Chapter 14

            The Sunnydale Scooby gang entered the hotel, and found the interior dark and gloomy.

            "Well...this is different," Willow said, haltingly.

            "You mean it wasn't this pleasant when you came up a few days ago?" Xander asked.

            "No...it was much nicer then...you don't think...Angel's gone all...Grrr?"

            "Naw Red, if that was the case, you'd see bits and pieces of bodies all over...oh...and I'd smell blood, which I don't?  Which is a shame...cause I'm hungry."
            "Thank you, but I really wasn't looking for that type of word picture, Fang Boy."

            "Shut up, Whelp."

            Xander just chuckled, but moved forward and rang the bell at the desk.

            Cordelia came through the door.

            "How can I....ahhhhhhhh"
            She ran over and launched herself into Willow, Dawn, and Xander's arms, hugging them close.

            Spike smiled and leaned forward.

            "Don't I get a hug?"

            "Sure," she said, before she turned around, leaning toward him.

            When she saw him, she shrieked, and jumped back about 10 feet.

            Spike and Dawn burst out laughing.  Willow gave a half smile.  Tara looked amused.  Xander and Giles both had twin expressions of, I -thought-that-was-funny-but-I'm-not-going-to-laugh-because-that-would-ally-me-with-Spike looks on their faces.

            Spike, Dawn, Willow, and Tara regarded them and laughed at them too.

            Then, to put a confused Cordy out of her misery Willow started to explain.

            "It's okay Cordy, he won't hurt you."

            "Really?  Do you honestly expect me to believe there's another Care bear-With-Fangs around?"

            "No...don't listen to me...I'd eat you in a heartbeat," Spike said, enjoying scaring the girl.

            "Behave," Willow, Dawn, and Buffy told him together.

            Spike rolled his eyes and muttered," Fine, ruin my fun.  I might as well be my ponce of a sire.  Soon I'll be boring and brood all the time.  I might have to get some nancy boy hair gel to poof up my hair just like his.  Then maybe I'd get some respect."

            Cordelia and the rest of the gang giggled and chuckled over that.

            Xander tried to picture an Angel looking Spike...and burst out laughing at the thought.

            Then because Spike was looking at him evilly, he tried to cover it up with a cough, and said,

            "Really, don't worry about him, he's cool...and chipped.  He couldn't hurt you if he wanted to.  Spike's brought new meaning to electric shock therapy.  He tries to get all fangy and take a bite out of a human, he gets a big whopping dose of pain.  Gotta say, loving the new feature."

            Spike growled at him and then ignored him.

            "Xander, stop picking on him, " Willow and Dawn told him.

            Cordy smiled. 

            Then walked over to Spike and asked,

            "You one of the good guys now?"

            "Looks like it...since I can't really do any evil to anything but evil demons."

            "Nice having you on the team then."

            "So...do I get that hug?" Spike asked, winking wickedly at her.

            "Hell no...you may not be able to bite me, but your not going to be getting off on being close to my neck for even a second."

            Spike laughed, then sobered.

            "Fine...hurt my feelings."

            Cordelia rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand and shook it.

            "Nice to see you again."

            He laughed and pulled her quickly into his arms for a quick hug, then released her.

            "Thanks for the hug, Sweet thing."

            Cordelia laughed and they walked back over to the rest of the group.

            "So, where's Dead Boy Senior?" Xander asked.

            Cordy rolled her eyes.

            "Angel, Wesley and Gunn are out on a case, but they've been gone for a few hours already, so they should be on their way back sometime soon."

            "Good...a couple of more hours until the great poof shows, so lets go find some night life, huh?"
            "That sounds like fun," Dawn said.

            "Yeah," Willow and Tara decided.

            "Okay, am I the only one here not getting this?" Cordelia asked.

            "What?" all of them asked as one, giving her puzzling questions.

            "Okay, we had to force Angel out of the house to go do work, since his present mood seems to be wallow in despair."

            "We thought the decor had changed."

            "Shut up Xander," Cordelia said, not even sparing him a glance.  "Now, you guys were closer to Buffy than even Angel, and you stayed with her up until the end, and you Dawn, are her sister?"
            "So what's your point?" Spike asked.

            "My point is, why do you all seem so....happy?  I mean, I'm excited to see you all, but when Willow was up here just a few days ago, she was sad, no smiling, etc, now your all laughing and having fun.  So what's going on?"
            "Oh..." The group said as one.

            "Don't worry Cordy," Spike explained," we're not being disrespectful or drowning ourselves in happiness or something off like that.  We just all know a secret, that we came up here to clarify and all that, but instead of telling you all bit by bit, we're gonna tell you all at once.  Just know....it's good news.  Okay?"

            Cordy nodded.  "Okay."

            "Now kiddies, lets go have some fun, before the Poofed Wonder comes home."

            The gang laughed and headed towards the door, following their peroxided vampire.

            As they reached the door, Spike said,

            "Now lets have us some fun."

            He opened the door and came face to face with Angel, who had just returned, with Wesley and Gunn behind him.

                                                            TBC…