Title: Sweet Hereafter
Author: Eve
Email: alfa_fighter_3@hotmail.com
Pairing: W/A/S
Rating: NC-17 overall
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all characters from BtVS and A:tS, the rest are mine.
Author's Notes: In my world, there was no Tara, no Glory, and Angel has been in love with Willow since she brought him back from Hell
Feedback: Writers need feedback like mere mortals need air. :-P
Summary: Fifteen years after the opening of the Hellmouth, Willow, Spike, and Angel meet again

Chapter 14


Angel watched as Sean actually gulped and stepped back under the power of Willow's stare. "I, uh. Yeah. I put up a ward around Spike," he finally got out. "He stepped right through it."

Willow began eating a roll slathered with butter. "He's already got a protection spell on him. It's designed to guard him from other magic," she said between bites. Angel tracked every movement of her small hands. It was all he could do not to heave the table out of the way and pounce on her. Did she really need to lick her fingers like that?

"Oh. But then how did you . . . you know. Blast him."

"When I said other magic, I meant magic other than mine. No one else can hurt him, but he's still at my mercy." Was she talking about him, or about Spike now? She caught his hungry stare, and he could see the amusement sparkling in her eyes. Vixen. Now she was popping grapes in between those soft, supple lips.

"Did that spell also include super-strength?" Mac wondered, speaking up for the first time. "I got KO'ed in about five seconds."

She shook her head. "Sorry. That would have been him working on pure adrenaline. You know, like old ladies lifting up cars to save kids trapped underneath."

Mac smiled at her. "I don't know whether I feel better or worse."

Angel kept his own thoughts too himself. Spike was strong. Stronger than he should have been. The hole in Angel's chest could attest to that. And it wasn't just the adrenaline that was causing it. Then he noticed that Willow was absently running her fingers over the base of her throat. His pants were becoming tighter and tighter by the second. Unheeding of his company, he closed his eyes and let her flood his senses. Her heartbeat was a loud and steady pulse of reassurance echoing in his ears. Not a vampire, he kept telling himself. Not a--sweet Jesus.

His eyes flew open to fixate on a smug looking Willow. Her foot was slowly making it's way up his leg, over his knee. He clutched a coffee mug, and tiny cracks began to appear on its surface. His thoughts began to alternate between "She wouldn't dare" and "Please God let her do it." When her toe whispered across his straining erection he jumped, knocking over some glasses. He glared at her, mentally telegraphing "I'll get you for that." She just smirked back at him.

Mac and Sean gave Angel a funny look, and then Sean said, "So what are we going to do about Spike?"

Angel and Willow shifted to stare at him. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, he attacked Angel. He's dangerous. If it wasn't for you, Angel would be d--"

"Absolutely fine," Angel cut in. "This is between me and Spike. I'll handle it."

Penelope sat down beside him. "Besides, he has that chip. He can't hurt any humans."

Angel watched Willow's face carefully. She lied with ease. "Right. No worries." Pretending to scratch his thigh, he reached under the table and grabbed the foot that was in his lap. Thank God for table cloths. He squeezed her foot, trying to get her attention without being obvious. When she glanced at him, he gave her a hard look. He knew the chip wasn't working. Spike was dangerous. He'd almost gone after Sean.

"He is dangerous to Angel, though," Sean said. "We should keep an eye on him."

"Spike won't hurt Angel," Willow protested lightly, sounding assured. Angel wondered where her confidence came from.

"Are you kidding?" Sean exclaimed. "Spike nearly killed him."

"Sean," Penelope warned. He ignored her.

"We should have left him on the street. I saw the look in his eyes. He wanted to kill me."

Angel growled at his employee. If anyone was going to hurt his Childe, it was going to be him. But his reaction was nothing compared to Willow's. She was on her feet in an instant, seething with an anger that had appeared out of nowhere.

Dangerously, she said, "If you so much as go near him with any wooden object bigger than a splinter, I will kill you."

The threat hovered in the air, silencing everyone. Sean bristled, but wisely kept his mouth shut. Angel shivered involuntarily, wondering what she would have done to him if he had killed Spike. She was like a normally docile tiger whose young were being threatened. Their was no fiercer female than that, no way to defend yourself against an attack. It was then that Angel realized the extent of Willow's love for his Childe. She would kill an innocent to protect him. To protect a demon that himself had killed hundreds of innocents.

But don't you feel the same way? something inside him prodded. Why did you bring him back here, out of the deadly rays of the sun? Why did you cradle his head in your lap on the way to the hotel? Why did you lay him so tenderly on your bed? And if Willow was so concerned about Spike's safety, why wasn't she by his side right now like Angel had the sudden urge to be?

His last thought was canceled out as Willow abruptly said, "I'm going to check on Spike."

Angel made a move to follow her, but Penelope placed her hand on his shoulder and shook her head. "I'll go. You keep an eye on Mr. Tact, here," she said, shooting a pointed glance at Sean before following Willow into the bedroom.

Sean had the grace to look sheepish. "Sorry. I didn't realize . . . You don't think--She really wouldn't, you know . . . kill me."

Angel just raised his eyebrows. He was pretty sure that Willow would, indeed, go to that length to protect her bond-mate. But he didn't want Sean to know that.

Penelope watched Willow as she tenderly brushed Spike's bleached locks back from his forehead. It still baffled her to no end how someone could love a soulless demon. Especially this soulless demon. If it wasn't for the fact that he had that chip in his head rendering him harmless to humans, she would have staked him in an instant. Or died trying. No matter how Willow or Angel felt about him.

"Is he going to be okay?" she asked softly.

Willow nodded, tucking the covers more securely around his lean frame. "All I did was overpower him with psychic energy. Plus he's got a hard head. He'll wake up in a few hours."

"He did almost kill Angel, you know." Willow looked at her sharply, and Penelope kept her face as neutral as possible.

"What we perceive isn't always reality."

"And what is reality?"

Willow didn't answer right away, and Penelope could see the gears turning behind her eyes. She was debating what to say.

"How much do you know about Spike, Penelope?"

She was surprised by the question and immediately answered, "A lot." She mentally kicked herself for her hasty reply. Unlike Sean, she had no doubts about Willow's intentions to kill anyone who tried to harm the sleeping vampire. She knew all too well about killing to protect the ones you loved. The ones you had loved.

Willow's eyes narrowed to bright green slits. "Really?"

Before Willow could look any more suspicious, Penelope joked, "Of course. William the Bloody is required reading in the Watcher's Council."

"Right. The Watcher's Council." Willow relaxed slightly, and stood up, coming towards Penelope. "And how much did the Council teach you about the relationship between Childe and Sire? Specifically, between Angel and Spike?"

Now Penelope was lost. She knew they had been inseparable after Angel turned Spike, but once Spike found out about Angel's soul, they became bitter enemies. He even teamed up with the Slayer to destroy his Sire. Then something Angel said came back to her. "Spike and I don't have the best relationship, but he's still my Childe."

"Are you saying that Spike had no intention of killing Angel? He was just trying to prove some point?"

"Oh no. I'm sure that Spike had every intention of killing Angel. But would you actually kill your parents if you had the opportunity? Even if they had made you so angry you couldn't see straight?"

Her repulsion at the idea must have showed on her face, because Willow chuckled softly. "Vampires really aren't all that different from humans, no matter what the Council tries to tell everyone."

Penelope begged to differ, but she respected Willow. Still, that wouldn't stop her from keeping a close eye on Spike. A sudden thought occurred to her. If something were to happen to Spike, how would that affect the bond? What would happen to Willow?

"I don't know if this is the best time for this, but--"

"You want to know about the bond, don't you?"

Penelope stared into Willow's knowing eyes. "That obvious, huh?"

"Once a Watcher always a Watcher. I thought maybe Angel would have told you."

"He told me it wasn't his place to tell."

"He was right." Willow smiled to soften her words. "Why don't we get together sometime? Have a little girl talk?"

Penelope nodded. "All right. Just let me know when." She turned to leave, but Willow stopped her just as she was reaching for the door.

"Oh, and Penelope? You might as well bring a notebook, because I know you'll write it all down anyway the first chance you get."

She smiled at the witch, feeling the beginnings of a friendship warm her belly. With a seemingly casual glance at the vampire who had inadvertently steered the course of her life, she left the room.

No matter how she felt about Willow, Spike would pay. She would make sure of it.




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