From the end to a new beginning – Fourth Chapter

Spike thanked the young man and picked up the phone.

"Spike here…talk to me."

Spike listened to whatever Slythin had to say, his expression getting happier and happier, if his growing grin had anything to do with what was being said.

Finally he said,

"Good…glad to hear it.  Now… get someone… I don't' care who or what, but make sure they're expendable and have them deliver a message to one of the following I'm gonna describe to you: a tallish older male with glasses, a red-haired chit…careful, she's a powerful witch, a tall male with an eye patch, a teenaged girl with long brown hair and blue eyes, a youngish woman…her hair changes, otherwise I'd give you more to go by…she's got brown eyes and a forthright manner, believe me, you'll know who she is when you meet her and finally a golden haired woman with hazel eyes.  Warn them to be extra careful with that last one, she doesn't look like she's capable of hurting a fly, but she's the main slayer.  There are a few others, and many to come besides that you could approach as well…but these are the one's I trust the most.  So make sure your lackey approaches one of these, all right?  I want the message to say:

            Come to LA, you're needed here...there's something you've got to see.

"Got that?"
"Good.  Oh…and make it seem like it came from Angel, all right?  No I will not tell you why you poncy bastard."

Spike listened some more and burst out laughing.

"Oh yeah…he got your bill… and you should have seen the look on his face… I thought his head was gonna spin around…."

Angel narrowed his eyes and took the phone out of Spike's hand, ignoring Spike's shout of protest.

"Slythin…. don't 'Hi Angelus' me…what the hell is with this bill?"

Spike and Gunn started laughing.

Fred shook her head, but she was laughing as well, remembering the outrageous bill.

"I'm not paying you anything you twisted little demon," Angel roared into the phone.

He listened to whatever was said.

"Go ahead, attack her.  From what I hear, there are plenty of slayers with them now.  You'll all be dead before you…"

Spike grabbed the phone.

"SLYTHIN…. we talked about that…now do I have to jack Angelus's Angelmobile and come down there and beat some sense into you?  You're sure, right? Better be… I don't take kindly to jokes about killing my slayer…"

He listened to again and a wide smile graced his lips.

"Bye Slythin…oh…hold up.  Tell your spies, or you can do it yourself, whichever, call me when they head for LA.  Got it?"

Spike hung up the phone laughing.

"What's so funny Spike?"

When Spike had a breath, he said,

"Slythin said that because you were so discourteous and rude to him, the price will have to be adjusted now.  He's rescinding his previous discount…yeah…it was a discount, a family discount.  He said he's canceling that out and you'll get the new bill in about two weeks."

Angel closed his eyes and counted to 10 slowly before sighing deeply and then reopened his eyes.

"So I take it he found them?"

"He said they were spotted in town.  Just arrived the day before…and are setting up shop somewhere near the Cleveland Hellmouth."

"What kind of shop?"

"Well…I'm figuring slayer shop; since all slayers are active now and will either be collected or start flocking on their own to them.  Besides…what good is a slayer without some kind of training?"

"Which is exactly why I feel its necessary for you to…."

"I wasn't talking about me you poncy git."

"Spike… as your current watcher, or at least as your current acting-watcher, I feel you should at least try to show me a bit of respect."

"Do I have to?"
"Spike!!"

"Hey, hey… no need to get all Ripper-like…I'll be good."

Spike looked towards Fred & Gunn & mouthed,

'At least for now.'

They both laughed…they were getting used to Spike-phrasing…and that one meant he was gonna act up soon.

Or so they hoped.

Cause since Spike had been around, they seemed to be never short of laughter and a good deal of fun.

"Okay…well…we might as well put you to work since we have some time before they come."

"What do you mean?"

"We're moving our office…it'll now be at Wolfram & Heart…this hotel will stay in our possession…a place to live and all… but the boxes and things aren't gonna move their selves…so that's where you come in.  Fred will show you what to pack."

"What… I'm just your slave now?"

"Could be worse," Angel said with a smile.

Spike rolled his eyes and headed over to Fred with a devilishly sexy smile on his face.

"Where do you want me luv?"

Fred blushed and turned and fled into the office as Spike worked his charm on her.

He laughed before following after her, sauntering.

Gunn chuckled and fell in step with Spike.

Wesley followed them after cleaning his glasses, in a way much like Giles frequently had done.

Angel started to follow them, when he found himself once again in the marble area with the Oracles,

"Don't you guys ever ask before you pull a person into your world?"

Why would we do that?

"Never mind.  So…what is it this time?"

Your calmer now, Champion…so we can give you your instruction.

'I'm not going to like this much, am I?"

Probably not, but our concern only lies in the fact that you do what you are meant to.

"Gee thanks.  It's so nice to know that my feelings are considered."

The male Oracle merely rolled his eyes and then said,

It is your duty to instruct and train William.

"Instruct him on what?"

On being a slayer.

"Maybe you haven't been watching, but Spike knows a lot about Slayers already.  It was his obsession before…and now he loves mine."

She does not belong to anyone other than herself.

Angel sighed.

"Why not let Wesley do that…he's already training him somewhat?"

It is not his responsibility… and Wesley has not fought and killed other slayers, nor has he trained or fought beside the ultimate slayer…you have.

Angel sighed again, it wasn't going to do him any good to argue with them, he knew.  He might as well give in.

"Anything else," was all he said.

That is your duty…that and do not interfere when you are joined.

"When we are joined with what?"

We have told you your instructions… these are all you need to know.

And with that they raised their hands and the next thing he knew he was in the lobby, on the way to the office again.

Spike saw him blink in from nowhere and gave him a look before saying,

"Oracles?"

"Yeah…"

"Damn poofters," was all he said before walking back into the office; he was still kinda ticked off at them for taking his prized duster.

"Got that right," Angel said, walking behind him.

***

After a few hours, Spike couldn't believe there was more to pack.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me.  How can there be more?"

"I'm with you…and why we doing this anyway, Angel?" Gunn asked.

"What do you mean?"
"Don't we now have a giant team of lawyers and footmen to do this kind of stuff for us?  What's the point of having lackeys if we're not gonna use them?"
"These are our most important items Gunn…I only want those I trust packing them."

Gunn and Spike shared a 'yeah right' look and went back to boxing more books and papers.

After an hour more, both Spike and Gunn were getting restless.

"Hey…shouldn't I patrol. Slayer's duty and all… right Wes?"
"Yeah…me too…what's a slayer with out a member of the Scoobies… besides…I could do with a spot of violence."

Spike smiled at Gunn.

"You should pay me royalties…stealing my line and all."

"It was your line? Your name was written on it.  Didn't see it…must have been done with that invisible pen of yours.  You know…the same one you use when you swear you're the greatest at every game we play."

Spike pushed him and Gunn replied in kind.

Both were grinning widely.

Wesley sighed, but he knew that if he didn't let them go out and release some of that energy, it would be bad for all of them.

They were like caged animals if they didn't get a chance to release some of their aggression.

"Fine…go…patrol…both of you.  Just make sure you both come back once your finished.  We still have a lot to do."

"Yeah sure,"

"We'll do that," they both yelled back as they ran for the door, quick to escape before Wesley could change his mind and call them back.

Angel watched them run out with something akin to longing.  He so wanted to follow them.  But no…

"You want to go too, don't you?" Fred asked him, interrupting his thoughts.

"You can tell?"
"It was easy…you had that wistful look on your face."

"Sorry," he muttered leaning over another stack.

Fred stilled his hands, and when he looked at her she winked at him.

"Go…patrol…have fun."

"What about…"

"I'll deal with Wesley," she whispered to him. "Just go before he gets a chance to trap you."

Angel flashed her a grateful look, and a second later they heard the door close behind him as he escaped.

Wesley looked up.

"Where's Angel?"
"He joined the boys…patrolling."

Wesley gave her a look and she winked at him.  He blinked and then shrugged before going back to packing.

Hours later, after cleaning up, Spike, Gunn, & Angel rejoined them and packed for a few more hours before going home.

***

Eventually, Angel had to use the crews from Wolfram & Heart to come and do the packing anyway…but at least everything that he considered 'confidential' had already been packed away and was stored at Spike's place for safekeeping.

The rest of them had guilt-ed him into doing it, telling him that they weren't pack mules & it was way too much stuff for them to have to do alone.

Angel had given in but let it be said that, it was probably more out of the fact that he was tired of boxing and moving himself, than because of all their complaints.

When they weren't packing or doing work or Angel wasn't visiting Cordelia in the private wing in the Wolfram & Heart lab/hospital, then Spike & Angel were sparring & Angel attempted to instruct Spike as he had been told to do.

Spike usually did what he said, although giving him those looks that showed him just how thrilled he was with the situation.  Not to mention that occasionally, Spike still pulled pranks on him. 

Some days were more Angel friendly than the others.

***

About a little over a week had passed when the same young man, who had appeared before Spike before, appeared out of nowhere, interrupting one of their training sessions.  He handed the phone out to Spike, who didn't even blink this time, although the rest of them, minus Angel, were startled.  Spike nodded at him as he took the phone.

He answered,

"What took so bloody long…you said they were spotted in town last week?"

He listened to the response and then laughed.

"I told you to make sure they were expendable."

He listened for a few seconds more before saying,

"Oh dear Lord…great…now you've got me talkin' like the Watcher.  Look Sly…"

Whatever Slythin said next cracked Spike up.

"Yeah…that's my girl…and my gang," was all he said when he could talk again.

After listening a little more Spike nodded at the phone and said,

"Alright…thanks for the update…. I'll expect them then."

Spike paused as Slythin said something and then said,

"Yeah…wouldn't know it would you?  But that's only to the…"

He was obviously interrupted as he stopped and listened once again before laughing hard and closing out the conversation with a "BYE Slythin."

He hung up the phone & gave it back to the young man who bowed & disappeared.

Spike stood back in ready stance, facing Angel, waiting for Angel to pick up the lesson again and give him another instruction.

Angel & the others stared at him, waiting for an explanation, but Spike didn't say anything.

"Well?" Angel practically exploded.

"Well what?" Spike asked with a smirk on his face.

Angel gave him a look.

Spike gave him an innocent one back, which was belied by the wicked glint in his eyes.

"They're headed this way, right?"
"Yep…they'll be here in about a week or two."

"Why so long?"

"Oh…they're stopping to pick up some newly activated Slayers on the way."

Wesley nodded.

"What was so funny?"

"Too many funny incidents to go into detail…I'll tell you them later…but the best one…I have to tell," Spike said with a snigger.

"Okay…Slythin said that he's gonna have to add to your tab now, because the Slayers killed three crews of ten of his best demons before they had the chance to pass on the letter."

Gunn & Fred laughed.

"How much is he gonna charge?"

"He didn't say…but he was going on about how some of his very best demons had perished & the compensation was going to have to be great because he was now suffering so."

Angel vamped out when the rage hit him, yellow eyes glistening in the darkness of the training room.  It took a few minutes, but he was able to put a clamp on his rage and his face melted back into it's handsome human one.

He was gonna have to kill Slythin…there was going to be no other way for him to maintain his sanity.  He was sure of it.  Couldn't kill Spike…they'd just bring him back one way or another…besides…he wasn't sure if Buffy would thank him for doing that favor and keeping on her good side was usually a priority…. so…he'd have to kill Slythin instead…damn demented demon.  You could really tell that he was Spike's protégée…same twisted mind.

Spike…who had a pretty good idea of what Angel was thinking, laughed before shouting,

"Hey Pops…I thought we were sparring…you gonna stand like that all day?"

Angel ignored his taunt & asked a question of his own, instead.

"Did he say who was coming?"
"Naw…he only said that a group of them had started heading this direction."

"Fine, now," Angel said, returning to his teaching stance, "show me a double roundhouse, three punch combo, followed by a step back 360˚ sweeping kick & then stake technique."

Spike gave him a wide grin, before executing the move faultlessly.  At the very end, Angel grabbed the stake with both hands, stopping its pretended downward descent to his heart and said,

"Good job, nicely done.  But what do you do when a vamp blocks your stake like I'm doing now."

If anything, Spike's smile got wider and more wicked & he pulled Angel upwards, twisting them both up into standing crouching positions & then by moving extremely fast, laid into Angel with all kinds of punches and kicks.

Angel was barely conscious & leaning against the wall to remain standing when Spike had finally stopped his assault.

Spike then calmly picked up the stake, flipped it in the air, and then tossed it directly at Angel.

Angel was way to weak to stop it or step out of its path.  He could do nothing, but watch the stake as it seemed to twirl in slow motion before it struck him and imbedded itself deep in his unbeating heart.

Angel gasped…and waited…sure he was nothing but a pile of dust now.

But nothing happened.

Angel looked down, and yes…Spike had not missed.

The wood was in his heart.

But he wasn't dusted.

'What the hell?' Angel thought.

Spike sauntered over to him with a giant grin on his face before explaining,

"Plastic wood grain…looks real, doesn't it?  Hurts like a bitch too, I remember, but…better to stake you with and not dust you, don't ya think?"

With that he yanked the wood grain out and watched as Angel slumped to the floor, as relief flooded through him, he wasn't gonna die, and then he slipped into unconsciousness due to the pain.

Spike then leaned over and picked up his ex-grand sire easily and hoisted him over his shoulder, turning back to tell the rest,

"For tonight…here endeth the lesson. Please join us at our regularly scheduled time… I'm sure when Angelus here heals…he's gonna attempt to kill me good and proper-like."

The rest of the crew laughed…although Fred and Wesley looked a little worried about Angel.

Spike assured them he was fine and took him down to his bedroom where he fed him some blood and then put him in his bed, before leaving to go back to his place.

Gunn joining him said,

"That was so cool…"

"Not worried about Angelus, huh…were you?"

"Nope."
"Why not?"
"You wouldn't dust him…it would end your fun."

Spike laughed.

"True," was all he said as they walked off into the night before getting into their cars a few blocks away.

***

A couple of days later, Spike was cleaning out yet another room Angel had said was essential, when that vampire came into the room behind him and locked the door.

Spike rose slowly and gave him a questioning look, but didn't say anything.

"I think you and I should have a talk William."

Spike blinked and then glared at the name, but sat down on the chair Angel had waved him to.

"So, what's all this all about then?"

"Before Buffy & the Scoobies get here…I think you and I should have a man-to-man talk."

"Don't you mean a man-to-vamp, Peaches?"

Angel growled.

"Damn it Spike, I'm trying to have a real conversation with you."

"You want a real conversation, Angelus, than how about you not start off by calling me William."

"It's your name!"

"Yeah…and just how often do you go by the name Liam lately, hmm?"

Angel sighed, knowing Spike had a point.

"Can we just ignore it then?  I wanted to talk to you."

"About Buffy?"
"About you and Buffy."

Spike sighed deeply.

He really didn't want to talk about this with Angel.

"I don't want to talk about this with you either Spike," Angel said as if Spike had said spoken the words out loud.

"Personally," he went on to say, "I don't want you anywhere near her.  I tend to think evil gravitates towards you and you always end up in horrendous situations.  But…as much as I dislike the idea of you two together…or even becoming closer friends…she told me that you were in her heart."

Spike looked up at him in wonder.

"Yeah, she did," Angel, told him, answering his unspoken question.

"When?"
"Right before I gave her the amulet."

Spike's eyes glazed & then he refocused & looked at Angel.

"So…if Buffy said that…what are you…"

"I just wanted to know what you intend to do when she gets here Spike?"
"Holding and hugging her springs to the forefront of my mind," Spike said sarcastically with a lift of his eyebrow.

"Seriously, Spike…she deserves a normal life.  Why do you think I left in the first place?"

"Cause you're a 'Giant Poufter'," Spike shrugged.

"Spike," Angel leapt up and was inches away from Spike before he stopped himself, seconds before grabbing Spike & shaking some sense into him.

Spike pushed him backwards with one hand, knocking him back into his seat.

"First of all Angelus…"

"Look…I…"

"Stop interrupting!  You've had your say…you wanna talk some more, you wait until I'm finished having mine.  Understand?"

Angel sighed, but nodded.

Spike continued,

"Now…as I was saying, first of all Angelus…Buffy isn't a NORMAL girl.  She's never going to be a NORMAL girl.  No matter how many others have been activated.  It's not only what she does…it's who she is.  She's the slayer and always will be…until she dies…again…for good.  Understand? 

"Normal isn't enough for her.  She tried it with Captain Cardboard and it went horribly wrong.  He couldn't take not being the strong one in the relationship.  He couldn't deal with her on the emotional level either.  That's why they couldn't make it work."

"And you think you'll fair better than me?"

Spike laughed bitterly.

"She'll always love you, mate.  Just like I'll always love Druscilla.  But you're holding onto the past if you think she's still the same wide-eyed girl you tried to mold into your perfect little woman.  One you could put on the shelf until you were ready to play with her," Spike held up a hand, as Angel was about to protest, silencing him before continuing with his point,

"She's lived through way to much to go back to those days.  She's known so many losses and she's died herself…again.

"She lost heaven and bounced back.  I'll tell you what I told her once during our final days, before we beat back the First Evil's hordes…and then maybe you'll stop asking me how I feel about her and what my intentions are and what she means to me."

Spike paused…gathering his thoughts together…remembering… before saying,

"I told her that I wasn't asking her for anything.  When I say I love her, it's not because I want her…it's not because I can't have her.  It has nothing to do with me.  I love what she is, what she does, how she tries.  I've seen the best and the worst of her…and I told her that I understand with perfect clarity exactly what she was…is…will always be.  She's a hell of a woman…and for me…she's the one."

Angel looked as if he had been bowled over.

He didn't know what to say.

Spike had just…bared his soul, for lack of other words, and to him.

He didn't know what else to do or to say.

It was all to obvious that Spike truly loved Buffy…and Angel knew that no matter how he felt about her, he wouldn't stand in Spike's way.

He stood up and put a hand to Spike's shoulder, squeezing briefly, before nodding at him and walking out of the room, leaving Spike to carry on with the packing.

***

Later that evening, as Spike prepared to go to his car, he found another envelope like he had found in his apartment weeks ago, after the group had came by for the first time and he had taunted Angel horribly, in his borrowed leather jacket.

He put it back in his pocket and said his goodbyes to all and headed home.

As badly as he wanted to open it then, he knew that he probably wouldn't be able to drive after seeing it.

He walked into the house and got himself something to eat and then walked into his bedroom, turned on the light, lay down on the bed and then opened up the envelope.

As he looked inside…tears cascaded from his blue irises. 

For long minutes, he couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful portrait within.

He put it against his chest lightly, so as not to crumple it, and glanced up at the ceiling…thinking of nothing but the portrait.

He finally pulled it up to look at it again…and traced his fingers over every inch of it.

As the long day & sleep began to sing its claim to him, he kissed one side of the portrait and put it back against his chest, before finally succumbing his tired body and mind to sleep.

Hours later, once in a deep sleep, he released the portrait, and it floated right side up onto the pillow next to him.

It was a beautifully done sketch picture of him and Buffy holding one another close, smiling at their onlooker, and you could tell that, even though they weren't looking at one another, they were together, happy, and deeply in love with one another.

***

The next day, after glancing once again at his sketched portrait with Buffy, he put it with his other one and after sunset he pulled up at the Hyperion. 

The first person he saw, upon entering the building was Angel.

Angel had just strolled out of one of the back offices.

Spike stood staring at Angel & Angel, in his part, stared back at Spike.

Spike then walked over towards him & stood right in front of Angel.  His face was unreadable, so Angel had no idea what Spike was thinking.  Before Angel could ask him what was going on, he found himself in a tight bear hug.

Spike soon let him go, but Angel understood what the gesture was for and was touched.

He gave Spike a rare smile.

"So…I guess I'm on your good side now?" he asked with a smile.

"For a while," Spike said laughingly.

"How long is a while in your book Spike?  I've noticed that time moves differently in your warped mine."
"Well…yeah.  I'd say you'd have at least a day, maybe two, free of pranks.  That is unless we hit a time warp…cause that'll throw you into the hour long zone and then it's pranks, pranks, all the time again."

Spike gave him a large & cheesy smile.

Angel laughed & wandered back into an office area full of boxes.

He was double checking things and making sure they were packed tightly.

Spike skipped to help & then willingly moved boxes & packed until it was time to patrol.

Gunn asked him several times, during the night, if he was alright, but Spike just gave him the same wide grin.

"Okay…he's starting to freak me out," he told Angel…after they had gotten back to the hotel.

"Don't worry…he'll be back to his annoying & bouncy self in a few days time."

"You sure?"
"Yes Gunn…your partner in crime will soon again be up to his usual pranks & tricks.  I'm on his good side now…but his behavior is wigging me out as well…so…what?"

He asked a now laughing Gunn.

"You said wigging…"

"Oh for the love of…" the master vampire stalked off muttering about how if it wasn't one or the other of them, it was both of them.

When Angel had left the room, Spike came over and congratulated Gunn.

"That was perfect."

"I said it right?"
"Sure did."

"Good."

They shared a grin.

"Okay…next time, bring up the…"

"Hold on, " Fred interrupted them, "I thought you were being good to Angel, Spike."

"I am."
"But…"

"Just because I have to be good for a day or so, doesn't stop me from getting my rocks off another way.  And lucky for me, Gunn volunteered."

Fred shook her head and walked off, towards another office she had halfway packed up.

"Crazy, they're both crazy," she muttered.

The boys smiled at each other and went back to making their plans…just small things that would last them both until Spike could take over once again.

When they were done scheming, they went their different ways for the night.

***

Roughly a week later… Angel had them finding, categorizing, boxing up weapons & then settling boxes aside and moving them out to the waiting u-haul truck at the loading dock.

Angel had made Spike do most of the moving, with himself and Gunn, telling him that it was because he was the Slayer.

"So you would have packed Buffy and Faith up like this if they were here?" Spike asked him sarcastically.

"Well… no… it's only your privilege…cause you're the first male slayer."

"He's so full of it…" Spike started…only to be cut off by Gunn's laughter.

They went back to working, at Angel's look and then went downstairs to the lobby with their last haul before going to get more items from a back room for Fred.

A few hours later, Angel walked around a corner to see Spike standing in one place.

"I thought you were getting the swords…or helping Fred to move boxes. What are you doing standing there?"

Spike didn't move, nor did he say anything…he just went on staring.

Angel peered around him and stood just as still as Spike.

There, in the lobby of the hotel was a group of girls.

Slayers.

Angel could tell from the way his vampire senses were going haywire. 

He was shocked he hadn't bolted by now.

But even though he was sure they knew he was there, they hadn't attacked him.

Made him a bit more comfortable.

He looked to the side, by the counter and saw Xander, Giles, Willow and Dawn talking to Wesley, Gunn and Fred.

He was about to walk forward and greet them when the group of girls moved to the side…  and he know knew what had frozen Spike in place.

Directly across the room, barely standing in the doorway was Buffy.  And she was staring at Spike.

TBC