From the end to a new beginning – Third Chapter
The room was silent.
Gunn, Fred, & Wesley waited, half excited and half afraid of what Angel's reaction would be to Spike's statement.
Lilah waited, rubbing her hands together in glee, she felt a huge fight coming…and she couldn't wait.
Lorne just watched silently, he wasn't quite sure what he had just walked in on.
Spike said nothing after his announcement, just sat giving Angel that same self-satisfied smirk.
His expression, not to mention, his announcement was enough to snap Angel's control.
Angel launched across the room in full vampire mode.
His speed used to be too fast for Spike to counteract or dodge, but his new slayer genes had tripled Spike's strength and speed…so he easily dodged Angel and after delivering a perfectly placed roundhouse kick, sent him slamming into and almost through the nearby wall.
Spike laughed and immediately landed in Slayer stance.
Angel noticing the stance, as Buffy's favorite was further enraged. He was quite sure Spike was only using it to goad him further.
Wesley leaned over and grabbed a pen and paper to take notes.
This was a perfect opportunity to study Spike, he thought.
Neither Gunn, Lorne, Fred, nor Lilah had taken their eyes off the fight for a second.
Angel had pushed away from the wall and launched himself at Spike.
He punched at him.
But Spike had blocked his punches easily.
Angel used a dirty swiping move to knock Spike off his feet and punched him hard in the stomach.
Spike grunted in pain, but rolled out of the way of Angel's next punch, and landed back into Slayer stance before launching his own series of kicks and punches.
Once Angel had recovered from Spike's attack, he launched himself, barreling into Spike, once more, slamming him into the wall behind them.
Whatever Angel had expected, it certainly wasn't Spike's mocking laughter. It was as if all he had done was swat at him…he wasn't even fazed.
It reminded him of after Spike had been turned & he, Darla, Dru & the boy had had to live in an abandoned mine shaft for a few days because Spike was all about the 'fist and fangs' approach to vampirism. He had threatened to kill Spike then, & had started to drive a broken piece of the mine's wooden support beam into Spike's heart. Spike had caught the wood before it could kill him however. Then, just as Spike was doing now, though, the boy had simply laughed at him.
Angel, unfortunately, during his brief flashback, had momentarily took his gaze off of Spike, who decided to reward him for it by slamming his elbow into Angel's face & when he reeled back, kicked him in the stomach.
Angel doubled over & Spike laughingly charged at him.
And was met with a knee to his own stomach as Angel bounced back to his feet.
Spike was doubled over, clutching his stomach & trying to force his lungs to breathe.
Wow, he thought. Now I know what Buffy went through during some of our battles. Hmmm…he thought, smiling…. Buffy.
Spike shook himself out of his dazed like state. Angel was advancing on him, looking to inflict more damage.
As Angel reached him, he leaned over to grab him, but Spike ducked under Angel's arms, spinning gracefully, knocking Angel's legs out from under him, and causing him to tumble to the ground.
Angel growled & leaped back up immediately, sending what was going to be a hard body blow to Spike's stomach.
But he was surprised & a little afraid when Spike caught the punch easily, with his left hand, before Angel could inflict any real damage. Spike looked his ex-grand sire in the eyes and winked and before Angel had the time to fathom what to do next, Spike quickly brought his right foot up & placed it over Angel's unbeating heart, kicking him hard. As Angel reeled backwards from the blow, Spike pulled him forwards, for he hadn't released his bone-crushing grip on Angel's hand. As Angel came forward once again, Spike launched a triple kick and after releasing his grip, delivered two roundhouse kicks, knocking Angel to the floor.
The last few blows had rendered Angel unconscious.
Spike was elated and was bouncing around…happy like.
He looked over and noticed what Wesley was doing and after winking at Fred and Gunn said,
"Oh you've got to be kidding me. Don't you gits ever take a break on the whole Watcher thing?"
Wesley looked a little sheepish.
Lilah stepped over to Spike.
"Thank you Spike…that was very, very enjoyable. Have I mentioned that I'm going to love
having you here?"
Spike laughed.
"Glad to entertain love."
Lila smiled and disappeared.
Fred, Wesley, and Lorne all went to help pick up the unconscious vampire and take him up to his room.
Gunn waited until they were gone to approach Spike.
"Well…"
"Not bad…good moves."
"Like you could do better?"
"Naw…I don't have all those fancy…male slayer moves…not to mention the hundred
plus years of fighting experience, you've got…but…I could have handled myself."
"Wouldn't be here if you couldn't."
"And you know this."
Spike and Gunn grinned at each other before Gunn said.
"So, how long do you expect him to be out?"
"Waiting for round two?"
"Kinda."
"You just love to watch me fight."
"No…I just love to watch you fight Angel."
"And here I thought you liked him."
"Angel…yeah…I like Angel. Meet Angelus…wasn't my favorite type of guy."
"Not to mention he's insane."
"Yeah…picked up on that."
"Yeah…Angelus is a bloody demented son of a gun…."
Spike stopped and looked at Gunn.
Then started laughing.
Gunn thought for a minute and then gave Spike a you-got-to-be-kidding-me look.
"I know you aren't teasing my nickname?"
Spike just smiled.
"Got to admit…it was funny."
Gunn rolled his eyes.
"Like I was saying, when do we get to see round two?"
Spike tilted his head to the side and then smiled widely.
"I'd say…"
Angel burst through the archway above, gameface at the full front.
"Right about now," Spike continued as if a mightily ticked off Angelus bearing down on him was nothing.
Gunn laughed and promptly leapt onto the nearest counter top, determined to put himself in a safe position, out of the way of the soon-to-be-fighting warriors.
Lilah appeared besides him, grinning wickedly, apparently news traveled fast in the land of the dead at Wolfram & Heart; she was obviously ready and waiting for the show to begin.
Angel didn't bother taking the stairs, for in his rage, it would have taken him too long to reach Spike. So, instead, he vaulted over the railing, landing in a crouched position.
Spike laughed and with one eye and all of his senses still on Angel, said to Gunn,
"Okay…I have to give him credit… that was kinda cool. Reminds me a bit of that 'Matrix Reloaded' flick I saw with the Scooby gang one day while the First was in remission."
Gunn laughed.
"Wouldn't it be neat if he took off and flew around like that Neo bloke did?" Spike continued.
Gunn almost fell off the counter, he was laughing so hard. Lilah was laughing just as hard as well, but she remained silent.
Spike chuckled and then dodged Angel's high kick as the mightily ticked off vampire had finally reached his side. Spike then flipped in the air & delivered a high kick of his own to the right side of Angel's head, sending him spinning
Fred, Lorne, and Wesley were just in time to catch the tail end of such a wonderful move and watch as Angel flew across the floor from the force of Spike's well-placed kick.
"Now that's what I call poetry in motion," Lorne said, as they struggled for breath, for they had run down the stairs at top speed.
At the look Fred gave him, he said,
"Well it is if you look at the beauty of their actions, not at what they're actually doing."
Fred rolled her eyes, Wesley chuckled, and Lorne shrugged, figuring that Fred just didn't get it, as they returned their full attention on the battling champions in the area below them.
Angel and Spike were exchanging blows with rapid speed.
Although Angel was doing more punching and kicking than Spike was. For the most part, Spike was merely blocking, barring the few times when he gave a good kick or punch, connecting with every strike. His method seemed to be to keep Angel going until he was too exhausted to go on, while not wearing himself out. Seemed to be working, for Angel was slowing down and Spike still seemed full of energy.
A tired Angel eventually noticed this and stopped swinging at Spike.
Spike dropped his defensive stance and stretched, but didn't take his eyes off of Angel, he knew better than most that there was still a chance that Angel would strike at him.
"Why aren't you hitting at me? What's your game, Spike?"
"No game. I'm here cause some sodding Superior beings decided to send me here. As for me choosing Buffy and Dawn's last name…"
Spike stepped up real close to Angel's face,
"Deal. With. It."
Angel growled, but Spike didn't give him the satisfaction of glaring at him or getting upset. In fact, he did the opposite. He winked.
Angel's face melted back into his angelic, human one.
Spike grinned at him.
"Now Gramps…you should be grateful…until I find my slayer and her Scoobies and avert an apocalypse or two, maybe three…we'll see…you've got a slayer of your very own in your merry gang of evil do-gooders."
Angel looked heavenwards.
"What did I do? Here I try my best to be a good champion. I don't drink the locals, I save people from demons, I merged with an evil law firm to support your cause…okay, that was less good, but still…I did it to give my son a better life. Doesn't that account for something?"
"Hold up, you have a son?" Spike asked. "How the bloody hell did that happen, mate? Last I heard, creatures of the undead don't get to have cuddly, caring offspring…isn't that the whole reason behind the 'I'll make you my eternal childe' spiel?"
"It was a mystical birth Spike."
"That I figured out all on my own."
Neither vampire was looking at the rest of the members of the LA crew, so they didn't see them mouth to on another 'Son? Angel has a son?'
Angel rolled his eyes at Spike's snarky answer.
"As I was saying…"
"You weren't saying anything you poncy git. I was asking you questions."
Angel sighed dramatically.
Spike smiled and then continued with his questioning.
"This son of yours, is he human, demon, or vegetable?"
"He's human," Angel said with a wry smile at Spike's questioning phrase, "but he does have remarkable speed and strength…well he did, before the deal…I don't know about now."
"Well…don't you sound all proud and father-ish?"
Angel remained silent, so Spike continued.
"So…where's the prodigal son now? If he's kin, of some kind, I guess I could make nice. How old is he anyway?"
"He's not here," Angel said harshly.
"Don't tell me you tried to do the stupid thing and turn him. Infant vampires never work out right, you know."
"I didn't try…nor would I try and harm my son, Spike. I love him, you know."
Spike rolled his eyes.
"So…where is he?"
"He's… gone. He's safe. He's happy."
"Hmmm."
"What?"
"He's all safe and happy away from you, huh?
That's gotta suck…oh wait…that's you!"
Angel cuffed him upside the head.
Spike rubbed his head, ruefully. He knew he should have put more feet between himself and Angel.
"Hey now Geezer…that's called abuse nowadays."
"In this family, William, it's called tradition. Step out of line again & I'll take the strap to you."
Spike gave him a mock-horrified look.
"Not the strap," he wailed before falling to his knees, grabbing at Angel's calves.
"Please Grandpa Angelus…not the strap. I'll be good. I won't drop my chalkboard in the water ever again."
Gunn, Wesley and Lilah burst out laughing, while Fred and Lorne gaped at them.
Angel, obviously, however, was not amused by Spike's antics and merely glared down at him.
The picture they made was so ridiculous that Fred fell to the ground, holding her stomach as she laughed.
"I'll give you the cane in a minute boy," Angel told him, trying to shake Spike off his legs.
"Nooooo," Spike yelled. Cowering on the floor, playing his part for all to see.
Angel was beyond fed up. His crew was in various parts of the room laughing so hard they were soon to be sick and his ex-errant-vampire-childe-turned-first-male-slayer was doing his damn best to keep them in stitches and him in a ridiculous position.
"Get up," he told Spike, attempting to pull him up by the back of his shirt.
Spike wouldn't let go of his legs.
"Promise you won't beat me Grandpa. I'll not get up until I hear you promise."
Angel sighed heavily. He knew what he had to do, but he was so loathe having to say it. He'd rather knock Spike out, but he knew that Spike was ready for that. And he didn't want Spike attached to him like he was currently all night, so he said,
"I'm not gonna beat you William. Please get up."
Spike bounded to his feet, grinning widely. He looked Angel in the eye and winked.
Angel looked heavenwards once again.
"Was I really that horrible? There's no way in heaven or hell that I was as horrible as this torment is to me. Do I truly deserve this?"
After receiving no answer after waiting a minute or two in the same position Angel sighed and lowering his head muttered,
"Must do."
Spike snickered as he walked past a depressed looking Angel and ran up the stairs, picking Fred up off the ground and bringing her back down the steps, to place her on the couch.
When they could breathe again, Fred thanked Spike for the lift and told him he ought to behave more.
Spike merely winked at her, but shook his head.
Who wanted to behave when they could have all sorts of fun torturing Angel, he thought.
Gunn sat down next to him and said,
"Not as much fist and fangs…but very funny."
"Glad you were entertained…and can't really do the fist and fangs bit anymore. I's fangless now."
Gunn looked at him and said, "So you are. Gonna have to come up with a new slogan than."
"Already got it."
"Well then, share with the group…what is it?"
"Spike…the vampire slayer."
"Oh and that is oh so original."
"It's not…is it? Okay…Spike the Mighty Hero?"
"My god that's worse."
"Why don't you find one then, bloody ponce?"
Gunn laughed.
"I'm thinking, I'm thinking."
Lorne walked over and sat down next to them.
"Well doll, I have to say…I loved the show. If you ever want to get into acting, with your gorgeous accent, hot good looks, and sizzling blue eyes…not to mention that talent, I'm sure I can have an agent over here like that," Lorne told Spike, snapping his fingers to emphasize his point.
Spike merely laughed.
"Thanks," was all he said.
He turned back to Gunn.
"Well…soon as we figure out a title for me, I've got the perfect narrative for it."
"This I've got to hear…come on…share."
"I can hear people bragging about me already:
He was once a most powerful and vicious master vampire…creating terror and mayhem wherever he went. Until he met a girl…but not just any girl…it was the slayer. Not that he hadn't met slayers before; hell, he had killed two of them many years before. This one, however… he couldn't defeat…because he fell in love with her. And it was such love that caused him to do the right thing. He even got a soul for her, so he could become a better man. And when the world was about to be swallowed up by the notorious Sunnydale Hellmouth, he sacrificed himself, for her and her friends and the world, closing the Hellmouth for good. But his task just wasn't finished. The Oracles sent him to his ex-grand sire, the poofy Angelus, to join their crew, fighting the good fight as the first male slayer ever, until he could…
Okay…I guess I have to stop there…. I'm not sure what the next part of my story would be…haven't lived it yet."
"You are so insane."
Spike winked.
"But you liked it didn't you."
"Have to say I did. Got the champion part in there without mentioning it."
"Yeah I did, didn't I?"
"I have been sitting here listening to your nonsense for way too long, Spike."
"No one told you to stay. Shouldn't you be sleeping now, anyway? Wouldn't want you to get crispy fried by a stray beam of light…hold up…on second thought…why don't you come and take a stroll with me by the front door Angelus."
Angel glared at him.
Spike and Gunn chuckled.
"Now, back to you and me…we were trying to find me a
title. There has got to be something
that sounds good."
"Oh someone put in a stake in me."
Spike hopped up off the couch, whipping out a stake and heading toward Angel with a happy glint in his eyes.
"Spike…what are you doing?" Angel asked, backing away as quickly as Spike was advancing.
Angel had recognized the look in his eyes that he'd only really ever scene in Buffy's eyes when she was really about to get in a good kill.
"I'm granting your wish, Peaches."
"And just what wish was that?"
"You asked for someone to put a stake in you. And as I am a slayer, I feel it is my duty, to do just that. You know the drill…slayer plus vampire equals dust. Now stop running…it's not nice to make me chase you all over such a nice hotel."
Spike took a couple more steps towards Angel, boxing him into a corner of the room, when he heard,
"WILLIAM…I DON'T KNOW YOUR MIDDLE NAME…SUMMERS. PUT THAT STAKE DOWN THIS INSTANT AND SIT BESIDE CHARLES."
He turned and looked at Fred, raising his eyebrow.
"You heard me," was all she said, fire shooting out of her eyes and a pissed off mother's look on her face.
Spike turned and walked back over to the couch, sitting back next to Gunn, with a pout on his face.
"I wasn't really gonna do it," he muttered darkly, " I was only teasing him."
Gunn patted his arm sympathetically.
"Now someone has to take charge of this…. the two strongest warriors we have acting like five year olds…you both ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Angel…. go to bed. You've got to be exhausted by now…and it's almost 10'oclock in the morning. Wesley, please take Spike somewhere, away from Angel, and train him, quiz him, something…anything. Gunn, I don't care what you do…you can go with them for all I care…but please stop inciting him to bug Angel…we've got to work together…they need to get along at least a little bit. And don't you all think I'm gonna go through this every time. I'm not any of your mothers, but someone has to be the grownup. Today, it's me. Well…what are you looking at? Go!"
After giving Fred weird looks they all dispersed.
Angel, down to his room, and Wesley, Gunn, & Spike to a specially designed room at the back of the hotel, used for training.
After they had left the room, Lorne looked at Fred and said,
"Girl you pack some serious power when get riled, remind me to stay on your good side."
"That wasn't too much, was it? I would have been nicer, and I'll be later, but I had to do something to stop them…they were just gonna fight all day. And Charles and Lilah wasn't helping…just watching and waiting for more."
'They weren't the only ones."
"Lorne!"
"It was a wonderful fight…it was like watching a dance."
"It was…wasn't it?"
Lorne just laughed and they walked upstairs, chattering happily.
---
Gunn, Wesley, and Spike reached the training room without saying a word.
Once there, Spike looked at Gunn and said,
"Fred often like that?"
"Nope."
"She's not gonna put a cramp in my style is she?"
"What style?"
"Driving Angel mad."
"I hope not," Gunn said laughing.
"Well…as interesting as it was…Fred was right about something…. it's time to start training Spike."
Spike groaned.
"Don't wanna, do you?" Gunn said.
"Nope."
"Wanna ditch?"
"God yes!"
"I can hear you two, you know!"
Spike leaned closer to Gunn, lowering his voice even further,
"You pull it off and I'll owe you big."
"How big?"
"I don't know…I'll figure out something."
Gunn laughed.
"Okay Spike…we're gonna check your punches and kicks. I want you to come over here and show me some of your best moves."
Spike groaned and walked towards the punching bag. He smiled as he remembered the last punching bag he'd practiced on.
He walked over to the desk at the side, picked up a piece of paper and a pen, scribbling something down on the paper. He looked around, when he was finished, and found what he was looking for.
He walked back over to the punching bag, attaching the piece of paper to the bag with the tape he had found.
He stepped back and nodded over his work.
He then started stretching, warming up his limbs to prepare for his workout.
Gunn stepped forward to look at whatever Spike had tacked up to the punching bag and promptly burst out laughing.
Wesley came to look as well, and coughed to hide his bark of laughter.
Spike had drawn another picture of a Poofy-haired Angel with fangs and had placed it on the punching bag, just as he had done after he had seen Angel kissing his Buffy before she had fully killed that warped preacher pet of the first evil, Caleb.
After Spike had finished stretching, he started punching and kicking the bag, while Gunn sat down and gave pointers and Wesley jotted down notes.
"Whenever you and Angel can get along, I'd love to see you two spar."
"Those two get along…what are you blind Wes?"
"I didn't say it was gonna be soon…but…if you're here to help, Spike."
"I know, I know…I'll have to get along."
"Nice of you to at least know your duty."
Spike smiled and looked over at Gunn.
"Wanna spar…show me if you got any moves?"
"Sure…why not? Just none of those fancy moves of yours. Some of us are just ordinary humans in good shape with handsome faces."
Spike laughed and they began to fight.
After about an hour, both stopped for a break and later on, they all went out, after grabbing Fred, to see a movie and get food.
***
Days came and went, and the crew wondered everyday what Spike was going to do next. The boy was full of different ways to torture Angel, and every day was a new adventure for him.
One day they had all gone over to Spike's new place, to admire it…and got a giant laugh when Spike left Angel outside for a good thirty minutes, while he tried to decide whether to let the vampire in or not.
Another day Spike hid Angel's hair gel and ended up running through the hotel with Angel chasing him and when Angel had caught him, he had been dangled over the railing with a serous threat to be dropped if he didn't tell Angel where he had hid it.
Another day, Spike had removed the curtains that protected the main room from the sunlight, and because Spike had been the only one there that day, he had taunted Angel, who had to stay on the other side of the room so as not to burn to death, for hours before taking Angel's car out for a spin and leaving it with a homeless person, blocks away. Angel tried to kill him that day, but Spike had taken it in good part, for his fun had been had for the day. He had even gotten the homeless person a real apartment and a job, using Angel's contacts and firm, of course, and had gotten Angel's precious car back, after having it detailed for the picky vampire.
The days went on and on. Most days had at least one of Spike's pranks on Angel.
About two weeks later, one night when they were all there, researching for some case, Angel came roaring into the lobby where Spike was talking to Fred and Gunn.
Fred and Gunn gave Angel a confused look, trying to figure out what was wrong with him.
Spike however, just gave Angel his traditional smirk which only made Angel want to kill him, or toss him around repeatedly.
"What's wrong Gramps…not enough fiber in your blood?"
"Stop calling me that…and I'm not even going to waste my time answering the second part."
Spike turned to look at his silently laughing co-workers.
"Sometimes Grandpa Peach here has trouble…shall we say…digesting things. Poor old man. When you pass a bicentennial, they really should put you out to the pasture or something."
Fred burst out laughing. Gunn was trying to hold his, but it was an obviously losing battle by the expression he wore.
Angel ignored both of them and put the piece of paper he was holding under Spike's face.
"What the hell is this?"
"Looks like paper to me. You remember
paper, right…comes from trees? Don't
stress if you don't get it right away, the memory will come back eventually…we
hope."
Angel growled.
"What. Is. This?"
Spike laughed…and picked up the piece of paper.
After glancing over the paper he fell out laughing.
Angel wanted to shake him until something popped off.
Gunn came closer to see what it was.
"It's a bill," he told Fred.
"What's so funny about a bill?"
Spike couldn't speak, he was still laughing when Wesley walked into the room.
He took in the scene and turned to Fred.
"What did Spike do now?"
Gunn laughed at Wesley's assumption that Spike had done something.
"We don't know," Fred told him.
Wesley took the piece of paper and looked it over.
He then looked up at Angel and down at Spike who was squeezing his ribs.
He then chuckled.
"What is so funny about a bill?" Fred asked again.
Spike still couldn't talk, he was having enough trouble catching his breath and laughing at the same time.
Wesley, once he could talk again, explained,
"It's a bill from a demon Spike knows…he called him family. His name is Slythin…and Spike asked him to do something for him. I didn't hear the whole thing, so I can't give you a verbatim account. But I do remember Spike telling something to the tone of …'Bill Angelus then.' And it looks like that's just what he did. It's a bill for Slythin's services…for a total of $900.00. And if that wasn't funny enough…there's a note at the bottom saying that when the service has been completed…there will be a $300 dollar charge because of the nature of the charge."
"$1200 dollars.
Jeez, what service did you ask him for man?"
"Missing persons. But if he thinks he's
getting one red cent for me, he's got another thing coming. Oh…and Pops…you might want to keep your
money out of a bank. Slythin has a way
of collecting his money."
Angel just shrugged before saying,
"I'll just kill him."
"Are we feeling a little soulless Peaches? Okay…say it with me. Killing is wrong."
Angel just growled before disappearing.
Gunn and Wesley laughed.
Fred looked at him.
"You did it again Spike."
"What?
"You made him do that thing where he's gone."
Spike shook his head again.
"What now?"
"You even sound like Red sometimes."
Fred smiled.
"Miss them, don't you?"
"More than you can imagine."
"What, we not good enough for you?"
"Yes Gunn, you're important to me," Spike muttered glancing at the ceiling.
Gunn laughed and punched him.
"I know."
Spike laughed and they went back to researching some demon for Wesley.
"I'm telling you Watcher…the demon we're looking for isn't in your limited collection."
"Well how do you expect us to kill it then?"
Spike walked over to the weapons closet.
He looked, smiled, and pulled out a giant ax.
"This'll do," he said, striding towards the door.
"And where are you going?"
"I'm going out to kill…tell Pops I'll be in as soon as I'm
done…can't give him a time…cause I'm not sure when I'll find it. Wanna come
brother Gunn?"
"Well now," Gunn said, striding over to the closet and pulling out a sharp sword for himself, " I reckon I will."
Both boys laughed as they headed out to the night.
Fred and Wesley looked at each other and smiled, then went on to research information for another client.
Hours later, Gunn and Spike returned, covered in something rank smelling.
"EWW…what are you covered in?"
"Whatever was in the soddin' demon's guts," Spike replied, striding over to his
bag full of clean clothes that he had brought over from his place.
"Please tell me it's dead."
"Oh it's dead…we killed the hell out of it…and it's five
buddies, right Spike?"
Spike looked back at them and smirked.
"Yeah…we kicked a lot of demon ass…. now if you don't mind. I really need a shower," he said, jogging upstairs to get cleaned off.
Gunn glanced down at himself and shivered.
"Me too," he said, running towards the room he used when he was there.
Half an hour later, both of them came back down the stairs, having waited for one another.
"I'm telling you…I'm coming over tonight just to school
you."
"Please…I've got you whipped on that game.
You couldn't best me if you tried.
In fact, you have tried…what is it now? Two weeks…and still you suck."
"Its just cause you've got all those super powers."
"Super powers be damned. Face it Gunn…you don't got game."
Gunn pushed him.
Spike laughed.
"If you two are finished… "
"We know, we know Angelus…" Spike walked to the front of the group to stand where Angel was, looking at the rest of the group. Mocking his stance, looked at them all in his best broody expression, after first pushing his hair up to stand as Angel's did, before saying solemnly, "There has been a rise in demonic activity in the west section of town. We must mobilize immediately if we're gonna have a chance of keeping LA from becoming overrun with demons."
Gunn, Fred, and Lorne burst out laughing.
"I should just kill you and be done with it," Angel muttered.
"Now, now Angelus," Spike said, laughing. "That's not nice. I'm here to help."
"Help?"
"You know that thing…where you kill demons and I help you and the crew kill demons…slayer duty and all."
"Not to mention you help by tormenting me daily."
"I do not."
At Angel's look he said,
"I don't do it every day. Matter of fact…I haven't bothered you all day 'til just now."
"Thank you so much," Angel said sarcastically.
"Welcome," Spike said cheerfully, bouncing on his heels.
Angel sighed and walked off to get himself his blood.
Spike grinned and then turned back to the others.
"Now…what were we talking about?"
"Holding that all day, weren't you?"
"Sure was, I tell you…its hard being good.
I was once a bad, rude man, you know…for over a hundred and twenty
years."
The rest of the crew laughed.
"Spike, Angel…it's just about time for you two to spar."
Twin groans were heard from both corners of the room.
"Why must we go through this all the time? It's a perfect opportunity for both of you to hone your skills. As long as you, Angel, don't bite him and you Spike, don't stake him, everything else is fair game."
Both of them rolled their eyes.
"Hold up…if they're gonna spar, I'm gonna go get some popcorn. Last time I didn't want to get up and miss anything, but I was starving."
Angel and Spike looked at each other and then away.
"Well…what are you two waiting for…go get changed."
Angel turned and left the area, silently cursing Wesley and the whole watcher/slayer training program he had instituted. Spike turned and headed to his designated room when he had to stay at the hotel, and verbally complained about the same thing.
Wesley ignored Spike; he had heard it all before, every time they had trained, for the last two weeks.
Both came back into the room minutes later with workout clothes on and both began stretching.
Fred admired both.
Gunn caught the look and whispered,
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself."
"You look nice in your workout outfit too. When you're sparring with Spike, I watch you too"
He laughed.
"Sure…buttering me up will work."
Fred merely laughed; she could tell by Gunn's smile that she had gotten away with her appraisal.
Wesley was about to start telling them what he wanted to see, while they were warming up, when both Angel and Spike's heads came up.
They rose to their heights slowly, sensing something the others couldn't.
Angel and Spike looked around, looked at each other, and then looked to their right…nothing.
They looked to their left and were startled when a young man stepped through thin air next to them.
The young man held a phone out to Spike.
"Phone call for you, Mr. Spike…it's a Mr. Slythin."
TBC…