Title: Lesson the First
Author: Lore and Mally
Rating: PG
Series: Angels School for redemption
Disclaimer: Don't own, please don't sue, we're poor enough
Feedback: please
Discuss: definitely
Archive: just ask
Angel had thought he'd been terrified before. He thought he'd seen
the worst he could ever possibly see. Yet none of it could ever
prepare him for the sight that awaited him as he entered the
Hyperion.
Spike.
Spike holding Connor in his hands, making faces while tickling his
toes as the baby laughed softly, unaware of the threat it was in.
Angel hissed Spike's name, staring at him in a desperate terror.
Spike just looked up for a second before returning his attention to
the baby.
The tension between them could cut the air. Angel could almost feel
his heart start beating as Spike brought the baby to his lips, his
tongue leaving his mouth for a second.
Then he kissed the baby's head and held him out for Angel to take
him over.
"Cute nibblet you got there."
Angel could feel his son's weight on his frozen arms. The baby's
heartbeat pulsed through its veins; a soothing regular beat.
Angel closed his eyes for a second before handing Connor over to
Cordy.
Angel almost left an audible sigh of relief as he saw Fred coming
out of the kitchen. For a moment he'd have thought her dead. He
could see in the back of his eyes that Gunn pulled her towards him,
away from the vampire that'd sprawled back in the chair, staring at
him with complete disdain.
"You have about 2 seconds to explain what you're doing here Spike.
Two seconds and then I stake you."
"Family visit?"
Angel grabbed him up, holding his throat in a death grip that would
have killed a human.
I don't have time for your games William.
"Help?"
Angel let go, startled, then he started laughing.
"I know I drove Drusilla insane, didn't know it was infectious."
Spike snorted at that and lifted his arms in defeat.
"Why do I bloody well even try?"
Angel was starting to wonder the same thing.
"I just want to know how you do it."
"Do what?"
"Living with them, being so near them, knowing you could snap their
necks, drain their blood, ... and not do it."
Angel could feel his friends eyes on him.
"Because I have a soul and I am no longer evil"
"Pffftt. Bollocks.
You still got the hunger, the urge to bash and destroy.
You're still a vampire Angelus. And you're the only one I know ..."
Spike drew down his eyes, hesitant to face Angel.
"I want to stop killing. To ... to... "
Was he hearing this right?
"Why do you want to stop spike?"
Angel couldn't believe it. Spike was a vampire, evil. Harmony had
been one thing, stupid as she was, but Spike... He'd been one of the
most vicious vampires he'd ever known. A killer who gloried in the
battle, in the bloodlust.
"For Buffy."
The name came out a soft whisper.
"For the Slayer."
Angel growled as he grabbed spike and pulled him closer. He leaned
down and sniffed spike's skin. Her smell was all over the blonde
vampire.
"You and Buffy…" Anger flashed across his face. He fought his
gameface back down and threw Spike away from him.
"She'd never ..."
Spike just smirked, confirming his worst fears.
Then the unexpected happened and a tone of sadness appeared in the
other vampires eyes.
"It was easy as long as the chip was there. She knew I couldn't harm
anyone. Now ... with the chip gone ...
I don't want to force her to choose, to deal with having to kill me
for killing innocents.
It'd destroy her."
"So basically, you want me too help you, so you can sleep with the
love of my life?"
"No you bleeding poofter! I want you to help me, so I won't have to
put Buffy through the same hell you put her through.
I don't care if I never sleep with her again ... uh well, I do care.
But that's not what matters right now."
"You love her
"Damn right I do. She's everything to me."
Angel could see the simple honesty in Spike's eyes.
"The sun, the moon, the stars ...
She rises and the world turns. She …"
Angel groaned.
"Enough. The last thing I need is any of your bloody awful poetry
Spike sat back down.
"So will you? Help me that is?"
Angel looked at him, knowing he'd have to make a choice. He could
see Cordelia holding a crossbow behind Spike, aiming it at the blond
vampire.
"Welcome to class."
And God help us all.