(A/N: This takes place about after the time that Spike drapes himself on the cross, and only vaguely mentions something pertaining in the slightest degree of familiarity to it. Anyway, tell me if it seems to end too abrupt or if it's a good place to end it. Obviously, you're not going to like a cliff hanger like that, but just tell me if it seems to be written well. I'll probably rewrite the ending eventually anyway. I found this on my computer, apparently I had wrote this a while ago, so if it doesn't seem as good as my other stuff, don't fret, it's just a younger me working at a story.
He could see the cheerleader at the desk inside the hotel. He could sense the Watcher boy on one of the upper floors. Then there was him.
((so weak. so very weak))
There would be no way he was getting in the hotel. He'd have to make him come outside.
((too weak. who made him weak?))
It was time to settle. Time to right the wrong.
((he made him weak. it's time to end it))
He knew he was here. And he knew he was outside. Waiting. That's why he was running down the stairs to the main lobby. Says something to the cheerleader, who looks directly at the figure hovering outside the hotel, shrieks, and runs out of sight.
"ANGELUS!"
((it's time to end it))
Angel stepped out of the safety of the hotel. "Spike," he said slowly and cautiously, "Spike, what are you doing here?"
"It's time to end it, 'Gelus," Spike said quietly, "Once and for all." Spike blinked and gave a small nod, as if confirming his statement to an unknown party. Angel approached Spike slowly, deliberately drawing out his movements so as not to provoke the blonde to attack before he could figure out what was going on.
"What are you talking about, Spike?"
A stony expression settled into place on his face. "No more talking." Then he rushed forward and took a swing at Angel's head.
"Why not?" Angel asked as he ducked Spike's punch.
"Talking makes you weak," he said monotonously, "Weak enough."
((weak enough))
Spike attacked again. Again, Angel managed to defend himself without actually attacking him. "Come on, Spike, last chance. You're the king of talking. You don't stop!" Angel joked, before growing serious once again. "You know you can't take me out. What are you doing here?"
"Enough talking. You're doing this on purpose!" he shouted, then lifted his face to the sky and roared, "YOU'RE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE!"
Angel couldn't take it. The way his voice cracked at the end, the half crazed, but determined look on his face… the burns on the side of his face. "What did you do?" he asked, gesturing to the burns.
Spike roared and attacked again, this time bringing Angel to the ground. They rolled a few feet, stopping only because they hit the building.
Above them, on one of the hotel balconies stood Wesley and Cordelia. They watched as Angel kept trying to talk to Spike, only to be answered with a fist to his face. "Why is he just talking?" Cordelia asked impatiently, "Kick his ass Angel!" she shouted. Angel looked up at them, startled, giving Spike the chance to barrel head long onto his stomach.
"Cordy, you are not in high school any more, no more team cheers," advised Wesley, "I believe Spike has challenged Angel to a battle to the death. It is Angel's job, as sire, to give him a chance to withdraw his challenge."
"Why do you know that?" Cordelia stared at Wesley. "You're a freak."
"Stop it!" yelled Spike as Angel continued to question him, "No more talking!"
"Listen to me Spike, why don't we just find you a nice warm place to sleep and we'll talk about this in the morning?"
Spike grinned crazily at him. "No sleeping, mate. Gives them a chance. She'll set me on fire, she will."
"Who? Spike, no one's going to set you on fire."
"The rising dawn!" he cried, desperately wanting him to understand. For someone to understand. "Burns to a crisp! 'Till there's nothing left!"
"Spike-"
"No!" He pushed the heels of his palms against his temples, gripping his hair with his fingers, before turning sharply to his left. "Would you shut up for a five minutes? I'm tryin' to have a conversation!"
Enough was enough. Angel punched Spike's jaw and tackled him, pinning him to the ground. When Spike finally opened his eyes and looked at Angel, he saw the stake that was positioned over his heart. A grin spread over his face. "Time to end it, 'Gelus."
((time to end it))
Spike closed his eyes again, a look of peace and resignation on his face. "Time to end it," he whispered.
"Spike," Angel said grimly, "You know the lore. Your last words. What are they?" The blonde stayed silent. "Please, Spike!" Now there was a hint of desperation in the larger vampire's voice.
Spike blearily opened his eyes, trying to focus. He opened his mouth, faltered, then continued. "I... I just wanted you to let you know…"
"Know what?"
He smiled. A genuine smile. "That you weren't the only one. For a few weeks, at least. You weren't the only one." The look on his face was just so happy, so proud, that Angel couldn't do it. The stake clattered to the ground, the noise wiping the smile off Spike's face.
"What are you doing?" he whispered. He wasn't angry, not yet at least. He was panicked… petrified. If he needed to breathe, he'd be hyper ventilating. "Angel! What are you doing?!" he screamed.
Angel calmly stood up and backed away. "Stand up. Talk to me."
"What don't you get?" Spike asked incredulously, a bit of the normal Spike that Angel knew showing through, "It's honestly not that complicated. Stake, heart, poof!" Angel said nothing, which proved to do nothing but anger Spike. He lurched forward, ramming his fist into Angel's chest. "You can never just do it right!" Frantic and sloppy punches hit Angels' chest, the force behind each punch lessening as he carried on. "You don't know what it's like you ponce!" The beating stopped when Angel grabbed his wrists and held them together. Distraught, Spike collapsed against Angel, pulling them both to the ground.
Angel simply rocked them back and forth, letting Spike continue with his ramblings. "Sh, it's okay…" Angel said soothingly.
"No, it's not. Do you know what it's like to know that they all carry stakes now? Do you know how it feels to know that, with just a little provoking, you can make them stake you?" Spike pushed away and stumbled to his feet, looking down at Angel. "Do you know what it's like to try?"
((she made him weak))
Spike limped a few feet away.
((he made him weak))
He ran his fingers through his hair, took a deep breath, and straightened up to his full height.
((he'll find a way to make it right))
He turned to Angel, smirk firmly in place. Sauntering over, he stopped at Angel, who was still on the ground. "S'okay mate, used the costume before, barely used and it still fits! I'll just go back to my basement and go to sleep and wake up on fire. It was promised and the silly little girl is true to her word." The menacing way he was talking and the words that were actually coming out of his mouth didn't really mesh. His face broke out in a crazy grin and a high pitch giggle erupted from him.
Angel looked imploringly up at him. "Spike, don't leave. You'll never make it back before sunrise, anyway." He quickly stood, grasping him by the shoulders. "Stay, Spike, if only for the night. Tell me what's wrong."
Spike looked at him blankly. "Wrong?" he asked.
Angel nodded. "Yeah Spike, I'll help you. You can spend the night and-"
"Wrong?" Spike repeated slowly, as if speaking to a child, "I'm crazy."
Angel rolled his eyes. "Well, that much was is obvious."
"Evil. Dead. Disgusting."
Angel cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Spike?"
"Stupid. Worthless. Dirty."
Angel shook the blonde, trying to rid him of that glazed look. "Spike, stop."
"Bad, rude ma- monster."
Angel placed his hands on Spikes face, forcing the younger vampire to look at him. "Spike, you need to-"
"Wrong?" Spiked asked once again, his brows furrowing in concentration, "I'm wrong."