Buffy wasn't sure how long she'd been on the island with Spike. Elizabeth seemed to be taking over more and more now, and Buffy had all but given up on trying to fight it. Part of her rebelled at the idea of losing herself like that, but the more time she spent sharing a body with Elizabeth, the less Buffy felt as if they were really two separate people after all.
And Spike… He hardly seemed like the vampire she'd known in Sunnydale at all, and she'd found herself thinking of him as "William," even when Elizabeth wasn't in control. With his long hair and sun-kissed skin, he'd taken on a decidedly different appearance. Furthermore, his behavior towards her had become tender, even loving. So many times he'd held her, stroking her hair and reciting poetry in his rich, soothing voice until she drifted off to sleep.
Which was where she found herself now, pleasantly sated and lounging in the arms of her lover. "I want to hear the one about the people that eat the flowers again," Buffy said, cuddling closer.
"That's the same one as last night, pet."
"I know, I like that one."
Spike chuckled, kissing her forehead. "Then that one again it is."
As she listened to his voice, her eyes drifted shut, a small smile playing on her lips. This was contentment, perfection, and everything else faded away. The darkness that existed outside this island, outside this world, didn't matter anymore. She was safe and warm and loved.
Hateful is the dark-blue sky,
Vaulted o'er the dark-blue sea
Death is the end of life; ah, why
Should life all labour be?
Let us alone. Time driveth onward fast,
And in a little while our lips are dumb.
Let us alone. What is it that will last?
All things are taken from us, and become
Portions and parcels of the dreadful Past.
Let us alone. What pleasure can we have
To war with evil? Is there any peace
In ever climbing up the climbing wave?
All things have rest, and ripen toward the grave
In silence; ripen, fall, and cease.
Give us long rest or death, dark death, or dreamful ease.
*** *** ***
It had become an almost daily ritual for William and Elizabeth to make their way to the spring they'd found their first day on the island. William watched her with amusement now as Elizabeth carelessly discarded her clothing before slipping into the water, not a thought to the fact that she was exposing herself so brazenly in the presence of a man. If anything, the way she was moving in the water led William to believe that she was flaunting herself instead.
When she turned her gaze squarely on him and crooked her finger, William knew she that was exactly what she was doing. Gone was the shy virgin he'd come to this island with, in her place a gorgeous vixen that he couldn't get enough of.
William shed his own clothes and made his way through the water towards Elizabeth. Just before he was in touching distance of his goal, however, she swam away, giggling as she glanced over her shoulder to see William's look of shock. She stopped, waiting for him to approach her again before escaping a second time. Even with the coolness of the water, William felt as if his skin was on fire, and he wondered if Elizabeth knew what she was doing to him.
He didn't need to question it, for that look on her face told him that she most certainly did…
"Playing the water nymph, are you?" William asked after Elizabeth eluded him for the third time.
Elizabeth giggled again in response, then arched her back, coming up a moment later with her hair now wet, slick down her back, and water droplets traveling down her body. William's eyes turned dark with passion as he watched the display. He then moved through the water faster than he would've thought possible, grabbing Elizabeth before she had a chance to escape him once more. Elizabeth squealed, struggling weakly as William dragged her through the water and back to shore.
He was on top of her and inside her in an instant, and Elizabeth gasped, wrapping her arms and legs around him as William thrust in and out. Her game in the water had made him wild with desire, and he was quickly working her into a frenzy to rival his own. She chanted his name over and over until words had no more meaning to her, and all she could do was scream her pleasure to the woods around them.
*** *** ***
It was quite some time later before they'd both had their fill of each other for the time being. They lay in each other's arms, listening to the gentle songs of the birds around them.
Elizabeth nuzzled her face against William's chest, a smile on her lips. "I love you," she said softly, feeling his grip on her tighten as she spoke the words.
"I love you, too," he replied, kissing the top of her hair.
They were both quiet for a while longer before Elizabeth announced, "I don't think this is wrong."
"What's not wrong, pet?" William asked.
"Us. People…off this island…they'd tell us this is wrong, that we're wrong. They would have a hundred different reasons why I shouldn't be here with you like this. But William, I've never felt so happy. You make me feel cherished and loved. This can't be wrong, William. It can't!"
William ran his fingers through her golden tresses. "It isn't wrong, my love. Nothing else in my life as ever been so very, very right."
Elizabeth sat up. "So then we can't be torn apart! This is the way things are supposed to be, William. No horrible fate can tear apart what is meant to be!"
"Nothing will tear us apart, Elizabeth," William replied, taking hold of her delicate hand. "I love you too much to ever lose you, my darling."
Elizabeth settled back down against his chest. "I'll love you forever," she vowed, her voice strong and determined. "Nothing shall ever make me stop."
*** *** ***
Elizabeth's gaze was concentrated on the horizon, her brow furrowed. William approached her, sitting beside her on the beach. "What is it, lamb?" he asked her.
"There's a spot," she replied, pointing. "Out there."
William followed her finger, swallowing hard when he realized what she was indicating. "That's a ship."
Elizabeth's eyes widened, and she turned to him, clutching his arm. "A ship?! William, what if it's Angelus come looking for us?"
That was a possibility, and William knew it. But the look of terror in Elizabeth's eyes made him want to soothe her fears. "It could be. But it could also be the British Navy. Could be your rescue, darling."
Much to William's surprise, that only caused her to become more afraid, her fingers pressing deeper into the flesh of his arm. "The Navy! No! You're—you're a wanted criminal! They'll kill you, William!"
William wiped away her tears with his thumb. "They wouldn't have to know who I was, kitten. We could get them to let us off at the nearest port, and we could start a life together, off this island."
Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't want off this island. Bad things are off this island, I can feel it. We…we have to stay here!"
William gathered her into his arms. "No matter what happens Elizabeth, we'll have each other. I've promised you that."
Elizabeth pulled back, and the sight of her tear-stained face broke William's heart. "I don't want to be rescued. Can't…can't we hide? If they come here, they'll think the island is deserted. Please, William?"
"You honestly want to live the rest of your life on this island?"
"You're here with me—what else could I need? I've been so very happy here! I don't want to leave, ever!"
William felt himself pulled in two different directions. His heart wanted nothing more than for him to live out his days in this beautiful paradise he'd found with Elizabeth. But his mind warned him of what could occur if something were to happen to him. How would Elizabeth survive on her own? The thought of her trapped here alone tore at his gut. "We'll wait, see what colors this ship sails under and even if it stops at the island at all. We can make our decision then."
Elizabeth nodded, appeased for the time being, although the threat of William being taken away from her still seemed all too real. "I want to go to bed, William," she said, disentangling herself from his arms and getting to her feet. "I need to feel you."
William stood without a word and walked with her to the shelter, his need to have her in his arms just as pressing as her own.
*** *** ***
"A ship's on the horizon. It might be the British Navy coming to kill Spike, or it might be the Dread Pirate Angelus coming to kill them both," Anya announced to the previously quiet Magic Box.
"What?" Xander asked quickly, summing up the thoughts of the other people in the room.
"I said…"
"I heard what you said, Ahn," Xander replied, cutting his girlfriend off. "It just didn't make a lot of sense. You said Angelus is in there with Spike and Buffy?"
"Did Angel lose his soul and then come to the Magic Box and get trapped in the book with Spike and Buffy?" Willow asked.
"No. Don't be insane," Anya replied, rolling her eyes. "I mean, what would they have done, gotten into a fight where in the middle of it all three of them grabbed a book and someone began to read aloud? Please."
Willow crossed her arms in front of her. "Oh, and people stuck in a book is oh so normal?"
"Well, yeah, when it's an enchanted book. Anyway, part of the enchantment involves creating a sort of template based on the feelings and memories of the reader. Makes it more real if the other characters are people that the reader already knows."
"So that's not really Angelus in there?" Dawn asked. "How can you be sure?"
"Well, for one thing when everyone was debating over the order for Xander's latest donut run, I went and read the instruction manual. Also, I'm in the book, and I can't be two places at once."
"Wait—there's an instruction manual, and you're just now telling us this?" Willow asked in shock. "And…and what are you doing in the book?"
"It didn't tell us how to pull them out prematurely, or I would've said something," Anya replied. "Apparently I'm a cross-dressing pirate, and that's rather strange, but at least I'm mentioned—which is more than I can say for you, Willow."
"I'm…I'm not in it? Doesn't Book Buffy need a best friend?"
Anya shrugged. "Guess not. Although from reading how it's supposed to work, I think that part of the enchantment is messed up anyway."
"Why do you think that?" Tara asked.
"Because Spike and Buffy are the lovers."
"So?" Xander asked. "They got sucked into a romance novel together. It's just the book affecting them, making Buffy do things she'd never do if she was herself. It's not like she actually has feelings for Spike."
"Actually, Xander it does," Anya said. "Or at least it should. Remember how I said that the book assigns characters based on the reader's real life? Well, that goes for any other people that get sucked into the book as well. According to the manual, technically, only one person should go into the book at a time, and the default setting is for a woman to be the central figure because that's the demographic of the mystical publisher. But beyond that, well, anyone else brought into the book with Buffy should've blended into the story in a way fitting their relationship in the outside world. So then Spike should be the villain—not the love interest. My guess is that Spike and Buffy have such, um, strong personalities that the book made them both central to the story." The look of horror currently on Xander's face made Anya decide to practice restraint for once and not voice the other theory she had. She was pretty sure that one would make Xander's head explode, and that didn't sound nearly as fun as it would have in her vengeance demon days.
"So what's going to happen with this ship coming towards them?" Dawn asked, breaking the silence that followed Anya's revelation.
"I don't know," Anya replied. "This book is written as Buffy and Spike go along, so I can't flip ahead. I just wanted to give you all an update now that there's something other than hot, sweaty sex going on."
"We need to hurry up our efforts to get them back," Willow said, deciding it best to ignore the last part of Anya's latest comment. "If that is Angelus coming towards them—fictional version or not—then they're going to be in some serious trouble."
"Or it could just be the British Navy coming to kill Spike, so hey, no big loss there," Xander said.
"Well, there is the fact that Buffy and Spike are bound by an enchantment, so their life forces are most likely tied together," Anya said with another roll of her eyes. Honestly, she didn't know how Xander could be so dense sometimes.
"Oh. Well, then that's bad," Xander said.
"Huh. This is interesting."
All eyes in the Magic Box turned to Anya. "What's interesting?" Tara asked.
"Well, it seems that the answer to who's on that ship the Navy or Angelus is, um, both."
*** *** ***
Admiral Riley Finn stepped out of the rowboat and on to the shore of the island. After taking a moment to survey what was in plain sight, he turned to the man now standing beside him. "Are you certain this is where he would've taken her?" the admiral asked, his voice dripping with distain for his current companion.
"It's th'only island within swimmin' distance from where wee Willie jumped ship with the lass." Angelus replied. "They're here. Grantin' they didn't sink to the bottom of Davy Jones' Locker, that is."
Admiral Finn glared at the pirate. "For your sake, Angelus, you better hope that they are indeed on this island."
Angelus held up his hands. "I was bringin' her to ye, Admiral, just like we planned. It's that bastard William ye should be threatenin'."
"Oh I shall do more than threaten him," Finn vowed. "When I find him, he shall pay dearly for what he was done to my fair Elizabeth." He cleared his throat. "Men! Search the island! If my fiancée is here, I want her returned to me by nightfall. And as for that filth that kidnapped her, bring him to me as well. I want him to suffer by my hand."
*** *** ***
When the ship had come close enough for them to see its colors, William had been able to identify it as a British naval vessel. He had tried to convince Elizabeth that allowing themselves to be rescued would be the best course of action, but she had refused, telling him she feared too much that that would lead to him being hanged for piracy.
She was right, he knew, but his love for her outweighed his concern for his own life. Elizabeth would be safer back in civilization.
In the end, however, her tears and pleas had won out, and they were now headed deep into the forest and away from the ship that could bring Elizabeth to safety. The strength and depth of her love for him shocked William to the very core of his being as he realized she would give up everything she'd ever known just to be with him.
He gripped her hand tighter as the continued on.
*** *** ***
The poem Spike recites is a stanza from Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "The Lotos-Eaters." It's a great poem, if you want to check it out.
And of course, please remember to review. I can't know what you're thinking about the story unless you give me feedback…
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to whoever nominated this for best Anya in the Fool for Love Awards. Anya's one of my favorite characters, and I try really hard to get it right. Makes me feel good to know people think I'm doing a good job with her.