Summary: Willow wakes up to find herself in a world not of her own...and she has company.

Rating: NC-17 eventually--rated R for now

Distribution: Calliopes Garden, Eyeballs to Entrails, Fever of Fate, and my site at http://www.crosswinds.net/~lisay/buffy.htm .
Anyone else, just ask and I'll surely say yes.

Spoilers: Enemies on back--with special attention to Doppleganger.

Disclaimer: Spike, Willow and the rest of the BtVS gang belong to Joss Whedon, Fox Television, Mutant Enemy and the WB network.

Author's Note: I have to thank Loki for spurring my imagination after reading her piece, The Tidal Trilogy. Once I read the first
story, VampWillow kept whispering in my ear and I finally succumbed...

Feedback: Yes, please--I'm feeling a bit wierd about this--but when do I don't? The only thing I feel secure about writing in is my
Serendipity universe...so, any and all feedback would be a blessing.
 
 

Part One

"Oh goody, you're awake," Willow heard a familiar voice whisper in her ear. "Come on, Fluffy, open those big beautiful green eyes."

Willow blinked a couple of times, clearing her vision, to find herself staring up at-herself.

"Shit," she whispered, instantly trying to scramble out of her vampire counterpart's grasp.

"Naughty, naughty, Fluffy. Stop that or you'll make me mad. You don't want to do that now, do you?"

"Fluffy?"

"Your clothes are always so fluffy-so, Fluffy."

Willow groaned softly, silently cursing her other self. She always knew exactly where to hit to hurt. "Where am I?"

The vampire grinned; leaning back on her heals. "In my world. I visited you and now you're visiting me."

"Why?"

The vampire pouted, staring at the floor, making Willow wonder if she ever got pitiful down to the science that her other self did.

"I need you."

Her head shot up, searching the darkness. It couldn't be-he was in Brazil or was it this world's Spike? That would be bad-real bad. No
Slayer and end of the world to open his eyes. No Angelus to steal Dru.

Just the cruel, heartless Spike that came to Sunnydale to kill Angel to save Dru.

Willow's throat dried up as she watched him step into view. All it took was one look into his dark eyes-twinkling in familiarity and she
let out a silent sigh of relief.

Not that her Spike was safe, but at least she knew him. They had a past. Albeit it was filled with kidnapping, love spells, dead slayers
and death attempts, but she was still alive-which was something of an anomaly in comparison to the rest of Spike's history-so he
definitely received got a gold star for that.

At least as far as Willow was concerned.

He kneeled down and grabbed her arm, pulling her up to her feet. "Come on, love-"

She shivered slightly, feeling a cool breeze on her bare legs. "Oh Goddess-you took me from my bed!" She nearly growled, glowering at
her counterpart.

"Well, I sleep during the day!"

"What about kidnapping me before I'm asleep-in-in my Snoopy pajamas!"

She heard Spike snicker behind her and she felt her temper rise. Ignoring the blond vampire, she stamped her foot. "After what
happened to us in second grade-you'd think you'd have a bit more compassion-"

The redhead vampire shot up and grabbed Willow by the chin, squeezing her. Willow bit on her bottom lip to stop from whimpering out
loud. "I'm a vampire, Fluffy, I don't have any compassion!" She dropped her hand and leaned over to kiss Willow on her cheek, her cool
lips sending another round of chills through out her body. "Besides, I killed every last one of them that made fun us-hurt us-so," she
paused, her face shifting to her demon countenance, "get over it."

Willow unconsciously backed away from her and found herself bumping into a cold lean body behind her. She turned her head to see
Spike watching her, smirking. His arm slipped around her waist and he bent his head down to her ear.

"We've only got a couple of hours until sunlight, luv-let's get out of here. Our guest has generously supplied you with a change of
clothing. It's in the other room."

Willow nodded, definitely wanting to put as much space between her and her vampire self as possible, when Spike dropped his hold from
her waist to her hand and began leading them out of the room.

"Oh Spikey-"

If Willow hadn't been so close to him, she wouldn't have felt the instant tension radiating from him, he hid it so well.

"Yes Willow?"

Human Willow felt her move more than actually hearing her. One minute she was across the room, the next she could feel her body
pressed against both Spike and her as the vampiress gave Spike a passion-filled, open-mouthed kiss.

Not even realizing it, she turned and watched the two, fascinated and repelled at the same time. That was *her* kissing Spike. Would
she look like that if she did that? As the other Willow's human face slid off, human Willow felt her blood rise to the surface and her
breath shorten in response. What was it that Angel said? His demon face came on when extreme emotions were involved-so, what did this
say about the other Willow? Or Spike, for that matter, whose hold on her hand tightened even more though his human face was still on?

Spike was the one that finally broke the kiss and stepped back, tugging Willow back into the safety of his arms as he looked down at
the other vampire.

"Kiss him like that, love and you may just get what you want."

Willow's mask melted back on as she turned her attention back to her human counterpart. She cupped Willow's face and kissed her
chastely on the lips. "Have fun, Fluffy!"

She sauntered past both of them and left the room.

Willow couldn't help but sigh out loud in relief. She looked up at Spike and frowned. "Promise me-that if you kill me-you kill me and not
turn me." She shuddered just thinking about it. "I don't think the universe can handle more than one of us-like-like that."

She felt Spike's chest rumble as he squeezed her waist. "Love, I'll promise you-right here and now-if I ever turn you, it's with your
soul."

He slipped his arm out and walked over to the door, opening it. He bent down and grabbed a paper bag and tossed it over to her. "These
are you clothes. Sorry about the style, but that's all she had. We have to get out of here-it's not safe." He pulled out a cigarette and
lit it, leaning back against the door. "I never thought I would say this, but I finally understand why there's a Slayer. This place is
crazy." He tapped his foot as he sent Willow a cool glare. "Come on, Red, get at it-"

Shaking her head, she dumped the contents of the bag onto the dusty concrete floor. She instantly recognized the outfit. "Why this
one? I hated it the first time," she whispered to herself as she picked up the black and red leather bustier. Scanning the room, she
found what she was looking for and picked up the clothes and boots that were given to her. Walking over to a stack of boxes, she
stepped behind them, only her head visible and began shedding her favorite pair of pajamas.

Her double took her from her bed. Out of everything that had happened to Willow in the past three years, somehow she was having the
hardest wrapping her mind around this.

That, and how her counterpart didn't believe in underwear.

Groaning, she kicked off the boxers and slipped on the leather pants, silently thanking the Goddess for no water weight and zipped them
up, instantly feeling as if she'd shed her skin for a cow's hide. Pulling off her shirt, she gave her chest a cursory glance and sighed
softly. She still didn't understand how her breasts could look so small now and so huge in that.

Shaking her head, she slipped her arms through the sleeves and quickly began the arduous task of lacing the stupid thing up, all the while
wondering if this wasn't some strange nightmare caused by that horribly tasting bean burrito from Taco Bell she ate right before going
to bed earlier that night.

Because if it wasn't, Willow was in deep trouble.
 
 

Ten minutes later, hand in hand, Spike and Willow stepped out of the non-descript warehouse into the late night air.

For the first time in her relatively short life, Willow felt like Alice in Wonderland and she just stepped through mirror.

Everything around her was familiar, yet off keel. Even she, a novice witch, could feel the Hellmouth's cloying presence-it seemed to
darken all that it touched.

And the streets were filled-just not with humans. In that half-hour trek across Sunnydale, Willow saw more demons than she ever had in
her world in the past three years put together. As they passed one, tentacles and slime dripping off him, Spike stiffened, a low growl
coming from him.

Remembering his description from the time he kidnapped her, Willow figured that must be a Chaos Demon.

He was right. They were ugly, gross and slimy.

"Bloody bitch," he murmured to himself, his cool fingers nearly crushing her hot and sweaty ones.

"Where-where are we-we going, Spike?"

He stopped walking and turned to her, his eyes traveling her body as an amused smirk crossed his face. "Red, never knew you had in
you," he said, as his hand lifted and caressed her leather-clothed waist. "A lot better than her." He started circling her, his eyes
burning her with intensity.

Her heart took off, suddenly flashing on the other Willow and him embracing and she closed her eyes against the image. *Bad
Willow-you have enough problems-no lusting after Spike!*

Suddenly he was back behind her, his arm pulling her against him. She shouldn't have been surprised to feel his hard-on, because it only
added to the craziness of the whole night. His cool lips touched her neck-right at her pulse point. "We're in a bloody lot of trouble Red
and I think it just got worse."

Willow felt her throat close as her head swam. Why Spike? Why not Angel? Or the other Giles? Ever since he kidnapped her, he was
the one that ruled her fantasies. Not Oz, not Xander-but him. "Oh Goddess," she whispered as she arched her neck and looked up,
meeting his hot gaze.

His human face flickered and he pushed her away, growling softly. "We don't have bloody time for this!" he yelled as he walked over to
her and grabbed her arm, dragging her.

"The bloody bitch takes me from my perfectly normal, miserable existence into this bloody madhouse to give her fuckin' love life tips!"

Willow stopped at what he said, nearly falling to her knees as Spike yanked mercilessly onto her arm. "Come on, Red, we're almost
there- then we can talk about this."

Nodding as she concentrated on walking in the stupid heels of the equally stupid leather boots, she began to wonder if giving her
counterpart mercy had been mistake.

Because it certainly was looking like it-at least from where she was standing.

Five minutes later, he pulled her behind an abandoned store to the back door. After unlocking, he dragged her inside.

Once the door closed, Willow could see no more.

She heard him lock it and push something heavy across the floor and then he was there-by her side.

"Can you see, Red?"

"Not a thing," she whispered, feeling her heart begin to race-this time in fear.

Suddenly she in the air and pressed against a cool, hard chest. "I'll just carry you the rest of the way. It's easier."

She nodded silently as she finally succumbed to her terror and burrowed her face under the flaps of his coat against his chest.

*Please let this be a nightmare,* she thought to herself as she felt his descend a flight of stairs and finally stop moving as he unlocked
another door.

She heard a flick and felt the light go on more than actually witnessing it. She pulled her head out and studied the room as he gently
placed her down on her feet.

They were in a somewhat large, yet oddly comfy room. One queen-sized bed, dresser, two night stands, a small kitchenette, with a table
and two chairs, a couch and a color television set, with a VCR and stereo hooked up to it.

A bomb shelter. Spike found himself a bomb shelter.

Exhausted, she walked over to the bed and sat down on the corner, pulling off her boots as she watched the vampire open the
refrigerator and pull out a blood bag. After opening it, he poured the contents into a mug and stuck it in what looked like a brand new
microwave and started it.

She fell back onto the bed.

The night was just filled with surprises. She never thought she'd see the day when Spike would bag it.

"What's going on here, Spike? Are you sure this isn't some weird, warped dream of mine and that I'll wake up tomorrow morning and go
to the library with Oz and once again spend my weekend researching on how to stop the Mayor's ascension?"

"So, he's finally ascending, eh?"

She nodded wearily.

"Well Red, they'll just have to make do without you-'cause this is real. Sorry."

"Why? Why am I here?"

The microwave beeped twice and Spike opened it, grabbing the mug and walked over to the bed, placing the cup on the nightstand and
sat down behind her. He picked up her head and placed it on his thigh and chuckled softly.

After drinking his blood, his cool fingers began to twirl her hair.

Although Willow knew almost immediately upon her arrival that he had no plans to kill her, she did wonder where all her fear went. Was
it the leathers? Or could it be that he was sober and a sober, lucid Spike was much more preferable to a drunk and angry Spike.

Or it could be that some part of her brain was still operating under the dream theory and hadn't quite caught up with facts.

Whatever the case, Willow just shut her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy his attentions. "About a week ago, I was sitting in a bar in
Mexico, getting shit-faced as usual. Dru did take me back, by the way. But the bloody bitch still wasn't faithful. I found her with that
fucking Chaos Demon a week after she declared her love for me.

"That was it. The bloody bitch! I left, headed north and found myself in a dirty, shit-poor town in the middle of Mexico, raiding their
donated blood supply and getting drunk.

"And then suddenly, I was no longer sitting on my favorite bar stool that I had spent the last three months drowning my sorrows on. I
was laying on the floor, just like you were tonight, staring up at her."

Willow opened her eyes and sat up. "She brought you here? Why did she do that?"

Spike chuckled softly. "That, my dear, is your fault."

"Mine?"

He lit a cigarette, grinning at her. "Not that I can blame you-blabbing about my attributes to her-"

Willow felt her stomach flip as her face reddened in embarrassment. "She brought it up-wanted to know if I met you and what I
thought." She started wringing her hands and shrugged. "I just told her."

His finger tipped her head up. "Red, look at me."

Tears sprung in her eyes as she shook her head. "Oh that bitch! I should've let Buffy stake her!"

"Love, look at me."

Gnawing on her bottom lip, she lifted her eyes and met his. What she saw surprised her. There was no malice or rejection there-just
acceptance.

"Why do you think Dru kept cheating on me?"

She shrugged. "I-I don't know-why?"

This time, he looked away as he stared off to the side. "Dru could always tell things. See them-see into people's hearts. She saw
you-even before I did."

"I'm sorry."

He shrugged and turned his attention back to her. "For what?"

"That you lost her. I know that you love her."

He took a last drag off the cigarette and put it out. He nodded in agreement. "But I don't think I've been in love with her for at least a
year. Remind me sometime, to tell you about all the fun I had last year living under the same roof as my sire and Dru while stuck in that
blasted wheelchair."

"Okay," she said as a yawn slipped out. She turned and lay back down, this time placing her head on his lap. "So, why did she bring you
here?"

"Here's the good part. It seems that she lost Xander to the slayer."

"Buffy?"

He nodded. "She finally came to Sunnydale, just a bit late. It sounds like she wasn't as strong here as there, but she caused enough pain
anyway. Somehow, she freed the great Poof and following Fate, they ended up in bed together and within a week of the Slayer being in
town, she managed to release Angelus."

"Oh Jesus."

"My feelings exactly. Apparently, he's just as nuts here as in our world. Claimed Willow instantly-causing descent among the other
vampires. Xander left the main lair and one night while out by himself, he managed to meet up with the Slayer." Willow watched as he
rubbed his face in exhaustion. "About that same time, I came back-without Dru. Never being able to extract Angelus from the
Master's grasp, she finally just withered away one day. I woke up to discover a pile of dust where she had lain the night before."

Willow sat up in shock. She'd known that Dru was weak when they came to Sunnydale, but she had no idea how close to death that she
had been. "I never knew it was--was that bad."

He nodded. "I knew."

He lit another cigarette. "Willow and Spike were immediately drawn to one another. Although they had met the year before, they'd
been with their mates and somehow instinctively knew that they needed to keep their distance. Now, there were no barriers."

"What about Angelus?"

"Hence the problem. Spike wants Willow...Willow wants Spike...Angelus wants Willow...Willow is drawn to Angelus-she says their
demons recognize each other or some load of shit...and finally Spike hates Angelus, because his sire is alive and Dru is dead. So, Willow
wants them both and called me across dimensions to help her sort out this mess."

Willow closed her eyes as her mind sorted out the chaos that her counterpart had gotten herself into, but there were questions that still
hadn't been answered. She sighed softly; unable to hid her frustration or exhaustion. "Let me guess-your advice wasn't enough?'

She felt him grab her arms and haul her body over to his, settling her on his lap. "Nope love, you're wrong there. Now, she's a happily
satiated vampire bouncing back and forth between lovers like a bloody football. No," he stopped as he looked down at her. "You're here
because she doesn't know how to send me back." His chest shook with laughter. "Apparently, the Watcher keeps a better handle on his
books here than he ever did in our world. She needs a book of his and you're the only person she knows that can get it."

He shook his head, outright laughing. "It's not like I can bloody go to Giles and ask him to send me home. I'd end up in a dustbuster
faster than it takes for me to light a cigarette. These, as she calls them, 'White Hats' are bit more stake happy than our bunch. Fucking
don't blame them-with the Master around and all these demons taking over the town. It's like a convention for Hell's minions here. I'd
never thought I'd say this, but I hate it." He reached over and turned the television on. "Look at this-old movies. That's it. Not even a
bloody infomercial. The station's owned by a three-hundred year old master vampire with a pension for Peter Cushing movies."

Finally Willow couldn't take it anymore. The manic laughter that had been bubbling up since she'd awaken overtook her as she let out a
loud guffaw. Clutching her stomach, she bent over as her whole body shook, tears flooded her eyes and her bladder threatened to
overflow.

It was just too much.

Here she was sitting in the arms of a master vampire bemoaning the fact that this alternate reality was just too evil for his liking. No
MTV or CNN for Spike-just reruns of Count Dracula's Bride and Lon Chaney's rendition of The Werewolf.

After nearly ten minutes, her body finally stopped shaking. More out of exhaustion than anything else. Yawning, she fell back into
Spike's body and looked up at him through her watered eyes. "So," she said as her stomach clinched once again and her body shook with
soundless laughter. "I have to go see Giles tomorrow."

He nodded.

"And tell him what exactly? I can just see it. If I managed to get through the doors without getting staked myself-which is a definite
possibility as long as I am wearing her clothes-"

"Tell him about the Ascension, love. I bet you, he doesn't know. They're probably too busy chasing Angelus around and trying to keep
an independent and heartless slayer under wraps to even have an inkling that their mayor is about to become a high-ranking demon."

Willow nodded slowly and turned in his lap. "What about clothes? Do you have any money?"

He nodded over to nightstand. "Yes, dear old Willow made sure that you would be taken care of. She actually likes you, love."

Willow rubbed her eyes. "At least one of us does. Right now, I'm still wishing that I let Buffy stake her."

He chuckled softly as he slipped out from underneath her. He picked up the paper bag and tossed it on to the bed. "The bathroom's
through that door," he said pointing across the room, by the entranceway. "You may as well get ready for bed." He kicked off his boots.
"Wake me up when you want to leave, and I'll move the bookcase." He snapped his fingers and pulled open a drawer, taking out a cell
phone. "Here's a phone for you-my number is the programmed in it. You can call when you need to get back inside."

Willow pulled her aching body off the bed and took the phone. "Why all the precautions? What else going on?"

He shook his head. "Tomorrow, Willow. I'm too bloody tired to get into it. You should be fine as long as you get back here by dark. If
you can't, call and I'll come and get you." He started unbuttoning his shirt.

Willow nodded, forcing her exhausted limbs to move as she walked across the room to the bathroom. It wasn't until she closed the door
behind, did the severity of her situation finally hit her.

She was stuck in an evil, alternative universe where the Master ruled and the Hellmouth opened for special occasions and her only ally
was a soul-less demon that not only kidnapped her just months before, but had tried to kill her on numerous occasions in the past two
years.

And they were sharing a bed.

And to top it off, late at night, when her thoughts were just her own and her fantasies could be played out in the depths of her mind and
heart in solitude, he, this same soul-less vampire was cast in the role as her leading man.

"Oh Goddess," she whispered to herself, feeling her face turn red at the thought of sleeping next to the hard, lean body of Spike's. Try
as she may, thoughts of Oz had long ago slipped out of her consciousness, only to be replaced by the vampire.

Hitting her forehead in frustration, Willow tried to ignore that nagging, devil-may-care part in her mind that was screaming that she
should go for it. He was obviously interested. He said as much earlier.

But Oz.

She loved her werewolf, as taciturn as he was. He made her feel warm, safe and loved. When she was with him, the world just seemed to
be a much more comfortable place.

Never before had she felt that kind of comfort.

But Spike.

Groaning softly, she reached behind her and tried to unlace the bustier, but found that it was much easier to put on than take it off.

"Damnit," she murmured as she dropped her hands and began unzipping the leather pants. After peeling them off her legs, freeing her
skin to breathe, she let out a small sigh of relief.

She hadn't realized how confining they were until she had taken them off.

She slipped on her Snoopy boxers and grabbed the nightshirt and took one last deep breath, preparing herself to face Spike.

Chuckling softly at herself, she finally just opened the door and stepped out, with her shoulders straight and looked up to see Spike
watching her, once again smirking.

Why was he smirking?

Frowning, she dropped her pants and boots onto the couch and walked over to the bed and sat down next to Spike, her back turned.
"Can you unlace this contraption?" she asked, desperately trying to make her voice sound hard and nonchalant instead of the scared and
timid she was really feeling.

She felt the bed move and voice whisper into her ear.

She nearly jumped out of the bed.

"Certainly, pet."

She felt her toes curl at the low, breathy tone of his voice.

Suddenly his cool fingers brushed against her neck and upper back as she felt him slowly and methodically untie the lace that held the
bustier to her chest.

As the minutes rolled by, she found herself anticipating his careless touch on her back-each one sending shivers through out her body.
So engrossed, she didn't even realize he was done, until she felt his cool lips as they pressed up against the back of her neck.

She whimpered softly as she tried arching into his touch. His arms slipped around her waist and pulled her back up against his chest as
his mouth began raining kisses on her neck and jaw line.

One final tug had Willow on his lap and turned so she could face him. She looked up at his eyes and wasn't surprised to see the blue
flickering with the yellow of the demons.

For nearly a minute neither of them moved-eyes locked on one another-when Spike finally dropped his head and kissed her softly on the
lips.

"Time to go to bed, ducks," he whispered as he reached over and grabbed her forgotten shirt and tossed it over to her. With her back
turned, Willow pulled the bustier off and slipped on her nightshirt while Spike switched off the light. Falling back onto the pillows, he
pulled Willow with him and wrapped his cool body around her hot one.

Confused, yet grateful, Willow found herself finally succumbing to exhaustion, when one final thought seeped into her mind-she never
imagined feeling this safe, this comfortable in a vampire's arms.
 
 

Chapter Two

It wasn't until she was standing in front of Sunnydale High School, did she realize just how crazy this plan of theirs really was.

For the fiftieth time since she left the mall, Willow wished there had been a way she could've picked up a bulletproof vest.

She was scared. Petrified actually.

She remembered the cold, heartless Buffy the fall after she killed the Master and that Buffy loved Willow-this Buffy believed the
hacker to be the enemy-a soul-less vampire that stole her boyfriend.

*Oh yes, this is going to be fun,* she thought to herself as she glanced down at her new very Willowy outfit. Overalls, a bright and
colorful striped shirt and a hat.

Willow hated it.

It had been a long time since she went clothes shopping. She usually allowed her mother to do the honors and just wore the results
without visibly clenching her teeth.

But today was different.

She was there, shopping by herself, with more than enough money to clothe her for a year, and Willow found herself drawn to a much
different style.

Shorter skirts, a bit more leather (but nothing as tight and confining as her counterpart preferred), a lot more satin and silk and deep,
primal colors that seemed to bring out Willow's complexion and hair and eye color.

After today, she would wear those.

But with this meeting looming ahead of her, she forced herself to buy one last Willowy-outfit and once again clench her teeth in
compliance.

Just like a soldier who needed his gun and uniform, Willow needed whatever protection this illusion provided. That, plus the huge
crucifix that hung around her neck and lay on her bare skin-visible for all to see.

But she was under no delusion that these artifacts would prove her sincerity. This meeting was not going to go over well, no matter what
type of clothes she wore, what religious artifacts were on her person or how much she begged and pleaded for their understanding.

These people were not her friends.

They didn't even know her.

Sighing, she pulled out the cellphone and hit the speed dial.

"Yes love?"

"How did you know it was me?"

A low laugh echoed through the phone. "No one else would call me in the middle of the day. What's up, Red?"

Shifting on her feet, she stared across the street to the building that loomed in front of her.

"Remind me once again why I'm doing this." Biting her bottom lip, her eyes shut for a second as she tried to gather her thoughts. "I
mean, I've faced Hellmouth demons, the Master, two soul-restorations, my angry, confused doppelganger on a bad hair day, one
treacherous slayer bent on my destruction and you rip-roaring drunk, yet going in there is scaring the living daylights out of me-which I
can't afford, considering I'm human and all."

"Where are you?"

"Standing in front of the high school, staring at the front entrance as I mentally kick myself for the thousandth time since last night
for stopping Buffy from staking her."

She began pacing; her eyes glued to the school as she listened to Spike chuckle softly--his voice sending warm shivers down her spine.

"Pet, because the alternative is unthinkable. Just think, a lifetime being stuck down in this bloody bomb shelter with me watching Lon
Chaney movies while I scheme to find a way to bring you across and not risk creating another hellcat like the one that caused us all this
pain to begin with."

She nodded, knowing he was right. There was no way that they could stay together and her remain human-at least not here.

"Is there anything else you need to tell me-before I go in there and risk life and limb? Like why you're so into home security.?"

Nearly a minute ticked by before he answered.

"Both Angelus and the other Spike know of you and me. Angelus-the bloody prick that he is, wants to hurt me for causing him to lose his
hold on his Willow-which means he could very well go after you. And from what I've heard that Spike is curious about you."

"And that means?"

"Red, I was curious about you before I kidnapped you. And remember, he doesn't have the same history with you and the rest of your
bloody mates that I do." Another lengthy pause. "And apparently the Master, your sire here, is intrigued enough with the prospect of
having two Willow's to follow his whim, that he's got a standing order to bring you in when you've been spotted."

Willow nearly bit through her lip as she felt her temper rise. "Damn her-she's a walking postergirl for chaos."

After picking up her duffel bag and backpack, she straightened her shoulders, mentally preparing herself for the inevitable-the
meeting. Although she knew that there hadn't been a choice in the matter, now that she knew all the facts, whatever reservations she
had, disappeared.

"Spike?"

"Yeah love."

"Thanks. I'll call you when I know what's going on."

She heard the television being turned on. "No problem, Red. Damnit, I forgot! No Jerry Springer here."

"See ya," she said as she stopped at the foot of the stairs and closed the phone. "Ready or not, Giles, here I come," she whispered
softly as she jogged up the stairs.

As she opened the door, she uttered one last prayer to the Goddess, hoping there was just a bit of friends in these strangers-just
enough so she could get through them.

Because if she couldn't, her death seemed to be pretty imminent.

***

"Giles, Willow's missing," Buffy said as she slammed through the library doors.

Her ex-Watcher stepped out of his office, book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other and stopped to look up at her. "Are you sure,
Buffy? She could be-be with Oz."

She shook her head, worry lines creasing her forehead. "Nope, Oz was the one that called me. He was supposed to take her to breakfast
before coming here. When no one answered the door, he went inside and found that she was gone and called me." She flopped down into
one of the chairs, next to Wesley.

"And what did you find there?" her watcher asked.

Her eyes shut as she remembered and shuddered violently. "It felt funky-my spider sense went off the scale. Some serious mojo went on
in there. The room looked as if a tornado swept through it-everything was tossed about. No sign of her pajamas-but her computer,
purse, backpack were all there." She looked up and met Giles eyes. "Can you go over there and see? If I felt it, I'm sure you, with your
magic background, might be able sense something more."

He placed his book and tea on the table and nodded. "Of course, Buffy. Anything for Willow."

As the two headed for the doors, Buffy heard Wesley's chair being shoved back. "Wait for me-"

Shaking her head, she stopped, not surprised that Giles did so as well, and waiting for Wesley.

If she hadn't been so worried about Willow, she might've snapped at the bumbling fool that had been sent as her watcher.

But concern for her best friend filled her heart and mind.
 
 

As she stared at the wooden stake pressed uncomfortably on her chest; she once again uttered a small curse to her counterpart.

How many did that make?

"Buffy-"

"Shut up!" The Slayer growled as her hold tightened on Willow's arms. Did that stake just go in a bit further?

Willow felt her eyes tear up. Goddess, she was going to die by the hand of her best friend. A strange, angry version of her best friend.
A Faith- like Buffy with a scar across her mouth. This Buffy also didn't have the same inner beauty her Buffy did. Too much anger and
darkness filled this slayer.

"Ah, Buffy-maybe we-we should listen to her. She is-is human after all."

Willow shot a grateful look at the watcher, seeing a bit of the same warmth in his eyes as she did her Giles.

"Buffy, I understand your anger-but this is Willow," Oz interjected. "I remember her. Like this," he added softly, his voice wrought
with pain.

Amy nodded. "She's not a vampire-or I'd be able to feel her."

The Slayer's grip loosened, but Willow was smart enough not to move- not until she heard from Buffy herself that it was all right to.

"Okay," she said, pushing Willow away, causing her to fall onto her knees. "Who the hell are you and what the fuck do you want?"

Willow winced at the coldness in her voice and slowly stood up, only peripherally aware that no one went out of his or her way to help
her.

*No Kansas here, Toto. No Xander to break the tension. No happy Buffy to wear the weight of the world on her shoulders like she did
her newest cool-looking shirt. No Cordelia to state the obvious in her sometimes harsh, tactless way.*

Nope, she really did step through the looking glass this time.

Once standing, she turned her attention to Giles, knowing that he would be the easiest to get through to. And if he believed her, he could
explain what happened to her so that the others could see the truth behind her words as well.

"My name is Willow Anne Rosenberg and in my world, Buffy is my best friend-"

"What?" Larry snorted, shaking his head in obvious disbelief.

"Explain," the slayer's voice seemed even harsher than minutes before.

"Unlike here, you came to my Sunnydale when you were supposed to. You stopped the Harvest-the Master rising-all of it. Xander and I
were never turned, though we did lose Jesse the night before the Harvest. Angel remained free and Angel for at least a year before his
curse was broken." Willow swallowed heavily, her eyes darting to Oz-not her Oz- and Amy, Goddess she missed her. She was tired of
trying to de-rat her friend. "And Oz is my boyfriend and has been for over a year."

Giles leaned back against a table as he took off his glasses and rubbed his visibly tired eyes. "How-how did you get here?"

Willow gritted her teeth. "My other-self! I was tricked into helping the demon Anyanka a few months ago and ended up bringing
Willow-your Willow-into our world." She shook her head ruefully. "I don't know if any of you could understand what its like to meet
the antithesis of yourself, and yet see yourself in there-I asked Buffy not to stake her and we sent her back here-her home." She
stopped and looked up at Giles. "I'm sorry I couldn't let her be killed. She's me-but not. It's weird and Goddess, if I'd known that she
was going to do this, I might let Buffy do it. No, who am I kidding? I couldn't-regardless. Just like I couldn't let Xander stake
souled-Angel."

"Willow-why did she bring you here?"

"Huh? Oh, you're not going to like this. My Giles wouldn't like this- but-but."

"Get to it!"

Buffy's voice sliced through her as easily as if she had been wielding a knife. Willow began wringing her hands in front of her, staring
at the floor. "I wa-wasn't the-the first person she-she brought over," she stopped and took a deep breath. "Sp-Spike was the first one.
Our Spike-whose different than your Spike. I mean, he's still a soul-less vampire and everything, but he's not as bad as your Spike.
He's helped Buffy-our Buffy-save the world-and hasn't tried actually killing us in over a year and he's stuck here and hates it." She
lifted her head and found five people staring at her in shock. "She brought me over so I could get the spell from you, Giles, and send us
both back," she finished softly, her head bowed once again.

She heard the slayer begin to pace behind her. "Let me get this straight, you-Willow from a different world-need our help to send you
and your vampire boytoy back to your world."

Willow's head shot up at the sheer hatred in her best friend's counterpart's voice. Tears filled her eyes as the impact of her change
settled on Willow. "Boytoy? I told you, Oz is my boyfriend."

"Then why are you concerned about Spike?" Oz asked softly.

"Because he didn't ask for this any more than I did! You know what he was doing before she brought him over? He was sitting in a bar
in Mexico, getting drunk and had been living off of bagged blood for nearly three months!" She whipped around and faced Buffy.
"How's that for dangerous and evil? Listen-he's our Buffy and Angel's problem-"

"I thought you said your Angel lost his soul?" Amy asked.

"He did. We-we found the restoration spell in Ms. Calendar's things. I did the spell."

"You're a witch?" her childhood friend asked her, moving closer to her.

Willow gave Amy a small smile. "Not like you-I wasn't born to it. But I do seem to have a natural aptitude for it. Except I can't seem
to de-rat you in our world." Willow began ringing her hands again as she met Amy's eyes. "Can we talk before I go back?"

Amy's eyes widened. "I'm a rat?"

Willow nodded solemnly, embarrassed. "It's a long story." She glanced at her watch and saw that it was past five in the afternoon. She
was going to have to call Spike now. She turned to Giles. "So, will you help us?"

The watcher closed his eyes and sighed. "Can you come by tomorrow afternoon. We'll give you an answer then."

Willow nodded, somehow knowing that she lost them. They weren't going to help her and Spike. Then she remembered her ace in the hole.
"Wait-before I leave. Who's the mayor here?"

"Wilkins," Larry supplied.

"Goofy, kind of a gee-golly-whiz kinda guy?"

"Yeah, that's him," Oz said. "Why?"

"In my world, which is one of the reasons why I need to get back, he's preparing for his ascension-to become a demon," Willow tucked
her hair behind her ear as she met the surprised stare of Giles'. "He's invulnerable right now. His ascension is supposed to happen on
Graduation day. I'm not sure if the same thing is happening here, but if we follow the theory that our universes were identical up to
Buffy arriving in Sunnydale three years ago, than we can also safely assume that your Wilkins is planning to do the same thing here."
She took a deep breath and turned to Oz. "Check the Hall of Records-my Oz found an old newspaper clipping and photo of him-Wilkins.
He's over a hundred years old."

She turned and picked up her duffel bag and backpack. Once she had everything, she glanced back and felt her eyes water as she
stared at the distrustful and angry people that were her friends in her world. Spike was right. This wasn't their world. It hurt to see
what they've become. "I'll see you tomorrow," Willow said as she stepped out the door and headed for the bathroom.

Not only did she need a good cry, but she also had to change into a less- Willowy more vampire-like outfit so maybe she could keep the
Master, Angelus and Spike off kilter.

***

As Giles set about to make his afternoon tea, he listened to the frantic pacing of his slayer in the other room.

Willow was gone.

And Buffy had been right; the cause had been magic.

If he hadn't seen Amy, still enclosed in her cage, Giles might've been inclined to believe that Willow tried another de-ratting spell for
her friend and something went terribly wrong with the spell. He even went as far as having Oz go and get Michael and have him get a
feel for the room and between the both of them, they decided Willow, at least their Willow, was not the one who performed the spell.

Although he hadn't said anything to Buffy, he was worried. The impressions he had gotten from the room seemed to feel like Willow, but
they were off. Even Oz felt it.

If Giles didn't know better, he would've believed it had been her doppelganger-for she would carry the same magical signature as
Willow, but it would lack the goodness that their Willow seemed to infuse into all of her spells.

Sighing, he picked up the phone and called Angel. He was experienced in magic and he was a vampire. Maybe he would be able to see
something that none of them had.

Anything for Willow, he told himself as he heard the vampire's voice on the other end of the line. Anything.

***

After splashing a good amount of water on her face, she stared at her complexion and sighed.

She looked as tired as she felt.

How was she going to pull this off?

Vampires didn't have dark circles under their eyes and their faces didn't look as weary as hers did either.

By glamour spells, she told herself as she began pulling out the outfit she chose for herself. She grinned to herself as she held it up in
the mirror. It wasn't by accident that she bought an outfit that was nearly identical to the one she wore a couple of Halloween's ago.
Back then, she hadn't been ready to wear it. Now, not only did she not have a choice, she was actually looking forward to seeing Spike's
reaction when he saw her.

It would be priceless.

Smiling to herself, she pulled out the phone and called him.

"Where the hell are you?"

"Hello to you too. Miss me?"

He growled softly. "Red, where are you? I'm halfway up to the school now-"

"In the bathroom at the high school. I'm changing."

"How did it go?"

Willow's eyes watered. "Not good. They don't trust me. They called you my boytoy."

He laughed outright. "Boytoy, eh? Sounds kinky."

She unbuckled her overalls, and held the phone up, allowing the straps to fall. Once propping the phone in between her head and ear, she
sighed. "She didn't mean it as a compliment. Goddess Spike, she's so cold. Nothing like Buffy-our Buffy."

"I know, love. I don't particular care for the slayer, but I've watched this one and she's just a killing machine. It's gonna cost her too.
Most likely her life and a lot sooner than the slayer-our slayer's."

Willow kicked off her pants. "Spike, I've got to go. I need to finish before you get here. Be careful-she'll kill you."

"Don't worry, luv, she'll just have to take a number. See you in a few."

"Bye," she whispered into the dead connection.

"Who were you talking to?"

Willow whipped around and found herself facing Amy. She sighed and pulled off her shirt. "Spike. He's coming to walk me home."

"Why are you changing?"

Willow began pulling off the price tags of the leather skirt. She frowned, looking up at the blond witch. "The master wants to have two
Willows under his tutelage. Angelus wants to hurt my Spike-and probably would like to fuck with the human version of his Willow. She
did torture him for a year before Buffy freed him. And your Spike is curious-wants to meet me or something like that. So, this is my
attempt to look as vampirish as possible. If I look like vamp Willow, maybe, at least the minions, will leave me alone."

Amy nodded, acknowledging the logic in Willow's actions. "A few glamour spells will give you that pale, dead look as well as get rid of
those dark circles."

Willow stepped into the skirt, grateful for the panties sewn in them. "It was next on the agenda." She pulled out the green leather top
and cleaned it off as well. That done, she pulled off her shirt and unhooked her bra. Turning her back on the witch, she took off her bra
and slipped the shirt on. Just as she was buttoning her shirt, she heard Amy gasp behind her.

"You are Willow. I didn't believe it until just now-but you're her," she said, her voice thick with emotion.

Willow turned to face her and saw tears running down Amy's face. Willow felt her own eyes water in response. Instinctively, she held
her arms out and Amy fell in them, crying. "I'm sorry Amy. Goddess, I don't know how you've managed-it's so dark here." She started
chuckling. "Even Spike hates it."

Amy pulled back, watching her carefully. "How can you be so blas‚ about him? I know he's not the same as our Spike. But he did kill two
slayers."

Willow nodded. "Yeah, I know. And tried numerous times to make Buffy the third. But she beat him every time. Put him in a wheelchair
for nearly six months. I think that, plus Angelus' return, not quite mellowed him, but opened his eyes. Not all demons are evil, Amy.
Some actually choose to fight on the good side." Willow shrugged. "Maybe eventually, our Spike will do that. I don't know. But I do
know, that he won't try to destroy the world or open the Hellmouth-and sometimes, that's enough. I trust him-for right now. For me.
And I know he won't turn me, at least not without a soul-restoration spell at hand. He agrees with me that another vampire Willow
would not be a good thing."

Amy chuckled softly and nodded. "About de-ratting my other self? Try my Book of Shadows. Maybe you needed some sort of verbal
okay to see the spell-but it's there. Hopefully, the Goddess will recognize me as a person close enough to her to give you permission."

Willow couldn't stop the smile that broke across her face. "Thank you. I miss my Amy. Although Buffy, in a lot of ways, is my best
friend-along with Xander-you, or her, are my anchor. And you see me for who I really am-not who everyone wants me to be."

Amy gave Willow one last squeeze. "I'll try to convince them to help you guys-"

"What finally convinced you?"

Amy gave Willow a small smile. "You turned around when you had to take off your bra. Our Willow was pretty modest too. That, and
what you said about Spike and your other self. Only someone who really knew you would understand that that was just Willow speaking.
Willow with a big heart and a kind and gentle soul. I miss-" her voice cracked as her eyes watered. "I miss that Willow."

Willow nodded. "There's always the restoration spell, Amy. The soul is not responsible for what the demon has done."

"But the happiness clause."

"You're right. Our Angel is walking that fine line right now. But if given time and research, I know in my gut there's a way to anchor his
soul. Is Ms. Calendar dead here?"

Amy nodded. "She died a while ago. Nearly broke Giles' heart."

"Did ours too. Angelus killed her."

Amy's eyes widened. "And he's still around-as Angel?"

"Yeah. I think everyone, except Xander, has forgiven him for that. What kind of hypocrites would we be if we couldn't?"

The door suddenly flew open, causing both Amy and Willow to jump. In walked Spike, his eyes landing on Willow as a low growl slipped
out. "Bloody hell, Red! I've been waiting for ten minutes out there! The bloody slayer is going to dust me while you two are in here are
gossiping like a couple of cackling hens!"

Willow's eyes widened as she began to scurry around the bathroom, picking up her things. She looked up to see Amy staring at Spike in
pure amazement.

"I can feel the difference, Will," she said before turning to Willow. "I'll do everything I can to convince them. I promise, both of
you."

"Thank you." Willow watched her slip out behind Spike and out of the bathroom. Once her things were packed away, she looked up gave
Spike a chagrined smile. "Sorry-I was lobbying for our cause. Yeah, lobbying," she said, as she swung her backpack over her shoulder.
She handed the vampire her duffel bag.

He rolled his eyes as he took the bag and her arm, nearly dragging her out of the bathroom. He stopped once they were out of hearing
distance from the library. "Lobbying? What a joke, pet. You were gossiping. I know, I heard most of it." He stared down at her,
frowning. "I'm still a demon, Red. And always will be. Do you understand that?"

Willow met his hard gaze with one of her own. "Yes, I do. So what does that say about me?"

His eyebrows creased in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

She tipped her head to the side as she lifted her hand, barely noticing that it was trembling, and she traced his scar. He turned his face
into her touch, pressing his cool lips against her palm, causing her to smile in response. Sighing softly, she stood up on tiptoes and gave
him a small kiss on the cheek.

Without saying a word, she turned and began walking towards the doors, with Spike on her heels.
 
 

Chapter Three

"So, did the glamour spells work?" she asked him once they were about a block away from the school.

He shook his head and stared down at her, obviously confused. "What was that, pet?"

"The glamour spells, did they work? Do I look like a vampire to you?"

He stopped, pulling back as he dropped her hand, and suddenly grinned. "Red, I recognize that outfit! You were wearing something like
this that Halloween when everyone turned into their costumes. That was just neat." He began circling her much like he did the night
before until he stopped once again, facing her-this time, their bodies nearly touching. "You were pale that night, too."

She shrugged, ignoring her racing her heart at his proximity. "I was a ghost. Ghosts are supposed to be pale."

He lifted his hand and brushed her hair off her face. "I noticed you the first time that night. Before, you were just the one of the
slayer's chums. But that night-you were fire." His hand slipped down and cupped her chin, angling it upwards. "And then you just
disappeared again and I didn't see that fire until the night I kidnapped you-standing up to me all the while you were so scared your
knees were shaking." He stepped in closer, his head moving downwards until their lips were nearly touching. "So, is the fire back, Red?"

Just as she opened her mouth to respond, he kissed her. His tongue sweeping across her lips and into the contour of her mouth as she
pushed herself closer into his embrace. His coolness ignited her skin and a part of her wanted nothing but to fall into his arms right
there and make love to him. She heard the duffel bag drop onto the ground as his hands slipped behind her under her buttocks and
lifted her up.

Finally, needing to breathe, she broke this kiss and stared at the golden hue of his eyes and the final bit of her resistance broke.
Smiling back at him, she leaned in to kiss him once more, when she felt him stiffen.

"Bloody hell, love," he said, slowly letting her down. "We're about to have company." He picked up the duffel bag and took her hand.
"Can you act like her, if you need to?"

She nodded, silently wishing there was a glamour spell to cover the racing of her heart. "I did it at home-"

"There you two are! Spikey, I've been looking all over for you," Vampire Willow said as she stepped out from the shadows. Her eyes
instantly landed on Willow and her whole face lit up. "It fits you, Fluffy. Not quite me, but not Fluffy anymore."

Willow gave her other self a small smile. "Thanks-I think. So, do I look enough like you to keep the minions away?"

She licked her lips as her eyes widened, flashing gold. "Your arousal smells like me, too. That should keep them away-"

Willow felt her whole body flush in embarrassment as she stared at the ground, horrified.

Spike pulled her into his arms and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "None of that, love. It's actually a good thing, since Willow over
there seems to live in a constant state of arousal."

The redhead vampire's whole body shook with laughter. "That's what I like about you, Spikey. You're funny. My Spike is angry, hard
and lean and doesn't make jokes like you. You remind me of my Xander," she paused, her toe tracing the dirt.

Willow saw the flash of pain that crossed her other self's face and found her heart going out to her. A life without Xander would
definitely break her and those two were lovers as well. Willow could only imagine the pain the vampiress was feeling. She slipped out of
Spike's embrace and went up to her, touching her doppelganger on the arm. "Don't worry. I think your Spike's sense of humor just took
a vacation. Once the anger disappears, it'll come back."

The vampiress head snapped up, demon face on as she gave Willow a small growl. "I forgot how compassionate I used to be. It's
annoying and unnerving."

"Willow-leave her alone."

She growled once more as Willow backed away from her, back into Spike's arms. Her other self's face morphed back into its human
form as she shrugged. "I know. I wouldn't hurt her. She's me." She looked back up to Spike, her face suddenly more serious than
Willow had ever seen before. "Promise me something, Spikey?"

"What?"

"That you don't let her go back to being Fluffy." She stepped up to them, facing Willow, as she lifted her hand and touched her face.
"I love my life-the blood, the hunt, death, chaos-it suits me. But, when I was human-I used to dream those stupid human dreams, about a
time when I could dress like this," she said as she fingered the sleeve of Willow's shirt, "and be wild, free and follow my heart. It
would be nice to know that somewhere, somehow, I got there on my own." Her head lifted and when their eyes met-for just an instant,
Willow felt as if she was staring into a mirror-almost as if she were staring into her own soul.

Willow bit her bottom lip nervously, suddenly feeling uncomfortable and too embarrassed to wonder why, when her other self leaned
forward and kissed her gently on the lips. "Take care of her, Spikey."

Vampire Willow then turned around and started walking the opposite direction, leaving both Willow and Spike staring after her, both
stunned.

"She sure as hell knows how to make an exit," Spike muttered as he leaned over and picked up Willow's duffel bag. "Come on, love, let's
go home," he said as began walking, tugging on Willow's hand.

Willow shot one last look at the retreating back of her other self as she picked up her backpack and shook her head; her mind
desperately trying to wrap itself around what she had just discovered.

Vampires didn't lose their souls.

Somehow that changed everything.

***

He was both drawn and repelled at the sight before him.

What had happened to him-his other self-to make him such a whipped Nancyboy around mortals? Granted, it wasn't just any mortal; it
was a mortal Willow-but still, it just didn't sit right with him.

He had been following the other Spike since the vampire had left his lair right after sunset. He saw how Spike let that blond witch
leave the bathroom at the high school. He watched as they left the school, hand in hand, as if they were two mortal lovers on a night
stroll. He saw them kiss, both of their passions igniting; smelt the human Willow's scent as drifted through the night's air-teasing him,
causing him to harden in response.

He felt his vixen's presence before he saw her step out into the street. He was sure she felt him as well-which made her comment about
his lack of humor sting all the more.

He'd punish her for that.

But what intrigued him the most about the whole encounter, was the human Willow. She seemed to accept her Spike's demon as a matter
of course. He didn't smell any fear in her-just arousal as she stared into his counterparts yellow eyes.

How could that be?

He also wondered how is his counterpart had survived as long as he did in his world. Didn't that Spike sense him following him? If it'd
been him in his other shoes, he would've already attacked-anything to keep Willow safe.

It was a mess.

Too many unanswered questions-provoking him to think way too hard when he'd much rather be soaking in the blood of young nubile
teenagers with Willow-his Willow.

But it wasn't his night.

It was Angelus'-the prick.

Gods, he hated his sire.

Growling softly, he continued to follow the pair until they reached this Spike's lair. Once they slipped inside, Spike stepped out into
the open, lit a cigarette and found himself once again wishing for his Druscilla.

Life was so much simpler back then.
 
 

"Love, stay here," Spike said as he pushed her into their room. "I've got some things to take care of."

Willow dropped the backpack down and turned around. "Where are you going?"

He lit a cigarette and stared up at the stairs. "We were being followed."

Willow's pale faces whitened even more. "Angelus?"

He shook his head. "Nah, Red. It was me. He hasn't done anything-I think he's just curious, but I do believe it's time for him to know
that I'm not some whipped puppy that can be pushed around." He smirked down at Willow. "I know that he thinks that. Just like Dru
did. Demons can be so shortsighted sometimes. All they see is their side-and it's right. And everyone else is weak if they aren't on the
same side. I was just the same bloody way until the wheelchair."

"Why did that change you? I-I mean, this Spike lost Dru-shouldn't that have changed him?"

Taking another hit off his cigarette; the blond vampire shook his head. "Nah, love, remember last December? I was angry and
depressed. This Spike is just angry." He closed his eyes, his face drawn in thought. "I think it was because I was so helpless and it gave
me a lot of time to think. I knew I was in a spot of trouble when I began to root for the Slayer every time she fought Angelus," he
chuckled softly, his eyes opening. "It was just because, she could and I couldn't. But somehow, it made me see past my demon." He
shrugged. "And like they say, once you finally can see, you can't chose not too anymore." He flicked his cigarette away and grabbed the
doorknob. "Lock this after me and don't let anyone in-except me."

She went over to the door and caught it before Spike could close it. Standing on her tiptoes, she gave him a quick kiss on his lips. "Stay
safe," she whispered.

He gave her cocky smile and suddenly swooped down and smashed his mouth against hers-his tongue pushing past her lips searching for
hers. Willow felt her whole body once again prickle with life as a small moan slipped out-an obvious testament to her want.

As quickly as the kiss started, it ended. Grinning, he lifted a strand of her hair to his nose and closed his eyes, inhaling its scent. When
they opened again, he pecked her quickly on the mouth and pulled back. "Lock it, Red," he ordered and turned to run up the stair with
preternatural speed.

Willow stood there until she saw the other door open at the top of the stairs. Once the door shut behind him, she closed and locked the
one that she was holding, falling back against its hardness as her knees finally refused to hold her up.

As she slid down the door, her breath coming out in small and quick pants, she wondered if she would ever be able to look at Oz again
with the same feelings as she had less than 24 hours before.

Because from where she stood, she didn't think it was possible.

She was in deep trouble.

***

"I know you're here-let me see you," Spike said as he leaned against the brick wall, his eyes scanning his surroundings, waiting for his
other self.

And then there he was. Bloody git was hiding behind a trash dumpster. Spike couldn't help but chuckle at that, giving himself a mental
check mark in his own favor . "So, what the hell do you want, mate? Not your night, thought about grabbing my Willow?"

The other Spike's face rippled as he strolled casually to Spike. "Ouch," he said, in fake drama, hitting his chest. "That hurt."

Spike gave himself a knowing smirk as he lit a cigarette. "Just so you know, I've known you were there all night."

The other frowned as he stuck his hands in the pocket of his duster. "Why in the bloody hell didn't you do something?"

Spike shrugged. "Why bother? You were just curious, right mate?"

The other Spike pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes and shook one out. "Yeah, I was. I wanted to understand how I could turn out
to be such a bloody whipped sod," he said right before sticking the cigarette into his mouth.

"A point for you, mate." Spike shrugged as his studied the alley. "Do you like here?"

His doppelganger shrugged. "What's not to like? Lives for the taking. There's a bloody smorgasborg at the Bronze. A vampire's wet
dream, ya know?"

Spike nodded knowingly. "Miss the hunt?"

He looked up and met Spike's eyes. "A little."

"What's it like everywhere else? Has the world changed because of the Hellmouth being opened?"

"What do you think?"

Spike pushed himself off the wall and began pacing in front of his other self. "It's not my bloody world, so it's not for me to say," he
paused, flicking his cigarette aside. "But if it were my world, I'd hate it."

"Willow said that your world has two slayers. Is that true?"

Spike nodded. "Dru bagged one herself. The other one-the one that no one can seem to kill-is still alive and kicking though. Bloody thorn
in my side, she is."

"Is she the same one that's here-in my Sunnydale?"

Spike nodded. "She's a lot different in my world. Got friends and family-that helps her. Willow-my Willow-is her best friend. Not in
the bloody handbook, I'll tell you. But it makes her powerful-stronger than any slayer I've ever faced.

"And no one likes it. Not the bleeding Watcher's Council or the various demons and vampires that go up against her. But, she keeps
order. Keeps the Hellmouth closed. Managed to send Angelus to Hell, much to my everlasting satisfaction. Top it off, he had soul."

"He got re-souled?"

Spike looked up to see a familiar light flicker in his other self's eyes. Willow-this world's Willow-would stake him if she found out
what he was doing. But he couldn't help himself. If he and Willow were going to be stuck here, he wanted to bring her across-and he
promised he wouldn't do so unless he could curse her. That, and if this was going to be his home, he had to make sure the world was going
to remain the same. The bloody git, his sire, was going to find Acathla. It was only a matter of time and then this world, like his, would
be on the verge of being sucked up into the Demon Dimension. "I know she's dead, but her things have got to be somewhere. There was a
gypsy woman that was shagging the Watcher-Janna Calendar? She's the one that translated the spell on our side. Angelus killed her, but
not before she managed to save a copy of it on disk. Look for the disk."

Spike watched the other vampire frown. "Why are you telling me this?"

Spike just shrugged. "What is that mortals say? Oh yeah, just food for thought, mate. That's all."

Spike turned around and headed for the door. As he opened it, he heard his other self call out.

"Why do you even bloody care about them? Mortals?"

"They taste good?" Spike chuckled softly as he faced his other self. "I don't particularly care for mortals per say. But a few of them
have their uses. And even a fewer of them, much to my dismay, I found myself liking. They're just like demons-some of them you can't
stand-some of them you could care less about-and others somehow managed to become more than just a meal to you. Maybe you'll figure
that out-I just hope it doesn't happen from a bloody wheelchair like it did with me."

He turned around and slipped through the door, inwardly hoping that he managed to give his other self something to think about other
than getting into Willow's knickers.

Spike could only hope.

***

Once Willow managed to pick herself off the floor, she sighed softly to herself, berating her foolishness.

For all she knew, Spike and her would be stuck here for the rest of her life, so what did it matter if she carpe diem-ed the blond
vampire. She couldn't be expected to stay loyal to Oz for the rest of her virgin life, now could she?

"That's stupid," she snapped to herself, nearly flinching at the harshness in her own voice. "You've been here-what, a day? And you're
already thinking about cheating on Oz? What's wrong with this picture?" she asked herself as she kicked off her shoes.

She knew what was wrong with this picture.

Oz obviously wasn't fulfilling something inside of her if she had to go search for it in someone else. First Xander and now Spike. What
did the vampire and her best friend have in common with her?

Passion.

Toe curling, life changing passion.

Groaning softly she began unpacking the two bags, oddly pleased to find that Spike left a drawer empty for her. It was like an
unspoken admission that she meant something to him.

Shaking her head at her foolishness, she pulled out the leather book she'd found in the at the luggage place.

Ever the researcher, she decided to record her adventures here-whether she made it home or not, it should be an interesting read.
After placing the book on top of the nightstand, she gathered the toiletries and took them to the bathroom, putting them away.

Once that task was completed, she decided to check out the kitchenette and see if Spike had thought enough to have some human food
waiting for her. Although the refrigerator part only held a quart of milk and a six pack of coke, the freezer was stuffed with a wide
array of frozen dinners-microwaveable.

"Bless you, Spike," Willow murmured as she took out a Stouffer's meatloaf dinner and set about to prepare it. Her eyes landed on the
coffee maker and realized that she missed her caffeine fix that day. While her dinner was being cooked, she prepared the coffee,
ready for her to turn it on once the microwave was finished.

That done, she wandered into the living room and turned on the television.

Once again, she found herself staring at some black and white B movie and got up to turn the station-only to find out there were none
others.

Suddenly, it hit her.

The Hellmouth had opened. She saw what it did to Sunnydale, but what about the rest of the world? Did that mean all the television
stations were run by demons that didn't care about mortal news? Or was this because they were stuck 25 feet underground and the
only station the TV could get would be this one.

Willow sighed softly; hoping the latter was true. The world couldn't have changed that much or why would there still be some sort
demon hunters-hiding out in plain sight? If the world were run by demons, wouldn't Giles and Buffy have gone underground?

The microwave beeped, pulling her out of her thoughts. She shut off the television and headed for the kitchen to eat.

***

*So, she found the food,* Spike thought to himself as he opened the door and walked inside. As he shrugged off his coat, he noticed that
the she had unpacked and wondered if she saw the drawer he left empty for her. Smiling to himself he walked over to the table and sat
across from her.

Her head lifted and smiled at him. "So, how did it go?"

He shrugged. "Alright, I guess. I bloody forgot how annoying I was," he said, as he leaned back in his chair.

She chuckled softly. "That's exactly what she said about me." She looked up and their eyes met. "I don't think its natural for us to
meet ourselves."

"It's fucking unnerving. He's all cocky, thinking I'm some pansy-ass when he's more whipped than I'll ever be."

After chewing the last of her meal, she frowned at him. "Why do you say that?"

"You know how I told you that she's got both of them-Angelus and Spike-wrapped around her little finger?"

She nodded as she sipped her coffee.

"Well, what she did was tell Spike it was either her way or no way."

Willow found herself smiling. "And you told her to tell him that, didn't you?"

"Damn right I did. And I knew it would work, too. Bloody hell, I wanted to go home and it was the easiest way. He shared Dru with
Angelus for over forty years-what makes this any different?"

"But you changed in those years-when Angel had his soul."

He nodded. "That's why he moved out of the Master's lair-so he wouldn't bloody have to see it. And Angelus, he's a slut. He'd be bored
if Willow was there every day. This way she keeps Peaches interested and Spike old boy at least somewhat happy."

"It's not going to last."

"No, its not." He grinned, lighting a cigarette.

"Spike, what else are you planning?"

He blew out a cloud of smoke and chuckled softly. "Let's just say, I'm paving the way for this Spike to see the light-so to speak." He
watched Willow's face as she pondered what he said, her eyes lighting up when she realized what he meant.

"You want him to become like you, don't you?"

He reached over and grabbed her hand, holding it tightly. "Love, if we can't leave, I want a world to live in, don't you? Acathla hasn't
been found-The Master is trying monthly to end the world and the bloody mayor's getting ready to ascend. It seems to me, that we have
our work cut out for us."

"And if we go back?"

"Then at least the seeds have been sown and let them work out." He stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray and caressing her hand. "I
told him about the curse and who had it in our world." He watched her face, wondering if she understood what he was saying-what he
wanted.

She nodded. "I did the same. I told Amy about it. She could cast it, too."

He suddenly stood up, feeling physically and emotionally ansy, and tugged on Willow's hand. Once they were both standing up, he led
them to the living room and turned the stereo on, hitting the play button on the CD player. Sounds of the Moody Blues filled the
room-fitting his melancholy mood.

"Dance with me?" He asked the diminutive redhead in his arms.

Her lips curled as she nodded. "My pleasure."
 
 

Chapter Four

As the dark-haired vampire stood in the middle of Willow's bedroom, his mind drifted to the first time had seen her.

Almost a month prior to Buffy arriving in Sunnydale, Angel hid in the shadows in and around of Sunnydale, getting a feel of the town,
its occupants and the Hellmouth itself.

It was during that time, he first laid eyes on the gentle soul of Willow Rosenberg.

He had stopped off at the Bronze, his eyes scanning the club, when he saw her. His demon squirmed in his body, drawn to her innocence
and goodness that seemed to radiate from her soul.

Unaware, he found himself nearly in front of her before he managed to break free of his demon's hold on him and turned and ran out of
the club; terrified that Angelus would completely break through his soul's control.

That was the first time in nearly 50 years he had felt his control slip that far.

Now, nearly three years later, as he immersed himself in her essence, he could feel Angelus squirm once again.

Luckily for him, he was used to the battle-having fought it numerous times in the past couple of years and ruthlessly clamped down on
the demon-refusing its call.

Slowly, he extracted each scent-identified it and filed it away in his mind until he reached hers.

His eyes snapped open as he heard himself growl softly.

She called to him-more so than the human Willow-called to his demon.

She had since he had he first laid eyes on her at the Bronze just a few months before.

She called him Puppy.

He turned and met Oz's knowing eyes and sighed.

"Willow-the other Willow-did this, Giles," Angel whispered.

The watcher nodded, taking off his glasses and rubbing his tired eyes. "Oz?"

"Angel's right. It's her."

"I feared as much myself. The magic tasted like her, but I don't have the extra-senses that you two do." He put his glasses on and
turned to Angel. "But why would she do this?"

Angel shrugged. "I haven't heard anything. I can ask around and see if anyone else has disappeared like Willow."

The wolf stood there, hands on his hips and shook his head. "I don't know if either of you knew this, but she and Willow talked-for a
while."

Giles frowned. "And?"

Oz just shrugged. "Maybe Will wasn't the only that felt some sort of kinship to her other self."

Angel shook his head, that cold pit of fear growing by the minute. "You're not saying that Will actually liked her, are you?"

Oz leaned against Willow's desk and nodded. "Yeah, she did. Why do you think that she asked Buffy not to stake her?"

"But she's a demon!"

"Angel." Oz sighed, rubbing his face. "Man, sometimes I think you and Xander are cut from the same cloth. Will saw beyond the
demon-she saw herself."

Angel began pacing the length of the room. "I know that. It's just not healthy to look at vampires as anything other than the demons
that inhabit them. It could kill you."

Giles cleared his throat and picked up his discarded coat from a chair. "There's nothing else we can do here. I need to consult my books
and see if I can find the spell that the other Willow used. Oz, can you take care of Amy? And Angel, will check your sources and see if
you can find out anything else? We'll meet back at the library."

"No problem, Giles."

"I'll get right on it."

Angel watched Oz pick up the cage and found himself wondering if Sunnydale's only witch-by-birth was going to live the rest of her
life out in a gerbil cage.

Only on the Hellmouth.

***

At first his hands began to drift.

From the comfortable position around her waist, to up her back, his fingernails lightly scratching her bare skin, sending shivers down
her spine.

Then one hand dropped below her waist down over her behind and slipped underneath the hem of her skirt.

Willow felt her nipples harden as she hugged him even tighter to her.

Spike's other hand stopped his trek upwards at her neck and began playing with her hair at the nape of her neck.

A small whimper slipped out of her mouth.

He gently tugged on her hair, angling her head upwards as his other hand slipped in between her thighs.

When their eyes met, she saw that his blue eyes had darkened-inflamed with passion-and he slowly lowered his head to kiss her.

She felt a finger brush against her wet crotch and her legs widened even more.

As their tongues met-ice and fire-Willow heard herself moan-her body aching for his touch as she felt his other hand drop down to her
bottom and lift her up, pushing her body so her crotch smashed against his covered hard-on.

He broke the kiss, giving her a chance to catch her breath as his mouth moved to her neck, raining kisses down her jaw line up her neck
to her ear.

His cool tongue slipped into her orifice and suddenly his voice, low and sensual echoed through out her.

"I want to make love to you, Red-hear you scream-" He stopped and nipped at her earlobe. "Do you want that, Willow?"

She nodded, murmuring yes so quietly she wondered if had he heard her at all. Obviously he did, for soon they were moving across the
room and then Willow felt herself fall, landing on the bed, bereft of Spike.

She opened her eyes to see him standing there, kicking off his boots. He then jumped onto the bed, causing Willow to bounce in place.

She giggled softly as she saw him smirking at her as he crawled up to her. Lying on top of her, nestled in between her spread legs, he
pushed her hair off her face, and kissed her forehead.

She sighed softly, loving the feel of his cool lips on her face, as they moved downwards to her mouth. She brought her hands down and
pushed on his chest, her shaky fingers working the buttons on his ever- present red shirt.

Once unbuttoned, she tugged on his black tee shirt impatiently, causing him to chuckle in response. "All right, Red, " he murmured
against her lips before pulling back enough to tug the shirt off.

Once bare-chested, Willow ran her fingernails down his skin, stopping at his nipples. Groaning, his hands attacked her shirt and within a
minute, it had joined his on the floor.

"Finally," she mumbled softly, her body shivering in response to her nipples rubbing his cool chest.

"Impatient, aren't we?"

She glanced up at him, trying to frown as a giggle slipped from her lips. "Yeah, I guess I am," she whispered, all of the sudden feeling
incredibly insecure. Her eyes dropped as her fingers caressed his back.

"Hey, none of that, love," he told her, lifting her chin-forcing her to look at him. "You're beautiful, Red-just like I knew you would be.
Now," he said as his hands dropped to her waist and moved around her body to the zipper. Lifting her up, he quickly removed her skirt
and panties, leaving her naked. "I can show you how beautiful I think you are," he said as he scooted down the bed, stopping at the vee
in her legs.

Her body blushed in response.

She watched him, mesmerized as his human face melted away as his head dipped down in between her legs. A part of her wanted to crawl
away in embarrassment, while a larger part of herself wanted to fling her legs even wider for him. Instead, she did nothing but let
herself float away as his tongue, fangs and mouth brought her exquisite pleasure.

All too soon, she felt her stomach clench and her mind splinter into a thousand pieces, as her body experienced her first orgasm brought
on by someone other than herself.

And she discovered something else about herself: she was a screamer.

Grinning, his yellow eyes seemingly twinkling with delight, he crawled up her body and positioned himself at her entrance.

She grabbed his head and brought his lips down to hers, tasting herself on him, and ran her tongue alongside his fangs-causing him to
growl in response.

*I did that,* Willow thought to herself as her hand dropped and hesitantly reached out to touch his cock.

It was cool, hard and silky-making her think of how men were all those things in comparison to the round, gentle softness of women. She
looked up in time to see Spike's eyes shut as his fangs slipped into his lips, drawing blood.

Entranced, she leaned up and kissed him again-whirling the metallic sweetness mixed in with her juices around her tongue.

His eyes snapped open and met hers as he growled again.

"Love, I'm going to try to take this slow, but it's going to hurt-"

She lifted a hand up and pressed her fingers against his bloody lips. "It's okay. I understand."

As he slowly slid inside her, a part of her mind screamed at his intrusion, wanting to stop it and keep her virginity, but Willow ignored
it and forced herself to relax.

She wanted this.

And if she were really honest with herself had since that night he kidnapped her and Xander, and buried his head in her hair.

She felt him hit the tattered remains of her hymen, having broke it years before when she had been riding Jesse's ten-speed, and
suddenly he was completely inside her.

She looked up at him through her tears and gave him a small smile as she tightened her muscles.

His eyes nearly rolled back as he groaned softly.

After nearly a minute, she began to wiggle, signaling to him that she was ready and Spike complied, as he began to make love to her.

As the minutes flew by, Willow felt her body begin to respond and before she realized it, she had wrapped her legs around his waist
and lifted her pelvis, forcing him to hit her clit with each descending motion.

Her second orgasm came upon her so suddenly; it was all she could do to call out his name as she spiraled upwards. Seconds later, she
felt the sharp prick of his fangs as they sunk into her neck, triggering yet another climax as she milked his cold seed from his body.

His body stilled as he slowly extracted his fangs from her body and he grinned down at her. "See what you do to me?" he asked her as
he bent down and began to lap her wound.

Her heart still pounding erratically, all she could do was wrap her arms around him and think to herself, *No, Spike, see what you do to
me.*
 
 

Angelus growled as he extended his senses around him.

She had been there.

He could smell her.

And that asinine double of his errant childe, Spike.

He also sensed his childe as well as his Willow.

"A fucking party and no one invited me," he muttered softly as he turned around, trying to figure out which way the otherworlders
went.

"Alright, one Willow went this way," he said to himself, looking up the street that led to the high school. "And two Spikes and a Willow
went this way," he stopped, a smile spread across his lips. "Gotcha boy!"

He suddenly broke into a run, following the scent of the two vampires and one human-feeling his blood surge in lust.

A human Willow.

The possibilities were endless.

He remembered the first time he had seen her-when she was still human. He'd been soulboy, checking out the Bronze, when his eyes just
happened to catch a flash of red in the midst blond and brunettes. As his soul-driven body waded through the crowd, closing in on her,
suddenly for the first time in decades, he felt his soul hold on him falter.

Never one to pass up such an opportunity, he raged against his prison, desperate to break free.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

He saw her a few times after that, but unfortunately his soul had been prepared and he never did get as close to breaking free as he
had that first time.

But Soulboy stayed close to Willow, almost as if he were trying to tempt fate and his demon, and because of that, the vampire had been
caught during the hoopla of the Harvest.along with Willow.

As he watched through his soul's eyes as the Master drained and then brought across the object of his obsession, he rejoiced as his soul
cried.

The year that followed was a painful one-even for him. As a vampire, Willow was cruel, heartless and playful-a painful combination for
his 240 plus year old body. But even with each douse of Holy Water and every scar caused by her cross, there had been a part of him
that drawn to her evil-aroused by it. She filled him with such rage and ecstasy; it was no wonder that he broke free from his prison
after one intimate encounter with the Slayer-his soul's one true love.

Once free, the first thing he did was claim Willow, pushing that boy that she had been with, out into the streets.

Willow was Angelus' equal-in so many ways. It thrilled him to no end and for the first time in his immortal life, he could see himself with
a lifelong mate.

It should've been the best time of his life.

And would've been, if Spike hadn't returned.

Now, despite her best efforts to hide the fact, he knew he was sharing Willow with his childe-just as he shared Druscilla with him as
well.

But not for long.

One way or another, he was going to have Willow-and sharing would not be allowed.

***

"Spike?"

"Umm, Red?"

Willow lifted her head and watched him take another drag off his cigarette and started giggling softly.

"What?"

She bit her bottom lip and shook her head, as she nodded to him and the cigarette. "A perfect picture of post-coital satisfaction," she
said as she watched him put the cigarette out.

"Funny. Real funny. Now, what was it that you wanted?"

She turned over onto her stomach and placed her head onto his chest. "If we get out of here and go-go home, what's going to happen?
Be- between us?"

At first he didn't respond, making Willow wish she hadn't asked him in the first place. What did she expect? She was a mortal-friends
with the Slayer-his mortal enemy. How could things be any different than they were prior to her double's actions that brought both her
and Spike to this world?

Slayers (and she assumed that meant Slayer's friends as well) and vampires didn't mesh. It was probably in that handbook that Giles
never gave Buffy.

But then, what did she want?

*This,* that growing part of her yelled out as she felt his arms slipped down to her waist, tugging her over on top of him. She still
hadn't looked up, afraid of what she would see there-in those dark blue eyes of his.

"Pet, I thought that was up to you," he said, his voice quiet and even. "You're the one with the wolf. Me? I haven't been with Dru in
over six months."

She jerked her head up, as her eyes widened. "Up to me?" *Goddess, did she just squeak?*

She could see the amusement in his eyes. "That's right, Red. Up to you."

She pursed her lips; turning over what he said in her mind. *What did she want,* she asked herself the second time in as many minutes.
She dropped her head on his chest, right where his heart would've beat if it could and thought about everything that had happened to
her since Homecoming.

Since the first time Xander and her kissed.

That's when her world had begun to spin out of control.

Although she regretted the pain that she caused everyone, she couldn't regret what happened-no matter how hard she tried.

She needed to know-to put her feelings for him to rest.

And that's exactly what it did. For far too long, Xander ignored her-only willing to look at her as his best friend. Their fling not only
helped to booster her self-esteem, but it also made her realize that Xander was not what she wanted.

And now this.

Just hours before, she stood in the same room with the other Oz and none of those warm, fuzzy feelings came over that she always
associated with Oz. If she were really in love with him, would that have mattered? Three years couldn't intrinsicatly change who Oz
was-this Oz was her Oz-without the security of a closed Hellmouth and Willow.

But as she stood in the library, defending her actions and Spike, she should've realized then, that Oz wasn't what she wanted either.

"Oh Goddess, what did I do to him, Spike?" She brought up her head and met his eyes. "I spent weeks after the factory incident, trying
to make it up to Oz for the pain I caused him. I was so sure he was the one that I wanted."

"Red, what happened after I left you and the boy?"

She started running her finger across his chest, suddenly loving the way his cool skin moved with just the tiniest of pressure.

"Willow-"

Rolling her eyes, she sighed and then told him-everything. From the years she spent loving her best friend from afar to the fiery kiss
right before Homecoming. How, eventually those actions led to Cordelia falling through the stairs onto a rusty spike sticking out in the
sub-basement of the vampire's factory.

"Oz is such a neat person and he loves me with all his heart. He adores me, Spike. All that kept running through my mind when I saw the
look on his face was that I would be alone again. Because Xander wasn't enough and hadn't ever been. Even when Jesse was alive-they
together weren't enough." She shook her head at herself, chuckling softly. "It's funny-I spent most of my life being invisible except to
two emotionally challenged boys and when I finally manage to get friends and feel loved, it's not enough. But with Oz, it almost was."
She looked up at Spike, and sighed. "But even after we finally got back together, I was thinking of you," she said quietly.

He chuckled softly; running his fingers through her mussed her. "So was I, love. So was I."

Nodding at his admission, she laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. "I just don't understand how I could've messed this up so
badly. We should've just remained friends until I could figure out what I wanted. And now, things are totally screwed up."

She heard him light another cigarette and felt his cool fingertips trace the skin on her back. "Why don't you go and talk to this Oz
tomorrow, pet?"

She opened her eyes and met his, smiling.

"I think I will," she whispered as she reached for the burning cigarette and plucked it out of Spike's fingers.

"Hey! I was smoking that!"

Giggling softly, she leaned up and kissed him on the mouth. "I thought you might want to use that mouth for much more enjoyable things."
she trailed off, tracing his lips with her finger.

His eyes darkened as his hold on her tightened. "I always knew you were the smart one, love," he whispered just before their lips met.

Willow's stomach fluttered as he deepened the kiss. Her last coherent thought before Spike began showing her all the wonderful things
his mouth could do, was: *this was what I was missing.*
******
Chapter Five

"I think we should do it," Amy said softly, her eyes never leaving Giles' face. "And quickly-like tomorrow night-before the Master
finds her and turns her like he did with our Willow."

Amy heard Buffy scowl beside her and turned to face the slayer. "What is it about her that you hate so much?"

"Other than she's a carbon copy of the blood-sucking demon that took my boyfriend away from me?"

"Buffy-"

"Giles, don't!"

"Then I will," Oz said quietly. "Angelus was never yours. Only Angel. And Angel is gone." He stopped and took a deep breath. "Just as
our Willow isn't the same Willow that was here yesterday. She has a soul and a life-"

"Yeah, with another blood-sucking demon!"

"Buffy, you know that's not true," Amy whispered, interrupting her. "She's with the other Oz. In her world, you're her best friend.
She's fought by your side for the last three years, re-souled Angel-nearly died as many times as any of us. Don't you owe it to
yourself-your other self-to send her back?"

"What about Spike?"

Amy shrugged and looked across the table at Oz, silently asking him for his support. Out of all of them, he had the most reason to hate
the peroxide-haired vampire; Spike had captured Oz while in wolf form and tortured the teen for two days until Oz managed to escape.
If he fought her on this, Buffy wouldn't back down. And from the undercurrents Amy picked up between the two visitors, she had a
feeling Willow wouldn't leave her Spike here alone.

Oz met Buffy's eyes and shook his head.

"What about him? In her world, he's not as evil. Besides, don't you think Willow's right? That he should be Angel and your other self's
problem? What happens if we kill him here and he's needed for something greater over there? Is it our right to take a chance away
from another world just because we're pissed?"

Buffy eyes shut, her face reflecting a pain that ran much deeper than the scar that crossed her face. "I know you're right, Amy. In my
head. But my heart is screaming for vengeance. Against them all." She took a deep breath and looked up, meeting Giles' eyes. "Okay-you
can do it."

Amy heard herself let out a sigh of relief and fell back into her chair. Issuing a small prayer to the Goddess in thanks, all Amy could do
is be grateful to the powers that be that the slayer had a good head on her shoulders despite her broken and shattered psyche-or the
world would be in a lot more trouble that it already was.

***

"Spike's missing," Angel said as he stepped out of the stacks, staying in the shadows of the library.

Giles' head snapped up from the book he was reading and studied the vampire. It was pretty obvious that he hadn't slept much the night
before, but then the same could be said for the rest of them. Dividing their time up in between the Ascension and Willow's
disappearance had taken a toll on the lot of them.

Everyone, including Cordelia, had shown up at the library that morning before ten and thrown themselves into the research.

Both Oz and Xander looked as tired as Giles felt. Xander even passed on making the noontime food run, leaving it in the capable, if not
begrudgingly hands of his former girlfriend.

Buffy went with her, claiming she wanted her Big Mac in one piece- which would've been doubtful if no one went with the cheerleader to
hold the food while she drove.

Giles understood. He'd been in the same car as Cordelia when she was behind the wheel. It was almost as bad as his slayer. Shaking his
head, he stood up just as he heard Xander scowl under his breath.

"And that's important-why?" the young man asked, looking up from the spell book Giles' had given him to read.

The watcher rubbed his tired face and sighed softly. He was not in the mood to listen to them bicker this early in the day. Giles
approached Angel. "I assume you're telling us this because of the way he disappeared, correct?"

Dropping his hands onto his hips, the vampire nodded. "According to Willie," the vampire paused, a look of amazement crossing his face,
obviously in awe of the bar owner's ability to garner and broker information. "Spike's been spending the last three months in some
town in Mexico-without Druscilla-getting drunk. A little over a week ago, he disappeared from his favorite barstool in flashy show of
lights. He hasn't been seen since.

"I spent the rest of the night calling around, trying to get a confirmation. The bar owner called me back about an hour ago and
confirmed the story."

Giles nodded as his eyes fell on his replacement that had just came down the steps from the stacks. "Now, why would the vampire Willow
take Spike first, wait a week and then take Willow? That just doesn't make sense," Wesley asked, as he slipped off his glasses and
began to clean them.

"Hey! We're talking about Skanky Willow. She didn't seem to have all her marbles to start with," Xander interjected.

Oz shook his head. "It was an act. Willow said so-"

Xander whipped around his seat to stare at Oz. "Willow talked to her? Why?"

The wolf shrugged. "Curious mostly. She said it was like looking into a funhouse mirror."

"Well that's all well and good," Giles said, interrupting the teens. "But my question is why both of them? What does Spike and Willow
have in common?"

"Yeah," Xander asked. "Spike didn't even know Willow until he kidnapped us-not really."

Giles felt the vampire standing next to him stiffen slightly. He turned to face him and caught a flash of guilt cross his face. *Good
Lord,* Giles thought to himself. *When will last spring stop coming back to haunt us?*

"That's not entirely true. When I lost my soul, I made sure that both Dru and Spike knew everything I knew about all of you-"

Giles nearly jumped at the sound of Xander's chair being forced back. "Oh that's just great! You just keep surprising us, Deadboy. Any
other tidbits you-"

"Xander! Enough!" Giles inwardly groaned at pin prickles of another headache forming. "What's done is done." He turned and looked at
Angel. "Has he ever mentioned any interest in her?"

Angel shook his head. "And when he was here this past winter, he didn't seem too attached to either Xander or Willow. They were just a
means to an end."

"To have Willow perform the love spell."

Angel nodded.

"Which," Wesley said, picking up where Giles left off, "he decided against, correct?"

"Correct. He decided to win her back the demon way. He was going to torture her until she loved him again," Angel said, chuckling
softly.

"Does that actually work?" Xander asked. "I mean, are vampire women that much different from human women?"

Oz shrugged. "I don't know. I've heard some weird things. Just go on the Internet for a few hours-"

Giles cleared his throat, silently wishing for his aspirin that was in his office. The pin prickles had grown exponentially to a raw,
throbbing pain behind his eyes. "Well, obviously that didn't work, did it? Or he would've been with Druscilla and not in Mexico-"

"Why does this have to have anything to do with Spike and Willow together?" Oz asked as he stood up and joined the rest of them.

"What do you mean exactly?" Wesley asked, crossing his arms on his chest.

Oz frowned. "It was a week apart from each abduction. I tend to think she wanted Spike for whatever reason and once she was through
with him, then she abducted Will."

Giles nodded, seeing the wolf's logic. "You might have something there- " "Yeah!" Xander interrupted as he began pacing in front of
them. "I mean Skanky Willow knew Wills was the one that brought her here and-"

"And she needed Willow to bring Spike back," Angel said, finishing Xander's thought. "That actually makes sense. Convoluted maybe.
But from what I gathered from her, she didn't seem to care about too much of anything other than her own desires."

"Sounds like most vampires to me," Xander said as he walked back to the table. "I mean, we have Spike, who kidnaps us for a love
spell-"

"Xander," Giles warned before the younger man could take another poke at Angel.

The dark-haired teen frowned and fell back into his seat.

"At least we have a theory," Giles said as his eyes scanned the room and fell on each person. "Now, all we have to do is find a spell that
will enable someone to travel from one universe to another."

Xander groaned, his head falling on top of the open book.

Giles inwardly sighed silently agreeing with him.

Now they had two impossible tasks on their plates.

Only on the Hellmouth.
 
 

"Love, time to wake up," Spike whispered into her ear as he began rubbing her bare back.

She shook her head and proceeded to shove it underneath her pillow. "No, Spike. Sleep," she moaned, her voice muffled by the
bedclothes.

He chuckled softly as he began raining kisses on her shoulders. "No, you have to go to the library-find out if they're going to help us."

He heard her whimper and kicked her feet. She pulled the pillow off and lifted her head, pouting.

He couldn't help laughing outloud. "Red, you almost got her pout down."

She growled, rolling over onto her back, giving Spike a delightful peak at her breasts and smacked him with the pillow. "I could never
pout as well as she does. She uses it as a weapon."

"And you don't?" He asked, his scarred eyebrow raised in question while he moved down to cover her body with his. "Love, if you
don't-maybe you should-you do it so well," he finished, his lips touching hers.

"Umm, I do?"

"Um hmm." He began nibbling on her mouth. "Makes me want to just kiss you-take that bottom lip of yours into my mouth and suck on
it...make you moan," he ran his tongue across it. "And while you're concentrating on those sensations, I can do this." His cool hand
cupped her breast, running his fingertip over her nipple.

Willow whimpered as she arched her chest-pushing herself into his hands.

"And then I can do this," he said as he dropped his other hand to her sex and slid a finger along her slit, causing her to moan as she
jutted her hips upwards seeking more contact.

Chuckling softly, he lifted his head and smiled down at her, knowing that she was going to be thoroughly pissed at him. "Awake yet?"

Her eyes widened as her mouth formed a perfect 'O' of surprise.

"You aren't quitting? You're just stopping?"

Spike nodded and sighed dramatically. "Love, I'm as uncomfortable as you are-but you have to get going. It's already two in the bloody
afternoon and sunset is at 5:30. I don't want a repeat of last night. I want you here-in my arms at 5 PM. Got it, pet?"

Willow nodded, as a yawn slipped out. After rubbing her flushed face, she stuck her tongue out at him. "Well, I can't very well get up
if you don't move," she said, pushing on his chest.

What a spitfire. And he knew by experience that it would be carried over if she would be brought across. Three nights spent in the
company of the other Willow told him that. Cupping her face, he turned it so it was facing him. He bent his head down and touched his
lips with hers. Feeling himself harden again, he quickly pulled back and rolled off her.

"Go on, Red. You're free."

He heard her groan as she sat up and swung her legs off the bed. Her eyes scanned the area and she swooped down and picked up his red
shirt and slipped it on.

*She looks better in it than I do,* Spike thought to himself as he watched head for the kitchenette. As she fiddled with the coffee
maker, he rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

What a strange week it had been.

He had been working on his second bottle of tequila when the other Willow had abducted him. If he hadn't been so snookered on the
booze and so shocked at the appearance of the witch dressed in leathers and a vampire, he may've killed the bitch before he even knew
what was going on.

As it stood, he had just been bloody pissed off. That is, until seconds later when she crawled on top of him and sat on his crotch.

His irritation quickly disappeared with the rising of his cock as the redhead vixen rocked her pelvis into his.

Demon-faced and more than a bit horny, he growled and rolled over, pinning her down with his body. Before she could say anything, he
had his cock out, her pants down and was sliding into her cold, wet hole.

All he could say in his defense was that it had been too bloody long since he had gotten laid. And to have one of his fantasies coming
close to fruition, was just a bit too much strain on his tenuous control at best.

It wasn't until they both spent and their clothes fixed that he even thought of asking what the hell was going on.

In his defense, he did managed to remain somewhat calm until she finished speaking. As his drunken mind twirled her words around his
brain, his control snapped, and once again, he had her pinned down to the ground-but this time with the intent of killing her.

But like his Willow said, the vampire Willow was a manipulative little bitch and talked her way out becoming filler for a Dustbuster,
using logic and common-sense to get through his hazed-filled anger.

And she was right. It wasn't his world. He didn't know the rules or the players-at least anymore. And her final argument was she was
his ticket back home-if he killed her, not only would he have to deal with his other self's anger, but Angelus' and the Master's wrath as
well.

And he wouldn't have any Willows to ever play with.

He found himself chuckling softly at her choice of words, but couldn't help but agree with her. His desire for his Willow-the hauntingly
innocent witch that shared his bed the night before-was what finally pushed Druscilla away. Granted, he would've never left his Black
Goddess, but since he'd been stranded in that blasted wheelchair, he hadn't been satisfied with her.

Things had changed with Dru and him. It was just like the Slayer's mum said-people grow apart and what was once good, just wasn't
anymore. No longer did Dru's warped devotion fill his undead heart.

He just didn't trust her anymore.

What an oxymoron-trusting a demon. But it was true. His loyalty and love for her was never enough. He could deal with her unflinching
devotion to their sire-it was just an insane version of his own feelings. But catching her with that Chaos Demon broke something inside
of him that for months, he was unable decipher. It wasn't until his second month of sitting on the stool at that Mexican bar did he
figure out what it was that he lost: his trust.

Before Angelus' demon-self returned, Spike knew that no matter what, Druscilla would always love him, be loyal to him and respect him.
After seeing her tongue shoved down that ugly, piss-ass Chaos Demon's throat-he couldn't say that anymore. Sure, they had both taken
lovers in the past, but this was different. He could feel her contempt for Spike just roll off her like waves of anger and
dissatisfaction. He took her daddy away and no matter what he did, he could never make it right. Spike didn't deserve the right to trust
her and she was ready to show him why.

The trip to Sunnydale was a drunken, last-ditch effort to somehow recapture what he'd lost there the year before. And in some ways,
he did.

He remembered who he was-Spike, William the Bloody, childe of Angelus and one of the most deadly and feared vampires on the planet.
He drove back to Brazil, stormed into Dru's lair, and claimed her- leaving a bloody trail in his wake.

But it wasn't enough.

She still left him. But at least the second time, the anger and contempt for one another was shoved to the side and they finally talked of
what happened.

He changed and she hadn't.

And for some odd reason, he could accept that. At least until he reached the Mexican border. And now, as he watched Willow gather her
things for her trip to the library, he realized that he was finally ready to let go of Dru.

Maybe it was seeing the other Spike and Willow-in a different universe, with different circumstances, still drawn to one another that
made him realize that maybe the end of his relationship with Dru had more to do with fate than earlier believed.

This Spike had lost Dru as well.

How many other Spike's were out there-struggling to deal with losing their Dru's? Or did they stay, despite their unhappiness? Or did
they wallow in despair, becoming more like their souled-sire than this Spike ever dared to?

Willow sat down on the bed, pulling him out of his thoughts and lifted her hand up to trace his scarred eyebrow. "I've got the phone-I'll
call you if something turns up," she paused, smiling down at him. "I promise to be back by five."

He sat up and kissed her, running his tongue along her lips. "You better hurry up, Red. I plan on doing lots of naughty things to you
tonight."

"Promise?"

He pulled back and got out of bed. "Promise." He walked around and took her arm. "Now, let me walk you to the door."

***

"We'll help you," Giles said as he looked over at her, his eyes reflecting a sadness that Willow could only begin to understand.

"Thank you," she whispered as the weight she hadn't even known she was carrying, was lifted. "And I'm sure that if he could, my Giles
would thank you too. I know, by now, they're going crazy with worry."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked as she looked up from the crossbow that she had been holding.

"I told you about the Ascension? Well, we were supposed to meet yesterday morning here-or there, here-to research. Oz-my Oz-was
supposed to pick me up. If I wasn't there, I know he would've checked my room out. I'm not sure about magical signatures, but if he
could smell something, he would've picked it up. And Angel too."

"Is he-your Oz-a werewolf too?" Oz asked quietly.

Willow nodded. "His cousin Jordy bit him accidentally."

He shrugged, giving her a small smile. "Same here."

Giles cleared his throat. "We still have to find the spell-that might take a few-few days..."

She shook off her backpack and pulled out a notebook, ripping out a clean sheet of paper. After writing her cellphone number on it, she
slid the paper over to the Watcher. "Here's my cellphone number. We're going to try to stay out of sight. Hopefully that'll keep all
interested parties away from me." She glanced at her watch and sighed softly. "I've got to go. I promised Spike I'd be back by 5pm.
We were spotted last night. Luckily, it was only my other self and Spike's other self. Anyone else..." she stopped, leaving the rest
unsaid.

She stood up and met Oz's eyes. "Co-could we talk-just us?"

His eyebrow arched in question and nodded slowly. "How 'bout I drive you home?"

Willow gave him a small smile. "Thanks." She got up and turned to Amy. Grabbing her arm, she squeezed it affectionately. "Thank you."

Amy nodded, her eyes watering. "No Willow, thank you for bringing my friend back-if only for a few days."

Willow couldn't help herself and hugged the witch. Goddess, did she miss Amy. "Same here."

Oz stepped up to her and together they left the library.

***

It wasn't until they were parked in the alley by the back door of her new home, did Willow finally find the courage to talk to him. In
her usual, nervous rambling way, Willow told him of everything that had happened between her and her Oz-up until the fatal kiss in the
factory.

It was then he interrupted her. "So, you're staying with the same vampire that kidnapped you, knocked Xander out, threatened you with
a broken bottle and drunkenly dumped his life's problems onto your lap?"

"Um-yeah."

"Definitely of the weird," he said as his finger's tightened their hold onto the steering wheel.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"And you trust him?"

She nodded yes.

"Why?"

She turned to him and frowned. "What happened between you two? Or between you and your world's Spike? I can tell, because this
isn't a normal Oz reaction."

He shrugged. "A few months ago, during my wolf time, Spike came in and raided the library-looking for some book. He killed the girl
staying with me and decided to tranquilize me and have fun with the wolfboy. I escaped the third night. Luckily, all I managed to eat
was a few vampires."

Willow's eyes shut as felt Oz's pain. When they had thought her Oz had gotten out earlier this year and killed someone, he was nearly
devastated. It was one of the only times she saw that laid-back fa‡ade that he wore like a second face, crack.

She turned and faced him as she reached for one of his hands. "I can't say that this Spike wouldn't do the same. What makes him
different isn't that his demon is any less cruel, it's just that he's widened his horizons. No longer are all humans considered cattle to
him. I'm a person to him. He cares for me. Buffy, even though he'd deny it, is a person to him. He loves her mother. She fixed him hot
chocolate when he was in town the last time and commiserated about Dru over cups of hot cocoa.

"That's what changed for him. And that's what your Spike is missing. Your Spike is carrying that arrogant, 'I'm a vampire, immortal
and hear me roar' kind of mentality that still makes me want to hunt demons."

He nodded as he looked out the windshield. "And you trust him enough to sleep with him?"

Her eyes widened as her heart took off. How did he know? And just as quickly, she knew the answer. The same way her Oz found them
at the warehouse. His preternatural sense of smell.

"Yeah, I guess I do or I wouldn't have," she admitted, looking down at her hands on her lap, ignoring the stream of tears running down
her face. Why did she feel as if she just broke her Oz's heart?

After nearly five minutes of silence, he sighed softly. "I can't give you absolution, Willow. I don't even know if he could. But if he
really loves you like you say he does, than he probably already knows all this, but has been ignoring it-hoping it would go away."

Willow took a deep breath, trying to stop herself from crying and nodded. "That's kinda what I thought," she said quietly as she picked
up her backpack and pulled out the cellphone.

After calling Spike and telling him she was there, she turned back to Oz. "Be happy, Oz. That's all I want for either of you."

She leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips and quickly scrambled out of the van, unable to face the double of her boyfriend any
longer-at least not while she was cheating on him.

As she leaned against the wall, waiting for the lock to be turned, she wondered how the hell she was ever going to rebuild her life once
she got back home. Between Oz, Xander and Spike-she had one heck of a mess on her hands.
*****
Chapter Six

Spike sighed softly and turned to his side and grabbed a cigarette. After lighting it, he leaned back against the pillows and tried to
ignore how much he missed Willow. She had left a couple of hours before, claiming she was hungry for something other than frozen
dinners and Spike couldn't help but empathize. After nearly three days of living off of bottled blood, he knew he would have to go
hunting the coming evening. Unfortunately, he didn't feel comfortable enough to kill in this world-he needed the slayer and her merry
band of helper's assistance too much to risk leaving his calling card. So, it was going to have to be a sip and run sort of thing until they
returned to their world.

That was just the first item in list as long as his arm of why he hated this world. It started with the fact that he couldn't find anything
interesting on television to his need to stay hidden in a bloody bomb shelter, all the way to knowing that Angelus, his insane demon-self,
was running amok through town. He had hoped helping to send him to Hell would pretty much guarantee he'd never have to deal with the
bastard again. Unfortunately, he never considered alternative universes.

But despite all that, there was a part of him that would be sad when they left this place.

Here, in Sunnyhell (with a capital H) he had Willow all to himself. No slayer, whelp, wolf or watcher to share her with. No parents to
demand her time. No school to call her away from his bed each morning.

Here, she was his.

And unless she was brought across before they made it back home, his role in her life would be significantly diminished. Not to mention
the real possibility that he may lose her totally.

Between the slayer and his sire-there was sure to be a battle. Dear ole Buffy would cut off his balls and Angel would wear them around
his neck-proudly. Spike was no fool when it came to the slayer. After getting his ass beat by her for almost two years, he had learned
quite a lot about her. One, she was extremely protective of what she called, 'her people.' And Willow was definitely one of her people.

And with Angel? Hell, vampires are notoriously territorial. Angel would see Spike as trespassing into his territory and stake him just on
principle.

Yes, Angel would have a fit.

Especially if what he suspected was true. If this Angelus was so obsessed with Willow, who's to say that his sire wasn't as well. Spike
had already racked his brain, trying to remember every conversation the two had during Angelus' brief stay and unfortunately,
everything seemed to support his theory. He never once mentioned killing Red-only playing with her and eventually turning her. Although
the slayer's existence seemed to taunt him-remind him of what a wuss he was as a Soulboy, Willow just enticed him.

Both of them-Buffy and Angel-had just enough self-righteousness flowing through their veins that they would believe they were doing it
for Willow's sake, despite her feelings towards Spike.

"Bloody hell, I'm not going to let her go," Spike whispered in the air as he crushed his cigarette, watching the embers fade out in the
glass ashtray.

He was always such a damn Nancy-boy when it came to love. He knew it. Even at his most evil, when he was making a name for himself as
a vampire, one look from Dru would send his world a spin. And now, he found himself once again slipping into the abyss of love.

Yeah, he was Love's bitch-there was no doubt about it.

Groaning softly, he turned over onto his back and fell into a fitful sleep.

***

"Shit," Willow cursed under her breath as she saw the sun fading from view. She didn't mean to be out this late. She glanced at her
watch and groaned softly when she realized it had stopped. It was still reading 3pm-it had to be at least 5:30-if the sun was any
indication.

"I'm hurrying lady," the cab driver mumbled. "I better get a good tip out of this. Dark is coming mighty fast and I want to be safe and
sound in my house..."

"Me too," Willow whispered as her fingers slipped underneath the maroon scarf touched the healing bite mark on her neck. A wave heat
flooded her system and she squirmed in her seat, anxious to get home-to Spike.

She leaned back in her seat in shock when she realized what had just passed through her mind: Spike was home.

Three days in this world-two of those as Spike's lover and he was already so much more enmeshed in her life than Oz or Xander ever
would be. So much so that she couldn't see a future without him. Oh she knew that once they got home, there would be a lot of resistance
against them-and a lot of anger as well, but since she realized that she had wanted Spike-not Oz or Xander-she had begun mentally
preparing herself for the upcoming battle.

The first step was talking with this Oz. Although it hadn't gone as well as she would've hoped, the end result was what she needed to
hear; if her Oz loved her and knew her as well as she thought he did, then he already knew she wasn't as happy with him as they had
hoped.

The next person she would talk to was this world's Giles-if anything just to gauge his reactions. Her Giles was more of a father to her
than Ira ever was and his opinion mattered to her. Much more than her parents-

"We're here, lady," the cab driver snapped as he turned in his seat.

So wrapped up in her thoughts, Willow nearly jumped at the sound of his voice. "Oh, sorry," she said. Opening the door, she slid out and
grabbed the laptop and modem boxes and deposited them onto the concrete. Then she grabbed her backpack and dug inside, pulling out
two twenties. "Here you go-drive safely. Do you have a cross with you?" she asked softly, feeling so bad for keeping him out past dark.

The cab driver's face softened as he heard the question. Once he grabbed the money, he popped open the glove box and grinned. Inside
it were two wooden crosses, a water gun and a couple of stakes. "Thanks lady, you be careful now."

"I will," Willow said as she pushed down the lock on the door and slammed it shut. Almost immediately, the cab drove out of the alley,
actually burning rubber as the driver headed for the safety of his home.

"I hope he makes it," Willow whispered as she pulled out her cell phone and hit the redial. After two rings, Spike picked up.

"Pet, I hope that's you," he growled into the phone.

She grinned. "Sorry I'm late. My watch broke. It got stuck on three PM. Listen, I'm in the alley-can you let me in?"

"What was that, love?"

Frowning, she leaned over and picked up the modem box and stuck it in her backpack. "You know-move the bookcase so I can get inside,"
she said as she shook her head. *I wonder if he drank some bad blood or something? Spike's never this forgetful...*

"Sorry 'bout that-my bloody mind took a vacation. I'll be right up."

Shaking her head, she picked up the laptop box and flung her backpack over her shoulder and walked over to the door to wait for
Spike-ignoring the fear nawing at her gut.

She hated being outside past dark. Especially here.

***

"I found it!" Cordelia yelled, causing Xander to nearly knock over his coffee.

"Jeez, Cordy, a little louder-"

"Did you hear me, moron? I found it-at least I think I found a spell that we can use!"

"Cordelia, let me see, please," Giles asked, his hand out for the book. She slid it over and got out of her seat to stand behind him.

"See, up here-that top spell-the Worldly Traveler."

Giles read over it twice before looking up to meet Wesley's eyes and shook his head.

"Why not?" Xander asked, noticing the scowl forming on Cordelia's face.

After pushing the book across the table to the other watcher, Giles sighed and leaned back in his chair. "It requires a material object
of that world. Without it, we'd be sending whomever to whatever world the Fates deem fit."

"What kind of material object? Something personal?" Oz asked as he looked up from his guitar from his perch on the stairs.

"Yes, that would be good. The more personal the best-it'll help center the spell to the correct location as well," Wesley said, his head
still bent over the book as he re-read the spell. Suddenly, he looked up and frowned. "Why, Oz? Did the other Willow leave something
behind?"

Oz placed the guitar on the stand and stood up. Looking straight at Giles he chuckled softly. "She gave Willow her leather bra-the one
that she wore underneath that corset thingie. She told Willow that she needed more than her-whatever that means."

"A bra? Is anyone else bothered by this?" Xander asked as he slammed shut his book.

Cordelia snorted. "Although I don't understand vampire's fetish for cowhide, I have to agree with her. Willow could use a little lift-"

"Cordelia!" Giles snapped as he pulled his glasses off to rub his tired eyes. "Can you go over and get it Oz?"

"Yeah, I'm on it," he called out, already halfway out the door.

"So Giles, who are we sending over?"

"I don't think we have much of choice," Wesley said as pushed back his chair. "If that world is as dangerous as implied, only the slayer
or Angel should be sent."

"And with Faith's loyalties with the Mayor, we can't risk leaving the Hellmouth without a slayer," Giles added softly.

"Why not me?" Xander asked. "I mean, I fight pretty well. Besides, I can travel during the day and-"

"And at night-you'd be a fresh meat," Cordelia snapped. "Don't be stupid, Xander. Didn't she talk of her Xander? Are you ready to
meet your vampiric double? Look at all the trouble Willow's caused her-"

"I have to agree with Wesley and Cordelia. I'm sorry Xander. But it's just too dangerous for any of us 'normals' to risk it. For all we
know, our Willow has been turned. And if that has happened, whoever gets sent over not only has to deal with the Master, their Willow
but our Willow and Spike. It's just too dangerous." Giles slipped on his glasses and stood up. "And as much as I hate to admit it, Hell
was pretty good to Angel when it comes to strength. He's much more powerful now than he was before. Even I, a mere dabbler in magic,
can feel it."

Xander threw his hands up in the air. "All right, all right. I get the point. I'll back down and let Deadboy save the day once again."

Cordelia shook her head as she gathered her things. "You need to get a life, Xander and quit worrying so much about what Angel does.
It's getting pretty old." She stood up and looked over at Wesley. "I'm leaving. Would you walk me out to my car?"

"Uh, yes, that would be fine," Wesley muttered as he stood up. "If you'll excuse us."

Xander rolled his eyes at the departing couple. "G-man, let me ask you something. Does Wesley even know the meaning of jailbait?"

Giles couldn't stop the small smile that curled his lips. "I'm not quite sure, Xander..."
 
 

"I know-I spent a lot money and I didn't ask you ahead of time but she did give us over ten grand and I was thinking that maybe I
could find the spell myself over the 'Net 'cause I am Netgirl and all and this place is really spooking me out. Home was bad enough-but
at least Buffy was around and I have to be honest-I'm not too impressed with this Buffy- not that she couldn't be a good person and all
if she dropped the attitude-but I miss her-my Buffy. Besides I want to get home and de- rat Amy now that I know where the spell is
and I'm rambling, and Spike, say something," she said and took a deep breath, trying to catch hers. Frowning, she began walking across
the room from the kitchen table to the bed, where he was sitting.

"Spike-what is it? Are you mad? It was on sale--$1500-pretty good for a laptop-"

He lifted his head and at the same time, reached out and grabbed her hand, tugging her over to him.

"Spike! What-" she stopped, her heart racing uncontrollably at their proximity. Goddess, she was only gone for five hours yet she
missed him so much. She looked up, met his eyes and froze.

Something was wrong. His eyes had changed back to that cold indifference that she remembered from the time he had kidnapped her.

"What happened?"

Wrapping his arms around her, he flipped over, and settled on top of her. "Pet, did anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?" He
asked her right before smashing his lips down on top of hers.

At first, Willow just fell into it. His cool lips moved effortlessly against hers, nibbling on her bottom lip-coaxing her mouth open.
Moaning softly, her heart began to race as her stomach did mini flip-flops. *Goddess, I missed him,* she thought to herself as she
wrapped her arms around his neck and began playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

His hands were far from idle as one moved down to her breasts and kneaded it-worrying her nipple. She arched her back, pushing her
breast into his hand when her eyes fluttered open and met his dark, lust filled gaze.

But they were still cold-as if they were missing something-something like love.

She froze, mid-kiss. Unbidden, the memory of Angel standing in the dark, calling her over to him flew through her mind and her body
tensed. She felt this way before. If she hadn't known better and he hadn't already been a soul-less demon, she would've believed that
Spike just pulled an Angel.

And then it hit her.

This was not her Spike.

Pushing her hands against his chest, she tried to dislodge him, ignoring the erection poking against her stomach or the wave of heat that
flooded her system.

This may not be her Spike-but it was still Spike.

"Where is he? What did you do with him?"

"I'll be damned, Willow was right."

"Willow? What did she do? Did she take Spike? Why would she take Spike? She brought me here so he could go home! Tell me, is he
okay?"

Chuckling softly, he rolled off her and lit a cigarette. "You were actually pretty lucky. The Master found out where you two were
staying and sent a few of the boys over to grab both of you and bring you to him." He turned his head and watched her. "But you were
gone. So they just took the other Spike. Willow didn't find out until she saw him being dragged in and she called me to meet up with you.
To keep an eye on you, pet."

Willow bit her bottom lip, trying not to cry. Goddess, if anything happened to him, she would just die. Not now, not after finally finding
him. That ugly vampire! She hated the Master-now more than ever. Sitting up, her eyes scanned the room and it hit her. All their things
were gone. Their personal things. "Where is everything?"

"My place. I had my boys pack up everything and take it."

"How? It was daytime? How? Matter-of-fact, how did they get Spike?"

Spike rolled his eyes. "Come on, pet, your Sunnyhell can't be that different-"

Willow hit her forehead. "The tunnels! Did he know about them-at least here?"

Spike shrugged. "Probably. But I'm sure he didn't give it too much thought. From what Willow told me, he found this shelter first in
your Sunnydale and it was as abandoned as this one was. He probably figured no one remembered it being here." He stabbed out his
cigarette and swung his legs off the bed.

Once standing, he walked over to her side of the bed and held out his hand for her. "As much as I would love to finish what we started,
it's not safe here."

Blushing, she nodded and scooted over to the edge of the bed and stared at his hand and then looked up and saw the amused grin sporting
his face.

"Asshole," she muttered as she took his hand and let him pull her to her feet.

"That I am, pet," he said as they walked over to the kitchen table. Once he released her hand, he picked up her backpack and handed it
to her. Then he grabbed the laptop box. "I had one of the boys bring over my car. It should be parked in the alley by now."

Willow nodded as she fought her embarrassment. She almost made love to the wrong Spike! How could she? Was she destined to be a
cheater? A horrible, slut-like girl who flittered from one man to the next?

"Oh Goddess, how much more complicated can my life get?" she asked herself, barely whispering.

She heard a low chuckle from the Spike in front of her. "A lot more, if I have anything to say about it."

***

"Willow, let me out of here! I've got to go find Red. She's out there- without any protection-"

Pouting, the redhead shook her head. "No can do, Spikey. The Master wants to talk to you."

Growling in frustration, he wrapped his fingers around the metal bars of his cage and tried bending them.

They didn't move.

She sauntered over to him and laid a hand on his fingers while wagging a finger at him. "Now, none of that, Blondie. I'll have to douse
them with Holy Water if you keep that up. Why can't you be a good boy and just talk to the Master? And then you'll get to leave!"

Spike yanked his fingers free from her grasped and rolled his eyes. "Leave?" he asked, incredulity lacing his voice. "Pet, you must've
lost a few brain cells when you were turned. The Master doesn't cage his guests. He gives them rooms with live meals!"

"She's safe, you know."

"How do you know? If that bloody prick Angelus gets his hands on her- he'll turn her!"

"She's with Spike."

Spike's mouth dropped open in shock. "Oh, bloody wonderful! And I'm supposed to feel good about this? He's too intrigued not to want
to play with her!"

She shrugged, dipping her head to the side as she ran her fingers across the bars. "Maybe-but I've talked to him and he promised not to
hurt her."

"And you believe him? Willow, he'll either shag her senseless, then turn her, or shag her senseless then drain her or if we're real lucky
and he's feeling especially magnanimous he may just shag her senseless."

Willow looked up through her bangs as her hand reached through the bars and grabbed his shirt, yanking him to her. Sticking her tongue
out, she ran it across his lips and then nibbled on his bottom lip.

Almost instinctively, Spike felt himself harden. *Damn vixen,* he mentally cursed as he pressed himself against the bars and opened his
mouth, inviting her in.

As their tongues dueled, Willow dropped her hand and rubbed it against his hardening crotch. Minutes later, she broke the kiss and
smiled at him. "I'm kinda hoping for the third option. How 'bout you?"

***

Buffy handed him three bottles of holy water and a handful of stakes. "You will be careful, won't you?" she asked, watching Angel as he
stuffed the items into his duffel bag.

He nodded as he zipped the bag up. "Yes, I'll be fine."

"Did Giles give you the orb and the spell?"

He nodded again. "All packed away. I just hope we don't need to use it."

"Can you do a spell that powerful? If you need to?"

Angel leaned back against his dresser and sighed softly. "Giles also gave me a letter-that he wrote-proving that I'm who I say I am to
give to his other self. From what Oz has told us, Giles is there-in that Sunnydale. He was just slayer-less."

Buffy shot up off the bed and began pacing. "Every time this comes up- about how much Willow knew about this other place I can't
help but wonder how much those two talked! They must've spent that whole night-in the library-just talking. How could she do that?
Why would she do that?"

Angel shrugged. "I don't know. But lets be honest-if I had met my vampire self-souled or not souled-when I was human, I'd be a bit
curious too."

"And when you weren't souled? Would you still be drawn to yourself?"

"I don't know. Maybe-if the circumstances were right. But Willow-that Willow-she was more like Dru or Spike. She had feelings."

Buffy stared at the wall and sighed. "I'm worried about Spike. If what we figured is true, then they've been together for over three
days..."

Angel stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Yeah, I know. Me too." He stepped back, picked up his duffel bag
and grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's go. The sooner I get there, the sooner I can find out what's going on."
*****
Chapter Seven

Willow's eyes snapped open.

She wasn't sure what it was that woke her, but as her eyes scanned her surroundings she decided that it was a good thing that she did wake up-

Because she had no idea where she was.

The last thing she remembered was being ushered into Spike's bedroom (the other Spike-not her Spike) with a promise that the blond vampire would try
not to take too long.

Willow had to bite her tongue to keep from telling him to take as long as he could-into the next millenium for all she cared.

But she knew all too well that he would look at that as a challenge and she would never get any peace.

And end up doing something that she really, really didn't want to do.

She didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry at this newest development in her crazed adventures of late. Who would've ever thought that she, little
Willow Rosenberg, would be spending possibly the last few days of her mortal existence fighting off two soulless vampires while in love with the third
one? Not to mention the amorous attentions of her vampiric self and the scorn of the double of her former love of her life.

She was getting a headache just thinking about it.

Obviously, she had fallen asleep while waiting for him. Just knowing she was unconscious while he carried her body around Sunnydale was enough to
give her a good case of the wiggins. Sighing, she flung the sheets off her body, deciding that it would be best to face whatever the Fates had in store for
her on her feet instead of her on her back.

Maybe she would be taken seriously then. She could only hope.

As cool air brushed against her bare legs, she stopped, absently dropping the sheet beside her.

Her legs were bare. No longer was she wearing her favorite pair of lavender leather pants and white silk top that she had on earlier that day.

"Prick," she mumbled as she clasped the black tee shirt covering her in her fist.

He changed her. He took her clothes off and put his shirt on her.

What was it with people messing with her while she slept? She hated it. She felt violated, abused, taken advantage of and a whole slew of other things
that left her feeling more than a little vulnerable.

What an asshole.

Growling, she shot out of bed and decided it was time to teach this Spike a mortal Willow can be just a dangerous as her counterpoint- consequences be
damned. If there was one thing she had learned from her previous encounters with her Spike was that he admired spunk-it was what kept his fangs out of
her neck in the factory. She had to show this Spike the same thing-that she wasn't just a plaything kept around for his amusement-she could be
dangerous too. Maybe not in the same ways as her other self, but she could float a mean pencil.

***

Angel groaned softly, rolling over onto his back. "What a hard ride," he said, as his eyes blinked open. In his four hundred years of existence- having spent
at least two hundred of those in Hell-he had experienced pretty much everything, except universe jumping.

It was not something he wanted to do conscious again.

"So, where am I?" he asked himself as his eyes scanned his surroundings. Almost immediately he recognized the familiar settings and had to chuckle out
loud.

His old apartment.

And from the look and smell of things, his other self no longer lived here.

Racking his memory, he realized even though he knew more than enough of what happened to Willow, Xander-even Buffy-here, he had no idea his other
self's fate other than he had been the Master's prisoner.

But, the apartment wasn't dusty enough for him to have been gone three years.

He stood up and went into the kitchen and checked the refrigerator. Inside sat three unopened bags of outdated blood stamped property of Sunnydale
General Hospital on them.

He had nearly identical bags in his own refrigerator at the mansion.

He pulled one out and read the date. Three months expired. If his other self was like him, then whatever happened to this Angel, happened about two
months ago.

Did he die?

Or lose his soul?

Angel found himself really hopping it was the former. He was in no mood to deal with his unsouled self.

Two hundred years of being imprisoned with him in Hell had pretty much burnt him out on that prospect.

Chucking the unused bag back into the refrigerator, he decided it was time to check out this other Sunnydale and see if it was as bad as he feared.

And hopefully find Willow in the process.

***

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

Willow stood in front of the television set, glaring at Spike, who was lying on the couch smoking a cigarette-smirking.

"What's that, pet?"

"Willow-my name is Willow. Not pet, love, ducks or any other inane endearment your 200-year old senile brain comes up, okay? Got it?"

Chuckling softly, he languidly lifted his head, dark blue eyes twinkling with humor and nodded. "Got it, love," he said softly, his voice low and
breathy-sending chills down her spine.

Willow clamped her mouth shut, clenching her jaw, as she watched him watch her, all the while smirking at her.

Was it all a joke to him? Was she a joke? He couldn't be that different from her Spike, could he?

"Willow," she said, her voice dangerously calm. "Willow is my name." Shaking her head, she turned around and started to leave the room.

*The hell with it,* she thought to herself. *I'll just hide in the bedroom

and wait for my Spike. Goddess, where is he? I miss him. I want him.*

Cool fingers grasped her wrist, stopping her.

Her heart stopped momentarily as the air in between them ignited- charged with sexual tension.

*Damn, stupid sexy vampire.*

He tugged on her hand, pulling her to him. His hard, cool chest pressed against her thin tee shirt, making her nipples harden and ache with need. With her
free hand, she tried pushing against his chest, but his hand on her waist held her tightly against him.

"Spike!"

Smiling down at her-his eyes promising desires-dark and otherwise- fulfilled, as his free hand dropped down below her bottom and lightly caressed the
bare skin at the back of her thighs. After squeezing her ass,

he brought his hand up and lifted her chin with one finger and met her questioning look. "Love, we can do this the hard way or the easy way...it's up to you.
But either way, I want you to know that I will end up in the same place-inside your tight, hot hole."

Her throat closed as her sex throbbed in response to his low, breathy voice. "But-"

He shook his head, placing a finger on her lips, and silenced her. "Now, I

promised not to kill you or turn you-but other than that, I was given pretty much free reign. So, what'll it be?" he asked and then ran his cool

tongue on her bottom lip.

"Why?"

Shaking his head again, he frowned down at her. "Wrong answer. Two more tries and I'll throw you over the couch and take you there," he whispered in
her ear. "Care to give it another shot?" He nibbled on her ear lobe, causing her to shiver in response.

What choice did she have? But that's how her life had been since being brought over to this world. Other than making love to her Spike- everything else
had been forced upon her. This Spike was just another example of how much her life wasn't her own-at least in this world.

Oh, she knew she would enjoy herself-if the way her body was responding to his caresses were any indication-but that wasn't the point, was it? She didn't
want to be with him-she wanted to be with her Spike and it didn't seem like the Fates were going to allow her such a luxury.

She was scared and angry and once again mentally picturing a thousand and one ways to kill her other self-if only she let Buffy stake her...if only.

Goosebumps exploded on her body as Spike ran his tongue down her neck, circling the bite marks her Spike had made the night before. Moaning, despite
her anger and frustration, she arched into his body and pushed her neck closer to his mouth.

"You taste so good...like him and me and you...so hot-so mortal." He whispered as he pushed his hardness into her crotch.

She heard herself moan again and knew she was very close to surrendering. Then she felt his fangs slid gently into the same wounds her Spike made
the night before and her whole body shook in her response. Her sex throbbed in want and she found herself grinding her crotch into his-seeking release.

*Oh Goddess, no one ever told me that a vampire's bite could be so arousing...*

She could tell he wasn't taking much-maybe a sip or two-but it was how it was doing it that turned her on so much.

He extracted his fangs and began licking on the wound. "So good," he whispered against her neck as he slipped his hands down to her bottom and lifted
her up. Once in the air, Willow wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips; she hung on to him as he headed towards the bedroom.

Obviously, he knew her answer. But then, he probably did the moment he decided to drink from her.

Her last coherent thought before he pulled her shirt off her body and began suckling on her breast, was he maybe an asshole and the wrong Spike-but at
least he was Spike.

She could live with that.

She had to.

---

"So, love, when do I get sprung?" Spike asked the red-haired vampire that was busy nuzzling his neck, lapping at a set of bite marks she had just left
during their last frenzied coupling.

She pulled back from his neck and sighed softly. "You're really worried about her, aren't you?"

Rolling his eyes, he leaned back against the cold, hard rock of his cell and lit a cigarette. "Of course I am, Willow. She's mine."

She nodded, pulling away and leaned over to pick up her discarded top and slipped it on. "Tonight. But you won't be able to see her until tomorrow. You
can stay at my Spike's place for the day and after sundown, ask Tom-his only minion with a brain to take you to your new hideaway."

Spike chuckled softly as he shook his head. "Why did the Master change his mind?"

She shrugged as she stood up and walked over and picked up her leather pants. With her back to him, she bent over-aware that she was giving him a
show and sensually slipped her pants back on.

He couldn't believe that his Willow and her came from basically the same place. Just knowing that all that sensuality and responsiveness was in his
Willow-begging to be released just made him ache for her all the more.

"Maybe he realized-with some of the right persuasion-that two vampire Willow's was just too risky-even for him."

He flicked his cigarette across the cell, as he laughed outright. "Took him long enough-I knew it the moment I met you."

She gave him a huge smile. "Well, you always knew me better than most." She leaned against the bars and nodded to his clothes. "Time to get dressed,
Spikey-unless you want to spend another day here."

Sighing, he grabbed his tee shirt and slipped it on over his head. Within five minutes, he was dressed and together, Willow and Spike left his cell.

As they stepped outside, he thought of his Willow and prayed that Spike would remember that she was human and treat her accordingly. Although he
hated the idea of another man touching her, he did take some comfort in knowing that it was his other self. At least this Spike loved the vampire version of
Willow and that love would spill over in his treatment of the human Willow.

They may be different in some ways, but what made Spike Spike was the same things that defined this world's Spike and because of that, he knew the
other vampire would not harm her. He may scare her, but more than likely he would use seduction to get her into bed.

Spike always did love seducing unwilling women-making them respond despite their misgivings-gave him a sense of power that only strengthened his
demon. And with his Willow, he knew that more than likely, she wanted the other vampire-despite what her mind was telling her. How could she not? This
Spike was him in almost every way that counted.

So engrossed in his thoughts, for a moment he almost didn't recognize the familiar signature of his sire as Angel's presence caused an unlooked for
warmth to spread through his body.

"Bloody fucking hell," he whispered as he grabbed Willow's hand.

She stopped, her eyes scanning the crowd of demons and vampires standing in front of the Bronze and suddenly Spike heard her purr softly.

"Puppy," she whispered, her eyes locked on Angel's body.

***

Angel couldn't believe it when he saw his childe and her.

She was breathtaking-if he had any breath to take.

Her red hair, darker than when she was human, reminded him of warm blood on cool night and instantly felt his cock harden in response.

Her pale skin seemed to reflect the moonlight, forcing it to take almost a silvery tone-making him want to run his fingers across its silky surface.

Her green eyes glowed-even without the demon-promising pleasures that he hadn't even considered since gaining his soul again.

He felt like every dead cell in his body instantly come to life-drawn to her and her darkness...his demon howled against the bars of his prison-causing his
face to change.

Shaking his head at his own obtuse thinking, he finally accepted the truth. The same truth that he had been hiding from since the first time he laid eyes on
this dark vixen standing in front of him-when she had visited his world two months before.

It wasn't just his demon that was drawn to her-it was he-his soul or very essence-that wanted to possess her.

Growling at his loss of control, he forced himself to study his childe-who was many times the bane of his existence as well as the light of his unlife-Spike.

He stood there next to Willow-at ease-and as Angel closed in on the pair, he could smell the after-effects of their coupling and nearly growled

again. Angelus screamed in protest and Angel couldn't help but agree for once with him.

They, both the soul and the demon, were jealous of his childe.

Shaking his head, he forced the demon down and it was then, he saw drawn, tired look on Spike's face. Obviously his week in this world wasn't the
vacation that Angel feared it would be.

Spike looked like he wanted to go home.

Good, they would get Willow, talk to this Giles and go home

It was then a wave of guilt crashed through him. He was so enthralled with the vampire Willow, that for a moment he had forgotten all about his Willow
and whether or not she was even still alive.

"Where is she?"

Spike shrugged and lit a cigarette. If Angel didn't know him better, he would say the other vampire wasn't concerned. But fortunately (or was that
unfortunately?) that wasn't the case. A flash of concern passed through the vampire's eyes as his childe turned to Willow.

"Ask her, Peaches. She won't tell me. All she says is that she's safe with the other me-"

"You're here!" Angel nearly yelled at that piece of information. Suddenly, he had to know if his fears about his other self was right. "What about me?"

"You're your fucking prick self here. The slayer managed to give you a happy, but they haven't found the ensoulment spell."

Angel watched Spike's eyes darken at the mention of his other self. He turned to Willow, who was watching them in closely. "So Willow, where is she?"

Smiling, she leaned forward and licked his neck, purring softly. "I miss my Puppy," she said softly. Her head tipped to the side. "You two get along a lot
better than my Spike and Angelus."

Spike snorted. "That's because I may dislike His Soul-ness, but I bloody hate his demon-self."

Angel nodded. "In that, we agree." What Angel didn't say was that out of all his childer with the exception of Druscilla, he found he still cared about
Spike-even with a soul. Sure he felt the guilt-feeling each death they took as another dark mark on his soul, but at least with Spike, he was more than a
demon. He used his brain, he controlled his demon- something that Angel never could've managed without an ensoulment spell-and he didn't want the
world to end.

For a soul-less demon, he wasn't too bad.

But Angel would never tell Spike that. It would give the blond vampire too much power over him. And one constant in their relationship- soulless to
ensouled-was that power was the running theme.

And Angel wanted to remain on top for as long as possible.

***

Spike looked down at the sleeping human in his arms and smiled. She was delicious-in every way possible. No wonder his other self had been so
protective over her. Now that he had met and gotten to know this Willow in the most intimate manner, there was no way he could ever let her be turned.

At least not while in his care.

So, other than a few sips, he kept his fangs to himself and instead rejoiced in hot, human skin and mortal heartbeat.

It's a shame he couldn't keep her.

For the first time since he came back to Sunnydale, he finally found himself sympathizing with his Willow. He could see himself trying to balance two
Willow's at the same time-enjoying the warmth of the human Willow and the vampiric sensuality of the his Willow.

But he knew it wasn't possible.

There was no way she could remain here for any length of time without the fear of her being turned becoming a reality. Although she hadn't said much
about her other self, he could hear the dislike, anger and even fear in her voice every time she talked of his Willow. And the mortal did make him promise
that he wouldn't turn her.

Even though he had told her of his intentions at the beginning of the night, he once again assured her that he would not turn her. Almost immediately, he
could feel the tension leave her body as she relaxed in his arms.

Which in turn made her more receptive to his attentions.

Grinning, he watched as she snuggled even closer to him in her sleep, causing his body to instantly respond to her closeness.

Moaning softly, he dropped one hand to her breast, lightly teasing her nipple, watching it as it became hard under his attentions. Although her heartbeat
indicated she was still asleep, unconsciously she pushed her chest into his hand.

Carefully sliding out from underneath her body, he moved down to her sex-instantly smelling her arousal as well as the fluids from their previous joining.
His face changed as he dipped his head down and inhaled her sweet scent, causing his fangs to ache in response.

Finally, unable to resist her, he fell in between her thighs and began feasting on her femininity-no longer caring if he woke her or not.

Matter of fact, he was counting on pulling out of her slumber; he was definitely ready for round two.

***

"All right-you both win, but I want you to know that Spike isn't going to be too happy being interrupted," Willow said, turning on her heel and began walking
towards town.

"Wait-Spike, what the hell is she talking about?"

Spike clenched his jaw and didn't answer-knowing that his sire would stake him if he knew that the blond vampire had not only been intimate with the
human Willow, but had if not sanctioned, at least had not protested too loudly when he discovered she was now in the bed of his other self.

Angel grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop.

"Let go, Poof-face, or we'll lose her!"

"What the hell is she talking about?" Angel growled, his eyes flashing the

yellow of his demon.

Spike yanked his arm free, pointedly ignoring him and took off in a run, catching up the little vixen that thoroughly mucked up his unlife a little over a week
ago. As angry as he was at this Willow, a confrontation with his sire was something Spike wanted to avoid as long as possible.

He heard the steady footsteps of Angel as his sire caught up with them. Spike risked a glance in Angel's direction and inwardly groaned. If the expression
on his face was any indication, Angel figured it out and was not too pleased.

Not at all.

***

"Spike..." Willow's breathy moans filled the bedroom as Spike teased her clit with his fangs. He had already brought her to one climax and was
determined to bring on another one with just his mouth.

*So sweet,* he thought to himself as he growled in appreciation against her thigh. Willow's bottom half of her body bucked up hard against his mouth and
not for the first time that night, Spike was grateful that he didn't need to breathe.

She was so much like his Willow-responsive and almost wanton once her fire was lit-that it made Spike's own arousal that much stronger.

"Please...I need...please..."

Happy to oblige, he moved his mouth up to her nubbin and sucked on it-instantly causing her body to surge upwards as her legs locked around his head.

"Oh Goddess-yes, Spike-Spike!"

Coaxing her climax upwards to with nips and licks, he managed to keep her on the precipice for nearly three minutes before her legs just fell away from
his body as she finally calmed down. His cock throbbed-the silken sheets underneath him only adding to his painful arousal. Grinning, he moved slowly up
her body, peppering her stomach and chest with small kisses until he was looking down at her red, sweaty and beautifully sexually fulfilled face.

Positioning himself at her entrance, he bent his head and kissed her softly, teasing her lips.

Despite her exhaustion, she began to respond, opening her mouth to him. Moaning loudly causing his tongue to vibrate, she opened her legs even further
while trying to pull him inside her.

Breaking the kiss, he leaned down to ear. "What do you want, baby?"

"Oh...please..."

"Willow baby, tell me-what do you want?"

"You," she whispered, her voice so low he knew if he hadn't been a vampire, he wouldn't have heard it.

"Good," he said, sheathing himself totally into her tightness. Biting his bottom lip, he nearly groaned at the feel of her hot, wet cunt. That was one thing that
was different with his Willow and the human Willow.

This Willow had been a virgin not even three days ago and he felt every bit of it.

As he began pumping in and out of her, he wondered how much more she could take before finally succumbing to exhaustion. He was no fool-he knew
this night would be it-he'd never get a chance to be with her after this. The other Spike would see to it.

Knowing his luck, Willow would show up early and spoil all his fun. With that thought, he decided to take advantage of every minute he had with her.

He needed these memories to last a lifetime.

Growling, his eyes flashing as his fangs sunk once again into her neck, reopening the same wounds that both he and the other Spike made, and felt
himself flying towards his climax. Lifting his head-not wanting to take too much of her sweet blood, he knew he wouldn't be able to last much longer. He
then he slipped his hand down between them and squeezed Willow's clit-causing her clench uncontrollably around him.

After yelling her name, he growled loudly, his body spinning out of control. Willow warm hand touched his cheek and pulled his head down to her neck
towards his other self's mark and once again drank from her. All it took was one sip of her heady elixir and he climaxed-shooting his cold seed into her
womb-as he felt her muscles clench tightly around him as she had experienced her fourth orgasm.

Panting from exertion, he remained still-his fangs still embedded in her neck-his cock still sheathed inside her-and waited for his strength to return enough
for him to move. *So good,* he thought to himself as her muscles spasmed once again. Will he ever feel this way again? Would his Willow take him to
the heights that this near virginal mortal girl took

him that night?

Satan help him, he hoped so. He almost prayed that it wasn't her heat or innocence that made this coupling so intense.

If he had the energy, he would've laughed at the absurdity of it all. To find heaven in a mortal girl was almost too much for him to deal with.

Willow moaned in his ear as she shifted underneath him. "Spike-move. You're crush-"

Her heart took off as she gasped.

"What is-" he stopped, finally feeling what obviously she had just seen. *Fuck...*

"Angel..." Willow whispered, her voice cracking.

His body tensed at his sire's name and even though he didn't sense him, dread filled him.

He lifted his head, her blood still staining his mouth and teeth and looked over his shoulder to see Willow, his other self and his sire glaring

at him...

So stunned, it didn't even register how close he was to becoming dust until he was thrown across the room and pinned against the wall-stake at his heart.

He looked up at his attacker and groaned softly at his sire's yellow eyes damning him.

He was so fucked.
 
 

Chapter Eight

Spike took one look at the struggling pair and then grabbed Willow's arm. "You take care of those two," he said, not even waiting for the red- haired
vampire's response before he turned his attention to the bed and his Willow.

"Bloody fucking hell," he muttered as he saw the stricken look on her face. Satan below, she was beautiful-her face flushed from exertion- his mark
standing out-swollen and red-he could feel himself instantly respond to her.

"Red?" he whispered as he sat down on the bed beside her. She turned to face Spike and whatever control she had been wielding, broke as she began to
sob loudly.

"Love, it's okay-I'm alright," he said as he gathered her shaking hot body in his arms.

Hiccuping, she looked up into his face and sighed in relief. "You're okay!

Gods Spike, I was so worried and he wouldn't take no for an answer and he was you-"

He placed his finger on her lips. "Shh, Red. It's okay-I understand. Do you think that vixen over there let me be?"

Her head shot up and if he hadn't been there, he wouldn't have believed that Red was even capable of growling, much less making it sound as sinister as
it did. "I hate this place, Spike. I want to go home," she whispered, her face crumbling as a new set of tears began running down her face.

"Love, so do I. Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No, other than he wasn't you-it was like I was with you. Does that make any sense?"

Spike found himself chuckling as he nodded in agreement. "Unfortunately, for both of us, it does."

A loud crash echoed through out the room.

"Puppy-drop the stake now!"

"Willow, shut up! I'm going to stake this idiot-"

"Angel!" Willow yelled out, grabbing the sheet around her and standing up. "Leave him alone!"

Spike followed his little witch who managed to insinuate herself in between the two snarling vampires and watched in amazement as she grabbed the
stake and pulled it out of Angel's grasp.

"Angel-I'm okay."

"Willow-he bit you! And, weren't you a virgin-"

"Well, that was a long time ago in a different world," she snapped as she turned around and handed the stake to Spike. "Now," she turned to the other
Spike who was still leaning against the wall, game-faced and naked, who was glaring at Angel. "Spike-where did you put my clothes?"

His yellow eyes turned to Willow and he actually smiled at her. "Love, they're in the top drawer over there."

*Oh wonderful-my other self is taken with her as well. I'll never get Willow out of here,* Spike thought to himself as he watched her turn and walk towards
the dresser, pull out a stack of clothes and then head to the bathroom. Once she opened the door, she turned around and smiled at him and then glared
the three other vampires in the room. "Okay-I'm going to get dressed and then we're going to sit quietly and calmly and talk about this like adults, right?"

Angel growled and nodded once. He turned on his heel and left the room. Seconds later Spike heard the refrigerator door being opened and knew
Peaches was eating to calm down his demon. Vampire Willow stared incredulously at the now closed bathroom door and finally shook her head with
something akin to pride on her face. She looked over to Spike and grinned. "Fluffy went and grew up, Spikey!"

Spike chuckled softly in agreement. "Yeah, she did, Willow. No thanks to any of us."

The other Spike was zipping up his pants and shrugged. "I don't know about that. I think it was because of us. We really fucked up her life, didn't we?"

Willow squeezed her lover's shoulder and frowned. "She'll be okay. I know-she's me!" She slipped out of the bedroom, leaving both Spikes alone.

"Listen mate-no hard feelings?" The other Spike asked him after he pulled on his black tee shirt.

Spike shook his head. "I think we need to worry about Peaches out there. And Angelus. They're our wildcards. You didn't do anything I wouldn't have done
sometime in my life. And you didn't hurt her-so, I can live with it. Like I told Red, Willow and I weren't exactly playing Bridge today-"

The other Spike chuckled softly. "Yeah mate, she likes you. You remind her of Xander."

Spike laughed. "If you knew the human version of Xander, you'd realize how insulting that comment is."

"He's that bad, mate?"

The bathroom door opened and out stepped Willow, dressed in a pair of lavender leather pants and silky white sleeveless shirt. Her face was still flushed,
but she seemed much more under control than earlier. She stood there, looking at both Spikes-as if comparing the two. Spike wondered if she could tell
the difference.

"It's wild-you guys are exactly alike-except for the eyes."

The other Spike frowned. "You said that earlier, pet. What do you mean?"

She walked over to Spike and stood on her tiptoes and kissed him gently on the lips. She then turned to the other Spike. "His eyes are warmer- at least
when he looks at me. Maybe it's our history," she said, shrugging. "Or maybe it's just me seeing something."

Spike wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "Well, love, are you ready to face the great Poof?"

Pursing her lips, she nodded once. "Might as well get this over with, right? And if he doesn't kill you or perform exorcism rituals on me-then maybe it won't
be so bad when we get home-right?"

He laughed as he pulled her to his body. "Red, have you always been the internal optimist?"

She nodded, grinning as she pulled away. "Yep!" She grabbed his hand and took a deep breath. She glanced over at the other Spike. "All dressed?"

"Yeah love," he said as he lit a cigarette.

She nodded once. "We can do this," she said more to herself as she opened the bedroom door and stepped out of the room. He squeezed her hand in
support as she led the three of them to the living room to face the music.

***

"Willow, what's going on here?"

Yawning, she leaned back against the back of the couch and stretched. "Fluffy grew up, Puppy."

Gritting his teeth, he took a deep breath and tried again. "Are Spike-my childe-and her intimate?"

She dipped her head and stared at him. "Why does it matter?"

His demon shook the cage as he heard the question echo through out him. Why did it matter?

Because Willow was an innocent-a mortal, 17-year-old girl that has a bright future ahead of her. A devoted boyfriend waiting for her at home-a boyfriend
who was not a demon...

"What about Oz?"

She frowned and shrugged lightly. "I don't know anything about Oz. He's a White Hat here. But here, her blood sings for Spike. Just like mine does."

He decided to try a different angle. "Why did you bring them here?"

After kicking off her shoes, she turned and stretched out languidly on the couch, placing her nylon covered feet on Angel's lap, rubbing her foot on his
crotch.

Angel growled and grabbed her feet, making them immobile. "Willow?"

"I needed Spike. You see, Puppy lost his soul and claimed me. Xander died because of that-but I still couldn't say no to my Angel. And then Spike came
back-without his dark princess. She died-wasted away because Spike never did the restoration spell. And Spike-he wanted me just as much as I wanted
him. But, they-my Angel and Spike-hate each other and I need them both. So, I remembered what Fluffy said about your childe and decided that's who
could help me keep both of them."

Angel nodded, surprised that he could follow her logic. "Why Willow, then? You had Spike-what did you need her for?"

She pulled one of her feet out of his grasp and slipped it underneath his butt, poking him with her toes. "He needed to go home and the watcher had the
book I needed for the second half of the spell. The only person I could think of that could get the book was Fluffy. So, I brought her here."

Angel couldn't help but laugh, finding himself feeling sorry for his childe-of all things. To be dragged across dimensions for love life tips...

"And Willow and Spike?"

Frowning, she squirmed her foot-causing him to growl in annoyance. "He loves her, you know. He did before he even got here. That's why his Dru left
him. He's good for her, Puppy."

Angel rolled his eyes. "He's a soul-less demon, Willow. Just like you and

your Spike and your Angel. He can't be good for her-"

"That's where you're wrong, Angel."

Angel's head whipped around and saw Willow standing behind him, holding Spike's hand, with the other Spike standing on her other side. "Willow, why?
What about Oz?"

A flash of guilt crossed her face and she looked down at the carpet. After

taking a couple of deep breaths, she looked up, fresh tears running down her face. "You know what they say-infidelity is a sign that something is wrong
with the relationship. I wouldn't have fooled around with Xander if everything had been okay with Oz and I."

A flash of guilt crossed her face and she looked down at the carpet. After

taking a couple of deep breaths, she looked up, fresh tears running down her face. "You know what they say-infidelity is a sign that something is wrong
with the relationship. I wouldn't have fooled around with Xander if everything had been okay with Oz and I."

"That's not true-you and Xander had history-"

"Angel, it is true. I don't and haven't loved Xander in a long time," she whispered as walked over to the loveseat across from the couch. Spike sat down
and brought Willow down on his lap, wrapping an arm casually around her waist.

Angel ignored the flash of jealousy that soared through him, chanting 'happiness clause' repeatedly to remind himself why he could never be with her.

"Oz adores me. I feel loved, safe, content around him. But there's no passion. He's the closest thing to unconditional love I've ever had. You know my
parents. They probably don't even know I'm gone. Oz gives me that-something that I'd been needing all my life. But Spike," she turned and smiled at his
face. He gave her cocky grin and pecked her on the lips. "Spike gives me that plus passion and excitement. He doesn't want to hold me back-but he
doesn't want to change me."

"Hold you back? What do you mean?"

Vampire Willow groaned loudly, rolling her eyes as she glared at Angel. "Fluffy sweaters-safe clothes-everything safe. Just the way you all want her to be."
She nodded to Willow and gave her an honest smile. "When I see her now-I see who I wanted to be before. It took a demon to bring out my wildness. Let
Fluffy be wild without the demon."

Shocked, Angel turned and really studied Willow. At first, he just saw her and filed it away in his mind as Willow-his Willow. But now he could see the
differences. The clothes weren't quite the style the vampire

Willow wore-but they weren't what he considered Willow-wear either. She also seemed a lot more at ease with herself than he had ever seen her before
be. He could remember a dozen times on the top of his head of her blushing in embarrassment when Oz showed affection to her in public. Now, here she
was comfortable seated in Spike's lap with not a blush to be found.

"Is she right, Willow?"

She nodded and chuckled sardonically. "Yeah, she's right."

"What about your future, Wills. You're seventeen years old. College- marriage-kids?"

Groaning softly, she shook her head. "I wasn't really thinking-"

"Well, you should, Willow!"

"Cut her some slack, Peaches. We didn't even know if we were going to get home. Hell, she's got the White Hats scrambling for the curse in case she
got turned. I've dropped a few hints to those two over there as well.

For all we knew," he paused, running his fingers through his bleached hair. "We were going to be stuck here for the end of time." He lifted Willow and set
her down beside him and stood up and began pacing.

"I know you don't trust me and I don't trust you-but I love her," he stopped and looked at Willow. She nodded at him, tears in her eyes as she gave him a
huge smile in return. "I was close before she showed up here-but all it took was a few days and I knew."

Angel shook his head. "How can you make it work, Spike? She's human or are you planning on bringing her across?"

Willow cleared her throat and leaned forward, watching Angel carefully. "Yes, we've talked about it. I was going to study the curse and see if I could find
the happiness clause and take it out. Regardless of the clause, if I ended up getting turned here-he promised to curse me." She gave her other self a
small smile. "No offense, Willow, but I don't want to be a soul-less vampire. I like my soul and I want to keep it."

Spike reached down and caressed her face. "I love it and wouldn't want to see her without it."

The other Spike stood up and turned to Willow. "Love, it's late. Let's go

back to my place and let these three work things out on their own."

She nodded and pulled her feet out from under Angel and stood up. "Puppy-do you have a place to stay?"

"I think I do. Has Angelus gone back to his old apartment since losing his soul?"

She shook her head. "No, he hates the place-although he was talking of getting a few pieces of art out of there. Was that where you ended up?"

Standing up he nodded. "Yeah, the spell dumped me there."

The other Spike walked over to his counterpart and handed him a set of keys. "This is for the apartment," he said as he sorted through them and singled
out another one. "And this is for the Cadillac out there. Tinted windows-the works. Great trunk space."

Spike chuckled softly. "Thanks mate."

He nodded and suddenly snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah, I told Willow over there, but just in case. My minions packed everything up and moved it here. So,
the fallout shelter is cleaned out." He walked past Spike to Willow, who was still sitting on the loveseat. He squatted down and faced her. After grasping a
strand of hair, he held it to his nose and

inhaled, his eyes closed. Once he was finished, he tipped his head and gave her a cocky grin as he caressed her drying face. "Pet, I'm sorry if I

hurt you-"

She shook her head and placed her hand over his. "You didn't, Spike." She chuckled softly. "You're him-but not-and I'm okay. Thanks for keeping your
promise."

He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips and then stood up. He shrugged as he glanced over at Spike and then his eyes met Willow's. "Come on,
love, we still have a few hours before you have to go back to the pricks. Let's make the best of it."

Grinning seductively, she nodded. "Bye Puppy-Spikey. And Fluffy- don't do anything I wouldn't do-"

Spike grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the apartment before she could finish her sentence.

Shaking his head, Angel leaned back and closed his eyes. "What about Angelus?" He asked; his eyes still closed.

"He's the one I'm worried about. Willow took care of the Master and my Willow took care of this Spike-but he's still the wildcard." Spike cleared

his throat and Angel opened his eyes to see his childe's face slip into his

demon fa‡ade. He suddenly turned to Willow. "Red, aren't you hungry by now?"

Her eyes traveled back between the two vampires and slowly nodded. "Yeah, I'll go throw something in the microwave."

Angel watched her turn around and disappear into the other room. He finally looked up at Spike-feeling his childe's tension as he paced restlessly in front
of him.

"What is it, Spike?"

"I want you to be honest with me-it's the only way we can figure out what's going on with prick-face." He lit a cigarette and blew a lungful of

smoke out. "What are your feelings towards Willow or better yet, what does your demon feel?"

Angel groaned as his head fell back. As Buffy would say, he so did not want to deal with this now.

"It's not that I don't trust you-well I don't, but I know that you won't hurt her. But your demon? Here, he's been obsessed with her. Within the first week of
him coming back, he threw Xander out of the Master's lair, claimed Willow-nearly destroyed whatever unity there was in the family-all for her. Now, I ask
you again, what are your demon's feelings for Willow?"

"Fuck Spike," Angel whispered as he met his childe's wild glare. "You don't ask the easy questions, do you?"

Spike shook his head. "Well?"

"I would say it's not too much different. He wanted to fucking stake you when I figured out that you two were intimate."

Spike nodded his face morphing back to his human face. "The spell you used to get here-can we use it to go home?"

Angel shook his head. "I can't-I guess you guys could. It's a one-time deal. We'd have to take it to Giles and have him look it over." Angel stood up. "Giles
also gave me the curse and an orb-just in case Willow had already been turned."

Spike's eyes widened in surprise and looked over his shoulder towards the kitchen. He suddenly shook his head and shrugged. "With a happiness
clause-it's pretty useless."

Angel nodded solemnly.

"And besides, I love her warmth. Bloody hell, she's seventeen years old. I wouldn't want to bring her across until she was older. We only talked of it as an
alternative."

"If you were stranded here."

"If we were stranded here." Spike stood up and began pacing again. "And since you have the spell-all else fails..."

"You two can go home."

"Angel, we can't leave you here!" Willow said, walking out with a frozen dinner in her hand. "It's too nuts. Angel, Buffy's here. Goddess, she almost staked
me. She's nothing like our Buffy."

She sat down next to the dark-haired vampire and placed her heated dinner in front of her. Just as she was getting ready to take a bit of her

food, she stopped and started giggling. Setting the fork down, she picked up the remote control and aimed at the television set.

Puzzled, Angel watched the screen and noticed that the channel was set on one of those 24-hour news cable stations.

"Look Spike-CNN! No more Lon Chaney!"

Spike laughed outright as he moved over and sat on the arm of the couch, next to Willow-leaning on the back behind her. "Let me see it, Red."

She handed him the remote, still grinning and turned back to her dinner.

Spike switched stations and stopped when it landed on a movie channel.

"What's the big deal?" Angel asked, finally just too confused to stay silent anymore.

Willow swallowed and laughed softly. "Our last place was a fallout shelter. The only television station we got was some local one owned by a vampire
who was in love with Peter Cushing and Lon Chaney movies."

"As if watching the first time they came out wasn't enough. I was bloody stuck in the ground-alone, cause Red here would leave in the afternoon and
found myself being bombarded with old flicks that I've hated for over 40 years."

Willow reached over and squeezed his knee. Suddenly her face lit up and she shot up out of her seat. "I can't believe I forgot about it. With all the mess up
and the other Spike being at the lair when I got home-I totally spaced it out. I bought a laptop this afternoon." She walked over to the dining room table and
tore open the box. "I figured that maybe I could find the spell online or get a handle on where to find some reference materials if Giles can't find it." She
looked over her shoulder and met Spike's eye. "Are you mad? It was on sale-only $1500 and she did give us $10,000-"

"Red," Spike said, getting up and walking over to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her neck. "It's fine and when we go back, maybe
you can give it to one of your chums over at the library."

She nodded, tears in her eyes. "Maybe Amy. Angel, Amy's human here and she told me where to get the de-ratting spell. Hopefully, I can bring her back."

Angel chuckled softly as he watched the couple begin setting up the computer. *They really work well together,* he thought to himself. *Spike's much
more at ease with Willow then he was with Dru- especially since I lost my soul.*

Angel cleared his throat and stood up. "What happened with Dru?"

Spike turned around and leaned against the edge of the table after lighting a cigarette. "I did what I set out to do-found her, tortured her and even got her to
admit she still loved me." He chuckled and shook his head. "And then a week later, I found her in bed with that same fucking Chaos Demon. We finally sat
down and talked. And then I left. I ended up somewhere in Mexico and that's where I was until the vixen brought me here."

Angel nodded and stood up, grabbing his coat. "It's close to dawn and I better head back to the apartment. Willow?"

"Umm?" She turned around, her head bowed, reading one of the manuals. She looked up and smiled.

"You know where I used to live, right?"

"The apartment by the Bronze?"

Angel nodded. "I'm at the same place. It's pretty amazing that the building is still standing-considering how many demons there are around there."

She dropped the book on the table and walked over to him. "You will be careful, won't you?"

He smiled down at her as he nodded. "If I didn't know how to take care of myself before my little stint in Hell, I sure as *hell* do now."

Willow nodded and gave him a hug. "Thanks Angel-for everything. Especially for understanding."

He glanced over head at Spike and sighed. "I don't understand, Wills," he started, correcting her. As her face fell, he held up his hand. "But far be it for me
to condemn you and judge you. I've done a lot worse-with my soul-than this. Besides, I can tell by the way that Spike looks at you, that he loves you and
will protect you. I may not like it-but," he shrugged, "who am I to say?"

She gave him one more squeeze and pulled away. Suddenly she snapped her fingers and ran over to the table. "If you need either of us," she said as she
pulled out a piece of paper and began scribbling on it. "Here's our

phone numbers. She gave us both cell phones," Willow said as she walked over and gave Angel the paper.

"Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow. Are you going to go see Giles tomorrow?"

She shook her head. "It's too dangerous. He's supposed to call when he finds it."

Angel looked over at Spike. "Take care of her or I'll stake you myself."

Spike rolled his eyes and strode over to the door, opening it. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't let it hit you on the ass on the way out, either."

Angel chuckled softly, relieved that things were back to normal as they could be-considering where they were at and headed for the door. Taking one last
look at the domestic scene he was leaving, he couldn't help but feel amazed at just how strange this whole night had been.

*Maybe it's the air or something,* he thought to himself as he stepped outside and closed the door behind him. He heard the deadbolt turn and looked up
at the sky. He had maybe a half an hour before dawn.

He'd make it-but it would be close.
 
 

Chapter Nine

It wasn't until he saw Buffy in the cemetery that it really hit him how different things were here in this crazy world, compared to his own.

As soon as night fell, Angel slipped out of his now dust-free apartment, planning on going over to Spike and Willow's to eat some of his childe's bagged
blood, when he felt drawn to the place.

And once he saw her, he understood why.

Even across dimensions, her soul still pulled at his.

But when he saw her, he had an epiphany of sorts.

Before, he would've never, ever believed that coming to Sunnydale would've been a good thing in Buffy's life.

The closest, most positive spin he managed to put on it was maybe her moving there was a necessary thing-like getting your wisdom teeth pulled. But he
never could say it was a good thing.

That is, until he saw her.

Not only was she scarred on the outside, but also from what Willow had said it went much deeper than the marring of her face-her soul had lost its light.

And yet, even with that, she still managed to fall in love with her Angel and his counterpart still lost his soul.

But as Angel stood in the cemetery, hidden from her view and watched her fight, Angel couldn't help but feel vindicated somehow.

As awful as things had turned out in his world-he did manage to have some positive impact on her life. Granted, the pain this Buffy had felt and the
traumas she suffered didn't all have to do with his lack of his presence in her life.

But in the same light, he'd been a part of the Sunnydale package and in retrospect, that hadn't been a bad thing.

And what should've been a positive mark in her life-staying clear of the Hellmouth-actually had worn her down. Whether it be from the loneliness of no
mother, or the kindness of Willow or Xander's steadfast loyalty or Giles' strange approach of guiding, loving and protecting her as her Watcher or even
this world's Angel love-Angel didn't know. But somehow, Sunnydale, with all its danger and trappings, had been kinder to Buffy than Angel had ever
believed possible.

Sighing inwardly, he was just about to turn and leave the cemetery when he heard a familiar voice call out to her-stopping him cold in his tracks.

Repulsed, yet curious, he found himself turning around to watch as his counterpart without a soul slip out of the shadows and begin to taunt the slayer.

Angel watched, unsure if he should interfere or not, as he ignored Angelus' cold words as the demon began to play one of his favorite games with her.

Angel knew, because he too played the same game with her when he lost his soul. Using his fine-tuned sensuality, he would weave poetic words of
hatred and lust, spun in just the right way to tear at her heart-to weaken her.

It should've worked.

But Angelus, at least Angel's demon, forgot one important fact-Buffy was ten times stronger than any slayer or mortal woman he had ever faced before.

Instead of breaking her, she had become stronger.

As he watched this Buffy-so much different and yet not--flinch at Angelus' words, Angel couldn't help but wonder if this young woman had it in her to
withstand it.

Because where he stood, he had to wonder.

Shaking his head, he turned and left the cemetery-unable to watch the macabre scene in front of him. He had enough of his own memories to haunt him
to last several lifetimes-he didn't need anymore.

***

Willow grinned when she saw who was on the other side of the door. She opened it wide, saying nothing and waited for him to enter.

His brown eyes twinkled as he stepped across the threshold and closed the door behind him.

"Could you really tell the difference, or were you testing me?" he asked her as he slipped off his coat.

She took it and hung it up on the coat rack and shrugged. "I could tell. But then, Angelus barely fooled me."

"Meaning?" He asked as he walked across the living room towards the kitchen. "Is Spike in?"

"Nope-he was going stir crazy-and," Willow paused, her eyes shut, "I think he was going hunting as well. He took the car, so he was probably going to go
over to the next town."

His eyes narrowed and she felt a rush of guilt fill her. She just knew what the next question was going to be and she wasn't sure how to answer it.

"And you don't feel bad about it?"

Willow could feel her face flush as her body stiffened. "Of course I feel bad about it, Angel. But he has to eat and he needs the violence. We've already
talked about-ways of going around it and all I know is that if he feeds here, in this Sunnydale, he isn't planning on killing. He called it a 'sip-and-go type of
thing.'"

She watched as Angel opened the refrigerator and pulled out two bags of blood. "Wasn't this good enough for him?"

Willow sighed as she sunk down in the chair. After letting her head fall back and closing her eyes, she answered him.

"He'd been eating it for four days straight and said that he could feel the demon getting anxious and he doesn't want to hurt me, so he said he was going
to hunt. Maybe dust a few vamps to work out his violence issues."

She heard the microwave door close and Angel program it as her mind went over her and Spike's earlier conversation. He didn't make any promises, but
said he would try to find a compromise when it came to killing and feeding.

What did she expect? He was a demon, no matter how much he may love her.

Sighing again, she opened her eyes to see Angel standing in front of her, looking quite thoughtful. "After eighty-some odd years at this, you'd think that I
would have a solution for him-right at hand."

"What did you do?"

The microwave beeped and Angel pulled out the bag and turned around-his back facing Willow.

Willow's eyes dropped as she heard his soft growl behind her and the puncturing of the bag and began staring at the tabletop. A couple of moments later,
she heard a repeat noise echoed loudly through out the now silent kitchen and she knew he was feeding from the second bag.

Three minutes later, he was sitting across from her with a cup of coffee in his hand.

She looked up and their eyes met.

"Animals were always my preferred prey once I got my soul. But sometimes, no matter where you are, they aren't available. If I couldn't hunt them, I did
the sip-n-go thing too," he said.

Willow watched his shoulders droop and his eyes fall onto the table. "I also killed, Willow. Murderers, rapist, abusers-what we demons now call the Anne
Rice routine. It wasn't until I made a mistake and killed an innocent man that I finally lost it-sunk into a depression that lasted on and off 30 or so years. I
fed off rats in the alleys of New York City. Whistler was the one that finally pulled my sorry ass out of there."

She reached over and squeezed his hand gently, seeing the pain flash across his face. She could only imagine the guilt Angel carried with him. And this
was his souls', not his demons.'

Determined to lighten the mood, she pulled her hand away and chuckled softly. "Rats, huh? Although I'm sure the citizens of NYC appreciated your
contributions in keeping the vermin down, I really don't think that's a solution for Spike."

Angel shoulders shook as he snorted. "You're right. Although it would be fun to watch, wouldn't it?"

She nodded as a picture of Spike chasing down a rat flashed through her mind. His duster flapping behind him. She shook her head and laughed.

"Nope, but I agree, it would be funny. So, how do you think he'll do this?"

"He's always had a strong personality or mind. As a human and as a vampire. When Spike wants something or doesn't want to do something, he
basically wins. Always has. Unfortunately, Willow, I can't see him curbing his appetite just for you. The only way that his feeding choices are going to
change is if he wants it-not you."

She nodded slowly, silently agreeing. Everything she had learned about him in the past week seemed to back what Angel had said. Even the other Spike
had an inordinate amount of control over his demon-letting his face change only when he chose to-sipping but not draining.

She sighed. "He has changed or I wouldn't be here. He's not the same vampire I met the week of Parent-Teacher night over a year and half ago."

The dark-haired vampire nodded in agreement as he leaned back in his chair. "I know-just seeing the other Spike and this Spike, I could see it. Subtle
differences, but significant enough of ones, that I actually trust him to be good to you. I never thought I'd say that. But this Spike is so much more like the
childe I knew and ran with for over a hundred some odd years than my childe is that it's amazing.

"What did he say changed him?"

Willow bit her lip and looked at him pointedly.

"You're kidding?" he asked as he straightened. "Me? How?"

"It wasn't you-it was Angelus. And his being in a wheelchair and watching and not being able to fight back. Watching as Dru slipped away from him into
Angelus' arms. Finding himself actually silently cheering Buffy on every time she kicked your-or your demon's butt-because he couldn't do it.

"And finally, his alliance with Buffy to put your demon down," she added. "In a way-that action is probably what enabled him to see me as something other
than a meal or something to be conquered. Because, he started looking at Buffy as an individual and not just as his mortal enemy. And that rubbed off."

Angel nodded as the gears in his mind worked with Willow's words and couldn't help but feel as if Fate once again played them all-for the better. Who
would've ever thought that something good could have come out of his demon's return?

Not Angel.

If nothing else comes out of this adventure, Angel had to think at least for himself, his time in this world, had been a good thing.

He only hoped it remained that way.

***

He couldn't believe his luck.

When he sensed him at the cemetery, he had no idea what it was that was tugging at him.

All he knew was it somehow familiar, and yet not.

Bidding the slayer goodbye after an especially well-aimed punch to her gut, he took off and followed the presence, hoping that he remained out its sensing
range.

Luckily he only needed to remain that close to him for about five minutes.

Once he saw his own profile as his other self walked quickly underneath the streetlight, Angelus grinned.

It was him and yet from what little tidbits Willow had told him of the other world, this was him with a soul.

Dropping back out of sensing range, he followed the vampire across town until he Angelus found himself standing in front of a large apartment building. As
he stepped back into the shadows, he watched as his other self knocked on a door on the ground floor and nearly howled in delight when he saw who
opened the door.

It was she.

The human Willow.

His Willow forgotten, he hid himself, and waited.

***

Willow sighed as she glanced out of the dark night, waiting for Spike to come home.

Giles had called and said he needed to see her. Once she had disconnected the call, she hurried to get ready and had stopped just as she had opened
the door.

She couldn't leave.

"Damnit!" she muttered to herself as she closed the door, kicking it for good measure. Why didn't she ask for Angel to stay with her until Spike got home?
If she had, then he could've escorted her to the library.

After sulking for nearly a minute, she remembered that Spike had a cellphone too and decided to call him.

That's when she found out he had forgotten it.

It was sitting on his nightstand next to an empty pack of cigarettes.

So for the last fifteen minutes she'd been staring outside, watching for her Spike or Angel to return so she could go to the library and learn their fate-all the
while trying not to worry.

Which was the hardest thing of all to do. She kept replaying what Giles had said to her on the phone, trying to get a feel for him-and she couldn't. It was so
hard to read this Giles. With her Giles, she usually could tell what kind of news it was going to be with just the tone of his voice.

Whether it was because of who she was or if it was because of this Giles' general distrust of all-unfamiliar, she didn't know. But this one appeared to play
his cards even closer to his chest than hers did.

Which just frustrated her all the more since she could do nothing about it.

"Damnit," she whispered against the glass.

***

Angel sighed softly as he leaned against the old mausoleum and stared into the empty graveyard.

This Buffy had long since left for more fertile hunting grounds-the air was silent except the lone bird or owl that called into the night-leaving Angel to his
thoughts.

He enjoyed talking with Willow; her kind face, gentle manner and quirky wit all made for an easily spent two hours. It was strange-he felt freer here than he
had since he'd been ensouled. This Sunnydale not being his home, left him with a lot of spare time.

In his world, he never had enough time. Even when he had nothing to do, his dark thoughts would fill the sleepless days and he never could run far
enough away from them.

He didn't even want to.

If he forgot the faces of his victims, who would remember? Did he have a right to forget?

Sometimes, he thought he did, but most of the time, he knew he didn't.

But here, in this world, the victims weren't his-the deeds done by his counterpart weren't a reflection on him-it was more like watching a movie that he had
a feel for the ending, but still wasn't quite sure if he was guessing correctly. It was kinda of freeing. Especially after watching Buffy earlier and knowing
now that the last four years of his unlife weren't for nothing.

He had made a difference.

A twig snapped and Angel stiffened-sensing the presence of another vampire-and was surprised to see Willow walking towards him through the
cemetery.

Smiling at him, she leaned against the wall next to him, pressing her leather-clad breasts against his arm while running a red fingernail down the front of
his shirt.

"Puppy, I've been looking for you," she said, whispering in his ear.

Inwardly groaning, he pulled his head back and faced her, putting some distance between the two. Gods, he wanted her. He could smell her arousal and it
was enough to drive him to distraction.

"Willow-what brings you here?"

Biting her bottom lip, she once again closed the distance between the two and nibbled on his ear.

"I told you," she whispered right before snaking her cool tongue in his ear. "You did."

Growling softly, he whipped around and grabbed her arms, holding her back. "Why?" he asked as she pushed against his hold, trying to pin him. "I thought
it was Angelus' night."

Stomping her feet, she pouted at him. "It was. He stood me up. He's never stood me up, Puppy." She dropped her eyes. "I'm worried."

"About what? I just saw him earlier-taunting the slayer. It was like watching a repeat of last year in my world."

She rolled her eyes in disgust. "And he gives me trouble about Spike, the hypocrite. He wants to fuck her. He always wants to fuck her and he hates that
he does. I say he should just get it over and then kill her. And forget about it. That way, he gets his fun, he gets her blood and another slayer kill under his
belt."

Angel chuckled softly as he shook his head. "He won't do it, Willow. He's afraid of her. He's afraid to be with her and he's afraid of what'll happen if he kills
her."

Her eyebrows creased. "Is that how you felt when you lost your soul? With her?"

"Yes," Angel said as he nodded.

"Then he should just fuck her and forget her. He doesn't have to kill her. I can or Spike can. He's a demon. What is it about you two and mortals?"

Angel dropped her arms and gave her small smile. "I don't think you can say that, Willow. Your Spike seems pretty taken with you and he has been since
he met you, right?"

"Yeah, I suppose so."

"And you were a vampire when you met him last year, right?"

"Okay-bored now. What about my Angel?"

Angel frowned, thinking of his Willow sitting at home alone. "Could he know where Willow and Spike are?"

"I don't know."

"Spike's not home. He had to hunt tonight. His demon was getting a bit cagey. Willow said he took the car and went over to the next town to do his stuff."
He turned to her, watching her eyebrows crease. "Do you think we should be worried?"

She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a cellphone. "I'm going to call Spike and have us meet him there. I'll try the other Spike too."

Angel nodded; feeling more anxious as the minutes wore away. Pacing in front of her, listening with only half an ear to her call to her Spike, Angel tried not
to think of what would happen if the other Angelus got a hold of Willow.

His demon, on the other hand, kept urging him to run over there and protect her-which he couldn't begin to understand. Protect her from himself?

Growling, he turned to Willow as she closed the phone, a flash of fear crossing her face.

"My Spike said he'd meet us over there."

Angel began jogging away.

"Puppy! Angel-Spike didn't answer his phone-"

He stopped and turned around, watching her.

"And neither did Willow."

***

"So Angel, what made you come back?" Willow asked as she slipped out the door, locking it behind her. "Not that I'm not glad or anything because I need
you, but I'm surprised.

He shrugged, his leather coat flapping in the window. "I was kinda bored and I decided that I wanted to see if Spike had come back yet."

She sighed as she shook her head. "Nope and he forgot his cellphone too." Her eyes suddenly widened as she reached into her coat pocket and found it
empty. She groaned softly.

"What?"

She rolled her eyes and gave him an embarrassed smile. "We need to go back. I just realized I forgot mine too. Here I was all ready to be mad at him and
I just did the same thing."

He reached over and grabbed her arm, stopping her from starting back. She frowned as she looked up at him. "What?"

"Do you really need it, Willow?"

She wasn't sure what it was that tipped her off. Was it the tone of his voice? Or even that he questioned her? Her Angel would know why she needed to
have the cellphone.

Her Angel...

Her mouth dried as she stared at the pale hand that was holding her arm. As her heart began to speed up, she forced herself to look up at the dark-haired
vampire's face.

She nearly lost her dinner when she saw Angelus' grin.

"Oh Goddess," she whispered more to herself than to him. "I did it again!"

This was not a good thing.
 
 

Chapter Ten

"She's gone," Spike said as he opened the door. "It was locked up. No sign of struggle and bloody fucking hell if both of them didn't take their phones!"

Pacing in the living room, he periodically glared at Willow all the while shaking his head, muttering underneath his breath.

Angel's eyebrows rose.

Obviously, this Spike hated Angelus as much as his own childe.

Willow growled softly as she whipped around, her demon face sliding on. "Sweet Satan, he was here!"

"Who?" Angel asked.

Willow rolled her eyes at him as she took off to the door. "Your better half, Puppy!" She stopped as she yanked the door open and turned around, keeping
her eyes on Angel, pointedly ignoring Spike's cold stare. "Angel, come with me. Spike can wait for your childe."

She stepped out the door, leaving it open.

Angel turned and eyebrows raised and glanced over at Spike. "Is this alright with you?"

Demon face rippling, Spike nodded once. "If I got a hold of him, I may bloody well stake the bastard. Go!"

Angel said nothing and followed Willow out the door.

***

Willow couldn't believe that she could be so stupid. Seventeen years old, two years fighting vampires and any other demon or bad guy that wanted
Sunnydale as its personal playground, and she walked out willingly into Angelus' care.

What was it she said earlier to Angel? 'Angelus barely fooled her.'

*Eat your words, girl,* she thought to herself as she looked down at her hand clasped tightly in his hand.

She was surprised her legs were even working as they walked down the street in disgusting parody of a couple out for an evening stroll. With every step
she made with him, the acid in her stomach bubbled even more.

*Goddess, now I'm going to have to worry about keeping my dinner in my stomach too,* she thought as her eyes scanned her surroundings.

*Where is he taking me?* she asked herself as he tugged on her hand, pulling her towards the left at a nondescript street corner.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up at him, trying to ignore the chill that swept down her spine. "Why?"

Angelus stopped so quickly that Willow bumped into him. He grasped her waist and looked down at her, smiling.

Goddess, she hated that smile.

It haunted it for months after he nearly killed her that first night when he had come back. His cool hands around her neck-shaking her out of her emotional
stupor-forcing her to realize her own mortality, even though she was way too young to deal with it.

At least not by a demon's hand wearing her friend's face.

Never that.

"What's that, little one?" he whispered as his cool fingers caressed her cheek. "Why what?"

Biting her bottom lip, she took a deep breath and tried preparing herself-for what she didn't know-but Goddess if he was going to turn her...at least Angel
had the curse.

"Why me?"

His finger's tightened their hold on her chin, forcing her head up to look at him. "Don't you know by now? Didn't your soulboy tell you?"

Swallowing hard, she shook her head. "Tell-tell me what?"

He lowered his head; his lips nearly touching hers as his tongue slipped out and licked her bottom lip. Not even thinking about the consequences, Willow
tried pulling away as she whimpered softly.

His hold just tightened more. Willow knew if she survived the night, she would have bruises on her chin matching his fingertips.

*Oh Spike,* she silently called out to her lover. *Please hurry...*

"*I* always wanted you," he said, his lips touching hers. "Always."

***

By the time Spike made it home, he was nearly jumping out of his own skin. What started as a tickling in his mind that there may be trouble had escalated
to the point that all he could think of is getting home and seeing Willow.

To hold her. Make love to her and never let her go.

By the time he reached the top step to his doorstep, he knew it wasn't going to happen.

At least not right now.

Willow was not home and there was a vampire in his home.

Fortunately, he recognized the presence.

It was himself.

Growling, he opened the door and stepped inside, his eyes instantly locking onto his counterpart's golden eyes. "The bloody prick took her!" was all the
other Spike said as he ran past Spike to the outside.

Spike followed, ignoring the rising panic that had nearly bubbled over.

Angelus would pay.

***

"You know, if we ensouled him-he wouldn't hurt her," Angel said as he watched the redhead's vampiric countenance ripple in anger.

Growling, she shook her head. "You don't get it, do you, Puppy?"

"Get what?" Angel snapped. "That he's got Willow and I know what he's planning. My demon is whispering all the lurid details to me right now- trying to
goad me into getting her back! Willow is his, as far as he's concerned. Just as you are your Angelus'."

Her human face turned and looked up at him. "Then why didn't you claim her? Why are you letting her and Spikey stay together?"

"You don't get it, do you? Willow's not mine-she's her own person. She made her choice. That's the difference between my demon and me. I don't claim
ownership on people. And he knows that there's not a damn thing he can do about it. I am the boss. I proved that in Hell, my dear and no one-not even you
or your precious Angel is going to hurt her and get away with it!"

She stopped, her eyes widening as her game face appeared. "Puppy's got balls! Did Hell do that to you, Puppy?"

Finally, after two days of her poking, he lost it. Roaring, he felt his face change as he whipped around and grabbed Willow before she could even manage
to turn away, and picked her up by the neck and threw her down on top of the hood of a car they were just walking by. Pinning her down with his body, he
grabbed her arms and held them easily with one hand.

His other claw sliced a thin cut on her neck as she struggled ineffectively under him. Smashing his pelvis down on hers, he bent his head and licked her
sweet blood, growling softly. "You may be the Master's childe, Willow and I may only be his grandsire-but I'm five hundred years older than you and I am
the master here! Got it!"

Bucking, she shook her head, denying his claim.

*Fuck it,* Angel thought as he sunk his fangs down into her soft skin and began drinking, all the while he felt his demon growl approvingly.

***

Spike was dumbstruck at the sight.

*Peaches has finally lost it,* he thought to himself as he and his counterpart ran over to the car and began tugging Angel off of Willow.

He refused to budge.

"Damnit Angel! We don't have time for this shit now! Don't get all demon on us-you're the fucking one with the bloody soul!"

Angel lifted his head, Willow's blood lining his lips.

Smiling, he licked his lips as he looked back down at the dazed redhead. "Got it, Willow?"

Clenching her jaw, she nodded.

"No-say it! What's my name, now?"

"Angel," she whispered as she pushed up against his chest. "Let me up, you ass. All I want is you guys to go home. It's no fun anymore!"

Spike glanced at his other self and watched his jaw clench and unclench. Sighing, he grabbed his arm and tugged him off to the side. "He didn't hurt her,"
Spike said softly. "I think Willow just needed to be reminded that my sire is not her Puppy."

His double rolled his eyes. "She is a little obtuse sometimes. I bloody well knew the first time I met him." He shook his head-watching Spike carefully. "I
don't think you feel it-because he's your sire or something-but he's fucking strong, Spike. Stronger than our Angel. Don't cross him or you'll end up
blowing in the wind."

Surprised, Spike said nothing and turned to watch Angel release Willow. She stood up, glaring at Angel as she tugged on her bustier, as if by straightening
her clothes she could somehow reclaim her dignity. Spike knew the first time he met her, a week before, that no one had ever succeeded to dominate her
other than the Master himself, just by the way she carried herself. For one so young, she had the strength of a master vampire.

As much as he hated the timing, she probably needed a lesson in humility-if only so she would continue to survive.

A survivor always knew how to pick his battles. Willow needed to learn this lesson. He just wished the timing could've been better.

Shaking his head at the wasted minutes, he growled softly as he walked over to Angel. "Done now, Peaches? Can we go now and get Willow back or am
I going to have to deal with another one of these," he stopped and nodded at Willow, "for the rest of my bloody unlife?"

Looking properly chagrined, Angel nodded once and started walking. "Come on, Willow, get your cute little butt up here and tell me where he's at!"

"Prick!" Willow muttered as she jogged up to Angel.

Spike looked over to his other self and sighed softy at the obvious rage he saw in his eyes.

Spike knew his eyes held the same anger.

Angelus better hope that neither of them got their hands on him or he'd be dead before the night was through.

Of that, Spike was sure.

***

*Always wanted me?* Willow asked herself. *How? Why* Groaning, her eyes shut as his mouth moved sensually over her lips-nipping at them, trying to
coax them to open as his arms held her tightly against him.

*Want me for what?* Could it be just sex?* Could she be so lucky?

*Oh Goddess,* she thought to herself as she moaned softly.

Angelus cool tongue slipped between her lips-dancing erotically with her own. She could feel her body beginning to respond to him-despite the fear.

She tried breaking the kiss, but he seemed to anticipate this and had already grasped the back of her head-holding her still by her hair.

Panting, she inwardly groaned in frustration. Just like this world's Spike, this Angel knew the other Willow intimately and was using that knowledge to play
her body like a master musician.

*Just go with it,* a small voice inside of her head whispered. *Fighting will only make him angry and an angry Angelus is much more dangerous than a
horny Angelus.

*Hopefully,* the voice added shyly.

When did sex become so easy to her? Less than a week ago she was a virgin and now here she was entrapped in Angelus' arms. For a second night in
a row she was being forced to participate in something she really, really, really didn't want to do.

Goddess, she just wanted to go home.

Finally, he broke the kiss, allowing her to catch her breath as he began kissing his way down her neck. Her eyes shot open and took in her surroundings
and nearly groaned outloud when she realized they were basically alone.

Damn him. And damn Willow for bringing her here in the first place! If she hadn't been a victim of her counterpart's self-centered plans, she could be
safely in bed-her own bed-

Her mind ground to a halt before she allowed herself to finish the thought.

Yes, she might've been safe in her world-but would she really be the Willow that she wanted to become?

Too many thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, she grasped his forearms and shook him lightly.

"Angelus," she called to him softly, hoping that he would quit kissing her neck before she became a puddle in his arms. "Angel!"

He growled softly in her skin, causing her whole body to shiver in response. "What is it, Willow? I'm kinda busy here..."

"I know-I'm sorry-I-where-wh-what's happening?"

A low rumbling shook his chest as both of his hands slipped down to her waist and linked together at the small of her back. After yanking her against his
body-ensuring that she would feel his hard-on poking her stomach, he looked down at her and smirked.

Willow hated that smirk almost as much as the smile he gave her earlier.

"I'm seducing you, Willow-that's what's happening. And I can tell by your racing heart and the smell of your arousal, that it's working."

Ignoring the red blush that flushed her face, she nodded, acknowledging the truth of his words. But knowing Angelus', there was more to it. "What else?
After the seduction? Are you going to let me go? Will I still be mortal?" Her voice shook with dread. "Or-or are-are you go-going to turn me?"

He lifted a hand and brushed her tears. "What do you want, Willow?"

Even more tears flooded her eyes as bit down on her bottom lip in anger. He really didn't want to know what she wanted. And if he did, she really didn't
want to tell him.

Too dangerous.

"Willow-speak to me," he whispered, his tongue circling her ear. "Tell me what you want."

Her breath hitched as her head swam. She didn't know if she wanted to scream in pleasure, cry out in shame or deck him.

All three options were dangerous and all three of them were just seconds from happening.

One nibble on her earlobe was all it took.

Willow exploded. Just not the way Angelus had planned. Of that she was sure.

"No, Angelus! Home-that's what I want! I wanna go home, okay? I want to see my friends. I want to joke with Xander-talk to my Buffy and I want, almost
more than anything, to de-rat Amy! I want to break up with Oz and live the rest of my mortal life in the arms of my Spike! Not you! Not the other Spike! No
Xander or Oz. My Spike! Okay?" She could feel her that maniac craziness that only seemed to seep out when she was dealing with other self, take over.

"So, if I have to fuck you-play your games so I can go home-then I'll do it. But please, let me go home," she finished, whispering against his chest as her
body shook. "Just let me go home."

After dipping his head down, he nuzzled her neck, purring softly in her ear. "We'll see," he whispered and before she could protest, he swept her in his
arms and began sprinting down the street.

***

She always recognized his presence. It was like a black curtain that draped itself over her soul-smothering whatever connection she still felt for her Angel.

And yet that curtain was appealing to her because she knew if she could just get close enough, she might be able to lift it up and find her soulmate
underneath.

Find her Angel.

As she crept through the darkened yards, hiding behind trees and buildings, she spotted a couple standing in the street-with only the moonlight
illuminating them.

Her heart recognized the pair long before her mind registered it-Willow and Angel. Biting her bottom lip, Buffy forced herself not to respond as she studied
the couple-forcing herself to catalogue their peculiarities until she could take them down.

Tonight was not the night.

Her side still ached from Angelus' hard kick into her gut hours before and she could feel various areas in her body sing in pain from his abuse. If she was
ever going to take on Willow and Angelus, she had to be in top form.

It still amazed her that in another world, that red-haired bitch was mortal and her best friend. And yet, Buffy had to admit, that if she looked past all her
anger towards the vampiric form, she could see how the other Willow could mean so much to her. There was gentleness about her-a type of love and
acceptance that Buffy had only had a taste of once she came to stay in Sunnydale. If that other Willow gave her Buffy that-she could see herself willing to
die to keep her safe.

A strangled cry interrupted her thoughts as a woman's voice broke the icy silence that had settled around them.

"-Home-that's what I want-" the wind blew and the rest of the words were lost in breeze, but Buffy didn't need to hear anymore if her suspicions were true.

This Willow wasn't the Willow from her world.

It was the mortal Willow and she was in need of help.

Sighing, the Slayer began closing in on the couple.

***

Still pouting, Willow angrily stomped down the street, following a scent that only she could detect, with Angel, and both Spikes following her.

If Spike hadn't been so angry with both Angel and Angelus, the situation would've been humorous.

Willow hated not being in control-the master of her life and Angel, in all his soulful goodness, gave her a lesson that Spike figured she'd probably wanted
to go the rest of her unlife learning: she was not the strongest, evil-most bad-ass vampire around.

There were others stronger than she was.

Ironically, Spike had learned that lesson himself quite early on in his unlife. Angelus was not a kind sire-and Darla was far from an indulgent grandsire. And
to be honest, the Master always hated Spike and gave him many of lessons on how to be good fledgling. Being submissive and doting to his elders were
the two most prominent lessons that came to mind.

Shuddering to himself, he took an unneeded breath and tried to search for Willow on his own. If he could break away from The Willow and Angel Show in
front of him, he might be able to make up for all that lost time Angelus had stolen away from them. He knew by the look on Angel's face every time Red's
name came up, that Angelus' plans were far from being as benevolent as the other Spike's.

And being a recipient of Angelus' intentions, Spike could only shudder in dread at the thought.

*Hold on, Red, we're coming,* Spike thought to himself. *We're coming.*

***

Buffy stared at the house she saw Angelus and Willow enter and sighed softly. For the first time since she arrived in Sunnydale, she was unsure as to her
next move. If she barged in there, Angelus could very well kill Willow-just out of spite.

But if she stayed out here-he could do the same.

Realizing that she was at an impasse, she pulled out her cellphone and dialed a number.

Maybe good ole Giles would have an answer.

***

Spike nearly jumped at the sound of his cellphone ringing. Glancing at his other self, he pulled it out and answered it.

"Sp-Spike?"

Spike frowned, unable to place the voice on the other end of the line. There was something familiar about it...

"Yeah, this is him. Who is this?"

"Oh well, yes, Willow gave me your number a couple of days ago-just in case. This is Rupert Giles-"

"The watcher?"

"Um yes-the watcher. Anyway, Buffy just called to say she saw Angelus carrying Willow into a house in midtown-"

"Where? We're in midtown right now-searching for her. I knew that bloody prick had her!"

"Spike?" Angel called out as he and Willow turned around and walked over to him. "Who's that?"

"Giles-he says the slayer spotted Angelus and Willow going into a house-you got the address, watcher?"

"Um? Oh address, yes, I do. Oh, and Spike, Willow was still alive and fine as of a few a minutes ago. Buffy said she seemed to be bit upset-"

"Address mate!"

Not even minute later, Spike closed the phone and turned to Willow. "Do you know where Baker Street is? She's at 4215 Baker Street."

Willow nodded. "Follow me!"
*******
Next Part