Angel

Season 7 Episode

"Heat"

Prologue

He'd never gotten on well with Angel. In fact, he'd spent most of his life detesting the older vampire. Yet he had to put up with him for the sake of humanity and for the sake of his soul. Oh well, thought Spike as he hit Angel hard in the face another time. His grandsire tried to squirm out of his grasp but was failing miserably. "Leggo!" Angel cried out as Spike smacked him in the nose.

"Make me!" Spike replied with a grin. He brought his knee up to hit Angel's stomach and the vampire doubled up. Angel took this opportunity to step on Spike's foot and roll out of his grip. As Spike recovered, he noticed Angel moving into battle position with a trickle of blood dribbling down his nose. "I think you're losing your touch, old man!" Spike goaded him. Angel growled, transformed into his vampire persona and charged at the younger vampire. He flew through the air but Spike grabbed him and swung him into the wall with an almighty crash. In cartoon land, there would have been little birdies flying round Angel's head but in the real world it just hurt him like hell. Spike laughed maliciously behind him while he rubbed his fist. Sliding his hand into his pocket, Angel grabbed his pocket knife and flicked out the blade. Spinning into the air, he flung the knife into Spike's chest, throwing him backwards. The force of the blow nearly knocked Spike out and he lay dazed on the floor. "See," said Angel walking over to him, "I win again" and he pulled out the blade. Spike gritted his teeth as he nursed his wound.

One of these days, you'll be mine, vampire.

Chapter 1

"Well I have to say, you are a mighty fine specimen aren't you? So strong and formidable." Angel could hear Wesley talking to someone as he leant against the door. Who could it be? He thought and he opened the door. As it turned out, Wesley had been talking to his brand new dagger. "Come on Wes," said Angel as he entered, "even I find that weird and I'm practically the definition of weird." Wes cringed as he realised the boss was watching him. "I was just… erm."

"Never mind," Angel said to him, "I didn't see anything." The ex-watcher nodded his head in gratification. Walking fully into the office, Angel grabbed a mug and poured himself a coffee. "So, do we not have anything better to do than talk to the weaponry?" Wes shrugged. "It's been a bit quiet," he replied, "In fact, it's been dead." Angel took a swig of his coffee and said, "I know the feeling."

Willow walked in to see Angel and Wesley looking ever so slightly glum. "Jesus, look at you two. You'd think the world was ending," she told them. Angel smiled. "The problem is, the world's not ending. So we're out of work." She sighed and sat down next to him. He had a large bruise across his nose and a gash down his neck. "What happened to you?" she asked him. Angel rubbed his nose gingerly as he sipped his coffee. "Spike," he replied.

"Oh."

"We were, erm, training," he continued.

"Well I hope you gave as good as you got."

"Not sure about that," he replied, "but at least he's got some form of injury." Willow smiled and took Angel's coffee out of his hand and sipped it, "you two make me laugh."

"You know," Angel told her, "we used to be really close." She raised an eyebrow. "Very funny," he replied, "we were the best of friends. But as usual a girl got in the way." Wesley sighed in agreement and Willow shook her head.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before the phone rang and they suddenly leapt into the air. Wesley reached it first and answered it with the Angel Inc. greeting, "Angel Investigations, we help the helpless. How can we help you?" He listened to the person on the other end intently and then hung up the receiver without saying a word. "Who was it?" Willow asked. Wesley looked up and then walked off to put his dagger away. "It was Evie," he replied as he walked off. Angel followed him with a puzzled look on his face. "What did she say? Didn't she ask to speak to me?" he asked. Wesley turned around, sighed and replied, "She asked specifically, that I don't put you on. She just rang to tell us about her vision." Angel's face dropped. "I just want to see how she is," he replied. Wes put his hand on his boss' shoulder in comfort. "Give her time," he said, "she'll come around." Standing up to join them, Willow asked, "So what was the vision about?"

"Well, it appears that we have a rather dangerous creature on our hands," Wesley began, "it appears to look like a normal woman but she kills by screaming."

"A banshee?" Angel suggested. Wes nodded. "That's what I was thinking. However, I have never actually seen one, nor would I know what to do to kill one."

"Are we in research mode?" Willow asked.

"Looks like," Angel replied. Wes started pulling various books off the shelves a made a pile on the desk. "You might want to call Spike. We're looking a bit short of people at the moment."

"Seriously?" Angel replied, "How could Captain Peroxide possibly help us?"

"Can he read?" Wes asked.

"Debatable," he replied. Wes just raised an eyebrow and shook his head. Willow picked up the pile of books and Angel took out his cell phone. "What?" Spike greeted Angel gruffly.

"Are you still in bed?" Angel asked with disgust. Spike only grunted. "Anyway," Angel continued, "Evie rang. She's had a vision and we need you to help with research on banshees." Silence. "Spike?"

"Evie rang? She have anything interesting to say?" Angel gritted his teeth and stared at the ceiling. "Nothing that concerns you."

"She didn't talk to you, did she?" Angel didn't reply. "Ha," said Spike, "Something tells me your marriage is on the rocks, mate."

"What would you know?"

"Plenty, Peaches. And apparently more than you."

"Yeah right."

"Yeah. You know she always did tell me more than she told you. Even when we weren't together."

"You're deluded Spike"

"And you're buggered Angel. Just admit it. You've lost her and this time it's for good."

"I think not. In fact we are very much together and will be for a long time."

"Yeah and I'm a six foot gay American."

"Well, you know I did wonder."

"Screw you."

"Just get your British butt down here now."

"Whatever." And then he was gone. Angel snapped his cell shut ferociously and threw it on the desk. Wesley entered the office. "Is he coming?" he asked. "Not likely," Angel replied, he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. "Angel, we have research to do," Wesley reminded him. Turning, Angel replied, "I'm not exactly the book type. I'm more into field work. I'll ask around and see if any one has heard anything about a banshee."

"Why don't you go and pick Spike up on the way." Wes suggested. Sighing, Angel left the building and disappeared into the darkness. Wesley checked to make sure his vampire boss was out of sight before removing a handful of red glowing powder from his locked drawer. Gently he blew the dust and it disappeared. "Wesley?" Willow shouted from her office, "Are you gonna help me or what?"

"Coming," he shouted back and he locked his drawer and went to join Willow researching.

Chapter 2

A loud knock at the door woke Spike with a start. He'd fallen asleep again once he'd hung up with Angel. He just managed to drag himself out of bed and he pulled the door open. Angel stood in Spike's doorway with a foul look on his face. The younger vampire looked half asleep and was only wearing his trousers. Angel barged his way passed and entered Spike's crypt. "Oi, "Spike exclaimed, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Angel turned to look at him. "You get paid to beat up demons. But you do that any way. If you want to keep your job, you'll have to actually do some work." Spike stepped up close to Angel. "Is that right?" he asked.

"Yes it is."

"Well what if I don't want your poxy job?"

"Well then you might get a bit thirsty when your blood runs out and you can't pay to get more." Spike growled at his grandsire and stepped even closer so that Angel's chin was almost touching his nose. A red spark fluttered in Angel's eyes and he spotted the same in Spike's eyes. The two vampires just stood staring intensely at each other. They both began to take heavy and needless breaths as the atmosphere around them got more heated. Angel lowered his head gently and Spike raised his. Feeling light headed, Angel instinctively grabbed onto Spike's bare arm. The collision of their skin created a strange sensation and before they realised what was happening their lips were locked in a deep embrace…

Wesley and Willow sat on either side of a desk with open books covering every inch of table. The British ex-watcher sighed and lay his head on a book. "Aha!" Willow exclaimed and Wesley jumped in the air. "Could you warn me before you do that please?"

"Sorry, I just found something on banshees. Apparently they appear in three ways, either as a young woman, a stately matron or a raddled old hag," Willow read, "and they come to warn people of impending death." A frown line ran across Wesley's forehead. "Why would Evie get a vision of someone who is sent to warn about death?" Willow bit her lip anxiously. "Maybe you should ring Angel and see if he's found out anything. He's been gone a good hour already."

Angel and Spike sat in silence on either side of Spike's crypt. Neither of them could look at the other. Angel sighed and stood up. "Where are you going?" asked Spike who also stood up.

"Away from here. Why?"

"Because, because…" Spike struggled to find the words. "Listen, Spike, I don't know what happened here but I need to go." Spike stepped closer and kissed him again. Angel's cell ringing split them apart. The shock of the situation made Angel stand still for a few seconds before answering. As Angel spoke to the person on the other end of the phone, Spike walked across to the other side of the crypt and rubbed his head in frustration. What was happening to him? Angel repulsed him and yet every time they got close to each other he couldn't keep away. "Spike?" Spike turned around to face him. "I, err, well we should get going. Willow's found a lead with this banshee thing." Spike almost seemed a little upset that they had to leave. "Right," he said, "lets go then." He grabbed his shirt and began to button it up. Angel couldn't help watching. Spike caught his gaze and raised an eyebrow. Angel quickly looked away as Spike finished buttoning up his shirt and grabbed his leather jacket. The two vampires headed uneasily out the door. They slid into the seats of Angel's car and as he started the engine, the radio began to play.

"I'm hot blooded, check it and see. I've got a fever of 103."

Without meaning to, Angel began to tap his hand to the beat as he drove off. This brought a smile to Spike and he sang along. Maybe it isn't as bad as it seems he thought as he looked at Angel. The older vampire met his gaze and they just looked at each other. And smiled.

In Angel Investigations, Angel and Spike swept into the room and noticed Wesley writing notes about banshees on the whiteboard. Willow had a book in her lap and was reading things out for Wes to copy. "So how's it going?" Angel asked. They both turned to look at him. "Angel. We've found quite a lot on these creatures but we haven't managed to work out why they would be a threat. Did you find anything?" Angel and Spike glanced at each other and he replied, "I didn't really get much chance. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get Spike out of bed." With that, Spike gave him a gentle elbow in the side. This would normally have been much harder but Spike seemed to have warmed to him. "Well, you're here now at least. Let's go over everything in here. The group walked into the main office and sat at the large table with Willow and Wes at one side and Angel and Spike at the other. "These banshees most often appear in order to warn someone of their impending death. However…" As Wes continued, Spike let a hand slide of the table and onto Angel's knee. Angel just smiled and put his hand on top of Spike's. "What is up with you two today?" asked Willow, "you can't stop smiling and I've never seen you sit so close." If they had had a pulse, Angel and Spike would definitely have blushed as they drew apart. "Nothing," said Angel quickly.

"Would you rather we were fighting?" asked Spike, "cos you know, it's not a problem." He quickly smacked Angel over the back of the head. "Oww," shouted Angel, "Thanks Will." Wesley slammed a book down on the desk loudly and everyone stopped. "Can we please continue with the banshees?"

"What was that about banshees?" asked Doyle as he came in.

"Doyle, hi," Wes greeted him, "your sister rang. She's had a vision about a banshee causing trouble." Doyle came fully into the room and sat next to Willow. Angel was still rubbing the back of his head while Spike watched him intently. That was weird. "Hmm," said Doyle, "stealing souls are they?" Wes gave him a puzzled look. "Souls?" Willow asked, "We didn't find anything about that."

"Sure. Where I come from banshees come to warn you that you're going to die. But if you don't die then they try and take your soul anyway," Doyle explained. "So how is Mags?" he asked, using his pet name for his sister. Angel suddenly looked up as though he'd forgotten about his estranged wife. "She seemed fine," Wes replied, "she should be home soon." Spike noticed Angel had started to frantically rub his Claddagh ring and he grabbed his hand to stop it. Angel looked up to see if anyone else had noticed but they were busy listening to Doyle. He harshly shoved Spike's hand away. Feeling hurt, Spike got up and stormed out of the door. Everyone else just watched him leave while Angel ran his hands through his hair.

Chapter 3

The British vampire sat alone at the bar in 'Chosen', the nightclub that Evie owned and he ordered another whisky. He watched various couples dancing and just enjoying each others company. He frowned slightly and turned back to the bar. As the bartender handed him his drink, he tried to pay but the bartender shook his head. "That guy over there's already paid," he told Spike and he pointed to a dark haired handsome man wearing a deep red shirt and leather trousers. Spike smiled and Angel came over to sit with him. "Thanks," said Spike as he sat down.

"You're welcome," Angel replied, "I'm sorry." Spike took a swig of his drink and shook his head. "So you look dressed up. You meeting someone?" Spike asked.

"As a matter of fact, I am. A rather good looking British guy actually. You seen him?" Angel replied. Spike smiled at him.

A few hours later…

Angel and Spike were sat on the suede couch at the back of the club, watching everyone dancing. They had been talking for hours about various things and had gone through various drinks in the process. Angel downed his shot of Cuervo and winced. Spike laughed. He'd mentioned the drink to Angel and said it'd be too strong for him. Of course he'd seen this as a challenge and had proceeded to drink three shots. Spike had joined him and now they were both completely drunk. Angel shoved his arm around Spike's shoulders and ruffled his hair. "You know what?" Spike said to him, "you're bloody bonkers mate."

"That makes two of us."

"You bet." Spike gave Angel a quick peck on the lips and took this time to ruffle his hair. Angel pushed him gently. He was so fussy about his hair. Snow Patrol's 'All that I have' started to play and Angel grabbed Spike's hand and dragged him up to the dance floor. Normally, he would have been too self conscious to dance but he was three sheets to the wind by this point so it didn't matter. The vampires danced near each other, occasionally singing along. Spike grabbed Angel's waist and they danced together, just like everyone else. From the balcony, Willow watched as her vampire boss danced lovingly with his arch nemesis. She arched an eyebrow as she watched. I must be drunk, she thought.

She walked down the stairs and approached the dance floor just as the song was finishing. Angel and Spike parted seconds before Willow reached them. "Hi guys," she said, "what's going on?" They looked at each other nervously. "We were just dancing," Spike replied.

"Ok, first, how often do you two dance and second, how often do you two dance like that?" she asked. No reply. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, really," Angel replied.

"Really? Cos it looks like you to are very close."

"Yeah well…" Angel tried to think of an excuse but was drawing a blank. Maybe he might have come up with something if he'd been sober. "Are you two dating?" Willow exclaimed. Angel opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. Willow blinked. Unable to think of anything to say, she turned and left, feeling utterly shocked. Angel and Spike just looked at each other. "Maybe we should go," Angel suggested.

"Go where?" Spike asked raising an eyebrow. Angel grinned and they left the club. Willow waited behind and watched as they walked off. Angel slid an arm around Spike's shoulder and they disappeared. Something strange is going on here, she thought, I need some help. She turned to walk away and spotted the figure of a young woman slinking off down the alley opposite. She turned to look at Willow and her eyes glowed purple. Then she disappeared. I think I've found our banshee, thought Willow as she walked off.

Willow knocked repeatedly on the door to Wesley's apartment but there was no answer. He'd probably fallen asleep while researching. Again. She knocked once more and then pushed the door open. His apartment was very dark, with all the curtains drawn and the lights off. It didn't even look like anyone lived there. Willow wandered round, searching for any signs of life but found that the apartment was empty. Feeling slightly perturbed, she sat on his couch and glanced at the notepad by his phone. There was an address scrawled on it in Wes' handwriting. It looked like the address of a clinic in Miami. But why would he have that? She thought. Willow sat and waited and eventually when no-one came, she drifted off to sleep.

Spike sat on the roof of Evie's apartment, shirtless with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Angel had been staying with Evie for the past few months so they'd decided to hang out there for a while. Spike knew something wasn't right. He could tell. But he just couldn't seem to care. Whatever was happening to him was taking him over completely and there was nothing he could do about it. Angel sat down next to him and pulled the cigarette out of his mouth. He proceeded to take a long drag and flick the ashes off the side of the building. Angel looked very calm. Calmer than Spike had ever seen him. He was so relaxed without a care in the world. Spike smiled. It was nice to see him like that. The guy seriously needed a break and this was his chance to. Angel leant gently against Spike as he took another drag. "Angel," he said to him, "what is this?" Angel just looked at him. "I mean, what is this that we're doing? Don't you find it a bit strange?"

"Everything in our lives is strange. Compared to all the demons and various other monsters, this thing we have seems quite normal."

"S'pose," was all Spike could say. Angel looked quite hurt. "Why, aren't you happy?"

"Listen Peaches. I'm the happiest I've been in a long time which is why I feel there's something wrong." Angel brushed his hands through Spike's hair affectionately and said, "You should stop worrying. You'll start getting worry lines."

"Not at my age mate. You're the old one out of the two of us." They kissed again and sat for a while saying nothing. From the shadows a figure watched them intently. As the vampires turned to leave, they noticed Evie and Wesley coming through the door to the roof. She'd cut her hair and coloured it but apart from that, she was exactly the same. Except she seemed a bit upset. Evie stood and watched the two vampires as they approached her. She'd seen everything. They'd kissed. She could hardly believe her eyes. She walked up to Angel and landed a hard slap across his face. Spike grabbed her and pulled her off to the side. "Eve," he said, "There's something we need to explain." She just looked at him. "Me and Angel have, well, we're…" he spotted her staring at him. "Eve?" Without warning, she grabbed him and kissed him ferociously. When they separated he gave her a puzzled look and she walked over to Angel. Spike was even more shocked when she did the same thing to Angel that she'd done to him. When Evie and Angel broke their kiss, she ran her fingers through her hair and started to pace. "What the hell is going on here?" asked Spike with disgust. Evie spun round to face him and said, "I didn't feel a thing. Not with either of you. And you know why that is? It's a spell."

Before she could say anything more, a ghostly woman leapt into the air and knocked the group over. She had long white hair and violet eyes. The banshee sent a shrill scream into the air which sent pain down the spines of the three vampires and the ex-watcher. They writhed on the floor in agony while the banshee walked over to Spike and grabbed the front of his shirt. She began to suck a pearly mist out of Spike's mouth. His soul.

Chapter 4

Spike wriggled, desperately tried to escape the grasp of the banshee but the pain was just too much to bear. He could feel his soul leaving his body as he twisted and turned beneath her. Suddenly the creature attacking him was thrown into the air, which broke its insane screaming. A green demon covered in blue spikes was attacking the banshee and keeping its hand over her mouth. It was Doyle. The demon half-breed through the creature into the air with all the strength inside him and it crashed on the floor a few yards in front of him. By this point, Evie, Angel, Spike and Wesley were all attacking the beast. It moved with surprising precision and the gang found it quite hard to keep up. Angel manoeuvred himself behind the banshee and he flung his arms around its neck. It shrieked and tried to pull free but Spike lunged forward and snapped its neck. When it died, the banshee emitted a loud wail and all the souls it had captured were freed. Doyle's face returned to normal and he hugged his sister. For a few moments she was happy. Then she remembered what was happening. Evie turned and left the roof to head back down to her empty apartment and Wes and Doyle followed her silently.

Angel and Spike looked at each other for a minute and then they hugged. "I think that we should find out what's going on," Angel suggested.

"You know what that means?" asked Spike, running his hand across Angel's cheek, "this could be it for us." The vampire duo stood silently in each others arms before having one last kiss and leaving the roof after the others. Evie's apartment was dimly lit by a few candles that they'd arranged on the floor. Doyle was in the middle of sprinkling a blue powder across the floor. Evie shoved past Angel and sat in the middle of the candles. "Willow's on her way," Doyle whispered to Angel.

"So what's going on?" asked Spike. Doyle shrugged and the two vampires sat on the couch, watching intently. Evie seemed to be meditating on the floor and the flames from the candles turned blue. Whispering a few words, Evie waved her hands and the flames jumped to the opposite candle, before freezing and dropping to the floor. A blue spark fluttered in Angel and Spike's eyes.

It took a few moments for them to realise what was going on, and when Spike noticed Angel's hand on his knee, he jumped in the air in disgust. "What the hell are you doing, you great poof?" he shouted.

"Me? What about you?" the vampires stood to face each other and Evie shoved them roughly apart. At that moment, Willow burst into the room. "What's wrong? Did I miss anything?"

"I just reversed the spell."

"What spell?"

"The spell that misplaced heat between me and Angel and me and Spike. That's why Spike and Angel were all over each other. That heat that's normally between us was between them and I noticed when I kissed them that something was wrong." Spike shook his head in disbelief and stormed out of the door. "Eve?" Angel approached her slowly.

"Maybe we should leave you two alone," suggested Wes. Angel nodded and the group slowly left. "I'm still so confused," said Willow to Doyle as she was walking out.

Instead of shouting at him, Evie ignored Angel completely and started tidying up. Annoyed by this, he grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him. She could already feel the heat between them returned and she gulped. "Eve," he said, "I don't know what to say but please don't ignore me."

"What do you want me to do? Jump back into your arms and pretend like you haven't been all over Spike? That's not something I can just forget."

"I know but there was nothing I could have done to stop it. You said it yourself, what was between me and Spike was the same thing that was between me and you. And I've always been weak where you're concerned. pause and apparently so has Spike." Evie looked at the floor and stepped away from him. If she got too close, who knows what might happen. She could tell he was thinking the same thing. His eyes were darker than she'd ever seen them and his chest was heaving needlessly. Angel watched her turn away from him as he felt the power take over him. He bit his lip and tried to speak to her again. "Please," he begged, "please don't hate me. I couldn't bear it."

"I don't hate you. I'm just still a bit shaken. This was the last thing I needed to hear after everything that happened in Miami."

"Miami?" she turned to look him straight in the eye.

beat

"I'm dying."

Willow had followed Spike to Chosen where she now watched him order a shot of whisky. The vampire glanced up and saw the redhead walk over a sit next to him. "What are you doing?" she asked him. He shook his head and downed his drink. "Getting the taste of Angel out of my mouth. Euch!" She sighed and shook her head. "My God, "she said, "You'd think that the world was ending or something." Spike threw her an evil look. "Yer, well, how would you like it if some spell made you fall in love with girls?" Willow raised an eyebrow. "Oh right."

"C'mon Spike. You can get over this. It's not a big catastrophe."

"But that's the thing. If it had been anyone else but Angel it wouldn't have been so bad. It's just that we have so much history and this just complicates things."

"So what are you going to do?" Spike downed his whisky. "The only thing I can do," he replied, "leave." He stood up and began to walk away. "Spike," Willow shouted after him. When she caught up with him, she could see in his eyes that she wasn't going to change his mind. "Please," she said, "why not stay a bit longer and see how things go?" He turned to look at her. "Why are you so bothered about me staying?" he asked.

"Because you have people who want you here. You have a daughter, remember? And then there's Evie as well."

"I know and I'll keep in touch with Kathryn, I promise. And as for Evie, she's hardly gonna want to see me again, is she? Face it, I'm better off gone." Willow sighed. "I suppose it's your decision," she said.

"Yup it is," he replied, "but thanks for trying." Willow smiled and then to her surprise, Spike leaned forward and hugged her. "Goodbye Will," he whispered in her ear. Then he walked away. "Goodbye Spike," she said as he left. That was it. He was gone. Forever. She grabbed her cell out of her pocket and called Evie. It rang and rang but there was no answer.

Evie sat and watched as her cell vibrated on the café table. The display flashed Willow calling but she wasn't in the mood to talk to her. It finally stopped and Evie went back to her coffee.

"So I'd either go with loan shark or ex-boyfriend." A voice came from the counter and she turned to see a dark-haired man staring at her over his coffee. "What?"

"The person you're ignoring," he replied, indicating her cell.

"Oh, it's no one." He could tell she didn't want to talk about it and he was about to walk away. But then he turned back to look at her. She looked lonely and depressed. "Is this seat taken?" he asked. The pretty brunette smiled at him and said, "Sit."

"My name's Max," he introduced himself as he sat down.

"I'm Evie," she replied, "you don't sound like you're from around here."

"No I'm from DC originally but me and my sister came here a few months ago when she left her anthropology job."

"Hmmm. I haven't been to DC in years. I'm from Ireland." He raised an eyebrow. "Really?" Max answered, "You don't have an accent." Evie smiled. "Sad to say I've become very americanised since I've been here," she replied.

Angel watched from across the road as Evie spoke to some guy in a café. He sighed. She's not going to forgive me is she, he thought. His cell started to ring in his pocket and he answered it with, "Hi Bones. What's up?"

THE END