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How to Treat Your
Lover
by Tami
Chapter 38
Chapter 38-B: Step 2 – Estrangement (Part
5)
Sunnydale, Crawford Street Mansion
“You’ll what?” Spike asked. “Shag me to death and then be on your merry way? Oooh, I’m so scared.”
“Damn it, Spike --” Angel said before Spike cut him off by hanging up.
“That sounds like it went well,” Fred said as he put his phone into the small pouch clipped to his waistband.
“Hey Fred, how do you feel about dancing?” Spike asked out of the blue.
By the sound of it, his Sire was coming up to take Fred back where she didn’t want to go. The mansion would be the first place Angel would look and Spike didn’t want or need to see his mate right now. It seemed best to just put off the inevitable and not be here when he showed up.
“Dancing?” Fred repeated. She was confused by the request, but not turned off by it. In fact, it sounded exciting. After all she had been through, stuck in another dimension for five years. Before that, her studies were more important than a social life. Since she had been back, no one in L.A. offered to take her dancing. Did she even know how to dance? She couldn’t remember.
“Yeah, dancing,” Spike said. “Where you go to a club, get out on the floor and move around.”
“With other people?” She made an unpleasant face.
“Yes, with other people. You’ll be perfectly safe with me. I promise. Anyone so much as looks at you wrong and I’ll rip their throat out,” he assured her.
“But . . . um . . . Spike I don’t remember how to dance. I don’t even know if I ever did,” she said.
“Don’t worry, pet. Just stick with me and follow my lead,” Spike said confidently.
**************************
Sunnydale, the Bronze
Spike and Fred had been dancing for a while. Neither was troubled by any worries. Fred was laughing and having fun. He’d spun her around on the dance floor so many times that she collapsed against him, dizzy and giggling. Spike had fun just watching her face light up with excitement. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. He learned that the second he met her. He was so wrapped up in watching her that he didn’t care to notice that Buffy’s merry band of friends was watching them.
“Who’s that with Spike on the dance floor?” Xander asked as he watched the blonde vampire hold the smiling girl close.
Willow nearly gave herself whiplash as she turned around to look. “Spike can dance?”
“Is that Faith? Is she out of prison already?” Xander asked.
“I-I don’t think so,” Tara said uncertainly.
“Well, it’s good that Spike is happy and has a girlfriend. With the way he’s been skulking around watching Buffy, I was starting to get concerned,” Anya said. They all looked at her. “Okay so maybe not concerned, but he’s been acting weird.”
“If it’s not Faith, then who is it?” Xander asked and then scoffed, “What woman in their right mind would be with Spike? Look at the other women he’s been with: Drusilla and Harmony.”
“I’m sure Spike can get any woman he wanted to, Xander. With his looks, he can attract more than insane and crazy girls,” Anya said.
Xander frowned at his fiancée. “Whose side are you on, anyway? Is there like a Demons Unite Organization I don’t know about?”
When he got up and started to move through the crowd, Willow called out, “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to go save her before he kills her,” Xander said before disappearing in the mass of bodies.
Spike had his back turned and was dipping a laughing Fred over his arm with an exaggerated flourish. He gave her a sexy grin that could have melted the polar icecaps. As he pulled her upright, Xander grabbed his shoulder and yanked him around, causing Spike to nearly drop Fred on her ass.
“Oi!” Spike yelled, and then saw who it was. “What do you want, whelp?”
On the other side of the Bronze, the doors opened and Angel walked in brushing past a group of teenagers that passed by as they were leaving. He walked under the stairs to the edge of the dance floor and stopped to watch Spike and Fred dance. His expression turned to one of concern when Xander went up to Spike and pulled him around.
To Angel, Spike and Fred seemed to be enjoying themselves until Buffy’s white knight appeared. His boy always looked good when he moved, whether it was in battle or dancing. Spike carried a grace that was more inborn than learned. Angel never grew tired of watching his mate move. The concern came when Xander turned Spike around, causing him to nearly drop Fred.
On the dance floor, Spike kept his body between Fred and Xander. However, the boy paid no mind to Spike’s guardian stance. He reached around him, grabbing Fred’s arm and pulled her away from the vampire. She tried to free herself and go back to Spike, but Xander just tightened his grip.
“Let go of me!” Fred said apprehensively. She glared at the man holding her arm and glanced at Spike.
“Unhand her, Xander,” Spike said. He had always had nicknames for the boy, but messing with someone he considered to be family was a serious offense.
“I’m protecting her from you,” Xander said angrily.
“How do you know she needs help?” Spike asked as his brow furrowed in irritation.
“I don’t need protecting,” Fred said as she tried again to free herself.
Spike grabbed Fred’s other arm and yanked her to him, forcing her to collide into his chest. Xander pulled her back towards himself. Fred was beginning to feel like a rag doll.
“I don’t know who you are! Let me go!” Fred said in annoyance as she yanked herself free when Xander’s grip relaxed. She moved under Spike’s arm as he hugged her to him.
Willow watched the exchange, not sure if Xander was doing the right thing. His actions seemed to be misinterpreted. Feeling the need to defend Xander, she made her way over in time to hear Fred’s comment. “But sweetie, we know him,” Willow said, gesturing towards Spike. “He is dangerous!”
Fred looked at her, then back at Xander. She recognized the girl as the one who was at the hotel when they came back from Pylea. However, that didn’t placate her temper. “So you think you can just accost perfect strangers? I mean, I know Spike. He’s a gentleman.” That got a smirk from said vampire. “He’s a champion who always looks out for me.”
Xander looked aghast at Fred then turned to Willow. “I think he’s brainwashed her, Wills.” He glared at Spike. “Did you do some sort of spell on her, evil undead?”
“He’s not evil!” Fred said.
“Hey!” Spike said indignantly.
Fred gave him a small smile. “Okay, so he’s evil, but he’s not evil!”
“Speak for yourself,” Spike said, thumping his chest. “I’m the Big Bad.” He leaned closer and whispered, “Kind of need my reputation in Sunnydale, pet.”
Xander grabbed Fred again and yanked her to him. Spike’s eyes turned yellow, though his face didn’t change. Not only was this becoming tedious, but Xander was pissing him off. If the lackbrain hurt Fred, then he was in for a right and proper ass-kicking.
“Stop manhandling her like she’s your favorite toy, whelp,” Spike bit out. He yanked her back behind him and glared at Xander daring him to try it again.
“When you stop holding her hostage,” Xander shot back.
“I am no hostage,” Fred corrected. “Don’t call me a hostage and don’t touch me!” She narrowly escaped Xander’s grabby hands. “Who are you anyway? Leave me alone!”
Angel appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Xander’s outstretched hand in a crushing grip. “Touch her again, Xander and it will be the last thing you do. What do you think you’re doing with a valued member of my team anyway?”
Without warning and much to Spike and Angel’s surprise, Fred pulled back and punched Xander in the nose. He immediately reached for his sore nose as Fred harrumphed.
“Whoa girl, you really pack a punch,” Spike said impressed. He turned and glowered at Angel. “What are you doing here, ponce?”
“I came to take Fred home. What are you doing here?” Angel said.
“I live here remember. You saw to that!” Spike said irritably.
“I didn’t mean in Sunnydale, you insolent little – I meant in the Bronze,” Angel said heatedly.
“Showing Fred a good time,” Spike replied. He looked at Angel speculatively. “Did you go blind when you got hit over the head? What does it look like I’m doing?”
“So, showing Fred a good time means making yourselves conspicuous on the dance floor and allowing her to be manhandled by . . .that,” Angel said in disgust, pointing at Xander.
“Yeah, well, we were doing fine until the polky little puppy over there decided to be aggressive with her,” Spike said defensively. “You know what? I don’t have to tell you a soddin’ thing! You didn’t want me in L.A. and I don’t want you here!”
Angel was taken aback by Spike’s comment. “I didn’t want you in L.A.?” he asked incredulously. “Of course I want you in L.A.! Nothing has changed. We can still see each other.”
Spike looked at him as if he didn’t recognize him. “Is that right? Well, as you can see I’m kind of busy bonding,” Spike jabbed Xander in the gut so hard that the human doubled over, “with the Scoobies.”
Angel glared at his mate, hoping that Spike was only trying to push his buttons. There was no way his boy would be attracted to likes of Xander Harris. Please, whoever was watching . . . the Powers . . . anyone . . . Spike is not attracted to the human.
Fred looked accusingly at Angel with her hands on her hips. Spike found it cute that she was trying to stand up for him against his hulk of a Sire. Fred was a small petite girl with Angel nearly a foot taller than her and she was staring him down. It was a priceless image.
“I can’t believe you!” She was saying. “You sent Spike away from us to be with these people? He doesn’t fit in here. He should be with us, his friends, Angel.”
“Fred, I --” Angel started say and closed his mouth.
“Spike has friends?” Xander cut in.
Fred turned and scowled at the boy. “I don’t know who you are, but that won’t stop me from hitting you again if you say one more disparaging remark about Spike.”
Angel looked between Spike’s angry glare, Fred’s annoyed expression, and the Scoobies’ curious expressions. “Why am I always in the wrong here? Look, let us go back to the mansion. We need to talk,” he said pointedly at Spike and then looked at Fred, “And you need to go back and see your parents, Fred.”
“But, I don’t wanna . . . It would all be real then, if I saw them. It would no longer be a nightmare, a five year nightmare yes, but my parents? They’re real. You’re gonna take me back? ’Cause I will tell the others how they treat Spike here. Cordy is gonna be so mad!”
“Wait, Cordelia is one of Spike’s friends?” Xander asked perplexed. “How the hell did that happen?”
The two vampires and Fred ignored him as they were caught up in their own issue at the moment. The other Scoobies were riveted to the scene like watching a car wreck.
“So that is why you’re here, to force Fred back to L.A.?” Spike charged. “You forced me to be here and then just demand that Fred go back to L.A. Where the bloody hell do you get off, Angel?”
“I’m trying to do what is best,” Angel growled defensively. “As for Fred, she needs to see her parents. Confront whatever it is that made her come here and deal with it.”
“The hell you say,” Spike yelled. “You’re not doing what’s best. You’re moving us around like chess pieces, no matter what we want!”
“Damn it, Spike!” Angel growled and moved closer until he towered over the blonde vampire. “Why do you have to make this difficult?”
The question was a near whisper. Fred was sure she was the only one that heard it because she was stuck between them. She also felt things press against her abdomen that she knew she probably shouldn’t be feeling at all.
“Fine, I’ll make it easy,” Spike whispered. He stepped back and walked around Angel. “Sod off!” Yanking Fred behind him, he headed out of the Bronze. “Come on, Fred. I suddenly feel the need for fresh air.” As he walked away with Fred in tow, he grumbled, “Soddin’ prick thinks he can dictate everyone’s lives around him. He and the Slayer are exactly the same in that respect. The world revolves around them!”
“I heard that!” Angel yelled behind them.
“You were supposed to!” Spike yelled back over his shoulder. He cuddled Fred to his side as he walked out the door, teasing her, “I would rather be protecting you anyway.”
Angel watched Spike walk out of the Bronze with Fred and then heard the sound of Spike’s car roaring away.
Xander stepped up beside him and asked flippantly, “So this Fred girl is a pawn in your lover’s spat?”
Angel turned his head and frowned at Xander. “Shut up.”
“Look, I t-t-think we should let them sort it out for them-s-s-selves,” Tara said.
Angel clapped Xander on the back and then tightened his grip on Xander’s shoulder, causing him to wince. “Hey, what do you know, a Scoobie with some common sense?” Then addressed Xander, “You could learn a lot from her, mindless wonder.” With that, Angel walked away and left the group staring after him as he disappeared into the crowd.
“What do you think he’ll do?” Willow asked.
“With the way those two were acting, they’ll be in bed when he catches up with Spike,” Anya said nonchalantly.
“Oh my God, I so do not want to hear that. The images are frying my brain!” Xander protested as he shook his head.
**************************
Sunnydale, Crawford Street Mansion
Spike had taken Fred and sped back to the mansion. Whatever was going on, Angel better have a good reason for trying to take Fred back to L.A. after she had fled to Sunnydale to get away from . . . whatever it was with her parents. Spike had a general idea of what happened with Fred, but wanted to be sure.
Once Spike got her into the house, he set her down on the couch and crouched down in front of her. “Okay pet, ’S time to come clean. Why are you really here? Why did Angel follow you here?”
Tears formed in her eyes, glistening in the lamp light as they slowly fell down her cheeks. “You promised everything would be okay. But then you didn’t come back and they came for me. It’s all gone downhill since you left. Why did you leave? I thought you were happy with us?”
“I was, pet,” Spike assured her in a quiet brotherly voice. “I liked being around you. But there are times when things happen that are beyond our control. The Slayer came back and I had an obligation to her. Angel, great brooding pillock that he is, made her my obligation. Once she’s back to her old self, I was coming back to L.A.”
Fred hiccupped as more tears escaped her sad puppy dog eyes. “It’s my parents. They know I’m in L.A. and came looking for me.
Spike gave her a small genuine smile. “And that’s a problem how, pet?”
“They don’t know what happened to me,” Fred cried. “I haven’t been in touch with them for five years . . . How do I explain . . .?”
“Do they love you?” Spike asked.
“Of course,” Fred said as if it was something obvious that Spike should have known. “We were a close family.”
Spike reached up and wiped her tears away with his thumb. “Then, it won’t matter. They will be so happy to see you safe and well, they’ll just have the wonderful reunion and all that rot. Go back with Angel, pet. Let them know you’re okay at least. You’ll see.”
Fred reached out and caressed Spike’s cheek. Leaning closer, she brushed her lips softly over his. The move surprised him so much that he allowed it for several long seconds before pulling away.
“What was that for?” he asked in a husky voice.
“For being there and understanding,” she replied.
The moment was broken when the front door opened and slammed closed. Footsteps could be heard as someone stomped through the house.
Looking behind her warily, Fred said, “It sounds like a herd of stampeding bulls.”
Spike chuckled at her observation. “That would be Angel. Something has his knickers in a twist.”
Angel stormed into the living room already on a rant. “Okay, you little punk, we’re going to have this out right now. What the hell was that with Xander?”
Spike raised a brow at that as he stood up to confront his mate. “Fred’s having a crisis and you’re worried about monkey boy? How typical . . .”
“I mean, it’s Xander,” Angel cringed at the idea. “He’s not even a washed out imitation of me! Why would you touch him at all?”
“Would you forget about Xander!” Spike yelled over Angel’s tirade. “Fred needs to know what is happening in L.A with her parents.”
Angel was still going. “But Xander’s a fat, little mama’s boy. He wouldn’t know how to tie his shoes without Buffy there to supervise.”
Spike growled and moved closer to Angel. “I’m not with anyone you overgrown ape! Even if I was, it wouldn’t be Xander. Now focus on the task at hand!”
Angel’s eyes blazed with lust, for Spike, for blood, for the idea of killing Xander, for Spike even considering it. “I let you of my sight for a couple of days and already you are moving on . . . to Xander!”
Spike sighed irritably. “You really aren’t listening at all, are you?”
He pulled Fred up and held her close as she watched Angel’s reaction. She knew how much it hurt Angel when he sent Spike back. There must be something she could do for them both. Her thoughts were sidelined when she heard the next thing out of Spike’s mouth.
“Fred and I decided to get hitched. We’re going to Vegas,” Spike said casually.
“We did?” Fred asked confused. “We are?”
“Over my dusted body,” Angel hissed.
“Could be arranged, pouf,” Spike replied. Then, he goaded Angel with, “Talk about mixed signals! Angel, do you ever say, or act on, what you really want?”
“I explained what was going on, but you don’t accept it!” Angel snapped.
“‘Go back to Sunnydale after you’ve settled in L.A. with me’ doesn’t really help mate,” Spike shot back.
“What do you want from me?” Angel asked, exasperated as he moved closer to Spike.
“I want you to stop yanking me back and forth like a rubber ball,” Spike retorted.
His body betrayed him by immediately responding to his mate’s proximity. All he wanted to do was tear Angel’s clothes off and ease the pent up tension building in his groin. He didn’t care if Fred was there to watch. He took a deep breath to try to calm his body down. Blinking to see past the haze of lust, he caught the mirrored look in Angel’s eyes.
“Spike, I--”
“I could go to Vegas. Learn to play blackjack. Memorize four hundred and fifty-two consecutive digits of pi, a few hundred measly cards are easy,” Fred said, cutting Angel off. Both vampires looked at her.
“Oh no, you’re not,” Angel said.
“You’re going back to LA and confront your parents,” Spike added.
Angel looked at Spike with surprise. “Now you agree that she’s going back?”
“Yeah,” Spike said. “I didn’t know the whole thing before, did I?”
“Nine, ten, jack, queen, king,” Fred said to herself.
“Fred, stop it. You’re going back to L.A. with me,” Angel said.
“Not unless Spike goes back with us,” Fred pouted.
“He can’t go --” Angel started to say.
“Okay, pet, I’ll go back long enough for you to see your parents, but I can’t stay,” Spike said to placate her. He could never stomach a pouting female. Fred grinned.
**************************
Los Angeles, Hyperion Hotel
Angel pulled up into his normal parking space, got out and leaned on the car to wait for Spike. He had offered to take his car and drive back, but Spike wouldn’t agree to it. Instead, his mate would rather take his own car and Fred insisted on riding with him. It had only been a few days since they’d been separated and being in Spike’s presence again pulled at him. The mate claim tugged. Angel was embarrassed that Fred felt his reaction to Spike in the Bronze.
That train of thought brought Buffy to mind. Why wasn’t she there with the Scoobies? With everything that was going on between him and Spike and getting Fred back home where she belonged, he never thought to ask about Buffy. Maybe his priorities were shifting. Even so, she still needed help to re-acclimate to the world around her. Spike still needed to be there.
The thing with Xander still bothered him. What was the deal with that anyway? Spike said he wasn’t with anyone, but Angel knew what he saw when Xander looked at his boy. There was something there. Maybe it was Xander’s wishful thinking. Angel couldn’t see anything happening there, what with Xander's hatred of vampires and Spike’s hatred for Xander. There was a mutual hatred right? Maybe that was his wishful thinking.
A few months – even weeks – ago, they were happy. At least, he thought they were. Was Buffy returning the last straw? He was never good at relationships. Look at how the relationship with her ended and the relationship with Darla. Why did he think Spike would be different?
He always thought he was doing the right thing . . . always sure it was for the greater good, but what seemed to happen? He hurt himself and his partner as a result. He thought he was putting his own needs second, but was he doing that to his mate as well?
“Angel?”
. . .
“Angel!”
He refocused his eyes to see Fred standing in front of him.
“You looked like you spaced out,” she said.
Angel rubbed his palm over his face. “I’m fine.”
“Just brooding like normal,” Spike added.
Angel turned and looked at Spike. His gut clenched at the sight of the blonde standing there. His high cheekbones looked like razor blades in the moonlight. He wanted to reach out and run his finger over the edge to see if it sliced through. Two years of intimacy and they were estranged now. He had no right to touch Spike.
“Well, if you’re done, maybe we can get this show on the road. Wouldn’t want Buffy to feel neglected and all,” Spike said sarcastically.
“Spike . . .”
“Just drop it Angel. I know my place and how little what I want means,” Spike cut him off.
Angel frowned as he slid off the hood of his car and moved towards the door. It was time to get Fred back to her family. At least Spike had come back with them, but Angel suspected that was more for Fred than to be with him.
The furrow of his brow deepened when he heard Spike ask Fred, “So, luv, are you going to introduce me as your gorgeously seductive boyfriend?”
Fred blushed at that as Spike wrapped his arm around her shoulders and walked with her into the hotel. Angel followed, jaw ticking in frustration as he listened to Spike tease Fred. He must be in hell.
Angel wondered what he was doing to himself. First, there was the whole scene with Xander Harris – of all people – and now the flirting with Fred. Spike had to know the effect it was having on Angel. He really didn’t think he could take much more. But, if Spike was in Sunnydale and he was in L.A., how could he know what Spike was up to?
Trish’s cry of “Fred!” when he entered the hotel pulled Angel out of his thoughts.
“Mama? No! You’re not here,” Fred said, too fearful to believe that it was true.
“Fred, honey, it’s us!” Trish said again.
“No. You’re not them. You can’t be them, because they don’t know.” Fred shook her head and took a step back, plastering against Spike. He grabbed her shoulders for support and gave them a reassuring squeeze.
“Sweetie, it’s mom and dad,” Roger said.
“Fred, you knew this was coming,” Spike said near her ear. “They are right there. If they weren’t, I wouldn’t be able to see them.”
Fred turned and looked at Spike. “They can’t really be here. It’s a dream. If I wake up, maybe . . . maybe I’m still in Sunnydale waiting for you and I fell asleep. Maybe I didn’t leave at all and you being here is a dream?”
“Fred, stop. They’re here. I’m here. This isn’t a dream,” Spike said.
“Honey, don’t you remember us?” Trish asked, concerned that her daughter may have amnesia.
Spike smiled at the worried mother, so like his own. He shivered, not wanting his own memories to engulf him. He pulled Fred to him, curious to know she was denying her parents after all this time.
“Fred, luv, what is wrong? What does seeing your mom and dad mean?” Spike asked as he took her face in a gentle hand, lifting the frightened face to look at him. “Why are you so sure that everything is a dream?”
Fred looked at Spike. His concerned eyes made her feel weak, broke her defenses. “If they are really here and all of you are, then Pylea and the horrors there are too.” She turned to face her parents, starting to cry. “I was – I was, five years and so lost and, and at night I would . . . I was all by myself and you weren’t there!”
“Fred, I don’t understand,” Roger said apprehensively.
“I got lost. I got lost and they did terrible things to me, but – but it was just a storybook. It was just a story with monsters, not real.” She kept shaking her head, trying to deny that Pylea didn’t happen. “Not in the world but – but if you’re here and you see me then – then, it’s real! And it did happen! If you saw what they made of me . . . I – I didn’t mean to get so lost!”
Crying also, Trish cautiously stepped forward and took Fred’s face into her hands. “Oh honey, it doesn’t matter what they did to you.”
“Mommy,” Fred cried as Trish hugged her.
“Oh, we’re gonna make it all right,” Trish said soothingly.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I got so lost,” Fred repeated.
“It don’t matter,” Roger said as he moved closer to his wife and daughter. “You’re our little girl.”
“I missed you so much. I didn’t mean to . . .”
“Shh . . .” Trish soothed.
“Everything’s okay now. You’ll see. You’re safe now,” Roger said.
Fred pulled away when she saw the Durslar’s head on the edge of the reception desk. It had some pretty crystals stuck to its side.
“Where did that come from?” she asked as she wiped her eyes and walked over to it.
“Uh, I killed it in a sewer after tracking it from an ice cream shop,” Angel replied.
“I think Angel called it a Durslar beast,” Cordelia added.
Fred touched the crystals with her finger.
Trish shuddered. “I wish he hadn’t brought that thing out again. It gives me the willies.”
“Oh, don’t be silly Trish. It’s just a severed head,” Roger said casually.
Gunn picked the head up to move it out of Trish’s sight. “I got it. The lady is afraid of a papier-mâché head. Ha. Women!” He set it down on the other end of the reception desk, beside Angel.
“Uh, Gunn, you do know it’s not papier-mâché?” Angel asked humorously.
Gunn quickly took his hands off the head. “We still got that bleach in the bathroom?”
Angel nodded.
“Yeah, just don’t bleach too much. That Michael Jackson disease wouldn’t look too good on you,” Spike quipped as Gunn ran to the bathroom.
He, Angel, and Wesley watched the Burkles fuss over Fred when Angel commented, “I got to say this is not how I pictured this turning out.”
“Well, you always did try to see the worst in people,” Spike said.
“They look happy, don’t they?” Wesley asked.
“I told Fred they would be,” Spike said.
Fred walked over to them and leaned on the counter.
“How does it feel, Fred?” Wesley asked.
Fred looked squeamish. “Like my heart’s been put in one of those orange juice squeezers.”
“At least they brought you back to us,” Trish said.
“It’s what they do, mama. Angel’s the champion, Wesley’s the brains of the operation, Gunn’s the muscle, Cordy’s the heart, and Spike . . . Spike’s the one who’s there to look out for us!” Fred smiled. “You can look for Spike to have your back . . . even if he does like a verbal battle.”
“Hey, what did we say about my reputation, luv?” Spike asked resentfully. “You’re ruining my image here.”
“Fred lifted her hand to touch Spike’s cheek. “Your rep is good here, Spike.”
“You keep going on about how sweet you think I am, and the demons will think I’m as fluffy as Angel,” Spike grumbled.
“Oh, gawd forbid!” Wesley exclaimed, rolling his eyes.
“What’s wrong with my rep? I do the fighting! I do lots of fighting. I take down demons and vampires,” Angel said, indignantly.
Spike looked at him skeptically and said sarcastically, “You can’t be serious. Is that all you do?”
“And to think, we were wondering when to call the cops on a bunch of superheroes!” Roger boasted.
Angel ducked his head. “I’m not really a hero.”
“More like blood-sucking fiend,” Gunn commented.
“I don’t think he was talking about you,” Spike smirked. “Maybe he meant me. She did show up on my doorstep, after all.”
“I have a seer,” Angel said defensively, looking at Cordelia. “I help the helpless, save the hopeless . . .”
“And you are hopeless,” Spike added to which Angel glared at him.
“Frankly, Angel, I don’t care if you drink pig’s blood, cow’s blood, or those froofy, little imported beers. You saved my little girl,” Roger said.
Spike scoffed. “She runs to me and Angel gets props for saving her.”
Leaving Angel and Spike to bicker, Fred went back to her parents. She was used to the vampires squabbling and felt she needed to talk with her family. They went over and sat on the stairs to the back entrance for privacy.
“I want to go home now. I kind of feel that I don’t have anything to give here,” Fred admitted. “Maybe, despite disappearing to another dimension for five years, I might have a chance at a normal life, y’know?”
“Oh honey, that’s great,” Trish said happily. “Your father and I can help you with that. We’re so pleased you want to come home.”
“And as soon as the rent is up on your room in a month, you can have your old room back,” Roger said offhandedly.
Fred gaped at her father. “You rented out my room?”
Roger shrugged. “Well, honey, after the fourth year of not knowing what happened . . .”
A large figure burst through the door. It looked like an insect, but magnified to the nth degree and seemed very angry. It was in full attack mode as it charged at the group of people in its path. Angel and Spike jumped over the reception desk as Wesley went around it, heading for the weapons cabinet. The vampires tried their best to incapacitate it, but found themselves thrown to one side. The rest of the team stocked up on weapons.
Fred watched from the shadows where she sat with her family. She saw the Durslar’s head bubble and contort and had an idea of what was going on. She dodged one of the insect’s arms as she raced to the contraption she had made. Stomping on a lever, she released the battle axe. It sailed through the air and split the Durslar’s head open. Green goop spattered the wall and a bunch of little cockroaches crawled free of it.
The bug left the team alone and went to collect the head. It left the hotel with little bugs following after it.
Gunn watched the bug leave and looked down at the contraption. “So not a toaster?”
Angel looked surprised at Fred. “How did you . . .?”
“The crystals were its territorial marking. It must have laid its eggs in the Durslar’s head, which would explain the Durslar coming up out of the sewer, ’cause, I mean, wouldn’t you be a little crazy if you had eggs in your head? I know I would.” Fred explained. “That would have been fine, but you killed the Durslar and brought the head back. So, the bug had to track him down to get its babies back.”
“Brilliant deduction, Fred,” Wesley said impressed.
“Not to mention, that little axe gadget is tight,” Gunn said.
Fred laughed. “That was just a random thought I had. What if you had to do battle with your arms cut off? Sure, you’d hemorrhage to death pretty quick, but at least you could take your enemy with you!”
“Nice going, Fred,” Angel said.
“My little gadget girl,” Spike smirked.
“Aw, it was nothing,” Fred said, waving the compliments away. “Just a stunning revelation of my true path in life, that’s all.”
“Come again?” Roger asked.
“I can’t go home. I’m not normal anymore. I miss you both so bad. But, I belong here,” Fred said. Her self-consciousness got the better of her and she turned to the team. “Unless, I don’t. Which if – if y’all don’t want me . . .”
“Let’s put it to a vote,” Wesley suggested. “All in favor say aye. Aye! Motion passed? Good. You’re staying.”
Fred smiled at him then addressed her parents. “Mama. Daddy. This is my life now.”
“We were hoping you wouldn’t figure that out,” Trish laughed through tears.
“Of course we’d have to stick around for another couple of weeks,” Roger said thoughtfully.
“Daddy!” Fred smiled.
Spike saw the happy reunion. He had promised Fred that he’d stay for as long as it took to settle with her parents. Now that she had and was part of the team, he figured it was time to go back to Sunnydale. While Fred was occupied with hugging her parents goodbye Spike slipped out the back and headed for the car.
Angel caught up with him just as he opened the car door to get in.
“Spike,” Angel called out as he moved closer. Spike stopped and waited. “Thanks . . . for Fred. I didn’t ask you to do that, but you did and . . . thanks.”
“Don’t need your thanks,” Spike said irritably. “Did it for Fred, not you.”
“Right,” Angel agreed sadly. “For Fred.”
“What, you don’t believe me?” Spike asked incredulously. “Oh yeah! Everything has to be about Angel, doesn’t it?” His grip tightened on the car door as he became angrier. “Well, Newsflash: No it doesn’t. Other people matter too. Like Fred.”
“I know. I had just hoped a small part of it was . . .” Angel trailed off. He squared his shoulders and sighed, “Never mind, I know you have to get back. I’ll just . . .”
Spike nodded once. “Right, never mind. Okay, so I’m going back to Sunnydale to watch over your ‘first love’.”
Angel growled at the reminder of what he assigned for Spike. “It’s not like that damn it.”
“Oh, really?” Spike bit out as he leaned on the door. “So, you gave me that time of being happy with you and the rest of the team because it was what, convenient?” The sarcasm Spike used to mask the pain he felt, chafed Angel’s nerves. “So, it’s not like that, huh? I was happy! I finally started feeling like I meant something. After you just disappeared to some other dimension, with no word or explanation . . . I got nothing, Angel. Then, when you found out Buffy was back, you banished me again!”
“You’re not banished!” Angel yelled over Spike’s rant. “The hotel is as much your home as mine. But, Buffy needs help until she feels like herself again.” He looked out at the gardens, saying softly, “Crawling out of your own grave is a bit disorienting.”
“Yeah, ’cause we would understand, being vampires?” Spike shot back angrily. “I don’t think so. I really don’t think being ‘welcomed’ as part of a vampire family is what Buffy has gone through.”
“I’m trying to do what’s best for all involved,” Angel said defensively. “Would you rather she flounder and get herself or her friends killed? Being soulless, that may not matter to you. But, knowing that I could have stopped it from happening somehow . . . My soul couldn’t take that.”
“So, I’m the one sent to Sunnydale to protect people who hate me because your soul couldn’t take it. Thanks mate!” With that, Spike got behind the wheel, shut the door and started the car.
“Spike . . .” Angel called out.
Spike waved out the window as he drove away, leaving his Sire to stare at his taillights.
Angel sighed dejectedly and dragged his feet as he walked back into the hotel. How had it all gone so badly? Did Spike care nothing about him anymore? Was there nothing left?
Cordelia looked up to see a forlorn Angel walk back into the happy atmosphere everyone else was enjoying. Fred had her parents back and wasn’t leaving. Wesley was overjoyed. Gunn was ecstatic, still playing with the axe-throwing gadget Fred had made.
Cordelia went over just as Angel shuffled down the steps. “Where’s Spike?”
“He went back to Sunnydale,” Angel replied as he sat down heavily on the stairs.
Cordelia sat beside him. “Why? I don’t understand. Surely he would stay here longer with us.”
“Buffy needs him,” Angel said. When Cordelia gave him a skeptical look, he sighed again. “Don’t ask me to explain.”
Roger walked up to Angel and asked, “What is it about you and this Spike guy? You two not gettin’ on?”
“It’s just . . .” Angel started to explain and then shook his head. “You wouldn’t understand.”
Roger nodded. “I understand that no matter how hard you try, you have to let loved ones do their own thing. Even if it turns out bad, you just have to wait and be there to support them.”
“It isn’t like that,” Fred said as she moved closer. “See, Angel sent Spike away to help someone Angel used to care about. Spike thinks he cares about her more than him.”
“So, why would you send him away?” Trish asked.
Angel looked at his feet forlornly. “This girl, she’s important. Not to me, not anymore. But, she has stuff she has to protect . . .” he sighed, “Oh, you wouldn’t understand.”
“Well, we can’t unless you tell us more,” Roger said matter-of-factly.
“I really don’t think I can,” Angel replied, feeling miserable. “I totally messed up. Buffy hates me for not supporting her more. Spike hates me for sending him away. I don’t think anyone understands me, and I . . . I can’t explain myself. I’m not sure of what I’m doing. Everything seems to be slipping away from me. I need time to think.”
Wesley looked around at the assembled team and Fred’s parents. “I think we need to give Angel space to work this out. He has been busy and hasn’t had time to really see what is going on,” he said with the English stiff upper lip that Gunn was beginning to hate.
“No, Wesley,” Cordelia disagreed. “He needs to talk! That’s the problem, he keeps everything inside. We can help him work it out.”
“Angel is over two hundred years old, Cordelia. Talking to Dr. Phil is not an option!” Wesley countered.
“Hey, I’m Cordelia Chase! I can make him talk!” she said.
**************************
Angel, Wesley, Gunn and Fred had paint rollers in their hands and were painting over the walls in Fred’s room. Roger and Trish had paintbrushes touching up the wood pane.
“Now,Fred smi Spiro Agnew, I know he was . . .” Roger started to say.
“A Grathnar demon,” Angel finished. “You knew that? I thought I was the only one that knew that.”
“What else would he be but a demon?” Roger shrugged.
Wesley and Gunn were bickering over the best way to paint a wall: Wesley voting for vertical, Gunn on the side of horizontal when Cordelia walked in with two pizza boxes.
“Did someone order pizza?” she asked no one in particular. She looked over at Angel. “I told you this was the best therapy. The paint fumes will clear your head . . .”
“I don’t breathe,” Angel reminded her.
“Figuratively speaking,” she added.
led at Angel and then looked at the line drawing of two people on top of a horse. She lifted her roller and painted over it. She loved Angel dearly, but the daydreams were over. Whether he or Spike wanted to admit it or not, they belonged to each other. She would do anything to see them together again.
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