The Morning After . . .And Then Some

She should have known Oz would notice. He's so sweet. She smiled, leaning against his warm body. "I'm good. But, I have a story for you later."

Oz raised an eybrow, but didn't ask. He just tightened his arm around her. Then he attempted to fill her in. "Buffy called Giles."

Xander turned and noticed her. "Willow, hey. You okay? You look pale?"

Giles frowned. "Yesterday was your first day out of the wheel chair. Did you over do it a bit? You are supposed to be relaxing. Perhaps we should discuss this later. Maybe when you're feeling more up to it?"

Willow didn't meet there eyes. How can I tell them what I did last night?? I can't. They wouldn't understand. Who am I kidding? I don't understand. She sighed. "I'm fine. Really. What's this about Buffy?"

Giles removed his glasses. "She, ah, she called. Last night. I only spoke with her for a few moments. She says she needs some time."

"Time for what?" Xander asked. "To write her memoirs? Did you tell her to come back? What about Angel? Did she say anything about Angel? Like, 'Hi Giles. I'm fine. Had to kill Angel though, bummer.'?"

Giles sighed. "Xander, we have been over this. All she said was that she needed some time. I reassured her that we were all in good health and she hung up. It actually wasn't much of a conversation, really."

"How did she sound?"

"She, ah, she sounded normal. A little sad perhaps. I'm sorry. I wish I had been able to keep her on the line longer . ."

"Giles," Willow began, "She called you. She'll probably call again. All we can do is wait. Maybe call her list of friends in LA again."

Cordelia grimaced. "I only have a week left until my parent's drag me back to Europe for the summer. I won't be much help after that.Speaking of which," She whipped out a small book. "I need addresses and phone numbers. I want to be up to date on this."

"Yes," Giles breathed. "That's all we can do. Keep each other informed. Now that the school year has ended, I suggest we start meeting at my house."

Everyone agreed. With final promises to keep one another informed, the Slayer's round table broke up. Oz followed Willow out and into a nearby field. She was proud of him. He hadn't asked a single question. He just followed her, quietly.

Willow didn't know exactly where she was heading. She just knew she had to get far away from the school. Far away from the memories of vampire slaying, where she could think clearly. At the edge of the forest, she pulled him down into the grass. Oz sat waiting for her to speak, his hand firmly encircling hers.

"Last night I went to the mansion." Starting at the beginnig was always a good thing. "The one where Buffy went to face that statue/demon thing."

"Alone?"

Willow frowned. "Yes, alone. I didn't think there was any danger."

"Was there? You are okay? I don't have to take you back to the hospital? I can carry you, if it's too far to walk. . ." Oz half stood.

Willow resisted the urge to laugh. But the smile that crossed her face was brilliant. Oz slowly settled back down on to the grass. Then her smile faded a bit. There was no easy way to tell him this. So Willow decided the beginning wasn't exactly the best place to start after all. She pulled down her shirt collar and tilted her head.

Oz's eyes got really wide. His hand reached out to touch her throat. "Who did this to you?" He whispered, then louder. "Willow. Who did this to you? Cause I'll find them, and I swear I'll kill them for you."

*****************

Druscilla poured tea for her dolls. Placing cup after cup of perfectly made tea in front of the half mutilated dolls, Druscilla began to dance. Twirling round the Dolls, she hummed. She cocked her head to one side. "Do you hear that, Miss Edith?"

The doll stared at her, its mouth gagged. Druscilla waited to hear her answer. Then spoke again. "He thinks of her." She nodded at the other dolls. "He doesn't say a word, but I know. Thoughts of her swim through the room. They poison the air."

Druscilla wrapped her coat around her shoulders. "Don't worry children. Mummie's going to stop the thoughts. Mummie's going to take care of the girl."

Druscilla danced into the night. She was off to Spike's car and back to a little town called Sunnydale.

**************************

"Oz!" Willow was surprised by the anger in his eyes. "No, no. It's not like that! Listen."

Oz frowned. "How is it not like that? You were attacked."

"No. I wasn't attacked."

Flustered Oz leaned back. He shook his head. "I don't understand. You let someone do that to you?"

Willow sighed. This wasn't turning out the way she had expected at all. I'm going about this all wrong. She smiled at her boyfriend. "I was exploring. Spike was there. The floor collapsed. He had this chunk of wood in him. We were trapped in there. . ."

"Spike, that's the one Buffy said her mom hit with an ax. You let him, do that? With you?" Oz couldn't bring himself to say it. Drink your blood. He couldn't put that and Willow in the same sentence. Oz lowered his eyes to the grass. Tried to focus on something else, other then the image of Spike and Willow that close. "You were trapped . ."

"The floor had collapsed. He was hurt. The door was solid steel. The only way out was for Spike to tear the door down. But he was so weak. He couldn't do it. Spike had lost so much blood. So I, I ah, I let him feed off me." Willow couldn't meet Oz's eyes. She was afraid. What does he think of me? What do I think of me? My head hurts.

A hand touched her cheek. Her eyes met his. "You are the bravest girl I know. You're amazing." She half laughed in surprise. Oz pulled her into his lap. He leaned forward, resting his head on her shoulder. "You could have died last night." His arms tightened around her. "Alone with a vampire and I would never have known. Stay with me today."

She pushed away from him. "What?"

"Spend the day with me. We'll go wherever you want. I just don't want to take you for granted today. Then, tonight stay over." He was smiling at her.

"Stay over? Why? You'll be chained in the basement. We won't be together." Her smile matched his.

"I know. You can sleep in my bed. I just want you near me. I want to wake up in the morning and know you're safe."

She fell back into his arms. "You're the amazing one."

*****************

Spike rolled over in the great bed. His arm touched empty sheets. Opening his ice blue eyes, he searched the bedroom. Spike was alone in the middle of the day. "Pet?"

Sitting up, Spike slid on his red shirt. He grumbled to himself about being up in the middle of the day and left the room. The house was so quiet. "Dru? Where are you love?"

He opened the room to her tea room, but he was certain she was gone. But where? Stepping into the tea room, Spike swore. The thick dust in the center of the room had been disturbed in a very disturbing manner. Danced into the dust were the words, "Kill Willow."

Spike glared at the assembly of dolls. "And not one of you bothered to tell me what she was up to?" Angrily he swept all the dolls off of the table. They crashed into the ground shattering porcelain and spilling tea. The tea sloshed over the words, obliterating them.

******************

Oz watched Willow all day. The way her hair moved when she walked, the shy smiles she gave him when she thought he wasn't looking, and the nervous way she tugged at her shirt collar, he saw it all. They entered his house. He had less then a half an hour left with her. Oz was going to use it.

She sat down on the couch. He smiled down at her. A few months ago he had been alone, and not a werewolf, but he hadn't ever been this happy. Only one thing was nagging at him, Spike. He couldn't shake the image of Willow and Spike in a fatal embrace. He never thought he could be the jealous type. So he was going to deal with this now.

"Willow."

She seemed to sense the seriousness. Her smile lost some of it's brilliance.

"I love you." Oz sat next to her.

Her face seemed to glow with happiness. "You-you love me?"

"Yeah. I do. It's not something I would say to just anyone, or have said to anyone, except maybe my mom. But this is different, you know. It's just, this thing with Spike and you, it worries me. I can't lose you. I mean where else am I gong to find a girl who doesn't care that her boyfriend spends three days a month chained up in a basement."

"I know some girls who would pay for that sort of thing." Willow retorted. When he looked at her she replied, "Not by name."

"So, you wouldn't - you ah, won't- Should I be jealous?" Oz breathed.

"No. Whatever happened between me and Spike was a survival thing. You are a love thing."

After a few 'I'll see you in the morning kisses.' Oz closed the basement door. And Willow was alone.

She climbed the stairs to his bedroom. Grabbing a shirt from his closet, she slipped into it. She had brought her own nightgown, but the shirt made her feel closer to Oz and further away the night in the mansion. His bed was worn, the sheets ragged and the blanket frayed, but they smelled like him.

Willow watched his TV for awhile. Then her mind began to wander. The night before was weighing on her mind. What exactly had happened between me and Spike? Her hand snaked its way up to her throat. The wounds had closed, leaving little red marks. She wished her mind would heal as quickly. Remembering the way Spike's flesh had closed up and become whole, Willow was suddenly jealous. To be able to heal that quickly must be amazing.

Her eyes closed. Soon after that, she began to dream.

She was in his arms again. She could feel his arms around her slim waist, his breath on her throat, only this time she opened her eyes. His eyes glowed with a deep intensity as his face changed, distorted. Fangs leaned closer and she screamed. "Be with me . ." He breathed into her ear before sinking his fangs into her throat.

A voice cried out. It was Oz. He was fighting through a sea of broken wood, trying to get to her. He reached for her and a silver cuff appeared around his wrist. A chain looped back from the cuff, a wall appeared behind him. A second cuff engulfed his other hand, effectively binding him to the wall. "Willow!" He yelled, voice dripping in pain. "Willow? What are you doing?"

Willow woke with a scream. A hand clamped down over her throat. "Shhh." A familiar voice whispered. "You'll wake the dead."

Dark hair, dark eyes and a lot of pale flesh hovered over her. Druscilla smiled. "Hello kitten."

************************

The werewolf snarled and tugged furiously at his chains. Suddenly, he stopped. Standing perfectly still, the great beast tested the air. A foulness tainted the air. It was in the house tainting the air. The werewolf would find it. Then he would kill it.

Diving forward, the great beast fell on its chains. It was always the same, escape. But this time the werewolf fought harder. The stench was maddening. This time the beast had a purpose.

***************

Spike entered Sunnyhell Farm. "Why am I back in this damn town?" Why? Spike walked into town, searching for the nearest phone booth. He had to find the girl before Dru did. Why? She's just a human. Not much more then meal. Not even, more like a snack.

"Because she did me a good turn last night. And what the hell am I talking to myself? I'm beginning to sound like Dru." Spike shook his head in frustration. Why had Dru off and decided to go after the red headed Slayer's friend? Jealous Dru? "Women."

***************

The hand was removed. Dru sat primly on the edge of the bed. "You may speak. But if you talk out of turn you shall be suitably punished."

Willow backed away from the dark haired vampiress. Her head was tilted, her eyes blank with the intensity only the truly mad possess. "How did you get in here?" Willow breathed. Her mind whirled with escape plans. Stalling for time was a big part of all of those plans.

Druscilla frowned. "Through the door. The shiny cloth whispered to me. 'Come in! Come in'." Her voice was lilting and sing songing. "So I came in to see you."

"Why? Why me?" Willow's hand reached under Oz's bed. If he were like the rest of the Slayerettes, he would have a very special supply kit under there. Her hand brushed a bag. Her hopes soared.

"I am Death. Death in red, I have come a-calling for you." Druscilla hummed tunelessly, mincing her way across the bed towards Willow.

Panicking, Willow rolled off the bed onto the floor. Grabbing the bag, she ran past the still humming Druscilla. She half ran half tumbled down the stairs. Tossing gym clothes out of the bag, she found what she was looking for. Dropping the bag, she held tightly on to the cross and stake.

Druscilla had left Oz's room and was skipping down the stairs. Willow didn't know what to do. She clutched her weapons and ran through the living room to the basement door. Howling snarls rang out the minute she neared it. Druscilla turned the corner and backed her up against it.

I don't wanna die like this! Her mind screamed. Thoughts clawed their way through her fear and she started to think again. Druscilla plucked the cross out of her hands and launched across the room. Willow tried to hold on to the stake, but that to was plucked from her fear stiffened hands. Opening her mouth to scream, Willow spoke instead. "Want to play a game?"

Druscilla stopped short. "What sort of game?" Her voice was frighteningly childlike.

This is not a great idea, now I have to make up a game. A metal snap was heard behind her. Oz broke a chain. . . Willow smiled. Reaching behind her she grabbed the door handle. A second metal snap was heard. "How about . ." Willow threw open the door. "Tag!!!"

The werewolf bounded out of the basement, slamming into the surprised vampire.

**************

Spike heard a scream. "Dru?"
Spike ran down the street towards the house. As he approached, the front door exploded outward. A ball of red cloth and gray fur rolled into the street.

Spike was stunned. He turned to regard the doorway and there she was. The silhouette of the slight red headed girl. She was clad only in a t-shirt. She was intently watching the fight. It had only been last night, but Spike felt as if it were a lifetime ago since he'd seen her. Then Dru screamed.

"I'm coming, love." Spike changed, his face distorting, fangs appearing, eyes almost yellow. He slammed into the werewolf, knocking it off his screaming Druscilla. She was coated in her own blood. Spike was incensed. Punches landed everywhere on the startled werewolf as his pet climbed a tree.

**************

Willow watched Spike knock Oz off of Druscilla. Had he known she was coming for me? Is he the reason she was coming? Druscilla was wailing piteously. Her face was covered in gashes. Her blood was running down and staining her dress an even darker red. She moved to the tree outside Oz's house. She climbed up, effectively protecting herself.

Spike was kicking Oz. Oz let out a piercing whine. Before she realized what she was doing, Willow was at the werewolf's side. "Stop it!" She screamed.

Spike continued to hurt Oz. Willow grabbed his arm. "You're killing him!!!!"

"That's kind of the point, Ducks." Spike shook her free.

**************

He had come here to help Willow, but when he saw his poor Druscilla all bloody, he'd gone almost as mad as she. Flinging Willow to the ground, he grabbed the werewolf's throat. He'd snap it's neck. That would stop the damn thing long enough for him to find something silver.

Blood dripped from the wolf's mouth. It was still snarling fiercely. If Spike gave it so much as a second to recover, the thing would kill him. Then it would probably eat Willow, then finish off Dru. Spike punched the beast again, getting a better hold around its throat. Few more seconds and this little doggie would not be going anywhere ever again. Something slammed into him.

**************

Willow landed roughly on top of Spike. Oz was free. The great beast got to it's feet and shakily moved towards them. Spike fought to throw her free. But she used all her weight to buy herself an all important couple of seconds. Spike slid her off and stood to meet Oz. But it was too late. Willow had pulled a gun and fired twice into Oz.

Willow winced as the werewolf crashed to the ground. Spike looked from her to the beast. "You shot him."

"Yeah." Willow answered roughly.

"He your boyfriend?"

"Yeah." Willow leaned over Oz.

**************

This was one vicious girl. Spike grinned. "You killed him?" Spike was liking this red head more and more.

"No, I grabbed the gun right after I let him out. It's a tranquilizer gun. He," She was breathing hard, Dru and the werewolf had taken a lot out of her. "He keeps it around in case h-he gets loose."

Blood trickled from a cut on her forehead. Spike moved closer to her. "Your bleeding." He said, his voice rough with concern. Why do I care?

"It's nothing. How did you find me?" She tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear.

"Your address is in the phone book. Lucky for you, you live close. I heard Dru scream."

They looked up at the tree where Dru sat shivering. Spike's face grew dark. He took a step towards the now sleeping beast. Willow warned him off with the gun. "That won't kill me."

"I know, but it'll hurt, a lot."

Spike moved closer. Leaning down, he kissed away the trickle of blood. Why did I do that? The girl seemed as surprised as he. Her green eyes gazed up at him. They were warm, almost friendly. She had proved she was anything but weak, but Spike still thought of her as fragile. He pushed the strand of hair back behind her ear. It had somehow come loose again.

"Ditch the dog and come with me."

"I can't." Her eyes were full of confusion.

"Why not? Live forever with me."

"I can't. I love the dog, Oz. And you love Druscilla."

***************

For once Spike's eyes weren't so icy. His sad smile was genuine. Willow was so tempted. If she had never met Oz, maybe. She glanced down at the heap of fur that was her boyfriend. She did love Oz. So she couldn't be with Spike.

"You're right. I do love her. Lack of marbles and all. But one day you won't be with him. And I will come for you." Spike's voice was playful. It was odd to think of a vampire being playful.

Willow smiled. "You know I'll still fight you."

"Just don't fight too hard Willow Rosenberg. I'd hate for you to win." Spike turned away from her.

***************

Spike carefully laid Druscilla into the backseat of his car. She whimpered slightly. Spike brushed her hair away from her eyes. There were no teeth marks, just scratches, Dru was free from any chance of changing. But it would take a few days for her to regain her full strength. "Bad doggie." She whimpered.

"I know love, don't worry. I didn't let him have you. I'd never let anyone have you, but me."

"That's why." She whispered. "I'm a princess."

Spike chuckled softly. "So tell me princess, why did you come back here?"

"She was in your thoughts. Where I should be. I am your princess. Your only princess. And you are my Spike."

"I am that, Love."

*****************

Oz woke up in his bed. A blanket was tucked all around him. On top of the blanket Willow was sleeping. She was curled up in his concert t-shirt. A soft smile played around her lips. Confused, Oz glanced around the room. There were no clues. He didn't know how he'd gotten up into his room. He was naked under the blanket, so he had changed last night.

Willow sighed and rolled closer to him. Oz placed an arm around her. Sighing, he went back to sleep. Sometimes it's better not to know.

The end.