Willow woke up and looked at the clock. Seeing the time, her eyes widened and she jumped out of the bed. “Damn,” she mumbled. The sun had already set. She remembered Spike had already left. She wouldn't let herself fall asleep until she had heard the door click. Dressing in record time, she grabbed her bag and a stake, heading out the door.
Spike had been strolling through the night air since the sun had set. He knew that if he stopped at the Magic Box, they would just send him on patrol. Truth, was his mind was still on Willow. Under her exterior, she held defiance and fire. He wanted to see what it would take for that to shine through.
Smelling the fear in the air, he looked around and saw three fledglings up ahead of him. They had surrounded something, a human. Spike was just about to turn around and walk away when he caught a flash of red hair. Slipping his game face forward, he advanced on the younger vampires.
When Spike was about an arm's length away, one of them turned to him. “She's ours.”
Spike pulled out the stake he had hidden on him and dusted the vampire. “Now she's mine.” They other two tried to attack him at the same time. Spike threw them off as if they were made of air. He was in the mood to fight but knew he needed to get her out of here. Dusting the other two fledglings quickly, he made his way back to the girl.
“Red?” he whispered softly, not wanting to frighten her anymore than she already was. He frowned when she didn't reply. Spike noticed various cuts and scratch marks along her arms. She had tried to fight back. He also noticed her body was trembling and knew she was in the beginning stage of shock. “Pet, I need you to say something. Anything,” he pleaded. Still hearing silence, he picked her up in his arms and started to carry her to safety.
They were almost to the Magic Box when Willow started to stir in his arms. “I tried to fight them,” she whispered hoarsely. “I just…I wasn't…”
“I know you did. You're safe now.”
She relaxed her head against his chest. “What happened to them?”
“They're dust, pet.” Feeling her body relax, he held her closer and kicked the front door open.
“What the…”
“First aid kit now,” Spike told them. Seeing no one move, he morphed. “Now,” he growled. Seeing Xander leave to retrieve the items, he let his human features return and gently placed Willow on the couch.
Giles took a couple of steps toward Spike. “What happened?”
“Chit was attacked. Surrounded by three fledglings.”
“And you just suddenly found her?” Buffy questioned. “Maybe you set this up.”
Spike stood up and walked over to Buffy and Giles, his eyes blazed golden. “If I wanted someone dead, Slayer, you would be the first. It sure as hell wouldn't be her,” he said motioning towards Willow. Letting his eyes return to blue, he continued. “Aren't you the chosen one? Why aren't you patrolling?”
“I patrol when I'm ready to patrol.”
“Why hasn't she spoken yet,” Giles asked.
“My guess is she's in a bit of shock, mate. She'll be fine. She's strong.”
“I still think it's your fault,” Buffy told Spike.
Xander handed Spike the supplies and he began to look through them for what he needed. He looked at his best friend lying helplessly on the couch and then at Spike. “Did they…did they…”
Spike could see Xander's genuine concern for Willow. “They just scratched her up a bit.”
“Buffy, perhaps you should go patrol,” Giles suggested.
“And leave her here with him? I don't think so.”
His demon was clawing to get out. “Listen here you bitch. She's gonna be alright because of me. If I had come across her a moment later, she'd be dead. Drained or turned. Take your bloody pick.”
“I hate you,” Buffy seethed.
“And I don't care.” Spike kneeled next to Willow's body. “Luv, I need you to open your eyes for a minute.” Watching them flutter open, he continued. “Hey.”
“Hi.”
“I'm gonna clean up the scratches so it may sting a bit, but I'll be careful. Ok?”
“Ok.”
While Spike tended to her wounds, he heard the other occupants of the room either leave of go about and do whatever it is they were doing. He also realized he didn't mind taking care of Willow.
Willow closed her eyes and felt Spike trying to take care of her. She could hear everyone else rummaging around the room but she eventually tuned them out. She knew that Spike had saved her tonight, she just didn't know why.
As he tended to her wounds, she tried to stay still. She wanted to be strong. Willow didn't want to appear weak.
Spike watched her facial expressions as he administrated her cuts. She was trying hard not to wince from the pain but he could still see it. “I'm done, pet. Just rest for a bit.”
Panic started to flood her. “You're staying, right? You're staying here?”
He could hear her voice filled with worry and concern. “I'm not going anywhere,” he assured her. Pushing a strand of hair out of her face, he continued. “You don't always have to be strong,” he whispered.
“You shouldn't have to do this, take care of me.”
“I don't know. I kinda like it.” Looking away quickly, he continued. “I'm gonna talk to the Watcher for a bit. You rest.” Spike waited until she closed her eyes before leaving her side.
Giles looked up as he saw Spike enter the room. “Everyone else left. Is she alright?”
“She's ok, just a bit rattled.”
“About what Buffy said…”
“I'd never hurt Red. You lot seem to forget she's the one I wanted to turn. Not kill, turn. She would have been my childe.” Seeing the _expression on his face, he smirked. “Don't worry, Watcher. Chipped now, remember?”
A voice pulled them out of their conversation. “Spike? Willow whispered.
He stood up quickly and made his way to her. “You're supposed to be resting. Did you want something to drink?”
She shook her head quickly. “I want to go. Will you take me home?”
“I don't think that's…” Giles started to say.
“Course I will,” Spike told her.
“Spike, I don't think it's wise for…”
“The chit wants to leave. I'm taking her home.” Without another word spoken, Willow and Spike left the Magic Box.
About halfway home, Willow suddenly stopped. “You ok?” he asked. “Are you weak? Need me to carry you?”
“I'm fine. It's just…I was wondering…”
“Sometime before sunrise, luv.”
“I was wondering if you'd stay when we get to my house. I'm just a little on edge and I thought…obviously never mind,” she muttered seeing the look on his face.
“Never mind?”
“Obviously you didn't want to and I shouldn't have even asked. I'm sure you have stuff to do and all that.”
He was more than a bit surprised when she had asked him to stay. It warmed his dead heart that she needed him, even if it was just for right now. “It's not that, Red. I haven't fed tonight. My guess, you haven't eaten either. I know you don't have blood at your house. Do you have any food?”
“Not really,” she said softly. “I usually just eat when we get together for Scooby meetings.”
“Right then. How about this? Willie's is just down the street and there's a small grocery store around the corner. What do you say? Pop in real quick and then we'll head back to your house.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “You'll stay?”
“I'll stay.”
As they were about to walk up to the entrance of the bar, Willow grabbed Spike's hand and led him around to the side of the building. Looking around, she noticed she had pulled him into an alley.
“What is it, pet?”
“I just wanted to talk to you first. They won't hurt me, right? I mean you won't let them touch me, will you? Cause, I've already been attacked once tonight and that was enough.”
“They won't hurt you if they think you belong to me,” he told her staring into her eyes.
“And um…how will they know…if I belong to you? You know pretend belong to you.”
“Well, I can't bite you so my scent has to be on you.”
“And how do you think you're gonna do that?”
“I'm assuming fucking you against this wall is out of the question?”
She glared at him. “It's not even an option.”
“Right, then. First off, are you afraid of me?”
“We already had this discussion. You know I am.”
“Don't be. Demons can smell fear. I need you to be comfortable with me.”
“And how do you expect me to do that. I can't just go ‘poof', I'm suddenly not afraid.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Not in the least.”
“That changes now.”
“Excuse me.”
His eyes flickered golden. “It changes now!” he growled. “Right now, what do you feel? What are you thinking?”
“I feel…I feel…” Willow looked down at the ground. “I can feel them trying to claw at me. I still feel like I'm in that moment right before you die.”
He took a few steps toward her and lifted her chin with his fingers. “Let me replace the memory.”
“Replace?” she asked as she tried to take a step back.
Spike saw her movements before they actually happened. He circled his arms around her. “Just for right now. My scent needs to be on you. Let me replace the memory.” He saw her silently nod her head yes. Spike slid his hands up from her waist, along her back and tangled them through her hair. Bringing his lips to hers, he started a soft tender kiss. He tasted her lips and wanted entrance but didn't want to scare her off. As he pulled away, he could see her blushing. “Not so bad was it?”
“No. Was that…um…was that it?”
“Doesn't have to be.” He kissed her again, this time soft. He kissed her deeply, tasting everything about her. It was addictive. Sliding his hands back down her body, they rested on her ass. Continuing to kiss her, he guided her backwards until she met the wall. Pulling away from her lips, he continued to place kisses along her neck, nipping at her skin occasionally. He could hear her panting, smelling her light arousal. Spike wanted to be inside her at that very moment but knew that wasn't an option. Using his teeth, he undid the top two buttons of her shirt, revealing the top of her breasts. Grabbing her ass, he ground himself into her, letting her feel his erection. At that very moment he wanted her in every possible way. <This is just to let the other demons know that she's mine. Mine.>
“Spike,” she breathed, wrapping her fingers through his hair.
“Yeah,” he whispered.
“Don't stop,” she whispered.
The statement was music to his ears. “It's just for show, luv. So they know you're mine.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “Show.” Letting go of his hair, she slipped her hands under his duster and shirt, gliding her hands over his back. Leaning forward, she started nipping at his skin, along the curve of his neck listening to him growl.
Spike leaned back, panting himself. “We need to stop.”
“Why?”
“Cause right now all I want to do is fuck you hard and fast, claiming you for mine.”
“I thought…the scent thing…”
“Would you let me draw blood?”
“You want to bite me?”
“Not bite. Will you let me? Remember if it hurts you, it'll hurt me.”
“Ok.”
Spike started kissing down her neck until he got to the two buttons he had opened earlier. He morphed and ran his fang lightly along her chest. He could feel her hands had slipped down the back of his shirt and her nails dug slightly into him. When he saw the blood well up, he let his tongue drape across the cut, taking in her blood. His golden eyes looked up at her.
“Pain?”
“Not yet.”
“Do it again?”
This time he let his fangs scratch the skin harder, sucking on the blood as it came out. Spike pressed his body against hers as he felt her dig her nails hard into his skin. Blood. Pain. Pleasure. She was giving it all to him. Before he took what he really wanted, he melted back into his human features and buttoned up her blouse. “We really need to get out of this alley,” he mumbled. He kissed her one last time, wondering if it would be the last. Pulling away, he draped his arm possessively around her. “Ready to go into the bar, luv?”
Willow couldn't believe what she had just let him do and then she asked for it again. Why did she ask for it again? “Yeah, I'm ready.”