***

Opening up the dorm’s door, Spike entered the room of Willow, not even bothering to ask for permission.

Scared, Willow jumped up from her bed, dropping the book she was just reading. “Spike?!?”

“Nice to see you again too, Witch,” he grinned, shutting the door behind himself.

“Don’t you know the word “knocking”?” she sent him a reproachful, annoyed look.

“Oh, you’ve been doing something naughty?” Spike smirked, seemingly amused at the girl’s irritation

Willow’s eyes widened in shock, “What...? No...no... I just hate being disturbed while reading...”

“Oh...” Spike’s smirk faded in disappointment. “That’s lame.”

“Some cultural experience wouldn’t do you any harm either,” she remarked. “One can learn a lot from books...”

Spike snorted, “Been there, done that. I bloody don’t want to do that again,” he frowned dryly.

“Oh, I...I’m sorry... I...” Willow squirmed uncomfortably.

Spike shrugged.

“Let’s rather talk about why I’m here. I need your help.”

“Again??” alarm lit up in her eyes. “I’m not a guinea pig of yours, Spike…”

Spike gave her a slight, encouraging smile, “I don’t want to bite you…”

She studied him, still doubting, “No?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Yet at least. I need your skills.”

Willow raised an eyebrow in confusion, “My skills?? What do you mean?”

“Don’t be scared, luv,” Spike chuckled while approaching her. “I don’t want you to sleep with me if that’s what you’re afraid of…”

“Oh…” her relieved sigh echoed in the room. “No, I…I wasn’t afraid…” she stammered a bit uneasy, ”… of that…I…”

Spike grinned, checking her out, “However you’re pretty… “

Willow gulped nervously.

Pitying her, Spike laughed, “I need your magical skills. I want you to make a little spell for me…”

“Again? It hadn’t worked last time either… “ she rolled her eyes. “You should get Drusilla back in another way…”

Spike’s loud laugh filled the room, “Drusilla??” raising an eyebrow, he grimaced in disgust. “She already belongs to past.” His not much good promising smirk appeared on his face, “I want you to cast a spell on the Slayer.”

“On Buffy??” Willow’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief. She wondered if she was only hallucinating. “You want me to cast a love spell on Buffy for you?? Last time was a coincidence… “ she explained, nervously wringing her hands. “I didn’t mean to cast a marriage spell on you two… that wasn’t intended… only a little accident… Not as if you two hadn’t been cute together,” she smiled in embarrassment, “you were... and Xander would kill me if hearing me now...” she suppressed a little chuckle, “but...”

“A love spell?? Are you nuts?” Spike grimaced in disgust. “Bloody hell, no…All I want is to teach a little lesson for the Slayer…” Looking away, he noted, “That bitch thinks she can torture me to death...”

“You’re already dead...” Willow remarked cautiously.

Meeting Spike’s pissed off look, she sent him an apologizing, ashamed smile. “Sorry…”

Without a reply, his voice cold and determined, Spike claimed, “I want the Slayer to experience what is it like to live like this… Waiting for the dark to move outside, fighting for the daily meal, being isolated…”

“You want me to turn Buffy a vampire??“ the shock registered on the witch’s face.

“Bingo!” Spike grinned.

“Oh my God… “ she gasped. “No, forget it!! I won’t do that. “

“You have to,” he grabbed her hand to force her to look into his eyes, but the sharp pain flashing through his head signaled that he crossed the line of violence again. He cried out in agony and released the girl.

“You’re crazy… “ she snapped, and rubbed her wrists. “I won’t make a vampire out of my best friend… No!”

Halfway to regain his control, Spike massaged his temple, behind which his chipped brain was uttering several curse, if not all of the British slang-dictionary. Inhaling deeply, trying to relax, Spike sank onto the bed beside the witch. Staring at the carpet, his gaze almost burnt a hole into the dark material.

“Bloody hell!!! Why does this happen to me??? Why me?? This bloody chip ruins my whole unlife! I’m not a real vampire anymore… not able to bite… the other vamps just laugh at me, ignore me…What is the purpose of my life now? I don’t belong to the vampires’ society anymore, neither to humans’… I’m out of everything… There’s no place for me… “ he sobbed in misery, anger and helplessness.

Feeling suddenly sorry towards the blond vampire, sympathy mirroring in her dark eyes, Willow empathically replied, “I’m sorry… I know the feeling.“

Disbelieving, Spike turned his head toward her.

“Not the biting part though, but there used to be a time when everyone ignored me in school...” she stared at the floor, recalling her memories. “I was a nerd, and no one wanted to hang around with such a bookworm like me...”

“Bloody stupid wankers, they didn’t know what they missed,” he noted, wiping the escaping tear of desperation from the corner of his eyes.

Willow sent him a thankful smile, blushing a little.

“Anyway, I’m okay now,” she stated, “I have great friends who like me with my nerdiness,” she smiled happily.

“You deserve to be happy," he stated quietly,"You're the only one from the Slayer’s gang I appreciate. I had had some company during the decades, but...I’ve no one now. Drusilla also left me... that bloody bitch! Though I loved her more than anything... Would have done anything for her...” his tears welled up in his eyes again. “But that wasn’t enough for her. I wasn’t enough for her.”

Willow could feel his pain, and could hardly resist to consolingly touch his arm.

“Maybe you should give a chance to the right side…” she suggested with a bit of hesitation.

“The Big Bad on the right side??” Spike managed an ironical, bitter laugh. “You’re kidding…”

“Why? You’re still able to fight, aren’t you?”

“I’m not even sure about that…” he said, thinking about her words.

“Buffy would help you to figure it out…” she remarked innocently, in a cheery, encouraging manner.

“The Slayer??? “ Spike burst into laugh. “I bet she would gladly kill me…”

“That’s why you want to take revenge on her by turning her a vamp… “

“No,” his firm reply came quickly. “I play fair play. Fight is fight. This is something else… Only a lesson… so that she could experience what it is like... being treated the way she does…what a vamp like me has to deal with each day… and that might help to change her point of view…”

“I see… “ she sighed. “You want her to face the mistakes she had done and learn from them for the future…”

“Yeah, that’s the point.”

“Wouldn’t be enough if you talked to her about it?” Willow asked tentatively. “Explaining what’s bothering you…”

“Dammit, you think she’d care at all???? Bloody hell, no!!!! “ he yelled desperately.

She didn’t say a word, only rolled her eyes, thinking.

“She must see what I see, feel what I feel, live like I live…” his voice was filled with determination, anger and thirst for revenge. “There’s no other way… “

“Maybe you’re right… “ Willow gave up with a sigh. “She has been too harsh to you… But even then... I don’t know…”

“Please…” his ice-blue eyes pleadingly looked into hers. His hurt affected her. “I don’t want to live like this…”

Willow sighed again; but this one was deeper. There was too much to risk. Yet, her concience didn’t let her decide elsehow.“But you won’t hurt her?” her unsure question was rather an order than inquiry.

“Told you, I play by rules of fair play… I’m an Englishman after all,” his mouth curved into a proud smile.

Still pondering, Willow bit her lip, “And what if anything happens to her? if she…”

Spike cut her off; his honest, serious look meeting her scared one, “I’ll care about her.”

Knowing that this decision was something serious and could lead to some consequences, she sighed, then nodded, “Right. But only for a week.”

“That’s more than enough,” Spike agreed with barely noticable smile.

“Meet us in the cemetery at 11 tonight,” Willow said without looking at him.

“I’ll be there,” Spike rose.

“But if you trick me and she gets hurt, I’ll kill you by myself.” She warned the vampire in a menacing tone, and a magical spark flashed through her eyes.

“Deal,” Spike grinned and left.

The cool summer breeze swept through the cemetery, gently caressing the leaves of the trees that were sheltering the tombs.



“What’s wrong?” Buffy asked her friend as they were walking side by side on a path among the graves, “Why did you want to accompany me on this patrol?”



“Oh, you know...,” Willow wondered about a plausible answer with a puzzled expression, “I...”



“Is this about a guy?” Buffy smirked, considering her friend’s embarrassement as a sign of shyness, which usually came to surface while talking about guys whom she was interested in.



“Yeah, that’s it!” the red-haired girl fastened on the idea her friend had provided with a relieved, enthusiastic smile. “It’s about a guy. Yup.”



“Is he hot?” Buffy kept on asking with a certain glint in the green pool of her eyes.



Puzzled by the question, Willow blushed, Was Spike hot?



“Uhm, he...” she stammered, not liking the direction this chat was leading to.



Registering her friend’s obvious uneasiness, Buffy couldn’t help but laugh.



“So he is,” she concluded with a wink. “And I presume you like him.”



“I...I don’t know...” Willow muttered, her mind nervously seeking a way to get out of this awkward discussion.



As if a saviour, a black leather-clad figure stepped out from behind a tree, blocking the girls’ way.



“Spike!” recognizing the uninvited visitor, Buffy’s muscles immediately tensed, ready to fight.



“Hello, Slayer!” he smirked at her.



“Get out of my way,” she uttered in disgust, annoyed by his cool attitude.



“Or?” he leered at her, “You will kill me?”



“You can bet, I gladly would do it.”



“Okay, guys, calm down, would you?” Willow interjected, stepping between the two, “No one will kill the other, okay?” she looked back and forth at the bickering couple.



“Will?” Buffy casted a strange look at her friend. Willow had never intervened into her business with Spike or others. Why did she do it now, she wondered.



“I’m tired of your fights,” Willow claimed reproachfully. “Spike is out of the baddies’ army now.”



“Oh, thanks a lot, Witch,” Spike snorted.



Willow glanced at him, but ignored his remark.



“You shouldn’t waste your energy on him,” she looked back at Buffy.



“What?” Buffy’s eyes widened in shock. What’s going on here?



“I guess I’ve heard wrong. You’re defending Spike?”



“No,” Willow firmly replied, but immediately corrected herself, “Okay, maybe a little.” Sighing, she gazed the ground. “After all that happened, you might make peace.”



“After all that happened, huh?” Buffy frowned.



“You know... cuddles and kisses...” the redhaired muttered.



“She has a skilled tongue indeed,” Spike noted half-loudly with a michievious grin on his face.



Willow gaped at the two with genuine shock. She wasn’t sure that she wanted to hear more about Buffy’s make-outs with the peroxide vampire.



“Eeew...” Buffy grimaced in disgust, glancing with wide, horrified eyes at Spike, who couldn’t help but chuckling quietly at the Slayer’s indignant reaction.



“You should rather shut up!” looking daggers at him, she punched the vampire in his chest.



Spike growled, but his smirk didn’t fade.



“You won’t grin for long, I promise,” Buffy glared at him and was about to give him another punch, when a hand stopped her.



“Buffy! Would you stop that?” Willow yelled in despair.



Astonished by her friend’s outburst, Buffy turned to her.



“But...” she muttered, “what’s wrong? You can tell me...”



“I’m just fed up with all these unneeded violent acts, “ Willow blurted out.



“But it’s Spike, he is dangerous and...” the Slayer countered, but she was cut off soon.



“He has the chip in his head, he can’t hurt us.”



“Oh, and that makes a difference, huh?” Buffy sneered. “Is he a good man just because of that piece of metal??”



“See?” Spike turned to Willow with a weary sigh, “Told ya. She’s so bloody stubborn...”



“What’s going on here?” Buffy looked at the vampire suspiciously and averted her gaze to the witch. She definitely didn’t like what was going on.



Willow was about to say something, but Spike interjected.



“Let’s play a little, luv,” with a smug smile, he stepped closer to Buffy. “I show you something...”



Furrowing her brows, Buffy glanced at Willow in confusion.



“Sorry, Buffy,” she answered the Slayer’s silent question, “it’s for your own sake.”



Before Buffy could say anything, the world went black and she collapsed unconcious into the vampire’s arms.



***
A/N:
As this chapter is not long enough to submit to the archive, here's a bit of the next chapter. Enjoy! ;-)


CHAPTER 3 --- "And The Game Begins..."


With dizziness, headache and dried mouth, Buffy felt like awakening from a long sleep. Deafening silence was surrounding her – she could clearly hear her own hearbeat. The smell of dust greeted her nose, and she instinctively shivered as the cold air met her skin.



Opening her heavy eyes, she popped up on her elbows to look around and figure out where she exactly was. It was a dark, candle-lit room, and she was lying on a couch, fully dressed. The place was familiar someway. She didn’t know why, but it was.



Trying to recall her memories, the image of the cemetery popped into her mind. The last place where she had been! And Willow had been with her. She remembered talking about a guy when someone had crossed their path.… Spike!!!



The realization that he might have anything to do with her present whereabout, hit her with fury. But before she could go on wondering, the well-known voice called from the other, darker side of the room.



“Hello, luv!” Spike stepped out of the darkness, holding a bottle in his hand. “I thought you never come round.”



Buffy bolted up with a start, and now she was completely aware of why this place was so familiar – it was Spike’s crypt. “You!!!” she hissed, her eyes flashing with rage and hatred. “You knocked me out!!”



“It’s not worth to deny it, huh?” Spike smirked. “Yeah otherwise you couldn’t be here now…”



“You’ve kidnapped me…”



“No, no, that’s not the proper word, pet. I’ve just helped you to get here.”



“Willow??” concern appeared on Buffy’s face as she realized that she hadn’t been the only one in the cemetery that night. “What did you do to her? If you… “ she sent a threatening look to the vampire.



Spike laughed.



“Don’t worry, pet, your friend is in the best of health. She is needed after all…”


tbc...

Buffy’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, “Needed to...?”



“To take you back,” Spike smirked.



She snorted. “I can go back on my own… “ she jumped up from the couch and headed toward the door.



“I’m not so sure,” he noted half-loudly, supressing a chuckle.



She turned her inquiring, cynical look to him.



“Maybe you can get back to your place without any help, but if you want to regain your old self from what you are now… “ the vampire grinned, “well, luv, you’ll need some help.”



“What are you talking about?” she glanced at herself, then stared at him in confusion. “From what I am…?”



“Yeah, pet, you’ve gotten into a bloody interesting situation,” Spike was watching her with amusment. “More than interesting if I may say.”



Buffy just stared at him, not getting what he was aiming to.



“Slayer and vampire in one… A bloody special combination,” Spike smirked.



Buffy’s eyes widened with shock, “What did you say??”



Spike’s amusement didn’t fade.



“Yes, pet, you’ve heard right. Isn’t it exciting?” he raised his scarred eye-brow, while his mouth curved into his famous bad-boy smile.



Buffy desperately searched her neck for a wound or some bloodstain, but there wasn’t any. “It’s a trick!” she fixed her sharp look at him, seemingly upset for being fooled.



He laughed, “No trick, Slayer. Rather a little magic.”



Putting the pieces of the puzzle together, she muttered in utter shock, “Willow??” her voice faltered. “No…, “ she refused the bare thought. “she wouldn’t…”



“But yes, she would… “ he contradicted her firmly, “and actually she did it…”



Looking daggers at him, Buffy menacingly approached the blond vampire, “You forced her to…”



“Ouch, you sound so harsh,” Spike sneered. “Actually, she didn’t have to be forced. She agreed on her own will.”



“No, that’s a lie,” she refused to believe him.



“Sorry, pet, want it or not, that’s the truth.”



“Why?” Buffy stared into his face with hatred. “Why do you play this game on me? On my friends?”



Frowning, Spike turned away. “Game??” he yelled. “On you?? Bloody hell! You are the one who plays games on other people… and actually on ME! You treat me like a bloody toy…that you can play Mortal Kombat with… test your fighting techniques on… You consider me nothing but a dog that you can tease, take for a training, give orders to… Bloody hell, no… also a dog is treated better! It gets food at least – not like me at Thanksgiving... and more respect, kind words…”



“Oh, so you want me to pet you, huh?” Buffy snapped. “Oh Spikey, you should prepare your nice little butt, because I’ll kick it in no time...”



“Bloody fucking Slayer!” Spike grumbled through his teeth.



“Disgusting bloodsucker!” Buffy retorted.



“Annoying, arrogant Barbie-girl!”



“Soulless monster!”



“Angel’s bloody bitch!”



At this comment Buffy moved in to slap him, but Spike was faster and backed out of her reach..



Turning his look back at her again, his eyes were bathing in yellow light, and he was on the verge to morph into his demon-self. Buffy answered his killing look with the same intensity of rage, and was ready to repeat her previous move if Spike hadn’t understood from the almost-physical warning.



Spike’s thirst for beating up the Slayer emerged in every dead cell of his body, the blood in his veins were singing the song of violence, and his demon was silently screaming for fresh blood – and actually the blood of the Slayer.



Acting on his instinct without thinking twice, he pulled game-face and punched her. But as soon as his fist met her cheek, the unbearable pain hit his skull, and he staggered back with a painful cry.



“Don’t you ever dare to call me that again,” Buffy spit the words. If her look could kill, Spike would already be dead. Without more words, she whirled and headed to the door of the residence of death.



“See, Slayer? That’s why you’re here,” Spike muttered in agony, massaging his head to assuage the pain. “Your bloody annoying attitude is the reason.”



As if she hadn’t heard him, Buffy didn’t look back.



“I hate you, and you may do whatever you want, this will never change. I’ll never change. I’ll never…” she claimed coldly over her shoulder.



Spike grinned, “Don’t ever say never, luv!”



“I don’t have time for your damn game,” Buffy frowned and put a hand onto the door-knob.



“If I were you,” he warned her casually, “I’d not try to leave, unless I wanted to be a…”



He couldn’t finish as, opening the door, Buffy stepped out into the early morning’s sunlight. But as the sunlight met her skin, she cried out loud and immediately backed into the shelter of the crypt.



“… a pretty pile of dust,” Spike finished the sentence wryly.



Leaning on the door, gasping in horror, Buffy stared at her aching skin.



“I’ve warned you, pet,” the blond vampire grinned.



Sinking into a never known depth of hatred, Buffy’s face suddenly morphed into game face, and she fixed her look at him.



Raising his eyebrows in surprise, Spike’s mouth quirked into an appreciative, yet evilish smile. “Wooow!!” he definitely was enjoying the sight. “Pretty!”



As the truth hit her, she almost fainted. “Oh my God…” she gasped, “I’m really a …” her fingers traced along the vampire-ridges on her face.



Spike smirked in satisfaction. The sight really appealed him. “Yeah, luv, you’re a vamp…”



Buffy was still panting; the horror she felt didn’t want to subside.



“Hey, don’t be scared,” he smiled reassuringly, “you’re a really pretty vamp.”



In that moment Buffy morphed back. Blinking, she was trying to grasp what had just happened.



“So how does it feel like?“ Spike pulled his trade-mark grin again.



Buffy was just standing there, stunned, still under the effect of the events.



“Doesn’t it feel right? To be free… “ his look became somewhat distracted as he spoke. “Do anything you feel like… there’s no limit…” Inquiringly, he tilted his head to the right, “Isn’t this something people always want? Isn’t it what you really want? To be free from your duties like school and slaying…?” Buffy looked up at him, thinking about the words. “To be completely free… and enjoy life… “ his smile was seducing and hypnotizing.



After a short pause, Buffy regained control and shook her head with disgust.



“No, not this way… that’s the world of evil, soulless, useless creatures like you…and I don’t want to belong to them… I don’t want freedom for that price.”



Annoyed by her calling him like that, Spike’s calmness vanished.



“Arghhhh…so here we go again.” His eyes were flashing, “You judge by the cover…” He snorted, “Let’s see… label: vampire - is bad… label: human - is good. You bloody bitch, though I’m a vampire, I do worth more than some of those you consider human!” he yelled.



“Don’t you feel a bit contradiction in this?” Buffy retorted. “You vampires are just one of the things I must clean this world of. Nothing else.“



“So you think we have no life? Nothing to cope with?” he cast her a killing look.



“Hmmm, okay, you have some kind of un-life you like to call “life”, but you don’t deserve it either. You got this existance by taking other real humans’ real precious life. You’re nothing else than damn serial-killers that would end up in execution, or at least life-sentence prison. All I do is just serving justice for this world.”



“Nice theory, Slayer. The only problem is that it sucks.” He grimaced. ”It’s not me who the real monster is. It’s you. You pretend to be human, you have a soul… and still you commit several murders every day. How can your gut accept this fact?” he leered at her.



Ignoring his question, she noted, “What you live is not life! So I wouldn’t worry about killing you in any minute.”



“Really?” Spike menacingly walked towards her. “You say I don’t live?” he shouted. “Then what’s this??” lifting his hand, he glided his shirt back to reveal his skin. “Touch me!” taking her hand, he placed it onto his bare arm. “Isn’t it skin what you feel? Flesh?”



Buffy drew her hand back, and replied quietly, “It is. But it’s dead. You are dead. A shadow in this world, belonging to hell. Your corporeal body only enables you to materialize and get what you want. To kill.”



Spike was staring at her, his face mirroring desperation, ache and anger at the same time.



“Slayer, you have carried it too far,” he claimed coldly. “I will kill you. But before that I show you the world you don’t know. The life you say doesn’t exist at all. I’ll prove to you that I’m not more worthless than you. I suggest you be a good girl and don’t resist, otherwise these days’ll be hell for you.”



“They already are,” Buffy murmured.



“It’s up to you if it stays so. I can ensure you, being with you for 7 days doesn’t belong to my sweetest dreams. But if your suffer, it gives me compensation for all that,” he shrugged, “I’ll manage it.”



“Not if I kill you.”



Spike laughed out loud.



“I turn you into dust,” she picked up a wood-stick from the floor to prove her intention.



“Try it!” Spike teased her with an evil grin.



With a strange glance, Buffy raised her arm to stake him, but as soon as the wood was close to his skin, her body winced in unbearable pain.



“Ouch!!” she cried out loud.



“Wow! Good work, Red!” he smiled, learning that Willow’s magic disabled Buffy to hurt people, and him as well.



Buffy frowned with disgust, “Great. I’m just like you.”



“Seems so,” Spike chuckled.



“So none of us can kill the other,” she noted dryly.



“Good observation, Slayervamp!” he laughed. “Right, let’s get back to business. I will tell you everything you should know about managing life as a vampire without any troubles, but it’s up to you if you accept this help or not. However I truly advise you to consider my words. Even if it sounds strange, but even if I could, I’d not want to kill you yet. Not yet… “ he added with a grin.



“How kind of you,” she sneered. ”Though I’d rather be dead than spend a day with you.”



“Your time will come, don’t worry,” Spike smirked. “But not now.”



Tbc...

Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.
Rating: R for adult language and violence
Timeline: in the beginning of the 4th season.
Spoilers: Something Blue, The Initiative.
Author's Note: Thanks a lot to JoAnna for betaing this chapter. And thanks to Sirc for the support.





“You went crazy??? I can’t believe it…” Xander Harris snapped at his red-haired friend, dropping down onto the sofa in Giles’ living room. “You’ve turned our friend into a vampire???” His wide, horror-filled eyes were pitching the witch’s, his yell echoed in the room. “Into an enemy of ours???”



“Uhm....I just… it’s also for Buffy’s sake…” she replied quietly, cautiously glancing up at the carpenter.



“Oh, that’s such crap…” he frowned in annoyance. “I don’t dare to imagine what Giles said after all….” He glimpsed at the unusually silent girl beside him, his eyes growing double wide. “What??? He doesn’t even know???”



Willow didn’t answer, she was just eyeing the carpet as if the patterns suddenly became interesting.



Xander let out a shocked gasp.



“I didn’t want to raise a false alarm,” she muttered.



“Oh, because it’s not a big deal, yeah? Our friend, the Slayer, becomes a vampire and it isn’t something we should raise alarm about..??? God, Will, what happened to your common sense?!?”



“Xander, I had to help him… He was so desperate…”



“Gosh, Willow, it’s Spike you’re talking about, you know it?! A bloodsucking vampire!!!”



“But he has a chip in his head… he’s harmless…and…”



“And you’re one of the charity girls of Mother Theresa, huh?” he sneered.



Recovering from the first shock, Giles moved away from the doorframe between the kitchen and living room he had been leaning against, and drawing a huge intake of air, turned to Willow, “Xander is quite correct, this was not your best decision. It is dangerous.”



“Yeah. What if Buffy is taken over by her demonic side so much that she attacks our necks?” Xander gave a terrified look to Giles then back to Willow again.



“Calm down, Xander, it’s not that terrible,” she countered, but her look became cautious and doubtful as she averted her eyes from her friend and fixed them on the Watcher’s pondering look. “Or is it?”



Giles nodded, “As I already have said it is dangerous.”



Xander flashed a triumphant look at the girl.



“Not for us exactly,” Giles continued, which earned Willow’s victorious grin sent directly to Xander, “but for Buffy.”



“I take care of her; plus she is like Spike, she can’t bite anyone….” she defended.



“Thanks God!” faking relief, Xander let out a sneery sigh.



“Maybe she can’t, but she could be bitten by other vamps,” Giles noted, glancing at Willow. “Did you think of that at all?”



“Spike takes care of her… “



Xander burst into a hilarious laughter.



“Spike??? Setting the fox to watch the geese?! Great, now I’m really calm,” he noted sarcastically.



Squirming, Willow asked Giles apprehensively. “You think I’ve done something really wrong?”



“Well..,” he sighed, wiping his glasses. “I can partly understand your intentions and also Spike’s, but even then… I’m worried about Buffy…”



Xander butted in excitedly. “Hey, hey…stop… You said,” at this he looked at Willow, “that the spell lasts until you cast that deactivating spell, right?” His eyes brightened up. “Then all you have to do is cast that spell right now.” Grinning as if he had just cut the Gordian knot, he stared at the others expectantively.



But neither of them broke the silence that was reigning the room.



“Hey, anyone is here?” Xander’s grin faded and pulling a long face, he raised his eyebrow in confusion. “Hello?”



Willow’s gaze was fixed on the carpet again, and she didn’t seem to be willing to break away from that sight. As the silence became more awkward with every minute, she reluctantly replied.



“I made a promise to Spike,” she uttered low-key. As her look finally ripped away from the room-decoration and for a second met her anxious friend’s stare, she felt that her point called for further explanation, so she reluctantly added, “You should have seen him. He was so desperate… the way Buffy treats him hurts him a lot…”



“Pardon??” Xander almost jumped in shock. “I guess, I didn’t hear right. What have you just said? You feel bad about the way Buffy treats Spike?? God. how should she treat him?? He is an evil vampire!”



“He was human once!” Willow snapped at him. “He has feelings too. Even if he had chosen the wrong path way back then.”



“Right,” he snarled. “The keyword is ONCE! And that was hundred years ago. Now he is evil itself.”



“You’re cruel! Everyone deserves a second chance.”



“Great!” Xander laughed. “Willow: Justice for vampires! Very good,” he sneered. “You should start a campaign at the Uni…”



“And if this all was about Anya?” she retorted sharply.



Xander’s jaws dropped. He hadn’t expected this argument. He wasn’t prepared to answer the question either.



For his unluck, Anya burst into the room. Having the usual charming smile on her face, she inquired cheerfully, “What is with me?”



Floored, Willow exchanged a puzzled look with Xander.



He slung his arms around Anya and propelled her toward the door.



“Erm…We were just … talking…”



“About?” her smile didn’t fade. “However it doesn’t matter,” she didn’t wait for Xander to reply, which earned a slight, relieved sigh from him. “We must go. You know you promised me some crazy sex for tonight,” she seductively licked her lips, placing her hand on his chest.



He couldn’t hide his embarrassment, which Willow found amusing and also with a bit of gratification. Grinning, she glanced at Giles who however having cleaned his glasses some minutes ago, took them off and started wiping them again. Ignorance is bliss.



“So come on!” Anya grabbed Xander’s arm.



“Uh…yes… let’s go,” he stammered and turned to the others with his face flushed, “Good night.”



“’Night Giles, ‘night Willow,” chirped Anya, urging Harris to open the door.



As soon as the two left, Willow turned to Giles, who opened the fridge to have some dinner.



“Giles, what do you think I should do?” her apprehensive voice was accompanied with a begging look. “Honestly?”



He didn’t reply immediately as his attention was preoccupied with the content of the fridge, or rather with the lack of it. He found nothing but a note in Buffy’s handwriting: “Giles, I didn’t have time to have lunch at school, so I took some food from you. Hope you don’t mind it. Oh, btw, you should do the shopping, there was hardly an edible thing in your fridge. Buffy.” Growling, he slapped the door of the refrigerator angrily and turned back to Willow.



“Well, I guess you’re right. Buffy needs to learn some good manner indeed,” his tone gave away his annoyance.



*



Buffy was sitting in an old armchair in Spike’s crypt, staring in silence. Apparently, she was bored. Accepting the fact that she was going to be a companion of Spike for the upcoming days, furthermore as a vampire, was not easy. She still couldn’t believe that it was happening. Neither could she believe that it had been her best friend who delivered her into the hands of the enemy. Okay, maybe I hadn’t treated Spike as a friend should have been, but hey, who said that he was a friend? He isn’t even human anymore. Not a real human. He’s just a monster. Evil. Soulless. Killer. Enemy. And I’m sleeping with the enemy. Ewww. Where did this come here, she frowned. Damn, it’s the effect of the last movie-marathon I had with Willow last weekend. “Sleeping With The Enemy” had been Willow’s choice. Even Julia had easier job to build up a new identity in order to get rid of her past life than I to deal with being a vampire on Spike’s side, Buffy mused. Or hadn’t she? Well, it depends, she shrugged mentally.



Suddenly she sprang up and headed toward the door.



“Where to, Slayer?” Spike lifted his head immediately, averting his eyes from the TV screen. He was lounging in another worn armchair, watching Passions, his favourite show.



“None of your business,” she shrugged.



“But it is. As long as you stay at my place.”



“Right then, I’ll leave,” she flashed him a smug smile. “I didn’t want to be here either.”



“You know you’ve got nowhere to go.”



“That’s only what you think. Unlike you, I DO HAVE friends,” she retorted, emphasizing the last words.



“We’ll see,” Spike rose and turned off the TV.



“What now??” Buffy stared at him cluelessly, not getting what he was up to.



“I’m going with you. Patrolling or wherever you go,” he gave her an assertive smile.



Buffy frowned seemingly annoyed, “I don’t need your company.”



“Luv, I’m the only company for you now,” he looked right into her eyes, an evil smirk playing in the corner of his mouth. “Or you think your so-called friends would be delighted to have a vampire around? Even if it’s you,” he raised an eyebrow, amusement mirroring on his face.



Buffy cast him a sulky look, “I’ll kill you one day.”



“We’ll see, luv, we’ll see,” the vampire grinned and opened the door of the crypt.



The gentle wind of the night touched his pale skin. But he didn’t even flinch, whereas Buffy shivered beside him.



“Turning me into a vampire, Willow should have provided me with the feature of cold-resistance,” she grumbled as they stepped into the night.



“I thought you weren’t keen on being a vamp, and now you’re complaining that it’s not good enough for you!” he laughed.



“Sorry to shatter your dreams, but I would never want to become such a thing like you.”



“My dreams? You bloody don’t know anything about them.”



“You know what?” she faced him. “I don’t even want to.”



“No? You were interested when we were engaged,” he teased her.



Ewww. Buffy recalled the memory of their short engagement, which Willow also had a hand in. That time it had seemed to be so right; she even felt that she finally found what or rather whom she had been looking for. Someone who loves, completes, protects her and whom with she could live happily ever after. And then the truth had been revealed – all those feelings had just been magic. Just a spell of Willow.



Buffy did try to forget that time she had spent with the vampire under that spell, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t completely get rid of those memories. Some strains of them always kept on sneaking back to her. So all she could do was to suppress them, bury them into the deepest part of her soul. She kept pretending that those snuggles and fiery kisses hadn’t happened, but had only been a mean game of her mind or some nightmare, but deep in her gut, she knew that it was only make believe. She should accept this failure –it hadn’t been her fault after all. There was Willow to blame. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help but feel dirty.



And there she was again. The only difference this time was that there had been no romantical aspect of the spell.



“I’d never marry you,” she uttered in disgust.



Spike coughed, “Never? Actually you almost did last time,” he seemingly enjoyed teasing her with this issue.



“That’s the point – only almost!” she remarked sharply.



“Does that make a difference? You said yes on your own free will.”



“I was under a spell.”



“Yeah, under my spell,” the blond vampire smirked, indulging the girl’s annoyance.

He was rewarded with a hysterical laughter.



“You’re attracted to me,” he grinned. “Even if you bloody deny it.”



“Attracted? To YOU??” she furrowed her brows, still laughing. “I’d rather be attracted to Frankenstein.”



“I take that as a yes,” he grinned.



“Go to hell!” Buffy snapped.



“Ladies first,” he retorted with another annoyingly huge grin.



She couldn’t bear his cheekiness longer and slapped him in the face. But as soon as her hand met his cheek, she felt a sharp pain in her head. She cried out loud – rather in shock then in pain – and her hand moved to rub the aching spot.



“Damn...” she winced.



“Lesson two,” the vampire could hardly hide his amusement, “always think before you act violently.”



Buffy didn’t reply, just sent him a dirty look.



TBC

Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.
Rating: R for adult language and violence
Timeline: in the beginning of the 4th season.
Spoilers: Something Blue


WILD WILD DAYS – CHAPTER 5

Walking through the cemetery, on the way to Xander’s basement, Xander and Anya had just turned left on the path when Buffy and Spike appeared out of nowhere.

“Buffy…” Xander gasped in shock, staring at the unexpected duo.

“Xander… Anya…” Buffy uttered in surprise.

“That’s all I bloody needed,” Spike snapped with a grimace on his face. “The Whelp…”

“Spike…” Xander said in disgust.

“Buffy with Spike?” Anya‘s inquiring look was fixed on the two. “What are you doing here at this time, all alone?” One could sense the conspiracy in her tone. “Sex in the cemetery?” she licked her lip.

Both Xander and Buffy’s eyes widened in horror and disgust, only Spike grinned like hell.

“Anya…!!” Xander was indignant.

“You really can’t think of anything else in the world?” Buffy scolded.

“I didn’t think I was going to have so much fun this evening,” Spike laughed. “Slayer, your ex-demon-friend is bloody amusing! I kinda like the way she thinks. Hey, demon-girl,” he turned to Anya, “how about you leave this loser git, “he glimpsed at Xander, “and join me for a little fun?” He smirked, raising his left eyebrow, seemingly enjoying the situation.

“Don’t ever dream of that, bloodsucker!!” Xander’s eyes were flashing with anger, and without warning, he punched Spike in the face.

Spike flinched, but kept on grinning. “ ’fraid she might like me better?”

Staring daggers, Xander was about to hit the vampire again, but Anya stopped him.

“Leave him,” she said. Seeing Xander’s confusion, she explained with a knowing smirk. “You’ll need your strength tonight…”

Giving in with a sigh, he pulled her close. “But only because of you.” Then he glanced at Spike, who was still grinning. “However much this damn creature would deserve it…”

Anya rewarded him with a warm smile.

“What a slave… “ Spike snorted with a pitiful grimace.

Overwhelmed by fury again, eyes flashing, Xander jumped the vampire, and hit him in the stomach.

Spike didn’t delay, and responded with a punch to Xander’s nose, not caring about the sharp pain in his skull. “Oww..” he groaned. Shaking his head to recompose himself, he sent a warning look to the whelp, “You should learn some respect…”

“Stop this, guys!” Annoyed by the silly male-fight, Buffy stepped between them, glancing back and forth between the two.

Xander glared at Buffy, still gasping in anger, and wiped the blood off of his nose.

“You should let me finish him off,” he grumbled.

“He will finish you off first – even with the chip,” she frowned. “Besides, that’s something that I wanna do,” she glanced at the vampire in question.

“I’m ready to face you, pet,” Spike adjusted his duster, and smirked at her challengingly.

“Later, Spike, later. As soon as I’m out of the vampire-class.”

“That’s not fair play, luv.”

“Everything is permitted in love and war,” she shrugged. “Though luck.”

“I figured you had a thing for me, luv,” he mocked her.

“The only thing I have for you is a pretty stake,” she retorted with a feigned smile.

“Ow, you hurt me..”

Xander rolled his eyes, sick of the banter.

Buffy froze as she suddenly got a whiff of fresh blood. Sniffing around, her hungry look rested on Xander.

“Buff, are you all right?” he searched her face, suspecting that something wasn’t right.

“You’re bleeding…” she noted, excited and completely mesmerized by the sight. Wiping a drop of blood off of Xander’s cheek, she sucked her thumb, tasting the deep-red liquid. “Mmmm…”

Xander and Anya stared at her in deep shock. Anya instinctively took a step back, while Xander just stood there paralized, his eyes wide in terror, and jaws dropped.

Spike watched Buffy in amusement and satisfaction. His trademark grin on his face, he sank into the pleasure of the moment. Wow, she is such a sensual, exciting, and sexy sight enjoying the magic of blood. He swallowed, while his eyes memorized the view. Excitement, and desire to taste her bloody lips rose in him. Remembering the kiss they had shared under Red’s spell, he imagined kissing her bloody lips… The vision was suddenly interrupted by Xander’s cry. Pissed off, Spike turned his furious glance to him. Bloody git, why can’t he keep his damn mouth …

“Buffy!!!”

Realizing what she was doing, she jumped back in horror. “Oh my God…” She looked up at Xander, then at Spike.

Spike nodded with a smile, “I told ya Slayer.”

Buffy gasped in shock.

“Buffy just drank my blood…” Xander panicked.

Anya put a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t take it too far, honey. If she had drunk it, you’d have been half-dead by now.”

“I guess I am…” Xander mumbled.

“I’m sorry… “ Buffy muttered, wearing a hangdog look. “I’m really sorry...”

Xander backed away from her, and quickly grabbed Anya’s hand. “We should go now. Come.”

“May I join you?” Buffy asked expectantly. “I can’t stay with him,” she took a glimpse at Spike.

Uncomfortable silence fell over them, until Anya nudged him to speak.

“Uhm...Look, Buff…under other circumstances I’d gladly put you up, but… now as you…uh…are like this….sorry, I don’t want to wake up with a bite on my neck … I’m really sorry…”

Disappointed, she averted her look to Anya, who also gave her a pitiful, helpless grimace.
“Sorry, Buffy.”

As soon as Xander and Anya had left, Spike turned to the stunned girl. “So you HAVE friends, huh?” he sneered.

Buffy cast him a deadly look. “It’s your fault!”

Spike laughed. “Mine? Oh no, Slayer! Because this bloody wanker is such a coward? Don’t you try to blame me for that.”

“You know very well what I am talking about,” her eyes were flashing with hatred. “If you hadn’t put this damn spell on me, this all wouldn’t have happened.”

“You’re mistaken, luv. Your “friend”,“ he gestured the quotation marks with his hands, “ Coward Harris I., would act like this anytime. He is bloody scared of you, he doesn’t trust you. Letting you down would only be a matter of time. This is his real sodding self. Sorry, Slayer, but you have to face the sad fact that this git and his bint aren’t real friends of yours.”

“What do you know about friendship at all? You’re just a damn thing…”

“I must disappoint you, pet. I know a lot about friendship.”

“Oh, Drusilla and Angelus, and the demons and vampires, huh?”

“You don’t have the slightest imagination about my life. You don’t know anything about me!” he yelled. “Not a bloody thing… How do you dare to judge me?”

Buffy had to acknowledge that he had been right. She hardly knew anything about him, but her pride didn’t allow to admit it out loud.

“You think you’re something special, someone superior just because you are the bloody Slayer? Sorry to wake you up, princess, but you aren’t. You’re a sodding emotionless, selfish, silly girl with some good fighting skills. Nothing more. You have no empathy. Your witch friend is worth more than you. She is the only one in your bloody gang who has any feelings.” He snorted, and turned to make his way toward the heart of the cemetery.

Digesting his words, she tried to figure out a reply that would annoy him at least as much as his words did her right now. Angry for being defeated, she shouted after him.
“At least I’m not a bloodthirsty monster like you…”
As soon as the last word left her lips, she realized that this statement hadn’t been right under the current circumstances. She had completely forgotten about everything in the heat of heat of the argument.

Spike stopped and turned his head back to her. “But, you are,” he smiled wickedly.


tbc