The next day, all Buffy could think of was the kiss she and Spike had shared. Every time she remembered the cool taste of his lips she felt flushed all over. She walked around the house in such a daze that Dawn kept asking if she was sick. "No, no, I'm fine," Buffy would answer vacantly, touching her lips and smiling.
Though she seemed peaceful, inside the turmoil raged. It's wrong to feel this way about a vampire. Especially Spike. He's completely different from Angel! Angel had a soul! Spike is evil!
Yeah, he is different from Angel, another voice sighed happily. He's strong, powerful; he's so bad...sexy. And when I let him be, he's so sweet. He listens to me. Treats me right. I could make things work with him...
But it's wrong, her conscience argued again. Wrong, wrong, wrong! You can't do this, Buffy. He's the epitome of everything you fight against. So what if he's hot? You've got the world to save. Think of all the people he's killed!
I've been saving the world. Maybe it's time I did something for myself. Maybe he's changed. He wants me. He said so...I think. Maybe I should give him a chance. If he wants one...which, of course, he does, right? He kissed me! But what if...no! Why am I even thinking this? Spike is bad, remember? Remember? She sighed. Maybe...
That night Buffy went on patrol determined to stay away from Spike. Now that she knew how strong her attraction towards him really was, she wasn't sure that she could make him stay away if she were to run into him. She longed to be in his arms again no matter how much she tried to deny it— but denial was her specialty, and so she kept persistently at it.
It was a quiet night, and yet something didn't seem right. She'd only staked one vamp, and as the night wore on, she felt a horrible sense of foreboding. Damn Slayer senses, she thought. Nothing's wrong. You're just jumpy. She took a deep breath and continued walking through the streets, focusing on the next kill and keeping herself unfocused on Spike.
Giles sat in the Magic Box researching alone. He was fairly upset. He had called everyone to tell them to be careful and not to walk the streets alone— Watcher's instinct, if you will— and they had scoffed at him.
'Giles, we've been doing this for years. What's with the sudden worries? You didn't tell Buffy to be careful, did you?'
Giles had argued that she was the Slayer and didn't need protection, but Xander simply advised him to stop being so British. Willow had told him not to worry and that everything was fine. In short, he was told to toddle off and play tea with his dollies. I'm the watcher! Or ex-watcher, he thought. Why is it no one takes me seriously? After pondering that a moment, he had sat down to work. That had been an hour ago and he was still at it. This was going to be a long night…
Willow and Tara were taking a long walk through the moonlit streets. Or, streetlamp lit streets. Whatever. Either way, the evening was romantic and impossibly serene in every way. They had been enjoying the evening, talking cheerfully and holding hands. "You know," Tara commented. "This has been amazing. But-"
"But?" Willow interrupted, surprised. "There's a but? Buts aren't good."
"No, sweetie, it isn't you. It's just...have things felt a little weird to you? This whole night has felt sort of strange."
"Really? Well I've been feelin' kinda scared, which is weird cuz, ya know, I usually don't get scared anymore, but- "
"Yeah, maybe we should go back," Tara said uneasily, once Willow had affirmed her suspicions that the night felt…off.
"Ok, if you want."
"I want," Tara replied eagerly, glad that Willow had acquiesced so readily.
As they set off towards campus, Tara began walking faster. "What's the hurry?" Willow asked her, somewhat bemused.
"I just really think we should get back. I have a bad feeling." Tara's usually languid speech matched her hurried steps as they passed the cemetery.
"Wh- "
Willow never got to finish her question as something tore out from among the bushes. She opened her mouth to recite an incantation, but before she could manage a word, it tackled her to the ground and began tearing at her skin. Terrified, she screamed as each slash caused bolts of pain to lance through her body.
"Willow!" Tara screamed in blind panic. She muttered a hasty incantation, but as she wasn't a very powerful witch, it did no harm to the demon attacking her lover. True, the beast faltered for several moments, but the spell was nowhere nearly strong enough to completely immobilize its attack.
Sobbing, she began beating at the creature and trying to pull it off, but the beast just continued savaging a defenseless Willow. Despite the agony she was in, she summoned her residual strength and chanted a spell. It only had slightly more impact than Tara's, and threw the demon back about ten feet knocking it unconcious, giving the other witch the opportunity to help her to her feet. They tried to hurry away, but Willow, in her injured state, couldn't move very well. They could see the monster already stirring and there was nowhere to hide.
As Buffy lazily continued patrolling the cemetery she heard screams coming from nearby. She turned her head and began to run in that direction. "Willow!" she heard a frightened voice cry.
Willow? She ran even more furiously, feet pounding and heart thumping. Please let it be another Willow. She knew how selfish that was, but to think that anything might be happening to her best friend caused her stomach to twist painfully and a lump to obstruct her throat. Finally, when she reached the edge of the cemetery, a horrible sight met her eyes. She gasped in horror and nearly fell back. There was blood everywhere and an unconscious demon lying nearby. She saw Willow and Tara hobbling away.
Buffy rushed forward, panic and nausea overwhelming her. "Willow, Tara! What happened?"
Willow gasped, "Buffy! You're…here. Demon...came. Couldn't stop it. Help." With that, her eyes fluttered shut and she collapsed in Tara's arms.
Tara shrieked, "Willow!" She held up her unconscious lover with the best of her ability and cradled her gently in her arms, silent tears running down her cheeks as she used the extent of her magic to give Willow the strength her body so desperately needed.
Buffy knelt over the pair while Tara felt Willow's pulse. "B-buffy!" she choked out, raw tears obstructing her voice. "I-I think W-willow's...She, she lost a l-lot of blood. H-help her. P-please!"
Buffy knelt down to feel Willow's pulse, wincing and biting back tears when she saw the shape her best friend was in. Huge gashes covered her face, her arms...and blood was everywhere. It was nightmarish, and yet Buffy's worst had never compared to this. It was funny how her realities often seemed to surpass most people's worst dreams. Buffy continued to check for a pulse, a tiny spark of hope flaring in her chest when she felt it ever so faintly. However, seconds later, it slowed, and Buffy pressed harder, desperate to prove her friend was still alive. Her silent tears admitted what she couldn't...her best friend was gone.
The illogical, girlish part of her wanted to rush Willow to a hospital so that they could make it all right again, but the adult- the Slayer- knew what she had to do. A bright rage flashed in her eyes, and she had only one thought: revenge. Her pain gave way to fury. She whirled round to face the beast that had done this, but it was gone. The primal beat of death pounded in her veins and all she knew was that death deserved death. A life for a life. Plus a whole lot of torture. The thing that had done this would pay. Pay in worse ways than she could imagine at the moment, but in ways her instincts would have no trouble coming up with once she was face to face with the thing that had ripped her best friend's life from her. Later, there would be grief. Right now, there would be blood...
Quickly, she started off to her one solid connection to the demon world.
Well, once again, thanks for the reviews. I know this chapter was kind of sad, everyone loves Willow...but it was becoming too fluffy...too typical. I had to do something to make it stand out some. Please don't be angry, and keep reviewing!