The Favor

By SpiderQueen

Title: The Favor
Author: SpiderQueen
Disclaimer: Don't own them.  Just playing.  Promise to give back.  No
profit.
Feedback: Always a wonderful thing.  It makes me write faster.
Distribution: My site.  If you've got any of my other stuff, then feel
free
to take.  If not, then just tell me that you're posting it.
Spoilers: Fourth Season...Up to and including The Initiative
Rating: PG
Summary: Willow's got a semi-stalker and she needs help shaking him.
Spike
agrees to role play as none other than her date.
 
 

"I'm so proud, Wills!"  Buffy exclaimed to her friend once Willow had
hung up
the phone.  "Your very own Stalker."

Willow groaned.  "Buffy, don't start.  He's not a stalker.  He's
just…a
little overzealous."

"Stalker."  Buffy confirmed with a nod of her head.  "I just don't
believe
you made that deal with him."

The witch shoved her face in her hands and fell over on the bed.  "Me
neither."  She mumbled through her fingers.

"You neither what?"  Xander said, entering the dorm room and shutting
the
door behind him.

"Don't you knock?"  Buffy asked.

"Don't you lock your door?"  Xander retorted as he crashed onto the end
of
Buffy's bed.  "Anyway, what are we talking about?"

"Willow made a deal with her personal stalker-guy."

"What?"  Xander glanced at Buffy in confusion.  The Slayer simply
shrugged
her shoulders and nodded in Willow's direction.

"Now, Will.  I've heard of making a deal with the devil and while
living on
the Hellmouth puts a whole new spin on that, I've never heard of making
a
deal with a stalker.  And since when have you had a stalker?"

Willow sighed and gave into her friend's badgering.  "Todd.  His name
is
Todd.  I met him in my Contemporary America class."

"He really digs our Wills."  Buffy cut in, raising her eyebrows when
Willow
shot her an annoyed look.

"Anyway."  Willow continued.  "We had coffee after class.  Well, I had
apple
juice, but you know what I mean.  That was four days ago.  He hasn't
stopped
calling me.  He walks me to class everyday and keeps asking me out."

"So, go out with said stalk-guy."  Xander replied simply.

Willow crinkled her nose.  "I'm not up to the date-thing just yet.
Plus,
he's kinda freaky.  At first he was completely sweet and I was
flattered, but
now I'm a little scared."

"You want me to tell him to back off?"  Buffy asked.

"No.  No, it's ok.  That might make things worse."

"Woah.  Hold up."  Xander interrupted.  "What's the deal you made with
this
guy?"

"Ah ha!"  Buffy sat up straight and pointed her index finger in the
air.
"You've just hit upon Willow's dilemma!"

"So?"  Xander prompted as he looked to Willow for an explanation.

"You know the party we're all going to tomorrow?  Well, he asked me to
go
with him.  I told him that I already have a date.  So, he said that if
my
date canceled that I had to go with him.  He's gonna be waiting at the
party.
 I just know it."  Willow finished, dread in her voice.

"So?  What's the big?  Just don't let your date bail on you."  Xander
shrugged.

Willow groaned in frustration and threw a pillow at him.  "I don't have
a
date."

Buffy grinned.  "You lied.  Bad girl."

"Well, Will.  I'd go with him, but Anya would kill you…and then me.
Brutally.  Very brutally."

"And I'd take you, but I just don't swing that way.  Plus, Riley's
coming
with me."

Willow smiled weakly.  "Thanks guys."

"Just find somebody to go with."  Buffy waved her hand through the air,
as if
indicating all the single college guys crawling around the campus.

Willow looked mortified and quickly shook her head.  "Oh, no.  I
couldn't.
I'm not good at asking guys out.  Besides it's tomorrow.  There's no
way…."

"I'm sure there are plenty of guys who'd love the chance to spend the
evening
with our amazing Wills."  Buffy said, sitting down next to Willow and
throwing her arm over the witch's shoulder.

"Right."  Willow's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Xander, think of someone of the single persuasion to go with Will to
the
party."

Xander thought for a moment.  "I don't have any male friends, remember?
 Just
you, Will, and Anya.  If you could call Anya a friend."

"An orgasm friend."  Buffy teased.

"Hey.  Shut up."  Xander threw the pillow Willow had chucked his way
and hit
Buffy in the head with it.

"Bastard."  Buffy half muttered and half giggled.  She dropped the
pillow to
the floor and lay back on the bed.  "Why don't you just let me get
Riley to
hook you up with a frat hottie?"

"No way."  Willow's resolve face kicked in and Buffy sighed, giving up
on
that idea.

"Alright.  Who do you know that is single?"  Buffy asked, poking
Willow's arm.

"Me."  The witch answered with a touch of sadness and a touch of humor.

"There's a new concept.  Be your own date."

"Shut up, Xander."  Buffy retorted.  "You're not helping."

Willow sighed and shifted around, looking worried and embarrassed.  She

didn't want someone's evening to be ruined because they had to take her
to a
party.  However, she couldn't think of any other way to get Todd to
leave her
alone.

Buffy perked up.  "Spike.  What about Spike?  He's single and very
non-busy
Friday night.  He'd probably die to get out…uh, wrong choice of
words.  He'd
probably kill to get…ok, another bad choice.  He'd probably really
like to
get out of Giles' house."

"No.  No, he wouldn't want to go."  Willow answered, quickly shaking
her head.

"Why not?"

"Because…because he's Spike."

"So?"

"I couldn't ask him to go with me."  Willow's face was flushed and she
was
trying not to stutter.

"I never said anything about asking.  Just tell him that if he doesn't
go
with you, then I'll stake him."

"Buffy.  No…I can't blackmail him like that.  He'll think I'm mean
and really
pathetic for not being able to get a date."

"He's a vampire.  Why do you care what he thinks about you?"  Xander
said,
getting up to answer the ringing telephone since neither girl made a
move to
get it.

"Will, he's the only option if you won't let Riley set you up with
somebody."
 Buffy tried to reason with her friend  "So, it's either the vamp or
the
stalker.  You pick."

"Gotta go."  Xander interrupted as he hung up the phone.  "Anya
awaits."

"You're so whipped."  Buffy mused, watching him leave.

"Let me know about the million dollar question.  Spike or stalker?"

"I'll do that."  Buffy nodded as he left.

"So, Will?  What'll it be?"

"Buffy, he's not going to go with me."

"Why not?"  Buffy sat up.  "You're the only one he ever talks to.  You
vamp
sit him all the time and you're even nice to him when you do.  He owes
you
and he knows it."

Willow was still unsure.

"Just ask him if he'll help you out.  See what he says."

"Ok."  The witch answered in a small voice after a long pause of
hesitation.
 

*******
"Red."  Spike said, standing up in surprise and quickly flipping the
soap
opera off.  "I thought you had classes until four."

Willow shut the door and dropped her backpack by the coat rack.
"Professor
Clem wasn't there.  He left a note on the door.  Wait.  You know my
schedule?"

"Well, yeah."  Spike answered, looking shyly at the floor, an unusual
gesture
for him.  "You're the one who always brings me blood."  He added
quickly,
hoping to explain away his knowledge.

"Oh."  Willow nodded.  "Are you hungry?"  She pulled two bags of blood
out of
her backpack and held them up.  "I come bearing blood."

"Is it warm?"  Spike leaped over the couch and skidded to a stop in
front of
the red head.

Willow laughed and jerked the bags behind her back.  "No way.  I never
said I
brought them for you."

"Right, pet.  So, you're developing a taste for blood?"

Willow scrunched her face up in disgust.  "Ewww.  No.  And no, it's not
warm.
 Want me to heat it up for you?"

Spike nodded eagerly and followed Willow to the kitchen like a puppy
waiting
to be fed.

"Spike, go sit down.  I'll bring it to you."

"Why are you waiting on me like this?"  The vampire asked, raising his
eyebrows in suspicion.

Willow shifted around uncomfortably and poured the blood into a large
mug.
"Well, I sorta have a favor to ask of you.  So, I'm buttering you up,
hoping
that you'll say yes."

"Buttering me up, huh?  Do I have to take off my clothes for you to do
that?"
 Spike chuckled, tugging at his t-shirt.  "Cause I don't mind."

"Oh, uh…."  Willow stumbled around her words and dropped her eyes to
the
floor.  She just knew that her face was red and flushed.  "Don't be
silly."
She finally managed to say.

"You're no fun."  Spike pouted.

"Go sit down and I'll bring this to you when it's heated up."

"And tell me what you want me to do for you?"  Spike grinned.

"Yes.  Now go."  She shooed him out of the kitchen and into the living
room.
"Where's Giles, anyway?"  Willow called to Spike.

"Out.  Some job interview."

"Here."  Willow handed a seated Spike the mug of warm blood and sat in
the
chair opposite the sofa he was on.  She sat quietly, wondering how she
was
going to ask the vampire to go with her to the party.

"Go on."  Spike rolled his eyes and prompted the witch when he saw her
trying
to formulate the question she wanted to ask.

Willow took a deep breath.  "Don't feel obligated or anything.  I mean,
I'd
totally understand if you don't want to do this."

Spike groaned and leaned forward.  "Spit it out, Red."  He growled.

Clearing her throat Willow started to explain.  "There is this guy
named
Todd.  He sorta likes me, I'm not really sure why though.  I mean, it's
not
like I'm something special…."

"Red."

"Right.  Sorry.  So, this guy likes me.  That's great and everything,
but he
just won't leave me alone.  He follows me everywhere and calls me all
day
long.  I bet there are 10 messages on the answering machine at the dorm
from
him right now.  I'll have to go through them all when I get back.  He
was
sweet at first.  We went out for coffee and we talked about all sorts
of
things."

"Red.  What do you want from me?"  Spike said, interrupting the witch.
He
didn't enjoy hearing about any guy making a move on his Willow.  The
vampire
wasn't quite sure why he had started to feel possessive of her, but he
had.
He suspected that his feelings, his crush on the petite red head, was
because
he was trapped into helping the so-called Scooby Gang out and she was
the
only one who was decent to him.  She had so graciously given him a
Christmas
present and included him in the festivities, even when he protested the

entire time.  She was the only one who kept the blood in the
refrigerator
stocked, and seemed to be the only one who really cared about him in
any way.

"I'm getting there."  Willow answered, interrupting the vampire's
thoughts.
"Anyway, um, this guy…Todd…he asked me to go with him to a party
tomorrow
night.  I told him that I had a date, but I really don't.  If I show up
by
myself, then I've got to spend the evening with him.  If I don't show
up at
all, then he'll bug me 'til the end of time."  Willow took a deep
breath and
asked her question quickly, cringing at the imminent rejection.  "So
would
you go to the party with me?"

Spike sat still, not moving and a bit stunned that the red head had
just
asked him out.  Granted, she didn't have much of a choice, but out of
all the
guys she could have asked, she asked him.

"Please."  Willow said softly, her eyes firmly locked on the spot of
carpet
between her shoes.  She was afraid to look up, just knowing that he was

laughing silently at her stupidity at thinking he would actually
consider
attending the party with her.

"Me, luv?"  Spike asked, still a little shocked.

Willow looked up to meet his gaze when she didn't hear any laughter in
his
voice.  "Yes.  Please, Spike.  I'm scared.  I feel like he's watching
me all
the time.  I can't stand it.  And I can't go to the party alone."  Her
eyes
pleaded with the vampire.

Spike felt something in his throat catch.  The fear, of the guy who was

pursuing her and of rejection, made him feel for the little witch.  He
finally tore his eyes away from hers and stood up, clearing his throat.
 
Willow dropped her eyes to the floor taking his silence as a negative
answer.
 "Sorry I put you on the spot like that."  She mumbled.  "It's ok
though.
I'll just tell him to leave me alone.  I'm sure it'll be fine."

Willow stood to leave, however by this time Spike had regained his
composure
after the initial shock that Willow had asked for his help, which she
had
never done before.  "Do you even have to ask?"  He said, smiling at her
back.

"What?"  Willow asked, turning away from the door and back to the
vampire.

"You think I was going to turn you down, Red?"

"Well, I mean…"  Willow stuttered, unsure of how to respond.

"So, when is this party?"

"To…tomorrow.  The gang is going at 8:30."

Spike grinned.  "See you then, Red."

"Ok."  Willow answered, still confused and a little shocked that the
gorgeous
blond vampire had agreed to spend the evening with her, outside of
Giles'
house, posing as her date.

"Where are you going?"  Spike asked, watching as Willow opened the
door,
leaving her backpack in the floor.

"Oh, I, uh…"  Willow cocked her head to the side.  "I don't know."

Spike chuckled at her confusion.  "Stay here and amuse me.  I'm bored
and I
can't go out.  Bloody sun gets in my way."

Willow lightened up and composed herself, even laughing at Spike's
comment.
"Alright.  I'll stay with you, but we're not watching soap operas."
She
trudged over to the sofa and plopped down next to the seated vampire.

"What do you want to do?"  He asked, nudging her with his arm.

"What do you want to do?"  She repeated his question back to him.

"Dammit woman, I asked first."  Spike slid his hand down to Willow's
knee and
squeezed it lightly, but firmly.

The red head squeaked and wiggled around, trying to remove his hand.
"Spike
that tickles.  Stop."

"Say please."

"No."

"Say please."  He repeated, placing more pressure in his grip.

Willow giggled and relented.  "Please."

He lifted his hand away and asked what she wanted to do again.

"Can you teach me how to cook?"

"What makes you think I can cook?"  He asked, amused.

"I don't know.  Just a feeling.  Can you?"

"I'm not that bad.  Been a while since I've fixed anything though."

"Well, let's go see how rusty you are."  Willow pushed herself out of
the
sofa and pulled Spike up with her.

"I'm gonna drug your food with blood."  Spike laughed, teasing the
witch.

"You do and I'll be forced to stake you."

"Now, now.  You wouldn't do that to me would you?"

Willow glanced over to the vampire.  "I guess not."  She answered,
smiling.
 

*******

"Why are you so worried about how you look?  You'd think that you're
actually
going out with somebody, not just Spike."

"Spike is somebody, Buffy."  Willow said as she slid the hair clasp
into her
red tresses.

"He's a vampire somebody.  Those somebodys don't count."

"So, you think this is ok?"  Willow changed the subject, standing up
and
holding her arms out to the sides.

Buffy looked at her friend and smiled.  "You look amazing.  Too bad
you're
wasting it on Spike, though."  Buffy smiled inwardly.  She knew Willow
had a
crush on the blond vampire.  That much was obvious.    Buffy even saw
Spike
return the witch's affections with joking innuendos that made the red
head
blush.    The Slayer thought that maybe, just maybe, he was feeling for

Willow, a fraction of what Willow was feeling for him.  He did hide it
will
when others were around, Buffy had to admit.

"Are you sure this isn't too short?"  Willow tugged at the hem of the
dress.
It was one of Buffy's; a dark green, silk dress that came to the middle
of
Willow's thigh.  The dress was sleeveless, with two spaghetti straps
holding
it up.  The ensemble was airy, yet it fitted Willow perfectly.

"Of course it's not too short."  Buffy reassured her friend.  "Where's
Spike
supposed to meet us?"

"He said that he'd be here at 8:30."  Willow glanced to the clock.
"Five
minutes."

"Why are you so nervous, Will?"  Buffy asked, knowing the answer, but
asking
to see what kind of reaction she'd get.

"I'm not nervous."

"You are so.  You're counting down the minutes until he gets here."

"I am not…." Willow stopped when she heard a light knock on the door.
 
Suddenly she panicked.  She just knew that she couldn't go through with
it.
She knew that if she spent the evening with Spike under the guise of a
date,
then she'd say or do something to make her crush known, thus ruining
the
twisted friendship she had developed with the vampire.

However, it was too late.  Buffy was already opening the door.  What
Willow
saw on the other side almost buckled her legs and made her start
panting like
a winded puppy.

Spike.  His blond hair neatly combed back and a cocky smirk on his
face.  He
was wearing tight, black leather pants with a white, button-up dress
shirt.
The bottom two buttons were unhooked, as were the top two buttons,
giving
Willow a peek of his chest and a bit of his stomach.
Willow unconsciously licked her lips and blatantly stared.  Buffy
invited him
in, raising her eyebrows at his sudden change in wardrobe.

Spike noticed Willow's fixed stare on him and sauntered up to her.
"Like
what you see, pet?"  The vampire whispered in her ear.  He slowly
walked
around her, giving the witch the once over with his eyes.  She felt as
if her
skin would catch on fire everywhere his eyes trailed.  No one had ever
looked
at her like that before and she almost crumpled under his gaze.

"I certainly like what I see."  He said into her other ear after he had

finished his circle around her.

Willow let out a brief, involuntary squeak, soft enough for only Spike
to
hear.

"Can we go?"  Buffy asked, breaking the hypnotic spell.

Spike nodded and took Willow's hand in his to lead her out.

"What's that?"  Buffy gestured to Willow and Spike's joined hands.

"I'm her date.  I've got to play the part, don't I?"  The vampire
answered.

"Whatever."  Buffy shrugged, turning her back on the unlikely couple
and
smiling.
********
"Red?  You ok?"  Spike asked when he saw the far away look in Willow's
eyes.

"Oh!  I'm, uh…I'm fine."  Willow said, startled out of her reverie.

The witch and vampire were seated on a sofa, side by side.  The party
bustled
around them and the music blasted from the stereo in the next room.
The
evening had been uneventful so far, and Willow hadn't seen the elusive
Todd.

Surprisingly, Spike had been supportive the entire night.  There had
been no
teasing and laughing at her insecurities, just support.  She was on
edge all
evening, looking for Todd, afraid that he'd see the so-called date for
what
it really was, a joke.

Spike watched the red head gaze off into space and fall back into deep
thoughts.  He smiled and sat back into the sofa, flashing an annoyed
expression at the couple making out next to him.  He felt Willow tense
up and
followed her gaze across the room to an approaching figure.  "Todd?"
He
asked the witch.

She simply nodded her head, a worried expression on her face.

"Hey Willow.  Where's your date?  Looks like you get to spend the
evening
with me after all."  Todd said.  He reached out and tried to grasp her
upper
arm with his hand.

Spike's hand shot out and knocked the younger man's hand away from
Willow.
"**I'm** her date, mate.  In fact, I'm her boyfriend.  If you ever try
to
touch her again, you'll be sorry."  Spike held back his more venomous
threats, knowing that he would reveal too much of his vampire side.

Willow sat in shocked silence, watching Spike's lips.  She heard the
words,
but couldn't believe them.  He was actually protecting her, something
she
didn't expect.  She thought he would show up with her, complain until
time to
leave, and laugh at her paranoia.  He proved Willow wrong.

"You don't act like her boyfriend, or even her date for that matter.
What'd
she hire you or something?"  Todd sneered.  "You haven't touched her
all
night."

"You were watching me?"  Willow said weakly.

"Yeah.  I figured you were lying about having a date.  Apparently I was

right.  Where'd you get him at?  Bodyguards R Us?  You think you're the
first
girl who's tried to get rid of me?  I'm not letting you go.  You belong
to
me.  We're going out."

Spike felt his temper flair and knew that he would attempt to attack
the boy
if he didn't get away.  He also knew that he'd leave the party with a
massive
headache if he did any sort of attacking.

Taking Willow's hand, he pulled her off the sofa and away from Todd.
"Let's
dance."  He offered and commanded at the same time.

Willow had no choice but to follow Spike into the next room and onto
the
makeshift dance floor.

The vampire glanced over to see Todd standing on the edge of the dance
floor
with his arms crossed.  He watched the couple intently, a cruel mocking
in
his eyes.  He just knew that Willow would never date that lug.

A slow song was playing in the background and Spike wrapped his arms
around
Willow's waist, pulling her close.  "He's watching us."  He whispered
into
her ear.

Willow nodded.  She had saw Todd as well.  The witch ran her hands over

Spike's shoulders and clasped them behind his neck, nuzzling her face
into
his chest.

Willow saw Todd start to approach, slowly weaving his way through the
other
dancing couples.  She panicked, afraid that he would pull her away from
Spike
and the vampire would be unable to help her, considering that he
couldn't
attack humans.  She lifted her head to look at Spike, silently pleading
with
him to do something.

Spike saw the boy approaching and knew that something had to be done.
Willow's frightened and uncertain eyes locked on his, begging for help.

"Do you trust me?"  He murmured quietly.

Willow looked confused, and anxious at the now quickly approaching
Todd.

"Do you trust me?"  Spike repeated his question softer and more slowly.

"Yes."  Willow's answer was barely a whisper, but Spike's sensitive
ears
caught the statement, giving him a surge of pride, knowing that she
trusted
him.

"I'm going to kiss you."

Willow nodded, her eyes wide, curious and frightened.  She never looked
away
from her vampire companion.

Spike leaned in slowly, firmly pressing his lips to hers.  The kiss was

gentle and the vampire didn't open his mouth to force Willow any
further.
However, the witch found herself wanting more from the tender kiss and
summoned the audacity to advance it.

Willow slid her hand from Spike's neck to the back of his head and
pulled him
in tighter, opening her mouth against his.  His eyes flew open in
surprise.
After the initial shock, he leaned into the kiss and jerked her body
toward
his.

Todd stopped in mid-step when he saw the couple locked into the
undeniably
passionate kiss.  He gritted his teeth and groaned in frustration.
"Dammit!"
 Abruptly whirling around, he stomped off.

Willow and Spike pulled apart hesitantly.  "I think he's gone."  Willow

whispered when she had caught her breath.

"Hmm?"  Spike asked, still enraptured by the red head's passion.

"Gone.  I think he'd gone."

"Right.  Yes.  Gone.  Good.  I suppose our work here is done?"

Willow nodded, then added after a few seconds of awkward silence, "But
I'd
kinda like to stay."

"Me too."  Spike smiled.

Buffy hid behind a large football player, as she watched her friend and
the
vampire.  A grin spread across her face when she saw Willow laugh at
one of
his comments.  **About time.**  The Slayer thought.
 

--THE END--