~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 31~
"We can't leave yet, Cordelia," Buffy said as she glanced at Dru. "Vampires plus sunlight do not mix."
"Direct sunlight," Willow corrected, looking at Dru. "It is just direct sunlight, isn't it? I mean, you were sitting by the window in the sunny area and it didn't hurt you."
"You're right," Dru nodded, her eyes curious. "I can feel the warmth of the day indirectly but I can not feel the sun's rays on my skin or it burns."
"Yeah," Buffy nodded, a smile crossing her face as she looked at Willow, "Angel met me once during the day when we were tracking a Morikeo demon. He just covered his head with his coat and made sure his skin didn't make contact with direct rays of the sun."
"The mall has a skylight but its tinted glass and the sun would not be directly above it by now anyway," Cordelia said, seeing where the other two were heading with their discussion. "We can cover her and make a dash to the car and again into the mall and she'll be fine."
Willow looked at Dru and saw that she looked confused. She smiled at the vampire, "Dru, do you think it would be okay if you went outside if you were covered up by a blanket or something? We don't want to do anything that might hurt you. I mean, we can wait for sunset and just hang out here a few more hours if you think it isn't a good idea."
"You want me to go out now? Into the sun?" Drusilla began to understand. She'd been a bit worried that they were going to leave her at Willow's house alone while they went out shopping. Now, she smiled as she realized that they were trying to find a way to include her in their outing without causing her harm. She had ventured into the daylight a few times, always protected by William or Daddy, usually when they were leaving a town in a hurry. She had been burned once, when she had moved the blanket to try to look at the sun, her hand taking a couple of days to heal. She had not repeated the action again, learning from her painful mistake. She looked into Willow's eyes and smiled, knowing that her pretty angel would keep her safe and protect her. She nodded, "It will be fine, Willow-pet."
"Great," Cordelia stood up, "we just need to get Drusilla dressed and ready and then we can go. I'll run out and put the top of my car up now, so we don't have to wait."
"I'll get this mess cleaned up, Will. Why don't you take Dru upstairs and help her get dressed," Buffy suggested with a smile, wanting to get the trash and stuff thrown away because she didn't think they'd feel like it after spending a few hours at the mall with Cordelia Chase. Somehow, she figured that would be more tiring than a few hours of patrol, on a busy night.
"Sounds like a plan," Willow took Drusilla's hand and said, "Come on, Dru. You can see the clothes that Delia picked out for you to wear for your first trip to the mall. They're very pretty and I think you'll like them."
"I am sure that I shall love them," Drusilla said as she followed Willow up the stairs and into her bedroom. Her eyes looked at the blue shirt and flowery skirt that were laying on Willow's bed and she smiled, moving closer to them and running her hand over the fabric. She looked at Willow and asked softly, "These are my clothes to wear? They're lovely."
"They're yours to keep," Willow smiled as she sat down on the bed. She watched Drusilla's reaction to the clothes, seeing the smile of pleasure that crossed the vampire's pretty face. She began to think about Buffy and how fantastic her friend had been about everything, accepting Drusilla and even become friends with the vampire. And Cordelia had been a surprise, as well, proving to be open-minded and actually wanting to be part of the group, to be their friend. She had to admit that, though she had her doubts the previous evening, she was very happy that she had taken the road less traveled and stumbled upon Drusilla.
"I love you, Willow-mine," Drusilla said with a soft smile at the redhead before she looked at the pretty clothes that were now hers.
"Love you, too, Dru," Willow said with a smile, shaking her head slightly as she realized the truth in her words. Who would have ever imagined it? The best friend of the slayer becoming friends with the slightly crazy daughter of the local master. Heck, to go one even more bizarre, who would have ever imagined the slayer becoming friends with said childe of the master? She had to be honest with herself and admit that she was a bit nervous about what was going to happen after Angelus got back to town. She'd assumed Drusilla would return to wherever it was they were living and that would be that. Now, though, they were friends. She liked Dru, didn't even mind the occasional episode concerning stars and stuff, enjoyed talking to the woman and hanging out with her. She didn't want to think about not being friends with Drusilla.
And now Buffy and Cordelia were befriending the vampire. Maybe that hadn't been such a good idea, involving them in her mess. They were starting to care about Dru and vice versa. What would happen when Angelus returned and realized that his daughter had gone off and nearly gotten herself killed and then had been taken by the slayer's best friend and become friends with three girls that he'd been trying to kill only a few months ago? She made a face, knowing it was useless to think about it. She'd spend all her time dwelling on the fact that Drusilla would be returning home the next day and forget to enjoy the time they all had to just relax and have some fun. Okay, shopping wasn't really fun, but she had a feeling that Dru was going to enjoy it a lot and she knew Cordelia and Buffy would have fun. She'd probably enjoy it, too, because she'd be with her friends.
"All dressed," Drusilla said quietly as she watched Willow leave her thoughts and smile at her.
"You look beautiful," Willow said sincerely, the colors going perfectly with Dru's dark hair and pale complexion. The skirt was ideal on the taller woman, and fell to her feet. Drusilla's shoes matched the style of the dress and completed the look. "Cordelia will be most proud."
"It feels so lovely against my skin," Drusilla smiled as she moved her thoughts away from what might have caused the small frown of worry on her pretty pet's face to how the skirt felt against her legs. She began to spin around the room, giggling and laughing.
"You're silly," Willow laughed as she stood and grabbed Dru's hand, having a feeling that the vampire could very well spend who knew how long just spinning in circles. She spun around with her new friend for a few turns before stopping them and smiling, "Let's go downstairs and show the others. I'm gonna take this quilt to shield you from the sun. Do you think it will be good enough?"
"It will be perfect, Willow-mine," Drusilla smiled as she let Willow's hand go and ran down the stairs, "Buffy-pet, Cordelia-sweets, look at my pretty clothes!"
Willow laughed as Drusilla began to spin around in the living room to show the girls her clothes, smiling as the vampire grabbed Buffy's hand and had her spinning with her. She looked at Cordelia and said, "We're ready if you are."
"The top is up and I have tinted windows so we should be good to go," Cordelia said with a smile, "oh, and I was so right about those clothes. They look great on her."
"I'm dizzy," Buffy laughed as she stopped spinning and joined Cordelia and Willow.
"So, Dru, are you ready to go?" Willow asked Drusilla as the vampire joined them, a smile on her face as she moved to her side and leaned against her.
"Very ready, pretty Willow," Drusilla rested her head against the shorter girl as she smiled.
"All right then," Willow smiled as she said something she had never imagined saying with such enthusiasm, "Let's go to the mall!"
~Part: 32~
Willow looked at Drusilla and couldn't stop the smile from crossing her pretty face. The vampire was sharing the back seat with her, the blanket around her shoulders as she looked out the windows of Cordelia's flashy little car. Dru's eyes were wide and she was smiling as she saw everything passing them by. Willow was glad that Cordelia had tinted windows, though she wasn't sure if the sun that would have come in would have been direct or not, it just made it easier to know it was being reflected. Her thoughts were interrupted when Dru looked at her.
"It is so very warm, Willow," Drusilla smiled at the redhead, "and there are so many people out."
"It's spring," Willow explained, "it's a nice time to be outside. The days are warm and the nights are cool, though the weather in Sunnydale never gets overly cold even during winter. I don't know, spring is just a nice time to take a walk and smell the flowers."
"It is lovely," Drusilla declared as she turned to look back out the window. She was enjoying looking at the humans as they drove. She'd never noticed them before unless she was hungry or she was watching William or Daddy play a game. Now, though, she was seeing them as something other than food. When the car was stopped at a light, she had noticed a happy family walking along the sidewalk. There had been a pretty little girl who was carrying a dolly much like hers, and a nice Daddy that was kissing a smiling Mommy. She had seen a silly man riding a bicycle, a funny hat on his head and dozens of colored balloons tied to the back of his cycle. She had seen a woman carrying flowers, smiling as she crossed the street to join a man that had hugged her. It had not all been pretty and happy, though. She had seen a man that looked to be arguing with a woman who had been crying, causing Drusilla's smile to fade as she watched the woman get into a car and leave. Soon after, the car had stopped at another light and she had seen a window that was full of colored glass and the smile had come back as she had pointed the pretty window out to her new friends.
"We'll be at the mall soon," Cordelia said as she glanced in the mirror. It took her a second to remember that Dru was a vampire and that's why she wasn't seeing anything.
She couldn't believe she'd forgotten that the woman sitting behind her was a vampire, one that had been a part of the effort to kill them all. It was hard to remember that Drusilla was dangerous when she had been spinning around and giggling because of her new clothes or when she had been excitedly showing them pretty colored glass exhibits. Cordelia had to smile as she realized that her views of vampires were being changed because of the childlike beauty that was in the seat behind her. True, most vampires were monsters. She'd seen enough since meeting Buffy to know the truth in those words. But, it would appear that there were exceptions. Very, very few exceptions. Okay, so Drusilla was the only exception she'd ever come across. In a way, she guessed it made sense. After all, there were humans that were as evil as any of the demons they'd fought so she figured it was only natural that there were some vampires that weren't as blood lusty and stupid as the minions Buffy easily dusted. She shook her head slightly as she turned down the road that went towards the mall. She didn't really care enough to spend more time thinking about it. Drusilla was sweet and nice and hadn't tried even once to bite her so it didn't really matter to Cordelia that she was also a vampire.
"This is the mall?" Drusilla asked as she looked at the large building that was in front of them.
"Yeah, this is it," Buffy said with a smile, "Two stories of shopping fun."
"I'm going to drop you and Dru at the front, okay Willow?" Cordelia asked, "I figured it would be easier with the sun and all."
"Great idea, Cordelia," Willow smiled, "it gives us less distance for Dru to have to be covered with the blanket before we find shade."
"I'll get out with them and get the blanket once Drusilla is inside and bring it back to leave in the car," Buffy suggested, "will you wait for me?"
"Smart thinking, Buffy," Cordelia said, smirking as she added, "Damn, I never thought I'd be saying *that*!"
"Ha, ha," Buffy stuck her tongue out at the cheerleader.
"Children, be nice," Willow warned with a smile. "I should be the shocked one because you both had good ideas!"
"Two words, Will," Buffy warned with an evil smile, "Leather hotpants."
Willow laughed, "Okay, okay….you both have good ideas all the time. You just don't usually bother to share them!"
"Oh so funny," Cordelia said dryly, though she was smiling as she pulled the car to a stop in front of the mall. She looked at Willow and smiled sweetly as she reminded, "Payback's a bitch, funny girl!"
"Can we get out now?" Drusilla asked, enjoying the teasing threats but also eager to go inside. She had not been shopping in ever so long.
"Sure," Willow smiled as she pulled the blanket over Dru's head. "Hold it tight. We've got to walk all the way to those glass doors right there."
Buffy got out and opened Willow's door for her. When Drusilla stepped out of the car, she and Willow helped hold the blanket so that the vampire was concealed the entire time. It didn't take long to make it to the front doors. When they stopped, she took the blanket and smiled, "I'll run this back to the car and we'll see in a second."
"Are you okay?" Willow asked Drusilla, wanting to make sure that she'd remained covered during the brief walk.
"Perfect," Drusilla smiled as she moved behind Willow and wrapped her arms around the redhead's waist, resting her head on the girl's shoulder as she looked towards the parking lot where she saw Buffy and Cordelia. She waved at her new friends as they neared, wishing they would walk faster.
~Part: 33~
"You two walk so slow!" Drusilla said with a smile as Buffy and Cordelia finally reached her and Willow.
"Do not!" Buffy defended, having to smile as she saw the excitement in Drusilla's eyes. She couldn't believe she was about to go shopping at the mall with a vampire. She was the vampire slayer. She was supposed to be slaying vampires, not shopping with them. The council would be horrified if they knew of her afternoon's activities. Good thing she didn't give a darn about what they thought. She'd already shocked them by having a relationship with a vampire, losing any real credibility and respect she might have had. Not that she had had that much respect, despite having defeated the Master and other demons that had tried to make Sunnydale their home. She had friends, gasp, and didn't spend every second of what would most likely be a rather short life studying and training and not living. She didn't mind being the slayer, having learned to deal with her gift and calling somewhat well over the last year or so, but she wasn't going to live her life doing what the books and the council believed to be appropriate. Hell, she'd have already been dead if it hadn't been for her friends. She'd already had a sexual relationship with a vampire and made an unspoken truce with a master, so why not befriend Drusilla?
"Do too," Drusilla replied with a giggle as she straightened up, removing her arms from around Willow's waist but taking the redhead's hand as she moved closer to the doors.
"Welcome to Sunnydale Mall," Cordelia told Drusilla as she opened the glass doors and allowed the vampire to walk inside.
Drusilla walked inside and looked around. She glanced at Willow and smiled, "It's pretty."
"I guess so," Willow shrugged as she looked around. She guessed it might seem impressive to someone that had never been to a mall before, but she wasn't very impressed. Of course, shopping was near the bottom of her list of activities that she enjoyed, right above public speaking. She made a face as she looked at the stores that could be seen from the entrance. Clothes, clothes, and more clothes. Oh, wait, there was a shoe store. She preferred doing her shopping at bookstores and, lately, magic stores.
"So, where do we start?" Buffy asked Cordelia, trying not to laugh at Willow's expression. It looked as if the redhead were being taken to the gallows instead of numerous expensive clothing stores.
"There was a great sale going on at Lola's," Cordelia said thoughtfully, "and another spring sale at Star. Oh, and the lingerie is on sale at Belladonna so we have to go there."
"It smells nice," Drusilla told Willow as the two began to walk towards the main center of the mall, leaving Buffy and Cordelia to discuss where they should spend their money.
"That's Bath, Body and More," Willow smiled, "it's one of my favorite places to shop. That's where I buy my shower gel and lotions and even my shampoo. We'll definitely go there."
"Do they have apples?" Drusilla asked, a pleased smile crossing her face at the idea of getting the scent that she now associated with Willow and Buffy.
"Yes, they have apples. That's where Buffy and I get our lotion," Willow laughed. "They also have Jasmine and Vanilla and Peach and too many lovely scents for me to name. I don't really like heavy fragrance and I'm not overly fond of flowers, so I love all the fruits and lighter scents that they carry. Jasmine is an exception to the flower thing. I really like that scent."
"I shall buy some apples," Drusilla declared before she began to frown. "Willow-pet, I can not buy anything. I do not have any money."
"Hey, now, don't worry," Willow smiled as she moved her arm around Drusilla's shoulders and squeezed, "I've got an empty credit card that is just screaming out your name."
"Credit card?" Drusilla looked at Willow with a puzzled expression.
"It's this plastic card thingy that my parents gave me so that they wouldn't feel guilty about leaving me alone all the time. It is like cash to the stores and my parents get to pay. So, see, if we use it today, it will make my parents less guilty for not being a part of my life and we'll get lots of stuff," Willow explained with a smile. She much preferred using the credit card and being alone than having her parents around, anyway. They were like strangers to her and she to them, the situation usually very awkward during their occasional visits home. And when they were home, they rarely spoke to her, and they never listened to her. They didn't know anything about her and her life. Her mother would ask after Bunny and Alexander during her check in calls, not even knowing that Xander used a nickname after ten years of him being Willow's best friend. No, being alone was much better than dealing with them. That she could now say honestly.
When she had been younger, she had blamed herself for their staying away, figuring she wasn't the daughter that they wanted, trying her best to be a great student and the perfect daughter that never did anything wrong in hopes that they'd suddenly decide to love her. Over the years, she'd grown up and realized that it wasn't her fault. It didn't matter how good she was, how smart she was, they would never be real parents. After meeting Buffy, she had to admit that she was glad they were never home. It made helping her best friend a lot easier. She didn't have to sneak around, didn't have to lie about where she was going, didn't have to answer any questions about why she'd come home so late with cuts or bruises after a bad night of slaying. She knew they loved her, in their own way, and she did love them, but they were all much happier when they weren't in Sunnydale.
~Part: 34~
"You're going to finally use the credit card?" Buffy asked as she and Cordelia joined Willow and Dru. She had heard the redhead trying to explain what a credit card was to Drusilla and had to smile. When she had first heard about Willow's parents and their constant trips away from Sunnydale, leaving Willow alone to raise herself, she'd been angry at them. She'd not been able to believe that two people could have such a fantastic daughter and not seem to care at all that they were missing out on her life. She'd been even more grateful for her own mother, knowing that there were times that Joyce got overly protective, but also knowing that her Mother loved her unconditionally and would be there for her always. Willow had never had that kind of relationship with the two miserable people that had given birth to her. She was no longer angry with them. Willow wasn't angry at them so she didn't really have any right to be. In a way, she just felt sorry for them. They didn't know Willow, and that was their loss. And, honestly, she was glad that they had never been around, even if it was horrible to admit, because Willow had become the wonderful person that she was on her own, without their interference. She could be entirely selfish where Willow was concerned, being a best friend earning her that right.
"Slayer," Cordelia finally said, snapping her fingers in front of Buffy's face.
"Huh?" Buffy shook her head slightly, smiling sheepishly when she saw them looking at her. "Sorry, I started thinking."
"I just said that yes, I am using the parents' credit card," Willow laughed, "I've had it for years and never used it except in emergencies but I'm considering today an emergency."
"I'd definitely consider that state of your closet an emergency," Cordelia said with a smirk.
"Look at the pretty birdy," Willow said with a sweet smile as she flashed Cordelia her middle finger as she used it to push her hair behind her ear.
"Children, be nice," Buffy declared as Cordelia opened her mouth to respond to Willow's not so subtle response to her dissing of her clothes.
"Yes, Mom," both girls said in unison before laughing.
Drusilla smiled as Buffy stuck her tongue out at Willow and Cordelia, listening as they laughed. She did not understand how a plastic card was considered cash, but she did not question it too much. She would see when it was used and then she would understand. She was very excited about shopping, and she was very glad that she would have a way to pay for her purchases. She took Willow's hand and began to walk, "Can we find the apples now?"
"Apples?" Cordelia asked, looking at Willow.
"Bath, Body and More," Willow explained with a smile, "Dru wants to get the apple lotion that Buffy and I use."
"I love that stuff!" Buffy smiled at Drusilla. "Isn't it the best? I need to get some new shower gel, too. I wonder if they have still have that mango that they had last time."
"I guess we know our first stop," Cordelia said with a smile as they reached the main center of the mall finally. She heard Drusilla gasp and glanced at the vampire. She arched a brow and said, "Isn't it great?"
"It's beautiful," Drusilla said as she looked at the huge skylight that was above their heads and then looked at the flowers and trees that seemed to be everywhere. There were so many stores that she couldn't even see them all. She saw a fountain that had water spilling over rocks and there were benches and people and it was not at all what she had expected.
"I like the fountains," Willow said as her hand moved into her pocket to find some spare change. She found a couple of coins and handed one to each of her friends. "I always thought it brought me luck to toss in a coin whenever I came here. I remember getting so mad at Jesse and Xander one time because they were trying to get all the money out to cash it in for ice cream and I wouldn't talk to either of them until they put the money back."
"I bet it didn't take long for them to toss the money back in," Buffy said with a laugh as she took the coin from Willow. She tossed it into the fountain and said, "Here's to great sales and desluttifying my wardrobe."
"That is such a great word," Cordelia said with a smirk as she moved to the side of the fountain. "You know, we should save Bath, Body and More for last, because it's closer to the door we need to go out and their stuff is heavy. Here's to great sales and shopping."
"You're right. There stuff is pretty heavy," Willow agreed before she tossed in her coin. She smiled as she said, "Here's to great sales, compromising when necessary and having a lot of fun."
Drusilla looked at the coin in her hand and then looked at her new friends. With a soft smile she moved forward and followed their example, tossing the coin into the small fountain. She watched as it drifted to the bottom to join all the other coins and said, "Here's to great sales and wonderful new friendships."
~Part: 35~
"That was sweet," Cordelia said after Drusilla tossed her coin into the fountain. She watched as the vampire turned to face them, a smile on her pretty face.
"It was true," Drusilla said as she moved back beside Willow, taking the redhead's hand and asking, "Are we going to shop now?"
"Nah, we just thought we'd come to the mall to toss coins into the fountain," Buffy said with a shrug, her hazel eyes flashing with amusement.
"Great. That means we can leave now, huh?" Willow said with a hopeful smile, not at all eager to begin the clothes process. She hated trying on clothes, having a tendency to buy things just by looking at them, that being one reason some of her clothes were even more baggy the others.
"I don't think do, but nice try," Cordelia said with a smirk. She looked at Dru and asked, "It's your first time at the mall. Where do you want to shop?"
"Cordy, she doesn't have any idea what stores are here," Buffy said as she saw the look of panic cross Drusilla's face. She was rewarded by a grateful smile from the vampire, having to smile in return at the enemy that had become a friend. She looked at Cordelia and said, "Why don't we go upstairs and start at one end and work our way through the entire mall? That's the best plan, don't you think? That way, we don't miss anything."
"The entire mall?" Willow repeated with a shudder, a smile crossing her face when she heard Drusilla giggle at her antics. She leaned closer to the vampire and confided, "I don't really hate malls that much, but they expect me to complain about shopping so I don't want to disappoint them."
"What are you two whispering about?" Buffy asked with a smile.
"Kitten was telling me how much she loathes shopping," Drusilla said with a wink at Willow before she hooked her arm into the redhead's and started to walk towards the stairs. She glanced at Cordelia and Buffy and asked, "Are you two coming with us?"
"Do you have any idea where you're going, Dru?" Cordelia asked as she moved to catch up to the two girls.
"Not at all, but you said upstairs so I thought this was the best place to start," Drusilla admitted with a laugh.
"Come on," Cordelia took Dru's hand and pulled her away from Willow. "We're faster than those two, so they can just catch up with us."
"There are times that I catch myself forgetting that she's a vampire," Willow told Buffy as the two best friends finally had a chance to talk without an audience as Cordelia and Drusilla walked up the stairs ahead of them. "And there are times that she seems completely normal, not at all crazy and I'd never guess that she talks to stars and isn't quite mentally sound, ya know?"
"I know," Buffy nodded in agreement, having thought the same thing herself since meeting Drusilla, "it's weird. I'd have never thought that I could sit and talk to Drusilla and actually like her, consider her a friend, but I do. I know that she's a vampire, that she's Angelus' daughter, that she's killed more people than I've probably ever met and that she's slightly insane. But, I don't think about those things when I'm talking to her. I think about how lonely she seems, how she is so happy that she has friends, that she seems to enjoy being with us. I mean, if she can accept that I'm the slayer, it only seems right that I can accept that she's a vampire."
"I'm really proud of you," Willow said sincerely, holding up a hand, "Don't take that the wrong way. I'm always proud of you cause you're my best friend, but you've managed to surprise me with how well you've handled Drusilla and everything. And I agree with what you said. I find myself forgetting that she's one of the most dangerous vampires in the world."
"I'm proud of me, too," Buffy admitted sheepishly, "I almost reached for a stake when I saw her sitting by you this morning. I mean, she's Drusilla. She's evil and psychotic and dangerous and she's sitting with my best friend eating cereal. I think it was the cereal that did it. I mean, that prevented me from going after her. She didn't seem very dangerous sitting there eating and wearing that silly hat. Plus, I trust you completely and I knew that there must be a reason you'd brought her into your home and weren't scared of her."
"She's not what I expected," Willow said with a smile, thinking how nice it was to see Buffy acting like an adult and thinking about things instead of just reacting impulsively, the way she tended to. "I think she's lonely and she's never really had friends. Don't get me wrong cause I do think that Angelus and Spike love her, and she definitely loves both of them. From what I can tell, it sounds like they take care of her but I'm not sure if they ever really talk to her or listen to her. I don't know….I just know that she's really happy having us around."
"Well, I don't mind having her around, though I do think I'm going to skip the shopping trip with the master's daughter when I have my weekly meeting with Giles. I'm not thinking he would see the whole picture the way us mature people do," Buffy said with a snicker.
"Good idea," Willow agreed, knowing that Giles' reaction to them being friends with Drusilla would probably compare to Angelus' reaction. Neither being something she wanted to witness. She saw Drusilla and Cordelia standing in front of a store waiting for them and said, "I think we'd better get moving. They appear to be getting impatient."
"I'm definitely not in the mood to face Cordelia if she's being kept from shopping," Buffy laughed, "that would probably be more scary than facing a dozen newbies with only one stake."
"Quit glaring," Willow told Drusilla and Cordelia as she and Buffy reached them, "we're here. Let's shop!"
~Part: 36~
"Quit pacing and get back into bed. You're starting to give me a headache."
"We should have brought her with us."
"She's fine," Angelus said, rolling his eyes as he turned his head to look at his grandchilde. Seeing the stubborn look in those beautiful blue eyes, his lips twisted into a slight smile, knowing that Spike was raring for an argument. Angelus moved on the bed, turning over onto his back and placing a second pillow behind his back as he sat up.
"So sayeth Angelus the psychic," Spike said with a harsh laugh. He arched a brow as he suggested, "Perhaps you can get yourself one of those phone lines that they have on the telly since you know everything."
"Must we have this conversation now?" Angelus asked as he looked at the clock and groaned, "It's barely three o'clock."
"I don't care what time it is," Spike snarled, running a hand through his bleached hair as he stopped pacing to lean against the dresser. "We shouldn't be here now when she's been hurt. I should be with her."
"If I thought that there was a serious problem, we'd be back in Sunnydale now," Angelus said. "You know that I would not remain in Los Angeles if I believed her to be in danger."
"I know. It's just, I felt her pain, Angelus," Spike said quietly, his blue eyes looking into the chocolate brown eyes of his grandsire. "She was hurt last night. We shouldn't have left her in that town alone. We should have brought her with us."
"We couldn't bring her with us," Angelus reminded, "This was not a pleasure trip, as you well know. You also know how important it is to finish our business here before returning to Sunnydale. Drusilla was hurt yesterday, but the pain was momentary and she is probably playing with those horrid little dolls or sleeping right now as you pace and worry."
"I'm sure that you are right," Spike acknowledged. He had been surprised the previous evening when he had felt the flash of sharp pain through his connection with his sire, having only experienced such a sensation less than a half dozen times, the last being Prague when she had come so close to dying. He'd seen the look in Angelus' eyes when they'd met over the table, knowing that his grandsire had also felt the pain. He'd been ready to leave LA right then, to get into the car and drive back to Sunnydale in record time so that he could check on his Princess. Angelus had disagreed with the idea, pointing out that Drusilla had probably been injured while hunting and the surprise of the attack had triggered the bond they shared with her. Spike did know that it did not feel at all like Prague so he wasn't concerned that Drusilla was dying or seriously injured. They'd eventually returned to the hotel, had a right nice shag and gotten a bit of a sleep.
Then, when he'd awoken, he felt guilty for not bring Drusilla with them, though he knew it was for her safety due to the demons with whom they were doing business, knowing that she would not have been hurt if she'd not been in Sunnydale with only the useless minions to take care of her. Such thinking had caused him to get out of bed and begin pacing, impatient for their business to conclude so that he could return to his sire. He enjoyed his trips away with Angelus, always had, the elder vampire being a fantastic lover and mate. But he had not been away from Drusilla since Angelus had received the soul, several decades before, and he missed her. He wanted to show her the prezzies he'd bought her and to hear her laugh and watch her smile. Hell, he'd even be glad to sit and hear about the newest adventures of Miss. Edith, and he hated that damn doll. He'd do anything for Drusilla, though, even act like the doll was real.
"What are you thinking about?" Angelus asked, his eyes watching Spike's face.
"I miss Dru," Spike replied honestly, watching as Angelus nodded.
"As do I," Angelus leaned back against the pillows. "Our business will be concluded tonight. Instead of waiting for tomorrow evening, why don't I arrange for a car to take us back to Sunnydale afterwards?"
"Really?" Spike began to smile, "That would be great. I know that she's fine, but I don't really like leaving her for so long with only the minions to protect her when there is a slayer around."
"The slayer isn't a threat," Angelus said with a smirk. "That game is over, and I won. We've come to an understanding, Buffy and I. She leaves me and mine alone, and I allow her and her silly friends to live."
"I wonder if she got the memo," Spike said with a roll of his eyes. "I wish you'd have just killed the little bitch."
"Dear boy, what purpose would that serve?" Angelus asked with an arched brow, his lips twisting into an amused smile as Spike began to forget his guilt and enjoy the new topic of conversation. Spike had taken care of Drusilla for over 80 years, just the two of them roaming around the world, and Angelus had not realized how close they had become during that time. It wasn't very surprising that Spike was protective of Drusilla, that he missed her when they were separated. They'd only had each other for decades, becoming friends as well as sire and childe.
Spike had always been devoted to Dru, from the first moment those beautiful blue eyes had looked at the brunette that had taken his life and given him such a special gift. It had taken years before Spike would look at him with that same look in his blue eyes, before Angelus would know that the blond cared for him in the same way that he, himself, had begun to care about his grandchilde. The worst part of having a soul had been losing Drusilla and Spike from his life. One was his daughter, the other his mate. Now, though, he didn't have to worry. There was no chance of getting a soul again. Jenny's death had ensured that. He'd made his unspoken deal with Buffy, though he doubted the dumb bitch even knew such a deal existed. Either way, she'd not been going after him, and he'd allowed her and her friends to live. Spike was back in his bed, and Drusilla was happy to have her Daddy back. Life was pretty damn good.
"Well, she'd be dead," Spike said with a smile, "and that's good enough for me. Right fun time, if you ask me."
"And then another slayer would have taken her place, and another once we had killed that one, and the cycle would have repeated endlessly," Angelus said with a roll of his eyes, "Boring. It's much easier to allow Buffy to live and patrol the Hellmouth because I know how to defeat her, because she knows that I have the power and control, and because I don't have to waste my time and my people with a silly, continuous war. My time is much better used for other pursuits, such as ruling the town."
"And shagging me?" Spike asked with an innocent smile as his eyes moved over Angelus' body. Drusilla was okay, probably playing with her dolls like Angelus said. They'd bought her several new prezzies and would now be leaving LA earlier than planned, tonight after their business was concluded instead of the following evening. Angelus looked delectable laying on the blanket, his nude flesh just asking to be tasted. Spike began to move towards the bed, his left hand moving down his bare chest, watching as Angelus' eyes followed the path of his hand, a smile crossing his lips as he ran his hand over his length, watching as Angelus licked his lips. There were several more hours before their meeting, and it definitely appeared that they were both awake. Spike stroked himself as his eyes catch Angelus', huskily saying, "Time for some fun, sire."
Angelus ran his tongue over his lips as he watched Spike move to the edge of the bed, watching as the younger vampire began to stroke himself. He heard Spike's words, watching as the blond kneeled on the bed and began a slow crawl towards him. He felt himself harden even more from the look in those blue eyes, a smile crossing his lips when Spike's wet tongue moved over his upper thigh in a teasing manner. He laughed softly as he said, "Childe, I love the way you think."
~Part: 37~
Willow smiled as she watched Cordelia come out of the dressing room, the cheerleader making a show of letting them see the dress she had tried on. There were turns and dramatic pauses and a haughty expression as Cordelia walked back and forth, giving her best impression of a runway model. The smile widened as she turned her attention to Drusilla, watching as the vampire giggled and clapped, giving her approval for the dress that Cordelia was wearing.
They'd been at the mall for over an hour already and they were in the second store. Cordelia had not been exaggerating when she referred to herself as an expert shopper. Willow was bored out of her mind and thought she'd scream if she had to try on any more clothes. Drusilla was having a blast, though, and that was what really mattered.
"You're not having fun, are you?"
Willow turned and glanced at her best friend, a sheepish smile crossing her face as she nodded, "That noticeable?"
"No, but I know you well enough to see the signs of an impatient Willow," Buffy smiled at the redhead.
"I just don't see how it can take so long to buy clothes," Willow said, shaking her head. "I mean, it usually doesn't take me an hour to pick out all my school clothes and here we have only been to two stores."
"It doesn't take you long to buy your clothes because you rarely try on anything. You just buy something a size or two too large and hope it doesn't fall off," Buffy said with a smile.
"Hey, it works," Willow defended, "I've never bought anything that hasn't fit. Besides, I like my baggy clothes, thank you very much!"
"I don't dislike them," Buffy said, giving up, "okay, fine, I'm not crazy about them, but I accept them as part of your unique style. Besides, you're the one wearing them, not me, so I can't really complain about them. I just know that you looked gorgeous in the stuff you tried on earlier. You have to admit that you looked good."
"It wasn't as bad as I thought," Willow agreed with a smile. True to their word, Cordelia and Buffy had both been very good at compromising during their visit to Lola's, the first store they'd gone to. She looked over at her other friends, seeing Drusilla feeling the material of Cordelia's dress before the cheerleader went back into the dressing room to change. She looked back at Buffy and said, "You know me and shopping, Buffy. I'm just a bit bored."
"Well, then, since you're so bored, you can help me look for some new skirts. I love the skirts here," Buffy smiled.
"That's because they're short and kind of slutty," Willow said with a laugh, dodging the hand that was attempting to slap her arm.
"That was just mean," Buffy said, sticking her tongue out at the redhead before having to laugh, "They have to have longer skirts somewhere. I just haven't been able to find them yet."
"Didn't you buy like five at Lola's?" Willow asked, rolling her eyes. "How many skirts do you need?"
"Don't answer that, Buffy," Cordelia warned as she left the dressing room and joined the two girls. She looked at Willow and gave the redhead a look, "One can never have too many clothes, Willow."
"Oh, my bad," Willow said, exchanging an amused look with Drusilla.
"Have you found anything lovely yet, kitten?" Drusilla asked, realizing that she had not yet seen the redhead try anything on in this new store. She was having the most fun. Cordelia had helped her choose several lovely shirts and two new skirts at the first store that she just adored. The material had been soft and pretty and her new friends had assured her that she looked fantastic. She trusted the girls and had purchased the items, loving how they felt against her skin.
In this store, she had been shown several pairs of long pants, something that she was not accustomed to wearing. She'd been hesitant in trying them on, having never really understood why women wanted to dress as men in trousers and such. It had only taken one pair of jeans and she was hooked. She now had a pile of pants in varying shades and materials along with three new pairs of blue jeans at her feet, waiting for them to check out. After her selections had been made and she'd tried them on to show her new friends, she'd made her final choices and then sat in one of the chairs by the dressing rooms. She'd watched Cordelia try on different items as well as Buffy, laughing as they performed like models to entertain her. But, she had not yet seen Willow trying anything on in this store.
~Part: 38~
"I bought stuff at Lola's," Willow told Drusilla, motioning to the bag at her feet. "I don't really need anything else."
"All you bought at Lola's were those four shirts and three skirts," Cordelia said, having paid particular attention to the redhead's purchases. She had to admit she was proud of Willow. There had been no objections to anything they'd given Willow to try on, but the redhead had been stubborn and insisted on only making a few purchases, claiming that she did not need an entirely new wardrobe. Luckily, the things she had bought were flattering and looked great on her. When Willow had been paying for her and Dru's items, Cordelia and Buffy had both taken a couple of the discarded outfits and put them with their purchases, planning to surprise the redhead later with the new clothes.
"But one of the skirts was suede, which is a type of leather, so that counts as several," Willow pointed out.
"I told you I'd get you to buy a leather skirt," Buffy said with a smirk, having been her most persuasive when trying to talk Willow into buying the beautiful brown suede skirt that had fallen past the redhead's knees and had a slit that went up the side, letting everyone see the great legs she tried to hide. Willow had resisted her efforts until Drusilla had joined Buffy, telling her how pretty it was and how the material felt so lovely. When Cordelia had begun to side with them, Willow hadn't stood a chance, finally buying the skirt rather than listen to them whine and beg. Buffy had found a great shirt to match the skirt, knowing it would look great on Willow, but knowing the redhead wouldn't want to buy anything that let the world know she had breasts, and nice ones at that, so she'd bought it as a gift.
One thing she'd learned about Willow over the year and a half that they'd been friends was that Willow treated gifts as if they were very important. She guessed it was because the redhead hadn't received very many as a child and it made the ones she received now even more special. No matter what the reasoning, Buffy wasn't above using that knowledge to her advantage by giving Willow several things that the redhead would feel obliged to wear. Sneaky and cunning, yes, but also very necessary. Besides, Buffy didn't feel at all guilty because she was being very choosy with the items she was selecting as gifts. She was only buying things that Willow would feel comfortable in, though her best friend would never buy them herself.
"That skirt was lovely," Drusilla smiled at Buffy, sharing a triumphant smile. It had taken them a lot of begging, but Willow had finally bought the pretty skirt that had fit her so well and made her look even more beautiful. She looked at Willow and asked, "Why don't you buy some blue jeans? I love mine ever so much!"
"Great idea!" Cordelia beamed at Drusilla before moving past the vampire to a display of jeans. "They have all these on sale, Willow. They fit great and last a long time so I'd recommend starting here. They also have all these great washes."
"They look the same to me," Willow muttered, glaring at Drusilla. The vampire just smiled an innocent smile, but Willow wasn't fooled for an instant. Already Buffy and Cordelia were rubbing off on Dru. The glare faded as she smiled, realizing that she was actually having a good time, though shopping for clothes was still right up there with going to the dentist on her list of favorite activities. She looked at Cordelia, her eyes widening as she saw the numerous pairs of jeans that were already in the brunette's arms. "Delia, honey, I don't think I need to try on all those."
"Yes, you do," Cordelia said sweetly, arching a brow as she looked at Willow, "you need to see how they fit because the styles are different. I also chose several different washes in each style so that you could choose the ones that were most comfortable. I think three pairs is good because it is getting warmer and you won't have that long to wear them. The ones you have now aren't that bad so it will just give you something new to add to your wardrobe."
"If the ones I have now aren't bad, why do I need new ones?" Willow mumbled as she grabbed the jeans from Cordelia and started for the dressing room.
"Oh, and Willow, I haven't forgotten that summer is just around the corner. We'll take care of shorts and appropriate shirts at Rae's or Miana," Cordelia said with a smile, "they're having the best sales on upcoming seasonal wear."
Willow turned to look at her three friends, seeing the smiles on their faces and knowing that they were really just trying to be helpful by assisting her in purchasing some new items for her closet, but it didn't make it any better to have to go to the trouble of trying clothes on and getting some things that, while they did look good on her and made her look nice, some even made her look kind of sexy, she normally would never have chosen on her own. And now Cordelia was talking about shorts. She gave them a faint smile and said, "Yay?"
"Go try on the jeans, Wills," Buffy laughed, "and quit acting like you're getting ready to face a Greipoity demon with only a can of mace and a twig!"
Cordelia looked at Buffy and then looked at Drusilla, noticing the same slight smile on the vampire's face that was on her own. Together, they said, "Slayers!" before laughing as Buffy smacked their arms.
~Part: 39~
Willow glanced at the clock that was hanging over the sales desk at Cairelli's, rolling her eyes when she saw that it was already after five. They'd been at the mall for hours and had yet to venture from a clothes store. Buffy and Cordelia had made two trips to the car with their purchases and Willow honestly wasn't sure another bag could possibly fit in Cordelia's trunk, but her friends seemed oblivious to the fact that they were buying too much, instead urging her and Drusilla to join them in their shopping craze. Willow had been bored by the second store but tried to enjoy it, she'd maintained a bit of enthusiasm and a smile through the third store, but, by the fourth store, she was about to scream. That had been over an hour ago.
"I'm bored."
Willow quit playing with the hanger that had kept her occupied while Buffy and Cordelia were trying on fancy dresses to look at Drusilla, a smile crossing her face as she said, "Me too."
Drusilla smiled as she rested her head on Willow's shoulder, her eyes watching as Cordelia grabbed yet another dress to try on. She had enjoyed their shopping, buying many pretty things that she had never imagined having, but she was growing a bit tired of clothing. She had purchased more items in a few hours than she could remember owning during the entire last century. She knew that Willow was tired, too, but they had remained silent so as not to spoil Cordelia and Buffy's fun. She had finally spoken up when it appeared that the other two girls would be happy to try on clothes until the mall closed. She looked up at Willow and asked, "May we go to another store? There are so many that we have not yet explored."
"Maybe somewhere without clothes," Willow said with a laugh, having to add, "I did warn you that Cordelia and Buffy are maniacs when it comes to shopping for clothes. I can enjoy it for about an hour or so and then I'm ready to move on, but those two could shop all day."
"I've had fun, kitten, but I do not need anything else to wear," Drusilla admitted, honestly having no idea what she had actually bought after so many hours and so many stores. She did know that Cordelia had made sure that her selections covered every area imaginable, from blue jeans to fuzzy sweaters to pretty skirts to a T-shirt that proclaimed her a Princess. Drusilla adored that shirt, loving the statement and knowing that it would look lovely with her new blue jeans. She could not wait to wear her new clothes, but she did not need anything else at the moment.
"Me either," Willow agreed with the vampire. She hadn't bought as much as the other three girls, but she did know that there were several sacks in the car that belonged to her. Overall, she was happy with everything she remembered buying. Her friends had been true to their word and had taken her preferences into consideration with every choice they'd made. True, most of it was a bit more revealing her usual choices, but not in a way that made her self conscious or worried. In fact, she had to admit that she looked pretty sexy in some of the skirts and tops that her friends had suggested. But, she was ready to get away from the clothes and do some browsing. There was a great book store at the mall and she thought she'd check the electronic store to see if they had any new programs in that she didn't have and she also wouldn't mind getting a cookie or something else to snack on. She asked Dru, "Do you want to go with me to the book store and a few other places while they finish with the clothes? I'm sure they won't care since we did buy so much already."
"Just me and you?" Drusilla beamed, "I adore that idea, Willow-mine."
"Great. I'll go tell Buffy and Delia that we're going to do some browsing. They won't complain after I mention the word book," Willow said with a knowing smile, having used that store many times in the past to get away from shopping for clothes with Buffy during trips to the mall. The pretty redhead made her way to the dressing rooms, knocking on Buffy's door, "Hey, Dru and I are going to go check out some more stores while you two finish up here. Is that cool?"
"Where are you going?" Buffy asked as she opened the door to look at her best friend. She was actually shocked that it had taken the redhead this long before making a break for it and knew that she wouldn't complain if Willow wanted to do some non-clothes shopping. "And what do you think?"
"It looks great," Willow said sincerely as she looked at the pretty lavender dress that Buffy was wearing. "That shade always look good on you. You should definitely get it. It would be great for a party or a school dance. Anyway, I thought I'd take Dru to the book store and maybe Curios. She seems to like dolls and pretty things and that is one of the neatest stores in Sunnydale. Other than that, I don't really know. Just, no more clothes!"
"Save Curios for last because I love that place," Buffy said.
"Yes, ma'am," Willow laughed, having figured her best friend would make that request. "How much longer is it going to take you guys with all the clothes?"
"I'm nearly finished," Cordelia spoke up as she joined the two girls. She glanced at her watch and thought about it, "I'd like to run by Star to check out the swimsuits but that should do it, except for Belladonna and Bath, Body & More, but you guys are going there with us."
"I don't remember agreeing to go to Belladonna," Willow said with a raised brow. She loved Belladonna, having a weakness for the pretty lingerie and nightgowns, but she figured that a protest was expected.
Buffy laughed, "Stop the grumbling, Will. You know that you love that store. Oh, remind me that I need to look for a new nightgown. I'm going to let Dru have my old one since she seems to like it so much, so I need to get a new one to keep at your house."
"I'll try to remember," Willow smiled, "so we'll meet you both in about thirty minutes? Where?"
"How about the fountain downstairs by the food court?" Cordelia suggested with a sheepish smile, "I could use some food and had no idea it was getting this late!"
"That's what shopping does to you," Willow said sadly, shaking her head as her green eyes lit with amusement.
Cordelia stuck her tongue out at the redhead as Buffy laughed. The slayer said, "Willow, you know you're having way more fun shopping with us than you would being stuck at school working on that demon database for Giles so be nice. Go have fun at the 'book' store."
"You don't have to say it like it's some disease," Willow rolled her eyes, "we'll see you two in half an hour. Have fun!"
"Dru, keep an eye on Willow and make sure she doesn't buy too many of those smelly old books," Buffy said as she smiled at the vampire before going back into the dressing room to try on her other selections.
"If we pass anywhere that you want to stop, just let me know," Willow told Drusilla as they left the clothing store and started to walk towards the book store. She smiled as Dru began to talk about their day and all the fun she was having as they walked through the mall.
~Part: 40~
"This is my favorite place at the mall," Willow told Drusilla as they walked inside Pages.
"There are so many books," Drusilla whispered to Willow, her eyes wide as she looked around the large store.
"I know. Isn't it great?" Willow smiled as she started walking towards the back of the store where the history books were located beside the rather small magic section. "I've always loved books so this store is just wonderful."
"Such pretty colors," Drusilla said as she moved her hands over a row of novels, her eyes taking in the variety of covers.
"You sound like Buffy," Willow laughed, "She's not really into books or reading so she tends to pay more attention to the covers than what's on the pages in between."
"I do not read a lot," Drusilla confessed with a sheepish smile. She saw Willow's smile and relaxed. She had been worried that her new friend would be upset that she did not share her enthusiasm for the written word. Drusilla loved the stories that the books held, spending many nights snuggled against her childe as William read to her. She found more pleasure in having Angelus or William read to her than she found in reading silently to herself. She was happy to see that Willow did not mind that she was not as fond of reading as the redhead, a smile crossing Drusilla's face as she asked, "Will you read me a story, Willow-mine? I do so love to hear the stories."
"I think that can be arranged," Willow smiled affectionately at Drusilla before turning her attention to the newest arrivals.
"Oh, goodie," Drusilla beamed as she said, "I enjoy listening ever so much. My William is a wonderful storyteller. He is very much like you, pretty pet. So smart. He has always loved words and books. It is what first drew my attention to him, actually, his pretty words and his lovely voice. Such sweet poetry. When I looked into his eyes is when I knew for certain that he belonged with us, that I must keep him with me forever. He is so very beautiful, my sweet William. Do they have poetry here, Kitten? My William adores poetry."
"Poetry?" Willow repeated softly, trying to follow what Drusilla had said. One minute, they were talking about books and reading stories, then Dru is talking about Spike and why she turned him. Forever took on an entirely different meaning when talking to a vampire. She did agree with Drusilla that Spike was smart, that obvious from their interaction with him when he'd first arrived in town and started going after Buffy. Willow also agreed that beautiful was a great word to describe the blond vampire. Sexy, sarcastic, gorgeous, and yummy also came to the redhead's mind. She did have to admit that she found it hard to believe that the brash and arrogant bleached blond vampire that had repeatedly threatened to kill them liked poetry. Her mind suddenly flashed images of her laying in his arms as he quoted Browning and Shakespeare and she realized that maybe it wasn't as unbelievable as she'd first thought. She looked at Dru and saw that the vampire was waiting for answer, having to think back as to what the question had been. Giving her new friend a smile, she said, "They have a lot of different poetry books here, Dru. I'm sure you can find something you like."
"I do not know where to begin looking" Drusilla told Willow as they moved to the section of the store that held the poetry books.
"Well, what kind of poetry do you want? They have nearly everything here," Willow said, knowing from the look on Dru's face that her friend had no idea that there were different types of poetry much less what kind she wanted to buy for Spike. She smiled as she said, "They have these collections over here that might be good. It's not just one poet or one period. It's an anthology of all kinds."
"Romance," Drusilla reached for a book on the shelf that Willow had indicated. She looked at the cover, seeing the flowers and a little bird. With a frown, she put it back. William would not like a book that had flowers and a pretty little bird on the cover, even if the poems inside were the ones he enjoyed most. Her attention was drawn to a book next to the one she had looked at. It also said romance, but the word love was much larger. She withdrew that book from its place and slowly smiled. The cover was the image of two lovers entwined. It was ideal, she decided.
"What did you find?" Willow asked when she noticed that Drusilla had picked out a book. She'd been tempted to glance at a collection of erotic poems, but her imagination was already way too vivid in the fantasies she was having about Spike and Angelus so she'd resisted the impulse and glanced at a book of Poe poems instead. If there was anything to dampen desire and lust induced fantasies, the Raven was pretty much near the top of the list. By the time she'd gotten to the "Nevermore" part, her pulse had slowed down and the images of her nude body resting against Spike's nude body as he read romantic poems to her had nearly faded.
"It is a book of love poems," Drusilla asked, "Do you think he will like it?"
"I think he'd probably love anything you give him, Dru," Willow said with a smile as she saw Drusilla's obvious happiness at buying Spike the book of poems.
"He is particularly fond of poems about love and romance, so I thought it was perfect for him," Drusilla confided with a pleased smile. She took Willow's hand and walked away from the poetry section, telling the redhead, "Now I must find a prezzie for Daddy!"