Buffy gave a sigh and shouldered her bag as she walked out of Stevenson hall into the brilliant light of day. Willow had been confusing her lately. Buffy frowned as the odd conversation that had occurred between them just moments ago replayed in her mind:
Willow had rushed into the dorm room, looking flustered and rather red in the face as Buffy was getting ready to head out,
"Hey Will, have you been running?" Buffy asked casually, not bothering to look up from painting her toenails a deep shade of crimson.
"Uh, n-no, why?" the Wiccan had replied.
"Well, you sound out of breath," Buffy shrugged, looking up from admiring her work.
"Oh...well, you know...just walking far and stuff...I went uh...shopping, walked" she stuttered.
"Really? What'd you buy?" Buffy asked eagerly, slipping her sandals on carefully over the just dry nails, finally giving Willow her full attention.
"Um, I went...grocery shopping for...Xander...he wanted some...artichokes,"
Buffy looked at her incredulously, "Xander and artichokes in the same sentence...wow, that's just weird."
"Yea...isn't it though?" Willow's laugh was short and forced. Buffy couldn't help but notice she had neatly overstepped the question.
"Mmmhmm...well, I was going to head out to Giles's...you know, maybe get some research done on where Riley could be...you coming?" Buffy asked.
"Uh..yea, of course. Just..I'll be there right away, you, you go on without me."
"Okay then," Buffy said carefully, "see you soon."
"Yea. Soon."
Buffy shrugged the memory off and decided that whatever Willow was hiding would have to surface on it's own. As she turned the corner around the building, she thought it must be something to do with the disappearance of-
"Oz!"
Buffy gaped in disbelief at the man who had stopped short at the sight of her.
"Hi, Buffy. Will around?" Oz managed to "casually" say.
Buffy wasn't sure whether to hug or strangle him...she was certain Willow would feel the same way...
"That's all you can say?!" she cried, "after all the heartbreak and...and pain you put her through?"
***
Spike slid off his bed and let his cigarette fall to the ground. He growled and stamped it out with his foot. What had he done wrong? After over a century of seducing women (and being dumped for fungus demons by women, a little voice in his head reminded him) why wasn't he able to kiss Willow?
He barked out a laugh at the thought of it, little Willow Rosenberg...of all people. Certainly, she was okay...but not exactly a hard-to-get-temptress. Was she playing games with him? Well, if she was, they were damn good. All he could think about was her.
He paced around in the crypt. Still daylight, only around 3:30 PM...
"Dammit, why does Sunnydale have to be so bloody...sunny?!" he ranted to no one.
With a final sigh of frustration, he decided he'd have to take his chances. He grabbed his duster, pulled it over his head and ran out the door toward Stevenson Hall...
***
Willow sighed dejectedly and plopped down on her bed, thinking of things to do...Go see Giles like she told Buffy? Later...that could wait until her spell of depression was over. The last thing she needed was the robotic sympathy her friends would shower her with. Spells with Tara? No, not now...Her eyes roamed the room for something...
Then she found it. She laughed out loud at how absurd it was....All she wanted to do really was watch TV.
She looked around for the remote, but failed to locate it. She checked under the bed, in Buffy's rumpled sheets, under Mr. Gordo and finally opened the drawer of her nightstand. Her hand bumped into something hard and instinctively, she pulled it out.
Her breath caught in her throat and she felt the welling of deep depression within her stomach as she looked at what was in her hands. It was a frame, holding an immortalized memory in a picture. It had been taken by the beach, several weeks after she and Oz had gotten together. He was holding her close to him, smiling his half smile. His grin reminded her of happier times...
Tears began to wet her cheeks. In fury, she roughly blinked and wiped them away.
"Not anymore!" she screamed and with one thrust of an arm, whipped the picture away.
It sailed toward the door and crashed right into Spike's face as he entered.
"Ha! Bloody hell!" he clutched his forehead and left eye and cursed again.
"Oh no! Oh my...oh...Spike! Are you okay?" Willow stood and ran over to him. He let go of his forehead, blinked rapidly for a moment then gazed at her with a grin on his face and admiration shining out of his eyes, "Damn, you've got a good arm on you there, Red..."
She felt herself melt and couldn't help but smile back. Her amusement disappeared though, as he bent down to investigate what he had gotten bashed in the head with.
His face hardened as he looked from the picture to her tear streaked face and back again. Then, quite suddenly, he took the picture and crushed it with his hand, frame and all.
Willow gasped and started at him, "Why---?"
He put a finger over her lips, silencing her. She gave a ragged breath, feeling the cold of his skin against hers.
"You need to let go, love. Stop the memories."
"I-I was looking for the TV remote control..." she began, but her face crumpled and she found herself sobbing.
Spike looked at her, his face passive. But on the inside, he felt her pain, could see it all. He took her in his arms and let her bury her face into his shirt as she wept.
***
Buffy glared at Oz, "You know how much she has cried over you?"
"Look, Buffy, I didn't want to hurt her. I knew I would, but I wanted her safe."
"Do you think she'd rather be safe without you and in perfect misery or have a slight chance of danger with you? Oz, you're the one who she learned from, when you guys started going out..." Buffy couldn't help but laugh, "She was so happy...she changed. The real Willow came out. You gave her strength. You're her shoulder to lean on....She loves you more than you'll ever know..."
"But I know. That's why I'm back."
Buffy's angry look melted into a smile, "Go on up to our room. The door should be open...But I warn you, she could either smack or kiss you."
"I wouldn't blame her for the former," Oz replied, "and uh, thanks, Buffy."
"You deserve her. You really do." The Slayer replied simply.
"No. I really don't," he said. Then, without another word, he disappeared into Stevenson hall.
"Good luck..." Buffy whispered behind him. She wondered if she should follow, but no. Will and Oz needed their time together alone. She should tell Xander and Giles first. And Anya, if she cared. Buffy felt hesitant for a moment...should she have told Oz about Riley and the Initiative and all they knew? And what of Spike's impotence and his taking up with the Scooby Gang? No...that could all wait.
***
Willow felt her tears gushing out her eyes, soaking Spike's shirt. But he didn't seem to notice or care. She finally broke away and wiped her eyes sheepishly.
"I'm so sorry...I just...don't know what came over me..." she staggered over and sat on her bed, quivering.
"It's going to be okay now, I promise you." Spike whispered, taking her hand and leading her closer to him. She felt his icy lips close to ear as he spoke, "Don't worry, Red, it's going to be okay," he repeated, "as long as we're together..."
Then, without another word, he pulled her to him and kissed her long on the lips.
***
Oz hurried down the hall and paused, wondering if he should knock first before entering. Finally, he just reached for the knob and turned, opening the door cautiously. Inside, he saw Willow. Willow in the clutches of their mortal enemy Spike.
"Will!"
She spun about and he could see Spike's lips upon her neck.
He paled, had he returned only to see her drained and killed?
Looking sideways, he saw Buffy's duffel bag atop the desk. Without a second thought, he grabbed a sharp stake out of it and whipped it at Spike's heart as Willow screamed.
TBC....