High School Confidential [rated AO] 4/4 HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL by purplefeen Spike/Willow rating: MA Summary: Good girl Willow Rosenberg is pursued by bad boy William "Spike" Pratt. 25301 words
After that, every spare moment was spent together. Talking, driving, eating, studying, dancing, shopping. They did everything together.
Xander and Angel were bearing the brunt as their women complained and asked why they weren't treated as well as Willow was. Angel found the answer by informing Buffy that if she wanted to be treated like Willow was being treated, she should date Spike. That shut her up.
Xander tried that tack with Cordelia but didn't like the look in her eyes when he said it. He finally put his foot down and told her that if she even considered getting between Willow and Spike he'd take her over his knee and give her the spanking of her life.
Cordelia blushed and smiled and acted very demure around Xander after that. One night they didn't show up for a study session. The next day, Cordelia was practically eating out of Xander's hand. Nobody asked any questions. The next time they drove up to Sunset Point, Willow told Spike she wanted to do "um... that dirty thing."
But she was very nervous about doing something wrong. He told her there was no wrong way to do it. He demonstrated what he meant by taking off her sweater, her bra, her shoes and her socks.
They kissed and touched and felt that unquenchable desire they always felt when they were together. His hands explored her body and his mouth soon followed everywhere his hands had been. He spent more time than he'd intended at her breast, but he couldn't help himself, this was his favourite place on earth.
He moved, finally, further down to her stomach. He undid her jeans and pulled them down and continued to kiss her as she squirmed out of them. Then his mouth moved lower and Willow jumped. Her hands stopped him.
"Remember I told you that there was no wrong way?"
"Uh huh," she said, not sounding sure at all.
He held her hips down and lowered his head, placing warm kisses across her abdomen. He moved back and knelt down on the floor of the car.
"Move you leg down here, Luv," he asked her in a soft voice that was accompanied by a firm hand moving her were he wanted her to be. He kissed up her thigh as she moved her leg into place.
He continued to kiss up and down her thighs and just above her curls. She started squirming and this time he had no trouble at all moving her other leg up to the top of the backseat.
Now that she was finally spread open to his gaze, he took a moment to savor the experience. Then he took her clit in his mouth and sucked. He smiled when she screamed out his name and pulled his head closer with her hands. He licked her folds then opened her up with his thumbs.
He was wrong. This was his favourite place on earth. He was trying to be gentle with her, building slowly, or so he thought. But it was only a few minutes before she was screaming out his name and coming in his mouth.
He licked her clean and moved back up her body, taking her mouth in a kiss more passionate than any they'd shared before. He kept kissing her as he took her hand to guide it down to his jeans. He left the final decision up to her.
He didn't know how much she knew and how much she didn't. He knew she wasn't a virgin, but she seemed so naļ¶„ and innocent about all of this that he really wanted to know exactly what that ass Oz had done to her. He hadn't even given her an orgasm.
But just because he'd never touched her with tenderness didn't mean he hadn't made her touch him. The thought made him sick. Some guys he knew were the same way. Get the poor unsuspecting girl to get him off, telling her that this way her virginity would still be intact. Selfish bastards.
She reached for his jeans but had trouble getting them open. He took the hand that had been playing with her hair and reached down quickly to undo them.
Then he left her to it again. Her hand reached inside but came quickly out again. He closed his eyes and reigned in his control.
"It's all right, Luv. You don't have to. It's too soon, it's-"
"I want to," she said shakily. "I just, um, don't know how."
He smiled. "Do you want me to show you?"
"Would you please?" she asked with noticeable relief and he chuckled. He pulled her back down to lay beside him and he took her hand in his.
Kissing her again, he put their joined hands on his chest. After a few kisses, he moved them down, down past his stomach and moved his hand to the top of hers. When he felt the course hair that started below his belly button, he slowed, splayed her fingers and slid his in between. He moved their hands in a circle, letting her get used to the feel of it. After a minute, he felt her hand start to move and he moved with it, down into his jeans.
He lifted his hips, giving her room to slide inside. His jeans shifted lower on his hips and his erection popped further out. She touched it tentatively and he took control again, moving their joined hands to grasp it.
He hissed as her hand encircled him and she tried to pull back but he just grabbed on tighter. She moaned and he saw her hips squirm. This was turning her on, definitely a good sign. He patted her hand to indicate that she shouldn't move it. He lifted his hand and slid his fingers between her thighs. She was dripping for him again - already. He coated his hand in her slick secretions and brought it back to his cock. He pushed her hand out of the way and coated himself in her. Bolts of lightening went up his spine.
He took her hand again and led her back to him. With the lubrication from heaven coating him, it was easy to show her how to use her hand to pump him. Sliding all the way down and then all the way up. He even showed her how to give a little twist to her wrist when she passed the head.
Then he took his hand off and let her go.
She seemed nervous, but she continued as he had taught her. Very delicately, very precise, not deviating from the learned motion.
"It's okay, baby," he told her, "You can't do it wrong, remember? What feels good to you?"
She moved her hand and grasped it from the top, her fingers descending down the staff. Her thumb was over the ridge in the head that was extra sensitive. Every time she brought her hand up, her thumb grazed over that spot. He almost bucked out of her grasp and she stopped.
"Did I - Are you-"
His teeth grazed her neck.
"Harder," he growled against her skin.
She smile and pulled him harder. He was kissing her neck now and every time she hit that spot, his breath would catch. She twisted her hand back around and did it the way he had showed her for a while and then back to the way she had thought up. He definitely liked her way better!
He was panting hard now and suddenly he seized up and said, "Stop!" and pulled away from her. He grabbed his tee shirt from the floor and held it to himself as he spasmed.
He held it there as his body calmed and he opened his eyes and saw her looking at him. "It's messy," he explained.
"Can I see?" she asked.
He moved the tee shirt and as she looked down to the white stuff clinging to his softening dick. He started to get hard again and he put the tee shirt back.
"That's enough tonight, baby. You keep looking at me like that and I'm gonna blow again."
Willow blushed and sat back against the seat. He cleaned himself up and then sat back as well and pulled her onto his lap.
He wanted to ask how a girl who was no longer a virgin knew so little about the male anatomy. He wanted to ask what had happened that made her so unsure of herself when she was obviously a very enthusiastic partner.
Instead, he cuddled her in his arms and said, "I love you."
She smiled, "I love you too."
He smiled, "I'll never get tired of hearing that."
There was exactly one week left until the dance. Buffy was fuming because she didn't yet have a dress. Willow wasn't mad about it, but she was concerned. She wanted to get something really special to wear. This would be the first time she and Spike were together in front of the whole school. She wanted him to be proud of her.
They went shopping together. Cordelia, who already had a dress, came to supervise. She kept picking out things that were pastel and frilly for Willow. She told Cordy she wanted something more sophisticated. Something to make her look like a woman for Spike.
"Finally!" Cordy trilled, "Come with me."
She drove them to Madame DuBois' Dress Shop and told Clarise the manager what Willow was trying to accomplish and then put Willow in her hands.
She and Buffy sat and waited. And waited. After a while, a door opened and a beautiful redhead in a strapless emerald green taffeta sheath dress walked out and onto the circular stand in front of the mirrors. Her hair was a mass of curls, with the sides pulled up and braided into a crown on top of her head. Tasteful rhinestone earrings dangled from her ears and matched the circle of rhinestones at her throat. Matching green high heels on her feet.
She took one look at herself in the mirror and took a step back. She couldn't believe that was her!
Cordy and Buffy stepped up, tears in both their eyes. Buffy wrapped her arms around Cordy and cried, "Oh, honey, our little girl is all grown up!"
Laughter replaced the tears.
When Spike picked her up for dinner, she was all smiles.
Spike smiled too. "Why so cheerful, Luv? Not that I mind, I just want to share in your good mood."
Willow told him, "I found the perfect dress today. Well, I didn't find it, Clarise found it and Cordy found Clarise but it's a dress and its perfect and Buffy was crying!"
This made Spike stop. If Buffy was crying, poor Angel was probably in for it.
"What's up with Buffy? I hope its nothing too bad."
Willow laughed, "No, silly. Buffy was crying because of my dress."
Spike raised his eyebrows. "Your dress made Buffy cry?" he asked skeptically.
Willow nodded.
"Must be a hell of a dress."
They went to dinner at Louie's and had crab claws that Spike had to help Willow crack and butter kept dribbling down her chin that Spike felt obligated to lick off.
After dinner, Spike, in an effort to show Willow that he loved her for more than just her body, took her for a walk in the park. The held hands and admired the moonlight and talked about Spike's parents and their death.
"That's why life means so much to me I guess. I don't want to waste a moment of it. When I know what I want, I go after it." He laughed, "'Cept you, of course. Took me three years to get up the courage to ask you out."
Willow giggled, "Well, you didn't really ask me, you just grabbed me and kissed me."
Spike smiled at her, "Still effective, though."
Willow couldn't argue with that, didn't want to.
"Been meaning to ask you, Luv. What do you want to be? What are you going to study at university?"
"I think I'd like to go into research of some kind, maybe medicine? But a friend of my dad's was telling us about more and more computers that are being made to help the government, banks and big corporations manage their records and do their calculations. That sounds really interesting. And Syracuse has a program for it, so I'm thinking I might try that."
"Syracuse has a god engineering program as well, that's why I applied there. I can't wait til we get out of here. We'll be on our own and-"
Willow had stepped away from him.
"What's wrong, Luv?"
Willow looked down and said, "It's just - you have our lives planned out, Spike. You have my life planned out."
Worried that she was worried he was just using her, he told her, "I want to marry you, baby, I told you that. I want us to-"
"I can't marry you, Spike, I can't marry anybody."
Spike looked her strangely, "Willow? What's wrong, Luv? Whatever it is we can fix it, fix it togeth-"
"No, it can't be fixed. It's not a fixable thing. I just - I'm..." she took a few steps away. "I can't marry you, Spike, I'm sorry." And ran away. Spike chased her all the way back to her house but she wouldn't say another word.
That night, Angel waited and waited, but Spike never came to the window.
Spike wasn't in school the next day and neither was Willow. Buffy said Willow's mom had said she spent the night with the stomach flu and Angel said Spike hadn't been in his room. Angel had been hoping he'd already left for school.
The gang looked everywhere but there was no sign of Spike. By Wednesday, Willow was back at school but she still looked terrible. Spike was still a no-show. Angel was frantic, Willow was numb. Spike's uncle drank himself to sleep and when he woke up he drank himself to sleep again.
Xander checked the docks, Buffy tried the recruiting office. Cordy even went so far as to go to the Greasers table at Pop's and ask for their help. They told her Spike's likely haunts and where his friends lived. She hated doing it, but she asked about his previous girlfriends. They gave her the names and addresses, but told her they'd check with them. They were worried as well and it was a good place to start.
Cordy had her doubts. A guy so over the top about Willow as Spike was wouldn't go slumming it again.
Cordy gave her list to Angel and then figured the best place to go to clear this up was the source. She went to Willow's house. It was five o'clock in the afternoon, but Willow was in bed. Her mother said she hadn't felt well when she came home from school.
"I'll just bet she didn't."
Cordy stomped up to Willow's room and pulled a pair of jeans and a sweater out of the drawer. She threw them at the bed and ordered Willow to get dressed. She found Willow's saddle shoes and a pair of socks in the closet and these she put on the girl herself. Willow had only managed to get her jeans on by herself and kept insisting she didn't feel well enough to go out. She pulled her to her feet and pulled the sweater on over her head. She took her hand and dragged her down the stairs and outside to her car.
She drove to Sunset Point. It was too early for kids making out and it was secluded.
She parked and jumped out of the car. She was so mad she was ready to spit.
"Where is he, Willow?" she screamed.
Willow started crying. "I don't know."
"But you know why he left."
Willow didn't answer, just broke down in tears.
Cordy couldn't even find kindness enough to comfort her crying friend.
"He's been gone for three days, Willow! THREE! Angel doesn't even know where he is! And you know something, something that might help us find him! I thought you loved him! I thought he was the one! That man would not just up and leave you, Willow! You had to have done something, said something! Now you have three seconds to tell me what it is or so help me God, I'll-"
Willow mumbled something indistinguishable.
"What?"
Willow grabbed some tissues and tried to stop the tears. "He wants to marry me."
Cordy was incredulous. "And he left when you were overcome with happiness?!"
The tears flowed again. "I told him I couldn't marry him."
"WHAT!"
"Cordy," she pleaded, "Remember what I told you? What happened with Oz?"
"Yeah."
"Well, that's it. I'm not made - I'm - I can't make love to him!"
"Oh, sweetie, Oz messed you up but good. I'm going to kill that little rat bastard next time I see him!" She got back in the car and hugged her distraught friend. "Did you tell this to Spike, honey?"
"No!" Willow sounded frightened at the prospect. "I can't tell him, I can't - he doesn't even know I'm not a virgin! I can't tell him that not only am I used goods, I'm defective as well!"
Cordy was so mad she grabbed Willow by the arms and shook her. "Willow, listen to me! You have got to tell this to Spike! He loves you! It will not matter to him!"
"No, Cordelia, please! I love him, I do and it would kill me to see that look in his eyes. I couldn't live with myself! I'd rather just stop now before it gets too serious. He can find someone else, he can have a life and a marriage and kids and-"
"You don't think it's serious NOW? Willow, you rejected him and he disappeared. No one, not even Angel or his uncle have seen him for THREE DAYS!"
"He's just - he'll be back, he'll -" She didn't know what to say.
"Willow, you dope, that man loves you and he'd marry you if you were twisted, mangled and covered in green polka dots! What he is, is wandering around out there with a broken heart that YOU gave him! He's GONE, that's what he is."
Willow was crying again.
"If he comes back, Willow Rosenberg, you and I are going to have a talk and you are going to tell Spike the truth, do you hear me?"
Willow didn't bother to answer, Cordy just didn't understand.
Cordy started the car and headed back. "The very first thing you're going to do is go home and take a bath. You smell funny."
It was almost midnight when Angel got home. Spike was sitting on his bed. Angel was both relieved and exhausted. He closed the door and leaned against it, immediately sinking down to the floor.
"Where the hell have you been?" he asked wearily.
"Out," was Spike's answer.
Angel stood again. "Don't move, I have to go make some phone calls."
When Angel returned, Spike had moved to the floor by the window, smoking a cigarette and looking out at his own bedroom window.
"Cordy told us that Willow dumped you hard."
Spike gave a contemptuous chuckle, "You could say that."
"What happened?"
Spike threw the cigarette out the window and turned to Angel. "If I knew, I'd tell you. One minute we were walking and everything was wonderful and the next she was running away from me."
"What did she say?"
"She said she couldn't marry me. Said she couldn't marry anybody. That's the part that's had me stumped the last few days. If she doesn't love me, I can understand it. But why would she be unable to marry anyone?"
"Maybe she can't have children."
Spike looked at him like he'd grown another head. "Are you mad? We never even mentioned kids. Never even said if I wanted 'em or not. She didn't either. Fact, we were talking about her career that day. If she can't have 'em it wouldn't make a spit of difference to me."
Angel shrugged, "Don't look at me, man. Cordy seems to be the expert."
This got Spike's attention. "Cordy knows what this is all about?"
"She didn't really say. Just that she talked to Willow and Willow had said she dumped you and then Cordy said she was working on the problem."
Spike stood up, "Working on it? Then its something fixable?" He grabbed Angel's arm. "Come on, drive me to Cordelia's house."
It wouldn't take long and Angel knew she was still awake because he'd just spoken to her, so off they went.
Her parents weren't too happy about their daughter having visitors so late, but Cordy just rolled her eyes at them and told them to go to bed.
Spike was pacing the living room.
"Sit down, Slick, this is going to take a while."
Spike sat.
"First off, I can't tell you what's wrong."
Spike looked like he was about to strangle her but she held out a hand. "That's her story to tell and you know it. She has to be the one to tell you or it doesn't mean anything. But let me warn you, it's about Oz, the creepoid. I don't know exactly what he did to her, but I can tell you that he didn't rape her. Not technically. More like talked her into something she didn't really want to do. You do know she's not a virgin, right?"
Spike nodded.
"Thought so. You two were pretty hot and heavy there. Well, that's not even it. He messed with her head, Spike. Confused her until she didn't know which way was up. She thinks it's her."
"So what do I do about it? And when do I find out what 'it' is so I can figure out how to fix it?"
Cordy laughed. "Oh, that won't be a problem, you'll know how to fix it."
Spike was beginning to think maybe this thing really was fixable.
"I should have stayed, I should have made her tell me."
Cordy moved over next to him and held his hand. "Don't beat yourself up. Not that your leaving wasn't an incredibly stupid thing to do, but I think Willow really needed time. Time to feel miserable and miss you and realize what she might be throwing away."
Spike hung his head. Angel had told them how they'd all been looking for him day and night. "I'm sorry, Pet. I didn't mean to worry you all. I was just so lost. I thought I'd lost the only person I'd ever- I just needed to clear my head."
"I hear you almost joined the army."
"Seemed like a good idea at the time."
"Why didn't you?"
Spike shrugged. "Figured that even if I wasn't goin' ta have 'er, she'd still be in the world. Could still watch out for 'er, make sure she was all right, make sure she was happy with whoever she chose instead o' me."
He looked up to find Cordy sniffling.
"Never thought I'd see you cry, Pet."
"Well, don't tell anybody." She stood. "You're an extraordinary man, Spike."
From her that was the ultimate compliment. He nodded to acknowledge it as such.
"Now," Cordy said, moving back into her commanding the troops mentality, "I want you to show up for school tomorrow. Showered. What is it with you people and your bad hygiene when you're depressed? I don't know if Willow will be ready to talk to you or not, so you probably shouldn't approach her. I just want her to see that you're back and you don't hate her, got that?"
Spike saluted.
"And don't you forget it, buster."
Spike went through his classes in a daze. He didn't hear anything the teachers said, he didn't copy down any of the assignments. He just tried really hard not to stare at Willow.
He smiled at her, waved when he saw her at lunch, said "Hi, Luv. Glad you're feeling better," when he passed her in the hall. He felt sick.
Cordelia cornered him before seventh period and told him to go right home after school and stay there. She didn't know how long it would take her to talk Willow into talking to him.
So after school, he went right home. At five o'clock he made dinner for him and his uncle. At five thirty he watched Howdy Doody. At five fifty-two, he realized what he was watching and turned it off.
At nine thirty, his uncle left for the late shift at the plant. At ten o'clock he thought about turning in but he put it off in hopes that Willow really would come.
At ten fifty, there was a knock on his door. He jumped up and opened it and there on the stoop were Willow and Cordelia. He saw only Willow. Cordy pushed Willow inside and said, "Her folks think she's sleeping over at my house tonight. Take her upstairs and make her tell you up there." Then she left.
Willow looked like she was in shock. Spike took her hand and led her up to his bedroom. She didn't want to sit, so he did.
He started. "Whatever it is, Luv, we can work it out, I promise you."
Willow looked down at her hands. "Cordy said she was going to break my thumbs if I didn't tell you."
Spike smiled. He could have kissed Cordy right then.
"Xander told me once that Cordy means everything she say."
Willow looked up, frightened, "She does."
Spike remembered the time Cordy told him she'd hack him up with a machete if he hurt Willow. Didn't seem so funny now.
Spike sat looking at her, but the tension was driving him crazy. He stood and went to her, took her hand.
"Luv?"
"I'm frigid."
Spike couldn't help it, he laughed in her face.
She looked very hurt and turned to go. That sobered him instantly and he grabbed her arm and said, "Willow, wait! No, don't go. Please, baby, wait!"
He turned her back around. Rubbed his hands up and down her arms and said, "Luv, you are NOT frigid."
Willow thought he was giving her an order, telling her not to be.
"You can't just say it and make it not so, Spike. I am, I really am."
He grinned, but he held back the laugh. He also held on to her hands so she couldn't try to run away again. He took a deep breath.
"All right. You're frigid." Again with the almost laugh. "Why do you think so?"
Her eyes were pleading with him to understand. "I don't think so, I know so!"
He couldn't help it, he laughed again. "Sweetheart, you are NOT frigid! Not because I say so, but because I have seen, firsthand, on many happy occasions, just how not frigid you are."
Willow looked aghast, "You have not! We've never! I mean, we almost, but we didn't!"
Now Spike was really confused and a little worried. Was she crazy? Delusional? Did she have some kind of brain fever that was making her delirious and forgetful?
He held a hand out and felt her forehead. She stepped back.
"I am not sick!"
"You sure as hell aren't well!"
It felt like a slap. And he saw it on her face.
He ran a hand through his hair and tried to figure this out.
"Okay, I understand that this is something you really believe. Would you let me show you that yer wrong?"
Willow's eyes widened and she looked terrified. "Here?"
"Right here," he assured her, thinking she'd be happy to have it over with.
"I won't even take off your clothes," he told her with a seductive smile, in a whisper soft voice.
Her body responded as he knew it would. She relaxed, even as she asked, "You can do it with your clothes on?"
Moving up behind her, hands on her hips, he drawled, "There are lots of fun things you can do with your clothes still on, Luv. Heightens the anticipation."
She closed her eyes and leaned back into him, wanting, as she always did, to be closer to him.
"Can I touch you, Luv?" he asked, still in that same hypnotic voice that made her body ache for his touch.
"Mmmm, yes please."
His hand started at her neck and with barely a caress, moved down her body. Across her breasts, down further, dancing circles across her stomach, floating across her abdomen until coming to rest cupping her sex. Without even thinking about it, Willow's legs spread just a little.
"When we're through here, baby," he murmured softly in her ear, "When you feel better about all this, can I taste you here, please? You know how much I love to lick you. Can I, baby? Will you lay down and spread out for me and let me feast on you?"
He felt her heat, felt the liquid soak her knickers. He took a couple of steps back and stopped touching her, stopped talking to her.
She woke up from the passionate dream world and opened her eyes. She turned and looked at him, "Spike?" she asked, as if hurt.
He smiled at her. "You, Luv, are not frigid."
"But you didn't even-"
His brows knitted as he asked, "Didn't what?"
"Didn't-" she was blushing again and he thought she'd gotten past that with him. Then it occurred to him. The only thing they'd never done. (Well, almost.) He shook his head and took the two steps to her and took her hands in his.
"Luv, the next time I see that son of a bitch Oz, I'm going to kick him in the balls. The boy shouldn't be allowed access to something he doesn't know how to use."
She giggled at that.
"C'mere, Luv" he told her, guiding her to sit on the bed. When she was settled, he began.
"Frigid doesn't mean that the man can't get the girl to orgasm. It doesn't mean that she's not good at intercourse. It doesn't mean any of the things he made you think it meant. Frigid means that a woman is too nervous or too frightened or ashamed to react to a man. That she can't get turned on. Luv, you get turned on when I look at you. I don't even have to touch you."
Willow smiled, "Really?"
"Really," he assured her.
"Then I'm not frigid?" she seemed hopeful.
"Luv, you cum at just the sound of my voice. You are the most unfrigid woman in the world!"
Her smile faded. "But, I don't think I'm... I mean..." She took a breath. "I don't think I can have intercourse."
His eyes got wide and he became alarmed, "Why not?"
"Because, well, Oz"-
Spike growled.
"I know, I feel the same way about him, the nasty wolf in sheep's clothing!"
You could almost see the light bulb go on over Spike's head. "So that's why you don't like wolves!"
Willow nodded, "Bad associations."
Spike steeled himself for the inevitable and asked, "What did Oz do?"
Willow looked at the bedspread and started picking at one of the chenille doodads decorating it.
"Oz, um, Oz, couldn't - I mean, he tried, but it hurt! It hurt a lot! And then he couldn't, um, get there," she looked up to make sure he understood and he nodded, "and that's when he said I was, um, frigid. So I don't think I'm going to be very good at-"
"Willow?" he interrupted. She looked up at him.
"Who do you trust more? Me or Oz?"
"You! Of course you!"
He took her hands to keep her from destroying his bedspread. "Then believe me. It will be fine. A good man, who loves and cares for the woman he's making love to, takes his time. Helps her work up to it. I've had my fingers inside you and that was good, wasn't it?"
She blushed. "But your, um," she pointed, "Is much bigger than your fingers. I mean, wow! There's no comparison!"
Spike smiled and preened, just a little, under that assessment.
"Baby, Oz was stupid and selfish and cruel. He didn't know what he was doing and he blamed you for it. Made you think it was your fault! Luv, you were very naive and inexperienced and you believed him."
He got an idea. "Willow, I want you to forget about Oz completely. He never existed, never touched you. Now, with him gone, that means I'm the only man who's ever touched you. Think just about you and me, Luv. Now, would a girl who's been only with me think she was frigid?"
Willow giggled, "No."
"Have I ever had trouble responding to you? Have you ever had trouble responding to me?"
She blushed and shook her head.
"Baby, do you, since you've only been with me now, think you're unable to have intercourse?"
Willow shook her head, but she looked uncertain.
"Willow, sweetheart, I have to know. Do you still love me?"
"Of course, Spike, I never meant for you to think I didn't!"
"I love you too. Now take off your clothes."
The next morning while Angel was getting dressed for school, he saw a naked Spike close the shutters on his windows. And he heard Willow giggle.
"Guess they worked it out."
Cordelia and Buffy came to drag Willow out of bed at four. They had to get ready for the dance and Willow had an appointment with Clarise.
At eight, the boys arrived at Buffy's house and one by one the girls made their entrance down the stairs. They drew straws to see who went first. Buffy didn't think it was fair that she drew the short straw, after all, it was her house. But she still made Angel's heart stop in her powder blue sarong.
Cordy was next and Xander almost fainted when she descended in a smoking red sheath dress with a big white tulle shawl.
Spike's palms were getting sweaty waiting for Willow. Both Cordelia and Buffy turned to the stairs and Cordy said, "Wait 'til you see this!"
Sweet and innocent Willow Rosenberg was not in attendance. In her place was a sophisticated beauty with shapely legs and auburn curls. A dress that hugged curves Spike didn't know she had and he'd spent last night studying them very closely.
It occurred to him to take her home and rip that dress off of her, but there was no way he was going to deny the world the chance to envy him.
After Mrs. Summers took enough pictures to last into her old age, they headed out to Angel's car. None of the guys could take their eyes off their girls. Xander was even drooling. Luckily, Cordy had brought handkerchiefs for just such an occurrence.
The music was loud and rocking and the refreshments were suitably spiked. Willow got more than a few stares, many of her classmates needed convincing that it was indeed her.
They were all having fun. The Greasers, having shared in the search for Spike, now knew the gang by name and they talked and waved and danced. Sam Cooke was singing 'You Send Me' and Angel was dancing with Buffy, Xander with Cordy and Spike was worshipping Willow in his arms when Oz and Abigail walked in.
The hair stood up on the back of Spike's neck and he growled. The gang all turned and glared at the newcomers. Spike pulled away from Willow but Cordy was there first.
"You already got your chance to flatten him, Spike. It's my turn," Cordy said, winking at Willow.
Cordy put on her most charming smile as she walked over. A couple of the Greasers who had learned what Cordy was capable of, moved toward the door to get a better view.
"Oz, Abigail. So nice to see you," she greeted. She moved close to Oz as if to kiss his cheek - and kneed him in the crotch instead. While he writhed on the floor she told him, "You will send Willow a written apology and it better be good or I'm coming after you. And you will never, ever, speak to either her or Spike again. For the rest of your life."
She turned to the boys who had come to get a closer look. "Gregory, Steven? Would you please do me the honor of dragging this rubbish outside and making sure it doesn't make its way back in?" She flashed them a brilliant smile as they nodded. She politely said thank you. And then she kicked Oz in the stomach.
She walked back and started dancing as if nothing had ever happened. Spike, suitably impressed, moved in her direction, took her hand and kissed it.
From Spike, it was the ultimate compliment. Cordy nodded, acknowledging it as such.
The song changed and Jerry Lee started wailing that there was a whole lot of shakin' goin' on and the gang put Oz from their minds.
After the dance, they headed back to Cordy's house, whose parents were out of town for the weekend. Cordy made coffee and the gang, of which Spike was now an official member, not just an honorary one, talked about their plans for the future.
Spike and Willow were going to Syracuse together and Buffy was surprised to hear that Angel had decided on Syracuse as well.
"I thought it was almost absolutely Dartmouth?"
Angel shrugged, "Well, you see, there's this girl that I'd follow to the ends of the earth and she's going to Syracuse. I couldn't go off to Dartmouth and leave my soul mate, now could I?"
Willow stood and ran to Angel, "Oh Angel!" Willow cried happily, "I didn't know you cared!"
They all laughed and Buffy said, "He means me, you doofus."
"Oh," Willow shrugged, "That's okay. I'm sure I'll pick up some stray guy around campus."
Spike grabbed her around the waist and said, "He better be straying in the vicinity of my house!"
"You have a house at Syracuse?" Cordy asked.
"Well, not yet. Did I forget to tell you I'm rich? Rolling in it actually, inherited it from my parents."
"But he'd rather have the parents," Angel informed them all, breaking Spike's cool demeanor.
"Well," Spike shrugged, "Can't all have your mum, Angel."
Willow hugged him. "S'alright, Luv. Leastways, I'm getting some money for school and Angel and I figure we may as well rent a big house. Might need some privacy, case we pick up any women we wanna bring back to the place."
"Your house got room for one more?" Xander asked.
Everyone looked surprised, "You going to Syracuse too?"
"Only school that accepted me."
They all turned to Cordy. It wouldn't be the same without her.
"I didn't even apply to Syracuse," she said sadly.
They all looked away, not knowing what to say. Spike looked up. "Do you want to come with us?"
Cordy shrugged.
"What's your GPA?"
"Three point eight"
Spike looked suitably impressed. "One of the lawyers that manages my trust fund is on the board there. Want I should see-"
Cordy was up and jumping into Spike's arms, "Oh thank you!"
She kissed him dead on the lips. This seemed to shock both of them and Cordy dropped back down to the floor.
"Don't ever do that again," Spike said flatly.
She stepped back and held up her hands. "Not a problem."
The rest of the gang laughed until they were tearing.
Three years later
"Ready?" Buffy asked Willow.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
Buffy straightened Willow's hair and stepped back.
Willow turned to Cordelia. She couldn't help it, she teared up.
"Thank you, Cordy," she said with a love and gratitude she'd never be able to express.
Willow walked out of the room and Spike swept her up into his arms.