Disclaimer: Everything BtVS and AtS is owned by Joss, ME, and all them over there.
Authors Notes: This was supposed to be collaboration between myself and stephy_cats, however, I can not get a hold of her so I am finishing it.
Chapter 5
I really wish Willow wouldn't go. I know, pathetic, but she's warm and beautiful. Everything anyone would ever look for all wrapped up into one nice, red haired package. I told her I could help her with her homework. Maybe a little study time. Yeah, ok, that was corny even for me, but I want her near. Need her near me.
"I'll come by tomorrow, ok?" she asks touching my arm gently. I nod silently and pull her into a hug. I don't trust my voice. I'd probably growl or something else to scare her off. I dip my face into the crook of her neck and inhale the sweet aroma that is pure Willow. She tilts her head, baring more of that lovely, milk-like flesh. Does she know what that means to me? To vampires? Probably not. Though the gesture goes straight to my groin, forcing me to suppress yet another growl. I nuzzle the exposed skin, dipping my tongue for just a taste.
Slowly she turns her face back to mine and looks into my eyes with her own emerald orbs. The depths are endless in those eyes, they are to drown in, to lose yourself in. I can imagine looking into those eyes for eternity. Then she does something I didn't expect, she lifts up on to the balls of her feet, brushing her lips lightly across mine. I immediately go to deepen the kiss, my tongue begging for entrance to her heat. Willow parts her lips and I ravage, licking and nipping, sucking on her tongue and lower lip, pulling her closer to me. We both moan into the kiss, wanting to crawl inside of each other. Breathing is something she needs, so I reluctantly pull away with her gasping for air.
That's when I hear him, sense him, smell him. Spike, out there, somewhere growling at mine and Willow's display, though we are guarded in shadows. Willow senses him. I can tell by the slight bunching of her muscles in her back, though I doubt she knows that the bond is working, and has been since it started. The smell of Spike on her has been growing, and is at it's strongest right now. With him near.
"How about I walk you home," I say still holding her in my arms. She pulls away slowly, reluctantly.
"No, it's ok Angel. Besides, I room with Buffy. She might see you," she says. Lifting a hand to my face she traces the line of my jaw and I lean my head into the caress. I nod silently and watch helpless and she retreats. I don't watch her go, afraid I might run after her. Beg her to stay.
Closing my apartment door behind me I lean on it, letting out an unneeded breath. It's too much, just too damned much. Her lips, her eyes, her soft whimpers and moans like so much music to my ears. I'm passed the point of being able to just walk away from her. Passed the point of caring how much I might lose if I fall.
I come to my senses, remembering that this is Sunnydale and Willow, no matter how much she hangs out with Buffy, is just another meal around here. Probably more of a meal being that she does hang out with the Slayer. Walking out of my apartment I set off to follow her, to keep her safe. Yeah, right. Keep her safe. Someone should keep her safe from me.
Looking around I see her standing with someone under a tree, not a block from my apartment. If my heart was beating it would have stopped, and probably broke. A smiling Willow locking her hand on a leather clad arm. Wait, I know that leather. Inhaling I smell smoke, leather, and the scent that is pure Spike. He looks over her shoulder and smiles at me. He actually has the nerve to smile! At me!
They walk off, arm in arm towards Sunnydale University. I follow. Spike knows I'm here, but chooses to ignore me. That's fine. Let him play his little game. Willow now knows about the bond. Though, now that I think about it, she doesn't seem all that worried or upset about it. What's going on? What are all the kisses about then if she would rather be with Spike?
Spike and Willow talk, her asking about the bond. She mentions something about me telling her what it meant. There, now she'll confront him, and it'll all be over. I can comfort her. I know what an evil bastard Spike can be. I taught him after all. Spike stops her and asks her what I told her. He's not happy. I can tell by that slight twitch in his jaw muscle, it's jumping now.
She asks him if he wants to break the bond, going into one of her prescious babbles. Why did she give Spike the option? Why didn't she just tell him she was going to break the bond? I really should check up on this bond. It might be effecting the way she thinks and feels about Spike. Maybe I should get her away from him, let her see exactly what effect the bond actually has on her. Then, when she realizes she will try to break the bond between them. No, I'm not jealous...well maybe just a little. My boy does have good tastes in women. I'll give him that much.
They kiss. How dare he take advatage of her like that!? Spike takes a peek over in my direction, then angle's them so that I get the optimum view. He's doing this for my benifit, and for his. I growl softly, letting him hear my disapproval.
Breaking the kiss they start walking again, with me trailing behind. I really don't need to follow, now that Willow has an escort, but I need to talk to Spike. Actually, I need to pound him into the ground a bit, but that can wait.
They make it to the dorms and Willow walks alone up the stairs. I'm hidden in the shadows off to the side of the building watching Spike watch Willow. He stands there smoking for a minute or two, just watching the doors where she disappeared through. I look up to see if I can find her room, just to make sure. I look back down to find Spike gone. Shit!
"Hello Peaches," Spike says from behind me. I turn around to face him.
"Spike," I say through clenched teeth.
Chapter 6
"Hello Peaches," I say from behind him. He turns around to face me.
"Spike," Peaches says through clenched teeth.
Well, well, look at what we have here. The Pouf just won't give up will he? What I wouldn't give to knock that scowl off his face.
"Right, now that we've firmly established who we are, what do you want? Here to play Rapunzel?" I asked taking out a fag and lighting it.
"No, just making sure Willow got home ok. You're not exactly known for your 'Good Intentions'," he says getting in my face. I really hate that you know. It's all posturing and seeing who's got the bigger set. Me? I know I'm good, well, now with this bloody chip I don't know.
"What ever let's you sleep during the long lonely days," I say nonchalantly. "Just so long as you don't have any delusions, Red is mine."
"No, Spike, Willow is her own person. Just because you tricked her into a bond with you doesn't make her yours," he says jabbing a finger into my chest.
"Oh really? Who did she let walk her home? I know you followed us. So, I also know that you heard our little conversation. She didn't want out of the bond, Peaches. Face it. This time, you don't get the girl. Deal with it. Go back to LA with your little cheerleader and ex-Watcher and your attempt at redemption and leave us the hell alone," I say and stomp out my fag. He just stands there, jaw clenching and hands flexing. "That's right. Now, if you don't mind, I've got relatively better things to be going on with..."
"No Spike, that's where you are wrong. The only reason she didn't back out of the bond is to protect her friends, it had nothing to do with any feelings for you," the Pouf says spinning me around to face him again. Always trying to be the domineering one he is. Bloody annoying at times, like now.
"Whatever. I see that you believe that. Won't shatter your illusions. Just so you don't forget, as your neanderthal brain is wont to do, Red is mine."
I didn't see the fist until it was too late to keep it from impacting hard with my face, busting my lower lip. I tasted my own blood. The damn Ponce continued throwing punches and kicks. I could do nothing but block them, and that I'm not doing very well. I'm getting my arse kicked...not my idea of a good bloody time. I am getting sick of this and decide to throw a punch of my own, chip or no chip. I don't care, Pouf's got it coming. The punch lands with exact precision, spinning him. I grab my head expecting pain...but there is none. I roar in delight! This is just too bloody good.
After a few minutes of trying to beat each other bloody he grabs my wrists and holds them at my sides. Stupid bugger. He just looks at me for a minute, then looks down at my cut and bloody lip. I know he can smell the blood, his is just as thick on the air, almost intoxicating like.
What he does next boggles my mind. The Ponce leans in and draws his tongue along the line of blood coming from my lip. He hovers just above my lips, looking into my eyes. I can see flecks of gold flash throughout his brow eyes. His arousal scents the air, and I'm taken aback. This is not what I had planned. I'd just wanted to taunt, maybe throw a few punches and leave. Not this, not this...whatever it is.
"Wha-," I start to ask, but I'm cut off by his tongue that has invaded my mouth. How the hell did he do that? Always forcing himself where he is least wanted, and yet wanted all the more for being there. I give in to the sensations and kiss back, which reassures him enough to let him release my arms. I grab the back of his head and press him closer, wrapping an arm around his waist, pulling him arse first, flush against me. He moans into the kiss letting me take over. Peaches wraps his arms around me and fingers the old scar that had been given to me by Dru, but he'd bitten over it enough times to make it his claim as well. Our hips move convulsively against one another, each of us straining for that friction that guarantee's pleasure.
We are too engrossed in each other to notice the couple that walks up, until one of them gasps then makes an 'Eww' noise. That voice, the tingling along my spine. It can only be one person. The Slayer. Bloody hell, this is just not my night. I break away from Peaches. He doesn't notice Slutty and Capitan Cardboard until I turn his face to look at them.
"Hello Slayer," I say and light up. This should be fun. Slutty catching the love of her life lip-locked to her mortal enemy.
"Uhh, Buffy, hi," The Pouf says lamely. If the bloke could blush he'd be crimson by now. Peaches is floundering, not lookin' at her.
"What the...what was that?" Slutty asked pointing between Peaches and I.
"Well, I see Capitan Cardboard and Peaches haven't taught you anything. That was a kiss you see. It's when--"
"I know what it is!" The Slayer says frantically, cutting me off. "I meant, well, I don't know what I meant. That was just...," she says trailing off and making a disgusted face. Solider Boy is just standing there gaping. Boy's probably never seen two men together, though, he is in the military. Maybe he's just not used to seeing it outside of the barracks.>{? We stand there for a few minutes. No one is saying a word. Peaches doesn't know what to say, shifting from foot to foot nervously. The Slayer and her boy are still trying to get over their shock of the situation.
"Are you gay Angel?" Slutty asks out of nowhere. I have to hold back the laughter that is threatening to come pouring out. The look on Peaches face is just too much, I let it out in loud guffaws. The look of death he shoots my way does nothing to curb my laughter.
"We're vampires, no inhibitions. Thought you would have read that in those Watcher's Diary's," I say through the tail end of my laughing fit. She looks at me like I'm crazy. Then looks at my wrists. Oh no, Slutty is thinking.
"Why are you lose?" The Slayer asks.
"Wait, they're vampires?" Soldier Boy asks. He gets into a somewhat fighting stance, as if it would matter.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry Riley," The Slayer says. "This is Angel, and Spike."
"But they're vampires," he says. Boy, he catches on quick doesn't he? Must be all that superior military training. Peaches just nods and looks away. Stupid bugger, he's still ashamed of what he is. Figures.
"Yeah, well now that we have that established...why don't you two go shag or whatever it was you were going to do, and leave the Pouf and I to our business."
"We have no business Spike," Peaches says.
"Oh, I think we do, but we will get to that later," I say and turn back to Slutty and Capitan Cardboard. I wave them away with a flick of the wrist. The Slayer looks at me with a look that says 'You did not just shoo me'. Should've known that wouldn't work.
"Wait, I know you from somewhere," Soldier Boy says stepping closer to look at me. Fuck.
"Yeah, I live 'round here."
"No, not around here...you're Hostile 17!" he exclaims and jumps back reaching for his handy phone. Bloody hell. The Slayer looks alarmed and reaches for him, drawing him away and pulling the phone out of his hands. What's this now? Peaches looks at me quizzically.
"Buffy, what are you doing? That's Hostile 17. I have to call Walsh and let her know, then get the men down here to bring him back," Soldier Boy says.
"No, don't. Listen he can't hurt humans ok?" Slutty says.
"But--"
"No, look. Let me talk to them real quick. You go on up to the room and see if Willow is there. Stay there until I come back, then we will talk ok? I'm also keeping the phone," The Slayer says and pushes him off towards the dorm, then walks back to where Peaches and I are standing.
"How did you get out?" she asks, poking me in the chest.
"Oi, what does it matter to you? Like you said to G.I. Joe over there, I can't hurt humans..."
"Did Giles let you go?"
"Again, what does it matter--"
"Willow let him go," Peaches says. Ok, he really needs to be quiet. Is he trying to get me staked here? I look at him pointedly, asking him with my eyes. He just shrugs and looks back to the Slayer who is standing there mouth gaping.
"What did you do to Willow?" The Slayer asks darkly.
"Nothing. You know what a bleeding heart Red is. She couldn't stand to see me trussed up like that. Bloody nice of her if you ask me."
"But I didn't ask you Spike. I swear, if you did something to her I will dust you," she says and stalks off to the dorms.
I turn back to the Ponce and deck him good, knocking him to the ground. He gets back up quickly and growls.
"What was that for?" he asks.
"For bloody telling the Slayer that Red let me go. Are you out of your gourd? You could have gotten me staked! And then where would Red be?" I ask furious. He looks at me confused, then it dawns on him. "Yeah, that'll teach you to bleeding think sometimes."
"I'm...I'm sorry. I guess I'm still not used to the whole bond thing," he says rubbing his face where I punched him. "Look, I've got an idea--"
I laugh cutting him off, "That's a good one."
"Just listen Spike. I don't know what's going on with this, what was it, Hostile 17 crap, but I don't think you are safe here. Why don't you come back to LA with me?"
I stand there stunned. Back to LA? With Peaches? No Slayer, no Soldier Boys, it's almost too good. There's got to be a catch, always is. "Why?" I ask suspiciously.
"For one to get you away from Willow, and for two...I really think Buffy might stake you. You know Willow will end up telling her. They're best friends. Speaking of which, why don't we head back to my apartment to talk?" he says and starts off walking. I just stand there gaping.
So, ok, I knew the Red thing was coming. I'm not stupid, but him worrying about me getting staked is something new. First the kiss, and now this. What the bloody hell is running through that gel slicked mind of his? Might be worth it to find out. I walk to catch up with him lighting a fag and wondering what exactly is going on here.
Chapter 7
That was utterly humiliating. I can�t believe it. We were right in front of the dorms! I should have known better. Of course that�s the most likely place for Buffy to be! Then to have that Riley fellow there as well. Spike, amazingly enough is following my like I asked. Interesting.
What am I going to do? Why did I ask Spike to come back to LA with me? To protect him? From what exactly? More to protect Willow from him, though, I�m not sure he�s the biggest threat in Sunnydale anymore. Not after hearing about that Initiative group. What if they find him again? Obviously that Riley fellow is one of them. Why Buffy is dating him, I�ll never understand.
What if they find out that Willow is a witch? What would they do to her? She�s human, and not really a threat to anyone. I can�t imagine that they would actually try to harm her, but you never know. Might do good to invite Willow along, too. Maybe.
Finally he catches up with me. Took him a few. Wonder what�s going on in that bleached head of his? There are so many questions and not enough damn answers for my liking. He�s being awfully quiet, just walking there next to me. Too quiet for him. He�s one of those people, or vampires, that have to constantly be talking, for some reason or another. I think he has what today would be called, Attention Deficit Disorder.
We make it back to my apartment without incident, without words. I silently invite him in and go to heat up some blood for us. I hear him slump down into one of the only chairs in the room, and it groans under his weight. The ding goes off on the microwave and I grab the mugs and go to sit down in the other chair, handing a mug to Spike.
�So,� he says exhaling a cloud of smoke, �you want me to run off to the City of Angel with you, eh?�
�That was the idea, Spike,� I say and down the blood. One mug just won�t do it. There is just something about Spike that grates on me. He causes some reaction within me�I just don�t know what.
�What about Red?�
�What about her?� I ask confused. I don�t remember saying I was taking Red�err Willow, too. The whole point of taking Spike to LA with me was to get him away from Willow, well, and to keep him from those people that put that chip in his head.
�The bond,� he says eyeing me. �Haven�t forgot about that have you? Getting forgetful in your old age, Peaches?�
I leap to my feet and stand over him. I meant to do this a while ago, ever since I found out about the bond. I pull back and hit him square in the face. The chair falls over with him in it. There, I feel better now. I walk back to my chair and sit down calmly. Spike is sitting up on his elbows just looking at me. The ice blue of his eyes turning yellow for a second, just enough to show what he thought of that little act. Fine, be pissed. Right now, he deserves it.
�Right, now that that�s out of your system, can we get back to what we were bloody talking about? Or do you feel the need to trade blows for a bit? I�m itching for a bit of violence myself right about now,� he says. Righting the chair, he stays standing kind of shaking loose, readying for a fight.
�Sit,� I say tersely. He gives me a strange look, like he wasn�t expecting that, but ends up sitting anyways.
�So�,� he says, his voice trailing off.
�Are you coming to LA with me or not?� I ask. He sits silently, thinking. �For all I care you can sit here and let those government people come and prod at your head some more. God knows they won�t mess anything up in there. However, I�d rather not see that happen if I can do anything about it. So, are you coming?�
�Well, see that�s where we run into a problem,� he says throwing a leg over the chair and lighting up.
�What problem?� I ask. I really don�t want to know what he has conjured up. Spike is quick and devious, no matter how much he pretends otherwise. He could have rivaled Angelus if he�d half a mind to. I never understood why he didn�t. Questions for another time.
�Money, smokes, blood, and a place to lay my dead bones. Can�t have me just wandering around your city and getting into trouble can you?� Spike says with a grin. So, there�s the catch. Seeing that I�ve only got the one small apartment, and I definitely don�t want him living with me, I think I�ll be generous. For now.
�Ok,� I say simply. �But��
�I knew it!� Spike says surging to his feet and cutting me off. �Can�t just leave it at a simple �Ok�, can you? Always got to bloody be asking for more, until everything I have is yours. So, what is it now Angelus? Do you want the un-beating heart from my chest? How about the breath I don�t need? You�re already trying to take my Red!�
I�m too stunned to say anything and he looks a little startled by his outburst. I don�t know what to say. An apology would just look like I�m placating him, and if I know Spike, he would get even more pissed at that. But, where did this �his� Red, uh Willow, come from? This is the second or third time he�s said this. Since when did he develop feelings for Willow? Does she like him? If so, what�s she doing kissing me?
Sometimes I wish for the simple life again. Drinking, fucking, sleeping, it was so easy. No thought except for who�s paying for the next ale, and how to get the bar maid into the back alley for a quick go. Hell, even being a vampire back then was simple, before I got heavy into bloodlust. All I had to do was find the next donor. And please Darla endlessly, which was no small feat, but I enjoyed it.
�Do you love her?� I ask.
�Do you?�
�I asked first, Spike.�
�Doesn�t matter does it? Red�ll choose you anyways. They always bloody choose you,� he says slumping back in the chair and lighting up, again.
�Do you love her?� I ask again.
�Bloody hell, what do you want me to say? No, I don�t love the chit. I care about her. I could love her, but that doesn�t matter,� he says somewhat to himself. �Do you love her? Honestly?�
�Honestly? No, I don�t. I care for her a great deal and she�s a wonderful human being, but��
�You still love the Slayer,� Spike says for me.
I nod. I don�t tell him that I don�t love Buffy like I used to, that I know now it was a mistake�something that shouldn�t have been. I don�t tell him that I as well could love Willow. That I might already. There is just something about Willow. With Buffy it was her liveliness and the fact that she is destined to die young. Willow is just, well, she�s shy and quiet, yet at the same time she has this incredible depth to her. You feel like you can talk to her about anything and she won�t judge you for it. She�s extremely caring to the point of not even worrying about herself if there is someone else in need. Her laugh is just�and her smile is�those eyes� You get my point. She�s just Willow.
�So mate, what do we do about Red? Can�t leave her here if I am skipping town. She�s got to come with me. Where I go little Red is sure to follow,� Spike says bringing me out of my thoughts.
�Huh? Why?�
�The bond, ya big Poufter. I don�t know the extent of it. I don�t know how close she has to stay to me, if she does at all. Are you willing to chance it?�
�Do you remember anything you read about it?! How could you just go and do that to her? She�s just an innocent!� I yell. Standing up I go to pace the small apartment.
�I wasn�t thinking at the time. Being tied up for almost a month straight tends to shake loose a few marbles. �Sides, it�s not like she couldn�t end it, if she wanted to.�
�Fine. I�ll ask her to come to LA too. She can stay with Cordelia, or I could get her a place of her own,� I say thinking out loud. �I�ll just tell her that I need help with the computer system or something. Then, you can tell her you want her to remove the bond so she can come back here and live her life.�
�Works for me, Peaches,� Spike says and gets up to leave. �Be seeing you.�
The door bangs shut after him. I barely notice it. Sighing, I go and lie down. Great. Now I have to lie to Willow. Get her to come to LA and make sure Spike has Willow remove the bond.