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Dawn sat on the floor of the living room, papers and books scattered out in front of her on the coffee table. She had been sitting there like that since six and it was almost seven. A whole hour and she had not written one syllable on the blank piece of paper that still sat in front of her bleary eyes. She moaned loudly and dropped her head so that it rested on the edge of the table. Will, who had just come out of the kitchen and was sitting on the couch writing in a notebook that he had borrowed from the girl, noticed the pained sound.

"You sound displeased about something. May I be of help with your studies? I used to tutor the lower classmen."

Buffy looked up from the other side of Dawn where she sat curled up on the sofa reading a magazine. She didn't seemed at all surprised at William's confession of being a good student.

"Doesn't surprise me. I hate Lit class, I hate Shakespeare, I hate reading," Dawn moaned again.

William gasped in horror. "Why?"

"I just don't get these old stories and poems. They talk funny and I just don't understand them."

Buffy chuckled under her breath but William noticed. He clucked his tongue and shook his head sadly at the both of them. "May I see your textbook?"

Dawn handed him her Lit. book. He flipped through it slowly, smiling every once in a while. William stopped on a particular page and mused over it and looked up first at Dawn then at Buffy before beginning.

**"O my fair warrior! It gives me wonder great as my content To see you here before me. O my soul's joy! If after every tempest come such calms, May the winds blow till they have wakened death! And let the labouring bark climb hills of seas Olympus-high, and duck again as low As hell's from heaven! If it were now to die, 'Twere now to be most happy, for I fear My soul hath her content so absolute That not another comfort like to this Succeeds in unknow fate."

William shut the book and smiled again while handing it back to Dawn. She was stunned into silence. Buffy's mouth hung open and looked to be in awe.

"Well, it sounds much better with you reading it, I can tell you that much. How did you do that? That was actually---beautiful."

"I guess it's---just love." He smirked and Dawn, for a second or two, saw a glint of Spike's personality behind William's eyes. Buffy had been speechless during and after William's reading. It had sent tingles up and down her spine and no, they were not the kind she got from sensing vampires. What was happening to her? Weird feelings were happening here and she didn't understand. Was this actually how Spike was as a human being? Come to think of it, if she thought back really hard, she recalled some of William's essence bubbling to the surface on a rare occasion or two when she had been out and about with Spike. He took a chance and glanced up at her. She stared into his bright blue eyes.

"That *was* beautiful. Very deep. What was it?"

"Othello. Shakespeare of course. Othello was talking to Desdemona, his love."

"Wow," Dawn still seemed amazed. "Do you know any poems off the top of your head?"

"Well, um, no, um, I don't rightly recall---." William seemed suddenly restless.

"Oh, yeah, right, I forgot, you're too old to remember---."

"Too old? You speak of me as if I'm a codger and my mind is half gone. Alright, I will tell you one. This is a favorite of my mum's.

~*~Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

"That was beautiful, too. Shakespeare also?" Dawn enquired.

"No, I Corinthians 13."

Buffy smiled. "As in the bible Corinthians? Very nice." Absolutely nothing would surprise her now, neither with William nor Spike, as a matter of fact.

She went back to looking through her magazine, but the words 'Love---always protects, always trusts, alway hopes, always perseveres', still bounced around in her head.

**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**

Willow walked into the Summers' door about 8 that evening carrying an armload of books. Buffy had called her earlier and explained the situation at hand. She seemed very much intrigued.

"Mmm, what wonderful smells do I smell? It's smellerrific."

Buffy literally skipped in from the kitchen, a small smile showing on her face.

"Heya, Wills. Bring lots and lots of researchy stuff? Here, let me take some."

"Yes, I did, thank you very much. And you seem to be in a good mood. What's cooking---and who?"

"Oh, Will---I mean William---", she leaned towards Willow and lowered her voice. "I mean Spike as William. He's cooking supper for all of us."

"Really? He can do that?"

"Well, apparently so. I ate what he cooked for breakfast this morning and I'm still among the living---I think. I am here, right? This all just seems so out of the ordinary. I feel like I'm in the middle of another universe in the middle of a dream. Too bad Spike has to come back." Buffy laughed slightly, not sounding too convincing with the minor joke.

"Well, actually, everything that William does, Spike can do. He just chooses not to. Probably his big, bad reputation. Doesn't want to stake putting it to shame with all the victorian hulla baloo. I mean, think about it, he probably knows how to waltz, play a musical intrument, recite poetry, ride a horse, and many more things. They were taught a lot back then, depending on what class they came from."

"Hmm, I never thought of that. I never thought of Spike like that. I really do miss our useless verbal jabs at one another, though. I wish---."

"Hello. You must be Buffy's friend, Willow. I've heard a great deal about you." William stood just outside of the kitchen doorway, wiping his hands on a dish towel. Buffy looked at Willow, who stood there with mouth opened wide. She softly jabbed her with her elbow.

"Oh, yes, Willow, that's me, friend of Buffy. I hope it was good things you were told about me." She began to walk towards him just as he did the same.

"Of course they were." He smiled sweetly and offered his hand to her. She shook it slowly.

"I hear, William, that you are quite the cook." Willow started to head into the kitchen with William and Buffy tagging along behind.

"Piffle, I can cook. Me mum taught me at an early age. Course I got teased about it constantly, but let's see who gets the last laugh when all they can make for themselves is boiled potatoes and a bit o'porridge."

Buffy cocked her head. For a moment, she could have sworn she heard Spike. He continued.

"What's a fella to do with three beautiful young ladies waiting to be fed?"

'Ooh, what a charmer he is. Was he like this when he was human? He goes from scared and bashful to utterly charming.' She wondered this as she leaned against the center island, watching and listening to William.

A knock on the front door roused Buffy out of a slight hypnotic state. She caught herself smiling goofily and nodding her head at his rambling words. She excused herself to go answer the door. Giles stood on the porch, eager to come in and meet the vampire without the vampire memory.

"Is he still here? Still without any knowledge of---?"

"Yes and yes. He's in the kitchen---cooking." Buffy led Giles into the next room. Once in, William stopped the conversation and looked on.

"William, this is Giles. Rupert Giles but we all call him Giles. He's a--- watcher."

"I say, how do you do, William. It is very nice to make your acquaintance." Giles reached across the island and shook William's hand. William was quiet.

"Oh, sorry. How are you, mate? It's a privilege---there's something very familiar about you. We've never met before?"

"Um, no, *we've* never met, William."

"It's very nice to meet a fellow Englishman, Mr. Giles. So, you say you are a Watcher?"

"Yes, Buffy mentioned that you may have had a Watcher as a professor at the University. I find that fascinating. I would love to discuss your studies, say after the meal?"

William smirked, "Be happy to, even though I wasn't in the class for very long. And I'm sure to have some questions for you as well, Mr. Giles."

Giles was as giddy as a school boy himself. "Splendid."

Buffy just shook her head and rolled her eyes. "William, the food smells delicious. Can we at least know what we're having?"

"Oh, of course. Broasted chicken, with potatoes, onions and carrots. There were some dinner rolls in the freezer as well. And I made dessert. A recipe that was my mum's favorite and she made it every chance she got. Pumpkin rolls. I think you will pleased. I've undoubtedly memorized the recipe."

"I'm salivating as we stand here. Let's chow. I mean, let's eat then." Buffy smiled sweetly.

**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**

"MMM," Buffy leaned back in her chair and placed her napkin on her empty plate. "The meal was delicious, William."

"Yes, quite so," Giles mumbled around his last bite.

"Thank you, it really wasn't anything extravagent." He stood to clear plates from the table but Dawn and Willow stood quickly to help him. He smiled at them and turned to head into the kitchen.

Dawn started the dishes as Willow made both coffee and tea. William readied the dessert when he suddenly realized that he could hear Buffy and Mr. Giles talking, clear as day. He stopped in mid slice and listened intently.

"Buffy, you do realize he is still a vampire, whether he has the mind of a human and the memories of just William. He will surely die a slow and agonizing death from lack of feeding. Somehow, someway he needs to be told."

William was stunned. Were they actually talking about him, about vampires, about him being one?

"Giles, Spike may be able to handle the situation, but William? He might freak on us again and take off.

Willaim grabbed the edge of the counter for stability for just a split second. This had to be some kind of deranged joke. He was overreacting, that's what it was. He helped the girls bring in the dessert but absently dropped one of the plates on the table, his hand shaking.

"Will, you feeling ok?" Buffy asked with concern.

"Just feeling a bit knackered. I think I may call it a night. Excuse me. Was very nice meeting you both." He addressed Willow and Giles and quickly strode towards the stairs.

He slowly made his way up to the top and stood momentarily. Instead of going into the master bedroom, he turned left and went into the bathroom.

William reached the sink, head bowed down, and turned the cold water on, leaning over and grabbing the sides of the sink. 'What is wrong with me?' he thought as he cupped his hands and filled them with the cool water then splashing over his face. Feeling slightly better, he repeated this action. Blindly he reached out for the towel and dried the lingering moisture off. Slowly he opened his eyes and stared at---the wall behind him? He turned and looked. Yes, that was the reflection in the mirror. Quickly he turned his head back around and gradually lifted his hand, his fingertips barely brushing the mirror. Nothing. He grabbed his chest and rolled away, leaning against the wall next to the sink, hyperventilating.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God," he breathily ranted.

He languidly slid back around and unwillingly glanced in the mirror once more.

"Aww, Bloody Hell!"

TBC





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