I’d do almost anything, Giles, to not lose him. I can’t imagine being without him. Ever. But I certainly don’t want to be like vamp me from the other universe! And he doesn’t want that either. Because he loves *me*," she said, almost wonderingly.

"I still can’t believe that he loves me. Sometimes I pinch myself, just to make sure it’s not a dream. And I know Angel has to struggle, and that he suffers for the things that he did, but I won’t have the same guilt he carries around, and so I hope that’ll help. I mean, I don’t know for sure, but I’m willing to take that chance, Giles, because I need him and, well, frankly, I think he needs me, too."

"Will you help me? With the resouling spell?"

"Yes," Giles gripped her hands tightly. "Yes, I’ll help you. I don’t like the thought of you being turned, Willow, but I know I can’t stop you if that’s what you want, so I will help you make sure you keep your soul."

"Thank you, Giles," she said, standing up and leaning over to give him a hug. "Um, Spike didn’t know I was going to stop by without him, and he’s probably going to be a little mad when I get home, but can we come by after sundown to talk about this some more? I don’t want him to think I don’t want him involved, I just didn’t want the two of you to kill each other," she gave a nervous little laugh.

"Yes," Giles said, "bring Spike by after sundown. We have a lot to discuss."

"I, uh, also thought we could ask Wesley for help, since he knows so much about the curse and the Romany, but I don’t want Angel to know. At least, not yet. I don’t think he’ll be as understanding as you have, surprisingly, been, and I don’t want him coming up here and staking Spike or anything stupid like that...,"

"Willow, dear, breathe," Giles teased. "I think Wesley would be a big help. He’s also quite versed in the magical arts. I will tell him this is to be kept under wraps for now, but I can’t promise he won’t let something slip, if he thinks Angel should know. We do need his help, but we’ll be taking a risk, telling him what we’re doing."

"Maybe we can tell him that we’re working on the spell, uh, just in case one of us is turned. So we can do the resouling spell before we’re used against the others. And actually," she tapped her finger against her chin, "that’s not a bad idea. I mean, say one of us does get turned, the first thing we’re going to do is go after those closest to us, right? Having that resouling spell, without the curse, would be a great help."

"Yes," Giles agreed, "I never thought of that. I mean, having one of you turned has been one of my worst nightmares over the years, but I never thought of using the resouling spell to keep everyone safe. That’s a very good idea."

"Well," he continued, "I think I should be the one to speak with Wesley about this, but not until I’ve had a chance to talk with you and Spike. So, this evening, after sundown?" he confirmed.

"Yeah," Willow said. "Thank you, Giles."

Giles followed her to the table, and gave her a quick hug before she picked up her book bag.

"See you later," she called to him with a smile as she opened the door.

Giles watched her leave, then stumbled back over to the chair he’d been sitting in. Well, it looked like he’d be telling them about the rest of the spell tonight.

***

Willow unlocked the front door and pushed it open slowly. She stepped inside cautiously, and listened for Spike. There was no sound; no shower, no television, no microwave. She set her book bag down and peeked into the living room, then started up the stairs when she didn’t find Spike there.

She stopped in the bedroom doorway and watched Spike sleeping, with a smile on her face. He was gorgeous, funny, sweet. Okay, possessive, and he liked his violence, but he was hers. And he’d been a poet! An awful one, if he was to be believed. With curly, light brown hair. She closed her eyes and tried to picture him with light brown, curly hair, long enough that the curls fell in his face.

She felt her body tighten at the image, and opened her eyes to see Spike looking back at her.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked slowly.

"You," she was breathing heavily, "with light brown hair, and curls that fall in your face."

"That a fact?" he asked. "You like that notion?" he took a deep breath and smirked at her.

"Uh huh," Willow swallowed hard. "A lot."

"Come on over here, luv," he held his hand out to her.

Willow walked over to him as if in a trance.

"Don’t need these anymore, do you?" he asked as he tugged on her shirt.

Without a word, Willow pulled the shirt over her head and tossed it behind her. She toed her shoes off, then shoved her slacks down her legs and kicked them off. Spike let his eyes run over her.

"Where’d you get those?" he reached out and brushed a knuckle over her breast, covered in red satin.

"Might have picked them up when I was out getting the paper yesterday," she smiled at him. "Like?" she struck a seductive pose, then ran her hands over her body.

"Red’s my favorite color," he took her hand and pulled her onto the bed.

"Thought that was black," she teased as she knelt beside him.

"Not when you look like that in red," he was breathing heavily, despite the fact that he didn’t need to breathe. "You just buy the one?" he asked, one hand cupping her breast, the other curved around her waist.

"Might have picked up a couple sets," she waggled her eyebrows.

"What colors?" he asked as he moved his hand to her shoulder and pulled her down to him.

"A lovely...oh!" she squealed as he teased her nipple with his teeth. "Sapphire blue and...oh, goddess," he sucked on her nipple, then took her breast into his mouth. "And emerald green," she straddled his body and pressed her aching center against his hard cock.

He pulled the satin down and freed her breasts, then licked a puckered nipple. He cupped her ass in his hands and held her as he rubbed against her.

"No black?" he asked, then licked her other nipple.

"I might, oh, goddess, Spike!" she pressed against him, rubbing her clit over his cock head. "Might have gotten black, too, ah, Spike!" they moved faster.

Spike sucked on her nipples, then looked up at her face. Her eyes were closed and she looked like she was in pain, but Spike knew it was pleasure that made her brow furrow, made her bite her lip.

"Wanna be inside you," he whispered.

"Yes, yes, oh, yes!" Willow agreed. "Don’t rip these!" she cried when she felt Spike’s hands on her satin panties.

"Wouldn’t think of it, luv," he drawled and Willow laughed. He flipped them and pulled her panties off, then thrust into her.

Willow gripped his shoulders as he pumped into her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him deeper. She closed her eyes and pictured light brown curls falling into his eyes as he leaned over her.

"What are you thinking?" Spike asked, feeling her body’s response.

"The hair," she gasped, "the hair!"

"The hair does if for you, eh?" he smirked.

"Yes, oh, god!" she ran her fingers through his short, bleached hair, but in her mind, it was longer, curly, and light brown. "Oh, god, Spike!" just a little bit more and she was gonna cum.

"Call me William," he whispered.

"What?" her eyes shot open and she lost the rhythm.

"Call me William," he repeated.

"William," she said. "William," she closed her eyes, and the hair was different, and this time she added the spectacles.

"Oh, fuck!" Spike groaned. "Now what are you thinking about?"

"Added the spectacles," she panted, her eyes still closed.

Spike smiled down at her as he drove into her. Who knew William, that poncy bugger, would get his Red all hot and bothered.

"Say something...rhymey," she said breathlessly.

"You want me to recite poetry while we’re shaggin’?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes, yes, please!" she bucked beneath him.

"Alright," he said slowly. Willow opened her eyes and saw his lips purse as he thought. Then he nodded to himself and looked down at her. He lowered his lips to her ear and began to whisper.

"There once was a girl from Nantucket...," and Willow laughed. She opened her eyes and looked into his. They were bright blue, and lit up with mirth. He smiled down at her as she laughed, then burst into laughter of his own.

"Spike," she gasped. "Oh, god, Spike, I love you," tears ran freely down her face from her laughter. And then she was crying in earnest. "Oh, god, I love you!" she pulled him down and hugged him. "Everything about you. And the more I find out, the more I love you, and my heart, I think my heart’s going to burst!" she laid her hand on her chest.

Spike reached between them and took her hand in his.

"I love you, too," he kissed her. "Love you so much!" he deepened the kiss. Willow tilted her head, kissing him back, hungrily, desperately. Her need grew and soon she was squirming beneath him. Spike began to move inside her again and Willow vocalized her approval.

"Yes, yes, Spike, please, William, Spike, oh, goddess, Spi-ike!" she screamed as her orgasm ripped through her, hard and sweet at the same time.

Spike watched her writhe beneath him, astonished that she didn’t think less of him for finding out about his past. That she could love all of him was a revelation that amazed him. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve this woman, who loved him, all of him, with all that she was, but he’d do anything to keep her.

When she came, he continued to watch her. He loved the way she looked when she came for him, because of him. He felt his own body respond. His balls tightened and the muscles in his ass clenched, and then he was roaring her name as he pumped his release into her.

Drained, Spike fell on her. When he could move again, he tried to roll his weight off of her, but Willow squeezed her legs tighter around his waist, her arm around his shoulder, holding him in place.

"I’m too heavy, luv," he said.

"No, Spike, you’re just right," Willow disagreed. "You feel good right here. I don’t want you to move."

"Alright, luv, won’t move," he agreed, then dropped his face into her neck, breathing in the scent of her. His woman. His mate. His. "Mine," he whispered.

"Yours," she agreed, her hand rubbing over his back. "Mine," she licked his neck.

"Yours," he shivered, squeezing her hand.

"Spike," she took a deep breath.

"Yeah?" he asked lazily.

"I stopped to see Giles on the way home from school today," she said hurriedly.

Spike lifted his head and looked at her.

"You did what?" he growled.

~Part: 40~

When Willow and Spike knocked on his door, Giles was still not ready for them. He didn’t want to tell them that he had lied to them, and he didn’t want Willow to think that the only reason he supported her decision to have Spike turn her at some time in the future was because it was fated. Although, that *was* the only reason, and he’d even fought against that, trying to find another explanation for the spell through his and Wesley’s combined efforts. Which had all been for naught.
"Willow, Spike, please, come in," Giles invited, after he opened the door to them.

"Thanks, Giles," Willow smiled as she preceded Spike into the apartment.

"Watcher," Spike drawled, following her.

They removed their jackets as Giles shut the door. He turned and watched them for a moment, then stepped past them into the living room, standing on the other side of the coffee table.

"Please have a seat," Giles motioned toward the sofa. "Would anyone like a cup of tea?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you," Willow accepted as she pulled Spike into the living room and sat down on the couch.

"No tea for me, Watcher," Spike sat beside Willow, her hand clutched tightly in his. He knew the Watcher knew about his desire to turn Willow, and that he’d told Willow he would help research the resouling spell, but Spike couldn’t believe it was that simple. Why would the Watcher agree so easily to something so anathema to his upbringing; the things he’d been taught as a Watcher; his entire life’s work?

"Blood?" Giles looked up at Spike as he poured the tea into two cups, shoving a mug closer to the vampire with his other hand. Spike stared at it in surprise.

"Holy water in there? Garlic?" he asked suspiciously.

"No," Giles looked up at him in bemusement, "just blood. Although, it is pig. May not be to your taste these days," he handed one of the teacups to Willow, then took his and moved over to his usual chair.

He lowered himself and took a deep breath, as if he was going to start speaking, then took a sip of his tea. Willow and Spike each sipped their drinks as they watched Giles.

"What’s up, Rupert?" Spike asked. "You got something more on your mind than the resouling spell?"

Giles looked up at him in surprise.

"Yes, actually," he replied. "But let’s start with that. Willow has told me that the two of you discussed turning her in several years, and restoring her soul. I have agreed to help her research the Romany spell to see if we can remove the curse the gypsies added. I have further agreed to contact Wesley, who has studied the spell extensively since going to work for Angel," Spike snorted, and Giles raised an eyebrow.

"Don’t blame ‘im, do you?" Spike asked, then realized who he was talking to and what Angelus had done to the man sitting in the other chair. "No, guess you wouldn’t," he looked away uncomfortably.

"Please continue, Giles," Willow said, squeezing Spike’s hand reassuringly.

"Right, where was I? Oh, yes, Wesley. I would of course ask him not to let Angel know what we were doing, as Willow had some concern that he would come up here and stake you, should he find out," Giles said, with some sarcasm.

Spike just looked at him. Giles took another deep breath.

"I’m sure you’re wondering why I capitulated so easily," he said. "The truth is, I lied to you both," he paused.

Spike jumped to his feet defensively, jostling Willow and spilling her tea.

"Spike!" she cried, but Spike ignored her as he looked around the room, straining his senses for other heartbeats.

"What are you...Oh, I didn’t lie about not staking you, Spike," Giles shook his head. "Sorry, didn’t realize how that would sound." He’d been too caught up in his own guilt to consider how Spike might construe that statement.

"Spike, sit down," Willow pulled on his arm with one hand as she dabbed at her jeans with a paper napkin with the other.

"Please, Spike, do sit down," Giles said. "I merely meant," another deep breath, "that I hadn’t told you both everything about the spell we found on Willow’s ring."

"What?" Willow said, rising to stand beside Spike. "There’s more to the spell? What is it? Why didn’t you tell us?"

"Let’s sit down, luv, and let the Watcher tell us," Spike took put his arm around her and pulled her down to the couch with him. Now that he wasn’t afraid of being staked, he could be the calm one. And how weird was that? "Well?" he looked over at the Watcher, who suddenly looked very small, and old.

"Yes, well, there was another part to the spell that we weren’t quite sure about, so we decided to continue researching it before we told you about it," Giles explained.

"And that was?" Willow asked.

"The entire spell reads," he closed his eyes and recited from memory, "‘Seek out my true love and reveal to me the destiny of my heart, that we shall be together for all eternity’."

"Eternity?" Willow asked.

"Yes," Giles nervously finished his tea.

"Why didn’t you tell us this before?" she asked.

"We, well, mostly, I, was afraid that if you knew about the eternity portion of the spell, Spike might be tempted to, uh, try and, er, turn you," he sighed deeply.

Spike smirked.

"Good idea, keeping that under wraps," he mocked. "Keep us from getting ideas."

"Oh, do shut up, Spike," Giles said tiredly. "I’m sorry, alright? Although, not really, because if I could have kept you from turning Willow, I would have, but fate seems to have other plans. Damn her!"

"Giles!" Willow cried. "You swore."

"On occasion," he agreed. "And this does seem to call for it."

"Not from where I’m sittin’," Spike said, then pulled Willow close and kissed her. She smiled up at him.

"So, when do we start researching?" she asked Giles.

"Let me speak with Wesley this evening and see what information he has," Giles suggested. "We can start tomorrow if there are any books I have, or if we can find anything in that infernal machine to help us. I’ve mostly been twiddling my thumbs, because I don’t have any of the books necessary to research the spell, and though Wesley had ordered some, they haven’t arrived, and...What?" he asked.

"You were babbling!" Willow sounded amazed.

"Told you it was contagious," Spike whispered in her ear, and she elbowed him in the side. Spike tickled her in retaliation.

"Spike, stop!" she giggled as she tried to fend him off. Spike just laughed, trapped her arms, and tickled her with renewed determination.

Giles watched the two horseplay on the sofa and felt tears gather in his eyes. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Spike, William the Bloody, one-quarter of the Scourge of Europe, was tickling Willow, and laughing, *laughing*!

Spike pulled Willow into his arms and kissed her, oblivious of their audience. At that moment, the door was pushed open and Xander and Anya walked in.

"Hey, G...oh, god, I didn’t just see that!" Xander said, halting in place and putting his hands over his eyes. "Is it over?" he asked.

"What?" Anya pushed him out of the way and saw Willow and Spike sharing a kiss. "Aw, that’s so sweet," she said. "But Xander told me that public displays of affection were inappropriate," she continued.

"Actually An, I said that *groping* in public was inappropriate," Xander said.

"Well, that’s how I show affection," Anya sounded confused.

"I think Mrs. Bradley would disagree that grabbing my ass in the frozen food section was affection," Xander explained patiently.

"Oh. So I should have grabbed something else then?" Anya asked.

Xander groaned, still covering his eyes. "I give up."

Giles took this opportunity to covertly swipe at his eyes.

"Sod off," Spike picked his head up to say, then immediately kissed Willow again.

"Hello, Xander, Anya," Giles greeted them. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, and may I offer you some tea?"

"Research," Anya said, and Giles choked on the sip of tea he had just taken.

"Excuse me," he coughed, "but what did you say?"

"Research," Anya repeated. "We haven’t researched in a while and you didn’t tell us not to come over, so, here we are!" she said.

"Can I look yet?" Xander asked.

"No," Giles said dryly. He and Anya shared a smile as she walked into the living room and took a seat, leaving Xander standing in the foyer with his hands over his eyes.

"So, is there anything to research?" Anya asked.

"No," Giles said. "No research. At least, not on any specific demon," he clarified, "but I am still reading over that book of prophecies to see if there’s anything coming up we have to worry about."

"Yay," Anya gave a fake cheer, "prophecies!"

"Guys?" Xander called.

***

There was a knock on the door. Xander turned around, one hand still covering his eyes, and pulled it open. He peeked between his fingers, and then pulled the door open wider.

"Oz, Tara! Thank god you’re here!" he pulled them into the room. "Are they still kissing?" he inclined his head behind him, and Oz and Tara both leaned around him to look into the living room. Willow and Spike were sitting innocently on the couch.

"Who?" Tara asked.

Xander spun around to see for himself.

"Oh, thank god!" he said. "That was horrible. An, I don’t feel so good." Xander walked toward the living room.

"That’s from the twinkies, moron," Spike said without any heat.

"Watch it, fangless, er, bleached wonder," he corrected. Spike smiled toothily at him.

Oz and Tara stepped into the apartment and shut the door behind them.

"Hey, everyone," Oz said.

"Hello," Tara added.

There was a chorus of hellos back.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Giles asked. "I have tea, although it might need to be heated up."

"I’ll have some tea, Giles, thank you," Tara said.

"So, are we researching?" Oz asked.

"Yeah, prophecies," Anya said morosely. Giles looked at her. "I mean, yay! Prophecies!" she gave another fake cheer.

Giles turned away from her to pick up the tray from the coffee table before smiling. He carried the tray to the kitchen, feeling a bit lighter than he had earlier.

"So," Anya asked Willow, "have you started looking for an apartment yet?"

"Actually, a little," Willow said. "I checked out the classifieds yesterday and made some calls. There are a couple we might look at."

"You’re looking for an apartment?" Giles was leaning his shoulder against the wall, waiting for the tea to be reheated.

"Yes," Willow said. "I forgot to tell you. My parents were here last week. They’re moving to New York. For good."

"Oh, Willow," he said, "I’m so sorry."

"Me, too," she shrugged. "Anyway, they gave me the house and the car, and a little bit of money, and Spike and I decided to sell the house and get a place of our own."

"Really?" Giles said, as he removed his glasses. "You know, I think there’s an apartment coming empty in my building," he turned and walked back into the kitchen before anyone could see the smile on his face.

"What?" Spike said, his face a picture of horror.

***

Buffy showed up an hour later, when they were all sitting around the dining room table reviewing some of the prophecies Giles had found.

"Hey, uh, everyone," she said, surprised to see everyone gathered around the table. "Research?" she asked worriedly.

"Prophecies," Anya rolled her eyes, and Giles smiled.

"Just looking over some interesting prophecies," Giles told Buffy. "Would you like to join us before you go on patrol?"

"Well, I, um," she glanced at Willow, who had looked back down at her book as soon as she saw who had entered the apartment, "I guess I could stay for a while."

"So," Xander said as soon as Buffy sat down, "what have you been up to?"

"Oh, you know," she pulled a book over, "school, patrol. Actually got some homework done over the weekend."

"Speaking of weekend," Oz said. "I drove up to L.A. to play with the Dingoes, and Tara went with me."

"Hey, cool," Xander said. "How’d you like it?"

"It was fun," Tara said. "I never dated anyone in a band before! There were all these groupies...," she paused when she noticed a tension in the room. "Did I say something?" she asked worriedly.

"Of course not," Willow smiled at her. "I’m glad you had fun. Where were you playing?" she asked Oz.

***

After Buffy left for patrol, Willow offered to make more tea. She went into the kitchen and Tara followed her.

"Need help?" she asked.

"No," Willow said, "but I could use the company."

"Okay. Listen, about before," Tara began.

"Don’t worry about it," Willow put her hand on the other girl’s arm.

"I just, for a second there, I totally forgot that you and Oz used to date, and, everything," she said. "I hope I didn’t bring up bad memories."

"They’re just memories, now," Willow said. "I’m very happy with Spike. Too happy to let the past hurt me."

"You just said that ‘cause you knew I was here," Spike poked his head around the wall and leaned on the counter. Willow smiled at him, then leaned over the counter and ran her hands up his arms. She pressed her forehead against his, and then kissed him.

"I love you, baby," she whispered.

"Love you, too, Red," he reached across the counter and grabbed her ass, lifting her, and deepening the kiss.

"Mmm," Willow moaned into his mouth as she kissed him back.

"Ack!" Xander yelped. "Giles, they’re doing it again!"

"Doing what?" Giles asked without looking up from the book he was reading.

"Each other," Anya said.

"An!"

"Yeah, and on that note," Oz stood up, "I think we’ll get going. Tara has an early class tomorrow. Tara," he called.

"Coming!" she came out of the kitchen at a fast walk. "Giles, you might want to check the water for the tea," she said as Oz helped her into her coat, "I think Willow got distracted."

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