Willow pulled up next to the Hyperion and took a breath. Last time she had been here it was to tell Angel that Buffy was dead. Spike had disappeared from Sunnydale almost as soon as he found out Buffy was alive, and she understood now that he must've been staying with Angel. Wesley had mentioned something on the phone about Spike being seriously ill and needing magick to heal him.

She knocked on the door, but realised it was probably not going to be heard, so she opened it and walked it. "Hello? Angel?"

A female voice answered from a room out the back. "Hang on a minute, I'll be right with you."

A couple of seconds later, Fred appeared behind the desk. Willow recognised her as someone who had been with angel a few months ago when she had come to tell Angel about Buffy. Fred smiled and stepped forwards. "Oh hi! You're Willow right? I thought you might be a client or somethin, so I just had to make sure Spike was ok. Angel and Wesley are out so it's just me and Spike around right now. He's actually come downstairs for the first time in about a week today but he's not in a great mood. You wanna see him?"

Willow smiled at the strange Texan girl who couldn't stop talking. "Sure. Is that ok? What's actually happened?" As she set her bags down, Fred explained to her about Spike's condition, and Wesley's theory. Willow listened to the last part intently, nodding occasionally.

"Yeah… I think I've read something similar but I'd like to see Spike first, and then when Wesley gets back I can go over it with him."

Fred nodded. "'Kay. Just wait there a minute…" she went back to where she had been, in the office, and walked quietly over to Spike.

He had gotten out of the chair somehow, either he fell, or he deliberately climbed off, but he was sitting against the wall with his forehead resting on his knees. He didn't look particularly anguished, just tired.

"Spike? Willow's here to see you."

His head flew up. "Red's here? What's she doing here? She can't see me like this!"

Fred crouched beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Willow's gonna help get your senses back. She wants to talk to you. Will you talk to her?"

Spike shook his head. "Where's Angelus?" he demanded.

"Angel's out Spike, remember? He and Wesley went to fight some yukky demon."

"When's he coming back?"

"Soon."

Spike sighed and then nodded. "Red can come in then."

Fred smiled, and went to get Willow, who followed her back in, unsure of what she would see.

"Hi Spike," she greeted him quietly. Fred looked between them and slipped out of the room unnoticed.

Spike sniffed the air, hoping to catch a glimpse of Willow's scent, but he got nothing. Not even the wonderful Sire smell that filled this whole hotel. "Red," he acknowledged her, although he had no idea where she was.

"Spike? Can I have a look at your eyes?"

He shrugged. "Whatever." As he felt Willow opening his eyes and looking at them he felt strange and realised how hungry he was. She was so close… her neck must be about – "ahh!" he reeled back in pain. Clearly the chip was still working. He tasted blood on his lips and he realised what he'd done as Willow stood up and left the room.

Spike heard Willow talking to Fred outside, and then the turn of a key in the lock. He was locked in. Locked in because he was dangerous and evil, even if he was blind. Curling up once more, the absence of Angel was starting to get to him. All he wanted was a hug and his Sire's strong arms to protect him from the darkness.

Angel smiled when he saw Willow in the lobby. "Hi Willow, glad you could make it," he said as he came through the door, but Fred gave him a cold look.

"What's wrong?" he asked, immediately dropping his weapon and walking over. The mark on Willow's neck told him all he needed to know. "Stupid boy," he growled, marching towards the door. When he discovered it was locked, he kicked it down.

Spike was in the corner now and started when the door crashed down.

"What did you do that for?" Angel snarled, anger in his voice, and Spike was afraid.


"What did you do that for!!!!!" Angelus clouted the fledgling over the head with his iron fist and Will's true face slid away to reveal the scared, human visage. His blue eyes watched Angelus' fists warily and he wiped the blood away from his mouth.

"You should know by now that it's unheard of for a Childe to feed from their sire!"

Angelus' rage was a horrible thing. Will took three more blows to the face before staggering back out of reach. He was two days old and making more mistakes than he could count. The bite marks on Angelus' neck were still dripping blood and Will's bloodlust was rising once more. That was what had got him into this mess in the first place, he couldn't control the bloodlust.

As Angelus continued to beat him into a pulp, he tried to remember what he'd done. He'd been hungry, really really hungry, and Angelus had leant over him to get the box of cigars… and then he'd just lunged at his Sire's neck because it was there and he could smell the blood, the Sire's blood, the magick that had made him who he was. Only then Angelus had pushed him off in fury. It wasn't Will's fault that he didn't know that was forbidden. Angelus should've been more specific.

"Stupid, stupid boy!" One more beat sent Will crashing to the floor in a heap. Angelus stood over him as if waiting for something.

"'M sorry mister Angelus, I was just hungry and –"

"It's Sire, to you, boy, and you'd better learn to control that bloodlust or you'll be in a lot more trouble than you're worth."


"Angel, wait, it wasn't really his fault, he was just hungry," Willow said, putting a hand on his arm.

Angel ignored her, pulling Spike up by one arm and holding him by the shoulders. "Why did you do it? Do you not realise this is Willow?" there was still anger imminent in his voice, but Spike was glad the violence hadn't started yet.

"I was hungry," he replied defiantly.

"So you bit Willow?" Spike swallowed but didn't reply as Angel continued. "Spike, Willow is here to help you! I can't believe you bit her! I thought you were trying to be good! She's going to help you get better!"

Spike clenched his teeth, then punched Angel straight in the face. Angel staggered back, surprised. "I don't need people telling me I'm wrong when I already know that I am!" Spike yelled in his face. "I'm still evil, I haven't got a soul like you! That's something you keep forgetting – I'm still a vampire and I still get the bloodlust, you know what that's like Angel, so don't tell me you don't." Spike drew in a sharp breath and swallowed again. "I'm sorry Willow," he said quietly, then went upstairs pretty quickly for someone who had to feel where they were going.

"It's ok Angel," Willow said softly. "He'll calm down in a bit and then we can figure out the best way to help him." Angel didn't answer, just stared up the stairs where Spike had gone. "I'm sure it's just another side effect, he didn't mean to…"

"He hit me," Angel said, dazedly. "He… he hit me." The look on his face was something in between shock and confusion.

"Well… you were shouting at him. You know what Spike's like, he resents people shouting at him," Willow tried to justify it, but Angel went even paler than normal.

"I shouted at him," he echoed, then turned to Willow. "It wasn't his fault, I'm really sorry, Willow, but it's a vampire thing, it wasn't his fault and I shouted at him for it."

"That's ok," Willow said graciously, and Angel glanced upstairs again. Should he go after him? Spike was no doubt angry and upset about what had just happened. He needed a Sire.


I really wanted to get this chapter up before Christmas, but Christmas eve came and then I had to go away for a week, but now I'm back and here's the next chapter. I know it could be improved quite a lot, I'm not so happy with it but maybe I'll go back and change some of the wording a bit later. BIG thank you to everyone who reviewed, it means a lot. And my other fics – I am still writing them, it's just taking a long time.

Roz