AN: Finally got to my tenth chapter! It feels like a moment to celebrate. But of course - you haven't read it first. So sit back, enjoy a cookie, and read on. The celebrations shall follow.

Were-Wars

Back into my professinoal get up (waistcoat, shirt, smart pants and heels), I had a quick look through todays schedule as I came off the elevator. Last night I got a call from a sobbing woman - who turned out to my dad's new wife - telling me that my dad had had a stroke that night. So i spent most of the night talking and comforting Laney and disccusing the issue at bad hand between sobbing attacks so I had got no further on the translation work for Wes.

"Maddy!" came the squeak of a familiar ditzy blonde receptionist. I looked up from my leather bound planner (a gift from Laney a few months ago), to see Harmony waving her arms avidly at me and beckonging me closer. I shook my head, gesturing to my shared office, hoping to slip away from Harm's time consuming office gossip, "Maddy! C'mere! It's a note from Angel!"

Frowning, I sighed slightly, complying to Harmony's demands and approaching her, "Yeah?"

Biting her lip a little and twiddling her thumbs and looking down at her feet. Harmony sighed, "Well..it's not really a note...but-"

Growling, I closed my eyes and stamped my foot to the ground, "Harmony! I don't have time for this! Wesley's gave me some impossible deadline on some ancient scripture in some language I haven't even set eyes on before and I have a meeting at 3! I can't stop and chat!"

Looking rather bewildered at my outburst (as did several onlookers), Harmony winced slightly, "I was just going to tell you that the meeting's been moves at 12, and ask ifyou could maybe tell Wes on the way to your office."

Blushing fron the stares and guilt, I looked down, "Oh. Yeah. T-that's simple. i can do that-"

Eyebrows furrowed and looking at me queerly and cautiously, Harmony twirrled her pink, fluffy ended pen, "Are you sure? I could do it if you're busy..."

After assuring Harm it was no big, i backed off from her desk and made my way up the staircase to alert Wes of the news and possibly ask for an extention on the scripture deadling. Maybe I was exaggerating that not knowing of the language, but I was definatly not fluent and it was proving difficult to produce the translation within the deadline.

Fixing my hair behind my ear, I stood infront of Wes' office door, trying to sort a smile on my face, and then knocked briefly. Two voices came from within and then Wesley called for me to come in.

Illyria was standing a metre away from Wesley's wooden office table, staring hard and emotionless at my boss, who, after a moment of staring back at the God King with a note of defiacne, dropped his gaze and looked at some documents, "Maddy, I'm guessing this is about the translation?"

After Wes had acknowledged my apperance, Illyria turned her head round smartly to stare at me, her deep blue eyes giving a piercing gaze that i wriggled under uncomfortably, "N-no. Harmony asked me to tell you that the meeting time's changed to 12. But...um...I was actually wondering if-"

"Next Monday. But no later Maddy," Wesley added sternly, although he smiled slightly.

A small tide of relief washed over me, "Thanks Wes. God knows I nee-"

Cocking her head to the left, Illyria stared at Wesly once more, "Why do you call one another such names? 'Wes', 'Maddy', 'Spike', 'Angel'? These are not your full titles. Yet you insit on being hailed them. Why?"

Rubbing his forehead and sighing as if he had had this conversation a million times, Wes answered, "Humans and demons give each other names. It can be to shorten a long name, to show friendship and affection within a group. They're nicknames."

"My shell had been hailed something different. 'Fred'," her head tilted to the other side, " 'Freddy', 'Freddikins'. And other utred aliases." Straighening her head and staring out the window opposite me, Illyria declared that the human race 'as impotent fools that she wishes to undersant further', before striding out of the room.

Turning back to Wesley, I raised my eyebrows, "I can see she ain't got her green card to the human race yet, hmm?"

Getting up, turning his back towards me and opening a cupboard Wesley poured himself a single malt, downed it and poured another, "Not if she's intent on insuling us constantly."

Frowning, I watched Wes' back carefully, "Not too early for that?"

"Not if I started last night, no."

I bit the inside of my mouth. Wesley had become more withdrawn, almost lost, ever sine Illyria took over Fred's body. He had perfect rights too of course - his girlfriend possibly the love of his life, had her body taken over by a hostile God. Her essence had gone - the lovely, bubbly, smiley Fred had turned into the pschycotis, cold, emotionless Illyria. Everyone was mourning the loss, yet not as much as Wesley. And we all worried about him.

About to leave, I sighed a little, fixing my hair again. "Wes... if... if you need to talk... you know where I am." Not recieving a noise or nod of acknowledgement, i slipped out of the room quietly and closed the door behind me.

Things change so easily - one little word, one action can change a plan of yours - or someone elses. Wesley had planned - even if it was not stated to us - for him and Fred's bosy as the vessel of an evil, inhuman creature, had torn not only Wesley's, but our lives apart too.

Amazing how one decision can change things.

But its not only for the bad.

Spike's decision to leave the bet behind had lead to us kissing - and then the semi-relationship we are in. it could've been a one night stand and he just wanted to make sure I didn't choke on my own vomit. But then again it could be something more.

I turned the corner to reach my office, noticing Spike walking towards our office as well. He smiled as he saw me, his trademark sexy smile blossoming on his face, encouraging me to blush and swoon. looking down momentarily I gave myself a mental check - look up and smile back you idiot!

Opening the door, Spike bowed and ushered me inside, closing the door behind him.

"Morn-" before I could even reach my desk and finish my sentence, Spike had closed the blinds that allowed us to see out of the office into the corridor and spun me arround, kissing me needily. Shocked at first, I dropped my planner on my desk behind me, melting into the kiss. He lifted me onto the desk behind me, starting to take off my waistcoat and unbutton my shirt, nuzzling and kissing my neck. I groaned, trying to pull away reluctantly, "S-Spike? Not here... if someone walks in-"

He slid his hands up my half unbuttoned shirt, carrassing my stomach, "Who cares?"

Somehow, that annoied me. I did have dignity - no matter how needy I could be myself. I did not and would not ever drop my pants all for one guy. The wrong message may have been sent last night - I'd have to correct that.

Pulling away before it got out of hand, I buttoned my shirt away, "I do." I was not an easy ride.

Exhaling heavily, Spike ran a hand through his hair, "Yeah. OK."

I sat at my desk, finished the paperwork afater a few hours and started on translation, rubbing my forehead out of stress and frustration. Spike sat at his desk, playing on his gameboy advance, obviously sulking about the fact that I denied him of any physical activities until after work.

Alfred, the new intern at work, was doing his duty rounds of seeing who was doing what, running errands and bringing coffee to those who asked for it. It was this job that gave him that nickname 'Alfie the Coffee Guy'. It was well knwon that Alfie was clrealy afraid of anyone who was remotely demon - even Angel and Spike, who whilst they look human, displayed to Alfie their true nature so he was aware and had to revive him afterwards.

"Hey Maddy. I brought you that de-caf you asked for. Two sugars, low-fat cream..." he said this whilst keeping a well trained eye on Spike, who briefly took to staring at Alfie until he wriggled uncomfortably.

Screwing up my eyes, I inhaled slowly, counting to ten as I rubbed my fingertips over my throbbing temples. "I asked for a double expresso, three sugars and a ham sandwhich."

Hitting his forehead with the palm of his hand, Alfie looked pained, "That's why that guy looked at me funny! I'll fix it-"

I shook my head, telling him it was fine and just to put it on my deask. Waited for him to mess that up as well. About to place it on my paper work as I told him not to, Alfie jumped, spilling the latte all over the work.

So far I had been pretty patient all day - with Wes, Illyria, Spike and Harm. Besides my little slip up with HAmr this morning, I had my bad mood under control.

But now it was the final straw. I saw red. The word 'kill' ran round my mind as I pushed my chair back and slammed my hands down on the table.

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Spike looked up, laughing slightly, caught my expression as I rounded the table and scrambled to protect Alfie.

"I'M GOING TO KILL THE LITTLE BASTARD!" I yelled, trying to pull away from Spike's hold. Alfie stared at me in shock for a few seconds before moving to behind my desk, "I'M GONNA SLICE UP HIS LITTLE BODY AND BURN THE CHUCKS ONE BY ONE!"

Spike spluttered to hold back a luagh and called for Alfie just to leave before I actually did kill him. As Alfie ran off, Spike sat me down on my chair behinf my table, "What was that all about? It was an accident."

"Yeah! An accident all over the work I've been doing this past week! And I don't have anymore money for lunch!" I looked down, holding my head, sniffing back tears, "I don't knwo why Wesley doesn't just fire me."

Sitting down on my desk, Spike took my hand in his and told me not to worry, he'd tell Wes what happened, and speak to Angel about getting me some more days off, I shook my head and told him I'd be ok.

"Maddy, love, I'm starting to think you're way too stressed," he lifted my head, looking into my eyes with genuine worry set deep in his, "And I don't like it. I want to fix whatever's wrong."

I sniffed, shaking my head, "And I don't like it. I want to fix it for you, babe. I want to fix whatever's wrong."

I sniffed, shaking my head, "I'll fix it for you. I'll fix it."

It happened in fits and starts - either that or it happened all so sudden that my mind was only picking up every 100 frames of movement - like one of those cameras that take pictures at certain intervals. It seemed so fast and so slow at the same time.

Looking for an original in the vaults-

Sighing as I closed another file-

Looking round when a growl seems to come from down another alley-

A large, furry arm brought back to show a young face-

-the claws an inch away from me, my realisation finally set in-

-the impact of the ground hitting my body-

-the pain finally set in-

-the darkness slowly surrounding-

-the shouts from another place - another time -

The shock on his face as he held me to him. The worry. The fears. The anger mingling within all of this, the pure rage set in his jaw.

The faint whisper, "I'll fix this."

The black.