Part 11 of pain and Friendship saga. Operation “Mine.”
Author: Fayth moonwitch@werewolf.com.uk

Willow blinked groggily and tried to stop the room spinning >OK body check,
arms- two, legs- two, phew! Head intact body temp- check. I’m alive and in one
piece Bonus if I can move.< She swung her legs off the side of the bed to land
on the floor and for a moment the world spun like a Catherine Wheel “Bah!”
She heard a clatter in the kitchen and staggered to her feet. Her brain felt
full of cotton wool. >Who’s in my house?<
She made it down the stairs without her head exploding on which she
congratulated herself. But when she entered the kitchen she thought she was
hallucinating.
Spike stood at the kitchen stove stirring something that smelt delicious, his
cigarette dangled form his other hand. The table was set for two with Candles
and table cloth and silverware. The drapes were closed- presumably so the chef
didn’t flambe himself, making the room cosy and intimate.
Spike was wearing a tight back T-shirt and dark blue jeans, he had no socks on
and Willow was mesmerised by his feet. They were strong and so male >Great Will
drool over your flatmates feet! I must be coming down with something!< Like
l-o-v-e? questioned her brain.
“Hey Spike.” She spoke aloud suddenly to shut her brain up. Spike jumped
“Bloody hell pet, don’t do that.”
“Now you know how it feels stealth boy.” She grinned wickedly “Whatcha doing?”
>Stage one of Operation “mine”< he thought  “You slept late so I figured you’d
be hungry.” He peered into the pan
“You’re cooking for me?” she was ridiculously pleased
“Yeah but it needs another few minutes- enough time for you to grab a quick
shower.”
“Trying to tell me something?” She teased pretending to sniff herself
“I didn’t want to be the one to say it.” His expression was full of mischief
“I can take a hint.!” She mocked outrage and walked to the door slowly
“You OK?” he asked concerned
“Yeah, fine.” She straightened “I’ll feel better after a shower.”
He leered “if you need someone to scrub your back…” he left the sentence
dangling and chuckled at her blush > Stage one is set!<

Knowing Spike was cooking dinner, Willow made short work of her shower. She
pulled on comfy jeans and a black T-shirt, unconsciously mimicking Spike’s
wardrobe. After a quick brush of her hair she was able to rejoin him downstairs
on sturdier legs.
Spike pulled out her chair so she could sit down.  She stared at her plate there
was her favourite meal- lasagne and vegetables, roast potatoes, sweetcorn and
buttered cabbage- her favourite.
“Wow!” she said and looked at Spike “I didn’t know you could cook.”
He shrugged as he sat opposite her, his knees brushing hers under the table.
“I met this chef in New Orleans who cooked in this hotel we stayed at. He
offered me cooking lessons for eternal life and the chance to kill his boss. I
just never had a chance to put the skills to the test.” his gaze softened as she
picked up her fork to taste it
“MM. perfect.” She moaned as she swallowed and licked her fork.
“Glad you like it.” >Don’t watch her eat or swallow unless you *want* to
embarrass yourself like a damn schoolboy.< he ducked his head to his plate and
tried not to wish he was the fork.
“So how long was I out?”
“Just a little while- its after 5.” She groaned
“I think me and Giles are competing for the who-can-be-unconscious-the-most
award” He laughed
“I think the Watcher has you beat pet, I can’t think of a single fight he hasn’t
been carried away from.”
“I think there was one a few months ago he didn’t collapse until he got home.”
She added in amusement as she speared a potato
“I’m surprised the bloke don’t have brain damage- although that would explain
why he likes the Slayer.” He snorted
“Hmm.” Said Willow around a mouthful of food ” Says the one who had a crush on
said Slayer.”
“Aw pet, not fair to bring that up.” he grimaced “Can I plead temporary
insanity.”
She pretended to consider it until he pouted “Bought on by the trauma of the
chip. Absolutely but I’m afraid there will never be an excuse for Harmony.”
He shuddered remembering “Whoever granted her eternal life should get death by
Mosquito bites.”
She nodded as she munched “Once a vacuous air-headed tramp always-“
“Really didn’t like her huh?”
Willow shook her head “She made my life at Sunnydale high hell she picked on me
for years her and the rest of the Cordettes.” 
“Cordettes?”
“Vatsch.” She paused and swallowed sheepishly before trying again “That’s what
we called those girls who hung out with Cordelia. Beautiful, popular, rich and
dumb as hell -thought the Ozone layer was a foundation.”
Spike almost spat out his drink as he choked back a laugh
“Of course the whole Cordy and Xander thing happened and she was declared
“uncool”. Me and Xander were not cool enough for them. I could’ve been like
them.” She paused waiting until Spike sipped his wine “But I couldn’t afford the
lobotomy.”
This time he lost the battle and his mouthful of wine ended up sprayed on the
floor while he laughed outright “Pet that was so evil- I’m proud.”
“I know.” She smiled “It’s weird that me and Cordy are such good friends now.”
“I thought she lived in L.A with the Poof?” he looked confused
Willow coloured “we e-mail each other regularly, she’s grown so much- I guess we
both have. Don’t tell Buffy or Xand- they really wouldn’t get it.”
He felt happy that she had shared another secret part of her life with him.
“Sure thing.” He attempted casualness which didn’t really work with the
maelstrom of emotions that this topic bought up. ”Does she tell you about the
Poof?” he traced the table with his fingers.
“Yeah.” She said softly, she knew how ambiguous Spike’s feelings were towards
his sire. He hated him for abandoning them but he was still family. He despised
him for what he did to Dru and for being the one Dru loved but Angelus had
trained him and took care of him for years.
“Sometimes Angel e-mails me, but his grasp of electric gadgets or these faddish
computers is minimal- almost Giles-like.  He had a run in with Darla who was
resurrected as human by this law- firm, then she was re-vamped by… another
vampire because she was dying of syphilis.” >Not mentioning Dru!<
“Well Darla was always a party girl.” he remarked dryly  “She had some odd ideas
about Childe rearing.”
“Ew.” She got his meaning “Apparently they had a near- Angelus situation when he
set the two vamps on fire and then locked them in room with some lawyers- or
possibly the other way around.”
“Peaches always had a thing for lawyers.”
“Well he’s found himself a sense of humour form somewhere- I think maybe Cordy.”
“Does he know about-” he pointed to his head indicating his chip
“Yeah and he was all for coming to Sunnydale to rip off Riley’s head and to do a
few other things which I don’t think are anatomically possible. Nice to know he
cares huh?” Spike shrugged conflicted.
She placed her fork down on her empty plate “to borrow a phrase- that was bloody
delicious.” Her teasing tone broke the tension and Spike’s smile returned.
“Got cheesecake for desert. Go into the lounge and I’ll bring it in after I
clear up.”
She got up and moved into the lounge “You cooked, you clean up and there’s
cheesecake?” she beamed “Careful Spike a girl might get used to having you
around.”
He waited until she was out of earshot before his face broke into a wolfish grin
“All part of the plan pet, I’m going nowhere.”

TBC...