Chapter 8
Close Encounters

Spike: "Don't be ridiculous. I'd bite you in a heartbeat."
Willow: "Really?"
-'The Initiative'

"There you are!" Spike closed the door to Giles' apartment and addressed the redhead, bent over her laptop at the desk.

"Here I am. Why?" Willow barely glanced up from the research she was working on.

"Thought you might want to go out hunting again."

"I'm still mad at you, you know." She wasn't really, not after a week, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

Willow simply rolled her eyes at the vampire and refocused on her work.

"You were mad at me the other night, and we still went out hunting," he persisted, leaning on a corner of the desk, "We still managed to have fun."

"Fun?"

"Oh, come on, Red. You had fun, and you know it."

"Yeah, especially the part where I nearly staked you." She looked up, hoping for a wince. Spike's jaw tightened a bit, but his expression seemed oddly blank at first. Then a light flared deep in his blue eyes that sent shivers down Will's spine.

Over the course of the past week or so, she'd been forced to admit that she was nursing a major crush on the bleached blond. If she was totally honest with herself, she'd always been somewhat attracted to him, but this odd "friendship" of theirs was making things worse. She didn't like being that honest, most of the time.

"Well, let's skip that part this time, and just hunt other vampires. I brought stakes." He offered her one, but she didn't take it.

"Sorry, Spike, I can't."

"Don't be like that, pet."

"No, I mean I can't, I have work to do." She gestured towards the screen in front of her. "Some demon that's supposed to rise in a few weeks. Giles wants to track down the info we'll need now."

"And the Watcher is where?"

"Out. He had plans of some sort," she said with a sigh.

"Where? An unemployed librarians' convention?" Spike scoffed. "Don't tell me, the other two have dates."

Willow nodded sadly.

"So you're stuck doing their work for them again," he concluded.

She shrugged. "It's not like I had plans," she added bitterly.

"But you do have plans, kitten. With me. We're going out hunting, then to the Bronze to celebrate a bit."

"I can't just leave this, Spike. Giles is counting on me," she said with real regret.

"Answer me this, and if I'm right," he tapped a finger lightly on the end of her nose, "you have to come out with me. Did Giles actually ask you if you wanted to do this, or did he just assume you had nothing better to do and ordered you to do it?"

Willow writhed uncomfortably at the question. Spike was right; Giles hadn't even bothered to ask her if she had plans.

"Well…," she temporized.

"I knew it! Bloody ponce just dumped it on you without a by-your-leave."

"The worst part is that I had plans. Or, well, plans to have plans."

"Plans with who?" Spike's tone was sharp. Willow looked at him quizzically, wondering at his reaction.

"My friend, Tara," she answered, "We've been doing magic together all week. I've really improved."

"So that's where you disappeared to." He sounded a little disgruntled.

Willow was flattered.

"You were looking for me?"

"Of course, I was. We're friends, aren't we? Now, I've won our little wager, so let's go."

"I never agreed to anything, Spike."

"You agreed that he never asked you to do this. I say it serves him right if you leave him hanging. Besides, you said yourself, there's a few weeks to figure it all out."

"I can't just leave without any warning."

"So write him a note: Dear Wanker, went off to have some real fun, find your own sodding demon, Love and Kisses, Red."

Willow just looked at him.

"Or words to that effect. Come on, love, don't leave me hanging here. I haven't seen you all week."

Spike's wheedling tone almost won her over. He sounded so sincere, like he'd truly missed her company. And he'd been looking for her, he'd said so. She felt slightly guilty for holding her grudge against him for so long. She wanted badly to be able to do as he asked, but she knew how necessary the research was.

"I can't, Spike. I'm sorry. This is important."

He sighed heavily and picked up a nearby book.

"Fine. What are we looking for?"

"You're helping me?" Willow was astonished.

"Well, someone's got to. Besides, like you said, not everyone has plans tonight."

Spike was bored. This was the sixth straight night of hunting for ways to defeat this demon, and they were no closer to finding anything. Sometimes the other Scoobies helped, but usually it was just him and Willow, a fact he liked to point out as much as possible. He didn't like being there when the others were, but there was no other time for him to see the redhead. Her afternoons were spent on schoolwork or practicing with that new witch friend of hers. She never even came over to Xander's place anymore. So he doggedly hung on, feigning a need for cash or blood as an excuse.

A few times he'd managed to convince her to take a break and go patrolling with him, but that only worked when he was alone with her. The one time he'd suggested it in-group, he'd ended up paired with the bloody Slayer while the other three went off on their own.

The whole situation was depressing him, and hanging out at Scooby Central as much as he was did his reputation no good at all. The last thing he needed was the entire demon world thinking he'd gone soft, gone over to the good side. If his Red hadn't been such a prize, he would have told the whole lot of them to sod off days ago.

He looked over at the witch seated next to him on the floor, her head propped up on one hand as she studied the tome in her lap. Her hair fell down the side of her face, partially obscuring it from his gaze, but she must have sensed his eyes on her because she glanced over and gave him a quick smile before returning to her book.

What a beauty, he thought, and she hides it so well, even from herself. He realized he was staring and glanced around the room to see if anyone else had noticed. It was hard, trying to pretend all the time, but showing any sort of interest in the Slayer's best friend would mean a stake to the heart in minutes.

He turned back to his book, squinting a bit as the words blurred and danced before his tired eyes. Becoming a vampire hadn't cured him of his slight near-sightedness; he was just too stubborn to wear glasses ever again.

"Xander, I'm bored. Let's go," Anya blurted out suddenly.

"Ahn, we can't just leave…"

Spike sighed in relief. That was usually the signal for the meeting to break up for the evening.

"You know, there is serious lateness here. And I promised Riley I'd meet him at the Espresso Pump," Buffy chimed in.

The Watcher glanced at the clock. "Yes, perhaps it is best if we retire for the night. We still have a few more days to find an answer."

Everyone started moving, then, closing books and packing up their things. Spike caught Red's eye and cocked an eyebrow at her. Her cheek dimpled and she blushed a bit as she smiled and gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"Alright, where's my…" He didn't even have to finish his sentence before Giles dumped a paper bag from the butcher's in his lap. "It better still be fresh, mate."

"Purchased this morning, and you're welcome."

Spike didn't bother to reply, simply grabbed his coat and left to the sounds of his witch convincing her friends that she'd be fine walking home alone. He found a spot outside the apartment complex where he could watch the others leave and lit up a cigarette to wait.

First out was Buffy, too intent on her destination to sense Spike's presence so near to her. The demon inside him growled in frustration at having her so close and unawares, and yet being unable to act on his instincts. Next came demon-girl and the idiot, talking far too loudly about the sex game they had planned for the night. He grimaced in distaste, and continued his vigil. Red would be last, she always was, staying around to help Giles tidy up.

Finally, she emerged, hesitantly looking around her, uncertain that Spike's signal had meant what she thought it had. Silently, he stepped out to greet her and offered her his arm. She smiled up at him, and suddenly the whole night of boredom seemed worthwhile.

"Hunting, Bronze, or both?" he asked. "Say 'both', pet. You owe me."

"Owe you?" she frowned and glanced at the paper bag still in his hand.

"You honestly think there's enough blood in the world to keep me penned up with you swabs night after night like this? Plus, we had a bet, if I recall."

"There was no bet, Spike," she shot back, then added softly, "It's not for the blood?"

He looked down into a very hopeful face and smiled. "Speaking of blood, let's get this to a fridge before we go patrolling."

"But, Spike…"

"No buts, love, you owe me," he repeated firmly, leading her towards the basement he shared with Xander.

"It's late, Spike, shouldn't we be getting home?" The words were spoken sincerely enough, but Spike could tell there was no conviction behind them. He and Willow were strolling through the alleyways of Sunnydale's warehouse district, on their way to the Bronze.

"The night's barely begun! Besides, you promised: hunting and then to the Bronze for a drink." He saw the look on her face and forestalled her protest. "Just a drink, not getting drunk. Unless, of course, you want to," he shrugged, "And I'm game for that if you are."

"No thanks. I need to get home, I've got classes in the morning."

"But you can miss a day, can't you?" Spike coaxed, moving in a little closer and brushing a lock of hair out of her face.

She smiled, but still shook her head. "I only get a few allowed absences per semester."

"And you've already used them up this late in the game," he said, slipping his arm in hers and starting them towards the club once more. He doubted very much if she'd even been late to class, let alone absent.

"Well, no, but…"

"But you're a bit behind, and can't afford to miss."

"No, actually, I'm ahead. But still…"

She was weakening; Spike could sense it.

"So you just don't want to spend time with me, is that it?"

"Of course, I want to spend time with you, Spike, that's not the point!"

They were at the door now. Spike paid the cover and led her into the club while she was still trying to convince them both that she didn't want to go.

"What is the point, then?" he asked, twirling her out on to the dance floor.

Her mouth opened and closed as she searched for a suitable response. He pulled her closer, slipping an arm around her waist.

"You know," he continued, as if to himself, "It's too bad you couldn't just spell your professor into thinking you were there. Then you wouldn't have to waste the absence."

"That would be wrong, Spike," she reproved instantly. But then her face grew thoughtful. "Amy had a spell like that – she could convince teachers that she'd turned in homework, when she hadn't. It must have been some sort of memory charm…" she mused, trailing off into her own thoughts.

Spike allowed the subject to drop. He'd planted a seed, now he'd have to wait and see what came of it. He hated being patient, but there was plenty more to keep him occupied in the meantime.

"It's a lovely night," he whispered into Willow's ear, and was rewarded with a shiver down her back. He smiled to himself, and steered her over to a corner table. "I'll get the drinks, pet," he added, before she could launch another protest.

They spent the rest of the night like that. Willow would say how she really should be going home; Spike would distract her with one more drink, one more dance, or a simple word or a look that had her blushing and looking away. It was child's play to convince her to stay when it was obvious that she really wanted to anyway.

"I really should be going," she murmured, not lifting her head from where it was pillowed on Spike's shoulder. They were dancing close, closer than either would have dared at the beginning of the evening. But time and alcohol had made Willow bold, and Spike confident, sure of his success in his renewed pursuit of the redhead.

"We both should," he softly replied, his head resting against hers, "It's closing time."

That brought Willow's head up, startled. "Closing time? Already?"

He chuckled, "It's been hours, pet. Come on, I'll walk you home."

The university lay quietly in the early morning hours. As they threaded through the meandering paths of the campus, Spike felt confident that they had the place to themselves. No pesky Slayer or pack of soldiers to interrupt.

The couple walked slowly, their arms around each other's waist. Willow's head was resting on Spike's shoulder. He steered them into a little clearing with a bench in one corner, screened by several large bushes.

He decided that he was tired of waiting. Now was the perfect time to move their little game forward, and he knew exactly how he wanted to play this particular hand.

"Willow," he murmured, "I want to talk to you."

That got her attention. Spike hardly ever used her real name. She looked up at him, concerned.

"What's wrong?" she quavered, obviously expecting the worst.

"There's nothing wrong, pet. I just…I wondered if maybe…" He trailed off, feigning indecision.

"What?"

"You're going to say no, but I have to ask anyway." Spike heaved a calculated sigh. "I know when we started, we agreed on being 'just friends', but lately, well…lately I've wanted us to be…more."

He waited. Red blinked for a moment, processing what he had said. She seemed to be having problems grasping it.

"More? As in, romantic more?" she finally managed to say, "As in, you and me?" Then she frowned in confusion, "Why would I say no to that?"

"I'm a vampire, remember? An evil thing. You, you're all sweetness and light, fighting for good and all that. You couldn't possibly…"

He didn't get to finish. Willow took his face in both hands, leaned forward, and kissed him. A real kiss, not the little chaste ones they'd been exchanging. This one rocked Spike back. In fact, he was more than surprised by the strength of his response. His arms tightened around her waist as he drew her in closer. It seemed as if it could last for eternity, but eventually Willow had to come up for air. Even Spike was gasping a little.

"Are you sure, princess?" he asked with concern, not all of it feigned. "It's a big step, you and me."

"Positive. I know what I'm doing, Spike. It's my choice. Plus, I don't think you're as evil as you say."

"Oh, I'm evil, alright," he said with a grin, relishing his triumph. He'd manipulated her into making the first move, just as he'd planned. He led Willow over to the bench and sat down, pulling her into his lap. "I am the Big Bad, after all. And I think maybe you like it that way."

He kissed her again before she could respond, reveling in the feel of her body against his.

"Maybe I do," she agreed playfully, once he let her go again, "And maybe I just want to know more about you."

"Intrigued, are we?" he said with a cocky smile.

She nodded and bent in for another long kiss. Spike slid his hands up the back of her shirt, enjoying the silken smoothness of her back. He began slowly kissing his way down her throat, trying to ignore the tantalizing throb of her pulse, teasing him.

At that moment, a sound from the bushes caught Spike's ear. It was a quick burst of static, followed by the crackling sound of a voice on a two-way radio.

"Beta team, what is your position? Over."

The Initiative! And they were practically on top of him and Willow. She heard the noise, too, he could tell from the way she tensed. There was no time to act, but Spike began to get up to run, anyway.

Red grabbed him by the arms and whispered, "Stay still."

He looked at her as if she had gone crazy, but the witch locked eyes with him and repeated, "Stay…completely…still." Confused, he did as she asked.

She began chanting in some weird language he didn't recognize, and Spike realized she was attempting to hide them with magic. He was beyond worried. He knew her magic had been improving of late, but was it good enough to go head to head with an Initiative patrol? He had no option but to trust in her abilities.

Willow had finished her spell casting and now sat quietly. They were still locked eye-to-eye, her green ones sending him the clear warning that they could not move or speak without giving themselves away. Spike had never wanted to fidget more than he did in that moment.

Out of the corner of his eye, Spike saw three dark shapes moving into the clearing where their bench was. They moved cautiously, heads swinging back and forth, and all three were masked and armed with the stun guns Spike recognized from his own capture. Willow was breathing incredibly slowly, trying not to make a sound. The vampire thought her heart beat, alone, would be enough to get them caught, but the soldiers apparently didn't hear it.

The soldiers seemed to move at a crawl. The clearing was not that large, but it felt like it took the better part of ten minutes for them to finish searching it and move out of earshot. Spike's muscles were screaming in protest, and he was sure Red was in the same boat.

Finally, the sounds of the commandos' stealthy progress faded away to a safe distance. Willow heaved a sigh of relief and collapsed against Spike's chest, speaking a few guttural words to break the spell. Spike just held her, trying to keep from shaking in reaction to their near escape.

"Quite a trick, pet. What was it?" Spike said, after a long pause.

"Chameleon spell. It's a type of glamour; it blends you into the background," she explained, "The only problem is, you have to hold perfectly still or there are ripples."

"Very handy, indeed." Spike's voice was full of the gratitude he couldn't quite bring himself to express.

"Yeah, I thought glamours and other illusions were best to focus on next, because you rarely need any ingredients, besides an occasional mirror, and they don't take much energy. I've got all the basic glamours down, but some of the advanced stuff…"
Spike cut off the flow of words with a kiss. Red's babbling was an after-effect of their near miss, nervous energy in need of an outlet. He cursed fate and their current living arrangements, both of them stuck with inquisitive roommates. This was the sort of situation he'd normally take advantage of. Instead, he opted for the chivalrous route.

"I should get you home," he offered.

"It's too dangerous, Spike. I can walk the rest of the way from here."

"I insist. I won't risk anything happening to you, princess."

Willow's face became momentarily dreamy. "I like it when you call me that," she confessed.

"What? Princess?"

She nodded shyly. "It makes me feel special, the way you say it."

Spike smiled fondly at her. "Well, then, my princess you shall be."

Another of her charming blushes met that statement, and Spike took advantage of the distraction to get them both standing and headed towards Willow's dorm.

"I've thought of something you can help me with, princess," he began, once they were on their way.

"If I can, I will," she responded, curious.

"I need a new place. I can't stand living in that basement one second more. I want you to help me look for a nice crypt or something."

"A crypt?"

"Vampire, remember? Plus, extremely low rent. It's ideal for someone like me."

"I suppose." Her brow furrowed in thought, "What would I have to do?"

"Mostly just keep me company. Give me a second opinion, that sort of thing."

She smiled. "Sure, I could do that. When do you want to start?"

"As soon as possible. Say, sundown tomorrow," he responded immediately.

"Alright," she laughed at his eagerness. "I'll meet you then."

They'd reached Willow's dormitory. Spike took her in his arms to say goodnight.

"Come upstairs for a moment?" she asked.

"And get staked by your roommate? No, thanks."

"Ooh, we could use a glamour. I'm getting really good at those. She'd never know it was you," Red offered eagerly.

"Not tonight, pet. I've had enough close shaves with magic as it is." He hated disappointing her, but there were some risks he wasn't willing to run, tonight.

She pouted a bit at that, but conceded that he was probably right. They shared several long kisses, neither one willing to be the first one to leave. Finally, Willow gave a huge yawn, and they both decided it was time to call it a night.