I awake slowly from the most restful sleep I've had in a while. Right now, nothing can bother me. I feel at peace with the world. Then I open my eyes to see that I am not alone. Spike is lying beside me, contentedly watching me sleep.

"Evening, luv."

"Hi," I yawn and stretch like a cat. "How long have you been there?"

"All day. Did you sleep well?"

"Mmm-hmmm. Like a baby." I turn away from him for a moment, ashamed. "Spike, I… I want to apologize for my behavior recently. You're right, I've been childish and selfish, and you were only doing what's best for me. Can you forgive me?"

"Willow. Look at me." He turns me so that I am again facing him. "There's nothing to forgive. You did nothing wrong. You acted just as any other vampire would. If it were me, I would have done the same thing. Well, I probably would have used violence instead of pleading, but you'll get there in time."

"But - "

"Shh. No buts. I shouldn't have treated you that way. You were right. I treated you like I did Dru, and you're not her. And you're not a child, either. I shouldn't have regarded you as helpless."

"Gosh, now we're both acting like Angelus. What's come over us?" I joke with mock horror. Apparently, that wasn't the smartest of things to say. Spike's eyes flashed gold before he regained control over his anger.

"Don't *ever* compare either of us to him again."

"I… I'm sorry. I was only kidding. How about a truce, though? I won't compare you to Angelus, and you don't compare me to Drusilla. Okay?"

"Fair enough, pet. Speaking of Angelus, what did you mean he'd be back?"

"Huh?"

"Yesterday, before you fell asleep, you said he'll be back, and it's going to change things. What did you mean?"

"I don't know. It… it was probably just babble from being tired. I tend to do that. Babble. When I'm tired, and nervous. And other times, when I'm just wide awake and calm and not nervous at all. Like now." Angel coming back? Why would I have said something like that? I must have been really tired.

"If you say so, pet. Are you ready to go?"

"Go?"

"Hunting, remember? Unless you've changed your mind, again."

"No, no… I'm good to go here. But, do you think maybe we could leave the watcher and my friends alone for tonight? I mean, if they expect me to come after them, then they'll be ready, and that wouldn't be a good thing, right? It would be a bad thing. Bad, bad, very bad. So, maybe we could just find some random people in the park or something? And then play with the others later when they don't expect it." They wouldn't kill me, but Spike might want to know why they're still alive if I don't kill one of them. And I can't kill them. I hate to kill anyone, but I have to feed to live, right?

"Anything you want, pet. Shall we, then?" He offers me his arm and we stroll out of the room together once again.