Chapter 9

"So, what you're sayin' is that there's no ritual, no spell, it's just me askin' to be a white hat?" Spike queried sceptically.

"The key is the sincerity with which you ask, Spike," Wesley explained. "It does, of course, lead one to wonder, if it is so easy, why...others...have not attempted it."

"I'm guessin' that'll be a question the Slayer and her bunch of no-hopers will be askin' if...when I'm successful," Spike looked away from the man leaning against the dressing table that stood opposite the end of the bed were he lay, momentarily confused by his own insecurities. He still couldn't believe that the five humans believed in him.

"I don't know you, Spike. However, I can say that you have managed to impress me more in the last five minutes than anyone has in a very long time. What you are considering is a monumental thing, and I don't for a moment want to lessen it in any way. It will be up to you to convince the Higher Powers that you not only wish to change sides, but that you wish to do so for all the right reasons. There is a lot for you to consider. But I will tell you this - selfless love is an ability that very few humans have and it is a very powerful force."

With this final point, Wesley left the vampire to his thoughts and inwardly prayed that the amazing individual he was leaving would show everyone that didn't believe in him how truly miraculous he was.

As he lightly skipped down the stairs, the ex-watcher noticed the group of females at his front door. Taking in their expressions he quickly realised that some sort of problem had arisen and swiftly moved to Joyce's side. "What's happened?" he demanded, his concern for Joyce and Anya making his voice gruff. He didn't question how quickly these two, along with Tara and Dawn, had captured a piece of his heart anymore than he wondered how Spike had managed to slip in there, too. Deep within, Wesley believed that- at least with this vampire- his faith would be justified.

"Anya's upset has nothing to do with the girls, Wesley," Joyce quickly assured him, instinctively knowing what his protective streak needed.

Buffy frowned at her mother's words, since when did people automatically assume she'd been at fault? And to Wes the Wonder Wuss, too!

Joyce ignored her daughter's indignant huff and concentrated fully on the distressed girl in her arms. With gentle insistence she manoeuvred the girl inside. "Let's get you a nice cup of tea, Anya, dear."

"I'd prefer scotch," the sniffing ex-demon said with a pout.

Wesley waited for moment, ensuring himself that Joyce had matters well in hand before turning back to face the two girls at his front door.

"Miss Summers, Miss Rosenberg," he nodded to each in greeting. "How can I help you?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes at his very obvious coldness towards them, but before she could comment Willow broke in.

"We wanted to see Spike, to, you know, apologise to him. After everything Buffy's mom and Anya said we realised we were, sort of, maybe not so of the nice and that he deserved better treatment from us and everything. But we wanted to do it before he changed into what ever it is he's going to change into so that he knew it wasn't anything to do with that, you know." Willow gasped for breath before turning to her friend and pouting. "You're supposed to stop me when I babble, Buffy."

Buffy mumbled an apology to her friend but her eyes never left the face of the man in front of them. His closed expression was really beginning to piss her off. Adding that to her already cranky state with regards to the whole non-invite thing had her levels of aggression on high alert.

"While I can see your sincerity, Miss Rosenberg, I would be remiss in my duty were I to not question the likelihood of a slayer wishing to apologise to a vampire, regardless of the appropriateness of the action, given that is the same slayer whose boyfriend attempted to torture the vampire in question in the first place," Wesley stated calmly, his voice devoid of the maelstrom of emotions whirling through him.

Buffy gaped at the man in front of her. She couldn't believe that Bravely Brave Sir Wesley was giving her grief over the safety of a vampire...again! "What is your damage?" she asked indignantly. "First you're all ‘he's just a vampire' when it's Angel that's poisoned and needs help and now you're all protector guy over Spike? Sheesh, I think I'm starting to see why Angel kicked you to the curb."

"And once again your inability to see clearly where Angel is concerned comes to the forefront," Wesley snorted derisively.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy demanded.

"Angel did not ‘kick me to the curb', as you put it, I left when Angel returned and expected to be forgiven for his actions. I, unlike the others, chose not to condone what he had done. I did not then, nor do I now, believe that any reason he had for his behaviour was acceptable."

Buffy crossed her arms and rested on her back leg, a picture of boredom. "What did he do? Forget your dry cleaning?" she sniped dismissively.

"He locked a group of human lawyers in a room with two vampires. He didn't approve of the way the lawyers did business."

"No," Buffy whispered in horror and denial before swiftly turning and running from the property. If she ran fast enough and far enough maybe she'd be able to outrun the words.

Willow watched as her best friend ran from them; her heart breaking for the other girl. She barely heard the invitation to enter from the man by her side. She knew that she needed, for her own sake, to apologize to Spike, but the knowledge that Buffy had, in one day, had her blinders ripped off over her boyfriend, her best male friend, and the love she had thought was her soulmate made the little witch ache for her soft hearted friend. Her desire to be there for Buffy had Willow stepping forward to follow.

"She needs time, Willow. Let her have that for now," Joyce softly urged the redhead.

Willow turned to Joyce with sad eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded before she entered the house. It was time to see a vampire about an apology.

~*~*~

"Apology given and accepted, Red. Now give over, it's not like I was a bloody innocent, you know. I earned a fair bit of your attitude." Spike consoled with a smile. He was so chuffed that the witch had taken the time to seek him out and say her piece. Truth be told, he'd always had a soft spot for the little bint.

"Oh! And Buffy wanted to apologize, too, but she kind of got sidetracked with the whole Angel-killed-humans reveal that Wesley did. But I'm sure she'll be back, so, you know, don't think that she's not on board the Spike-can-do-good train or anything," Willow chirped happily, not noticing the sudden stillness of the vampire on the bed. "I think it might take Giles and Xander a bit longer to come round, though."

"What did Oxford say to the Slayer?" Spike asked flatly. His entire body filled with dread.

No realising the furore she was about to unleash, Willow guilelessly filled the vampire in on the conversation she had witnessed.

"GET YOUR BLEEDIN' ARSE IN HERE, WYNDOM-PRYCE!"

Willow, Tara, Joyce, Dawn, and Anya watched as Spike ranted at the ex-watcher. Each girl tried to calm the enraged vampire down as he continued to verbally flay the other Englishman for sharing the information about Angel's perfidy to the emotional blonde, citing reason after reason why she should never have been forced to face something she clearly wasn't ready to face.

"Oh, Goddess!" Willow whispered in wide eyed surprise. "You're in love with Buffy."

A pin could have been dropped and would have been heard in the silence that followed the witch's proclamation.

Wesley was the first to start snickering at the deer-caught-in-headlights expression on the face of the vampire in love. He was not the last.