Both vampires could scarcely believe their good fortune. They both kept looking at her with disbelieving but blissful faces. It was starting to make Willow nervous. Why were they just standing there staring at her? "Uh, maybe this wasn�t such a good idea."

The captive vampire scowled at his counterpart. "Kiss her, you dolt. What? We�re you a bleedin� priest before you were turned?"

Spike didn�t even have a snappy comeback. "Kiss her." He murmured softly as he reached out a tentative finger and placed it against her lips. She placed a small kiss on his fingertip and Spike sighed. He was going to be so gentle with her that she would never want to leave him. He leaned over and leisurely explored her mouth.

The captive vampire was impatient, eager to participate. Spike 2 offered up his bound hands to them. "Unchain me."

She lay her head against Spike�s chest and bit her lip. "I don�t know, I might like bondage." He scowled. She looked at him skeptically. "You won�t try to-"

"I could never hurt you, pet. Tonight is about you and bringing you pleasure." He looked at his �good� twin. "Besides, you�re knight in tarnished armor will be there."

" If you try to hurt her, I�ll make you a big pile dust. Handsome face and all." "See?" The other vampire said triumphantly. Willow slid the key out of her skirt pocket and unlocked the vampire�s chains, pulling them from his bound hands and arms. He lifted his arms and stretched luxuriously. "Ahh, that feels better." With devilment in his eyes he swaggered over to her and bent to her whisper against her mouth. "And this will feel even better." This Spike�s kiss was just as mind melting as the other�s but this was had a darker tinge to it. It was hungry and demanding. As he ended his foray in her mouth for the moment, Spike stared into her eyes, a hint of yellow in his eyes. He looked ravenous. . .yet he was maintaining control so he wouldn�t frighten her. Her knees wobbled as she stepped back to let him get out of the tub.

Then, both vampires closed in on her. Her Spike . . .and he was going to be hers. . . in back and the other Spike in front. "Willow, luv," Spike whispered in her ear as he slid a sensuous hand down her back. "Relax, let us do all the work."

Willow shivered as the other vampire spoke up."Not here, mate. We need a bed."

"Upstairs." Spike directed. Quickly, they picked her up by her shoulders and feet and rushed her up Giles� stairs to the bedroom.

They set her down on the foot of the bed gently, and she moved to a sitting position. She was in the middle of one of those defining moments in her life. Predictable, �old reliable� Willow was about to have sex with two lustful vampires on a Watcher�s bed. She couldn�t even contain the sinful grin that spread over her face. She had a dark side alright and this seemed to be feeding into it.

With a wicked glint in her eyes, she smiled at both of them and pointed to the tips of her shoes. They were baffled, watching to see what would happen. Slowly, a circling bolt of energy climbed her leg, melting without pain all the clothing it touched. Her shoes and socks were gone, leaving on her silver toe ring. The energy bolt then claimed her skirt, making it disappear in stages. It slowly unraveled, going from a below the knee to a micro mini to nothingness. Both Spikes visibly gulped, eyes riveted on the show. Still clad in her blue satin underwear, Willow watched the beam melt her t-shirt, leaving her in a matching bra. Then the beam hovered at her neck and then began a downward descent exposing her breasts. Both Spikes sucked in an unnecessary gulp of air. It made short work of her panties as well, exposing the thatch of cinnamon curls. Spike 2 hissed as his demon flared, anxious to stake its claim. Spike felt much the same way but was able to mask his demon�s desire from the redhead.

When they were about to lunge for her, Willow put up a halting hand. "Strip." They both reached for their shirts automatically pulling them up and off. Anything to get closer to her. Two pale, well-muscled chests were revealed. They reached for their pants then, unzipping them and pulling them down and off. Willow�s eyes widened, it had been so long since she�d been with a man. She�d forgotten the lean, hard lines of their bodies. Their shafts were engorged with blood, heavy in their arousal. They leaned away from their bodies as if they were reaching out for her, starving for contact. This time it was Willow that gulped, floundering for something to say. "You both don�t wear underwear?"

"Get�s in the way." Spike 2 said with a truly evil grin. His demon howled inside, wanting to taste the redhead. He pounced. Willow was pushed further up the bed with a happy-looking vampire between her legs. He pulled her legs over his shoulders and buried his nose in the sweet smelling curls. She gave a startled gasp. Tara had done this to her before but not Oz. She wondered if a man�s tongue would feel different. Willow shook her head, freeing it of thoughts of her lesbian lover. She�d deal with that later. Sensing her distraction, Spike 2 got her attention back with a cool sweep of his tongue between her nether lips. She bit her lips and let out a small gasp. "No, mental holidays, luv. The only thing I want you to think about is this." With that he began to lick her in earnest. Ooh. . .his tongue was different, bolder and a little rougher.

The other Spike rolled his eyes and laid down beside her, immediately capturing her rosebud mouth. He knew it sounded foolish, but he wanted to kiss her for hours. Spike wanted to mold her mouth with his own until she couldn�t think of another�s lips. He wanted to ravish her with his lips until she cried out against, begging him to take her and make her his.

Willow was pretty sure she was dead and experiencing some kind of hellmouthy version of heaven. Surely, heaving sex with two sinfully attractive vampires didn�t happen in a normal heaven, right? Not that she was looking for an afterlife with harps, clouds, and angels. Mmm. . .Angel. . .oooh. . .two Spikes, a Willow and Angel. . .bad Willow! Two Spikes were bad enough. Yes. . .uhhh. . .Spikes. And Spike 2 did look like an angel, she thought as she looked down her body to see him laboring between her thighs. He was one of those depraved fallen ones with tilted halos and �take me to bed� blue eyes. Yes, he was very. . .uh. . .very. . . .very. . . uhhhh. . . .bad. Willow came with a sort of shattered sigh. Spike released her mouth to suck on her neck, gently nipping her exposed throat. He moved to her left breast, taking a pouting crest into his mouth. She looked down to see a tousled haired Spike lay his head against her belly and regard with her interest. She was still coming, she realized. Little aftershocks that sizzled her senses. "How was it, pet?"

"I�ve never felt like that before." He raised an eyebrow, his lips twisting in a knowing leer.

Her Spike looked down at his counterpart. "I�m taking her first."

Spike 2 scowled. "Over my dead body."

"We�re already dead, you stupid git. Now move your arse off of her before I kick it."

"Uh, hello? Do I get some say in this?" Willow interjected. "Please stop the �being dead� talk too, because that is. . .eww. �Kay?" They nodded reluctantly. Spike 2's fingers were clutching her hips, unwilling to give up his hold. She tried to gently explain it to him. "I want this Spike to be with me first. I think I might. . .I have some feelings for. . .I just want-"

Spike almost felt tears come to his eyes. "I feel the same way, pet."

She hugged him to her. "Really?" A delighted smile broke on her face. He nodded and then claimed her mouth again. She was his! He was hers! They both thought. Things quickly turned explosive. She pulled her mouth away, sucking in breath. "Take me."

Spike 2 reluctantly released his hold on Willow to crawl up beside her. Despite himself, he was moved by their touching scene. He wanted to be loved like that. Willow�s eyes were full of devotion, he wished someone would look at him that way. This world�s Spike pressed between her splayed thighs.

Spike hissed as he lowered himself into her tight, hot depths. She was exquisite, felt like she was made for him. He plunged deep and once he did, he knew that no one would take her from him. He didn�t move, wanting to appreciate this moment. She felt like she was a part of him, she was his now. Forever.

Willow felt the same way. This demon had somehow claimed her body, heart, mind, and soul in this one act of possession. She�d never felt this complete before. Never felt so connected to someone. Oz and Tara had just been time fillers until she could be with Spike. She smiled up at him, running a hand over his beatific face. Looking over, she saw Spike 2's expression. He was bewildered by this turn of events. "I�m his." She said quietly. His face fell. "But you are also Spike. I want you too." She slid a hand down his cool chest to cup his aching rod. He shuddered, burying his face in her sweet smelling neck. She began to stroke him in earnest.

Spike caught her gaze. "Take him in your mouth." He thrust against her one time, causing them both to cry out. She looked at him once more, a question in her eyes. "I want you to be full of me. He is the only man, I�d share you with. " Spike 2, hearing this, eagerly moved his hips up the bed so that she could suck him.

Spike began to pound into her. Willow moved her hips against him, moaning around the other vampire�s erection. Spike 2 groaned in low in his throat as her warm little mouth settled on him, up and down. He moved his hands between their bodies and stroked her engorged clit. She was slick and hot with dew, coating his fingers. Willow came first, lifting her hips off the bed. Spike came then, shot his seed deep inside her, morphing as he did so. "Mine!" he roared to himself as well as the other vampire and sank his fangs into her breast. No pain. Spike 2 got the message, there would be no blood play for him with the redhead.

Willow sucked harder on Spike�s thick member scraping her teeth slightly under his head. She cupped his sack in her hand. He gasped, shooting himself in her hot mouth. She swallowed his seed willingly, loving the taste of him. When it was over, he pulled himself from her mouth and bent to kiss her. She was delicious, tasting of himself and blood from where she�d bitten her cheek when he�d made her come earlier. Spike still suckled at her breast, taking deep mouthfuls of her potent blood. When he couldn�t risk taking anymore. He rolled over and spooned up against her back. Spike 2 released her mouth and spooned her front. Willow sighed, so many things were going to change. For the better. All three of them fell into an exhausted slumber.

Part Seven

Willow finished pouring the large circle of salt required for the ritual and began to place lighted candles around the ring she had just made. Both Spikes stood in the center of the ring. They stood three feet apart in identical clothes. Spike 2 was bound by leather restraints for the sake of the Scoobies sensibilities.

The Scoobies surrounded the circle, all looking pensive. Giles held a large cross, Xander held two stakes, and Anya held a vial of holy water, all ready to spring into action if the non-chipped vampire attacked Willow. The Watcher had found the spell that would send Spike 2 home when he had returned to Sunnydale. They had all agreed to send him back because they didn�t want to interfere with that Sunnydale�s natural order. Not that Willow would have let them hurt him.

Willow had boldly announced that she was dating this world�s Spike. Spike had beamed at the news and her public acceptance of him. After months of the Slayer�s revulsion for him it made his heart swell. And other things swelled too when she was around but that was beside the point. It was obvious to her friends that the two of them were deeply in love.

Surprisingly, Xander didn�t protest. He had a grudging respect for Spike now. Giles had been much less receptive but had accepted her decision, saying that we all made �mistakes� when we were young. Willow knew that this was not a mistake, he was the best thing that had ever happened to her. All that was left was the matter of Tara. She had to tell the fair haired witch they were no longer involved. It would be painful but Willow knew that she had made the right decision.

Throwing caution to the wind, Willow stepped in front of the other Spike and kissed him. The other Scoobies (save Anya) gasped at her actions but she ignored them for the moment. Though, she knew she would be fending off Xander�s requests for �naughty secrets.� She had enjoyed playing with this Spike, even felt a bit of love for him. After all he was the mirror image of her Spike, but she wasn�t in love with him. "Be happy." She whispered, hugging him close. " I hope you find someone of your own, you deserve to be loved by someone like I love Spike."

The look he gave her was filled with tenderness and pain. "I doubt I�ll ever find anyone quite like you, Willow. But thank you, my sweet." He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it in a courtly gesture that melted her heart a little more. Then, in a move that was pure Spike, he gave her behind a squeeze as he leaned in and kissed her hungrily. Spike growled behind them in warning. Everyone but Anya gasped again. She turned and glared at them. "What?"

"They�re prudes." Anya said dryly. "Who wouldn�t want to have wild sex with a version of the man you love?"

Willow smiled, this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship with Anya. Demon girl knew what she was talking about. But. . .back to the matter at hand. Before she backed out of the circle, Willow grabbed a handful of herbs and lit them with a candle wick. The fire flared to life and she began to intone the words for the ritual. It was time to send him back where he belonged. It was the right thing to do. As he disappeared in a cloud of magickal white light, she held onto Spike. He nuzzled her neck as they watched his other self fade from this world.

Willow Rosenberg tried to start her car again, it made a whirring sound but didn�t turn over. Dammit! Why couldn�t she remember to turn the blasted headlights off? She looked at the rapidly darkening sky. Double dammit! She knew better than this and yet here she was. She had gone to the Bronze tonight to see "Dingoes Ate my Baby" play. She�d had a small crush on their guitarist since high school and wanted to see them at their farewell performance. The groups was moving to L.A. to pursue a record contract. Willow had been upset to discover that Oz, the guitarist, had a girlfriend named Veruca. The two seemed awfully close, practically on top of each other on the dance floor. When she had gone up to him to wish him luck, the girl had been hostile to her, hanging on to Oz�s arm and making snippy little comments. At one point, she said something about Willow being lucky this weren�t the full moon and they had both chuckled. Willow had shrugged it off, probably some private couples joke.

Willow probably shouldn�t have come there anyway. She had left Sunnydale two years ago, just after the Mayor�s Ascension. Or, as she liked to call it -- the day the world turned upside down. At first, when the school librarian asked her to round up all the smart kids, she thought it was for a picture or something. But he began to rapidly explain that demons, vampires, and other things that went bump in the night were real.

Willow was horrified, yet et it all made sense. As if, by Mr. Giles talking about it, that allowed the truth to sink in. It seemed so obvious then. The many unexplained deaths. The people who were supposed to be dead showing up at night. All pale and smooth, encased in black leather. She had helped to fight the Mayor, even dusted a few vamps. Then she got the hell out of Sunnydale.

Willow had accepted the offer to study at Oxford in England and had been happy there for the most part. She had begun to voraciously read materials on the occult, learning more with every ancient text she came upon. She had become fascinated with witchcraft. The books on this topic almost seemed to call to her, push themselves into her hands when she scanned the shelves. So, she had started practicing witchcraft. Her power was nominal, but it grew with every passing month of study. Soon, she knew she would a powerful Wiccan. But still, she had stayed away from Sunnydale. In fact, she hadn�t been back since. Not even for vacations. Instead, she traveled Europe when she wasn�t in school.

But now she was all alone in a shadowed parking lot in the middle of the Hellmouth. Willow tried the car again but it still wouldn�t start. She hit the dashboard furiously, muttering some un-Willowy swear words. She took a deep breath, focusing her power and tried the ignition once more, murmuring the words of a spell. Nothing. Bloody hell! Willow loved British expression, sometimes they summed things up so well. Time to think. . .she needed to get inside somewhere. Now! Grabbing up her purse and a couple of books from the passenger seat, Willow opened the car door and locked it. This town did have normal problems like car thieves too.

"Having some trouble, pet?" The voice was definitely male, British accent. It relaxed her, made her think of her newly adopted home.

Willow whirled to see a figure leaning against the trunk of her car. She couldn�t make his face out in the darkness. "Yeah, I think I left the headlights on. Again. Killed the battery." She gave him small half smile. Was he a good Samaritan?

"Mmm. Want me to jump you?"

"Excuse me?" Actually, excuse him. Pervert!

The stranger chuckled, reading her thoughts. "Your car, pet. I have jumper cables."

"Oh, my car! Of course." Willow looked around the empty parking lot. No other cars. "You�re parked close?" Most people didn�t stay out late in Sunnydale. No one walked around after dark. The smart ones at least.

"Back behind the Bronze, in the alleyway."

He wanted her to go with him alone into an alley? Add that to the tacky �jump you� question. . .? "I don�t think so. Have a good evening. I can take care of myself, I�ll be fine."

"Fine? I�m not getting that vibe from you at all." He sniffed the air. "In fact, I�m smelling a little fear right now."

Fear had settled in. Willow fumbled for her car keys, she�d tossed them into her purse and they had plunged to the bottom as usual. Goddess! Two years off the Hellmouth and I�ve already forgotten to carry stakes and holy water with me. "W-why would I be a-afraid?" She said, backing furtheraway from him. He stepped forward, running a pale hand along the side of her car as he walked. She heard a low growl emanate from deep within his chest. Vampire? Her eyes darted around, wildly. They were in the middle of asphalt, no twigs or trees to grab a makeshift stake.

Thinking quickly, Willow threw her books and purse into his chest and ran across the parking lot. Maybe, she could get inside the crowded nightclub and disappear from him. She darted across the asphalt, running as fast as her legs would take her.

The vampire closed in her. His hand shot out and grabbed the back of her hooded sweatshirt, snapping her back against his chest. He tightened his arms around her. "And just where were you going, pet?" He whispered in her ear.

"Far away from you. I know what you are, I�m not an idiot." She struggled in his hold but it was useless. He was much stronger.

"Really? And just what am I, luv?" He decided to play with her, get her adrenaline pumping harder. It always made the blood taste better. He licked a cool path up the side of her neck.

"Let me think. . .cold. . .leather. . . out at night. . .pale. . .I�m thinking vampire." She said defiantly.

"You�re a smart one." Most humans here lived in a constant state of denial. He laughed again, she was an amusing little minx."I�ve got some time to kill tonight, let�s see who you are, pet." He dragged her resisting form to a nearby street lamp. He tilted her face up to the meager light, still holding her in his grasp. "Willow." He breathed.

"How do you know my name?" She hissed, eyes narrowing.

"Willow Rosenberg?" He good hardly believe his good fortune. Gods, he had almost eaten her!

"Yes, that�s my name. How did you find that out? Were you following me?" She demanded.

"No, just blind luck, I guess."

"That depends on you�re point of view, you. . .you. . .bloodsucker!"

Spike laughed again. What a little spitfire she is! And this one is all mine. "Yes, I�m a vampire, pet. I think we already established that. The question is now, what should I do with you?"

"Let me go?"

"Not yet. Do you have dinner plans?"

Willow frowned, scrunching up her shoulders to hide her neck as much as she could. "Do you?"

Spike�s eyes strayed to her lily white throat, he already knew it would look wonderful with the mark of his possession. "Don�t worry, pet. I�m not going to eat you all up." He smiled and waggled his eyebrows.

She wasn�t buying it. "Oh, really? Cuz I got the impression just a few minutes ago that you were very hungry."

Spike�s smile was slightly wolfish as he looked her over from the top of her fiery head to the strappy sandals she wore. "Still am, pet. But not for just your blood."

Goddess, he wanted to do that with her too`? "What�s wrong with you? I�m not going to sleep with you!"

"I won�t take no for answer, pet. Sorry." Spike winked at her.

Willow bit her lip. He wasn�t listening to her. She tried a last ditch effort to reason with him. "Um. . .if you aren�t going to eat me, could you let m-me go?"

"I could never do that, pet."

"I�ll scream!"

His lips curled into a small wistful smile. "I love making you scream. . .and when you cry out my name, the way you sigh when I. . ." His blazing eyes almost burned her.

"What are you talking about? I don�t even know you." This wasn�t making any sense. Willow began to struggle once more.

"No, don�t do that, pet. Please? I don�t want to accidently hurt you."

"No, you want to do it on purpose!. Let. Me. Go. NOW!" She hit at his chest and arms with her ineffectual hands.

"Who are you?" She whispered.

Just then, a red beamer screeched into the parking lot. Spike was so startled, he loosened his hold on Willow. A middle aged man exited the vehicle. He held a crossbow in his hand and it was trained on Spike�s heart. "Mr. Giles?" Willow asked, incredulous. Then, remembering her situation, she pushed herself out of the vampire�s arms and darted over to Mr. Giles. "He�s a vampire!"

"I know." Giles said. "And a very dangerous one at that. Get in the car, please." Willow didn�t have to be told twice, she scampered inside. "You seem to be at a disadvantage, Spike." His finger rubbed over the triggering mechanism with sly insinuation. He released the arrow. It sailed through the air and sunk into Spike�s chest, a quarter of an inch from his heart. "Bloody hell!" Spike vamped out and hissed in pain. He plucked the arrow from his chest and broke it in two. Giles fumbled for another arrow. "This isn�t over, Watcher. She�s mine and no one will stand in between us!" Spike�s features smoothed to human as he turned to stare at Willow. "Goodnight, pet. See you soon." He blew her a goodnight kiss before he disappeared into he night.

Giles put the crossbow in the backseat with a sigh. "I know you. Willow. . .Willow. . .Rosenberg. Yes, that�s it."

"Yes, that�s me. I remember you." Willow sighed as she felt the release of tension.

"You know that man�s a vampire yet your dating him?" Giles asked, looking his nose down at her, as if she were some morally objectionable woman.

"No, I�m not dating him! He attacked me, I think he thought I was someone else."

Giles sighed, as he started the ignition. "Well, young lady. It appears that you are in grave danger now. You�ve captured the attention of a deadly creature."

Willow put her head in her hands. "Goddess, I hate Sunnydale." She�d barely gotten into town and now had a crazy creature-of -the-night stalker. Welcome home!

Giles chuckled. "Lucky for you, I shadowed him this evening. I believe he was out of town for the past few days and I was wondering what he was up to. I would�ve been there sooner but I had to stave off a couple of vampires attacking a homeless man."

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

"Why don�t you have a cup of tea with me and tell me what happened. It might help calm your nerves, the tea."

"I think it would too. Sounds like a good idea." Willow sat back in her seat as Giles drove them to his apartment. What a mess she just got herself into.

Three cups of tea and two hours later, Willow didn�t feel better. She felt worse. Much worse. In fact, she was rapidly escalating into panic mode. Giles, as he liked to be called, listened to the details of her experience with Spike. She had asked him some questions, such as. . .why did Spike call him a �Watcher�? He had spent some of their time filling her in on what a Watcher and a Slayer were. She had also asked him to go over the finer points of vampirism. Willow found out all the ways to kill them, the different orders or clans, and how one was made, as well as other useful facts. But, by far, the most terrifying information she received was about Spike himself.

According to Giles, he was a fierce, master vampire. When he had moved into town, he killed off his rivals and made their minions swear allegiance to him. Since his residence in Sunnydale, the vampire population had gone down a bit because he was concentrating his power. No one but himself was allowed to make a new vampire. He was very powerful, even though he was considered to be young by vampire standards. Spike had even killed two of the apparently superhuman Slayers. Easily. Giles said he was known to be relentless in the pursuit of something he wanted. And right now, he wanted Willow.

Willow stood from her chair, to fidgety to sit anymore. "I have to leave, Giles. I�m going back to England tomorrow morning. I never should have come back here, I knew this place is cursed. And I was doing just fine at Oxford too. Getting good grades, making friends, going about my life. Goddess, I�ve even grown to like the cuisine. And especially tea time, I love the clotted cream and scones with-"

"Willow, you�re babbling, my dear. " He said gravely. "You can not leave Sunnydale." She shook her head in denial. "No, you can�t. " Giles said firmly. "I understand that you�re afraid and your natural instinct tells you to run. But that instinct might get you killed. He�ll only follow you there. Spike won�t stop until he�s got you where he wants you. Or he�s dead."

"W-what does he want me for? He said he wasn�t going to hurt me."

"He will hurt you, Willow, he�s a vampire -- its his nature. He�s a vicious, soulless demon that only thinks of his own pleasures." He took off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. " As for what he wants you for. . . its probably to turn you. From what you�ve described to me, I think he wants you for his mate."

"Mate?" She groaned. "I was afraid you were going to say something like that."

Giles clasped her hand in his own. "Let me help you, Willow. I know about vampires, staying with me is your best chance at staying alive."

"Thank you, I �d appreciate your help." She knew that this man was sincere. Willow didn�t know enough about demons to fight him all on her own. "I�ll stay."

"Good. Now, why don�t I make up the couch for you for tonight? I don�t think you should be outside right now. I can take you to your place in the morning."

"Alright." Though, Willow doubted she�d be getting much sleep tonight.

A knock on the apartment door woke Willow up. She stared blearily at the clock on the wall. It was 10 in the morning. She and Giles had stayed up until 3 talking and she hadn�t gotten to sleep until 5. She padded over in her bare feet to the door, she�d slept in one of Giles� old shirts, it came down past her knees. Willow opened the door to see a man in a delivery uniform standing there. "Miss. Rosenberg?"

"Uh, yes, that�s me." No one but Giles and Spike knew she was here. Willow had a bad feeling.

"Sign here, please." He handed her a clipboard. She did so dutifully and then he thrust a long white box into her hands.

"Thanks, hope you have a nice day."

"Thanks." For bringing me a gift from my demon night stalker! She brought the box over to the couch and sat it down with a thud. She tapped her foot, debating. Should she open it? Yes, if she didn�t she�d go crazy wondering what was in it. Willow reluctantly reached for the green ribbon which surrounded the box and tugged at it. "Here goes nothing." She mumbled to herself. She slid off the ribbon and then picked up the edge of the lid gingerly. "So help me, if there is something nasty in here. . .like bugs. Or. . .or. . .or a body part, or something else gross -- I�ll curse him. With boils or warts or something." She flipped the lid off to find 12 tiger lilies. And they were beautiful and fresh looking. She reached for the card. It read. . .�These are for you, my Willow, They remind me of you, natural and modest, but unexpected and stunning. Like you. Yours Forever, Spike."

Ack! He was good at wooing. Leave it to her, to fall prey to an undead Lothario. It would be easier to get angry if it were something disgusting. Under normal circumstances, this would be squeal-worthy. She would have called her friends and they would have analyzed everything word that he had written and what his choice of flower really meant.

A sleepy looking Giles crept downstairs. He was swathed in a thick bathrobe. "Who was that?"

"Flower delivery service for me."

"Bloody hell." He murmured, moving to examine the box and the note. When he had looked it over, he called the flower shop. The owner said that they had found a note and money stashed in an envelope under the door when they opened in the morning. There were no records of the buyer�s address or any other useful information. When he hung up, Giles looked at Willow with a frown on his face, clearly disturbed.

"I�m right there with you, Giles."

"We�ll get you out of this predicament, Willow."

"I hope so." She ran a hand through her hair. "Could you run me to my parents� house soon? Everything will look better once I�ve had a shower and some clean clothes."

"Oh, uh, yes of course. Are your parents home, Willow?"

"No, they had to leave. I saw them for just a couple of days before they left for a conference in Geneva. They�re pretty busy."

"I see. Uh, would you consider staying with me? It might not be safe for you to stay there by yourself. We could protect you more easily here, I have weapons and research materials here."

"I was hoping you�d offer." She smiled sheepishly. Not wanting to sit around herself, scared silly.

As the sun set, Willow watched Giles fill a satchel with an impressive array of weaponry. She was curious, though. "Giles, if the Slayer is supposed to kill the demons. . .why are you patrolling at night?"

"Normally, they would. But my Slayers. . .Faith and Buffy. . .they�re dead. The new Slayer lives in Cleveland, it has a lot of demonic activity." He sighed. " I was put in charge of the Hellmouth. The Slayer comes here often enough though, to quell particularly difficult situations." There was a wistfulness in his voice. He obviously missed his Slayers. Poor guy.

He changed gears rapidly. "I�m going out for a quick patrol. I want you to stay here, don�t go outside and don�t invite anyone in." She nodded. "Willow?" He asked hesitantly. "How do you feel about research?"

"I like it." She said. "I love to find things out."

"Then why don�t you go over the Watcher�s diaries while I�m gone?" He pulled some books from the shelf. "See if there are any weaknesses that Spike might have, or something that might be helpful."

"I�m on it." She said, grateful to have something to do.

A half an hour later, her eyes were starting to blur. Goddess, Watchers were a long winded. And pretentious.

"Willow!" A voice said from outside of Giles door as a knock sounded.

Willow flew to the small window by the Watcher�s door. "Who�s there?"

"Wills, its me. . Xander!"

In the darkness, Willow couldn�t see, but the voice was familiar. She flicked on the light and opened the door a crack. Xander stood on the other side, goofy grin on his face -- just like she remembered. "Xander Harris!" She shouted, a grin spreading across her face. "How�ve you been?"

"Just fine, Wills, and you? How�s uh. . .Oxford, right?"

"Great. College is going well. How�s Sunnydale?"

"You know. Chock full of crazy, lots of vamps."

"I believe that! Hey, do you remember the Ascension when we were all fighting them?"

"Not like I could forget. Wasn�t that the weirdest? Staked a quite few vampires that night." He laughed " Most people just hang out with their family on graduation day, take a few pics. Not in Sunnydale though. What�s a big life event without a demons showing up?"

She laughed, she missed Xander�s humor. "It�s so good to see you again."

Just then, a figure came out of the darkness. A cold arm snaked around Xander�s waist and a vampiric face appeared by his shoulder. Another hand settled over Xander�s startled mouth. "Spike!"

"Hello, pet. Did you get the flowers?" He asked, as if they were talking over coffee in stead of the struggling body of her best friend.

"Yes." She said through clenched teeth. "Don�t hurt him."

"Alright. I�ll let him go, if you come outside."

"What? No! Don�t do this." She cried.

"I play to win, pet. Now, come out here or you�re little friend might need a transfusion."

Willow felt tears begin to flow as she put herself through the invisible barrier. Spike shoved Xander out of the way and grabbed her up into his eager arms "Run Xander!" She screamed. " Tell Mr. Giles, he�ll help us."

Her dark haired friend smiled as he stood up from the ground. He dusted off his pants. "�Fraid not, Wills." His face morphed into its true state. He was a vampire.

"No!" She whispered.

"Yes!" He countered. "I�ve been a dead for about out two years now. I was made right after the demon mayor appeared." She�d lost track of Xander during the Ascension, he must�ve been vamped that night. It�s not like they�d been close before that though. The two had a falling out after he started dating Cordelia Chase. Willow had been blindly in love with her best friend and he didn�t even notice her. It hurt too much to watch him with Cordelia. They had spoken very little since. She�d written him a couple of times out of nostalgia, but he never responded. And now he was a vampire.

"How could you do this to me?" Willow asked, hurt by his part in her capture.

His features smoothed out in the familiar lines of Xander�s face. He gave her a small smile. "Don�t worry, Wills. He loves you, he won�t hurt you." Willow could almost believe he was her best friend and not the demon who spoke.

"Help me get her in the car." Spike ordered, put off by the youth�s obvious closeness to his Red. Willow began to fight wildly, shoving at his chest, raking his neck with her nails and kicking with her legs. He ignored her struggles. Xander took her feet and Spike took her head as they shoved her in the backseat of his Desoto. Soon, the car was roaring down the street. Back to Spike�s home.