CoF - Laure Alexander - TEAOW&S

AUTHOR: Laure Alexander
EMAIL: lara@sunflower.com
RATING: PG-14
PAIRINGS: Willow/Spike, Buffy/Angelus, Xander/Cordelia
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any of the characters on the show. Joss Whedon and the WB Network own them (for now). No copyright infringement intended, so please don't sue.
DEDICATION: For Stella, look Angel's being evil again.
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Willow waved as her parents pulled out of the driveway on their way to a potato latke and dreidel party. It was the second night of Hanukkah and she had her own party to get ready for. Closing the door, she turned and saw the candles glowing in the Menorah in the window.

Reaching up to the scooped neckline of the modest sweater she wore, she found the silver Star of David necklace which had been her first Hanukkah gift from her parents. With a small sigh of regret, she unfastened it and slipped it into the pocket of her skirt.

It was a beautiful necklace and her faith was important to her...but so was Spike.

Realizing her friends would be there in less than twenty minutes, Willow hurried down the hall to her room. Opening the door, she smiled in happiness. "You were able to slip away."

Willow ran her eyes over him, drinking in his crisp white shirt, brocade vest and black trousers. Gliding over to him, she sank into his arms, lifting her mouth to meet his in a deep kiss.

"I've missed you," she murmured, then placed a kiss on the bit of muscular chest displayed through the open neck of his shirt.

Spike's arms tightened around her trim waist, his hands, gently rubbing her back. "It's only been three days."

Spike chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "You need to get ready for the party, luv, and I have a prezzie for you."

Pulling back from him, Willow gave him a coy look. "A prezzie? For me? I thought I was your prezzie."

Running one hand up to her cheek, Spike caressed her warm, soft flesh and gave her a serious look through hooded eyes. "You ARE my gift...although I know I don't deserve you."

Blinking away tears of joy, Willow swallowed hard and turned to the closet. "You deserve me. Sometimes I still wonder why you want me..." As she spoke, she kicked off her sensible shoes and pulled her modest sweater over her head, revealing her pale, firm breasts and slender torso.

"Maybe it's because you haven't worn a bra since our first night together," he teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Ten minutes later, she emerged from her bathroom, all hint of the dutiful daughter gone, replaced by Spike's lover. Wearing an emerald swath of silk that hung low on shoulder straps to plunge between her breasts and barely touch the middle of her thighs, she twirled before him on her matching pumps. Spike caught a glimpse of black garters holding up her silk stockings and his eyes narrowed.

Willow grinned at his obvious jealousy, then noticed a package lying on her bed. "Is that my prezzie?" Spike nodded and Willow sat down to open it. Carefully removing the pretty blue and silver paper, she lifted the lid of the box. Her breath caught in her throat.

With a trembling hand, she lifted out the most beautiful silver Menorah she had ever seen. It was very simple and modern, yet in a traditional style.

It reminded her instantly of Spike. He lived in the modern world, yet still held her chair out for her.

Tears filled her eyes and she set the gift aside only to jump off the bed and fling herself into her lover's arms. "It's the best present you've ever given me." Her voice rang with emotion.

"I'm glad you like it," he replied in a husky voice. "I wanted to get you something special."

Smiling, Willow pulled away from him and picked up the Menorah, carrying it to her window. "Special? My love, you just gave me a spiritual symbol. You...a vampire. Do you know what that means to me?"

Spike handed her the box of candles and she started to place them in the Menorah, from right to left. "Obviously a lot."

Still smiling, Willow turned to face him and took the book of matches he held out to her. "It means you accept that side of me and that my spirituality, my faith, isn't going to go away."

Spike nodded slowly and reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. "I wouldn't want it to. It's a part of what makes you Willow...my Willow."

He nodded again, then said a little sheepishly, "I wanted to learn the prayers, but I thought that would be a little too sacrilegious."

With a twinkle in her eye, Willow turned back to the Menorah. "Oh, I don't know. God made you, too, after all, both human and demon." Striking a match, she lit the taller candle, then used it to light the candle on the far left.

"Praised are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has kept us in life, and has preserved us, and enabled us to reach this season..."

"I'll get it," Spike called as he headed to the door. Cordelia stood on the other side, dressed to the nines in black spandex and silk. "Hello, Cordelia."

"Spike." As she brushed his cheek with her lips, she handed him a gift bag stuffed with silver tissue paper. "A little something for later."

Spike grinned and ushered her into the house, his sensitive ears picking up the sound of metal clinking in the bag. Following her into the living room, he found the two girls whispering and giggling, their eyes sparkling. He waved the bag at Willow.

"I know. It's been back ordered for two months. Perfect timing. Where's Xander?" she asked Cordelia.

Cordelia huffed and her lips formed a pout. "He told me point blank that he wasn't coming if Angel was going to be here."

"That if he knew what was good for him, he wouldn't be more than thirty minutes late...and even then, it was going to cost him."

Cordelia grinned back. "Oh, I'd say sooner than that. He found me decorating the guest house with my new toys. Poor boy turned white as a ghost."

The doorbell rang again and this time Willow went to get it. Buffy and Angel stood on the other side. Buffy looked very eager and very apprehensive. This was the first time she and Angel had been around more than just Willow and Spike...and those meetings were never very comfortable.

Willow hugged Buffy, inviting her in, then looked up at Angel as her best friend gratefully entered the house.

"I don't need an invitation, Willow." He smirked at her, all decked out in black--leather pants, silk shirt, boots.

"I've often wondered why I haven't awakened in the middle of the night to find you in my bed," she mused quietly.

"We both know that Buffy wouldn't take that too well, and I'm not in the mood to piss her off. She'd probably do something irrational like come after me with, at worst, a stake."

Willow laughed suddenly. "You'd be so lucky. I'd bet that in her irrational state she'd cut off that part you're so proud of and make you eat it."

Angel gave her a disgruntled look and grabbed her wrist, his cold fingers caressing the pulse point. "You gave me your promise, little Willow," he said in a silky voice.

Unblinking, she met his cold, dark eyes and nodded. "I always keep my promises." A cold smile flashed across her face. "But, you'll live to regret it, I promise you that, too. I'll be one bitch of a vampire and I'll still be HIS."

Growling, Angel jerked her against his hard chest, his hands sliding down her thinly covered back to grip her hips. "We'll see..." He kissed her hard, then spun her away and entered the house.

Gasping for breath, Willow got herself under control and quickly followed him. Angel and Spike were glaring at each from opposite sides of the room. Buffy was giving them both anxious looks. Cordelia was looking at her watch, tapping the crystal face with one perfect, ruby red fingernail.

Willow went to Spike's side and slipped her arm around his waist. He glanced down at her and his eyes narrowed. "Your lipstick's smeared."

Flushing, Willow looked away and caught a glimpse of Angel smirking at her. Oh, this was going well...

Buffy joined Cordelia, opening her purse. "I brought the new Liz Phair CD. It's really good."

Shaking off Willow's arm, Spike strolled over to his sire. She followed him anxiously as music began to play.

They stared at each other, each taking a manly pose. Willow's eyes went from one to the other, waiting for one of them to blink. Finally, she was rescued by Buffy.

"Leave them be, Will. Let them be dickheads for a while. Angel knows better than to start anything," Buffy said, sliding her arm through Willow's and leading her over to the food.

"Because they're guys," Buffy replied, smiling and dipping a potato chip into the dip.

Cordelia joined them, pouring herself some more punch. "If they don't behave themselves, withhold sex."

"Oh, yeah, try that with Angel," Buffy said with a shake of her head. "That does not go over well."

Willow stared at Cordelia. "If I withhold sex from Spike, then I don't get any either."

Rolling her eyes, Cordelia leaned down to murmur in Willow's ear. "We can hold out a lot longer than them."

At Buffy's snide comment, Willow nodded in agreement, giving the two males another anxious look.

Cordelia sighed. "You two never got control of your men. You let them stray and you have no one to blame but yourselves, especially you, Willow. Spike loves you and you still allow him to sleep with that skanky whore."

"I'll stick to my human male, thank you very much. Even though his staying power is nothing compared to a vamp's, he's trainable."

"Around eleven. They're going away on the twenty-fourth for the whole weekend." Willow's eyes lit up as she thought about her plans.

Buffy grinned at her best friend. "I see you're having wicked thoughts." Willow blushed. "Uh huh. He just gonna move in?"

At the love shining in Willow's eyes, Buffy sighed and hugged her best friend. "I AM happy for you, Will, for both of you. You survived so much to make it to this point and he loves you so much."

Pulling back from Buffy, Willow looked into her troubled eyes. "One day at a time. It's the only way for both of us." She smiled gently. "Enough depressing thoughts. This is a night of celebration.

Buffy nodded, shaking her dark mood and reaching for more chips. "I think it's time to break those two up. Jewel is always good for slow songs." As she went to change the CD, the door opened and Xander walked in. He pointedly ignored the other two males and went over to Cordelia.

"Uh huh." Cordelia gave him a regal look and slipped her arm through his. "Wait till we get home."

As Jewel's latest started playing, Buffy and Willow grabbed their respective lovers, enticing them to dance.

Slipping his arms around her waist, Spike pulled Willow close and began to sway them to the music. Willow pillowed her head on his chest, feeling the cold of his skin seeping through his cotton shirt. Her fingers gently kneaded his shoulders.

Buffy leaned into Angel, entwining the fingers of one of her hands with his as they moved slowly to the music. She closed her eyes, not seeing the look of tender possessiveness he gave her as he held her tightly to him.

After giving both couples disgruntled looks, Xander sighed and swept Cordelia into his arms, kissing her gently before beginning to dance.

These authors spend lots of time to write these stories. If you took the time to read this PLEASE take the time to give them some feedback. Happy writers write more ;-)

Laure Alexander - lara@sunflower.com

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