Title: Am I Evil? (6/16)
Author: Kylia
Email: kylia_bug@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: Nobody belongs to me, unfortunately. They belong to Joss & Mutant Enemy, and a few other people I don't know.
Rating: R
Spoilers: Everything up to "The Initiative". The story starts during the dorm scene from The Initiative; it's my own twisted world after that.
Category: Willow/Spike
Summary: What if Spike had never been implanted when he visited Willow in the dorms?
Distribution: Fire & Ice, WitchFanFic, Of Sire & Childe, anyone else, ask, and you shall receive
Author's Notes: having a bit of Writers Block. Hoping this will help.
Dedication: To Inell, who knows how I feel.

Willow walked through the vacant streets with a smile. The sleazy bartender had told her everything he knew. There was much he couldn't tell her, but she was confident that her grandsire would have those answers. He would be here shortly. She could feel it.

She wondered if Buffy knew that her old love was coming to town. She doubted it. All of her sources had reported that The Slayer had had no contact with Angel since he and his mate had moved to New York. It didn't matter; it would make Buffy's pain that much sweeter.

Willow turned down a once familiar street. All of the lights were out, save one. And it was the only one that counted. She looked up at the sign. "Harris' Hellmouth Haven". The store was a tourist trap. A place where the ignorant could go and find novelty items depicting tame versions of vampires and demons, all the while not knowing what lurked in the dark. Only Xander would have such a place, and from the small crowd that was leaving the store, it appeared it was a successful business.

She grinned evilly as she pushed opened the door.

"We're closing." Xander spoke as the chime on the front door sounded. "Maybe you can come back tomorrow?" He asked without looking up to see who had entered his store.

"Oh, but Xan, it's been so long already."

Xander froze at the voice. He hadn't heard it in nearly a decade, and was unsure he was hearing it now. It was probably his imagination. Another dream. The other's had believed she had run away, but he never had. He knew something had happened to her, something horrible, something she couldn't control. And he believed he knew what it was.

"What? No hug? Have you forgotten me already?" Willow asked sweetly.

Xander looked up, his eyes raking over her form. It had been so long since he had seen her. She hadn't aged, not a single day. He looked into her eyes. They were the same green he always remembered, but there was something else in them, something he hadn't seen in a friend in twelve years. It was at that moment that he realized that what he had feared was true. His Willow was a vampire. And not the cuddly kind. Not the brooding, souled version Buffy had fallen in love with. No, she was a killer. But, she was still Willow.

"Willow." He gulped as he walked around the counter. He looked around the store to see if she had brought anyone with her. "Where's Spike?" He asked, testing a theory?"

Willow raised an eyebrow and then broke out into a grin. Not a sneer, but an honest grin. "How did you know?" She asked curiously.

"I didn't, not really." He looked at her carefully as he took another step closer. "It's true though, isn't it?"

He didn't know why he wasn't running away. Why he wasn't grabbing his trusty stake and holy water, why he wasn't begging for his life. He knew that she was a vampire, and could easily kill him, but he wasn't afraid. He was so happy to see her after all these years, demon or not.

Willow closed the space between then, surprised at his lack of fear. He wasn't nervous. He seemed honestly happy to see her, even knowing what she was. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him fiercely, letting him go after a second. She took a step back and looked around the store.

"Nice place you have here. Anya's idea?" She picked up a novelty stake. The wood was sanded down to an almost marble-like smoothness, the point rounded so as not to be of any real danger.

Xander nodded. "Why are you here? Why did you come back?" He needed to know she wasn't there to kill them all.

Willow set the stake down and picked up a small vial of holy water. She opened the lid and sniffed it, a wide grin gracing her features. "Fake? Why Xander, I'm astonished."

Xander shrugged. "It's cheaper, besides who is gonna know? It's not like the people who buy that stuff would know what to do with it if they came across any of the walking dead."

Willow laughed. Xander logic. She had missed that. She hadn't thought much about him in the past ten years but standing here, in front of him, taking in his incredible lack of fear, it reminded her of why she had loved him so much. She shook her head from her thoughts and addressed his earlier question.

"The Initiative. They don't belong here." She told him simply.

Xander snorted. "So what you've come back to save Sunnydale from itself? Why do I find that hard to believe?"

Willow wrapped a hand around his wrist, pulling his body flush with hers and twisting his arm forcefully behind his back. "Don't push me. I push back."

Willow grinned as she heard his heartbeat slow after his initial shock. She inhaled the smell of his blood as she brought her lips to just under his ear. "I could kill you, right her. I leave you for the slayer to find."

"But you won't." Xander's voice was barely above a whisper, knowing she could here him.

"Or, I could turn you. Watch as you slaughtered those you love." She continued, ignoring his comment. "Tell me Xander, how do you feel about eternal life?"

Cordelia climbed out of the rental car with a groan. "Did I tell you how much I hate these little Japanese economy cars?"

Angel quirked an eyebrow. "Four times. Once while we were waiting at the airport for the cab, once in line at the rental agency, and twice on the way here."

She grinned at him. "Just checking. You know how forgetful you can be in your old age." She smiled sweetly. She looked around the empty street. "Are you sure we're in the right place?"

Angel pointed to an old house across the street from where he had parked. "There. Can't you feel them?"

Cordelia concentrated on the house for a second and then looked at Angel. She had this strange expression on her face. "She isn't here." Cordelia looked around the empty neighborhood for a second before following Angel across the street towards the large house.

When they reached the door, Angel pushed it open without knocking. A snarling vamp met them. His fangs were bared and he looked ready to pounce. Angel pushed him aside before entering the main entryway. He saw the large staircase and let his eyes travel up the winding stairs. At the top stood a woman. He appeared to be about twenty. Her dark brown hair was thick and fell in a tumble around her oval face. Her eyes here as deep and dark as his own, although he could sense a serenity about her. When she saw him she smiled broadly and bound down the stairs.

"Grandfather! What are you doing here?"

Angel embraced the young vampire. Melanie turned towards Cordelia, and equally large grin gracing her features. Cordelia held up a hand. "Don't even think about calling me grandmother. I'll stake you where you stand."

Spike chuckled from his place behind his Sire and the outspoken girl he liked to call his mate. "I see you got Red's invitation."

Angel turned around. He eyed his childe carefully. "Why are you back? It isn't safe here. For any of us."

Spike shrugged. "Red wanted to come home." He took a step closer and whispered in Angel's ear. "In case you've forgotten, saying no to her isn't an option." He stepped back and smiled mischievously at Cordelia. "Mum."

Cordelia hugged Spike. "Good to see you Blondie. Where is Willow?"




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