15107/Follow the Recipe

Follow the Recipe
Date of Scene:	19 May 2023
Location:	Restfield Cemetery, Sunnydale
Synopsis:	Willow needs to a special ingredient for a spell. Road trip to get it.
Cast of Characters:	Buffy Summers, Spike, Willow Rosenberg

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Buffy Summers has posed:
It was just past the witching hour when the duo entered the Restfield Cemetery. They walked past the columns at the entrance and began walking along the path that was laid out between the many graves and mausoleums. This wasn't usually one of the cemeteries that Buffy had to worry about much as it was where Spike called Home. At least one of the mausoleums was.

She was dressed in her work clothes, which consisted of a pair of black leather pants and a red top. A comfortable light leather jacket in matching black over it which had her toys inside. No messenger bag tonight.

"This is a nice cemetery," she remarked to her bestie as they walked. Buffy was alert to threats but she wasn't super vigilant like some people who played Army Men. But she was paying attention and would react to a threat. But for now, she was just walking along looking at the setting. "Good position of trees so there is some shade when visiting. This nice little strolly path instead of just walking on the grass and hoping you aren't stepping on someone. It's better than some of the others here in town." Because a Slayer would be familiar with them all.

Spike has posed:
Spike hated summer. It wasn't the heat. He actually quite enjoyed it. Sometimes he would enjoy the ambient temperature, liking how it felt. But with the change in season, also came the change in the number of daylight hours. Sunlight had always been more of an inconvenience for him than anything else, but these days, it was a long inconvenience.

Restfield Cemetery, like all cemeteries in the city, was a problem, but this one was the least problematic. Spike lived here. He viewed it as his territory, and all the demons and the nasties with any sense knew to stay clear. He hunted and killed them. So whenever a vampire, demon, or a force of darkness did venture into it, they were lost, a tourist, or incredibly foolish.

Spike also made a point of tending to his cemetery. It was an extension of his home. He liked to look after it. He'd even put a new flower, which he had nicked from the groundskeeper's shed, and planted it near the entrance of his Mausoleum earlier in the night. The ground looked freshly disturbed with a new coat of topsoil.

His Mausoleum was also the only one with a bloody power line going to it: not exactly standard fare. He had gotten that some time ago, bullying Xander into doing it for him. Inside, there were creature comforts, in the main room of the Mausoleum, there was a television, a mini fridge, a cooking area, a microwave, cabinets, and in the hole that led to the lower level, accessed through the ladder, there was a shower, bathroom, sink, and his bedroom. There were also lights on both levels.

He had tunnel access too, making it easier for him to get around during the day. The biggest concern was trespassers. Whenever he left, there was no security. Not that there was much of intrinsic value. Pretty much everything had been nicked, from the city dump, stuff left by the side of the road, and some stolen from stores. He did what he could.

Right now, he was sitting inside his Masoleum, wearing a black t-shirt, very right across the chest, black jeans, his duster coat hung near the door, and the television was playing a repeat viewing of an ice hockey game. Bludhaven was playing Pittsburgh.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"I like cemeteries. There is a distinction, you know. A cemetery is not attached to a church. Graveyards are." But only Willow was pedantic enough to care about the difference. "I hope that Spike is around."

Ah! Spike. Buffy may have thought about why Willow wanted *this* graveyard. There were only a few of them that would be Spike's regular haunts, and something told Willow this one would be the one. She didn't even scry she was so certain.

Then again, she could be wrong!

"I like the moonlight hitting the gravestones - all in a row. Yet everyone is different." A pause. "You don't think we are in danger?" Because now that she has thought of it, the odds are significantly increased when two Scooby are out together after midnight, in a graveyard!

Buffy Summers has posed:
"I did not know they were different things," Buffy admits because, she really never needed to know that. And she was a need-to-know sort of gal. Willow was the one that sought more knowledge on things. Buffy just went with the flow. "All I know is both have dead people and potential vampires or demons running around." All summed up with a little bow on top.

But something else that Willow said had caught Buffy's attention, causing her to lift her brows a bit. "We're as safe as we ever are," was tossed out verbally first to answer that question. "And why are you wanting to see Spike?" Because that...was new.

"This way." And she headed for the Mausoleum that Spike called home. Pausing at the door and feeling kind of silly as she reached up a hand to knock on the door.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Well, technically, a vampire wouldn't be allowed in sacred ground. Which would be a graveyard. But sometimes, these days, they are intermingled with cemeteries and graveyards meaning the same, unless there is a church on site. And even so, they often buried the unbaptised just over the fence to the graveyard. It's kind of neat."

Willow ignored the quirk of the brow when Buffy answered her question.

"I have a simple request for Spike." She makes it seem that she doesn't care one way or another (when really she does!). "I brought you along for the company. I mean, if he doesn't agree at least we had a walk!" May was particularly beautiful this year.

Spike has posed:
Spike was watching a replay of the fourth overtime period of the Bludhaven Americans and the Pittsburgh Penguins. He had a slice of pizza in one hand, cheese stuffed crust, with a variety of meat toppings, and hand a beer on the table next to his chair, when he heard a knock at his door. Most people just barged in when they wanted to see him. The knock had him thinking that it must have been Willow, as Willow would definitely knock.

Getting up, he set his beer down, and finished off the slice of pizza. There were more slices, garlic bread, and some kind of dip. He wandered over to the door, moving slowly and quietly, just as a precaution, and he opened the door, expecting the worst...

But instead, there were two young women, one blonde, the other a redhead, and he knew them well. His expression immediately softened from his concern, "what seems to be the pleasure?" He asked, stepping aside, and noting that he hadn't been insulted or hit yet. Even though they didn't need an invite, he still said, "please, come in?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
"Well, yes, we had a walk." Though Buffy does have more patrol to do but she's always going to make time for Willow when she wants it. Especially when that involves walking around at night in a dark cemetery. Or graveyard. Whichever this one was! "You know an awful lot about where to put dead people," she added with a little bit of a smirk as she waited for an answer to the knock on the door.

When it opened, she blinked in surprise and focused on Spike. She had honestly expected him to be out. After all, it was night time. He didn't have to worry about sunlight. Of course, that would be like expecting humans to want to be outside and not in their house watching a good show and eating... "Oh is that pizza?"

And she was through the door and heading for the food in question. A glance at the tv and it was immediately dismissed as boring and not worth watching as she looked back to Spike.

"Willow has a question." Buffy has no idea what question but that got the ball rolling.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Of course it was Willow standing outside his door, waiting to be invited in. For a girl who collects wardings, permission was important to her. "I've been reading up on graveyards, well the churches. The rest is just neat. But you know, my mind has been distracted about churches and sects, and stuff like that. There were an awful lot of them back in the day.

When Spike opens the door, Willow puts on a big smile. (That should have made Buffy a bit concerned, if not Spike as well.) "I actually like this space for you. Did I mention that?" And with permission she enters.

"It's not a very big question. More like a favour." Willow skirts around the issue. "You don't mind, do you Spike?"

Note: She /still/ hasn't said what she wants.

Spike has posed:
"Yeah," Spike said, and as she was heading to the pizza, which said Gennaro's Pizzeria on the box, she would smell the Italian tomato sauce, pepperoni, Genoa salami, bacon, ham, spicy Italian sausage, mozzarella, and chedder, on a whole wheat cheese stuffed crust. "Please, help yourself." There was cheesy garlic bread next to it, and two dips, one garlic, the other cheese. "There's beer, and root beer, in the fridge," as well as blood, but that wouldn't be to their liking.

"There are an awful lot of them today." Bludhaven had more cemeteries / graveyards per capita than pretty much any other major American city. He returned Willow's smile, and it was genuine too. He liked her. She was a friend. She treated him better than pretty much everyone, save Joyce and sometimes Dawn Summers.

"Uh, thanks," he said, looking a bit confused, but he had at least heard that there was a question. So they wanted something from him. "That would depend on," and the game he had been watching ended with an overtime goal. He turned to look, watching the highlights, the repeats. So long watching, only to miss the actual goal. "What'cha need, Red?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy was munching on a piece of pizza before Spike actually said to help herself. Which was pretty rude actually and she had the decency to look embarassed as she muttered, "Sorry. Thanks."

The lack of question from Willow had her chewing slowing. And a tiny tilt of the head as she looked to her bestie. It wasn't like Willow to beat around the bush and the fact she was trying to get a yes before asking the question was now a curiosity.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
There it was, the question. Willow had nowhere to escape anymore.

While Buffy was important to retrieve the request, Willow also wasn't happy that she was there. Because if there was one person who would question Willow's request, and want keep an eye on her - it was Buffy. And yet, with this request, she really needs the bodyguard to take it home.

Six of one way; half dozen of the other.

In other words sooner or later someone (Willow) would be required to 'fess up.

Picking up a cheese stick (because the pizza was meat!) she peeled portions off and ate them, "I was hoping to have about a quarter.. ah, make it a half pint.. of your blood, Spike." Willow winces despite her conviction. "Please."

Spike has posed:
Spike wasn't offended. If anything, he felt better about himself that Buffy would eat his food. Yes, it was delivered food, but still, she felt at home enough to go into his home, grab his food, and start munching. It was a far cry from walking into his home and beating him up. At least he thought it was.

"Plenty in the fridge," Spike said, nonchalantly, agreeing to what she had asked, but not what she wanted. He was through it. He wasn't going to make it that easy. And he wasn't exactly happy at this particular request. Yes, he could give up blood, even half a pint, which is a lot, but it was doable. Just, why, and his retort was meant to get more out of her, without being too aggressive.

And as if to twist the verbal knife, he added, "you know I'd do anything for you..." and that meant both of them.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Now that caught Buffy's attention. Even as Spike explained where the blood was, giving her a moment to decide she did Not want a drink after all from the fridge. Because where else would he keep blood?

"Blood? We could've arranged to get that. Why do you need blood from..." Then those blue eyes went really wide as Buffy looked from Willow to Spike to Willow to Spike. As her brain caught up and put the two things together.

"You want Spike's blood?!" And her voice went up like an octave on the last syllable. "I mean why do you need Spike's blood? Did he do something? Should I be punching him?" Leave it to Buffy to be the aggressive one. Not that she was moving. She was still casually eating her pizza but watching like a hawk.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Noooo? I mean /your/ blood. Vampire blood. Not your dinner blood."

Sure Spike says he would do anything for her, but that was before she wanted his blood. You know, the kind that turns you into a vampire if you had enough of it.

"Maybe just a quarter pint. I mean I haven't calculated the exact amount needed." That doesn't sound like Willow in the least. Willow guessing? In magic? The only time she wung it, was if she tried everything else in battle and she was desperate. Even so, she didn't like doing that.

(Of course there were times when she seemed more in control of her magic, and more.. powerful? At those times it seemed as though she was reaching deep within herself and producing something that was wonderful to see. But try to repeat that? Willow couldn't even tell you what she had done.)

Turning to Buffy, she explains, "It's for a potion. The magic qualities of vampire blood are the best choice." The only choice! But Willow doesn't say that. Aloud anyways.

Back to Spike, and turning on her dimples (well, if she had them, she would have turned them on!), "Please?"

Spike has posed:
It was sad that Buffy didn't like the idea of Spike keeping all of his chilled goods together. Yes, he kept blood in the fridge. He also kept beer, soft drinks, milk, cheese, and anything else that needed to be kept chilled. They were in separate containers. His having pig's blood in a sealed jar was no different than someone having ground beef, pork, or any other meat that might have blood in it.

Spike had caught the idea immediately, but deliberately chose to react differently. He did smile as Buffy went into a bit of a tirade, about how they didn't have to, and then when she caught up. She was so cute. He loved Buffyspeak and just, that whole attitude. It was like how sweet Willow was. Both girls could make him smile, just by being the women they were.

The best part was that Buffy's voice went up an octave. He gently shook his head, right up until she asked if she should be punching him. "Wait, what did I do?" And then dinner blood had him grinning again. Never change, Willow, Never change.

"I would think that calculating the exact amount would be pretty important to whatever you plan to do with it. When it comes to spells or baking, really everything," and he turned to look at Buffy for the last part, "measurements matter." He gave her a little wink.

Then to Willow, "this spell, it's not the banish Spike to Antarctica, make bell bottoms come back for a third time, or have to deal with shag carpeting, is it?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
There was a shake of the head from Buffy at Spike's question of what he'd done. "Well, if you had done something you might've needed punching," she said matter-of-factly. But the explanation from Willow why she needed it still had her concerned.

She knew Willow was really good with magic. She had especially found out in the last few months since her memory was stolen. Because what she remembered of Willow's power levels and knowledge compared to the reality of now? Night and day. Or day and night. Depended on the point of view.

But then she was distracted by Spike's question and had to stifle a giggle. It was a very good question. Or three questions in one. Although she wasn't quite sure what a shag carpet was she had seen bellbottoms. She had not known they came back twice. And she did agree they should never come back a third time. Banishing to Antarctica seemed a bit extreme for an ally but it was best to make certain on such things.

"As long as you work out how much you want before you do the spell." Because yes, amounts are important in recipes and spells. Though she considers. "If Spike doesn't want to...y'know..." Slice open a vein and give them blood which sounded sooooo rude when it went through her head. "We can always go find one in the wild and get it that way before I stake it."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Oh my, no! Nothing like that!" Willow was vehement with her protest. Whatever she was planning, it wasn't that. "It's.. Well.. See.."

How could she explain it without telling some of the most important facts? How??

"That fast is, I am a lot better at potions, but sometimes I still make lots of errors. And I don't want to bug you, Spike, each and every time I make a mistake, until I get it right."

Phew. It was the truth. She still had troubles with potions - though she was certainly better than before! Or she wouldn't be trying *this* potion.. yet. And she certainly did NOT want to constantly go back for more blood (then he would know how much she had tried, and failed.. No, she didn't want anybody seeing what she was doing.).

It was all true.

But most of all, she didn't want anyone seeing her success. If she was right, the added magic of the vampire's blood would allow her to take on another body - not the illusion for an evening. If there was anything that Willow wanted to be - it was anyone but her.

Spike has posed:
"You know Slayer, it was a lot more fun sparring with you back when I could fight back," he said, trying to manipulate her emotionally, since technically, she was fighting someone who was defenceless against her.

Watching Willow be vehement, or squirm, both of them were amusing. She was so adorable. And yet at the same time the most powerful being in the room by most measures, and possibly the city. Did Doctor Fate or someone like him live within the City boundaries, he didn't know for sure.

"Oh, no bother, not for you, just knock on the door and ask to borrow a cup of blood." Somehow, he managed to make that sound sweet.

Looking between them, he didn't see any kind of needles or bags, "I take it this is a preemptive request, or did you just plan on hacking my arm off and taking it back to Castle Greyskull?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
There was no mention of what the spell was for still. But the logic of not coming back repeatedly made perfect sense. And Buffy trusted Willow. Always had and always would. There was no reason for her to think that the witch would be using the blood for any nefarious purposes.

She couldn't say the same for some other beings that ran in their circles. There were some demons out there that were helpful but keep them away from kittens!

At mention of hacking off his arm, Buffy's nose wrinkled up in distaste as she finished off her piece of pizza. Only to realize she really needed a drink now. She eyed the fridge. Then eyed the beer on the table that was already half empty. Decisions, Decisions.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"It would be easier to have a little extra.. in case." Willow calculated what the illusion took. It wasn't the same as this potion, but Willow was fantastic with mathematics. If she used mathematics and magic..

X^(y+i) - m^m / Qq~(-i)..

She was lost in thought for what might have been a few seconds - but to her was a whole eon of figuring out. "Three vials of blood should be plenty unless I make an error. Would that be too much?"

Spike has posed:
"Really depends on how big a vial you were using, Will," Spike said, not having a great deal of familiarity with vials. He was big on pop culture, especially by vampire standards, but he spent precious little time at hospitals, except to steal bags of blood every now and then. He didn't care for the rest.

"But," and his voice took on a serious tone, "if you want my blood, and it'll help... the Scoobies." He glanced at Buffy before saying the other term, "then you can have it," sounding wistful, "as much as you need."