She's Like Candy

by writergrrrl

There's a new demon in Sunnydale. Spike and Willow are forced to work together.

4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: This part is dedicated to Satanslut. It was nice to know that someone remembered me after so long.

Giles walked back into the living room while he waited for someone to answer the ringing phone. Holding the phone between the side of his head and his shoulder, he moved to the bookshelf and pulled down the nearly full crystal container that sat there. Giles poured a slightly more than healthy amount into a matching crystal glass.

"Angel, this is Giles." Giles, obviously talking to the vampire's answering machine, pushed the glass of amber liquid into Willow's hand. "There is a situation concerning Willow that we could use your, or perhaps Wesley's, help looking into. If you could call me back as soon as possible, it would be appreciated."

Giles put the phone back on its cradle before motioning to the glass Willow had begun sipping from, grimacing after each taste. "Something wrong with the scotch?"

"I'm not a big drinker, Giles. Bad experience with beer, remember?"

"Yes, well, I would hardly call that American swill beer, but I suppose I understand your aversion to alcohol." Giles put three large, leather bound books in a pile on the floor beside the table and opened a fourth one to a place he had marked with a slip of paper.

"There will be pizza in a few minutes, and there will be no more scotch. It's not my intention to get you pissed, simply to relax enough to be able to help with the research we have in front of us."

"Thanks Giles." Willow sunk back into the couch and cradled the tumbler in still tingling fingers. "Did I mention that my hands and arms are all tingly?"

"`Tingly'?" Giles looked up from his book with wide, interested eyes.

"Yeah, almost like when you're foot is doing that weird not- quite-asleep thing."

"Oh, I *hate* that!" Xander shuddered in his seat beside, and nearly under, Anya. "You mean you're all numb and prickly?"

"Something like that, only not so much with the numb." Willow took the last of the scotch in a gulp, this time smiling as it made its pleasant trail down her throat. "Here. Let me show you what they look like."

She stood and moved to the table Giles was sitting at. It took her a minute to pull the unfamiliar gloves from her long fingers, drawing gasps from the other occupants of the room when her arms and hands came into view.

"And they were like this when you woke up?" Giles turned his head to take in every detail of her new coloring.

"Yeah." Willow pulled the glove hurriedly back over her hand and arm when the doorbell sounded, alerting them that the pizza had arrived. "I caught sight of my face and the rest of my body, freaked out, and came over here as fast as I could."

Xander had paid for the pizza and was now carrying it through to sit it on the table. "So you're kind of shimmery all over?"

"Well, yeah." Willow could have sworn they had covered this already, but she kept herself from rolling her eyes at her best friend. "I've got different places that seem to be darker with it than others, like my arms and a place on my chest, but it's pretty much an all-over motif by now."

"Why aren't you purple?" Xander had taken an entire pizza, setting it on the small table in front of the chair he and Anya were occupying. "You know, since the guy who grabbed you was pretty much a California Raisin?"

"I don't know!" Willow fought the burning prickle behind her eyes. "All I know is that I'm not looking too Willowy at the moment, and that I feel all weird." The shrill ring of the phone interrupted the babble she felt coming to the surface, and she silently sent thanks that it rang when it did.

She had been wondering since the night before if she should be waiting for some sort of evil to take over her body, crowding her out and leaving nothing but the shell of what she once was. Would her soul fade slowly, or would it wink out like a blown lightbulb? Would the soul restoration she used on Angel work on her if her soul did fly away, or would Buffy and Spike be forced to hunt her down and kill her? Was she going to be some sort of sacrifice, and the glittery show was all to make her more yummy and tender?

Over the last few hours she'd been contemplating the new look she had unwillingly acquired, and found herself rather liking most of the changes. The glittering would make blending in around town hard, but her hair and face were lovely and ethereal, if a little too pale for her liking. If I cut the nails, they shouldn't be *too* bad. That is, if we can't find some way to fix me and put me back to the way I was.

{`You're so pathetic, Willow.' Buffy paced the floor in front of the couch on which Willow sat. `I can't believe you went behind my back and took them away from me. You're such a slut!'

`It wasn't like that!' The vision Willow shook her head furiously. `I'm not with them both. Angel and I are only friends, and he's trying to help me figure out what's happened, is still happening, to me.'

`God, I'm sick of hearing about you you you all the time!'

`Now you know how the rest of us have felt since we met you, Slayer.' Spike, wearing his demon's face and not wearing a shirt, came down the long staircase.}

The vision left as quickly as it had come on, leaving Willow with a slightly dazed feeling. It obviously reflected on her face, as Xander and Anya were both looking at her in open concern and Giles was speaking to her softly.

"Angel wants to talk to you." He motioned to the phone that must have rung during her little trip, and she took it without really thinking.

"Hello Angel."

"Giles said something about a demon and blood. He seemed to think you were doing okay, but I told him that I wanted to hear that from you personally. If you want me to come up there to be another shoulder for you to lean on until we figure out what's going on, I will. I'd say that you could come here, you're more than welcome to if you want, but the more familiar people and places you have around, the better. So, be honest with me. Are you okay?"

Willow couldn't help the laughter bubbling up inside of her chest, despite Angel's open worrying. "You're babbling, Angel. I didn't know you knew how to talk like that all at once."

"Well, I learned it from you." There was a soft chuckle from his end of the phone before his voice became laced with worry again. "Are you in any kind of pain? Is there anything I can do while we try to figure out who, and what, the hell that purple bastard was? Say the word and it's done."

"I'm all tingly, which I'm sure Giles told you, but I feel fine other than that. A little giddy, but I think that was more from the scotch he gave me a while ago than anything else." Willow heard Buffy's muffled `what the fuck' from behind her, but ignored it to concentrate on the conversation she was having with the dark vampire.

"Eat something."

"I plan on it. Just got a little sidetracked for a minute. I'm fine though, really."

"You won't be `fine' until we at least know that something bad isn't happening to you. Giles gave Wesley all the details, so he's already hitting the books with Cordelia and Fred. I'm going to go see if I can find anything out from the locals. You call if you need *anything*, okay?"

"Okay Angel." Willow knew he could hear the smile in her voice even if he couldn't see her face. "Be careful. I don't want you getting hurt over something as little as this."

"You're worth getting hurt over, Willow. I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye." Willow hung up the phone and pulled three slices of the pepperoni pizza onto a paper plate before facing a glaring Spike. "What's wrong? No demons out to kick around?"

"Oh, one or two. What did the Gelled Wonder want?" The scowl hadn't left his face, and Willow fought the urge to tell him it would get stuck that way if he didn't stop.

"And what were *you* doing, giving the girl scotch?" Spike had rounded on Giles, leveling those ice blue eyes on the Watcher.

"Giles was just trying to shock my system into relaxing a little. Angel was just making sure that I'm all right. It's all no big deal, really."

"Yeah, that used to be one of his best lines to hook a chit."

"Spike, he's not trying to `hook' anybody." Willow knew he was baiting her, but it was just too fun to watch him get all worked up over his sire. "We're already friends. He doesn't have to even try any lines on me."

"Aren't we friends, pet?" Spike frowned and looked at her from under lowered lashes.

"You know we are. Spike, just because I'm friends with one of you doesn't mean that I can't be friends with the other." Willow finished off her first slice of pizza and retrieved one of the cans of soda Xander had set on the table. "He just wanted to make sure I'm not in pain or anything."

"Bet you played that one up for all it was worth." Buffy had helped herself to a slice of pizza and one of the remaining chairs. She looked around at the other occupants of the room before speaking again.

"If you want to call and flirt around with Angel, just say so." Buffy stood a brushed off her short skirt. "Let's hit the Bronze."

"In case you couldn't tell, which I'm sure you could since I don't think that anyone, not even you, could be that stupid, we're researching." Anya held up the can of soda she held loosely in her left hand while she read as if to illustrate her point. "We're trying to find out what's wrong with Willow."

"Yeah, Buff." Xander's confused voice let Willow know that her oldest friend was giving the small blonde more attention than he usually gave anything. "We made it into a research party, just like it used to be. Don't you want to help?"

"Nothing's like it used to be, Xander." Buffy retrieved her coat from the table just inside the door before turning to face Spike for the first time. "Well?"

"You don't need me, Slayer." Spike picked up one of the books from the table and settled himself beside Willow. "Said so yourself."

"Whatever."

The near slam of the front door made the four humans jump slightly. Spike just smirked and gave a soft sort of chuckle.

"Bitch." Anya openly agreed with the blonde vampire's sentiment, but no one disagreed as they all got down to the business of a good research session.

~Part: 6~

Three o'clock in the morning found the group of researchers still scattered around the Watcher's living room. Xander was keeping himself awake through the cunning use of caffeine and Twinkies as Anya fought back yawns and drank steadily increasing amounts of tea. Giles and Willow, both accustomed to late hours, were the only fully awake humans keeping Spike company.

The blonde vampire, having moved only to feed or retrieve another book Giles thought may be useful, was still seated next to the redheaded witch. From time to time Willow would, in a fit of melancholy, sigh. Spike's hand would begin brushing over her hair, fingers combing through her curls, until the bout of sadness passed. It didn't occur to her to wonder how he knew she felt better, but she wasn't going to protest the comforting caresses.

"Giles," Anya set her teacup, empty once again, on the table besides a pile of Xander's empty Twinkie wrappers. "If I'm going to open the store tomorrow, I'm going to need sleep. If you don't want me to make money, then I can stay and help. Which one is it going to be?"

"What was that?" Giles glanced at his watch before confirming the time by the clock on the wall. "Oh, yes, sleep."

He surveyed the weary group. "You've all done more than I expected to get through tonight. I'll clean up here. You should all go home and get some sleep."

"If it's okay," Willow gazed at the older man with something close to terror in her eyes. "I'd really like to just stay here and keep researching."

Willow knew everyone was looking at her. In spite of that, or perhaps because of it, she couldn't stop the tears from welling up in the corners of her eyes. "The last time I went to sleep, I ended up with a head-to-toe make over. I don't know *what* will happen when I go to sleep again."

"Willow, it will do no good to tire yourself overmuch." Giles was busily filling an empty grocery bag with the trash they had accumulated during the researching. "The current situation, as well as your condition, are stressful enough without forcing yourself to stay awake."

"Much as I hate to admit it, I have to say that I agree with the Watcher on this one." Spike pulled Willow up to lean her tired body against his. "How about I take you home and tuck you in safe as houses?"

"Me and Anya can drop the two of you off on our way," Xander pulled on his jacket and helped Anya with hers.

"Sounds like a plan. You in, luv?" Spike noticed that Willow didn't have a coat with her, so he threw his around her shoulders.

Willow smiled at the unlikely friends. "Sure. I'm too tired to deal with any unfriendly nasties that we would probably run into, anyway."

The group said their goodbyes to Giles and headed out. Willow and Spike folded themselves into the back seat of Xander's car. Xander and Anya piled into the front.

Willow had just turned to look out at the growing sliver of moon when that tingle rippled its way up her spine. On a whim, Willow tried picturing a cool breeze that blew through her mind, pushing the feeling out and back down her body. She was happily surprised when it worked, grinning openly for the split second before her control slipped.

When she stopped thinking of the cool breeze, the redhead's small body was engulfed in a heat that seemed to burn from her bones outward. Faces, some familiar and some not, flashed through her mind too quickly for her to grasp. A moment later, she got a flash of Buffy hitting Spike repeatedly. Then things switched to her and Buffy in two of the most hideous dresses she'd ever seen. Picture after picture, scene after scene, began slamming into her mind's eye, making them mostly unintelligible and always painful.

Just when Willow thought her mind was going to melt from the quickly shifting pictures playing themselves on the inside of her eyelids, she felt her body being shifted into strong arms.

"Chit was more tired than she realized." Spike carried her through the door Xander opened, thanking the younger man before shutting it with his foot and carrying Willow up to her room. "Well, you're home. I'll let you sleep."

Willow heard Spike turn, knocking into the bedside table, and forced her eyes open. "Thank you, Spike."

"It's not a problem Red. Go to sleep."

Her eyes were closing even as she tried to protest him leaving without his trademark duster. "Your coat-"

"Can stay with you until tomorrow." Spike tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Just don't do anything too girly in it. Got a reputation to uphold, you know."

"Buffy?"

"She's sleeping, Willow. I can smell her."

"That's nice," Willow sighed dreamily. "Night Spike."

"Night Red." Spike chuckled at her near-sleep talking and let himself out of the Summers' house after peeking in to make sure that Dawn was sleeping.

Willow forced herself to get out of bed the next morning, even though 10:00 felt more like 6:00 after the night she'd had. The worn leather of the duster still surrounded her as she lay, fully clothed, on top of her neatly made bed.

Ugh. I *really* need a shower. She let the coat drop across the foot of her bed before shedding the rest of her ill- matching outfit and heading toward the bathroom. A look in the mirror let her know that nothing else had changed in the time she had been asleep, and she hurried through cleansing herself of the last few days' worth of grime and general ickiness.

Just as she finished rinsing the conditioner from her hair, Willow gasped as a naked Spike appeared out of nowhere in front of her. It took a moment for her to realize that it was the beginning of another vision, and she wondered at the sigh of disappointment that left her.

{Spike leaned over and began crawling his way up his bed, covering a disinterested Buffy with his body once he had reached her head.

`This can't happen again, Spike.'

`That's what you always say, Slayer. And yet, here you are.'

`I mean it this time.' Buffy pushed the vampire off of her and began hurriedly dressing, a look of loathing twisting her face. `I can't just keep sleeping with you. You're not worth my time, and especially not my body.'

`Better watch what you say, Slayer, or I might start taking it seriously.'

`I *am* serious, you undead idiot. I hate you.'

`See you tonight then?' The cocky grin that he wore slipped from his face as Buffy spit at him.

`You're beneath me.'}

Willow gasped again as the vision left her nearly drained, crying on the floor of the tub. Acrid bile was trying to force its way up her throat, and she just managed to throw open the lid of the toilet before she was revisited by the last of the late night pizza. Sitting back on the cold tile of the bathroom floor, water dripping from her body and splashing into the growing puddle around her nude body, Willow fought back sobs.

Okay. I can't take this anymore. Willow turned the shower off before standing and wrapping a towel around her hair and another around her body. I love the two of them far too much to see other dimension glimpses of them like that. Buffy isn't like that, and Spike would *never* look at her that way. That mix of desperation and longing shouldn't be allowed to occupy his face.

It didn't even occur to Willow that she'd just told herself that she loved Spike. She was already throwing on a bra and a pair of panties before her internal monolog was finished. The sky outside her window was a thick slate of deep grey, and sheets of rain pelted the ground, so she threw on a black sweater and a pair of black, zippered leggings. Without thinking, she pulled Spike's duster over her arms before ducking out into the cold rain.

The walk to the Magic Box seemed to go much more quickly than it usually did, though Willow suspected that her worrying and repulsion over what she had seen had more to do with that than her speed. She walked through the store, barely able to return Anya's smile and greeting, to find Giles sitting in the training room, sharpening a small ax. The man's surprise at finding her in the store in the middle of the day was clearly visible before he was able to school his features into a look of pure concern.

"Willow? Is there something wrong? Are you feeling well?"

"It's a little complicated... I think."

"How's that?" Giles put down the ax and led the witch into the store. "Would you like to have a nice cup of tea and tell me about it?"

Willow glanced over at Anya, deciding that she didn't care if the ex demon heard what she had to say. After Giles found out, there would most likely be another research aspect to work through, so everyone would know that her mind was dimension hopping without her permission. What difference did it make if one of them found out before the others?

"That would be great, Giles. Thank you." Willow busied herself with removing the wet leather coat while Giles went to put on a kettle of water. When he returned, telling her that it would be a few minutes, she decided that she may as well start with the explanations.

"Giles. There's something I left out about the demon's affect on me."

"I do hope it's nothing serious. Willow, you *know* how important any information could be to finding a cure for you." Giles pulled the glasses from his face and began wiping them with the bottom of his tie.

"I know." Willow tried to smile at Anya, who'd come over to join them when the last customer had been sent on his way with a fake smile and `have a good day'. "I just didn't know how to say this, or what anyone would say about it.

"At first, it only happened when I touched a person or something they had touched. That was the real reason for the gloves. I thought, if I didn't touch anything, then it wouldn't happen, but now it's gotten so that it just happens whenever it wants to and I can't stop it from happening. Well, I tried to stop it once, and it worked, but then a lot of things slammed into my brain all at the same time and I almost passed out. I'm just happy that everyone thought I was sleeping, and that Spike and Xander were there to carry me inside my house, and that I wasn't off somewhere alone or something. I don't even want to know *what* could have happened to me if I were fighting or running and it happened. That's kind of scary, now that I really think about it. I mean-"

"Willow." Giles motioned for Anya to remove the now whistling pot from the stove as he interrupted Willow's rambling.

"What's going on?" Anya had made it back in record time, making Willow suspect that she had turned the stove off and pushed the teakettle to a different burner rather than prepare any tea.

"I think I'm seeing other dimensions."

"How so?" Giles had that look on his face he only got when they were deep into research. "What makes you think it's alternate dimensions?"

"Well, the first one I got was of Anya being robbed while she was working." Anya drew herself up straighter in her seat, and Willow was quick to point out that it *had* to be a different dimension. "There's just no way Anya would willingly part with money from her till."

"Okay, that was the first one." Giles, Willow could tell, was already going through his mental lists of demons, discarding those who had no visionary abilities. "While that could actually happen in any dimension, I suppose, it *does* sound a little hard to believe. What else has happened to make you think they're different dimensions and not something else?"

"It can't be my imagination, Giles." Willow distantly heard the bell over the door chime, signaling that someone had entered the store. "I mean, Spike and Buffy sleeping together? That's just *wrong*, especially after what she went through with Angel."

"It's nothing like what I had with Angel!"

Willow's still wet hair stung her face as she whipped her head around to face a flushed and angry looking Buffy. "You mean, those things I've been seeing about you and Spike are *real*? You've been sleeping with Spike?"

"Its just sex. Something to get our minds off of things." Buffy pulled her coat off and tossed it over one of the chairs. "It's not like I love the Fangless Wonder, or anything."

Giles and Anya, long forgotten, were looking back and forth between the sneering Slayer and the now standing witch. Buffy was standing with her hands on her hips, as if waiting for a fight, and Willow simply looked ready to cry. Very faintly, Anya thought she smelled something burning.

"The things I've seen tell me that it isn't the same on Spike's end of things, Buffy." Willow's long curls began fluttering as if in a soft breeze, though no one else in the room felt anything.

"I know." Buffy tossed her sunny hair over her shoulder. "I want the bastard to love me. What better way to punish him?"

"Punish him? For what?" The scent of burning copper surrounded the redhead, forcing Buffy to take a step back even as tiny sparks began appearing along and over the mass of curls that made up Willow's hair. "What does he have to suffer for?"

"He's an evil, soulless demon. Why shouldn't I use him for whatever I want?"

"What is *wrong* with you!" Willow pulled Spike's long coat back on, ignoring the sudden warmth of the store. "I can't believe that you would even *say* that."

"It's true, isn't it?" Buffy lifted her eyebrows and sneered openly. "I'm the Slayer. I'm better than he is. Why shouldn't I do whatever I want?"

"That's horrible, Buffy, really horrible." Willow was disappointed in the smaller girl, now knowing that she really *was* just using the caring, if evil, vampire to vent on. "I'm not staying in that house any more. I can't."

"Whatever." Buffy flopped down on the couch, ignoring the hurt look marring Willow's face. "You'll get tired of being alone and come back in a day or two anyway."

Willow shook her head and felt her stomach rolling as she backed toward the door. "Giles, could you look into that for me? I really don't want to see any more than I already have. I'll be at my parent's house if you need me."

Willow turned to open the door, surprised when she found herself already standing outside the small magic shop. Okay. I don't remember opening the door and walking out here.

Shaking off the strange feeling she was getting, the redhead made her way to the cemetery. If she couldn't talk some sense into Buffy, maybe she could tell Spike the truth about the Slayer's feelings. No one deserved to be used like that, demon or not.

The rain still beating down had soaked through the heavy leather of Spike's coat, by the time she reached the old cemetery Spike had claimed a home in. The ground gave way easily under her feet, and she was happy that she wasn't fond of the old tennis shoes she'd thrown on before leaving. The squelching of the sneakers as she approached the dark crypt seemed to whisper `tell... him' with every step.

Okay, Rosenburg, he's got to know, and you're the one who found out about it all. Just knock, go in, tell him what you know, and leave. Easy.

Willow stood outside the door to the small building for another five minutes before lifting her hand and knocking.

When no one answered, Willow pushed the heavy door open. "Spike? Are you in here?"

"Here, pet." Spike's voice echoed up from the hole in the floor. "Didn't know who it was, and didn't fancy talking to the Slayer right now."

"W... Well, t-that's what, or who, I wanted to talk to you ab-about. Ah, Spike? Could... could y-you put on a, ah, a shirt? Please?" Willow put a hand over her eyes and turned to face the barren wall instead of the half dressed vampire who'd just climbed out of the lower room.

"Protecting your innocent eyes?" Willow could hear the smirk in his voice even as a long arm reached past her and snatched a t-shirt from the arm of the chair she stood beside.

"I just need to talk to you, and it's hard enough without getting distracted."

"You saying I'm distracting?" A low chuckle rumbled through the crypt. "You can turn around, luv. It's safe."

"Spike, you already know how... distracting you are." Willow handed the heavy coat back to the blonde vampire, who casually slung it over the sarcophagus before pulling a battered pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

"What brings a pretty bird like you to a cemetery to talk to my undead ass in the middle of the morning?"

"I've... There's something about the demon that I didn't tell you. Well, I didn't tell anyone. At first, it was just a thing that happened when I touched something or someone, then when I thought about them. Now, it just happens. I didn't even know it was real, I thought it had to be some other dimension because the things I was seeing just didn't make sense, but I found out today that it isn't like that, that it's really the future, and I needed to tell you that what you're doing with Buffy isn't good."

Spike's face changed from its normal smirking arrogance to completely void of all emotion. The cigarette hung, forgotten, from his slightly parted lips. "What's that, luv?"

"I'm getting visions of the future, Spike." Willow turned burning eyes to the floor. "I thought they were flashes of other dimensions and went to talk to Giles about it. Buffy heard the end of the conversation and ended up trying to defend herself to us."

"So everyone knows about it, then."

"Well, just Giles and Anya right now, but you know Anya and not knowing what not to say to people."

"Good." Spike had recovered with a slight shake of his head and moved to slouch down into the single chair in the room. "I was tired of keepin' it a bloody secret anyway."

"Spike." Willow turned to face him now, knowing that she had to look him in the eye when she told him this last part. "Buffy doesn't love you. She's just using you for the sex."

"Nah, she loves me in a way."

"No, she doesn't, Spike. She told me that she's using you, that she wants to punish you."

"Don't know what you're getting all worked up about, pet. She needs me to vent on, which is a lot more than what I've been needed for in a long time. I need her because I can cause her pain. Besides, the sex isn't bad either."

"Spike!" Willow gave in to the tears, letting them flow freely as she nearly sobbed at the vampire in front of her. "You deserve more than that!"

"Don't cry, Red." Spike stood, moving to wrap his arms around the nearly doubled over witch.

Willow jerked her arms up, dislodging his hold on her, and stepped away from his offered comfort. "Don't. Just don't."

"Willow, it's really none of your business who I'm shagging, or why they're shagging me."

"It is my business!" Willow was openly sobbing as she forced herself to walk to the door. "It's my business because you're one of my best friends, because you've always been honest with me, and because you've helped me."

Goddess, I wish I was home. Before the thought was even finished, Willow found herself standing in the living room of the house she'd called home for the last year. How did... Never mind, Willow. Figure it out later. Pack now.

Willow threw herself up the stairs, nearly missing her footing several times as she climbed to her room. Pulling the suitcases down from the shelf in her closet, she began throwing her clothes into them as fast as she could. When it became apparent that there wouldn't be enough room for everything, she retrieved some garbage bags from the kitchen and stuffed as much as she could into them as well. By the time the sniffling redhead finished her marathon throwing and shoving, open drawers and empty hangers were all that were left to keep the stripped bed company.

I'm going to need a taxi or something. There's no way I can carry all these bags *and* my magic trunk on top of the suitcases. Willow thought for a moment before smiling to herself and giggling. Give it a shot, Willow.

Pulling herself up to her full height, Willow began pointing at each of the bags in turn, giggling when they all shrank to roughly the size of a quarter. The suitcases followed suit easily enough. In the end, Willow was able to scoop them all up and deposit them in the pocket of the coat she'd pulled out to protect her from the still falling rain.

Just like Marry Poppins. For the first time that day, a small smile found itself on the lips of the pretty redhead as she made her way back down the stairs and out the front door.

Willow hesitated for only a second when she reached the end of the front walk. Setting her shoulders, she made a left and quickly reached Xander's old house. After that, she simply made use of the alleyways and shortcuts she and her childhood friend had memorized all those years ago.

Willow shook her head and gave a derisive snort. At least they left everything hooked up and turned on.

Willow unlatched and opened every door and window in the house, smiling at the dreary sky that seemed to match her mood. It was no longer raining, though a steady breeze was tossing the trees, and the air now wafting through the house carried a tang of spring. With a little magic, Willow simply let the dust that had gathered over the house leave on the air.

Unpacking was similarly easy, and the redhead found herself settled into her old room just as her stomach let her know that she had now missed both breakfast and lunch. With the refrigerator running, but empty, there was nothing she could do but go to the store. With a sigh, she retrieved the car keys from the locked drawer in her parents' old room and headed for the tasteful, if seldom used, sedan sitting in the garage.

Picking up the essentials, Willow was struck by inspiration just as she was heading for the checkout line. If she had Giles and Wesley both working on finding anything that had to do with this demon, then there was nothing more she could really do on that level. So, maybe she could find a way to keep herself from seeing things that she didn't want to. That meant using magic or a lot of energy. Either way, she was sure to get major cases of munchies. Magic is hungry work.

Turning her cart, Willow walked the isles of the store with a little more bounce in her step. Now that she had a plan, as sketchy as it may be, she felt a little better about things. Spike knew he was being used and seemed to want whatever it was Buffy gave him, so there was nothing she could do. What was happening to her, however, just took research and good, old fashioned hard work. Willow put some Breyer's coffee ice cream into the basket and smiled.

She wasn't called research girl for nothing.