Willow walked through the corridors of the University. Not really knowing where she was going, nor why. She was just walking along. First it started out as just needing to get away from classes and the house she was occupying with Spike, but drifted to more of a 'I need to think' kind of walk. What would she think about? Life? Death? She thought too much about those as it was. Friendship? Trust? Well, friendship was a pretty weird subject at the moment and trust hadn't been much to her lately, so she settled on friendship.

Buffy- her best friend. Xander- also her best friend. Anya- they had a mutual dislike for each other ever since the spell they'd done together in high school. Giles- older and wiser... more like a father than a friend. Riley- didn't know him well enough but he seemed okay, except for the sneaking around with the military he did. Then there was Spike. Spike- was a vampire but didn't kill her. She shrugged. Yeah, friend. With a small smile she knocked on the door to the dorm room she shared with Buffy. "Buffy!" She called through the wood.

She heard a thump and then Riley groaning. "Riley!" She heard Buffy whisper as bed sheets rustled and desperate footsteps scuttled around the room. With a roll of her eyes, Willow leant against the wall near the door.

When the door finally opened Riley stepped out, hair mussed up and shirt on backwards. "Hi, Willow. Nice day."

She smirked. "Not like you two have seen much of it." She giggled, stepping into the room. "Hi, Buff. Just came to pick up a few things."

"Sure. Take your time." <Don't take your time. Don't take your time.>

With a devilish smile Willow looked down at her drawers after pulling out her suitcase. "Oh, okay. Thanks." She began packing.

"What're you doing?" Buffy asked as her brow furrowed.

"Just packing a few things."

"Wills, you've emptied that entire drawer! What's going on?!"

"Buffy, I need new clothes and I don't want to have to stop by every time I need to change. I'll put it all back when," She sighed. "*if* I get back here." As she zipped up her suitcase and headed for the door she added, "You know my number. Gimme a ring when I can move back in."

The slayer frowned. "Wills, you're always welcome over."

The red head turned to her friend. "I should be. I'm supposed to live here." She turned around again and walked down the hall.

Spike walked through Sunnydale's sewer system. Only another half hour until sunset and he'd get out of these stinky tunnels. That's when he heard a struggle just up ahead. He lit his cigarette and kept his slow pace as he approached. Maybe he'd get in on the action of the fight ahead.

Willow power-walked down the street. She didn't know she'd taken *that* long in the mall. Dragging her suitcase along with her she walked up the steps of her house. Putting the bag down placed her hand in her pocket for her keys. That's when a hand wrapped over her mouth and she was dragged, kicking and screaming, away from the safety of her house.

The vampire heard a loud crunch and a demon's loud roar. He'd missed the start of the fight already so he jogged up and turned the corner. Seeing Willow's teeth biting into the vampire's hand with all her might, drawing blood that seeped down the sides of her mouth. The vampire growled, throwing her away to the side, making the girl slump against the side of the sewer tunnel. "Oi." Spike said with a narrowed stare. "She's *mine* to kill."

"The master wants her."

"Yeah, well, another one wants her too so bugger off."

"You're defending, not killing."

"No, the killing comes later."

The vampire in front of him snarled. "She is for the master!"

"Yeah... sure... bugger off." With a loud roar the fledgling attacked the blond, claws and fangs showing. Within a few seconds he was nothing more than ash, drifting away with the sewer water. Willow's head rolled to the side as her body lost all tension. "Come on, Luv." Spike said, kneeling beside the girl. "Get up. Gotta get you..." He heard her heart-rate slowing, interrupting his talking. "Now's not a good time to die, Pet. I 'aven't finished your lessons yet." The vampire's strong arms hauled her limp body up, carrying her away to the nearest exit and on towards the hospital.

"Uh, 'elp!" He announced a little unsurely as he stepped into the emergency waiting room of the hospital with Willow in his arms.

A gurney was wheeled over and the tiny red head was placed on top as nurses and a doctor asked what was wrong. "What happened?"

"She 'it 'er 'ead. Pretty hard too. Against a brick wall."

"Uh huh. And where was it?"

"Me... and 'er other friends were down in the sewers for some game they 'ad planned out."

"Alright, what is her name?"

"Willow. Rosenberg."

"And your name, sir?"

<Blimey! Er, what to say...> "Angel. Angel O'Connor."

"Alright, Mr O'Connor, could you just take a seat in the waiting room. We'll see what we can do."

A nurse took Spike's arm and lead him back towards the waiting room as Willow was wheeled in to one of the trauma rooms. "This way, sir." The nurse said, directing him away. "We'll need you to fill out a few things. Just some paperwork."

With a roll of his eyes and a nod Spike sat as the nurse brought over some forms for him to fill out. <Date of birth? Christ! Blood type? Never got to bite her.> He looked down at his bloodied hand then at everyone else in the room, all were currently pre-occupied. Raising one finger to his lips he sucked the blood off. <O negative. A girl after my own heart.> He thought with a smirk and began writing again. <Next of kin?> His brow furrowed then a sigh escaped. <Angel O'Connor. The things I do for the chit! Should've just drained her in the sewer. Wouldn't have to fill out this crap. Phone number... uh... next question. Emergency contacts. Bitchy... uh, Buffy Summers? Don't know the phone number. Whelp? No number.> He grit his teeth together. <Angel O'Connor.> He said, grinding his teeth against each other as he forced his pen to write the name down. <Last bloody thing I need is the poof in town stirrin' up more trouble than I need.>

When he'd finished answering as many questions as he could he handed them back to the nurse. She looked at the few blood stains on it, giving him a raised eyebrow. "What happened?"

"When I carried her in, got blood on me." He stated. "Couldn't answer a few things. I'm only 'er friend... not her bloody boyfriend."

"That's okay. The doctors have stitched her up. She had quite a cut on her head. She bled a lot too. Was there something you weren't telling us, Mr O'Connor?"

"Nope. It was just like I said. Apart from the fact that 'er friends ran like nancy boys when they saw the blood."

The nurse gave him a sceptical look but nodded, putting the files in a nearby filing cabinet. "If you see them again could you tell them to come here? I'd like to hear from them as well."

The vampire nodded, giving her a smile. "Sure, Luv. When can I see 'er?"

"The doctors will come out to tell you when she's ready. Please just have a seat for now."

Spike nodded, sitting back down in his seat and making himself comfortable. <Should've just killed her. Should've just bloody killed her. Put your damn sire's name down. Stupid nancy boy. Big bad. Big bad. Big bad. Big bad. Yes, I *am* the big bad. Kill her when she gets out. There's still a chance. Be a vampire!>

Willow's eyes opened, being greeted by the sight of the white wall of the hospital room she was in. She blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted. "Hello?" She asked the eerily quiet room. A blond head popped into view but was too blurry to see. She tried focusing. "Buffy?"

"I'm offended." Spike said, sitting in the chair beside the bed.

"Spike? Where am I?"

"Sunnyhell District Hospital. You got a nasty bump on the head in that sewer. Doctors had to stitch you up."

"You saved me?"

His stare harshened. "No. I didn't bloody save you. I'm the big bad. Don't tell me otherwise. I just spent the last half hour convincing myself I wasn't going soft."

A weak smile lit up Willow's face as her eyes closed. "You might be the big bad but you *did* save me. Thank you."

Spike grumbled at her, crossing his arms in a huff. "I *am* the big bad."

"Sure, Spike. Sure."

"Ahem." A voice at the door said.

Spike looked up at the nurse in the doorway. "'Ello, Pet. Something wrong?"

"Doctor Dolan said that if Miss Rosenberg is okay tomorrow she'll be able to leave."

"Thanks." Spike replied as the old woman left. "Hear that, Pet? Get to go home tomorrow."

"Whatever. I'm sleepy now."

"Then sleep. I'm going hunting." He stood to leave.

"Spike."

"What?"

"Will you pick me up tomorrow if I'm allowed to go home?"

"It'll be day, Luv."

"Not if I can help it. Will you?"

"Yes, Pet." He paused at the door and whipped around. "But I'm still the big bad and I'm only doing it so I can kill you in front of the slayer!"

She smiled into her pillow. "Sure, Spike." Spike huffed, storming out of the room. "Thank you."