Chapter 36

The group, most of them bleeding and battered, trudged through the back hall of the hotel to collapse in tired heaps in the lobby.

"Parts of me hurt that I didnt even know I *had*." Xander had sunk down on the couch; Anya and Dawn curled on either side. Anya just looked tired, bruised, and dirty, while Dawns eyes glistened with sorrow on top of everything else.

"Whats going to happen to her?" The younger brunette looked to Buffys still form as Angel all but dumped her into a chair.

Spike growled low in his throat, but Willow put a staying hand on his chest. She knew her lover was to the point that Buffys unconscious state wouldnt stop him from breaking her neck. Pushing harder on the vampire in an effort to get him to even acknowledge that her hand was there, Willow amended that. He wouldnt break her neck; hed rip her head from her body completely. Somehow, that didnt seem like it would be a good thing for Dawn to see.

"We could send her to the Council." Wesley polished his glasses as he spoke.

"Shed just get away and do something else." Dawns quiet, sorrowful words brought Spike up short, and he moved to hold her as she wept silent tears. "You saw how she was. Shes still the slayer, but she isnt Buffy anymore."

"There is a spell that will take her powers." Giles sighed tiredly and motioned to the stairs. "I brought the book its contained in when we fled."

"But shed be killed!" Willow caught Spikes eyes on her and shrugged. "Youre all safe now. I was only angry at her for putting you guys in danger like that. I was friends with her for years, and I cant be the reason shes dead."

"You can do the spell, and Ill take her to the compound. We can keep her safe there, try to figure out what to do from there." Giles nodded to himself even as he moved to the phone. "Ill stay with her."

"Isnt Faith still in prison?" Xander nodded when Angel nodded at him. "Maybe you could see what they could do about that? Im not a fan of hers, but Im also not up for fighting vamps on the hellmouth without a slayer."

Giles smiled humorlessly and spoke to the international operator. "Yes, I would like to place a call to London, England."

Willow, realizing that she wore only Spikes duster excused herself to retrieve something more substantial.

* * * * * * *

Three days later, Willow was still recovering from the spell she worked on Buffy to remove her from the slayer line. It hadnt been the spell that had drained her emotional coffers so much as the words the blonde had used when she awoke to find herself handcuffed and sitting in the middle of the lobby.

When she couldnt so much as flip out of the chair, the ex-slayer had become irate and wasted no time in cutting into Willow. The redhead had taken it all in stride while in the small blondes presence, telling herself repeatedly that the creature in front of her wasnt the same woman shed been friends with for years. It had worked for the most part, and she was able to make it to the suite she shared with Spike before collapsing in tears.

After that, aside from a quiet good-bye spoken from the head of the stairs, shed avoided being anywhere near the ex-slayer from then on out.

Dawn had been crying for days, not sure what was going to happen to her. Willow was able to locate the Summers long absent father and spoke to him at length about Dawn becoming emancipated now that Buffy had the opportunity to go to London to study.

When he agreed to help in any way, Willow hacked her way into what systems she could to speed the process along. Angel donated a rather disturbing amount of money to the cause to ensure that the girl would meet any financial standards that may be checked. When Cordelia pressed the issue, he told them that it was from one of the accounts Angelus held. He also offered her a job in research and development, completely disregarding Willows statement that there wasnt anything at Angel Investigations to develop. Willow had only nodded when Angel gave a pointed glance at Dawn and Gunns whispered conversation and gotten back to work.

The legal system was easily manipulated in a number of ways, and Faith walked into the lobby three hours after Buffy was pulled out.

"Hey, English." Faith dropped the paper bag that held all her belongings and moved to stand in front of Wesley. "I hear youre my Watcher again."

"Yes." The newly reinstated Watcher looked her over in an appraising manner. "It seems as though youre in excellent shape."

"I love it when you talk dirty."

Wesley only shook his head and motioned to the stairs. "Go find a room and then come back down. I think we should see if you need to brush up on anything."

Faith tossed a Hey, roomie in Angels direction as she sprinted up the stairs.

"She always run around like that?" Gunn had to pull Dawn out of the slayers way as she nearly barreled over them in her haste.

"Shes been in a cage too long." Spike came from the kitchen, sipping a mug of warmed blood. "Shell slow down after a few days."

"Ready to leave?" Angel grinned at Spike and Willow over the rim of his own mug. "Where are you taking her, anyway?"

"None of your business, Sire." Spike finished off his snack and set the empty mug on the top of Cordelias computer monitor, grinning at the disgusted look she graced him with. "Cant tell you, or itll ruin her surprise. Cmon, witch."

Willow managed a quick goodbye as Spike pulled her tired body from the room, down the hall into the garage, and to the door of Angels car.

"Were taking Angels car?" Willow knew there was no way the Irish vampire would willingly part with the vehicle.

"I asked, pet." Spike fished the keys from his pocket and held them up to glint in the light. "Told him how the blacked windows and speed made you sick. Should I worry that he caved so quick when I mentioned you?"

"Nope." Willow waited until Spike circled the car and climbed in before settling herself against his side. "Im not in love with him. Im in love with you."

A soft chuckle tickled her sleep-sensitized ear. "Good to know. Take a nap now, itll be a while."

 

Willow couldnt believe she had slept through the entire drive, but the car was no longer moving, and Spike was shaking her awake. She blinked owlishly at him and stretched as fully as her seat would allow. The scent of roses assaulted her senses as she yawned. Leaning forward to look around Spikes bent form, she smiled. "Spike?"

"Got the same room as before and everything, luv." Spike grasped her hand and pulled her from the car. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he led her up the rose-bordered walk to the beautiful blue house sitting on the cliff.

"Hello, Keemara." Willow grinned tiredly at the lovely blue woman. "How are things with NGutya?"

"Welcome back to the Blue Shell! Things are good," a slender hand ran over a flat stomach. "Croman will have a little sister soon."

Willow smiled and began to say something. Unfortunately, a rather loud, unladylike yawn erupted instead. "Sorry."

"Dont be." Keemara slipped a key into Spikes hand. "You know the way."

"Thanks pet." Spike left the luggage for Croman, who had just came scurrying up, and picked Willow up with ease.

She let her head rest against Spikes shoulder as he began climbing the stairs. She opened them to see him hand Croman the key to their door. Another blink, and she felt the cool sheets envelope her in their cool comfort. When she managed to force them open again, she saw Spike hand a few bills from the back of his wallet to their little blue helper.

"Did you just give him a hundred dollars?" Willow knew she was using her sleep now voice, but couldnt seem to make herself wake up.

She was so busy deciding to blame the salty air and calming crash of the waves below that she didnt notice Spike undressing. Seeing Spike clad in only an unbuttoned pair of jeans that hung loosely on his slim hips got her mind back in order quickly enough.

"Two hundred, pet." The blonde moved to his suitcase and pulled out a prettily wrapped present that he handed to Willow with a soft smile. "Hes going to have a little sister to take care of soon. That takes money these days."

Willow sat cross-legged to face Spike as he sat on the bed. At Spikes nod, she tore open the paper slowly, not knowing what to expect. A few rips sent a pile of deep green satin pooling in her lap.

Spike held the gown by its straps and gave it a shake to unfurl its length. "To replace the other."

Willow gathered it into her arms to rub her cheek along the material. Standing quickly, she held her hands out to her side and gave an impish grin. "Dress me?"

Spike chuckled and nodded, quickly moving to do away with the skirt and tank top she had worn for the drive. Her sandals slipped off her feet easily. Still seated on the floor at her side, Spike slid fingers under the elastic sides of her panties and drew them down her legs for her to step out of. A flick of his fingers sent the matching bra fluttering to the floor.

Spike moved to the bed, throwing the gown over one shoulder before moving behind her and pulling the few pins he had fixed into her hair to hold most of it up. There was a movement behind her, and Willow almost turned to look at Spike when the soft sound of an unused hinge floated to her ears, but Spikes strong hand stopped the action.

There was a muted thump, and Spikes hands were suddenly in front of her face with something strung between them. Willow blinked as the dim light of the two soft lamps caught the silver of the necklace and brought out the reds and oranges of the gems. It was a simple strand, though Willow knew it had to have been custom made for her.

Each setting was made of a long, wicked looking silver object that Willow quickly realized was a railroad spike, and a deep orange stone that, by some trick of the cutting looked as if it were crackling with flames. Eighteen little sets made up the strand. Willow could only look from it to Spikes grinning face and back again in wonder.

"Oh, Spike." Willow pulled her hair up so Spike could clasp the chain behind her neck. "I love it."

"Knew you would, pet." Spike tossed the gown over the back of a chair and began kissing along Willows spine.

"It wasnt too much, was it? I dont want you to spend all your money on me."

"Ive got enough to spend." Spike turned her to face him and cradled her face in her palms, sinking long fingers into her curls. "Theres almost nothing more fun than buying things for you."

"Almost?" Willow felt her body respond to the devilish grin and quirked eyebrow she got in response. Spike sucked in his cheeks in that Im so damn good way of his, and Willow wondered if it were possible to orgasm from simply looking at his face.

One strong hand settled in the small of her back, bringing her hips up against his. He cradled the back of her head with the other and pressed his forehead against hers as he looked her in the eye. "I think youre dressed enough for now."

"Youre overdressed." Willow smiled happily and pushed at the offending jeans.

Spike only chuckled and placed her in the center of the bed before walking around the foot of the bed to lay his cigarettes and lighter on the trunk that sat there. Peeling the last piece of his clothing off, his eyes fairly gleamed with seductive mischief as he ran his eyes over her exposed flesh. Placing a hand on either side of her legs, he drew himself onto the bed.

Sleek, toned muscles knotted and coiled under porcelain skin as Spike began crawling up the bed. His soft lips and the tip of his nose were a mere inch above her body as he paused, blue eyes focused on green, to take in the heady scent of her arousal. Willow jumped when his actions caused a bolt of arousal to surge through her. The arousal brought more wetness in its wake, and Willow gulped when Spikes eyes dilated in response.

Spike was moving again. His eyes were still on hers as he moved, and Willow could see the flickering of amber around the wide pupils. The rise and fall of his shoulder blades as he crawled reminded her of the videos she used to watch of lions hunting, and Willow wondered if their prey welcomed them as she welcomed Spikes delicious weight.

Spike ran his tongue over the links of the necklace as he settled between her eagerly spread thighs. A slow deep thrust had Willow arching off the bed, scoring his back with her bitingly sharp nails, as he took his time entering her. "Mmmm, Spike."

At the sound of his name, Spike braced his weight on one forearm and ran the other hand down her side to caress her breast. Willow wrapped a leg around his waist and wriggled against him in an attempt to get him to move, earning a soft chuckle from the blonde and a softly tweaked nipple.

"Calm down, Willow." Spike planted soft wet kisses along her neck and chest while his hands moved to still her impatient movements. Gripping her hips, he pressed them into the mattress. "Ive got you."

A cool mouth closed over Willows left breast as Spikes hips began their movements, and she felt her back bowing in response. A groan floated from Willows chest when he entered her again, twisting his hips to give her clit the pressure it needed to start the little spasms that heralded the beginning of her orgasm.

"I love you." Willow pulled Spike to her for a deep kiss before biting into the side of his neck. Her blunt teeth sank deeply enough to draw blood, and Willow tasted copper.

"Red," Spike groaned and slammed into her as his climax ripped through him and he slid sharp fangs into the faint scar of his claim. He pulled back just enough to speak against the flesh under his lips. "I love you, Willow."

Willow gave a soft groan as Spike began moving inside her again, knowing that it was going to be another long night. Looking up at her lover, she knew she wouldnt want it any other way. "Forever."

"Most definitely." Long fingers smoothed a curl from her eyes. "And forevers never sounded so good."

Willow could only agree as another blissful wave of pleasure slid over her.

THE END.