A/N: I am so sorry for the wait on updating guys! I had school and work and then holidays stuff. But as a late holiday gift I'll be posting two chapters! That's right TWO! So I hope you enjoy and please remember to review because I love hearing from you guys, especially if it's more than just, "Please update soon!" or something like that. Happy holidays guys and have a happy New Year!
Alandra woke with a start at the sound of yelling coming from her door way. She hissed in pain as the movement caused for her to jar her still tender ribs. Her eyes widened when she felt two sets of hands caressing her and trying to soothe her. She could feel the warmth of her bond with Angel fall over her, the way his calloused hands ran over her skin the only way his did. It had felt so real that she finally looked up to see him on the side of her bed, his brown eyes clouded with worry. She immediately pulled her arm from his grasp, anger flooding her body and seeping over to him through their bond. Angel's face became an expressionless mask, but she could see the hurt and love in his eyes.
"What are you doing here Angel? I told you to never come back and see me," Alandra said to him, her voice cold and dark.
"I know your mother is here Alandra," Angel replied, his voice filled with concern. Alandra's eyes widened, before narrowing in suspicion.
"Who told you," she asked, her voice cold. When he glanced over to where Spike stood in her door way her head whirled around to glare at the other vampire. Spike looked between them for a moment before realizing what Angel was implying.
"What? No, I wouldn't tell the poofter anything! Least of all something that would bring him here! I hate him remember," Spike said, his body tense, his eyes pleading for Alandra to understand. She had to admit that it made sense, but she wanted to know how Angel found out.
"Actually, Buffy called and told me," Angel clarified, before glaring at his grand childe. Alandra turned to Spike once again, a single brow lifted in expectation.
"That I did have something to do with that. But what should I have done pet," Spike asked, sitting on the otherside bed. Alandra felt her anger fill her again.
"You shouldn't have told anyone! Why did you tell her," Alandra asked, nearly on the brink of tears, "Is this pay back? I thought we had moved past everything?"
Angel wanted to cut in and ask what she was talking about, but was too astonished at the intimate relationship Spike and Alandra seemed to have developed. He could feel the sadness and fear from her, and the disappointment. The disappointment of potentially losing Spike's friendship. He also recognized the loving and pleading gaze Spike currently gave his Alandra. It was the way he used to look at Drusilla.
"No sunshine, that wasn't it at all," Spike replied, making jealousy flare up inside Angel at the pet name and the way he was holding her hand. He couldn't help but feel smug at the way she pulled her hand away from Spike as she had him.
"I think you should leave Spike," Angel told him, the words clearly a command. Before Spike could retort, Alandra replied.
"I think you should as well since you have no business being here. I can handle her myself," she told them, making both men growl out in frustration. She wondered if they knew how similar they were, and yet so different as well.
"If giving her money is how you plan on handling it then you need help," Angel replied, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Alandra glared up at him, her body beginning to shake with anger.
"You need to lay off of her," Spike growled out. Angel crossed his arms in front of him, his posture relaxed, but Spike recognized the frustration and anger that was rolling off of him.
"Why are you even here Spike," Angel said to him, "Don't you have some cesspit to drunkenly fall into?"
"I do, but your mouth is currently of full of asshole," Spike shot back. Alandra could see the anger flare up between the two men and couldn't help but wonder how she become the one trapped in between them. She was too exhausted to try to calm them down, but knew that if she didn't it would turn into a full blown fight with fists, and she was not ready to try to break that up. She had just opened her mouth to say something when Angel turned to her, his deep brown eyes looking deep into her.
"Let me do this for you," Angel said, his voice low. Alandra was silent, contemplating on what this would mean for her. Does this make her a coward to have Angel fight this battle for her?
"Even if I said no, you would do it any way, wouldn't you," Alandra asked, but she already knew the answer, could see it in the way his eyes glinted in the light, could feel it in her heart.
"Yes," he answered honestly, making Alandra smirk. She missed him. Even now her body yearned to feel his skin against hers, the way it's coolness seemed to almost burn. She longed to feel his arms wrap around her, creating a safe cocoon for her. It always felt like nothing in the world could hurt her when she was in his arms.
"Spike goes with you," Alandra rasped out, making Angel's eyes bulge out of their sockets in shock and anger.
"He is not coming with me," he nearly yelled, both of them turning to look at Spike at his scoff, the younger vampire plopping in a chair beside her bed and pulling out a pack of cigarettes to pop one in his mouth. Alandra turned her head back to Angel, waiting to speak until Angel looked back at her from his glaring.
"If Spike doesn't go with you then I go with you," she told him, making both men begin to argue.
"You can barely walk to the bathroom to piss, let alone follow the poofter to the hotel," Spike said to her.
"How do you know her bathroom habits? Do you follow her," Angel asked, his voice incredulous.
"No, I don't follow her! I keep an ear out for her in case she falls or something," Spike countered, making Alandra sigh in exhaustion.
"Fine, I guess Spike and I will have a night in," Alandra said loudly over their talking, "Maybe watch a movie or something."
"Spike, you're coming with me," Angel said suddenly, but his voice held no joy at the prospect. Spike smirked but remained silent and bent down to kiss Alandra on her forehead before glaring up at Angel and swaggering out of the room, leaving the former couple alone.
"You know that if I was fully healed you wouldn't have won so easily," Alandra told him, making him chuckle softly. She smiled, but winced at the way the movement pained a bruise that was still healing. She gasped when she felt Angel's cool fingers on the bruise, relieving some of the pain as they grazed lightly over it. Alandra felt her eyes close as she began to nuzzle into his touch and soon his whole palm was cupping her cheek, making her skin tingle. She hummed when she felt his lips on hers, the briefest of touches, but it still brought her comfort.
"We need to talk when I come back," Angel told her, his words forcing her eyes open. She looked up at him and sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted.
"What could we possibly say that hasn't already been said," she asked him, her voice soft as she spoke.
"A lot," was his simple reply before he bent over and kissed her once again on the lips before straightening and walking out of the room, answering Spike's yell for him to hurry. He glanced back at her from her doorway but swiftly continued to walk out. Alandra waited to hear the front door close before collapsing onto her back, wincing in pain at the action. She ran her hands down her face and hoped that they didn't kill her mother, and then began to hope they wouldn't kill each other on the way there.
~0~0~
It was silent for all of two seconds when the two vampires walked out, Spike being the first to speak and making Angel internally groan in annoyance. The younger vampire had never truly understood that silence was golden.
"Why are you here," Spike asked him, his voice filled with accusation. Angel didn't even bother to look at him as he spoke.
"I'm here to take care of Alandra's mother. Why are you here," Angel countered. Spike pulled a cigarette out of the pack and placed it on his lips before quickly lighting it, taking a long puff before answering. The smell of smoke began to waft into the air, and although it wouldn't harm Angel it irritated him all the same.
"I'm taking care of Alandra, like you should be doing," Spike told him, making Angel growl in anger. The older vampire came to a halt and whirled around to face the younger, both their shoulders squared, their muscles tense and prepared to fight.
"I am taking care of Alandra," Angel growled out, making Spike laugh, but it was full of sarcasm and anger.
"By running away and leaving her alone and wondering if your feelings for her were ever real? Leaving her to fight by herself and potentially die by herself," Spike yelled, his nostrils flaring in anger.
"She has Buffy and the Scoobies, she wasn't alone. And she knows that my feelings for her are real, the bond proves it," Angel countered, but doubt had already began to niggle it's way into his mind. Angel turned around to continue walking, leaving Spike in his wake.
"Running away again," Spike scoffed before following after him, "That's all you've ever done since you've gotten that bloody soul! That's all you're ever good for!"
"And what are you good for? Huh, Spike? What is the point of you being here at all? And I don't just mean in Sunnydale, I mean existing! Do us all a favor and stake yourself so we can all have some fucking peace," Angel roared back and was amazed at the way Spike's face fell. Angel knew that he had hit a sore spot for his grandchilde and could feel the regret and guilt creep in with the doubt. Spike took another puff of his cigarette, slowly blowing the smoke out of his nostril, the grey wisps curling into the air. His piercing blue eyes burrowed deep into Angel's brown, the pain and sadness of his over 100 years of life flashing beneath.
"One night Alandra was up, pacing back and forth in the kitchen. She could feel your arousal all the way from fucking LA," Spike began, and although his voice was soft it rang in Angel's ears, "She cried because she thought you had moved on, and she hated herself for not being able to do the same. Took me hours to calm her down enough to ignore the feeling and get her to sleep. Other nights she wakes up screaming, nightmares of seeing your death, of when she had to put that sword in your chest. And if she's really exhausted she'll have nightmares about when she was in the hands of Angelus. And all she does is cry out your name, begging for you to save her, to protect her, like you had promised. I watch her back when she's out on patrols or helping fight the big bads, when she runs head first into a fight and comes out bleeding on the other end."
"You ask me what is the point of me being here," Spike said, his voice still soft but full of a passion that Angel had never heard come from him, "She is." Spike took another long drag, the small glow of the tip of the cigarette becoming brighter, leaving ash in it's wake. Angel remained silent as the blonde threw the used cigarette to the ground, smashing it with the toe of his combat boot.
"Let's go take care of this woman," Spike hissed out and walked away, not waiting for Angel to catch up. Angel was frozen for a moment, Spike's earlier words ringing out through his mind. He had always doubted on a small level if what he had done was right. If leaving her, separating, making that decision for both of them was the right thing to do. Or was it simply out of fear. Not fear of her love or his love for her, but the fear that one day she would have realized what he was, a monster, and make that decision for herself. He was going to have a long talk with Alandra when they got back.
~0~0~
They were able to find Ophelia's hotel room fast, the young woman at the front desk easily giving up the information with minimal backstory as to who the two men were, seemingly enamored by them with her wide bright eyes and sensuous smile on her lips. If this were any other time, any other day, Spike would have taken her up on the offer she was giving. But it wasn't.
The hallway was filled with tension as Angel knocked on the door, the men having halted their usual parrying of words after their earlier talk. On the second knock, Ophelia opened the door, a pleasantly surprised look on her face.
"Hello," she said when her eyes landed on Angel, her voice dropping low in a vain attempt to sound sexy, it just made Spike want to cringe, "And who might you be?"
"My name is Angel, I'm sure you're familiar with Spike," Angel gestured to the vampire beside him, "May we come in? It's important."
Ophelia moved back to allow them in, her hand gesturing to the extravagant room filled with white and light, "Please, come in." She smiled, her eyes smoldering and as the two men walked past she pushed the length of her body against them, forcing their bodies to graze hers. She followed closely behind them, closing the door quietly, her hips swaying back and forth. Spike was amazed that the beautiful soul that was Alandra came from this darkness. She walked around to face them, a black couch behind her.
"So what can I help you with," she asked, her eyes still holding a smolder that she thought was attractive but wasn't.
"I'm Alandra's husband," Angel began, but Spike turned to give him an incredulous look, his next words cutting Angel off.
"No you're not," Spike spat out, making Angel glare at him.
"I'm as good as, actually even more so," Angel argued back. Spike quickly scoffed.
"That doesn't make you her husband! That's actually very pretentious of you, but I'm not surprised you would take such a liberty with describing your relationship with her," Spike said, smirking at the way Angel ground his teeth, his jaw twitching in annoyance.
"What was it that you two wanted," Ophelia said, her demeanor changing, clearly annoyed by their exchange, her face no longer held the sensual looks she was giving them.
"You came to Alandra today asking for money," Angel told her, immediately cutting to the chase. Ophelia plopped down on the couch, crossing her legs then shrugging her shoulders, lifting up a glass of wine that was sitting on the coffee table and taking a sip.
"You know, I didn't know the little bitch had it in her," Ophelia said nonchalantly as she sat the glass back down, "Having two men at the same time. But in all honesty, you two are much too handsome for her." The words had barely fallen from her lips her back was being slammed against the wall, Angel's hand around her throat, squeezing just barely tight enough to begin to make breathing difficult. Her entire body shook with fear at the sight of his demonic face, his amber yellow eyes glowing brightly with anger.
"If I hear anything like that come out of your mouth again I will rip your tongue out. Is that understood," Angel asked, his voice a hiss. Ophelia's entire body shook with fear as she nodded her acquiescence. Angel gave a small nod and backed away, his vampire façade remaining on his face. He slowly walked around the room, looking at the various accouterments that had been placed around the hotel room.
"What is it that you want," Ophelia asked again, her voice calm as her hands shook to grab the glass that held her wine. She quickly glanced at Spike who had lit another cigarette that was hanging from his mouth. He snarled as he blew the smoke slowly into the air.
"You're going to leave Sunnydale and never return," Angel's voice caused her head to snap to look at him, "She's not going to give you money, in fact, you're going to give her money."
"I think 5,000 for every year you mistreated and abused her should be plenty," Spike said, smiling sadistically at the fear in her eyes, "When was that again Angel?"
"I believe the age was 8," Angel replied matter-of-factly, his face remained a mask of indifference. Ophelia was filled with shock as she calculated how much money that was.
"That's 50,000 dollars! I don't have that kind of money," Ophelia cried out. Spike was suddenly in front of her, and Ophelia pressed her body into the couch to try to escape him.
"I suggest you find it," Spike told her before backing away and finishing off her glass of wine.
"You have two weeks to deposit the money into Alandra's trust fund, but I expect you out of Sunnydale by tomorrow night," Angel told her, "If you haven't deposited the money in two weeks I will find you and I will drain you dry."
"Alandra would never stand for you to hurt me, she's a bleeding soul like that," Ophelia taunted, a small smirk wobbling on her lips. Angel took a few steps towards her, his amber eyes glowing in the soft lighting.
"Did you even bother to ask how she became so injured when you saw her today," Angel suddenly asked, surprising Ophelia enough for her to suck in a breath, "Did you even notice how her body had become riddled with scars, or how the light that is usually so bright in her eyes is now barely a flicker of what it used to be? Do you even care?"
"Do you want the honest answer to that question," Ophelia replied, her voice beginning to fill with strength as her fear dissipated.
"It doesn't matter what your answer is," Spike said, ignoring the glare Angel was sending his way, "Either way you have treated her like shit for basically her entire life. Alandra has changed, and she might argue if we brought up what sort of punishment we should give you," Spike paused as he brought his face closer to hers. He could see her pulse racing beneath the delicate skin of her neck, the smell of smoke and fear wafting in the air and he wished that he could take a bite out of her. A painful, tortuous bite, where she could feel the tearing of her skin beneath his teeth, and the pull of her blood. He wanted it, but the chip wouldn't allow him.
"But I know," Spike continued, trying get control of the intense hunger he was feeling, "If you suddenly came up dead one day, she wouldn't bat an eyelash."
"You're bluffing," Ophelia spat out. Spike smirked, his head tilting to the side in question.
"Are you willing to bet your life on it," he whispered, licking his teeth as his lips widened in a grin, slowly backing away from her.
"So what is it going to be Ophelia," Angel asked, his voice releasing some of the tension in the room, but not much. It was silent as they waited for her answer and Angel could see the similarities between Alandra and Ophelia, despite how different they were. Alandra got the shape of her smile from Ophelia, but the warmth from her father. He could also see Alandra's eyes in Ophelia's, but the almond shape seemed harsher and crueler on the older woman. He could see so much of his love, and yet nothing at all, making him wonder how the kind and warm person that Alandra was came from something so cruel.
"Fine, I'll pay the money," Ophelia relented. Angel wanted to sigh in relief. He didn't really have any plans to hurt her, and that Spike couldn't, but he hoped the fear would push her in that direction. Angel and Spike nodded to her and began to walk out of the room, having nothing else to say to her. Their footsteps halted when they heard her voice.
"I wasn't always a bad mother," Ophelia said, her voice soft and almost pleading for them to understand, "But Alandra always caused trouble. Things in the house would end up broken, fights at school. She was a bad seed. I just couldn't handle it anymore."
Angel and Spike stared at her, amazed and disgusted by the woman's words. They couldn't believe that she actually believed her own words as well. Angel suddenly wanted to rip her throat out, his anger becoming harder to hold onto the longer he was separated from Alandra.
"I don't know what's more sad," Angel began, a look of disgust on his face, "That you told us this because you believed that it would make us pity you. Or that you actually believe it." He and Spike left without another word, leaving Ophelia alone with his words.
~0~0~
Alandra was gently woken up by Angel in her room, a small and sleepy smile on her lips. Angel couldn't resist running his fingers against the soft skin of her cheek, the warmth of her body next to his filling him. Alandra stretched out, wincing slightly at the pain before her smile fell, her mind losing it's fogginess and realizing where Angel was coming from.
"Everything is handled. I just wanted to say goodbye," Angel told her, his voice barely above a whisper so as not to disrupt the quiet air.
"Stay the night," Alandra said, her hand reaching up to press his palm to her cheek, "Please?" Angel was surprised by her request. He had thought she would want him back out of her life, but the bond hummed to life, filling the room with it's bright yellow glow. They needed each other. The bond eased their hurts, calmed their fears, but only as long as they stayed close together. Angel could feel the difference within himself, the warmth that spread through him from his heart. He could always recognize that warmth as his love for Alandra. He slowly laid himself down beside her, kicking his shoes off as he went. He tentatively wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him and sighing in relief as she pressed her body closer to his, her head resting on his shoulder, her light breaths tickling his neck.
His shot up to look at the slightly open doorway, feeling Spike's presence, forcing himself not to tense so as not to disturb her light slumbering. He saw the jealousy in his eyes, the sadness, the loneliness and the hurt. He was almost tempted to invite Spike in with them, but quickly squashed the feeling. He always felt guilt for what he had done to Spike in the past that made him the way he is today, but he knew that no matter what Spike did, he could not be trusted.
