Title: No Such Thing As A Simple Kiss
Author: Karen U.
Email: revivingophelia13@yahoo.com
Rating: PG (another fluff piece)
Distribution: If you have the first one, you can have this.
Disclaimer: I do not own Willow, Spike, or any of the BtVS or Angel characters. Joss Whedon, the WB, and a lot of other people do.
Summary: Sequel to "Just a Little Misunderstanding."
Feedback: I love it. (No flames, please.)
Special Thanks: Peri, who beta'd this for me

Willow woke up slowly, reluctant to give up the bliss of sleep. Waking up meant her head hurt again. She opened her eyes slowly, carefully, trying not to jar her head. She paused, trying to remember why her jaw hurt so badly. When she remembered, her eyes flew open, and she sat straight up in bed. That was when she realized it wasn't her bed. It was Spike's. And he was in it with her. She looked down at herself, taking in the black T-shirt she was wearing. The fact that she was dressed gave her hope that she hadn't done anything she couldn't remember. She glanced at Spike. He was shirtless, but beyond that, she couldn't tell. She moved her leg under the covers, grateful when she encountered a leg that seemed to be encased in sweatpants. She breathed a sigh of relief, happy that she hadn't done naughty things with Spike and then been so unlucky as to forget about it. She snuck another look at Spike. He looked so peaceful, so...so...dead. That wasn't a comforting thought. She sighed and laid back down, studying him. He had amazing cheekbones. He was incredibly gorgeous. And wonderful. Really, really wonderful. She smiled softly, remembering how Spike had kissed her, then pulled her close to him and told her to sleep. She had fallen asleep with him stroking her hair and telling her stories about England. Her mind drifted back to the kiss they'd shared. It had been wonderful, it had been amazing, it had been... completely and utterly stupid. What would Buffy say? What about Xander? He'd completely freak. And Angel? He'd be ready with a stake. Willow began to panic before she realized something. She didn't care what the others thought. She could worry about them later. Right now, she cared about what Spike thought.

Spike was awake, and he had been for awhile. He had heard the change in Willow's breathing and felt her shift against him as she awoke. It had been difficult not to grab her and kiss her senseless. He had been on the verge of doing so when he had felt the mattress shift as Willow shot upright. He had nearly groaned, afraid that she was going to bolt. He couldn't very well chase her, what with it being day and all. The Slayer and her friends had taken down the heavy curtains in some of the rooms, and he didn't welcome the thought of becoming a crispy critter while chasing Willow through the house. He felt Willow's foot brush his leg, and he momentarily wished that he had stripped down to his boxers instead putting on his sweatpants. He quickly pushed that thought out of his head when he realized that Willow would have run for sure if she had discovered he was pantsless. The bed shifted again, and Spike nearly sighed in relief as he felt the little redhead slide back under the covers. However, the relief was short-lived. He could feel her intense stare, and he wondered what she was thinking. He hoped she didn't regret kissing him. He sure as hell didn't regret kissing her. After a few minutes under Willow's scrutiny, he decided it was time for him to 'wake up.' He stretched slightly, and considered feigning a yawn before deciding that would be overkill. He opened his eyes slowly to find himself staring at Willow, who was now in the process of pretending to sleep.

He was waking up! What was she going to do? What was she going to say? Acting quickly, Willow closed her eyes and tried to keep her breathing even. She prayed he would buy her act and think she was sleeping. She had no idea what to say to him.

"I know you're awake, pet. I can tell by the way you're breathing."

Damn. Faking sleep around a vampire was apparently out. Slowly, Willow opened her eyes.

"Hi," she whispered.

Spike's smile made her heart give a little jump. "Good morning, love." His smile widened slightly. "See. That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Willow blushed slightly. "No, it wasn't." She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling for a moment, then chanced a look at Spike. He was staring at her with an intense expression on his face. She sighed, then turned back to face him fully. "I wasn't sure how to act. I mean... you, me, us... are we an us?"

"Do you want us to be?"

Willow got out of the bed and began pacing, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was wearing nothing but Spike's black T-shirt, which hung halfway down her thighs. "I want there to be an us. But I'm not sure if there can be."

"And just why the bloody hell not?" Spike exclaimed, sitting up in bed. Willow blushed as she got her first look at Spike's fully naked chest, then resumed her pacing.

"I'm a human. You're a vampire. That doesn't seem to work out too well. I mean, look at Buffy and Angel."

Spike groaned, then reached out and grabbed Willow around the waist, pulling her back to the bed. All that pacing was making him dizzy. "I know all about Buffy and Angel. The Slayer and the vampire with a soul, sending tortured looks to one another for eternity. Well, you're not the Slayer, are you? And I'm not my bloody poof of a sire, either. I don't exactly have a soul to lose, if you know what I mean," he said with a suggestive grin. Willow's face grew red as she thought of exactly how Angel had lost his soul.

"Spike."

"What, pet?"

"This is serious. Do you want to be with me?"

"You know I do, love. Or, at least, you should know."

"Do you think it's possible for us to be together? I mean, me - human, you - bloodsucking demon?"

Spike thought for a moment. He could tell Willow wanted to be with him, her feelings were always written across her face. It was one of the things he loved about her. He also knew she was asking a serious question and wanted a serious answer. After a few minutes in which Willow's hopes plunged, he spoke.

"I think it's possible. I'm not saying it will always be easy. You'll age, I won't. Of course, you'll probably look eighteen for the next fifteen years or so, so that won't even be a problem for awhile."

"Fifteen years? You're already thinking that far ahead?"

Spike laughed. For him, fifteen years wasn't all that long. However, Willow hadn't been alive for much over fifteen years. "Pet, I was with Dru for over a century."

"Oh, yeah." Willow paused, then looked at him. "So... you want to try it? You and me, that is?"

Spike pulled Willow close and kissed her forehead. "Yes, love, I want to try it."

He felt Willow nod, her cheek rubbing against his chest. "Good. So do I. That just leaves one more thing."

"What's that, pet?"

"Telling the others."

The End