Willow said good-bye to Angel as he climbed back out of her window. The tears were still fresh on her face. Angel’s poems had touched her in a way she never could have dreamed. She had especially liked the parts about his hair.
She wondered if she should disregard Angel’s plea, and tell Buffy that he had returned from the pits of Hell. But then again, Buffy had been the one who sent him there. She could understand that Angel didn’t want to see her yet.
Besides, she was still upset with Buffy for spending those three months in San Francisco, and not bringing her a souvenir back. And she did kind of owe it to Angel. She was the one who returned his soul to him, which made the torments of Hell unbearable for him.
She also liked the nights they spent alone in her bedroom discussing his poetry. And his hair. He was so much more feeling than Oz. Oz, who never dared to take her past first base. What, was he gay or something?
The next day in the library, Willow was helping Xander with his Trig when Buffy burst in. Seeing Buffy’s obvious anger, Willow was sure she had found out about Angel. She prepared herself for a hard back-kick to the head, but, to her delight, didn’t receive one.
Giles popped out from behind a bookcase, right on cue. “Is anything the matter?” he asked.
“That slimy bastard, Spike is back. Him and his crazy bitch, Drusilla. He swore he’d never come back here. I’m going to that the English muffin in to a freakin’ coat rack,” Buffy said angrily.
“Gee, those silly vampires, never make good on their word,” Xander said, in an attempt to make light of the problem. It didn’t work. It only made Buffy give him a dirty look.
“I’m going to find him tonight. And I’m going to kill him.” Buffy resolved.
Later that night in the graveyard, Buffy was fighting a vampire. She was just about to deliver a side-step kick to his face, but the lucky bloodsucker caught it, and tackled her to the ground.
He was just about to make a meal out of her when someone pulled him off of her. Instead of having dinner, the vampire was turned to dust.
When she was tackled, Buffy’s head hit a tombstone. The bump on her noggin had made her a little groggy, but she knew she wasn’t hallucinating when she looked up, and saw Spike.
“That’s twice I’ve saved that sweet little rear of yours, Buff. You really ought to be more careful. I mean, he was only an infant,” Spike said mockingly.
Buffy sprang to her feet, and flipped him over her shoulder. “Don’t ever call me Buff!” she yelled as she aimed to drive a stake through his heart. He caught her by the wrist, and pulled her down on top of him, then rolled over so she was pinned under him.
“Really, Buffy. I just came to make nice, once again. I have some information that might be of interest to you,” Spike claimed.
“Get off me,” Buffy ordered angrily, and began to struggle, but it was useless. He had her trapped.
“I will, but not until I say what I came all this way to say,” he said, and smiled broadly.
Meanwhile, in Willow’s room, Angel and Willow were holding a little conversation of their own.
“I just don’t think it’s right. Us keeping this from Buffy,” Willow argued.
“Willow, she sent me to Hell. Do you think I can forgive her for that?” Angel asked, and stared at her with his tortured eyes.
“She...she had to,” Willow said in Buffy’s defense.
“No, I talked to Whistler, and he told her that all she needed was my blood to close the vortex. She didn’t have to stab me in the stomach, and send me to Hell,” Angel countered hotly.
Willow hung her head in defeat, then raised it with a new thought, “Well, then why did you even come here? To get even with her?”
He shook his his head, and kneeled down before her, “Even after what she did, my conscience can’t take another death. I came back for you.”
Willow gasped, “Me? But why me?”
“You were the one that restored my soul. For that I’m grateful,” he took her face in his hands, “For that, I love you.”
“What?” Buffy asked exasperatedly, back in the graveyard, still pinned under Spike.
“Your boyfriend’s back, now you’re gonna be in trouble,” Spike sang with glee.
“Angel?” Buffy asked with shock.
“That’s the one, duckie. Returned from the bloody pits of Hell. Now he’s looking for payback, love. You’re little friend, Willow,” he said, and paused.
“Willow?! What’s he going to do to her?” Buffy asked, but she was afraid to find the answer.
“Oh, don’t worry. He’s not going to hurt her. He’s got his soul back, remember? Uhgh,” Spike said in disgust. Then he changed his face to one of laughter. “This is the part that really gets me going,” he chuckled a bit, before going on. “He’s going to date her. You know, to make you jealous.” His laughter began again. “That Angel sure is one maniacal bloke, isn’t he?”
“That doesn’t make any sense, Angel knows that Willow wouldn’t go for that. She’s got a boyfriend.” Buffy was getting impatient now. Plus, his weight on her was starting to put her legs to sleep.
“Layne? I mean Oz. Come one, sweetheart, everyone knows that Oz is playing for the other team. He’s just using poor Will to get to your friend Xander.”
Buffy raised her eyebrows in disbelief.
“Besides, if she wouldn’t go for it, then how come Angel’s at her house right now, and has been every night for this past week and a half. I think it’s pretty safe to say she’s fallen for the “I write Goth poetry” act.”
“He hasn’t read her any of his poems, has he?” Buffy asked sadly.
Spike raised his eyebrows. “All of ‘em, even wrote her one.”
“The only one he ever read to me was that stupid hair one,” Buffy declared angrily.
“Well, then you’re probably going to want to go over there now.” Spike shifted his weight, but didn’t entirely get off of her.
“Are you going to get off of me now?” Buffy asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. I kind of like you in this position,” Spike said with a joyful smile.
But his shifting had left Buffy with movement in her legs. She brought her right leg up, and kneed him directly I the groin. He groaned, and rolled off of her.
She stood up quickly, and looked down at him.
“It’s bad enough you kneed me, but do you have to stand there and watch me suffer, too?” Spike asked through gritted teeth.
“No, bloodbreath, you’re coming with me,” Buffy said, and offered him a hand to help him up. He took it, begrudgingly, and began to walk with a limp.
Angel lent in for a kiss, but Willow stood up quickly, and crossed the room to her empty fish tank. “You know I can’t, Angel. You’re my best friend’s ex-boyfriend. Besides, it would never work out. You’re dead. I’m not.”
“Undead,” Angel corrected.
“Whatever. Plus, I have a boyfriend,” Willow argued.
“Well, then,” Angel said, and walked over to her, “Ours is forbidden love.” He leaned over to kiss her on the neck. She laughed to herself, recalling how she had used the same line once, in jest.
“Why did you come here to tell me those things?” Buffy asked, as she walked side by side with Spike towards Willow’s house.
“Oh please, it’s all so horrifying,” Spike pleaded. Buffy gave him a chastising look. “Oh, all right. Bloody Hell! For the first time in over a hundred years, I had a bout of conscience. We made a deal, and I didn’t live up to my end of it. I left you to get killed by Angel. I guess, I felt bad about it. So I wanted to make it up to you.”
“I don’t buy it,” Buffy stated.
“Good, it makes it more bearable if you think my intentions were for more than good.” Spike choked on the word “good.”
“So, where’s Drusilla? Does she know about this?” Buffy asked.
“Well, it should make you happy. Dru met with a little accident.”
“Accident?” Buffy asked.
“Oh, Hell. The crazy bird went berserk when I was trying to escape, and jumped out of the car into pure daylight. Turned herself into a pretty little barbecue.” Spike looked sad for a minute. Buffy actually felt a tinge of pity for him.
“It was bound to happen sooner or later, she *was* as mad as a hatter.” The statement he made didn’t seem to lessen his grief.
“So, Buffy,” he said, changing the subject. “ Have you ever thought about becoming one of the undead?”
“About a million times, when I was with Angel. Of course, you’re the only one I’d ever tell that to.”
“Why’s that?” he asked.
“‘Cause I don’t care what you think of me,” she stated, matter-of-factly.
“Well, if you ever decide you want to, know who to come to,” Spike volunteered.
“I’ll keep that in mind. We’re here,” Buffy said, and began to climb a tree right outside Willow’s window, with Spike close behind her.
“Let’s not fight what we feel, Willow. I need you,” Angel said, and pulled her close to him. He leaned down, and pressed his lips against her’s. She tried to resist at first, but his kiss was intoxicating.
“You know what I feel for you is real, don’t you Willow?” Angel asked in her ear.
“Yes,” She breathed, and stood on her tip-toes to kiss his lips again. Now she knew what Buffy was raving about.
“Well, well, well,” the voice came form behind Angel. They broke apart, and looked to see Buffy standing beside the window. “Hello lover. Willow.”
“Buffy! Let me explain,” Willow said frantically.
“It’s going to be kind of hard to explain with my foot up your ass!” Buffy yelled.
Angel stepped in front of Willow protectively. “We’re in love, Buffy,” Angel said. “She understands me better than you do.”
Buffy choked back the pain she felt. Inside she was screaming, but outside she kept her composure. “I see. Well then, darling, you should also meet my new lover.”
She turned and yelled out the window. “Honey, come inside and say hell to our friends.”
Spike jumped from the tree, through the window, and landed squarely on his feet.
“I believe no introductions are necessary,” Buffy said squarely.
“Spike? I don’t believe this,” Angel said.
“Oh, Buffy, no,” Willow cried.
“Yes, and I’m glad you two are here to witness it.” Buffy turned to Spike and wrapped her arms around his waist. She looked into his eye, and said with sincerity, “I’m ready now.”
Spike’s face transformed to it’s true image. “No!” Angel shouted, and lunged forward, but Buffy side-kicked him in the head, and he fell to the ground. He looked up, just in time to see Spike sink his fangs into Buffy’s tender neck, Then, he threw her over his shoulder, and jumped out the window.
Willow ran to the window, and looked down, but they were already gone.
The next day Willow and Xander ran into the library to tell Giles what had happened. Willow went to the back of the library to where Giles kept his little collection of the paranormal. She met with another shock.
There they were. Amidst Giles old volumes, Oz and Larry, the gay jock, kissing.
“Oh, my god,” Willow said, and turned to run away. Oz chased after her, and caught her.
“Willow, I thought you knew that I swing both ways. Everyone else knew,” Oz tried to explain.
Willow tore away from him, and ran into Xander’s open arms. Xander’s petted Willow’s head as he said, “Oz, I knew you went both ways, but Jesus Christ! Larry?!”
“Well, I was only doing it to get even for fang boy,” Oz said angrily.
“What are you talking about?” Xander asked.
“She’s been cheating on me with Angel!” Oz shouted.
“It...it...it was only a little kiss. It didn’t mean anything. I swear,” she swore.
“Is everyone going insane?!” Xander yelled, on the verge of cracking.
Back at the old mansion Spike splashed water from his fingertips on to Buffy’s pale face to awaken her. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she sat up slowly.
“I...I don’t feel any different,” she said with some surprise. “Except for maybe this pounding headache.” She rubbed her forehead.
“That, my love, is because I didn’t change you,” Spike told her.
“Why not?” Buffy asked in disappointment.
“Well, I wanted to make sure you were sure, and now I can see by the look on your face that you were.” He then bit into his own wrist, and put it to her lips.
“Oh, Willow, here you are,” Giles said, as he walked in to the library. He had deep circles under his eyes, and he looked very sad.
“We have something to tell you, Giles,” Willow said.
“I already know. Please, I need to talk to you alone, Willow,” he said, and lead her into his small office.
She sat down once she was in his office.
“So, how did you find out about Buffy?” she asked.
“Because I was called to be the Watcher of the next Slayer. The Slayer is you, Willow. You’re the Chosen One,” Giles said.
At this statement, Willow’s draw dropped open. “Me?”
---Fade to Black--
The End
