Part 2
After a full day of shopping and lunch with her friends Willow returned home with her purchases. She carefully unwrapped the dress and took it up to her attic/computer room. Anya had told her that she needed to keep the dress out of direct sunlight and in a climate controlled area to prevent damage. She carefully hung it on a padded hanger and put it on an old hat tree that was in the corner of the room. Looking at the dress in the corner and the computer terminal near it she thought that the tableau was a perfect metaphor for her personality.
Sometimes she felt a little like Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. Being a modern woman that loved all things involving technology and an old fashioned girl that liked old houses, antique furniture and reading journals about real people involved in historical events. It had probably started when she began to hang around Giles and read the old Watcher Diaries.
She had been excited when Xander had told her about an old Victorian home that was for sale. Willow had jumped at the chance to renovate it and bring it back to its former glory. Of course she had a lot of help from Xander in the construction phase and Spike had helped her keep it accurate. With his punk style and attitude sometimes it was easy to forget that Spike had once been a proper gentleman during the Victorian era.
Even now with his chip and soul Spike didn't harm humans but once he had worked through his insanity the mad, bad and dangerous to know Spike had returned. His feelings for Buffy had changed with the return of snarky Spike. No longer did he pine away for someone that had absolutely no interest in him. Spike had come to terms with the human William and his feelings for Cecily and in doing so he also came to terms with his feelings for Buffy. They had a tenuous relationship at best and for the sake of Dawn and Willow they awkwardly got along. It was a little like divorced parents that got together when their kids invited them to the same function.
The sound of the door closing and the bellow of her name brought Willow down the attic stairs.
"Up here, Spike." Willow's stomach gave a little flutter at the sound of Spike's voice. She wished she would get over her stupid crush that she had developed last year. Wasn't the patient supposed to fall in love with the nurse and not the other way around? They had developed a great friendship over the last year and she didn't want to screw it up. She met Spike coming up the stairs.
"Workin' on your computer, luv?"
"No, just putting something I bought up there."
Willow went to her entertainment center and pulled out a DVD. Spike looked at the cover and began to whine, "Not another Johnnie Depp movie".
"You know it's my turn to pick the movie this week. Besides you'll like From Hell. It's got blood and Jack the Ripper in it."
Spike rolled his eyes, "Fine. But it better have a lot of blood. Did you buy all sorts of antiques?"
"Now why would I have to buy antiques when I have a living antique for a friend?"
"Yeah but you haven't seen Giles in a year." Spike smirked.
"Smart ass." Willow said as she settled down on the couch to watch the movie.
~~~~~~~~
Ethan went back to the trunk where he kept the journal. He had bought the trunk years ago and recently discovered that the trunk's lining had come loose. Upon inspection he had noticed a journal tucked away in the lid. He was very pleasantly surprised to see that it seemed to have been written by Jack the Ripper. It detailed all his murders, not just the ones that had become infamous.
He reread the section that began with the mention of the woman that Ethan now knew was Willow.
November 10,1888
I felt a strong magickal presence today. I didn't know where it was coming from until I happened to walk by a small, beautiful red head in a blue evening gown and felt her power. She holds such power and I feel a darkness in her that I am sure I can manipulate for my purposes. The man that helps me now doesn't have the magnitude of power that she does. I must find a way to meet her.
Ethan flipped closer to the front of the journal where Jack wrote about the magickal man that helped him.
August 6, 1888
I met an intriguing young man today. He was witness to my killing that woman in George Yard. When I turned my face towards him he didn't seem to be surprised that I am a vampire. I decided not to kill because I recognized a kindred spirit in him and I can use his magickal abilities to manipulate others.
The journal was strangely silent about what had happened to Willow and Jack the Ripper. When Ethan had seen Willow with Rupert he knew that she was his key to meeting Jack the Ripper and the man that helped him. He had always been fascinated with that time period and especially the Ripper murders. Now he was even more intrigued to have learned that the Ripper was a vampire as well. He always had suspicions about that but never could find evidence. He had searched every lead he could find on time travel spells. He had finally found it not long before he saw Anya buy that dress. That's how he knew the plan would come together. He planned to perform the spell soon and bring himself and Willow back to 1888 London.
~~~~~~
Spike rose off the couch trying not to wake Willow who had fallen asleep while watching the movie. It hadn't been too bad and it brought back some memories of his time in London during that time. He doubted Willow would have appreciated his fond memories though.
He walked over and turned off the TV. "Willow . . . Red . . . Come on wake up."
Willow kept sleeping. With a roll of his eyes he carried her upstairs. She snuggled against his chest and her scent surrounded Spike. Her scent had always reminded him of his mother's garden after a spring rain. That was one of the reasons he had been so cruel to her when they had first encountered each other. She reminded him of his time as a human. When he had come to terms with his feelings for Buffy and Cecily he had also come to realize that he could care for Willow. She was a combination of light and dark like he was now. He would never act on his growing feelings for Willow. They had become good friends and he didn't want to screw it up.
Despite what some people thought, vampires were a social bunch. They were always in groups and because of his chip he had started to become an outcast. But when he chose the Slayer over his Sire he had become a laughing stock. At least when Angel chose the Slayer over Darla he had the excuse of a soul. Spike didn't have that excuse. The only thing that kept him from being totally ostracized was that he hadn't killed Dru.
After Spike laid Willow down on her bed he walked back out into the hallway. He was curious as to what she had bought at the antique store, she had evaded his question easily enough. As he got to the top of the attic stairs he saw the dress in the corner and he stood still. There was tingling in the back of his mind as he looked at the dress, like a memory that was just out of grasp. He shrugged it off. Probably just reminded me of a dress that Dru wore, he thought.
Spike wandered around a little bit more and saw the journal lying by Willow's computer. He picked it up and thumbed through it. He noticed it had been written in 1888 and that the handwriting was feminine.
He randomly turned to a page and started reading.
August 6, 1888
My husband found a young woman alone and on the streets today. That in and of itself isn't unusual for there are a lot of women that don't have enough money and must sleep on the streets. Doing charity work for the church I witness this all the time. What is unusual is this woman was definitely someone of quality. My husband was concerned for her welfare and invited her to stay in our home.
She is a little shy but that is how a proper young lady should be. She says she has no memory of how she arrived here but I suspect the memory is just too painful for her to speak of it. Hopefully, one day she will feel comfortable enough to confide in me.
Spike closed the journal. He wasn't interested in some woman prattling on about her boring life. He couldn't figure out why Red would have bought it. Sometimes she was hard to figure out.