FicWad

The Bronze was even more crowded than usual. Willow couldn't see Buffy or Xander anywhere. She kept a tight grip on Tara's hand so that she didn't lose her in all the things going on. It finally occurred to her why it was so busy. Valentines Day was this weekend. She smiled at the thought. If things weren't too busy with the bad guy stuff, she'd have to surprise Tara with something special. After all, it is there first Valentines Day as a couple.
"Can you see them?" She shouted over the noise of the band. The band was very good. And there was something familiar about them. But she was too caught up in trying to find her friends. "This place is definitely busier than usual."
"W-well, it's only t-two days to Valentines Day." Tara smiled at the look Willow gave her. "A-and this year, I have somebody to c-celebrate it with."
"You better believe it. It's going to be a very special year." Willow hadn't forgotten what Tara had started to tell her. She knew that both of them had a lot to learn about each other. But that would come in time. In the meantime, they could just enjoy every minute that they spent with each other. "I'm still not seeing anyone."
"How's two of my favorite girls?" Both turned to find Xander standing smiling a huge grin. Wrapped around his arm was someone familiar to Willow. At first she was having trouble remembering.
"Anya?" She asked in a very surprised voice as she finally recognized the woman on his arm. She stared at Xander for a moment. "You're dating an ex-vengeance demon?"
Xander simply shrugged. "Hey, I'm not the one that..." He stopped himself before he said something he would possibly regret. "It's a sorta long story, but yes. I am dating Anya. We really haven't been spending a whole lot of time together, now have we Will?"
Willow shrugged. "I guess both of us have been busy exploring new relationships." She finally saw the tall blonde that was now Buffy's boyfriend along with Buffy. "Speaking of new relationships.." Everyone turned to see Riley and Buffy making their way over to them. "Hey, Buffy. Riley."
He simply waved. "Hey Will!" She turned to Xander. "And your date is?" Before he had a chance to answer, her eyes grew big. "You're dating Anya?"
"Geez, everyone is making it sound like I have the plague." She smiled to herself. "Which is kinda funny 'cause I was actually the one that started that whole plague thing. Who knew where that wish would lead to. Now there were some real fun times to be had."
Everyone stared at her. "So, Riley, you finally get to get out of grading papers for the prof?" Willow smiled sweetly at him. She needed to get him talking so that Tara could hear his voice. That way they could be sure. At least if he was one of the commandos. They just weren't sure what the commandos were up to.
"I had to talk him into leaving." Buffy put her arm through his. "He just wasn't about to leave those papers ungraded. So, we've got to make this an early night."
"I'm sorry about that." Willow looked up at the tall blonde. "So, you gonna be able to finish before it's too late?"
"Hey, enough of this school talk." Xander clasped his hands together. "I say that it's time to start the dancing. And start the drinking. Whose up for a soda. My treat. I may have gotten a steady job."
"You mean, the one with the construction company?" Buffy asked pretty much absently. She was totally engrossed in Riley. Willow couldn't help but notice how much. If there was something to tell, it wasn't going to be easy to be heard. It looked like Buffy was falling fast.
"Yeah. So I guess me having all those nice diseases turned out to be a good thing." Riley raised his eyebrows at the comment. "I fell in a hole when we were digging. It was full of contaminants. When I got over it, they decided to offer me a job for the rest of the project. I was told that if I keep up my hard work, I may get hired on full time."
"That would be more money that you could spend on me." Anya was oblivious to the stares she was receiving from the others.
"That sounds like a good thing." Finally, Riley's deep voice made it over the sound of the band and the crowd.
Willow felt Tara squeeze her hand, very tightly. She didn't need to be told. She knew that Tara had recognized the voice as well. And that lead to some not so good decisions she now was faced with. Did she tell Buffy about Riley being a commando, or did she wait until they knew more about them. Was Riley someone that she could trust not to hurt her best friend. She really didn't want to wait around to find out. Buffy could really get hurt if she didn't do something and fast.
As if she could read her mind, Tara said, "I'm n-not feeling so g-good. Can you t-take me home?" She smiled shyly at Willow.
"Hope it's nothing too serious." Riley's deep voice made both Willow and Tara turn to look at him. "If you want, I can escort you two ladies home. It's dangerous to be walking alone at night. No matter how late it is."
Willow shrugged. "I think we can handle it. We've had some self defense classes. We'll be fine." She smiled as she took Tara's hand and headed towards the door. She felt a hand on the back of her shoulder just before they got to the door.
Buffy stood, staring at her with concern. "So no go on patrol?" Her gaze kept coming to Tara.
"Not tonight, maybe tomorrow. I want to get Tara home." She smiled. "She's just not up for a night on the town. Especially our type of time."
"Well, I hope you feel better, Tara." Buffy smiled. "Will, can I talk to you for a sec?"
Willow crinkled her forehead. She turned to Tara. "Be back in a sec, sweetie." She slowly followed Buffy near the bar. "What's up?"
Buffy took a deep breath. "First, be careful. I still have a feeling that Spike is out there somewhere. I'm just not sure where. But it's like I can sense." Willow simply nodded. "Second, this may not be the time or place, but are you sure everything's all right with Tara? And I don't mean in the she feels icky to her stomach sort of way. I mean, have you learned anymore about her? I just don't like you going into this relationship blind."
Willow stiffened at the comments. She knew that Tara wasn't sharing everything with her. But she hadn't shared everything with Tara, either. "Well, I know that her mom died almost two years ago. I know that her family life wasn't so pleasant. That's why she wanted to get so far away from them. Is there more she hasn't told me? Well, yeah. But I haven't told here everything there is to tell. It takes time to feel that you can trust someone enough. Especially if those things are painful. And besides, let's talk about your new boyfriend. What exactly do we know about one Riley Finn?"
Buffy's eyes widened. "Geez, Will, I didn't mean it like that." She sighed a little. "I guess you do have a point. It does feel like Riley isn't sharing everything with me. And it does take time to really get to know somebody. I just was worried that you hadn't thought of those things. I don't want you to get hurt, that's all."
"Well," Willow glanced at Tara. "I don't want to see you get hurt either. I didn't mean to get all defensive girl on you, but I know that there are things that Tara and I both haven't told each other. But, no matter what, I love her more than I've loved anything in this world. We are meant to be together. And that can't change. I hope you have that with Riley."
Buffy shrugged. "I don't know if we do or not. There seems to be a little sparkage there. But, he's so different than other guys. He's so much more the gentleman than most guys are these days. I think there is a chance that we could possible make a good couple. Only time will tell."
"Just be careful." Willow smiled. "And Tara and I will be careful. We're both packing. Plus, hello, both magically inclined so we are really packing. We'll be fine. And I do want to learn more about Tara. I just don't want to lose her, either."
"Just be careful." Buffy smiled at Willow's fake scowl. "I'll see you tomorrow morning at the scooby meeting. At least, I assume you'll be spending yet another night with your girlfriend, as per usual."
"Like you haven't been spending most of your nights with Riley." Willow smiled. "See you tomorrow." Buffy watched her best friend walk towards her girlfriend before returning to Xander and the others. "Sorry that took so long. She just wanted to make sure that we were extra careful 'cause of Spike being on the loose and everything."
"W-Willow, that wasn't all." Willow looked at her in surprise. "I-I think it's s-sweet that she wants to p-protect you. She d-did ask about me, didn't she?"
"Well, yeah." Willow shrugged. "It's kinda funny 'cause I pointed out how she really doesn't know all that much about Riley either. But I didn't mention how we suspect that he might be one of those commando guys that we don't know anything about and that he might or might not be a good guy and someone that we can trust." She sighed and shook her head. "Let's go to your place. I want to call Giles. But I don't want to go to his place. I want us to be alone."
Tara smiled at the thought. "Y-you're the boss." She felt Willow wrap her arm in her own. "You follow, I'll lead."
"That could come in handy later." Willow smiled as the blonde on her arm blushed sweetly. They were now halfway down the alley behind The Bronze. There was a noise from the end of the alley. "Maybe we should turn around and go the other way."
"Or, maybe you can die." Both women turned around to see Spike in his vamp mode. "You two bitches are the reason that I was trapped in that bloody prison." He put his hand to his cheek. "They got a little too close." There was a deep cut that was already healing under his hand. "You two had better hope this doesn't leave a scar. If it does, I may just get a little cranky." He smiled large. "Hell, I'm already a little cranky. Those bastards didn't even feed me. I'm just a little famished. What say you two prettys fix that particular problem for me. After all, it was you two that destroyed what was rightfully mine." He started after the two.
Willow reach into her pocket and held out a cross. It didn't even faze Spike. He kept coming at the two of them. She instinctively took Tara's hand in her own. Her mind raced with a thousand spells. What was that one that the two of them had used a few months ago when Spike had first showed up in town. That would be useful in this situation again. But her mind was drawing a blank. It was as if she were being blocked.
"What's the matter, ladies?" Spike grinned from ear to ear. "You two not able to work the mojo? Well, now. That's a big time bonus for me, now isn't it."
"Run!" Willow shouted. They turned and ran for the end of the alley. Willow could hear that Spike wasn't far behind them. She had to think of something. There had to be away. Why was her mind not able to think of any spells. And it felt like she didn't have her usual magicks at her disposal. Something weird was going on. But Spike was after them. And that was what mattered at the moment. Faster. They had to move faster.
She felt something grab her arm from behind. She was whirled around and into the face and fangs of Spike. "Hello, delicious. Did I ever tell you how sweet you look today? You look good enough to eat." He smiled as she began to scream. He covered her mouth. "Now, now. None of that. We don't want to alert that pesky slayer friend of yours."
Tara, stopped a few feet away from where Spike had Willow in a tight grip. She watched helplessly as her everything struggled in the arms of the vampire. She felt like there was something she should be able to do. But it was like there was something forcing her still. What on earth could be holding her back so much. Especially now that her world was in such danger. "Willow!" She finally managed to find her voice as she watched Spike's fangs hovering over the red head's neck.
"This'll be nice and tender." Spike smiled as he started to bite Willow's neck.