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How to Treat Your
Lover
by Tami
Chapter 40
Chapter 40-B: Step 3 – Estrangement (Part
7)
Los Angeles, Hyperion Hotel
Angel looked out the windows at the graying sky. Dawn was fast approaching. He’d been up in his room since Wesley took over researching the scrolls. He remembered a time when he did his own research, but Wesley was a former Watcher. All they were taught to do was research and record the lives of Slayers. It left Angel with nothing to do but sit and wait . . . and brood.
His thoughts often drifted to Spike when he was left too long to think. Why had he sent Spike back with Buffy? It wasn’t like she couldn’t take care of herself. She was still a Slayer. When she was alive before, Spike spent more time with him than in Sunnydale and she had been fine by herself. In fact, the only reason he sent Spike back before Buffy’s death was to keep Darla away from Lindsey.
Now, Spike was so upset with him that the link between them was dimmed. All he could feel was a Sire’s blood-link. Spike had shut him out of his mind. If Angel tried to slip in, he’d sense the familiar warmth of his mate enveloping him similar to entering a cocoon, but then he’d hit a brick wall.
He wondered how Cordelia was coping with being in Sunnydale again, if Spike was looking after her, if she was getting the rest she needed. The visions were getting worse. Angel could tell. He had noticed before, but since Cordelia hadn’t said anything he hadn’t either. The last vision really did a number on her. He hoped she was okay.
A knock on his bedroom door brought Angel out of his thoughts and he moved away from the window. As if cued, the sun peeked over the horizon just as Angel retreated to the shadows.
“Come in,” Angel said as he sat in his favorite wingback chair. Gunn walked in followed by Wesley, Fred and Lorne.
“Sorry to intrude,” Wesley said in greeting. “We had a bit of a breakthrough with the Nyazian Scroll translation. I thought you should know.”
Wesley was about to go on when Fred broke in with her rambling speech. “It turns out that some of the irregular verbs Wes was using were problematic when converted to Ga-shundi because of the Nyazian trick of converting both nouns and verbs which he discovered by . . .” Angel was completely lost and had momentarily forgotten why they were even standing in his suite. Fred ducked her head sheepishly, “Sorry. I’ll shut up now so he can tell you what he figured out.”
“Right,” Wesley nodded and turned to an expectant vampire. “The Tro-clan isn’t a person or persons, but a confluence of events.”
“It means that it not only involves you and us, but other horrible things we don’t know about,” Gunn added.
“That’s good . . . right?” Angel asked unsure of what he was hearing.
“Not necessarily,” Wesley stammered. “There are a few Nyazian phrases related specifically to something being born or arising that I haven’t been able to complete.”
Angel slumped in his chair with a tired sigh as he rubbed his eyes. “It’s important that you do.”
“It would really help if we had a couple extra eyes researching, Angel, like say an adorable vision girl or a person with knowledge in other languages,” Lorne hedged.
“No, Spike is busy doing something else. Besides, he doesn’t know Ge-shundi,” Angel stated.
“Ga-shundi,” Wesley corrected, “And it’s not like Buffy can’t take of herself for a while. We could really use the help here.”
“Look, maybe with Spike here and constantly around, you two can work out your problems,” Fred suggested.
Angel’s head hit the back of the chair. He pulled himself to his feet. “Spike won’t talk to me with the telepathic link we developed. What makes you think he’ll want to come down here in the guise of helping with research to talk to me now?”
“It’s not a guise, Angel. He will be here helping with research. As a by-product, you two will be able to sort out whatever strange issues vampires have,” Wesley said.
Angel gave him a weird look. “We don’t have strange vampire issues. We just hit a rough patch in the relationship. We’ll get over it sooner or later.”
“I think I speak for all of us when I suggest that it should be sooner,” Gunn said. When Angel’s eyes narrowed on him, he explained, “I’d just like to know your head was back in the game and not so distracted with whatever’s going on with Spike. We don’t know what this Tro-clan is. Does it have teeth? Can we chop of its head? Does it even have a head? See, these are the things we should be worried about, not whether you’re going to sit up here and brood over why Spike’s pissed at you, man. ’Cause chances are he is, and I think you should both get over it for all involved.”
Wesley nodded in agreement. “Gunn is right, Angel. We have a situation on our hands right now that needs attention. You being distracted is not helping.”
“I’m not distracted,” Angel said in an aggravated tone. “I just have a lot on my mind.” He gestured towards Wesley’s files, “Like this Tro-clan we have to do more research on.”
“Angel, if we could just get Spi --” Fred started to say.
“No,” Angel cut her off.
“ . . . O-or Cordy,” Fred faltered as she looked around guiltily.
Gunn stepped up, partially shielding Fred from Angel’s brusque tone. “Yo man, listen, we get the threat dealt with and then worry about getting the rest of the crew together. They should be safe enough where they are.”
“They are on the Hellmouth. How safe is that?” Angel asked wryly.
Lorne tilted his head, pondering the possibilities, “Let’s see, Spike, who’s a vampire, and Cordy, who was human the last time I saw her, on the Hellmouth with a Vampire Slayer? I don’t see anything wrong with that. Do you?”
Fred looked from Lorne to Gunn to Wesley and finally at Angel. “If it’s not safe, then why did you send Cordelia and Darla there to recuperate?”
“Because it’s safer than being here,” Angel replied with a tired sigh. “The Slayer and Spike are both there, with Buffy’s group of friends. I knew what I was doing.” His voice trailed off as if he wasn’t so sure anymore about his decisions.
“Sometimes I seriously doubt that,” Wesley said to himself.
Angel turned on Wesley with a glare. “You got something to say, Wes?”
Wesley cleared his throat as he summed up the courage to speak his mind. “Yes Angel. We are sitting around discussing your relationships rather than tackling the demons we should be fighting. It’s a waste of time.”
“I never gave any indication for you to discuss my personal life. You came in here and did that on your own,” Angel shot back.
“That is because we have a situation on our hands, and you are distracted, Angel,” Wesley said defensively.
“Angel,” Fred said plaintively.
“Fine,” Angel sighed. “I’ll think about bringing Cordy back here. For now, we need to find out what this Tro-clan thing is before it manifests in our reality.”
**************************
Under a Busy Section of Los Angeles, Night
Holtz paced in front of the bank of television sets that Sahjhan had set up for him. He turned towards the sound of a grate sliding open. Sahjhan stepped inside and the grate slid closed again.
“You’ve kept me here long enough. Where are they?” Holtz demanded.
“It’s not that simple,” Sahjhan started to say.
“I’m tired of waiting!” Holtz yelled, his voice echoing in the cavernous room. He reached out to grab the demon, but his hands passed right through the body. He pulled his hand back and looked from his very real hand to the ghost of the demon. Was it a ghost if you could see him clearly but not touch him?
“Like I said,” Sahjhan said deprecatingly, “It’s not that simple. Do you think I’d go to all this trouble of transporting you two and a half centuries into the future if I could walk up to Angelus and stake him myself? Please! There are rules and timetables and forces a work far greater than either of us. Boy, you vengeful types aren’t real good at playing with others are you?”
Sahjhan passed his hands along the sides of his head and his face turned into that of a human. When Holtz gave him an odd look, he said, “It’s my street face.” He tossed a coat at the vampire hunter, “Now put that on. I’ve lined up some men to help us.”
**************************
Sunnydale, Crawford Street Mansion
Cordelia woke up in a strange bed in a strange room. She blinked away the sleep. It was still dark. The room was chilly, as the fire in the hearth had died down to a small flames licking at the logs. She wondered how anyone could live in drafty, old mansions. She grew up in a mansion, sure, but that had central heating and air conditioning.
She rubbed the blurriness out of her eyes and looked at the clock that Spike had put by the bed for her. 4:00 a.m. Damn, she figured it’d be later than that. The run-in with Buffy, a late dinner, and Spike letting off steam concerning Angel seemed like yesterday, not just a few hours ago.
Cordelia crawled out of bed, slipped her robe on and tiptoed out of her room. Though, she didn’t know why. It wasn’t like she was going to bother Spike. He probably went out already and was doing whatever it is reined-in vampires do. She went into the kitchen and made herself a cup of tea.
She had just put it in the microwave and started it when a blinding flash slammed into her. The force of it slammed her into the island next to the stove. She cried out as her lower back hit the edge of the island. She collapsed on the floor and curled in on herself when the next flash of the vision hit her. After a moment, the vision had eased enough that she started crawling towards the other side of the kitchen to the extra long cord attached to the phone on the wall.
Spike ran into the room from another part of the house when she cried out again as another scene of the vision hit her, impeding her progress towards the phone. Spike dropped to his knees and skidded over to her. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled
her up against his chest. She buried her face against his skin, her outcry muffled by his body as another scene of the vision ripped through her.
“Cordy, shh, come on girl,” Spike said as he held onto her shuddering form. She clutched at him, digging her nails into his skin as she bore through the pain. When the vision finally ended, he heard her sob and felt the tears wet his shirt.
Spike ran his fingers through her hair, combing it back from her face. “Cordy, is it over?” All he got was a nod from her. “Think we better call Angel and tell him.”
“No! Don’t!” Cordelia said quickly thinking that he was going to call Angel and tell him about the spasm attack that had hijacked her central nervous system
“We have to or he won’t know what to fight,” Spike replied.
“Oh. Okay,” Cordelia said with a sense of relief.
“What did you think I meant?” Spike asked with a raised brow.
“Nothing,” she shook her head against him.
“Come on, pet. Let’s get you off the floor and on the couch. Then, I’ll call Angel for you to tell him what you saw,” Spike said as he started to help her to her feet.
“I was making a mug of tea. It’s in the microwave,” Cordelia said as she rubbed her aching forehead.
“I’ll get it after you’re settled,” Spike acknowledged as he led her over to the couch in front of the TV.
Once she was comfortable he went to the kitchen to retrieve the mug. He handed her the cup as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Angel’s number. Without waiting for an answer, he handed it to her.
Cordelia put the phone to her ear just as Angel answered, “Hey Spike, what is it?”
“Angel?”
“Cordy? Are you okay?”
“I had another vision,” she replied tiredly.
“What’d you see?” Angel asked, concern lacing his words.
“A vampire cult on 8700 Beverly Boulevard, near the hospital,” Cordelia said. “They’re going to feed on the patients there.”
“Okay, okay, we’ll take care of it. Can you put Spike on?”
Cordelia handed the phone to Spike. “He wants to talk to you.”
Spike’s brows furrowed in confusion as if he didn’t recognize the small device. He took it from her and watched her curl up on the couch in a fetal position, silent tears tracking down her face.
“Hey pounce, what do you want?” Spike said in greeting.
“How bad was the vision?” Angel asked gruffly, “The truth, Spike.”
“Could be worse, pillock, you could be here aggravating the hell out of me,” Spike sneered.
“It’s bad isn’t it? Is she in a lot of pain?” Angel inquired. He knew part of Spike’s attitude was to cover up his answer because Cordelia was right there next to him. But, the other part was because Spike was still upset with him.
“Nothing a few pain killers and a cuppa wouldn’t cure. She’ll be fine,” Spike replied.
“Take care of her, Spike,” Angel said.
Spike’s eyes narrowed at that command. “What the bloody hell do I look like a multi-tasking slave? ‘Watch after Buffy’, ‘Watch after Cordy’. I can’t be two places at once, damn it. Bloody well pick one, you discontented sod.”
“Damn it, Spike!” Angel growled in aggravation.
“Go fuck yourself, Angel!” Spike said angrily and snapped the phone shut.
“Sounds like that went well,” Cordelia commented dryly. “Good to see you two working out your issues.”
“Must be feeling better luv, thought you were in too much pain to notice us,” Spike smirked, his mood suddenly changing.
“Kind of hard not to notice when you’re in the same room yelling into a phone,” Cordelia said and then let out a painful groan as she shifted to a more comfortable position. “Why are you doing this anyway?”
“Doing what?” Spike asked with a raised brow.
“Being nice to me,” Cordelia clarified.
“Look sweetheart, not your fault you are getting these visions. You need help. It’s not your fault that you have come to Sunnydale to get it,” Spike said as he sat down next to her on the couch, “Seems it all evolves round Angel, as usual.”
“He does care about you, you know? He’s just being a pig-headed brute about it,” Cordelia said softly.
“Anymore name-calling from either of us and the poor bastard will think we don’t like him,” Spike teased.
Cordelia scoffed at that. “Sure, Spike. I get that vampires have enhanced senses and all, but I don’t think his hearing stretched all the way to Sunnydale.”
“It’s a good thing I’ve blocked him out of my mind then, pet,” Spike commented with a quirk at the corner of his lips.
“Oh that,” Cordelia shrugged. “He should be too busy going after the nasties in my vision. At least he better be for all I have to put up with to have these visions.”
“I’m sure he’s getting right on that,” Spike nodded. “Being the real taskmaster that he is, Gunn and Wes are fighting them as we speak.”
**************************
Los Angeles, Hyperion Hotel
Angel hung up the phone and looked up to see Fred, Gunn, Wesley and Lorne stare at him with accusing glares.
“What?” he asked innocently.
“What did you just tell him?” Fred demanded.
“I only told him to be sure she was o--” Angel started to say.
“He’s a vampire, Angel, and your mate,” Fred pointed out angrily. “He’s not a glorified babysitter.”
“I want her safe,” Angel said defensively.
“Which one: Cordy, or the Slayer?” Gunn asked.
“Cordelia!” Angel replied.
“Then, why is Spike up there with Buffy?” Wesley asked.
“Because . . .” Angel started to say, then clammed up. “You know what?” He said walking towards the weapons cabinet and opening it to hand out weapons. “Let’s leave my personal life alone for a while and deal with Cordelia’s vision.”
“Cordy had a vision? Of what?” Wesley asked concerned, Angel’s personal life momentarily forgotten in the face of impending danger.
“There’s a vampire cult at or near the hospital,” Angel explained as he headed towards the door. “Anyone else coming with me or do you want to stand around and gossip like a bunch of hens.”
“And on that note, I think I’ll be going back to my club to see how construction is coming along,” Lorne said walking out the door with them as Angel led the way to the car.
**************************
Los Angeles, Saint Matthews Hospital
Angel, Wesley, Gunn and Fred dashed inside the building and rushed down the hallway. People glanced up and saw them rush by as they ran down the corridors until they came to the maternity ward. They skidded to a halt when they saw a group of twenty vampires cooing at the babies on the other side of the glass.
“Okay, now that’s just weird,” Fred, commented on a sight that she never thought she’d see in a million years. But then, she never thought she’d be sucked through a portal into Pylea either.
Sensing humans nearby, the group of vampires turned towards the team en masse and growled.
Fred cringed at the lecherous looks she was given. “Uh-oh, this doesn’t look good, does it?”
“Gunn, you and I can hold them off as long as we can. Wesley get Fred to the car,” Angel said, instinctively ordering his team around.
“Excuse me, who put you back in charge of this team?” Gunn asked.
“I can fight my own battles, Angel. I survived in a hell dimension for five years. I think I can take on a few vampires,” Fred said resolutely.
Angel turned around to address them. “Look, it would safer for all of --”
“Would put a lid on that Papa Bear crap and let us help you for God’s sake,” Wesley said.
“Uh, guys,” Fred, said as she watched the group of vampires move closer while the boys were arguing.
“Look, it’s my team no matter who runs the show. Right now, that’s me, and if I say get the hell out of here for your own good, you do it,” Angel argued.
“Guys! Look!” Fred yelled, pointing her finger in the direction of the advancing cult.
Angel and Gunn turned away from their argument to see that the vampire cult had gotten too close for comfort. They backed up slowly taking Fred with them.
“I think we should . . . run,” Angel suggested as he grabbed her wrist and dragged her along with him.
They rounded the corner with Wesley and Gunn at their skidding heels. They dodged past a few orderlies shouting at them to get out of the way and a patient on a gurney. They ran down the corridor with the cult in hot pursuit until they reached a dead end in the form of a classroom.
“What is this?” Angel asked as he glanced around.
“It’s a teaching hospital. This is a classroom,” Wesley replied.
“Here they come,” Gunn said as he joined them.
The foursome dropped into fighting stance and waited for the vampire cult to arrive.
“Charles, do you have an extra stake I could borrow?” Fred asked quietly.
Gunn pulled out a stake and handed it to her, “This okay?”
“Perfect,” she said as she held the stake at the ready.
“On my count of three,” Angel said, “One, two . . . three!”
Just then, the doors burst open and the vampire cult rushed into the room. Each member staked a vampire as they ran forward. Then, the fight was on. Angel punched his second vampire and tossed him across the room where he hit the wall and slid to the ground. Fred missed staking her second vampire and ended up running out of the room with the vampire in pursuit. Gunn staked one vampire and sucker-punched another one. Wesley was holding his own in fighting two vampires. A minute later, Fred ran by the windows of the double doors in the opposite direction with the vampire still chasing her.
Gunn staked two more vampires before he looked around to see Fred missing. “What happened to Fred?”
“I don’t know,” Angel, yelled in the middle of being slammed on top of a table and punched. He returned the favor and struck back with his fist, knocking his opponent back and sprang off the table. A stake appeared in his hand and the vampire was dust a second later.
Outside in the hallway, Fred ran passed a fire exit. She skidded to a halt, doubled back and used it. The vampire saw her leave through the door and chased after her. When he pushed the door open to follow her, Fred gripped the stairwell railing for support and kicked the out-swinging door into the vampire’s face, knocking him backwards into the building. Landing on her feet, she clutched her stake in a death grip and ran inside before the door could shut on her. While the vampire was still dazed from being hit with a solid, metal door, Fred staked him.
Back inside the room, Wesley yelled, “Everybody out!”
The team started moving towards the door and began to file out, staking vampires along the way. Angel was the last to leave, dusting one last vampire with a broomstick before following the others. They met Fred in the hallway waving dust away from her face.
“What happened to you?” Gunn asked.
“Killed one with my survival skills,” Fred replied.
“We better get out of here before we have to fight anymore,” Wesley suggested as they headed for the normal exit doors. “There’s about a dozen more back there.”
**************************
Los Angeles Freeway
“I think we lost them,” Gunn announced as he looked out over the back of Angel’s car as it sped down the road.
“Anybody hurt?” Angel asked in general.
“Nothing a couple of band-aids and a pint of Cookie Dough-Fudge Mint-Chip can’t fix,” Fred said from the backseat.
“I’m good,” Wesley announced from the passenger seat.
“Where are we going?” Fred asked.
“Somewhere safe,” Angel replied.
“Where’s safe?” Wesley asked. “The hotel’s definitely out.”
“How about if we go . . .” Gunn started to suggest.
“Vegas?” Angel finished. “Sorry, Gunn, too high profile. But, I agree we need to get out of dodge.”
“Well, actually,” Wesley started to say.
“I hate when you say that!” Gunn said.
“It’s just that we still have to figure out what the Tro-clan is and the only way to find that out is the scrolls back at the hotel,” Wesley explained.
“Fine, a quick stop,” Angel conceded. He turned the convertible into a dark alley and stopped.
“Why are we stopping here?” Fred asked.
“It’s only a couple of blocks to the hotel. Fred and I will go the rest of the way on foot,” Angel said. He and Fred got out of the car and Gunn and Wesley took their places. Fred stood next to Angel as he asked, “Where are the scrolls?”
“In the cabinet back in the office,” Wesley replied.
“Gunn take Wesley to Lorne’s. We’ll all meet there. But, we need Cordelia too. I don’t want the team scattered like it is,” Angel said.
“First, she was safer up there and now you want her back here?” Wesley asked incredulously.
“Maybe we should get Spike too?” Gunn suggested.
“Spike has enough on his hands dealing with Buffy,” Angel said by way of explanation.
“Angel, do you have any idea what you’re doing?” Wesley asked.
“No, Wesley. I don’t know what I’m doing,” Angel ranted. “A majority of my time is spent dealing with Wolfram & Hart while they play with my life. I’m trying to keep my head above water, make amends for every evil deed I committed when I was soulless. And, oh yeah, my mate hates my guts right now and wants nothing to do with me. So no, Wes, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing!”
“Angel, man, calm down,” Gunn said with a placating gesture.
The dark vampire rubbed his temples, heaving a tired sigh. “Look, it’s been a long night. Just do what I ask. We’ll meet at Lorne’s.”
Angel walked away. Fred looked between his retreating back and Gunn and Wesley before she followed him to the hotel.
**************************
Los Angeles, Hyperion Hotel
Angel ran along the corridor of a hallway while holding Fred’s hand. He galloped down the stairs and directed Fred to Wesley’s office. “Go get the scrolls. I’m going to get some blood.” They split off and Angel went to the kitchen. He returned with a couple of bags of blood, his mind on future plans.
“Angelus,” Holtz greeted.
Angel dropped the bags when he heard a voice he thought he’d never hear again. He looked up and saw Daniel Holtz, the vampire hunter who chased him and Darla through Europe. The same vampire hunter whose family he and Darla slaughtered . . . in the seventeenth century. Angel was at a loss to explain how a seventeenth century hunter could be standing in front of him in his hotel lobby.
“I’ve been looking for you,” Holtz said.
“Holtz. My God,” Angel said softly, awestruck at the sight before him.
“You have no God, demon,” Holtz said menacingly.
“The Tro-clan,” Angel realized. “The prophecy: ‘raised up from darkness to bring darkness’. That’s you. Holtz, whatever brought you here . . .”
A few of Holtz’s henchmen stood up and caught Angel’s wrists and neck in a metal device similar to a guillotine, holding him fast.
“You did,” Holtz said. “You and your demon bitch. For two hundred years I slept. For two hundred years. I dreamt of nothing,” He moved closer and put a sword against Angel’s throat, “But this moment.”
“Which would explain why you look so well-rested,” Angel commented dryly.
Holtz pulled the sword back, “You haven’t changed.”
“Actually, I have,” Angel countered. “While you were sleeping a lot changed.”
“Really?” Holtz asked with an air of interest. He threw a small vial of holy water in Angel’s face. His features shifted to his demon for a split second and then back to his human visage.
“Somehow things seem the same to me,” Holtz stated.
“You’re wrong,” Angel choked.
Holtz put the tip of Angel’s own sword against his neck again. “I will have justice.”
“No,” Angel said. “I don’t think you will. There is no justice for the things I did to you.”
“You didn’t do them to me,” Holtz said simply. “And you didn’t do them alone.” He turned away and addressed his other henchmen, “Find the female. If he’s here, Darla can’t be far.” He turned back to the vampire, “Or are you going to tell me that’s changed too?”
Angel was held motionless by the metal guillotine while Holtz admired his sword. That didn’t stop him from breaking the news to Holtz. “Darla’s dead. She’s been gone for a year now. You’re still human. How’d you manage that?”
Holtz put the sword back into the weapons cabinet. “Darla, how did she die?”
“An evil law firm brought her back as a dying human,” Angel replied as best he could under the constrictive circumstances.
“Hmm, so the question becomes: now that I have you, what’s the best way to kill you?” Holtz mused.
“Only dark magic’s could have brought you this far,” Angel said.
“You know, she was always the tricky one, not you. Darla was the unpredictable one,” Holtz told him as if he were letting Angel in on a little secret.
“Was it a demon or something else?” Angel asked. “Did something come to you or did you seek it out? What did you have to give up for this second chance?”
“Give up?” Holtz turned to face the vampire. “I had nothing to give up. You saw to that.”
“It’s true that we took a lot from you,” Angel conceded, “But we didn’t get everything, we couldn’t take your soul.”
Holtz raised a brow in surprise. “What do you know of a soul?”
“I know yours will be destroyed if you allow yourself to be used in the service of evil,” Angel replied. “You’re a good man, Holtz. A righteous man, and you’re being used for some purpose other than justice.”
“Could it be that you really have changed? I don’t remember you ever pleading so cravenly before,” Holtz said.
“And I remember you used to work with men. Grappler demons, I mean really?” Angel taunted.
Holtz hit Angel across the face with a backhanded slap. “Are you still concerned about my soul, Angelus, my vampire priest?”
The door opened and a Grappler demon walked in. Holtz excused himself and walked over to demon. Upon hearing his report, Holtz turned to look at Angelus. “You found someone? Bring her here.”
Angel watched the door with a sense of apprehension. He hadn’t seen Fred since she went to retrieve Wesley’s notes on the Tro-clan. He hoped she had sense enough to hide or get out and go to Lorne’s for protection. He let out a breath of relief when he saw that it was Lilah.
“Lilah?” Angel said, “Now’s not a good time, I can only handle a pound of my flesh being removed by one person at a time.”
“This isn’t her,” Holtz sounded disgusted. He walked over and threw holy water in Lilah’s face. “She’s not even a vampire.”
“No, I’m an attorney,” Lilah said, wiping her face dry.
“Why are you here, Lilah?” Angel asked.
She sized him up in the vise he was in and addressed Holtz, “Look, if I’d known you were torturing him, I wouldn’t have interrupted. Please continue. I’ll wait until you’re finished.”
“When I’m finished, he’ll be dead,” Holtz said resolutely.
“Really?” Lilah asked intrigued.
“You say you’re an attorney,” Holtz said. “You deal in man’s laws, I deal in God’s.”
“Ah, right,” Lilah nodded, “A good guy.”
“Do you know what he is?” Holtz asked, gesturing towards Angel.
Angel wasn’t too happy to see his two mortal enemies discussing anything concerning him. What was that old saying? The enemy of my enemy is my friend?
“Yeah, I know,” Lilah said and then recited, “Vampire, cursed by Gypsies who restored his soul, destined to atone for evil, wacky sidekicks, yada, yada. I’d have him killed myself, except the people I work for have this policy.”
“Hem,” Holtz acknowledged. He turned back to Angel, “What does she mean ‘cursed by Gypsies’?”
“Long story, Holtz,” Angel replied. “I doubt it would interest you much.”
“How about I go to my car for about twenty seconds?” Lilah offered. “That should give you enough time in here. I’ve got an early staff meeting in the morning.”
While his mortal enemies were discussing his fate, Angel was searching for an escape route.
“I can’t allow you to leave,” Holtz said stopping her before she got three paces.
“What do you mean? Of course you can,” Lilah said with a false smile.
“No. You said you work for the law.”
“No, I didn’t. I said I’m a lawyer,” Lilah clarified. “I don’t care about the law.”
Just then, a blinding red light illuminated the room. Angel closed his eyes to it. The flare bounced around the room causing everyone able to duck to get out of its way before it whizzed passed Angel and blew a hole in the elevator. The explosion wasn’t big, but it was enough to throw Angel back and toss Holtz to the ground.
Angel spared a glance at the ruined elevator and then back to Fred who was standing in the doorway of the office with the flare gun.
“Nice shot,” he praised before grabbing her hand and running out of the hotel with her and the scrolls.
Holtz picked himself up and looked at the man-shaped hole in the elevator doors. He rushed over to look down the empty shaft. “Search the grounds!” he ordered his henchmen. Addressing Lilah, he said, “If you get in my way again, I’ll kill you. No one will get him but me.”
Lilah opened her mouth to object, but then shrugged, “Yeah, okay, whatever,” and walked out the door.
**************************
Sunnydale, the Magic Box
After ensuring that Cordelia would be fine by herself long enough to check on Buffy, Spike left her and searched the graveyards and her house before ending up at the Magic Box. When he got there, he noticed a demon with a wooden mask on his head skulking around the outside of the shop and the strains of a song inside.
Inside, Tara and Giles stood side-by-side as their song ends. Suddenly, Spike burst into the magic shop pulling the minion behind him. Everyone turned to gape at him.
“Have a look at what I found skulking around outside,” Spike said.
“Is-is this the demon guy?” Tara asked.
Willow squealed Tara’s name, but the gentle witch ignored her. Willow looked crestfallen. Xander and Anya emerged from the back room. Spike didn’t know what was going on to create strife among the Scoobies these days, but it seemed serious. He shrugged inwardly at the thought. He’d been preoccupied with his own tumultuous relationship with Angel to worry about Buffy’s gang of do-gooders.
“He works for the head demon,” Spike clarified. His eyes narrowed on the minion, “And, he has a nice little story for the Slayer, don’t you? Come on, then.” He shoved the minion forward, “Start singing like a canary.”
The musical spell that settled over the town started a dramatic swelled on a tune as if to introduce a big number, but the minion simply spoke in a normal voice, “My master has the Slayer’s sister hostage at the Bronze because she summoned him and at midnight he’s going to take her to the underworld to be his queen.”
“What does he want?” Giles asked.
The minion pointed at Buffy, “Her.”
“If that’s all you’ve got to say then,” Spike scoffed. He tried to grab the minion but he breaks free and runs off. Spike watched him with a surprised expression. “He’s strong. Someday he’ll be a real boy.”
“So, Dawn’s in trouble,” Buffy said casually, “It must be Tuesday.”
“I-I just left her for a few minutes,” Tara said in her defense.
“It’s not your fault,” Buffy assured her, then turned to Giles, “So what’s the plan?”
“Plan, schema, let’s mount up,” Xander said in a motivational tone.
“No,” Giles said simply.
Anya raised her hand, “Uh, Dawn may have had the wrong idea in summoning this creature, but . . . I’ve seen some of these underworld child bride deals and they never end well. Well, maybe once.”
“We’re not just going to stay here,” Willow said.
“Yes we are,” Giles, stated as he looked at the Slayer intently, “Buffy’s going alone.”
Spike gave a derisively laugh, “Gah! Don’t be a stupid git. There is no --”
“If I want your opinion, Spike, I’ll --,” Giles started to say then paused to think about it. “I’ll never want your opinion.”
“Hey! The only reason I’m even here is Buffy, thanks to that guilt-ridden Sire of mine. If you lot aren’t going to help then it falls to me,” Spike said angrily.
“A little confusion spell could --,” Willow started to offer.
“No!” Tara said sharply. Willow looked at her surprised. Tara lowered her voice and said evenly, “I don’t think it will help.”
Spike heaved a sigh and pulled Buffy aside. “Look, forget them, Slayer. I’ll help you.”
“I don’t want your help. You don’t even want to be here. You’re doing it because Angel forced it on you. Besides, don’t you have Cordy to see to?” Buffy said.
Upon hearing the familiar name, Xander interjected, “Cordelia’s here, with Spike?! What is it with women? First, that last girl was with him in the Bronze defending the bleached wonder as a champion and now Cordy?”
“Maybe it’s my charm?” Spike smirked.
“More like some kind of spell like the one that’s over this town,” Xander said derisively. “What is it with women and the undead? Why are you so attracted to dead flesh? Vampires kill humans, yet every time I turn around one of my friends or my ex-girlfriend or some random girl is humping some vamp’s leg? Why is that?”
“Xander!” the girls yelled in unison.
He looked around innocently, “What?”
Spike had heard enough of the boy’s mouth for one night. He could make disparaging remarks about vampires all he wanted. Insulting Fred and Cordelia was another thing entirely. Faster than the human eye could follow, the blonde vampire had Xander out of his chair and pinned to the nearest wall by a hand around his neck.
“Get your hands off me, you bloodsucking parasite,” Xander choked.
“I knew one of these days your mouth would get you into trouble,” Anya commented.
“Anya!” Xander said in disbelief. Sometimes he wondered what side his former demon girlfriend was on.
“Let him go, Spike,” Willow cried as she ran over and tried to dislodge the vampire’s grip.
“Say what you want about me or Angel, Xander,” Spike said in a menacing voice. “But mark my words: the next insult out of your soddin’ mouth directed at Cordelia or Fred will be the end of you. Fred’s the sweetest, most gentle person I’ve known in a long while. As for Cordy, she’s dealt with enough shit this year without an affront on her character from someone who doesn’t know her anymore.”
Spike let go of Xander and the boy dropped in a heap on the floor massaging his throat. Buffy grabbed the vampire’s arm and swung him around, punching him in the nose.
“Ouch!” Spike yelled as he covered his face. “What was that for?”
“You had Xander by the throat!” Buffy replied.
“He was maligning people I just happen to care about, bint,” Spike said in a defensive nasal tone. He pulled his hand away and glared down at the Slayer angrily, “Fine. I hope you dance ’til you burn, both you and your sister.”
He stormed to the door and had it open before Buffy called out, “But then, what would Angel say if I did die because you weren’t there to help?”
“Angel can go to hell and take you with him for all I care,” Spike replied angrily as he slammed the door behind him.
Buffy looked at Giles’ disapproving expression. “What?”
“Must you goad him like that?” he asked.
“Don’t worry about him, Giles. We’ll be there to back the Buffster up,” Xander said as he picked himself up off the floor. At Giles’ expression, Xander looked around at the others, “Won’t we?”
“You’re really not coming?” Buffy asked.
“It’s up to you, Buffy,” Giles replied as he put a hand on her shoulder.
“What do you expect me to do?” Buffy asked tearfully.
“Your best,” Giles said simply.
**************************
Sunnydale, Crawford Street Mansion
Spike slammed the door when he entered the house and went straight for the booze. He poured himself a shot but drank from the bottle instead. Hearing the whisper of footsteps, he turned to see Cordelia dressed in a tank top and loose-fitting sweat pants.
“Hello luv, looking gorgeous as always,” Spike greeted as he took another swig.
“Bad night?” Cordelia asked.
In response, Spike started in on a rant, “What’s it take to make everyone happy? Apparently, couldn’t make Angel happy, since he sent me away to this hell. Tried to help Buffy, she doesn’t want my soddin’ help. She’d rather burn than have it. Why is it that I’m not good enough, Cordy? Is it ’cause I don’t have a fractured, tortured soul that forces me to brood over life? Does being soulless make me expendable to them?”
“Coming from someone who didn’t like you very much in the beginning of this whole thing between you and Angel, I think you’re a great asset to the right people. Though, I don’t think that it’s Buffy and the Scoobies. You belong where you’re needed and that’s in L.A. with us, with Angel. He may be too stubborn in his own sense of obligation to see it, but he needs you there more than Buffy does here.”
“He sent me away,” Spike said.
“For all the directions the Powers That Be give him with my skull-crushing visions, he’s a very misguided soul,” Cordelia said with a small smile.
Spike put the bottle down on the bar and went over to her, pulling her into a hug. She returned the hug until it became too much for her oxygen supply.
“Uh, Spike, I know you’re probably appreciative and everything, but I’m still human here, need to breathe!” Cordelia gasped.
“Sorry,” Spike whispered as he loosened his hold. “This doesn’t mean that I’ve forgiven him and will be crawling back to him.”
Cordelia pulled away and looked at him as if he’d grown two heads, “Are you crazy? Who said anything about you crawling? Angel should grovel for the mess he made.”
Spike thought it was a great idea, but a moment later he growled in agitation, “I better go save her from herself and then kill her.”
“What? Why?” Cordelia asked bewildered.
“Because if I don’t, she’ll die and with Faith in prison, there’s no one to protect this soddin’ town. Though, the idea of it burning down along with her sounds very appealing right now,” Spike replied.
“So, let it burn and we’ll go back to L.A. You can stay with me until Angel gets his oversized head out of his ass,” Cordelia offered.
Spike raised his scarred brow at that, “Offering to share your bed with me, luv?”
“If that’s what it takes to get Angel to see things clearly . . .” Cordelia started to say and then noticed the leer Spike gave her, “Oh no you don’t, you’re staying on the couch!”
“As appealing as your overstuffed couch sounds, I may have to decline on the basis that I’ve slept on it for four months before and it’s just not as comfortable as a bed,” Spike smirked.
“Hey, mister, I slept on that couch when I first moved to L.A.,” Cordelia pointed out as she jabbed in the chest with her manicured fingernail.
“And was it comfortable?” Spike asked, raising a brow, which earned him a light punch in the gut.
“Oaf!” Spike rubbed his stomach where she hit him, “What is with you women hitting me? What did I ever do to you?”
“Suck it up, I didn’t hit you that hard,” Cordelia scoffed and then walked away muttering, “Big baby!”
“Hey, I have delicate skin!” Spike yelled after her.
“Delicate skin my a--”
“Cordelia Chase, cursing is never becoming of a lady,” Spike teased.
“I never claimed to be a lady. I’m a modern woman,” Cordelia snapped back. “And you better go save little Miss Headstrong before she finds herself in real danger.”
“Yeah, ’cause that is what Angel sent me here for, wasn’t it, and we have to do what Angel wants,” Spike said as he headed for the door.
**************************
Sunnydale, the Bronze
Spike walked in on Buffy singing some song about her life being hard since she’d been brought back. The demon on stage shook his head. Buffy gave him a desperate look, turned and flipped off the stage onto the floor. She danced faster and faster with Dawn watching in dismay. Buffy spun around wildly until smoke began to curl around her. Suddenly, Spike grabbed her by the shoulders to stop her. Buffy gave him a desperately unhappy look.
"Ok Buffy, you were in heaven, and your friends brought you back,” Spike sighed in irritation. They brought you back because they thought you were being tortured in a hell dimension by Glory. They were wrong. “We know that bringing people back to life is dark magic. They may have sold their own souls to bring you back. Quit feeling sorry for yourself and get on with life. You have Dawn depending on you, and friends to support you. You are a lot better off than a lot of people.”
“The hardest thing in this world . . . is to live in it,” Dawn said behind her.
Buffy looked at Dawn and then back at Spike.
“Now that’s a show stopping number,” the demon commented.
“Get out of here,” Willow said point-blank.
“Well, I think it’s time for me and the missus to leave,” the demon said as he grabbed Dawn’s wrist.
“That’s never going to happen,” Giles stated.
The demon chuckled, “I don’t make the rules. She summoned me.”
“I so did not,” Dawn, countered, turning to her friends, “He keeps saying that.”
“You have my talisman on, sweet thing,” the demon reminded her as he reached out to touch the necklace around Dawn’s neck. She cringed in fear and cowered away from him.
“Oh, but no, I-I, um, uh, this . . . at the Magic Box, on the floor,” Dawn stumbled around an explanation. “I was cleaning and forgot but . . . I didn’t summon anything.”
“Well now, that’s a twist,” the demon mused.
“If it was at the shop, then one of us probably . . .” Giles trailed off as everyone looked at each other. Slowly Xander raised his hand.
“Xander!” Anya said shocked.
Xander’s shoulders slumped guiltily and he shuffled his feet, “Well, I didn’t know what was going to happen! I just thought there were going to be dances and songs.” He took Anya’s hand in his, “I just wanted to make sure we’d . . . we’d work out. You know, get a happy ending.”
The demon chuckled, “I think everything worked out just fine.”
Xander swallowed nervously and asked, “Does this mean I have to . . . be your queen?”
The demon appeared to consider the idea for so long that Anya was getting anxious and Xander became apprehensive. “It’s temping, but I think we’ll waive that clause just this once.” Xander let out a sigh of intense relief. The demon smiled evilly. “Big smiles everyone! You beat the bad guy!” He did a quick spin and disappeared.
Everyone stood around with a shell-shocked expression until Dawn broke into another song. Spike watched them sing a couple of lines and then walked out the door shaking his head at the absurdity of it all.
Outside, Spike walked down the street headed back to the mansion when Buffy ran out after him. He stopped and tilted his head back to look at the sky as he turned around. He let out a heavy sigh and looked at her. “What do you want now, Slayer? Go back in and finish your big group sing-a-long.”
“I don’t want to,” Buffy pouted.
Spike sighed again, “The day you and Angel suss out what you do want feel free to give me a ring. Until then, just leave me be.”
Without warning, Buffy rushed up to Spike, grabbed the lapels of his duster and kissed him. He didn’t respond immediately as he was too shocked by her boldness. Then, his arms went around her and crushed her against him as he deepened the kiss.
The way his mind possessed what was happening, Spike felt he was owed this. Angel sent him away against his will to look after the chit; the least he could get was compensation for having his life turned upside-down. Besides that, Spike wanted to know what the bloody hell it was that drew his Sire to her. She seemed to hold her own in the kissing department. At least Angel taught her that. Spike wondered what else his Sire taught her.
All of a sudden, the real world came crashing in.
Spike broke the kiss and stared at her. His Sire may have taught her how to kiss, but Buffy was not like his Sire. Plans started to form in the back of his mind, revenge plots to get back at Angel for what he did to him. There was no love lost between him and Buffy, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t use her to teach Angel a lesson about abandoning your mate.
"Umm,” Spike hummed as he licked his lips in a predatory manner. “Nice slayer, but what was that all about? Where did that come from? Still part of the ‘I feel sorry for myself’ that you have going on? If you want to take it further, you know where to find me.”
With that, Spike turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Buffy to stare after him with a confused look on her face.
**************************
Sunnydale, Crawford Street Mansion
Spike’s brows furrowed when he saw Gunn’s truck in his driveway. Why would anyone in L.A. opt to come to Sunnydale voluntarily? He made his way inside the house and found Gunn sitting on couch with Cordelia, her legs curled up under her as she leaned on the back of the couch.
“Angel’s being a stubborn ass. It’s like he’s lost without Spike and doesn’t want to admit it,” Gunn was saying. “And now with this vampire hunter Holtz back.”
That stopped Spike in his tracks behind the couch, “Holtz is back? How did that happen?”
Gunn and Cordelia turned to see Spike’s gaping expression. “Hey Blondie,” Gunn said. “Yeah, you know this Holtz guy?”
“Only from Angelus mentioning him,” Spike replied.
“Well, somehow he was brought back through time . . . or is it forward?” Gunn shrugged, “Anyway, that’s the new Big Bad down there.”
“So, did you come here to get me to help you?” Spike asked hopefully.
“Uh, no,” Gunn said sadly. “Angel wanted Cordelia back. I wanted to get you back there, but as I said Angel’s being a stubborn ass.”
“So let me get this straight: the whole gang, except Angel, wants me back, but he still refuses,” Spike nodded as he thought about it, his voice taking on a sarcastic tone, “Oh right, ’cause Spike doesn’t matter. He has to look out for the Slayer and baby-sit anyone who needs it when Angel demands.” Spike tossed his hands in the air. “I’m not a mate, I’m a bloody nursemaid. Guess I should count myself lucky that he doesn’t think I’m a wet nurse as well!”
Gunn and Cordelia looked at each other and then back at the ranting vampire. Spike slashed his hand through the air, “Well no more! This is it. Cordy, get your stuff . . . I’m going to pack a bag and going down with you. Give that insufferable Sire of mine a piece of my mind. I’m sick of this. Fuck Angel and what he wants! I’m done following his rules. He’s driving me around the bloody bend! Either he wants me or he doesn’t.”
Gunn and Cordelia watched Spike pace the floor as he ranted and then Cordelia followed him down the hall to go to her own room and pack her stuff leaving Gunn looking a little bewildered.
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