Petals
by lanie
Chapter One
[reviews]
Feedback: Please at lalana24@hotmail.com
Notes: My first B/W and a big thanks to Diana for her beta work.
Petals
All the lilies bloomed and blossomed
Wilted and they're shivering
I can't stop their withering
Oh this world is a war
Petals-Hole
Willow leaned against the sink. Her hands held the cracked porcelain with a ferocious grip. She could hear the faint mumblings of Buffy and Spike in the other room, Buffy sounded tired, Spike sounded, not like Spike at all.
Breathing in the cold air of the tiny bathroom with a steady gasp, Willow reached for the faucet and turned the water on. She watched it as it filled the sink, slowly swirling down the drain before she allowed herself to cry.
The water tipping against the basin made her shiver but she didn't move to turn it off. She closed her eyes until she heard nothing but the sound of water lapping at her ears.
***
Willow turned off the tap and leaned against the bathroom door, waiting until she was sure the quiet murmurs on the other side of the door had ceased for good.
Slowly she pushed herself away from the door, her hand moved to the knob and she twisted it open.
The room was dark. The only light coming through came from tiny slats in the blinds. And it was cold, the floor felt like slabs of ice against Willow's bare feet as she made her way to the bed.
Buffy was already asleep, a blanket tugged tightly around her body, a small frown across her face as her hair tangled around her. She watched Buffy for a few seconds, sleeping, until she heard the shuffle of Spike's booted feet across the room.
Slowly she turned to look at him, her insides tightening at his profile. She forced back the bile and unreasonable hate with a shake of her head.
"You should be resting." She whispered, walking around the bed towards the unoccupied side, "You're hurt."
"Been hurt before, haven't I?" He answered with a quiet laugh lowering himself to the lone chair by the only tableside in the room.
"Yeah but Buffy needs us. Besides she's worried about you." Willow added on reluctantly crawling into the bed next to the sleeping Slayer.
Spike didn't answer her and Willow hadn't expected or particularly wanted him to. Pulling the sheet and blankets around her own frame Willow closed her eyes and concentrated on the sound of Buffy's breathing next to her hoping it'd lull her to sleep. It hadn't worked in the past few days but Willow held out hope and tried to fight off the images of the carnage that always guided her to unhappy sleep.
There was fire, lots of fire and screams. Human, demon, no one was spared the judgment that was meant for her. It was her fault. Willow knew that just as she knew that Xander was gone. She'd held his body in her arms long after he'd already died, amazed that the broken and bloodied corpse was the boy, the man, she'd loved her entire life.
Spike let out a scratchy cough across the room, its sound urging her eyes open. She watched him in the dark as he stretched out in the chair slowly, his body barely moving against its own broken bones and marred skin that wasn't healing properly.
She frowned and for a second almost offered him up space in the bed, something Buffy surely would have done if she hadn't fallen asleep so much quicker than the two of them had.
Buffy had made it through the fight almost untouched physically, a couple of small cuts and bruises that were nearly gone already. She'd held the blunt of getting them out of Sunnydale and onto to the road, Spike too beaten to be much help and Willow too distraught to care.
Buffy was exhausted though, and this was the first day that she'd fallen asleep so easily and so quickly and long before both Willow and Spike. Usually she paced the room of whatever motel they'd found for lodging, her forehead crinkled as she murmured to herself, working through whatever plan she was setting up.
Or else she tended to Spike, who was not getting better. A few of his marks had healed up but he was becoming weaker everyday for all that he refused to show it. Willow knew it worried Buffy, but she wasn't sure if it was because they needed another fighter on their side or if it was because she cared about the vampire a lot more than she'd admitted before.
Willow gave Spike another long look, she could barely make out his face in the dark, but his eyes were closed, she was sure he wasn't sleeping but she turned away from him. Rolling to her side, her teeth tugged at her lip as her hand reached up towards Buffy's hair, capturing a few strands lightly around her fingers she willed herself to sleep.
***
Willow woke up to the rumbling sounds of tractor trailers off the highway. Buffy's side of the bed was empty, the mattress already cold when Willow rubbed her eyes sleepily. Frowning Willow looked across the room and found Buffy where she'd expected to.
Leaning down next to the vampire Buffy spoke to Spike in a low whisper, her words impossible for Willow to make out. She pushed his sleeves up, her fingers gently prodding the flesh that should by all rights be healed.
"Spike," Buffy began quietly but no longer in a whisper, "You aren't healing right."
"Doing fine here Buffy, don't age your brow over the likes of me." He answered back roughly tugging his sleeves down before fumbling for his cigarettes on the table.
"Spike." Buffy pressed on, standing until she towered over the slumping vampire's form.
"Leave it Slayer. I'm fine." Spike finished lighting his cigarette his eyes wandering around the room refusing to meet Buffy's gaze.
He settled his stare on Willow, she didn't look away as he spoke obviously happy for the distraction, "Your Witch is up, see about your girl Buffy."
"Spike," Buffy quieted, "You need to-"
"No." He cut her off, "See about your girl Buffy."
Buffy shook her head and turned from him in frustration and took the few steps across the room towards the bed.
"Hey." She smiled down at Willow.
"Hey." Willow responded leaning up against the headboard, "Um, he's okay?" Willow asked looking in Spike's direction.
"No," Buffy started sitting down on the mattress, "But he's pig headed." She tacked on loudly before continuing, "How about you?"
"I'm fine Buffy. I didn't even get hurt, a couple of scratches-"
"Not what I meant." Buffy interrupted, reaching for Willow's hand.
"I know." Willow agreed taking Buffy's grip, her fingers entwining around Buffy's.
The two girls sat there for a while, Willow biting back tears she refused to show Buffy, her hold gripping the Slayer's tightly, until Buffy spoke again.
Pulling her hand free from Willow's she stood up and paced the small length of floor along the bed, shooting Spike looks of frustration before she looked at Willow again.
"I can't talk reason into him at all Will."
"Reason?" Willow asked scooting up, hiding the frown she felt at Buffy's release of contact and her ease into moving away from her and back towards Spike. "What do you mean Buffy?"
"Huh? Nothing. Except he isn't getting better and he won't feed properly." Buffy answered, her tone drifting.
"We could dust him, you know put him out of his misery and all." Willow offered up hopefully, her lips upturning in a tiny smile.
"Will!" Buffy stopped and looked at her incredulously.
"See another side effect of the Hellmouth opening, you know besides death, chaos and more death. A real sense of humor killer." Willow sighed, "I was kidding Buffy."
"He needs blood." Buffy picked back up with her pacing.
"I could go out to the car, the cooler in the trunk?" Willow offered tossing the blankets from her body and standing.
"I don't think pig's blood is gonna' cut it Will. It hasn't done anything so far."
"It can't actually hurt." Willow replied reaching foe her jacket and the car keys Buffy has tossed on the bureau the day before.
"I suppose not," Buffy answered absently before taking the keys from Willow's hands, "But he needs human blood."
"Buffy!" Willow started, the shock obvious in her voice, "You don't mean, I mean not yours?"
"What?" Buffy asked stepping back her face paling enough that Willow scrunched her brow in confusion before Buffy picked back up, "No. No don't be...ridiculous. I need to find a blood bank. And I need to call Giles."
***
Willow watched the parking lot, the steady hum traffic thundering up and down the highway calming her nerves and reminding her that life existed outside of these walls.
She was also waiting for Buffy's return. She wasn't worried exactly, Buffy was the Slayer after all, it's just this was the longest they'd been apart since they left Sunnydale. Plus she didn't fancy the alternative view.
Buffy had helped Spike to the bed before she left, he protested the whole way, quite feebly too Willow had thought. Now he was sleeping, and even though he didn't have to breathe he always had anyway and the sounds coming from his direction weren't pleasant. They were labored, painful even. Suddenly Willow realized what they reminded her of, the afternoon she'd spent at Angel's mansion after Faith had poisoned him.
Angel would have died if...she didn't let her mind wrap around those thoughts instead she forced herself to look in his direction. After all if Spike did go permanently poof it'd be her fault. The least she owed him was a look.
"Willow." His voice cracked out through the silence, she jumped at the sound.
"You're awake." She told him.
"That I am." He answered groggily, sitting up, his joints popping, his face worrying against the pull of his flesh and wounds reopening, "Hand me my cigarettes, would you?"
Willow looked towards the table at the half empty pack of cigarettes and moved to grab them. She walked across the room and handed them to him before sitting on the edge of the mattress.
"Buffy?" He asked reaching for the pack his fingers plucking awkwardly at the cellophane.
"She'll be back." Willow answered shortly watching him struggle with the pack. His knuckles were raw, the bones in his hands jutting wrongly against his flesh. Frowning she took the pack from him and she handed him one of his cigarettes.
He struggled with the lighter he'd pulled from his pocket and Willow shook her head.
"Buffy's right, you are a stubborn so and so aren't you?" She asked plucking the Zippo from his hand and releasing the flame until the tip of his cigarette glowed orange in the darkness.
The two sat in silence the only sound in the room the flick and hiss of the Zippo as Willow passed the flame underneath her fingers, not brave enough to let the heat linger long enough to cause any real pain she still enjoyed the tiny jolts it sent through her skin. She wasn't aware that she was smiling until Spike moved and made a grab for the lighter.
She palmed it in her hand, the heat from its metallic frame warm against her grasp. "That's rude Mr. Grabby hands."
"Don't fancy the Slayer coming back to a well done Witch, now do I?" He shrugged leaning back against the head board his cigarette perched lazily between his lips before he spoke again his voice hardly above a whisper, "For what it's worth Willow, I wanted to get there in time."
Willow stuffed the Zippo into the pocket of her jeans and stood up, her fingers reaching for the knob on the television. "Think there's anything on?"
***
"A little help here Will?" Buffy called out kicking the door closed with her foot.
Willow looked up from the television program she'd been pretending to be absorbed in, jumping up she reached for one of the bags in Buffy's hand.
"So how's he doing?" Buffy asked nodding in Spike's direction as she pulled a couple of blood bags from her parcel.
Willow followed Buffy's trail of vision, not having bothered to look in his direction after he'd broached the subject of the night they'd left Sunnydale. He was sleeping.
"Fine. I think. He was awake earlier." Willow answered digging through the bag she'd taken from Buffy, "Nail polish?" She asked holding up a bottle of Revlon Red.
"A girl needs her luxuries especially when she's outrunning evil." Buffy forced lightly reaching past Willow's hand and pulling out a bag of Doritos, "But food, so hey nutritional practicalities."
"In the world of the five year old." Willow smarted ripping them open anyway and digging in her eyes following Buffy as she made her way across the room with the blood bags in her grip.
"Spike." Buffy reached for his shoulder and shook him gently until his eyes opened.
A sly smile crossed his face, "Slayer," He started his arm tiredly reaching for her waist before she jerked away her eyes wide, she held out a blood bag.
"Here." She called out stepping back as he took the offered bag.
"Don't want it. Not hungry." He tossed the bag across the bed.
Buffy rolled her eyes and reached for it, her tone firm but kind of soft around the edges, Willow looked away from them as Buffy spoke, "You need your strength. I need your strength."
***
Buffy perched herself on the edge of the table, her eyes wearily watching Spike as he slept, "I think he's doing better."
"Yep. Like an undead dead guy." Willow answered taking another chip from the bag.
"God. I'm tired." Buffy sighed as Willow held out the bag of Doritos, taking one Buffy examined it absently before continuing. "I talked to Giles."
"Yeah?" Willow prodded shoving the bag towards Buffy, she'd had enough anyways.
"Yeah. Dawn's doing okay, she doesn't know, he, we figured it'd be better for now anyway." Buffy shrugged sadly before picking back up, "He got us a place to go for a while until things settle."
"Settle?" Willow snorted sadly and leaned back against the chair, covering her eyes with her hands.
"Yeah. Settle." Buffy answered back, her voice edgy.
Willow heard the sound of Buffy crunching on a few chips before se spoke again, "What's up Will?"
"With what?" Willow asked innocently pulling her hands from her face.
"The whole what with the settle thing maybe?" Buffy pressed closing the bag and dropping it to the table beside her.
"The what?" Willow laughed weakly, picking up Buffy's bottle of Revlon Red, "I'm tired, that's all."
"We're all tired, it's been a rough couple of days." Buffy shrugged hopping from the table.
"Yeah," Willow smirked setting the polish down, "Rough."
"What's the huh here Will?" Buffy asked, her hands settling on her hips as she looked down at Willow.
"God Buffy, I don't know," Willow started feeling the tears she'd been hiding from Buffy let loose across her cheeks, "That nobody is being honest here, saying what they mean, that it's my fault."
"It's not your fault." Buffy moved closer to Willow stopping when Willow held out her hand begging Buffy to keep her distance.
"Or, or that you're all 'la la la' with nail polish and fussing over Spike, doing anything to ignore the fact the Xander's dead and Sunnydale is gone. God Buffy, do you even care?" Willow asked weakly wincing at her own words.
"Do...I? I can't believe you just said that Will." Buffy gasped and turned away from the red head.
"You can't care." Willow told her quietly.
Buffy whipped around her fingers gripping the collar of Willow's shirt as she pulled her up to full height so the two girls stood. Willow jerked back at the sudden movement but steadied herself on trembling legs, her eyes slowly meeting Buffy's.
"You can't care," Willow continued, "You can't because I'm here."
"Will?" Buffy paused her fingers loosening from their hold but not letting go.
"No." Willow tugged herself away from Buffy.
"Stop, don't do this. Not again." Buffy reached for Willow's sleeve.
"I have to. I have to do this Buffy because it hurts so much." Willow cried trying to step away as Buffy pulled her in closer. "Oh God Buffy, I promised that-that I wouldn't let you see me like this, that I wouldn't. But I'm breaking." Willow hiccupped. "I tried, I really did. Every night. I've tried." She finished sadly as Buffy's arms reached around her encircling the Witch.
"This is not your fault." Buffy affirmed, staring off as the two girls lowered themselves to the ground, "This is not your fault." She repeated cradling Willow in her arms, her head leaning against the wall.
***
Willow woke confused, her fingers prodded the mattress underneath her. She'd fallen asleep. She'd fallen asleep on the cold floor, her head in Buffy's lap not on the bed.
Pulling herself up and keeping the blankets held firmly to her chin Willow looked around the room in a panic, the thought of being abandoned raced through her. It was what she deserved.
"Oh God." She whispered, until she heard the faintest whimpers coming from the corner.
"Buffy?" She called out standing up.
"Shh." Buffy's voice broke through the air, the heavy tension, and Willow turned to look at her.
Buffy sat in the chair Willow had abandoned earlier, her head rested against the tabletop, her hair fanned about her. She wasn't looking at Willow, instead she was looking towards the corner where Willow had heard the slight cries moments before.
Spike sat against the wall, his head hidden against his chest, his arms wrapped about his knees. Slowly he rocked back and forth. The sight sent shivers down Willow's body.
She looked back at Buffy, a panicked frown on her face she spoke softly, "What happened Buff?"
"Hmmm?" Buffy answered back, distracted as she stood up.
"Something happened. What happened?" Willow repeated.
"Nothing." Buffy shrugged her shoulders and reached for her duffle bag.
Willow watched as Buffy dug through the bag pulling a long sleeved turtle neck from the wadded up clothing. "It's cold." She told Willow simply as she stretched to pull her long sleeved t-shirt off her body.
Willow adverted her eyes from Buffy's frame catching her lack of a bra with reddened cheeks before Buffy slunk towards the bed.
"I'm tired." Buffy told her crawling underneath the blankets, "You should get some rest too Willow."
"How long was I asleep?" Willow asked, confused and a little frightened at the spectacle in front of her, her eyes moving back to Spike.
"A few hours but we've got a long drive tonight and I'm sure I don't have to point out the extreme discomfort of sleeping in a car?" Buffy yawned, "Sides cuddle time." Buffy finished sleepily.
Cuddle time, Willow looked at the Slayer questionably, Buffy was acting strange. Willow spared one more look towards the vampire and crawled into bed. She didn't move away When Buffy skirted in next to her. Though she did shiver against the pinprick of Buffy's breath against her neck.
Quietly she spoke again, "What happened to Spike?"
"He's healing." Buffy told her with a slur to her voice before nudging her face against Willow's neck and falling asleep.
***
Willow was the last to wake up.
Buffy was dutifully packing their bags, both hers and Willow, sloppily stuffing dirty clothes in with clean.
"You're up. Good. We have to hit the road." Buffy spoke curtly not looking towards Willow as she zipped up the bags.
Spike was lounging in the doorway, his face cloaked in regret as Buffy packed at least until he caught Willow watching him. A practiced smirk crossed his mouth as he nodded in her direction.
He looked well, completely healed even, there were still a few fading bruises along his jaw line, but otherwise he looked the old Spike.
Willow looked from him to Buffy, "All miracle salvy? The blood bank bags?"
"A sodding tonic." Spike answered, looking towards Buffy catching her eyes for a small second before she looked away.
***
Willow watched the sky from the backseat window, it'd been snowing and it was still dark out but the clouds were beginning to take on a purple glow. Sunrise wasn't very far away, an hour tops she guessed looking towards Spike in the driver's seat, from her spot behind Buffy who was asleep in the front passenger seat.
Willow wondered if Spike had calculated daybreak yet, she wasn't sure if actually could, Angel used to but Spike and Angel were completely different creatures.
"It'll be daybreak soon." Willow's voice echoed through the silent vehicle.
"That it will." Spike answered gruffly.
Willow sighed, "We're in the middle of nowhere, not exactly an ideal setting for super combustible vampire guy."
When no one responded Willow looked back towards the darkness at the snow banks they passed. A sad smile on her face, she remembered the weekend she had spent with Tara in Colorado the last winter Tara was alive. Before all the badness.
Tara hadn't seen snow before and she loved it. Willow loved the way the cold had chapped her cheeks, making her face so rosy against the frost.
"We're here." Spike called out and Willow looked away from her window towards the direction both Buffy and Spike were now staring towards.
"This is it?" Buffy asked.
There was nothing but dying darkness and plush hills of snow along the recently plowed pathway that ended in front of the cabin. She wasn't even quite sure when they pulled off the main thoroughfare, which if Willow thought about it was hardly much of a thoroughfare to begin with.
"That it is." Spike answered Buffy putting the car in park. His eyes, Willow noticed, avoided Buffy with caution until the Slayer opened the door and stepped out into the icy grass, where he watched her with pointed interest from the car's dark interior.
"Are you sure?" Buffy questioned again, looking towards the tiny cabin.
"There's this lack of food, gas and lodging feel to the place." Buffy murmured looking towards Willow, "I think this is a one Starbuck's town."
Willow smiled sadly at Buffy's declaration, it reminded her so much of Buffy's arrival in Sunnydale and into her life.
There certainly wasn't a Starbuck's, they'd driven through a tiny town no less than half an hour before. There was a diner, a couple of other storefronts, a five and dime relic from yesteryear but not much else. Willow had guessed they wouldn't be stopping on the outskirts of the sleepy little town, because conspicuous much?
"It's snowing!" Buffy called out excitedly looking towards the car before spinning underneath the falling flakes.
Willow grinned as she watched Buffy. It'd been such a long while since any of them had smiled in true earnest, especially Buffy. Buffy of all them had the best smile, contagious even because it didn't come through often enough.
Willow leaned up against the front seat resting her elbows against the leather and watched her friend in contentment until she looked over at Spike, "See? She can be happy."
Sighing Willow picked at a piece of flaking leather and spoke, "What earlier Spike? Between you and Buffy?"
"Beg pardon?" Spike answered deliberately missing her question while pushing the car's lighter in and taking out a cigarette.
"Something happened. Between you and Buffy. " Willow started slowly, the memory of Buffy drowsy stare and slurred words coming forward, not too mention Spike's throwback to the basement, when he first got his soul. "So what happened?"
"That'd be between me and the Slayer. Not my place to be ticking off the Slayer's business." he snorted before picking back up, "Not Xander am I, always tossing off Buffy's business and the like."
"Don't. Just don't." Willow whispered looking at him, his face softened for a second against the hurt displayed in hers, but only a second before he leaned his arm against the seat and gave her a long look. A sneer as the lighter popped out of the dash and he lit his cigarette.
Willow watched him in disbelief as he smoke his cigarette all casual like as if he hadn't just plunged a knife into her chest. The shock soon shifted to an easy rage, her fingernails dug into the leather.
Spike raised an eyebrow in amusement and leered, "Look at her go. Come on Witch, give it to me good, if you got the stones."
Willow looked up at him and shook her head pushing herself away from the front seat until her back hit the cold leather behind her.
"Ta." Spike answered taking another drag off his cigarette and turning away from her. "Don't fret Willow, not alone are you?"
She wasn't alone.
"Monsters still here." He finished quietly his gaze drifting towards Buffy who was spinning obliviously in the snow her face alight in amusement.
"Hey," Buffy called out, her jovial tone dissipating the heavy tension in the car, "Think there's a mall? I can't imagine not getting my shoe groove on."
"Next to the Starbuck's, Dove." Spike answered her, his voice cracking just a bit.
The sound, the tension, the need to suddenly be out of the car swept over Willow and she pushed the car door open refusing to let herself pass another look in Spike's direction.
Willow took her first tumble across the icy Montana ground, which let loose a riotous laugh from the Slayer who did her own slip slide across the surface to pull Willow up.
On shaky feet the two held onto each other laughing and playing in the snow, catching falling snow flakes on their tongues. They whispered quiet apologies to each other for everything and nothing in particular as they spun in circles. Willow felt alive in Buffy's grasp. Momentarily happy, forfeiting all the guilt and pain against Buffy's steady touch. If only Buffy kept smiling, Willow thought, she'd be able to pretend for a while longer.
"You're so pretty when you smile." Willow told her happily, "Everything stops, killing what's inside me..." Willow drifted off, her teeth digging against her lips.
"Willow this is not your fault." Buffy emphasized her hold tightening on Willow's arms.
"Buffy, You don't know everything. I don't, can't have this conversation, not now. Okay? Can we just be happy?" Willow asked.
"Will." Buffy sighed, pulling her in for a tight hug, "We can be happy."
"We can? We can." Willow affirmed reaching for hair that had escaped Buffy's ponytail tucking it behind her ears
"The cold makes your cheeks red." Willow marveled, wondering absently if the cold did the same to hers. Trying all the while to ignore the way Buffy felt against her, all strong and soft.
"We're gonna be icicles soon." Buffy smiled quietly reaching up and capturing Willow's hand.
"Maybe," Willow murmured looking down at the ground, "W-would you hate me if I said I was scared?"
"I'd tell you to pull up a seat and join the party." Buffy laughed quietly, bringing Willow's hand to her cheek, "They should make mittens for your face or something."
"There is that whole wild concept of scarves." Willow answered nervously trying to ignore the tiny hairs she knew were standing up along the back of her neck at Buffy's intimate touch.
"Who'd have thought?" Buffy replied absently leaning into Willow until the girls were forehead to forehead, "Can we sometimes not be brave for each other Will?"
"You got yourself a deal there, Slayer girl." Willow responded with an exaggerated nod.
"Slayer girl?" Buffy raised an eyebrow.
"Mistress of killing things icky?" Willow supplied as an alternative. Spike turned on the radio in the background distracting her before Buffy spoke.
"Things of the big ick. I like that."
"Knew you would. The sun will be up soon you know, we could wait for it." Willow asked hopefully looking towards the car where Spike still sat playing with the radio.
Buffy gave her a quick light punch to the shoulder, "I don't know what's going on between you and Spike-"
"Buffy-." Willow interrupted only for Buffy to cut her off, "He saved your life, he's saved mine too many times to count, he's, he's, I don't know what-"
"I wish it were easy Buffy, that I could say he wasn't, that he wasn't dangerous..." Willow paused feeling the comfy fuzzy mood between her and Buffy evaporating.
"He has a soul now." Buffy shot back quickly refusing to let Willow wiggle from her grasp.
So do I, Willow thought, that summer Tara died, I had a soul and it didn't stop me.
She wanted to say this to Buffy, say anything at all that amounted to the truth biting at her supposed soul but instead she asked, "What happened between you two last night Buffy?"
"Oh Will," Buffy began quietly, "I love you Willow. You know that right? I mean even if we fight-"
"I know Buff but-" Willow answered nervously, aware yet again at the closeness between the two, the way it was making her feel. The way that Buffy's fingers were suddenly across her cheek, soft and cold with out mittens, eliciting a shiver from Willow, making her forget that Buffy hadn't answered her question about Spike.
"And we don't always have to be brave." Buffy started, "Not always, but sometimes." She finished and leaned up her lips brushing against Willow's gently before pulling back again.
Willow stared at Buffy, emotions she couldn't explain starting to run a gamut through her, she loved Buffy, she loved her so much. Shakily she did not let go of Buffy when she picked back up, "But when we're not I can tell you how much I miss Dawn and how scared I get for her sometimes right? Or how I think I'll die because Xander is never gonna' come around and barbeque again." She finished, tears cascading down her face prettily and perfectly.
"I know Buffy, I know." Willow began, her face working into her own tearful display before emotion took her over completely. "Oh I didn't want to cry Buffy. You made me cry." Willow stumbled, wiping her face absently with her mitten covered hands suddenly all too aware of Spike watching them.
Willow wondered somewhere in the back of her mind what he thought of the two of them, their silly tears, but she hardly had time to ponder much of anything before she felt Buffy's lips on hers again, the kiss not nearly as chaste this time. In fact pretty much not chaste at all Willow thought as her eyes widened at the contact Buffy's cool lips. It wasn't long before she gave into the Slayer's tiny nips and the unexpected warmth of her mouth.
Willow's hands gripped Buffy's hips, pulling the blonde to her.
Tara was drowsiness and curves, Buffy was adrenaline and edges but they were both soft and right. She thought she could give herself forever in this moment when suddenly Buffy went rigid, an alarmed cry darting from her opened lips.
"Buffy?" Willow questioned pulling back.
"Thump." Both the girls heard it this time.
"What was that?" Willow whispered eyes wide, tuning out the roar of the car's stereo in the background.
"Thud. Clump." The noise echoed yet again and Buffy pulled herself up to her full five foot two frame, fists ready in a fighting stance.
"Creak. Crack."
"Spike." Buffy hissed.
"Slayer." Willow heard him call back. Had she not been expecting his reply she would have missed it entirely over the sound of The Ramones pumping through the car's speakers. She watched his face shift, in that tiny moment, from something she cared not to think about to that of a predator waiting for his prey.
"Crack. Thud. Thump."
"Ow. Hey!" Buffy screamed, aptly distracting Willow away from the vampire who'd already found his footing outside of the car.
Willow watched with wide eyes as Buffy fought with her attacker. The Slayer's hands reached up to her hair, pulling at the tangled twigs that had attacked her so violently. Snow from the tree above cascaded in loud thumps all around the pair as Willow's face reddened upon the sight.
"Will, Help." Buffy cried shoving and clawing at the snow-covered twigs caught up in her hair.
Willow held her sides trying to not let the laughter that was begging itself to be released out when Spike spoke from behind them.
"Ferocious things, twigs and snow Slayer. Don't think the Witch and myself are equipped for battle against such beasties. Best leave that to the Chosen One and all."
That did it, Willow let out a loud laugh, the only real one since they'd left Sunnydale. She closed her eyes and threw her head back as Buffy made quick work of the unwelcomed debris in her hair. She didn't see the Slayer's unsure footing, the heel of her left boot catching on a patch of ice slicked grass. She surely felt it though when Buffy spun and slid into her sending the both of them hurling to the ground.
"Ugh," Willow groaned, "Slayer elbow to the ribs."
"That's what you get, making with the ha and all." Buffy answered, her fingers lightly probing Willow's ribcage for damage before pulling herself up with the agility of the Slayer.
Willow reached for Buffy's outstretched arm. The two held onto to each other as they wobbled towards the car. Buffy's lips stretched into a grin and Willow giggled between clutching her side, which she knew would have an elbow shaped bruise in the morning.
"And to think it was the likes of you two that thwarted many an evil scheme of mine back in the day." Spike tsked as they made their way to the car.
"Will." Buffy began, Willow eyeing her curiously, "Seems to me that Spike's looking a little too comfortable. You know with the dry, warm clothes and all."
"And," Willow picked up, "The big smirking face."
"It's just wrong on so many levels." She stopped and untangled herself from Willow's arms her foot kicking the snow lightly but pointedly.
"Too many. Many, many, big levels, the biggest levels of the big levels." Willow agreed enthusiastically.
"And as the Slayer," Buffy kneeled down scooping up a handful of snow, "It's only right that I rectify the situation."
"It's your duty." Willow nodded casting a quick glance in Spike's direction, "Sacred even."
"Hey. What's this then?" Spike interrupted tilting his head inquisitively as Buffy's first snowball collided against the worn leather of his jacket.
"War?" Willow answered eying the vampire hoping she could make some sort of peace with the monsters that cradled inside both of them before slinging the snowball in his direction.