Title: The Promised One

Author: ElvenNight

Summary: It's getting close to the anniversary of Doyle's death. Cordelia gets a vision of a woman in Sunnydale, so Angel, Wesley, and Cordy go on a little trip. When they get to Sunnydale, they find that the woman is tied to Spike and Angels pasts. And a prophecy about a battle involving Doyle gets everyone confused. Also, an old enemy of Spike and Angel returns...

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize from Angel and Buffy. They belong to Joss Wheden and David Greenwalt. Don't sue. You wouldn't get much anyway. Also Hamlet and Macbeth belong to William Shakespeare, not me.

Authors Note: I am so sorry about the huge delay in getting this out! My computer died and we had to get an entirely new one. All of my files were lost so I had to start from stratch again! But I am still writing this and I am still alive! Thank you for being patient with me. Also thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. Enjoy!

Thoughts are between these //thought // For some reason italics doesn't go from my computer to the site.

Dedication: This is for Glenn Quinn. Rest in Peace. You won't be forgotten.





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Spike was bored. There were no words to describe just how bored he was. In fact, he was so bored he was acting out the many plays of Shakespeare in his head. He had already finished Hamlet and was now in the middle of Macbeth. Just as he reached the line "liver of a blaspheming Jew" he felt something impact with the side of his head.

"Bloody hell!" he yelled.

"Good book?" Angel asked innocently. Spike frowned. He narrowed his eyes and searched the floor around him for whatever had hit him. He saw a small red pillow beside his chair and glared at his Grandsire, while Angel continued to look as innocent as possible. Kaya rolled her eyes at them both.

"I'm researching," Spike snapped.

Angel snorted. "Sure. That's why you're staring blankly at a page you haven't turned in almost an hour and reciting Macbeth under your breath." Kaya laughed as the Scoobies and Fang Gang struggled to hide smiles.

"Play nice you two," Kaya warned, still laughing lightly. Spike sent one last glare at Angel and turned back to his book, muttering something about switching "liver of a blaspheming Jew" with "liver of an impossible Grandsire." Angel shook his head and continued flipping through the 6,000 page spellbook in his hands. He looked around at the others and wasn't surprised to see Giles and Wesley actually enjoying the books they were reading. Only a watcher could be interested in something with 8,000 pages and size 6 font. Five seconds after he turned back to his book the very same pillow he had thrown at Spike hit him in the head. He glared at the younger vampire, who was pretending to be engrossed in his book. Angel growled slightly, but turned back to his research.

Another hour or two went by without incident. But 5 or so hours of researching was starting to take it's toll on Cordelia. "Okay," she announced, " this has been just a bit too much straight research for me." She shut her ten pound tome and dropped it on the table. "I need a break."

"I heartily concur," Xander agreed. The others put down their books with relieved sighs and stood up to stretch.

"I think I'm going blind," Dawn frowned. "Everything's all blurry."

"Squinting while trying to read the smallest print known to man in a ten pound book will do that to you." Kaya grinned, then raised a hand to cover her mouth as she yawned.

Spike watched her with a small smile on his face. He still couldn't believe she was here, after all this time, and the same as she had always been. He could barely contain his laughter when she smacked Angel in the back of the head. Angel rubbed the offended spot and glared in Spike's direction as the younger vampire struggled to contain his mirth.

Angel sighed and rolled his eyes heavenward as if to ask 'why me?' Instead of voicing this question though, he asked, "Did anyone find anything remotely useful?"

"No," Buffy said grumpily, stretching out her legs.

"Nada," Xander said.

"I found a few spells for longer life, but none of them went over 25 years extra and you have to have three or more eyes for them to work," Tara told them. "I didn't think they were likely to be the ones we're looking for."

"No," Giles agreed. "They don't seem likely."

"So no one found *anything*?" Cordelia asked incredulously.

"No," Anya said irritably. "Five hours of wasted research when I could have been tending to customers and making money." She glared at Giles. "Why did we have to close the store?"

Giles sighed. "I told you, Anya. We don't want anyone interrupting us."

"Right," Buffy said. "Cause that would have been a tragedy."

"There was one ritual I saw that might have worked," Willow said. Everyone turned to look at her. She was holding a relatively small book and studying it intently. "Oh, wait. Never mind."

"Why never mind?" Wesley asked.

"Well, after a few years your body deteriorates and maggots take up nest inside you."

"Oh, gross!" Dawn wrinkled her nose in disgust. Spike grinned and leaned over, whispering something in her ear. She covered her mouth to keep from laughing, but a giggle escaped anyway. Spike winked at the young girl and threw his arm across her shoulders.

"What do you say me 'n' you go out and get some ice cream Lil' Bit?" he suggested. Five hours of research seemed to have taken it's toll on the teen and Spike wanted to cheer her up. God, but he was pathetic.

As Spike had hoped, her eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Really?" She looked at Buffy hopefully. "Could we please?" she begged. Buffy looked hesitant, but finally agreed.

"I guess. Just be back soon!"

"We will," Spike assured her. "And maybe we'll bring something back for the rest of you as well."

Dawn leaned up and whispered so only Spike could hear, "Even for Peaches, right?" Spike laughed at hearing her call Angel that.

"If he's lucky," the vampire whispered back. Angel watched in wonder at how easily his Childe and the teen got along. "Come on, Nibblet. Grab your jacket and let's go."

"Okay!" Dawn ducked out from under Spike's arm and grabbed her jacket, pulling it on as she walked toward the door. Spike followed her.

"Spike?" Buffy called.

Spike turned back and rolled his eyes. "I know, I know. Anything happens to her you'll have my guts for garters." He raised an eyebrow at her. "You really need to get some new material, Slayer." Buffy chucked the red pillow from earlier at him and he dodged it, laughing as he followed Dawn out the door.

"Insufferable, blond, idiot," she muttered lightly, stopping the smile on her face from becoming any bigger.

Giles sighed and took off his glasses, rubbing his forehead tiredly. "I hate to be the one to say it, but we really are getting nowhere."

The others nodded in tired agreement. "It also doesn't help that we're grasping at straws," Kaya said.

"Yeah, with all the straws a mile away," Xander agreed.

* * *

Pain. That was the first thing he was aware of. And there was a lot of it. Also, a smell. Of... blood. But who's? He struggled to open his eyes and sit up, but felt a hand restrain him. "Lay back down," a voice told him. That voice... Dawn! Spike lifted his eyelids with immense difficulty and looked for Dawn. She was kneeling next to him, her expression worried and her hands covered in blood.

"Ar- are you okay?" he rasped.

"Yeah," she said. "The blood's all yours. Does it hurt a lot?"

"Not really," he lied. He sat up with a wince and brought his hand to his side. It came away bloody. He looked down at the wound, but found it wasn't deep at all. A loud crash brought Spike's attention to his left. There was a dark haired man engaged in a struggle with a demon who looked like a lumber jack with horns and sharp, pointy hands. Spike's memory came back slowly and he remembered how they came to be at this point.

Dawn and he were walking back to the Magic Box after having eaten their ice cream and Dawn was swinging the bag of donuts for the others at her side. Spike was just about to suggest they stop at Willy's to get blood for Angel and Kaya when the demon attacked. Spike had struggled with it, caught off guard, but seemed to have the upper hand. Then the demon got in a lucky shot with it's pointy hands, and sent Spike to the ground. He guessed he was unconscious for only a few seconds, but that was apparently long enough for someone else to become involved in the fight.

Spike peered closer at the man, who had just been thrown into a tree. He looked familiar to Spike, only he couldn't place where he had seen the man before. "Who's the guy?" the vampire asked Dawn.

"I don't know. He showed up just as the demon turned to me."

"Have to remember to thank him then," Spike said softly. Dawn smiled at him and he grinned back. Then he turned back to the fight, just in time to see the man shove a tree branch through the demon's chest. It screamed for a moment, before oozing into a puddle on the ground and disappearing. The man brushed himself off and trotted over to the two.

"Hey blondie, you okay?" the man asked when he reached them. And with sudden clarity Spike remembered where he had seen him before.

"Oh, my bloody friggin lord."



* * *

"What is taking them so bloody long?" Buffy ranted, her eyes narrowed.

"Bloody?" Angel questioned.

Buffy looked at him. "Sorry, I've been hanging around Spike too long. He's starting to rub off on me." She shuddered at the thought, and didn't notice Angel's narrowed eyes at the wording 'rub off.' "But really," Buffy continued, "they've been gone for almost two hours!"

"So, do you guys like Spike?" Cordelia questioned casually.

"No," Xander said immediately.

"Well, I do," Tara said. "He helped with my family, you know? And he helped us during the summer when Buffy was gone."

"Yeah," Willow said. "I guess he just-" she paused, searching for the right words.

"Grows on you," Angel supplied. Kaya giggled at that and Angel glared at her.

"Yeah," Willow agreed, giving the two vampires a weird look.

"Sometimes he isn't all that bad," Giles admitted. "It is nice to have a fellow countryman around who knows demon lore and such."

"Well," Xander fidgeted. "I guess he's okay sometimes. But if any of you ever tell him I said that, I'll- do something not nice," he finished lamely.

"Don't worry honey. Your secret's safe." Anya patted his arm and he smiled at her.

"Yeah, Will can grow on people. Right Angel?"

"I suppose," Angel said through gritted teeth.

"You suppose?" Kaya said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Kaya, if you tell them this story I will make you hurt like you have never hurt before. Understood?"

"What story?" Cordelia said.

"No story!" Angel said quickly and warningly.

"The one I was trying to tell you this morning," Kaya answered.

"Okay, new subject!" Angel glared at everyone so they decided to let it be- for now.

"So what do you think is taking Spike and Dawn so long?" Buffy asked.

"They're probably just talking or hanging out for a little," Willow said.

"Yeah, they'll be back soon," Tara added.

"I'm gonna kill Spike," Buffy muttered. She narrowed her eyes as she imagined just how she was going to hurt him for making her worry.

"It's coming."

Everyone turned to look at Cordelia. "What's com- oh my Goddess!" Willow shrieked.

"Hey, that's a good song," Xander said.

"No, look!" Willow pointed. Cordelia's eyes were completely white.

"It's coming and you're not ready."

"Cordelia!" Wesley yelled.

* * *

Spike stared in shock at the face he was looking at. "This isn't possible."

"What isn't possible, Spike?" Dawn asked.

The man grinned at Spike. "Remember me, do ya?"

"But- you're dead," Spike said confusedly.

"And you're just the embodiment of sunshine and life yourself," was the retort.

* * *

"What's going on, Cordy?!" Angel shouted.

"We are the Oracles," Cordelia said.

"The Oracles?" Buffy asked.

"Hey, I read about these guys. They're like, spokespeople for The Powers That Be," Xander said. Everyone stared at him. "What? I do read when I research- sometimes."

"I went to them when I asked for Doyle's life back," Angel said, his eyes narrowed.

"We are here to give you another warrior."

"Another warrior?" Giles said. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

* * *



"I don't get it," Spike said. "How are you here?"

The man sighed. "It's the bloody Powers That Be! They tell a guy he's never going home again, and yet, here I am. I wish they would just make up their bloody minds. O' course, I didn't imagine you'd be the first one I'd run into."

* * *



"Something big is coming. Darkness. We are returning a warrior to you." Cordelia's eyes turned to Angel. "This is not permanent. When the battle is done, the warrior must return to the land of the dead. Do you understand?"

"Yeah," Angel said, confused. "How are we supposed to be prepared for this darkness though? I mean, what is it? Are teletubbies going to take over the world?"

"Teletubbies?" Buffy asked.

"I watch a lot of daytime TV," Angel responded.

"You are on the right track," the Oracles said, ignoring the teletubbies remark. "The rest will be revealed to you in time. The warrior should be arriving soon. But remember: it is only temporary!"

And with those parting words, Cordelia's eyes turned back to normal, and she collapsed.

* * *

"Spike, do you know this guy?" Dawn asked.

"We've met," Spike said shortly.

"Well, who is he?" She turned to the man. "Thanks for the help by the way."

"It was my pleasure, darlin'."

"So?" she pressed Spike. "And what's all this about him being dead?"

"Nibblet, do you remember the story time we had today?" Spike asked, his eyes never leaving the man's face.

"Yeah," Dawn said warily, trying to think of where this could be going.

"Well, this is Doyle."

Alan Francis Doyle grinned. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. Would you be Dawn?"



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Reviews make the world go round! And since the next chapter will be the reunion scene, it will take a bit long to get it out, but never fear. I will get it done! Thanks for reading and also for reviewing, those of you that have!

~ElvenNight~