Title: The Crazy Things Loneliness Makes You Do
Author: Cara (SerenaShade)
E-Mail: SerenaShade@bolt.com
Distribution: Ask First....though I probably won't say no...still asking is nice.
Rating: Somewhere around or between PG 13 and NC 17hehehe
Feedback: Always a plus
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of this...Joss Whedon, creator of the Buffy Universe and God to all Buffy Universe fans al of the characters, I am merely using them to create a fanfic for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of other Buffy Universe fans...I am making no profit off of this....just having a little fun of my own.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part I - When Wackiness Ensues.
It was a dark and stormy night, the wind howled and the thunder raged, deafening the few lost souls that were awake at this ungodly hour. Perfectly fitting, since he had left God long ago. He slowly walked through the cemetery and went to his lonely, dark, and dank crypt. As he pushed open the door, he was dismayed to find that part of the old ceiling had crumbled.
"Oh sod it. This is just bleeding perfect!" he growled in disgust. He turned and walked out of the cemetery. Now where was he going to go? There was what, three hours till dawn? He decided he'd stop by the damn Watcher's place and see if he'd let him spend the day there. He stalked up the walk and knocked on the door...wiping some of the rain from his face and jacket.
"Spike...and to what do I owe the honor of this late night visit?" The watcher said sarcastically, as he wiped the rainwater from his glasses.
"Bleeding crypt fell to pieces, all sodding wet...Needed a place to stay till dusk, your house was the closest...Thought I'd try. Only got two more hours till dawn... So how about it?"
"Well um, Spike.... I don't know."
"Aw come on Watcher, I'm not going to bite, still got that bloody chip in my head. It's just till tomorrow night when I'll have more time to stake out a new home."
"Well all right, but just for tonight, er uh today." Giles said as he stepped aside to allow the vampire room to get in.
"Thanks Watcher."
"Uh...no problem Spike. But do try to keep this from becoming a habit, will you?"
"No problem Watcher. I don't like staying here anymore than you like me being here. Too many bad memories...Being chained up in that tub *shudder*, not exactly my idea of fun. But seeing as how I have little choice unless I want to be dust...Well, you understand."
"Yes, yes, now please Spike, some of us were sleeping...I trust you know where the basement is."
"Yeah. Thanks again."
"Goodnight Spike." Giles said as he turned and went up the stairs. Spike made his way through the house and down into the basement.
"I think I'd rather take a crypt any day." Oh well, it wasn't like he had a choice in the matter did he? He could have gone back to Xander's but what with that Anya there.... no thank you no more days of listening to that chit prattle on about wanting Xander, enough of that...bloody hell he'd had enough of that.
"Ah, back to the bloody basement.... Always the bloody basement." he sighed as he laid down upon the tattered couch...He finally fell asleep, back into that deathlike state, that was only a surface to dissuade anyone from bothering him. If anyone got ballsy and tried to tamper with his 'corpse' he could wake instantly to thwart the intruder. Vampires didn't really sleep...they recharged, but it wasn't true sleep...Even while they recharged, they were still painfully aware.
**
Willow sat on her bed, with her laptop to one side and her spell book to the other. It had been yet another long day, school, Scooby meeting, homework, research and now a little bit of fun. She was trying to learn more about her craft. She didn't want to be an irresponsible practitioner and she also didn't want to be the most inept witch in town either. Why was it that almost every spell she cast failed? Was she just that bad at this? Was she just not meant to wield the power that the Goddess had allowed her to harness? Or was it something else entirely? She wasn't sure anymore, not of anything.... Not of school, not of her life, not of the Scoobies and not of living on the Hellmouth...Why was she always the sheepish little bookworm? The girl that barely got a second thought let alone an approving glance from anyone?
Buffy hardly ever noticed her, Xander was enthralled with Anya, Giles was being all Giles - y, and Oz was gone. Angel and Cordelia were in L.A. not that either of them had ever paid her mind. Then there was Spike...a defanged Spike...He had threatened to kill her, tried to bite her and yet out of the aforementioned list...He was the only one that even noticed her anymore. Though if he called her Red just one more time, she swore she was going to have a coronary. Oh well, she guessed that this attention was better than no attention...but why did it have to come from Spike? Tara was away with family and things had been strained between them anyway. Tara didn't feel like she was a part of the Scooby gang and that made life harder.
Willow was convinced that there was something wrong with her...I mean, how else could you explain the excessive loss of the people that she cared about? Willow sighed and went back to her research...yet another lonely Willowy night....
**
Spike awoke to the sound of the slayer's little Scooby gang arguing... "Bloody hell, can't a bloke get some sleep in this town?" He growled. He guessed that since he was in the bleedin' watcher's house, he didn't have much choice. He had to get out of here as soon as he could...If he didn't he might kill someone despite the soddin chip in his head. He looked at the clock and noticed that the sun had set a half hour ago. He decided to go up and ruffle a few of the slayer's feathers if for nothing more than a cheap laugh. He climbed the stairs, wrestling the last sands of sleep from himself. He got into the Watcher's living room and met the shocked gaze of all the little slayerettes.
"Bloody hell! I can hear the arguing in the basement! What in the hell is going on now? What, did the Slayer fuck up another mission? Some big bad demon out to kill us all? Please, we've heard this bleedin' sob story a million times, and it gets less amusing each time I hear it." Spike taunted.
"What is Spike doing here?" Buffy spat.
"He came here looking for a place to hide from the sun. It seems that his crypt is now a pile of rubble." Giles explained.
"Why would he come here?" Buffy inquired.
"As if I had a bloody choice! The sun was already on the horizon by the time good ole' watcher here let me in. Anyway it's only temporary, till I find myself a new lair."
"Giles! I can't believe you're letting him stay here!"
"Well- uh...You see he caught me at dawn, I had been asleep you know. I was not fully aware. Since I offered, it looks like I should at least have the decency to honor it. Really Buffy, it isn't like he can hurt anyone."
"But Giles!" Buffy gasped
"Buffy please, stop this childish nonsense right now."
"But it's Spike...Remember the vampire that has tried to kill us all on a number of occasions?" Buffy could not believe it, this was insane! Giles was defending the peroxide blonde asshole!
"Oh sod it Slayer. I'm not going to hurt anyone, I'm just not overly fond of being turned into ash as daylight breaks."
"Spike, if you so much as think about hurting Giles, I'll stake you before you can blink!"
"Why would I hurt the Watcher? He's been kind enough to take me in so that I don't wind up facing the dawn...That would be a bloody conflict of interests you stupid bint!" Spike yelled. Giles snickered at the distinctly British comment. He had the feeling that its meaning had escaped Buffy, but the tone was enough to send her out the door. Spike just sat down on the couch next to a flabbergasted Willow.
**
Willow had to try to keep herself from laughing at the show her friend and Spike were putting on. Spike did have a point, but so did Buffy. Giles was right though, Spike was harmless. There wasn't any cause for alarm. Besides, Spike had caught him while he had been sleeping, Giles had no idea what he was agreeing to at the time. It was all simply because the British Watcher had a sort of code that Spike was here now. Not that she minded, maybe now someone would at least say hi to her. Good old dependable Willow. Always there when you need her, never fails her friends. Ha! What does she get in return? Nothing, not a thank you, seldom a good job or well done...They just expect it from her.
"When did I become such a doormat?" Willow asked herself silently. Spike must have caught it because he looked at her with a slightly amused smirk on his face. Xander and Anya left to go smooch, and Buffy had gone out patrolling, Giles was upstairs cleaning which left Willow alone with Spike. This couldn't be a good thing she thought.... She just sat there, feeling awkward and scared. She got up and began to pace the room...
"What's the matter Red?"
"N-nothing."
"Then why are you pacing?"
"No reason, just couldn't...just couldn't sit...anymore."
"What was with the comment earlier pet?"
"Wh-what comment?"
"I believe you called yourself a doormat love. Why do you feel that way?"
"Nothing. It's nothing."
"Come on Red, you can tell me. Who am I going to tell, the bloody Slayer? She'd probably stake me for talking to you." Spike laughed. Willow cracked a smile and tried hard not to laugh.
"I can't. Spike...sorry, but I can't not with the possibilities of people returning any minute. I mean...I..."
"All right luv, you don't have to tell me. Besides I should get out of here and try to find a place to stay. The sooner I get out of that basement, the better! I thought my crypt was bad...I forgot about being tied up in that bloody tub down there."
"Oh yeah, that's right...your crypt crumbled."
"It was old...must have been some cracks...the water seeped in and that was that."
"I'm sorry."
"Why Red, it wasn't your fault luv."
"Well, I uh...it's just that no one should be...be with...without a - a home."
"I make you nervous, don't I pet?"
"N-no...not at all...Spike."
"Yeah, and I'm the bloody Queen of England. I'm not going to bite you...wouldn't even if I could. I don't want to scare you that much." Spike laughed.
"Why, why are you being so nice to me?" Willow asked.
"You're the only one in this bleeding lot that's ever nice to me. Hell you sat up with me and vampsat me, and you were decent. All the others complained...you never said a bad word about it."
"Oh...I-I see...Just because I'm good old dependable Willow huh?"
"No, it's more than that...You didn't have to be nice to me, you could have been all business about it, and ignored me, but you talked to me like I was one of your friends."
"What, what happens if you don't find a new home tonight?"
"Guess I'll have to come back here and beg the Watcher to let me stay a little longer."
"You don't seem the begging type..."
"I'm not, but I don't want to greet the sunrise either."
"Oh..."
"What's the matter Red?"
"Nothing...it's just that I feel sorry that you'll probably be facing another night in that basement. I can't imagine that there are any pleasant memories for you here. I mean what with being tied up and all."
"Yeah, it's looking pretty bleak. So, I guess I better at least make a go of looking..."
"W-want some company?"
"Sure luv, but why are you offering?"
"You talk to me. I've been getting ignored lately...Good old dependable Willow, always there, so why pay attention to her..." Willow sighed.
"Sorry luv..." Willow shrugged.
"I'm used to it. We should get going."
"Yeah."
"Giles, I'm going to go home now! Spike is going to be so kind as to walk me!" Willow called up the stairs.
"That's good Willow, see you tomorrow."Giles said, sounding preoccupied.
"See what I mean?" Willow whispered as she headed to the door....
**
Spike shook his head; no one should have to feel like that. Bloody hell, he'd felt like that more than enough times in his two hundred years to know how soddin' awful it was. Poor Red...She was right too, he had been a reluctant ally to the Slayer for a while now and in all that time, it seemed like Willow's importance had faded...she was expected to be there because that's what Willow always did. The Slayer was so busy with her Initiative poof that she hardly ever saw Willow anymore. Xander and Anya were constantly making out, no time to notice anyone but each other, Giles was moping...no help there either. No wonder Red was feeling like a doormat.
What in the bloody hell was he thinking? This was the Slayer's best friend...he wasn't...he didn't...nah...he could just sympathize with her position, having been there himself a few times. He and the Slayer's little witch, had a bit in common afterall it seemed. A part of him delighted at the fact, but was quickly squashed down before he had a chance to fully realize what he was feeling...He didn't feel...He was Spike...He was William the fucking Bloody for fuck's sake. The only time he had ever cared what had it gotten him? Cheated on by a mucus demon. Damn Dru...why'd she have to go and do that to him? He hoped her insanity had finally driven her into the sun's warm embrace. Stupid bint...
**
Willow looked over to Spike, curiosity dawning on her face. Why was he being so nice no her? Why wasn't he all Grrr and trying to scare her? Nothing made sense anymore...Her friends didn't treat her like a friend and her enemies or should be enemies were the ones being nice to her. Willow sighed and shook her head. She couldn't make heads or tails of anything anymore...Most of all she couldn't understand why she wasn't afraid of Spike. The vampire that had tried to kill her on more than a few occasions...But hadn't he also said that he thought she was bitable...that her frilly little purple number caught his interest...Hmm...maybe she'd wear it tomorrow night....
What was she thinking? Bad Willow...oooh bad bad bad bad bad Willow....Ewww Ewwww naughty thoughts...nasty thoughts....ewwwwwwww. How could she even think about him this way? This was Spike, William the Bloody....torturer, demon, cold heartless vampire....ewwwwwwwwwwwwww. Willow groaned silently to herself...She noticed that he was looking at her and quickly turned away, feeling a blush rising over her pale skin.....No more thinking about Spike...No, nope , nuh uh....no more Spike thoughts for me...Willow though happily to herself.
**
"So um...see any new crypts you like?" Willow asked timidly as they walked through a cemetery. Before she had met Buffy this would never have happened, would have scared the daylights out of her if by some freak of nature it had, but now it seemed like a stroll through a park...A park with a lot of little stones and monuments in it.
"No, everything here is bloody occupied....I was lucky to find that empty crypt, but now I know why it was empty, it was bloody shot to hell and ready to cave any minute." he growled.
"At least you weren't sleeping when it happened...big ouch, not to mention sun hitting you and being pinned beneath rubble unable to escape....dusted and no one would have known." Willow said sadly.
"Thanks for reminding me of that Red." Spike said with a shudder.
"Ooh Oh...Sorry, bad Willow...shouldn't have mentioned...stupid stupid stupid. Sorry." She said, batting her eyelashes like an innocent child. Spike groaned inwardly, damn did she look....when she did that.
"Looks like I'll have to go crawling back to the bloody Watcher. Sod it." Willow thought, Goddess she shouldn't do this...She shouldn't open her home to this demon....but she felt sorry for him...he was all helpless and alone...She knew how that felt and besides her parents were in Europe till the end of the month.
"Spike....ummmm....if you...I mean...You shouldn't have to.... I mean uhhhh...."
"Just spit it out Red."
"You could stay with me."
"You sure about this Red? I mean, I haven't exactly always been nice to you....And bloody hell what will the Watcher and the Slayer and the rest of your little group say?"
"Well I - uh....sorry....you're right, I shouldn't have asked...It's just that my parents are in Europe till the end of the month....and I thought..."
"You thought we could keep each other company?"
"Umm...yeah....it's stupid, I know. I'm stupid."
"No you're not Red. I think it's bloody decent of you. Your parents leave you alone a lot I take it?"
"Yeah, always a convention, a vacation, meetings...always something. I think last year they were home a total of one month in all." Willow sighed.
"Sorry Red." He could tell that the little red head hated being alone. He could feel the sorrow of being neglected radiating off her in waves. He could also smell the salt of unshed tears.
"What the hell...But if the Slayer starts getting pissy, you tell her it was your idea and that I just wanted to get away from the sunlight."
"Sure..." Willow said as she turned to go down one of the streets....
"Where you going Red?"
"Home...are you coming or not?" She said, her voice shaking...she was scared, she knew that she shouldn't be doing this...knew that she shouldn't invite a vampire into her home, even if he was unable to bite now....But she was so lonely....always so lonely...she couldn't stand another day in that house without hearing someone else there too...It was just too maddening.
Author: Cara (SerenaShade)
E-Mail: SerenaShade@bolt.com
Distribution: Ask First....though I probably won't say no...still asking is nice.
Rating: Somewhere around or between PG 13 and NC 17hehehe
Feedback: Always a plus
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of this...Joss Whedon, creator of the Buffy Universe and God to all Buffy Universe fans al of the characters, I am merely using them to create a fanfic for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of other Buffy Universe fans...I am making no profit off of this....just having a little fun of my own.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part I - When Wackiness Ensues.
It was a dark and stormy night, the wind howled and the thunder raged, deafening the few lost souls that were awake at this ungodly hour. Perfectly fitting, since he had left God long ago. He slowly walked through the cemetery and went to his lonely, dark, and dank crypt. As he pushed open the door, he was dismayed to find that part of the old ceiling had crumbled.
"Oh sod it. This is just bleeding perfect!" he growled in disgust. He turned and walked out of the cemetery. Now where was he going to go? There was what, three hours till dawn? He decided he'd stop by the damn Watcher's place and see if he'd let him spend the day there. He stalked up the walk and knocked on the door...wiping some of the rain from his face and jacket.
"Spike...and to what do I owe the honor of this late night visit?" The watcher said sarcastically, as he wiped the rainwater from his glasses.
"Bleeding crypt fell to pieces, all sodding wet...Needed a place to stay till dusk, your house was the closest...Thought I'd try. Only got two more hours till dawn... So how about it?"
"Well um, Spike.... I don't know."
"Aw come on Watcher, I'm not going to bite, still got that bloody chip in my head. It's just till tomorrow night when I'll have more time to stake out a new home."
"Well all right, but just for tonight, er uh today." Giles said as he stepped aside to allow the vampire room to get in.
"Thanks Watcher."
"Uh...no problem Spike. But do try to keep this from becoming a habit, will you?"
"No problem Watcher. I don't like staying here anymore than you like me being here. Too many bad memories...Being chained up in that tub *shudder*, not exactly my idea of fun. But seeing as how I have little choice unless I want to be dust...Well, you understand."
"Yes, yes, now please Spike, some of us were sleeping...I trust you know where the basement is."
"Yeah. Thanks again."
"Goodnight Spike." Giles said as he turned and went up the stairs. Spike made his way through the house and down into the basement.
"I think I'd rather take a crypt any day." Oh well, it wasn't like he had a choice in the matter did he? He could have gone back to Xander's but what with that Anya there.... no thank you no more days of listening to that chit prattle on about wanting Xander, enough of that...bloody hell he'd had enough of that.
"Ah, back to the bloody basement.... Always the bloody basement." he sighed as he laid down upon the tattered couch...He finally fell asleep, back into that deathlike state, that was only a surface to dissuade anyone from bothering him. If anyone got ballsy and tried to tamper with his 'corpse' he could wake instantly to thwart the intruder. Vampires didn't really sleep...they recharged, but it wasn't true sleep...Even while they recharged, they were still painfully aware.
**
Willow sat on her bed, with her laptop to one side and her spell book to the other. It had been yet another long day, school, Scooby meeting, homework, research and now a little bit of fun. She was trying to learn more about her craft. She didn't want to be an irresponsible practitioner and she also didn't want to be the most inept witch in town either. Why was it that almost every spell she cast failed? Was she just that bad at this? Was she just not meant to wield the power that the Goddess had allowed her to harness? Or was it something else entirely? She wasn't sure anymore, not of anything.... Not of school, not of her life, not of the Scoobies and not of living on the Hellmouth...Why was she always the sheepish little bookworm? The girl that barely got a second thought let alone an approving glance from anyone?
Buffy hardly ever noticed her, Xander was enthralled with Anya, Giles was being all Giles - y, and Oz was gone. Angel and Cordelia were in L.A. not that either of them had ever paid her mind. Then there was Spike...a defanged Spike...He had threatened to kill her, tried to bite her and yet out of the aforementioned list...He was the only one that even noticed her anymore. Though if he called her Red just one more time, she swore she was going to have a coronary. Oh well, she guessed that this attention was better than no attention...but why did it have to come from Spike? Tara was away with family and things had been strained between them anyway. Tara didn't feel like she was a part of the Scooby gang and that made life harder.
Willow was convinced that there was something wrong with her...I mean, how else could you explain the excessive loss of the people that she cared about? Willow sighed and went back to her research...yet another lonely Willowy night....
**
Spike awoke to the sound of the slayer's little Scooby gang arguing... "Bloody hell, can't a bloke get some sleep in this town?" He growled. He guessed that since he was in the bleedin' watcher's house, he didn't have much choice. He had to get out of here as soon as he could...If he didn't he might kill someone despite the soddin chip in his head. He looked at the clock and noticed that the sun had set a half hour ago. He decided to go up and ruffle a few of the slayer's feathers if for nothing more than a cheap laugh. He climbed the stairs, wrestling the last sands of sleep from himself. He got into the Watcher's living room and met the shocked gaze of all the little slayerettes.
"Bloody hell! I can hear the arguing in the basement! What in the hell is going on now? What, did the Slayer fuck up another mission? Some big bad demon out to kill us all? Please, we've heard this bleedin' sob story a million times, and it gets less amusing each time I hear it." Spike taunted.
"What is Spike doing here?" Buffy spat.
"He came here looking for a place to hide from the sun. It seems that his crypt is now a pile of rubble." Giles explained.
"Why would he come here?" Buffy inquired.
"As if I had a bloody choice! The sun was already on the horizon by the time good ole' watcher here let me in. Anyway it's only temporary, till I find myself a new lair."
"Giles! I can't believe you're letting him stay here!"
"Well- uh...You see he caught me at dawn, I had been asleep you know. I was not fully aware. Since I offered, it looks like I should at least have the decency to honor it. Really Buffy, it isn't like he can hurt anyone."
"But Giles!" Buffy gasped
"Buffy please, stop this childish nonsense right now."
"But it's Spike...Remember the vampire that has tried to kill us all on a number of occasions?" Buffy could not believe it, this was insane! Giles was defending the peroxide blonde asshole!
"Oh sod it Slayer. I'm not going to hurt anyone, I'm just not overly fond of being turned into ash as daylight breaks."
"Spike, if you so much as think about hurting Giles, I'll stake you before you can blink!"
"Why would I hurt the Watcher? He's been kind enough to take me in so that I don't wind up facing the dawn...That would be a bloody conflict of interests you stupid bint!" Spike yelled. Giles snickered at the distinctly British comment. He had the feeling that its meaning had escaped Buffy, but the tone was enough to send her out the door. Spike just sat down on the couch next to a flabbergasted Willow.
**
Willow had to try to keep herself from laughing at the show her friend and Spike were putting on. Spike did have a point, but so did Buffy. Giles was right though, Spike was harmless. There wasn't any cause for alarm. Besides, Spike had caught him while he had been sleeping, Giles had no idea what he was agreeing to at the time. It was all simply because the British Watcher had a sort of code that Spike was here now. Not that she minded, maybe now someone would at least say hi to her. Good old dependable Willow. Always there when you need her, never fails her friends. Ha! What does she get in return? Nothing, not a thank you, seldom a good job or well done...They just expect it from her.
"When did I become such a doormat?" Willow asked herself silently. Spike must have caught it because he looked at her with a slightly amused smirk on his face. Xander and Anya left to go smooch, and Buffy had gone out patrolling, Giles was upstairs cleaning which left Willow alone with Spike. This couldn't be a good thing she thought.... She just sat there, feeling awkward and scared. She got up and began to pace the room...
"What's the matter Red?"
"N-nothing."
"Then why are you pacing?"
"No reason, just couldn't...just couldn't sit...anymore."
"What was with the comment earlier pet?"
"Wh-what comment?"
"I believe you called yourself a doormat love. Why do you feel that way?"
"Nothing. It's nothing."
"Come on Red, you can tell me. Who am I going to tell, the bloody Slayer? She'd probably stake me for talking to you." Spike laughed. Willow cracked a smile and tried hard not to laugh.
"I can't. Spike...sorry, but I can't not with the possibilities of people returning any minute. I mean...I..."
"All right luv, you don't have to tell me. Besides I should get out of here and try to find a place to stay. The sooner I get out of that basement, the better! I thought my crypt was bad...I forgot about being tied up in that bloody tub down there."
"Oh yeah, that's right...your crypt crumbled."
"It was old...must have been some cracks...the water seeped in and that was that."
"I'm sorry."
"Why Red, it wasn't your fault luv."
"Well, I uh...it's just that no one should be...be with...without a - a home."
"I make you nervous, don't I pet?"
"N-no...not at all...Spike."
"Yeah, and I'm the bloody Queen of England. I'm not going to bite you...wouldn't even if I could. I don't want to scare you that much." Spike laughed.
"Why, why are you being so nice to me?" Willow asked.
"You're the only one in this bleeding lot that's ever nice to me. Hell you sat up with me and vampsat me, and you were decent. All the others complained...you never said a bad word about it."
"Oh...I-I see...Just because I'm good old dependable Willow huh?"
"No, it's more than that...You didn't have to be nice to me, you could have been all business about it, and ignored me, but you talked to me like I was one of your friends."
"What, what happens if you don't find a new home tonight?"
"Guess I'll have to come back here and beg the Watcher to let me stay a little longer."
"You don't seem the begging type..."
"I'm not, but I don't want to greet the sunrise either."
"Oh..."
"What's the matter Red?"
"Nothing...it's just that I feel sorry that you'll probably be facing another night in that basement. I can't imagine that there are any pleasant memories for you here. I mean what with being tied up and all."
"Yeah, it's looking pretty bleak. So, I guess I better at least make a go of looking..."
"W-want some company?"
"Sure luv, but why are you offering?"
"You talk to me. I've been getting ignored lately...Good old dependable Willow, always there, so why pay attention to her..." Willow sighed.
"Sorry luv..." Willow shrugged.
"I'm used to it. We should get going."
"Yeah."
"Giles, I'm going to go home now! Spike is going to be so kind as to walk me!" Willow called up the stairs.
"That's good Willow, see you tomorrow."Giles said, sounding preoccupied.
"See what I mean?" Willow whispered as she headed to the door....
**
Spike shook his head; no one should have to feel like that. Bloody hell, he'd felt like that more than enough times in his two hundred years to know how soddin' awful it was. Poor Red...She was right too, he had been a reluctant ally to the Slayer for a while now and in all that time, it seemed like Willow's importance had faded...she was expected to be there because that's what Willow always did. The Slayer was so busy with her Initiative poof that she hardly ever saw Willow anymore. Xander and Anya were constantly making out, no time to notice anyone but each other, Giles was moping...no help there either. No wonder Red was feeling like a doormat.
What in the bloody hell was he thinking? This was the Slayer's best friend...he wasn't...he didn't...nah...he could just sympathize with her position, having been there himself a few times. He and the Slayer's little witch, had a bit in common afterall it seemed. A part of him delighted at the fact, but was quickly squashed down before he had a chance to fully realize what he was feeling...He didn't feel...He was Spike...He was William the fucking Bloody for fuck's sake. The only time he had ever cared what had it gotten him? Cheated on by a mucus demon. Damn Dru...why'd she have to go and do that to him? He hoped her insanity had finally driven her into the sun's warm embrace. Stupid bint...
**
Willow looked over to Spike, curiosity dawning on her face. Why was he being so nice no her? Why wasn't he all Grrr and trying to scare her? Nothing made sense anymore...Her friends didn't treat her like a friend and her enemies or should be enemies were the ones being nice to her. Willow sighed and shook her head. She couldn't make heads or tails of anything anymore...Most of all she couldn't understand why she wasn't afraid of Spike. The vampire that had tried to kill her on more than a few occasions...But hadn't he also said that he thought she was bitable...that her frilly little purple number caught his interest...Hmm...maybe she'd wear it tomorrow night....
What was she thinking? Bad Willow...oooh bad bad bad bad bad Willow....Ewww Ewwww naughty thoughts...nasty thoughts....ewwwwwwww. How could she even think about him this way? This was Spike, William the Bloody....torturer, demon, cold heartless vampire....ewwwwwwwwwwwwww. Willow groaned silently to herself...She noticed that he was looking at her and quickly turned away, feeling a blush rising over her pale skin.....No more thinking about Spike...No, nope , nuh uh....no more Spike thoughts for me...Willow though happily to herself.
**
"So um...see any new crypts you like?" Willow asked timidly as they walked through a cemetery. Before she had met Buffy this would never have happened, would have scared the daylights out of her if by some freak of nature it had, but now it seemed like a stroll through a park...A park with a lot of little stones and monuments in it.
"No, everything here is bloody occupied....I was lucky to find that empty crypt, but now I know why it was empty, it was bloody shot to hell and ready to cave any minute." he growled.
"At least you weren't sleeping when it happened...big ouch, not to mention sun hitting you and being pinned beneath rubble unable to escape....dusted and no one would have known." Willow said sadly.
"Thanks for reminding me of that Red." Spike said with a shudder.
"Ooh Oh...Sorry, bad Willow...shouldn't have mentioned...stupid stupid stupid. Sorry." She said, batting her eyelashes like an innocent child. Spike groaned inwardly, damn did she look....when she did that.
"Looks like I'll have to go crawling back to the bloody Watcher. Sod it." Willow thought, Goddess she shouldn't do this...She shouldn't open her home to this demon....but she felt sorry for him...he was all helpless and alone...She knew how that felt and besides her parents were in Europe till the end of the month.
"Spike....ummmm....if you...I mean...You shouldn't have to.... I mean uhhhh...."
"Just spit it out Red."
"You could stay with me."
"You sure about this Red? I mean, I haven't exactly always been nice to you....And bloody hell what will the Watcher and the Slayer and the rest of your little group say?"
"Well I - uh....sorry....you're right, I shouldn't have asked...It's just that my parents are in Europe till the end of the month....and I thought..."
"You thought we could keep each other company?"
"Umm...yeah....it's stupid, I know. I'm stupid."
"No you're not Red. I think it's bloody decent of you. Your parents leave you alone a lot I take it?"
"Yeah, always a convention, a vacation, meetings...always something. I think last year they were home a total of one month in all." Willow sighed.
"Sorry Red." He could tell that the little red head hated being alone. He could feel the sorrow of being neglected radiating off her in waves. He could also smell the salt of unshed tears.
"What the hell...But if the Slayer starts getting pissy, you tell her it was your idea and that I just wanted to get away from the sunlight."
"Sure..." Willow said as she turned to go down one of the streets....
"Where you going Red?"
"Home...are you coming or not?" She said, her voice shaking...she was scared, she knew that she shouldn't be doing this...knew that she shouldn't invite a vampire into her home, even if he was unable to bite now....But she was so lonely....always so lonely...she couldn't stand another day in that house without hearing someone else there too...It was just too maddening.