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“Shouldn’t you be in Calculus?” Buffy shot back. She smiled suddenly and straightened in her chair. “You look excited. What’s up?”
“I’m going to tell him,” Willow replied shortly.
“Tell him?” Buffy asked, genuinely confused. She stared at her friend for a moment, then her eyes widened. “Oh, him,” she said at last. Her smile faded as a thought came to her. “What about Oz?” she asked.
“What about him?”
“Well, doesn’t he have an opinion about this? I mean, come on, Willow, he’s your boyfriend.”
“Oh, not anymore,” Willow said, and frowned slightly. “I broke up with him. It’s just been too hard, you know, trying to forget about my feelings for Xander. I mean, I know I’m supposed to be over him, Buffy, but I never stop thinking about him.”
“I can relate,” Buffy said quietly, then forced a smile. “I think it’s great, Will. You and Xander belong together.”
“Yup, I know,” Willow said with a playful shrug of her shoulders. “And tonight, he’s going to know it.”
**
Xander nodded as Willow and Buffy entered the Bronze. “Wow, you look hot,” he joked as they sat at his table.
“Which one of us were you referring to?” Buffy asked.
“Both,” Xander said, and grinned broadly when he saw the blush creep up Willow’s cheeks. “So,” he said casually. “Where’s the Ozmeister?”
Willow looked slightly embarrassed, and looked away. “Uh, he couldn’t make it,” she said.
“Aw, that’s too bad. I guess that’s a pretty good thing, though. I think
the full moon is coming.” Xander snickered and patted Willow gently on
the arm. “Has the hair grown in on his hands yet? You might want to haul
out the lock and chains.”
“Xander!” Buffy snapped, darting a quick look at Willow. “You can be
an insensitive jerk, you know that?”
“What do you mean?” Xander asked, clearly confused. “I was just joking around Buffy. You don’t have to take everything as a personal insult.” Buffy only stared back sullenly. “You weren’t that upset, were you Will? Willow?”
Willow tried to hide her embarrassment, but failed miserably. “It’s just that, I—“
“It’s just that she and Oz broke up, Xander,” Buffy cut in. “And you just go on and on about him being a werewolf. Talk about lack of regard for people’s feelings.”
Xander looked at Willow sharply. “You and Oz broke up?” he asked, his shock evident. “When did this happen?”
“It doesn’t really matter,” Willow started. She jumped to her feet when Buffy started to move away from the table. “Where are you going?” she asked sharply.
“I’m going to get some drinks,” Buffy replied. “You two just keep on talking,” she said, throwing Willow a quick smile. “I’ll be right back.”
“Famous last words,” Xander cracked, and laughed at the look Buffy tossed him. “I can’t believe it,” he said after she had left. “About you and Oz. I thought you two were happy.”
“Yeah, well, we had our problems,” Willow said hastily. “I mean, what couple doesn’t? And besides, I realized something that I’ve been trying for a long time to deny.”
“What’s that?” Xander asked.
Willow looked across the table at Xander seriously, and covered both of his hands with hers. “I know we’re really good friends, Xander. Best friends. And you just got out of a relationship with Cordy, and me with Oz, but I was thinking—“ She was cut off by a sudden shrill scream.
“What was that?” Xander asked, pulling his hands away.
“I don’t know,” Willow said, equally panicked. She looked around the eerily quiet room. The music, the talking, everything, had ceased. Everyone stared around the room in stunned silence. “That girl who screamed,” she said. “It sounded like—“
Xander’s eyes grew wide with horror. “Buffy!”
Willow’s head snapped around to look toward the beverage counter. “Oh my god!” she cried, and her hand flew to her mouth.
“Nobody move.” Willow cringed as the vampire pushed the blade more firmly against the slayer’s skin. “That includes you!” he snapped, waving a hand at Xander.
Xander stopped dead in his tracks and glared at the blond vampire. “Why don’t you just suck her blood, Spike?” he taunted. “You afraid the little slayer is going to kick your vampire ass?”
Spike grimaced at the boy’s insult, and shoved Buffy away angrily. “I was going to let you go, little fly, but now I think I’ll kill you.”
“No!” Willow shouted. She stepped between Xander and Spike, straightening herself to her maximum height. “You’ll have to go through me first.”
Spike made a show of being mournful, then lunged at the girl. Willow held back a scream as the knife blade slid up against her throat. “Willow!” Buffy shouted, running forward.
“I wouldn’t,” Spike warned, glaring at the slayer. “Unless you were planning on redecorating, of course,” he said with a grin. “A nice bloody mural on the wall might attract a crowd, eh? This place is begging for a pick-me-up anyway.”
“Yes,” Drusilla purred, appearing, as far as anyone could tell, out of nowhere. “A little pick-me-up.” Her words trailed off into cackling laughter.
Spike nodded, and backed away from the crowd assembled around him. “You’re going to regret you were ever born, slayer,” he drawled to Buffy, and sauntered out of the room, dragging a protesting Willow behind him.
**
“Where are we?” Willow choked.
Spike glowered at the girl. “Home. It’s where the blood is.” Willow looked at him strangely. “Isn’t that what you say?” he asked. There was still no response. “Home is where the blood is?!” Spike snapped.
“Oh,” Willow said, realization at last dawning. “Home is where the heart is,” she corrected.
“Yes. Blood, heart, whatever. Dru!”
Drusilla walked into the room, casting a menacing look at Willow as she passed. “Yes, Spikey?” she asked smoothly.
“Get a refreshment for our—guest,” Spike said. Dru didn’t move. “Dru! Get her a drink! Of water,” he spit out with obvious distaste.
“What would she want that for?” Dru asked.
“She’s not one of us, pet,” Spike explained. “Not yet at least.”
“I never will be!” Willow said adamantly. “Buffy would kill you before she let you do that to me.”
“Well your little slayer friend doesn’t seem to be doing much of anything right now!” Spike said angrily. He looked around the cavern bitterly. “Where is that girl anyway? She must have followed us here.”
“Maybe she’s waiting,” Dru said, coming up behind them. She handed Willow the glass, then wrapped an arm around Spike’s shoulders. “Maybe she’s laying in wait.”
“Perhaps we should root her out,” Spike suggested.
“You’ve got it all wrong!” Willow exclaimed suddenly. The vampires glanced at her with undisguised shock. “You have to know how Buffy works,” she said. “She won’t do anything without a good plan first. She’s learned from that mistake.”
Spike raised an eyebrow and slid into position beside Willow. He slung an arm around her middle and guided her gently toward the table, then helped her into a chair. “You know the slayer better than either of us do,” he admitted. “I’m afraid that we have been outmatched, love,” he said mournfully to Dru. “I’m afraid that our ideas about the slayer were entirely wrong.”
Dru smiled and walked casually over to lean on the back of Willow’s chair. Willow shook her head resolutely. “Oh no, I don’t think so guys. You’re going to try to trick me into telling you Buffy’s secrets. No way am I falling for that one.”
Spike only smiled and leaned in closer to the girl. “What if I told you there was something in it for you?” he asked quietly.
**
“We’ve got to find her, Giles,” Buffy said firmly. She glanced at the table a few feet away, where Xander sat with his head in his hands, staring the tabletop blankly. “It’s driving him crazy,” she whispered. “And frankly, I’m not doing much better.”
“I know you’re worried,” Giles sympathized. “And you have every right to be. But it’s been weeks, Buffy. It seems if Willow were going to be found, we would have found her by now.”
“Giles!” Buffy exclaimed. “Did you give up on me this easy?” she asked tremulously. “I hope not! Willow is my best friend! It’s not fair for you to give up on her so easily.”
“I am not giving up, Buffy. “I’m just saying—“
“Yeah, I know what you’re saying,” Buffy interrupted bitterly. “She’s with Spike and Dru, the world’s two craziest vampires. She’s probably dead already. Well, I’m not going to think like that.” She started to pace the library slowly. “Where would they take her?” she asked no one in particular.
Xander lifted his head from his hands and regarded Buffy with red-rimmed eyes. “How about their lair?” he asked hoarsely.
“That’s it!” Buffy exclaimed, hitting her forehead. “Why didn’t I think of that? Spike and Dru had a—cavern, I think. At least Angel said they did. They were always moving around, though. I noticed vampires have this tendency to do that. Do you think they would go back there when they came back from—wherever?”
“And risk being destroyed by the slayer as soon as they returned?” Giles asked doubtfully. “It certainly wouldn’t be the smartest maneuver.”
“Giles, we’re talking vampires. They aren’t exactly overflowing in the brains department.”
Giles still looked uncertain, but followed the slayer as she headed out of the library. She turned back to face Xander, who had still not moved from his seat at the table. He held a small locket of Willow’s in his hand. “Do you want to come along?” Buffy asked gently.
“No,” Xander said, his voice dead. He looked up slowly, and his tone softened. “I want to be here—in case she comes back.”
Buffy nodded and reluctantly turned her back on her friend, leaving him alone in the still library.
**
“Mmm, five course meal!” Willow exclaimed. “I never realized you knew how to cook!”
Spike grinned, an odd expression for him, Willow noted with some amusement. “You wouldn’t believe what you pick up over the centuries.”
Willow tried to contain her mirth, but failed miserably. She burst into laughter, spraying apple cider onto the front of the vampire’s jacket. “Oh, Spikey!” Willow cried, unconsciously mimicking the absent Dru. “Your jacket is ruined!”
“Oh, it’s alright. We’ll make a run over to the laundromat after supper.” Willow stared back in shock. “What?” Spike asked innocently. “You think vampires don’t have to do laundry? Do you think I would be caught dead in a pair of dirty clothes?”
Willow cocked an eyebrow. “Well, yeah, actually you are all the time.” She grinned in anticipation of the vampire’s reaction to her mild joke. To her surprise, Spike actually laughed. “Well, looks like I’ve scored two points for the night!” Willow said gleefully.
“Well, your victory will be short-lived,” Spike said.
Willow winced, and looked as if she had been stung. “What if Buffy doesn’t show up? “ she asked timidly. Spike looked to her curiously. “I mean, it doesn’t look like she’s really planning on coming after me,” Willow explained. “What are you going to do with me if she never shows?”
Spike pondered the question for a moment, then regarded Willow seriously. “Is it that bad with us?” he asked finally.
“You’re vampires,” Willow said simply.
“Yes.”
“I can’t stay here with you guys, “ Willow said. “For one thing, Dru hates me. She’s mean to me whenever you’re not around and ignores me if you are. And lately she isn’t here at all. Plus you’re trying to kill my best friend, and if you have to, you’ll kill me too. How am I supposed to react to this situation, Spike? You’ve been really nice and gracious to me, but who’s to say you won’t slit my throat tomorrow?”
“I wouldn’t do that,” Spike said defensively.
“Why wouldn’t you?”
Spike looked slightly confused, but then his expression hardened. “Because you serve your purpose alive. You’re no good to us dead.” He tossed down the plate he had been holding, and it shattered loudly on the stone floor. Willow watched in wide-eyed surprise as the vampire stalked angrily out of the room and slid out of sight.
Willow sat silently for a moment after the vampire left, frowning. She couldn’t imagine what had set Spike off. Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft scraping noise from behind her. She jumped to her feet, grabbing the handle of a nearby pot, and whirled to meet the intruder. Her heart skipped a beat when her eyes fell on Buffy.
“Buffy?” she asked incredulously. She looked down in shame at the pot in her hand, her face burning. “I thought you were—someone else.”
“Spike?” Buffy asked. “Has he done anything to hurt you, Willow? If he has, I’ll kill him. I might kill him anyway! Oh, Willow, you have no idea how worried I was!” Buffy cried, throwing her arms around her friend.
“Buffy!” Willow exclaimed. She looked into the slayer’s eyes, and bit her lip painfully. She couldn’t believe what she was about to say. “Go.” It was almost a whisper.
“Not yet,” Buffy said, pulling away from her. “I want to take care of Spike and Dru first.”
“Buffy, you can’t!” Willow cried.
Buffy was taken aback. “Why not? Willow, is something wrong?”
“Yes, something’s wrong! You can’t stay here, Buffy! You don’t know what Spike’ll do to you!”
“Spike won’t do anything to me Willow. I’ll kill him before he gets the chance,” Buffy said hotly.
“Buffy, no!” Willow protested. She bit her lower lip nervously. “You have to promise me something Buffy.” Buffy stared at her, confused. “You can’t hurt Spike. He’s been so—nice—to me. I know that probably sounds crazy, but you don’t know him, Buffy.”
“And you do?”
“I’ve been here with him for almost a month Buffy! How could I not get to know him?”
Buffy drew back, looking as if she’d been stung. “Willow, I’m so sorry—“
“I’m not!” Willow shouted. Her hand flew to her mouth, and she looked around hastily to check for any sign of Spike. She leaned toward Buffy and spoke, just loud enough to be heard. “You have to promise not to touch him, Buffy.”
“Touch him?” Buffy asked incredulously. “Spike is a vampire, Willow! And he kidnapped you! I’ll do a lot more than touch him. I’ll kill him!”
“Oh yeah, you’ve had a lot of luck doing that in the past.” Buffy looked at Willow in shock. Willow felt a guilty twinge, but continued, regardless. “Go, Buffy! Leave before Spike gets back!” Willow whispered urgently.
“Willow—“
“Buffy, go!”
Buffy looked tempted to leave but held her ground. She looked almost fearfully around the cramped area for Spike or Dru. “I’m not leaving without you,” she said softly. “Giles is waiting outside. If you’ll just run out, I can take care of Spike and Dru.”
“Buffy, no,” Willow whispered back. “You can’t hurt Spike. I told you!
You have to promise me!”
Buffy shook her head, clearly furious, then finally pushed Willow back
in the direction she had come. “Follow this cave out. It’ll take you straight
to Giles. He knows the rest of the way back from there. Quick, Willow,
go! I hear them coming!”
Willow heard it. Just faintly. Spike and Dru were coming back. She wondered briefly where Spike had found the vampire, and if he had relayed any of her thoughts to her. She forced herself to refocus her attention, though, and concentrate on her escape. Despite her happiness at seeing Buffy and her friends again, she did not want to leave Spike, after all the kindness he had shown her.
“Willow!” Buffy whispered urgently, and Willow started into motion. She put a hand on Buffy’s shoulder before leaving.
“Do you promise not to hurt him?” she asked quietly.
“I promise!” Buffy whispered urgently. “Now come on, Willow! Run!”
Willow stared at her friend for a moment, then heard the door bang open,
and disappeared into the darkness.
Fan Fiction Chamber