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Something Old Something New Someone Bloody Someone Blue -- by Echo
Rating: R
Description: Willow and Spike have to get married as part of a ritual to save the world, but will they kill each other after the ceremony? Oh and there's small problem, she's with Oz, and he's with Dru. This is a response to a challenge posted on Fever of Fate.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I also don't own any of the bands mentioned or the lyrics to "Violet" by Hole.
Part One
How the hell did this happen? She wondered for like the millionth time. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Well, it was, but with one exception. One big exception. She could just cry. She settled for stomping her foot. She didn't think she could cry anymore about it. It had been months. She hadn't even seen him since then. Since that horrible night. She remembered it vividly. The yelling, the name calling, the hitting. The accusations. He blamed her. Right as he got back what he wanted he was having to give it up again. She understood that. What she didn't understand is why he felt he was the only one sacrificing. She was giving up things too.
"Willow?" She turned at the sound of the slayer's voice.
"Do I look ok, Buffy? Not that it matters."
"You look beautiful." Buffy's heart constricted at the pain on her friend's face. She couldn't believe what they were all going to have to go through just to be rid of some demon. It wasn't fair. Especially not to Willow. "Will, you don't have to do this. We can find another way."
"We've been over this, Buffy. There is no other way." She grabbed the mass that was her skirt and walked out into the hallway. She passed Cordelia, Tara, and Anya. They three were looking down, she was used to that. No one REALLY looked at her anymore. She marched up to Giles.
"Oh, Willow, you look stunning."
"Thank you." He beamed with pride. She was not his daughter, but he loved her like she was. Her parents had refused to come. He been honored when she'd asked him to be by her side. He knew how hard this had been for her. They'd talked at length about it. He was amazed at how high she could still hold her head. He wondered how long it would last.
"Willow, you don't have to do this."
"Not you too. We've been through this. This is how it has to be. This is what the ritual wants, Whistler said so. I won't have you die because of me. I won't have anyone die because of me." She squared her shoulders. "Let's do this, dammit all to hell." She WOULD NOT cry. She would go through with it. She placed her arm in Giles' arm. She would marry her enemy.
Her reception. What a joke. Everyone looked like they wanted to jump out of their skin. They'd had the ceremony, done the ritual, and now she sat in the dress her mother and grandmother had been married in wishing the Hellmouth would open up and swallow her. Buffy had insisted they try to make it a festive occasion, so they'd rented the Bronze. What a bad idea. Everyone was just sitting around looking uncomfortable, and looking everywhere but her. The groom had yet to arrive. He was probably out getting drunk. He'd gotten separated from them after the ritual. Purposely, no doubt. She couldn't take it anymore. She got up and walked out, ignoring the calls of her friends. The world was safe. The ritual binding had worked, considering they were all still alive. Well, every other person on the planet, but her. She'd never felt so dead inside. Numb. Her life had been snatched away from her. She walked across one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries, her wedding dress dragging behind her. A voice stopped her.
"Well, well. What have we here?"
She turned and glared at the vampire. He was leaning against the mausoleum. She'd never seen him before. "What?" She was trying to sound bitchy and agitated. She pulled it off well.
"Where's your husband, sweetheart?"
"Probably with his psycho-loony girlfriend."
"Meow. My kitten has claws."
"I'm not your anything, so back off."
She tried to walk off, but he jumped in her way. "Where you going, sweetheart?"
"None of your beeswax, blood breath."
"What if I make it my beeswax?"
"I guess I'll just have to stake your punk ass!"
He grabbed her by the throat. "Where you hiding a stake in this dress?"
"She doesn't really need one, mate." The vampire turned to see a bleached blonde leaning lazily against the mausoleum in almost the same spot he'd been standing. The blonde had on a long leather duster over what looked like a tux. He flicked his lighter and cupped his hands around the cigarette in his mouth to keep the slight breeze off.
"Who are you?"
"I've got a better question. Who the bloody hell do you think you are?"
"Name's Scott."
"Well, Scott, you have half a second to get your hands off my wife." Scott was scared. He let go of her. Willow fell to her knees choking. "Now, what to do with you?"
"I-I leave and n-never bother you again."
"Try it again without the stutter."
"Let me go."
"Not bloody likely."
His scream rang out in the cemetery, cut short by the unmistakable gurgle of a throat being ripped out.
She sat next to him in the car. He could feel her tension. It echoed his own.
"What were you doing out there alone with no weapons? Were you trying to get yourself killed?" He glared at her.
"Don't flatter yourself."
"What?"
"I needed some air. I took a walk. If I wanted to die, I wouldn't have married your sorry ass."
"You are one step away, little girl."
"From what? A harsh scolding? Pah-lease."
"I'm really tired of your attitude, pet."
"Well, I'm really tired of you. Don't talk to me."
"Fine."
"Fine."
Willow had turned into a bitch. Xander said she put Cordelia to shame. Riley avoided looking directly at her. He asked her to lunch as a favor to Buffy. She'd already made the waitress cry. Twice. She'd been on a downward spiral since they found out about the 'special ingredient' needed for that damn ritual. Now, she was almost unbearable to be around. She'd been married to Spike for a month. No one wanted to be around her. Especially not Spike. They couldn't take it. The newlyweds shared an apartment on the edge of town, and Riley knew she barely saw Spike. He spent all his time with Drusilla. Riley had only met her once. She creeped him out. She breezed back into Sunnydale about a month after Oz had. She and Spike had made up, much to Buffy's outrage. It was right about the time Oz had finally managed to convince Willow to give him another chance. Two months later Whistler had shown up with his news, and all hell had broken loose. Oz hadn't spoken to her at all since that night. Riley knew she was unhappy. It hurt him that's she'd had to give up her happiness to save lives, but that was Willow. WAS Willow. Now she was just an angry shell of the sweet person she used to be. Bitter. Sad.
Willow walked across campus with her head down. She had to admire Riley. He just wouldn't give up. Everyone else had. She was so unpleasant Amy wouldn't even be fed by her. Buffy had to do it. The rat wouldn't eat anything Willow touched. Oz wasn't speaking to her ever again. Spike spent all his time with Drusilla. The rest of the gang couldn't handle her downswing. Willow was alone. She didn't exist. Well, except the once a week Riley made her eat lunch with him. She tried her hardest to get him to give up. She was rude to him. She did embarrassing things. She made scenes. He still picked her up every Tuesday afternoon. She sat down on a bench in the center of the campus and closed her eyes. She hadn't brushed her hair today. She hadn't cared enough to bother. She knew she looked weird. She didn't care. She knew people were looking at her. She'd gotten used to that. Maybe it just needed to stop.
"Willow?" Her eyes flew open. Her thoughts interrupted. Oz. She had to be asleep. He was talking to her.
Oz looked at the girl sitting in front of him. Her clothes were hanging off of her she was so thin. He could see all the bones in her face. There were dark circles under her eyes.
"Yes." Her voice sounded so dull.
"Are you ok?"
"Do you care?" She got up and brushed past him. He stared after. He'd been horrible to her again and this time he'd waited too long to say he was sorry. He felt it.
Drusilla raised up out of bed screaming. "NOOOOOOO!" Spike grabbed her.
"It's ok, baby."
She grabbed the sides of his face. Spike was stunned by the fear her saw in her eyes. "You have to go. Now."
"What?"
"Hurry, Spike, before she finishes it!" She was screaming in his face.
He pulled back. "Who, pet?" She jumped out of the bed and started throwing his clothes at him. His jeans hit him in the face. "Dru!"
"Go home!
"Fine!" He grabbed his clothes and stomped out. Crazy lunatic. He had less tolerance for her rantings lately. He looked at the sky. He could make it to the apartment he shared with the redheaded bitch before sunrise.
He slammed in the front door and instantly felt something was wrong. "Willow?" He walked into the living room and saw her sitting in a chair, her back to him. "Willow?" Then he smelled it. Blood. "Willow?" He ran around face her and froze. There was an small cut on the side of her neck. It had bled all over the side of her collar. In one hand she held one of his favorite knives, in the other she had an empty bottle of pills. Her eyes were closed. "Oh fuck." Her eyes opened slowly. Spike stared.
"It'll all be over soon." He head rolled from side to side. "I'll go away. I tried to, but I just got so tired. Too many pills. Hand too heavy. Hurts less this way. All over soon. Hate me now."
Spike gaped at her. She closed her eyes. He dove for the phone.
Willow was trying to open her eyes. She could hear angry voices. Giles. Buffy. Xander. Anya. Spike. Oz. They were all yelling at once. Then she heard Riley too. She sat up. She felt really terrible. She'd failed. There was an IV in her arm. She took it out gently. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked to the door. She peeked out. They were all the way down the hall in the waiting area. Man, they were loud. She slipped out in the hall, hoping no one saw. No one did. They didn't even notice when she walked right out of the hospital, despite her hospital gown. She'd failed, but there was always plan B.
Drusilla cocked her head at the redhead when she walked into the room she'd set herself up in at the mansion.
"Knew you'd come to princess."
"I want you to kill me."
"Won't. The stars whisper about you."
"Stop it."
"They sing about the beauty-less witch and my Spike."
"Stop it."
"They tell how he hates you so. How ugly you are to him. They all hate you."
"Stop it!"
"I hate you. You're ugly like a monster"
"Stop it!"
"I hear them singing. Do you hear them? Miss Edith hears them."
"Stop it!"
Drusilla walked to her. "They all want you to die. Sticky sweet and screaming. He'll never love you. Never. Never. Because you're plain and sexless. Not like his princess."
"Then do it. You can have him." She tilted her head to the side. She wanted it to be over.
"Don't want him. Princess wants Daddy."
"What?"
"Princess wants her Daddy, unpretty girl."
Something inside Willow just snapped. "You don't want Spike?"
"Princess always wants her Daddy. I'm a princess! You're the ugly toad."
"STOP IT!" Willow threw her hands up in front of her. Blue flames shot out of them, hitting Drusilla in the chest. She screamed as her body was thrown across the room. She smacked the wall and slide to the floor. Willow looked at her hands.
Spike ran into the room. He saw Dru on the floor and rushed to her. The front of her dress was singed. "What did you do to her, you bloody bitch!" He turned. His eyes glowed amber. Willow just stared at her hands. Drusilla groaned in pain. Spike rushed the redhead and tackled her to the floor. He wrapped his hands around her throat and ignored the pain in his head. Willow began gasping for air. He lifted her and banged her head on the floor. Once. Twice. Three times. She saw stars. "You're not going to kill yourself! I'm going to do it for you! You bloody bitch!"
He heard screaming as he was tackled away from Willow. He jumped to his feet, sure he was finally going to have it out with the slayer. He stared into the amber eyes of his lover. His face registered shock before she hit him with a left hook, then a right. He stumbled back a step. She backhanded him. He was knocked to the floor by it. She kicked him hard in the face. He looked up at her. She kicked again, the heel of her shoe catching his jaw. He slumped to the floor, unconscious. Drusilla stopped. She was acutely aware that something was different. She was confused. She looked around the room. Her eyes fell on the half charred face of Miss Edith. She picked it up and threw it against the wall with a vicious scream. The doll's head broke.
"BASTARDS!"
She choked back a sob. There was nothing of her she wanted from this room. She leaned down and picked up Willow. The redheaded witch was alive, barely. She moaned. Drusilla gave a last look at Spike and sighed. Too bad he couldn't see the alertness in her eyes that hadn't been there in well over a hundred years.
She turned and walked out of the mansion with Willow cradled in her arms. She had a lot to sort out. And she needed to do it far from here. They both needed to be far from here.
Part Two
Angel walked into his office slamming things. He was frustrated. Buffy had called him all hysterical. Willow was missing. She had tried to kill herself, then just disappeared. Drusilla had apparently beat the hell out of Spike and disappeared too. How had things gone all to hell so quickly? And how come no one had called him before now? Buffy was worried the crazy vampiress had Willow or worse had already killed her. Angel now had that fear too. No one knew anything. No one had heard anything. His sources were all tapped out. Angel kicked the door to his office closed and started to pace. He was glad Cordelia had gone home early. His bursts of temper always seemed to freak her out or piss her off, and he was in no mood to deal with that on top of everything else. He stopped pacing to growl and punched the wall, his fist going through it.
"Temper. Temper."
He spun around to see a figure lounging behind his desk in the darkness, feet propped up on the desk. He could have sworn he knew that voice, but there was something different about it. The intruder flicked his desk lamp on, and he gasped.
"Hello, Daddy."
Riley was beside himself. He was so worried about Willow. He was worried about everyone. Buffy had torn Sunnydale inside out looking for her. She was on no sleep and refused to stop. Willow'd been missing for a week, so had Drusilla, so had Spike's DeSoto. The blonde vampire looked like he was about to lose it. When Buffy had found him, he had said Willow had been there, so had Dru. He hadn't said a word since then. Riley felt in his gut the vampiress had taken Willow. They were all sitting around Giles' apartment like they had done all week when they weren't out looking for Willow. Even Oz had been helping, and he hadn't spoken to any of them in months. Xander barely ate. Anya had taken to biting her nails until they bled. Tara cried a lot. Giles was jumpy and yelled at everyone for the slightest things. She really was the glue of the group. Even when she was half there, she held them together. Without her, they were falling apart fast.
Riley was jarred out of his thoughts by the shrill ring of the phone. Giles yanked it off the receiver. "What! .... What? ... Oh thank God.... Of course... Is she... Well I guess that's expected... Of course... Thank you, Angel." Giles hung up the phone. He placed both hands on the desk and took a deep breath. When he looked up at them, he was smiling. "Willow's in LA with Angel. She's fine. He said she was sleeping."
Relief flooded the room. Giles headed up the stairs.
"What are you doing?" Buffy asked, but she already knew. "When do we leave?"
Angel stared at the woman sitting across from him. She was drinking a cup of coffee and staring off into space. Thinking. He could see her thinking. She was there. Really there. She looked at him. He wanted to pull back from her dark eyes. They were intense and completely lucid. All the lights were on, and everybody was home. He didn't think she had ever been this aware. It was almost unsettling.
"What?"
"Drusilla, I... How?"
"I don't know. I remember taunting her. I remember only bits and pieces from my life and unlife. It's all been coming back slowly. It's as if I were there, but not. As if it were a dream, and now I've awoke." She paused and shivered. Angel wondered what she was remembering. "She pushed me away. I remember a pain in my chest. I remember Spike screaming he was going to kill her for what she did to me. I had to stop him. She didn't mean to. I pushed her too far."
"What did you do?"
"I hit him until he stopped moving." She broke. She put her face in her hands and started crying. Angel jumped up and pulled her into his arms. She clung to him. "Oh God, my Angel." He was shaking. She twisted her fists in his shirt. He shuddered, his mind flooded with memories.
"Drusilla-"
"Shh." She put her hand to his mouth. "Don't. There'll be time for all of it later, pet."
Willow sat up. She was in a large bed. Black sheets. Big room. Dark colors. She heard a shower running. Then it stopped. Willow looked around the room. Her stomach growled. The door to the bathroom opened and Drusilla stepped out with a black towel wrapped around her body. She was using another to dry her hair. Willow gasped.
"You know, I heard that from in there. We need to get some food in you, precious."
"You're.... you're..."
"Not raving like a lunatic? Babbling about things singing? Carrying around a charred doll and talking about tea parties? No, not anymore thanks to you."
"What?"
"I don't know what magic you threw at me. I really don't care. I can't even remember being able to think this clearly. And I've quit speaking in singsong entirely."
Willow couldn't help herself, she giggled.
"There she is. That's my witch."
"This is of the weird."
"You're telling me, pet."
"Now, Cordelia, Wesley, I need to tell you something. It's going to hard for you to-"
Cordelia screamed and dove for the file cabinet. She tossed Wesley a stake and yanked out the mini crossbow. She fired, but Angel reacted quickly and knocked her arms. The bolt embedded in the ceiling. Wesley recognized Drusilla from the photos he'd seen of her and rushed the dark haired vampiress who was only wearing a towel. She grabbed his neck and twisted him around pulling his back to her chest.
"Drop it, love." The stake hit the floor. "What's all this then, Angel?"
"They work for me. Cordelia, Wesley, this is Dru."
"We know who that loony bitch is!"
Drusilla yanked up on Wesley's neck. "Watch it, girl."
Cordelia gasped at the awareness in her eyes. "You're not crazy anymore."
"Well, duh." Dru giggled at the other girl's startled expression.
They were all sitting around Angel's table. Willow was eating everything in sight. Dru and Angel each had mugs of blood, while Cordelia and Wesley drank coffee. The former watcher and the former cheerleader were both staring at the former lunatic. Cordelia had brought Willow and Drusilla clothes. The green t shirt and black sweats hung loosely on Willow's too thin frame. For Dru, she'd brought black sweats and a purple tank top. The vampiress had her hair pulled in a ponytail. Angel couldn't help admiring her beauty. When she wasn't cackling like a psycho and mumbling to inanimate objects, she was really quite stunning. Suddenly, she stiffened.
"Did you hear that?"
Angel rose slowly. "I did."
"What?" Cordelia's eyes were wide.
"Someone's upstairs."
"Stay here." Angel headed for the stairs. Dru right behind him. "I said stay here."
"Not bloody likely, love."
"Fine." It was no time to argue.
The two entered the building and walked slowly into the main offices. Buffy and Riley had decided to go in while the others looked for parking. Buffy heard someone behind her and looked to see Spike rush in with a blanket draped over him.
"Bloody hell, get the blinds dammit!"
Buffy turned them shut and was about to laugh when she was tackled from behind. Riley rushed to help her only to have a small bare foot connect with the center of his chest. It sent him flying.
"DRUSILLA!"
Drusilla felt herself be yanked in the air. She crashed into the wall, hard. Angel glared at her, his eyes darkly tinged with his demon. She glared at him. He growled at her. She stood slowly, her eyes never leaving his. She growled low in her throat.
"I told you not to move."
"You told me a great many things, Angelus."
Buffy got to her feet slowly, her eyes on Drusilla. There was something different about her. Buffy watched her hold Angel's gaze and gasped. Someone had all her marbles.
"Dru?" She broke her gaze from her sire and looked at Spike.
"I'm sorry, love. I had to."
"Dru, baby?"
"Yes, my love?"
"I'm sorry too."
"No, you're not."
"Dru!"
"Spi-ike!" He couldn't believe it. She'd just mocked him. He his eyes went wide with shock, then he lunged at her in full vamp. The two of them crashed to the floor. He was on her growling when the rest of the Scooby gang decided to walk in the door. Drusilla flipped Spike over her head and straddled him. She growled back.
"Oh my." Giles' eyes widened.
"Drusilla, where did you learn to do that?" Spike grunted.
"I'm not sure. It was just there when the witch sent her wake-up call." She got off of him and stood. She held out her hand to help him up. He didn't take it. She shrugged. She noticed Riley watching her with wide eyes from the floor. She walked over and yanked him to his feet. She dusted him off a little. "Sorry." She looked over her shoulder at Buffy. "Sorry, Buffy."
"Oh man. Now I've seen everything." Xander was rubbing his temples. He looked up to see Dru smiling brightly at him.
"Hello, pet." His eyes were wide. She couldn't resist. "How do you feel about eternal life?"
"Oh dear GOD." He was flashing back to a certain Valentine's Day, she was sure of it.
"Dru?"
"Yes, my Spike?"
"What's happened to you, love?"
"She's not crazy." Buffy was staring at her.
She giggled. They were all staring at her like she WASN'T crazy. She loved it. "You're wrong. You haven't seen everything. She's downstairs." Everyone moved. "Ah! He goes first." She pointed at Spike.
"Dru?"
"None of that. You KNOW why."
Spike walked into the kitchen silently. Cordelia looked up and screamed. Willow glared at him.
"What do YOU want?"
Now he was pissed. "Upstairs." He growled. Cordelia and Wesley jumped up and headed for the stairs. Willow tried to follow. He grabbed her arm. "Not you."
Part Three
His hand was still gripping her arm. He'd been planning to apologize, but the second he saw her his anger had flared to levels it had never been to before. Drusilla hadn't even made him this angry when she was whoring around with Angelus a few years back. When the witch had spoken to him in that tone, he'd seen red. He took in her haggard appearance. She looked like she was wasting away. It just pissed him off even more.
"Well, don't you look smashing. Almost dead."
"Care to finish the job?"
"What the hell did you do to Dru?"
"I don't know."
"Lying bitch!" He flung her to the floor. Then grabbed his forehead in pain.
"You don't think she's better this way?"
"No!"
Willow narrowed her eyes. "Because you can't treat her like a baby anymore. Because you don't have to take care of her. She doesn't need you anymore."
"Bite your tongue!"
"Bite my ass!"
"You are one step away!"
"Don't I know it!"
"What the hell is your problem?!"
"YOU! I HATE YOU! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!"
"What the bloody hell are you screeching about?"
"You had to go off all halfcocked and kill that demon after Buffy told you not to! His brother had to come after us! We had to do that stupid ritual! I lost Oz! I lost all my friends! I've lost everything because of you! EVERYTHING!"
He grabbed her off the floor. "I am so fucking sick of your self pity! I lost too! You think I like having to spend the rest of your days with you?!"
"What would you know about it?! You don't spend ANY days with me!"
"Poor little witch, she's all alone."
"I AM!"
"Such a great pity party you're throwing here, pet. Too bad you didn't have the balls to off yourself. Had to try to get Dru to."
"Fuck you."
"Not in your lifetime." He shoved her and turned away.
"She doesn't want you, you know."
He whipped back around, his face deadly. "What did you say, bitch?"
"You heard me, you asshole. You'll always be the conciliation prize. She'll always want Angel more. Sloppy seconds."
"Shut your hole."
"And why wouldn't she? He still has bite."
"Shut up!"
"Truth hurt, impotent guy?"
"What about you?"
"What about me? I don't care."
"Couldn't hold on to your wolf again. Dru at least stuck around. Flea bag hasn't even spoken to you. Most guys would at least stick around for the sex, but you probably dole it out in rations if at all. Or maybe he doesn't like having sex with a 2x4. Some ugly chit with no curves."
"Shut up."
"I thought you didn't care? Can't take the 'ugly' truth, witch? Look at you. You look like you've got anorexia. Who'd want that bony piece of ass?"
"Shut up."
"I'm certainly glad I never came home drunk. I'd have to stake myself if I ever touched you. Probably get splinters, 2x4. Or do your legs even open past the knee?"
"Stop it."
"She can dish it out, but she can't take it. And to think I almost apologized to your worthless bony ass. You know why the wolf leaves you? Because he's not a pedophile. You're as sexless as a ten year old girl with the body to prove it. You probably can't even turn on a light switch"
"Fuck you."
He leaned to her ear. "Not even if you begged me."
"You're a bastard."
"And you're repellent. When was the last time you bathed? I've smelled piles of shit that smell sweeter than you do right now."
He turned and headed for the stairs. Willow was shaking. She hadn't felt this angry ever. Not even at Faith. Faith, who'd taken things from her. Tried to kill her. She'd nearly been killed lots of times. Then she nearly did it herself. Over this. How could she have been so stupid? She would survive this. She had to. She needed to survive if only to piss him off. Him. Smug bastard. No, stupid bastard. The pity party was over. He'd just turned his back on an angry witch.
He heard the screaming right before he was tackled and knocked on his face into the stairs. Hands were clawing at his hair. She banged his face into the stairs. He saw stars. She did it again. Spike threw his elbow back and felt it connect as he winced in pain. He jumped up and spun around only to be shoved on his back. He felt the steps dig into his back and growled, his game face on. She was on him in an instant. She was sitting on his stomach swinging. Tears were coursing down her face. She started screaming her head off.
"FUCKYOUFUCKYOUFUCKYOUFUCKYOUFUCKYOUFUCKYOUFUCKYOU!!!!!!"
He picked her up and threw her, pain was glazing his vision as she hit the floor hard and skidded. She made herself get up. She was no sooner standing when he tackled her with a loud roar. She screamed as they flew over the back of Angel's couch and rolled across the floor. He punched her across her jaw. She went limp. He staggered to his feet holding a hand to his head willing the throbbing to go away. He was weaving towards the stairs. Everyone else came running down them. He opened his mouth. His words were drowned out by a feral scream. He turned to see Willow run up the couch and launch herself at him. They hit they floor hard. Willow heard someone scream. Her friends were rushing towards them. Spike shoved her off of him, then kicked her away. His boot hit the center of her chest. She lurched backwards hitting the wall with a pained grunt. She pushed herself to her feet. She threw up her hand and chanted. A swirling orb of energy surrounded her and Spike creating a wall. Buffy and Angel ran into it. It repelled them back, and they skidded across the floor. Willow grabbed a large candlestick off of one of the shelves. He ran at her, and she screamed and swung. His whole body turned with the impact. She swung again. He went down. She started screaming in rage. She kept hitting him. He wasn't even moving anymore. She was going to beat him to a second death.
"SOMEONE DO SOMETHING!" Anya screamed. Tears running down her face as her body was racked with sobs.
Tara ran hard across the room, chanting. Her eyes were blurred with tears. She could stop it. She had to. How had it come to this? She threw her arms up in front of her. She felt the energy blister her hands and arms. She busted through the orb causing it to dissipate. She tackled Willow to the floor before she could hit Spike again. The impact knocked the red head out.
Willow heard angry voices and tried to sit up. Her body screamed in pain. It hurt to breathe. She could feet the boot mark in the center of her chest. She opened her eyes. She was in Angel's bed again. Spike was next to her. His face had crusted blood on it. He was unconscious. She struggled out of the bed to the bathroom. She took out a washcloth, wet it, and shuffled back to the bed. She sat down on the bed and started to wipe the blood off of Spike. Like she'd done a thousand times before. Before this whole mess had started. Back when they were friends. She looked at him. He seemed so peaceful. She took her finger and slowly traced along his cheekbone. She didn't hate him at all. How could she? He made things interesting. Sure, he pissed her off constantly, but she never hated him. Her lower lip started to tremble. What had she become? She had done this to him. She had beat one of her friends to the ground and would have kept going if someone hadn't stopped her. Tears spilled over her eyes, and she turned away, putting her head in her hands.
Spike knew the instant she moved. He was prepared for another attack, even though his body was screaming in protest. He hadn't expected her to start cleaning him up. He hadn't expected the slight caress of his cheek. Then she turned away. He heard her gasping. He forced his eyes open. His head was pounding. It took him a minute to focus. She was crying. He moved his hand to the small of her back.
Willow gasped and turned when he touched her. She looked in his eyes for a minute before she turned away. "So sorry." Her shoulders slumped, and she was making this whimpering sound. Spike could hear a hefty argument raging in the other room. It was drowning out her broken little sounds. He'd never seen pain like this before. It rolled off of her like her body heat. He didn't like seeing her like this. He missed the Willow from when he first came to be with the slayer and her friends. She'd been so strong. Sure, he'd always picked on her and told her he hated her and wanted to kill her, but that was a lie. His unlife would be dull without her. She was interesting, or she had been before this whole mess they were in had started up. That's when she'd started to withdraw, and he found himself despising her for her weakness. He couldn't explain his panic when she tried to kill herself. It was as if she died, part of him died too.
Spike forced himself to sit up and put his arms around the weeping girl. She stiffened for a second, then she turned in his arms. She clung to him as her sobbing reached earsplitting decibels. Her entire body was shaking from the intensity of her weeping. She'd held this in way too long. He hand one hand on her back, the other began to stroke her hair.
"Shhh. It's ok, pet."
Angel stood in the doorway staring. An hour ago they been trying to tear each other apart, now they were holding on for dear life. His eyes locked with his childe's. Spike was trying not to cry, and failing. Silent tears ran down his face. Angel was shocked. He'd come in when he'd heard Willow's crying. The sound had overpowered the group's arguing. The anguish in it had stunned them all into silence. Angel felt a hand on his arm. Drusilla was standing next to him, unshed tears in her eyes.
"Let them be." She whispered and pulled him away.
Angel had called in some favors and gotten hotel rooms for the group. Well, everyone but the Tara girl. He'd insisted she stay, so he could continue seeing after her burns. They weren't bad. Slightly more mild than holy water burns. The girl was now asleep on the couch. He liked her. They'd talked while he tended to her hands. She was shy with him at first, then she just opened up. She reminded him of Willow from a few years ago before the redhead had seen all the hell she'd seen, when vampires were still a new thing to her. She had that innocence. She blushed every time he touched her. Angel got the feeling she didn't allow many people to touch her. He'd even asked her about it. She'd told him Willow trusted him. She always said good things about him, so Tara figured he could be trusted. Angel was stunned by her faith in Willow and Willow's in him.
It had been decided they would all talk to Willow in the morning. When Angel had gone to check on Willow and Spike, he'd found them with their arms still around each other asleep. Now he was sitting at his kitchen table staring at the wall. Dru sat in the chair next to him.
"They're still asleep. It's hard to tell when she ends and he begins."
"Does it bother you?"
"Should it?"
"Well, you and Spike-"
"Aren't me and Spike anymore."
"Drusilla, I'm sorry."
"I'm not. Spike hasn't loved me for quite some time. The moron's just too blind to see it. I'll love him forever. Just like I'll love you forever, but I'm not in love with either of you anymore."
"You love me?"
"Of course. You're my sire."
"Angelus is your sire."
"Bite your tongue! Don't argue. It has to be you."
"I don't want to lord over you, Dru. I'm not like that anymore."
"I don't expect you to be, but how else am I supposed to learn how to brood like a souled vampire unless I have the master teaching me?"
"What do you mean souled?"
"Like father, like daughter."
"How do you know?"
"How do YOU know? You just feel it."
"No. Can't be."
"What? You thought you were going to spend your eternity cornering the market on being a guilted brooder? Scared of a little friendly competition? I'll bet in no time I could be able to look longingly and steeple my fingers at my chin. I also know sitting in the dark for long stretches of time will be involved, and an entirely black wardrobe wouldn't hurt. How am I doing, love? As defending champion, you scared yet? I have my soul. I don't know why or how it's here, but it is. I don't mind it. If that's the only drawback of being in my right mind, I'll take it. I know it won't be easy. I'm not expecting it to be. I just need to be shown the right way. Show me how to be like you." She placed her hand over his. Her felt a rush of pride. She wanted to be like him.
Spike turned and walked back into the bedroom. He'd heard enough. She had a soul? He finally knew where he stood with Dru. He didn't. After everything it was over for them, and, strangely, it didn't bother him that much.
They were all in Angel's living room. Willow was nervous. She so did not want to go out there. She and Spike had talked for a long time when they had woken up. He wanted her to work through this. He wanted to help her work through this. She was stunned by that, but he'd reminded her that once upon a time they were friends, and real friends stood by one another. He also pointed out that he didn't have many friends, so he couldn't afford to lose her. They'd made some hard choices, but she was going to stick to them. She walked out of Angel's bedroom. Everyone stared at her. She looked at each of her friends. Her eyes locked with Oz's. She sucked in air. She hadn't known he'd come too. Now it was going to be harder. She had to though.
"First, I'd like to say I'm sorry." She looked at her feet.
"Now, Will-"
"No. I was weak. I caused you all undue pain. It won't happen again. I pushed you all away. Well, almost all of you." She looked pointedly at Riley. "Some of us just don't know when to quit though." She smiled at him. "Thank you." Her eyes filled with tears. He got up and hugged her.
"Anytime."
She looked at them again. "This is hard. Spike and I talked for a long time earlier. We decided some things."
"What things?" Buffy was looking at her. They were all looking at her. Really looking. She hadn't had that in so long. She put her hand to her mouth and started to cry. She raced out of the room and slammed Angel's door. Everyone was on their feet. Spike's gut was twisting. He should have been the one. She wasn't ready for this, but she'd insisted. He'd finish for her though.
"Red and I aren't going back to Sunnydale. Not for a while. We're gonna find a place here and settle for a while. Just til she gets her head back on straight. Plus, it's pretty obvious she and I have some issues to work through. She's not ready for Sunnydale just yet."
"How long?" Buffy's lip quivered.
"How ever long it takes, pet."
Oz got up and walked out. They all heard the door upstairs slam. It was Anya who spoke.
"Damn him. Typical leaving male person. What I wouldn't give for my powers right now."
Part Four
Willow rolled her eyes. People thought SHE was a nerd? She listened as the professor's question was answered in full nerd detail.
".... and so it proved that until the English gained control of the Atlantic from Spain, they would not have a successful colony in the Americas."
The professor beamed. "Good work, Drusilla."
She smiled and sat up straighter. Willow rolled her eyes and leaned over to her. "Kiss-ass."
"Bite me, witch."
They continued their whispered banter throughout the rest of the professor's lecture.
The two of them walked through the student parking lot. To the world they looked like two friends, two students, leaving class together - if the world only knew. Willow was lost in her thoughts. They'd been in LA for almost two years now. The first one had been tough. This second one had been not so bad. She was actually looking forward to seeing what this year held for her. Everyday it got a little better. Sure, she still had bad days, just not as often. She and Spike had a two bedroom apartment in the same building as Cordelia's. Drusilla had decided to stay and alternated between staying at their place, Angel's and Cordy's. The three women had become fast friends. Willow had decided to go back to school a year ago. This fall Dru had decided to join her for night classes, saying she was bored. They'd tried to get Cordy to go too, but she'd said there was no way in hell. Spike worked with Wesley and Angel at the agency and bitched about it constantly. Cordelia still had her visions and filed things in the wrong files. Willow waitressed days at a small coffee house downtown. Dru worked there a couple of nights during the week when they didn't have classes. It was sort of strange to see the dark vampiress handing out cups of cappuccino, but she enjoyed it. Willow had discovered Dru enjoyed many things. Especially taunting Spike. The two of them fought like brother and sister, constantly.
Willow was still married to him legally, but her never touched her. Well, he touched her, but it was brother-like. They had rebuilt the slight friendship they'd had before, and it had grown into a great one. He was as close to her as Buffy ever had been. He had his room. She had hers. They were more like roommates, rather than husband and wife. She'd even gone out on a date last month, but it wasn't anything serious. He'd never tried to get back with Dru. She'd made it clear it wasn't like that for her anymore. At first he'd been really terrible about it. He was insanely jealous of the time she spent with Angel, but slowly he had noticed Angel looked at her like he would a daughter or a sister. They were friends, nothing more. When that had finally sunk into the blonde vampire's thick skull, he'd apologized for being an ass, and things had been running smoothly for some time now. Willow's therapist had even suggested she stop seeing him. She was giddy and up. She should have known it wouldn't last.
"Willow?" She turned at the sound of her name. She froze.
"Oz?"
"Oh my God. I thought that was you." He rushed over and hugged her. She just stood there not knowing what to do. Drusilla cleared her throat.
"Um, Will, we have to go. They'll be waiting." Oz looked at her in shock.
"Drusilla?"
"That's me."
He took a moment to study her. Her hair was in two braids that hung halfway down her back. She wore a black sweater and jeans with black doc boots. A black backpack was slung over one shoulder. "God, I didn't even recognize you. You look great."
"Thank you." She smiled at him. Then she thought of the best way to stir up some trouble. That was one of her hobbies. Trouble stirring. And she was damn good at it. "Listen, we're meeting Angel and Cordy for late dinner. You want to join us, Oz?"
His jaw dropped in surprise. Willow's dropped in outrage. That little troublemaker! What was Dru thinking inviting her ex to dinner with them?
Oz smiled. "That'd be great."
If anything, the looks on Angel's and Cordelia's faces were priceless when Willow and Drusilla entered the restaurant with Oz.
Oz had explained that Dingoes had decided to take things on the road. They'd been playing in small clubs for about a year when Devon had been killed by vampires of all things. Willow felt a pang for the former lead singer. He'd always been decent to her, even after she got caught with Xander that time. She knew Oz had told him. Devon's only remark about the situation was, 'Well shit happens, Willow. Can't fault you for that, but next time you're gonna smooch behind Oz's back, pick a better guy. Like me, for instance..'. The two of them had laughed about that. It was one of their few shared moments. Now he was gone like so many other things in her life.
"So what brings you to Hell-A, Oz?" Cordelia asked.
"I had an audition with this campus band, but I don't think I'm what they're looking for."
"So you'll be leaving then?" Angel felt Dru's foot connect with his shin under the table. Willow put her face in her hands. Cordelia was looking daggers at him. "I'm sorry. That came out all wrong, Oz. I didn't mean to be rude.
"It's cool. I deserve a dis or two for acting like a punk." Angel couldn't help but smile. Someone had gotten a handle on himself in the past two years. He just hoped his crazy blonde childe didn't spot the werewolf before he could leave town and get the wrong ideas he was so fond of getting. He was lost in his thoughts until Dru started picking on him. And he'd thought Spike was bad once upon a time. Her taunts put the peroxide blonde's to shame. An outsider would have thought she hated him with a fiery passion, but Angel knew better. She was just being her usual obnoxious self, and Oz laughed at everything she said. Angel had to grin. Leave it to Dru to have the master of stoicism gripping his sides and giggling like a girl.
Willow tossed her keys on the counter and flicked on the kitchen light. She picked up her mail. She began sifting through it absently when a voice startled her.
"Where have you been, pet?"
Willow jumped a good foot in the air. "CHRIST!" The mail went everywhere. She bent down to pick it up. "Don't do that, Spike. You nearly made me pee my pants." She looked at him. "Why are you sitting in the dark?"
He laughed and switched on the lamp beside him. "Cause I love to scare you, Red. You're so gorgeous when you jump like that." He plucked her Cosmo off the coffee table and started thumbing through it.
"Oh ha fucking ha, Fang." He grinned at the pet name she used on him.
"How was work?" She never let on, but she liked it when he asked about her day.
"Fine. It was a slow day, though. Lots of teenagers. Small tips."
"How was class?"
"Arg, Dru is such a butt kisser. She was being Little-miss-raise-my-hand again. Told her she should just leave it up. She even asked the professor for extra credit after class. And people thought I was a nerd."
He chuckled. "You are a nerd, pet."
"Bite me."
"I'd love to."
"Oh hardy fucking har har."
"How was dinner? Did hairboy brood too much?"
"Now, Spike, you know very well our Angel doesn't brood anymore."
"Oh pah-lease. He does so. Except, it's not when he hears from Slutty the Vampire Layer-"
"I wish you wouldn't call her that."
"- it's whenever the cheerleader goes out on date."
"What?"
"Angel has the hots for superbitch."
"Are you high?"
"He does!"
"You are high."
"I'm telling you, pet, it's all about Cordy with him now."
"I knew it would happen."
"You did not. Peaches, himself, doesn't even realize he likes the girl yet."
"No, not that."
"What then?"
"You've finally gone senile in your old age."
"You are one step away, missy."
"What are you gonna do, Mr. Used-to-be-the-big-bad? Lick me to death?"
"Oh that's it!" He threw down the magazine. She squealed as he chased her around the living room, screaming death threats. Willow was glad her neighbors understood she and her husband had a strange relationship.
Willow wiped the spilled coffee off the table and cursed Dru for like the hundredth time that night. This guy in her government class had finally asked her out. She'd never been out on a date before. She'd begged Willow to take her shift until the redhead had relented. Willow was lost in her thoughts. She'd spent the past week thinking the whole Angel/Cordy thing Spike had brought up. At first, she was sure Spike was wrong, but then she started watching Angel. He looked at Cordy the way he had looked at Buffy in the beginning. Willow had been stunned. Leave it to Spike to be the one to notice.
She looked up and saw her boss hold up five fingers at her. She nodded. She walked to the booth in the far corner of the place to take her five. She was still thinking about Cordelia and Angel when someone slid in across from her. She looked up.
"Oz! I thought you were leaving?" She smiled.
"I did, but I had to swing back this way to tie up some loose ends. Plus, I have news. When was the last time you spoke with the Scooby gang?"
"I talked to Buffy a little over a week ago. Why? What's wrong?"
"Well, nothing, actually, unless you count Anya being pregnant of the bad."
"Anya's pregnant! How'd that happen?"
"Uh, Will, if I have to tell you that-"
"Oh shut up! How did you hear it?"
"I moved back to Sunnydale."
"Oh." Willow was a little hurt that no one had called to tell her any of this.
"This is all recent stuff, Will. Don't get upset. They'll call." He put his hand on hers.
"Thanks for telling me."
"Thanks for letting me."
"Huh?"
"I hold no delusions about my behavior to you. I'm not proud. You needed me. I left you just about every single time. I'm glad you can sit with me and not be mad."
"I gave up being mad a long time ago. Waste of time. We lose a lot by holding grudges. The most important thing I learned from living on the Hellmouth was you never know how long you're gonna have with the people you care about. Why waste it?"
She noticed her boss tapping his wristwatch. She nodded at him. Oz frowned.
"You gotta go."
"Yeah. Coffee to serve." They both stood.
"Bye, Will." He turned. She grabbed his arm. He looked at her. She pulled him into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I love you, Willow Rosenberg. You're the best person I've ever known. I hope I can always call you my friend."
She squeezed. "Me too, but for you. The friend thing." He laughed. He'd missed her babbling. "I love you too, Daniel Ozbourne. We'll always be friends." He let go and headed for the door. She watched him go. He pushed the door open, then turned back to look at her.
"Come visit?"
"I think I can finally do that."
"Bring Dru. She's a riot."
She smiled. "Bet on it." He walked out the door.
Willow walked into the apartment and tossed her keys on the counter. She switched on the kitchen light and grabbed herself a bottle of water out of the fridge.
"Where were you?"
She screamed and dropped the water. "CHRIST!" She stomped over and switched on the lamp. She didn't even notice the cold expression on his face. "I thought I told you not to do that, Fang!"
"Where were you?"
"You know I was working Dru's shift, so she could go out tonight."
"Is that all you have to tell me?"
She sighed. Would he never get over this jealousy thing with Dru? They both agreed it was over, but he still acted like she was his property or something. He was way too overprotective of her. "I thought you were over this. Fine. His name is Nick, and he's in her government class."
"That's it then?"
"What more do you want to hear? Dru was Miss Smarty-pants in history class again. Who knew she'd turn out to be such a brown-nosing nerd?" Something was wrong. He didn't laugh at her joke. He always laughed at her Dru jokes. She got a sick feeling in her stomach. "Spike, what's wrong? It's not Buffy, is it?"
"How long have you been seeing him again?"
"What?"
"I saw you with him."
"With who?"
"Your bloody dog!"
It suddenly clicked with her. He'd seen Oz. "You were spying on me?"
"Were you even going to tell me?"
"You're high. I'm not even talking to you right now." She headed for her room only to feel two arms grab her around the waist. She struggled. "Let go of me, damn you!"
He spun her around to face him and caught her lips in a brusing kiss. Willow's brain nearly exploded. She hadn't been kissed in well over two years, and she'd NEVER been kissed like this. His tongue swept inside her mouth. Her body came alive. He pulled away from her and looked at her stunned face. "You're mine." He stalked out of the apartment, slamming the door.
"Oh Goddess." She put her fingers to her lips. Her husband had just kissed her for the first time.
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