Sleepwalking

By Spikedluv

Chapter Thirty-One

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.

Chapter Thirty-Two

"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."

Chapter Thirty-Three

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?"

Chapter Thirty-Four

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?"

Chapter Thirty-Five

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.

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