The Immortal Slayer - Chapter 16
Spike paced the floor of his lair, growing more and more agitated with Willow. "Something's not right here. Her slayers? She's a bloody teenager. How the hell can they be her slayers?""Can we go play now?" Dru asked, a hopeful look in her eyes. She loved playing with the Scooby gang.
"Yeah, we can. Let's go."
With a devious grin on her face Dru followed Spike, heading for the library.
***
Spike slammed open the library doors. "All right Red, what's your deal?"
Willow looked up, the confusion evident on her face. "My deal?" She asked with raised eyebrows.
Spike only became angrier and walked over to her. Meanwhile Dru was distracting the rest of the gang.
In Willow's face now, Spike again said, "What's your deal?"
As Buffy started over to defend her friend, Willow gave her a look that told her to stop. Willow would take care of this herself.
"I don't know what's going on with you Spike, but you need to back off." Willow said evenly.
"Back off?" Spike said with a grin and look towards Dru. "You think I should back off? That's funny, really." Finishing his words he threw a right hook towards Willow's face.
Willow blocked his punch and jumped back. "What was that for?" she asked.
"I want to know what's going on with you. How could I have murdered two of your slayers?"
"My slayers?" Willow asked with a confused look. "What are you talking about?"
Dru walked up behind Spike, curling her arms around him as she gave Willow a pouty look. "We know you're different. We just don't know how."
Willow stared at them for a moment, realization sinking in. "You're supposed to be helping us, why do you want to fight me?"
"Because no one will tell me what's going on. I figure beating it out of you is as good a way as any." Finishing that sentence he threw a punch that knocked Willow across the table she had been standing in front of. Spike shoved the table out of the way and grabbed Willow's shirt, jerking her out of the floor.
"One more time Luv, what is going on?"
"I'm the Immortal Slayer, Spike." She spat out his name while throwing a punch to his stomach. Spike let go of Willow's shirt and stumbled back from the force.
"Well, I see you still have some of that fire in you. Goody, it will make this more fun." Spike smirked as he threw another punch at Willow.
Willow pulled her arm up in front of her face and managed to stop Spike's punch. Holding his wrist in place she continued ignoring the fact that Spike had even spoken. "Besides that, I don't know what the hell you're talking about."
Spike signaled Dru with a look and she slowly eased around the scene, coming in behind of Willow. Before anyone could react Spike kicked Willow in the stomach, causing her to fall backwards, into the arms of Drusilla. Buffy rushed forward, tackling Willow to the floor.
"Doesn't look very immortal to me." Spike laughed as he and Dru headed out the door.
Buffy quickly jumped back up, prepared to fight Drusilla, Spike, or both only to find them gone. Looking back down at Willow she slowly slumped to the floor, tears stinging her eyes. Willow's throat lay open, blood seeping across the floor.
Angel walked in to see Buffy, Xander, and Giles crowded around a body in the floor. He rushed forward, fearing to see what had happened. Willow's eyes glossed over as she passed her gaze over their faces, finally resting on Angel before losing sight.
Faintly she heard a voice, telling her to hold on, to concentrate. Gathering as much energy as she had left Willow focused on the voice as best as she could. "…your mind on my voice. Concentrate with me. You will not die."
"But I'm already dying." Willow cried out in her mind.
"You will not die, but if you don't work with me you will be unconscious for several days. We can't afford that right now. Concentrate on healing. Picture your wounds closing. Imagine your body becoming whole and strong again."
Willow closed her eyes and fought the feeling of death seeping into her mind. Slowly her breathing became regular again and she could feel the blood pumping through her body more forcefully. After a few moments she opened her eyes and carefully sat up. Everyone jumped up and crowded around the table they had laid Willow on.
"Willow?" Buffy stated, saying so much more than just her name. Sorrow and relief mixed, preventing her from saying any more.
Willow gave a half smile, touched that her friends were so concerned. "I'm okay. I'm gonna be fine." She reassured them. "Astra talked to me, helped me focus on healing. I'll probably still be a little weak for a couple of days, but that's why I was able to heal so quickly." Willow turned and eased off the table. As she stood again a wave a nausea and dizziness caused her to grab onto Xander.
"Whoa. Take it easy Willow, you were pretty much dead. I guess two hours is a pretty quick recovery."
"Two hours? It only felt like a few minutes to me. I'm going to need some clothes, I can't go home like this."
"Come back to the mansion with me. I still have some of your clothes there, and you can get some rest." Angel offered.
"Okay." Willow agreed, exchanging her grip from Xander's arm to that of Angel's. Walking out of the library Willow stumbled and almost fell. "Guess almost dying took more out of me than I thought." Without asking Angel picked Willow up in his arms, where she fell asleep immediately from exhaustion.
***
Angel shifted Willow to a standing position so he could open the door. Eyes fluttering on the edge of wakefulness the sound of the door bouncing off the wall snapped them open. Angel quietly cursed; he hadn't meant to push the door so hard.
Willow straightened up, expecting to see the hallway outside the library, her eyes seeing into the mansion instead. "We're here already? How'd we get here so fast? Did you carry me the whole way? You could've made me walk." Willow rambled as she headed towards the bathroom and a washrag. Her first priority was cleaning herself up.
"I figured you needed to rest. Are you feeling any stronger?"
"Yeah, I am actually." Willow peeped around the bathroom door, "Where are my clothes? This rag's not cutting it, I'm going to have to take a hot shower." Quickly she ducked back in the bathroom to hide the blush traveling up her face. "Why couldn't I have just asked for my clothes?" she mumbled to herself, feeling embarrassed.
"I'll get them for you."
Willow began running water to get it adjusted to the right temperature. With the events of the day pressing down on her she quickly undressed and got into the shower. The hot water soothed her muscles and calmed her nerves.
Angel stood outside the bathroom door holding Willow's clothes. He had assumed Willow would wait before she got in the shower. Now he didn't know what to do. The emotions between them were growing and he knew they would have to be confronted soon. He just didn't want to make that happen while Willow was in the shower. That kind of confrontation he was not ready for. His arm raised midway to the door before lowering back to his side. Quietly he set the clothes on the floor instead.
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