Two hours and forty minutes after Spike hung up the phone after talking with Willow, he found himself kneeling at her feet. She smiled, running her fingers through his hair. "Amazing," she murmured.

He kept his eyes toward the ground, knowing the proper routine of a submissive, even if Willow didn't. "What is that, pet?" Normally, he wouldn't have spoken, without being told to, but he figured (and hoped) that she didn't know that.

Fortunately for Spike, she didn't. "That you are here, kneeling in front of me."

He glanced up at her. "You told me to be."

She giggled. "But you are William the Bloody. The Big Bad Master Vampire! I'm just a little human... and I have you kneeling at my feet."

He growled softly, and somewhat playfully. "I can make good use of my time here on my knees. . ."

Willow's sudden arousal at the thought was evident in the air. "No," she said softly, "not now. Beach party now."

"Oh, yea," Spike grinned. "The beach party. Come on, pet, we need to get ready for it." He stood up.

She narrowed her eyes and looked up at him. "What are you up to?"

"Hmm?" he asked innocently.

"You want to go to this party. Why?" She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing," he grinned. "Come on! Get your suit. We are going to play at the beach."

*-*-*-*

The party was already in full swing when Willow and Spike arrived. The bonfire was huge, at least four feet wide and six feet tall. Xander and Anya were dancing by the radio. Xander had a beer he was drinking.

Riley and Buffy were sitting at the fire, holding each other. Both of them had a beer. They seemed deep in conversation.

"Great," Spike muttered. "Drunk humans and fire. Just what we need." Spike patted the pocket of his duster. "Cell phone's here for when you need to call the hospital to let them know to come take the charred bodies of your friends away."

"Spike!" Willow gasped, slapping his arm.

"I wonder if I accidentally pushed Slutty into the fire, would my chip go off?" He grinned at Willow. "Worth a try. . ." He took off towards Buffy and Riley.

"SPIKE!" she yelled. "If you try to burn Buffy to death, I swear to goddess, I will stake you!" She ran after him.

Spike laughed, running around the bonfire and Willow's bewildered friends. Willow giggled, chasing after him. "Come on, Spike!" she cried. "I'm getting sand in my shoes!"

"So take 'em off, pet!" he cried back.

She stopped, and took off one of her Keds. He stopped and laughed at her, hopping on one foot to take the other shoe off. "You look great, pet!" he grinned.

Willow threw her shoe at him. "I'm gonna get you, Spike!"

Spike dodged the shoe and grinned. He crossed his arms. "Come on then, pet, if you think you can."

Willow tackled him. He fell back into the sand, laughing. She kneeled over him, smiling. She was completely oblivious to Buffy and Riley staring at her. Anya and Xander were dancing again, as Xander knew that there was something going on between the two, and Anya just didn't care.

Spike reached up and ran his fingers along her cheek. "I love the way the fire is dancing on your face and in your eyes, pet. You are beautiful."

Willow leaned down and kissed him. He growled, wrapping his arms around her. He flipped them, pulling her head back. He ran his tongue along the length of her neck. "Pet," he growled. "I want you. Now."

She moaned. "No, Spike, not in front of everyone," she said softly. "Later. . .water."

Spike reluctantly pulled away. "Fine, witch. Later. You owe me."

She grinned up at him. "I do. And I promise I will."

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?"

Spike and Willow both looked over, realizing that Buffy was standing there glaring down at them. "Shut up, Slutty, I'm talking to my woman."

"Oh, god, now she has you playing the game too?" Buffy rolled her eyes. "Willow, are you really *that* lonely?"

Spike jumped up. "Slayer. . .you are treading on dangerous ground. . ."

"Shut up, Spike. You can't even hurt me." She turned around and walked away, nose high in the air.

Spike helped Willow up. "Honey?"

"I'm fine," Willow sniffed. "Come on, let's swim."

The two of them walked to the group. Willow took off her clothes. "Hey, Wills, cute bikini!" Xander said.

Willow turned to him and smiled. "Thank you, Xander. I like it."

Spike grinned, taking this opportunity to take off his shirt.

"Holy shit," Xander swore.

"Oh. My. God," Buffy whispered.

Willow frowned. "What?" she asked. She spun around and gasped. There, on Spike's chest, in angry red cuts, cuts she knew would cause scars, was the word RED. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "That's why you went. . ."

"I wanted it to be permanent, luv." He caressed her cheek.

"Oh, Spike!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck. "I love you!"

"I love you too, pet."

She started kissing him.

"Oh, my god," Buffy said, sitting down heavily in the sand. "They. . .they are together. Oh, my god."

"See!" Xander yelled at Buffy. "I *told* you they were together! Did you listen!? OF COURSE NOT! Damn it, Buffy, you never listen to anything we try to tell you. Do you honestly think that Willow would LIE about something like that? That Spike would let her!? Now good luck on getting her to not be mad at you." He turned to Willow and patted her back. "Hey, I'm happy for you, Wills. Come on, Anya, let's go swim."

*-*-*-*

Willow squealed in delight. "Xander!" she cried, splashing water at her best friend.

Xander grinned and walked towards her. The look on his face was complete and utter mischievousness. Willow backed up warily. "Xander, what are you going to do?" she asked softly.

Xander pounced on her, knocking her over into the knee-deep water. She squealed, her arms flailing. "XANDER!"

He dunked her, then brought her back up. She gasped for air, hitting him hard. "Xander! You are being horrible! I'm might have to have Spike kill you!"

Spike chuckled, watching Xander and Willow play in the ocean. He glanced at Anya. "You love him. Seriously?"

"Seriously," Anya replied. "He gives good orgasms."

Spike shuddered. "Too much information, Anya."

She laughed. "Maybe so, but it's the truth."

"Hey, Wills," Xander said, eyeing his girlfriend. "Are you thinking what I' m thinking?"

Willow stood up, brushing wet hair from her face. "That Spike is incredibly hot in those black boxer briefs and looks so cool with my name carved on his chest?"

Xander turned, staring at his best friend. "No. . .that's not what I was thinking. . ."

Willow frowned, then brightened. "Oh! Chicken Fight! Yea, I think we should. We are, after all, the 1990 Sunnydale Public Pool Champions. . ."

Xander laughed. "Come on, partner. Let's kick some demon ass." He kneeled slightly, locking his hands together. Willow put her foot in his hands and grabbed his shoulders. He hoisted her up, and she slung her leg over Xander 's shoulders. She immediately wrapped her feet behind his back.

Xander glanced up. "You ok, Wills?"

"Yea," she said, leaning down. "You ok down there? The waves aren't getting you, are they?"

"I am Xander, the waves will not knock me down!" he cried.

"1990 Sunnydale Public Pool Champions!" Willow yelled. "Come on, let's go get our significant others."

Xander sloshed over to Spike and Anya. Spike looked up. "Pet, what the hell are you doing?"

"Anya," Xander said, "get up on Spike's shoulders, like Willow's on mine."

Anya looked at Xander like she was crazy. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Because! We are going to have a Chicken Fight!" Willow giggled. "You get up on his shoulders, and we fight."

"Fight?" Spike perked up.

"Me and Anya. Whoever knocks the other person off first is the winner. Xander and I used to play when we were kids, and we were the 1990 Sunnydale Public Pool Champions. Humans against demons," Willow grinned.

"I'm game, pet." Spike turned to Anya. "Anya?"

"You get me up there on your shoulders, Spike, and I'll kick your pet's ass. We can take their Championship away from them."

Spike grinned. "Come on, Anya." He hoisted Anya up on his shoulders, wobbling slightly. "Hang on, pet, we can't win if I can't keep my bloody balance."

"I don't usually end up on people's shoulders," Anya grumbled. "You are a strong vampire, just hold on to me tightly."

Spike clutched her thighs. "Ok, ready?"

"I think so," Anya said.

Willow had her elbow on Xander's head, and her chin in her hand. She looked bored. "Are you guys ready yet?"

"I think so, pet," Spike replied, stepping in front of Xander.

"And here we go, the infamous battle between the Demons and the Humans!" Xander said in an announcer's voice. "On your left, we have Master Vampire of Sunnydale, Spike! His partner is the lovely Anyanka, fresh from a wonderful career in Vengeance! On your right, we have the 1990 Sunnydale Public Pool Champions, Willow and Xander!"

"Do you have the feeling they are proud of that fact?" Spike looked up, asking Anya.

Anya laughed. "I got that feeling, yea."

"And now. . ." Xander said, "let the games begin!"

The two women started laughing as they playfully fought with each other.

*-*-*-*

Buffy watched her friends sadly from the shore. They were playing and having a great time. And she was sitting in the sand, her boyfriend sitting beside her drinking a beer. "Riley," she whined.

Riley glanced at Buffy. "You should have believed her. Has she ever lied to you before?"

"No," Buffy said, looking down sadly.

"I just hope you can work it out. You need her, she keeps you balanced." Riley shrugged. "But you have to accept Spike too."

"Riley, I don't want to accept him!"

"Then I don't see you and Willow getting along. If Xander can accept him, why can't you?"

"I'm the Slayer!" Buffy cried. "He's a vampire!"

"Didn't stop you from dating Billowy Coat King of Pain," Riley said softly.

Buffy opened her mouth to reply, then stopped when she couldn't think of anything. She turned away from her boyfriend, tears filling her eyes. "I'm sorry, Willow," she said softly.

*-*-*-*

Anya squealed as she toppled off of Spike's shoulders. She landed flat on her ass. She giggled, splashing water in the direction of Xander and Spike' s legs. "You guys cheated!" she exclaimed.

"How?" Willow said, putting her hands on her hips. She looked silly, still on Xander's shoulders, sitting in a shocked pose.

"You were Champions. We didn't have a chance!" She stood up and grinned, putting her hand on Spike's shoulder. "It was fun though."

Willow slid off of Xander's shoulders. She glanced around and pounced on Spike, knocking him over into the water. He went under, sputtering in shock. He propped himself on his elbows and looked up at her. She was lying on top of him, grinning. "What, pet?" he asked.

"You. Me. Now," she whispered for his ears only.

"Right here?" he growled, reaching around her to unsnap her bikini top.

"No!" she giggled, swatting at his hands. "There's an alcove, down the way some. There are nice caves there. I want to do it there, *away* from everyone."

"Oh, no, pet," he grinned mischievously. "Right here. I've got an idea."