Chapter 2.

"Ouch, Red! Why screaming so loud? Bloody hell, I'm deaf now…" Spike let go of Adam's shoulder and stepped back, shaking his head. Adam shockingly looked at Willow and blond man.

"Spike…my Goddess… you're… you're alive. Not technically of course. Vampire cannot be alive that way, but you're ALIVE. You know what I mean." Willow was trembling. She ran towards Spike and hugged him. "Wait, it's you. Right? Not some kind of demon, who possessed your body in the Hellmouth?"

"Relax, Red. It's totally me."

"Why didn't you… I mean, it's been a year since Sunnydale, and we didn't hear anything from you. We thought you were dead! Buffy…"

Willow was constantly bubbling, while Adam and Joe eyed her and Spike suspiciously. Spike pulled a face when Willow hit him in a shoulder lightly.

"I suppose you two know each other. Probably then we can just grab another beer and discuss what to do with our deal little miss, and why your friend wishes to kill me so much." Adam smiled politely attracting attention.

Willow had already forgotten about Adam. Spike, that weird naughty vampire, who saved their lives in Sunnydale and meant so much for Buffy, was alive! Impossible. But time Willow had spent next to Hellmouth taught her to believe that everything possible. Wasn't it Willow herself, who brought Buffy back to live with her marvelous magic? So now, Spike was standing here, as alive as vampire can be. And he needed something from Adam. He needed the manuscript. "It doesn't smell right." She thought.

Any other person at Joe's could think of a company sitting at the table as two guys arguing because of a girl, who tried to make it look like a negotiations. Actually the topic of arguing was much older and less pretty than the girl.

"You won't get the manuscript. No way."

"I don't need your permission to take it."

"Do you know who you are talking to, greenhorn?"

"You… "

"Easy, guys. I'll be the one to get the manuscript anyway. Spike, what do you need it for?"

"My employer wants to have it. At any cost." Spike was determined to have the manuscript. "and that weird friend of yours refused to sell it to me. So I have to take it by force."

"You have no chance, boy." Adam was calm and definitely enjoyed their parley. He smiled at Willow.

"I'm afraid Adam can't give it to you. Giles needs it, and Buffy and Angel too."

"oh, if Angel needs it then of course…" Spike rolled up his eyes.

"Ok then let's concentrate on "Buffy needs it" part! Who's your employer, by the way?" Willow looked at Spike as investigator at a criminal. He moved restlessly under her stare.

"Red, I can't tell. But I owe this person a lot."

Forty minutes later they were still sitting at Joe's place, Spike was irritated, Adam intrigued and Willow was excited. Spike's employer confirmed once again that manuscript was of a great importance. So, if Giles needed only information, they decided to make a copy of manuscript and sent it to him. Spike than could take the original to his employer. Adam wasn't happy about this decision, because he spent quite a lot of time trying to hide it from annoying vampire. And he actually succeeded, and now he and Willow had to go and get the manuscript from hiding place. Adam insisted on only Willow going with him.

"Hey, Will, I don't trust that Adam guy. He's not normal, definitely. I've been tracking him for quite a while, and fighting couple of times, but he's fine. Not a scratch on his arrogant face. And what normal person carries a sword nowadays?" Said Spike, getting her off to his side. He seemed worried for Willow. Adam meanwhile was talking to Joe.

"Take it easy, Spike. I can protect myself, and by the way Giles knows him, and I guess trusts him. And he doesn't look dangerous."

"You haven't seen his sword." He frowned.

"And think of calling Buffy. She really suffered after your last death." Willow clapped Spike on the shoulder.

"I believe it's better for her not to think of it now. She's in LA now, with Angel, and this freaky kind of family. By the way, why you aren't there?"

"Giles sent me to get that manuscript…"

"He could ask any of your potential slayers. What made him sent away his precious Wiccan?"

"Erm…I asked him… wanted to have a change of scene. And nobody can be as careful with book as I am. So it's obvious." Willow shyly smiled at vampire. He was so close to the truth. She's stuck in all this fights and searches and fights again. But it was hard to imagine anything different. She wished for something more. And didn't know what for.

"Are you ready to go?" Adam came to them and put his hand on her upper arm. She felt some tickling even through the sleeve of a sweater. Her witch sense tried to tell, what's so strange in the man.

"Uh-huh. Spike. I'm so glad to see you alive. Well, not alive, but conscious. Well, you know… It's good to see you." She hugged blond vampire tight.

"I'm glad too, Will. I'm glad. Take care."

Adam and Willow left bar. It was already dark and cold outside. Adam brought his car.

"How far is that hiding place?" asked Willow.

"It's at my friend's place. He owns a gym not so far from here." He was quiet for couple of minutes. "Willow, I want to ask you one thing. About that Spike… about his being a vampire. Is that true? Or some kind of a private joke I don't know?"

"well, he actually is a vampire. Just a usual vampire. I thought Giles told you know 'bout them" Willow frowned.

"How then he was able to chase me in a daylight?"

Thanks to moga-wachutu and Village-Mystic for reviews!

AN: it doesn't look angsty, so probably fic will be just a little bit sad due to Will's feeling of being lost.