05

Willow looked from Spike to Xander. “Absolutely not. Don’t even think about it.”

“Willow,” Xander cajoled. “it is just for one night. One measly night. Look, he can stay tied up. You can even gag him.” Spike glared at Xander and muttered an expletive under his breath. Xander shot him a warning look. “Anya and I want to have a romantic evening together. Look, I have been the undead babysitter for over a week. We really need some alone time. Besides, you owe me one.”

Willow read this as we would really like to have sex. Oh, gross. “For what?,” she snapped. Ever since Oz had left, her moods had been erratic. From tears to anger to laughter in seconds.

“I saved you from that big ugly vampire in the graveyard last week.” Xander said with pride.

“That was Buffy. He threw you on the ground and was about to. . .”

“Well, I distracted him after he grabbed you so that Buffy could stake him.”

Willow looked at her best friend with irritation. She got closer to him to whisper in his ear so Spike wouldn’t hear her. “I don’t want to be alone with him. I know he can’t bite but I’m still a little scared. He almost sired me, remember?”

Xander expelled a breath and said quietly. “He’s fangless, remember? He can only irritate you to death now.” He gave her his deadly lost puppy-dog look. “ I’ll even deliver him to your parent’s house.”

Spike finally had enough of this. “Hey, wait a bleedin’ minute here. I didn’t agree! I just got moved over to this dump. And now you expect me to. . .” Spike thought about this a moment. Hmm. . .an evening with the little red-haired witch or another spent with the idiot and his girlfriend. “Fine with me.” Willow was much better to look at than that blighter.

Willow sighed in defeat. She was too tired to fight. “Fine, bring him over tomorrow.” *********

The next evening, Willow watched Spike warily. He was bound by heavy rope to the chair at her desk. Her parents had gone to a party earlier that evening and they had informed her that she shouldn’t wait up for them. “Willow, could you please untie me? It hurts.”

Spike looked like he was in pain. “It does?” Willow’s eyes instantly welled with sympathy. “Oh, I’m sorry. “ She bit her lip. She couldn’t stand the thought of anyone being hurt. Even bleached blond vampires who had nearly killed her.

She looked behind him and noticed that his wrists showed the imprint of the ropes. “If I let you go, you wouldn’t. . .um. . .do anything. . .bad?”

Spike raised an eyebrow and gave her an unholy grin. “Like what, pet?” Willow’s hand went to her throat automatically, which was hidden from his view by her thick turtleneck sweater.

“I knew this was a dumb idea.” she said and turned away from him, ready to flee to the relative safety of the living room.

“Wait! I’m all bark and no bite, remember? Besides, luv, seems to me you could use a spot of company. I know your boyfriend left.” Willow glared at him. “I know how it feels, to be left.” He nearly choked on those words.

“What about Harmony?”

Spike rolled his eyes, insolent once more.“She was a phase, luv. The sex wasn’t even that great. Rebounding, y’know?”

Willow blushed but nodded. She was lonely and Spike was at least someone to talk to. He understood what is was like. She remembered the anguish she had seen in his eyes when he had told her about Drusilla. Of course, he’d been holding her hostage at the time. Everyone else was sick of hearing about how much she missed Oz. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to talk to him for a little while.

She kneeled behind him and began pulling at the heavy knots. Soon, he was free. “Thanks, luv,” he drawled. Spike stood up to his full height and rubbed his wrists. His black leather duster spread around him like the wings of a fallen angel.

Released from his bonds, he looked more intimidating. She took a step back. Willow was suddenly reminded of the lions she had seen at the zoo. They had been rendered helpless, temporarily, but they were still virulent, mesmerizing in their deadly grace. She shuddered but tried to appear calm.

He titled his head and looked at her. “I’m thirsty.”

“W-w-we have iced tea, some sodas, and milk, I think.” He stepped forward, she stepped back.

“Something wrong, pet?” She shook her head. He stepped forward, she stepped back. Until she was against the wall.

He caged her in with his hands and inhaled deeply. “Yes, I’m very thirsty.” Willow slid a hand behind her back, into her jeans pocket. She uncorked the small, perfume-sized bottle easily and was about to throw it on his face when he seized her wrist and pulled it from her grasp. In the process, his hand was splashed with the holy water.

“Ouch. Bloody hell, Red. That hurt! I was only playing with you. I can’t really bite, just wanted to tease you a little.” He poured the liquid into a nearby household plant and put the offending bottle into his coat pocket for safekeeping. He glanced around the room. “Got any other weapons? Stakes, swords, a slayer in the closet?”

“Serves you right!” She said. Her lips compressed into a tight line and she stalked to the kitchen downstairs. Spike followed her, penitent now.

He hoisted himself onto the breakfast bar beside her as she went to the fridge and pulled out a half-eaten cheesecake. “What’s that, luv?”

“Therapy.” she mumbled as she put a generous slice on her plate.

”I want some, too.” She frowned up at him but took down another plate and put a slice on it for him. If his mouth was full, at least he couldn’t talk. She took out two forks and they ate in silence. Spike groaned in pleasure as he ate the last bite. Her lips twitched with unrealized laughter. Big bad had a sweet tooth. She put both of their plates in the sink and opened the fridge to put the remnants of the cheesecake away. She indicated the blood packets in the crisper section. “Want some blood?”

“Cow blood is disgusting.” He made a face. “Unless you’d like to give me a donation, Red?”

“Let’s watch some videos.” She suggested cooly. Ten minutes later, Spike had sorted through her collection of videos with apparent disdain.

“No action movies, at all? Look at this drivel. ” he indicated the large stack of romantic comedies she owned. Spike picked up a copy of Interview With The Vampire. It was given to her by Xander as a gag gift. “Heard about this one, never saw it though. Let’s watch it.” He slid the video into the machine. “Least it isn’t about the Dracula blighter.” He tossed his duster over the arm of the couch before he settled down uncomfortably close to her on the couch. She moved down a little, he moved a little closer. She grimaced, he gave her an innocent expression. She pulled an accent pillow from the end of the couch and shoved it in between them. He smirked.

After they had been watching a few moments, Spike gestured to the chain- smoking, wise-cracking Christian Slater character and asked hopefully. “Is that bloke the vampire?”

“Aren’t you paying attention? He’s the interviewer. Louis is the vampire.”

“The one who’s whining? And why doesn’t he cut his bloody fingernails? We don’t have claws, we’re not cats. Bloody poof!”

Willow gave him a quelling look. “Do you always talk through movies?”

Spike crossed his arms and sat back further on the couch to watch the rest of the movie unfold. When it was over, Spike sat with a stunned expression on his face. “I liked that blond one. Had style, y’know. Kind of like me. But, that other one!” He rolled his eyes. “Just like Angel.” He made is voice deeper and melodramatic. “Woe is me, I have a soul. I am a bad, bad vampire. I am so wretched, somebody should stake me.”

Willow couldn’t help but laugh. Spike’s rendition of the brooding Angel was dead-on. She had to admit that even she found the tormented, guilt-ridden Angel aggravating at times.

“I mean, pet, if he hates himself so much why doesn’t he do us all a bloody favor and end it. Save us from hearing him bitch all the time.” He was warming to his topic. “Bloody sod. At least when he’s got a soul he’s not so nasty. Just sulks a bit and reads bloody poetry. ” Willow’s eyes widened. “He’s just like that sniveling fool, Louis.”

“Did you completely miss the point of this movie?” She said, tiredly.

“No! But it is misrepresentation. I mean, We don’t sit around graveyards moping. I have never eaten a rat. We don’t make children into vampires. I also bloody well enjoy being a vampire! It’s a lot of fun.” He gave her a meaningful look, “ Didn’t The Witches of Eastwick piss you off, Red? Gave you a bad name, didn’t it?”

“You actually watched that?”

“Had Jack in it, right?” She nodded, he gave her a shining grin. “Huge Nicholson fan.”

“Yes, that movie irritated me. Witches are not servants of the Devil.” She thought a moment, “ I guess I can see where it would get on your nerves.”

He smiled, she understood.

She sighed and stood up to stretch. “I’m going to take a shower and change.” Willow handed him the remote control started toward the stairs.

“Don’t suppose you want some company? I’m good with the whole bathtub thing. Been spending a lot of time in them lately.” She glared back at him. “Guess not.” He grinned sardonically at her retreating form.

*******

Willow arranged everything on the small bench in the bathroom. She had purchased green apple shower gel and lotion earlier in the week. She had run across it while at the mall and couldn’t resist the sale. She stepped in the shower. Spending an evening with Spike hadn’t been so bad after all, the “thirsty incident” aside. It felt good to not be alone. He distracted her from thinking about Oz and lightened her mood.

She had to admit that the blond vampire was an enigma. Demon? Yes. Evil? Not entirely. Immoral? Definitely. Desirable? Woah, where did that come from? Willow ceased thinking in that particular direction. She stepped out of the shower and toweled off. She put on her flannel pajamas with the little kittens on them and grimaced as she observed her reflection in the mirror. She mentally shook herself, did she want to dress up for him? Of course not! He’s just a handsome man. . .well, vampire. . .and I’m lonely. . .nothing wrong with just thinking. . .it’s just some weird rebound thing.

*******

She found him in her bedroom. Spike sat on her bed with a bottle of her father’s brandy and an empty pie plate. A cigarette dangled from his lips. He was surrounded by her collection of sweaters. He tossed the purple one he had been examining over his shoulder.

“What are you doing?” She shouted.

He took a long drag of his cigarette and examined her pajamas before he deigned to reply. No satin, no lace, no ribbons, just fuzzy animals which regarded him with sleepy faces. . .how disappointing. He quirked an eyebrow at her. “Luv, that outfit is more appalling than all of these little girl sweaters combined. Don’t you have anything a little sexier?”

Willow’s temper flared. She was stung by his comment. Her fists were clenched at her sides as she walked to the side of the bed to scowl at him. “Put my clothes back, give me that bottle, take the dish downstairs, don’t ever smoke in my room, and who made you a damn fashion critic!”

Spike’s eyes widened. The little witch knew how to swear? He set the brandy bottle down on her night stand and set his half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray he had found. He wasn’t even fazed by her anger. Actually, he was fascinated. . .her skin had taken on a rosy blush, her green eyes were bright, and her chest was heaving from her long-winded outburst. His eyes assessed her, he knew what had gotten her knickers in a bunch. “Red, I didn’t say you weren’t sexy, I just said your clothes weren’t.”

With an inarticulate cry of rage, Willow jumped on him. Spike was unprepared for the attack and she managed to punch him in the chest. But this wasn’t Xander she was tackling. And he wasn’t all that interested in a playful fight. “Bloody hell!” He grabbed her wrists and rolled her over until she was underneath him. He placed his legs on either side of her twisting frame and leaned over to peer into her face. She was still seething. “I expect this from the slayer but not you , pet. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she ground out at as she tried to fight her way loose. “Why isn’t your damn chip going off?” She thought of something awful to call him. Freakin’ leech!”

Spike blinked. “That was a bad one, Red. Been hanging out with sailors by the docks , have we? My bloody chip is not going off because I don’t intend to hurt you. I’m just subduing you.” He rested more of his weight against her and put his face close to hers. This was definitely better than staying with the idiot. After all, the idiot didn’t smell like roses, didn’t blush this delightful shade of crimson, his skin wasn’t soft. . .well, at least he imagined Willow’s skin was softer, not like he’d felt up the idiot.

Willow realized that he was enjoying her struggles. The situation quickly took on a different sort of tension. “Let me up!”

“But you were so eager to jump on me. ” He let go of her wrists and propped himself up on his elbows.

“Spike, this isn’t funny anymore.”

“I’ll agree with that. I don’t feel like laughing at all.”He pressed his hips against her and rotated. “In fact, I’m taking this very seriously.”

“Let me up!” She tried to sound authoritative.

“Kiss me and I’ll let you go. . .for now.”

“What?! All I have to do is pick up that phone and call Buffy and she’d -“

”But we both know you won’t, don’t we? How would you explain how I got untied?” He traced her lips with his thumb. “ Anyway, I don’t think that staking is on your mind when you look at me like that. I think you would enjoy my kisses.”

Willow tried to hide her face in the pillow. He held her head still and pressed his lips to hers. His mouth was greedy, stealing the air from her lungs and the jumbled thoughts from her mind. There was nothing left but Spike.

He lifted his mouth from her and put his head on her chest and with a contented smile. She didn’t know it yet but she was going to be his. This is who he had been searching for. Ever since he had captured the little red-head his life had not been right. This wasn’t a rebounding thing. He wanted no one else. . .not Harmony, not Dru. “My kisses are better than that flea- bitten mongrel you dated. . .what’s his name? Oz.”

Willow’s brow furrowed in concentration. Oz? Who was that again? Sanity returned. “Uh, well. . .it was certainly different.” No sense in inflating his already enormous ego further.

“Different?” he asked imperiously. He made as if to kiss her again and Willow instantly closed her eyes and held her mouth up. Spike chuckled, he just had his answer.

He slid off her and her eyes opened in confusion. She quickly recovered and glowered at him before getting up and stomping downstairs. “Damn vampires.” he heard her mumble. Spike’s laughter followed her downstairs.

*******

Xander looked at Willow. Xander glared at Spike. “What did you do to her, you bloodsucker?”

Spike was once again bound to the Willow’s small desk chair. The vampire had allowed her to tie him to the chair if she would start talking to him again. Xander had come for Spike just before dawn. “Not my fault if Red is sensitive about her jammies.”

“You saw her pajamas?!” Xander wasn’t sure what horrified him more, Willow’s little fashion show for the undead or the fact that Spike had just said “jammies.” “Which ones?”he said, curious.

“With the fuzzy little buggers on them. Uh, kittens I think.” Willow’s face was rapidly reddening.

“Oh, the sleepy ones? She has bunny ones too.”

Willow interrupted this little discussion of her nightclothes. “Xander, I can see dawn’s early light.”

“Christ!” Spike said as he tipped his chair back and fell to the floor.

“What do we do?” Xander asked. “I could throw a blanket over him.”

“And what if it happens to slip off when you are carting me out to the car? I get to spend the rest of my days as fertilizer in your mum’s pot of daisies? I don’t think so. It’s not like you can do two things at once. The last time you tried to chew gum and walk, you tripped! I’m staying with Red here. ” Spike said.

Willow groaned as Xander said. “Sorry, Willow. It looks like Spike has to stay here for the day.”

“Xander, my parents are here! Do you know how hard it was to explain the blood in the fridge? Do you think they’ll buy that I have a 6 foot tall science project in the basement?”

Spike grinned. “You can always hide me in your bedroom. After all, I’ve already been in your bed, luv.”

“WHAT?!” Xander’s eyes were wild.

Willow threw Spike a murderous glare. “He was nodding off in the chair and I took pity on him. I let him sleep on the bed.” She lied quickly.

“He’s a vampire Willow. Nocturnal, remember?”

“Doesn’t matter, mate. She’s lying anyway.” Spike grinned at him. “She let me on the bed, but I wasn’t sleeping.”

“In your dreams, Fang Boy.” Xander didn’t give it a second thought. He knew Willow and how she felt about vampires, he told himself.

When his comment failed to provoke another rise out of him, Spike started getting annoyed. “Isn’t it time you were going? Shag your girlfriend, deliver pizzas, or whatever it is that you do?”

Willow watched Xander pull out of the driveway. She let the shade fall back into place and turned to stare at Spike. Willow grimaced, it was going to be a very long day. He had twisted out of her half-hearted knots already and was lounging on her bed. His hands were pulled behind his head and he winked. “What will we do to occupy ourselves?”

***** “Watching you do your homework wasn’t what I had in mind, pet.” Spike grumbled as he watched Willow typing furiously at her computer. She was writing an English essay. It was nearly noon and she had hardly spoken to him.

“Oh? Maybe I should call Xander and he could come and pick you up.” Her voice was infused with sarcasm.

“I don’t think so. In fact, I think I’ll head downstairs and have a cup of cocoa with your mum and dad. Be sociable, y’know.” He stood up and took off his shirt as he walked to the door. “My, it’s hot in here.”

“No! Sit down, Spike.” Willow did not want to explain to her parents why there was a half naked man sitting at their dining room table. “And put your shirt back on!”

“What’s the matter, luv? You look a little flustered.” He walked over to stand beside her desk. Reaching out his hand, he cupped her chin to examine her face. “As a matter of fact, I do believe you’re blushing.”

“If you’re craving chocolate, there’s a candy bar in my backpack, okay? Now, be quiet so I can finish this.” As he headed toward her backpack beside the bed, she sighed and began to breathe easier as she tried to think of another phrase for “unreliable narrator” to describe Holden Caulfield. She heard Spike rustling through various things, then heard him zip the bag back up, apparently having found what he wanted.

“You always keep Dove bars in your bag, pet?”

“Shhhh.” She continued typing. Ten minutes later, she realized that he was being incredibly quiet. She couldn’t even hear a candy wrapper rustling. She turned to see what was going on. “What are you reading?”

“A very unique volume about this cute little red head I know, who’s really sad because she just lost her puppy.” He held her diary aloft like a red flag, then casually settled back in to continue reading.

With a screech of pure fury, Willow launched herself across the room. She leaped onto the bed and grabbed at the book.

Spike dropped the journal to grab her wrists and smirked. “You just had to say you were in the mood, luv. No sneak attacks, necessary.” When she made a sound of inarticulate frustration, he blew her a kiss.

“You, you , you . . .well, if I could think of something mean and nasty, I’d call you that. Let me go, and give me back my diary or I’ll–“ Willow was cut off by a knock at the door.