Chapter Ten
Wesley pursed his lips as he watched Angel grab his sword, a few stakes and his coat.
"I really don't think this is a good idea."
"I'm not leaving her alone with him."
"I understand your worry, however, right now Cordelia is very hurt and we should give her time to . . "
"Time to what? Let Spike kill her? Or turn her?"
Wesley sighed. It was the same argument over and over.
"I don't believe that is the danger."
"Excuse me? Are you saying you trust him?"
"Not at all. However, he had the chance to hurt her several times. While we were both captive, while he was with her at Wolfram and Hart, and he did not. He not only had the opportunity to turn her, but her consent! There is no doubt that Wolfram and Hart were planning on rewarding him should he follow through."
"What's your point, Wes?"
"My point is, whatever Spike's plan, he wants her alive and well for it. She is not in any immediate danger, but if you storm over there you are likely to just push her away farther."
Angel sighed and his shoulders slumped.
"I'm worried about her."
"I know, so am I."
Angel nodded and sat down, rubbing a hand over his face. Wesley agreed to take Faith to his apartment to give Angel some time and left him alone.
AA
Spike came up the stairs to the apartment with two large bags hanging from his hand. He froze seeing someone at the door. The man turned so that the hall light hit his face and he smirked continuing up to the door.
"Can I help you, mate?"
Angel turned, the door was locked, he knocked and got no answer. Hearing Spike he had turned and growled at him.
"Spike. Where is Cordelia?"
"Havin' a lie in. Don' know if you noticed, poof, but the chit was tired."
"There's no answer, and the door is locked, if she is just sleeping she'd get up when I knocked."
"Doubtful. Probably doesn' wan' t' see you."
He pushed past Angel and leaned into the door.
"Oi! Dennis. Back wit' the food."
The lock clicked and the door swung open. Spike gave Angel a satisfied smirk and stepped in going towards the kitchen. He knew Angel was following he knew the man couldn't just give up. So Spike just acted as though he wasn't there. Setting the bags on the counter he started unloading.
"She get some rest then?"
The light dimmed then brightened and Spike nodded. Angel frowned and stood blocking the walkway.
"What are you playing at Spike?"
"Well, 'ts been awhile, but I believe this is called groceries. You know, t' replace what you lot ate? Can' bring her home t' an empty house, cheerleader needs t' eat."
"You know what I mean."
Spike put the food in the fridge and then the cupboard before turning and crossing his own arms over his chest.
" 'fraid not. Care t' share?"
"Cordelia. Leave. Her. Alone."
"Oh no, sorry Peaches. Not your call t' make."
"I won't let you hurt her to get to me."
"Well well, 'least now I see what you an' the slayer have in common, jus' thinkin' it's all about you."
"Oh so you've just decided out of the goodness of your heart you decided to help her?"
"So hard t' believe?"
"Frankly, yes. You forget, I know you Spike."
"Sure you'd like t' believe that, an' maybe you do. Maybe 'ts cause she don' know me that I'm still here."
Angel snorted.
"Of course she doesn't know you, or she'd have staked you first thing. You're using her!"
"Oh yes, t' get t' you, cause 'ts always abou' you in'it poof!"
"Leave her alone Spike!"
The yelling had woken Cordelia and she'd slid from bed, thrown on a robe and headed out, stopping when she heard the voices and recognized them. She tried to stay hidden by her room and simply listen but she could tell they were both yelling and likely would come to blows soon.
"Back. Off! Tired o' you an' your superiority complex!"
"Please, just because you're inferior doesn't mean I have a complex."
"Maybe this time, you're the inferior one mate. As I sees it, you might 'ave been big an' bad as Angelus, but it took a soul for you t' do anythin' good."
"What are you babbling about?"
Cordelia stepped in that time and looked at Spike. Angel might have missed it, but she didn't. Spike was still hurt about a few things when it came to Angel and Angelus.
"What he means, is that he doesn't have a soul, and he still did the right thing."
Spike's face fell and he looked down at his shoes. Angel turned quickly and frowned.
"Cor, you have no idea what he's capable of."
"No, but then, I had no idea what you were capable of either did I?"
At his puppy eyes she sighed and moved past him into the kitchen, opening the fridge to get them a glass of blood she stopped and looked behind her.
"I uh, got you some food while you was restin'. Figured, ou'd need t' eat sooner 'r later."
Cordy smiled and grabbed the blood, filling two mugs and setting them in the microwave.
"Thanks. Now both of you sit down."
"Cor -"
"Angel, I'm tired, I'm sore and I swear just about anything sets me off into tears. I don't even want to think about the last three days but since you two are just going to keep arguing we're going to sit down and talk. So sit."
Both vampires gave each other a look, one that said, 'this is so your fault', and sat down. Pulling chairs from the small table. The look didn't go unnoticed by Cordy and she rolled her eyes. Setting the mugs down she sat in between them both and Spike frowned down at the mug.
"What's this?"
"Blood, warm, body temp should be, and a sprinkle of nutmeg."
Spike blinked and Angel took a sip of his.
"I prefer cinnamon."
"Deal."
Spike still seemed unsure but grabbed the mug and looked at Cordy, she was unfazed by Angel drinking it in front of her, he'd tried to hide his need to drink before. Taking a sip Cordy sighed.
"Okay look, you two don't like each other. I get it. You don't trust each other, fine. The thing is, you don't have to."
"So, Spike is leaving."
Cordy gave Angel a glare.
"No, not if he doesn't want to. I don't want to go over it, I really don't, but I trust him. Whether you like it or not, he helped me. He took care of me when I was in pain, he made sure I ate and slept, and even if it's petty and wrong, he killed for me. I know, he shouldn't have, but when he first said that he'd kill Lindsey, I was just, so relieved, to think he'd never, never hurt anyone else."
She closed her eyes trying not to cry again. Spike and Angel both reached for her then glared at each other and she groaned standing up and hugged herself.
"Angel, I know you did what you thought was right. Helping Faith, but right now all I can think is that you left me there. You left me there to let them hurt me. You could have, locked her up or just told her that you were still doing damage control from her little evil slayer tantrum but you didn't. So no matter how you say it, you choose to rescue her, and leave me to die. I, don't think I can forgive you for that. Not right now. So, I need you to leave now. Leave me alone."
Angel had no idea what to say and when he looked at Spike he didn't see the smirk he usually did, Spike was frowning at her. He was, upset. Standing slowly he nodded.
"I understand. Spike, I need to talk to you privately. Just. Talk."
He added with his hands up to show he didn't mean any hard. Spike stood and nodded.
"Yeah. Won't be long pet."
Cordelia sat back down and put her head in her hands as the two headed out of the apartment and into the hall.
Spike closed the door quietly behind him and looked up at Angel, his face set.
"What is it, poof?"
"No more games. I want answers."
Spike narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. Angel sighed.
"What did Lindsey do?"
Spike's jaw worked.
"Liked t' play mind games he did. Triggered visions, plenty o' 'em. They don' go away either."
"What do you mean, they don't go away."
Spike snorted and shook his head.
"Weren' payin' much attention were you? Same thing with Dru. Them visions, they mean sommat, they don' get done, pain stays."
Angel frowned, he hadn't paid a lot of attention to Drusilla's pain, unless he had been inflicting it.
"So, that's why you killed him?"
"Part o' it."
"Well?"
"Not my story t' tell, sorry."
Angel grit his teeth. He wanted answers and wasnt' getting them, he saw the anger flare in Spike's eyes though and sighed.
"She's all right though? Does she need, a doctor?"
"Could probably use one, won' go though. Can tell ya that. She's strong, an' as much as she whines, she don' bother people wit' her problems if she can help it."
"You sound like you know her."
"Might've learned a bit."
"Okay so why? Why did you really help her?"
Spike raised a brow.
"You really wanna know?"
Angel nodded and he shrugged, his smirk back again.
"Seems t' me you've gotten the lucky straw a few times. Got that soul o' yours, got the slayer t' fall for ya, then left 'er high an' dry. Come here an' guess what, got yourself another little bit o' groupies. Honestly, would've been 'appy t' kill 'em both, but she gave me an earful when I threatened 'er. Scared as 'ell. Still read me the riot act."
Angel's lips quirked, that sounded exactly like Cordelia.
"So what, you decided not to kill her because she yelled at you?"
Spike shrugged.
"Sommat like that. She said some things. 'bout you, 'bout men and vampires. Seems t' me, the Sunnydale bunch still saw you an' me as vampires. You were jus' neutered. She didn' act like that, she acted like we was, "
"Like we're men."
Spike nodded and Angel understood. Wesley accepted that he was trying to be a man, working for that redemption. Cordelia, acted as though he was already there. Oh she was careful on the sunshine thing, but overall, she expected him to act like a man, and treated him like one. He could see the appeal.
"But we're not. We aren't Spike, and I meant what I said. I won't let you hurt her."
"You think I'm movin' in on your territory? I got news for you, Peaches, I'm taking over. Figure you got enough already. Firs' time someone's looked at me that way, I ain't loosin' it. 'm not playin' nice, she's mine now. Best get used t' it."
Angel snarled and leaned in to his face.
"You can try, but if you think you're going to take her from us, you're mistaken William."
"Guess we'll see, won' we?"
Spike grinned. He wasn't afraid, he had the upper hand right now and he planned on using it. Angel matched his grin.
"I'll enjoy watching you lose again. You may be able to play at being a man, but it won't last, and as soon as you slip up, I'm going to be there."
With that Angel turned and headed down the stairs, Spike just smiled before turning to head back into the apartment.
AA
Wesley was setting up the pillows and blankets on the couch. Faith stood to the side, hands shoved in the back of her jeans. She noticed he kept stealing glances and she licked at her lips.
"Look, you don't have to do this Wes. I mean, I understand if you don't want me around."
Wes raised a brow and stood up.
"May I ask you something?"
"Uh, sure."
"At the garage. When Lindsey was going to shoot me, why did you stop him?"
She blinked, surprised at the question and then lowered her eyes.
"You're a good guy Wes. Honestly, I, probably wouldnt' have been so hard on you if you weren't. Not much of a comliment but there you go."
"So, you were even angrier at me, because you believe I'm a good man?"
She sighed and looked up at him knowing she probably wasn't making much sense.
"I felt like, you let me down, and if it was just you, then that would be fine, if you just, sucked, like the other watcher, than it wasn't me. But you don't, or, didn't. I mean you had one hell of a stick up your ass, kind of glad to see that's gone now, but you weren't bad. You were a good man, trying, and it was me not giving you a chance. Now, well, after the council and stuff, you're a good man. I couldn't, ever be that, be what you are. I'm, too angry all the time. Figured, I did enough damage."
"So you stopped him from shooting me."
She nodded dumbly. That answer made sense to her, but she knew there was something more. When she saw him in danger, her heart had stopped and she'd panicked. When she looked up again Wesley smiled softly and nodded.
"The anger, believe it or not, I do understand. Perhaps not as well as Angel, but I do. It doesn't have to consume you, Faith. You can learn to let it go if you want. You've been forged in fires many don't survive. It's your choice what to do from here. Is there anything you need, before getting some sleep?"
"Uh, no no."
Wesley nodded and headed to his bedroom. He stopped when she called for him again.
"Wes? Thanks."
He smiled and left his door open a crack for her if she needed something and went to lay down. Faith let out a breath and kicked off her shoes before laying down and pulling the blanket up to her stomach and stared at the ceiling.
AA
A/N: I couldn't resist, I had to put a little something with Faith and Wes in there! I have a couple of important plot related things to still bring about, but otherwise I might just have to turn this into a series! The characters keep yelling at me that they really should have had a shot at season 2 their way!