Title: Life and Living

Summary: The war was over. Some had survived. Some hadn't. Some didn't have the strength to live on. Post NFA.

Pairings: None really. Minor-ish hints a Angel/Spike slashiness in chapter three.

Life and Living

Part I : Thoughts

Ironic. A bit pathetic. Dramatically anti-climactic. What a way to die.

They had won. Spike hadn't the foggiest idea of how. A thousand demons pitted against the small – minute – army. But they had won. And with limited casualties.

Lorne was still alive. Somewhere out there, he had escaped the battle. He had run, and while Spike normally viewed this as cowardly, he was glad his green friend had escaped.

Wes had died fighting Vail. No. Died killing Vail.

Gunn had, in fact, died. But he had lasted three minutes longer than Illyria had predicted. And for that, amongst other things, Spike held a great respect for the mortal.

Fred… No, not Fred. Illyria. Fred was lost long ago. Illyria had survived. Of that Spike was sure. He hadn't seen her die. Didn't have proof that she had lived either, but if he had somehow survived, he had faith that she did too.

And Angel. Captain Forehead was alive – well, not alive. But not dead either. This he was sure of. Angel was lying unconscious beside him as he examined the irony of it all.

They had survived. Thousands of demons against them and somehow they'd won.

But there was a problem. He was weak. The battle had drained him of all strength. He had been lying in the narrow alleyway for what felt like hours, though in reality was probably only a couple of minutes.

So he just lay there, completely vulnerable to anything that may or may not choose to attack. He lay there, watching as the sky changed from black to reddish, two words hanging in his thoughts.

"Oh bullocks."

Because what a way to die.

He'd survived the war with the senior partners.

Only to burst into flame the second the sun began to show its bright, shiny face.

"Oy, Angel-face," he grunted, attempting to swing his arm at his fellow vampire. He had the decency to at least warn him of his impending doom. On second thought, it would be kinda funny…

"Eugh?" the other man grumbled.

"Wake up."

"Why?"

"Because we're about to die."

"That's nice," Angel smiled drunkenly. "Wait, what?" he asked, still not totally awake.

"Sun's about to rise."

"We should probably get out of here," Angel said, not moving.

"Probably," Spike agreed, completely motionless.

"Tired."

"Yep."

"Going back to sleep," Angel closed his eyes.

"Liking that plan." Spike closed his eyes and drifted of into what would be his final slumber.

The End

For now.

Please review, it makes me smile.