Chapter Six

"Should we go up there?" Anya proposed. "Is that what's expected of us right now?"

"Willow's up there," Dawn said, leaning against the wall by the door.

"But shouldn't she have the whole 'support system'," she quoted. "I read about it in one of Dawn's adolescent magazines."

Dawn pushed herself off the wall and uncrossed her arms. "You've been going through my things?" she asked with displeasure.

"It was on the dining room table this morning and Anya being Anya read it instead of helping us go through some stuff to find the Nerd Squad," Xander phrased.

"Willow and Tara were doing the computer thing and you and Giles had the book thing. You didn't really need three people to help," Anya defended. "And that reminds me, would you take a bullet for me?"

"What?" Xander asked in shock.

"If a bullet was shot at me would you stop it?"

"With a shield?"

"No, with your body. It was a story in the magazine."

"What kind of magazine was this?"

"Do really think that now is the time to be discussing this?" Giles suggested.

"He still hasn't answered my question. Once he answers it I will drop the subject." Everyone looked at Xander.

He glanced from face to face, waiting for someone to stop this absurd turn of events. "Hey it's Willow!" he exclaimed as she slowly descended the stairs. "Where's Buffy?"

"She needed some time alone." Willow stepped down to the ground floor and went straight for the door. "I have to go somewhere but I'll be back in about an hour. Just leave Buffy alone and keep looking for the Trio." Before anyone could rebuttal, Willow left.

Willow made her way to the tomb Spike called home. She had come across it a bunch of times but she never had the displeasure of going inside. Without a knock she opened the door.

"Hey!" Spike screamed as he rose from his chair, a glass of liquor in his left hand. "Oh. It's you."

"Welcome back Spike."

"No need for the smoke screen Red. What do ya want?" He drank the rest of his glass and turned to get some more.

"I'm not exactly sure," Willow answered. Her eyes wandered from corner to corner, trying to take in all the… nothing.

"Well I'm not one for small talk. I'm sure ya heard Captain Forehead's back in Sunnydale, go visit him." He topped off his glass and drank it in one swig.

"Where is he?"

"That bloody mansion he took refuge in when he was Angellus. And killed people."

"You killed people too Spike."

"Sure, take his side."

Willow rolled her eyes and went down the two steps. "But you have a soul now so-"

Spike let out a chuckle. "She told ya huh?" Willow nodded. "She also tell ya how she spit in my face and threw me in the dirt?"

"No," Willow replied sluggishly. "But I did have to go upstairs and comfort her after you left."

Spike turned and faced her. A little happy about the fact that he made her sad; that means she felt some loving feeling toward him. Or was he just a big jerk? "She was upset?"

"Yes."

"Well wadda ya want me to do about it?" He walked passed her in his angry swagger and quickly jumped like a girl when he started smoking from the sun's rays.

"Why are you doing this to her?"

"Me! If anyone's hurtin' anyone, it's her! Hurtin' me!" he yelled as he walked straight toward her. Willow backed up to the door and opened it, feeling safer as the sun touched her back and streamed down on the floor in front of her. Spike jumped back. He looked at Willow and saw a small amount of fear displayed on her face. He shook his head and turned away. Tears were swelling in his eyes as his frustration and sorrow grew. "I don't know what I can do."

Willow's face contorted into one of wonder.

"I have tried and tried."

"Spike?" Willow walked towards him. "Are you crying?"

"No!" he said, wiping his eyes.

"Okay, I'm gonna go." Willow ran out and shut the door. She shook her body, trying to shake off what just happened. The world really is upside down. Willow dashed down the path and made her way to the mansion where Angel was. She stopped quickly when she saw Angel was topless and doing some sort of zen thing; it was actually T'ai Chi.

The sudden movement caught Angel's attention. "Willow."

"Hey Angel. You're topless."

Angel grabbed his white t-shirt from the fireplace. "Am I really that unappealing?"

"Don't take it personally. It is a nice body but-lesbian," Willow said with a raised hand.

Angel nodded and rolled his shoulders to try and stretch them a little. "What're you doing here?"

"I'm here on business as the best friend. Well actually I just needed to talk to Spike but I figured I'd come here and see you for myself."

Angel's head tilted to the left a little bit at the sound of Spike's name. "You saw Spike?"

"Yea for… reasons." Willow didn't want to give anything away. If Buffy wanted him to know then she would be the one to tell him. "I actually should get back to the house. But it was nice to see you." Willow smiled her innocent smile and left.

"So you're saying I'm not worth losing your life over?"

"It's my life Anya. I want to keep it as long as I can."

"What kind of love and devotion is that?"

"Would you take a bullet for me?"

"Of coarse not, I'm not insane."

"Would you two please stop?" Giles requested.

"Just let them duke it out. It's about time someone put Anya in her place," Dawn suggested.

"Please don't make this worse Dawn."

"I'm just voicing my opinion."

"But it's not helpful."

"I'm sorry I can't be as productive as Butch and Sundance over there."

"Uh, everyone," Tara said. But between Xander and Anya's fight and Giles and Dawn's bickering they couldn't hear her.

Willow opened the door and saw arms flying and feet stomping. "Whoah," she observed. "Hello?" Everyone looked at her. "I thought we were looking for the Trio. Buffy doesn't need them attacking at a time like this. Being prepared would be nice."

"Where did you go?" Dawn asked.

Willow didn't want anyone to know what was going on, well except Giles because he obviously already knew. "I got to go see Buffy." She went straight upstairs and to Buffy's room. It was empty. "Buffy?" Her window was open. Oh no, she jumped! She ran to the window and yelled "Buffy!"

"Yea?"

Willow turned her head to the left and saw her sitting on the roof, her legs pulled in and her arms wrapped around them. "Oh. Hi." Willow took a second look at how high they were and opted for sitting on the sill. "How are you?"

"Better."

"Better and resolved?"

"Better and iffy. I just don't like having decisions. I have trouble deciding whether I want a side of french fries or mashed potatoes. How am I supposed to choose between Spike and Angel. I know it seems easy to you guys but-"

"Yea choosing between two people is easy," Willow sarcastically said, thinking back to the Xander, Oz, her and Cordelia fiasco. "Buffy, you should think about it. You shouldn't worry about getting it done as soon as possible. And you shouldn't make a decision based on what your friends would like. This is your relationship, not ours. We already love for who you are and it's kinda in the friendship contract not to dump you because of who you date."

"Thank goodness for the contract."

Willow smiled. "This seems like a hugging moment but I'm pretty comfortable not being out the window."

"Habit," Buffy said, crawling over to her. She gave her friend a big hug, finding the comfort and safety she felt towards her before she died. It made her a little teary thinking of how connected she felt to Willow right now. "Thanks Will."

They parted. "That's what I'm here for. Oh, and we're still checking out the Trio situation for you."

"Thanks." She smiled as her friend left the room. Buffy sat there and thought of what she should do. What did she want? Part of her wanted the sun to stay up longer to give her time to decide but the other part of her, the Slayer side, wanted it to set. Maybe the Slayer Buffy knew the answer to the Daily Double question.