Previously: God! It was bloody boring to be locked indoors most of the day, but I hadn't had time to become accustomed to the sewers here and I wasn't going to do that today; not when I didn't have the time to fight some great big nasty.

I strode back to my apartment for a shower and some clean, black clothes.

Chapter 22

Dawn and Carly walked along the boulevard. They had visited several shops and had liked a few things, though they cost way too much. Neither of them had that kind of money.

'So how's Candice?' Dawn asked. She knew Carly would be keeping tabs on her.

'I don't know. I was going to swing by her house today. You wanna come? I normally see her on the fourth day, so she can catch up with what's happening, etc.' Carly explained.

Dawn was worried. What would Buffy say to this? How bout 'Dawn! Why would you put yourself in danger? Why would you do that? After everything you've seen, everything you've been through, everything we've been through! I forbid you to do it again! Do you understand me?'

'She's not gonna kill us is she?' Dawn queried. She didn't exactly want to end up on the news.

'Not if Stone's there' Carly chirped.

How could someone be so chipper when their best friend's a psycho?

'Well, if you say it's ok' Dawn said.

'Awesome! You'll love her dad. He's soo cool' Carly announced as she dragged Dawn away from the retails stores and towards the suburbs.

Buffy had wandered through aisle after aisle of edible groceries. There were so many choices, she didn't know what to pick up. She decided it was probably best to just get what they needed instead of splurge on things they may possibly never use.

Buffy had gotten home with bags of shopping in her hand. She had unlocked the door and walked into the apartment, to see no Spike there. He must have been amusing himself somewhere until after lunch.

She placed all the groceries on the kitchen table and slowly started to put them away, all the while humming a song she'd heard. It was a lullaby her mom had sung to her, and her grandmother had sung to her mother. It had been passed down the generations, since her ancestor, Victoria Summers had given birth to her child.

Story was, that Victoria had heard the song, which was first sung to her by one of her friends. When he went missing, and she had given birth to her child, in order to remember him always, had sung it to her child.

And that was how it had been. Each mother had sung it to her children since birth.

Buffy couldn't help it, she added the lyrics.

'Early one morning, just as the sun was rising

I heard a maid sing in the valley below…'

The song wasn't something Buffy normally liked or would listen to, but there was something about this one that was familiar and calming.

She finished with the groceries, left a note to no one in particular that she would be at Hocus Pocus and glided out of the apartment again.

She was halfway to the store when she bumped into Xander.

'Hey Buffy! Off to see the gang?'

'Xander! Yeah, you too?'

'Yep'

they walked together to the store, in deep conversation. Xander was talking about how Anya had had him piling even more boxes on top if the ones Buffy had stacked and how she was always disappearing and then appearing at the oddest times. He knew it was her vengeance work calling her but it didn't mean he had to like it.

Buffy had reasoned with him that if Anya wasn't a demon now, she would have been dead. But she agreed also, that they didn't have to like her disappearing acts.

They reached the store and stepped inside. Giles and Anya were already there.

'Ah Buffy, Xander. Nice to see you this morning' Giles greeted them.

'He thought no one would show' Anya said.

Giles gave her a look of 'No I didn't' and then continued, 'We were just discussing how we should patrol in pairs. Cleveland is a lot bigger than Sunnydale… er, has any of you seen Willow?'

The rest of the gang look at each other. Buffy had seen Willow the other night, but had anyone seen her since then?

They reasoned that they should call her, just in case she'd forgotten about the meeting. Buffy rang her mobile. No answer. She tried again. Still no answer.

'I'll ring Spike, ask if he could swing by her place?'

'Coz Spike's just the sweetest thing' Xander rolled his eyes.

The phone rang, just as I was about to sit down for a quick nap. I reached over and picked it up, annoyed at how it had interrupted my plans.

'Yeah?' I answered grumpily.

'Spike? Is that you?' Buffy asked.

'Yeah pet its me. What's up?'

'Willow hasn't shown up like she said she would. None of us have seen her since the other night. I was wondering if…'

'If I would be a sweetheart and see if she's home?' I guessed.

'Well yeah. Could you do that… please?'

'Okay love, see you after'

'Thanks Spike'

I hung up the phone. No one had seen Red since that night? Where the bloody hell was she then?

I picked up my duster and headed out the door.

I sauntered over to Willow's apartment. The door was closed, thought not locked. I knew I couldn't go inside, because she hadn't invited me. Slowly I turned the handle and threw the door open. It looked as though it had been deserted ages ago.

'Red? Red it's Spike.'

'Come in' a small voice whispered.

I stepped through the door frame and there on the couch, lay Willow.

'Wait I changed my mind, go away!'

'Doesn't work like that love' I stepped closer and upon inspection found that Red had been crying. A lot. She had tear tracks on her face; she wore the same clothes she had been in the other day and the air around her smelt of despair.

I was concerned. Red was never like this.

'Willow? What's wrong?'

I sat on the couch next to her, giving her space just in case she lashed out.

'It's Kennedy…she's… sh-she's dead' Willow dissolved into tears.

She really needed a hug; it was obvious she had tried to hide this from everyone. No wonder no one had seen her. I placed my hands around her middle and dragged her across the couch so I could embrace her in a hug. It was as comforting as I could be.

'Ssh love. I'm here. Wanna tell me what happened?'

Willow wiped the tears from her eyes and handed me a letter. It was the one from Claire. I read it and found it quite ironic that a vampire had bested the slayer. I kept Willow in a hug the whole time; she seemed to find some comfort from it. As long as a hug from me could give her some comfort, maybe she could pull through this.

I looked around and found a phone lying on the ground with the receiver hanging off of it. So that whenever someone called, it would appear you weren't home.

'Can I use that pet?' I asked pointing to the phone.

Willow nodded, tears still running down her face.

I picked up the phone with one hand while the receiver lay in my lap. Then with that same one hand, dialled the number to the store. I had the phone to my ear just as Giles answered.

'Hocus Pocus, charms and spells. How may I…'

'Rupert, its Spike' I cut him off.

'Spike. Did you find Willow?'

'Yeah. She's not coming in today. She's feeling a bit off'

'I see, well we could come over there?'

'Not the wisest thing mate. You could catch it, I being a vampire can't. it's be safer for you all'

'Ah yes. Ok. well give her our regards. We'll see her soon' Giles said

'Will do, and oh! Tell Buffy I might be a little late'

'Late? For what? Wait. I don't want to know. Ok I'll tell her'

'Good man'

I stopped him from saying anything else because I hung up the phone, then put it back to the way Willow had it before.

Willow looked up at me and it was within that moment, we found that we were closer friends than we ever thought we were.

'Thanks… you know, for covering' Willow murmured.

'No problem Red' and we then sat in silence. Me giving the witch comfort while she cried and hopefully travelled through the dark tunnel into the light.