Prologue

"Well, I don't know about you, but personally, I kinda want to slay the dragon."

Such a ponce- Spike thought to himself as he laughed out loud, still silently praying they'd all survive even though he thought that wasn't going to happen unless the Powers That Be decide that the world was worth saving .

As if in response to Angel's remark a loud primal growl escaped one of the demons that stood in front of them and then it started. The battle lasted all of five minutes. Four minutes more than anyone thought possible facing their odds.

As expected Gunn was to first to fall. Since he had been wounded even before the fighting began, he made not only an easy target, but a worthwhile trophy. Already facing a certain death he still fought valiantly until he was struck down by an incubus. Gunn's entire time on earth flashed before his eyes- his birth, his life, and ultimately his death. Right before he passed away he saw the one person he'd never expected welcoming him. "Little sis?." he sighed with his last breath. He hoped and prayed that she would hear. "Charles?" would be the last words Illyria spoke to Charles Gunn as she saw Gunn's pleasant face smile at her one last time.

All her life Illyria had fought selfishly for her own needs-wants- and that was how she lived all her life until she meet people. In her mind Illyria laughed, 'People- ', she thought, 'it's their emotions which so weaken them.' all the while spilling silent tears over the loss of one she'd despised only months ago. She though it only natural that she should hate the lower beings for causing her guilt at the death of this 'Fred', the shell she currently inhabited. Yet, now she felt a different feeling… could it be grief? Yet, she discovered too late that she did indeed care for the race which taught her to care- to love. At the loss of one of the closest beings to her, for the second time in her life, in one day, Illyria knew what it was like to lose a loved one and care. Yet, that one moment of compassion for another person turned fatal. Distracted and visibly shaken, Illyria was the second casualty and it seemed that she wouldn't be the last. A small "Oh!" escaped her lips as she fell on the ground, unknown to the 2 vampires who stood in the background.

"Well, I guess it's just me and you, Gramps," the more peroxide prone of the two said.

"Just give me a reason, Spike!" Angel pleaded with his grandchilde as he put on what was supposed to be a face conveying sincerity, sadness, and loss. "I'm so sorry, Buffy. I tried to help, but he just--." Angel then broke down with fake sobs, " he's really gone! I'm so sorry! I hope you know that you can always stay with me until you're ready to move on, even if it means you need to stay in my room. And since you know I'd be the perfect gentleman, we can even share the bed."

"We'll see," Spike mumbled under his breath,

"What was that? I'm a little hard of hearing." Angel teased as he dispatched another vampire, Or at least I wish I was… he thought.

"So, after dying to save the world once already, I'm going to have to die again and not only that, but with you! The Powers That Be must be waiting to see if I'll stake myself. See, I always knew that you'd be the end of me. Not a bloody surprise that for some reason the PTB decided to have one more big laugh with Spike before sending him to eternal torture." Spike shouted to his sire.

"Oh, for once in your entire life- SHUT UP!" Angel glared at Spike, managing only to catch a glimpse of his hair as he was thrown closer to Angel.

" Nice comeback Nancy!" Spike told Angel, " Bloody ponce" he muttered as he came close enough to actually look at him as he spoke.

"What was that Spike?" the other vampire questioned as he blocked punches from an Aaclar demon.

" 'Lo? Private conversation- heard of it?" he replied followed by a string of curses directed mostly at Angel.

" Oh, I see. Now's the time he picks to go crazy." Angel said, mostly, to himself, then he turned to Spike and said "You always had the best timing, you know that?"

"Oh, I hope you don't mean that one sodding time in Versailles ! Plus, you'd be one to talk, remember Rome? Just can't stay away from those nuns can you?" Spike fumed, "And you had a hundred years to be all broody and crazy, which you were! Now you're mocking me for talking me for talking to myself when I didn't get a month off Scooby duty to work through my-brief- insanity case! And still had time to help Buffy and the little Niblet, both of whom love ME, by the way."

"Admit it Angel, you know I am and always have been stronger than you, not to mention better looking," Spike taunted as he barely missed Angel's fist as it flew towards his face, "Whoa! Too much time at Evil, Inc. sitting on your unmentionables has made you a little off your game."

Angel threw another punch, this time at a demon behind Spike, before talking. " First of all, you aren't a Scooby. Second, Buffy doesn't love you. Third, neither does Dawn, who I'm sure hates that nickname. If I remember correctly she hated being called little. And last, but not, like you, least- I am so much better than you!"

" Me thinks the lady doth protest too much." Spike said with a cocky grin plastered on his face. "I know why you hate me. And Buffy loving me, as well as Dawn. But why do you care if I'm a Scooby or not? Maybe it's because a certain someone wasn't?" he said finishing in a singsong voice.

"Spike-I'm warning you…" Angel began, but he was cut of by Spike doing an impression of what he thought Angel would look like as a damsel in distress saying " 'I wanna slay the dragon."

" Face it mate." Spike told Angel, " You're a walking cliché."

Exasperated and finding himself fighting beside Spike in the center of the battlefield that had emerged as the demons demolished all building surrounding the alley. "Spike-" Angel began, stopping as he noticed that they were the only ones left. "Where are Gunn and Illyria?" he said, fearing the worst.

"I dunno." Spike said, thinking back at memories of the Old One and of Charles Gunn.

"Here's hoping that the third time's a charm. With you I'm not entirely sure you wouldn't stake me if you got the chance?" Spike said, regretting the words almost as soon as they left his mouth. Trying to make up for his previous comment, he tried to lighten the mood, "Great. I always knew you'd be the end of me, but didn't think you'd be near enough to enjoy it… By the way- thanks, Powers That Be, you really kept on the ball this time," he said realizing his anger and desperate for release of everything, yet just as desperate to stay. Still he knew he needed to vent so he fumed on, " Don't even know why I didn't expect this. It shouldn't be a surprise that the Powers That Sit On Their Behinds And Let Champions, such as I don't know? ME, Die. Twice! I was practically jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. I must say this is some shoddy planning on your part or parts. Whatever- I really don't even care." Followed by oaths of revenge, Spike was able to communicate both words and the emotions behind. Feeling more connected with his grandsire, Spike relaxed and let instinct take over.

And for the first time they knew. They weren't going to make it. At the same moment both vampires thought of the last few months. First Wolfram and Hart, then Spike, Fred, Connor, Wesley, and now Gunn and Illyria. So, as it had been all their afterlives, it always came down to Angel and Spike. Best friends, grandsire and sired, brothers, enemies, and ultimately- champions, Until then.

"I'm sorry," Angel and Spike said simultaneously .

Still, the unspoken and unheard truth died on their lips. Even after everything, Angel and Spike had hope. Both knew that forgiveness is a hard thing to find and a long time coming. While yet always knowing that sometimes the strength to say "I forgive you," is an even harder to find and it's consequences when it goes unsaid shouldn't be sought out. But, one would make it up to the world. One would shanshu.