******
Oracles
******
They entered the room that Lorne had wanted them to go to.
The room was in a small office space, but when they entered the room the columns were thirty feet tall. The ceiling was black silk. Streaming down from the ceiling was red and black silk.
"The Powers That Be," Angel announced.
Laura looked around. The aura was somewhat familiar. She felt like spinning.
Angel was a bit wary. He had never gotten along with the oracles. He was expected the worst, and a big headache afterward.
"You've been here before?"
"Well something like here. The oracles always change the look of the location. This one is different. Just be prepared. The oracles are a bit…"
"Wonderful?"
Angel and Laura spun around at the very familiar voice.
Laura turned and attempted to run to the voice, but Angel's arm anchored her to his side. He watched the figure suspiciously.
He looked the same, but he smelled different. Angel worried that this was some trick, and that she would be hurt.
"Daddy," Laura squealed. Behind him Buffy floated down the stairs in white silk.
"You're the new oracles," Angel said skeptically.
"Bloody Pillock," Spike muttered, "What do you think they'd do with us."
Buffy came to his side and put her hand in his, "What Spike is trying to say is that we've kind of got this clause that says we are supposed to be together forever. Vampires aren't really popular in heaven due to the whole lack of soul thing. So they gave us this gig. We get to play judge, then we get to spend time in limbo. I like it, I've already been to heaven. Don't have any real reason to go back. Have a better reason to stay here."
For a moment Angel felt like gagging. Spike was not his favorite Childe.
Buffy's eyes found her daughter and Buffy opened her arms.
Angel knew her and softened once he saw her with her daughter. He let Laura go.
Laura ran to her.
"Baby, I'm so proud of you."
Laura began to cry, "How it's my fault that you died."
Spike came up behind her and lifted her chin so that she looked into his eyes.
"You weren't in control anymore. It isn't your fault."
"But daddy it is like I killed you. You died because I dated a bad guy."
Spike shook his head, "You're the fourth Summer's woman who dated a guy that tried to kill her and/or those they love. Don't take it harshly."
Spike threw a glance over at Angel, reminding him who was the one that put Buffy in danger.
Buffy shook her head at her mate.
"Darling you know what kind of life we led. We led lives of precarious incidents. It was bound to get us some day."
"We don't blame you," Spike agreed.
Laura looked up with tears in her eyes, "But I need you."
"Oh honey," Buffy sighed embracing her, "We're still here, its just different."
Laura's tears began to fall.
Buffy hugged Laura and held on to her.
"I'm going to go have some time with my daughter," Buffy told them.
"Give daddy a kiss," Spike said opening his arms. Laura wrinkled her nose and ran to him. That is what he always said before she would go out to the bus stop. He couldn't follow her into sunlight, but he always made sure to make her feel safe and protected before she had to go somewhere he couldn't.
Laura gave her father a kiss and then followed her mom to a room beyond.
That was when Angel realized that he had been left alone with Spike.
Spike looked at Angel curiously.
"What, I know the drill. The little leprechaun of a Warlock told me my job," Angel said finally.
Spike shook his head, "Nah, that wasn't even what I was thinking."
"Then what?" Angel said becoming unnerved at the scrutiny of Spike's gaze.
"She's not me you know."
Angel looked at him like he was crazy, "Who? Laura. I know that."
"She's not Buffy either."
"Damn it Spike I know that."
"Do you really."
"God you've found your calling. You've found a job where you get to be annoying."
Spike leaned back and smiled happily, "That and I have no bills, no worries, all I have to do is be with Buffy."
Angel looked at him with the angry eyes of Angelus.
"So what the hell is going on?"
Spike rolled his eyes and lit a cigarette.
"Well you are here because we aren't actually the oracles yet."
"So you have great talk about being the oracles, yet you haven't secured the position yet."
Spike shrugged, "They don't just let people have the position. And to be honest they don't like the fact that I'm a vampire. So that means that Buffy and I must endure some trials. We've got some things to do before we can reach the final resting place. These things include the fun of having you here. I didn't want to but the Little Bite needs you."
Angel glared at him, "Can you just stop all of the preemptions and get to the point."
"Buffy and I humbly request that you are Laura's protector during out time of trials," Spike almost got the whole request out without laughing.
Oracles
******
They entered the room that Lorne had wanted them to go to.
The room was in a small office space, but when they entered the room the columns were thirty feet tall. The ceiling was black silk. Streaming down from the ceiling was red and black silk.
"The Powers That Be," Angel announced.
Laura looked around. The aura was somewhat familiar. She felt like spinning.
Angel was a bit wary. He had never gotten along with the oracles. He was expected the worst, and a big headache afterward.
"You've been here before?"
"Well something like here. The oracles always change the look of the location. This one is different. Just be prepared. The oracles are a bit…"
"Wonderful?"
Angel and Laura spun around at the very familiar voice.
Laura turned and attempted to run to the voice, but Angel's arm anchored her to his side. He watched the figure suspiciously.
He looked the same, but he smelled different. Angel worried that this was some trick, and that she would be hurt.
"Daddy," Laura squealed. Behind him Buffy floated down the stairs in white silk.
"You're the new oracles," Angel said skeptically.
"Bloody Pillock," Spike muttered, "What do you think they'd do with us."
Buffy came to his side and put her hand in his, "What Spike is trying to say is that we've kind of got this clause that says we are supposed to be together forever. Vampires aren't really popular in heaven due to the whole lack of soul thing. So they gave us this gig. We get to play judge, then we get to spend time in limbo. I like it, I've already been to heaven. Don't have any real reason to go back. Have a better reason to stay here."
For a moment Angel felt like gagging. Spike was not his favorite Childe.
Buffy's eyes found her daughter and Buffy opened her arms.
Angel knew her and softened once he saw her with her daughter. He let Laura go.
Laura ran to her.
"Baby, I'm so proud of you."
Laura began to cry, "How it's my fault that you died."
Spike came up behind her and lifted her chin so that she looked into his eyes.
"You weren't in control anymore. It isn't your fault."
"But daddy it is like I killed you. You died because I dated a bad guy."
Spike shook his head, "You're the fourth Summer's woman who dated a guy that tried to kill her and/or those they love. Don't take it harshly."
Spike threw a glance over at Angel, reminding him who was the one that put Buffy in danger.
Buffy shook her head at her mate.
"Darling you know what kind of life we led. We led lives of precarious incidents. It was bound to get us some day."
"We don't blame you," Spike agreed.
Laura looked up with tears in her eyes, "But I need you."
"Oh honey," Buffy sighed embracing her, "We're still here, its just different."
Laura's tears began to fall.
Buffy hugged Laura and held on to her.
"I'm going to go have some time with my daughter," Buffy told them.
"Give daddy a kiss," Spike said opening his arms. Laura wrinkled her nose and ran to him. That is what he always said before she would go out to the bus stop. He couldn't follow her into sunlight, but he always made sure to make her feel safe and protected before she had to go somewhere he couldn't.
Laura gave her father a kiss and then followed her mom to a room beyond.
That was when Angel realized that he had been left alone with Spike.
Spike looked at Angel curiously.
"What, I know the drill. The little leprechaun of a Warlock told me my job," Angel said finally.
Spike shook his head, "Nah, that wasn't even what I was thinking."
"Then what?" Angel said becoming unnerved at the scrutiny of Spike's gaze.
"She's not me you know."
Angel looked at him like he was crazy, "Who? Laura. I know that."
"She's not Buffy either."
"Damn it Spike I know that."
"Do you really."
"God you've found your calling. You've found a job where you get to be annoying."
Spike leaned back and smiled happily, "That and I have no bills, no worries, all I have to do is be with Buffy."
Angel looked at him with the angry eyes of Angelus.
"So what the hell is going on?"
Spike rolled his eyes and lit a cigarette.
"Well you are here because we aren't actually the oracles yet."
"So you have great talk about being the oracles, yet you haven't secured the position yet."
Spike shrugged, "They don't just let people have the position. And to be honest they don't like the fact that I'm a vampire. So that means that Buffy and I must endure some trials. We've got some things to do before we can reach the final resting place. These things include the fun of having you here. I didn't want to but the Little Bite needs you."
Angel glared at him, "Can you just stop all of the preemptions and get to the point."
"Buffy and I humbly request that you are Laura's protector during out time of trials," Spike almost got the whole request out without laughing.