Title: Looking For Love (In All The Wrong Places)
Author: Dreamer
E-mail: DreamerV966@aol.com
Disclaimer: Not mine, belongs to Joss. Someday, maybe, if I fall into a coma and dream it belongs to me. Naaah, it'll still belong to Joss.
Dedications: To Charibob, for reading my fan fic and putting up with my constant e-mails, and to my mother, for getting me the dancing hippo for Valentine's Day.
NON-Dedications: To Cupid, I'll get you yet, and when I'm finished with you, I'll get your partner in crime, Lets Just Be Friends.
Author's Notes: This is the sequel to Peaches and Pears, which was the sequel to I Hate Parties and Short and Silly. Spike is not in love with Buffy, Dawn does not exist, (Sorry Dawn fans) Willow is not with Tara, and Oz has left. Anya and Xander are not a couple, since that would make Xander happy, and I'm pissed at him, and when Willow pulled Angel out of hell, she made his soul permanent. Buffy and Angel are together, sorta.(This may change as the series goes on)
Feedback: for feedback, anything. Just, if it's Flames, be polite about it, and please send feedback if you want me to continue the series.

Spike rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. He was wondering what had woken him up. The phone rang. That was what it was. Spike reached over and picked up the phone.

"Hello," Spike said in a groggy voice.

"Spike, could you please come over. I seem to have found out what the demon is, and we'll be needing your assistance," Giles voice sounded over the phone.

"I'll be right there," Spike said, and hung up.
***

When Spike got to the Watcher's apartment, everyone else was already there. Xander was eating a slice of pizza, and Buffy and Willow were talking quietly on the couch. Spike walked over and flopped down next to the red head. Willow looked at him, and started to say something, when Giles walked out of the kitchen and cleared his throat. They all snapped to attention.

"Well, I made a few phone calls, and found out what kind of Demon we're dealing with." Buffy started to say something, but Giles held up his hand and continued, "The demon's name is Isitracon, and it kills by eating his victims, except for the head, which he bites off first."

Buffy interrupted here. "But I thought that he burned his victims from the inside out first, and left burn marks on their foreheads."

Giles gave Buffy a look. "He does, but only when he is looking for a suitable mate. The reason he burned those girls from the inside out, is that he would go after them, but would reject them and in a fit of anger, burns them and then eats them."

Xander spoke up here, "So, what makes these girls unsuitable?"

Giles turned towards Xander and preceded to wipe his glasses. "He is looking for a girl, a virgin, who is powerful enough with magic to be able to produce healthy young. The magic is a necessary thing in order for his young to survive. The girls I assume, were not gifted enough with magic to meet the standards. He is more then likely to go after every virgin witch in town until he finds one who is."

The room was silent for a moment, and the sound of their breathing seemed to echo off the walls.

Willow was the first one to speak. "So that means that he is going to come after me." Her voice was quiet, and had the sound of resignation to it.

Buffy blinked, "But I thought you and Oz...."

Willow shook her head, "No, I'm a virgin, Oz and I never went that far. He wanted to, but I wanted to wait. So, instead we decided to let you all think that we, um, did."

Xander got angry, "So that means you're just going to stay with someone at all times to make sure he doesn't get you."

Giles asked, "Who is she going to stay with? Buffy's is obviously out, and she can't stay with me, I have to stay at a hotel for a few days so that they can repair the roof."

Spike said quietly, "She'll stay with me." Xander looked at him.

Buffy was less shocked. "What do you mean, she'll stay with you?"

"Exactly what I said. Look she can't stay with you, your the slayer and he'll probably be keeping track on the comings and goings at your house, she can't stay with the Watcher, he won't be living here at the time. And she can't stay with the boy because he lives too close to were these girls have been found dead. The demon will be able to sniff her out like skunk on a dog. However, there is an abundance of vampires around here, so why would he notice me, and my apartment is about as far from the demon's main hunting grounds as possible without leaving the bloody town." They all looked surprised, partly at the length of his speech, and partly at the sense he had just made.

Willow said something finally," He's right, I'll probably be safest at Spike's. Besides, if the demon does find me, Spike'll be around to protect me."

Spike nodded at this, "That's right Red, I will."

Willow nodded and so did Giles. "You're right, your apartment does make the most sense. Willow, do you want me to take you to get your things?"

Spike said, "No need, I'll drive her to get her things and then take her straight to my place." He turned towards Willow. "On our way there, we might as well stop and pick up some groceries."

Willow said," The grocery store won't be open, I'll just bring some food to you're house and we'll go grocery shopping tomorrow." Spike nodded his agreement and walked towards the door. Willow followed. Spike stopped long enough to help her with her coat. Then they both walked out and to his car. As they were pulling away, Buffy turned to Xander and said, "Did Spike just help Willow with her coat, and then hold the door open for her?"

Xander nodded, "It just doesn't seem right, does it?"

Buffy said,"No," and went to get something from the kitchen, "he never helps me with my coat."
***

They're first night living together was uneventful. They played cards, and went to bed.(in separate rooms, you sickos. If I wanted something to happen like that, You think I'm gonna deny you details? Yeah, right.) As a matter of fact, Willow was surprised at how well Spike was behaving. Not one mention of being a "Big, bad vampire" and no suggestive remarks. To tell the truth, she was kind of disappointed about the latter.

Spike thought the red head was a great house guest. At least, that's what he thought until the next evening. Willow bounced into his room and onto his bed.

"Wacky, wakey, Spike. We have to go shopping before the stores close." Spike groaned and pulled the covers over his head. He did not want to get up.

"Well, I guess I can always snoop around your apartment until you get up..." he heard Willow said. Spike sat straight up in bed. He looked at the red head and narrowed his eyes. She laughed at him. "You have five minutes before we have to leave," Willow announced and flounced out of the bedroom. Spike rubbed his head and muttered to himself as he pulled on pants and a T-shirt. He picked up his coat, got his keys. and followed the red head from his apartment.
***
Spike looked around the grocery store and was amazed. He felt a little overwhelmed and all the selections they didn't have back when he actually needed to go to a grocery store. Usually, he just went to a minimart when he needed something now. Or ordered it off the Internet. The peaches and pears in his apartment he bought at a fruit stand. Spike looked over at the red head.

"So, what do you want Red?" Spike asked.

Willow pulled up a cart and Headed towards the first lane. "This is as good a place to start as any." Spike looked at her a minute before realizing she meant to go down every lane in the place. Spike caught up with Willow. She had just put a jar of pasta sauce in the cart, and was now looking at pastas. She choose one and continued on. I the next lane they got breakfast cereal, Booberry and Count Chocula, and a thing of ready-to-bake cinnamon rolls. In the next one, frozen food, she got several bags of vegitables, and some fish sticks. Spike was still eyeing the Count Chocula cereal.

"Is this some sort of way humans make discreet jokes about us?"

Willow stopped and looked confused.

Spike gestured down at the box.

Willow glanced at it and shrugged, "I just like the cereal." Spike decided to let it go. In the next lane Willow got some cans of spaggetti-O's and some other cans of stuff. Spike followed her as she headed for the butcher's counter. Willow ordered some steaks, chicken breasts, and fish. She also got some ground beef. Spike followed her again as she moved to the next lane. After a time, she seemed finished.

As she headed up to the check out to pay, Spike looked down at the number of groceries they had gotten. "Um, luv, do you really think you are going to eat all this in a week?"

Willow started to pile food on the check out, "No, but I planned to cook for you too."

Spike looked surprised, but decided not to say anything. It had been along time since he had had a home cooked meal. As Spike carried the groceries to the car, he grimaced at the thought of carrying all this stuff up the stairs to his apartment. The thought he disliked even more, was that he might get used to this, and then she would be gone. *What, you were expecting her to stay?* Spike thought to himself and left out a sigh. *That's just looking for love in all the wrong places, mate.*