She's Like Candy by writergrrrl

Disclaimer: Everything BtVS and AtS is owned by Joss, ME, and all them over there. Everything Anita Blake is owned by Laurell K. Hamilton

Chapter 9

"All right, young lady. Youve missed more than enough school. I dont care if you *are* still sparkly. Youre going, and thats final." Willows reflection gave her the resolve face, and the redhead knew she was beat.

Since performing the spell with Anya on Monday afternoon, and finding herself to be completely accurate, Willow had done the same ritual twice a day. Twice, she had tried not doing it in the afternoon, but both trials had led to painful bouts as vision girl. Willow had decided that doing two a days, as Xander called them, left her feeling as close to normal as she suspected she was going to get. She had thought about going for three, but took Giles advice not to push herself too hard.

"Just because youve been this way for a week now doesnt mean youll *always* be sparkle-vision girl. Youve got to have something to fall back on." Willow glanced at her clock, confirming that she would have to leave soon to make it to her first class on time. "Youre wearing long sleeves and pants. No one is going to say anything."

Willow gathered her books and the keys to the car. <Not like I dont have my license or arent on the insurance. Besides, its Friday and Ill have to find people in my other classes to get notes from.>

Willow had been living in her old house for five days now. With the notable exception of Buffy, everyone seemed comfortable doing research and hanging out there. There was more room in Willows living room than in the entirety of Giles apartment, after all.

Spike had come hammering on her front door just after sunset on Monday. It had taken a few minutes for the vampire to stop yelling at the witch, even after she had pulled him off the front porch and into her living room. It was pretty obvious to the intelligent girl that the blonde had been afraid when shed just disappeared after she started crying, and she had told him so.

"Just dont want you leaving like that is all."

"Its okay, Spike." Willow had grinned and offered him a drink, laughing when he said that it would just give him a headache. "Lets just agree to disagree on the whole Buffy issue and never speak of it again."

"Its a deal, pet."

Shortly after Spike made his appearance, the rest of the gang had arrived. Giles had dragged in a large stack of books along with two bottles of white wine as house re-warming gifts. There had been enough for everyone to have a decent sized glass, and Willow giggled at using her parents cherished good crystal to toast a long life to everyone present as well as Xanders new income.

<That was a good night.> Willow nodded along as Nora Jones sang a soft blues song on the radio. <Now, if I can just get through the day, Ill be okay. Well, through the rest of the month. After that, Im free for the rest of the spring and summer.>

Willow dropped the mountain of books onto the kitchen counter and let her messenger bag slip to the floor. She had forgotten all about the required reading until Tanya, the strange girl from her Women in Literature class whose notes she had copied on the librarys Xerox machine, reminded her of the paper due the following Friday. Luckily, the library had been able to lend her most of the books she needed. The rest she had found in the used book stores that dotted the area surrounding the campus.

"Long day, pet?"

Willow, startled, didnt register the husky accent or the casual endearment until she had already acted to defend herself. She was, therefore, more than a little surprised to see that the man she was holding captive against the ceiling was Spike. She opened her mouth to apologize as she slowly lowered his bruised and bleeding, not to mention slightly smoking, form to the floor.

<Wait. Bruised? *Bleeding*?! I didnt do that. But, if I didnt, then who did? And how did he get here?>

Willow stood staring at the vampire. Ordering her thoughts, the witch was finally able to give voice to her confusion. "Huh?"

"Yeah." Spike nodded his head like an exhausted toddler. The vampire tried to push himself off the floor, only to fall onto his back with a barely muffled cry.

"Spike!" Willow wasnt aware that she had moved until her hands were pushing blood matted hair from the vampires eyes. "Oh, Goddess, you look bad."

"I... Ive had... had worse."

The usual cockney accent was gone, replaced by a softer lilt, and Willow found herself smiling until she realized a few things that she would classify as of the bad. First, Spikes faded shirt and jeans had much darker patches that were steadily growing in size. Second, the blonde was gasping for breath that he didnt need. The next thing to draw her attention was the swiftly loosening grip on her hand.

"Spike, stay awake." Willow moved to shake his shoulder, drawing a slick, red hand back when he didnt respond.

Only then did she begin to feel the wet carpet under her knees. Willow looked down and saw the red puddle form around her hand as if in slow motion. Then the smell of the blood hit her, and the girl threw herself away from the pale, still body lying on the carpet of her dining room.

"Blood." Willow didnt know if she was commenting on the growing stain on her floor, or thinking of the only thing she knew of that would save Spike.

A rattling gasp brought the now weeping girl back to the vampires side.

"Wa... wanted... T-Thank... you." A thin line of blood bubbled from Spikes mouth, staining his teeth and lips before winding along a sharp cheekbone to his ear.

"No," Willow rested her forehead against Spikes and wept.

Chapter 10

"No." Willow took a heaving breath between sobs, otherwise she might have missed the slight lifting of Spikes chest.

Pulling herself over Spikes prone form, Willow tried to ignore the wet sounds as she crawled over him. She tried to keep herself from touching him and causing any more damage than she had already done with all the magic and the shaking. Her hands slid over the clean tile of her kitchen floor, sending her skidding. The front of her shirt and the material of her jeans were soaked through as well, making it even more difficult for her to make it across the kitchen.

"Nonononono." It was her mantra even as she tried to stand, slipped, and knocked the butchers block to the floor.

Willow pulled the cordless phone from its resting place on the counter and dialed the Magic Box without thinking. Anya, sounding more chipper than usual, answered on the second ring.

"Magic Box, this is Anya."

"Its Willow. Get Giles. Spikes hurt." Willow didnt even bother to hang up, simply dropping it as she moved back to her friends side.

"Come on, Spike." Willow lightly smacked at his face.

She turned to see if Spike was moving at all when a sharp glint of sunlight caught her eye. It took her longer to realize that it was the sun reflecting off the blade of a small parring knife than it did for her to come to a decision about what to do. Snatching the black handle in a shaking hand, Willow bit her lip against the pain and drew it sharply across the skin of her left forearm.

Sliding to lay on her side, Willow put her head on the demons shoulder and held the fresh cut to his lips. "Open your mouth, Spike, just a little swallow or two. Thats all I want."

Willow thought that, if she could get Spikes body to do what came naturally, then its demon would come out and begin drinking properly.

She saw the corded muscles of Spikes throat work just before his lips opened wider over the cut, pulling more of her flesh into his mouth. A moment later, the ridges of the demon appeared, and he started drinking in earnest. Willow could only watch in fascination as large hands rose to caress her skin, long fingers wrapping around her arm as her head began to grow fuzzy.

A muffled bloody hell made her smile, and two amber eyes were the last thing she saw before her eyes drifted closed.

"Red?" Willow heard the heavily accented voice through the blackness. "Willow, pet, youve been asleep for 18 hours and 20 minutes now. Come on and wake up."

<Spike.> With the remembrance of his name came the painful images.

"Hurt." Willow was trying to form a whole sentence, but found it impossible, as whole thoughts werent yet forming.

"I know it does, luv." Something cool and damp brushed her forehead. "You can go back to sleep if you want to. You sure as hell deserve it."

"No," the redheads eyes blinked open.

Spike, clean but with a tired look about him, was sitting on the computer chair beside her bed. His usually slick hair curled above his eyes and stuck up in odd places on top. Tape spanned the bridge of his nose, and the blues and greens of fading bruises around his eyes made their blue color stand out even more. He winced as he leaned forward to brush the damp cloth over her face.

"Im not going to force you to, but you really *do* need to rest."

<Stupid vampire. Doesnt he know I wasnt talking about me?> "No... I meant... I meant youre hurt."

Spikes shout of startled laughter caused Willow to jump. A moment later, the room was swarmed by an ex demon, a Key, and a carpenter, all smiling and hugging the witch. Giles followed closely, carrying a glass of orange juice and a bottle of aspirin for Willow along with a large mug of blood on a small tray.

"Im glad youre back." Dawn stretched out beside Willow, resting her head on the older girls shoulder.

"You had us worried, Willow."

"I wasnt worried." Spike gulped at the blood.

"Sorry, Giles." Willow obediently swallowed the two pills Giles handed her and sipped at the orange juice.

"Yes, well, do try not to do it again."

"How long was I out?"

"Eighteen hours and twenty-five minutes." Spike answered before anyone else could turn their wrists to check the time.

"But you werent worried at all." Anya gave the vampire a look of pure amused disbelief.

"I was concerned. Its not the same thing."

"Keep telling yourself that, Blondie."

Willow caressed the back of Spikes hand. "Thank you."

"I should be thanking you, even though what you did was insane. Not to mention one of the more stupid things youve ever done."

"You were hurt. There was blood." Willow set her nearly empty glass back on the tray. "I had to help you."

"Not that I dont appreciate it, Red, but you cant just go around offering that sweet blood of yours to every hurt vampire you come across."

"I didnt offer it to just any vampire, Spike. I gave it to you." As an afterthought, Willow cocked her head to one side. "You think my blood is sweet?"

"The best I ever tasted."

"Youre just saying that because its been a while since you had fresh." A bit of the Willow who had comforted him in the dorm room that night when he couldnt bite her peaked through in the blush coloring her cheeks.

"Nah, pet. I meant that. Youre a nummy treat."

"Okay, not really what I needed to know about my best friend." Xander rolled his eyes and sank down onto the bed beside Dawns hip. "Now will you tell us what happened?"

"Yeah, Spike, who hurt you?" Dawn had been twisting a lock of Willows hair around her finger as the others talked. Now she focused all her attention on the blonde sitting on the other side of her favorite witch. "If whoever it was turns out to be human, Ill take care of them."

"You gonna be my hired gun, now?" Spike smirked at the girl.

"Hey, I know people." Dawn affected a casual shrug, though Willow could feel the strain in the girls shoulders.

"Well, Buffy started it," Spike hurried to finish before Dawn could finish sitting up in shock. "A bunch of newbies tried to finish it."

"Why did Buffy start it?"

"Things have been different since she came back, Nibblet." Spike puffed his cheeks out and ran a hand through already disheveled hair. "We got into a fight, started hitting, and she ended up being in better form. Nothing that hasnt happened before."

"It still isnt right, Spike." Willow smiled wanly at Spike.

"I know. Just not sure what to do about it."

"So this happened in your crypt?" Anyas eyes were twinkling after taking in how Spike and Willow were acting, and Willow was happy the ex demon had kept any comments to herself.

"No. We were in Grandview."

"You *do* know that the Magic Box is closer to that cemetery, right?"

"Yeah, well, I wasnt figuring on any kind of last minute heroics." Spike shook a cigarette out of his pack. "Thought I should say my goodbyes while I could."

"Thats so sweet." Dawn pulled a surprised Spike into a tight hug before scooting out of the bed. "Giles said that I had to go home after you woke up."

"Willow needs her rest." Xander leaned over and hugged Willow gently. "Take care of yourself."

"Im going to stay here and sleep, Xan. I doubt I can hurt myself too much. Besides, Spikes got a supply of blood here now, right?"

"Yes, he does." Giles bent to hug her before continuing. "There is more than enough for two days, in case he needs extra."

"Well be fine, guys." Willow spoke over Anyas shoulder as she found herself surrounded by the other girls strong arms. "Im going to sleep and maybe try to get some reading done."

Everyone said their goodbyes to Spike before heading out of the room. A few minutes later, the front door closed and Willow sunk back down on the bed.

"Are you going to tell me what *really* happened?" Willow patted the space Dawn had left beside her. "Did Buffy do all of this?"

Spike kicked his boots off and slid to lie on top of the covers after making sure Willow was fully tucked in. "Im not lying to you, luv. Buffy and I did fight, and she was in better form than me. I was pretty beat up when she left, but nothing that I couldnt heal from in a night.

"I was making my way out of the cemetery when a big group of fledglings found me. I took out five or six, but there were just too many. They left me to die, said I shouldnt be dusted so quick for helpin the slayer and all. I made it to the tunnels, though, and made my way here."

"Im glad you did."

"So am I, pet. So am I." Spike finished smoking and ground the butt out in the ashtray he must have found downstairs. "I was wondering something."

"Yeah?"

"This thing with Buffy, its not good for me. You know?"

"Im aware of that, yes." Willow let her head drop to the side, resting it lightly against Spikes on her pillow.

"Thing is, I dont think I can let it go if Im always seeing her all the time."

"I could see how that would make breaking things off harder to do." Willow smiled at the hesitation in the blondes voice. "Do you want to stay here for a while?"

"Wouldnt want to impose."

"I offered, didnt I?"

"Well, if youre insisting." Willow could tell there was a small smile on the mans lips without seeing him.

"Im insisting. Now go to sleep."

"Never let it be said that I refused an offer to unlive with a beautiful lady." Spike wound an arm under Willows shoulders and let himself be lulled to sleep by her even breathing.

Chapter 11
Part 1

It was just after 2:00 that afternoon when Willow next awoke. Her entire body felt heavy, and her head light, but she knew from experience that it was from the loss of blood. A shower and something to eat would go a long way in making her feel better. Now all she had to do was convince her heavy limbs to pull herself out of bed.

"Spike?"

The blonde was nowhere in sight, and she didnt get an answer. After listening for a few seconds, she was able to discern Spikes heavy accent as he shouted at something on the television. Giggling to herself, Willow slowly moved to sit on the edge on the bed to let her head stop swimming before she stood.

Wobbling legs bore her to the dresser where she pulled out a pair of comfortable pajama pants and a tank top as well as panties. Thanking whoever thought up building bras into tank tops, the tired girl flopped down on the toilet cover to remove her clothes. The sweat pants and long sleeved shirt were way to warm for the spring day.

Willow shucked the pants, hoping that it was Anya and Dawn who had dressed her, but decided almost instantly that she wasnt going to be asking any questions. It was embarrassing to think of Spike or Giles seeing her in her underwear, Xander had seen her in them a few times over the years of their childhood, but it would be worse to *know* that one of them had seen more than she was comfortable with. Asking about it alone would probably turn her red for a week.

Willow threw them into her hamper before turning to face the door, and giving a shout. The long mirror mounted onto the door gave the witch a clear view of her entire body. A body that had undergone a few more changes while Willow was sleeping.

Her long legs, once milky white, then a shimmering white, were now wrapped in the same brighter glittering as her chest. The lines of the brighter silver-white emerged from the glimmering skin just to the outside of her lower ankle and climbed their way up her legs as they circled, hooking and twisting like the tattoos some of the boys at school sported around their arms. The tops of the vining columns disappeared under the bottom edges of her panties.

Willow yanked desperately at her shirt. Her panties and bra quickly followed, and the redhead stood staring into the mirror. Twisting her body one way and another, she took in the changes.

The almost wicked looking vines slid over the swell of her hips before dipping toward one another. They tangled over and across the small of her back and up the skin at both sides before splitting just under both arms. One line on either side of her back crawled over her shoulder blades and wrapped down her arm in the same manner as her legs. The other lines slid around to join the now matching V on her chest.

She was so intent on studying the new additions to her full body make over that the sharp knock on the door caused her to jump.

"You okay in there, Red?"

"Yeah," Willow rested one hand on her chest, nearly laughing at the rapid thumping of her heart. "Im fine."

"You sure? I can smell your fear all the way in the living room."

"There were a few more changes made to my look without my permission while I was sleeping. I was just trying to get used to the newest parts of my new look. Im okay, really."

"Want me to have a look?"

"No, Spike, Im... Im good."

"Im sure you are, luv." She could hear the teasing in the vampires voice and was secretly glad that the Spike she knew was still there.

"Go back downstairs, Spike."

"Fine, Im going. I know when Im not wanted."

<Gulp.> "Whatever, Spike. Just go."

"Yell if you need help with any hard to reach areas."

Willow heard the door to her room close and smiled.

It didnt take Willow long to shower, since someone had cleaned her up after her stint as an emergency blood donor the day before. She scrubbed her body quickly, glad to see that the color changes still werent causing any pain. Her hair, still matted with blood in places, came clean after two rather impressive battles with the shampoo. Willow was just working conditioner into the strands when she was rudely reminded that she had missed two vision rituals in the past two days.

{"Are you sure I cant play with you?" Vampire Dawn pouted prettily at a horrified Xander. "It would be so much fun."}

"Okay, Willow," the redhead hurriedly began rinsing her hair for the last time. "Get dry, get dressed, and figure out what the *hell* is going on with the visions of Dawn as a vampire."

Willow rubbed the towel over her hair quickly before running it over the rest of her body. She didnt take the time to rub on her lotion or even comb through her tangled locks. Pulling her clothes on as fast as her damp skin would allow, she opened the door to her room and began setting up for the ritual.

She didnt spend as much time on the preparations as she had over the last week, but decided that an emergency called for slightly altered plans. There was a brief prayer to the Goddess for protection and guidance before she hurried to ground and center herself. She had forgone the sage incense and struggled a bit to focus before the image of Dawn came.

{Dawn was standing in front of a giggling Willow, wearing a black dress designed to look tattered. Her hair was in a wildly flirtatious style, and the smile covering the younger girls lips could only be described as devilish.

"Say youll do it, please?"

"Buffy would *not* be happy. You know that, right?"

"Buffys being a total..." Dawn looked between Willow and a silent Spike, "b-I-t-c-h. Besides, you *know* it would be cool."

"Okay," Willow nodded to herself. "Ill vamp you out."

Dawn squealed in delight and threw her arms around Willows shoulders in a tight embrace. "Thank you! Thank You! This will be so much fun!"

"But-"

"Figures."

"Its nothing bad, Dawnie. I just want you to be sure to wait at the dance for Anya and Xander to pick you up and take you home. I dont want to run the risk of some vamp deciding youd make a good playmate for the evening or Buffy to jump to the wrong conclusions."

"I can do that."

"Good. Im also going to put it on a timer."

"Like Cinderella?"

"Something like that, but earlier."

"Earlier?" Willow smiled at the whine that only a teenaged girl can pull off.

"Yes, earlier. The dance ends at 11:00, so Ill have the spell end at 11:30."

"See, pet?" Spike made his first contribution to the conversation. "Its only half an hour before that bint. Just dont go losing any shoes. Youre much too young to be gettin hitched."

"Is it a deal?"

"Yeah, itll be great!" Dawn was back to bouncing, again, something only a teenaged girl can pull off. "Vamp me now! Vamp me now!"

"Come on, Spike, we could use your help with this one."}

Willow left the vision to see a smiling Spike leaning against the side of her open bedroom door. "Youll never guess what Dawns going to have me do tonight."

"Fill me in over breakfast? Ive made you pancakes." Spike turned and headed down the hall before Willow could form a response to his out of character statement.

"Pancakes?" Willow shook her head and ran to catch up with the retreating blonde.

Chapter 11
Part 2

"So, Nibblet wants to be a vampire for this mixer at school." Spike chuckled into his second mug of blood. "It takes balls to vamp the Slayers kid sister, even if its just a gag. Im proud of you, ducks."

"What can I say, Im a rebel. Besides, Im not a big fan of Buffys at the moment."

"I told you that it was a mutual thing. I landed my share of punches and kicks."

Willow busied herself with gathering her syrup covered plate and the glass that had held her milk. She moved from her stool at the counter top and rinsed them out before loading them into the dishwasher.

"You and Buffy have been patrolling together for a while now. You know her routine, right?

"Course I do."

"Tell me."

"Well, there are two separate routes. One is to go Grandview, then Walnut Hills, before heading over to Greenlawn, and then back through Grandview. The second is to go through Grandview before hitting the older cemeteries of Oakwood, Grove, and St. Peters before another sweep of Grandview. Either way, Grandview is always hit twice since its the newest cemetery and pretty well populated."

"My point exactly." Willow worried her bottom lip with her teeth, hating to be the one to have this conversation with the vampire.

"What bloody point would that be?"

"Dont you see, Spike? You guys fought before you left Grandview for the first time, right?" At his nod, Willow continued. "That means she *had* to have come through there again. Theres no way for her to have gone back and not felt a vampire. She would have gone to investigate, and seen you. She didnt do anything to help you, Spike. She left you out there to die!"

Spike remained silent as Willow finished cleaning up after his cooking spree. His eyes had grown to a smokey blue, and a muscle behind his jaw twitched slightly. Willow, deciding that she had said far more than was wise, found her copy of -Atlas Shrugged- and the three books that analyzed it. An angry Spike who had let his food go cold wasnt a Spike who liked company as a general rule.

"Where are you off to?"

"Just headed for the living room. Ive *got* to get started on this paper. Of course, since I havent been to school all week, I should have at least been doing the reading for it. Now, I have History to deal with before I can even start on the Women In Literature paper. The History is due first, so I *have* to finish it. The Lit can wait, really, though its due Friday."

"I could probably help." Spike downed the last of the congealing blood in one gulp with a grimace of distaste. "Whats the paper on?"

"The rule of Henry VIII, and its effect on Ireland."

"Okay, maybe Ill just go take a nap." Spike grinned at Willows giggle and headed on up the stairs.

Willow spent the next few hours reading over her notes and history text before really getting to work on the actual paper. It wasnt really all that hard, as she had always been interested in Ireland and how things got to be in the state that they are. The thought of some king giving away land that wasnt his, that he had never even seen, to nobles who then abused the inhabitants angered her.

<Theres that smell again.> The whiff of burning copper surrounded the redhead. <It only happens when Im angry. Goddess, I wish I knew what was going on with this.>

It was just after sunset when she put the finishing touches on the paper. She had just saved the information and sent the command to print when Spike came through her door and flopped across her bed.

"Finished?"

"Im done with the History, but I still have the other to do." Willow stood from her chair, stretching as she moved. "Im due for something to eat. You want something?"

"Ill come with you, pet."

The witch and the vampire had just stepped off the last step when the front door was unceremoniously thrown open to reveal a smirking Buffy. The slayer ran her eyes over Spike before striding fully into the house.

"You didnt meet me." Willow was surprised to see that Buffy was pouting as if Spike had stood her up for a date.

"I didnt think you wanted me to after the other night." Spike dug his cigarettes and lighter out of his pocket, lighting up before facing the blonde woman head on. "I dont think Im going to be doing patrols or anything else with you."

"Oh?" Buffy straightened and looked at the vampire with a set jaw. "Whys that?"

"Decided I need a change of scenery. Youve got issues, and Ive done my time with one loony bitch."

Willow retreated to the relative safety of the kitchen where she began heating blood for Spike. She leaned against the counter, listening in as Buffy huffed for a moment before finding her voice.

"How *dare* you!" Buffy closed the distance between her and the vampire in four long strides. "You cant just break things off like that."

"Here I was thinking that I just did." Spike took a drag from his smoke and blew the cloud to the side. "I think its time you leave."

"No, I dont think it is." Buffy pushed Spike in the chest, forcing him to back up a step, before jabbing him in the chest with one perfectly done nail.

"You cant hit or hurt anything human except me. Youre a weak, pathetic excuse for a vampire, and-"

"Enough!" Willow wasnt sure how she had come to be between the two blondes, but she didnt take the time to dwell on it.

"You will *not* come into *my* house and talk to Spike that way! I dont care what kind of problems youre having. That doesnt give you the excuse to talk to him or anyone else that way! Goddess, Buffy, youre acting like some kind of possessive, abusive girlfriend instead of the girl whos been my best friend for years."

"When did you start sleeping with him?"

The change of subject took Willow by surprise, and all she got out was a stuttered "W-What?"

"You heard me, Willow. When did you decide to move in on my territory?"

"Buffy, I didnt even know you were doing anything with Spike until this whole vision thing started. Im not sleeping with him now, nor have I ever slept with him. I couldnt be that lucky. Now, I think its time for you to get out of my house."

Buffy looked around the irate redhead to yell at Spike again. "Were not through until *I* say were through."

Willow instinctively pulled energy from the earth and the air in the room, picturing the training room of the Magic Box. She began putting all the energy she could into what she knew she was about to attempt.

"You *need* me!" With that shout from Buffy, Willow released all the energy, and the small blonde slayer disappeared.

Without acknowledging Spikes uttered bloody hell, Willow simply moved to her telephone, dialing the number quickly. "Is Buffy there?"

"Willow?" Anyas breathless voice answered her. "Yes, she just appeared out of nowhere in the training room."

"Good. Bye." Willow hung up and faced the vampire in her living room.

"I sent her to the Magic Box. I had to make sure she made it there."

"What did you mean?"

"About what?" Willow took the blood from the microwave and handed it to the now mobile vampire before retrieving herself some chips from the cabinet.

"About not being lucky enough to be sleeping with me."

"Um, nothing." Willow could feel the blush burning her face as she headed towards the stairs. "Im going to get that history paper bound before Dawn gets here." Willow tried to retreat to her room, but Spike was right on her heels.

"Cmon, Red. Tell me what you meant." Spike set his mug on the desk before pinning her against it with his body. "Tell Spike all about it."

"Spike," Willow sighed and forced the vampire to back up so she could move to put her paper in its clear binding. "Y...You know."

"No, I dont. Why dont you tell me?" He was smirking again as he sipped at his blood.

"You... Youre." Willow let out a frustrated sigh. "I think they had you in mind when they came up with the term sex on legs. Happy?"

Willow thanked herself, again, for figuring out how to take blood out of carpeting when Spike spurted the mouthful he was about to swallow across the room at her admission.

"But this shouldnt really make any difference to you, since youre just now getting away from Buffy, and I refuse to be Rebound Girl for you. I hope youre not too weirded out by that or anything. It shouldnt change anything with us being friends, since Ive always thought you were a hottie." Willow jumped when the doorbell chimed. "And Im just gonna shut up and go answer the door now. Because thats what you do, you know... Answer the door when the doorbell rings."

Willow nearly ran to answer the door, wanting to be as far away from the blonde as she could get in the hopes that she wouldnt hear him when he started laughing.

Chapter 12

"Dawn!" Willow pulled the girl through the door and up the stairs.

"Um, hello." Dawn panted for breath after her near sprint up to Willows room where there were candles and incense already burning. "I was going to ask if-"

"You want to look like a vampire for your dance tonight, right? Thats why I have everything all set up."

"How did you know?"

Willow simply pointed at the side of her head and winked, giving the younger Summers sister a grin. "Madam Willow knows all."

"Thats so cool."

"I try." Willow lit one more candle while she off handedly motioned towards a jewelry box. "Pick something out of there that youd like to wear tonight, okay?"

"Cool." Dawn rummaged through the contents before she caught sight of Spike sitting on the bed. "Hi Spike."

Spike nodded to the girl. "Nibblet."

"Hows this?" The giddy teen handed Willow a small silver choker surrounded with stars.

"Thats perfect."

"Now can we do the spell on me?"

"Were not going to do the spell on you. Were going to do it on the necklace. That way I dont have to put energy out all night to keep you in all your vampire glory." There was a very Willowy grin as she explained her plan.

"Sounds good to me."

"You *do* know that Buffy is going to freak, right?" Spike chuckled from the bed, and Willow knew he was enjoying her little bit of trouble causing.

"Hush, Spike, or she might change her mind." Dawn actually sounded worried, which just caused Spike to laugh harder.

"Nope, she wont even know." Willow held up the necklace shed been concentrating on since Dawn had picked it out. "Well make it so the spell wears off the necklace at eleven tonight."

"And since Xander and Anya are taking me and picking me up, shell have no idea!" Dawn threw her arms around Willows shoulders. "Willow, I love you!"

"I love you too, Dawnie, but now I need for you to be quiet. I have to concentrate."

Twenty minutes later, Willow came down the stairs to say hello to Xander and Anya. The couple was there to pick up their passenger for the evening, though Anya was quite vocal about her displeasure of not getting enough bed time.

"Anya," Xander patted his girlfriend on the arm. "Were going to go out and have a nice dinner, then pick Dawn up. After that, were going home for a long niiiiiii- Oh my God!"

Xander and yelled so loudly that Spike nearly dropped the mug hed been sipping out of for the last ten minutes while talking to Xander and Anya. Anya covered her ears and looked reproachfully at her lover. Xander, having hurdled the back of the sofa, now stood rooted in place while pointing to the slight figure on the stairs.

"Whats the matter, Xan?" Dawns lilting voice teased from the shadows. "Dont like the new look?"

"Dawn?" Anya giggled softly. "Forget I was complaining. That has to be the best costume ever!"

"Costume?" Dawn raised an eyebrow in her best Spike imitation. "Im not wearing a costume. Xander looks nice. Can I play with him, Anya?"

"Sorry kid, hes mine."

"But she... How can you... Willow?" Xander could do little more than stutter and point at the small girl in the doorway to the living room.

Dawns usually flawless skin had been transformed into an unnatural white. The color brought out the deep blue of her eyes wonderfully. The ridges running along her forehead only seemed to make her more attractive, or thats what Spike had said at least. The small fangs glistening in the lamplight seemed almost cute.

"Its just a spell, Xan." Willow giggled at her best friend. "Its going to wear off at 11:00, and theres nothing more to it than looks and a muffled heartbeat. Theres no hunger for blood or any change to Dawn at all."

"You sure?"

"Positive." Willow handed Dawn the coat she was lending the girl for the evening. "Now, go have fun."

"Bye Willow," Anya chirped on her way past. "Thank you for the laugh."

"Yeah, thanks." Xanders remark left no doubt that he didnt mean a word of it, but Willow knew hed forget about being annoyed by the time they got to the school.

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