Willow's lips tingled from the after-effects of the vampire's on her own. She shook her head to clear her mind before making her way to the library. Halfway there, she began to hear footsteps. Oh, great! she thought, turning to face her follower. "Angel! Would you not do the stalker-bit!" she cried.

"Sorry, just wanted to look out for you," he answered.

"That's all right, could you not do the whole hiding in shadows bit? I'm kinda on edge," she replied. "I'm going to the library, and you?"

"Library," he stated, giving her a slight smile.

"Okay, we'll go together then," Willow said.

"Okay," came Angel's reply.

Giles stared warily at the bleached-blond, "Um, Buffy, you enlisted the help of a vampire?" he asked. "W--what was your name again?"

"Spike," the vampire stated, smirking. Satan, it was so good to be feared, the last time that had happened was when the Watchers had come to test Buffy, that one Watcher that had written the paper on him seemed to have a bit of a crush on him. Now the fear in Giles's eyes made his ego inflate to near-dangerous proportions. Teach you to run out of Wheetabix, he thought.

"Rather unorthodox name," Giles stated. "Wait...Spike? W--William the Bloody?"

"Don't call me that," Spike growled. Last time anyone had called them that, Red had come to his rescue with Lenny Kravitz's "Again." He couldn't remember what had happened in his Dru-less life - but in his original life, he had killed Cecily and all her little friends...tortured them bloody good.

"Right," Giles paled. "Buffy, might we speak?"

"Sure," the petite blonde replied and Giles pulled her aside.

"Spike has killed two Slayers already," the Watcher replied.

"For some weird reason, I trust him and I can always stake him if I don't," Buffy answered.

"Right..." Spike drawled as his vampire hearing caught their conversation.

Then in walked Cordelia and Xander, arguing. "Well, hello there!" Cordelia purred as she saw Spike. "I'm Cordelia."

"I'm Spike," Spike replied.

"Spike..." Cordelia murmured, sitting in an empty seat by Spike.

Xander rolled his eyes and then Angel and Willow entered the library. Willow stared at Spike and he smirked at her. "Spike?" Angel asked. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help," Spike answered.

"With, uh, what?" Xander squeaked.

"Vampires, demons, the forces of darkness, yadda, yadda, yadda," he murmured.

"Okay..." Xander drawled, puffing out his chest as he noticed the competition for Buffy. He turned to Angel. "How do you know Captain Peroxide?"

"He's Spike," Angel growled, "he's a vampire and he's not to be trusted."

"Well, aren't we the pot calling the kettle black?" Xander stated.

"Wait, you're a vampire?" Cordelia demanded, looking at Angel. "And you're a vampire?" She turned to Spike. "I just can't win!" The brunette frowned. "Vampires that help humans. You are so...strange."

"Why, thank you, Cordelia, that makes me feel all warm and tingly inside," Spike answered.

Cordelia smiled flirtily at Spike. "Vampire or not, I love it when you say my name, it's just so...British," she sighed. "And Bond-like."

Willow smiled. It was kind of odd but comforting to see Cordelia like this. Especially after the last time she'd seen her. A pang of sadness hit her and her smile faded. "Willow, you okay?" Buffy asked.

"I've had a bad few days," Willow admitted softly.

"You think you've had a bad few days," Spike muttered so Willow could only hear him.

Okay, so I killed your sire, I said I was sorry! Willow growled.

Spike shrugged. "Sorry doesn't make it better, luv, that's a wound that'll never heal," Spike smirked and the redhead glared at him.

Why are you really here? Willow asked.

"I want to help," Spike stated.

So you couldn't get enough of the Scooby Gang? Willow stated.

"One in particular," Spike answered.

Willow managed to fight the urge to blush. Spike! I have a girlfriend! she hissed.

"Right...you can't tell me you weren't--" Spike started.

Don't you dare mention those kisses, Willow growled.

"My lips are sealed," Spike smirked.

Why don't I believe you? she shot back.

"Aw, c'mon...you don't trust me?" Spike smirked.

I trust you as far as I can throw you, Willow stated.

"Which was pretty far with that evil mojo brewin'," Spike snorted.

Which I did because of my girlfriend, Willow stated.

"But even you have to admit it was fun, though," he replied.

I refuse to answer that, Willow stated.

"What the hell?" Buffy asked.

"Nothin'," Spike answered and Willow rolled her eyes at him, sitting in a seat near him but not too close.

"So..." Buffy started. She looked at Spike appraisingly. "What's the sitch? Why do you want to help us? And why shouldn't I stake you?"

Spike rolled his eyes. "Because I killed the Annoying One," Spike stated, leaning back in his chair. "But his disciples might throw a big party Saturday...it's the Feast of St. Vigeous."

"Right, the Feast of St. Vigeous," Giles murmured, going to his books.

"And now that I've done the whole cryptic bit, I'm going. See you around, Slayer," Spike said and with a click of his tongue, he left and Willow followed him.

"Does anyone think it's a bad thing that Willow, our Willow just followed a vampire outside?" Xander demanded.