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Reprisal

© Ruby

"Buffy!" Giles gasped and jumped up out of his chair as the young slayer entered the sitting room, followed closely by Angelus. "Are you all right? What's hap--"

"It's nothing, Daddy," she giggled, swiping at the thick mud that spattered her cheek. "I fell in a mud puddle."

She took a step toward him only to find herself suddenly tripping over the long, sodden skirts that had wrapped themselves around her ankles. Angelus reached out with a quick hand and caught hold of her before she tumbled to the floor.

"Only fell?" Giles quipped as the dark vampire wrapped a supportive arm around the trim blonde's waist. "It looks as though you may have gone for a swim."

She laughed and shook her head, "I staked three tonight. I really think that I'm doing much better."

"She's learning quickly," her companion agreed. "You would have been proud of her."

"No doubt," the watcher grinned fondly at his daughter.

"Is Willow not with you?" she inquired. "I was hoping to have a nice chat with her this evening."

Giles' expression sobered, "She went out for a stroll around the gardens just after you left. I believe I heard her return a few minutes ago. She must have gone directly upstairs."

"I'm worried about her," Buffy said sadly and looked up at Angelus. "She doesn't seem to be recovering very quickly, doesn't she?"

The vampire shook his head, "It's only been a fortnight, Buffy. She'll need some time to--"

"Of course," she nodded. "I'm going to go up to her now. Perhaps she'd welcome some company."

"Yes, well, you might consider taking a quick bath first," her father suggested, gesturing at her heavily soiled clothing.

"An excellent idea," she agreed, grinning once more. "Thanking you for being such a wonderful help tonight, Angelus."

"The pleasure was mine," he smiled and raised her hand to his lips.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy rapped softly on the closed bedroom door before opening it to peek around, "Will? Am I disturbing you?"

"No," the redhead replied from her place on the bed. "I was only reading."

The slayer nodded and let herself in, closing the door behind her before crossing to sit on the edge of the bed, "It is an interesting book?"

"Not very," Willow answered with a little shrug and set the book aside. "It passes the time."

"Angelus and I thought we would dine out tomorrow evening. Would you like to join us?"

"I hardly think you require my presence. I thought I'd broken you of the nasty habit of engaging a chaperone," the redhead grinned.

"It isn't that. We'd enjoy your company."

"I'm sure you're father would like to--"

Buffy shook her head, "Father is too preoccupied with council business to bother himself with unimportant matters such as eating. You've hardly stepped foot outside of this house since we arrived here. You've no idea how many handsome and eligible young suitors there are--"

"Truly, Buffy, I'm not interested in--

The slayer grimaced. "I'm sorry. That was insensitive of me. But please say you'll join us. Angelus would like that as much as I would. Do you remember how you helped me when I needed a pleasant distraction from my problems? Please allow me to return that kindness."

"In hindsight, I'm not sure we can call that a kindness, can we?" Willow smiled. "Although, Angelus being the end result doesn't seem such a bad thing, after all."

Buffy sighed and reached for her friend's hand, "You've been much too quiet, Willow. And you spend far too much time on your own."

"And the three of you spend far too much time worrying about me," the redhead responded. "I'm going to be fine. I promise."

"But you miss him terribly, don't you?" the slayer asked softly.

"I've never known anything that hurt this badly," she admitted a bit curtly. "But no one forced me to board that ship with you. I left London willingly, and I have to muddle my way through all of this on my own, Buffy. Though I know you would like to, there isn't anything that any of you can do for me. And to be honest, talking does very little to help."

Slightly stung by her friend's sharpness, the young blonde found herself at a loss to respond and glanced down at her hands uncomfortably. Willow felt an immediate stab of remorse, and she blew out a soft breath and reached for Buffy's hand.

"I'm sorry. Apparently, I seem to have packed my capacity for bluntness in my suitcase and dragged it right along with me," the redhead smiled. "I know you mean well, and I love you for it. But I'd much rather hear how your evening transpired."

Willow was relieved when Buffy's countenance immediately brightened, and she began an animated discourse of her adventures with Angelus and the vampires they had defeated while on patrol that night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spike climbed out of the hansom cab, slamming the door closed behind him, and all but flung the fare up to the cabby before storming across the street. Upon disembarking from the ship that had sailed into the harbor from London three nights ago, he had determined to maintain a low profile. it wouldn't do for his sire to discover that the blonde vampire had followed after his redhead so quickly. His reputation as Angelus' childe, and as a ruthless and cunning master in his own right, was well known, even so many miles from his homeland, a fact which made remaining inconspicuous a rather difficult undertaking. However, it was imperative that he keep his presence from his sire until he could locate Rupert and Belinda Giles, with whom he was certain he would also find Willow.

He had been searching for the slayer and her watcher's home since his first night in the city, but had met with no success, and Spike was fast losing patience. Except for feeding, he had chosen to keep his distance from the human element here, deciding instead to obtain information from his own kind. It had been an easy matter to locate the larger lairs straightaway, but he had nearly given himself away in the process. It hadn't taken long for the older vampires to realize who he was. When one of the fledglings had foolishly uttered the blonde vampire's name aloud, he had latched onto the young minion and ripped out his throat. The other vampires had quickly agreed that, no, this was not Spike. Indeed, they had never laid eyes upon Angelus' infamous childe, and that he certainly was not dwelling in Boston.

That lapse in judgment having been effectively rectified, Spike was astounded to learn that none of the vampires he questioned had any knowledge of Buffy's presence in the city. He was flabbergasted at the thought that they could be ignorant to the fact that the slayer was dwelling in their own territory. Neither could he believe that she would be anywhere else but on the Hellmouth to which her duty called her. She and her adopted father must be living here, somewhere, but Spike now found himself at a maddening loss.

As the blonde vampire stalked toward a crowded pub at the end of the street, he was stopped by a tentative hand on his shoulder. With a conscious effort to keep his demon hidden, he whirled around and looked down at the short, gangly male who was standing behind him. Spike recognized him as one of the minions from one of the lairs he had visited, and he glanced around quickly to see who might be watching them.

"I'm alone Sp--sir," the young vampire stammered softly. "My master sent me to find you--"

Spike grabbed the fledgling's arm and hauled him into the shadows of the buildings along the street, "You have information for me?"

He nodded and kept his voice low, "Several vampires were staked in a cemetery only a few hours ago. Two of them managed to escape. They said it was a young blonde woman and a tall, dark haired *vampire*--helping her, sir!"

"Which cemetery?" Spike hissed.

"Holyhood, sir, in Brookline."

The blonde vampire's eyebrows rose at this news. He hadn't even considered the possibility that the watcher may have taken an estate outside of Boston proper.

"It isn't far from here," the fledgling continued. "Is this the slayer of whom you spoke? The master sent me in his carriage and instructed me to take you there, if you wish."

"It is, and I do," Spike answered.

"It's this way," the minion informed him and spun on his heel to start off down the sidewalk toward a carriage that was waiting a few feet away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spike could still sense the fleeting presence of the slayer as the minion's quick footsteps followed behind him through the dark cemetery. Aside from the tingling sensation that prickled along his spine, there was no other evidence of the slayer having been here. He stopped and turned around to scowl down at the young vampire.

"Did the two who escaped see in which direction the slayer went?"

"No, sir," he shook his head. "They fled before she had finished fighting with the others. They did say there was no carriage on the street, so she must have come here on foot. She can't live very far from here. Shall I assist in your search?"

"No, that won't be necessary. I will need transport, however."

"My master wishes you to make use of his carriage and driver for as long as you require their services. I can find my own way back to the city, if there's nothing more you need from me."

"Thank you. Inform your master that his territory will remain strictly his. I'm here for a specific purpose. I have no desire to usurp his authority over his own minions. With any luck, I won't even be in Boston for any great length of time."

"Yes, sir," the minion nodded.

He followed Spike back out to the street and looked on in awed reverence as the older vampire barked his orders to the driver. Spike climbed into the carriage, and it pulled away from the curb.

The carriage had been traveling slowly along the gas lit street for nearly a half an hour when Spike caught sight of two men walking just ahead. He called out to the driver, who reigned the horse to a halt, and the blonde vampire swung open the door and leapt out to hurry after the two men. One of them whirled around, amber eyes flashing a silent threat, and Spike allowed his human face to slide away. The stranger immediately took a step back, stumbling into his companion.

"Spike," he whispered, his voice trembling slightly.

"Damn it," the blonde vampire snarled. "How the bloody hell do you know who I am? It isn't supposed to be general knowledge."

"It isn't," the second vampire assured him. "Not to the human element, at any rate. But word of your presence here is beginning to spread amongst our own kind."

"Are you seeking the slayer?" the other asked hopefully.

"You know of her presence here?" Spike inquired.

"I knew the vampires who were killed in the cemetery tonight," he answered. "They were not fledglings. It would have taken a formidable opponent to defeat them. It must have been her. No other human would have had the skills necessary to have taken them on alone and destroyed them."

"She wasn't alone," the blonde vampire informed him. "Have you located her?"

"There's a large estate on Beacon Street that was purchased recently. That's where we're headed," he explained. "We can take you there, if you'd--"

"Yes," Spike nodded and gestured toward the waiting carriage.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spike stood on the dark sidewalk, staring across the street at the tall looming mansion. The two minions beside him were visibly tense, their eyes traveling uneasily from the house to the blonde vampire and back again. Spike, too, could feel the slayer's presence beyond the walls of the large structure, but more importantly, he could sense the unique essence of his beautiful redhead.

"Shall we fetch the others from our lair?" the first minion offered.

"For what purpose?" Spike questioned him. "They cannot get into that house, and even if she were to come outside, considering what occurred back in that cemetery, what do you suppose would be the result of such a confrontation?"

The second vampire, who had no desire whatsoever to find himself a lifeless pile of ashes, shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, "What do you propose that we do then?"

"I propose that you leave her to me. This slayer is not like the other who made infrequent visits to this Hellmouth," Spike promised. "Aside from the fact that this one has set up permanent residence here, she also as two very capable allies."

"Then what makes you so certain that *you* can destroy her?" the first minion asked.

Spike grinned coldly, "There are all sorts of destruction, wouldn't you agree? I may not be able to rid you of her, but I can make her life bloody hell."

His companions obviously liked that idea, and nodded in agreement.

"We'll leave her to you, then," the first remarked. "And should you require our assistance, in any capacity, you've only to find us."

He nodded, "I'll keep it in mind. One other thing, there's a young redhead who is dwelling here with the slayer and her watcher. Keep your distance from her. She's mine. I suggest you pass that word of caution along."

"As you wish," the minion answered. "Is there anything else we can do for you this evening?"

Spike shook his head, his gaze still pinned on the house before him, "You've done well; I won't forget it. If I should need anything, I'll find you."

He waited as the two vampires turned and walked away; then he crossed the street to stand in front of the mansion. His eyes traveled over each window in turn, stopping at last on a second story window, where a light softly illuminated the room from within. He crept to a tree that shaded that side of the house and leapt up, grabbing hold of a thick, sturdy branch and pulling himself up. He deftly moved up through the branches above until he came to one that stretched out over the balcony of the window. He traveled along the branch and dropped soundlessly to his feet and stared into the bedroom through the slightly parted curtains over the French doors.

Willow was just turning away from her dressing table, and Spike felt an unneeded breath of air catch in his throat. She had just finished readying herself for bed. Her long red tresses cascaded around her shoulders, framing her face and contrasting against the ivory fabric of the dressing gown that was cinched tightly around her trim waist. He drank in the sight of her for a long moment before taking a single step forward and rapping ever so lightly against the window. The redhead started, and her head snapped around. She took a hesitant step toward the French doors, and Spike could faintly hear the quickening of her heartbeat. He tapped against the pain of glass once more, and she came across the room to flick back the curtain. Her green eyes widened, and she raised a hand to her lips as she stared out in shocked silence at him.

He smiled, pressing his palm against the glass, as he spoke her name softly, "Willow."

Her hand trembled as it reached for the latch, and she opened the door and stepped back a pace, "William? It can't be!"

"It is," he assured her. "I've missed you, luv."

"But--but how--"

"Invite me in, pet," he asked quietly.

Her eyes clouded with tears, and she nibbled at her bottom lip, "I-I can't. William, I know. I know what you are--"

"I know you do, luv," he responded gently. "I've never hurt you, though, have I? I'd never hurt you. Please, invite me in."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I don't think I should. Buffy--and--and--Angelus--they told me everything. They told me what you were planning on doing to--"

The mere mention of his sire's name from the redhead's lips sent a wave of rage washing over the vampire, but he quickly stifled his anger and smiled in at her, "I think I can make a pretty accurate guess at what they've told you. But in spite of what they've said--in spite of what you may believe, now--please tell me they haven't convinced you that I never loved you, that I don't love you, still."

A tear spilled from her eye as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself, "I don't know, anymore. I don't know what to believe."

"Yes, you do, pet. In your heart, you know that I love you. That, at least, was never a lie."

"And what of everything else?" she wanted to know. "You were going to--to--make me like you? Angelus was going to use Buffy to destroy the council. The whole thing was planned out, from start to finish."

"Falling in love with you was something I never planned," he told her. "But it happened, anyway. I do love you, Willow. I understand that you're frightened. How could I expect anything else, especially with my sire constantly whispering dark warnings in your ear for the past two weeks? I won't hurt you, luv. I only want to be with you. We've had lies enough, haven't we? Can you tell me, in all honesty, that you don't love me?"

She shook her head, staring back at him with pain-filled eyes.

He smiled softly, "You're all I've thought of for a fortnight. I never really understood that eternity could be empty. It's empty without you, luv. Please, invite me in."

"I--I don't know," she wavered, her voice laced with longing.

"But you do know, Willow," he argued gently. "I want you with me so desperately. Let me in. Let me hold you."

She took a step toward him, then stopped and raised her hands to her face, "I can't. I know what it means. If I invite you in--"

"All right, sweetheart. It's all right," he whispered. "Then come out to me. I mean you no harm; I promise. You'd only have to call out, and you know how quickly the others in this house would appear. I love you, pet. Please trust that. Come out to me, Willow. I love you."

The redhead looked into his pleading blue eyes, then swallowed a sob and rushed out to him, throwing her arms around him as he held her close to him, "William, I've missed you so. It's been so lonely here and miserable, without you. I didn't think you would come for me. Really, I didn't."

He groaned softly and hugged her tighter, "How could I not? I can imagine what they've told you, but I have loved you, Willow. I do love you."

She pulled away slightly, turning her tear-streaked face to his, and cupped a hand to his cheek, "I love you, too. I've missed you. I've never hurt so terribly."

He brought his hands to her face and gently thumbed away her tears before lowering his mouth to take hers in a hungry kiss. She sighed against his lips, and his tongue moved inside to capture hers, teasing it lovingly as he drew her more deeply into the kiss. Willow clutched at him desperately, returning the kiss with equal intensity, until he finally drew away to allow her to breath. Her face was flushed prettily, her eyes shimmering with tears, and she smiled widely with a sense of contentment that she had feared she had lost forever. Spike studied her lovely face and felt the tension he had been carrying with him for two long weeks slowly ebb from his body. He pressed his lips to her forehead before gathering her close against him once more and coaxing her cheek to rest against his hard chest.

"There's so much we must discuss," she whispered quietly against him, and he felt her tremble with a renewed sense of apprehension. "William, when we fled London--"

"Shhh," he murmured, tenderly stroking her soft hair. "I know, luv. We must talk. But not tonight, there will be time enough for that. Tonight, I only want to know that you're with me again."

"With you," she repeated. "Always with you."

He placed a kiss on her head, "Willow, the others--Buffy and Angelus and Giles--must not know that I'm here, not before we've had the opportunity to talk."

She shook her head, "I won't tell them. But how will you come to me? It isn't safe here. Buffy says she can sense the presence of vampires."

"That she can," he responded. "I only hope she's close enough to Angelus right now to mask my presence here at this moment."

Alarmed, the redhead drew away from him, "Oh, my heavens! William, if she should discover you out here--"

He nodded and pressed his fingers to her lips, "I must go. Can you come to me tomorrow?"

She looked up at him hesitantly, "C-come to you? Alone? William, I-I don't--"

"Oh, luv," he moaned, taking both of her hands in his. "Listen to me. I am not going to hurt you. It was deception that caused me to lose you in England. I have no intention of repeating that error. I never lied in regard to my feelings for you. Do you believe that?"

"Yes," she answered.

"And are you happy here? The way things are now?"

"No," she murmured. "It's nearly unbearable. My heart aches without you."

"Then please trust me. You know the truth--all of it. I won't lie to you again. I can't promise that you'll always like what I say, but you've never had difficulty in letting me know of your displeasure, have you?"

She giggled softly and shook her head, and he stepped into her and put his arms around her waist, "Then come to me tomorrow. In broad daylight. If you're afraid, you can make your escape into the sunshine, where I can't reach you."

"I'm not afraid of you," she stated decisively. "Admittedly, that may be foolish of me, but I believe that you love me, and I know that I love you. And this--us, separated as we have been--is no way to exist. How shall I find you? Where are you staying?"

"I've taken lodgings in Boston. I'll make arrangements when I get back there tonight to have a cab fetch you tomorrow morning. Will you come?"

"I will," she answered. "Buffy will be training with Mr. Giles in the morning, and I shall give some excuse to travel into Boston for a few hours. They've been making a fuss over my self-imposed isolation, so they'll be relieved to know that I'm getting out."

"All right. The cab will be here at ten o'clock," he informed her and reluctantly removed his arms from around her.

He bent and placed a soft kiss on her lips before stepping back to the railing. She waited until he had found his way back to the ground below, and he looked silently up at her for a moment before turning and walking away from the estate.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Willow closed the front door and turned, squinting against the bright morning sunshine. Buffy and Giles had been visibly elated when the redhead had casually suggested she might ride into Boston for a few hours, and she couldn't help feeling a twinge of guilt over the half-lie she had told them. They cared so greatly for her well-being, and she knew all too well what their reactions would have been had they known her true motivation for traveling into the city.

Even if she could have told them the truth, Willow knew that she would have had no acceptable argument with which to persuade them to allow her to go to Spike. But she had missed him more than she ever knew it was possible to miss anyone. She had slept very little the night before, her mind drifting back to the feel of his lips upon hers once again and the relief of his strong arms wrapped around her. Willow moved down the walkway, and all thoughts of remorse over her deception quickly fled her mind at the sound of a hansom cab rounding the corner. It came into view, and she walked out to meet it, and the driver descended and offered her a hand up into the vehicle.

Less than half an hour later, she found herself standing just inside the vast lobby of an elegant hotel. She suddenly felt strangely nervous at having agreed to meet Spike without having told anyone else of her destination. He had promised that he wouldn't hurt her, and last night she had believed him. But had she, after all, been incredibly foolish? No one knew where she was now. If she went missing, no one would even think to look for her for hours. She felt no anger toward Angelus or Buffy for having spirited her away from England, away from Spike. But the look of hatred which flashed the blonde vampire's eyes last night at the mere mention of his sire's name was testament to his feelings at having been separated from her. Was she now making the biggest mistake of her young life?

She scanned the large room, her gaze coming to rest on a wide staircase from which Spike was just now descending. He moved off of the bottom step and stood motionless, dazzled by the sight of her, and Willow broke into a wide grin and only stopped herself at the last minute from running to him. He met her halfway across the gleaming, tiled floor and reached for her hands, folding them inside of his own.

She gazed around at the myriad of guests milling in and out of the hotel and looked up at him, "Is there somewhere--"

"I've a private sitting room," he told her, turning her to his side and linking his arm through hers to guide her back up the exquisite marble staircase.

Willow's parents, in an effort to assuage their own feelings of guilt over making a habit of being absent from her life, had lavished her with all things material, and the redhead was well acquainted with lavishness. But the opulent surroundings beyond the sitting room door stopped her in her footsteps for a moment. Crystal-globed gas fixtures burned brightly along the walls, dispelling the darkness created by the heavy, drawn curtains. The furnishings were upholstered in velvets and leather, and the Turkish rug under their feet was nothing less than a work of art. Spike noted with amusement the awed look on her face before she stepped across the room and plopped down onto the settee. The blonde vampire chuckled softly; there was the unassuming redhead he'd come to cherish so well.

"This suite is--sumptuous," she stated. "But is it safe for you to be here, William? Surely, Angelus will find you here."

He shook his head, "It isn't likely. If Angelus knew I was in Boston--which he doesn't--he would assume that I would seek the assistance of--others of my kind who dwell here. He would never suspect that I'd take lodgings in so public a place. His first thought would be to investigate the local lairs. If he had done so, I would have known straightaway."

"Then you have--sought their assistance," she surmised.

"It was necessary, to find you," he smiled and sat down close beside her.

"But will they inform Angelus that you were inquiring of me? Or perhaps not," she considered. "They could hardly be aware that he's here."

"They do, now," Spike stated. "And they know that he's working alongside the slayer. They'll give him no information. Of any kind."

A frown creased her brow and she turned slightly toward him, "What have you done, William? What have you told them?"

"The truth," he shrugged. "Perhaps it's unreasonable to expect you to be able to understand this, but my sire betrayed me, Willow. In the worst possible way. Angelus purposely led me on a futile search for Drusilla while he made good his escape with both his slayer and you. He abandoned me."

She lowered her eyes to her hands and whispered softly, "As did I."

Spike tucked a finger under her chin and raised her eyes to his, "I don't blame you, luv. I feel no anger toward you. You were left with little choice. I can imagine what he must have told you. You must have been frightened beyond reason."

"I was. I didn't know what to believe. Everything was happening so quickly, and I could only trust Buffy and Angelus when they warned me that I must flee with them. And the next thing I knew, we were on a ship, sailing away from London--"

"I was there," he told her. "Standing along the docks."

"Were you? Oh, William. I'm so sorry," tears welled up in her eyes, and she reached for his hand and gripped it tightly. "Once we were well and truly away, it hurt so badly, being separated from you. But there was no way to reach you. And, then, I was afraid that you would hate me. Or that you would simply forget me."

"I could never forget you, luv. I do understand, and I don't blame you for what happened," he assured her, gently brushing his fingers through her silky strands of hair. "If only I could have gotten to you, so you could have talked with me about your confusion and fear. I never doubted that Angelus must have frightened you witless in order to drag you away from me."

"He said that you would...change me...that you would make me...what you are." For a moment, Spike worried that she was still afraid, but a glimmer of curiosity shone behind her bright eyes as they remained fixed on his, "Would you have?"

"Yes," he answered and grinned at the wide-eyed astonishment on her face. "Eventually, after you'd fallen so hopelessly in love with me that you actually begged me to turn you."

In spite of the darkly disconcerting statement, her lips curled into a mirroring grin. "And are you so certain that would have happened?"

He shrugged casually, "Of course. Are you implying that you're certain it wouldn't have? That it won't, still?"

She laughed softly, "I think we'll leave that open to debate, for now."

"As you please, pet. For now," he repeated with a smile and drew his arm around her shoulders to pull her close against him. "Willow, I still don't fully understand what happened to Angelus. You said, last night, that he'd told you of our--scheme--so you must be aware of what he was. What changed him so completely that he would side with the slayer and betray his own childe?"

The blonde vampire caught the slight tension that overtook his redhead. She was still coming to terms with the fact that the man with whom she had fallen in love was a vampire, a being who preyed upon her own kind for his survival. He placed a kiss on her temple, and she relaxed once again and turned her face to his. He studied her eyes for a long moment before she smiled and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"It seems his soul was restored," she finally answered.

"But that makes no sense, luv. How--"

"There was a young girl he stumbled upon in a field in Cambridgeshire. He--he--"

"I believe I can guess that part," he coaxed her to continue.

"It was immediately afterward that he felt himself changed. The next morning, he kept himself hidden away in the coal room while he tried to think how to remove Buffy and me from the estate and take us back to London, back to Mr. Giles," she explained. "Mr. Giles said the young woman's people must have been responsible for returning Angelus' soul to him, though he hasn't yet discovered exactly how they accomplished that."

Spike sat in stunned silence for a few minutes, letting that information settle in his brain. Willow watched him closely, trying to decipher the look behind his eyes and feeling more than a little concerned when he neither responded nor looked at her.

"William?" she asked softly, reaching for his hand. "Are you all right?"

He shook himself mentally and finally met her eyes, "Then he's really lost to me, isn't he, pet? If it's as you say, if his soul has been restored, we're truly adversaries, and we always will be."

"Had you ever hoped otherwise?" the question was sincere. "How could you have done, after what happened?"

A sigh parted his lips as he shook his head slowly, "I suppose I held some hope that there might have been--I don't know--some reasonable explanation for why he had taken you away from me so abruptly. Admittedly, it was only a small hope, but still--"

"It pains you, doesn't it?" she responded. "Angelus told me that vampires don't often form attachments with other beings. But you obviously care deeply for him."

"He's my sire, luv. We shared many good times together, though you probably wouldn't regard them in such terms," he smiled a sad smile. "I'm not certain I could explain such a relationship to you. Not so that you would understand."

"I'm truly sorry he hurt you," she told him. "His only thought at the time was that you would harm me."

"Perhaps," he conceded grudgingly. "But he was well aware of my feelings for you. And even after he brought you here, he must have seen how unhappy you were."

"I couldn't hide it. I'd never known such a loss. And while I understood that he was only thinking of my safety, I couldn't quite come to terms with the fact that he could be with Buffy, but I could not be with you," she admitted. "He insisted that it had to do with your soulless condition, but I had so hoped that you'd really loved me."

He quirked an eyebrow, "Only hoped, Willow? More than that, surely."

"Well," she couldn't suppress that smile that formed on her lips. "Perhaps--"

He chuckled and caught her lips once again, and she returned the kiss eagerly before pulling slightly away.

"What do we do, now?" she wondered aloud. "He may not think to look for you here, but you can't expect to remain hidden from him forever. What can we do? Even if I were to swear to it, none of them will accept that I want to be with you."

"I've no doubt of that," he agreed scornfully. "Rupert Giles may have come to terms with his 'daughter's' relationship with a vampire--"

"Oh, that he has most certainly done," she informed him. "Buffy even suggested to me a few nights ago that she and Angelus may soon present themselves as a married couple. In name only, I presume, since I can't imagine that such a ceremony could be performed legally. Considering Mr. Giles' vast knowledge of your kind, I'm already half-convinced that they will persuade him to agree to such an arrangement. No one else would be any the wiser, so no disgrace would be cast upon the Giles' social reputation under such a ruse."

Spike's blue eyes darkened angrily at the thought that Angelus felt he deserved what he would deny his own childe.

"But it goes without saying that the watcher would never allow us the same latitude, nor would the Slayer or my sire," he spat bitterly. "I haven't a soul, nor do I wish to possess such an encumbrance, but Angelus knows very well the depth of my feelings for you."

"I love you, too," she said softly, raising a hand to his cheek, which he drew to his lips to place a gentle kiss on her palm. "We could leave this place, William. I'd go away with you."

He looked at her in wonder at the unmistakable sincerity in her voice. A large part of him was inclined to do just that, to take her away from this city, away from those who would stand in their way. However, an equally large part of him wanted to make Angelus suffer. To make him feel the same sort of loss that he had thrust on his childe by tearing Willow away from him. And that desire for revenge would not be denied.

"We will, luv, but not just yet," he replied. "It will be some time before Angelus realizes my proximity. I meant what I said last night, pet. There are no lies between us any longer. You know what I am. But, I think, you have yet to fully come to terms with that understanding. You must decide whether you can love me--as I am."

She shook her head, "I've already decided. I've told you. I love you. I may not fully understand what you are; but I do know that I need you. I can't find a way to be happy when we aren't together. I won't lose you again, William. I can't."

"Then you must trust me to deal with my sire as I deem fit. Can you do that? Can you keep your knowledge of my presence from the others?" he questioned her. "Even if it means that people you care for may--will--be hurt?"

She looked up at him, her gaze calm and steady, and repeated her declaration "I know only one thing. I love you. They are determined that I shall not be with you. But I don't want to be without you. If that makes me a self-confessed fool, then so be it."

He laughed softly and pulled her onto his lap, "That makes you mine, sweetheart. And I've never been one to abide fools."

She nodded and grinned at him, "Then I'm yours."

Spike searched her eyes and, finding only truth there, claimed her lips in a hard, hungry kiss.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Angelus kept his thoughts to himself until Willow announced she was retiring for the evening and excused herself from the sitting room. The vampire waited until her footsteps faded away before finally turning to Buffy and Giles.

"She seems different of late, doesn't she?" he asked.

"Well, she is getting out more, other than her nightly stroll round the gardens," Buffy agreed. "I think perhaps she's beginning to move past her feelings of loss."

"I truly hope that's all it is," he remarked.

Giles removed his spectacles and studied the vampire's pensive expression, "But you have misgivings?"

"I can't help but have," Angelus nodded. "This change in her disposition is rather abrupt, don't you think? She leapt from morose silence to...I'm not certain exactly how to describe it. She's as quiet as she's ever been since we arrived here, but I've been watching her over the past couple of days. She appears to be almost...content."

The slayer frowned, "But isn't that what we've been hoping for? Why should you feel concerned--"

"Of course, I want her to be happy. It only worries me because it's happened so suddenly. If you and I were to be separated, would you recover so quickly?"

She shook her head, "Perhaps her feelings for Spike didn't run as deeply as ours do for one another."

He cocked his head, his eyes boring into hers, "Do you really believe that? Or do you merely wish to believe it?"

"It would be easier, wouldn't it," she admitted. "But you're right. She's been gravely unhappy for nearly three weeks."

"Until a couple of days ago," Giles added. "So, what do you believe is the cause of this, Angelus?"

"I'm not certain. Willow maintains her pensive reticence, but it seems to me that the sadness behind her eyes has changed. It makes me wonder if she's using that silence to which we've become accustomed to...keep something from us," he commented. "I thought I might ride into Boston after we've finished patrolling tonight."

Buffy was visibly unsettled by his words, "Oh, gracious! Angelus, you can't be suggesting that--that--"

"Spike has made his way here?" Giles finished the question his daughter had tripped upon.

"I haven't heard anything to cause me to suspect so, but it does seem the most plausible explanation for Willow's change in demeanor," he replied.

The young blonde shook her head, "No. No, I cannot believe it. If Spike were here, and if Willow were aware of it, she would never do something so foolish as to keep that knowledge from us!"

Angelus reached for her hand and squeezed it gently, "Love induces people to all sorts of foolish actions. At any rate, I don't believe we should panic just yet. This is only conjecture on my part, love. I've neither seen him nor heard of any reference to his presence here."

"Still, it would be wise for us to err on the side of caution," Giles interjected.

"I agree," Angelus nodded. "And even if I'm wrong about this--which I hope that I am--it will do no harm to take a look around the city. Buffy will soon be ready to extend her patrol to the streets and cemeteries in Boston. We've been concentrating on honing her abilities here, and I've spent very little time scouting the movements of the vampires there. At the very least, we'll gain some valuable information."

"Shall I accompany you?" Buffy offered.

"I think that would not be the best idea," he refused. "If Spike is here, and if the other vampires are aware of it, they won't part with any information if the slayer is with me."

"True enough," she agreed. "Well, then, shall we go? The sooner we finish tonight, the sooner you can start out for the city."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Angelus' senses were assaulted by the heavy smell of human blood, and he slipped around the dark corner of a building along the harbor wharf. The vampire who was crouched near the far end of the building looked up, snarling angrily. He dropped the corpse, an immigrant lad who had stepped off of a ship just that evening, only to have his young life abruptly ended. Reacting instantly, Angelus growled, and his human features slid away.

He managed to stop himself from lunging at the other vampire as reason broke through his anger and reminded him that, if he were to reveal himself as an enemy to his own kind, his search for information would be lost before it had even begun. The younger vampire approached cautiously, staring back at Angelus with curious amber eyes. Angelus shoved his demon aside, and his visage smoothed back into that of the human.

"I don't know you, do I?" the vampire inquired in a strange mixture of contempt and apprehension.

"You don't," Angelus responded. "I haven't been in Boston very long. I'm looking for someone."

The minion scowled and glanced back at the lifeless body behind him, "A human? Him?"

"Of course not," the elder vampire spat derisively. "He hardly looked fit for a meal."

"Blood's blood," the vampire shrugged, then looked up uncertainly at the far more experienced stranger before him. "Isn't it?"

With a casual shrug, Angelus masked his revulsion at the topic of conversation, "You haven't been at this very long, have you? Ah, well, you'll learn, eventually. If you don't end up a pile of ashes, first."

The dark passions that had been the master vampire's driving force only a few weeks before were palpable to the young minion, and he gazed with reverence at Angelus, "Who are you seeking?"

"One of our own kind--and a master, at that. He would have arrived here from England very recently. Blonde hair, blue eyes, considerably older than yourself. Have you seen him about, or heard of any reference to someone known as Spike?"

The minion had not needed to hear the name; he had immediately recognized the vampire from Angelus' description. He had been told that the blonde vampire might be sought out by another elder--Spike's sire, to be precise--who had allied himself to, of all people, the slayer. The minion had also been warned that to give away the Spike's location would be wholly deleterious to a long unlife. And though he was inexperienced, he had never been stupid, even as a human. He had felt a sense of great pride when his own sire had said that he'd chosen the young man specifically. Now, he found himself in a position to be of service to Spike--a master vampire whose legend had traveled across an ocean. Word would get back to the blonde vampire that it had been he who had effectively mislead Angelus. That, alone, was satisfaction enough for the minion to resolutely ignore his innate abhorrence for this once-respected vampire who had chosen to defect to the slayer's side, and to feign the part of the dutiful underling.

The young vampire licked his lips, masking the sneer of disgust that threatened to form, and responded, "I haven't seen or heard of him, and I know most of what occurs in this town. You can ask around, if you like, but if he were here, I'm certain I would know."

"You're probably right. He isn't exactly the quiet, unassuming sort," Angelus nodded. "However, I think it best to be certain. There must be at least a dozen lairs scattered about this city."

"At least," the minion was reluctant to confirm even that small bit of information to anyone who had allied himself with the slayer, but he saw no way to avoid it.

"Show me," Angelus ordered in a tone that left no prospect for refusal.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Willow crept silently down the back stairs and slipped, unnoticed, out of the house. The subtle scent of the various flowers which had closed their blossoms for the evening still lingered in the warm night air, and she strolled slowly across the vast yard to the small arbor that landscaped the far left corner. She sat down on the bench that was sheltered by an ivy-covered trellis and closed her eyes, reveling in the sleepy sounds of the crickets and the gentle breeze that played through her hair. Cool fingers brushed across her neck from behind, and she smiled and turned her head as Spike moved around the trellis to sit close beside her.

She found his hand, and their fingers intertwined as he placed a long, slow kiss on her lips. He pulled away to place an arm around her and draw her flush against his side, her head resting comfortably against his shoulder. Spike's fingers played through her long copper tresses that gleamed in the moonlight, and he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Angelus has gone into Boston this evening," she spoke softly, not looking up at him. "I'm not supposed to be aware of that."

"And how did you find out?" Spike asked her.

She shrugged, "I rang for the maid to bring me some tea, and she mentioned that Angelus had called for the carriage. I know he's been watching me closely over the past few days. Do you think he suspects that you're here, that he's gone to seek information about you?"

"It doesn't matter if he has," he assured her. "He'll learn nothing until I decide otherwise. He'll return to the estate completely convinced that I am *not* in Boston."

"But how long will you wait before you confront him?" she wondered. "I can't understand why you are putting it off. We want to be together, so why don't we just tell them? There's really nothing they can do about it."

"Don't underestimate my sire, luv," he warned her. "He and the slayer will do whatever is necessary to keep you away from me."

She turned her head to look up into his eyes, "They wouldn't hurt me, Spike. Buffy and Mr. Giles genuinely care for me."

"That may be true, but they don't seem to care about your wishes, do they?" he countered. "You must trust me, Willow. I know what I'm doing."

She smiled softly and caressed his cheek with her fingers, "I do trust you. I'm only impatient. It's difficult being separated from you."

"It is," he agreed. "But if they have their way, our separation will be permanent. I'll devised a means for us to get away from this place without there being any possibility of stopping us. Be patient, Willow. It won't be much longer."

"Very well," she nodded. "But if you require my assistance--in any way--you will let me know?"

"Of course," he smiled. "Can you come to me tomorrow? We could spend the day together."

"Buffy and Mr. Giles are plotting to affect her marriage to Angelus. They are planning a dinner party for Friday evening, where they will introduce Angelus as having just arrived from abroad," she told him. "Buffy has been making noises all day of how painful she is afraid this will be for me."

"And will it be?" Spike asked her quietly.

"Perhaps, just a bit," she confessed as she stood up, turning back to face him as he caught her hands and clasped them firmly. "I understand that the only way for them to be together without scandal is if they are believed to be married. I only wish they could understand that my feelings for you are as deep and as genuine as their feelings for one another. We never speak of you. Your name is never mentioned. It's as thought, if we ignore your existence, you shall cease to exist. But you do exist. You're always with me--inside. And while I witness their joy in being together, they have determined that I must forfeit mine with you. I'll never agree to that, Spike. I love you, with everything that I am."

He moaned softly and rose to pull her tightly to him, "You won't lose me, pet. I promise you that."

She nodded and smiled against his chest, "I know. Anyway, all I really meant to say was that they will be busy tomorrow planning the dinner party. Buffy has already said that I needn't be involved in the preparations. I'm sure she'll be relieved when I decide to spend the day in Boston tomorrow, out of sight and hearing of their plans for their future together. I shall arrive at the hotel late in the morning, if that's agreeable."

"Most agreeable," he grinned and raised her face in his hands to place a lingering kiss on her mouth.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Willow had left the estate only a few minutes before Angelus awakened and crept down to the kitchen. The servants were busy about the house and or had gone into town, making the necessary arrangements for the upcoming dinner party, and the vampire found the below stairs rooms vacant. He went to the larder and pulled from its hiding place a jar of blood that Buffy had brought back from the butcher yesterday morning. With the kitchen currently unoccupied, he took the luxury of warming the red liquid on the stove. He transferred it into a cup and drank it quickly. He washed out both the pan and the cup he had used, then made his way up to the morning room.

From the settee, Buffy looked up and smiled as Angelus cautiously peered around the door, "It's all right. I've drawn the curtains."

He nodded and entered to sit beside her, and she showed him the menu she and the cook had prepared together earlier that morning.

"I suppose I can pretend to enjoy this," he teased her, handing the sheet of paper back to her.

"You had better," she grinned. "Because I don't think our guests will quite understand if you sit at the dining table sipping from a goblet of blood."

"Point taken," he laughed. "Has your father gone out?"

"He's making arrangements for the music after dinner," she nodded. "And Willow has gone into Boston, thankfully. I don't think she was looking forward to hearing all about the preparations for the introduction of my 'husband.' I can't help feeling more than a little guilty about all of this."

"Willow understands. She wants you to be happy," he told her softly.

"She does, but at the same time, we've robbed her of her happiness."

"We gave her her life, Buffy," Angelus reminded her. "You know what leaving her in London would have meant."

"I keep reminding myself," she responded sadly. "It doesn't help very much."

"Well, she's safe. That's what's important. And none of the vampires that I spoke to last night had heard anything of Spike being anywhere near here. I can't understand the change that's come over her."

"Perhaps she's simply pleased that you and are to be together," the slayer suggested.

"Perhaps," he conceded.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spike met Willow in the hotel lobby and ushered her upstairs and into the sitting room of his suite. The redhead felt as though she could actually feel the nervous energy radiating from the vampire, and she looked over at him expectantly as she sat down on the settee.

"What is it? What's happened?" she asked.

He smiled as he opened the lid of a silver box on the fireplace mantle and fished out a cigarette and lit it before responding, "Angelus' trek around Boston last night has worked in our favor. When I returned to the hotel, there were two minions waiting for me in the lobby. Their master had sent them to inform me of Angelus' investigation into my presence here. If they had any doubts about what I had told them of my sire, his furtive inquiries raised enough suspicion to have laid those doubts to rest. They told him they knew nothing of me, and their master has offered to aid us in any way necessary."

"I see," she commented, though her expression said otherwise. "Can you not tell me what it is you are planning?"

"I can tell you something of it. You'll have to trust me on the rest," he answered, then tossed the remainder of the cigarette into the fireplace and went over to her, sitting down beside her and reaching for her hand, "The other vampires' assistance will be essential if we are to get away from here. Friday night, during the dinner party, I will come to the estate--"

"William! You can't be serious!" she gasped.

He smiled and pressed his fingers gently to her lips, "Let me finish, luv. At precisely ten o'clock, you must make some excuse to leave the others for a moment. When you do, exit the house through the door into the back gardens. Make certain no one sees you. I will be waiting for you at the trellis in the arbor."

Her hand trembled slightly in his as she stared into his eyes, "What are you intending to do?"

Spike shook his head and raised her hand and kissed it, "Trust me, Willow. I love you. When you return to the estate, pack only a few things in a bag and hide it out behind the stables. I shall retrieve it from there. Anything else you may need, we can acquire once we're away. Will you do that for me?"

"Yes," she answered, her apprehensive eyes still studying his face. "But--"

"I love you," he repeated and laced his fingers through her hair, pulling her to him and covering her lips with his.

"And I love you," she told him when he eventually released her. "And you know how much I long for us to be together. But William, I would never wish for Buffy or her father--or even for Angelus--to be harmed. You won't--"

"Don't worry so, luv," he smiled softly at her.

"I can't help it. I don't--"

Spike was too close to realizing his desires to have them snared by Willow's unease. Though he didn't share her concerns, he understood the human's apprehension concerning her friends' well-being. But he had only a few precious hours with her, and he had no intention of wasting them on a discussion that would, essentially, change neither of their feelings for one another, nor what must be done to ensure that he and Willow would not be forcibly separated again. His lips sought hers, drawing her onto his lap as his tongue explored her mouth with a slow, sensual indulgence that left the redhead dizzily hungry for more. The concern that she had begun to voice before his mouth stopped her words immediately vanished, and she clung tightly to him as he drew away, nibbling softly at her lips.

"I love you, Willow. Be with me," he whispered, his blue eyes piercing the hazy green of her own.

She nodded, and he kissed her again, lifting her in his arms as he rose from the settee and crossed the floor to the bedroom. He carried her through, toeing the door closed behind him, and walked to the bed. He lowered her onto her feet, and her trembling fingers covered his as he reached for the buttons on her high-collared blouse. His lips traveled a soft path down the smooth column of her throat as his unfastened each button and drew the garment off of her shoulders. He moaned at the beauty of her pale, white shoulders and bent to place a kiss on the rounded hills of her breasts above the tightly laced corset. A shiver of pleasure shook the small woman's body as his cool lips continued their journey, skimming lightly over her warm flesh.

Spike divested the redhead of the rest of her clothing and reached behind her to flick back the bed coverings. He moved her back against the mattress, and she slowly laid down. An enticing red flush traveled from her cheeks to her breasts as he stood, gazing raptly down at her, drinking in the beauty of her naked form. He smiled comfortingly at her and quickly pulled off his own clothing, then moved onto the bed, lying down beside her and pulling her into his arms.

"You're exquisite, sweetheart," he whispered against her ear, and he rolled her slightly so that he was over top of her.

Her hand reached up to caress his cheek, and he lowered his mouth to hers. Her lips parted, and their tongues met, tangling slowly as his hand moved down to the soft nubs of her breasts, teasing each one until they hardened into rosy pebbles. If Willow had experienced a pang of nervous worry at the thought of her first sexual encounter, it was quickly dispelled by his gentle caresses and his soft words of endearment as his lips brushed against hers. Spike smoothed his palm down the plane of her flat tummy, and her eyes flew to his as his thumb brushed over her clitoris in slow, teasing circles.

She moaned and instinctively raised her hips, unconsciously seeking to increase the pressure against the sensitive bundle of nerves. Never before had she felt such a delicious, tingling longing in the pit of her stomach, nor did she fully understand what he was doing to her. She only knew that it felt wonderful, and she wanted much more. Spike chuckled at the play of emotions that passed over her flushed face as her juices trickled from her core to coat his fingers. His mouth found hers once again, and he parted her legs with his knee and placed his hard cock at her slickened opening. He moved slowly into her until he felt her body suddenly tense at the unfamiliar and slightly uncomfortable pressure against her maidenhead.

The vampire looked down into her worried eyes and caressed his fingertips along her cheek, "I love you."

Her eyes shimmered softly, and she smiled up at him, "I love you, too, William. I want you."

He nodded and engulfed her mouth with his own, swallowing her sharp yelp of surprise and pain as he suddenly plunged the entire length of his shaft into her tight channel. He remained perfectly still within her as he raised his mouth to kiss away the salty tears that had sprung from her eyes. The pain she had experienced was quickly subsiding, to be replaced by the overwhelming amazement of being filled by this man who had laid claim to her heart. His lips fluttered along her soft cheeks as he cooed softly to her, and Willow turned her head, threading her fingers through his hair and pulling his mouth down hard against her own as she thrust up against him.

Taking her lead, Spike began a careful rhythm, and Willow's hand moved to his shoulders. She gasped softly at the insistent pressure against her clit as he thrust into her. Without really being aware of it, her body began to respond to his movements, mirroring them as he quickened their pace. He slid one hand between their bodies and resumed the gentle assault on her clit, and Willow murmured and bucked against him, dragging her nails down his back. He felt her vaginal walls clenching around him as his redhead's body began to succumb to the aching need that had built to a crescendo inside her belly. Their eyes met and locked as his handsome features morphed into those of the vampire, and she nodded once in consent and turned her head, baring her throat to him.

Spike growled as he sank his fangs into her neck. The sensation of the pressure of his lips as he drank from her, his seed spilling inside her, shattered Willow's reality, and she cried out his name as her orgasm overtook her. He lapped at the small trickles of blood that seeped from the wounds on her neck, soothing the punctures with his cool tongue. Conscious thought slowly reinserted itself into the redhead's brain, and she released a trembling sigh as her walls continued to dance around his cock. Spike raised his head, and his blue eyes looked down at her. She smiled softly before he kissed her firmly, turning her body gently as she responded to the kiss. He drew her head down to rest against his chest and stroked her back tenderly.

Willow snuggled closer against him and whispered, "I love you, William, with everything that I am."

His arms tightened around her, and he brushed his lips against her hair, "Sleep now, luv. We've the entire afternoon ahead of us."

She nodded and placed a kiss on his chest, then looked up at him, "The entire afternoon. And then--forever?"

"After Friday night, pet," he smiled. "Then--forever."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Spike awoke long before Willow did, and he quietly slipped out of the bed and went into the sitting room to order a tray of food to be sent up to his suite. He waited until the tray was delivered, then returned to the bedroom to discover Willow was no longer asleep and had left the bed to stand in front of the large mirror hanging above the bureau. She had plucked up his shirt from the floor and slipped it on, and Spike grinned appreciatively as his eyes followed the lines of the fabric that draped around the enticing curve of her rear end and ended just above her knees.

Unaware that he had come into the room, Willow stared into the silvered glass, fingering the punctures on her throat. She started as Spike set the tray on a table beside the door, rattling the dishes and cutlery in the process, and she whirled around to face him. He went over to her and drew her into his arms, and her hand moved once again to the wounds he had inflicted on her warm, pale flesh.

She looked up at him with worried eyes, "What have we done, William?"

"You're having regrets?" he questioned her, his dead heart lurching with a sickening twist.

"No!" she answered immediately, then smiled and placed her hand against his cheek. "Never regrets. Only, how will I ever explain *these* to Buffy--or--or Angelus? William, we--"

He shook his head and silenced her with a soft kiss, "Do you really fear that I wouldn't have considered that danger?"

"How could you have? You had no idea that we would--" she paused and took a step away from him, placing her hands on her hips. "Or *did* you?"

"What are you suggesting?" his eyes danced with amusement. "That I purposely lured you to my hotel suite today with the intention of having you in my bed? I'm deeply offended, luv. How could you suspect that I would even have harbored such hopes--"

"William Randall! You seduced me!" she accused him, trying to maintain the pretense of anger and finding it more than a little difficult, considering the delighted giggle that threatened to tumble from her lips.

"I seduced you?" he asked her, all innocence, as he grabbed hold of her wrist and gently drew her back into him. "I rather thought it was you who seduced me."

"Did I?" she asked, her eyes wide with hope.

He chuckled and held her close against him and wrapped her firmly in his arms, "Willow, you beguiled me months ago. At the very least, I think you ought to concede to a mutual seduction."

She laughed softly and pressed a kiss to his lips, "Mutual seduction. I do like that."

"Come sit down and eat," he urged her, pulling her over to the bed and returning to the table to fetch the food.

"Do you know what this brings to mind?" she asked him quietly, tucking her legs under her as he placed the tray on the mattress and then sat down, facing her.

"Wales," he nodded with a soft smile.

She smiled back at him, her eyes misting with tears, "I missed you so terribly after--"

"Hush, sweetheart," he murmured and leaned across the tray to place a slow kiss on her lips. "We're here now, together."

She sniffled and helped herself to a sandwich while the vampire poured tea into the only cup on the tray, "But what are we going to do about--these?"

He caught hold of the hand that rose to trace the wounds on her neck and held it firmly in his own, "There are a few things you must be aware of--"

"Vampire-type things?" she guessed.

He nodded, "We are very perceptive--much more so than humans. We have keen senses of sight, hearing, and scent."

"Scent?" she repeated.

"Yes," he answered, watching the understanding that began to dawn on her face. "Any one of my sort would immediately discern that you have been with a vampire--which, in itself, is no great cause for alarm. However, Angelus, as my sire, possesses a unique familiarity with me. He would recognize that scent as mine the very moment he came near you."

"Oh, no," she whispered.

"It isn't hopeless," his calm voice assured her. "It simply means we must take precautions. So, it's into a hot bath with you before you leave me this afternoon. And--"

With that, he moved off of the bed and exited to the sitting room, returning quickly with a dress draped over one arm.

"When I ordered the tray, I also made arrangements to have this delivered. It may not be a perfect fit, but it should be near enough," he told her. "You must leave your other clothing here and wear this back to the estate. You'll have to make an excuse for the change in garments when you--"

"I'll simply tell them I ordered it from the dressmaker during an earlier excursion into the city and liked it so well that I chose to wear it home," she told him as she examined the dress.

"The collar will disguise the marks when you return--"

"And I have several necklaces and garments which will serve the same purpose," she nodded.

"That will do nicely," he agreed. "Even so, you would do well to keep your distance from Buffy and Angelus as much as is possible."

She waved her hand casually, "I shall suffer from a cold or something equally innocuous. They're so preoccupied with the dinner preparations, they'll simply allow me to rest. After all, what else can one do for such a malady?"

"Perfect," he smiled.

But the little redhead seemed suddenly to have lost her appetite, and she stared down at her hands and said, "William, I feel guilty about deceiving people for whom I care so deeply."

He cupped her chin in his hand and raised her eyes back to his, "Pet, it is they who have made the deception necessary. You know very well they would never be persuaded to allow you and I to be together."

"Yes, I do know that," she conceded. "And I will do whatever I must to be with you. I only wish that they could understand--"

"They can't. They have no desire to understand," he told her. "Buffy and Angelus may have their happiness. Yours is expendable."

She shook her head sadly, "I truly don't believe that is their intention, Yet, I cannot deny that our--situation--hardly seems fair."

"Friday is but two days away, luv. Then all of the pretense will be ended, and we *will* be together."

Willow smiled and turned to remove the tray to the bedside table. She moved close in front of him, placing her hands on either side of his face, and trailed her tongue along his lips as she kissed him. He moaned happily and parted his lips to her, drawing her tongue into his mouth as he gently laid her back on the bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Willow stepped into the house and quietly shut the front door. She crept quickly across the foyer to the stairway and had just placed her foot onto the first step when a door across the room swung open, and a petite, brunette housemaid appeared from the corridor that lead to the kitchen on the other side of the house.

"Mary!" the redhead squeaked in surprise.

"I beg your pardon, Miss. I didn't mean to startle you."

Willow cleared her throat and willed her flustered nerves to calm, "No, it's all right. Could you bring a tea tray up to my room, please? And a hot water bottle."

"Are you feeling poorly, Miss Willow?" the young girl asked.

"It's nothing to be concerned about. I'm certain it's only a cold," she answered.

The maid nodded sympathetically, "Best to get right into bed, then. I'll bring you a nice, hot cup of tea."

"Thank you," Willow smiled and began to ascend the stairs, then turned back. "Mary, where are Mr. Giles and Buffy?"

"They're in the parlor, Miss Willow. Mr. Giles returned a little bit ago, and I believe they are discussing Friday night's dinner."

"I see. Well, I won't bother them, then. If you could just inform them that I've returned from Boston and have retired for the evening?"

"Of course, Miss," Mary bobbed a quick curtsey and hurried away to the kitchen.

Willow had just climbed into bed when Mary knocked softly on the bedroom door, and the redhead fidgeted with the collar of her nightgown, pulling it more securely over the wounds on her throat. She took the cup of tea from the maid and murmured a "thank you" as the girl lifted the edge of the covers to settle the hot water bottle close to Willow's feet.

She stood back and tilted her head, considering the little redhead for a moment, before she remarked, "You do look all done in, Miss Willow."

"I am tired," she agreed as Mary turned to pick up the dress that Willow had draped over the chair in front of the dressing table across the room.

"Is this new? I don't recognize it."

"I just picked it up--in Boston--this afternoon. Do you like it?"

"It's lovely. Though it doesn't seem quite as tailored as your other dresses," the young girl suddenly blushed and brought a hand to her mouth. "Oh! Forgive me--"

Willow giggled, "Actually, I think I agree. I was a bit disappointed in the dressmaker, myself."

The maid studied the gown more closely, "It's almost as if it were made for someone else, Miss. You don't suppose the lady confused your measurements with somebody else's?"

"I've no idea," the redhead shrugged. "It's the first dress I've purchased since we arrived here."

"Well, the fabric is quite fine, and the stitching is excellent. I could easily take in the waist just a bit."

"Would you?" Willow asked. "It doesn't fit as well as it should, but I do like the style."

"It would be no trouble at all," Mary smiled. "It will look quite smart on you with only a few alterations."

"Thank you, Mary. I thought I might wear it to dinner on Friday."

"Miss Willow?" the maid hesitated for a moment. "I know it's really none of my business, and I've no place to even ask such a question--"

"Ask anyway," the redhead grinned when Mary paused nervously.

"Well, Miss, my uncle is a member of the council, and he explained to me all about Miss Giles--duties--so, I do understand. But this dinner on Friday. It's to introduce Angelus as Miss Buffy's husband. Don't you think that terribly--scandalous?"

"You do know what Angelus is?" Willow asked.

"Yes, Miss. Mr. Giles explained it all very carefully. But I must confess that I find it difficult to believe that Angelus truly has a soul."

"How many other vampires have you known?"

"None, Miss, and I don't like to doubt Mr. Giles' word. He's such a kind man--"

"That he is, and he would never place any of you in unnecessary danger, nor would Buffy or Angelus. I can assure you that what Mr. Giles says is true. You haven't informed your uncle of the situation here, have you?"

"No, and I gave Mr. Giles my word that I would not. Aside from the fact that he pays us handsomely, we all like Mr. Giles and his daughter, and Angelus has always been very cordial with the staff."

"So, you see? There's no need to worry. Buffy and Angelus love each other, and they want nothing more than to be together. Considering the circumstances, you must understand why a legal marriage would be virtually impossible."

"I suppose so, Miss. Still, it doesn't seem quite--proper."

"Perhaps not, but Buffy and Angelus are not ordinary people, and their situation is most certainly not ordinary. Buffy deserves this happiness to offset the darkness that her destiny thrusts upon her; don't you agree? It's hardly fair to impose society's conventions on such unconventional individuals."

"I reckon that does seem a bit unfair, when you explain it that way," Mary nodded. "Anyway, as I said to Mr. Giles, you can depend on my discretion."

"I'm sure that we can," Willow smiled gently.

"I'm keeping you from your sleep," the maid suddenly realized and turned toward the door, with the dress still in her hands. "Is there anything else I can get for you, Miss?"

"No, thank you," she responded. "Good night, Mary."

"Sleep well, Miss Willow."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Willow spent the following day in her room and had lunch brought up on a tray from the kitchen. When Mary delivered it, the redhead asked the young maid to dissuade Buffy from checking on her, and to reassure the slayer that Willow was only suffering from a slight cold and that she did not wish to disrupt the household, which was busily scurrying about to prepare for the dinner party the next evening.

Buffy had been as frantically preoccupied as the redhead had expected she would be. And the slayer had acquiesced to Willow's request, stopping by her room only for a few moments in the afternoon to poke her head round the door and find the redhead comfortably curled up in a chair in the corner, reading a book. Reassured that her friend was not seriously ill, Buffy had hurried away to resume overseeing the preparations, and Willow had spent the rest of the afternoon safely alone. She had rung for a tray of tea and a light supper early in the evening, under the pretense of once again retiring early.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The redhead awoke to the sound of birds twittering outside her window, and she bathed and dressed, carefully selecting a wide, beaded necklace that fastened securely around her slender throat and effectively hid the wounds Spike had inflicted on her. As the late morning sun glowed brightly through the drawn curtains behind her, Willow folded the remainder of the few garments she had laid out on her bed and tucked them neatly into a small suitcase. She went to her bureau and extracted the rectangular velvet case which contained the exquisite emerald necklace Spike had purchased for her back in London. Flipping open the lid, she smiled fondly down at the sparkling gems and ran her fingertips over the platinum placket. A soft rap at the door startled the redhead out of her pleasant memories, and she quickly returned to the bed and placed the velvet case safely between the garments she had packed before snapping shut the suitcase and sliding it under the bed.

"Come in," she called out, and the door opened and Buffy smiled as she took a step inside.

"How are you feeling this morning?" the slayer asked.

"Quite better, I think," Willow answered.

"I wanted to check you on before I retired last night, but Mary informed me that you had gone to bed early. So, I thought I should not disturb you," Buffy explained as she studied her friend's face. "You do look a bit pale, though. Don't you think you ought to be in bed?"

"I'm certain it's nothing more than a sniffle. I thought I would indulge in a brief stroll about the estate, just to take in some fresh air."

"That sounds like an excellent idea. Would you like some company? I'm sure Father could do without me for a little while--"

"Oh, no. I understand how busy you must be with the servants and all. I'm only sorry that I could not be of more help to you," Willow responded.

"Don't be silly," Buffy smiled. "You're doing exactly as you should--resting and restoring your strength so you can enjoy dinner with us tonight."

"I am looking forward to it," Willow nodded.

"It will be an evening to remember," the slayer agreed. "Well, if there's nothing I can get for you..."

"I'm fine, really," the redhead assured her. "You go along and see to the servants. I'm going to go outside and luxuriate in that glorious sunshine and then rest for a bit. I'll be down before dinner."

"All right. I'll see you later, then," Buffy agreed and let herself out of the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Willow! There you are," Buffy exclaimed as the redhead took a tentative step into the parlor. "I was beginning to fear that you were you were feeling unwell again."

"I'm sorry. I'm feeling much better," she smiled. "I lost track of the time, and then Mary wanted to fuss with my hair, and you know how I detest that."

"Well, we can see who won that argument," the slayer giggled, noting the long auburn tresses that flowed freely about Willow's shoulders.

"You look lovely, my dear," Giles spoke up.

"She does, indeed," Angelus nodded.

Willow felt a wash of panic sweep over her as the dark haired vampire moved toward her. She bridled the overwhelming urge to back away from him and forced herself to remain still. As he stepped up beside Buffy, the slayer wrapped her arm around his and smiled up at him, and Willow breathed a mental sigh of relief as Angelus leaned down and placed a kiss on the blonde's forehead.

"That's a new dress, isn't it?" Buffy asked. "I'd no idea you'd been to a dressmaker. You should have told me; I would have loved to have accompanied you."

"It's just as well that you didn't, if I may say so, Miss Giles," Mary's voice spoke from the doorway. "That woman can't be much of a seamstress. I had to alter the waist and bodice several inches before it fit Miss Willow properly."

"Well, it's certainly beautiful on you," Angelus stated.

"Thank you," Willow murmured, visibly embarrassed at being the center of attention.

"Mr. Haskill sent me up, Mr. Giles. The first of the guests has arrived. Their carriage has just pulled up outside," Mary said.

He nodded and followed Mary and Willow out of the room, and Angelus paused to look down at Buffy.

"Are you ready to face them, love?"

She beamed up at him, "I'm ready to face anything, with you by my side. And now you are about to be introduced as my husband."

"In their eyes," he added.

"In every way that matters," she insisted. "I do love you, Angelus. Legalities are immaterial. I am yours."

"I love you," he whispered before taking her lips in a soft, tender kiss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"They make a handsome couple," a lilting voice spoke softly from behind Willow's elbow.

The redhead turned slightly and nodded her agreement. Mrs. Henrietta Wyndham had been one of the first people Willow had met upon settling in Brookline. The elderly woman, who had been widowed nearly a decade ago, lived in the grand house just across the street. She had seen the little redhead walking past on the sidewalk one morning and had invited her in for tea, and the two ladies had taken an immediate liking to one another. Though well into her seventies, Mrs. Wyndham maintained a sharp mind and an equally keen sense of humor, and she had recognized a kindred soul in the outspoken young woman.

"Yes, they do," Willow agreed. "I'm so pleased you were able to dine with us this evening."

"An invitation that, I've no doubt, was suggested by you," Mrs. Wyndham replied.

"I didn't have to. You were already on the guest list."

"But you stole a look at it--just to be sure," the elderly woman guessed.

Willow grinned, "I couldn't help myself. I loathe these social engagements. I had to be certain there would be at least one bright spot in the evening."

"Flatterer," Henrietta laughed softly. "Has Belinda's husband only just arrived in Brookline? I haven't seen him about."

"He had--business--to attend to, before he could join us here," Willow replied, giving the excuse that the four of them had agreed upon when the plan to introduce Angelus as Buffy's husband had been conceived.

"Well, they are very obviously in love," the woman remarked.

"Marriage doesn't seemed to have dampened their feelings for one another, has it?" Willow agreed with dry humor.

Mrs. Wyndham's grey eyes sparkled with amusement at the redhead's observation, "It doesn't always, my dear. Married couples have been known to go right on loving one another for years, in spite of the bonds of matrimony."

Willow giggled, "I'm sure you're right."

"But what about you, Willow? Have you no young gentlemen of your own with you tonight? Or has the institution of marriage frightened you so badly that you've sworn off the male of the species? You mustn't allow that to happen," Henrietta cautioned her and placed a hand on Willow's arm. "You know how terribly fond I am of you. You've often caused me to wish that my husband and I had been blessed with a child--a daughter--who might have been much like you. There are many extraordinary men in the world, one of whom, I'm sure, would be worthy of your devotion."

"You're so kind to me," Willow said affectionately. "And no, I haven't sworn off men--not entirely."

The elder woman tightened her grip on the redhead's arm, "Then there is someone? Do I know him? He isn't here tonight, is he?"

"No," she answered. "I've not mentioned him to anyone else--not even Buffy or her father. Please, don't tell anyone."

"Well, of course I won't, if that's what you wish," Henrietta agreed. "How wonderful, Willow! I've been worried that you've been too alone since you arrived here. He must be an exceptional man to have caught your attention."

"He is that," the redhead smiled.

"Perhaps I shall have the good fortune to meet him one day--" she paused to wave away the tray laden with several glasses of champagne that one of the maids stopped to offer the two women, then glanced at the clock on the mantle as the servant moved away. "Oh, heavens! It's nearly ten o'clock! Where has the evening gone? Please forgive me, Willow. I must excuse myself for the night. I've an appointment in Boston early tomorrow morning."

"Of course, Mrs. Wyndham," Willow nodded, alarmed to discover that the time had passed more quickly than she, too, had realized.

"I'll just have a quick word with Mr. Giles before I go. Good night, my dear."

Willow waited until Henrietta had moved away before heading for the door, pausing only briefly to speak to Buffy, "Mrs. Wyndham is leaving now. I'll ask the butler to fetch her wrap."

"Thank you," Buffy nodded. "I'd better thank her for coming."

The redhead exited the room and quickly made her way down the stairs where the butler was seated on a chair in the foyer.

"Mrs. Wyndham is leaving, Haskill. Would you bring her wrap, please?"

"If course, Miss Willow," he nodded and leapt up from the chair.

As soon as he had left the room, she turned and walked quickly across the foyer to the corridor that lead to the door that opened onto the back garden. She slipped outside and glanced back at the house to be sure no one was watching before hurrying across the dark yard to the arbor. As she approached the ivy-covered trellis, Spike stepped around it and held out a hand to her. Willow smiled broadly up at him, and he drew her close to place a quick kiss on her lips.

"I've a carriage waiting just around the street corner, and I've already seen to your suitcase," he told her quietly. "I've arranged for a--diversion--to keep the others from coming after you when they realize you haven't returned to them, but we must leave quickly. Are you ready?"

"Yes," she nodded, looking back apprehensively at the large house across the lawn. "William, w-what are you--"

"Never mind, luv. Just trust me."

She nodded once more, and he squeezed her hand lightly and set off across the side yard, toward the street.

*~*~*~**~*~*

From his place near the window inside the large house, Angelus felt a sudden and unmistakable prickling sensation crawling down his spine. Buffy's eyes flew to him as he whirled around and squinted down at the darkened yard beyond the large pane of glass. The slayer crossed the room quickly and clasped a hand around his arm.

"What is it? What's wrong?" she asked, making a conscious effort to keep her voice low.

"Can't you feel them?" he questioned, looking around at her in alarmed surprise.

Her entire body tensed and she nodded sharply, "Vampires."

"A lot of them," he added. "What the hell is happening out there?"

"Buffy?" Giles' concerned voice spoke from behind the couple.

"Daddy," she turned to face him. "Something is terribly wrong. You must keep the others here--inside."

"Inside?" he repeated. "Why?"

"Giles, the grounds are swarming with vampires," Angelus informed him. "Buffy and I are going out after them, but until we return, you must not let anyone leave this house."

"Good lord," the watcher hissed softly. "I can keep the other guests preoccupied, but Mrs. Wyndham left only a few moments ago. Buffy, you must find her and get her to safety."

The slayer nodded, and Angelus gripped her hand firmly in his and quickly led her out of the room and down the stairs.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

From the front lawn, Spike and Willow paused near the sidewalk as four vampires moved quietly past them. The redhead could just make out the forms of several others advancing from the shadowy grounds around the estate, and she glanced uncertainly up at Spike.

"It's all right, luv. You're in no danger. They know you're mine," he reassured her softly.

"But the others--the guests--"

"Will be safe, as long as they remain inside. I'm sure the slayer and her father will see that they do."

Her uneasy gaze shifted back toward the house, and the blonde vampire took advantage of her distracted state to pull a gold-cased watch from his pocket and let it fall silently to the ground near his feet. At that moment, the front door of the house swung open, and Spike put his arm around Willow's shoulders and held her firmly as he turned her beside him and drew her quickly toward the sidewalk. She pulled slightly away from him and turned around to face the sounds of the battle coming from behind them. Through the inky darkness, it was impossible to count the number of minions who had positioned themselves in the watcher's front lawn, but the redhead could clearly make out Buffy's silhouette as the slayer fought alongside Angelus.

"William," she spoke breathlessly. "I don't understand. Why is this necessary? Why couldn't we have just--"

"It would only have been a matter of minutes before they'd realized you were gone," Spike replied as he carefully surveyed the fray occurring several yards away from them and decided it was safe to indulge her curiosity. "Even if we had gotten to the carriage by then, they would have been after us straightaway. Don't worry about the slayer, pet. Between her and my sire, they're more than capable of holding their own against a few inexperienced minions."

"A few?" she echoed in open disbelief.

He chuckled and placed a kiss on her head, "I had to be certain that they would have no opportunity to steal you away from me once again. I love you, sweetheart, but I will not force you to commit yourself to this if you feel you cannot. Are you willing to come away with me now?"

Her eyes met his, and a soft smile parted her lips, "I could never be content anywhere else."

Spike placed a gentle hand on her cheek and bent to brush a soft kiss along her lips, "My beautiful Willow."

She returned the brief kiss, then took his hand in hers, and he nodded and turned around quickly. They hurried across the street, and Willow all but collided with Mrs. Wyndham, who had fled the terrifying incident unfolding in the yard opposite her own. Overcome with dread at what was happening around her, she stared at the redhead and then up into the cold blue eyes of the blonde man beside her. Henrietta's eyes widened in fear at the low growl of warning that rumbled within the vampire's chest.

Willow smiled at the woman as she squeezed Spike's hand, "William, please don't. She's my friend."

The elderly woman focused her eyes on the redhead and forced herself to swallow her fear, and her eyes flickered from the blonde stranger before her to the horrific scene across the street, "Is this the man of whom you spoke, Willow? Is--is he--one of--them?"

"Yes," Willow nodded.

"Oh, my dear! You must not do this--"

With her free hand, Willow reached out and gently clasped Mrs. Wyndham's arm, "I cannot explain now. We've a carriage waiting to take us away from this place, and there is no time. But you must believe me when I tell you I love him. However unthinkable you may feel that to be, please trust that I know my own heart. I do love him, and they will never allow us to be together. They've already torn us apart once before."

The redhead's urgent plea struck a cord deep inside Henrietta, and the old woman's eyes softened with memories long past, "And you cannot find a way to be happy without him. Are you sure, my dear?"

"Very sure," Willow nodded. "He loves me, Henrietta."

"Then you must hurry," Mrs. Wyndham replied.

Spike looked down at her, "If anyone should ask you whether you came across us tonight--"

"Then I shall answer that I did, indeed, but only long enough to see your carriage fleeing--in that direction," Henrietta pointed toward the opposite end of the street from which the couple was heading. "Go quickly. And do be careful, Willow."

"I will," she smiled and placed a soft kiss on Henrietta's cheek. "Thank you."

Spike nodded at the woman, then gripped Willow's hand and pulled her away, toward the corner where the carriage was waiting. A minion was rapidly approaching them, and the blonde vampire reached out and grabbed his arm, spinning him around mid-stride.

"The old woman--"

"Mrs. Wyndham," Willow supplied.

Spike nodded, "Leave her be. See that the others are informed of my orders. If anyone harms her, he will answer to me. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly, sir," the minion responded immediately, and Spike let him go.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy's arm lashed out at the young vampire in front of her, and she slammed a stake in into the minion's chest, then whirled around and plunged the weapon into the vampire behind her.

"Angelus, what are they doing here?" she called out as the large number of vampires rapidly diminished in clouds of dust and the sound of quickly retreating footsteps. "Why are there so many of them?"

Angelus reached out and grabbed the hair of a vampire who was attempting to run past him and snapped his neck with one violent twist, then thrust the stake he was wielding into the minion's heart.

"I've no idea," he answered, surveying the lawns as the remaining vampires fled into the darkness. "Attacking the slayer on her own territory is nothing less than suicide."

Buffy cocked her head and wondered aloud, "Can vampires commit suicide?"

Angelus grinned and moved close to her to wrap a strong arm around her waist, "These did."

"Buffy," Giles' voice spoke from the doorway behind them, and the slayer turned toward him.

"It's all right, now, Daddy," she assured him. "The ones we didn't stake have fled the estate, and a light has come on in Mrs. Wyndham's parlor. She's safe--"

He interrupted her with an upraised hand, "No, Buffy. It's Willow. She--she's gone missing."

"What?" Buffy gasped and looked up at Angelus. "You don't think--they couldn't have taken her, could they? We would have seen her, surely."

The watcher shook his head grimly, "No one has seen her since she asked Haskill to retrieve Mrs. Wyndham's wrap."

"That was several minutes before I sensed the vampires out here," Angelus commented.

"But that's preposterous!" Buffy argued. "Why on earth should they take Willow?"

The dark vampire shook his head and started across the front yard, with Buffy fast on his heels.

"Angelus, it makes no sense," she insisted as his keen eyes scanned first one end of the street, then the other.

He turned around, glancing over the dark grounds of the estate, and caught a subtle flash of gold in the grass only a few feet from where they were standing. He strode quickly over to it and bent down to discover a pocket watch glimmering in the moonlight.

"It makes perfect sense," he hissed quietly as he straightened back up to his full height. "Damn it."

"What is it?" Buffy frowned, moving up beside him to reach for the chain dangling between his fingers.

"It's Spike's," he told her as he handed the distinctive timepiece over to her. "I was present the night Drusilla gave it to him. She'd stolen it from a gallant gentleman she'd seduced, just before she drained him. Spike carried it with him, always."

"Are you saying--"

"He was here," he nodded soberly. "But he obviously isn't, now. Nor is Willow."

"Do you think he forced her to go with him?"

He looked pointedly down at her, "No one forced her to leave the safety of the house."

"What are you suggesting? That she knew he was here? That she was waiting for him to come to her? I cannot believe that! Willow knows what Spike is. She would not have kept his presence here a secret from us."

He placed his hand on her shoulders, "The sudden change in her demeanor. The frequent trips into Boston. Would my childe's presence here not account for all of that? You may not like to admit it, but the truth is too obvious to be denied. She is in love with him, Buffy. She never pretended to feel otherwise, even after we fled London. He came for her, and she went with him, willingly. The watch is an unmistakable calling card. Spike wanted to be certain we would know that he had never truly lost her, in spite of our efforts. We took her away from him. He's taken her back."

"Oh, no," the slayer whispered. "Angelus, we must find them."

"We will," he promised and took her hand to draw her back toward the house.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Where are we going?" Willow asked as the carriage clipped along at a rapid pace and soon left the gas lit streets behind.

"We must put as much distance as possible between ourselves and my sire," he told her. "And a carriage won't provide quick enough transport. Once we're well away from Boston, we'll book train passage in some small town along the way. With luck, we should reach Providence before daybreak."

She looked up at him, "Will we not return to England, then?"

"Would you like that, luv?"

Willow nodded, "I realize it would be unwise to return to London, and it isn't that I haven't enjoyed living here--except for being away from you. That's been a misery. Only, England is home, and I would dearly love to be home--with you."

He smiled and reached out to stroke his fingers gently through her hair, "If you want to go back to England, pet, that's what we'll do. Duty binds the slayer to the Hellmouth here, and I can't believe Angelus will wander far from wherever she resides."

"We'd have an entire ocean to separate us from them," Willow stated, then grinned at the look of surprise on Spike's face. "I love Buffy, William. I always will, but she and Mr. Giles and Angelus spent the first days after we arrived here explaining at great length why you and I could not be together. And after the explanations, your name was never mentioned, as though you had never existed. But I never, for even the briefest of moments, stopped carrying you inside me. And as much as I knew they we're only thinking of my well-being, it hurt that they could not seem to comprehend the depth of my love for you and that no amount of time was going to make your absence easier to bear. They must never have the opportunity to tear us away from one another again, and I'll never feel secure as long as we're in the same country."

Spike turned her to him and cupped her face in his hands, "You'll never lose me again, Willow. I promise you that. We'll stop off in Providence, and I'll find someone who can make arrangements for us to sail back to England. It shouldn't take more than a couple of days."

She nodded slightly and leaned into him as his lips found hers. He pulled her onto his lap, and she wrapped her arms around him, tangling her fingers through his hair as she deepened the kiss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Giles was pacing the floor in front of the fireplace in the parlor when Angelus and Buffy entered the room. He turned to them, and Buffy took his hands in hers, and he squeezed them reassuringly.

"We patrolled the streets until the guests reached their homes safely. I don't know how you explained the situation to them, but they certainly didn't seem to feel anything amiss," she told him.

"They never even realized what was transpiring on the grounds. The servants performed marvelously in keeping them occupied, and the conversation and music was enough to hold their attention," he told her. "Did you find none of the vampires?"

Angelus shook his head, "I suspect that most of them are from Boston. The streets here are completely empty and quiet."

"And did you speak to Mrs. Wyndham?" he inquired.

"Yes," Buffy answered. "Thankfully, she had reached her home just before the estate was overcome by vampires. She did say she saw a carriage going by just as she was passing through her front door. She said it appeared to be in rather a hurry, and she suggested that it may have been heading toward the city."

"I can't believe Spike would simply return to Boston," Angelus spoke. "The fact that he had amassed such a large number of minions to provide a distraction is evidence that he had been planning this for several days, at the very least."

"Still, it would be wise to investigate the lairs there," Giles suggested.

"Perhaps," he conceded. "But it's doubtful that any of those vampires will offer any information. I'm certain Spike has explained my--situation--to them. They must know I'm in alliance with the slayer and her watcher. They're hardly likely to be helpful."

"I suppose you're right," the watcher sighed. "I've sent the butler to dispatch a wire to the council. We have contacts in several of the larger cities along the east coast. Perhaps we can trace Spike's movements through them."

"That carriage won't provide swift enough transport for my childe's liking. I presume he'll seek a faster mode of transport as soon as he feels it's safe to do so. We should inquire at the train stations outside of Boston," Angelus said.

"That's an excellent idea," Giles agreed. "I'll send Haskill and one of the footmen out the first thing in the morning. They know several men in the city whom we can hire to assist us. For tonight, I'm afraid there's little else we can do. Perhaps Willow will realize her grave error in judgment and find some way to contact us."

Buffy glanced skeptically from her father to Angelus as she swallowed the tears prickling behind her eyes. The vampire put a strong arm around her shoulders and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, then murmured "good night" to Giles before drawing the slayer out of the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Angelus propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at the beautiful young blonde sleeping beside him. Their coupling had been slow and passionate and mind-numbing in intensity, and she had clung to him like a dark savior amidst the flood of turmoil of the past several hours. During that brief, all-encompassing moment of ecstasy, he had felt what it was to be wholly human again, freed from the pain and the anguish of his murderous past.

He traced a gentle finger along Buffy's cheek as the demon roared triumphantly within him. For weeks it had struggled in vain against the confines of the soul that had been thrust upon it. His eyes darkened angrily at the realization of what that soul had led him to do. He had betrayed Spike, dragged away the little redheaded mortal who would have been his childe's happiness, and abandoned him an entire continent away.

An unconscious growl rumbled within the vampire's chest, and Buffy shifted slightly beside him. Angelus withdrew his hand and waited until he was certain she had not awakened before slipping from the bed to quickly dress in the darkness. He looked back at the sleeping young woman, and his expression softened. As ludicrous as it was, he had fallen in love with her, even before he had been burdened with a soul. Angelus didn't understand what had forced that damnable soul to suddenly flee, and he didn't really care. He was just relieved to be rid of the offensive presence within him, but he had no desire to harm the slayer unless it became necessary. And there was still the very real possibility that she could be used to dismantle the council before he claimed her as his own.

However, any such plans would have to be suspended for the time being. He must find Spike and mend the tears in their relationship. He would rip out the tongues of as many minions in Boston as was necessary in order to discover where his childe could be located. His reputation may have been damaged since his arrival here, but that could be quickly rectified. Angelus had placed Spike's pocket watch on top of the bureau, and he scooped it up and clicked it open. More than three hours of darkness remained in which to acquire the information he needed. With a satisfied grin, he snapped shut the gold case and dropped the watch in his pocket, determined to be well on the way toward his childe before the sun rose.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spike reached up and placed his hands around Willow's trim waist and lifted her down from the train car and set her feet on the platform. She laughed softly and looked up at him as his hands lingered comfortably just above her hips.

"The steps would have served the same purpose, you know," she teased.

"Is that a complaint, pet?" he asked.

"Never," she grinned and brushed a quick kiss across his lips.

He turned to her side and plunged one hand into his pocket and drew out a small object, which he held out to her. Willow gasped softly as she took the familiar gold band from his palm.

"You kept it," she whispered as memories of their adventures in Wales flitted through her mind.

"I've never let it out of my sight," he replied softly. "So, luv, how do you feel about being my wife once again?"

"I'm yours, forever," she vowed with a smile as she slid the ring onto her finger..

"I love you, Willow," he responded before wrapping an arm around her waist.

They left the train station, and Spike hailed a nearby cab and helped the redhead up inside. They rode quickly across the city and came to a stop outside a large hotel just as the sun was threatening to break over the horizon. They scrambled out, and Spike paused only long enough for the driver to hand down Willow's suitcase. Then he gripped the redhead's hand, and the couple made a hasty dash for the entrance into the lavishly decorated lobby.

Spike registered and paid for a room and waved away the young employee who approached to take Willow's luggage. The vampire reached out to the redhead, and she clasped his hand and followed him up the stairs. The corridor was sheltered from the rising sun, and Spike handed Willow the key and waited while she entered their room and pulled the heavy drapes over the windows. She turned around as the door closed behind her and immediately found herself wrapped in the vampire's strong arms. His mouth found hers, and he kissed her firmly, sliding his tongue inside to revel in the sweet warmth of her mouth. When he finally drew away, she took in a deep breath, and her eyes sparkled happily up at him.

"Are you tired, pet?" he asked softly and drew his hands to the uppermost button on the high collar of her dress.

"Exhausted," she nodded, her eyes fastened on his as his fingers slowly worked their way down the row of small buttons.

"Right into bed, then?" he grinned as her hands moved up to slide the jacket from his shoulders.

"Absolutely," she agreed, stifling a small laugh.

He chuckled and quickly divested her of her clothing, then drew her over to the bed and coaxed her under the covers. He pulled off his own clothes and slid in beside her, and Willow moaned as he moved over her and kissed her deeply. She parted her legs, silently inviting him to take her, and arched up to meet him as his hard shaft slowly thrust into her tight, wet channel. He lowered his mouth to her breasts and laved each rosy bud in turn and feasted on the soft sounds of pleasure that fell from Willow's lips. She laced her fingers through his hair and drew his mouth back to hers as he moved in and out of her in long, deep thrusts.

Her small hands gripped his sinewy back, her nails raking along his cool flesh as they moved down to grip his buttocks. Spike drover into her, faster and harder, and her eyes fluttered shut as his fingers moved between them to massage her sensitive clit. Willow cried out, her walls clenching tightly around him, and she turned her head to the side as her climax hit her. The vampire placed a single kiss along the exposed flesh of her throat before piercing it and drinking from her as his juices mingled with hers. He suckled gently from her, and Willow's hand moved up to stroke his hair as she mewled contentedly under him.

Spike withdrew his fangs and lapped soothingly at her wounds before moving off of her, pulling her into his arms to rest comfortably against him. Her slender fingers skimmed lightly over his chest, and he cupped her chin in his hand and raised her lips to his. She returned the kiss and gave him another before settling back into his arms.

"Thank you for not forgetting about me, for not going on without me," she whispered.

He laid his hand against her cheek and rubbed his thumb along her soft skin, "That is the one thing I could never do, sweetheart. There was never any choice but to come after you."

She nodded against him, "I honestly didn't know how I would ever exist, after we left London. I didn't know how I would learn to be without you."

He dropped a kiss on her head and stroked her back softly, "You never will be, luv. I promise."

She looked up at him, "I love you, Mr. Randall."

The vampire chuckled and traced his finger over the small smile that curled her lips, "I love you, too. Go to sleep, Mrs. Randall. You've had one hell of a night."

"Mmm...feels like heaven to me," she murmured quietly.

"The bloody closest I'll ever get," Spike thought to himself and tightened his arms around her as she snuggled more closely against him and surrendered herself to exhaustion.

********

Buffy returned to the estate just before noon, her eyes still puffy and red-rimmed from the tears she had shed upon waking to find Angelus had disappeared without a word of explanation to anyone in the house. Despite Giles' desire to ride with her into Boston, the slayer had left him behind to attempt to seek out her missing lover. Giles rose from his seat in front of the book-covered writing table in the sitting room and strode quickly across the room to put his arms around her.

"Did you find anything?" he asked softly.

She nodded, "I talked to a man at the train station who recognized Angelus' description. He booked passage to Providence shortly after four o'clock this morning!."

"Spike and Willow," Giles mumbled softly. "Angelus must have discovered where they were headed and has followed after them."

Buffy shook her head forlornly as fresh tears welled up in her eyes, "Without telling me? Why would he do such a thing?"

"Come sit down," Giles suggested, putting an arm around her shoulders and urging her over to the settee. "You know that I've been researching the soul restoration ever since we left London."

She nodded and waited for him to continue.

"I've been in regular contact with some trusted associates in England. Without giving them specific reasons, I asked them to attempt to locate the people of that young woman that Angelus--killed--the night that his soul was restored. It took them several weeks to track down those people, but they finally succeeded."

"Daddy," Buffy sighed. "What has any of this to do with--"

"Just let me explain," he requested and took her hand in his. "The young girl Angelus killed belonged to a small family of gypsies, which was the reason it took so long to find them--they move about quite a lot. At any rate, the soul restoration was their way of exacting punishment on the vampire who killed one of their own, to condemn her murderer to an existence of guilt and anguish. However, it would appear that the curse contained a sort of caveat, if you will. If Angelus ever forgot--for even a moment--exactly what he was, if he ever had a moment's respite from the torment of his past crimes, he would lose the soul that had been inflicted upon him. Last night, Buffy, after you and Angelus retired as man and wife, I presume you--celebrated--as most newlyweds do."

A scarlet blush suffused the slayer's cheeks, but she nodded and answered, "He was so happy, so content--"

"Precisely," Giles said grimly. "And as a result, the soul fled."

Buffy raised a trembling hand to her lips as hot tears splashed down her cheeks, "What are you saying? That our happiness caused us to lose one another? That we can never be together because--"

"That was the intent, yes," he answered. "Something about the wording of the curse had been plaguing me for days, but I wasn't proficient enough with the language in which it was written to be able to translate it easily. When you came to me this morning with the news that Angelus had gone, without waking anyone or leaving so much as a note of explanation, my thoughts immediately went to his souled condition, and I was finally able to make sense of the full meaning of the curse."

She brushed her fingers along her wet cheeks and looked up at him, "Then I've lost him? Truly lost him? Forever?"

Giles blinked back tears of his own and sighed heavily, "I don't know. I suspect he may have had deep feelings for you long before his soul was restored."

She nodded and murmured, "He has told me so, several times, since that night."

"I'm not certain that it makes any difference, now," he told her gently. "I'm so sorry, my dear, and I don't wish to be harsh, but we must face the fact that Angelus has most likely resumed the same malevolence he possessed when you first met him."

She squeezed her eyes shut as her heart shattered inside her, and Giles pulled her close to him and hugged her tightly.

"Buffy," he said softly, hating himself all the while his brain insisted on focusing on the grave peril this situation had thrust upon them. "If Angelus is what we fear him to be, and he has gone in search of Spike and Willow--"

She sniffled and pulled away from him, straightening her shoulders and forcing her mind away from the bitter ache in her heart, "I've no time for this, have I? But what can we do? We can hardly hope to catch up to him, even if we tried."

"Yes," he agreed. "I'll fetch the footman to drive me into Boston. I know one or two people who may be able to help us--

"Council associates?" the slayer attempted a weak grin.

Well, yes," Giles admitted. "They don't live in Providence, but they are much closer than we are. They may be able to find Willow before Angelus--if he hasn't already done so."

"You don't really believe that a couple of strangers could persuade Willow to leave Spike, even in such circumstances," Buffy said.

"No, I fear not, but at least, they could warn her of what's happened."

"It isn't enough. Daddy, I can't just sit here and wait. We have no idea of Angelus' intentions or of how Spike will react if Angelus finds him with Willow. I must go to them."

"Very well, but please be careful" he implored her. "Ring for one of the maids to help you pack a bag. I'll drop you at the train station before I wire my associates. I'll return to the estate and continue my research on the soul restoration, though I can't see what good it will do. Do pack quickly, Buffy. We must not lose any more time."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Willow dropped the newspaper she had been pretending to read and rose from the chair in the hotel reception area as Spike entered the room. He crossed over to her and took her hands, raising them to his lips.

"We sail from New Bedford in two night's time," he told her.

She smiled broadly up at him, "We shall be back in England in less than a fortnight."

"Yes, luv," he nodded. "We can leave tonight, if you wish, and spend a couple of days in New Bedford."

"I'd like that," she agreed, and he tucked his arm around her waist and drew her across the floor to wide staircase.

Spike guided her along the corridor and opened the door, ushering Willow inside their room. She stepped through, and her sudden gasp of astonishment brought the blonde vampire quickly to her side. Angelus rose from a leather chair near the window across the large room, and Willow reached for her lover's hand and clasped it tightly in her own.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Spike snarled, a golden flame lapping behind the blue of his eyes.

"We must talk," his sire responded.

"You bastard. You can't possibly have anything to say that I--"

"It wasn't what you think, Spike, all those weeks ago--"

"I know exactly what it was," his childe spat angrily. "Willow told me about the damned curse, of how you conspired with the slayer to drag her away from me. She told me everything."

Angelus forced his voice to remain level, "You must listen to me. It was the soul that--"

"Sod the damned soul!" Spike roared, causing Willow to jump at his angry outburst. "You betrayed me. You staked Dru, and you stole the one thing that meant more to me than anything else--"

"I know," the darker vampire nodded grimly. "But I--"

"What the bleedin' hell are you doing here, now? If you've any idea of forcing Willow away from me--"

"I don't, Spike. The soul is gone," Angelus explained. "I don't know how or why, but it's truly gone. I would never have deceived you if it had not been for the curse. You must know that. You must trust that."

Spike snorted derisively, "You expect me to trust you? You must take me for a fool."

"That, I have never done," his sire shook his head, consciously keeping his distance from the enraged vampire. "You have always been more than my childe, from the moment I turned you. You are my equal, Spike, my partner. You must realize that I would never have betrayed as I did back in England if not for that damnable soul."

"I know what caused you to act as you did. I was stupid not have realized the change in you, that morning in your room. You played your part admirably, Sire. Why should I not presume that this is nothing more than another accomplished performance? That this is nothing more than a ruse to steal Willow away from me again? Have you brought your blonde bitch with you? Have you a carriage waiting outside to force Willow to return to Boston with you?"

"That is not my intention. Buffy does not know I am here, thought she may well have tracked my movements, by now," Angelus warned them and turned his gaze to the young woman still clinging to his childe's hand. "Willow, you must listen to me. You must--"

Spike stepped in front of the redhead, barring Angelus' slow progression toward her, "If you lay a hand on her, I swear by all that is unholy, I'll stake you where you stand. Go back to your precious slayer."

"Can you hate me so much, childe?" Angelus questioned the blonde vampire. "After everything we've accomplished together, after all we've done and seen--"

"That meant nothing to you twenty-four hours ago, did it?" Spike sneered. "You're right about one thing. I am your childe, and you did not teach me to be a fool. I trusted you once, and you tore out my heart and dragged it across an ocean so that I might not ever regain it. While you bedded your slayer, you would have left me alone. For all your souled conscience, it didn't seem to bother you too terribly to know that I was suffering, to *watch* Willow suffer, week after week, while you had the very thing you would deny both of us. I loved you, Sire. I would have done--had done--anything for you. You used that bond between us to effect your betrayal. And now you wish me to grant you another opportunity to deceive me?"

Angelus looked down at the redhead, extending a hand to her, "Willow--"

"No," she whispered. "Go away. Go back to Buffy. You loved her before--when you had no soul. You love her, still. Go to her, and leave us alone. You are happy with her. You've no right to deny us the same happiness. I won't allow you to take me away again."

He scrubbed a hand across his cheek and growled in frustration, "I've already told you; I've no desire to separate the two of you. Do you remember how it was back in England, before everything went awry? We can have that again--"

"The only 'we' I am interested in consists of Willow and myself," Spike scowled. "Get the bloody hell out of our room. Tell the slayer you weren't able to find us; tell her the truth, or go take a stroll in the sun. It really makes no difference to me. Just get out."

Angelus' dark eyes stared back at his childe for a long moment before he nodded and moved toward the door, "All right. I'll leave you, for now. Just think about this. Give yourself time to put the past events into perspective. I'm back, Spike, truly back with you, now. I'll call on you again tomorrow evening."

"You'll be wasting your time," the blonde vampire snarled before he slammed the door on his sire.

"William?" Willow's quivering voice spoke softly from behind him, and he turned and went to her and put his arms around her. "I'm frightened. How can we trust him?"

"We can't," he agreed. "I'll ring for someone to bring you a tray of food. Then we should both get some sleep. We're leaving this place the moment the sun sets. When Angelus returns this evening, we'll be gone. They won't come between us again, pet. I'll do whatever is necessary to keep you with me."

She nodded, and he raised her face in his hands and placed a lingering kiss on her lips.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Willow awoke and peered over Spike's shoulder at the clock ticking quietly on the little table beside the bed. Propping herself up on one elbow, she gently jostled the sleeping vampire. When this elicited no response, she nudged him more forcefully, and he murmured incoherently and turned on his side, facing away from her. The redhead laughed softly and took hold of his arm, tugging him onto his back and planting a hard kiss on his cool lips.

Immediately, Spike's eyes snapped open. His hand traveled to the back of Willow's head, and he crushed her mouth to his and nipped her bottom lip just hard enough to cause a little trickle of blood to flow from it. He moaned and sucked her lip into his mouth, and Willow placed her hand on his chest and pushed herself away from him.

"It'll be sunset soon," she smiled down at him.

He groaned unhappily, "That's hardly fair, pet. Waking me up this way just to drag me out of bed."

"Sorry," she giggled. "But we can continue this when we reach New Bedford, if you'd like."

His arm traveled down her smooth, bare back and wrapped around her waist, squeezing her tightly against him, "I'd like."

She grinned and placed a fleeting kiss on his lips, "But first--"

"We must give Angelus the slip," he nodded, bringing her with him as he sat up.

"Exactly," she said and wriggled off of the bed.

She went to the bathroom to bathe quickly and put on fresh clothing, and by the time she returned, the sun had just begun to set. Spike had dressed and gathered up the few belongings that the redhead had left about the room. He picked up her suitcase with one hand and reached for her with the other, and they left the room and descended the stairs.

"Are you hungry, luv?"

"A bit. I can wait. I would rather not take the time," she answered.

"All right," he nodded. "We'll stop once we're well away from Providence."

She followed him out of the hotel, and he peered cautiously around, looking for any sign of his sire. Apparently satisfied, he whistled once, sharply, and a cab waiting just down the street quickly drew up in front of them. The vampire hoisted the small bag up to the driver and gave him his orders before helping Willow inside and scrambling in behind her. She breathed an audible sigh of relief when the cab finally rolled away down the rapidly darkening street. Spike smiled down at her and pulled her close to his side, and she tilted her head to receive his comfortingly triumphant kiss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Yes, Miss--Giles, did you say? I'm certain," the man behind the hotel reception desk nodded. "I saw the couple you described leave just about thirty minutes ago. He didn't check out properly, but he left more than enough money when they registered, so I don't suppose it really matters."

Buffy groaned in frustration, "You don't know where they were going?"

"I'm sorry," he shook his head. "I've no idea. I believe one of the porters said he saw the man hail a cab; he appeared to have been in rather a hurry."

"Thank you," the slayer responded softly and turned to leave the hotel.

She stepped out into the warm night air and looked around at the unfamiliar faces of the passers-by. A knot of despondency lodged itself in the pit of her stomach. She had no idea how to track Willow and Spike from here or whether Angelus was already following them. Deciding to send a wire off to her father in the hopes that one of his mysterious allies might be able to locate them, she turned and headed off down the sidewalk. She rounded the corner and muffled a little cry of surprise as she ran, face-first, into a hard, solid chest. Her body went rigid, and an icy finger raced along her spine at the sound of the amused chuckle from the man with whom she'd collided.

"Angelus," she whispered as her head snapped up.

She took a quick step back, and his hand shot out and gripped her arm, holding her in place, and he smiled down at her, "I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever catch up to me."

"Let go of me," she snapped, yanking her arm free of his hard grasp.

"Have you found them?" he asked. "If not, I can show you--"

"No, you can't," she informed him stonily. "They've gone."

"Gone?" the amused light in his eyes quickly vanished. "Gone where?"

"I don't know," she told him. "I suppose you made your presence here known to them, and they fled as soon as it was safe to do so."

"Damn it," he hissed. "We must find them."

She glared up at him incredulously, "We? I know what's happened to you Angelus. How can you possibly expect me to--"

"Because you want to see your friend again," he stopped her. "And because you'd really much rather be with me than without me. I loved you before I was cursed with a soul--"

"Why should I trust that?" she asked him.

"You never had any difficulty in believing it before," he reminded her. "If I had wanted to harm you, or kill you, I could have done so all those months ago in England, before you ever realized what you were."

"You had a different agenda in mind," she argued. "You wanted to use me to--"

"That's true," he conceded. "Considering what I am, that's hardly shocking, is it? I do love you, Buffy, just as I did before. But we've no time to debate the point now. The distance lengthens between us and Spike and Willow with every moment that we waste."

"Why should you care?" she wanted to know. "Why should you want to take Willow away from Spike, now?"

"I have no desire to interfere with their relationship," he admitted. "He loves her; they want to be together. I only want to rectify the situation between myself and my childe."

"Did you speak with them?" she asked.

"At the hotel," he nodded. "Neither Spike nor Willow were very receptive."

Buffy laughed sadly, "No, I don't suppose they would be. They must hate us."

"Spike may well feel that way, but I don't believe Willow feels any malice toward you. She only wants to be allowed to make her own decisions. That doesn't seem so very unreasonable."

"It did a couple of days ago!" she shot back angrily.

He shook his head, "I was wrong."

"You weren't wrong to help us get Willow to safety."

"We *were* wrong," he insisted. "They love each other. I told you once, back in England, that when Spike loves, he loves very deeply. Willow is with him now because that is where she wants to be. She belongs to him, and Spike takes that quite literally. We took what was his. He'll do whatever is necessary to insure that never happens again. You may call that obsession; perhaps it is. But the fact that his obsession is tempered with love makes him all the more determined to keep her with him. And that is, apparently, what Willow desires, as well. Otherwise, she would not so willingly have kept his presence in Boston a secret from all of us. She would not have played her part in that scheme to escape with Spike. Considering our own feelings for one another, what right have we to deny them their future together? What right have we to deny either of them what we have found between ourselves?"

"You won't help me to return Willow to Boston," Buffy said.

"No, I won't. Buffy, you love me--with or without a soul--whether you want to or not. You can't deny your feelings anymore than either of them can. I won't try to separate them. I only want my childe back. We'd have a greater chance of success at finding them if we work together, but either way, I am going to find them."

The slayer looked up into the vampire's determined eyes, torn by the myriad of emotions racing through her. Her love for Angelus, her natural abhorrence at his present condition, her concern for Willow's safety, her desire for the redhead's happiness. She sighed heavily as tears of confusion shimmered in her eyes. Angelus pulled her close to him and covered her mouth with a hungry kiss. Finally, he drew away and looked down at her again.

"Together, we can find them," he said. "Will you come with me?"

She nodded mutely, and he took her hand and led her off down the street. They returned to the hotel where Spike and Willow had taken a room to search for any clue they might have left behind that would indicate where the couple had gone, though neither the vampire nor the slayer held much hope of discovering anything useful. As they entered the lobby, the man behind the reception desk frantically waved the young blonde over.

"I'm so glad you returned, Miss," he said. "A gentleman stopped in only a few minutes after you had gone. When I told him you'd been here, making inquiries about the same couple as he, he left a message for you in the event you might return."

Buffy took the square of paper he held out to her and read it quickly, then glanced up at the desk clerk, "Thank you. You've been most helpful."

He nodded and turned his attention toward a young couple who had approached the desk, and Buffy and Angelus returned to the street outside the hotel.

"Bless Daddy for never giving up," the slayer said. "This is from one of his associates. He saw Spike and Willow leaving Providence in a carriage, heading southeast. The driver loaded Willow's suitcase, so he knew they wouldn't be returning. He got onto the company that owns the carriage. The driver sent word that he'd been hired to take a young couple into New Bedford."

"New Bedford," Angelus repeated.

"Yes," she nodded. "Daddy's associate said they could book passage back to England from there."

"He would have had plenty of time to make those arrangements after I left their room," the vampire scowled. "Hell, we'll never find them if they leave the country. How great a start do they have on us?"

"It must be over an hour," she answered.

"Have you taken lodging somewhere?"

"Yes, a hotel not terribly far from here. I can get my bag and be ready to leave in less than a half hour."

"Quicker than that, if you can. They're already too far ahead of us for my liking," he responded and stepped out toward the curb to signal a carriage coming down the street, toward them.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spike sat across the table in the corner of the little restaurant, sipping a glass of wine as Willow finished her meal. Even after they were miles away from Providence, she had refused to allow the carriage to stop at any of the several dining establishments along the way. It wasn't until they had reached New Bedford that she had finally allowed Spike to persuade her to eat. She hadn't realized how famished she was until they had entered the busy restaurant to be overwhelmed by a myriad of enticing smells wafting upon the air. In amused silence, Spike had watched her as she had assaulted the plate of food set before her. The redhead thanked the waiter who approached to offer her another cup of coffee and to remove the now empty plate. She sipped carefully at the steaming hot beverage and glanced at Spike as he fished the silver case from his coat pocket and extracted a cigarette and lit it.

Having sated her hunger, Willow's mind now turned to their present situation, and she asked softly, "By now, Angelus must surely have learned we're no longer in Providence. Do you think he's discovered where we've gone?"

The blonde vampire smiled and reached across the table to take her hand, lacing his fingers through hers, "It's possible, luv. It will depend on how successful Angelus is in finding anyone who is willing or able to give him information. He's clever, though, and determined. It wouldn't do well to underestimate him."

"You're still very angry with him," she remarked.

He lifted an eyebrow, "Can you blame me? An apology doesn't erase the agony he put you through. Whether or not he still possesses a soul, his attempts at explanation don't wipe clean his duplicitous scheme to take you away from me and leave me in that damned little village back in England, wondering what the bloody hell was going on."

She lowered her eyes to stare down into her coffee, "I'm sorry, Spike. I should never have agreed to--"

He squeezed her hand lightly, "Don't, Willow. You weren't to know. Angelus is a master of persuasion, and you trusted Buffy. Why should you not have done? They put the fear of hell into you. You were too frightened and confused to have refused to go with them."

She shook her head but finally raised her sad eyes to his, "Still, I should have come to you. I should have told you what they had told me. I hadn't known what you were, before they told me that day. Everything was happening so quickly, and I couldn't think. I was so frightened. I believed that I had lost you forever. After we sailed from London and reached the States and I watched Angelus' and Buffy's love continue to grow between them, I couldn't understand why you and I could not have had the same relationship. Angelus insisted it was the soul that made the difference. But that didn't make sense to me. I've heard him tell Buffy that he had fallen in love with her before his soul was restored. So why could you and I not share that, as well? Angelus never argued that you didn't love me, but he told me that I would never be safe with you, because of what you are. That I must trust them. I wanted so desperately to talk to you, but I couldn't, of course. And as the days went by, I began to convince myself that you must surely hate me for--"

"Stop it," he demanded. "Sweetheart, we've been through all of this before. What happened was not your fault. I thought we had settled all of this."

"I know," she nodded. "It's just, well, after seeing you with Angelus again, realizing just how much you despise him for what happened, I guess I'm just worried that you're angry at me, as well. I couldn't bear it if you--"

"I could never despise you. What happened in England has nothing to do with my feelings for you; it's between my sire and myself," he promised, drawing her hand to his lips to kiss it lightly. "I love you, Willow. I've never doubted your love for me. Anyway, it's in the past, now, as far as you and I are concerned. You're with me again. That's all that matters."

She smiled, at last, "Yes, that's all that matters. I do love you, William, so very much."

"I trust that, pet," he assured her. "You would not have come away with me so willingly if your feelings for me weren't genuine."

"I can't help feeling a bit guilty over what Buffy and Mr. Giles must be going through, now," she confessed. "They've always been so kind to me, and I'm certain they must be terribly worried."

His blue eyes pierced the green of hers, "Do you regret leaving them behind?"

"No," she smiled. "Not really. I want to be with you more than anything else. I just wish they could have understood so it wouldn't have been necessary to sneak away as we did."

"But you know they would never have understood or supported your decision to be with me," he said.

"Yes, I do," she answered softly. "Forgive me, William. I don't mean to sound as if I'm sorry for what we've done. I hate that I've had to hurt them this way, but I want you, and I need you, and I wouldn't be anywhere else than where I am right now."

He squeezed her hand and smiled warmly at her, "I love you, Willow. Are we finished here?"

She nodded, and Spike stubbed out his cigarette and took some money from his pocket and laid it on the table. He rose beside her and slipped her arm through his, and they proceeded across the dining room and out onto the street.

"I wish we were sailing for England tonight," the little redhead murmured after Spike had helped her up into the carriage that would take them across town, toward the harbor.

He understood the anxiety lurking behind that quiet statement, and he draped an arm around her shoulders and scooted closer to her, "I'll get you away from here, luv. I promise."

She smiled up at him, "We're so close to gaining our freedom, aren't we? I suppose that's why I'm so worried that Angelus will catch up to us and ruin everything."

He shook his head, "I won't let that happen. I've booked a room in a rather shabby little inn near the wharf."

"You're thinking he'll look for us in the larger hotels?" she guessed.

"Hopefully," he answered. "But if he knows we're here, he'll probably find us, anyway."

"It was a good thought, though," she agreed. "We might get lucky."

"Either way, Willow, I won't let him stop us. In twenty-four hours, we *will* be on that ship."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy stared out of the carriage as it sped along toward New Bedford. She wished she had been able to get word to her father, to let him know that she was with Angelus. In some ways, she knew it was probably best that she had not had that opportunity. She didn't relish the idea of having to explain why she was willingly traveling with the unsouled vampire. From the estate in Brookline, the watcher would have been powerless to stop her, and he most certainly would have been furious that she had agreed to such an arrangement. He would have considered it dangerous, foolhardy, to say the least, and she wouldn't have been able to argue that point. But as she cast a surreptitious glance at the vampire sitting across from her, she couldn't deny the fact that she still loved him.

Angelus had noticed the slayer's eyes as they darted to him and away once again, "It isn't so very different, is it, love? The feelings are still the same."

She stiffened somewhat, embarrassed at having her thoughts so easily discovered, "It's quite different. You aren't the man I fell in love with."

He leaned forward a bit, a little smile on his face, "Is that so? Do you mean to convince me that you didn't love me, before that night I gained a soul? I won't believe you, you know."

She scowled over at him, "I didn't know what you were, then."

"And you loved me, anyway," he nodded.

"And you only wanted me because of what I am," she responded hotly.

"That's true," he conceded as he reached for her hand. "At first. Do you have any idea how galling it is for a vampire to realize he's fallen for the slayer?"

She yanked her hand away from him, "If you're so repulsed by--"

"I'm not," he answered calmly. "We're not all that different."

"We are completely different!" she huffed.

He chuckled and slid forward, his knee brushing against hers, "Well, we seem to be heading in the same direction, now."

"That isn't what I meant," she snapped. "As you very well know."

"Yes, I do," he replied, reaching for her hand again and clasping it in his. "Do you love me, Buffy?"

A resigned sigh escaped from her lips, and she lowered her eyes to their joined hands, "Yes."

"Well, there you are then. We--"

"But how can this work?" she interrupted. "You're nothing like you were before, not even in England, before you were souled."

"I was exactly then as I am now," he informed her. "Only, never around you. That wouldn't have done, would it?"

"No, of course not," she smirked. "You had a mission to achieve. You could hardly have used me if I had known the real Angelus."

He shifted around to sit beside her, "And in spite of all my scheming, I fell in love with you, anyway. I do love you, Buffy."

"I believe that," she said. "I just wish you were--who you were before."

"You don't realize that the Angelus of before is still a part of me, do you? He's still with me, in here," he told her and placed her palm over his still heart.

Buffy let her hand rest against his solid chest, her fingers playing softly along the fabric of his shirt as she whispered, "Something deep inside me tells me it's wrong, but I love you. I can't stop it."

"You don't want to," he challenged her before turning her face to his and placing a hard, slow kiss on her lips.

"No, I don't," she admitted, her mouth a mere breath away from his.

Angelus brushed a stray strand of hair from her cheek and lowered his mouth to hers once again. When he pulled away, at last, he drew her close to him, and she rested her head against his shoulder.

"You're wrong, you know," he said softly. "Wanting to separate Willow from Spike."

She shook her head, "No--"

"You love me, and he and I are the same, now," he insisted. "Their situation is the same as ours."

"No, no, it isn't," she argued.

"But you can't tell me how," he responded. "He loved Willow even before I loved you."

"If you feel this way, why are you going after them?" Buffy wanted to know. "Do you intend to try to make Willow return to Brookline?"

He laughed softly, "I'm more convinced than ever that no one makes that little redhead do much of anything. It was that fire that first captured Spike's attention and then ignited his own flame. I have no desire to come between them. I only want my childe back. I wronged him, perhaps unforgivably, though I don't think so, if only I can make him listen to me. You can try to persuade Willow that she must not be with Spike, but any opposition you make is going to seem very weak, considering our own relationship. I mean, you can hardly put forth my soul as an argument now, can you?"

"Then you really won't mind if they leave?" she inquired skeptically.

"Oh, I'll mind," he answered. "I want Spike to stay here."

"But can't you demand that of him, as his sire?"

Angelus shook his head, "I forfeited that subjugation when I betrayed him. Besides, that was never our relationship to one another. I've considered him a partner, an equal, for so long, I can hardly remember when he was anything less. I can only hope the memories of that past are as strong within him. Otherwise, he is probably irretrievably lost to me, and I don't want that, any more than you want to lose Willow. You're going to have to find a way to make your own amends with her, if you wish to salvage your friendship."

Buffy nodded solemnly, "It's the only way I have any hope of convincing her to return with me. But if that requires my blessing on her and Spike--"

"I hardly think either of us are in any position to be bestowing blessings," he chided her gently. "You may have to resolve to accept Willow's wishes if you want her to stay here. After all, she isn't asking for anything more than what we have."

She closed her eyes as the woman and the slayer warred with one another, "Are we nearly there yet?"

"We must be close. The carriage has slowed," he said.

He leaned out the window and called up to the driver, then settled back against the seat, "We're ten minutes away. Then, of course, we've still the small matter of finding them."

"We'll find them, Angelus," she insisted firmly. "We must."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After having settled Willow in their dreary and sparsely- furnished little room, Spike went out in search of a meal. He chose quickly and fed hastily and returned to the inn to find Willow propped up against the headboard of the bed, a tattered book balanced on her bent knees. She looked up and smiled at him as he closed and locked the door.

"I found this on the bureau," she explained, indicating the book. "The last occupant of this room must have left it behind. I can't say that I blame him. It isn't a very good read."

She dropped the book on the night stand as the blonde vampire sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms. She snuggled close to him and rested her cheek against his chest.

"You didn't see anything of Angelus?" she asked quietly.

"No," he answered, his fingers playing idly through her long red locks. "But sunrise is too many hours away. We'd better stay out of sight as much as possible."

She tilted her head to look up at him, "You don't think he'd try to keep us here by force, do you?"

"I don't know," he answered truthfully. "I used to know Angelus as well as I know myself. I trusted him implicitly. Now, I don't even know if I should believe him when he says he's no longer possessed of a soul. I am certain, however, that he'll do whatever is necessary to locate us. We mustn't help him by allowing ourselves to be visible."

"I agree," she responded before raising her fingers to cover a yawn. "One wouldn't think that simply riding in a cab would make one so weary."

He smiled and placed a kiss on her head, "We weren't simply riding, though, were we? We were escaping. You've had far too much to deal with over the last several days. You must be exhausted. I'd ring for some hot water in which you could bathe, but I'm not convinced this establishment is even equipped with such facilities."

"It's all right," she told him. "I washed up in some cold water from the basin. Honestly, the first thing I'd like to do when we get back to England is to soak in a hot, soapy tub for three hours."

"Would you like some assistance with that, pet?" he grinned.

"I'd insist on it," she smiled.

Spike chuckled and pulled her closer against him, "I don't doubt that for a minute. I love you, Willow."

"I love you, too," she whispered.

"Think you could sleep?"

She nodded against him, "I think so, just not under the blankets. I shudder to think what might be under there."

He laughed softly and shifted to lay down on the mattress, drawing her with him, and Willow turned into his arms and closed her eyes as he stroked her hair soothingly until sleep came upon her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy returned to the lavish hotel suite to find Angelus pacing the floor in front of the tall, curtained windows. He immediately stopped treading the opulent rug beneath his feet and turned his gaze upon the blonde's somber face.

"You didn't find them," he surmised.

She shook her head, "No. We searched all last night, and I've spent the entire afternoon inquiring at every hotel in the area. No one answering their descriptions has registered at any of them, and no one I spoke to recalls having seen them. Do you think Father's contact could have gotten it wrong?"

"I doubt it," Angelus answered. "The council is nothing if not efficient, on either side of the ocean. I rather think Spike has taken Willow into hiding. We're looking in the wrong places; that's all."

"But where else is there?" she wondered.

"If they've booked passage to England, as we're assuming they've done, they may be staying nearer the docks."

"That's possible; I suppose," she responded. "I didn't venture over to that part of town. From what I've been able to discover, it isn't a very safe area."

"Willow would be safe anywhere, as long as she's with Spike. He'd see to that at all costs," Angelus reminded her. "We've a couple hours before sunset. You should order up something to eat. You must be famished."

"I am," she nodded. "And my feet are in agony. Traipsing about town in these shoes--"

He went to her and took her arm to lead her to an armchair, then knelt before her to unlace and pull off her stiff, leather boots, "Relax for a bit. I'll ring for a tray for you, and then you can rest. We'll search the wharf as soon as the sun has set."

Buffy couldn't help feeling touched by his gentle show of concern, and she brushed her fingertips over his cheek and drew his mouth to hers for a soft kiss, "Thank you, Angelus."

"I care for you, love, whether I've a soul or not. You must not doubt that," he smiled and kissed her once more.

"I don't," she replied, her bright eyes dimming slightly as a shadow of concern flickered across her face. "We will find them. Won't we, Angelus?"

"We will," he vowed, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"We've nearly two hours before we can board the ship," Spike told Willow as the sky darkened beyond the grimy window of their room. "I've arranged for a cab to pick us up here. We'll find someplace for you to get something to eat. The driver will take your bag on ahead to be loaded, and we'll follow from the restaurant."

"All right," the redhead agreed and took his hand to follow him downstairs.

The cab dropped them in front of a pleasant little restaurant in a more agreeable area of town. Spike ushered Willow inside, and she ordered and then sat back in her chair and glanced furtively around the small dining room.

The blonde vampire leaned forward and placed his hand over hers, "Anxious, pet?"

"Very," she smiled weakly at him. "I'm really not very hungry, William. Perhaps it would be better to wait until we've set sail. I could--"

"Nonsense," he shook his head. "You've had nothing since breakfast except for a cup of tea."

"Which was horridly tepid," she wrinkled her nose. "And the thought of eating anything served from the kitchen in that inn was far from appealing."

He chuckled softly, "I'm sorry for putting you up in such a bloody wretched place. I'll buy you a mansion when we reach England, to make it up to you."

She smiled over at him, "I don't require a mansion, William. I'll be happy wherever I am, as long as I'm with you."

"I love you, pet," he whispered and drew her hand to his lips, then released it as the waiter approached and set a plate of food before the redhead.

Willow ate as quickly as etiquette would allow and waited while Spike paid the bill. He took her arm as they exited the restaurant. The vampire hailed a cab, and they rode the short journey to the dock where their ship was waiting to sail. Several other travelers were standing about, talking animatedly with their companions or saying their good-byes to loved ones who had come along to see them off. A grey-haired crewman who was standing just beside the gangplank, busily overseeing the loading of the last of the baggage, courteously informed the couple that they would be able to board in an hour, if they would be so kind as to wait.

"An hour," Willow said, clutching Spike's hand as he drew her aside, out of the way of the parade of suitcases and trunks passing by them. "Does that not seem like an impossibly long time to you?"

"It's all right, luv," he assured her. "We'll be on that ship when it sets sail. Come sit down with me, over here, away from the others. The hour will pass quickly."

She nodded and allowed him to lead her toward a bench in the shadows of the buildings opposite them.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy turned from her spot on the sidewalk as Angelus came out of the building behind her.

"This is hopeless," she remarked as he came toward her. "We'll never find them this way--"

"On the contrary," he smiled and reached for her hand.

"They're here?" she asked breathlessly.

He shook his head, "Not now. They left a little over an hour ago. My guess is that they've headed for the docks. I think Spike would not have brought Willow out in the open otherwise."

"Then we must hurry!" she gasped.

He nodded and tightened his grip on her hand and took off down the street, in search of a transport. They rounded the corner, and the vampire raised a hand to hail a cab that was sitting along the curb at the far end of the street. The slayer stumbled as Angelus suddenly groaned in pain and reeled back into the building behind him before crumpling to his knees.

"Angelus!" Buffy cried out, kneeling over him. "Angelus!"

"No!" he shouted, scrambling away from her as she reached out to hold him.

"Angelus, what is it? What's wrong?" she pleaded desperately.

"Buffy."

The voice caught the slayer by surprise, and she leapt to her feet and whirled around to face the man who had come up behind her.

"Daddy! What are you doing here? How did you find us?" she exclaimed, her tear-filled eyes darting from Giles to her lover. "What's wrong with him, Daddy? You know, don't you? What have you done?"

"I've done what had to be done," he looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "I've brought him back, Buffy, permanently."

"Brought him...back?" Buffy faltered. "You mean...his soul? But how is that...what do you mean, 'permanently?'"

"I mean exactly that," Giles answered sharply. "I finally unraveled that confounded curse and performed it myself, with the necessary alterations. What the hell did you think you were doing, traveling here with him?"

At the sound of the angry man's voice, Angelus huddled back against the wall of the building and pressed the heels of his hands to his temples. Buffy stooped down beside him and gathered the shivering vampire into her arms, stubbornly ignoring his attempts to push her away.

She looked up at her father, "You knew I was with him. That is why I left the estate, after all."

"I hardly expected you to travel to New Bedford with him. Alone. Trapped in a carriage, for heaven's sake!" he responded. "What the hell were you thinking? He could have killed you--"

"I was never 'trapped.' Angelus loves me, Daddy. He never attempted to harm me. And I am fully capable of taking care of myself," she reminded him, growing angry herself. "How did you find us?"

"I tried to get a message to you, to tell you what I had learned about the curse and to let you know that I could restore Angelus' soul. When I contacted my associate in Providence, he informed that you had left town to follow Spike and Willow to New Bedford. He also informed me that you were traveling with a male companion. Of course, I realized straightaway that you must be with Angelus. Can you possibly imagine how distressing such news was to me? Regardless of what you are, Buffy, it was a foolish decision on your part. I immediately boarded a train to New Bedford and performed the curse the moment I arrived here."

"I am not a fool," she contradicted. "I may have only learned of my calling a few weeks ago, but I've learned quickly and well. You've said as much, yourself."

"A slayer requires more than strength and agility, Buffy. She must also possess prudence and have the wisdom to know when to exercise it. You cannot have forgotten what Angelus' plans were for you in England. You must know, after he'd lost the soul that had been forced upon him, that he would carry on with that same scheme."

"I don't know what he intended," the slayer answered truthfully.

"Then you go beyond foolish. Your actions were utterly reckless," he admonished her.

Buffy's eyes hardened as she glared up at her father, "I only know that Angelus loved me, even without the soul. Our only concern has been to reach Willow and Spike before it's too late. In fact, we are now wasting time we cannot afford to lose."

A ragged breath caught in Giles' throat, "You know where they are?"

"We think they have probably booked passage to England," she answered before turning her attention back to the silently weeping vampire. "Angelus. Angelus, listen to me. It's all right, my love. You haven't hurt me. You loved me, even after your soul had gone. You know that, don't you? And you know that I love you--"

"I've fed," he murmured, his voice constricted with tears. "I've taken human life--"

"Hush," she cooed softly, cradling his head against her shoulder. "You couldn't help yourself. Angelus, I need you. Willow needs you. Remember why we've come here? We must get to Willow."

"Oh, gods. Willow," he whispered against her.

She cupped his cheeks in her hands and raised his head to place a soft kiss on his lips, "We can deal with--everything else--later, Angelus. It will be all right. Trust me. I love you. We must find Willow."

"Yes," he nodded, and Buffy wrapped an arm around his waist as he pushed himself up onto his feet. He looked over at the watcher but was unable to meet the man's eyes. "The docks. We don't know for certain if they're even there, but I think it's very likely. We've no idea when they are to set sail."

"Then we must hurry," Giles replied and whistled to the cab still standing at the far end of the street.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Are you cold, luv?" Spike asked as he wrapped an arm around the shivering redhead.

She shook her head, "No."

"Afraid?" he tried again.

"A bit anxious, I suppose," she confessed. "Oh, William, I wish we were away from here. Why will they not let us board the ship?"

He squeezed her gently to him, "It won't be long now, pet. Less than a half hour.

Willow nodded but could not stifle the impulse to glance around them, "Perhaps it would be better if we did not stand out here in the open, where we could easily be seen?"

Spike took her hand and led her away from the scattered groups of passengers. A familiar, if unwanted, prickle suddenly ran the length of his spine, and the blonde vampire paused as they neared the concealing shadow of the buildings opposite them.

"Bloody hell," he whispered.

Willow's eyes darted up to him, "What? What is it?"

"Angelus," he hissed.

She tensed and drew closer beside him as a tall figure stepped out around the end of the building, followed closely by two others. Angelus sensed his childe even before his keen eyes caught sight of him, and he looked down at Buffy as she moved up beside him and placed her hand on his arm.

"Are you all right?" she asked softly.

"I--I don't know," he responded.

"You can do this," Buffy said. "You must, for Willow."

Angelus nodded reluctantly, "Spike was never convinced that I'd lost my soul. Now that I've regained it, he'll never trust me to--"

"What does it matter?" the slayer interrupted. "We don't require his trust to take Willow away from here."

He cast a hesitant look over his shoulder at Giles, and the watcher judiciously stepped back several paces.

"Buffy," Angelus spoke softly. "I can't ignore what I've done to him, the manner in which I betrayed him. I told you, while we were riding here, that the Angelus you fell in love with was still very much a part of my unsouled self."

"I remember," she nodded.

"Well, the opposite it just as true. The demon that reigned within me in my unsouled state is also very much a part of my souled self. And that part of me loathes what I've done to my childe. I receive no pleasure from my betrayal of Spike or from the pain it caused him." Buffy opened her mouth to respond, but Angelus would have none of it. "Willow loves him, as he is, and Spike loves her. I told you--before--that we were wrong to come between them--"

"Angelus, we haven't time for this, now," Buffy insisted. "Whether we're right or wrong can be debated later. Unless--Daddy, could you not restore Spike's soul as you did Angelus'?"

He shook his head, "I haven't enough of the necessary ingredients remaining, and a certain degree of proximity to the recipient of the soul is required in order to perform the restoration. I couldn't possibly obtain the ingredients until tomorrow morning, at the earliest. Spike and Willow would be gone long before then."

"There's nothing else for it," Buffy concluded. "We must stop Spike from taking Willow away from here."

Angelus hesitated, still torn over hurting his childe once again, still reeling from the warring emotions within him since regaining his soul on that dark street corner.

Buffy clutched his arm tightly, "Angelus, we have no choice, unless you can guarantee that Willow's mortal soul is not in danger as long as she remains with Spike."

"You know I can't guarantee that," he conceded reluctantly.

"Then help us," Giles implored quietly from behind the couple. "We must convince Willow to return to Brookline with us. A young woman's broken heart will mend, given time. But if Spike takes her away, if he makes her his childe, she'll be lost to us forever."

The vampire nodded, and Buffy turned beside him to face the couple waiting in the cover of the buildings several yards ahead of them. She gasped as her vision fell upon the empty shadows.

"Where are the?" she cried, glancing frantically around them.

"They're here, somewhere," Angelus answered. "I can still sense him."

"Come along!" Giles barked and stepped quickly around his daughter. "We must find them!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"William," Willow breathed softly and clutched the vampire's hand as he yanked her closer to his side and forcefully brushed his way through the other passengers congregating near the docks.

"It's all right, luv," he assured her. "We're getting on that bloody ship."

"We'll never make it before they find us," she lamented.

"Oh, yes, we will," he promised.

"Oh, heavens," she whimpered as he stormed toward the crewman standing alongside the gangplank. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to convince him that he *needs* to let us board first."

She swallowed as her heart thumped within her chest, "Please, William, don't do anything--"

"Hush, luv," he chuckled and thrust his free hand into his coat pocket. "I'm not going to hurt him."

"Sir," the crewman spoke sharply as the vampire broke through the line of people, with Willow in tow. "If you'd be so kind as to--"

Spike drew near to the man and jammed a fistful of bills into his hand, "My wife is exhausted, and I'd like to get her to our cabin. I don't wish to be rude, but it's been a tiring day, and my wife has just learned that she's pregnant. You understand."

Willow let out a little gasp and blushed to her roots, and the crewman, thoroughly embarrassed, glanced quickly at the redhead and back to Spike, "Well, yes...of course...I'm sure that's...perfectly...yes...quite...go right ahead, won't you?"

"Thank you. Oh, and if anyone should inquire, you can't be certain, but you think that you saw a couple matching our description heading--that way," the vampire pointed in the direction of the street that led away from the wharf. "And we appeared to be in rather a hurry."

The alarmed crewman objected. "You aren't in any sort of trouble, are you?"

"Only with my wife's fiancé," Spike smiled slyly. "Well, former fiancé--a tall, dark-haired bloke. You see, he wasn't too pleased when he learned that she's expecting because he *knew* the child couldn't be his."

"William!" Willow squealed and buried her face against the sleeve of Spike's coat.

"Never mind, sweetheart. It just bothers the bloody hell out of him that no one will ever love you more than I do," he elaborated on the lie with a grin.

"Yes...I...I see...do go right on board...please," the crewman begged, silently praying that none of the nearby passengers had overheard this scandalous exchange. "I give you my word that no one will...disturb you."

"I knew you'd understand." Spike drew an arm around Willow to usher her quickly past the man and onto the deck and leaned close to her ear to whisper, "We've nothing to worry about, luv. He won't be telling *anyone* that we're on board *his* ship."

The redhead cast an upwards glance at him and giggled softly as she moved closer against him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

From his perch on the edge of the bed, Spike reached out and grabbed Willow's hand as she paced before him, "Stop, luv. You'll tread a hole in the floorboards. Let's go up on deck."

She looked down at him, "Do you think we should? Is it safe?"

He grinned and stood up, "We've been moving for ten minutes, Willow."

"Oh, heavens," she groaned in embarrassment. "I'm so nervous I hadn't even noticed--"

Spike chuckled and pulled her into his arms to place a kiss on her lips, "I know. Come along with me, pet. We'll watch the American coast slowly fade into a bad memory."

Nature's deft hand had flung a sparkling blanket of stars across the inky sheet of the night sky, and Willow rested her head against Spike's chest as he moved up behind her and encircled her in his arms. A warm, salty breeze danced through her long red locks of hair, and she tilted her head and smiled up at her lover.

"Beautiful," she whispered as the coastline slowly receded on the horizon.

"Absolutely," he murmured, his eyes fixed on hers before he turned her to face him and covered her mouth with his own.

Willow's arms slid around him, and she held on tightly to him, "I love you so much, William."

"I love you, too, sweetheart. No one will ever take you away from me again."

She lowered her head to his shoulder, and placed a soft kiss on his neck, "Promise me."

"I promise," he answered.

Her lips fluttered across his cool flesh as they curled into a little smile of contentment, and he hugged her tighter to him and dropped a kiss on her head.

"We're free, luv. We can go anywhere you'd like. Shall we take in Europe, or would you rather stop off in England for awhile?" he asked her.

"Personally, I've grown quite accustomed to Boston," the unexpected voice from the shadows behind them sent a shiver of trepidation down Willow's spine.

Spike snarled and whirled around as Buffy and Angelus stepped into the dim light, "How the bloody hell did you--"

"We nearly didn't," his sire admitted. "I can't imagine what you must have told that crewman to cause him to be so reticent, but it required a great deal of Mr. Giles' money to finally get the truth out of him."

Willow clutched Spike's arm as she peered over at Buffy, "Your father knows you're here--with Angelus?"

"Daddy knows," the slayer nodded. "Fortunately, there were a couple of cabins that had not been reserved. Of course, it cost him dearly to--"

"You shouldn't have wasted his money," the redhead snapped angrily. "Or your time away from the Hellmouth."

Buffy shook her head, "The Hellmouth has survived without a slayer for months at a time. It can manage the same for a couple fo week. I promised we'd book a return voyage just as soon as we reach London."

Willow frowned, "Then wasn't it rather pointless to--"

"No. It wasn't pointless," the slayer said. "Willow, you have to--"

"I'm *not* going back with you," she snapped. "Why can't you leave us alone?"

"How can I? I love you! You know what he is!"

Spike looked pointedly at Angelus, "Do you know what *he* is?"

"I know he lost his soul," Buffy answered. "The same evening the two of you fled the estate. But Daddy restored it, permanently, this time."

"Bloody convenient for you," the blonde vampire glared at his sire. "If you weren't lying from the start."

"He wasn't lying," Buffy glowered. "You've no idea what we've--"

"Buffy, don't," Angelus spoke softly. "This isn't helpful. Spike, I need to speak with you. Alone."

"If you honestly think I'm leaving Willow with her--"

"Where could we possibly go?" Buffy asked angrily.

"How the hell should I know? I wouldn't put it past you to throw her overboard," Spike responded. "You'd do anything to keep her away from me."

"Stop it!" Angelus barked. "We'll go below deck. We'll stay close enough for you to keep an eye on Willow."

Spike looked down at the redhead, and she shrugged noncommittally, "What does it matter? It will change nothing. I'm not leaving you, regardless of what they say."

"All right," he nodded. "But you stay close. Agreed?"

"Yes," she agreed and pressed her warm lips to his before taking his hand to draw him inside.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spike's eyes were pinned on Willow, who was sitting next to Buffy just across the brightly-lit lounge, but the blonde vampire's ears were tuned to his sire's words as he explained how Giles had performed the restoration only a few hours ago.

"I wasn't lying to you before," Angelus stated.

"Which 'before' would that be, exactly?" his childe questioned angrily. "No, don't answer that. The only lie that matters happened months ago, and it cost me Willow. I'd be a fool to trust you now, and that is one thing you never taught me to be."

The darker vampire smiled, "I'm not sure anyone ever taught you anything, Spike. Listen to me. I didn't come after you to try to take Willow away."

Spike's blue eyes finally shifted to Angelus, "Then why *did* you come after us?"

"Because I couldn't leave things between us as they were, and I wanted Buffy to see the two of you together. I needed her to see just how deeply you care for Willow."

His childe's face registered a mixture of doubt and surprise, "You accept the fact that she wants to be with me?"

"How can I not?" Angelus replied. "None of us are blind to what she's put herself through in order to get away from--us. She knows how much Buffy and her father care for her, yet she fled the one place that she was safe. I know she loves you, Spike. I've known that for months. I was wrong. It's pointless to try to persuade her to forget you. I'm not sure we've even the right to request that of her. It's your decision--yours and Willow's."

Spike studied his sire's face skeptically, "Go on."

He shook his head, "I don't understand--"

"This sudden acquiescence can't come without a price. So what's the stipulation?"

"There isn't one," Angelus stated.

"That's damned magnanimous of you," Spike's tone was antagonistically sarcastic.

"When was the last time I made any demands on you?" Angelus asked. "We've been equals for a long time, Spike. You know that."

"Is that right? You choose to view what you did to me, back in England, as 'equality?' Funny, that. I see it as betrayal. Being all soul-having seems to have warped your vision, sire."

The elder vampire blew out a breath of frustration and bridled the urge to physically strike out at his childe, "I was wrong, Spike. I should have come to you that morning, after I was cursed. I should have told you what had happened when you came up to my room. I can't change any of it, now. But I can regret it, and I do. Even if I wished to place stipulations on your being with Willow--which I don't--I'm hardly in the position to do so. Maybe it took losing my soul once again to finally realize how hypocritical I was in opposing your relationship with her. I've tried to help Buffy understand that we have no right to come between the two you, and I'm making progress. But it's slow-going, and she needs to face this for herself. Otherwise, she'll never let the two of you be. That's what this is about, though she doesn't know that, yet. She can't run from it here, and she can't force you away from Willow. By the time we reach London, I'm hoping she'll have come to understand. If she hasn't, well, you'll be on your own territory there, won't you?"

"And I'll bloody well make certain that Willow stays right beside me," Spike vowed. "Neither you nor the slayer are going to drag her back to the States."

"You have my word that it won't come to that," Angelus assured him. "I don't ask you to trust me, but I promise it, nonetheless."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You're very angry with us, aren't you?" Buffy asked softly, trying urgently to pry Willow's eyes away from the blonde vampire sitting across the room.

"I don't know what I feel," the redhead answered candidly. "I know that you love me--both you and your father. I know that you think you're doing what's best for me. Well, it isn't. I want to be with William more than I've ever wanted anything. But I don't have to explain that to you; you're well-acquainted with that feeling, aren't you?"

"Yes," the slayer answered. "But--"

"Ah, yes," Willow nodded. "There's always a 'but.' You can't argue this with me. There is no difference between what you have and what I want."

"Angelus has a soul."

Willow turned cool eyes on her friend, "He had no soul when you followed him to Providence, did he? He had no soul when you accompanied him to New Bedford. You knew exactly what sort of a man you were riding beside, and it didn't matter. You love him so much that you simply had to be with him. I should think, after all that, you would finally understand my feelings. Is it innocent short-sightedness on your part or is it stubborn refusal?"

Buffy reached for her hand, "Don't be cruel--"

"Cruel?" Willow echoed. "I love you Buffy. We've grown up together, shared too much, for that to ever change. But you have been more cruel to me--regardless of your intentions--than I could ever be to you."

Tears shimmered in the slayer's eyes, and she whispered hoarsely, "Willow, please--"

"You're here. I honestly wish that you weren't. It would have been far kinder of you to have trusted me to make my own decisions. You're on a pointless crusade, Buffy. You won't change my mind, so you'd better see about changing your own. I won't return to Boston with you. I'm staying with William."

Her friend opened her mouth to respond, but thought better of it as Spike and Angelus approached. Willow took the hand the blonde vampire held out to her, and he pulled her up onto her feet.

"It's late, pet. Are you tired?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I'd like to go to our cabin."

He nodded and cast a withering glare at the slayer before ushering Willow across the large room.. Buffy rose to go after them, but Angelus' hand on her arm stopped her.

"Let them go," he said softly.

"But Angelus--"

"Please, love," he smiled and drew his arm around her waist. "There's nothing else to be done tonight, and I need to talk to you privately."

"All right," she conceded and allowed him to lead her away to their own quarters.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Angelus could feel the anger simmering within Buffy as he quietly recounted his conversation with Spike, and he tightened his arms around her as she attempted to push herself away from him to scramble out of the bed.

"You agree with him! You've taken his side!" she shouted. "Angelus, how could you? You know what he--"

"Hush," he insisted, pulling her closer to him. "It's far better for Spike to believe he's won me over, don't you think?"

A frown of confusion shadowed her features as she looked up at him, "I don't understand."

"Do you trust me, Buffy?"

"Well, yes," she answered. "But you just said--"

"I just told you what I said to *him*. All of our arguments and justifications have fallen on deaf ears, as far as Willow is concerned, at any rate. Spike never had any intention of entertaining our objections. He won't give her up, and he's going to be too cautious as it is. You want Willow back in the States, away from Spike. That's going to be difficult enough to accomplish. We have no hope of success as long he believes that we're both against him."

"Oh!" she sighed and sank back into his arms, considerably calmed by his explanation.

"I suggest you might try the same tactic with Willow," he continued.

"I'm not certain I can do that," she shook her head. "I'm not certain I can support her relationship with Spike, even in pretense."

"You're only pushing her further away with your insistence that they can't be together. She sees the two of us together, and she feels she should be allowed the same closeness with Spike."

"Her life is in danger as long as she's with him. Good heavens! If she should stay in England with him, we'd have no means of protecting her!"

"You were in a very similar situation with me, only a few hours ago," Angelus reminded her.

"You'd never harm me," she argued.

"Buffy, you know very well what my plans for you were before I was resouled that night in England. After I lost that soul--"

"It's different for us," she interrupted. "I'm the slayer. I could have defended myself."

"Don't be so overly confident, sweetheart. Love is an incredible strength, but it's also a great weakness, in many instances."

"That may be true, but I was never blinded to what you are--without a soul, I mean," she contended.

"And you think Willow is blinded to my childe's true nature?" he inquired. "I'm not convinced of that at all."

She straightened herself and pushed slightly away from him, "I thought you said you were opposed to this!"

He chuckled softly and nuzzled his lips against her hair, "I'm giving you Willow's point of view, love. Any argument you try to put forth, she can counter. You won't win that way. If you want to have any hope of persuading her, you're going to have to regain her confidence."

"You don't have any idea what you're asking," she grumbled.

The vampire laughed out loud and pulled her to him to kiss her soundly, "All right. If you can't pretend to support her decision, at least try to refrain from being so vocal in regard to your negativity. You're only forcing her farther away from you. Let me work on Spike. We've a couple of days before we reach London. Perhaps I can sway him enough to lower his guard."

"And then we can get Willow away from him?" she surmised.

"If we're lucky, and careful," he nodded.

"Then I'll try to do as you wish, for Willow's sake," she finally agreed.

"For Willow's sake, that's all I'm asking," he nodded.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Willow shifted closer to Spike, and he kissed her forehead and tangled his legs through hers. Her delicate hand skimmed the outline of his bare shoulder and traveled down his arm. She pressed a kiss to his shoulder before lowering her head to rest against his cool flesh.

"It feels wrong," she said softly. "I don't trust him, William. How can we, after all that he's done to--"

"I know," he agreed. "I'm not saying that we should trust him. My sire is a master of duplicity. His words sounded genuine enough--fully as genuine as that night in England when he and the slayer stole you away from me. I'd like to believe him. I'd like to think that he's finally accepted that you and I are going to be together, but I can't afford that sort of blind stupidity."

"He hurt you terribly, didn't he?" Willow looked up into his blue eyes. "I knew that, of course, but I don't think I ever realized just how deeply it ran."

"He played me for a fool, luv," the vampire scowled. "In my world, trust is not a thing to be given freely, but I trusted him implicitly. I never had the slightest suspicion, not even a shred of doubt, when he set me up to lose you. Destroying me, as he destroyed Dru, would have been less contemptuous than his betrayal."

"Don't say that," she pleaded, placing a hand against his cheek. "You wouldn't be here with me now if he'd--"

"I'm sorry," he said and placed his hand over hers, folding it in his own and drawing it away from his face to place a long, slow kiss on her lips. "You're right, of course. This is all that matters now."

"We'll survive this," she whispered, her mouth so close to his that the vampire could taste the sweet warm breath of her words. "We'll tolerate them for the few days of this journey, and then we'll be away from them and together with each other."

"Yes," he agreed, a smile curling the corners of his mouth as he shifted her slightly under him and nuzzled his mouth against the velvety flesh just below her right ear.

Willow's hand moved around him, and she stroked her fingers through his hair, "They'll never separate us again, William."

"Never," Spike promised, his lips brushing across her cheek to her mouth.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Angelus had a very interesting conversation with William last night," Willow said as the waiter refilled her coffee cup and silently glided away from their table in the dining room.

"He told me," Buffy nodded.

"And you believe that he meant what he said?" the redhead asked. "Does that not upset you?"

The slayer shrugged, "He's trying to help me to understand things. From your point of view."

"Is it working?" Willow couldn't help the small smile of amusement that tugged at her lips.

Unable to meet her best friend's eyes, Buffy busied herself in pushing her breakfast plate away from her and removing her napkin from her lap to place it on the table, "Perhaps. I don't know, Will. I can't help being concerned for your safety."

"You needn't be. William is not going to hurt me. You trust Angelus. Why can't you trust his childe?"

"Because he and Angelus are not--" with difficulty, the young blonde managed to bite back the argument and paused to brush her fingertips across her brow. "I'm trying, Willow. I really am trying. I know how sanctimonious my words and actions must seem to you, and I don't blame you for feeling that way. But you must remember the peril I was in when I first fell in love with Angelus. I didn't know what I was, then. It's ironic that it was he--with a soul--who saved me from himself. And then, when he lost that soul, and I followed him to Providence, I knew I could defend myself from him. But if you go away with William, if you stay in England with him, who will protect you? You'll be too far away for either Angelus or me to reach you in time should you need us."

"I don't need your protection!" Willow insisted emphatically. "I am fully capable of protecting myself!"

Buffy stared across the table at the redhead, "From vampires?"

"That's a fair question, I suppose," she conceded. "But I have William. I trust him completely. He would risk his own existence to protect me, just as Angelus would do for you."

"Would he consent to living in Boston?" the slayer asked.

Willow shrugged, unconcerned, "What does it matter? I don't wish to live in Boston. When I fled England with you, I was terrified. I didn't understand--so many things. But I do, now. William hadn't told me what he was, but he never lied to me about his feelings for me. He loves me, Buffy. I want to be with him. I want to go home, with William. I hope Angelus was sincere when he talked with William last night. There's no hope of a reconciliation between them if Angelus tries to separate us again. And as much as I love you--and you know that I do--I don't think I could ever forgive you if you're plotting against us. Please don't try to interfere."

A heavy sigh slid from the slayer's lips as she paused to consider the redhead's plea, "We've another day's travel before we reach England. In the meantime, I know that you're safe here, and I promise to consider all that you've said."

Willow nodded, "Well, that's something, at least."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Willow, luv, you're pacing again," Spike complained and reached out a hand toward the redhead.

She turned to him, but the smile on her lips was a fleeting one, "I don't like it, William. They're being too tolerant, both of them."

"Perhaps all of our arguments have finally sunk in," he suggested.

"You don't believe that," she remarked, and the look in his eyes confirmed the statement. "For all we know, they may be planning--something. Angelus may have wired ahead to London, or Mr. Giles may have done so from the States. We may be walking straight into a trap."

"Then we'll be as ready as we can be," he told her. "Angelus, as he is now, won't find many allies in England."

Willow shook her head, "There's the council--"

"We outnumber them, luv," Spike reassured her.

"Who is 'we?'" she wanted to know. "Your--underlings--in London? Are they even aware that we're returning? Do you still have their loyalty?"

"I'd bloody well better, if they value their unlives," he answered. "We'll leave the ship immediately after it docks. From that point, we'll have to play it as it comes. Not particularly my preferred method of operation, but with Angelus and Buffy dogging us, we haven't much choice. If it becomes necessary, I may be able to arrange some sort of distraction, something to put a bit of distance between us and them."

"But if they are hoping to stop us, they'll be watching us too closely," she countered.

He took her by the arms and pulled her close to him, "Listen to me, pet. I promised you I wouldn't let them separate us again, and I meant it. If that is their intention, we'll prevent it. I swear to you, Willow; I'm not going to lose you."

She looked up into his determined blue eyes and nodded, "I'll do whatever you need me to do. I love you; I can't be without you."

"Then they haven't a hope in hell of winning," he smiled and bent to kiss her deeply.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On the moonlit deck, Buffy slid closer to Angelus' side as her eyes continued to rest on the blonde vampire and the small redhead who were standing near the ship's railing.

"Can you hear what they're saying?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head, "They're too far away, and Spike knows that we're here. He doesn't trust me, Buffy."

"That doesn't surprise you, surely," she replied.

"I suppose not," Angelus answered. "Though I had hoped that something of what I've said to him would have had some sort of impact."

"I haven't had any more success with Willow," the slayer admitted grimly. "At least she says that she doesn't hate me."

"The same cannot be said for my childe, unfortunately. They spent the entire day in their cabin, and he's kept her very close to him all evening."

"Do you think they're planning something?" Buffy wondered.

"I'm certain of it. I just wish I had some idea of what it is."

"Well, we'll just have to stay close to them once the ship reaches London," she advised.

Angelus nodded and drew from his pocket the watch he had found on the lawn of Giles' estate, "We've another hour before we dock."

He snapped the watch shut and ran his fingertips over the gold casing, then left Buffy's side to cross the width of the deck. Spike turned as his sire approached, and Angelus held out the timepiece.

"I thought you might like to have this back," he said.

"A remembrance of better days, sire?" Spike remarked dryly, taking the watch and shoving it into the pocket of his jacket.

"In some ways, yes," Angelus admitted. "I regret what's been lost between us, Spike."

"And you'd like the chance to make amends," he added. "I've heard the song, Angelus."

"I just wish you believed it."

Spike drew his arm around Willow and glared up at the elder vampire, "Belief in you, Angelus, comes at a bloody high price. Tell you what, though. When we reach London, and you stand by and watch Willow walk away with me, *then* I'll believe you. Sound reasonable to you?"

"It'll be a little late to tell me so, won't it?" Angelus pointed out. "Considering you'll be gone."

"Well, there is that," he smirked. "But it's the best I can do. Take it or leave it."

His sire studied him for a long moment before turning on his heel and walking away.

"Thought so," Spike spat

Willow shifted closer to him and looked up at him, "He worries me, William."

He kissed her hair and cradled her head against his chest, "I can deal with worries, luv. It's losing you that I can't bear. So, we won't let it happen."

"As easy as that," she said skeptically.

"Probably not, but that will be the end result. Whatever it is that the two of them are planning to do, it won't stop us. I won't let it."

She smiled and raised her head to look up into his eyes, "If you can't believe in Angelus, neither can I, but I *do* believe in you--in us. Should we go back to our cabin? My bag--"

"I've already seen to it," he told her. "I think it will be wiser for us to stay out here until we reach land. I don't want you out of my sight."

She nodded and sighed softly as, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Angelus and Buffy still standing nearby, "It looks as though we won't be out of *their* sight."

"It's all right, pet," he told her. "They can stand there and gawk until we reach London. At least we also know where they are."

"You've something in mind, haven't you?" she asked knowingly.

He nodded slightly, "Will you trust me if I don't explain it to you?"

"Of course I will," she answered without hesitation.

"Gods, I love you," he whispered, drawing her body close against his and brushing her hair away from her cheek.

Willow smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Since those two insist on watching us, I think we ought to give them an eyeful."

Spike laughed softly and cupped her cheeks in his hands, "Do you know how absolutely brilliant you are, Mrs. Randall?"

No," her green eyes sparkled playfully up at him. "Why don't you show me?"

He chuckled and buried his fingers in her hair as his lips descended to hers.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Willow took a quick glance over her shoulder as she and Spike threaded their way through the maze of passengers waiting to disembark from the ship. Angelus and Buffy were elbowing their way around the clusters of people, the slayers eyes pinned on the couple they were determinedly trailing.

"They're right behind us, William," she spoke softly.

"Not to worry, luv," he smiled down at her. "They won't be for long."

Finally scuttling by an elderly man and woman at the front of the line, Spike gripped Willow's hand more tightly in his and set off down the gangplank in long, quick strides. The redhead's free hand clutched at her long skirts, raising them from around her ankles as she trotted to keep up with him.

"Ready to make a run for it?" he asked the second their feet hit solid ground.

"If we can't lose them, it won't be for the want of a damned good try," she nodded, grinning broadly up at him.

"No one will ever label me a fool for falling in love with you," the blonde vampire's eyes radiated adoration as he raised her hand to his lips to plant a wet smack on it.

"I'll bet I can find a cab before you can," she challenged him playfully.

"I'll take that bet," he laughed and felt her hanging on very tightly to his hand as the two of them broke into an all-out run.

At the same moment, Angelus and Buffy stepped down onto the dock, and the slayer cried out, "Angelus!" as Spike and Willow suddenly darted away. With a mute nod, he slipped his hand into hers and set off after the fleeing couple.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spike flew around the long row of buildings and came to a stop only long enough to search their surroundings. Willow, breathing heavily beside him, read his thoughts and gestured along the foggy, lamp lit street toward a hansom cab waiting by the curb several yards away.

"There!" she panted and cast yet another look back over her shoulder. "William, we'll never make it--"

"I know, luv," he responded, gazing around at the gatherings of bystanders who were waiting to fetch their loved ones home from the overseas voyage.

Willow fidgeted nervously as Spike's eyes settled upon what appeared to be a small group of men, huddled together near a building to the right, who had, most likely, migrated to this area with the hopes of coaxing a few coins from the well-lined pockets of those who were far better of than they.

"Ah, there's what we need," he spoke softly.

Willow looked up at him, "Vagrants?"

He shook his head, a grin of satisfaction curling his lips, "Vampires."

"Vampires?" she gasped, but Spike ignored her slight protest and, grasping her by the arm, propelled her forward, toward the little band of minions.

The moment they caught sight of the infamous blonde man stalking quickly toward them, the minions straightened themselves and exchanged wary glances. One of them managed to find his tongue and cleared his throat nervously before speaking.

"Sir! It's...good to see you again! What are you--"

"Angelus!" Willow clutched Spike's arm and gestured anxiously over his shoulder as the dark vampire appeared from around the corner.

He wrapped a reassuring arm around her waist and kept his eyes fastened on the minions, "He's taken it upon himself to abet the council and their slayer."

"We've heard," one of them sneered. "It was all over the city the day after he fled with the bitch and her watcher to the Hellmouth in the States. What the hell is he doing back here?"

"Following us," Spike answered. "And making a damned good job of it. It's Willow she's after."

The minion eyed the minuscule scar that peeked over the lacy collar of the redhead's blouse, started at the low growl of warning that rumbled in Spike's throat, and quickly lowered his gaze in obeisance.

"Keep them occupied until I can get Willow away from here, and I'll see to it that the docks are yours," Spike ordered.

Golden eyes burning at the prospect of that promise, the vampires nodded and stepped around the couple.

Spike removed his arm from around Willow's waist and took her hand once more, "We must hurry, luv. Determined as they may be, they won't buy us much time."

She nodded, and they took off down the pavement, ignoring the angry voices and panicked shouts that slowly began to erupt from behind them. Angelus had caught sight of their fleeing forms and had grabbed Buffy's hand to chase after them, only to be brought to an immediate halt by a wall of minions that quickly moved to encircle the elder vampire and the slayer.

"You would have been wise to have stayed in the States, Angelus," one of them spat scornfully. "You and your bitch aren't welcome here."

Barely restraining the demon inside him, Angelus scowled, "Get the hell out of our way, boy."

Buffy's eyes darted nervously around at the curious faces that had turned toward them, "Angelus, we can't do this here! These people..."

He nodded and reached out, grabbing one of the vampires and shoving him aside, and another minion snarled and swung a solid fist at Angelus' jaw. Buffy's hand shot out and curled around the fist, and she squeezed until she heard the sound of bone snapping. The minion's knees buckled, and a woman shrieked in alarm as the vampire collapsed.

In the distance, Angelus caught a flash of blonde hair nearing a cab waiting down the street, and he forcefully shoved an oncoming minion, sending him colliding back into another, and spun around to the slayer, "Can you draw them away from here? Willow and Spike--"

"Yes!" she answered immediately. "You must stop them, Angelus! Go! I can handle this. I'll meet you back at the London estate."

As the bystanders began to move perilously closer to the fracas, Angelus barreled through the remaining minions, grabbed the slayer's hand, and tugged her away with him. Giving his hand a quick squeeze, she released him and ran away from the docks as Angelus took off toward the waiting cab. The minions, momentarily confused, watched as the two fled in opposite directions. Deciding they would rather not face a Master who might feel they had failed him, the vampires tore off after the slayer.

With the sound of his sire's footsteps pounding behind them echoing in the blonde vampire's ears, he reached the cab and flung open the door. Spike scrambled inside, pulling Willow along with him, to be met by the slack-jawed stare of a well-dressed gentleman.

"This cab is engaged, sir," the stranger informed them.

"Get out," Spike hissed, dropping down into the seat opposite the man and drawing the redhead down beside him.

"I beg your pardon," the gentleman snapped icily. "I most certainly will not!"

Spike's human facade immediately bled into that of the vampire as he snarled angrily, "Get the bloody hell out."

Willow's fingers flew to her mouth, and she stifled a giggle as a choked cry of terror gurgled from the man's throat, and he nearly tripped over himself in his haste to abandon the cab and escape into the darkness. Spike called out to the driver and slammed the door shut, and the vehicle lurched forward. No sooner had it pulled away from the curb, when the entire cab was jostled with a violent force. The door suddenly yanked open, and Angelus vaulted inside, landing heavily on the seat vacated only moments before. Willow's eyes widened, and a soft cry of dismay parted her lips as, from outside, the astonished driver frantically attempted to reign in the horse. Spike's sire grinned a broad grin of triumph and yelled out to the rattled coachman to drive on, with all speed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The only consideration that kept Spike from wrestling his sire from the speeding cab was the danger that such a brawl might cause an accident, resulting in harm to his precious redhead. And so the blonde vampire sat in fuming silence, his right hand clamped almost painfully around Willow's, his left balled into a tight fist of rage. Angelus judiciously allowed his enraged childe to maintain his icy silence. The driver, at last, reigned the vehicle to a stop in front of the familiar Belgravia mansion. Pulling Willow roughly along with him, Spike jumped out and stormed up the steps while Angelus appeased the sputtering cabby with a fistful of money. He hurried to the door and thrust out his hand to prevent it from, literally, being slammed shut on his nose. He walked through and followed the couple into the cold, dark morning room as the sounds of scurrying footsteps on the floorboards overhead signaled that the minions were aware of the alarming and unexpected return of their masters.

As Angelus appeared in the doorway, Spike whirled around and snarled through clenched teeth, "You bloody bastard. Get the hell out of my house."

"Spike--"

He took a menacing step toward his sire, "I've put up with your interference for as long as I can stand. There is no way in hell you're taking Willow away from me--"

"I have no intention of trying to take her from you," the darker vampire said calmly.

"Then why did you follow us to London?" Willow asked, her voice as cold and angry as that of her lover. "And don't ask us to believe that it was only to try to make Buffy see reason. If I had wanted to believe that before, what you did back at the docks makes it utterly impossible, now. Why did you force your way into our cab? Why are you so determined to keep us within sight? Where is Buffy?"

"I left her at the docks. I told her I'd meet her at her father's estate," he answered, then shifted his gaze to his childe. "I knew when we followed you off of the ship that you'd create a distraction to attempt to gain some distance from us. Or, at least, I'd hoped that you would. I used that distraction as a means to separate Buffy from myself."

"Why?" Willow questioned him.

"Because I needed to speak to the two of you, alone. You must get away from London, tonight if possible." He smiled sadly as his childe glared suspiciously at him. "I meant what I said to you during the voyage, Spike. I realize it was wrong of us to keep Willow and you from one another. I won't say I enjoyed my relapse into soullessness. That's a hellish existence after one has experiences the opposite condition, not that I expect you to understand that. But losing my soul did allow me to see clearly the unfairness of the situation we had forced upon the two of you."

"You're good, Angelus. I'll give you that," Spike scowled. "When you open your mouth, it's impossible to distinguish truth from lies. Are we to accept that you trailed us across an ocean and then halfway across London only to assist us in escaping your bitch? Escape wouldn't have been necessary if you hadn't brought her here in the first place."

Angelus sighed and dropped heavily down into an armchair, "It's just as I told you that night on the ship. I had hoped that, by watching you, Buffy would come to the same realization that I had. That you and Willow love each other, that what you want is no different from what she and I have. I have no doubt that if she had known I'd taken your side in this, she would have staked you there and then and hauled Willow back to the States. So, I let her go on thinking that I was opposed to the two of you being together, and I decided that if she had not reconsidered her position by the time we reached London, I'd help the two of you to get away. She's as adamant as she's ever been that we must get Willow to safety. She can't--or won't--understand that you *are* her safety. She may see that, in time. But, as it is, time is the one thing you do not possess--not here, anyway. She knows I've come after you, and I think that will keep her at the estate for tonight. But I don't have to convince you that tomorrow will find her on your doorstep. If you leave immediately, you'll at least have a couple of hours of darkness in which to travel. I'm quite certain she doesn't know that I managed to--steal a ride with you. I can tell her that I lost track of you, that I checked with the minions, but you never arrived here at the mansion. I'll tell her I searched the most likely places in the city, but you were nowhere to be found. Together, we'll conclude that you left London straightaway, that you have an even greater lead on us than you actually will."

Willow arched an eyebrow, "You're going to deceive her--for our sakes?"

"I don't like the idea, but I think that I must," he nodded. "You wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for me. In retrospect, I should have taken Buffy away that night I was resouled and left you and Spike together, as you both desired to be."

"Hindsight is a bitch, isn't it?" Spike remarked caustically.

"So it seems. I would rather not have to keep the truth from Buffy, but I've caused the two of you bitter heartache for months. You're dear to me, Willow, and Spike...you're...my childe," the elder vampire's voice was thick with emotion. "I regret the pain you've suffered because of me. I owe you this much, at the very least."

Spike turned away and swallowed against the tears that prickled threateningly behind his eyes. He felt Willow's gentle hand on his arm and turned toward him, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him.

"Where will we go, William?" she asked him softly.

"Better not to answer that in my presence," Angelus commented before Spike could respond. "The less I know, the better. I think, Spike, that you had better call the minions and arrange to leave London immediately. News will travel fast amongst the vampires here, and those who may not have accepted what I've become will certainly do so once they have heard what happened back at the docks."

The blonde vampire nodded and withdrew from Willow's embrace. He walked toward the door, stopping as he moved past Angelus, and placed a hand on his sire's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Spike. Be happy with her," he said sadly.

"I will be," he answered.

"I know you will," Angelus nodded, then impulsively pulled his childe into a brief, firm hug.

"Thank you, Angelus," Willow spoke as Spike quickly left the room.

He shook his head, "You don't owe me your thanks. I'll keep Buffy preoccupied here for a few days, we'll search just enough to convince her that trying to locate you is futile. She'll have to return to Boston soon. The Hellmouth requires her presence, and she won't neglect her duties there for long."

"No," Willow agreed and sat down on the settee. "I'll miss her. In spite of--everything--I do believe her heart has always been in the right place. I'll miss Buffy. And you."

He knelt in front of her and took her hands in his, "You're very sure of this, Willow?"

She looked up at him, her eyes clear and decisive, "I am. I could never be happy without him. I love him, Angelus."

"And he loves you," he replied and raised her hands to his lips.

"Everything is arranged," Spike stated as he reentered the morning room. "We must hurry, luv. The carriage will be waiting outside."

She went to him, and he slipped his arm around her waist as the redhead looked soberly over at Angelus, "Will we never see you again?"

"Never is a very long time," the dark vampire smiled softly. "We'll see each other again one day. Perhaps Buffy will even have had a change of heart by then."

"We can hope," she responded.

"We must leave, sweetheart," Spike urged her gently.

She nodded, and the blonde vampire and his sire shared a long look before Spike turned at Willow's side and led her out of the morning room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy took the envelope the butler held out to her, and Angelus frowned at the slight trembling of her hand as her eyes traveled over the familiar handwriting.

"What is it, love?" he asked after the butler had left them alone in the parlor.

"A letter. From Willow," the slayer's voice was little more than a whisper as she sank down onto the settee. "At last."

It had been a full six months since she and Angelus had returned to Brookline, and not a day had gone by that she had not wondered and worried about her childhood friend. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she had always suspected that Angelus had been instrumental in her inability to locate either Willow or Spike after they had fled that night on the docks. Angelus had never confessed to her his participation in their successful escape, but she had strongly sensed his relief when she had finally agreed to admit defeat and to return to the States to resume her duties on the Hellmouth.

Giles had been more vocal in his suspicions regarding Angelus' duplicity. His doubts had culminated in a quiet confrontation one night, about a week after their return. Buffy's attention had been drawn to the hushed voices emanating from behind the closed door of her father's library. From her place in the corridor, it had been impossible to discern what they were saying, and she had hastily decided to allow them their privacy and had quickly moved away, back in the direction from which she had come. Whatever had been said between the two men seemed to have appeased her father's misgivings, for afterward, it was apparent that Giles and Angelus had made their peace and had since treated one another with a warm and comfortable cordiality.

After that evening, Buffy had chosen not to question Angelus' movements that night in London, nor his motives in abetting Spike and Willow, as she suspected he had done. She admired and respected her father's insight, and if he could accept whatever actions Angelus had chosen to take, then she would find in herself to do so, as well. To Angelus, Buffy conveyed her understanding in small, but unmistakable, gestures--the way her hand unerringly reached for his as they left the house for their nightly patrols; the way her fingers would gently caress his cheek when they sat close to each other; the way her body would snuggle close against his in their bed, just before drifting off to sleep. But over the course of the ensuing weeks, despite her happiness with her lover, she had longed to hear some word from Willow. Now, at long last, it had arrived, and as she looked down at the neat, feminine script on the envelope, she could hardly believe what it was she held in her hand.

"Buffy?" Angelus' concerned voice broke through her thoughts as the vampire sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulders.

She looked up at him, smiling softly around the tears in her eyes, "I'm sorry. I think I'm just--overwhelmed with relief."

"And perhaps a bit apprehensive?" he guessed, not unkindly.

"Perhaps," she admitted. "Do you think she hates me?"

"No, I don't," he smiled. "But you could read it and find out for yourself."

She nodded and sniffled back her tears as she tore open the seal on the envelope and pulled out the letter inside to read its contents aloud.

Dearest Buffy,

If only I could tell you how often I've thought of you these past months. I can't apologize for what happened in London, since we both know there was no other way for William and me to be together, as we both wished to be. I won't tell you where I am--not that it would particularly matter since we're rarely in any one place for very long--I only want you to know that I am all right. I'm not angry at you for what happened. I think time has helped put all of that into perspective for me, and I've chosen to move past it, as I hope you have done. No matter what has happened between us, I love you, Buffy. That will never change. But I have no desire to return to the States. William and I have agreed that it's best if I am not where you are. I'm more content here with him than I have ever been in my life, and I wouldn't jeopardize that for anything in the world. As much as you mean to me, and as much as I hope I mean to you, I can't be near you, Buffy. Perhaps, in time, that will change. I'm still breathing, beloved friend. My heart beats; my own blood courses through my veins. I'm not deceiving myself. I know, eventually, that will change, and William will make me what he is. To be honest, I'm not certain how I feel about that, but I am certain about my feelings for him. I know he will teach me and support me then, just as he does now. I love him as I have never loved anyone or anything else. I'll never leave him, even though that means I will have to forfeit my human mortality, one day. I made the right choice, Buffy. I'm happy. Give my love to your father and to Angelus. You are all so precious to me, and I hope we will be able to overcome our differences and see one another again, if only for a brief time. Take care of yourself, dear friend.

With my love, Willow

"She doesn't hate me," Buffy murmured, raising a hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"Did you really think she would?" Angelus asked her. "You've shared far too much, meant far too much to each other, for her to ever hate you."

"But she isn't coming back, not ever," the slayer stated as another tear slid from her eye.

"She's happy with Spike. She loves him, Buffy. You, of all people, can surely understand that. And Spike cherishes her; he always will," the vampire assured her.

She turned toward him, "That night on the docks--after you left me--did you find them? Did you help them?"

"Does it matter?"

Buffy eyes shifted from him to the letter in her hand and back to him, "No. No, it doesn't matter. I love you, Angelus."

"I love you," he responded as his lips descended to hers.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

With a soft, sigh, Willow snapped shut her suitcase and carried it to the door. Spike turned from his place by the window and looked over at her with a small smile.

"Growing tired of all this moving about, sweetheart?"

"It isn't that," she answered. "Only, we've been here just three days. We usually have at least a week or two before we move on. Is everything all right? They haven't found us, have they?"

"I thought you'd decided the slayer had given up trying weeks ago," he responded.

"Perhaps that was only wishful thinking. She did contact the council once she and Angelus reached Boston, and even though we haven't had any hint of them recently, we both know the council doesn't give up that easily."

"They've given up," he told her.

Her eyes grew suspicious as she stared over at him, "You know something, don't you? What are you not telling me?"

The vampire's small smile curled into a wide grin, "Would I intentionally keep anything from you, luv?"

"Yes, you would," she declared, stomping over to him and placing her hands on his arms. "What the bloody hell is going on?"

He shook his head reproachfully, and his blue eyes shimmered with amusement as he admonished her, "Such language from a lady!"

"I learned from the best," she argued. "Out with it, William!"

He chuckled and slipped his arms around her waist, "It was supposed to be a surprise."

"I don't like surprises," she contended, then grinned sheepishly as he looked down at her in disbelief. "All right, I like some of your surprises. Most of your surprises, in fact, but--"

The vampire arched a roguish eyebrow, "You didn't complain about *any* of my surprises in that bed this morning."

She blushed crimson, but giggled and laced her arms round his neck, "Those are your best kind of surprises."

He laughed and pulled her tightly against him and placed a long, hard kiss on her lips, which the little redhead returned wholeheartedly. He finally drew away, but kept his arms firmly around her.

"Tell me?" she asked.

He nodded, "I received word from Angelus."

"Angelus!" she squeaked. "Oh heavens! How in the world did he find--"

Her protests were halted by his gentle fingers over her lips, "Do you want to hear?"

She nodded and mumbled around his fingers, "Sorry."

He removed his hand from her mouth and gave her a soft kiss before continuing, "He contacted one of the minions at the mansion in London about a month ago. Considering his reputation--or lack thereof--with our sort, the minion felt he had to verify the information in Angelus' letter before passing it along. Then, of course, it took some time to track us down."

"Which he finally did, obviously," Willow supplied.

"Obviously," Spike replied. "The letter was delivered to me at our hotel in Rome last week. Angelus promised that Buffy has finally given up her efforts to try to locate us. She and the council mutually agreed that the search was futile."

"How can Angelus be sure Buffy is sincere? And what about Mr. Giles? He has far more influence with the council. Surely, they would more likely concur with his judgment. If he feels their search should continue--"

"He doesn't," Spike told her. "According to Angelus, he and the slayer's father had a rather intense confrontation shortly after arriving back in the States. After listening to Angelus' arguments, the watcher concurred that it would be best to abide by your wishes. Angelus confirmed through Giles that the council's search has indeed been terminated."

"And the minion who first received Angelus' letter and verified its contents, you trust him?" she asked.

He nodded, "I've known him for a long time, pet. I trust him."

The redhead breathed a soft breath, "Then it's truly over?"

"It is. That's why I told this morning to pack and be ready to leave this evening. We're returning to London."

Her green eyes glimmered with a mixture of joy and disbelief as she whispered, "Returning to London--permanently."

"Yes, luv. If that's agreeable."

"I can hardly take it in! After all this time!" she responded. "But--are you certain it's safe? What if you should be seen by one of the council members? Even if the search has been halted, they would hardly turn a blind eye if they were to discover you in London."

"Yes, well, perhaps it would be wiser to live outside the city, but more for your sake than mine. There are many more of us than there are of them in London, as they very well know. Without the security of the slayer's presence, they'll hardly be actively seeking out vampires. Besides, we know their movements, and we know how to evade them. The chances of being seen by one of them, even accidentally, are slim at best. There's a far greater danger of your being seen on the streets or in the shops during the daylight hours. I've given orders to have the Belgravia mansion vacated and sold--which should convince the council even further that we have no intention of ever returning--and to purchase an estate in Surrey. I've kept the minion who first received Angelus' letter apprised of our movements and instructed him to let me know as soon as the necessary arrangements had been completed. I received word from him when I returned to the hotel last night that the Surrey estate is settled and ready for us."

"Oh, William!" she beamed and cupped his hands in her face and planted a sound kiss on his lips. "We're going home! It's wonderful! Will it be safe for me to visit my friends, do you think?"

"I think you should limit your travels into London to the evening hours, and then only with me--"

"Of course," she agreed happily. "But couldn't I at least call on Cordy and Xander? I've missed them so, and I'm certain they'd keep our presence in confidence if I ask them to do so. She understands about us, you see. Once, back in Brookline, when we were apart and I thought I'd go mad without you near me, I wrote her a long letter--which was deplorably self-pitying, I'm ashamed to admit--and poured out my grief to her. She wrote back the sweetest reply and even offered to sail to the States straightaway and smack Buffy for me. Which, of course, I didn't want. Well, maybe just a little, but--"

Spike laughed out loud and hugged close, "Yes, luv, I think it would be safe enough for you to pay an occasional evening visit to your friends. I don't believe I've ever seen you so elated before, sweetheart."

"Yes, I have been," she contradicted. "The night you came back to me, on my balcony, in Brookline."

He groaned and held her even tighter against him, "Gods, how I love you, Willow."

"I love you, too. And now, we're going home, together."

"Unless the cabby--who is, at this very moment, waiting outside--decides we're not coming down, after all," he cautioned her playfully.

"Oh!" Willow gasped in alarm and planted a quick kiss on his mouth before grabbing his hand and virtually dragging him toward the door.

Spike chuckled and reached out to snatch up her suitcase as his beloved redhead flung open the door and pulled him out into the corridor.

End

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