Title: Over The Next Horizon
Author: Karen
Email: karen@klewis91.fsnet.co.uk
Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be. Just the story I'm afraid.
Feedback: Yes please.
Pairing: A/C, W/S, Fr/Gu,
Timeline: After season six
Spoilers: Seasons 5/6, Angel 2/3
Archiving: If you want it take it just tell me where it ends up.
Synopsis: Cordelia, Fred and Willow are on the run with Lindsey in a race
against time to save the Scoobs and the Batpack from a horrible death. The
others have finally figured out something's up and are on the case. Much
annoyance and shouting ensues.
Rating: Overall an R I think?
Summary: Humour, Angst, Romance and lots of bloody bits of other people's
bodies if Spike gets his way. (Let's face it he will. Who could refuse
that man anything?)
Dedications: As always to Jen, the woman works her socks off to get the work back to me quickly and never a word of condemnation has passed her lips over the length of time it takes me to complete episodes. This is as much her baby as it is mine ad I'm very thankful for all the effort she puts in on my behalf. Mel and Ina, always there with the f/b and the poking. The rest of the crew, Wic, Lady, TW, Scribe and Danel and all the others on list that make the net such a fun place to hang out. Guys, we REALLY need to start getting a life!
A/N : It may seem like there are huge chunks of scenes missing, I can explain. There are. Flashbacks and explanations will come I promise. And to those of you that are confused, the last time I posted it got sent out under 6b, sorry, the LAST part was 6a and THIS one is 6b. ::grins:: Jen refused to let me confuse you all and pointed out that I might want to clarify ::pouts:: She completely ruined my fun. The last three pages are unbeta'd by the way, I wanted to get it out asap as I have other fic commitments to finish. Can almost hear Jen gnashing her teeth over the grammar as I type.
Part 6b
Wesley perched uncomfortably on the wooden bench and stared down at the stone floor beneath his feet, stealing occasional glances at the tense figure next to him. He felt slightly queasy and certainly a bit shaky but all in all his head was clearer than it had been in months. He started as Angel said bitterly
"I can't forgive you."
Wes closed his eyes and nodded
"I know."
Angel made an impatient sound and jumped to his feet pacing angrily around the small courtyard
"I can't forget what you did."
Wesley blinked back self-pitying tears and bowed his head even further, remaining silent. Angel glared at the top of his head and snapped
"Goddamn you, at least have the courage to look me in the eye."
Wesley took a deep breath and raised his head to look in the furious tortured eyes above him. Angel shook his head and said in disgust
"Look at the state of you. You're pathetic."
The Englishmen held the revolted gaze silently and waited calmly for the next attack. Angel snorted
"You're just going to sit there and take it? Take everything I can throw at you and not make a move to defend yourself?"
Wesley shrugged
"What would be the point? Everything you say is true. I'm everything you believe and more."
Angel stared at his former friend wordlessly and then spun away with another low growl
"Above everyone I believed you would be the one I could trust to do the right thing. I valued your opinion above everyone's, even Cordy's. Why did you do it? How could you take my child and give him to that.that.thing? How?"
Wesley swallowed at the anguished voice and his eyes blurred with tears as he whispered
"I panicked. I never had any intention of giving Connor to them, I wanted back up if I couldn't get Connor to safety myself. There's no excuse for what happened but I want you to know that it was never my intention to give your son to Holtz, I would have given my life to protect him."
Angel stared down at the floor and clenched his big hands into fists
"Is that meant to make it all better? Am I meant to say 'There, there, Wes. Don't worry about it, it's all ok now' and just move on? Because I can't, I can't let it go."
Wes pushed himself unsteadily to his feet and swayed for a moment before straightening his shoulders and saying firmly
"No, we can't forget this happened. Ever. I'll have to live with my stupidity for the rest of my days and with what it cost me."
He took a deep breath as Angel turned slowly and stared at him with burning eyes, continuing in a low, sincere voice
"I cost you your son, someone you love, and for that I can never be forgiven. I'm asking you to let me help you now and not to let my past actions cost you someone else you love. When we have Cordelia and the others back I'll go and you'll never see me again but until that time I'm asking you to give me the chance to help you one last time."
Angel shook his head slowly
"I can't let you in, Wes. You betrayed us all, you thought I could hurt my son and then you destroyed all our lives. I can't let you do it again."
Wesley's face crumpled slightly and his eyes grew shadowed
"Of course. I should never have come." "Why did you? Why now, after all these months? You must have known we'd needed you before."
The Englishman sighed and fought to control the tremor in his exhausted and abused body
"Connor. He came to me and demanded I help. He seemed to think I was needed and that you required every assistance you could find. He's a fine young man, Angel, you should be proud."
Angel growled and his eyes flashed gold
"No thanks to you or me. He's what Holtz made him."
Wesley flinched and then shook his head. If nothing else he could give his former friend this
"No, I saw nothing of Holtz in him. I saw you and Darla, even Cordelia, god help him, but nothing of that man. Connor is courageous, humorous and perhaps a little rigid at times but he has none of Holtz's hardness in him. None of his hate."
Angel flicked a quick glance towards the lobby
"He did. When he came back he was filled with it."
Wesley nodded
"He told me, what happened I mean. And he also told me how you were released and came for him and how you fought for his acceptance and love and not once did you blame him for what happened to you. And in his eyes I could see the wonder of having your unconditional love and your steadfast, unquestioning loyalty. You gave him something he's never had and for that he loves you."
Angel stared in wonder at Wesley and then he shook his head slowly
"Damn you. Damn you, Wesley."
He closed his eyes and rubbed the palms of his hands over his face in a gesture filled with pain and uncertainty
"Stay, for Connor. Help us find Cordelia and stop whatever's happening and then get the hell out. Don't come back when this is finished."
Wes nodded
"You have my word."
Angel turned and walked away, shoulders bent under the impossible weight of Connor's faith in him and then he paused at the top of the steps leading into the lobby. He didn't turn but his voice reached Wesley clearly all the same
"If you do anything, anything, to hurt us again, I will kill you. Nothing could stop me again."
He walked through the doors without waiting for a reply and Wesley watched his departing figure and whispered
"I know."
Sunnydale.
"Stand still."
Spike eyed Giles as he pointed the harmless looking stick at him. His eyebrows shot up as he spotted the scotch tape wrapped around the wooded object
"Hey! What the bleedin' hell is that? Is it broken?"
He dodged behind the shop counter and made ready to duck if Giles so much as looked like he was starting any mystical majiggy. The watcher lowered his stick and peered disapprovingly over his glasses at the suspicious demon
"No it's not broken. It was slightly damaged when Toth was killed and Xander very kindly repaired it." "The whelp did it? Oh that makes me feel SO much better. Nothing can possibly go wrong then, can it?"
Spike hooked his thumbs into his jeans pockets and scowled belligerently
"Piss off and don't point that thing at me or I'll ram it right up your ar.." "SPIKE!"
Buffy and Giles yelled simultaneously and pointed at Dawn who sat giggling at the vampire's protests. Spike shut his mouth with a snap and looked sheepishly at the amused teenager
"Sorry Nibblet."
His eyes narrowed as he looked back at Giles
"But if you think for one second I'm lettin' you blast me with that thing, you ponce, you've been conked on the head one time too many."
He folded his arms across his chest and scowled fiercely at the room in general. Xander pushed away from the metal stairs where he had been seated during the whole process and said impatiently
"I knew he was all talk. Giles, just let me go with Angel. I'm not a big fraidy cat like some demons I could mention. Come on, I'm ready. Duplicate me, Spock."
Giles rolled his eyes as Spike rose predictably to the bait
"Oi, I'm not scared Whelp! That's rich coming from you, Whimper Boy." "Wuss." "Ponce." "Jerk." "Twat." "Girl."
Buffy, Anya and Dawn scowled in annoyance
"Hey!"
Xander glanced over at them
"Sorry."
Spike hooked his thumbs into his jeans and glared at Xander
"I'm not scared. Watcher, do it."
Giles nodded and pointed the P'rulajemina stick at the vampire and glanced at the notes in his hand. He swallowed and muttered a chant under his breath, there was a brilliant flash of light and then two Spikes were laid out on the floor. Anya was the first to move
"Oh god, is it ok?"
Xander's face crumpled with hurt as she raced across the room towards Spike and then smoothed into a loving grin as she completely bypassed the unconscious vampire to reach for the cash register
"Oh thank the Powers, it survived. Giles, you fired at the money! How could you?"
Giles rolled his eyes and crossed to Buffy's side swallowing his own jealousy as she cautiously touched first one Spike and then the other.
"I don't know which one's which. Giles is he.are they...ok?"
Giles and Xander both frowned at the evident concern in her voice and Buffy gave them a small grin
"Don't call the exorcist just yet, I'm not possessed."
She glanced back down at the demons on the floor and gave a wry smile
"Don't tell him but he kind of grows on you after a while."
Xander scowled
"So does mildew." "Hey, he's given up a lot the past couple of years for us." Buffy's eyes met Dawn's and the two girls shared a long look as Buffy continued "Maybe it's time to cut the guy some slack."
Spike groaned on the floor
"What the fuckin', bleedin' hell just hit me?"
Dawn sighed with relief and ran to slip an arm around his shoulders as he climbed to his feet
"You're ok!" "I am? What the hell was that?" He looked down at the floor "And who's that ponce?"
Dawn giggled
"That would be you."
Spike looked with disgust at the unconscious form on the floor
"Don't be an idiot, luv, looks nothin' like me. I'm bigger and my hair isn't so..." "Freakish?" "Stupid?" "Badly cut?"
Spike glared around him "Hey!"
Dawn wrapped a consoling arm around his waist and squeezed
"Spike, you're a hottie, trust me. It's gonna be a shock to see yourself after a hundred years right?" The vampire nodded dubiously as she carried on "You look good, very mean and moody." She led him away from the counter towards the table as he peered back over his shoulder "Now come and sit down and let Giles see if the spell worked."
Spike sat down and kept his eyes on his double "Don't think it did luv, looks nothing like me. And why won't it wake up?"
Giles wisely kept his council as he approached Spike and scattered a small helping of dust over the vampire, keeping a straight face at the vampire's increasing horror at his image
"Look at how scrawny he is, no-one's ever gonna believe that's me. And since when do my legs bow out like that? And there's no way anyone's gonna believe that a pretty boy like that is me! I'm much rougher looking, much more manly..."
He trailed off as Giles exclaimed in satisfaction and stepped back
"No trace of a curse on him. Anya, test the double."
The demoness scurried forward and took the powder and spell book from the older man, Giles took his glasses off and sucked the metal arm happily
"Wonderful, we have a plan. Now, we need to assume that we're being watched. Buffy have you run the usual security checks to check for unwelcome listeners?"
The Slayer nodded
"Yeah, Willow's system is still holding up after last year. I'm pretty sure we're clear."
Xander let his eyes wander to Anya and Spike who exchanged stricken looks at the reminder of their brief fling that half of Sunnydale caught on tape thanks to bugs planted by the Troika. It was rumoured Willie still did brisk business in pirate copies out of the bar but Spike had yet to uncover any proof.
Giles cleared his throat at the sudden tensing of the atmosphere
"Good, has Angel done the same?"
Buffy nodded and stretched up on her toes bowing her spine and pushing her chest out as she worked the kinks out of her tired body. Giles suddenly found himself in need of a large drink
"Yup, apparently they had a similar problem last year. The green guy checked it over, apparently he can hear them and stuff."
Giles nodded and dragged his eyes away from her body
Bad man! She's a child, a child you've raised as your own. Bad, bad man!
He took a quick look at Xander and conscious Spike to check their reactions and frowned worriedly. Spike was still arguing with Dawn about his resemblance to his 'double' and Xander's eyes were following Anya as she moved around the still prone body on the floor performing the spell, neither of them were paying Buffy the attention they normally did. His frown lightened as he realised what was happening
Of course, it must be a side effect of the spell! These feelings aren't real, just another result of the unknown curse. Thank god.
Much happier, he gave Anya a beaming smile as she called across the room to him
"Giles, this one still has the curse."
They all stared at the 'Spike' on the floor as he glowed purple and once again his hair turned a violent pink
"Bloody hell!!!"
Dawn looked at the horrified vampire and laughed at the expression on his face
"It's ok, it'll wear off soon." She frowned " Giles, shouldn't it be awake now?" "Hmm? Oh, no, I don't think so. After all when the same thing happened to Xander, his weaker half took a good few hours to regain his senses. I think the best thing we can do is get our Spike off to Angel tonight and let them know it worked and it's safe to work the spell."
Spike's mouth fell open in outrage
"You weren't sure it would work? You bastards!" "Now, now Spike, there's no need for that kind of language. We felt we should try it on someone that we were equipped to deal with if it went badly wrong."
Everyone jumped as a loud clatter interrupted him and Buffy flushed and kicked 'Mr Pointy' under a chair
"Sorry, it slipped." "You were going to STAKE me?"
For a moment Giles felt a twinge of something akin to guilt as he looked at the expression of hurt disbelief on Spike's face. The vampire looked like he had been the victim of the worst kind of betrayal as he looked around at them. The only Scoob that met his eyes was Dawn, then she rounded on the rest of them
"You were going to stake him?"
Her voice was low and angry as she stared at their uncomfortable faces. She let her eyes rest on her sister's face for long moments and then turned to Giles
"Give me the stick." "Dawn, I rea..." "I don't care what you think. Give me that stick!"
Her voice rose in a shout at the end of the sentence and rather than wait for Giles to move she snatched it out of his hand and then crossed the shop dragging Spike behind her
"Anya, get the hell out of the way." "Dawnie, I." "Don't you speak to me." Dawn shook with anger spinning around on Buffy as the Slayer reached for her "Just don't you fucking speak to me! After all that he's done, all that he's willing to do for us, you set him up as some kind of fucking lab rat. You said you'd lay off, treat him respect and at the first hurdle there you are throwing him to the fucking wolves."
She turned her back on Buffy as the older girl opened her mouth to reply and looked into Spike's wide blue eyes
"I'm sorry. They were stupid and selfish and they don't deserve what you offered them. I'll work the re-joining spell and you can get the fuck out of here."
Spike swallowed at her words and lifted a hand to cup the side of her face gently
"Language 'Bit.
Dawn gave a shaky laugh and turned her face into his cool touch
"Fuck my language." "There's my girl." Spike leaned forward as pressed his lips to her forehead, meeting Buffy's eyes over the top of Dawn's head. Blue met hazel for a moment and then Spike pulled back and slipped the P'rulajemina device out of her hand and laid it on the counter-top and laid a finger over Dawn's lips to silence her protest
"Ssh, s'alright 'Bit. S'done now and we may as well go through with it." He gave her a cocky grin " S'good to know one of you notices how important I am round here."
Dawn stepped forward and slipped her arms round his neck, whispering
"I always have."
The tiny words nearly undid him but he managed to hold it together somehow and settled for pulling her close and burying his face in her neck. Buffy looked around at her friends, all of them, even Xander, were flushed with shame and guilt. She shook her head and stepped forward as Dawn released Spike and moved to stand protectively to one side of him
"I'm sorry."
Spike nodded dismissively
"S'alright."
Buffy looked at Dawn's face and then back at Spike "No, it's really not. We, I, should have told you of the risks and of the possible consequences. I'm sorry, Spike." She took a deep breath "Dawn's right, I treated you badly and you deserve more than that. I'd like you to forgive me."
Spike looked stunned at her words and if he'd actually had a pulse he was sure he'd being bearing a stunning resemblance to a tomato right about now. He looked at the floor and muttered
"It's alright I said. I understand. It's Red."
Buffy nodded, "Yes it is, but that doesn't excuse sacrificing one member of this team for another." She pretended not to notice as his head snapped up and a dumbfounded expression stole across his face "You're an important member of the group and what we did was inexcusable." She flicked a quick look at Dawn and finished "You're a member of this team, and our friend, we had no right to treat you that way."
Dawn bit back a yelp as Spike's hand clenched on hers at Buffy's words and clutched his hand back as tightly as she could. Out of all of them she was the only one who could possibly understand how much Buffy's words would mean to the vampire and she felt his hand tremble lightly as he took on board he finally had somewhere to belong. She stepped forward and drew attention away from Spike as he pulled himself together
"Thanks Buff." "You were right, we were wrong. It needed saying."
Buffy shrugged uncomfortably and Dawn rewarded her with a beaming smile
"Sorry, I thought I heard you say something about being wrong there. Could you just repeat it again?"
Buffy laughed
"Not a chance." She cleared he throat and slipped an arm around Dawn's waist, saying brightly "Right, now we've babied Bleach boy out of his lickle tantrum can we move this along please?"
She gave Spike a grin as she spoke and blinked at the radiant smile he shot back. Just for a moment she saw what she had seen in him over those long, tortuous months when she'd been pulled out of heaven. Acceptance, understanding but most of all loyalty and the willingness to go the wall for those he held dear. She held his gaze for another moment and then turned to Giles
"Ok, how do you want to play this?"
LA, three hours later.
Spike watched with interest the men of Angel investigations as they milled around the lobby of the hotel. There seemed to be none of the camaraderie of the Scoobs evident here. Wesley sat uncomfortably to one side ignoring, and being ignored by, those around him. Angel's son sat beside Gunn watching his father with a peculiar mix of suspicion and longing as the vampire talked quietly with the green skinned demon that had started the whole thing in the first place. There was an air of desperation and hopelessness about the place that seemed to weigh down on all of them. Mistrust and unhappiness was so thick that Spike could almost taste it. He put the thoughts of his own family out of his head, family, imagine that, and pushed away from the wall he had been slouching against
"Any chance we can get this show on the road sometime before next Christmas Peaches? We can pick up your poofy hair gel on the road y'know, they stock it everywhere."
Angel flicked an annoyed glance at his grandchilde and said bitingly
"Shut up, Spike. I have responsibilities here and I need to make sure they're taken care of. Unlike some people." His eyes drifted to Connor for a moment then he turned back to Lorne. Spike grinned at the words and felt his dead heart swell with pride as he relied
"So did I, but I got my dead-ass in gear and sorted them in no time flat when I knew my mate was in trouble. Shake your booty, gorgeous, and let's make tracks."
His grin widened, I've got a friend. Friends. Me, William the Bloody, friends with the white hats. I'm such a poof.
He hooked his thumbs into his jeans pockets and sauntered across to where Connor and Gunn sat on the lobby sofa. Ignoring the stiffening of their bodies as he threw himself down beside them, he nodded cordially
"He's still as much fun as a bath in holy water then?"
Connor frowned and said defensively
"He's had a lot on his mind."
Spike snorted
"I've told him to lay off the hair care but will he listen?" "I sure am glad this is so entertaining for you."
Spike smirked at Gunn as the bigger man moved forward to block his view of Connor and flexed his muscles warningly
"Peaches is always good for a laugh, mate, whatever the circumstances." "Look man, these are our girls we're talkin' about. If you just joined up to take shots at Angel....."
Spike's face lost the look of amusement and he said seriously
"And Willow's MY girl. She's one of the Scoobs and they're mine through and through, even the Whelp, and I'm going to personally rip the face off anyone that's touched her, don't you worry about that."
He looked across at Angel and wasn't altogether surprised to see the older vampire watching him as he listened to his words. He kept his eyes steady as he said clearly
"I'm on board with whatever it takes to get them home."
Angel nodded shortly and turned back to Lorne only to glare back in annoyance as Spike concluded with a grin
"Doesn't mean I'm going to stop taking the piss outta Soulboy though. Way too much opportunity there to let it go to waste."
Connor leaned round Gunn
"How can you be so casual about his soul? It's what makes him who he is."
Spike eyed the young boy and weighed his words carefully before he spoke
"No, the soul doesn't make him who he is mate, he does. Souls don't mean you turn into Mary bloddy Poppins overnight they just give you more chances to fuck up. All the decisions that you wouldn't think twice about without one, all become much more important when you have that nagging little voice inside you screaming the consequences every time you move."
His eyes drifted to Wes and he said slowly
"Souls don't stop you making bad choices and they don't stop evil coming out of you if that's what you have there in the first place, they just make bad choices harder to live with and the next choice that much harder to make. You've got to admire anyone that can live with a bad choice and then still have the balls to make a good one next time around."
Connor stared at Spike for a minute and then his eyes rested thoughtfully on his father
"I never thought of it like that."
Angel turned from Lorne and purposefully avoided looking at Wesley as he called out
"Ok, we're ready. Gunn, Lorne's ready to do the spell now, you're up. Spike I need a word" He gestured to his office and waited until the smaller man passed through the door before nodding to Lorne "Do it. I'll be out in a minute."
He followed Spike through the door and shut it softly behind him. Spike watched as he stalked behind his desk and leaned on the wooden top
"I need you at full strength for this if we're going to do it. I've called in a favour and I can have the chip taken out if that's what you want."
Spike's mouth fell open in surprise
"What?" "I can get rid of the chip. Do you want that?"
Angel watched the other man's reaction calmly as Spike sank into a chair staring incredulously at him
"Why? You're the last bloke on earth I'd expect to offer me that."
Angel kept his voice low and deliberately ignored all the painful, blood- soaked memories that Spike's tone implied
"We don't know what's going on and what we'll face. Cordelia and the others are too important to me to ignore the fact that with the chip you're fifty percent useless."
Spike grinned at the insult and nodded "Ok. When do we do it?" "Before we leave town. It should only take a little while and Gunn can drive through the day while we shelter in back."
He walked to the door and held it open for Spike, who paused and said slowly
"What do you want in return? This is a big thing, Peaches. What do you want back from me?"
Angel paused and his head turned slowly to stare unseeingly down at Spike
"When the time comes and we find whoever did this to them, and us, I want you to show no mercy. Just kill them."
Spike swallowed at the blank look of hatred on the handsome face
"Ok. That I can do."
Angel turned and walked out of the office leaving Spike still in the chair
"Well, this should be a laugh a minute trip."
Two Months Down The Road.
The three men pulled into the car lot and ignored the appreciative looks from a group of girls that stood at the doorway to the club. Spike stared around him and nudged Angel in the ribs
"Peaches."
Angel followed his gaze and his eyes narrowed as he saw a truck matching the description of the one the girls were driving. They stalked across the asphalt floor and Spike leaned in to sniff the vehicle
"It's them. I can smell the witch."
Gunn closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer of gratitude. They'd been on the road for so long tracking the girls as they zigged and zagged across the country he was being to doubt they'd ever catch up to them. The only reason they'd managed to finally pin them down was that they'd stayed in the area for more than a few hours this time. He looked around him and frowned at the thought of his Fred being here on her own for three days. Drunken figures weaved in and out of the parked cars and unless he was very much mistaken there were some hookers of intermediate species plying their trade at the side of the club. He turned as Angel gave a low growl, realising the vampire's thoughts had been running parallel to his own
"Gunn, you stay outside in case they spot us and make a run for it. Spike can come inside with me and help sniff them out."
Gunn nodded in agreement, knowing the others enhanced senses would mean a greater chance of the girls being found quickly. They moved off towards the club, falling naturally into the formation that they'd established in the long months on the road. Angel front and centre, Gunn, to his right and Spike to his left. The two vampires went ahead with a nod as Gunn stopped outside the door and disappeared into the dark, noisy club. Gunn folded his arms and spread his legs, settling down for the wait.
End Part 6b.
Dedications: As always to Jen, the woman works her socks off to get the work back to me quickly and never a word of condemnation has passed her lips over the length of time it takes me to complete episodes. This is as much her baby as it is mine ad I'm very thankful for all the effort she puts in on my behalf. Mel and Ina, always there with the f/b and the poking. The rest of the crew, Wic, Lady, TW, Scribe and Danel and all the others on list that make the net such a fun place to hang out. Guys, we REALLY need to start getting a life!
A/N : It may seem like there are huge chunks of scenes missing, I can explain. There are. Flashbacks and explanations will come I promise. And to those of you that are confused, the last time I posted it got sent out under 6b, sorry, the LAST part was 6a and THIS one is 6b. ::grins:: Jen refused to let me confuse you all and pointed out that I might want to clarify ::pouts:: She completely ruined my fun. The last three pages are unbeta'd by the way, I wanted to get it out asap as I have other fic commitments to finish. Can almost hear Jen gnashing her teeth over the grammar as I type.
Part 6b
Wesley perched uncomfortably on the wooden bench and stared down at the stone floor beneath his feet, stealing occasional glances at the tense figure next to him. He felt slightly queasy and certainly a bit shaky but all in all his head was clearer than it had been in months. He started as Angel said bitterly
"I can't forgive you."
Wes closed his eyes and nodded
"I know."
Angel made an impatient sound and jumped to his feet pacing angrily around the small courtyard
"I can't forget what you did."
Wesley blinked back self-pitying tears and bowed his head even further, remaining silent. Angel glared at the top of his head and snapped
"Goddamn you, at least have the courage to look me in the eye."
Wesley took a deep breath and raised his head to look in the furious tortured eyes above him. Angel shook his head and said in disgust
"Look at the state of you. You're pathetic."
The Englishmen held the revolted gaze silently and waited calmly for the next attack. Angel snorted
"You're just going to sit there and take it? Take everything I can throw at you and not make a move to defend yourself?"
Wesley shrugged
"What would be the point? Everything you say is true. I'm everything you believe and more."
Angel stared at his former friend wordlessly and then spun away with another low growl
"Above everyone I believed you would be the one I could trust to do the right thing. I valued your opinion above everyone's, even Cordy's. Why did you do it? How could you take my child and give him to that.that.thing? How?"
Wesley swallowed at the anguished voice and his eyes blurred with tears as he whispered
"I panicked. I never had any intention of giving Connor to them, I wanted back up if I couldn't get Connor to safety myself. There's no excuse for what happened but I want you to know that it was never my intention to give your son to Holtz, I would have given my life to protect him."
Angel stared down at the floor and clenched his big hands into fists
"Is that meant to make it all better? Am I meant to say 'There, there, Wes. Don't worry about it, it's all ok now' and just move on? Because I can't, I can't let it go."
Wes pushed himself unsteadily to his feet and swayed for a moment before straightening his shoulders and saying firmly
"No, we can't forget this happened. Ever. I'll have to live with my stupidity for the rest of my days and with what it cost me."
He took a deep breath as Angel turned slowly and stared at him with burning eyes, continuing in a low, sincere voice
"I cost you your son, someone you love, and for that I can never be forgiven. I'm asking you to let me help you now and not to let my past actions cost you someone else you love. When we have Cordelia and the others back I'll go and you'll never see me again but until that time I'm asking you to give me the chance to help you one last time."
Angel shook his head slowly
"I can't let you in, Wes. You betrayed us all, you thought I could hurt my son and then you destroyed all our lives. I can't let you do it again."
Wesley's face crumpled slightly and his eyes grew shadowed
"Of course. I should never have come." "Why did you? Why now, after all these months? You must have known we'd needed you before."
The Englishman sighed and fought to control the tremor in his exhausted and abused body
"Connor. He came to me and demanded I help. He seemed to think I was needed and that you required every assistance you could find. He's a fine young man, Angel, you should be proud."
Angel growled and his eyes flashed gold
"No thanks to you or me. He's what Holtz made him."
Wesley flinched and then shook his head. If nothing else he could give his former friend this
"No, I saw nothing of Holtz in him. I saw you and Darla, even Cordelia, god help him, but nothing of that man. Connor is courageous, humorous and perhaps a little rigid at times but he has none of Holtz's hardness in him. None of his hate."
Angel flicked a quick glance towards the lobby
"He did. When he came back he was filled with it."
Wesley nodded
"He told me, what happened I mean. And he also told me how you were released and came for him and how you fought for his acceptance and love and not once did you blame him for what happened to you. And in his eyes I could see the wonder of having your unconditional love and your steadfast, unquestioning loyalty. You gave him something he's never had and for that he loves you."
Angel stared in wonder at Wesley and then he shook his head slowly
"Damn you. Damn you, Wesley."
He closed his eyes and rubbed the palms of his hands over his face in a gesture filled with pain and uncertainty
"Stay, for Connor. Help us find Cordelia and stop whatever's happening and then get the hell out. Don't come back when this is finished."
Wes nodded
"You have my word."
Angel turned and walked away, shoulders bent under the impossible weight of Connor's faith in him and then he paused at the top of the steps leading into the lobby. He didn't turn but his voice reached Wesley clearly all the same
"If you do anything, anything, to hurt us again, I will kill you. Nothing could stop me again."
He walked through the doors without waiting for a reply and Wesley watched his departing figure and whispered
"I know."
Sunnydale.
"Stand still."
Spike eyed Giles as he pointed the harmless looking stick at him. His eyebrows shot up as he spotted the scotch tape wrapped around the wooded object
"Hey! What the bleedin' hell is that? Is it broken?"
He dodged behind the shop counter and made ready to duck if Giles so much as looked like he was starting any mystical majiggy. The watcher lowered his stick and peered disapprovingly over his glasses at the suspicious demon
"No it's not broken. It was slightly damaged when Toth was killed and Xander very kindly repaired it." "The whelp did it? Oh that makes me feel SO much better. Nothing can possibly go wrong then, can it?"
Spike hooked his thumbs into his jeans pockets and scowled belligerently
"Piss off and don't point that thing at me or I'll ram it right up your ar.." "SPIKE!"
Buffy and Giles yelled simultaneously and pointed at Dawn who sat giggling at the vampire's protests. Spike shut his mouth with a snap and looked sheepishly at the amused teenager
"Sorry Nibblet."
His eyes narrowed as he looked back at Giles
"But if you think for one second I'm lettin' you blast me with that thing, you ponce, you've been conked on the head one time too many."
He folded his arms across his chest and scowled fiercely at the room in general. Xander pushed away from the metal stairs where he had been seated during the whole process and said impatiently
"I knew he was all talk. Giles, just let me go with Angel. I'm not a big fraidy cat like some demons I could mention. Come on, I'm ready. Duplicate me, Spock."
Giles rolled his eyes as Spike rose predictably to the bait
"Oi, I'm not scared Whelp! That's rich coming from you, Whimper Boy." "Wuss." "Ponce." "Jerk." "Twat." "Girl."
Buffy, Anya and Dawn scowled in annoyance
"Hey!"
Xander glanced over at them
"Sorry."
Spike hooked his thumbs into his jeans and glared at Xander
"I'm not scared. Watcher, do it."
Giles nodded and pointed the P'rulajemina stick at the vampire and glanced at the notes in his hand. He swallowed and muttered a chant under his breath, there was a brilliant flash of light and then two Spikes were laid out on the floor. Anya was the first to move
"Oh god, is it ok?"
Xander's face crumpled with hurt as she raced across the room towards Spike and then smoothed into a loving grin as she completely bypassed the unconscious vampire to reach for the cash register
"Oh thank the Powers, it survived. Giles, you fired at the money! How could you?"
Giles rolled his eyes and crossed to Buffy's side swallowing his own jealousy as she cautiously touched first one Spike and then the other.
"I don't know which one's which. Giles is he.are they...ok?"
Giles and Xander both frowned at the evident concern in her voice and Buffy gave them a small grin
"Don't call the exorcist just yet, I'm not possessed."
She glanced back down at the demons on the floor and gave a wry smile
"Don't tell him but he kind of grows on you after a while."
Xander scowled
"So does mildew." "Hey, he's given up a lot the past couple of years for us." Buffy's eyes met Dawn's and the two girls shared a long look as Buffy continued "Maybe it's time to cut the guy some slack."
Spike groaned on the floor
"What the fuckin', bleedin' hell just hit me?"
Dawn sighed with relief and ran to slip an arm around his shoulders as he climbed to his feet
"You're ok!" "I am? What the hell was that?" He looked down at the floor "And who's that ponce?"
Dawn giggled
"That would be you."
Spike looked with disgust at the unconscious form on the floor
"Don't be an idiot, luv, looks nothin' like me. I'm bigger and my hair isn't so..." "Freakish?" "Stupid?" "Badly cut?"
Spike glared around him "Hey!"
Dawn wrapped a consoling arm around his waist and squeezed
"Spike, you're a hottie, trust me. It's gonna be a shock to see yourself after a hundred years right?" The vampire nodded dubiously as she carried on "You look good, very mean and moody." She led him away from the counter towards the table as he peered back over his shoulder "Now come and sit down and let Giles see if the spell worked."
Spike sat down and kept his eyes on his double "Don't think it did luv, looks nothing like me. And why won't it wake up?"
Giles wisely kept his council as he approached Spike and scattered a small helping of dust over the vampire, keeping a straight face at the vampire's increasing horror at his image
"Look at how scrawny he is, no-one's ever gonna believe that's me. And since when do my legs bow out like that? And there's no way anyone's gonna believe that a pretty boy like that is me! I'm much rougher looking, much more manly..."
He trailed off as Giles exclaimed in satisfaction and stepped back
"No trace of a curse on him. Anya, test the double."
The demoness scurried forward and took the powder and spell book from the older man, Giles took his glasses off and sucked the metal arm happily
"Wonderful, we have a plan. Now, we need to assume that we're being watched. Buffy have you run the usual security checks to check for unwelcome listeners?"
The Slayer nodded
"Yeah, Willow's system is still holding up after last year. I'm pretty sure we're clear."
Xander let his eyes wander to Anya and Spike who exchanged stricken looks at the reminder of their brief fling that half of Sunnydale caught on tape thanks to bugs planted by the Troika. It was rumoured Willie still did brisk business in pirate copies out of the bar but Spike had yet to uncover any proof.
Giles cleared his throat at the sudden tensing of the atmosphere
"Good, has Angel done the same?"
Buffy nodded and stretched up on her toes bowing her spine and pushing her chest out as she worked the kinks out of her tired body. Giles suddenly found himself in need of a large drink
"Yup, apparently they had a similar problem last year. The green guy checked it over, apparently he can hear them and stuff."
Giles nodded and dragged his eyes away from her body
Bad man! She's a child, a child you've raised as your own. Bad, bad man!
He took a quick look at Xander and conscious Spike to check their reactions and frowned worriedly. Spike was still arguing with Dawn about his resemblance to his 'double' and Xander's eyes were following Anya as she moved around the still prone body on the floor performing the spell, neither of them were paying Buffy the attention they normally did. His frown lightened as he realised what was happening
Of course, it must be a side effect of the spell! These feelings aren't real, just another result of the unknown curse. Thank god.
Much happier, he gave Anya a beaming smile as she called across the room to him
"Giles, this one still has the curse."
They all stared at the 'Spike' on the floor as he glowed purple and once again his hair turned a violent pink
"Bloody hell!!!"
Dawn looked at the horrified vampire and laughed at the expression on his face
"It's ok, it'll wear off soon." She frowned " Giles, shouldn't it be awake now?" "Hmm? Oh, no, I don't think so. After all when the same thing happened to Xander, his weaker half took a good few hours to regain his senses. I think the best thing we can do is get our Spike off to Angel tonight and let them know it worked and it's safe to work the spell."
Spike's mouth fell open in outrage
"You weren't sure it would work? You bastards!" "Now, now Spike, there's no need for that kind of language. We felt we should try it on someone that we were equipped to deal with if it went badly wrong."
Everyone jumped as a loud clatter interrupted him and Buffy flushed and kicked 'Mr Pointy' under a chair
"Sorry, it slipped." "You were going to STAKE me?"
For a moment Giles felt a twinge of something akin to guilt as he looked at the expression of hurt disbelief on Spike's face. The vampire looked like he had been the victim of the worst kind of betrayal as he looked around at them. The only Scoob that met his eyes was Dawn, then she rounded on the rest of them
"You were going to stake him?"
Her voice was low and angry as she stared at their uncomfortable faces. She let her eyes rest on her sister's face for long moments and then turned to Giles
"Give me the stick." "Dawn, I rea..." "I don't care what you think. Give me that stick!"
Her voice rose in a shout at the end of the sentence and rather than wait for Giles to move she snatched it out of his hand and then crossed the shop dragging Spike behind her
"Anya, get the hell out of the way." "Dawnie, I." "Don't you speak to me." Dawn shook with anger spinning around on Buffy as the Slayer reached for her "Just don't you fucking speak to me! After all that he's done, all that he's willing to do for us, you set him up as some kind of fucking lab rat. You said you'd lay off, treat him respect and at the first hurdle there you are throwing him to the fucking wolves."
She turned her back on Buffy as the older girl opened her mouth to reply and looked into Spike's wide blue eyes
"I'm sorry. They were stupid and selfish and they don't deserve what you offered them. I'll work the re-joining spell and you can get the fuck out of here."
Spike swallowed at her words and lifted a hand to cup the side of her face gently
"Language 'Bit.
Dawn gave a shaky laugh and turned her face into his cool touch
"Fuck my language." "There's my girl." Spike leaned forward as pressed his lips to her forehead, meeting Buffy's eyes over the top of Dawn's head. Blue met hazel for a moment and then Spike pulled back and slipped the P'rulajemina device out of her hand and laid it on the counter-top and laid a finger over Dawn's lips to silence her protest
"Ssh, s'alright 'Bit. S'done now and we may as well go through with it." He gave her a cocky grin " S'good to know one of you notices how important I am round here."
Dawn stepped forward and slipped her arms round his neck, whispering
"I always have."
The tiny words nearly undid him but he managed to hold it together somehow and settled for pulling her close and burying his face in her neck. Buffy looked around at her friends, all of them, even Xander, were flushed with shame and guilt. She shook her head and stepped forward as Dawn released Spike and moved to stand protectively to one side of him
"I'm sorry."
Spike nodded dismissively
"S'alright."
Buffy looked at Dawn's face and then back at Spike "No, it's really not. We, I, should have told you of the risks and of the possible consequences. I'm sorry, Spike." She took a deep breath "Dawn's right, I treated you badly and you deserve more than that. I'd like you to forgive me."
Spike looked stunned at her words and if he'd actually had a pulse he was sure he'd being bearing a stunning resemblance to a tomato right about now. He looked at the floor and muttered
"It's alright I said. I understand. It's Red."
Buffy nodded, "Yes it is, but that doesn't excuse sacrificing one member of this team for another." She pretended not to notice as his head snapped up and a dumbfounded expression stole across his face "You're an important member of the group and what we did was inexcusable." She flicked a quick look at Dawn and finished "You're a member of this team, and our friend, we had no right to treat you that way."
Dawn bit back a yelp as Spike's hand clenched on hers at Buffy's words and clutched his hand back as tightly as she could. Out of all of them she was the only one who could possibly understand how much Buffy's words would mean to the vampire and she felt his hand tremble lightly as he took on board he finally had somewhere to belong. She stepped forward and drew attention away from Spike as he pulled himself together
"Thanks Buff." "You were right, we were wrong. It needed saying."
Buffy shrugged uncomfortably and Dawn rewarded her with a beaming smile
"Sorry, I thought I heard you say something about being wrong there. Could you just repeat it again?"
Buffy laughed
"Not a chance." She cleared he throat and slipped an arm around Dawn's waist, saying brightly "Right, now we've babied Bleach boy out of his lickle tantrum can we move this along please?"
She gave Spike a grin as she spoke and blinked at the radiant smile he shot back. Just for a moment she saw what she had seen in him over those long, tortuous months when she'd been pulled out of heaven. Acceptance, understanding but most of all loyalty and the willingness to go the wall for those he held dear. She held his gaze for another moment and then turned to Giles
"Ok, how do you want to play this?"
LA, three hours later.
Spike watched with interest the men of Angel investigations as they milled around the lobby of the hotel. There seemed to be none of the camaraderie of the Scoobs evident here. Wesley sat uncomfortably to one side ignoring, and being ignored by, those around him. Angel's son sat beside Gunn watching his father with a peculiar mix of suspicion and longing as the vampire talked quietly with the green skinned demon that had started the whole thing in the first place. There was an air of desperation and hopelessness about the place that seemed to weigh down on all of them. Mistrust and unhappiness was so thick that Spike could almost taste it. He put the thoughts of his own family out of his head, family, imagine that, and pushed away from the wall he had been slouching against
"Any chance we can get this show on the road sometime before next Christmas Peaches? We can pick up your poofy hair gel on the road y'know, they stock it everywhere."
Angel flicked an annoyed glance at his grandchilde and said bitingly
"Shut up, Spike. I have responsibilities here and I need to make sure they're taken care of. Unlike some people." His eyes drifted to Connor for a moment then he turned back to Lorne. Spike grinned at the words and felt his dead heart swell with pride as he relied
"So did I, but I got my dead-ass in gear and sorted them in no time flat when I knew my mate was in trouble. Shake your booty, gorgeous, and let's make tracks."
His grin widened, I've got a friend. Friends. Me, William the Bloody, friends with the white hats. I'm such a poof.
He hooked his thumbs into his jeans pockets and sauntered across to where Connor and Gunn sat on the lobby sofa. Ignoring the stiffening of their bodies as he threw himself down beside them, he nodded cordially
"He's still as much fun as a bath in holy water then?"
Connor frowned and said defensively
"He's had a lot on his mind."
Spike snorted
"I've told him to lay off the hair care but will he listen?" "I sure am glad this is so entertaining for you."
Spike smirked at Gunn as the bigger man moved forward to block his view of Connor and flexed his muscles warningly
"Peaches is always good for a laugh, mate, whatever the circumstances." "Look man, these are our girls we're talkin' about. If you just joined up to take shots at Angel....."
Spike's face lost the look of amusement and he said seriously
"And Willow's MY girl. She's one of the Scoobs and they're mine through and through, even the Whelp, and I'm going to personally rip the face off anyone that's touched her, don't you worry about that."
He looked across at Angel and wasn't altogether surprised to see the older vampire watching him as he listened to his words. He kept his eyes steady as he said clearly
"I'm on board with whatever it takes to get them home."
Angel nodded shortly and turned back to Lorne only to glare back in annoyance as Spike concluded with a grin
"Doesn't mean I'm going to stop taking the piss outta Soulboy though. Way too much opportunity there to let it go to waste."
Connor leaned round Gunn
"How can you be so casual about his soul? It's what makes him who he is."
Spike eyed the young boy and weighed his words carefully before he spoke
"No, the soul doesn't make him who he is mate, he does. Souls don't mean you turn into Mary bloddy Poppins overnight they just give you more chances to fuck up. All the decisions that you wouldn't think twice about without one, all become much more important when you have that nagging little voice inside you screaming the consequences every time you move."
His eyes drifted to Wes and he said slowly
"Souls don't stop you making bad choices and they don't stop evil coming out of you if that's what you have there in the first place, they just make bad choices harder to live with and the next choice that much harder to make. You've got to admire anyone that can live with a bad choice and then still have the balls to make a good one next time around."
Connor stared at Spike for a minute and then his eyes rested thoughtfully on his father
"I never thought of it like that."
Angel turned from Lorne and purposefully avoided looking at Wesley as he called out
"Ok, we're ready. Gunn, Lorne's ready to do the spell now, you're up. Spike I need a word" He gestured to his office and waited until the smaller man passed through the door before nodding to Lorne "Do it. I'll be out in a minute."
He followed Spike through the door and shut it softly behind him. Spike watched as he stalked behind his desk and leaned on the wooden top
"I need you at full strength for this if we're going to do it. I've called in a favour and I can have the chip taken out if that's what you want."
Spike's mouth fell open in surprise
"What?" "I can get rid of the chip. Do you want that?"
Angel watched the other man's reaction calmly as Spike sank into a chair staring incredulously at him
"Why? You're the last bloke on earth I'd expect to offer me that."
Angel kept his voice low and deliberately ignored all the painful, blood- soaked memories that Spike's tone implied
"We don't know what's going on and what we'll face. Cordelia and the others are too important to me to ignore the fact that with the chip you're fifty percent useless."
Spike grinned at the insult and nodded "Ok. When do we do it?" "Before we leave town. It should only take a little while and Gunn can drive through the day while we shelter in back."
He walked to the door and held it open for Spike, who paused and said slowly
"What do you want in return? This is a big thing, Peaches. What do you want back from me?"
Angel paused and his head turned slowly to stare unseeingly down at Spike
"When the time comes and we find whoever did this to them, and us, I want you to show no mercy. Just kill them."
Spike swallowed at the blank look of hatred on the handsome face
"Ok. That I can do."
Angel turned and walked out of the office leaving Spike still in the chair
"Well, this should be a laugh a minute trip."
Two Months Down The Road.
The three men pulled into the car lot and ignored the appreciative looks from a group of girls that stood at the doorway to the club. Spike stared around him and nudged Angel in the ribs
"Peaches."
Angel followed his gaze and his eyes narrowed as he saw a truck matching the description of the one the girls were driving. They stalked across the asphalt floor and Spike leaned in to sniff the vehicle
"It's them. I can smell the witch."
Gunn closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer of gratitude. They'd been on the road for so long tracking the girls as they zigged and zagged across the country he was being to doubt they'd ever catch up to them. The only reason they'd managed to finally pin them down was that they'd stayed in the area for more than a few hours this time. He looked around him and frowned at the thought of his Fred being here on her own for three days. Drunken figures weaved in and out of the parked cars and unless he was very much mistaken there were some hookers of intermediate species plying their trade at the side of the club. He turned as Angel gave a low growl, realising the vampire's thoughts had been running parallel to his own
"Gunn, you stay outside in case they spot us and make a run for it. Spike can come inside with me and help sniff them out."
Gunn nodded in agreement, knowing the others enhanced senses would mean a greater chance of the girls being found quickly. They moved off towards the club, falling naturally into the formation that they'd established in the long months on the road. Angel front and centre, Gunn, to his right and Spike to his left. The two vampires went ahead with a nod as Gunn stopped outside the door and disappeared into the dark, noisy club. Gunn folded his arms and spread his legs, settling down for the wait.
End Part 6b.