Title:  And it Starts All Over Again
Author:  Paige
E-mail:  paige@charming-holly.com
Disclaimer:  Not mine.  I've heard they belong to some Crackhead named Joss. *whistles innocently*
Rating:  Um.  I'm going to say high PG-13 to low R for language. 
Summary:  Post "the Gift", Willow goes back in time and things change drastically.
Distribution:  My fanfic site, and anywhere that wants it as long as you e-mail me to ask.
Pairings :  Mmmm it'll be a lot.  Willow is quite the player ;)  Primarily I'm going for W/S and W/A but it won't really be W/S and W/A, just mentions, flirtation, etc.  For a little while, at least ;)
Feedback:  Um, yes?  Please?  *beg*

A/N:  Ok, it begins right after the season 5 finale.  There was no Tara.  Ever.  Sorry.  I love Tara, but she just won't work in this fic.  Not if I want things to go like I want them to.  And since only a few scenes are set in post-season 5, it doesn't really matter that much anyways.

"You have to see her sometime, Red." 

Willow closed her eyes and tried to block Spike's voice.  How many times had they had this argument?  100?  1,000?  It seems like that much, at least. 

"Spike…"

"You didn't even go to her funeral," he said softly.  "She would have—"

"Wanted me to be there?" Willow finished angrily.  "Well maybe she would have wanted me to be there, to watch her pale, lifeless body be lowered into the ground and dirt be piled on top of herm but she can't tell me what she wants anymore, can she?"

"Love…"

"Don't 'love' me," she inveighed and then instantly blushed.  "I mean—"

"I know what you mean, so please do continue in your verbal battering of me," Spike said rather bored.

Willow sighed and restarted with a gentler tone.  "I don't mean to be like this to you, I just—"

"Miss her."  Willow nodded, fighting back tears.  "I do too."

Willow massaged her temples, trying to relieve herself from the massive headache which had decided to grace her presence.  It's just my lucky day, she thought sarcastically.

"Let me take care of that, Red."

"Wha—" 

Suddenly Willow felt Spike's perfect, slightly cold hands rub gently along her forehead.  She shuddered inwardly from his touch, how cool and soothing it was.  How is it that he knows the way to make me feel 10 times better than I previously felt? she found herself wondering.  She let a small moan escape as Spike's hands dropped from her head to her shoulders, giving her a full back massage.

"Better?" he asked, finally breaking contact from her.

Willow turned to him slowly and stared into his deep, crystal clear blue eyes.  "Much," she breathed softly.  Their lips hovered a few centimeters apart before Willow quickly whipped around.

"I should—"

"See Buffy?"

She glared, but found it didn't have the same affect on him when all he could see was her hostile back.

"No, I should go check on Dawn.  I've been down in this murky basement for too long."

Spike looked away from her and nodded, although she couldn't see him.  She continued up the stairs and closed the door.

Ok… what just happened there? he wondered, a bit confused, and then shrugged, heading up after her.

Willow's world had been turned upside down the day Buffy died.  Nothing would ever be the same, she knew that the second she saw Buffy's dead body.  Thankfully, her life got order, structure.  It developed into a habitual routine that she and the others would follow everyday.  In the morning, Willow would get up and work for Anya and Giles at the Magic Box.  She had to earn money somehow, after all.  Then she would go over to Spike's crypt around lunch and talk with him while eating.  She knew it was hard for him; after all, he being a vampire meant it was about the middle of the night for him.  Yet he never complained or once asked if they could hang out later in the day.  At 3 she would go home—well it wasn't really home, it was Buffy's house, but it certainly felt more like home than any other place ever had—and she would study her magic.  She'd start dinner at 5 and she, Giles, Anya, Xander, Dawn, and even Spike , would eat dinner.  Willow nearly fainted from shock—well not really, more like an intense, shocked look—the first time Spike ate with them.  After all, he was a vampire and he had no need to eat—at least the food she was serving.  Yet he did anyways.  Ever since Buffy's death he had been friendlier to everyone in the Scooby gang and became one of the family—especially to Willow.

So Willow's life was finally in order.  However, she was not satisfied.  Everyday it felt as if she was just going through the motions, not really leading a satisfactory life.  She hid her feelings well and was able to convince everyone she was moving on and dealing with her grief properly.

Everyone but Spike, that is.

He never mentioned anything, she never mentioned anything.  Unfortunately, they'd both regret their silence on it—and so much more—very shortly.

"Wait, why again do you need to do this?" the Irish half-demon asked.

"We've explained this countless times, Doyle," the head of the council said.  "You are to go back in time and alter the future."

"What I don't understand is why," he complained.  "Buffy was fine as a Slayer—"

"Who got herself killed."

"Look, while I'm incredibly happy you brought me back down here, in solid form, nonetheless, I don't see why.  Won't another Slayer be called?"

"We don't want another slayer," William, the head of the council, said.  "We want Willow.  Her powers have strengthened in ways you could not imagine.  If she's made the slayer then she can be ever more powerful than Buffy ever was."

"Why not just make her the slayer now?"

"Willow can prevent the things that occurred in the past from happening," William explained.  "Now stop asking questions.  This is a direct order and it is in your best interest to follow it.  The first spell we've given you is to travel back.  The second is to prevent Buffy from living when the Master rose.  The third is to make Willow the next slayer."

"But—"

"Stop questioning our authority," William glared.  "You are to do all of this.  When you're done with the spells you must stay there to make sure things go as planned."

Doyle sighed but nodded.  "As you wish."

And then the chanting began.

Spike grabbed Willow's arm and yanked her toward him but she yelped and quickly swept his feet with her leg.  He landed on the ground with an "oomph" and pulled Willow down with him.  He quickly launched himself on top of her and brought his mouth down to her neck.  A split second before his fangs made contact with her neck, she kneed him in the groin and, while he rolled on the ground in pain, she launched herself back upright.  In the blink of an eye, she spin-kicked him, sending him once again to the ground.  Before he could bring her down, she dropped to the ground and straddled him.  Then she lowered the stake and poised it above his heart.

"Poof," she whispered. 

"You're getting better, Red," Spike lauded. 

She smiled and shrugged.  "I suppose."

"Not good enough."  Suddenly, Spike rolled her over until he was on top.  "I win."

Willow pouted and stuck her tongue out at him good-naturedly.  He grinned as she threw her arms back and lay down completely.

"Fine, you win, can I go get some water now?" she asked.

"Giving up so quickly?" Spike asked.  "Although, knowing you, you'll knee me again."

Willow blushed as Spike winked.  Yet as much as her cheeks were beginning to match her fiery red hair, she answered, "Only if you want me to," and gave a small wink herself.

Spike let out a deep laugh and grinned even wider.  "Always, pet, always."  His smile faded, though, as he leaned in a bit.  He brushed her hair out of her face and behind her ears.

"Spike," she said quietly, but he put a finger up to her mouth.

"Shhhhhh..."  He brought his lips closer to hers until they were mere centimeters apart.  Yet before could do whatever he was planning, a voice came from the top of the stairs.

"Spike, Willow, you done training?" Xander's voice rang clear.  "We need some help researching a new baddie."  Spike jumped off of Willow and the both blushed furiously, dusting themselves off.

"I-I have to change first, Xander," Willow called up.  "I'll do that and then meet you at the Magic Box."  Xander nodded from the doorway and left.

"Willow—" Spike began.

"I have to get dressed.  You heard Xander," Willow said meekly, heading up.

"Red, don't you think we should—"

"Forget that ever happened?" she asked.  "Yes, I think that'd be a great idea."

"Forget what happened, love?" Spike said with a hint of a smile on his face.  "Because nothing happened.  Unless  you're telling me that if Xander hadn't come right then, we would have ki—"

"Like you said, nothing happened," Willow said, turning to face him.  "So let's just… drop it, ok Spike?" 

Spike opened his mouth to let out a harsh, lengthy speech at her, but before he had the chance, she disappeared.

Literally.

Spike blinked.  "How is it that everytime I am with her, I end up incredibly more confused than before I was with her?"