~*-*~

This was an all too familiar scene. Seated at a long table. A plate of food with a hundred forks on one side. It was fortunate that even after death, it's one of the things you don't forget how to do. Start on the outside and work your way in. He could even swear there was an altered version of In The Hall Of The Mountain King playing in the background.

Somebody is seriously messing with me.

He thought back, trying to get to grips with what was going on. It would be easier if someone stopped knocking him out every few minutes. Whatever was going on, was not good. He'd just have to go back and find Angel then go.

I've got to get out of here. The food's probably poisoned...

Except as he got up, he was pushed back down into his seat.

"Don't worry about the Champion. He'll be here soon."

He had to turn to look at the person who was addressing him.

"Listen here you. I really don't like being knocked unconscious every two... whoa."

Spike finally looked at his kidnapper. Or kidnappette. This was a woman. A very beautiful woman. A very beautiful naked woman. This may turn into the best kidnapping of Spike's life.

"Why do you keep calling Angel 'the Champion' Miss..."

Spike happily eyed the woman that had approached him. He took in her beauty from the oval eyes of a classic green, her pert lips and gorgeous olive skin, her perfect figure that was neither large nor lean, and her breasts that were the perfect size, her long strawberry blonde hair that flowed and curled around her body resting just above her gills.

Wait a minute. Gills?

He finally had a full view of his captor.

"You, you... you're a... a..."

"Mermaids Spike. Don't gawp. You look like a fish."

And that was when Spike finally looked away from the girl and saw Angel waltzing in to what appeared to be a dining room with two rather similar fish-girls on both arms. He seemed to be in perfect health, and was paying an unhealthy amount of attention to his women. This was not a good sign. He was brought to the table and sat opposite Spike, whose mouth had not yet closed since the whole situation was mind-boggling.

"Thank you ladies. Now! Spike, my boy, what brings you here?"

"*Don't* you 'my boy' me! I came here to rescue you believe it or not, but when I get here you seem to be perfectly comfortable here... wherever here is. Where is here anyway? An underwater city. Is this Atlantis?"

"I wish! Please! If I'd found Atlantis, I would have gone to the surface and profited big time. No, it's not. It's Los Angeles babe. L.A. extended. Collection of water demons just moved in and converted the place. This place has clubs better than above land do you know that?"

Spike's countenance changed from one of anger to one of doubt and confusion. Angel didn't seem to be himself, and there was more to it than just the way he spoke. Even the way he sauntered in to the room. Something was up with him.

"One, what exactly do you know about clubs, and two, why the bloody hell are you talking like that?"

Angel on the other hand was also completely aware of his change. He was doing it on purpose. Not that he would let Spike on to the fact, or that Spike would notice. Once Angel put on a different persona, no one would be any the wiser.

"Like what?"

"Like that! With the uncaring and nonchalance and all that jazz. Damn it, you're giddy!"

"I'm not giddy Spike. I just like it here."

"You *like* it here? You're crazy!"

It was only then that it dawned on Spike that he was holding a conversation, or arguing, in a rather lavishly styled dining room under the sea.

"How are you even surviving here underwater? Obviously not suffering from a lack of haemoglobin..."

Although a lack of sanity seems to be an issue...

"Magic. I found some lady friends who..."

"Fish friends!"

"*Lady* friends who favour me because of the whole prophesised thing. I'm their Champion. I'm surviving here cause they want me too. You too obviously."

That was a good question. Angel being favoured was understandable, but Spike?

Spike's evil. Why are they helping him? What is he up to this time? Wait... why should I care?

"Yes but how does it work?"

Angel gestured to the room around him.

"None of this is real Spike."

"Feels pretty real to me."

"Put your hand into that food. It's not even real. Sure you're here underwater, but once you entered the city gates, the whole system changes. Not too much granted, but it has. Humans could live down here too if they wanted to and could find it. I don't quite get it, but asking questions kinda breaks my omniscient image down here. Spike, they treat me like a God. It's heaven."

Spike could do nothing but stare at the man...pire that he called his sire.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with me! I'm just happy! Can't I be happy?"

"No! Remember? You can't be happy. You being happy results in a killing spree!"

Angel rolled his eyes.

"Speaking of which, these mermaids, they haven't tried to make you happy have they?"

"Nah, they're all prissy little twits really."

Right. Something was definitely up with Angel, and it was becoming clearer to Spike. Angel wouldn't throw off comments like that. Angelus would. But this wasn't Angelus. Never could be. Being this close, he would be able to tell. Just like he could the first time they met after China. They were about to kill the whelp together before he went to kill the Slayer. Buffy. His thoughts always returned to Buffy.

You can travel across the world and to the depths of the ocean and the girl still plagues your thoughts. You've got it *bad*.

"Are you sure they haven't, cause you don't really sound like Angel."

"Believe me William, it is me. I've just loosened up a little."

"*Don't* call me that. I accept that you're Angel but just *don't* all right?"

"Fine Will."

"That too."

"Jeez! Who put that rod up your butt?"

Spike simply could not believe Angel was acting this way. It sure as hell looked like him, and sounded like him, but the attitude just wasn't right. Maybe he was possessed or something... wishful thinking. This was Angel, unfortunately. Spike just had to get through to him.

"What's so great about living here?"

"It's just so much fun! Check this out."

And with that Angel proceeded to float upwards until he was above the table and then began to turn himself forward over and over again. He was doing somersaults. Angel, the calm and sane vampire, was doing somersaults and giggling. He was actually giggling! The image was scary.

"Oh my God, you're on drugs."

"I'm not on drugs."

"Yes you are! Look at you! You're high. You are on some major acid trip!"

"I'm *not* on drugs!"

Angel proceeding to tuck himself in and spin faster didn't really help to nullify this comment.

"Angel, the salt water has gone to your head!"

"I'm fine Spike. It's not my fault you've become a total weed."

Spike sighed. This was exhausting.

It's not supposed to be this way. I'm not the responsible one!

"Hey! Get down from there this instant!"

Uh oh. Scary childhood flashback.

Angel stopped mid-roll and after recovering from dizziness looked down at Spike.

"You're not my mother!"

"Damn straight! But I will not have you looping about like a drunken idiot. What is so special about being here that would make you turn your back on your calling?"

"It's so relaxing and different. It's a wonderful break."

Different. Break. Key words. Spike knew what was going on, and now he could regain control of the situation. He got out of his chair and swam upwards to grab Angel by the shoulders and try and shake the attitude out of him.

"Oh. I get it. That's what this is about. This is just some stupid rebellious streak isn't it? What are you, the world's oldest teenager? Grow up and accept your responsibilities!"

"Get off! Why are you taking this away from me? I'm finally happy."

"You're not happy. You're running away. This is not what you're meant to be doing. You're the Champion, or Favoured One of the Powers That Be."

"Screw the Powers That Be."

That was it. Twig snapped. Spike was pissed.

"For God's sake snap out of it! Would you please just calm down, or sulk, or mope, or damn even brood! Just be Angel!"

"I am Angel!"

"No you're not. You're a coward. Look at you! You're running away from your destiny because you've found something more comfortable and easy. You're taking this way out because you're lazy and your afraid to stand up to what you're going to have to face up on the surface. Well let me tell you something, I did not risk my life to have you give up on yourself and everything, you hear me?"

Angel threw him off and they sank towards the floor together.

"Get. Stuffed."

"You do realise that the world is going to go to hell if you go through with this rebellious streak don't you? I know you're going to have avert some apocalypse in the near future, because you good types always have to, and when you're not there, your childish outbursts are going to be the cause of everyone in the world dying."

"I don't care about them."

Angel shrugged and started to move away. Spike found himself yelling at Angel to get his point across and hopefully reach him.

"You can be such an ultimate wanker sometimes! Well what about me? What about the people who helped me get here huh? Right now Wes, Fred and Gunn are on a boat counting on me to get you back to them. They've been searching like crazy for you. And you're just going to turn your back on them?"

"Watch me."

This called for the big guns.

"What about Connor?!"

Angel stopped and faced the younger vampire.

Score.

"Yeah, I know about Connor. And we're pretty close now you know. Who do you think told me where to find you huh? You can turn your back on me and you can turn your back on everyone and everything but I *know* you can't turn your back on him."

I cannot believe I had to resort to taunting him. I know him well enough to know that he's going to be jealous. I'm close to something that's his. Always protective of his property. Doesn't like to share. With his kills, and with his women. Dear God. He's not finding out about Buffy. No way in hell. I'm not scared... of course I'm not. I'm just being caring and considerate towards him and his health. Wouldn't do him any good to know. Exactly.

The two vampires just stood and stared at each other. The voice in Angel's head spoke to him with a knowing tone.

He's right you know. You knew you had to go back sometime. Just didn't want it to be now. You have worshippers here. But you have a life, an important one, where people need you. Where Connor needs you, because he clearly does. Your son. If there's any reason to go back it's him. I guess that if he's helping Spike find you, then he must be good... unless Spike plans to get you and then kill you, which would be a Spike thing to do. Getting your son to help him, well that's just pure evil. Do you really want to know why Spike's helping you? Do you care? Just get back and you can deal with him later. You have more important things to sort through anyway. From now on The Powers can go to hell. You're nobody's pawn in anything, an apocalypse or prophecy or whatever. You going up there to fight for him. Make his world safer. He's my new reason for being. I'm his champion.

It was funny just how much the souls had brought the two of them together. They were more similar than ever before, not that it meant much. They had always been opposites in everything they did and were. One was quiet, the other was wild. One had tortured, the other slaughtered. Physically it was the same. One was tall, dark haired, broad shouldered, and had large dark brown eyes that could bore into you and read your soul. The other was small, blond, lithe, and had deep pools of an icy grey-blue that could envelop you and absorb your entire essence. But now with the souls, here they were and what a sight. In a magical city under the sea staring at each other whilst trapped in their own inner monologues. If only there was a camera.

"I can't go back."

"What do you mean you can't go back? It's bloody simple. We talk to the nice fishies, say 'Thanks for having us' and zoom! Upwards we go!"

Angel rolled his eyes at Spike's blunt approach.

"No you don't understand. I can't go back. What would everyone say?"

"I do understand, and what I understand is that it doesn't matter. If you're referring to how everyone will react to you pulling this running away stunt, well they won't know unless you tell them. Come on, let's go."

Things were sort of back to normal. The two of them started to walk away feeling slightly calmer together and advanced towards the door. That's not to say that Angel wasn't still a little on edge. After all, this was Spike, who had tried to kill him on several occasions.

"And you actually think I'll believe you when you say you won't tell them?"

"I'll grant you that it does sting a bit that I won't be able to revel in this, one of the few occasions in which I can safely say I'm being mature and you're being a prick."

He looked at Spike's smug face and could only laugh.

"Okay, I guess I deserved that."

"A mindless arse."

"And that too."

"A selfish immature twat, an insensitive bugger..."

"Don't push it."

~*-*~


Author's Note: Compliments of the season my little chums! You know, things have been interesting during this holiday season. I don't know if there are any other people wandering around England, but it would appear that Yves St Laurent is giving my fanfic a national advertising campaign. Isn't that nice of them? Everywhere I go in the streets I see huge posters with OPIUM written in big gold letters. Sigh. (Perfume? What Perfume?!)

My chapters are getting progressively longer... But I don't really see them as chapters anymore. They're more like scene changes now. Imagine it's the show, and some scenes are longer than others.

Well, it's the holidays for me now. No school, which means that once Christmas is over I can write as much as I want to without the hell of homework to depress me. Yes, I have maths coursework due for when I get back, but do I look like I care?

Happy Holidays!