Ariane busied herself in the office for the remainder of the afternoon.
She couldn't concentrate on anything for more that a couple of minutes.
Every time she thought about the party her stomach performed some gastro-
intestinal gymnastics.
"You look weird munchkin, you better not be coming down with something." Lorne stated as he walked into the room. He stood over her and placed a hand on her forehead. "No fever, what is it, nerves?"
She nodded and swallowed hard. "I feel ill. I think I should not go to tonight."
"You are going to the party if I have to pump you with intravenous Pepto- Bismol." Lorne retorted. "It'll be great, you'll see. Everyone letting their hair down and partying 'like it's 1999'" He closed his eyes and sang. He opened them just in time to see Ari run out of the office with one her hand over her mouth the other clutching her stomach.
"All this excitement too much for the little 'un?" Spike asked appearing in the office.
"It's like watching your kid sister get ready for her senior prom." Lorne smiled shaking his head and sniggering good naturedly. "What's the scoop with our gracious benefactor?"
"He's clueless, doesn't know anything about the party either. Makes you wonder sometimes, how Angel manages to keep his finger on the pulse of all the big nasty that goes on in this city when he can't even see what's going on under his own bloody nose. How's a bender like that get to be a flippin' hero?"
"And the wine made from those grapes wouldn't be the least bit bitter would it?" Lorne taunted.
"Shut it Kermit." Spike sulked and disappeared.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fred and Harmony were fussing madly. Harmony with Ari's hair and Fred with her dress.
"Hold still." Harmony warned, I know I heal quickly but I've scalded myself twice already. She swept up another section of hair and wound it around the curling iron.
"Do I really have to wear these shoes all evening?" Ariane asked astonished anyone would willingly torture themselves with heals.
"Yes." They said in stereo. She sighed to highlight her displeasure.
"Turn around, the strap's twisted." Fred stood fiddling with something Ariane couldn't see. "There, much better, are you about done Harmony, we're going to be late?"
"Almost, that's it. Go over there and turn slowly so we can see everything." Harmony pointed and prodded Ariane to the opposite end of the powder room.
Shaking her head in exasperation she did as she was told, turning full circle to face them.
The floor length, white, crush velvet dress she wore clung lovingly to every curve of her delicate body. The high neckline caressing her collarbones, thin spaghetti straps passing over her shoulders to criss- cross elegantly down the length of her back.
Her hair cascaded in romantic ringlets studded with sparkling glitter down to her waist. Harmony had applied a little make-up to emphasise the refined cheekbones and just the merest suggestion around her eyes.
"You're beautiful." Fred announced.
"You're mad." Ariane's head dropped and she wrung her hands.
"All this and modest too. Come on." Harmony grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the door.
"I'm not sure about this, I feel naked." Ariane confessed her uncertainty.
"Too late for cold feet now." Fred told her as they walked into the function suite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel sat alone in his lounge, in the dark. After the chaos of the day, he had felt like blowing off some steam. He had called Wes and Gunn and they both had plans so he was stuck on his own again. He hadn't even bothered to change out of his suit, though his tie hung loose and slightly askew.
He picked up a book then threw it down again without opening it. Seconds later his phone ran.
"Sorry to bother you Sir. This is O'Brien on security. We've got a slight situation down here. I think it calls for your personal attention, Sir." A stern voice informed.
"Situation?" Angel asked scratching his head absently.
"It's rather delicate Sir. A few of the staff appear to have broken into the bar in the function suite and they say their not leaving unless you come down and make them." The guy sounded like he was finding this awkward.
"We have a function suite?" Angel asked surprised.
"Eh, yes sir, on the second floor."
"Okay fine, I'll come down." Angel sighed, this wasn't the kind of evening he'd had in mind, though right now any distraction was better that nothing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The elevator doors opened on the second floor and Angel stepped out to be faced with a man he assumed must be O'Brien, a squat, stocky man who looked like a reject from Men In Black.
"Right this way Sir." He muttered turning to Angel's right.
"Who exactly are these guys?" Angel asked wondering why they wanted him, most of the staff were afraid of him. "Then that's probably because I've killed a couple of them." He thought.
"They said they were from the research and science departments." He stated coldly.
"Wes and Fred's people? Has anything else weird been going on?" Angel wondered if a spell had gone awry.
"Weird, Sir?"
"Unusual, out of the ordinary, you know, weird?" Angel sighed and rolled his eyes. He couldn't think of an easier way to put it.
"Nothing has been reported, though I've only just come on duty." O'Brien replied just as they reached the door to the suite.
As he opened the door Angel was greeted by loud music and several balloons.
"What the..?" Angel was speechless. He was faced by what appeared to be the entire Wolfram & Hart staff. Everyone dressed in their finest and partying hearty.
"Angel pie, what kept you?" Lorne asked sauntering toward him glass in hand. "Here have a sea breeze, you look like you could use it."
"No thanks, what the hell's going on Lorne? Who authorised this?"
"You did you big lug head." He grinned throwing one arm around Angel's shoulders. "You didn't reply to my e-mail so I took it as a yes. I'll admit I might have gotten a little carried away, but the kiddies seem to be having a ball." He raised his glass and motioned to the incredible tableau.
"E-mail, what e-mail?" Angel asked removing Lorne's arm.
"The one that said. 'The staff look like zombies, we need to cheer them up. If I don't hear from you I'll go ahead and organize something.' I organized something, what do you think?"
"I think I'm being played." He muttered, eyeing the demon coldly.
"Everybody's here, Fred, Gunn, Wes, Harmony, Me and there she is.isn't she a vision?" Lorne pointed and Angel followed his arm with his eyes.
"Ari?" Angel stood transfixed.
"That's what I call an Angel." Spike's mouth hung open as he materialised between Lorne and Angel, then wandered off.
"Okay we have our first request of the evening," The DJ yelled over the mic. "This ones going out to Angel from all his friends."
"I remember all my life raining down as cold as ice. Shadows of a man." Angel's face froze, he closed his eyes and dropped his head. His hand rose to rub at the back of his neck as his shoulders started to shudder with suppressed laughter.
Wesley, Fred, Gunn and Ariane all stood together. Gunn held his beer bottle out in front of all of them. "Oh Mandy well, you came and gave without taking, but I sent you away." They all sang to him.
"Very funny, yeah, laugh it up 'cause this whole thing's coming out of your wages." He called as they fell into laughter.
Ariane lifted something from the bar and wandered over to Angel and Lorne, her slim hips swaying provocatively. Angel was surprised to see it was a drink in her hand. He raised an eyebrow in question. "Decided to break one of your rules?" He asked.
She handed him the glass, "It is the same brand you were drinking in your office." She informed turning from him, her hair swinging. She looked every inch a woman. Before her hair settled a roaming photographer caught her on film the flash making her blink. She smiled at him shyly and continued walking.
"When did she, or did she always..?" Angel looked at Lorne.
"Yes Angel, she always looked like that. And yes Angel, you're the last one to notice."
"How come nobody tells me this stuff?" He huffed jokingly.
"Hey folks we have a couple of karaoke pioneers ready to delight us with a classic tune. Let's hear it for Wesley and Fred." The room erupted with applause as Wes and Fred took to the stage.
Wesley held his mic in a death grip, shaking and reluctant but putting on a brave face for Fred, who looked liked she was torn between running out or passing out.
"Who in gods name talked them into that?" Angel looked at Lorne who held his hands up in a 'not me' gesture.
"They say we're young and we don't know. We won't find out until we're grown." Wes sang, it was the same song he had been practicing to use for Lorne. The demons eyes sought out Ariane and found her grinning up at the pair from the front of the stage.
"Don't look now, but I think we have a junior matchmaker in our midst." He motioned to Angel with a sideways nod.
Ariane gazed at them truly happy for the first time in many years. She stiffened, her eyes glazing, then it was over. She shook her head almost imperceptibly as though dismissing something and replaced her smile with one which appeared just a little forced.
When the song was over she walked away from the stage and disappeared for a short while. Spike had noticed her whispering to the photographer and cornered her when she returned.
"What you been up to?" He asked with mock harshness.
"Me? Nothing." She replied innocently.
"Yeah right, pull the other one luv."
"I do not wish to 'pull' anything Spike."
"I know, mores the pity." His eyes drank her in, his palms tingled with a need to touch her. To feel her soft skin, to press his lips against hers. "This is bloody torture." He cursed and strode away from her. She looked after him, confused but decided not to follow.
The evening was drawing to a close when she decided to sing. She walked up to the DJ without a second thought, this was what she was supposed to do. She didn't care about her pride, she had been put through a thousand times worse than this and had survived.
"Last one of the night ladies and gents so choose you're partners wisely. We're going to have a song from a lovely little lady." The DJ introduced her. The backing track started, the mellow tones of a lone piano. For some reason the stage lights blacked out and she stood alone in the dark and sang like an Angel.
You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in fields of gold
So she took her love
For to gaze awhile
Upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold
Will you stay with me, will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in fields of gold
See the west wind move like a lover so
Upon the fields of barley
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth
Among the fields of gold
I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We'll walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold
Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
Among the fields of gold
You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold
She sang to Angel, she sang to Lorne and to Wesley, to Fred and Harmony and to Gunn. And she sang to Spike, sweet Spike.
No-one moved, or spoke or applauded. They stood looking up at her on the stage as the light returned. Fred wiped absently at a tear she had not noticed fall.
Lorne was the first one to move, his eyes seemed to dart everywhere at once then he headed to the side of the stage where Ari was standing.
Spike saw him stop her on the last step of the stage. Even though she was standing at least eight inches off the floor she was still a head shorter than the green demon. Who seemed very angry about something.
"You have to leave. Just go, now." He hissed
"No." Her reply was spoken quietly, but the force behind it was strong. She walked away from him dismissing his persistence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope this wasn't too slushy, I'll make up for it in the next one.
Celtic Cat: First, I loved Upon Such Sacrifices. Second, reading that is the reason I wrote this, so I'm kinda flattered. If it's any consolation you could think of Spike as a clone or something. Thanks for sticking with me.
Tariq: Not much bloody longer now, I promise.
Imzadi: Sorry he wasn't in this chapter, but boy just wait.
MysticWolf1: I always look forward to your reviews. As Spike would say "Ta luv." You can blame Imzadi for Lindsey turning up.
Gidgetgirl: High praise, thanks very much.
Jenna: I laughed when I wrote that line and I have no idea where it came from.
Thanks everyone.
Just Another Angel
P.S. Changed the Spike lines for Gidgetgirl. I'm sorry I ever doubted you knowledge of the Spikester.
"You look weird munchkin, you better not be coming down with something." Lorne stated as he walked into the room. He stood over her and placed a hand on her forehead. "No fever, what is it, nerves?"
She nodded and swallowed hard. "I feel ill. I think I should not go to tonight."
"You are going to the party if I have to pump you with intravenous Pepto- Bismol." Lorne retorted. "It'll be great, you'll see. Everyone letting their hair down and partying 'like it's 1999'" He closed his eyes and sang. He opened them just in time to see Ari run out of the office with one her hand over her mouth the other clutching her stomach.
"All this excitement too much for the little 'un?" Spike asked appearing in the office.
"It's like watching your kid sister get ready for her senior prom." Lorne smiled shaking his head and sniggering good naturedly. "What's the scoop with our gracious benefactor?"
"He's clueless, doesn't know anything about the party either. Makes you wonder sometimes, how Angel manages to keep his finger on the pulse of all the big nasty that goes on in this city when he can't even see what's going on under his own bloody nose. How's a bender like that get to be a flippin' hero?"
"And the wine made from those grapes wouldn't be the least bit bitter would it?" Lorne taunted.
"Shut it Kermit." Spike sulked and disappeared.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fred and Harmony were fussing madly. Harmony with Ari's hair and Fred with her dress.
"Hold still." Harmony warned, I know I heal quickly but I've scalded myself twice already. She swept up another section of hair and wound it around the curling iron.
"Do I really have to wear these shoes all evening?" Ariane asked astonished anyone would willingly torture themselves with heals.
"Yes." They said in stereo. She sighed to highlight her displeasure.
"Turn around, the strap's twisted." Fred stood fiddling with something Ariane couldn't see. "There, much better, are you about done Harmony, we're going to be late?"
"Almost, that's it. Go over there and turn slowly so we can see everything." Harmony pointed and prodded Ariane to the opposite end of the powder room.
Shaking her head in exasperation she did as she was told, turning full circle to face them.
The floor length, white, crush velvet dress she wore clung lovingly to every curve of her delicate body. The high neckline caressing her collarbones, thin spaghetti straps passing over her shoulders to criss- cross elegantly down the length of her back.
Her hair cascaded in romantic ringlets studded with sparkling glitter down to her waist. Harmony had applied a little make-up to emphasise the refined cheekbones and just the merest suggestion around her eyes.
"You're beautiful." Fred announced.
"You're mad." Ariane's head dropped and she wrung her hands.
"All this and modest too. Come on." Harmony grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the door.
"I'm not sure about this, I feel naked." Ariane confessed her uncertainty.
"Too late for cold feet now." Fred told her as they walked into the function suite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel sat alone in his lounge, in the dark. After the chaos of the day, he had felt like blowing off some steam. He had called Wes and Gunn and they both had plans so he was stuck on his own again. He hadn't even bothered to change out of his suit, though his tie hung loose and slightly askew.
He picked up a book then threw it down again without opening it. Seconds later his phone ran.
"Sorry to bother you Sir. This is O'Brien on security. We've got a slight situation down here. I think it calls for your personal attention, Sir." A stern voice informed.
"Situation?" Angel asked scratching his head absently.
"It's rather delicate Sir. A few of the staff appear to have broken into the bar in the function suite and they say their not leaving unless you come down and make them." The guy sounded like he was finding this awkward.
"We have a function suite?" Angel asked surprised.
"Eh, yes sir, on the second floor."
"Okay fine, I'll come down." Angel sighed, this wasn't the kind of evening he'd had in mind, though right now any distraction was better that nothing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The elevator doors opened on the second floor and Angel stepped out to be faced with a man he assumed must be O'Brien, a squat, stocky man who looked like a reject from Men In Black.
"Right this way Sir." He muttered turning to Angel's right.
"Who exactly are these guys?" Angel asked wondering why they wanted him, most of the staff were afraid of him. "Then that's probably because I've killed a couple of them." He thought.
"They said they were from the research and science departments." He stated coldly.
"Wes and Fred's people? Has anything else weird been going on?" Angel wondered if a spell had gone awry.
"Weird, Sir?"
"Unusual, out of the ordinary, you know, weird?" Angel sighed and rolled his eyes. He couldn't think of an easier way to put it.
"Nothing has been reported, though I've only just come on duty." O'Brien replied just as they reached the door to the suite.
As he opened the door Angel was greeted by loud music and several balloons.
"What the..?" Angel was speechless. He was faced by what appeared to be the entire Wolfram & Hart staff. Everyone dressed in their finest and partying hearty.
"Angel pie, what kept you?" Lorne asked sauntering toward him glass in hand. "Here have a sea breeze, you look like you could use it."
"No thanks, what the hell's going on Lorne? Who authorised this?"
"You did you big lug head." He grinned throwing one arm around Angel's shoulders. "You didn't reply to my e-mail so I took it as a yes. I'll admit I might have gotten a little carried away, but the kiddies seem to be having a ball." He raised his glass and motioned to the incredible tableau.
"E-mail, what e-mail?" Angel asked removing Lorne's arm.
"The one that said. 'The staff look like zombies, we need to cheer them up. If I don't hear from you I'll go ahead and organize something.' I organized something, what do you think?"
"I think I'm being played." He muttered, eyeing the demon coldly.
"Everybody's here, Fred, Gunn, Wes, Harmony, Me and there she is.isn't she a vision?" Lorne pointed and Angel followed his arm with his eyes.
"Ari?" Angel stood transfixed.
"That's what I call an Angel." Spike's mouth hung open as he materialised between Lorne and Angel, then wandered off.
"Okay we have our first request of the evening," The DJ yelled over the mic. "This ones going out to Angel from all his friends."
"I remember all my life raining down as cold as ice. Shadows of a man." Angel's face froze, he closed his eyes and dropped his head. His hand rose to rub at the back of his neck as his shoulders started to shudder with suppressed laughter.
Wesley, Fred, Gunn and Ariane all stood together. Gunn held his beer bottle out in front of all of them. "Oh Mandy well, you came and gave without taking, but I sent you away." They all sang to him.
"Very funny, yeah, laugh it up 'cause this whole thing's coming out of your wages." He called as they fell into laughter.
Ariane lifted something from the bar and wandered over to Angel and Lorne, her slim hips swaying provocatively. Angel was surprised to see it was a drink in her hand. He raised an eyebrow in question. "Decided to break one of your rules?" He asked.
She handed him the glass, "It is the same brand you were drinking in your office." She informed turning from him, her hair swinging. She looked every inch a woman. Before her hair settled a roaming photographer caught her on film the flash making her blink. She smiled at him shyly and continued walking.
"When did she, or did she always..?" Angel looked at Lorne.
"Yes Angel, she always looked like that. And yes Angel, you're the last one to notice."
"How come nobody tells me this stuff?" He huffed jokingly.
"Hey folks we have a couple of karaoke pioneers ready to delight us with a classic tune. Let's hear it for Wesley and Fred." The room erupted with applause as Wes and Fred took to the stage.
Wesley held his mic in a death grip, shaking and reluctant but putting on a brave face for Fred, who looked liked she was torn between running out or passing out.
"Who in gods name talked them into that?" Angel looked at Lorne who held his hands up in a 'not me' gesture.
"They say we're young and we don't know. We won't find out until we're grown." Wes sang, it was the same song he had been practicing to use for Lorne. The demons eyes sought out Ariane and found her grinning up at the pair from the front of the stage.
"Don't look now, but I think we have a junior matchmaker in our midst." He motioned to Angel with a sideways nod.
Ariane gazed at them truly happy for the first time in many years. She stiffened, her eyes glazing, then it was over. She shook her head almost imperceptibly as though dismissing something and replaced her smile with one which appeared just a little forced.
When the song was over she walked away from the stage and disappeared for a short while. Spike had noticed her whispering to the photographer and cornered her when she returned.
"What you been up to?" He asked with mock harshness.
"Me? Nothing." She replied innocently.
"Yeah right, pull the other one luv."
"I do not wish to 'pull' anything Spike."
"I know, mores the pity." His eyes drank her in, his palms tingled with a need to touch her. To feel her soft skin, to press his lips against hers. "This is bloody torture." He cursed and strode away from her. She looked after him, confused but decided not to follow.
The evening was drawing to a close when she decided to sing. She walked up to the DJ without a second thought, this was what she was supposed to do. She didn't care about her pride, she had been put through a thousand times worse than this and had survived.
"Last one of the night ladies and gents so choose you're partners wisely. We're going to have a song from a lovely little lady." The DJ introduced her. The backing track started, the mellow tones of a lone piano. For some reason the stage lights blacked out and she stood alone in the dark and sang like an Angel.
You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in fields of gold
So she took her love
For to gaze awhile
Upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold
Will you stay with me, will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in fields of gold
See the west wind move like a lover so
Upon the fields of barley
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth
Among the fields of gold
I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We'll walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold
Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
Among the fields of gold
You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold
She sang to Angel, she sang to Lorne and to Wesley, to Fred and Harmony and to Gunn. And she sang to Spike, sweet Spike.
No-one moved, or spoke or applauded. They stood looking up at her on the stage as the light returned. Fred wiped absently at a tear she had not noticed fall.
Lorne was the first one to move, his eyes seemed to dart everywhere at once then he headed to the side of the stage where Ari was standing.
Spike saw him stop her on the last step of the stage. Even though she was standing at least eight inches off the floor she was still a head shorter than the green demon. Who seemed very angry about something.
"You have to leave. Just go, now." He hissed
"No." Her reply was spoken quietly, but the force behind it was strong. She walked away from him dismissing his persistence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope this wasn't too slushy, I'll make up for it in the next one.
Celtic Cat: First, I loved Upon Such Sacrifices. Second, reading that is the reason I wrote this, so I'm kinda flattered. If it's any consolation you could think of Spike as a clone or something. Thanks for sticking with me.
Tariq: Not much bloody longer now, I promise.
Imzadi: Sorry he wasn't in this chapter, but boy just wait.
MysticWolf1: I always look forward to your reviews. As Spike would say "Ta luv." You can blame Imzadi for Lindsey turning up.
Gidgetgirl: High praise, thanks very much.
Jenna: I laughed when I wrote that line and I have no idea where it came from.
Thanks everyone.
Just Another Angel
P.S. Changed the Spike lines for Gidgetgirl. I'm sorry I ever doubted you knowledge of the Spikester.