Chapter 3
Angel awakens to blackness. His eyes are open wide but there is nothing to see. Nothing but the heavy, suffocating darkness before him. He hears a strange sound, a bubbling... and what sounds like crunching, coming from very close by. WHAM! Angel punches into the darkness and it immediately crumples away. In it's place gleams the bright burning light of the sun. "AHHHHH!!" He leaps up from the couch, pausing for a moment to look at the dark blanket that had been covering him. He glances around for shelter from the sun and dives toward a shadowy nook in the corner. From his position on the floor, he looks up to find Xander, standing at the kitchen counter, watching him with mild curiosity.
"Mornin'" Xander says around a mouth full of toast.
It takes a minute for Angel to figure out where he is. Finally he stands, all groggy, hung over and pissed off. "You couldn't have closed the drapes?"
"I tried. One side is jammed or something. I didn't want to wake you up so I just covered you. ...You're welcome."
Angel just grumbles something incoherent.
"You want some coffee?"
Coffee. Coffee is good, perhaps I won't kill him. Angel goes to kitchen, careful to sidestep the panel of sunlight on the floor. He takes the freshly poured mug from Xander. "Thanks."
"Welcome. Want some toast? It's the only thing I know how to make."
Angel laughs a little. "No, that's all right. What time is it?"
"Almost eleven-thirty."
There is a pause. Then, working hard for a nonchalant tone, Angel asks, "Do you know how to get to the tunnels under the Magic Box?"
Xander stops chewing and swallows hard. "Why?"
Angel doesn't look at him, he just stares into his mug. "Buffy's meeting Spike in the tunnels underneath at noon."
A great big grin breaks out on Xander's face. This is going to be a FUN day! "Just give me five minutes and I'll take you there myself."
After looking Xander over a minute, trying not to guess why he's so damn happy, Angel nods a thank you. He takes a sip of coffee and grimaces as he swallows. "This is terrible!"
Xander takes a sip from his own cup and then looks down at it. After a beat, he dumps it down the sink. "Yeah, I don't know how to make coffee. Let's just go."
The two men are about ready to leave when Angel stops.
"Wait. Xander... I uh... this is embarrassing, but... I haven't had any blood since yesterday afternoon. Do you think it'd be okay if I..."
Xander pales visibly and takes a step back.
"I don't have to bite your neck, we could just use your finger or something. It wouldn't even hurt, it would just be like a... like a blood sugar test. I promise not to take too much. Normally I wouldn't even ask, but I'm just SO HUNGRY!"
"I... I don't know if that's such a..." Xander is moving slowly backward, trying to subtly look around for a stake. "...maybe... maybe we can find a butcher or something on the way... I'm sure... I mean, it's not like I don't want to help you out, but..."
Angel can't hold on any longer. His serious expression cracks into a smile and he bursts out laughing, slapping Xander on the back. "You haven't changed one bit, man! You are so funny!"
The fear does not exactly drain from Xander's face as he smiles and laughs it off. "Yeah... you got me! Ha!"
"Come on, let's go." Angel plows ahead, leaving Xander behind. It doesn't take long for fear to become anger. "Yeah, real funny." He opens a drawer and pulls out a stake. "Let's see how funny you think it is when I'm dust busting you out of my car, Dead Boy!"
"I heard that!" Angel pops back in and Xander jumps. "You'd never stake me."
"Yes I would," Xander counters in a high-pitched voice.
"Nahh, you wouldn't. Come on. We're gonna be late." Angel is gone again.
Xander follows him out, glowering and mumbling under his breath. "I hope she kicks your ass."
"I heard that too!" Angel calls out, cheerfully.
Xander follows, entertaining the idea that Spike might not be such a bad guy after all.
***
Spike is sitting on a rock in the tunnels, waiting for Buffy. He's drawing pictures in the dirt with the back end of the axe he brought. A lightening bolt... he messes that up, smoothes the dirt. A box with a hand coming out of it.... he messes that up, smooths. A skull with hearts for eyes... he messes that up. He smiles to himself as he smooths out the dirt. He's having fun with his primitive etch-a-sketch. Now what? Lets see. He draws a straight line and stares at it. He turns it into the letter B. He stops, stares at it. He draws a "u" then an "f"...
"You're early."
The minute he hears Buffy's voice, Spike quickly messes up the smooth dirt where he was writing.
"Uh... yeah... I, uh... yeah." Spike is thrown. She could have caught him writing her name like a lovesick schoolboy. That would have been bad. They're supposed to be business partners now. If she knew his feelings for her were still as strong as ever, even stronger, she might not let him help her anymore. He's resigned himself to the fact that they will never be together, but if he can't help her... well... that's not an acceptable situation. He'll just have to be more careful.
"You okay?" She peers at him, knowing something is weird.
"I'm fine. Little groggy, maybe. Hard to get a decent night's sleep with that bloody janitor banging around before the sun is even up."
Buffy looks him over and nods, not quite buying the act. "Your cut is better."
"Huh? Oh..." Spike touches the healing cut above his eye. "Yeah. I'd almost forgotten about it. Right... feels better too."
Awkward silence bounces off the tunnel walls. Neither of them know how to have a conversation with each other anymore. When Dawn is around it's easier, but when they're alone... weirdness.
Say something! Buffy's mind screams at her.
"Uhh... so, I was thinking... this Ugreda demon likes water, right? And there's all those pumps down under the Sunnydale water and power building... so I figure that's where we should be headed."
Spike stands and brushes himself off. He kicks at the dirt in front of him again, just in case. "Yeah, good thinking. He won't be expecting us this time of day for starters, and if he's in the water he'll be asleep. Easy pickins for us."
Buffy notices a disappointed look cross Spike's face at that last comment.
"Well, I think it's about time something was easy for us, don't you?" She freezes. That came out kind of... about something else. Their eyes meet and Spike immediately drops his to the ground. Yep, he's thinking the same thing. Weirdness abounds. Time for damage control. "I mean, the hellmouth's been partying a little too hard lately. I'm kinda looking forward to a slow day."
"I s'pose you're right." Spike is equal parts relieved and disappointed.
A few days after Anya "outed" him as a soul man, Buffy came to him. She was very cold and firm and said only three things: "I don't want an apology, it won't change anything. We both did things we shouldn't forgive each other for... but I'm going to need your help." She left quickly, without another word, and that was the last time the subject of their once-volatile intimate relationship was ever brought up.
Spike retrieves his axe. Maybe some day they won't have to avoid this issue like the plague. Today is not that day, so back to business. "Okay. Lets get on with it, then."
Buffy relaxes. "Okay, I think it's this way, come on." She starts off in one direction.
Spike takes her gently by the arm. "No." He quickly drops his hand when he realizes what he's doing. "Uh... no, it's left."
Too late. Buffy has registered the touch... every nerve sparking millisecond of it. She turns away from him to look down the left side of the tunnel and to catch her breath without him seeing. "Um... no, I don't think so. I don't think it's down that way."
"The water and power building? It's right down that tunnel about three quarters of a mile." Spike gestures toward where she's looking. He is a little too close. She turns and backs away a little, angry at herself for having this reaction to him.
"No, You're confused."
"Yes. Often. But not about this. We go left." Apparently a soul is no cure for Spike's hair trigger exasperation.
Buffy frowns at him. "Don't be all 'we go left' at me. I'm in charge here and I'm telling you it's THIS way." She emphatically gestures right.
"You stubborn git! Why can't you just trust me? I know these tunnels much better than you do and you know it!"
"What have I told you about calling me weird British things?! I KNOW what that word means!"
"Well you are a stubborn git and you're leading us the wrong way! Normally, I'd humor you, but if you get us lost, we'll miss the bloody demon!"
"Oh you'd humor me?"
"You heard what I said!"
That throws Buffy off her game a second. She regroups. "What do you care, anyway? You're all up for fun and games! God forbid we should kill something that hasn't beaten the crap out of us for an hour first!"
"Well it's better than drowning the poor sod while he sleeps so you can get back to the exciting world of peer counseling!"
"Now you have a problem with my job?"
"THIS is your job!"
"Oh really, Sir Giles the Second? Look, you can flash that shiny new soul of yours all you want, but you don't get to tell me how to run my life. You are NOT my watcher!"
"Oh right, and where is he now? Off on horseback in the mother country, trotting about like a nance? You're better off listening to me, anyway. Maybe if I were your watcher you wouldn't have DIED so many bloody times!"
Spike and Buffy are now almost nose to nose, glaring at each other.
Quite unexpectedly, Buffy bursts out laughing. Man, has she missed this. A good shouting match is just what they needed to break through the rest of that cold, hard ice. She is full of giddy relief.
She looks up at Spike who is staring down at her with the dumbest look on his face. She laughs so hard she has to sit down. Finally, Spike feels it, that tension in the air is just floating away. Slowly, his frown slides into a grin and he starts to laugh with her, softly. He sits down next to her as her laughter peters out with a few breathy giggles. They sit shoulder to shoulder, without looking at each other, and they talk quietly.
"So..." Buffy sniffs, wiping at a teary eye, "...left, then?"
"If you think that's best," Spike grins.
Buffy bumps him gently with her shoulder. "You still bug the hell out of me, you realize this?"
"Wouldn't be me if I didn't." Spike laughs.
"No, it wouldn't. I'm... I'm glad you're still you."
This catches him totally off guard. He looks over to find Buffy looking back at him, a soft expression on her face. He inhales sharply and can feel himself shaking. Hope. That's hope he's feeling and it's a stupid and pointless emotion. Get up. Move away. This isn't what you want it to be.
"We should... get going." Spike stands and gains some composure, trying to get back into work mode. Buffy can see that he is shaking. She has to fight, and fight hard, the urge to take his hand and squeeze it reassuringly. They've both been through hell together and up until this moment she wasn't sure they were going to make it out again. But he didn't push and she doesn't want to either.
She hops to her feet. "Okay, lead the way Tunnel Man."
Before they can get even a few of steps, Spike stops and tilts his head, listening. Walking behind him, Buffy almost collides into his back when he stops short.
"What is it?"
"Shhh. There's something... someone coming this way." Spike scans the tunnel. His nostrils flair, picking up the scent. Buffy notices this and makes a face.
"And he has B.O?"
"I'm serious! And shut up! Can't you be stealthy for once?"
Buffy hides a smile. She's still getting used to Action Spike. Sometimes it's hard to take him seriously. Which is not to say that she doesn't enjoy it just a little bit. She catches herself watching him as he moves and finds that she is appreciating it a little too much. She looks away, hot-faced. That is not on the program. They're partners and tonight they took a step closer to becoming friends in their own bizarre way, but that's where it has to end.
Still, she can't resist taking another good look.
Spike is oblivious to this. He's in hunt mode. Slowly, they move toward the opening in the tunnel that Buffy came through earlier. "There are two of them," Spike says quietly. "A human and... a vampire...
Now Buffy can hear footsteps. She pulls a stake from her jacket and readies herself for action. A few tense moments later, Xander and Angel step casually into the tunnel.
Spike takes one look at Angel and deflates. "...a big, fat, stupid vampire."
"Angel?" Buffy is in total shock. "What the hell?" She looks at Xander. "Is everything okay? What's going on?
Angel immediately gets into Spike's face, almost totally ignoring Buffy. "That's what I'd like to know."
"Afternoon, Grandad." Spike doesn't back down. It's almost as though he's been waiting for this. "Nice of you to pop by--"
"What did you do to yourself, Spike?"
The corner of Spike's mouth twitches and he gets that wonderfully playful look in his eyes. "Well, that's kind of a personal question, isn't it?"
Angel grabs Spike by the jacket and shakes him violently. "Tell me!"
"HEY! Get off!" Buffy pushes Angel away from Spike so hard that both vampires fall to the ground.
Buffy immediately reaches out to Spike to help him up. "Sorry. You alright?"
Spike is nothing short of amazed that she came to his rescue, especially in front of His Holiness. He plays it casually. "Never better, luv. Thanks."
When he is on his feet, Buffy leans in, painfully close, and murmurs, "He seems really mad. Try not to be an ass."
"I'll give it my best, pet, but I can't make any promises."
"I'm not kidding, Spike. If you die today I'll be really pissed at you." She looks up at him, eyes wide and sincere. His heart soars. She's really worried about him. He smiles softly, trying to cover for the fact that he may pass out from emotional overload. She smiles back. Finally, they realize that their hands are still clasped. They pull away slowly and awkwardly.
Angel gets to his feet, unable to rip his eyes away from Buffy and Spike who seem to be way too close and having some kind of "moment." He turns to Xander. "I thought you said they were all business now."
Xander is startled by this. He was also watching Buffy and Spike. "Well... I don't know. They... he... here she comes."
Buffy stops in front of Xander who winces, feeling her wrath. "Why'd you bring him here?"
"I asked him to," Angel answers.
She turns her attention to Angel. "Why? What do you want?"
Angel wrinkles his brow at her. "What are you so mad about?"
Good question. What is she so mad about? "I'm mad because... you just think you can come barreling in here while we're working and rough everybody up--"
"Working! Right. I heard about all the WORKING you two have been doing together." Angel looks at Spike who is now standing behind Buffy and glaring fiercely.
Buffy whirls on Xander. "What did you tell him?"
Xander stutters out a few incomprehensible noises before Angel saves him with, "It's not like I wouldn't be able to see it for myself."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Buffy puts her hands on her hips.
Angel looks over Buffy's head and fixes his gaze on Spike. "What was it you said that time, Spike, about me and Buffy making googly eyes at each other?" He looks back into Buffy's eyes. "He was talking about us at the time but I guess you've traded down."
Buffy is too stunned to speak.
"God, Buffy! Spike!? What the hell could you possibly be thinking? I thought you were smarter than that! I thought you were--"
"Hey!" Spike has had enough. "You've got no bloody right to talk to her that way! You skipped out of her life as soon as things got a bit dodgy so you don't get to just pop back in and tell her what she's done wrong since then!"
Angel pokes a finger at Spike, "You just keep your mouth shut. I don't know what you're up to exactly, but you're not part of this conversation right now."
Spike's eyes go wide. He is outraged. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
"Well, who the hell do you think YOU are?" This is from Xander. Everyone looks at him. "Seriously, Spike. Maybe Angel doesn't have the right to talk to Buffy like that, but you don't have the right to stand there defending her like some hero. Not after what you've done."
Spike doesn't have much of a response to that, but he can feel Buffy growing uncomfortable and tries to deflect. "Well, we all know that no one can measure up to the great Xander Harris and his..." Spike uses air quotes, "...brotherly affection toward the slayer. But I'm just trying to get hairdo here," Spike jerks a thumb toward Angel, "to lay off a bit. Especially since he's been gone for THREE years and has no idea what the hell he's talking about!"
The two vampires glare at each other while Xander looks on, fuming at Spike's sarcastic delivery of "brotherly affection."
Then, abruptly, Buffy pushes through all three of them and takes off running down the tunnel. The guys watch her for a minute, completely non-plussed, until they see that the Ugreda Demon has apparently been roused from it's nap by all the yelling and it is now sloshing off for a spot of mid-day killing. The men look back at each other for a brief moment then take off after Buffy, shoving each other out of the way as they go.
TBC
Angel awakens to blackness. His eyes are open wide but there is nothing to see. Nothing but the heavy, suffocating darkness before him. He hears a strange sound, a bubbling... and what sounds like crunching, coming from very close by. WHAM! Angel punches into the darkness and it immediately crumples away. In it's place gleams the bright burning light of the sun. "AHHHHH!!" He leaps up from the couch, pausing for a moment to look at the dark blanket that had been covering him. He glances around for shelter from the sun and dives toward a shadowy nook in the corner. From his position on the floor, he looks up to find Xander, standing at the kitchen counter, watching him with mild curiosity.
"Mornin'" Xander says around a mouth full of toast.
It takes a minute for Angel to figure out where he is. Finally he stands, all groggy, hung over and pissed off. "You couldn't have closed the drapes?"
"I tried. One side is jammed or something. I didn't want to wake you up so I just covered you. ...You're welcome."
Angel just grumbles something incoherent.
"You want some coffee?"
Coffee. Coffee is good, perhaps I won't kill him. Angel goes to kitchen, careful to sidestep the panel of sunlight on the floor. He takes the freshly poured mug from Xander. "Thanks."
"Welcome. Want some toast? It's the only thing I know how to make."
Angel laughs a little. "No, that's all right. What time is it?"
"Almost eleven-thirty."
There is a pause. Then, working hard for a nonchalant tone, Angel asks, "Do you know how to get to the tunnels under the Magic Box?"
Xander stops chewing and swallows hard. "Why?"
Angel doesn't look at him, he just stares into his mug. "Buffy's meeting Spike in the tunnels underneath at noon."
A great big grin breaks out on Xander's face. This is going to be a FUN day! "Just give me five minutes and I'll take you there myself."
After looking Xander over a minute, trying not to guess why he's so damn happy, Angel nods a thank you. He takes a sip of coffee and grimaces as he swallows. "This is terrible!"
Xander takes a sip from his own cup and then looks down at it. After a beat, he dumps it down the sink. "Yeah, I don't know how to make coffee. Let's just go."
The two men are about ready to leave when Angel stops.
"Wait. Xander... I uh... this is embarrassing, but... I haven't had any blood since yesterday afternoon. Do you think it'd be okay if I..."
Xander pales visibly and takes a step back.
"I don't have to bite your neck, we could just use your finger or something. It wouldn't even hurt, it would just be like a... like a blood sugar test. I promise not to take too much. Normally I wouldn't even ask, but I'm just SO HUNGRY!"
"I... I don't know if that's such a..." Xander is moving slowly backward, trying to subtly look around for a stake. "...maybe... maybe we can find a butcher or something on the way... I'm sure... I mean, it's not like I don't want to help you out, but..."
Angel can't hold on any longer. His serious expression cracks into a smile and he bursts out laughing, slapping Xander on the back. "You haven't changed one bit, man! You are so funny!"
The fear does not exactly drain from Xander's face as he smiles and laughs it off. "Yeah... you got me! Ha!"
"Come on, let's go." Angel plows ahead, leaving Xander behind. It doesn't take long for fear to become anger. "Yeah, real funny." He opens a drawer and pulls out a stake. "Let's see how funny you think it is when I'm dust busting you out of my car, Dead Boy!"
"I heard that!" Angel pops back in and Xander jumps. "You'd never stake me."
"Yes I would," Xander counters in a high-pitched voice.
"Nahh, you wouldn't. Come on. We're gonna be late." Angel is gone again.
Xander follows him out, glowering and mumbling under his breath. "I hope she kicks your ass."
"I heard that too!" Angel calls out, cheerfully.
Xander follows, entertaining the idea that Spike might not be such a bad guy after all.
***
Spike is sitting on a rock in the tunnels, waiting for Buffy. He's drawing pictures in the dirt with the back end of the axe he brought. A lightening bolt... he messes that up, smoothes the dirt. A box with a hand coming out of it.... he messes that up, smooths. A skull with hearts for eyes... he messes that up. He smiles to himself as he smooths out the dirt. He's having fun with his primitive etch-a-sketch. Now what? Lets see. He draws a straight line and stares at it. He turns it into the letter B. He stops, stares at it. He draws a "u" then an "f"...
"You're early."
The minute he hears Buffy's voice, Spike quickly messes up the smooth dirt where he was writing.
"Uh... yeah... I, uh... yeah." Spike is thrown. She could have caught him writing her name like a lovesick schoolboy. That would have been bad. They're supposed to be business partners now. If she knew his feelings for her were still as strong as ever, even stronger, she might not let him help her anymore. He's resigned himself to the fact that they will never be together, but if he can't help her... well... that's not an acceptable situation. He'll just have to be more careful.
"You okay?" She peers at him, knowing something is weird.
"I'm fine. Little groggy, maybe. Hard to get a decent night's sleep with that bloody janitor banging around before the sun is even up."
Buffy looks him over and nods, not quite buying the act. "Your cut is better."
"Huh? Oh..." Spike touches the healing cut above his eye. "Yeah. I'd almost forgotten about it. Right... feels better too."
Awkward silence bounces off the tunnel walls. Neither of them know how to have a conversation with each other anymore. When Dawn is around it's easier, but when they're alone... weirdness.
Say something! Buffy's mind screams at her.
"Uhh... so, I was thinking... this Ugreda demon likes water, right? And there's all those pumps down under the Sunnydale water and power building... so I figure that's where we should be headed."
Spike stands and brushes himself off. He kicks at the dirt in front of him again, just in case. "Yeah, good thinking. He won't be expecting us this time of day for starters, and if he's in the water he'll be asleep. Easy pickins for us."
Buffy notices a disappointed look cross Spike's face at that last comment.
"Well, I think it's about time something was easy for us, don't you?" She freezes. That came out kind of... about something else. Their eyes meet and Spike immediately drops his to the ground. Yep, he's thinking the same thing. Weirdness abounds. Time for damage control. "I mean, the hellmouth's been partying a little too hard lately. I'm kinda looking forward to a slow day."
"I s'pose you're right." Spike is equal parts relieved and disappointed.
A few days after Anya "outed" him as a soul man, Buffy came to him. She was very cold and firm and said only three things: "I don't want an apology, it won't change anything. We both did things we shouldn't forgive each other for... but I'm going to need your help." She left quickly, without another word, and that was the last time the subject of their once-volatile intimate relationship was ever brought up.
Spike retrieves his axe. Maybe some day they won't have to avoid this issue like the plague. Today is not that day, so back to business. "Okay. Lets get on with it, then."
Buffy relaxes. "Okay, I think it's this way, come on." She starts off in one direction.
Spike takes her gently by the arm. "No." He quickly drops his hand when he realizes what he's doing. "Uh... no, it's left."
Too late. Buffy has registered the touch... every nerve sparking millisecond of it. She turns away from him to look down the left side of the tunnel and to catch her breath without him seeing. "Um... no, I don't think so. I don't think it's down that way."
"The water and power building? It's right down that tunnel about three quarters of a mile." Spike gestures toward where she's looking. He is a little too close. She turns and backs away a little, angry at herself for having this reaction to him.
"No, You're confused."
"Yes. Often. But not about this. We go left." Apparently a soul is no cure for Spike's hair trigger exasperation.
Buffy frowns at him. "Don't be all 'we go left' at me. I'm in charge here and I'm telling you it's THIS way." She emphatically gestures right.
"You stubborn git! Why can't you just trust me? I know these tunnels much better than you do and you know it!"
"What have I told you about calling me weird British things?! I KNOW what that word means!"
"Well you are a stubborn git and you're leading us the wrong way! Normally, I'd humor you, but if you get us lost, we'll miss the bloody demon!"
"Oh you'd humor me?"
"You heard what I said!"
That throws Buffy off her game a second. She regroups. "What do you care, anyway? You're all up for fun and games! God forbid we should kill something that hasn't beaten the crap out of us for an hour first!"
"Well it's better than drowning the poor sod while he sleeps so you can get back to the exciting world of peer counseling!"
"Now you have a problem with my job?"
"THIS is your job!"
"Oh really, Sir Giles the Second? Look, you can flash that shiny new soul of yours all you want, but you don't get to tell me how to run my life. You are NOT my watcher!"
"Oh right, and where is he now? Off on horseback in the mother country, trotting about like a nance? You're better off listening to me, anyway. Maybe if I were your watcher you wouldn't have DIED so many bloody times!"
Spike and Buffy are now almost nose to nose, glaring at each other.
Quite unexpectedly, Buffy bursts out laughing. Man, has she missed this. A good shouting match is just what they needed to break through the rest of that cold, hard ice. She is full of giddy relief.
She looks up at Spike who is staring down at her with the dumbest look on his face. She laughs so hard she has to sit down. Finally, Spike feels it, that tension in the air is just floating away. Slowly, his frown slides into a grin and he starts to laugh with her, softly. He sits down next to her as her laughter peters out with a few breathy giggles. They sit shoulder to shoulder, without looking at each other, and they talk quietly.
"So..." Buffy sniffs, wiping at a teary eye, "...left, then?"
"If you think that's best," Spike grins.
Buffy bumps him gently with her shoulder. "You still bug the hell out of me, you realize this?"
"Wouldn't be me if I didn't." Spike laughs.
"No, it wouldn't. I'm... I'm glad you're still you."
This catches him totally off guard. He looks over to find Buffy looking back at him, a soft expression on her face. He inhales sharply and can feel himself shaking. Hope. That's hope he's feeling and it's a stupid and pointless emotion. Get up. Move away. This isn't what you want it to be.
"We should... get going." Spike stands and gains some composure, trying to get back into work mode. Buffy can see that he is shaking. She has to fight, and fight hard, the urge to take his hand and squeeze it reassuringly. They've both been through hell together and up until this moment she wasn't sure they were going to make it out again. But he didn't push and she doesn't want to either.
She hops to her feet. "Okay, lead the way Tunnel Man."
Before they can get even a few of steps, Spike stops and tilts his head, listening. Walking behind him, Buffy almost collides into his back when he stops short.
"What is it?"
"Shhh. There's something... someone coming this way." Spike scans the tunnel. His nostrils flair, picking up the scent. Buffy notices this and makes a face.
"And he has B.O?"
"I'm serious! And shut up! Can't you be stealthy for once?"
Buffy hides a smile. She's still getting used to Action Spike. Sometimes it's hard to take him seriously. Which is not to say that she doesn't enjoy it just a little bit. She catches herself watching him as he moves and finds that she is appreciating it a little too much. She looks away, hot-faced. That is not on the program. They're partners and tonight they took a step closer to becoming friends in their own bizarre way, but that's where it has to end.
Still, she can't resist taking another good look.
Spike is oblivious to this. He's in hunt mode. Slowly, they move toward the opening in the tunnel that Buffy came through earlier. "There are two of them," Spike says quietly. "A human and... a vampire...
Now Buffy can hear footsteps. She pulls a stake from her jacket and readies herself for action. A few tense moments later, Xander and Angel step casually into the tunnel.
Spike takes one look at Angel and deflates. "...a big, fat, stupid vampire."
"Angel?" Buffy is in total shock. "What the hell?" She looks at Xander. "Is everything okay? What's going on?
Angel immediately gets into Spike's face, almost totally ignoring Buffy. "That's what I'd like to know."
"Afternoon, Grandad." Spike doesn't back down. It's almost as though he's been waiting for this. "Nice of you to pop by--"
"What did you do to yourself, Spike?"
The corner of Spike's mouth twitches and he gets that wonderfully playful look in his eyes. "Well, that's kind of a personal question, isn't it?"
Angel grabs Spike by the jacket and shakes him violently. "Tell me!"
"HEY! Get off!" Buffy pushes Angel away from Spike so hard that both vampires fall to the ground.
Buffy immediately reaches out to Spike to help him up. "Sorry. You alright?"
Spike is nothing short of amazed that she came to his rescue, especially in front of His Holiness. He plays it casually. "Never better, luv. Thanks."
When he is on his feet, Buffy leans in, painfully close, and murmurs, "He seems really mad. Try not to be an ass."
"I'll give it my best, pet, but I can't make any promises."
"I'm not kidding, Spike. If you die today I'll be really pissed at you." She looks up at him, eyes wide and sincere. His heart soars. She's really worried about him. He smiles softly, trying to cover for the fact that he may pass out from emotional overload. She smiles back. Finally, they realize that their hands are still clasped. They pull away slowly and awkwardly.
Angel gets to his feet, unable to rip his eyes away from Buffy and Spike who seem to be way too close and having some kind of "moment." He turns to Xander. "I thought you said they were all business now."
Xander is startled by this. He was also watching Buffy and Spike. "Well... I don't know. They... he... here she comes."
Buffy stops in front of Xander who winces, feeling her wrath. "Why'd you bring him here?"
"I asked him to," Angel answers.
She turns her attention to Angel. "Why? What do you want?"
Angel wrinkles his brow at her. "What are you so mad about?"
Good question. What is she so mad about? "I'm mad because... you just think you can come barreling in here while we're working and rough everybody up--"
"Working! Right. I heard about all the WORKING you two have been doing together." Angel looks at Spike who is now standing behind Buffy and glaring fiercely.
Buffy whirls on Xander. "What did you tell him?"
Xander stutters out a few incomprehensible noises before Angel saves him with, "It's not like I wouldn't be able to see it for myself."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Buffy puts her hands on her hips.
Angel looks over Buffy's head and fixes his gaze on Spike. "What was it you said that time, Spike, about me and Buffy making googly eyes at each other?" He looks back into Buffy's eyes. "He was talking about us at the time but I guess you've traded down."
Buffy is too stunned to speak.
"God, Buffy! Spike!? What the hell could you possibly be thinking? I thought you were smarter than that! I thought you were--"
"Hey!" Spike has had enough. "You've got no bloody right to talk to her that way! You skipped out of her life as soon as things got a bit dodgy so you don't get to just pop back in and tell her what she's done wrong since then!"
Angel pokes a finger at Spike, "You just keep your mouth shut. I don't know what you're up to exactly, but you're not part of this conversation right now."
Spike's eyes go wide. He is outraged. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
"Well, who the hell do you think YOU are?" This is from Xander. Everyone looks at him. "Seriously, Spike. Maybe Angel doesn't have the right to talk to Buffy like that, but you don't have the right to stand there defending her like some hero. Not after what you've done."
Spike doesn't have much of a response to that, but he can feel Buffy growing uncomfortable and tries to deflect. "Well, we all know that no one can measure up to the great Xander Harris and his..." Spike uses air quotes, "...brotherly affection toward the slayer. But I'm just trying to get hairdo here," Spike jerks a thumb toward Angel, "to lay off a bit. Especially since he's been gone for THREE years and has no idea what the hell he's talking about!"
The two vampires glare at each other while Xander looks on, fuming at Spike's sarcastic delivery of "brotherly affection."
Then, abruptly, Buffy pushes through all three of them and takes off running down the tunnel. The guys watch her for a minute, completely non-plussed, until they see that the Ugreda Demon has apparently been roused from it's nap by all the yelling and it is now sloshing off for a spot of mid-day killing. The men look back at each other for a brief moment then take off after Buffy, shoving each other out of the way as they go.
TBC