Acceptance

          Willow was sure Buffy's outrage had awoken the dead. It had grated the redhead's nerves, at any rate, and she had reluctantly allowed the Slayer to drag her, literally, over to Giles' where she sat through a very long and very monotonous lecture from the Watcher and fits of disbelief and anger from the Slayer. By the time the two had finished the other Scoobies had shone up and added their own two cents.

          Not that Willow had asked for any of their advise.

          Silence played through the apartment for a moment when Willow finally lifted her eyes from the table stain she'd been starring at for god knows how long. "Are you through?"

          "I suppose so," Giles responded.

          "Good," Willow nodded. "Because I have something to say." Pausing she looked at each of her friends in turn. "I like Spike. I like spending time with Spike and talking to Spike. I like that he actually listens to what I have to say and at least feigns interest. I like that he understands me and doesn't judge me or push me or expect of me anything I can't give. I'm going to keep seeing Spike no matter what any of you say and if you guys truly give a damn about me you'll stop lecturing and just let me be happy."

          The Scoobies all shuffled atop their feet, their eyes suddenly refusing to meet Willows. She was right and they knew it and they all felt suddenly ridiculous about their outburst. Spike had become 'a part of the team', not matter his grumblings to the contrary, and had, at one time or another, saved the life of each and everyone of them – even Buffy.

          "But," Xander prodded, "the bite mark – "

          "Was my decision," Willow interrupted. "Spike didn't want to feed from me and he tried his hardest not to but I forced him."

          Buffy's confused eyes met Willows. "Why?"

          The redhead smirked and answered simply, "Because he was dying."

          "Willow – "

          "Buffy, Spike was dying," Willow said each word slowly and sternly and the Slayer could do nothing but nod.

Buffy knew Willow, knew the giving and selfless heart she had and understood why Willow had allowed Spike to drink from her and knew the redhead would do it again in a heart. That was the kind of her person Willow was and that was why Buffy loved her friend so much. And despite everything Buffy trusted Spike. The bleach-headed vampire had, no matter his denials, developed a soft spot in his undead heart for the Scoobies and Buffy had come to think of him as a friend – in the twisted, Hellmouth sense of the word, that is.

It had just taken the Slayer off guard, seeing a vampire's bite on her friends neck, and she may have overreacted slightly, not that she'd admit it. Willow was a smart girl and if she trusted Spike with her life then the Scoobies would do the same.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

          Opening the door to Giles' apartment Willow dropped her bag onto the couch before walking to the kitchen. Grabbing a soda from the refrigerator the redhead joined her friends in the living room. "So what's the news this week?"

          "Surprisingly, it's another demon," Buffy grinned.

          Willow gasped dramatically. "You're kidding? What are the odds?"

          Settling down beside the Slayer Willow sipped her drink and pulled a book onto her lap. Buffy handed her a napkin with a rough sketch of a demon on it. "It's called a Hippo Demon."

          "Hepà Demon," Giles corrected his charge.

          Rolling her eyes Buffy said, "Whatever. Anyway, I glimpsed it the other night from Mel's Diner, hence the napkin doodle, but it was already gone by the time I got to the street."

          Nodding, Willow looked to Giles. "What exactly are we looking at here? Apocalypse? Hellmouth opening? Demon disorder?"

          "We're not sure yet," Giles responded.

          "Giles," Willow chided. "I'm shocked that you haven't figured this out. Where's the Know-It-All Watcher that we've all come to love?"

          The other's laughed and Giles sighed, shaking his head lightly. Smiling at the man Willow thought of as a father she opened the book in her lap and hunkered down into research mode. For the first couple of hours Giles's apartment was silent except for occasional turning of a page but eventually Xander grew bored and startled to squirm in his seat which set off a chain reaction among the others.

          Anya was the first to respond, closing her book and asking Xander if they could go home and have sex. Buffy laughed at Anya's question and at Xander's red cheeks which pulled Riley out of his book and into Xander's embarrassment. Willow, unable to concentrate with the laughter of her friends, sighed and tossed her own book onto the table. Giles, realizing that continuing research was hopeless, offered to order everyone pizza. By the time Spike arrived the Scoobies were gathered around Giles' television watching South Park reruns and munching on the Watcher's food.

          "So, I'm guessing research is done with?"

          Looking up at the blonde vampire Willow smiled. "Research bad. South Park good."

          Tossing a plastic bag at him Buffy smirked, "Have a marshmallow, Spikey."

          Spike glanced at Giles who shrugged and shook his head. Shutting the front door Spike dropped the marshmallow bag onto the floor, where it was immediately seized by Xander, and dropped down onto the couch. His attention turned to the television and he rolled his eyes. Spike never did get the appeal of South Park – I mean that Kenny bloke gets killed in every damn episode but he keeps coming back. Doesn't make any bloody sense.

          "Ooh," Buffy suddenly sat up. "What time is it?"

          Giles answered without looking up from this mug. "Half past seven."

          "Perfect," Xander grinned.

          Standing, the Scoobies all grabbed their coats and headed towards the door. Pausing Willow looked back at Spike who was still sitting on the couch. "Are you coming or not, deadboy?"

          Shrugging he stood up and followed the others out. "Where are we going, love?"

          Willow laughed. "Spike, its Sunday night; no research; no school in the morning. Where do you think we're going?"

          "Uh, the Bronze?"

          "There you go," Willow spoke as those addressing a child. "You deserve a cookie for giving the right answer."

          Spike sighed. "I know better but I still walk right into you're sarcasm every time."

          "I know," Willow nodded. "But it takes a little longer for slow people to catch on." Spike growled warningly and Willow faked fright. "Ooh, the big, bad, biteless vampire is angry. I better be careful."

          "Are you two coming or what?" Buffy called out from a few houses ahead of them.

          Laughing Willow ran to catch up with her friends, lacing her arm through Buffy's as the two girls chatted excitedly about this and that. Spike sighed again, grinning, and followed the rest.