Madness?

It was hard, Spike decided, it was hard to see everything.At the moment, both Willow and Buffy were standing right beside each other, their expressions were comically the same; wondering what the hell was going through his mind!Spike felt his temper snap and he realized he could tell them both at the same time, whilst still appearing to them, sane. "You can stop that right now."

"Stop what?" They both replied simultaneously, with exactly the same answer; it was Spike's agitation which stopped him laughing out loud, yet he couldn't stop his eyes from rolling to the ceiling. Spike pointed at the spot that, in his perception, was the small spot between them. "That look, I'M NOT MAD ALL RIGHT!" Buffy and Willow both came up to him and took a hand each; they rubbed their thumbs against his palm soothingly and Spike really realized the idiocy of the whole situation. At the same time they whispered to him the same words; it was lucky they were both standing in front of him, this way he could look at both of them. "You've been through a hard time; it's understandable that these events catch up with you sooner or later." Spike grew angrier by the minute and he shoved them away from him; Buffy regained her balance, but Willow's back hit the table and she banged her head on the wooden cupboard door.

Pain seared through his head and his hand flew to his temple as he groaned. Concern mixed with Buffy's anger at being so strongly pushed, she enquired, some what stiffly, if he was all right, whereas Willow huffed and muttered quite distinctly. "Serves you right." The situation was intolerable; neither girl believed him, and, as usual, he was taunted by seeing what others couldn't.

It was similar to when they had all witnessed Ben morph into Glory; he had been the only one who had remembered then, it had taken considerable effort to get them to believe and remember back then, right now he had enough on his plate.He felt suffocated and it occurred to him how long he had been inside Buffy's house, inside four walls. "I have to get out here." Willow and Buffy leapt to their feet and pointed to the same window. "Its light out there, not exactly welcome vampire conditions!" Spike growled as their actions paralleled each other again and decided if he couldn't go outside he would go to the one place he could have peace and quiet.The bedroom, the room he had been confined to for days now.He stomped upstairs and vowed the person who disturbed him would be incredibly sorry. Buffy and Willow muttered, "Stupid vampire" under their breaths and stepped outside. They hadn't spoken to Anya in a long while.

"Anya!" Anya turned around, her eyes widened as she saw Willow and Buffy approaching her. "Buffy?Willow?" Buffy nodded. "Yeah I know, she never showed.So do you think-" Anya cut her off, a confused expression marring her face. "Is this supposed to be a joke?" Buffy and Willow looked at her in dark confusion, both replying with a disdainful, "Hardly."

Anya abruptly stood up, she was about to walk back into the Magic Shop when Buffy grabbed her arm; Willow looked at Anya's stiff arm in confusion. "This isn't a joke, I can't find her." Anya wrenched her arm free, wildly she motioned to Willow. "SHE'S RIGHT THERE BUFFY!WILLOW'S BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME!YOU WERE WALKING TOGETHER!"

Then she pointed at Buffy. "WILLOW!BUFFY IS RIGHT HERE!FOR CHRIST SAKES!YOU TWO MAY HAVE THE TIME TO WASTE BUT I DON'T!" With that Anya stormed back into the shop. Buffy and Willow looked at the spot where Anya had pointed out to them, if Spike or Anya had seen them it would have looked like to them like they were looking at one another.

"Maybe Giles can help."

"What's going on?First Spike then Anya!Where is everyone?"

Buffy ran back home and stabbed in Giles' number. "Hello, Mr. Giles speaking." "Giles?" "Buffy?" "Yeah it's me." Buffy heard a groan come from the other end of the phone.

"What's happened now Buffy?"

"Giles, something strange is going on-"

"Isn't there always?"

"Giles, we didn't see Willow arrive at the airport, but then Anya said she was standing right next to me! Is it a spell or-"

"Nerves. Yes... nerves mixing with magic... unconscious magic-"

"Giles!Plain English please!"

"Very well in plain English; it is my belief that Willow's nerves about returning have mixed with her magic, causing her to unintentionally cast a spell of some kind, mostly likely a perception spell, which would explain why Anya is immune.Once Willow is reassured that she's welcome there the spell should wear off."

"He was right all along, Spike was right..."

"Sorry what?You were whispering I didn't catch it." Buffy's eyes widened at what she had almost done and hastily ended the call.

"Thanks Giles,we'll work on that." Now she had an apology to make.

"Spike?" A low growl told her he wanted to be left alone, but Buffy hated waiting to give apologies so she turned the door knob and stepped in. "Didn't you get the message?" Buffy slowly approached the agitated vampire. "Spike, you were right." A look of total confusion passed over Spike's face, and it took all of Buffy's willpower not to laugh at the adorable expression he was wearing. "I phoned Giles, you were right, Willow's muddled with our perception." "She's muddled with your perception…look Buffy, I've really recovered now."

An odd fear went through Buffy at those words, Spike could see it faintly in her eyes, and it confused him to no end.'Why should she be worried that it's time for me to go,' Spike pondered. 'Shouldn't she be ushering me out the door?' When he came out of his thoughts Buffy had a phlegmatic expression on her face and her green eyes had hardened. "If you want to leave you know where the door is." With that, Buffy slammed the door shut behind her before Spike even had a chance of replying. Tears, she found, were sliding down her face, she blankly raised a fingertip tip to her face and caught the wetness there, and she looked at it indifferently. Already with being faced with Spike's probable departure and she felt colder, deader.

Willow caught sight of Spike and bolted as fast as she could in his direction. "SPIKE!SPIKE, PLEASE WAIT!" Spike reacted instantly, hoping when he turned around he was going to be faced with Buffy; their departure had been an unpleasant one, the stony expression she had left him with seemed to burn him, once again he had done something terribly wrong, but for the life of him he couldn't begin to guess what it was he had done.Of course when he turned he was faced with Willow. "Spike you have to help me-" Spike chuckled, but it wasn't an amused chuckle. "Have to?I have to help you? Don't think it works that way Red." Willow's eyes darkened for a moment, and Spike couldn't help but want to take a few steps back; he didn't of course he was The Big Bad!But all the same, in that moment Spike had no trouble believing Willow had gone apocalyptic on them.

"I helped you, remember, quite a few occasions especially when you got that tracker shot into your back!" Spike made a grim expression at the memory and nodded. "All right Red, since we're such good friends..."

That seemed to bring Willow out of her dark mood and a sad look came into her eyes.

"I wish. Spike I haven't got anyone else, I don't have anywhere else to go." Spike could see Willow's eyes glittering suspiciously and he felt a great deal of empathy of her current position; he had been in it for years. "You'll be alright Red, got into a bad place but you'll get through it. Look Red, this problem, not being able to find Buffy or the gang it's just your magic playing up."

Willow looked at him deeply; Spike could tell he had her full attention. "You were nervous right?Did think they'd accept you...You got that so deeply ingrained into yourself your Magic when haywire and it's made it so they can't see you and you can't see them." Willow smiled grimly. "And it doesn't affect you or Anya because you're a demon." Spike's smug smile was answer enough, and Willow felt some pride for Spike, at times he seemed so knowledgeable, so insightful...

"So Mr.Insight any clues of ending the spell?" Spike just flashed a bit of fang at her. "It's all simple innit? You stop worrying and 'poof' spell's done." Willow frowned, and then again although insightful at some times, at others he was as helpful as a chocolate teapot.

"Oh yeah sure, I'll just switch off that emotional tap and presto spell finished!"

Spike abruptly stopped, he had walked but a few shops away from Buffy's house and now outside the Magic shop he was stuck, as bright rays shone down from the sky.He growled in annoyance and retraced to the carts and plunked himself down. "The way I see it Red you've got to have faith in your friends.You three have been through a lot, a hell of a lot, but you've always come through the other side.Buffy's not the most forgiving creature on this planet but she has compassion; she has a heart.You've got to bear yours and hope for forgiveness, if you deserve it you'll get it."

He turned to look at Willow directly, fierce conviction in his blue eyes. "And you deserve it alright."

Willow felt a warmth course through her, and a bright light flashed all around her and then nothing. She looked at herself and then at Spike. "Did it work?" "How the bleeding hell should I know?I could see you at the beginning!"

Just then Willow saw Xander and Anya step out of the shop, her eyes widened in joy and fear, fear for Spike, without second thought she threw herself at him, throwing her hair over the side of his face and kissing him as passionately as she could.It wasn't a minute too soon as Xander and Anya took that exact moment to look over at them. For a moment Xander was about to call Willow, but then he saw the woman was kissing a man, rather nicely as well...Willow was, as far as he knew, still attracted to women; he looked at the red haired women wistfully, and for a moment he had really thought it had been Willow.His grip on Anya's hand tightened. "Let's go Anya."

Once Willow was sure they were gone she pulled back, literally gasping for air.Even for a lesbian that had been hot, Spike was one hell of a kisser, and then again she supposed he had centuries of practice on his side…"Red?What just happened here?" Willow refocused on Spike,took one look at his swollen lips and burst out into hysterical laughter. "I'm sorry Spike-Xander and Anya- they were coming- couldn't let them see you." She got out in-between laughs; Spike just shook his head, his lips tugging into a smirk. "You know, for a lesbian, you kiss well Red." Willow felt her breath hitch at the low growl in his voice, and she smirked seductively. "Up for round two?"

Hey, just thought I'd make it clear Spike and Willow are just joking ! not going to turn into Spillow ! Let me know what you think in your review and I'll update soon !