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I go checking out the reports - digging up the dirt
You get to meet all sorts in this line of work
Treachery and treason - there's always an excuse for it
And when I find the reason I still can't get used to it

- Private Investigations by Dire Straits


Chapter Nine - Suspicion

Vicki's room was filled with laughter.

"Are you serious?" Vicki managed to ask between her laughter.

Willow nodded with a smile on her face, "Seriously. I mean, the teacher went out crying. It was pretty horrific."

Vicki took a deep breath to calm her laughter. "Oh, my God! Only you could say something like that."

Willow shrugged her shoulders and leaned back in her chair, resting her feet on Vicki's bed. "It was an accident actually."

Vicki let out another chuckle, shaking her head at her while she relaxed back in her bed and took a bite out of a strawberries and cream doughnut. The bed was covered in two empty boxes from McDonald's; Willow had actually left and gone to the nearest McDonald's after Vicki said she was in desperate need in some "decent food". Not only that, but she also got Krispy Kreme doughnuts aswell. Willow had outdone herself. When Vicki had asked how she had managed to afford all this food she just said that their boss at the Mystic Grill, Mr. Bridges, had actually given her pay this month so she could afford it.

Willow reached for the last doughnut and took a bite out of it, cream dripping from her mouth slightly. She wiped it with the back of her hand before licking it off of herself. Willow had wanted to ask Vicki about what had happened at the party, but she wasn't sure how to broach the subject. She shifted in her seat slightly and swallowed the piece of doughnut that was in hear mouth.

Willow cleared her throat, "So, when'd they say you'd be outta here?"

"Today hopefully." Vicki said. "I am so sick of this place." Vicki whined.

Willow nodded, taking another bite of her doughnut. "Yeah, I would be too. This place is depressing. I practically had to sneak all this food in here." Willow sighed and shook her head, "You have no idea how hard that was."

Vicki grinned, "I can imagine."

Willow smirked and finished off the rest of her doughnut, and leaned forward in her seat. "So... about the other night..." Willow began, her tone hesitant. "What happened?"

Vicki frowned and looked down, "I-I-I don't know... it's all a blur really." Vicki replied nervously.

"It was like an animal or something, right? I mean, if it was, what kind of animal? I didn't even know we had something like that around here."

Vicki fell silent and didn't reply; she just kept her head down. Willow furrowed her brows worriedly at her. "Hey, look, I'm sorry I brought it up. I shouldn't have said anything. I was just being nosy."

"Is that why you came here?" Vicki suddenly asked, becoming slightly hostile. "Just to get some gossip on me?"

Willow's eyes widened at the accusation, "What? No! I was seriously worried about you. I mean, of course I wanna know what happened, but I care more that you're okay. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."

Vicki blinked and nibbled on her chapped, bottom lip. She seemed nervous all of a sudden and looked towards the door, as if to check if anyone was listening or about to walk in. Willow raised an eyebrow at her and stood up, stepped towards the door and pushed it closed. She sat back in her seat to make Vicki feel more at ease, but it didn't help Willow herself. If Vicki was suddenly worried about someone hearing what she had to say, then she was anxious as to what had attacked her the other night. She waited with bated breath.

Vicki took a deep breath and her green eyes met Willow with such an intensity that it made Willow's whole body tense. "It was a vampire."

Willow blinked and rested her elbows on her knees. She looked confused, as if she hadn't heard her. "A... a vampire? Like... suck your blood, fangs and turning into a bat, kind of... vampire...?" Willow was completely bewildered by this revelation. A vampire? A part of her wanted to laugh, accuse her of joking. But by the serious expression on her face and the stoniness in which she had said it, it looked like Vicki wasn't lying. She honestly believed that a vampire had attacked her.

Willow scratched her head, "Um... I..."

"I know it sounds crazy." Vicki interrupted. "But I saw it. He had fangs, and-and- he ripped into my throat with them." Vicki leaned forward slightly, keeping Willow's attention. She touched her bandaged neck tentatively. "I could feel him drinking my blood, I felt it leave my body." Vicki shook her head slowly, keeping her hard gaze on Willow's. "That was no fucking animal attack."

Willow's mouth was agape slightly, and her eyes were blinking frantically, trying to process Vicki's words. Vicki seemed so serious, and actually scared. Willow didn't know how to take it in. Her dark eyes darted to Vicki's neck, where a bandage was placed over where she was bitten. Willow's eyes widened. She was bitten on the neck! If it was an animal, surely it would have attacked somewhere where there was more meat or something if it was trying to eat her. But no, whatever had attacked her, had gone solely for the neck and nothing else.

But it just couldn't be true. Vampires weren't real! They were fictional monsters made up in books and films.

"You should go." Vicki suddenly said, her voice void of any emotion.

"What? Vicki, no, I mean-"

"You really should." Vicki butted in. "I'm tired. I want to sleep before I have to go back to work."

Willow shook her head, "No, it's fine. I can cover your shift at work."

"No, I need the money anyway." Vicki replied. "Can you throw this stuff out? I wanna sleep now."

Willow nodded her head slowly, "Um... okay. I'll see you later, I guess." Willow picked up the trash and threw it in the trash can, glancing back at Vicki. Willow quickly stepped towards her, and ran her fingers through Vicki's hair gently. The two had always been close and she missed this. They had even gone as far as to experiment with their sexuality with eachother, and Willow missed that intimacy that they had used to have. Feeling strangely emotional, Willow leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Feel better soon, Vick."

Vicki smiled up at her, not at all affronted by the younger girl's actions. "Yeah." Willow stepped towards the door. "See you at the comet festival."

Willow nodded, waved towards her and opened the door and left. Willow leaned against the door for a few seconds, still trying to let everything sink in. It was all so bizarre; like it was out of some kind of teen drama or something. Vampires attacking people? Was she trapped in a bad television show or something? Willow sighed, shook her head and began making her way down the corridor.

As she rounded the corner she spotted Matt walking towards her. She smiled lightly when she saw him, "Hey, Matt!" Willow called.

Matt turned his head towards the sound of her voice and raised an eyebrow at her as the two came closer to one another. "Willow, hey. You weren't in school today."

Willow shrugged her shoulders, stuffing her hands in her vest pocket. "Been here most of the day."

"Really? Why? Is someone here that you know?"

Willow shook her head and smiled at him, "Nope. Was with your big sis all day. Kept her company."

Matt blinked in surprise, "Seriously? I thought you two hated eachother."

Willow waved a dismissive hand, "Nah, all water under the bridge. Been worried about her, so I thought it's time to let bygones be bygones."

Matt smiled, "Well, I'm glad. I think she missed having you around. I know I did."

Willow grinned and punched him in the arm. He groaned and rubbed it, but he had a smile on his face. "I bet you did, Donovan."

"I sure as hell haven't miss the abuse." He smirked.

Willow scoffed, "Oh, go cry me a river, Matty."

Matt chuckled and stepped around her, "I should go check on Vick."

Willow nodded, becoming serious again. "Yeah... she said she was tired when I was leaving so, she might be asleep." Matt nodded at her in thanks, before turning around to walk towards Vicki's room. Willow swallowed, contemplating whether she should tell Matt what Vicki had told her. He was her brother after all. But then again, she had a brother and she hated him knowing everything about her. But this was serious; this wasn't about Vicki sneaking out or smoking pot. This was about something (a vampire apparently) attacking her.

"Um, Matt!" Willow called out.

He stopped and turned around. "Yeah?"

Willow shifted her weight, unsure how to tell him. "Uh... Vicki said some... pretty weird shit earlier. About what attacked her."

Matt's eyes lit up with interest and he walked back towards her. "What'd she say?"

Willow swallowed, "She said... she said that a vampire attacked her."

Matt's face fell, his entire body going stiff. Willow became nervous. "She said that to you too?"

Willow frowned. "Wait, she told you too?"

Matt nodded his head grimly. "Yeah, she told me a few days ago. I don't know why she thinks that a vampire attacked her."

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "She was bitten in the neck." As if that was explanation enough.

"You're not saying you believe her?"

Willow shook her head, not knowing what to say. "I dunno... I mean, it can't be true, right? A vampire attacking her? But..."

"But...?"

"But why would she think a vampire attacked her? Anything but a vampire. But no, that's what she thinks attacked her. And she told me he. He attacked her." Willow gave him a look, not sure whether she should be convincing him to believe Vicki when she herself wasn't even too sure.

"Wait, a man attacked her. I gotta tell the sheriff." Matt said and turned away from her, walking towards Vicki's room quickly.

Willow opened her mouth to stop him, but didn't see the point. Maybe her Aunt could do something if it was some sick fuck going around biting people.

Willow groaned, and rubbed her hand on her forehead, suddenly feeling tired. With sluggish movements, she turned and carried on walking down the corridor, the opposite direction of Vicki's room.

Once she finally made it out of the hospital, she pulled out her lighter and cigarette, immediately lighting it and putting it to her mouth. She leaned against the wall of the hospital, breathing out smoke. Willow knew she'd have to go home soon; she had work in two hours. Right when everyone else was enjoying the comet, she was forced to be a waitress to a bunch of ungrateful teens. Willow closed her eyes and rested her against the brick wall.

Willow was in her own world, smoking and relaxing for a few moments before she caught the next bus and made her way home, when she heard a thud. It was like feet hitting concrete after they jumped in the air or something. Willow opened her eyes, finding a familiar person walk briskly passed her.

"Stefan?" Willow called out, flicking the cigarette away and stepping on it.

Stefan froze and turned around, surprised to see her. Willow raised an eyebrow at him, confused by the bewildered look on his face. "Stefan, hey. Fancy seeing you here." Willow said as she walked towards him.

Stefan nodded. "Yeah..." He glanced back at the hospital. "You were in the hospital?" He asked.

Willow nodded her head, "Yeah, I was visiting Vicki. I wanted to see how she was after the whole... animal attack..." Willow said uncertainly.

"You went to see her? How was she?" He suddenly seemed very interested. Willow just figured it was because he was just a nice guy who cared about everyone.

"Um... yeah, she's doing okay. Hopefully she'll be out today. You'll probably see her at the Grill later if you're going to the comet festival." Willow shook her head, realising that she was rambling. "Anyway, she said some weird stuff, about what attacked her and all. But maybe she's just messed up 'cause of the blood loss and all." Willow shrugged her shoulders. "So, what are you doing here?"

Stefan's green eyes hardened when Willow told him about Vicki mentioning what had attacked her the other night. Worry coursing through him; if Vicki told Willow about a vampire attacking her then that put Willow in danger, especially with his monstrous brother running around. "Wait, she said to you what attacked her?" He asked, avoiding Willow's own question with one of his own.

Willow nodded her head, frowning at his curiosity, "Um, yeah..." She waved a hand at him; she didn't want to talk about it again. "But it was nothing. Just her imagination running away with her. No big deal." Willow smiled thinly at him. She liked Stefan, but she didn't think Vicki would want her telling everyone what she thought had attacked her the other night. It would most likely make Vicki look like a laughing stock.

"Huh." Stefan nodded his head. He could tell that she knew something, and maybe he should compel her to forget whatever Vicki had told her. But it took a lot to just compel Vicki to think that it was an animal that had attacked her, he wasn't sure that he had it in him to change Willow's mind too. And besides, it looked like she didn't believe a word of what Vicki had said anyway.

"But yeah, what were you doing here?" Willow asked again.

"Uh, visiting family." He answered cryptically.

"Oh, are they sick?"

"Yeah, they have been for a while." Stefan answered easily.

"Sorry about that. That must suck." Willow cringed at her own choice of words. She was seriously awkward sometimes; especially around gorgeous guys.

Stefan cleared his throat as the two began walking together, "So, why weren't you in school today?"

"First thing you learn about me is that I ditch school a lot." Willow smirked. "Did you miss me?"

"Well, yeah. I kind of need my one other friend in the school to be there so I don't look like a loser." He joked.

Willow scoffed and elbowed him in the side, "Like hell you need me. Everyone loves you. Being fresh meat and all." Willow smirked at him, but it dropped as soon as it came. "Besides, don't you have the lovely Miss Elena Gilbert?"

Stefan glanced at her, noticing the bitter tone in which she said Elena's name. "You two don't like eachother, do you?"

"Wow! What gave it away?"

Stefan rolled his eyes, "She just doesn't seem to trust you at all. And you seem... um... to not like her." He didn't want to insult her by saying something he would later regret, but he wanted to be in both of these girls' lives, and he wanted to get to the bottom of their feud.

Willow sighed loudly and swung her arms back and forth, "Look, it's the whole Jeremy thing. Me and him are best friends and she's always hated it. With me being "into the wrong crowd"," Willow used quotation marks, "she just thinks I'm sucking Jeremy into it too, which is not the case." Even though that was partly true as to why Elena despised her so much, it wasn't the entire truth. And Stefan could see that.

"But there's something else going on, right?" Stefan pushed.

Willow narrowed her eyes up at him, "It's not all my fault if that's what you're thinking. She's no saint either."

"I'm not saying that, Will. I just..." He sighed and looked down at her. She was very short. "I like you both, and I don't want to have to deal with one or the other telling me not to hang out with either of you."

Willow stopped walking, a scowl on her face. "She said that. About me?" Willow shook head. "Of course she would." She muttered to herself. "Fucking bitch." Willow spat quietly to herself, but Stefan heard it anyway and flinched at her choice of words about the girl he was currently interested in.

"Hey, there's no need for that." Stefan reprimanded.

Willow glowered at him. "Look, Stefan, you don't know jack shit about what's gone on between us. So before you go defending her, go find out the real story. From her. Hear her side of the story first, then I'll tell you mine."

Her gaze was hard and Stefan stared back at her with the same intensity. Whatever had gone on between these two girls was obviously very serious, and he was determined to get the bottom their issues. But he didn't want to fight with Willow about it. They had only just became friends after all.

"I don't wanna fight with you." Stefan said calmly. Willow snorted. "Seriously, I don't. I like you both and I'd rather not be in the middle of a tug of war." He tried to joke, but Willow continued to glower, except at the ground this time.

"Whatever." Willow relented. "It's no big deal to me anyway." Willow sniffed and carried on walking. Stefan rolled his eyes and followed her.

It became silent between the two, and Stefan worried that he'd crossed a line with her. He didn't want to lose her as a friend yet. And besides, he was still worried about her after the Tyler incident the other night. "How are you doing after the other night with Tyler?"

Willow stiffened and looked away from Stefan. "Um... fine." Willow practically choked out, and Stefan could tell that she most definitely was not fine.

Stefan gently touched her wrist. He could feel her muscles tighten underneath his hold and he released her. "Hey, it's okay. You can talk about it."

Willow shook her head, "No, I can't. I don't want to. It makes me feel sick just thinking about what he almost did to me."

Stefan placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort. "You don't need to. It wasn't your fault. And he didn't get to... you know." He didn't want to say it, it made him feel a little sick just thinking about it too if he hadn't managed to hear her panicked voice that night. What would've happened to her?

"It doesn't matter because I still feel like..." She squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't wanna talk about it, think about it, or anything, okay?"

Stefan suddenly pulled her into his arms, and Willow's eyes snapped open. She stiffened in his grip, confused by his actions. Willow swallowed and sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. Very slowly she wrapped her arms around his back, as if unsure. Eventually she relaxed and let out a breath. Stefan didn't say anything, but Willow felt that this spoke louder than words.