Reunion
The elevators of Wolfram and Hart opened with a ping. The small, familiar sound seemed far too normal for a place that held the reputation and secrets that this did. All over the world, over many worlds, they held influence and yet their elevator opened with a single, light ping.
She stepped into the bright foyer of Wolfram and Hart and no one turned to look at her. Demon and humans alike walked the halls, but they didn't concern her. She clenched her fists. The bronze knuckle dusters were still cool against her flesh.
She strode past the reception desk. The breezy whine of Harmony cut through her determined stare. Harmony walked around the desk in heels too high to be practical and tried to catch her.
"Hey! Wait! you can't go in there… you don't have an appointment," she finished lamely.
She pushed open the double doors in a pleasing show of dramatics. Two faces turned to her.
Angel, surly and perturbed at the disruption, sat behind a large imposing desk with a collection of paper, weapons and mugs strewn across its expensive surface. He looked surprised to see her, but she wasn't there for him. She was here for the vampire who was sprawled across the chair in front of Angel's desk looking like an unrepentant teenager who had been sent to the principal's office. He lounged lazily, his legs dangling over the arm of the chair and his coat streaming down around him.
He jumped to his feet, mouth agape when he saw her. The first syllable of her name was barely on his lips when she launched a small vial at him will all her might. It would have hit the shocked vampire square in the chest had he not raised his arm. Some of the clear liquid splashed onto his face, the droplets leaving angry red splotches, and dripped slowly down the decades old leather to etch a track down his fingers.
"Ouch," he said, wiping his hand quickly on his t-shirt. "Holy water, what...?"
He was cut off as a fist hardened by bronze knuckle dusters smashed into his chin. His head whipped back, and he felt his split and tasted the hint of blood on his tongue.
"Now wait just a second," he started but the fist was making its way to his face again. Jab, cross. He caught the uppercut easily and then the left hook that tried to counter it.
He looked down into angry brown eyes.
"Dawn stop!" he said.
"You are such a bloody jerk," she hissed and kicked out hard into his shin. He dropped her hands with a small howl, his hands going to his shin. He hopped slightly. "Go to hell!" Dawn yelled.
She turned quickly and stormed out leaving a bleeding Spike and a perplexed and highly amused Angel in her wake.
Spike rushed after Dawn and Angel rushed after Spike, not wanting to miss act 2 of this play.
Angel exited his office to see one of his security demons grab Dawn's arm and wrench it behind her back eliciting a high-pitched squeal from her. Another circled her but with a snarl Spike grabbed the demon pulling him off Dawn and throwing the demon across the room. Spike sent him crashing into the staircase where crumpled down the stairs and lay dazed in a heap.
"Keep your bloody hands of her," Spike growled, his demon guise slipping into place as the second security demon made to grab Dawn.
"I don't need your help," Dawn hissed stubbornly.
"Oh, you were going to fight a McRashick were you?"
"I might!"
Behind the commotion the phone rang and Harmony, ever the professional, picked up and answered with her best, most pleasing and musical phone voice.
The security demon looked past Spike and the indignant girl to Angel who nodded at him. He backed away and muttered something into an earpiece before going over to his injured colleague.
"He was double your size!" Spike was yelling.
"Boss," Harmony trilled, "that was Buffy, she said dawn was coming here and she might mean to hurt Spike."
The three turned to face Harmony utterly confused. "What?" she asked.
00
Angel ushered a glowering Spike and Dawn back into his office and sat them down on the couch. Dawn scooted as far from Spike as she could, cloistering herself in the corner against the arm. Spike had his arms crossed but kept sneaking glances at Dawn who was steadfastly looking forward.
"Okay," Angel began with a tight smile. "It seems Andrew told Buffy and Dawn we were in Italy and they were on the way here together, but Dawn managed to sneak off and find a witch to teleport her here. Buffy will be here in an hour, and she wants you," he pointed to Dawn, "to stay here and not move."
00
An hour later, the elevator opened once more with a delicate ping. This time the office was prepared for the arrival of a Summers and Harmony rushed to let Angel know she was there.
"You can go straight though," Harmony said with false cheers. She smiled nervously. If Harmony had a heart it would have been thumping wildly in her chest. Already the hairs on her arms were standing up. She pointed a shaken finger towards the office door. "They're waiting for you."
Buffy nodded. "Thanks," she said shortly.
Harmony didn't think it was exactly sincere, but it was better than a stake through the heart. She seemed more interested in finding Angel than talking to her anyway.
00
Buffy strode towards the double doors. She reached to push them open but Angel beat her to it. He pulled the doors open wildly with a look of panicked relief.
"You're here," Angel sighed. "They're in here and I think the silent glowering is actually worse than the yelling."
Buffy pushed past him. "We'll talk later," she said significantly as she moved to stand in front of Spike and Dawn.
They stared up at her, arms crossed across their chests in identical stances. The only difference was the unapologetic glower on Dawn's face and a look of utter sorrow and awe on Spike's.
"Buffy-" they began in unison.
She held a hand up, her fingers staying their words. She clutched her fingers together and let them fall to her side.
"Anything could have happened to you," Buffy said sternly to Dawn. "Teleportation can go wrong."
"But it didn't," Dawn replied staunchly, if not a little high pitched. Angel cringed at the sound. "And I don't see why I'm in trouble when you were talking about doing way worse to the totally alive," she intoned angrily, "undead ass!"
"And I took a plane to do it," Buffy said exasperated.
Dawn shrugged. "He deserved way more than just a bit of holy water," she grumbled.
00
Spike waited patiently for his turn. He deserved it. He knew it. Anything she had, he'd take. But she looked straight past him to Angel. Spike's shoulders slumped.
"Angel, take Dawn to our hotel. Make sure she gets there safely – no detours!" she added forcefully to Dawn.
"This is such bullshit," Dawn muttered but hauled herself of the couch obediently. She made sure to hit Spike's leg as she did so. He looked up at her shocked.
Angel nodded dumbly as Buffy gave him orders and found himself leading Dawn out of his own office.
He closed the door softly and lead Dawn towards the elevators. The foyer was oddly clear. He looked back over his shoulder and could see Spike's mouth moving quickly. He had never regretted making his office soundproof more.
Inside the office, Spike had tried to explain himself, finding himself becoming irate at his circumstances. He could do what the bloody well he liked. It was his resurrection.
Buffy interrupted him softly, his name stopping his rant as readily as a fist to the jaw.
"Spike," she repeated. "Are you okay?"
She looked at him imploringly, searching his eyes deeply. He leaned forward awareness dawning him. He looked up. "Yes," he assured her, gripping her hands in his. "Yes," he repeated. "I'm okay."
Buffy took a deep, sniffling breath and pulled her hands from his. Buffy looked at Spike. Hair still bleached, coat draped over his lithe limbs. His lip was scabbed and his cheek bore the red mark of holy water. She sat down heavily beside him ad leaned her head on his shoulder. He paused, unsure, still as the dead, and then wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"Good," she said. She shuffled herself on the couch, rearranging her legs beneath herself. She reached an arm around his torso, gripping him tightly. He dropped his head to rest on hers and brought his other arm up to embrace her fully. Her warmth was spreading through him and he clung to her, pulling her against him. God he'd missed her.
"Good," she repeated.
Outside the quiet office, Angel watch as Buffy curled up against Spike. He clenched his fists and stared daggers at the pair. From behind him there came an impatient tutting noise. He reluctantly pulled himself away from the tableau to give his attention to Dawn. She had a small smile on her face.
"Can we go? Or do you need to perve on Buffy and Spike some more?" she tapped the floor.
"What? I wasn't!" he spluttered. Dawn looked at him disbelievingly. "Come on," he said gruffly. "I need to get you out of here."
"They'll still be here when you get back," Dawn said with a roll of her eyes.
Angel huffed and tore himself away, his coat swirling around him as he turned. Dawn took one last look at Buffy and Spike and smiled.