Chapter 2 – Pepperoni Pizza

Willow came bustling through the front door just as Giles pulled the knot just a little tighter around Spike's wrist.

"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry, Giles, class ran over and I had to talk to the professor, and I got here as soon as I could." Willow explained as she dropped her books and bag on Giles' desk.

"It's all right, Willow. Olivia is running a little behind herself." Giles pulled his glasses off to clean them giving Spike and Willow a moment to let their gazes connect and to look away before he put the glasses back on.

During a mid-week Scoobie meeting Willow had desperately tried to stay away from Spike so that neither he nor anyone else would see her attraction to him. But the vampire had obstinately followed her around the room, even sitting next to her on the couch, which had made Xander look suspiciously at her.

When everyone had taken a break to load up on snacks Spike had very politely asked her how she was doing and how school was going. He hadn't done one thing that he shouldn't do, much to her dismay because there was nothing new to fuel her fantasies.  Not that she would ever fantasize about such an evil creature. Bad Willow for even letting it cross her mind. So, why was she back here to baby-sit another night? Okay she would admit it, because the thought of spending anytime with him was just too tempting.

"You ready, Rupert?" Olivia asked as she came down the stairs. She was very elegantly dressed in a green velvet dress that fell just below her knees. Willow watched as Giles' eyes lit up when he saw his girlfriend. Her eyes closed briefly as she wished that someone would look at her like that just once. Without thinking her eyes drifted to Spike, who was stalwartly staring at the floor.

With a sigh Willow closed the door behind Giles and Olivia, relieved that they were finally gone.

"So, what are we going to do tonight?" It was the first time that Spike had spoken since she had arrived.

She turned to look at him, studying him for a moment, before walking over to the couch and taking a seat.

"I don't know. Movie again or television? It's not like you can play any games." Her eyes flew open when she realized the implications of her words. "I mean like monopoly or something like that."

He gave a soft laugh, "I knew what you meant, pet."

"It's what you want to watch. I have to do some studying anyway."

"Which class?"

Spike seemed genuinely interested as he waited for her to answer.

"Psychology with Professor Walsh."

"Humph, humans do everything for themselves, there is nothing to study." Spike groused. "Did you bring snacks? Maybe some popcorn?"

"That's not true, you know. Humans can be very selfless. Look at Buffy."

"She's a Slayer. The chosen one and she is always complaining about having to do it. So, you can't use her for an example."

"Well, what about the rest of us. We aren't chosen and we do it," Willow argued. "And no, I didn't bring snacks. I was going to order a pizza. Do you want some?"

"Yeah, pepperoni, and no garlic unless you want to see me burn from the inside out," Spike told her as she headed for the phone. "And you all do it because it makes you feel important, to give meaning to your otherwise meaningless lives."

"Hello," Willow was interrupted as the pizza place answered the phone. She quickly gave her order for a large pizza while the back of her mind went over the fact that Spike thought her life was meaningless. When she had hung up she looked over at the vampire, "You think I'm not worth anything?"

"Bullocks, woman, it was a random comment not a statement of your worth. Admit it though in high school you thought having Buffy for a friend was a plus on your popularity quotient."

"No, not really because most people didn't even know she was around except when something bad happened."

"In the beginning?" Spike persisted. He had watched the little Scoobie Gang enough to know that everyone had come together because they were the social outcasts. The ones the popular ones didn't want to hang with except for Cordelia. That had to be the lust calling for a little slumming with Xander.

"Yeah, okay, you're right," Willow admitted feeling a little defeated by the whole confession.

"You know it's all turned around now, don't you?"

"What is?"

"You and Buffy. She is feeling all out of sorts about school and you've taken to college like a duck to water."

"How do you know that?"

"Was engaged to her a few weeks back. Did a few things other than just make out with her, you know? I am capable of carrying on a conversation."

Willow laughed. She couldn't help it because he was trying so hard to do just that with her. To be civilized like he was one of them instead of an evil vampire tied to a chair. Spike looked so earnest about everything, about being her friend that she found she was relaxing around him and forgetting that he wasn't a part of them. It also helped with those wicked fantasies she was having about him. If they were arguing the fine points of the gang or the rest of her psychology homework then she wouldn't be thinking about other things she shouldn't be.

"So, what do you know about behavior modification?" She asked seriously. If he wanted to converse then she wanted to see what he could do without it being about Buffy, the gang or being evil.

"You mean like the chip in my head?"

"Yeah, like that. How is that working on keeping you from doing harm to humans?"

"Is that a joke?" He asked incredulous that she would ask such a silly question but sighed when he saw the serious expression on her face. "It's working just fine for what they wanted. I'd be starving if I wasn't putting up with the humiliation that you people are imposing on me."

At that moment before it could dawn on Willow what she had said the doorbell rang signaling the arrival of their pizza. After she had paid the delivery guy and brought it back into the living room they realized they had the same problem as before.

"We going to do this again?" Spike asked indicating moving his chair.

"Yeah," she said as she smiled with a grin that lit up her face, "except this time I am not going to drop you on the floor."

It took a moment for her words to register because he was transfixed by her smile. The girl had definite potential for beauty; never the classic beauty but a rare woman that was one with the earth. If only she knew that and could be confidant in it then she would never be alone. The men would be lining up for blocks but for right now he was glad that everyone was blind and that her attention was focused on him.

This time the move went easier and Willow whispered to him that maybe the next time he just have Giles move the chair closer to the couch before he was tied up.

And Spike decided not to ever mention it to Giles because then there wouldn't be an excuse for Willow to be hovering over him allowing him the sweet fragrance of who she was.

She sat on the pillows again and they returned to a good natured argument of behavior modification and his chip. They ended up eating from the same slice of pizza because she would be so intent on making a point that she would forget to switch the slices. After it happened a few times it didn't seem to matter anymore.

With no one else around and no one else's opinion telling them what to feel they found they were comfortable with the other. It had never occurred to her before that Spike might be intelligent and not just some dumb vampire that tried to make Buffy's life miserable. He was able to keep up with her arguments and rebut with an equally valid point. All of a sudden the funny feelings she had for him were changing to ones that were more than just a crush because she was lonely. They were feelings based on someone that shared her interests and made her feel special. And it scared her because she knew none of the others would allow it to go anywhere but she was going to enjoy it for as long as she could and as much as she could.

They didn't need to know anything about anything just yet.

TBC