A/N This is just a little bit of extra information. The whisky "Millennium
malt" mentioned in the story is a 24yr old single malt whisky that retails
at about £175 a bottle (over $300 a bottle)
Chapter 10
"Spike, would you join me in my office for a moment? I need to talk to you about something," asked Angel
"If you say so, I think I can walk it," said Spike.
Spike looked at Fred, she nodded and smiled at him.
"It's only a short walk, but it will be good exercise for those new muscles of yours," said Fred
Spike looked at Fred, sensing a tension in her that had not been there before. He frowned at her slightly bent head.
"If you say it's okay?" Spike replied.
Angel waited impatiently at the doorway. Spike took Fred's hand in his; it looked so tiny and fragile, no way reflecting the inner strength of its owner. He squeezed her hand gently.
"See you later love?" he asked her, a look of concern on his face.
"I'm fine, really. I have a few things to finish up with Knox here, there are other things I have been neglecting," she smiled at him to soften the blow of her words.
Spike hesitated momentarily.
"Spike!" Said Angel, irately.
"All right, all right keep your shirt on! Actually for you that's good advice mate," Spike grinned.
They set off down the corridor to Angel's private elevator.
"Just what are you implying Spike?" asked Angel
Spike gave him an innocent look.
"Well, running an evil law firm, guess you don't get so much time for exercise these days," Said Spike.
Angel looked down at himself, and then back at Spike.
"For your information, it's not an evil law firm not anymore, and are you suggesting that I'm getting flabby?" asked Angel defensively.
The elevator doors opened.
"I am not getting flabby," Angel muttered under his breath as the doors closed behind them.
Spike looked away and smiled.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
They entered Angel's office. Spike could not help the tide of resentment that arose in him every time he took in the opulence of Angel's domain.
"So what did you bring me here to talk about? I'm pretty sure it's not to take a trip down memory lane," said Spike.
"How well you know me," Angel replied.
"Well I had to hang around with you long enough!" said Spike.
"That's what I want to talk about, you're hanging around here after tonight," said Angel.
"Ahhh, now you're getting to it. Can't wait to have me gone is that it?" asked Spike.
Angel sighed and walked over to the bar in the corner, he took two baccarat crystal tumblers from the shelf and poured a generous amount of whisky in them both. He handed one of them to Spike and sat down behind his desk, preferring the barrier between them.
"I never said that, it's just been a little tough having you as my shadow these past couple of weeks. Look at it from my point of view, how would you feel?" asked Angel.
"I have been living your point of view, but from the other side of the fence," Spike replied.
"What are your plans for when it's all over?" asked Angel.
"Haven't really thought that far ahead, what if I go up in smoke after the amulet is destroyed? God that's depressing; I think I need another drink," said Spike as he rose from his seat to help himself to another.
"Wesley assures me that, that won't happen," said Angel.
Spike smiled smugly at Angel.
"You're afraid I'm going to head for the nearest airport and hightail it out of here aren't you?" asked Spike.
"The thought had crossed my mind," Angel replied, looking away.
"I know what you are implying, don't you get it? That ship has sailed, Buffy has forgotten both of us," said Spike.
Angel looked back at him tight-lipped, at the truth of Spikes words.
"And Fred? She has a lot of friends here, none of us want to see her get hurt," said Angel.
"I kinda think that's between me and the science babe, don't you? How about, I don't question you about Buffy and you leave off about Fred, deal?" asked Spike.
Angel poured another drink, and Spike smiled taking his silence as acquiescence.
"What?" Asked Angel, catching his expression.
Spike shook his head,
"It reminds me of all those drinking contests you and I had, when we used to try and impress Darla and Dru with who could stay conscious the longest," said Spike.
Angel smiled in remembrance.
"Ah yes, but if I recall, it was blood and whiskey that we drank," said Angel.
"Times change, you'd never be up for it now, too anally retentive," said Spike.
"And why not?" asked Angel.
"Well look at you, you've grown soft. The big office and the big job, where's your fire?" asked Spike.
"I still have it, this does not change who I am, my place of work does not define me," said Angel.
"Prove it!" challenged Spike.
Angel leaned forward to press the intercom on his desk.
"Harmony, could you bring in a fresh bottle of blood, oh and another bottle of Glenmorangie, the millennium malt," said Angel.
"But don't you keep that for your important clients?" asked Harmony uncertainly.
Angel sighed, Spike grinned at him.
"Rather you than me mate," he said.
"Harmony could you just for once do this without questioning me?" asked Angel impatiently.
"Fine! I don't know why I put up with this," replied Harmony.
"Because it pays better than the typing pool?" suggested Angel.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Harmony entered the office a few minutes later, she noted Spike sitting on one of the comfortable leather sofas. She put her nose in the air and walked past him, Spike chuckled at her actions.
"I can see why you might need the drink now, having to put up with Spikey, I had a quiet drink on more than a few occasions while we were dating," said Harmony.
"It's for both of us you idiot," said Spike.
Harmony turned and looked and him smugly.
"You're a ghost remember, you can't drink! And I am supposed to be the dumb one around here," said Harmony.
"You got that right," said Spike.
"Now run along Harmony, try and see how many of my appointments you can screw up for the rest of the day," said Angel dismissively.
Harmony stormed off, careful not to slam the door, mindful of Angel's previous threats.
"Let the games begin, by the way do you think we should tell the silly bint that I am corporeal now?" asked Spike.
Angel shook his head, as he broke the seal on the bottle and poured out the drinks.
"I wouldn't worry her about it, might be a little too much information for her to take in right now," said Angel.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Fred's stomach growled reminding her that she had missed not only breakfast, but lunch too. She glanced at the clock on the wall in surprise; it was three o'clock already. She put down her pen and closed up her files, it seemed a little strange to her that Spike had not been by before now. Not that she expected him to live in her pocket, but it had been over four hours ago that he had left with Angel. Fred had been so absorbed in catching up with her work, that she had not noticed the passing of the hours.
She wondered what they could have possibly found to talk about for so long. Maybe he was with one of her other friends. She picked up the phone and dialled Wesley's number.
"Hello? Wesley Wyndam Price, Speaking," came the reply.
"Wes, hi, it's Fred, don't suppose you have seen Spike?" she asked.
"Sorry, not since this morning, when he left with Angel, is everything okay?" he asked.
"Fine, thanks anyway," she said.
Fred rang Gunn and Lorne, getting similar replies from both of them. Fred finally tried Angel's number, it rang and rang, but with no response. She was getting seriously worried now. What if they had both killed each other or something? She grabbed her cardigan off of the back of her chair and left her office.
She arrived at Harmony's desk a few minutes later, out of breath. Harmony looked up at her in relief.
"Oh, I am so glad you're here, Angel has been acting really strange, well stranger than usual," Harmony amended.
"What's the problem?" asked Fred.
"He got me to bring him two bottles of his best whiskey, the kind he's supposed to keep for clients," said Harmony.
"And?" asked Fred impatiently.
"Well, there's been strange noises coming from the office for the last half hour, I didn't know what to do about it," said Harmony.
"Is Spike still with him?" asked Fred.
"As far as I know, unless he's been talking to himself," said Harmony.
Fred turned at the sound of Gunn, Wesley and Lorne, appearing simultaneously in the foyer.
"After your phone call, we thought we'd better stop by and make sure everything was okay," said Wesley.
"Well let's not just stand around here, we'd better find out," said Fred.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Lorne seemed to be concentrating on something.
"What is it?" asked Gunn.
"Sssh! I think I hear something," said Lorne, holding up a hand.
Lorne looked at them all and smiled.
"I think they are working out some of their issues," said Lorne.
He walked over to Angel's office door; he turned the handle.
"They're not fighting are they?" asked Gunn,
Lorne turned and flung the door open.
"No, they are singing," said Lorne.
As the doors flew open, Angel and Spike were unaware they were being observed, having nearly demolished two bottles of whisky and blood between them.
"How about another chorus of Mandy?" slurred Angel.
"Do we have to sing that soft ass crap again?" asked Spike.
"Come on, I had to sing that Celine Dion song," complained Angel
"Okay, but I need drink first," said Spike as he poured himself another.
"Where's mine?" asked Angel.
Spike drained the last of the drink into Angel's glass, spilling most of it on the desk.
"Cheers!" said Spike as he downed the contents of his glass in one go.
"The song?" asked Angel,
"Dammit, I was hoping you'd forgotten about that," slurred Spike.
Spike sat down next to Angel on the sofa.
"Here goes nothing, but if you ever tell anyone that I sang Manilow, I'll stake you!" said Spike.
Angel put his arm around Spike as they started to sing together.
"I remember all my life
Raining down as cold as ice. Shadows of a man, A face through a window cryin' in the night, The night goes into
Morning just another day; Happy people pass my way. Looking in their eyes, I see a memory I never realised How happy you made me,"
Spike looked up, sensing in his drunken haze that they were no longer alone.
"Oh, bugger," he said.
"Hey those aren't the words it's the chorus now, Oh Mandy well, you came and you.." Angel petered off, as he saw Lorne, Gunn, Wesley and Fred, and a totally confused Harmony, all looking at them.
Angel quickly removed his arm from Spike's shoulder as they both struggled to stand.
"Hello gorgeous," grinned Spike at Fred, before falling unconscious on the floor.
"Looks like I won," slurred Angel before joining Spike, on the office carpet.
"Shame that was pretty good, Angel sings better in a duet," sighed Lorne.
TBC
Chapter 10
"Spike, would you join me in my office for a moment? I need to talk to you about something," asked Angel
"If you say so, I think I can walk it," said Spike.
Spike looked at Fred, she nodded and smiled at him.
"It's only a short walk, but it will be good exercise for those new muscles of yours," said Fred
Spike looked at Fred, sensing a tension in her that had not been there before. He frowned at her slightly bent head.
"If you say it's okay?" Spike replied.
Angel waited impatiently at the doorway. Spike took Fred's hand in his; it looked so tiny and fragile, no way reflecting the inner strength of its owner. He squeezed her hand gently.
"See you later love?" he asked her, a look of concern on his face.
"I'm fine, really. I have a few things to finish up with Knox here, there are other things I have been neglecting," she smiled at him to soften the blow of her words.
Spike hesitated momentarily.
"Spike!" Said Angel, irately.
"All right, all right keep your shirt on! Actually for you that's good advice mate," Spike grinned.
They set off down the corridor to Angel's private elevator.
"Just what are you implying Spike?" asked Angel
Spike gave him an innocent look.
"Well, running an evil law firm, guess you don't get so much time for exercise these days," Said Spike.
Angel looked down at himself, and then back at Spike.
"For your information, it's not an evil law firm not anymore, and are you suggesting that I'm getting flabby?" asked Angel defensively.
The elevator doors opened.
"I am not getting flabby," Angel muttered under his breath as the doors closed behind them.
Spike looked away and smiled.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
They entered Angel's office. Spike could not help the tide of resentment that arose in him every time he took in the opulence of Angel's domain.
"So what did you bring me here to talk about? I'm pretty sure it's not to take a trip down memory lane," said Spike.
"How well you know me," Angel replied.
"Well I had to hang around with you long enough!" said Spike.
"That's what I want to talk about, you're hanging around here after tonight," said Angel.
"Ahhh, now you're getting to it. Can't wait to have me gone is that it?" asked Spike.
Angel sighed and walked over to the bar in the corner, he took two baccarat crystal tumblers from the shelf and poured a generous amount of whisky in them both. He handed one of them to Spike and sat down behind his desk, preferring the barrier between them.
"I never said that, it's just been a little tough having you as my shadow these past couple of weeks. Look at it from my point of view, how would you feel?" asked Angel.
"I have been living your point of view, but from the other side of the fence," Spike replied.
"What are your plans for when it's all over?" asked Angel.
"Haven't really thought that far ahead, what if I go up in smoke after the amulet is destroyed? God that's depressing; I think I need another drink," said Spike as he rose from his seat to help himself to another.
"Wesley assures me that, that won't happen," said Angel.
Spike smiled smugly at Angel.
"You're afraid I'm going to head for the nearest airport and hightail it out of here aren't you?" asked Spike.
"The thought had crossed my mind," Angel replied, looking away.
"I know what you are implying, don't you get it? That ship has sailed, Buffy has forgotten both of us," said Spike.
Angel looked back at him tight-lipped, at the truth of Spikes words.
"And Fred? She has a lot of friends here, none of us want to see her get hurt," said Angel.
"I kinda think that's between me and the science babe, don't you? How about, I don't question you about Buffy and you leave off about Fred, deal?" asked Spike.
Angel poured another drink, and Spike smiled taking his silence as acquiescence.
"What?" Asked Angel, catching his expression.
Spike shook his head,
"It reminds me of all those drinking contests you and I had, when we used to try and impress Darla and Dru with who could stay conscious the longest," said Spike.
Angel smiled in remembrance.
"Ah yes, but if I recall, it was blood and whiskey that we drank," said Angel.
"Times change, you'd never be up for it now, too anally retentive," said Spike.
"And why not?" asked Angel.
"Well look at you, you've grown soft. The big office and the big job, where's your fire?" asked Spike.
"I still have it, this does not change who I am, my place of work does not define me," said Angel.
"Prove it!" challenged Spike.
Angel leaned forward to press the intercom on his desk.
"Harmony, could you bring in a fresh bottle of blood, oh and another bottle of Glenmorangie, the millennium malt," said Angel.
"But don't you keep that for your important clients?" asked Harmony uncertainly.
Angel sighed, Spike grinned at him.
"Rather you than me mate," he said.
"Harmony could you just for once do this without questioning me?" asked Angel impatiently.
"Fine! I don't know why I put up with this," replied Harmony.
"Because it pays better than the typing pool?" suggested Angel.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Harmony entered the office a few minutes later, she noted Spike sitting on one of the comfortable leather sofas. She put her nose in the air and walked past him, Spike chuckled at her actions.
"I can see why you might need the drink now, having to put up with Spikey, I had a quiet drink on more than a few occasions while we were dating," said Harmony.
"It's for both of us you idiot," said Spike.
Harmony turned and looked and him smugly.
"You're a ghost remember, you can't drink! And I am supposed to be the dumb one around here," said Harmony.
"You got that right," said Spike.
"Now run along Harmony, try and see how many of my appointments you can screw up for the rest of the day," said Angel dismissively.
Harmony stormed off, careful not to slam the door, mindful of Angel's previous threats.
"Let the games begin, by the way do you think we should tell the silly bint that I am corporeal now?" asked Spike.
Angel shook his head, as he broke the seal on the bottle and poured out the drinks.
"I wouldn't worry her about it, might be a little too much information for her to take in right now," said Angel.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Fred's stomach growled reminding her that she had missed not only breakfast, but lunch too. She glanced at the clock on the wall in surprise; it was three o'clock already. She put down her pen and closed up her files, it seemed a little strange to her that Spike had not been by before now. Not that she expected him to live in her pocket, but it had been over four hours ago that he had left with Angel. Fred had been so absorbed in catching up with her work, that she had not noticed the passing of the hours.
She wondered what they could have possibly found to talk about for so long. Maybe he was with one of her other friends. She picked up the phone and dialled Wesley's number.
"Hello? Wesley Wyndam Price, Speaking," came the reply.
"Wes, hi, it's Fred, don't suppose you have seen Spike?" she asked.
"Sorry, not since this morning, when he left with Angel, is everything okay?" he asked.
"Fine, thanks anyway," she said.
Fred rang Gunn and Lorne, getting similar replies from both of them. Fred finally tried Angel's number, it rang and rang, but with no response. She was getting seriously worried now. What if they had both killed each other or something? She grabbed her cardigan off of the back of her chair and left her office.
She arrived at Harmony's desk a few minutes later, out of breath. Harmony looked up at her in relief.
"Oh, I am so glad you're here, Angel has been acting really strange, well stranger than usual," Harmony amended.
"What's the problem?" asked Fred.
"He got me to bring him two bottles of his best whiskey, the kind he's supposed to keep for clients," said Harmony.
"And?" asked Fred impatiently.
"Well, there's been strange noises coming from the office for the last half hour, I didn't know what to do about it," said Harmony.
"Is Spike still with him?" asked Fred.
"As far as I know, unless he's been talking to himself," said Harmony.
Fred turned at the sound of Gunn, Wesley and Lorne, appearing simultaneously in the foyer.
"After your phone call, we thought we'd better stop by and make sure everything was okay," said Wesley.
"Well let's not just stand around here, we'd better find out," said Fred.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Lorne seemed to be concentrating on something.
"What is it?" asked Gunn.
"Sssh! I think I hear something," said Lorne, holding up a hand.
Lorne looked at them all and smiled.
"I think they are working out some of their issues," said Lorne.
He walked over to Angel's office door; he turned the handle.
"They're not fighting are they?" asked Gunn,
Lorne turned and flung the door open.
"No, they are singing," said Lorne.
As the doors flew open, Angel and Spike were unaware they were being observed, having nearly demolished two bottles of whisky and blood between them.
"How about another chorus of Mandy?" slurred Angel.
"Do we have to sing that soft ass crap again?" asked Spike.
"Come on, I had to sing that Celine Dion song," complained Angel
"Okay, but I need drink first," said Spike as he poured himself another.
"Where's mine?" asked Angel.
Spike drained the last of the drink into Angel's glass, spilling most of it on the desk.
"Cheers!" said Spike as he downed the contents of his glass in one go.
"The song?" asked Angel,
"Dammit, I was hoping you'd forgotten about that," slurred Spike.
Spike sat down next to Angel on the sofa.
"Here goes nothing, but if you ever tell anyone that I sang Manilow, I'll stake you!" said Spike.
Angel put his arm around Spike as they started to sing together.
"I remember all my life
Raining down as cold as ice. Shadows of a man, A face through a window cryin' in the night, The night goes into
Morning just another day; Happy people pass my way. Looking in their eyes, I see a memory I never realised How happy you made me,"
Spike looked up, sensing in his drunken haze that they were no longer alone.
"Oh, bugger," he said.
"Hey those aren't the words it's the chorus now, Oh Mandy well, you came and you.." Angel petered off, as he saw Lorne, Gunn, Wesley and Fred, and a totally confused Harmony, all looking at them.
Angel quickly removed his arm from Spike's shoulder as they both struggled to stand.
"Hello gorgeous," grinned Spike at Fred, before falling unconscious on the floor.
"Looks like I won," slurred Angel before joining Spike, on the office carpet.
"Shame that was pretty good, Angel sings better in a duet," sighed Lorne.
TBC