Sorry I didn't post this chapter yesterday, it wasn't my fault. Honest! kept timing out the upload, but here is chappie four. Read, enjoy, review!
A
Three days later…
If they'd had a mantle at the apartment, that's where the pictures would have ended up. Liam had given the letter to Spike, knowing Angel had been his friend. Liam, though, had another motive besides generosity. The words caused anguish so pure he fought tears every time he looked at it. It was as if he was feeling the emotions from when it had been written.
He'd gone back to school with even less patience with the teachers than before. Now, it was more than just random flashes of information. He had images of history in his mind that didn't make sense. He would swear in front of a judge that he'd been there through everything from the seventeen-hundreds and on.
It scared him, yet it also exhilarated him. He knew things no one else in his school knew. He was always correcting Mr. Trent's Latin, much to his teacher's frustration. Liam found though, that making their lives difficult helped the emotions inside of himself to work themselves out, leaving less pain. He knew it wasn't fair, but they were wrong. He guessed he could be a little nicer about it, but that really didn't matter anymore.
The depression had left him, and in its wake came anger. He was angry, confused and hated the flashes of things that weren't his. They were the source of this mess, he despised them. Yet, when he looked at the pictures, he couldn't help but smile.
The feelings of fondness, friendship, love even, weren't all bad, he supposed. He just wished they were his, wished he felt that way about Kira and Josh. They were his friends now. Kira and he shared a secret and Josh had no idea. Liam knew he'd feel guilty about that soon enough, once he worked through all of the other crap at any rate.
He sighed and began doodling on his math paper. Math was his weakest subject, but he understood ninety-five percent of what the teacher, Mrs. Gorrin, said, so he wasn't too worried about not paying attention. Besides, she liked him. Nothing she said was wrong. Though, Liam thought, it's hard to be wrong in something like math and still come up with the correct answer.
Something was coming.
Liam whirled around and snatched a paper wad out of the air. The idiot who had thrown it at him was just staring at him with wide eyes. Liam rolled his own eyes and turned back around only to whirl back and catch another paper wad. This one, from the jock who hated his guts.
"Liam." The math teacher called.
Liam turned back around in his chair with a foul look in the jock's direction. "Yeah, Mrs. Gorrin?"
"Are you going to throw those?"
Liam glanced at the paper wads in his hands. "Uh, no. I had them thrown at me."
"You should have seen it, Mrs. G!" Josh enthused. "It was all Matrix-like. He just whirled around and snatched 'em out of the air!"
Mrs. Gorrin glared at the jock. "Mr. Hops, please refrain from firing projectiles in my class." She promptly went back to her lesson.
Josh gave Liam a thumbs up. "Nice."
Liam just smirked and focused his attention back to Mrs. Gorrin. He needed to pass the text test with flying colors after all.
A
Spike walked up the concrete drive to the school's entrance. He needed to retrieve the poof from his classes. There had been a rash of killings, two today and three yesterday. He needed Liam to help with the demon before it killed anyone else.
He walked down the long maze of hallways until he found Liam's math class. He looked through the small window in the door just in time to see Liam move faster than the eye could see and snatch a paper ball out of the air. Spike frowned in confusion. He'd thought Liam had been slightly stronger than average, but this was far more than adrenaline. This was something else left over from who he used to be.
Spike knew vampiric speed when he saw it. Suddenly, Liam moved again, snatching another projectile from the air. Spike located the source. A boy, a little older and bigger than scrawny Liam. He was glaring daggers at the boy Angel.
Liam and the teacher bantered back and forth for a moment. Spike opened the door and stepped in after they were done. He surveyed the class for a few seconds, eyes lingering on the jock, before getting the teacher's attention.
He cleared his throat loudly. "'cuse me. Need to borrow Liam for the rest of the day."
Liam turned in his seat to verify it was Spike, then grinned and started gathering up his stuff.
"Who might you be?" Mrs. Gorrin inquired politely.
"Spike. His legal guardian." Spike answered with a nod of his head, trying to look knowledgeable and not awkward like he felt.
"Oh, very well then." Mrs. Gorrin turned to Liam, who was standing at his desk, bags packed. "You may go."
He raced over to Spike, throwing a brief goodbye wave towards a stunned Josh. Spike held the door open for Liam, the closed it behind them. They set off at a brisk pace down the hallway.
"What's goin' on?" Liam asked, concern coloring his voice. "Did somethin' happen? Are Kira and Cunningham okay?"
"They're fine." Spike reassured him. "There's a demon loose. Killed two people today alone. Probably another one by now."
"What kind of demon?" Liam queried as the stepped out into the sunlight.
"Big, red, and smelly." Spike answered succinctly as they climbed into his junker car. "Been whackin' people in the warehouse district. That's where we're headed first."
"Sounds good to me." Liam buckled his seatbelt and Spike slammed his foot down on the gas petal.
A
The warehouse was dark, dusty and completely clichéd. Spike walked around the pockets of light, Liam following close. It always amazed Spike, the fact that Angel was following him around and not him following Angel. Spike found being in charge of a teenager a true test of his mettle, yet, he wouldn't trade the boy for the older version.
The kid was far more pleasant to be around, and Spike found it rather nice to be needed. Truthfully, though, he needed Liam just as much as the boy needed him. His time at Wolfram and Hart with Angel had taught him what heroism really was. It wasn't lights, glamour and fame. It was pain and self-sacrifice, with a great helping of satisfaction thrown in.
Spike ducked under a low I-beam and into a dark, open space with no light filtering in from the ceiling. This was the place. They'd followed a trail of five bodies to the warehouse, each with their livers removed, according to Liam. Spike knew Angel had a fair knowledge of anatomy, he was grateful for it then.
Liver eating meant it needed regular nutrients and would die within days if starved.
"It's here." Liam said in a low voice. "I can hear it, off to the left."
"Great." Spike groused sarcastically. "I hate liver eaters."
"You and me both." Liam muttered darkly. He froze, then swallowed hard. "I see it."
"Where?" Spike hissed urgently.
"Straight ahead." Liam whispered. He raised his favorite broadsword into attack position.
As they crept closer, Spike could make out the outline of the demon. It was tall, just a few inches over eight feet. Long, curved horns came from its head. Its red skin was littered with black cracks, and it had strange cloven feet. Spike got the impression of a volcano monster when he looked at it.
"Beast." Liam breathed in shock. "The Beast."
"What?" Spike hissed, but Liam ignored him.
"The only thing hard enough to penetrate its skin is itself." Liam said in a strange voice. He frowned in dazed confusion. "You mean killin' the beast really does bring back the sun? I thought that was just Angel's retarded fantasy."
"Say what?" Spike gave up all pretenses of a whisper this time.
"We have to kill it." Liam said strongly. He raised his sword and charged at the red Beast look-a-like.
It roared, swung its arm in a block, and stopped Liam's sword with a harsh clang. The demon laughed mockingly and swung its other arm towards Liam. The boy jumped back, the blow whistling past him. Another clang was heard. Spike had used Liam as a distraction and had managed to put a chip in a horn.
The demon howled and swung wildly at Spike who just managed to duck. He felt the wind ruffle his hair from the speed of the attack. Liam struck out at the horn just as the demon's back turned. He put a bigger dent in it. It was obvious the demon wasn't nearly as strong as the Beast, but it was the most dangerous thing either of them had fought since Angel had used the amulet.
Liam took a hard kick to his stomach. He felt the air leave his lungs as he flew through the air and slid across the dusty concrete. He rolled over himself several times before coming to a stop. He rolled back over his head and onto his feet with the momentum. He stood up just in time to see Spike deliver the final, severing blow to the demon's horn, then go for a flight of his own.
"Spike!" Liam screamed. Terror seized his insides and ran them through a meat grinder.
He charged the demon, a feral scream ripped from his chest. He swung with impossible, inhuman strength at the demon's head. It put its arm up in a pathetic attempt to block the blow and Liam's sword connected harshly with its wrist. The demon howled in excruciating pain as its wrist was severed from its arm.
Liam bent down and picked up the horn with deliberate moves. The demon's red eyes went wide with fear. It knew it was about to die. Liam smiled maliciously at the demon, his eyes gleaming ferally in the dim light. He sneered and thrust the horn up through the demon's chin and into its brain. Liam twisted the horn brutally and watched with primal glee as the lights when out in the demon's eyes.
Liam let go of the horn and watched with cold eyes as the Beast-copy crumpled to the floor in a rocky heap.
"No one touches what's mine." He growled at the lifeless corpse.
Liam stood over the vacant heap for a moment before rushing over to Spike, who was shakily climbing to his feet. Liam reached out and helped the once-vampire to stand.
"You okay?" Liam asked, obviously worried.
"I-yeah." Spike answered haltingly, eyes fixed on the dead body of the demon. "You alight, Peaches?"
"Yeah," Liam sighed out as he sheathed his sword, "I am.
"Not so sure about that." Spike rebutted, remembering Liam's words after he had killed the demon. It had sounded like Angelus.
Liam spun around to glare at Spike, brown eyes flashing. "Well, get sure."
"Ha." Spike scoffed. "You aren't scary, Liam. Don't try that with me, I stood up to Angelus."
Liam snarled. "I don't care." He whirled back around and stalked off.
Spike sighed and rolled his eyes to the sky. "Now what?"
A
Liam stomped through the front door of the apartment, nearly slamming the door closed on Spike. What did Spike mean he wasn't fine? He was! He was fine and that was the end of it. Liam made to chuck his sword at the couch and froze. His sword clattered to the floor. Two people were sitting there, both looking very uncomfortable.
The first was an older man with gray hair and a hairline that had receded pretty far back. He wore a tweed jacket with the same sort of pants and a striped shirt. There were brown loafers on his feet. The other was a woman in her mid-twenties. She had shoulder length blond hair and striking green eyes. Both of them looked world weary, though they tried to hide it. Liam simply stood there, gawking at them.
"What have I told you about slammin' doors on people?" Spike barked as he angrily stalked over to Liam. "Honestly-" He froze.
Spike stood rooted to the spot in shock for a long moment. He gave a saccharine smile. "Hello, Buffy. Giles."
"Spike." Giles greeted cordially. "Sorry for barging in, but there was no where to wait outside."
"Uh, yeah, sure." Spike sat down on the lazy boy while Liam still remained frozen. "What're you doin' here?"
"Word of Wolfram and Hart's defeat finally reached our ears." Once again Giles spoke for a strangely silent Buffy.
"Well, that's great, really, but-"
"Where did you get that?" Liam demanded out of nowhere. He stalked over and snatched a piece of paper from Buffy. "Who the hell do you think you are, that's mine! As in, private!"
"I-I'm sorry." Buffy said hurriedly. "I thought someone else had drawn it."
"Yeah, sorry toots, I'm the artist." Liam sneered.
"That's enough!" Spike barked at Liam, knowing what would happen if the boy kept going. "That's Buffy, not some random moron!"
"Buffy the Snooper?" Liam shot back sarcastically. He couldn't bring himself to understand how two people from his dreams and artwork could be in his living room. "Oh, no, wait, she's the Slayer. No, not that either because one of my friends is a Slayer, too."
"What did I just say?" Spike growled dangerously.
Liam glared at him. Spike could see the approaching hysteria in his eyes. "I don't care! I'm fine, you think I'm not! You always think I'm not, William! Got news for you, you don't get to choose!"
"Yeah, I do." Spike stood up and walked over to Liam. The boy stood at his shoulders. "Get a grip or go to your room."
"This is impossible!" Liam exclaimed, voice cracking and hands fisting in his hair as he paced. Giles and Buffy watched on in wide-eyed silence. "I see them in dreams, but people are missin'. Why them and not everyone else? Why not Wes?"
Spike grabbed Liam by his bony shoulders. "Wes is gone, Liam. They're all gone. Only the Scoobies are left."
"Why, Spike?" Liam demanded softly, eyes shining with sorrow and tears that would never fall. "Why?"
"Price of heroism." Spike replied bitterly. "You know that."
"I gave up somethin' that I never would have." Liam answered in the absent manner Spike knew meant he was remembering. "It wasn't mine anyway. The universe was righted when you drank from the Cup. Fake or not, you were chosen by fate. Doyle had the wrong guy."
"What is he talking about?" Giles asked, watcher instincts kicking in.
"The Shanshu prophecy." Spike answered shortly, not wanting his attention to drift from Liam.
"I thought that was about Angel?" Buffy questioned, suspicion lighting her eyes.
"No." Liam answered. Intense brown eyes focused on Buffy, She gasped. She knew those eyes. "I thought it was. We all did. It was about Spike. He's human now."
"I-I-I that's un-unbelievable!" Giles exclaimed, stuttering in his excitement.
"Who are you?" Buffy asked Liam. Spike held in a wince. She knew.
"Liam." The boy answered, not sounding too sure.
"How about Angel?" Buffy questioned carefully as she stood.
Liam's head jerked. "No. No. I'm not him. Can't be."
"Buffy." Spike spoke warningly. "Leave him alone."
Her suspicion became confirmed in her mind and Giles'. "Angel? Do you know me?"
"Yes." Liam breathed. He shook his head. "No. No, I don't. I can't! If you're real, they're dead and it's my fault!"
"Buffy!" Spike sounded desperate this time. "Stop it! Please!"
"You stop!" Liam turned on Spike. "Stop lyin' to me!" He grabbed his hair again. "I'm not supposed to remember. I'm supposed to get my reward!" He looked up at the ceiling. "Lyin' two-timin' bastards! Why do you keep givin' me what I want then snatchin' it away?"
"Liam?" Spike called softly. He pulled the boy towards him and Liam latched on tightly.
"No." Liam choked out. "No. Not anymore. Why?"
"You remember?" Spike asked, regret coloring his voice. It wasn't supposed to happen like this!
"Angel?" This time it was Giles.
"Stop it!" Liam tore himself away from Spike to snarl at the watcher. "You want me to loose my chance, is that it?" Fiery eyes fell on Buffy. "You're supposed to love me, not ruin me." He let out a sob. "Oh, who am I kiddin'? Lovin' you ruins me."
"Angel. I'm sorry, I didn't-" Buffy tried to apologize, tears in her eyes.
"I know." Angel breathed, eyes fixed on the floor. "I was rememberin' already, it was only a matter of time."
"How did this happen?" Giles asked, confusion and concern obvious.
"The amulet." Spike answered despondently. "He used it and I freed him from it. Liam was the result."
"God." Angel sighed. He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Spike. I really am."
"For what?" Spike asked harshly.
Angel looked him in the eyes. "I know what you lost. I lost it too." He sighed, then swallowed thickly. "Maybe—maybe we don't have to loose all of it. I mean, lets face it, I'm fourteen, can't really live alone like this. And…I don't really want too."
"Take what I can get, then." Spike's small smile was bittersweet.
"And give nothin' back." Angel smiled softly back. His smiled faded as he remembered their guests. He cleared his throat nervously. "Giles. Buffy. Uh, I don't really know what to-"
"It's okay." Buffy's smile was full of unshed tears. "You're alive, both of you. That-that's good enough for me at the moment. It's all I can handle, actually, but that isn't the point."
"I quite agree." Giles reflexively cleaned his glasses. "Everyone will be glad to-"
"You can't tell!" Spike and Angel chorused. Spike continued. "Don't tell them. If my enemies find out I'm human, that we're human-"
"Hey, I can take care of myself!" Angel protested, sounding more like Liam. "Besides, I still have some of my vampire traits, Spike, you don't."
"Don't rub it in." Spike said darkly.
Angel smirked. "Sure."
"I mean it, Scrawny!" Spike jabbed a finger in Angel's direction.
"I know." Angel smiled this time, some of his many shadows leaving his eyes for the moment.
"Well, I suppose we should be going." Giles announced as he gathered up his coat.
"Wait!" Angel called as they reached the door. He smiled sheepishly. "Stay for dinner at least?"
A
Two weeks later…
Spike had been patrolling even more than before lately. He took Angel with him every other night, as the boy had won the school argument. Spike had put his foot down though, on the "every night a week" thing. If Angel was going to insist on going to school, then the boy was going to get a good night's rest.
Angel wasn't really all that different than before, Spike had realized. He was less teenage flaky—he seemed more responsible—but other than that, there was no major changes. His eyes looked older, less young and his fighting technique had vastly improved. Spike was grateful for that benefit. It made fighting easier.
The rants about the teachers had increased. Spike thought it was funny. Angel's friendship with Kira had strengthened and Angel actually liked Cunningham. The watcher was very green, but between himself and Angel, James was actually getting good at his job. It was almost as if their lives were as they should be. They never would be though, because their friends were dead.
"Hey, Spike," Angel started as he walked through the door. He set his backpack on the couch.
"Yeah?" Spike changed the channel on the TV.
"I, uh, have an idea." Angel stuffed his hands into his pockets.
"For what?" Spike asked, only paying half attention.
"A job." Angel answered, still sounding nervous.
"What kind of job?" Spike's radar went off. He looked away from the TV to Angel.
"Uh, well-" Angel stopped, then sighed in frustration. "I'm just gonna say it. I want to start Angel Investigations up again."
"You what?" Spike demanded, stunned.
"This city still needs help." Angel defended quickly. "So, yeah, no visions, but that doesn't mean we just stop helping the helpless." He frowned in thought. "Doesn't mean I stop helping. It's what I am, Spike. I lost that at Wolfram and Hart, but now, I'm who I should be."
Spike thought it over for a moment. "Alright." He gave Angel an inquiring look. "It just us, or are we hirin'?"
"Hirin'."
Yippie, one more chapter to post and edit then I am done. If doesn't have anymore SNAFU's between now and four o'clock PM Monday, you will have chapter five. Thank you for reading. Feed author. Review!