Make Me: Part 5
by TC McGonigle
Make Me
by T. C. McGonigle


Buffy and the gang belong to Joss, Mutant Enemy and the WB. Thanks for the inspiration.



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Part Five

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"Buffy, are you okay?" Xander tried to look her in the eye, but she had those damn sunglasses on, "We just walked Willow to school. In the sunlight. And she's not even slightly sunburned."

"I know, Xander, I'm not saying Willow is a vampire," Buffy noticed Snyder giving them the evil eye so she hurried Xander along, "I'm just saying that maybe Spike took her to Drusilla and she did some weird hypno thing and put Willow under a spell."

"Maybe it's the other way around," Xander ventured once they had passed by Snyder, "Maybe Miss Quick had done some weird hypno thing and has us under her spell."

"Xander, I'm the Slayer."

"And that makes you immune? I don't think so," Xander pulled Buffy out of the steady flow of students on their way to class. He hated to bring the subject up, especially when all was forgiven and hopefully forgotten, but this was an emergency. "I seem to remember you finding me irresistible and offering to take your clothes off because of a spell. And that was cast by an amateur!"

Buffy glared at Xander. He was right. She hated to admit it, but he was right. The Slayer wasn't immune to magic. But this was different, Buffy was positive that Willow was under a spell, not her. And just because Miss Quick had suggested it when she had called last night, didn't make it any less valid. After all, Willow was the one acting strangely and running around with. . . .

"Buffy is not the one befriending vampires," Miss Quick jumped in with a defense before Buffy could finish formulating one.

"I don't remember including you in this conversation," Xander stared at the teacher suspiciously. He was beginning to agree with Willow. Miss Quick did not belong in their group and she was way too eager to join. "Do you always eavesdrop on people?"

"Xander, I am a teacher and when I hear students discussing things that should best be handled by an adult, it is my duty to interfere," Melinda gave Xander a soft, mothering smile, "I only want to help."

Xander could feel his determination begin to dissolve. A warm, fuzziness invaded his brain. "I'm sorry, Miss Quick," the words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them, "You and Buffy are right. Willow is acting strangely."

"Yes, she is," Melinda's smile widened, "Now, I'm not saying that Willow would betray you intentionally. . ."

"But if Spike and Drusilla do have her under some sort of spell, then she might not know what she's doing," Buffy bit her lip, "We have to talk to Giles." Buffy grabbed Xander's arm and hauled him down the hallway. Miss Quick hurried after them.

For the first time in her life Willow actively avoided the library. She also kept her distance from the computer lab. And at the end of the school day, instead of meeting up with Buffy and Xander, she convinced Oz to walk home with her. Her friends had become her enemies and it wasn't sitting too well with her.

"I'm not sure I understand," Oz shook his head in confusion, "But I trust your instincts, Willow." Oz squeezed her hand. Willow smiled gratefully and squeezed back. It was nice to have someone trust her and she was glad it was Oz. She took a deep breath and faced the door to the bomb shelter.

"Spike," Willow rapped lightly on the door and opened it a crack.

"All's clear," Spike's clipped English accent echoed from below.

Willow opened the door wide enough for her and Oz to sneak through and then quickly slammed it shut. They found Spike sitting in a shadowy corner, out of the range of sunlight even if the door had been thrown wide open.

"Your concern for my safety is touching, Ducks," Spike rolled into the pitiful yellow glow of the bare light bulb. Spike started to smirk, but it turned into a frown at the sight of Oz. "We have company."

"This is Oz," Willow explained, "I told him about Miss Quick."

"Ah, yes, the werewolf," Spike eased back into his dangerously charming self, "Have you come to growl and threaten me with your teeth? Warn me away from our fair Willow?"

"No," Oz stated flatly, "I'm here to help. Willow needs me and I'm here."

"Correction, Wolfboy. Willow needs me," Spike tented his fingers and considered Ox carefully, "But, I guess we can find something for you to do. There could be a hole to dig."

"How nice of you to share," Oz turned to Willow, "I have to go now, it's almost dark. Fill me in tomorrow morning, okay."

"Sure," Willow reluctantly let Oz go.

"Right, full moon tonight," Spike cut in, "Your time to run wild and gnaw on the good residents of Sunnydale. Don't worry, I'll make sure that no harm comes to Willow."

"I think it's a little late for that," Oz muttered under his breath. He didn't want to leave Willow alone with this guy, but he had little choice in the matter. In a few hours, Oz himself would be a danger to Willow. "Bye, Willow." Oz gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and left the shelter without another glance at Spike.

Spike quickly rolled back into the corner as Oz swung the door open as far as it would go. "Good-bye, Wolfboy, don't keep the neighbors up too late."

"Oz isn't like that," Willow turned on Spike once the door slammed shut, "He chains himself up on these nights so that he won't hurt people. He can't help what he is."

"Ah, so he's the Wolfboy with the heart of gold, like Angel was the soul-filled vampire," Spike nodded, "Watch that he doesn't bite you, Ducks. Hate to see you end up all melancholy like the Slayer."

"I'll be fine," Willow sat down on the cot, "Let's just talk about Miss Quick and forget about my personal life."

"I like talking about you, Willow," Spike was surprised to find more sincerity than mockery in his statement, "You are a very interesting person. With very interesting friends."

"How are we going to stop Miss Quick from possessing Buffy?" Willow ignored Spike's compliment. He was only saying it to make her uncomfortable.

"That is the sixty-four thousand dollar question."

"Do you even have a plan? Or is it to just sit here and make smart remarks until Miss Quick decides to get rid of us?"

"Patience, Ducks," Spike admonished, "We need some more information before we act."

"I thought you already knew everything about Manipulators and how to stop them."

"Yes, well, I may have overstated the extent of my knowledge given the situation," Spike had the decency to look abashed, "If you remember, it was rather precarious."

"I wouldn't have left you in that alley anyway," Willow stood up, "What kind of information do we need?"

Drusilla couldn't sleep. Instead she paced the sewers, waiting for the sun to go down. Spike hadn't returned the night before. As soon as she could she was going to find this Willow and show her what happens to little girls who play in vampires' sandboxes.

"Dru, baby, ready to raise a little hell?" Angelus dropped down through an open manhole, "The sun is down and . . . . Whoa, looks like you've started without me." Angelus' handsome face smiled at Drusilla's misshapen features, "What's the occasion?"

"Take me to this Willow person's house," Drusilla growled, "I want my Spike back."



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