Everything

By: Swirly Head

"So, what's the decision?" Buffy turned to face Willow. There was a barely disguised sense of urgency in her voice as she waited on tenterhooks for the reply.

"Cookie Dough or Double Fudge?"

"I think Double Fudge. It covers the four essential food groups; Sugar, Fat, Chocolate and Syrup." Willow smiled as she picked up the ice-cream tub and handed it to her friend. "A whole night in, just the two of us. Watching old movies, hanging out. Just like the old days."

Buffy turned and studied Willow's face. "You know Will, I'm really sorry that we haven't done this for a while. I just been so caught up with Riley and this whole thing with the Initiative…" Willow cut Buffy off mid-stream. "It's OK. Really. It gave me a little think time. And some quality time with Anya, Xander and poker."

Buffy and Willow paid for the ice-cream, linked arms, and walked back to campus. In the bushes, something watched. And followed.

*****

Spike walked into the tomb. Any-one, human or vampire, would have shivered as the relentless wind whipped around the cold tomb, but Spike was occupied with other things. Furtively glancing around, he looked at the bag under his arm with an expression of ecstasy. "Some O-Negative and fresh smokes. Perfect."

The entrance to the tomb creaked menacingly and the bleach blond spun around. Nothing. He placed the bag on the floor. Silently he ran outside, the bitter cold causing his duster to flap around his body. He walked around all sides of the tomb. Still nothing.

< Must have been a bloody cat. >

He shrugged and walked back inside to find nothing. The nothing included his bag of blood and smokes. They were gone.

"God!" Spike kicked the wall of his tomb. "Bloody Initiative. Bloody Slayer!" It had been what felt like years since his last kill. His last human kill. "Thought they could domesticate me. Think I'll help them with their bloody heroics!"

With that last expletive, he punched the wall of the tomb. Hard. "Arrrgh! Godammn stupid…" His cursing trailing off into silence, Spike rose his head. He sniffed. That scent, there was something very familiar about it. Well, if it led him to his smokes…

Spike followed his nose.

*****

"Willow, I honestly think I've had chocolate overload." Buffy groaned as her friend giggled. "Well, you do have it spread all over your face. Here." Willow threw Buffy a tissue. The Slayer grabbed it out of the air and wiped her lips. "Gross!" she remarked, looking at the tissue.

The door to their dorm flew open.

< Action. Do I never get a night off? >

Buffy pushed Willow to one side, rolled to grab a stake and stood up, facing the dark shape standing in the doorway. Poised ready to strike, Buffy lowered her hands. The figure was clutching one arm, cradling it as though it was in great pain. It rocked backwards and forwards gently, almost soothingly.

The stranger spoke. "Please. Invite me in."

Buffy hesitated.

The stranger's voice grew ever more urgent. "Please!"

< One vamp. I can handle one vamp. > "Come in."

The vampire stumbled over the threshold, gave one last glance behind it, and collapsed inelegantly on the bed.

Willow stood up, rubbing her head. "What is it?" she asked curiously, looking from her friend to the figure on the bed.

"Vampire. Either a very brave one or just very stupid." Buffy cocked her head to one side, and listened. She couldn't hear anyone < or anything > outside.

Buffy crossed cautiously over to the bed. She reached out a hand and turned the figure over. The body was cold, and Buffy knew what the creature was.

< Vampire. >

She found herself staring into the face of a girl about her own age. The girl's face was covered in scratches, but Buffy could see that she was pretty in an old-fashioned sort of way, with long brown curly hair and full lips. The girl's eyes snapped open. Buffy started. They were a dazzling shade of blue. Hypnotic, like pools. Pools of ice. Buffy found herself compelled to meet the girl's gaze. She spoke with a hesitant, cracked voice. Buffy couldn't place the distorted accent. < Hell, I can barely hear the words. >

"Slayer. Please help me."

< Why should I? Oh right, you came asking. >

Then her eyes closed. Buffy stared for a moment, and shook her head sharply. She called Willow over. Willow looked at her friend expectantly. Buffy blinked. "Vampire. She asked for help."

Willow nodded, then spoke. "Come on. Let's get her to Giles house. By the look of her, we don't have much time."