Disclaimer: Yes, I own them. Now, if you'll excuse me, the nice men in the white jackets say it is time for my medicine. For anyone who happens to be having a blonde moment: if you recognize it, it isn't mine.

Summary: Post NFA. The Shanshu prophecy comes to pass. But with two souled vampires, which one gets to be a real boy? And how does this affect Buffy?

A/n: This is something I've been working on for…3 years now. It has yet to be finished. I have many chapters written and hopefully am able to write more, but since there are no guarantees in life, except of course, the inevitable death, I am not making any promises on when this will be completed.

This is set just after the final battle in the Angel series finale. Everything in both series has happened, but I have made the following changes: Willow is not on another astral plane, because she is vital to my story, nor is she in Brazil, or even still with Kennedy. Did anyone like them as a couple? And Xander is not in Africa, because…well, simply because I forgot about that when I started writing this and made up a different story line for him and being the stubborn German that I am, refuse to change it.

Now, after reading my life story…on with the…story. Small pun intended.

!!

Los Angeles, California 2004

Angel moaned as he opened his eyes. He could smell the blood of his enemies mixed with his own. He noticed the pain from his wounds- which covered a large portion of his body-had decreased. He looked around as the memories of what the last 24 hours had entailed came rushing to his mind.

The Black Thorn. Connor. Wes' death. He remembered seeing Gunn fall. He'd lasted only ten minutes as Illyria had predicted, but he'd taken a good chunk out of the army in that short amount of time. Visions of Illyria taking out demon after demon with her bare hands flashed in his mind's eye. He remembered fighting shoulder to shoulder with Spike. He remembered flying above Los Angeles on the back of a dragon. For every one down, ten rose up. But the three warriors weren't going to die without defeating this army, or trying their damnedest. So they fought.

As dawn had spread its beginning light, the two souled vampires took the fight inside the Hyperion. At last, the demons stopped coming. Angel and Spike had looked at each other, smiled, given each other a high five, and passed out where they stood.

As Angel took in his surroundings, he spotted a head of blue and brown hair. He noticed how her frame shook, and he could smell the salt from her tears above the blood that covered the hotel from top to bottom. She was grieving, just as Fred would have, for Wesley. He smiled the faintest of smiles. 'Even kings feel pain,' he thought. And at that, he, himself, felt a wave of pain for the loss of his friends in the battle.

He looked to his side to find a head of platinum blonde hair just a few feet away. Angel slowly stood up, grimacing at the pain, as Spike's eyelids started to flutter.

"Oh, bloody hell!" Spike moaned. Slowly, he stood up, gritting his teeth against the pain. "Am I dead?" he asked. Noticing Angel, he added, "Is this hell?"

That's when Angel heard it. Thump, thump. Thump, thump.

Spike had a look of shock on his face. "Angel, I feel weird."

Angel sighed. He wasn't angry. He had given up his rights to the Shanshu. "You're human, Spike. Congratulations."

The look on Spike's face hadn't changed. He took a big breath and let it out. He would have jumped for joy had Angel not had that look on his face. He'd never seen it on him before. It was a look of complete and utter despair.

Spike spoke slowly, without a hint of cockiness in his tone, which he guessed was probably a first. "So, I guess the prophecy was meant for me then, eh?"

Angel looked to the still shaking body of Illyria. "I guess we'll never know." At Spike's wondering look, Angel elaborated. "I gave up any rights I may have had to the prophecy to convince the Black Thorn I was one of them. I signed the original in blood."

Spike's voice took on an angry tone. "So, I was given a reward that I may or may not deserve?"

Looking the now ex-vamp in the eyes, Angel replied, "Whether it was meant for you or not, you do deserve it, William."

Spike knew the statement came from Angel's unbeating heart. He had called him William, and that meant something. Spike looked to the ground before once again meeting his grandsire's eyes. "That…That means a lot…coming from you."

Angel took a step forward and extended his hand. "Again," he started, "congratulations."

Spike repeated the action and took hold of Angel's hand.

Before either could blink, there was a blinding white light and they were no longer standing in the wreckage of the Hyperion Hotel.

Both looked around, trying to take in their surroundings and decipher where exactly they were. Dropping each other's hands, they spun around in slow circles. They were standing in a completely white room. Or what passed for a room. The floor wasn't solid and Angel was surprised they weren't falling through.

"Where in the bloody hell are we?" Spike questioned.

Before Angel could open his mouth to answer, three incorporeal figures in (surprise!) white robes appeared before them.

"Silence!" one of the figures roared.

The only sound was the now-needed breath of the blonde Brit.

"Do you know why you are here, Vampire?" the female figure in the middle of the trio asked.

"Um…no?" Angel guessed.

The female figure showed no sign of surprise. "You are here, Vampire, due to the Shanshu prophecy."

This is where Spike stepped in. "Hey, Your Ghostliness, he signed it away. It's mine. Already got the reward: a beatin' heart and everything."

The male figure to the female's left spoke. "The prophecy was not meant for you, Lower Being, though we cannot take the undeserved reward from you now. But for the Future Goodness to come forth, you, Vampire, must gain back your humanity."

"And how do you suggest I do that?" Angel fought to keep the anger and annoyance from his voice.

The second male figure, the one Angel guessed had silenced them, answered his question. "We will restore it."

Angel looked skeptical. 'Where's the catch?' he thought.

"On one condition," the female added.

'I knew it!' his mind shouted. "And the condition would be?" he asked the group.

"We have lost too many warriors for our cause already. We wish not to lose a Champion, such as yourself, as well," the male on the left stated.

"You were given hundreds, maybe thousands of slayers, and you're worried about losing a handful of warriors?" Spike asked. There was a slight tinge of bitterness in his voice.

Angel didn't blame him. He had given his unlife once and was ready to give it again for the cause, and they had called him undeserving.

The female spoke calmly as she answered Spike. "The warrior must survive many dangers before the Future Goodness can be brought into this world. He needs some of the abilities he now possesses, as a vampire to, do so."

Angel had to physically restrain from letting his jaw drop. "So," he started slowly, "you're saying that you're going to give me my humanity, and let me keep my vampiric abilities, as long as I fight for your side and protect this 'Future Goodness'?"

Once again, the female spoke. "You do not understand, Vampire, you will not only protect the Future Goodness, you will create it. 'A soul born from two warriors of the light will come forth to stop Armageddon.'"

Angel gasped. "A child."

The female nodded. "Some of your acute abilities will be heightened, others lessened. Do you accept the terms of this agreement, Vampire?"

Angel nodded. This was too good to be true. The one thing he had dreamed of constantly since one sunny day in 1996. "I agree." The smile that had adorned his features quickly faded as the searing pain in his chest began. It lasted for a mere moment before he was gasping for needed breath and felt his long-dead heart start to thump. He had given up hope of this day ever coming as he had signed it away in his own blood.

Angel raised his head to the three figures. "Thank you. Whoever you are, thank you."

"We are older than time, older than any world created. Protectors of your race, and onlookers from above," the male on the right replied.

Angel gasped.

In a flash of bright light the two ex-vamps were back in the lobby of the Hyperion.

Angel looked around. Illyria was nowhere in sight. The pain he had been in from his numerous wounds moments before had disappeared. They were gone. And a quick glance at Spike showed that he was in the same shape.

"Who in the bloody hell were they?" Spike panted. The trip had taken more out of him than he realized.

Angel locked gazes with him. "The Powers That Be," he whispered.

Spike's eyes widened, and then he nodded. "So, where do we go now?"

Angel once again looked around the abandoned hotel before looking back at the Brit.

"Buffy," they said together.

!!

A/n: So, I wasn't quite sure which show to put this under. So I chose Buffy X-overs. Right choice?