Rating: G

Disclaimer: Joss owns all, except the lyrics. They belong to Sarah McLachlan.

Summary: Spike is having dreams about a certain witch we all know and love.

Notes: For this story forget season three ever happened.

Feedback: I’m just gonna keep writing these things till I get some, good or bad I don’t care…

Distribution: Just let me know you’re taking it.

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Spike walked the empty streets of Sunnydale, his mind having no destination. He let his feet carry him where they would. It had been five years since he had made the deal with the slayer to defeat Angelous. He had taken Dru down to Brazil, but it was no use, her undead heart yearned only for her lost "daddy". He had tried everything to win her back, gifts, mayhem, torture. Nothing had worked. Finally he had just given up, and left her. He wandered around South America for a few years, then Europe. But he was empty, and so he decided to go "home".

And now he was alone, wandering the streets of a town he hated to the point of loving. He had heard that after defeating Angelous, the slayer had left town, and never come back. Poor chit, who knows what she was doing now, or if she was even still alive. She must be since he hadn’t seen or heard of another Slayer. His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of laughter and a heavy bass line. He looked up and found that his feet had carried him to The Bronze. Being a Friday it was packed, and there were people hanging around the entrance. He figured what the hell and went in; at least he could find a quick meal when he wanted one. He settled himself into one of the back tables and watched the teenagers writhe on the dance floor. Then he saw that the group on the floor was in a ring around someone in the middle. Curious he walked to the edge of the crowd and started to push his way towards the center. What he saw there took could have taken his breath away.

A single girl, no woman, was dancing in the center of the crowd. Her alabaster skin contrasted beautifully with the black of her miniskirt, and deep green tank she was wearing. The knee-high black boots she wore gave her an additional couple of inches in height. To which she took full advantage of. Her fiery red hair splayed out behind her as she moved to the music. Her arms stretched seductively above her head doing a dance of their own in the air. Then slowly her arms came down and traced the contours of her body as her hips swayed to the music. Her eyes were closed, letting the music sweep her away into her own little world and she gave no signs that she was aware of the crowd watching her.

you take me in
no questions asked
you strip away the ugliness
that surrounds me
are you an angel
am I already that gone

Her slow and alluring movements mesmerized Spike. He watched as her entire body swayed with the music. Passion and beauty radiated from her in waves. Somewhere in the back of Spike’s mind a light bulb was trying desperately to come on. He knew her, or he had known her. Finally he placed her, the red hair, the pale complexion; it was the slayer’s hacker witch. But damn if she hadn’t grown up, the last time he saw her she was small and mousy. Shy and scared had been replaced with prowess in the time he was gone. She also held a sense of power and mystery that kept the boys in the club at a safe distance from her. They didn’t dare to try and join her, but he was no boy.

I only hope
that I won't disappoint you
when I'm down here
on my knees

Moving to the front of the crowd, Spike pushed the crowd away from him. One boy shot him an angry glance and tried to push Spike back. It only took a flash of his true face to send the boy fleeing for his life. Spike just chuckled to himself, then went back to the vision in front of him. She was even more beautiful the closer he got to her. Her mouth was painted in a red that was almost the same color as her hair, and she was smiling ever so slightly. He breathed in an unnecessary lung-full of air, then chided himself for being nervous approaching a human girl, no matter how beautiful and alluring she was. He blew the air out purposefully then stepped into the circle.

sweet surrender
is all that I have to give

He approached her slowly, letting his eyes follow her smooth form. He heard whispers behind him, and felt the questioning looks he was getting. When he was a foot from her dancing form he tapped her on the shoulder. Her eyes flashed open and Spike found himself staring into the most gorgeous hazel eyes he’d ever seen. He watched as her emotions flashed across her face, anger, fear, surprise, her mouth forming a questioning O.

"Dance with me?"

Spike said plainly, inside his mind was screaming, pleading for her to say yes. She closed her mouth and nodded. Spike wrapped his arms around her slim waist and pulled her close to his body. Unsure for a moment her body tensed against his. Then she relaxed and placed her arms on his shoulders as they began swaying to the music together.

Spike found himself staring into her eyes and getting lost within himself. As far as he was concerned they were the only two people in the world right at that moment. He felt the warmth of her body through the thin fabric of her shirt, and her bare arms against his neck felt like they were burning him. But they felt right. In fact Spike hadn’t felt so right since he had left Dru. Just when he thought that things couldn’t be more perfect, she closed her eyes and placed her head on his shoulder.

He could feel her warm breath on his neck and cheek, and it sent chills racing through his body. He could smell the jasmine of her hair, and the vanilla of her perfume. They mingled into a unique smell that was her. Willow. Slowly he pulled her form closer to his and placed his head on her shoulder as well. He could feel the smooth skin of her neck right by his lips. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to taste her. He could feel the slow steady beat of her pulse under his cheek beating in rhythm with the heavy beat of the song surrounding them.

I miss the little things

He wouldn’t have traded that moment in time for his entire unlife. He could have stayed there in her arms forever. As the song slowed and came to an end he dreaded leaving her. Slowly she took her head off his shoulder, and he unknowingly tightened his grip on her, not wanting to let her go. He looked into her eyes again, trying to memorize every nuance of her. The she smiled, and he could have sworn his heart gave a single beat in his chest.

"Stay?"

It wasn’t so much of a question as a plea. She smiled again, and opened her mouth to reply.

it doesn't mean much
it doesn't mean anything at all
the life I left behind me
is a cold room

Spike was awakened by his alarm clock. He roared, slipping into his game face, and threw the black clock at the wall. It hit it was a loud crash and exploded into several pieces before hitting the floor. Spike grabbed the pillow and shoved his head under it, banging his head against the mattress in frustration. Every night, EVERY BLOODY NIGHT, he had had the same dream about her in Technicolor reality. Each night he had gotten a little further into the dream, and each night he would come a little closer to getting an answer. Tonight he was so close, and then his bloody clock had awoken him. He could scream, and he did, several times in fact. Finally he got out of bed, and got dressed.

Welcome To Sunnydale. Three days after his last dream Spikes black DeSoto flattened the sign, for a second time. Spike got out, and set off for The Bronze. As he approached he heard the familiar bass line spill into the street, and he knew that tonight he would finally get his answer.