Chapter 3
"I'm here!" The voice seemed to come out of nowhere. Then a puff of smoke unfurled in the kitchen, thick and purple and the pair of witches were standing there. Tara coughed a few times but Willow stood smugly with her arms crossed. "Let's get this over with. I have a lab due tomorrow for class and I found a new spell book."
"More like stole it." Anya whispered to Xander. Willow turned and gazed at her with cold green eyes, like the ocean in winter. Anya shivered and pulled the cooling cup of cocoa closer to her body.
"I have cheat sheets if we can't remember the words." Buffy went into the living room and picked up some paper from the coffee table. "We were supposed to meet my mom's friend Jane outside the gallery but it's to late. We'll just have to catch up to them later."
"My work is very important." Willow said taking a piece of paper.
"You're getting really good with those spells Will. I didn't know you could transport yourself."
"Yes. I am good aren't I?" Willow flicked her wrist and instantly she was wearing her winter coat.
"Can I um borrow a coat Buffy?" Tara's voice sounded so weak. Her eyes were hollow and had lose their warm brown spark.
"Sure Tara." Buffy hurried to the closet and pulled out her coat along with Dawn's. She paused, her hand on her mother's old coat, then she shook her head and brought the coat out. "Are we ready?" Spike shrugged on his duster and took one last sip of hot chocolate. It left a brown smear on his upper lip that made Buffy grin. As the others walked past she used her finger to wipe it off.
"Hey, what's that bit." Spike backed up.
'You had a little chocolate on your lip."
"Oh." Spike wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his coat. "Thanks." Things had been awkward between them since they had kissed, again. Buffy felt something for him but she was very slow about experimenting on it. Spike did the best he could not to rush her, considering all she had been through, but he was lonely and all he wanted was to care for her. She hadn't even let Captain America do that.
"Don't you need a hat or mittens or something?" Spike asked.
"No. Thanks for thinking about me though." She smiled. "I've always wanted one of those New England Christmas'. I think we miss something here."
"You should see London at Christmas. I wish I could show you."
"I don't think I'll ever make it there if it's nota business trip." She shrugged.
"You deserve a rest."
"I had a three month break." Buffy joked. She tended to do that when Spike got hot and heavy. It kept her from crying. Her instinct was to be strong.
"Is this a good place to sing?" Dawn called their attention back to their quest. She was standing at a corner across from the nursing home.
"It's the perfect place." Buffy pulled out her sheet of paper. "What should we sing first?"
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." Spike blurted out. They looked at him for a moment. "English? English song?"
"Why don't you start Spike?" Xander raised his brow and Spike grunted. He held up his paper and cleared his throat. He glared at the others until they stopped staring at him and concentrated on their paper.
"God...Rest...Ye Merry Gentlemen let nothing you dismay, for Jesus Christ our savior-" He paused. "This is bullshit. I ain't ever seem proof of this wanker."
"You were doing well Spike." Buffy said quietly. She nodded her head towards the building. Little old people in nightgowns and pajamas were leaning on the windows.
"God rest ye..." Spike started again. His voice carried through the cold night beyond the usual sounds of suburbia, to wrap around people hurrying from store to store and on their way home from work. Without realizing they heard it they all felt a little bit touched as the man gained that much more humanity.
"I have to go." They had just finished their third song when Willow spoke up. She was looking at a pager she had retrieved from the pocket of her coat.
"When did you get that?" Buffy asked curiously.
"Awhile ago. I have to go Tara. The coven called. They need me to do pre Winter Equinox ritual."
"Sure. Ok." Tara nodded quickly.
"You should probably leave normally. We have an audience," Buffy advised.
"Whatever." Willow waved her hand and she was gone, without the puff of smoke.
"Why do you let her do that?" Anya looked at Tara.
"What?" Tara bit her lip. "She didn't do anything."
"I know it's not our business Tara but you would tell us if anything is happening with Willow we should know about, right?"
"Yes." Tara nodded affirmatively. They smiled but all secretly knew that Willow was capable of doing forget spells that would make Tara not remember. It was so hard to believe what Willow was becoming. It was so far from the shy insecure girl she was back at Sunnydale High.
"We should probably move to the next place." Buffy pulled apart from the group. They waved at the people in the nursing home and continued down the street. Buffy fell to the back with Spike. They walked in unison through Sunnydale, quiet for the most part.
"I'm worried about Willow Spike."
"Me too. Something's going on with red."