Return
"Please tell me guys have found something," Willow pleaded. "Or a lack or something. It's been over a month already."
The WebCam window on Cordelia's computer allowed Willow to see the glances her friends exchanged and the smiles the were trying to hide. "Giles managed to track down the shipping company," Buffy said.
"Yeah?"
Nodding, the Slayer grinned. "Would I lie to you, Wills?"
"I don't know," Willow returned the smile. "Would you?"
"That hurts," Buffy teased.
"So where'd the book come from?"
Scooting up beside Buffy Xander answered, "This one you'll never believe. It was shipped from some small town in Brazil."
The redheads brow furled. "Brazil? Why would someone in Brazil ship a book to Giles without leaving an address?"
"Hence our new-found confusion," Xander responded.
Willow was silent for a few minutes, trying to figure out who had sent the book to Giles and why. It was to Hellmouthy for it to have been a coincidence that the demon and the book showed up in Sunnydale on the same day nor was it 'by accident' that the HepĂ Demon targeted Willow but what no one could figure out was why. Sighing, Willow looked back to the screen, her friends eyeing her worriedly. "So, any word from Spike?"
Heads shook and eyes lowered. "Sorry, Willow. Blondie's off the radar."
"It's okay, Buff. I wasn't expecting anything it's just," Willow paused. "Three weeks and not so much as a phone call. I know I got angry at him, and he deserved it, but to just disappear without word? That's not like him."
"We'll keep our ears open," Riley said. "If we get anything on him you'll be the first to know."
"Thanks," Willow smiled flipping off the computer and hanging up the phone.
Standing she stretched her arms over her head, letting out a breath. Willow needed to get out of the Hotel, it was too compacting. Glancing at the elevator she decided a little fresh air would do her good. Reaching the topmost floor Willow pushed open the door at the end of the hallway reading 'Roof Access' and climbed the set of stairs, shoving the heavy iron door until it slid open a bit. Squeezing through the redhead breathed in the fresh night air.
Looking up at the sky Willow desperately missed Spike. Missed having someone to talk to. Missed star-gazing in his arms and pointing out the constellations. She missed him. Sighing, Willow outlined a constellation and started to explain its meaning and its myth, pretending that the blonde vampire where lying beside her.
"Centaurs," Willow whispered. "Which represents the centaur Chiron the teacher of Achilles, Hercules, Jason and Peleus. Unlike the other centaurs, though, Chiron was not descended from Ixion but from the Titan Cronos. Chiron was the gentlest, wisest and most learned of creatures and it's said that he invented medicine. But, though he was immortal, Chiron was wounded accidentally, by Hercules, with a poisoned arrow during a centaur fight and, unable to bare the pain any longer, begged Zeus to help him. Relinquishing Chiron's immortality Zeus allowed the centaur to die and then placed him in the stars for all eternity."
Closing her eyes Willow sighed and slept.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Angel Investigations. We help the helpless," Cordelia chirped into the phone. "Sure, hold on a minute. Hey Willow? It's for you."
"Thanks, Cordy," Willow yelled across the Lobby to the brunette who was sitting behind the front desk. "Hello?"
"We've got him," a male voice answered.
Sitting up suddenly Willows eyes widened. "Are you sure?"
"How many peroxide vampires name Spike do you know of?"
Ignoring the sarcasm Willow asked, "Where?"
"Brazil."
"Spike's in Brazil?"
"No," the man answered shortly. "He was in Brazil."
Rolling her eyes, impatient, the redhead snapped, "Well where the hell is he now? I'm not paying you for your conversing skills."
The man chuckled. "I like you lady."
"Charmed, I'm sure," Willow responded dryly.
"He's on his way back to LA as we speak."
Nodding Willow replied, "Right, thanks."
He was coming back to LA. After almost a month with no word of his whereabouts Spike was on his way back. For almost a month Willow had been terrified that the blonde may have been killed or hurt or kidnapped by the Initiative again and she was furious at his total lack of concern for her. It hurt that he had left without notice, not even bothering to tell her. But to say away for that long. Oh, Willow was pissed alright and Spike was about to get hit with the full storm.
It was because of Spike that Willow had stayed in LA. Back in Sunnydale the Scoobies were finally certain that Willow was safe from 'demon vengeance', though they still had not been able to track down who had sent that book to Giles. Willow had no idea if Spike knew whether or not the redhead went back to Sunnydale but she knew he'd assume she was still with Angel so with Angel she stayed. It wasn't too bad, either. Cordelia was always around when Willow was bored the two women spent many afternoons teasing the other employees of Angel Investigations.
Poking her head into her office Cordelia smiled at Willow, asking, "Who was that, Wills?"
"Derrick," Willow answered but, seeing the confused look on the seers face, added, "The guy I've had tracking Spike."
"Oh yeah," Cordelia nodded. "Faith's muscleman."
Laughing Willow responded, "Yeah, that's him."
"So what did he want? They find blondie."
"Actually he did. He was in Brazil but now he's on his way back to LA."
Cordelia's jaw fell open as she stepped into her office. "Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack."
The seer scoffed. "That undead Billy Idol want-to-be has some major explaining to do."
"You're telling me?" Willow huffed. "Spike is not going to come home to happy household."
The fronts doors of the Hyperion Hotel slammed open and three frustrated voices echoed through the Lobby. Angel was grumbling, Wesley was arguing and Gunn was close to growling. Stepping out the Cordelia's office Willow glanced Fred coming down the stairs from her room. Looking at the three men the redhead wanted to laugh.
"Do you guys ever come back not drenched in demon guts?" Angel glared at the redhead and growled. "Ooh, scary vampire," Willow teased.
Gasping, Cordelia stepped forward and turned an accusing stare to the three. "You're dripping," she stated. "We just had the carpets cleaned and you're dripping all over them. Do you know how much it cost to get demon guts out of carpet?"
Smiling, Willow wavered her arm and muttered a few words. A small vortex opened just in front of the three men, the silver threads literally sucking the green slime from their clothing before collapsing and fading.
"Whoa," Gunn looked at Willow. "That was kick ass, red."
The redhead shrugged. "It'll keep Cordelia from having a coronary."
Outside the Angel Investigation team heard a car pull into the Hotel parking lot. Exchanging confused looks the six of them turned and faced the door. Willow's stomach knotted up and she noticed how Angel grew tense, his nostril's flaring. Glancing sidelong at the redhead Angel held anger in his eyes and Willow felt her breath stop. Beside her Cordelia shrugged and nudged Willow forward. With her heart racing she stepped up to the door, pulling it open.
The scent of leather and tobacco filtered past her nostrils and Willow's jaw tightened as she stepped back. "Spike?"
Slowly the blonde vampire slipped inside, his eyes avoiding Willow's. "Hey, red."
