The Moonlight Series
By Sunfire
Part 20: New Friends
"Buffy?" Surprise and dread could be heard in the hacker's voice as she acknowledged the presence of the teen. *Not again! I don't want to have to listen to her yell at me and tell me how stupid I am and how wrong my actions are.* "Willow, get away from her!" Buffy said, getting into a fighting stance and eyeing Faith warily. "Hey, Buff, what's up?" Xander questioned, as he came up behind his girlfriend, wondering what made her stop. "Is it a vam... oh shit, Will get back, now." "Excuse me?" Willow asked, annoyed. "Why should I?"
"Willow stop being immature, and get away from her." The blonde slayer said as she slowly began approaching Willow and Faith. "Xander get Will out of here." She instructed her boyfriend as she got ready to attack the other slayer; who, to her surprise was just standing there with an amused smirk on her face. *Oh, this should be funny* Faith thought as she watched the scene unfold; having seen first hand what the red head was capable of when she got pissed off. Xander walked casually over to Willow and took a hold of her arm. "Come on Wills, lets get you some place safe, while Buffy takes care of Faith."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Faith warned Xander. "Some place safe? I don't need you to protect me. Now let go." Willow said as she struggled to free her arm from Xander's grasp. "I know you all think I'm some weakling that you have to protect, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you." Willow practically yelled. "I am sick and tired of you guys trying to control my life, now let go!" Willow continued to fight Xander's hold on her arm, but he refused to let go. Faith took hold of Xander's arm and began pulling him off the red head. "She told you to let go."
"Get away from them!" Buffy yelled as she attacked Faith, pulling her off of Xander. As the two slayers began to fight Willow freed her arm from Xander's hold and grabbed Buffy's arm, pulling her off of Faith. "Buffy get off of her!" Exclaimed the hacker as she stood between the slayers. "Will, what do you think you're doing? Get away from her before you get hurt." Buffy's confusion at the red head's actions showed plainly on her face. "For the last time, I'm not going to get hurt, if Faith was going to hurt me don't you think she would have done it earlier? Not that she didn't try of course, but really; you don't need to take care of me, I have been taking care of myself since I was five. If anyone is going to get hurt it's going to be you two; and Faith's not going to be the only one dishing it out if you don't leave us the hell alone."
"Why are you defending her? This is Faith were talking about here. You know, the psycho that killed the guy and works for the evil Mayor." Xander said, icily. "No shit sherlock. I know who she is, I'm not stupid." Buffy and Xander were both taken aback by the shy hacker's words and the slight venom in her voice. "Why don't you keep your smart ass comments to yourself. If she's such a psycho why did you sleep with her? And she didn't kill him; it was an accident, she thought he was a vampire."
"You hated her just as much as the rest of us, if not more; now you're defending her?" Xander questioned from his position next to Buffy. "I never hated her. I was jealous. For the first time in my life I had a friend I could talk to about guys and do all the other girly things with. Then Faith came and that friend started spending time with her and I was left in the dust. Next thing I know she is fucking my best friend since before I could walk. She was everything I wanted to be but wasn't. She was independent, strong, daring, capable, nobody pushed her around, and guys fell over themselves to get to her. But now; I don't know what I was so bent out of shape about. You're only my friends as long as I do and act the way you want me to. The minute I step out of your preconceived vision of the good little Willow you turn your backs on me. And even before you weren't really my friends. You used me and took advantage of me and I won't put up with it anymore. I am going to act the way I want, dress the way I want, and hang out with who I want." Buffy and Xander merely stood there speechless, absorbing; or at least attempting to absorb what Willow had said. As Willow and Faith made their way into the gas station to fill up on ice cream and other assorted snack items, two stunned teens looked at each other and said one word before they left in the opposite direction. "Giles."
* * * "She actually said that? Willow? Giles asked, stunned.
"Yeah. It was so weird. It was like she was someone else." Buffy had a dazed look in her eyes as she sat at the large table in the library. "Do you think she is someone else. Like the vampire Willow?" Xander questioned. "There is just no way that could have been our Willow."
"Maybe she's possessed." The slayer suggested. "Well, let's not jump to conclusions here. It may be W-Willow but it may not. Perhaps there is some super natural force at work here; we do live on a, um, hellmouth. It certainly would explain Willow's strange b- behavior as of late." Giles said as he took off his glasses, cleaned them and returned them to there perch. "It might be a good idea if you two kept a close eye on her for now. She how she acts and then we will decide on the best course of action."
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Part 21: Girl Talk
The two girls sat in Willow's room, surrounded by various sweets and candies. Each girl had a container of ice cream in their hands and they were laughing as Faith finished a story about when she had first become a slayer and was forced to fight a trio of vampires with nothing more than a plastic spoon. After all, what better way to forget the pressures of life and annoying people than a night of girl talk and a calorie feast?
"Damn! That would have been interesting to watch." Willow commented as she took another bite of her fudge mint swirl ice cream. "So, what do you want to do now?"
"Why don't we play a little game?" Faith asked with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "What kind of game did you have in mind?" Questioned the red head warily.
"How about truth or dare? Unless you're too scared." Faith said.
"I'm not scared."
"Ok, then I'll start. Truth or dare?"
"Umm, truth I guess."
"Are you and Spike a couple?" Faith asked.
Willow was caught off guard by the slayer's question and started to babble. "Well, I um, I, don't, I'm not sure."
"What do you mean you're not sure?" Faith asked in bewilderment.
"Well, I, um, just don't really know." Slight embarrassment crept into her voice.
"You two looked pretty chummy earlier." A slight blush colored the hacker's checks as she recalled the small kiss she had shared with Spike only two hours before. The blush did not go unnoticed by the brunette, nor did the small smile on Willow's face as the red head remembered the feel of his cheek bones under her hand, and his fingers intertwined with her own as they had walked to the park.
"What are you smiling about Red?" Faith asked, smiling.
"N..nothing, nothing at all."
"Sure. That's why your face matches your hair. Now spill."
"You asked if me and Spike were a couple, and I answered. Now it's my turn. Truth or dare?"
*You can't avoid the question forever Red.* "Fine, truth."
"What about you and Angelus?" Faith raised an eyebrow as if saying 'do you really need to ask?' "Well, I know you, you two, you know, cause he's Angelus now, and well, then, but, I mean, are you guys like a couple, couple, or just a, um, you know, couple?"
"We're not all lovey dovey, bringing each other flowers type of couple; but he'll open doors for me, and he gets _really_ jealous if other guys look at me, and he's pretty possessive. He is tough and strong, and likes it hard and fast; but sometimes, when no one else is there he can be gentle and caring, and we'll take it slow and sweet. You should have seen him when I fell and twisted my ankle yesterday when we were sparing. He was so concerned, and hovered over me all night. He kept saying he was sorry, and waited on me hand and foot, asking if I was ok like, every five minutes." Faith got a smile on her face as she remembered his actions, and Willow's eyes were wide with surprise. "Yeah, I know, who would have thought the big tough evil vampire could be so caring and sweet? Plus, he can be real playful sometimes." At Willow's surprised and questioning look Faith clarified with a smirk and a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows. "You know how Angelus likes to play games?" Willow nodded her head, remembering her fish and the notes and drawings. "Let's just say he likes to play other places too." Faith chuckled as Willow's face turned an even deeper shade of red. "Truth or dare."
"Truth."
"Are you a virgin?"
"Um, well, that is, yes." Willow blushed even _more_ as she studied her feet with great interest and took another bite of her ice cream before opening a bag of skittles and popping several into her mouth. "Ok, my turn, truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"I don't think I need to ask you the same question, since I already kind of know that, so, how, um, how old were you, that is when you, you know...lost, your, um, virginity." *I can't believe I just asked that! That was actually, kinda gutsy, and not shy; cool.*
"I was 16, and he was 18. It was two years after I dropped out of school and I was at this big party with my friends, and we were all drunk off our asses."
"I kinda thought that, you, well...."
"That I would have lost it sooner? Yeah, well, I may have been a drop out, and everything; I was arrested three times before I lost my virginity, weird huh? Anyway, now that you know my little secret, it's my turn again."
*Ut oh.* "Truth."
"Why were you blushing so much when I asked you whether you and Spike were together?"
*She had to ask that, didn't she* The blush started to reappear as the hacker once again recalled the feel of Spike's lips pressed lightly to her own, earlier that day, and when they were going to the movies two days before. "I was, just, um, remembering, something, that's all." Faith sat and watched Willow became very interested in the bottom of her empty skittles bag. "And what, prey tell, would that be?" The slayer questioned as she took a bite of her own container of cookie dough ice cream.
"Well, on, the, um, on the way to the, uh, park....... SpikekindakissedmeandIcan'tforgethislipsonmine" The last part came out in rush as she tried to cover up her embarrassment as she reached for a chocolate donut. "Ok, one more time Red, and this time, breathe." Faith said, picking up a package of Twix. "Fine, on the way to the park tonight Spike and I started talking and Spike kinda kissed me and I can't seem to forget the feel of his lips on mine."
"Spike kissed you? Why do I get the feeling that this isn't the first time this has happened?" Willow just avoided looking at Faith, instead busying herself with the half empty bag of donuts.
"Well, probably because it happened two days ago." *Did I just say that with a straight face?!"
"What? How? I want the details girl!"
"Well, if was after my first day back at school after moving in with Spike and Buffy and Xander were ass holes, saying I looked like a tramp, and that I was acting bitchy. When I got home I was really upset, and Spike took me out for ice cream and a movie. On the way to the movie we switched cones, and I accidentally dropped his, so he shoved mine in my face. I wiped my face off on his silk shirt and he got really mad, and chased me down the street and when he caught me he picked me up and spun me around. Then he put me down and there was only an inch in between us and the next thing I knew he was kissing me. Our lips barely touched but it felt like there a electrical current flowing through my body. It was amazing."
"Damn, girl! You hella like him, don't you? Don't deny it, you know you do."
"Yeah, I guess do. Whenever I'm around him, I get this feeling, it's strange, familiar. And when we touch, I get this tingly, warm feeling." Faith sat there enraptured in the red head's story, enjoying her first girl talk session in a long time. "Well, it doesn't really matter anyway, he doesn't feel the same way, why would he? He is a sexy, gorgeous 200+ vamp; and I'm just plain old Willow, Sunnydale's resident nerd. He probably only did what he did because he feels sorry for me; so why dwell on the impossible."
"What are you talking about? Do you always talk down to yourself like that?"
"I'm just being realistic."
"Bull shit! You are hella pretty and if Spike just felt sorry for you he would have just patted you on the back or gave you a hug. Besides, I've seen the way he looks at you, trust me on this, he likes you, we just gotta draw him out of his macho shell and get him to admit it. Now come on, no more moping I do believe we have a game to get back to. It's you're turn and I choose Dare."
"Ok, I dare you to ask Angelus about his relationship with Spike before he got his soul back."
"Oh, that should be fun. Now, truth or dare."
"Um, I feel outgoing tonight, dare."
Faith gave the hacker a mischievous smirk. *Perfect.* "I dare you to kiss Spike, with tongue. You don't have to do it when I'm here, you can wait 'till later, but you have to do it before sunrise."
"Um, is it too late to chose truth?" Willow asked nervously.
"Yup, or you can always have a different dare." Willow nodded her head vigorously at the idea. "Ok, you can either kiss Spike, or...you can kiss Angelus. Your pick." The red head's eyes went wide at this. "No, I'll go with Spike, that's ok."
"Do you have something against Angelus?"
"No, besides the fact that he killed Ms. Calendar, my fish, and terrorized us for months and almost killed me."
"He just did that stuff to mess with B..."
"Yeah, I know, cause she made him feel human, Buffy told me."
"Actually it was more along the lines that when he had his soul Buffy treated his being a vampire like some disease and Ms. Calendar wanted to recurse him and he didn't want to go back to the brooding, remorseful self hating vamp he was before."
"Well, I was the one that recursed him before he went to hell, doesn't that mean that he wants to kill me too?"
"Nah, he likes you. Before, when he 'tried to kill you' he was actually planing on turning you. Don't look so scared. He's not going to turn you, Spike wouldn't let him, and neither would I. You don't have to look so surprised. I'm still a slayer, and besides, you're pretty tight."
"Thanks."
"No prob' Red. So tell me, what did you think of Angel when he had his soul?"
"When I first saw him I almost drooled. But he was Buffy's from the start. I have to admit, when he got his soul back I did miss the leather pants and silk and velvet shirts with the top buttons undone. I really like the leather, I wonder if Spike has any leather pants; he sure would look yummy in leather pants. All he wears is jeans and sweats." A slight blush colored her ivory cheeks as she confessed her 'leather fetish'.
"I know, he does look just edible in leather, I bet Spike would too. We might have to work on that." The two looked at each other and started laughing.
"Oh, I know what we can do next." Willow exclaimed ten minutes later, bouncing in her seat on her bed.
"What?" Both the red head and the brunette were on a sugar high after having eaten all three bags of sweets they had purchased.
"Let's do make overs. You can do me up all bad girl like, and I have some old clothes of mine that will fit you."
"Sorry Red, hate to burst your bubble but fuzzy sweaters and flowery skirts aren't really me."
"Ah, come on, just for fun, I promise I won't laugh."
"Fine, but not a word to anyone." Both girls had huge sugar-induced smiles on their faces as they set about their next task.
Forty-five minutes later loud laughter could be heard coming from Willow's bedroom as they looked themselves over. "You said you wouldn't laugh!"
"I'm...sorry, I just can't..help, myself." The hacker said between giggles.
Faith was standing in front of the full length mirror Willow had gotten herself, scowling at the red head. The slayer's face had been scrubbed free of her make-up, replacing her usual dark bold colors with lavender eye shadow that went around her eye like liner, with a slightly darker sparkly purplish blue color in the crease. The colors weren't bright, but rather subtle and shining. Her cheek bones were lightly covered in bronzer which gave her face a slight glow. Willow had done her lips in cherry opal with a light covering of pink gloss. The brunette's hair was straightened, and framed her face while small portions from each side were pulled back with blue butterfly clips. She donned one of Willow's old sundresses. The dress was lavender with blue and pink flower vines from the him to the waste. It reached her knees and on her feet were flat blue strapy sandals.
"I feel like an idiot. I'm going to go change, and stop laughing, it's not that funny."
"If it makes you feel any better, lavender is really your color." She called after Faith's retreating back. She was meet with a loud, "Shut up." Before the bathroom door closed behind her.
While Faith was in the bath room Willow examined what Faith had done with the change of clothes in her bag that she kept with her in case what she was wearing got damaged for one reason or another, and some of the new clothes she had bought when she went shopping with Spike. Willow's hair had a subtle wave and was slightly mused around her face. Her eyes were done in thick black liner that went all around her eyes, with dark maroon shadow and mascara. She had no blush, accentuating her pale complexion in contrast to her dark make up. Her lips were lined thinly in black and covered in blood red that almost clashed with her hair. She wore Faith's dark red spaghetti strapped crop top and short black leather skirt with her new black jean jacket and black two inch heeled, square toed boot that reached mid-calf. Faith re-entered the room in her clothes and looked over at Willow.
"It's a little more daring than I would normally wear but I like it."
"I'm tellin' ya Red, you'll have Spike speechless and drooling the minute he sees you in that." As soon as it was out of her mouth the front door opened and Spike and Angelus came in.