Eternity is Time Without You

'What's this?'

Angel looked at the sponge cake in front of him. In the past, Spike had brought home various deserts and shown him how they could be put to better use, but this one didn't look as though it came in that category. It was simple sponge cake with a lemon drizzle frosting and didn't look to have any slippery bonuses at all. And the bits of lemon and lime rind that Angel could see only looked as though they might get in uncomfortable places.

Spike lit one up and sat down next to Angel at the kitchen table.

'It's a lemon and lime cake.'

'So I see. Why've you brought it home?'

Spike blew the smoke out and chuckled.

'Cause they'd get pissed off if we ate it in the shop. Have a slice, Pet.'

He picked up the cake slice, which in itself was disturbing to Angel - Spike didn't bother much with cutlery at all and when he did it was usually to make some threat with the knife - and cut a huge chunk from the cake, offering it to his lover. Angel just looked at it for a moment before taking it in his hands. He didn't eat it though, waiting to find out what Spike had in mind, what dirty thoughts were forming in his delicious British mind.

'You gonna wait for it to go mouldy, Love?'

Angel looked at him, confused.

'I thought that you...' he stopped as he realised that a cake was all that this was.

Spike didn't have any ulterior motives with it at all.

In fact, Spike had done little more than hold him these past few days. He'd taken it for granted, Spike's consideration, needing the space, the time to recuperate from...that, so he'd accepted the tenderness from the vampire easily. He'd told Spike that he'd taken a lot of punishment from the fight, and needed some time to recover. Spike, the usual victim in these cases, had laughed and called him a poof, but been surprisingly helpful and considerate.

Of course, he'd sworn like a trooper when Angel had asked him to go out and buy things, still unhappy with the idea of parting with his money. Angel had pointed out that it wasn't Spike's money he'd be parting with, and the vampire had growled softly and left. He'd returned with Angel's shopping, a huge packet of fags, beer and this cake.

Angel's strength had been returning to him, and he was aware that he'd healed elsewhere as well. When Spike had been out, the vampire had taken the opportunity for a hot bath, relishing the warmth, feeling the steam clear his mind. What had happened...

He knew that Cribb's attack had been due to Spike in some way. He'd guessed, quite accurately, that Cribb had been one of the demons Spike had taken his energy out on in the tunnels, and that the demon had been anxious to deliver some payback. He was, in spite of the situation, impressed with his lover that he'd been able to deliver any damage to Cribb. He was big mean demon with strength that rivalled Angel's own. Spike, though powerful, was not a match for Angelus' cunning and cruelty. Besting Cribb must have come on a really rough day for the vampire.

But the consequences of that action were severe.

Angel wanted to forget about it, to push it from his mind and tell himself that it didn't matter. Physically, he'd suffered much worse over the years. Hell was a particularly fine example of things that suck your brains out and tear at your insides, but Angel was beginning to feel that it didn't come close to this. He didn't blame Spike for the act. The vampire had sacrificed a lot by staying with him, acts and emotions that neither spoke of. Knowing that if he returned to Sunnydale, he might find a way to remove the chip from his head was something that Angel thought about frequently. Both vampires knew that such an event might be the end of them and if Spike began killing again, one of them would end up dust.

So because he'd taken his pent up aggression to the tunnels, Angel was thankful, despite the couple of near misses it had wrought. Spike was no longer just his bedmate, he was one of them, a part of the team. He'd laughed a moment in the bath, sending ripples through the water, watching as the bubbles coated his skin. And then he'd thought of Cribb and his usual watery habitat and the water hadn't seemed so welcoming after all.

Sitting at the kitchen table with a towel wrapped round his waist, Angel had allowed himself to think about Sunnydale, and the occupants he had once cared for. Xander had nicknamed them the Scooby gang, though which member he considered himself was never clear. He'd watched precious little television in his existence, but Willow had taken time out one evening to point out to the vampire what Xander was talking about. He'd watched the whole show, smiling as he finally understood what Xander had been rattling on about, seeing each character come to life.

There had been a role there for everyone, including the annoying nephew and the laid back cousin, (though he suspected that Oz as Scooby Dum was stretching the point a little). And he had been Shaggy, or so Willow implied. At least they got the appetite right, he'd mused, and the fear. I bet there wasn't an episode where Shaggy lost his soul and started trying to eat the rest of the gang.

I bet he never tortured Scooby.

So he was no longer a part of that life. No longer part of that gang, his role filled by some guy who wouldn't flip out if he got close to Buffy. Someone normal, who could give her a normal life, with normal sex and normal, mundane, average love.

He wouldn't trade Spike in for the world.

What he wanted now, was to be able to make love to the man without Cribb haunting his thoughts. He'd thought that it would be okay, knowing that this had been done to him before, that he'd been forced into sex more times than he ever wanted to recount. He never even thought about the brief days he'd spent with the Master. Nothing, not even Hell had been as brutal as that. Angel wanted to relax in their bed, feel Spike's straying fingers creep up and down his spine, teasing him until he could bear it no more and then...<you'll remember that I've been there, and just see if your cock'll stay hard then>...Angel shuddered and any semblance of arousal disappeared in seconds. He needed to know if that was going to happen in reality, but Spike hadn't been near him.

Not like that.

'Oi, you great Poof!'

Angel shook his head and looked up at Spike. The clarity of those blue eyes was inescapable, Angel could read his soul in their embrace. He reflected in no mirror, their once silver backing rejecting the impurity of his existence, but the brief glances he'd had of himself had come from the impressions of those he affected. Buffy's had been misguided, a belief in something he could never be, perfection in his dark, beautiful form. But Spike never offered any soothing lies, giving him his flawed reflection without any pretence.

And Spike loved him anyway.

The vampire regarded his lover a moment, reading the impression in that gaze.

'You know,' he almost whispered.

Spike seemed to hesitate a moment, then nodded.

'How?'

Spike stubbed out his cigarette and walked to the fridge, bringing a couple of beers back to Angel. As he opened them both and passed one to Angel, the older vampire guessed that he was actually thinking about what he wanted to say and it touched him deeply. Spike was many things, but he wouldn't lie to save your feelings. That he was trying for some subtlety at all only reassured Angel of the depth of Spike's emotions.

'You don't let Angelus out. Ever.'

Angel nodded and watched as Spike took a big swig.

'I recognised Cribb, saw you fight him and I knew something had happened.'

'He could have just fought me,' managed Angel. 'How...?'

'I smelt it on you,' said Spike simply. 'I smelt that little pisser on your body and you let Angelus out.'

He drank again, but Angel had heard his voice crack. This was the bottom, this was where you knew what was what and how things worked out. Angel had heard the English vampire break twice - when Dru had abandoned him and when he'd told him, so long ago, that vampires don't love.

He'd lied then.

He was damned if he lied now.

'He wanted to hurt you, Spike. Give you payback.'

'Then he should have taken it out of me!'

Angel almost laughed.

'Doesn't work like that. I was there, you weren't.'

Spike drank from the bottle, nearly finishing it.

'It's so fucking stupid...I beat him up, he shouldn't...He could have come after me, I would finished the fucker off...I would have...'

Angel put his hand on Spike's shoulder, sliding it up to his neck and pulling him close, his forehead touching that of his childe.

'I'm so sorry, Angel,' Spike breathed, 'I...'

'No!'

The scream tore through Angel's body.

Spike sat backwards and watched as Angel leapt to his feet, angry as Hell and not about to spare feelings.

'You didn't cause this!'

'I beat him up. I should have...'

Angel grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up.

'You're always telling me to live in the present. What's done is done.'

Spike stared out the vampire.

'This is different.'

Angel shook his head.

'How, Will? How is this different?'

Spike paused a second, Angel's blazing eyes needing something, needing him to take this away.

'Because it's you,' he whispered.

Angel dropped his hold and stepped back, hands dropping to his side, the fight knocked out of him. He banged against the table and his eyes dropped to the floor. Spike moved to him, for once his perception gone, not knowing what he could do to make this...different.

'I'm so sorry, Love.'

Angel's arms moved to hold him and Spike sank willingly into the vampire's embrace. He moved his hands up to stroke Angel's back, feeling the older vampire shudder as Spike rested his head on his shoulders. The first of many tears slid down Angel's face and pooled in the hollow of Spike's neck, the younger vampire willing with his entire body, his entire being that he could take this back, change the past, do something to right this wrong.

He couldn't.

But he could change the future.

'Angel,' he whispered, then heard the weakness in his voice. He had to be strong now.

'Angel?'

'Yeah,' came the breathy response.

Spike paused a moment, thinking of the gravity of what he was about to suggest. He didn't want Angel to believe it was something just to make him feel better. He didn't want Angel to connect this with Cribb...But if he didn't ask him now, he didn't know if he ever would.

'You remember that ritual I told you about, Pet?'

Angel sniffed and rubbed his face against Spike's hair.

'Which one? Not the hypnotism thing for humans?'

Spike snorted and pulled backwards a little bit, feeling the wetness slide down his back.

'Nah, not that one, Love.'

He wiped the remnants of tears from Angel's face, sucking his fingers, tasting the salty liquid and wondering why everything about this vampire tasted so good.

'What ritual?'

Spike reached for his cigarettes and then stopped. He'd never considered this before, but it seemed right to him and...

'The rite of Arawn, Pet.'

He bit his lip.

'You game?'

Angel looked at the vampire and racked his brain for a reference. He'd heard the name, but it had been so long.

'God of the dead?'

Spike nodded.

'The dark one. Not exactly fond of vampires in general. But he fights for the dead...if the dead are worth fighting for.'

Angel had heard something of the ritual. The Master and Darla had once bound themselves together by such a rite, spending an entire day alone, connecting themselves in a way Angelus had found pointless. Darla had never been in love with her sire, but the respect they shared, the passion for the kill and the sheer blood rites and pleasures that had come with the act had drained them both for days. She spoke afterwards of heights Angelus could only dream about and had shown him the wounds in her body, matched by those in the Master.

They had taken an antithesis of the rite, using Arawn's power against him to increase their vampiric ways. They were connected by the blood and by the desire, a powerful form of telepathy available to them, briefly. It was delicious, she'd breathed. I could feel what he could feel, hear what he could hear, see what he could see. And when Darla had died at Angel's hand, the Master had felt her pain and disbelief, the bond re-enacted when either was in danger.

If they did this, they would be linked for all time, their greatest pleasures and their darkest failures doubled, shared. If Angel's soul was lost, if Angelus came back, Spike would be at his disposal in more ways than either could believe. If Spike became an active vampire once more, Angel would feel every pleasure he gained from the kill. It was dangerous and if it hadn't been for one thing, the vampire would have turned Spike down instantly.

This was the closest thing vampire had to betraying the lore, admitting more than just a desire to share power, but a conscious decree of love. Few sires ever attempted such a thing, preferring to keep their secrets their own, their lives private, concentrating only on their own gratification. But for the able few, they learned that sharing pain and pleasure was a more intense experience than anything else.

And Spike had asked him.

'I don't know how to do it,' admitted Angel.

Spike laughed.

'Is that a yes?'

'It's an "I don't know how to do it",' said Angel, some of his usual gravity returning. 'I take it you do?'

Spike nodded.

'Got a book. One of Dru's.'

He sniffed and grinned slightly. 'Course, she's crayoned in the margins, but you can still read it, Pet.'

Angel nodded.

'Can I have a look?'

Spike shrugged.

'If you want to. Doesn't seem like there's a lot to it.'

Angel watched as the moment started sliding away. Spike was hurt that he hadn't said...well, for all intents and purposes, 'I do' and he wanted to say yes. He so wanted to say yes, but he couldn't risk anything happening to Spike. Couldn't risk Angelus using the ritual against him.

'Spike,' he said softly, 'This isn't that simple.'

Spike picked his cigs up and lit one, aware that he was hiding behind his vices again.

'Whatever, Pet. If you don't want to do it, it's no skin off my nose...'

Angel caught his arm.

'I love you, Cribb didn't change that.'

Spike winced at the demon's name.

'He changed everything.'

'He did not!'

'No? I'm asking you to...be mine for all eternity and you're hesitating. I'd say Cribb's a wide splat on a tunnel wall when I get hold of him.'

'It's not why I'm hesitating,' said Angel, sternly.

'No?' asked Spike, 'Cause I've never asked this before and you're dropping my bloody ego a bit here, Pet.'

'It's not that at all. The reason I don't want you bound to me forever is...'

'Buffy,' snarled Spike.

Angel shook his head.

'Angelus.'

Spike rolled his eyes.

'The curse is fine, Love. You don't even have to worry about it when I make you come so hard that your eyes pop out!'

'I don't worry...and my eyes have never popped out.'

'It's a bloody metaphor!'

'So's this!'

Angel realised he was shouting in Spike's face and backed away a little. The younger vampire felt his cig burning up and inhaled quickly, stubbing it out afterwards.

'A metaphor, eh? I try and do something a bit special and I'm a bloody metaphor. Great.'

Angel looked up at Spike and couldn't hide his grin.

'Well maybe, but you're my metaphor.'

Spike rolled his eyes.

'That was crap, Pet.'

Angel shrugged and pulled him close.

'Too crap to stay with me forever?'

Spike tilted his head up and Angel felt his whole body tingle at the English vampire's grin.

'Depends, Love.'

'On what?'

Spike moved his head slightly, smelling Angel's now beer-tinged breath, the heady tang of blood lingering on his lips.

He smiled.

'On whether you're coming to bed with me right now.'

Angel could feel his body already urging him to take Spike up on the offer, but he wanted to say something first.

'You're not going to get broody on me again?'

The dark vampire grinned.

'I....I don't want to do the rite.'

Spike shifted and shrugged.

'Fair enough.'

He moved to leave the room, but Angel pulled him back into his embrace.

'Because I don't need it. Because I'm yours anyway.'

He held up his hand, the heart on his claddagh ring turned inwards.

Spike shook his head.

'The Slayer.'

'I don't love her.'

Spike stared at the vampire, aware that he'd never actually spoken about this.

'I love you.'

Angel ran his hand down Spike's face.

'I love *you*.'

Spike grinned and shook his head.

'You're a big poof, you know that?'

Angel smiled and nodded.

'Yeah, but I'm your big poof.'

'Yeah, right.'

Spike rooted in the shopping bag and pulled out a big bottle of baby oil.

'Let's have a go at it the human way, eh Love?'

Angel picked up the beer and walked into the bedroom. He stripped off his clothes and opened a bottle, sipping the amber liquid as he climbed into bed. Spike walked in and threw his coat on the chair.

'You're untidy.'

'I'm an animal, Pet. I don't go in for the Mr Sheen treatment.'

Angel grinned and leaned back against the pillows, spreading his broad shoulders and feeling incredibly territorial.

'Get in bed, Will.'

Spike grinned and pulled his T-shirt over his head.

'Maybe I want to take my time.'

Angel let out the barest growl.

'All right, Pet. Keep your hair on!'

Angel suppressed a chuckle and waited whilst Spike removed his pants, his doc martins having got lost somewhere between the kitchen and the bedroom.

'You should wear socks you know.'

Spike snorted.

'Hardly crumpet material - socks.'

Angel grinned, and Spike licked his lips, aware that the dark vampire was hungry for more than just blood.

'I'll give them a go if it turns you on though, Love.'

Angel chuckled then and pulled the covers back. Spike felt his entire body twitch at the sight of Angel's thighs alone. That the rest of the vampire's body accompanied them was an added plus. That Angel was hard at all, was a relief to the Englishman. He'd half expected that Angel would back out of actual sex, still needing time to heal from Cribb's attack.

He hadn't expected the throbbing shaft that caught his attention.

'You going to look at it all night?'

Spike grinned and sat on the edge of the bed.

'I might do that, Pet.'

Angel leaned forward and pulled Spike up into his embrace.

'Then again, I might just lie here and see what you learned in that extra hundred years.'

'I learned when it was better to be quiet.'

'Ah.'

Angel nibbled his way along Spike's collarbone, feeling the point where even vampires' blood seemed to gather. He had no idea how his body functioned, and didn't relish the idea of finding out. They were magical beings, he and Spike. And sometimes, you just had to trust that the magic worked.

Spike ran his fingers gently up his sire's back, feeling the nubs of his spine under his hand. The vampire seemed so strong, his lean body much broader than Spike's, firm shoulders that bore the weight of his curse. He stroked a hand past Angel's thigh and when the vampire flinched, pulled back and sat up.

'We don't have to do this, love,' he said.

'I know,' said Angel. 'But I want to.'

He smiled and Spike kissed his lips, eager for a taste of his lover, wanting so much, but unwilling to take. He couldn't do that.

But if Angel was willing to give an awful lot...

And then Angel's hands were sliding down his sides, pulling him against his body, slick with sweat that had come out of nowhere. The older vampire reached for the baby oil and struggled to get the cap off with one hand.

'Damn!'

Spike looked over to where Angel had knocked the bottle on its side, the contents of which were pouring onto the floor. He grabbed at it and its slick contents dribbled all over both vampires.

'Well that's clever, pet. We going for an all over body rub?'

'Shut up Spike,' said Angel, but as the vampire slid beneath him and started...oh God...rubbing, he wasn't thinking to clearly.

'I like this,' grinned Spike, slipping up and down against Angel's torso. 'We could try the whole bottle next time and slide all over the living room!'

'Don't you ever shut up?' asked Angel, aware of the friction beneath his hips, wanting a little more intimacy.

'Not often,' admitted Spike, 'But you'd be bored if I kept schtum.'

'Probably,' admitted Angel. 'But right now, what I want...is...'

Spike slid his hips up and lifted his legs high, resting his knees over Angel's shoulders. He grinned at his sire.

'This something like?'

Angel almost laughed.

'Pretty close, yeah.'

The dark vampire bent down and kissed Spike tenderly, hearing him grunt as his body was squeezed. He knelt up and felt his slick body sliding on the sheets.

'I can't get a grip,' he almost laughed.

Spike grasped his hands and pulled him forward, lust covering his face.

'Try it now.'

Angel looked at him and let out a faint groan. Then he eased forward, the slippery oil aiding his entrance. Spike huffed as Angel buried himself in his body.

'That's a big cock you got there, Love.'

Angel snorted in amusement.

'Like you didn't know.'

'Bear with me Pet,' said Spike, happily wiggling his hips against Angel's. 'I'm doing that ego bolstering thing.'

Angel laughed and pushed forward.

'Are you saying that making love to me is funny?'

Spike hissed through his teeth.

'Not the first thing that springs to mind, Love.'

Angel shifted, sliding in and out with more ease, gaining purchase with his knees on the sheets. He could feel the slickness along his cock, aiding his passage, Spike's body gripping him tightly. He kept Spike's slippery fingers entwined with his own, but the heat, the strange heat that the oil produced was driving him closer to an orgasm which had been too long in coming.

'What's the first thing?'

Spike grinned and started bucking his hips against the vampire.

'Fucking you silly.'

Angel groaned and pushed forward, several beats away from filling his lover's body with his sticky cum. And Spike wasn't even trying to hold back, Angel's pleasure somehow way above his own. He's trying to please me, Angel thought as he moved inside him, he's putting me first.

God it feels good!

He squeezed harder on Spike's hands, feeling their slipperiness, the easy with which they could slide out of his own and he could lose this touch.

Not happening.

'I love you,' he breathed and threw his head back, the release with which he came freeing him from Cribb's memories. Spike growled in pleasure and clamped down, squeezing every last drop from Angel, thankful that he could still make love to the...

He looked up at Angel's blissed out face.

...To the love of his entire existence.

Angel panted hard and moved to Spike's side, sated, yet passionate enough to stay for more. Spike's arms round him, snuggling into a sleeping position were unexpected. He stroked his lover's arms and closed his eyes, tired, but not wanting Spike to suffer frustration.

'Don't you want to...'

Spike kissed his ear and closed his eyes.

'I got everything I need right here, Love.'

'But you didn't...'

Spike kissed him again and curled more protectively round Angel's body.

'Save it, pet. We've got time.'

Angel was about to protest, then lay back and closed his eyes, feeling sleep wash over him.

They had time.

They had forever.
 

*
 

'We actually have to be here?'

Doyle nodded.

'Look, if it was just me, I'd let you go, you know that.'

Spike shook his head and looked at the other three men.

'I'm only going in if I can throw popcorn.'

'Spike,' said Angel, a vague hint of warning in his voice. Not too much though - his mind was a bit preoccupied by the idea of Spike going "Boo" in the not so crowded theatre.

Spike shrugged.

'If she's crap, she's crap. I don't want to see it.'

Wesley looked around them and spotted the bar.

'Look, why don't Spike and I go in there and have a drink. You have to watch the play, Doyle and Angel...well, she expects you to be there.'

'Do you have to remind me?'

Wesley carried on regardless.

'But she doesn't know I'm back in the country yet and I'm quite sure she doesn't want Spike and his rotten tomatoes...'

'Popcorn.'

'...Exactly. So why don't you two go watch and Spike and I will have a drink whilst you're gone?'

Spike grinned at the forlorn look on Angel's face.

'Never mind, Pet. You can always escape to the bar at half time.'

'That's the interval, Spike,' said Wesley.

Spike shrugged.

'Cordelia acting? That's all out warfare, mate. Total bloody football. It's half time and you'll be dealing out the oranges.'

The vampire slapped Angel on the ass and headed out in the direction of the bar. Wesley looked at the others a moment, before following Spike silently. Angel watched them go and turned to Doyle.

'Come on then, let's get this over with.'

Doyle nodded and moved to the foyer.

'She might not be bad, Man.'

Angel patted him on the shoulder.

'Keep that positive thinking, Doyle. We're gonna need it.'

They went in.
 

*
 

'You know what's the best thing about England?'

Spike sank his third beer and looked at the watcher.

'Dog racing?'

Wesley shook his head and wished he hadn't.

'No, although, I prefer Ascot myself. Horses are so graceful.'

'You just wanna ponce at the Queen.'

Wesley tapped his beer mat on the edge of the bar.

'No. I was thinking of the architecture. So beautiful.'

Spike thought about the buildings.

'You mean that RAC building?'

Wesley looked at him, a fine haze starting to come between him and the vampire.

'No,' he exclaimed, shaking his head. 'The older structures. Nelson's column.'

'Bird crap magnet,' said Spike flatly.

'Well that is true, admitted Wesley.

He smiled dreamily.

'Megan likes the Houses of Parliament.'

Spike thought about the gothic buildings. They just looked noncy to him.

'Why?' he finally said.

'We hired a boat to go down the Thames,' mused Wesley.

'And...?'

Wesley slugged back the rest of the bottle.

'I've never made love on a boat before.'

The penny dropped.

'You shagged her in front of Parliament! Nice one!'

Wesley ordered another couple of beers and sat back on his stool, wobbling a little.

'You're always doing that.'

'Doing what?'

Wesley gestured wildly, knocking against the pillar.

'Taking the romance out of things.'

'Wallpaper,' growled Spike. 'You want me to say you made love. Noncy.'

'It is not noncy,' said Wesley. 'I mean, what do you and Angel do?'

Spike grinned.

'Shag like bunnies, mate.'

'Well yes, I suppose you do,' admitted Wesley. 'But you love Angel. It's not just sex.'

Spike rolled his bottle round in his hands and knocked it back.

'Not in total share mode here, Pet.'

'Doesn't matter. I know you love him.'

Several men at the bar stared at them both and Wesley turned his back.

'You know what I mean, though,' he said more quietly.

'Yeah, I know.'

He stared at the bar, seeing the mirror behind it and wondering if he was still the same good looking bloke he'd always been.

'She good then?'

'What?'

'Megan. She got the old rattle and roll?'

'The what?'

Spike slurped back half of his next bottle.

'Sex, man. Can she rock it about a bit?'

Wesley raised an eyebrow, trying for superior and managing drunk companion.

'She's related to you. You're not supposed to ask...'

'Never been much of one for supposed to, Pet.'

He grinned.

'Just want to know if all my good qualities have been passed on.'

'Oh,' said Wesley. 'It's a gene thing, is it?'

'You're taking the piss.'

'Aren't you?'

Spike nodded.

'Maybe a bit.'

He shrugged back the beer and ordered another.

'Come on then Wesley. How good we talking?'

'In relation to what?'

'Me.'

'I've never had you,' smirked Wesley, the alcohol, as always removing his inhibitions one by one. Spike was a good person to do that with, because he had so precious few in the first place. Besides, he had never actually lied to him, even when Spike had considered him a meal he couldn't eat. There was something very frank about Spike, refreshing amongst the tactful world Wesley had inhabited.

The Watcher's council had been very clear about what was right and what was wrong. It was a stark place without a single shade of grey. Vampires were bad, so you killed them. Simple. And then there was Angel, a grey area to those who knew him, but still, just a vampire. What bothered Wesley most, was that the Council had good intentions. They were trying to save the world, protect the innocent and banish the evil. They weren't bad men, just...misguided, no longer close enough to the people they needed to protect.

What would the council make of Spike? He almost laughed. A year ago, what would he have made of Spike? Not really a question. He would have identified him as a vampire, and a particularly brutal one at that, and sent either Slayer to kill him. The fact that Spike could no longer harm humans was of no consequence. It just made the kill easier.

Of course, judging Spike wasn't exactly an easy thing. The vampire showed no remorse whatsoever for the people he had killed. His demon was hardly tempered, and from what Wesley had gathered from both Megan and Angel, Spike the man had been very similar. And yet...

He was fighting on their side now, had protected Angel...and the rest of them on an almost regular basis. He was capable of making rational decisions, and although the rest of humanity might be fair game if he ever got his fangs back, Wesley was certain that his neck would never be on the menu.

God, he thought, I must be getting drunk to think like that.

'What were you saying?'

'Megan' grinned Spike. 'How many times in one night.'

'A gentleman does not kiss and tell,' said Wesley easily.

'But you're not a gentleman,' said Spike pointedly, 'You're a bloke and I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.'

Wesley giggled.

'That's very childish.'

'Yep, so humour me.'

Oh, okay,' grinned Wesley. 'Ummm, define the time period.'

'I said a night, Pet.'

'Yes, but does that mean when it's dark, or from seven til seven, or...'

Spike wrapped one arm round Wesley's shoulders and squeezed, roughly.

'Mate, in a twenty four hour time limit, how many times did you shag her?'

Wesley giggled and laid his head down on the bar. Its surface felt so pleasantly cool beneath his face and he could still feel Spike's hands on him. I'm being hugged by a vampire. I must be sozzled.

He mumbled something into the cool marble.

'What was that, Ducks?'

Wesley turned his head to the side, keeping his eyes closed.

'Seven.'

Spike threw his head back and roared with laughter.

'You randy old dog, Weasly. Seven times! I bet she couldn't bloody walk!'

Wesley grinned amiably against the counter.

'Would have been eight, but she insisted on showing me this thing with Irish cream.'

Spike patted the Watcher on the back.

'Seven times and a good bit of oral. My fucking genes rock!'

The barman walked over.

'Can you keep it down a bit, please. Some people are trying to think.'

'Not you though, mate,' grinned Spike.

'I don't have to take that,' said the tender. 'Any more and you're out.'

Spike wished, not for the first time that he could kill the annoying people he still encountered. If he ever got his chip out, he was going to find each and every one of them and tear their sodding heads off, making sure the last thing they ever heard was him telling them to get a bloody sense of humour.

As it was...

'Come on, Pet,' he said to Wesley. 'Irish and...huh, Irish'll be ages yet. You and I have a duty to go get hammered.'

'Duty accomplished,' murmured Wesley, not moving.

'Come on,' said Spike and hauled the Englishman out of the bar. 'I know this place, you'll like it. They serve real ale.'

'Oh no,' said Wesley, wagging his finger as Spike carried him out the door. 'I'll get drunk.'

'Yup,' grinned Spike. 'Then you can tell me how many different positions you got into.'

''M a gentleman, mumbled Wesley.

'Not when you're pissed,' said Spike, getting his bearing, 'then you're a beast, just like the rest of us.'
 

*
 

'So was I good?'

Angel and Doyle mooched down the street alongside the excitable Miss Chase. She was still buzzing from being on stage and showing off her craft. They were still buzzing from having to sit through it, both rapidly redefining their private concepts of Hell. And since Angel had actually been there, it was a difficult task to judge where watching Cordelia act came on the 'Tortures I never want to feel again' list.

'Knocked me out, Princess, you really did,' said Doyle.

She grinned at him and he thanked God that some comments could be both true and misleading.

'Angel?'

'Hmmm,' said the vampire, wondering where Spike was and if Wesley still had all his limbs in tact. The barman said they'd both been pretty drunk when they'd left, and that had been over an hour ago, (and it so felt like longer...) so Angel didn't really want to think what a drunk demon hunter and a vampire would be like by now.

He had the worst suspicion that he already knew.

'Angel!'

'What?' he asked Cordelia.

'The play. Was I any good?'

He looked at Doyle and figured the ambiguous comment was the way to go.

'I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it.'

'Thanks!' Her face darkened. 'You didn't say it.'

'I didn't?'

He was struggling to think how to follow that up without out and out lying when her face lit up at something she could see across the street. She 'eeked' excitedly and pointed.

'That's Oliver Simon!'

'Sure it is,' said Doyle, with enthusiasm. 'And he's...?'

'Only one of the most important talent managers in this town! I was at a party with him.' She turned to Angel. 'You were there.'

Angel looked over to the little man who carried so much weight in Cordelia's eyes.

'Right...He gave me his card.'

The girl stopped and laid a hand on his arm.

'Wait, I was working him all night and he gave *you* his card?'

Angel shrugged and looked at the agent.

'He thought I had a quality.'

Cordelia glared at him a moment and as Doyle moved a hand to her shoulder, about to tell her she had all the qualities he was looking for she shrieked in delight again.

'Look who he's with! Rebecca Lowell!'

Doyle looked and nodded appreciatively. He'd seen the actress before, although 'On your own' had never been one of his favourite shows. Still, he wasn't immune to the media, and her finely chiselled face was imbedded on his consciousness, a part of the stock set of people he regarded as celebrities.

Angel looked nonplussed.

'Who?'

'Raven! She played Raven in 'On Your Own?' Big hit television show that was only on for like nine and a half years?'

Angel merely shook his head, and Cordelia rolled her eyes.

'Do you even own a television?'

He nodded.

'Spike has one, but I...'

'He doesn't watch all that much,' put in Doyle, 'Cept them payperview that Spike keeps ordering.'

Angel looked at Doyle, surprised.

'How do you know about that?'

The half demon grinned, his Irish charm very much in evidence.

'He tapes them for me.'

Angel shook his head.

'I can't believe I'm sharing the adult channel.'

'And then Wesley gets it after me.'

Angel turned, looking anywhere but that knowing grin. He saw the car on the far side of the road, revving as Rebecca stepped forward, away from the crowd. He could hear Cordelia talking, a shade of cheerleader in her enthusiasm.

It was a seminal show. Cancelled by the idiot network. I was going to picket them but I didn't have any comfortable shoes...'

She trailed off as Angel clambered over the hood of the car next to them and pushed Rebecca out of the way. The speeding car hit him hard, but the vampire was used to rolling and ignored the instant bruising, letting himself go limp, feeling the crunch as he hit the pavement.

Ow

As he lay on the ground, winded, he looked after the car, catching the numberplate and memorising it. Cordelia and Doyle rushed over to see if he was okay, or rather, Doyle wanted to make sure he was okay and Cordelia, sensing a passing chance at associated fame, rushed to see if Rebecca was uninjured.

'Y'okay, Man?' asked Doyle, lending a hand.

Angel nodded and got to his feet. Cordelia was fussing over Rebecca, who was ignoring the girl and staring at him. Oh great, Angel, he thought, made yourself a hero with a pretty girl. Spike would not be happy if he knew.

She walked over, Cordelia still excitedly blabbering away.

'Are you all right?'

Angel nodded again and wondered if he came across as goofy as he felt.

Cordelia butted in.

'Oh he's fine. It was such an honour to save you, Miss Lowell!'

Doyle flinched. He loved her, but the girl could even think in exclamation marks. Rebecca didn't seem to notice, she was too busy admiring Angel's tall dark...Angelness.

'Thank you,' she paused and held her hand out regally, 'I didn't get your name.'

'Cordelia Chase,' snapped in the enthusiastic girl, then realised it wasn't her Rebecca was interested in, 'Oh he doesn't even know who you are.'

Angel suddenly felt the urge to get gone, but this actress still held his hand and she didn't look like she wanted to let go.

'You don't know me?'

Angel shook his head as Oliver drew out his wallet.

'Sure he doesn't. I'm sure he'll accept a small reward anyway...'

'No thanks,' said Angel quickly.

The agent seemed impatient at Angel's inability to be bought. He turned abruptly to Rebecca.

'We're not going to be held up here.'

She didn't look at him, seemingly captivated by Angel's beauty.

'Oliver, down. He doesn't know who I am.'

Cordelia giggled and tried to hold onto her career opportunities, but she couldn't help it.

'He's culturally retarded that way!'

The actress withdrew her hand and smiled in a way that had kept her in the public eye.

'I'm Rebecca.'

The vampire nodded, 'Angel,' he said eventually.

'So - you make a habit of this sort of thing, Angel?"

As Angel was trying to work out how to extricate himself, Cordelia helpfully butted in again.

'Oh, it's only like his purpose in life! Angel is the Dark Avenger...only not too dark - happy dark! I have a card in here somewhere...'

Doyle handed Cordelia her purse and smiled generally at the rich and famous. Excuse me for being here with my congenitally rich orientated girlfriend, he wanted to say, but didn't. She's lovely really, she's just got the disadvantage of a spoilt upbringing.

They heard the snap of cameras and Rebecca whirled, her celebrity training kicking in and turning her toward the lights.

'Oh God, who called ET?'

'They're here for the party,' said Oliver, making sure his client was showing her best side. 'This will be all over the tabs come morning, Bec. We might as well just put our own spin on it first, right?'

She nodded and turned back to where Angel had been.

'Listen, I'd like to apologise...'

Cordelia's perpetually cheery grin was back in her face.

'Oh, he does that. Here is our card. If you ever need rescuing, or want to pal around or something - call us!'

Doyle nodded and grabbed her by the arm, leading her away from the overcome star.

'Cordy, Princess, let the nice lady go, okay?'

She moved to shift out of his grasp, then her senses kicked in. No point being seen as a stalker. She let him lead her away, aware as they were leaving that Rebecca wasn't looking at either of them, her gaze fixed on the vampire turning the corner.

'Why's she looking at him,' she grumbled, 'It's not like he'd be interested anyway.'

''In a beautiful woman with a knockout body?'

She glared at him and Doyle hastily rethought his last sentence.

'Look, sweetheart, you and I know that Angel's not exactly in the game these days, but a man doesn't stop looking just cause he's got a honey at home.'

She raised her eyebrows and Doyle winced.

'Not that I...I mean, I don't look at other women, like as in, at all...'

She started to walk off.

'Save it Doyle, I know what you meant.'

'Cordy...'

'I mean he's gay!'

Doyle shrugged.

'Well not exclusively, 'I mean there was that Buffy thing.'

She waved her hands, phsaw!

'He and Spike, they're a thing. Tight.'

Doyle nodded.

'Yeah, they're...tight. Oh...that's a place I didn't want to go. But my point is that, Angel's a looker, And women notice.'

'Yeah, I know,' said Cordelia.

Doyle stared at her.

'What? So I'm not allowed to notice either?'

The Irishman grinned.

'As long as you notice me more.'

She smiled and held her hand out.

'Come on then Irish, come show me how much I should attention I should pay.'

They walked off into the night.
 

*
 

'Oooh! You've got Def Leppard!'

Spike sank down onto the sofa and let the suddenly hyper demon hunter rifle through the collection. They'd visited two bars Spike was familiar with and wandered into a Peep show club that he didn't.

Normally, Spike would have quite liked watching the women squiggling around, but when Wesley kept comparing each one to his absent lover, he'd grown bored.

'Just take a bloody picture of her naked then!' he'd yelled.

Wesley had smiled knowingly and patted his wallet.

'Got one.'

Spike rolled his eyes.

'Wonderful, Pet.'

They'd decided that enough was enough and retired to Spike and Angel's apartment to continue their drinking in more civilised setting. Or that's the reason Wesley had come up with. Spike was growing increasingly horny, and hoped that Angel had got back from the theatre, eager for some adult entertainment.

As he lay back on the sofa, the vampire in question came in from the bedroom, dressed only in the sweats he slept in when he thought they might have company. He looked sleepy, and if Wesley hadn't been there, Spike would have ripped the material from his body, slavishly devoting all his attention to his delicious cock.

'Hello gorgeous,' he grinned, in a more pronounced cockney twang. 'Keeping you up?'

Angel nodded and looked at them both.

'You smell like a brewery.'

Spike grinned.

'Funny that, Love. Cause we were in a brothel.'

'Huh?'

Spike stretched and Angel wished the vampire didn't look so damn fuckable when he was drunk.

'Well,' said Spike, 'Close enough.'

He gestured to the man pilfering through their CDs.

'Wesley's been congratulating me on my fuckable genes.'

'What?' exclaimed Angel, his gaze dropping to Spike's hips.

'Genes! With a G.'

He grinned drunkenly and shifted his position, unconsciously bucking his hips up and causing stirrings under Angel's sweats.

'Turns out Megs is a great shag.'

'I really didn't want to know that,' said Angel sitting down on the sofa. 'Is he okay?'

Spike looked over to where Wesley had collapsed face first into the CD player.

'He'll be fine, Love. I found a place that did Theakston's old Peculiar and he didn't know when to say no.'

Angel was constantly surprised by Spike. He'd been in this city for longer, but Spike was the one who'd found a bar that imported one of the most potent real ales to be found in England. Some things never changed, and Spike's ability to locate strong beer was one of them.

Angel got to his feet and walked over to his cupboard, pulling out blankets.

'Help me lift him onto the sofa, then come to bed.'

Spike didn't make any move and Angel wondered if he'd fallen asleep.

'Spike?'

He moved over him, trying to see if he was still conscious.

'Spike?'

The blue eyes opened and a hand snaked up, pulling Angel down into a very beery kiss, potent with desire and drunken need. Angel didn't want to pull away, his own need too strong for that, but there was Wesley to consider. He didn't fancy the watcher avoiding his gaze for the next week or longer.

'Come on,' he said, and picked Spike up, the vampire swinging his hips onto his own, holding on and wiggling in a distractingly erotic way.

'Just stop until I can sort this out,' Angel smiled, but Spike wasn't easily put off, his fingers straying tantalisingly up and down the older vampire's neck.

'Spike,' he growled, then dropped him onto the bed.

The English vampire just lay there on the bed, his erection a pronounced tent beneath his jeans. Angel let out a happy little sigh and forced himself back into the living room, grabbing the prone Wesley and depositing him unceremoniously onto the sofa. He twitched in his sleep, moaning gently and shifting his hips in a manner a little too close to Spike's own. Angel covered Wesley up with a blanket and removed the man's glasses.

We're both involved with the same family, he thought, we're both attracted to that blunt, sharp humour. He huffed to himself. And we're both fond of that insatiable sex drive. Wesley rolled over and moaned whilst Angel looked toward the bedroom longingly.

And that could be both our downfalls.

He turned on his heel and headed to the bedroom, where Spike had somehow managed to shed his clothes and was lying with both hands behind his head, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

'Hello, Lover,' seduced the Londoner.

Angel rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help the grin that crossed his face.

'You've got a dirty grin, Spike.'

Spike grinned and raised a lazy eye.

'Got lots of clean bits if you'd care to explore.'

Angel chuckled and knelt on the edge of the bed.

'So where did you two go?'

'About,' sniffed Spike, 'Got drunk, basically. What about you and Garbo?'

Angel started sliding his hand up and down Spike's leg slowly.

'We watched her play.'

'Which sucked,' said Spike cheerfully.

'Like you wouldn't believe,' admitted Angel.

He shifted his position so that he could stroke a little higher up Spike's thigh. Although their sex life was basically back on track since Cribb's interference, Spike had done all the arousing without ever physically being the one to initiate sex. Angel hadn't even been aware of it, until Spike had spent over an hour teasing him in the shower without laying a finger on his body. As soon as Angel responded, the younger vampire had assumed him to be fair game, but the first move had to be Angel's. And that was something that wouldn't change in the near future.

That woman this evening...she'd been like a lot of women Angel had met, beautiful, bright, aware of her own attractions. It was nothing new to Angel, and though in the past he'd taken advantage of such confidence, it no longer served to excite him. She didn't have Spike's fire, or his disrespectful charm. He grinned...she didn't have his ass either, and that was a major consideration. He'd known what she wanted, felt her arousal just from his heroics and knew that if he'd wanted, he could be sharing a different bed tonight.

Spike shifted and stretched out whilst Angel smiled.

But what he wanted was right here, and no movie star could provide that.

Spike opened his eyes.

'You gonna suck it, Pet?'

Angel laughed.

'I might.....if you're good.'

Spike grinned, predatory, seductive.

'I'm not changing my schtick now, Pet. Have me bad,' he trailed his finger up Angel's chest to his lips, 'It's better.'

Angel slid the digit inside his mouth and sucked it hungrily. Then he pulled it out and started to kiss his way up from Spike's inner knee, tracing the faint hairs on his legs. He felt the vampire shudder beneath him and grinned, using his tongue to search out the line that covered his testicles. As he licked at it, the younger vampire chuckled and Angel lifted his head.

'I didn't know you were ticklish there.'

Spike grinned.

'Been keeping it under wraps, Peaches. Now show me what you can do.'

Angel grinned and sucked a hairy globe into his mouth, flicking the edge of his tongue over the soft flesh. Spike moaned and Angel switched to the other side, flicking between them as Spike's erection grew harder. When the Englishman started to buck his hips, Angel slid his tongue up the length, sliding the tip across the end, tasting Spike's pre-cum, feeling him shudder.

He swirled around the head, dipping down slightly, moving his hands to stroke the length, feeding it into his mouth, Spike's hands grasping at the pillow, the covers and finally, at Angel's hair. As he felt his lover's fingers curl around his dark strands, Angel bent lower, taking the length of his cock deep inside his mouth. The howl Spike gave out was worth it, body bucking furiously under Angel's mouth.

The older vampire slid his hands down under the straining hips and pulled sharply upwards, the head burying itself down Angel's throat. Spike gave out animal noises, his mind absent from the moment, needing only to feel, giving in to every emotion that flooded his system. With a final howl, Spike came hard, flooding Angel's throat with sticky fluid, sated in his lover's arms.

Before Angel could reach his face to kiss him, the younger vampire had fallen asleep, the night's events having taken in out of him, Angel's attentions draining him in more ways than one. Angel rolled his eyes, his own erection still proud, but suddenly less important than wrapping himself round Spike to sleep. He curled up in bed and kept his arms around the blond, deciding that the next time Spike went drinking, he'd be along for the ride.

And then he'd find out how fuckable Spike's genes were too.

He grinned.

Like he didn't already know.
 

*
 

'Oh, hey Angel.'

Angel kept his eyes closed as the now familiar English accent washed over him. He lay the phone next to his ear and hoped, being that she was out of the country, she wouldn't be on for long.

'Hello Megan.'

There was a husky chuckle and Angel cursed whatever Gods had seen fit to make Spike a father that his genes had been passed on quite so intact.

'You sound damn fine for this time of day.'

'Megan...Why are you phoning me?'

He swore he could hear the grin.

'Well I tried Doyle's place, and got Cordelia having annoyed sex at me.'

'Hmm,' Angel managed.'

Spike was stirring in his arms and Angel hoped his salvation was at hand, but the English vampire rolled over and raised a bloodshot eye to him. He grinned and closed them again, feigning sleep. But his hands weren't anywhere near as lethargic.

'So I thought Wes might be with you guys.'

Angel blinked as he felt Spike's fingers tracing over his stomach, sending little tickly currents all over his body. He hadn't the energy to turn and look, and he could hear Megan's low voice on the other end of the phone.

'Say...are you two having sex?'

Spike chuckled and Angel gasped at the phone, the fingers on his belly brushing against his rapidly growing erection.

'What? Megan, it's...' he turned and looked at the clock, 'eight in the morning, I'm just sleepy.'

'Bollocks,' came the cheerful reply, 'Vampires don't need all that much sleep. I knew that when I was a kid.'

Aware that he was being drawn into a conversation he didn't want, Angel tried to rationalise with himself and hang up the phone. But Spike's fingers were becoming more insistent and there was, he admitted, something of an illicit thrill in this. He guessed some humans tried to get away with sexual acts whilst on the phone to friends and family. Well, Megan was technically family, even if he wasn't getting away with it very well.

'I'm not having sex.'

Spike pushed back the blanket and exposed Angel's throbbing cock. His educated fingers started acting out faint patterns over the vampire's thighs and belly, carefully ignoring the twitching shaft in front of him.

'Oh sure you're not,' grinned Megan. 'And those little moans you keep giving off are what? Yawns?'

Spike sat up and reached out to the bottle of baby oil on the side of the bed. There wasn't an awful lot left, but he covered his hands in it and started kneading his way up and down Angel's penis with a teasing rhythm. The prone vampire shuddered and felt his hips buck up under Spike's ministrations.

'I'm just sleepy, you woke me up.'

'Angel,' came the rational reply, 'I'm back here, on my own, no carnal contact for hundreds of miles. I'm so fucking attuned to sex right now that I can almost smell it.'

Her voice seemed a little strained.

'Least you could do is admit you're getting some.'

The rhythm between Spike's fingers was getting faster and Angel had pant to keep any semblance of control. He wondered why he always reverted to his human side when he was struggling to hold back, breathing, when he didn't need the air, but that was a discussion for another day. Right now he was trying to do two things at once, like patting his head and rubbing his belly...only a little lower.

'Megan, I...' he managed, 'Why do you want to know?'

'Cause I'm not getting any,' she chuckled. 'And it's kind of a turn on.'

Angel's eyes almost crossed as Spike took his spare hand and covered it in the remainder of the oil. The older vampire didn't need much encouraging, and soon his fingers were stretching Spike's ass as the Englishman threw back his head and growled. They could both hear the gentle sigh on the other end of the line and Angel grabbed the phone, pulling it to his ear again.

'Oh My God,' he mumbled, wondering why it made him throb harder. He pulled the phone away and gestured to Spike. 'I think she's...'

Spike laughed and picked the phone up off his lover, easing his legs over Angel's thighs and allowing the older vampire to push up into his body. He listened to the quiet, but definite moaning on the other end and grinned.

'Megs? You being a bad girl, Pet?'

There was a bit of a pause and then a decidedly breathy voice spoke.

'Let me talk to Wesley?'

Spike started moving slowly up and down, feeling one of Angel's hands around his cock, the other cupping his ass, bouncing him gently. Every time Megan moaned deeply, hitting a similar note to Spike, Angel throbbed, and the younger vampire chuckled.

'Yeah, hang on a moment, Pet, I don't think the poof can handle much more of this.'

Angel tried to glare at him, but Spike was working up to an almost painfully tight beat and any expression other than goofy seemed inappropriate. Spike yelled for the ex-watcher and Angel realised that the younger vampire wasn't going to do any covering up, was just going to let Wesley walk in on them.

Wesley flung the door open, glasses thankfully missing, and a sofa imprint on the side of his face. His eyes were barely open, and Angel realised that he'd reacted on instinct, and was probably not even fully awake yet.

'Oi, Weasly, the tart's on the phone.'

Wesley tried to clear his vision and his head, but it had been a long time since he'd got irreconcilably drunk and he wasn't coping well. He held his hand out for the phone, hoping that they'd just drop it in his palm and wrap his fist around it. He'd heard a noise which was clarifying itself as squeaky bedsprings and as realisation dawned, he closed his eyes and aimed in what he hoped was the right direction.

'Give me the phone, Spike.'

The vampire chuckled and slapped the cordless in Wesley's hand.

'Thanks, Pet. Word of warning though, I don't think Megs is in the mood for bleary talk.'

'What?'

Angel struggled to suppress a groan as Spike squeezed him, and the human noticed.

'Right, yes, whatever, I shall speak to you both later.'

He turned to leave and in his hurry, cracked the side of his head on the doorframe. Wesley didn't stop though, making his way out as though the hounds of Hell were on his tail, or his vampire employers were having rampant sex. Whichever was worse.

He wasn't sure yet.

Spike turned back to Angel's sweating body. He was sleek with desire and Spike had no intention of wasting any opportunity. He swivelled slowly, listening to Angel groan and making sure that it wasn't in pain. It only took him a minute, but Spike had managed to turn so that Angel's leg muscles were clenching and unclenching in front of him. He reached between his own thighs and found the soft globes of Angel's balls, massaging them with his fingers, hearing his sire struggle against the scream that so obviously wanted to come.

'Angel,' Spike grinned, 'They know you're having nookie.'

Angel almost laughed. It had been so long since anyone had used that phrase to him. But his loins felt as though they were on fire in what seemed to be a blissful furnace and laughter seemed very far away. He couldn't have stopped his hips bucking if he'd tried, and the change in position had rendered Spike's already tight ass into a grasping tunnel.

'Will, just shush and fuck me will you?'

Spike chuckled.

'You're a foul mouthed old bastard, you know?'

'Yeah, I'm terrible person, now please?'

Spike laughed hard and struggled to keep his balance. Angel's hands grasping at his hips helped, and he had to remember not to use the vampire's balls as an anchor. Righting himself, Spike picked up the pace, growling as Angel's nails dug in, creating fresh rivulets of blood down his thighs. It hurt, but not very much, and Spike knew it meant that Angel was all that closer to his animal side. As the older vampire pushed harder, Spike gathered what was left of his control and started thinking about anything that would stop him shooting out over Angel's thighs.

Puppies, royalty, snooty bars, Cordelia sans makeup, Cordelia generally...

'Oh God...'

Spike grinned fiercely as he felt him let go, Angel's shuddering body clinging to his own. It took a good while before the vampire had calmed enough to release his lover, and when he did, pulling the younger vampire up to his chest, Angel finally realised that Spike hadn't cum.

'Will?'

Spike grinned and ruffled Angel's hair, chuckling at the automatic response, the older vampire smoothing it back into its carefully messed up look. God he wanted this man, wanted to hold him body and ha ha, soul, but right now, he wanted to test how far back they'd come after Cribb.

'Yeah, Love?'

Angel closed his eyes and kissed Spike's forehead. He had a suspicion about what Spike was up to, had expected it to come up over the past few weeks. He wanted to, and knew that if he wasn't filling Spike, the only thing that compared was having Spike inside him. But every time they'd come close...that Spike had brushed against his ass, that he'd grown relaxed enough to contemplate it, he'd seen Cribb's mocking face and tensed up. Spike hadn't said anything about it, had acted as though it was all no problem, not a big deal and they'd get round to it eventually, but Angel knew that it still stood between them, and wasn't sure if he was ready to deal.

Spike kissed his way round Angel's chin, then started up the angles of his face, feeling the bones beneath his cheek. He was aware, if only momentarily that he was acting more animal like in his caress, and didn't quite care, only knowing that it felt right. When Angel started to respond, he let his hands stray, teasing his way over Angel's chest, damp perspiration slicking his fingers, touching his nipples and feeling them stiffen. But as soon as he slipped his hand round to Angel's back, the vampire stiffened.

'It's okay, Love,' murmured Spike, 'It's me, you don't have to...'

'Angel?'

Spike threw his head back as Cordelia's excited voice came crashing through their quiet. 'Angel, are you decent?'

'No he's not,' growled Spike. 'We're both stark bollock naked so Bog off!'

'Then get dressed,' she exclaimed, 'I just got in and Rebecca Lowell's here! She wants to employ us!'

Spike looked at Angel's sad expression.

'Since when are you hanging round with TV totty?'

Angel broke out of his reverie and looked at his lover.

'You've heard of her?'

'Sure, Pet. Raven, right? Used to try that smouldering look on the telly.'

He sat up, guessing playtime was over for the while. Angel sure as Hell wasn't into it, he knew that. Biting down on the urge to force the issue, he found his pants and started pulling them on.

'She never got it right though, maybe she's come to ask you for lessons?'

Angel sensed the unusual tact in Spike's actions and was grateful. He could beat this, he didn't want Cribb to spoil everything, but it was going to take time, and at least that was something that they had plenty of. Spike was still waiting for an explanation and Angel picked up his clothes, guessing that Rebecca was looking for something more than his advertised services.

'When we came back from the...play' he used the word in its loosest sense, 'We saw her across the street. Some car was heading for her and I knocked her out of the way.'

'Yeah!' came the impatient voice behind the door, 'You're the big hero, now come upstairs and make some money!'

Spike rolled his eyes.

'He'll be there in a minute, Pet. Now go...file your head or something.'

Angel smiled at Cordelia's irritated huff, but heard her leave.

'I'm guessing she has a stalker, and I can't see Cordelia letting me turn the case down...'

'Why would you want to do that, Love?'

Angel turned his back and slipped his clothes back on, but he could feel Spike's gaze boring into his neck.

'She seemed... kind of...'

'Oh,' said Spike, 'Wants to jump your bones.'

Angel shook his head.

'I don't think it's like that.'

'No? What is it like then, Love?'

Angel pulled his sweater down and looked back at Spike. This wasn't about some TV star and her passion for his body. He knew Spike was bothered about before, and he would talk about it, just...when he'd had time to think, to sort it out in his own head.

'I've got to go...take the case, or something.'

Spike raised an eyebrow, but nodded, he needed some time too.

'I'll see you later then, Pet.'

Angel looked at him, hurt.

'You're going somewhere?'

Spike lit one up and puffed away, muscles twitching as he sat, shirtless on the bed.

'Got a few things to take care of.'

He gestured to his cigarette.

'Need more fags for one.'

He saw Angel's automatic worry and grinned.

'Don't worry, Pet. I'll watch out for the sun and anyone with a dodgy wooden leg.'

Angel shook his head and walked to the door. He looked back and smiled softly.

'About the worrying, I can't help it...not when it's you.'

Angel closed the door behind him and Spike leaned back on the bed. He was sticky and achy and something cold was leaking out of his ass and sticking his legs to his jeans. Wonderful. But none of this really mattered to the vampire. Things weren't right between Angel and him, and that concerned Spike more than he'd really like. He had to do something about it.

'Spike?'

Spike puffed hard and rolled onto his side. He had to do something.

'Spike, I know you're in there. I thought you might want your phone back.'

The vampire chuckled.

'Come on in, Wes.'

The Englishman walked in, a flush covering his face and the veins in his head standing out. Spike's grin didn't help the redness and Wesley swore to himself that he'd never go drinking with someone who could consume gallons of Draino for fun. He put the phone down next to the bed and finally noticed that Spike did not look happy.

Wesley was becoming something of an expert on Spike's moods. At first it had been necessary, working out whether he was particularly aggressive and therefore prone to killing everyone. And then, when he'd finally accepted that Spike was physically incapable of harming any human, he'd started listening to the perceptive vampire's speech, trying to understand what kept him here. He could understand the connection to Angel, although the tenderness expressed in the relationship surprised him.

Given their history, Wesley had expected the vampires to be at each other's throats, quite literally. But, as he'd begun to see after the fiasco with Buffy and Faith, nothing was quite as clear cut as that. The text book approach had failed with both Slayers and Vampires and Wesley was willing to learn, if not admit to everyone that he was doing so. The vampires were more in tune with one another than anyone else Wesley had met. The bond between the pair was growing stronger each day, and since Spike was not only harmless to humans, but had also been known to act on the side of good every now and then.

Okay, so most of the times his actions had been incidental. Spike never got up and said 'Oh, today I'm gonna try and save the world, Pet.' And if anyone accidentally got saved, it was because the alternative would have caused harm to Angel. Or Angel would have done it anyway, taking precious time away from Spiketime, something that never seemed permissible. And he'd saved the three of them every now and then, but usually huffed afterwards what useless cretins they were. Spike was nasty, arrogant and self-serving, but he was capable of making his own decisions, love meaning more to him than evil.

Today's mood seemed to come under 'Emotion 7 - Angel's out and I'm not getting any' with a touch of 'Emotion 1 - I need a demon to beat up'. Wesley sat down on the bed and wondered if walking into the lions den was further proof that he was losing his mind.

He could take a chance.

'Is everything all right, Spike?'

The vampire grinned, and Wesley shuddered inwardly at the predatory expression. Demon to kick the shit out of and now.

'It's fine, Pet.'

'Really? You seem somewhat preoccupied.'

Spike looked at him and Wesley shook his head.

'I'm not talking about sex. Is there something I can help with?'

Spike considered a moment.

'Yeah, Pet. I think there is. How d'you fancy coming and kicking the shit out of the biggest piece of crap to walk the tunnels?'

Wesley raised an eyebrow.

'Does Angel know about this?'

Spike shook his head.

'Let's call it a surprise present.'
 

*
 

'Hi, how are you, (are you somebody?) did you see Elliot?'

Angel blinked at the standard of conversation at Rebecca's party. It felt a whole lot like the one he'd met Cordelia at, only without the benefit of not knowing she was there. Tonight she was out in full force, glammed up to the eyeballs and cheery grin etched on her face for every agent in the place. Doyle had been instructed to 'Not embarrass me. Don't stand close, stay with Angel or someone. Just don't bother me. This is not fun, this is a business gathering.' And above all, 'Don't let anyone know you're my boyfriend.'

As a consequence, the two members of Angel Investigations who didn't wear a bra were now standing at the back of a very large room, one downing whisky, the other wondering when people would notice he didn't have a reflection in any one of a hundred mirrors. He'd never been anywhere that had as many mirrors - they had been something of a rarity in Galway, expensive to buy and poor quality. Here, Rebecca was haunted by her own reflection, growing ever more lonely and unsure with each show of age.

It wasn't a place to hide and Angel could only hope that Rebecca's stalker would show his self before the end of the evening. He really didn't want to be here, aware that if Spike had been at home, he'd have a whole other use for the champagne he was sipping. That was if the vampire was still feeling patient with him. The Englishman had not been in contact since Angel had said goodbye, and Wesley was presumably with him.

He wasn't sure if that made him more or less at ease.

He really didn't want to be here.

'S Typical...'

He turned to Doyle, noting that the Irishman had slumped on the chair he was sitting in. he hadn't looked this down for a long while.'

You okay Doyle?'

'Oh I'm fine,' huffed the Irishman. 'I'm fine. I talk you into coming here cause Miss High and Mighty wants to meet the big nobs and look....She gets to party, Doyle has to sit with the dead people.'

Angel looked about him, seeing the few incapacitated bodies sleeping on plump chairs. He looked back up to Doyle. The smaller man waved back.

'Ah I'm sorry man, I know you don't want to be here either.'

Angel shrugged.

'Rebecca seems to think this stalker might show tonight. I may as well be inside rather than skulking round the grounds.'

Doyle grinned.

'But you skulk so well.'

Both men attempted to laugh and couldn't quite manage it.

'How come,' asked Doyle, trying to focus on either of the vampires in front of him. No joy, Angel had developed a twin. 'How come Wesley and Spike manage to get out of this as well?'

'What?'

'Them two. Thick as thieves these days. No play for them! Torvald might be less bloody devoted to her in a few years, but I'm going off the girl right now!'

Angel looked round as the drink played havoc with Doyle's volume control.

'You don't mean that.'

Doyle looked at him and sighed.

'Ah maybe you're right, man, I mean,' he spread his hands in supplication, 'When you love someone, you make allowances, right?'

Angel nodded. There was something outside.

'So she's a stuck up, ego driven, vain, self centred...'

'Bossy,' put in Angel.

'Right, yeah, that as well. But she's all those things and I still...'

'Love him anyway,' murmured the vampire.

There was definitely someone out there. And they weren't doing that good a job of sneaking. It was almost as though they wanted to be seen. Angel looked to the other room. People had been leaving for some time now, and pretty soon it would just be the four of them in the house.

Doyle had another triple and rested his head on the counter.

'And the stupid thing is, if she wasn't all those things I would get so hot for her, you know?'

The shadow had moved toward the front room, where Rebecca was.

'I know, Doyle. Love's like that.'

'Yeah, damn thing comes up and hits you square in the face.'

There was a crash and Angel ran into the front room, the man in the dark clothes grabbing at the terrified actress. He pushed him off and tried to manhandle the intruder to the ground. But the man wasn't fighting back, instead, he struggled to leave, as though breaking in completed his entire purpose. As Angel chased him down through to the back room, the man flung himself through the other windows, creating yet more work for a happy glazier.

He ran to catch him but bashed into the hapless Doyle, stumbling from his drunken seat to help. Half-demon and vampire crashed to the floor, giving the intruder the time he needed to escape. Angel struggled to his feet and moved to the broken glass. He was confused as to what the trespasser was after. If it had been an assassination attempt as Rebecca had insisted, he wouldn't have given up so easy. His entire purpose had been to terrify her, scare her into doing...what?

It didn't make sense.

Rebecca ran up to him, throwing her arms round his chest.

'Oh God I was so...'

She looked to the mirror.

It was the strangest thing she had ever witnessed, seeing her arms clasped round...nothing. How could that be? The only option that sprung to mind was fantastic, unbelievable. It was the stuff of fairytales.

But then, she was a Princess in her own carefully crafted Ivory tower. She lived in a place where nothing, not even the characters were real. In the land of the fake, a vampire was a tangible reality.

Angel turned his head and saw where she was looking.

Whoops.

'Rebecca...It's not what you think.'

'No,' put in Cordelia, 'You've had a hard night what with the stalker and everything, you're probably hallucinating under the stress and all.'

They looked at her and she bit her lip, before backing out slowly. Doyle nodded to the vampire and walked along with her, trying to focus on the bunch of figures that passed for his girlfriend.

'You're a vampire,' said Rebecca. 'This is real. You're real.'

Something occurred to her and she stepped back.

'Do you drink blood?'

Angel felt a little lost. As far as he knew there were two basic approaches to people being a vampire. The first was the 'Argh a vampire' run away technique and the second was the method adapted by Ford and his cronies. They had an illusioned view of vampirism and believed that blood sucking was as consensual as taking tea. This blunt appraisal of what he was knocked the fight out of him.

'Yeah,' he said, then added, 'But not people.'

'You're not a killer?'

'I gave that up.'

'Well, there's a support group for everything in this town I guess.'

Dry, cynical...Spike.

'It's a long story.'

God did it feel a long time. What did minutes matter in the life of someone who counted out centuries? With Spike, they could feel an eternity. He hated being without him.

'How long?'

'Two hundred years...and some change.'

Her eyebrows raised.

'But you look...If I touch you will you be cold?'

She reached out her hand and Angel backed off.

'Look, Rebecca...I should go.'

Her hand trembled in the air between them.

'This feels like a dream,' she murmured.

Angel shook his head.

'This is real.'

He sighed.

'You don't want to know the nightmare.
 

*
 

'And this was one of the demons we freed?'

'Yeah.'

'And now we're going to try and kill him.'

'I'm not looking for trying, Pet. He's dead when we find him.'

Wesley shook his head and hefted his short axe onto his shoulder.

'Well I must say, it sounds exactly the kind of thing Angel would not approve of.'

Spike whirled on him and Wesley flinched at the demonic features. The vampire was roused, and not in a very good mood. However, Wesley was not in favour of killing anything without a reason. He could remember confiscating the butterfly killing-bottle from Wilson in 4B. That had put him in a great deal of trouble with the Headmaster, but the young Wesley had been adamant. Killing for fun was not sport, whatever form it came in.

As an adult, he'd been forced to deal with that rule more times than anyone should, making judgements so that other people could remain ignorant. As a result of his father's 'teachings', he had buried all his emotions, making logical and cold decisions as a watcher. When that, his whole purpose in life had fallen apart, Wesley had been forced to reassess his life. Fortunately for Angel and crew, the ex-watcher had learnt from his mistakes and been able to let go. He was a stronger man than his father would have believed and he had survived in spite, rather than because of the cruelty.

Spike glared at him a moment, then turned back round to smell at the tunnels. He was searching with all the instincts of a predator, and Wesley knew that whatever this demon had done, it was very personal. He wracked his brain for some information, but all he could come up with was that the demon must have been the one Angel was fighting. But Angel had come out of that fight the victor, recovering quickly from the few bruises he'd attained. It couldn't be that simplistic.

'Spike, much as I trust your predatorial instincts, I cannot destroy something simply because it exists.'

'You don't have to,' growled Spike, 'I'll rip him apart.'

'What did he do that was so bad?'

Spike sniffed the air, smelling the salty tang it had taken as they neared the beach.

'He's a bad demon, Pet. You don't need any other reason.'

'Spike, I know you selectively choose to believe I'm stupid,' said Wesley calmly, 'But you've never been one to right a wrong in the world. Why would you start now?'

Spike paused and took a left turn.

'Some wrongs need righting.'

'Yes,' said the Englishman, 'But I believe we've just covered that. You're evil.'

Spike grinned in spite of himself.

'Thanks for noticing, Pet. Thought you lot believed I'd gone soft.'

'Heaven forbid.'

'Or Hell.'

'Quite, but the point is, Spike, that you don't normally go to any length of trouble to track the bad guys down.'

Spike stopped.

'So are you going to tell me what he did?'

'Fucked his boyfriend.'

Wesley's eyebrows shot up as the battered demon rounded the corner.

Cribb grinned.

'Hello Spike, I've been waiting for you.'
 

*
 

'And you have no idea where either of them are?'

Cordelia shook her head, quite under the fire of Angel's annoyance. She saw quite clearly that it was caused by lack of Spike and took it with a pinch of salt. When he was in this mood, he couldn't be reasoned with until the bleached bum had returned.

Angel was such a softy that way.

'Like I just told you, Wesley phoned about an hour ago to say that he and Spike were involved with something demony and that they'd be back by morning.'

'Demony,' repeated Angel. 'And it didn't occur to you to ask where they were?'

'No. It didn't occur to you that they would have asked if they needed your help?'

Angel growled and stood up. Doyle was sitting, hungover in the corner of the room, his feet propped up on a bench. His eyes were closed and he was trying not to listen to anything. But Angel's anger seemed to communicate itself quite well.

'Look, Angel, I'm sure they're fine. Demons, right? Spike can take demons. They'll be back before you know it.'

'Yeah, said Cordelia brightly, 'And in the mean time you can take Rebecca to that premiere and find her stalker.'

Angel looked up at the suit bag that hung in the corner. 44 long indeed, living the high life whilst Spike was probably up to his guts in demon slime, saving Wesley's ass. Although, he wasn't entirely sure if that was true. Wesley had a strength and purpose that belied his outward appearance. Maybe they'd be okay and he could stop worrying about them both.

Yeah, right, and they'd invented a brand of sun block that was suitable for vampires.

Angel sighed.

'I guess it would pass the time. At least we can get something out of this.'

'Yeah,' grinned Cordelia, 'Just make sure Spike doesn't find out.'

Angel glared at her and she rolled her eyes.

'Oh come on, you don't think a bodyguard's *all* she wants you for.'

'Cordelia...'

Angel paused, unsure of what he was going to say next. Yes, I've noticed the way she looks at me. Yes I know that she's giving off signals that I'd have to be an imbecile to ignore. Yes I know all that, but I don't want it. She doesn't have what I want...she's just not...Spike.

God I want him back.

'Cordelia, she's a client. Nothing more.'

'Yeah, try telling her that,' grinned the girl.

'I will,' said Angel as he picked up the suit, 'And hopefully, we can catch this guy tonight.'

'And then you don't have to worry about her stealing your virtue.'

'I think his virtue's safe,' said Doyle, eyes still firmly closed against the world. 'It's all wrapped up in that missing vampire.'

Angel's unbeating heart twinged.

He hoped that that vampire wouldn't be missing very long.
 

*
 

Wesley watched as Cribb and Spike circled one another and seriously wished that he hadn't watched that documentary on wolves a couple of nights ago.

'So you've come to finish me off, right?'

Spike's face was devoid of expression.

'I was thinking more of wiping you from existence.'

Cribb laughed and gestured to his rapidly healing wounds.

'You should have let your boy finish me off whilst you could. I heal well.'

'Yeah, you're really impressive.'

Wesley stepped back against the wall and lifted his axe into a fighting stance. If what this demon had said was true, it would explain more than just Spike's aggression. It also shed light on Angel's recent show of near panic whenever his lover wasn't within reach.

Cribb turned to him.

'This your bit on the side, then?'

Spike shook his head.

'No, mate. He's here to witness your death.'

'What?' asked Cribb.

Spike smiled gently and Wesley felt his flesh start to creep. It didn't take much to remind him that Spike was a vampire.

'You're dead now, whatever happens. Wesley's just here to watch me make you suffer.'

Cribb laughed.

'You're visiting vengeance? Doing to me what I did to Angel?'

'I wouldn't touch your sorry ass with a barge pole.'

He took both hands out of his pocket, revealing a small blowtorch in his left hand.

'I just thought I'd even the fight before we begin.'

He flicked it on suddenly and flared at Cribb's crotch. The demon howled and moved backwards, straight into Wesley's axe. Spike advanced and blasted him again whilst the human struggled to remove the axe head from between Cribb's shoulder blades.

Cribb howled.

'I thought you said this was an even fight.'

Spike grinned, wolf-like.

'Never been much of one for Queensbury rules, mate. Just whatever works.'

He fired up the blowtorch again and started burning random parts of Cribb's body, the marine demon suffering twice as much under the heat. When he'd fallen to the floor, Cribb started kicking out, realising that Spike wouldn't stop, wouldn't appraise how he was feeling and wouldn't give mercy. He was here to kill Cribb - no James Bond style gloating necessary.

Spike tossed the blowtorch casually into his pocket and withdrew something else, an object which disturbed Wesley since he'd first read Spike's résumé.

'Do you know what this is, Cribb?'

'A metal stake?' sneered the demon.

Spike nodded.

'Sort of. It's a railroad Spike. Very rusty and bloody old.'

'Very funny,' grimaced Cribb. 'Picking a weapon with your name.'

'Er, I think it's rather the other way around,' put in Wesley.

They both looked at him, and Wesley shrugged and held his axe tightly.

Cribb turned back to Spike to say something, but it was lost as the rusty spike buried itself within his chest. He let out a startled gasp and felt a squelchy pop as one of his hearts gave in. Cribb knew that with only one functioning, it would take his body a while to shut down, the flow slowing and crippling his body part by part. When Spike dropped the book of demon anatomy in his lap, he realised that the vampire knew it too, had planned on it.

All he could hope for now was that the vampire lost his cool and killed him quickly.

And from the look on Spike's face, he hadn't much hope of that.
 

*
 

Angel would swear he was going to go blind from all these flash bulbs going off in his face. The crowd seemed to be full of young teenagers crying out for the woman he led from the car. She was as amused with their reaction as she was tired of it. Angel understood some of that. He knew how quickly he had bored of his fledglings unrelenting devotion and visited punishment on their brutish bodies.

He didn't think that Rebecca would quite do that, but she didn't seem impressed with their fervour. They cried out for Raven, almost weeping with excitement. Angel wondered at mankind's desire to supplicate self in adoration of someone 'worthy'. The actors of his time had been chased off more often than not, gypsies and pedlars of common necessity. They hadn't enjoyed this kind of celebrity status, hadn't worried about whether or not people called them by their character's name. They'd been more worried where their next meal was coming from, and right now, Angel could almost identify.

He hadn't fed before he left, in his concern over Spike. It had been more than a day since he'd seen the vampire and he was growing increasingly concerned. It wasn't like Spike to get involved in a case, but Angel knew the younger man had some aggression to work out. And that was his fault, more or less. Spike had been more considerate and tender these past few weeks, never pushing him, always letting him take the lead. But it couldn't stay this way, neither of them wanted it to. It was too close to giving permission and that was another trek back in time that he didn't want to take.

All roads lead to Angelus.

'Raven, they think I'm the character I play,' murmured Rebecca, still smiling for the crowds.

Angel barely heard her, he was searching the crowds for the assailant, feeling the tension in the air and wondering if he was mislead. It was not having Spike around, he was sure of it. When he had his lover near by, his senses were focused. He was focused.

Right now he was looking for a needle in the biggest haystack.

He guided her up the red carpet, catching a flash of white hair and turning automatically. It was just a girl and Angel cursed silently, forcing himself to do what he was paid for. Concentrate and find this killer. He had the instincts, now all he had to do was put them in action.

They entered the building and Angel looked around, confused.

'They're showing the movie in an alleyway?'

Rebecca laughed, seemed more sure of herself.

'Oh no, I only come to these things for the photo op. My driver knows to meet me out back. God, if I had to sit through everyone of these, I'm sure boredom would kill me.'

Angel stared at her a moment. Could she really be as self-centered as she seemed? Here she was with the opportunities that most of the people outside would kill for and it was just another way of boring her, another time to feel superior. Spike would have hated her, he smiled to himself. He would have shot off another speech like the one he gave to Jheira, rattled her cage and then taken Angel home and shagged the pants off him.

God he wished he was here!
 

He looked around, aware that this was a prime spot for an attack. Anyone could guess at that, anyone who knew she never stayed for these things. As he looked up, he saw a dark figure move across the landing, aiming a gun in their direction. He yelled at the actress to get down, jumping up to the platform above them.

Angel yanked the gun out of the assailant's hand and dropped it to the ground below them. The guy was strong, but not vampire strong and he easily had the upper hand, tackling him down the stairs, ignoring the bruises which would be gone by morning. As they bashed to the ground, his opponent struggled from his grip in the impact, freeing himself. But this time Angel was ready for his escapee tricks and pounded his face until the man was still.

Okay, mission accomplished.

Rebecca gave out the biggest sob from behind the wall, whether it was in relief of fear, he couldn't quite tell. But it was a genuine reaction from the woman and his heart softened towards her. She needed him right now, and he'd come through for her. But what she really needed was a basic human comfort.

Angel walked over to Rebecca and drew her into his arms, letting her cry it all out, assuming the role Spike had so recently taken. She shuddered against his chest and he willed her to see that comfort was all this was, not to read anything more into the situation. Then he berated himself for being so ego driven, she wasn't thinking of anything right now, he'd swear. Simply over come with the pent-up fears of her recent life, shocked at finding them over.

He wished he knew what that was like.
 

*
 

Wesley sat on the concrete floor in the corner of the room, half his mind refusing to acknowledge what he was witnessing. He knew that he should have left Spike to do this alone, but his loyalty to both vampires kept him here and that surprised him. Wesley had been aware that he trusted and respected Angel, that he would take his word above others, but he hadn't known that Spike also came under the same category.

Why else would he be watching the vampire torture Cribb to death?

The demon was slumped against the wall. He didn't groan or cry out anymore, his ability to make the right noises for speech had gone hours ago. The best he could do was a kind of yelp which sounded more like an aggrieved puppy than a demon with his guts ripped out. If he had been capable of thought, he would have cursed his body's natural resilience, it's strength prolonging this death. Without it, Cribb would have been gone hours since, the agony ended, but all he knew now was an agony which never abated, occasionally increasing. Spike was not the inventive torturer than Angelus had been, but his nickname had been earned over time, and he was skilled with the weapon.

Spike looked down at his handiwork analytically. He'd shredded almost all the organs the demon possessed, leaving him with one heart that steadfastly refused to let him die yet. Once he'd taken that out it would all be over, and Spike wasn't sure if he was ready to give this up yet. He was surprised that Wesley was still here, expecting the man to have refused to witness this. But Wesley had remained a silent spectator, his sensibilities apparently eased at Spike's justification.

Wesley had used the time they'd been down here to understand Spike's motives. It wasn't hard, Cribb's jeering being what it was. If something similar had happened to Megan, Wesley could see himself delivering this kind of payback. Perhaps not this *kind* exactly, he wasn't a naturally aggressive man, but he knew how to do what must be done, which was one of the reasons he stayed.

The violation of his employer had disturbed him greatly. When he had joined them, Wesley had turned from grudging respect to genuine fondness, regarding the dark vampire as his own example of what might be accomplished. Angel had changed himself when he was able, using his supernatural abilities to help those he might once have harmed. He was atoning for his actions of the past, and though the balance was nowhere near on his side yet, Angel had dedicated himself to an eternity on the side of the good fight.

Wesley didn't have that long, but he had damaged much in his year as a watcher and he owed it, not only to those he had directly harmed, but those who he could have protected, to make a difference. After his disgrace, he had promised himself that he would never allow a wrong to be carried out under his nose, would make amends for any past grievances. He would fight the good fight, and if part of that meant he would watch Spike kill the demon who had raped Angel, then he was willing to do it.

But he would also tell him when it was enough.

'Spike,' Wesley said quietly, 'No more.'

Spike looked up at the Englishman, his vampire features still evident, but their habitual scowl less prominent.

'It can never be enough,' he growled.

Wesley nodded.

'I know, but I don't think he even knows you're hurting him now.'

Spike looked down at the near corpse before him, and twisted the metal in his gut. Cribb murmured a little, but the blank expression on his face didn't change.

'I don't feel better,' Spike said flatly. 'This was supposed to make me feel better.'

Wesley edged towards him, the rank smell of demon guts permeating his every sense, and he knew it would be the stuff of nightmares for a long time.

'Killing Cribb, I know you thought it would make you feel better, and I know you wanted to avenge Angel.'

Spike stared at him and the human continued.

'You've done that. Finish it.'

Spike looked at the demon once more.

'It was supposed to make everything better, Pet.'

Wesley shook his head.

'Vengeance doesn't do that, it only ends things.'

Spike barked out a laugh, brief and dry.

'So it doesn't make any difference then?'

'Well Cribb's dead. However he haunts you he won't be able to attack you again.'

'Haunts?' Spike looked back up at him, 'That what they taught you in Watcher school?'

Wesley shook his head.

'No...' he paused and thought for a moment before relenting, 'My father taught me that.'

Spike almost grinned.

'You offed that wanker then?'

Wesley shook his head and pulled out a bottle of whiskey from the bag Spike had insisted they brought. He unscrewed the lid and swigged it back before offering it to the vampire.

'No, I watched him die though, waited in the hospital until they pronounced him dead.'

He looked at the mangled demon.

'I had to be sure, you see. I had to know he wouldn't come back.'

Spike felt the hot liquid burn down his throat.

'Felt better?'

'No,' said Wesley, 'But I was different. He couldn't do anything to me anymore and all my mistakes became my own.'

He looked directly at Spike.

'I know...between you and Angel...things are not quite the same. But you've laid this demon to rest physically. What comes next is down to both of you.'

Spike thought for a moment.

'So what? We go back and I try and get Angel to fess up that he's still strung up about this arsehole?'

Wesley rolled his eyes.

'Even under stress you're the same...Yes, that's exactly what I meant.'

Spike grinned slowly and pulled out the metal.

'Here's to a new beginning, then.'

He plunged the spike through Cribb's other heart and they both watched as the demon breathed its last, staying still for a minute.

'Right then,' said Spike standing up, 'let's go back and I'll try and sort it out with the poof.'

Wesley almost smiled.

'You're actually taking my advice?'

Spike shrugged.

'You may be a twat, Wes, but you're our twat. And we take care of our own.'

Wesley furrowed his brow.

'Did you just give me a compliment?'

Spike started walking away.

'Would I do that to you?'
 

*
 

Still there was nothing, no sign that Wesley or Spike were alive or in the neighbourhood.

Angel shifted from foot to foot. It was too long and he wasn't happy, the early evening air not agreeing with this vampire's temperament. In total, they'd been gone almost three days. Okay, it was two and a half, and they had called in yesterday when Angel had been out, but it wasn't enough. Whatever they were up to, Spike should have taken him along, given him the same courtesy that he'd applied since his kidnap.

Oh, but it hurt to think about that. One of these days, Angel was going to find out where Cribb was and kill the bastard. He had that coming to him, and a whole lot more. But Angel didn't have the stomach for torture these days. It reminded him too much of what he had been and the vampire knew too much about that already. He wouldn't even be thinking these thoughts if Spike was in the room, and cursed his automatic brooding skills that put him back in this mode.

What he wanted, was to have his lover back in the house, Wesley safe and sound at his home and no interruptions.

'Angel?'

That wasn't happening apparently.

Rebecca appeared on the stairs, elegantly dressed, making the most of her dark beauty.

'There was no one upstairs, so I just came down. I hope that's okay?'

Angel was about to ask her to excuse him, that he wasn't in the mood for company, when he realised he didn't want to spend the evening alone. Perhaps she'd help take his mind off worrying for a while. She wasn't bad company after all, and he was certain he could fight her off if necessary.

'Er, sure. Come on in.'

She smiled brilliantly at him and he wondered if he'd made a bad decision.

She couldn't hurt him and he pushed the thought away.

'I went shopping with Cordelia to...pick out a thank-you gift for you, but what do you get the guy who has already seen everything? So I figured what's better than Dom?'

She proffered the bottle and he nodded.

'You can, I mean, you do...?'

'I can drink...other liquids, yeah.'

She flashed another 100 watt smile.

'Good. Have you got glasses?'

What am I? An animal?

'Yeah, yeah,' he realised she was being very formal about this, 'Please, sit down.'

She looked around the flat and took in the bedroom, smiling to herself as all sorts of possibilities passed through her mind. The weapons didn't interest her in the slightest, but she could tell that some of them were very old, and many looked valuable. Those that looked well used she turned away from. The violence inherent in his job didn't interest her in the least.

'It's sort of what you'd expect, and sort of not.'

Angel came back pouring the champagne.

'Well there's no coffin.'

She stood up and took her glass...clumsily, spilling half its contents over Angel's shirt.

'Oh God, I'm sorry,' Rebecca enthused. 'Your shirt!'

Angel shrugged and shook his head.

'It's okay. Cold, but okay.'

He gestured to the bedroom.

'I'll be right back.'

She waited until he was out of the room and dissolved the doximal in a fresh glass, swilling it until the substance disappeared completely. No one stays young forever, Elliot had said, but he was wrong. And after tonight, she'd be able to live out that dream with the handsome vampire at her side. She had the charm and once he'd drunk that, he'd be amenable enough to do what she wanted.

And then, she'd discover what it was like to sleep as a vampire, Angel's bedmate for all Eternity.

Yes, she smiled to herself as Angel came in wearing a fresh shirt, she had it all figured out.
 

*
 

Doyle opened the door to Wesley, wondering where he'd been and too tired to figure it out.

'Hello Doyle,' said the Englishman.

'Hey, Wes. How was the field trip with Spike?'

Wesley rolled his eyes and stepped inside, dumping the bag in the corner of the room and heading for the shower.

'Illuminating,' he answered eventually. 'Not something I want to do again.'

Doyle laughed and went to close the door before Cordelia barged past it in a fluster.

'Hi Princess,' he said, confused. 'I thought we were leaving me alone to have some sleep?'

She glared at him and Doyle shrugged an apology.

'I think I may have done something bad.'

'Cordelia,' said Wesley wearily, 'I'm tired. Doyle's tired, can't it wait?'

She raised her eyebrows.

'I went shopping with Rebecca,' she said dramatically.

'And that was terrible?' asked Doyle.

She shook her head.

'Huh? No! That was fantastic! You know they close of stores for her? Oh, and lunch at Mirabelle's. I had the most to-die-for veal filet with a light truffle marinade, and...'

'Cordelia,' said Wesley warningly.

'Oh, sorry.'

She brushed her hair back from her face, and continued.

'Anyway the whole time Rebecca is real gabby, asking questions about Angel.'

'What sort of questions?' asked Doyle.

'Oh, you know, where does Angel hail from, what's his favourite colour, what kind of after-shave he wears, the exact specific details on how someone could make themselves into a vampire.'

Both men stared at her.

'You don't think...' began Wesley.

She shrugged violently.

'What? That she'd try to manoeuvre Angel into an exchange of bodily fluids in order to make herself eternally young and beautiful, thus saving her failing career? Gee, now that you mention it...'

Doyle breathed out heavily.

'He wouldn't. Angel wouldn't do that. He's not interested in her at all.'

'No,' began Wesley thoughtfully, 'But she may be doing something a little more convincing.'

Cordelia looked puzzled.

'Buying him champagne?'

'That's what she bought?'

Doyle and Wesley exchanged glances.

'She's up to something,' said Doyle.

'Undoubtedly,' murmured Wesley, then he stopped as something occurred to him. 'Oh no.'

'What?'

'Spike's on his way over there now.'

'Well that's good, right? He'll see right through her.'

'Probably,' nodded Doyle, 'But he could be too late.'

'If she's drugged him' mused Wesley, 'He could lose all control. Which means...'

'Yeah,' said Doyle slowly. 'Angelus could be on the loose and Spike's walking into a trap.'

'He's the tough guy, though,' said Cordelia, 'He should be able to take it.'

They looked at her and she picked up her purse.

'Just making a point.'

She walked to the door.

'Let's go.'

They followed her into the night.
 

*
 

Angel was drunk.

Not dodging towards tipsy, or anywhere past giggly and upbeat, but wistful, relaxed drunk.

And he was talking.

'I used to be...a long time ago...' he began, his mind dredging up the past he tried so hard to overcome. 'I hurt...a lot of people.'

Rebecca was so close, warmth oozing off her in waves, listening and disregarding anything that didn't fit in with her belief.

'I don't believe that,' she purred, stroking her fingers across his shirt.

Angel tried to move his head, he couldn't. Why was that? He hadn't drunk that much and he never remembered getting this intoxicated by champagne before. Maybe it was because he hadn't drunk any in so long. Spike always preferred the hard stuff to sparkly.

Maybe they should try it - the fizz seemed tantalising on his tongue.

'No it's true. I was...' he paused and the only word that seemed to work was childish, but, 'Bad. Which is why I'm trying to help people now,' he went on as though this was a set speech, 'I'm trying to atone.'

'Cordelia says you've helped save the world.'

Angel shrugged. His skin didn't seem to feel right and he could imagine turning round and his body being the wrong way. He almost giggled and then he recalled that she'd said something, now what was it?

'Couple of times I helped...'

Oh yeah, I helped, was a regular good guy with my hero girlfriend. What a big guy I am. Don't worry about all the bad things I did, because I'm so the hero now. And what is this woman doing? She's all snuggly. Urgh, should extract myself. Extract. That's a good word. How do I do that?

Oh yeah, tell her bad stuff.

You don't want me cause...

'Almost had it sucked into Hell once, too.'

Rebecca was so close now, so...female. She smelled okay, nice smell, all musky and flowery. I like that. It's girly, but it's Cordelia, or Megan. Probably more Cordelia, I don't think Megan wears Perfume. But they smell sweet. Flowery. Girl stuff.

Now Spike...

Spike smells like leather and soap, <grin> he's showering so often now. He likes being clean for me. And he smells of cigarettes. And that deodorant he's been using. Don't know what it is but I keep...running to the kitchen when I smell him.

He's mine.

He smells good.

Rebecca breathed against his ear and he almost jumped. If he'd had his sensibilities, he would have pushed her away.

Angel didn't think he could find the energy to move his little finger.

'Still...' whispered Rebecca, 'Don't you think...after all this time, that you deserve some happiness?'

'Will,' murmured Angel. 'makes me happy.'

She didn't seem to hear, tracing her fingers up and under his shirt.

That doesn't feel right. Those fingers...all wrong. Too small. Timid. When's he coming home? I want him. I need him. I...

'...Love Will.'

Rebecca looked up into his bleary face.

'Who's Will? The girl you had to give up?'

Angel let out a chuckle.

'Will's not a *girl*!'

She bit her lip.

'Okay, woman then. But you had to give her up. You don't have to do that with me.'

'Huh?'

She moved so that her face was inches from his.

'You can have everything you've been craving all these long lonely years. We both can.'

She met his eyes.

'Forever.'

Angel looked at her a moment, trying to make sense of her words. Then he pushed her off, dumping her unceremoniously on the floor.

'Whoah, whoah! What are you saying?'

She got to her knees and started running her elegant fingers over his thighs.

'You know what I'm saying.'

Rebecca stared it him, willing him under her control.

She tilted her head.

'Do it. We won't ever have to be lonely, either one of us, again.'

Angel felt a low growl coming in his throat. Who was this woman to ask him to turn her? How dare she think she could give him what he wanted? She didn't know what he wanted.

'He isn't lonely, Love,' said the voice in the darkness. 'He's got me.'

Rebecca and Angel turned to the stairs as Spike slowly descended them. The blond was grinning gently, predatorily, maybe even territorially. But the drunken image that came was of a white wolf, guarding its mate against an intruder.

'Who are you?' Rebecca managed. 'I don't believe we've...'

'Met? Nah, cause if we had, you'd know that Angel here ain't for sale. At any bloody price.'

He met Angel's eyes and the dark vampire spotted the need, the desire buried in this matter of fact behaviour.

'I never said he was for sale,' murmured Rebecca. 'I just wanted...'

'I know what you just wanted,' said Spike, 'And you couldn't be more wrong, Love.'

'Wrong?' repeated the actress.

'Yeah,' grinned Spike, seconds away from the pair of them, 'See, you wanted to be Angel's companion for all eternity, getting the poor bugger drunk in the process.'

He looked at Angel, who seemed to be undergoing yet another guilt trip, holding his head in his hands.

'Daft that, Pet. Never trust humans, they can be evil bastards.'

He turned his attention back to Rebecca.

'Look at it this way, Love. I'm what happens when you become a vampire.'

He grinned and morphed into game face.

'And I'm a bloody animal!'

She shrieked and got to her feet, scrabbling to get away from this monster. This wasn't what she wanted. This wasn't the eternal youth she had dreamed of.

This couldn't be a vampire.

'Get away from me!'

Spike laughed hard and lit a cigarette, pleased with the fear she was giving off. Its smell was addictive and it had been so long.

'This what you want, Pet? A demon in your body?'

He looked at Angel, who did seem to be suffering from a bad head.

'I guess you did. But do you really want to be like me? Like him?'

Rebecca felt the first tear slide down her cheek. She hadn't known. Angel wasn't like this. Angel wasn't a monster, not like this creature before her. He had never frightened her, but comforted her when she was afraid, protected her when she was in trouble. Angel had been her hero, one with the added bonus of immortality, something she'd hoped he would share.

But this monster said they were the same thing. It couldn't be, could it?

'He's not like you,' she stammered.

Spike nodded his head.

'True, I've got a bigger dick and he broods more.'

He stepped closer and grabbed her, thrilling at the woman's scream.

'But we're basically the same.'

She shook her head.

'I don't believe that.'

Spike laughed.

'No? Wanna try the diet?'

He dragged her over to the fridge, relieved that she was too scared to resist. Pulling a bag out, Spike pushed it to her mouth and squirted the Pig's blood down her throat.

'Have a blast, Pet.'

She choked hard, trying not to swallow.

'That's what forever tastes like. Course,' Spike swirled the lit end of his cig round casually, 'It tastes a whole lot better out of a neck.'

He grinned and faced her, more wolf-like than ever.

'Wanna give it a try?'

Angel gave a groan from the sofa and Spike ignored the terrified woman, heading towards his lover.

'I leave you alone for five minutes, Pet, and what happens? You let some fluffy tart come and get you drunk.'

He bent down to stroke Angel's sweaty hair.

'Good job I don't get jealous, isn't it?'

Angel let out a low laugh.

'But you do get jealous, don't you Spike?'

The blond vampire hesitated before pulling away from the dark head. He looked over to where Rebecca stood, sobbing and wiping blood away from her mouth.

'What did you do to him?'

She looked at the vampire, and Spike read her blank expression. She was too scared to answer him. With a growl, he forced his demonic features to shift, making him look human once more.

'What did you do to him?'

He wasn't prepared for the smack to the back of his head.

Wasn't prepared to go shooting across the room as the blow took him out.

Wasn't prepared for the low knowing voice that echoed in his head.

'She gave me a happy.'
 

*
 

Wesley leaned into the right turn, managing to weave through the busy traffic. Doyle clung on behind him, wishing, not for the first time this trip, that he'd gone with Cordelia in the cab. But Wesley had been right about the time, and although Cordelia was capable of delivering a perfect verbal blow, Doyle's Brachen strength and the ex-watcher's skills were far more useful against Angelus. And if Rebecca had managed to trick Angel into exchanging blood, they might have more than one killer to deal with.

If they lived that long.

'I only came with you because Spike said you don't speed,' yelled Doyle above the whistle of the wind.

Wesley flicked his visor up.

'What?'

'You don't speed,' repeated Doyle more loudly. 'I thought you never broke the law.'

'Oh,' said Wesley, understanding, 'I don't, unless it's a life or death situation.'

'And does this count?'

Wesley nodded.

Doyle felt the bike pick up speed and shuddered as he gripped tighter. Would it make any difference if he reminded the Englishman that both their employers were dead anyway?

Wesley squeezed the throttle and Doyle closed his eyes.

Probably not.
 

*
 

Spike picked himself up off the floor as quickly as he could, before facing down the vampire who walked over so casually. He'd noticed before how differently Angelus walked - the cocky stride of a man who knows he's the biggest in the room. An arrogant grin across his face, the newly awakened vampire took a good look at his protégé.

'Well, if isn't the traitor in our midst. Betrayed me, killed Dru. Anything else you'd like to do before I have dinner?'

He gestured to the cowering actress in the kitchen and she shrunk back, her mind unable to cope with what she was seeing.

'Fuck off, Angelus,' growled Spike as he rubbed his back.

Angelus threw his head back and laughed.

'And I always thought you were the one with the witty comebacks.'

He tutted.

'I don't know Spike, you're acting kinda...human?'

Spike rolled his eyes.

'I'm all demon, mate.'

Angelus picked up the poker from the fireplace and looked at it as if he was seeing it for the first time.

'So how does this go again? Oh yeah!'

He swung at Spike and chuckled as the vampire rolled out of the way.

'Of course, I gave you warning. Being that I'm a gentleman and all.'

Angelus gave him a sorrowful look, before grinning at him.

'Shame you couldn't give me the same courtesy when you threw me over for the Slayer.'

Spike growled and looked at the actress.

'What the bloody hell did you do, woman?'

The master vampire picked up the glass and ran his finger round the rim, tasting it cheerfully.

'I'd say she drugged me, and hey! Guess what, that pesky soul's off in the ether again!'

Angelus moved swiftly to the fridge and smiled at her, vampire charm on overload.

'What's the matter? You look a little nervous.'

Rebecca looked into the demon's face and shook her head. This wasn't supposed to happen, she reminded herself. This isn't what I thought.

'You're, you're...'

'Free,' said Angelus happily.

He tasted the drugs off his finger.

'God I love this stuff. Remind me to get the name of your dealer before I kill you.'

Rebecca backed away, unconsciously moving towards the other vampire.

'Kill me?'

Angel cracked the glass on a ceiling beam and waved its serrated edge in her face.

'Remind me, Spike, did we ever kill a famous person before?'

Spike tried to take in what was going on without panicking. Angelus was loose, even if it was only temporary. And if it was as the result of a drug then it might only be for a short while, and he would get his lover back. But Angelus was easily capable of killing both him and this woman in that time. And if he killed either one of them before Angel regained control, he'd spend the rest of Eternity mourning that act. Which meant that Spike was going to have to protect feeble actress bint as well.

Terrific.

He was going to have to protect, not just another of the 'would-be-food' category, but one who had actually attempted to seduce Angel away from him. Just when had he decided that being with Angel was more important than the kill?

He glared at Angelus.

'Don't know about you, mate, but I killed a couple of Slayers. Can't remember you doing in anyone with a name.'

Angelus scowled briefly, then he seemed to cast it off with a shrug.

'Ah well, would you think you counted as a witness?'

He looked at Spike appraisingly before shaking his head.

'Well, no, you're dead. Hmmm, how am I going to do this?'

He brandished the broken glass at the actress and it was all she could do to back away from his confident stride. Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, she thought desperately. What have I done?

The dark vampire seemed to come to a decision.

'Tell you what, we'll do it the way we used to in my day. I'll keep your head on a pole!'

Rebecca had stepped as far back as she could, feeling Spike's boots with the back of her feet.

'My head on a stick?'

Angelus shrugged and tossed the glass over his shoulder.

'Okay - pike.'

He lunged forward and Spike tossed the screaming girl over the back of the sofa, bringing Angelus within kissing distance. Not that he felt like kissing much at the moment.

'Well that wasn't nice,' berated Angelus. 'I thought we could share a meal, us being old friends and all.'

'We're not friends,' said Spike flatly, 'We were never friends.'

He stopped, aware he'd begun a speech very similar to this once before. Only that time he'd been talking to his be-souled lover and his Slayer sweetie. Spike steeled himself, determined to see this through without casualties. He'd beat Angelus and chain him up until he could get in contact with Wesley and the others. Then he could think about whether he had to take Angelus out for good.

But for now...

Angelus grinned at him and Spike ignored the knowledge that it had once had the effect of melting away all his resistances.

'We're not friends, huh, Spike?'

He sniffed and then raised the same knowing face to the vampire.

'Guess you don't want me now you're not the baddest vampire in the room?'

'I don't want you at all.'

Angelus covered his still heart.

'Oh, now that hurts, Spike. I'm cut up about it, really.'

He sighed.

'Still, I'm not the one who can't bite, now am I?'

Spike swung out and knocked the vampire off his feet.

'Oh I can bite, Pet. Just got a bit more choosy about it all.'

Angelus rubbed his jaw.

'You're more pathetic than when I took Dru away from you.'

'Really.'

'Oh yeah, see,' he leaned in close and whispered, 'I didn't have to try. She was just looking for an excuse, Spike. You were just the stand in whilst Daddy was away.'

The younger vampire gritted his teeth. There was so much truth in that it was painful. If he could only think of a way of turning the tables. If he could just see...

'And look now,' grinned Angelus, 'You're a stand-in again. Soul boy's fluff, whilst his 'true love' screws someone else.'

He patted Spike on the shoulder.

'You may as well drop and bare your ass for me now, because we both know it's what you'll do eventually.'

He moved to walk away, listening to the sobbing from their captive.

'All right, Angelus, you win.'

The vampire paused, but didn't turn. Spike dug his fingernails into his hand and carried on with his distraction. At least it might give him a minute to figure out how to chain him up. God knows why they hadn't bothered getting them out. And then again, God really didn't have anything to do with this. They were technically unclean, unfit for God to deal with, and yet...he had hope. Did that count at all?

He had to try it anyway.

'I know, it wasn't exactly...being a good sport,' he waited to see if the sarcasm had registered, but Angelus didn't move. 'With that whole Slayer thing, but I wanted Dru back.'

Angelus tipped his head as if he was listening.

Spike couldn't help himself.

'And you were being a bloody wanker!'

Angelus snorted in amusement.

'Still got some of that old fire, then, Spike, my boy!'

Spike shook his head.

'But you're wrong about something, mate, even if you haven't got the wrinklies to admit it.'

'Oh?' said Angelus, turning round. 'And what would that be?'

Spike met the deceptively soft brown eyes and waited until the vampire blinked.

'I was never the stand in with you.'

Angelus smirked a moment, and then started to laugh.

'Is that why you stay here with Soul Boy? Feeding on animals, cause you've got some whacked out idea that you were my favourite?'

'I was,' said Spike. 'You can arse around here and deny it all you like, but when you got cursed, you were almost fucking relieved, because you were about one step away from breaking your precious bloody lore.'

'That's not true.'

Spike grinned, the brevity of his sire's reply confirming what he'd believed for so long.

'Vampires can't love, that right, Pet?'

Angelus stared at him a moment and then ran his tongue over suddenly dry fangs.

'I need a drink.'

He bent over the back of the sofa and pulled the trembling Rebecca out, holding her by the neck. She struggled against his grip and the vampire started to feel that power coming back.

'Want a bite, Spike? Oh no, that's right, you're tamed now, aren't you?'

Spike nodded towards Rebecca.

'Kill her now and you won't find out what she gave you. Then it's back to soul city before you can come down.'

Angelus slapped his hand over his mouth in mock horror.

'Oh no! And you'll be so upset if I leave you!'

Spike reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes, squashed by the fall he'd taken. He drew two out and lit them before offering the spare to Angelus.

'You've left before. I'll get over it.'

Angelus grinned.

'Such a stoic, Spike. Not like the old days. Soul Boy wearing you down?'

The younger vampire shook his head, aware that each moment he could delay Angelus' kill, was an extra chance for the others to get here. Cause he was fucked if he could come up with anything. He hadn't got a plan B, which was something he'd have to improve on. Problem was he didn't have much of a plan A either.

'Angelus, why don't you stop being such an arse and just quit trying to wind me up. You don't have the power anymore.'

'No? Well that's a shame,' sighed Angelus cheerfully, 'Maybe I should forget all about you and find someone else. Rebecca here, or Wesley? Or maybe trek to England and snap up that worthless descendant you raised.'

He seemed to consider and then shook his head.

'But then, why would I want yet another whining brand of the same family?'

Angelus started caressing the back of Rebecca's neck and grinned at Spike.

'You know why Soul Boy likes you?'

'Great ass, educated tongue and a wicked sense of humour?'

The vampire roared in laughter.

'Close. But not quite.'

He moved in close, pressing his fingers against the small bones in the actress's neck.

'He likes you because he thinks you've gone soft. Not as evil as other vampires.'

Angelus flicked his tongue out.

'He thinks you're like him.

'He doesn't have to be alone anymore.

'You might have been my favourite, but you're all he can have.

'And that's why he stays with you.'

Angelus puffed out a huge cloud of smoke, pleased with himself, whilst Spike's eyes blazed with recognition. The old vampire might have been cruel, but he took a callous pleasure in the truth, loving how the recipient hurt in the telling. But Spike knew something that Angelus ignored. Angel might think all those things, but he'd never been deceived about Spike's basic nature, and he loved him in spite of it. Angelus might know the logic, but he couldn't understand the emotion.

'You know what, Angelus, you're right. And if I had any sense, I'd be happy to have you back.'

He blew out a smoke ring.

'And you know why I'm not?'

'Why?'

'Spike winked.

'Cause he can do something you can't mate.'

Angelus looked unimpressed.

'And what's that?'

'He's not subject to any stupid bloody vampire lore. Takes all his orders on instinct, does what needs to be done.'

Spike sucked down the last of his cig.

'He doesn't care what anyone else thinks, cause Angel can make his own mind up.'

He grinned at his sire.

'And you're too much of a coward to do that.'

Angelus growled and then twitched his fingers, clicking a nerve in Rebecca's neck and knocking her out. He lifted her unconscious form to his mouth and bit deeply, drinking human blood for the first time in over a year.

'Mmm, nothing like a good dose of fear to sweeten the blood.'

He tossed the girl into Spike's arms and stepped back, watching as Spike's face morphed at the scent of blood.

'Why don't you have a drink, Spike. Think you can cope with a sleeping one?'

Spike didn't look down, aware that all he'd have to do was suck, that he wouldn't have to hurt her. That he could actually do this. She smelt so damn good and there was so little left in her body. If she didn't get her blood replaced, Rebecca would die anyway. All he had to do was drink.

Angelus watched the emotions run past his childe's face.

'Well, that's a thought for later - when you wake up.'

He shot straight from the shoulder, ramming Spike's chin backwards with a sickening noise. Sickening to anyone who wasn't a bloodthirsty killer anyway. As Spike smacked to the floor, temporarily out of the game, Angelus grinned to himself, happy that when he awoke, Spike would be unable to resist the call of blood. And that would end his little trips with Soul Boy for good.

And maybe, he'd get his favourite childe back.

In the meantime...

Angelus climbed the stairs, wondering whether he'd have to call the do gooding trio or if that gabby cow had managed to work out what Rebecca was up to by herself. He was almost impressed when he saw the answer machine bleeping, and when he heard Cordelia's anxious voice telling him, or the broody excuse for a vampire he sometimes became, that he should be careful of Rebecca, he grinned.

When she added that they were all on the way over, Angelus sat back in the big chair trying to make up his mind which one to drink first. He guessed it didn't matter too much, as long as the girl went last.

After that play, she deserved all the waiting she got.
 

*
 

'Well?'

Wesley shook his head.

'I don't know. Cordelia says he's not answering any calls, which doesn't look good. I suggest we head in via the office and we can pick up some supplies before heading downstairs.'

'Supplies?' asked Cordelia, 'What am I supposed to do? Take notes?'

'Er, Princess, I don't think he means that kind of supplies,' said Doyle as they mounted the stairs.

'Quite,' said Wesley, 'I think it might take a little more than your two-pencils-crucifix to deal with Angelus.'

Doyle looked at the item in question. True, it looked as effective as a wet flannel against a vampire, but it was more than he had. If Wesley hadn't been pulled over and cautioned for speeding, they would have arrived before Cordelia, instead of finding the girl pacing on the outer steps.

'Is everybody ready?' asked Wesley as they reached the door.

'Well yeah,' said Cordelia, 'About as ready as I'm ever going to be to take on my boss in demon form.'

He looked at her in confusion before pushing the door open.

'Switch the light on,' he said quietly.

Doyle tried it.

'Really not wanting to say this, man, but it's not working.'

'Great,' said Cordelia, 'This is where the heroine is dumb enough to forget to bring a flashlight too. You did bring one, right?'

There was silence for a minute before Doyle spoke up.

'No flashlight.'

'You didn't bring one?' exclaimed Cordelia. 'Oh great, now the bad guy takes us down one by one.'

Wesley shook his head and headed over to where he remembered the drawers being.

'You watch too many movies Cordelia. It puts ideas in your head.'

'Must have been watching the same movies,' said Doyle, 'Cause my head's full of ideas right now and not one of them includes a get out of here alive card.'

'We could get out necks bitten out and you're thinking about Monopoly?'

Doyle looked at her.

'Well it's better than thinking about my neck getting bitten out, although, Thanks, Now that's what I'm thinking about.'

'You know, I always imagined you had boring conversations without me, but I never knew they were this dull.'

They turned slowly to look at the dark figure with his feet up on the desk.

'Angel?' whispered Cordelia.

'Close,' grinned a cheery voice, 'But I wear better pants.'

'You sl