Letters 4

Willow sat on her bed still shaking over the events of the past few days, actually the past weeks. All she needed was a few days to sleep, without dreaming and she'd be fine. It had been bad and what's more she had a major test coming up. The only thing that made her even think about getting out of bed had been the knock of the postman an hour ago, she'd leapt out of bed in her pyjama's and run down to pick it up and there it was; A letter from Spike. She sat back against the headboard and turned the letter over in her hands eagerly anticipating his words, savouring the moment. Then she couldn't wait anymore and opened it.

Dear Red.

I'm staying here for a few more days, if you want me to come back and deal with all those stupid sods that upset you- just say the word and I'll come back for you. No one messes with MY witch and gets away with it. First we'll drain your parents and just before they die we can tie them to stakes and set them on fire see how they like it, then we'll kick that moron's arse and hang the damn cheerleader by her pom poms and gut both Slayers leaving them to die slowly over the nearest graveyard so that the Vamps can have a free for all.

Then I'll take you and show you the world, Paris, Venice, London, Mexico. We could cut a swath through Europe leaving a bloody trail in our wake. We can even take the rat…who knows it might make a nice snack.

Sorry that life is so bad for you right now pet, I can't even tell you it get better coz I don't believe it myself, now unlife? That's better. Speaking of life, when is your birthday pet?

I'll be moving on in a few days if I haven't heard from you; I'll be staying in Panama. And I swear I'm not doing this on purpose in the Hotel Costa del sol. Another Sun place, maybe I do have a death wish! Oh well let me know if I need to come back Red.

Spike

P.S the hangover cure was fantastic thanks!

Willow folded up the letter and sat on her chair in the Sunnydale library thinking deeply. Spike was willing to postpone his search for Drusilla and come back jut to help her out? Somehow that made her feel much better than anything her friends had done for her in a long while, it was sweet and totally out of character. She grinned, she had just thought of one of the most feared Vampires in history as Sweet! She looked around, Buffy was out with Faith- again and she was left to do some research with only the new Watcher for company. He was tutting over something, somehow more pompous than Giles had ever been, never mind that he was cute. He disapproved of the way things were done here, the fact that the Slayer had people to help her out and that they knew about her secret identity; although that hadn't stopped him utilising them in his schemes. At least he knew his way around the computer.

She turned to her laptop and began typing out a reply to Spike.

Hey Spike.

Thanks for the offer but I wouldn't want you to come all the way back here for nothing. The last few weeks have been just as bad but I think I'm getting a handle on it now. I think it was the image of what you said you'll do to them that cheered me up the most, no one has ever offered to kill people for me before, I'm flattered- does that make me a bad person? I like the idea of seeing the world, I have always wanted to travel, see places but when my parents go away the last thing they want is to drag me along with them. I think they think that I am boring. So you want to know what's happening in Sunnydale.

First of all there was this test that the Watchers council gives Slayers on their 18th birthday (Oh my birthday is the 22nd of July, why'd you ask?) where their powers are taken away from them, unbeknownst to them, and they are trapped in a room with a vampire and have to make it out alive. Only the Vampire Buffy got stuck with was insane and he escaped and went after Buffy's mom. Buffy eventually killed him but she was so mad at Giles for draining her power and then the Council fired Giles for telling her about the test. He was fired! Like really fired so now Giles is an ex-watcher! Then there was a band of demons that succeeded in briefly opening the Hellmouth and we had to close it and fight some of the creatures. God Spike I have never been so scared, some of those creatures from the hell dimension are just indescribable, they fill you with dread and pain and they make you want to curl up and cry and wish they'd go away but they don't and I have nightmares about them still, I wake up screaming but of course there is no one here to help me, or even comfort me and honestly I babble as much on paper as I do in person!

Anyway a few days ago Buffy's replacement Watcher arrived and he's such a well. I cant actually think of a word right now…ooh unless it's that one you use to describe Angel, was it Pansy ass? Or Poofy or something like that. He's worse than Giles was he first came here, although thankfully there is a lot less tweed, but he just takes pompousness to the limit. Get this his name is Wesley Wyndam- Price; oh I bet he got his lunch money stolen as a child. But he's supposed to be Faith's watcher too, which just won't work because she's too busy with Buffy to even notice, do I sound bitter? Because I'm not- really, I get that Buffy wants someone to share the whole Slayer thing with but it's suddenly like I'm not good enough for her because I can't kill someone with my bare hands.

I miss you, which sounds odd because we never really spoke and for all I know your using me to find out what's happening in Sunnydale so you'll know when the Slayer is weak.

Willow

P.S, YOUR witch? Says who? (grin)

Willow frowned as she finished her letter and sent it to the printer, the thought that Spike was using her to keep posted on what was happening had occurred to her once or twice, but he always asked about her and not Buffy, so maybe she was wrong. Still if she hadn't offended him then maybe he'd set her mind to rest.

"Miss Rosenberg I was wondering exactly how many beasts Buffy has fought in her time here at Sunnydale?" Wesley walked in and Willow sighed hurriedly folding the very long letter.

"Why don't you look in Giles' Watchers diary?" she suggested and he hesitated

"Why didn't I think of that?" he smiled at her "Thank you Miss Rosenberg, and I – I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for your services and skills, I'm sure I would be faltering without you." He paused and ducked his head "Foundering even more."

His shyness touched Willow "You're welcome Mr Wyndam- Price; if you need any help let me know." It had to be the first time someone had thanked her since Spike left, and now she felt bad about the nasty bits about him in the letter. Damn it.