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 4
Willow followed Spike and the real-estate woman into the fourth apartment of the night. Spike had been right, for enough money, people would change their rules. The first three apartments had been nice, and Spike didn't seem concerned about money, but they all had a lot of very large windows. Probably not a selling point for a vampire.
�This apartment is a basement apartment, but it's every bit as nice as the others we've looked at,� the woman was assuring them.
�Basement?� Willow asked, this could be a good thing.
�Yes. Is that a problem?�
�Not at all,� Spike assured the woman, �I actually prefer the privacy of fewer windows.�
They walked into the apartment. It was larger than Willow expected, and as the woman had said every bit as nice, just fewer windows.
�It comes with all the kitchen appliances,� the woman said, leading them toward the kitchen. �I'll give you a few minutes to look around. Let me know if you have any questions.�
Willow wandered out of the kitchen and looked around the large living room, then made her way down the hall. She stopped for a second to poke her head into a small bathroom.
�Spike, there's only a shower, no bathtub. Wherever will you sleep?� she asked when the vampire came up behind her.
�Smart ass,� Spike turned back around and headed to the end of the hall where there were two bedrooms.
Willow followed behind him. Walking into the larger of the bedrooms, she opened the closet. It was large, not that it mattered, she thought, he only seemed to have one outfit.
�So what do you think?� Spike asked.
�I like it,� Willow turned to face him, �It's big, and there's only a few small windows to cover.�
�It's not furnished,� Spike pointed out, �and the walls need to be something other than white.�
�Is that a problem, to get furniture and paint?� Willow suddenly realized that he might have the money for rent but not money for extras.
�Only if I have to buy them alone. I don't think I've ever brought furniture before.�
�Never?�
�Never stayed in one place very long,� Spike smiled, �Gonna help me?�
�Sure, I mean, I guess,� Willow was surprised he even wanted her help, �We can start tomorrow.�
�Right, let's go sign the lease then.� Spike took her hand and pulled her from the room.
Spike and Willow quickly located the real-estate woman and signed all the necessary papers. Apparently, when you can pay for a year's rent in advance, credit and background checks are optional. The woman gave Spike the keys and told them to call if they had any problems.
�We should really go to Giles' now,� Willow said, as she closed the door behind the woman.
�Let's celebrate,� Spike said, �I want to have fun.�
�We did that last night.�
�C'mon. We can go to that coffee shop. It's not far from here.�
�You want to go to the Espresso Pump?� Willow asked astonished, �I don't think you need any more caffeine and I believe the other's voted that I'm not allowed to have any.�
�They aren't here to stop you. �Sides why do they get to decide what you can do?� Spike stuck the keys in his pocket and began pulling her out the door, �Let's go have caffeine.�
�One coffee, then we really do need to get back to Giles.�
�Fine,� Spike pulled the door closed as they left the apartment.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
A couple of hours, and several espressos later, Willow and Spike entered Giles' apartment.
�Giles?� Willow called out as she pushed the door closed.
�Watcher?�
�Giles?� Willow repeated, �Guess he's not here? Where do you think he went?�
�Maybe he got himself a life?� Spike suggested.
�That's not very nice,� Willow giggled, �Giles has a life.�
�Right, I've been living here for weeks, luv, he never goes anywhere, unless it's with you lot.�
�I'm sure he must,� Willow giggled again, �We can't be his whole life.�
�I'm right here,� Giles said, coming down the stairs, �And I do have a life.�
�Sorry Giles,� Willow looked at the floor, she was never the one making fun of Giles, �Any research for us?�
�Actually yes, I expected you hours ago.�
�Sorry we were� Oh, Spike found an apartment,� Willow said cheerfully, �He doesn't have to live in your bathtub anymore.�
�Well that's�� Giles began, when he heard something fall behind him, �Spike what are you doing?�
�Nothing,.� Spike turned quickly moving his hands behind his back.
�What did you do?� Willow's attention was now on the vampire too.
�Nothing.�
�Are you two�? What's in your hands?� Giles asked, ignoring the giggling girl behind him.
Spike pulled his hands from behind his back to reveal a broken vase. �It cracked when I picked it up.�
�Just cracked by itself?� Giles raised an eyebrow.
�Yep.�
�Spike��
�Yeah, Giles it's one of those trick vases. Just falls apart when you touch it,� Willow giggled again.
Giles turned to glare at the girl. �What is wrong with you?�
�Nothing,� Willow tried to smile innocently.
�See, you have a little fun and everyone thinks you've lost your mind,� Spike set the broken glass vase down and began moving more items around on the shelves.
�Don't touch anything.� Giles said, still watching Willow, �Why is he more hyper than when he left here last night?�
�We uh, well��
�What were you two doing all evening?�
�We went to find an apartment, and then we, uh, we kindofwenttotheespressopump.�
�You went where?�
�Espresso Pump,� Spike supplied. �We wanted to celebrate.�
�You both drank espressos?� Giles asked, glaring at the embarrassed looking girl in front of him.
�Yeah.�
�Neither of you are going to be of any use to me tonight. We'll research tomorrow. Willow go home, Spike�� Giles hesitated for a second, �Just go.�
�We're outta here.� Spike grabbed Willow's arm and headed for the door.
Giles watched the door close behind them. Buffy and Xander had better return soon, Spike was not a good influence on Willow.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Willow followed Spike as he made his way toward the Bronze. At least that's where she assumed he was going.
�Spike?�
�Yeah, Pet?� He stopped walking and turned to face her.
�My dorm's the other way.�
�Not going there.�
�Giles told me to go home.�
�Do you always do what everyone tells you to?� Spike asked.
�Usually why?� Willow looked at the ground, she did have a tendency to just listen to everyone else.
�Have a lot more fun if you do what you want to, that's all.� Spike grabbed her hand and began pulling her in the direction of the Bronze again. �Let's go.�
Willow began to follow him, and then stopped suddenly.
�Spike, wouldn't this just be doing what someone else tells me to again. Maybe I don't want to go to the Bronze.�
Spike turned again to look at her, she was right. He was telling her what to do just like everyone else.
�What do you want to do?�
�I want to rent a movie, maybe two. And go home and watch it.�
�Alone?� Spike asked, he was having fun with the witch; he didn't want to go home already.
Willow smiled slightly; he looked so disappointed at the thought of her going home alone. She considered pretending that it was true, but what if he believed her and took off. She really didn't want to spend the whole evening alone.
�Well, uh, no. I was kind of thinking you'd come too,� Willow said, �You can even pick one of the movies.�
�Let's go then,� Spike said, �Movies it is.�
An hour later, they walked into the dorm room, bags of videos and junk food in hand. Willow had chosen Willy Wonka and Spike was still refusing to tell her what movie he had chosen.
�I told you it's a comedy,� Spike set the bag of food on the desk near the door.
�But what comedy? I didn't see you anywhere near the comedy section.� Willow insisted.
�Trust me; it's the funniest movie I've ever seen.� Spike grabbed the chips and two sodas and sat on Willow's bed, patting the seat next to him, �Yours first. I've never seen it.�
�You've never seen Willy Wonka?� Willow turned to the vampire in surprise, �How could you not?�
�Vampires aren't usually big on children's movies, pet.�
�I guess,� Willow started the movie and went to sit next to the vampire, �But this movie terrified me when I was little. I was convinced that something horrible would happen to Xander or Jesse every time they did something wrong.�
�What about you?�
�I never really did anything that bad.�
�You're serious aren't you?� Spike asked, �You never did anything wrong?�
�Nothing really bad. I was always the good girl,� Willow shrugged, �I love this song.�
Spike and Willow turned their attention to the movie then, Spike occasionally asking questions. Willow had been right, the movie was good. When it was over, he looked over at Willow, who was now softly snoring, her head resting on his shoulder. Guess they weren't watching his movie tonight. He reached around her, locating the remote control and pressing the appropriate buttons to turn the movie and television off. He tried to work his arm from under her but it just caused her to put her arm over him. Sliding down in the bed he silently hoped the slayer wasn't returning tonight or in the morning. He'd hate for Willow to wake up next to a pile of dust.
Chapter 5
Willow snuggled closer to the body next to her. Body? Her eyes flew open, whose body? Slowly, she focused on the body next to her, the body she had an arm and leg over. Spike! What was he doing�? Wait, they were watching movies. She must have fallen asleep. She tried to move away from him but his arm immediately tightened, holding her closer. �Great,� she thought, �now what do I do?� Raising her head she looked at the clock, it was only nine; he could be asleep for hours yet. �Spike?� she asked quietly, �Spike, we need to get up.� �Wanna sleep,� he mumbled, rolling over and throwing one leg over hers and pulling her closer still. ��Kay, you can sleep, but I really need to get up.� She wasn�t entirely sure that�s what she wanted. She was kind of enjoying being here with him. �More fun here.� �Right, watching you sleep. Lots of fun there.� Willow tried pushing his arm away again. �Can probably think of something more fun than that.� Spike tightened his arm pulling her against him. �Such as?� Willow asked. Not that she couldn�t think of fun things to do in bed, but this was Spike and he certainly didn�t think of her like that� �Oh!� her thoughts were cut off when Spike kissed her. �That.� Spike raised his head, looking down at the shocked redhead. What was he thinking? This was Willow, he�d be dust if the Slayer found out, and he didn�t think of her that way, right? �Spike? Uh?� Willow was still staring at him, �What�uh�just happened?� Rolling away from her and sitting on the edge of the bed, he mumbled something she couldn�t hear. �Yeah, Spike gotta speak up.� Willow crawled over to sit behind him, �I�m sorry I guess it was a mistake you didn�t� I mean why would you�� �No Red,� Spike lifted his head but didn�t turn to look at her, �It�s not that I didn�t� I wanted to but you�re the Slayer�s best friend and I� bloody hell, I don�t want to be dust.� �Weren�t you the one telling me not to do what everyone tells me to do?� �Yeah but you drinking coffee won�t get you killed,� Spike turned to look at her this time. �Buffy won�t stake you.� �No, that would be way too quick for her I�m sure.� Spike was now pacing the room. �It�s not like you attacked me,� Willow leaned against the pillows, �Hell, it�s not even like I objected.� �But you didn�t want me�� �Who says I didn�t?� Spike stopped pacing and turned to face her again. She had wanted him to kiss her. She had never said anything that would even� Of course, up until a few weeks ago, the wolf had been around but still, he would have known wouldn�t he? �You wanted me to�� �Well yeah, but I never thought that you would feel�� Willow sat up suddenly, �The spell!� �What?� Spike looked at her confused. First the kiss, then finding out she wanted him too. Now, she had switched subjects completely, and he was lost. �The love spell at the party,� she prompted. �That was a real spell? I assumed you had just made something up.� �Well, yeah it was real. I didn�t think it would work, I mean my spells never work but�� �Are you saying that you�re my true love?� Spike was still staring at her. �Okay well, since you�re looking at me like I�ve grown a second head, I guess you�re not happy about that possibility. But maybe the spell went wrong, maybe it didn�t find true love, maybe it found�� Her idea was cut off by Spike kissing her again. �Who says I�m not happy about it, Pet?� he pulled away from her, �Just surprised is all. I guess I kind of always assumed that Dru was my true love.� �I thought it would be Oz. That�s why I did the spell; I thought it would bring Oz back.� �So you�re the one who�s disappointed?� Spike backed away from her. �No! I mean, sure you come with a whole new set of problems, but hey I don�t have to chain you up once a month,� Willow smiled. �Can if you want,� Spike pulled her against him, �Didn�t think you were into that though.� �That�s so not what I meant,� Willow smiled, wrapping her arms around the vampire, �But you had said something earlier about fun things to do in bed.� ~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~ �Hello?� Willow grabbed the phone, pushing Spike�s hand away. �Hi, Giles,� Willow sat up pulling the sheet with her, �Yeah, he�s here, and we�ll be over as soon as it�s dark. Bye.� �What�d the Watcher want?� Spike asked as she replaced the receiver. �He wants us to come over. Research,� Willow quickly moved out of his reach, �But we need to start getting your apartment ready. Don�t think Buffy will like you living here when she gets back.� �Pet, it�s the middle of the afternoon, I can�t go anywhere.� He watched as she pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from her closet. �We don�t need to go anywhere yet. You need to call and have the power turned on; I assume you want light in your new apartment. Oh, and a phone,� Willow pointed out, �then we can start looking at furniture and stuff on the internet.� �I can buy furniture without leaving home?� �Yep. Though I was thinking we could just get an idea of what you want, and then we can find it at a store. You�ll get it faster that way.� �Sure you don�t want to stay here?� he asked, reaching for her. �We have to get this stuff done, Spike. Buffy will be back in a few days.� Willow stepped out of his reach, �I�m going to shower. You can start making those phone calls.� She grabbed her clothes and quickly left the room, leaving Spike to make the calls himself.