Chapter six

Willow was sure she had been sucked back in one of her nightmares. When she had seen the burns on Spike's skin and the pain that had etched his face she had run away.

She was in the terrace, sitting on the table.  She looked around, recalling for an instant a part of his nightmare...Spike and she had made love in that terrace, once...and a few nights before, they had kissed, while sitting on that very table.

It couldn't be true...it couldn't be possible. She felt like she was going crazy. She sighed, hiding her face in her hands.

She had volunteered to go back in time to take William's blood. Eric hadn't told her anything about it, but she knew in her heart that no one would stop her.

She was afraid, though...she had researched a lot on spells about time while she had been stuck in her worst nightmare...and she knew that even a word, a gesture could change history.

"Rupert is preparing the spell..." Eric suddenly said.

Willow started, jerking her head on her right, toward his voice. Eric was sitting next to her. She sighed and said, "I didn't hear you coming...."

Eric shrugged and said, "I'm sorry..."

Willow shook her head, "I don't want him to die...and he's in so much pain...I can feel it..."

"I know..." Eric said in a low voice, "I don't want him to die, either...but are you really sure you want to go?"

"How can you ask me this? Of course I'm sure...I'd give my life for him!" she exclaimed, blinking at her own words.

Eric nodded, "I know...and William would do the same for you...and that's my point...do you realize what's going to happen? He loves you now...and he will probably fall in love with you in the past...you could change history...you could change him..."

"I was thinking about that..." she said in a low voice, she looked at him and said, "do something...I don't want to jeopardize him...and his calling...I just want to save him...help me"

Eric looked back at her for some seconds, he pursed his lips then said, "There is a way....there is a spell...but I won't lie to you, it's dangerous, Willow...I might not be able to undo it..."

She shook her head and said, "It doesn't matter, whatever it is, I'll take the risk..."

Eric closed his eyes for a second and shook his head, when he opened his eyes said, "Alright...we'd better go, then..."

They both got up, Willow quickly headed toward the door, and Eric’s voice stopped her when he said, "Wait..."

Willow turned; Eric got close to her and said, "I have to give you something..."

He stretched his hand toward her and opened his palm, there was a silver chain nestled in it with a little heart shaped bottle at its extremity, "It's a perfume-case...well, sort of...William will have to willingly give you his blood...keep it in there... "

Willow nodded taking the chain from Eric's hand and said, "Keep him sane...until I come back"

Eric just nodded at her.

While she went back in the living room he couldn't help whispering, "I hope you can forgive me...."

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Pain was the only thing Spike knew.

He was burning from the inside out. Not even his training, Angelus' tortures had prepared him for that kind of pain. It was slowly consuming him. He could feel the poison flowing within him, slowly burning anything it found on its way.

He was dimly aware of his surroundings.

He could hear voices; there was a strange edge in Eric's deep one. If he hadn't known him better, he would have said he was scared.

....if Eric was scared, things were going to hell in a hand basket. Yet, he didn't seem to mind...the only thing he could focus on was his pain...and the way to fight it....the way to stop feeling it.

He knew he was losing that battle, but that didn't mean he was going to stop fighting...he just wished he had the strength to open his eyes and tell to all of them to shut the hell up.

He lightly started when he felt moisture on his face. Someone was sponging his face, washing away blood and sweat.

Who was it?

Was it Willow?

"Red?" he rasped. He tried to open his eyes, but it was too much an effort.

"I'm here" Willow said. He could hear tears in her voice. He could feel her little hand squeezing his.

"I'm tired..." he said.

"I know, love...I know..." she said in a nasal voice, he could hear her gasping for breath and adding, "but it's going to be okay, I promise you..."

Spike nodded, managing a weak smile, through his chapped lips. He wanted to open his eyes...why it was so difficult for him to do so? He wanted to see her.

He wanted to say good-bye to her.

Willow seemed to sense his feelings because she said, "Don't give up...do you hear me, Spike? Promise me you won't give up!"

Spike forced his eyes open, although his sight was blurred; it was like he was seeing her for the first time.

She was kneeling in front of him...and she was beautiful, he didn't have other words to describe her. Had her hair always been of that glorious red? Had her skin ever been so perfect, so pale? Had her eyes ever been so bright green? In her eyes he could clearly see all the love she felt for him

Could she still see how much he loved her?

He weakly squeezed her hand and whispered, "I won't...I...I promise you..."

Willow smiled at him, she stretched toward him and brushed his lips with hers, whispering then against his face, "I love you..."

"Wer..." he tried to say.

"What?" she asked.

"Weren't you in it for the sex?" he asked, managing a weak grin.

She grinned back at him and said, "That's just a bonus..."

She let go of his hand and slowly rose on her feet, Spike though, lightly grabbed her wrist saying, "Willow?"

"Tell me..."

"I love you..." he whispered.

She smiled at him, through the tears and nodded; she took his hand in hers for a second and said, "I know...now just rest..."

"Will you be here, when I wake up?"

She just nodded at him.

Spike closed his eyes, the last thing he heard before, pain once again engulfed him was Willow's voice telling Eric, "I'm ready..."

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"Is everything ready?" Eric asked looking at Giles. The former Watcher nodded.

They had drawn a circle on the floor, Willow was at its centre, she looked at Eric and nodded at him. The dark haired vampire weakly smiled at her, and handed her a white envelope before saying, "Should you meet me... "

Willow nodded taking the envelope and putting it in her jeans pocket, "I'll give it to you..."

"Are you ready Willow?" Giles asked.

Willow smiled at the older man and said, "More ready than I'll ever be..."

Giles and Eric looked at each other, then in unison began chanting.

The air in the circle filled with electricity, slowly at first then growing in intensity, a golden whirlwind engulfed Willow.

Giles blinked while he heard Eric's chanting. He didn't lose concentration, though, he kept chanting, helping Eric sending Willow back in time...in 1880, the year William had been turned.

What the hell was Eric up to?

The light in the whirlwind seemed to expand lighting all the living room in golden light. Flickers of blue and green were seeping through the golden light. They all closed their eyes, but Eric and Giles kept chanting.

There was a loud, shrill noise, one of the windows in the living room exploded.

"So mote it be" Eric said.

"So mote it be" Giles echoed.

The air in the living room became still. They all opened their eyes. The space within the circle where Willow had been was empty.

Willow had gone back in time.