Go the Whole Wide World

Author: enigmaticblue

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: The standard "I don't own them, please don't sue" should suffice, don't you think?

Archive: If you've got my stuff already, otherwise just ask.

Summary: Wesley finds himself with business in Rome, and Angel sends Spike along for company, wanting to get him out of his hair. It's amazing how small the world is sometimes. Set sometime after Why We Fight.

A/N: spikes_lady asked for Spike and Wesley bonding with possible Spuffy. I hope this suits.

Chapter 10: Understanding

"The past is malleable and flexible, changing as our recollections interprets and re-explains what has happened." ~Peter Berger

Spike slipped into Buffy's room, watching her for a long moment. He hesitated to disturb her, even to let her know what they had discovered, knowing that the only reason she'd agreed to rest was because she wasn't feeling well.

The thought of losing her when he'd just now found her again—it frightened him more than anything else ever had.

"Spike?"

Her sleepy voice brought him closer, and he perched on the edge of her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Buffy admitted. "How did the spell go?"

Spike shrugged. "We got the information we needed. Turns out that the Immortal was the one to send them after me, an' they didn't like the idea of the law firm having the discs, so that's why they went after Wesley."

"What are you going to do with him?" Buffy asked.

"Wes said to let him go." Spike grimaced. "He said he'd try callin' off the dogs, an' that's what Wes was goin' for."

"What about the spell that Willow did?" Buffy asked, pushing herself up. "Is he going to be okay?"

Spike shook his head. "He's not one to talk about his feelings, so it's hard to say. Makes me wonder if he'll head back to L.A., though."

"I'll talk to Giles," Buffy responded. "I'm sure we could use him on the Council."

"He might be willing to go for that," Spike acknowledged. "Be better than goin' back to L.A. maybe."

Buffy took his hand and tugged. "Stay a minute."

"As long as you like." Spike had a sense of déjà vu as he laid down next to her on the bed, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. "Thanks for washin' the sheets."

"Are you kidding me?" Buffy gave him an incredulous look. "Like I wanted to sleep on those sheets again. I thought about burning them, but that seemed like a waste of perfectly nice sheets."

"I would have bought you new ones," Spike murmured in response.

Buffy snorted. "With what money?"

"Point." Spike considered that for a moment. "I could have nicked them."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't evil anymore."

"Never said that." Spike pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You want to sleep a bit more?"

"Kind of," she admitted softly. "I can't believe I'm still tired, though."

He pulled her closer. "Gotta save up your strength, pet. At least until Red figures out a way to stop this."

Spike hadn't needed to tell her that; Buffy was already asleep by the time he finished his sentence, and he leaned back on the bed, holding her tightly. If he had his way, Spike would never let her go.

~~~~~

Dawn enjoyed shopping as much as the next girl, but she had a feeling that by the time they got back to the apartment, she would have missed all the excitement. Although Buffy wasn't nearly as overprotective as she had been, she still preferred for Dawn to be out of harm's way.

When she entered the apartment, Alessandra and Julie in tow, Dawn knew something big had happened. "Okay, what's up?" she asked, seeing the expressions on Wesley and Willow's faces, with Spike and Buffy nowhere to be seen.

"We think that the Immortal is stealing Buffy's life force," Willow admitted, glancing at Wesley.

"And Angel apparently had a spell done to alter my memories," Wesley added.

Dawn looked around, dropping her bags on the floor. "What about the cyborg?"

"We think we might have established a common ground to begin negotiations." Wesley rose. "I should see about changing our hotel room," he said. "You'll let Spike know where I am?"

"Do you need a ride?" Alessandra asked. "You may borrow my scooter."

Wesley smiled at her gratefully. "Thank you, but no. I haven't told the driver that I won't be requiring his services anymore."

"Are you sure you don't want help carrying things?" Dawn asked. She had hoped to see her sister and Spike, but she had a feeling that they were getting some much needed alone-time.

Wesley hesitated, and then nodded. "Of course. If you don't mind."

"I don't mind," Dawn said. "I probably won't be much help here."

Willow shrugged. "At least not until Giles calls back with the information about the Immortal. We just called a little while ago, but he's working on a line of research and doesn't have any answers yet."

"You should get some rest anyway," Wesley encouraged. "Once I return, we can focus on our research."

Julie sighed. "We'll take care of patrol tonight."

"Thank you," Wesley said, before Dawn could remind them that they were Slayers, and it was their job, no matter how unglamorous it might seem. "We do appreciate your efforts in making sure that everything runs smoothly."

That was apparently all that needed to be said, because all three Slayers smiled at him and left without another word of protest. When Dawn found herself alone with Wesley in the back of the car, she eyed him seriously.

"What?" he asked, sounding defensive.

Dawn raised her eyebrows. "Okay, first of all, Giles needs you on the Council. Do you know how hard it is to get teenage girls to do anything you want them to do? He keeps saying it's like herding cats."

Wesley smiled a bit at that. "And second?"

"You look different," Dawn said. "What happened with the spell?"

Wesley sighed. "Willow discovered that there had been a magical block placed on certain memories, and she broke it."

"Just like that?" Dawn asked, surprised that Willow had acted so precipitously. She'd gotten a lot better at not rushing into things over the years.

Wesley shook his head. "I asked her to do so, and there was no other way. The only way she could see the spell was while in her trance."

"Was it bad, what you remembered?"

Wesley was quiet for a long moment. "Yes," he finally admitted. "But what was worse was the knowledge that Angel lied to me, and that he acted without my knowledge to take..."

"Something important?" Dawn suggested.

"Precisely." Wesley glanced over at her, surprise in his eyes at her understanding.

Dawn read him easily. "I think I might have felt the same way when I found out that I wasn't real. You realize that everything you thought was true before isn't, and it hurts."

"Yes." Wesley rubbed his eyes. "I'm still having a difficult time processing it."

Dawn could sympathize. "Too bad you don't have time to get drunk." At Wesley's sharp look, she laughed. "That's what Spike always did when he got angry at Buffy, or something really bad happened." She changed the subject, sensing that he didn't want to talk about it. "Why are you changing hotels?"

"In all honesty, I'm trying to distance myself from Wolfram and Hart for the time being," Wesley admitted. "The cyborgs wanted the discs back because they do not trust the law firm, and the one we interrogated indicated that he had gone after Spike because of the appearance of evil."

"Did you tell him not to judge a book by its cover?" Dawn asked.

"Not in so many words," Wesley responded. "But, yes. He does have a point, however. Angel has been fighting Wolfram and Hart since he arrived in Los Angeles, and now that I know why he took the position, I'm beginning to think that he may have sold his soul to the devil."

"Why did he join up?" Dawn asked.

Wesley sighed. "To save his son. The worst part is that if I had known, I would have followed him willingly. I owed him. Now that I know about the memory erasure, however, I don't know that I can stay."

Dawn was still stuck on the first part of the explanation. "Wait a minute. Angel has a son?"

~~~~~

When Buffy woke up, it was early evening, and she was actually feeling better, although that might have had as much to do with waking up in Spike's arms as it did with sleeping the day away.

She shifted in his arms, trying not to wake him.

"Feelin' better?"

"You're still here." She rolled over to face him.

Spike raised an eyebrow. "You're thinkin' there's somewhere else I should be?"

"No." Buffy rested her forehead against his shoulder. "Thanks."

He pressed his lips to her forehead. "My pleasure."

"Is Dawn back yet?"

"Dunno," Spike admitted. "Haven't been up to check."

Buffy sighed. "I'm a little hungry."

"Then let's get you fed," Spike replied, rolling out of bed and extending his hand for Buffy to take.

Buffy was dismayed to find that she needed his help to stand. "I guess I'm still a little shaky," she admitted when he had to steady her.

Although she could see the concern in his eyes, Spike just slipped his arm around her waist. "Don't mind givin' you a helping hand."

The living room was empty when they came out of her bedroom, and Buffy frowned. "Did everybody leave?"

"Willow's here, an' probably asleep from the sound of it." Spike raised an eyebrow in the direction of the shopping bags. "Dawn's been an' gone. You want to call down to the Slayers' place? Maybe they know."

Buffy shook her head. "I'm sure Dawn is fine. Since Wesley isn't here either, I'm guessing she's with him."

Spike grunted. "She fancies him."

Buffy frowned. "What?"

"Your sis. Wesley. She fancies him."

"No, she—" Buffy stopped. "She does." Sighing, Buffy plopped down on the couch. "I can't really blame her."

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

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Just what I said, Spike. I know you're not blind. Wes is a good looking guy, he's smart, and he's polite. She had a crush on you not that long ago."

"We're not in the same league," he replied, sitting down next to her. "Think I should say somethin' to him?"

Buffy shook her head. "And embarrass Dawn to death? She's old enough to deal with a crush on an older guy herself. Heck, she's old enough to have a crush on someone like Wes."

"She's not dating anybody, is she?" Spike asked suspiciously.

Buffy shook her head. "There was a guy she was interested in, but he didn't return it."

"What?" Spike frowned. "Why wouldn't he?"

"Not every man shares your fascination with Summers' women," Buffy teased. "Why don't you see what Dawn got?"

Spike gave her a dirty look. "I didn't promise to wear any of it."

"I never said that you did."

Buffy watched him begin digging through the bags with unabashed pleasure. Even with all the craziness going on, it felt so normal to be sitting on her couch, watching him. She fought the sudden wave of dizziness that overcame her, struggling to keep her focus on the vampire.

"It's not too bad," Spike announced. "Nibblet has some taste, anyway."

"Of course she does," Buffy replied. "She is my sister. Why don't you go change?"

Spike gave her a sharp look, as though he knew she was trying to hide something from him, which she was. Buffy didn't want him to know how quickly she was losing strength. Whatever whammy the Immortal had put on her—well, it was a big one.

Willow came wandering out of Dawn's bedroom while Spike was still changing, and her eyes widened. "Buffy—"

Buffy shook her head, putting a finger to her lips and motioning Willow closer. "I don't want to worry Spike."

"I don't think you have a choice," Willow whispered in reply. "It's worse, isn't it?"

"I think so." Buffy smiled wanly. "I haven't felt this weak in a long time. Not since I was hospitalized. You remember."

"I remember," Willow agreed. "But this isn't a flu bug, Buffy. If we can't figure out some way to stop him..."

Buffy could hear the panic in Willow's voice, and her own fear went up another notch. "It's worse than you thought?"

"It shouldn't be draining you this fast," Willow said. "Usually, when you're dealing with an incubus, it takes time for them to drain a woman's life force. Weeks or months, at least, and they usually have to be in physical contact to continue it."

"Apparently, the Immortal is special," Buffy murmured.

"He's special all right," Spike said, emerging from Buffy's room. "I plan on killing him as soon as Red gives me the go-ahead."

"Giles is supposed to call with any information he has," Willow said. "Until then, we wait. If he doesn't have anything this evening, then feel free to go hunt him down. I'm going to start researching counterspells that will put the brakes on."

Spike knelt down next to the couch, facing Buffy. "You should have said somethin', luv."

"I didn't want to worry you." Buffy touched his cheek. Maybe being so tired was tearing down some of her defenses, because she felt totally unselfconscious, even though she knew that Willow was standing right there.

Or maybe she just didn't care anymore.

"Too late." Spike put his hand over hers. "That's what you get for not kickin' me out right away."

"I wouldn't have done that." Buffy took a good look at his outfit, and had to admit that she was impressed with her sister's choice. Although the jeans were dark, the shirt was a dark teal that brought out his eyes. Not so colorful that Spike wouldn't wear it, but bright enough to satisfy her. "Dawn should shop for you all the time."

"Is that right?" he asked. "You need to eat, luv. Think you can stay awake long enough for us to get something together?"

"Dunno," Buffy admitted, feeling sleep tugging at her again. She was too tired to even be much alarmed at the prospect. "Wake me up when it's ready?"

"Sure thing."

The last thing Buffy heard before she dropped back into darkness again was Spike's rough voice saying, "I love you."

~~~~~

Willow didn't know if Buffy had caught it, but she could see the worry radiating off of Spike's lean form. "It's going to be okay," she said in a low voice, following him into the kitchen area.

Spike shook his head. "You don't know that. If I had called earlier, let her know I was alive, if I hadn't been such a bloody coward—"

"You can't blame yourself," Willow insisted, interrupting him. "The Immortal doesn't drain every woman he comes across, right?"

Spike shrugged. "Yeah, what of it?"

"Then it has to be because Buffy's the Slayer. There has to be a reason that he can drain her, or that he wants to drain her. I think I can cook up a blocking spell, something that will stop it from going further. I would have started on it immediately, but I didn't realize that it was going to get so bad so fast."

"Go work on it then," Spike said. "I'll see what I can find to eat around here."

"You can cook?" Willow asked in surprise.

Spike shrugged. "I do okay."

Willow realized that she wasn't going to get anymore information out of him. She could see his hands continually drifting towards his pockets and suspected that he wanted a cigarette. Willow couldn't blame him. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting to find upon her arrival in Rome, but it wasn't this.

She pulled out her laptop and gave silent thanks that Buffy had succumbed to the need to stay in contact cheaply. Willow might not have many of her books, but she did have access online to information.

Willow sent an emergency email to Giles and the head of the coven, giving them a heads-up as to Buffy's condition, then she got started researching. She barely looked up when Spike put a salad by her elbow. "Thanks," she murmured.

"No problem."

Willow could hear him rousing Buffy, but she didn't pay much attention. She was too focused on her research. It was clear that a solution needed to be found, and soon. She ate her dinner distractedly, and felt a thrill when she found a spell that was supposed to reverse the effects of an incubus' influence.

Of course, Willow didn't think that the Immortal was a normal incubus, but it was worth a try. The sooner they could get it done, the better.

"Crap."

"What is it?" Spike came to look over her shoulder.

Willow sighed. "I found a spell that might work, but it requires an ingredient that could be just a little hard to find. You don't happen to know anybody who sells magic supplies in Rome, do you?"

Spike shook his head. "But I know someone who does. Dunno if she'll help us, but it would be worth a try."

"Who is that?" Willow asked, curious.

"Head of the Wolfram and Hart branch here," Spike replied. "Only catch is that she knows the Immortal, and she even sounded like a fan when I asked her about his using magic."

Willow made a face. "That might not be a good idea. The only thing this spell ingredient is good for is fending off an incubus, and if she knows what he is..."

"I'll take Wes with me, an' we'll see what we can do," Spike replied. He turned as the door to the apartment opened and Wesley and Dawn entered. "Speak of the devil," he murmured.

"What's wrong?" Wesley asked.

Dawn's eyes were on Buffy, who was sleeping on the couch. "What's wrong with Buffy? She doesn't look good."

"Whatever the Immortal did is working faster than I thought it would," Willow admitted. "I think I found a spell that might help, but it requires an ingredient that I don't have."

"What do you need?" Wesley asked immediately.

"Waleksan root," Willow said. "Spike thought he might know someone who could help."

Spike glanced at Wesley. "Ilona."

Wesley raised an eyebrow. "Going back there might be a little like going back into the lion's den."

"It's Buffy," Spike said simply. "I have to try."

Wesley nodded. "Very well. We'd better get going." He looked at Willow. "We'll be back as soon as possible." He hesitated, then touched Dawn's shoulder where she still knelt next to Buffy. "It will be alright, Dawn."

"Thanks, Wes," she murmured distractedly, touching his hand.

Willow saw Spike's frown and wondered at it, but she didn't want to say anything. They had enough to worry about at the moment.

~~~~~

"Do you really believe that this is a wise idea?" Wesley asked.

Spike shook his head. "Honestly? I don't know, but I'm bettin' that Ilona knows where to find the bastard."

"She may not help us."

"She might not, but if we don't ask, we'll never know," Spike said, walking right up to the front desk. "We're here to see Ilona Costa Bianchi."

The man raised his eyebrows. "Do you have an appointment?"

"Tell her it's Spike an' Wesley," Spike replied.

The man sniffed. "You must have an appointment."

Wesley casually pulled his jacket away from his body, showing his weapon. "I think we might have an appointment. I suggest you call and find out."

Spike was impressed, particularly since the man immediately called up. He half-expected to be surrounded by security within seconds, but instead Ilona came bustling across the lobby. "Oh, you two!" she exclaimed. "So impatient!"

"You'll forgive us," Wesley said smoothly. "We have a friend who is very ill, and time is of the essence."

Ilona frowned, real concern showing on her face. "Who is this friend?" she asked in her thick Italian accent. "Is there anything I can do?"

"We need Waleksan root," Wesley said evenly. "Do you know a supplier in the area?"

Ilona's gaze sharpened. "This is not about the Immortal?"

"Does it matter if it is?" Spike challenged.

Ilona shrugged, and the movement nearly freed her breasts from her dress. "Only if you care that he is in my office now, requesting my help to kill you."

Spike's eyebrows went up. "An' what are you going to do about that?"

"I think I shall tell you where to find your magic herb, an' then I tell you where you may find the Immortal tomorrow morning. Yes?" Ilona patted Spike on the cheek. "I have a history with him, no? You will let me do this my way."

Spike nodded shortly, knowing that their first priority at the moment had to be the ingredient Willow needed for her spell. Once that had been safely delivered, they could turn their focus to capturing the Immortal. "Of course."

"Good." Ilona looked at Wesley. "Take the car Lucio hired for you."

Wesley hesitated. "I don't know that that's a good idea."

"Of course it is a good idea," Ilona replied. "It is my idea. Go, and take care of your Buffy." She turned to Spike. "He will be at his villa tomorrow morning. His security is impressive."

Spike nodded. "Thanks."

Ilona smiled, looking curiously satisfied. "In boca al lupo."

Spike had to wonder why she was wishing them luck when it seemed that she was fairly close to the Immortal.