Title: Come Out and Play

Author: mispel

E-mail: mispel@email.com

Rating: PG13

Summary: In the future, Willow and Drusilla spend some quality time together. Sequel to Waiting Room

Spoilers: None

Disclaimer: Joss, ME, and Fox own everything.

Feedback: Any feedback would be nice.

Come Out and Play

Willow awoke from a strange dream - she had been waiting somewhere, maybe a dentist's office. There was a weird lady there who was looking for someone. Sunshine came through her window, so she dismissed the spooky dream.

Looking out, she saw Xander pacing on the front path in front of her house, to the porch, where he disappeared from sight and then back toward the road. He had a beach towel draped over his shoulder.

Willow saw that it was already ten and wondered at herself for sleeping so late. They were going to the beach. She was taking a book; Xander was taking his eyes. She didn't really enjoy sitting next to Xander while he ogled other girls in bikinis, except for the sitting next to Xander part. Maybe she would ask him to help her put on her sunscreen. Or maybe she would do what she always did and twist and turn and put it on herself as best she could. Maybe she would put some on him. She didn't want him to burn. She smiled to herself then put some more things in her beach tote. She went to put on her swimsuit but she couldn't find it.

"Hi, beach babe," Xander said as Willow came out of the house.

"We have to stop at a store."

"Not more sunscreen?" Xander said, teasing.

Willow wondered if she blushed.

"No. I have plenty, thank you."

"I am not begrudging you, you have that delicate, Willow skin to protect."

Willow was sure she was blushing now.

"Yeah, well, I need a swim suit. I couldn't find mine anywhere. Mom said I might have forgotten it when we went to Mexico."

"Ah, yes, the all vomit all the time vacation."

"Yeah, that one."

"So swim suit shopping. Hmm. That doesn't sound so bad. It's next on the list after lingerie shopping, you know."

"Your lists scare me."

The sign on the storefront said, "Under New Management". There were no other shoppers, to Xander's disappointment. As the door chime sounded, a pretty saleswoman, with long, red hair, came from the back. Xander stared for a while then went to browse. And fantasize.

"I need a swimsuit. Nothing... fancy," Willow warned the saleswoman.

"We don't sell fancy. We sell exciting, jaw-dropping, sexy."

"Umm. Do you have anything that won't make me look like a dweeb?"

The saleswoman chuckled.

"I have just the thing."

It was a cute, purple number, but not enough fabric for Willow.

"Do you have anything with more coverage. I burn easily."

"Oh no, this is your size. Try it."

She practically pushed Willow into the dressing room.

While trying on the swimsuit, Willow wondered why the woman looked familiar. She smiled a lot and looked at Willow like she knew her. Maybe that was it.

Willow spread her towel and kicked off her shoes. The sand wasn't scorching hot yet. Willow debated leaving her t-shirt on. Then she debated leaving her shorts on. Maybe both. She does burn easily. Xander wasn't looking. She slipped out of her clothes and started to put on lots of sunscreen.

"Dolly!"

Willow was startled awake and sat up too quickly making her feel dizzy and disoriented. It took a moment to recognize the plain, almost empty room. Drusilla had complained about how bare it was. So now they had red curtains. And every drop of light that came in made it look like the room was filled with bloody water.

"Damn it, Drusilla."

"I want to see the dolly."

Drusilla was standing over her, looking like an apparition out of a nightmare after the sunlit fantasy Willow had been reliving.

"No you don't. The last time I let you into my fantasy you killed everyone, including little Willow. On her birthday."

"You liked it when I killed them. Your heart sang a song."

"It did not."

"Was Xander there. I like his eyes best."

"Then you shouldn't have killed him. On my birthday. And leave his eyes alone."

"I'll turn him for you like before."

"No."

Willow got up. There was no use going back into it again. She would just have to start over another time. Maybe the bikini should be red. No, red clashed with her coloring.

Every resurrected memory led to another. They were her treasures.

First, she had relived that day the way it really happened, savored the details. She was in her demure bikini with blue flowers. It wouldn't have looked out of place on a six-year-old. Xander bought them ice cream. He splashed her - but she got him good when he was distracted by a lady in a white swimsuit. The white swimsuit was his holly grail. This one must have had lining. They had eaten hot dogs for lunch and Xander had mustard on his face for an hour before she told him. Teach him to call her skinny. They went home a little sunburned, with their shoes gritty with sand.

Willow would then pick one detail to change and play the events over again. See what would happen. A little purple bikini, maybe a shark. No, no shark. God, it was so hard to keep the memories sweet, especially with Drusilla goading her and demanding her own fantasies. But even Drusilla had sweet old memories to revive. Mostly of her mother.

Still, Drusilla seemed to enjoy Willow's memories more, especially early ones, before Buffy. She was especially fond of little Willow. That's why she wasn't allowed to play with her any more.

The fantasies had a way of becoming mixed with real memories for Willow. She didn't want to wonder if there had really been a neighbor named Drusilla who brought her daughter, Edith, to Willow's tenth birthday party. A nice English lady, a little loopy. Her daughter was very quiet. Then the nice English lady ate all the guests and even the birthday girl. Is that any way for a guest to behave?

Willow decided that since Drusilla had interrupted her fantasy, she wasn't getting a turn. She prepared herself for Drusilla to be insufferable.

Or maybe not. Drusilla had that look on her face that said she needed to be reminded that Willow wasn't good eating. Lately, Willow found herself worrying when Drusilla went out. Hunting wasn't as easy as it used to be. She had to settle for the sick, the half starved, the almost dead. She had to be careful or the cultists would get her like so many of the other vamps.

Willow stood facing the window. She reminded herself of the view outside so she wouldn't have the urge to look. Though the fires did look pretty sometimes. She could change that, make the view anything she wanted. Except she had learned it was best to conserve her magic. She didn't want to have go out there again.