Title: Blinded With Science
Author: Jonquil
Email: serpyllum@yahoo.com
Distribution: Just ask.
Rating: R (strong language, violence, sexual references)
Spoilers: Fourth season, post-Oz, pre-Tara
Summary: Willow has re-fanged Spike, and must deal with the consequences. Followed by "In the Company of Wolves".
Feedback: reinforces the desired behavior.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to large corporations, and were created by the brilliant writers for Buffy and Angel.

Chapter 3


Sunnydale was a small town, and Willow, if not a snappy dresser, was at least a speedy one. She arrived, slightly out of breath, at the coffee shop a minute before her self-imposed deadline. She scanned the seating area anxiously, and found Spike scowling in a corner booth. She ordered a decaf latte, waited for it to be made, oblivious to the counter worker's attempts to flirt, and took her cup back to the booth. This early in the semester, there were few students desperate enough to pull all-nighters; they had the shop to themselves, except for the bored counterman, who had returned to his copy of the Necronomicon. (You can find anything on a Hellmouth.)

Starting conversations was always so difficult. Willow looked hopefully at Spike, who was staring pointedly into his empty espresso cup. Why does the shy person always get stuck doing the talking? She took a sip of her latte, then peeked over the bowl at the vampire. Still staring into the cup. Boy, those must be some fascinating dregs. I wonder if you can tell fortunes from coffee grounds as well as tea leaves? I should ask Giles. Of course, he probably wouldn't approve, so maybe I should just look it up myself the next time I'm at his place...

Spike cleared his throat pointedly. This wasn't my idea. You asked for the meeting, you begin it.

Just when it looked as if the narrator was going to have to intervene, Willow gave up the contest. "So, how's the whole biting problem?"

Spike growled. "Do you think we'd be having this conversation if it had cleared up? I suppose I could be having the conversation, but I never much liked monologues. You'd be in no condition to participate."

"Why do you keep threatening the person who's trying to help you? I mean, I know being scary is part of the whole vampire thing, but it doesn't make a lot of sense right at this moment. Why should I help you, if you're just going to kill me?"

"Good question, Witch. I never did trust altruists. Why should you help me? What's in it for you? Got somebody you want disposed of? Planning a dramatic suicide to get the Slayer's attention away from her new beefheaded boytoy? In either case, count me out, thanks."

Willow swallowed hard. "Buffy is my friend, and I'm glad she's found somebody to love. And -- and this isn't about me, it's about you.

"I never liked zoos, even when I was little. Even aside from the whole frog thing, I felt so sorry for the wolves. They just paced and paced and paced, in this little tiny cage, and they never got anywhere, and they never looked like they were having any fun.

"And I always thought, wolves should be wolves. Maybe they do eat Bambi, and maybe they'd eat me and Xander if they got the chance, but they don't belong in cages. It's one thing to shoot a wolf that's trying to kill you. It's different to make that wolf miserable for the rest of its life, just so elementary-school kids can see what a really unhappy wolf looks like. It's wrong.

"Right now, you're the wolf. You even pace like one. And I hate it. And I can't stake you, because you aren't trying to kill me, right this minute. So that doesn't leave any other good choices. So I guess I unlock the cage."

She took another swallow of the latte to avoid Spike's face, and the contempt she was sure she'd find there. Eww, there was a skin on the top, and the drink underneath was lukewarm. Not only am I making a fool of myself, I'm drinking stale coffee-flavored milk. I wish I were back home with my laptop!

Spike laughed. Not happily, but it was a laugh. "High-mindedness gets you killed, princess. This is real life, not a fairy tale. If you set the wolf free, he isn't going to turn into a noble prince."

Willow looked across the table. For once, Spike wasn't sneering, and his face was serious. "I know. You're our enemy, and that isn't going to change. But I have to play by my rules, even when I know that you won't. Otherwise I'm no better than the things I'm fighting.

"But I'm not stupid, Spike. I'm not going to help you get rid of that chip, unless I can make sure you'll leave my friends alone. If we're going to end this truce, it can't be with you murdering all of us.

"I'm pretty sure I know how to set you free. That's the easy part. What I can't figure out is how to open the cage without being eaten by the wolf." She raised her eyes and met Spike's full-on. "I thought you might be able to help with that part."




Next Chapter