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And then there was Spike (Part 2)
By C.D. Hackett
Willow stormed out of Stevenson Hall and began walking. She wasn't sure of where she was going and she just kept on walking until she ended up at Xander's. Standing outside, in the dark, she shifted from one foot to the other, restlessly.
"Maybe this was a bad idea, I should just turn around and go--" she stopped muttering when she noticed Harmony and some other vamps coming up the street. There was no place to go but inside.
Willow walked in and closed the door behind her, "Knock knock, anybody home?" She carefully walked around the unconscious Mother Harris and headed for the basement steps. Willow called down to Xander, "Xander, it's me. Willow. I need some advice."
The voice that replied was not the one she was hoping for.
"Willow? What are you doing here? Xander went to the store to gift me with necessary chocolate and I was going to reward him with more orgasms when he comes back. You can't be here for that," Anya pouted as she moved the lava lamp, knowing how pissed off Xander had gotten when they'd knocked it over last time.
Willow came down the steps and plopped down on the bed, "At this point, any advice would be helpful, even yours, Anya."
"Well why not ask Buffy or Giles? Why Xander? He's mine you know. You aren't going to be able to pull what you did on Cordelia or Oz."
"I don't want Xander. And I don't want to know why you want Xander either. And I didn't pull anything, it was a fluke and you weren't even around for that, you're just some former demon who is in love with one of my best friends."
"And then you're the vengeance demon in waiting. You should have thought about doing it. It was an enjoying job, while it lasted, but I'm happier now and I guess it's thanks to you. After all, if you'd never had your fluke with Xander then he and Cordelia would have never broken up and she would have never made the wish and I would never have lost my powers and ended up with Xander. So, as annoying as you've been lately, thanks."
Willow shook her head, "You're strange, Anya and that's not just because you are a former demon but, actually, you might have some insight...possibly, into my current situation. You see, somehow I've managed to fall in love with someone. And he's a demon, well he's got a demon...he's a vampire."
"Not that brooding Angel guy! What do women see in him when there's Xander?"
"No. Not Angel. It's... well it's Spike." Willow blurted it out.
"Hmmn, well at least he's kinda of put together nicely although what's with that blond hair. I mean.. Hello, it's so obviously bleached. But, he's one of the baddies, sort of, and you are like at the top of the good guys. What are you doing in love with him?"
Willow fidgeted, "I don't know how it happened exactly. I've never been into the 'bad boy' type before, but since he's lost his bite, I've kinda seen a side to him that I didn't know," her voice dropped to a conspirsital whisper, "Did you know he's a closet musical fan? He knows all the lyrics to the songs in 'Singing in the Rain' and he can really kiss, but I guess being unalive for all those years gives lots of practice time."
"Where is Xander with my chocolate? This would be more fun to talk about if we were eating chocolate."
"Oh my gosh, I came in because there were a bunch of vampires out there. You don't think-"
"Not my Xander! They can't have him. He's mine and I love him. Let's go find him."
The two headed out into the night to try to find Xander.
***********
Spike was just leaving his old pad he'd shared with Harmony after grabbing some knickknacks and some of his other belongings when he heard footsteps and smelled blood. Fresh blood.
Xander's vision was blurred as he regained consciousness, painfully, and wished that he was still out of it. He heard a familiar voice, whiny and annoying.
"Tie him up over there until I decide what to do with him. You boys run along until I need you again." She circled them seductively, "And if you're good little vampires, it'll be soon. But now. Go away."
His eyes began to focus and he realized that he was chained up in Harmony's lair. "What the hell are you doing? I have a naked girlfriend waiting for me at home. I am supposed to be bringing her chocolate, right now."
Blonde hair swayed as she laughed, closing in on him, "Oh Xander, you poor loser. You thought I'd let you get away with hitting me that time. But I was only waiting for the right time. Now I have you and I'll do what Spikey couldn't. Lure the Slayer here with you as bait and I'll kill you all. That will bring my blondie-bear back."
Spike stepped out from the darkness, "Harm, I'm already back, love." He opened his arms to her.
Squealing delightedly, she flung herself on him. Covering all the flesh she could reach with her mouth. "I knew you loved me. I knew you'd come back to me. You aren't still mad about the incident with the stake are you? I threw it away."
He growled, "Of course not, Harm. C'mere, I want to play." He motioned to the wall by Xander, "There is an extra set of chains."
Xander looked at Spike in disgust, "After all we've--" He broke off, when he saw the odd look on the vampire's face.
"In front of my bedtime snack? Now that's twisted, and I like it," Harmony's grin grew wider as she allowed Spike to shackle her and gag her. A muffled word that sounded like, "Kinky" issued from her.
Then Spike freed Xander, "Let's sod off before the bitch gets loose."
Another muffled word that sounding like, "luck" squeezed its way through the gag.
"Careful, or I may just have to stake you. After all, you did try to kill me. Or I could let Xander do it."
"I can't do it this way. It wouldn't be right. But I'm tempted. Oh yes, little missy. You watch out for the scourge known as Xander Harris from now on."
Xander gave Spike the first real smile he ever had, "Thanks. You can crash in my basement anytime Anya's not staying over. I'll even buy Weetabix for you."
"Don't be a pansy arsekisser, Xander. Let's go."
******
"If anything happens to my Xander, I'll summon T'Hafreyn myself and take my old job back and then, they'll all pay," Anya's eyes gleamed eerily under the streetlights, "He wouldn't take me back because he said I'd lost my edge. I'll give him edge, baby."
"Calm down, Anya. Xander is a survivor. Now, I think we should go tell Giles and Buffy what's happened."
"There's no time, Willow. You can go find them if you want, but I am going to save the man I love!"
Something moved in the shadows. Both women tensed.
"Tsk tsk, look at her all riled up. I think I can see a bit of what you see in the little wench."
"Spike!" Willow flung herself into his arms.
"You said you love me," Xander held out his arms to Anya.
"Only when I thought you might be dead. I don't love you, unless you love me," she reached out to touch his cut and bruised face, "Did they hurt you? Are you OK? Did you lose my chocolate?"
Xander shook his head and then winced, "I think I have a concussion, but other than that I'm fine. Spike saved--" He belatedly noticed how Willow and Spike were holding each other, "What's going on? Is it another spell? Damn, are there demons behind me?"
Willow smiled, "No, it's not a spell. It kinda took us by surprise, but it's spell-free for now."
"For now?" Xander raised an eyebrow causing the cut on his forehead to start sprouting blood again.
Anya dabbed at it, ineffectively, "Let's go home and I'll play doctor with you. And when I'm done with you, if you ask nicely, I'll tell you a bit about the Willow/Spike thing."
"Spike why do you smell like icky perfume and hairspray?"
"Love, let me tell you what horrible thing happened when I saved Xander's butt."
His voice faded into the night as the two couples went their separate ways.
******
"Riley, I can't believe that you did that to her. Willow is my best friend and Spike, well he's a whole other story."
"Hostile 17. I have to recapture him."
"No. You don't. I'm not Slaying him, and I'm the Slayer. Why? Because he's been helping us fight things ever since you guys neutered him. And if Will gives him his soul back, he'll be totally fine. So don't even think about it. I don't want us to be against each other like that."
"Buffy, please just listen to me," Riley pulled her close to him, "I am risking everything to be with you. If my commander found out, you'd never see me again. M. I. A. For the long haul. Implant or not, Hostile 17... Spike is not a pet. He is a danger and he will bring evil to you all."
The Slayer pulled away from him and gave him a cold glare, it made him shrivel up inside because it was cold enough to burn, "Riley, they're in love. Let them be. How would you feel if someone tried to tear us apart because of what you are doing and me being the Chosen One? Would you want that to happen to us?"
Riley felt like the ass he was, "Buffy, I might be putting you in danger while being with you. if anyone finds out about you, I could not let you be hurt, no matter what."
She smiled then and kissed him. Slowly and passionately.
******
"So when are we doing the spell, love?"
"Well because Tara and I modified it, I want to wait for some favourable planetary alignments to give it a little more ooommphf, if you know what I mean. I don't want anything to go wrong."
"Nor do I, Pet. Nor do I," he pulled her onto his bed, "Now. Be my good little Witch and watch this DVD with me."
"It figures, the hacker-Wicca-nerd ends up with the technoVamp."
"You are not a nerd. You are sexy and brilliant and the kindest soul I have ever known. And don't tease me or I won't show you my new computer."
"Have I told you that I love you in the last five seconds or so, Spike?"
"No, you bloody well haven't and I'm feeling neglected. You'll just have to prove it to me, Red."
Low laughter, as sensuous as silk, escaped their lover's nest and was overheard.
******
"Master," the demon bowed, "It seems to be working according to your plans."
"Good. When this all fails, we'll have our new vengeance demon, just as I desire."
T'Hafreyn laughed. It was a sound like the scraping of fingernails down a chalkboard. It signified broken hearts and broken dreams.
Such was the life of demons.
TO BE CONTINUED