Title: Pick and Choose
Email: [email protected]
Author: Challie B
Rating: PG-16 to R (for language so far)
Disclaimer: Joss and Mutant Enemy own everything; I’m broke so don’t sue me.
Summary: If Spike had to chose between Drusilla and Willow who would he pick?
Feedback: If I’m killing these wonderful characters I need to be stopped now. I love them too much.
Distribution: If you have my stuff take it, just let me know. Everyone else ask and ye shall receive.
Author's Notes: Sometime in Season 4. Drusilla maybe an insane evil vamp, but she’s kind of fun.
 

Part 1/?

Willow ran like her life depended on it, because it did. As adrenaline pumped through her veins her senses were
heightened. She could taste the dry airy fear on her tongue. The sweet scent of fallen rain assaulted her nose as she
drew great gulps of air into her lungs. The thumping of her rubber soled tennis shoes echoed in the deserted streets
of Sunnydale. Water splashed up her ankles when her stride took her through puddles. Dim shadows gave way to
oblong pools of light from the street lamps. Willow could feel and hear the blood rushing through her veins. The
sound of her gasping lungs almost drowned out the taunting calls of the tree vampires chasing her.

She knew they could take her at anytime. Although she gave it her all, she didn’t have the strength or speed to out run
them. That fact tormented her almost as much as her upstairs neighbors’ relentless stereo bass. She’d had just about
enough. Her legs were still pumping hard as she ran. She reached around to her back pocket and pulled out a stake.
Turning quickly to her right she entered a dark alley.

Her predators laughed at her apparent mistake. They now had their midnight snack trapped. They were so wrong. As
they rounded the corner the shortest vamp burst into dust. Willow was waiting for them. She knew she didn’t possess
Buffy’s skills for fighting in the open where she could be surrounded. The smart red head needed something at her
back so she could keep her bright green eyes on her opponent.

The two remaining hybrid demons were shocked at the disappearance of their hunting partner. Dinner was putting up
a fight? This had never happened before. Sure there was always the obligatory struggle when the feeding started; it
made it more exciting after all. But no one had ever pulled a stake on them. They made sure of it by picking on the
weak ones. Weak by human standards, that is. The bookish little red head had appeared to be an easy snack. They
had chosen her out of hundreds in the club. She was attractive and energetic. They did have some standards. They
figured she’d put up a good struggle, but not like this. Now she actually looked pissed.

And she was. "You assholes, picked the wrong girl to try and snack on," she said with bravado. The adrenaline
coursing through her body lent her more courage than she normally possessed. Not that she was a coward by any
stretch of the imagination. Fighting all the evil the Hellmouth spit out for the last five years had cured her of that.
Yet Willow wasn’t stupid either and facing down three vampires with no Slayer in sight did not rate high on the IQ
scale.

The two vampires recovered from their shock and laughed at her. "She’s a spunky little thing, ain’t she, Fred?" the
blonde asked as the black vampire moved to Willow’s left.

"Yeah, she’s got some spice to her," Fred replied.

"I’m kind of in the mood for something spicy for diner," the blonde joked back. He was dumb enough to try and rush
the red head as she split her attention between them.

"Spicy food will just give you heartburn," she said as she simply held the stake in front of her. The blonde ran
straight ahead impaling himself. "You really are a blonde, aren’t you?" she asked as he exploded into dust. <Buffy
would be so proud of me. Two quips in one slay.>

"But I’m not," Fred said as he kicked the stake out of her grip. He back handed her further into the alley.

The force of the blow spun her around. She started running. It was the wrong direction, but it was better than
getting the shit beat out of her. Just as Fred reached out to grab her hair, she tripped over something on the ground.
His fingers wrapped themselves in her backpack. She struggled briefly then finally she was able to slip her arms
free of the straps. She raced to the end of the alley. Fred stared at the red canvas bag in his hands. "This little
bitch is starting to piss me off," he muttered as he threw the bag in the dumpster.

Willow searched for something she could use as a weapon. <Just my luck, I pick the only clean alley in Sunneydale,
not even a pencil to use.> She heard his footsteps coming closer. Turing on her heel she clenched her hands into fists.

Fred sneered at her defensive stance. "You honestly don’t think you can fight me, do you?"

<What is it with snotty vampires? Did no one just witness my major kicking of some vampire ass just a few seconds
ago?> "I killed your two buddies, didn’t I?" she reminded him.

"They were idiots," he reasoned.

She rolled her eyes. "Who’s the bigger idiot? The idiots or the idiot who hangs out with them?" <Okay, that made no
sense what so ever, but he seems to have gotten the insult.>

He growled and lashed out at her. Ducking she tried to sprint passed him. His hand snapped out and entangled itself
in her hair. He pulled hard. Pain ripped through her skull. <Note to self. No pissing off vampires without Buffy
present to save my ass.> By her hair, Fred tossed her against the wall, hard. Willow felt her head make sharp contact
and the rough surface of the bricks rip through the thin cotton of her shirt. Surprisingly she kept her feet under
her. "This is my favorite shirt!" While her heart still pumped out adrenaline, Willow drew back her arm and let loose
with a right cross.

His head snapped to the side. Willow froze as he turned his menacing yellow eyes back to her. He was annoyed and
irritated before, but now he was royally pissed. With an evil grin (do vampires have any other kind?) he pulled back
to return the favor.

Just as his knuckles brushed her jaw, his eyes widened in surprise. He disappeared in a whoosh of dust before Willow
could blink. She quickly readjusted her vision to the area behind Fred’s pile of dust. Hidden in the shadows, a figure
wavered before collapsing on the damp concrete.

Willow cautiously moved forward. <Well, it’s definitely not Buffy,> she thought as she noticed the long concealing
dress. As she knelt on the ground water soaked into her jeans. <At least I hope it’s only water.> Hesitantly, she
brushed long strands of dark hair away from the woman’s face.

"Oh, my God," she whispered. Even through the cuts and bruises Willow recognized the unconscious woman who just
saved her life. "Drusilla?" <I’m sure there’s some irony here somewhere.? "As much as I’d like to, I can’t leave you
here to die when the sun comes up. Spike would never forgive me. And somehow these things always get out," she
muttered to herself. She knew she couldn’t carry the taller vampiress. Willow tried shaking her shoulder. Nothing.
Finally biting her lip, she flinched as she slapped Dru hard across the face. Maybe a little harder than necessary,
but Dru had put her in the hospital once.

Dru’s blue eyes snapped open and morphed into yellow as her demon surged forward. Willow fell back on her butt.
Her back pressed into the hard wall behind her. The cold wet masonry rubbed against the cuts in her skin.

Dru closed her eyes and her exotic human visage fell back into place. "Take me home, little tree," she whispered in
her lilting accent.

"Home? I can’t take you home," she said in surprise. <Yeah, I can just see that one. Buffy, you don’t mind if Drusilla,
the vampire who tired to kill us junior year, stays in our dorm room, do you? That would go over like one of my
botched spells.>

"I’m so tired. I wanna go home." She sounded lost and pathetic, like a child.

Willow could feel the sympathy rise up in her chest. "Starting tomorrow I’m getting rid of that. All sympathy had
ever done for me is almost get me killed." She released a sigh as she got to her feet. Her leg muscles protested the
movements. "I am going to be so sore tomorrow. Okay," she muttered to herself. Setting her resolve face she
returned her attention to the listless vampire at her feet. "Dru, you have to help me. I can’t carry you," she
explained as she squatted down.

She was able to lift Dru into a sitting position. The dark head flopped back. Willow noticed a band of raw flesh
around her neck. Shaking herself into action she draped Dru’s flaccid arm around her shoulders. A matching band of
raw flesh encircled the slender wrist. Willow suspected there was a twin on Dru’s other wrist. Dru started to fall
back.

"Drusilla!" she said sharply in her ear. "Wake up." She wrapped her arm around Dru’s waist and tried to pull her to
her feet.

The abused muscles and skin painfully protested the action. Dru let out a cry of pain. "Sorry," Willow whispered.
Once she got her to her feet, the slight red head staggered a bit under the additional weight. "Okay, Drusilla,
where’s your home?"

"Daddy’s house."

"Daddy? Oh, you mean Angel?" she asked as they started to move forward. "You guys stayed in the old factory. I
can’t take you there. It’s condemned. I wonder if Angel left the utilities hooked up at the mansion. It’s not too far
from here. Let’s find out, shall we?"

Slowly they made their way through the streets of Sunnydale. Willow tried to keep Dru awake and upright as they
walked. Well, Willow trudged and Drusilla stumbled along. "Talk to me, Dru," she prompted.

"You stole my Daddy from me. Made him the way he was before," Dru pouted.

<Maybe talking isn’t such a good idea,> Willow thought as she tried to keep the insane vampire on her feet when she
tripped over the curb.

"He wasn’t any fun anymore. Left Spike and me alone. Spike went soft. I left him, you know," she rambled.

"Yeah, I know. Wasn’t demon enough for you," Willow quoted what Spike had told her that night he’d kidnapped her
and Xander.

"That’s right. I knew you’d understand. Miss Edith told me the little tree would understand." She began rambling on
about all the things Miss Edith had told her.

Willow listened with half an ear trying to keep an eye out for trouble. Drusilla had moved on to Miss Edith’s
punishments by the time they stumbled across the mansion’s threshold.

<I hope no one has taken up residence,> she thought as she pulled the incoherent vampire through the dark living room.
They were both exhausted. Willow set Dru on the edge of the bed and felt around for a lamp. She found one on the
night stand. With a quiet click she turned the knob. The soft glow fell over the bed.

"Little tree, little tree. The stars are singing to me," Dru giggled as she fell into bed.

Willow tucked her under the covers after removing her wet satin slippers. She removed her cell phone from her
pocket. She powered the small phone on. But who to call? <Buffy and Giles would just stake her like they threatened
to do to Spike when he acted up. Duh. Of course, Spike.> "Sometimes I’m an idiot. Dru, I’m going to call Spike. He’ll
know what to do," she told the sleeping woman.

"Spike isn’t the demon he used to be," she muttered in her sleep.

"You have no idea," she muttered as she dialed the number. She put the phone to her ear and winced as she brushed
against the cheek Fred had hit. She switched ears. Impatiently she counted the rings. <Two. Three. Four. Five. Where
are you?>

On the sixth ring she heard, "What?!"

"Spike. It’s Willow. I need you to come to the mansion right away. And bring some blood." She looked at the frail
vampire moaning in the bed. "A lot of it."

"What the hell for?" he asked.

"I ran into Drusilla and she needs help," she said hoping the love of his unlife would bring him running.

"So what?" He still held some resentment over Dru leaving him for that Chaos demon.

"Spike, just do it," she said as she disconnected the call. "Men are such babies," she told Dru. Drusilla had hurt him
so he was trying to hurt her back. <Big old babies.> She found her way to the kitchen. Along the way she switched on
what lamps she could find.

Once in the kitchen, she searched the cupboards until she found a large bowl. Setting it in the sink she ran the tap
water until it was warm. She placed the bowl under the running water and looked for some towels. Shutting off the
tap, she gathered her supplies and returned to the bedroom.

Dru had slept fitfully kicking the covers off. Placing the bowl on the night stand she ran a hand over the fitful
woman’s forehead. She was checking for fever, but Dru appeared to be room temp, normal in vampire terms. It
seemed to calm her down as well. Willow took in Dru’s appearance. Her dark hair was dull and matted; her dress was
torn. The black color hid the dirt and blood well, but Willow figured it was past even a Salvation Army donation.

She coaxed Dru onto her side and unbuttoned the back. As she parted the silk material her eyes widened at the sight
before her. The normally ivory skin was an array of yellows, greens, and purple from the array of healing bruises.
There were half closed cuts layered on top. The most horrific thing Willow witnessed was the burns. The flesh had
actually blistered. <Holy water.> Taking a deep breath she pulled Dru’s arms out of the sleeves. The red head
carefully inspected the rest of Drusilla’s thin body. While she had never seen Dru naked before, she didn’t think the
jutting hip bones and prominent rib cage was normal. Somehow she couldn’t imagine Spike going gaga over a bag of
bones. The front was just as colorful and wounded as the back. <Even the bottoms of her feet.> As comfortably as
she could, Willow settled the now quiet vampire on her back.

She picked up one of the soft cotton towels she’d found in the kitchen. She dipped it in the warm water and wrung
out the excess. She began washing away the dirt and grim. As each layer was removed, the bruises become more
prominent. Although she was being as gentle as possible, the sleeping woman flinched when the damp cloth passed over
a particularly tender spot. As she was rinsing out the cloth, she heard the front door open.

"I’ll be right back, Dru," she said as she pulled the covers up higher.

******
Part 2/?

Willow entered the living room at the same time Spike walked in from the opposite side of the room. He wore his
usual black ensemble: boots, jeans, tee-shirt, and leather duster. <I wonder if he wears black underwear, too, if he
wears any at all? Whoa, way off topic, Will. Focus. Remember Drusilla. Right. Okay,> she told herself silently. She
spotted the yellow, plastic cooler in his left hand. "Good you brought it. I hope it’s enough," she said. She stepped
forward to take it from him.

As she stepped into better lighting, Spike noticed her disheveled appearance. Her hair was tousled wildly about her
face. The shirt he’d bought her for her last birthday was ripped. He spotted a bruise forming on her cheek. He pulled
the cooler away from her. "What happened?" he asked.

"It’s a long story," she sighed.

"Got all the time in the world."

"Yeah, but Drusilla may not," she turned to take him to his ex-lover. Spike remained where he was. She glanced over
her shoulder when she realized he didn’t follow her. "Spike, I’ll explain everything I know after we take care of
Dru."

Spike reluctantly moved next to the red head. "Why do you care what happens to Dru?"

"I keep asking myself the same thing," she muttered. She placed a hand on his arm. "Wait a second, Spike. She’s in
really bad shape. Someone or something beat her badly. I think they used Holy water, too."

His blue eyes saw the concern in her face. Silently he nodded and pushed the door open.

In her fitful sleep, Dru managed to push the covers down to her feet. Spike hissed when he saw the marks on her skin.
He rushed to the bedside. He set the cooler on the floor and perched himself on the edge of the bed. Gently he
brushed his fingers over the cuts and burns. "Oh, Princess, who did this to you?" he asked softly.

Willow stood in the doorway watching. She was amazed at the tenderness Spike showed Dru as he rolled her onto her
back. He never showed this side to anyone. <Well, there was that time he kidnapped me. He did threaten to shove a
broken bottle through my face, but he was really upset over Dru leaving him. Blubbering like a baby, in fact. Of
course, he was drop down drunk. Actually, not the best analogy,> she rambled internally.

"Drusilla. Wake up, Princess."

Slowly, she opened her eyes and tried to focus on the concerned face above her. "Spike?"

"Yes, Princess. It’s Spike." He brushed a few strands of hair out of her face.

"I’m hungry, Spike. Haven’t eaten in ever so long," she pleaded.

"Got just the thing. Fix you right up, pet." He opened the cooler lid and removed a large plastic cup with a lid. He
poked a straw through the lid. He lifted her head and put the straw to her lips. Dru pulled back and looked at the
offending object. "Just drink it, pet," Spike coaxed.

Tentatively she took a sip. Releasing the straw she whined, "It’s cold."

"I’ll get you something warmer in a bit. Just drink."

Willow felt an unsettling wave of jealousy wash over her. <I’ve got to get out of here. I need to get some clothes for
Dru. Not to mention myself. Gotta take a shower.> Silently she began to compose a list of things to bring back.

She left the mansion and automatically started walking back to her parents house. The dorms were too far. Her body
still felt numb, but she knew that by morning she would feel every bruise and strained muscle. Within fifteen minutes
she climbed the porch to the house. Digging the keys out of her pocket she said a prayer of thanks that she kept them
in her pocket and not in her bag. <Hopefully tomorrow isn’t pick up day for that dumpster,> she thought as she turned
the key in the lock. Sheila and Ira Rosenburg were away on business, big surprise, so Willow wouldn’t have to explain
her less than kosher appearance.

She climbed the stairs to her old room in the dark. Her hand searched along the wall for the light switch. She blinked
a couple of times before her eyes adjusted to the light. She pulled open her closet and searched for one of her many
backpacks she owned. She tossed it on the bed and began hunting for some clothes that might fit Dru.

She located an old pair of navy sweatpants and on oversized tee-shirt she used to sleep in. Setting those on the bed,
she added some clothes for herself. She entered her bathroom to see if she had left any toiletries behind. She’d
taken almost everything with her when she moved into the dorms, but she did find an old hairbrush and some left over
shampoo. She carried them into the bedroom and started packing. Almost as an after thought she grabbed a stuffed
bear her grandmother had given her when she was five.

After she zipped the bag closed, she glanced at the clock on the wall. She’d guessed she’d been gone for about half an
hour. "Probably doesn’t even know I’m gone," she muttered as she returned downstairs to raid the kitchen. Quickly
she tossed crackers and a jar of peanut butter into her bag. She took a couple of cans of soda out of the fridge and
locked up the house.

She saw Spike sitting on the couch when she walked in. "How’s Drusilla?" she asked.

Spike remained seated as he glared at her. "She’s sleeping. Now where the hell have you been?"

Willow was stunned by the verbal attack. "I just..."

"I don’t want to hear about it," he interrupted as he jumped to his feet.

A confused Willow tried to leave the room.

"Well, where were you?" he demanded.

"I though you didn’t want to hear about it."

"Just answer the bloody question. I suppose Buffy’s on her way to take Dru." He had been worried when he couldn’t
find Willow, but his concern manifested itself into anger. Anger at her that she’d left without telling him and anger
at himself that he cared.

Willow was getting angry herself. This was not the night to give her attitude. Silently she walked right up to him. Her
canvas tennis shoes bumped his leather biker boots. As she started to speak, her index finger started poking him in
the chest. "Who the hell do you think you are? What right do you have to yell at me? Huh?" Her volume started to
increase as did the poking. "I’m attacked by three vamps. I stake tow of them. Third one almost beats the shit out of
me." The poking was becoming more insistent. "I drag your sorry girlfriend’s ass half way across town. I call you to
help her. And you’re giving me attitude?" She finally stopped poking him, but still hadn’t backed down. "For your
information, buddy. I went home to get naked girl something to wear." She shoved the backpack into his chest. The
stunned Spike took a step back. "Oh and as for Buffy I don’t need her to come stake Drusilla. I could have done that
myself." She turned on her heel and stomped up the stairs. "Bastard."

Spike flinched when she slammed the door. "Just wanted to know where she went?" he muttered.

"Spike?" Dru’s weak voice called to him.

"Coming, Princess," he answered back. Walking over to the bed Spike took in her frail appearance. The blood he had
feed her earlier had started her unnatural healing abilities. The bruises were rapidly disappearing and cuts were
closing. The burns were taking a little longer. She still had a long way to go, but he was pleased with her progress. He
set Willow’s bag at the foot of the bed and sat beside her. "What’s wrong, pet?"

Dru tilted her head to the left, but kept her eyes carefully trained on him. "Have you been yelling at my little tree?"

"Tree?"

"My little tree brought me here. Brought you to me. You shouldn’t yell at her," she reprimanded him.

"You mean Willow? Weren’t you listening, luv. She did all the yelling."

"My little tree. The stars told me to find her. She’ll take care of me." Her fingers twisted themselves into the ends
of her hair.

"I can take care of you," Spike protested.

"No. You need to take care of her so she can make me better," she explained. "So you shouldn’t upset her or she
might leave."

Spike didn’t understand what she was talking about, not that he ever did. However after the tongue lashing Willow
had just given him, he wasn’t ready for Dru’s. "I’m sorry, Princess. It won’t happen again."

"Don’t tell me. Tell her," she said as she weakly pushed at his leg.

"Do I have to?" he whined. Her cold glare caused him to sit up straight. "Okay, luv. I’ll apologize." She continued to
stare at him. "I’m going. I’m going," he relented. He leaned over her and kissed her forehead.
******
Part 3/?

Willow felt no satisfaction at the slamming door. It just made her head ache. With a sigh she leaned back against the
door. When the back of her head bumped against the wood, a stab of pain cut through her brain. "Ow."

She pushed herself away from the door. "Hope Angel has a big water heater," she said as she pulled aside the clear
vinyl shower curtain. "You know, this place is amazingly well kept considering no one lives here."

She turned the taps and let the water warm up while she undressed. She raised her hands to unbutton her ruined top.
She noticed a slight tremor in her fingers as she pushed the buttons through their holes. By the time she shrugged out
of the top a light blanket of steam filled the small room.

She tried to reach around behind her to release the hooks of her bra. Her sore muscles refused to comply to the
normally simple contortion. A grunt of frustration escaped her lips as she stomped her foot. Taking a few deep
breaths to calm herself, she slipped the straps off her shoulders and tugged the bra to her waist. Pulling her arms
free she turned the contraption around to unhook it from the front. "Willow, next time you do this wear a front
clasp," she told herself as she tossed it to the ground. Next she toed off her shoes and socks. After she unbuttoned
and unzipped her jeans, she hooked her thumbs in her waistband and shimmied herself out of her remaining clothes.

With great relish she stepped under the spray. The hot water cascaded over her skin. Willow braced her hands
against the wall and ducked her head under the shower head. She flinched slightly as the water rolled over the
scratches on her back. Heat penetrated the tense muscles. She closed her green eyes as she tried to enjoy the
pleasure.

Across the screen of her eyelids flashes of the night’s events blinked on and off like a psychotic slide show. They
started with Buffy and her parting ways at the club.

~~~~

"Tell Riley I said hi," she said.

"I’ll walk you home, Will," Buffy said as she tied her jacket around her waist.

"I can walk myself home, Buffy. Riley will be waiting for you."

"He can wait."

"I’m fine. I’ve got my stake and Holy water and my cross. I can take care of myself. Just go."

"all right, but if you get hurt I’ll kill you."

"Point taken. See ya later."

The two coeds walked in separate directions. Buffy left to patrol with Riley and Willow headed in the directions of
the dorms.

~~~~

Willow smiled at the memory. Getting Buffy to let her walk home by herself in the dark was worse than convincing
her mother she could cross the street by herself when she was ten.

~~~~

The taunting voices came out of the darkness. She walked five blocks from the club when she heard them.

"Hey, little girl."

"Where ya goin’, little girl?"

"Join us for dinner, little girl."

~~~~

The evil and malice in their voices sent a shiver down her spine despite the hot water raining down on her back.

A new image projected itself. In the alley Fred had backed her into the corner. As memory-Willow connected her
fist to his face, real-Willow thumped her clenched hand against the wall. Her memories shifted. Instead of the brush
his knuckles had made with her face, she could almost feel the crack of her jaw bone as the punch made contact.

As her body was propelled into the brick wall and slid to the cold wet concrete, she backed to the opposite shower
wall and eased herself to the bottom of the tub. Fred’s steel toed boot slammed into her stomach; Willow wrapped
her arms around her wet body and curled into a ball.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she tried telling herself not to do this. Don’t play the what if Dru hadn’t been
there scenario, because she had been there and had saved Willow. She’d staked two vampires tonight, dragged Dru
back here, even told off Spike. She was brave and confident. No need to be an emotional wreck in the bottom of a
bathtub. The falling water disguised the tears falling from her eyes. Her emotional side had been pushed aside to
allow for her fight or flight response, but now that she was safe it surged forward much like Spike’s demon when he
feed.

She let out a small hysterical laugh. <I wonder if I look all grr.> The laugh quickly changed to sobs that racked her
body.

Spike left Dru sleeping quietly. He figured he’d knock on the bathroom door, softly of course, wait a second and then
he’d tell Dru that Willow didn’t hear him so he’d have to apologize later. <Hopefully by the time later comes around,
Dru will have forgotten about the whole thing.

As he approached the door he could hear the shower running. He raised his fist to tap on the door when his enhanced
hearing caught another sound coming from the bathroom. Or more specifically from Willow. <She’d really be pissed at
me if I caught her crying,> he thought as he turned to leave. But when he heard a loud thump, he didn’t hesitate to
open the door and walk in.

He didn’t immediately see her curled in the bottom of the tub. "Red?" he said quietly. Cautiously he moved closer to
her and knelt beside the bathtub. Spike pushed aside the curtain.

He was shocked to see the spitfire who had told him off not ten minutes ago in a wet naked mass at the bottom of the
tub sobbing. With a s shake of his head he pushed aside the wet and naked parts and concentrated on the sobbing
aspect of the situation. "What’s wrong, pet?" Tentatively he reached out to brush a wet lock of hair clinging to her
cheek.

Oblivious to his entrance, Willow jumped at the touch. Turning her red rimmed eyes up she was surprised to find the
peroxide blonde looking down at her. "Spike," she gasped between sobs.

"What’s wrong, pet?" he asked again.

"What...do...you...care?" she asked between sobs.

"I care. Come on What’s wrong?" He tried to focus his attention on her miserable face. She seemed oblivious to the
fact that she was naked. Unfortunately, Spike was not.

Willow’s brain scrambled for any excuse other than he was having a nervous breakdown. "I...forgot...to get...a towel."

Spike chuckled at the lame excuse. "That’s what you’re blubbering about? You don’t have a towel?"

She glared at him through her tears. "Fuck you."

He smiled. "That’s my little spitfire. Let’s get you dried off." He reached in the shower and turned off the water. His
strong hands pulled her out of the tub. He set her on her feet and grabbed her torn shirt off the floor. He briskly
soaked up as much water off her body as he could without lingering too long. He tossed the damp material on the
cracked tiles and pulled his tee-shirt off when he noticed cooling air was affecting her skin. Her arms wrapped
themselves around her waist. He slipped the soft material over her head. Not bothering to pull her arms free, he
picked her up and carried the now sniffling Willow downstairs.

Spike entered the bedroom as quietly as he could. He didn’t want to wake Drusilla if she was still sleeping. Willow
had quieted down. HE understood the emotional outbursts had been a result of her recent stress levels. He still
wanted the whole story, especially the name of the bastard who "beat the shit" out of Willow. Dru wouldn’t tell him
what had happened to her. She insisted her little tree would take care of her.

Carefully he pushed aside the covers and set Willow on the bed. Spike watched as Dru curled up next to Willow’s
warm body. The red head still had her arms wrapped around her waist underneath the tee-shirt. He grabbed the
backpack from the foot of the bed and knelt on the floor to pull out the contents. He found a pair of flannel pajamas
with electric blue sheep on them and an oversized tee-shirt that read "I don’t do mornings." He grinned as he set that
aside for Dru.

Lifting Willow into a seated position he removed his tee-shirt and helped her into the pajamas. He tucked the covers
around her before tugging the damp, Willow-scented material over his head. He picked up the nightshirt and walked
around to Dru’s side. Two sets of eyes followed his movements. Sad green and cool blue. He helped Dru sit up and slid
the shirt over her head and guided her arms through the sleeves.

As he pulled her long hair free, she asked, "Did you do it?"

"Didn’t have much of a chance, pet," he answered as he tucked the covers around her shoulders.

"You should do it now," she insisted.

"I’ll do it tomorrow when everyone’s feeling more themselves." He avoided her gazed.

"You’ll forget."

"Not bloody likely with you to remind me," he growled.

"Don’t yell at Dru," Willow reprimanded as Dru curled into her side.

"I’m not yelling."

"Don’t growl at her either."

"Fine. I’m going out to get us something to eat for tomorrow." He turned to leave.

"Spike, try to find Miss Edith. I dropped her somewhere," Dru said as she started to drift off.

"Fine." <Damn bloody doll.> He resisted the urge to slam the front door.
****
Part 4/?

"Willow. Where is she?" the Slayer demanded when she found Spike.

"What makes you think I know where she is?" he asked with a swagger to his step.

"You’ve got her backpack. Where is she?"

Buffy had finished her patrol with Riley. She returned to her dorm expecting to fall into bed and catch a few hours
of sleep. Instead when she opened the door she found her roommate gone. Her bed hadn’t been slept in and Buffy
knew that she wouldn’t be getting any sleep that night. She searched the streets looking for any sign of Willow. All
she found was Spike.

He’d forgotten about the bag he’d found in the dumptser. "Look. She’s fine. She’s helping a friend. No need to worry,
kay?" he said hoping the Slayer would back off. He certainly didn’t want her finding out about Drusilla.

"Not okay. Willow would have called to let me know," Buffy said as she fingered the stake in her coat pocket. <Spike
is really starting to piss me off. He knows something.>

"It was kind of an emergency. There wasn’t much time to call you. I’ll have her ring you in the morning. She’ll
probably do it anyway." He watched the short blonde watching him. "Don’t you trust me?" He tried to look hurt and
innocent.

"No."

"Well, Willow does. I’m not going to break that trust. She’ll call you in the morning," he said. <Okay. A couple of lies,
but mostly the truth. Willow won’t be too mad,> he told himself.

<Willow does trust Spike. Hell, she’s half in love with him. Spike can’t hurt her. Doubt he would if he could,> she
thought as she looked him over. "Okay. But if I don’t her from her first thing in the morning, I’ll find you and suck
you into a dustbuster."

"Fine." He turned to leave when Buffy called out to him.

"Hey, Spike. Nice doll," she said as she left to get some sleep.

Spike looked down at his duster pocket where Miss Edith’s head stuck out. <Damn bloody doll.> He only hoped that
Buffy didn’t connect it to Drusilla. He didn’t think she knew about the doll or at least she didn’t remember about
Dru’s collection.

Spike entered the mansion with his arms loaded with grocery bags. He carried everything into the kitchen and put the
food away. He’d also stopped by Willy’s to pick up a large supply for Dru and himself. He didn’t know how long they’d
be staying at the mansion, but it might be a while.

He shrugged out of his duster and tossed it over the couch. He removed the hated Miss Edith and carried her by her
hair into the bedroom. The soft glow of the bedside lamp luminated the two sleeping forms in the bed. Dru had
snuggled into Willow. Her dark head rested on the red head’s shoulder. Willow’s arms held the vampiress loosely.

"They’re quiet a sight together, aren’t they?" a voice came from a dark corner of the room.

Spike startled. He hadn’t noticed the presence when he first walked in; his mind had been occupied with the two
women. "Angel?"

His dark haired sire stepped closer into the light. "Spike. Want to tell me what’s going on?"

Angel had been surprised to see lights on in the mansion. As soon as he’d entered his old home, he knew who was there.
The mystery was why Drusilla was there with Willow. He walked into the bedroom to see the them curled together
like two kittens. He sat watching them until he heard Spike enter the house. He waited while he put away groceries
and walked into the bedroom.

"Well, to be honest, I haven’t a clue. Willow found Dru brought her here and then she called me. She was in bad
shape. Someone or something abused her."

"Like you’ve never done that," Angel reminded his childe.

"Not like this. She was starved and they used Holy water on her. She still has some bad burns, but I feed her. She
seems to be healing okay now." He kept his gaze focused on the sleeping pair.

"What about Willow? Why is she here?" Angel asked as he looked at the little witch while she slept. He’d felt anger
when he first noticed the bruise on her face then decided to wait for explanations.

"I don’t have all the answers for you, mate. Willow said she’d explain what she knew in the morning. She was
emotionally and physically exhausted. So am I. I’m going to bed. Sun will be out in a few hours," he said as he moved
to Willow’s side of the bed. Dru and Willow slept in the middle. He figured he’d just slip in beside the red head.

"You’re not sleeping in that bed," Angel told him.

"Why not?"

"Cuz I said so."

"Piss off. I ain’t sleeping on the couch, Peaches."

"Fine. Other side then. I’m sleeping next to Willow."

"Like hell," Spike retorted.

"Will the two of you shut up and get in bed already? Angel, just sleep next to Dru," Willow said as she kept her eyes
closed. She didn’t care where they slept just so they would stop talking.

Spike grinned at his sire when he moved to the other side of the bed. They both pulled their shoes off before
slipping beneath the covers.

Willow woke up with three sets of arms around her. She opened her green eyes and looked down at the top of Dru’s
head. She held onto her neck like a child would hold her mother after a nightmare. Looking passed Dru she saw Angel
sleeping curled around Dru and his arms reached around her to settle his hand on Willow’s hip. She turned her head
and found Spike spooned against her back. His arms draped themselves over her waist. Someone’s hand was curved
around her breast, but in her not quite awake state she couldn’t figure out who it belonged to.

<If my friends could see me now,> she mused as she stretched. <They would all probably freak out, except Anya.
She’d just cheer.> Her hand reached out and stroked Dru’s hair when she heard a whimper escape her parted lips.
"Shh. It’s okay, Dru," she whispered.

When Dru finally settled down again, Willow turned her thoughts to how to extract herself from her bed partners.
She reached up and pulled Dru’s arms from around her neck. She whispered in her ear, "Dru, roll over."

As she complied, she placed Dru’s arms around Angel. She reached under the covers and moved Angel’s hand from her
hip to Dru’s. She waited as the two of them settled into each other. She noticed both of Angel’s hands on Drusilla’s
back and still felt the hand on her breast. <That answer’s that question.> Lying between Spike and the other two, it
wouldn’t be as easy to remove herself from Spike’s embrace. She tried sitting up, but Spike held her firm.

"Going somewhere, pet?" he whispered in her ear.

<Figures he was awake.> "Trying to. Could you please remove your hand from my breast?" she asked.

"Don’t want to," he said as he nuzzled her neck.

"Knock it off, Spike. I have to go to the bathroom."

Reluctantly he let her go. She crawled over him to get out of bed. He watched as she hurried from the room to the
bathroom.
*****
Part 5/?

Willow sat down at the kitchen table with her cell phone in hand. She punched in her number and waited for Buffy to
pick up.

"Hello?" he sleepy voice came over the line.

"Buffy. It’s Willow."

Buffy woke up immediately. "Willow! Where are you? Are you okay?" she asked.

"I’m fine. Listen, Buffy. There’s a lot I need to explain. There’s a lot I need to figure out, too. Can you come to the
Crawford Street mansion?"

"Angel’s mansion?"

"That’s the one."

"Willow, what’s going on?"

"Not sure yet. I’ll explain what I know when you get here. You might want to bring Giles. Maybe Riley, too."

"Okay. You’re sure you’re okay?"

"I’m fine. I promise." She glanced up to see Drusilla standing in the doorway. The nightshirt that fell to Willow’s
knees only hung to her thighs. She cradled her doll in her arms. "Oh, can you bring me that outfit that my
grandmother gave me for my birthday?"

"I thought it was too big for you."

"It’s not for me. Can you bring it? I’ll explain everything."

"Okay, Will."

"Thank you. I’ll see you later, Buffy."

"Later."

Willow ended the call and powered off the phone. "Good morning, Drusilla." She wasn’t sure about Dru just yet. She
looked sad and lost, but Willow remembered Spike telling her that was her trick for attracting victims.

"I’m hungry." She even sounded sad and pathetic.

Willow stood and motioned her to take the vacant chair. "Sit down. I’ll get you something." She opened the fridge and
pulled out a container of blood. While Spike was in his bathroom bondage phase at Giles’, Willow had grown accustom
to fixing him his liquid diet. She filled a coffee mug and set it in the microwave. She listen to the soft humming
coming from the box. When it beeped, Willow jumped slightly. She turned her attention to Dru who sat quietly
watching the red head.

Dru took the mug from Willow’s hands and brought it to her lips to take a sip. Willow watched as Dru’s game face
took over. <It’s kind of fascinating to watch,> Willow thought as Dru peered into the mug with disgust.

"It tastes funny. Can I have a child? They taste lots better."

Willow pulled out a chair and watched her carefully. "Sorry, but no hunting or take out. You’ll drink that," she said
as she nodded to the cup.

"If I do, will you help me?"

"Help you do what?"

"Help me get better. Miss Edith said you would help me get better. The way I was before."

"Before what?"

"Before Daddy came."

<Before she went insane? Oh Goddess. I can’t do that. I’m not a psychologist. What do I tell her?> she thought
frantically. Drusilla waited patiently for an answer. Willow sighed, "I’ll do what I can, Dru, but you have to help me,
too."

Dru smiled softly before taking another drink from the mug. "Of course."

Willow smiled back at her. "We need to talk about what happened to you. Who hurt you?"

"Daddy did it."

"No, I mean recently."

Dru scratched her head in thought. "I don’t remember." A couple of her broken fingernails caught in the snarled hair.
She winced as she jerked her hand free. "Will you brush my hair?"

"Sure. Finish your breakfast and I’ll go find a brush," Willow said as she stood up.

"Will you brush Miss Edith’s hair, too?" she asked as the red head reached the doorway.

Willow glanced at the tattered doll in her arms. "I’ll see if I can find another brush for you. Finish your breakfast
and I’ll be right back."

The first thing Willow saw when she entered the bedroom was Angel and Spike. They were curled up together in the
middle of the bed. <If I only had a camera,> she thought shaking her head. She dug a hairbrush out of her bag and
returned to the living room to search through the bag Spike had dug out of the dumptser. She found a small brush she
kept in the front pocket.

She leaned against the doorjamb and listen to Dru talking quietly to her doll.

"You’re all dirty and messy. You know you’re supposed to stay clean. How are you going to impress my little tree when
you’re all tattered? No scones for you at tea. You had better be thankful my little tree is going to take care of me
or I’d have to punish you," she reprimanded as she shook her finger.

Willow pushed herself away from the door. "Drusilla, come into the living room and I’ll brush your hair."

She got up from the table and followed the red head into the living room. Willow sat her on the couch. Climbing
behind her to sit on the back of the couch she placed her feet on either side of Dru’s hips. "Here’s a brush so you can
do Miss Edith’s hair," she said handing over the smaller brush.

"Thank you," Dru said before she started attacking the doll's hair. Willow was surprised the doll’s head didn’t snap
off from the force.

She started arranging the matted hair into sections before applying the brush to it. "Dru, I’m going to ask you some
questions and I want you to try to remember as best you can, okay?"

"Okay." She slowed her attack on Miss Edith’s hair and began to mimic Willow’s movements on her own hair.

"How did you find me last night?"

"Miss Edith told me where you to find you. She said that you’d take care of me."

"Okay. Where were you before that?"

"I don’t remember."

Willow paused to work out a knot before continuing. "Think back. Take your time. What did it look like? Do you
remember anything about that place?" She pulled the brush through the section of hear she was working on before
starting another.

Dru thought while Willow’s brushing soothed the scrambled memories running through her brain. "It was dark. And
damp and it smelled."

"Good. Did you have to walk very far to get to the alley?"

"Not very far."

"So you were here in Sunnydale?"

"I think so. Ow," she said as her head jerked back.

"Sorry." Willow pulled the brush free from the snarl. "Was there anyone else there?" She picked the snarl apart
and continued working on Dru’s hair.

"Where?"

Willow rolled her eyes. <This is worse than teaching Giles to use a computer.> "In the dark, damp, smelly place."

"Oh, yes. Lots. They screamed a lot. Begged for mercy, too. I never did that," she said proudly.

"I’m sure you didn’t," Willow said as she added the freshly brushed section to the other. "Do you remember who hurt
you?"

"Always different. He looked like Daddy, sometimes Spike, but I could tell the difference. Sometimes he didn’t look
like anyone."

"You could tell it was the same person?"

"Uh huh."

"Drusilla, do you remember how long you were there?"

"No."

"Where were you before that?"

"South America. They have such spicy food there. Have you ever been there?"

"No, I haven’t." Willow started on the last section of hair. "Did you come here on your own or did someone bring
you?"

"Came to find Spike."

<Oh. Spike will be glad to hear that,> she thought disappointedly. "When was that?"

"Don’t remember."

"How did you get to that place?"

"I don’t know. They took me there. I’m hungry," she whined.

"Okay." She pulled the brush through the tangle free mass one last time. It needed a good washing but at least it
wasn’t a wild mess. "I’m finished with your hair. Let’s get something to eat," she said as she climbed off the couch.
<Getting this information is going to take forever at this rate,> she thought as she headed back to the kitchen.
*****
Part 7/?

"Can I kill her now?" Buffy asked.

"No!" Willow glared at the blonde.

"I just asked. Giles what do you think about this?"

Giles removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. He sighed. "I’m not quite sure what to make of it. Obviously
we need to do something."

"Why?" Buffy asked. "I mean if it’s just vamps and demons let him go to town on it."

Angel, Spike and Anya glared at the Slayer. The young woman’s animosity was directed towards Drusilla, but some of
it spilled over to the others in the group.

"That’s just it, Buffy. What if it’s not just vamps and demons? Who’s to day there’s not innocent humans being
torchered, too?" Willow asked trying to make her friend see reason.

"Who’s to say Dru isn’t making the whole thing up just to get on your good side, Will?" Buffy countered.

Anya leaned closer to her boyfriend. "Does she have a bad side?" she whispered in his ear.

"Oh, Willster can be a rebel when she wants to be. Once she ate a banana lunch be damned," he whispered back. He
looked up at the group to see everyone watching them. "Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"If the possibility exists, we must look into it, Buffy," Giles said as he replaced his glasses.

"She probably just imagined the whole thing," the Slayer muttered. She leaned forward to rest her elbows on her
knees. She rested her chin on her fist.

Willow glanced at Drusilla, who had fallen asleep against Spike. "Spike, why don’t you put Dru to bed?" She waited
until he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. Turning to the pouting Slayer, she knelt in front of her
friend. "Buffy, I know you don’t trust Dru and frankly I don’t blame you."

Buffy leaned back on one hand. With a grin, she said, "Well, I’m glad you haven’t gone completely off the deep end,
Willow."

"But don’t you trust me?" she asked.

The Slayer sat up. "That’s a low blow, Will. This isn’t a matter of trusting you."

"Isn’t it? You’re not trusting my judgement on this. You didn’t see her, Buffy. She was a mess. The bruises have
healed and so have the cuts, but the burns are still there. Spike said it would take longer to heal them, because she
hadn’t feed in so long. She could barely stand up, but she saved my life. Yeah, I staked two of the vamps, but that
was sheer luck. I caught the first one by surprise and the other one was dumber than Harmony."

"And that’s pretty dumb, Buff," Xander commented. While he wasn’t confident in Dru’s reliablity, he trusted
Willow’s instinct.

"The third one, Fred." She paused as she thought of the possible outcomes. "Buffy, he would have killed me. He was
doing a great job of beating the crap out of me when Dru staked him. Please try to understand. She asked me for
help."

Buffy sighed as she looked at Willow’s bruised face. "I do understand, Will. She saved you. I get that. And I’m
grateful she did. I"m just not sure about this house of torcher."

Angel stood and approached the pair. "Maybe I can convince you this is a real threat," he said.

"Do you know something, Angel?" Giles asked.

"Not much more than you do. Cordelia had a vision yesterday."

Buffy looked at him. "That’s why you’re here?"

"Yes. She said it was here in Sunnydale."

"You could have just called," she said. She wasn’t ready for her ex to meet her current boyfriend.

He gave the blonde a sad look. <She’s not even twenty yet. Can’t expect her to act more mature than she is,> he
reminded himself. "When the PTB sends her a vision, it usually means that I help out in person," he said.

Riley leaned closer to Buffy, but kept his eyes on the tall, dark, brooding man. "What’s the PTB?" he whispered.

"The Powers That Be. They send visions of evil and danger to Cordy so Angel can stop them."

"What did she see?" Giles asked.

"Dark room with lots of blood. It wasn’t pretty. She threw up right after she regained control of her body." Angel
stared at his ex-girlfriend. "Cordy also said his face kept changing."

"Okay, fine. Maybe she wasn’t making it up," she relented. "It doesn’t mean I"m going to go all PDA with Sybil in
there," she said pointing to the bedroom.

"No one said you had to, Buff," Willow said.

"You know. This guy sounds a lot like someone I used to know in my demon days," Anya said as she racked her memory
for a name.

"It figures," Buffy said as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, shut up," Anya shot back.

"Do you remember his name, Anya?" Giles prompted.

"I’m trying to remember. It was a long time ago. Everyone hated him. He was a sick bastard. Probably still is."

"If you think he was a sick bastard, he must be really bad," Xander said. Anya loved to relate her revenge stories to
him, usually just before he fell asleep.

"He was. Didn’t care who or what he torchered just as long as it was messy and they screamed a lot," she explained.

Giles sighed again. "A name?"

"Oh yeah. I think it was Kerod or something like that. He’s gone my a lot of names over the years."

Giles stood and walked to the front door. "We’ll start our research with that." He stopped when he realized that no
one was following him. "Today people."

Anya and Xander jumped up to follow him. Buffy and Riley stood, but didn’t move to follow just yet.

"I’ll check with Willy tonight. See if he’s heard anything," Angel told Giles.

"I’ll see if there are any reports with the Initiative," Riley offered. Willow threw him a look. "I won’t tell anyone
about this, Willow. At least not until we have more information."

"Thank you, Riley. Buffy, did you bring my clothes?" she asked.

"Yeah. They’re in the car. I’ll get them," she said turning her attention to the red head.
*****