A Very Ordinary Evil

Part 5 – Rumours, Bargains and Lies


The following day


Willow emerged from the depths of her thoughts, to realise that she had been sitting and thinking for hours. It was daylight, and Spike had fallen asleep on the chair. She got up and closed the curtains, to keep the sun away from him.

She walked to the kitchen, needing coffee. As she prepared it, she continued to think, aware that now she had made her decision, all she felt was a great calmness. She poured the coffee and walked back to the living room and sat, looking at Spike. Her mind drifted, seeing images of them together. Erotically, romantically, simply as friends. The images began to blur, one into the next. She got out of the chair and went to sit next to her sleeping lover. {How strange that I think of him as my lover when all we’ve done is kiss.}

Willow realised that the hardest part was still to come. She had to explain it all to the rest of the gang. The Goddess alone knew how Buffy would react, but she had an idea to thwart her most likely immediate reaction. Xander would just wig out totally. Angel, well, she just didn’t want to think about his reaction at all. Cordelia and Anya though, how would they react? And Giles, given his reaction to Buffy and Angel, what would he do? Would Spike want them to know?

The ‘phone rang, startling her and also jolting Spike into wakefulness. Willow answered it. “Hello?”

“That you Wills?” Buffy asked.

“No, This is the Scott Antarctic Base.” Willow responded, grinning widely as she did so.

“Har Har Har Willow. Why’re you at home?”

“I’m entertaining a gentleman friend, Buffy. So I won’t be able to talk too long.” Willow could hear Spike sniggering in the background.

“Sure Will.” Willow could hear the sarcasm and disbelief, so she beckoned Spike over. “Can you hold on a moment Buffy?”

Willow whispered to Spike “Can you do accents?”

“What?” he looked confused.

“Accents, can you make your voice sound different?”

Spike noddgringrinning as he deduced the redhead’s plan.

Slipping into a perfect Mississippi accent, he walked up to Willow, wrapped one arm around her anant ant forward so the mouthpiece would catch his words. “Y’all gonna tawk fu’evah? Daddy wants to play.”

Willow could hear Buffy’s shocked gasp. “I’ll see you later Buffy, bye!” She hung up.

They looked at one another and laughed. “Oh, that was fun Spike. You should have heard her.”

Spike grinned wickedly. “Pet, at times you amaze me. You’re not the little innocent you pretend. In fact, after that little performance, I’d add one more characteristic to your vampiric self – game player.”

“Do you want anything Spike? Like coffee, or … y’know.”

“Coffee luv, please.”

Willow went back into the kitchen to pour him coffee.

On her return, Willow sat opposite him, and looked down. “Spike, I’ve decided. I want you. Now, forever, for eternity. But … I also want to ask something of you.”

“What pet?” Spike’s eyes hooded slightly.

“Well, I want to keep trying to find a permanent version of the soul spell. I couldn’t be with you and have the current version. It would drive us both mad. Is that a problem?”

“No Red. I love you. Your soul is part of who you are. Part of what I love. If we can’t find a permanent spell, I’ll teach you to control your demon the way I do. Deal?”

Willow’s eyes lit up, her joy evident. She walked to Spike and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around him. “Thank you” she simply said.

She leaned in and kissed him on the lips, this time taking the dominant role. Her tongue flickered out, and began to explore his lips. She felt him respond, mouth opening to allow her access. She was surprised at the coolness she encountered, but its very difference only enhanced the sensations she was feeling. She began to explore him, feeling the contours of his teeth and palate. He tasted of tobacco and coffee. She began to hear the very quiet murmurs they made as they continued the kiss. She felt her senses focus onto what she was doing, sensing only Spike.

Spike felt the passion that he had always known existed inside Willow begin to surface. She tasted sweet, almost like cinnamon. The heat she generated astonished him. On the few occasions that he’d previously kissed humans, he had not noticed it as much, somehow, this was different; she was different, special.

Willow pulled away gently, breaking the kiss. “Oxygen’s a good thing.” She giggled.

“We do need to talk about some other things though, Spike. What do we tell everyone?”

“We’ve got a saying back in the old country pet. ‘Tell the truth and shame the devil’. I love you, I’m proud of the fact that I love you, and no-one will keep us apart.”

“So, what do we do if Buffy goes berserk?”

“Simple pet, before we tell her anything you make it quite clear that if she misbehaves, you turn her into a cockroach.” Spike’s grin was not pure evil, but a strange mix of that and mischieviousness. “I’ll bet that, slayer though she is, when she sees a ‘roach, she shrieks.”

Willow giggled and nodded. “She’s terrible. It’s the one time I have to protect her. It’s ‘Willow! Kill it! Kill it! Kill it now!’ She is such a tosser.”

Spike looked at her, astonished. “What did you call her?”

“A tosser”

“And where precisely did you pick up language like that?”

“Online. I asked some friends recently about British slang. What to use and what the words mean.”

Spike looked at her blankly.

“Well, I thought that it’d be nice if I knew what half the words you use meant. The proper meanings, not the words themselves. Is Angel really gay?”

Spike laughed. “Pet, most vampires are … experimental when it comes to sex. Back when he was Angelus, before the curse, he just wasn’t fussy. That’s not why I call him a poof though. The word also carries connotations of effeminate. In his case, in the soul-having wanting to defend the weak way. From a demonic viewpoint, that’s effeminacy.”

Willow nodded as he continued. “Pet, to change the subject,” Spike grinned “You haven’t told me what you think about us … coming out of the closet.” He grinned at the look on Willow’s face. “What, I can’t use extended metaphor?” She giggled and pecked him on the cheek.

“I can do without having to sneak around and hide things. I’ve been thinking about it. As best I can guess, Buffy, Xander and Angel will all go ballistic, Anya and Cordy will be supportive. Giles, I don’t know about Giles. I think he’ll be upset, but not angry.”

Spike chuckled. “Well, pet, there is one thing we’ll need to do before we tell all. That’s your experiment. I think you’ve got a slim chance at best, but if we try to do it after we tell people about … us, you’ll have no soddin’ chance at all.”

Willookeooked at him. “True,” she said, obviously thinking. I’ll start to make some calls. You’ll have to go and catch us a vampire and a wimpy bad demon.” Spike looked surprised at the crispness with which Willow started giving orders. He looked at her, slightly bemused. “Well, Spike, hurry up, we don’t have all night.” His jaw dropped. “Who’s the scientist here anyway? Now go and catch me some feeble baddies.”

Spike felt overwhelmed by Willow’s sudden assertiveness. He half expected her to clap her hands at him. Pulling himself together somewhat, he asked, “Why do we need feeble baddies?”

Willow looked at him, shaking her head. “Spike, we’re going to have to keep them here until the experiment. I so do not want to have to explain the extensive damage to my parents, should one escape!”

Spike looked at her again, understanding dawning. “Okay pet, you obviously know what you’re doing. I’ll head off and get some baddies.” So saying, Spike dragged his duster on and left.

* * * *

Willow went to the phone. The first person she called was Giles. She thought what she was going to say as the phone rang.

“Hello?” a mellifluous Oxford accent answered.

“Giles, it’s me, Willow. Listen, I’ve just had an idea. I think that we can work out what Spike’s chip, what it does.”

“That’s wonderful.”

“There is one problem though. I need people for Spike to hit, or to try to.”

“Pardon?” The tone is Giles’ voice spoke vol, he, he was beyond confusion after hearing the redhead’s little bombshell.

“We know that Spike’s chip goes off whenever he tries to attack a human, right?” She began to lead Giles through her thought process.

“Er, yes, that’s true.”

“We also know that when he attacks the soul-less, Vampires and demons, it doesn’t. Right?”

“Y-yes”

“So, what we need to do is to carry out tests using the following subjects. A slayer, a human, a vampire with a soul, a vampire without a soul, a benevolent demon, and a malevolent demon.”

“Er, that would seem logical, but … but how will we … can we?” Giles began to blather as he tried to absorb all the implications.

“Giles, if we could find out precisely how Spike’s chip works, then we would be in a great position to use that knowledge more humanely. What the initiative did was simply wrong. You can’t just place chips into reasoning beings’ heads, to modify their behaviour, whatever their personal morality, or amorality.” Willow was beginning to get enthused now. “Well, not without giving them help, like food and money and stuff ...”

“Willow,” Giles interrupted, “These aren’t people. They’re demons. Creatures without pity.”

“Giles, if we do things like they did to Spike, and then leave them to starve, are we any better?”

“Willow, it’s questions like that that drive me, and the Watcher’s Council, insane.”

“Sorry Giles. Anyway, I’ve sent Spike off to catch a fledgling and a feeble bad demon. What I want you to do is to convince Buffy and Xander to do their part.”

“That shouldn’t be too hard. What is it that they have to do?”

“Literally? Sit in a chair. And not move.”

“Even Xander should be able to manage that.”

“Okay, look Giles, please get them involved. I need to ring Angel. He’s the only vampire with a soul that I know.”

“Ah. A-alright then. I’ll speak with you later Willow.”

* * * *

“Hello, Cordy? Is that you?”

“Hiya Willow. What’s new?”

“Sorry Cordy, I don’t really have time to speak now. We’ll catch up later. Promise. Is Angel there?”

“Yeah, hang on Wills. Brood Boy’s in.” Cordelia trarredrred the call, surprised, even startled by this new take-charge Willow.

“Yes?”

“Angel, this is Willow. I need a favour. Do you still see Whistler?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I need your help. Both of you.”

“What’s happened?”

“Nothing. It’s more an experimental thing. I think I know how to work out what Spike’s chip does. Can you come down? I need a vampire with a soul.”

“Why should I care about Spike.”

“Angel, don’t be mean. It’s been very hard for him. He’s still a demon, remember.”

“I really don’t see why I should bother, Willow. He’s Spike.”

“Angel, stop being a pain.”

“Willow, why should I do this?”

“Because I asked. I did give you your soul back. You owe me. And if I have to, I can always uncurse you!”

“Willow!”

“Angel, it’s important. I need you here and Whistler as well if you can possibly swing it.”

“All right, all right.” Angel sounded resigned, almost defeated. Willow had hated to have to threaten his soul, but the experiment was important, too important, to jeopardise because he threw a tantrum.

* * * *

Spike returned with an unconscious vampire thrown over one shoulder. “Okay Red, Where should I bung ‘im?”

She looked blankly at Spike, then thought. “In the cellar, it’s windowless and only has one door. There’s nothing he can damage or use down there, it’s empty. Will you have time to get the other?”

“He’s outside pet, trussed up and ready to be brought in.”

“All right, you better get him then. Angel is collecting Whistler and coming down immediately.”

“Peaches agreed? How the hell d’ya do that luv?”

“I threatened to take his soul away.”

Spike gawped. “Bloody hell luv, remind me to never annoy you. You play dirty. You’d give me a soul if I did the wrong thing.”

Willow giggled and grinned. “Perhaps. Go and get the demon please … pet.” She asked, sweetly.

Spike looked at her, once more dumbfounded. “Where did all this come from? The orders and threats I mean.”

“That? Oh, once I get set into a project, I have no time for people who obstruct me.” Willow smiled apologetically.

“Oh.” Spike said, totally inadequately, turning to collect the demon.