Chapter 2: Side Effects

A couple days later…

"Buffy, did you pay any attention in class today?" Willow asked with a disappointed tone of voice. Buffy sighed and tried to look guilty, "I couldn't focus."

"Is it cause of," Willow lowered her voice, "Spike?"
Buffy bit her lip, "Sorta."

"Well at least the bite's healing," Willow said, ever optimistic.

"That's not the problem, or at least according to Giles. Apparently Slayer's blood is really addictive. Like once you have a taste you can't stop." Buffy confided and Willow's eyes went round.

"Do you think he's gonna come back?" She asked anxiously.

Buffy shrugged, "I don't know. It's been a two days already."

"Well it's a good thing he can't get into your house without an invite," Willow comforted her.

"Speaking of which, how do I tell my mom not to let a bleached hottie into the house?" Buffy asked.

Willow stopped dead in her tracks and reached out to grab Buffy's arm, "You think Spike's a hottie?" Willow squeaked.

Now it was Buffy's turn for her eyes to go round, "NO! NO! Emphatically not!"

Willow gave her a look, "It's okay to think he's hot, you just can't, you know, do anything about it."
Buffy sighed, "I really like Angel, you know I do."

"You love him," Willow teased and Buffy slapped her arm playfully.

"So Spike has that bizarre punk thing going for him, but it's not like he's dateable material or even crush worthy. He's strictly stake-able only." Buffy said.

"Right. Cause psychotic, evil vampires always make great boyfriends," Willow said sarcastically.

"Exactly," Buffy confirmed and they parted for class.

Spike paced back and forth in the alley. Something was wrong. He still couldn't get the Slayer out of his mind. It wasn't even bloodlust anymore, he just plain wanted her. Wanted her so much there was a constant throbbing pain in his head. Every time he tried closed his eyes he saw her, moving with power and grace.

"Fuck!" he roared, slamming his fist into the wall. He needed to drink. Drinking till her the fucking Slayer was gone.

Buffy sighed, trying hopelessly to work on her homework. She kept thinking about Spike, especially about how he'd made her feel when he bit her. Bit her! She'd been so embarrassed she didn't even tell Giles that it had actually felt…good. She blushed at the thought. There she went again! Thinking about Spike, 24/7. Even when she was with Angel, the same Angel who made her forget other guys even existed, she thought about him. It was starting to take a toll on her, making her head hurt.

"I need a break," Buffy said out loud and got up to stretch. Giles had given her the night off to study, but Buffy was wishing she had the patrol excuse. Not that it would help in trying to explain to her mom why she'd failed, but hey, saving the world took priority over math. All the sudden, she felt the tell-tale tingle on her neck that a vampire was near.

She reached under her bed and pulled out a stake and cautiously made her way to the window.

She let out a squeak as Spike jumped up on to the tree outside of her window.

"Spike! What the hell?" Buffy hissed at him, hoping her mom hadn't heard her yell.

"Sh-layer," Spike slurred, slumped on the tree.

Buffy's eyes narrowed as she took in his disheveled appearance.

"Spike, are you drunk?" she asked.

"May-be, whatsha gonna do?" He muttered, "Can't get the damn Sh-layer outta m' head."

Buffy sent a quick prayer to whatever god determined vampires couldn't come into houses without an invite and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Spike, get the fuck out of my sight or I'll make sure you're blowing in the wind," Buffy told him, raising the stake as proof.

Spike giggled, "Ooh, harsh langesh (language) from Betty!"

Buffy wrinkled her nose in distaste, Betty?

"Spike did you just giggle?" She asked incredulously.

Spike shook his head violently, almost knocking himself out of the tree, "No!"

Buffy sighed, "It's late. You can't come in, I'm not coming out. So go away."

"Can't," Spike announced, "Can't shtop thinking about you Sh-layer," he said quieter.

Buffy instinctively took a step away from the window, "What?"

"You're in my bloody gut in my fucking brain, won't leave, won't let me be the Big Bad," Spike told her, suddenly sober.

"What have you done to me?" He pleaded.

Buffy couldn't speak; she just stood their gaping at him.

"What-what are you talking about Spike?" she finally managed to ask.

Spike let out a bitter laugh, "You bloody bitch. Did you do a spell? My head hurts when I'm not near you, what have you done?" he was babbling, sounding drunk again, "Head hurts and then I'm near you and it stops. Just like that. All the pain is gone,"

Buffy's eyes widened when she realized the headache she'd been having had now disappeared too.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?" Spike roared and Buffy jumped.

"Shut up," she hissed.

"No you shut up," Spike sneered.

Buffy clenched her jaw and reached out and pushed Spike out of the tree. Spike yelped as he fell off the branch and hit the ground. Buffy could hear him letting out a stream of curses.

"Spike, stay the hell away from me," Buffy snarled then slammed her window shut.

Spike stared up at the window. The pain in his head was back and that combined with the fall had completely sobered him up. What was wrong with him? Groveling at the Slayer's feet? He was evil! He snarled and walked away already forming a plan in his mind.

Buffy sighed with relief to see Spike walking away. She tried not to notice how the ache in her head was back as she plopped down on her bed. What was going on? Now that she'd learned through Spike's drunken rambling that the same thing was happening to him, she needed to tell Giles. She cringed at the thought of trying to explain it to her Watcher. 'Yes I know Spike was trying to kill me when he bit me, but I'm pretty sure it was orgasmic! And now I can't get him out of my mind and it gives me a headache to be more than 20 feet away from him!' Yeah, that would go over real well.

Buffy changed into her pajamas and curled under her covers. She would talk to Giles tomorrow.

"Hello princess," Spike smiled at Drusilla as she came out of the shadows, clutching a rose.

"The stars are speaking to me," Dru told him sounding far away.

Spike walked up behind her and put his arms around her, "What do they say?"

"Little pixies whispering to me, my William has been a naughty boy, psst," She told him, her head swinging to some imaginary music.

"Naughty?" Spike leered kissing her neck and nipping slightly.

Drusilla pulled away and slapped his cheek, leaving bloody scratches, "You smell of sunshine and lies," she hissed.

"Dru?" Spike asked, puzzled and wiped the blood from his cheek.

Drusilla backed away from him, clutching her head and moaning.

"What's wrong ducks?" Spike asked again taking a step forward.

"You're covered in her," Drusilla whispered.

"Who?" Spike demanded feeling furious.

"The Slayer. She makes you taste like ashes," Drusilla told him.

Spike growled, "I'm trying to kill her, pet, for you."
"Naughty William, you're not mine," Drusilla said mournfully.

"Bloody hell, I'm always yours," Spike said fiercely.

"No, I've lost you," Drusilla drifted past him and with a phantom touch to his cheek she was gone.

Spike growled. He wouldn't lose his Princess.

"Slayer, I will bathe in your blood," He snarled softly, "I'll do the bloody backstroke."