Daria was feeling frustrated again. Or perhaps possibly, still. She'd hired some people to watch the exits around Wolfram and Hart, only to receive reports that neither Spike nor Rose had once been seen entering or exiting the building. She was almost ready to scream. Surely they didn't sleep there, did they? And even if they did, they still couldn't stay in there indefinitely. They'd have to stick their heads out sometime. But even with that knowledge, it was still utterly maddening. Even Daria would admit that patience was not one of her strong points, although she could wait, if it suited her. But upon this occasion, it did not suit her. Not in the slightest. Daria decided then and there that for each additional day they made her wait, she would add something.., unpleasant to the retribution she had planned. That thought alone was enough to cheer her up, thinking about causing Rose and Spike pain. Especially Rose. And if this worked, she wouldn't have to go to the trouble of changing her identity.
&&&&&&&&
Rose opened her eyes. It was nice to be able to wake up on her own, rather than to be jarred out of a sound slumber by an alarm. She looked over at Spike. In sleep, his lower lip protruded slightly, as if he were pouting. Rose thought he looked adorable, although she had no doubt that Spike would vigorously protest the less than totally masculine designation. He looked peaceful, too, and while she didn't wish to disturb his repose, she felt compelled to reach up and stroke his cheek.
Her hand was a bare inch away from his face when his hand shot up and grabbed her wrist. He kissed the palm of her hand. "Before you ask," he said. "I've been awake. I was just kind of enjoying the thought that you like looking at me enough that you spent so much time at it."
Rose decided that a little payback was due for the way he'd about made her heart stop when he'd grabbed her wrist so abruptly. "I couldn't help myself," she confessed, freeing her hand and following through with her original intention. "You're just so pretty."
"Pretty?" Spike's voice rose in masculine outrage. "Pretty?" Then, he saw the twinkle in her eyes that she couldn't hide, and a mischievous grin that started to make its way across her face slowly, and, as it did, its twin appeared on Spike's face.
Spike grabbed both her wrists and pinned them over her head, rolling over on top of her as he did so. He felt both flattered and a little awed by the fact that she trusted him so unreservedly that the move hadn't even caused her to tense up a bit. She just lay there, trapped beneath him, boneless as a sleeping cat.
"You've been very naughty, pet," he scolded gently. "Do you know what I do with naughty little girls like you?"
"The rack? Thumbscrews? Bastinado?" Rose mentioned all the hideous tortures without losing the twinkle in her eye. She knew she had him right where she wanted him.
Spike laughed and rolled back over, pulling her along with, so that now she was on top of him. He released her wrists so he could wrap his arms around her. "None of the above," he informed her. The grin on his face became the epitome of lechery. "But I'm still betting you'll be screaming before I'm done with you."
&&&&&&&
Angel woke up to the now unfortunately familiar sounds from the adjacent bedroom. He groaned and looked at the time. At least they'd had the decency to let him sleep in a bit, seeing as it was Saturday. He thought about pulling the pillow over his head and trying to go back to sleep anyway, but he knew from previous experience that it wouldn't work. With a long-suffering sigh, he dragged himself out of bed and headed for the shower. With any luck, they'd be done by the time he got out. But then, Angel didn't really believe in luck.
&&&&&&&
Spike was slowly, reluctantly returning to earth from the high he'd been on. He couldn't believe how good the sex was between them. Nothing kinky by anyone's standards, especially, he had to admit, his. It must be because he wasn't using her, and she wasn't using him. Just giving themselves to each other. Making love, really, truly making love. He was glad that Rose with her strange mixture of youthful innocence and the wisdom of the ages had never known it any other way. Had never known love with anyone but him, and if he had his way, never would.
Rose lay there with her head pillowed on Spike's chest, catching her breath, feeling her heart beat rapidly and strongly enough for both her and the one that she didn't hear just inches below her ear. She didn't miss hearing his heart beat, never having heard it, nor did it feel strange to her that his body temperature was so much lower than hers. In truth, so small was her experience with being a living person, that she saw nothing particularly extraordinary about her relationship with Spike. All that she thought was extraordinary was Spike himself, and the fact that he loved her.
Spike heard the water shut off in Angel's bath, and even felt the barest hint of guilt that they may have been responsible for waking him. Didn't last long, though. "You feel like stirring about now, luv?" he asked lazily, making no move to get up himself.
"It's up to you, love," Rose murmured. Aside from snuggling a little closer to him, she didn't move either.
"I don't see you moving," Spike remarked.
"You aren't moving either," Rose replied. She suddenly gave him a wicked grin. Her fingers dug into his side and tickled. While he was frozen from the surprise and her ministrations, she shifted around so she could use both hands to press her advantage.
Spike was completely helpless. He thrashed around feebly, trying to fend Rose off. He finally hit lucky when one of his flailing hands connected with her, and he retaliated in kind.
Rose let out a squeal of laughter, and soon found herself in the same position she'd had Spike in.
The silliness continued for some time, the advantage passing back and forth between them, tickling and wrestling around until they both slid off the bed with a thud.
"You all right, sweetheart?" It was the first thought that crossed his mind.
"I'm fine," she replied. "I landed on top of you. Are you all right?"
He got to his feet and helped her up. "It's a good thing I don't need to breathe," he observed. "If I did you'd have knocked the wind out of me."
She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. "I don't like to think that I could have hurt you," she confessed, suddenly all serious.
Spike hugged her. "It's not generally fatal, babe," he reassured her. "And I was just as responsible for it as you were. So how about you quit worrying about what might have been?" He tickled her lightly under her chin, just to make her smile. "We were having fun, weren't we?"
The smile grew broader. "If you don't know for sure.., " she let her voice trail off suggestively, and flexed her fingers.
He laughed. "Let's not go there again right now, pet." He picked her up and carried her off to the bathroom. "It's off to the shower with you. You're all sweaty."
"And who got me that way?" she asked, twining her arms around his neck.
&&&&&&&&
When they finally emerged from their room, looking to Angel's eye not only refreshed and rested but relaxed as well, he was sitting in the living area, ostensibly reading the paper.
Spike went straight to the kitchen and the fridge. He was feeling a little depleted after all the energy he'd expended on the tickle fight. And other things.
Rose went over to Angel. "Good morning, Angel," she said, dropping a quick kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."
She'd already lost him. "For what?" he asked.
"For putting up with us," she answered. "I know we must get on your nerves sometimes, but you haven't complained about it or anything."
Angel felt a little embarrassed, considering how much complaining he had done in the privacy of his own head. "I could hardly complain when it was my idea," he mumbled.
"But you didn't anticipate this," she replied, as Spike rejoined them and wrapped an arm around her. His other hand held the mug containing his breakfast.
"I don't think any of us really did," Angel remarked. "But I hope you don't think that I, or anyone else, regrets what happened." He picked up the hand that was resting on the back of the chair and kissed it.
"If we're all through with the mushy stuff," Spike broke in. "Then maybe you could see your way clear to laying in a few supplies. We've been here for a week now, and you still haven't got anything in the fridge but blood. There's not even any beer," he complained.
"You drank all the beer," Angel reminded him. He glanced out the window. It may have been morning to the lovebirds, but it was past noon now. "I can hardly go out now, can I?" He indicated the blazing noonday sun. He did feel a guilty pang though. The catering staff at the law firm didn't work on the weekends, and Rose had nothing to eat, and unless he could come up with something, wouldn't till after the sun set. And while he could have called one of the others, he thought that Rose might protest that they had already been put to enough trouble bringing her lunch when they had been trying to keep her non-specter status a secret.
Rose, taking the more direct approach was flipping through the yellow pages. "And just how long have the two of you been living on this planet?" she asked, not even looking up from the phone book. "Or maybe you're just slow learners. I've heard of a genetic defect that can cause that. I think it's called a y chromosome."
The two possessors of y chromosomes exchanged glances. "Did she just take a shot at us?" Angel asked, stunned.
"Well, if you're not sure about it, I am," Spike remarked. He still hadn't taken his arm from around her. In fact, if anything, he pulled her a little closer. "It was definitely a shot." He gave Rose a peck on the cheek. "Getting to be quite the little smart-ass, aren't we?"
Rose glanced up at him from under half-lidded eyes. "I learned from the best," she replied. She pulled away from him and headed for the phone, but not before he landed a playful swat on her backside.
"You're a bad influence on her," Angel observed. "When she first came here, she never would have said anything like that."
"When she first came here, she was busy learning to be human, you git," Spike responded, flopping down on the sofa. His gaze almost automatically gravitated towards Rose. "She's bloody amazing, isn't she?"
Angel didn't think that question even needed an answer, so he didn't. "She's not the only one who's changed," he said from behind his paper. "Not all that long ago, if you'd seen me kissing the hand of the woman you were with, you'd be seeing red."
"You mean I'd have bounced your over-gelled head off the wall," Spike corrected him. "Maybe I don't feel like I have to compete with you for her."
Rose came back from her phone call, and settled down beside Spike. "Is it a secret, or do I get to know what you were talking about? It looked awfully serious from where I was standing."
Glances were exchanged. "It was nothing." "Nothing important, luv." All came jumbled out together.
"I see," she said. She turned to her honey. "Spike, sweetheart, can I borrow some money from you? I may have gotten paid this week, but I haven't been able to get out and cash my check."
Spike reached into his pockets, but came up empty. He still wasn't used to carrying a wallet. Hadn't really needed one before. "Wallet's in the pants I was wearing last night, pet," he replied. "Go ahead and help yourself." Rose started to get up, but he pulled her back down for a kiss. "You really don't have to ask," he said softly. "What's mine is yours, I thought you knew that."
"It just seems a little one sided right now," Rose answered. She couldn't help feeling a little guilty about not being able to contribute. "I don't want..,"
"You do want to stop that thought right there," Spike interrupted. "I like taking care of you." He lightened up. "Now scoot."
&&&&&&&&&
Daria got a call from one of her surveillance people. Thanks to modern technology they'd been able to tap into phone conversations. During the week, it had been a bust. Too much information. But now, someone was going to be making a delivery there. She'd been told that it was a woman's voice that had placed the order, and she was willing to bet that that woman was Rose. She'd given instructions on how to handle the situation. Her man would simply take the delivery up and when the door opened, he'd grab Rose and make a run for it. She didn't think the vampires would get too obstructive if Rose was being threatened. After that, it was all a done deal. Once she had Rose, Spike would follow, like the night followed the day. And then she'd have them both and the fun would really start. She'd finally be able to get even with that uppity used-to-be phantom.
&&&&&&
The delivery van pulled into Wolfram and Hart's parking garage. Security noted it, but since it was expected, paid no attention to it. Even if they had given it more than a passing glance, Daria's hireling had been near enough to the size of the delivery man that the clothes didn't look any more out of place than uniforms of that sort generally did. He parked near the elevator door, and made sure to leave the van door open, to make for an easier, faster getaway. He picked up the paper sacks with Rose's order in one hand and double-checked the switch-blade he had hidden in the other. This ought to be easy money. He didn't know that Daria hadn't given him all the facts pertinent to the case, like the fact that the two men whose noses he'd be taking Rose out from under were actually vampires. He even whistled a merry tune while the elevator took him to the penthouse. Easy money.
&&&&&&
There was a knock on the door, and Rose still hadn't come out of the bedroom. "Sounds like your food's here, pet," Spike shouted. "What's holding you up in there?"
Rose emerged, looking tousled. "I had trouble finding your pants," she replied, blushing, especially when she saw that Angel was looking at her. "They were under the bed."
The knock came again, and Rose answered the door. Instead of handing her the bags in his hand and telling her what she owed him, the man at the door dropped the bags. Rose automatically bent over to pick them up, but suddenly found herself pulled back up by an arm around her windpipe.
Spike and Angel immediately started for him, but he pulled out the knife and held it to Rose's throat. "You guys just want to back off," he warned them. "Unless you like the sight of blood."
They exchanged a quick look. "Don't sound like the bitch gave him all the facts," Spike remarked.
"Obviously not," Angel agreed. Almost simultaneously, the two of them went to game face. "You see sport," Angel said. "We really do like the sight of blood."
"Like the taste of it even better," Spike added. "And now you've got me wondering what yours tastes like."
The hireling went pale and the knife dropped out of his nerveless fingers. He released Rose and started off down the hall like all the demons in hell were on his heels, instead of just two of them. Spike and Angel shoved past Rose and caught him before he got halfway to the elevator. Before they could do any damage to him, he passed out cold from sheer terror.
Spike rushed back to Rose, smoothing out his features as he went. "Did he hurt you, babe?" he asked, gathering her into his arms.
Rose shook her head. "I'm all right," she replied. "He just rattled me a little bit."
Angel came ambling back down the hall. "Security took him down to the cells," he informed them. "We'll give him some time to come to, then, I think we'll be asking him a few questions." He looked questioningly at Spike. "Are you in?"
Spike surprised him by shaking his head. "Can't leave Rose alone," he explained. "And I don't think she much likes it down there, do you, sweetheart?"
Delayed reaction hit Rose like a ton of bricks. She started shaking uncontrollably and buried her face in Spike's shoulder.
"I guess that's just one more thing to add to the list," Angel said quietly.
"What list?" Spike asked, paying only minimal attention. Rose had most of it.
"The list of things that Daria McBride needs to pay for," Angel elaborated. "I'll see you later."
Spike barely noticed him leave. "It's all right, babe," he soothed her. "He can't hurt you now." He got an amused gleam in his eye. "Look on the bright side, luv," he said. "You got lunch without having to pay for it."